Ujai is 4

(image from Law Memo)

4 years old. Already?

And to think that I remember this story oh-so-vividly.

Oh my – that first moment, the first time I was able to hold him
close in reality after carrying him inside me for nine months – it was pure heaven. There is nothing quite as unique – the feeling of joy, wonder, thankfulness all mixed up together. I even tried to shut my awareness that I had only 11 days before I was going to leave him, just so that I could enjoy our first moments together more. I lied on one side, feeding him, and all wrapped up in taking note of his features – his innocent huge black eyes, his tiny long fingers (like that famous Bollywood heartthrob Hritrik Roshan, my baby has a dual right thumb – so in his case he could even raise three thumbs up!) his soft dark hair, his birth mark, and all

And today Muhammad Azmi Huzaifah a.k.a Ujai is 4.

A really active, mischievious 4-year old who is always on the go, go, go.

Ask anyone who have been to our home and they will have all kind of stories to tell about Ujai. About him climbing the 2-door fridge without using any tools/ladder just to get the ice cream tub out.

Or him climbing the kitchen cabinets, to get at the supposed-to-be-hidden jar of sweets.

Or him walking/cycling on his own along the street side - not on the lane where we lived, but on the lane behind ours.

Personally I believe, in our neighborhood, Ujai is among most well-known boys for their streak of independence. Which at times could be a blessing and at other times, something to worry about.

I'm glad to note that he is more socially adjusted now compared to a year ago - when he was the culprit who bit other kids in his playschool. But he still has a lot to learn about sharing his toy and not treating other people's toys as his own.

He could recite a bits and pieces of Al-Fatihah now, loves climbing, sliding, and running.

He's very cheeky - if I sang (to the tune of Aliff's "Jangan Nakal")

"Please, please, please, Ujai jangan nakal. Kalau Ujai nakal, nanti Ibu marah",

he would sing back to me, "Plis, plis, plis, Ibu jangan nakal..."

He still loves "Thomas and Friends", and also very fond of "Transformers" and "Tom and Jerry". He loves his "Tom and Jerry" pyjamas, and proud owner of 3 pairs at the moment. He used to pester us on getting new Transformers toys at Petronas when there was a campaign going on while "Revenge of the Fallen" was showing at the cinema a few months back. Just two weeks ago, he gave me a RM5 note given to him by his Atok, asking me to buy "mainan Transformers". When we bought him a pair of Transformers rubber slippers using the RM5, he asked back - "mane mainan Transformers?". It's like he was reprimanding us "The RM5 was for a toy lah Ibu, not a pair of slippers. And I don't care that Ibu had gone and spent that money on some slippers, I still want my toy. Remember, Ujai asked for a toy, okay?"

Well, at least RM5 is a huge improvement compared to him giving me 40 sen, saying, "ini duit beli mainan Thomas" when I told him earlier I could not buy one because "takdak duit".

He still has lots of twinkle in his eyes, especially so when he has something up his sleeves. I love his ready smiles and his gleeful giggles. I'm still touched everytime he gives me a peck on the cheek or kisses the back of my right hand. Although we use the cloth hanger as a substitute for a rod, he's never hit unless it's really necessary.

Mak's friend, Auntie (Datin) Hendon once remarked something along the line of "if a kid grows up a happy and well-balanced person, he's going to be all right." Her own son was raised up according to the "happy kid" method - and while he strugged to read at 8 years, more than 20 years later, he became more successful than many others, a live testimonial to his mother's principles.

So yes, while my son Huzaifah is not a whizz kid who memorize verses from the Quran, or can read and count perfectly, or play a musical instrument or a well-trained acrobat or something, my husband and I believe in guiding him towards being a happy, well-balanced person.

We hope and pray that he, and the rest of our children, will be all right in this world and in the hereafter.