31 July 2011

Amber & Baby Ashton!

It has been 4 years since I was part of the organizing committee for the Breast Cancer Charity campaign. Being the president and founder of AA Foundation (a charity organization spearheaded by my company Chairman) THEN gave me the opportunity to be part of all charity projects organized by my company. Not only that, did you all know, heading the charity projects also gave me the opportunity to get to know my hubby too? (sweet!)

 Last Thursday, my company (and AA Foundation , currently headed by my colleague Pearl) organized a press conference for the Breast & Cervical Cancer Awareness campaign - Passionately You. I was there to not only support but actually more to "kepo" and to see how the press conference went. I was having coffee with my Chairman and CEO at a coffee place to kill time and not too long after that came Amber Chia, our campaign ambassadress.

Dressed in a pair of beautiful heels, white blouse and a pair of skinny leg jeans that shows off her beautiful long legs, she gave us a smile and greeted us. What made us even more excited was that she brought along her baby Ashton too! I was playing with baby Ashton the whole time as he reminded me so much of Hayden (well, every baby I see now reminds me of Hayden actually haha!). 10 months old Ashton is so wonderfully adorable and playful. I do realized that although baby Ahston looks like his daddy, he certainly has his mummy's tall genes!

From my own personal point of view, Amber is doing a great job as a mother to Ashton. Ashton appeared to be really cheerful and playful and he eats anything and everything! From orange juice to cakes and even to curry chicken! Even Amber was surprised to see how much baby Ashton loved the chicken when she peeled a tiny part of it and gave him! Of course he made a funny facial expression when he tasted the chicken... must be the spicyness! And after swallowing it, he wanted more! This boy is gonna be a tough little boy (and whom loves to eat spicy food - a true Malaysian indeed) when he grows up!



Amber Chia and her little baby Ashton


Local Celebrities and a Local Nobody :p
(From left: Amber Chia, Rina Omar, Cindy Wong, Farah Fauzana)


30 July 2011

Hayden's First Word

Hayden has finally uttered his first word : "MA!"

At first I wasn't sure. I heard it couple of times last week and it was a little faint. But on Tuesday, 26th July 2011 at about a little over 9am after his bath, the words were clearer and more distinctive from his usual sound of crying.  He was crying away whilst we changed his clothes and he suddenly yelled out "MA!!".

I told my colleagues whom are mothers (and father) themselves about Hayden's word that morning and they told me, YES. HE WAS CALLING YOU. I was thrilled! I wish I could hear it again and I want to reconfirm if indeed he was calling me.

Today, my wish came true. He yelled out "Ma!" again. This time I heard it clearer. I came over, picked him up and he stopped crying immediately. He was really calling me! And he wants me! My heart melted.

I went over to my hubby whom was watching his wrestling video in the room at that time. I said, "your son uttered his first word "Ma" and not "Da". I win! And I gave him an evil laugh....MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

He looked at Hayden and said... "Call Da Da! Quick!" Hayden just stared at him blankly...

p/s: A note for my hubby - Too late Boo... your son calls me first. Ha!


Family portrait.
Pic was taken on 22nd July 2011 on my mummy's birthday!
   

24 July 2011

Pastry Chef?

I am hungry. Its 2.36pm and I still have not taken my lunch yet! Talk about food, I turned myself into a pastry chef yesterday for the first time in my life. Hubby said that motherly instinct has kicked in eversince I became a mother...... Wow! Really?

After celebrating my mother's belated birthday yesterday with a great dimsum buffet at Oriental Pavilion, we head off to shop for groceries. I walked along the aisle and stopped at the baking section. I filled my cart with baking powder, icing sugar, vanila extract, flour, chocolate chips and some rice chips. I pushed through to the lactose section with milk and cream and these items came tumbling into my shopping cart as well. From there, I head over to the fruits section and got my pick of fresh strawberries and kiwi. My adrenalin was pumping as I was about to make my very first chocalate chip cupcake and a pavlova! Yes! 2 desserts for a first time chef wannabe like me! Pretty tall order I must say. But I know I can do it!

It was a fun filled day for mom and I. She loves to bake and I love to watch Masterchef Australia. So I got her to help me with my 2 pastries. As we both have never made cupcakes or pavlova before, we got some help from online recipes. Well, did it turn out good? The answer is pretty obvious....it was near DISASTER! For Masterchef standard that is...


My meringue looking glossy and smooth!

Looking pretty good at this stage!

  

Ta da! Look wise could have been better.
But flavour wise, its good I was told!



Reading recipes whilst baking


Cupcake fresh from the oven...
the shapes kinda odd looking though



Cupcakes supposed to be round shape isn't it?
It became a love shape cupcake...well, better than nothing :D

Hayden 9 months old!

Hands blistered with sweats protruding from my forehead. Hubby assisted with his strong arms as we both lifted up the baby cot's wooden base and screwed the bolts back into its place. We have successfully lowered down the cot's base! That is the sign where our baby is growing up and growing up pretty fast!

Hayden is already 9 months old. I am happy with how he is progressing. Not as fast as other babies at his age though - some are already teething, some could stand up or even dancing around with their 2 strong feet. Hayden is doing pretty all right at his own pace. He loves to run around in his walker, moving forward, backwards, side to side and his hands....boy, his hands are really fast in picking things up! He would be snatching my phone, smashing the Ipad as we FaceTime my in-laws over in Brunei/ Australia, banging his toys, slapping my face, pulling my hair....the list goes on. He is a real playful little tiger boy.

What I am really glad is that he does not rely much on his pacifier. Its not good for kids to be addicted with one, and I know for the fact that, if they are addicted with it, it will be tough for them to get rid of it as they grow older. Hence, my teaching on Hayden has been - he will only be given his pacifier during bed/ nap time. I am so glad Hayden is well taught and he does not need it anywhere he go! Not in the car, not whilst we took him shopping. He is such a good boy! (lets hope he stays this way and not turn into a little monster later on)

September is looming near. Does anyone know if parents are allowed to bring in milk powder for their babies to Australia? I am worried that when we fly to Perth for our holiday then, would the immigration confiscate Hayden's milk powder? We will declare the item of course, but would they be lenient to allow us to bring it in especially since we will be there for a week? If only Australia sells the milk powder brand that Hayden is taking...but unfortunately I was told they are not...

We'll see how it goes then.






 

10 July 2011

9th JULY 2011 - Freedom Day

The following post is strictly WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

I have no intention of getting myself into trouble by writing about what is going on with my country. My blog is usually about the on goings of my own life and what I have encountered - to cure the curiosity of my ardent readers. And today it is no different.

I am sure most you out there would know what is BERSIH 2.0 (and I am assuming you do as it has already gotten worldwide media coverage). I am personally against rallies. I see those in other neighbouring countries doing so, and I thought, why would anyone want to waste their time walking on the street with banners, protesting against someone or somethings, wearing colored shirts, yelling, causing massive traffic, causing panic, creating chances for the arm forces to fight amongst its people instead of protecting them...

The weeks and days leading to the BERSIH 2.0 rally on 9th July 2011 still made me feel the same. I was against it. I could not be bothered. I just want to get to work and go home. But on 9th July 2011 my feelings took a 360 degrees u-turn.  I finally understood.

When I saw the videos and pictures, tweets and facebook shoutouts on this rally, I understood and could not help but agree with the objectives of BERSIH 2.0. It is all about FREEDOM, FAIRNESS and UNITY for all Malaysians. Who would not want it? The fact that I travel so much to Singapore lately, I cannot help but to compare between these 2 countries. How I hope that one day Malaysia could be like Singapore. Clean, orgainzed and most importantly I feel safe in that country. But I am still a Malaysian and I am proud to be one. I love my country still.

I am amazed with Bersih 2.0 as the voice of the cause has spread throughout the world, with all Malaysians gathered together on 9th July 2011 across the globe from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, HK, Europe and other continents! I was kinda overwhelmed with the unity shown by all Malaysians wherever they are on this day. Will this day be marked in our history book?

I came across this video, a theme song for Bersih 2.0 and I must say, it is pretty good.







Note: Again, yours truly here emphasized that the above post is strictly without prejudice and it is purely on the writer's feelings as a true Malaysian. On this day, 9th July 2011, she did not participate in any rallies but was sitting at home, spending quality time with her family, unaware of the actual ongoings in down town KL until later on...from reading The Star portal, Facebook and Twitter page.

08 July 2011

Crazy RoadBlock!

2310hrs. 8th July 2011. All roads leading into KL are blocked and the radio has just announced that by midnight, the roads will be closed. C.L.O.S.E.D! And that's like 50minutes to go!

We drove out of Singapore since 1708hrs and we are still on the road (here in Sg Besi) and the minutes will turn into hours..when will we ever reach back home? I wonder...

Rallies, demonstrations, are these really necessary? I just want to get home. I just want to get back to my baby boy whom is fast asleep unaware that his mummy is still stuck on the road at this time of the night...

As I type here, my driver (a.k.a boss) got out of the car and posed for our camera in front of the rows of non-moving automobiles! What a hillarious move! You can imagine how bad the traffic is as we barely move an inch.




I wonder time will we get home. Anyone want to take a guess?

p/s- I got home at 5 minutes past midnight... (which means I was on the road for 7 hours!)