Aidan is 3!

14th August 2007 we held in our arms, a tiny and weighed slightly less than 3kg baby boy and that was 3 years ago. How time flies and he is now 3 years old. The last one year has been a bit challenging for Ummi, the terrible two phase but I can never be thankful enough to Allah swt for this gift as He had given us the joy of raising little munchkin, Aidan. Alhamdulillah.

The last one year I clearly can see his progress especially on motor skill has multifold, by 2.5 yrs old he can remove and put on his clothes and night diaper by himself. He eats on his own, with spoon and fork and sometimes with his little hands, he even can clean himself up after small business which I think kinda of cute and lately he wants to clean himself up after big business too which is a big no no for Ummi. What I can say about this 3 year old, he wants to be like a big boy like his abang, he wants to do everything coz he thinks he's strong enough, like carrying our grocery bags :P His perseverance sometimes can drive Ummi up to the wall coz every little thing he insists it has to be done in his way. On the other hand, he's mature compare to his age, being and wanting to be independent.



Aidan is known to be a chatter box in our families, my family especially my parents love to layan him. Each time they talk in the phone, the ending conversation from Aidan will be"...bye atuk/wan, i looooove you and see you.." Mana laa tak cair org tua tu :) I love chatting with him, having him around just the 2 of us feels like having a companion over tea and one thing I notice about this little munchkin is that he is expressive not only with his words but with his body language esp his face. He loves to entice us with his comical look, his stunts, stances and he's playful with his eyes too. I guess it is not hard to notice all this from his pictures, he loves camera and video cam and a big time role player too, from main masak2, modelling, ultraman vs monsters, imaginary friends, docs and patient, dentist and patient, etc. From here you can tell it's lotsa fun, the greatest entertainer at home!



Health wise, 2-2.5 yrs has been great but from 2.5-3 yrs, it wasn't so good but alhamdulillah, during that period, I have quit my job and it's like a blessing in disguise. I was able to care and nurse him. Just for the sake of jotting down somewhere, it was Aidan 1st hospitalization due to bad wheezing which caused his heart rate goes up to 180. It was on 20th May 2010. Talking about nursing, he's still with me *sigh* Ummi not so sure how to wean you off dear coz you are soooo ever crazy with that "chandu" which is "heaven" to you hehehe...

Food wise, you are the adventurous type, academic wise, not so much, you don't really like writing or coloring but with water color, you'r on the go, love reading with me but when I try teaching you alpabhets/numbers/surah recitation, your attention span shorten :( Ummi is taking it easy with you dear coz learning suppose to be fun, right?


Dear Zul Aidan Naez,

We love you to bits sayang, you are such an adorable little munchkin and we always crave for your antics. We hope that Allah swt will always protect you and bless you with His love. Happy 3rd Birthday Aidan with much love love love from your Ummi, Papa and Abg Nael. Muahhhhhsss.

Nael is 7!

This post is way outdated due to Aidan being admitted to hospital nevertheless, Ummi, Papa and Aidan would like to wish you Happy 7th Birthday to you, our little hero. We hope that you had ton of fun with your classmates during your birthday bash at Mc D. Let's have some run down since you were 6.




You are more adventurous with food, adventurous as to wanting to taste the food rather than turning your face to the other side :D You love your brother to bits and I still can remember on an occasion that really display the love for your brother. One day when we were at Giant and Aidan was throwing fit of tantrum and he simply did not want to budge, we were actually in the car. I used to have time outs with Aidan if he ever shows uncooperative attitude when we're at home but that day it was in the car driving out from Giant. Papa pulled over and let Aidan stand outside the car, you burst into tears when you saw this. Not only you were crying but you asked for forgiveness on Aidan's behalf. My heart just melt watching this. There were a few more incidents too that you cried of him although Aidan clearly at fault.

Academic wise, you are doing great, you did fairly well in your monthly exam but what Ummi and Papa is more than happy is that you love school, you enjoy learning, you have no qualms attending extra class (Agama, Morris Allen, Taekwando) albeit its a bit taxing to my standard. You ask so many questions on life, death, being good muslim, about unseen world and such. Your health department is better especially on your flu and cough, I think the Superman Vit C helped and Flexonase too :) You are eager to be so called orang besar, you want to help me with the dirty dishes, the laundry, the vacuuming, you even want to sleep on your own in your own room, to even lock the door at night and ensure the alarm is on. But the best part to watch is how you be an imam to your brother, you with your shorts and Aidan with his pull up diaper hehehe...

Nael is still a shy boy but I can see he's transforming to a more confident individual. We pray that Allah will always shower you with his love and mercy and may you turn up to be one fine grown up man with a happy soul. Lots of love, hugs and kisses from your Ummi, Papa and Aidan *muahhhss*


"Look at Aidan!!."


"He got this card from the boy who asks money from him..hemm alahai :)"

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Continued from Tick Tock.

I have been thinking for quite many months before I made the BIG decision. Actually it came quite naturally, or maybe I should say, Allah has another plan for me. It started with the maid issue. I thought we were gonna have a replacement maid after AIdil Fitri last year but heck, it wasn't easy, we (myself & my agent) were duped by Indonesian agents. The whole story can make up a book by itself. So, I was totally turned off by the idea. Next came another issue that is my other half has taken up another role, like his old role, that is a regional position and therefore he has to make trips which means he has to leave me with this 2 kiddos on my own. *scratch head*. If that's not enough, we also have some family issue and Nael is starting primary One, so who's gonna take good care of them? The only appropriate solution for this time is that I have to make yet again another sacrifice that is quiting my job.

Personally, I was very nervous, nervous on how to tell my parents. You see, I have been giving them some moolah since I started work, in a way we 3 children have been supporting them, ensuring they get to experience what they could not afford when they were young. So, the feeling of not able to contribute and the feelings of what my brother and sister would say, too much to shoulder at times. When I 1st broke the news, there was dissappointment from all :( the last few months I have been trying to tell them, that we will do ok and there are plans for the financial side, it's like submitting financial proposal to board of directors :P In all, they didn't say much, looks like my parents have beginning to accept my reason to leave my job and some plans we have in future.

When my other half asked me "how do you feel that today Monday is your last Monday at work" I told him that I wasn't really thinking of my days left in office, I'm more a nervous wreck on how I will spend my time. You see, I had made a pact in me that I would do this, this, and this and I know Allah is watching and we are answerable to every little time we spend on this world. Therefore I just pray that I would be discipline enough and follow my new schedule.

Sometimes I asked myelf, will I miss not working? I think I would! I love working, having a job, having moolah and having that moolah to please a lot of people but I could not stand my current job, too boring. At this moment, I want to forget about it and embrace a new title, wearing a new hat, the job is the highest paying job in the world and the return is immeasurable! I will be a SAHM :) , where the 'execitement' begins and never ends :p

SAHM out there, give me some words of advice, be it good or bad, I do appreciate it very much. Wish me luck my dear friends and I hope this have answered why I have had so many free lunches this month tsk tsk tsk...

Standard Oners

Below are the conversations I had with Nael. He is now into numbers=age=old or young and about death.

Nael : "Nenek is 101 years old"
Me : "Wow!! and you?"
Nael : "I'm 7 yrs old, nenek dah tua. Nael nak umur 101 million years old"
Me : *chuckle* "Tak ada oranglah umur macam tu. Semua mati sebelum umur 101 years old"
Nael : "Haaaa...MATI? Nael tak nak!"


Nael : "Pergi school, pergi university, lepas tu work, lepas tu old, lepas tu?"
Me : "lepas tu mati lah" (jokingly manner)
Nael : "mati??? tak nak la"
Me : "Itula Nael kena selalu doa, supaya nael, ummi, papa and aidan panjang umur"
Nael : "panjang umurrrrrr??"
Me : "lepas tu doa laa supaya murah rezeki"
Nael : "murah rezekiiiiii??"
Me : hemmm..
Nael : "apa panjang umur? apa murah rezeki?"

Right now, it's a new phase for me in dealing with Nael, lots of questions. Kadang tu pening kepala nak fikir the simplest phrase that he can understand :(

Tick Tock

"menghitung hari, detik demi detik.."

Ya, itulah kerja saya setiap hari since 1st March 2010. I have submitted my love letter to the management on that very day. After 12 years being with the company, I felt this IS the time to make a move, a big decision with a big leap.

4th February 1998, I first joined m.o.t company where I was recruited in the states, fresh out from the oven joining ~30+ fresh grad all over US universities to be based in KL and Penang. It was in Texas, that I first met Elisa. She was one of the interviewers flown in from KL. There I was with my pierced eyebrow together with my 2 piece mini skirt, went for 2 rounds of interviews and got the job. Seriously if I was in M'sia, they would not hire me due to a)I'm not an A student b)I had a ring stuck at my eyebrow :P but being American company, they saw something else in me. On our 3rd day, we knew the results and I postponed my trip back to M'sia for a month and did some trips in the country.

I kept the good news to myself :) No one in the family knew that I got the job. So, when my family picked me up from the airport, I remember clearly how my mother was damn worried that I will not get any jobs due to the global economic crisis. She was ranting..blah blah blah all the way from airport to the house. Once at home, I broke the news, goshhh..the feelings was indescribable, esp looking at their faces and even more funny when I mentioned my starting salary was RM2.4K. Their jaw dropped! heheh...why, you may ask? some of you might know that I have an older brother who worked as a doc in government hospital, he is 7 years older than me. He has to work in long hour shifts, he even did locam (sp?) as part time to earn a decent living. That shows how poor he was, gov paid them, doctors peanuts during 1998.

I reported duty on 4th Feb 1998. My circle of friends grew, from Lily & Hani to Famy, Elisa, Mdm Y and Mdm S and not forgetting Ninuk :) I think I had great time during m.o.t era. Gaji bagus, kerja bagus, lots of training available, ada shares for high performance employee, bonus pun bagus until....we were outsourced to managed services company where everything is about money! so kena laa undertake cost effective measures and my career graph started to plunge :P From somewhat career minded lady, I turned to lifeless woman whose hands on the computer but her mind is elsewhere. I did try to move on to different company, same line but with better prospect, I had to let it go due to giving way to my other half as he has much more promising career path than I do..so like any other working mother, I made sacrifices. Sticking to the same company doing the same mundane work with a slightly more challenging environment where you have to suck up to your customer's bad day te he he..

What's next?

Watch this space for Tick Tock II

Part of Growing Up

On the 10th March evening, he fell flat face on the concrete floor. When I first saw him, he was tring to avoid my gaze, maybe he was too terrified that he thought he would get a scolding, a good one, instead I just talked to him calmly and I saw tears running down his cheeck. My poor boy, his baju melayu top near the collar was in dark red. Took him to a clinic as I thought the MO can just clip his lips, then he said need to be referred to a surgeon. Least we know, his gum needs stitches too and appointment was made to have him under GA the next morning.



"one restless boy, waiting in his gown. he looks cute though"


"sticker for him, to lift up his spirit"


"he waited for 10 mins at the OT sebab mak dia sibuk berbreakfast, he woke up to see the nurse and not the mother :P. for this i kena an earful from hubby. Sorry sayang, doc kata 1/2 hr, Ummi pergila makan 1/2 an hr."


"ini lapar punya pasal, dah tak ingat dah sakit mulut"




10 stitches to upper gum and lips and it will be removed this Thursday. So far not much drama from him, sibuk melompat lagi adalah :O

Nael is in Year 1

Nael aka Zul Arif to his friends is now in Year 1 and 4th January onwards, the ZAN household has to follow his schedule, no more waking up late for the parents :P Our day now starts at 5:45am for hubby and moi at 6:00am, reason being, I'm still b'feeding Aidan and 15mins more I consider as a luxury to catch up on the sleep lost :) No issue for Nael to wake up early too, he is more eager than usual, wakes up, take shower and hubby will give shower to Aidan too at 6:15am, yes that EARLY while Ummi prepare breakfast and bekal for everyone.

His 1st day was OK, no crying, no sad face, all I can see was his smile, his thumb up and occasional yawning. Boy oh boy, my boy has grown up. He's sitting at the last row, last seat because we were late and actually I was the last parent sending him to his class. Blame it to the bad traffic..huhuhu.

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So for the last 5 days...

1) he gets confuse when we drop him off at gate C in the morning, he wasn't sure how to get to his building. Fyi, this school is huge compare to other schools I have seen and they have 3 blocks that look the same from gate C. Once he gets to the correct building, he knows where his class, there are 5 classes where each has ~38 students, he will lookup for his class name at the door :) . By Friday he knows his way. *phew*

2) during recess, a few days I gave him lunch box and 1 day without as I wanted him to get his snack on his own. He is usually with his partner in class, name Azi@t, once he finishes his meal, we encourage him to get some other food, not that we want him to get canteen food but we just need to know how he handles his money when buying food/drink. So, what I observe, he gets confuse about 1 ringgit note but not the syiling. That is understood as his kindy taught them on the syilings. But if the food cost more than 1 ringgit, this confused him more hehehe...So, to cut short, I just thought him

a. First, put all your food and water on the cashier table, take out your wallet from pocket.
b. Then give 1 ringgit note, if it's more than that, the Kakak will ask you to give her, 10/20/50 cents more.
c. Whatever that you have pay previously, cakap "Ini dah bayar". Pay only what you have not paid. (I saw the kakak ask him another ringgit just because he was carrying with him his half eaten fish ball)

3) toilet - is so so, better than filthy public toilet. He has not use the toilet yet, hemm.....but we already asked him to show us how to unbuckle his canvas belt. He pass!

4) going home - arghhh, headache. A lot of times reminded him the path that he has to take to reach gate C. On Wednesday, his Atuk went and search him frantically all over the school. He was suppose to meet his Atuk at gate C waiting area, after 10 minute of no show, Atuk went for his rounds and got a call from him!!! We thought someone loaned him a handphone and we thought it's a smart thing to do that the night before, hubby wrote 4 major numbers at the back of his business card and placed it in his wallet. It showed that he knows when to use it during emergency. When he was talking, the line was cut off and minutes later his Atuk found him at gate C waiting area. Probed him and he told us that he and Azi@t were using public phones to make calls :P and Azi@t loaned him 50cents..aduhhh!! Even on Thursday and Friday, he showed up late at gate C but we found out another thing, Azi@t has to make calls to his father after school dismiss and my kind boy has been escorting his friend to the canteen to make the calls hehehe..Patutlah keluar lambat!! Aiyoh!!!



"Nael with his partner in crime heh..heh..heh"