Raees Aryan's 1st Birthday Party

I love birthday parties! Birthday parties are always filled with fun, food and colorful balloons! You see, my friend Raees just turned a year old. We first met each other at my very own first birthday party just a couple of months back. This time around, we went to his place to celebrate his first birthday!

Kids like me love gifts you see. That's why, I helped mama to wrap the gift I especially got for Raees earlier, and brought it along to the party!


As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by the birthday boy who happily accepted the gift that we brought him.


And then, without wasting anymore time, I started making my way into the living room that is filled with colorful toys and played with them.


However, eventhough there are so many toys scattered around the room, somehow, I have got my eyes fixed on this one thing.. It is..


That's right -- the baby pool! Yes, I would play with the balloons, I would play with the colorful blocks, I would play with the push toys, but in the end, I would still end up jumping back into the pool of balls!


Even when when everybody was busy playing toys, I would be busy in my little "hut"!


So you get what I mean. Auntie Irin even said I am the pool dominator! :P

Oh and another thing that caught my attention were the flying balloons! They were so beautiful, I even asked papa to lift me up so I could catch one!


Anyway, as I was busy playing, I couldn't help but to notice that, at a glance, Raees's outfit looked a lot like mine! Some even mistook me for Raees that day. Luckily they gave their gifts to the rightful owner of the gift or someone would have gone back smiling quietly by the end of the day! Hehe. Can you spot the difference?


I was not the only one having fun there. Mama too was also having a good time catching up with some of her friends there.

Oh did I tell you that, she also got the chance to meet Auntie Anne and Auntie Airin (also a mummy blogger) there? She obviously got the chance to meet Auntie Irin too, because, Auntie Irin is the host lah! Hehe.


And then, it was the moment we were all been waiting for -- the cake cutting ceremony! All of us gathered around the table and sang a birthday song to Raees. Once we were done, Raees -- or rather, his mommy and daddy -- blew the candle out!

Once we had the cake, we hung around a little longer before saying goodbye. But before we left the place, we took a little time to sign our names and wrote down our wishes for Raees at the Guest Book section.


We also brought back a little gift with us. It has chocolates and candies inside, and the best thing is, it is 100% handmade by Raees's mom!


Birthday parties always make me happy. And lucky me, I will get to attend another fun birthday party very, very soon too! Oooh I can hardly wait! Until then! ;)

My Non-Stop Raya

If there's anyone that can describe "beraya sakan" best, it would be me. Seriously, I don't think I have ever been to so many places, and experiencing so many new things, like I had this Raya. I can't even remember having this much fun on my very first Raya last year. Oh well, then again, I was still a baby then. ;)

You know, we spent the first 2 days of Raya in papa's hometown in Batu Pahat, Johor. After Raya prayers, all of us gathered at the hall and "salam" with each other. Since I can now salam, I too did not miss to salam with everyone including Tok Ayah and Tok Mak! Tok Mak said since I am a big boy now and able to salam, I can now receive my very first "duit raya"!


Once everybody else arrived, we took our family picture together. If we were all dressed up in grey last year, this year, we were all for brown! ;)

Not in picture : Uncle Ujang's family

Later that night, we played firecrackers together. I was actually sleeping earlier, but got awaken when I heard the loud sound of the fireworks. It went BAM BAM BOOM in the air! I did not want to miss the fun, so I jumped in the wagon and played fire crackers with the rest of my cousins!

Then on the 3rd day of Raya, we started making our move to Penang. When we arrived, Opah was already waiting for us with the ketupat and rendang she made earlier. During our short visit there, I also managed to steal a little time to see my long-awaited friend -- Nawal!

Then, on the 4th Raya, we pushed off to Kedah to visit our family and friends. This is us at Atok's place just before leaving for Raya visit.

Not in picture : Pak Lang Raqib, the photographer.

And this is taken at my uncle's hometown, Kodiang.


The next day, we pushed off back to KL. Opah and Atok also came to KL together with us because they were following us to our next destination. So on the 6th day of Raya, my family as well as Pak Long, Mak Long, Atok and Opah headed to our next destination -- Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan!

We had the infamous Gulai Lemak Negeri Sembilan for lunch there, and according to mama, this is where Opah was born. Oh, and here's the exciting thing. Although my great-grandmother is no longer in this world, I actually got the chance to meet my great-great-grandmother!

Isn't it awesome? She's lived long enough to see her very own "piut" and that "piut" is me! Mama said she's about 90 ++ years, and she's already senile. Shortly after 5 minutes after you've introduced your name, she'll ask you yet again, "sapo ni?" And if you ask her how old she is, she would tell you that she's over a 100 years old! Hehe. But I wonder how she can live that long, though. Mama said it must be the healthy food!

Then, we made our way to Melaka. Here, we went to see Tok Lang's family. After having dinner with the family, we made our way back to KL.

After a few hours sleep that night, as soon as the sun appears, we packed our things yet again and pushed off to Penang -- for the second time! Actully, Mummy Na wanted to go for a little vacation in Penang and wondered if we wanted to come along, so we did, and that's how we ended up there once again!

We stayed in The Northam All Suites Hotel near Gurney. It's really a very nice hotel. All of their 142 suites have water-massage jacuzzi in it! I don't know about you, but I do not have jacuzzi in my house, so I was pretty excited to have this one in my suite!

During our trip here, I got the chance to go to almost all of the famous shopping malls available in Penang -- Komtar, Prangin Mall, Gurney Plaza and Queensbay. I also went to three different places in hunt for the best nasi kandar in town. We went to Nasi Kandar Butterworth, Nasi Kandar Tajuddin Hussain and Nasi Kandar Beratur. I don't think we've ever been to that many mamak restaurants in 3 days!

I also got on a huge, huge yellow boat! Papa said it's called as ferry. It's nothing like the boat rides I have experienced before. This one is really big and it can even carry many, many cars in it! That's me on the big boat! :)


And then, it was time for us to head on back to KL. We arrived shortly after midnight. I am telling you, from KL - Johor - Penang - Kedah - Penang - KL - Negeri 9 - Melaka - KL - Penang - KL, it was definitely one non-stop, tiring, but fun Raya to remember! :D

Anyway, here's a short pantun before I end my entry this time :

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir & Batin,
Kalau nak duit raya, datang lah rumah Aydein!

Selamat hari raya, everybody! From The Little Family : Mama, Papa & Me! :P

The Walking Toddler

Some say that a baby is not a toddler until he turns a year old. Some say a baby is not a toddler until he walks. Well I guess Aydein is officially a toddler now because he has turned a year old and can already walk!


It first started a few months back, late June to be exact -- just a few months after he started creeping and crawling. I watched proudly as he took his first few steps before toppling over. Then he gained a new skill by standing up by his own. He would bend over, balance himself with both of his hands on the floor, then push himself up straight. Aien and I would then clap and cheer for him, which he would gladly respond by clapping happily along.

I am guessing however, that crawling is faster for him compared to walking. That is why he would continue to crawl and refused to walk much after that although he should already be a pro walker by now.

During Raya however, things changed. He began to walk a lot and further, in fact. And last night, he made all of us proud again by walking a whole lot more! He was enjoying his new ability, that each time he fell, he pushed himself back up again, and continued walking -- more and more!

And although it is hard for our hearts to accept it, that's when we knew, our baby is not a baby anymore. :)

Wagyu Steak, Anyone?

How do married couples usually celebrate their 2 Years Anniversary? A short getaway at a hotel by the beach? Quality time with family at home? A treat at a fine dining restaurant?

As for me, I got all 3 of them! The moment we reached home that Sunday morning after our short vacation in Langkawi, we spent the whole day just chillin' at home with the little one, after 2 days of non-stop activities.

The next day, Aien took me to San Francisco Steakhouse that does not only have a very nice ambiance to it, but it is also near to our house! It seems like the perfect place to go for a once-in-a-while treat, so just after Maghrib, we swung by that place for dinner.


Once we were seated, we took our time going through the menu. Too many good food for our small tummies lah! But we settled with Cod Fillet, and Wagyu Steak.


While we wait for the main course to arrive, we were first served with bread and butter for starters. I loved the butter! However, although they were good, I do feel that they can't beat the bread and butter in Italiannies! :D


Once we were done with the starters, the waitress brought in our main course. Aien was served with Chilean Cod Fillet with Miso Paste.


I was served with my order, Wagyu Rib Eye Steak. I had mine medium-well done. Hey, how come fine dining dishes are always very little and simple looking?

A little on Wagyu Steak. It is said to be the most expensive steak in the world. The steak is made of the highest meat quality, that it even has certification from CAAB and MSA EQA.


Did you know however, these cattle only eat grain for 500 days, and they are so goddamn pampered, they live in an airconditioned room, not allowed to move around much, and believe it or not, they even get massaged!


Easier said, ini spesis lembu pemalas tahap gaban, rasa macam nak lempang je! :P But seriously. Lembu? Kena massage? Even I yang pi kerja kene naik turun bukit pon, bila balik takde sape nak massage okay! Balik rumah kena masak lagi ade lah! :P

Although the steak is famous for being exceptionally tender, juicy, and flavorsome, for some reason I dont know, I found it just like any other steak. It's juicy yes, it's very nice yes. But to me, it's just not worth the price. Aien's cod fish on the other hand, was so extremely good, and so much better, I would choose that cod over Wagyu steak anytime! On top of that, it is 3 times cheaper than my steak!

Oh, did I also tell you that they also have menu for kids? The menu for kids also look very appetizing that I plan to bring Aydein here the next time we dine here! :)


Whatever it is, it was needless to say, a beautiful evening and a night to remember, thanks to the man I fell in love with then, now and forever -- the none other, Ahmad Azarinurazie, the one and only. :) Happy Anniversary again, sweetheart!

The Island Boy

I have only turned a year old, and already I have had experiences going to weddings, carnivals, going on a boat ride and up the hills, and to add to the list is, island hopping! Yes, it was such a good time going from one island to another in a boat last weekend in Langkawi! It was my first time there, and I experienced a whole of things!

It was a whole new experience for me, right from the start of the journey. According to mama, the journey to Langkawi from KL would usually take 5 hours by car. Since we did not want to waste time on the road and would rather use the time spent on the island itself, we travelled to Langkawi by airplanes.


It was my first time on a plane and I am telling you, the plane was so huge, and the wind at the airport was very strong that I actually gaped at it the first time I saw it. I can't even take my eyes off of it. It was so cool!

Once we touched down, we were greeted by the friendly people at the airport. Many approached us and asked papa if we would like to ride in their cabs. At last, papa agreed to ride in one of those cabs and then headed towards Meritus Pelangi Hotel.

Meritus Pelangi Hotel is a very nice place to stay. It is a chalet-like resort, perfect for families. Once we reached there, we were greeted by Tok Mak and Tok Ayah who were already there waiting for us, with the rest of Mummy Na's family. Remember them from my previous entry? After a little chit chat, we were told to go to sleep because there would be tons of fun waiting for us the next day!


After breakfast the next day, the adventure started with our trip to Pulau Beras Basah. To get to this island, you'd have to go through strong waves and wind that are much, much stronger compared to the ones in Putrajaya and Mines. Since the weather was hot, mama applied some sunblock lotion all over me! She said it's important to avoid myself from getting burnt.

Once we reached Pulau Beras Basah, I shrieked with joy! It was a whole new experience for me! I have never been to a beach before, let alone stepping onto the sand, but even then, I did not once cry. I found it weird at first - stepping on an uneven surface, but I liked it!


Then, we spared no time and changed into our swimwear to get ready to dive into the salty sea water.


Finally, the moment I have been waiting for finally arrived -- I jumped into the sea! Seriously, you wanna know what I think? I think swimming in the pool is way nicer because sea water makes my eyes hurt! They tasted really bad when I accidentally swallowed them while swimming too!


Mama noticed my annoyance, so after a while, she took me out of the water and played sand with me at the shore while we watched the rest of the family having a blast in the water.


Oh did I tell you during this time, mama and papa also took the opportunity to get on the "banana boat"? I watched in awe as the boat flipped over and dropped mama and papa in the middle of the sea!


Oh and I also made friends with some of the origins there too! Say hello to my new friends, or rather, enemies! They like to steal stuffs when you're busy swimming, so you'd better have one eye open while you swim!


Once everyone has had enough with the water activities, the adventure begun -- island hopping! It was my first time going from an island to another, so it was really fun! First stop, eagle watching. Mama told me the eagles were beautiful! It was such a bummer that I missed this part, though. I fell asleep because all the excitement at the beach earlier was making me real tired and sleepy!


While I was sleeping, mama told me that they all went for a refill at a beautiful, floating restaurant at Teluk Batu Merah. The restaurant's name is Rezeki Sangkar Nelayan and it is very new. It seems that they just opened two weeks before our arrival there. Besides dining, you can also feed the HUGE fishes there. I'll show you the pictures later.


This restaurant allows you to pick the live seafood of your choice, before handing them over to the chefs who will cook them for you the way you want them. We chose a few live fishes, crabs, as well as a lobster! The lobster is such a beauty. Look!


While waiting for the chefs to cook our dishes, the rest of my family went fish feeding at the back of the restaurant. This was the big tiger shark I was telling you about! Mama told me it was surprisingly tame that she could actually "pat" it.


There were also other fishes there too. Here are some of the smaller, beautiful ones!


Once the dishes are ready, they spared no time and stuffed themselves with the delicious food.


While they were busy dining, feeding fishes, and chatting away, I was busy dozing away. A few minutes later, Muqeet, my fellow cousin follow suit!


I got up just in time as mama finished dining, so I got a taste of some of the fish leftovers which mama fed me along with the chinese fried rice that she ordered and packed for me earlier.


After that, I was up and energized for more sight seeing. Next up, Pulau Dayang Bunting. Can you see the shape of a pregnant maiden there? That is why that island is called Pulau Dayang Bunting! Tok Mak said that it is believed that any ladies who wish to get pregnant could come and swim here and they'd have higher chance to conceive. I think it is just an old wives tale.


Then after by passing a few more island, we went back home to clean ourselves and rest.

The next day, we went to Muzium Laman Padi Langkawi. Here, I got the chance to see the different types of equipment they use to process rice paddy, from the traditional equipments through to the modern ones.



Then, we went to Makam Mahsuri as well as Telaga Mahsuri. Mahsuri is known as the most beautiful lady in Langkawi then. She was accused of adultery and was killed by stabbing. It is said that when she got stabbed, white blood flowed from the wound, signifying her innocence. This is her tomb.


Then, on our last day there, I had the opportunity to move about in the sky in a cable car! I am telling you, it is so freaking high up in the sky, it even freaked papa out!


Haha. But im telling you, the view from up there was so breathtaking, it was all worth it!


Langkawi was definitely by far, one of the best trips I've ever had! Next up, how about a trip to Disneyland, mama? ;)