Taking Stock Of 2010

New Year's wishes and crackers from Big Bee at a New Year's Day gathering with my cousins 

On the first day of 2011, I would like to wish all my friends and family a glorious New Year! I thought it might be rather meaningful to list down the top 10 most momentous events/achievements of 2010 to help me take stock of the past, and get ready for yet another exciting year ahead. I had asked Big Bee to write down her own list of top 10 most memorable moments in 2010, and 5 most important things to achieve or change in 2011, so it will be interesting to see what she will write down :) 

As for me, here are my favourite top 10 most significant moments:

1. Seeing both my little darlings proceeding to primary 2 and nursery 2 respectively, and observing how fast they grow, not just academically, but in terms of maturity and articulation, in becoming much more sensible girls with a strong grasp of worldly awareness. 

2. Big Bee's blossoming independence, as she started attending more parties on her own, and chilling out with her best friends, sometimes not seeing us for almost a day! This created waves of bittersweet emotions in me - on one hand, I am happy that she is now growing up fast, on the other hand, I am starting to understand the ramifications of a potentially empty nest in the very near future! 

3. Little Bee's natural showmanship on stage, and her emerging gregarious nature. She has no shadow of shyness in her, and veered towards everyone with trust and vivacity. She has also progressed to become a sunny chatterbox, commenting incessantly on almost everything. Her maturity and articulate nature never fails to amaze me. 

4. Big Bee's ardent love for reading. She had already devoured umpteenth books by Enid Blyton (her favourite), Roald Dahl and CS Lewis, amongst others, and read and re-read many of these books up to 10 times or more. I simply could not borrow or buy story books to match her pace of reading. She would be reading when chomping on her meals, reading when she just woke up and all of us were still snoozing on lazy weekends, reading outside when she is stuck in boring parties with us adults, reading in restaurants with us (I had since banned this!), reading all kinds of materials with words on it, right down to food labels! She gives new meaning to the word bookworm!

5. Spending wonderfully romantic time with Hubby in 2 getaways - to Bintan for a weekend getaway as his birthday treat, and to Beijing last month as part of both our work trips. The giddy happiness, delicious yet delirious emotions as well as spirited contentment we experienced with each other on both trips indicated that we just might be able to grow old together with a good amount of enjoyable and exhilarating passion together. Let's hope this zest for spending couple time with each other will last through the years :)

6. Our 2-week whirlwind tour of 3 cities in Japan, traipsing around the country by ourselves with an immensely heavy luggage, 2 impetuous little girls and countless train rides! It was wonderful to spend time in a foreign land, immersing in their culture. 

7. Other short trips this year to Bintan with PF and family, at a cruise with our parents, as well as other staycations in lovely spots off the beaten track in Singapore - at Changi Village Hotel with my cousins and D'Kranji Farm Resort with ourselves.

8. Many many bonding sessions with family, cousins and close friends at home, at short getaways and all around Singapore! The Bees had a grand time making new friends sometimes, and sealing their own friendships with their cousins and other children of Hubby's and my close friends! 

9. Our 10th wedding anniversary celebrations at the Fullerton Bay Hotel. It reinforces our love affair with each other, which had started more than 18 years ago, and had gone through much adversity. I do hope both Hubby and I can be invigorating life-long companions for each other once our nest is empty :)

10. Staying home for an entire month in June, as well as other shorter breaks on a frequent basis with the Bees. I had been balancing work and family very well, tilting more towards family life...and enjoying every minute of it:) 

Happy 2011 - may it be filled with love and laughter, significance and intensity just like 2010.