Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Cerita Raya (Bahagian Akhir)

Hari Raya keempat, kami balik ke kampung Suami Terchenta di Kampung Meranek, Samarahan, Kuching Sarawak.

Sepatutnya bertolak pukul 7 pagi lagi sebab dari kampung aku (Igan) ke Kuching ambik masa 10 jam gak la. Tapi akhirnya bertolak pukul 9.30 pagi sebab ada miscommunication sikit (Suami Terchenta salah dengar - Pak Su kata pukul 7, dia dengar pukul 10!). Tapi memang kalau ada budak kecik, susah sikit nak bertolak awal pagi. Sebab tu kalau boleh kiteorg memang tak penah ambik flight awal pagi walaupun lagi murah sebab dah penah merasa kena tinggal flight gara-gara lambat nak siapkan anak kecik!

Berbalik ke perjalanan 10 jam. Lama tak? Kalau korang rasa lama, kiteorang yang travel dengan budak-budak kecik ni rasa laaaaagiiiii lama! Flight 2 jam je pun dah rasa jenuh nak melayan budak-budak ni terutama Khadeeja, apa lagi 10 jam! Baru setengah jam dalam kereta, dia dah melalak sebab bosan tak boleh bergerak sangat. Khayla pulak rilek je main iPad. Terpaksa la kami berdua bergilir-gilir meriba dan layan dia. Penat!

Dalam perjalanan, sempat lagi singgah di rumah Pak Lang di Sibu (kami panggil Long Unus, jangan tanya apsal panggil 'Long' pulak, bukan 'Lang').

Keluar dari kereta je, Khayla dengan Khadeeja jadi macam kanak-kanak Ribena. Riang tak hengat dunia sebab dah bebas! Bila nampak kucing kat rumah tu, bertambah syok la dieorang sampai tak nak naik kereta balik:

Khayla especially suka 'cat' ni, buat macam anak patung pulak dukung ke hulu hilir

Khadeeja tumpang tengok je sebab kakak tak bagi pegang 'cat'

Dari Sibu, kami teruskan perjalanan dan singgah di Betong untuk pergi toilet dan isi minyak. Ingat nak singgah makan tengahari jugak tapi tak jumpa pulak kedai makan orang Islam. Mungkin tutup sebab ramai yang masih nak beraya kot. Pukul 8 malam barulah kami sampai di kampung Suami Terchenta. Badan aku dah sakit-sakit sebab melayan dua-beradik dalam kereta! 3 hari baru hilang sakit badan, tu pun aku kena makan Panadol dulu baru beransur pulih.

Kat kampung Suami Terchenta tak banyak sangat agenda kami sebab masa tu ramai yang dah start bekerja so kami cuma berkesempatan melawat sanak-saudara terdekat je - nenek Suami Terchenta, Mak Ngah, sepupu rapat Suami Terchenta sebab wife dia baru je deliver anak kedua dan jugak sepupu aku yang baru lepas eksiden tu.

Khadeeja dengan sepupu dia, Aqmal

Syukur masa eksiden tu, Aqmal dengan atok dan nenek dia. Cuma abang dia, Aqil je yang ada dalam kereta, tu pun dia duduk dalam baby car seat sambil pakai tali pinggang keledar. Wife sepupu agak teruk sebab masa eksiden tu dia tak pakai tali pinggang keledar gara-gara nak bancuh susu untuk Aqil. Sebab tu la aku memang pantang bab safety ni, kalau naik kereta mesti akan pastikan anak-anak aku duduk dalam car seat. Biarlah Khayla dan Khadeeja meraung tak nak duduk dalam car seat, aku tetap bertegas sebab malang tak berbau kan? Aku buat pekak je la masa driving. Hehe. Sampaikan Suami Terchenta sanggup bawak car seat dari KL balik ke Sarawak semata-mata sebab kena travel jauh dari Igan ke Kuching!

Selain dari tu ada jugak la buat sesi makan-makan kat rumah Pak Long aku memandangkan dia dan adik sepupu yang seorang lagi tu tak balik beraya di Igan tahun ni. Sempat jugak kami bersiar-siar di The Summer, shopping mall terbaru di Kuching sebab dekat sangat dengan kampung husband. Harus la menjengok jugak kan!

Khayla & Khadeeja kat The Summer

Kami kat kampung husband dari hari Ahad sampai Selasa. Rabu, kami dah fly balik - aku ke Bintulu dan Suami Terchenta balik ke KL. Kali ni dalam flight adik yang tido nyenyak dan terjaga bila nak landing, kakak pulak yang hyper tapi bila nak sampai dia boleh tido pulak. Hish budak-budak ni...

Nasib baik bila aku kejutkan Khayla, dia tak mengamuk walaupun mula-mula dia marah sebab aku kata dah sampai. Tapi bila aku sebut 'Makyeng is waiting for us', dia terus capai teddy bear dan jalan ke tangga sambil kata, 'Let's go home, mak. Bring bag, mak.' Baik betul anak aku yang seorang ni, tak menyusahkan aku langsung.

Tapi yang tak syoknya sementara tunggu mak aku sampai, boleh pulak dia terkencing depan kedai kat airport tu! Rupa-rupanya pampers dia dah penuh sangat masa dalam flight sampai bocor. Nak marah pun tak guna so terpaksa la sambil sorong beg dan dukung Khadeeja aku bawak dia pegi tandas untuk salin baju dan buang pampers. Hmm.

Sejak balik Sarawak dia dah terbiasa dengan pampers yang bapak dia pakaikan sebab malas nak bawak dia pegi tandas bila beraya di rumah orang. Lagi satu toilet kat kampung Suami Terchenta pulak jenis yang mencangkung tapi Khayla cuma reti 'shee-shee' kat toilet duduk, so bila tanya nak pegi toilet ke tak, laju je dia geleng kepala. Ada sekali tu dia terkencing kat rumah sepupu Suami Terchenta, sebab aku bebel kat Suami Terchenta yang suka pakaikan dia pampers, penat je aku ajar dia kencing kat toilet. So malam tu, Suami Terchenta pun tak pakaikan, sudahnya Khayla pun tak sedar dia tak pakai pampers dan terkencing...

Kat Bintulu pun aku sempat lagi sambung beraya. Kali ni aku pegi rumah kawan sekolah dulu. Memang kecoh la malam tu kami bercerita tentang kisah dulu-dulu, kawan-kawan dan di mana dieorang sekarang ni. Best sangat raya kali ni dapat berjumpa kawan-kawan sekolah dari sekolah rendah sampai sekolah menengah dulu! Sekarang masing-masing dah beranak-pinak, tapi malam tu aku la yang paling ramai anak sebab kawan baik aku, Hester dan kawan rapat masa sekolah rendah, Jessica, masing-masing baru ada satu 'handbag' (kawan kami Asma yang gelar junior kami handbag. Hehe).

Dengan kawan-kawan sekolah dulu - masih berhubung walaupun dah bertahun-tahun tak bersua

Khayla dan Charlene pun berkawan dengan cara dieorg sendiri!

Fuh. Tak sangka panjang-lebar pulak entri raya aku tahun ni. Kesimpulannya, memang rasa seronok sangat, walaupun persiapan raya kami sederhana je. Yang penting masa yang diluangkan dengan kaum keluarga dan sahabat-handai :) Betul tak?

Monday, August 26, 2013

Cerita Raya (Bahagian 3)

Akhirnya pagi Raya menjelang tiba. Dah la tido lewat malam sebelumnya, ditambah lagi takde air pagi-pagi nak menguruskan dua orang anak kecik, hai… Dan, bila pakaikan baju Khayla, rupa-rupanya baju tu kecik.

Tulah, gara-gara tak de masa nak pergi shopping baju raya, sehari sebelum balik kampung baru ada masa pergi ke KWC cari baju kurung. Memang silap besar la sebab tak banyak pilihan dan takde saiz yang sesuai. Last-last aku cuma belikan baju kurung sedondon sepasang seorang, tapi bila pakaikan kat Khayla baju tu memang dah pendek macam kurung Kedah pulak! Kalau baju je pendek takpe gak, ni kain pun senteng. Worse, cuma ada sepasang je baju raya yang sedondon sebab aku ingatkan mak aku sempat nak jahitkan baju kurung macam yang dia plan nak buat. Tapi tak sempat pulak. Kesian anak aku!

Memang aku rasa takde mood langsung nak beraya! Sudahnya tak de gambar family pun tahun ni :( Bila aku fikir-fikirkan balik, aku rasa menyesal sangat sebab buatkan mak aku sedih pagi-pagi raya gara-gara aku takde mood nak bergambar raya. Mak, orang mintak maaf ye mak?

Aku rasa sedih jugak sebabnya ni tahun pertama sambut raya dengan Khadeeja. Masa Khayla dulu, kemain la meriah dan ceria sebab first time sambut raya dengan anak kata kan, tapi bila turn Khadeeja, aku pulak yang buat hal di pagi raya. Maafkan mak ye Khadeeja… :'(

Akibatnya ni je gambar yang sempat snap Hari Raya pertama:

Khadeeja bermain kat bawah meja...

Khayla dengan Khadeeja memang suka bertandang raya. Khayla suka sebab kalau bab-bab berjalan ni, dia memang nombor satu! Lagi satu, dapat rasa kuih raya kat rumah orang. Dia paling suka 'kek belacan', kek kukus ni memang tradisi raya kat Sarawak. Hampir kebanyakan rumah ada hidang kek ni. Memang sedap pun, sebab buat dari koko / milo kalau tak silap.

Khadeeja pulak gemar main bawah meja. Kat hampir setiap rumah sanak-saudara yang kami pergi, dia pergi merangkak bawah meja. Aku dah speechless. Biarlah, asalkan dia bahagia dan tak meragam! Tak tau la apa yang best sangat bawah meja tu, sekali pandang memang comel dengan pakai baju kurung merangkak ala komando bawah meja. Hahaha!

Hari raya kedua, kami pergi ke Mukah pulak, sebab ada saudara kami buat open house kat restoran dia. Seperti biasa singgah kat rumah Mak Ngah kami sebelum pergi open house:

Khadeeja silap orang, ingatkan Pakyeng dia yang dukung dia (ni adik bapak aku / Pak Lang aku)

Kat open house tu, Khayla suka la sebab restoran tu atas air. Dia suka tengok sungai sambil tunjuk, 'Blue boat!', 'Water!', 'Green boat!' Lagi-lagi ramai yang beri perhatian kat dia sebab suka melayan dia speaking. Hehe. Khayla memang prefer berkomunikasi dalam Bahasa Inggeris sebab dah terbiasa kat sekolah cikgu bercakap dalam English dan Cina. Dia malas nak alih-alih bahasa ni :p

Khayla: 'Look! Boat… blue boat…'

Kakak suka dapat perhatian ramai… Lagi suka sebab kat open house ada lollipop!

Khadeeja pulak tak suka sebab ramai pakcik dan makcik yang dia tak kenal nak dukung dia. Sejak dah kenal muka orang, dia memang takut kalau orang yang tak kenal dukung dia!

Khadeeja dengan adik sepupu - muka kelat je tak suka orang lain dukung dia :p

Apapun rasa sangat puas sebab aku tengok Khayla & Khadeeja enjoy je balik kampung. Khayla sebab dia boleh main kat jambatan belakang rumah, Khadeeja pulak sebab rumah kampung luas so dia boleh merangkak sesuka hati dia!

Kat jambatan ni la kiteorg amik gambar pertama as hubby & wife.. 7 tahun kemudian Khayla pulak berjalan-jalan kat jambatan yg sama

Main 'peek-a-boo' dengan kakak

Hari raya keempat pulak, kami balik ke kampung sebelah Suami Terchenta. First time balik ke Kuching guna jalan darat. Sebelum ni naik flight MasWing dari Mukah ke Kuching tapi masa nak beli tiket flight, dah penuh pulak. Nasib baik Pak Usu aku sudi tumpangkan kiteorang naik kereta Alza dia sebab rumah dia pun di kawasan Samarahan jugak. Nanti aku sambung next posting pulak ye :)

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Cerita Raya (Bahagian 2)

Hujung-hujung bulan puasa memang meriah sebelah family aku. Boleh pulak berat aku naik semula sebab hari-hari mak & kakak aku masak best2 punya... Sepanjang bulan puasa kat KL kami agak busy kat kampus, tambah pulak setiap hari aku kena masak untuk bukak puasa dengan nak menjaga dua beradik tu. Hish, memang tak menang tangan la sampai turun berat aku masa tu. Tapi tak sampai seminggu balik kampung dah naik balik. Hehe. Takpe janji enjoy sakan dapat berkumpul dengan adik-beradik semua :)

Masa kat Bintulu, sempat gak aku bawak Khayla & Khadeeja pergi gunting rambut kat home salon dekat dengan rumah mak. Murah je, gunting rambut dua beradik tu cuma kena caj RM7. Tapi makcik Cina tu syok sangat kot gunting rambut Khadeeja sebab dia tak meragam sampai habis rambut ikal dia pun kena trim! Hasilnya Khadeeja dah macam boy pulak dengan gaya rambut tu!

Khayla nangis masa kena gunting rambut sebab tak suka orang pegang kepala dia

Khadeeja gembira sebab rambut dah tak masuk mata, kepala pun rasa ringan kot!

Sehari sebelum raya, kami semua balik ke kampung bapak di Igan untuk beraya dengan keluarga besar - adik-beradik bapak, Nek Usu, dsb. Dari Bintulu ke Igan konvoi dua kereta. On the way, sempat singgah di Mukah rumah makcik kami untuk berehat, jamak solat, mandi-manda dan beli barangan dapur untuk masak juadah pagi raya kat kampung. Ni memang tradisi keluarga kami dah bertahun-tahun. Tapi memang nasib baik kami semua mandi siap-siap kat Mukah sebab mcm tahun-tahun sebelum ni kat kampung memang bekalan air problem menjelang raya!

Khadeeja sempat bergolek2 kat rumah Nek Ngah. Dia memang tak suka travel naik kereta sebab tak bebas

Tahun ni sedih sket sebab tak semua keluarga besar dapat pulang beraya especially keluarga Wa (pangkat Pak Long). Sepupu aku dengan wife dia eksiden masa on the way balik ke Mukah (kampung wife dia), so dieorang terus cancel plan balik kampung dan tak beraya tahun ni (kesian, wife dia kena 13 jahitan dan muka lebam-lebam akibat eksiden tu). Adik dia pulak tak dapat balik sebab wife tengah sarat so takleh travel jauh-jauh. Nasib baik sepupu perempuan kami yang mulut kecoh tu dapat balik beraya, so berseri la jugak suasana raya tahun ni.

Masa kami sampai di kampung, yang lain pun baru sampai dari Sibu melawat wife sepupu yang eksiden tu. Ngam-ngam sampai, masuk waktu berbuka. Apa lagi kecoh la satu rumah bila dah ramai-ramai berkumpul! Makcik kami yg datang dari Sabah tak sempat nak masak pun, nasib baik makcik di Mukah sempat belikan ayam KFC sebelum bertolak ke kampung. Bila berbuka ramai-ramai memang meriah rasanya.

Malam tu kami bergotong-royong di dapur memasak juadah pagi raya (laksa Sarawak & kari ayam), potong kek lapis utk susun dalam bekas kuih so tinggal nak hidang kat tetamu je besoknya, dan bersihkan rumah. Khadeeja pun tumpang sekaki - tapi tumpang menyibuk je la. Dia sibuk jelajah ruang tamu, panjat sana sini!

Malam sebelum raya tu adat la kena tidur lewat supaya esok tak kelam-kabut sangat. Aku especially sebab nak kena siapkan dua beradik ni - lebih-lebih lagi dengan takde air. Leceh betul :(

Erm. Dah citer panjang lebar pulak tak masuk lagi citer hari raya dan lepas raya. Post bersambung...

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Cerita Raya (Bahagian 1)

Rasanya belum terlambat utk wish kawan2 semua 'Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri', kalau ada salah & silap harap dimaafkan la ye :)

Kali ni aku tetiba teringin nak blogging dalam Bahasa Melayu. Barulah ada feel nak story-mory pasal raya. Hehehe.

Tahun ni first time aku berpeluang balik kampung awal sejak aku kawen lebih 6 tahun lepas. Sempat lagi buka puasa & terawih kat masjid dengan mak & adik-beradik aku. Seronok betul. Mak aku orang yang paling gembira sebab akhirnya semua adik-beradik aku balik beraya serentak tahun ni - sebelum ni kalau bukan aku yang takde sebab giliran raya kat kampung Suami Terchenta, adik aku yang takde sebab beraya di Jepun. Tahun ni je kami semua dapat berkumpul.

Lepas solat terawih dengan mak dan adik-beradik

Anyway, tahun-tahun sebelum ni tak berkesempatan bukak puasa & berterawih sesama sebab kami husband & wife masing-masing bekerja, so tak boleh spend time lama-lama sebab ada dua kampung yang kena lawat - belah aku dan belah Suami Terchenta. Kiteorg dah la duduk jauh di perantauan (ececey, macam la dok overseas!), raya je the only time kiteorg boleh balik kampung. Maka balik kampung cun-cun esok nak raya baru balik supaya dapat spend cuti kat dua-dua belah family.

Balik ke tahun ni. Memandangkan Suami Terchenta masih ada kelas & cuti pun tak banyak, maka terpaksalah aku seorang je fly dengan dua orang budak kecik ni. Lagi pun masa tu tiket still murah (3 orang = RM250 total), so beli je lah.

Tahun ni jugak kami bersemangat hantar kad raya kat sanak-saudara & kawan2, sesambil buat aktiviti menarik utk anak2 i.e. buat cap tangan & kaki dieorg utk kenang2an!

Ni kira first time aku fly sorang-sorang bawak dua-dua budak kecik ni, maka haruslah aku pasang strategi supaya tak huru-hara sepanjang flight 2 jam tu. Pertama, luggage memang kena check in, so bawak beg diaper dgn beg tangan je. Kedua, stroller pun kena bawak sampai ke tangga nak naik kapal terbang AA, sebab si Khayla ni dah terbiasa duduk dalam stroller je. Mau aku kena dukung dua beradik tu kalau takde stroller...

Ketiga, kena ada baby sling untuk dukung adik. Keempat, sediakan susu siap-siap dalam botol susu untuk dua beradik ni sebab memang la tak akan ada masa nak bancuh kemudian (dan tak selesa nak bagi susu direct kat adik dalam flight in case ada penumpang lain duduk sebelah). Snek (biskut baby dan kismis kegemaran kakak) pun tak boleh lupa. Segala bendalah mak nenek macam lampin, nursing cover, wet tissue, etc pun siap-siap simpan dalam diaper bag.

Siapkan bekalan untuk perjalanan dalam flight

Kelima, entertainment utk dua beradik ni (pacifier, iPad utk kakak) pun wajib ada supaya dieorang tak bosan dalam flight. Keenam, aku sengaja book seat kat belakang supaya dekat ngan toilet in case kena tukar lampin / Khayla nak 'shee-shee'. Lagipun biasanya tak de penumpang lain kat seat belakang. Last sekali, aku make sure pakaian bersesuaian utk aku & dua beradik ni contohnya aku kena pakai baju yg senang nak selak kalau tetiba adik melalak nak susu, seluar pun kena ada kocek utk letak boarding pass & IC senang tak yah nak selongkar beg nak cari 2 benda tu. Budak-budak pulak aku pakaikan baju tebal sket sebab dlm flight sejuk biasanya.

Kemain lagi kan, preparation nak travel padahal 2 jam je journey. Detailed, sampai ke baju apa yg nak dipakai pun kena fikirkan jugak demi keselesaan masa travel tu nanti. Kalau tak, haru jugak nak melayan dua orang budak kecik yang menangis sebab tak selesa masa dalam flight nanti!

Seperti biasa kakak senang je bila travel ni. Bagi susu, pastu dia 'off' sepanjang flight. Yg leceh sket nak melayan adik sebab dia jenis yg tido-tido ayam je. Masa boarding dia tido, tapi bila nak take off dia bangun dan teruslah berjaga sampai landing. Hmm. Nasib baik takde passenger kat seat sebelah, so aku biarkan je la adik panjat-panjat kerusi ikut suka dia. Tapi aku nak tido tak boleh la sebab kena layan dia. Khadeeja, Khadeeja...

Adik yang hyper masa dalam flight!

Alhamdulillah masa nak naik flight dan turun dari flight, ada hamba-hamba Allah yang sudi tolong dukung si Khayla naik dan turun tangga AA tu, memandangkan aku kena bawak beg dan dukung Khadeeja. Masa nak naik flight, aku mintak tolong sorang mamat Jepun ni dukung Khayla. Khayla pun tak meragam bila strangers yang dukung dia, sebab dia faham kot aku tak boleh dukung dia. Ada sorang lagi mamat Melayu ni pulak tolong aku tutup stroller sebelum staf ground handling AA masukkan stroller dalam kargo.

Mamat Jepun tu memang baik sungguh, sebab bila dah landing, dia sanggup pergi semula ke seat kami yang kat belakang sekali tanya sama ada aku perlukan pertolongan dukung Khayla turun dari flight. Tapi aku segan la asyik mintak tolong dia je kan, aku cakap, 'It's ok, thank you!'. Lepas tu mintak tolong pramugara AA je.

Masa nak ambik barang-barang kat baggage area pulak, sekali lagi berdepan masalah sket. Ingatkan bapak aku dah sampai airport, boleh la aku pass budak-budak ni kat dia sementara aku collect beg. Tapi rupa-rupanya dia still on the way. Sekali lagi, Alhamdulillah, staf ground operations AA tolong aku angkat beg dan kotak dan letak atas troli. Lepas tu dia tolong tolak troli tu sementara aku tolak stroller.

Tulah kisah perjalanan balik ke kampung hari pertama. Phew! Nanti aku sambung pulak kisah seterusnya ;)

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Letter to my girls: Khayla (31 months) & Khadeeja (7 months)

To my little angels on earth,

Last couple of weeks you both turned a month older, Alhamdulillah. It's almost hard to believe that a lifetime away I was just obsessed about work, but now I'm obsessed about your milestones and oh boy, what many milestones you girls have achieved so far!

To the sweetest baby in the world named Khadeeja,

The day that I feared has finally arrived - all of a sudden you started to talk back to us and giving your own opinion! Not funny that you love repeating us telling you 'No' - 'No Khadeeja, don't climb the TV cabinet!' 'No Khadeeja, don't eat that thing from the floor!' 'No Khadeeja, don't pull your sister's hair!' And you cheerfully replied, 'Na, na, na, na...' Occasionally you said, 'Ta, ta, ta...' too. Sometimes when you get all excited you punctuated your babbles with loud shrieks and flapping of arms to stress your point. All in all, you are the most expressive baby I've come by and that worries me a little because it means the day we argue on every single thing from boys to clothes to how to fry an egg are fast approaching!

'Naaaaa.....'

Last month also had been a challenging month as it was the fasting month and we were super busy supplying food at the campus. What made it challenging was not the cooking or the food packing, no. It was because you simply hate to be left on your own even though I was just a few meters away in the kitchen. When I put you on the floor or in your walker, you started to wail and cry big fat tears that will turn to a full-blast tantrum till you were blue in the face. You can really cry hard till no voice came out - you were that determined to force me to stop my work and carry you.

I could ignore your cries if you just stay put in one place but no. Since you could crawl and stand up against my legs, you made it difficult for me to ignore you! So in the end I had no choice but to schedule my tasks in short bursts and scuttle around doing a lot of things while you took short naps, but oh boy, it was exhausting!

Climbing has become your latest skill!

My sweetheart,

On the bright side, you have become less fussy and could sit quietly in your car seat as we made our daily trips to the city campus in the evening. The reason is because you have shown strong interest in this awesome thing called baby CD which I put on in the car before we started our journey. You love watching this CD of nursery rhymes called 'The Wheels on the Bus' series and could get so preoccupied with it throughout the journey! :D The moment I put you in the car seat you would automatically looked at the TV screen expecting to see the cartoon played!

Cartoon fan

And you also gained so many admirers on campus who think you are the best stress-buster. You are probably the most popular person on campus as we got so many requests from fellow students wanting to carry you during break time. There's this lady from China who adores you so much that she would stop by every day just to say hello and kiss you :) awww...

Helping to sell the food by being oh-so-cute!

My precious gem,

Another happy progress is your enthusiasm at trying out new food - the flavour of the month happened to be puréed avocado which you love with a gusto. You also love trying out various other food from jelly to noodle, and I hope your healthy appetite will continue on, Amin.

Uncle Sodep helping to feed you

Now to my darling firstborn, Khayla,

My singing bug. My talkative parrot and hilarious copycat. You are my sweetheart, the one sunshine that brought so much joy, especially at this age. Sometimes you can try my patience too when you become so stubborn and have discovered that you have control over your own life!

Must watch BabyTV first before going to school

Khayla sweetie,

Let's talk about this stubbornness that suddenly popped out of nowhere. You have become pretty much independent lately and have your own opinions on what you like and dislike. For instance, the other week you wanted to put on your shoes by yourself but because we were in a hurry, I helped you with the task. You flew into a rage because you wanted to do it yourself! So you insisted to take the shoe off and then put it on again unassisted.

The same thing happened when you demanded to sing your favourite tune. If I dared to sing other songs, you would shriek, 'Noooooo!' and become so upset. Your favorite song now is 'Please don't cry', which you never got tired to ask me to sing it for you, 'The Wheels on the Bus', complete with cute actions (and you would correct me each time I sing 'round and round' instead of 'up and down' like you want me to), and recently you also love 'Xiao Lau Shu', a Chinese nursery song you learnt at school about a little mouse.

Khayla at her first school trip

After fetching you from school, you normally refuse to leave the car and walk by yourself to our apartment. This is where my parenting skill have evolved - at first I used force and we would have a screaming fit and huge tantrums as I attempted to drag you upstairs while balancing Khadeeja on my hip. On days I don't have the energy to fight with a feisty 2-year-old, I would simply carry both of you upstairs but it became terribly exhausting during fasting month.

So, I changed tactics to bribing you to a short trip to the playground. You love the playground! Mention the word 'playground' and your stubborn demeanour resolve, and you would skip your way to the playground :)

'See-saw, mak...'

My super adorable tot,

In terms of food, you are a typical two-year-old true and true. You and food don't get along well unless the food is coated in sugar, chocolate or cheese - otherwise known as 'junk food' or 'snack'. The best healthy food you could stomach are raisins (your all-time favourite snack which you could finish the whole box in one sitting), and certain fruits (apple, banana, corn). Other than that, you are happy to go without food. Whenever it's mealtime, I have to chase you to get you to eat a spoonful of rice, and if I am lucky, I could get you to eat chicken or fish with rice. So far, any attempts at getting you to eat vegetable have been futile. Seriously, secretly I think your teacher was just trying to cover your back when she mentioned that you could finish your greens at school, where else at home you would rather vomit than eat anything green! (except the green M&Ms!)

Another thing my dear, is your relationship with your sister. Somehow, this month you are back to treating your sister like an annoying bug. Why, Khayla? I simply could not understand why you could not get along with Khadeeja where else Khadeeja simply adores you. Whenever Khadeeja was happily playing (or poking around with stuffs at the tv cabinet like any curious 7-month-olds), you get upset easily and would pull her with a loud command, 'No, Khadeeja!' Then Khadeeja would tumble down, sometimes knocking her head on the floor with a surprised look on her face, before wailing in hurt!

I get very upset too. I would pull you back, and demand why you treat Khadeeja like that. You have that 'uh-oh, I've done something bad and I just realise it' look on your face. As a punishment, you would have to sit in a corner. After a while, I would call you and you would kiss my hand and caress Khadeeja's head to say you are sorry, but half an hour later, you would do the same thing again!

The rare moment when you could be sweet to Khadeeja

The other day, Bapak caught you in the act of pulling your sister and making her bump her head on the floor. I think it was just a thoughtless reflect - he pulled you back and smacked you hard on your hand. You looked dazed as Bapak shouted at you for hurting your sister, but you didn't cry. You stared defiantly at him as if saying that you did nothing wrong teaching your sister not to touch with Mommy's stuff, that I felt sorry for you. Still, I intervened and you knew immediately what you have to do, even asking me, 'Sit there?' and voluntarily went to the corner to sit and punish yourself!

Both sisters enjoying apple slices

My cheeky Khayla,

Despite your stubbornness, your less-than-sisterly act towards Khadeeja as well as love for junk food and playground, you have improved your vocabulary by leaps and bounds. You can name a lot of things now that I cannot list them all here, complete with adjectives to describe them. And, you have very good memory too. You especially love the puzzles games in my iPad and can memorise which piece goes where after just a game or two. Bravo my darling!

Baby girl,

I just hope that in your heart, you would find the mean to accept Khadeeja as your little sister. I know you still want us by yourself, it shows my sweetie. The way you nuzzle your head against mine, the way you hold my hand so possessively, how you love it so much when I choose to hug and cuddle you over your sister. But remember I told you last time that I love you both equally, not an ounce more or less?

Smiling with each other

Well, sweethearts, I love you both dearly.

With all my heart,
Mak