Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

I can’t believe it’s been TWO years!

Our little Vai has grown so much over the two years and I must say, ever since we had him, he’s made our life even more colourful!

He’s determined. Silly. Curious.

He’s one who likes to try things out to see what happens. And even after he’s done with his ‘experiments’ and created REAL MESS, when told off, his responses will usually be one of the following :

– look away when talked to, and avoid eye contact
– smile (!)
– walk away with an ‘I-don’t-care’ attitude
– frown and throw his toy, slap the wall, the bed or whatever that’s near him
– show the ‘I’m-about-to-cry-but-I-won’t!’ look [ie. the photo below, which was soon after he sprinkled baby powder all over Anya’s and his own bed!]

Though he can say, ‘Sorry Mommy…’ and pat my arm, he does it while smiling. Hmm. Somehow he just seldom cries after he’s done something wrong, even after we’ve seriously told him off. And yes, he can repeat whatever actions he did earlier (*sigh* a typical toddler’s behaviour)

He likes to hug his sister as much as he likes to bug her.

[That’s him squeezing himself IN FRONT of Anya when she has comfortably sat on the truck first]

And yes, he’s still into climbing! (something he’s really into since he’s as young as 9 months)

[Btw that’s him doing some ‘rock climbing’ at IMM‘s playground, on level 3]

He’s now 14.9kg and 88cm tall.

He’s tried to do the ‘number two’ but still can’t control his fingers, and end up doing the number one again and again. Heh.

Anyway.

There’re too many things to write about our little Vai. But there’s one last thing we’d like to pen down today, specially for Vai as he turns two :

Vai, if you’re reading this many years from today, know that we love you so much, perhaps even more than you could ever know. But however huge is our love, it’s nothing compared to God’s love for you! He’s faithfully cared and watched over you even at times when we couldn’t, and we thank God for entrusting you to our care.

May you grow and be a blessing to many, and become the kind of person God has intended you to be.

[ADDED]

A big heart-felt THANK YOU for all the birthday wishes we’ve received in the blog comments, and via emails, text messages and phone calls. It truly warms our heart. Once again, thank you.

Once in a while I do write about daddies and how important their role, active involvements and contribution are in the family and in raising the children.

How it’s not just about being the one who brings home the bacon. How a daddy should work together hand in hand with the mommy – as a team – when it comes to spending quality time, having fun, reprimanding misbehaviours, even disciplining the children. How a daddy’s way of treating and speaking to the mommy will be observed, and most likely be followed, by the children, especially the sons.

[I shared about ‘backseat dads‘, from the book ‘First-time Mom’ by Kevin Leman sometime ago]

Now there’s a really good write-up on this topic in yesterday’s Straits Times, in the forum section. It’s written by Focus On The Family, a non-profit organisation that’s dedicated to the strengthening of Singapore families (Btw I happened to have recently met up with the Focus team, and I must say they’re truly passionate about sending the pro-family message to the society. Fun and hard working group of people)

Anyway. Please click HERE to see the bigger version.

And I’d like to quote the last paragraph :

Dr James Dobson, family psychologist and founder of Focus On The Family, imparts this advice to busy parents : “I urge you to give priority to family. Those kids around your feet will be grown and gone before you know it. Don’t let the opportunity of these days slip away from you. When you stand where I am today, the relationship with those you love will outweigh every other good thing in your life.’

And I so completely agree with him.

As the choir sang the song, I sat in awe of its beautiful lyrics, and was deeply moved by the truth that the song presents.

Click HERE to hear the song in Godtube.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Without His Cross
By : Joseph M. Martin

Without His tears, there is no comfort
Without His death, there is no life
Without His blood, there is no pardon
Without His cross, there is no crown

Without His shame, there is no glory
Without His grief, there is no joy
Without His stripes, there is no healing
Without His cross, there is no crown

Lamb of God, who bring salvation
And with Your grace, our hearts are sealed
Lord, with Your tears of love, You bathed our sorrows
In Your eyes we stand revealed

Without His tears, there is no comfort
Without His death, there is no life
Without His blood, there is no pardon
Without His cross, there is no crown

The last time we went to Palawan Beach was some 2 months ago. An all-moms-and-kids day out during the school holiday!

This time round, Wilson and our friends came along.

[We chose Palawan Beach over Siloso Beach because it’s more ‘family friendly’ there, with waterplay sections and a food court available in the area!]

Anyway, we reached there at about 4.30pm and the weather was nice and cloudy. And other than one misadventure, the day went great for everyone!

Yes that’s Anya and Vai showing some ‘love’ for each other, while 1.5yo Nicole joined their ‘lets-sit-on-the-ground’ act!

And when we returned to Vivo City by monorail close to 8pm, the darkening blue sky was just spectacular!

As a follow-up to my recent post on family photos, I’d like to let you know that there’s this photo contest going on, starting today till mid of next month, organised by I love Children – a non-profit organisation here in Singapore!

It’s about capturing those family moments.

How romance can still happen after having kids (though would you agree if I say, keeping the ‘flame’ going does need ‘extra efforts’ from both the husband and the wife!). And, how you can still have an active lifestyle with children.

Anyway, it’s a free contest and you can submit up to three family photos with captions.

And as it is an islandwide exercise, it is published too on sites like Channelnewsasia.com, Todayonline.com, family.sg, and class95.com

Click HERE for more info and their online form!

All the best!

In the name of capturing and treasuring moments, I take photos everyday. It’s a passion of mine. But, as hard to believe as it may sound, we have very very few ‘proper’ family photos.

And I guess, it’s because most of the time one of us is the one behind the camera ?

Anyway.

The one above, the most recent one we have, was taken less than two weeks ago, and the one below was taken at the end of June, during our Jakarta trip.

Yes, kids grow so fast (and we adults just sort of look the same over the years, don’t we!), and I think it’s nice to have not just them in the picture, but also us parents WITH them once in a while. As a family.

[added]

While we’re on the topic of family photos, here’s a shot of us and our ‘bigger’ family, also taken during our Jakarta trip last June when we had our mini family reunion.

My parents, my three sisters and their husbands and kids, my uncle who happened to be in Jakarta at the time (the one in blue), AND my grandparents (who are 88 and 85 years old this year!) who’re in their red tops.

It’s really nice to still have the time (and opportunity!) for such a get together. Treasured moments.

We are all busy.

With our work. Business. Children. Random errands. Housework. Commitments.

We are so busy till we may unconsciously forget to stop, look up and look around.

To notice what seems to have been little blessings we’ve in fact been receiving everyday.

To appreciate the beauty in the simplest things in life.

[Photo]
That’s what I saw when I looked up to the sky earlier today as I walked back home with Vai after dropping Anya off to school. An apartment building standing against the backdrop of a really nice big blue sky, as if to say, whatever challenging things that you’re facing at home, at work, there’s still hope. Life’s full of cloudy days, but there’ll still be blue sky after the rain.