It gets louder ...

The cries my little rascal makes are no longer gentle to the ears. It gets louder each day as his lungs grow to accommodate his screams.

I started wearing an eye mask to sleep. Is that what it's called? The ones to cover light from interrupting a good night's sleep and very soon the ear plugs would too be required.

The little one is growing healthily except for the sounds of phlegm that is often heard at night and according to the doctor it is not phlegm but just that their airways are tiny, the heaving sounds come about. I still choose to think it's the sticky liquid.












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My first Father's Day ..

Having missed Mother's Day for Sandy because Luca decided to pop only one day after ... I am glad that yesterday was the first of many Father's Day to come for me.

Six weeks old and we have decided that Luca's hair will need to be 'trimmed' because of the joy weather we have here in Singapore and it is getting hotter.

So don't be deceived by the flash flood along Orchard Road. It is not cold and rainy here.

Enjoying an average of about 150-180 ml of milk every three hours, Luca is showing signs of a ferocious tiger boy. Take a little longer to give him his milk and his growls ( not wails ) will get really loud that his Sheep father gets terrified by the little naughty one.

He has also started on the pacifier but restricted only for the wee hours when I enjoy my beauty sleep but many times he'll spit it out wanting an exchange for real teats with milk flow.

Just yesterday after his hair cut, I bought 5 CDs of nursery rhymes and songs for Luca and guess what? I played it in my car and sang along with my two younger brothers. I felt like a kid all over again but behind the wheels.

Great being a father but the responsibilities never end ... Same for the unconditional love which is perpetual.

Happy father's day!






















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Family support ...

Weekends have been quite a breeze for us as we have the luxury of family to help us out in tending to Luca.

I guess family support under all circumstances is very important as it keeps sanity balance in check and it gives us as newly awarded parents breathing time away from the bizarre environment.

Yes. Parenting is bizarre cause you tend to care too much for the kid and sometimes neglect the people around. Ask me. I know.

Sandy, Luca and I are blessed to have family members who play an important role in the upbringing of the kid. To tend to him when he cries and feed him when he's hungry.

A whole lot of concerned folks at home who can't hold back their love for the kid - The rascal's grandparents, godgrandparents, great grand mothers, uncles and aunts.

Along the way, I know he will be spoilt by the folks around. Rocking, shaking, patting, toys, outings etc just to pacify him. Ask me, I too was spoilt. Or am spoilt.

I guess I am a little more strict in terms of pacifying him because of the result of me. Know what I mean? I believe very much in the Pepsi ad - Ask for more.

Children get accustomed and conditioned by such acts of 'kindness' but the cruelty of such treatment won't spare us as parents who sleep at night with the child.

We are expected to show the same 'kindness' to them in the middle of the night but guess what? We can't catch up. That sure is one tiring process of not one night but many more nights because the rascal will surely ask for more of patting, rocking, carrying etc.

My. So many to spoil the rascal thus I have to play the bad fella to keep everything balanced. Frankly I too would love to spoil him but too many 'spoilers' will only create a brat.










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Luca's five weeks old ...

And Sandy has grasped most of the needed skills a mother is required to have. Best of all, she's doing it very well.

She attends to Luca all the time she's around while I now sit back and watch her perform the rituals of a loving mother. Ocassionally with me nagging at how certain things need to be done my way.

Yes. We all have our own opinions of things and that sometimes results in fights. Normal so don't be alarmed.

So how has it been for us this five weeks?

The body is slowly adapting to less sleep and we tend to know what the baby wants when he wails as he pleases.

We try to grab as many baby products as possible and to date I likely have 16 milk bottles and counting. Yes. Ridiculous. I know. I just can't resist buying more of Dr Browns.

The best part of Luca being five weeks old is the part where we are 'allowed' to bring him out to our Parents' home and that sure is a plus because it allows Sandy and I personal time together to sort out our differences. You know, like a boxing ring outside the home? Kidding.

I now look forward to seeing Luca turn his body from side to side, learning to crawl etc. It'll be a different type of joy to see the little one achieve.

















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2 years of Marriage ...

... And we successfully made a baby, nurtured him while he was in Sandy's womb and successfully delivered Luca into this world last month.

All in two years ....

Well, this two years have been quite a journey and I have to say it was an enjoyment walking alongside Sandy.

We have our fair share of differences and the occasional squabbles which end up in tears but we know it is inevitable.It happens in all relationships.

It gets a lot worst nowadays because of the differences in opinions on how to change the diapers or rather how to manage the little one but again my favorite phrase - it's all worth it. Part of growing up for the kid as well as for us as parents.

Nevertheless, we look forward to the journey ahead and hopefully by the end of our third year of marriage, our second child is ready.

For now, let's focus on Luca and carry on our happy journey together.

Oh, just for record purpose, we had dinner at Beaufort last year and this year we had Perle Noire which serves very nice steak. ; )

Well, in case I forget. Ha ha.

Luca's First Month Celebration ...

Time flies and on Saturday 5 June 2010, we celebrated Luca's first month celebration at East Coast Tung Lok with family, relatives and close family friends.

All dressed in red to mark the celebration, Luca met up with 50 new faces. : )

It was a good time to enjoy gathering with family and friends whom I have not met in ages and I was all glad they took time off to attend the special function despite the weather. Yes, it rained but not as heavy as on my birthday. Some of them even made it to do some cycling after lunch. My. I wonder how they managed to cycle after a heavy meal, perhaps they weren't full.

As usual, we saw quite a bit of food wasted and was pretty embarrassed by it but what to do? Sandy over ordered. Or maybe it was me.

Nevertheless, I thank everyone for gracing the event and that their presence surely made a lot of difference to the celebration. Thankful also for the gifts and blessings showered upon us. Thank you!

Funny things fathers do ...

A child changes the lives of parents and now that Luca has turned 4 weeks, I guess I can share with you what funny things fathers can do.

Being a little short sighted, ok. I lied. Being really short sighted, I sometimes wear my spectacles to sleep so as to be able to react immediately when my little one spits milk or makes strange grunting noises at night.

At other times as I cradle Luca to sleep, I will sing to him songs I never knew. Songs and lyrics I created for him at the spur of the moment. Unfortunately, they get forgotten immediately.

Very often I speak to him as if he was a teenager, explaining to him the matters of life and what my thoughts are for him. Teaching him the art of life and funnily he grins in response perhaps telling me how silly I am because he understands nothing to what I am saying.

And hear this, this is by far the most unselfish thing I would say to him .... " When you grow up, love your mummy more than you would love me because she painstakingly brought you up by providing milk and nursing you but daddy did none of the above except to play, sing and basically entertain you."

Happy 1st Month little rascal ... The one who keeps me awake all night ever since we heard the news you were 'planted'. ; )







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