Am 27!

Monday afternoon, when I was doing some houseworks
Hiro: Let's go Seoul and stay at Park Hyatt Hotel. Now...!
Me: eee? now?
Hiro: Un. Aku reserve sekarang ya. How long do you need to get ready?
Me: eee? expensive yo disana!
Hiro: Gak apa-apa. Kita celebrate your birthday.

So last monday we had an early celebration for my birthday. We enjoyed the best hotel in Seoul and had the best food I've ever had in Korea *drooling thinking of those food*. Couldn't take any picture since Hiro said with alarming eyes: "Jangan take foto disini, malu yo!" hahaha, but the memory was carved in my mind. Best of all, I thank God that I could celebrate my birthday with the people I love. No words to describe my feeling that night. Especially when another surprise came. What a perfect dinner, can't help not to cry. Hahaha dasar cengeng :p.



Thanks, Hiro. For taking care of Iki and let me have a great rest and keep surprising me with your always-last-minute plans (^_-).

And yeah, I also got a surprise from Iki. He got diarrhea as we got back home from Seoul, and became very very very VERY clingy ever since (_ _o). Even during his nap and sleeping time (can't believe how sensitive his "mama radar" is!).

Had spaghetti carbonara as my birthday noodle and big bowl of tiramisu to close that day. Both are Shierly-made. Perfect.



I am 27. Already 27. Can't believe how fast time runs. I was still celebrating my 25th birthday in Surabaya with my friends, and then so many things happened. Changed my life upside down. Suddenly now here I am. 27 Years old, a mother, a wife, and still live my life to the fullest.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes. By emails, offline messages, chats, friendster testimonials and phone calls. Really really made my day. Completed my 27th birthday.
Mariza (you're the first one), Mee, Valens (waiting forward for the books), Enyo (for the diamond ring huehehe), Yendy, Shantee, Anita, Ekke-chan, Annerie, Cindy, Octa, Tina. Pei (thanks for waking me up, otherwise couldn't have my birthday tiramisu hihihi), Nina (for the happy birthday song, ur voice is still as wonderful as I could remember). Yunita, Ella, Martin (masih curious about u :p) ,Vanie (better late than never hihihi), and Carla (I am so touched, thanks yo!)
Sorry I haven't replied almost all emails and messages. Again, my boy is still having his diarrhea :p

Again, thank you (^______^) *nyengir sampe mulutnya lebaaarr*

Gōngxǐ fācái

Chinese New Year is one of important holidays in Korea since Korean calendar is following this lunar calendar. Gift package sets are now can be found in all supermarket and shopping mall, dominating almost 80% space there. People are going to their hometown to celebrate it. At some places I could see them bringing big luggage in one hand and Hanbok (Korean traditional cloth) in other hand. Hiro got 5 days holiday now, but this time we're not going anywhere.

Missing home, this chinese new year celebration brings me back to my childhood time. Born from a mother whose Indonesian-chinese blood line, I experienced this chinese-Indonesian tradition when I spent my childhood in Banjarmasin. A city where my mother comes from and has almost all her family there. I lived in a big long house where traditionally all the family members are all packed there. Almost 16 cousins were living together.

Chinese new year in my mind was a busy happy time to celebrate. Days before that, our mothers bought us new red clothes for welcoming it. Chinese believe that red is a symbol of happiness so especially during chinese New Year, red color is a must for our new clothes. Early in the morning we would all wake up, got dressed, and rushed to the main room of the big house. There was already a big dining table full of various food in the living room, right in front of the main door. There's "Engkong" (my grandfather)'s black and white picture in the middle, with burnt incents on the left and right side of it. In front of that, all the delicious food were beautifully decorated.

At first my grandmother lit the first incents and prayed in front of the table. After that she put the incents inside that glass standing beside my engkong's picture. After that all her children would do the same ceremony one by one, starting from the eldest. Then we, all the grandchildren got our turn one by one. The table would remain there the whole day, giving chance for any guest who visited us to pray for our grandfather and to wish us a prosperous New Year. Usually at the end of the day, all the children would wait nearby the table until our grandmother cleaned it up. What for? of course for the delicious food and sweets hahahah

After the praying ceremony in the morning, usually the children got the red small envelopes with money inside called ANGPAU from the parents and elderly. As long as I can remember, this was the best part of New Year for us as a kid. We spent the whole day visiting relatives and friends to wish them New Year, and of course....to get more and more Angpau hahaha.

Can't really remember when, but maybe when I was in Junior High my grandmother didn't do the table praying tradition anymore because Catholic church said that it's forbidden. Of course we still did the Angpao hunting :p years after. But I then as I moved to Surabaya to study at a university there, I stopped following the tradition. Chinese New Year for me now is only a childhood memory. I even just knew the real story behind Chinese New Year celebration after reading Ceplas ceplos blog :p

And to all my friends who celebrate this Chinese New Year: May you have a prosperous and a very happy New Year. Gōngxǐ fācái Xīnián kuàilè.

Happy valentine

My small and very simple valentine surprise for my two men:



Our valentine was full of joy and love and hunger hahahaha. The cake was vanished within seconds.

Happy valentine, dear all my friends!!!!!!!!!!!
Whatever has happened in your life, may love be the reason

A break

Yes. A mother needs a break.
Last two weeks I had 2.5 hours manicure and pedicure at a nail salon nearby. I left Iki at home with Hiro. Really felt good. Both because I got my hands and feet done, and I felt relax going away alone. It was the first time, and I got Iki hated me because I left him hahahaha. He cried and didn't want me to hug and feed him, just wanted papa to hold him (>_<).

Then this weekend Hiro reserved a face massage for me at home. A 1.5 hours relaxation in my own living room meanwhile Hiro took care of Iki and brought him out to the park. That massage left my skin freshened, my muscle relaxed, and my brain calmed. I enjoyed it so much and thanks Hiro that I will have this massage twice a month.

And yes. A father also needs a break.
After working and taking care of Iki at home, Hiro definitely needs a break too.
So he also had his nail done, and face massage right after I got massaged hahaha.

This is how we enjoy living in Korea and give a break to ourselves.

New haircut

Oh yeah!! this definitely is one of a must in my to-do-list everytime I go to Japan. Hair dressers in Korea sucks. I got three times experience cutting my hair here and wanted to cry looking at the mirror and saw what they did to my precious hair. Well, maybe not in all over Korea, but three times experience scared me enough to try the forth one.

This time I cut my hair in Yokohama, since I stayed at Hiro's sister house in that city. Going there alone freed my from Hiro's domineering attitude in choosing my hair style hahahahah. Using my extremely broken Japanese, I explained the hair stylist what I expected and asked for her best recommendation.

So now I got my new hair cut, and I loveeeeeee this style so much. It's not as conservative as before (again, there was no Hiro there hehehe). Still short, but modern. Looks sporty and matured at the same time. First word from my mother in law: Kakkoiiii!!!! (KEREN!)

Happy (^__^)

Keluh kesah :p

Ah...lagi pingin nulis sesuatu pake bahasa Indonesia. Tepatnya lagi pengen berkeluh kesah, paling puas ngomel kan pake bahasa sendiriiiii :p

Baru pulang dari Jepang tadi malam. Bawa Iki cek lagi. Wah sedih deh denger hasilnya, tapi keputusan butuh operasi lagi apa enggak nanti awal September. Harus ke Jepang lagi. Rodok kesel seh...selain sekarang Iki di pesawat super nakal, awal September benerannya udah bikin rencana mo ke Indo. Haiyahh. Buyar kabeh rencanaku.

Akhir2 ini kesepian banget. Rasanya terisolir abis2an dari dunia luar. Tiap hari ya ngurusin Iki aja. Temen gak punya disini. Gak nyangka orang2 dilingkunganku tinggal segitu besarnya diskriminasi ke aku. Jadi yah...cuma Iki sama Hiro. Seakrang bahasaku ya jadi bahasa anak-anak kali yah. Abis ngomongnya cuma sama Iki tok. Kalo malam Hiro pulang ya harus fokus ke Iki. Kalo di meja makan, misalnya mama papa ngobrol sendiri, si Iki marah2. Pokoknya harus perhatian full ke Iki. Akhir2 ini kalo nidurin Iki juga aku ikut ketiduran. Bangun2 dah jam 1 malam harus mulai bersih2 dapur. Abis itu ngenet bentar trus tidur. Benerannya pengen ngobrol2 sama Hiro. Tapi Hiro juga sibuk ama hobi komputer sama handphone-nya. Abis dia kerja seharian, pulang masih ngurusin Iki. Kasihan kalo pas dia mau nyantai aku juga nuntut waktunya dia buat aku. Jadi yah....ngalah deh....Tau gak gimana aku sama Hiro komunikasi? banyakan lewat chatting ato sms singkat hahahah *ketawa getir*

Sekarang gak tau mo curhat-curhat sama siapa lagi. Chatting kalo siang juga impossible. Mana boleh ama mr. Iki?! Bisanya online malam, tapi temen2 gak ada yang online hahah. Kapan hari masih bisa nelpon2 murah pakai Skype. Tapi barusan tariffnya Skype berubah, jadi mahal. Jadi kalo nelpon2 diomelin :p. Jadi sekarang chatting gak bisa, nelpon ya cuma nelpon mama. Ngobrol juga gak bisa. Bener2 tinggal sama Iki lah bisa ngomong. Bener2 kesepian. Bener2 kerasa sendiri.

Akibatnya? jadi frustasi sendiri. Emosi susah di kontrol. Tapi ya itu tadi. Lagi2 gak tau mau disalurkan dimana. Jadi ditekan kuat2 didada. Kadang2 sampe rasanya sesak napas hahaha

Udah ah keluh kesahnya. Masih harus bongkar koper ama bersih-bersih. Abis ngomel gini aku kerasa enakan gak yaaaa :p

Eating with "eyes"

Hiro always says and STRESSES that Japanese people eat with their "eyes". That's why in Japan all the food I've ever seen were beautifully decorated (including home dining!). Besides the taste, appearance is one important thing to present a meal. This is especially a mother's job, to satisfy both the eyes and the stomaches of the whole family member.

Therefore I also have to do the same to Iki since a very young age. Ever since he started his first food, I already tried to present it as interesting as I could. Well, I can say that I am one of the most unartistic person in this world. I have to prepare beautiful meal yet I don't have "beautiful" eyes. So instead of preparing beautiful food, I give Iki "eye-catching" food. Oh trust me, it really takes time since I'm still not used to do this. Anyway it's decorated and he got interested on it, right? hahahaha

But I guess my "eyes" are getting better? :p

Mama's food

I am so happy that I want to cry!!!!
Got a package from my mom. A box full of my home-made (mom-made for exact!) Indonesian food and some important Indonesian spices.

From dried Indonesian chillies, fresh ones, lemon grasses, sambal goreng tempe, not-too-hot salted fish (my mom said so that Hiro can eat it as well....but for me it's HOT hahaha), super hot salted fish, dried Indonesian lime leaves, dried kemangi leaves and my grandma's recipe's pork sate sauce. She knew exactly what to send to make me got this food orgasm hahaha

I feel like eating at home now, as I never thought I would be able to eat all these food in Korea.

No matter how delicious the food I've eaten all these time (or even I've cooked myself), I always and will always miss my mom's food. It's the taste that I could never find anywhere but from my mom's kitchen.

Not only the food hehehe....I miss you also, mama....

New Year

Time runs so fast, huh...
It's new year again tomorrow. It's 2007. It's no longer 2006!

Today, on the last day of 2006, we celebrate Iki's first birthday. I baked cake and was so happy that everyone loved it.



And now, as the clock ticking slpwly, leaving 2006, I am thinking of what I am now. Some scenes of my life this year flashed back and forth. What had happened, and what can be predicted would happen. Some brought me into smile, some into tears, and some into laugh. But most of all, I realised 1 important thing tonight.

That since last new year; after Iki was born, for exact; I am no longer Shierly. I am a mother. JUST a mother. Not a Shierly anymore. Not a woman anymore.

Just a mother.

I've got to "kill" Shierly and woman in me, since they have wants and needs that're not suitable for a role as a mother.

I'll be a better mother. That's it. My only new year's resolution.

Happy new year, everyone. I wish you a wonderful prosperous year and a never ending happiness (^__^)

Our first Christmas

I made lots of plans for our first Christmas.
I wanted it to be unforgetable, with georgous food, cakes, wine, and laughter.

But Iki was sick!!!
His flu was getting worse. Harder cough, runny nose, and over 38.5 Celcius degree fever. He felt so bad so he just wanted a hug, or a companion while weakly playing on the floor :(

My heart sank. Both seeing my boy sick, and thinking of my broken-into-pieces plan. But as we put Iki into sleep last night, Hiro said that this is the best first christmas. That we're all together. All the good thing can be postponed. After Iki recovered, we will celebrate Christmas, Iki's birthday and New year altogether.

Indeed he's right. Being together is the best. Perhaps Iki also wanted to celebrate his first christmas this way. Being clingy to his mama and papa, spending the whole day inside his parents' arms.

And I wish all my friends Merry Christmas. Hope you also had an unforgetable moments this christmas. May all the Joy brings you a great New Year (^____^)

Just read Hiro's blog in weird Indonesian about our first Christmas. Terharu deh :p

Tadaima....!!

Read: Aku sudah pulang...!!
(As translated in Doraemon series).

Yes, we're home (^___^)
Last friday Iki's tube was removed already. What a strong boy. I'm so proud of this little monster.

He got a bad cough now, so it was not an easy journey at all to go back to Korea. I brought 3 luggages with me, so I had to tied Iki at the cart like a dog when I had to take my luggages from the luggage belt. Everyone around was looking at me as if I were a terrible mother, but no one had any heart to give me a hand. Blah!

Anyway it was such a big relief to see Hiro waiting outside.
We're home, Iki. We're home....!!

As we went out, Hiro rushed hugging Iki: "Okaeri Ikiiiiiiiii"

And Iki?!
He looked at Hiro as if he's a perfect stranger, and...HUAAAAAAAAAAAAA (>__<). He cried panicly. Poor papa-chan :p

Out of hospital

At last I got the chance to write something here...

Last Thursday Iki was out of hospital already. Only 2 days after operation??? I was as surprised as you. But seems that home is the best place for Iki to get well. Hospital's circumstances doesn't support baby mentally hahaha.

We stay at Hiro's sister house instead of my parents' in law's. It's closer to the hospital. However, I must sleep with my mother in law. Hiks...godd byw privacy. I can't even get the chance to scratch my back using coin on the bed as well as spending my free time at night chatting. So guys, if you see my online mark but didn't give any reply to ur messages, it's because I couldn't. I'm so sorry.
But anyway Iki is really happy because his cousins here love to play with him. He plays a lot, he eats a lot, he is getting better. He rarely cries. Only during diaper change, tube cleaning and stool cleaning for he feels painful.

Yesterday I brought Iki to the hospital. Doctor said he's good, just a small stitch opening problem. But generally after the tube will be removed this friday (hope no more problem occurs), we can go back to Korea as planned on 24th.

Thank you for the supports, emails and instant messages friends....Sorry I haven't got the chance to drop you any replies.

Room 4203, 20:01 p.m

I laid beside Iki and let him fell asleep inside my arm. His cheeks and eyelashes are still wet of tears, but his regular breathing sound comforts me. It was such a hard day for him.

Iki was taken into the operation room at 7:45 a.m, left me and Hiro in front of the door. Waiting is sucks, especially in front of that red operation room. I can't stop watching that sliding door, expecting doctor's familiar face would pop up with great news.

The operation took 4.5 hours, plus minus 30 minutes anestheasy time before and after operation. So we waited for 5.5 hours in front of operation room. Thanks God....it's finished!!! Iki now must face the post operation pain, but I will take a good care for him.

Iki cried most of the time after that. Tightly tied on the bed, tired, pain mixed up. He terribly wants a hug but he must not move for at least 36 hours. Poor Iki....I want to save him....

Lucky he still ate and had milk a lot. More than I had expected. He's now fighting with hbis pain but I believe my boy will be able to manage!!!

First day

Today is Iki's first day at the hospital.
He is such a good boy during this trip to Japan. He rarely cried, he enjoyed playing with his grandparents and he ate really really a lot.

Also today in the hospital he made me proud of being such a sweet good baby. He looked happy and enjoyed his stay (because there're lots of toys in the playroom or because the nurses are ppretty?!). He ate a lot as well, and slept early. Perhaps he wanted to give his mama and papa chance to have a dinner date? heheeh

And tonight....
Is my first night sleeping without Iki.
I wonder if he sleeps well.
I wonder what if he woke up midnight and found no mama around?
I can't wait for the sun to rise so that I can meet him again.

I terribly miss him now.......

Thanks!

This afternoon I got a package from Indonesia.
Batik and blangkon as early christmas gifts for me and Iki from Uti, birthday present for Iki (interesting story books and DANGDUT CD!!! hahaha) from Emmy, Excellogix photos' CD from Boo, and my favourite Clara NG's novels.

Really really thanks. I am so happy, and so is Iki. I want to write more. I do. But I've got to continue packing since tomorrow (oh no! this morning!) we're leaving to Japan.

Miss you, guys. Again, Thanks!

Abon cakalang pedas

Last week I got package from my mother. Most of all, I was very very happy to see a big pot of abon cakalang pedas (hot dry-fried skipjack tuna). It's like a TREASURE for me.

So almost everyday last week I add some of my abon in my lunch. Got terrible stomach pain at the first days since my stomach is not getting used to "very spicy" food anymore. But thanks, mama. This food reminds me of home. And this probably is the only favourite food my mother can send me since other food have quite a strong smell (T_T).

Look at the abon pedas onigiri I made for my lunch :p. Eating Indonesian food in Japanese style hahaha. Well, it was good!

Snow

This morning as I opened the curtain I saw thin white snow covered the city.
Beautiful....first snow of this winter.



It would be very cold outside. I remember last year I slipped many times walking on the ice.
And as I'm typing this, the snow is falling again outside. A quite heavy one.
It's been cold these past two weeks, but today as I saw this snow, I got this strong feeling that "winter has really come"

Indonesian traditional medication

Hiro DID NOT believe Indonesian traditional medication. He always said that I did stupid things scratching my back using coins, that I used stupid dirty black paste on my body and drank disgusting drinks after I gave birth, that I used smelly oil (telon oil or kayuputih oil) as warming oil or massage oil, and that I took smelly tablets whenever I caught a cold.

But In fact, he must admit that all of those medications works best in this house.

I used Indonesian traditional medication to cure myself after giving birth.



The result?!
I got 7 kgs weight reduced a week after delivering a baby, and within 3 months I got my normal body weight back. Without any food diet since I was breastfeeding at that time. I also got no stretchmarks at all. OK, for body shaping I wore wacoal's garter he bought in Japan, but I believed the Indonesian traditional medicine helped a lot.

Indonesian warming oil works best for me. Hiro never used it, fine. But this so called smelly oil also works for Iki. If he got constipated and stomachache, I just applied some oil on his stomach and voila!! he can finish his stool business ;-).

And now? still Hiro doesn't believe Indonesian traditional medication?!
HOHOHO

Once he got all his body painful, I insisted scratching his back with coin. He felt much much better right after that.

These two weeks Hiro got flu. And yesterday he got fever and felt very bad. I made him drink ANTANGIN I my mother just sent me. Of course he did complain when he took the medicine. That it was so smelly, that the more he drank the more he can feel the smell, that the medicine left yucky taste in his throat bla bla bla... BUT....He got his flu fully recovered!



Still don't believe Indonesian traditional medication? (^_-)

Going to Seoul

Last Saturday we went to Seoul. Actually we only wanted to go to Duty Free Shop in Lotte Department Store and then directly go to wedding party, but at the end we couldn't manage to arrive at the reception on time, so we just decided to stay in Seoul.

Christmas decorations can already be seen. Iki was very happy, pointing here and there, screaming and laughing.



I couldn't find what I want in DFS, so after getting Louis Vuitton bag for Hiro's sister, we went for a short walk in Myeongdong.
Now Iki likes to explore all places. He doesn't want to sit quietly on my lap anymore. So most likely in restaurant, he always disturbs us by crawling around (@_@). So either Hiro or I must watch him closely.


crawling in starbucks

I don't know if this is right or wrong, but we let him do what he wants as long as it's not dangerous. Of course he becomes dirty and invites other people's curious eyes. But he's very happy and active and satisfied!

After Hiro got a new handphone (again) for him, we went back to Incheon.

The trip was exhausting, but when I looked how happy was Iki and Hiro, it's not a tiring day anymore (^_^)

Handphones in our house

Hiro is soooo crazy about technology. He can spend hours in front of computer reading information about latest technology on earth, spend nights setting all computers in our house (there're 5 here), and now setting mobile phones.

Sometimes I just can't understand. For me, 1 computer and 1 handphone is more than enough. But for Hiro?!

Look at the handphones in this house:



8 Handphones!!!
And I'm afraid the number will increase as technology is a never ending process (@_@)