Baby A

The next time I want to bring home a baby whom is not ours, I swear I must explain to my baby girl clearly as it is.

Oh dear! I hope that doesn’t sound so bad.

My cousin, Cik Byie was admitted to Pantai Hospital last Friday for lung infection. Thinking of the chaotic to be faced by her hubby with four kids, I told myself I had to help out to take care of at least one. Not questioning of Mr Brad Pitt’s (of what Nada calls him) capability, but an honest offer wouldn’t be a harm.

So upon approval of the proposal by Mr Pitt, we fetched the youngest – Baby Amsterdam at their house and off to the hospital for a visit.

Baby A spent the whole weekend with us - shared our bed, made us laugh, also making us scratch our head in figuring out how to clean baby’s poo-poo again. Nada had been acting the BIG sister. Fairly a good one.

I told her –

“You got to pack your toys properly for you do not want Baby A to put them into his mouth and get chocked”. She obediently packed her toys the way I regularly do – The a-b-c’s properly arranged in the supposed case, the books where they were supposed to be, the small free Mc-D toys in one bag, etc-etc.

I asked her –

“Nada, can Mommy trust you to look after Baby A while he’s asleep that Mommy need to take a bath. If he cries, come knock on the door ok?” She nod at me with the look “Yes I can” and sit next to Baby A like a “watch dog”. I was about to enter the room when I heard Baby A giving tiny little sound in his sleep and Nada came running to me “ADIK NANGIS – ADIK NANGIS – ADIK NANGIS!”. Serious face that actually made Baby A awaken from his good sleep!.. Sigh. Mommy postponed shower.

Nada supervising Mommy giving Baby A warm bath while having a towel in her arm.

Nada helping Mommy to dress up Baby A while she herself was barely dressed.

Nada counting sheep prior noon nap with a hand touching Baby A to ensure he's by her side.

Nada doing "gold fish" imitating Baby A chubby cheeks.

Nada keep convincing Daddy that she could hold Baby A though Mommy quite not accepting the idea fear for Baby A would roll out her tiny lap.

Nada sharing Daddy's lap with Baby A - THIS IS A REAL SOMETHING!.. Not easy, o!

Came Sunday evening, we brought Baby A to hospital after attending a Raya Open House with arrangement for my aunt, Cik Ra to bring him home while Cik Byie was still being admitted. Mommy got to work the next day.

So when the time to depart, Nada was all sour with the idea of Baby A would not be returning home with us. She wasn’t being briefed earlier on, hence was not aware of it.

She refused to salam anyone, I had to give in by letting her sit with me at the front instead of her car seat. Not five minutes we left the hospital compound, she cried her lungs out as if the world is going to tear apart. Again, we had to give in by bringing her to McDonalds for a treat so she would cool down.

We succeeded with our quest that Nada was a happy ding-dong girl once entered the red-yellow-white eatery. ONE DRAMA QUEEN!!!

So to speak, we went home. I was cleaning in the kitchen when I heard Nada lamenting so badly not knowing the cause.

Harris told me, he saw Nada sitting on the chair with tears rolling down her cheeks. No sound. Only when he asked what happened that she burst out crying – “Arik Adam.. Arik Adam… Arik Adam…” Poor girl, she must had missed him that much.

I undressed and bathed her. Still crying that her face turned red and kept saying “Nanti Arik Adam nangis, dia nak Mommy”.

She came out of the bath room and saw Baby A’s pants. Again, with loud cry - “Arik Adam pajamas” while pointing.

I tried to soothe her. Only after some time she settled down. My cousin Rafi then asked her “Kenapa Nada nangis?”. She again had watery eyes…. Tears rolled down her cheeks. No sound. I shooshed Rafi away and carried her into the room for sleep. She saw the empty space that we placed Baby A for night sleep. Again, with loud cry – “Arik Adam sleep here…..”

So sad, okay…… The emptiness that Baby A left had taken it’s toll on her.

I couldn’t find any other words to ease her sadness that I just hugged and kissed her a million times until she fell asleep.

I was wrong, my girl was not acting big sister after all. She thought she WAS the big sister.