Christmas Holiday

Hi to All, Assalamualaikum to all Muslims.

It has been already a week of christmas break. I have just another few days to spend until I'm back again to school. It has been nice so far and I had many sewing projects done. check it out here : desireforsewing.blogspot.com We had some lovely family times together though much were spend at home. But it feels great staying at home anyway. Little Asyraf has pretty much fill up all of our time. He's learning to eat by his own, therefore more time required for the mess that we had to clean up every meal session. Thankfully that it is summer time, so he just shower every now and then for cleaning him off food and all.

He pretty much enjoy bathing too. He could bath for an hour and play with water until it gets cold. We bought a small dining table for us to eat now. Properly without Asyraf disturbing around and crawling off our back. So, I guess our house is complete now with all the furniture and stuff and we are settling down very well.

Allowances from UTHM have already checked in last week. So, we are in good budget. I am still figuring out my fabric store online. Hope I manage to publicly advertise it by this new year which is just around the corner. Here is the website : fabriclobby.com.

well, Anyway I gotto go and update my other blog. Till then, bubye.

Wassalam.

Love for Allah and Rasulullah.

Amira

A typical week of ours in Canberra

Hi, dear all.

Its cleaning time. I thought of cleaning this blog a long time ago. One of the reason I don't come and blog often is because I kind a lost the pace of blogging and there were too much too update sometimes and sooo little time. But today, I decide to do this once and for all. And will try to stick to this new resolution too : Keep Updating This life blog of mine and the new blog : desireforsewing@blogspot.com. My resolution was to at least have one update for a week time. we'll see how that goes...

Anyway, its Sunday today. We had a long weekdays although it was pretty much filled with Asyraf around. I went to my school ( my research school where I do my PhD) from 9-3pm most of the days this week as Faiz has to work at 4pm onwards, so I had to go home and take the turn to care for little Asyraf. Asyraf will always be not at his best mood when one of us is not around, so it was quite tiring taking care of him alone. I know that. That's why I pity Faiz sometime that I come home early. Well, I'm not yet busy at this early stage of research works, I guess I could just read at home every now and then.

I also did some bottle cleaning~Asyraf has been playing with bottles in the drawers and messing it around these few weeks. Although I hardly use them nowadays, as I seldom pump anymore, I thought it was time to get them clean. Asyraf is still fully breastfed but I give him directly in the morning, during luch time and of course every now and then when I'm with him. He eat 3-4 times daily, so we don't worry much that he'd get hungry. I feed him more often in the night just to make sure he get enough nutrition. Anyway, I have to just do a litlle review on this Avent Microwave Sterilizer. Its superb. Fast and less troublesome. Totally recommend it.

The mess:

Avent Microwave Strelizer: just put water, and put in microwave for 5 minutes or 2 minutes.

Well, the time here flew quite fast, and suddenly its almost two month that we are here in Canberra. We hadn't time yet to go to any of the tourist attraction of Canberra except for the Floriade exhibition during the first week we were here. Later to that we had been spending time with friends a lot in the weekend either at their house or at BBQ like we had last weekend. It was lovely. Asyraf was even well behaved (less crying and tangling down our feet) there and had a long sleep in the tent. Here is the snap on the day:
Asyraf slept in the tent for whole two hours!

well, till then, Lots of Love, and Seasons Greeting.
Amira

Bought a sewing machine

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahiwabarakatuh
Well,

I haven't been updating much. Its not that I don't want to, but it tend to get tedious to get some pictures up with I-phone. Yup, I have changed my beloved HTC wildfire to Faiz's beloved I-phone 3s. Why? Because he got new one. I-Phone 4s. Thats why I'm not tech-craze- they practically grow too fast and to keep updated requires plenty of money.

Anyway, back to the updates. Well, we have been settling down very well in Canberra. I have made pretty well progress on my research. at least on the Literature Part for now. I have yet to present tomorrow of my literature research, hope it goes well. My first presentation here....hu...

I bought Janome DC2050. Yeah. I could not live without a sewing machine. So, I have started few works using it. Beginner's work. I am starting a new hobby ~ patchwork and quilting. I have also bring up another blog ~ desireforsewing.blogspot.com. Here I will put all pictures, ideas I got from browsing and also some of my works. Possibly will be working on a lot of patchwork and quilting soon and is thinking of opening an Etsy shop too. Hope everything goes well. This is in plan ~ did I mention reading the Millionaire book? Well this is in accordance to the plan of being a milllionaire one day. If I havent talk about this before, I may write specifically on that. I so love that book.

Well, gotto go for now. Will update with picture soon I hope. Doodle.
Wassalam
Amira

We reach Canberra..

Assalamualaikum,

Well, As per title.. Alhamdulillah, We are officially in Canberra, Australia.

After quite a tiring journey with heavy bags (I had gone into great trouble trying to limit luggage but we end up with great heavy carry-on luggage that got us messy along the way - but still all in hand and we manage to get everything in control despite of some errors here and there.)

Here the time is GMT+10 and +1 H for daylight saving. So, currently it is 3H later than the time in Malaysia. So in the flight, we slept for few hours then its already bright and sunny outside when we reach Sydney. At Sydney Airport we went through a very long que of passport checking and quarantine for items that are declared. Thankfully, everything is cleared. Not as I imagined before, the checking of declared items are done simple. Everything with label may go through and laptops does not have to be switched on anyway.

So far Asyraf has been a very good boy. He like the weather I guess. He loves it back then when we put him in aircond room, so here it is like that without the aircond. He has not catch a cold either. So we were relieved for that.

Currently I am staying at Banksia Apartment -Adelong in Braddon. It is so cosy, just like home. I pretty much wish we will hit something like this when we get our home soon (the one to be rent). Well, this Saturday Kak Mizah n husband, Abg Abid will take us to go and inspect few houses. May Allah make it easy for us to grab a house.

We have already gone to Woolworth (K.Mizah and Abg Abid drive us there) to buy some food but still not enough since we did not buy any fish or meat. We ate fried rice a few time already. With egg. We also went to Asean grocery store where we find lots of chinese/malaysian spices and stuff. However, we still do need to make sure food there are halal or not before purchase since lots of chinese/thai food are also there.

Today we are going to Kmart. We would like to do more groceries for the week to come. I will be registreing at ANU this Monday. Hope everything goes well eventhough currently I have no idea yet of how to get to ANU. Huhu. InsyaAllah may Allah make everything at ease.

Well, till then, Wassalam

BTW, will upload videos as soon as we get good internet (unlimited one or close..currently we are limited to 2GB, so we are doing our best to maximize it..)

Love for Allah,

Amira.

You Tube Scarf Tutorial Addict

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh.

Alhamdulillah, Thankful to Allah, I have actually gained quite a confidence myself despite of ageing feel I have been feeling a lot lately. Hehe. Been through a lot, and i mean a LOT and LOTS of youtube and blog walking, and MashaAllah been struck by the addiction to it and love all the tutorial there is on youtube. Here are some of my favourites :

This is by Dina

And here are some from our Malaysia Gals..:

and of course, there tons more... just type shawl/hijab in you tube, and there you have it GREAT tutorials.

Well, I do love that they are all kind enough to share, and it kinda make me wanna share too. Beside that I have actually thought of the idea of having me, and my family being on video too. You know, just to get the memories on video and maybe put it on youtube/blog and save the typing. Its not that i don't like to blog, I do, but I kinda lost word when it comes to typing. So, maybe, and I say MAYBE I am better off, talking. So, I thought, maybe I could get a handycam and start video blogging instead.. ?? Well, we'll see how that idea turns out soon.

So today, I have been browsing for some of the price of handycam in Malaysia and Aussie. So we'll see on my next post what I have been browsing and aiming for..

Till Then,

Too dle..

AMira.

My 26th Birthday

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh..

Well, I've passed my mid-20's.. Yeah. I am so 26 last Friday (9th September 2011).

The good news : I am thankful to Allah, I have a family, married, with a son and a job. What else to worry? Back then I use to worry whether I will ever get married. Answered Already. I wonder whether I am able to conceive. Answered already. I wonder whether I would get a decent job. Answered already. So it is time for me to just maintain it and blossom it even more.

The bad news : I am starting to see wrinkles on my face. Yeah.. wow, the aging thing do comes quick don't they.. huhu. I also notice that I have been lacking myself, which I have put to my resolution that I will no matter how little time I have, will put myself on my list of things to do. So, this last few weeks I have been taking good care of my make-up, my clothes, my facial routine and of course the smile and the time for me to enjoy AND yet still maintain to have time for Asyraf's things and hubby.

Currently I am busy preparing for the big MOVE. Tidying up things, packing, browsing over the internet for stuff to be concerned of and etc. Though weekends sometimes are filled with visitors and visiting since it is still Raya Mode.

O yeah here I found a great videos of make up tutorial from a make-up artist :

Loving it..

http://www.lisaeldridge.com/

here are videos on youtube :

Just some ideas to just have fun with myself.

Till then,

Wassalam.

Amira Saryati

Malaysia's Independent Day and Idulfitri

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh..

Salam Merdeka dan Salam Aidilfitri..

Alhamdulillah, berlalu sudah 1 syawal dengan kesayuan perginya Ramadhan. Semoga bertemu lagi Ramadhan di hari mendatang..

Tahun ini, aku, suami dan Asyraf beraya di Selangor. Then, kami bergerak ke Kedah on the second day of raya.. Travelling balik JB pada hari ke-3, Dari jam 11 pagi, sampai rumah dah kul 1.30 pagi.. total hours of travelling hampir 13 jam.. penat woo.. tapi seronok juga, ramai2 tengok orang di perjalanan..

Anyway, here are some snaps at Selangor, Asyraf first stand - 6 month and 1 week.

Well, there goes, Raya 2011..

Anyway, nak cerita jugak kat sini, why I love and proud to be a Malaysian!

The varieties and The Peace

Of course, we Malaysian are very proud of how we can be united despite of our different beliefs, different races and religions. We are proud to say, we live in peace with hardly any discrimination.

Not to mention that Malaysia, a country that can be said free of natural disaster such those that had been occurring in other countries. We hardly worry about the coming earthquakes or tornadoes for it has never occurred before except few "tempias" from the tsunami etc..

Food

I also love the fact that Malaysia have halal restaurant like "everywhere!!" Mc-Donald halal, KFC halal and so much more. I love that Malaysia is an Islamic country with many other religions free to be around. It holds the fact that Islam does not force anyone to be a Muslim, but respect others and of course guide those who wants to be a Muslim and also allow Da'wah.

I will add more, but for now, I got something else to settle:

Doodle.

Love for Allah, Wassalam.

Happy 54th Independent Day MALAYSIA

Amira

Me, Myself and I

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh..

Well, its has been quite long I haven't been writing about myself.. Well that's what happen when everyone around you seem more important to you than yourself.. As a mother of course my son is the priority. And to me, it is very important to note the moments we had with him and of course what had progressed. But today, I am to write and to just say a little bout what my heart want to say...

Firstly, today is not monday, but the blues still being carried.

Why? coz yesterday I was off doing medical check up with my little asyraf and my loving hubby. I am blur today, though I manage to get some work done, I still have tons of lab report to be marked.. My, my.. will I have the mood to do so? Will have to I guess. Not much time anymore. I will have to get it done by the mid of september.. well after raya la.. hehe

Update on the progress of my preparation for Aussie : I already sent the document required for a eCOE which I will need to apply for VISA. so hopefully ANU will soon reply. Though I did have a little problem with the OSHC. (OSHC is the health insurance required for students or maybe any other immigrants who would like to stay at OZ) My OSHC is paid by MOHE, but my family's is paid by UTHM. So, there might be trouble as they usually dont like to invoice to different sponsors.. so the advisor at IDP said that I might have to pay my own first then claim later.. I just checked the price.. its Aus$2,420 for the whole 36 month for my hubby n baby. Wow.. Where am I gonna get that much money to pay first.. Of course, loan MA and PA is always available, but I rather hope that they will accept to foward the invoice to UTHM rather having me to pay for it first.

I, currently everyday, checking allhomes.com.au for house to rent. Hopefully we manage to grab a good house to rent once we got there.

Another thing bothering me today is suddenly the way we age.. Huhu.. I guess its normal to feel so old every once in a while. What to do.. what to do.. I do love to remind myself to care more about myself at least to take care of what is given by Allah. Allah has made everyone beautiful as they are. But you do have to take care of yourself and of course mantain it.. Anyway, may the beauty given is matched up with beautiful attitude and great manners. So today, I wanna make a little resolution so that I take care of myself more and I take time to look at myself in the mirror..hehe.

.

Well, I hope I am up to meet my resolution and mantain it for the rest of the years to come...

Okay, till then,

May Ramadhan bring us full of Allah's blessing and love and goes leaving a tons of Rahmat..

Amin.

Love for Allah,

Amira

First Sitting Moments

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh

Alhamdulillah Asyraf has got his steady sitting position at the age of 5 month 1 week...Although he is not allowed to be put on the floor yet - since he still sometimes lose balance and may hit his head to the floor. So for now we let him sit on the bed with us around too.

I've been quite busy lately. It has been a lovely ramadhan so far, and Alhamdulillah milk production has not been down either. I have a lot on my mind currently. Trying to figure out everything to be in order. Also a great Alahmdulillah as for my scholarship to continue my study at ANU, Australia has been approved. Now just waiting for confirmation of enrolment for VISA and wait for VISA then book flight tickets..and of course a tons of forms to fill too.. hehe..

So, just to update a little, will soon upload pictures and maybe more stories.. till then,

Wassalam.

May this Ramadhan be filled with Ibadah, and may Allah grant his blessing.

Amin..

Amira

Weaning at 5 month

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh...

Asyraf has start his journey towards enjoying solid food. I know, I know.. he is just 5 month, why couldnt I just wait another month.. I do have a little regret, but hey, he is really showing the cues for him to start on solid. So to make it not so regretful, it seems that most of my reading do suggest to introduce solid food from 4 -6 month especially if there are signs such as written in the article at babycenter.com:

How will I know when my baby's ready?

Your baby will give you clear signs when he's ready to move beyond liquid-only nourishment. Cues to look for include:

• Head control. Your baby needs to be able to keep his head in a steady, upright position. (Asyraf is already keeping his head up)
• Losing the "extrusion reflex." To keep solid food in his mouth and then swallow it, your baby needs to stop using his tongue to push food out of his mouth. (Asyraf does not make a lot of mess when he is eating as he really does know how to swallow)
• Sitting well when supported. Even if he's not quite ready for a highchair, your baby needs to be able to sit upright to swallow well. (he sits weel in his bumbo seat)
• Chewing motions. Your baby's mouth and tongue develop in sync with his digestive system. To start solids, he should be able to move food to the back of his mouth and swallow. As he learns to swallow efficiently, you may notice less drooling – though if your baby's teething, you might still see a lot of drool. (Asyraf had been soing this chewing motion everytime he sees me eating..)
• Significant weight gain. Most babies are ready to eat solids when they've doubled their birth weight (or weigh about 15 pounds) and are at least 4 months old. (Asyraf has double his weight since birth - currentkly about 6 kg)
• Growing appetite. He seems hungry – even with eight to ten feedings of breast milk or formula a day. ( Yup.. he is always hungry)
• Curiosity about what you're eating. Your baby may begin eyeing your bowl of rice or reaching for a forkful of fettuccine as it travels from your plate to your mouth. (This one is surely. Asyraf get curious everytime we eat, and he just love to follow the chewing motion and we offer him the food, he open his mouth.)

Therefore, with all that reason, and because we pity him coz every time we eat, he will keep staring -->we start his first solid taste of banana on the 2nd day of his 5 month age.

The next day we gave him rusk and he really enjoyed his moments I guess.. My mum said he ate a lot and does not coz a lot of mess as he knows well to swallow. Guess its best for him. Although I do want to begin natural cooking soon. For the time being he is on baby rice mix with ebm and of course not skipping his milk time too. Will add his pic soon.

For the time being thats all to update..

Love for Allah,

Amira.

Need a new Chiller Bag

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh

Well, as per title.. I need a new cooler/ chiller bag.. So this is a bit of a review too about my current cooler bag. I bought AUTUMNZ cooler bag together with the spectra set at onebabyworld.com.
I have been using it like only for a month ( starting from the day I got back to work)... then it got ripped inside as per picture below:


So frustrated. The price of RM40++ is quite expensive to be only used for a month, i definitely wouldn't want to buy the same new one again...
However, the outer cover is still in great condition. Plus, it still works as a chiller and mantained my ebm cool until offwork. But, I hate to see it everytime I open it to keep ebm after expressing..
Repair it?? I have done that of course. With the machine I have at home,I have tried to repair it by resewing it and attaching it.. but it happen again after 2 weeks of use.. Beside, the AUTUMNZ ice pack will leave my cooler bag wet at the end of the day. I don't know whether all icepack are like this or not.. but I think I want to try a new cooler bag with new ice pack too.


So, so far in my mind I have stylomama cooler bag, or the fridge-to-go
which I found can be really convenient as it has attached icepack and wont leak any mess. However, stylomama can fit simple breastpump which I am also searching for for easy movearound.. so far, I have UNIMOM in mind. However, if money wise is okay, I certainly would love Medela Manual.. well just to keep those two things now in my wishlist.. may Allah provide us with rezki.. amin..

Till then, wassalam
Amira