It seems like only yesterday that I was carrying Ash in my arms and rocking her to sleep, whispering to her that I love her. She was a newborn then. From not having much hair as a baby (hee... I called her a 'potato' affectionately, with her round head and sparse hair back then), Ash's hair finally grew. Well, I guess to compensate for a slow start, now, she has almost waist-length hair at 6 years of age ;)
The beginning of Ashley's long hair.... mum kept this treasure in her purse until recently. She has since updated Ashley's photo :)Certain things have to go as one moves into a new phase of life. For my dear Ashley, I was told she soon has to forgo her long hair come January 2009 when she starts P1. Her graduation ceremony at her kindergarten marked this significant transition in her life. It was such a hearty time watching her give her graduation speech & playing one of the lead roles, Sandy, in her graduation musical.
A shot with the 'galaxy' as backdrop
In the musical, the kids built a spaceship to outer space & encountered friendly aliens. Ashley played Sandy, a character who embarked on the space journey
Beaming with satisfaction at the end of the performance
Ashley with her proud parents, Ting and Robin
Ashley with her equally proud grandparents, Gong Gong (Chin Pow) and Po Po (Siew Eng).
The kids today are so much more fortunate than my generation when we were kids. I went to the PAP kindergarten at a void deck a few blocks away from my flat at Circuit Road. Ashley enrolled in a premier pre-school called Lorna Whiston. My K1 teacher - XX Lao Shi (I can't remember anymore cos it's repressed memory - traumatic experience ... haha) retained my very stylish, checked-print, box-shaped schoolbag (you know, the kind with the little push-down lock in front like a mini luggage bag) one eventful day because I was talking to my classmate. Excuse me, I was retained for my spontaneity and verbal expression and expected to sit stiff like a monument at the age of 4? Sigh! Today, any pre-school teacher will know better! Thank God I didn't turn out too bad considering that I was subjected to a punitive and most unimaginative paradigm of early childhood education! haha...
Ashley has also followed mine and my sister's footsteps. My first public address was at my own kindergarten graduation ceremony. I had to stand on a chair because the podium and microphone was very child-unfriendly ;) I've come a long way - now, I am a full-time lecturer and giving public addresses is my ricebowl. hahaha. Ashley, on the other hand, gave her first public thank-you speech. I am very proud of her because she did very well, albeit a little shy.
"Aiyah, this paparazzi is always coming after me... dun feel like smiling leh? I know I am a celebrity-kid, Tristan Thor, and I look cool with my Ed Hardy shirt but I wish they leave me alone sometimes. Really no privacy... they follow me everywhere I go & take pictures of everything I do.... sigh! I must file a complaint!"
"Aiyah... so bored... when is the program starting? My jie-jie is performing leh. That's why I am here to support mah? Huh? My views about kids starring in musicals? Hmmm... generally, it's good opportunity and exposure for them lah... YAWN!"
Beaming with satisfaction at the end of the performance
Ashley with her proud parents, Ting and Robin Ashley with her equally proud grandparents, Gong Gong (Chin Pow) and Po Po (Siew Eng).The kids today are so much more fortunate than my generation when we were kids. I went to the PAP kindergarten at a void deck a few blocks away from my flat at Circuit Road. Ashley enrolled in a premier pre-school called Lorna Whiston. My K1 teacher - XX Lao Shi (I can't remember anymore cos it's repressed memory - traumatic experience ... haha) retained my very stylish, checked-print, box-shaped schoolbag (you know, the kind with the little push-down lock in front like a mini luggage bag) one eventful day because I was talking to my classmate. Excuse me, I was retained for my spontaneity and verbal expression and expected to sit stiff like a monument at the age of 4? Sigh! Today, any pre-school teacher will know better! Thank God I didn't turn out too bad considering that I was subjected to a punitive and most unimaginative paradigm of early childhood education! haha...
Ashley has also followed mine and my sister's footsteps. My first public address was at my own kindergarten graduation ceremony. I had to stand on a chair because the podium and microphone was very child-unfriendly ;) I've come a long way - now, I am a full-time lecturer and giving public addresses is my ricebowl. hahaha. Ashley, on the other hand, gave her first public thank-you speech. I am very proud of her because she did very well, albeit a little shy.
In my days, kids typically perform cultural dance items - the Chinese, the Malay, the Indian ethnic dance with ethnic costumes. The Chinese dancers would come out with their fluffy feathered fans complete with silky colourful outfits and made-in-China, Mary-Jane pumps. The hairdo would be centre-parting with two muffins above the ears. And the make-up atrociously bright with scary-red rouge and fire-engine red lips. Other than dance items, kids perform in the choir where they stood in straight lines and swayed in synchrony. Today, the kids put up a full-length musical, complete with creative costumes, props, scripted lines and songs, oh! and an intermission in between. The age group of the audience appreciating musicals has also gotten younger... in the like of a 2+ year old brother sitting and waiting for the program to start.
"Aiyah, this paparazzi is always coming after me... dun feel like smiling leh? I know I am a celebrity-kid, Tristan Thor, and I look cool with my Ed Hardy shirt but I wish they leave me alone sometimes. Really no privacy... they follow me everywhere I go & take pictures of everything I do.... sigh! I must file a complaint!"
"Aiyah... so bored... when is the program starting? My jie-jie is performing leh. That's why I am here to support mah? Huh? My views about kids starring in musicals? Hmmm... generally, it's good opportunity and exposure for them lah... YAWN!"
The Kids Cooperate to Build a Spaceship
Sandy and her Gang Encounter Friendly Aliens
Meanwhile, during the intermission, celebrity-kid Tristan Thor was ....."Wow, so thirsty! Not easy sitting through a full-length performance man! Plus I was singing along with the song... did you hear? A-B-C-D-E-F-G... mama asked me to be quiet though, hmmm, maybe I oughta get up the stage, then I will be allowed to sing."
Ashley has finally graduated! But my darling girl, this is just the beginning of a long learning journey ahead of you. May you grow in knowledge, strength, wisdom and character. Be God-fearing, be forgiving, be kind and most of all, love yourself and others. Chin yi-yi will wait till the day she attends your university convocation ;) Hopefully, she doesn't have that many white hair then... hee hee hee ;)
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