Sagu... oh sagu...

Alkisahnye, birasku is a cartoonist, with the nickname Sagu. It reminds me of my childhood days...

That was during Ramadhan, the fasting month. I was not yet in kindy (bcoz I started fasting when I was 6).

Mak cooked this kuih called sagu. It's coloured pink and covered with grated coconut. Mak called me... to taste it, whether it was too sweet or not.

Being a naive 5-year old (or maybe less), I didn't know what to answer. So, to play safe, I tasted and said "ok".

Anyway, after that I saw her putting some more sugar into the pot containing the sagu. I was confused. Then, she called me again to re-taste. This time, lack of guile...

I answered "It's not sweet la."

Hahaha...I was scolded.

But now, when I think about it...it's hilarious :P

First time

1) 1st time boarding a flight
12th February 2005. Haha...It took me 25 years to board a flight!
Dah la first time, gi oversea (Aus) lak tu....sorang2 lak tu.

2) 1st time giving birth
18th Sept 2007. (18 = 9, sept = 9, 2+0+0+7 =9). Gave birth to a chubby Cikebum!

3)1st time went overseas
Same answer as in Q1. Twas for my Masters in UQ.

4)1st time away from family
Hostel when I was 13 (Form 1). But it was much better than being at home :P

5)1st time work
Intel Penang, while waiting for SPM results. It was so relaxing that I still wonder why some people think working in a manufacturing company is hectic? :P

6) 1st time feeling fat
Hmm.. frankly, I never felt fat until I tried putting on pants during confinement. Hahaha. Memang la! Now, the pants are loose (mcm pinjam je).
Other than that, maybe once, when I looked at this pix I took in BNE (autumn 2006), I felt like a chubby girl with a round face looking back at me.


7)1st time in love
Puppy love? Standard 2 :p I wonder where the guy is now?

8)1st time feeling pretty
What an ambiguous question! That took me quite long I guess.

9)1st time entering cinema
Hmm I was a kiddo. Acik & I managed to persuade Abah to bring us watch Robocop. No fancy cinemas like GSC/TGV...it was just at Cathay. Robocop was so cool back then!


10) 1st time admitted in hospital
Standard 5, minor surgery for bisul. Hehe.

Two words combined

How could these words came together as a term? Answers. anyone?

• Act naturally.
• Found missing.
• Genuine imitation.
• Safe sex.
• Good grief.
• Same difference.
• Almost exactly.

When will the cord fall off?

That day...

MIL: Why is Adam’s umbilical cord hasn’t dried?

Me : It will dry soon, Mak.

MIL: How many days has it been?

Me : Let it be. When the time comes, it will drop la…

MIL : Ye la…but people say, if it takes too long, the baby will become stubborn as he grows.

Me : Apa pulak? It’s not in any verse of the Quran kan?

(Dalam hati: How could it dry easily when some suggest to use the alcohol to clean/sterilize, while she uses talcum powder?)

Being the emotional mom in confinement, I texted Abah and told him.

As expected, Abah consoled me by agreeing with my words.

Day 12.

MrHubby brought Cikebum into the room after bathing him. As we were toweling him dry…

MrHubby : Eh, the cord is off his body.

Me : Good. Puas hati aku!

MrHubby : Don’t tell Mak. Let her realize on her own.

Me : Okay.

The next day…

MIL : Eh, where’s his cord? Rie, quick…find it! It might have dropped somewhere.

MrHubby : Alaaa, Mak! We knew, it dropped yesterday.

MIL : Really. Oh…good. Make sure u keep it.

MrHubby : Sure.

Me : U see, Mak. It purposely waited for Nuzul Quran. Isn’t that better?

MIL : Iye lah…

Eheh… jahat x mulut aku?

Welcome to the world! :)

Early morning of 18^th September 2007 at about 3.30 am, I woke up…

Since I have started to feel a strange fluttering thing in my tummy, Sham decided to wake up and have an early sahur.

He wanted me to make him a mug of Milo, so I went to the kitchen. Suddenly, I felt water running by between my hips.

Uh-oh…the waterbag burst! (I thought Along said, if I had blood stain (kembar darah), I wouldn’t have a waterbag leakage -kembar air.)

Hmm…it’s two days or one-week shy of my actual delivery date (20^th or 27^th).

So, Sham quickly finished his meal, and stuffed the bag into the car. And we drove to Hospital Putrajaya. I was busy texting friends, colleagues and family members to get their blessings & prayers.

When the doctor first checked me, but it was only 3-4 cm open, and had to wait further.
I was left strapped to a boxy machine (the ultrasonic doppler) to monitor baby's heartbeat. So fast like a running horse!

Every half an hour, the Dr & nurses came checking me. Dian & Jalak were so excited that they started to wait for us from the beginning.

Although the decision is ultimately mine, I was glad upon hearing the midwife saying “It’s progressing well, looks like u can deliver normally.”

When the contractions are minutes apart...I asked Sham, "What's the time?"

He said "11 a.m"

I remember people saying...if the baby is born during mid-day, he/she'll be stubborn!
After half an hour later, I asked the same question.

This time, I just couldn’t wait for the cervix to dilate anymore. Anything latter is just a waste of time, unless complications are expected to arise. Hehe! So, I started pushing.... Sham was asked to see the baby's head, while I tried to gasp another long breath. Not long after that...........

The baby's out! Alhamdulillah....
and I looked at Sham "What's the time?"
He smiled..."It's 12pm".

Hahaha. I tried hard to make sure the baby's out before noon, but what to do? Luckily, the Dr's watch showed 11.57am. So, I can say that my baby won't be a stubborn boy!

After showing him to me, I tried to tickle him a little bit while they were cutting his umbilical cord. Then, they put the baby on my tummy for a while. Subhanallah! He's so cute! With his eyes closed...

He was handed to Sham to hear his first Azan & Iqamah.

To cut it short, after evertything was done, I was asked to breastfeed him. That was the first moment that bound me with my little darl.

Then, I was sent to the ward. These are the pix of the proud Mama & Ayah...

Adam Zuhair Shamsuri.
Born 3.75 kg
11.57 am
18th September 2007
6th Ramadhan 1428
Hospital Putrajaya

Welcome to the world, little angel! Semoga tabah mengharungi pelbagai dugaan dalam hidup ini.

Our first visitors were Pak Ngah (Tok) and Mak Ngah (Uwan). I was overwhelmed!
Then, came Along & Yone, Sab, Zana & Ima, Faezah (my officemate) and Jasce (Sham's friend whom I just got to know).
Thanks a lot, guys...for sharing the excitement of the arrival of my bundle of joy!