Separation Anxiety, Part 1

17 Jul

Many years ago, when both M1 and M2 were old enough to be left with Grandma overlooking them, I thought I could finally have an escapade and go away for a holiday with just the hubby. There was excitement as I thought, finally, they are independent enough and easy for Grandma to take care and we can have some time for ourselves. Then worried thoughts set in. Would they be fine? Would they miss us? Are we doing the right thing?

The six days plan to Hong Kong was not too extravagant as it coincided with their school term break. We were to take a holiday after attending a work-related conference/exhibition held there. The temptation was just too irresistible and thinking of the freedom from having to worry about their welfare plus timing it with the school holidays, I thought it was perfect and would not be too troublesome for my mother as well.

So off to Hong Kong we went!

However, by the fourth day of our trip, we had separation anxiety! We both started to miss them terribly! How could this be? It was the first time both of us were away from them and the separation anxiety for us was too much, it was so nauseating; we couldn’t wait for the remaining days to go by quickly. All that great holiday plans to have a good time, gone in a blink of an eye.

We came back bearing gifts for them out of guilt and you could sense our relief when we saw them again.

Their sentiments over the separation?

Nothing amiss as both were having a ball bonding with Grandma, who indulged them in so many ways that they hardly had time to miss us. Freedom backfired on us as separation anxiety got the better of us instead of them!

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Passing the Time After the Exams

16 Jul

Typically after completing an exam, I remember attempting to look around, trying to peek over a friend’s shoulder or just walking out of the classroom.

Nowadays, what do the children do, especially before handing the paper over to the teacher? M1 told me she’d pretend to be occupied by counting how many people are sleeping, rechecking her answers or doing some doodles; basically pretending to be busy.

M2 on the other hand, would just doodle and can’t be bothered with the pretense. Recently, she showed me what she did after an exam.

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Wow… My drawing skills pale in comparison sometimes.

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How You Spell Your Name Again??

15 Jul

Thank goodness I named the my two girls, currently code named, M1 and M2, with sensible sounding names that are easy to pronounce. Yet, we have people pronouncing them wrongly, or worst, spelling wrongly! Horrors.

During my early working years, I encountered many creative minds and with creative names, it was such an eye opener. The one that stands out most after all these years was from my working at a local publishing house. An enthusiastic ad salesman came a calling and introduced himself as Calvin but spelt, ‘Qalvin’, proudly showing me his business card!

Unimpressed, I queried him on this choice of spelling for the name and then, pointed out to him that a ‘u’ technically should follow after the ‘Q’ – typical of the letter ‘Q’.

I then went on teasing him, purposely emphasizing “QUAIL-vin” prominently, and this embarrassed the heck out of him. I guess he wasn’t impressed too for he never dropped by after that incident.

Honestly, I have no objections to one having a creative name, I am just of the opinion that it must be spelt correctly. Remember my ‘English teacher’ calling my mother intended me for? And it would be a bonus if the chosen name goes well with the person’s physical appearance.

Call me old school or whatever but wouldn’t it be more significant if one looks like their name? I often asked my girls if I had switched their names, how would it be like? They’d squint their eyes for a minute before bursting into contagious laughter! Obviously, they cannot imagine one being the other. See my point of one looking like their name?

I’ve come across a sweet lady aptly named Apple (coincidently in New York City), a bridegroom named Cyclops, perfectly healthy and with two eyes unlike what the name conjures up in the mind (only in Hong Kong you get something like this!) and of course, the timid bird-like Qalvin (in Kuala Lumpur)!

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Last week, I was down in Singapore attending an exhibition and met up with a ‘Seaman’ and a ‘Kinus’, from Singapore and Hong Kong respectively. I had to refrain from laughing in front of them as I found their choice of name so totally wrong with their physical appearance and country of origin.

Walking away, I commented to the hubby, “I met a Seaman.”

“Semen?” He asked incredulously.

“Oh stop it! It’s ‘s-e-A-m-A-n’. Got a couple of ‘A’s in between, ok?” I pointed out and in a way, was relieved Seaman did not look like a dick head.

“Aiyoh…. Why choose such a name?” the hubby could not fathom.

Makes me wonder too. Whatever happened to good old safe choices to avoid the embarrassment of correcting someone spelling your name wrongly?

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Before the Drama Queen Days

14 Jul

It’s so typical every time after the exams. I would receive a phone call from M2 the minute she arrived home and reported the good news. But if I do not get a call from her, it’s pretty obvious the results are otherwise.

It became so predictable until she perfected her Drama Queen act, and each time I fall prey… dang.

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Chicken is Awesome!

12 Jul

M2 once declared that “Chicken is Awesome!” having eaten all her favorite chicken dishes for a whole week.

But soon after, there were some pork dishes and a new declaration, “Chicken is awesome but pork rocks!”

My girl rocks, I tell ya. Flattery to the chef!

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Cow’s Burp

11 Jul

A few years back when M2 discovered the joy of writing little notes and messages, she wrote a lot and scattered them here and there for me to discover. One day, I found a note listing down all my favorite things. Aww… How sweet.

Scanning the list, my heart swelled, “Golf, iPad, Travel, Wine…” she knows her mummy well. Then, “Cow’s Burp!”

Intrigued, I asked her what that was and she went, “Cow’s Burp? Oh, that is what you and daddy drink when you go out!”

“Ahh… You mean Carlsberg!” I said, totally tickled.

“Uh-huh, Cow’s Burp. Isn’t that how it is spelt?” she looked at me with eyebrows raised.

Err… not quite but close, Cow’s Burp, Carlsberg. Chortle!

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Can We Have a Tattoo?

10 Jul

An innocent mind is a simple mind. But an innocent question isn’t a simple question; it can be a mind boggling challenge. 

Several years back when I got myself a cute little tattoo, both my girls were fascinated by it and asked if they could also have a tattoo like mine. Hmm…

So I said yes, whipped out a marker pen and drew the same cute little character that I have on their arms. And did this every weekend for sometime before the novelty wore off.

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Look How Tall You Are Now

9 Jul

We had a quirky way of measuring growth not too long ago. When M2 was younger and shorter, she would just tuck nicely under my boobs. M1, being older, was obviously taller and measured way above her.  Months passed as we were busy with life and all, we forgot about taking further milestone measurements.

One day, I summoned M2 to come stand next to me. And I commented, “My! My! You’ve grown! Look how tall you are now!”

M2 said matter-of-factly, “Yeah mummy, I grew one boob taller!” Obviously, she’s above my assets.

Since then, she’s measured at under my chin, under my nose and right at my eyebrows.

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Bury the Bee, Part 2

8 Jul

It is now evident that the colony of bees have been disturbed. More came our way last week after the first incident, invading the kitchen and the girls’ bedroom.

I had an SOS call from M2 reporting this and more. “Mummy! They are everywhere! Rooney’s in his cage and fine but… OMG! One’s on my bed, like a zombie, writhing away!”

“Zombie? Or more like zombie bee?” I couldn’t help myself.

“Zombie, zom-bee, zombie-nee, whatever! Hurry home please,” she urged in between muffled laughter.

So we came home from work to stories of the bees’ invasion and both having to shower in my bathroom instead. We were to have a mass burial last Wednesday night, for the scattered little bodies here and there (in their attempt to fly out to freedom) but homework got in the way.

And for the past few nights, circumstances were not favorable, burial plans were dashed yet again. And last I checked, the maid just simply got rid of all of them. So the pet cemetery is left intact without a crowd arising from this latest little unfortunate aftermath.

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It’s Not Fair

7 Jul

When official pet number one, Rooney, was a puppy, both girls complained that he was getting more toys and things than them.

We were often queried, “How come he gets something every week?! Every week!!! What about us? We have needs too you know. It’s not fair.”

 Well, sometimes life can be unfair…

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