While waiting for my daughter to wake up, we went tk take some family photos in my dad's yard. This is actually a non spoken routine or tradition my family always does but I have been missing it out during Chinese New Year because I am usually not back.
So they did it for me though it was a bit random.
After the toddler was recharged, we went on a food hunt with all my siblings, all 4 of us and my brother-in-law with my daughter. My sister's son stayed back at his grandparents' and didn’t want to join so all attention were on my 1-year-old. Everyone was trying to win her heart to let them carry her.
Of course, she could not be bothered and kept playing her own toys.
In the meantime, all the food we ordered arrived! This is where all my childhood food memories came back to me!
I don't know why I fancy it but maybe because of the sentiment of how I was first introduced to it. Growing up, my mum restricted us from junk food and flavoured drinks because my sister used to have asthma so we never try all these drinks till we were much older. When I first knew there was such a drink that is made of ice, condensed milk and all sorts of sweet condiments in it, I was already a teenager. Perhaps it was a "hard-to-get" drink so I still order it nowadays.
Next to it is a mixture coconut drink with sugar cane! This is a very refreshing drink and because it was also my high-school kind of drink that we bought when we ate lunch oppositie the school, it also has become nostalgic.
Okay, belacan is a locally made fermented shrimp paste that is savory and sweet. It has a very fragrant aroma and though it is used throughout Malaysia, I think we can only find belacan cooked with rice vermicelli which is what we call bee hoon locally.
My brother-in-law also ordered some rojak to share. Rojak is another thickened and sweetened shrimp paste that is eaten and mixed with some fried fritters.
So my sister took time to show her the nail art on her fingernails which she got mesmerised and after some time bonding, my daughter did let her carry.
They may be shared some similar interest and my sister was joking with her if she would allow the aunt to bite her chubby arms or cheeks. If she doesn't allow, maybe she can let the aunt carry instead. She chose the latter.
That was such a carefree and relaxing noon to just catch up with the siblings as we all now live apart.
