Handicap Parking

Hubby and I went to Tesco today to do a little grocery shopping. I guess everyone had decided to do some last minute shopping as well so as it could be expected, parking was scarce. Seems like the only parking available were the handicap bays which obviously are reserved for the handicaps. We had to circle the whole parking lot a few times before finally getting a parking spot.

I don't know if anybody had encountered this, but there has been several times that I've seen some numbskull who totally disregard the handicap zone and selfishly park their vehicle at those parking bays which has been specifically reserved for the handicap. Each time I've just had to suck it in and resist the temptation to do their car some bodily harm.

Well today, as both hubby and I were pushing the kids in their strollers, we passed the handicap bays and there was a smart looking brand new Honda Civic reverse parking into one of the space. Hubby was already grumpy because of the hassle of looking for a parking spot earlier so when he saw the car parking he started staring daggers at the driver and loudly bitching to me about the selfish and I quote, b@st@rd. I told hubby to calm down and lets give the driver the benefit of the doubt citing that he is perhaps a handicap. Hubby said it was unlikely judging by the car.

The driver took some time to park and all the while hubby continued bad mouthing the driver. The driver looked up and gave hubby a huge grin. Hubby exclaimed loudly, "Look at his guilty smile!" I was in no mood to pass judgement and just rolled my eyes at hubby in response while trying to hurry him along.

Suddenly, the driver swung his door opened and called out at hubby. "Encik, hello encik! Excuse me!" Hubby gave him a dirty look and walked past trying to ignore him but I pulled hubby back to a halt. Then the man continued, " Encik, tolong ambil wheel chair saya. Saya orang cacat" and swung his body around to reveal that he had no legs.

Hubby just stood there with his jaws hanging (one would think he'd never seen a handicap man in his life LOL) that I had to nudge him with my elbows and whispered loudly telling him to help the man.

I guess hubby felt really guilty that he practically bundled up and carried the man out of the car much to the man's protest. I couldn't help but to stifle a giggle at hubby's antics. Hubby was suddenly very concern and attentive that even after the man had settled himself into the wheel chair, hubby kept asking him if he'd positioned and secured the man's chair properly and if he could do more to help. At the rate hubby was going, it looked like he wanted to adopt the guy. LOL. The man in return assured hubby that everything was fine and gratefully thanked hubby.

Hubby was quiet after that and seemed to be reflecting the whole incident. I just couldn't resist and just had to rub it by saying to hubby " You know, there's a saying...never judge a car by it's look." Hehehe

The lesson learned today, have good, kind thoughts and it doesn't hurt to give others the benefit of the doubt. :)

WISHING HAPPY DEEPAVALI, SELAMAT HARI RAYA, MAAF ZAHIR BATIN & HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE OUT THERE. Hope the long break will be good one for all of you. Cheers!

My Latest Happenings

My life seems so hectic these days. I'm just so tied up with caring for my family and the mundane task of running the household that I find myself with no time to spare for leisure. I miss blogging and blog hopping. Even checking emails are something I can't afford to do. Last I checked, I've over 600 unread emails. And they dare say that house wives have it easy. I'm stealing some of my sleep time right now to write this entry. My biological clock has gone totally haywire.

Anyway, just like to report about some latest happenings in my life. We've just purchased a house. Although I was eyeing a semi-d or a corner terrace house, hubby has decided that we should just settle for this particular house that we've purchased. It's a 26 x 80 end lot terrace house with 9ft of extra land. It's being developed by a reputable developer and although the location isn't exactly what I had in mind, it's closer to the airport but still 20 minutes away from town. Well, it's better than some unknown part of the world like Nilai or Bagan Lalang. It's a really nice residential area bordering USJ and Puchong. And the layout design is just superb. As the brochure says, it's a house for life. Hubby's very excited with his purchase and although I'm quite happy about the house, it saddens me a little to see our savings dwindling down to almost nothing because of this purchase. Oh well, I guess it was bound to happen same day...now back at square one in the savings department again. So, I'm happy to say that I'm definitely on my way of becoming a typical suburban house wife. Wonder if I'd be able to get a gorgeous gardener to do my lawn. Lol.

There has also been positive development in the weight department. I've successfully managed to squeeze into my favourite Dorothy Perkin's jeans. It's still a little tight but at least I could buckle and zip it up nicely. I even wore it out the whole day today without collapsing from shortness of breath. Yay. Tried it on a few month ago and it was a losing battle for me in trying to get it past my thighs. Lol. Still feeling a little apprehensive about trying my low cut MNG jeans due to my love handles. I'd probably give it a couple more month before I attempt getting into that one. I'm taking little baby steps in my weight loss program. Lol.

I've been considering about going back to school. Although my background is MassComm, I'm thinking about venturing into a whole new area. After having the children, I no longer feel inclined towards PR. My priorities have changed and am looking into taking up a Diploma in Early Childhood Education. I've always wanted to go into teaching but somehow, things just didn't turn out that way. I'm seriously considering to do it after Mika turns one. Hubby is being very supportive about this recent development and I'm quite excited by the whole idea. Although I've sort of made my mind about where to do it, I'm still keeping my option open and looking around about other part time courses offered by various local universities and private colleges. God knows where I'll be able to fit it in between my already hectic schedule, but where's there's a will, there's a way. :)

Beside the lack of breathing space and always falling asleep even before my head hits the pillow, everything else is going on smoothly. I can't wait till everything goes back to normal but after 2 kids, I've discovered I haven't a clue to what normal means. Lol.

Mika's Seperation Anxiety Phase.

Mika has turned 7 month. He is currently going thru a seperation anxiety stage. I can't leave a room without him screaming his lungs out. I truly had forgotten about this phase in raising a baby.

I'm currently blogging at an ungodly hour. Just had my sahur and since he's fast asleep, tooked advantage of the time to blog. Gosh its been so long. Quite difficult for me these days to find some personal time for myself.

Mika can't stand being left alone. Even with his sister as company, he still can't feel secure without the company of an adult. I don't blame him. His big sister is in this stage where her idea of accompanying her little brother is to do some rough housing with him. Countless of time, in horror, I have found her trying to headlock her baby brother. I swear the whole building is immune to my constant yelling these days. Lol. A sinple big hug can turn into a one party wrestling match to her. Wonder where she learnt that.

These days, I can't even take a leak without having him as an audience. I'll place him in his bumbo chair and park him right in front of the bathroom door while I bath. It's kinda funny to see his mouth hanging watching me loofa myself. LOL. I don't know what the psychological impact will be on him later on but for now, as long as he is quiet, I'm happy even if it has to come down to becoming some sort of exhibitionist.

Mika is still unable to sit on his own or even crawl for that matter. At the same age, Sarah was already crawling about terrorizing the household. Well, one milestone is, he could open and shut his palm when I sing 'Twinkle, twinkle Little Star.' Simply adorable.

Being in front of the PC when he is awake is no easy task either. He insists on standing (while I support him that is...ooh my aching arms)in front of the PC and bang away at the keyboard to his heart's content. Otherwise, he'll start 'singing' again. Sigh.

Cooking for the breaking of fast isn't easy as well. If hubby's around and NOT asleep, I could at least depend on him to take care of my little boy. But when hubby's not availanle, its no easy task to stimutaneously cook, pick him up for a little while, place him back in his high chair, continue stirring and repeat the whole performance again and again and again. I guess it's sort of a good multi tasking practice for me. Lol. Hubby's off again so it's been 2 days that I have had to break fast feasting on rice and omelette. Less hassle. Well, on the bright sight, I have started feeling my clothes are much looser so I guess it's not such a loss afterall. You win some, you lose some.Lol.

Seriously can't wait for Mika to get over this phase of his and start crawling to relieve me of my aching arms. Right now, I'm off to catch up on the zzzzs. Judging by my current sleep debt, I'm practically going brankrupt! Lol :D

Pixart Pocket Photobook

It has arrived! My very first pixart pocket photobooks has arrived!

Recently, I'm into this website called Pixart. It lets you transform your photos into a professionally made photobook. You could either choose to make it into a coffee table book or a pocket photobook. Since it's my first time, I tried the cheaper pocket photobook but looking at the results, I'm eager to try out the coffee table book as well.

First you'll need to download the free software and when you're done creating your photobook, you can immediately purchase it! The end result, a beautifully binded and professional looking photobook! A truly wonderful keepsake.

It's a great discovery. Lately, I've found myself with having too many photos in my notebook. I thought about getting it printed but there's just too many of them. Then I was over at MMB and Pixart came to my attention. After considering the price of the photos if I were to have it printed, I thought that the price would be more or less the same but with Pixart photobook I wouldn't have any loose photographs strewn about (thanks to Sarah who is now at that nosy stage and taking out photographs from photo albums is one of her favourite games.)Thanks 5xMom for the recommendation.

I could just go on and on about how great my pocket photobooks are but I'll just let the above pictures do all the talking. I can't wait to surprise hubby with his sport fishing photobook, (call it a belated anniversary present if you may)when he gets back from Jeddah tomorrow. In my opinion, truly a gift from the heart. Now he can bring the book during flights (instead of hogging the camera all the time for the sole purpose those ancient fishing pics of his which are stored in the camera's memory card and under strict order from him to not be deleted) and impress all those sweet, sexy stewardesses with pictures of his fishing prowess.*groan* LOL. In the mean time, I'm off on another Pixart project. :)

Fatsville

I feel like jumping over the balcony. Not only haven't I successfully lost those extra kgs I've gained due to my pregnancy...I swear I've gained a few more kgs to add to the to the current bulk of blubber within my body. Aaaargh!

It's sad really. I had only manage to lose weight during my first pregnancy after my daughter turned 2. And just when I almost got back to my anak dara weight (3kg away to be exact), I found myself pregnant the second time around. I blame hubby for that. Lol.

And now here I am...back at square one. Although breastfeeding has left me hungry almost around the clock, I doubt I've been consuming more food than I usually do. My lil' sis was telling me the other day that lack of sleep could also make you pile on the weight so perhaps that's it. Ever since the birth of my boy, I've been surviving on 4-5 hours asleep a day. I'm tempted to ask God to add another four more hours to a day so I'd be able to get sufficient sleep. As if that could ever happen. Lol.

Anyway, I feel a little upset when I come across my jeans which I was able to wear for like 2 whole month before I found myself pregnant again. I wonder when will I ever be able to fit into it again. I've always prided myself on having nice long legs and in those jeans, I feel like a supermodel. But since my butt is currently the size of the galaxy, I guess I won't be having any supermodel moments for the time being. *Sigh*

The thing with my body is, omiting food won't even put a dent to my weight loss, my body needs exercise to lose those extra weight, a luxury I can ill afford due to the time constrain hence I decided to do my morning walk. But how in the world anyone could power walk while pushing a stroller while not scaring the daylights out of a poor little baby in the same time is besides me. Maybe I should just opt to climb the stairs instead of using the lifts. But with an 8.5kg baby in my arms and 7 stories worth of stairs??? Too risky.

I guess just like the first time around, I have to wait out the first year before starting to lose weight again. And when I finally manage to get rid of all the extra wieght only to find myself pregnant the third time around, someone, anyone,remind me to just shoot myself. Lol. That reminds me...I seriously need to get an IUD. ;)

A Divorce Among Friends

Just got the news that one of my very good friend is going through a divorce. Among the 9 of us, we've always thought that she is the least likely to have to go thru such ordeal. It'd be safer to say that I held better chances of being divorced than her considering my not so docile nature. Lol.

I've always thought that her marriage was one perfect union. Good looking husband, equally good looking wife, absolutely gorgeous child. My little group of friends and I go way back, since secondary school. In fact some of us goes as far as primary school. We know each other so well like we know the back of our hands.

My friend here has always been known as the one who is sweet in nature. She's brilliant, giving and genuinely caring to those she holds near and dear to her. She's very loving and affectionate and as far as I can recall, I can't remember ever knowing her upsetting anyone. She's always been the most loyal, the most sweetest, the most smartest and the most kindest among all of us. It's shocking to hear such terribly news befalling her.

Her husband is the one who called in quits. Apparently he has found someone better for him. (If that's ever possible?) Ok, he's a rat assed cheating bastard. But what really is appalling here is the fate of his poor beautiful child. According to my friend, her child is quite close to her daddy, but when the father just decides to desert his family, the little child is sent reeling from the shock. She sobs herself to sleep everynight and even had gone to the extend of calling and appologizing profusely for being naughty and begs for daddy to come home. My friend has tried explaining to the child countless of times that it isn't her fault and no matter what they both still love her very much but I guess for a very young child, all this happenings is just too much for her young mind to comprehend. I can't believe how heartless her father could be.

And to add injury to insult, the father had initially insinuated that the breakdown was my dear friend's fault when she had been nothing but supportive, loving and loyal to her husband always. The truth finally came out that the cheating rat had another love.

My friend has a good job and the much, much bigger pay and has been footing all the major househhold expenses all this while. I guess with men, all that extra money and the absence of responsibilty (I have feeling he doesn't contribute much financially) has got him into mischief.

I can't believe all that gentlemanly qualities I see in her husband was just a facade. Her husband deserves to be shot dead especially considering what he is doing to his very young child. I can't believe that behind that handsome face lies a truly selfish, deceitful, cowardly and heartless individual.

I know my friend is heartbroken. I know that she is in turmoil. But I admire her strength and courage. She has tried her best to save the marriage but it takes two to make it work. She is resigned to her fate and refused to be victimized by the whole situation. She's being brave for the sake of her beautiful child.

To that cheating bastard, may you rot in hell for all the pain that you've caused thus never finding/obtaining total satisfaction in your life. Hope you live a wretched life.

N, my heart goes out to you. You are in my prayers

My daughter, the pre-schooler.

It's been a long rest, but a good one. Many things had happened but I've just never had the time to blog about it. Anyway, I miss, miss, miss blogging!

So since I've so much to write about, some happy and some sad, I've decided to write down one thing at a time. Anyway, since I feel quite cheerful right now, I'll start with a happy one.

I'm happy to report that Sarah has started going to school. And I'm even happier to find that she absolutely loves school. She's made so many new friends and her room teacher tells e that she is especially keen on paper & pencilwork.

Since attending school, Sarah has displayed some changes in her behavior. She takes instructions better and her appetite has improved. She is becoming more and more proficient with speaking and her language knowledge has grown. Sarah is more sociable and less shy these days. I'm happy with the changes.

Our lifestyle (mostly my lifestyle lol)is also much better than it previously was. Sarah's very discipline about going to bed early now and puts up less fight about going to bed. Unlike my 3am bedtime, now I find myself falling asleep even before my head hits the pillow by midnight. A good thing too since I need to wake up early to prepare breakfast and get the kids ready.

After sending Sarah to school at 8.15am, I'll go for a morning walk with Mika for the next half an hour. I consider that my exercise. I just love walking Sarah to school. Brings back sweet memories of my childhood days when I was about Sarah's age walking to school with my mom.

Sarah's got more friends now and I make it a point to take her to the playground almost everyday so she could play with them in the evenings. These days she watches less TV and the fresh air has done her good. Even I have acquired a few more friends having the opportunity to befriend the various maids and a handful (more like a couple to be exact LOL) of mothers at the playground.

I'm so looking forward to Sarah's concert this coming November. They've started practicing already and all of them look absolutely adorable doing their routines. I truly am enjoying this part of motherhood. :)