What I learn 'Allah's Green creations'

Nothing much to say.. but lots of photos of our novice efforts in the lawn. We believe flowers and tended garden adds 'shimmers and shine' to the house. May Allah counts our efforts in caring for His creations (as well as being responsible tenants to our landlord! Hope they are happy (and wont increase the rent!) =D)

Mini roses, given FOC by a local nursery after the bad monsoon season last Dec.

A full bloom, also given by Zie's Nursery (12.2011)

Pluck it and stick them in the pot..

Blooms from 9am-12pm daily.

Non-stop action since we bought them (032009)

Pretty bunch of 'bunga tahi ayam'! (rabbits dislike them!)

Daun kesum or Vietnamese cilantro/mint (regularly snipped. Wash and keep them in the freezer.) - One of the most popular items in the garden, neighbours will come in and pluck some for their singgang.

Turmeric in a pot! (Look at the sizes of the leaves... lovely in rendang!) - it started as a tiny remnant of unused herb in the kitchen.. and vavavoom... it grows and grows!

Kaffir lime plant (Limau purut) - a pot given by our next door neighbour. I learn from her that plants are fantastic gifts. Just imagine, every time I use this in Tom Yam, she receives blessings from Him. Subhanallah!

Aloe vera (lovely in juices!) - was given by the cleaner of Klinik Desa Mengabang Telipot. She told us to use it for burn wounds. A thoughtful gesture, I reckon (06.2010)

Ginger plants (and a lonesome ulam raja! - we replanted the other 'monarchs' in a secluded area, where rabbits can't munch them!). This ginger plant was a good friend of mine during the confinement days! Ahahha..

Galangal (lengkuas), another favorite items of our neighbours. (Neighbours will enter the house, take any herbs they need and go back to their respective kitchens... cool eh? I think that's why this plant is growing so well.)

Peonies in a pot..  =D

Plant plants.

Patience.

Persevere, water and fertilize them.

Ponder upon His super greatness.

Priceless buds.

Pray...
(Put them in the pot)
Precious dine..

What I learn from 'the correlation between AirAsia and Good shoes'.

Being a frequent flyer of AirAsia (KT-LCCT), I was excited to check the hypotheses of my small correlational study. 

The hypotheses - Good pair of (new Clarks.. =p) shoes is needed if you fly with AirAsia.

The test - Look for associations of excessive walking during outbound and inbound flights. 

Online Clarks with Syifa's Shope (Su is a UMT staff!)

From my case study, it was discovered that in deed, there's a perfect positive relation (r = +1) between the two variables. Especially during the last trip, I was requested to embark the flight twice! There was oil spill underneath the aircraft and all passengers were asked to abort the plane...

(This entry is to justify my recent purchase of Clarks shoes - a justification to myself (and the other half!)... I need to make it sound academic and scientific to make it more dramatic! hahahhahahah....)

In addition, to adik-adik, there are alot of fancy shoes out there, but do take care of your feet when purchasing your shoes. You're going to use them all your life (your feet, not the same shoes!!)... do take care of them. Invest on good, comfortable and supportive shoes. And, skimpy and sloppy pairs will not do justice to your nice outfit.. seriously!

Well, I have to admit, it was worth it! Thanks Su for the Clark-y! Better price next time? =p

p/s My love and thanks to my husband for purchasing me an unexpected black coach-y bag to match the shoes! Love you, loads!!

What I learn from 'Alwani's visit to the skin specialist'.

Going to the hospital for any reason — or even just going to the doctor for routine vaccinations — isn’t fun for a child. Alwani was a happy lassy as we entered the hospital, she was determined to get rid of the big wart on her right thumb. She has complained a few times, saying that the wart made it quite uncomfortable for her to write and to use the colour pencils. 

But her happy facial expression changed dramatically when the MD pressed the wart with liquid nitrogen. A single tears at the beginning, then changed to a stream of uncontrollable cry. 

Alwani's wart after the treatment, before, it was triple the size.

 

For momsies, this is what I've learned from Alwani's get-rid-of-the-wart experience..

Don't Say "This Won't Hurt" When It Will

It is important for parents to tell the truth in an age-appropriate way without overwhelming your child. If you smile and tell her “This won’t hurt,” and then it does hurt, your child will have evidence that you lied and begin to wonder what else you’re lying about. You will have lost some credibility at a time when you need it the most. What I told her, 

“Alwani sayang, in a few minutes the doctor will press a cotton bud on your wart. On it, the doctor will put some very cold liquid called nitrogen. It will be very cold, and it will sting. I know you don’t want to, but there are no choices about that. But we need to get you well so that your thumb wont hurt when you write.'

Telling the Truth Without Scaring Your Child

Emphatise to your child who is sickly.  Offer her choices  in a loving tone. Here’s an example from our experience:

Ummi:  'Since you are putting a huge effort to be a brave girl, you have five/six other choices though.

1. You get to tell the doctor when to begin. After saying bismillah and the count of three?
2. You get to decide if you want to cry or not cry. Either way is fine with me.
3. You get to decide if you want to squeeze my hand or squeeze the sheet.
4. You get to decide if you want to keep your eyes open or closed while the doctor does her job.
5. And you get to decide which flavor of ice cream you want when it’s all over.
6. Or you might want to think of which book do you want to buy at the book shop. The princess colouring book, maybe?' (This keeps her calm until the doctor is ready to do the procedure.)

Make sure to bring activity & reading books during hospital visits. It takes a while....

Depending on the age of the child, I try to be truthful about the body, the medicine and how it heals, my way (and it might not be the best way scientifically! haha). I told Alwani that pressing the cold nitrogen will kill the root of the wart that is planted in her thumb, just like stomping hard on the roots of Ummi's mini roses (Yusuf just did exactly that a few days back). The doctor need to kill it so that it will dissapear and it will be easier and more comfortable for you to enjoy your colouring activities, insha Allah. Why not let a child use his or her imagination to do the same? After all, no one is better at using his or her imagination than a child.

Telling the truth and giving many choices allows a child to trust you enough to summon up her courage to better deal with the situation. Once courageous, she’s more likely to be empowered enough to do whatever is needed to get well, insha Allah.

Gambar hiasan, tiada kaitan dengan ketuat ataupun hospital, haha..: Alwani's home made birthday cuppies

Wallahu'alam.

What I learn from 'cooking shortcuts'

My super wise Mak and I.

Mak has taught me a lot of practical things. This is one of the most practised, ever since I became a mom myself. Spending less time in the kitchen daily is the objective - in order to spend more quality time with the children when they are at home. And so, these are some of the shortcuts I've been making use of...

(p/s: Alhamdulillah for having a husband who is not a fussy eater.. Love you more and more, Abang!)

 Cook a “Big Batch” Recipe Weekly

I make big batches of food, like bolognese sauce, curry, masak lomak cili api (without the yoghurt/coconut milk), soup, stocks, tom yam soup (add in more veggies and chook/prawn/squid later) so there are lots of leftovers to be heated up for dinner for the rest of the week. One of my favorite ‘big batch’ recipes to make is home made sauce for pasta. My kids actually thank me every time I make this, which melts my heart. 

Frozen batches for this week!

Freeze, Freeze, Freeze

Then I'll freeze them in my ever-so-faithful tupperwares in small batches, so it is easy for me to heat them up. I label my tuppsies on top, so that I know what's inside. Then a small list to be placed on the fridge, so that I know what is there and has been chomped!

 

To save time, I always marinate a big batch of ground beef and chicken with the normal tumeric and salt, and sometimes with the satay paste. So, when one of the kids are in need of ayam goreng 'Upin Ipin' style (fried chooks), I can make it in 3 steps - open the freezer, thaw, fry!

Mak taught me to make a big batch of cupcakes/curry puffs/sausage rolls/samosas on the weekend with the kids (fantastic fun activity here, moms!). Parbake them. Then, they can be stored in the freezer for months. It's fab if you love to entertain (surprised) guests as well!

What's left freezing in the freezer?

Pre-Chop Veggies

Onions, chillies of all sorts, garlic, tumeric.. I pre-process them to make my life easier. Then I store them in colourful tuppsies in the fridge, which look pretty and are enjoyable to use, instead of plastic bags, which can get kind of sticky. This really cut off your prep time, which means more time for the familia!

Since we love our chillies, I even pickled my chillies for fried noodles/kuey tiaw and chilled a tupperware of sambal belacan! Yes, I confess that I dont like to stay in the kitchen too long! =D

My pickled chillies, half empty! And other sort of pre-prepared shortcuts chilling in the fridge!

Use Pre-Packaged Pastes as Bases

A true confession of a studying/working mom  - 'I cheat in the kitchen!' (<---- it's ME!!)

Hey, if it makes my life easier, just half an hour (MAX) in the kitchen, and the result is delicious, why not?!

Since I love this product so much (Seri Tunjung, uolls!), I do sell them to other busy momsies like me! Sharing is caring (and it can be a wonderful side income, too!)

Wide range of VERY TASTY products (<-- promo!! hahah).

And you know what, short cuts or long drive, it is important for us moms to try to cook for our husband and children most of the time. It's crucial since you know the ingredients you are using are halal, clean and fresh (ish).. and when you cook, you always put the extra ingredients that you cant buy anywhere, LOVE, ZIKR and DU'As. Remember, stir in your food with them... insha Allah, you'll get healthy family filled with His barakah.

And always make du'a for Mak.. many of them!


Wallahu'alam...

What I learn from 'being a convert'.

Yes, I converted.

When my husband was brainstorming on his book, Ketika Alam Bertasbih,  one of the concerns was regarding the health of the environment. My kids and I are among the contributors of the waste which takes a long time to perish... dirty diapers.

Doing a short and simple research on the net, I discovered that cloth diapers (CD) are now so trendy and affordable. No more safety pins and plain white muslins! And so, I converted from disposable diapers (DD) to CDs.

Why?

CDs are cheaper than DDs. My rule of thumb, if things can be reuse, it must be cheaper. Dont you think so? I remembered spending RM30 (minimum) fortnightly for 30 months for Al Fateh and Alwani buying DDs, which comes to nearly spending RM2K on rubbish (well, at the end of the day, we're going to chuck them in the bin, isn't it?)

Now, just imagine having three kids using DDs at one time like me, at this moment! At least RM300/month will be spent on DDs. It's a blessing that Allah gave me the idea to convert! Alhamdulillah!

Yusuf and his CDs

CDs are healthier than DDs. CDs are free of the many chemicals contained in disposable diapers. Dioxin, which in various forms has been shown to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, skin diseases, and genetic damage, is a by-product of the paper-bleaching process used in manufacturing disposable diapers. 

CDs - showing that we care for the environment. It's rough in Terengganu where the rubbish collection system is far from advanced. We need to 'carry' our rubbish to the big communal bins on the main road. No, we dont have private black thrash bin in front of our houses. 

So, just imagine having big heavy loads of DDs before departing to the communal bins - the smell, the bulk. Then, just by sitting our air conditioned car, we can smell the stench of the bins as we pass them. Now, imagine having 1000 times greater amount of stenched DDs and other rubbish on the landfill. Astaghfirullah. This is one of the reasons why I converted, it's my small contribution to the world. 

CDs are fancier - they are soft, comfortable and have many wonderful prints (and the price ranges from RM15 to RM100 each!). Yes, I agree that I have a bit more laundry to do then  before, but hey, I enjoy long showers. It's therapeutic! =D

Fawwaz, wearing the same nappy as Yusuf. Credit to Shafis for the photo!

What I learn 'when Uwais turns blue!'

Ammar Uwais and Affif Fawwaz had been coughing for about 5 days. The MDs in the local government clinics advised me to breastfeed more frequently, since it was not advisable to give cough syrups to newborn babies.

Both babies were sleeping, but Uwais hardly wakes up for his feeds. Each time after Fawwaz completed his 'turn', I woke Uwais up for feed. He sucked once or twice, then doze back off to sleep. I thought it was just motion sickness from the long car ride two days back, and it might be a reaction from the one month immunisation jabs.

But after subuh prayers, the mother's instinct knew that something was not right. I picked up Uwais, he was cold but breathing. Fawwaz was active like he normally is. I called a good friend of mine, Pipah, a pediatrician, and she advised me to visit the government clinic as soon as possible. 

We left the house, with all the five children and rushed to the local clinic, which was about 7 minutes from home. At the traffic light near the clinics, Uwais, who was wrapped warmly in my arms turned bluish on his lips. 

As we arrived in the emergency room at the Klinik Kesihatan Wakaf Tengah, I shouted for help. A familiar nurse came and urgently put Uwais on a bed, putting a big helmet-looking dome on top of Uwais head, and quickly poked the oxygen hose into the dome. Within seconds, Uwais cried and responded to the treatment. His hands were waving and kicked his tiny feet wearily. Alhamdulillah. Only Allah knows how helpless I was.

Dr S came to the ER, and she was terribly shock since I just visited her the day before for consultation regarding the boys' coughing symptoms. She immediately advised me to admit Uwais to the hospital for observation. So in a super rapid ambulance, we traveled from Wakaf Tengah to Kuala Terengganu in 15 minutes (the journey usually takes 30minutes)!!

2 hours in the ER and everything was well. We were sent to a pediatrics ward, and within 5 minutes, a group of doctors came to Uwais' bed for their ward rounds. Two of the docs were suddenly signalling each other, and I knew something was VERY wrong. One of them asked me to stand away while they were performing CPR to Uwais. He stopped breathing, again. Within the 15 minutes, Uwais stopped breathing 4 times.

He was rushed to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), again, he turned blue. The two paeds specialists worked hand in hand quickly and in half an hour, Dr N called me in. As I saw Uwais, I kept my emotions in control though it hurt me to the core, looking at his body being poked on both his arms, hands, and feet. He was intubated, fully using the breathing support because his irregular breathing pattern. Dr N and her team was still in the process of diagnosing his illness. I asked about Fawwaz, since I knew Fawwaz's cough was worse. She advised me to bring him in as well.

Ammar Uwais, 3rd day in NICU, HSNZ. Extubated from the breathing support, Alhamdulillah.

~~ Fast forward - 6 days later ~~

I 'checked-out' from 5A ward, and both Ammar Uwais and Affif Fawwaz were discharged from their respective wards (6CD and NICU). Yes, all of us were under the same roof but being located in three different wards. They were diagnosed with pneumonia, and it got worse since they were premature babies and their organs were still under-developed.

Discharged day, 11.12.11

HSNZ charged nothing for the comfortable and superb service given to all three of us. Alhamdulillah. A HUGE BIG Thank you to the Neonatal wards (NICU, 6CD, 5A) staff for their great support and service.

Lesson learned;

1. Parents, especially mothers, please don't get panic if something gets (really) wrong to our children. We can't think straight in panic mode. Keep calm. Zikr, salawat syifa'.
2. When your child(ren) is ill, act quickly, especially parents with premature babies. 
3. Trust government hospitals. They have very capable hands. They charge minimally, and it's usually FOC for government servants. 
4. You need support, physically and especially, emotionally. Alhamdulillah, my husband is a very responsible husband and father. He took care of the three older kids on his own for the week, and still came to visit us in the hospital everyday during lunchtime. And alhamdulillah for my wonderful and supportive parents who drove up to Terengganu to help out. The emotional support was needed and longed-for. 
5. Never give up hope, and never stop asking help from Allah. It was devastating to see your child being poked all over and looking so lifeless. Talk to Him, pray to Him. He listens to you. 
6. Ask questions to the Specialist. You need to know what's wrong, what's better, and what can be done to help your child(ren) gets well quicker. It's their job to answer our query.
7. Be there for your sick child. Talk to them, give them gentle strokes even they are babies. They will somehow know we are there. It's devastating to see a lot of babies in NICU unit being left to struggle alone to survive.

 Wallahu'alam


   

What I learn from 'You'll never walk alone 1 - Caesarean experience'

Firstly, no... this entry has no connection with Liverpool (though my husband is a die-hard Liverpool fan!)

This entry is dedicated to the O&G team in Hospital Tuanku Jaafar Seremban who had been wonderfully calm and reassuring throughout the labour process of my twins.

~~~ Flash back ~~ 

I'm only at my 34th week of pregnancy but the signs of labour pains were becoming vivid. Swollen feet, severe back pain, the persistent and consistent pain of contractions. But of course, as always, I was in denial. Just another Braxton Hicks. I have been in labour three times previously, and I was pretty sure how the 'real-actual' labour feels like..

Nonetheless, since my husband was away performing his Hajj (May Allah bestows him ease in his Hajj and accepts all his ibadah,  aamin Ya Rabb!), I was in the fantastic, 1st class care of my parents. Mak looked cool and relaxed (she saw me delivered Al Fateh and Alwani in King Eddie!), kept on saying 'Say your zikr,' but Abah was the opposite. He rarely saw me in pain, and I think it's hard for dads to see their daughters (and sons) in a super uncomfortable phase. And so, he pleaded (and begged) me to pay a visit to the hospital.

Being an obedient daughter, I followed his suggestion, though I'm pretty sure I was not in real labour (still in denial, ahak!!). So,at 2.45pm 3.11.11, I went to the screening room of the O&G department with my battered pink pregnancy book. And gave myself up to the Med Team of HTJS, literally and physically!

~~

2.50pm

No, I was not dilated (well, only 2cm) but the MD was concern since my contractions were pretty close and long (4 in 10mins). Then I was wheeled to see the Head of the O&G, Dr K, and did the ultrasound, to see whether the twins were behaving themselves in there. And yes they were, at 34weeks & 6days, Dr K estimated them to be 2.3 kgs each. Then THE question asked, 

'Are you ready to have your twins today?' As easy as that!?!! 

- 'Aren't you busy doc?' (still in denial!! Oh Azza, come on!!!). 

He said, 'I'm free at six, we can have it done then!'

- 'Can I text my hubs, first?' (texting... tit tit tit...)

(answered, Semoga Allah permudahkan urusan ayang. Abang doakan semuanya selamat dan Allah menyediakan segalanya yang terbaik. Terima kasih kerana menjadi seorang mujahidah yang tabah dan isteri yang solehah)

'What did he say?'

- 'Errmmm, yes?! He said go on with the procedure'.

4pm

Papers were signed, blood were taken, hospital gown were given.

5pm

I was wheeled to the prep area aka labour hall. Lying down, listening to my 'neighbours' screeching, huffing and puffing, grunting and squealing - fighting their own lives for another one. 

I silently prayed that Allah grant them ease and to me too. 

I prayed for my husband, Abah and Mak to be calm and not to worry too much about me. 

I prayed that my kids at home aren't misbehaving.

I prayed for the ease of the caesarean procedure.

I prayed that my aurat would not be opened unnecessarily.

I prayed a lot... (as I was taught by a Lebanese friend, back in Muslim Ladies College in Perth that it is during this specific time that our prayers would be heard and answered, insha Allah.)

A friendly and soft spoken staff nurse came to me and told me gently that she was going to insert a catheter into my bladder and she told me to stay calm and to recite alot of salawat upon Rasulullah s.a.w.

Another 10 minutes, another staff nurse (SN A) came in and told me that she heard me saying to an Indian nurse that I wanted to change into the op cap (looking like the green shower cap) only when I was in the OT. There are too many people here. And Alhamdulillah, she brought with her a special op cap which covered the head, as well as the neck. I changed straight away. Allah answers your prayers if you asked for help.. remember, you never walk alone!

6pm

SN A came again to my cubicle. She told me Dr Krishna called in and he might be half an hour late. SN A asked me if I would like to perform my Asr prayers first, but I need to do it sitting down. Alhamdullillah, Allah creates ways for me to make this experience more beautiful. SN A gave me spray bottle for my wudhu' and I performed my first Asr prayers on a hospital trolley!

6.45pm

I was wheeled into the OT. Even up to this time, I kept my composure calm and composed. I must admit that He must have supplied me an endless 'tranquil pills' - that's the power of zikr and salawat upon Rasulullah. I believed that Allah has assigned me this path, performing the c-sect, giving birth to twins alone-ish, giving birth in Seremban, and not in Kuala Terengganu, premature labour, etc. Nevertheless, He didn't make the path rougher, He wants to show me that His plans are the best...

To be continued in 'You'll never walk alone 2'..

What I learn from 'You'll never walk alone 2 - Caesarean experience'

Continuation from 'You'll Never Walk Alone 1'

7pm

I was greeted at the OT door by an anesthetist. Fluently verse in English and Malay, informing me all the risks performing spinal during the c-sect op. During the Q&A, I politely asked the anest that I really wanted a reassurance that the spinal would work during op, I had a bad experience with Yusuf, whereby the epidural didn't work since all the meds were tubed onto the hosp bed. 

She was very kind by telling me that she would prove to me it'd work. 'And don't stop your du'as and zikr, they are our weapons as Muslims', masha Allah, another support sent by Allah! Allahu Akbar!!

7.15 pm

I was wheeled into the actual OT where the operation would be held. I saw some familiar faces (SN A, Dr Anest) smiling under their surgical masks. By the way, I still had big contractions and in between one of the contractions, SN A and another nurse propped me up and asked me to recite salawat, bismillah and shahadah, and sit very still - so I did. After completing the shahadah, Dr Anest called, 'Spinal in' and patted my shoulder. Praise to Allah, it was done so smoothly that I was not in pain, and most importantly, I was not agitated!

(within a minute, I felt pin and needles on my toes then no sensation at all. I tried to wiggle my foot, but nothing happen. It was a weird feeling, I must admit!)

Dr Anest then came next to me with a pin, and said, 'Do you feel anything?'

- 'What do you mean doc?'

'I'm pricking your thigh..' (then she pricked the same pin onto my arms)

- 'Ouch!'

'So the meds is working, insha Allah. Dont worry, you are in superb hands. This surgical team is the best!' consoled Dr Anest.

- 'Alhamdulillah. Thanks alot Doc!'

Then a formal introduction begins. Yes, the have a taaruf session in the OT! They introduced themselves.

'First surgeon, Dr K'

'Second surgeon, Dr Q'

'Anesthetist, Dr Anest'

'Pediatrics, Dr X' 

'First catcher, SN A'

'2nd catcher, SN X'

'SN Y'

'SN Z'

'Patient?'

Silent...

'Patient?' called Dr K again.

- 'Oh I need to introduce myself as well?'

'Yes, ma'am!'

- 'Hi all, you're going to cut AZZA JAUHAR AHMAD TAJUDDIN'

And everybody laughed.

And so the procedure started. My bed was strategically situated under the shiny new aluminum lights, whereby the reflection was directly on the operated area. Yes, I was able to see the whole procedure, LIVE and EXCLUSIVE!! I can see people playing with the inside of my body!!! 

I faced the left, SN A told me gently not to face that side, since there was alot of tools.

I faced the right, another staff nurse told me that my bp reading was not stable if I face that way.

I looked up, shut my eyes, SN A called my name, I answered, she said please keep my eyes open, so that they knew that I was awake. 

Oh no!!! I need to look at the LIVE telecast!!!

Yes, I saw the surgeons cut three layers of my tummy, putting a 'transformers gadget' which opened up the cut to a nice size. slide through some organs (I think) and.......... taraaa... first twin in a pouch! It was grey! Dr K pulled it up and showed me and quickly handed him to the first catcher, '1945, first twin', announced Dr K.

The next minute, the second was pulled, another grey pouch. 'Just like in the shopping center, buy one get one free!' I exclaimed. 

Dr A chuckled then told me, 'I should tell my wife that! By the way, I have a set of twins too, both girls, SN A has a set of girls as well, Dr K has a boy and girl twins, Dr X the paeds is expecting twin boys!'

Dr K, 'A room full of privileged parents of twins!'

Then the sewing process took place. It took Dr K half an hour to sew me up. Upon finishing, Dr A quickly asked Dr K's permission to leave the OT to perform the maghrib prayers. Subhanallah, I was helped by good Muslims, alhamdulillah!

SN A and SN X then approached me with my boys! Masha Allah... those two babies were swimming in my womb minutes ago, and now, they are breathing on their own. Smooched them, confirmed their IDs on the blue tags on their feet and they were then moved to NICU.

Twin A, Twin B

2.1kg, 2.2kg

1945, 1946

3-11-11

Alhamdulillah Ya Allah for making the experience a beautiful one. You ease the way... thank you Allah.

 

What I learn from 'Blood Sugar Profile for GDM'.

I was requested by the GP in Wakaf Tengah Clinics to perform the Blood Sugar Profile (BSP) test during my 15th week pregnancy check-up. I personally thought something was wrong but I was ensured by the Medical Officer that it was a procedure for risky pregnancy cases (multiple pregnancy for me) as well as as patients whose parents are diabetic. Since I belonged to both, I was obliged to do the BSP test. 

BSP is basically a test whereby the nurse will prick your fingers to get some blood and measure the amount of sugar in your body. The reading target for normal amount (in Malaysia) is 3.5 - 5.9. There will be four readings per day - before breakfast (0730), post breakfast (0930), post lunch (1300) and post dinner (1700). The reading would show whether the organs in your body are working as it should. And if the reading is not right, meaning too high, it means you're prone to be diabetic and your baby in the womb might be bigger than usual. Close monitoring needs to be done.

Oh, before that, you need to drink this cupful of syrup... thick one. It's not diluted and it's yucky!! hahah... (and dont throw it in the drain when the nurses are not watching!!)

So, during the whole pregnancy, I did 4 BSP tests in Klinik Desa Mengabang Telipot. Went there 4 times per day when the blood was needed. Here was my results!!

 

Alhamdulillah, my readings were good. And I did not cheat! Cheating in the sense that, some of other patients openly told me that they skipped meals in order to get good readings. Some didn't eat the normal food that they usually take. 

However, it defeats the purpose of doing the BSP, isn't it? These tests are meant to inform the doctors (and ourselves, too) on how our body works and whether medications are needed to control our illness. To make sure that they know the baby(ies) in our wombs are not going to be huge, to avoid complications during birth. So, cheating is unnecessary, ladies!

A few lessons learned during the whole of this BSP procedure. Firstly, dont be scared. It's just a routine and you are not going to die while undergoing this procedures. The pin prick feels like a kerengga bite.

Secondly, dont cheat. The medical team doesn't know that you're cheating, it's not their problem anyway! The problem is yours, later on. When the baby is overloaded with sugar and it gets so huge (because you only skip meal 4 times during the whole pregnancy, but the rest of it... jeng jeng jeng...), there might be complications. So, one of the purpose of BSP procedure is to inform the med teams about your condition, and steps to avoid complications later on. So, again, please don't cheat.

Thirdly, dont skip appointment. Yes, it is a hassle, but it's for your own good, and the life in your womb, too!

Wallahu'alam.

What I learn from 'bubbye bottle'.

Yusuf managed to say goodbye to his Avent bottle today. We're so proud of him. He's 2 years and 5 months old and we believe that he should be able to drink from a cup - and he proved us right!

I know it's not an easy thing for Yusuf to do, especially when he has been depending on milk from the bottle starting from 6 months old, to comfort him to sleep and it became his savior from hunger (if Ummi takes too long to cook!).

Remembering what the nurses in King Eddie Hospital back in Perth advice, which was to teach the toddler from the age of 2 to let go of their bottle, in order to protect their teeth from rotting and to ensure a better sleeping pattern at night and better brain growth (since no waking ups for milk in the middle of the night) - it gave us strength to prevail, though Yusuf actually asked for his bottle (only) twice during the first day (and both were not caused by hunger, but merely to comfort him to sleep).

Steps for 'Bubbye-Bottle'

Bubbye bottle, Hello Wiggle cup!

1. We comforted and praised him that he is a very good, big boy, and big, handsome boys don't drink from bottles. They use cups. And we asked him whether can he be a good big handsome boy. Of course he replied, "YES!' without understanding fully the consequences of the answer.
2. Then we asked him to find his bottle from his cot and asked him if it was dirty. And of course, another 'YES,' from him. So we reasoned him that it's not healthy anymore to drink from the bottle. Grown-ups like us (includes the older siblings in the conversation) do not use bottles. He then told us, 'I'm a big boy! No yucky bottle!' (Phew, correct answer from him!) And we asked him to throw the bottle in the rubbish bin (himself). <--- This step is important so that he'd remember that he chucked it away himself.
3.  Then we introduced to him to his new pals, Elmo and Wiggle straw cups, just like his sister's. Alhamdulillah, he accepted it. (Alwani did not approve of her cups when she was younger, so we drove to Target in Carousel, Perth and asked her to choose her own cup! And she was stuck to it for a looong time. <---This was another tip given by the nurses at King Eddie's which was to reward the children for their sacrifice.)
4. Be persistent. Some kids (like Al Fateh) take a bit longer to adapt to the new situation. They might rebel. But some (like Yusuf) understands well and reason with himself when he was in need of the bottle. Some of his monologue; 'No bottle, I'm a big boy', 'Wiggle cup but same milk', 'I don't want bad teeth'. 
5. Though Yusuf transformed exceptionally well, his milk consumption became less at the beginning (4-5 days), which actually worries the nursery carers. But he'll gradually learn to drink more from the cup day by day. Both my children, Alwani and Yusuf, enjoy the chocolate flavoured milk in the cup, as compared to the normal flavoured milk. I can't answer why. Al Fateh only drinks full cream milk, even till now.
6. For us, because we knew and believed on why were doing the this, we symphatised when Yusuf desperately sought for his bottle, but we didn't give in. Patience and perseverance are essential to both mom and dad.

We are proud of you big, handsome and good boy Hamza Yusuf!

What I learn from 'a writer's mental block'.

A poem for myself (and other postgrads who are in the same boat). 

Please ignore the desperate monologue I'm having with myself, it's has not been an easy day...

'Untangle the mess with zikrullah'

Why and How must I write?

a (heavy) mental note.

Please do not wait till the last minute to write. 

Read, review, write, edit & rewrite.

A viscous cycle that I need to fight!

Unfortunately, what matters are the output part,

your dissertation, where you have to cite, cite and cite!

Oh and yes, academically you have to write,

a format that is hard to like.

So, hang on tight!

Write up, then leave it for a bit.

After a week, reread.

then, edit. 

Use this link.

Cut it, paste it.

Of course, I'm not teaching you how to cheat! 

It's only super cool phrases to help you critique.

And surely, your SV's heart will skip a beat,

for he has got his treat!

 Be responsible. 

Don't put yourself in a jumble,

by making your references unavailable.

Be systematic and manageable.

IT'S DO-ABLE!

That's right!

So, let's write!!

and rewrite!

(Naahhhh... thanks but no thanks! =p 

Not for today, anyway... 

had enough dosage of you for the day. 

The kids are inviting me to play, 

they deserve my time, too, don't they?)

What I learn from 'hubster's Pinarello'

Last February, my husband announced discretely that he's planning to buy a new toy. Knowing his half (hidden) smile and 'I'm-not-going-to-show-that-I'm-excited' look, I knew that it's going to be his dream Pinarello that he's been talking about for ages - even when we were in Australia!

Alwani and Yusuf with Abi's new toy.

He has been discussing this with me and sharing his thoughts throughout this process - thinking out-loud and hoping for some other 'logical explanations' to support his purchase. It covered a range of topics to consider - the budget (hey, it's the same price of 2005 Kelisa!), the optimisation of the usage (at least 3 times weekly), the practicality (oversea purchase), the cycling schedule (to fit our family timetable) and many other related matters in regards to this rare purchase. 

One of the most important thing that I learned from the process is to be an attentive listener. If we can patiently listen to others, they will appreciate our concern and attention (especially if the one who talks is your husband). Listening to others shows that we are interested in them as a person. and what they are talking about. When we talk we try to influence others, when we listen we appreciate others; it is important to get the right balance. To me, in this specific scenario, I learned to talk less, and listen more.

Another important trait that I learned was to hinder negative thoughts. Our mind gets drawn to the negativity of a judgment (i.e. why doesn't he buy a gold bracelet for me using that money rather than the light Pinarello frameset? At least gold is sunnah!), and criticising the judgment selfishly. However, I learned that to be non-judgemental and accepting of others (and their opinions) are very powerful traits to develop. Gaining control of your own thought is essential to keep a healthy relationship. Stay positive. (Hey, avid cyclists' wives out there! The bike is used for recreational and health activities, not for self-destruction or seduction ;p!!)

Respecting others' interests is crucial. Pinarello is not even close to be enlisted in my 'wish list', and a nice collection of intricate 'bling-blings' is soo not in his! Thus, learning to learn one's likes and dislikes is important - and to respect and not hamper one's fascination on something is an art that's important to be mastered as a couple. 

Last but not least, share his joy. It's priceless.

Yusuf was the second official rider!

A part of the bike.

Another part of the bike.

The whole bike.. (sorry for the lack of cycling knowledge!)

Concentration, fascination, satisfaction.