3 NIKE Look Ideas

Those who know me knows very well that I am not an outdoor-sy or sporty kinda girl. I mean, if I were, I won't be this flabulous, right? Yes, you read that right. It is FLABULOUS and it is not a typo. So of course I don't have a proper sports shoes. I mean, why would I buy it if I know I won't be wearing them? I am however in search of a good and comfortable shoes that can be worn with basically anything. I am going on a holiday at the end of the month and since I have an infant to carry and a 3 year old to chase around, I need good shoes. The first criteria of the shoes that I'm looking for is it has to be flat. No way I'm wearing high heels or platforms for travel. The second criteria is casual. It has to be able to match my outfits. The third criteria is the comfort factor while the fourth criteria is the price, which has to be affordable. Oh the shoes must be tahan lasak as well.

You see, women may have a lot of ideas on how to style footwear such as high heels, flip flops and flats with their outfits but sport shoes will probably make women pause for a while to think. One of the famous sport shoe brand for women to perk up their wardrobe is NIKE. Nike is a fashion brand known around the world that produces stylish sportswear and sport shoes based on the latest trends. Women who want to bring a new aura into their personal style should definitely opt for a complete look from head-to-toe from Nike sports collection. There are 3 various ways a woman can mix match their Nike sports attire or shoes. 

The first Nike look ideas for women to try out are to match are perfect for the ladies who want to work out in style. Whether at the gym, a jog around the park or even doing yoga at home, wear Nike yoga pants, sports bra and a plain basic tee for a stylish yet comfortable workout session. 

 

 

OK I am not really working out but I believe a lot of walking, pushing the stroller, chasing after a 3 year old and carrying an infant plus breastfeeding amounts to a good workout and I can burn a lot of calories. I can totally see myself dressing up like the above picture but instead of working out, I will be lounging on my couch with a bar of chocolates. 

The second look is to wear a pair of Nike sport shoes with a tank top and hoodie sweater. This look is perfect for women who aim to portray a boyish and edgy appearance on a casual day out. Impress the guys with your remarkable taste in fashion and stand out from the rest as you walk down the streets. ‘Just Do It’ (like Nike’s slogan) with attitude and walk in confidence everywhere you go.

   

I am not a boyish kinda of girl nor am I edgy. I am more of a simple and practical kinda woman. This is what having kids do to you. You sacrifice your style for comfort. Yes, comfort and practicality comes first especially when you are breastfeeding.

The third look is suitable for the ladies who want to maintain their feminine look while having a sporty side. Match a nice pair of Nike sports shoe with an A-flare dress to a lunch date or a weekend with your girlfriends. Mix up your look and accessorize it with bangles or a cap for an improved trendy fashion appearance. 

 

OK I think I can pull off this look. I never thought that you can wear sports shoes with casual clothes yet still look pretty. I always opted for normal flats or ballerina pumps but some of them don't provide proper support and by midday, I will end up with sore and tired feet. When you go on holiday, you will be doing a lot of walking and will only retire at the end of the day so you will be on your feet all day long. So a good pair of shoes is utmost important.

Interested ladies who cannot wait to spice up their wardrobe with a more trendy choice of apparels and shoes can check out ZALORA Nike online for women collection. I know where I'm gonna click now. ;)

Pregnancy Massage

I have always wanted to go for a pregnancy massage and after doing a quick search online, I found one near to my office. I told hubby to belanja me the pregnancy massage. I told him " Well, we wouldn't have to pay for it if you would give me a nice back rub and massage every now and then and when I do ask, you would do it properly and not simply." He agreed. I mean, when else do I get to be pampered, right? Since he doesn't want to pamper me in such a way, I shall seek pampering outside. :P 

It turns out that there's Urban Retreat Spa at One Mont Kiara, which is near to my office and home.  I've been to the one in The Curve with my bestie Sara a long time ago but since I have one near my office and home, I might as well go here. I booked a slot at 6.45p.m on 29 August, the Friday before Merdeka. It was a nice treat prior to a long weekend.

This is the price list for the services available. At first I wanted to go only for 60 minutes but then I thought, might as well do for 90 minutes. You can also check their website for other services and prices.

  

 I was lead to a room and was asked to change into a top, which I can't even button fully due to my huge tummy  and a pair of pants. i was informed that they won't be using any oil because the oils that they have may not be suitable for pregnancy. So I was fully clothed during the whole session. I lied down on my side and was made comfortable with the pillows wedged under my belly and in between my legs. Before I begin the massage, they asked if I wanted to go to the toilet but I already went beforehand. The masseuse is an old Thai lady who can barely speak English but she was gentle and kind. She asked me if the air condition is too cold, she asked if I was comfortable, she asked if I was feeling OK every now and then. 

I felt fine but at that time I was still coughing and having runny and blocked nose due to my fever earlier so I kept on coughing which made me uncomfortable. She even offered me to drink a glass of warm water, which helped soothe my throat. The massage was nice and gentle and it really hit the right spots especially down my back and spine. It felt so good!

But after a while, I felt the urge to pee so I told her I needed to pee. To my horror, the spa itself doesn't have a freaking toilet. Yes, you read right. They have a bathroom with a bath tub, shower and sink but no toilet bowl. If I wanted to go to the toilet, I will have to go to the toilet outside, which is the mall's toilet. I find this ridiculous because there's no way I'm going to the toilet outside in the attire that they gave me, especially that I can't button the top fully. She gave me a robe but the robe was too small either and there is no way I am wearing a robe to the toilet outside! Even though One Mont Kiara is not packed and there were barely any people walking around, one would be crazy to go to the toilet in such condition. If I were to change into my own clothes, that would take time and I have about 20 minutes left of the massage. Imagine the time wasted if I were to change, go to the toilet, change again and by the time I'm back on the mattress, time would be up. So I had to hold on to my pee. So the last 20 minutes of the massage wasn't very pleasant due to a full and compressed bladder.

After the massage, they gave me a glass of warm tea which I only drank a bit because my bladder is already full and compressed. I quickly made my payment and literally ran to the loo to pee.

This was taken after the massage. I felt really good all over and especially after peeing. If you are pregnant and looking for a place to do a pregnancy massage, you might wanna try Urban Retreat Spa. The price is reasonable, in my opinion but make sure you empty your bladder beforehand!

I Almost, Almost Won A Mini Cooper!!

I was thisclose to winning one of my dream cars, the Mini Cooper on 14 August 2014 BUT Lady Luck wasn't smiling at me. It all started a few months back when Watsons held a contest named Watsons Mini Giveaway. All you had to do was to spend a minimum RM80 in a single receipt including some of the participating brands. You have to be a Watsons club member to be eligible for the contest. So sometime before we went on our holiday to Perth, we bought the essentials at Watsons KLCC and our receipt was more than RM80. There were no slogans required. Basically once you swiped your Watsons member card, you are automatically entered into the contest.

Time pass by and I honestly had forgotten about the contest. But one day I received this Whatsapp message.

I was ecstatic! I mean, being the lucky 50 finalists to be in the running to win a Mini Cooper?? You gotta be kidding me, right? Suddenly it felt deja vu. Memories from 2003 came back where I received a letter from Rexona to say that I was one of the 88 contestants for the Rexona No Sweat Challenge and the grand prize of a Perodua Kancil could be mine. I immediately RSVP but I didn't receive any reply from them that I called them the next day just to be sure that they got my RSVP sms. Hey, I have to be sure OK? Hello, it's a Mini Cooper we're talking about here! They said they will check and then will call me. During raya they called me to confirm my attendance and they sent me an email of the details of the event.

The days leading to the event, I got so excited and what are the odds that I kept seeing so many Mini Coopers on the road? Was my mind playing tricks on me? It's not that often I see Mini Coopers on the road but as the days get closer, I see more than one Mini Cooper on the road, every day. Thinking positive thoughts, I told myself, it's a sign! And when I pass by a parked Mini Cooper, I'd say in my heart "soon you will be mine". That was how 'crazy' and excited I was. I even asked my boss for permission to leave early on the 14 August so that I can be at Ingress Auto, Bangsar on time.

On the day itself, I left office with my colleagues wishing me good luck and my spirits high I picked Babycakes from the nursery, went home and we all freshened up. It rained that evening and traffic was slightly congested but we reached Bangsar Village and parked our car there and even managed to grab a cup of coffee at Nutmeg before heading to Ingress Auto. When we arrived, I registered my attendance by showing my Watsons VIP card. They then gave me my 'lucky number' which was 25. I thought, hey, I'm split half in the middle. This could be a good sign. Who knows, right?

While waiting for the event to start, they served us some light snacks and drinks. People were mingling around, music was playing. We even took pics with the coveted prize. Just look at those beaming, shiny red car. Drool!!! We even told Babycakes to pray for me, we said to her "kita nak menang kereta ni!". Positivity is the key here, ok?

The event finally started after Maghrib prayers. Here's how it works:

There are 50 finalists that day, each with their own 'lucky number'. After some talks and introduction by Watsons and Mini Cooper's representatives, one of the Watsons' rep picked out 10 numbers from a box. It was nerve-wrecking. I was praying "please pick 25! please pick 25" a million times. They called a few numbers and when they announced "there's a 5 in this number", my heart skipped a beat. Unfortunately it wasn't number 25. Until the 10th number, my 'lucky number' wasn't so lucky after all. Bummer. I would be lying if I say I was not disappointed, sad, devastated. But oh well, guess it was not my rezeki. So the 10 finalists lined up on the stage and each one of them gets to pick a key from a box. They were also asked a very simple question on Watsons. When they got the key, they head over to the car and will have to try to ignite the car. Whoever's key can ignite the car is the winner. 

 Aaaaannd this lucky guy picked the right key. Lucky lucky lucky!! Rezeki you lah pakcik...

He won the car. The brand new Mini Cooper worth almost RM200k. The wife must be so happy. Duuh. Do I envy him? YES, of course!! Who wouldn't??

As for the rest of us, we got a small goodies bag from Watsons which contains some products. Not thrilled but what to do? Lady Luck wasn't on my side that day. There goes my dream to drive a Mini Cooper. There goes the song "kereta kecil warna merah....boleh ku bawa ke sekolah...pon pon ponx9...kereta kecil ku berbunyi...marilah adik mari naik...boleh ku bawa jumpa nenek". Hubby kept on singing this song before the event lol.

Hubby pacified me by saying positive things. He also encouraged me to enter more contests, keep on entering and never give up. I may not win this time but Insyaallah I will win something bigger in the future. 

Patience Running Thin

I find myself easily irritated, easily annoyed and easily angered these days. I know it's unhealthy for me and the people around me but sometimes I cannot help it. Perhaps it's the soreness and tiredness of being heavily pregnant at this stage, not having enough and proper comfortable sleep and also having to deal with certain people who managed to push my annoying button by the simplest things. 

Things at home weren't all sweet and rosy either. Babycakes have been testing my patience. She has been so whiny, clingy and super duper difficult. People keep telling me that the nearer the new baby is due, the more clingy she will be because she knows she will no longer be the only one so she's probably milking out our attention more than ever. She is also turning three in a month's time and they say three year olds are worst than terrible twos. Hoo boy. I hope it's just a myth because I sure hope she will be much more pleasant when the new baby is here. I can't imagine having to deal with post-partum, a newborn and also a three year old. Dear Allah please give me the patience and the strength.

Getting sick while heavily pregnant is also not a good thing when your patience is running thin. I was sick during the fasting month and now I am sick again. Getting sick twice in a span of one month is no joke. Every time I cough, my tummy hurts because of the pressure. And I would also feel the urge to pee, if I had not accidentally peed already. -_- Sorry, tmi but we are all adults here, aren't we? I was advised by the doctor to drink plenty of fluids but you know when you have a little person literally squishing and squeezing your bladder, you will feel the urge to pee every few minutes or so.

Our blessed Ramadhan

It seems like it is becoming a trend to begin my post with an apology of some sort for abandoning/not posting anything because it is obvious that I haven't been writing much and the periods between posts are getting longer and longer. 

Before I write about raya, I shall write a bit about Ramadhan. It was a blessed Ramadhan indeed. Alhamdulillah I managed to fast without much problems but I missed 2 days of fasting because I was down with fever, flu and cold. I was also on sick leave for a day. I guess it must have caused by the very hot and dry weather. Babycakes was also down with fever during puasa and I had to take an emergency leave to take care of her. It was challenging but we pulled through. 

I hardly visited the bazaar Ramadhan this year because first, the bazaar near my house isn't that interesting because most stalls have moved to a different location, which I didn't bother to go due to its bad traffic. Secondly, there wasn't anything much that I feel like eating or buying at the bazaar. Thirdly, I have a fear that the foods cooked and sold were not clean and unhygienic that it will cause tummy ache or diarrhea and being in my condition, it is not something I am willing to risk. I cook most of the days but I cooked very simple meals. Hubby isn't a fussy eater so I can cook simple dishes without worrying whether he will be satisfied or not. During Ramadhan, we were allowed to go back at 430pm so by 450pm, I already reached Babycakes' nursery. I would pick her up and I usually managed to nap for at least 45 minutes before I start going into the kitchen to prepared foods. I would tell Babycakes that I wanted to rest or sleep. Alhamdulillah she understood me and she would just play by my side or mind her own business until I woke up. 

We also went for break fast at Masjid Saidina Umar Al-Khattab, Bukit Damansara on one fine evening. Hubby suggested the idea so why not? It's a new experience for us. Babycakes was excited when we told her we are going to the masjid.

 Daddy's girl

 The hall where we had our feast. For starters we had some kuih and then proceeded for Maghrib prayers. After prayers, we went down again and had rice with some dishes. May Allah bless those who contributed to the feast that evening.

Here's a pic of me and my Babycakes, wearing her yellow telekung. The mosque was fitted with air conditioning so it was very comfortable and nice. 

We also went for break fast outside several times and I tried to be all matchy-matchy with Babycakes. I mean, when else can I wear colour coordinated clothing with my girl, right?

 This picture was taken at Kelab Darul Ehsan where we had break fast organized by Hubby's office.

 This was at TGIF, The Curve on one Saturday evening. Don't we look alike in this pose? Hehe.

 

This picture was taken at Eastin Hotel where we had break fast organized by my office. The next day, Babycakes went down with fever.

This picture was taken at Kota Damansara where we joined some orphanages for break fast, organized by Hubby's friend's company.

We also went for break fast at several other places with my family including Royal Lake Club, Country Kitchen TTDI, Dewan Perdana Felda, sil's house and also at my brother's house. We also did some raya shopping here and there and only bought Hubby's baju melayu two days before raya.

It was indeed a blessed Ramadhan and let us all pray that our deeds are accepted by Allah swt and may we all meet again next year, Insyaallah.

3rd Week Already

Before we know it, we are already in the 3rd week of Ramadan. How fast time flies, huh? How have your Ramadan been so far? I hope Allah blesses our deeds in this holy month. I've succeeded to fast thus far, alhamdulillah. There are a few days where I feel so tired but I persevered and managed to pull through. There was one day where I had a continued trial in Shah Alam Sessions Court and I could barely keep my eyes open during cross examination. Oh my God hearings and trials during puasa is a big no-no I tell you. Even on non-puasa days with the help of water and sweets I always feel sleepy during trial, what more now, right?

When I went for my checkup 2 weeks ago, my gynae gave me the green light to fast. She said "only you know your body, how your body feels and as long as you feel fine, I don't see why you shouldn't fast." Alhamdulillah Allah hasn't made it a burden for me. Apart from the super duper sleepiness and the occasional hunger pangs, I feel OK. 

Anyway check out the following traditional desserts I made. *proud*

On the first day of puasa, I made this Thai pumpkin custard. I saw the videos on Youtube and I felt like eating it. The sweetness and softness of the pumpkin married with the sweet coconut milk custard is just too good. I bought a small pumpkin at a vegetarian cafe near my office. Unfortunately the custard didn't set even though I cooled the pumpkin in the fridge after steaming it. It poured out like a molten lava when I cut it. However, the taste was good. Maybe next time I shall try steaming it much longer.

This kuih is called badak berendam. I made it during the second weekend of puasa. It took a bit of an effort to make it because you have to make the dough, turn them into balls, boil them and make the gravy. Luckily my mum already has some inti kelapa (coconut cooked with palm sugar) which she made earlier so it saved me one step of the process. It's hard to find this kuih selling anywhere that is why I made it. Even though I like baking cakes, it is also nice to learn how to make traditional kuih so that they will never be forgotten.

Which is worst?

Contractions or leg cramps?

Both are terrible but for now my answer is the latter. Last night was the first time I had a leg cramp for this pregnancy and boy oh boy oh boy oh boy it hurts like motherf***er!! Sorry for the foul language in this holy month but if there's one word to describe the pain, that would be it.

It happened at 4am. Babycakes was stirring in her sleep so I tried to calm her down. Then I turned to check my phone for the time and when I turned back, BAM! It struck my right calf  without warning. It was so.damn.painful I woke hubby up. He helped push the sole of my feet towards me. It helped a bit but the pain was excruciating. My leg was bent and I couldn't even move it because a slight movement will intensify the pain. It lasted for a few minutes but it felt like an eternity. It was so painful I even cried complete with tears rolling down my cheeks. I just couldn't bear the pain. I asked hubby to spray  the Mothercare It's Your Body Leg And Foot Cooling Spritz which I had by the bedside table. It didn't help at all. I massaged my calf a bit and it eventually ease. Phew.

I can still feel a slight pain on my calf and I foresee more cramps in the future. God please have mercy on me. I know it is common and all especially in the 2nd trimester but it was just too much to bear. What if it happens when I'm driving or when I am walking in Court? Ughhh.

Now I wonder, how am I gonna bear the pain of contractions later on? >.<

I shall not think of scary thoughts. So my mind wanders off and started thinking about food. And now I am craving for some kuih badak berendam and kuih puteri mandi. I searched on youtube and it intensified the cravings even more. Damn it.

Ramadhan and being pregnant

Alhamdulillah the holy month of Ramadhan is here again. Syukur to Allah that we are still able to meet this holy month. Today is the 3rd day of fasting and we've got a long way to go. Since I am currently 25 weeks pregnant i.e 6 month+-, I no longer suffer from bouts of nausea and morning sickness, Alhamdulillah but of course at this stage of pregnancy, it comes with a whole set of 'packages' altogether. I can't be sitting too long or my butt and groin will hurt. And then I can't eat too much or a huge meal or I will feel bloated and heartburn and short of breath. I have also started to waddle like a penguin and my feet swell at the end of the day. 

IDR2 is actively kicking and punching and somersaulting in my tummy that it sometimes gives me a little shock especially when I am concentrating on something or when I am sitting still. Of course at times IDR2 would also stretch and give me Braxton Hicks contractions, which is neither uncomfortable nor pleasurable.

Anyway, I vow to fast the whole month of Ramadhan but I will also try to take things day by day. There are numerous articles on pregnancy and fasting and all I can say is, if I don't feel like I can make it to Maghrib, then I will break fast. If I stay in the office and not go to court, I think I should be able to fast easily but on days when I have to go to court and walk a lot, I shall see how the conditions are. It doesn't help that the weather is so hot and dry at the moment too. Driving under the hot sun can really take its toll on me, even before fasting begins.

Since I want to fast during pregnant, I must make sure that I wake up for sahur and actually eat something healthy and nutritious. If I wasn't pregnant, I would just settle with dates and water but I can't afford to only have dates and water if I want to sustain until Maghrib. I dragged hubby to wake up with me and if he doesn't want to eat, I made him accompany me eat. He  can lie down on the sofa while I eat but I ain't eating alone! I had rice on the first day of sahur and by noon my tummy was already growling. On the second day, I had bubur lambuk. I was hungry the whole day but I survived. This morning I had a smoothie which I made last night and put it in the fridge. It's a mixture of milo, oats, peanut butter, dates and soya milk. My tummy is growling as I type this. I shall try other options but I gotta be hardworking enough to prepare it to begin with. Sigh.

Yesterday I was so tired that after picking up Babycakes from the nursery, I cooked some rice and then took a short nap. Luckily we have some lauk from the previous day where we tapau from my mum's house. I told Babycakes "Mummy nak rehat OK? Babycakes jangan kacau Mummy. Mummy nak tidur" She then said "Mummy nak rehat ke? Penat ke?" I said yes. I told her to play with her stuffed toys and all and I slept for about 50 minutes. When I woke up, she was lying down beside me. Such an angel she was. I didn't know what she did during the time I slept but she didn't cause any mess whatsoever so that's good.

Anyway I have my check up with my gynae this afternoon and I hope everything is OK in terms of my blood pressure, glucose level and hydration level. I hope my fasting does not affect IDR2 in any way at all, Insyaallah. I honestly forgot how it was when I was pregnant with Babycakes but I did miss a few days here and there if I recall correctly. I pray that Allah ease my pregnancy and also my fasting. 

To my Muslim readers, I wish you Salam Ramadhan. May we be blessed in this holy month. Take  care and together let's make this Ramadhan a much better Ramadhan than the last.

Emotional Wreck

Sigh. You know when you feel down and sad for no reason (or maybe there is a reason or two). And it doesn't help that you are an emotional wreck because of the damn pregnancy hormones! Or maybe you are just blaming it on the hormones because coincidentally you are pregnant while you are feeling like a wreck. Nothing feels right, nothing seems right, your heart is not at ease, nothing you do can cheer you up, nobody can cheer you up. I may have put up a happy, cheerful front but only God knows what I am feeling deep down inside this little heart of mine. Gosh I feel so fragile. I hope this is just a phase, a temporary phase.

Pancake Art

I am sure by now you would have heard about pancake art. Gosh they (Pinterest, websites, food blogs, youtube) made it look so easy! It made me think, that looks easy! I can so do them!

  

So I bought myself a box of pancake mix.

  

At that time I didn't have the squeeze bottle so I used my soy sauce bottle. I mean, they should work the same, right?

  

   

First attempt was a major fail. They look nowhere near those I see online. -_____-

  

I finally got myself a squeeze bottle (not in picture) and tried simpler images for the second time. Oh well, close enough...

The Day I Renewed My Passport

My passport expired somewhere in March so I had to renew it before we went for our holiday. I went to the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara at Jalan Duta (near Publika) on one Friday morning. Of course the place was packed full of people. Then I stumbled upon this notification on the wall.

OK I can go to the Kaunter Khas! Fine I have to pay the normal rate but at least I don't have to wait long in the queue.

At that time my baby bump wasn't very obvious and I was wearing a loose top so I was a bit hesitant at first that they might not believe that I am pregnant but heck, I proceeded and tried my luck anyway. I went to the Kaunter Khas to take a number and innocently said "Saya pregnant". The lady said "Oh mengandung ye. OK" And she gave me a number. I mean, not that I was lying or anything but if she wants to check my tummy to see if I was really pregnant, I don't mind showing her. Hehe. I was lucky to get number 2033 and because at that time no 2029 was being  called. I only have 4 numbers ahead of me.

 See, so many people! Now everyone can fly kan? Hehe.

The process was quick and smooth. When I was called, they took my IC, took my thumb print and took a picture there and then and I was given a receipt. I then waited for a few minutes to make the payment, also at a Kaunter Khas. After that, they told me to come back in an hour to collect my passport. I contemplated on going to Publika to kill time or go to the office and come back some other time to collect the passport but it would be a hassle. Finding a parking spot is difficult because there were just too many people. So I waited around, had a can of Milo and a roti krim and read a newspaper. 50 minutes later, I went up again and waited for my number to be called. Then they made an announcement saying that the system is down. -_____- This lasted for about 20 minutes and then they started calling the numbers again. I looked but my number wasn't called so I went to the counter and asked if my passport is ready for collection. To my surprise, it was ready and I can collect it. If I had not asked about it, I would be waiting there until God-knows-when. 

Moral of the story is always be on the lookout for notices and always be ringan mulut to ask. Unless you don't mind wasting time waiting there all day.

Fun Activities for Babycakes

When you go online, you get so many ideas for activities for kids which are easy to do, easy on the pocket (you can use stuffs laying around your house or in the kitchen) and most importantly, activities that promote fine motor skills and keep the kid occupied. I am always inspired and motivated and get ambitious when I come across posts or websites with such ideas. So when I have the materials and the time (and patience) to do it, I'll try to do it with Babycakes.

ACTIVITY No. 1:

I taped a toilet roll tube to a table and gave her some materials like cotton balls, mini clothes pegs, aluminium foil balls etc for her to put through the tube. I also made a dough out of flour and hair conditioner, which smelt amazing. However, the dough balls tend to crumble easily and gosh what a huge mess it created! So yes, I made Babycakes clean up the mess. >.< She loves using the mini broom and dust pan anyway everytime I sweep the house so while she still enjoys sweeping, why not take advantage of it, right?

  

ACTIVITY No. 2:

Take a kitchen colander and some pipe cleaners. Both items can be easily found at Daiso. Let your kid put the pipe cleaners through the small holes in the colander. This promotes fine motor skills. But mid-way through the activity, she became geli looking at the pipe cleaners poking through the holes. She said they're like caterpillars. Such Mummy's girl, this one. Semua benda nak geli. >.<

 

ACTIVITY No. 3:

Painting alphabets and numbers. I took an old cardboard, drew alphabets and numbers with a marker pen and made my own paint by mixing flour, water and food colouring. I gave her some cotton buds and asked her to trace the alphabets and numbers. 

  

Things can get messy at times but I tried to be  cool about it. It is, after all, a learning process for both Babycakes and I. It is also definitely better than letting her watch Frozen for the gazillionth time, right?

We chose Perth

Hello! Ahhh how fast time flies. My last post was about me sharing my excitement about our holidays and before I know it, it is almost one month ago when we went on our holiday. 

If you are friends with me on facebook and followed me on Instagram, you would have known that we went to Perth, Australia this time. Last year we went to Sydney and this year it was Perth. We really love the Land Down Under, huh? Well you may wonder, why Perth? I have been to Perth with my family back in the early 2000s and honestly I have forgotten how the city looks like.

The reason why we chose Perth, despite having been to Sydney just last year are:

• The flight is about 5 1/2 hours only;
• The flight tickets and accommodation aren't as expensive as going to Europe;
• We (I) don't need to take a lot of leave days as 5-7 days are enough;
• The exchange rate is not as expensive as the Euro Dollar or Japanese Yen;
• The weather when we went was lovely as it was autumn and nearing winter so you don't have to bring thick, wooly winter clothing. A light jacket will do;
• We would love to go to Goldcoast or even Hong Kong (been to both places with my family too but of course I don't mind going back again, with my own little family) but if we go to these cities, there are theme parks and Babycakes may be a bit too small to go on most of the rides while I won't be able to go on ANY rides because I'm pregnant so it will be a waste. Not that I will go on those crazy roller coaster rides but I would love to go on the tea cups or carousel with Babycakes but you know they have a strict ruling that doesn't allow pregnant women on rides. I will end up waiting while hubby and Babycakes enjoy the rides. No way!

Anyway, the holiday was a very relaxing holiday. I mean, that's what's holidays are supposed to be, right? We took our own sweet time, we don't rush doing things, we even rented a car for 2 days. We stayed at Mountway Holiday Apartments. You can read my review on TripAdvisor here.  
I'll write more about our trip in another post, Insyaallah.

We Are Going On A Holiday!

We are going on a little trip tomorrow night, insyaallah! Where are we going to? Ha! It's a secret, until I post pictures of it on facebook ya? hehehe. It's not really far yet not so near. We have been toying with the idea of going somewhere after our fun trip to Sydney last year and then BAM! I got knocked up. So I kinda pestered hubby to materialize our holiday plan asap. I am 4 months pregnant now and soon will be the fasting month and then raya and then I will be in my 3rd trimester. And then IDR2 arrives and I'll be in confinement for 2 months and by the time it's the end of the year already. When else to travel, if not now?? Short distance travels by car are still ok but I can only think of traveling by plane next year when IDR2 is a few months old. And by that time, we are already a family of four, insyaallah and traveling costs and expenses will increase with the addition of another kid.

Our bags are about 85% packed. Only the little stuffs haven't been packed. Tonight I have to finish packing and then maybe if I am rajin, I'll finish folding the two loads of laundry so at least when we come back, I don't get welcomed by a ton of laundry.

Please pray for our safe flight, safe journey and a safe holiday ya? 

glitter-graphics.com

I Am Not Alone

Though I've yet to feel the tiny kicks and hiccups, I know you are inside of me tumbling and swimming around, safe and sound. Though my back and butt hurt when I sit or stand too long, though I have to wake up once or twice in the middle of the night to pee, though I've slowly started to waddle like a penguin (wearing a black & white outfit combo doesn't help either), though my tummy itches every now and then, though my lower abdomen hurts like hell every time I sneeze and cough (every.single.time that I have to hold my tummy to ease the pressure), though my calves look like I have purplish-blue spiders crawling on them, though I can't stretch properly every time I wake up because when I do, I can feel a muscle pull coming especially at my calves, though I get emotional for the little things (pity your Daddy for being the victim, and occasionally your sister), I am truly blessed to be going through this journey, again. They say each pregnancy is different and I must agree, even though so far there isn't much difference as compared to when I was pregnant with your sister. The gynae said because my body has gone through this process before, the body tends to be a bit more sensitive.

Alhamdulillah the last check up went well but you were too shy to show me whether you are a princess or a prince. You know Mummy is an impatient person so of course you decided to test that and make Mummy wait for another month till your next check up. I know. Oh well, as long as you are fine and healthy and growing accordingly inside there, Mummy's happy. But please be kind to Mummy ya? Let's make this journey easy for both of us, shall we? We are, after all, a team, right?

Merah Merah Delima

Honestly I haven't been eating anything 'special' for this pregnancy. By 'special' I meant specific foods or drinks that is supposed to be good for pregnant mothers and the fetus. When I was pregnant with Irene, at least I drank Anmum Materna religiously but this time, I don't feel like gulping down a cup of chocolate milk. One time I received a sample from this one brand (for the life of me, I forgot the name!) but I just find it very revolting. I would gag when I take a sip because it tasted like fish oil or cod liver oil. It's so yucky I couldn't drink it. So Hubby bought Dumil Mama, chocolate flavour and asked me to try. I tried a few times in my 1st trimester and maybe at that time due to the bad all-day sickness, I  refused to drink it. I still have half a packet left so I better finish it up. 

Anyway, I saw and read articles on how good pomegranates are in general and also for pregnant mothers. So i thought, OK this is something that I can eat and won't mind eating. There are also a lot of pomegranate juice (jus buah delima) and pomegranate essence (pati buah delima) in the market. But if you can have the real stuff, raw and in its original form, that would be even better, right? God knows how 'pure' those juices and essences are. I am pretty sure they add some kind of preservatives, sweeteners and food coloring. So my hunt for pomegranate(s) began.

There is a fruit shop cum cafe near my office and they sell pomegranates, among others. The price? RM9.90 per piece. Per piece!! And the fruit isn't as big as my palm too! I decided not to buy because I think it's a bit too expensive.

Yesterday I went to MBG fruit stall and they sold pomegranates at RM3.19 per 100g. I chose one piece and it came to RM10.50. It is the one on the right, with the sticker on. It is slightly bigger than my palm, definitely much bigger than the one I saw at the shop near my office. Hubby also found a pomegranate at a kedai runcit in Ampang and he bought it for RM7 per piece. It's the one on the left. It's the same size as the one I bought. But so much cheaper.

I brought the one I bought to office today and decided to cut it open. The skin is redder than the one hubby bought and the top part is open but I am not sure if it is any indication about the ripeness or juiciness of the fruit. The tiny bits are red, plump and juicy. I spent about 10 minutes getting them all out from the skin into a container.

I got a small container full of glistening red little rubies. They are plump, juicy and sweet. Worth my RM10.50. :D I will compare with the other one when I opened it. I am munching on these little red rubies as we speak and I feel healthy already lol.

Here are some links I found on the goodness of pomegranates:

http://health.mylaunchpad.com.my/diet-nutrition/article/articleid/422318/khasiat-buah-delima

https://www.facebook.com/notes/wwwmumdreamscommy/khasiat-buah-delima-untuk-ibu-ibu-mengandung/625090107533406

http://manfaattumbuhanbuah.blogspot.com/2013/08/manfaat-dan-khasiat-buah-delima-untuk.html