What a difference a year makes.
This was you, about the same time last year, not walking yet, but very active.
This is you this year, walking, running, jumping, bouncing, and even doing somersaults. 😆
This is Mummy’s favourite photo of you because it captures everything about you – adorable, fun-loving, cheeky, always ready for action, and always bursting with energy and mischief.
You have quite a personality, even though you are only two years young.
You love disturbing your Jiejie.
Though you also bask in Jiejie’s love and care for you.
Jiejie is your best playmate, and your best friend.
And someone you turn to when you are sad, or in trouble, or both.
Sometimes you are quite a tyrant of a little sister, taking Jiejie’s toy when she’s still playing with it or insisting it’s yours when it’s not.
Recently you took over Jiejie’s birthday present, and when Jiejie wanted to play with it, you cheekily said to her, “No battery already!” 😅😂
But you are usually quick to apologise too.
Whether it is to say sorry, or to give your Jiejie a pat or kiss or hug.
In fact you look up to Jiejie a lot, and you always copy her words and her actions.
For your birthday this year, Jiejie prepared a bag of presents for you.
It was in a Redmart plastic bag, filled with toys and stickers you love, and a handwritten card by her, hidden behind the toilet seat because it is probably the only place you wouldn’t expect to find birthday presents. 😆
The bag of toys includes an Elsa doll which both you and Jiejie like, but she has decided to give it to you “because you like Elsa sooooo much”, a minion car, a bunny sticker set, a card that has both your names on it, and most importantly, a lot of love.
I hope you’d always know how much Jiejie loves you.
It’s a joy watching the two of you play and grow up together.
We’ve known for a while now, how different you are from your sister.
You are gregarious and a little on the crazy side, while Jiejie is cautious and a little reserved.
You are a little dynamite and act before you think, while Jiejie is thoughtful and sensible.
I think you are perfect for each other, and perfect for us.
You happily got your face painted during your school’s Deepavali celebration, and even refused to let us wash your face.
Instead you went around exclaiming “Meow!” to us whenever we approached you.
(But according to your teacher’s description in the school portal, you are supposed to be a butterfly, not a cat yah? 😂)
When I asked your sister why she did not get her face painted, she simply made a face that said, “Erm, no thanks.”
I’ve learned to let go of my expectations “because Clarissa is like this / not like this” and enjoy this very fun and funny journey to know you as your own person with your own quirks, and work with you accordingly.
You started going to school in June this year, and what an important milestone it is for you!
By Day 8, you were already waving us goodbye at the gate and marching in happily with your sister.
You learned to eat on your own, put your bowl away when you’re done, and put on your clothes and diapers on your own.
You learned to seek comfort from your friends and to play amicably.
I think it’s safe to say that you enjoy going to school very, very much.
You also enjoy going to the gym very much.
You are always game to volunteer for demos, and always willing to try out the various stations and exercises.
Though I sometimes wonder where (or whom) you got your agility and fearlessness from. 😆
You’ve even received a certificate of excellence for good performance in the gym! 😄
In one particular class, you’d approached one of the stations, wanting to play.
But your gym mate said to you, “Mine!” and refused to let you have a turn, you say “Mine!” right back at him or her, not backing off.
I’m not sure if it’s a good thing, but I was amused by a bunch of toddlers saying “Mine!” to one another, when none of the equipment or toy in the gym belongs to any of you. 😂
Likewise, you look forward to your swimming lesson every Sunday!
You love the water so much and would even try to jump back into the pool when the lesson is over.
I’m happy that you’re into sports!
You also enjoy reading too!
My favourite little moments with you offen involve you picking a book off the shelf, walking over to me and reversing your little bum onto my lap.
“Mummy, read!” You’d say.
I’d read while you listen intently.
And then you’d stand up, put the book back onto the shelf, pick another book and do the same actions again.
Sometimes, if you really like the story, you’d flip the pages back to the beginning and say to me, “Mummy, I want (to) read again!”
Recently your favorite book is a story about looking for a cat, and you love looking for the cat that’d be hidden somewhere on each page.
You’d laugh happily when you manage to spot the cat, and when you don’t, you’d look up from the book and say to me, “Cat, lost!”
😆😆😆
Your tantrums can get quite epic.
I guess it’s frustrating when adults don’t understand your #toddlerlogic!
At 4:30am one morning, you decided you wanted to sleep on the floor outside the kitchen.
After some persuasion I was able to put you on Daddy and Mummy’s bed.
We have a huge bed, but you insisted on sleeping near the edge of the bed closest to the floor.
You eventually kicked Mummy out from the edge, and I placed a bolster beside you, just in case.
You fell asleep but you were also tossing and turning around. The bolster fell onto the floor and you almost rolled along with it too.
I immediately grabbed hold of your leg.
Your eyes were still closed, but you turned to me and said, “I don’t want help.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Just today, you insisted on following me to the toilet.
When I jokingly asked you, “You wanna watch Mummy poop?”, you nodded your head happily.
Indeed you sat outside the toilet and watched me try to do my business.
It was quite impossible to squeeze anything out 😂😂 but you kept asking me, “Done?”
And when I said no, you looked concerned and asked, “Hard? Very hard?”
😂😂😂
I guess that’s why we almost always forget your crazy meltdowns, because you more than make up for it with your funny antics and your affectionate nature.
We love everything about you.
So, go ahead, be you.
Break some rules, but not all the rules, alright?
Continue to find joy in learning and exploring.
Eat well, and be less picky with food.
Don’t tell Yaya, “I tell Mummy ah!” when she tries to give you vegetables. 😂
Go on more adventures with your Jiejie and friends.
Make Daddy laugh and wake him up every morning with your signature “Wakey wakey!”
Call your Ah-gong, Wai-po, Yi-yis and Gu-gus as often as you like.
I love being your Mummy.
Grow up healthy and happy.
May all your birthday wishes come true.
Always the apple of our eyes.
Happy birthday, sweetie.
Love,
Mummy.
weeirdism 