It's been more than a year

It's 3:29 am and I finally managed to sneak out of my room to do up this entry. At such an hour, ikr... Haha.

Just an hour ago, while I was tossing and turning on my bed (no thanks the final trimester's uncomfortable sleeping positions problems), as usual, I browsed through my phone apps and decided to check my mails - work mails, personal mails... Usually it's just one of those subscribed mails that I end up deleting anyway. But yeah, 2am seems like a good time to do housekeeping haha.

One of the subscribed mails I received would be the one from JobStreets and instead of deleting it off immediately like what I always do, I opened the mail, scrolled the job listings since (I had all the time in the world to do it), and then...deleted it off, lol.

Not like I can apply for any of this anyway, I thought.

Truth to be told, there are times that I do miss being "useful" and "needed" at work. Rushing for deadlines, learn something new. It gives you the adrenaline rush and satisfaction once you completed the task at hand.

But of course, I don't want to fall into the complaining trap that being a Stay-at-Home Mum (SAHM) is all boring and depressing. (Well yes, there are times where we fall and crumble, but we must always remember to get back up :))

Comparing to those times that I work full time, I find that I have more family time and that I can plan my own time, especially since Mr. J is working on shifts.

Like the other day, I needed to run my errands to get ribbons and flowers for my clients' trays - we could do so on a weekday afternoon where the train is less crowded.

I can also witness Adriaan's milestones.

Like how the other day, he surprised us by adjusting the food's orientation in his hand. We do a mix of feeding him and baby-led weaning (BLW). So for those food that requires feeding, like rice with meat, I will feed him, and those that allow him to have a hold and explore the texture of the food, we let him have a go at it.

He was sitting quietly and enjoying this plain bread that we passed to him. Instead of putting the whole bread into his mouth, he tore it in bite sizes and inserts them into his mouth. Sure, the bread crumbs fall all over and messed up the place lol, but to witness him doing so, is an amazing feeling. He probably picked that up from those times that we tore his bread into bite sizes and feed him.

He also learned to adjust the orientation of the food once the surface of the food visible to him (in his hand) is no longer there. He would put the food down, pick it back up with his thumb and index finger and then back into his mouth. Children are really smart (if we allow them the space to do so)! :')

So yeah, back to where we were, one of the things that I do to keep myself feeling productive and happy is to have a to-do list at the start of the day and then tick those that I managed to complete and celebrate a little by having rests in between/have a favourite snack/play Bubble Mania. Haha.

I guess being a SAHM pretty alright... if given some me-time to have a "short escape" once in a blue moon hahahhaaha. Well, all of us actually do need a me-time every now and then to pamper/reward ourselves. And I'm already thinking what to do this coming week as we speak :)

Perhaps purge the refrigerator?
Start packing the hospital bag?
Start packing our items into the empty boxes - for moving (oh, we wont be moving to our new place so soon insya'Allah)
And of course, finish my work :)

I guess that sums it up; being a SAHM is not so bad after all.

Alhamdulillah.

Note to self: You need to EAT!

Remember the other time I mentioned that my mum bought us some ready-made paste and food so that I've always something to eat?

My mum and I had a talk recently. Everytime Mr. J is on day shift (which meant I'll be alone for 12 hours with Adriaan at home), my mum would pack some food on her way home and drop by my place to pass it to me - just to ensure I have my stomach filled. Fact; if she don't do that, I'll most probably be left starving for the whole day until Mr. J comes home from work (which will be around 8.30~9pm-ish).

Looking at the situation, my mum suggested that we only shift to our new place next year before Ramadhan instead of beginning of 2018 (which was what Mr. J and I planned to - because its not good to leave the home vacant for too long ya). Her reason was that since the place I'm currently staying in, is closer to hers - it would be much easier to send food to me, compared to my new place which is much much further.

Background: Even though my new place is located at Hougang, it's the further part of Hougang whereas my sister's place (Buangkok) is closer to my parent's place.

"Baru satu anak je kau dah tak makan. Nanti ada lagi satu lagi. Kau ingat senang eh nak jaga dua anak?"

K. Mums say the darndest things but the kind where it knock some sense into you. lolol.

So I've been brainstorming on the easiest way to prepare home-cooked food. You know, proper food so I don't starve and risk getting gastric all over again.

I asked Mr. J on his opinion on what's the easiest approach that I can have proper food, and his answer was "I bought biscuits... bread... eat that lah". "Ermm no, you don't understand. If I'm gonna try breastfeeding again, I'll need to have proper food. The part reason my supply dipped is that I don't eat well. I noticed that my supply dipped after my confinement food supply ended".

Of course I can't expect him to understand that, because he's a man, right? Sigh.

Even though I have blended garlic, red onion and ginger to make cooking efficient, I guess it's not enough yet. I planned to do frozen food packs, but the prep work behind all the frozen food pack will take the whole day and looking at how occupied Mr. J is now, with running to and fro from the hospital, his back to back events, it wont turn out well.

I guess another approach that I'll try is:
To cook whatever gravy or soup the night before, have it refrigerated, and then at the same time, thaw the frozen poultry/seafood and then continue the final part of cooking the next day?

Ok, will try that - insya'Allah.

Hopefully this is much better? Please make this work, dear me. You need to EAT!

On a related note, I really wonder how other (super)mums do it... Hmmmm...