It was still early in the morning when tiny A Tong woke up with one thing on his mind—milk. His little eyes opened, and almost immediately, he began looking around for Mommy. His tiny belly was hungry, and he was not interested in waiting quietly. He crawled around his soft blanket until he spotted his empty bottle nearby. A Tong grabbed it with both tiny hands and held it tightly against his chest.
“Mommy! Milk!” he seemed to cry.
But Mommy was still preparing his morning feeding.
A Tong looked at the empty bottle, shook it, and discovered that there was nothing inside. His little face immediately became serious. He lifted the bottle toward Mommy and started making loud, impatient cries.
“AAAAH! Eeee! Eeee!”
Mommy turned around and smiled. “Oh, A Tong, are you hungry already?”
A Tong answered with an even louder scream.
He held the empty bottle up again, almost as if he were showing Mommy the evidence. His tiny fingers wrapped tightly around it while he rocked his little body with impatience. He wasn’t interested in playing, cuddling, or waiting. His message was very clear: he wanted his milk!
“Oh, I see,” Mommy said gently. “Your bottle is empty.”
A Tong screamed again.
Mommy stayed calm and made sure he was safely supported while she prepared the feeding appropriate for his species, age, and care plan. She knew that baby monkeys need carefully managed nutrition, so she followed the guidance provided for him rather than guessing about what or how much he should have.
While Mommy prepared the bottle, A Tong continued his dramatic performance.
He looked at the empty bottle.
Then he looked at Mommy.
Then he looked at the bottle again.
“Eeeee!”
Mommy laughed softly. “You’re telling Mommy very clearly that you’re hungry, aren’t you?”
A Tong gripped the bottle even tighter.
Finally, Mommy returned with his prepared feeding. The moment A Tong saw the bottle, his loud crying suddenly stopped. His eyes became wide, and he reached toward Mommy with both hands.
“There it is!” Mommy whispered.
A Tong eagerly settled into a safe, comfortable position and began feeding. His tiny hands remained wrapped around the bottle while Mommy stayed close and watched him carefully. After all that screaming, he finally became quiet.
His little body relaxed.
His eyes slowly became softer.
Mommy gently stroked his head. “Much better, little A Tong.”
A Tong paused for a moment and looked up at her, almost as if he were saying, “Why did Mommy make me wait so long?”
Mommy smiled and continued comforting him.
As his hunger disappeared, the dramatic little monkey became peaceful again. The angry cries were gone, replaced by quiet contented sounds. His tiny feet relaxed, and he leaned comfortably against Mommy.
When his feeding was finished, A Tong gave a tiny satisfied sigh and cuddled closer to her.
Mommy kissed the top of his head. “Next time, you can tell Mommy you’re hungry without screaming so loudly.”
A Tong simply blinked at her.
Then he held onto his bottle and snuggled closer.
For A Tong, the morning had begun with an empty bottle, a hungry belly, and the loudest possible request for breakfast—but it ended with a full tummy, a happy little face, and Mommy’s loving arms around him.
