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My brother in law finally got hitched over the long holiday last week.  I remember blogging about him being single and available here  None of you girls wanted him so his mom found him someone :D  There were a series of events to attend so you can imagine how busy we all were. And with all that there were also a series of  chaos and drama (in true Indian fashion) that took place but hey what’s an Indian wedding without it I say

Engagement.

The engagment took place 1 day before the wedding at the bride-to-be’s home.

The groom actually turned up 50 minutes late to his own engagement. That also meant baby and I with my folks were stuck in the car for that long as we had to wait for them to arrive first as we were part of the entourage.

As we waited and waited, baby made herself busy by talking to the pillar outside. She’s talking to random objects thesedays including our buddha statue at home. It’s too cute!

Baby Sairah all Indianized

Hah, I just made a big poo poo! Yup had to clean her up in the car.

Grandma and Grandpa with baby giving mommy a murderous look. Probably already knew I was gonna mention the poo poo part on my blog

Hubby’s Aunt

The fiancee awaits his fiance. Oops or is that the other way around

They even had a priest for the engagement.

Exchange of rings. Officially engaged.

I love my orange chiffon saree. Wanted to wear it to the wedding, alas was forced to wear a silk saree.

My poor lil baby was sweating profusely. The weather has been horrid!!

Since the hubby’s relatives were down from India, Sairah had TONS of attention and fussing from them.

Smile baby smile!

Yay we can go home now.

She wasn’t all that smiley during the event (perhaps new faces?), but when we got back, she was all her usual self again!

Ya ma, I’m a rebel like that!!

12 hours later we were all in the temple hall for their wedding

Baby Sairah with hubby’s cousin who seemed so taken up by Sairah. She never left her out of sight and gladly took her off me. They got along really well. If it wasn’t for the distance, she would make a really good baby-sitter for Sairah I reckon

Again, it was a tough one getting her to smile or talk, but I take comfort in knowing that at least she was okay with some people carrying her. Babies…….you can never predict what’s on their mind.

BIL getting all geared up for the BIG moment.

Even during the ceremony everyone else was fussing over my baby girl. While I was watching over like a hawk, lol. Ok fine, bad picture!

My striking blue silk saree!

Then in comes BIL’s future wife for a ceremony.

All this while he changes into his wedding gear. He finally got a hair cut too! Nice change from his unshaved beard and big hair-do me thinks, lol. 

So this is the moment you lose your man single-hood eh? Ponders Sairah.

The brothers and an uncle from India

FIL, the handsome hubby, BIL, Uncle and BIL’s BIL

More relatives from India.

My baby’s bling coz we’re ghetto like that.

The bride and parents

Moments before they tie the thali and start their new journey

The close to 4-year old couple and their close to 1-year old child

Reception

The reception was held at the boys’ side in Ipoh so on Saturday my parents, baby and I headed there and we’re so grateful that traffic wasn’t that bad compared to what we were preparing ourselves for. Sairah’s daddy had left to Ipoh a few days earlier after the wedding to sort the necessary for the reception.

Sairah wore this GORGEOUS northern Indian lengha which my aunt bought from Hyderabad. I love it SOO much and only wished I could have matched my saree with her oufit.

She looks sooo beautiful! Like an Indian baby doll

Her daddy getting all geared up for his MC-ing job But I have to say he did an excellent job and looked so handsome that night Men in suit – always a turn on

Walk in by the new Mr and Mrs.

Entertainment for the night were from all the cousins from India who did an excellent job.

And Kavin made a funny speech revealing the groom’s dirtiest secrets that night. We all had a good laugh.

Oh hai, I should totally be a VJ. And a model.

Groom & Bride making a speech

Getting ready to dance with my baby girl. We changed her since she was fussing that night. Poor baby was not her usual self. I guess it was due to the loud music and huge crowd.

Group photo minus the newly weds.

With the handsome MC – I’m lucky like that

Sairah chasing around her fav cousin

And finally the MC was able to breathe a sigh of relief. All the chaos worked out well in the end.

And he obviously drank to that

Oops, it happened again.

The itch to buy yet another bag came back and I couldn’t resist myself. Afterall my 30th is just around the corner so I figured it would be nice to give myself the first gift

I was eyeing the Coach Kristin Peony Ombre Opt Art Hobo bag and consistently failed at winning it due to last second bids. Yes, I said last second coz there I went thinking I was about to win the damn bag and in the midst of doing my little damn victory dance, 1 second into the end time I got outbid!!!! They must have really fast internet connection me thinks! And mine just sucks.

So I came across this random bag and placed a bid on it BEFORE my trip to Bali not knowing that I would win it a few days later!! Luck or what???

It’s the Coach Daisy Siganture Nylon Tote Periwinkle and it’s a decently sized bag which is what I like in a bag.

Babysis says the bag is kinda blue and out there but I disagree because I don’t have that many colored bags in my cupboard. It helps that I’m obessesing over colored bags thesedays too.

Btw periwinkle is a color in the blue-violet family, like lavender blue.

(All photos courtesy of the ebay-seller)

It can be worn both ways: (Sorry, that ain’t me in the photo)

Love a sling bag because it’s most ideal when carrying a baby. Every mommie should have a sling bag! 

Spaciously decent! Reckon I could fit Sairah in and sling her around. This certainly is a FUN bag with its bright color.

Total retail price: USD248

Any guesses how much I got it for?

Express shipping is awesome – I got it in 3 days all the way from the States.

If there’s one thing I *think* I’m good at, it is definitely doing research Even before we embark on a trip, I’ll make sure I research well on the must-see and eat places and print it out. I plan ahead with an itinerary. Always. It may not necessarily materialize end of the day but at least I have some rough idea on what I’d like and should do when I’m in a new country.

Anyway I have NO idea how I came across the website of the villa we stayed in as it was already bookmarked on my laptop. Whatever it is, I”m SOOO glad we stayed here. You can read the EXCELLENT reviews on Tripadvisor too. The villa is actually located some 10 minutes away from Ubud Town. However, the hotel provides FREE transport into Ubud at any time. Since there are only 7 villas here (thus making it exclusive), getting a van out wasn’t a problem – it was readily available at all times. After you’re done with your shopping, they’ll even come and pick you up. All free of charge!! Transfer from and to the airport is also FREE. It’s the only hotel I know so far that includes all these excellent thoughtful services FOC. Oh and whatever you also see in the fridge is FREE

Here we are after a 1.5 hours journey – traffic was bad that day due to the cremation of the Ubud King.

I love the walk way heading to our villa. Was getting all eager to see the villa’s beauty.

The FIRST view of our 4-day home.

That’s right, it comes with our very own private pool. SWEET.

The comfy bed with one sleeping beauty on it.

Day bed

Yup doubled up as Sairah’s food storage area, lol

OUTDOOR shower!! And Sairah’s bathing tub She treated it like a mini baby pool.

Baby woke up from her slumber all happy with the villa.

Sairah-approved – the most important aspect of the trip

The hotel staff here are generally one of the best we’ve encountered in a long time. They are VERY accomodating and thoughtful. Extremely friendly and always making sure that you’re comfortable with your stay. Asked if we wanted a cot and never in a million years did I expect to see a cot that’s half the usual size, haha.

Balinese-style cot yo.

Sairah has been rolling her tongue alot lately. New trick!

Nah, can you see what’s up my nose woman?!

Of course the cot was only for show and worked as a play pen (a damn small one) as she slept with us on the bed.

I especially loved our breakfast area that overlooked the pool. Absolutely serene and peaceful. I also had a pedicure and massage done on that chair – how’s that for awesome service?!

And of course I’d be lying if I say I didn’t enjoy breakfast. It was literally unlimited until 12pm!! The stingy husband would order in a big plate of nasi goreng and bihun right before the strike of 12pm and have that as an early lunch. Then again, I’m pretty sure alot of people would have done this too Most likely, Malaysians

Tea time was also readily available from 1pm-7pm. Unlimited.

Baby girl sure as hell knows how to chill out

This was baby Sairah’s FIRST swim. I got the bikini for her when I was only two months pregnant in Phillipines. It finally came to good use.

All eager and ready to play with water!

She absolutely loved being in the water so we’re going to start teaching her how to swim from now on. But I”m not keen on seeing my pretty baby with a tan. She tans easily, lol.

We took the honeymoon package (I know i know – we’re like wayyyy past that!) that comprised of 2 massages AND a romantic candle-lit dinner in the villa.

Tea-light around the pool

Well-set table. It WAS indeed romantic except……..

Fried Lumpia – so damn good!

Grilled Chicken with Wedges

Chocolate cake with ice cream – Sairah’s fav!

Pretty romantic like I said except…….

We had one cheeky baby with us.

Oh-hai, here to disturb your romantic dinner. Aren’t you two too old for that now??!

And one uninvited guest that didn’t please the baby too much. Sairah’s a dog lover alll the way! Damn cat stole our breakfast and Sairah’s food!

So Baby, did you enjoy your stay here?

Yes maam and let’s make it 5 nights the next trip shall we?

Nefatari Exclusive Villa is indeed a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED villa if you want a place that’s value for money. It may not be the most high end villa around Ubud, but for a mere USD440 for a 3 night stay (coupled with all the other value added services), this is indeed the BEST villa to consider that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

I should know, coz I did the research

17 August 2011 – 21 August 2011

We finally did it. We took our 11 month old baby to BALI last week for her FIRST holiday.

I was nervous and excited before our family trip. Nervous because I wasn’t sure how our baby would react to a 3 hour flight. Nervous because I had to make sure we had packed everything she would need without missing a single thing out.  Thank God everything went smoothly both ways. Feeding baby a BIG bottle of milk as we took off helped alot.  We brought some books and toys to keep her entertained though she was a little restless.  The flight out was much easier as we took the earliest flight - she slept througout the entire journey making it easy for mommy

Sairah’s grandma and grandpa drove us to the airport last Wednesday. Grandpa actually missed a turning into LCCT and it literally took us 30mins finding the damn way back to the airport thanks to our crap sign boards. I really thought we were gonna miss our flight but luckily, we made it in the nick of time. My poor dad felt sooo bad about missing the turn but how many parents are this nice to drop their grown up buffaloes kids and grandchild to the airport aye

After 2 hours and 40 minutes we arrived with a HAPPY baby to Bali.

Since we arrived in the evening, we spent the night in a bed and breakfast  in Kuta before we transfered out the next day to an awesome private villa (but more on that later) in Ubud.

Baby Sairah spent some time walking around the streets of Kuta with her daddy the next morning.

While mommy did some shopping for herself And for baby of course.

Eagerly waiting for our transport to arrive. 

The transfer to Ubud took about 1 hour plus. Traffic in Kuta according to our driver has become horrible. I don’t remember it being this way the last time we were there. But I still love Bali very much that we’re making Bali an annual trip every year :lol:

After checking in into our gorgeous villa, we decided to walk around Ubud. First stop was to Cafe Wayan & Bakery which was a truly amazing cafe with lush greenery.

I really love the way the dining area is soo traditional and huge so baby can shuffle around and do her thing

Went banana juice crazy througout the trip.

We just walked around that area until our pick up came.

Then on Friday we had to go back to Kuta because someone left his damn glasses in the previous hotel. So it was a gruelling 2 hour journey back to Kuta and another 1.5 hours back to Ubud. But since we didn’t have a choice, we decided to make the best of it.

All set for Kuta mom, do I look pwettie?

SILLY DADDY

@ a Cafe in Matahari Mall

Oh hi mom, can I place my order now please?!

Best banana pancake ever!

Though this is our third time to Bali (BALI ROCKS!), this was our first time to Jimbaran to experience the sunset and it’s fresh seafood.

The beach isn’t the cleanest or the best around Bali…..

But it sure gives a good sunset view.

Even Baby Sairah approves

We had yummy Ikan Bakar with rice, some vegs and juices that cost us less than RM40. A little note  however is to be careful with your orders as waiters tend to be a little pushy. Since prices go by the gram, always let them know the exact quantity you want. Lia Cafe is a good option to eat in as they are the cheapest among the restaurants there.

Then on Saturday, we decided to explore Ubud a little more.

All ready for Ubud market maam.

But not before making a customary supermarket stop

Her gorgeous halter dress was actually bought in Bali last year by my bestie Wylane. And to think Sairah wore it here :D  

Mommy and Baby cam-whoring in a restaurant.

@ Ubud Market

REALLY love this photo of her, she looks sooo cheeky. My cheeky monkey!

What?! DVD are only RM5 here?? Load up on Baby Einstein series will ya?

One last shot outside the market.

Cheeky lil baby all set for bed before her early flight out.

Do I have to sleep now?

As much as it’s not easy travelling with a baby around, I’m glad I got to bring Sairah on this trip.  As a mother, it’s amazing to see my baby girl explore and adapt to her new surroundings. She was a happy baby throughout the trip. It made us bond, showed that we work well as a unit even when thrown into a new environment. We’re soo proud of our little one.

Now I look forward to many more trips with her.

And this is also the last trip for this year. MEHHH!

A good busy weekend certainly goes by quickly

I really have to show off  Sairah’s outfit that she wore to Mid Valley on our outing on Friday. I shipped  this in from the US recently and only paid less than RM50. It’s a gorgeous long tunic top (which can also double up as a dress) that comes with the cutest looking pink leggings.  I love it coz it’s soooo vibrant and has a touch of ’salsa’ feel to it. It really screams TGIF in any case

I look super girly today mommie.

But sometimes I can’t help by being a total rebel.

Ok I took off the damn headband, what YOU gonna do about it, whatttt?!

The top is a little loose (this is afterall meant for a 12 month old baby) hence the straps were falling though I do think the off-shoulder look is even nicer

The customized crotchet headband that I got online goes really well and matches her outfit. 

Then on Saturday, we were up early for a mission: to get our baby’s passport sorted once and for all!!  Though we Malaysians are not really known for our efficiency, our Immigration Department has indeed come a LONG way! We got her passport done in under 2 hours.

For starters, they have a special counter for old /disabled folks, pregnant women and babies @ Counter 9. Thoughtful much? Why yes. You have to fill up the form, pass either mom or dad’s photocopy IC, together with a copy of baby’s birth cert ( don’t forget to bring the originals too) followed by 2 passport size photos of the lil one, like so:

Isn’t this the cutest mug shot ever??! 

Yea so I had a few shots of milk earlier officer- is that going to be a problem??!

It’s ME!

And this is what I have to say about mom trying to teach me colors and objects. In public.

Even though we got there a little after 10 a.m (tried waking up earlier but just FAILED), we were attended to in less than 30 minutes after taking a number and filing up the necessary forms. I reckon it would be even faster if there were less old folks and babies around but given the fact that it was a Saturday – a day that most Malaysians choose to run errands, it was considered fast.

Is it our turn yet daddiee?

Application process was done in a jiffy. Either dad or mom signs off the form followed by a thumb print taking full responsibility over baby’s passport. We had to wait for our number to be called again in order to make a RM150 payment for her 5-year long passport. We were then told to come back in one hour to collect it.

After killing sometime eating and shopping at the nearby supermarket, we got to the collection counter, not before the officer shouting out for Sairah because they recognized her from the photo and were eager to meet her,  lol. Babies also need  to be present during passport collection.

Collection done, and we were out of there by 12pm! Efficient much? Of course a friend had to state that she got hers done in less than 5 minutes in Singapore and quite ruin the glorious moment. We’re not in SG now are we damnit??!!

What the heck is this red book about? Is that woman still trying to teach me red objects?

Oops, iz my passport mommie. YAY, does this mean we’re going on a holiday soon??! *promise to be on my bestest best behavior*

Then later that night, the cousins came over for a little get together. Been a while since we had one of those!

Some yummy Mojito to wash down the thirsty throats

Lots of local food bought at the Ramadhan bazaar. Poor husband went in the rain to get this!

Just thankful

Psst, I got myself a new BB recently whispers the sis.

And I just quit my highly stressed job says the gigolo Roshan dropping a huge bomb. Who needs cheap labor? The boy needs the $ to pay off his bills.

The awesome baked pasta that I made Think I might have perfected a yummy cream sauce recipe coined by yours truly :D  Need to make it on more time before I publish the recipe here and give it a funky name immortalizing moi

See all gone. I still suck at getting the breadcrumbs fully cooked since it tends to get super brown quick. Tips anyone?

The mille crepe cake redemeed from JackCow. Only RM40 instead of RM80 But no where close to the yummy crepes we had in Malacca.

Sairah and her fav uncle – got him wrapped around her lil fingers.

Good weekend. Now I look forward to this coming weekend