The First Word

Raina and Raisa are the noisiest twin babies in the world right now especially when they want to be picked up and held by Supermama and me. You can’t even take off your socks because the moment they see us, they would yell and holler and grunt and baby plead from inside their playyard for us to pick them up right there and then. A couple of weeks ago it was Raina who was the loudest, now it seems Raisa has taken the mantle of the loudest yeller by several decibels. We were thinking now that the twins are getting very vocal already, it’s only time that one of them will utter her first intelligible word.


I was secretly hoping that their first word is going to be “Abah”. I remember Nuha last time started with “mama” before she advanced to “abah”, so this time I’m going to play it right with the twins.. deep eye contacts, elaborate lip movements and top with subliminal Abah-is-fun messages during frequent father-daughters bonding sessions. The twins seemed to respond very well to our secret say “abaaah” workouts every time Supermama was not around. There’s no way they’re going to utter “mama” first this time after all the secret workouts that we’ve gone through. I was so ready to gloat and wear a big smirk on my face for at least a couple of weeks for this anticipated achievement. Even some of the psychoexperts I googled on the net agreed that there’s no better way to get your message across and make the other person understand.

So last night it finally happened. Raisa was babbling almost none stop just before bedtime at 9. We all knew she was going to say something.. her first word. It’s gonna be a momentous occasion for Raisa and Abah as we were all waiting for that word to come out. There we were, all five of us, huddled in the room anxiously waiting (or was it just me) for the first word to come out from Raisa. And then she said it... she paused for a while then she said it very clearly..
She said “Kakak” (actually it sounded more like Tatak) but it was definitely not “abah” as planned. And Nuha wasn’t even paying attention when Raisa looked at her and said “kakak”. There goes my chance of glory, my moment of fame.. I could almost taste victory. Almost 2 months of training.. all she has to do was follow the script. But what did she do? She babbled, then she paused, then she said “kakak”. There must be a moral to all this, some kind of a silver lining but I just can’t see it right now. Is there a lesson here for me to learn? I wonder what it is..

Hmmm! Hellooo Raina.. want Abah to pick you up? Want to hear a fun word? Say “abaaah”.

Raina - Abah's last hope..

"Stop it" is not a naughty word

At the age of almost five, Nuha’s grasp of naughty words is still not quite there. But she’s very observant of the few words that she knows are naughty and would immediately catch me or Supermama whenever we happen to slip. Therefore, me and Supermama (well, me mostly) have devised creative ways to get out of the hole whenever we are caught by our little inspector with bionic ears.

Scene 1 (While driving and after a bloody rempit on a kapchai simply cut in front of the car):
Nuha: Abah you said stupid! Mama said we cannot say stupid.
Abah: (First you have to deny it like a pro) Eh! mana ada. I know that is a naughty word and I don’t say naughty words.
Nuha: Betul Abah! Nuha hear Abah said stupid.
Abah: (Then you do the twister) Ohh.. Abah did not say “stupid”... I said “stop it” but maybe because I said it very fast and the the sun is so bright outside.. maybe it sound like I said “stupid” but no no no that’s a naughty word and we don’t say naughty words ok.
Nuha: hmmmm ok lah (thought i caught a little smirk there)
Abah: fooh! For now.

Scene 2 (On the sofa in front of the telly while watching some snail slow movie)
Abah: Slow gila la movie ni (not realising Nuha was sitting next to me)
Nuha: Mama, Abah said “gila” (btw, gila is mad in Malay but in this case the usage of the word is similar to friggin as in it's friggin slow)
Abah: (caught with pants down.. requires ultra quick thinking) Eh Eh Eh I loooove ice cream. Who wants ice cream?
Nuha: Me Me Me
Abah: Come lets go get some ice cream
Nuha: I want chocolate ok.
Abah: ok sayang (Fooohh! Diversion tactic still worked but wont be for long). Good thing Supermama was too far to hear our little ice cream agreement.

So far, I haven’t managed to ascertain how many words are naughty words and how many more are socially acceptable. I wonder what prompted Supermama to tell Nuha about naughty words. But somewhere deep down, I suspect I am probably to blame.

P.s we do try our best to keep our words proper especially in front of the girls, but it takes superhuman strength not to slip..

I don't taste like chicken

The twins have started teething for a couple of months now. I read on the net that a baby's tooth buds begin to break through her gums from around 4 to 6 months, though it can take three years for the baby's gummy grin to grow into a smile with a full set of 20 bright milk teeth. Our Raina and Raisa seem to take their own sweet time because they are nine months already and I haven’t seen a tooth. Anyway, so we were waiting whose teeth are going to break through first. The result came about a week ago with the tooth fairy favouring Raina.

So Raina has now officially grown from a toothless infant to a noisy baby with a tooth or rather a tiny white cap on her bottom gum. But this story is not about the tooth. It’s about what came with the tooth.. and in this case it’s temptations and an insatiable craving for chicken.. or anything that might look like one or probably taste like one. Now came the problem... Raina practices her chicken biting skill on poor Raisa her best buddy, particularly on her calves and feet. I half suspect that Raina probably thinks that Raisa is a chicken. I don’t blame her, who could resist Raisa’s chubby cute yummy legs. Well, this has been going on a lot today.. Raina comes after Raisa’s leg every time she has the biting urge.. like a tiny homer hungry for a pizza. Raisa would open her eyes really big not knowing whether to cry or to laugh. I just hope she wouldn’t turn around and poke Raina in the eye. I don’t know how long this is going to go on... and then the roles will be reversed when Raisa gets her tooth soon. It’s like the biting will never end. It’s time to shop for teethers before the rest of us become chewable chickens to the twins.

If Raisa could talk right now she would probably tell me “Abah could you pull this tooth thing away from my leg. And I definitely don’t taste like chicken”.















The Chicken Biter

The Chicken

Kids do say the darndest things

Recently while driving with Nuha, I was given a lesson in life by my 5 year-old. The topic was on how to be self-centred and generous in the same breath... without a pause. Let me repeat our dialogue verbatim.

Abah : Why Nuha always wear that pink shoes?
Nuha : Abah! My shoe is pretty I am pretty You is pretty The world is pretty you know!

She really did say “the world is pretty”. And experience also taught me not to argue with people who call you pretty. Lesson learned.

Introduction

I've just realised that this blog doesnt have any introduction. An entry to at least let other people know of what and whom it's about. Well I suppose that's because at first it was not meant for others to see. It's just my anecdotal ramblings about our three daughters that all my paychecks are sent to every month. Even Supermama had to fend for herself sometimes cos Zombiedaddy just spent his last ringgit on a playyard for the twins and another book for the sister. Well see it's all about the girls.

Anyways, I was just thinking that this blog can also be a good medium for the rest of our big family to get regular updates on my girls. They dont want to know about me of course but i'm sure they are eager to read about my 3 daughters, just as i'm eager to find out about what my nieces have been up to. Then, maybe I should tell our friends as well.. Oh why not include the world as well, now that i'm changing the settings for this blog anyway.. Hence the need for some kind of introduction.

I call myself Zombiedaddy. In the real world i'm called Rod by friends, Radhi by colleagues, Adi by family and Abah by my daughters. The other half is called Supermama because of her super abilities in taking care of our daughters. Sometimes people call her Jija or Muni depending on how far back you know her. We have three daughters. The eldest is Nuha who will be 5 yo in Sept. We also have 9 mo identical twin girls, Raina and Raisa.. the reason i became zombiedaddy. We are currently staying near Taman Melawati in KL, Malaysia although there were many times i wished we were in a cold sunny fjord somewhere in Norway. Both me and Supermama work fulltime, but we are fortunate that my MIL lives almost next door so that we can drop the kids and our nanny at her place everyday.

This blog is about Nuha, Raina and Raisa as seen by the father. It's like therapy, really. So please bear with me.

Actually is an all-terrain vehicle

Nuha came home from school today with a new word "Actually" added into her rapidly growing vocabulary which is already quite impressive. So she's been actually this and actually that since I came home from the office this afternoon. Every sentence starts with actually and some of them even end with actually. It's good that she could pick up these words and tries to use them in complete sentences. It's bad that she's driving me up the wall with 143 actuallys within 4 hours. I bet she's even dreaming of actuallys in her sleep as I'm typing this up.

Good thing the twins are able to cancel out half of the actuallys with their own cute dadadada, so it doesnt sound too bad in the end. Raina & Raisa are currently in the all terrain vehicle mode. Their philosophy at the moment is more or less... This is point A and that is point B and the fastest way to get from A to B is by moving in a straight line. One should never stray from this line regardless what obstacles may lie in the path be it a pillow, stack of books or Raisa sleeping. Just scoot along as if nothing is wrong as you trample over your sleeping sister who's suddenly awaken by a knee in her spine. It's like watching Transformers and Godzilla at the same time. Oh dear me, sorry Raisa but that was funny, actually.

Raina : I'm coming to you Mama. By the way, have you seen Raisa? Cos I havent seen her all day, and how come the mattress is a bit bumpy today?

Happy Daughters' Day

Today is Mother’s Day. Nuha wants to get Supermama a Hello Kitty card. I've seen Hello Kitty soft toys but I suppose they must have cards as well. Otherwise Zombiedaddy has to resurrect his dormant creative veins and create a hello kitty masterpiece for Nuha to give to Supermama. Thank my lucky stars Nuha came back from school on Friday with a nice and big heart-shaped I-Love-Mama card that she did as a school project. She was very proud of her art work and she definitely has a big big heart for her Mama.


This year the twins don't have any say yet in terms of what's the best gift for Supermama. Nuha has absolute authority on the matter and she seems to enjoy it just like a little naepoleon. Wait till Raina & Raisa are a little bigger and I wonder if they're going to keep on being loyal henchmen to Nuha or would start their own political factions and battle for absolute power. Don’t wanna think about that just yet! Just like every daddy out there I really hope that the three of them would be the best of friends and would listen to their daddy all the time. Keep on wishing!!

Back to today, we ended up going to a lot of places and buying a lot of things for Supermama.. No! we did buy a lot of things but they are mostly stuffs for Nuha, Raina and Raisa. We bought drawing easel and swing for Nuha from Ikea. We bought new Dr.Browns bottles and extra teats for the twins from Mom’s Care. As Supermama rightly mentioned earlier.. today is actually more like a Happy Daughters’ Day instead. Nuha asked Supermama when is Happy Daughter’s Day and her eyes got really big when Supermama replied that everyday is Happy Daughter’s Day… She has already mastered the concept of today, yesterday, tomorrow and next week.. so knowing everyday is Happy Daughter’s Day is like having ice cream before meal.. pure bliss.

As a husband, finding the right gift for my wife always keeps getting harder, as everyday she has shown me and made me aware of her impenetrable love and unyielding support. Although she’d probably say a week in Bali without the kids would be a perfect gift, I really feel that no material gift could ever pay for the gratitude I feel for her sacrifice all these years.

I believe the only way to let her know this is to show, not tell.

The Trick

Nuha our 5 yr old always loves to go to the shops or the malls with me and supermama, probably because she always gets something, like a book, ice cream or a toy at the end of each outing. But we would normally only do it over the weekends and almost never on weekdays. All this while, she only knows one way how to ask me or supermama to take her to the shops.. That is by way of the most direct request such as "abah, can we go out today?"

I suppose our Nuha has grown a tad more these last few days 'cos just the other day supermama told me about an interesting conversation she had with Nuha on the way back from the kindie. I swear it went like this..
Nuha : Mama, i think we should stop by the shop to get some nescafe for Abah.
Mama : It's ok Nuha. We still have some more at home.
Nuha : But Mama, Abah needs his nescafe. We have to go to Giant to get it.
Mama : Not the time yet Nuha.
Nuha : Mama turn right Mama. That's where Giant is. Mama turn here!!
As they drove past Giant Supermarket..
Nuha : Mama.. I really love going to the shops with you. Can we go now Mama? Can we?

Hmmm so it's not about Abah afterall. Our Nuha has learned a new skill, that is to pretend she's doing it for Abah when the fact is she just wants it for herself. Well she did not manage to get past Supermama this time. But I bet she'll improve on her "skills" soon enough.. And if Abah happens to be driving at the time, then it looks likely Supermama will be getting extra bottles of nescafe...

The Scratch and The Scream

It was a hot and humid evening. There birds were chirping, the cats were meowing, there were sounds of merry and laughter all around. Out of a sudden there was a loud wail filled with pain and sadness piercing the air and putting a halt to the joyful mood.

As I entered the living room, Nuha was crying and she told me she was scratched. Aah! The scratch.. Immediately I knew who caused that pained look on her face. It wasn't our three cats of course. It must be those two giggling little crawling saliva factories Raina & Raisa with their angelic smiles and razor sharp nails. Forgot to clip their nails for a few days and they would sprout claws on their cute tiny fingers. These claws can definitely cut the most delicate areas of your face when you least expect it 'cos you thought that those tiny fingers surely cant hurt anything. And it does hurt like hell especially when you are lying down on the floor trying to get cozy and getting some shut-eyes when suddenly down came twenty sharp claws at you all giggling and smiling... Thus the scratch and then the scream.

The Victim

The Culprits

Sorry Nuha, it's daddy's fault. Go get the clipper for me please. Good girl. Now go get mama to put something on those scratch marks. Ouch!

Only Man In The House

"so i suppose you can't close shop yet. You still have to try for a boy". I've heard that statement many many times from almost everyone whom I’ve told about my three daughters. Some were decent and rational when they said it doesn’t matter if u got boys or girls as long as they're healthy, just be grateful. I appreciate that kind of a remark anytime.

But most would give me a pitiful look as if i have been cursed or something and said oh! maybe the next one you'll a get a boy. So, i feigned a smile and kept my mouth shut. Man! That definitely required transcendental patience on my side 'cos i was bursting to let these people know what a load of slimy bullcrap they just spat at me. I definitely don’t appreciate this kinds of utterly retarded remarks regardless what intentions they may have.

Let me tell you, my daughters... all three of them are God's greatest gifts to me. You couldn't find a more grateful and happier man when each of them was delivered safely into this world (well Raina & Raisa came out more or less at the same time). My daughters are perfect and I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world and all the planets combined. I'll always try to be the best daddy for them. Shower them with unconditional love. Watch Monsters Inc. on dvd a hundred over times. Make them watch Liverpool games on telly. Nod and smile when they talk incessantly about blossom, bubble and buttercup (I'm sure there'll be more of this in my future entries). And maybe have a pumpgun handy for the time when some boys may come to ask them out on a date. Aaarrgghh! Choppy waters ahead!

As it is right now, i am a very happy father of three lovely girls. I’m the King of my domain, the only man in the house, a very happy man indeed.