Snippets of Isaac from end of 2014

You have started to tell jokes and was really impressed with this, thinking you made it up, but you actually heard it from somewhere
'Why did the cow cross the road?
Coz he wanted to go to the MMMooooovies'

Ric: Daddy has big muscles coz I carry you(Isaac) all the time
Isaac:  Good! coz this means I give you strength

Isaac: Do you know why they are called windows?
Me: ??
Isaac: It's because the 'wind' comes in!!

Isaac sees me put on some blusher getting ready for work and tells me
'Mummy, you do not need to put on any make-up.  You're pretty'
Aaaawwwww.....

More recently, there are less of these snippets, and more sensible conversation

His version of the World Map (according to Risk)

His drawing of 'Samyi and Justin'

Detours of life

I decided that it was time to start jotting down my thoughts and life with the family and kids again, or I may regret it for the rest of my life.  The silence of 9 months was not intended, but that's the way life is, and there has been so many life lessons learnt.

You begin a journey, and make all the best plans in the world, but you may not end up where you intended to be.  However, trials may be wake-up calls to make us a better person, question what is important in life and embrace it, and appreciate what we have been blessed with.

So, what happened in 9 months, apart from us all having added another 9 months to our age?  Isaac started in Reception (proper school), we had an amazing year end holiday in Melbourne, KK and KL, (made us realise how nice it is to be chilled), my parents came over and we celebrated CNY and Easter together, and I went part-time and had a soul-searching experience. 

Twins

And so we journey on.....

Isaac - 5 years old and starting reception - post written from Sept 2014

Oh dear!!  This post was written in Sept 2014!!

My reception boy!!  You were so happy and excited on your first day of school.  I suppose it was nothing really new as you have been in the same school for nearly 2 years and have already made friends, but it was that you were no longer in nursery, and is now proper school going.  Thankfully you still enjoy it the majority of time.  

Happy birthday my boy

Stormfly - from 'How to Train your Dragon' 

Impossible to capture a proper photo as you were overly excited

Summer came and gone

There is a constant urge to pen all that's been going on, especially the kid's development and activities, but time seem to just slip past and it's always past midnight when I finally 'settle' down.  I suppose all working mothers go through this?  Telling myself it will only get easier helps :)  

We all had an amazing summer with the pampering of gong gong and popo.  It was so much so that Caitlin, you refused to come to me in the mornings as you know that me taking you equates to you going to nursery. You gathered it was much more fun staying at home where you got 100% attention, but meant that popo had her hands tied the whole day :)  Thankfully you pleasantly surprised me by settling nicely back into nursery with no crying when they left.

 

'Makeshift' ping-pong

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We had a week's break to London, Bath, Bristol and Longleat Safari Park,with everybody (wished SW was here too).  In that week, Richard and I actually spent a whole night away without the kids for the first time since Isaac was born, as we had to attend a friend's wedding.  Of course lots of fun the whole week, but alas had to be back to reality after that holiday, and say bye bye to gong gong and popo.  Thankfully SW visited a month later, and boy did we have a shopping spree :)  To my defense, I changed the wardrobe for the whole family.

Summer is well and truly gone now with the chill settling in and the need for central heating.   

Caitlin - 15 months

In another 2 days and you will be 15 months old.  It was such a milestone when you reached 1 year old, but life has got so much better and easier now.  You truly are the little queen of the house, but also bring lots of laughter and joy with your cheekiness.

You babble non-stop and calls 'mama' and 'dada' to us, and points to Isaac when asked where's koko.  You also point to yourself when asked where's Caitlin :) You love 'flying kisses' and 'waving byes', and sticks out your tongue when asked to.  You shout 'Mummm, mummm' when you see food, and frantically points out with a finger to ask for it.  You babble non-stop to yourself lots and maybe you'll speak sooner than Isaac?  From a motor point of view, you have only just learnt to stand on your own and is yet to take your first step.  However, you're lots more confident now with furniture walking and makes us 'walk' with you while holding your hands up.

Similarly to Isaac, you love food.  I have stopped cooking your own food now as you refuse to eat them.  You much prefer the rice, noodles, pasta and dishes that we eat.  You also LOVE anything green, such as cucumbers, avocado, broccolli, peas, spinach and beans.  It's funny how Isaac passes you the peas to eat coz he doesn't like it and knows you will wallop it down for him :)

Your love of food

I thought to put you on the 'toilet seat adapter' to poo as I always know when you're going to do it as you strain so hard, so that I do not have to wipe your bum and the mess after.  Thankfully, you somehow have got the idea now.  I wonder if it is just coincidental but you have never pooed in nursery or outside.  Are you waiting to only do it at home?

Will only poo at home on her throne

Both look forward to this everyday

Blessed with so much clothes

The best part of motherhood now is seeing the both of you play and laugh with each other.  It is really funny how you both try to make each other laugh and when one giggle or laugh, it sets the other one off.  So joyful!!  You both adore each other, especially Isaac to you.  He protects you lots and even asks me to not get angry with you when I raise my voice at you when you whine or cry too much.  I think it has been more difficult caring for you compared with Isaac as you are much fussier and 'manja'.  I suppose that's the different personalities of boys and girls? The both of you have also very different characters, and hopefully it will compliment each other as you both grow up side by side.  I love you both so much!!

Precious weekends

Weekends have become so much more cherished and special since I've gone back to work.  Thank God it is summer and the weather has been mostly amazing.  So we've been 'picnicing' by ourselves or with friends most weekends, in Otterspool, Walton Hall Park, in our back garden or in friends' back garden.  Simple things but so fun.  With wimbledon around the corner, we could not resist the urge to try out tennis lessons for Isaac, which he really enjoyed, but we're still undecided about whether to start him at this age.  We also went to Acorn farm last weekend as a celebration of Richard's birthday and Isaac went on his first horse ride.  This weekend was Isaac's school summer fayre and was another fantastic day out.

Selfie while Caitlin naps in her pram

Caitlin will eat anything that Isaac eats

'Bungee' in Walton Hall Park

Trial tennis class

Chicken pox

Within a week of me being back at work, Isaac got his first spot of chicken pox.  Call this perfect timing?  How was I to explain that I need to be off again after having 14 months off?  Thankfully everybody was understanding and Richard and I took turns to be off to care for both of them.  They had them more than 2 weeks apart.  Caitlin had more spots, was more ill, and 'suffered' the ordeal more.  At least I am done and dusted with it now.  We did think about vaccinating Isaac but changed our mind, which on hind sight was a good thing coz he had it quite mild and was quite unaffected by it, apart from feeling bored at home.  At that time, it was too young to vaccinate Caitlin anyway.