Celebrating our children - Rediscovering the world through their little eyes

My dear 'A's

You have made the world so colourful for me and you are constantly teaching me, every day, that even the simplest things in life can be special in your little eyes. Putting in and taking things out of a container can bring you great satisfaction, a silly old box can transform to a million things in your imagination and just so you know, I'll willingly be bandaged here and there every day while you pretend to be Dr. Ng.

I love to watch the two of you play, whether you are playing together or alone, there is always that look of wonder and curiosity in your eyes and your faces. Where does the cup go when you throw it off the high chair? You look inquisitively around the floor for the hundredth time while I wonder how the cup survives all your torture while you discover gravity.

You have taught me that squatting down and watching ants haul their food back to their nest can be such joy, though watching you in deep thought as you wonder about the ants is more fascinating to me. And you have made me realise that it is possible for the heart to almost burst from contentment overload while picking seashells with you by the beach. You have taught me to slow down my pace and take in the simplest sights and find happiness in that simplicity.

I love that innocent love you have for people, for me. My heart melted the instant when I asked you what you'd do when you grow taller and stronger and you answered without hesitation, you'd wash the dishes, for me. What else will you do, I probe. And you think for just a moment and answer, you will cook... and iron the clothes for me. Apparently, you have noticed all that I have been doing for you and I think you must have equated that with love. It touches my heart to know that despite your young age, you have it in you to want to help your dear mummy out with the mundane stuff, some day when you grow bigger. I hope you keep your promise.

You know, watching how your hair moves when the wind blows, no matter how short or little hair you both have, can bring me a sense of contentment, just knowing that you both are here, with me. And I love to smell your little heads too, no matter how smelly your hair is (by the way, I love smelling those smelly toes too!), though I really prefer to smell your heads after a good bath when I'm reading you your story. Who would have thought that such smells can evoke strong feelings of love? You don't know of course that I'm secretly enjoying myself sniffing at your head in between reading the story for you. I often wonder how many more years of such pleasure I will have, of you sitting in my lap while I sniff your hair and read you a good book. But let's put that thought aside, I just want to enjoy that moment for now.

Most of all, thank you both for showing me that simplicity is happiness and that is the way we should live our lives. I realise now that I made the right choice when I made 'rediscovering the world through their little eyes' as my tag line when I created this blog, because that is the way it has been thus far with you two little imps showing me the world I thought I knew, through your untainted lenses of pure innocence and love.

You are the love of my life!

What have your children taught you about life?

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A timely reminder - a poem for busy parents

Sharing a poem I read that really tugged at my heartstrings... 

How many of us are guilty of telling our children, '"I'll do that later with you" or "I don't have time for that now"? 

Personally, I just need reminders like this every once a while to get back to the reality of being a mother, learn to slow down the pace of life and simply connect with the children wholeheartedly. How many more years do I have left with them that they will look up to me as the centre of their universe? I gather, not that many left seeing how fast children grow up these days, so I'd better enjoy the moments when they invite me to be part of their lives before the exciting world takes over and it's their turn to say, 

"Sorry, Mom, not today."

“To My Grown-Up Son”

My hands were busy through the day,
I didn’t have much time to play
The little games you asked me to,
I didn’t have much time for you.

I’d wash your clothes; I’d sew and cook,
But when you’d bring your picture book
And ask me, please, to share your fun,
I’d say, “A little later, son.”

I’d tuck you in all safe at night,
And hear your prayers, turn out the light,
Then tiptoe softly to the door,
I wish I’d stayed a minute more.

For life is short, and years rush past,
A little boy grows up so fast,
No longer is he at your side,
His precious secrets to confide.

The picture books are put away,
There are no children’s games to play,
No goodnight kiss, no prayers to hear,
That all belongs to yesteryear.

My hands once busy, now lie still,
The days are long and hard to fill,
I wish I might go back and do,
The little things you asked me to.

by Alice E. Chase (March 8, 1986)

Learning to look beyond the present

I had one of those mornings today - the girl woke up late and took her own sweet time to do everything and I had to literally scream at her to finish her food. We missed the usual bus we take to school anyway and I had to bring her via the stroller with lil boy strapped on my trusty carrier. We reach the school, she sighs and doesn't give the usual goodbye kiss. When I finally sit down for my lunch, I took some time to think about the morning events and I started to think... about my little girl.

I love to hear those saccharine-sweet requests about doing art or practising the piano and I love to see that silly grin of pride on her face when she manages to play the tune correctly or when she creates a piece of art.

I love those moments at night when after I've tucked her to bed, she'd sneak over quietly to my bed and whisper, 'Mummy, I forgot to give you a hug and kiss' when we already had many hugs and kisses over at her tiny bed. And she'd do this more than once sometimes.

I love the way she tries to bargain for an extra bedtime story when she's already had one.

I love those moments when she'd ask, 'Mummy, can you walk me back to my bed? Alicia cannot see in the dark' and I'd hold her little hand and bring her to her bed.

I love those moments when after I've walked her back to her bed and she sits down on her bed and asks, 'Mummy, are you going to sleep with me on my bed?' but I'd tell her 'no' because her bed is so small. But really, sometimes I'm just rushing off to lie on my bed (finally!) and have some time to myself to check my Facebook and play silly iPhone games.

Today, when I think of all that I love about her, I realise that I'd really miss all these moments with her when she grows up and no longer asks mummy to sleep with her, or hug or kiss her or read that last bedtime story with her. I take it for granted that she'd continue to ask all these of me, but today I start to wonder (and fear) when mummy will be relegated to second place. I tell myself, I need to look beyond her faults and love her for the way she is now. Sure she eats like a snail and is a rude, petty girl sometimes. At the end of the day, I know she'll always be my little darling and it really is no big matter to be late for preschool occasionally.

And me-time can wait. I will have lots of me-time when my kids grow up and mummy is no longer the centre of their universe.
                                
So tonight, I'm going to chuck my phone aside and I'm going to lie down with her in her puny bed and read that extra bedtime story.

Here she is taking her kiddy ride on our Wednesdays-out-with-Mommy yesterday :)

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Parenting pleasures: time alone with just one kid

Yes, I spend all my days with my children. But ever since Alicia started preschool in July, I've had the opportunity to be alone with Alex (for just a little while before his mid-day-after-lunch nap).

Now that Alicia has Chinese enrichment class, it means that I get to spend that almost 2 hours of time  out alone with Alex! 

Here's Alex and his favourite mess-up activity at home before his lunch:

I have dedicated my kitchen drawers to my boy (all except the highest one). I have many friends who do not allow their kids in the kitchen. Being the only one taking care of the children, leaving them out of the kitchen was not a feasible solution when I had to be in the kitchen. Now in my new place, I have an open concept kitchen so really, there's no way of keeping them out anyway.

I believe in giving them safe play so I place stuff that are safe in the drawers for rummaging pleasure. Throw in a surprise like a Hello Kitty toy amidst the usual kitchen towels now and then to spice things up! :P

He has worked his way up the drawers over the months. Now he's tall enough for the second drawer so I've taken out all the dangerous stuff from there too! You can really tell he loves to mess up the place right?

After his nap, we head off to pick jiejie up from school and off to enrichment class while we shop, nurse and change him and stop for a snack:

 And off to the library!:

He was charming everyone around him with his cheeky smile...

...all except the librarians I guess since he was happily pulling books off the shelves! I couldn't get pictures of his charming, cute, cheeky smile as he pulled books off (like how he messes up my kitchen) coz I was busy placing the books back!

I love how he crawls and cruises around the library and stopping by shelves to 'choose books'. :P

I'm really starting to enjoy time alone with just one kid at a time! I have special Wednesdays out with Alicia (sometimes didi does tag along but she gets priority for what she wants to do that afternoon after school!) and now Mondays with Alex. :)

Those with more than one kid should really try to set aside some time alone with each kid once a week! I know my girl looks forward to Wednesdays! :)

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