Life is like riding a bicycle

 - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.  ~Albert Einstein

Happy 3rd Belated Birthday Kakak!

Hope you love your new ride. All purplish and princessy! 

Complete with front basket, back compartment, side mirror and a bell! Credit to Abah for such a great find!

The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles.  A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom.  The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.  ~Sloan Wilson

When baking is a piece of cake...

Alhamdulillah, Mama has managed to do some simple baking with Kakak. We have in fact baked about 6 cakes and brownies so far.

Honestly, I'm always a little (or maybe a lot) short of patience. That's essential for those baking from scratch. The measuring, the mess, the clean-up. Those are always a put-off!

But really, thank goodness for PRE-MIXES! They make my life so much easier! Not to mention, when stress aside, it was definitely fun doing it with Kakak. That's why we don't mind doing it over and over again.

"To me it does not really matter if you decide to simplify things. Don't be too hard on yourself. The most important thing is to have FUN!"

All you need is water, vegetable oil and eggs. How simpler can it be! I would prepare all the things needed, and Kakak would do it all by HERSELF!

We usually buy the Pillsbury's brand as it is Halal certified.  

Another chocolate cake!

Tadaa! I made simple ganache to pour over if we did choc cake. 

Brownies! Topped with orange-colored icing decorated by Kakak guided by Mama. No wonder its a mess!  

The brownies was specially made for Nenek to bring home to Singapore. One for Nenek and another for Nenek Nor. Specially and lovingly made by Amira Balqis.

Watch Amira in action! Click here!

little things that surprise me!

"It's the little things that make the big things possible. Only close attention to the fine details of any operation makes the operation first class." J.Willard Marriott


Kakak,
Mama found a marker that day. I gave it to you and could see your face lighted up with joy - Subhanallah! Kids and simple pleasure. You thanked me as if I had given you the best thing in the world! But then again, you have always been generous with your gratitudes, you would never forget to thank Mama even for the little or simple things I gave you. I thank you for that, it really warms my heart. 


Immediately you went up to the greatly under-utilized whiteboard, and started to draw. I did not give much attention as I thought you were just making your usual artwork of random lines and circles. But I am very surprised and not to mention proud to see what you had done dear: 

Your 1st attempt! I truly did not know you were already capable of drawing such. With details: body, eyes, eyebrows, nose (the dots), mouth (nevermind its sad, you did not know how to make a smile yet), hands, and lastly breasts (that made me laugh! Of all the other bodyparts, thats what you drew, maybe you missed breastfeeding ya)

The 2nd one. With a rainbow! and the creature has teeth or is that beard?

This looks like rugrats! 

Mama is proud of you! 


On a little note, just so you know that you just turned 3, and you would still ask for a little bf. I know its hard for you to stop, but I'm sorry sayang, its becoming uncomfortable for Mama. Thank you for not demanding it much anymore, and thank you for making me feel like a great Mom just because I breastfed you, alhamdulillah!

Ooops another ME post..

A moment to stand in front of the mirror and say out loud these:

I am blessed to be a SAHM, alhamdulillah! ( Ok I need to write that down so that I can reflect upon it and really feel the blessings because honestly there are times when I do feel suffocated being one...tsk)

I am not a perfect mother and I will not force myself into being one. Or else my children and husband will suffer. But I promise to give only my best for them, insyaAllah!

I have to always remember not to put much hopes on people, it will only bring disappointment and remorse. Only hope in Allah!

Always be thankful with what I have. Have only kind and positive thoughts. I usually have the tendency to be pessimistic and starts to think lots of nonsense.

My life centers around my family now and I should be grateful for that as they are the ones who love me unconditionally even after knowing the bad sides of me.