Hi readers! It has been awhile since I last wrote in. Isobel is now 18 months and is growing up to be quite the drama queen. A lot has been happening in our lives since “we” last shared the journey of a first time mother with her son-like-daughter. From moving house, getting acquainted with a new maid to financial woes and experimenting with cheaper diapers.
Yes. Isobel and I have been through quite a bit over the past 6 months. But I firmly believe that what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger. Resilient. Hardier. Appreciative.
Without dwelling on the details, Isobel is the only love of my life right now – she has been, ever since I found out about her existence many, many moons ago. And here she is, sitting on my lap while I write this, as if to say “mama, please write something nice this time. Don’t tell the readers my naughty side”.
Speaking of which, I always thought that my children would call me ‘mummy’. Or ‘mum’. Or even ‘mii’. But when I taught her to say ‘mummy’ – she would just call me ‘mama’. I brought this up with a friend who scolded me later.
“Pon, be grateful she calls you mama. I know a child who calls her parents by their names!” Mama , mummy… potato … po-tah-toe… same lah friend“
(Imagine Bel calling me Daphne. Funny. I wonder why that kid calls her parents by their name? Surely they asked him/her to say that, right? Oh well, different strokes for different folks)
So yes, Isobel calls me mama. I seem to have grown on it. I think it has a more ‘traditional’ feel to it… don’t you think?
Yesterday, I took Isobel for her first movie. We went to watch Transformers 2 with my two other “kids” (my friend’s children who I have grown quite attached too and spoil rotten). I said a silent prayer as I entered the cinema. I used to dislike parents who took their noisy children into the theatres or cinemas – so I was praying that Isobel would be a quiet spectator. I had already prepared her milk, her snacks, a warm blanket and her toy to distract her in case she gets bored. I had also made sure to book a ticket when it was close to her naptime. Fingers crossed.
She seemed to be quiet at first. Then came one part where Mikaela (played by Megan Fox) is at her opening shot. Bel pointed out to her and screamed (really, really loud) “mama”. You can see some lustful-turn-irritated looks of the men around me.
“Sorry,” I mouth sheepishly.
“Bel stop it!” as I cover her mouth as she bounces up and down.
“Mama…dat mama!!”
(You have to watch Transformers to understand this part of the story)
The opening shot shows a (very sexy) posterior shot of Megan Fox in her cut off jeans sitting (or was it standing) on her mean machine of a bike. Glossy red lips, thick long curls, mesmerizing aqua eyes, tanned long legs. You get the picture right?
Well, even though I was a little bit embarrassed by her sudden outburst, I couldn’t help but smile at Isobel’s excitement. Fine. I am going to be a bit cheesy and vain here, but Isobel thinking that the (HOT) lady on the screen was her mama? Who wouldn’t be smiling from ear to ear right?
Daphne Iking = Megan Fox. BIG Deal man! Especially when you start to notice that the wrinkles around your eyes are slowly starting to show and grey hair seems to be a companion of late. A boost of confidence is what you want from time to time. And Isobel did that for me. A day before I was to turn a year older, she made me feel all gooey and nice again. This little girl is my strength.
God I love her.
Yes. I love her even though she thought throwing my makeup and expensive creams down the toilet was funny, I love her even though she refuses to wear her expensive dresses and rather wear her old shorts and tees and I love her even though she can’t string a proper sentence together. Unlike some who can tell his mother all the shapes in the dictionary at the age of 18 months. Whoa. Freaky.
Yup. I was at the pediatrician for Isobel’s 18 months jab a few weeks ago. She was sharing toys with another boy her age and small kids being small kids, they were causing quite a ruckus with the toys provided at that clinic.
Clearing up the mess, his mother and I started to get acquainted. Normal mummy talk. Pleasant conversation till she turned her attention to her son as my little one started getting tired and asked me to cuddle her.
Reading my book while sniffing Bel’s hair, I was in my own world. It was just the soft gurgling of water in the fish tank and that mother’s voice that I could hear now.
“Son…what is this?”
“Ser-cle mummy”
“And this is..?”
“Twi-angle mummy”
My ears and eyes started perking up.
“And now this shape son… what is it?”
“Twa-pezium!”
Trapezium? What the hey? TRAPEZIUM? I don’t know what a trapezium is! I put my book down swiftly, take a glance at that trapezium shape, visually slap my forehead (and mouthing “Ohhhh…”) and ask her, “Which school do you take him too? He is SO clever!!”
That very same day, I book my girl in that course. She is on waiting list till April next year. Sigh. And I vowed never to be a kiasu mother. Oh well.
Till April comes, I have to be a bit more disciplined in spending quality time with Isobel to teach her. She learns fast, but only when she wants to. Oh dear. She really is a cookie cut of her mother.
So there you are folks. Perhaps next time, she will be able to tell you what an opal is in the next post.
Will keep you all updated.
