Happiness Is... Learning to Dance in the Rain

"LIFE isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to DANCE in the rain."
You know, no matter how many happy pictures I might post on the blog and on social media, the fact is life is never a bed of roses for anyone. I face the same trials and tribulations that all mums do and some days can be more trying and tougher to get through than the rest.
May was a period filled with challenges and also a time when I found myself tearing up more than usual, to the extent that I started questioning if I was a good mom or if I was even doing things right as a parent in the first place. Yup, to be frank, I was sobbing into the pillow on Mother's Day itself because one of the kids broke my heart and it makes you realize that life doesn't give you a break just because you think it is a special day.
Then again, the rainbow is only so beautiful because it comes after a rain, right? I mean, it might be nice to have a journey only full of ups, unicorns, cupcakes and all things nice and sweet. But how else will you be able to better appreciate it unless you go through the downs and all the moments that strove to tear you apart? That is why I believe that a life full of ups and downs is exactly the life that is meant for each of us and that is also how we learn to better cherish the beauty of joy, love, health , friendship and family.


So when the storm comes, and I know it will keep coming, I'm going to try to learn to dance in the rain instead of waiting for it to pass. I want to make use of all the bad moments and turn them into the best learning experiences. For every tear I shed, I want it to be worth its while. For every time I break down, I will rise up higher, better and stronger than before.
And you know what gives me the motivation to keep going when the going gets tough? It's the happy moments, the moments when the kids make me feel loved more than anything I've felt in my entire life, the moments when things seem to be fall into place and I seem to be doing an okay job, the moments that make me burst out in laughter and warm my heart so deep and so real, the moments that remind me these kids need me to teach and guide them in life just as they have taught me about living unknowingly, the moments that I know I live for because they remind me just how purposeful, blissful and beautiful my life is. Here's a look at May's "Happiness is..." and what we did this month.

On Mother's Day, the kids presented me with flower pop-up cards which we learnt to make together, notes, flowers and rings and bracelets made using pipe cleaners. We had a simple dinner celebration at home with our parents as well as the extended family just to give all the mothers a pat on the back. Haha. I don't wish for this day to be overly special nor do I crave for a lavish celebration, but I do hope that the kids will always remember to write me a note and say "I love you, Mama". Do you think that would be too much to ask for? I'm not really sure, you know, but let's see how it goes.

The hubby, being the sportsperson he is, took us out for a family sports day at Temasek Club. We played badminton, we played ball, we skipped, then we went for swimming and water play before we made our way for karaoke with the in-laws. Yup, it was such a jam packed but fun-filled day! I swear I can fit into smaller jeans if we do this regularly, the only thing is it's so hard to make it a weekend habit. Haha. #excuses


The kids had lots of fun and couldn't stop laughing at themselves when they tried to go superman style facing up into the water when they were sliding. It was because I suggested for them to try something different and I wanted them to know that sometimes it's okay not to follow the rules, so long as you don't endanger anybody. It ended up that the three of them kept screaming in joy and taking turns to do it over and over again that I ended up catching some of their best and happiest moments on camera. Woohoo! That reminds me, I have so much catching up to do for their growing up videos but gosh, time never seems to be enough, does it?
I was using ice cream sticks to teach the toddler his colours and let him try sorting them out when I saw that the little sister had her own ideas instead. She proceeded to use the sticks to piece together so many different pictures and it was really awesome to see how she could make use of her own creativity. Goes to show that sometimes, we parents just need to take a step back, watch, hold our tongues and just learn to let go, right? Yup, I think I'm still working on that and I've a long way to go.


The K2 girl was assigned a family project and she wanted to do a painting on Singapore landmarks,  namely the three that she chose herself - the Merlion, Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Flyer. We took a few weeks to complete this, thanks to Teacher Syafiq of Heart Studio who helped us to get started, and it was wonderful seeing how this girl had the passion to do what she does. She had to do a formal Show & Tell session on her finished work and I was so proud that she could memorise almost everything from her cue cards and she proudly told me she was the first one in her class to do the presentation. Awww, way to go, Ariel!

These two younger ones have been bickering more often nowadays yet they also show their love for each other in the sweetest ways. She never fails to give him a kiss when she goes to school, he never fails to look and ask for her when she is not around, they hold hands and play hide and seek when we are out, she picks him up whenever he falls, he looks for her for a hug whenever I chide him, and even though they also snatch over toys or even get into fights at times, I'm just so glad they have each other to spend most of each day with.


Guess where we went, like AGAIN? Haha, yes, LEGOLAND Malaysia. Like I said, it's one of our favorite holiday destinations and before the kids outgrow all the kiddy rides here, I hope we can still come here often. This time round, it was made even more special because we came with our friends and their kids (who all knew my kids because they are from the same schools). We stayed together in a 3-bedroom apartment in Somerset Medini (each family ended up paying less than a hundred bucks per night), we visited the parks together, we drove out for seafood together, we played in the arcade together, we played card games and chilled out over beer and cider when the kids were all asleep. This is the kind of holiday which will stay etched in our minds for a long time to come and I know the kids were all so happy to be with their friends.
It was also a milestone for Asher who went on his first drive! Okay, he did it at least four times in the end but you know how special the first time always is, right? This boy, who could barely reach the pedal with his foot, amazed us by not being scared to go in alone, by how he kept trying to start the car when it stopped, by how he could maneuver around the bends like a pro and how he was focused the entire time. You should see how the hubby and I were ecstatic cheerleaders as we kept screaming and cheering for him at the side. Yup, it's really awesome to be here for all their little milestones in life and these are the moments that really fill my heart with pure joy.


The hubby turned a year wise this month and he is just a year short of turning 40. Haha, oops, I just revealed his age. Anyway, we bought him two pairs of shorts, an expresso cup and lots of coffee capsules but the fun part was when the girls and I came up with his treasure hunt where we gave him clues to hunt for his present. He would have to guess a place in the house each clue referred to, move there and look for the next hidden clue, and solve a total of five clues before he could find all the gifts stashed away in the..... washing machine. Haha. It was really fun and the girls loved preparing every bit of it!


It might be his birthday but the hubby decided to reward the girls and I too by kind of 'forcing' us to go and watch Toruk even though I said repeatedly I didn't want to. I mean, what kind of wife am I to spend the hubby's birthday afternoon away from him to watch a show that, in my view, costs a bomb? Well, that's the thing. He insisted he wanted to be with the boy and proceeded to book the tickets so that the girls and I had the luxury of watching this 2-hour show in peace while they went for water play nearby. Very sweet of him I know, I just think it might be more worthwhile to keep that money for JJ Lin's concert instead. Haha. Still, thanks for the opportunity for this long missed girls outing, dear! I appreciate it lots!

Last but not least, another fond highlight of May was when I finally found time to sit down and do something fun with the kids - DIY lava lamps! Some of you have been asking about this so I hope I can write a post on it soon. The kids had so much fun doing this over and over again and it was nice to remember how the simple things in life can bring about the best kind of joy.
So, it's the June holidays now and I'm the kind of parent who loves school holidays because it gives me more time to be with the kids, to sleep late with them and wake up late too. Haha. What's not to like about it? I have more hands to help me with the chores too, like how I've already told them tomorrow is laundry day and they are going to help me hang and fold the clothes.
That said, we do have a family vacation coming up next week and for the first time in two years, we're gonna take the plane together! Till more updates on that and do stay in touch with us on social media too!