I’m usually immune to the galloping of a brand new year, but this year has been particularly felt like a compressed syringe, what with work and life responsibilities closing in. I badly need a breather this year.

Which goes without saying that I have done zilch preparations for Chinese New Year. But yesterday, the wifey spotted a pop-out shop selling pink CNY garments for girls. (My daughter only wants pink and nothing else. She actually rejected the red garment her grandfather had bought her.) To my delight, she was besotted with one of the pink dresses. Not only that, she looked absolutely angelic and princess-y in the dress. My heart sang — this is why long-suffering adults willingly endure years of imprisoned existence due to their children. Because little humans really take one’s breath away when they are dressed in their Sunday best.

Shortly after buying the dress, I chanced upon roses for sales while buying macarons from Annabelle Patisserie. $10 for a rose! That’s not too bad. Immediately bought one and asked the son to give it to his mother. Valentine’s Day gift ticked off my list.

(Honestly, I’m quite impressed with working couples who still have the bandwidth to celebrate Valentine’s Day after squandering their life energy on their kids. But that’s another story for another time.)

Other than the sight of my daughter in a stunning pink dress, another episode warmed my heart. So, my son received an ang bao from his mum and put $4 inside it to give me! He might just grow up to be my retirement plan! Had to seize the teaching moment and regretfully return him $2 and inform him that 4 sounds like death in Chinese.

(Obviously, I took his $2 ang Bao without any reservations. His money is originally my money anyway! Will deposit this $2 into his sister’s college fund to make his gesture mean something.)

And this is how I ushered in Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year this year. (actually not quite. I still need to tidy up the children’s playroom this afternoon. 😭)