Ashley, my niece

My niece, Ashley, born 11th August, 2002, is the joy of our family. When she first entered our lives, we were excited! I remember holding her one night when she was only a few days old. In that dimly-lit bedroom when I was practising soothing her to sleep (I was aunty for the first time, so no experience), I held her fragile little body so closely to my bosom. And I whispered into her ears that she was a very precious baby, a gift from God to my sister, and the rest of us. I was sure she heard my words of love and affection.

Ash didn't have a lot of hair as a baby. So my sister would dress her head up with cute and pretty hair bands. I would call her a little potato affectionately. In my mind, the shape of her head with her loose and sparing strands of hair was quite like a potato ;P

Then, she grew up gradually, started walking, talking. I would visit her at Jurong West where she would rush to the door to greet me. She would welcome me most enthusiastically & that always made my day! How I love her pretty face & big, engaging eyes.


At Ashley's second birthday, she told her mummy she would love to have a telly tubby for her birthday cake. So I searched the website for a photo and ordered a photo-cake for her. I discovered that being able to fulfil a child's desire is the most satisfying and pleasing thing an adult can do!






Ashley at Choa Chu Kang flat, grinning for my camera ... she still had her babyish look in this photo

Ashley had a great play companion in the family's first maid.


This was taken at Gleneagles hospital cafeteria on the day my sister gave birth to Tristan, Ash's younger brother.

I asked Ash if she was prepared to welcome her brother...

Naturally, Ash wasn't too sure how to handle little brother Tris and was a tat too rough with him, or so I heard from my mom. Well, she did get the hang of it after a while...

Ash with Fred during Chinese New Year, 2006

Whenever I visited Ash, if she were in a happy mood, she would rope me into her little fantasy games. Playhouse, cards, sticks, charades. But mainly drawings. Ash has a flair for drawing. She is truly a genius in art. And when a child's imagination and happy emotions are rolled into the drawings, the drawings are just so captivating and fresh, for the adult person.

In these photos below, Ash and I showed off our versions of a community for little bunnies. We agreed to take these photos to remember what we did ;)

A recent shot of my sister and her two lovely children