Get yourself a panini maker.

The previous weekend we had a blast at A famosa, Melaka. During Matta Fair Sep10, I rented a 4 bedroom banglo, fits 12ppl, with a private pool for a FREAKING RM310 for 3days 2 nights. DAMN CHEAP RIGHT!!!!!!!

So I gathered my parents, grandparents and my aunt's family with her 4 boys(it wouldn't be a blast without them) to join us. I also bought 10 tics at RM50 for 3 parks and that was also cheap considering the original price is double that.

Anyway.. going back to the topic of the post, the banglo didn't allow us to cook. So there was no stove or bbq pit. Bummer.

But I did bend the rules and brought my panini maker so that at least we could make some breakfast or supper. With that many boys they eat like nobody's business and we had to bring some food because their eating time is like all over the place.

Seriously, go get yourself one. You think its only for making paninis.. but its not. I used it to cook my sausages, eggs and sandwiches. Sure you can get an induction cooker, but than you have to bring your pots and pans with you right. But with the panini maker all you need is 1 thing to make your english breakfast.. your panini maker.

I bought mine in Perth at Target. I tried looking for one in Malaysia but never had any luck. I haven't checked Harvey Norman's though. But seriously..I sooo recommend it. Mine only cost me around AUD 45. That's roughly less than RM150.

Month of weddings

Since december is a month of weddings (yelah..cuti sekolah kan) Here's a poem dedicated to all the newly wed couples. Personally it describes my exact reason why I chose to marry Asa. Especially the 2nd para. hehehe

Why Marriage? Mari Nichols-Haining

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...

Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...

Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...

Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...

Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...

Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...

Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me, I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...

Random..

I don't mind going out of my way for someone who would do the same for me, but I do mind for someone who won't.

I'm just saying.

Alimkids playgroup

Since April 2010, I've been sending Azalia to a weekly class with Alimkids playgroup. I stumbled across the playgroup when I was googling for weekend play sessions because I thought its time Azalia learn socialise. Then I found ummikusayang website and it lead me to its branch in TTDI. It was a home based playgroup ( but will soon move to Kota Damansara) and the session lasts an hour.

At first Azalia was a bit hesitant which is understandable because it's her first 'schooling' experience.. but I could see she's starting to take interest as she participated in the arts and crafts session and enjoyed it and started interacting with teacher Fatin. So I immediately enrolled her and till this day she looks forward to going to teacher Fatin's class every Saturday.

What I like about the program is it teaches them the basics like alphabets, numbers, colours and animals.. but these are taught using the khalifah concept where they incorporate Islam in the basics. Azalia easily grasp the concept of Islam through the songs she learned and I never imagined that at 3 my daughter would already know her 5 pillars of Islam and started asking questions to understand them further.

And it is not only Azalia who learn things in the playgroup. I also learned a few stuff by observing the teacher's interactions with her. I was able to learn ways of teaching my own daughter. I was also made aware of a lot of suitable learning products to make learning fun for her which is a bonus in my opinion.

The new modules are going at RM200 and each module has 8 classes.Seriously I think this is cheaper than other playgroups that I've surveyed. Most are going for more than RM180 per month and that's 4-5 classes only(I'm comparing with PJ area here so kalau ada murah dkt area lain tatau ye). They have several branches around KL in Selangor. The program is suitable for kids from 2-4 year old and I highly recommend them. Since it's a playgroup.. mothers sit with their kids in these sessions. You can visit their website for further info.

ASB dividend 2010

It was announced today that the dividend for ASB will be 7.50sen and bonus 1.25sen. I guess a lot of people are celebrating today.. yes?? no??

Bruno Mars - Count on me

Work = blankie.. Gasp!!!

The blankie is very important to Azalia. She loves it and it literally is her security blanket.Anyway..I think she sees work as being my blankie. Reasons for my conclusion..

1. The last post on her blankie.

2. We were doing one of her activity books and we were required to draw our favourite things. She of course wants me to draw for her, her blankie. Once I finished she suddenly said... "mak draw lah work mak dekat sebelah blankie tu"

That hit me.

I guess it makes sense she thinks that way. After all I HAVE to leave her on the weekdays to go to work. AND whenever I study or at the computer I would say I'm doing work (even when I'm surfing... hmmmm maybe I shldn't really say I'm working..my bad). And most of the time.. when the babysitter takes time off.. Asa would take care of her and I would go to work because he has more annual leaves than I do and the arrangement makes practical sense.

I wonder if this is a bad thing. I hope she doesn't think work takes precedence than her. Although it might look that way but if she needs me to be with her..I would drop everything in a second. Note.. I'm saying need and not want. She wants me all the time.. heck.. she wants everything.. like all the books in MPH. ok I'm going off topic here.

nyway... I know she loves me more than her blankie.. she said so herself.. so I think she knows I love her more than work. It's not that I love work.. I like working but it really is more of a need and have to work than want to work right now.

Anyway... I'm just saying, work is important because basically it is Amanah... but you are my biggest Amanah so you take precedence everytime Azalia.

p.s: Just in case you're wondering when your bigger and thinking I love work more than you do.. :)

When out of sight........

Azalia came into the room while I was surfing and told me she wanted to play with scissors. So I went to my craft box and took out a pair and searched for some papers for her to cut them. Then we went into the living room and she sat down on the floor and I put the scissors and papers in front of her.

I sat on the sofa and waited for her to start cutting. She looked at me and said

"Mak masuklah bilik"

I was surprised. She always wants me to do things with her I asked her why and she repeated the same thing.. but with a mischievous grin on her face. I knew something was up.. and told her I'm not going anywhere..and knows she's up to something.

She grinned and stared at me for a few seconds before taking out my green thick double sided tape from under her bum

"Alia ada ni.. heheheh"

Apparently she swiped it from my table and wanted to cut them but knew I won't allow her too so that's why she told me to go to my room.

Bertuah bertuah.

BTW.. this is not the first time she does this. Take note.. if your toddler gladly wants you out of their sight... they are almost always up to something no good. I learned my lesson the hard way. She poured baby powder all over her toys and books when I thought she was watching tv quietly.

Buy buy buy... kids nowadays...

Today in MPH Azalia wanted to buy 3 books ( she already bought 2 last week and 1 the week before, so seriously this buying book thing can't happen every week) so I told her no, she can buy this in a few weeks time because she has too many of them and have not finish doing/reading them.

After all her pujuk rayu tak dilayan ...guess what she said.

" Mak, Alia ada idea. Kita kasi orang buku Alia yang lama lepas tu kita beli buku baru. Haaaa.. macam tu boleh lah. Ok Mak!!!"

I like that she's thinking of giving away her stuff but the thought of her buying and not using and giving them to others just so she can buy another one is NOT something I want her to learn so I had to firmly say no.

She wailed and cried in MPH OU that all heads turned and apparently Asa who is in the floor downstairs can hear her cry too. Oh well... life's tough. You can't really get everything that you want Azalia. Most of the time you have to earn it. Jadi maknye pun tebalkan muka and walked out the store with a whateverlah-labu face.

Of course.. that cry was half made up and half real so it only a distraction for her stop crying. By the time we got to the car she's all better and came up with another idea

"Balik ni.. kita buat semua buku lepas tu kasi orang lepas tu datang kedai beli lagi ok mak"

Haih.. bijak bijak... kopak kopak...I think its time to introduce her to the library.

Of fish and fridge.

Azalia wants a pet. She wants a fish. A pink fish to be exact. I told her to ask Abah. So when Asa got back from work.. she asked

Azalia: Abah, Alia nak fish

Abah: (who couldn't hear clearly because he was hungry) Kan dah ada.

Azalia: Tak ada lah.

Abah: Kan atuk baru beli. Mari sini Abah tunjuk (he brought her to the new fridge my parents recently bought). Ni ha.. baru lagi.

Azalia: Itu fridge lah bah. Alia nak fish..

Asa..still blur

my sister who overheard: Fish lah.. ikan.

Asa: Oh... (slaps his head) Kalau abah tak kasi beli mcm mana

Azalia: Alia beli sendiri lah. (said as matter of factly)

Asa: (dumbfounded... I... want.... food.. can..not...think..any...more.)

1 big happy family.

Right now I have 5 kids in the house. 4 boys and 1 girl. I have to be their mother, entertainer and housekeeper.

They bring me joy and anger at the same time. I can laugh my head off with them in one minute and scream bloody murder the next. They seem to take advantage whenever I'm not on guard. How do mothers play and discipline their child(ren) at the same time I always wonder. No wonder my mom said.. she has to be the disciplinarian and my dad is the fun parent because... it really is hard to do both.

Kids are clever you see. They know you desperately want to be both. Especially the fun parent part. So sometimes.. they take advantage of it so that they can get what they want. People say kids are born pure and innocent.. well I say they are born a genius.

But I take comfort in knowing that even though my mom was the disciplinarian.. We still adore her now more than ever. So yeah... I want my daughter to be the best person she can be so I am willing to be the 'bad' parent now... and because she is a genius.. she will understand why I have to do the things I do now and love me for it in the future.

And for my 4 boys... After the 8th I can be their fun kakak Anis again because they'll have their own disciplinarian back. A big phew in my part... I have to say.

The birds and the bees

Azalia found a bunch of my photos during my student days in Disneyland Paris and she was like

Alia: Mak.... mana Alia.. kenapa mak tak bawak Alia pegi sini? Kenapa mak ada gambar dengan Pluto?? mana Alia mak? Ni bila?

Me: Ni dekat Disneyland lah masa mak student lah. Alia tak ada lagi.

Alia: Alia pegi mana mak?

Me: (oh no.. its too early to have this conversation!!!) Mak tak kawen dgn abah lagi macam mana Alia nak ada..

Alia: (confused face)Mana Alia mak? Alia pegi mana mak? Alia nak pegilah mak. Alia nak pegi Disneyland.

She shoved photos after photos in my face and demanded to know what is in the photo and repeatedly saying.. Alia nak pegi jugak and why I didn't bring her along.

I told her I'll bring her to Disneyland when she's older. Thank God she's satisfied with that answer and stopped with all the questions. I don't think she would understand it if I talk about the birds and the bees right now.