It's been about 15 years since I last played with little babies. Actually I don't have that much chance in playing with babies, other than my own siblings. And when I said "played" it was truly spending time with those little human-beings to amuse myself. It's literally a picture of an extremely big kid fooling around and bullying a five-to-six times reduced size kid.It's been a long while since I last visited my friend, Mr. Nice and his family. The last time I was there, my friend's daugther was just a few-month old and was just learning to crawl. But now she's already 1.5 years old and already riding on her small bike knocking on me deliberately.
One hilarious scene was, her parents (my friend and his wife) told me that they have set a little punishment for the baby. When she makes a severe mistake, the parents will order her to "stand at a corner". Although the baby barely speak, she understands a lot of our adult words. So when her parents were describing her "stand corner" punishment to me, she was standing aside paying attention to our conversation. The parents told her, "Show Jie-jie (older sister; referring to me after I insist that she should call me sister instead of aunty) where is your 'stand corner' and how do you do that.". Next I saw two fat clumsy legs moving fast to the corner of the room and I looked up, finding this smart cutie little one pointing to herself smiling and making some funny sound. She was telling me "Hey Jie-jie, this is my 'stand corner'!" Seeing that scene I burst into laughter.
Her parents certainly have devoted a lot of time, patience and effort in bringing her up. It is extremely difficult since my friend is still completing his doctorate degree whilst the wife gave up her career in their home-country to come here and join him and soon after they had their first child here. What makes it tougher is to raise kids in a foreign country where you don't even speak its language and they were just relying on his low stipend.
"Babies grow fast. Looking at them learning every little things and making baby steps, really makes me feel all those sleepless nights bringing them up is worthwhile," the wife told me.
I asked my friend who will be defending his thesis next month, "What do you think about your four-year here?"
"Life's been good to me. It would be if I could be richer but I won't complain about it," he said jokingly.
My friend's and his wife's words made me felt touched. I felt a little ashamed of myself after talking to them; the way they perceive life is so positive. Eh, maybe I should be the one to "stand corner" and reflect on myself.Go stand corner now. Okay...
♥ every page of my imagination
