I've not lost my skills yet...I think?

The start of Ramadhan has seen me entering the kitchen to cook. Well, I do cook every week for Maisarah's meals but last Saturday and Sunday involved proper cooking for the whole family and baking. Shah requested me to cook 'Kambing Masak Hitam' for the main iftar dish for the first day of Ramadhan. To Shah and I, this dish is the easiest to cook and delicious at the same time. We often cook this dish if we entertain our friends. Even though it's been a while since I cooked this dish but the outcome on Saturday was quite good. It still tastes yummy but I think it was not 'hitam' and 'pedas' enough to my liking. It tasted sweet because my mom added sugar at the end. I never add sugar when I cook but ever since I lived at my mom's place she has been seasoning the food I cook and she always adds sugar. This is partly my fault because ever since I came back from the UK I rarely cook I think I have lost my skills in tasting the food I cook. So I think I need to cook more.

On Sunday, my sister and I made cupcakes. We had bought a recipe book on cupcakes last year but never got to trying it out. So finally we did. Making the cakes and icing was easy. But the decorating part was slow. We ran out of ideas for icing the cakes. I guess the artistic side of us will never shine through. So, I will never be able to open a cupcake making business. Anyway, no matter how 'cacat' they may look, I must say they taste quite good.

The icing and bare cupcakes.

All the cupcakes made.

Close up of some 'not-so-cacat' decorations.

Short daily posts??

I must learn to write short daily posts to this blog. If not this blog will slowly cease to exists. I've noticed that I seldom write but when I do, the entry becomes too long. So, I've got to try and cut things short and sweet but keep it interesting. Hmmm, am I clever enough to write interesting posts?

Anyway, I have a post on what I have cooked/baked during the first week of Ramadhan but I have yet to finish it as I have been busy with work. I also plan to blog on a 'side-effect' of the H1N1 season which has happened to me but I have yet to start on that. I promise I'll try and find time to write these posts whilst trying to finish marking test papers and preparing project proposals.

Toodles!

Holy Month comes yet again..

Ramadhan Mubarak to all! This evening as Maghrib comes we will welcome the month of Ramadhan. I pray that this Ramadhan will be better for us all compared to the previous one. Unfortunately, I am having my menses so I won't be able to fast and I'm pretty sure I won't be able to attend Eid prayer too... :(

Anyway, this year as the last, our Ramadhan will be in PJ with my parents and siblings. For iftar we don't buy food but instead just eat what is prepared by my mom. We only go to the Pasar Ramadhan on weekends. We're hoping to go back to Kangar one of these weekends so that we and spend some time with Shah's parent and his youngest brother who will be flying off to Manchester before Eid to pursue his degree studies. My sister will also be going off but to Edinburgh for her Masters. So, eid this year will be different as both our families will be incomplete. However, with them off to the UK means Shah, Maisarah and I will make it a point to go visit them next year. So I've got to save up for airfare and shopping.

Well, I guess enough of Uk and shopping thoughts for now. I've got to concentrate on Ramadhan and find time to read more of the Quran, perform Tarawih and reap as much benefit from the Holy Month, insyaAllah. May you all have a blessed Ramadhan.

P/S: I wish I could go to the Parenthood Expo in Mid*Valley this weekend but with all the crowd and the possibilities of contracting H1*N1 there I'm sure Shah won't aprove.

Breastfeeding a Toddler

Maisarah will turn 21 months old on Wednesday next week. Alhamdulillah I have still managed to continue breastfeeding her. I'm 3 months shy from reaching my goal of giving Maisarah breastmilk till she turns 2 years old. Currently she is still drinking only breastmilk. Occasionally she will have her yogurt snack or have cheese or some milk aded to her food. But mainly she is still on Mommy's milk. My stock pile has dwindled to about 10 bottles in the fridge and freezer. Daily I'm able to express a total of 6-7 ounces while she now drinks 6-8 ounces while I'm at work. Hence, so far so good. I'm praying hard to Allah that this Ramadhan won't cause my milk production to reduce further. However, I am prepared to supplement Maisarah with UHT milk if Allah decides otherwise.

Anyway, lately breastfeeding her has sometimes created incidents which amuse me and others in my family. Below are the things she does while breastfeeding:

• She will demand I breastfeed her while lying down. She always says 'Mommy baring' (Mommy, lie down). If I say 'Mommy duduk la ye?' (Why don't I just sit down?). She will reply ' Tak boleh'.
• If she is not satisfied with one br*ast, she will say 'Tukar tet*k' (Change breasts) or 'Nak belah kiri/kanan' (I want the left/right side) which ever one is free. Sometimes her 'left/right' is correct. This also happens when she feeds in the middle of the night. She started doing this since she was a little over one year old but at that time she would say 'Ukar Ekek'.
• Also, ever since she was a little over one year old, she would breastfeed freestyle, i.e. some times while sitting or she would start feeding while lying down next to me and then get on top of me or raise her bum in the air (i.e. tertonggeng). These acts never fail to make my mom laugh.
• Lately, she will feed on one br*ast and twist ('gentel') the ni*ple of the other as if she is tuning the radio. That will tickle me and some times she will resort to pinching the ni*ple which then makes me raise my voice at her.

Well, no matter what she does, I am truly greatful to Allah forgiving me the pleasure of brestfeeding Maisarah. I am surely going to miss our bonding/cuddling sessions together when the time comes for her to wean. For now, I will treasure each and every feeding session with her.

The Ever Generous Abah

On Monday, Shah and I took leave. There were no classes since currently Uni*ten is having it's mid-semester break from 10 to 17 August. Actually, the break started two-days earlier, since last Thursday (6 August), due to 3 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Uni*ten. (Students get 2 days extra holidays but staff have to come to work, no fair!)

Anyway, back to my story. As usual, we still came to the office to settle some work. Then at 9.30 we zoomed off to Mid*Valley. We had no other plans except to just spend time together (and maybe do 'a little' shopping?). Well, shopping was what we did and before we ended the day we headed to Su*shi Zan*mai again for our sushi fix for the week. Shah, the ever loving father and husband, was ever so generous to pay for Maisarah's clothes and the two pair of shoes for me.

Did I mention before that Maisarah has one particular favourite pyjama? Maybe I did but I iforgot. Anyway, If she had it her way, she would wear the Snow White pyjama every night. Alas, the pyjama has to be washed so she now wears it every other night. So when we were at Mid*Valley we went to Jusco first in search of more Snow White or Disney Princess pyjamas because I bought the previous one at JUsco One U*tama. But our hunt there failed us. So, we then went to MetroJaya. We were in luck! Alhamdulillah, MetroJaya had a corner filled with Disney Princess Baby clothes. Shah and I went crazy choosing pyjama sets and tops for Maisarah. We left Metro with three pyjama sets (one of Cinderella and two of Snow White) and three tops (one each of CInderella, Snow White and Beauty). While walking to the cashier I mentioned to Shah that I can't wait to see Maisarah's expression when she sees the bounty we have for her. Sure enough she was all smiles and so excited to see the clothes. The picture below doesn't actually show her delight (and also excuse my baby girl for sitting like a Chinaman who just lost at the gambling tables. Note to self: 'Nak kena ajar dia duduk elok-elok sikit.').

Maisarah and her new clothes.

Mommy's shoes bought by Abah.

Our lunch for the day.

All above are credited to the ever generous Abah. Thank you for every thing. We love you!

maisarah mouse

maisarah mouse
Originally uploaded by ABumbleBee.