No more nap?!?

Ever since we came back to Japan, Iki has always refused to take a nap, no matter how angry I would be. I tried to bring him on his bed and stay there together, but he still stayed awake after 2-3 hours. So I gave up, and stay awake with him the whole day. He sleeps early, like 9 p.m and I could have more free time afterwards though; but somewhat I feel exhausted to entertain him the whole day hahaha (and I lost my afternoon Billy Bootcamp exercise time now!!)

We have outdoor activity in the morning. Either swimming or playing at the park and daily shopping. Usually after lunch Iki had his nap, so now I have to find activities to replace this nap time.

So far this "A Bit Of This and A Bit Of That" blog is my main reference for good educative activities, but I can't say that I follow all of her Montessori method. I just take whichever I think are good and suitable for our situation here and there in the internet :p.
Some of them are:
Counting game



"Sewing" game



Water painting



Shopping game



Ice Digging



And I think the list with get longer. Now I must spend my only free time at night to find or prepare activity ideas instead of doing my favorite free time activities *sigh*

Do you have any other idea on how to make your active toddler busy during the day?!

Today's lesson: Not too much chocolate!!!!!

Iki ate too much chocolate these two days!

He ate three bars of chocolate yesterday,
He didn't have a nap and at last slept at 10:00 pm

This afternoon my parents in law pampered him with two huge chocolate cakes,
And he slept at 23:30 pm!!!

Which drove both of us nuts. I'm so NOT going to give him more than 1 small bar of chocolate a day anymore!!

A Visit

Today we got a visit from Nova (minus Kiyo), Mbak Maria and Rui!!!!! So glad to have some people (except my parents in law) here to talk to (and to play with -for Iki) after a week. I just prepared babi rica-rica and served some food - ikan asin pedes, sambal goreng tempe, and my mom's handmade cookies- I brought from Indonesia; and non-spicy version for the kids.



Iki and Rui got along pretty well, though Iki was shy (as usual) at the first time. Sometimes they fought over a toy but they could play together too



Thank you for coming over. Next time hopefully Kiyo would join those kids (and let's see what kind of mess they would make!)

PS: I got my stomach pain because of my too spicy babi rica-rica. I hope your stomaches would be okay :p

Hot Shot Studio

We spent a day in Surabaya visiting Nyo's studio, Hot Shot.

Look at the result. Cool, right?! :D

Looking at those photos, I realized....that Iki-chan is not a baby anymore...! :p

Jammed finger

I was preparing dinner when Iki played with my chair. I told him not to otherwise he could get his fingers jammed, but he gave me a blunt NO answer. Just before he really jammed his finger!!

He cried his eyes out for over an hour. I was so panic, trying to calm him down and trying to look for information on how to heal the pain. The web said that I should soak the jammed finger into cold water for about 20 minutes but Iki didn't want to. I used all my power to hug him but he's way too strong for me. We spilled the cold water on the floor as the result. I tried to use wet cold towel then, and ice in towel; but he refused. He said that it was too painful. His cry was breaking my heart. At last I just hugged him tightly and talked to him.

Then the phone rang, it was my mother in law. She was surprised and worried to hear Iki's cry and rushed coming to our place. Oh well.....they shouldn't. They really shouldn't. But would they ever listen to me?!?!

Anyway then Iki said that he was hungry so I fed him, cleaned his body up and prepared him to sleep. My parents in law then came bringing all their food, because eventually my father in law hadn't finished his dinner when he heard about Iki.



Iki is sleeping now. He got his finger swollen and blue, but he didn't cry anymore. Before leaving, my mother in law said that there will be lots of accidents in the future, especially because Iki is a boy. Oh man.....I'm not prepared for another heart attack (>.<)

Bringing Iki to IKI

So at last I brought Iki there. To Iki restaurant, where everything between me and Hiro began.
We met there for the first time, about 5 years ago, after chatting through ICQ for a while. None of us had the idea that we would be into a complicated, long distance relationship and got married three years ago, with a two years old boy now. Both of us were just having fun at that time, but we are glad that we met, and had a lot of dinner dates there. That's why we named our son, Iki - though in different meaning (of Kanji character).



It was still the same restaurant, with the same waiter. She remembered me well, and asked about my other friends who never come anymore too. She was surprised when I introduced Iki, and was really curious who the father is. She said that she might remember a Japanese guy whose similar face with Iki, who came to that restaurant frequently with me hahaha. Hopefully someday we could go to that restaurant again with Hiro (^__^).

We had dinner there with Tina, Tasya and Arief. Iki happily finished his big bowl favourite udon and we were all having fun. Thank you for accompanying me revisiting that "important" restaurant!

Indonesia - Fruit Paradise

Those are only smalllllll amount of fruits from my country, but definitely the best ones!!! What could be better than having different kinds of sweet juicy fruits every morning with a glass of fresh fruit juice?!?!
I was sad to see the fruit display at Seiyu Supermarket today. I miss Hokky in Surabaya....

Back to Japan

So here we are now, back to Japan. Back to our real life. The trip to Indonesia was really my holiday. When I didn't have to clean up the house, and cook for three times a day :p

I realized that there are still some to do and to eat lists left, even forgot to bring lots of stuffs (like sambal Bu Rudi, my mom's sambal goreng, dried lemongrass, and Hiro's toothpaste). But somewhat I felt satisfied. I met people I wanted to meet. I ate most of the food I wanted to eat. I did almost all the things I planned to do. Most of all, I could proudly show my little boy to the people I love, my family and (some of) my friends.

Thank you Hiro, for giving me this three weeks wonderful holiday.



Thank you Nina, for coming over from Bandung to visit me. And thank you Adnan for taking care of Iki while I shopped at Ambassador Mall :p



Thank you Tina, for arranging the apartment, the "visit" in Jakarta, the lunches, the stories, and the laughs



Thank you Arief, for the very sweet friendship in "your" on way :p

Thank you Vivi, for spending some time to meet me. It was really really nice to meet you and your family, especially Felicia!! God, she's really pretty!!! Also for the dinner and the most delicious Terang Bulan I've ever had! It was our first time to meet, but I felt like that we could talk about anything. I would like to meet you again sometime in the future (^__^)





Thank you Mario and Fenny, my cousins who just got married. For coming to our place so often to entertain Iki.



Thank you papa, mama, oma; for spending days and nights with Iki while I went around Surabaya for shopping, meeting friends, and eating. Iki speaks good amount of Indonesia now. More fluent than his Japanese. Moreover, Iki could poo everyday now!! I don't know how did my Dad made him so. I just remembered that every morning my Dad brought him to toilet and talked to him.
And thank you Oma for the delicious meal you cook. You are definitely the best cook in the world!!



Thank you Vitria, for the few hours wonderful time. I hope the best for you, and hopefully too we could spend more time together in the future.





And thank you Enyo. For everything. Our friendship is really special that I couldn't find any words to describe it. Iki keeps talking about you. About your car, your dog, and your big ouchi (house) hahaha. Thanks for even coming over to airport only to meet for for a few minutes. I do hope to meet you again, HERE :p



Now we are adapting to our life again here. Iki is very lonely for sure, poor boy. He doesn't want to release me even for a minute. I must play with him, talk to him, read to him, and sing with him. Meanwhile I'm also trying to get my life rhythm back.

Bye...

We are leaving not. Good bye Surabaya. Stay tuned for our leftover stories. God Bless us, I'm having my period :p

Ci-chan sad

We are leaving Surabaya today. When Iki woke up this morning and saw the packed suitcase and boxes, he said: Ci-chan sad. And went back to the bed. I talked to him and he said that he didn't want to go to JEPANG. He wanted to go to oma's house and mama could go to JEPANG alone! Poor Iki. He surely will be lonely in Japan

Morning Routine

I bring Iki swimming everyday here. Usually after he looks tired then I give him to my parents while I continue my real swimming for another half an hour. But two days ago I feel really disturbed. Some staffs came to clean the pool side. I started to feel uncomfortable but I continued my swimming. Then they took the pool's water using dirty bucket. I was not recovered from my surprised yet when I saw they washed their dirty hands INSIDE the pool. I got out of the pool in a second and complained!

Body Scrub

Actually I would like to have the whole spa package, but I don't have three hours free time to do that. Still have long to do and eat list. But I actually am glad to choose only body scrub. The service is pretty dissapointing :p

Going to church

This afternoon my cousin managed to drag me visiting church before going to PTC. I felt dejavu going to church again, but somewhat felt touched following the first Friday mass. It was Iki's first time going to the church too :p. I bought a very cute rosario at the church's shop. Not for praying, though. For accessories :p

Soto Banjar

This was my perfect dinner: Soto Banjar Pal Satu at Kedungdoro. No words to describe it!!!!

Tunjungan Plaza

I spent the whole afternoon alone at TP. There are lots of changes after three years, but still it has special place in my heart. I spent like almost every weekend there. It is much cheaper than plaza senayan but I didn't shop much. I just was just shop hopping, and enjoyed coffee + free wi-fi; but I was satisfied :)

The Coffee Bean

And now I am taking a rest here after strolling the whole TP alone. 'Ngopi' alone while enjoying the free wi-fi :p

Bemo

And I took bemo from CDU to TP hehehe. I totally forgot when was the last time I took bemo. Quite an experience. I think I will bring Iki riding becak before we leave haha

Nasi Padang

This was my lunch today with Tina, Arief, and Reni. It was the same warung I always bought nasi padang at the past. I ordered rice with lever, tuna balado, and eggplant. Boy, boy, boy, it was sooo delicious. When Reni ordered the food I complained that the rice was too much but I cleaned them all. It costed only IDR 37,000 for all the food we ordered!

Gorengan with petis

I went to CDU again for lunch this afternoon. When I just entered the main building's entrance, I met an old woman selling those gorengan. Still the very same old woman. She exclaimed that I was very pretty now. A very spontaneous honest comment. I stopped, had small talks with her and bought tempe menjes and dadar jagung. Complete with the petis sauce. DELICIOUS!! Especially when I remembered her first comment

Bakso Pak Salam

Is really the best bakso in the world!! It was my dinner tonight, to close our culinary trip today. I love this bakso since the university time, and the taste was still very the same. Perfectly chewy bakso in tasty soup (which I was so sure contains a lot of MSG hahaha). With right amount of additional ketchup, sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, their special chilli sauce and a bit squeezed lime; I got my food orgasm tonight. I finished it till the last drop of its soup.

Visiting Culun

After had some talks with Enyo's mom while Enyo was feeding her dogs, we walked across the street and visiting culun. His wife just got birth a month ago to their first son, Ken. It was fun to see their surprised face, and it was really really nice to meet them again. I promised to come again bringing Iki before leaving Surabaya (to Enyo's mom too).

Bakcang

This huge special pork bakcang was Enyo and I's snack this afternoon. Felt good that at last I could eat it again after years. It was delicious though a bit hard. The taste was a perfect combination of sticky rice, pork, and salted egg, with special bamboo leaves smell. What a delicious yet fatty late snack!

Song Mie Apeng

Still recommended food from Apeng. The strong pepper taste shocked Iki, but for me it was just perfect.

Kwetiau Siram Apeng

Was what I ordered for lunch today at apeng with Tina, Tasya, Enyo, Nonik and Iki. It was as delicious as usual. One of my favourite food in the past.

CDU Revisited

I came to CDU this afternoon. To give Arief little surprise and have lunch with Tina. It's nice to be back there and see the familiar things that used to be big part of my life again after three years. I said hello to the security guards and our office's cleaning boy too. I surely will visit them again for nasi padang lunch that i used to have when I worked there :p

Bye bye, papa-chan

We are waiting for boarding at the airport now. We will be leaving to surabaya soon. It's somewhat sad to say goodbye to those nice people at Plaza senayan APT. Iki was also sadly said: 'bye bye big ouchi' (bye bye big house).

Papa-chan will still stay in Jakarta for sometime. He is very very busy that sometimes our presence in Jakarta disturbed his work. He said that his boss and coworkers looked really tired already having such a long working hours without holiday. That's why he felt sorry that his family's presence sometimes made him away from work for several times during the busy time. Which made me feel guilty too......

Anyway we are leaving now. I hope papa-chan wouldn't get too tired and sick. Dining out everyday must be tiring too, especially that I know those food at the restaurants contain a lot of additives!

See you again in Japan, papa-chan. I will cook healthy food for you everyday later, and half an hour massage every night hahaha

We surely will miss you :)

Batik

Batik is very popular now (at least) in Jakarta. Lots of people wear Batik in different colors and styles. Women's section at department store at Plaza senayan was also full of Batik.

I bought two only. At Mall ambassador last week. I really like them and felt georgeous wearing them. Hiro also said that they were really nice here, but may be not in Japan (Blah)

I'm now trying to find sleeveless batik and shorts for Iki. He said that my Batik was kakoi (cool) and that he wanted one. Couldn't find any yet :(. Most of children's batik were shirts, or long sleeves. Japan would be too hot for that :(

Warung Podjok

We had lunch at this restaurant almost everyday last week. We love the food and the hospitality, though it's a bit pricey. Yesterday was our last dinner there so we ordered our favourite ever Sop Buntut Goreng. I said goodbye too, which made those pretty ladies took Iki's pictures using their handphones hahaha.

We may look boring staying only in Plaza Senayan during our stay in Jakarta, but we are satisfied. We had good food available there, had enough shopping, and had enough doughnuts (Iki) :p

A shocking surprise

Tina said that she would visit me during her business trip in Jakarta, so this morning I eagerly waited for her. It's been 3 years, and I was so waiting forward to meet her.

She texted me that they arrived at Lobby (and I was curious who were the 'WE' she meant). It was Tom!! I was so surprised and so was he. He also didn't know that they were going to meet me. What a shocking surprised, and I was really really happy. It's been 5 or 6 years not to meet him.

They got along with Iki pretty well, even Tom who claimed that he doesn't want to be a grandfather :)). They could meet Hiro, luckily, for few minutes before they went back to Surabaya.

Thank you so much, Tina. For the visit, the anniversary present, and the very nice surprise.

Small accident

We are at the pool side now. I told Iki not to stand on the rocky stairs a moment before he wanted to jump. I jumped to catch him, we both fell down from the stairs. I tried my best to protect him using my body. Thank God he's allright, and I just got some bruises on my body.

Iki cried, and I was so scared if something happened to him. Seemed it was a shock crying. He calmed down after I gave him some water. Some pool staffs came over and helped us, and they also put some betadine on my bruises. Damn it was painful that I really wanted to cry, but couldn't . If I did Iki would be scared and cry too....

But he knew it was his mistake. As I laid down here to calm my self down, he took two white flowers and gave them to me.

'mama-chan, coyi......', he said.

Which really brought me into tears....

KFC vs Peking Duck

Suddenly I really wanted to eat fried chickens from KFC so I brought Iki back to Plaza senayan after his nap only to buy it. I bought my fave crispy thigh and perkedel, with lots of KFC's special chilli sauce.

I used to eat KFC frequently during my single time. I loved it, so it was quite nostalgic to eat it again after years. Of course there's KFC in Japan. But the chicken is tiny compared to Indonesian's KFC. No perkedel, and no chilli sauce! - and of course way more expensive :p

The perkedel was as delicious as usual, I made this long hmmmmmhhhh sound at the first bite. The chicken's skin was really crispy - and fatty!! I felt guilty to my body eating such an oily food when my phone rang. Hiro finished working earlier today, and wanted to invite his boss and coworkers to have dinner at home. WHAT?!?! I threw back my chicken into its box and started to see what did I have in the refrigerator panicly.

I am a very slow cooker, even after these three years. So in such a short notice I could only prepare potato, spinach, and miso soup for nearly 1 hour :( :(. Luckily Hiro's boss bought Peking Duck. But what an embarassing hostess I was :( :( :(

At last after bathing Iki I could get chance to eat. No, I did't finish my KFC yet. I ate the Peking Duck instead, which was really really delicious (though it was as fatty as KFC hahaha)

Sop Buntut Goreng

Ohhhh Myyyy Goddddd!! This food was really a blast. So crispy, so fatty, so tasty, so tender, so gurihh, so ueenuaaak!!!

I'm familiar with Sop Buntut, but this lunch was my first time eating Sop buntut goreng. With Soda Gembira, it was just a perfect lunch :)

I'm still accompanying Iki at Krispy Kreme right now. He's in love with this doughnut that we come here everyday after lunch. I could enjoy the free wi-fi while laughing out loud watching him dancing to Britney Spears' song :p

Thank you

Thank you for these three years
Three years full of love, attention, and lessons of life.
The best three years of my life so far.

No big celebration today. Hiro is still busy at work. But we managed to have lunch and dinner together. Hiro went back home for our simple dinner. Shinjaga no age ni with Miso soup and rice. That's all, but it was really a personal happy moment for me to see both Hiro and Iki ate them greedily.

Hiro bought me that Longchamp handbag as a present, and he got Nokia E90, plus 1 hour 'shierly's massage' voucher :p. I actually don't expect that present. Being together on this day (in Indonesia, this year) is the most important thing. Having delicious meal together was even better. But of course that present was an additional happiness hahaha

Thank you Hiro, for all your efforts so that this day (again) is very special to me :)

Nasi Goreng Kambing Pedas

Was my lunch today, again at Warung Podjok. We fell in love with that place. For the food, the friendliness, and the environment (I hate eating using stereofoam plates at Food Court!).

It was delicious. Spicy but not harmful to my tummy. Tasty with not too strong spices. Too bad the goat meat was a bit too hard.

I had tempe bacem again as side dish. Haven't get bored of it yet! And Iki sticked to the Otak otak as his appetizer.

Hiro and Iki loved the Sop buntut goreng they ordered. He said that it was the most delicious Indonesian food so far. I think it would be my lunch tomorrow!!

Creambath

Am having creambath at Johnny Andrean now, with special request on massaging. Boy, this woman has magic hands!!!

This is what I called: massage orgasm :p

Lontong Cap Go Meh

This was my lunch today. This food reminds me of Valens' mom hahaha. She definitely cooks the best one ever.

But this Warung Podjok's Lontong Cap Go Meh was not bad. It was thick and tasty though I miss some ingredients. A satisfying lunch, though it was actually a wrong choice for my 'suffering' stomach. Yeah yeah....today I have stomach pain because of the delicious yet too spicy eRWe I ate yesterday :(

Hiro had Gurame goreng. They (and Iki) loved that crispy fish. And Iki fell in love with otak otak tenggiri.

I planned to have creambath during Iki's nap, but must go back early today because of my stomach pain :(. Is it because the spicy level or the hygienic problem?!

PS: I hate my phone's camera. I couldn't get good pictures :(