And lo, the child speaks!!!!! Seriously, Allie finally started talking! It all happened starting about two weeks ago – but hey, better late than never, right? [[image:20101122-15.jpg:Smiiiiiiiiiiiiile:center:0]] The smile-grimace hasn’t changed though. 😉 So now, at 27 months, Allie has been actually speaking (intelligibly) for about two weeks. I guess […]
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Last Day In Malaysia
It was the last day of Alya, Vin and Sila’s vacation in Malaysia. It was a sad day for everyone. It was sad. Thankfully, the cousins did not feel a smidgen of sadness. They both rocked all day from the breakfast at the mamak restaurant, to the final minutes at […]
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Lunch with Mak Lan
It has been a while since we last saw Mak Lan – she is Vin’s “foster mother” and our long-time neighbor and friend in Sitiawan. She and her late husband have been my parents friends longer than Hisham and I have been alive, and Mak Lan and Abah Lan played […]
Continue readingSix Degrees of Separation of Old Friends
After years of not being together again, Zarin, Ida and I finally managed a meet up. Last time I saw Ida was at my wedding (that’s over 5 years ago!). And look, Ida’s about to have a baby! Apparently 3 different doctors independently of each other confirmed it will be […]
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Alya Jean’s Portrait
As Alya and her parents frolicked further at the hotel, we had to return home Friday to get Irfan prepped for school as well as Jumaat prayers. However, after leaving Irfan at school and before picking him up I had an afternoon to spare. So, I painted a portrait of […]
Continue readingFun at KL Hilton
Since Irfan had no school due to the UPSR exams, we took the opportunity to go for a mini-vacation and spent ultimately two nights at the Hilton KL Sentral. This is freaking best Hilton in the world! Seriously! We stayed here after our wedding five years ago when Irfan was […]
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Allie’s 26th Month Birthday – Zoopocalypse Now!
In case you haven’t notice, it’s Hisham writing this birthday entry for Alya instead of Sila, because Alya was at the Tenth Floor when she turned 2 years and 2 months, and Sila thought I should write a word or two about my awesome little niece. From the first time […]
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After Eight Years, Irfan Reaches Eight
Irfan’s eighth birthday occurred when Alya, Vin and Sila were visiting at the Tenth Floor. I was happy they were around for the birthday bash, seeing that they don’t usually have a direct train or bus line from Ohio to come regularly. We ordered a cake that was in a […]
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Pool Time with the Cousins
It wouldn’t be a visit to our place without a dip in the building’s swimming pool. Irfan practically learnt to swim by himself here. Sila and Vin had been training Yaya the same way. She was totally unafraid of the water. Everything about splashing around in the pool just screamed […]
Continue readingPangkor with Jenn
After a decade away, I finally made it back to Pangkor. And this time, I got to share the experience with Vin, Allie and Jenn, Vin’s cousin who is teaching English in Jakarta. Jenn hopped over to visit us for a few days in Sitiawan, arriving after Hisham and his […]
Continue readingYati Comes a-Calling
On the fifth day of Aidilfitri (September 14th), my old friend Yati stopped by for a quick Hari Raya visit: [[image:2010-sept-yati04.jpg:Onyang Yati:center:0]] It had been a while since I last saw Yati, and it was really good to see her again, and also to see her husband Zukry, and to […]
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Journey to Taiping and Ipoh
The journey began on the morning of the 12th of September. The planned route would have taken us from Sitiawan, up north toward Taiping to two houses, Opah Teh and Tok Teh’s in Matang and Pak Unggai and Mak Unggai’s in Taiping. Then, we’d drive south-east using the North-South Highway […]
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Eid 2010 Group Photo
Strangely enough, thanks to jet lag and other stuff we only got a family photo taken on the fifth night after Eid. We had to leave for Kuala Lumpur the following day. We were all pretty much exhausted when this picture was taken.
Continue readingGuess Hoos Coming to Raya?
On the second day of Aidilfitri (September 11th), the Meis and their family came for a visit. By family we mean Mei Lin, Mei Chin, their husbands, their daughters, their parents, and their little brother Colin-boy. Hoo did you expect? 😉 [[image:2010-sept-hoos01.jpg:Me and Yaya, and Mei and Immie:center:0]] Hisham and […]
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Young Book Readers during Eid
The most awesome thing which was agreed upon by everyone was that Irfan and Alya were friends almost from the get go. Even when Alya was grumpy, badly affected by jet lag, she will more often than not smile or even laugh whenever Irfan came around to cheer her up. […]
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Eid Mubarak from the Cousins
Alya and Irfan send their Eid greetings from Sitiawan! Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir Batin, from the whole family!
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