"I want a football team I can call my own"

Whilst on my way home on the mrt, I came across a really interesting situation. I sat opposite a young Malay lady who was carrying a little baby in front of her with those chest straddling contraption (the name for that thing totally escaped me suddenly). Beside her was a pram. In it sat a rather beautiful little girl, who was looking at me with curious eyes. I was about to smile at her when another tiny head full of gorgeous curls popped out behind her, and eyes as shiny as precious stones stared back at me. I must have looked a picture of horror cuz at that moment, the 2 toddlers started to look scared. But that was a pram meant for one! Amazing woman, to care for 3 children who couldn't be more than 2 years apart from each other. And she's so slim! Wait, no wonder she's so slim.

Just then, a little boy came beside her and held her hand. 4!!! I looked around the cabin to make sure it wasn't full of kids. You know how hyperactive kids can be, the poor woman never stopped shouting instructions at her puppies, I mean kiddies, to "Stop! Sit! Drink! Don't move!". I heard her telling her oldest child (the boy, about 5 years old) that they're getting off at the next stop. Then the spectacle started. I bet the whole cabin was watching with abated breath to see how she was gonna handle getting all 4 of her children out through the doors in time. You see, by this time, both of her girls were out of the pram, crawling around the seats. So, she's got quite a handful. She gave the baby to her son, who promptly carried the wee thing. The woman then grabbed Miss Curly and put her back in front of the pram. Retrieving the baby, she placed it lying down behind Miss Curly. The she doublechecked the hood of the pram, made a dent in it (it was made of some heavyweight material), grabbed Pretty Eyes and sat her on it. On it! It looked more like a supermarket trolley. Positioning the pram right in front of the door like all Singaporeans do, she shouted her last command to her son to take her bag (it was almost as big as him). As she strolled triumphantly out through the doors unscathed, I swear all of us in the cabin did a silent cheer for her inside.

Thoughts were running through my head : Did she want this? Is her husband unsatiable? Was she forced by her in laws? Did she know about family planning? I know all my views are unfair and judgemental, but I can't help it. The mother's so young, I can't imagine what her life must be like everyday, and here I am complaining about my non-life. Yeah three cheers for motherhood and the new benefits and all, but no thanks. I don't think I can handle a little puppy, not to mention 4 children around the same age.

And I think the army needs more women like her.