This week, Little Foot turned 18 months. Officially according to the authorities (ECDA specifically), this means she’s no longer an infant.

As the curtains come down on our infant journey with our firstborn,  Papa Long and I have been randomly looking at old photos and video clips of Little Foot’s growth….

from the little blinking bean in my tummy whom we would see on the ultrasound machines

… to finally meeting you for the first time

…. the baby I proudly carried in one arm, football style, and walked out of KKH…

… to the teeny weeny but very observant baby who woke and fussed for milk evry 2 hours

… to the baby who gave me courage enough to venture out with her in carrier, all the time hugging me tight or giving me deep knowing gazing (as if  telling me, “Mummy, I trust you. Trust yourself too”)

… to the bloated baby who bravely battled colic and never lost her faith in me even as I despaired and got angry with myself

… to the little “Flower legs” who cafe-hopped and travelled with us.

… to the foodie that struggles to get her hands on everything that we are eating

… to the little bouncy biter in the exersaucer

… to the tetrapak-chewing baby who rejected teethers

… to the gleeful girl who zipped around the house in the walker

… to the cheeky baby who learnt to play peekaboo back at us

… to the book chomper turned book flipper

… to the baby who loved bubbles and balloons and refer to them as “Babom Babom! ”

… to the swing – loving baby who impressed all the strangers with “Look! That baby is swinging!”

… to the little apprehensive swimmer

… to the youtube and BabyTV fan

… to the baby who proudly walked around pushing chairs and baskets

… to the baby who loved balls

Slowly and steadily, she has grown and sprouted without us really realising that the metamorphosis had happened. 

There are days when I marvel at her witty and charming ways and days that I am caught in situations where I don’t quite know how to deal with the tantrums and stubbornness.

Welcome to Toddlerhood, Yes?  🙂

Dear Little Foot,

Life is busy because you are around. You fill up the hours so quickly when we are engrossed with being with you. Days turn to weeks, and weeks turned to months as I hurry along each day to get work done and get home to you, and we countdown to weekends so that we can be plastered together for 2 whole days.

And here we are, at this major milestone. 

Next week you will go to school.

It will be where you meet your first friends and teachers. It will be where you realise that there are more people to hold dear than these three people whom your life has revolved around for the past 18 months.

I hope school will be fun for you… I hope that you will still retain your sense of adventure even as we place you into a system that may try to mold you while it tries to help you reach for the stars.

I fear. I fear that the system may mold you into something you are intrinsically not.

I fear. I fear that the system may lead you away from what you love to do, to what the system would like you to love to do.

I fear. I fear that I may resent how the world may show you that you are not special, but I know I have to let the world teach you that the Sun and Moon doesn’t revolve around you.

As your parents, we can only keep reminding ourselves not to get lost and blinded by the “competition” in the system…  to place your happiness and welfare at the centre of it all… to guide you to be the best that you can be, to love God, to love life, to be kind to others, to celebrate simplicity….to help you reach a purposeful life. I use purposeful, not successful.  That I feel is how one should live….. yet these are early days,  I just pray not to get too caught up in the race.

My dearest Baby Pie… I am grateful you continue to have complete faith in us, knowing we will catch you or pick up when you fall. I am grateful that you still get upset when I leave you for work each morning. I am grateful that you still exclaim in sheer delight whenever we appear at the front door after a day at work.

I hope you will always know that we are here for you with open arms and open hearts.

Happy and Blessed 18 months my dearest only child. It’s been a fulfilling journey being your parents. May you always find joy in simple things and enjoy good health too. May you never lose faith in yourself, us and God. May you always carry your tenacity and that happy smile with you in life.

Remember, we will always be here to hold you, to catch you if you ever do trip up. Have no fear and soar like the Eagle, up up in the sky!

We love you forever and always. Thank you for making us your Mummy and  Daddy…. you were the most perfect in our eyes from the first time we met.