Mischievous Month #19 for Eskimo Boy

Dear Aidan,

Shh...it's meant to be a surprise!

The boy factor is starting to show up this month. Rough has been the general theme for September and October. Doors are for slamming. Pages are for tearing. Remote controls are for dropping. Papa's back is for biting. And Mama is all for lecturing.

Look, I can do gentle...

You're beginning to enjoy your books more. (Beyond the sound of tearing pages, that is.) But Papa and Mama have had to teach you to be gentle. Fortunately for your books, you think the action for 'gentle' is rather funny and have begun to mimic us.

I love horsing around with Papa

Food-wise, Mama introduced two dishes to your meal menu this month: (1) Braised chicken in dark and light soya sauce, sesame seed oil and ginger and (2) Braised turnip with carrots in light soya sauce. These are two dishes you really love and you always eat quite a bit when they're served. You also seedless love red grapes and right now, Mama peels them for you.

Gotta defend myself against advancing monsters, Mama!

Now that you're more active and energetic (and blustery), nap-time is usually an interesting display of unusual sleeping positions. Not only do you look genuinely deep in sleep, you look like you're dreaming up a storm. Meanwhile, bath-time is not so much an activity that's a struggle to get you into but out off. Splashing about is fun, of course. But getting whole floors wet is even better.

I know Papa enjoys getting wet. See, he likes it.

September is the month for one of Mama's favourite festivals: the Mid-Autumn Festival! You can read about the history of the festival here. But when I was a little girl, Kung-Kung and Poh-Poh would take us to the sundry shops near their home a week before the festival and buy lanterns made from colourful glass paper. 

Kung-Kung, the guy who's always in charge of lighting up the lanterns and clearing them away later

These handcrafted lanterns came in different shapes -  usually animals (butterfly, fish, bird or rabbit) - or elements of nature (lotus flower). Kung-Kung and Poh-Poh would also buy packets and packets of candles for decorations. In the evening, Uncle Khin and I would light the lanterns with candles and meet with our neighbours' children to go on a impromptu lantern procession up and down our street. When we returned home, we'd light lots of candles and place them on the grille of our gate and fencing. Every home around us would do the same and look the same. After dinner, Kung-Kung and Poh-Poh would prepare some special Chinese Tea and mooncake for us to enjoy in our garden under the full moon.

As Mama and Uncle Khin grew older and went abroad to study, our Mid-Autumn Festival routine ceased. But as far as I can remember, I always looked forward to the occasion and wished we could preserve the tradition.

Butterfly...rabbit and fish. Where's the elephant, Mama?

This year, Kung-kung and Poh-Poh made it a point to come over to our home with candles and Japanese lanterns. Meanwhile, Mama and Papa managed to find some glass-paper lanterns at a shop near Grandpa and Grandma's home. So, we all celebrated the festival with you. I don't think you knew what was going on. But as you've always been interested in light, you were very curious about the lanterns that Kung-Kung lit and hung at the balcony. Papa came home earlier today too and managed to enjoy some Chinese tea, mooncake and a chat with Kung-kung before they left.

Maybe next year, you'll be old enough to appreciate the festival more. Unless of course, you decide to eat the lanterns instead.

A Quick Holiday & then it's Dusty All the Way

Dear Aidan,

15 Aug is the halfway mark to your second year on Planet Earth. To celebrate, we took you to a lovely, cosy and quiet resort up north of Phuket, called Sala. The staff were lovely. The rooms, spacious and nicely furnished. And the constant sea-breeze was so cool and welcoming.

If it's bread, we're all fine

The resort is tucked away from the main, dusty road, and hidden by greenery all round. The 2-story blocks in which the rooms are contained stand side-by-side tall, lush trees, the boughs from which hang rattan swings with cream cushions. which stretch from the dining area and bar out to the sea. There are lawns everywhere, too and a big one stretches out from the dining area and bar to the beach and sea beyond.

C'mon, Papa, horses actually move!

You had lots of fun playing with the fountains that are part of the swimming pool. And you certainly loved chomping on the variety of breadsticks in the bread baskets that came before every meal. During the evenings, we kicked a ball around the lawn, played on the beach, and went for walks around the vicinity.

Why does it keep running away from me?

Sadly, on the penultimate day of our trip, you accidentally stepped onto a fiery red ants' nest. You cried out in pain and Mama managed to brush them off your foot quickly. Lots of red spots popped up on your foot the next morning despite the balm we applied. But they didn't seem to bother you much. Sometimes I reckon you're pretty tough inside. I am reminded of this every time you trip, fall and scrape your knee or injure your lip while dashing about. This is because 80% of the time, you don't cry. For the rest of the 20%, I get tears for about 2 minutes and then it's all over.

Mama caught me; I was just about to escape into the trees

One thing we've noticed about you when you do fall, however, is that you get stroppy as a snake with a spear in its head. While you cry for Mama, you just don't want t be touched or hugged. Nope. Injury time to you is a time to vent, lash out and show the world that you're not happy that it's embarrassed you. This is something we have to work on, honey. While pride is normal, it's not good that it manifests itself into actions that hurt others. Everything we do has consequences. Pride usually leads to ugly consequences.

Dusty's my friend...and accomplice

Do I gotta pay toll?

As General Manager of the house, I demand
to know what's going on here

Back home, Dusty the dog has become your favourite companion for the month. Sometimes he's with you on the changing table. Sometimes, he's in your cot. Sometimes, too, he's with you at the dining table, supposedly encouraging you to finish your meals. But other times, he's just being dragged or driven around. I think your other friends are getting jealous.

Your vocabulary is growing exponentially. You know about 50-80 words now. And you're attempting short sentences now. I can just see my future now: You're 10, I'm 46. And you're giving me sass about being forced against your will to eat green things that make you gag and I'd better not cross the line or it'll be considered abuse.

Sigh.