It's JZ and JJ's great-grandfather's 98th birthday this weekend and we were to go down to Muar, Johor to celebrate it together with everybody else in that side of the family. At the guardhouse of the apartment, I rolled down the window and said what we usually say when visiting.
Pam Song: Hi! Nak jumpa nenek.
JJ: *interrupts from the backseat* Ha??? Nen nen??
What??? 😅😅😅 I couldn't believe my ears.
#NenNenKing is still nen-nen king, man. 🍼🍼🍼
6.5 months after not nen-ing and he's still got nen on the brain! I really don't know how we managed to break the addiction back on that beautiful Christmas night of 25 December 2016. If it wasn't God, I don't know what it was cos it definitely doesn't look like it was JJ who did it on his own. 😂
Without Jas around, both kids now follow me on my pick-up and drop-off runs. JJ goes with me to pick up JZ from school, then JZ comes with me to drop off JJ at school. JJ's always liked JZ's big-boy school and has always considered JZ's friends his own. Today, this happened that totally made me laugh till I cried:
Millie: *shouts and waves from afar* BYE, JZ!!
JZ: *turns, shouts, and waves back* BYE, MILLIE!!
JJ: *stops, turns, shouts, and waves as well* BYE, SMELLY!!!
😂😂😂 ROFL!!! That copycat!
And he was dead serious, too, by the way!
JJ is generally ok with sitting in the carseat. He even likes to buckle up most of the time. But since we've put TWO carseats in my very compact 1 Series, he's started wanting to sit snugly in the middle seat, between the two carseats. So...
I thought a practical lesson was in order. 😈
See, there's a winding road right behind where I live. And during off-peak hours, it gets quite quiet and traffic-free. So today, I decided to get out of the house a little earlier to bring JJ for a drive before picking JZ up from school. Left the house, and, as expected, JJ got into the middle seat of my car and refused to get into his carseat. Perfect. So I stopped arguing with him, started the car, and drove off to have some fun with Sports Mode. 🚗💨
I go around the first bend in the road.
JJ: *crazy eyes* Ahhh!
Not so fast, mommmyyyy!!
My car swings to the left around another bend.
JJ: *while clinging desperately to the side of his unused carseat* Slow down, mommyyyy!!!
The car swings to the right again at another bend*
JJ: *with his eyes closed now and clinging on to dear life* Ah'terwards! My bones! Break! Mommyyyy!!!!!!
And after that, I stopped the car at the side of the road and turned around without saying a word. Guess what? The little one immediately scrambled into his carseat and buckled himself in. Tadaaaa! 🎉🎉🎉
The Husband and I escaped for a short #holidate to Singapore a month or two ago and visited Universal Studios Singapore at the time. We had our chance to sit on all the killer adult rides then and oo-ed and ahh-ed at all the kiddie rides we thought the kids would love. So this weekend, we decided to bring JZ and JJ for a weekend of fun in Singapore.
While driving into the city,
this conversation took place:
Pam Song: We're in Singapore now, JZ! Look around!!
JZ: Wah! Are you in a different crunchy??
Pam Song: *laughs and teases* LOL!!! Crunchy?? Did we just enter a cookie??
Artist: John Mayer
Song
Title: Dreaming With A Broken Heart
When you're dreaming with a broken heart
The waking up is the hardest part
You roll out of bed and down on your knees
And for a moment you can hardly breathe
Wondering was she really here
Is she standing in my room?
No, she's not
'Cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
When you're dreaming with a broken heart
The giving up is the hardest part
She takes you in with her crying eyes
Then all at once you have to say goodbye
Wondering, could you stay, my love?
Will you wake up by my side?
No, she can't
'Cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
Now do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my, roses in my hands?
Would you get them if I did?
No, you won't
'Cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
When you're dreaming with a broken heart
The waking up is the hardest part
It's been 3 days and 16 hours since you left us. 88 hours since we hugged and shared a teary goodbye at KLIA 2. And yet, I continue to find myself feeling heavy-hearted and blue because of the lack of you.
I instinctively want to tell you stories of all the funny and silly things JJ does so we can laugh about it together. But you're not around to listen to me to. I come home expecting to hear funny stories, too. But of course, I hear none. And up till now, JJ and I still find ourselves accidentally calling out your name when we need help.
Three nights ago, you got in touch and the kids shared hellos, goodnights and I-miss-yous with you over WhatsApp. Two evenings ago, JJ asked to send you video a video telling you about the flowers he picks from school. Just yesterday, JZ said, "I miss her a lot, Mommy. I want Aunty Jas to come back."
Sigh. It's really isn't easy moving on after two years of togetherness. Especially not when space and time (i.e. every waking moment) are shared. But all good things must come to an end. And I guess what they say is true – this really feels like a break-up. Mutual, but no less painful and heartbreaking.
I've been filling my home with framed quotes and verses to up the positive around here. Last week, I decided to prepare one for an acquaintance, too. (Her mom isn't doing to well and was in ICU.) We're not particularly close but I felt led to do so and so I did. Passed the framed bible verse through a mutual friend and today, my WhatsApp message ding-dinged with this heartwarming exchange.
Was very happening today. Brought the kids to a kiddie gym with some friends in the morning, had a long lunch with them at a Chinese restaurant, then zoomed off to Starling Mall on our own thereafter to catch an afternoon movie. Yup, that's 2 malls in 1 day. #achievementunlocked
We went all the way there cos we wanted to try MBO's new Kecil Hall. They were screening Smurfs – something the kids haven't watched before – but unfortunately, tickets were fully sold out. We ended up watching The Boss Baby instead. I loved it! We've actually Popcorn Time-d it for the kids a couple of times over lunches at home but I've never actually sat through the whole movie myself.
The Husband came to join us for dinner at Uptown after the movie. (He did his guy thing today and went looking for an electric guitar to buy with a new friend from church.) It felt like we hadn't seen him all weekend since he started getting more involved in church. This was his attempt to connect with the kids over dinner.
The Husband: *asks JZ* Did you have fun?
JZ: Yes.
The Husband: What was your favourite part of the day?
JZ: *thinking hard 🤔* The movie.
The Husband: *turns to JJ* JJ, what was your favourite part of the day?
JJ: *says distractedly while playing on the phone* Eating.
