Awkward Conversation

Derod's grandfather has always been a huge advocate of breastfeeding and the support of this elder has come at the most needed of times. When gabe first arrived, everyone would be questioning whether he was getting sufficient milk; it was a stressful time managing all the comments. But the patriarch will just make a statement to the effect of "nonsense! Mother's milk is always the best!" and it will shut all the others up. From that point, derod and I had a sense of respectful awe towards this grandfather, like, man... he's cool!

In the months that followed, ah gong will never fail to ask me if I was still nursing the little one, and repeat the instructions that I should not wean the baby yet. So one day, he was quite unhappy to hear that we have finally weaned gabe and was rather unconvinced when I explained it was the kiddo who wanted it. Then came this part of the conversation (translated from Chinese):

Ah gong: Do you feel engorged?
Cheoklet: *blink blink* No.
Ah gong: Really? (Then added something to the effect of "that's strange"). If you feel engorged, then you must feed him.
Cheoklet: Errr... *blink blink* okay.

I mean, discussing about breasts and related topics with my grandfather-in-law is really something else...

Reality Bites

Cora jie left for home the same day that we left for Japan. She is practically family, having been with us for more than twenty years. I vividly remember her first morning with us. My mum came into the room with her and taught her to wake us up for school. The sun had not yet risen and it was still dark. I had been my lazy morning self and asked to be carried out of bed, which she obliged immediately, only to have mum intercept. I think I was in primary two.

Twenty over years...

Her departure also meant the beginning of another phase for us. Cora jie had prepared lunch for me every weekday ever since gabe popped onto the earth. She had taken care of the cleanliness of my home, which meant that other than caring for the baby and his laundry and food, I was free from most of the housework. We stopped our tinkat dinner orders a month prior to her departure for me to get used to cooking dinner, and since 26 November, the day derod turned 31, I took on the full portfolio of housewife.

I am now the mother, maid, mistress (the computer is the wife) and the miscellaneous. I must say that juggling all those roles are not easy and definitely a good way of losing those extra pounds. We engaged someone to come in once a week though, to take care of those nooks and corners I miss out *hee* but other than that, I cover mountain cover sea now.

I asked derod how long he thought I'd last, and he thought for a bit before laughing and saying, as diplomatically as he could, something to the effect of "we'll see" and when pressed further, that I'm "not exactly the housewify type".

Well, indeed, we'll see. I don't have much faith in myself either, but thus far, things have been pretty alright.

Face it cheoklet, you're now a full fledged housewife. Just make sure your face don't turn a shade of pale yellow.