Gooly's Piano Lessons

It has been..what? 6 months? 7 months? since Gooly started his piano lessons. Only? Hmm.. Somehow, it had seemed awfully long.

Not that he plays very well, but to me, it's pretty awesome-lah for someone who has just picked up a new skill. More so that I do not have any musical background whatsoever.  He is not even graded yet. And we are so not rushing into that. I just want him to enjoy playing.

Which he does. Some mornings, while waiting for his majesty's masticated fruit/vege juice, he runs his fingers through the Ebony and Ivory, longing to play but is afraid the sound of music would wake his baby sister up. Some days, he couldn't resist.. so he would adjust the pedal for a softer tone, and start to play a song or two. I smile, I honestly do when the music..HIS music stirs the otherwise still and quiet morning.

He does the same when he comes back from school. Straight to the piano, hits the keys and hums a tune. Still in his uniform. I have nagged so much about washing up first to no avail that I finally just relented and let him play in dirt and grime.

When I do house chores, I do enjoy the piano accompaniment. And giving him the task and responsibility to be the sole music provider has given him much pride. So much so that he likes 'performing' for guests.

Now that.................... is .......a.......... bit......tricky.

Cos you see-ah, he is not Mozart level yet-lah, let's admit. I just feel all weirdy that he wants people to hear him play. I dunno.. I have always been told that kids LOATHE being the object or source of entertainment.

*shrug*

So the next time when you bought a ticket to our palace, you may just be requested to sit back and relax and enjoy the music...

of OLD MACDONALD in staccato.

You don't mind, right? Eh the boy very enthusiastic, ok! Don't break his heart ..

ring! ring!

My mom calls everyday. Twice sometimes. In the evening she asks to speak to Gooly.i have stopped picking up the phone in the evenings cos its never for me.

Ok..I dont pick up calls anytime of the day mostly but thats another story.

So..

"Why did nainai call?" I ask for the sake of talking.

"Lonely la. She got nothing to do. Call to chit chat lah" - gooly's reply.

Bless him. No matter how busy he is with his tv (evening after dinner is tv time) he'd answer her same old questions nicely and politely.

"What I eat for dinner ah? Rice lor. Mmm... got ah. Went to the park already. Now watching tv. Mei mei ah...also watching tv.."

And he would even reciprocate the questions.

"You leh? What you eat?"

So endearing. I love him for that. And I thank him for being nice to my mom *who seems to be spying on my motherly role*

And there were times that he called her if she hasnt. I have heard him telling her to drink more water because its a hot day.

I have asked my mom jokingly, "why you call him? So many things to talk ah?"

And guess what her answer is?

"Lonely la him. Call to chit chat with him lah"

*chuckles*

Whoever is lonely doesn't matter. .as long as they keep each other in mind.

messages in snack boxes

I pack bentos for gooly to go to school. When I say bento, its really just some food in different compartments in a tupperware. Nothing fancy. Nothing sissy. Nothing that requires me to wake at 5am to make.

However I had inserted silly jokes in the boxes to surprise him. Really lame jokes I found over the internet. They are so lame that I cant wait till the 18sx ones are suitable for him. But then again, if he still gets notes from me in snack boxes at 18, it would be pretty awkward.

Anyways....

Whenever he got home,  id nudge and wink at him. "DID YOU GET THE JOKE HUH HUH HUH?" *jab jab his rib. And he mumbled something feeble like "yeah~" Ok...so maybe he found them lame too.

So I stopped lah. Searching and writing internet jokes.

And then one day he asked how come I stopped putting in those notes. He missed reading them.

Aha! It was not too lame afterall.

Co incidentally, I read about Sharpie pens. Thinking I could draw (magnificently) instead of writing jokes, I bought half dozen of those pens.

Dengan semangat berkobar kobar, I drew-lah and giggled and put inside his tupperware.

"Guess what's for lunch?" I drew a plate of awesome spaghetti along with a fork and spoon.

He came back and asked, "Are we having chicken drumstick for lunch?"

Fml.

When I told him I was to serve him (awesome) spaghetti,  he laughed out loud at my drawing skill, or rather the lack of it.

And so I continue to draw him ugly drawings so he could chuckle during recess. Apparently they are quite a hit amongst his friends too. Who would have known..my drawings and notes to be worthy to a group of 8-9 year olds.

So Sharpies didnt help create awesome drawings.

But I created awesome memories for my boy. Stupid drawings from mom make school time more bearable. Especially if it contains hard clues on whats for lunch..

she chats now

A little awhile ago. As soon as she hits 2, everyone wondered where her speaking skill went hiding. Maybe I talk a lot, gooly did also at 2 (still does now) and when all Lolly could muster was aboodabidoo, people were puzzled. Ok when I said people, I meant the man in the house - papah, who was expecting a 2 yr old orator. He, who uses huh and hmmmm interchangibly in every needed response. In a situation which warrants it, he will even remain silent or perhaps a grunt. Serious vocabulary limitation he has.

But I wasnt worried the least cos I mean, I talk a lot - to her, to myself, imaginery animals, inanimate objects (if you, pucking lego stab my toes to total numbness again, I will bring out the ipad and tou will be obsolete,  y'hear that?!).. so its just a matter of time she will open her larynx ...to the point of no return, if I dare say. Her father has no impact in this department cos a dorminant gene is a dominant gene.

Always trust a mother's instinct. True to my words and guts, she has began to speak with no brake facility.

Her voice is still stitch -like. Cute maxsimus.

Oh my goush! She uses that expression in mock exasperation. Life is full of drama.

I was quite surprised that she describes things aptly like a gregarious monster. Kiddding!!! Got you there! What the heck is gregarious?  She just used the word 'giant' which is impressive for some one who could only say "uhuk" for milk. She couldnt even say the universal nenen ok..?

Out of nowhere she is also saying, somefink happened. Like something happened thats why the lorryman was late. And somefink also happened cos the living room is in a mess. That somefink has nothing to do with her, her face seems to tell.

"I cant reach" the switch, the book, the toy and oh the chocolate mummy deliberately hides at the topmost cupboard in the attic, she says while tiptoe-ing.

There are many "I dont laikes".

I dont laike this wan.

I dont laike that wan.

I dont laike chye.

I dont like you.

Dont even let me start with NO.

But just for the heck of it, just one example.

NO! I DUN WAN WEAR PANTS.

One more - NO! I dont say sorry even if I hit korkor after snatching the toy which was his!

My lolly pop.  Turning quite a chatter box. Yay! I dont have to talk to the mirror anymore!

lolly at what..29 mths already?

You know what, lolly?

You are beautiful. I will tell you how so.

Your uneven eye lashes. They are cute and only visible when you lower your eyes or have them shut.

Your button nose. It's bulbous.  When you let out a laugh, it scrunches up. With some lines on the top bridge of your nose.

Your smile. Impish yet totally charming.

Your faint dimples at the corner of your mouth. Only noticeable at certain times only to dissappear when I want to look at them longer.

Your whispy hair. Soft. Hard to manage. Smelly at times. But when its tucked neatly behind your ears or clipped neatly, you look radiant.

Your skin. Soft and supple. Makes me wanna squeeze and sayang all the time. Boys dont have smooth skin like girls. Enuff said.

Your voice. Oh! When you talk with your child-like voice, it makes everyone use the shame tone cosh itch sho kiut.

The best thing in the world is to have you nestled in my arms, head buried under my chin,  your arms around my neck.

I love you. I tell you so today.

And oh..give up the chut chut already, wont ya?

anjing sial

I say you never truly had a happy childhood unless you got chased by those buggers. I raised gooly well..he has a tale to tell now. Your turn now, lolly. But cos you are mu sweet lolly-muffin girl, lets just settled with cats. those without scratchy nails n hissy snarls..

The Vanilla

She calls herself and everyone who dances, a 'vanilla' (ballerina)

Oh how she loves to twirl. I bought her a tutu for RM20. I squealed with delight seeing her wearing it. Ya.. I squealed..she was just, "meh.. a poke-y skirt".

The first day she wore it to the park. She twirled so much she was giddy. I smiled just as much. "Look me! Look me!" she would say. Her hands up above her head, a true ballerina pose.

Oh how I looked at her. She was beautiful with her wispy hair blowing in the wind. Her face smug, believing that she is dancing..performing on stage.

The innocence of a child, before MTV, before Miley Cyrus ruins it for us.

Sometimes she asks me to dance with her. "Come, dance with me!" she beckons. Her head cocks slightly with a well-rehearsed smile, hand outstretches. I can't say no, can I? And so I dance. She happiest when I carry her and swing her around. "More! More! she says giggling.

I only have a tiny wish that she stops asking me to dance in public. While she looks cute, I am on the other hand.. you know.. Let's just say, I was born with 3 left feet with opposable toes.

Of late, she has started dancing Modern dance. I think that's what you call it. She rolls on the floor..gets up..hands outstretches pointing to the ceiling..and legs swiftly being lifted up at a difficult angle. That sorta expressive melodramatic moves.

Which ever.. continue dancing, if it brings you joy, lolly.