Of life and patterns

I sneaked some hours away on this Sunday afternoon to meet up with a friend back in town. Brought K along and after a leisurely afternoon of sandwiches, cake and tart (strawberry, of which I had like, one because K monopolized them all), we took the bus. 

Chugging comfortably along on this 45-minute long ride, this little girl fell asleep on her personal pillow. I looked at her and felt a swell of love, for she looked so innocent and at peace sleeping. And while I was envious of her being able to sleep without a worry in the world, I reminded myself how it is a privilege to be a caregiver of her. For her to be so carefree and safe to sleep with me despite being nowhere, I'm thankful that my girl knows little fear, of bad things that do happen in other parts of the world.

And on a random note, the clashing composition of the pic made me smile. Of stripes, checkers and polka-dots. Exactly what life is all about. 

A love note from Kate

I was preparing for work this morning, and trying to be as swift as I can (somehow, I'm always running 15 minutes behind). Kate comes up to me and lingers. I try to distract her and suggest "Darling, why don't you do some drawing?" I was happy when she took up my suggestion and stepped out of the room. She fussed about using the "right" paper (I swear, she's OCD on some levels), and searching for the "right coloured pens", and finally when she was settled, I was relieved when she finally got on with her task. It is rather tiresome to fend questions from an inquisitive 4yo and dance around her wrapping herself around your legs when you're trying to be efficient.

I suggested to her to "draw something for Mommy please? I'll put it up in my office" and this sweetie goes ahead with a misison to accomplish. Halfway through, she comes up to me to show her work-in-progress, and explains "here are 3 rainbows. This one a bit out of line but still nice."

I nod appreciatively.

She then looks at me and says, "Mommy, I want to write Thank you for the watch birthday present." I respond - that's too much to write on this piece of paper darling. I secretly also couldn't handle doing writing with her in that state.

After some negotiations, I ask her to write "I love Mommy" and she doggedly refused.

She then proceeds to scribble something on the paper and tells me "Mommy, I'm writing your name so it won't get lost." I look over and she did not write my name. But the thought is a sweet and logical one.

She then decides that it's not a bad idea, afterall, to write I Love You. I know this because she asks me "how to spell love?" I remind her of the L-O-V-E jingle that she knows how to sing, from Hi5. She starts to hum that song under her breath while continuing her drawing.

I'm ready to set off and yell out to the household "OK! Let's go! Mommy's late for work! Let's go now! Wear your shoes! Take your water bottles! If you want to go to the playground let's go now!" This is the usual pandemonium in the morning and I swear my neighbours think that my voice is too loud.

Anyway, the girl folds the paper and mutters "I fold this nicely and put it inside your bag Mommy. Because the bag so big and the paper so small. (pause) No no, because the bag so small and the paper so big, so I need to fold it". (Truth - my bag is definitely not smaller than the paper but it tickles me that she understands the logic of small/big.)

Kate adds, "Mommy, I give you a lot a lot because I love you a lot a lot, ok"
It didn't occur to me what this is about then, but I acknowledged "ok I love you too".

So off I go to work and when I arrive, I take out the slightly kiam chye paper and open it up. What I see makes my heart bloom with love.

These are the best things in life. Money cannot buy.

On the left, is supposedly my name. If you tilt your head to the left, you can see the 3 rainbows she's drawn. The one below is the "a bit wrong but still nice" version. And my favourite bit of this whole masterpiece which took my by surprise, is the I LOVE LOVE LOVE which she has written - and now I get what she meant when she told me she loves me a lot a lot! Love love love her too!

A little girl and her jewellery

It started with a thoughtful birthday gift. Then the (favourite) yiyi supplemented her beads library and she now has a lot more to play with. We spent several nights consecutively where she will create necklaces and bracelets. In her child-like preferences, everything that's "rainbow" (multi-coloured) is beautiful. I've had to nudge her a little to make colour-themed creations so that not all her creations turn out looking the same.

Love watching her concentrate on her task

Bracelets

More beautiful handicraft

Birthday party and little friends

Last Saturday - birthday party to celebrate Janelle's birthday. 

Janelle, Faith and Kate. 

My handsome boy all decked out for the party

All the toys

Just for the record, Jake has been speaking a lot more. His pronunciation isn't the best and it does take a bit of familiarity before we understand some of the things he says. 

He has started speaking short sentences too. Eg, bye mommy, bye papa, ah-narn thee (I want see), ah-narn pray (I want play), ah-narn eet (I want eat), ah-narn jip (I want sleep)... 

But yesterday. We chanced upon him repeating after me something spectacularly clear - "all the toys"! I was asking the kids to pack the mess up and said "keep all the toys!" And this boy repeated "all the toys" after me very, very clearly! I was amazed and delighted! 

Attempts to take a video failed. But it's still cute. To me.

Time with the kids

Lately, I've had a few conversations with different people about being a working parent. The eco-system in Singapore is really such that it is one or the other. You may be luckier if your employer is understanding, and if your work is of a fixed schedule, or is flexible enough so that you can be home when you need to. 

Right now, I'll consider myself in a relatively good place. While I do get busy and those are the days where I pull my hair out and am in a bad place - when my mind is torn being at work and wanting to be home with the kids. It's really unpleasant and I've shared this with the husband where I really feel stressed because I feel bad that I'm not being fully productive at work; nor am I with my kids which is where I want to be. 

There really isn't a best solution to this, and I try to count my lucky stars that I'm in a good place; where the husband does help out when he can and well, we have a super helper at home who does help hold the fort very well. 

This doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye to the kids in the morning and truly, I really enjoy the (little) time I have with them at night time and the weekends. And maybe this is why I put in much effort to make things as interesting as possible when I have time with them. A friend commented that I'm always out and about with the kids and I think that it isn't a bad thing to bring them out and expose them to more things; besides, it's easier to keep them occupied when they're outside the confines of home. They are already home pretty much a lot of the time anyway. 

Yesterday evening was one of those blissful nights where the husband was (finally) home for dinner, and after dinner, the whole family was in the room together. I spent probably about half hour just singing and being silly with the kids and it felt so.. good. 

One evening last week, I was again early enough and after dinner, I brought the kids to this ol' school hood where this playground stood. They loved it! And so did I.

Hello, Dragon playground!

My lovely babies

中秋节

So yesterday was Mid-Autumn Festival. The family made an effort to meet for dinner on a week-night, and we did the lantern-holding with the kids. Mom said, "need to still do traditional things with the children, so they will learn."

Wise words, which I intend and hope to fulfill. I grew up doing things which I took for granted, not knowing the effort that goes into arrangements and logistics by my Mom (my Dad was less involved when we were younger). Now that I'm a Mom, I totally understand how much planning goes into anything for the kids and I really appreciate all that my parents did for my siblings and I. Thank you Mom!

A family who hangs out because we want to #truelove

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 2013!

Kate's Hello Kitty birthday

After changing her mind several times, Kate (finally) decides on "Hello Kitty" for her preference this year.

This was an actual Hello Kitty cake I ordered from BreadTalk. It's really pretty and well, totally meets the brief! The cake was just a regular vanilla fruit cake, nothing fancy, nothing awful. I think how it looks is better than how it tastes.

Hello, Kitty

For her actual birthday celebration in school, this lucky girl was sponsored a beautiful cupcake-cake by Godpa and Aunty M. I was dealing with them and the bakers prior and sorting out logistics/details of the cake and it was amazing to see the actual product finally!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE - complete with a princess Hello Kitty!

Little Hello Kitty cupcakes

Details on princess Kitty - She has a (crooked) tiara, a wand and a flowy gown. 

We got the cupcakes from Papercup Cupcakes and the cupcakes were a fudgey cupcake flavour which was pretty yummy. I also liked how it were mini cupcakes - even more perfect for little friends!

Kate is four

After the series of birthday celebrations, and telling the girl "no, it's not your birthday yet" several times, she was delighted when she opened her eyes yesterday and received the answer she wanted to hear.

Our conversation at bedtime the night before:

Me: Kate, quickly go to sleep. When you wake up, it'd be your birthday!
Kate: *happy face* Mommy, tomorrow is my birthday? Then I will be 4 years old?
Me: Yes!
Kate: *happiness floweth over*

Little things make her so happy, if only life were really that simple always.

Facetime call early in the morning - from her favourite nainai and yiyi

Kate requested pancakes for breakfast, so while I was preparing it for her, I allowed for some TV time to distract/keep the kids occupied. I turned around, and witnessed the sweetest thing!

Free hugs all around, for no reason at all!

Smiley-and-heart-pancakes

Brought the kids down for a run in the sun after our hearty breakfast.

Here's K riding her new bicycle. What a big girl!

Kate's birthday gift - a pink bicycle, with a basket and ribbons on the seat! Balloon gifted separately. 

After scrubbing the kids up post-sweat, we packed Kate off to school and put Jake for a nap. The husband came back from work and we headed off to Kate's school for the planned birthday celebration with her classmates.

Kate with her classmates, Teacher and Jake

Kate was thrilled to be the centre of attention, though she seemed rather shell-shocked too. Odd, but cute. She was also excited to be giving out goodie bags to everyone. I hope all her friends liked it!

We packed her off from school after this mini celebration - perks of being birthday girl - she gets to cut class! We headed for lunch where we indulged her with french fries and more dessert (on top of her chocolate birthday cupcakes)!

Here's our miserable attempt at taking a nice family picture. Goodness, it was impossible!

We headed home after for the kids to nap while the husband, sadly, had to go back to work. It was about 6pm when we headed out again with yeye to Gardens by the Bay for the lantern festival set-up. What started out as an upbeat car ride to Gardens by the Bay turned a bit awful as Jake started feeling unwell. May be carsickness or something bad he ate (we don't know what) but the poor boy was green and puked several times once we arrived. We didn't cut short the trip because we'd only gotten there, but it did put a dampen on spirits all around. Well, except Kate which I guess was the key person so perhaps it was fine afterall. We pretty much carried Jake and put him to sleep and continued our night. 

After dinner, we chanced upon the Prime Minister's arrival (coincidence!) then navigated to find the lantern area. It was nice but all a bit too cheena for me. Kate also insisted she wanted a snack and I witness for myself how much yeye spoils her as he indulges her (not that I didn't already know this). 

There was a stage performance so we sat around on plastic chairs, stamping on muddy grass (it rained earlier), noming on some local snacks (Hainanese sweet desserts) while watching the stage dance. It was a lot of tribal dances. 

Here's a really hilarious shot of Kate and yeye noming away

We made our way home after all the fanfare, and the night ended on yet another high when K got to open up her birthday gift - very prettily wrapped, I must put on record, jiujiu put in effort to wrap it up himself! - to be treated to something new that she's never known of before.

Nothing more lovely to a little child than opening presents, more presents!

Everyone was tired by the end of the night and I do hope that Kate really enjoyed herself. And just to recap, this was what we did on her last birthday.

Dear Kate, 

You are growing up to be such a fiesty, loving, sensitive little girl. Thank you for teaching me lessons daily, and I must admit that I feel guilty for not being as patient as I'll like to be. I want to tell you that I love you with all my heart - and more - and I don't want you to think that we ever love you any bit less ever. 

I wish that you enjoyed your special day and felt exceptionally showered in love and gifts, and hope that you continue to grow to be a sensible and happy child. You are my precious baby and nothing will ever change that.

I love you sweetheart. Happy birthday. 

Love, Mommy

Another birthday celebration for Kate

After the previous round of celebration, we did another yesterday for Kate. It was a simple affair, with mainly family invited and one other little friend. 

The birthday girl chose the Hello Kitty theme this year, so I was very pleased that the cake was quite readily available! The cousins and husband helped blow up some balloons to create some festivity in our home, my Mom put in all her love to cook up a feast for everyone and the afternoon was just a nice way to hang-out with family and loved ones. 

Hello Kitty

Kate with her little friends

Us

The happy girl

After the party, we headed out to get Kate's birthday present. She took her time to pick the most perfect bicycle (in her eyes) and despite some coaxing from her dad (who gently suggested a non-gender-skewed colour than what she'd picked - no prizes for guessing what!). she stuck to her guns and won. Here, she stays (too) close to the bike being assembled. She was really pleased as punch with her gift!

That evening, we received two different sets of surprise visitors who dropped off balloons! It was so great because the visits were a surprise and what made it even sweeter was that these kind souls not only got balloons for my firstborn, but an extra balloon for the little brother too! 

And just for fun, here's how we celebrated her birthday last year.

A moment with my firstborn

It's breakfast on this Sunday, two days before K's birthday and suddenly, as I watch her consume her breakfast independently, I'm filled with love. I'm overwhelmed by emotions as I think back to us four years ago - she was still not birthed, and the husband and I were filled with all the usual first-time parent's anxieties. Looking at her now - fully able to feed herself, with an attitude that Lady Gaga will approve, with opinions that startle, amuse and amaze us, with antics that bring tears, fears and joy ... She has grown so much. And I am feeling thankful as I embrace this feeling of joy, while I wipe away my emo tears (only a little)

Love you, baby

All dressed up

My girly-girl firstborn and my ah-boy secondborn. Such a lovely sight to see them all scrubbed up and looking really nice! (They smelt pretty good at this point too). We were off to my cousin's wedding dinner. 

This really tickled me - my little 18mo looking all grown uup

Matchy match

The husband and I. I like to attend weddings with him.

Here's a shot of my girl who's professionally attuned to weddings. Here, she gamely joins nainai on-stage to do the yumseng. I have several pics of her and all of them had her mouth open - YUM SENG

We hijacked the photo opp and took a family pic of our own. That's Kate holding on to her storybooks (no idea why) & Jake was just in his zone gnawing away at the chicken drumstick

A decent family pic - hooray!

Matchy match - with my mini me

Here's a nice pic to end the night - K doing a twirly twirl, just because

Hairy escape

Saturday Morning

Got off to a great start with me doing a run (8km!). The husband and little boy met me at the park and we spent an hour or so there just chilling, playing with sand, going on the slides... The husband brought his own toy (the skateboard) and it was quite a nice, quiet morning. I'm all energised now after the run #addictedtoendorphins #lovingit

The boys sharing a ride #toocute

School project - (a very simple) lantern

We use this piece of paper that Kate's stamped on. She cuts out the "handle".

Then the strips against the body

We staple the handle on the nearly-finished product

Happy girl

Sunday playdate at the beach - birthday celebration of two special girls

It started out as a wet morning and we nearly had to cancel our plans. We persevered (largely cos it took everyone ages to arrive but it worked out well) and was rewarded with Mr Sun. Here's Jake taking on the sea - he ran loose the moment I let go of his hand!

 

Here's Shane, the cautious little boy who reminded me much of a quiet koala bear

 

 

That's big sister Faith, with Kate. And Jake the funny monster who was doing a monkey face, except he was clearly more captivated by the water than me.

And the reasons why we organised such an adventurous playdate not at any silly ol' beach, but Sentosa, was to celebrate the early joint b'day celebration of these two princesses. For real - check them out on the cake deco! I marvel at how close Faith's mommy and I were (literally) birthing these two precious girls on the same day, at the same hospital. I didn't know her then but I guess it's meant to be because here we are today. 

And to end this all off, here a pretty good shot of all the kids present for this pseudo-birthday party. It was a lot of work fun!