Home Sweet Home...

Yep! I'm finally home with Ayah and the kids...

Well, theoretically speaking - I've been home for a week now, but the last one week was spent at Mak's house in PJ. Tonight, I'm home "home" in Sri Damansara.

Mak had organized a small makan-makan at her place on Sunday night - the first night I was back in Malaysia. So, I managed to see Mommy and Abah, and some of my siblings, their spouses, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces, and a couple of friends, all at one go at the "khenduri". It was really good to be able to see most of the family members at one sitting. And the food?! Wow! Glorious food! Need I say more?! I think I have gained at least 1kg since I came back! No kidding!

I was getting over my jet-lag, organizing my stuff at the office (which is very near Mak's house), meeting the kids' teachers, and basically ferrying the kids around the last one week. And of course, stealing time here and there to have lunch at some of my favourite spots in Section 14 PJ. (That explains the 1 kg gained...Hahaha!) So, basically - the last one week, I had been in PJ - in transit before really going home.

So, tonight is the first night I'm back in our Sri Damansara house - our humble abode - our "Home Sweet Home". And I feel so at home when Ayah still keeps to our Saturday night routine - i.e. Ayah going around asking everybody what they would like for dinner, and then he would make his way to Beragas Tom Yam and order the food, while I set the table with the maid, and when he comes back with all the yummy food, the kids would just tuck in like they have not eaten for a week! And it's amazing that Ayah and Hanna still stick to their Nasi Goreng USA, while Hilman would ask for his Kuey Teow Ladna - no sayur, no chilli, and I would go for my usual Cantonese Kuey Teow. Hasya has somewhat changed her order - instead of having her usual Kuey Teow Ladna - no sayur, no chilli, tonight she ordered Mee Goreng "tak pedas". So, that's one thing that has changed since I left for Newcastle 7 months ago. Surprisingly - the new maid asked for Mee Goreng, the same order our previous maid would normally ask for. No change there.

Speaking of change - both Hasya and Hilman have put on a bit of weight, and they look chubbier now. Maybe "chubby" is an understatement when it comes to Hilman - he has GROWN, upwards AND sideways! Hahaha! Hasya looks "fuller" than before - maybe because she's no longer training for the State rhythmic gymnastics team. And it's official - Hanna is definitely taller than me now. She doesn't look like an eleven year old girl - more like a 15 y.o!

And Hilman - whenever he's not in school, he would be with me, following me everywhere I go around the house. He would be beside me, holding my hands, sitting on my lap, and whenever I'm lying in bed, he would lie down ON me - basically clinging on me as if I'm his "bantal busuk"! So, you can imagine - all 30kgs of him on yours truly! And of course - K.Ngah Hasya would also fight with Hilman for whatever space left around me. So, that's another 22kgs, mind you! And Hanna being Hanna, she is ever so excited everytime she's home with me... Thank God she doesn't join her adek-adek in their "sitting-on-mommy" session, too! If not - that would be all Xkg of them on me! ( I won't write what their total weight would be here because that would reveal Hanna's weight - and she wouldn't like that! Hehehe!)

Anyway, in the last one week, I managed to fulfill their request for lamb chops and "Big Chicken" (i.e. roast chicken, to the rest of us). It felt really good to be able to cook their favourite dish for them again. And, thankfully I have to say - I still have not lost the touch even though I had not been cooking proper meals during my 7 months stint in Newcastle! And, to be able to just have a relaxed conversation with Ayah again - in our own house...Nice...

And it was fun to be able to play a few rounds of the game UNO with the kids tonight. Both Hanna and Hasya were ganging up against me, while Hilman repeatedly asked his sisters to help him hold his MANY cards. He apparently did not get the concept of the game...He thought the more cards he had, the better chance he had to win! Hahaha! Anyway, both sisters took that opportunity to come up with a strategy to make sure Mommy lose - it was basically 3 players (Hanna and her adek-adek) against 1 (me!). And yes - Hanna won in the end...much to her glee!

Anyway, however good it feels to be home again, needless to say - a mega serious spring cleaning is required...When? Errr...when I feel like it, I guess?! Thank God that our new maid, Shanti (who just started working with us in May) is quite hardworking and reliable (in the sense that I don't need to constantly give her instructions on what to do and when to do them! Phew...) That's one huge headache I'm glad I will live without.

Hmmm, change or no change, headaches or no headaches - it's good to be home again, especially tonight - in Sri Damansara...

And oh yes! Come Friday next week we'll get the keys to our new Home Sweet Home, insya Allah...

Wassalam...