Handling Holland.. (and now aidan too!)

Here’s what i’ve noticed and have changed since having a baby:

THEN- reading gossip magazines like OK! HELLO etc. NOW-  Dr. Spocks, some dutch books given to us by the beureu, and baby magazines are so so important and beneficial (even the Dutch ones!)

THEN- was able to watch telly. NOW- hardly ever watch telly, and if i do have the time, it’ll only be a glimps of it! No more ‘Neighbours’, no more news even!

THEN- shower usually in the mornings. NOW- i have to wait for Aidan to sleep before i take my shower! and he normally wants his ‘chat sessions’ after his morning feeding, so we talk and talk and talk,  so shower has got to wait!

THEN- i go to the kitchen when i want to cook, when i’m hungry, when i’m thirsty. NOW- i go to the kitchen more often than before, and this time not just to cook, eat and drink, but to clean the bottles and sterelised them as well!

THEN- on the bedside table would be a book, hand cream, my handphone. NOW- feeding bottles, bottle warmer, our warm water flasks, baby powder milk!

THEN- in my handbag there’s normally my wallet, handphone, a lipgloss, a pen, a pack of tissues, mints and my digital camera. back when we were renovating our home, i managed to squeeze a measuring tape, a calculator. NOW- i no longer carry a handbag, i tumpang Aidan’s bag which consists of at least 6 Pampers, baby cream, baby wipes, baby milk powder seperator, bottles, flask, towel, extra set of Aidan’s clothes.

THEN- i can go into all the shops that i want, no matter how narrow or small they are. NOW- i have to see whether the stroller would fit into the shop’s alley!

THEN- being able to cook just slightly before dinner time. NOW- i have to prepare food much much earlier just in case it conflicts with Aidan’s mood! (tonight Hardy’s cooking, yey!)

THEN- 10 mins preparation time prior going out. NOW- at least 20 mins!!!

THEN- i can linger around and shop for my stuff. NOW- when in town, the first thing in my mind is to get Aidan’s milk and see if Pampers is on offer! then check on Aidan’s stuff. straight to the baby’s section! my stuff, no longer of an importance. Aidan is of a priority, then comes the stuff for our home. no more shopping for clothes!

THEN- bedtime would be sometime between 12-1pm. NOW- bedtime is at 11. sometimes as early as 10! and thats the latest!!

THEN- what we throw as garbage normally consists of the things we have consumed, left overs, carton boxes. we dont really take notice anyway. and during our stay at the hotel, we didnt have to pay anything for throwing them. NOW- Aidan’s used pampers!! they’re heavy mind you! and being in Holland, buang sampah pon kena bayar ikot berat tau! so there you go, just imagine!

THEN- from humming to latest hit songs, Anouk, Blunt etc. NOW- i sing twinkle twinkle, humpty dumpty, london bridge! and we listen to the classical station. we now have a collection of nursery rhymes and childrens songs CD to add to our collection too!

THEN- we park at the normal parking lots when we’re at IKEA. NOW- we can park right infront of the entrance! (a place where they put a sign for family who has small children and baby)

THEN- i dont smile at all at 3, 4am. NOW- i smile everytime i feed him early in the mornings, he never fail to make me smile, even when i’m half awake!

THEN- i used to be all alone when Hardy’s at work. NOW- i have Aidan to keep me company!

THEN- weekends the best time to laze on the bed, used to be just the 2 of us talking and giggling. NOW- 3 of us on the bed. we giggle and experiment, discovering new things about Aidan.

THEN- i dont know, or less know of the importance of the muscles n joints in my body. sometimes i even abuse them! NOW- i appeciate each n every vain! how important to have a strong wrist, a good back! You will notice this more when he’s born at 4.28kg and now growing!

THEN- i can type my blog using fingers of both hands. NOW- currently now, just this line, i’m using only my right hand fingers! hehe. i’m sitting on my bed, he’s on my lap just about to doze off!

How your priorities, routine and life change when you have a baby! most will change, but some must not. but its all good! its all worth the 24 hour labour!

THEN- there were just the 2 of us. NOW- we’re a family :))

This is my first Raya..

1. as a wife

2. as a mother

3. in the Netherlands

4. in our new home

Nothing elaborate, no kebaya nyonya (we were still dressed in our baju kurung, hardy goes to work with his baju melayu!) no ketupat, no harisa mak ngah, no loud cousins, no duit raya (i dont think i’m entitled to it anymore, Aidan is!!) but i had the best laksa penang, cooked by my husband, i had my precious parents, and my beautiful son Aidan with me. Wished Kakak and Redza were here tho

We hope to go back soon for the next raya, insyaallah! or maybe the next after next, we’ll see… we have to get Aidan’s passport ready!

Wishing all of you reading a SELAMAT HARI RAYA, MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN!

Hello allemal! (hello everyone)

My first post after being a mommy! I havent had much time to write lately, and i think it will still be the case for many months to come as i’m still getting my routine and rythm right, but i will try!

Anyway, here are the ‘numbers’..

After a LONG 24 hour labour, 3 epidurals (1st one didnt work!), scratches on hardy’s hands (and baju hardy pon dah longgar after being pulled by me), our baby Aidan was born on a beautiful Donderdag (Thursday), 21st September 2006, at 9.30pm at Maaslandziekenhuis, Sittard. We had to do a c section altho i was more prepared for a natural birth because Aidan wasnt getting any closer in getting out! contractions were getting nearer and harder, 1cm for 4 hours! Couldnt stand it so i had my 1st epidural but didnt work, took the 2nd one and the final one being before the c section. We were ‘stuck’ at 9cm (those who knows what i’m talking about will understand!) for almost 4 hours! and after a scan, his head was too big for my pelvic. Schedelomtrek (circumferemce) was 38cm! go get a measuring tape guys! his lengte (length) was 56cm and get this people, his gewicht (weight) was 4.280kg!! he was indeed a ‘big baby’ as told by the doctor and nurses on my 38th week of pregnancy. what do you expect, just look at his parents! and after maybe 8,9 bottles of nuttella, the dutch melk (milk) and friture (french fries)!

I was thinking "anak mat salleh pon tak sebesar anak aku!" hahaha! anyway, i dont wanna scare the mommys to be, and daddys to be but be prepared, get enough rest and have lots of patience. husbands, you have to be REALLY calm and supportive it helps us to face almost everything! and in my case, i had my amazing husband at my side throughout the whole time! 24 jam pon tak rasa sangat! it was just the 2 of us and i’m very proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve handled it. Our good friend Noreen came down all the way from den haag to visit us at the hospital on Sunday and showered Aidan with LOTS of gifts. He loves it and so did we. Thank you dear, both you and Daniel so very much! We had so many sms-es and i cant thank you all enough!

Yes it was sad to see other mommys get to walk, as i couldnt the following day after Aidan was born. it was sad to see other mommys get presents, cards, flowers and baloons, but i had the most beautiful baby, he’s healthy and perfect and the most wonderful husband with me there, at that special time. Good, lovely nurses took care of me and Aidan (i remember all their names!) and now, i have the additional love, loving support from my lovely parents, kakak and redza. amazing, simply amazing! I have such a tremendous amout of love and respect for Hardy for his endless love, support, patience and being with me all the way, and i really do mean ALL THE WAY. now, i think we have the most presents, cards and flowers! :))

Oma, opa, tante fifi, om redza all showered Aidan with tonnes of gifts and pampered him with everything they’ve got!

It has been trully an amazing adventure, challenging but most rewarding and precious with the birth of our beautiful son and moving to our beautiful new home.

I really do hope and pray that everyone will get to experience giving birth, i really do. Insyaallah.. hope kakak is next!!

BOY! what an experience! Giving birth for the first time, in a foreign land! Only after being in the country for 9 months!!

(Pictures: Graph monitoring my contractions, Our first photo the 3 of us, welcoming Aidan to the world, Aidan’s feet against his mama’s kain batik, Aidan’s left hand, Aidan’s hair’s just like papa’s, my 2 precious boys - father and son, Aidan 2 days old, Aidan close up, and Aidan sleeping at the Toverbal). I do have photos in the operation room, the doctors were snapping away! but i know some might not be able to take it!)

more photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidanhardyzaza/