It's been a year!

Time flies! It has been a year since I left my last job and become a SAHM. And I survived!!! Well, when I decided to stay at home and look after my kids while my mum recuperated from the surgery, I thought it will be for  a short period of 3 to 6 months. I wouldn't have imagined surviving without any income for a year. For that, I have to thank my hubs for his financial support and encouragement during this period. Seriously, having a single income for a family with 2 kids or more is very tough.

Thinking back, it has been the most insane period for me but it is also the most rewarding and fulfilling year for me. Managing not one but two kids, waking up at wee hours, doing the housechores while trying to keep the kids occupied, cooking in the kitchen with a toddler hanging hugging my legs, feeding them and clearing up the mess that they have created at mealtimes, spending an hour or more trying to get them to nap (and ended up dozing off myself), rushed toilet breaks with a toddler banging and crying outside the bathroom door (or risk getting kidney disorder), crumbs on the floor and sofa immediately after the floor has been mopped and the list goes on. There is practically no ME time.

Yet all it takes is hearing "Mummy, I love you!", enjoying countless hugs and kisses from my kids anytime everyday to make all these thankless chores seem worthwhile. They have taught me to be more patient (the patience level of a FTWM & SAHM can be very different) and to slow down my pace (I have a tendency to rush them in everything they do but they will continue to do it in their own pace. If you cannot convince them, join them). I am very grateful that I can be there for them all the time. When they are unwell, when they are learning new things, when they are curious, when they feel scared, when they are happy, when they need a hand to hold onto, when they need a hug, when they need their mummy by their side. It is a joy to see them grow each day and how they interact and bond as siblings.

Fun @ shower time

Holding hands wherever they go

Fooling around and playing together even if it is squeezing into a laundry basket

 

One of the sweet moments captured

Cuddles! That's how much he loves his sister

Reading a book together

Bubbles time

Little helper feeding her little brother

Milk must be drank together. They will always wait for each other before they drink their milk before nap or bedtime

While being at home has established a greater bond between me and my kids, my hubs and I have foster a closer relationship too. When both parties were working, I guess there was always the stress from work and the guilt of having less time for kids hence we hardly plan for couple time. Weekday nights are too precious as the kids will be awake for that few hours more before bedtime so we want to spend our time with them. No late nights for us after the kids are asleep (not even cuddling up at the sofa to watch TV show) as the kids will usually wake me up in the middle of the night and I will be too exhausted for work the next day (so I was usually grumpy then). Weekends are equally precious as we want to spend time with the kids as a family. Therefore, time alone with my hubs had to take a back seat then. Till last year when I become a stay home mummy, there were more opportunities for us to spend more time together as a couple. And we even went on our first couple vacation after we become parents. I became more understanding and appreciative towards my hubs too as I know it is never easy to be the sole breadwinner of the house.

Though we are financially much poorer, we have foster a greater bond as a family.
 

My happy family

The ones that means the world to me

The ones who makes this family complete