Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

How’s your hair when you wake up each morning? Porcupine-like?
Lion-like?
Peacock-like?
Supermodel-on-a-catwalk-like? (haha … you wish!)

Well, Anya had an ‘interesting’ hairdo when she woke up from her afternoon nap today. Reminded me of a zebra, hehe. Or a punk band member in the 80’s!

We’ve been thinking about getting Anya to sleep on her own bed. But it just got postponed all the time. Moving house. Weaning her off breastfeeding. Relatives staying over.

Sleeping by herself on a bed is a big change in a baby’s life. And baby experts usually don’t recommend introducing the big bed when there are other big changes in the baby’s life. Just too unsettling for the kid.

Last night, she was playing in the other room and was pointing towards THE bed. I saw the twinkle in her eyes and I thought, hmm may be NOW is a good time to bring the bed over to our room and let her sleep there. And so she saw the bed being dragged and placed in the master bedroom next to ours.  And she was SO excited!!

She jumped on it, hugged the little cushion. Kissed her ‘cow’. She even insisted that I changed her diapers on HER BED!

Glad that it all went well. She woke up a few times that night though. But after that, it’s alright. A good 9-hour-sleep. Straight. Phew … and I thought it’s going to be a difficult!

PS: You see, … sometimes we are too concerned about something, when MAY BE it actually turns out alright. Well, at least it’s not as complicated as what we’ve first imagined.

Anya took lots of steps forward today!! WOOHOO! She tried and fell too of course.

Once she tried to stand from a squatting position, but fell forehead first to the floor and had a little pinkish forehead for a while. After some encouragement, hugs and kisses from Mommy, she went and tried to move those tiny feet again in 5 minutes.

I guess her crawling days will come to an end soon (read: the beginning of my ‘chase-the-little-kid’ days?)

Lessons learned from the toddler:
Anya toddled and fell. Got up and tried again. Toddled and fell. Got up and tried again. If toddlers gave up when they fell the first few times they tried those steps forward, I guess the world will be filled with people crawling!

Grown-ups sometimes easily give up when they come across difficulties in life. So I guess we can all learn from kids too, … to never give up so easily when we face challenges in life.

Went to Marche at the Heeren last night and had a great get-together with friends. Gave Anya a little ‘makeover’.

Just thought it’d be nice to look a bit different and girly once in a while.

(Putting her leg up while we’re waiting for the bus wasn’t lady-like, though)

I was browsing some other people’s blogs – loobylu, rubber-sol. The illustrations they drew were just SO nice. I’ve always liked such illustrations and I secretly do think it’d be cool if I can draw, too.

And that’s when I thought, why don’t I give it try anyway. Never done it before, anyway.

And so I started my experimental ‘drawings’ in Photoshop! After a good 15 minutes, I came up with a masterpiece called “My Family”. Hehe.

I kinda liked it, although I’ve got to say it did look like it’s drawn by a 5-year-old kid!! Anya could probably draw better than this when she’s 4!

…

It’s so easy to compare ourselves with others. And pretty often, it’d get us thinking “IF ONLY I could sing like him’ or “IF ONLY I could draw as good as her… ”

IF ONLY. IF ONLY.

Each one of us is blessed with God-given talents. I’m sure of it. And I think we should continually explore and nurture what’s been given to us, and continue to use our talents so they can be a blessing to others.

Not an easy task. I’m still discovering too.

The “sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick” is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.

Anyway, ever since Anya reached her one month’s birthday, she loves sticking her tongue out. And yes she’s STILL doing it today!

I guess all babies do this.

Or don’t they?  Hm.

I think these verses from Proverbs 31 set an excellent standard for us moms to follow.

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

All moms should feel honoured, to have been entrusted with this role and privilege.

Let us all aim to be even better moms in the days and years ahead!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Caught in the act.
Trying to open Daddy’s dry box.
Unsuccesful attempt (to our delight, hehe)