After almost 2 months of living without a computer, i finally have a brand new laptop! Mr T and i don't seem to have much luck with our lap-tops. We lost our 1st laptop to the *@#$ burglars after just 10 months. The 2nd laptop only managed to live past 2+ years. It decided to go is separate ways with us just before Hari Raya, 2 months plus ago.
Now i have a brand new Acer TimelineX.
Thanks Mr T, for my wonderful birthday present. Moooo-ackkk!
I can start posting all my jottings from the last couple of months.
A lot, alot of catching up to do.
And yes, Xiao-Ku-Ku, i will be posting Baby JF's latest pictures soon.
~ Jottings from the Heart
...relieved at being re-connected to the e-world once again...and saying her prayers that this new found relationship with my e-Baby will be a long-lasting one.
Stay tuned for more postings.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Transition - The Big Decision
[Editor's note: This post is related to the earlier posting entitled 'Back to the Pressure-Cooker']
I finally succeeded in my long, protracted negotiations with Mr T and he agreed to offer me employment albeit at a much lower pay and very high KPIs. My new employer had forewarned that bonu$e$ in monetary form are very limited. Instead, the bonuses would come under various forms including unlimited hugs from big arms as well as 4 pairs of little arms, unlimited kisses from cute little mouths at intermittent periods throughtout the day.
Other forms of rewards include stealing time away from the Little People for Couplehood time, be it for a simple McSundae, or dinner-for-two, or movie-night [now, this one...it's been a little tough to get going. Mr and I have been struggling to get ourselves to the cinema for some time now...the last movie we watched at the Cinema was Wolverine! And that was after much struggle too!]
Basic pay is at a bare minimum. Increments are not discussed. All dependent on achieving the KPIs. Regular performance review would, of course, be held.
The highly-challenging, non-exhaustive, job description includes:
1. full-time taxi-driver to 4 little passengers on a 24/7 basis - punctuality is mandatory;
2. teacher;
3. disciplinarian;
4. part-time chef & kitchen supervisor - this involves changing the daily lunch menu and ensuring the kitchen is well-stocked;
5. fruit-juice bar operator;
6. operator and producer of milk-factory production centre, catering for a single, exclusive client on a 24/7 basis;
and most importantly,
7. nurturer, friend and confidant to the all-important Little People.
The job satisfaction and the rewards are multiple and priceless.
The opportunity is Once in a Lifetime.
The Little People will only be Little People for a few years.
As Mr T always reminds me, blink your eyes too many times and you would miss out on their childhood. Their learning years. Their formative years.
Now the chattering and the story-telling are non-stop, especially for the Whining Queen and Ms Chatterbox. Their batteries just never run out.
It's a time to treasure before the Rebellious Years evolve.
Though I knew that this is something I had always wanted to do, to be, actually doing it, and giving up full-time employment outside of home was not an easy decision to make, though one may have thought otherwise. As my family and friends would know, i am not an ambitious career person. I work so that we have a bigger pocket to dig in, to treat ourselves to fun-and-love-filled holidays, to treat ourselves to the occasional shopping extravaganza, to save for the kids' education fund, to help pay-off my little car. Mr T had done all the calculations and budgeting and had reassured that we would be able to get-by.
The decision was ulimately mine to make.
It would be a major lifestyle change.
That trip to Disneyland Hong Kong would just have to wait for a great many more years.
To give up financial independence and to revert to my primary job on a full-time basis meant that i could not afford any slip-ups. This is a job that cannot afford any major mistakes.
Aside from giving up financial independence, there would also be the constant threat that i may end up losing my own identity.
I would end up having even less personal ME time.
I had a few pep talks with some of my office colleagues; one particular colleague gave me a very good fatherly talk which i appreciated. He stressed that having your own personal ME time was essential to excelling at one's job as a mother and as a wife.
Ultimately, my decision was made easier as my hours at the office became longer, the work pressures had become overwhelming and the job-expectations unreasonable. To me, anyway.
Perhaps the lack of sleep, the lack of ME time, the pressures of breast-feeding ... which i know is great and am enormously thankful for, but it does take a lot of time-commitment from the mother as there isn't much you can do when there is a baby stuck to your factory-outlet.
Even when expressing, you just have to drop your work, your train-of-thoughts, and focus on the factory-production as it is not a process that you can rush through...otherwise, at most, you'll get just a little more than a couple of drops. And then, you get stressed out over not having enough milk for baby, then the guilt sets in and you lose focus....and your efficiently levels fall and the workload builds up and the boss screams at you......it just never ends.
Juggling the three jobs (that is, motherhood, office work and milk-factory production centre) became a daily struggle. Grey strands of hair began sprouting on my scalp. Not something i expected to have before i reached the big FOUR-ZERO.
Even after i made my decision, i questioned myself again and again especially when i receive remarks like "Wah...you crazy ah?"; "Mad,ah? Take care of kids?"; "What a waste...what a waste..."; "You got maid, wat. Why you want to stay home"; "Are you sure?"....
Can one ever be sure?
One thing i am sure of, is that being a parent and raising a happy and successful family is the most important job one can have.
Yes, I am blessed with J, who takes great care of my children and our home. She keeps the house-in-order and ensures we have clean clothes to wear. She is blessed with a pair of capable hands and strong shoulders to keep up with her job.
So wish me luck as i take the ultimate jump from the Pressure Cooker into the unknown.
~ Written from the Heart
by a blessed Stay-at-Home Mum.
I finally succeeded in my long, protracted negotiations with Mr T and he agreed to offer me employment albeit at a much lower pay and very high KPIs. My new employer had forewarned that bonu$e$ in monetary form are very limited. Instead, the bonuses would come under various forms including unlimited hugs from big arms as well as 4 pairs of little arms, unlimited kisses from cute little mouths at intermittent periods throughtout the day.
Other forms of rewards include stealing time away from the Little People for Couplehood time, be it for a simple McSundae, or dinner-for-two, or movie-night [now, this one...it's been a little tough to get going. Mr and I have been struggling to get ourselves to the cinema for some time now...the last movie we watched at the Cinema was Wolverine! And that was after much struggle too!]
Basic pay is at a bare minimum. Increments are not discussed. All dependent on achieving the KPIs. Regular performance review would, of course, be held.
The highly-challenging, non-exhaustive, job description includes:
1. full-time taxi-driver to 4 little passengers on a 24/7 basis - punctuality is mandatory;
2. teacher;
3. disciplinarian;
4. part-time chef & kitchen supervisor - this involves changing the daily lunch menu and ensuring the kitchen is well-stocked;
5. fruit-juice bar operator;
6. operator and producer of milk-factory production centre, catering for a single, exclusive client on a 24/7 basis;
and most importantly,
7. nurturer, friend and confidant to the all-important Little People.
The job satisfaction and the rewards are multiple and priceless.
The opportunity is Once in a Lifetime.
The Little People will only be Little People for a few years.
As Mr T always reminds me, blink your eyes too many times and you would miss out on their childhood. Their learning years. Their formative years.
Now the chattering and the story-telling are non-stop, especially for the Whining Queen and Ms Chatterbox. Their batteries just never run out.
It's a time to treasure before the Rebellious Years evolve.
Though I knew that this is something I had always wanted to do, to be, actually doing it, and giving up full-time employment outside of home was not an easy decision to make, though one may have thought otherwise. As my family and friends would know, i am not an ambitious career person. I work so that we have a bigger pocket to dig in, to treat ourselves to fun-and-love-filled holidays, to treat ourselves to the occasional shopping extravaganza, to save for the kids' education fund, to help pay-off my little car. Mr T had done all the calculations and budgeting and had reassured that we would be able to get-by.
The decision was ulimately mine to make.
It would be a major lifestyle change.
That trip to Disneyland Hong Kong would just have to wait for a great many more years.
To give up financial independence and to revert to my primary job on a full-time basis meant that i could not afford any slip-ups. This is a job that cannot afford any major mistakes.
Aside from giving up financial independence, there would also be the constant threat that i may end up losing my own identity.
I would end up having even less personal ME time.
I had a few pep talks with some of my office colleagues; one particular colleague gave me a very good fatherly talk which i appreciated. He stressed that having your own personal ME time was essential to excelling at one's job as a mother and as a wife.
Ultimately, my decision was made easier as my hours at the office became longer, the work pressures had become overwhelming and the job-expectations unreasonable. To me, anyway.
Perhaps the lack of sleep, the lack of ME time, the pressures of breast-feeding ... which i know is great and am enormously thankful for, but it does take a lot of time-commitment from the mother as there isn't much you can do when there is a baby stuck to your factory-outlet.
Even when expressing, you just have to drop your work, your train-of-thoughts, and focus on the factory-production as it is not a process that you can rush through...otherwise, at most, you'll get just a little more than a couple of drops. And then, you get stressed out over not having enough milk for baby, then the guilt sets in and you lose focus....and your efficiently levels fall and the workload builds up and the boss screams at you......it just never ends.
Juggling the three jobs (that is, motherhood, office work and milk-factory production centre) became a daily struggle. Grey strands of hair began sprouting on my scalp. Not something i expected to have before i reached the big FOUR-ZERO.
Even after i made my decision, i questioned myself again and again especially when i receive remarks like "Wah...you crazy ah?"; "Mad,ah? Take care of kids?"; "What a waste...what a waste..."; "You got maid, wat. Why you want to stay home"; "Are you sure?"....
Can one ever be sure?
One thing i am sure of, is that being a parent and raising a happy and successful family is the most important job one can have.
Yes, I am blessed with J, who takes great care of my children and our home. She keeps the house-in-order and ensures we have clean clothes to wear. She is blessed with a pair of capable hands and strong shoulders to keep up with her job.
So wish me luck as i take the ultimate jump from the Pressure Cooker into the unknown.
~ Written from the Heart
by a blessed Stay-at-Home Mum.
Friday, April 23, 2010
My Kids are Smarter than I am!
It's amazing how a child of 4 to 5 years can out-wit a Mother of Four!
Ying Chun was diligently doing her Bahasa homework and showing me the answers to her Penjodoh Bilangan [i.e. compound nouns in bahasa]. I was well-impressed with how much she has improved and absorbed in the last four months since joining the new kindie. Without any guidance from me, she managed to answer all the questions correctly. Praising her efforts, i said "Wow, so clever, ah?!"
Her immediate response: "Of course, lah! All go inside my brain oledi wat!"
I was left speechless....
Even Swee Rong's Mandarin has improved tremendously, both the oral and the written. She can recognise between 30-50 characters without any difficulty.
Being the well-known "banana" that i am, i am too embarrassed to say much more...other than i will never go short of interpreters!
~ Jottings from the Heart
by a contented, albeit exhausted mother-of-four, who is placing all her little blessings in her growing Treasure Box.
Ying Chun was diligently doing her Bahasa homework and showing me the answers to her Penjodoh Bilangan [i.e. compound nouns in bahasa]. I was well-impressed with how much she has improved and absorbed in the last four months since joining the new kindie. Without any guidance from me, she managed to answer all the questions correctly. Praising her efforts, i said "Wow, so clever, ah?!"
Her immediate response: "Of course, lah! All go inside my brain oledi wat!"
I was left speechless....
Even Swee Rong's Mandarin has improved tremendously, both the oral and the written. She can recognise between 30-50 characters without any difficulty.
Being the well-known "banana" that i am, i am too embarrassed to say much more...other than i will never go short of interpreters!
~ Jottings from the Heart
by a contented, albeit exhausted mother-of-four, who is placing all her little blessings in her growing Treasure Box.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
UPDATED: "M-U-M-M-Y! Y-I-N-G C-H-U-N is calling you!"
Ever since Ying Chun started at her new kindergarten, she seems to have progressed very rapidly. Her word recognition and her spelling has improved tremendously, be it in English, Bahasa and Mandarin. In showing off her spelling ability, she has now taken great pleasure in calling her mummy,
"M-U-M-M-Y"!
And if M-U-M-M-Y does not promptly answer to the Empress, the next phrase one will hear is:
"M - U - M - M - Y.
Y-I-N-G C-H-U-N is calling you!"
It has also become the Empress' perpetual habit to call for M-U-M-M-Y when Mummy is engaged in deep conversation with Daddy.
This "infection" has now reached Swee Rong who also thinks it is cool to call her mummy:
"M - U - M - M - Y.
S-W-E-E R-O-N-G is calling you."
And if heaven forbid, i should not hear those letters after numerous repeats [and it is possible for me not to register the various sounds due to the commotion in our little zoo], within the blink of an eye, Swee Rong would be off brooding in a quiet corner.
~ Jottings from the heart
by a contented, albeit flustered, mother-of-four, who is placing all her little blessings in her growing Treasure Box.
UPDATES as at 21 April 2010:
Ying Chun is well known to be able to stay awake through her tiredness! Added to the fact that she is a light sleeper, she takes the longest to sleep. Many a time when Mr T or myself gave in to her masterful demands to accompany her in bed for "just 5 minutes, Mummy/Daddy", the situation would end up with Ying Chun quietly watching her Mummy or Daddy fall asleep faster than one could count to ten! She would be dare waiting to swat any insect that should dare to fly into her parents' wide-opened mouths!!
Last Sunday night, Ying Chun decided to test my patience...and my sense of humour!
My dumb question: "So darling, how many times do you want Mummy to scold you before you sleep? Just tell me now so that i can scold you that many times now for you to sleep NOW!!"
Flashing her cheeky smile, Ying Chun's smart answer was:
"I want Mummy to scold me Z-E-R-O times!
Okay? Z-E-R-O!!"
Result: A Speechless Mum!
She redeemed herself by melting my heart the next day when she blurted out:
"I want all my family to be H-A-P-P-Y. I don't anyone to be S-A-D.
I love all my family except for bad people."
To which Swee Rong added:
"Er Jie (2nd sister), you love monsters, ah?....
Mummy...I love all my family except for bad people and monsters!!"
There was yet another SPELLING game this eveninng with the Little Wizard.
After a long day at work, Swee Rong decided it was timely to challenge my tired-brain-and-exhausted-body into playing the Spelling Game.
Whilst at GrandDad's house, in the company of GrandDad, baby and myself, Swee Rong started rambling away...
"M-U-M, T-I-O S-W-E-E R-O-N-G loves M-U-M, D-A-D, JIE, Y-I-N-G C-H-U-N and baby."
My response: "What about Y-E-H Y-E-H? You don't love Y-E-H?"
This left the Little Wizard speechless (a rarity - as she always had an answer to everything).
All she could manage was "Huh?"
When I told her that Y-E-H Y-E-H was referring to the person that was cuddling her at that time [i.e. GrandDad], the Little Wizard's immediate response was
"Of course, I love Yeh-Yeh".
The Little Wizard has learnt to spell a new word.
My blessings just get better each time.....
"M-U-M-M-Y"!
And if M-U-M-M-Y does not promptly answer to the Empress, the next phrase one will hear is:
"M - U - M - M - Y.
Y-I-N-G C-H-U-N is calling you!"
It has also become the Empress' perpetual habit to call for M-U-M-M-Y when Mummy is engaged in deep conversation with Daddy.
This "infection" has now reached Swee Rong who also thinks it is cool to call her mummy:
"M - U - M - M - Y.
S-W-E-E R-O-N-G is calling you."
And if heaven forbid, i should not hear those letters after numerous repeats [and it is possible for me not to register the various sounds due to the commotion in our little zoo], within the blink of an eye, Swee Rong would be off brooding in a quiet corner.
~ Jottings from the heart
by a contented, albeit flustered, mother-of-four, who is placing all her little blessings in her growing Treasure Box.
UPDATES as at 21 April 2010:
Ying Chun is well known to be able to stay awake through her tiredness! Added to the fact that she is a light sleeper, she takes the longest to sleep. Many a time when Mr T or myself gave in to her masterful demands to accompany her in bed for "just 5 minutes, Mummy/Daddy", the situation would end up with Ying Chun quietly watching her Mummy or Daddy fall asleep faster than one could count to ten! She would be dare waiting to swat any insect that should dare to fly into her parents' wide-opened mouths!!
Last Sunday night, Ying Chun decided to test my patience...and my sense of humour!
My dumb question: "So darling, how many times do you want Mummy to scold you before you sleep? Just tell me now so that i can scold you that many times now for you to sleep NOW!!"
Flashing her cheeky smile, Ying Chun's smart answer was:
"I want Mummy to scold me Z-E-R-O times!
Okay? Z-E-R-O!!"
Result: A Speechless Mum!
She redeemed herself by melting my heart the next day when she blurted out:
"I want all my family to be H-A-P-P-Y. I don't anyone to be S-A-D.
I love all my family except for bad people."
To which Swee Rong added:
"Er Jie (2nd sister), you love monsters, ah?....
Mummy...I love all my family except for bad people and monsters!!"
There was yet another SPELLING game this eveninng with the Little Wizard.
After a long day at work, Swee Rong decided it was timely to challenge my tired-brain-and-exhausted-body into playing the Spelling Game.
Whilst at GrandDad's house, in the company of GrandDad, baby and myself, Swee Rong started rambling away...
"M-U-M, T-I-O S-W-E-E R-O-N-G loves M-U-M, D-A-D, JIE, Y-I-N-G C-H-U-N and baby."
My response: "What about Y-E-H Y-E-H? You don't love Y-E-H?"
This left the Little Wizard speechless (a rarity - as she always had an answer to everything).
All she could manage was "Huh?"
When I told her that Y-E-H Y-E-H was referring to the person that was cuddling her at that time [i.e. GrandDad], the Little Wizard's immediate response was
"Of course, I love Yeh-Yeh".
The Little Wizard has learnt to spell a new word.
My blessings just get better each time.....
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thank you, WHO?
These days, the Little Chatterbox is on the roll.
She is always on the look out for opportunities to pose the following question:
Thank you, WHO?
Thank you, Monster, ah?
She has include "Sorry-WHO?"..."Sorry, Monster, ah?".
She is eqully wonderful at remembering nick-names that we bestow on her older sisters.
She loves winding up the Whining Queen. Ever since their favourite Uncle Yong Wah labelled the Whining Queen a Fire Engine in his house during one of her whining bouts, that moniker has since remained.
So now, if there is a fight between the Chatterbox and the Whining Queen, it'll be "you-leh, Fire Engine....eee-orr, eee-orr..".
TOTAL MAYHEM.
And should her Ta Jie dare to call her Crying Queen (which she is, though it is more to seek attention), without any further hesitation, she would be retaliating with a "you-leh-Sour-Queen"!
When i innocently posed the question to her one day "What about me?", she immediately responded with a "you-are-Scolding Queen, lah!".
I surrender to the quick and witty responses of a four year old.
~ Jottings from the heart
by a contented, albeit flustered, mother-of-four, who is placing all her little blessings in her growing Treasure Box.
She is always on the look out for opportunities to pose the following question:
Thank you, WHO?
Thank you, Monster, ah?
She has include "Sorry-WHO?"..."Sorry, Monster, ah?".
She is eqully wonderful at remembering nick-names that we bestow on her older sisters.
She loves winding up the Whining Queen. Ever since their favourite Uncle Yong Wah labelled the Whining Queen a Fire Engine in his house during one of her whining bouts, that moniker has since remained.
So now, if there is a fight between the Chatterbox and the Whining Queen, it'll be "you-leh, Fire Engine....eee-orr, eee-orr..".
TOTAL MAYHEM.
And should her Ta Jie dare to call her Crying Queen (which she is, though it is more to seek attention), without any further hesitation, she would be retaliating with a "you-leh-Sour-Queen"!
When i innocently posed the question to her one day "What about me?", she immediately responded with a "you-are-Scolding Queen, lah!".
I surrender to the quick and witty responses of a four year old.
~ Jottings from the heart
by a contented, albeit flustered, mother-of-four, who is placing all her little blessings in her growing Treasure Box.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Happy Birthday, Shio Pin!
March is a special month. It's a month for celebrating the birthdays of many special people. My better-half, my 3 SILs [that's my special acronym for my sisters-in-law], my girlfriend's princess as well as 2 of my friends.
The pictures below are snapshots of the dinner celebration for Shio Pin's birthday.
Priceless birthday cards designed by Ying Han ...
and this one was designed by Ying Chun...
UP, CLOSE and PERSONAL ... Love me as I am
GrandDad surrounded by his boisterous grand-daughters:
The Two Dragons
Here comes GIRL POWER!
Cake-Cutting Ceremony...a Family Celebrates
The Three Tio's
I only have eyes for you ...
Dearest Shio Yen, Shio Pin, Phillis, Jing Ying, Joy, Madeleine and Mr T:
Happy Birthday! May all your birthday wishes come true. May each of you be always blessed with good health, good fortune and happiness.
~ Published from the heart by a contented mother-of-four who continues to count her blessings each day, and who is thankful to be always surrounded by the love and laughter of her family and friends.
The pictures below are snapshots of the dinner celebration for Shio Pin's birthday.
Priceless birthday cards designed by Ying Han ...
and this one was designed by Ying Chun...
UP, CLOSE and PERSONAL ... Love me as I am
GrandDad surrounded by his boisterous grand-daughters:
The Two Dragons
Here comes GIRL POWER!
Cake-Cutting Ceremony...a Family Celebrates
The Three Tio's
I only have eyes for you ...
Dearest Shio Yen, Shio Pin, Phillis, Jing Ying, Joy, Madeleine and Mr T:
Happy Birthday! May all your birthday wishes come true. May each of you be always blessed with good health, good fortune and happiness.
~ Published from the heart by a contented mother-of-four who continues to count her blessings each day, and who is thankful to be always surrounded by the love and laughter of her family and friends.
Back to the Pressure-Cooker
Time whizzes past us so quickly. Too quickly.
It seemed just like yesterday when the Little One was still busy exercising in his 24 hours personal gym, practising his kungfu kicks. All of a sudden, he is TWO months old. And that means i have to drag myself back into the pressure-cooker, away from the Little One. I'll miss being there to greet the 2 younger angels when the school van sends them home every lunchtime.
Ying Chun and Swee Rong have grown accustomed to having their mummy home everyday when they return from school. Swee Rong is finding it difficult to accept that mummy has to go back to work. I prepared her more than a week in advance. The first couple of times i told her, she would not listen and would go running to her room and hide in a corner. And cry. That made it even harder for me to digest the thought of leaving the kids every morning. Sigh...
Fast forward to my first week back at work.....
As expected, it was both emotionally and physically tough to be back at work. On days when the Little One had woken up by the time i was ready to leave for work, it was just heart-wrenching. I would smother him with kisses and take a couple of deep breaths of the well-reknown intoxicating Baby Smell before slowly making my way towards the main door, only to make a U-turn two steps before reaching the main door. I would zoom back for another kiss and another sniff. After a couple more U-turns, and not before shedding a few tears, my heavy legs would reluctantly walk towards my car and my even heavier arms would then open the car-door to allow my very heavy rear-end to find its way onto the driver's seat.
My boss joked that i "must be glad to be back at the office to take a break"!
It's challenging either way.
In my mind, being a full-time stay-at-home Mum is a really tough job. Tougher than a 9 to 5 office job. It comes with all its challenges, big and small. You don't get a day off; nor do you get sick leave. Needless to say, it is not rewarding financially.
The rewards however are multiple and priceless.
1. Being able to take the kids to and from school is a special time to be treasured.
With my ten year old, it's a time for us to bond...to chit-chat...just the two of us.
2. The endless hugs & kisses compensates for the various challenges that a 4 year old and a 6 year old is capable of throwing at a mother-of-four.
3. It is the ultimate test on patience. Trust me on this. My neighbours who have heard me shout and scream will surely vouch for this.
4. Witnessing baby's first smile, first coo and before we know it, his first steps...
being there to accompany a 6 year old with her first test revisions and be on-hand to receive her first test results...
At the end-of the day, it is the job satisfaction that matters most.
I look forward with great anticipation to the day that my full-time employers are my 4 children.
I know it will be my toughest job, as my performance appraisal will be conducted by my children, their exam results, their well-being, Mr T, my children's grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbours, etc., etc.
Till the day comes when i become the full-time Domestic Affairs Directors, i shall drag myself to the Pressure-Cooker comes every weekday.
~ Written from the Heart
by a mother-of-four who is constantly negotiating with the father-of-four to offer her full-time PAID employment, complete with bonuses and annual increment.
It seemed just like yesterday when the Little One was still busy exercising in his 24 hours personal gym, practising his kungfu kicks. All of a sudden, he is TWO months old. And that means i have to drag myself back into the pressure-cooker, away from the Little One. I'll miss being there to greet the 2 younger angels when the school van sends them home every lunchtime.
Ying Chun and Swee Rong have grown accustomed to having their mummy home everyday when they return from school. Swee Rong is finding it difficult to accept that mummy has to go back to work. I prepared her more than a week in advance. The first couple of times i told her, she would not listen and would go running to her room and hide in a corner. And cry. That made it even harder for me to digest the thought of leaving the kids every morning. Sigh...
Fast forward to my first week back at work.....
As expected, it was both emotionally and physically tough to be back at work. On days when the Little One had woken up by the time i was ready to leave for work, it was just heart-wrenching. I would smother him with kisses and take a couple of deep breaths of the well-reknown intoxicating Baby Smell before slowly making my way towards the main door, only to make a U-turn two steps before reaching the main door. I would zoom back for another kiss and another sniff. After a couple more U-turns, and not before shedding a few tears, my heavy legs would reluctantly walk towards my car and my even heavier arms would then open the car-door to allow my very heavy rear-end to find its way onto the driver's seat.
My boss joked that i "must be glad to be back at the office to take a break"!
It's challenging either way.
In my mind, being a full-time stay-at-home Mum is a really tough job. Tougher than a 9 to 5 office job. It comes with all its challenges, big and small. You don't get a day off; nor do you get sick leave. Needless to say, it is not rewarding financially.
The rewards however are multiple and priceless.
1. Being able to take the kids to and from school is a special time to be treasured.
With my ten year old, it's a time for us to bond...to chit-chat...just the two of us.
2. The endless hugs & kisses compensates for the various challenges that a 4 year old and a 6 year old is capable of throwing at a mother-of-four.
3. It is the ultimate test on patience. Trust me on this. My neighbours who have heard me shout and scream will surely vouch for this.
4. Witnessing baby's first smile, first coo and before we know it, his first steps...
being there to accompany a 6 year old with her first test revisions and be on-hand to receive her first test results...
At the end-of the day, it is the job satisfaction that matters most.
I look forward with great anticipation to the day that my full-time employers are my 4 children.
I know it will be my toughest job, as my performance appraisal will be conducted by my children, their exam results, their well-being, Mr T, my children's grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbours, etc., etc.
Till the day comes when i become the full-time Domestic Affairs Directors, i shall drag myself to the Pressure-Cooker comes every weekday.
~ Written from the Heart
by a mother-of-four who is constantly negotiating with the father-of-four to offer her full-time PAID employment, complete with bonuses and annual increment.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Second Month
Like my double-chin?
All wrapped up ready for my shower...
Mrs T says:
As with the 3 Angels, bathing the Little One has been a really bonding time for me. The Little One likes his bath. I will miss this time when i return to the "Pressure Cooker".
Tender moments captured...
~ Written from the Heart
by an exhausted, though contented, mother-of-four.
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