Urut Lady

One of the recovery and healing process that I enjoyed during confinement is the traditional massage, tungku hot stones and bengkung/binding.

 

Preferably in silence so that I can drift off to nap during those precious moments after being awake all night long.

 

However, my urut lady had to spoil it all with her non-stop chatter. Honestly, her urut skills were pretty good but for the gift of her gab.

 

I had to endure 10 sessions of traditional massage that comes with endless  gossiping about other customers. 

One day, I decided enough was enough.

 

If someone could speak (ill) about others that way, I always believe that the same person would speak in the same negative fashion about me to others.

 

So I told her to stop coming over.

 

Puasa gossip, puasa mengumpat, alright?

 

Hear no evil (for me), and hopefully speak no evil (for her). Bad enough that I now have to vent it out here.

Maybe I do have to specify and request for silent traditional massage in future. Hopefully Tanamera has one...

 

Let this Ramadhan be filled with kind speech and good thoughts.

 

Caveat:

Not to potong her rezeki but I will not be posting her telephone number here (she did ask me to Facebook it, and I won't). If you, like me, enjoy silent massage, send me an email so that I can tell you who not to hire...

Full Moon Package

Preamble: This is NOT a paid post.

In fact, none of my reviews are sponsored, as I believe in writing independently and honestly so that I am able to share reliable information after testing or using the products and services first hand.

Today's post is about a catering company (with an online presence) that comes with a reliable team of customer, kitchen and delivery service.

I found them via Google and could not be more impressed by its delivery of promise.

I rang Citarasa Uniq customer service number given on its web site. Unfortunately, no one answered it the first time so my mobile service provider cut me off after x number of rings.

However, within seconds, a mobile number rang my number. Hesitantly, I answered (thinking that it is one of those pesky insurance or credit card companies). Luckily, it wasn't!

It was Citarasa Uniq customer service staff who returned my missed call. She was concise, polite. Good product knowledge and quick with best option available. A dream customer service staff *applaud!*

From then on, it was all so simple.

In a gist, here is what I did:
1. Discuss full moon package items - all their food are certified halal.
2. Finalise booking and sum payable.
3. Provide name(s) of child(ren) and parents; delivery address/date/time.
4. Pay online and SMS them the receipt number.
5. Citarasa Uniq staff delivered the items to the address provided at the time and date specified, complete with complimentary card bearing the birth announcement.

For slightly more than RM300 purchase, I was given a complimentary delivery to one address within Klang Valley at no additional cost.

Now that is a breezy, easy peasy full moon party pack a mother in confinement can organise in less than an hour without leaving the house!

Reviews from my ex-colleagues on the food: YUMMY! They were especially grateful that food arrived on the dot, for lunch. Bliss!

Full Moon Celebrations

Cannot believe how quickly light and dark merge into 28 days in just a few naps and seemingly endless diaper changes and feeds.

Bean is coming of age in 2 days!

I have placed the order for halal full moon party pack (luncheon) with Citarasa Uniq. They also have package for aqiqah parties, if you are looking for one.

Bet you can guess by now that I am culturally and genetically Chinese, and Muslim by faith?

Truth be told, I am also making up for my tardiness back when I had The Little Girl in 2010. 

This time, the full moon party pack will be  for both Bean and his elder sister...like a mini ratification/repentance to redeem myself *erase guilt for good*

Why didn't I do it last time?

My main excuses is that I served my confinement days at The House back then, had limited online access and a much tighter budget as a new stay at home mother. No rezeki?

By the time I wanted to and could place an order, it was a bit too late as the deadline for order came to pass too quickly. Again, no rezeki?

My bad. Totally.

So this time, opportunity has presented itself to make good the double joyous occasion, and alhamdulillah I am able to share both the food and good tidings with those close and dear to us.

Here's to Bean: Blessed Full Moon, son! I love you more than I can ever express in words and action. May you grow healthily , wisely and handsomely! 

Last but not least to The Little Girl: happy belated full moon, darling! You are and will always be loved dearly. No one can ever replace you. Every time you smile my heart grows that much bigger (the reverse is true when you act up or throw a tantrum, I feel like my heart had broken to smithereens).

Oh syukur alhamdulillah for these two amanah...and I pray that both The Other Half and I will be showered with more grace and patience in raising these two beautiful souls on the Right Path for His Glory and Purpose. 

Amin!

Fourth Wedding Anniversary

The Other Half and I celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary today.

May Allah s.w.t. bless our union in this life and Jannah, Amin!

Salam Ramadhan

Blessed Ramadhan to all my Muslim friends and readers! May Allah accept our fast, prayers and ibadah, forgive us our sins and bless us with more goodness, Amin!

 

I have paid my fidyah online, and so can you if you had forgotten/been too busy. It is never too late as long as your niat/intention is steadfast.

 

As for my non-Muslim friends and readers, enjoy the buffet spread (Groupon deals aplenty!) and be patient on the road.

 

Kindly note that some offices downtown KLCC start at 7.30 am and shut at 4.30 pm to allow for normal transactions to continue alongside adjusted prayer and meal times. Plan your day/month wisely.

 

Note: I am serving out my nifas, and breastfeeding so I am "excused" from fasting during this period. I will have to make up for the missed fasts and pay fidyah to feed the poor for every single day that I miss my fast. In sha Allah.

Post-Natal Weight Loss

At Week 39 gestation of my second pregnancy, my weight was more than 63.9 kg *GASP*

 

Post-natal weight loss record:

 

Day 3: 61.1 kg wearing size 18

(Bean was born 2.96 kg, and I also carried a lot of amniotic fluids. If you do the math, you will be as puzzled as I am as to how I only lost 2.8 kg - did I pile all the weight back on during the 2 nights we were at the hospital?)

 

Day 5: 59.8 kg wearing size 16

(Slightly more believable!)

 

Day 7: 59.6 kg

(I weigh myself first thing in the morning, so I must have lost water and not fat...)

 

Day 8: 59.1 kg wearing size 14

(I had the traditional massage at home, so I'd credit the weight loss to loss of water retention)

 

Day 11: 57.7 kg

(Same as above, although I met my belly button again. It has been a while, belly button! I have missed you)

 

Day 14: 56.4 kg wearing size 12

(Same as above. Sigh. Isn't the expressing and feeding working?)

 

Day 16: 56.1 kg

(Stagnant. Need a new vanity self-care programme)

Day 95: 54.5 kg wearing size 10

Must, must, must soldier on.

Keep in mind: It took me 39 weeks to balloon, so maybe it is only fair to give myself another 39 weeks to decompress to my previous size...

 

Target weight: 50 kg (I was 48 kg pre-pregnancy but suspect that was slightly featherweight)

 

Target size: Size 8 or 10 (Love the prospect of a wardrobe makeover although I would love to be wearing those size 8 clothing again *ego*)

 

Wish-list:

1. Non flabby abs.

2.Thighs with smaller circumference.
 

(That means I can have to start exercising again after the 6 week check up. I can live with the "stripes of pahala" a.k.a. stretchmark for another year. Give them time to fade...)

 

Cheer me on, will ya?

 

 

B.R.O.K.E.N. S.L.E.E.P.

Alhamdulillah Bean is home safely and is fully recovered from newborn jaundice (no hospital admission required, just lots of breast milk as advocated by his paed).

 

Alhamdulillah I am recovering, relaxing and rejuvenating as much as I possibly can.

 

The Other Half and I are sleep deprived at the moment and are taking turns to manage the household, caring for a newborn and a pre-schooler.

 

He does the school run in the morning.
 

Groceries.
 

Comes home.
 

Cares for Bean while I shower, express breast milk, get ready for my post-natal massage and binding.
 

Picks up lunch tray/tiffin cans/flasks of red date tea from The Grandparents from The Flat Upstairs.
 

Eats gobbles his lunch.
 

School run in the afternoon.
 

Sends The Little Girl to The Grandparents at The Flat Upstairs.
 

Comes home.
 

Cares for Bean while I befriend my Avent Breastpump and VIA cups.
 

We bathe Bean.
 

Naps (if possible).
 

Picks up dinner tray/tiffin cans/flasks of red date tea from The Grandparents from The Flat Upstairs.
 

Eats chomps his dinner.
 

Loads the dishwasher.
 

Return lunch trays/tiffin cans/flasks to The Grandparents at The Flat Upstairs in exchange for The Little Girl.
 

Cares for Bean while I keep the bedtime routine with The Little Girl.
 

I befriend my Avent Breastpump and VIA cups again before "sleeping".
 

Does the night feeds and diaper changes (I sometimes wake up too from the cries and letdown, and end up either breastfeeding or pumping).
 

Subuh again! Subuh already? But we haven't "slept"!
 

Breakfast time!  

 

(It is alright for you to have a headache/feel dizzy/see stars after reading the above list as we are fatigued from carrying out all these tasks!)

 

Now insert : put dirty laundry into the washer and transfer washed but still damp laundry to the dryer in between almost every single task.

 

Don't forget all the self care routines too (as mundane as teeth brushing sounds, one can sometimes miss out when both kids require attention at the same time!).

 

Solat. Don't miss that from his list of things to do. I am excused as I am still in nifas.

 

Then insert ironing some clothing randomly in between. We have started sending a small (but increasingly larger by the day) laundry basket to The Grandparents at The Flat Upstairs so that we can get some decent shut eye (read: nerve preservation). Oh, how my shoulders and neck ache from all that ironing...and the appearance of ugly varicose veins from standing on my feet a lot. Ugh!

 

Finally, do not leave out vital tasks such as renewing car road tax, car insurance, household and fire insurance, school concert rehearsals, school summer programme, 1001 other fun activities to keep the 39 month old pre-schooler entertained, engaged, learning and happy. Some we can complete online, but some require eye to eye contact and actual conversation, get what I mean?

 

Phew!

 

Things are about to get more interesting challenging as we embark on the Holy Month of Ramadhan next week. May Allah bless us with Strength to carry on and fulfil our obligations as Muslims.

When the first 44 days are over, with no help from The Grandparents or Confinement Helper (who is only helping out for the last 9 days), our reality of a family of 4 members will commence. This is the "honeymoon" period so let me just kick back and relax in the smallest way that I can.

 

Guess that birth story will have to wait for now until I gather my composure as posting a summary would not be fair *hehe*

 

Till then

 

<pause>

 

see you soon!

 

It won't be too long, I sincerely hope.

 

P/S: Yes, the fact that we are parents of 2 kids have finally sunk in. It did the moment we took Bean home!