Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité

Day and Night Potty Trained Checked!

Finally!!

As I wrote on the previous post about Langit’s potty training, it’s quite unexpectable that a month later we could do the rest of her training. At first, I thought she might be better mastering the half day training first.

Last Sunday was the beginning when we went outside and the baby had to wear her diaper since we’re quite moving and it was quite difficult to find a proper toilet. Arrived home, had her last meal, and took a bath, the idea came up.

I thought she had been using the diaper all day long, wearing it again for the night might bring her back to the comfort zone. Well okay, not only her, me too. So, off we go without the safety belt for the first time at night.

We always have dinner before maghrib so after that we can be ready for bedtime. No baby’s stuff after maghrib is my golden rule. After maghrib is my resting time. She can’t eat and drink too much anymore after maghrib. That night, since she had been going around all day, it made her tired enough already. So, after maghrib, almost no energy left with her and she has an early night sleep.

She slept on her usual place and I put the plastic cover sheet just in case she peed during the sleep. Woke up at 4.30 as usual, all was dried. Yipppi!!

The first thing to do when she woke up was bring her to the bathroom and she peed happily. Pretty much. The next day was even easier.

It turns out that night potty training is easier than the day. As long as the fluid intake is limited before bedtime, make her last pee before climbing to the bed, accident could be avoided. It’s almost a week and she has been going through the whole night safely. Even in the day, accidents still happen sometimes.

We now can go outside without diaper if we know where she can pee comfortably or we know the length of time being outside.

In my potty training experience, I use no other helping stuff such as cloth diaper, training pants, or the small portable potty.  It works better, faster, and more efficient without those things for a lazy person like me. Simply drag the baby to the bathroom whenever she wants to pee or poo. If accidents happen,  just clean the spot and the pants, then change it to the new one.

I used a long or oversize shirt without any pants at the beginning of the training. It helped a lot reducing pants to be washed since accidents happened still quite often. It also helped the baby a lot. Why? Because when she had no pants, she was able to say when she felt the urge. When she had the pants on her, she thought and felt something was there to catch her pee or poo, so she just went on peeing and pooing there. Maybe after two weeks, she had her pants back. It also trained her to wear on and off the pants by herself.

It feels good being free from something addictive. Feels even better knowing it’s accomplished within the time limit. So we can move on to other big things.
Congrats, baby girl!

You too, my dear self. Good job.

Posted in Thoughts

Berat dan Serius

Tumben.

Pake bahasa Indonesia dan sama sekali bukan review.

Berapa hari belakangan ini ada sesuatu yang mengusik hati. Jadi sering ngomong ke diri sendiri. Gabungan antara marah, kesian, dan ngga abis pikir.

Berawal dari suatu pernyataan di salah satu media sosial yang menuliskan bahwa ngga masuk akal orang yang rela ngeluarin uang,waktu, tenaga cuma untuk melakukan suatu ritual yang satu-satunya ‘manfaat’ yang didapat atau lebih tepatnya dijanjikan adalah pahala.

Hal yang lebih absurd lagi menurut dia, yang mana balasan atau manfaat itu sama sekali ngga terlihat dan hanya bisa ‘dilihat’setelah mati. Dia menuliskan semua dalam bahasa Inggris dan dia gunakan kata ‘shit’ untuk merujuk semua hal di atas. Stupid people believe to this shit.

Hmm. 
Saya bukan tipe yang suka ngomentarin orang kecuali emang perlu dan menarik. Tapi, pernyataan seperti tadi benar-benar mengusik akal, hati, dan tangan. Akhirnya tergerak untuk komentar. 

Saya tau ini akan sensitif. Dan bener aja, jawaban dan tanggapan dari pertanyaan dan pernyataan saya dibalas dengan galak.

Sebenernya, saya ngga tertarik untuk campurin apa yang orang percaya. Makanya saya sempet telusuri dulu yang ngomong ini siapa. Diliat dari nama, punya marga batak Islam. Setau saya hampir semua batak dengan marga itu muslim.Makanya saya pengen nanya.

Saya nanya udah pernah ke tempat suci itu atau melakukan rukun yang kelima apa belum. Dia jawab sudah dan ngga tertarik untuk melakukan yang kelima. Saya bilang lagi, ngga apa-apa kalo ngga tertarik, tapi bilang menolol-nololkan orang yang percaya itu, dan dengan ‘sok taunya’ bilang yang didapat cuma pahala setelah mati, buat saya itu kurang pantes. Saya bilang bahwa dia mungkin ngga paham lebih dari sekedar itu.

Orang ini membalas dengan kerap mengulang satu kata ‘shit’ ini dan itu. Akhirnya, setelah dua kali, saya putuskan berhenti karena tau, ngga ada gunanya bicara sama yang kaya gini.

Saya jadi nanya ke diri sendiri. Kenapa musti komentar dari awal?

Sebel karena yang saya percaya diejek? Mungkin.

Saya ngga ada masalah dengan agama dan kepercayaan orang lain. Saya punya sahabat-sahabat deket non muslim dari SMA, yang beneran deket, punya murid-murid non-muslim yang saya sayang banget, dan setahun tinggal dalam satu kamar sama orang atheis yang saya suka banget karena baiknya. Semua tanpa saya peduli apa agamanya dan karena memang hubungan yang terjalin sama sekali ngga menyangkut agama.

Saya pun ngga bilang kalo yang saya percaya paling bener dan semua yang ngga percaya itu bodoh dan berhak saya cap sepertu itu. Mungkin ini yang buat saya tergerak buat nanggepin. Sebelum saya ngetik tanggepan saya, bener-bener saya pikir berulang kali, apa perlu, apa bener, apa pantes, dan sebagainya. 

Saya ngga suka juga beragumen dengan sesuatu yang ilmu saya juga ngga tinggi, lebih lagi menyangkut sesuatu yang orang masing-masing percaya. Males lah ya ngusik-ngusik yang hati orang percaya selama ngga nyakitin orang.

Saya mutuskan ngga memperpanjang karena ngeliat ngga akan menyenangkan buat diterusin. Tapi, saya pengen sekali ngeluarin yang saya pikir disini.

Buat saya, akal manusia itu terbatas. Sangat-sangat terbatas. Banyak hal yang terjadi dalam hidup saya selama tiga puluh tahun lebih itu diluar kalkulasi akal saya. Saya percaya, ada kekuatan lain yang lebih besar yang menggerakan semua hal baik  yang terjadi pada saya.

Terus hal yang buruk? Saya percaya, sesuatu yang buruk itu adalah gabungan dari kelalaian kita sendiri dan sisanya takdir. Hal tersebut ada untuk kita  belajar dan jadi orang yang lebih baik. Buat nemuin diri kita sendiri juga, bahwa ternyata kita lebih kuat dari yang kita tau. Dan setelahnya jadi manusia yang lebih berserah, lebih tau diri kalo kita ya emang bukan siapa-siapa, bukannya jadi lebih angkuh. 

Salah satu contoh, waktu hamil dan melahirkan Langit. Dari hamil itu hasil tes darah dengan d-dimer tinggi, udah minum obat untuk nurunin, suntik obat, tapi hasilnya ngga ngaruh banyak, sampe 8 bulan posisi bayi pun masih melintang, semua hal dan bukti yang bisa dilihat dengan kepala, mata dan akal manusia sudah merujuk ke oprasi sesar untuk melahirkan. Belom lagi ditambah badan kecil dan panggul sempit. Udah lah, hampir pasti sesar.

Tapi, hati saya ngga sepenuhnya nerima itu. Saya punya banyak (sekali) kekhwatiran yang buka sekedar soal materi. Kalo kebanyakan dipikir dengan akal, bisa meledak otak saya. Saya dan suami punya cukup tabungan untuk sesar pada waktu itu, biarpun suami lagi spesialis yang biaya juga ngga murah (sama sekali). Tapi, saya udah niat, punya anak itu keputusan dan tanggung jawab berdua, jadi ngga boleh ngharepin orang lain, lepas dari apa yang sedang kita hadapin.

Masih kebayang sih gundahnya saya tiap kontrol ke obgyn tiap bulan. Ngga ngerti juga itu d-dimer tinggi kenapa. Saya sih ngerasanya sehat-sehat aja ya. Saya masih kerja sampe sehari sebelum melahirkan. Kerja di dua tempat, jalan sendiri naik taksi ke yang jauh dan jalan kaki ke yang deket. Masih belanja ke pasar tradisional di bulan ke 9. Masih bisa ngerjain urusan rumah juga. Naik turun tangga juga ya biarpun berat ya dikerjain aja.

Saya sudah ngikutin semua yang dokter anjurin, obat, suntik, dan lain-lain, makan pun ngga pernah sembarangan, udah ngga kehitung berapa banyak artikel yang saya baca tentang nurunin, resiko dan akibat d-dimer tinggi. Udah nyeret kaki pergi ke RS sendiri berapa kali cuma buat cek d-dimer, ga peduli betapa takut dan bencinya saya disuntik, dan berkali-kali kok ngga turun secara signifikan. Frustasi. Tapi, itu semua hal konkrit sebatas yang akal saya bisa pikirkan dan usahakan.

Tapi, karena saya selalu percaya ada yang lebih besar dari akal sempit saya, saya kerjakan hal lain yang tentunya saya harapkan bisa meringankan sedikit beban saya. Tiap solat saya minta untuk dikasih jalan yang terbaik. Apapun yang dipilihkan, berikan yang terbaik yang mampu saya hadapi. Saya percaya banget, tanpa saya sebutkan gamblang, Allah tau semua kekhawatiran saya, tau mana yang saya lebih pilih. Maka itu, saya mintanya jalan yang terbaik, bukan minta dan ngatur sesuai yang saya mau.

Almarhum nenek saya pesan untuk baca Yasin tiap malam jumat. Saya ikutin, biarpun ya jujur aja, ngelawan rasa malas itu berat banget. Tapi, bersyukur banget ngikutin saran nenek saya, akhirnya sampai sekarang tiap malam jumat jadi rutin yang ngga boleh ditawar kecuali emang lagi haid.

Saya inget terakhir ke obgyn hari selasa, dan pas dicek, posisi bayi udah turun. Jadi tinggal tunggu waktu aja. Dua mingguan lagi karena masih minggu 37. Tapi, hari selasa dokternya ngomong gitu, rabu siang saya mulai mules. Kirain mules biasa aja. Kamis pagi makin mules. Abis zuhur, kaya ada flek sedikit. Trus nelpon rumah sakit mau daftar buat kontrol selasa depan, iseng nanya tandanya apa kalo udah harus ke rs.

Bilang mules dari kemarin tapi hilang timbul, barusan keluar flek, trus akhirnya disuruh dateng dulu cek aja. Boleh pulang lagi nanti. Setengah dua siang sampe, masuk UGD, dicek ternyata udah bukaan tiga. Kata dokter IGD tengah malam atau besok pagi kemungkinan. Dokternya juga baca hasil tes darah saya dan liat d-dimer yang tinggi dan komentar tentang lahir lewat oprasi. Saya agak shock sendiri lah kok cepet bener. Orang tadi siang niatnya cuma mau daftar kontrol dan iseng nanya.

Pindah ke ruangan jam empat kurang. Dokter obgynnya dateng dan cek udah bukaan lima. Dia bilang kemungkinan jam 9-10. Makin shock lagi kok malah tambah cepet. Jam lima kurang dicek lagi bukaan tujuh, setengah enam ketuban pecah, dicek bukaan sepuluh. 
Maghrib, kamis malam jumat, saya masuk ke ruang bersalin untuk melahirkan normal. Bukan ruang operasi. Setengah ngga percaya saya benar-benar akan melahirkan saat itu juga. Di hari jadwal rutin saya baca Yasin setiap malamnya. Di hari yang paling baik dalam Islam.

Dokter obgyn saya itu Profesor, sekaligus pemilik rumah sakit, yang pasiennya banyak. Ngga mungkin bantu saya melahirkan jadi pake dokter pengganti, yang ternyata menantunya dan juga kakak kelas suami saya. 

Saya masuk ruang bersalin jam 18.00, Langit lahir jam 19.35. Berkat sedikit kurang pinter saya ngeden jadi agak lama. Bisa lebih cepet kalo saya lebih pinter dikit😑.

Saya masuk jam setengah dua siang dan melahirkan jam setengah delapan malamnya. Enam jam. Ngga kehitung banyaknya blog orang yang saya baca nunggu bukaan naik itu bisa berhari-hari bahkan berminggu dan berujung dengan oprasi.

Saya siapkan uang dua puluh sekian juta untuk biaya melahirkan sesar dengan kamar yang nyaman sesuai paket yang ditawarkan rumah sakit. Hari ketiga saya pulang, dan berdiri di kasir, lihat tagihan. Total tagihan yang tertulis : kurang lebih hanya sepertiga dari yang kami siapkan. Semua biaya pada hari H, dokter obgyn, anak, anastesi, sampai kamar bersalin jumlahnya 0 rupiah.

Nol rupiah. Bahkan paket melahirkan normal tiga hari dengan kamar yang lebih bawah, di rumah sakit yang seoke itu ngga akan semurah itu.

Semua hal yang diatas, masih bisa cuma dipikir sama akal manusia yang dangkal? Masih bisa sekedar dibilang ya kebetulan aja dikasih cepat, gampang, dan murah.

Dengan lantang saya bilang : TIDAK.

Sungguh ngga. Ngga akan sampe dan sanggup akal kita mikir sampe sejauh itu dan bisa mengatur semua hal sedetil itu jadi kenyataan.

Makanya, kenapa saya sangat terganggu sama pernyataan orang di atas. Manusia yang cuma ngandelin otak dan ngerasa pinter sampe keblinger. Menaruh akal di atas semua. Lupa kalau matematikanya Tuhan ngga sama dengan matematikanya manusia. Apapun kepercayaan yang dianut.
Sampai bisa dengan lantang bilang (sombong buat saya), betapa bodohnya orang-orang yang percaya untuk bersusah-susah demi pahala yang juga ngga jelas didapetnya apa dan kapan.

Duh.

Pernyataan lain dari orang itu sempet muncul lagi, kali ini ini dia merujuk Al-Quran sebagai ‘the f*ck*ng book’ karena baca berita tentang hukuman rajam buat orang yang berzina di suatu negara.

Fiuh. Manusia dengan segala kepinteran otaknya. Keringetan dan kesian saya bacanya😓.

Jadi atheis atau berbeda kepercayaan sih hak asasi. Tapi mengeluarkan penyataan dan merujuk hal-hal sakral kaya gitu buat saya sampah. 

Pada akhirnya manusia emang butuh sesuatu untuk ‘dipegang’ dan ‘dipercaya’ buat jalanin hidup, apapun itu. Termasuk saya dan orang itu. 

Saya ngga akan ceramah panjang lebar. Cuma bisa dan mau berharap, semoga saya (dan keluarga saya) ngga akan pernah sampai menuhankan akal di atas segalanya. Semoga hati senantiasa dilembutkan dan dibukakan untuk melihat lebih banyak dan lebih dalam dari apa yang kedua mata tangkap. 

Beban hidup terlalu berat kalo cuma ngandelin diri sendiri yang kalo kelingking ngga sengaja kejepit pintu aja semua badan meriang.  Kita bukan apa-apa dan siapa-siapa tanpa semua yang dititipkan oleh Pemberi Hidup. Dicolek dikit juga bisa hilang kapan pun, dengan cara apapun.

Cuma selalu berharap, semoga Allah selalu ridho dalam setiap langkah sampai waktunya kembali. Sesulit atau sebahagia apapun hidup yang dijalani. 

Amin. Amin. Amin.

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité

Full Day (Almost Night) Potty Training

Taking care this baby alone teaches me that I am not as strong as I think I am. Not strong enough to beat my anger, not strong enough to be more patient, not strong enough to beat the laziness.

Thankfully, those bad things could be covered with one good news. I am sure I am not ignorant. Despite being lazy, it won’t stop me from doing something that I think is important enough.

Potty training has been on my head for quite some times. I planned to start it after she’s turning two. But again, it takes a strong will to drag me out of the comfort zone (using diaper, I mean). Keep postponing the plan until I don’t know when. My laziness won a lot.

One Wednesday when my aunt said something about teaching the baby to pee and poo in the right place bothered me. Langit is now 27 months already. I have limit before that I want her to be potty trained before she turns 30 months.

It was a week where I had no one to be taken care of beside the baby. My father was on a trip and le husband had his shift. So, the very next day, the potty training officially began.

With this, I prepared everything like changing the lower folding mattress with tikar, covered the couch with perlak. 

The first day was a quite disaster, as expected. Five times cleaning the pee, and once for poo. It was Thursday and I had my fasting. Since I knew that accidents would be unavoidable, I was with my full tank of patience.

But, it didn’t make the training less tiring. Cleaning the pee and poo weren’t everything. Here, we have to teach the baby how to tell us when she felt the urge to pee and poo. So, every certain time, we put the baby on the toilet and tell her to pee. Mostly pee. No single attempt was perfectly done on the first day. 

I had a battle in the evening whether to do this directly day and night or just doing the day one first. Finally, I decided to do the day first. Like office hours 7-5. So, Langit has been without her diaper start after the morning bath and wear it after her afternoon bath until morning.

The second day was the time when I almost gave up. Haha! The second day and I had thought about giving up already, thinking the baby wasn’t ready yet. I had hold a diaper on my hand and ready to put it on. Then, the baby suddenly said,”pipis,” and I hurriedly bring her to the toilet, then..

She did it!!!!

I was too happy. She did it!! You didn’t know how a little thing like watching your baby doing pee for the first time in a proper place could make a mother being so happy.

Then, did it mean a victory?

Of course not.

On the second day, accidents still happened with less numbers. Only twice happened for pee and none for poo. None means she didn’t poo at all during the time without diaper.  

The day after the second , felt a lot easier. She’s getting better and better in telling us whenever she wants to pee. Until now, for pee, it’s been almost zero accident. Whenever she is in the toilet, she does pee happily😄.

We skip using potty. For me, it’s not an effective way for a toddler. It makes double job also for me. Cleaning the potty everytime she is doing pee or poo is burdensome.

I was doing a lot of reading related to this. Both domestic and foreign articles. One of the reasons I almost gave up on the second day was one of the articles that said if the baby wasn’t ready, it would be better to wait. A story from a mother said it took her months until the baby passed the potty training, which I found it scary.

It is obligatory to fully stay at home for the first few days of the training. Both of us stayed for the first five days. We went out for pediatrician visit on the sixth day. 

Was it with or without the safety belt?

I decided to be a bit bold by using NO DIAPER for the firsr time outside. After pediatrician visit, we stopped by the nearest mall for a quick lunch also. Then, we went home.

Result? We safely arrived at home without any accidents.

Since morning, I had arranged her fluid intake and made her pee twice or thrice. Right before we left, she did her pee quite much. Then, right after we arrived home, she did it again. I assumed she had started knowing how to hold the urge.

Until today, two weeks after the first day of training, we have been having almost a week without pee accidents anymore. Poo? We just had it yesterday. The second poo accident after one in the first day.

A surprise came this morning when I found her diaper was totally dry a whole night. Maybe, we should proceed to the night training as well. Just maybe for now. Let’s see for more evidence.

Usually, I ask her to go to the toilet around thirty minutes after she takes any drinks. Sometimes she does it and sometimes she doesn’t. For these few days, it’s been much easier because she now tells us when she feels like to do it.

An article said that potty training is a big milestone. Not only for the baby, but also the mother or parents. I totally agree with this.

I couldn’t express how happy I have been whenever she’s doing her pee on the toilet. It’s a big achievement for me. I take potty training more seriously than weaning. For me, weaning will be done naturally. Or so I believe.

So, happy 27th month without diaper, baby girl! 

Enjoy your presents 🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦!

Posted in Favorite things, Langit Senja

First Duet : Moon River

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We love the everlasting Moon River a lot. I used to play it alone and having duet with le husband, piano and guitar. 

This song is also one that being sung a lot to Langit to put her to sleep. I remembered one day, around last month, she surprised me by singing the first phrase with a perfect tune. She sang ‘Moon River’ with her own mouth along with the correct melody. 

Since then, she’s been caught several times humming the song. It makes us singing the song often. Little by little, she starts gaining more words. It’s both hilarious and heart-warming😁.

Today, I accidentally want to play this one and thought about recording it. Surprisingly, it worked. She played some random high pitch tune and it turned out to be okay. Haha. Not perfect bien sur, but I really enjoy the result. Yeah, I don’t have high standard.

Thank you for such a beautiful piece that lives through generation, Mr. Sinatra.

We apologize for the bad cover.

Posted in Past learning, Thoughts

A Greeting

To the one I owe every good things I have and I become of,

To the one whose hard works and kindnesses I could never repay,

To the one who set a standard about what, when, how, and why important things one should achieve in life,

To the one whose presence touched so many people,

To the one whose words were often hard, yet very rarely wrong,

To the one whose mind and money always went to others but herself,

To the one whose absence will always forever be mourned,

Joyeaux anniversaire, Madame Salma.

For showing us clearly and boldly how one should live and more importantly, how one wishes to return,
I could never thank you enough.
Merci beaucoup.

Bissoux,

Ta fille.

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité

Extended Breastfeeding

After this breastfeeding journey, it turns out the breastfeeding adventure still keep going after two years. Why?

Hm, why not?

Before saying why not, I have tried several ways to wean peacefully. But, it didn’t work and it was quite understandable since I am practically at home most of the time. 

After some times, rather than trying hard to push the baby to stop breastfeeding, I chose to find some references about extended breastfeeding. The result shown, either from medical and religious perspective, there is no harm of doing extended breastfeesding and it is allowed to do so, as long as both mother and baby are having no objection to that.

My sister in law whose daughter is at the same age with Langit has succesfully done with weaning, with some dramas. Facing the crying, tantrum for several days to a week. I don’t think I could go through such thing, for the sake of my sanity. I don’t have any stuntmans available daily to cover me dealing with such things and days of unnecessary dramas. 

Or, am I just lazy? Well, maybe. Don’t mind to be called lazy since it is not wrong too😌

Thus, with these references and experience, I decide to let this weaning process be done naturally. She actually doesn’t do this much anymore. No longer doing it while we’re going out, even several nights she goes to sleep without breastfeeding. 

On the 27th month, her verbal skill has been improved so much. Counting in bahasa and English, one to ten in bahasa, one to twenty in English, naming things and colors, remembering family names, singing her favorite children songs, and surprisingly singing one she heard often from her parents like Frank Sinatra’s Moon River. Grandpa Sinatra must be very proud.

She’s on the way for a complete Al-fatihah and parents pray which she constantly asked being recited after shalat.

These two years, I have been given almost all ideal things in this motherhood jungle. Vaginal birth with IMD, with a very quick process, a complete breastfeeding without having any single drop of formula until now, feeding the baby with home-cooked meal and not once (yet) she’s having any instant baby food, a baby who eats well and doesn’t let me experience even once, the thing called GTM.

I have a freedom to choose being a stay at home mother with a flexible part-time job, with a workplace within walking distance, a healthy baby who,until I write this post, hasn’t once tasted any medecines, even for fever or cough. Too much to be counted all blessing we have for these years. 

When you’ve been given so much more than what you need, it should go without saying to return the favour more than what you asked for.

Two years is the time asked for in breastfeeding. I hope doing the extended breastfeeding also extend the blessing and all goodness for the baby’s physical and mental health in the future, as well as mine. Amin.

Happy (extended) breastfeeding!

Posted in Thoughts

Farewell Lessons

It’s unavoidable having a very noisy mind after witnessing a death, specially for the loved ones. It makes me recall lots of things I went through in the past.

I was taught the importance of having goals in life since a very young age. Being in the top five, went to good public schools, went to places I wanted the most, those were mostly measurable. Somehow, the goals have been rarely tangible. I have least interest in things.

A crucial moment which happened five years ago made me or force me having a new goal in life. The pain of missing the chance to say goodbye to my other grandmother lasted for a quite long time. Being thousand miles away during the final meeting with one I love so dearly was very torturing. Worse, I could do nothing to delay the farewell.

From then, I told myself, being present for those who matter a lot for me, in health and sick, happy and sad, life and death should be the guide how I will live my life forward.

The next big thing after my grandma’s death was my mum’s. I was so beyond lucky to finish my master degree when her sickness started. Even luckier that I had no permanent jobs at that time since I was in the middle of preparing for hajj departure and the wedding. 

In the middle of those big event preparation hassles, I still managed to accompany my mum to her doctor appointments, drove her here and there. As she would go hajj with me too, so it was double hassles.

I was with her on her last months, days, minutes, and the final breath. Though it made me become the most heart-broken, yet I felt that I was, am, and will always be the richest. I had the most memories, the greatest honour to be able the one who sent her off. Even after five years, tears couldn’t help falling reading those previous posts above.

It was painful for sure. But, I would still choose it than having none to be treasured. It’s soothing knowing I did my best to be with her during her final and hardest battle.

The chance came to me once again last Friday. When all things told me that it would be my grandmother last moments in the world, I was really grateful that I insisted to stay overnight with her, even more, stay right next to her ear to recite what most important she needed and wanted to hear for the last breath.

I had the honour too once again having my turn when she had her final breath. I kept accompanying her until we’re done with her funeral. 

Lots of her relatives from other towns came to her funeral. They made time to catch the earliest flight possible to send their last respect to her. From Palembang, Surabaya, and Banjarmasin, they put money or other things aside so they wouldn’t miss her farewell.

It makes me more certain about one thing. I am getting more and more assured that time is the most precious thing that a human could have in life.

We don’t give our most valuable things to just anyone. Such precious thing like time should be given to those who deserve it most. 

I want and choose to give this particular thing to ones who really matter to me. I find joy in staying more at home, taking care of my dad and others. Instead of making money but having less time, I choose making lots of time and having less money. Though it’s not always been easy, yet it’s satisfying.

I choose not to work on Thursday and Friday since two years ago. I want to have a peaceful sunnah fasting and having time for reading yassin leisurely after maghrib and breakfasting. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I am being tired from work. I want to have one special time, time when pray is being granted the most to be sent to those people I love.

I hope to keep this value for a very long time and want Langit to acquire a good understanding about this. 

82 years of living that my grandma had might sound so long. But, as we reach the end, really, life is indeed too short. Those years were just gone in a blink of an eye. It is a good reminder for us to choose wisely what and who really matter in our life.

Everyone choose differents battle to be fighting for in their life. Not all battle could be won and whether we like it or not, there will be battles that we lose. Choose well which one we want to win and with that comes ones that we have to lose.

I decided mine already and will keep going with that until the end. All things I live my life with, I am hoping for a happy ending to go through the hardest last battle in life.

At last, it reminds me about one important thing in life :

It doesn’t matter how you start, it matters a lot how you finish.

Posted in Thoughts

Undelivered Tuna Sandwich 

The last two days have been the hectic, tiring, yet ones that become a new member of my precious memories collection.

It started with an unusual call from my cousin to le husband on Friday evening. When we saw the call I knew right away that it would be something related to my grandma.

It was right. My cousin who is also a resident, told le husband the grandma was unconscious with a very low blood pressure and he decided to bring her to the hospital right away.

At hospital, everything that could and should be done, had been done. She kept being unconscious, no blood pressure was able to be detected, her heart was largened, and we knew she’s been fighting for the final.

Once she was admitted to the ICU, I insisted a lot that she shouldn’t be left alone. I was persistently asked everyone there to take turn recited tahlil or Qur’an in her ear. I was the one who was staying by her side longest.

I asked le husband to take Langit home and asked permision to stay at the hospital with my father. I surely wouldn’t know when would be her due, but I wanted to be there as long as I could. Said to him, I would be home by morning, but for the night, I wanted to be with her, just in case, it would be the last time.

In the ICU, I kept reciting La Illa ha Illallah and syahadat in her right ear. Despite there were lots of things attached to her body, wires were everywhere, it was pretty uncomfortable for sure to stand while leaning to the bed. It was understandable my dad and aunts couldn’t do it for long.

I kept staring at the monitor and witnessing how the numbers were gradually lower. We’ve been told it mostly the medecine worked. We asked the nurse to gradually reduce the medecine and said we would take all those things attached to her body by morning,whatever condition she had. 

We fully accepted her condition and wished nothing to be done to her. We just needed to be allowed to stay by her side. Thankfully, the nurses had been very helpful and kind. I even borrowed Qur’an from them. At midnight, seeing I kept standing for hours, one of them offered me a chair, finally. 

I took turn with my father and aunt around 1.30 am. Tried to sleep though the chair was surely uncomfortable. When I woke up, my aunt also slept so it’s been only my father inside. I went inside to ask him to rest. 

When I entered, the number on the screen was zero and my dad said it’s been a while. Her heart was still beating slowly. My dad went out and I replaced him. Kept reciting the tahlil word continously and read yassin once. 

I didn’t really know the precise time, but the zero on the screen, once suddenly changed and went up to 61 then dropped again. After that I just realized it this morning, it might be the time when she’s gone. Not long after that, my aunt came and joined me.

Just ten ninutes to five am, the doctor checked and pronounced her death. Though I had been staying by her side almost all night, tears couldn’t help bursting out hearing she’s gone. Knowing there woudn’t be any other chances to be with her.

I kept accompanying her throughout the process. In the deceased room, in the ambulance to my home, bathed her for the last time, wrapped her in kafan, sat beside her in the ambulance that sent her to cemetry, until the last piece of soil put to her graveyard.

———————-

It was Friday morning when I went to supermarket and found the rare burger bun available. Bought two packs with the thought of sending her the tuna sandwich she liked for Saturday’s breakfast. 

Sadly, it was undelivered and would never be delivered anymore. I hoped my presence that night, words and prays I recited the whole night could make up those undelivered tuna sandwich for her.

She had 82 years of life. Even the number amazed me. Eight successful children, fourteen grandchildren, and four great grandchildren, fifty year of marriage, and so many things that I even don’t know. For one to have such a long life must be a great blessing that is just not anyone could have. I wish she had a beautiful next life as she had in her previous.

Till we meet again, dear grandma. Have a good rest and happy reunion there.

Be sure that my pray will keep going for you.

A bientôt.

Posted in Langit Senja, Maternité

The Happiest Face

Langit’s taste bud has been expanding widely. She literally almost eats everything, with a very wide range of tastes. Bitter, sweet, plain, savory, spicy, light or heavy spices, she eats them all. One that I know she has been constantly less preferable is egg. Any kind of egg dishes. 

She stopped having baby’s food completely around thirteen months. As she started her first table food on her eleventh months, she started having exactly the same like the adults had. I also gave more spices to the food. 

Knowing she had no problem with pepper, I continued with chili. Now, she eats any kind of sambals. She loves tomato sambal, but one that works well with her is dabu-dabu. 

She has been soup number one fan. So, soup is almost never absent. Chicken soup, meat and vegetable soup, tofu soup, and the most epic one that she likes a lot is lamb soup.

She enjoys some particular vegetables like cucumber, brocoli, sawi putih (don’t have any idea in english), and bean sprout. Some vegetables with coconut milk like pumpkin and sweet corn is also a yes for her.

For protein, fish is on the top of her preference list while chicken is the last. Funny how she has quite similar preference with me. Ah, she doesn’t really keen on soysauce dishes.

Lots of times, I captured her very best expressions were ones that she had during eating. She looked so happy and it made me even happier watching that and couldn’t help recording it. Hope she’ll keep being an adventurous eater like she has been. Apprendre les cuisines en France, si possible!

Keep happy and healthy, baby!

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Eating tauge and labu kukus for lunch starter. Look at that wide grin and smile!

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Finishing kuah bakso like she couldn’t get it enough.

August Coiffeur was right.

Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.