A’aesyah sleeps so still sometimes, I have to “fuss” over her to make sure she’s still breathing. I guess thats one of my new paranoia :D
Before I proceed....just a shout out to BFF Yeen.
Miss you like crazy, thank you for the Hari Raya wish and the family looks dashing in biru pius (sama macam I...ha ha ha great minds think alike ek?) ...see you at work next week eh!
Alhamdulillah, the whole family survive the 12 hour road trip coming back from Penang and heading straight to Johor and A’aesyah has officially set a new personal record at 1 half months, crossing 8 states in one day (Pulau Pinang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, WP, N9, Melaka & Johor). We nearly fried ourselves on the North South Bound PLUS highway but I am truly amazed at the extend of both my daughters’ strengh, enduring the tiring road trip. Personally, my butt was sore and my back ached. To add to the injury, packing for a pre-teen and a 1 half month old baby is no joke. My knees nearly caved in when I reached my parents house on Friday, the 3rd day of Eid. However, I have done myself proud to be able to do so without having to rely on the help of a domestic maid or my darling husband.
The prenuptial aggrement I had with DH (darling husband) was that we took turns on the venue of Eidul Fitri Celebrations every year. Last year was mine so this year although just after confinement, I firmly decided we took the road trip back to my MIL house in Bayan Baru, Penang Island.
My journey began in wee hours of Tuesday October 30th. DH’s ETD was 0430hours. I didnt sleep the night before, making sure the baby stuff was within easy reach, we had food & drinks for Sahur, the bag with our prayer attire was upfront and etc. Plus I packed a mean big warmer bag full of food and goodies (I am truly grateful for having warmer bag experience for my Stewardess days on board a coach) & made sure the house especially my kitchen was clean. The 2 bedroom studio apartment waiting for us at Leisure Cove, Tanjung Bungah was booked well in advanced (6 months prior to Eidul Fitri) so I packed all things necessary for the kitchen since we were well equipt – microwave, 2 hot plate stoves, a fridge, a toaster, an elect. Kettle, cutleries, pots and pans, plates, mugs....you name it we had it.
The view from our room – Masjid Terapung & the Tanjung Bungah Sea FrontNew arrival A’aesyah added the bulked with her comfy mobile pink bath tub, her swing, her nursing cushion, her feeding basket, a big suitcase of her clothes, one baby bag with her diaper change & bathing set, 2 comforters & pillows, a first aid bag & carseat. I’m sure DH must have lost 10 pounds just by loading & unloading the luggage he he he.
A’aesyah in her comfy bathtubPenang Island greeted us with a flash flood upon ETA 1100hours and I panicked to the next Anakku store because I had only packed 3-4 sets of long sleeves for A’aesyah (and I thought I was well packed for my little bud, since her suitcase overcomed both DH, Aliya’s and mine). To add to that, Aliya had viral fever and her temp shot to 39 celcius - thank goodness for the first aid bag which I had packed with a forehead thermometer, a herbal cough mixture & cherry flavoured paracetamol syrup with measuring cup. Later, thank goodness for a nearby GIANT hypermarket and 100plus at RM2.19, we bought a crate and I nursed Aliya back to health as with non-chilled 100 plus (left out in a cup for a while for the carbonated gas to subside). Second day of Eidul Fitri she was already hitting the swimming pool twice, despite being all “lembik” the day before.
The thirsty traveler AliyaThe night before Eid at Leisure Cove was peaceful & serene – me propled on the King Size Bed with Aliya & A’aesyah, the cold of the wet weather did not require us to even turn on the AC, with the Takbir from the Floating Mosque faintly in the distance. DH had gone back to Bayan B to see to what Mama (my MIL) needed and got the washing done since there was a dryer available for use in the Basement of the Time Shared Holiday Apartment. That did wonders since dirty laundry was always a party pooper on any holiday.
The night before EidI am usually greated by my mom’s ketupat, rendang, semur ayam, lodeh & peanut sauce for breakfast on Eidul Fitri morning. It was a bit depressing but I had 2 “babies” other than A’aesyah to feed. Maggie goreng perisa asli *sigh* was on the menu, since DH could not get his hands on any lemang at all the night before (a suprise for us since Lemang is just not a favourite of the Malays on the Pearl Island), while Aliya settle for Coco Puffs with Cold Milk.
We got to Mak’s House (DH’s grandmother) at around lunch and her glorious Chicken Briyani was waiting. We then proceeded to Mama’s House in Bayan B again, were we got down to Nasi Tomato & Ayam Masak Merah – so much for the Pantang Diet I was on *sigh*
However, a chance to meet my 2 most adorable nieces Julia & Mia is one I cannot wait. Both sisters have grown so much since our last visit. My BIL & SIL are so blessed to have such beautiful, charming & highly brilliant daughters. I still smile at the thought of Mia, giving me a peace sign everytime I flash my camera to take photos of them.
Julia the eldest
Mia, second in line - “PEACE!”
We are family...I got ma lil sister with me.Eid was well gone when I reached Johor, with a tint of sadness in the air for me personally – no ketupat, lodeh, rendang or semur ayam waiting for me coz the crowd was huge and mom had run out by the 3rd day. It would be too much of a hassle to ask them to prepare another batch for me. I guess thats why they say these dishes are only “setahun sekali” due to the complexity of how to cook them.
Only the jars of kueh raya, nearly emptied greated me upon my return homeI take them as huge sacrifices so that this time around my husband got to spend Eid with his family instead. It is after all a time for giving, for tolerance and patience. Besides, I get to spend the rest of Eid with mom and dad.
Stumbling upon old Eidul Fitry photos at home, the celebration has changed during the years but some stuff still remain the same. Here are my collection of Eidul Fitry throught out the years. The saddest were of 2001 when my grandpa Tok Aman died & 2004 when the Rumah Pusaka burnt down.
Eidul Fitri Di Rantau Orang(Eidul Fitri Overseas)
Eidul Fitri Sebelum & Selepas Kebakaran
Aliya Beraya
Fav Drink During Eidul Fitri
Oren Bodoh & Sarsi Bodoh
The Izardys
