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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28630629182458054202019-04-03T11:38:54.699+08:00Me, and Then SomeI love this!Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-51841481756278156982019-02-24T22:58:00.000+08:002019-02-24T22:58:45.218+08:00Shut Up and Drive

I'm usually quiet outside, unless there's something to say, by which I'm quite outspoken. You know, like issues. Lately I don't know who I am.. it seems like I'm morphing but I don't know into what yet. I believe our trials & tribulations really shape you to be your current self and I'm still discovering what I am.

Watching my kids grow, I'm convinced of something. That we inherit personalities and tendencies. Like my 2nd born Ibrahim, who is a dead ringer of my husband. Nobody taught him to walk like that or behave like that. A tendency that I have since little is being a little feminist. Like trying to prove that girls can do this and that.. a little bit of female empowerment and encouraging other girls to do the same.

So that's interesting. I believe to be successful you have to go with the flow of what drives you. It's not easier, but it helps when things get tough. Because your inner drive is forcing you to go forward even when the odds are against you.

My life challenge has always been about proving myself worthy. It's funny, but my fear has always been that I become a nobody. When I was 8.. I remember our math teacher coming into the classroom to announce that we're having a congak test that day. We weren't prepped beforehand.. I did miserably.. It was for timetables 2 and 3. I scored 2/15 or something like that.

I was so scarred that I remember the incident like it was yesterday. The fear of getting the answers wrong, and the fear of scoring last in the class! The dread, the horror.

It was this incident that made me so intent on becoming an "A" math student. Just to prove that I'm not stupid and I can do math. And yes I also went on to do engineering, which again comes down to proving I'm not stupid in math. I STILL have trouble with congak. I get flustered if anyone asks me 34+59 on the spot. The struggle is real people.

But after graduating uni, that's when I decided that I'm done proving my worthiness in math. Yes it sounds ridiculous but that was also why I NEVER applied even one engineering job after graduating. I went straight into sales & marketing.

Proving my worth in this line is a totally different animal.

So I'm just curious, what drives you to do what you're doing? Is it fear? Is it burning desire for something?

Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-31416415909798115842019-02-19T01:24:00.000+08:002019-02-19T01:24:17.545+08:00STTN Baby

When you're a mom of three, a few things that really matters to us just seem weird to other people. We say words like STTN, SAHM, WAHM. Like yay finally STTN! Anyway, my kids aren't fully STTN or Sleeping Through The Night. Why is this so important? Because when you get woken up a few times at night for the past 2 years literally, you kinda look forward to it.

One thing I notice about having two kids so close in age.. is one would be getting over one stage.. and the other would suddenly enter that particular stage. So it's like dealing with a prolonged stage. It's wonderful and chaotic.

So Ibrahim has gotten all his teeth.. and stopped waking up at night, he sleeps like a log now. Hassan on the other hand, has started the waking-up-screaming phase, which is a mixture of tooth growth and nightmares.

We tried putting Naila to sleep in a separate room, but sometimes she ends up disrupting us in the middle of the night. Seriously feels like we never left the newborn stage at night! I'm still waking up a few times to calm Hassan down.

But one good thing is that they know how to put themselves to sleep. A few months ago, I almost got into a depression because I was sleeping at 9pm every night. Yes. Totally depressed for sleeping early. It'll be nice if it was my choice.. but it wasn't. I was putting the kids to sleep and I fell asleep accidentally because the bed was cool, and soft and I'm normally already tired at the end of the day.

What I did was to dig back all my materials on self soothing. Yes it's very controversial and many people don't agree with it, but if it draws the line between happy and insanity, you might wanna give it a try.

And once it worked, sanity restored 100%. I had my leisure night time again. I'll share some best practices for self soothing some other time but it seriously saved my life.

Hassan is 1.5 years now.. he should be fully STTN by the time he's 2-ish. Basically it's another year. I can do this!
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-24920176625097889932018-12-31T22:11:00.001+08:002019-02-19T01:25:50.651+08:002019 and Burpees
I started becoming serious about exercise/working out since last year, after giving birth to Hassan my third. At the time, I felt like I lost myself physically and emotionally. I didn't recognize myself in the mirror. I was outwardly fine, but I had inner demons. Exercise helped me a lot.. improved my mood. Made me happy to see fat shrinking and everything tightening up.

Along the way, I slowed down, started feeling useless then started back. The body does not bounce back after 2 consecutive pregnancies I tell ya. It's hard work and diet. And you have to keep reminding yourself to correct your posture, because after literally being pregnant for 2 years, you just get used to slumping. It's all the nursing, the bump-carrying and the baby carrying.

Yeah I'm so jealous of my husband because he doesn't understand how much my body is being used! It's something that husbands will never understand. It's the mom's inner circle secret. And by the way, having the first child at 26 vs 3rd child at 30 doesn't sound like much difference but OWH the difference it makes. 1st child was a breeeze.

Anyway, point is, going into 2019, I'm gana up my game. Ganna stay consistent with 3 workouts a week at 20 minutes. How do I workout? There's plenty of workout videos for women out there.. I used to like Zuzka Light.. but then found Pamela Reif and I'm loving that at the moment. On top of that, we also walk around the park for 3-5km during weekends.

I would love to start swimming again at least once a week. We started cutting out sugary drinks this year.. I'd continue doing this.

Most of all, I wanna teach my children the healthy and active lifestyle from when they're little. So it becomes second nature to them.

So yup I just told you guys my health goal in 2019. Nothing too ambitious. Something to counter mommyhood and life fatigue :)

Happy 2019. May the new year bring renewed hope and success to all of you.
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-40150445117637929992018-11-19T15:29:00.000+08:002018-11-19T15:29:18.556+08:0031 Mantra Now that I've entered my 30s, I realize a few things. I'm a bit weary, a bit wiser and more obsessed with certain things over others. I personally am right in the middle of child rearing wonderland and the quest of a super career. These two don't blend well. Modern advice is, don't try to balance life and work. So I'm taking it. I've thrown balance out the window.

I'm the type of person who writes letters to her future self. Writes goals at the start of a new year. Looking back at goals 2016-2018, I achieved maybe one or two off the list. I would feel kind of depressed. Then I ask myself, why am I not achieving these goals? Is it my choice? When I answered yes, I felt better. So I decided to compromise on some things.

Then I was thinking, everyone has their challenges. Great people are great despite their challenges. Kind people are kind despite their challenges. My mindset in the past has been.. I need money to be the best I can be. It's shallow but empowering at the time. Roaring 20s. Then I got hit over and over. I started thinking.. what's the lesson in all of this? Is this simply my fate? what is life trying to teach me? Sometimes I cry "why me"?

I feel humbled and grounded. A little bit wiser, a little bit stronger.

I never truly appreciated the saying "pressure makes diamonds" before. But I think I understand a little now.

It's funny you think you know yourself all these while but you keep discovering something when you're forced to dig in. I'm not who I was 5 years ago, or even 2 years ago. It's been a crazy steep learning curve on all sides and I'm just glad I'm still in for the ride.

So what's my mantra when I turned 30? Be patient and kind. Also, make it happen!Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-19712238771141839802017-11-01T11:41:00.000+08:002017-11-01T11:00:07.545+08:006 Mommy Budget Hacks

Hi!!! Having three children isn't a walk in the park. Nor are they friendly for your wallet. That's why over the years I've become very savvy with spending on a budget. I'm still learning and discovering new outlets but so far, I think I'm doing good. I've never been this earth friendly until I have 3 kids!

1. DIAPERS

The most budget friendly at this point will be cloth diapers. I thought about it, even purchased a bundle in 2013 but decided against it because it didn't fit our lifestyle. So I settled with the next best thing – bulk diaper buying.

My kids wear Drypers. So far they've been very practical and does containment exceptionally well. Currently I'm using 2 different sizes, S and L. So I buy them in a box usually from Lazada or Tesco (online of course). They cost me an average RM75 per box.

If I have to buy them loose, I'll pick a packet from 99speedmart. Their prices are the lowest.

2. MILK POWDERS

Ibrahim, my 2nd born is on soy milk, Isomil. An 800g tin would cost around RM80 in Aeon. Different 99Speedmart has different pricing. But so far the cheapest is at chinese supermarkets. My place is near a few of these chinese supermarkets. Their selling price for a tin is RM69. The catch? No debit/credit. Only Cash.

3. ONESIES & CLOTHING

Onesies are a babies staple clothing. My babies at home are in onesies 99% of the time. They're just so convenient and versatile. I get nice Gap and Next rejects at Plaza Massalam for RM10 each.

4. SECOND HAND ITEMS

I promise this isn't as icky as it sounds. We Malaysians love shiny new things. Why not go green and get second hand items. You have to be smart about buying 2nd hand. For me personally, I try to choose items that are NEW or LIGHTLY USED. Yes, they exist on the second hand market… and usually at a fraction of a brand new price. NEW/LIGHTLY USED items I've purchased before: sneakers, baby rocker, pregnancy waist extender & car seat.

Not everything secondhand is good. You'll have to be picky but I assure you that it's worth it and very satisfying when you score a great bargain. Some sellers only use things once or twice before deciding they don't want something. Proceed with caution though, because bargain hunting this way is very addictive.

For important items, I always do COD, which means that you go pick up the items personally so you can see the condition with your own eyes.

My secondhand bargain port: Carousell App for nice novelty items, Preloved Facebook group, Preloved baby goods Malaysia Facebook group, Mudah.my, Expat KL group for furnitures

5. GENERAL EVERYDAY

Always try to shop at one place and get a membership. One that allows you to collect points and redeem vouchers sort of thing. I choose Tesco because I can either shop physically or online and it allows me to collect points both ways.

6. FURNITURE/ELECTRONICS

Always compare prices on LAZADA. They have the best prices hands down. I've done comparisons with Seng Heng / Aeon / Courts / Harvey Norman etc but LAZADA takes the cake for cheapest price. This goes for bigger brands like Panasonic, Tefal, KDK. We've purchased beds for our homestays on LAZADA. Cheap & arrives within 2 weeks.

Do you have any favorite hacks to share?
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-64090389388011774102017-10-27T11:37:00.001+08:002017-10-27T11:51:57.586+08:00KRABI FOR THE SECOND TIME
 *This is a backdated post from March 2017*

We've actually been to Krabi twice since I first wrote about it. I can be considered a Krabi family holiday expert now.

I personally enjoyed the first time we went more because Naila was 2 years old and we get to do more things. The second time around, we also brought along 7 month old Ibrahim and I was 4 months pregnant. It was a bit tiring compared to last time.

But I think the most question I get asked is "why go to Krabi again?" To answer this, I have to tell a story about one guy me & hubs got to know about in Bali. The guy was from Germany. He was treated like an old friend at the villa. And we found out from the owner that he returns every single year. Because he loves it there. It was so simple and profound.

It was a mental shift both of us went through in our one month old marriage at the time. So the answer to that question we get so many times is because we love Krabi the first time we went.

This time we decided to go by flight. I'm not sure which one is more tiring because on one hand, we arrived in Krabi within 1.5 hours. But the waiting in the airport took a few hours.

Naila was excited about the plane ride but Ibrahim couldn't be bothered. I think more than anything, he was annoyed that we disturbed his sleeping time.

We arrived early in the morning at 6 am. We went straight to our hotel because we've requested for an early check-in beforehand. That morning, we took a rest for a few hours before heading out to eat. We're so happy to eat at May & Zin again. Love it. The food is as tasty as it was before.

Our hotel has 2 pools and they're empty most of the time. So we had fun playing at our 'private pool' that afternoon.

It was Ibrahim's first time in a pool. He was 7 months old! He loves it!

One for the camera!

The second day, we decided to go island hopping. Just If you opt for the normal boat, there could easily be more than 15 people on the boat and you would have to follow their schedule.

Since we're totting a 3 year old and a 7 month old, we decided that private boat is the way to go.

One of the stops was Hong Island. The kids loved playing in the sea. They enjoyed the sand. The limestone hills were magnificent.

At Hong island is also where we swam with the fish. Naila was a bit spooked out by the fishes following and poking her. I think it was the flowery swimming suit that attracted the fish.

Ibrahim's first boat ride. He was behaving so good. Totally enjoyed the wind blowing his hair. We spent the whole day outside on the boat. Luckily the boat was shaded and we brought some snacks on board.

Towards the end of the day, we were all so tired. Just going with a baby is a lot of work. Add that I was pregnant. I wouldn't do it again under those circumstances. I really won't. I'll revisit the possibility when the kids aren't in diapers anymore at least.

Here's Naila really SLEEPING on the plank. Baby Ibrahim was also sleeping on our way back to shore.

On the third day, we hung out at the hotel. We ordered hotel food in the afternoon. Sunda Hotel food is good. The breakfast buffet is good, ala carte is also good. No complains there.

Hubs went on a diving trip to Koh Phi Phi island. This time around he said the water visibility is great, unlike the last time. It's supposed to be one of the best times to dive when we went in March.

Ibrahim ready to spend the day in Krabi. That night, we went to the night market in Krabi Town riding a tuk tuk. The drive to Krabi Town took about 30 minutes. The tuk tuk was just a motorcycle connected with a contraption that allows 4 adult passengers to be seated. It was very windy to say the least.

Upon arriving at the market, I carried Ibrahim in the carrier and Naila was strapped in the stroller. The market had lots of interesting trinkets as should a Thailand market have. And tasty street food.

The best thing about being in Krabi is the HALAL FOOD. You can eat anything because they're halal and cooked by muslims. Halal everywhere. I love it! One of the reasons we LOVE Krabi.

The market itself is small size. You can make a round within 30 minutes. We went back after having our snacks. (sweet potato balls yum. Come to think of it, I'm ganna make it for my kids)

So on the final days in Krabi, we strolled along the beach alot, enjoying the sea, sand and sun.

Krabi might be an annual thing for our family, because it's just super friendly for us muslims. It's different, you get to be in another country, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the food is superb. Last but not least, Krabi is very affordable. I guarantee it will not break your bank.

I think that's the end of my 2nd trip to Krabi story! Thanks for reading! Till next time.
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-22144078484987611652017-10-21T00:03:00.001+08:002017-10-21T00:03:16.326+08:00Wonder in These Years

We're starting to settle into a normal routine. We get up around 6.30-7am. Everybody has breakfast, shower. Hubs leave around 7.30 – 8am. I send Naila to school around 8.30am. I started taking Ibrahim with me lately so after sending Naila, we sometimes walk downstairs at the playground area.

Then I ask my maid, Dewi to play downstairs with Ibrahim. I put baby to sleep. I'm starting to exercise a bit but I don't have a fixed routine yet. I start doing work on the laptop. Follow ups, putting up ads, attending to enquiries. On days that I have to go out, I'll maneuver around that timing.

Sometimes I leave Naila in school. I try not to leave all 3 kids with my maid for more than 2 hours. Sometimes I'll take one of the babies with me for viewings or meetings or inspections. If I plan to leave the baby at home, I'll pump milk in the morning. I don't collect frozen expressed milk, only a few bags in the freezer for emergency too long outings. So far I haven't used them for baby.

I usually pick up Naila at 12pm. The kids nap in the afternoon except for Naila who usually does her colouring/play doll house/lego/sticker book or ipad time. Afternoons are usually varied depends on whether I leave house or not that day.

By 4pm I usually wrap up my laptop time though I still answer calls or messages. I take them down to the playground while my maid cooks. 6-6.30pm we have dinner. Bath time. Story time. Mengamuk time. If I'm not too tired we do our sleeping time routine.. play shadows, read books or telling stories with a flashlight in the dark. Actually this is only possible if the baby is asleep or he's surprisingly quiet. By 8.30pm, lights off.

The kids will usually be asleep by 9pm. If I don't accidently fall asleep as well, I'll wake up to update my listings, make a to do list for tomorrow. Then if it's still early, I watch a movie or tv series. I gotta be honest. I love my nights. I wouldn't be able to survive without my nights!

The days are long, but the years are short.

I still remember the days with Naila alone, and thinking "this is the hardest thing I've ever done". Obviously I haven't met Ibrahim and Hassan yet at that point! Honestly if I see other moms out there, I'll be like "how the heck does she manage?" I sometimes ask myself the same question but the answer is that.. you just do.

It's one day at a time.. Suddenly everybody is grown up. Naila is turning 4. Ibrahim has started walking. Hassan has started smiling. 2 months ago Hassan was still a bun in the oven!

I will never forget these wonderful years. Tiring, but wonderful.
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-81894077788776240222017-09-22T21:49:00.001+08:002017-09-22T21:49:36.095+08:00Pantang with three

I'm not going to attempt to write a backstory to all this. As it is now, I currently have an almost pre-schooler, a toddler and a newborn. I'm nearing the end of pantang but it wasn't much of a pantang to be honest. I broke all the rules of pantang. Not wearing socks? Checked. Go up and down the stairs? Checked. No urut? Checked. Carry heavy objects? Checked. The heavy object is actually my one year old bumbling Ibrahim who's 9.5kg.

Aiyaya…

As my number of births go up, I start to have a different perspective on pantang. Right now, for me berpantang is being comfortable, enjoying my time with the babies, eating healthy food most of the time and funny enough, catching up on afternoon naps. I have a newborn and a toddler.. can't say I'm catching up on nighttime sleep.

The first week was a breeze. (My confinement is always at mom's house and we have a maid. It was very manageable because my mom basically insists that I do nothing at all other than to tend to the newborn)

The second week was when the horror started. Naila came back from school with a viral fever that turned out to be HMFD. Then, surprise.. Ibrahim caught it. So bye-bye sleep. He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat and can't even drink his milk. It was horrible! My poor baby.

The worst part is when I cannot touch or hold him because we didn't want it to spread to the baby. HMFD is worse than chicken pox. I mean the effect on him. He was crying and wanted to be carried all the time.

But luckily the baby didn't catch it.

By now nothing is shocking anymore. I've become the unfazed mother.

Daughter HMFD with 2 babies in the house? Manageable.

One year old crying asking to be picked up while holding newborn? Manageable.

3 kids crying for milk at the same time? Manageable.

I'm not saying that I'm doing it all alone.. I've got mom, dad, husband, bibik and my two brothers occasionally. So it's VERY manageable. I'll say compared to when I was alone handling only one baby. That was harder because I've got no one to pass the baby to.

My pantang days are almost over. We're ganna have to settle into the new normal. I never ever in a billion years imagine that I'll be a mom of three by 30 but it's always funny how things turn out, right?
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-19821008086937696682017-06-23T00:11:00.001+08:002017-06-23T00:11:05.158+08:00Getting Ma Babies To Sleep Early Both my babies are sleeping while I'm writing this. They usually go to sleep around 8-8.30pm. It started before Naila was born and hubs gave me this one baby sleep book. So being the excited first time mom, I read like, 10 parenting books even before I delivered. I ate them up.

But one thing I really feel I need is my sleep. If that sounds selfish.. well you know they say that you have to take care of your self first, to become the best mom for your children. Because you gotta give and give and give. What happens if you're out of steam?

That's when you start becoming mommy monster. Not that I've never been.. but the key word here is 'trying' to take care of yourself.

So that's why I started putting my babies to sleep early.

I love my alone time.. I think I'm more of an introvert, I need my space. Even from my babies. ESPECIALLY from my babies after a looonngg day.

And I love having adult conversations at the end of the day with hubs, as opposed to baby talk the rest of the day.

Anyway according to the books that I've read.. babies are programmed to sleep early.. you just have to help them go to sleep! I've got friends who complained that their babies won't sleep way into midnight.. and I think the babies are just too overstimulated.

Naila is currently 3 years old and Ibrahim is 11 months old.. Both have NEVER slept past 9pm except during Raya or special times. We went on vacation and they slept at 8.30pm outside. So yeap we trained 'em good.

During Naila's time I was very methodical.. as in we had a sleep routine down to the minutes. When Ibrahim came along, I had to adjust for 2.. and I might skip a few things one day.. and do it another day. But it's really the same routine overall.

NUMBER 0: Last nap of the day ends at 5pm, or 3pm depending on their age. Let them play outside.. burn some energy, swim or do whatever that keeps them occupied.

NUMBER 1: Start bathing them around 6.30pm. Or sometimes they eat first.

NUMBER 2: Eat dinner. Around 7pm.

NUMBER 3: Play... puzzles, books, colouring.. sometimes things get out of hand with 2 kids because they'll end up overexcited but I always try to get them to wind down. Maybe play with torchlight in the dark.. That's Naila's favorite. Until around 8.15pm. I'll squeeze in Maghrib prayers while the kids play & hubs take over for a few mins.

NUMBER 4: Lights off. By 8.30PM. Or earlier if I'm too tired.

They will doze off within 15 mins.

Rinse and repeat for the next 10 years! HAha.

I know it sounds simple but only if you start early. And as a parent, I had to stick to schedule every single day. I'm not ashamed to admit that I really love this part because once they're asleep, I'm FREEEEE.

I started training them since they're 1 month old.. before that newborns are just too little to care about routines. And newborns are adjusting to alot of things. They don't know the difference between napping in the morning and sleeping at night.

Everybody has a circadian rhythm or 'sleep wake body cycle' and in babies, they're not developed yet. So first thing is to teach them that we sleep at night.. starting 8pm, it's lights off for the baby. If the baby doesn't want to sleep, just let them lie there in the dark... with you of course.

If they wake up at 3am cooing and you smell poo.. just change their diapers as fast as possible and get back to bed. No playing, no making faces, no talking to them. I swear the baby will get it within a month. They'll poo and cry.. but they will be asleep when you change them.

The baby will be prepped by the time he's 2 months old. Some babies start sleeping through the night.. of course mine doesn't.. I bf my babies but I still manage to get them to sleep by 8.30pm and by 9 months, they're sleeping through the night.

I know, some people will be like, why do I need to put my kids to sleep early? I like having them around!

NUMBER 1: Babies need 14 hours sleep for their development. Some babies don't even like to nap...so getting them to sleep early is one way to fill up their sleep quota.

NUMBER 2: Good habits die hard. And I believe sleeping early is a good habit to have especially when they start school. And haven't you heard? Successful people wake up very early in the morning to start their day. Sleep early=wake up early. Subuh pun senang. Ehem.

NUMBER 3: Like I said... I get some alone time.. to zone out on my phone, to talk to hubs, to read, to clean up the mess etc etc etc. It does wonders on your mental health.. I promise!

So that's it! How I get my kids to sleep early.. I don't believe in having kids 'who don't want to sleep early'. It's probably because their not helped to sleep early.. They won't just miraculously fall asleep early. I Wish!

Just have to keep trying until eventually... they tell you when they're sleepy! I'm off to drink hot choc & read. In peace and quiet. Kids Free.

'Till then, TC.Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-22756114805652228372017-06-12T16:01:00.000+08:002017-06-12T16:01:17.070+08:00Milestones & Parenting the Danish Way

Naila is having a 2 week holiday so naturally I've got my hands full. It's a blessing that she now knows how to play independently but at the same time, she still needs my company after 1 hour playing alone.. Ibrahim naps 2-3 times a day.

This week it seems both had a milestone jump.. Naila suddenly started looking at her Lego Duplo in a new light. If she was building 4-5 block structures before, now she's suddenly interested in building mega structures.. finishing all the lego blocks in one go!

One day she just came to me and said "Mommy! I need to show you something!!"

So I went to her room.. low and behold... a behemoth structure by her previous standards. I felt so proud of her for figuring it out by herself!

We played lego soo many times together. I tried showing her many ways to assemble the lego but she couldn't care less. Then she went on to discover stuff by herself!

Major mind shift on my part..

Then I found out about Danish parenting.. which means that you don't have to actively play with your kids all the time. You can just let them learn to play by themselves sometimes.

One more thing that Naila started doing is to scribble zig zags. It might not sound like much. I was even getting worried that she doesn't seem to have any drawing skills or even remotely interested in writing.

If forced to draw, she'd be doing circles over and over again. She'll say its Olaf or something. I'm expecting her to draw like a stick man or something by now... but nope. So I'm pretty happy that she suddenly enjoys writing zig zags in the notebook.. And they're pretty nice zig zags too.

Ibrahim on the hand started playing imitation games last week. He'd nod and shake his head. He would move his fingers when we sing twinkle-twinkle little star. Honestly, he's at such a fun age.

Giggly and funny. He'll be 11 months soon. Ahhh time flies by!
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-66288877844597095772017-06-09T23:16:00.001+08:002017-06-09T23:16:47.821+08:00Full MoonAnother year has passed.. and it feels like deja-vu. Ramadan is here again, back so soon when the memories of last Ramadan are still fresh.

Today I heard a news of a blogger who passed away at 29 because of cancer. It shocked me in a way that I didn't expect. I didn't know her personally but I read her blog since forever. The news left me feeling fragile but at the same time extremely grateful for my life.

Lately I've been thinking about mortality. I even discussed it with hubs and friends. Now that I've got children, I kind of feel responsible to be healthy and live as long as I can... so I can take care of them. I just can't imagine someone else taking care of my babies. I don't drive nearly as reckless as I did during my solo days either.

The way that the blogger went.. I think is the best way to go.. with family members by her side, reading quran and giving her doas. In Ramadan, on Friday. In a way it sounds like she hit the jackpot. How will we go? Will it be in a dignified way, with a warning?

"Our lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire" [2:201]

Suddenly all other worries sound pesky and almost meaningless. What was I worrying about yesterday? Everything is temporary. But to pass on means that you're on your way to the permanent life.

Suddenly it seems like I was overreacting everytime I complain about being pregnant again. Or those times when I was angry at Naila for being hyperactive. Or that time I fought with hubs over something silly. What nonsense.

May Allah forgive us this Ramadan and triple fold our deeds.

Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-53694446172543140982017-05-23T11:40:00.002+08:002017-05-23T11:43:00.579+08:00Third
Just a short update since forever!

I'm ganna come out and just say it! I'm preggers again! Lolz. Alhamdulillah. There are a few things that I planned on doing this year.. and to be honest getting pregnant again is not one of it. You can say it's a surprise.. I went into shock the first few weeks of finding out. I cried at the doctor's.

Very dramatic stuff...

Hubs? I guess we went into shock in different ways. That's what I can say.

Right now, we're.. getting there. Ibrahim is only 9 months old so this will be like the case of the Irish twins.. only different year.

But again, alhamdulillah we have a lot of support from our families.. my parents and in laws, from daycare and from my wonderful maid.

I worry about how would I balance my work & being a mom of three..... with 2 under the age of 2? There's breastfeeding involved. The time and effort needed is just wow.

Ya Allah please give me strength to become the mother you want me to be.

It's a process everyday.. some days are tough, some days are wonderful. I always remind myself that the babies will grow bigger so I better buck up. Actually since we found out about the baby many wonderful things happened.. we went to Krabi AGAIN. I LOVE my real estate work. Many many things that I can't express how grateful I am.

My pregnancy is easy, again. No nausea or morning sickness.. I climbed Broga with Hubs & Naila when I was 3 months along..

I'm already 7 months along now and at most I get hungry alot. Alhamdulillah again.

Ibrahim is 9 months old and thriving. Eating and playing lots. We're going to start sleep training him soon.

I hope I can keep writing regularly. There's so many things unspoken that only makes sense when written down.

Till then.
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-35081188890073286612016-08-07T12:05:00.001+08:002016-08-07T12:05:05.323+08:00Labor Story (Induce)

One of the things that I'm obsessed with, is gentle birth. So I waited as long as I could with this pregnancy. 41 weeks to be exact. Here I was, thinking… Is the baby coming out at all? Is everything ok in there? I even had that feeling of "maybe baby wants to come out but he can't!"

All the while, I started walking at the park again, climbed up and down the stairs—basically making myself busy with natural inducers. On the 41 week checkup, I settled some work stuff before going for the appointment. I felt pretty defeated at that point.

So during the check up, again, doctor found my baby's heartbeat slow. I was wheeled into the labor room and strapped to the ctg. Doc mentioned "c-sec" which gave me a mini stroke. But again, the baby was fine according to the ctg. Doc gave me a recommendation to induce that night for the safety of myself & my baby. Otherwise, I can choose to wait ONLY another 3 days at my own risk.

OK let me tell you, I was very tempted to wait another 3 days but was the anxiety & my baby's safety worth it? I've waited 10 months and one week! And the doctor gave me a stern recommendation which I didn't take lightly.

So I went home, called hubs, spoke to my parents then prayed. To tell you the truth, I cried a bit. Then I bucked up and called the hospital to set the appointment for inducement. At this point, you can pretty much throw your birth plan out the window.

THAT NIGHT

After putting Naila to sleep and kissing her goodnight, hubs sent me to the hospital around 10pm. After registration, we were brought to the room and I was hooked on ctg for I don't know how long. They administered Prostin at around 12am. When I say 'administer' means they shoved the pill up my hooha ok. Not before the first of many vaginal examinations aka VE.

The whole experience up to this point is pretty bizarre to me. I was prodded, strapped to ctg and not allowed to move. Which is unlike my first labor. But then again, this is the standard procedure for being induced. Because Prostin or even pitocin drip could cause baby distress.

After an hour, I started feeling mild contractions. I tried to sleep because I knew that I was ganna need the energy later.. my 1st labor was very long, even up to the pushing stage. So I thought, maybe this one is the same?

I think I only slept for an hour because the contractions got stronger. I started walking around the room to ease the pain.. I also did squats because ya know, they can progress labor faster.

It's funny.. time is infinity when you're in labor. Because you're just focusing on the contraction pain. I was walking and doing squats for about 2 hours come to think of it. The nurse came in at 6am to do ctg. Then did VE while I'm strapped to the CTG on top of handling strong contractions. Nurses, you've got no emotions!

Apparently I was 3cms already yay. The nurse told me to have my breakfast and freshen up. I'm entering the labor room at 8.30am for the pitocin drip and baby's big debut! I wasn't that hungry but forced myself to eat anyway. I took lots of dates. I woke hubs up *rolls eyes* He slept through the whole night because I was so quiet. *ROlls eyes*

Around 7am I was given an enema so you can quickly do the no. 2.

Shortly after that, the contractions pick up speed. The ctg was strapped again. The nurse could see that I was having stronger longer contractions and they got excited. When they're excited, they do more VE. At that point I was like, go ahead!

This is where the trouble started. My baby's heartbeat started dropping whenever I had a contraction. The nurses started scurrying around. Thing is, they never tell you anything, so I had to pull one aside and said "what's going on?"

She said, "your baby's heartbeat 'tak cantik'."

From their conversations, I knew my gynae has been informed and she's on the way. They also mentioned c-section. I was praying and praying that my baby holds on & that my body cuts the crap and get to the pushing part already!

It all went very fast. I was 5cm when they wheeled me into the labor room. My contractions were painful and long. I was doing all this hypno visualizations of a flower blooming while taking deep breaths. But it's really hard when the nurse keep telling me to sit still and not move.

"Belly up!"

"We need to see your baby's heartbeat on the ctg!"

Woah the pain triples.

In the middle of that, the nurse hooked me to saline. It felt like too many things were happening at once.

Not long after that, I felt the urge to push. My water broke and I felt the gush.

The nurses started saying "serrum" to each other.

I alternate from panicking for my baby to taking deep breaths during contractions. It was 8.15am when I had the huge urge to push.

Remarkably, the nurses wanted me to breathe through the urge. "DON'T PUSH" was the instruction. Honestly I didn't push but my freaking uterus was squeezing out the baby whether I wanted it or not.

It was very confusing at this point. The pushing urge were super intense.. every breathing technique forgotten.. the nurses didn't want me to push but my baby's heartbeat was dropping. They told me to lie sideways (oh NOW YOU WANT ME TO LIE SIDEWAYS), close my thighs and breathe air out with every urge to push.

IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THE WORST FEELING IN MY LIFE. It's like fighting FATE.

My hands were numb and shivering. I was hyperventilating.

At one of those urges, I felt the top of baby's head! Still I wasn't allowed to push.

The clock showed 8.23am. The longest 10 minutes of my life. After what felt like an eternity of torture, my gynae appeared, spread my legs and said, "when you feel the urge, push as hard as you can".

Well no need the invitation. The baby just slipped out the moment she finished that sentence.

I heard my baby's strangled cry. It was 8.25am. Alhamdulillah the hard part is over!

The placenta birth was straightforward, I didn't even feel it. I still felt strong cramps and I was like, "my stomach hurts!" So the nurse handed me the laughing gas.. I inhaled so much, I was drugged good. Funny--laughing gas doesn't make the pain go away, it just muddles your brain that you don't know what you're feeling anymore.

AFTERTHOUGHT

So in the end, the prostin meds were all that it took to induce my labor.. I was overdue anyway. It's very different from a natural birth, in terms of everything. But I knew what was gonna happen and there was a high chance that my baby would get distressed and the panicking and the super fast birth. But I'm glad things turn out the way it did.

I didn't take any epidural, and there's no episiotomy. After the birth, I had an overwhelming feeling of tiredness & bewilderment. Things felt out of control and I just listened to the nurses and submitted. Because that's what induction is.

The main difference between having a natural birth & an induced one is—level of control. And the feeling afterwards. With the natural birth, I remember feeling an energetic high. I had been in labor over 7 hours but I felt fresh and like I just won the first place in a marathon.

Contrary to being induced.

It was overwhelming, it was fast and furious. BUT. It definitely did the job. My stance has always been natural birth unless there's danger to me or the baby.

So.. verdict on which is more painful? Natural birth or induce?

Hm. I would say induce pain is harder to manage, just because you're constricted to the bed and that the pain gets strong very fast. But it's still very very doable. It helps to google success stories and to read about mothers who birth 4 kids without pain medications and their comment? "It's no big deal & it's not weird, it's just natural."

There's MANY reasons why you shouldn't take epidurals.. you'll be better off physically and spiritually. Recovery is faster. Your baby doesn't get drugged. Many many more reasons.

In conclusion, alhamdulillah my labor was straightforward & my baby came out healthy. Although I didn't plan on getting induced, it's in the best interest of myself & my baby. I'm also proud that I didn't take epidurals both times. It's all in the state of mind.

Okay over & out! Mommy wants to take a shower! If you're interested to read about my first natural 'gentle' birth, go here –> LABOR STORY

Say ASSALAMUALAIKUM to baby TAWFIQ IBRAHIM

Born on 26th July 2016, 8.25am

2.65 KG

Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-36339965404369318122016-06-10T15:19:00.000+08:002016-06-10T15:19:57.174+08:00Boba Carrier Review (2 Years Usage)
This review is sooo long overdue but here goes… I bought the Boba Carrier in 2013 at a baby fair so mine's the 3G version. Started using it when Naila was 4 months old eventhough we bought it before she was born. I joined the babywearer's FB group shortly after.. and found out that SSCs (soft structured carriers) aren't suitable for babies below 4 months old because the baby's back isn't strong enough yet.

So for the first 4 months, I used the Boba wrap, which I'll also do a short review later.

First of all, I love the carrier because it was so easy to put on. This is super important because I use the carrier everyday by myself. Even when you switch the carrier to another person, the straps are easy to adjust. You can get it done less than 5 minutes.

When I started using the Boba Carrier I thought it's super comfy. The carrier fits my 5'2 frame just nice and hugs the baby. Naila was so comfortable in it that whenever I put her in, she'd quickly fall asleep! Alot of people commented on how Naila is a 'good' baby. But believe me, she's only like that when in the carrier.

I am a work at home mom, and I used to take Naila out everyday… So you could say that I'm a heavy user of the carrier. It's the ONLY carrier that I used for 1 and half years and the carrier still looks good and wears well! The material is sort of like canvas, very hardy. It has a hood which was SO SO useful when baby is asleep. There's also a small pocket on the bottom of the carrier which comes in handy sometimes.

Check out the padding on this thing.. so thick! It was like lugging a bag instead of a 8kg baby.

When I'm alone, I usually prefer to use the Boba carrier. I mean, you can imagine having to carry a 7kg stroller and a 7kg baby at the same time.. Not pretty. So yeah the Boba carrier is a staple in my car.. I never took it out. Around 5 months old, Naila decided that she hates the stroller. So even hubs started carrying her in the carrier. Hubs is about 5'8, with a way bigger frame than me but the carrier can be adjusted and is also very comfortable for him.

Naila was 5 months old in the pic. Although, when hubs is wearing the baby, her legs tend to be splayed out more. And she seems to sink a little in the seat. I think it's because hubs tends to wear it a bit lower on the hips. But again, in the carrier, Naila NEVER complains or cries. She just happily looks from side to side.

I know some parents prefer the forward facing carriers, and sometimes say their babies prefer it too. I think because I exposed Naila to this position since she was a month old, so she loves it! I also think that forward facing is a bit scary for small babies. Like, they're more protected by facing in. I don't know. Maybe I'm just paranoid or something.

When Naila was 5 months old, we started travelling around Malaysia. We took her to Cameron Highlands. Cameron Highlands has a cool weather, so walking outside is a breeze. We walked along the morning and night markets, did sight seeing around the orchids while wearing her. Me and hubs alternate wearing her for a few hours. She simply drifted in and out of sleep. Again, no complains! And Naila is so NOT the docile baby type. That's why I love wearing her. She just simply switches on to zen mode in the carrier. The personality change is so obvious it's funny.

With the carrier I've taken her everywhere actually. To the beach, sightseeing, we did trekking once. Walked inside buildings with ac, outside under the sun. What else…

7 months old Naila under the hood.

Carrying her at the beach with my trusty tan Boba carrier.

Baby almost falling asleep in the carrier.

Oh yeah! Did I mention you can wear the carrier on the back? When Naila was about 10 months old and VERY heavy, I started carrying her on the back. What could I say? A weight was lifted. I was carrying a normal backpack except that the content was breathing. One more thing I like about the carrier is that it has the strap to hold your handbag in place. OMG I am so thankful for this feature!

This isn't my photo, but I'll just use it for demonstration purposes, just to show you where the strap is.

The strap is a lifesaver. Imagine carrying a baby and having to adjust your handbag every few minutes. It'll get annoying pretty fast. With the strap, your handbag is held in place forevermore. Love it.

The only thing that I've never done in the carrier is to breastfeed. Maybe it's just me but I don't feel comfortable enough to breastfeed on the go. Somehow feels very exposed even though I know zillions of moms out there who successfully breastfeed while wearing the carrier without no one even noticing.

When I set out to look for a carrier, I wanted it to be convenient, ergonomic, reliable, hardy, comfortable and that baby loves it. I found all that in the Boba carrier. If this was a car, I'd equate it to be like a really reliable Toyota. No fuss, easy to find in stores and the price is reasonable considering that I've been using it for the past 2 years. It transits well from babies to toddlers.

All in all, 5 stars for the Boba Carrier.
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-43711747506163921712016-06-09T11:15:00.001+08:002016-06-09T11:15:14.007+08:00Ramadhan & Third Trimester
I won't be telling the truth if I said that Ramadhan this time around is not challenging. I've started to pray sitting down, and so far I've never missed a sahur. About eating habits, I'm used to eating often and I always always have a snack in my car and my handbag. And I usually bring a bottle of water with me everywhere I go, even in my bedroom at night. So fasting is a huge change for me.

For the first 2 days, I try to take it easy by just doing online work for De' Bams. Physical activities make me soo tired nowadays. Even if I attempt to run an errand for a few hours outside, I'll come back home as flat as a pancake.

Yesterday, I took an Arab family to view our shortstay apartment around 3pm. They're looking to rent for a whole month. Normally, I don't do viewings, unless they wanna stay 2 weeks or more. That morning, I did some errands for a few hours and got home around 12pm. Basically, I was already as flat as a pancake but I had to leave again at 2pm.

So when I arrived at the short stay some 15km away, I was expecting them to arrive on time but of course, keep in mind Murphy's Law… when something bad can happen, it will happen… their Uber driver cancelled their request, so they had to wait for another taxi to get to my place. They arrived around 3.45pm… I had to tell myself over and over 'PATIENCE'! At that time, my head was spinning and I was really feeling dehydrated. Travelling outside at 2 in the afternoon is no joke.. Temperature was a high 37C and you could feel the heat above your head.

The heat.. the fasting and carrying a pineapple sized human in your tummy is a bit too much for me to handle, I'll admit. Thankfully, the viewing went smoothly when they arrived. And they confirmed the stay with us. Alhamdulillah. I love long term stays for one reason: I don't have to clean up the apartment as often.

Hubs handles the reservations, so I've requested him to only accept long term stays in the next few months. I definitely want my maternity leave! That's the downside of being self-employed. There's no such thing as an extended leave. Taking a leave is a big effort and I won't be staying at home for 43 days just taking care of the newborn. I'll also have to do online work, paperwork, scheduling, delegating tasks to other people.. To top it off, there's Naila.

Yeah.

My Arab guest who has 5 kids (aged 17 to 16 months! GASP!) wished me good luck with the new baby. She asked me whether I'm planning to have another one? Bwahahahhaha… My answer was I'm taking a looong break from baby making after this one!

On another note, I would like to wish Ramadhan Mubarak to all Muslims out there. May your Ramadhan be filled with mercy & forgiveness.
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-70686901949270617202016-06-06T10:36:00.001+08:002016-06-06T10:39:12.643+08:00Positive Changes From Playschool
Hi! My mom and dad weren't very keen on the idea of me sending Naila to playschool from the very beginning. They said it's too early for her. Naila will be 3 in October.

They could be right but I have a few reasons for sending her:

1. So she doesn't get bored while I do work

2. It's only 3 hours

3. It's only playschool where she PLAYS the whole time she's there

4. She and I need a distraction when the new baby swings by

My main reason has always been No.4 because I don't know how am I going to handle a newborn and a clingy toddler at the same time.

Like any other moms out there, I combed the area and paid a visit to 4-5 centres before finally settling on one. I think it's a mom thing because hubs really don't understand 'why can't I make up my mind'. Of course I've got criterias! DUHHHH.

English, Islamic and Play-based. Those are my criteria and they extend to little details like what is the daily schedule like, how many kids in the class, who's the teacher… yada yada. To cut the story short, I found the right place at the end of April.

The trial was only two days, then I enrolled her full time in May. Now it's been 3 weeks. She doesn't say a word about school, even when I ask her. Teachers said she's doing well. She cooperates and listens to instructions, plays along well with other kids. So I decided not to push her. She'll tell me something when she's ready.

Then came last week. We were upstairs, my mom, me and Naila. Mom said it's time for dinner. Naila actually cleans up her stuff. We didn't even have to ask! We were standing there looking at her quietly flabbergasted. She cleaned up the whole area!

During the same weekend, we visited my mil's. Naila's 1 year old cousin Addeen was there. To our surprise, there wasn't any shouts or cries heard the whole day. We actually caught them sitting on the carpet together having a picnic. Naila gave a cup to Addeen and they spent 5 minutes 'drinking' together!

Just to get things straight, Naila is NOT a sharer and she doesn't clean up her toys, no matter how much we encourage her. So she must've gotten these habits from her playschool. Major lovee.

It's still early days but looks like she's picked up some good habits already. It's the only thing I ever wish for!

Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-4988600423482913152016-05-26T03:03:00.001+08:002016-05-27T11:11:49.157+08:00Meeting the one, Husbands & Babies
It's getting to that stage where you wake up in the middle of the night and it's hard to go back to sleep. Owh I remember this phase very well. The baby is squirming and kicking.

I was kinda lamenting my freedom in the first few months of having a new baby. You know, the multiple diaper change, feeding, burping especially in the middle of the night. Then hubs said 'you wanted this baby'. That literally just shut me up. It's true. It's my mantra ever since we got married. 2 before 30. Paranoid I'll be too tired by the time I'm 30… hahaha

I don't know why I plan these things. I guess I felt like I had to fit it in with my other stuff like building a business empire (doesn't go the way I planned it) and traveling the world (partly satisfied with it). Some people stumble into success seemingly overnight and that's their blessing.

Everybody has their challenges and we can't always see it. Darn social media for making everything look shiny and all glitters.

I'm ganna be honest here, I never liked babies. I mean you know, last time before I had one. Someone can hand over a baby to me and I'm gana be like, please somebody hellpp meee. I can't see how people thought they were cute. I mean, CATS are cute. Babies… can't see it. For sure NObody thought I would be a mom.

At least that's the vibe I got. People also probably think that I'd be a shi**y housewife because I didn't know how to cook and that I would marry late. In school I thought that I would marry late because other people had boyfriends and I don't and I can't talk to boys because I get nervous.

Actually that changed when I met hubs. The 1st time I saw him, he was more nervous than I am. I KNEW he was the ONE. For a while :) Then there's many years of drama I don't know how we even survived. Seven years. That's how long we knew each other before getting married. Then the ONE wasn't the one. But then what is he? Those were seriously confusing times.

When we finally got married, I thought to myself 'who knew?' And I'm glad, he knows me so well. He didn't marry me for my cooking or housewifing skills that's for sure. Lol. I'm glad I married that bespectacled, unemployed, alternative music nerd because he turned out to be a lasiked and working engineer 5 years later. Plus he tolerates my Taylor Swift binge and I caught him mumbling Wildest Dreams a few times. Love you hubs <3

And eventhough I used to be impartial towards babies, I think I did a freaking good job with Naila.

Pats on the back.

Okay now I can go back to sleep. Till next time.
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-47687544791530911712016-05-23T18:31:00.000+08:002016-05-23T18:31:30.476+08:00Bump Update 31 Weeks
Hi Yall!
I honestly don't know where did all the weeks go?!? Saying this pregnancy is going by so fast is an understatement. When I calculated 32 weeks to be 8 months, suddenly it hit me. I'm having a new baby in 2 months!

Not sure if I'm ready!

This week I could've taken better care of what I eat. I should've drank more milk, eaten more healthy food. It's more like a binge of everything I can think of. This one time, I was super hungry and chips is the only thing available, I finished the whole bag. I've been really baddd.

I almost forgot that I'm preggers sometimes because of the move & early this month, my cat Chanel fell off the 5th floor of our apartment. It was heartbreaking and intensive work to bring her from one hospital to another. Naila started school, but she also had a high fever.

I was so occupied with taking care of a sick household that I couldn't think of anything else.

I haven't bought a thing for baby No. 2. Nothing. Maybe next month when things are back to normal.

Naila is EXTRA clingy. Wants me around all the time. But Hubs has been spending more time with her, taking her along when doing chores and stuff. At least she's big enough now to put on her own shoes, eat, and potty.

Frankly saying, I don't feel pregnant except for the hard kicks when I'm about to fall asleep at night. That, and the fact that if I tried sleeping on my back, it feels like I was sleeping with a coconut sized rock on my stomach.

All in all, I think my pregnancy is fairly easy. The baby doesn't give much fuss. Even when I'm hungry he/she doesn't raise a kicking match like Naila last time. THANK YOU I pray that you're an easy, calm baby once you're born.

Doctor Norshida said you'll weigh more than 1kg around now. So big already. I hope you don't weigh more than your sister.. 3.1kg is big enough I think.

'Till next week!
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-32277089430745499822016-05-13T10:50:00.001+08:002016-05-13T10:51:31.991+08:00Moving
It's May, and guess where I'm writing this. In the new apartment.
So we decided to move again sometime in April. It's a BIG RUSH, but we had to do it…considering a new baby is coming in July. The decision is actually sort of like a family restructuring. Lots of companies are restructuring.. my businesses are too and we personally needed to restructure our finances to brace the current economy.

I feel really sad about leaving our comfortable nest but when things get tough, the tough has to get going.. I don't feel like it but that's what they say anyway.
The move was a brutal 5 days. We had so many furniture to shift around because of the size constraint.. We moved into an apartment almost half the size of our current apartment! It used to be 1450 sqft of running space and now we're one room less.
I decided to sacrifice my beautiful office. *CRY* Hopefully the pressure of working in a tight space makes me work harder.
One month before moving I started googling tips about small apartment décor, organizing tips and zen living.
I got rid of some of my clothes & hubs.
I got rid of things I kept from our wedding and school days.
I wept and tore and said goodbye to my printed memories. We gave away a bunch of stuff at the FREEMARKET. We stored sooOoo much junk. The big space we had just swallowed up a lot of stuff, it didn't look like we had any.
Before moving, hubs actually said,

I said, "did you forget the last time we moved?"
Yes, he forgot. Because when it came for time to move, we had to hire the lorry for TWO days. Imagine TWO days. One day just to get rid of things. The other day to move to the apartment. We even borrowed his dad's pickup truck to move loose items ourselves.
I wasn't supposed to carry heavy stuff but caught myself arranging racks and drawers. Carrying many many boxes, baskets, plastics. Carrying Naila & the cat. Carrying carpets. Okay you name it, I did it.

And now, on to DAY 5. This is what we've got.
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-65421066154365946822016-04-22T09:24:00.001+08:002016-04-22T09:31:42.191+08:00Bump Update 29 WeeksFor want of a better word, bump update sounds better than pregnancy update. I suppose somewhere in the busy, toddler filled, whirlwind working mommy life, I don't wanna forget the fact that I'm actually also, irrevocably pregnant.

There's already tell tale signs of this one being almost forgotten if there wasn't so much reminders of how to take care of yourselfs out there. For the sake of comparison, the first time around I never missed a vitamin pill, even adding MORE. This time around, eating a vitamin is like a passing thought. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

But, to be fair, I did buy a pregnant lady-specific powder milk, just to compensate my cavalier attitude towards this pregnancy. I take milk--- fairly enough. So yay!

It's true what they say about a second pregnancy. They're almost always true, those stories. My pre-formed thoughts about raising the second one is also pointing towards fulfilling 'those stories'. You know, the one where the first one can't even go anywhere without me trailing, even almost growing eyeballs at the back of my head. And where the second one gets to pick up food from the carpet without me even batting an eyelash.

Oh no. I really really hope not.

That's why I'm doing this. To commemorate, to celebrate this pregnancy. Because somehow my body and the baby deserves it.

On to the Journal updates.

WEEK 29

I just checked the pregnancy calendar and will you look at that.. I'm in my 3rd trimester. This pregnancy is going by too fast. I remember buying that kit yesterday and looking at daddy's annoyed face when I didn't tell him I was doing a test. Same as during Naila's turn. Yeah so I'm a bit impatient.

The same as the first pregnancy, I'm starting to feel the panic. I know I'm a bit weird... Everyone else is just excited at having a new baby. I panic. It's the feeling you get knowing final exams is tomorrow. Thinking about the long sleepless nights, the bfs. Okay relax. Another 3 months to go. I got this.

We just found out you're a boy 2 days ago and that's got me a little excited. A little boy! No wonder I had back pains. It's what people say. Back pain, boy. Hubs was like, good job baby, we've got a heir. Lol.

Baby is almost 1kg. Doctor Norshida told me to continue whatever I'm doing. I only gained 0.5kg since last month. So I'm about 57kg now. Looking at history, my babies are bound to be overdue so we don't want him to be too big. Because of the whole > baby = > pushing.

My emotions are somewhat haywire. They swing like a pendulum. One minute I feel super happy, one minute I feel depressed. We're moving soon, so that makes me really depressed.

I don't have any cravings. During my first pregnancy, I woke up a few nights thinking about cookies & cream ice-cream. Nothing like that this time around. The baby isn't angry when it's hungry, not like Naila. When I say angry, I mean kicking up a storm in the uterus.

Energy wise I'm relatively fine. I swim every week, doing a few laps. Although I did get breathless the last time so I had to stop after 2 laps. I walk alot at the park, at the mall. I was more tired in my first trimester comparatively but we'll see how it goes as we progress into the final 3-4 months.

Same as 1st pregnancy, I hate pregnancy pillows or any pillows at all. I gave away my pregnancy pillow because I never use them. Hubs really took a jab at me when I bought a RM200 huge*** pillow last time but never using it. Well how am I suppose to know that I won't like em? Everyone else swears by their pillows to get through the night! Seriously -_-

Okay till next week!Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-79573405501520312392016-04-10T07:17:00.000+08:002016-04-10T07:17:00.188+08:00Searching for the Best Playschool in Malaysia
So the title exaggerates a bit... it's just the best playschool in Cheras actually!

The playschool in my list includes:-

1. Brainy Bunch

2. Genius Aulad

3. KinderKaizen

4. Alimkids

5. Smart Reader

I was actually looking for a school with a play yard. Kids need to play outside alot. Naila's only 2 and half, so in my ideal world, she should be outside about 2 hours a day.

But I think it's a trend now to have child centres in the shoplots. Only really old, established centres have play yards. Must be something to do with licenses and stuff.

I visited all of them, except KinderKaizen. My conclusion is, Smart Reader and Genius Aulad are catered for older kids. Leaning most towards Brainy Bunch and Alimkids. Out of the two, Brainy Bunch brands itself as Islamic Montessori and AlimKids is Islamic play-based learning.

The only reason why KinderKaizen is out of the picture is because it's too far! Otherwise, it would've won hands down.

Let me back up for a second. Why send her to school in the first place? First, I think she's ready to go to school and play! She's bored at home and I can't entertain her enough anymore! Second, I admit that I've been slacking in terms of spending more time with her. Used to do activities everyday, but now I'm focusing more on De' Bams & feeling physically tired because of being preggers. So I left Naila with my helper!

Obviously at this point I don't expect Naila to be in an academic environment. Again, she's only two. I'd pay just to have her interact with friends, learning coordination skills, social skills and pick up language lingo; just things I can't provide at home. Bonus if she learns her alphabets and du'a, stuff like that.

She can learn her solat, du'as, simple abcs at home, insyaallah.

Looking to enroll her in May... decisions, decisions.

Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-52742918974105415512016-04-07T10:28:00.000+08:002016-04-07T10:28:03.699+08:00How to Entertain Toddler on a Long Distance Drive or Long Flight
A short break from Krabi posts to talk about something really important. So important that if you weren't prepared, the whole road trip will be a disaster. It's how to entertain the little monstah during a long distance drive.

1. TIMING

Timing is everything! The best timing is when the toddler is asleep! Me & hubs always choose to wake up really early in the morning to travel long distance. For Krabi we started the journey at 4am. For trips to Kuala Terengganu, for example, we woke up at 3am. You can also travel through the night, but we aren't really night owls.. so we prefer to catch some snooze before starting on a long journey.

2. A CAR SEAT TRAY

Also known as a snack & play tray. You can get it from Lelong.my for a cheap knockoff or look for the real thing at baby specialty stores. I got mine for RM20 off Lelong. The table is sturdy but not hard. This is important in case of an accident, the tray won't hurt the toddler. You can use the tray for activities, and for food. Very handy.

3. STICKER BOOKS

I scoured the internet for ways to entertain a toddler in the car or flight. For kids above 5 years old, loom bands are a favorite. For 2-3 year olds, It's sticker books. I went to a few shops looking for sticker books, and I found one in Aeon Big for RM10. Sticker books kept Naila occupied for 30 minutes at a time.

Mickey mouse sticker books does the trick!

4. TABLET WITH SOME NEW MOVIES & OLD FAVORITES

This works the longest. Naila has very limited screen time at home, so she's usually very excited for more. No complains when we let her finish a movie in the car. That's 1.5 hours off our hands. We wanted to bring headphones for her but forgot at the very last minute!

5. SNACKS

When traveling, we allow things we don't usually allow, like eating chips and lots of biscuits. And kerepek. Or kerepet as Naila calls it. Plenty of milk cartons. Food saves the day when we were stuck at the Thai border for 3 hours.

Also make sure to stop by for toilet breaks and freshening up every 2-3 hours. Makes all the difference in the world. Any other tips for long distance travel?
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-85588626991511072672016-04-06T16:37:00.003+08:002016-04-06T21:41:22.811+08:00Driving From KL to Krabi with a ToddlerWe started the journey around 8 am. We had breakfast, all was good. The plan was to drive all the way to Alor Setar and spend the night there before heading to Krabi. Having done many long distance drives with Naila previously, it wasn't too difficult, luckily.

We arrived in Alor Setar around lunchtime. We checked into the hotel room first, and took a nap before heading out sometime around 4pm. We looked up popular places to eat. Having stayed in KL all our lives, it felt funny that most of the eating stalls in Alor Setar only opens up in the evening! One place we went to seems to have open for business. Turns out only Nasi Ayam is available. Their popular char kuey tiow kerang can only be ordered at 6PM.

Feeling a bit flabbergasted, we decided to go to a popular mamak stall in Alor Setar named Restoran Mikamal. I ordered their mee rebus. Very hearty, worth trying.

Naila finally falling asleep at Restoran Mikamal.

After that, we went to Alor Setar's famous landmark to take photos. You know, typical Asian tourist stuff.

Naila was feeling crabby for travelling the whole day, so we took her to the playground afterwards.

What a driving day.

We returned to the hotel after running around at the playground. That's the end of the first day. How easy and straightforward was the journey.

Little did we know what was waiting for us the next day.

The following day, we left the hotel around 5am. Headed straight for Changlun to obtain Thailand border pass. The passes are RM1 each. We spent almost 45 minutes here, despite arriving early. Turns out this place was popular with busses and they usually bring a big crowd to get border passes. Maybe we should've gotten the passes the day before or wait until we get to the Immigration office.

For more details on crossing the Thailand border and documents needed, please visit here.

We chose Bukit Kayu Hitam crossing, thinking this was the big gate, therefore it's efficient. Not efficient enough for a Chinese New Year holiday I suppose. By the way, don't bother stopping at the Malaysian free-trade zone unless you're looking to shop for perfumes and stuff. It's really not worth it. There's no surau or eating place. Even the toilet is located OUTSIDE the air conditioned building, and not that clean either.

We were greeted by the LONNNNGGG queue at Thailand Bukit Kayu Hitam border.

Halfway through the queue, I got down and queue on foot for the Malaysian side. Then walked about 500 metres to the Thai immigration all the while thinking it will speed things up. Oh yeah give way to the pregnant lady.

Annnddddd I was greeted by this queue at the Thai border. It was very confusing, people were short on temper, the guards were like tigers. They growl in Thai if you ask questions. I wasn't even sure if they spoke Malay or English at all. I made sure to look extra pregnant to gain sympathy but unfortunately there's no pregnant mommy lane here.

The horror.

Hubs and Naila arrived half and hour later.

Thankfully she was in high spirits and find the whole thing quite amusing.

I was sweating in fear of queuing up at the wrong line. That would set us back 1 hour. But earlier I've inquired from the insurance booth on the Malaysian side as to where to queue up, and luckily I was in the right lane.

Make sure to prepare a few Ringgit per person for 'tips' when they chop your border pass. Hubs put in RM1 in each passport and we were growled at. Ok rude. It's pretty cold up here, compared to KL. I dunno what they're complaining about.

All in all, we spent 3 hours at the border for Malaysian passport clearance, Thai passport/border pass, and for car grant/information of conveyance. It does *(#*)% on your driving morale.

By the end of the ordeal, we were so tired even though it was only 9.30am. One word for the border experience: grueling. The border is where I felt regret for agreeing to undertake this 'adventurous scenic travel'.

Although, I don't think it's as bad on normal days. Maybe it's just our timing.

Welcome to Thailand, finally.

The drive from there is again, pretty straight forward. Just do note that our Waze started showing weird routes to Krabi, almost doubling travel times so we decided to switch to Googlemaps. Thailand trunk roads does not have tolls. The roads are spacious and free of pot holes. It was a pleasant drive overall.

For most of the journey you'll be looking at plantation. Only till you enter Krabi province will you start seeing tall limestone hills.

After another 4 hours, we finally arrived at Ao Nang, Krabi.

As a conclusion, the travel from the border to Ao Nang took 7 hours including the border crossing and the total distance is 800KM from KL. Is it worth the trouble? I'd say if you were without children, yes, why not cross it off the bucket list. If you're with children, you gotta be extra patient, and employ strategic planning especially at the border.

Next post: Ao Nang, KRABI
Adilahhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-58445784787935881492016-03-27T08:00:00.000+08:002016-03-27T08:00:18.313+08:00KRABI, THAILAND IN A NUTSHELL
I meant to write all these posts in February but oh well. Here goes :)

Our recent Krabi trip was very enjoyable, filled to the brim with activities and we wished we could've stayed for longer! So many islands to visit! So much food to try! So many things to do! With only four days to spare (2 ½ days if you minus the travel times), it's a case of too much to do, so little time.

<o:p></o:p>

On the first day arriving there, we were kinda tired from the long drive. But seeing the tall limestone hills, the green and the crystal blue sea made the drive so worth it. As we arrived at our resort, we were welcomed by somebody wearing scarf! <o:p></o:p>

THE SUNDA RESORT<o:p></o:p>

Sunda resort is a muslim-owned resort, which I googled after hearing about muslim resorts in Krabi. There are a few actually, but the sparkling reviews of Sunda Resort on Trip Advisor made this the winning choice. <o:p></o:p>

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The walk towards our room is surrounded by lush greenery. <o:p></o:p>

Why a muslim resort? First is the convenience of halal breakfast, and also the feeling of being home listening to the 5 times azan. They aren't intrusive or loud, but more like a background sound, very soothing. <o:p></o:p>

We decided not to drive in Krabi. To be honest, in the beginning we were a bit put off by how far the resort is to the beach. It could easily be 2-3km to Noppharat Thara beach and more so to Ao Nang Beach. But they told us there's a complimentary van to and from both beaches, so that's settled! <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

The rooms are generously big, overlooking the canal and little jungle as we call it. There's a small sitting area at the back where I like to spend the mornings before both hubs and Naila woke up. The bathroom is also huge, with an open roof so you can hear crickets at night while showering. The bed is big enough for the three of us.
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We love our resort and will not hesitate to come back here again!

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FOOD <o:p></o:p>

One the best things about being a muslim in Krabi is that you're actually spoilt for choice of food. What a refreshing change compared to other retreats outside of Malaysia. Before going to Krabi, I surveyed the internet for Halal good food in Krabi and people mentioned the area in front of the Ao Nang mosque is a good place to look for halal food. <o:p></o:p>

Truth is, you can find food anywhere you are in Krabi. The streets are lined with food vendors, restaurants, shacks—you name it, they have it. If you want to have a nice dinner at an upscale place, you can try the restaurants at the big name hotels, they're mostly halal. <o:p></o:p>

Another thing about Krabi is that, you can choose a stall at the side of the road and their food would be so good! The choice of delicious food is plenty. <o:p></o:p>

One food stall I'd like to mention that became our favorite is May & Zin. Hubs dubbed their Siakap sweet & sour as 5 stars and I agree! <o:p></o:p>

A Trip Advisor favorite, and we decided to try it!

We also tried the Malaysian favorite Bamboo restaurant, and sidewalk stalls selling the famous Krabi pancakes in a variety of flavors!

ACTIVITIES IN KRABI<o:p></o:p>

Krabi is not an island. Yup, it's actually a peninsular reachable by road transport. That explains how we got there by car. But, Krabi is surrounded by numerous islands, too many to count. Activities mostly covers water sports, there's elephant riding, hiking, rock climbing, horse riding, island hopping and sight-seeing. <o:p></o:p>

A few operators organize 'sunset cruises' whereby they take you around the vicinity of Krabi's islands, go snorkeling, cliff jumping, then you'll be served with dinner while watching the sunset. If you ask me, there's so much to do. With only 4 days to spare, we cannot possibly cover everything we wanted to do, plus the activities we choose had to be suitable for Naila who's only 2. <o:p></o:p>

So we did kayaking in Ao Tha Lane (6KM in 2 hours!), and spent the day relaxing in one of the most beautiful beaches in Krabi which is Railay Beach. Hubs also snuck in a scuba diving trip at Koh Phi Phi. Seriously, I WISH I had 10 days in Krabi at least. That's not even counting the bigger islands people were talking about like Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta.

Like I said, we had to pick and choose the most suitable things for Naila and for that amount of time. It was sooo hard!!!!

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BEING BABY FRIENDLY <o:p></o:p>

I was very surprised at seeing how many families there are in Krabi. I had a feeling that we'd be the only one toting a toddler but boy I was wrong! I didn't bring a stroller (the horror) because of how wrongfully I judged Krabi before going. For the record, the sidewalks were so smooth and generous, perfect for strolling around Ao Nang or any other beaches. I even saw strollers on the beach! <o:p></o:p>

Babies were everywhere! I love it. The place felt relatively safe, the people were polite; it made the trip so much easier and comfortable. So comfortable that, on the third day, I took Naila to Railay beach on my own by long tail boat! I'll talk about our activities in Krabi in a next post. <o:p></o:p>
Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2863062918245805420.post-3749672183191523832016-03-25T13:13:00.000+08:002016-03-25T13:13:17.738+08:00Potty Training for First Time Mommies

My Potty Trained Girl

Gahhh. The horror. First it was the sleep training. Now the dreaded potty training. I wasn't sure when to actually start. Some people say when the baby is 18 months, you can already start. At 18 months, Naila doesn't even let out a squeak if she poo. Not a hint, except the smell that comes afterward. So I know she wasn't ready back then.

She's now 2 years old and 5 months. I can understand her clearly when she speaks so I thought, what the heck.. it's now or never!

FIRST DAY
We rolled up all the carpets, playmats, yoga mats, sejadah mats and hid it in the corner. I prepped Naila that she's not wearing diapers anymore a dozen times the day before. I think she gets it when she nods ok.

That morning after shower, I put on her shirt and airy pants only minus the undies. I started timing my phone every 15 minutes to prompt taking her to the toilet. She did her pee for the first time! YAYY! Success!

The 15 minutes toilet break went on until afternoon. Then I got complacent. I stopped asking every 15 minutes. Naila went on to pee on the floor about 3 times that day.

No poo on first day. I went all... hahaha let's see how long can you hold it in!

SECOND DAY
Peeing session a success, although she still refuses to say, "I wanna pee." Instead she makes faces. So we had to be in tune with her face. If we miss it, then another round of moping. By second day, we know to put on her diapers when she naps. Because she'll pee when she wakes up. She manages to poo in the diaper. Sneaky.

THIRD DAY
Caught her squatting down and making faces. Sprinted to the toilet! First poo in the toilet! Yayy. See?? We parents aren't that hard to please.

When she's absorbed in playing something, she forgets all about the training and pees on the floor. We still had to ask if she wants to pee or not.

FOURTH and beyond.
I read somewhere that you can potty train in 3 days. Maybe if it was really intensive, no diapers 100%. But I always went out with Naila during our potty training week and she wears diapers outside. So that might've confused her a little. Plus she also wears them at night and during naps.

I can safely say she's reliably potty trained at the end of two weeks this way. The carpets go back on the floor after 2 weeks. It's pretty tiring when she 'forgets' to tell us. But in all fairness she manages to let us know in advance most of the time.

She gets especially excited when it comes to flushing her No 2.
The other day after doing a no. 2, she cried, "I made a banana!" OKayyy. Lols Ew.

Another time she said, "Naila poo. Gross. Don't touch mommy. Let's flush." That's a bit better.

WHAT YOU NEED
1. A mini potty seat to go on the regular toilet bowl (we don't use those standalone potty, I can't stomach cleaning up the plastic afterward)

We used something like this.

2. A ready toddler
3. A timer/ handphone to remind yourself to take the little one to the toilet
4. Alertness to her facial expressions
5. A lot of patience
6. Courage & a little bit of gusto

Go for it! You know, I can already feel the diaper savings. I used to buy those diapers in a bulk of 4, now reduced to one a month! That's more than RM100 savings. Awesome.Adilahhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Sunday, 8 June 2014
Seventeen Shimmer Brick in Pink Bronze
Ah I have so much love for Seventeen at the moment, every product I try impresses me. I love a brand that is consistent with all the quality of their products, especially when the price is so reasonable. I have always liked Seventeen's bronzing range, even before their rebranding last year. This Shimmer Brick is a new addition to the range and I picked it up as soon as I saw it on the shelves in my local Boots. The 'brick' has 4 shades ranging from a light pink highlight shade to a bronze shade. The idea is to sweep the product over the cheekbones to create a bronze glow-perfect for the summer hey!
I have been using my buffing brush, my powder brush and my blush brush with this product as I cant decide which brush I prefer to use with the product. The first thing I will say about this product is it is very 'glowy' and pigmented, and can quickly turn into an uber shine fest on your face, not sure that's the look I want to go for?! However after a bit of practice I've found a couple of techniques that help my make the most of the product and create different glowy looks. With the buffing brush, I have been using the lighter shades just to lightly highlight the cheekbones, keeping things quite subtle so that it is a wearable daytime look. I have used my powder and blush brush to create a more bronzed, less defined look over the cheeks, by using the whole brick and just very lightly dusting the product over the cheek bones and up towards the hair line. I wouldn't advise to use this product as a bronzer due to it being very shimmery and could give you the whole 'disco ball' look that I don't think anyone wants.
Overall though a great product and unlike any I have seen from other brands. I would advise to go very gently at first and decide what level of bronze/shimmer/glow you are going for but once you get it right I'm sure you will love it. A perfect summer product!
Has anyone else tried this product? I would love to know your thoughts!
Labels: Makeup, Product Reviews, Tanning
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
According to a news release from
The insurance office is offering a reward for anyone with tips about the fire. You can call 1-800-282-5804. The phone is active 24 hours a day, and callers can remain anonymous.
According to the Chattooga County Property Appraiser,
(c)2018 the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Visit the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.) at www.timesfreepress.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


text:
Efrain Campos #374541
Columbia Correctional Institution
Post Office, Box 900
Portage, Wisconsin
1) How old were you at the time of your arrest and conviction? I was eighteen when I was arrested and convicted for my first adult crime.
2) What were you convicted of?
I was charged with 24 cases of Armed Robbery with 2 1st.Degree Intentional Homicides. I was convicted of 11 Armed Robberies with 2 Endangering Safety While Armed With A Deadly Weapon.
3) The full length of your sentence and parole eligibility date?
I was sentenced to 70 years, with parole eligibility after 15 years of incarceration. '
4) The type of person you were before your arrest?
I was a child who attended school every day and received good grades with perfect attendance. I went to church every Sunday and attended Bible study every Friday night. I played the drums for the church choir, I volunteered at the food service for the elderly in my neighborhood. I played in a baseball league, i baby sat for my family and friends. Upon graduating high school i was prepared to in list in the Marine Corp. I was in contact with a recruit I had plans to attend college for architect school.
5) The total amount of time you've served?
I have served 11 years, 12 years on February 2nd, 2011.
6) Things you have accomplished since your incarceration?
I have accomplished my HSED, Anger Management, Small Business Course, CGIP 1-2, Restorative Justice, Legal- Assistant Paralegal Course, Criminal Law Course, with plans to acquire a degree in Business Law in the near future.
7) The type of person you have become?
I have become a man who is ready to accept full responsibility for his past actions in life. A man who fully understands that his actions as a kid caused, many innocent people mental and emotional scaring. A man who is seeking the opportunity to repay his victims back in any way possible, if given the chance. I'm a man who has directed his life to the ways of the lord, and although i some times fall short of his teachings i try.
8) Why do you think you deserve a second chance at freedom?
A second chance should be given to me for many reasons. Through out my 11 years of incarceration I have come to accomplish so much that i probably would have never accomplished in the streets. I have come to gain control of my life in order to make it in society if ever given the chance at a new start. To be honest and sincere, my prison record hasn't always shown full control over my life and i won't justify my actions with an excuse. Yes, i am gaining control of my life and yes it is a slow process,but the important thing is that i am doing it. Actions speak louder than words, so i beg for your help, i reach out to you in helping me achieve not only a full change in life but that second chance at freedom, we all deserve a second Chance. Thank you for taking an interest in my story and wishing to help me in journey to success.
Efrain Campos


text:
Swings: They're not just for the playground. In fact, we're seeing stylish swings popping up at more and more weddings these days. There's something whimsical and romantic about hopping on a wooden swing with your fiancé, enjoying the breeze and a quiet moment together. And these swings are far beyond the rubber versions at the local park—these reception swings are usually wooden and are often decorated with greenery garlands and flowers to complement the rest of the wedding decor.
Some couples install swings around the perimeter of the dance floor so guests can take a break and rest their feet; others display hors d'oeuvres or even desserts on a suspended food station. Another idea is to have a swing specifically for romantic photo ops—perfect for taking post-ceremony portraits with your new spouse. Keep reading for some of our favorite takes on this fun wedding trend.
See more: 17 Beautiful Wedding Tent Ideas


text:
"Societies believed that although a woman's place was in the home, she should be able to influence laws which impacted upon that home... others saw women's right to vote as a way of cancelling out the votes of lower class or non-white men."
You'll have to excuse my ignorance on this matter. Going to an all boys' school, I do not ever recall having studied women's suffrage, though I did Ancient History in later years and they probably covered it in Modern History. As such, I was totally blindsided by how utterly recent it was in human history that women got equal voting and election rights as men… and even more so than that, the racial inequalities that existed until even more recently... and EVEN MORE SO THAN THAT, the fact that THERE ARE STILL PLACES IN THE WORLD TO THIS DAY WHERE WOMEN CAN'T VOTE OR RUN FOR OFFICE.
(A few of these dates gave conflicting messages about whether women were just allowed to vote, or won full suffrage rights of voting and being able to run for office, so I've played it safe and only differentiated 'running for office' when clearly stated.)
[[[… oh god dammit. You are kidding me. I just spent hours compiling this together into a timeline format, only to find that this had all already been put into timeline format at the next link. I HATE MY LIFE.]]]
Early years – Married women are considered property of their husband and not permitted to be involved in any local or government elections.
1776 - Unmarried women who own property are allowed to vote in New Jersey, USA. Yay gay rights! :D
1792 - Heads of household in Sierra Leone are allowed to vote, a third of which are women. Don't you mean a third of witch are women? TO THE STAKE, MATRONS!
1869 - Britain grants unmarried women who are householders the right to vote in local elections. EVERYTHING'S COMING UP SPINSTERS!
1881 - Isle Of Man territory enfranchises women to vote. OH, THE IRONY!
1893 - New Zealand becomes first nation to allow women a vote. The rest of the continents follow like sheep.
1894 - South Australia allows women to vote, and also run for office. (Following 1901 Australian Federation, White women are allowed to vote and run for parliament from 1902.)
1906 - Finland becomes first European nation to allow women to vote.
1913 - Norway allows women to vote.
1915 - Denmark allows women to vote.
1917 - Armenia (20+), Canada (21+), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia (21+) and Uruguay allow women to vote.
1918 - Azerbaijan, Georgia, Germany, Hungary and Kyrgyzstan allow women to vote. Britain & Ireland allows women 30+ to vote. YAY COUGAR GERRYMANDERING!
1919 - Austria (20+), Belarus, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Ukraine and Zimbabwe (21+) allow women to vote. New Zealand women can now run for office .Apparently having the vast majority of your male population depleted from a huge war, like, affects your employment levels or some shit. FINE, OUT OF THE KITCHEN IF YOU MUST.
1920 - Albania, Czechoslovakia and USA allow women to vote.
1921 - Sweden allows women to vote.
1922 - Burma allows women to vote.
1924 - Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan allow women to vote. Politician pube sell for the high price, you see! Much quality, thick for many carpet! You will buy in the numerous, yes?
1926 - Turkey allows women to vote.
1928 - Britain allows women over 21 to vote, on par with men.
1929 - Ecuador and Puerto Rico allow women to vote. Canada recognised women as 'persons', allowing them to run for office. PROGRESS!
1930 - Greece (30+) allows literate women to vote (lol jokes no woman over thirty would have been allowed an education!), South Africa (21+) allows White women to vote. Turkey allows women to vote in local elections, and later, national elections in 1934.
1931 - Portugal, Spain and Sri Lanka allow women to vote.
1932 - Brazil, Maldives and Thailand allow women to vote.
1934 - Chile (25+) allows literate women to vote, Cuba allows 16 year olds to vote. THE HELL MAN, DO YOU GET A CIGAR FOR YOUR 12TH BIRTHDAY OVER THERE?!
1937 – Indonesia (17+ or any age if married) allows White women to vote, Philippines allows women to vote.
1938 – Bolivia, Bulgaria, Romania and Uzbekistan allow women to vote. It is a golden era for Europe and nothing bad ever happens thereafter.
1939 – El Salvador allows women to vote.
1940 – Moldova allows women to vote.
1941 – A man, a plan, a vaginal canal, ana clan I gav anal, Panama allows women to vote.
1942 – Dominican Republic allows women to vote.
1944 – France, Jamaica and Bermuda allow women to vote… but only in a tricameral party arrangement. Ahahahaha. It's a Bermuda Triangle joke.
1945 – Senegal, Togo and Yugoslavia allow women to vote. I've never Senegal go voting before, but if they have Togo, I guess Yugoslavia way through the housework every day and earned it.
1946 – Cameroon (20+), Djibouti, Guatemala, Italy, North Korea (17+), Liberia, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuala and Vietnam allow women to vote. War, man. You know? Like… war.
1947 - Argentina, China, India, Japan (20+), Malta, Mexico, Pakistan, Singapore (21+) and Taiwan (20+) allow women to vote. Oh great, and the bandwagon jumping begins…
1948 – Israel, South Korea (19+), Niger, Seychelles and Suriname allow women to vote. The UN adopts the international law of the United Nations' Human Rights Commission, headed by elected chair Eleanor Roosevelt, campaigning universal voting.
1949 – Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Syria allow women to vote.
1950 – Barbados and Haiti allow women to vote.
1951 - … a collection of British Islands allow women to vote. Also, Nepal.
1952 - Côte d'Ivoire (19+) and Lebanon (21+) allow women to vote.
1953 – Bhutan and Guyana allow women to vote. (Apparently, China officially had a law for this year, too, though Wikipedia didn't seem to think the most populous nation on the planet was worth a clarification.)
1954 – Belize, Colombia and Ghana allow women to vote. The UN adopts the Convention on the Political Rights of Women for equal voting, ability to run for office and access public services.
1955 – Cambodia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Nicaragua (16+) and Peru allow women to vote. HOW MANY COUNTRIES ARE THERE IN THE WORLD? STICK AROUND TO FIND OUT! WE STILL HAVEN'T HAD DARKIES VOTING YET!
1956 – Benin, Comoros, Egypt, Gabon (21+), Mali, Mauritius and Somalia allow women to vote.
1957 – A slow year, Malaysia (21+) decides to break the ice to keep things moving.
1958 – Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Laos and Nigeria allow women to vote.
1959 – Brunei allows village elections for women, Madagascar, San Marino, Tanzania and Tunisia allow women to vote.
1960 – Bahamas, Cyprus, Gambia and Tonga (21+) allow women to vote. Canadian women (including Natives) can run for office.
1961 – Burundi, Malawi, Mauritania, Paraguay, Rwanda and Sierra Leone allow women to vote OH COME ON GUYS THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN WOMAN GOT VOTED INTO PARLIAMENT 40 YEARS AGO WHAT THE HELL IS TAKING SO LONG WITH Y'ALL.
1962 – Algeria, Monaco, Uganda and Zambia allow women to vote. OH, SHIT, WE FORGOT ABOUT INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS, YOU GUYS. BETTER ALLOW EQUALITY FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE HALF A CENTURY AFTER WOMEN, I GUESS. Just enrol first.
1963 – Afghanistan, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji (21+), Iran (15+ because fuck you that's why), Kenya and Morocco allow women to vote. Man, some tough cookies in that mix.
1964 - Libya, PNG and Sudan (17+) allow women to vote. It was a golden era for Libyan politics and a great window of political opportunity for women prior to Gaddafi's political overthrow in 1969.
1965 – Botswana and Lesotho allow women to vote. I don't know if you've read up on some of their laws, but… yeah. (Also the USA passes the Voting Rights Act enforcing racial equality for voting across all states. Have you read up on some of THEIR laws?) The 60s was fucking crazy progressive, yo…
1967 – Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Yemen allows women to vote. I know you've never heard of most of those, but I'm sure it was significant to their ladies at the time.
1968 – Nauru (20 years) and Swaziland allow women to vote. Coloured voting systems run in South Africa for Whites, Coloreds and Indians in three separate councils until 1981.
1970 – Andorra allows women to vote. Boy, we've covered pretty much every third world nation and obscure island territory, haven't we? Surely there are only totally obscure countries remaining by now that still haven't given women the vote, right?
1971 – Switzerland allows wome- Wait a minute, SWITZERLAND? Motherfucking SWITZERLAND? You seriously had your women unable to vote at a federal level until seven years after the most misogynistic patriarchal Middle Eastern and African third world areas of the planet? … you're SWITZERLAND!!!
1972 – Bangladesh allows women to vote.
1973 – Neil Patrick Harris born. The world forgets about women entirely.
1974 – Jordan and Solomon Islands (21+) allow women to vote. Isabel Martínez de Perón becomes President of Argentina.
1975 – Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe and Vanuatu allow women to vote.
1976 – East Timor (17+) allows women to vote.
1977 – Guinea-Bissau allows women to vote.
1979 – Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau allow women to vote. (I think the telegram from Oceania just arrived with the memo.)
1980 – Iraq allows women to vote. Pretty much any country listed after this is a place you will never want to travel to ever. Also, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir becomes President of Iceland. I DON'T REMEMBER ICELAND'S VOTING HISTORY BEING LISTED HERE, SUFFRAGE IS CONFUSING.
1984 – Liechtenstein allows women to vote on referendum. This decision had previously been voted against in 1968, 1971 and 1973… wait for it… because only men were voting! South African Coloreds and Indians are also now allowed to vote in Tricameral Parliament.
1986 – Central African Republic (21+) allows women to vote. Too bad that's also average life expectancy…
1989 – Namibia allows women to vote.
1990 – Samoa (21+) allows women to vote.
1994 - South African Tricameral Parliament abolished for equal universal to vote. That's Black women finally getting an equal vote. In 1994.
1997 – Qatar allows women to vote. Our Year 2 teacher always said girls were equal to boys; MY CHILDHOOD WAS A LIE!
2002 – Bahrain allows women to vote. Wow. Really. I was not aware that there were parts of the world where women still couldn't vote whilst I was in high school.
2003 – Oman (21+) allows women to vote. OH, THE LACK OF IRONY!
2005 – Kuwait (21+) allows women to vote. WOW. I AM AN UNEDUCATED AND IGNORANT HUMAN BEING.
2006 – United Arab Emirates allows women to vote.
2012 - Catholicism, Islam and Judaism: women still not allowed to vote for Pope or run for official positions within a church, mosque or synagogue.
2015 – Saudi Arabia (21+) is expected to allow women to vote, as announced in 2011. *SLOW CLAP*