It took about 30 years for me to finally having a chance to do mudik while it only took 1,5 years for Langit to experience it.
This year, after four years of marriage, we went to Solo, where le husband’s family were living. He still has his grandmother there. We went on the second day of Idul Fitri and… went back the day after. Haha! No return ticket were available until Tuesday so we just chose to go back on Friday’s last flight.
Overall, the first experience flying with the baby was beyond my expectation. All processes went smoothly, no delay at all and one thing that I was really grateful, although it’s a row with three seaters, depart and return we got all seats in a row only for ourselves. Both passengers next to us, depart and return didn’t go on board.
We flew with Citilink because they depart from Halim which is only 15 minutes from home. So, no need to leave home too early and the possibility of meeting traffic jam is pretty low. Since the depart flight left at 6 pm, I couldn’t imagine how I should wake up earlier than 2 am to prepare everything, especially for the baby.
I have never been brave enough to go somewhere without the baby has her stomach full. This one too. I prefered feeding her earlier than leaving with the thought she could eat later somewhere or on the plane. Feeding is my ultimate concern for the baby (and me, of course. I refused to face a feeding battle outside home or a house).
She fell asleep on the waiting room before boarding and woke up when we were about to take off. I started to offer her breastmilk, biscuts, or anything that prevented her from having her ears umcomfortable. But, maybe we, mothers, sometime worry too much. On the contrary, Langit seemed enjoying the flight. She was busy reading in-flight magazine during take off and landing. In between she sit in the middle, either reading, drinking , and eating banana. So, the depart flight was pretty successful.
For return flight, we took the last flight at 17.45 pm. It was as well on time. Usually, Langit starts feel sleepy after maghrib and she did too when we were on the plane. By the time we took off she fell asleep while being breastfed. She continued sleeping almost throughout the journey. Woke up for a moments twice or thrice and cried out loud with her eyes closed. The return flight was done quite good although it wasn’t as peaceful as the first.
I learned from yesterday’s experience some things important to be done or brought when travel with a baby or toddler. First, Baby carrier is a great help. During check in, getting through baggage checking when you have to put all your belongings on the belt, it was absolutely make it easier having the baby being in the carrier. For an active toddler like Langit who can’t help herself to touch everything around her within her reach, it was quite tiring chasing here and there. So, Baby carrier will be your right hand. According to the officer, only Garuda that allows stroller to be brought inside cabin. But, I saw several passengers during depart flight brought their kids on stroller. So maybe other than Garuda, there are others aircraft that allows stroller. But then, stroller is quite uneasy to be brought here and there. It’s bulky and heavy compared to baby carrier. You can’t just shove stroller to your bag. While carrier, just fold it and done.
Snack and drink. Like the depart flight, Langit prefered drink her water than breastmilk and I realized that it was okay. So there’s no need to push your breast to your babies. They want to enjoy the flight so they told you to enjoy it too.
Full stomach. Even for only five spoons, it is still very much better than feeding the babies with just anything we think we could find later. Hunger is the key to a cranky baby. Langit was not really fit that day. She had fever even until return. But, luckily, she never refused food. She ate breakfast as early as 3.20 am for depart flight and ate dinner as early as 3.40 pm.
The first hardest steps were taken. Let’s be ready for wider, further, and longer steps, shall we?
It’s been quite a while since the last sharing of Langit’s updates. I missed her 17 and 18. Some circumstances happened prevented me to write on time.
So, she is now a 1,5 years toddler. Getting bigger, taller, clever, and one thing that is quite tiring, she is getting everywhere around the house, messing all opened drawers, or everything within her reach.
It made me so fussy at first. But, as time goes by, having a toddler teaches you to let some things go. Like having a clean tidy living room as those ones in a magazine has. I learn to let go by not sweating too much small stuff like when she spoiled her milk, my babbles were getting shorter and I just wiped it. For me, it was an accomplishment.
She starts to understand some things like using spoon to feed herself, putting her dirty laundry on the basket before taking a bath, climbing the piano chair and seated herself well and play. She starts to babble clearly in words too.
It’s another six months until the time to wean her from breastfeeding. I hope we both can do well of weaning with love and peace. I keep telling her that sooner she will be a big girl and no longer able to have any breastmilk. She might not understand well, but I just keep talking.
Well, that is that. Let’s have a bit more sleep on this 25th day of Ramadan!
Tempat review kali ini mungkin kurang umum. Bukan tempat makan, sekolah, tempat bermain, atau rumah sakit. Saya ingin sekali memberi kredit untuk tempat yang pelayanannya layak ditulis dalam satu tulisan sendiri yang siapa tau bisa bermanfaat untuk yang lain.
Namanya Imigrasi. Nama lengkapnya Imigrasi Jakarta Timur. Dari namanya sudah jelas apa tujuan saya datang kesini. Dua kali kamis ini saya menghabiskan hampir seharian di tempat ini. Kamis lalu untuk urus paspor saya, Kamis ini untuk Langit. Pak Dokter minggu lalu di hari Jumat.
Kenapa beda-beda? Karena saya punya pertimbangan sendiri. Saya sengaja bikin janji duluan supaya tau medan. Berurusan dengan Imigrasi terakhir tahun 2008, terus terang bikin takut. Waktu itu masih sama ibu. Sekarang sendiri. Jadi, saya pikir akan lebih baik kalo saya liat dulu. Pak Dokter ngga bisa juga ijin sembarangan, kalo ada dokumen yang kurang atau salah, agak sulit untuk bolak balik.
Saya sudah daftar online dulu sebelumnya, untuk kami berdua. Setelah daftar lalu bayar ke BNI. Oya, banyak yang ga tau kalo pembayaran imigrasi ini BISA LEWAT ATM. Jadi, ngga perlu antri. Cuma harus pastikan struknya keluar ya. Tinggal pilih menu pembayaran, pilih imigrasi, masukan kode bank yang didapat dari registrasi online nanti nama kita akan keluar. Beres.
Nanti setelah bayar, balik ke pendaftaran online tersebut, masukan kode pembayaran, lalu pilih tanggal kedatangan. Setelah itu kita akan dikirimi email yang harus diprint sebagai bukti pada saat tanggal kedatangan.
Sebelum datang ke imigrasi, pastikan semua dokumen yang diperlukan sudah difotokopi A4 TANPA DIPOTONG dan bawa semua dokumen asli. Cuma perlu tiga, KTP, Kartu Keluarga, dan Akte Kelahiran. Akte bisa diganti dengan Ijazah. Oya, jangan lupa bukti pembayaran bank. Fotokopi ukuran A4 juga ya.
Untuk anak dibawah umur seperti Langit, yang harus disiapkan agak lebih banyak. Kartu Keluarga, KTP ayah ibu, surat nikah, dan akte kelahiran, dan bukti pembayaran. Semua beserta fotokopinya. Langit pun saya daftarkan online. Supaya saya ngga ribet nulis-nulis disana.
Di tanggal kedatangan yang kita pilih, datang antara jam 8-10 untuk nomer antrian. Di Imigrasi Jaktim begitu masuk, jalan menuju belakang gedung, disana ada pembagian formulir. Antrian terbagi tiga : manual, online, prioritas. Kamis lalu saya masuk antrian online, kamis ini saya masuk antrian prioritas. Prioritas diperuntukkan bagi yang mengurus paspor anak-anak dan lansia.
Kamis lalu, saya bolak-balik tiga kali. Iya, tiga kali dalam satu hari. Saya datang pagi sampai sana jam 8.20. Antri untuk foto, lalu pengecekan berkas, lalu wawancara dan sidik jari. Antrian paling lama ada di yang ketiga. Nomor antrian saya terpotong waktu istirahat. Jadi, saya pulang dulu untuk kasih makan Langit dan kembali ke imigrasi bawa bayi. Paginya saya nyetir sendiri, siang saya naik taksi.
Antrian ketiga memang paling lama karena ada dua, pengecekan berkas dan wawancara serta sidik jari. Jadi, ada dua lapis, yang kursi depan berkas-berkas kita akan dicek. Beneran dicek, bukan asal lewat. Lalu duduk lagi nanti dipanggil untuk wawancara dan sidik jari. Oya, juga foto untuk paspor kita.
Kalau datang pagi sekitar jam 7, kemungkinan selesai setengah hari sangat besar. Pak Dokter di hari jumat jam 6 sudah disana. Jam 10 sudah selesai semua. Khusus hari Selasa dan Jumat, Imigrasi Jakarta Timur punya Early Morning Service yang dimulai dari jam 6 pagi.
Dibandingkan tahun 2008 saya ke imigrasi, pelayanan dan fasilitas imigrasi benar-benar berubah 180 derajat. Bahkan pendaftaran online antara tahun 2013 dan tahun 2016 sudah jauh lebih mudah. Ngga perlu scan dokumen apapun.
Kantornya pun jauh lebih besar, bersih, bagus, dan dingin. Ruang tunggu wawancara dan sidik jari adalah yang paling besar. Kursi yang tersedia banyak, dan yang paling menguntungkan buat saya ada playground anak-anak. Bukan playground asal, tapi cukup luas. Ada ayunan, perosotan kecil dan besar, lebarnya dua kali yang ada di Sam Marie Basra. Kamis lalu, Langit puas sekali main sendirian karena siang relatif lebih sepi.
Bukan cuma playground, tapi di ruangan yang sama juga terdapat Ruang menyusui. Saya ngga sempat masuk karena kalau takut ngga terdengar kali dipanggil sementara saya cuma datang sendiri. Kalo seandainya ada yang nemenin, saya pasti lebih milih menyusui di ruang tertutup dibandingkan dengan pakai penutup di ruang terbuka.
Satu hal lagi yang sangat saya apresiasi adalah kecepatan dan keramahan petugasnya kepada anak-anak. Terutama yang masih agak bayi kaya Langit. Mereka menyapa, sambil ajak ngobrol dan jelas sangat mempermudah. Minggu lalu saya datang tiga kali karena ada kesalahan pada formulir pendaftaran saya. Saya harusnya daftar perpanjang, bukan bikin baru. Waktu itu rasanya pengen nangis waktu dibilang harus ulang dari awal. Kebayang sia-sianya waktu yang udah dihabiskan setengah hari antri sana sini.
Entah kesian ato gimana ngeliat saya yang sambil gendong Langit, pucet, capek, mbak yang di bagian pemeriksaan berkas bilang kalau dia akan bantu asal saya bisa kembali sebelum jam 3 dengan bawa paspor lama saya. Waktu itu jam 13.50 dan saya langsung iyakan. Saya cegat bajaj, pulang ke rumah, saya suruh tunggu dan minta dianter balik. Jam 14.30 saya sudah sampai lagi di imigrasi.
Ternyata paspor lama pun harus difotokopi, dan saya belum punya. Sekali lagi, dibantu kembali. Setelah itu saya masuk bilik wawancara, harus sendiri. Petugas yang tadi pun menawarkan untuk jaga Langit. Tapi, Langitnya lebih milih duduk sendiri di kursi sambil main kartu kartu saya.
Alhamdulillah hari ini, saya selesai mengurus paspor Langit sekaligus mengambil paspor saya dan Pak Dokter. Antrian di loket pengambilan lebih sedikit dan tetap teratur. Saya antri jam 10.40, jam 11.30 paspor sudah di tangan.
Saya sangat berterima kasih sekali dengan pelayanan yang begitu baik, rapi, dan memudahkan.
Oya, ngga ada foto sama sekali karena tangan dan pikiran saya udah abis buat fokus ke bayi dan jaga dokumen supaya ngga tercecer.
It’s not a literal title. I am not a runner, nor a fan of running. The word here refers to the current situation where is being well described as running.
Ramadan is here. Years before, Ramadan always brings something different. Something fun, exciting, meaningful, and gives that warm feeling.
The last four years, after all those big things happened in 2012, life has been pretty plain. It’s all about work. Maybe the only major change is having Langit. Other than that, it’s totally about working and saving. Never been to anywhere for the last four years. Literally nowhere.
This year, Ramadan surprisingly brings some unexpected circumstances. If all is going well, I will have the very first mudik during my 30 years of living. We’re going to visit Yangti on the second day of Idul Fitri insya Allah. This will be the first time for Langit to be on the plane, which gives me quite concern.
One thing always leads to another. Other than that, we happen to prepare another bigger journey. For me, it’s the one who has been becoming my constant stomach ache for a long time.
One first huge step was made and even that already felt like an accomplishment for me. Knowing how much and how long I have been holding back. Thinking that it will come very much later than sooner regarding the situation we’ve been living in for the past few years.
Made that first huge step was scary. But, it was as if the universe let it happened. Few past weeks feel surreal, exciting, yet full of worries. The next big step is being prepared and it consumes lots of energy, time, and of course, money. Can’t go with details about this until we (hopefully) really make it.
Chasing a dream is not like playing around. It takes determination, persistence, and your strongest faith to do your best and leave the result for Him to decide. And here I am, using all my resources to go here and there, until we reach the final destination.
I am going to have a faster speed after Idul Fitri. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely pray May this time, it’s really my turn.
Today, Wednesday 15 June 2016, as early as 4.45 am, I was securing the very first real step to my most longing dream for years.
Among three, this is the only one I wasn’t able to achieve before marriage. I have been doing lots of things to be here, not only once thinking about to let it go, but in the end, I know I will never be able to really let it go. It won’t leave me. It will keep haunting until it is unlocked.
The past four days have been like a war inside my heart and mind. The battle between to do or not to do has been very intense. Doing a very massive researches using every single possible keywords to assure this time, it’s really the time.
Calculating between the loss and the gain then finally, sincerely asking The One and Only for Him to take care this one longest dream until the end. Ask Him for all blessing to make it happen.
I wish my mum were here, so she can really witness that I am working on this one dream. No one knows better than her how much I want this. I am really going this time, Mum.
Self-reminder for me due to recent circumstance which bothered my mind, shaken my emotion, like a lot. I have known before long that the world out there is not a comfortable place. Lots of mean people could hurt you physically and mentally. But, not until I become a mother, I feel the real pain of being treated pretty bad by others related to my child.
Ah, so another lesson to learn here.
Dear self, just remember this :Those who despise you will be the ones who toughen you.
Thank them.
Let’s do at least this much for your child, dear fellow mothers. So maybe the world becomes a bit nicer place.
This morning, something suddenly barged into my mind. It’s quite special so it deserves a blogpost.
This year around this month, I am having a BEP. If you happened to be an economic major student or any similar majors, you must know BEP. It’s Break Even Point. In a simple definition, it’s a condition where a revenue you get is even with the cost you have spent.
In my case, it’s not about the cost. It’s about time. 13 years of piano studying and another 13 years of piano teaching. Thirteen years sounds pretty long, huh? Ah, if we sum up both, then it becomes twenty six years. A bloody 26 years relationship with this piano thing. Sounds even longer, doesn’t it?
Long time ago, I have realized something about a certain thing in my life. I think long-term relationship is my forte. Seems I am destined to that. Either in personal or non-personal, I have mostly been having such a long entanglement.
From simple things like a bag or shoes to a relationship with people, I have years of acquaintance. I have been wearing my Gabor shoes for ten years and still counting. I have been together with my piano for twenty six years, I have been coming to the same exercise class since I was in the second year of high school. So, it’s been around fourteen years. Then, I have been married to a person whom I’ve known and have relationship with for fourteen years.
Being in years of relationship with something or someone, does it mean everything go smoothly? Bien sure que NON!
The sole of my Gabor shoes had been through several repairings. The soles once changed and the leather had once re-sewn, yet it survives until today. It had been countless times when I cried frontally and secretly, so heavily, asked my mom to let me quit the piano school, yet I kept going. There were times when I had been absent the exercise class, yet I always return.
There were even more and more countless times when we were facing hard times during my relationship with le husband. Any kind of relationship dramas, you mention it, we had it. On-off, bad to the worst break-ups, parents disagreement, long distance, even the marriage was almost cancelled just few weeks before the D-day because of my mum’s sickness. We finally lost her just two weeks before the wedding. In spite of all those hardships, yet we manage to stay together. Langit is the result of a long-time persistence and endurance.
When someone asked how bored it could be being with someone or something for such a long time, or how I survive along those years, here’s an answer.
I have been taught if something is broken, we do repair it or work on it, not change it.
We find solutions, not an exit door, for any problems.
We do our best to stay until the end-term appointed.
Well, no matter how much you love something or someone, in the end, you will part with them, won’t you?
As a child, I am proven to have the strength to endure some hardships. But, as a parent, honestly, I am not really sure if I can do as good as my mum to bear and stand next to my child for her to learn from some hardships. I don’t have much confidence to be as strong as my parents were. But, who knows?
Guess that is all for the morning babbles. Happy 26th piano-niversary, you! Cheers for more years to come!
We have had new Sunday morning routine since last April. Langit has been joining a baby class with nine other babies. It’s actually a class to play and encourage stimulations. It’s quite good so far.
Along the five meetings, I notice that every babies in the class always come with both their mum and dad, or some also come with the nanny. So, some of them come with three companions. The one who happens to have only an adult companion is mine.
It’s an hour class and babies surely went everywhere from one corner to another. While others were taking turn to chase and guard their babies, I did the job solo. Three out five, I did it alone.
Trust me, chasing a toddler for an hour is similar to a medium to heavy cardio exercise. I have been sweating physically and mentally. Sometimes, I really want to borrow one of those nannies to help, hehe. Then, mentally sweating more because I feel like most of the time, people probably see me as a single mother.
Another exceptional is about the ride. While others were coming in their four-wheeled engine car, we came in four-wheeled manual stroller. The school is quite close, so it’s not really necessary to go by car. Maybe ten minutes by walk. Beside, Langit enjoys riding on a stroller too, which is something that she rarely has. Ah, our stroller is not a famous branded one. It’s just a simple old stroller we got from one of my uncles.
So, being mostly alone and coming ‘just’ by riding a stroller, people ask me enough with their stare.
Do I (really) care?
Hm, I did and did not. Being different from others can be both good or not that good. Since it’s been several meetings, I don’t really bother about that. People asked sometimes and I just gave them brief answer or smiled.
As long as it doesn’t bother others, I don’t mind being judged for what I have, I choose, and I do. I hope my baby learns that too. We can enjoy just with whatever things that we have. Things will never define the worth of a person.
I am not trying to be humble here. Nor playing modest. I just want to write that it feels good enjoying less comfortable things, less companions, and being noticed for some different things that you do.
Other dads might not have to work on Sunday, while hers (currently) need to. Although her daddy is often absent, one day she will understand, it is for a greater good and a bigger purpose.
In the meantime, let’s enjoy this life that we choose and be grateful for it.
I often heard the phrase being parents is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Back then, I just knew that as a common line. Until recently, then i think the phrase is not really true. Being parents is ABSOLUTELY the most difficult job in the world.
The writer is currently having a very low self-confindence as a mother due to some circumstances. Not much to tell but surely she feels pretty anxious. She really hope her mom were still here to comfort her.
She feels a bit pressured and confused whether she has been doing right or not. She surely makes mistakes, but of course those are not permanent.
Parenting is one rocky hard journey that doesn’t allow you to quit nor having days-leave. You keep climbing no matter how tired you are until you reach the top.
Not applying to this job is advisable when you’re not mature, strong, and ready enough.
It’s like the Mac user motto :
Once you go Mac, you can never go back.
It goes same with this. One way ticket, no return.
A Penny for My Pensieve 