A Homemaker’s Diary

It’s been a while since I managed to update this blog, not that I can’t be online..it’s just that the time has been occupied with something else.

I realized that when you are a stay-at-home mom, the time you have for yourselves is really precious. You have to juggle between the feeding, the sleeping and the waking up time that your child schedules for you. Whatever that need to be done must be done within that time space, you miss it, you lose it. Whether you want to chat with a friend, to reply an email or to take your shower, all must be done quickly.

And when you say the prayers, you really mean it - like Ya allah, please don’t rain yet, wait till my laundry dries, or Alhamdullilah when the baby sneezes and one lump of boogey comes out from his nose, or when you sigh in relief, Thanx God knowing that the baby poops after 3 days (not that it is uncommon for exclusively BF baby).

Now I understand why people pray for good health. Not that I didn’t pray for my health before…but this time I really wouldn’t want to fall sick, be it fever or flu, Nauzubillah if it’s something more serious. Not solely being selfish in wanting to be healthy, it’s more to taking care of the baby - who will feed, change, bathe him if I don’t have the energy to run the household. I can’t afford to sleep after taking the flu medicine like I used to - what if he’s hungry and I don’t hear his cry while I am sleeping soundly.

When you’re a mom, you put your child first and foremost in the priority list. It’s not fun and easy all the time but I’m sure as he grows up, the time and effort I put into it will be priceless.

I maybe a bit superstitious when it comes to all this prediction and zodiac thingy…well, I only believe the good part so since the Year of Ox 2009 is considered to be unlucky year for people who are born in the Year of Sheep (yours truly), I found this entry - Born in the Year of the Goat: Year of the Ox 2009 Predictions and Forecast refreshing. Although I’m not sure how accurate it is since the entry was updated in November last year, heh!

Reading a few more predictions, I came to a conclusion that this year despite the fact that the Ox year doesn’t favor those born in Sheep year, we, the Sheep people just need to work harder in order to thrive in life, love and career. Oh, BTW for 1979 Sheep, the Earth element plays a good role this year since this year is Ox Earth year. Quoted from shawn.genplace.com:

“Earth element people have a very good luck for the year of ox (Earth). Earth element people will enjoy good news at the second half of the year. Attempt to involve more on the social activities. It will help you to gain more opportunity in your career or wealth. In addition, Good wealth luck brings in extra money. Just remember to do more good deeds and improve personal relations.”

See, there’s still hope for good fortune this year..hehe!

Over the past 45 days I’ve learned many things - baby related and not so baby related.

Among the many things, I just realized that Andrea Bocelli is blind. I watched his performance in Martha Stewart show one night that I woke up for night time nursing (at 2-3am) and was wondering why he looks blind, the way he sang and later talked to Martha, and the fact that he is..huhu!

Rachael Ray show is not bad either. I’m not sure whether her cooking is really as good as it looks on TV, though. Oh, the Lost casts are no longer lost in the island…somehow 6 of them survive while the rest disappeared together with the island…(well, I already lost hope to understand the storyline in Lost since Season 2)

8TV does have good and among the latest season of many series like Gilmore Girls, Prison Break, One Tree Hill. I never notice much of what 8TV has since all these while I only watch our favourite channels on Astro such as HBO, Travel and Living, Star World and AXN.

Baby related, I realized that I am an efficient (adept?) mom when it comes to bathing, changing diaper and taking care of the baby on my own. While Hubby is at work, I still manage to cook and do laundry, take shower and eat lunch while baby is sleeping and somehow noticing that I am not around, crying…huhu!

Oh, I can still manage to read magazines, books and digest the info despite the lack of sleep that I endure these days. But I do suffer from short term memory lost, asking Hubby over and over again whether he has turn off the rice cooker..heh!

Another thing, I learned that when you have had the same bland meals for more than 30 days, everything else that you take for granted before like kek pisang and nasi goreng kampung taste much, much better and more yummy. And of course my taste buds need adjustment as well as I can’t really gauge how much salt and sugar to season my cooking.

I have many more to share but with such a time constraint, I better eat my supper before the baby awakes and start to merengek..heh!

My 44 days berpantang is not over yet but we managed to go out last Saturday (Hubby said bukan dah 41 hari ke..so kira aci la kan since there are people who take berpantang only up to 40 days, heh!) So there we went to the Curve with baby..considered that as his first formal outing. I had good time eating cheese cake and black pepper chicken in Secret Recipe. Later had roti bakar in Kluang Station. Though I still can’t enjoy their teh tarik (takut baby kembung since I am BF)..lama lagi tu kena avoid tea..huhu!

We bought a few new pairs of baju for him, kesian dia baju harian semua dah lusuh2 since we only bought a few newborn size plus gifts from friends yg dtg melawat..but kira berbaloi la. We bought Sebamed facial lotion and shampoo as well since the current J&J lotion and top-to-toe wash that we have been using on him seems to be drying out his facial skin and scalp…(adakah anak lelaki aku akan jadi vain bila besar nanti? haha!)

We went to Metrojaya because I need to look for more swaddling blankets. I can’t believe that Metrojaya’s baby department has quite a good choice. They even have the Medela PureLan cream that I’ve been looking for before I gave birth. We tried the Fisher Price rocker but I think for now the baby won’t be enjoying it, maybe in another 2-3 months we will buy one. In the end I decided to buy Luvable Friend’s blankets as that the best choice I could find..they even have discount like 20%. I hate blankets that are too thick (the green Froggy Anakku), too small (Tollyjoy)..the hooded type..heh..macam aku plak yg pakai blanket tu.

For us, we bought magazines in Borders. Checked out the T700 at Sony Style. I don’t think anyone would like to buy my old T30 for a good price so there will be no chance to splurge on new gadget. Not that I need a new camera anyway.

The baby and I dropped by at Ikano’s nursing room and the Curve’s baby room for feeding and diaper changing. OK la but then I can’t understand why would fathers insist to go in as well knowing that the changing place and the nursing area are in the same space. Luckily there are curtains and cubicles (at the Curve) but I still felt awkward and uncomfortable.

Overall it was a nice experience for our first family outing. Of course it was kind of a hassle, have to bergilir makan, layan budak yang merengek tu, to bring all the stroller, car seat, baby bag etc but with any other new phase in life, I’m sure we will get used to it.

Jeng jeng jeng..I am almost there..about a week towards my merdeka day..not that I’ve been following strict berpantang regime for the past few days..heh! I’ve been walking up and down the stairs, did the laundry, went out to dry the clothes, and cooked simple meal for Hubby. But I am still berpantang makan since I’m scared that I will bentan again.

So, what will I do once the 44 days are over? First stop will be Secret Recipe since I have been yearning to eat cake..heh! After all that’s the nearest makan place to our house. But still no ice for me though. I plan to berpuasa ice for 100 days (macam impossible je?) Maybe I will drink cold drinks from the fridge but not one with ice cube in it..(takde harapan nak minum watermelon kat Secret Recipe..huhu!)

During the weekend maybe we will venture out a bit farther..steamboat at Johnny’s perhaps or to the Curve or Ikano. Not sure how the outing will be with the newborn since so far we haven’t been to anywhere except to SIL’s house and the clinic. I hope he will be OK with jalan-jalan or otherwise balik rumah meragam, naya la aku tak tido malam..huhu!

I think I’m beginning to get used to being a mom (less sleep, minimal own activity, time mostly revolves around nursing, diaper changing and layan sorang budak yang suka merengek tu..heh!) I know once he grows a bit, I will miss the time when he lies helpless in my arm, the smile of contentment after nursing, the cherub angelic face when he sleeps so peacefully. Maybe that’s why people keep on getting pregnant and giving birth to new babies..haha!

But then again, I can’t wait for him to grow up, to bring him to the zoo, swimming, playing in the playground, his first bicycle ride, a picnic at the beach..it makes sense now why people want kids. Oh, don’t ask me when I want my second baby..I still need time to catch up on my lost sleep..huhu!