I am the centre of the universe

I wonder how long will S continue to be the centre of attention. Will she be de-throned if we have a no. 2? Can you sense the ‘envy’ from the older children in this picture?

I’m cherishing these precious moments on her behalf for as long as they last…

Blossomed relationship

After close to a year, their relationship transformed from thorny to tolerable to this.

Hope was what my mom had and she finally tasted the fruits of patience. She was never pushy nor showed her hurt despite being rejected a thousand times by S over the year.

It’s still a mysterious relationship.

Cling on me

 

A picture of dependence, love and closeness which makes us want to cherish every single bit of S.

I hardly decline her requests of “Carry please, mommy” (except when she refuses to go to bed) because I know in no time she’ll grow out of this phase and too heavy for me to carry anyway.

19 months of blessings and we’re enjoying more than ever…

Bliss-ful mask

I am a DIY facial mask addict. It’s a must-have in my toiletry bag whenever I travel. Visits to the esthetician or beauty salon are no longer practical and only for emergencies (eg. sudden breakout or excessive de-hydration). I’m not sure if these masks work but I always feel good after use. Perhaps it’s psychological.

A quick count shows that I have four different brands in stock with my latest rave- Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask. I was already sold on the name. Who doesn’t want to have more ‘oxygen’ and 'energy' on their face? It’s an interesting cream mask that turns frothy and tingly as it releases oxygen into the skin. I usually put it on in the shower, before hair and body shampoo and rinse it off last. It’s a fuss-free quick fix to tired face with an instant glow result. I managed to cajole Daddy M to try and he likes it too!

S plus S

A few days ago, M and I became the temporary guardian of his 9-year old god-daughter. So now we have a bb S and a bigger S under our care. Bb S is the happiest person in the household with a new big sister to play with, following her wherever she goes. Perhaps this is a chance to prepare us for number 2 (wink).

Our conversations have expanded from milk feed and frequency of naps to logistics to/from school, time table and homework.

I am thankful that we have the ability to take on more in life – the opportunity to serve in children’s ministry, ministering to His flock as well as the capacity to care and help those who are in need.

I don’t know how we will do it or if we can do it well but I know God will give us the wisdom and cause everything to turn out well.

Bali 2011

She has a love/hate relationship with water – loves to play with water but hates to be in the pool.

 

I thought I looked cool with this on my back for a few days.

Don’t you just love this oversized hat that covers the whole face? It’s the only souvenir from Bali for S.

Boys being boys, they will never be bored.

She entertained herself with ONE leaf and lots of sand for the whole afternoon. No spades & buckets or beach toys required. Low maintenance child :)

Everyone was mesmerised by the slide show of my in laws and the growing up of their children and grandchildren.

The last time four of them gathered was in 2003 and we are not sure when’s the next time.

 

What is a beach holiday without surfing?

We didn’t want to come back

People are surprised to learn that we spent 9 days in Bali.  With a total of 16 people (8 adults , 8 children) from three continents,  9 days passed by in a blink of an eye. A few days chilling at Kuta beach, 1-day trip to cultural Ubud,  2 days to Seminyak for some yummy food, a few massage sessions and voila, it’s finished! Every minute was precious, trying to get to know new family members, catch up and updates on each others’ lives, not forgetting the main reason why we’re there  - 50th anniversary of Mr and Mrs Dorett (senior).

The Doretts. A very unique family.

Dad: serious, organised with random sense of humour. Loves Black Label Whisky. Note: it has to be Black Label.

Mom: Typical mom/grandmother who dotes on her grandchildren. Her children and grandchildren are the most perfect.

Eldest daughter (in floral Pink dress to my right): Resides in Kalamanzoo, Michigan. The tour director for this trip who tried to ensure everyone is looked after. Endured seeing her two handsome sons (the twins in blue and white at the back row) being tattooed and secretly felt the pain for them. She is the most jovial person I have met who laughs every 5 minutes. She is a true first born.

Second daughter (white top behind me): Resides in Melbourne. A more mellowed middle child, she shares the same birthday as I do and home schools her youngest son (floral shirt-boy behind baby S). Patience is her virtue. The blue shirt boy in the middle of the last row is his second son, who decided to shave his head on our last day!

Third daughter (black floral dress in the second row): She is vocal and demonstrates the ‘youngest’ child attribute (if we don’t count daddy M). She’s also the closest to us as the only sister who resides in Sg. The two beautiful girls are her gems.

The youngest son: Daddy M, smiled from day 1 to day 9. Being the only boy among the four and with huge age gaps ranging 7-12 years, he let the sisters run the show and just follows. 

The blue shirt man standing in between first and last daughter is the cousin who decided to fly from Canada to soak in some fun, love and family warmth.

Stay tuned for more highlights of our trip!