Papaya

Today, I went with Mama to the market and she bought a papaya for me to try. Of course, I could only eat a small amount but because we never know how long those cut slices from the fruit stalls has been displayed and if they are still nutritious, she thinks it's best to get the whole papaya. She read that the riper the fruits, the sweeter they are and so she chose one that looked very ripe and had already been peeled. It turned out that the papaya was so ripe that the surface was quite mashy when she removed it from the cling wrap.

She cut a small amount for me to try. Boy, it was such a sweet surprise. You see, she was feeding me with bland rice cereal when she decided to give me some juice of the papaya as the cereal was a little dry. So it was a mouthful of rice cereal and the next thing I knew, there was a sweet taste in my mouth. Mama smiled at me and I smiled back realising she had given me something sweet. She then used her spoon to mash the papaya and gave it to me. I like the sweet taste so much that I still wanted to eat after I had finished the small amount of papaya. She ended up giving me the rest of the rice cereal. Well, though it still tastes bland but perhaps I was so hungry that I slurped it up anyway. You see, my previous milk feed was 3 and 1/2 hour ago and so I was pretty hungry.




Now, Mama is left with this lot of papaya in the picture above and she and Papa would have to finish it by themselves. Mama should have thought of freezing some of it to give me tomorrow but she didn't and now, they are going to have to eat them all...

(By the way, Mama and Papa are no papaya fans though they don't mind eating it once in a while. ;p )

Me@ NIE

Today, Papa brought me to his office in NIE to see his colleagues. Papa is now helping a research team in NIE to manage a project and this is the office he shares with his team-mates. The lady carrying me is Sini Jiejie and Wenyun Jiejie is standing next to us. They find me really cute and adorable.

Papa has long wanted to bring me to his office to show his colleagues and so today, he finally did it as he sees an opportune time.

Mama also brought me to see her colleagues in NIE whom she got to know when she was working in NIE as a part-time research assistant last year.

All of them were happy to see me. Maybe I should come and see them again when I am older.

Learning to Drink Using a Cup

Dear all,
This is my new cup Mama bought. She read that I can get thirsty while eating my semi-solids and sips of water can be given to me using a soft spout beaker and she went to buy one for me. Today, she let me try drinking from it. I am not too good with it yet but it's kind of fun as I put the soft rubber teat in my mouth and pulled it out with a jerk. Mama wonders if this action will harm the my teeth which may be growing out and I may end up having crooked teeth or something. Well, I am not bothered. Just let me continue to have my fun... :D

Papa Bought Me Books

Today is a public holiday and Papa did not have to go to work. So we spent our morning at home. For the past few days, I had been waking Mama up at 6.30am. Today is no different. Mama fed me with milk and changed my diaper. Though I slept at around 11.30pm last night, I did not go back to sleep. So Mama spent some time with me and then I joined Papa and Mama as they chatted in their bed. It has been some time since they last chatted in their bed during the mornings when they did not have to go to work. Today, I just joined them. Mama thinks I enjoy observing their conversation. Maybe I just like to be with the two of them.

Papa then drove me and Mama to Bukit Timah Hawker Centre for breakfast. This is another place they often came before I was born. Now I am older, Papa is more keen to bring me out.

Then we went to SKS bookshop as Papa wanted to buy some books. The shop did not have the books Papa wants and Papa decided he will have to get them from Amazon.com

Papa also bought 2 new hard-cover books for me. Mama was the one who chose them. 1 of them is a book titled God is Faithful. It tells us in some ways how God is faithful and even quoted Scripture verses. Another is titled Jesus Loves Me. It actually has different verses that Mama can sing using the tune of the song Jesus Loves Me (this I know).

So after today's evening bath and last feed, Mama sang to me using Jesus Loves Me and read me the book God is Faithful. Papa said it can be a reminder for us adults too that God is faithful. Meanwhile, I seem to be more interested to explore these books in my mouth. ;p

Mama hopes I can grow up loving to read. Maybe one day, Papa, Mama and me would all read at home all at the same time. This will be real wonderful for Papa and Mama :D

My REAL First Family Meal

Today, I joined Papa and Mama for dinner. Mama steamed chicken thigh, made tofu with fishballs and had watercress soup with white rice. As she bought too much watercress, she actually fried the extra as another dish. Well, I ate non of the above. Mama only gave me rice cereal and water. Still, it's a good beginning, isn't it? Mama hope I can use the high chair soon so that we can all be somewhat of the same height. :)

My First Family Meal

2 nights ago on Wednesday 22nd Oct, I kind of had my first family meal
with Mama and Papa. Papa was bitten by a mosquito the evening before and he had gone to see a doctor. He bought dinner back home for himself and Mama and they ate at the coffee table while I was placed at the car seat about a metre away from them.

I made some noise and Mama suggested Papa bring the car seat to the coffee table so that I can sort of join in the family meal. Papa did that and I became more quiet. Papa realised that actually I just want to be near to my parents. I am a good boy. They don't have to carry me but just bring me near to them to see what they are doing would do. :)

They had fried rice, sweet and sour pork rice, fried cai xin and salted vegetable with tofu soup. Guess what I had? Just plain water!! But before you go,"tsk tsk.. what kind of parents.." clarification must be made. I already had my rice cereal before Papa came home with dinner and so all I could have is just plain water. Maybe next time Mama will let me have my rice cereal when I join in the family meal again. Mama is sure looking forward to it... :)

During the dinner, I actually fell asleep as I had been awake for slightly more than 3 hours before the dinner. Mama remembers that I also fell asleep when Mama, Papa and Uncle Winston met up for dinner at Mos Burger at Westmall a few months ago. I was in my pram watching Papa talk to Uncle Winston and I just dozed off. Maybe having dinner with adults is indeed a tiring thing for me afterall. ;p

I Killed....

oops... i took an innocent life yesterday....

I was on the floor and wiping it with my regurgitated milk. Mama was trying to clear it up or carry me when she saw an ant crawl near me. Before she can do anything, I already swiped my hand and the milk over the ant and it died instantly. Mama presumed it died by drowning.

Mama told Papa on the MSN (cos Papa was not at home then) that I had committed murder, or at least, ant-slaughter..Papa was really smart. He guessed it was ants even before Mama told him who/what the victim was.

Still, Mama thinks I am blameless because in Christ, we believers are blameless before God.

Papa said he is the judge and pronounced me not guilty... that is how i got myself off the hook...keke :D

I am more mobile

This was the way Mama found me when she left me on my back while she went to the kitchen to do some stuff.

Last Friday, Ye Ye, Nai Nai and Shu Shu came to visit me. Initially, we were supposed to go to Nai Nai's house for a dinner to celebrate her birthday but because I was coughing, Papa decided we would stay at home. So Ye Ye, Nai Nai and Shu Shu came over to visit me instead. Shu Shu noted that when I was placed on the mat, I can turn over on my own and change my orientation to face another direction if I desire to do so.

Papa was quite delighted and surprised to see that I am able to sit on my own without any support for 2 seconds. Mama told him my longest record is about 5 seconds.

Auntie Valerie said I will grow even faster in the next 6 months. Mama presumes she is referring to stuff like learning to sit independently, crawl and growing teeth. Papa said he would like to see me learn how to crawl and so on. Mama said that would really be a road of no-return because once I know how to crawl, I must be supervised at all times. Well, in the first place, having me is already a way of no-return, isn't it so? :P

I am 31 weeks old

Dear all,
I am 31 weeks old today.. this is a picture Mama took for me this morning but don't you think it looks more like those kind that people take for themselves by holding their own cameras?
I sure love taking pictures. Mama has taken many pictures of me smiling at the camera. In fact, she thinks I may actually know my pictures are being taken and hence the many smiles. :D

Papa and Mama are thankful that I am a smile-y baby... say cheez... :D

Last week, I came down with bronchitis. Mama heard me cough in the middle of my sleep and on Thursday morning, I coughed quite a bit. Papa and Mama were worried and they took me to see Dr Ngiam who diagnosed I have bronchitis. I would take a week or two to recover.

Today, I am much better and though I am still coughing on and off, at least I don't cough when I cry the way I used to last week.

This week, Mama noticed that I am looking at my hands more often and curling my fingers. Accoring to books I was supposed to have "discovered" my hands before 3 months old by looking at them but Mama has never seen me looking at my hands until recently.

I am also learning to curl my thumb and index fingers to perfect my pincer grip. The pincer grip is what you would use if you are trying to pick up small objects such as a button or a coin. Mama read in books that a major difference between the hands of man and monkey is that man can do pincer grip. Will let you know when I have learnt how to use it.

Also, nowadays, I am more mobile. Mama can place me on my back on the play mat and go to the kitchen to do some stuff, like cook some white rice, and by the time she sees me again, I am already on my tummy and my entire body is already a few inches away from the mat.

I tried to help Mama mope the floor yesterday. She had already mopped the entire hall when she left me on my own on the play mat to do some housework in the kitchen. By the time she saw me again, I had regurgitated some milk and was wiping the milk around with my hands. Haha. ;p

Poor Papa had to mope the floor again when he came home. He did not have any complaints as he just had to mope the area of the 4 tiles which I had dirtied. He was just glad that he did not have to mope the whole house.

Ah Boo and Ah Voo

Nowadays, I love to purse my lips together and said sounds like "boo" and "voo". This is in addition to my "ah". You see, I am exercising my vocal chords more for the purpose of speech development. Mama likes to see me with this cute expression saying my "boos" especially after she bathed me today because I did a few eye-blinks at her. She was so delighted that I am a happy boy that she sang me a song about how happy she is to be my mum and I am her son. She did not record the tune and it was gone in eternity and she may never remember the song again. But maybe singing to me will help us build even stronger bonds and so it is not wasted, ok? Mama also likes to sing me a song using the tune Mary has a little lamb when she cleans my bottom after I do my "big" business. She put in the Chinese lyrics herself and it can be loosely translated as "my son has poop, has poop, has poop. my son has poop and I help him wipe it clean". What a funny Mama I have... ;D Still, Mama is thankful God has helped me to poop so that I will not be constipated. Maybe this is how Mama tries to rely on God to help her take care of me. :D

Weekend Meals

This is a picture of me and my 4th grand-uncle. He is Mama's 4th maternal uncle. He and his wife gave Mama a lot of encouragement and support since Mama was very young. Mama even thanked them in front of everyone during her church wedding.

Last Saturday afternoon, da yi po came to visit me and Mama decided to bring her out for dinner and asked 4th grand-uncle and his family along. We went to Mayim and had some delicious food but Mama and Papa felt a bit bad to let 4th grand-uncle foot the bill at the end of the dinner.

That aside, we all had a good time. 4th grand uncle and his wife and da yi po all enjoyed my company and I was happy to see them too. Mama was pleasantly surprised that 4th grand uncle seems to know me well because one of the first few things he said when he saw me outside the restaurant was that he will wait until I have warmed up to him before he carries me. I was a good boy at the dinner, satisfied to be on my own in the pram after a milk feed. After the dinner, Mama let 4th grand-uncle carry me.

Then the next day, we went to Crystal Jade restaurant at Holland Village to have lunch after church. Papa and Mama had not been to Crystal Jade for a long time. Papa carried me as he looked through the menu to find a dessert but in the end, they decided not to eat dessert.

Mama thinks the picure showing me and Papa looking in the same direction is interesting. A father and his son were eating at the table next to us. Mama wonders if Papa and I are looking at them or is this just a coincidence that we are looking in the same direction. More importantly, may God grant us the same vision in our lives as a family and that is to glorify God and live a life worthy of the calling of the Lord. :D

I am trying to feed myself

Ever since Mama started feeding me with some solids, I have been enjoying more types of food other than milk. Last week, as Mama tried to feed me with rice cereal using a spoon, I actually took over the spoon and tried to feed myself. Mama was pleasantly surprised.

Today, at 29 weeks, I tried to take the spoon again and Mama managed to snap 2 pics of me. I am very smart. Once I found out Mama is taking my picture, I tried to pose and smile for her but too bad she was not able to capture my smile on her phone camera. Still, don't you think I look cool at the second picture? Not bad for a young boy, yah? ;p

Monday evenings

This is me when I was only a few days old. Mama is not sure if it's some kind of post-labour trauma but ever since my birth, almost every Monday evening, she will recall the bursting of her water bag.

Let me share with you the delivery process. On 17th Mar 2008 Monday evening, Mama was washing the wok after having a homecooked dinner for Papa when her water bag burst. At that time, Papa was having a shower and she quickly shouted for him to come and look at her. At the ante natal class, both Papa and Mama learnt that the bursting of water bag is a sign of labour and Mama's water bag seems to have burst. With her mind, Mama knew it is a sign of labour but her heart was not able to catch up with her mind as she was only 35.5 weeks pregnant and she certainly was not expecting me to arrive so early. She thought it will be another 2 or 3 weeks before I arrived but God has better plans. She tried to call her antenatal class teacher but was unable to locate her and in the end, Papa and Mama decided to make a trip to the hospital just in case. Good that though Mama was not expecting my early arrival, she had started to pack for the hospital stay. She directed Papa to take a few more items and they left for Gleneagles Hospital.

There, she was hooked to the machines and then placed on epidural which worked quite well to prevent her from screaming like those woman in labour that we see on TV. To cut the long story short (it was a 22.5 hour labour, surely you won't want to hear all the things that happened to her and Papa... haha...), the next day evening, I was delivered on 18th March at 8pm, weighing 2.39kg.

Initially, Mama was worried that I may be quite small as my last scan showed that I was only about 2.1kg. She was also worried that I may have to be placed in an incubator as I was pre-mature and that meant a lot of money will have to be spent on my hospitalisation bill. Thank God she felt better with the encouragement of Aunty Siew Lan, Aunty Huishan and Aunty Xiaowen who prayed for her.

Also, she hung on to Psalm 46:1 which says God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. This was the verse of the month that appeared in the calendar that the Methodist Church of Singapore gave to its members. So, you see, you will never know how a seemingly insignificant task such as choosing a verse for the calendar can be used by God to encourage someone in need. ;)

In the end, Mama was in a good spirit most of the time after she found encouragement from God's word and placed her trust in God's plan for her. Papa and Mama are thankful I was delivered safely.

Special mention also goes to Mama's sister, Aunty Cvannelle, cousins- Uncle Quan, Aunty Ying Jie and Wai Po who waited outside the delivery ward for Mama to give birth. They were there since around 5.15pm on Tuesday evening and left after they were shown the video and photos of my delivery because it was getting late and Wai Po was tired and Aunty Cvannelle needed to rush her projects. Even though they had no chance to see me nor Mama, they had no words of complaint. They even bought me a balloon that has the words "It's a Boy" imprinted on it and they bought Mama a sunflower which Papa brought in to the delivery ward before Mama gave birth to me.. Perhaps, this is what unconditional love for your loved ones is about...

We thank God and all of you who had prayed for us. Here is another picture of me when I was discharged with Mama and went home with her.

From then all, Mama always recall on almost every Monday evening that x weeks ago, her water bag burst at around this time or at this time, she and Papa were on their way to the hospital or at that time, she was being hooked to the machine, etc. ;)

Of course she remembers on many tuesdays too that at "this time" of 8pm, I was born. Hey, today is Tuesday... happy 29th week old birthday to me.... ;D

My Cute Pic

Dear all, Mama used this picture when she wrote what may be the "last" post in Multiply. She thinks this is such a cute picture of me that she should blog about this picture. :)

This picture was taken at Sushi Tei last Wednesday. It was Papa's birthday and we went for family photo taking in the afternoon. After the photo taking, we went to East Coast for a short while and came to this Sushi Tei at Uncle Alex's recommendation.

So here I am, carried by Nai Nai and somewhat slightly leaning on the table. Unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy any of the Japanese food that was served. Mama sticked to my milk feed.

Maybe it's time she ask Aunty Siew Lan for more advice on weaning me. ;D It's about time I join in family meals.... :D

About a Boy

hi all, in view of feedback, my blog has been transferred to this website. Mama thinks this is more user-friendly in terms of if you want to add a comment, you can do so more easily. This is unlike the previous one that require you to sign up for an account before you can add a comment. Mama would love to hear from you if you have anything to add in response to my blog... so do write something if you feel like it, ok? God bless you! :)

His Chow Chow, Her Chow Chow and My Chow Chow

if chow chow = bolster, the following story goes :

Hi all, see, this is what I meant previously about Papa put his bolster and Mama's bolster to cordon off a sleeping area for me. Well, it may have prevented me from falling but it didn't stop me from stretching.

One day, Mama put me to sleep with the bolsters in place like the last blog entry. When she checked on me again, she found me in this position. Somehow, I might have stretched and turned myself around and ended up being much nearer to these 2 bolsters in this orientation. Mama quickly took this picture. Cute pic hor? Mama thinks it's quite cosy...

Anyway, to share a short background on the 2 adult chow chows: before I was born, Papa and Mama used to have 3 bolsters on their bed. Papa likes to sleep on one of them and hug the other while Mama hugs the third one. Eversince I was capable of turning around, Papa gave me one of his bolsters. When I was found on the floor early one morning, Papa gave me his second bolster and Mama hung on to hers (so sacrificial of Papa hor?). This arrangement works fine until the third night when Papa took Mama's chow chow and Mama didn't sleep very well that night. So Papa bought another new bolster so that he can reclaim the one he "lent" me... and God willing, all of us can now sleep happily ever after...

The End of My Chow Chow Stories