Writing..for 2015

It's been more than a year. Really?

My biggest motivation for writing this today is because it is the last day of 2015. I refused to let this year go by without a single post on my blog. I've got to write something. Anything. As long as there's a post for 2015 and I can go, yeay me! 

2015 went by like a blur. Nothing really jumps out in terms of what I have or have not achieved or what major events, good or bad happening to me personally but it did see me go through various emotions involving a lot of people around me, especially the people that I love. 

About this time last year, I was in Malaysia, leaving Michael & the kids to be with my eldest sister whom we found out few months earlier that she's got the big 'C' - Stage 4 Lymphoma cancer. Absolutely T.E.R.R.Y.F.Y.I.N.G. 

I remembered being with her at Sime Darby Medical Centre on new year's eve whilst she underwent chemotherapy. It wasn't easy for me to see my sister, who is easily the strongest woman I know, going through it all. My sister has always been the pillar of strength in our family, more so after my mum passed away 2 years ago. It was crazy hard for me. Million times harder for her & her family, I'm sure. 

Fast forward to present time, I'm happy to report that my sister has now recovered, Alhamdulillah! She's back at work and she and her family just came back from their Umrah to Mecca few weeks ago. It was definitely a huge blessing to all of us as a family. I would very much like to talk more about the whole recovery and her journey and battles but if I want to get this posted by midnight tonight, I probably should move on :) But I do want to say that a lot people's prayers were answered, and I thank you - my friends and family, for your sincere doa's for my beloved sister. 

Upon returning from Malaysia, my then 2 1/2 year old boy, Eli, achieved a very important milestone. He stopped breastfeeding. Woohoo!! This is huge for us. Made possible by the 10 days of me being away from him - the longest ever. I think I did pretty awesome too, thank you very much. It was so hard not to give in to his demands especially after being away for so long. But we did it! The first 3 days was the hardest but after that was pretty easy actually. Well, it was time, especially for mummy, to let go! 

He is now 3 1/2 years old and a few months ago, sometime in October, he stopped wearing nappies altogether. This, also deserves another posting all by itself. After a few times of half hearted potty training and accidents here and there, him being all 'I wanna wear nappies forever and ever' and just me being plain lazy, one day I just decided not to buy nappies anymore. That was it. 

The challenging thing about this was that the night times had to be without nappies as well. But we went ahead anyways. I think the fact that he's a little bit older helps as well. Of course we still get night time accidents but we have a magic mattress cover that helps make it less stressful. 

Honestly, the first few days were the hardest, not even a week maybe. But as with all other things, it gets easier. Nowadays he's pretty much mastered the art of night-time-no-wee, with maybe one accidents in say 2 weeks perhaps. But you just never know. Even with not much drink before bed & toilet before bed, he could still wake me up in the middle of the night with a funny walk and whispered softly to half awake me, 'mummy, Im all wet..'. But other times, he would go night after night with no accidents. Yippee!

So there we go. BIG year for Eli. No boobies & no nappies both accomplished in 2015. *clap clap, high fives all around* 

And....What about my not so little Miss Squeaky? 

She has just completed Year 1 at school. That's equivalent to Darjah 1 in Malaysia and she's not even 7. Crazy. Regardless, she's been doing pretty well. Reading chapter books, writing stories and winning an Art Competition from her portrait of a very special person (not me, pergh). 

Outside of school she does Physie (Physical Culture). It's basically dance lessons but with a combination of a lot of things - ballet, aerobics, yoga, hip hop etc. The movements are supposed to increase strength, fitness & flexibility. See like her parents, Ayisha doesn't do sports but loves to dance so I'm glad that she likes it.  She's also been joining the competitions and I think this helps her confidence tremendously. She's still quite shy and like me, an introvert at heart. But with Physie she seems to be pretty comfortable doing what she's doing and doing it well. 

Some of her highlights for the year was definitely making the semifinals in her Physie competition and joining the group competition with her friends performing at the Sydney Olympic Park. It was a lot of fun for her and I was very proud of her.

We are still here in Kiama and still loving it. Apart from my short visit to Malaysia by myself for my sister earlier this year, we haven't been travelling out of the country as a family. We did a few camping trips just nearby during the school holidays. The kids enjoyed that very very much, sleeping in their sleeping bags and being surrounded by possums and kangaroos. 

Other than that, our weekends were mostly spent in Kiama or in the Shire where my in laws live,  about an hour drive from Kiama. We tried to make sure the kids get to spend time with grandma & poppy and especially the cousins. I've already felt like they are missing out on their Malaysian cousins time. Especially during Eid this year, where my whole family were gathered in our family house in Johor and we're the only ones not there. :( 

But it was made all ok with a visit soon after Eid from my Aunty Mona and her 2 daughters. They came with 2 bags full of my raya cookies and goodies, I was just ecstatic! We also had a blast while they were here. It was so much fun. 

Everyone got really sad when they left. Ayisha and Eli actually cried when they woke up and found out the girls had left early morning for the airport. Mummy cried also lah..:( It was way too short but I was so happy that they came and that they got to spend time with the kids. In those short period of time the kids really warmed up to them and were quite attached. It was the only visit we've had from Malaysia this year from family but it was enough to cure my homesickness. 

Overall, 2015 has been a good year for us. It was more settling and stable for us as a family, as it's the 2nd year that we've actually stayed put in a place without travelling and moving back and forth.  Being in a place like Kiama also makes it all so pleasant and lovely. 

I do have a lot of little and big goals for 2016 which hopefully I'll get to share if my next post doesn't take another year to update. Ha..Ha... :p 

Here's wishing everyone (who still checks and wanting to read my blog), a very prosperous, blessed, healthy and safe New Year. And here's to more writing from me, InsyaAllah!! xxoo