Buckingham Palace. The summer visit with our girls was entertaining especially when using the interactive guides in each room introducing history via games for the little one.
Cousins (to my children) visited London from Hong Kong and stayed with us for two glorious whirlwind weeks. Our kids have grown closer from this short visit, living in close quarters. I hope we’ll be able to gather again like this in the near future.
Dancing (and singing). For the first year in her Christmas performances, my firstborn has emerged from her shy cocoon shining bright like a star, remembering all the words and actions without prompting. I couldn’t be prouder to be her Mum. We even had parents stop us in the street to praise her for how loudly she sang in the Christmas play.
Engagement. My best friend has finally found her happiness as well as the new hopes and joys that come with planning a wedding and the dreams for spending her future with her forever soulmate. I am excited to watch this new chapter of her life unfold.
Forever Home. I said end of last year I didn’t mind not having our forever home but it weighed on our minds. It struck us as a momentous milestone in our lives when we fell in love and hastily made the arrangements to uproot and move in before I went back to work. We promise this will be where the girls will grow up and can’t wait to unfurl our lives in here.
(Becoming) Godparents to beautiful little L has been a surreal commitment. We had such a brief ceremony for this big a lifetime and spiritual commitment it doesn’t feel like it has happened at times. But here we are and we are grateful to have been given the honour. We would be pleased to always have her and her family in our lives.
Hampton Court Palace’s Magic Garden was a big hit with the kids this summer too. We went about five times. Who doesn’t love a bit of magic and dragons in their lives?
Independence. Toddlers and children who want to hold their own but want you to stay near all the same. They are cute unless you are struggling for time, then it’s infuriating. Still, time passes to quick and there’s not long till they will dismiss us and no longer require us to hold their hand or watch them perform these tasks caring for themselves.
Juggling. All the time. With the bigger space comes more household chores alongside caring for young children with a full time work load; it is a lot to bear. If I eliminate all hope (and self-pity) that I can receive help, suddenly self-reliance gives me Adrenalin to get me through. I need to install boundaries that will work well for me and the girls. I need to be strong and centred and unaccomodating to any old school patriarchy. I need the girls to know we do not need a man around to get things done and that our lives are not fun only when Daddy is around. I will hang on to these affirmations in hope that they will give my girls independence in life and a rooted understanding that their happiness (and mine) is not pinned upon having a man in their lives.
Koalas and Kangaroos. Feeding these marsupials at Symbio Wildlife Center was a fun experience for the whole family. It’s a lesser well known gem but a highly recommended one over the Zoo when visiting Sydney.
Lixir skin care is my new favourite. It took care of an age spot I had on my right cheek that I got from five years ago. It’s not expensive if you have the right cashback combinations on from ASOS. I’ve decided to replace my Ordinary serums and masks with this range’s night switch and Vitamin C paste because I feel it’s done wonders for my skin.
(St.) Michael’s Mount in Marazion was a bucket list visit for me. Between our stumbling toddler and me hauling a baby in a carrier, I was proud to say we made it up and down the mount through the rain and cold. A beautiful island to walk to when the tide is low and then fun to take a boat back when it’s high tide.
Nexplanon. Inserted on the 16/1/18 to take me through to 2021. It’s a statement that I am done with baby making as I cannot muster the inner strength to grow another being inside me, moving things around inside, bearing down on my bladder and cervix again. Am pretty sure third time around everything will get pushed out. I also do NOT fancy going through childbirth and sleeplessness for another year again.
Ocado. Online shopping basically has been God sent this year. I think I find physical shopping too hard these days. I need a search function and someone to keep suggesting offers to me that I may be interested in for it all to work.
Playgrounds, picnics and play dates galore this past year. My little ones and I have loved every moment so I hope to hang on to those memories. If I could just have this every summer until they are grown, I should be quite content.
Qualifying for our ILR after passing the Life in the UK test offered us momentum in the direction of our future lives. At least it certainly propelled us to consider whether we were staying or going and we are pleased with the decision we have made.
Rangemaster kitchen. This wasn’t even a dream until I owned it. Suddenly I cannot imagine cooking with anything else. It’s such a beautiful oven; easy to use and maintain too. I was intimidated at first but have now learnt that it is my family’s friend not foe.
Sleep (lack thereof). This is an obsession for all parents of young children. I spawn babies who don’t sleep in their first fourteen months reducing my life expectancy from the two and a half years of sleeping only max five hours a night. Part and parcel of how shockingly tough parenthood is.
Tuscany. We were spoiled by its excellent fare this sweltering summer. Driving through undulating green hills and bright cheery sunflower farms, we indulged in gelato and pizza galore. Watching two of our favourite people that we’ve met in London tie the knot made the days spent here that much more special.
Unity with my husband, being on the same page, playing on the same team. I realise how fulfilling and intimate it can make us when we work together as an effective team. Our values are aligned and our beliefs not dissimilar. Yet I am only human and with sleep deprivation, I tend to forget to behave around him; somehow we bring out each other’s worst rather than lift each other up. Be kind. Be Kind. My Mantra to survive this relationship.
Vexation. I am perplexed by how set in her ways my mother in law had become. Her fixation on argument and being contrary which once struck me as a strong woman who could hold her own is now rather domineering and inconsiderate of who she hurts. She says things she doesn’t mean just to pick a fight. In fact I wonder if all old women are like that? My own grandmother always said keeping quiet as a live in inlaw keeps the peace. And my mother in law has always wanted to fight it out. Perhaps because I was raised to expect one thing I now feel the provocation from her part completely unnecessary.
Wetlands Centre membership has given my girls and I some good hangs this brilliantly hot summer. Their ducks waterplay has been fun as has their Lego wildlife.
X-ray for my hypersensitive tooth that has made my cold drink and nut consumption just a tad less enjoyable this past few months.
Youth. It’s slipping me by and with my second child I feel older than ever, my body aches, slumps in ways it didn’t with my first. The sleep deprivation mellows me out. The fighting flame is very rarely there. Consciously I choose to replace it with gratitude and joy in the little things, like my children’s laughter and cuddles.
Zip line. I helped build her skills by encouraging her on different levels of difficulty. Step by step she trained her ability and prepped; my three year old conquered the Zipline despite her fears. I was one proud mum the first time I let her go off on her own, she made it to the end and now has learnt that she can achieve loads as long as she builds it up like a tower, block by block at a time.
2018 flew past I am sure. The mundane gave way to some exciting business in the end. It was an unforgettable, pivotal year in our lives. A true blessing to have had the variety of experiences and decisions fulfilled this year. I haven’t planned 2019 just yet, though I know it will require a finer act of balancing than 2018. I just look forward to the break that will come before then. I am off to find a mince pie and to steal a cuddle and a kiss from my little ones whilst they are still little.
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