Wednesday, February 25, 2009

TGIW!


I love Wednesdays. Very much. Extremely. Totally.
I love my tutees. (including those not in picture!)
My house will seem like a student daycare centre during the day, with children streaming in and out of my house.
The fact that it is group tuition, there's always fun and humour so I have a lot of fun teaching and they enjoy learning and this increases their ability to understand the rather difficult concepts.
It's just awesome being able to help them overcome the challenge of grasping those concepts and seeing their happy and confident faces as they leave my home. :)

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Strike a pose!

Oh yes. I most definitely belong to the category of mommies who love to snap photographs of our children as they grow up and experience life.
However, I think I am the only mommy faced with a lil bit of difficulty here.
Yes, when I hold the camera and point it towards her, she would immediately smile and pose.
The interesting challenge I am currently facing is:
I can't get my little makcik to look at the camera and it frustrates me!



See what I mean? She'll look at anywhere except the camera! "Baik" sangat!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

2 in 1

Funny how people assume that by me being a full-time mommy, I am completely out of the workforce.
To set the record straight, being a full-time mommy means that I have to be creative in pursuing my interests around my primary obligation to Nyla.

Teaching has been and will always remain my passion.
To be precise, I am most effective dealing with children of low ability.
I was still a beginning teacher when the school saw my potential and entrusted me to be the form teacher of a Primary Six EM3 class, which performed really well during the PSLE. Alhamdullilah. I miss those bunch of kiddos very much.

In school, I have a reputation of being that garang teacher who has no problems managing a class. I was flexible yet set boundaries, understanding yet firm, playful yet can have a serious temperament.
Even the pupils were shocked when they realised I wasn't at all like the Kak Nura in KRAYON.

My spirit soars when I teach, and right now I am working from home as an educational consultant when Nyla is in school.
This involves tutoring children who are struggling in school and working with their parents to understand the reasons for their children's lack of motivation.
I feel really great after every tuition session or parents' meeting. Seeing those kids' smiling faces as they enter and exit my home warms my heart.

Thank you Allah for giving me this opportunity to do the 2 noble jobs which I absolutely love:
Mothering and Teaching.

Every mom's challenge is to do something we love and at the same time have a fulfilling family life.
I am feeling a great degree of happiness right now because the current work situation allows for that integration.

Excuse me now while I play with my daughter before my dad fetches her and sends her to school since I have 3 back to back tuition sessions later! Then I have my dad in law who will fetch her from school and send her home.
I am so blessed with the wonderful, wonderful support network. Alhamdulillah.

It's my dad's birthday today, by the way.
Happy Birthday my dearest Paps.
You are such a wonderful Tok Daddy you know that?

With his Number One fan.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Sweet Sunday

Sundays are usually reserved for 'recharging the batteries.' (Rizal's words!)
Yesterday was an exception.
I was looking forward to waking up early because the thought of having breakfast at Mac with the girls was so exciting!

The girls came, complete with their loves.
I came alone. The big love had to work while little love was down with fever.
Now now, Mac wasnt just the itinerary!
The main highlight was Nad's posh place! Her very own home!


From the door, to the kitchen to the rooms to that amazing view of the swimming pool! Everything was just perfectly beautiful!
A massage session caught on camera!

See this tot meditating? Even Anggun was mesmerised by the spectacular view! Hehe!


Interested couple here. Nad's future neighbours perhaps?
We were so in awe of her home that our mouths were always open! Selamat lalat tak masok! Okay thats lame. I know! Whatever! Hah!
Nad, we are really excited for you and Shahrom! We can just imagine how beautiful the house will look when reno works are completed. So proud of you both too!
Hmmmm Nad, if only I can put your address when I fill up that P1 registration form in 3 years' time! Your place is so within 1 km of the elite school lor!
PS: Ray and Nurul, apa lagi?! Let's go get those wetsuits! Hahahah!
The fun didn't end for me just yet.
I was pretty bored after work so I called Diana to ask her if she wanted to meet up since we live just 5 minutes away from each other.
She as usual sounded very keen and told me to make my way to her place without telling me at all that Jon was cooking!
I tasted Norwegian food for the first time. It was delicious. Let's just say I had more than one serving! And Diana had more than FIVE. Hahahah! Yummyyyy!
Too bad I didn't bring the camera along.
Great cook he is, babe! Aren't you one lucky woman?! Thanks Jon!
So there you have it. Its pretty much friendship day and food fiesta for me.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Bittersweet Love

I dedicate this entry to the one who has given birth to me, for all the ways I am very similar to her in spite of myself, all the ways that I tried for so long to deny.
She is the one who has known me the longest and the best and loves me more than any other person in this universe.
During my defiant adolescence and my early mommy years (the inevitable friction entailed in coordinating the everyday routines), I sometimes felt that I hated her.
Oh. We've had our showdowns. (Forgive me Mum and Allah.)
When I started seeing my mom for who she is and stopped resenting her for who she could never be, we started to have a real friendship based on truth and resolution.

Yes. Finally, I have come to honour our similarities and acknowledge our differences in loving spirit.
Just like Puan Rokiah, I turned out to be a woman whose greatest joy derives from fluffing her nest and always being physically and emotionally there for her child(ren).
I love her unfailingly now.


Thank you Mom for being who you are and for doing what you did to make me who I am today.

I love you.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Twenty Five=Dua puluh lima

1. Presently, I am very contented with the way things are working out in my life.
2. Ever since I became a mom, guilt is my middle name.
3.I get restless and bored very easily.
4. Therefore, I always crave for a creative outlet to throw my boundless energy in.
5. is the age of our marriage this year.
6.I am fickle minded. (Husband's head nodding vigorously.)
7.I cannot sing. (Husband's head still nodding vigorously. You idiot!)
8.I do not have a flat tummy. (I still have a pouch with no joey inside. Bleah!)
9.I am now great at solving jigsaw puzzles, thanks to Nyla.
10.I need to let Nyla sleep in her own room so that I can hug my husband when I sleep.
11. I must learn how to cook. (Husband is rolling his eyes.)
12. I love to teach and inspire children with low ability.
13. I love listening to Nyla read.
14. I especially love to laze on the couch and read side by side with husband who will also be reading books
that will teach him how to get rich FAST. (LOL)
15. I can sprint and do long distance running.
16. I love chatting with my husband over Nescafe when Nyla has fallen asleep.
17. I am blessed with wonderful friends whom I'll do anything for.
18. I have a close to perfect family, in laws included. (No one is perfect mah!)
19. I miss shopping with my mommy.
20. I miss quarrelling with my younger brother.
21. I love my new home very very very very very much.
22. I always have a packet of strong mint Fishermen's Friend in my bag.
23. I miss my KRAYON times and the hosts. ALL of them. :(
24. I am only confident in driving small cars. (Husband is very lucky here, don't you think?)
25. The age of my buddy, Ray, who is the true epitome of a woman who has both inner and outer beauty.
I'm striving towards that.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Father and Daughter


It is their daily ritual to laze around on the couch together and watch TV after a long day at work for him, and at school for her.
Which channel?
Channel 34, Playhouse Disney.

Must be so 'fun' for the dad.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Homerun

Teaching was a great calling but ever since Nyla, I realised that there is no greater calling than that of being a parent.
So, I have decided to opt out of the workforce and choose to be a full time mom.
Last Friday(my last day of duty), there were mixed emotions.
I've been blessed with really wonderful colleagues who rocked my time in school.



I hope the ties that have been established will never be broken.

Kengkorang, if there are any events, janganlah lupa insan di sini hor!
The decision to walk away from my noble prefession only hit me during last December school holidays.
That quality time spent with my babe was just awesome that I dropped the bombshell to Esman.
'Honey, I want to quit work.'
At first, there wasn't any shocked reaction from him because he's heard the above 'bombshell' a gazillion times.

You see, I am a very fickle- minded person.
On bad days at work, I'll yadda yadda to him about being stretched so taut I feel like snapping.
On good days at work, I'll indulge in some self narcissism and let him marvel at me for being an inspiration to my pupils.

Then we'll have long debate sessions on ways to balance my life with regards to work and at home.


The thing is, he has been so supportive that at the end of every conversation, he'll tell me that he is fine in whatever decision that I make. As long as yours truly is happy.
Either he is very nice or he malas nak layan karenah aku!
So that day (the eve of Hari Raya Haji to be precise), I finally stopped 'crying wolf' and told him I want to stay home and be a full time mom.
He advised me to ask for my family's opinion. They gave their blessings. Alhamdullilah.

At this very moment, I am feeling very secure, so solid in my decision and so adamant that this is the right thing to do.
Nyla, you have captured me my child and I will surrender with gratitude.

Mommy's coming home to you babe.