This was taken in 1986 when Grace was a mere 1 1/2 years old and guess what ? She was in Singapore then ! Yea, daddy was assigned to a job there and it was either weekends with him back home or we in Singapore during school breaks. I remembered reading and singing to her the whole day in serious 'kiassuiim' degree. She must read, sing and be clever ! How foolish I was then...putting her in the pram each morning and walking hundreds of meters to a grocery shop to get her fish. They told me fish was good for the brain. So without fail, everyday it's fish in the porridge together with carrots, anchovies stock, spinach. I can vouch she had the most portions of fish when she was a baby. Ahem...I hope the brain has detected it till today !
Strange things do happen. Looking at her smilingly was Uncle Richard who is at the moment residing in Singapore. There was this dinner that we had to attend and so we left Grace with Richard and his wife. Lo and behold, halfway through the dinner we were summoned to come home cos they could not handle the wailing child. Today, Grace keeps in contact with them in Singapore...a home away from home. Never would I think that she would end up there.
Also, some good practices to the advantage of the first child. Notice the pyjamas being hung up to dry? Well. Grace always has the newest items...clothes, books, piano, and passed them down to her siblings. That's a privilege. So all items will almost end up with the younger ones.
That's why Esther had to wear the pass- down pyjamas that was shown in the previous picture. Hand -me- downs was a good practice to save. I always tell them it's not how much you earn but how much you save.
This was Grace at 3. Notice her pretty dress? It was also inherited by her younger siblings. Today, I don't know what they do to one another. They flaunt away like nobody's business. Save for rainy days and best practices can only come with actual practices ! Oh never mind, they will understand one day, they told me...
Holding her hand to cut the cake was the nanny's daughter who became an air hostess with SIA and later took a degree and got married. Aunt Doris loves Grace dearly and until this very day whenever I meet her she will ask after her. It was hard during those days. Being in a new place and without the help of the extended family, I had to go through the gruesome task of sending her to Aunt Doris each morning at 6.30am in her sleeping basket and then to pick her up later in the day. Grace had many bouts of cold, coughs and I was told it was good for her to build up her immune system and the more she went through the stronger she would become. The point was every time she fell ill, I suffered through sleepless nights and then to get up tired to face the challenges in school. Really, back then as I have said before I was so envious of Princess Diana cos she had the best help for her prince. I was lonely and fearful at times when she was ill. It was a tough job being a young mama.
Grace in her most natural state in Gold Coast ... we'll do a revisitation soon.
Today, she will be home for her birthday...Happy Birthday, girl.
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