Happy 5th Birthday, Ahmad Afiq Hilmy

I'm so happy....I'm floating!!!

A special pose from Apit...

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY APIT....

AYAH, IBU, ALONG & AIN LOVE YOU...

EVERYBODY LOVES YOU...

BE HAPPY AND KEEP SMILING...

MAY YOU GROW UP TO BE A SOLIHIIN...

Geng Bas Sekolah (GBS)

Geng Bas Sekolah

The Kids started their new school year on today.... with the addition of another member of their GBS..... Apit.

Today is the real acid test for Apit.....his full day at school (Ramadhan timing for the school is 830am to 1030am for KGs an 830am to 130pm for the other grades).

It's quite a labour waking him up in the morning for the early morning shower....(now I know how Mak felt then.... about 30 years ago). I had to practically carry him down from the bed....stood him up.... took off his night clothes and ushered him into the bathroom. I brushed his teeth.... bathed him.... helped him put his school uniform on.... and combed his hair..... By then.... his engine was already warmed up....

The above photo was taken right before we sent them down to the waiting school bus.... see the huge grin on Apit face? That means his ready to take on the day.

GBS... about to get on the bus

Deep in my heart, there was still some doubts that Apit would "survive" the day.... considering that he has never been away from us... his family... with total strangers.

Apit and Along in the bus

So, after they got on the bus, we followed them in the car. We arrived at the school much earlier than the bus. We watch from afar.... one by one, the children got off the bus.... then, we say Apit... still grinning.... Ms Eileen, the Phillipino helper, took his hand and took him to the class. She's also Apit's class helper.
In the class, he seemed lost... and actually, so were all the KG kids inside.... Then, we saw that he was given something to do....such as coloring, educational toys etc.
We left Apit to check on the girls....his sisters. They didn't seem to have any problem because almost all the kids in their classes were their friends from last year. They are big girls now....and they can take care of themselves.
We left the school to buy some groceries.....
At 1030am we went back to fetch Apit. He was still grinning...hehehe.... We guess he had enjoyed his first day at school....
He told of his teacher Ms Meneka, telling them a story about a mouse/rat with a strawberry... hehehe.... Well, we weren't in the class...so we didn't know whether it's true or not.... and how Apit understood his teacher...(he doesn't understand English very well.... at 4 1/2 years old, what do you expect?). But we assume that what he told us was true.... because he was enjoying it.
Before we went back... Apit got his wishes.... to play at the KG playground. We let him play for a few minutes....but just as he's beginning to enter into his "Pushka-pushka" mode, we called him in and drove back.
We told him that tomorrow (and onwards), he will have to stay back a little longer as Ayah and Ibu won't be fetching him at school at 1030am... "Ayah nak pegi Egypt".... So he has to go back with his sisters at 130pm.
I hope... We hope... and pray that Apit will do OK.....
Just enjoy your days at school, learn new things, make new friends.... Ayah, Ibu, Along and Ain will always be there for you.

Apit at the school (1st Sept, 2009)

Today is Apit's orientation day at Raffles IS..... We have all been waiting for this day..... Another big step for my little boy.....I woke him up early....bathed him.... and put on the KG uniform on him..... He looked really sharp...smiling all the way down to the car.

We registered.... they took Apit's photo for the ID Card. Then we took Apit to his class....met Ms Meneka, his KG class teacher and Ms Eileen the class assistant.

We left him in the class.... he was busy coloring.... We went to the Uniform and Book stores to buy uniform and books for the new year. His ibu fetched Apit at the class.... seemed like he was enjoying himself the first day.... alhamdulillah.

Well, the true test will be next week..... the first few days of school.... Here's hoping that he will do all right....

To Apit, Ayah, Ibu, Along and Ain hope you will do well in school....and you will always have our supports.... You can count on us....

One Small Step

Today.....I took a half-day leave......

First thing in the morning....woke up Apit, helped him in the shower and helped him put his clothes on.....Today's a big day for Apit....He has an interview at Raffles IS.....for KG next September.

He was actually "ice-cool"..... no panic attacks, no frowns.... he just took the teacher's hand and followed her somewhere for the interview.

Read HERE for reports from his Ibu.....

It's a small step for a boy....but a big step for us as parents..... Now we will be parents of school-going kids.....all three of them.

Epi DeBay Apit

19th November 2004......one of the happiest and proudest days of my life......the birth of my one and only son.....Ahmad Afiq Hilmy aka Apit.

One of the happiest and proudest moments of my life

At the Putrajaya Hospital...his first few days....

The interesting thing was that we knew the exact date of his birthday.....the doctor at the Putrajaya Hospital set that date for the Ceasarian Section, through which Apit was born....just like his two elder sisters.

That was 4 years ago.....he is pretty much a big boy now.....a hand-full though but youshould expect that from a boy like apit.

He reminds me of someone.....Yours Truly!!!.....from eating raw Milo to the Combat games.....from Tom and Jerry to the Transformers to the Incredible Hulk......only that I didn't have Power Rangers when I was growing up......

And he also doesn't seem to have any problem taking a long walk....in fact, he likes walking judging by his body language.

He also adapts well to this different environment (in Dubai).....just like his father...hehehe....

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Rewind back to 4 years ago.....

I was waiting anxiously in the waiting room near the Operating Theatre.....when suddenly I heard this very loud cry.....I thought to myself....it had to be a boy.....The nurse wheeled him out and she opened the blanket.....There it was....a penis (hehe)....and I muttered "Alhamdulillah"....Praise be To Allah.....our prayers had been answered. We had a healthy baby boy. I conveyed the good news to my parents-in-law.....but not before I recited the Adzan in his right ear and the Iqamah in his left ear. Then, I called my parents who were waiting anxiously at home in Kota.

Unfortunately, he had a serious case of jaundice....we had to let him stay at the PICU for a few days before we were able to bring him home......

He was our center of attention.....especially to his sisters....They enjoyed having a small baby to play with......It was a joy watching him grew....and it still is now.....

But, just like any other child growing up.....he's not without any mischief or any unfortunate events associated with him....

* Once, he was locked inside the car when we were stopping at the Gunung Semanggol RnR on our way back from a family vacation.....It was actually self-inflicted....he locked himself in.....It took us almost an hour to get him out....with the help of some good samaritans nd the PLUS people.

* He also had this nasty cut on his brows. He head hit our coffee table table when he fell down while eating some snacks......

* Then he had this severe chicken-pox.....his body was full of those red, itchy, fluid-filled spots....What an unpleasent experience for a small kid.

* Another thing was that he only stop breast-feeding at the age of 3+ we were already in Dubai by then)....which really annoyed me and his mother as well...hehehe....

We held a big kenduri when we had his head shaved (majlis cukur jambul)....It's as a sign of my gratefulness to Allah for granting us our wishes......We slaughtered a cattle....it was really a big affair....just like a wedding reception.....And we did it "kampung style".....almost all the neighbours lent their hands......

A bald-headed Apit....after the kenduri

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Fast forward...4 years later today.....

A big little boy, with an emotion of his own....hehehe.....sensitive, independent, active and a hand-full but still need his mother's cuddling at night.....

Yes.....an MU fan in the making

He has also started to wear the Manchester United jersey that I bought for him for his 2nd birthday.....I'm going to make him an MU fan...like his father, that's for sure.

And to Apit......Have a Great 4th Birthday....I love you....We all love you.....

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PS: Here are some collages of Apit throughout the years (4 years exactly).....enjoy....!!!

Apit: Year 0

Apit: Year 1

Apit: Year 2

Apit: Year 3

Apit: Year 4