Retsa's Life Pearls

My first 6 months breastfeeding experience

2012-01-29T21:22:00.002+08:00

-- Spoiler Alert : Postingan yang panjang.. mudahan gak bosen yah bacanya :) --

Gak terasa... 4 hari lagi perjalanan breastfeedingku dengan Adam mencapai 6 bulan. Banyak banget yang aku pelajari dari proses 6 bulan menyusui. Bener-bener berangkat dari pengetahuan yang 'nol' ttg asi (masih ingat pertama kali ke bazaar produk bayi melongo ngeliat bentuk2 n merek breastpump) sampai akhirnya lulus 6bln Asi, orang bilang S1 (hihi lucu aja deh gelarnya nih).

Awal kehamilan, belum kepikiran tuh mau ngasih minum baby apa nantinya. Tapi seiring dengan rajin baca2 tentang proses melahirkan dan tumbuh kembang bayi di awal kehamilan, secara natural aja, tertanam di aku kalo metode asi eksklusif lah yang akan kupilih. Ternyata aku baru tau rekomendasi dari asosiasi kedokteran (termasuk yg dari Amrik) dan WHO adalah memberi asi eksklusif untuk bayi sampai dengan minimal 1 tahun, syukur2 bisa 2 tahun. Sempat sangsi juga, emang tubuh sekecil aku ini (+ ukuran bra yg minimalis hehe) bisa gituh ngeluarin ASI, jangankan banyak, apalagi sedikit? Berkat sumber2 internet, aku dapetin kalo ternyata umumnya sebagian besar wanita setelah melahirkan pasti akan bisa mengeluarkan ASI. Dan yang sama sekali tidak bisa mengeluarkan ASI itu paling hanya < 1%. Dari situ mulai deh, aku mulai terapin pede positive-thinking, bahwa pasti ada deh ASI ini di saat yang dibutuhkan nantinya. Ternyata, sebelum kelahiran pun, aku dapet tanda positif, mulai dari minggu ke-18, aku sudah mendapatkan tetesan 'kolustrum' keluar dari payudara. Jadinya makin positive thinking deh.

PENGENALAN DENGAN POMPA ASI:
Tapi lucunya (atau lebih tepatnya, lugunya) dan karena kurang pengetahuan (or krn justru kebanyakan narasumber, yang mana kadang pendapatnya bertolak belakang), aku jadi konservatif dan gak berani beli pompa asi sampai setelah si kecil brojol n asi-ku lancar.
Waktu itu aku banyak orang2 yg bilang tiap orang cocoknya ama pompa2 yg berbeda n mengingat harga pompa elektrik gak murah (minimal 800rb utk single pump yg merek barat), mending beli pompa-nya nanti aja biar bisa nyoba dulu stelah asi lancar. Padahal setelah akhirnya ke toko n nyobain beberapa merek, semuanya cocok ajah n sebenarnya susah jg ambil kesimpulan mana yg paling cocok klo nyobanya cuma sebentar2 per pompa (gak mungkin dong 1 pompa dicobain utk 1 full pumping, masa musti datang 4x ke toko cuma utk nyobain). Plus, dalam bayangan aku waktu itu, butuh pompa di awal lahiran itu paling kalo Asi ada tapi gak lancar (kurang). Padahal ternyata pompa tuh malah berguna banget kalo Asi-nya terlalu lancar, supaya gak sakit di pd (mastitis). Malah klo gak lancar, yang bener harusnya makin sering di-nenen-in langsung n bukannya make pompa, krn lbh bagus daya hisap bayi langsung drpd pompa.
Lugu yang ke-2, awal2 kelahiran n selama kehamilan, aku gak pernah ngebayangin klo butuh cukup banyak effort dan waktu utk berkali-kali pumping nge-stok ASI utk persiapan kerja. Baru ngeh, pas baca/liat foto2 ibu2 hebat yang kulkasnya bisa penuh dengan ASIP berpuluh-puluh apa ber-ratus2 botol. Untungnya belum terlalu telat aku ngejar 'ketinggalan' ini, ngeh-nya pas di wkt 2 bulan-an dan karena aku cuti 3.5 bulan, masih ada waktu ngestok 1.5 bulan.
Disamping itu, aku jg parno banget mau ngenalin dot ke bayi krn takut bingung puting. Ternyata, menurut salah satu 'ahli persusuan bayi' dari Engress, si Gina Ford, gak apa ngasi bayi ASIP via botol dari kecil asal maksimal 1x sehari aja.
Jadilah pompa dibeli di awal bulan ke-2, itupun aku diemin dulu 2 minggu gak dicoba2. Pas dicoba pun nyoba 1-2x, berhenti lagi seminggu. Abisnya awal2 dapetnya cuma dikit, sampai stres mikir apa salah beli merek/gak cocok ama pump-nya n udah mahal pula (aku decide utk beli yg double-pump biar hemat waktu klo pumping terutama di kantor) n bisa handsfree (digantung gitu di bra, jadi 2 tangan bebas mau main hp kek, mau ngapain kek :) ) . Ternyata, baca2 situs internet, emang dibilang payudara butuh waktu utk adjust ke pumping machine, percaya gak percaya, ya bener sih. Abisan setelah 2 minggu, flownya udah lebih baik. Dan pelan2 sehari nyetok 1 botol. Pas udah 3-4 minggu terakhir mau masuk kerja, karena semakin panik takut stok gak cukup, akhirnya bisa nyetok sampai 4 botol per hari. Tiap malam pun kalopun Adam gak bangun, aku tetep bangun per 3 jam utk nge-stok. Wah beneran deh, memang breastfeeding ini menguras tenaga, tapi karena motivasi-nya memang kuat, jadi dijalanin aja dengan ikhlas.
All in all, pump ini berguna banget, n learning experience buat aku, lain kali nyetok lebih awal deh. Apalagi minggu ke-2 s/d mgu ke-5 tuh, waktu lbh sering engorged terutama pagi. Plus lumayan banget klo kt bisa pompa misal di pagi, stoknya selain untuk long term, bisa juga langsung dipake sorenya utk si bayi, dimana gw biasanya lagi cape2nya, jadinya kita bisa istirahat/recover energy utk ronde malamnya :).

DOT BAYI
Nah ini aku saklek banget dari awal lahir. Gak mau kenalin Adam dengan dot, baik botol dot or pacifier, sampai Adam udah pinter banget nenen-nya. Menurut beberapa sumber, katanya paling aman stlh 2 bulan baru boleh introduce. Jadilah aku baru kenalin botol ke baby A pas dia umur 2 bulan (klo pacifier tetep aku gak mau krn nurut aku bayi <6bulan klo nangis memang ada sebabnya n musti dicari sebabnya dan bukannya disumpel pake paci).
Nah ternyata, awal2 dengan botol, susah bener deh... Adam terlalu nyaman sama mimik langsung yah, plus biasanya timingnya lama, rata2 nempel 40 menit. Nah dengan botol dan volume yg kira2 sebanding (90-120ml), gak sampai 10 menit, ASIPnya udah habis. Jadilah dia masih meraung2 belum puas ngenyot. Baru setelah 3 minggu deh, dia mulai stabil n terbiasa dengan botol. Nah pas umur 2 bulan-an itu aku juga baca bukunya Gina Ford (khatam deh ini buku, mudah2an bisa posting khusus ttg bukunya), dia testify klo dari beratus2 bayi yg dia handle, klo bayi dikasi 1x botol aja sehari (dan gak lebih) dari minggu ke-2 stlh lahir (stlh lancar latching on kayanya ya) gak akan bingung puting. Nah ke depannya mgkn aku mau praktek-in ini hihihi.
Terus pe-er satu lagi yg gak tau bakal sanggup gak suatu hari nanti... bisa gak ya ngepraktekin bayi minum tanpa dot. Untuk Adam yang aku consider pinter banget nenen (gak pernah nolak nenen, setiap kali nangis pasti langsung tenang klo di-nenen-in n gak pernah bikin sakit gigitnya), setelah 2-3 minggu aku tinggal kerja full-day, akhirnya ngalamin kejadian bingung puting jugah... sempet kaget n sedih juga pas kejadian, tp aku tau itu bukan masalah besar. Jadinya, dia sempet nolak minum direct dari aku, tp untungnya nolaknya max 1x sehari aja, sisanya masih mau. Kayanya momen dia nolaknya itu klo dia udah kelaperan banget, dia maunya dari botol (karena kenyang lebih cepet yah). Jadinya aku siasatin gak berani aku biarin haus2 banget dianya n pas weekend beneran aku geber deh nenen langsungnya biar dia 'kembali inget' ama nyamannya nenen langsung :). Nah akhirnya yang ini udah stabil lagi sekarang... Tapi sisi lainnya, sekarang timing minum langsungnya kadang2 jadinya jadi lebih cepet, <10mnt per sisi. padahal dulu 40 menit itu udah minimal (biasanya aku lepas kalo udah >40mnt, sejak kenal botol, spy gak kebanting perbandingan waktunya). Sementara aku yakin banget klo dia minum <10mntx2, masih ada lhoh asi yg bisa dia serap langsung, cuma flownya mgkn udah lebih lamban yah. Dan krn dia udah kenal ama flow botol yg selalu cepet, jadi gak sabar deh dia nunggu 'LDR'/let down reflex-nya ASI utk keluar lagi dengan cepet. Cuma yang nenangin, biasanya klo pun gini, dia udah pasang tampang happy sih setelah 'melepaskan diri' dari posisi mengenyot.., jadi aku gak paksain juga. Paling konsekuensinya ke dia, dia jadi lbh cepet haus. Tapi konsekuensi ke aku nya yg aga2 bikin ketir nih, krn otomatis produksi asi payudara nyesuain dengan kebutuhan bayi, takutnya produksi menurun klo dia minumnya tambah sebentar. Nah, sekarang lagi kepikiran mau hunting pil2 fenugreek - bumbu rempah india gitu - yang katanya sih emang beneran efektif ningkatin produksi asi.
Nah kembali ke topik botol, sebenarnya kan ada media lain utk memberikan ASIP, tapi aku kemaren2 gak tega nih nyuruh orang rumah kasi minum via alat lain selain dot (sendok, pipet or gelas). Pastinya ribet banget (dokter pun bilang begitu), udah gitu Adam klo haus kan langsung nangis2 gitu pengen minum lahap, klo pk sndk/glas kan lbh lambat ya. Pe-er ke depannya (semoga diberikan anugerah lagi), kepikiran minta suster RS (tentunya RS-nya harus breastfeeding friendly sperti kemarin) untuk ngajarin ngasi minum pake gelas dari awal lahiran. Sempet nyobain sendiri sih sekali, waktu adam 2 bulanan, tp gagal total hihihi.. bleber kemana2. Mungkin klo suster yang udah ahli, lebih enak buat si bayi.

PERJALANAN YANG GAK GAMPANG TAPI SO-WORTH-IT
All in all, perjalanan ASIX (Asi Eksklusif) ini pengalaman berharga banget buat aku:
- Dari proses belajar latching-on (bayi n aku sama2 belajar) di 2 minggu pertama, yang mana kadang kita berdua butuh waktu 10 menit untuk si bayi bisa 'mangap' dengan pas ke areola ku. Terus makin lama, sama2 makin pinter latchingnya.
- Dari awalnya gak pe-de bakalan bisa ngasi ASI, jangankan eksklusif, keluar pun udah bersyukur banget. Terus dengan mindset yg sederhana aja, pokoknya selama ASI ada dan cukup, ya akan kuberikan ASI si baby ini. Ternyata oh ternyata, memang dicukupkan, PTL!
-Minum tiap 2-3 jam sepanjang hari, sampe kira2 2.5 bulanan, dimana akhirnya Adam mulai tidur panjang 5jam-an klo malem, jadinya aku-nya lbh bisa istirahat n waktu sengggangnya bisa dipake utk pumping juga. Bener-bener menguras tenaga klo dinget2. Sekarang sih udah mendingan banget. Tapi dulu msh inget tiap bangun pagi, udah kebayang bakal capenya sepanjang hari gimana hihihi dan berharap hari cepet2 sore/malem lagi hihihi. Belum lagi ada momen growth spurt dia (pas mau 1 bulanan) yg kaya gak kenyang2 tiap jam nangis, minum, nangis lagi, dari jam 6 sore s/d jam 1 pagi. Untungnya ini cuma 1 malam.
- Saking cape-nya, tiap kali nenen-in, pasti browsing di hp (selain main game) tentang trik2 spy baby bisa tidur lebih panjang... hehe ternyata memang everything is a phase and sooner it will be another phase.
- Belajar trik pumping, termasuk dengan ngasi minum baby 1 pd, dan 1 lagi-nya utk di-pump. bawa2 tas pumping beserta peralatannya ke kantor, disamping tas laptop, berasa pindahan kecil2an tiap hari hihi.
- Rasa terpuaskan banget sebagai seorang ibu setiap kali liat wajah kenyangnya abis minum susu :) bonding yang gak tergantikan :) walo umumnya dia selalu nyusu sambil merem (jadinya jarang banget tuh liat2an selama nyusu).
- Nah yg ini, aga curhat sedikit :). Mau baby kita minumnya ASI or Formula, sepertinya selalu ada yah omongan2 orang, even dari org2 dekat, yang mempertanyakan pilihan kita.. (Wah ini bisa 1 posting sendiri klo dibahas). Aku juga sempet ngerasain ini dan sempet brasa 'spanneng' juga. Komen seperti 'ASI-nya gak cukup tuh..', 'dibantu botol ajah..', 'dikasih empeng ajah..', 'dikasih air ajah..', 'nanti kalo udah ngantor gimana tuh klo cuma bisa minum ASI..' Wah macem2 deh dan cape juga nangkisnya. Padahal di saat2 gini, kitanya justru butuh banget denger omongan yg mendukung, bukannya yg menyudutkan ya. Aku tau sih orang2 yg komen ini bermaksud baik, mgkn mrk pikir kasihan ngeliat bayinya nangis (padahal kan wajar aja), or kasian negliat akunya kecapean. Cuma aku berasa gak ngebantu banget deh komen2 seperti ini. Ada yang bilang ini 'well-meant comment that are meaningless' :), jadi gak usah didengerin hihii. Untungnya setelah makin kesini, proses menyusui dan tumbuh-kembang bayi semakin lancar, terbukti baby A tumbuh dengan sehat sekali, berat badannya bagus dan juga puji Tuhan selalu sehat (Terbukti aku beberapa kali flu berat, tp dia gak ketularan sedikitpun). Jadinya, sekarang udah gak ada lagi komen2 seperti ini :), malah banyakan komen positif yang aku dengar sekarang :).
- Priceless to see my baby growing wonderfully dari yg awalnya kecil mungil, menyusui musti diganjal pake bantal, sampai sekarang tinggal gelendotan aja dgn kakinya udah napak di kasur. Dari yg Adam bergaya menyusui diem gak berkutik sampai sekarang menyusui dengan banyak gaya (kadang suka dimainin deh skrg ngenyotnya, atau tiba2 berhenti senyum2 terus lanjut lagi). Klo gw boleh bilang, takjub deh ngeliat bayi bisa berkembang seperti ini, just with the support of ASI (n parents love :) ). It is a miracle water, created by the creator of the universe, cukup buat si jabang bayi bertumbuh dengan sempurna :).

So, it has been a delightful, challenging, fully rewarding, and full of learning journey. Semoga ke depannya aku masih bisa lancar memberi ASI. Sebenarnya aku juga gak neko2 dan gak mau terlalu ambisius kok, yang penting baby A masih demen sama ASI dan aku jg masih lancar flow-nya. Kalo seperti ini kan tentunya tetap akan memberikan ASI :) as it is just the natural thing to do. So, let's do it one step at a time :)

Gearing up towards 6 months

2012-01-28T13:29:00.000+08:00

Yeah been some time n my baby is definitely getting more agile and it feels like the baby stage is going to be over before i know it ;p.

By now he is able to:
- lift both his butt n tummy from the ground when he's facing down,its a full push up,yay!
- has said 'Hai...' twice very loudly. Doubt he knows what it means but i'd like to think it is his first meaningful word :) second time was with a shopkeepeer,she was very shocked to hear it.
- travelled airbound on 7 flights already. Little munchkin getting easier to travel with.
- still vigorously sucks his 2 fingers (at least), i have no idea how to stop this. Hoping he will know when to stop,esp when his teeths erupt later. But the up-side is this keeps him occupied so we can do other things in peace :). It is like it is his fave toys. Doctor says not to worry.
- so easy to give smiles,wide ones, when there are others who grin at him, stranger or not :D
- just learning to eat solid (6mth minus 1.5wk), paedi says it is ok. It's been tiny servings, probably 20ml portion. Tried breastmilk with very little avocado - not too much success (first try, think was too diluted for him, plus he was still full from the morning feed, n the avocado tasted a bit too plain for me), steamed pear puree & red rice flour - the last 2 were successful.
- moves much faster n agile when on prone, tends to move backward if he is not rotating.
He was 7.7 kg n 65 cm at 5.5 mth.

ps: no pic at the mom. my laptop harddisk is full n i cant be bothered to connect to my external hard disk drive to do picture file transfer. I need a new laptop :)

3.5 Months Update

2011-11-23T02:10:00.000+08:00

- Today, he turned from 'upward' position to prone position for the first time, as my folks call it 'belajar tengkurap'. I didnt see it though, missed it by 1/2 minute as I was in the kitchen. Bummer :) It was a bit of a cheat since the small cushion below his head probably helped him, but he has been turning sideways quite often lately to start with.
- He is sucking his fingers big time, but the good side of it it seems it has helped him (or me/the caregiver) to occupy himself. Gone is the phase where we had to be with him all the time when he's awake so that he doesnt get bored & starts being cranky :).
- As he gained more control of his limbs & his attention span (? not too sure but i think), he starts to be able to self-soothe himself to sleep. It is still a long way to go, as he has been pretty used swayed in a sling, but yeah we are working on this as we dont want to carry him all the time to make him sleep.
- He is cooing more and more, not only when he is happy (when he is engaged with other people or look at interesting toys), but also when he is calming himself to sleep.
- He is loving swimming. Today hubby said he was totally at ease in the water moving his arms around. This has been his 4th day properly baby-swimming.
- He gets really annoyed by sudden loud voices, like car alarm, speeding motorbike, person suddenly talking to him very loudly. He will shriek suddenly & cries, but quietens quickly too after the sound is gone (& we are there to comfort him).

- He is drinking 120ml per feeding when I'm away, 2 or 3 bottles a day. I'm still experimenting with the bottle volume, trying to increase a bit more especially in the mid morning & late afternoon so he can last a bit longer before I come back home to b/f directly.
- I am very happy that I have been able to pump sufficiently for him and currently my daily pumping volume is more than or at least the same that he needs. This was a big question mark before I started to work, I had a conservative prediction that I would be pumping deficit, as in if he needed 4 bottles a day, I would only be able to pump 3. But thank goodness it is currently all good.

Back to work

2011-11-22T01:53:00.000+08:00

It's been 3 days I have gone back to work. Of course I miss him dearly. The first 100 steps out of the house are the heaviest. It's like i'm having the time of my life because of this little man's presence in our house, but yet I am leaving him to do something else. So the first day was the hardest *only for me, and not for him ;) *, I haven't even left my door step and my eyes are red already :).
Anyway, first day didnt turn up to be so hard. Just one hour resting my bum on the office chair, we all ran out of the building 'cause a fire drill was about to start. So there I was back at home from 10.00 am to 2pm to be back with my son :).
It's been 3 days & I have managed to be back at home during lunch break time so that I can breastfeed him directly & of course to see his little blossoming smile & play with him a little bit. Been going to office early (on time) so I can leave on time too. I don't know how long I can keep up doing this, but I will try my hardest to do this as often as I can. Afterall I am gladly doing it.
Ah the joy of motherhood :)

First Travel Trip

2011-11-06T00:01:00.000+08:00

Hello! We just came back from a balik-kampung trip to Jakarta & Yogyakarta, me & Adam :) . I must say Adam behaved really well during the travelling time. Phew! He slept easily on train rides & plane flights. Must be the bouncing feel of the train tracks & the zero noise effects on the plane.

This is what I did to prepare for the trip:
- the night before, i didnt do full pumping, so i have extra gush flow in the first half of the day in case A gets cranky.
- minimize hand carry bag weight. Put most things in the checked-in baggage. forego the idea of bringing a stroller along as he can still be cranky on stroller anyway, but is most comfortable when held close, so a sling is the most efficient choice in carrying him (Tested in duo trips to local neighbourhoods).
- ordered the KLIA limousine-train-VIP service to ensure i have someone else carry my baggage till fully check-in while i concentrate fully on carrying & holding A. (Since A cannot hold his head upright yet by himself, sometimes i need one hand holding his neck & the other holding his torso or free to pull out wallet etc from my bag).
- Made my maid stay back with me all the way till i'm in the cab which picked me up in the condo.
- thank goodness i brought a copy of A's birth cert in Malaysia. Eventhough his passport already said he's born here & that's obviously why his passport is still blank from any immigration chop, I still get questions by the young immigration officer. So the malaysian sijil copy helped to prove the case.
- The only 2 times Adam let out a sharp cry was when i was standing still too long waiting on the check in desk & the immigration desk. Rocking motions quickly calmed him down in less than 10secs (and also helped rushed the officers in charge to process my forms faster ;p ).
- Noticed that A slept back when we boarded the sattelite train between the airport 2 terminals. So i decided to hang around longer inside the back-and-forth train for 30mins instead of the 3 mins trip :). Yap and he slept like a baby (notice the pun?). So all i had left was 20mins in the boarding lounge which was spent nursing him and once on the plane, i spent 10-15mins cuddling him before he falls asleep again for most of the flight time :)
- Garuda gave me first row seat & priority baggage queue, so the arrival process was done quickly. The jakarta immigration officer also escorted me to the diplomatic immigration counter to avoid the usual long queing :) Happy me & Adam :)
- Quick nappy change in the airport & quick cuddling on the nappy room mat (since he loves being put freely on a mat once he's full & awake) before picking up the baggage & meet my parents outside the airport :)
- He got a bit cranky towards the last 30mins of the taxi trip to home, that i'm not surprised, after all who can bear the traffic madness of Jakarta. But of course, to all his crankiness, breastfeeding is a simple quick solution :)

Ok, so the travelling was smooth! Before I decided I would go for the trip duo with A (Hubby is on a long stretch of offshore assignment), I had 2 concerns..:
1. will i be able to keep up on pumping breastmilk for stock up purpose
2. i need A to get increasingly familiar with bottle feeding & needs training for this!

Well, the first few days in Jakarta, the 2 things above did not go very well. I kind of discounted the fact of how much help I have been getting in KL with my maid's presence. My parents are not exactly the baby-wearers type who willingly or have the strength to carry a 3m baby for long minutes. And A does not take day naps unless he is swayed & he usually needs at least 15-20mins of being carried before falling asleep! so there i go, handling Adam all day & just hoping the 6pm time will come soon enough, as beyond that he starts deep sleeping & does not need the cradling anymore. So yes, i was exhausted :p taking care of him. First few nights i opted for longer sleeps rather than extra awake time for pumping.

And then on the bottle training, mum was eager to give him bottle at the beginning, but i knew that A preferring milk way better on breast than bottle, will still be cranky after feeding from bottle & will need swaying again to soothe him (This is my maid's trick which is working better & better every day). So after I had a few bottle of stocks, she tried once & found it very hard to soothe Adam after that... so i told myself i will not ask my mum to bottlefeed him again unless she volunteered (which she never did after that ;p ). However, i dont blame my mum, her joints are not strong to withstand this kind of 'exercise'.

After a few days & with some hints here & there, i think my parents saw that i was getting too exhausted, they start to get more involved in handling A, at least when he's not so cranky :p so i have more time to rest. I was quite amazed & impressed by Dad who then handled baby A at his crankiest time of the day (always on the late afternoon) & patiently tried to soothe him (without rocking that is) for at least 1 hour in my 3 days in Jogja. So with this extra help, i was able to be on track again for pumping. Well for bottle training, let's just get back to KL and restart again with my maid. Finger crossed it will be ok.. anyway it's not like we have a choice, he will have to drink from it once i get back to work ... er... in 10 days time from now.. comfort or not comfort now, but he will adapt sooner or later.

So here i am tonight, with Adam peacefully asleep since 9 pm, my mum n my maid each also sleeping in their own room, and I was able to play 'the sims' on the net for 1 hour + ;p. Welcome home to us & cheers to the back-to-daily-routine!

Bouncer testing

2011-11-05T23:17:00.000+08:00

On a shopping trip, we dropped by at the local toy store & made Adam try the bouncer. Here is his reaction

1. Blank look, not aware yet what's going on & why mummy put him down from the sling (yes, i do carry him in a sling when i travel solo)

2. Three secs later, starts to look around & notice what's surrounding him.

3. And then glimpse of smile start to appear & became a greater grin (which i didnt snap as I was then giggling with him :) )

Ow the thing with these baby toys...

Adam 2.5 mth

2011-10-20T17:40:00.000+08:00

Yay, he has reached 2.5 months now!
I am so happy i can be with him every day and night, nurturing him and see his smile, grin, and even cries. He is my daily dose of happiness.

He gained another kg in 1 mth, now weighing at 5.5 kg n measuring 57cm (i thought i measured him bynmyseld n got 59cm). Anyway, as long as he is growing in normal range n healthy, it is all good!

Notes:
- he's still light enough for me to 'pangku' him upright with bare 2 arms for short time swaying in the house. But for outbound trips, i carry him in a ringsling ( i also have a wrap but bit cumbersome to wrap it arnd my body, though very comfortable. Ring sling easier to wear)
- have sort of trained him for push up exercise, ha, well more like a neck push up exx so he has a stronger muscle there n hopefully can hold his head upright soon (will help a lot when i carry him, dont have to worry abt his head tilting weirdly downwards). Showing some gd progress! Saw him hold up his neck for 'bout 4 secs 2consec times today. But ya, dont worry Adam, take your time, dont want to push too hard either!
- sleeping longer stretches at night. Record so far is 7 hrs straight. Usually in deep sleep 7pm-7am range, with 3-3 wakeup times just for 'refreshment'. In the day,feeds at 2-3 hrs interval, with crankiness up in late afternoon,b4 he finally enters his deep sleep
Zone. Dont want to talk too much on this at the risk of jinx-ing it!
- so with the above, i am able to have more rest, more chance to pump too. Am storing abt 2-4 btls daily now @100ml aprox. N using 1 btl daily for btl practise by our helper for Adam to get used to it. He's getting there i think.. N i hope.. I dont dare to give halfday or full
Day practise yet as i want to stock
up the milk too, cause i think he might
be a heavy drinker! Wonder if the freezer has got enough space for frozen breastmilk till 1 more mth.
- he used to wake up always crying, but now he can wake up throwing me smiles when i open my eyes. What wonderful morning greeting!
- during the day, he is often alert n happy for 1hr after @feed. I usually play with him, sing (naik delman is a favourite, repeat 15 times in a row!), sing while massaging his leg n stomach, tell stories, try to have conversation back n forth w him (more like him cooing n
Me re-echoing his word n combine it with other words) n play music to his ears. he can pay attention when i tell him stories based on a brightly coloured softbook. So cute to
see him scrutinizing the pic on each page of the book as i go thru with him page by page :)
- he is more aware of using his arm
N hand. I can feel him cling to me
more using his arm when i carry him. Also he has started to put his fist into his mouth. I first thought this was a hunger signal like he used to do, but now he's doing it like 15mins after a satisfactory feeding. Paedi also said this is not hunger n he will soon enter both fists there.
- some rashes on his cheeks. People say its because of breastmilk but not according to paedi, it's a form of eczema but will disappear n no need to worry.
- he got his 5-in-1 mandatory vaccine ( let me try to remember this correctly): dpt, polio, n 1 more ?. Plus rotavirus n pneumococcal.
- he will fly first time next wednesday to our Tanah Air n he will see papa again after 1mth. Yippee!

His latest napping position: warm
on mummy's tummy.

Who is more content?

2011-10-07T19:11:00.001+08:00

It's amazing how breastfeeding builds bonding btw mum n kiddo. Now that i've experienced it, i totally vouch for it.
Just yesterday, we tried giving expressed breastmilk via bottle by our helper. For a moment, i felt i missed the direct b'feed moment. So when 1 hour later, kiddo woke up n cried, i gladly b/f him. **gimana sih, mau latihan botol,tp 'maknya ga rela, msh pengen nyusuin juga :p**

But then again who doesn't?
See this cheeky face after he got one feeding session.

The first 1 month and a half

2011-09-19T14:12:00.002+08:00

I'm loosing track of all his milestones.. It's like there is always something new that's happening every day with him and every time I think I know what's happening with him, he surprises me with even more the next day.

So, this is what he can do know:
- Visual: He has progressively developed his eyesight & watching the progress is simply amazing! First it was now & then only that he would watch people moving. His first thing that fascinated him visually (that we know of) was probably the lamp crystals & the fans on the ceiling. Then few weeks ago, as I was walking in the dim light at night around him, I noticed his eyes could follow me as I walked around him (& I thought I sucessfully sneaked without him seeing me). Now, he definitely can see things clearly, he loves bright color such as the red bee on his crib mobile, he watches people moving intensely, he loves being brought to the balcony & see things outside, he was also so curious & looked around when we brought him to the mall last week.
- Breastfeeding: In his first 2 weeks, when he was hungry, he would cry all the way till he sucessfully latched. But now, as long as he's in my arms cradle position, he would turn quiet already knowing that he will get his milk soon :) But of course, he's giving me only less than 10 seconds to give him the breast otherwise he will cry again that spells out as 'Mummy, u're too slow, give me the milk already!' :). As for his length of time, at the beginning I used to closely watch the clock & breastfeed him each side for 20mins (as per the tip from one of the nurses in the hospital), but very often he's already asleep on the first side. Then I switched to just let him breastfeed on 1 side till as long as 45 mins or till he dropped the nipple/finished with feeding. I think this last method works better as he's getting more milk and they say the longer he drinks on one side, the more he gets the hindmilk, which is the milk with higher fat content (good for his weight gain).
- Sleeping: Well they say, babies start to sleep in longer stretch at night from 6weeks onwards. Currently Adam is still waking up on average of every 3 hours at night, but he has been an angel at night 95% of the time, always deep sleeping again after each night feeding.
- Bathing: He so enjoys bathing & loves being put in the warm water & having the water showered over his body using the mini cups we have :)
- Position: He loves being carried around, the presence of a warm body soothes him, like all babies. When he's got reflux, after we get out the trapped air in his oesophagus, he usually sleeps very well in upright position on our chest, and sometimes I put him in prone position on bed too. But this, I only found out recently, probably on his 6th week. Before that, mummy and daddy were almost clueless what to do with his reflux, except just keeping giving him the breastmilk as he never rejects it anyway & will keep him away from being awake & crying :). This was exhausting :)
- Activity: Now, he doesnt only sleep but also has more time awake (starting the past week/ wk7-8). And he loves being talked to & stimulated by music & colorful squeaky toys. Dont leave him alone as he will be bored & start crying :). He is also soothed when daddy brings him walking around up the condo stairs (ha, dont make me do this), this trick really works! He has also started giving deliberate smiles when we engage with him plus making some ooh/aah sound, but he must be in a happy state, ie. no reflux & stomach full of milk :).
- Measurement: He gained 1 kg after 1 month, and by now we know he's even heavier. We think we need an adjustable sling very soon otherwise he will be too heavy for me to carry just with hands :) We are also very happy that he gained weight at normal rate (doctor said range of 0.8 - 1.2 kg is good) 'cause I was a bit worried with his reflux/spit-ups. Anyway, he was measured 4.5kg & 56 cm, a long & lean baby :)

As for me - well, mum deserves a note as well & not just the baby right? :):
- I crave for food all the time. I'm superbly hungry, my appetite is nothing compared to when i was pregnant (actually i ate just normally during pregnancy). The breastfeeding obviously depletes my calories quickly.
- My tummy size has reduced substantially. I'm just 1 kg off my pre-pregnancy weight within 1 week after delivery, but I still cannot fit my jeans & buttoned pants :(. Doctor asked me whether I had used the traditional 'bengkung' to come to this size, which I said 'no, dont think that thing is working'. I guess i am just lucky genetically. Also, found no stretchmark, but still have the darkened skin on my tummy & spots of the dried eczema scars on my back... will take a slow time to disappear i guess.
- I'm getting used to what i call the staggered sleeping time, people say it's sleepless night :) At the beginning, it was so exhausting, especially the first 10 days when my episotomy stitches has not healed yet. Then, I would be so tired if I didnt get a one hour nap in the afternoon, especially when he got his reflux going on. But now, I can survive some nights without naps, especially that he can sleep longer in the afternoon, thanks to some more comfortable sleeping positions that we just found out.
- Domestic side: We got a nanny/helper coming in beginning of this month, yeay (ah, the benefit of living in a developing country) ! And thank God for mother & mother in laws! I've gotten so much help from these people (+hubby). Actually, I can now imagine how tiring it is for mums who do not have this kind of help, saluts to them!

My current indispensables

2011-08-31T14:54:00.002+08:00

These days can't seem to live without these :) :
1. Nursing pillow. Just thick enough to elevate my newborn baby to the level I want & to rest my arm and distribute the baby weight. I just wish it had a belt with it so that it doesn't drop when i stand up n want to move :). Actually I am so tempted to buy another version of it, this local indo brand seems quite promising, whose design is after the renowned 'my brest friend' brand.

2. Nursing bra. This local brand is so comfortable & fits me perfectly. I had to buy extra of these. I had thought 3 was enough, but the 'leaks' make them wet quite easily... :(

3. Nursing pad. Never thought I would need quite a lot of these (re. the leaks)... I use the washable ones. If I had used the disposable ones, I'm sure I would be running boxes of them by now :)

well yeah.. they all revolve around breastfeeding, which is Adam's main comfort source (& need) :) . Oh, and i have to put lots of baby talc on my body, otherwise i really smell like a walking milk factory :)

And most importantly, my post-birth life would not be so good were it not for my mum, who has been a life-saver! Thanks to her, I don't need to think of what I would eat for lunch or dinner, she helps calming the baby when I'm out of energy, so I can catch up on some rest, and as what my dad had said, she 'keeps the domestic line impecable', ie. thanks to her the house is in order, and she has the sincerest heart in doing all these... Angel without wings are mums.. hope i can take care my kids as well as her.

A peace of mind

2011-08-24T13:57:00.001+08:00

So happy today! After having a constant weight on his 10th day check-up, today we decided to go to the paeditrician clinic just to get Adam's weight checked again. I've been feeling anxious about his weight especially since the paedi mentioned he was a bit concerned that the baby has not gained weight yet on the last check up. This, despite me having read from various sources that it's normal for baby to loose weight/not gained much yet in the first month... and also the nurse was actually saying the same thing...

Plus, Adam spits up a lot (well I have no other baby to compare with), but it just breaks my heart when i see him spitting up freshly drank breastmilk or even processed breastmilk that has already turned to granular form - having been digested in his stomach. So i was wondering whether he was able to process enough milk or not..

So when the baby scale showed a whopping 3.985 kg, my face beamed with a large smile. So relieved! He was still 3.51 kg 1 week and a half ago and he's growing fine :)

I guess this is one of the many simple things that make a mother happy :)

btw, Adam celebrated his 3rd week yesterday, so happy birthday - or shall i say happy birthweek Adam! :)

The path to the world

2011-08-20T10:17:00.001+08:00

How did he come into the world? After almost 10 months warmly cuddled in the womb, the time to come and see the world came on 2nd of August 2011.

So this is the story of my birthing experience, a bit long i must say, but it was such an exhilarating experience that i wanted to write down this to memory lane...

The water broke at 5.15am in the morning. I was still lying/sleeping on my bed when I felt something wet flowing down there. I walked to the bathroom, really just 2 metres away from my bed, and warm water started running down my thigh. By the time I reached the toilet, I knew this is the famed 'water broke' or in hypnobirth term, 'membrane release' accompanied by 'birth show' (aka blood show). I went back and told my husband. While he still gained extra minutes of sleeping, I checked my delivery bag and put the last minute items into the bag, such as pillow, chargers, and I realized I needed more pads. My mum who heard my commotion also woke up and checked on me, upon which I told her the time has come :).
I timed my contraction, it was still very light, actually I wasnt sure it was a contraction, but it's the only thing I could time and it was about 6 minutes apart. My mum cooked breakfast and we took some pictures with Adam still in my belly and husband beside me. Finally at 8.30 am, we left for the hospital.

As we already had done pre-registration for labour n delivery, we went straight to 2nd floor, the L&D Unit and checked in into one of the rooms. I asked whether I could still wear my 'batik daster' but they don't allow n I changed to the hospital robe. I guess that was for hygienic and practical reason. Thereafter, they put those little discs attached on belt on my belly, they monitor the baby's heart rate and my uterine contraction. When the doctor came and did an internal examination at about 9.00am, I was at 3cm. The doctor ruptured further my membrane and I could feel water gushing out, the nurse said it will help speed up labour.

Boy he was right, after that I could feel contraction grew stronger, though I was also thinking maybe it's my own pain tolerance limit that couldn't take the pain well and I may be overfeeling it. I kept going to the toilet and felt more comfortable to sit there and swing my bottom on the bottomless seat...
Now I know what surges feel like, they are really like waves crushing into the seashores, once every few minutes. I tried listening to the rainbow relaxation track at the beginning of labour, but so sorry, I couldnt bear listening to Marie's voice at that time, hence turned it off. Instead, I just handled it naturally, without any particular thought in my mind, just trying to pass the time second by secon

At about 12pm, the doctor came in again & did a 2nd (and last) internal exam. Prior to that, I had politely declined the midwive's offer to do interim internal exams. To my surprise, he said I was already at 9cm dilation! Wow, I had thought I was still at 4 or 5cm dilation, as the contraction has only shortened to about once every 4-5 minutes. Before the doctor came, I was already mentioning the word 'epidural' to my husband as I thought I couldnt bear this longer... but since I was already 9cm, obviously i was on the last stretch already and epidural would not be practical anymore. So doctor left and mentioned to midwive I could start pushing in 1/2 hour time. Second wow... that is fast i thought...

So there... after 1/2 hour, midwive came & asked me is it ok to start pushing. I told her yes, but asked her to guide me/teach me on the breathing. Well, it's true what people say... it's like pushing when u're in the loo.. only much harder... My husband still remained besides me and supporting me all the way, while my mum waited outside.
I felt so sleepy at times during contraction, I think it's either the oxytoxyn hormone or the low iron that made me feel like dozing off, but then again the surges were so strong, so impossible to sleep! After about 1/2 hour trying, seems there's no progress.. I asked to rest which was granted... Then tried again after possibly 20mins, but same thing, no sign baby was coming out soon...

After one hour trying pushing, dr came again and said he's going to help with suction, cause one hour trying is already too long and he could see the baby's head was stuck at an angle. He did mention I still have to do the pushing though.. so there we go.. my legs were put on the prop and I have no idea how the suction tool could be inserted... he did have to do an episotomy though.
What happened next, was a series of pushing everytime the surge came. For every surge that probably lasted less than 1 minutes, I could do abt 3 consecutive pushings... Doctor and 2 midwives and my husband was the leading support team and they were amazing! At one point,dr R said 'we can do this together as a team', it did take the burden off me when he said that, i never put it in my mindset that birthing was a teamwork :).
So as my breathing became better and more effective (apparently I shouldnt make noise when pushing as the energy will split away..) and the doctor encouraged me that it will be over in 1 or 2 more surges, baby Adam finally surfaced at 1.57pm, head first. I didnt even realize his head was already out until the doctor said so!
Once he's fully out, they put the baby on my belly/breast, what a wonderful feeling! I started talking to him and so many words came out... we were in awe.. the midwive then further took the baby and put in a warmer beside me, while doing the cleaning etc. Meanwhile, i was still on 3rd phase, contracting out my placenta and also stiches was done to cover my tears. The stitching made me take the gas, it did help! Husband said he also tried the gas after I was done with it, cheeky him!

So that was the story of my first son delivery. I can only second what other mothers have experienced, that giving birth is one of the most exhilarating episode & hardest thing i've ever done in my life! But hey, it's all worth it and feels magical when u look at your own son/daughter, so pure and adorable (hey, all parents are bias towards their own offspring :) ) and wonder how on earth all this has happened.

Adam Reidanu Kaelan

2011-08-17T12:04:00.002+08:00

And to the joy of our hearts, he was born on 2nd of August 2011 1.57pm in Kuala Lumpur.

The meaning of his name:
Adam: (per the Bible) created in God's image & loved by Him; earth (hebrew).
Rei: (japanese origin) strive/ "teguh"
Danu: (javanese origin) light/cahaya

and when combined: Adam Reidanu: created and loved by God, may he be a striving light to those around him.
We like the name "Adam" because of its simplicity and easily pronounced by all languages. The story of Adam in the bible is also an inspiring one as it shows how deep is God's love towards us, men in his creation.
As for the middle name, we wanted something that is still rooted with the indonesian heritage, but unique at the same time.
So there you go with the background of his name :)
Adam, we hope u will be happy and proud of your name :)

Ready Anytime

2011-07-27T08:56:00.000+08:00

Yeay, we have finally reached full-term, 38 weeks and 1/2 now. So exciting. A's head is now engaged about 25%, my hips & bones are loosening, and I walk even so slowly, or shall I say waddle.

Have given the birth-plan, short, simple n essential I would say to my gynae, who said it goes along with his basic procedure. Here is the excerpt:

Birth Preferences Plan of

Retsa

Estimated Due Date : 6 August 2011

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Doctor : Dr Ravi Chandran Paeditrician: Dr Adrian Goh

#1 Labour

Birth Companion:

From non-hospital side: My husband only (or 1 alt. person if my husband not able to make it)
From hospital side: no medical student pls. Nurses: not too many.

Movements:

Freedom to move/walk around during labour – no continuous IV fluid etc strap to arm unless medically necessary.

Discomfort Management/Relief:

· Would like to rely on breathing/relaxing techniques & walking/changing body position as much as possible.
· Medical options such as gas, pethidine, epidural* (walking preferred) to be given when requested.

*please inform us when is the final moment of being allowed to receive the epidural

Hydration/Food:

· Drinking fluids (water, juice, tea etc) rather than having IV – unless medically necessary.

· Light snacks allowed

#2 – Delivery

Episiotomy: To be performed only if necessary.
Cutting the Umbilical Cord: cord to be clamped until pulsation has been ceased.
Immediate skin to contact btw mum & baby right after delivery.
Begin breastfeeding immediately if possible, if not within the hour.

#3 –After delivery

Breastfeeding only – no bottles or pacifiers
If formula milk is needed (due to lack of breastmilk etc), mum’s consent is needed.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

AA & CK – 13 July 2011

:) Wish us luck, Hope everything goes well!

Baby at 33 Weeks 5 days

2011-06-23T17:21:00.001+08:00

Thursday, I had my bi-weekly check up with my gyne, baby, you have gained a healthy 300g, & now at 2.3 kg. Your head is still down there and still actively moving (Good boy!). Saw your familiar face this time even more hidden by your hand, I've gained 1 kg in 2 weeks! (wow that's fast). Some blood & cervical cell samples taken to be sent to Lab to make sure Mum is healthy (Result will come out next week). And pre-registered for delivery as well in the hospital, to make sure when the D-day happens, no more admin stuff to be done.
At home, mum experienced a bit of hand swelling/stiffness in the recent mornings but it goes away quickly once shaken (water retention is the cause), legs also feel heavier with the water retention, and feet expand more but I still use my usual shoes, just bring sandals to wear when sitting in the office :). Ow and when baby shakes his head or moves his hands down there, tickles me to pee right away :)
All in all, I have no serious pain, I still get enough sleep (but I've become so easily sleepy esp after lunch), and when I think of my baby & my husband being on my sides, I just feel so blessed :)

Breastfeeding Class

2011-06-22T17:37:00.029+08:00

We went for a one-hour private breastfeeding class in our hospital. It is part of the Parentcraft (parenting) class programme that the hospital holds (RM 180 for 3 sessions covering diet, delivery process, medical choices, newborn healthness, and static exercises + labour breathing techniques (they teach Lamaze).

However the breastfeeding session is actually also free for any couple that go to Gleneagles for obygin checkup (as long as your doctor's clinic register you to them i think, even if u dont take the parentcraft class). The lactation specialist lady also said if later on we have any problem, we can come to her to discuss /consult with her & ha, it's free also :)

The hospital does not advertise much about being a breastfeeding-friendly hospital, but I find this is such an important move & good example to follow.

on Raising a child

2011-06-15T17:09:00.000+08:00

As the due date gets nearer, I realized I have only read pregnancy articles or books. So I began looking for books on raising babies/parenting (yes, being book nerd that i am :) ). Many of the books are similar, in a sense that they will give outline on baby's growth benchmark, nutrition, healthcare, babycare etc. Not to say that these are not important, but one book that strikes me as touching a different topic is pictured above.

Brain Rules for Baby explains & dissects on what are the important factors that contribute to a smart and happy child. And no, it's not about reading him books, playing piano tunes to his ears, or giving him/mother enough vitamin supplements, but he emphasised on the fact that smart & happy can only be one package & must be grown together. I cannot agree more to this.

I've read 1/3 of the book so far & he has touched on the importance of a healty pregnancy (physically & mentally) and happy bonding of the 2 parents. As he quoted novelist James Baldwin "Children have never been good at listening to their parents, but they have never failed to imitate them".

To take a peek on what he talks about in his book, u can try his online quiz. I failed miserably at 25% when responding to hiz quiz. So much that i don't know about parenting :)

The book is written by John Medina, who is also a neuroscientist, so he backs up his points by a lot of couples/babies/parenting studies, but still present the ideas in an easy-to-read manner.

31 weeks 5 days

2011-06-10T11:55:00.004+08:00

view full image

Think his nose & his lips are like my husband's :)

His first baby stuff

2011-06-05T13:42:00.003+08:00

These 2 little story books are the first things I bought for the little B. I bought it when I was abt 3 months preggie. I've read here and there that it is good to get the baby familiarized with his mum's voice while still in the womb. My gyne said that he can hear pretty clearly starting 24 weeks,
So I've started to rattle stories to him. First ones was in english based on these 2 books. One was short stories on Winnie the Pooh & the other one was little rhyming poems abt Dr Seuss. Then I realized, I had different tones when reading english & indonesian stories. Since I want my baby to first understand his mother language, I began reading some indonesian 'dongeng'/tales found from the internet. Then since sometimes it takes more time to find reading materials, I changed to 3rd method, I just rattle about anything, what I had gone thru the days etc :) - though sometimes I get so tired after work :( .

I also sing 1-2 songs, hopefully he gets familiar with these 2 songs (I promise I will sing them more routinely as the delivery approaches) so that when he cries incosolably, I can sing these songs to calm him down as he will be used to it already :)

In the meantime, I'm now on 30 weeks & I can feel his kicks & turns more pronouncably on my stomach. Even when I run my tummy with my hands, I can sometimes feel some area more hardened, I guess that's either his knuckles or head :) Stay good inside Babe, we'll see you in about 2 months :)

Coming soon to the K family

2011-05-22T16:17:00.002+08:00

Am on my 7 months of pregnancy now, and by now it really shows thru my tummy :). How the 7 months have passed quickly. Here are some pregnancy memory snapshots off my head:

* Nov 2010 end, discovered pregnancy few days after we came back from our Seoul trip. I was bleeding only a bit on what was supposed to be the start of my M-cycle but it just didnt flow like a natural one so I bought a testpack one afternoon in a pharmacy across my office. Oh joy, it's positive & let hubby know immediately:)
* I called my gyne to set up an appointment & they gave me a fast slot due to the light bleeding (He usually has a full schedule for hist next 2 weeks already). I was supported by progesterone hormone pills (and weekly shots for the first 8 weeks) to make sure the womb n placenta attachment was stronger.
* My first trimester was bumpy with notable morning sickness, so much so I was admitted to hospital for dehydration & anti emetic shots to help eliminate the vomitting, the medical term for this sickness is called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Miraculously and thank God the morning sickness disappeared by week 18, which was early February.
* The doctor could tell the baby sex as early as week 14, it was later confirmed by some test as well, and it's a boy! :)
* Week 17, the doctor took blood test to check on down syndrome probability. Further test was needed & we took the amniocentesis test, where the doctor drew amniotic fluid thru the tummy wall with a syringe, thank goodness the result was OK.
* I started feeling the baby movt (more like gas) on week 18 but my husband could feel the initial movt on week 22.
* The tummy grew rapidly on month 5. Suddenly I looked pregnant :)
* Along with the tummy growth, I was attacked by itchiness & rashes on my body trunk, that then spread to my limbs, then knuckles and fingers. So itchy, I couldnt have a good sleep at nights. Went to a skin doctor too, who said it looked like some form of eczema. but thank goodness after 6 weeks (end of Month 6) this died down & I sleep better. After some online reading, this could be it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PUPPS Oh the secrets of pregnancy that noone told me before :)
* And another surprise was the colostrum that started coming out as early as week 16 I think, (at first I thought it was just water trapped after i took shower), then it starts oozing & dripping & still happening until now. Wow, how the body changes & prepares its own, it's amazing!
* The first baby stuff I bought was a diaper bag (that could be used for a laptop bag) messenger-bag style from an Indonesian online store.
* The first maternity stuff I bought was a belly belt extension, so I could keep wearing my normal pants but just with an elastic extension to button my pants.
* Major baby stuff buying was as early as Month 7 starts, thanks to a local baby fair in a mall. I took a day off from office so I could visit it on the first opening day, good move! Had to fight my way against strollers & mummies carrying babies :) . Felt quite overwhelmed with the so many baby products available. Settled on babies clothes (in addition to my mum's major buys in Indo), wooden baby cot set, moses basket (a bargain at rm 100 ;) ), maternity pillow, toys, some baby bottles & warmer, cloth diapers.... but could not decide yet on stroller & breast pump. So many varieties & it was becoming overwhelming. Still have time to buy these later :)
* Started talking to Baby as he apparently has developed enough hearing ability since week 24, to make sure he will recognize his mummy's voice easily when he comes out later :). Had to peek into the internet to remember children lullaby lyrics, read story books, otherwise i just talk about anything.
* Hubby and me have not agreed on a name yet, though we have a few choices already :)

Now, 2.5 more months to go to welcome our son. Hoping for a normal delivery, able to go thru the labour pain and be able to breastfeed my newborn. Mummy & Daddy can't wait to see you!

Flashback to 2010

2011-04-04T09:38:00.002+08:00

Yes, I know it's a bit late now to post all things related to 2010, but I've been meaning to do this before I post anything in 2011. 2010 was an exciting year for me & CK, as we travelled to lots of new places, nearby & some a little bit further. Thus, pictures for the memory lane it is!

**Spoiler Warning: Long Scroll Ahead**

2010 Jan: Singapore Trip on my Birthday
We took the Aerobus KL-SG, just in 3.5 hours to go down to SG, visit my bro, meet CK's parents&sister, and this happened on my birthday. We celebrated by watching Songs of the Sea in Sentosa, a lighting & musical show.

2010 Feb: Trip to Cherating during Chinese New Year:
This is on the northern beach side of Malaysia, so far the most memorable place I've been in Malaysia: The long stretch of white sands beach, the one day forest hike we went with 7 layers of waterfall, the night river ride to see fireflies.. magical... and the nicest old coffeeshop!

2010 Feb: Putrajaya Air Balloon Show:
We went on a saturday morning, this administrative town of M'sia, just 45mins from our place, was the place for an international air baloon festival:

2010 March: HongKong Trip with Iv & Ch:
Iv was having her office training there, and 2 of us jumped into the wagon & joined her. A city of old & new concrete jungle, fantastic view from the Peak, Disneyland, Sea World, Shoppings & eat & eat...

2010 May: Mum dropped by to KL:
Following my quick trip to Jkt (family reunion as usual), my mum tagged along on my way back to KL.
We visited Genting Highland.

2010 July: Taman Negara Weekend Trip:
This protected forest area is located in Pahang State. Another memorable trip into the forest, this time with long boat trips along the cooling river & a tree top canopy walk which made some of the younger ones of us loose the chill!

2010 July: Hong Kong & Macau Trip:
I was fortunate to visit Hong Kong again, due to an office training, and I used the weekend to visit the nearby Macau Island, just 45 mins by fast ferry.

2010 August: 2 Weeks Thailand Trip:
This was the longest holiday we had in the year & we really enjoyed ourselves. The first week of the trip, we took our parents along... Bangkok & ChiangMai with them: Palace & pagoda sightseeing, nightmarkets, day trip to old ruin city of Ayuthaya, elephant riding, thai cooking class... Hmmm... so much to do in Thailand.

Then.. the 2nd week, just me & CK, off to Koh Samui & its nearby smaller *heaven* islands, followed by a bonus trip to the quiet laidback - equally beatiful - Krabi. I can say that I will never get tired of beaches & I love Thailand because of this. "Amazing Thailand" - I agree to this tag!

2010 October: KL ATV Trip in Bukit Tabur
Only 2 words: Fun & Dangerous!

2010 November: Club Med Cherating:
A Friday+weekend trip with CK's office to close one of his project. The hotel provided so many activities for us to choose from: Trapezium (only for those who have not drank beer for tea break :) ), sailing, beach volleyball, archery, lazing around, waterpolo, watergym, yoga, night circus show, dancing till midnight, and free flow of breakfast, lunch, and dinner... hmmm.... what a nice rewarding break, for me too, I had the toughest long working hours in Oct & Nov, but so glad my project signed off & I could join CK for this trip :).

2010 November: Seoul Trip:
It was early winter in Korea & Air Asia just opened KL-Seoul flight. We went there with bargained-price tickets & found an interesting culture, beautiful sightseeing, and the first snow in Seoul on our last night :)

Hmm... little did we know that I was about 3 weeks pregnant on this trip :) !

It was the nicest surprise that welcomed us back when we reached KL :)

2010 December: Batam & Jakarta Family Visit
To close the year, what better way than to spend it with family. We spent Christmas in Batam with CK family & kins, then short 2.5 days trip to Jkt to catch up with my fam. We spent the Year End in KL... me & my morning/night sickness to mark the year end closing... but nothing compared to the happiness all along the year :)

Summary of the year:
Looking back, I can only say that 2010 was a great year & feel so blessed that we had the chance to spend our times together where we are now & these breaks in between... Not that spending it all in one place would be less blessed, but it was just the way we decided to spend the year...
It will also be the last year we spent just as a couple in our 'small' little family, I cant wait to feel the new experience in 2011, with the additional responsibility we are being given :)

Books Geek

2010-05-09T21:41:00.000+08:00

Can't resist the smells of paperback... I think my idea of relaxing (other than getting a good javanese massage with the lovely oil scent) is being in a bookshop, choosing 2 or 3 favourite books, & sit in a quiet coffeeshop at the corner of the bookshop to start savouring the books, with a cup of delicious hot mocha coffee.
Today I bought 3 new books:
1. Ramayana (supposedly written in child-friendly style, aha!). I've tried reading Mahabharata when I was in primary school, but I gave up, even just remembering the names made me dizzy already. So hopefully, this time I can read and understand one of the great legends left by our ancestors...
2. Traveler's Wife Tale: amazing love story, it seems. I feel like I need to hear one these days :)
3. A Collosal Failure of Common Sense: Someone said one can learn a lot of things from this book. Hopefully it gets me something, in my attempt to try to understand the essence of the finance industry :)

The fourth book in the picture is a book I'm currently reading, "Lords of Finance". Purpose: Same as point 3 above :). Looking back at history.

ps: Have added some accessories shopping to the pic: a silvery simple necklace and a black headband with oversized glittery "manik-manik" ribbon - both from Vincci Accessories. Another thing I can't resist buying these days :)

Hope your weekend was great, because mine was :)

Everything you do, I do it with heels!

2010-05-08T21:33:00.002+08:00

I love and love this movie! Hilarious, it's been sometimes I watch a movie with excellent dialogue (Last time was "Juno") & Tina Fey was awesome! Brilliant comedian. . The story is about a married couple, with some years of marriage & kids... In an attempt to keep the 'spark' of their marriage alive & kicking, the pair went for a nice dinner date downtown, but something unexpected happened... and the movie is about what happened in that one night!

It's one of those movies with so many punch lines, that make you laugh out of your seat with repeat. Everybody in the cinema cracked with hearty laughter so many times. Not to mention, that the storyline combined, action, romance, and comedy at the same time. There are many movies that successfuly combine 2 of these 3 elements together, but all 3 & come out victorious? Hmmm.... I dont recall any actually.

And you know the last part of the movie, where the list of actors & movie crew starts to roll up & people start to leave the room to avoid the exit jam? Well, for this movie, nobody in the audience actually got up! we were just sitting there, content with big grins on our face till the end of the actors list (We were nicely awareded by behind-the-scenes laughter-breaking cut-outs :) )

Most memorables lines from the Movie:

- Honey, everything you do, I do it .... with HEELS!

- If I were to do it (the marriage) all over again, I would always always choose you - EVERYTIME

PS: Screenplay was written by Josh Klausner, who also wrote Shrek 3 & Shrek Forever After. He was also 2nd Unit Director for Shallow Hall, and Me, Myself & Irene. Director is Shawn Levy (Nights at the Museum).

A personal update

2010-04-25T12:22:00.001+08:00

CK has sailed away for work and will be in the sea for 2 months or so (I hope it's faster than that).
So here I am, all by myself again, zoomed into an apartment somewhere down in a city. This situation feels like a deja-vu of where I was 1 year ago :), only now, somehow I feel a little bit 'more-secure', I guess knowing the trip is just for a shorter period (by our standard) & we will be soon reunited again to normality, really help. When I was still in Jkt & he was somewhere out there, we did not know until when it would be like that. Thankfully it only lasted for 1.5 years.

Well, our past arrangement in Jkt had made me think of new activities to occupy my time, and that's how I ended up taking SLR lessons :).
Now, I am thinking to take one the asian language courses... have not decided yet, would it be chinese, or japanese? But then again, I'm not sure I can force myself for classes, as I've been feeling my energy has just been drained too much for work. Anyway, none of the classes in YMCA that I'm eyeing have an opening this or last week.

So here I am, on a Sunday, bumming around . Thankfully yesterday was a fun-filled day with a friend, shopping and exchangies stories over brunch & late lunch. But I do hope next weekends, I will have more fruitful days.

ps: Image taken by me on a memorable trip to Ujung Genteng 2008 September.

Pretty Glove Not

2010-04-18T12:42:00.001+08:00

I don't know what you call the pretty craft below, but I've always loved french lace, especially those that get transformed into a modern kebaya. Classic at its best, yet contemporary.
Little beautiful things spark up my life.

This is hand-sawn by Denis of La Camelot. Link from Simply Hue

Don't you think they will look really beautiful with a short-sleeved kebaya or during a ring-exchange ceremony!

Back from Hong Kong

2010-04-05T22:45:00.001+08:00

What a bliss to be able to take a break & go on holidays. Thanks to a friend who got sent over for training & very detailed research of another friend, we had a 5 nights-6 days complete sightseeing, wallet-emptying (Shopping!), and belly-satisfying trip in sometimes-sunny-sometimes-freezing-cold of Hong Kong. Would like to post a longer article on this, but for now, this picture will do. I love buzzling cities, full of people and energy!

Taken from upper deck of the Hong Kong Tram, from Causeway Bay to Central (above)
And view of a smaller street, at Central (below)

View of Hong Kong skyscrapers from the Peak (2 below)

Up in the Air

2010-03-20T18:25:00.000+08:00

This morning we woke up early, even earlier compared to weekdays, for a 1/2 hour ride to Putrajaya, the Malaysia's administrative capital. So glad that we made it ontime for the rising of the balloons & their passage above the lake. I was waiting to capture them with the shadows in the water :)

The festival is annual & will finish tomorrow. Pls visit http://www.myballoonfiesta.com/ for more details.

The dream-walker

2010-03-13T08:29:00.003+08:00

Have you ever wished that the clock would stop ticking for some second? Well, as hard as I wished, I know it wouldnt happen. I wake up with exactly the same beat in my head as yesterday & not a tad slower! Well, I guess even in our dreams, we walk, we dance, and we also run... Hope everyone is recharging this weekend!

(Stop-Motion Video by Oren Lavie - Her Morning Elegance, made of exactly 2096 still shots!)

An image for the weekend

2010-02-27T15:50:00.001+08:00

There's been some really hot domestic issues back home on the Century case. I am not a fan of politics or going to talk about politics here. Although media/newspaper/tv in Indonesia can be considered free-press style, I've witnessed recently that their views or coverage stories may be geared towards a certain side, possibly giving the wrong understanding or incomplete picture to the public, instead of educating. How then can we trust the the report, as far as objectivity is concerned? Anyhow... I do not follow this particular issue closely, but I do believe in the professionalism of our MoF and I do hope she remains at her post. Too many good things she has done to this country and should continue to do.
For now, I prefer to treat myself with excellent pictures taken by the photo-journalists. Here's one to enjoy the weekend:

Lomography Loves Indonesia Expo - 26Feb10 Grand Indonesia - Photo by KOMPAS/Kristianto Purnomo

Happy tiger year!

2010-02-22T22:30:00.001+08:00

Paper lampions on bamboo poles at the Curve

Bukit Tabur (East)

2010-02-21T11:46:00.003+08:00

(Photo originally uploaded by Munkeat Photography)

A place to go one of these weekends:
Bukit Tabur or the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge is located at Taman Melawati, north of KL. After 3 hours of hiking & rock-climbing, you will be able to see a sight just like above.
Helpful links
1. How to go there: http://www.backpackingmalaysia.com/stories/hiking-at-bukit-tabur (good links at the bottom)
2. Pics along the trail : http://www.jamiesoon.com/bukittabur.htm
3. How to go down the ropes/treacherous areas : Thetrekkers.blogspot.com
4. Facebook group TheTrekkers has updated images of the place & may just be able to get fellow hikers to go with the same timing.

Safety first though: good traction shoes, gloves, water, comfortable pants.

Cherating

2010-02-20T18:18:00.001+08:00

What to do in a long weekend:
1. Recharge at a sunny Cherating beach, sipping fresh coconut: Done
2. Forest tracking along 7 layers of Waterfall, following tapir trail: Done
3. Quiet gliding along the dark Yak Yah river for countless fireflies watching: Done

PS: Would I do this all over again? 100% Yes :) (as Randy Jackson would say it)

Yee Sang - Chinese New Year Salad

2010-02-01T17:27:00.001+08:00

At a pot-luck event in the office, I was introduced to a chinese-thai type of salad, called Yee Sang.
It has the most rich and various flavours all combined into 1 dish. Looked up for the recipe & found it here.
I dont think the ingredients are easy to find, but I shall note it here, in fear I forget soon the name of this wonderful dish.

ps: This dish is usually served to mark the Chinese New Year festivities & symbolize long health and prosperity, similar to the chinese long noodles served on birthdays.
*image from HelenGu.blogspot.com

The evolution of Books (Another musing on reading)

2010-01-31T17:21:00.001+08:00

Shortly after Amazon came up with their portable eBook reader "Kindle" in Nov 2007, Steve Jobs was quoted saying:
"It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore... The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don't read anymore.". He also stated that in the previous year, 40% of americans read books only once or less a year.

In a recent interview with Malaysia OUM (Open University), Mahathir, an ever-interesting Asian leader of these decades, was asked about his opinon on reading:
"Reading also improves your perception of things and trains you to analyse and understand complex matters. The more you read, the more you acquire the experience of others albeit through the eyes of a skillful observer. Even if you are reading a story book, your ability to solve problems increases because you have, at least read about it."
"To encourage lifelong learning, you must instil a reading culture. Lifelong learning starts with reading, and can become a habit, just like reading."
I'm a firm believer in life learning experiences thru reading, whether it's a simple book, comedy, drama, novel, travelogue, history, even comics! Reading opens windows to different mindsets, different cultures, different journeys, and all that can be simply 'operated' from a lazy sofa in your own home, on a sunbed besides a cosy swimming pool, or while waiting for your name to be called at the doctor's.
I surely hope this wonderful learning experience will continue to be passed on, no matter how the media will evolve (from manuscript, to paperback, to Kindler & then to iPad :) ).

ps: Gizmodo was right, Jobs, shaker of the Pop Culture evolution, was indeed cooking something better than Kindle at that time :). Hail to the new iPad :) - just announced 3 days ago - 27 Jan 2009.

Namul in the Banchans

2010-01-30T12:11:00.001+08:00

Since C has a Korean working colleague, he starts introducing me to Korean Restaurants. I have not been really familiar with korean cuisine, except Bulgogi (in Pasaraya BlokM that i keep coming and coming again) & Bimbimbap (My favourite used to be in T2 Cengkareng, but i think they are not there anymore).
After a few resto tries here, I've become quite fond of some of their vegetables side dishes. Korean restos serve mini side dishes "Banchan" while we wait for our main course, in tiny little plates, that remind me of Padang style food serving :).
The variety includes their famous vinegar-and-chilli-fermented cabbage - Kimchi - which unfortunately I still dont like :) They also serve sweet mashed potato, softened peanuts, cucumber slices, but my favourites are their fresh boiled vegetables:
- Spinach Namul (Sigumchi Namul)
- Asparagus Namul
- Bean Sprouts Namul (Sukju Namul or kongnamul muchim)
I've been a lazy snail in cooking, but if i were to cook vege-s soon, I think I will try the above recipes. They seem so simple to make isnt it.

*pic taken from worldfoodguide.com

10 Random Things on KL

2010-01-24T22:23:00.002+08:00

Inspired by this posting, a faithful indonesian blogger who constantly blogs on things related to Japan only, here are 10 random things about KL:

1. KL's air is pretty unpolluted (esp. compared to Jkt). It is easy to get the light blue clear color of the sky here, except during the dry season when forest fire smokes fly from Sumatra. Around the vicinity of the city, it is easy to see greens & forests. In fact, from Carrefour shopping center, which is just 5 mins drive from my place, the view from the gate is limestone hills covered by dense tropical forest.

2. KL itself is actually a small area. The hustle bustle happens much in its surrounding area, more popularly called the Klang Valley, consisting of districts like PJ (Petaling Jaya); Subang; Shah Alam... This would be something like Bekasi or Cikarang or BSD, but much more integrated to the city center & same level of infrastructure. Malaysia's manufacturing industries, residential areas of people who work in KL, hyper-sized malls are spread out in this area.

3. KL & the country has an excellent road infrastructure standard. Highways are all of the same quality in all parts of Malaysia, with well manicured trees along the road & lightings are excellent.

4. I do still get confused of some Malay words, which sometimes just make me smile. eg: Toko Hiasan Dalam: I've thought this is a lingerie shop, but actually means interior design office. A building with signboard on its roof writeen "Ibu Pejabat Kepolisian": thought this was a building where all the wifes of the policemen gather for meeting (macam Dharma Wanita). Actually Ibu means "Main", pejabat means "office". ie. Main Headquarter of the Police.

5. I am very pleased with the existence of the LRT (mrt-like) network, which i can take btw office & home, rather than going thru the packed roads by car (+nightmare in finding carpark space). It's clean, cold, and they are expanding the wagons from 2 to 4, yippee! Plus, they stop right in front of my condo & in front of my office, so it's very very convenient for me :).

6. Malaysia has received about 25millions of visitors last year, whereas Indo has made it to barely 6 millions. I can name you so many wonderful places in Indonesia & so much more beautiful & captivating (and i do mean this objectively)..., lots of them still untouched by international mass-tourism, especially the beaches that I so love.... from Pulau Weh, Belitung, Ujung Genteng, beaches past Wonosari, Amed in Bali, Gili Islands, Raja Ampat, Derawan, Wakatobi.... In brief, they are countless. But what a contrast, in terms of numbers of visitors, isnt'it? Even if let's say i cut the number of visitors by 1/2 because 50% of them are Singaporeans, which I presume most of them go to Malaysia to see their relatives or just short educational school trips, it still leaves the number at 12 mio, 2x than my country's visitors :(. It does show something though, that Malaysia tourism campaign & tourism management has been successful. Also, the feeling of personal security and ease in finding places is also an important factor for a tourist when visiting a country i guess.

7. The other thing about Malaysia that makes it a favourite place for tourists to hop to, is it is the homebase of AirAsia air carriers. Its location is perfect for connecting flights to other gems of South East Asia: Thailand; Cambodia; Burma; Vietnam; even Aceh/Sabang is nearer from here than from Jkt

8. While KL is located west of Jkt, it is geographically-illogically following a later time zone than Jakarta!. It follows the timing zone of Sabah/Sarawak, which is GMT+8. As a result, i feel hours in KL are a bit out of sync with the sun's position. Eg. When it's 6.00 pm it is still pitch dark like 5.00 am. Only at 7.10 the sun rises. 7pm is the time when the sun is just about to start... so the night gets dark pretty late, and before u know it, it's already time to sleep :)

9. People dress more casually & practical here in malls, compared to Jakarta. Most women/girls wear flat shoes & casual clothes, even in upmarket malls. while in jkt, going to the malls make u feel glamorous, just by looking at the nicely dressed girls with their high heels & made-up hair. Ooo, I do actually miss those nice sights :) (not that i am one of them, but i got to say that nicely dressed ladies are pretty sights to your eyes & do inspire me to try to dress more tidy :) ).

10. I have found some good local foods here, but sadly they are not very healthy & most of them lack the vegetable ingredient: Bak Kut Teh (braised pork in soya sauce soup); Crab in butter sauce; Prawn in salted egg; asam laksa; fried kwey tiau, oyster omellete; nasi lemak (even the name is sinful already); roti prata with mutton curry.... they are yummy, but no wonder my cholesterol level has gone up this year!

always good to stop for a while n smell the flowers around...

2010-01-23T21:03:00.000+08:00

Happy Weekend everyone :)

(photo print from Danielle Thompson's Etsy)

JavaJazz 5-7 Mar 2010

2010-01-08T08:57:00.000+08:00

Aaauww... they got a fabulous listing of artists..

David Sanborn, John Legend, Al Jarreau, Dave Koz, Special EFX, Manhattan Transfer, Anggun...

I wanna go :)

Uyah Amed

2009-12-20T20:45:00.001+08:00

One the places we went in Bali last month, was Pantai Amed. This is located on the north-east shore of Bali.
The sand is volcanic black & the land view is the majestic mount Agung & its two sisters mountain.
It is much much quieter than Ubud or Kuta. Yet, there were many cottages & simple hotels all along the shore. Most of those who gather here are those looking for serenity or, like us, seek for the beauty of under-water. We stayed in the first hotel along the shore, called Uyah Amed. Uyah, in balinese, means salt.
The location had a great view of the triplet mountains of Mount Agung & its 2 smaller sisters. However, what was more interesting & eye-opening to me was the life of the traditional salt farmers all around the beach. I had awaken at 5.45am to hunt for the sunrise, and took a stroll along the beach... what was different of this place compared to any other balinese beaches (or any other in Indonesia) I've stepped on, was these salt farmers walking up and down the slopy shore, scooping fresh water with tin fan-shaped buckets from the sea, carrying them over on their shoulders for about 50m up to the land & before throwing them on the soil-bed and raking them to sun-dry thru-out the next few days. The bucket loads weight easily at least 50kgs... and I think they did at least 50 trips in & out of the water. . Their foot trail were embedded deep into the rocky black sand. Many of them were women (I know the men are not sleeping.. I saw them the night before, sailing to the sea, to hunt for fish). As you and I know, salt is not expensive, but yet their efforts are so abundant. I will leave the pictures to speak for itself...

Life of Pi

2009-12-18T09:11:00.000+08:00

You know it's a good book if u can't stop wanting to read it (I felt it with this one)

I always thought this is a story involving serious philosophy about life, due to the word "Pi" (3.14) in its title.

Actually it's a fantasy robinson-crue kind of story. More like Tom Hanks in "Castaway"

I thought this novel would make a good movie, but I felt it would be almost impossible to find a very good child actor to play the main solitary role. Moreover most of the scene will have to be focused on a small lifeboat with sea backdrop. I'm not sure this would be visually appealing cinematically.

Then i found out Ang Lee has already secured the right to produce this as a movie

Most famous cover of this book is the one on the left below, but the one i bought is as per the right image.

The ending has an interesting twist. It made me felt that a storyteller could tell us many versions of a story, but how would u know which one is the correct one? One also needs to follow his heart to believe what he believes. I guess the ending somehow relates to the beginning which talked about the different faiths men have.

4 new books to my wishlist

2009-12-13T21:53:00.005+08:00

One of my top-ranked favourite smells is the fragrance of new paperback fiction books stacked together. The more there are, the stronger the smell lingers in my senses... It just evokes me of imagination, travelling mind, and unfolding stories... Browsing thru racks of them on a recent bookshop visit, these are my most recent book-wishlist:

1. Life on the Refrigerator's Door (Alice Kuipers): quote from amazon.com: "Beautifully told through notes left on their kitchen fridge, this is an intimate portrait of the relationship between a hard-working mother and her teenage daughter."

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson): A crime-fiction thriller from a Scandinavian writer, first of a trilogy. The writer is deceased, shortly after delivering the 3 manuscripts in 2004.

3. Stern Men (Elizabeth Gilbert): Fell in love with her book "Eat, Love, and Pray". Would love to read this other book of hers, about a woman and 2 lobstermen,

4. The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger): Now being made into a movie, the story reminds me of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" involving a guy with an age-reversal genetics abnormality...

But for now, am happily reading "Life of Pi" --- hard to put it down :) will share more once i finish the book :)

words in the Advent Calendar

2009-12-13T21:18:00.004+08:00

Quoted from the sermon today "Some people make a preparation 2 weeks beforehand for a holiday... How about preparation for life after eternity? How much does it take?"

DIY Crafts

2009-11-27T15:12:00.004+08:00

Recently, I've come across several DIY (Do It Yourself) projects that yield to beautiful hand-made craft, and this can be made by you, yourself. Here are some of my faves today:

- Fabric Garland by Dolcie Odille
- Anna's paper penant lighted garlant
- Paper Silhouette from Craftynest
- Kat's family photos project

wise words

2009-11-25T17:28:00.005+08:00

In my most recent holiday (that just ended today), I came across a small wooden signboard while driving along the Bali north coast road. Its carved words glued on my mind:
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Some googling done & it turns up this is a famous phrase originated from the late Abe Lincoln. I love this quote. It reminds us to make use of our precious time wisely and beautifully, to live each day meaningfully and to be always thankful for the guiding force from above that blesses our everydays :)

PS: Picture taken is the "Bunga Desember" or flower that only blooms once a year in Dec ("Blood Lily"). My mum grows some in her few precious pots & this morning they bloomed a bit faster (being November) but just in time when I was visiting. If a flower that cannot talk nor walk knows when to bloom & follow the annual cycle (almost) truthfully, how a human's life should even bloom more beautifully...

Have a good day everyone!

Missing Bakso

2009-09-12T09:42:00.005+08:00

Yesterday, a friendly colleague took me out for Lunch in Chinatown, after hearing I'm missing Bakso/the Indonesian meat ball soup. Coincidentally she had planned to go there with her friend for a 'beef noodle' lunch. Turned up that they have Bakso as well in this part of the country, yay!

Verdict? It tastes different than the one back home, & aside from the meat balls, they also added slices of beef meats & tripes/offals (I initially thought that this was the cow's inside skin, but actually it's the lining of their stomach) and some sort of thick saucy paste (minced beef & chilli?) which completed the flavour of the soup. I like it very much.

Another blog has a review on it, click here if interested :). And my favourite foodblog eatingasia has it as well :)

Here, eating noodles is slightly more complicated than back home, where u usually only have to choose either to go with mi kuning (yellow noodles) or bihun (Vermicelli). I guess being closer to the country origin of noodles, ie. China, made people here have more varieties of noodle to offer. I still have to remember the different chinese names for the types of noodles, so I can order properly next time (usually these old stalls's servants dont speak english). Currently, this is what I've gathered:

- loh shue fun (rat tail noodle)

- hor fun (thick flat rice noodle)

- bee hoon

- yellow noodle (sang meen)

- Pan Meen (board noodles) <-- This is special dish, usually served with minced pork & ikan bilis (ikan teri!)

You also have a choice to eat your bakso soupy or dry, unlike our bakso which is always eaten soupy :)

Note: Picture taken from http://kampungboycitygal.blogspot.com/2006/06/shin-kee-beef-noodles-specialist.html

Afternoon Stroll at Pasar Kramat

2009-09-06T20:16:00.003+08:00

One of our most frequent groceries shopping spot is the nearby Kramat Wet Market. Being a 'city' girl, I do most of my shopping in hypermarkets like Carrefour, Tesco, Jusco or Cold Storage. Sadly however, I've not been able to find fresher meats compared to those sold in Kramat Wet Market. The quality of meat, beef especially, in the hypermarkets are 80% horrendous.
Anyway, this afternoon, we dropped by to Kramat Wet Market, where in place of its open-air parking space, tents selling foods for 'buka puasa' were buzzling with people, sellers & buyers, mixed together. I love lively atmosphere like this, where people mingle actively, yet still in a peaceful manner. Lots of various things sold. We bought Roti John (bread in the form of baguette, but texture is same as hotdog sandwich bread, with thin layer of omelette spread in it plus mayo+ketchup), chendol ice (nothing beats Penang chendol), and local glutinous snacks.
One of the drink stalls was selling Chrysantemum Tea in plastic bags, as pictured above. Lovely isn't it, they actually had the flowers in it!

Tomaeto or Tomaa-to please?

2009-09-05T16:01:00.003+08:00

Not sure what's going on in this town. I've gone to 3 major hypermarkets here & 1 expat supermarket, and cannot find a single tomato juice in store!
Not sure whether it is banned here or they actually put this drink in some other section of the shops, like in the 'ketchups' section? But i had checked there as well to no avail.

There's only one more place to check, those japanese supermarkets, like Isetan.

Back Dorm Boys

2009-09-04T08:11:00.003+08:00

TGIF. It's Friday. This lightened my morning. Have a great weekend opener!

2009-08-31T20:06:00.006+08:00

I close my eyes.
I feel the soft wind breathing over my face.
I hear the waves breaking on the fine sands.
I hear the palm leaves battering against one another
I hear children playing over the pool,
and still with eyes closed under the cooling shades,
All I see is green of the grass, blue sky, and clear water.
My heart beats slower, my limbs feel relaxed. Just my idea of a perfect day.

Penang 30th August 2009, Afternoon at Batu Feringgi Beach, Holiday Inn Cafe.

ps: Who needs to go away a thousand miles for the most perfect place on earth, when perfect comfort is just nearby. I believe there's something beautiful everywhere you go & I'm glad I found my moment in Penang.

Phuket Bliss

2009-08-16T15:26:00.004+08:00

Finally! we went to Phuket, just a 4 days 3 night trip, but it was a refreshing (and much needed) holiday. Great things we did:
1. Snorkelling and swimming in the gorgeous blue turquoise waters of Ko Phi Phi Islands
2. Lazing around the picturesque Maya Bay
3. Sea-Canoeing thru the cave tunnels in Ao Phang Nga lagoons
4. Finding the bohemian secluded beach of Leam Singh.
5. Shopping in JungCeylon (too little time)
6. 1 hour thai massage, first time in my life. so invigorating!
7. Sunset at the windy PhromPaet Cape
8. Eating thai street food, meat satays!
9. Enjoying the friendliness and the smiles of the Thai people
10. Renting a car for a day and beach crusing all the west facing Phuket Beaches...
This trip to Phuket is our first, but not the last hopefully! I can almost hear its beauty calling us back for another trip :) We will be back :)

food galore

2009-08-01T11:41:00.003+08:00

Last night, after a surprisingly good day at my office - finally managed to complete my last report for the month without having to stay back late! - we went out for a late dinner (me & hubby).
We went to Changkat Bukit Bintang, and ate in The Social :)
A small eatery place, with a pool table upstairs, alongside other similar food&watering holes on the popular alley, esp among foreigners. I got to say this was the best food i ever tasted so far in KL. It's got a 'mat saleh' price, but they do ensure the taste levels up to the expected standard. Service was also great & we ate al fresco just on the side of the street, with the cool night breeze of KL. Hopefully will be back again!

There are other food spots I want to try...:
- Yong Tau Foo - Ampang Area. apparently it's the best in town.
- Pan Mee - Jln Burung Babarau , Taman Bukit Maluri, Kepong. My colleagues introduced me to various pan mee around office, and now i cant get enough of it :)
- Ma Maison - apparently serves good french resto (with free flow salad bar) + excellent service.
- GrooveJunction Sri Hartamas - for a jazzy ambience :)

Oh no wonder i've been growing to the sides :)

getting updated

2009-07-28T08:00:00.001+08:00

Kompas ePaper.com http://epaper.kompas.com/ had just a facelift! Actually, more of a skeleton lift. It's faster & easier to browse and read.
I still do browse this beloved indonesian paper once in a while, though I wish I had more regular time to do it. I love the various news coming from hometown, critics, economy, social life... It's more spicy & variant, compared to the news put up in the local newspaper here... sigh...

My Little Happy Perks Lately

2009-07-19T21:50:00.004+08:00

* Just came back from a SG Weekend Trip. It caused quite a major shopping spree & overhaul to my working clothes closet :)
* Meeting my brother in Bangkok 2 weekends ago & tasting the delicious fragrant pad thai and tom yum soup :)
* Sleeping over in an almost closing down hostel, old but clean and cosy :) I loved the backpacker's atmosphere esp during breakfast. It's just so laid back & really felt like a holiday.
* Went to Penang 3 weekends ago, and had asam laksa :) very nice! and walked around the old town & had a nice long swim in Batu Feringgi Beach (in a pool!) with a dear friend.
* Switching my foundation to MAC. It is Quality!
* Finally bought my Narcisso Rodriguez (for her), I think I also like his latest fragrance which came in a cold metal bottle, just like a whisky bottle.
* Having a nice meal in BlueJazz Cafe in Bali Lane SG, with Margarita to close the night :)
* My husband who is forever patient with me & does not sweat over little things.

Moving On

2009-07-19T21:32:00.003+08:00

On my last few days before I moved from Jkt to KL in May... I've thought hard on what things I would miss out of this city. On top of my list was:
- the easiness of getting pampered in comfortable & clean salons or massage parlours... I've had a couple of favourite places already, and not to mention the affordability.
- modern batik shirts and dresses. I loved window-shopping for this, esp in the last 1-2 years, the creativity has evolved so much & I love the rich motive & print put onto a youthful cut.
- all the various delicious food spots I've discovered in Jkt.
Only after a few weeks in KL, I discovered a weird feeling that caught me off-guard. I was missing Jkt in an unexpected way. At first, I didnt really know what, & in my mind I was browsing for all the possible things, but still... this feeling is not somehow related to a particular activity or matter... Only then, it dawned on me.. that I've actually missed the 'sense of belongining', the feeling of actually belonging to a City.
Yes, the fact that I've stayed in dear Jakarta for over 7 years & having the city as the witness of all the things I have gone thru in that timeframe, has probably made me somehow 'rooted' to this city. A feeling which I've never felt before in the various cities I've lived in prior to this.

Oh well, now that I know exactly what I missed, it's time for me to put the 'dot' and move on to another chapter. Life goes on.

25 Things About Me

2009-04-26T08:36:00.003+08:00

It's been sometimes I've blogged... Things have kept me occupied... more of this later... but for now I'll just post something I've meant to put since some times ago....:

25 things about me
I've been tagged by quite a few people on this in FB, but i will just write it here.. Maybe I'll take a look at myself in 10years time & rewrite this again & see how will i respond again :). Note: I must say these are pretty random things about me, but I did try to think of them in chronoligical manner.

1. I spend time on my blog mostly when my husband is not around. Yes, it's sort of an activity to pass time for me, but I do enjoy it & it's just sort of a mental note for myself primarily.

2. I am addicted to the Internet. I've been surfing the net heavily since 1996. I was studying in Singapore. To be able to surf at that time, I had to go to govt internet booth at city's center, a bit far from my hostel. I also worked as a part time internet booth clerk in Uni, so I had ample internet time as well.

3. Before the internet came, I already fell in love with computers since 3rd grade... my dad had the Apple II, the first consumer PC & it was so cool. I learnt fast typing from an apple game, destroying enemies by shooting fires from a spaceship by typing the right letters.

4. My hobby during primary school was reading. I learnt reading even before I went to kindergarden. When both my parents returned to Balikpapan from a Jakarta trip, I could already read & they were really surprised. That was because my Mum often read me books with simple words aloud & my Daddy wore a lot of Tshirts with simple big letters on it that I kept asking how to read them.

5. One of my favourite childhood books was the Trio Detektif Series. My fave character of the 3 kid-detectives was the one who loved reading & analyzing clues, and was part time librarian. I even dreamed of being a part-time librarian in my hometown library where i borrowed these books, but I moved out of the town too soon later.

6. I learnt roller-skating in Balikpapan thru a week-end club. I already learnt ice skating before that, so it was not tough, but I had another friend in the same complex who was really good at it, especially at her natural body balance. She is now a known girl surfer in the country. I guess some skills, you are born with it.

7. Talking about natural skills, I know I will nost stand a job which involves a lot of talking and meeting different people thruout >80% of my work time. It just tires me physically somehow...

8. I am very good at blind memorizing. I could memorize 40 essays, each had at least 3 folio pages of words, to prepare for my high school history exam in SG. And this really word by word. But I am very bad at remembering song lyrics or play music tools. I dont think i can even recite ONE full song with correct lyrics right now & I am blind with music notes. No feeling whatsoever when it comes to musical talent.

9. I chose civil engineering for my undergrad degree because when small i really liked playing LEGO, and that was about building houses & complex & I didnt want to do architecture cause it didnt involve as much maths/science as i wanted.

10. Towards graduation, i realized i preferred working in a desk-bound environment, and not so much going out of the office or even going out of the island where i was in (Java), so that led me after one step to another to Citi.
ps: i didnt think of moving out of the country as an option at that time..

11. I met my husband in college, but was just good friend with him at the time. It started with strings of eMails... after abt 2 years i havent heard of him.

12. We had this stupid joke during college that we should marry one another if after xx years (forgot the xx, maybe it was 5 or 10) if both of us have not gotten married yet. Turned up we didnt have to wait for that xx years to get married with one another.

13. I am not good at cooking, but i still try to cook. sometimes it works, at least just for my taste.

14. I had received 2 barbie-alike dolls as xmas present, & I found them in my bathtub at xmas eve. I really believed it was from Santa, as I was in Paris at that time and thought that Santa was really alive & went flying around in the Western part of the world. It was quite funny for my parents because thruout my xmases in Indonesia prior to that, I never had been fooled by Santa, as I didnt believe Santa could fly all the way from Europe/America to Asia!

15. I always loved water sports. I loved swimming when i was kid, then tasted canoeing, then i just discovered snorkeling last year & it was FUNtastic.

16. I was a silver medallist canoeist with my double partner in an open national championship in.. singapore (yes, i know so small population), but we were very happy and proud about it.

17. I just got promoted & I am quitting my current position this mid-year. I am very happy that I will quit with my level. My mentor told me once that I should not quit Citi before I reach this level and I didnt think I would reach it this soon.

18. I hope I get a job when I join my hubby in KL ** amin... **, but if not I have taken the risk anyway.

19. "You can't turn back time". That's what i believe & this is my motto in joining my hubby in KL. What I am doing it right now, I believe will lay a good strong foundation to a lasting relationship & our 'family'. ** amin... **

20. I just discovered a new hobby, and that is SLR photography. It's amazing how pictures can be delivered & there is a big unknown world in this territory. My dad & my brother already fell in love with it. It's probably in the gene.

21. I had lasik surgery for my 2 eyes 2 years ago. Now I dont wear glasses anymore, but in fact when I see, I feel like there are like slim halos around my eyerim, especially on the left. I think the sharpness is only in the center of the eyes. It's good enough for me to see, but that is why I dont encourage other people to take the surgery now. Wait for maybe 5 more years, the technology is developing very fast & will be much more accurate.

22. My parents call me plastic girl, because I fold my legs really close to my stomach when I'm on the dinner table chair & it's become a habit until now. I think it's my natural position when i was a foetus/in the womb, so I can't be blamed :)

23. I silently cried when i sold off my first car (alone offcourse). It kind of caught me off-guard that I had such a sentimental feeling for my Daihatsu Xenia. I guess it brought back all the memories when I travelled alone in the car from/to the office, accompanying me thruout my early career-life, preparing for my wedding (a lifetime commitment), and preparing for my new apt (my first investment). It really was a faithful car who never complained & was by my side all the time, in good or bad time.

24. I've put Sagrada Familia Barcelona as my personal number one place to visit before I die, but I've visited it in 2006. I was really pleased and a little bit shocked I already accomplished it so early in my life. Maybe I should have aimed higher? :)

25. I still have many dream places to go, but my top favourites ones would be:
- Karimun Jawa Island, Raja Ampat Papua, Belitung/Bangka Island. Yes they are all in Indonesia & i'm a white-sand turquoise-blue-sea beach lover.
- A second-round trip to Europe, including Berlin, Spain, Paris, with my husband and my SLR cam.

Note: This was written sometime in Feb 2009 I think... but I just saved it on my laptop.
Update #25: Have just crossed Belitung off my list, just visited it this month! Great Place & most awesome natural gigantic pool (aka, sea) to swim in to date...!

Wide Lens Wonder

2009-03-05T08:23:00.003+08:00

I've always been fascinated by wide lens pictures. Whether it's to shoot buildings, scenery or even person photography. I love the exageration effect it produces and makes you feel really close to the ground or the scene.
Here is a link to a good collection of them on DPS.
Note: Photo on the left taken by Wvs

Choices and Direction

2009-02-21T00:22:00.002+08:00

At the end of the day, it's what matters most to you that gives you direction.
Life is about choices, and i believe that will guide me.

I don't know yet what lies ahead, but I know this is one of the best decisions I've ever taken.

May His presence be with us...

The Waiving Man

2009-02-04T09:04:00.006+08:00

This photo of Bush & Obama walking in the White House is taken by AFP & found from quite an interesting article on Bush's most memorable pictures during his presidency tenure. Please pause a moment before continuing reading, and look at the picture again. What do you think is going on in the picture?

Excerpt from the article:
ERROL MORRIS (Interviewer): Yes. Why do you like the picture so much?
VINCENT AMALVY (Photo Editor of AFP): We don’t understand what is going on. Why does the shadow appear? I suppose it’s a shadow of somebody else beyond the corner. But the picture is only of two guys walking. It’s a profile of George Bush and Barack Obama. And he’s near the Rose Garden of the White House. And so in the back is a shadow of somebody who says, “Bye-bye.” And it is looking like a joke, but it is amazing.

My initial thought of the picture was that there must be some bodyguard behind them, trying to stop someone (presumably the surrounding press agents) to approach nearer... But as one of the article's readers' comment pointed out, it's actually Obama's shadow (you can see a little bit of his finger under Bush's cheek, that becomes part of his shadow). What intrigues me is that even the editor himself can miss the factual circumstance of a photograph. It just reminds me how perception of readers can be so much altered by a selection of photos put on a newspapers or even video shootage on the news.

Wise words from Seth Godin

2009-02-01T16:55:00.002+08:00

From the blog of a business guru:

What are you good at?
As you consider marketing yourself for your next gig, consider the difference between process and content.
- Content is domain knowledge. People you know or skills you've developed. Playing the piano or writing copy about furniture sales. A rolodex of movers in a given industry, or your ability to compute stress ratios in your head.Domain knowledge is important, but it's (often) easily learnable.
- Process, on the other hand, refers to the emotional intelligence skills you have about managing projects, visualizing success, persuading other people of your point of view, dealing with multiple priorities, etc. This stuff is insanely valuable and hard to learn.

While I don't really agree that Content is the easy one & Process is the hard part. (I think it can be well the opposite actually). I like the way he separates the attributes necessary to market yourself into the 2 sides. We always strive to achieve both.

Clearance Sale!

2009-02-01T16:23:00.004+08:00

I don't usually get goodies at Sale, that's why I don't usually go rushing for them, unless I really know I will find what I need. But yesterday, I decided to push for my little luck once more & went to Plaza Indo for a book sale. So as to prepare for a possible disappointment, I went there to also watch a movie (Bride Wars!), and I even had a back-up movie (Bank Jobs) in line.
However, when I stepped into Ak.'Sa.Ra and digged futher in the fiction section.... waw... books at idr 50,000 & 100,000... and then I still thought 'ah they must be selling only the ageing displayed books that noone wants to buy...'. But what do u know... I actually saw a few familiar writer names and they were in that 50,000 rack... This must be a lucky sale for me...

I got myself:
- Haruki Murakami "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman" - Collection of Short Stories. I've read his book on Norwegian Wood before & he does have a certain style: if it was a fabric, it would be soft delicate linen, if it was an activity, it would be strolling in the park. airy & breezy.
- Irene Nemirovski "David Golder". I've enjoyed her Suite Francaise a lot.
- Aravind Adiga "White Tiger" - This one not on discount, but I wanted to buy one of the newer best selling books around. The story set was in India, perfect! I'm currently loving books with a particular country & culture setting. It makes me feel like travelling when reading it.
- Muriel Barbery "The Elegance of the Hedgehog". I've never heard of her/the book before, but the cover review was interesting & I couldn't resist the material of the cover, it was smooth like a photo-poster print, but a little bit thicker.

I was thinking to buy Kazuo Ishiguro's 'Never Let Me Go' as well, but I was not sure if my eyes would last reading the 8-sized fonts novel. Sigh... it was also selling at $5.

2009-01-30T15:32:00.000+08:00

My 5 days January trip to Jogja was mostly spent indoor and recovering (& by that I meant lazing around). My dad had quite a bunch of cool dvds on the table & there was enough selection for my time-span there. Three of them had Brad Pitt in it. All of them were good and interesting movies, Pitt is either so lucky or really knows which contract to choose.
- Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Watch this if u want to see Brad at his best flawless facial skin, like when he was starring in Legends of the Fall 14 years ago)
- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (There's been many movies on the real-life american version of Robin Hood, but this one focuses on how his life ended...)
- Burn After Reading (Pitt plays a dumb guy & Clooney keeps looking older, I still wonder why it was not titled Burnt After Reading)

Facts about these movies:
- 'Curious' was directed by David Fischer, who directed Se7en that starred Pitt as well.
- Shiloh (Pitt's daughter) played in the movie as well as the baby version of Cate Blanchett
- 'The Assasination's director of photography was Roger Deakins, who also handled 'A Beautiful Mind' and was cinematographer for 'Revolutionnary Road' & 'Fargo'.
- 'Burn' was written & directed by Ethan Joel Coen brothers
- I've come across the Coen brothers a lot in articles/spreads but never really noted what they are known for. After some online research, they are known for 'noir' taste. In fact one of my all-time favourite movie Shawshank Redemption was directed by them! Their other movie that i have watched & also on my luv-list is Fargo.
- Most of past Coens films had Deakins as Cinematographer (see 'The Assasination'). Words has it that the only reason 'Burn' was not cinematographed by Deakins, was because the schedule conflicted with the filming of 'Revolutionnary Road'.
- My fave pick out of the 3 is 'Assasination'. I was in awe of the cinematography rendered. I will write a separate post on it :)

Halo

2009-01-25T09:04:00.002+08:00

I've been re-running the videoclip & enjoying the song "Halo" by Beyonce endless times.
Both the song & movie got this ethereal feeling right from the beginning.
I think beautiful does not need to be complicated. And this simple clip was what it was about.
Just cuts of light ray, snapshot of a couple's daily life, and Beyonce is already striking thru.

Just love it.

ps: There is also a rendering of the same song by amateur duet Rin on the Rox. They gave the song a 'happier' feel, quite worth to look at, so I'll just put it here. they've been featured in Ellen Degeneres Show!

day dream

2009-01-23T07:41:00.001+08:00

....And I hope you realize, this isn’t just happy snappy positive thinking. Rather, it is a call to use your waking hours to think deep and dream big. For this will open you up to new realities, just as Edgar Allen Poe once said, “Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”... (Chris Orwig)

B'day Day :)

2009-01-17T15:43:00.000+08:00

Location: Bali
Menu: Pork Ribs at Bebek Bengil, Dinner & Chocolate Cake at Double-Six :)
Activities: Strolling at Ubud, night beach swimming at Seminyak, and chilling out at Kudeta. Thanks to a company of great ladies!
Best Moment: Floating on my back in the waters, looking up at the starry sky & counting my blessings... :)
Most Precious Advise Received: It's a matter of choice: You can stay as you are & do no change, OR make a conscious change (for a better of me)

Welcome to another year :)

Lightroom Rave

2009-01-03T10:47:00.003+08:00

This holiday, I've been playing with raw shoots & lightroom!
It's FUNtastic :)
Since I bought my SLR, I've actually been so far very satisfied playing shoots & direct publishing, no editing in photoshop whatsoever (except for cropping) - 'cause shooting it right at the first time has already been a challenge in itself .... That is until I discovered Lightroom & Raw files processing. It's fun & simple, so much easier than using photoshop!
Here is a very good tutorial website, where I've been downloading & reading its videos & tips: http://www.lightroomkillertips.com

Technology bites

2009-01-02T07:51:00.003+08:00

Just discovered picasaweb's face detection technology. This s/b the coolest tech-gig this year or something! Just tag a name to a photo's face, & it will suggest other faces belonging to the same name! And it's scaringly accurate...
Wow... u can't really hide from anywhere nowadays... it's amazing, yet pretty creepy too!

The Last Lecture

2008-12-30T22:17:00.005+08:00

"The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're here to stop the other people"
- Randy Pausch in "The Last Lecture" -

I just *heart* the book. You could read it as the inner kid in you, as an adolescent, as a future parent, or even as a seasoned parent. This gotta be my favourite non-fiction book ever... I hope to read it again & again.
The video of last lecture is in YouTube as well (1hr16mins).

the Blue Sky

2008-12-30T21:55:00.003+08:00

You know you are a photo geek when you look at the sky & see the clear blue backdrop with spots of white cloud, and all you could think of is the 3-letters-word "CPL".
In Jkt, it is so hard to get a glimpse of this, that everytime I see it, I pause & just be thankful for the day.

Heroes.... !!!

2008-12-13T12:04:00.002+08:00

"Forget your thoughts. What is your heart telling you to do?"
Parkman, Heroes Season 3.

Tips from an inspiring parent

2008-12-05T03:10:00.003+08:00

Couldn't sleep at my proper bedtime. too much adrenaline running after a long meeting-run at work. Zapped the tv on & watched a dad's math olympiad winner daughter being interviewed. From the instant he answered questions on TV, I knew he was a good educator. What he said, and he really did say it nicely:
- Raihlah cita-cita itu, selama cita-cita itu gratis.
- Lihat ke arah mana interest si anak dan kembangkan, bukan kembangkan interest yg dimaui oleh orang tua, tapi interest si anak.
- Kembangkan interest si anak, agar dia bisa pakai itu sebagai arah dalam hidup.

Now, I realized I have quoted this not 100% exact wording, cause the interview sounded much better than the words I have typed in. But more or less, that was the meaning & I thought it was just good to note it down here, for me to remember...

And the little daughter, a probably 12 year old kid, the mathematics whizz actually said:
Matematika itu tidak dihafal, tapi dimengerti. Kalau mengerti, maka sendirinya akan hafal...

Hah...! It's really good wording, I shall say it if I meet someone who has difficulty in Maths. I really believe this, because that's what i've always (tried) to do for maths & physics :)

1 year after

2008-11-16T13:43:00.007+08:00

- Looking back, I am grateful that we could celebrate the one year ocassion over the weekend trip he made.
- We had a shared foie gras at a resto next door, which was sublime :) nyam - nyam. i still can remember how the soft duck melted in my mouth :)
- After one year, we discovered that both of us had much saving ... in kilograms of weight, that is... hehe. he couldnt fit into his pre-wed shirt anymore, and me, of course u can instantenously see it from my cheeks :)
- We have a wish for next year. Well actually 2 wishes. not to tell out loud for now. but I do hope both will happen smoothly.
- Mundane Conversation we had:
A: Honey, how much do u love me
B: As much as the US Bailout plan
:)

Happy Anniversary Darling!

Retro Colors

2008-11-09T22:50:00.003+08:00

Love how the colors by Kate Spade (1-3) and Paul Costello (4) interact with each other.
I would probably only dare to wear the 4th combination though.
Still, each of these pics speak for themselves beautifully.
ps. note the Palin hairstyle & glasses.

Scent of a Woman

2008-10-29T08:21:00.003+08:00

I kinda have a soft-spot for lovely smell these days.
Some smells do lift me up and what I like best is fragrance that lasts longest across all my different moods
(Hence my favourite Summer of Kenzo).

Just browsed thru People's website & discovered SJP has launched another new perfume called "Covet - Pure Bloom" in a purple amethyst-topped bottle. Quote:
"The fashionista adds ultra-rare royal Indonesian pikake flower to the fragrance's tuberose heart, mixed with top notes of purple plum, fresh mandarin and coconut water and base notes of amber and creamy musk"

I was wondering what pikake meant & googled it. And it's actually jasmine flower. why dont they just call it jasmine, duh...

Anyway, I can't wait to smell it. Would it be as lovely as "lovely" (ooohhh this one is also very nice, but i think it doesnt cover as much mood as Summer).

ps: Tuberose = Bunga Sedap Malam. wow, this perfume seems to smell more like an aromatic javanese spa :)

Flight of the Red Balloon

2008-10-12T14:45:00.002+08:00

Just finished watching this movie. My kind of movie when I feel I need something calming & refreshing...

Some notes on the movie:
- Like many other french non-action movies, the pace is slower compared to Hollywood movies. I feel that slower-paced movies give you enough time to connect & feel the characters in the movie.
- This movie reaffirms my believe in the difference btw general american & french movies... americans like to produce more adrenaline-wrenched movies, caters to most markets & easy to watch. While many french movies are little bit more poetic, the enjoyment of watching comes from implicit meaning of the stories. I'm not saying one is better than the other, I actually enjoy watching both, just depends on what mood I am on.
- I enjoyed this movie because, one, it reminds me of everyday's Paris. Many movies are set in Paris, but few show the 'daily' part of this. The setting chosen in a small old parisian apartment really gives you the smell of it. The apt is so small that the camera shoots were always taken from the same angle. It also gives you an attachment feeling to the movie.
- Second reason, probably, because I can connect to the main character. A busy woman, trying to juggle between finding money (work) and family. Sometimes, I wonder if I could be good in both, once I have more members in my family :)
- I thought the ending song "Tchin Tchin" (as in sound of 2 glasses clinking), by Camille, wrapped the movie beautifully

The Inheritance of Loss

2008-10-03T20:33:00.003+08:00

Currently reading this book by Kiran Desai, and so far it's been a good read.
Excerpt:
"... The greatest love is love that's never shown."
"You say anything that suits you." (Sai)
"Yes, I've found it's the best way" (the cook)

Cream au Caramel

2008-09-26T20:50:00.002+08:00

I finally baked my first desert using my oven. After trying out making grilled banana au caramel with dried raisins last Tuesday, I decided it is now the time to make something milk based. My mind unfolded to cream caramel memories, my mum bakes really good ones when I was small & she always said it's easy to make.

So I searched in the internet for the recipe & there is the result.

I dont know how it tastes yet, as it's still cooling off & I will put it in the fridge, before savouring it cold. So far, the smell is good & the look does not fail. Hmmm... I hope it's good enough to share with people in the office :)

last update as of 27 Sept: The cream tasted as much as I wanted it to be :) Yippee!

Dinner is served

2008-09-24T08:05:00.002+08:00

Cooked myself snapper fillet a la bonne femme. Just took the recipe randomly from the internet and replaced the bay leave with italian herbs. The look was great but my fish was sort of tasteless. Shoulda have sprinkled lots more salt.

Dream come true

2008-09-15T20:32:00.000+08:00

Gili Trawangan was beautiful.... I was in awe when for the first time I saw so many fish in front of my eyes dancing in the clear blue water. It was a real get-away island and I hope it remains a little hidden paradise for a little bit more time.
More photos of the 10 day holiday trip to Bali/Gili/Lombok in http://picasaweb.google.com/Iniakupake/200809BaliGiliLombok

The value of things

2008-09-04T07:55:00.000+08:00

Some things cannot be bought by money. And happiness is one of them.

Today was my mum's b-day & it's not the treats that made me happy for her, but it's the fact that we could just spent the one day together as a family. That is priceless :)

Trip to Ujung Genteng

2008-09-01T20:43:00.004+08:00

Although this was dry season & that means waterfalls were dry in Ujung Genteng, we anyway took a 3 days trip to the cape. The travelling was marvellous, passing thru beautiful unheard plantations. The beach had strong waves & were rocky. The best thing we did was hunting for the 2 waterfalls, Cikaso & Cigangsa. Cigangsa setting is breathtaking and it was just located behind someone's yard. No roadsign on how to reach the place. we just had to ask around on how to find this hidden place, that deserves more recognition. Then again, slighter more buzz on it would probably cause too many litters/garbage around the beautiful area.
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/Iniakupake/200809UjungGenteng#

Gili Trawangan

2008-08-12T23:17:00.003+08:00

hmm... where to stay?

Beautiful Sydney

2008-07-24T07:35:00.000+08:00

Love this city!

Last day of Xenia

2008-06-29T15:17:00.002+08:00

Today is a bit sentimental. I let go my first car to a family living in Southern Jakarta. I never had thought that I could feel some sort of sadness in my last few moments with this car today. The car carries a lot of memories and for me it's just like my faithful dog. My companion when i'm alone, driving me to places in the City, during worst times, sad times, happy times, tired or not tired, traffic jam or flawless traffic, finding a house, choosing wedding vendors, dating my ex-boyfriend (now husband), and carrying me home safely every night. It energizes me every morning and calms me after a busy day. If it was a living thing, it would be able to read my mind and would be my best friend.
The car that never failed me. The car that carries many stories.

KL-Malacca

2008-05-24T13:39:00.003+08:00

Just came back from a 5-days trip, tx to AirAsia, really everyone can fly!

Birdpark, Petronas Tower, Malacca Old Town, Sunway Lagoon. Basically those were the highlights of the places we went to. Ow, and a blind desperate try to reach Desa Srihartamas, instead we wind up in Bangsar Village.

KL envies me & really puts Jakarta to shame. The roads are clean, highways all over the place make travelling feel smoother. Then again, KL does not have as much population as JKT.

Trip to Jogja

2008-05-01T10:05:00.002+08:00

A trip to temples with my loved ones:
- Candi Cetho, Karanganyar
- Panoramic view of Borobudur, Desa Seganan
- Gedong Songo, Bendungan, Ambarawa

Wonderful 10 days

2008-04-30T09:58:00.000+08:00

What I love when he's not around:
- Listening to his voice over the phone.
- Smelling his odour trapped in my car's aircon. I swear sometimes the blower just blows it onto my face time to time.

What I loved when he was around for 10 days this month:
- Playing paintball with his workmates & savouring ayam goreng brebes Lembang.
- relaxing at cafe Jasmine, with a plasma tv cornered on its saungs.
- discovering pork noodles from mangga besar.
- romantic dining at Toscano Kemang. We always wanted to go here & finally this month. It wasnt us that were romantic of course, it's just the atmosphere.
- him allowing me taste Steak21 (not bad!)
- accompanying me & friends to Bandar Ancol. Yummy seafood under the torrential rain!
- and just being able to hug and hold him close.

April Trip to Yogya

2008-04-24T13:56:00.000+08:00

The moment I landed in Adi Sucipto, my Dad drove me straight to Keraton Area & I started taking pictures... I also did a dawn search of the sunrise, which wasn't too successful as it was cloudy everyday (& also raining). Anyway, I still loved what I was doing :)

The gift of life

2008-04-05T14:04:00.004+08:00

My 2 last watched movies (both of which I've enjoyed much):

Knocked Up (starring beautiful Katherine Heigl) & Juno (featuring energetic Ellen Page)

Commonalities: Both revolve around the pregnancy topics.

I am not sure why, but this topic has come by to me quite a few times recently (maybe because I'm married, duh... ?)

Let's see.... what are the 2 most common annoying questions u ever get, on your personal life, once u have a partner... It will be in ascending order:

1. When will u both get married?

2. When will u have a baby?

Not that the question itself is annoying, but the fact that everybody asks this question is what makes it. Repetition kills, my friend (and I dont know yet what is the 3rd question after this).

For me, getting married was not a difficult step for me. It was like, I've wanted to do this, since long time ago. It was a dream to be fulfilled. But getting a baby is totally a different thing for me, a person who likes to be prepared for all kind of things. State of mind, mentally, and the knowledge of it. It's a totally different ball game I need to adjust to & to get to know of, I've thought. Since I'm not a person who go crazy over those little kids you know....

However, what people say turn out to be rite... The want of it comes naturally... I guess we dont have to make something simple complicated.

I pray that God will grant us this gift soon. The gift of life.

Goals Achieved

2008-04-03T13:50:00.001+08:00

2006: I achieved what i had thought would be a life-time dream: see the Gaudi Sacrada Familia church in Barcelona.

2007: CK & I got married, which is a milestone for every little girl and boy that exists in our heart.

2008: I bought my first SLR & took up a photography course. Something I always thought was expensive, but I thought it was now or never (while no kiddies in the house yet :) ).

Verdict:

Gaudi's work: unimaginative creativity. Loved it.

Wedding: never regretted every step of it & each thing that comes afterward.
Photography: I can only hope this would be a wise & fruitful step as my previous goals.

Quote

2008-03-08T21:12:00.003+08:00

It's been some time I havent't come across with Calvin & Hobbes...

"You can present the material, but you can't make me care"

27 Dresses

2008-03-08T20:41:00.006+08:00

- Loved the movie

- This is so my favourite type of movie, romantic comedy with a down-to-earth character & it may be for this year :)
- I love Katherine Heigl eyes & how all the different eye make-ups look great on her.
- I also love her character's wardrobe, neat, but a little bit bohemian.

- This movie is so Aline Brosh McKenna's signature, I felt the plot speed is very simlar to Devil Wears prada, whose scenario she also did.

- Sadly, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ only rated it at 37%. I guess most of the voters were guys & they just dont get it :)
- Another great romantic comedy I loved is Sweethome Alabama. The similarity with 27D is that the male protagonist is also very down-to-earth. And I just notice RT rated this at 38% :)

Dinner

2008-03-02T22:59:00.003+08:00

Tonite, I made my ayam jeruk limau again with sayur daun singkong.
Kali ini sayur daun singkongnya gak dibobor, tapi dikasi bumbu campur2 yg standar itu lhoh.
ternyata lbh enak.
Jadi ramuannya: bwng merah, putih, kunyit, jahe, garam diulek. dimasukin ke santan cair + tambahin daun salam + lengkuas. masukkan sayur daun singkong + teri.
lbh enak diginiin daripada dibobor. :)
Terus darurat bikin sambel yg pake terasi gitu. biar lebih nendang :) alhasil nasi jatah buat besok pun dah 1/2 habis, kemakan hari ini pula.

Grey

2008-03-01T07:45:00.003+08:00

Am currently watching Grey's Anatomy Season 4. Lovely beginning. Just makes my sleeps smooth after watching them. Always love it when McDreamy & Meredith are together.

Destination

2008-02-29T08:40:00.005+08:00

Fish Sauce

2008-02-28T08:59:00.000+08:00

Hmmm.... finally found the secret for the perfect taste for my pan-fried oyster-sauced vegetables. Just add 1 spoon of it and it just gives the needed extra flavour

Free Wifi!

2008-02-25T22:58:00.000+08:00

I'm so happy. My crib has been officially pimped. Yup, I can get free wifi here, in my room.
The only thing is that it works only at nite, when there isn't so much signal interfering i guess.
Nevertheless, viva the wireless age!

Reading Status

2008-02-24T17:33:00.000+08:00

Tonight I finally finished "Norwegian Wood". I didnt like the first half of the book as I thought it was too slow, but when I continued reading it last night after more than a month stopping, I didnt stop reading it & finished till the end.

He is a wonderful writer & I liked the ending. I will read more of his books...

I have also bought 2 new books this weekend:

- Lonely Planet Thailand (hint hint...)

- The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

Thoughts of the Day

2008-02-24T17:27:00.001+08:00

There are times when your days feel grey and you lose focus in giving thanks. Luckly, these past few days, I have been able to feel a little bit like a rainbow. When I sat down on my couch last night, I stayed calm for a moment & a thought came to me: I am blessed. I have a house (despite it is a floating one), I have a car, I have a husband (despite being far, but still tries to accomodate my complaints, when i have one), a loving family, and a wonderful job.
Sometimes you just have to stop your daily routines, take a deep breath & sit down, to feel this way.
Thank you Lord for the life You have given.

Healthy dose of garlic

2008-02-22T14:10:00.000+08:00

Konon, kata Pak Bondan Mang Maknyus, orang Itali suka sekali masak dengan bawang putih.Jadilah malam ini saya bikin spaghetti, dengan daging cacah saos tomat, tak lupa saya kasi bawang putih. Cukup satu siung, dan biar lebih nendang saya ulek dulu di cobekan sebelum dicampur ke daging cacah.

Nyam2. Klo sudah begini rasanya udah sprt makan spageti paling enak di dunia hehehe.

Gulping for my saliva

2008-02-22T13:08:00.000+08:00

Best food to try...
1. udang bakar madu mang engking jogja
2. sosis bali rm bali jogja
3. mi item anaknya Pak William Wongso di Kemang Food Fest
4. pork ribsnya bebek bengil Ubud
5. Nasi Campurnya Bu Oka Ubud
6. Fried Shrimp with Cereal No Signboard Esplanade Sg. (Ada jg sih cabangnya di Pacific place)
7. My mamma's udang whisky
8. My mamma's ayam dimasak pake anggur merah & fresh cream
9. Kangkungnya d'cost Kemang
10. Sambal Borehnya om Rudy di Rumah Warisan. Gak terlalu pedes, berminyak, tp ada jeruk nipisnya gitu.
and sbg bonus: Es Krim Haagen Daaz Belgian Chocolate.
Hoehoe... langsung inget lagu "ooo.. heaven is a place on earth...."