I am happy and extremely grateful that my life is becoming more and more stable, less unpredictable. Although, it is boring, but I like that I can provide some sort of routine to my children. I read that kids like routine.

True. Because I remember, when I was little, my routine was going to school, then sekolah agama/ mengaji, a visit to the playground, watched TV before I went to bed. I remember how Mother always prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner and I never really did skip a meal but I was tiny.
Anyway, I didn't feel the burden even though Mother said my life was busy.

Kids are resilient. They cope.

So, for now, the only routine I've managed so far is making them eat dinner by themselves with minimal help from me, quick shower, brush their teeth and go to bed by 9.30pm. Recite some ayat hafazan before bed (I doubt this helps, but at least I am trying)

And I already feel accomplished. Haha!

I still give them screen time, guilty.
After this, I am trying to include mengaji, piano practice and a little bit of Maths.

I wish I could include outdoor activities in the routine but we now live in an apartment and there's no park within walking distance. The apartment playground is a pity.

I am tired, maybe because I am old, but I feel like I am settling down. It's so sad that I've lost so much time already. My eldest is 7 and will only be around for another 10 years, or less if he ends up in a boarding.

Oh, my God, this is not the ending I am expecting. I am gonna be alone... :(

1. Last week, I watched this Malay drama, and the dialogue went something like this

Girl A: Eh, apesal kau muntah-muntah ni? Kau tipu aku eh? Kau kata kau tak minum. Tapi ni muntah-muntah ni...

Girl B: Aku tak minum lah...Kan aku cakap, aku tak minum.

Girl A: Habis tu, kalau kau tak minum, kenapa kau macam ni? Entah- entah...Kau pregnant! Bila kau period?

2. I was quite shocked. And I am glad that my kids didn't really listen to what was said.

First of all, since when drinking alcohol has become a norm in our community? Because it was casually mentioned on TV, so I guess, it is more common than I expected?

And I remember in those days, we usually associate those who drink with the antagonists, the bad guys...(Not talking about P. Ramlee those days here)

3. Okay, so I am not that naive, I am fully aware of people drinking and sleeping around, but to popularize the behaviour on TV? Especially during these days, when we can see more school kids wearing tudung to school.
When I was small, I could count with one hand who went to school in tudung.

4. While I was giving the show critiques, I too, had an internal debate within myself.

Me vs my defence.

: Eleh, tak payah nak hipokrit, memang ramai macam tu sekarang. You pun bukan baik sangat dulu.

Defence: Okay, tapi takde lah sampai buat benda haram. Minum minum and sleeping around. And if some of us did, we did them in discrete.

: So, whatever you did before is not haram?
Not wearing tudung is not haram?
Go clubbing is not haram?
Going over the boys' house is not haram?
Inviting boys to your place is not haram?
Having a boyfriend and going on dates is not haram?
Holding hands is not haram?
Sleeping together is not haram?

Defence: We all slept in one room because we were students and it was expensive. We were only friends.

: Still...

Defence: Plus, we were overseas. We would never stay in one room if we were in Malaysia.

: Sebab takut kena raid...What if your kids did the same thing?

Defence: I would be concerned, but if they don't go overboard like I did back then, I guess it should be okay...

: (Questions own parenting skills) Hhmm...But you are judging other people...In the end, you sama je dengan orang lain. Let's face the reality.

5. I have a colleague who is known to be a player. He'll try to hit on any women, I tell ya!

So, one day, we saw him in a bazaar Ramadhan with this newbie, whom we thought was oblivious of his true colours.

My friend, S, was overly concerned and felt the need to warn this newbie.

I said, just stay out of it, because they might just go out because, you know, buka puasa, biasalah bawa your juniors explore sikit...

"Maybe, that girl dah ada boyfriend kot...Or tunang, mana tau!" Said I.

"Ectopy, kalau you dah ade boyfriend ke, tunang ke, you keluar ke dengan lelaki lain?" My friend asked.

That was the moment I realized, that my friend S was a goody two shoes.

If only she knew what my actual answers would be:
Yes, S, I would still go out with other men, especially if I consider that guy is nothing more than a boss/ colleague/ friend. Going to a Bazaar Ramadhan is not dating. I go out with my co-workers all the time.

Don't you guys do this too?

Adakah cerita ini berkaitan?
Ya, berkaitan.

Kenapa I ni bukannya baik sangat, tapi i tak dapat terima drama-drama yang openly cakap pasal minum minum ni semua?

Am I that sensitive Malay?

One of the things that I'm grateful of in my life is- I am married to a wonderful man.

He is not perfect, of course, but since the mood is here now, so I will write about all the nice things he had done for us, which obviously outweighed the numbers of times he had annoyed me.

I rarely talked about how nice he is, just because I want to avoid riak, but since I am anonymous, so why not. Haha...Does this count?
Anyway, pelik betul I ni, such a loser nak riak on behalf of suami pulak. Like, what the hell, my husband can leave me anytime! But, I guess, it's the same concept as being proud of your children, kot...

Okay, back to the main topic, the things my husband recently did that deserve the Sweetest, Most Amazing and Wonderful Husband award:

1) He's a good father who plays often with my kids.

I wonder if my dad was like that to me. I guess he was, but slowly becoming more strict as we get older. I still have hazy memories of me carrying me and him bringing me and my sister out, just the three of us.

I hope my husband continue to be loving to us and my kids will always remember how my husband treats them bagai menatang minyak yang penuh.

One of the reasons why my husband is so extra is because he is an adopted child and he always feel unloved by his biological parents. And I hope my son remembers when my husband told him, "Bila daddy dah tua nanti, Abang K pula bawa daddy naik kereta pergi masjid, okay..."

Oh, my heart was so full when he said that.

And tonight, I saw him getting out of bed, just to kiss my daughter in her sleep and admire her.
What a sweet sight... =)

Oh, and I think I had mentioned before, how he always bathed/ washed the kids and changed their diapers when he had the chance (because we were in a long distance relationship). So, whenever my husband was around, I got to do nothing. Hehehe.
In fact, he still does this.

2) Nowadays, my husband sends me to work and fetches me home. I live nearby, it's possible to walk.

Every day, when he fetches me from work, he would be rushing to catch the Jemaah prayer at the mosque. And it makes me feel bad like I'm the reason he has to drive so recklessly. He will be in a bad mood if he's late to the solat berjemaah.

So, last week, with good intentions, I told him that he didn't need to fetch me, I would walk home, besides it will be good for my fitness level.

But I guess he thought I merajuk and he didn't allow me to walk. Aiyo.
But it was sweet nonetheless.

3) His birthday is coming up and he arranged something for his celebration!
Am I a bad wife or what...Sigh...

He asked me to choose the menu. I was quite excited because the menu sounds delicious. So I asked, which restaurant is this?

And he said, "Surprise lah." What is this! It's his birthday, but he wants to surprise me instead?

Then he told me how exclusive the restaurant is, because the chef only takes orders by appointments, no walk-ins.

Wow, I am already impressed. Never been to such settings before. I always wanted to go the ones in KL, but I have nobody to go with me.

So, now, I am excited to go to this restaurant and I hope it will meet my expectations!

----

Okay, so that's three recent amazing acts by my husband. Again, I would like to remind you guys, he is not perfect.

Whenever I see him being so kind, I still remember this is why I chose him.

Kindness is important. It will always be my number 1 in my book. Kindness over intelligence and wealth. Over everything.

Daughter is going to be 4 this year and she loves her stroller. Like, she loves her stroller like it is one of her dolls/ toys, have you ever seen a kid loving her stroller like that?
She talks to her stroller.

One time, the car was too full, so we had to put the stroller on the passenger seat next to her, and she got really excited. She kissed her stroller like, three times. She sat and hugged her stoller every now and then during the journey.

So weird.

Sometimes, when we leave the house without the stroller, she would pat on the stroller, saying goodbye to it. Kisses again. When asked, she would confess her love for it, "Sayangggg stroller!"

She's also quite protective of it. Like, her brother cannot do anything funny with it, or she'll get mad. When they were little, she didn't even allow my son to sit in it. No sharing. (My son had his own stroller that we used so much too)

She's so big now, but she still requests to sit in her stroller when we go to the malls. And she naps in it really well, for hours...Sometimes if I see her too tired, I just leave her sleeping in the stroller inside of our house.

Yeah, so that's the story of my daughter and her stroller. I don't use baby carriers, I am the the stroller momma.
Probably one of the best investments ever! We use it so much...