As the year draws to a close with the new year just hours away, no better time than to slow down, be still and give thanks for another year gone by. I really don’t know where all that time has gone. 2013 went by too fast, I wished I had more time to savour more of those special moments. We celebrated several milestones this year but could also have done better in other areas.
As a mother, the highlight of my 2013 has to be seeing how Jules’ speech and cognitive abilities have developed. I guess for the next 5 years, the highlight of my year will somehow be linked to her milestones. From the tiny being that could only let out helpless cries to her jabbering at 8 months to her early mono words at one year, she just started stringing words together so naturally around 18 months. The next thing we knew, she was speaking in complete sentences and using words that we never intentionally taught her like “again”, “also” etc appropriately. She even knows how to begin her answer with “because” whenever we ask her “why?”. I love it that I’m actually having conversations with my 2-year old today and how she adds so much joy and laughter to the family with the funniest things she says. Like how when the little aunt took a spoon of her chicken porridge the other day and she loudly exclaimed “Eh no, cannot eat Juju’s porridge. Spit it out!”. I’m overwhelmed with a sense of mummy-pride every time Jules hits these developmental milestones or when she shows maturity beyond her age. She knows it when we’re angry (with her usually), or when we’re in pain (like when I stub my toe against the door) or when we’re unwell and will that to say “sorry” followed by the stroking of our hands to show she’s sorry or she’ll come wipe our faces and say “Mama, no cry” (most of the time, I’m just pretending to cry). It’s like all the early months of caring for her, she’s now doing the same to me. I hope she’ll continue to wipe away my tears when she’s 21.
As a couple we weathered through some rough days coping with a month of one sickness after another. From cough to HFMD to stomach flu. The month of April was such a nightmare. I appreciated how the husband was able to find more balance with his work this year to shoulder some of those days with me by staying home with Jules while I had to attend to urgent matters at work. He also had a few bonding days with his little girl when I had to attend work functions on weekends. I thought that did both of them good. There was a period last year when Jules refused her Dada (it still happens once and a while today, but at least the husband is next in line when Mama isn’t around). It made our parenting journey stronger and it felt more like the way it should be – a partnership – unlike last year when I was shouldering most of the duty of caring for Jules while the husband adjusted to his new post at work.
As a family, we went on our first family holiday with the kiddos all in toll and inhaled the yummy Penang food! I cannot be more thankful for family, for their endless support, for home cook meals at the table every day, for taking such wonderful care of their grand-daughter and loving her as they love me, for occasional indulgence even when I'm 34 and for daily chit-chats that keeps as connected. It is because of them I come back to a home and not house.
As an individual, I found more time to myself, now that Jules is older. I managed a few dinners with my girlfriends, had a little gathering for my cell group kids (our first since I had Jules) and went on the occasional pampering at the eye lash bar and mani pedi when the occasion called for it. I continued to expand my capacity to love and would like to think that in my roles as mother, wife, daughter and sister, I've given of my very best. I wish I could contribute more in the area of Ministry but haven't been able to, something I hope to do more of in the new year once we move to the new church and settle in.
The new year brings new hope and wishes. We of course have some of our own which we can only but commit to God, whose grace and providence brought us through yet another year. I enter the new year with the confidence of knowing that God is in control and that it is from Him that all blessings flow.
Wishing you and yours, a blessed New Year filled with God's grace and manifold blessings!
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