I'm not well...

I'm a bit under the weather... with sore throat, bouts of coughing and losing my voice, but I have a full weekend ahead of me. Not resting, but full of programmes...sigh

I just got back from the Birthday Bash cum telematch downstairs. Kak Jas handled the Birthday Bash while I handled the tele-match for madames and their kids. By the laughter, both events went beautifully. Even though I was losing my voice, I still had to shout during the games...hehehe.

I'm resting at home now, before going to a meeting with Pn.Juni (Petronas Vp of Education) at 3 pm. I'm supposed to present my committees report... Hmmm, with my voice like an 'itik serati', I don't know how it'll be...hehehe

Actually at the same time, there'll be a rehearsal for the kids who's going to dance zapin and perform silat for tomorrow's event. I'll have to send Kak Liza to supervise the kids...sigh

Tomorrow, the kids will perform for the opening ceremony for Edufair 2009. I'm the coordinator of the performance, overlooking the practice sessions for the past 7 days...sigh. No wonder I'm sick, I'm probably too tired with the many tasks at hand. I think I need to 'recharge' now... Au Revoir!

Amir... in school

These pictures were taken on Amir's second day in school...hehehe.

In the morning, still at home...

While waiting for the van...

Playing cars, his favourite...

He looked so happy playing with Ara...

Meeting...Pre-kenduri

On the night of 11th October, we had a final Block A meeting before our Jamuan Raya. We decided to have it in the cafe as normally there'll be only a small turn-out. I just fried some frozen karipap and sliced some oranges. We did it in the cafe because we could just order the drinks from the cafe itself.

I was the only female there as my partners in crime were not available. K.Jas was in Vienna, K.Aishah was probably tired from hosting level 6th open house and I forgot to call Ina Sakinah...hehehe. 

At first, there were only about about 7 men but later there were about 20 of them...sigh. We discussed again about the menu and we elected a few heads for the small committees for the Jamuan Raya. The OGP men volunteered to boil the ketupat. We discussed about some problem of logistics...especially about the Kandahar khoruf. 

The joke of the day was when Mahmud Hisham asked us to make sure that the Kandahar ladies used gloves when they mix the sauce. The room erupted with laughter. The others said that it'll lose the 'original' taste... hehehe. I told him that we'll try to give them gloves and to that Syed said, 'Kalau tak sedap, jangan marah'...hehehe

We finished the meeting around 10 pm. I was happy that everybody understood the 'flow' of events to come and they knew their spesific tasks, alhamdulillah.

The first wave...

They've started to fill up the room...

Full house...

Syed, siap ambik nota tu...

Amir, still active...sigh

Gem of the day...

A conversation that took place about half an hour ago... 

Daughter : Mak, do you know that I am the 'petolong' kelas...

Mother and Father : What?!!

Daughter : I'm the 'petolong' class for KAFA

Mother and father : Started laughing uncontrollaby...

Daughter : (Trying to explain herself) You know Syaqil, he's the '..dua kelas'

Mother and father : What?!!

Daughter : Syaqil's the '..dua kelas'... the students' manager...

Mother and father : Started rolling on the floor (literally...hehehe)

Alahai anakku... camne la nak belajar BM kalau camni?!! Sometimes my daughter would come up with very funny BM words. She used to say 'kudung', instead of 'tudung' and many more unique vocabs...hehehe. Having parents like us was definitely not helpful at all because instead of helping her correct it, we would always loved to hear her make the cute mistakes all over again. Kesian dia, but we couldn't help it, we were laughing so hard that we cried...hehehe

Amir's first day of school : Part 2

From the open house, I came back to cook in a rush. Around 11.45 am, I was ready to pick up Amir. I hope he was allright. Actually, the school day for him would normally finish around 1.30 pm, the same as Hadi, but I felt that it was too long for a first timer like my cutie pie...hehehe

When I went to his class, while I was standing in the doorway and trying to find him, he just hugged my legs...hehehe (as usual, it's quite difficult for me to recognise my own kids...hehehe). He was so happy to see me. I carried him all the way down to the van and on the way home he slept. All the anxiety must have been too much for him... Poor Amir...

He didn't even wake up when we reached the complex. I had to carry him all the way upstairs... Poor me... hehehe. Just look at the pictures.

Sucking his thumb...

Flat out...

Poor baby...

Actually I was quite amazed that he undergo his first day beautifully, being the most 'manja' child of mine...hehehe. But I was kind of glad that he enjoyed his first day.

The next day was kind of okay. He was still kind of excited to go to school. When I picked him up, I saw him sleeping in the arms of his teacher. He looked so cute and I tried to snap his picture but he woke up and started crying... the sobbing kind of cry that he would only used when he was really sad. The sobbing continued until I reached the van, which meant that he was crying way before he slept. When I asked him the reason, he said, 'I just want you'... Alahai...kesiannya.

The worst day for him and for me would be on the third day... he cried, and it was really difficult for him to let me go. But the teachers said that it's normal for a kid who had a very good few days to cry and fuss a bit later...sigh. He kept on repeating, ' I just want you', I nearly brought him home...sigh

On the fourth day, he cried as well and he told me that he was tired. So, I let him lie down on the bed in the classroom. I was also busy with the preparation for the kenduri and I had so many things to do while he's in school. On that day, I had to go and buy the dry stuff.

On Thursday morning, he looked quite sad but he did say 'bye' in between sobs... kesian sangat, but I know I had to be tough...sigh. He was so happy to know that there was a holiday during weekends...hehehe. His first week in school was definitely very memorable for me because with him in school I experienced the 'empty nest syndrom'... hehehe. Though I was happy he was in school, I was kind of sad to be alone in the house... Love you, Amir...so much...

Open House level six...

After sending Amir to school, I went to the open house in level six. I already asked Block A ladies to come early for a block meeting. Alhamdulillah we had the time to discuss the upcoming kenduri and all the issues.

The open house was co-hosted by the level six ladies (K.Aishah, Kak Mekna, Kak Siti, Nani and Nicky) and was held in Nani's house. As usual, we used the time to eat and chat...hehehe, what else?!! The spread include roti canai, meehoon soup and lots of desert. Just look at the pictures...

Fruit cocktail, pudding and biscuits

The hosts were busy in the kitchen...

Zai in pink with the black tudung...

Elisha was happy to see her moher, Nicky...

Elisha, the cutie pie...hehehe

Sembang apa tu?!!

Jasmin and Mas, near the bookrack...

Kak Zainon in blue, in the middle...

Makan, jangan tak makan...

Danish and Anak Ruziean...

Muncung mulut2...hehehe

Kak Siti, mujur tak masuk bawah meja...hehehe

Su and Naila...

Amir's first day of school : Part 1

I've been wanting to send Amir to school for ages, ever since we came back from Malaysia actually. I was really disappointed when I discovered that my husband had forgotten to register him in playgroup...sigh. So, I had to wait until there's a vacancy in the playgroup and we kept on asking the school for any vacancy. Finally in the first week of October, we received news that Amir was to start school on the 11th of October...alhamdulillah.

So, during the weekend, we psyched him up. Our job was made easier by the fact that he had his own Ben10 bag courtesy of Kak Arah and Along Zali...hehehe. He was quite excited about the prospect of finally going to school like his brother and sister. He even ordered me to fry sausages for him to bring to school!

Early in the morning, he woke up quite early and insisted on having a shower by himself...hehehe. He even insisted on wearing the ratchett (transformers shirt)...hehehe. He ate bread with nutella with Hadi for breakfast. He seemed quite excited to go to school. I was the one with the separation anxiety...hehehe

Bleary-eyed, showering...

5 minutes to 8 am, we're already downstairs. Amir with his new shoes and schoolbag (which he insisted on carrying himself!) ...hehehe. He looked very independent...sigh...

He was making a face...

My baby...

I followed them in the van. Aseh's son, Ara's also in the playgroup. So, Amir wouldn't be alone. Ara's been in school since the start of term and was excited that Amir's coming along too...hehehe. Aliah was a bit excited about showing off her little brother to her friends while Hadi couldn't care less...hehehe

When we arrived in school, Amir was excited to get to his class. The playgroup classroom's on the first floor, on top of the office. While walking up the stairs, Amir correctly identified the sea creatures on the mural. 

When we reached the playgroup area, he was instantly attracted to the cars inside. I wanted to kiss him goodbye but he just said, '...out' which means he wants me out of the playgroup area... Eh?!! I was positively asked to leave?!! Okay, then I waved him goodbye. He said goodbye and then just concentrate on playing with the many toys. So, I left him there...sigh...

Ara was happy...

Amir just ignored me...

He was very focused on playing...

Jamuan Raya Malaysian Students

On the 10th of October, the malaysian students association of Sudan invited all of us for Jamuan Raya in Arkawit. Like last year we went after maghrib. We have about 20 malaysian students in Sudan. 

They cooked nasi, ayam masak merah and kari khoruf. Their star attraction was the soup that you could eat with mee or on its own. Hadi liked the soup very much...hehehe

The ladies ate inside while the men ate outside. The only thing that we missed was the fact that last year the male students entertain us with nasyid...hehehe. This year they must have been too busy entertaining their guests. Enjoy the pictures...

The ladies...

The kids...

The men...

The spread...

The soup...

My husband feeding Hadi...

Slurpppp!

Khalida and Kak Ngah (Anak Kak Yah)

What is he doing?

Aliah, Najwa and Naila

Jamuan Raya Blok B

On the 9th of October, Block b held their Jamuan Raya. At first, they approached us about having a joined raya celebration but we refused. We wanted to have a separate celebration because we wanted to have two makan2 events plus the fact that we did not feel like being the cook and the guests at the same time. We'll be tired and probably not enjoy the food at all.

The Jamuan started at 8.15 pm and my husband and I were there on the dot...hehehe. Since there's no reception committee to greet us, we just made ourselves at home...hehehe. Their spread was quite varied, with rice, beef asam pedas, bbq chicken, hotdogs etc. The main attraction was the Hj Samuri satay, brought all the way from Malaysia. They had more than 3000 pieces if I'm not mistaken.

 

The desert table...

Fruits and cakes...

Winnie...

Noni, Mas, Winnie, K.Liza, K.Zila, K.Rafiah and Ina...

Men at work...

Nasi impit and kuah kacang...

Guests and hosts...

I met Masdiyana who just arrived around lunch time. She discovered that she had brain tumor sometime in July and had the operation to remove it at the end of July. Well, technically she still have them because not all of the tumors were taken out as some already spread to her nerves. But looking at her, you'll never be able to guess that she had undergone massive surgery. Subhanallah... Allah Maha Kuasa... Her youngest daughter's younger than Amir. She also made the chocolate cake for the Jamuan. 

Mas with her daughter in her lap...

As usual, we had fun chatting on the carpets. They put carpets on the grass (picnic-style)...hehehe. Instead of just chatting with the ladies, I took the opportunity to also start organising our own Jamuan the week after. In fact, I stayed downstairs until after Block B finished cleaning up...hehehe. I had fun though... Just look at the pictures...

Nani and Elisha...

Pn. Taha, Nina, K.Liza, Winnie and me...

All together now... hehehe

Sh. Naila...asleep