Hajar and her business

These pictures were taken by my daughter on our way back from her french class....Hajar was slightly cranky after our visit to the Curve [for GUiT hunting (after two weeks of failing to purchase a copy) and to meet our friends with their kids to pass on Dewa concert tickets] only to realise that she wanted to pooh.... This is how she normally poohs (just like her sister!). The last picture shows how satisfied she was thereafter.

Hajar's hectic weekend

Look dad, I'm in denim

Hajar's 2.5 months now and weighing about 5.5 kg. She's fully breast-fed and wifey plans to breast-feed her until she's 2 years old. I salute her and thank her for that for it takes a lot of determination and discipline and most of all - I don't have to wake up at night! (LOL). But seriously, it's for Hajar's well-being!

Hajar had a blast of a time last Sunday....We brought her to the Curve (well it's not her first Mall; she's been to Great Eastern Mall, Ampang Point, KLCC and Pavilion) - Borders in particular and later Ikea for lunch. Being a good-natured baby, our outing was a pleasant one save for the usual antics by Umar (surprisingly Ibraheem was quite good yesterday) - Umar rolled himself down the ramp (the underpass between Ikano and Curve) - yup all the way and usual ran about! The hazards of bringing them out all together! But it was FUN!

Met up with my sister, bil and their son for lunch and later adjourned to see the development where they just bought a house -NICE!

Dropped off the brood except for Hajar and went to a wedding feast (wifey's tukang urut's daughter's wedding). Food was brilliant! And the best part was that it wasn't a buffet meal. Hajar's adventure didn't stop there....- dragged her to wifey's colleague's house to see his baby son (delivered a week after Hajar)....Spent almost two hours there and finally went back home about half six! By that time Hajar was exhausted - and the parents too! : )

Ayat-ayat Cinta

This book came highly recommended by a friend...Went a few times to MPH thereafter only to find that they were all sold out. That heightened my curiosity even more! Finally made my purchase during the month of Ramadhan this year. I started reading the first four chapters and abandoned it as there were other pressing agenda for me. Khadijah finished it within a day!

I resumed reading two days ago, and made good progress today by finishing the second half of the book. I just couldn't put it down (wifey's comment was "Better finish the book soon so that you can concentrate on me more...!" LOL).

I have not read a malay novel for as long as I can remember.Well this one technically is an Indonesian novel but translated to Malay. It received rave reviews and won the Most Favourite Book award in 2005 (in Indonesia)! The underlying theme is of course love - but it covers wide ranging topics of love - God, neighbours, family, friends, teachers etc etc.....religious tolerance and interlaced with abundant of Quranic verses and Hadiths. Go buy it....The last few pages were heart-wrenching...And i shed some tears for fear of God...!

The movie will be out soon, but don't know when.....Meanwhile enjoy this trailer! Thanks Ahmad for recommending! Ya...I left it abandoned for some time!

Well done Ib

School : Assalamu'alaikum.

DoF: Wa'alaikumsalam

School: Is this Ibraheem's Dad?

DoF : Yes ...

School : Just to inform you that Ibraheem is eligible to be admitted to Primary One. In fact he did extremely well considering that he didn't go to our kindie.

DoF : (stumped but smiled from ear to ear...). Owh...

School : Don't forget to come to the book-sale from 10th to 13th December!

That's the teleconversation before lunch today. Mmm..I was stumped as I really thought that admission to Primary One is a matter of right and that the entrance exam the other day was for streaming purposes. Don't tell me that kids who are not up to the mark would be sent to K1? Anyway, I once used to be the super kiasu dad - but only with Khadijah....Even for her entrance exam to Ib's school's predecessor, I bought tonnes of work books (this school uses Singapore syllabus for Maths Science and English) and drilled her for almost two weeks... I got to a point where my blood pressure would shoot up weeks before exams...! She would cry everytime I drilled her for her exams and of course the results came out with briliant colours. I then came to realise that it's all a process and that forceing and drilling are creativity-inhibitors.

Came Yusof's turn, I had to learn to be more relaxed and let the joy of learning to come naturally..Ib didn't have to go through worksheets with me before the exam and I just threw him into the deep end! Some parents may disagree..but that's us.

Well done Ib....We are so proud of you.

Hodgepodge

Ib was hilarious this morning - I was flummoxed and lost for words!

Whilst bathing Hajar this morning, Ib hugged me from behind and the ensuing conversation went on something like this:-

Ib : Dad, why do you have grey hairs?

Dad : Mmm...I suppose I'm old already.

Ib : Old people can have babies? (in a perplexed and naive tone)

Dad : (laughed......). Of course!

We attended Ib's school concert last wednesday night. He was one of the main characters, Atuk (Grandpa) throughout the show with the theme "Our Heritage" which touched, inter alia, the issues of global warming, 3Rs (recycling, reuse and reduce), etc. Scheduled to be held last Sunday, it had to be postponed because the venue was affected with closure of roads in Kuala Lumpur by the police.

During the second scene he forgot some of his lines and had to be prompted by his teacher. In the third scene, he had us all laughing - yes he forgot his lines again but he took off his songkok
and out came his script. Yes he read his lines from the script!

And he graduated from his kindie that evening too receiving a scroll...Primary One next year and he's looking forward to it!

I love this pic taken by Khadijah. It's a self portrait and she definitely has improved in her style of taking pics. And now to enrol her in a proper photography class......

Khadijah surprised us yesterday...She actually made a bag from scratch (see pic above). Her sewing is not bad at all for a first timer. And....she got two orders from her flickr friends. She was inspired by RANtAI Art event which is taking place between 12 to 16th December (read here for details) that she has planned with her friend Aisha to create the brand name "Aku-Streka" for hand-painted t-shirts and has expressed her wish to participate in next year's RANtAI art event...Now she has expanded her merchandise by creating the bags...Keep it up girl!

Second month

Hajar's two-month old today!

She's sooo adorable (NB : an impartial statement by the way!)...! We've started with flash cards and board books with her and amazingly she responds with her coos and giggles.

Our new maid, Wahyan, has arrived. Khadijah is helping out to baby-sit Hajar whilst we are at work...(thanks a lot daahling [this is how Khadijah would say it!]). But it doesn't come for free....(..sigh...) - she's charging us baby sitting OR rather we decided to give her pocket money for giving up her books (rather than paying the nursery). To us, it's important that a child should "grow-up" in her own home! But come 2008 school sesson, we have not decided whether to send Hajar to a nursery or be at home with the maid. We have to see how Wahyan copes...

Hajar is trying to roll side ways and has managed to do a 45 degree roll each time...Amazing!

The forgotten Ivory

I've forgotten it for the first time in my life.....! Wifey is the one who usually forgets and it's a no surprise that this particular day passed as a non-event for her yet again this year...; like previous years! For me to forget this important day shows how chaotic my life has been for the past two months!

It was our Ivory anniversary on 21st November 2007 and it really eluded me! Had it not been for me blog hopping to Mior's today...our anniversary would have escaped unnoticed...Thanks Mior for the prompt - and hey...you got hitched 2 days before I did!!! Happy belated anniversary to you and Azian!

Wifey and I went on a platonic relationship for seven years...It was, initially a subject of interests to a lot of friends but they gave up on us after a while! There was no courtship, candle-lit dinners, valentine gifts, "proper" dates, love letters etc etc.....

The relationship, thankfully, progressed albeit at a pace (to quote Andrew Leci) "of a snail on valium"! And it finally reached the point of no return, in 1993! - I felt I could not live without her! Let me be frank here....- it's amazing after all those years the feeling of "LOVE" didn't blossom within me at that point! I still kept mum about my feelings - even my best friend didn't know! (talk about slow worker!!LOL!). I'm not good at initiating all this mushy stuff... ** blush**

It was August/September 1993 that the relationship took on the express lane! My mom (thank you mak!) was the one who instigated that we should settle down and tie the knot - and I tell you, it happened so fast that the next thing we knew was that an engagement ring was purchased by my mom....! I didn't object to it because I knew then that wifey was the one who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with! Three months later we tied the knot!

Call me a traditionalist - and that's what I am when it comes to love and relationship etc- ! And yes we only fell in love after we got married...Well our 6 offsprings is indeed a testimony to "traditionalism is still relevant today and indeed a way of life"! LOL!

To wifey..... - Looking forward to many many wonderful, happy and prosperous years to come.......! I love you always...YAYAN!

Read my last year's anniversary entry here!

Finally......

Finally Ib's got a school! OR rather we registered Ib for Primary One next year....Yup just yesterday!

Yes yours truly have been procrastinating in registering him BUT hey it's all with reasons....For me it's really about balancing...the "type" of education which suits each child of ours, logistics, transport, etc etc.....And the decision normally comes at the eleventh hour!! There'll be four different places to drive them to next year (between wifey and me, of course)....Khadijah in Wangsa Maju, Yusof in Gombak, Ibraheem in Dataran Ukay, Umar in Keramat and Hajar (don't know where, yet - yes we are sending her to a baby sitter; may be Jalan Gurney which is near wifey's office).

I'm glad superwomanwannabe's kids are joining the same school hence we can book a car to transport them all back from school...Found a reliable "grandma" to ferry them back!

Ib's excited that he gets to go to the same school as one of his friends in Kindy and wants a Transformers bag...

Dilemma

Hi All....I've been busy...."maidless", "tonnes of workload in my practice (certainly good news)", "b-i-l's wedding", "Khadijah's DELF A2 exam" etc etc....

Just a quick one now...!

The email:-

"Can I please please PLEASEEE go with my friends only?sigh. Please say yes. anything, go here

Oh and do spread word to everyone :)

And HAJAR is fineee..."

The sender :-

Khadijah, my daughter the budding photo-journalist.

The event:-





Well I think I should tag along or at least send a chaperone....OR get her electronically tagged and trace here using GPRS service. Yes it's an extremely dangerous and uncertain world out there! And Hujan (the band) who sings one of my current fave songs, "Pagi Yang Gelap" (please listen here) will be there..!!!


Hmm....sorry you have to find out from here Khadijah...

One month

Hajar turned one month old today.....

She's gained 1 kg and grown taller by 2 cm.

She still has slight jaundice..(bilirubin count of 11.2) - apparently she has prolonged jaundice which is quite common amongst fully-breast fed babies..

Need to go back to the hospital this weekend for another blood count test....

System shock?

It's that time of the year that most people get their bodily system undergo a massive shock; in particular one's digestive system - which definitely will have to work overtime! Yes....it's "open house" time. And yes it is starting tomorrow for KLites and the rest of the world, I should think! And, we have a million of invitations tomorrow (and Sunday and next weekend too)! Not complaining though.....

Risking the possibility of severance of relationships with the respective hosts for our no-show is definitely a motivator for us to at least attend and show face...mmm....seven houses may be?

Attending is no problem..but the logistics.....and our contingent is rather huge! ! The thought of having to go through the traffic in a snail-pace is agony in itself! The venues span across the Klang Valley...and we will try to attend to each and everyone's!

Must make a mental note..."Don't eat too much...!" : )

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

Maidless in Ampang

Acha...oopps..Aris is gone!

Yup we are maidless....Aris did not pass the Fomema test in the first month after she arrived. It's good that the Government has imposed this Fomema check up upon arrival as this filters the unfit maids before it's too late..

For the uninitiated, the first medical check up conducted locally, previously, for foreign domestic workers, was for the renewal of permit i.e after almost a year in employment. Since the rise in diseases, which were almost eradicated in Malaysia, courtesy of foreign workers (like TB) the Government had to impose this new condition considering various shortcomings in the respective counterpart countries' health systems and/or bribery.

And we were lucky that this was emplaced..Otherwise Aris would have had to handle Hajar for a period of nine months without us knowing that she is unfit!

In Aris' case, her chest x-ray was unsatisfactory...There was an anomaly in her lung! Aris said she has not sufferred from tuberculosis before and neither has she been sick before! According to the doctor, it may be an old scar and there was nothing to worry about. We sought a second opinion, and the doctor (who happens to be my sis in law) told us to run further tests and she could be immediately treated (in isolation) for TB (just in case)....! But we just did not want to take any risk at all...and agreed with the agent to send her back! Well the turn of event and the drama whech ensued will take the whole day for me to tell...Suffice to say that the maid turned 180 degrees theerafter in terms of attitude and was lagging in her kpi! (LOL)

I wish I could be the dignified butler (as per the pic)...Unfortunately i'm now the official domestic helper at home! It began with serving food (luckily wifey had cooked) for ifter last evening AND later washing and drying (luckily we have a dryer) clothes, ironing, making milk, washing dishes, tucking the kids to bed..And I was knackered by 10 pm...and as expected slept like a log only to be woken up about 5.30 am by the scream of Umar "Nak susu.....!" (I want milk)...And the routine began....washed, dried and folded clothes, washed dishes, prepared breakfast and so on and so on.....Wifey was very kind and offered to finish the rest....

Our application for a new maid just went in before Eid and with God's grace, the maid should be with us in three weeks' time...from Flores (anybody who has had experience with maid from Flores?)

Can I sleep and rest now? Unfortunately...more documents to draft...sigh.....

Hajar's First Eid

First day of Eid
First day of Eid

Second day of Eid

Third day of Eid

Last posting before we leave for Muar...Happy Holidays!

Selamat Hari Raya

To all of you ......SELAMAT HARI RAYA & MAAF ZAHIR BATIN FROM ALL OF US (Haq, Yani, Khadijah, Yusof, Ibraheem, Umar & Hajar). To those who will be driving back to kampung, please drive safely!


I'm taking a blog-rest..and will see you guys after the break!


BTW, Hajar has been discharged and will bring her home later this afternoon!

p/s thanks Rin for the card..which I lifted off you!

Back to hospital

Hajar has been slightly yellow for the past few days...But today, after traditional methods of reducing the "yellowness" didn't work, we brought her to see her paed, Dr Kuma**. Doc ordered full blood count to see the bilirubin level. It was 15.4...hence the admission today. Had it been 13, admission wasn't necessary!

Just got back from the hospital to send breast milk expressed by wifey.....She was undergoing phototherapy when I got there..Poor Hajar; but it's in her best interest!

We all miss you, Hajar!

Mum made me a dress but.....

Day 12 picture

Wifey had painstakingly and lovingly made a smocked dress for Hajar to be worn on first day of Eid.....It's slightly big, though....

Now, she has to settle for an off-the rack-dress which I bought for her..My mom is in tghe process of finishing a baju kurung (Malay traditional dress) for her to match Khadijah's....That completes her Eid wardrobe!

I want this!

Ain't this cool.....?

Hajar's first ride

First ride

I took Hajar on her first ride - on day nine- (well not counting when she came back from the hospital) today. Yup just Hajar and me! I had to fetch Khadijah from her tuition class this morning and took the opportunity for a 10 minute bonding with her.....(much to the envy of her sister..LOL!). When Khadijah was a baby, I used to spend a lot of time with her on Saturdays since wifey used to work Saturdays. Bird Park, shopping..., Lake Gardens, shopping, ...shopping (window shopping that is!) were our turf! Or it would be just spending time at our backyard in her inflatable super mini pool.

Khadijah had this to say..."How come you never took picture of my first ride?"...Ermmmmm.....I was lost for words!

But then, there was no camera phone, right?

Day 9 pic - very calm, huh?

Day 9 pic - a bit hungry

Went shopping

Day 8 piccie

Took the day off today to buy Eid clothes for my older ones, Khadijah & Yusof. We've learnt our lesson really well. We don't normally bring our kids for clothes-shopping.....The hassle of making sure that everyone doesn't go astray is the main reason! But this year I decided to let the two older ones choose their garbs since half of the lot we bought last year for them never got to see the sunlight! Luckily Khadijah has no school today since PMR is on. Yusof skipped school....Hush hush!

Went to One Utama, The Curve and Ikano. We started at 11.30am and finished close to 3pm. I would have love to be done with earlier but Yusof was the fickle one! Surprise surprise!

I'm so glad that Eid shopping is almost over.......

Handsfree

Received an email round in which the author complains about the exorbitantly priced handsfree kit that are offered in the market and in the same breath the author offers to sell the one in the picture being a cheaper alternative!

How amusing and creative one can be.....!

Ib's Bloopers

Hajar - day 3

Warning : The picture has got nothing to do with this entry



Ib really tickled us pink these couple of days...All related to food/drink! Well yes he's fasting....probably lack of glucose may have contributed to these bloopers -



Blooper One



Ib : Dad, can you please buy Durian blended juice for me to break fast?


Dad : Huh? Durian blended juice?


Ib : Yes the one embah (grandmother) bought for me the other day....


Dad : Owh....It's not Durian Blended! It's Durian Belanda (soursop) juice.


Ib : Whatever.....





Blooper Two



Ib : Dad, what kueh (traditional cake) is that?


Dad : That one? (pointing to the kueh)


Ib : Uh huh...


Dad : It's called "Popiah" (spring roll).


Ib : Pass me the Porcupine then....


Dad : (Bursting/laughing whilst passing on the "porcupine")

Hajar's home

Second day picture

Hajar's home!

Took this picture about 4.30 a.m today before I left for home to make sure the rest of the troop are fed for sahur (morning meal before one start fasting).

Everybody's excited that she's back...Poor Hajar though as she's being "manhandled" by her siblings..."For god's she she's not a doll" (- so the father and mother scream!). Well, that's what we expected anyway!

I was a bit disappointed with the discharging procedures though....Doc discharged mummy and baby at 8.15, we were only able to head home about 1 pm...and I had to miss Friday prayers as the road was ****** jammed!

These experienced parents (a combination of 30 years of parenting experience) completely slipped their minds to buy Hajar her mittens...So now she has scratches on her pink face. I took the opportunity to hop over a mall which is within walking distance. Khadijah, which was so unlike her, refused a retail therapy trip (which normally she would not give it a miss)! She'd rather spend the time making Hajar annoyed!

I went out just for mittens but came back with a dress, a smocked knickerbocker suit, a pair of 3/4 flared jeans, two pairs of drawstring pants (one velvet like and the other linen), a pink top, cuddly toys and a book (made from fabric) for Hajar - owh..and of course the mittens (4 pairs altogether).

I remember, with Khadijah, we were buying her dresses and garments which she could practically wear different ones everyday... With our three boys, somehow it's different...It was the same old pair of jeans and scruffy (the older they are the better) t-shirts (- dressed just like me!)

I'm still stuck here in the office...Wishing I was at home spending time with Hajar and of course the other four and my other half...., though! Audit almost complete and my report is already submitted....So the weekened will be......(you guessed it right!).

Dad of five now!

Well guys....I'm officially Dad of Five from this day on. Decided on a mouthful of blog title/name "Dad of Four plus One" though!

Praise to Allah, Siti Hajar was born (normal delivery) at 1.20 a.m. today....(i'm still sleepy coz wifey was finally pushed to her room at about 3 a.m. and here I'm now in the office waiting for a client to sign some documents. Then off I go to the hospital. Her birth weight is 3.5 k.g...the smallest of the six (to the uninitiated, one of our children passed on a month after delivery) whom wifey delivered.

I'm most thankful to Allah for endowing us with beautiful children and of course for the smooth delivery of Siti Hajar!

Will update once I'm free............

Teman Terulung

Picture taken from Anuar Zain's website

Just bought Anuar Zain's latest album after 5 years of wait. The first single released of course is "Lelaki Ini". He has painstakingly chosen all the songs to give his best to his fans...This first thing which struck me is how he has made sure that quality is his priority e.g live strings for all the songs (wich I'm sure must have cost him a bomb) as opposed to synthesized strings.

Currently enjoying "Teman Terulung" and here goes an excerpt from the song -

Paling agung teman terulung

Tenunan emas sayap hidupku

Tak ingin ku undur bertamu

Bertakhta teguh

Ke akhir waktu

That time again!

It's that time of the year again (......so soon?) when wifey will be terribly busy with hamper orders....(started as passion but has been taking orders for the last four years). This is the other side of her which not many people know - and of course smocking dresses (sample work here) is another hobby - but she's been doing charity work all this while....Not anymore though because she has absoultely no time for it!

Anyway, she received a phone call this morning placing 260 mini hampers to be delivered in two weeks' time....Knowing her she will meet the deadline by hook or by crook...In the mean time, yours truly will be driving around to be her beck and call to get stuff! LOL!

I'm back!

My transient blog-rest has been largely due the fact that I had to deal with a string of events which were thrown before us as a familyand at work! Anyway...here I am rearing to go sharing yet again the usual stuff!

Well, this blog needs a name change quite soon. Our fifth child is in h** (not revealing the sex here) 37th week of gestation. A week before my bro-in-law's wedding (31st August 2007), wifey experienced contractions of up to 10 minutes apart for almost half a day on a few occasions...It was no Braxton Hicks okay..(my suggestion which was quickly dismissed by her! Well..how can one contracdict a veteran in deliveries...LOL!). Well she still has her contractions now...but with no progress each time! The last check up she had was last Saturday - baby is engaged; placenta is ok..still supplying nourishment to the baby; wifey is still as active as ever (cooking, washing toilets, etc)...- my aunt made a comment this morning that wifey sounded (over the phone) like she's able to perform a 200m dash as opposed to her daughter-in-law who will be delivering her first baby today, who has been whining and complaining of fatigue etc.... - her baby's due date is actually 3 October 2007 whilst ours is 7 October 2007. Anyway....we are all looking forward to the baby's arrival (Yusof wanted to accompany us last Saturday to "interrogate" the gynae as to when the baby will be out!).

Because of this, wifey skipped the solemnisation ceremony of her brother, Mus, held in Felda Paloh....some 2 hours' drive away from Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan...She was home over the Merdeka weekend with Ibraheem and the maid. She told me not to be unduly anxious! Well she did drive herself to the hospital when Yusof was about to be delivered 10 years ago! But the again this time is her 6th delivery! You know how babies just arrive without ample warnings for the later pregnancies! Praise to Allah that the baby didn't arrive whilst I was away!

After the solemnisation ceremony

Remember my maid Acha? She's been found to be unfit to work after the medical check up! Urgh..... We went for a second opinion at University Malaya Medical Centre where wifey's sister work as one of the specialists....Did tests over a period of one and a half week and came out as borderline case....So...now waiting for an appeal by our agent to FOMEMA before deciding whether to send her for further tests and treatment! Like wifey said....don't be unduly alarmed wit this and just take one day at a time for now...(don't you just love the phlegmatic trait in her?)

Love this candid picture taken by Khadijah whilst waiting to go to the Bride's house

K-wire jutting out

Last Saturday was the first time I accompanied wifey for her check up with her gynae. Frankly, I have been somewhat traumatised after wifey had a missed abortion last year. She has been quite understanding....(I have been accompanying her to about 90% of her check ups for all my other children). Since Ib had to have his k-wire removed by the ortho, on the same day.....I braced myself and saw the baby's image for the first time real time...! Ib was excited asking the doc loads of questions.

Soon after wifey's check up, Ib had to have his k-wire "yanked" out by the ortho (Minah Celoteh's hubby is right in using the word "yank")...

Ib was initially ok until one of the patients started asking him questions and he just cried! Anyway, he was alright the minute he stepped in to the ortho's consultation room and was his usual self....The ortho was very engaging and excellent in making conversation with him! He even trimmed the not so nice looking suture around his thumb which was met with Ib's "ow" "ow" "ow".... He further engaged with him in light conversation and pulled out a surgical plier quietly and the next thing we knew...the k-wire was already out! Ib just yelled a single "ow"...Mmm....that wasn't too bad at all! The k-wire was slightly longer than the length of Ib's thumb....!


Waiting for Ib's turn to see the ortho at his English-inspired waiting room (complete with two three seater Chesterfields, a faux fireplace and floral wallpaper)

Farewell Pavarotti

And so the classical/opera lovers lost an accomplished tenor today in that of Pavarotti!

The front page news brought back memories to the time when my parents visited me in the UK in 1992.

Naturally the first place to visit was London. And so we were on the world famous London double decker bus at Piccadilly Circus passing the Eros when my mum (who's a music lover but classical and opera are not the genre she listens to) said, "Haq..kat situ macam ada jual roti" (Haq I think they sell bread there). Obviously she was very hungry then, as I had dragged them the whole day to finish the essential London! LOL!

When I asked where, she pointed to Tower Records...Lo and behold...it was a huge poster which wrote "Pavarotti"....My dad who knew (through his reading) of Pavarotti laughed uncontrollably and explained to her who Pavarotti was.....Up till this day when I listen to my Pavarotti CDs I would be thinking of that very day at Piccadilly Circus! And this morning, when the news came on tv, I'm sure she was thinking what I was thinking..I just smiled in my heart!

Anyway, I just leave you with this video clip of Nessun Dorma, an aria from the final act of Turandot which achieved a pop status (in the UK) in 1990 when it was featured by BBC for their coverage of the world cup!

....."Let No one Sleep"

...at no charge!

I just had to post this commercial....This is just relevant all the time!

Mom and dad recovering

Mom and Dad were too tired the day folowing Ib's discharge that they decided to splurge on breakfast.....The Bakery, Ukay Heights were where they flocked to!

Mom had ratatouile quiche (our all time fave here) whilst dad had the junior big breakfast (the chcken breast sausage was divine and the sauteed mushrooms were just right!).

The Bakery bakes authentic french breads daily....And our fave bread here is the sun-dried tomato...!

The Bakery is located at No. 1 Jalan Chong Khooi Lin, Ampang Jaya.

Compund Fracture - Prequel and Sequel

Thanks for all the well wishes, Praise to Allah, Ib is his usual self i.e. being hyper!

He has three more weeks before the K-wire is pulled out without anaesthesia - yes this is what the ortho surgeon told us when he signed the discharge form (But before the op, he told us it'd be taken out in the OT under anaesthesia)! Well, I prefer it without the G.A as there are risks involved in any procedure under anaes. Wife has given me the task to accompany Ib when the surgeon takes (as Minah Celoteh's husband puts it - "yank" out the wire!)out the wire....and I hope Ib will not be in his always panicky-state in the presence of doctors (the irony is - Ib's ambition is to become a doctor!)

And how did it happen?

I have a 70 year old octagon-shape marble top table which then sat in the middle of our second sitting area at home....The marble top just rests on the table frame like any other old marble top tables. Ib's favourite preoccupation at home is (according to my daughter after the accident happened) to lie down beneath it and kick the table top slowly, in a vertical continuous motion, so it'd move up and down (I wish he'd stick to his transformers and the like!). On the fateful day the top slid down and he tried to stop it (this is not yet verified and only my theory as there were no witnesses) from falling which obviously was too heavy for his strength! Like tey say...the rest is history.

And the table is now resting peacefully on our patio whilst Ib is still trying to find replacement for his unconventional toy!

At the GP...

Wheeling him to the OT

Self-sedated