MUMMY WILL BE BACK. PROMISE.


I come from a big extended family. On the maternal side, there are 6 aunties and 5 uncles. On the paternal side, there are 7 aunties and 2 uncles. Throw in a paternal grandma, and lots of cousins; It's HUGE. There are so many cousins from both sides that I don't even bother to count. The paternal grandma dotes slightly more on me; because I so happen to be 1 of the only 2 grand-daughters that she has. Hohoho!

My youngest aunt (from the maternal side) came over to our house yesterday. She sort of married late, and thus, her youngest daughter (that is, my youngest cousin) is currently 13month-old.

Yummy!

The 13month-old

My aunt went downstairs to get lunch. And the 13month-old couldn't stop screeching, brawling, and wailing. For nearly a FULL HOUR, she didn't stop; refusing to be pacified. Can you see how red her nose is from all that crying?

The last time I saw them was about 5month ago. The 13month-old couldn't walk then. When I carried her, she clung onto me like a sweet little koala bear. Yesterday, however, she was walking about and skipping around. Sigh! Where has all the time gone?





The older one was nonchalant of her sister's tears in the beginning. She was eating tidbit and watching the TV like any other normal day. Initially, I thought that it's either she's too used to her sister's frequent crying bouts, or that the 2 siblings are not emotionally close. But an hour later, while I was in my room studying, I heard the elder one crying. It's distinctly different from the high-pitched wailing from the 13month-old's.

I found Dad carrying and comforting her in the kitchen. Seeing me approaching, he chunked her to into my arms and asked me to settle it. I looked at her. She was sobbing quietly. "No... Mummy... Back..." She whimpered. Melted my heart like hot chocolate. Poor thing. Silly girl; she has been affected by her sister. At least she endured for the past hour. She impressed me.


"Mummy went downstairs to get lunch. She'll be back soon, ok?"

"Mummy... No... Back..." She repeated.

"No, she'll be back. Soon. She's downstairs. Coming up soon. Don't cry, ok?" I cooed.

"No back... Mummy..."


Deciding that reasoning is definitely not going to work in a case like this, and that rationality has already been flung out of the window, I decided to switch tactics.


"Nope, she just went to buy lunch. Are you hungry? Hungry anot? Have you eaten? Want to eat? Hungry? Potato chips?" I pestered, and waved my bag of potato chips enthusiastically in front of her face.

"Mummy... No want... back..."





Sigh!





Because she stubbornly refused to come down and insisted to be carried, I had to carry her for, like 20minutes. I've checked; she weighs about 22kg. My arms ache a little now.

On a sidenote, the most gratifying thing is, she unexpectedly bade me goodbye when I was about to go out yesterday's afternoon. "Bye bye." She said in her small, meek, kiddish, and girlish voice, waving her left arm tentatively, and standing about 2 meters away because she dare not draw near to "strangers". I couldn't help grinning. She's just so cute.