Category: Izzy’s Stories Page 5 of 6

Chocoholic Runs in the Family

On November 7, 2020

In 01 Year Old, 20 Months Old, Izzy's Stories

I tiptoed to look for the box of chocolates on the second shelf of the ginormous wall-to-wall bookcase that Daddy built. It seems they had moved it again – just when I could finally reach! Argh. Perhaps pushing the chair next to the wine fridge will get me on the counter – that’s not hard for a toddler like me to climb up; I’ve done it before.

But if I get caught, Mommy will lecture, “you get desserts after dinner” – whoever coined that term must hate sweets.

At long last, I took the last bite of my meal and looked up with a grin. Mommy said, “you’ve been a good girl, do you want…”. She did her usual pause. My eyes glittered with anticipation. It is time. My head turned towards the magical cardboard box full of goodies on the shelf. Mommy walked over and took out two pieces of my favorite chocolate wrapped in gold (Ferrero Rocher), one for each of us.

Mmmm, just the thought of taking a bite of the heavenly concoction is making me drool – literally.

I ferociously sank my semi-new set of teeth into the crispy wafer enveloped by chocolate, penetrating the center where a hazelnut is swimming in a creamy chocolate lake.

“Be careful, don’t choke, eat slowly,” exclaimed Mommy. I glimpsed at her piece of chocolate still wrapped in gold foil in her hand. Is she going to eat that? I’ll happily take it! As if she heard my prayers, she started unwrapping it and gave it to me. Success! Today is another good day.

Beware of Pacifier Burglars

By Izzy Tornado

On October 31, 2020

In 02 Years Old, Izzy's Stories

Having never been dependent on fake boobs as a newborn, I always pushed the pacifier out with my tongue – it was just not natural, you know? It doesn’t taste exceptionally good (nor bad), it doesn’t have milk – it doesn’t do anything! What’s the point? However, after a few weeks, I realized having something to suck on was not bad after all, and I became fond of it.

Sometimes, I even close my eyes, imagining guzzling down an unlimited stream of milk.

Fast forward two years later. The day started as usual – I showed the parents how to pull the pillows and covers off the bed when they woke up, but they are so stubborn! They kept picking them back up.

I jumped on the bed as usual, but this time, I tripped over a pillow and hit the footboard – headfirst.

Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as I screamed in pain. Blood flooded my mouth while Daddy inspected my chin, lips, and mouth. He mumbled about pacifiers and a loose front tooth, and then Mommy scurried away.

Oh, the horrors I had to bear that day.

Every sip of water sent shockwaves up my head. Even eating my favorite bowl of soft mac and cheese was painful. As if that wasn’t bad enough, all the pacifiers disappeared; it was as if they grew legs and fled the crime scene. I couldn’t find them in the kitchen cabinets and dishwasher, not even the secret stash underneath the crib.

They didn’t even let me suck goodbye.

All I did was jump on the bed – why did they take off? Have I not been punished enough already?

These heartless parents – they didn’t even try to help me look for them during bedtime. After three hours of outcry, they finally turned on one of my favorite cartoons at 1 AM to distract me – it worked. I was halfway through the second episode when I fell asleep snuggling in between the parents.

It took four days to accept my fate that I will never get to see my beloved pacifiers again.

I hope that they are having a good time, wherever they have gone.

A few days later, I overheard Daddy telling his friends about “taking away the pacifier cold turkey.” Did a cold turkey steal my pacifiers? Talk about the worst day of my life.

Hot Potato had a Fever

By Izzy Tornado

On October 17, 2020

In 03 Months Old, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

It is 4 AM, and I stink. Mommy passed me to daddy as she ran away, coughing into her elbow. “Paci!” he screamed. Yes! I want that, maybe that’ll help with the burning sensation all over my body. Mommy ran back and tried to stuff the paci into his mouth. No! Wrong person! I wailed louder. As daddy put the paci in my mouth, the parents looked at each other and laughed deliriously from the lack of sleep, their voices echoed down the hallway and back.

“Hot potato coming through!” daddy said as he passed me back to mommy and ran away for his coughing break.

Guys! Stop fighting for a chance to hold me; now is not the time to demonstrate your love. My body feels like it is on fire, my head is aching – stop moving me around!

“Time for another dose,” says daddy as he came back with a syringe. The sticky cherry syrup drizzled down my chin. He then gave me a bottle of milk, the warm liquid smoothly flowed down my throat. Waking up every hour (instead of every 2 hours like usual) with a high fever is making me hungry.

After I finished my meal, the fluid uncontrollably started bubbling in my tummy, like a volcano about to erupt.

It burnt my esophagus on its way up, and I sputtered the mix of cherry-flavored milk acid over my shirt, floor, and the parents. Ugh. Not again! It had been hard for my 3-month old body to keep anything down these days. Whatever you do, mommy, don’t bathe me nor change my clothes – I am well aware that I stink.

At this point, just let me swim in sour milk curds; I am too tired.

As if she could read my mind, I felt a wet towel wiping my face, chin, ears, and body – the cooling sensation felt good on my burning skin. I caught a glimpse of mommy – her eyes barely opened, the deep dark circles and the wrinkles under her eyelids made her look older – what happened to her? I drift to sleep, thinking about mold growing on the sour milk by tomorrow morning.

The Mosquito’s Gift

By Izzy Tornado

On October 10, 2020

In 04 Months Old, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

S small, black figure buzz in front of me, circling my head, and finally lands on my right knee. Oh – Hi, want to be friends? I study its fuzzy body with a set of long wings. This friend doesn’t talk much, does it?

Its head dips forward. The long needle on its head pierce into my skin – perhaps that’s a greeting of some sort.

Its body is pulsating with every blink. Is it … getting bigger?

“Ahh! You’re getting eaten alive!” Mommy smacks my knees. “I got the mosquito!” she squeals with delight as she shows me the black smear on her palm. The sting from her slap spreads over my knee caps.

“Izzy, you need to tell me when you’re getting bitten.” So, that’s what friends do – they bite each other. I look down and notice the spot where the mosquito had landed is turning pinkish-red and now triple in size.

The area got warmer by the second, and my fingers uncontrollably scratches it – what a crafty welcome gift.

Mommy puts some gloves over my small, 4-months old hands and rubs cream on my knee and arms. She is too busy to notice another “friend” has landed on her forehead. I smile to say thanks as it gave her a welcome gift as well.

Attaining Nirvana in the Womb – Part II

By Izzy Tornado

On October 3, 2020

In 00 Newborn, Izzy's Stories, Under 1 Year Old

I can’t see, but there is no point anyway. It is pitch-black in here; my ears are my eyes in this world. It is usually pretty noisy with the stomach factory constantly pumping out gastric acid and the food particles flowing through multiple pathways. Don’t even get me started on the veins; they envelop this world like a rubber band ball.

I overheard that I will get “evicted” soon.

That’s probably another term for attaining nirvana, like what they promised two months ago. Finally, after 41 weeks, I will become a Buddha – I’ve been mentally writing a thesis of how my new life would be like. I would live in a world just as silky as this one, with a constant stream of water flowing around the body to keep me young forever. I don’t want just to survive, I want to live to my fullest potential, you know? Perhaps I’ll get to surface from my capsule and unhook from the life-system to socialize with the other Buddhists and have a fancy glass of premium grade amniotic fluid. Or I’ll have a bigger bouncy house with space to continue practicing my sissonne ballet jumps and double jabs. I looked around me.

Space is limited these days; my arms and legs were pressed so tightly against the inner walls that the only position I like is upside down.

Suddenly the jello sack started vibrating violently. With every passing minute, my ears pounded louder. My head is constantly pulled into gravity’s gaping mouth below. Even with my eyes closed, I can see the dim light piercing through my eyelids. Today I will meet my fate.

I will now let go of my worldly possessions.

Within a few seconds, white sheets surrounded me like a welcome mat. I let out a yelp of surprise as giant “beings” (buddhas?) hover over me. The light is so bright I kept my eyes shut. Ah! I’m levitating! So this is how it feels like to be enlightened!

But it went downhill from there.

As I drifted from point A to B to C in a white towel, I screamed in vain, getting dizzier by the second. “Good, she cried.” What is wrong with these beings? Survival in this world is about who can scream the loudest?

I realized I need to rewrite my thesis as this world is not as peaceful as I envisioned it; it is full of light, hunger, and dry, itchy blankets.

The saddest part is that now I have to share my world with all of these beings.

I kicked my arms and legs in frustration. Can I un-attain nirvana?