Jules turns 2 tomorrow! As I’m typing this, our little munch’kin is napping soundly in the room while two 8” chocolate cake are cooling in the kitchen waiting to be frosted for her little party tomorrow. We also just spent the morning at her school together with 30 of her adorable, chatty little friends who crowded round her as she blew out that Number ‘2’ candle on her cake!! She couldn’t be more thrilled and I, I couldn’t be more proud!!
I think back on this time last year and marvel at how our daughter has grown. She has gone from her wobbly tentative steps at 1 year to a little monkey jumping on the bed (literally like the song says). She went from sleeping in that precious rocker of hers for a good 10 months and then to sleeping in her comfy pea pod to finally sleeping on the bed – like a big girl. I can’t remember the last time she drank from her bottle since she went on to drinking from sippy cups and better yet these days “Mama, no hands, Juju hold cup”. She has abandoned her Sophie the Giraffe for my handbag, my watch, my 4” heels and my rings. She goes around the house pretending she is all grown up and ready to “drive car”, “go work”. Her vocabulary of a mere 10 words at 12 months has exploded to what may be in the region of hundred words today. The little baby who woke up crying for me a year ago now runs to me with a morning hug and never fails to say her goodnights to everyone before bed. More importantly, she has developed that sweet sensitivity to show love to the many people around her. Tell me all this deserves at least an ‘A’ on her year-end appraisal if not an ‘A+’!
While I think my daughter deserves a trophy, I would like to think that I haven’t done too badly on the report card either. The year has had its challenges especially in the health department. I was falling sick very often – I had a dengue scare, a hand-foot-mouth scare, a serious bout of stomach flu and the usual bad throats and colds in between. It was probably a combination of lack of sleep for the past 2 years and lack of exercise (I can’t recall when was the last time I run!). Jules too came down with a few serious cases – hand-foot-mouth, a bad case of stomach flu (that warranted an ER visit) and bronchitis. There were also those crazy teething nights where she was waking up every other hour wanting to be nursed. I dreaded those moments and wished I had that remote control from the movie ‘Click’ so that I could just fast forward and move on to the happy parts – but I guess that would mean missing out on those extra cuddles we gave her when she was sick and those special bonding we shared as she nursed. All very precious moments that has gone into giving her a very happy and secured 2 years of childhood.
So never mind she’s still not sleeping through the night, never mind that we still haven’t succeeded at weaning or potty training. Those shall be next year’s KPIs. For now, I’m a proud Mama seeing what my little girl has achieved over the past year and thanking God every.single.day. for her and all the joy that she brings to the home.
We have been praying for this little one since the day we found out we conceived her. Today, she prays along with us – thanking God for her day in the life of a toddler that’s filled with mischief, laughter and love. Over the past two years, two things remain my constant prayer (1) that Jules will grow up to be a woman of God, with a heart for Him and with an even bigger heart to bring people to Him; and (2) that God will grant me all the wisdom to bring her up in a way that will always honour Him. While I wait to see what adventure her 3rd year will bring, I trust and believe that God will bring us on an exciting journey to making her a child-warrior for God and me, a better mother.
Blessed birthday my sweet Julianne!
{p/s: photo credit - the little aunt from her album - Juju Takes Over the World}
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