Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

It's puasa time again. I remembered, this time last year, I was in confinement, busy nursing Danial. Waking up at wee hours in the night or early morning to feed him. He demands a lot and I was usually famish after feeding him. Well, that was last year. This year, before puasa month started, I was already fasting to ganti balik the whole month puasa that I didn't do last year. I almost made it but nature has to take it's course and I had my period a week before puasa and still owe 6 days which I have to double after the puasa month on top of whatever days I can't puasa during the current month.

Puasa actually started today, Sunday, 24th September 2006 but my period hasn't cleared yet so I couldn't puasa on the first day, which means I miss the first terawih. Azrai and bibik got the first terawih while I stayed at home with Danial.

Today, it seems that I'm ok to puasa tomorrow so, earlier this evening I went for terawih at masjid putrajaya. I can't explain how calm and serene I feel as I walk into the masjid and be part of the jemaah for terawih. No doubt it's a bit warm but I was happy that I'm able to perform terawih tonight. In fact, I felt a lump in my throat as I walk through the doors of the masjid, an overwhelming feeling that God Almighty is watching over me and how small I felt amongst thousands of jemaah masjid. I almost cried...

Time flies when you're having fun

Tomorrow I'm organizing majlis tahlil and doa selamat for Danial's first birthday. Alhamdulillah, we're touching the one year mark in one piece, no broken bones, perhaps some bumps and bruises, and even mosquito bites, but overall, we did OK. It seems like it was only yesterday that we brought Danial home from the hospital. How, tiny and fragile he was then. He's come a long way since then, achieving many progressive milestones; Making every bit of parenting worth while. I'm getting all emotional thinking about this... I do look forward to new discoveries with Danial as he grows up. But when I look back, I wish I can still keep him in my tummy... he is growing up so fast. Soon, he's going to walk and run and do a lot more things and I'll no longer be the centre of his world... Naah! I'm not going to go there. I've read somewhere where a very wise parent said that the duty of a child is to grow up and live his or her own life. I'll make the most of everything when Danial still needs me now and for a good few more years to come and I'll be grateful when Danial becomes a man with all the good values that we instill in him, Insya'Allah...

Moving on to the party bash tomorrow. Well, it's not exactly a party bash. It's more of kenduri tahlil and doa selamat. A more solemn affair. I want to thank Allah for blessing us with Danial, healthy and perfect in every way possible. (Every mom feels the same way about their children) Plus, Danial is too young for a proper birthday party where soon enough he'll be wanting birthday presents, balloons, cakes, games and what not. I think I'll worry about that when he's a pre-schooler.

Though his birthday is not until next wednesday (20th September), we decided to have it earlier because next weekend we'll start fasting and people would want to go for terawih and so on. I plan to have a more intimate birthday celebration with just Danial and Azrai. We get to have him all to ourselves for this first few years of his life. I love being a mommy! If I have to choose one identity or profession for life, a MOMMY is definitely one I'm holding on to.

Getting ready

Wow! Danial is going to turn one year old soon. Well, next Wednesday, September 20th to be exact. It felt just like it was only yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital and now he's almost one. I must say, it's the best 365 days of our lives, looking at life from Danial's perspective. The discoveries and achievements he made from day to day is pure joy. What we take for granted as grown ups are given new meaning seen through Danial's eyes. What miracle the baby brings into our lives... with that we're grateful to Allah for blessing us with a healthy baby boy, Danial Raziq.

With that, we are planning to have Danial's first birthday party in our new home in Putrajaya. It's not so much of a birthday bash. It's more of kenduri tahlil and doa selamat. I'm using a caterer to cater for dinner. Basically, we're all set up for the tahlil which is going to happen this coming Saturday evening, 16th September. Only families and neighbours and some folk from the nearby surau to baca yassin and solat Isyak berjemaah. Semoga Allah memberkati and murahkan rezeki Danial Raziq.

Tomorrow, I plan to take the day off to help bibik clean up the house. Bibik has done most of the work. I need the time off anyway. I've been very busy with work the past few weeks that I feel that I'm keeping a 9 to 5 job again. But having said that, it feels good to be working on a full swing again. To be in the thick of things and to be where the action is. I think I keep that for the next blog before I get side tracked.