Amazing Girl

Little Jeanne

Perhaps age has caught up and it's so refreshing to have a child tagging along when you travel.
Little Jeanne brought back a lot of memories as I recalled the days when I travel with the girls in their primary years. I told Madam Ung that being the mother of a primary school going child at her age has many upsides.

In your late 40s you are more patient and you attend to the child's demands and needs in a more gentle manner and you are up to it to withstand any storm. Little Jeanne was a complete joy to us in the trip to Solo, Surakarta.

She is alert and helps mummy in whatever that is needed. She takes care of her own luggage bag and is the first to alert us if a misplacement is seen.

I observe their warm relationship together. I caught little Jeanne kissing her mother here and there in expression of her joy and security associated with mummy.

The moment the plane took off she was with her book... a dictionary! My girls were not up to her standard... she turned the pages and along the way taught mummy some Chinese characters..."I thought I already told you ..."; she chided mummy. Patient mummy would go "oh ya ya ya; sorry ah". I will speak like this mummy when I become a grand nanny.

Oh unlike my adult girls, this enthusiastic one will take the initiative to fill up the immigration forms. I have to do the booking of tickets, visas, insurances and the girls just ride along. Little Jeanne sure knows how to play her role effectively. Dear mummy gives her the absolute honor. So, my adult daughters ... learn a little from Jeanne.

Look...her signature. She has to change that when she gets older or some may just write her off her good stuff !

She mingled maturely among the adults and was on her best of behaviour under all occasions. When we bench marked SMA N4 she tagged along quietly and observe her environment inquisitively.


See. That was what kept her occupied. Her love for reading and books. She is already a rank above many because of the good habits she picks up. Train a child the right way and she will be on her own independently right...

Mummy is a big factor behind her success story. The baju kurung little Jeanne put on is absolutely awesome ! She became one of us quite naturally.


Besides her love for reading, she is also good at photography. She was our official photographer when we are short of one. Her photo taking skills are commendable; better than her mum's. So naturally Esther's photography skills beats mine flat.

When a real formal occasion is on, she is quiet and behaves excellently. Mummy says she is a show piece in behaviour and is confident of her good manners.

At Borobudur, she tagged along bravely and her 'whys' are as high as the volcanic mountains around us. Mummy will patiently tell her the answers and the questions are non-stop. Mummy says she must answer everything lest when she gets older, Jeanne will also reciprocate in silence. When children are young they want answers to 'whys' just as when mothers get older, they also want answers from 'whys'. Adult children may just not answer when they choose not to... the silent treatment. So be chatty and let the line of conversation be in tune.
Then I cheekily told her to write about her adventures here when she goes back and that brought me back to days of old when I insisted the girls write after a holiday trip. But now...they tell me 'ma you write ah'... so you now know why I blog so obediently.

Little Jeanne hardly complained. She sleeps, eats, talks, walks all in good order.

Even the steps up the Borobudur was not a daunting task. She is so adorable.

A trishaw treat along the streets of Solo to her great delight. Having a young child keeps one young alright !

And... I know her favorite culinary is chicken fried rice! She asks for it at every opportunity. On a hectic journey to and from Borobudur ; a total of 6 hours non - stop on the road, she further entertained us with her jokes and singing. She is an absolute pleasure to have around.

Her most favourite and famous rendition sounds something like the song below; enjoy it.
The song has been ringing in my ears for days.



But alas; she calls me a big bully ... not true.