All is packed.. house is clean-ish.. Afya is.. well.. in her diapers... dun wanna put on any clothes.. last night was spent being bummed out with the fact that they're having a get-together in Bukit Jelutong without me.. :( LOL. Finally packed all the last orders this morning, got everything shipped.. a big relief..
I'm dropping a line because.. I'm too excited over what seems to be my birthday present from OH.
It's from the era when 4 decades ago, half-frame camera was first introduced. the second production, hence PEN EE-2 with a wee bit improvement from the PEN EE. I forgot what exactly they improved . Went to the camera shop yesterday before going beraya, and they helped me load the film and didn't comment much.. my guess is the camera is good enough to take photos.. so I just really really cannot wait to develop the first roll. It's a point and shoot camera basically. What differs it from the other early PEN is the really2 sexy selenium window around the lense, The plasticky/glassy circle. I dun really know the function. A pro mentioned that it's like solar cells. From what I read, it's just a light sensor. *shrugs*. This baby is going to accompany its brother the e-p1. Hopefully I'd really really get to utilise both. It has just made the trip even more thrilling.
So I guess this will be the last post till I get back. I'm expecting zero connection while I'm there. If I'm able to go online, it'd be a plus but not really counting on it... so have a great week everyone!
A mini LENSPEN. I totally recommend it. I've been around camera shops in KL, Penang and Ipoh. As soon as I laid my eyes on a lenspen, that day when I got my el-cheapo filter for the E-P1, the storekeeper was religiously cleaning my lens before installing it with this little gadget. I was like... what is that? lenspen she said.
Do you sell that?
takde stock she said.. and so said the other shopkeepers. Lastly I got mine from shashinki.. at a wee bit higher price, but saves the hassle of scouting more camera shops for it, plus it's the original LENSPEN apparently. It took only a day for it to reach me. I was aware that I bought the 'mini' version but i didn know it's this tiny. Can never be happier coz I really thot it wouldn't fit my camera bag. So it's great. Useful for the E-P1 lense, for the nokia camera lens.. cleaned the lcds.. I hate using lens tissue la.. blower la.. q-tips la... the whole thing needs their own bag to carry... no more using my shirt or scarf to clean lens and risking scratches and what not.
Bummed me out with the fact that I didn't come across this A LOT sooner. So here I am.. jotting this down especially for photography enthusiast out there that has't really got that opportunity to meet other enthusiasts to discover this really cool little lens cleaner helper. LENSPEN --- check it out
malas nak write much.. click on photos for more info.. very self-explanatory too actually.. neways.. I hope it's ok that I'm bringing this carrier jalan2 before surrendering it to MBW... I'm getting pretty attached already.. *sigh* (btw, cosmetically tak siap lagi.. i'd say 60% done)
If memory serves me right... no SSCs has pockets at the waist? *shrugs* anyways, I like the idea that you can put benda keras like keys and still won't affect the body of carrier where baby sits. But then need to be modest with what you stuff in it, else you risk looking buldgy.. hehehehehe.. I would put some bills... or tissue/hankerchief... if I need to go somewhere that requires me to bring more than that I'll take the handbag. Ok not?
more detailed info concerning the maclaren stroller recalls.. but now I finally know which hinge I should be a looking out for. Repair kit looks like some kind of cover for the hinge... Anyways.. it's when folding and unfolding that poses the danger. Well.. I believe I never fold the stroller with Afya on the side.. she's always already in her carseat.. thank god for that. I do think with my bebe confort it's the same. You would get tersepit if you stick your finger somewhere AND fold the buggy. The thing is with maclaren umbrella you sorta able to do it lightning fast if you didn't forget how to fold it which I always do sebab jarang sangat guna.. hehe. That's how amputations are possible. Do Malaysia bought maclarens get a repair kits/hinge covers too then? Need to pay my good friend a visit this afternoon...
So if you have a maclaren, and the chances of you getting a repair kit is almost zero (you bought it here), when folding and unfolding (this includes any strollers too I suppose..?), make sure your kid is at least 10 feet away and I'm never never letting her push her own stroller.. it's that one thing she loves doing at the moment. make sure the hinges are properly clicked before letting them sit in it... hmm... wear your baby?
Hmm.. no recalls in europe it seems... and parents are pissed
I think this is an even better one to read...
"I took the pushchair to the tip the week afterwards. In an ideal world, you get your pushchair folded up and unfolded when your children are not there, but in the real world, children push and shove and are impatient."
and now there's not only covers but also hinges clip? This gets more and more interesting..
and another on bbc news..
"This story should remind people of the need for care in putting them up and down and encourage children not to play with pushchairs."
ok Afya's awake.. time for breakfast!
panicking slightly but OH's indefinite composure halted me from camping in the sewing room. It's not like I can do anything anymore tonight if I camp there. I've been sewing for 2 days straight.. I really need a break before I break myself.. or the machine.. na'uzubillaah.. hehehe OMG, the sewing machine have been with me almost a year!
Here's some of the clutches I made over the past 2 days (monochromed to leave a bit of suspense when I update the relevant blog)
.. thanks to the pink stilettos ;) for the really nice review. Love the photos to bit. These are not even half of it though.. then I still have a few more SNUGG SSCs and SNUGG MTs to make.. *maintains composure* it's all down to actually having time to complete them.. but the fact that they are not done yet at this very moment does make me fidgety.
Everything happened during the past few weeks. From untimely death to house hunting. Within a week, we had to drive to KL 2 times.. there's that course OH took (and passed alhamdulillah). Then 3 parties in a day... which also include BBQ at home.. Helping sis sort out her own sewing workshop.. well if you count all that..'this put here, this put there, point this, point that' hahaha.. Insisting her to get the place running first before thinking about the shade of blue the wall should be in.. hehe.. I think I would have done the same in similar circumstances.
Oh well.. I think I should divert my thinking to something else before starting to be restless again...
Let's talk about packing *rubbing hands with gleeeeee*
We're not taking the stroller, finally it's decided. one being the safety issue with maclaren strollers which of course includes volo.. and we yet have time to sort it out but since the 2 places we'll be crashing there provide stroller, we'll be fine without it for the other few days. Enters SSC, and pouch!
a backpack, 1 big luggage, trunki, my sling bag
bringing wipes, dispos AND a few CDs
5 days worth of clothes plus sweaters and jackets
CAMERA, notebook, PSP, mobile phone -- GPS, chargers, spare batteries, spare memories, travel adapter
flip flops.. coz we're going to the beach too so need to bring somekind of beach wear as well..
travel docs
Afya's top to toe, sunblock and hat
toiletries
travel pillow for OH
my oldtown tea hahah, instant noodles (dunno why but we're not suppose to bring curry flavoured ones)
hmmm... feels like I'm forgetting something...
ok good night all, it'll be a looooooong week
I can't say this enough... step into others' shoes only if they fit.. in other words. Stop living other ppls' lives. Don't judge what you think other ppl is doing with their lives unless you are in the middle of it. The thing that is concerning most to me is of course, parenting choices.
If I were asked about breastfeeding and my thoughts on it is that it's the one most difficult thing I had to do in my daughters' first 2 years of life. I would say that it wasn't so much of the soreness, or moments with low supply, mostly it's just emotionally draining.. and the constant constant breastfeeding sessions and next comes the empathy nod from the one who asked the question, 'oooh...' or maybe it's more like, "aaaah..."
When I try to remember more, it's almost like opening pandora's box.. it all started to emerge. The uncertainties.. the STABBING EXCRUCIATING PAIN I had the first month at the spinal site, the problems with latching.. the whispers saying 'OMG your dotter is sooo going to gantung with you like forever', the things I read on the web that are so clashing with my own personal experience which gave me the highest level of doubts and insecurities, not having anyone to turn to, being so sick of breastfeeding that I literally almost threw up.. that lump I had in my throat when I just had to tell OH that I'm so sick of breastfeeding.. trying to be careful with my choice of words so that he doesn't think I'm saying that it's Afya that's making me sick and that it's the constant breastfeeding instead, and not to mention the buckets of tears poured (mine probably trumped Afya's).. now.. after reading that you may think you understand what I went through.. heck you probably went through it too, but what I wrote is still only the gist of it. To actually be able to understand, you not only need to be there to witness it all.. you need to be me.. the one who actually experienced it. Just from this one paragraph that I've written, it's just not enough to paint the picture. Even if you've had experienced similar problems, my baby is an individual. I am an individual. If something u did worked for you, no way, that the same thing would definitely work for me too. So.. are we still in the same boat now.. have I lost you along the way..?
Having mentioned the few things that I just couldn't mention before, (I dunno for what reason but most probably just wanting to avoid being judged by ppl who easily make their own conclusion simply by making their own deduction, Like.. captain obvious goes, ooo why didn't u do this and this and I'll be like concentrating hard trying to remember why I didn't try the obvious.. ooo maybe COZ IT DIDN'T WORK after the gazilionth time?!) I still stand by breastfeeding. I will do it again and again (planned to have 3). Breastfeeding is the best.. and that's a fact. What I can't stand though is that we are starting to become too extreme with it that instead of gentle persuasions, educating and presenting the benefits, we are starting to look down upon mothers that choose to do it differently. I'm drawing a line. We are not doing just if by promoting breastfeeding, we are also stepping on other ppls head.
Breastfeeding is not wajib. Probably the hukum is very very close to wajib but in the exact sentence in the Quran it is stated that mothers (and fathers) are given the choice to do otherwise if necessary (in the modern context, to give formula milk to their babies) as long as the father bears the expenses (or something like it -- the father bears the expenses part). Islam is just great and it's obvious. Allah knows that breastfeeding is not a simple thing to do less it would have been wajib. Mothers are still given a choice. It's not like covering the aurah. It is wajib.. nowhere in the quran says you have a choice to expose your aurah in front of a non-mahram (unless in darurat). Covering the aurat --- is just too easy (doing it in style probably tricky hehe). So my argument is very simple... mothers (and fathers) are given the choice. Parenting can never be easy. Maybe you can argue that breastfeeding is so much easier than giving bottle and that it is true to you but who are you to say that breastfeeding is an easier option for another mother too? I probably dun have to start on breastfeeding and having to deal with your older children's needs too.
So with all these very difficult parenting choices that we have to make (yes which probably also includes whether or not to send our children to kumon LOL) I think as long as the parents are doing what THEY think is best and that it is an informed decision -- that they know the pros and cons of the choices they made.. following the quran and sunnah, that they are well read, and they had to choose to give their babies the bottle (FM) with whatever excuse or excuses they came up with to tell you, it is THEIR choice to make and we actually dun even have the right to ask for their reasons and excuses to have chosen a different style or parenting path.. and they just shouldn't even be bothered to give one or ten. It's their life.. their children, they are doing the best that they see fit for their family. So who are you again...? The 2nd mother? We can however try to understand what other parents are going through and show some support and share knowledge and share our parenting experiences. Give a hand if they need help or simply guide them to someone who can help. There's no where in Quran saying we can mock or taunt them.
In the end, don't make the same mistake that our parents and our parents' parents did.. don't let the society dictates what is right or wrong, and pressure parents into making choices that's not right for them. Instead of reaping benefits, more problems arises and leaving everyone downright miserable, affecting their state of mind, health and faith in the end. This was one of the reasons that at one time formula milk was deemed better than breastmilk and that we forgot to breastfeed our own babies.
Hopefully this will serve as a reminder to myself not to get too sucked in with any parenting fad and forgetting that other mommies have feelings too, some are not as fortunate as others, and that although we are great at being superwomen, none of us is Superwomen. Come on.. support each other.. being a mommy is challenging enough.. being sneered by another mother will only make it difficult.
Oh please please please don't smoke with your child is sitting on your lap.. it's just not right.
I haven't been managing time really properly. I think at this rate I won't be able to tie up loose ends before I go for the holidays. Spending time away from blogging still doesn't give me the extra time I need.. hehe. I was in KL last 2 weekends and got things to tell about the place we stayed.. but I didn even take any photos. Well.. conclusion --- I still can't shop at Jalan TAR. It's just too uncomfortable.. and wierd.. plus didn't get much done while we were there. So dun think will go there again.
Last weekend we had to stay home. OH wanted to take us to taiping since the petting zoo entry is basically the waterpark entry and we dun intend to go all out with playing water esp in this kinda weather but I jast can't.. I needed more time.. I need to slow down. Either that or I'm just panicking about my t-20 days to tie up loose ends.. hehe. Knowing myself.. it's most probably the latter.
Weekends.. the usual.. dine out, breakfast at kopitiams. Afya drew faces summore.. she's liking the pen and paper thing even more now that she's able to draw something we can relate to.
Then I get to try out something new last week --- oversized clutch, rhinestones and embelishments. Requested project. Very nice fabric print.. love how it turned out. When can I make one for myself.. tsk tsk tsk...
Oh, I should show you the little fixing I did to make this tall bookshelf toddler proof. When we bought this, we specifically told the sales person (in her native language) that we need them to help us fix it to the wall when it's sent over. But.. the message didn't get through apparently. They didn bring any tools with them *sigh* So, we DIY-ed a bit and make it safe in case that budak kecik intends to climb it when no one's watching (still in the middle of spring cleaning.. mind the coverless couch and I really need to do something with the feature wall.. it's just soo sad...)
Until the next post.. dunno when.. have a great week! Oh, I'll be in Shah Alam 14th-18th Nov.
that's in this cute lil bag?.. thee hee hee...
