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Family life as we know it Getting all sentimental now Milestones and growing up The Kao Kids

How long?

July 1, 2014

Just the other day, I caught a glimpse of my children with their backs turned, all eagerly looking into the kitchen as their father made them a drink.

It was a treat for them, whenever their father made them something. It was always something special, like a specially concocted smoothie or shake. That day they were given a special treat of dad-made bandung, a drink of rose syrup and evaporated milk, which made their day.

As I was watching them getting all excited over a sweetened drink, I wondered, how long will these kids stay this way?

I mean, how long do they get to stay at 5, 4 and 2?

Not very long, apparently. A year to be exact.

And 365 days after each of their birthdays, they grow a year older. Which goes on repeat mode as long as there’s a sun, a moon and a universe.

Which leaves me with just one thought to wrap around my head.

How long then would I get to do this…

This…

And this…

With my babies?

It wasn’t so long ago I was going on and on about how tough it has been to be mothering two toddlers and an infant. And now, I’m looking at the backs of three young children talking and laughing amongst themselves, and growing up too fast.

I’ve said it before and I’d say it again: I don’t think any mother can handle her children growing up. Definitely not me.

I will miss doing so many things with them and watching all the funniness and happiness unfold daily in my life because I know come next year, I’m going to have to handle bigger children, children who would have grown 365 days older.

Oh, slow down, will you, guys? Mama wants to enjoy you at 5, 4 and 2 for a long while more.

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Everyday fun! Family life as we know it Fatherkao loves... Happy days Milestones and growing up The Kao Kids

The hippos are HUNGRY, HUNGRY (chomp!)

June 30, 2014

The house is really noisy these days.

You will be amazed at how much noise pollution this thing, together with these four people makes:

The game’s called ‘Hungry Hungry Hippos’. If you were born in the 70’s or 80’s, I think you’d find it very familiar!

Simple rules: Hands up, get set, chomp!

Gives pandemonium at home a new definition, I tell you.

Fatherkao recently ordered this from Amazon after searching for it in local Toys ‘R’ Us stores for months. They don’t have the game any where, and so we paid USD12.88 for the game and almost four times the game price for shipping.

It’s crazy, I know. I was tempted to scold the husband for spending money like this, until I saw this on the first night they played the game:

And this on another night:

And then the littlest getting all too amused and engaged with the travel set Fatherkao ordered too:

Check out how he plays the two-player game on his own, left hand vs. right hand, in all sort so of positions!

Then I remembered what I often hear my pastor say on Sundays from the pulpit. ‘Use money, love people; NOT use people, love money’. In my husband’s case, he used his money to love his children to make memories they will remember for a lifetime.

They will remember they were hungry, hungry hippos when they were kids, that’s for sure.

Money well spent for so much fun (never mind the noise), that’s what I think!

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Fatherkao loves... Food, glorious food! Happy days Invites & Tryouts The Kao Kids

Any time’s a good time to eat cake! – An early Father’s Day celebration courtesy of Emicakes

June 4, 2014

The kids were up to something last week. I told them a cake would be delivered for their father so we could celebrate Father’s Day (which falls on 15 June this year) in advance, and they quickly got to work.

They took out crayons and paper, and started drawing furiously.

“To surprise Dada!” they said, and began to put on paper the messages they wish to convey to their father.

And when their father returned from work, we surprised him with this lovely cake from Emicakes…

And a wall plastered with three drawings.

And what made their father even more surprised was the fact that he sunk his teeth not into a typical vanilla or chocolate cake we are so used to having because of the kids but gorgeously light and heavenly tiramisu. I figured he deserves to be indulged this way and selected one of his favourite cake fillings for his sweet treat.

And the best part of Emicakes’ tiramisu? It’s non-alcoholic and suitable for children too. Just look at these happy faces.

Ooh, the glorious Italian cheese cake dipped in Nescafé® and cream cheese is just perfect for all of us! This is cake happiness, all thanks to the generous people at Emicakes!

And to share this cake happiness, Emicakes is giving away THREE 20-cm Daddy-bowler-hat-and-moustache cake (with fillings of your choice) to THREE readers of this blog to celebrate Daddy-Awesomeness! To participate in the giveaway, simply follow this to qualify:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends 8 June 2014. Winners will be announced on 9 June 2014.

You can also indulge Dad this Father’s Day! Get a 15% off all featured Father’s Day cakes by 11 June 2014 and enjoy some cake happiness this year with Dad! For more details, check out Emicakes’ website or FB page.

Disclosure: We were given a cake from Emicakes for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received and opinions here are our own.

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Fatherkao loves... Food, glorious food! Motherkao loves... Motherkao's recipes Product Reviews Reviews

Red wine ribeye seared with love, with compliments from OBE Organic

January 24, 2014

My husband and I love to watch Top Chef and MasterChef together. We get our inspiration to bake and cook from these reality shows. Besides being grippingly entertaining, they are really educational for noob cooks like us, and I always fantasised being able to serve up gourmet looking food all prettily plated and all some day.

Recently, OBE Organic sent us some Australian ribeye steaks, minced beef and beef cubes. Ooooh, how we love our beef! It didn’t take long before Fatherkao jumped into action, got into the kitchen and worked like a chef, taking inspiration from all the reality TV we’ve been watching.

And then single-handedly, he transformed this…

To this…

In a matter of minutes! Looks like somebody’s gonna beat me in fulfilling that crazy dream of mine sooner than I think!

The ribeye steak seared perfectly by him and drizzled with the sauce he made was heavenly. Every bite melted in my mouth and the huge cut that Huber’s Butchery sent us for each portion was so huge it was truly satisfying. I am so not looking at my husband the same way again – man, this man can make a mean plate of steak, and with so much luuurrvve.

Talk about the way through a man’s heart. This woman’s heart has been won over and over with every time he steps into the kitchen. *swoon*

I tried convincing him to share his recipe on my blog, and although he’s pretty hazy on the details and not giving me precise, exact measurements, I managed to make out what went into his red wine sauce.

Here it is; and oh yes, remember to get OBE Organic Beef which is certified 100% organic and natural, free of chemicals and growth promotants, and delivers amazingly great flavour.

Steak in Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

Ribeye steaks
knobs of salted butter
shallots and garlic
olive oil for frying
bottle of red wine (we used a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot South African wine, Nederburg)
a dash of red wine vinegar
a ladle of chicken stock (we make ours with carrots, onions and chicken bones)

Instructions:

1) Fry shallots and garlic with olive oil till caramelised, then add a dash of red wine vinegar.

2) Add 4 glasses of red wine. Let the pan’s contents bubble until the wine has reduced by three-quarters.

3) Now add a ladle or two of chicken stock, butter and reduce the rest of the wine, 1-2 glasses at a time. Regularly skim away any impurities by weaving a small ladle in and out of the top of the sauce. Taste regularly and check for seasoning.

4) Heat a grill pan to sear the steaks with oil and cook them, turning once, 4-5 mins for rare, 7-8 mins for medium, 8-10 mins for well done.

5) Serve the steaks on a bed of greens and pour the red wine sauce around. Remember to pass the sauce through a sieve to remove fine impurities.

You can get premium quality organic beef from OBE Organic at Huber’s Butchery. Shop online till the cows come home at Huber’s or visit their Butchery and Bistro @ Dempsey.

Disclosure: This post was made possible from the kind folks from Huber’s and OBE Organic who fed the Kaos really good stuff from really good cows.

P/S: Just cannot resist the pun!

Also linking up with:

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Becks Kao Happy days Motherkao loves...

I was never a fan of pink

September 20, 2013

Before I had a daughter, my wardrobe consisted of autumn colours and I would usually be seen wearing black, white and grey.

Then my daughter came along and changed that. I started liking colours because she loved colours. First she was crazy about all things pink. Then she was into the colours of the rainbow, and now her favourite colour is green.

And just like that, very unconsciously, I started liking the colours she liked. The kids hate it whenever I wear black or white. I don’t hear their usual “Mama you’re so pretty!” whenever I am dressed in those colours. That is why I now wear colourful tops, have green nails and a metallic pink handphone cover.

I’m writing this just to say that if I didn’t have this baby girl in my life, the colour I’d most probably want my KitchenAid to be would be black or silver or white.

But no, I have a little girl who’s my only daughter, and she’s coloured my world much. That was the reason why I was found at Best Denki yesterday swooning over this pretty baby in Limited Edition Raspberry Ice:

And someone loved me enough to get it for me in a heartbeat so Baby Girl and I could go “waaaaa” when it was placed on our kitchen top.

Life should be this colourful always.

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Invites & Tryouts Milestones and growing up Motherkao loves... Reviews The Kao Kids

All in the picture now, thanks to Orange Studios

September 3, 2013

Fatherkao has almost never taken a break from being the resident paparazzo in the house. Since 2009, he’s been bending, squatting and contorting in all sorts of awkward positions with his DSLR, capturing precious moments of each of our kid as they tumbled, crawled and toddled in their growing years. Picture-perfect moments with the kids are also always unpredictable, which means as the resident photog, he’s always on standby mode and ready with his equipment to snap a shot.

Which also means that the number of photographs that we have with him in it are way too few the children always end up asking, “Where is Dada in the picture?”

It is for this reason alone I had agreed almost immediately when Orange Studios contacted me to review their studio photography service. Finally, Dada can be in the pictures, and we’re gonna have some nice family portraits!

Prior to the photoshoot, Orange Studios’ photographer, Ryan, rang me up for a chat to learn more about our family and the kids. He asked what Ben, Becks and Nat loved, what they enjoyed doing, and to name some activities we do together as a family. He suggested that I could bring items that each of the kid liked, books they enjoyed reading and toys they love playing with together, and individually. He also suggested how we could be coordinated outfit-wise, and asked me to think about ways I could make the couple shots special and even suggested that I bring something that was representative of Fatherkao and I during our dating days.

I packed two sets of clothes for the family – one formal and one casual – plus all the stuffed toys that each kid loves: Lego blocks, some of our favourite books, some balls and their favourite of all favourites – Nerf guns. I almost packed in some wine glasses, a bottle of wine and our dusty scuba gear (I think my flippers would disintegrate if I wore them – it’s been so long!) for our couple shots – but by the time I was done packing for the kids, I saw three of those giant Ikea bags lying in the hallway (to my horror) and decided I would be too crazy to be lugging the alcohol and scuba stuff all the way to the studio.

At the studio, we met Ryan and Wini, his lovely assistant, and they helped us settle in and feel comfortable very quickly. I didn’t tell the kids what I packed, and when they saw the Nerfs, the plushies and the Lego Duplo, boy, did they go wild! Getting them to do what they do best (going wild like apes) wasn’t too difficult at all. They quickly warmed up to Ryan, who engaged them in non-stop chatter and jokes, and the kids in turn had fun playing and posing for the camera. There were so many spontaneous moments and much laughter in the studio, thanks to our friendly photographer’s creative and sometimes wild suggestions for shots, and we all had a ball of a time jumping, walking, talking, playing and shooting Nerf guns. It was really fun taking pictures as a family.

I shall let the pictures do the talking:

As you can see, Ryan does a really good job making sure everyone looks comfortably natural and happy. He captures the spontaneity in the moment, and does it extremely well.

We were also given a 20″x 20″ canvas print by Orange Studios, which now sits proudly on the telephone table in our living room. The canvas print quality is superbly impressive. The colours are vibrant and the finish is clean and a beautiful sleek matte. If there was one moment I would want to capture in time and preserve it for eternity, it was that – my young children living their childhood to the fullest and our very blessed family smiling for the camera.

Thank you, Orange Studios, for giving us this opportunity to laugh and play freely, and to have fun together as a family!

*Here’s something for Motherkao’s readers who wish to have a spontaneously smashing good time with Orange Studios!* Orange Studios is offering a $150 cash voucher for readers of this blog if you book anytime from now till 3 October 2013.

The Terms & Conditions that apply are:

1) You need to schedule your photoshoot within 2 months of this post, which is by the first week of November.

2) The cash voucher can be used to offset whichever package(s) you book.

To find out more, contact Orange Studios at +65 8606 6951 | +65 8606 6950 or connect with them via their FB page. Remember to quote “Motherkao” when you make your booking!

You’ll have fun for sure, this I can assure you!

Disclosure: We were invited by Orange Studios to smile for their cameras and to review their studio photography services. We were also given 10 photographs in soft copies and a 20″ x 20″ canvas print of our favourite shot. All opinions here are based on our experience and solely my own.

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Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics What to Expect... As a Mother

???

August 5, 2013

I know I’d probably eat my words when the nest is empty or when I’m 64, whichever comes earlier, but I just need to say this:

I’m so tired answering questions, and so tired of questions!

Gawd’, I can’t even begin describing how exhausted I am, fielding questions that come fast and furious every single waking moment from Ben who’s now four half, and Becks who’s just turned three last week. I’m talking about almost zero minutes of silence here in my life, except on weekdays where they are at kindergarten for three hours, of course; but I’m pretty sure they are giving their teachers a tough time too asking ‘why’ and ‘what’ and ‘how’ and ‘who’. But then again when they are at school, I’m with Nat who is now babbling non stop, so there you have it – the reason why I.am.so.tired.

So Ben and Becks love questions. They breathe, live, eat, drink and dream them.

~~~

When a call comes, the kids scream in my ears and ask ‘Who is it?’ and why the person is calling; when I’m on the phone, they ask who I am messaging and why I’m sending a message.

Becks: Are you messaging, Mama?

Me: Yes. (I try to stick to one-word answers, hoping this would end all questions.)

Ben: Who, Mama?

Me: I’m replying Dada.

Becks: Why?

Me: Cos’ it’s raining and he’s concerned if I would manage ok taking bus with you.

[And so this begins the never-ending series of question regarding travelling in the rain]

Ben: Why is he concerned ah? [Pause. Waits for answer. No answer. Continue.]

Ben: Ya it’s raining, so why you cannot take the car? Can we take taxi?

Becks: Why Dada message you?

Ben: Why cannot take taxi?

Me: Expensive.

Ben: Why is taxi expensive? And why we take bus in the rain is ok?

Becks: Where’s Dada’s car?

Ben: Did he park it here?

Becks: Is he driving now?

Ben: If he’s not using it, why you cannot go and take it?

Becks: Can we take taxi?

Ben: Why you have no money to take taxi? Is bus cheaper than taxi? But if we take bus we’ll be wet you know.

And the questions go on. Questions, questions, and more questions. This goes on until (a) they begin quarrelling among themselves cos’ both of them want to ask at the same time or (b) I go beserk trying to answer their questions. All because I told them the content of their father’s message.

~~~

I sometimes dread telling the kids to look out for things or point out interesting things in their surroundings because I always get a series of ‘why’ and ‘what’ and ‘how’ that follows. I can go, “Hey guys, look! The construction workers are using the steam roller to flatten the tar on the roads” and that’s like opening a big can of worms which I can never shoo back into the can, because it would be followed with questions like:

‘Why are they putting tar on the road?’

‘Do the uncles need to sleep?’

‘Is it noisy for them? Why they don’t cover their ears?’

‘Is the steam roller hot? Will they be burnt?’

‘Why do the uncles work when it’s drizzling now?’

‘Do they get a lot of money for doing this?’

Yes, these are valid questions. In my frustration from answering too many questions, I have categorized questions into ‘stupid’ and ‘intelligent’ and told the kids to only ask intelligent ones. Now you know why I am so tired.

~~~

It’s also becoming quite a challenge for me to read to the kids. The challenge is always on my patience. Questions fill their minds. All the time. They need to know why all.the.time. They absolutely must find out why Peter and Jane are going to the toy store, why they bought toys and sweets, why Pat the dog cannot eat the fish and why Peter and Jane jumped from the rock into the water at the beach (we are reading Key Words with Peter and Jane 1a, 1b and 2a right now). When we read Dear Zoo, Ben kept asking why he can’t write to the zoo to send him a pet. When we read Giraffes Can’t Dance, Becks and Ben kept asking why Gerald the Giraffe suddenly can, and if he could at the end of the story, then why is the title the title (Gerald the Giraffe eventually danced, didn’t he?).

My answers? I told them to go ask the book. Please talk to Peter, Jane, Rod Campbell and Gerald.

~~~

I am really tired. Question: Can I have another brain just to answer their questions?

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Fatherkao loves... Food, glorious food! Happy days Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Product Reviews The Kao Kids

Smooth Operator (with help from the all new Philips Jamie Oliver Blender)

July 25, 2013

No, I’m not referring to Sade’s lover boy with diamond life.

I’m referring to this man who’s been in the kitchen lately, making after-dinner drinks for the kids and winning their hearts:

Smooth(ie) Operator

Thanks to the all new Philips Jamie Oliver Blender, Fatherkao is now the official Smooth(ie) Operator in our house. With mangoes in season, a 600-W blender with a two-speed pulse setting, a high quality 1.5-litre jar and titanium-coated 5-star serrated blades, he’s been wowing the kids with his smoothie creations effortlessly using this new kitchen tool.

The all new Philips Jamie Oliver Blender

He throws in ripe mangoes with lemon sorbet, some fresh lime and mint leaves, and pulse everything with crushed ice. Some days he adds a dash of milk and some days a splash of orange juice.

The ingredients for a refreshing mango smoothie

And the kids go on an all-time high waiting for their desserts after dinner…

Act 1, Scene 1: Gimme, gimme!

Act 2, Scene 1: Can’t wait! Gimme!

Act 2, Scene 2: Smoothie ready!

And going totally ecstatic to the point of declaring this:

Ben: Mama makes smoothie a little bit nice. But Dada makes the NICEST! Next time, when Mama wants to make smoothie, we’ll call you, ok, Dada?

Yummy yum yum, they say!

Now, that’s how the Smooth Operator stole my thunder and became the latest hero in the kitchen, with an uncomplicated blender who does all the work for him!

Keep life simple with the PHILIPS | Jamie Oliver range which includes a food processor (S$268), handblender (S$128) and blender (S$108). Available at leading electronics and departmental stores.

Disclosure: I received the Philips Jamie Oliver Blender for the purpose of writing this. This post is the second in a series of sponsored conversations on behalf of Philips Singapore. All opinions are my own. And yes, I am jealous that what I make for the kids is only “a little bit nice” but that’s just because I lent Fatherkao my Philips JO blender.

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Fatherkao loves... Invites & Tryouts Product Reviews The Kao Kids What to Expect... As a Mother

Be a breastfeeding dad [A post for fathers]

June 7, 2013

Postpartum. Day 1 to 30.

The hormones are raging and she’s on the verge of slipping into those scarily depressing postnatal blues. A fragile little thing is rooting all the time and suckling at her breast round the clock.

She gets no rest.

Overactive let-down. Engorgement. Blocked ducts. Mastitis. These are the “good” problems if she has more than enough milk.

Poor latch. Nipple pain. Cranky, whiny baby. The problems when she doesn’t have enough.

The first 30 days postpartum, she’s likely to be thinking: How can I ever do this, this thing called breastfeeding?

Enter the valiant knight in shining armour. She calls him the husband. How he supports her during this trying period will be the key to her breastfeeding success.

~~~

Dads, you can be a support to a nursing mother (must be your wife, yes?!) in very practical ways. You can show her you are with her in this, besides saying, “I love you, honey, you can do it” so that she finds the strength to persevere in the days of breastfeeding madness.

Here’s how.

Be a breastfeeding dad in FOUR simple ways:

1. Help with the little things

Sitting close to her while she’s nursing, putting your arms around her just so she knows she can count on you for support, giving her neck and shoulders a good rub, bringing her a glass of water or propping her tired legs up on a footstool are just some of the little acts of love you can do to show that you’re emotionally and mentally with her in this. You can also take over with a bottle feed once or twice a day, so she gets a break, and you get to bond with the baby. And do you know, by being around to massage the baby while she is nursing, you can stimulate the baby’s physical and mental development too?

So dads, jump in when you can. Pays great dividends in the long run.

2. Shoo fly, don’t bother me

Your wife doesn’t need an audience to tell her whether she can or cannot breastfeed. Sometimes, the older folks would come by with their well-meaning advice. And sometimes, you have to play the villain by telling the confinement lady and the aunty-mom folks to shut their nagging up. Most importantly, as a couple, whether you choose to breastfeed or bottlefeed, be at peace with your decision and shut your ears out to the world who may have a hundred and one things to say to you.

I’m very appreciative of the fact that my husband put his foot down and told everyone who had a comment to make (especially my first confinement lady, gawd’ she’s a nagger alright!) during my first few weeks of struggling that he’d appreciate it if they let us handle the challenge by ourselves (nicely, of course). Well meaning or not, it’s our baby, and we certainly don’t need the extra stress from anyone else.

3. Invest in a good breastpump

If you see her having trouble nursing during those first few weeks after giving birth, it pays to get a good electric breastpump for her. Especially if baby isn’t able to nurse enough for her to build up her milk supply. Selecting a good one will help keep her milk flowing and prevent plugged ducts or an infection.

I recommend getting one that is fully automatic, has adjustable suction levels to prevent nipple discomfort and is designed to mimic a baby’s sucking patterns, like the Philips AVENT single (or double) electric Comfort breastpump, which allows her to sit more comfortably with no need to lean forward, gently stimulates natural let down and milk flow, and lets her choose from 3 pumping settings to be at her most comfortable.

The single electric Comfort breastpump

4. Send encouragement her way

Yes, I did say that little kind acts are better than “I love you, hun, you can do it” but it’s nice to hear some positive words from you once in a while. So please, please, go tell your wife, the mother of your child, that she’s still babe in your eyes and oh-so-sexy, cos’ well, it sure feels like crap to be nothing but a 24/7 milk machine and still looking five months preggers.

Most importantly, if you were to show the slightest sign of giving up too, you could be negatively affecting your exhausted postpartum wife to do her best for your baby. Sorry dude, in this mega project called ‘Breastfeeding Baby’, you’d have to be the stable one to encourage her to continue with the gig until everything is established.

I was very blessed to have a breastfeeding dad in the house who would be involved in every possible way so that I always have someone to count on for support, and not feel that I was in this all by myself.

Fatherkao, the breastfeeding dad, with Ben, Becks and Nat (clockwise)

He’s bought me breast shields (first in M size, then L, then XL – imagine his embarrassment when he kept returning to the store), read up and bought me my first breastpump (preloved, from a forum – imagine his embarrassment collecting it), asked female colleagues (who are mothers) how to help boost my milk supply (the Chinese will tell you soup, soup and more soup), made countless trips to the pharmacy to get fenugreek, nipple cream and lanolin ointment, and the market to get green papayas for soup every week during the confinement period.

This breastfeeding dad in our house also bought me a whole array of breastfeeding accessories ranging from the nursing pillow to the nursing poncho and all the different brands of breastpads, in addition to doing the four things mentioned above, three times in a row. Because of him, our three kids have had Mama’s elixir of milky goodness for almost 30 months put together.

Most fathers feel that breastfeeding is between mother and child. It doesn’t have to be so. It can involve you. Yes, dad, you. Together, as a family, you can conquer this and make postpartum days a lot easier to bear. And you don’t even need to wear fake boobs.

This story was brought to you by Philips AVENT. Philips AVENT is committed to helping parents give their babies the best start in life, with breastfeeding accessories that help along the way. Every Philips AVENT product is designed with mom and child in mind, and is intuitive, reponsive and easy to use. Their premium quality products support a mother’s choice to breastfeed, bottle feed or do both, by giving her the assurance that they are flexible and designed to support her and her baby.

To look out for more to come from Philips AVENT: www.philips.com.sg/avent

Disclosure: I reviewed the single electric Comfort breastpump and Natural range feeding bottles in earlier posts. This post is part of a series of sponsored conversations by Philips AVENT.

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(Self) Examination Getting all sentimental now

A walk down memory lane, to a day I was princess & queen

April 1, 2013

The mom bloggers in SMB were invited to share special memories of our wedding day as part of a linky party hosted by MummyMoo. So I took a slow walk down memory lane amidst the mothering madness, to a time and place on 11 Dec 2004 and gave thanks for that special day. That day when we said our vows and when he sang me ‘I love you for sentimental reasons’ and told everyone who came that he’s come home.

I remember that Saturday. I was all nervous and anxious. Some parts of the day went by in a blur. Truth be told, there are some things I wished I could change that day. For one, I wished I was more relaxed. I should have focused more on enjoying myself rather than worrying that my guests didn’t – a classic case of misplaced priorities here. I wished I had looked into my husband’s eyes a little longer and thoroughly enjoy my first dance with him, instead of looking around and making sure everything was going ok.

I wished we’d gotten a better photographer, because 9 years on, I’ve found the photos wanting and wished that more candid moments were captured. I am not particularly satisfied with the photo quality for most of my pictures. I also wished that the hotel didn’t print out the announcement for our wedding in black and white. So cheapo!

But there are some things I wouldn’t change for the world.

I wouldn’t change the fact that I married a man who meticulously made everything possible on my wedding day, from getting someone talented to design my dream gown to engaging our favorite jazz band to play at our wedding.

I wouldn’t change the fact that I’ve said my vows to the man who’s never failed to encourage me with words of kindness and love; the man who’s seen me at my worst, yet loves me despite; the man who has always stuck around when the going got tough.