ball and chain no more

my maternity leave ends today and i'm going back to work tomorrow. i'd more or less started work while i was on leave and my job allows me to slowly ease back into the routine with a lot of flexibility with regards to "clocking-in" and "clocking-out". i'm blessed in that way, save for summer internships, i never had a desk-bound job. i'll miss my little squirt but frankly i miss having structure in my days too. Admittedly, compared to Inspira, i'm less accomplished throughout my leave. I can count with one hand (my husband will also gladly do this) the number of times I cooked. When my babe naps, so would I. And even when I'm not really sleepy, I would surf the web, read or stare at him while he sleeps (lol - i'm a stalker in that sense). So, i got away with not caring what day it was, what time it was. And that unstructured life is nice only to a certain extent. i miss the satisfaction of drawing up to-do lists and crossing them out. so tonight, i feel slightly accomplished - my work bag is packed, and i already have a nice little to-do list drawn up for tomorrow's return to the office. i know i'm going to cross it out really quickly too - if there was a change in me after birth, it's that i'm hyper productive now because i want to rush home to cuddle my little babe.

so, motherhood and career... i've had my ball and chain moments when i started embarking on either route. but now they'd made peace with my stubborn brain quite nicely. which might explain why i'm loving jailbird stripes now. top - alimrose designs at little styles ; bottom - coney island ceramic ice-cream and milkshake mugs from cupcake courier.

Cha Cha

I have been rather adventurous.

Not sure why I am on this epicurean journey in our kitchen off late . . .

Just now, I had a bowl of delicious bubur cha cha which I whipped up in the kitchen a while ago. Sweet Potato, yam and tapico flour, all in a bowl of coconut cream sweetened with light muscovado sugar (my sugar switch from what the recipe usually calls for).

I have a pan of flourless chocolate brownie in the oven but I don't think that's panning (pardon the pun) out, seeing how I don't see any "baking action". I swear I am swearing off any baking recipe which screams "flourless".

Back to the books - I am determined to get a recipe for kick-arse chocolate brownie (the kind that's almost gooey) else M is going to be harping and pining for it forever.

I can take a month old baby wailing for milk. I don't think I can stomach a grown man pining for chocolate brownie.

Mmmmuffins

After Nadine's morning feeds, I usually have a couple of hours to get everything organised. Laundry, cleaning, etc.

This morning, I thought I would give baking a whirl.

Nothing too complicated. Muffins are perfect, in this case. And today, cinnamon blueberry muffins was on the menu. 10 minutes to get the batter all ready and 35 minutes in the oven.

When the timer went off, it was time for Nadine's feed.

Easy peasy.

All Shook! Up

As mentioned in my previous post, multi-tasking takes me to a whole different playing field.

Here I am at dinner at Shook! (we are all in Kuala Lumpur for a few days as I post) with Nadine in my arms.

Nadine was cranky (she has colic) and the only way to soothe her was to carry her in my arms.

But I was also hungry. It didn't help that I ordered a dish that requires 2 hands to eat. Thankfully, the soba stayed delicious even when cold.

I've always loved to push the envelope - my glorious best at multi-tasking, so far:

Ps. This "stunt" was performed under strict control. ie. the noodles/soup has been left sitting there for 45 minutes in cold blaring air-conditioner = cold. Never ever attempt this with hot food, please. It's more for your child's safety than your need to satisfy your hunger.

Let's Talk about Sex

What did we spot when we got out of the car at this carpark?

I will be sure to have that suction cup window sign in our car when/if we eventually decide to have our own car. It'll be a hoot. ;-P

food in stockholm

Lakka (cloudberry) and raspberry sorbet

it's probably "cool ranch" but describing a flavor as a ranch might seem weird to the swedes

a kaffe a day keeps the doc away

3 kinds of wine - one for each course

when we had dinner at the Vasa Museet

Miffy

This made me go through my stack of photos and finally, I found a photo of Miffy and me at Amsterdam's V&D:

in stockholm now

The Sun & The Moon

(Top image courtesy of Perpetual Kid; Bottom image courtesy of Inhabitat)

These solar powered moon jar and sun jar are amazing!

And because this island is almost right on the equator, we are blessed with sunlight almost all year round.

They can be used for everything (think patios and romantic dinners on the verandah; night lights for the kids or adults the same) - indoors and outdoors.

And . . . they are eco-friendly.

Hello! Need I convince you further?

Now, I'm off to bed - yawn - I want my moon jar . . .

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all daddies out there, especially to M and E.

(Image courtesy of Martha Stewart)

PS. The paper airplanes are soo M

Eco-Living

In between pumping (breast milk), making formula milk, changing diapers, giving the fur-children a rub down, feeding and talking to our fur/children, I have been thinking a lot about our future new home.

I don't know how I manage to have insane thoughts of viewing apartment after apartment and then, going through a (potentially deadly) renovation, but we're so ready to move out (from our current home) and give our fur/children a bigger area to roam about (sorry girls - you'd have to wait till when we move to the great outdoors down under before you can roll about the grass and have a good taste of dirt in your mouths. And that includes you, Nadine.).

And strangely, it's not so much of how I want to (interior) decorate the new home, but rather what we can do and/or incorporate into our new home to function as a more eco-friendly living space. That without having to break the bank (or rob it) and/or sell my soul to the devil. Not too much to ask for, I hope.

To start, we're bringing with us, our furniture (even our pre-loved sofa which obviously will need fresh upholstery made). Why chuck perfectly good furniture when they only need a fresh outlook? I am even loving the old-new cupboards in the nursery-guest room (see here) to not want them chucked out for our new home.

And the rest of our current practices will spill over to our new home: eco-friendly/energy saving light bulbs, recycling etc.

I know there's a lot more I can do and at this point. Though I would love to trawl the silicon highway for more eco-friendly renovation/interior processes/methods, time however, is not my friend. But, please, send comments and ideas and links on eco-living etc my way.

Blenkinsop

I am currently in love with this man - apart from M, of course.

(Image courtesy of Jose Goulao via here)

(I have never been able to replace Kevin Carter until recently.)

My rendezvous with Blenkinsop is now only limited to images of his amazing photos.

It's good to know that some people can still work and manipulate a manual camera on film and not rely on digital abomination.

And I *heart* him more for using his Leica along with a Mamiya.

alexander girard at UO

i really really want this. i'm willing to trade my magazine budget for it. alas, i'm no longer living in the US. :(

emily peacock

crafty goodness. purchase the kit and sew it yourself! genius. via livingetc.

Bag Lady

Ok. I know. I know.

2 posts in a day. In about an hour.

Crazy.

You'd never believe I am married to a wonderful man with 2 fur-children and a 2-week old angel. All living with me in the same house. ;-P

I just about exploded the moment I laid eyes on these:

(Image courtesy of adVintagous via Etsy)

I.HAVE.TO.HAVE.THEM.

FiFi

Being the typical Singaporean, I love freebies!

And this (FREE!) wallpaper reminds me of Miffy, no (?) . . . :

(Image courtesy of Fifi Lapin via Kindred)

Blooming Recipes

A month ago, whilst enjoying dinner with M at the new extension wing of our neighbourhood mall, a penny dropped : I wanted to go to the library in the building to borrow books to keep me occupied whilst on maternity leave.

I don't know what possessed me to even think that I would have the time to savour the pages of the borrowed books, let alone, the mental capacity to process the information what with the lack of the sleep etc from the newborn baby and all.

But I went ahead anyway.

To spare the already diminishing cells in my brain, I borrowed this and this. Not much thought processing there. Just drool worthy pictures.

I am determined that I am going to try a few of the recipes shared in the books once we're all settled down with a routine.

What better way than to jot the recipes down in the beautiful journal which Exp gifted me last year.

Afternoon Bliss

Nadine must have known that the All Blacks are playing France this afternoon.

And what bliss that I had the time out to catch the entire first half of the match, nevermind that the All Blacks are trailing France. (In case you don't know by now, I have been an All Blacks supporter since Jonah Lomu.)

In a bit, I will be cooking dinner.

I'm contemplating sweet and sour. Prawns. Or is that shrimps as our American friends would call them? Prawns. Shrimps. They still taste as sweet. And sour. Geddit? Hardy har har.

Anyways, I've disgressed as usual.

I have been wondering off-late what I have done to be blessed with such a considerate child even at that age.

Flower Power

Another one:

Oh . . . I'm so blessed!

More later.

I have to get ready for my post-natal massage.

Bliss . . .

in a shopping mood

things i'm waiting to go on sale at kate spade

Floral Love

I love flowers.

A girl can never have enough flowers.

I lucked out : M and I received 2 bouquets this week courtesy of my mother-in-law and M's friend from childhood days in Brighton College :

Stalkers

I find myself unable to lull myself to sleep after Nadine has blissfully drifted off to zzz-land.

Pitter-pattered around the kitchen. Cleaning. Organising.

Sitting at the study in front of my lappie. Here I am, with my new breakfast love.

After 5 days at home with a newborn, I am slowly getting around to getting things done in double quick time. Multi-tasking takes me to a whole different playing field.

Stairway and Empress are also slowly getting around to a new family member, much unlike the stance they took on the day we brought Nadine home:

Hope

Nadine Almas Noor Huda.

She literally popped right into our world.

In 25 minutes.

After labour pains of 16 hours, that is. But it was worth it.

It's nearly 24 hours since we brought her home and apart from the first night together trying to get used to parenthood, we are slowly trying to work out a system. M and I and the fur-children.

It's rediscovering, relearning and re-adjusting our lives again.

And in case you're wondering, "Nadine" is hope in Hebrew and Arabic. "Almas" is diamond in Arabic (and is also my mother-in-law's middle name) "Noor" means light in Arabic (and is also my dad's middle name).

30.05.2009

It's 0840 hours and yes, I am still home.

Cookie's estimated due date has come and gone. 30 May 2009 it was supposed to be.

No matter. As long as she's happy playing in this wonderful pool of water. Free-rent is always a good thing in my books. :-)

Anyhoo, I have about 12 hours. Before I admit myself into the hospital to get myself induced with prostin so that the complications of going into labour with a 3.4kg baby can be reduced and/or avoided.

Yes folks . . . Cookie weighed 3.4kg at the last gynae appointment on Wednesday. A monstrous 1.2kg jump from 3 weeks prior. And it got me worried and guilty (although I have been REALLY good with what I eat and only ocassionally indulge in unhealthy bite-sized portions of foods only in M's presence).

I'm not too worried about being induced.

But I am looking at admitting into the hospital with a whole different outlook.

My emotions are a mix of excitement and fear. I think it has a lot to do with my not-knowing what to expect. My usually obsessive compulsive behaviour and control issues -> I think I need to check those at the door before I step into the hospital.

What did they teach you at antenatal classess? B.R.E.A.T.H.E.

And oh, before I head off . . . M and I had a wonderful time on 30 May 2009.

We met up with Poppy and her parents for tea here.

And a few hours before, M helped me put the doors (note the accidentally quirky placements of the door knobs!) to the re-finished cupboards yesterday.

30 May 2009 was eventful with Cookie being celebrated in all we did!

recycled glass

these are nothing new, just some things i've been loving