If you could turn back time, would you?
baby selfie
the little miss sprouted 2 teeth. She turns 10 months old in 3 days time. she cruises around the living room and hallway, pushing her walker. If something gets in her way, her brothers help move her walker so that she can continue her way.
She has a temper. If she is unhappy, she grabs and pinches the closest piece of flesh. And she’s got a mean pinch, wth. Oliver blocked her from grabbing his Lego and he got pinched haha. Oops, poor Ollie.
But she’s mostly all smiles. Smiles she saves for the ones closest to her. Pats she saves for her immediate family. Good job she seem to say.
90% smiley. 10% super mean temper. Not sure if I should be glad for that, or should I wish for a 50 smiley – 50 even tempered baby. Hmm..tough one.
I love the way she cups my face in her hands, and looks at me. I love the way she closes her eyes in anticipating of a nuzzle from her brothers. I love the way she giggles/chortles at the way her brothers play with her.
I love the bond the 3 of them have with each other.
Oliver is 5.5 years now. It is fascinating to have a conversation with him. This year has been a little rough on him, as Sarah grows older and robs more of our attention away from him; as he learns to care for his younger siblings and realise that the world doesn’t really revolve around him.
As he learns that..sometimes discipline isn’t always bad. There has been lesser yelling, tho the frustrations are more intense as expectations rise. But we work it out. He understands a little more about tough love and he tries his best.
“Mummy, are you proud of me?” Always, always.
Just because we get angry with you sometimes, doesn’t mean we don’t love you okay? Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that the 5.5 year old does have insecurities, and we need to reassure them that anger doesn’t mean the absence of love.
His thirst for knowledge..is still unabated. Space. Words. Languages. Art. He is like a sponge, absorbing everything that is novel to him. Down side? He gets bored easily. Argh.
He has a sense of humour which sees us laughing more these days as we crack silly jokes. Or rather..his assumption of certain things cracks us up so much.
Case in point:
#shitolliesez #mandarinfail #jiakkantang
Oliver: mummy,why 名子 got a 女 part.
Me: whut??
Oliver: yar, on my homework. Got a ‘nv sheng ming’
Me: *wtffff* let me see!
Oliver: there *shows me* i am not a girl, why 张老师 put that there..
Me: that is 姓名lah!!!!!!! What 女生名…
Yup, definitely my child.
He’s learnt how to ride the 2-wheeler and scoot on a 2-wheel scooter. He is willing to coach Quentin in a lot of things: spelling, reading, Lego building. He has mellowed a lot, and is a lot more patient. And he is willing to accept explanations.
Next milestone, primary school.
Oh time, where have you gone.
someone proud of his coloured peranakan tile
ah the middle child. The one who has to speak loudly to be heard, amidst the older brother who communicates better, and the younger sister who cannot communicate.
Speaking of Quentin makes me pack for my guilt trip. Just when I wasn’t done babying him as a toddler, Sarah came along and he got shoved into the backseat. Sorta. Donald and I constantly remind ourselves not to make him the middle child, but we unconsciously do so.
But thankfully, it is not being so much of a conscious effort these days. It was heartening to watching him fall into his own persona in his class. Watch him speak to HIS friends (not his brothers), go to HIS class, do HIS homework.
Watch him sing the same songs as Oliver, put on the same uniform as Oliver. You know, also doing the big boy stuff.
Watch him play and care for HIS sister. Sometimes, Oliver doesn’t really care much for Sarah, and Quentin steps in. Cos Sarah will give him her full attention, where mine are tied with chores and Oliver, in a world of his own.
I am thankful to have been able to be there at every step of their lives. Watching my boys grow into the little men they are. Watching my baby gradually stand unassisted. Watching the kids move on with life.
Would I turn back the time? Probably not. Why go back, when there is so much more ahead that awaits? =)