New nephew, Alex. Isn't he just a cutie? The first kid of the generation. Hopefully, I get to fly home sometime in the next year to see him.
I suppose my folks are ecstatic as well. They've been waiting for a grandkid for a while...

The funny thing is, when I look at his pictures, I see my late grandpa. People say that looks skip a generation. I suppose in this case it may have skipped two. I found myself thinking about and missing my grand dad when I look at Alex's pictures.

He passed away suddenly when I was in Canada for medical school. Studies kept me away from his funeral. But I suppose we somehow knew. He had been having problems with his health, and the last time I saw him, was the morning I left Malaysia. Before we left for the airport, I made a trip to the hospital at 5am. To tell him I was leaving. We embraced. As though we knew we would never see each other again. Months later that came true.

Because of language differences, communications with grandpa was always difficult. But I suppose I was probably closer to him amongst my siblings, and him to me. Years ago, when I was in my first serious relationship, he was the first to ask me about the girl. And when it ended badly for me, in his own weird way, he was the first to comfort me ("Don't worry, throw this one away. Plenty of fishes in the sea". Essentially, that's what he said in Chinese). For a mildly senile person, he was quiet perceptive.

I miss him.