First few days in the UK

On arrival in Heathrow, at the immigration check-out Bea3 was attentive to mama's instruction. They were quite energetic despite having short nap during the flight. It was about 5 pm local and 12 midnight Malaysian time.


Adel Rayyan's cheeks turned rosy right away!


On the bridge, crossing the Severn River from Bristol the next morning. Love driving on the motorway in the UK especially knowing we don't have to pay toll. Except for this one, 5.30 pounds (btw, how do I get the symbol forthe currency to put in the blog?)


Green and more green with white dots of sheeps...it was drizzling all morning.


"Mama, are we there yet?" By just looking at the pic, I wish I can bury my nose in those cheeks.

Despite being seated at the last row (of a 7-seater MPV) alone, Bea3 behaved generally well and I think she learnt to appreciate the beauty of the place. And during the first few days, the sight of the sheeps really got the city kid excited.

The name of the places in Wales got our toungues twisted. I never knew that Welsh is totally a different language until my colleague mentioned it during our trip to Danau Toba. He said he must test our pronunciation before the UK trip.

We listened to one Welsh radio channel all the way to Aber, and I just could not help myself. It was just strange, and sometimes it amused me. I told hubby I thought it sound a little like Jawa. And he started talking about his thought. It went something like this "The first ancestors in the Indonesian Island is called Javan, believed to be of the Celtic descendents". To me it was almost an hazardous opinion BUT since I was totally not equipped enough to argue, I just kept mum. All I know is the oldest human skeleton dated 1.2 million was found in Jawa, but I was too lazy to talk more about it when all around me was breathtaking view of Wales. Told him to discuss with Nick, my colleague but he said that was just HIS opinion.

Anyway, my husband always has stories/hypothesis/whatever about a lot of things. Some make sense, some not but he reads a lot so I can't argue much. And during long drive like this, he would talk. Most of the time I listen, other time while I try to stay attentive, I'm just amazed on how much he knows and think, that's what makes me stick to him from the beginning.

Oh my, I digress wayyyy to far now!

We stopped at a small town to grab some sandwitches for lunch.




We're almost there!



Aberystwyth, the town, finally! Nick showed us around and we settled down.


The garden of our rented flat. I just love having the bright sunshine shining through the kitchen window and door.


On most day, the temperature was around 14-15 degrees...a little too cold for me but that didn't bother the kids much. They insisted to be outside. I will write more how the kids adjusted to the new environment.

Some castle ruins, a place that hubby and kids visited a few times but I could only watch far away from the 8th floor of a building, where me and colleagues had tea and lunch in the campus.

Will be back with more later. Thanks for reading!

Think officially we hire a helper

Finally, I let a stranger into the apartment to help out a bit.

And that really when I thought I just CANNOT take it anymore. I got stressed whenever I step in the house, no matter how many times I did the slowly breath in breath out that I used to do.

So what she did while I read Malaysiakini. First, she mopped the floor with the hot water ONLY...to get the dirt out first, she said. I was like "Ooooo...I never did that!"

Then only she used the floor cleaner in fresh water.

But before that, still feeling embarrassed of the condition of the house I helped her putting away toys. Told her at the door before she entered "You may be surprised, but please don't run away".

Well, she is professional and fast. The floor is squeaky clean. She did under the sofa and the beds too, but the result is not to my fullest satisfaction. Anyway, I'm comfortable to be open with her the next time around.

Today is only a trial, so when she asked if I wanted she do the bathroom, I said it's ok. Happy to hear she said the bathroom was clean considering I have small kids. Thanks to dearest hubby...even a cleaner approved his job;).

She was supposed to do fans, she said they needed at least 3 piles of water each and went "tsk, tsk,tsk...". Well, I'm ok with that, she is honest. I like that.

But she is too short, we don't have a ladder. Hubby used to clean fans, yeah all that two times in these two years. And that involved wiping with him standing on chair. More often, we just vacuum but that's not good enough.

We will get a ladder before her next visit. And I already talk to her about scrubbing the tiles in the kitchen wall, washing the dish from the previous night dinner, change the bedsheets, and the bonus is she even offered to help with the junk if I finally decide to throw them away. She is frank by saying she may get the little piece of 'besi' out of the TV to sell. She would borrow her father's car for that.

But she confessed she CANNOT iron. It's ok, I've been doing that for almost 8 years now, and I can continue doing it.

She also said I have nice kitchen, she likes that I have another sink in the tiny yard. Nicer if everything is organised, she said. Well, she will help me with that.

We talked a bit, she lives with her mother, a 4-year old daughter, and a sister. Husband left to marry another 3 years ago. Her mom used to clean house too, and she used to follow her. Now she works and mother takes care of kid. Someone introduced me to her and though most of the time, I'm paranoid think I can trust this lady.

Adel won't be doing the 'mopping', at least for tonight I hope;), and let me enjoy the clean floor for a moment before getting out to fetch hubby and kids.

Blogging from Penang!

Heh...I never thought our trip would coincide with the celebration of the endorsement of World Heritage.

I'm here at the university, people went out for lunch and I'm trying to finish my presentation slides. I just hope people won't remember me as a geologist making fool of herself in front of a bunch of archeologists. I start to feel lonely already but be here I must for I wish that I can share with them whatever finding I got from the Kota Tampan archeological site.

Hubby is handling the kids well, I reckon from a phone call just now. They are on the way back to the hotel from brekfast as two out of 4 just pooed! I love that man.

Well, the highlight of the trip is tonight. I won't the joining the conference dinner, instead we will be having one with someone I consider a special person and a friend. No one desribes Penang like she does, I'm sure regular readers know who am I talking about.

We will be back later.

Updated: As much as I want to enjoy Penang more, I also love to be with the archeologist the whole day today. Not a single pic is taken so far. Anyway, hubby and kids will be at my sister's place. They will have all the goodies from Penang, I hope. As soon as I finish the meeting, we will be on the road to KL.

On an emotional roller coaster

I just jumped and started writing after looking at about the positive results on the pregnancy test stick, just as I did for all previous pregnancies. I know a lot of people who'd rather wait for 'things' to really confirm. I mean for example after the 12th week.

Well, actually I've been having brown discharge a few days after we reached UK. I never didn't think it was a period as it looked different. It was little, though. Didn't really alarm me.

Then, 2 weeks after first getting it, I got the positive result. It didn't stop, and I just thought "I should not have been so excited" and later didn't really know how to react to those wonderful congrats notes from friends and some wonderful bloggers that first commented here.

I went to my ob/gynea on previous Monday. According to the calculation, I was supposed to be 7 week but the scan showed 5 weeks. Except for gestational sac, nothing much can be seen. A bit alarmed but the doc said we might get the dating wrong. To make things more blurred, I was just too busy prior to the trip that I could not really recall when the possibility of conception to happen.

Another check-up was scheduled in a week. The discharge ceased that day, I was all positive. It came in a bigger patch the next day, I was devastated and called my sister, saying that this pregnancy was not meant to be. Got scolded, she said I don't say that unless I got fresh red blood gushing out me.

I thought I was well-informed about miscarriage, it is just too common, a lot of people I know went through it. But it is nothing compared to when I feel that I might be at risk, the thought about losing what's already in me, the thought of having the 5th one in my arms early next year, and in that few days I'd already planned a lot of things. I cried once when I was alone and continue taking folic acid.

The doc said just wait, but I could not. Did a lot of reading, did a lot of recalculations and could not really work.

Did another scan on Monday. This time vaginal scan, and it showed the sac has grown a bit. We could see fetal pole, overall it looked good but again at this stage, not much can be seen, no heartbeat detected. I was given dyphaston and another check-up is due in two weeks.

Some things that are troubling me:
If I'm really 6 week, that means conception happened in the UK. In that case I have missed a period but ovulated, anyway after that. My period was haywire, thought due to the stress prior to the trip.
I did the test when I was only 4+ week (and only like 10 days after conception) and the line on the stick was already so clear. From past experience, at this stage I only got blur line.
Anyway, maybe the cheap stick is just too sensitive.
About 10 days after the first test, I did again just in case the hormone ceased (a sign of miscarriage) but it was still as clear.

Can't really depend on symptons as I normally had none.

Anyway, I'm done with worrying, I may continue to worry the whole of this pregnancy but I try not to. As for yesterday and today, discharge was almost gone and turned to whitish. Now, I'm taking a good care of myself and the baby, looking forward to see heartbeat in 12 days and I just pray hard that everything will be ok.

Now I know how to react to the comments from previous entry, and I'm putting them here:

amira shasmeen said... and I am so totally amused anad in awe of you, Ros ... I am still very nervous with the arrival of my second one ..and here u r,... so jolly jolly with the news of your fifth .... I think I might be running out of hats already to take off to you. Alhamdulillah and hope both of us have a smooth sailing journey .... Insyaallah..Lyza
5:01 PM

Now, you know that I was not really that jolly. Anyway, now Alhamdulillah...think doing this together with you is fun-ner!

chanelwong said...
Congrats to you !!!!!
6:46 PM

Thanks Chanel, and your words are really comforting.

eida said...
murah rezeki betul la...tahniahjgn lupa tambah ticker
11:51 PM

I like it when people refers this to murah rezeki, Eida...last time I checked, I didn't have enough space for another ticker already!

a&a'smom said...
Congratssssssssssssss!! I really dont know how u can do it all, Tabik!! May u have a safe & smooth sailing pregnancy
3:13 PM

Thanks a&a's mom, this really has to do with the word murah rezeki...God provides!

Yatie said...
ros... congratssss........... alhamdulillah..rezeki bertambah...nampaknye satu kapal dgn my sis...
1:28 PM

Yatie, I need more from moms with 5 and more kids, even knowing that some other mothers has more is good enough.

beckysmum said...
Congratulation!!! So happy for you!
4:39 PM

Beckysmum...thanks, and pregnancy always brings joy right!

lilian said...
FIVE EKS MOM!!!!!!! Or is it SIX EKS MOM????Wuah, so happy for you. Congrats banyak-banyak.
11:10 PM

Lil...thanks, 5 not 6, confirmed it is singleton!

Madre said...
congratulations! I really admire you! Been reading ur post on mymomsbest on breastfeeding. Am truly inspired by your dedication.:) a silent reader
10:48 AM

Thanks Madre...didn't know I have new reader with this humble blog, anyway what I shared in MMB is really comes from passion and it is fun when it helps.

WMD: Wife, Mother, Daughter said...
Wow Congrats. Long time no drop by, skali drop by...another new addition(s) to the family. Take care,
11:11 AM

WMD...hehe, I'm also surprised ok!

mjey said...
Ros - I just dunno how you do it! Really man!! CONGRATULATIONS!!....SALUTE U!
4:22 PM

mjey...thanks and I just do it and feel blessed.

Moo mommy said...
Oh... congrates... another 5X mom! tabik tabik...
4:37 PM

Thanks Moo mommy...yes I want to be on par with her la;)

Mommy Hafiy said...
congrats!doing bloghopping n found yours!congrats again..tabik lah!
5:31 PM

Thanks Mommy Hafiy and thanks for hoping in!

mumsgather said...
Congratulations! Now you'll have more and more love to spread around your home. :)
6:42 PM

MG...I just love the way you express it!

mamanuzulnzaid said...
ros... congrats... macam tak percaya je you pregnant lagi... tahniah sekali lagi... murahnye rezeki...
12:37 AM

mamanuzulnzaid...of all the babies, this one really caught me off guard, for some time before I really calm down.

bluewonder said...
salam,been a long time since I dropped by your blog..tak sangka lak ada berita menggembirakan.anyway congrats. hope u'll have an easy pregnancy. Dont worry they all grow up very fast...my no 5 which I delivered end of 2006 is running around already...how time flies...take care

bluewonder...yes, I need these words from momof5 or more, yes they grow up fast and before I know it I start missing to have another baby again!


That's it, I will be my usual self from now on and feel blessed with yet another most amazing thing that could happen to every woman: motherhood!

And I will continue with lots of pics (we have around 3000!) from the trip.

Surprise, surprise!

We've been safely home for two days, got so many things to blog but time does not permit, kids are still having bad jetlag. In fact, I'm writing at home now, while they are in bed at almost 1 pm.

With a lot more to share from our recent trip, it never occured to me that I'd be sharing this first:

We've been having one surprise after another for the past 4 years that this one is not that surprising that much.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for the news to really sink in. I'm trying to be calm, I always want to have a huge family so this is great.

Just need to prepare, to plan ahead for work etc.

I banged on the other bathroom door to get hubby out, he knew it was positive...but upon seeing it, he asked "what two lines mean, a twin?", with a huge grin, and trying to calm me down said "at least now we have a double stroller (that we bought in the UK)".

I know this is another blessing, I didn't know that while being excited for Lyza upon knowing she's preggie again, I already had little bud growing in me! Ok now, pile on the congrats notes.