Malaysian Wife, Australian Life

Last week was Ayisha's last week of school. Ayisha's been away so much during the year that in total, she's probably been in school for about 6 months or so. She missed out on a lot of exciting activities, trips & celebrations that I do feel bad about but Michael would always snap me out of it with "she's only 4 lah ".  However, we did try to make it to some of the more important ones; her end-of-year concert being one of them. We came back 2 days before her concert so she only had 2 short days to practise. Her teachers told me before we left that they'd make sure Ayisha would be able to participate even in a small role and the school was even nice enough to wait for us to come back for the full dress rehearsals.  So the day of the concert came & I was all so excited to see what was this 'small' role of hers. The concert started with the youngest kids' performances, which was Ayisha's class - the 4 year olds. I saw some fam...

First & foremost, a very Happy Islamic New Year, Salam Maal Hijrah all! Another year has gone and I've let my blog go without a post for about 6 months now. Bad, I know.   I'm bursting with stuff to tell. So much has happened, good & bad. I really do want to update. Seriously. Ask Michael. See, most days, he'd ask me what I'd be doing for the day and most times my answer would include 'update my blog', among other things. Then today;  Michael: What are u doing today?  Me: Update my blog..  Michael: Ok wait, REALISTICALLY, what are u doing today?  Chet...  Maybe it's the new year, maybe it's just wanting to prove him wrong but here I am, baby!  Right now, we're actually in Khao Lak, Thailand, about 2 hours drive from Phuket town. Khao Lak is the area in Thailand most affected by the tsunami 9 years ago. I didn't know this before I got here. I knew Phuket was badly hit but I thought more Patong beach area etc. But i...

Ayisha is turning 4 in two months. Not long now and she's such a big girl. She goes to the toilet all by herself, no problems. So proud of her. This is after months & months of 'accidentally' poo poo'ing in her undies, mind you. So, go Squeaky go!!  I like having conversations with her and having girly girly talks like girlfriends do. So much to talk about. Tho sometimes when she's busy doing her own thing, only mummy do the talking lah . She also mumbles a lot - bebel2 to herself then when I asked what she's saying, most of the time she'd answer "I say nothing". Bit sad lah cause I want her to be able to tell me everything! So if at 3 she's already not telling me stuff, then 10 years from now how?? It's funny how when they wanted to talk to you, you keep 'hang on, hang on, later, wait a minute' them. Then when you miss them and craving so much of their attention, they just ignore & give the ...

Last week, we went to Bandung with my sister & her family, along with my parents. It was short but quite fun. All we did was shop shop shop!  Michael was not so keen on Bandung in the beginning because of his 'got to have beach' policy for a holiday. But he went along with it anyways because he's never been there & we wanted go with my family. So he was happy to let me shop. He was all 'you shop lah , I'm ok, I don't need anything'. 'They're asian sizes anyways, there's nothing for me' bla bla.  So, shop we did..like crazy.  Well..actually. He did..like crazy. Apparently there was a lot of Michael sizes and he ended up with a lot more shopping bags than myself & the kids :p I was not so crazy lah . I am pretty hopeless when it comes to shopping for myself. I take too much time will little success & I am also easily distracted with kids' stuff. We did our shopping at Pasar Baru, Rumah Mode & some of the...

Miss us? Man, I miss my blog!  We're still here, alive & well. So much to tell, too many updates. Don't really know where to start.   Right now, we are back in my hometown of yummy ice kacang & best chicken chop, JB. Been here about a month now. I could've updated earlier but we've been busy.  There's weddings & new babies (my baby sister gave birth and I haven't even blogged about her wedding yet! erk..) & my babies & settling in & Edward Cullen...   OMG! I love love love Breaking Dawn 2! Don't care about the Robsten affair drama. Ok, I did care a little bit & got all emotional when they broke up. Bit sad lah that they're over. But now they're back on and am super sad that the movies are over! :( I wanna watch it again & again, the uncut version please!  Thank you to my awesome hubby - the day before my sisters & I went to see the movie, he surprised me with a Do-Not-Disturb-Mummy day ...

After watching an episode of Peppa Pig called "Work & Play" with Ayisha;  Me: Mummy work or play Ayisha?  Ha: Play  Me: Mummy work too. Mummy take care of you, make you breakfast, that's work right?  Ha: *Looking at me weird* Naaaaw...that's not work. Mummy just played Snap (Dora snap cards) with me. So mummy no work. Mummy play! Daddy work.  Chet...D**n you Peppa Pig!  Aaaanyways.....  Ramadan's here! Maaf Zahir & Batin from us and a blessed Ramadan to all. Happy fasting, happy praying, happy sharing and happy giving!! :)

Last week Ayisha turned 3.  She seems so big to me now - big feet, big hands, big hair and doing lots and lots more - lots of pretend playing, lots of daydreaming, lots of talking AND talking back with lots of attitude.  She's been looking forward to turning 3 for what must've felt like forever to her, constantly asking me "Am 2 now? 3 tomorrow?" or "Is my birthday tomorrow? Or tomorrow tomorrow (day after tomorrow)?".  So the day came and we had a Laidler family birthday dinner on her actual birth day, followed by a Cinderella Princess party on the weekend. It was a pretty last minute choice of theme made by Miss Squeaky.  Initially she wanted Dora again, like last year. I tried to talk her out of it for weeks but with no success. Then she got introduced to Peppa Pig by her cousin Abbey and got hooked. The next thing I know, she wanted a Peppa Pig party. My initial reaction? Shock shock, horror horror! Let's go back to Dora, Squea...

We've been back in Sydney for almost 2 months now. Ayisha still refers Bali as her 'home' and where we're staying now is not 'home' but  'Grandma's house'. Then we confused her even more when we took her to our house here, where we'd go to clean & check out on weekends and where she'd enjoy the backyard with the little swing sets. But now that the house is finally rented out, it's back to diverting her to 'Grandma's house' whenever she asked to go 'back to house with swings'. From time to time, she'd ask when we're going back to 'Bali house', to see her friends Freyjah & Teagan :( A few times she'd invite Abbey to her house; "my house is so far away, we go on a plane ok..I have lots of toys". Abbey said "yes" of course. Day out to see Dora with Abbey Showing off her Dora dress to...Dora! Playing bubbles with Abbey on Mother's Day at the park She...