Our first Anniversary

Our first Anniversary was last week! Minus the fact that I'm documenting this a week late, oh-mai-god it's been ONE YEAR!

Can't believe we've been married that long already. Being married for a year is definitely a milestone! Glad that Hubby is onshore this time so we get to celebrate. Thing is, we've never gone out at night since Zarra is around and we'd never go anywhere during the weekends without her. So we're not sure how are we actually celebrating.

Thankfully my kind-hearted and full of understanding Mom told us to go out for some dinner and movies, she'll take care of Zarra for the night. The magic words were like music to our ears! Well, we're avid movie goers since we got together years back and even at 7 months pregnant, I was still watching late night movies (very determined though, I usually would be so tired and would have gone to sleep before 10pm).

Unfortunately, towards the end of my pregnancy, there were nothing good premiering so we ended up not watching any until I gave birth. And of course, after giving birth there's the confinement and Zarra. Those were the time when all these hyped up movies are on! We missed Batman, Spiderman (the new one of course) and tons more.

Of course we said YES! Our first date after a oh-so-long time!

The day before our anniversary, Mom surprised us with a mini wedding cake and made her signature spaghetti for everyone at home to celebrate.

 Was home for the weekend so no make up!

 Zarra sandwiched! And not liking it.

Mom even got the wedding dolls! LOL!

Then on the day itself, we had a nice dinner at Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa and food was superbly awesome accompanied by luxurious atmosphere. Our first dinner date at a fancy hotel (ever!) then watched Resident Evil: Retribution. Good movie, though I was yawning perhaps 4 - 5 times because I was so sleepy. Hubby kept on asking if I wanted to cancel and go home but I managed to stay up and enjoyed the movie. Then home and straight to bed! (Yes, bed. THAT tired)

 With my dear Sayang

Coincidentally, Sereni & Shentel was having a mooncake festival promo that weekend. Now, those who know me knows how I'm a huge fan of their headbands. I could get two headbands worth RM360 for half the price, RM180!  I've been wanting their New Money collection but it was so pricey I hold on to the thought. So this was definitely an irresistible offer. Told Hubby about it and he insisted on getting them for me instead as our anniversary present.

OF COURSE I SAID YES PLEASE! 

Picked the colours I wanted and fast forward 2 weeks later, the package arrived today. I am so in love!

New Money & Mandy!

Immediately tried it on at the office!

THANK YOU HUSBAND! I LOVE YOU!

I'm a Cookie

Chipsmore! Get it? Get it? Now you see me then you don't?

;P

With all my time being occupied then, being pregnant and now having a baby, I almost forgot the existence of my blog. Wonder if I still do have any visitors?

I should have remembered to blog during confinement because I was stuck at home for 44 days with Fashion Valet as my bestfriend. Think you can save money by staying home? Think again!

Since I've been away for so long, where do I start?

I gave birth the next day!

Oh yes! My last entry, I was 6 months pregnant. 3 months after that (though I was 2 weeks earlier than my due date), on 30th June 2012, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. We named her Zarra Binti Mohamad Zechary. Yes, we did get comments and questions on such a short name but we like it like that. There's no point in giving 3 names when everyone will only be calling her by her first name anyways right? Saves her the trouble of filling in forms in the future too! ;)

Zarra a few hours old with her Daddy

At only 2.75kg, she's the cutest and most adorable thing in the world. I remember feeling nervous and shocked right after seeing her for the first time. I know most would shed their tears of joy, but I didn't. I was probably more shocked and excited! It's such a miracle looking at my baby, knowing she has been in my tummy for 9 months. Now I can see and touch her, and hear her cry! Mashaallah.

She was born at 11.47pm. When she first came out, her eyes were already wide open and everyone was telling me how Zarra was the only baby still awake and moving about while the others were fast asleep or crying. Zarra was there, eyes wide open, moving her little legs and feet quietly. Pictures I edited for my instagram!

And the rest is history :) She's 3 months old last weekend and my baby is super healthy and cute!

She just had her 3 months immunisation jab last saturday. She's 6.1kg now! I hate these jabs babies have to go through. The doctor said 20% of babies who gets the jab will get a fever, so we always have to monitor her temperature. Zarra wasn't cranky after the jab, just very sleepy and weak. Perhaps drowsy. So she slept extra hours last weekend. But come Monday and Alhamdulillah, my baby is back to normal and mighty fine! She went through the jab twice already, she'll be a bit warm the next day but thankfully no fever.

Mommy and Baby Zarra before her 3 months jab

Though she woke up 4am this morning -_-. She's usually up by 5.30am - 6.30am after her midnight feeding that's around 1am or 3am. So I had to be up by 4am too but I can't go back to sleep because once we are done, it's time to get ready for work.

How time flies!

My Brother's Wedding

I know I have not even done any full length post on my own wedding and here I am trying to blog on my brother's wedding instead! Well, his wedding was just last week and before this entry expires like my wedding entry is, I'm going to blog about it.

Yes, I will still blog about my own wedding. I WILL! Besides, it's my blog so there shouldn't be any expiry date on my own wedding's entry right? Right! So back to the topic...

My brother Andy is now happily married to his girlfriend of 9 years, Farrah and their solemnization was on February 18 followed by a reception on February 19.

A family shot before we leave for the bride's house. We're all wearing green at the groom's side!

With my sister in law, Jesmine.

Alhamdulillah everything went well during the solemnization. Farrah was looking gorgeous and though my brother was very nervous and anxious at first, he managed to stay very collected. He said the lafaz and they're married! And now I have another sister in law!

Right before the Akad Nikah

With the new family :)

Their reception was the next day at The Magellan Sutera Harbour and this time, our family decided on wearing pink. The whole reception has a theme of pink, white and black so we opt for wearing shades of pink and the idea of getting the whole family in the same shades of colour is just awesome (we did the same for my wedding!). You can see pinks walking around the ballroom and when it's family picture time, everyone looks so coordinated.

Hubby and I was made in charged of seating placements for the groom's side and to be at the reception table to usher in the guests. Sad thing was, since I was placed at the reception table, I didn't get to see my brother's grand entrance from inside the ballroom and missed the bacaan doa :( We managed to run away from the reception table just in time for the Merenjis session. But after that, ALL IS GOOD! I can see our family enjoyed the night and the newlyweds looking like royalties at their reception :)

With my reception table crew!

Farrah requested for my brother to sing that night and with all the courage and perhaps all the romantic side of his humanity, he did! In front of 700 guest and our VIP (Sabah's state CM). He sang "Truly" originally by Lionel Richie.

Family picture! This was with our family from Sarawak.

With hubby and his sister.

Here's a Same Day Edit video of their solemnization made by XD visual (our videographers imported from Bintulu!) that was shown during the reception.

For their Solemnization, I was mostly in charged of the doorgifts on our side. We gave away Acar Buah in these jars where we tied it up with ribbons and stick on custom made stickers on the lids. Thanks to my cousin Nazia and sis in law Jesmine for helping out with filling in the Acar and tying up the ribbons!

I designed the stickers for the lids and sent it to a printing company (printing is so expensive in KK. Anyone has any contacts on good and reasonably priced printing companies - KK or KL - do let me know!). Their minimum printing order was 500 pieces but we used only 200+ pieces. So now I have TONS of extras that I'm not sure of it's fate yet.

Farrah did suggest making it as their wallpaper in the bedroom (kidding, of course).

Hmm... maybe it CAN be wallpapers on their bedroom wall.

I'm not serious.

My hubby and I also made their Slideshow for the reception and here it is!

Congratulations Abang Andy & Farrah! Semoga kekal bahagia sehingga ke akhir hayat. Amin!

P/S: Yes, I look different in my recent pictures :) That announcement deserves a posts on its own! So stay tuned ;)

The beauty of Inai

Here in Malaysia, we have quite adapted the Indian/Arabic culture of having henna on the bride's hands and feet during weddings though theirs are usually very complicatedly designed. I on the other hand have almost opted for not having any henna done on me for my wedding. Even if I do, I wanted the simplest of it all, having it done only at the end of every fingers.

What? I'm simple like that!

One day, my cousin bbm me asking how's my henna design going to be and I told her of my plans. She thought I was insane for not getting any flowery details done! So she started to google up pictures and tag me on facebook in hope to change my mind. But what really did made me changed my mind wasn't the pictures she found, but that one statement she made...

"Mun dah umor 50 baruk nak polah, lak orang madah gila!" (If you only plan to do it when you're 50, then you'd look like some kinda old hagged woman trying to relive her youth cos she missed out on it on her wedding day!)

Come to think of it, why not? So I did it! It went way out of simplicity cos the person who made it and my Mak Andam wanted to try something different and bling it up. It looked weird at first and definitely soooo not me, but a few compliments that morning and I just gave it a go (it's either it really looked good or they just wanted to make me FEEL like it looked good).

Anyways, it does look good in pictures I think?

Taken while waiting for him to get the other hand done

Hubby waiting for his turn

Almost done! This was the night before the Akad Nikah.

On my Akad Nikah day

Beautiful and I was satisfied indeed. Now 3 months later, this is all that is left. Yup, only the thumb! Sooooo sad :(

Hari Raya 2011 + First week at work

SELAMAT HARI RAYA!

Oh I'm two weeks late but like they always say, better late than never! It's still Syawal anyways.

It's not a Raya wishing post with no Raya pictures so here's a vain me with my last ever Raya packets from my uncles and aunts - they insist that I don't get anymore packets from now onwards cos I'm no longer single next Raya (hmmmph!) - and a picture with the Fiancé (I have to use this awesome word as often as I possibly can for the next 3 weeks before it expires - THREE WEEKS TO GO!).

I also started work at the new place this week! So far so good, the first week has been treating me well. Meet my new colleague, Mel!

Since my CPU has been sent away for some computer-life saving procedures, I had to bring my laptop to work everyday. I normally would have my laptop in a zipped bag enough just for the laptop, the charger and other junks would go into my handbag. Once or twice, no problem. But everyday? It gets troublesome and my shoulders ache because my handbag got too heavy. So I had to use the original bag (yes you know the free ugly black one that comes with your laptop when you bought it and yes it's very ugly) cos it fits in the charger as well.

I knew I just had to get myself a better looking laptop bag if I need to carry that junk to the office everyday. I found this and bought it today!

Got it from Gin & Jacqie. Sooooo cute! (Wait, it's for WORK. Why is my laptop bag CUTE? -_-) But look at it! It's too adorable to say no to and it fits my laptop perfectly. Whenever I feel stressed out, I'll just look at it and all the bubblegum colors will make me feel better and bring me to bubblegum land where I'll eat chocolate and desserts all day long... *slaps self*

I finally get to say TGIF because I don't work on Saturdays anymore :) So,

TGIF!!

TGIF!!
TGIF!!

Have a great weekend!

Mel & Farish Lester: Married!

My bestfriend Mel had her solemnization on Saturday and Reception on Sunday. This wedding really came in as a surprise. She invited me just 2 weeks ago and prior to that, I had no idea she was actually prepping herself for the wedding. I was speechless at first and was very upset that I wasn't among the first to know. I've always imagined us helping with each others wedding prep, talking about it, discusses about it tons of times over mcD. She's that one person who is always there for me any single second of any day ever since we got to know each other in Uni. Every time I was feeling down and needed a companion to be at home with me while studying or just watching TV (I get seriously emotionally imbalanced very easily then), I'd just pick her up from her house and get her to sleepover at my place. She sometimes stays over for 2 weeks without both of us realizing it! Then she'd go home, do some laundry, cleans her house and there I'd be trying to kidnap her back home again. Now that she's married, I felt as if someone just took Mel away from me!

But as we all know, jodoh di tangan Allah. When the time comes, it just does. It took me the next 24 hours after her call to calm down and let everything digest into my head, then I sms her back saying Congratulations and asking hows her preparation, was she nervous and everything!

Alhamdulillah, the event went well. She looked absolutely stunning on both days. And I am sincerely happy for her :)

Mel & Farish, I wish you tons of happiness and semoga jodoh kekal hingga ke akhir hayat. Amin~

P/S: Farish, you better take good care of her or I'll kidnap her again!

Ramadhan Food & Fair @ Wisma Wanita '11

Remember I posted an entry about a banner design I made for an event coming up here in KK?

If you don't, CLICK HERE.

But if you do, the banner's up! I haven't seen it yet but the organizers uploaded a photo of the banner being hung at the roadside of the venue. Here it is!

The banner is for the upcoming RAMADHAN FOOD & FAIR @ WISMA WANITA '11. If you read my previous entry, you'd know how I end up getting the designing job. The bazaar is organized by Akif Jaya Sdn Bhd and Sabahan Blogshop Flea Market, supported by Jabatan Hal Ehwal Wanita Sabah.

It is now up for the world to see! Ok, so maybe for those who are staying in KK. Will be driving pass the venue later to see it myself and maybe get some vanity shots ;P

If you're living in KK, now we have more options on places to visit during Ramadhan. To those who are interested in getting a lot, it's still not too late! Hurry though, lots are finishing fast. For more information, you may visit the event page on facebook.

Thanks Nirwana for the opportunity :)

Where the journey begins

It has been a year...

Our wedding journey shall end in 2 months time, but it will be the beginning of another new lifetime journey where we'll write our very own happy ending :) I love you. Forever and always.

KL - KK - Miri

The past one week has been BUSY!

1. Went to KL for 5 days mostly to settle more wedding stuff. Managed to get done with the doorgifts for Akad Nikah, invitations cards, our shoes, outfits for malam berinai, kain for families and... I'm not sure what else.
2. Got myself a new handbag and purse. I got these and pretty much ended my shopping spree there. The two items burned whatever cash I had with me -_-
   
3. Came back from KL and I had TWO interviews. One of it was yesterday, on the same day of my flight to Miri (yes, I'm in Miri now). I had to wait from 10am to 2pm for my turn and my flight was at 5.15pm! I didn't pack my stuff the night before so the only time I had left was after the interview. Rushed home, packed, then off to the airport!
4. My flight got delayed for TWO hours -_- free mcD meal though.
5. Arrived Miri last night then went directly to the Hotel where our reception will be at for food tasting.
6. Then PENGSAN!

Finally sitting down at Grandma's dining table typing this out while catching a breather. Hope to get some rest this weekend before having to face 'some attitude' at the office on Monday.

As for the interview, I'm gona cross my fingers and toes until tulang patah, pray really hard that I'll get it! Insyaallah :)

Dad turns 55

Happy Birthday Bapak!

The highlight to Dad's birthday this year will definitely be his cake. You see the thing is with my Dad, whenever he's at home, he's the only one in control of the Astro remote control! And it's not that we don't want to watch TV with him but his channel preferences are either Astro Awani, Discovery Channel or the Turbo channel. Oh and TV3 for his prime time news. The only time we get to watch our channels for movies, reality shows or anything other than that is when he's asleep or outstation for work.

So for his 55th birthday, what could be more perfect that getting him this!

The idea came out of my frustration one night after being bored at 8.30pm not knowing what to do and I can't watch the TV cos Dad's watching his news. Then his news again at Awani. Then more news. Then cars. Then some history or biography. Then more cars!

This has to be his perfect surprise cake! We ordered it from Boutique Cupcakes.

We first hide the real remote. I purposely left the TV on E! channel so when it's 8pm he was furious searching for his remote to watch the news. We kept quiet in the kitchen until he starts asking where's the remote. We helped him to "search" when we asked Zech to bring the cake out and we all shouted, "There! Your remote!".

Thing is, my Dad was so focused on searching for the remote to change the channel he ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE REAL REMOTE AND GRABBED THE CAKE REMOTE! We burst out laughing because he did not even realize it was his birthday cake! LOL!

We only gave him the real remote after cutting the cake ;P

Have to be up by 3am later cos our flight to KL is at 6am. I'm going off to KL tomorrow with Mom and Zech to settle more wedding related stuff. Will be away for 5 days. Hopefully KL will not be as bad as the rumours I've heard for this Saturday's rally.

Designed by yours truly

I haven't had a short deadline for the longest time in my life I think was gasping even in my sleep! But the feeling of looking at the accomplishment after that, now that is priceless.

I finally got my first official designing job! Not something I do to help family or friends but an actual design of posters and banners for an event coming up here in KK. For the first time ever, my own work will be printed out HUGE and be displayed around the city for thousands of eyes to see every single day! And I get to put in a "Designed by" ad for myself on the banner. Now how cool is that! I didn't want to have my name and number, so I had my email address instead. But with my FULL NAME! LOL.

This job was so last minute though. I had the confirmation at noon and they wanted the design to be done and emailed back to them for review the same day. So I went home for lunch and started the concept of the design, then went back to the office. Came back from the office at 5pm then get back to it again and managed to email them the design by 8pm. I only get to shower after that!

Zech made me bread burger (beef burger using toasted white bread cos we didn't have the burger bun) for dinner so ate that while struggling to finish up my design. Thank you Sayang!

BUT IT WAS WORTH IT. Woke up with an email at 6.30am today saying they liked my design and would want me to reconstruct it to fit a banner that they would print out! I was so happy I jumped right off bed and told my mom, called Zech up and fixed my bed with a smile :)

They did mentioned however, they wanted the revised design by noon. TODAY.

So I packed my laptop and designed during lunch while fueling myself up with Spicy Chicken McDeluxe. Managed to get it done on time and emailed it before heading back to the office to settle my other office works.

I am tired but I am happy! I told Zech that I would want to be there when they get the banner up so I could take pictures with it. It is history in the making!

I won't be releasing any of my work here just yet but I will very soon, maybe a week before the event starts :)

But I can however provide you a link to the event on their facebook page, CLICK CLICK. The poster is already up!

Promosi 2011 Kraf Malaysia

The weather has been exceptionally hot today. No, make that the past few weeks now. It hardly rains and when it does, it'll be raining for 15 minutes max somewhere in the middle of the night! I could roast beef and chicken, maybe boil an egg or two on my car's dashboard.

Visited the Kraf Malaysia's exhibition at Lintasan Deasoka yesterday and today. Except for the heat, I would have stayed a lot longer to view all the things they were selling but it was too unbearable. Managed to purchase things for Raya and the Wedding!

Mom and I have been worried about the heat during our Akad Nikah because it will be held before noon. By the time it's done it will be noon and if this weather stays all the way until October, imagine the heat our guests will have to go through sitting under the canopies on our front porch! So we've decided that other than receiving door gifts, each guest will get a hand fan to ease their pain! *Tell me I'm smart now*

Getting the right one is tough. Really good ones are expensive and if it's too cheap, it'll break even before you start to fan yourself. Luckily we found a type yesterday at the exhibition that has an acceptably good quality and reasonably priced! And the colour is perfect, it's Blue! Got the person to order hundreds more and we collected it today. Another item to strike off from our endless to-do list!

We also got Zech's Kain Songket as his samping for Akad Nikah. It is authenticly hand made from Terengganu. I also got myself a kain Sutera Batik from Terengganu for Raya! SUPER HAPPY! Going to send the kain to my tailor tomorrow and hunt for matching kain for Zech's baju melayu. We bought all these from a lady named Kak Yah. She's really nice for giving us a REALLY good bargain!

My kain for Raya

With Kak Yah

Bought a bangle for RM5!

The sellers were complaining of the heat because the exhibition was done in an open space unlike last year, it was done in 1Borneo. Perhaps the organizer might want to reconsider their next exhibition venue.

Can it please rain already? *fans self with some random piece of paper*