A joke hubby made

Last night, I was happy to see that a shop in the Langkawi airport sells Ladybird's Key Words Reading Scheme book series and bought one for Bea1. The two elder girls call it Peter and Jane but it is "Jeng" for Bea3.

Bea1's kindy teacher mentioned that they teach using the books to a certain level for the 5-year-olds, and change to another series of the similar stuff called "Kathy and Merk (not sure of the spelling, it does not sound like a name anyway!)" for the 6-year-olds class.

To my surprise last night, I also saw another called "Paul and Mary".

I mentioned that to hubby this morning on the way to work and told him I wondered if there were another versions of similar reading scheme out there. And he said...

"It's possible...maybe they have something like Ahmad and Salamah. This is Ahmad, this is Salamah. Ahmad likes Salamah. Salamah likes Ahmad...."

Well, maybe it is not that funny but to me it is enough to put a smile on my face after having done KL-Langkawi like I do KL-Bangi (that's what someone at the conference said) 3 times in less than a week, and had to wake up a few times last night to attend to Bea2 who vomited a few times.

Have a great weekend everyone! Tomorrow, I will get hubby and the girls to watch Bee Movie while Adel and me do Ikea. Nice....;)

Can't say no

The pic is not related to the entry. It is just my favourite raya photo.

Ok, got a plane to catch at 0820 and another day of conference but I'm all awake now. I got up to do some laundry, remembered something that happened before I slipped into dreamland while getting Adel to bed. I managed to say goodnight to Bea2 and Bea3 but not my eldest.

She asked me to buy her new Peter and Jane book. I told her to make sure that she got every word right from the last book. I was busy cleaning up after dinner when she picked up the book, she asked me to be by her side, I was sure she wanted to prove she could do it but I just moved around and told her to read aloud. Then, Adel signalled that he wanted mama, I told Bea1 that I would get back to her but I just got konked out!

I kissed my sleeping bigger baby, and apologised and I really did feel bad about it. That's one reason why I love travelling. In 'rumah hotel' I have no worries about chores, during the last trip we managed to do more reading together.

I have put a limit of what I'm going to do for the next two years or so, as a preparation for Bea1 to enter Std 1. I believe I have to brush up my skill of saying 'no'.

For these two conferences, a prof called me when I was in my maternity leave, asking what I would present in one of them. I said I was not sure of going, he persuaded and though he is from other uni, I consider him as my teacher and I can't say no to him. I just blurted out something, and that was it. My attendance was confirmed. So, that's the reason why I was still working on my presentation while I should be by the beach helping the girls building sand castle. Well hubby was there.



I was a bit quiet for the last few years in that particular area of research. And on the first day of the second conference, a Deputy Vice Chancellor who used to head the research team came to me, told me that he wanted to talk to me over lunch. He kind of gave me the ultimatum that from now on I should be a 'core' member in the team. He sensed my reluctance but he would talk more on how to manage things.

There are the people, my teachers, those that I looked up to and I can't say no to. Just before leaving I jokingly warned the DVC that I wanted to have two more babies, I would work for the research but it should not intefere with my other 'project';).

It is sometimes overwhelming but somehow I think we will be ok. Hubby says we will too, and I trust him.

Will make the most out of the last day of the conference. And I'm buying new Peter and Jane, anyway!

It's Langkawi now!

Continuing from yesterday in Kangar, hubby went out to work for two hours and returned to have us checked out. The manager of the branch office bought us lunch, a truly Perlis kampung threat. And we had ikan puyu too, hard to find them at our place.

We drove to Kuala Perlis to take the ferry. It was a very challenging trip for us. It was too hot for Adel, Bea3 had her diaper soiled and I just could not bring myself to clean her in the toilet there. Hubby later carried her in a backpack carrier and the very exhausted 2-year-old fell asleep, it was just crowded but luckily moving in and outboard, two gentlemen helped us hold one of the kids' hand.

Bea3 sensed something fun in her sleep, woke up and joined the sisters to run around in the ferry.

We rented a Wira, made a stop at the airport to to get my tickets for the second conference.
We only arrived at the resort at 7 pm, got a little surprised as this time the organiser has the budget to have it there. Plus to me it is hard to work in a place like that, I cursed a little;).


Got the kids showered and off to dinner. They were all too tired and hungry. They ate but later got really fussy, I could not eat and tapau some food. Kids dosed off in the car, and again another challenge to bring everyone back as it was quite a long walk to our studio (er...that's what they call the room).
Thought of eating my dinner and later started to work on my presentation, but I was completely konked out once I hit the sack. Planned for a little rest while waiting for hubby to finish using the bath. I only realised how tired I was the next morning as I was awaken by the sound of the waves.

After breakfast, hubby brought the kids to the water while I tried to work with Adel around. He then brought them to the office, giving me a few hours of serious work while Adel napped. It was hardt to work in such environment. They came back but hubby had to go again, and would only be back around midnight. Luckily I finished part of my work. So much for fun that I planned to have with the kids earlier. They didn't get the usual nap, I prayed they would go to bed early

We did some walking around, I didn't know that a skinny mom, with a small baby in a carrier running around to catch a 2-year-old, while yelling not to do this and that to a 3 and 5year-olds could attract such attention from some tourists.

I realised that the battery of the camera was too weak and I forgot the charger. Didn't really feel bad about that, and I tried playing around with the camera in the notebook.


That's the view from the balcony. Hotel staf are busy preparing for the open-air dinner party on the left. I could only watch as I would surely miss it. Anyway, someone said she would tapau me some food. Was entertained a bit watching my girls danced to the traditional music from the show but they also begged me to join the party.

It is a bit quite now as Bea3 just dosed off to join Adel and Bea1 to dreamland. Bea2 is watching TV, no more running around. Party's over and staf are busy tidying up...now, where is my food?

I just confirmed with the staf to get the babysitting service from 9 to 12 tomorrow. Two nannies for RM8 per pax per hour. Originally RM10 but I bargained;). We will drive back to KL in the afternoon, and my crazy plan stays. I will fly back to Langkawi and return in the afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday.

Now, normally this would be a good time to resume work when all kiddos asleep but the sound of waves kind of distracting. The best thing to do is to have a cuddle with hubby but he is not back yet. And my food is not here yet, too.

Well, just have to get the presentation slides done. Will be back for more stories! Thanks for reading.

We are up north!

The kids still in bed, and the connection is not bad so its time for an entry, finally!

It has been a wonderful and prouductive trip so far, and we have not hit the beach yet.

We started from KL at 12.30 am Thursday, arrived in Perlis at around 8. Checked in and had some rest. At noon, we moved to Perlis State Park. Six cavers from Malaysian Nature Society and my two postgrad. were already there, rested and all eager to start off.

However, after some discussion, we decided that the cavers would not go in Perlis caves and we changed to Baling for them. They left for Baling and my students and I continued in Perlis.

It was indeed a very exciting experience for me as I'm not familiar with this area.

That is about me. As for the rest of the family, the hotel didn't provide babysittibg services as it was Deepavali. Hubby was cool about it, indicated to me that we didn't need that. I was surprise that he agreed to abbysit all 4 on his own, for the first time ever!

I was away for 31/2 hours. Six oz of expressed breatmilk was not enough for Adel. Both Bea3 and him did a big poo and when I came back out of a cave, I saw crying Adel in hubby's arms, sucking his fingers and I was shocked to see him in my T-shirt.

Thought hubby knew what to do when they returned to the hotel. The milk was in the fridge and I have packed half of the house already, but he just couldn't find the baby's shirt.

Well I didn't complain, I was just amazed!

The next day, he agreed to do it again. Since I was going in the tourist cave, Gua Kelam only I decided to bring Adel in. Told hubby to make use of the Kid's Club facility, I'd taken a look and was sure the girls would love it but he rather be in the room.

My work in the cave was mainly about instructing my students what to do, we spent some time in the cave to do measurements. Adel was kind of captivated by the new experience, he was just observing his surrounding and I carried him in a carrier, for the first time facing the front. After a while, he fall asleep.

We finished at noon, returned to the hotel, got ready and started our trip to Baling, mainly for sending my students there and also for me to discuss with the cavers about their work and our next plan.

Got a little bit confused on the road but arrived at 7 pm. We talked amidst kids running around in the KFC. It was so comforting to me knowing that they are all co-operative, and motivated to continue working.

We returned to Kangar, got a little lost again and only arrived at 11pm. The kids were all still active as the slept in the car, except for Adel who did sleep well through. During the long drive, Bea2 asked if we were heading to rumah hotel with the beach already, I said not, that would be tomorrow (today!).

We will get more rest today, hubby will do a little work at the Kangar branch office, and we will take the ferry to Langkawi in the afternoon. He will be at work whole day tomorrow, me and girls will think of something fun to do. I will continue with a conference on Monday. What follows after that will be decided later, no fixed plan yet as I'm tired of changes already! At least, Penerbangan Malaysia says my booking is still valid.

Pics will follow soon, the one of me doing spelunking, of sleeping Adel in a cave and hopefully the Langkawi beaches.

Adel is up, cooing and entertaining himself. He is always like that if he gets good, satisfying sleep. Cute! Gotto go to my baby now, and breakfast is calling too!

Thanks for reading, will catch up later in Langkawi....oohhh, can't wait!