Happy Father's Day, Daddy of Cheekiemonkies!

(Written by the Wifey)

Hubby has always written about the family and how he appreciates us. I guess, a re-affirmation of how much we love and appreciate him will be welcomed, and what better occasion to do his then on Father’s Day. A day which hubby totally and unreservedly deserves. (In fact, I think he is a better father than I’m a mother).

During our courtship days, if one were to ask if he would make a good husband, without a doubt, I would say “yes”. He’s a very thoughtful person who would never fail to send me back from dates, on public transport no less, even though we live on different ends of Singapore; making sure I walk on the inside of the walkway away from vehicles, and what struck me the most which till today he doesn't know is – when we were hospitalised in Australia after the vehicle accident and I wasn’t able to leave the bed even for toileting, he assured me that he would clean up after me and wouldn’t mind the toileting mess. This man was for keeps, I remembered telling myself.

But what turned out a bigger pleasant surprise was, as father, he far exceeded my expectations of him. And, monkies, you’d better this appreciate this papa of yours, he has put in his every bit to make sure you all grow up happy. And here’s why he totally deserves father’s day.

He’s a champion poop cleaner. Using to full advantage my more acute sense of smell, I’ve “innocently” asked him to change the diapers, and oh viola, the kid had pooped. And due to extensive experience three kids over, he can clean the most majorly poop mess and by that I mean the “three day never poop and shoot through top of diaper” kind. He has even done so at the staircase!

He baths all three monkies when they were newborns. When Ash was young, I was petrified that I had to bath this fragile little being, totally afraid that a wrong move would break his bones. Seriously worried I was. He rose to the challenge and with his big, manly arms, deftly manoeuvred Ashton like a prata, flipping him back and front to bath him. After that, it has become a ritual that he carried on with the other two.

He has super human endurance. During our travels when the kids were young, and we “garang-ly” used the public transport system to have a feel of how the locals lived and save cost, he would be the porter pushing two luggages, lugging one pram on his shoulder and at times, balancing a baby in front thronging through the street. Lugging back tons of supermarket buys to cook at our lodging, that’s him too! On top of that, he’s the itinerary planner, purchases the air tickets and accommodations, driver and sometimes chef. The Herculean task of loading and squeezing all our luggages into the car boot, coincidently, that’s him too! All so that we can enjoy ourselves during our holidays.

He absolutely hates crowded places and heat. But for the kids, he will brave the crowds at Toy R Us sale, Lego sale, to score the limited edition set that they have always wanted.

He does all the grocery shopping. From baby wipes, meat and vegetables to nursing pad whatever, he’ll do so with nary a complaint. He has even helped to buy pads because it was that urgent and I’m sure if anyone in the queue looks at him funnily, he’ll throw them the “yeah, menstruating is a natural process and my wife happens to need it now” kind of look.

Seeing the effort and seriousness he puts into blogging, he taught the kids that in life, one should always find one’s passion, pursue and work at it. Enjoy the process. When there’s love and passion in life, it can’t go too far wrong.

Most importantly, at the end of the day, even when the kids have been naughty or act crazy, there was never a time he regretted having them. He looks at me with expression that simultaneously says “what have we done? Are these our kids” and “aren’t we lucky to have these three monkies in our life”.

For better or for worse, I know you’ll never give up on the kids, but stand by them and support them unwaveringly. And that is why, you totally deserve to celebrate father’s day. There is no other better person to be the father to my monkies than you. We love you!