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Hands to Knees, Legs to Elbows

13 Dec

I am a stickler for cleanliness. Whenever the children are out in the garden playing with official pet number one, Rooney, the limbs would all get dirty from the action.

I would remind them with my standard, “Please wash your hands to elbows, legs to knees!” What this means is short of a whole body shower, they have to wash their arms until the elbows and scrub the legs until the knees. Just cleaning the hands and feet only are not acceptable.

The reminder has been ingrained so much so, sometimes the body parts are jumbled up, like a tongue twister. “Please wash your hands to knees, legs to elbows,” or “Please wash you hands to legs, elbows to knees,” which, unimaginable as they seem, it’s never challenged as both girls know what I mean.

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My Baby’s Sprouted Wings

6 Dec

My firstborn, M1, is 16 years old and all grown up. Several days ago, I was emailing a friend how I am staring at grey strands in the mirror. This evening she leaves the comfort of the home-albeit temporarily-for a 10-day student exchange program to Japan. It was with our blessings and encouragement that she is going on this trip.

I wonder if we will miss her? Hmm.

M2 feels more optimistic as she knows it’s just for a mere ten days. Before we know it, M1 will be back and things will be back to normal. M2 even declared that she will sleep alone at night in their room. Despite the declaration, she has already staked out a comfortable spot in our room for the last few nights! Innocently, I asked, “Are you saving energy?” “Uh-huh!” was the instant reply.

Well, M1 is a baby no more and eventually, her sprouted wings will bring her to new destinations and exciting things in her life. This is something we have to come to terms with.

Initially reluctant about the trip (to Japan), hubby and I pointed out that leaving home is an inevitable step and we should treat the coming 10 days of separation as practice of the eventuality when she’s college-bound.

Sprouting wings and going places are the dreams of most young adults. Even myself. I couldn’t wait to leave for college during my time in the dinosaur era. If I had felt that then, what more my children?

The only way to learn to let go is to nurture them, guide them and encourage the confidence in them.

I think I’m gonna cry…

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Butt-head! Bwahahahaha….

5 Dec

My little nephew recently learnt a new word. This is according to both M1 and M2 when they went to visit grandma two days ago and was playing with him and his little sister.

Looking at his little sister, he would go, “Butt-head!” for no particular reason and then break out in fits of laughter. “Bwahahahahaha…..!”

Eeeks! Is that a word? Should it be allowed? Now, which cartoon was he exposed to? M1 and M2 were both too tickled even to correct him. Grandma was definitely unaware of the situation.

Wouldn’t my brother dearest be appalled if he found out? Shh…

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Things to Do During the School Holidays

18 Nov

School holidays are always tough to manage when we have to work and the girls don’t have school. The year-end school holidays has started and hopefully, both M1 and M2 will find things to occupy their minds until school resumes in January. After all, they are now older and technology is at their disposal. But it will be a different story if we go on a holiday.

When they were 6 and 10 years old, we used to send them over to grandma’s daily when we did not have a lived-in maid (then) to care for them while we went to the office.

Being girls and hanging out with their cousin sisters, they did this to M2…

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M2 subjected to the new hairdo!

And got carried away and ended up with this!

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Another angle…

I don’t think they will resort to this these days though…

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She’s an ABC

22 Oct

The term ‘ABC’ has several meanings to us Asians. Typically, it means ‘American Born Chinese’ or ‘Australian Born Chinese’ if the person came from Australia. Depending on who you meet, the usage and situation, ‘ABC’ can also mean ‘Air Batu Campur’ as in our local dessert with shaved ice and toppings.

Many years ago, my brother had some friends visiting from Australia. They are a lovely couple and I think it was the first time my girls met them.

“This is Aunty Connie, say hello,” I introduced a shy M2 to the guest.

“She talks funny,” whispered M1, standing next to me.

Without a thought, I whispered back, “She’s an ABC, that’s why.”

Overhearing what I mentioned, M2 asked,“Aunty Connie’s an alphabet?”

Err… Not quite but in a child’s world, it means just that.

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The Sick Bay

4 Oct

Mummy and Daddy’s room is also known as ‘The Sick Bay’ whenever one child or the other is sick and needs care around the clock especially at night. When this happens, not just a mattress is set up for the sick one, several plush toys come along too to accompany the patient for security and comfort and the floor becomes an obstacle course to navigate through. Thankfully as the girls are older now with their immunity stronger and better against those meany germs, the sick bay setup has lessen.

But a sick bay it is not, when daddy goes away, and the room becomes a sleepover pajama party haunt instead. And yes, the plushies still come but not so many. Sometimes, it is nice to have these bonding moments with the girls and thoroughly cherish it while they still want to do it!

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Barbie is Ugh!

1 Oct

It used to be (and probably still is) every girls’ dream to have a Barbie doll. But not in my household. I remember when the girls were younger we had to deal with this every festivity time. Whenever Christmas and their birthdays came around, they would cringe when the wrappers are ripped to discover yet another Barbie. Ugh!

But as the Barbie dolls were given with a good intention, we could not say no to the gifts. So the girls ended up having five Barbies at one point in their early years. Ugh!

Somehow Barbie just does not rake it up there with other characters or plush toys. She is not lovable, not huggable, too rigid and pointy, and according to M2, creepy as well! Recently I asked her what her thoughts are of Barbie.

Thinking for a minute M2 then said, “Barbie? Euww…. her butt is so big like… like Kim Kardashian’s!” Of course back then, Kimmy was not a household name. But still, the mention of the resemblance had me laughing uncontrollably. Despite our feelings towards Barbie, poor her to be in the same league as Kimmy! Ugh!

Subsequently, I also asked M1 for her sentiments of Barbie. “Euw!” was the first thing she said, the exact expression as M2’s! She then thought about it for awhile before concluding that while she enjoyed Barbie’s clothes (and not Barbie), she too, thought Barbie was freaky especially from the anatomical point of view. How can her measurements be deemed perfect? Ugh!

My apologies to all the little girls who fancy Barbie, for us, Barbie is just ugh!

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Your Daughter’s Mother

8 Aug

During her early years, M1 had interesting conversations with us. It was her way of expressing her knowledge of relationships. M2 was probably an incommunicado baby then.

A typical conversation would go along this line when I call home and she’d pick up the phone. “Can I speak to daddy?” I‘d ask.

“Ok” and I can hear the phone piece dropped to the floor and her yelling to her daddy, “Daddy! Your daughter’s mother wants to speak to you!”

Other times, it’s “My father’s wife is on the phone” or “My sister’s mother is calling you.” Roles change if it’s the hubby calling home asking for me.

Do note none of these were taught by us.

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Tough Being a Child

6 Aug

Nowadays I find it tough for my girls for being what they are, children. There is so much expected of them, especially when it comes to school and exams. So much pressure and so much at stake. Is this an Asian thing? I don’t recall, back in the dinosaur era, I was in this situation though.

I went by the school last Friday to meet the teachers and discuss M2’s progress in preparation for her upcoming big (UPSR) exam. Whilst there has been improvements in her capabilities, there is still room for improvement! My goodness. My parents never took to such concern over my welfare when I was in school. And look how I turned out; pretty darn fine I should say.

M1 is no less neglected by us or her teachers. She also has her fair share of Meet-the-Teacher/Parents sessions to discuss class progress. However, it is just the timing of the current school term that required us to meet with M2’s teachers for an update.

While I may enforce sitting at the dining table simply to have an optimum ambience for studying, I don’t sit next to them and breathe down their neck. I used to do it though— being a study police—but find it wasn’t the best approach for both parties; stressed us out instead. Anyway, they are still young and have many more years of schooling to do, they must learn to be independent and manage on their own. After all, we can’t be forever holding their hands, they will never learn.

How else can we help? For one, there’s always the moral support, in person and in spirit! Then there is the love and chocolate that I ply them. If anyone has any other ideas, do share with me. Suggestions are most welcomed!

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Mummy’s Coming, Quick… Hide!

2 Aug

The girls love a prank every now and then. It was a typical night when I walked into their room, ready for the nightly ritual before bedtime; M1 was just coming out of the bathroom as I looked at the beds and asked, “Where’s your sister?”

“She’s not there?” said M1. “Maybe she went outside.” I opened the door and called out to the TV room. No reply. Hmm.

I came back into the bedroom and scanned the place again. My first automatic reaction would have my hands reaching out to slide the slightly ajar closet door closed but before it could slide close, M2 popped out from the closet. Thank goodness she didn’t scare the daylights out of me! Phew.

Whatever prank involving the closet both were conspiring pales in comparison to what I did when I was a kid.

I was a mischievous little one. My brother and I were sharing a room then and there were many a night when we would create a ruckus in the room. From pillow fights to heated arguments, this one—done over several nights—tops it all.

Thud… Thud… Muffled giggles… Thud… Thud…

My mother would come and check on us but somehow, we always managed to fool her, pretending to be asleep by the time the room door creaked open. After a quick scan, she’d leave and we would continue. It was so fun!

We were both taking turns repeatedly, climbing onto the top of my closet and jumping off it to land onto my bed, padded with extra pillows to camouflage the thudding sound.

“Geronimo!!!” I would whisper fiercely and leap off horizontally, to land flat on my face (not feet first, mind you!) and then break out in fits of giggles. My brother was equally having a ball. We continued this three feet high Acapulco stunt for several nights until one night, it had to happen.

The landing was not too smooth and there was an unusually loud crack! Oh no. We scrambled for our lives but I think we were not caught.

Weeks passed and we stopped doing this. One day, I was in the room and wanted to open the drawers beneath my bed to take out some things. The drawer just wouldn’t budge. It turned out, a cross bar plank of the bed had snapped right in the middle and had angled into the drawer, preventing it (the drawer) from opening!

I had to feign a very innocent face when my mother wondered how on Earth this could have happened! Heheh…

Subliminally, what I did then could be the reason why the girls have a closet that is built from floor to ceiling and their beds, Tatami-style, so there is no room whatsoever for them to attempt any Acapulco act on me!

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