fenin kepala i dok fikir nak beli hadiah apa for the king's birthday..haish. have a few in mind but not sure which one to get. looking back at last year's birthday i got him Garmin 1350 and i'm glad he loves it.



this year dengan keadaan ekonomi individu kurang memuaskan, maka, pilihan hadiah juga very limited. he once mentioned about how he wants a laptop. when i said we already have my notebook (which he bought fer me) he said, i want bigger ones, the most advanced and tip top..which i assume the cheapest of his dream laptop would be RM4k. thinking bout it, i have to admit that i can't afford! :(

so, i try to be realistic here. just get something that he needs or whatever he dreams to have (not 6-series, a 3 storey house and laptop and such..he he). so here are what i have in mind.

1) A wallet. Since he lost his Gucci last year, a wallet could be the best gift. I have 2 favourites and they don't cost me a 1-month salary.

This one




or, this one




2) A camera. We don't have camera since i lost it 2 years ago in Prince Hotel..




3) A shoe. He has been eying this since we were in Paris last time.




Which one to buy? Seriously i can't decide.

Routines..

Hello world!

As i updating my blog my two kings are already asleep! while pumping i think why not to have something written up here. life has been so much different since Raiqa's arrival. Like my mom said once, when you have kid(s), it's not all about you anymore, whatever you do, you have additional things to think about, new responsibility to carry! when i experience these myself, i realized i become closer to mom.

like my updates in facebook, i am giving raiqa a few trainings before i start work. i try to set up some routines for her, train her to be bottle-fed, and keeping up with her physical and mental development. It wasn't easy but thanks to lord google, i typed in all doubts, thousands helpful links and websites were listed. you know sometimes for the first time mother, i tend to be paranoid.. if raiqa acts unusual i have lotsa things in my mind. i checked every possible cause and if i couldn't find it i start to bug my hubby with my worrisome. and as usual hubby will say "relax sayang..it's normal.." and i would say "i try google..and they say it cud be bla..bla..bla.." just to pacify me, hubby asks his doctors friend and comeout with the explanations. baru lah i lega. if not i will keep on thinking and the more i think the more i worry, the worst it could be to hubby. i'm thankful that he'sso understanding! thanks love..

back on the starting up routine for raiqa, i started with jotting down her daily activities (as they are) for 3 days and try to spot a pattern. she wakes up before eight (around seven) to say goodbye to daddy before he leaves for work, i feed her and she goes back to sleep only to wake up at 9.30 - 9.45 a.m. feeding again and she takes her bath. she'll then play and i usually bring her to our balcony to see the greens. she'll then be fed again and ready for her afternoon nap until 2p.m. her first diaper change takes place after that. feeding time, play and sleep again until 5.30 when she takes her 2nd shower of the day. play, feeding time and sleep until 9 p.m (sometimes she skip this and only wakes up at 12.00 a.m.) feeding time again, sleeps and wakes up every 2 hours to drink. i would love to adjust her morning wake-ups, but as she grows, she sometimes skips the 2 a.m feeding. phewww..

to pt her on bottle was the most challenging part. i was once stressed out about this and have tried a lot of tricks. but these few days, my patience and effort has really paid-off. she slowly accepting the bottle but in 1 condition. i have to be far from her. my maid feeds her bottle and she accepted well. now in daytime, she takes bottle; direct feeding at night. this means i have to pump more frequent! *sigh*

for her physical movement, i usually offer her full body massage before she takes her bath, the famous "I LOVE U" massage after bath and calming massage if she cries during the day. i watched in youtube and have been practicing quite sometime already. she's now has a very strong pair of legs and very jarang to get kembung. i also do her bicycle movement to avoid constipation and also try to stretch her legs and hands to strengthen them. the only problem i have is when i do "tummy time" for her..she doesn't quite like it..she'll fuss around and start to yell if it exceeds 30-60 secs. what i do is to put her on my tummy and attract her with plush toys and sometimes i make funny sounds from my mouth. she usually likes it..i mean the sounds not the "tummy time"..hehehe

i have read somewhere that people say reading to your less-than-4-months kid is waste of time because they don't understand. to me, it's not about making them understand, it's about stimulating their brain and develop their interest in books. if people read for their unborn babies inside the womb, why cant i read to my 2 month old baby? so i decided for her learning development, i bought "merry go round" to be attached to her crib, i bought a mini gunnysack that squeals, and few crib toys (additional from what we got during baby shower). i read to raiqa "my first encyclopedia" since she was 4 week old.i also collect Lamaze soft books, lie down beside her and read while both of us looking at the same thing :))

i only have two weeks before i start to work. so i guess (i hope)it's enough time eastablish all routines and stock-up the milk! please pray for this ibu muda yg blurr to ease the process and get back to work with peace in mind! Aminnn..

My Birth Story

It maybe a little too late to share my birthing experience...it has been a while also i did not update my blog. why? i have been busy with getting ready to deliver and moving house at the same time..that triggered my delivery process. I had been so stress on the final week of my pregnancy; when i go for routine check-up on 29th Dec 2010, doctor said that my blood pressure was quite high and she afraid that it will keep increasing. I was only 1cm dilated that time. Dr Zalina suggested me to be induced on the same day itself but i refused for two good reasons. one; AFC final between Mas and Indo on that very night and two; i want to give sometimes for myself to maybe calm down and rooting for normal and natural birthing process. Dr Zalina made me promise to come again on the next morning to be warded and induced. DemiAllah, i was freaked out! i went home and enjoy myself to the max. watched football and having food feast. before i sleep, i played with baby boo in the tummy for the last few hours (i thought!). i barely sleep thinking what will happen tomorrow, how am i gonna deal with it, and knowing tomorrow i'll be seeing my long awaited baby girl excites me much.

The next morning, hubby and i had a serious talk session right after our prayers when i sit in front of hubby and look at him. Asking for his forgiveness with tears in my eyes. i ever reminded him "if i cannot make it through, please take care of our lil daughter..and yourself. please forgive me and halalkan makan minum i selama i jadi isteri u.." hubby just looked at me and said "no, you'll make it, you take care of me and we take care of our daughter together..btw,i forgive you and i halalkan semuanya"
On the way to hospital, i asked hubby how does he feel. He was quiet all the way; i supposed he's panic too. I keep on checking my checklist to make sure i did not forget anything and in my heart i recite "Rabbi yassir wala tuassir, rabbi tammim bilkhair.." again and again!

When we arrived in the hospital, we were given a double room as singles are all taken. I drink the air akar siti fatimah as they say it can ease the process. tell u what..it did not work fer me..hehe. after we got the room, the process starts..

10.30 a.m - i was induced.

2.30 p.m - i started to feel labor contractions. it started with mild bearable one where i can still laugh, take my lunch and fun chat with hubby. they put EFM device to check the baby boo's heart rate and contractions.

3.15 p.m - the contractions were getting stronger with 5 - 8mins interval. i was busy walking around maternity wards to ease the pain. if you wondering how the pain was (for first time mummy), imagine period pain (if u ever experienced period pain lah)but it's 100x. hubby went back home to take his t-shirts and toiletries (i wonder why he did not bring it from the beginning...guess he blanked out..haha).. Gg came and was in shock to see me squatting on the floor. Sakit!! The nurse came and did the VE (vaginal examination) and to my surprise i was only 1.5cm dilated. Damn! I told myself to be strong because i know it will be a looooooooong journey. prayed in my heart and keep telling baby boo to calm down and quickly make her way out. World is waiting baby!

4.30 - as the contractions were getting stronger (never the less), i made myself walk (again) around the maternity ward, see the same paintings and read (again) the same "thank you" cards from those who have delivered their baby here. But still, the pain was there. When hubby came, i asked him to massage my back... every time the contractions were at peak, i cry! the pain was unbearable. the nurse came and put on the EFM machine again. Just checking whether baby boo was distress or not. The nurse said i was having contractions every 5 mins..and they were the strong ones. "believe me, i know!" i said to the nurse.

7.30 - still not dilated. Dr Zalina came and asking whether i want the pain killer or not. i bravely said no. i want to keep it as natural as possible. I was induced and i dont need more drugs. Dr Zalina was shocked by my determination. and she said "saya belum jumpa lagi org yang dah sakit 5 jam tapi still taknak pain killer..but, i put your name in the list lah cause if u dont deliver tonight, you may need to take the pain killer to let u sleep and regenerate you energy for tomorrow BIG business" I was laughing in pain sambil Dr Zalina geleng2 kepala.

8.30 - 11.30 - I cant stand anymore. I asked hubby to massage again but it did not help at all. the nurse came in..another VE. 2cm! sakit macam nak gila baru 2cm? oh no! the nurse forced me to take pain killer, my mother in law who was there to accompany me agreed to the nurse and left me with no choice. i was thinking, maybe it's the best decision because i need to get enough rest to push tomorrow. i agreed and they push me to labour room and gave me injection. in less than 10secs, i lost conscious.

4.30 a.m - i was waken up by a very strong contractions and felt there's fluid coming out from my down there. thought i maybe passed urine in my sleep; i called nurse. she said "puan tak kencing, u are bleeding...". she was so calm and clean all "the mess" from my body. another VE (oh forgot to tell, everytime nurse or doctor do VE on me they couldnt find my servic opening so they have to go really deep inside to check the opening..i am traumatized!!!!.3cm..duh! "i need to assist the opening, u tahan sikit ye...(you can imagine yourself what she did). EFM was put again and my contarctions was like 2-3secs (yes secs) interval.i cant sleep. i drink and only took kurma all the while. i was all alone in the room. my eyes explored every single things and already have picture in my mind what;s going to happen in the next few hours.

6.30 - the nurse came in to check again. and this time she came with doctor suggestion to rupture my membrane or "pecahkan air ketuban"! after air ketuban pecah, masyaAllah, lagi sakit.. tears coming out from my eyes voluntarily...and non-stop. around 7.30a.m, nurse came in look after my hubby. i myself did not know where he was that time and i pretty sad that i was left enduring all the pain, alone!

8.30 - hubby came in and i dont have strength to talk. another VE, it was 4cm. alhamdulillah. hubby went out for breakfast and came back. i already dilated 5cm. this time i feel sakit perut memulas cam kena diarrhea. a mild urge to push.baby boo's heart beat is still normal. no sign of distress. dr zalina said "your baby very strong just like her mom..." memang kembang semangkuk, tapi sebab sakit i ignore je.

10.30 - dr came in. another VE..dah 5cm, sakit dah semacam! i was reciting a lotsa doa and talking nonsense to hubby. yet, the doctor said to nurse, "if 7cm, call me ok..i;ll be in my office.." i was like..wait..wait..where are you going doc????

11.30 - 12.30 - it's already 7cm, and dr zalina has been called. i feel the urge to push. i grip hubby's hand..i was all sweaty like a pig but i feel so cold. when the dr zalina came hubby was ready with cameras and i asked hubby's forgiveness one more time. when dr zalina did another VE it's nearly 10cm..and she said she can feel baby boo's head already. when it was 10cm, dr asked to push..i did my very best..but apparently it wasn't enough. controlled my breath and push again...and again..and again! i felt so called, i did not see anybody i just heard voices...push and push..i can feel when the doc did the incision. at last heard dr told hubby that baby boo's head senget a bit, she needs to use vacuum to assist. she vacuumed and at the same time i was pushing hard and tadaaaaaaa....the head is out..i felt loose and another urge to push coming and dusshhh..her body was out. dr zalina took her cord blood for stemlife storage. she was then put on my chest..i touched her wrinkled blue body and i feel amazed. the best feeling ever!!!!!!

it was indeed my longest 22 hours but it was paid-off...when i see my baby boo!

introducing baby boo to the world...





RAJA RAIQA ZAHIYA, 31/12/2010, 2.8kg and 48cm @ 12.37pm