The last the whole family met up was probably during Chinese New Year. Although I had met up with my sisters’ and brother’s family separately on a few occasions, it took my father’s birthday for every body to (agree to) meet up at the same time.

In the car, Zara suddenly realised and asked, “Where is Ah Kong’s present?” When I told her there was none, she asked, “Why we go to Ah Kong’s birthday party with no presents?”

Zara was extremely happy to meet up with the cousins, the aunts and uncles. Zaria on the other hand clung on to Daddy and me (she has been pretty clingy after all the attention we’d given when she was unwell), and kept saying, “I want to go home now.” after we’d stepped into the restaurant.

This is the 6th birthday ‘party’ we’d attended this year (although my dad’s party wasn’t a real party with musical chair and all, but more of a dinner), and the 6th time Zaria cried when the Birthday song was sung. It’s strange. Every party we attended, when the cake was whipped out and the candle litted, Zaria’s lips would start trembling, and the minute the first note of the birthday song was sung, she would cry. We always have to carry her out, away from the singing to calm her down. Her reason, “It’s too loud.” and she told us afterwards, “I don’t like birthday(s).”

Since her birthday last year, she has this thing about birthday song and cake cutting. We just hope she’ll out grow this when it’s her 3rd birthday or it won’t be fun having the birthday girl cry when her own song was sung.

Some photos :

Ah Kong and Zara cutting cake

Zaria cried and just clung on to me

Norman monkeying around with Tasha

Norman monkeying around with Zara

The beautiful girls

The very sociable Sam was too occupied with games