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Darkness Falls

Power outages used to be part of normal, everyday life back when we were growing up in Sitiawan. Not that there were blackouts every night, but perhaps once or twice a month (although my memory on the matter might be imprecise). The point was that we were prepared for total darkness when the power went out and it happened often enough to have the experience be a lasting memory.

It almost never blacks out at the Tenth Floor, but last night most of this sector of town fell into darkness. Power outages are a rare event here. Over the many years we have lived here, there might have been less than five power outages that happened at night.

Candles had to be lit. Irfan had a good time studying the candle and its flame.

EX-TER-MI-NATE! EX-TER-MI-NATE!

I chased Irfan down two aisles at the supermarket with a toilet plunger saying. "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

I was sad that the egg beaters weren't close by.

The Cousins' Weekend Sleepover

We spent most of the weekend at Baby Zara's where Irfan and Aiman had a fun time together playing and watching cartoons. Once in a while they played with Zara as well, so she wouldn't feel left out. Irfan even carried Zara around once in a while.

We all went out to the Chicken Rice Shop for dinner where the children enjoyed themselves.

How much did the cousins enjoy themselves? By this much!

Even Ain had extended talks with her niece. I don't think they understood one another, but it looked like they were having fun conversing over the weekend.

Everyone was so well-occupied I managed to draw 8 pieces of artwork over the two days, drawing at the laptop with the graphic tablet.

However, we had to leave before noon on Sunday as Irfan had Quran lessons and I had to go to Sweden to continue investigating bioterrorists using Lampir blood as a physical enhancement agent.

Rafe's 15 Month Birthday

Adik is now 15 months old! One and a quarter years old! Since I'm always late with the entries and happily backdating it, I wonder if I should even mention that anymore. Ah well.

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56 Months

Yaya is now four months away from her first half decade! 56 months now! Where did all that time go?

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Yaya and Adik's Snowy Adventure

So it started snowing the evening of March 5, 2013, and we ended up getting a significant amount (about 5 inches accumulation), and it stuck around for a few days before temperatures rose and everything melted. I, of course, cursed like the dickens, but Yaya was ecstatic and thoroughly enjoyed the snow. She finally got to go out and build a snowman! The other snowfalls this winter had either been too powdery to make snowmen, or too little snow had accumulated for proper snowman building, or we left town before Yaya could build one.

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Rafe's 14 Month Birthday

And here it is not even a third of the way through March and Adik's 14 month entry is here! As always, thanks to the gods of backdated entries!

Adik has at least seven teeth, possibly eight (although the eighth is unconfirmed at this point).

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55 Months

And so Yaya is now 55 months old. Five more months before her first half decade!

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Happenings at the Beginnings of the Year of the Snake

Meanwhile, the three-night balik kampung back to Sitiawan for Chinese New Year was somewhat enjoyable. The traffic was not too bad, and no one lost their sanity. We left the city early, during the time where no one is sure they're awake or they're dreaming, and often, you'd wish for the other. Fortunately there was no sign of Mi-Go shadowing us from above. Nor of any Shantak. Also, I prepared awesome tunes for the return trip. Well, awesome to me, that is.

On the first night we ate out with Atok and Opah. We tried out a new restaurant which had some tasty Thai food. It was not made of Thai people. 

On Sunday morning, the Sitiawan contigent, made up of Atok, Opah, Ain, Irfan and I had a Skype chat with the Ohio contigent which consisted of Ayah Cik, Cik Dik, Yaya and Little Adik Rafe. Rafe, now foot mobile, waved to everyone on screen, as well as prematurely shut off Skype all by himself. Yaya was excited seeing her cousin Irfan onscreen and they had a short chat before Cik Dik adjusted the laptop webcam for us to see Rafe chase Yaya throughout the house.

Cousin Zara Naps On Irfan

Zara Arissa is back home in the Klang Valley for the first time in her life. We went to visit her to see how she was adapting to new environment. She seems to be doing pretty well.

She had a fun time with her brother Aiman and her cousin Irfan. But she was unable to go out to the playground with the boys, what with her still not foot mobile yet. Irfan returned with a very soild baju melayu (he had one on since Friday prayers at noon), so he had to borrow Ayah Long's shirt and kain pelekat for the evening.

Zara thought she'd hang out on Irfan's lap.

Rafe's 13 Month Birthday

Another month, another very late blog entry! Again, we give thanks to the gods of backdated entries (whee!).

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Another Ain Birthday

Last night, Cik Ma & Cik Su took us out for Ain's belated birthday dinner!

Sometimes I can't believe I've known Ain for so long and it seems like we've only met yesterday. But most of the times, I'm grateful for her and I know why life put her by my side. For her strength and resilience, I can't see anyone else in that position.

Happy birthday, Bini jadi.

And thanks for the chicken, Cik Ma & Cik Su!

54 Months

And so Yaya is officially four and a half! 54 months! Where did all the time go? My little baby isn't so little anymore!

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The one with the (second) first birthday party

So two weeks (and a day) after Adik's first birthday we had a small gathering of friends and neighbors at our home, to celebrate Adik's birthday (again!).

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Irfan Treks to an Exhibition

Irfan went to the National Science Centre.

Star Trek the Exhibition was being housed there for the time being. Shane managed to go to Star Wars Identities which looked better, but I takes what I gets.

They didn't beam us aboard, we had to walk up the steps and push the door open. Thankfully, this procedure did not need the use of a Heisenberg compensator.

Weekend Babbies

The past weekend was a weekend of babbies. On both Saturday and Sunday, we went visiting a family event at a relative's place. And at each place there was a cousin for Irfan to play with.

Saturday: Nuraz Aariz

Ain's cousin Akram held a housewarming makan-makan at their place. Although the feast was held at the condominium's rec house by the pool, we went down to their house to meet young Nuraz Aariz.

He was so excited, and had to be reminded that the makan-makan for him is milk, and not Ain's face.

Irfan Meets Cousin Zara

Zara Arissa, sister of Aiman, arrived 21 days before 2013 did, so we took a trip to visit the young one at Pasir Mas. Unlike her brother we couldn't be there to greet her at the hospital because of distance. When we arrived, she was sleeping soundly and safely swaddled.

Rafe's 12 Month (First!) Birthday

And now, Yaya can no longer declare that Adik is zero years old! The boy is now one! Yayyyyy!! He's pretty pleased about it, too!

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53 Months

53 Months! Again, backdated. She's really getting close to her 54th month, but let's not go there, yes?

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Rafe's 11 Month Birthday

So here we are, at 11 months! Only one more month before Adik turns 1! It's really amazing how quickly time has passed. I mean, it's almost a year since he was born! And look how far he's come now.

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