Bundles

...of energy, joy, pride...

The last couple of days saw me recalling the days of old when I had to raise the 3 girls with the help of Allie, the long time help of the home.

I glanced at my sister and understood her tired looks and stamina. In our fifties, it's truly not easy running around to cope with the whims and fancies of little ones; however lovable and beautiful they can be. Strange, when they fill the home with their cries and whining you wish they will compromise and be quiet. Then you long to be alone and escape to the malls.

After a while, when you don't see them you start to miss them all over again.

What's this? Maternal instincts?

Look at the lovable babies.. Even at this age, they can fight. Kor kor will never allow mei mei to touch his animal toys...elephant, tiger, lion, horse...all pronounced in the baby way. Mei mei doesn't understand why kor kor is always hugging her.





Kor kor touches everything in the house from the fax machine to the hand phone and your heart jumps out of your mouth when he climbs the narrow and spirally stairs. But he knows no fears. A 'No' is the challenge. They told me boys are not girls. Boys have extra energy and always engage themselves in 'kungfu' acts. Never a moment of silence and the only way I could put him to sleep was to make sure that all his animal toys were in a sleeping position too. Some other tricks included singing rhymes and putting the bolster in between his legs ; giving him the ultimate reasons to rest.

This guy boycotted food for a long while and got everyone around him stressed out. No doctors could help until the natural happened... started eating normally on his own after 6 months ! Now dear mummy allows him anything ...sugar, salt, pepper ...anything as long as he eats. I laugh at the mummy and am still laughing. Told her long ago to abandon modern ways and follow traditional ones to which she absolutely refused. Now she knows when the Chinese says ...the older generation has taken more salt than rice...follow good old patterns.

Oh this sweet one is the one who gets everybody's attention by her wails. When will you stop clinging to mama and poor granny? My maternal instincts tell me that she has not enough sleep and the sarong will do the trick. But oh the sarong is a taboo. Sarong? No way says the mama. Also, the chuchu (pacifier) will be a source of comfort. But oh no the 'chuchu' has become a no, no and the baby sticks to mama all the time for comfort and sleep.

I began to tell her mama a story.

When my girls were babies ; 2 disciplines must be in order. Sleep and proper meals.

• awake at 8 am
• sleep at 10am
• porridge and meals at 11.30am
• milk and rest at 2pm
• awake at 4pm
• porridge at 5pm
• to the park on a pram at 6pm
• baby plays from 7pm to 9pm ( put them on big mattresses for them to roll around)
• milk at 8pm
• sleep at 9pm ( later when older even at 10pm )

It's a vicious cycle. When the child does not sleep well, she does not eat well too...my personal belief.

After the weekend, I wonder if I am ready for grandchildren.

I wanna rest first la.

Tired when I see Yi Jay and Yi Sze; but they are truly adorable to play with...play with only.