Mum, Younger Sis and I - Photo Session in Shanghai

Mum, younger sis and I at Tiziano Villas, Shanghai

Mum and younger sister came to Shanghai last month with BIL and 4 kids in tow. It was very festive for 2 weeks and gave the kids and myself the rare opportunity to spend time with my nieces and nephews.

I could count the number of times I've met my BIL in the past decade and since I've left home I've not really seen my sister. When you think that we used to share a room for almost 2 decades, the separation had been quite brutal.

I turn 40 this October. My sister is 4 years younger, my mum has entered her 60s. I won an auction for a photography session with an expat photographer from Estonia during the YCIS Gala a few months ago and thought that this could be a great occasion for the 3 of us to have a picture taken - as a souvenir.

We are not beauties, have all become quite fat and could probably do with one of those Chinese makeovers. But I still wanted something simple and natural and that was what Larissa our photographer could offer. The shoot took place in the garden of her compound and we turned up in just our own clothes and didn't even bother to bring along a change of clothes or any props. I did draw mum's brows for her.

Unlike my nieces none of us knew how to pose. We were stiff and were told to talk to each other to loosen up a bit. Mum as usual said something funny to make us laugh and then we were laughing and talking so much Larissa had to ask us to stop and just pose!

Here is a selection of our shots. I was wondering if we shouldn't have co-ordinated our outfits a little better, like turn up in jeans and white T-shirts or something like that.

Being Photographed By Wang Gang Feng in the Streets of Puxi

Family Shot in Puxi

The family arrived on the 11th and I had the chance to book 2 sessions with China's first freelance photographer Wang Gangfeng for the next morning which I promptly seized. He has probably photographed most of the expat families in Shanghai, but I figured that this would be a good way to introduce old Shanghai to the family and at the same time mark the rare occasion when almost everyone was together for once (my sister and her family were missing though).

3 Kids on a Trishaw

What I knew from looking through some of the other commercial photos Wang had taken was that the shoot would take place in the old streets of Shanghai. Though our RdV was at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel in Puxi. He has hired a young man to walk us from the hotel lobby to the shooting location. And yes, it was weird discovering a small compound filled with dirty old houses and narrow alleys in a neighbourhood known for its skyscrapers and expensive hotels.

Nice balconies

I was actually quite excited to be visiting one of Shanghai's old lanes since Pudong where I am is pretty modernised and clean. At the rate they are pulling down old areas, I suspect that those old houses would soon be a thing of the past - such a pity.

Talking and knitting in the streets

Breakfast, anyone?

Mum told me that she wondered why I've arranged to have our photos taken in such an old and dirty place - but when she saw the photos later on she exclaimed that we were like film actors on location shooting...

Waiting for the family before to finish

Stars of the morning leaving location shoot

Wang Gangfeng runs the Gang of One Photography Studio and claimed to be China's first freelance photographer, first Chinese fashion photographer to have worked with Elle, an award-winning photographer known for his candid shots of life in China...

Drinks, anyone?

I was perplexed as to why he would offer expats expensive private sessions with him, but could only imagine that it's only normal for anyone to want to bank on their notoriety when they can. It could always be for a more noble end e.g. finance his trips to continue documenting life in China or set up learning funds for local students - something I would do if I had his talent and the chance to use it and be known for it.

Lifesize cutout of the photographer in front of his boutique

Photo of Tibetan sisters

We had lunch on the 91st floor of the Shanghai World Financial Centre a week later and came across his boutique selling photographs and postcards (of his work). I must admit that they were lovely, human, touching shots and made me want to decorate my walls with a number of them - both in colour and in black and white. One that I particularly liked was that of a pair of Tibetan sisters who went with their family to pray for a week each year at the big temple in Lhasa.

Want a smoke?

I took a few shots of our location that dark and rainy morning so as to remember the day by. A few grandmas were knitting and gossiping in the streets, breakfast was being sold at the entrance to the compound, a hair salon was drying its towels out in the alley...

Fancy a cheap haircut?

Studio Loft 2009

We had this one enlarged to canvas size

We make it a point to have our photos taken professionally each time we return to Singapore. Maybe it's because we didn't have a wedding album like most people and we are making up for it by making one up as we grow older and fatter.

Soupe Tonkinoise

One has to bring one's own costumes for the shoot and I never bring more than a change or 2 as I usually prefer to go to Singapore with an empty luggage and leave with one filled with food. Besides, I reason that if you look good, all you need is your face.

Asian Mother and Daughter

This year we were photographed on the black, white and eggshell backgrounds. I dressed up everyone in white, blue, yellow, red and beige. Baby Girl was the only one in a purple Vietnamese Ao Dai and those conical straw hats came back with us from Saigon too.

Vietnamese Beauty

It is never easy trying to capture the children on photo and Maryann, a mother herself, has lots of experience and patience. We have been with her since we visited her stand at Singapore Expo in 2005 and it is my regret that I never thought of having photos of myself taken professionally when I was pregnant. Since I have since closed shop, it will have to be for another life.

My Baby Girl

Inspired by my dear friend K's (of Bibou Thru The Years fame) posting on her little girl and what a character the child is etc, I've decided to copycat and come up with one for my Baby Girl too. Though mine would be more of a recap.

Much Wanted Little Beanie

When I think about it, both my sons were accidents. But Baby Girl was much planned and awaited for. I went off the pill expecting to get pregnant quickly and it took me 9 long months before I finally conceived. And even then, I miscarried within 4 weeks and was told by my Gynaecologist to wait at least 3 months before trying again. Well, as usual, I did not listen to instructions and got myself pregnant again less than 3 weeks after the incident. It was therefore with much joy (and relief) that I watched the little beanie on the screen during my first ultra sound for Baby Girl.

Hamburger

I was lucky to have smooth pregnancies. In fact I was unusually happy and contented during those months. I even had the great idea to follow Hubby on the boat when he went diving in Bali, vomitting my heart out each time. And I had the fear of my life on the last ride where we had such a crazy sea and the boat literally flew up and down on the waves. I was shaken pretty violently and thought that I would lose the baby.

I went for an ultra sound at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore and the doctor, reading the scans, announced, "Hamburger". That was his way of telling us that the baby was female :-).

Hubby was ecstatic as he really wanted a little girl. He sat down next to a row of books on Baby Names in MPH and flipped through a few of them. Them he snapped shut the one he was reading and said, "Théa". That was how Baby Girl got her name.

Little Head

But in Spain, they started frightening me with diagnostics of Baby Girl having a small head. Well, her head must not be that small since the Sage-Femme in Paris still had to snip me open in order to let the little head out.

Grenouille (Frog)

We nicknamed her Grenouille when she was in the womb. Those who have received our faire-part at her birth may remember the picture of 2 frogs (drawn by MIL) on the card. She was pretty active in the womb, always moving and kicking. She still is, now that she's out in the open.

Tétoune

Tétoune, Tété, Théa...this child I have breastfed the longest. First for 15 months after her birth and then till she's 3 together with her little brother. Oftentimes I would have 2 babies at the breast. You know why we have a pair of them.

Now and then, you would find her looking at my boobs with lots of nostalgie. With Baby Boy, she had an amazing reflex to suck immediately after being born into the world. And she has since replaced sucking with eating and boy, can she eat.

Fat Cow

The other day, her fiancé (kid of the Crèpe-fame Le Clercqs) in school offered her a candy and she actually refused it, saying quite sadly that she had a fat bum (like her mother) and must eat less candy. She does have quite a bum and should watch out if she doesn't want to start having custom-made pants at the age of 4.

Also, I do not know about other little girls, but this one whinges and whines almost all the time. No, in fact, she whinges and whines only when she's with me (and her dad when he's around). Very often, you'll hear me say, the minute she opens her mouth, "Shut up and stop mooing, you're not a cow!" Seriously, she has this tendancy to go "Ngggg..." whenever she's unhappy with you and that's nerve-wrecking. The house is a real farm.

K wrote that her Bibou's teachers described the girl as a "character" and that that confirmed the parents' own observations.

Well, Baby Girl's teachers told us that she's very shy, reserved, sweet, gentle etc and sang praises of her to the stars. She even got nothing but 'A's in her report card.

You should see her at home. Quite a different person. Bossy, fussy, loud, tomboyish and always up to no good. She knows what she wants and will tell you about it whether you want to know about it or not. She wants to do everything on her own e.g. choose her own clothes, dress up etc and would whine you to death if you should fail to respect that. Though she still refuses to clean her own backside after she has done her big business. All those kids have a thing about leaving me to deal with their mess.

And she can be pretty violent with her little brother. He occasionally sports scratches, bites, bloody nose and bruises courtesy of his older sister.

Little Cat

"Meow...Me I'm Little Cat and you are Mama Cat. Meow..." Don't ask me why, but that's Baby Girl's other identity one-third of the time. She goes about meowing and her Baby Brother is a Little Dog. Me, I'm not into domestic pets, but somehow ended up with two. If you consider that Eldest Son is quite the pig, then I have 3.

School Mistress

The other third of the time she's the school mistress. I'm often tempted to ask her teacher if the good lady spends her time screaming and scolding like my daughter does when she's the school mistress. The person victim of all her scolding and instructions ("Come do your homework! Go and pee in the toilet! Do not touch that!") is of course none other (who else) than her younger brother.

I'm Beautiful

It is my fault, I guess, that I tell my kids every hour that they are sooo beautiful. They really believe in it now. And would occasionally (i.e. at least 3 times a day) seek confirmation with me on the subject. It is fortunate that thus far, I have no need to lie. Hopefully God will be kind and keep things as they are.

Mama, do you love me?

I am pretty limited in what I say to my kids. I belong to those people who dislike talking to children. But if I never say anything else to them, I'll always tell them that I love them. And whenever they see me (and I'm a little slow in pronouncing my usual discours), they'll ask me, "Mama, do you love me?".

Bisous de cinéma

I don't recall my parents ever kissing us. We are affectionate in a distant sort of way, but not physically close. I have therefore made it a point to change this with my own kids. I kiss them all the time. And they reciprocate. Théa loves to kiss. She pouts her lips and then she smooches. And she likes to kiss me on the mouth, like in Hollywood films.

Princess

She has it in her mind that she is a Princess or will be one (depending on the moment). She would often start her sentence with, "When I become a Princess, I am going to (do this, or buy that, or have this)..." My allocated role in helping her fulfil this in the short term is to buy her 1) a Princess dress 2) a Princess tiara 3) a Princess-like mosquito net to cover her bed. I've negotiated to do that only when we've moved to Italy.

Diva

Needless to say, she sings. In tune and with almost all of the lyrics. Mostly in French though. As I've been too lazy to teach her the ones in English (or I did when she couldn't talk and she has since forgotten them). When she sits in the car, she would go, "Mama chérie, could you please put on my music?" And then she'll sing along with the CD. Occasionally, she would also break out in song, inventing her own lyrics.

Father's Girl

She made her way to her father's heart as planned. For her he would return home early enough to bathe her himself (no such priviledge for the boys) when she was a baby. He would carry her, sleep with her, and he is always much more patient and indulgent with her whims and demands. He taught her to swim, he marveled at her intelligence and he tells her all the time that she is beautiful and that he loves her so much. A real Papa's girl.

I could go on and on, but should stop somewhere. Or the others would be jealous.

PS : Photos taken at the Studio Loft in Singapore last year.