Isabella's fans

Pepper the faithful dog and guardian. If there is anything wrong with the baby, she knows it and she will tell us.

With the grampa

Her big sister. One word out of Caitlin's mouth and her head turns and she eyes follow Caitlin everywhere.

Chillin with the gammy (nice shirt ma!)

Having a laugh with nanny

Auntie Tuff who she loves to stare at!

The daddy

My 2 girls

Tried this new app for I phone. I think its pretty cool! These are my favourite photos of the girls. How I love them so!

The Parent Trap

As a teacher and a parent (I say teacher first because at the moment I have more experience in that department), I am faced with the Singapore education system on a daily basis. I have seen many struggle and fail, many struggle and pass and many who simply breeze through. Comments such as íts too rigid, better to migrate, the system is all about rote learning, doesn't teach our kids to think out of the box and not preparing them for the real world, killing their spirit and much more - I have heard them all.

As a teacher and therefore part of the system, I have to say that I am a firm believer in it. I strongly believe that students who have gone through the rigidity, competition and pressure and the many examinations will come out the better for it. Say what you will about the system but I think most can safely say that if you can survive it in Singapore, you can survive anywhere. I will not get into the intricacies of the many changes being made in our system. Those who live in it on a daily basis can truly understand that we are in the process of combining the strengths of our system with new ideas, projects, expriential learning, ICT and so much more. I feel this pressure for my students but I am extremely thankful for it as well.

As a parent, I am also aware of what Caitlin and Isabella will be experiencing as they go to primary, secondary and tertiary education. As their mother, I will be by their side supporting them but as a teacher, I will also be challenging them, stretching them and pushing them to reach their full potential. Because for me, education is their meal ticket, their rice bowl and their path to a comfortable life where they will never have to worry about money. As I tell my students daily, we do not live on farms where we are self - sufficent. We live in a fiercely competitive world where just simply getting by on mediocrity is no longer accepted; a world where your certificate gets you through the door.

But as a teacher AND a parent, more importantly, I want them to learn the value of hard work and perserverance. Of never giving up and of always giving of one's best in everything that you do but being respectful, caring and kind at the same time. Those are the life values that I want them to learn as well.

So I have become an official Singapore parent. I will never be as crazy as some parents who would move to an estate just to get into a good school. But I will be the parent that will check their books, make sure their homework is always done on a friday not on a sunday, never let them skip school, that they read and read and read, that they love learning, who will talk to their teacher and who will hold their hands during exam and test preparation, who will NOT accept anything less than their best work and effort. It is one of the best gifts I will be able to give them.

Caitlin doing her daily lessons with me. She has been doing this since 9 months of age and I think she's all the better for it! (and yes, she loves it!)

And below is Caitlin helping me with Isabella's lesson

More pictures!

Wanted her hair straightened for school's Easter Party

Knocked out...nothing could have woken her up.

Olive oil in hair to cure her cradle cap

At Sim's house (in Ozzie's costume!)

Going for party at Sim's house

You must play with me!

Learning how to do chores at home

My two baby girls

A very happy baby

Just before her bath

Going for Disney on ice

Caitlin's faux birthday party for being such a good girl

Our loyal staff nurse, Pepper

Smiling at her daddy

It's been awhile

I can safely say without a doubt that I am a person who is not good with changes. I have yet to meet someone actually who embraces changes with positivity or even nonchalance. 2009 and 2010 have been a year of great changes that have come my way. Some were good. Some were bad and some were downright scary. Either way, what we got out of it was one Isabella Faith Simon. From being told that it may have been an ectopic pregnancy, 2 months of throwing up the entire day, to the baby having a thick nuchal translucency, to 3 months of torture to fnd out if she had Down's Syndrome and then waiting for her birth to see if she was normal. Everyday for me was a mixture of excitement, trepidation, physical exhaustion and uncertainty. And then there was Caitlin who had been the center of attention for 3 1/2 years. I felt sad because I knew that at least for a certain period of time we could no longer do our daily outings, lessons, conversations and even baths! I was afraid of how she would react and feel about the baby and about us as new parents once again.

Needless to say 2 months in...my fears and my hopes have come true. She is a great big sister coupled with the toddler tantrums and pereira attitude. It has not been an easy adjustment but as the days go by, it is getting better, more fun and definitely interesting.

Our daily storytime on Caitlin's bed

First trip to the playground

At 3 weeks doing what else? Sleeping

1 Day old

Listening to Michael jackson on my Ipod

My darling girl in option 1 dress

Caitlin at 3

The consumate water baby

Waiting for her turn for face painting (in lovely dress from Laura)

Trying to climb out of the pool after a panic attack

Ryan grimacing - another convent girl (potential) that I have to handle!

This is Caitlin - a frown (Mischa) and a smile (Edward)

Haven't blogged in awhile and I've been getting a scolding from people left and right so here is an update of Caitlin at 3, taken at Kieran O' Rourke's Birthday Party (Ryan and Emily's son). (These photos are courtesy of Emily)

Maybe the old songs....

Its late on a Saturday night and I'm home reminiscing about so many things that keep going through my mind. For some reason, the last 2 weeks have seen me thinking about old times, missing the old times and wishing I could be back there. I'm happy as happy can be now but I do miss so many things from my past. If only I could snap my fingers and be transported back when:

1. I was 19 - 24. I really loved that period of my life (university, going out with friends) and I ache for those times.
2. We would meet at Orchard MRT station every Wed night, take the bus (yes the bus) (no 16) to Zouk at 6pm so we could queue ealy, get stamped, have dinner and go back in for Mambo.
3. we used to dance all night at the main dance floor of Zouk (the stairs no less), only to leave either to go to the ladies or to get a drink during midnight madness (read - one for one - an essential for those with no jobs).
4. I could remember the sequence of the songs that were played at Mambo (in fact I can still remember!)
5. we used to club at Barracuda, Rootz, Kilimajaro and I forget the club at Boat Quay. The antics that we pulled and the amount of alcohol that we drank!
6. we used to hang out at MTV bar before going down to the main dance floor.
7. we used to drink our parents alcohol at home because we couldn't afford the drinks outside. Barry and I loading up on mountain dew and bourbon at 4pm will forever be etched in my mind as well as when we used to fill drinks into a soft drink bottle and drink while queing.
8. I could fit in Urban and Co outfits (XS no less), when I could expose my flat stomach and wear low cut jeans, low cut tops, backless tops - you name it, I had it.
9. I could still function after 3am, have a Zouk hot dog and Orange juice, then head for supper, sleep for awhile, go to church, have breakfast and then lunch with the same people I went out with the night before (Deb, Ryan and Tuff)
10. Pile into Sharon's car with the fluffy white furry car seat covers which she proudly bought from Australia and drive around picking people up so that they could skip class and hang out.
11. I worked at Civil Service Club (the soup and hot bread every morning, the George Michael Listen without Prejudice CD that we played everyday and going out after work)
12. I could drink 10 tequila shots in a row and it did not even make a dent in my system!
13. I could go home and see my mum and dad every morning - chatting over breakfast and newspapers, lying on their bed and talking about everything.
14. My sister was right next door to me.

I feel all grown up now - a mother, a teacher, a wife - as if everything has its place and that's how its going to be for the long run. I have everything that I want and need and I am satisfied with my life. But I do crave for those days when I had no responsibility, when my only worry was what to wear on Wed and Sat nights, when I spent so much time with people who have always known me inside out and genuinely had a good time with, when I never ever worried about money, when all I did was study and go for lectures, come home and relax. I miss the carefree, devil may care take on life that we all had and I miss how we all were at that time. We have changed so much since then.

I guess I just have to close my eyes and all these memories come flooding back to me. But they are what they are - memories - and while I will always hold them dear to me and bring them up once in awile, I will leave them where they are and start making new memories for the next decade of my life.

Caitlin goes horseriding!