My #Momazing Moments

Motherhood can be mundane at times. The same old chores, same old duties, same old routines. Waking the kids up, preparing meals, fetching the kids to school, buying groceries, washing dishes, clothes, floors and dirty bums, teaching alphabets, revising schoolwork, having playtime, reading bedtime stories. It's almost as if we live and relive each day over and over again.
I suppose you could really say that, if not for those moments that spring up when you least expect them. Moments that fill your heart with such intense, overwhelming emotions that you realize these are the things that make up motherhood. Moments that bring a smile, sometimes a tear too, to your face. Moments that give you the motivation to keep going when the going gets tough. Moments that are a mix of pride, relief, joy, accomplishment and reassurance. Moments that make you realize you must be doing something right as a mom when you see your little bundle of joy growing up.
These moments are the #momazing moments.

I can probably spend days and nights just writing the long list of momazing moments that I've experienced in my over five years of motherhood. From the first time she held my hand and squeezed my finger, her first word, her first tooth, her first flip, the first time she walked over to me and tumbled into my chest, her first swim, her first food, the first time she sang a song that melted my heart, to her first drawing, the first Mother's Day card she made for me, her first overseas trip, the first time she wrote her name on her own, her first dance, the first time she tried to ride a bike, the first time she performed at a concert, how she kept looking for me in the audience and how she gave a relieved, wide grin when our eyes met.
Yes, I can go on and on because these are the moments I can vividly recall and I hope to remember them for a lifetime. Even if I might not recall the exact time, date or event when I reach my twilight years, I have a feeling I am never going to forget how they made me feel. 
Still, when I heard the word momazing for the first time, I wondered to myself "What is it about being a mom to these two girls that really makes me feel happy and amazing?" Milestones and achievements aside, is that anything that tugs at my heartstrings and reminds me that becoming a mother is the best thing that ever happened to me?
Then, I got it. I had the answer. It was as easy to see and as plain in sight as could be. For me, it isn't just about each one of them achieving their individual milestones or accomplishing something big; it's about both of them learning, bonding, loving and growing up hand in hand, demonstrating that sisterhood can just be as awesome as motherhood.
So yes, momazing moments to me are.....
... seeing how they protect each other in times of need. They hold hands when we are out, they look out for each other and the big sister never lets the little one wander out of sight.
 ... knowing that they enjoy each other's company and that a simple meal together can be full of fun and laughter. They set up the table together, they feed each other at times, they create a total mess, they make up silly songs, but these are what make mealtime so enjoyable.
... watching how the big sister lets the little one lie on her lap while stroking her hair, patting her and singing nursery rhymes just so she would be happy to drink her milk. In fact, I couldn't really believe it but she was the one who first succeeded in letting the toddler finish up a whole bottle of milk.
 ... seeing how much they like to kiss and hug each other as a way of showing their affection. When the big sister goes to school, the little one never fails to run up to her, bury her face in her chest, then tiptoes and pulls the big sister's face towards her to give her a goodbye kiss.
 ... listening to them read bedtime stories to each other, seeing how the big sister reads according to the book while the little one says a string of gibberish and how they like to cuddle up against each other for comfort.
 ... letting them discover a world of their own. They can play games, sing, dance and entertain each other for quite some time recently and it is just so comforting to know that they get along more often than they snatch toys.
 ... hearing their screams and yells and sensing how they can get crazy together when they are playing. These are the times that you don't get a moment of peace but perhaps you don't desire that either because of these happy faces.

 ... waking up in the morning to be greeted by this loving sight and not bearing to wake them up from their sweet dreams. It also reminds me that no matter how they might have squabbles on some days which leave one, or both, in tears, how the little one might bully her sister and even shove or pinch her, how they might fight over the same book or toy, at the end of the day, they forgive, they forget, and they never fail to kiss and make up.
I don't just hope for them to be sisters, I wish for them to be best friends in life. So, whenever anything like these above happen, I just thank my lucky stars that I have these two lovelies in my life and I know, I just know, that this is the start of my motherhood journey and there are countless more momazing moments waiting ahead for me.
And I will continue to savour them one by one.
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The making of Scott's #Momazing video
The girls and I did a campaign with Scott's from GSK recently to celebrate motherhood and share our momazing moments through an online video. The shoot involved us doing the things we do at home, like reading, singing and playing, as well as being interviewed about our most memorable momazing moments. 

The crew setting up the filming equipment while I was getting my makeup done

I was initially a little apprehensive when I was told that the filming would be done in my house. Cramped, messy, little space to move about, could it even fit all the cameras, lights and crew of 10 people? Well, the good news was somehow it did, and I guess being at home was what would make me feel most at ease so that I could do a more natural and honest sharing during the interview.

The big girl gets her hair styled too!

I can't say I was nervous about this shoot as our previous filming experiences have definitely prepared and helped us. Nonetheless, the only thing that made me more tense was that we had absolutely no idea of what we needed to do. Yes, unlike our last TVC, we were not given any storyboard or script beforehand so I was totally unsure of what was going to happen. It was exciting in the sense that we had to think on our feet and be spontaneous for every scene.

Singing Itsy Bitsy Spider and other nursery rhymes

Playing phonic games and seeing who has the fastest finger

The big sister singing to the little one as she lays on her lap to drink milk

The scene where the big sister reads a book to the younger one

 I think we have been very lucky in the majority of our photoshoots and filming experiences in that the kids did not have to leave their comfort zones but instead just be the way they are - happy, innocent, loving. I highly doubt that these two will be able to act in the near future but I think they have a flair for being naturals in front of the camera as long as you allow them to be who they truly are.

Putting on a smile during the emotionally charged interview

Moving on to the interview, which usually is the gist and pivotal part of the whole video, I must say this was the most stirring and emotional one that I have ever done. No, I didn't need to talk about any brand or product, I didn't have any teleprompter in front of me, I didn't need to memorise any script as there was none. What I needed to do was to share from the heart.

I had to take pauses, at times to find the right words, at times to regain control over my emotions

I was asked to share about some of my most special and unforgettable momazing moments and elaborate on them in detail. So while I let the scenes replay in my mind and the words to flow out of my mouth, what I did not expect was that I could feel those intense emotions once more.
The time when Ariel ran away from us in the mall and how the big sister ran after her to bring her back, only to realize that she herself was teary-eyed from the thought that she might lose her own sister.
The time when Angel was late for school because she wanted to try letting the little one lie on her lap to drink milk, and she lovingly and patiently did so while stroking her face and singing nursery rhymes to her.
The time when Ariel threw a huge tantrum over not being able to press the lift button and when she refused to remove her shoes or calm down, it was me who left her to deal with her temper alone so I could do the chores, and it was the big sister who despite being yelled at and pushed by the toddler, went to soothe her, took her shoes off and brought her inside the room to play.

Don't let the tears fall, I keep telling myself

Each time I shared about these memorable incidents, I felt myself choking on my emotions and had to fight hard not to let the tears fall. The crew said they wanted me to be real, I think this was as real and as raw as I could possibly get without breaking down. You know what was the most unexpected thing? As I related my stories to the audience, I looked up after awhile and to my surprise, a handful of the ladies had tears in their eyes too. One of them even cried during the interview and I realised she could deeply empathise with what I was talking about; of course, she's a mom too. 

Many thanks to the team for all the time and effort in filming, we hoped you enjoyed it as much as we did!

I just hope that at the end of the day, I accomplished what I wanted - to be real, to be natural, to be me. Hereby, we wish to say thanks to Scott's and the filming crew for giving us this opportunity to share our momazing moments, the kids and I enjoyed the experience and we hope you enjoyed your time with us in our humble home too. Thank you for listening to all our stories!
So, here's presenting the final video where we share with you our momazing moments. Enjoy viewing!

What are some of your most memorable momazing moments? 
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Share and Win!
From now till 31 July, you can share a photo or video of your #momazing moment and stand a chance to win these great prizes! All you have to do is upload your photo or video here. For more details and to read more #momazing experiences, visit momazing.scottskids.com/sg.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post between Scott's and A Happy Mum. All opinions are my own.