I noticed Zahraa seems to be more interested to play with older kids, instead of kids her age. She now gets along well with her cousins, no need introduction, no need of a warm up.. they just met and boom - had a great time together.

This video was taken after Hasya's minor surgery. She had a cut on her thighs.. quite deep.. we ran her to Pantai Mutiara Friday night, almost at midnight. Alhamdulilah she seems to be ok.. look at her, the one in purple pants.. almost like nothing had happen to her.. (errghhh.. i shud have capture some of her photos... with all the blood runs thru her legs and splashed on her face)

Lately Zahraa wants to do everything on her own... Yeah.. maybe she thinks, she's no baby anymore....

i can explain all the blogging.. and no checking emails.. hahaha.. sorry to those who missed me :D
I am sick.. bad, chesty cough.. sampai sakit perut menahan.. and sampai nak pecah anak tekak...

And those meds are making me sooo sleepyyy... sebab tu blog cepat2.. buat je apa yg patut .. sbb Zahraa tak de and sebab nak pi tido lepas tuu....
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I'm still sick - tapi dpt mc satu hari je

This post is to introduced tudung ratu. Its not that new.. I've seen thier add in metro .. err.. or cosmo err. either or.. I found their shop in Semua House, just by coincidence. They are quite different than other tudungs, as they have many style to offers, from small, to big, selendang to inner tudung, from lycra to net, from plain and cotton, and they even have those tudung like Dato Siti's. ( in my opinion, I wouldnt call that a tudung, btw) I bought a few - to try some new style and get some new addition to the collection.
I bought - the tudung besar type - saw my ustazah wore this once. This is the first time i found a big tudung with pattern. Their pattern are pretty, and they are very very big. Its in seledang style, so you could style it any way you want. Too bad, mostly all small sizes was sold. So here I am in this. At first I want to sell this off - as I dot have any blouse to match this with.. but after a while - I thought.. what the hack.. pakai jela .. dah beli dah ...

I also bought the selendang type - in net fabric - they are very comfortable to wear - cooling. But dont worry, it is long - so you have to lilit twice - so your neck wont be visible. BUt this one is a bit tricky to wear if you want to cover your chest. S0 - taraa.. here's what i get.. :D

Alamak.. makcik mana plak ni......

Lil Zahraa can now float.. she did it by herself, we never try to make her float, nor push her in to it.. its all on her on. and mumy felt ashamed on herself at this moment.. hehehe

This is in the adult pool - she's floating!!

This is in the adult pool.. she wants to try come in...

Look at that!! good girl!!!

I remebered babyripp has once posted a video of Afya with her tabung. As Zahraa has grown no, she is now allowed with coins..

But there's a tiny weeny problem - she kept asking for coins everyday!!!!

One of the things mom's with lil girls cant wait to do is - hairdo!!! But I am bad at it.. I bought stuffs for Zahraa's li head but none seems to succeed... hahaha I dont know why she rarely let me braid her hair.
But, lately, everytime we pick her up at school, we will be suprise. to see her with different hairdo everey day. It was done by Cikgu Ida.. wow.. I am maze.. 1. Because she's very good at it. 2. Because she could persue Zahraa to join her saloon avery day :d hahahha

Thats 4 pony tail!!!!!

The looks different hair tied up

I rarely make western food for Zahrein, as he is not really a fan. But after some time now- our dish eery weekend will rotate in between fried macaroni or spaghetti bolognnaise. However, since we went to Zul's house for raya, Zahrei now had his heart for lasagna. He request me for some. Wow.. its quite challenging for me - as I never make it, not having idea how to .

Thanks to my friend, the internet and Mr Google.
I found a recipe that I think could work for me..

So here's the first attempt of making lasagna... verdict - delicious, but upper layer is a bit hard; the topping not covering the upper layer in full, or a bit too long in the oven.

The first attempt thougt me a lot. See?? its not that high.. the tomato sauce layer should be thicker..

This is the filling - the tomato sauce.

Before going into the hot steel box

Second attempt - this time I prepared more tomato sauce filling and cheese layer.

In the making, thats the first layer of tomato sauce/filling.
Taraaa!!! the secod attempt is much more better.. much more tasty...

Say hello to my hot still box - the oven la.. kecik je. tapi berjasa..

!st layer of the tomato sauce

The family day :d

We havent got a chance to get some holiday - or at least a bit of fun - for quite some time (shopping bukan holiday la.. hahah) So Zahrein gave this idea of having a BBQ - since my office's BBQ asyik tak jadi je - plan je.. tak pernah nak jadik pun - or maybe its difficult if there's so many members in the pot. So had a BBQ among us, and Along's family. We use this grill set given by my mom in law some time ago - the week after we got marreid, I think.. Zahrein dont even remember we had this. We usually just use the grill oven.

So that day- activity was swimming!!!!! Zahrein and Zahrein, those kids and Abang Long went swimming.. This is the first time I capture thier picture from our house .. malas la nak turun bawah :P and tehre's some lamb to grill as well upstairs.. heheh

Thats Zahraa and her dadddy.. phewittt

Thats Husna

Zahraa saw me!!!

Hheheh those two guys..

Trying to zoom in..

The excitement!

We did the grilling in the house!!! hahaha We use the electril bbq set. I thought of doing it in the balcony - but there's no electrical point there... so - pengajaran nya - rumah baru kena ada plug point kat balcpny :D. There's a bbq pit at the pool area- but I think its ore comfortable to eat in the house. Poor litle Nouf, she bought her picnic set .. she tought we are having in by the pool side.. Sorry darling.. next time ok..

Zahrein- master grill... we grilled chicken, lamb and some corn. Chicken and lamb - already marinated - we bought from Kak Bibah - her marinates are yummy..... (and sonang kojo den)

The food for the day !!!

1. Grilled lamb

2. Grilled chicken drumstick n wings

3. Fried Macaroni

4. Potato salad

5. Garden salad

6. Brown sauce - my own made !!!! yippie!!! (made by request from Zahrein)

7. Corn

Zahraa is 20 months and a half now - going to be 21 months soon. I have always tot she is still very little. But when calculation takes place - wow .. she'll be 2 yo soon!!
Lately Zahraa changed, since raya, I noticed. She had tantrums now - and dine out would be a bad day for me. She also knows how to protest - just by make her body limbs.. I called this 'buat lembik' when she refused about something - there'll she go - buat buat lembik .. She really tests me lately.
And she now knows how to climb those chairs. So now she can play those stuffs on Zahrein's desk, and of course - every thing on the dining table. Yesterday, while we were praying, she climb those dining chair, took the water jug and pour EVERYTHING out of it. There goes sarsaparila on the table, chairs, and floor. To add into my patience challenge, she played with the water with her hands, and wipe them to her face!!! I seriously sembahyang tak khusyuk during Maghrib yesterday.
But I cant believe my self, how i was, and how calm Zahrein was yesterday. After salam, I just said - Zahraa, kenapa buat macam ni. PIck her, wash her hands and feet, and changed her clothes. And Zahrein, took the mop, clean the floors and say, 'Zahraa buat, tgk ni, Zahraa buat'. That was it.. we guess those are all parts and partial of having kids - having emergency clean up!

Hahahaha.. but that was not all, she is now also very sweeeettttt... came to give a hug and kiss, and make funny faces, and make cute gestures. :D And she can say more words now. Yesterday, she made a full sentence of 'Ma, nak agiiii... ' How cute. And more and more words came form her everyday. but of course her favorite word is 'Agi...' thats lagi, of course. Last nite, I showed her pictures and said 'Elephant' but instead, she said 'Gaaaa-jah'.

She is more and more excited whenever she sees animal. More than the last time I showed you all here.

Anyways, the fact that she is becoming naughtier everyday has been always been complemented with she being funny, cute and smart too.

I love Zahraa, everyday and always. I cant imagine my life without this lil being. Just by being her, she just wash away all my worries. The best thing she ever did to me - brushing away my tears - thats - unbelievably - so - sweet.

I have always wanted to write about this, something like raising our kid as muslim - or - the early education for our kids, as muslims. Somehow, I read this blog, and the author has written it nicely; almost perfect. So, i want to share it here. May this bring benefit to all.

Raising a Muslim child is a great responsibility that requires a lot of time, effort, and du'aa. It also requires us to understand the vast differences between raising a good child and raising a good Muslim child who understands and practices Islam.

It is very important to note this difference from the first moment of our child's life, or even before his birth. This knowledge will help us obtain a clear vision about our goals and, subsequently, about the best ways to achieve them.

Some parents raise their children to be polite and respectful, without really connecting these virtues to the teachings of Islam. They teach their children how to respect grown-ups, because "it is the polite thing to do"; to be kind to younger children because "polite kids are not to be mean to little children"; and not to lie because it is "not good to lie"; and so on…

Though there is no doubt that it is virtuous to raise a polite child, is that all that we want? Is that our only goal?

By comparing one family who chooses to raise a good child to another family whose goal is to raise a good Muslim child, we will notice vast differences between the two.

If a parent's goal is to raise a Muslim child, he/she should start thinking about this child even before its birth by choosing a Muslim partner who practices the religion and who knows how to encourage children to be good Muslims.

In this case, the father and the mother should work together, from the very beginning, to achieve their goal. They will then be able to expose their child to its religion by following the Sunnah and the advice of the Prophet (SAW).

They will also connect good manners to Islamic teachings in a simple that implants the love and the fear of Allah into the child's heart. They will tell Islamic stories that help teach the child how to choose his/her examples and models. They will also be aware of setting good examples so that their child can have honorable role models.

Simultaneously, they will teach their children about "halal" and "haram" (permissible and forbidden) and "Janah" and "Nar" (Paradise and Hell). By that time, the child will grow up as a good Muslim who understands his/her religion. He will be ready to pray because he has seen his family praying and may have even stood with them in prayers at an early stage. They will not need to exert much effort in encouraging him to fast because they would have exposed him to fasting and Ramadan at a young age.

When this child grows up, it will be clear to him that Allah (SWT) has created us to worship Him and that this life is not an eternal home, but a place where we spend a period of time and are tested by Allah (SWT). Therefore, the child might be more prepared to be patient during painful moments and be more thankful in moments of happiness because his parents taught him that "iman" (faith) is divided between patience and gratitude and that life itself is divided between grants and tests.

But, does that mean that the Muslim family who practices Islam does not require a lot of time and effort when trying to raise a good Muslim child? Of course not.

Although it would be much easier for a family its members practice Islam and present good examples for the child, the family still needs to spend a lot of time and effort in order to achieve these goals.

Unfortunately, children cannot simply drink a cup of some miracle tonic and become good Muslims or learn about Islam. They need someone to teach them, talk with them, punish them, and reward them.

Therefore, it is our role, as parents, to connect our children to Islam from their early years of life. We cannot afford to wait until our children grow up to teach them how to love or fear Allah. We cannot wait and ask the imam in the masjid (mosque) or the teacher in the Islamic school to help our teenage son or daughter learn how to pray, or how to fast.

I remember seeing a father bringing his 15-year-old son to the Islamic school so that the teacher there could teach him about his religion. When asked whether he taught the son about Islam before, the father replied, "Never, but I think it is time for him now to start learning!"

He never taught him how to pray, how to fast, or how to read Qur'an. In fact, he had never taught him anything about Islam. He never took him to the masjid because he himself never went to there. And now he wanted the teacher to teach his son about his religion? Isn't it too late to start teaching Islam at such a mature age? How can that teacher show this teenager all that he has missed during the last fifteen years of his life?

The problem is that this is not an isolated case. Many schools and masjid complain about this problem. How can a teacher who spends about two hours a week with a child teach him how to be a proper Muslim? Where were the parents earlier?

Allah (SWT) has created human beings and blessed them with the longest childhood among His creations. We have a lot to learn about life, creation, and our Creator and what we learn requires a lot of time to learn, understand, and implement. Teaching and conditioning from childhood is our best bet at retaining all of the vital information provided to us by Allah. So, childhood remains the most critical time by which to set up an Islamic foundation.

However, Allah (SWT) also gave us the potential to change ourselves. He has granted opportunities and second chances to those whose parents did not raise them to be good Muslims; through His mercy and forgiveness, He has given us all the chance to start again. Though it is not easy to accomplish, with sincerity, azeema (back bone), and mothabarah (persistence), all children can become good Muslims.

Sungguh terharu... huhuhu please read :D