Dear High School Girl

Or should I start with Dear Bubu?

I know it's hard and indescribable.

But yes your baby is now a HIGH SCHOOL GIRL!

Wait what? Is this for real?

It can't be true! 

She's just a little girl whose cheeks you bite and kiss.

Every morning you wake her up with the tightest hugs.

You whisper "Good morning Bebi..." into her ears. 

Again, followed by tons of kisses still.

But wait!

Ah... Yes... It IS real.

Look at the way she's rejecting you.

Feel the hugs she gives you back.

The teenager's ways. Casual and indifferent.

Unless of course, there's something she wants.

Dear Bubu,

Remember when she still needed you?

Every minute, every day.

And now she says "I can do it myself."

Proud? Definitely. Sad? Oh yes...

But hey! Cheer up!

Now you have somebody to talk to!

Conversations become spontaneously real. 

Secrets and girl talks.

Serious and deep.

Teary and funny.

Isn't it what you've always wanted?

Dear Bubu,

Welcome this high school girl into your rollercoaster life!

Celebrate her new chapter with pride and joy.

Never stop saying "I love you so."

Be there for her and listen.

Let her know that she's always your one and only.

Your high school girl-baby.

*Kukka's first day of high school*

Dear Bubu's Teenager

They say daughters are like flowers.

'Cause they fill the world with all kind of charms.

Some have thorns, others are as soft as cotton.

You, my Precious Godsend.

You seem to have it all!

Well I say, own it girl! 

Then everything might go as great as you expect it to be.

And when it's not, just take it easy!

Work harder and keep reaching higher than the sky.

Just remember to be good, be kind, be truthful to those who deserve it.

And always give your biggest love and appreciation to yourself.

🥳 Happy 15th birthday, my Precious Godsend 🥳

Take good care of your inner beauty and out.

Let the whole world know how you've blossomed.

From an innocent baby to this sassy and bright young lady.

🥰 I love you über alles 🥰

Dear Kukka: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

YOU DID IT!!!! 🎊🎊🎉🎉

You're officialy a junior high graduate!!! OH. MY. GOD. 😱🎉👏🏼 

I'm having super mixed feelings about this 😅 I mean... Oh my god. My Precious Godsend???? My Bebi??? My Über Alles????? You're going to start HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR! And the journey it has been to achieve it... Maaaaaan! 😂 

Yeah... Nothing is easy with you eh?! 😄 What is it then??? Is easy...boring? I mean I asked you about your final karya tulis every day. EVERY. DAY. And you always... ALWAYS gave me 👍🏼 I had my doubts like all the time. But I did want you to take care of your own responsibilities and gave you my trust 😅 So I just said "Good. Alhamdulillah." Until...

Miss Ami, your teacher told me that she hadn't received your karya tulis, which is the main requirement to graduate junior high. It turned out you were the only kid in the class who hadn't submit it. THE ONLY ONE!!!! And that wasn't all!!! Miss Ami also said that you hadn't submit the name of your Penguji Eksternal!!!! So not only did you (AND ME!) had to solve the karya tulis problem. WE also had to find somebody, minimum S1 graduate, to be your Penguji Eksternal!!! Oh god!!!! I was furious. Stressed. And everything else. It was also totally predictable! This kind of thing happens all the time!!! I thought I had it covered this year by asking you every day "Tugasnya udah? Is there anything else you have to do? Check! Double check!" But nooo... 😓  

Lucky us, we're surrounded by kind and highly educated people. So when Miss Ami said that a relative is allowed to be the Penguji Eksternal I immediately thought of our beloved Ua Tanti. And thankfully she said okay! The 2 of you spent the whole evening before the D-Day practicing. Ua Tanti taught you how to present your karya tulis which is called "The Impact Of Insecurities In Teenagers In SMP Pembangunan Jaya". I didn't have to do a thing. I guess she knew that I was already stressed out 😆 So yeah... 

The next day on May 27th we picked up Ua Tanti and went to school. I was excited AND worried. But hey! You presented your karya tulis for about 16 minutes to Ua Tanti, Miss Gita and Bu Ika with full confidence! You understood the topic, you answered their questions without any doubts nor hesitations, you maintained eye contacts,... You, my girl, were great!!! I am so proud of you! 

After the karya tulis drama the entire Class 9 went to Yogya from May 29 - June 2. Not only was I sad for not having you around, I was also worried about 2 announcements: 1. Your junior high graduation. 2. Your acceptance in Hellomotion High School. Ja das war schön komish... I mean we had to pay for the high school BEFORE we found out whether you graduated or not 😆 

And on June 8th you and I went to school, together with the other parents and students, waiting for the graduation announcement. Finally around 4pm there it was. I saw you running towards me, with the cellphone on your hand. I still didn't know what to feel or how to react. I still didn't know whether you were going to show me a good or bad news. Something funny and sort of sweet happened when you were running towards me. Your 8th grade teacher, Pak Dedi, raised his hand to give you a high-five but you missed it. Seconds later I assumed you realized that you missed Pak Dedi, you ran back and gave him your high-five 😊 Yes that's you alright. My girl 😉 And then there you were... You had tears in your eyes, I had mine. And then you showed me this:

ALHAMDULILLAH! Congratulations mein Schatz 🥰 

Oh my... I'm still have tears in my eyes while typing this! 😅🥲

Dear Kukka: Say CHEESE!!!!

CHEEEEEESE!

YEAY!!!! The pain and the effort of putting on-off those annoying rubbers have finally paid off! NO MORE BRACES!!! CONGRATULATIONS BEBI!! 🥳😘 What a journey! Your cute smile is getting prettier and prettier! Bubu's Bebi 🥰😘😍 

Do you remember when Project Kukka Denta started? It was in December, 15th 2021 by drg. Ardiny Andriany, Sp. Ort., at Klinik Denta. And yesterday the dentist took your braces off! So it means that it only took... 8 months for you to have your teeth fixed! 😱 

Actually drg. Dini told us that you could take the braces off in August, 1st. But you weren't ready. To tell you the truth nor was I 😄 Because in my mind a person has to wear braces like... Oh I don't know! At least 1,5 - 2 years??? Because in my time (AGES AGO 😂) that's how long it takes to have your teeth perfectly fixed! But apparently not anymore! Thanks to technology! 😆 drg. Dini also told me that your case wasn't complicated. Your teeth and mouth structure are in good shape. They just needed a little bit of work here and there. But then you said "I need more time." I said "Whatever makes you comfortable, baby!" 😘 So after drg. Dini fixed the loose bracket we went home with you still wearing braces. 

Buuuut 2 weeks later...mmm...fate interfered? 😆 When you were eating on Monday, August 1st, one of the brackets fell off! 😅 So rather than having it glued again I said "Why don't you get the braces removed for good? The dentist DID say that your teeth are now already perfect." As far as I can remember you didn't even think twice and said yes 😄 

So I made an appointment with drg. Dini on Friday, August 12th. It took 3 hours for drg. Dini to work on your teeth. The removing part was actually pretty fast. It was the cleaning and waiting for the retainers to be finished which took a long time. About the retainers... Check this out if you want to know more about it: How Orthodontic Retainers Are Made. Apparently nowadays there's this type of retainer which fits in over your teeth. The retainer looks clear which makes it seems invisible. First thing first: scanning! 

For 2 sets of retainers we had to wait for about 45 minutes. After that you had to pay attention to the dentist's instruction and you had to try to put-take off the retainer yourself. It was quite tricky 😅 But it was nothing that you couldn't do 😊 Finally after more than 3 tiring hours at the dentist the session was finished. Before we went home, drg. Dini reminded us: 

"Untuk 3 bulan pertama retainer dipakai sepanjang hari, kecuali saat makan, minum selain air putih, dan sikat gigi. Setelah 3 bulan, retainer cukup dipakai saat tidur saja, seumur hidup selama Kukka ingin menjaga posisi gigi sama persis dengan saat braces dilepas."

We thanked drg. Dini for everything and said goodbye. The second you got your braces off I took a picture and sent it to SiBapa. He was very surprised by how fast the whole process was. SiBapa also said that you look different 😊 

To celebrate "Copot Braces" the two of us had delicious dinner at your favorite restaurant Popolamama in Aeon. I watched you enjoyed a plate full of garlic bread, a big portion of spaghetti and a big glass of chocolate shake 😄 I was very happy for you because I know how annoying it is to eat if you wear braces. It's like... You can only enjoy 80% of your food. Right?! 😂 Not to mention the effort you need to clean your teeth afterwards! But now not anymore! 

Project Kukka Denta is finished! 🥳 Congratulations Bebinya Bubu 😘 Take good care of your teeth and remember: SMILE! 🥰