65 more days and nesting

Around the fifth month of pregnancy, the "nesting" instinct can set in. This is an uncontrollable urge to clean one's house brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world.

The house is in mess!

Result of heavy nesting kicking in. I am in the midst of totally(I wish!) making over the house and Abah of course  just had to go with it. With the mood swings, stubbornness, everything just has to go my way (I blame all on the pregnancy hormones, I sure hope you understand that Abah dear).  

I had to enlist Abah to help me out, as my energy is dwindling, even getting up from the couch would left me breathless and not forgetting the constant back pain. And when 2 heads are not always a good thing, squabbles and sulking would happen for sure. We are just complete opposite at times (well most of the times). While my cleaning mantra is 'Throw, throw and throw, his would be Keep, keep and keep". See, that is why I would rather do all by myself if possible, unless it is really necessary to ask for help. 

Tackled the storeroom yesterday, it looks so spacious now that even Harry can sleep in it. Next is the study room and master bedroom. I always love results but not so much the process. I've lost count of how many times I opened the storeroom just to peek inside. Call me crazy.

After the house, I hope I will be able to sit down and catch on my DIYs. Hah!

My ambitious DIY project to-do (which involve a lot of sewing which I know nuts about):

- Curtains : Living area & Master bedroom.

- Create my own nursing cover

- Repainting the crib and sew the sheet and bumpers

- Dining table cloth and maybe, just maybe the chair covers. 

- Make own bean bags (coz Abah brought back these 2 huge bags of small polystyrene balls)  

(I think those are the Pinterest effects, which makes me feel like I can do everything by myself)

So how about school? Hmmm...its been on and off quite lately, I just feel that I have to re-organize everything first and then we can re-start our schedule. For now, I just let Kakak do the works in the workbooks we bought some time ago, the rest of time its either the TV or Ipad or outdoor play or just art on the easel. I do feel bad, really really bad, so I just have to speed up the organizing and hopefully insyaAllah we can settle into our homeschool routine back. Amin. 

A Family Gathering

Last Saturday we had a small family gathering with Nenek's side of family. 

And of course, food is mostly always the 'star' of any gatherings in Singapore.

The 'star': Nenek's Lontong complete with serunding, sambal kerang and chicken rendang. 

Super Yum!

 At grandaunt's house

Oh yes! They are Chinese! My mum is actually a Chinese-born given to a Malay family since baby. The only chosen one in family ~masyaAllah! 

Nenek's sisters and brothers = grandaunts and granduncles

The lil girl who loves to eat!

 A little barbeque

And....

 Weee! My advanced birthday prezzies! 

Alhamdulillah!

Library trip

Its been a truly long time since we last visited the library. I'm not so sure myself if there is any children's library at Kuantan. So everytime we come back to Singapore I will try to make it a must to go to there. 

This is the nearest to my mum's house. Since I'm bringing the tandem stroller, buses are out of question. I couldn't possibly handle 2 kids and lug the 12kg stroller boarding the bus. And so, we I walked all the way there which took about 15mins.  

We had our breakfast at the 'kopitiam' nearby. Had 'lontong' which I had been craving for quite some time. I miss Singapore food! We had been having Nasi Lemak everyday at Kuantan - we have to have rice at least once a day, Kakak and Adik especially is a big rice-eater.  Next in line would be 'Mee Siam', 'Soto' and 'Mee Rebus' YUM!

Data-entry clerks at work

Busy busy

Yeah Singapore is a 'fine' country. Everything cost $$$, These are fines for returning the books late the last time. Unless you pay, you will not be able to borrow. 

Checking out the books

I love this stroller! Though the downsides are its bulky when folded and heavy, but it has really served us well. Smooth, easy to turn even 360degrees, fit through standard doors, and its side-by-side.
 

Since it was too hot to walk, we decided to spend some time at Mcdonald's

Playground first before heading home

Travelling alone with 3Ts: 2 tots and a tummy

We are at Singapore now! Will be here for the next 2 weeks, coz my bestfriend got engaged today and Abah will be going to Bandung WITHOUT US for 3 days next week, so there's no way Im going to coop myself and the kids at home while he went there having fun with friends.

We came by AirAsia from KL, as FireFly direct from Kuantan is quite costly. The latter is really not a budget airline at all! So we had rather drive the way up to KL for 3 hours and took AirAsia promo tix which cost only RM14 each for me and Kakak. Of course Adik had to pay too, funny thing was her tix cost much more - RM50 for those under 2 years old- but there was no seat for her! Nope there wasn't any special service rendered too.I still had to walk all the way to the plane under the sticky weather with my 5 months old heavy tummy, carrying Adik - God knows we'll never get to the plane on time if I let her walk by herself - and constantly had to stop and urged Kakak to catch up. The walk took us about 3-5 minutes I think. No special service offered. Maybe coz I didn't opt for the red carpet service which cost RM100..

That's the thing about AirAsia, though the tix are cheap, but there are so many add-ons actually you have to pay. Like the seats, you can actually opt to pay and choose your desired seating, but since I did not pay, they actually gave me a separate seating from Kakak! Though it was near - mine 17D while Kakak's 17C, we were separated by the aisle - but it was still separated. Kakak was registered under child, so obviously they know a child should be TOGETHER with the adult. But alhamdulillah the couple that should sit beside me were willing to trade their seats - though I sensed that the lady was quite unhappy with it. But sorry, I cared more about my children than your unwillingness to part with your boyfriend.

So here they were, quite well-behaved alhamdulillah during the journey - it took only about 45 mins.

taken by Kakak from her seat

They love the plane

Dedicated to Abah, she very much wanted to show Abah the front cover of that fat sumo-clad man.

Tips for taking plane with tots imho:

- Especially if you are alone with more than 1 tot, you would want to them to go to the toilet before they board the plane, coz it will be too much hassle if one of them wants to use the toilet on board. 

- Prepare activities for them while on board, just simple ones, like plain paper and some markers will do or maybe the Ipad.

- Only carry a simple or better, hands-free luggage on board. 

- Bring something for them to suck on, like lollies, or breast will do for BF babies, for during take-off and landing. 

- Don't forget extra diapers, wet wipes and maybe an empty plastic bag. Make sure if they pooped and you washed them in the toilet, do not just throw the soiled diaper in the thrash. You would want to ask the staff how to dispose of it, as you wouldn't to cause an emergency landing due to the stench of your kid's poop which really had happened before somewhere.

- Last but not least, pray that they do not make a scene or have their drama episode on board. 

Rezeki...

Alhamdulillah!

THANK YOU to Mummy's Review for this awesome giveaway! 

Semoga bermanfaat untuk Mama dan anak2, insyaAllah!

Grumbling about your child?

I did. At the little things.

Like when they made a mess exploring or playing.

Like when they always bug me to take this or that for them or being bossy.

Like when they talk too much.

Like when they squabble.

Like when they did not listen.

Like when they drenched themselves wet again or get themselves dirty just after a change of clothes after a bath.

Like when they want to watch their cartoon shows instead of my show.

Like when they need me to sleep every night because I have something else to do.

Like this and like that and it goes on.

Until, I came across this.

And I feel so ashamed of all my grumblings and complaints. ~astargfirullahal adzim~

A smurfy weekend!

It wasn't as great as I thought it would be. The smurf movie that is. Abah even dozed off in the middle. And I would have to think twice the next time we want to watch any movie, because Adik is so fidgety and restless! I think she's not the movie kinda person, she is not even interested in cartoons unless it is the singing part. Its a good thing of course.

Kakak on the other hand, could be numbed by watching tom and jerry and mr bean - yes mr bean! I don't get it! - for hours! I am making it a challenge for myself to reduce - or totally scrap! - the tv amount for my children, insyaAllah!

Steps to be taken, more and more activities. Alhamdulillah for blogs out there who shared tons of ideas and also to Pinterest! -which I have to tell myself dozen of times to Just Stop Pinning Already and Get Moving- sheesh!

But that would also mean, more commitment on my side - its not like Im not already committed or something, what am I living for if not my family, in their every waking hour every single day, I feel like I don't even have a life of my own anymore! I can't remember the last time I went out alone, or read a good book without disturbance, or talked to my friends, or even having a decent conversation with anybody, and I think Im beginning to rust in the art of talking. Even as an introvert, I do need a good conversation with a listening adult once in a while right - note that, listening. Okay, enough of that already.

Wait..what's this post supposed to be about actually...aahh a smurfy weekend.

I love our weekends when we are not travelling back anywhere. It is super tiring. And I hate the packing. And the heaping laundry after that.

Well, let's just feast on pictures and captions shall we.

A smurfy weekend in Kuantan. 

Walking along the beach after a McDonald's breakfast

She loves loves and loves to walk

Something caught her attention

Always has a funny pose for the camera

"I want those!"

We didn't let her so she decided to walk off with her stroller

hmph! stomp stomp!

I'm a big girl Mama!

"I don't wanna let go!"

Time to get smurfy!

That was a lovely weekend!