HaZe: 2012 Edition

Hello all!

[Dusts cobwebs & blows an inch-thick crust of dust]

Yeah, I know... It's been a while. A month short of a year since my last entry, hence the expected "cobwebs". Yes, I know I keep promising to update my blog as often as possible, but let's face it: Life Happens. And for the past 11 months, that was exactly what happened. LIFE. So here's the long and the short of the past months:

:: 27 July 2011 ::

Delea in the first few weeks of life... :)

We welcomed our 2nd princess into the world. We decided to name her Nurwafa Adelea, even before we found out we were expecting another girl. Although almost everyone predicted that the baby would be a boy (judging from my protruding tummy shape), in the end, my eldest's predictions came true -- she was getting a baby sister. In fact, I think she has a special connection to her sister from the get go: She told me I had a baby in my tummy BEFORE I even bought the pregnancy test kit, and when asked if the baby I was carrying is a brother or a sister, she would always, 100% confident and sure of herself, say: GIRL!

The bond between my 2 girls continue to amaze me. To this day, even when Baby Delea fusses or cries, whenever her sister comes along and talks, sing or dance to her (yeah my eldest is the "entertainer" of the family ;P), she would automatically stop fussing and smile. Deena basically trumps me in terms of grabbing Delea's attention, except for feeding time at least. I admit, sometimes I get abit jealous, but I am truly thankful that Deena is taking the elder-sisterhood in stride and loves her little sister to bits. You can just tell from looking at them play together, how much they love each other. I just hope it stays that way till they're old and gray, especially when hubby & I are no longer on this earth for them.

OK enough sappy stuff. Talking about my girls always gets me all emotional.. hehe. Onwards then!

:: August 2011 ::

Ah.. the dreaded confinement period. What's not to dread? Daily intakes of ginger-infused fish dishes and raw leafy ulams sans the much-needed sambal (yeah I'm a hardcore chilli-addict :P) after a full 9 months of yummy, rich food bingeing... Not fun, lemme tell ya. But honestly, it wasn't as horrible this time around. For one thing, I already know what to expect from past experience, so I was mentally prepared for the worst of sleepless nights and physical discomfort. Secondly, Baby Delea wasn't as fussy as Deena was as a baby. Don't get me wrong, she cries, nay, screams just as loud as her big sister did but I guess she's alot more calmer in comparison. Or perhaps, I'm the one who is calmer this time around. :P

Last, but certainly not least, was the fact that for 90% of the first 2 most crucial weeks within the confinement period, my hubby took care of me and the kids. He cooked my confinement dishes himself, from scratch (which tasted better than all the confinement ladies' & makcik2s' dishes put together) just because he knew my tastes THAT well. Sure, they might not be Jamie Oliver-esque or anything, but its the thought and effort that makes it all the more delish. He distracted Deena when it mattered the most -- when I had to fully concentrate on Baby Delea's needs. And on rare occasions, when the constant disrupted sleep at night got the best of me, he pitched in. I know not many women can brag about this, and so I feel very privileged to have had this great experience. No pressure on all the dads out there, ya!

Grilled black pepper tenggiri & baked asparagus in lemon butter sauce by Chef Hubby

That being said, Allah is great and just. He gave me a chance to repay my hubby's kindness and love within the same month. Halfway through my confinement period, Hubby suddenly experienced some serious abdominal pain. He was literally rolling around on the floor in agony, and I was equally miserable coz I didn't know how to help him, and I couldn't take him to the hospital. Indefinitely, he was admitted in KJMC, and had to undergo an open cholecystectomy. So there I was, semi-healed from childbirth and fully garbed in thick socks and warm clothes, lugging around a newborn and a hyper 3 -yr old to the hospital and back. I think I nearly gave my parents and in-laws a coronary when I told them I'd be driving myself to and fro... haha :P Even Hubby gave up trying to tell me to stay home, I was THAT stubborn. Alhamdulillah he recovered quickly, and so did I. I'd like to think this trying time brought us closer together, and we are more appreciative towards each other since then.

 

:: October 2011 ::

Alas, my R&R time ended, and duties at the office beckoned. 60 days maternity leave flew by in a blink of an eye, and there I was, looking at 3 months' worth of backdated research work AND the added task of pumping milk for my babe. Make no mistake, it IS a full-time job, and it takes full commitment (and loads of storage space in your freezer :P) to commit to this, but I'm determined to fully breastfeed Delea for at least a year, or at the very least, till it's sufficient for her needs. Breastmilk is, after all, the best food for your baby and despite the odds, I want the best for my girl, even if it means stuffing lunch down my throat in 15 minutes everyday. Hey, it might even help me lose weight faster haha. Idealism or wishful thinking? Only those who've seen me in the flesh can tell ;)

One happy and a wee bit unorthodox family... we wouldn't want it any other way!

So that's preddy much the major life-altering moments that went down the past year, in a huge, gigantic nutshell. Hopefully I'll be able to update more in future, without relapsing into my annual-blogging-habit :P So till next time, ciao!