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Hello October!

Alhamdulillah our baby girl was safely delivered on Tuesday 11th September 2018, 12.07am, weighing 3.49kg and 53cm long.

I will try to find some time to write down my labor story, given the fact that I hardly have spare time these days with an infant constantly crying to be carried and asking for milk! Haha. But in all seriousness, I believe that my labor process was an easy one alhamdulillah. It was not as scary as I anticipated it to be.

Baby girl's name is Hilwa Farissa Mohd Hilmi.

Looks a lot like her father, I guess, but with my eyes! Pictures will follow soon.

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I am currently sitting in the office updating my journal while 80% of my colleagues are either on leave or on lunch break. I normally would look forward to going out, but in my current state of being 38 weeks pregnant, I am trying to reserve my energy as much as I can.

I am going to be a mom in more or less 2 more weeks! Our hospital bag has been in the car trunk for weeks now, just in case. Think I pretty much have everything ready for now. The only thing that needs preparation is my mental state. It is so nerve-wrecking yet exciting at the same time!! What I am looking forward to the most is to see if the baby looks more like me or Hilmi. Hehe

I have been binge-watching birth videos before I go to bed. I forced Hilmi to watch them with me too just to give him a glimpse of what he'll be witnessing soon. He quietly obliged... Not sure if the videos are helping or just scaring us even more. 

Have you seen how huge I have become? Oh my, I am at my heaviest! I can't wait to get fit again after confinement ends. 

Any tips that you would like to share with me in waiting for the arrival of your baby? Do share with me! 

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This year is our turn to celebrate Raya with my family. Yay! We're heading back to PD tomorrow and will head to Perak on Saturday.

This will be our last pre-child or childless (?) Raya. There will be three of us for next Raya in shaa Allah. Can't wait to be matchy matchy with our little girl.

With that, 'Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin' from my family to yours.

Be moderate, be safe, be merry. Enjoy your Raya!

Photo credit: Google

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Tomorrow is the start of the fasting month. This year, it is going to be a new experience for me as I will be fasting as a pregnant lady. I've heard and read various stories about how fellow pregnant ladies survive Ramadhan and I've picked up tips here and there. In shaa Allah, may it be a breeze one for all of us.

Growing up, my family and I very rarely have our break fast outside. We would cook and get some bubur lambuk from the mosque daily and eat together - all five of us. My dad does not encourage us to eat out as he is concerned that if we do, we would be rushing to the mosque for maghrib, tarawih and isyak prayers. As he always put it, "it is only a month in a year".

When I got married to Hilmi, I first learned about breaking fast at suraus/mosques. I was shocked. How naive was I to not know about this after living for so long. Apparently, in suraus or mosques, the people living around them would bring dishes, desserts, and drinks for the people in the jemaah (congregation) to eat. In some places, the committee of the mosques will prepare buffet spread or packeted foods for the congregation. I think it's a very interesting, convenient and wonderful approach to have meals together at the mosques and you don't have to worry about rushing to the mosque as you're already in one. 

Last year, as it was our first time fasting here together, we agreed to go to a different mosque every day or at least, every two days. Not only we want to experience the different breaking fast atmosphere but also the different tarawih and mosques environment. What's even better is that I told my family about it and they tried breaking fast at the mosque as well. My mom especially was so delighted when she first tried it as she no longer needs to rush and cook daily, and can concentrate on other better things to do.

I really enjoyed this newfound experience and I am so blessed to have met Hilmi who introduced such culture to me, or else I wouldn't have known. Looking forward to more mosques-hopping this year!

Happy fasting, dear readers!