Big S...

Md Ehsan has now learn to reason. At least by his standard. In our presence, he talks, moves and pretend-plays alot as he imitates us going about the house. Mix his talkativeness with his mispronounciation, it's us adults who are often left laughing in stitches.

Scenario 1:
(At a relative's house during Raya visiting)

Dad: "Ehsan, salam Atok-Cik (great granduncle)
Nephew: "Nanak"
Dad: "Come on, be a good boy"
Nephew: "Tak bleh. Tangan Ehsan minyak" (Cannot. My hands are oily)

*****************************************************************************

Scenario 2:
(In my room)

Nephew: "Ahntie Long, what's this?"
Me: "Aunty's school bag"
Nephew: "School bag? Ahntie Long go school?"
Me: "Uh-huh"
Nephew: "Ahntie Long tak work Bugis?" tak = no
Me: "Oh. Work first. Work ends Aunty goes to school"
Nephew: "Work Bugis, school?"
Me: "Yes"
Nephew: "Ape saje..."
Me: !??

*****************************************************************************

Scenario 3:
(In the house)

Mom: "Come Ehsan, time to bathe"
Nephew: "Ehsan nak play" nak = want
Me: "Let's go bam-bam. Shower first then play"

As he approaches the bathroom, my youngest sister surprises him from the store room.

Sister: "Boo!"
Nephew: (shocked and irritated) "You big ass!"
Sister: "Woi!"
Me: "Muhammad!"
Mom: "Hep!"
Nephew: "You big ass!"
Sister: (roaring in laughter) "He said that to Mom"
Me: "Muhammad, don't follow Aunty Dayah's nonsense"
Mom: "No lah. I think he meant something else. Imitating what Ain usually tells him"

Everyone thinks.

Me: "You behave?"
Mom: "Ah! Right!"
Sister: "You big ass!" (laughs again)
Me: *slaps forehead*

For a period of time, we actually discouraged him from saying it.

*****************************************************************************

Just now...

Nephew: "Ahntie Long buat ape?" = what are you doing
Me: "I want to sleep"
Nephew: "Ok. Ehsan nak wash wason mason"
Me: "Hah?"
Nephew: "Wason mason. Take towel, wash"

He took a small towel and puts it on the table. Then he pretended to scoop and pour something on the towel.

Me: "Ehsan wipe table?"
Nephew: "No no no. Wash Wason mason"
Me: "Wason mason? wason mason, wason mason, wason mason... washing machine?"
Nephew: "Ah! Ehsan take towel put wason mason."
Mom: "What's going on?"
Me: "Wason mason"

Md Ehsan nak jalan...

Ain's family went Geylang shopping over one weekend. The following week, while I was getting ready for work, Md Ehsan excitedly narrated to me.

Md Ehsan: "Dah beli baju Ehsan, baju Ayah, baju Ibu. Beli ongkok Ehsan, ongkok Ayah, udong Ibu." (Bought Ehsan's clothes, Dad's clothes, Mom's clothes. Bought Ehsan's headwear, Dad's headwear, Mom's headwear)

Me: "Wah, Ehsan pegi shopping kat Geylang eh?" (Wah, Ehsan went shopping at Geylang?)

Md Ehsan: "Ah ah"

Me: "Ahntie nak pakai baju boleh?" (Can I wear your clothes?)

Md Ehsan: "Tak bleh" (Cannot)

Mom: "Ehsan nak pakai baju pegi mane?" (Where are you going with those clothes?)

Md Ehsan: *after much silence* "Ehsan pakai baju, pakai ongkok, nak jalan" (Ehsan wearing clothes, wearing headwear, to go out)

Mom: "Ehsan nak jalan Ra..." (Ehsan wants to go...)

My mom had taught him the day before.

Md Ehsan: "Ehsan nak go work Bugis!"

Me: "?!!! Go work in baju kurung?"

Md Ehsan: *giggles*

A child's logic? More like his back-up script. Hahaha!



To all Muslims, Eid Mubarak. Wishing you all a blessful Ramadhan, a joyous Syawal and a wonderful year ahead. =)

"Ahntie baik-baik tau..."

My nephew surprised me this morning as I was leaving for work. After the usual salam & kisses...

"Bye darling. See you tomorrow"

"Bye ahntie... aik-aik tau" (take care ok)

My mom stopped reading her newspapers and asked excitedly, "What did he say?"

He smiled impishly and stood up. Accompanied me to the front as I stepped out and wore my shoes. Once I've locked the gate...

"Bye ahntie"

"Bye darling."

Smiling gleefully he said "Ahntie jalan baik-baik tau" (Ahntie walk carefully ok)

"Ok. Ehsan pun baik-baik tau" (Ehsan also be good ok)

"Ok." giggles

It took me a week later before I decided to record the whole act. It's the way he say it that tickles my heart.

Spon, bol and soes.

The family celebrated my Mom's birthday hours back. The usual dinner affair. Followed by us ladies checking out the nearby shops. Md Ehsan followed as we entered a shoe shop.

I wasn't looking for any. But my hands did reached out for a pair here and there. Designs were simple and prices were affordable. I tried them on to see if they were comfortable enough for dailywear. The little boy stood beside me observing everything. The sizes I tried were too small. But from what I felt, the cushioning was good. I placed the pairs of shoes back on the display and changed my attention back to him.

He looked at me, pointed at the shoes and went "Ahntie, soes." I nodded. Then he picked one up and placed it down on the floor near my feet. Oh no.

"No more darling. Come, let's put it back." He diligently picked and placed it back. A few steps forward, he pointed at another pair and went "Ahntie, soes?"

I shook my head and started walking out, "Let's go". He tagged along, "Et's go babey". =)

We walked around the area. The men were standing at a corner waiting & talking. Mom, Dayah & Ain were browsing at another shop. Together with Md Ehsan, I entered another shop selling Muslim & Muslimah headwears and praying items.

"Ahntie, ongkok." Huh?

"Mane?" (Where?)

"Tu atas" (Up there). I looked up and true enough, rows and rows of black and white songkoks.

"Oh ah ah. Ehsan pun ade songkok kat rumah kan?" (Oh ya. Ehsan also has a songkok at home right?) He smiled.

"Ahntie, allahwakbar." Walking with him is always that entertaining. There I was browsing at the numerous anak tudung while he was happily discovering and pointing at the piles of colourful thick sejadah (praying mats).

By this time his antics have caught the attention of the 2 shopowners.

"Cutenya. Nama siapa ni, nak?" (So cute. What's your name, child?)
Right away, he clammed up and grabbed hold of my hand. I became his spokesperson.

"Nama die Md Ehsan." (His name is...)

"Mukanya banyak iras ibunya. Hensem." (His features are mostly from his mother. Handsome.)

Unknowing to the shopowners, little boy has already started tugging my hand to move from that place.

I smiled, salam and left.

I was wondering when did Ain entered that shop. Before I realised that the lady had meant me. Haiyo...

The Terrific 2

It's been a long while since I put up pictures of Md Ehsan. It used to be a period of many firsts and a mad dash for the digicam to record his antics. Since then, I have let him watched his baby pictures and videos. He has no recollection of them at all. A typical dialogue would be:

Me: "Who's that, darling?"
Md Ehsan: "Baybee"

The digicam sits quietly in my room nowadays. Partly because he has become very camera-cautious. I have to show him the picture each time I shot. The last thing I need is for him to grab the digicam from my hand and dropped my heart to pieces. Other than that, I'm very much enjoying his current linguistic development. There's the occasional gibberish "Uh uh". But the house is never quiet with him around. Each place is like a new classroom. The one thing that puzzles me though... at times he calls me Ahn-tie, other times it's Ma. *scratches head*

Happy 21st... month, Md Ehsan! Countdown to Year 2!



I had wanted to actually put up a video of his breakdancing skills. The file unfortunately is corrupted.

Aummm!

This morning while getting ready for work, my mom told me that she taught Md Ehsan how a lion roar. Mom told me that the roar was more like a cat's purr. I had to see it for myself. So I asked him...

Me: "Md Ehsan, how does a dog sound?"
Nephew: "Wroof wroof!" (saliva sprays all over)
Me: "Clever boy. How does a mouse sound?"
Nephew: "Cit cit!" (clear high-pitch tone)
Me: "Yay." claps hands "Ok how does... a lion sound?"
Nephew: "Aummm!" (soft & gentle)
Me: "Alamak."
Nephew: (imitates) "Ahmamak."

Wakakaka! His roar sounds like a kitten's purr.

Step by step, ooh baby...

My nephew's latest trick:

Md Ehsan in his "dhoti"

Day by day he stood up and balanced himself. Between us, it has turned into a game. I will count as he stand unaided. First attempt was 10 seconds. His parents bought for him a new pair of nice sandals and over the weekend, I got him to use them and walked outside the house.

My morning routine nowadays are also accompanied with Md Ehsan tailing after me everywhere I go. He will crawl and follow me from the living hall to my room past the dining area to the kitchen, like a shadow. My mom calls it "his morning exercise" because by the time she carries him, he will be perspiring all over. Last Thursday while I was getting ready for work, I noticed that the little boy was attempting to stand and balance every few minutes. Just before I got out of the house, he stood and walked from the coffee table to the piano! Of course I was excited!

I dashed to my room to get hold of my digicam. Md Ehsan quickly crawled and followed me. I looked at him and said "Ehsan, come and follow me" before dashing out of the room.

I stood near the kitchen with my digicam in hand. He crawled out of my room. He supported himself up using the dining chair. Bit by bit, he cruised from one chair to the other chair. With a grin on his face, he took his steps...



Well I was in a hurry. So that was all I could afford.

Back from class last night, he was inches away from the door when I opened it. I "bullied" him into walking several times. My previous attempt to videotape him turned out wrong. This morning I recorded again. I got this:



After all that effort, I showed Md Ehsan the recording. His response: a cheeky grin =)

13 months and cute than ever...

Ever since Md Ehsan started growing teeth, his drooling ceased. Recently it started again. Could it be that more teeth are sprouting?
I wonder what grandma is saying...

If he insists on something, he will not be happy till he holds it. Things like handphones, digicams, combs, keys... you can't bluff him with the toy versions.
Aunty won't let me hold her digicam!

Oh, his crawling speed is way way way faster. Imagine this:
1. He turns his head towards the door once he hears the keys rattling against the gate. Mind you I'm outside.
2. The door goes "Ding Dong" as I swung it open. I enter the house and sees this little boy peering over the edge of the sofa. Time freeze...
3. He drops everything in his hands and zooms! I turn my back to close the gate, lock the gate, close and lock the door. By the time I turn to him again, he has cornered me.
I'm gonna get you. Wait, kodak moment.

He enjoys bathing time now. Put him in the tub and he will slap his hands in the water, splashing water all over. He goes "Eeee" to brush his 4 front teeth. But screams when anyone towel-dries his hair.
Head and shouders? Nah, my back is itchy

He doesn't enjoy purees and soft foods anymore. His current diet is porridge, plain bread and slightly mushy foods. The idea of biting into food thrills him, including biting grandma's finger while brushing!
So hard to eat cereal puff with my hand

He has yet to make his own first step. It used to be that he walked only when we held both hands. Nowadays I can hold just one hand to get him to follow me. His standing balance is steadier by the day. But as usual, he will turn and look around for support to cruise. Very curious yet cautious character about him that defies logic at times.

This evening, the entire family was out to celebrate my Mom's birthday. He got restless in the highchair after eating his cereal puff & porridge. I carried him and walked around the Tambuah Mas restaurant, pointing out the various masks and statues displayed. Put him near a painting or fake window and he slaps his hand against them. Yet when I stood near a tall wooden statue, he turned away and clung to me for dear life. 2D vs 3D? Mmm...

A&J Valentine

A year ago, a baby boy entered my family's life.



Today the same boy...

I have to dip pieces of bread in his cereal.

accompanied me and my mother in the taxi. He looked puzzled at the taxi driver, at his pram being placed in the trunk, observing quietly as we left home. Just before he fell asleep, he said "Da da". =) My mother said he was saying goodbye in advance just in case he is still asleep when I leave.

He woke up minutes before I checked in.

See ya!

15 Muharram 1427H...

According to the Islamic calendar, Md Ehsan turns 1 year old today. His parents invited both sides of the family for a birthday dinner treat. Poor boy was very sick. Face was flushed and body was with high temperature.

I had ordered mini cupcakes for the occassion from Ayu. They looked so cute and presentable... almost didn't have the heart to eat them. =)

Waitresses could not find a suitable plate

The little Emperor received plenty of big presents, much to the delight of his mother. In fact his parents even test drive his Santa Fe for him. =P

Get well aite, dear boy. Sorry Aunty won't be around on your actual birthday. Will make up for it during CNY week.