Turned Seven Months

My little Darling,

You've turned seven months 2 days ago, and this time, we spent it in Sydney. We had great food and cupcakes on your behalf, and promised you that you'll be enjoying great food with mummy and daddy soon. We believe that you could have somehow inherited some food loving genes from us, but whatever it is, I am sure you'll be influenced in time to come :)

At seven months, I've noticed how focused you are when you play. You're intense and will try to figure out how to move items around your way. You love kicking and moving small objects around. You still love the outdoors tremendously and each time you're out and about on your pram, you'll be intensely looking around, somewhat trying to breathe and take in every single detail of your surrounding. Yet each time out eyes meet, you will break into your grins, which totally melt our hearts.

You eat well generally, and has the best appetite for dinner. I tried to break the habit of eating more for dinner and tried to feed you more for lunch and breakfast, but still, you seem most happy at dinner time. I figured that you're a true blue chinese, you just want your rice (now it comes in porridge or rice cereal form) for dinner. Without it, you day's not complete. Your 3rd tooth emerged this month, so you were a litttle fussy just before that, a trend I realise you'd go through each time a new tooth pops.

We've also started seriously training you to sleep through the night because the Ped said you're gaining weight and growing really well and should not be needing anymore night feeds. So this means, no feeding you after the last feed at about 8 and only next feed you after 6am in the morning. We had to migrate you to your room because each time you cry and I don't feed you, I felt like I was having a cold turkey. So daddy has been doing the hard work, going to your room to soothe you if you don't stop crying. It's been tough, tougher on some nights and we pray that you will learn to sleep through the night soon. You can do it, because you've already done it several times. Such days are like little milestones for us, encouraging us to press on, so that you (and us) rest better at night.

I used to feel guilty leaving you at Childcare, but just seeing how you've grown really warms my heart. I love to see you taking the initiative to reach out to other kids and start talking in your own lingo. Besides doing that, you also snatch their toys away, which we will soon need to teach you more on sharing and playing.

You laugh and love your days when both mummy and daddy are together with you. Sometimes you have a sort of separation anxiety with me and I cannot walk away and have my back to you. You've learnt how to whine and fuss when I walk away, which sometimes made it difficult. On one hand, I feel so super fortunate to be loved by you, but on the other hand drives me a little crazy especially when I have things to do.

I (we) love your company. The Sydney trip was a celebration for Mummy and daddy's 2 years' anniversary. Our lives and marriage is richer because we have you. I love you little buddy, so much that I don't really know how to express in words any more. Yet in practical, God is still teaching me how to do it better. Each month's entry to mark your growth sometimes is more like a milestone for me.

Keep growing, you're doing great.

Love,

Mummy

100% queensland pride

In preparation for state of origin fever janice is walking around the new south wales terrain in this tee shirt proclaiming the winning team (we better start zipping up the jacket just in case we meet some crazy fans)lol

...

I received sober news from the child care this morning. The director called me into office and said that one of Janice's teacher was run down by a car while crossing the road, on the way to lunch yesterday. She didn't make it to the hospital. My mind went blank and my heart went out for her family, whom she is very closed to. She's a petite Asian lady who is very close to her kids. Flashes of her friendly demeanor, and how she cared for Janice since day one just kept coming back to me throughout the day. By the time I reached the office, my legs were jelly. My heart ache just thinking of her and what has happened.

I know I'll be one of the least affected. There's her family, the rest of the teachers whom she has been working closely with, and many people who are close. I pray for God's comfort, and His peace. I pray for opportunities where His love can be shared. I pray that we will not ask "why" but focus on the goodness of her life and thank God for the lives whom she has blessed tremendously. I'd miss her sunshine smiles each time I walk through the door, and remember how she once loved and cuddled Janice.

Growing up

Watching a kid grow up is so much fun. Especially your own kid where you're privilledged to catch her cute antics because she would be most comfortable with you thus reserving a big chunks of smiles exclusive for you.

Sydney Here we come ...

We'll be in Sydney in 3 days time. For a long weekend trip. A little break for us and a small celebration for our 2nd year anniversary. I can't wait.
Anyone with tips on good shopping and eating places? Please fill me in!

2 years …

We celebrated our 2 years anniversary yesterday with a little dinner with just 3 of us. Though it was a quick dinner with us taking turns to carry Janice through the dinner, it was a time well spent. I have yet to really sit down and reflect on the past year, but all I can say is that it was a year worthwhile. I wouldn't want to spend it any other way, with any other person. I love the person whom I have committed my life to before God and this year have brought us stronger and closer. A year that has given us the opportunity to strengthen our commitment, grow in our love for each other and the family; a year of sacrifices; a year that we've learnt to serve more together; a year that I've learnt to cherish our romance even more. To the hub whom I am going to grow old with, I love you, and I am so glad it was you J

Get well soon

Little chirpy is still unwell and i hope she'll be well soon.

Major Adjustment!

I think I am suffering withdrawal symptoms from the departure of my dear mom. She was with us for almost 2 months and just left for Singapore last Saturday. I think she pampers me (us) so much la, though she used to ask me to help out with housework here and there when I was younger, nowadays she just does everything for me. I was spoiled with home cooked dinners when I come back from work, the house is cleaned, clothes washed. Everything was done nicely. She is always so cluey with things and so efficient too. I can come home with a whole bag of bottles, containers etc to be washed after Janice's day at child care, and just when I thought mom was busy with cooking dinner, i realise that not only dinner is cooked, pots washed, everything that needs to be washed are washed and sterilised. Food was delicious, I just had to mention what I felt like eating and it will be on the table. She looks after Janice to the details too, so much so, I felt a little overwhelmed.

Now the full load of working, baby caring, housework and ministry is back. Man, by the time i cleaned up and prepared Janice pureed food and did laundry, was already 11. Shan't bore you with details. But last night was like a nightmare of J crying many times and almost unable to be soothed. So now, I feel like a zombie, at work, with her with me.

It's major adjustment for me and oh! I still have to prepare for a little preaching session on Sunday. But His grace and strength is for me, let me learn to claim it and experience it!

I shall stop ranting and continue to work while Janice naps :)

His Faithfulness

It has been a week long thing where Janice is having runny nose, followed by cough, then her 6mth immunisation. Then over the long weekend, she had fever on and off. Needless to say, sleep has been disturbed and it was trying yesterday because she was just so unsettled. It seems that her 3rd tooth is coming out too, and plus yesterday was the first day I was handling her alone since mom left on Saturday after staying her for about 7 weeks (so blessed!) and it was a long weekend so Kel was around. Janice loves people so much, as long as there are people walking around, moving around her, she can happily sit and play on her own, but when it's just me, she really wanted the attention. So yesterday, was filled with crying, stopping, playing, crying, cleaning the little nose, crying and the list goes.

But HE is faithful! Apparantly @ the J4 prayer, they prayed for Janice and Praise God, she slept from 8pm till 6am this morning! Her fever has subsided and for the first time in her little life she slept for 10hrs straight! Ask other mothers and they will tell you how "taboo" it is to comment something good (especially their sleeping) about your kid, because just when you think that things are great, there will be a "pay back" time that night. So I hesitated, BUT decided that His faithfulness is to be proclaimed.

My favourite people

To my favourite people in the world, this very minute marks the our venture into the 7th month as a family of trio. Just something random to say, I love you and I am loving every minute of it. Even if it takes me suffering in the middle of 2 little snorers :)