Back in the Land of Ice Kacang with Chocolate Syrup

Ayisha & I are currently back in Malaysia. Michael came with us and was here the weekend we arrived but has been back to Bali working for a week now. So it's just the 2 of us and we have another week here.

It's so good to be back home with family again. It's always hectic as we're trying to see everyone in JB & KL in too short a time. We came back to spend more time with my mum who hasn't been too well and I wanted Ayisha to spend as much time with family so I didn't really get around catching up with my friends as much as I wanted.

It's extremely fun watching her with her cousins. I love how she quickly warms up to them and how much they enjoy each other's company. She's older now and is joining in with her older cousins playing & imitating whatever they do - laughing hard like she understands and trying to jump & run as fast.

I've been telling Michael how much she's grown up in just the 1 week that he's not around it's unbelievable. She's talking more and doing new things and continually making me laugh.

She's been putting on frequent shows of dancing & shaking to her playgroup songs, The Wiggles or Hi-5 to the Hasmonis and loving the attention.

The other day we went to visit my aunt and within minutes she's already making herself comfortable on the big cushions, laying down & chilling in front of the TV.

She's been exploring & discovering a lot of what she can do with her little self. Yesterday, she discovered that she can do yoga - lifting her leg up in the air while facing downward and last night she imitated my ma's snoring.

She imitates a lot of what I've been doing like talking & giggling while on the phone and pretend playing with her Dolly & Lucy as their mummy. Most of them are delightfully cute but some reminded me to be more careful of what I do in front of her if i want to avoid public humiliation. :p

She's still very clingy and freaks out if she realized Im not in the same room but at least she's happy to either play by herself or with her cousins without me so I get to catch up & gossip with my sisters & aunts.

I haven't really noticed much difference being here & back in Bali except for one thing - the moment I got here, I started getting back all the comments & questioning looks from strangers that doubt me as the mother of my child which i never get back in Bali ie. "Is she yours?", "Anak sapa ni?", "Colour rambut eh?", "Is that her natural hair?"

I guess it's just more common in Bali to see kids like Ayisha. As there's lots of expats & having helpers especially in foreigners' households is very common there, they probably just assume Im the helper if not the mother. :p

It never really bothers me but i did get a teeny bit sad when one older lady came up to me the other day and actually thought i was joking when i said that Im the mother. "Cakap betul2, anak sapa awak jaga ni?" And when I explained her father's Australian, she then still asked "mak dia (what about the mother)?" With a very sad tone I answered "sayaaaaa". Even when she walked away she gave me a disbelief look like i was kidding her. Ayisha wasn't being helpful too. She was in a bad mood and not hugging me tight and smothering me with kisses like I would've hoped for.

Other than that, being home is always great, being surrounded by loved ones. Anyways, here's some pics of her in Malaysia, especially for daddy - we miss u lots!

With Lucy & Dolly

Listen up boys!

Wrapped in daddy's baju for a good nite's sleep