Grieving Gaza

Dear Amir,

There's a terrible masacre happening in Gaza now. It started a few weeks ago and to date it has taken way too many lives, mostly of innocent children, women and the elderlies.

While i'm not a mean person, I try to ignore this subject as much as possible. I dont like discussing it, i just hate to deal with it. I'm just that kind of person. I dont deal well with death. I dont deal well with losing. I dont know how to grief. Nowadays, I dont even watch the news anymore. I skipped the first few pages of the newspaper in the morning simply because i dont think i'm fit enough to handle it. I saw the pic of a father crying over his three lifeless children the other day and the day after i saw a pic of a bloody dead toddler buried in rubbles. I thought that was enough, at least enough graphic to haunt me forever. And i just cant afford to be depress now.

I may be selfish this way. I may even be mean for conciously trying to ignore this. And this post may even sounds as if i'm trying to justify my behaviour towards this issue. I dont care. All i care now is that this has to stop.

Let us all pray that this'll end soon. May Allah bless the Palestinians, alive and otherwise. Amin.

17 months and counting

Dear Amir

I know this is long overdue but I could not bare thinking that i'm going to miss another note about your monthly milestone. So i'm going to be practical about this and just jot them as simply as I could

Can

• pronounce 'kakak'perfectly
• throw rubbish into the wastebasket when asked to
• pick up the remote control/handphone/newspaper when asked to
• sleep on your own when given your fav pillow, a bottle of warm milk and Pooh
• go down the slide without much assistance
• get along with your cousins & second cousins - mostly older than you
• feed on your own using utensils - this with some help la

With Abg Harris & Abg Rahim

Fruits for supper

Know

• the way to Tok Ma/our house from the traffic light in between the two housing areas
• which car belongs to who (Papa, Tok Pa, Uncle Cho, Uncle Wan, Tok Ma..)
• to point to your diapers and say 'Ak!' when you're done with your big business
• it's mealtime when i lay the table and you'll start shouting for your Papa to come and eat
• to wipe your hands and mouth dry after washing them
• how to 'pray'.. kind of

Like

• sharing your food with our cat,Boy
• babies and immitating them crying
• food, all sort, anytime, anywhere
• clinging on to us and buat malu2 kucing around strangers
• shouting your lungs out when you're in goodmood
• watching videos of yourself on my handphone

"Baby cry macam mana Mir??"

Hate

• to brush your teeth
• when Tok Ma / me talks on the phone and ignore you
• birthday song and the huha during bday celebration (still!)

Hiding away from all the chaos (and the song)

I hope that'll serve as a good enough reminder of how you are at 17 months. Oh by the way, you've grown to a solid 13.5kg now. Yes, even your stroller is screeching now. You've also grown your first two molar teeth and added a couple more incissor. Hairwise, we're eagerly waiting for your infamous jambul to sprout again. But i kinda like this 'Romeo Beckham' look (not Mawi ye..please..)

End of this month, we'll be going for your last scheduled jab. It feels like you're graduating to become a proper toddler now, despite the fact that you are already wearing size 3t now.

Oh well.. as long as your healthy n happy. Happy 17th mth little abang!