Missing Links

The one singular thing I hate most about being away for work is the missing links in the Bees' lives. There will be gaps in their lives that I would not be part of, and they will forever be hollow chasms in my memories.

During my recent work trip, the Bees had lots of fun with Hubby and my mum:

1) They splashed and swished with water play in our balcony one hot sunny Saturday afternoon

2) They did yoga on bed with Papa

3) They all trooped out to buy male fishes to fertilize the barren eggs of the female fishes in our aquarium! 

4) The Bees had a great time chilling out for a day in my parents' home and another day in Hubby's parents' home. 

5) Big Bee went for a few holiday programmes with Mum and Little Bee in tow (which I will blog about in another post)

6) Papa registered Big Bee for piano lessons without any objections from her. Well done, Papa! 

Lots of activities, and I am very thankful that the Bees have plenty of love and support from our 4 grandparents! And of course, blessed to have such a fun-loving Hubby who is a wonderful Papa to our children. 

The reason why I am so in tuned with their activities is because of Big Bee! I created an email account for her, and we started our very first email communications in this trip. It was such a breath of revitalising air to receive emails from your very own daughter. Like being in love again! Waiting with bated breath and anticipating a new email in the inbox. Reading the words on screen and sporting a silly grin on my face. Feeling that rush of adrenaline when I clicked "reply" and then "send", followed by the entire cycle of waiting again! It makes such a difference to be able to email our children and communicate with them through the miles.

Her first email to me on 28 November 2009 was resplendent with colourful words and icons: 

Hello Mummy,

Today, I went shopping with Papa and (Little Bee) :) 

Papa bought me four fishes to lay the fish eggs. I hope they are all males. (She actually meant the males will fertilise the existing eggs in the aquarium!)

The Uncle Man said that it was hard to tell whether they are males or females. 

Love,

(Big Bee)

I also asked her to update her daily activities in a diary, so I am in touch with small little details from a child's perspective. She diligently wrote daily entries with such sweet details that I could not resist smiling like a Cheshire cat as I was reading her neat writing. 

Her diary on 28 November 2009: 

On Saturday, I went to ballet. After my ballet lesson, Papa signed me up for music lesson. It will start at (sic) January. Papa will be with me for three months in my music lesson(sic). In the afternoon, we ate lunch at home. I sent my first email on the computer to Mummy. After lunch, Papa set out (sic) a swimming pool at our balcony. It was very fun. At night, Popo came to our house. 

Playing gleefully in the indoor pool!

It is so important to communicate to our children as peers and not to enforce any judgement on them...although it is really easier said than done for me. But I thank technology for narrowing the distance between us. And I am beginning to think I am finally on the glorious rewarding end of the carrot stick when parenthood is beginning to reap such celebrated merits.

I feel even more blessed as I received a call from Big Bee on my taxi journey home, who excitedly informed me that she created a welcome home card for me. My entire being was infused with exuberant felicity all the way home. Thank you, Big Bee, for opening up your infinite imagination into my little adult world. You can never imagine the bliss you brought to me.

  

And I can't wait for Little Bee's turn to transform language into a powerful instrument of communication :)