Gracy Bee

Early years part I

Posted on June 12th, 2007 by GracyBee.
Categories: Memory Lane.

It is time for me to jot my childhood memories before I forget about them completely.

I was born into an extended family consisting of my great grand mother, grandparents, parents (of coz), my uncles and aunts. At that time, my brother and me were the only children in the family.

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I have heard stories from many sources about my childhood. The day I was born, my great grand mother and maternal grandmother was not too happy for different reasons. The first, as she favoured boys more than girls, was disappointed and the worst, why I was a girl when I looked so much like a boy!! The second thought I looked ugly for a girl. ok~~ no comments about that, but I do have people coming to my mother when I was older and ask where her 2nd son is (My mother has one son and one daughter). And they don’t believe when my mother pointed the 2nd child is me. OK a good indication how I used to look like when I was young.

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During the time I was born, my parents was starting up this business which are laden with debts and so more than often we were put in care of my great grand mother. Despite her favourism with boys, she didn’t neglect to look after me and even told my mother about my growing up stories and even doted on me even though my brother get more attention.

These are what my mother remembered about what my great grand mother observed:

- I played with my brother’s toys when he was taking his nap but immediately returned to him once he woke up. ( hm…why I did that??!)
- I loved watches and used to stare blankly at one on my wrist for hours
- I was very kay po and wanted to help her. That I even helped her to fold incense paper or poke holes in incense paper with joss sticks
- I knew that when her friend came to visit her, I quickly ran to inform her with my limited vocabulary at that time
- I knew that it was secret when she cooked bird’s nest only meant for my brother and me as she used to say ’sshhhh’ that the next time she cooked and called us, i automatic say ’shhh’ on her behalf.

So far, I only managed to get this information. See if more can dug out from my parents.

My grandfather doted on us too and I remember quite faintly that he used to bring back the cake I liked during his frequent trips to Tanjung Malim. He also knew I loved durians and my mother said he used to buy back so that both of us can shared. Aww…what a sweet memory.

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Hence, with the care of my great grand mother and grandfather, we had quite a happy childhood as we played in the shophouse we lived in. I felt blessed. I have seen even in recent times that some granddaughters often get neglected by grandparents, but doted over grandsons.

My parent’s memories:

- I don’t cry to be fed after 1st mth (hmm…never know that)
- My bro & I got our hairs and eyebrows shaved off by GGM periodically and rubbed XO onto our balded head.
- I used to sit quietly while my bro tried out his stunt as a hairdresser and gave me this worst haircut ever that my GGM has to resort shaving my hair. (AGAIN!)
- My bro & I automatically know it was a sunday and get up early and eagerly to prepare for sunday outing.
- I used to be poked by my dad’s test pen in his left pocket as he used to carry me on his left hand. That I actually make sure he turned that the other way round before I allowed him to carry me the next time. (aah….)
- My er gu (dad’s 2nd sis) used to teach me how to read numbers on the tapes and asked me to arrange the tapes accordingly. My grandfather was amazed (so am I!)
- I know where the cartoon tapes were.
- My bro & I seem to understand Mandarin, Hokkien and Heng hua at that time.

I remembered:

- The wooden plank staircase we had in the house that my bro and I always competed to get down to level one using our butt sliding down
-Our weekly bath with daddy
- I was regularly got pulled at the nose cos my aunt believed by pulling, the nose get longer and therefore looked nicer.
- I was very close to my er gu
- Everybody in the family called me by pet name Mei Mei
- the 3rd floor storeroom that always look eerie to me
- the garden upstairs that we loved to play water and plucked my great grand mother’s favourite plants.
- We abused our parent’s bed by jumping from table to bed repeatedly.
- The wooden floor we used to have that once we hear parents walking we quickly rushed to bed and pretend to zzz
- one little dog that used to chase me that it bit off one bit of my ribbon of my dress
- the yearly ritual of making ‘dang yuan’ as grandmother follow the traditional way that involved family members
- the excitement of CNY as we get ang baos and gathering with our cousins
- When my cousins were born, they were my best play mates.
- My grandmother used to sterlise all clothes by boiling them at the small furnace we used to have at back yard.
- I remember her charcoal stove and brew soups. The soups were DIVINE!

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Felt blessed to have memorable childhood to remember.

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