Belated Wishes

Is it too late to blog about my Aidilfitri celebration this year? I think not especially since I’ve already prepared my story in draft ages ago!

Raya ang pow

Aidilfitri 2013

Cuteness in Red

Dad & Mom

Where's my Raya ang pow Grandpa?

 

Well, Aidilfitri this year saw me falling sick on the eve of Raya. Nursing a terrible fever and cough, I did feel slightly better halfway through the day but was unable to taste the delicious feast served thanks to a very blocked nose.

Home-made cakes

Pineapple Tarts

My fave this year - Cheese Pineapple Tarts

Rendang & Ketupat

 

Having said that, it was still a pleasure to have celebrated Aidilfitri 2013 with family and friends and after entertaining and mingling with guests, posing for photos and packing loads of cookies and leftover ketupat and rendang to bring home, I was ready to call it a day.

Marzianna & Marzueani with cute Issy

Me with Joanna

BFFs

With the pretty Kelly

Mariuca ♥ B

Happy Hari Raya from Mel & Friends

 

By the weekend, I was feeling heaps better so we graciously accepted my sister’s invitation for Raya dinner at her home in faraway Putrajaya. I was looking forward to sis’ Laksa Johor Chef Wan style, which was a first-attempt recipe for her. I gotta say, the Laksa was delicious and B added to the compliment by saying it was one of the best he ever had!

Yummy Laksa Johor

My adorable niece Isabella was her usual friendly and talkative self and she took me for a tour of her play-room, which was filled with all sorts of kids stuff and toys! The twins had a ball and with so many toys to play with, it’s no wonder that they stayed inside the play-room most of the time.

So huggable!

We want toys!

Fun Time!

Playing Hungry Hungry Hippos

Twin hugs for Uncle B

 

By the way, Issy turned 6 a few weeks back and I still owe her a birthday gift! As usual, I am stuck for ideas. I know she loves and is fascinated with everything dinosaur so I’m thinking one of these will do the trick!

RAWR?

Is it a creative gift you ask? Well, it’s definitely a cool collectible toy and one that I know she’d LOVE but fickle-minded me is still undecided so I’ve been searching for great gift ideas for babies and kids online. 

I found myself with a Firstcry Coupon, visiting Asia’s largest online retailer of baby supplies and toys. Featuring well over 15, 000 products for babies and kids including those from favourite international brands like Hotwheels, Disney and Barbie, you would think I’d be able to get more ideas and finally decide right?

Well, you would be wrong! With so many products to browse through and ooh and aah about at Firstcry, I was truly spoiled for choice and I did end up with some fantastic ideas. However, all the cool toys and children stuff I saw online only made me even more confused and undecided so I’m back at square one!

Issy and Furby

Oh well, for now I will stick to my Dino idea but if I see something cooler when I go shopping tomorrow, don’t be surprised if I end up bringing home something else for my niece. Happy belated birthday Isabella!

 

MARIUCA LOVES

LADY JAVA

Planning My Weekend

It's been four days since my last update here! I've been posting at my other two blogs though so you can check my updates there.

Today, I woke up like a normal person at 7am. I turned in before midnight yesterday, which was surprising for night owl me and slept like a log throughout the night, just like a normal person. And it's Friday here too, which is my favourite day so I have lots of things planned for the weekend.

First, I need to set a dinner date with my sister, Issy's mom. Even though Baby Issy is a toddler now; I can't help calling her baby for I still think of her as a small tiny baby girl!

They're heading back to UK soon and I want to give my niece the gift I got her. I wasn't sure what to get Issy as a farewell gift so I checked out clothing for girls as my first option. I already got her a set of shirts from Mothercare the last time she came back for a visit so we shopped in the toys and games section next. And that's where I found the perfect Barbie doll for her. I hope she will remember her Aunty Marzie fondly with this gift.

I never did have a Barbie doll collection when I was a little girl. Perhaps Baby Issy can have one of her own; starting with the first one I'm giving her. Okay back to checking my calendar for an open night to see my niece. Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a great weekend. I'm in the mood for Italian tonight, how about you?

-FC Scoreboard points for my first THREE commenters-

DAVID
HAAZIQ
ROXY

Oh So Active!

I love babies especially toddlers! I think toddlers are so cute and they're the perfect age to play with. They can't really say much but they can sure run and laugh and scream; captivating me with their cuteness the way Baby Issy did when she came for a visit!

Ooooooh what a fluffy cat!

She was running ALL over my place nonstop! There was no stopping Baby Issy and not a single moment passed when she actually kept quiet or stayed put in one spot. I followed her everywhere to keep an eye on my ultra active niece. Baby Issy explored every inch of my home; pulling everything off my table or playing with anything she sees in her path. It was adorable, albeit more than a little tiring!

I love your office Aunty Marzie!

Babies make great easy candidates when it comes to gift-buying. They're so young and innocent so basically any gift will get them smiling. There's no headache thinking of the perfect gift and what not. Plus, most baby stores today offer such a huge variety of gift items and toys including handmade baby gifts, you simply can't go wrong with whatever you buy!

Take SCAMP for instance. This lovely online baby gift store offers you an impressive range of unique baby gifts and Personalised baby gifts for almost all baby occasions. Whether it's Christmas or a birthday and even your baby christening, rest assured you will find the best embroidered hand-stitched pictures, nursery wall art and many more adorable baby gifts for your cutie pie! Happy shopping!

-FC Scoreboard points for my first THREE commenters-

MONICA
GAGAY
ROSIDAH

Missing Baby Issy!

Baby ballerina oh so cute!

Though I have not been blessed with kids of my own yet, that doesn't mean I don't like shopping for baby products. I do have an adorable niece after all, whom I love shopping for. And baby products are always so cute. To me at least, perhaps due to the fact that I don't do much baby shopping and only visit a baby store when a friend's baby is having a birthday or a new baby is on the way and of course when I feel like indulging my beautiful niece in some new clothes or toys.

Speaking of babies and all that's cute, it's been way too long since I wrapped baby Issy in a big bear hug and I miss that heavenly baby scent that only babies have. Truly a joy to have around, baby Issy is just so adorable. I know they say all babies are cute but I think she is the cutest of them all. Perhaps I'm a little bias when it comes to baby Issy but that is truly how I feel. I've also not been on the webcam with my sister for ages. Forever confused about the time difference between UK and here in Malaysia makes it hard for me to catch sis at a decent hour to get a glimpse of my niece in action. I need to put in more effort in scheduling my webcam moments with baby Issy.

Issy rocks!

I hope baby Issy will come home for a visit soon. The last time I had fun with her was October last year. Travelling with a baby is neither easy nor cheap especially when you're flying to and fro UK and Malaysia. So I understand baby Issy's difficulties and reluctance to come home for a visit often. Nonetheless, I am still looking forward to her next visit and I hope the new child aviation restraint system I got for my niece as a farewell gift last year will help keep her safe and secure while travelling on the plane.

I miss you tons baby Issy, can't wait to see your new pictures so please tell your mommy to send some new ones my way tonight!

-FC Scoreboard points for my first THREE commenters-

TURN-U-OFF
RAMBLINGS OF THE PHAT
MY SWEET ESCAPE