The Best Feeling

The parents' retreat in display homes is usually something lavish and self-indulgent and - very important - located far away from the kids' rooms.

In our house, the parents' retreat is where everyone sleeps. Despite our best efforts to entice Beth with visions of bunk bed with ladder and endless laughter-filled night times with her sister, she is not ready to move out of our bed.

Our queen-sized bed feels tiny when there are four bodies crowding in it every night. The parents invariably get pushed to the outer edges, resulting in sore necks next morning. Such is the strong will of the girls, even in slumber. Why didn't we foresee this and buy the biggest bed possible? How I miss our king-sized bed in Hougang.

Space constraints aside, there is something utterly cosy about being squashed up at night with two giggly girls.

J likes to sleep on her side facing me, with her arms around my neck. I love the surprise kisses and cuddles, watching her tuck her legs in under the blankie or hug her bear or sing a song.

Baa baa sheep-py
Hair air wool
Yes sir yes sir
Hee bags full

How she has grown!

Many nights as I lie in bed with hubby and the girls next to me, I think how blessed am I to be surrounded by those I love. I know there will come a day when the kids move out and a day when I have to sleep alone, but for now, I will savour every moment of the joy of being together.

Kids' Videos and the "No Dialect" Government Policy

If you're from my era, you might remember learning this song at school:

国家要进步
语言要沟通
就从今天起大家说华语

不分男和女
不分老和少
不再用方言大家说华语

听一听记一记
开口说几句
多亲切多便利
简单又容易

I bought a couple of VCDs from Popular Book Store for the girls to brush up on their Mandarin and this was the theme song!

As is common with most things we were forced to learn at school, the tune and lyrics came to me quickly, though it's been more than 20 years since secondary school.

Children Know...

A friend related this true story when we visited him last night.

Some 9 months ago, his 3 y.o. daughter went up to her mother and, pointing to the latter's tummy, announced, "You have a baby inside."

Mummy did a pregnancy test and sure enough, she was positive.

Baby is due in a few weeks.

Our friend checked with a few of his friends and they reported similar stories of the uncanny ability of their children to predict pregnancies before they were discovered.

I like to think children have a direct line to Jesus. :)