3 days, 3 nights stay in Pead 5, UMMC

In the midst of helping to organise a gift-giving event for mothers of sick kids in UMMC, I never thought that I'd be one of them. Bea1 was warded after having fever and cough. The doctors diagnosed her as having broncho pneumonia, and after getting the antibiotic jabs and nebuliser 4 times daily, she is a lot better. However, before letting us discharged the doctor took another blood sample to test if she has any microorgasm infection, and urine sample for urinary tract infection. Till now, we have not received any call yet, so we take that as good news. However Bea1 has to continue taking the antibiotic for a week. She normally hates medicine but I thank God that the Augmentin just tastes nice.

Even in a hospital, it was generally a pleasant stay for me. Well, initially not for Bea1 but I will write about it in another blog. The staffs were just nice and the doctors were wonderful. We shared the bathroom with a few other mothers/fathers besides the little patients but it was just ok for me. It actually comes with hot shower, I only found out about that on the last day.

The ward is a huge ward, and it is divided into about 6 sections. However only 3 sections are being used. The section that we stayed in had the most patients and at the end of hall, there is a cabinet where they placed a huge TV, well it is not being used as no power point on that wall. I noticed a sticker saying that there are books donated by Mayban in the cabinet. I was a bit excited as on the first night, we forgot to bring any book. When I asked the staff, they said they just could not find the key. I was a bit dissapointed but asked hubby to bring some from home.

Bea1 stayed in bed most of the time, a bit weak from not eating for a few days. Or maybe she was not in the mood as the human-faced monsters who got nothing better to do except to scare little kids (er ...I mean the doctors and nurses) were everywhere. However she was up and about on the 3rd night, and while walking around the huge ward, she discovered another cabinet and it was not locked. She squeeled with laughter when she opened it and saw many books inside it. She and another girl rummaged the cabinet. I saw quite a number of Enid Blyton series, some toddlers books, a few baby books and two huge stacks of old books (the rope that tied them were still intact) of some "buku pelajaran" which kids uses in school. They really look old and obviously they were never been used (in the ward), maybe the syllabus has changed. The other books also obviously had been donated but looking at the excitement on the two girls' faces while flipping the pages, I wish they have a better collections of books suitable for the little patients and silently wished I could do something about it.

Outside the ward, at the corridor, there is a Little Tikes playhouse. I believe it was also donated, it looked a bit old but kids would never be bothered about it. They just love it. Think Bea1 loves it more than her IKEA castle that hubby just bought her, it is more homey and being a Little Tikes, sturdier. I popped my head through the little window and I saw a kitchen counter, and a chopping board but something really turned me off. A foul smell came from inside it, especially when the girl lifted the chopping board. I just though some kids probably had spilled some food there earlier, or maybe long time ago. As much as I love seeing my girl and the other kids played in it, I also freaked out when they touched anything in it.

Those were a few things that I've been thinking since we were discharged from the hospital. I told hubby I must do something about the playhouse fast. All I need is a man or two to push it to the nearest water tap, I will bring my own brush, detergent and dettol, and just give me about one hour to finish the job. I will approach someone to ask permission for that, and hope no one will laugh on my face.

When the doctor dropped the bombshell that Bea1 had to be admitted, I felt really bad and asked myself what had I done wrong. But I believe everything must has reasons behind it, and what happened to me just makes me open my mind to think about a lot of other things. That man who only had his first child after almost 20 years of marriage, and despite his child being in and out of the hospital, I could still see smiles on his face all the time. And a 13-year old who said to me "well what to do Auntie, that's life" while talking about her illness and her family. And the little girl who became friend to Bea1, (despite the constant scolds from her mother to stop looking at the books as to her she would no understand a thing), ignored her mother and continued to flip through the pages and giggled at anything she found funny. When I looked back, the hospital stay is not that bad after all.

Muahhhhh

How would you feel if you found a sms in your hubby's handphone which has a "muahhhh" in it.

Well, it happened to me on Thursday (if you are asking me if I have been checking his phone...yes I do). Actually the whole message is : "Bukannnnn, laki kita Abang Ariellll....muahhhh". The moment I saw it, I felt warm blood rushed on my face. I could not even breathe a few seconds. We have a healthy, loving relationship but I could not help it and my mind was running wild, and I thought of what I should do. Should I wait for more 'evidences' or should I confront him right away. I chose the latter.

He was still having his morning nap (he naps more than the girls during holidays). I woke him up and asked him about the sms. He said he did not know the sender and he kept the message as he thought it might be from one of my friends (my handpnone battery kapot sometimes, so I just use his). He was not really interested to be bothered with it, but asked me again to really think about it. He said it was not for him but for that "Abang Ariellll". He even asked me to call the number back.

I called twice and it was not answered. About half an hour later, the phone rang once as if giving a missed call. I tried to be as calm as I can and called back. On the other line, it was a young lady's voice (yes, I could tell from the way she whispered her 'hello'). I calmly told her that I saw an sms from her number in my husband's handphone. She frantically asked for hubby's number and all in one sentence explained to me that the sms was supposed to be sent to her friend and her number is xxx-x4x xxxx. She had missed a digit as hubby's nomber is xxx-x7x xxxx. She apologised over and over, and said "Abang Ariellll" is actually the vocalist of Peter Pan (now, who is that?). I was a bit ashamed but hubby said all reaction was already expected from me, so it was not a surprise for him. A few minutes later, I received another sms from the girl. She apologised again and convinced me if I did not believe her, I could just call her friend with that number. I decided that the matters are closed. Hubby joked to me not to erase the number as he would probably ask the girl to send him more daring sms.

Hubby is not a romantic type at all, but more often than not he would end our phone conversation with a 'muahhhh'. I really felt guilty about the whole thing and tried to make it up by giving him extra TLC that night *wink, wink*.

Mothering Mothers/Belaian Ibu Untuk Ibu

A community project initiated by Mymomsbest to reach out to mothers of sick children in government hospital in conjunction with the Mother's Day. We hope to bring cheers to the mothers by visiting them, contribute gifts and spend some time talking to them. Details of last year's project can be found in this website and more info and guidelines can be found here.

Afternoon nap with papa

Bea2 used to be stuck on me like a glue. The womb must be a really comfortable place for her that though there is no way to go back in again, at least she could get the closest to it by just being glued to mama.

During the first year in her life, papa was not so significant for her. Off course, hubby won't agree with this. Having no helper at home, and since it is only the 4 of us living in the apartment, hubby is the only person I can rely on to keep an eye on the girls. However, Bea2 just hated it when she was left with her papa, and sometimes she treated him like a threat.

Nearing her first birthday, she realised from the laughter from Bea1 while playing with papa meant only one thing: papa could not be that bad after all. After that, I saw her paid more attention to different funny tones that hubby made during bedtime stories. Now, she joins in the fun.

Lately, there are nights that I'm so exausted I go to bed right away after dinner. Dearest hubby just has to do what he got to do: clean the girls, change them into pyjama and bedtime stories. Bea2 used to have 'nen-nen' to sleep but now she can just fall asleep while listening to hubby's storytelling. I'm glad with this new development as the arrival of the new baby is approaching.

Last Sunday, due to a slight change in daily routine, Bea2 decided to have her nap earlier than usual. That time when I was busy preparing lunch. She was wailing in hubby's arms and I just shooed him away from the kitchen. While Bea1 lined different types of sugar on the counter and asked me to name each one of them, I heard a complete silence from the bedroom.

After having lunch laid on the table, we tip-toed to the bedroom. What I witnessed was one of the most beautiful scenes, a sight that I never imagined I would see: Bea2 was fast asleep on her (sleeping) papa, with her cheek against his chest. Even Bea1 was captivated by that, and we decided not to interrupt, and went ahead with our lunch instead.

Later, hubby complaint on how difficult to get her to finally doze off. He started off with books, later with some songs, about 20 times of Twinkle twinkle lil' star, 15 times Baa Baa Black Sheep (he almost gave up when she sang along together) but finally settled down with a song. I can't remember the title of the song but it goes something like this (hope I got it right):

Hush little baby don't say a word
Papa's going to buy you a mocking bird
If the mocking bird won't sing
Papa's going to buy you diamond ring
If the diamond ring turns to brass
Papa's going to buy you a looking glass
If the looking glass gets broke
Papa's going to buy a billy goat
If that billy goat runs away
Papa, papa's going to buy you another day....

For a little girl, this song may means a lot. It means that papa will always be there whenever she needs him or he will always mend things when they go wrong. Little things in life that make me feel so blessed to have this family (and it is still growing!). I have no idea why I'm being mushy today, maybe because my parents are here in KL and I'm out of here to see them.

Rojak topic

After knowing about blogs, my conversation with hubby has changed a little bit. Here are a few examples:

Scenario 1: The family was having dinner at Manhattan Fish Market in Alamanda, Putrajaya

papa22beas: Hei, I've seen blogs from this guy.


mama22beas: *heart quivered with excitement as finally she managed to get hubby to take
some time off to look at blogs* Really? So what do you think of him....damn farny,
right?

papa22beas: Only a very articulate man can write like that....girls are normally articulate, not
man.

mama22beas: *said to herself "whatever lah..."* Ya la...hard to find man like dat!

papa22beas: *shout* Bea1...don't go too close to the pond, basah nanti...papa tinggal! I've looked
at Pok ku's also, you know.

mama22beas: *got more excited* Really? You must be quite free today.

papa22beas: Think those people who do blogs just have a lot of free time.

mama22beas: Not necesserily, think they just love writing...well at least most of them can make
me laugh, and some have refreshing thoughts...think I'm hooked already la...


Scenario 2: The family was in the car on the way back home.

mama22beas: Abe (Kelantanes version for abang), you know....Lilian quoted something I said in
the forum. So kembang....just a lil' thing about the earthquake that I said, itu pun
something based on Pak Tjia's opinion, got quoted in 5xmom blog...hehe.

papa22beas: What did you say?

mama22beas: Nothing much la...mentioned about how some scientists predicted the
earthquake but still no warning for tsunami.
And you rememberMaria not? Ala...the lady who got a pair of twins.

papa22beas: What about her? She also quoted you?

mama22beas: Not really la...but she mentioned my name in her blog. They sure know how to
make me kembang la....

Scenario 3: At home while talking about getting ready for the new baby, confinement etc

mama22beas: Abe! You know what James wrote in his blog. For the first time I knew that somebody is following the 100-day no-intercourse during confinement. That means, my mom did not just make it up. Some chinese also got that practises.

papa22beas: Ewah, ewah....now I can see that reading blogs widen your 'horizon'....

mama22beas: That's why la I'm hooked...and remember or not I mentioned about thisbaby . Well she too has her own blog...er I mean her mama is doing it for her as if she is the one's writing it. Cute....

That's how blogs influenced our life, these are only a few examples. By the way, I was working on the link thingy...since it might take me awhile, thought I might as well write a blog while doing it. Think I got it, thanks Lil for tutoring me.

Lunchbreak with Bea1

I was not supposed to eat KFC, and I'm tired of most of what they have in the menu except for....the icecream jelly (I had a craving for this thing for both of my previous pregnancies, too)! I went to see the girls as usual, but Bea2 was already napping. Bea1 woke up a bit late, so most likely would skip the afternoon nap. She was sooooo excited when she saw me at the door.....and all I could think of was the icecream jelly, and the newly-opened drive-thru KFC just outside the campus.

I gave her a hug and whispered to her that we were going to KFC, just the two of us. It was such a pleasant surprise for her, and she happily waved goodbye to the babysitter.

Bought a ChickyMeal for her (well I got to eat it as she alredy had her lunch), she got so excited with the colouring book, the crayons, colour pencils and some sort of a game that came with it. She said she would let Sihah (another girl at the babysitter's) has the crayons as she already has a lot at home. How sweet..... and while colouring the book, she asked me about Bea2, and why did not I bring her together (they are hardly away from one another). I reminded her that Bea2 was napping, and asked her was she not happy to spend some time alone with mama. She just smiled.

I used to have lunches everyday with hubby before his office moved to Shah Alam early last year. I really enjoyed every bit of it, being able to talk to him without any distraction, though the frequent phone calls from his colleagues did irritate me sometimes. For over a year, I normally have lunch alone....do not really have a lot of time for that as half of the break I already spend with the girls. Normally I eat at my table in the lab.

I will start on a new job in May as a lecturer...or rather not so new as I used to be a tutor in the same department a few years ago. I'm entitled to have my own room and soon I will have more lunches with the girls (in my room). And I will be moving to our new apartment in a few months time. As it is only 5 minutes drive from the office, I plan to even bring the girls home and have lunch at home.....wishful thinking!

Stains everywhere (Part 1)

To make it possible for me to see my girls during lunchbreak, I opt for having a babysitter staying near my office. Both girls are normally asleep when we carry them to the car every morning and during the trip to the offices.
Here's a conversation that I have with hubby on last Saturday on the way back, in the car.

papa22beas: *with a serious look on his face* Did you ever noticed some white stain on my
uniform, on the right shoulder. It is there everyday you know. Any idea what, I've
been wondering about it?

mama22beas: *trying to be a submittive wife that she is, she felt a bit guilty* I never noticed it
when I iron it, well I never really bothered to inspect your shirt when I dump it in
the washer. Could it be bird's dropping? (Birds just love our balcony) But how
come, it is at the same spot everyday.

papa22beas: I thought it could the paint stain (got it when he 'tergesel' his body against it), but
again...how come everyday at the same spot!

Realising the blurred me was still too far from solving the mystery, papa22beas decided to cut the whole conversation short.

papa22beas: It is "AIR LIUR BASI" anak awak la....what else.

Upon hearing that, I laughed till I almost peed in my pants (being pregnant adds more to feeling of the need to frequent the toilet). He got it while carrying sleeping Bea1 on his shoulder. Well it was not funny for him...and asked me for a solution. I just said I'd remind him to place a small towel over the shoulder from then on.

On the other incidents, I used to go the work with the smell of baby's puke...It was stronger than my perfume, in a split second I was thinking to pour some of the car air freshener on my shirt to 'cover' it up, but later changed my mind...if people ask, why should I embarrased to say that it was just my baby's puke and I did not have the time to go back and change.

And one day, I had shit stain on my pant. A strong shit stain that just would not go away with just water and handwash liquid that I found in the office toilet. I had to have lunch with a Professor in a labcoat that day.

I do not really mind all this, as I can just look back and laugh at it. But still, hubby never thinks 'air liur basi' on his shoulder is funny!

Can't go back to sleep

Don't you just hate it when you wake up in the middle of the night, suddenly after a nightmare. It is a night that you just need your sleep the most, as the next day is a Friday and you need all your energy reserve to be swamped by lots and lots of housechores during the weekend.
Here's what happened....I had applied for a new job and I was pretty sure that it'd be a success, just to go through some procedures. That night I had a dream that I received an offer letter, there it stated my new salary which was about 1/2 of what I'm earning now (ok now, what can be scarier than that?). I was so shocked, and it just jerked me out from my slumber. It took me a few seconds to think of who was I, and why I was there at that time. It did not take long when it dawned on me that I'm now a wife to a man, a mother to two little girls, an auntie to many other kids, a daughter to two lovely parents, an employee with load of responsibilities and no longer a free, young, tomboyish, independant, young gal.

After realising that, I thought I really had to go back to sleep. It was 3.30 am and I tried to console myself that I could doze off in no time at all. But in the dark,with some moonlight outside the window, I could see my beautiful sleeping baby next to me on the toddler bed, heard the snore from hubby and the soft breahing of my first daughter next to him, on the other bed. The toddler bed was meant for Bea1 but we are still working on getting her to sleep alone in it. The queen bed can't accomodate the 4 of us, so I end up on the small bed with the baby. It is some space-saving idea from IKEA, an extendable bed but it fits me (and the baby) just right at its medium length.

A few minutes passed, and I thought I was going nowhere near to doze off. Got up, squeezed myself in between Bea1 and hubby, maybe some warmth from hubby could help....nope that did not work either, started counting sheeps, it was getting nowhere....let's think about boring stuffs, think about work...well, how come even after the co. spent RM19k to replace the guntip, the electron microscope was still giving us headache, no no not that....ok, what about the juicy gossips in the office....urgh, started to bury head in the pillow. Very well then, it was fated that I was not supposed to sleep at that time....better put this in good use. My mind wandered to my parents, and my endless love to them, each one of my 11 siblings, my beautiful childhood, my school days, U days, Rotu days, courting days, geological fieldtrips, being alone in the UK, how at one time in my life I told my then-fiance that I have everything that I could not ask for more, the first few days of being a mom, a charity project that me and a group of mothers are planning and now....my whole life was seemed to be in front of my eyes.

All the journey down memory lane was disturbed by Bea2, she needed me at her side...I hold her close to me and thought how wonderful it was to have her. Soon after that, I heard Azan for the prayer from the nearest mosque. That was it....21/2 hour of much-needed sleep was gone. First I cursed myself for not using the time to fold the laundry, sweep and mop the floor, clean the other room, and in that time my washer could finish one big load and I would have finish hang the laundry or maybe make a nice breakfast to tapau to the offices for myself and hubby and to the babysitter's for the girls. But hey, I was fated to stay in bed to have some very peaceful time for myself....I'm grateful if I have a few minutes away alone everyday, but I got 21/2 hours that morning. I read an article about how some people escaped the 9/11 tragedy of some little things that happened that morning. A guy's turn to buy doughnuts for his colleagues, another guy was in new shoes, got a blister and had to stop at a pharmacy, another had his daughter's first day in school....all of little things that made them late to arrive to their offices in the towers, and subsequently saved them from the tragedy.
That really humbles me down, and I heard less and less complaints when I'm stuck in hellish traffic jams, and when the girls refuse to get out of the playground we let them play a little while, when hubby is late to come out from the office etc. So, I was really meant to stay wide awake in bed on that morning!

I got to know about blogging many months ago thru some friends, but never really gave a serious thought about starting on my own. Then, I started reading others blog and had the momentum to start, but later found a lot of other interesting blogs and keep myself occupied reading them that I do not have time to even finish my first blog. I started writing this on Feb 18. I had a few more sleepless nights after some nightmares: my parents' house in kampung engulfed in fire, hubby got a sexy, new wife and an actress summore...but obviously it was for sex as all his love was for me (hubby laughed very hard at this, saying that it was not a nightmare at all) and a few more. All this kind of dreams (and comes one after another) only mean one thing to me...it could be some indications of some hormonal change. With all other changes that I was having, I had the courage to do a pregnancy test. And yes, I'm now expecting my 3rd baby. By the time I finished writing this, I'm in my 12th week. I was thinking to change my username (as now no longer mama to only 2 beas) but still no idea. I'm happy if I finally can submit this as my first entry (I've commented other people blogs and they asked me why my link is not working...ya la, I've not activated it), and worry about the name later. I love to put links of the blogs that I'm enjoying but do not know how...I will slowly learn.