2013

The whole family.. yes, all 6 of us were up during the countdown to 2013. I was getting a massage from DD1 and hubs got a massage from DD2 out in the hall. The babies.. they were just kind of doing their own thing. LOL!

We had a quiet new year at home watching tv enjoying the kids' spa treatment (sweet of them both.. really!) and later on when everyone went to bed, I was playing with my phone, surfed a bit and decided looked at the kiddie pictures. My.... just a year had passed and it seemed they grew up already. I slowly drifted into moments of reminiscence as I flipped through the family photographs. How far we have come to have what we have today.. 

While many think that the past is past, especially when it comes to bad or sad experiences... I believe, to move forward is to look back at how the past got to us, reflect upon them and learn from them. It is less of an emotional baggage when you face your fears/past in the face and rise up from there more confident, for they say what does not kill you only makes you stronger.

Here's looking back at things.......

Dragon_boi.

He came to us as a surprise. Ok, that was an understatement. He came to us as more of a SHOCK! He's extremely a challenging baby to care for.. disrupted our routine left, right and just became smack centre of it all! But when we look at him now.. so cute and cuddly.. smiley little baby.. we melt. 

But when he cries his usual long stretching yells of his, it's not so cute.

It took us some time to adjust to having him around especially since he was always very noisy, even when we were very quiet. 

Now, when we see how cute he has grown and the sheepish grin and the addictive chuckles he doles out to get our attention.. we figured he'd be a nice play-mate for chubs after all.

Buds_chubs.
Chubs, our #3 and our first son was a planned ambush on hubs end. Yes, I realized it was partly my fault for not guarding fortress well enough. Heh.. After not having little babies for awhile, hubs went nuts one time and literally said, "The girls all grown up already, not cute anymore. It'd be nice to have a little baby again yah?" 

As much as I didn't want another child after the girls, (because I was going back to work and hopefully squeeze a bit more time to study as well) I am extremely close to chubs. From the most adorable baby to the now, most handsome precocious little tot I could only imagine of having (never thought i'd have a boi!)... life couldn't be sweeter. He's a loving, smart wittle chap who seemed to have inherited my sense of humour and killer wit! 

Chubs makes me feel young again. 

*Especially when he says, "Mommy's pretty."

DD2.
From the baby who cries non-stop, wouldn't  sleep in the day at all, totally refused formula milk, has speech delay, the most picky eater I've ever known, she has now morphed into the non-stop talking machine with a heart of diamonds. Yes you heard me. Diamonds. Sometimes she is like my best friend. Sometimes... when she is not being her kid-self, she has this ultra sensitive side that seems to understand me like how a close girlfriend would. Of course she returns to the child she is, right after those occasional girl talks we have. Yup. I am thinking she has a scary split personality.

From the annoying little baby that she was, she is now... No. Waita minute.. She's still annoying. LOL! But she is our cheeky little monkey, that's for sure. She has also grown up to be extremely independent for her age, a motivated learner and a loving daughter.. in her own way. There are days I can't believe what I'd do without her...

DD1.
My little premie angel is now almost a teen. She measured only a wee longer than our wrist when she was born and now she is 41.5kg! Ya, they had height and weight measurements taken in school today. So she knew. She justified her acceptable weight cos she grew a few inches taller. She escaped the Tough Club.. read : fatties club, by barely a few strands of hair! Phew.

We had a tough 2012 together, she and I. But we made it through. Stronger. I love it. The ordeal was all worth it. Because she's mine.

We aim to work towards the BIG exam with as much effort as we can. With her juggling long hours in school and yes, homework (lots of it!) and I on the other hand, juggling the two baby boys, housework, cooking...... the list does not end. But try our hardest, we will.

I hope this year's journey will bring us even closer together.. maybe I've overlooked her emotional needs before but i won't again. I won't use "having this many kids" as an excuse. 

I will try not to..

Hubs & I.
We've gone through too much. At times, I find the guy above had been testing us beyond what we could handle. But they say, HE won't test beyond what HE thinks we can.

There have been good days and bad, happy days and sad.. but 2012 (and the past few years) had taken a lot of ourselves, we no longer know what to pick about and neither do we have strength for it. 2013, hopefully continue to channel positive vibes for us to rekindle the passion that has nicely reignited the spark in our relationship for awhile now. While these days smell more of responsibility for the family and each other, I hope we remember to always be in love.

It has been told that the best present a father can give to his children, is to love their mom...


I am thankful that love is what hubs had lots to give.

To an even better year ahead in 2013...