Goodbye to Jaslin and CuteB

It was Joey last December. Made friends with her in Sept last year, clicked and went shopping with her while AN stayed home with Mr Liow. Shared a common interest in cosmetics and had lots to talk about. But time together was short lived coz she had to leave.

Then it was Lian See with Jia En and Jia Hui who dropped by often with food and the girls who never failed to take care of AN while the adults chatted. Before Kimberly, they were the ones AN would not mind leaving my side with.

Now it's Jaslin and CuteB. This time, Baileys and Maen are involved in this business of missing a buddy who has gone back to Singapore before us and are now separated by hundreds or thousands of miles of land and ocean/s. Baileys would get excited and trot around anxiously as if he was expecting a visit when CuteB happen to walk near our home (he can smell his buddy!) or when he sees CuteB pass by outside. The boys will play and pounce all over each other whenever Jas came over to chit chat. Maen would follow behind, and grab Baileys from the back while the boys play. AN would always tell me this and that about CuteB after they leave.

Whenever Mr Liow went away for exercises, their visits would serve to make days of waiting for Mr Liow's return, shorter. The next possible exercise in April next yr, or even the months leading up to it, B and M will probably not get to look forward to having 4legged buddies' visits, and AN will hv less fun with watching the dogs play rough and get busy running around the house with them. B and M are too used to each other. If Maen does not invite play, Baileys will almost never, and both just cuddle up together or walk around calmly. AN prefers action and gets excited whenever M playbows B and does her 'dance' to get him to run after her.

Next up in time to come will be our turn to leave. There's even more to miss: the change of seasons, the wider roads and more courteous driving habits (generally. There are always black sheeps), the free parking and ample parking lots, our car porch just nxt to the main door (don't have to walk so far and climb so high if we realise we forgot to lock our car), the sales (even tho shopping malls are limited to just 3, making online shopping my only leisure), the travelling, the beautiful mountains...down to our dusty patios. These, I will miss. And these, the moment we leave, will be lost for probably this lifetime.

Not to mention, friends I've made who remain in Tucson. Friends from PV that we leave behind, we can still meet up in Singapore. Friends who live here, once we leave, we will forever be physically separated by vast lands and oceans, again.

Gosh, the heart feels heavy just thinking about it. Super depressing.

At this point, I'm praying that CuteB will get used to being confined in the plane, that every transit will be smooth, that the Lord will keep him calm and well adjusted to the cabin (or cargo, if he has to go in there). Pray that the long flight will cause no harm to the little buddy.

And now, it's time to shut my eyes again. Can't believe separations like these cause isomnia... :(

Oh yes, AN had been sniffing since last afternoon and a little runny nose since evening. I hope it's just because of the weather change and does not fall too sick. I'm thankful that she's been healthy and prays she will be spared the agony of pains caused by common sickness. For the little food that she has each day, we're thankful her body was able to absorb the nutrients, and for the little milk she gets whenever she asks for "mem mem", she receives antibodies.

I pray that everyone will be well, friends here and friends there.

Day 12: Big Sister AN

Countdown: 12 days

Sabina brought baby Angelyn over this afternoon to collect her makeup.

AN seems to be less shy at home and brought out all her toys to place with the baby. Angelyn is only near 7 months and wasn't able to play with most of AN's toys. Still, AN was happy to show her how they work.

Angelyn pooped and Sabina had to change her diapers. AN leaned over while watching Sabina change Angelyn. I watched AN and was reminded of how it used to be me changing AN when she was that little. That moment of AN beside Angelyn also reminded me that AN's growing up so fast, that I really have to treasure every day of AN's childhood.

How time flies...

AN just keep getting increasingly adorable lately.

She's easily tickled and very cheeky.

She would dig her nose and spread the dirt onto me, pretend to walk into me and bounced off, ask to play her favourite songs (put the disc in and get it to play by herself) and go: "Mummy let's dance together!" or wants piggyback rides every now and then (or simply help herself by jumping onto me whenever I bend down to clear BM's output in the toilet)

AN enjoys playing her musical instruments to music. Every instrument in her possession is useful for every song. I must say she is quite good with rhythm: she could tap the tambourine at the exact beat and even improvises her own beats to the rhythm.

Before Sabina and Angelyn came this afternoon, AN took a nap but not for long. Seeing that Sabina would be reaching soon and AN was awake at the right time, I started talking to AN who was suckling to go back to dreamland to keep her awake. The moment she heard baby Angelyn was coming, she pushed herself up and told me: "OK! Let's stop drinking mem mem!"

She's been using "Let's (do whatever)" a lot recently. "Let's dance!", "Let's eat!", "Let's bring the water out!" etc etc.

And there would be something endearing or super adorable that she says each day that make me love her more. She's also been obedient and politely asking for permission to do certain things (not all the time but being obedient and polite for most of the time does make it easier for me to bear with her crankiness when it has to come, and crankiness has been out of action lately. Thank God!)

The only thing that she still is trying to learn, is to be gentle with Baileys and Maen.

She's really rough to them. sigh....I can't stop being thankful that B & M has boundless patience with her. She runs the toy stroller into them while they sleep and all they do is hop away from her. Bailey resorts to sleeping in the kitchen and even then, AN does not leave him alone. Maen on the other hand, sleeps near us in the living room still, and bears with all the potential hazard that AN brings along with her.

AN wants to have B and M lick her like they lick me and forces herself on them. Maen freezes while Baileys attempts to leave the awkward 'confrontation'. So, I taught her to go low and near them, and wait for them to approach. Whenever they do that and give her the licks that she wants, she will get so excited and give me the cheeky look while proudly exclaiming: "Awww...Baileys (or Maen) loves Adrielle. So sweet!"

This week's been rather packed with visits and I will very likely bring AN to Isabelle's place this Fri (Isabelle's makeup has also just arrived with evening! We've been buying so much cosmetics lately. Mr Liow, I'm not the only one ah. ;p)

I'm hoping to bring AN to DM some time next week. Since I've gone on I10 to the zoo last week and again this Sunday. By next week, I should no longer be as jittery travelling by the highway. Will still pray for journey mercy every time though. I'm afterall a typical lady driver and I'm honest about it. hehe)

Mr Liow will be back next Sunday. It's good to be able to drive now else 3 weeks will really feel like eternity.

By the time Mr Liow comes back, it will be soon that Jaslin leaves (with Junxiang and CuteB).

She's a really sweet girl and reminds me of Lishi (LS if you are reading this, it means I've been missing you too!). I'm going to miss her dropping by with CuteB and seeing them on their daily walks outside while I prepare meals in the kitchen.

Oh yes! BM's quarantine might be reduced to 10 days instead of 30 days from 1 Jan 2010 onwards! I'm so excited about it! There are 3 sub categories to the one that BM belong to and they seem to fit into the category that states quarantine as 10 days.

Another thing to be thankful for!