And Two Turn Three

Dearest Abang and Adik,

Today, the two of you turn three years old and I am overwhelmed with emotion. Where did the time go? It’s like you’ve both grown up in a mere blink of the eyes.

People always tell me how difficult it is to tell the two of you apart. I always laugh and say the two of you are so different and that the differences are too obvious. Except, of course, in the wee hours of the night when the lights are all off (to discourage you both from getting up and playing) and I’m fumbling in the dark for your bottles (orange fish for Abang, purple dolphins for Adik) — that’s when I need to ask “Ini Abang ke Adik?” (Is this Abang or Adik?).

Of course, I wasn’t always this adept at telling the two of you apart. When we first brought you home from the hospital for instance, I kept Adik’s name tag (wrapped around the ankle) for a full week. I didn’t intentionally pick Adik; it just so happened I already cut off Abang’s tag when I realised I needed time to identify which twin is which, so I left Adik’s tag on. Sorry, ‘dik. I hope it wasn’t too uncomfortable…

As time went by, the two of you started developing distinct personalities, each lovable in your own way, which made it easier for me to identify who is who. I’ve always find this to be so amazing — how two toddlers who look so alike yet end up so different, despite having come from the exact same zygote which, by God’s hand, had split and developed into two separate babies.

Adik, I’ve noticed, you seem to be the more daring and outspoken one. Whenever you smile, your eyes always have that glint of mischief. And, oh, how you love to sing at the top of your lungs in the most endearing way! Just like in this video:-

Abang, on the other hand, you seem to be more sensitive and soft-spoken. And when you smile, you look like you could do no wrong. But you’ve had your moments of mischief, too. Just take a look at this early video of you trying to wrestle away a ball from your little brother’s grasp… then looking totally blameless at the end (think Bart Simpson: “I didn’t do it, nobody saw me do it, there’s no way you can prove anything!”).

But then again, you’re both still very young and your personalities will continue to evolve as the years go by. All I know is that, no matter how the two of you will turn out, I shall love the two of you for always and always and always.

With more love than my heart can hold,

Mama