As busy as a bee...

The month of May is a crazy month with mine, Justin's and Bg's birthdays (plus my dad's and half of the Fok family) and Mother's Day. This May seemed to be even busier than usual. 

I started studying again and am now doing my BEd in Early Childhood and am really enjoying it. It's difficult at times trying to manage my studies, look after two kids, be a good wife and a domestic goddess but somehow I managed. Although it has taken me 3 years to get 3 credits :/ And I need 22 credits to finish this degree. Thanks to my supportive and loving hubby, this degree is possible though. So in between weekly tasks and major assignments, I had to plan Justin's birthday party which had to be postponed by a week because my major assignment was due the day before his birthday.

Row has become a CrossFit member and absolutely loves it. He comes home and talks to me about about muscle ups and burpees and toes to poles (or something) and I answer him with a blank look but make up for it with my enthusiasm in supporting him and listening about how awesome CrossFit is. I love how enthusiastic he is...plus I also get to benefit from his fit body :) The same weekend before Justin's birthday and my assignment, Row entered his box (gym) CrossFit competition and he was so pumped for it....I went to watch a bit and saw my man in action. His efforts paid off so well that he and his partner came first in their division. 

For Mother's Day, I was spoilt the whole weekend. It started off with Row taking me out for dinner on Friday night and flowers on Saturday and of course a beautiful card and awesome present from Justin that he made at daycare and a card from Ava. I truly am blessed to be the mother of these two gorgeous children who are able to make my heart melt with just a smile, a cuddle, a kiss or a giggle. Love my kids!

The real busy bees are Justin and Ava though. Justin has been swimming since he was about 15 months old and he still loves it. He's now in the Goldfish class and is learning to do strokes. Not to be biased or anything, but he seems to be a strong swimmer. We decided to start Ava as well although I wanted to wait till summer but Row wants to take Ava and weekend spots are like finding needles in haystacks. It just so happened that when I enquired, they had a spot on Sunday so we started almost 2 months ago. The first lesson did not go well, Ava cried for most of the lesson but her second lesson was much better and by her third, she even submerged for a few seconds. But since then she's missed 2 weeks because she had a bit of a cold. Justin has also started tennis lessons which he absolutely loves. After working in HK, I always said I would never be one of those parents who enroll their kid in every single activity possible so that they can become well rounded children...but it's only two activities a week plus he has so much energy that at least he's burning it off constructively. Justin's also asked to start soccer and re-start gymnastics.

We've had two new additions to the family, one on my side and one on Row's side. My cousin Yong and his wife Nicole had a little girl and Row's cousin, Claire and her husband B also had a little girl. Congratulations to our cousins and welcome to the new babas. 

Justin at his first tennis lesson

Mother's Day collage

Ava's first swimming lesson

Justin at tennis

Cowabunga dude!

I clearly remember the day I went into labour with our first born, Justin....and now he's 4 years old.Where has the time gone?!?!?!?

Justin - 13 May 2009

Justin's actual birthday was on a Monday so we celebrated with just the family and had his party the following weekend. Bright and early on Monday morning, Justin jumped out of bed and said, "It's my birthday!" He had asked for Donatello, the purple Ninja Turtle, so no surprise there but still, his face when he opened his present was one of pure happiness. He kept thanking us the whole day. Row took the afternoon off to spend it with Justin and came home just in time to see the grandparents Skype and Face Time (gotta love technology) with Justin to wish him happy birthday and see him open their present. The grandparents spoilt him this year with an awesome fire engine red balance scooter, one that Justin has been eyeing since Christmas! He was over the moon ecstatically happy and that is an under-statement ;)  That evening, Kaufoo, Kaumoo, Kooche and Koocheung came over for dinner and master Ming was even more spoilt. I made him pizza for dinner and he got a cupcake with a candle.

This year the craze and hence the party theme, was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Justin obviously learnt about this from school as he has not seen it at home but he knows who they are, their colours and their names (and thankfully that's all!) Now that Justin is old enough to know what birthdays mean, i.e. presents, parties, cakes and blowing out candles, we couldn't wiggle out of it this year. He started inviting people to his party like a month before (and we hadn't even organised anything at that stage.) We had a BBQ/ picnic party at Centennial Park and thankfully the sun was shining because it was quite cold. The kids made TMNT masks and shells, played "Pass the parcel" and ran around playing ball, tag, etc. Justin had a good day and was really spoilt again.  

TMNT cupcakes

TMNT cookies

Justin and his mate Oliver as "Leonardo"