She

When we first set eyes on her, she didn’t have the best looking physique and stature among the rest. However, when spoke to her the first time, she was relaxed, composed, and above all, she blew us away with smart responses. She smiled at every sentences ended, and she looked into out eyes when we spoke. That got us smiling, all the way home.

I remember asking impatiently when she would be able to come home.We furnished her room with a new bed frame, new mattress, fixed up her new wardrobe and washed up her bed sheet and pillow cases for her.

I remembered the day when she was going to arrive. My heart was beating as I waited patiently for her. When she stepped in, I gave her my biggest smile. I was so pleased.
She was quick to respond, followed instructions enthusiastically, quietly observed details and was on her feet at all times.

She was all I ever needed. My help, and my assistance.

We brought her along with us, as a family everywhere we went. Introduced many of our friends and relatives to her. Made sure she feels assured and safe with us. We brought her out for dinner with us countless times. Made her order what she likes to eat. Bought nice clothing for her. And gave her more often than not, more that enough rest time, (from 8pm onwards).

Unconsciously, we have made her like a part of our very young and little family.

8 months past. We were starting to loose personal items and money seemed to go missing at times. All of us kept it to ourselves, thinking that we might have misplaced them. Then came one evening, hubs stomped down from the room and griping about how his USD went missing. We started confronting each other; me, my sisters and my mum.. and found out that all of us had our fair share of foreign currencies went missing.

Came out with a game plan. My mum will have carry out a closed door investigation, probing/questioning Lulu while Adrian and I did the same to her. Probed the both of them (she and lulu) and found out that they both had skeletons in their closets which only both of them knew. While both of them were put in separate rooms, they started to spill the beans, … and more beans. And finally we found out that she has been stealing things. We probed further and told her to come clean with us on what else she stole and we were very sure we lost money… and a huge sum of money, mind you.

She did not own up.

Lulu then confessed to us what she said and did while we were away from home. She looked guilty, but denied it. Many times. When Lulu told her to admit what she has done, she went berserk. She was screaming and hitting herself hard on her chest (Imagine King Kong) and pleaded with us to just sent her back. We were shock to see this person, whom we once trusted so much turned into an ugly monster. Little did we know?

We were sadden and disappointed with her. We sent her back to the place where we took her from, at 3 in the morning. We could not let her go near Ethan anymore since we have seen that shocking side of her. Very fast, we got her to pack her bags and very fast she left.

I was crushed.

After sending her off, we felt that emptiness and forlornness. It hit us quite hard and yes, nonsensically, we missed her.

Emotions aside, we had quite a bit to sort out since we got her officially in through an agency. She has our names in her Passport, Working VISA and I-Kad. We had to go back to the agency to make sure that we have officially declare that she is no longer working with us and that we will need to have her documents properly filed (this is just in case if she goes missing and the papers still states that she is under our care and custody).

We expressed our disappointment for being victimized. We were then told that we should lodge a police report for what she had done to us and she will probably be charged and sentenced. But that would however be the decision of the court.

We faltered no more and went straight to lodge a police report.

They took her and reprimanded her in the police station. When I looked into her eyes, I nearly teared. She looked sorry, but I told myself that that’s how she looks all the time. I held back, got myself back together quickly and waited as Adrian spoke to the sergeant.
It was quite a long wait. When Adrian was done, he came out.“We have enough evidence to charge her. She admitted that she stole our belongings and money” Hubby whispered.
She is still being remanded in the police station up till today. Not sure how long she would be there for. I still think of her. Praying that her sentence in jail would make her a better person.

Right now, I’m officially the full time maid after working hours. We’ve read so countless horrifying maids stories. Never thought it would happen to us. Not the most pleasant experience. We are still recovering, trying to take things one step at the time.

Despite all that, she is still in my mind… O dear Lord, please help us pull through this.

Ethan... at 10 months

How time flies. Ethan is exactly 10 months today, and 60 days to his first candle. This little angel of mine has brought us all (not just Adrian and I but my whole family, mum, sisters, and even the the maids) unspeakable joy. He loves to laugh, smiles when he's awake and he loves interaction.

Anyway, at 10 months, we have noticed some developments:

1. loves to play peek a boo
2. blows raspberries into the air
3. forming bubbles at the tip of the lips
4. giggling in front of the mirror
5. hiding under the sheets
6. the sound of the bathroom water tap turned on
7. going topless (feels outrageously happy when we take off his clothes)
8. shivers when pees
9. looks constipated when he wants to go to the toilet
10. sings, sometimes yell when performing number 2
11. queer obsession for fans, ceiling fans and standing fans alike
12. kicks his left leg (or one leg) when happy
13. stretches both hands downward-forward when excited
14. Ethan’s Number 1 love: he loves Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Embrace

Embrace

I just got off the bed after putting Ethan to sleep.

He was out the whole day today, from joining us for dim sum lunch to doing massive grocery shopping and finally attended mass in the evening. Oh yes, it didn’t end there. We celebrated Adrian’s grandparent’s birthday; and that would mean Ethan’s great grandparents, (gung-gung: 87 and por-por:76). Very very blessed couple.

He was really excited seeing so many people and was his usual self. Jumping, cruising, crawling and yelling about. (Yes, our little friend is very vocal now). After cutting the birthday cakes, we finally bid our goodbyes. That was about 10pm. Ethan did not sleep the whole evening. He will normally have his evening naps about/around 9pm for about 30 minutes or so. Exceptional for tonight?!? I suppose he was really happy.

When we came home, he was already making quite abit of fuss. Cleaned him up, wiped him down and changed him to his pajamas. Gave him his last feed, rocked and lulled him to sleep and he finally sealed his tired eyes: calling it a night. Por-Por (My mum) is in town and therefore took over so that I could wind down myself. Came up to my room to checked my emails and half an hour later, I heard a loud scream from por por’s room. It was Ethan. (My little darling is at this stage where he needs to see daddy or mummy before he sleeps and while he is asleep, he needs to know that daddy and mummy is near him.) Went down to pick him up and saw tears all over his eyes. Poor little boy. And so I embraced him and whispered into his ears, mummy is here… don’t cry Ethan. It’s ok. Mummy is here. He calmed down and wasn’t crying anymore.

Placed him into his cot and 10 minutes later he was whimpering again. So, I pick my little champion up, whispered into his ears again, it’s ok Ethan, mummy is here. Don’t cry … it’s ok Ethan. Calmed down, he sucked his little thumb and went back to sleep. And this time, I had to cuddle him, rock him, sing to him and embrace him. I was doing that while lying down in my bed; admiring every bits of my little angel.

He is coming to 10 months/40 weeks/300 days old. This is how long God has given me happiness and love, ever since Ethan came into my life.

I always thought that one shouldn’t be carrying and cuddling a baby too much for the fear that it will “spoil” the baby. When I was cuddling Ethan to sleep just now, it finally dawn upon me that the last time I cuddled him that way was when I was still breastfeeding him full time, during the first 2 months of his life. I hardly get to cuddle him and admire him this way now because he is growing up so much and.. so fast and we hardly get to rock him to sleep during the day. He would play and go to sleep when he is tired.

I really miss hugging and cuddling Ethan to sleep. Like how I did when he was a few days old. This hope I would be able to cuddle him as long as I can. This magical feeling is indescribable; looking at him (admiring every bits of God's wonderful creation), holding his little hand and simply by embracing him.

Sausages, baked beans, hash browns and sunny side up!

Took a day off as it was a public holiday in Selangor. Thought, why not, as hubby is gonna be free as well. We woke up at about 8.30 in the morning and gave Ethan his feed. The kakak then took over, bathe, breakfast and finally his morning siesta. I was just feeling really lazy and tired for all the other mornings I had wake up, tend to Ethan, rush to work, back from work, take over from the maid and there goes… a typical life of the working mummy. “phuuu… trust me, it’s no joke. Tired!) THEN.. of course I had to play my duty as a wife as well. So that morning, had to ask hubby what he would like for breakfast. As usual, he would bestow on me this huge smile on his and … none other than going for his nasi lemak breakfast. Since we had it yesterday morning (we got 8 packets of nasi lemak for the household and still, there wasn’t enough), I thought we shouldn’t have it again. So I thought, we should just have our cereals for brunch.

Dragged myself out of the bed, washed up and got ready for another nice warm morning. While getting out from my bedroom, I could hear Ethan yelling and screaming (more of laughing and giggling out loud) from the living hall.

Went to the kitchen and was interrupted by a pleasant surprise. On the saucepan, I saw baked beans and on the plate were nicely browned beef sausages. Then hubby gave me a sweet smile, “Hunny, where is the little pan for the egg?”

I opened the cabinet underneath and gave it to him.

After a good 15 minutes, there was a plate with Sausages, baked beans, hash browns and sunny side up… for each of us.

It was a beautiful morning indeed.

his first tooth

2nd September 2009, exactly 9 months old.
His first tooth appeared!

Ethan's been drooling big time, since he was about 5 months old. Because he was drooling so much and was looking rather uncomfortable, we thought he was teething. Some days, he would wake up at night screaming on top of his lungs until he knew that we had picked him out from his cot and cuddled him. Then, I thought, he was teething because I was told that one sign of infant teething is when bubs cries in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. Sounded like him!

Nope, that didn't happen until for months later. Therefore, yes, his mummy has been saying the same old line for the past 4 months... Ethan is teething. He cried again last night for no apparent reason. However, when tomorrow morning comes, no sign of whatsoever under his gums =

But now, yes, finally. It came out!
Yippieee!