This day, ten years ago, at 9:27 am, my life changed.
I now had another person to take care of. Of me and yet independant of me. Mine and yet, not quite. Of more worth than silver of gold, and yet just a bundle of wrinkly flesh. And good lungs.
What people said:
- He is so perfect
- You are so blessed
- He is going to be a wonderful being
- He will bring you joys you didn't know about
What they didn't say
- You will never sleep again
- Your body will never get over it
- You will find out the most wonderful and most evil things about yourself
- You will feel sorrow about things that didn't matter before
They were right. But so were the unspoken words.
One thing I do know. I wouldn't change it for the world. He is my only arrow in my quiver, but he would be the one I want next to me, come what may.
He is my baby, my son, my kid, my joy, my trial and my greatest blessing.
Happy birthday son!
Thursday, August 27
Tuesday, August 25
My week in review
Its been a busy busy busy week and guess what? Next week will be even busier. On the one hand, I am just thankful that I am blessed with so much to do, so many to love and time to do it all. On the other, I am a little weary of the routine, of the sheer everydayness of it all and can't wait for a break!
Meanwhile here is my week in review
Monday
Company Dinner and Dance. Was super fun. Thanks J and A who babysat for me and allowed me this night. I won a hairdryer. Pictures here is the crazy marcom team. And Darth Vader. That's actually John, our designer, who was part of the org comm and hence got to be in costume, but not eat anything.
Tuesday
Earnest work on Annual Report begins. Stress
Wednesday
Meetings. meetings, meetings and more meetings. Most unproductive day of the week. But finding time is a skill that I am working on, so this was a good day to practise.
Thursday
Scramble like mad to complete the magazine. In a writing flurry, and in the midst of it panic about how I haven't written the script for the church anniversary yet.
Went to prayer meeting at night. First time in a long long while. Felt good.
Friday
..I'm in love. Hee. Not really. But it's a song. Ok, Friday was a usual work day, mad rush to finish stuff. Spent Friday night shopping with Hanan for an outfit to wear to ...
Sat
....Vimal's ROM party. Which was also super fun. The food was awesome and the company was great. It was small-ish, about 100 people in all. As usual, ours was the hecklers' table, and very noisy. It was great that we have so many friends and family in our circle who are such good singers. save money on entertainement.
Sunday
Lunch with J and V,their treat, God bless them. T came along too. Crystal Jade dim sum rocks! Ooh, and I ran into Shades from Ngee Ann Poly. He looked so grown up, so man - not like the boy I once knew. I promised to find him on facebook, but haven't done that yet.
Monday
Happy Birthday, Prashanth!!! My baby brother turns 31, which makes me feel even older. Its a shame he is so far away, but you know we love you, bro! And mummy's home from India. Two weeks without her is just too long. Also, Hanan's exan started. Ugh.
Which brings us to today!
See what I mean by blessed beyond belief?
Meanwhile here is my week in review
Monday
Company Dinner and Dance. Was super fun. Thanks J and A who babysat for me and allowed me this night. I won a hairdryer. Pictures here is the crazy marcom team. And Darth Vader. That's actually John, our designer, who was part of the org comm and hence got to be in costume, but not eat anything.
Tuesday
Earnest work on Annual Report begins. Stress
Wednesday
Meetings. meetings, meetings and more meetings. Most unproductive day of the week. But finding time is a skill that I am working on, so this was a good day to practise.
Thursday
Scramble like mad to complete the magazine. In a writing flurry, and in the midst of it panic about how I haven't written the script for the church anniversary yet.
Went to prayer meeting at night. First time in a long long while. Felt good.
Friday
..I'm in love. Hee. Not really. But it's a song. Ok, Friday was a usual work day, mad rush to finish stuff. Spent Friday night shopping with Hanan for an outfit to wear to ...
Sat
....Vimal's ROM party. Which was also super fun. The food was awesome and the company was great. It was small-ish, about 100 people in all. As usual, ours was the hecklers' table, and very noisy. It was great that we have so many friends and family in our circle who are such good singers. save money on entertainement.
Sunday
Lunch with J and V,their treat, God bless them. T came along too. Crystal Jade dim sum rocks! Ooh, and I ran into Shades from Ngee Ann Poly. He looked so grown up, so man - not like the boy I once knew. I promised to find him on facebook, but haven't done that yet.
Monday
Happy Birthday, Prashanth!!! My baby brother turns 31, which makes me feel even older. Its a shame he is so far away, but you know we love you, bro! And mummy's home from India. Two weeks without her is just too long. Also, Hanan's exan started. Ugh.
Which brings us to today!
See what I mean by blessed beyond belief?
Monday, August 10
Restaurant Review - KPO
Better than meeting up with friends I really enjoy is meeting them in a cool place like KPO, where the slate coloured walls, muted lighting and cosy low sofas made for great conversation.
It helped that for the first hour or so, we were just about the only ones there, the PH crowd only picking up after 1:30pm. Sad for the outlet, but yay for us.
After all the mixed reviews I read about the place on www.hungrygowhere.com, I knew that checking it out myself would be the only thing to do. So with two willing(or not) victims, that's just what we did.
KPO is right where that "philatelic" place is, the Killney Post Office, hence its moniker. I guess it must get pretty crowded at night with the yuppie crowd, but today is was a family brunch sorta vibe.
I had the all day breakfast aka the works. Scrambled eggs on ultra thick toast, nice fat sausage, generous side of bacon, hash browned potatoes for $15 was a pretty good deal to me. What was NOT a good deal was the miserable tiny cup of Earl Grey for $9 bucks. C'mon guys, if you are gonna charge that much, at least give us a pot, will ya?
R's Steak and eggs were pretty good too. The red wine reduction for the sauce was really yummy, flavoured with rosemary and delightfully fruity.
PKH's spring chicken was hardly more than chick sized. Served on mash, it was tasty enough, but the portion would hardly feed a bird.. ha ha. A little poultry cannibal humour there.
Nothing on the dessert side really appealed, so we went to TCC for some dark devotion instead.
On the whole, I liked KPO, next time might try some of the local fare. Someone at the next table was having Hokkien Mee and it smelt heavenly.
It helped that for the first hour or so, we were just about the only ones there, the PH crowd only picking up after 1:30pm. Sad for the outlet, but yay for us.
After all the mixed reviews I read about the place on www.hungrygowhere.com, I knew that checking it out myself would be the only thing to do. So with two willing(or not) victims, that's just what we did.
KPO is right where that "philatelic" place is, the Killney Post Office, hence its moniker. I guess it must get pretty crowded at night with the yuppie crowd, but today is was a family brunch sorta vibe.
I had the all day breakfast aka the works. Scrambled eggs on ultra thick toast, nice fat sausage, generous side of bacon, hash browned potatoes for $15 was a pretty good deal to me. What was NOT a good deal was the miserable tiny cup of Earl Grey for $9 bucks. C'mon guys, if you are gonna charge that much, at least give us a pot, will ya?
R's Steak and eggs were pretty good too. The red wine reduction for the sauce was really yummy, flavoured with rosemary and delightfully fruity.
PKH's spring chicken was hardly more than chick sized. Served on mash, it was tasty enough, but the portion would hardly feed a bird.. ha ha. A little poultry cannibal humour there.
Nothing on the dessert side really appealed, so we went to TCC for some dark devotion instead.
On the whole, I liked KPO, next time might try some of the local fare. Someone at the next table was having Hokkien Mee and it smelt heavenly.
Friday, August 7
Happy 44th Singapore
It will be National Day soon, and I am amazed at how many of my colleagues and friends don't seem to be excited about it at all. Most of them are planning weekend getaways, and basically trying to find places in Singapore that wont be affected by the parade logistics (i.e not downtown)
I am really looking forward to it. The parade, the national song medleys, the members of parliament filin in one by one. The commands in Malay, the guard of honour, the contingents behind them. The arrival of the Prime Minister, the look LKY and LHL exchange (always makes me wanna cry), the slow darkening of the sky.
The arrival of the President, the seeking of permission, the National Anthem (but this time I have just lost it and can hardly see the TV through my tears. The feu de joie (21 Gun salute), the flypast, the showcasing of our military prowess.
The parade inspection, the marchpast, my sigh of relief when the President can finally sit down.
The pledge. This year its gonna be an amazing thing, with everyone, all of singapore, taking the pledge together at 8:22pm. Kudos to the genius who came up with this.
And then, the show. The fireworks. And the end of another wonderful birthday.
Happy Birthday, old girl. We may complain, and moan and sigh with discontent, but we love ya. And will keep praying for ya.
I am really looking forward to it. The parade, the national song medleys, the members of parliament filin in one by one. The commands in Malay, the guard of honour, the contingents behind them. The arrival of the Prime Minister, the look LKY and LHL exchange (always makes me wanna cry), the slow darkening of the sky.
The arrival of the President, the seeking of permission, the National Anthem (but this time I have just lost it and can hardly see the TV through my tears. The feu de joie (21 Gun salute), the flypast, the showcasing of our military prowess.
The parade inspection, the marchpast, my sigh of relief when the President can finally sit down.
The pledge. This year its gonna be an amazing thing, with everyone, all of singapore, taking the pledge together at 8:22pm. Kudos to the genius who came up with this.
And then, the show. The fireworks. And the end of another wonderful birthday.
Happy Birthday, old girl. We may complain, and moan and sigh with discontent, but we love ya. And will keep praying for ya.
Monday, August 3
parenting
I need a manual. Really. The personality changes and emotional rollercoasters that my kid has been on lately, I have no idea how to deal with it. Are you supposed to hit puberty when you are 10?
I realise that while the mature kid in him listens to me reason it out, the petulant child whines and carries on. Over the weekend, we had a battle of wills a few times, until out of sheer exhasution, I did the unforgivable. I hit the kid.
He didn't cry, but the look of intense pain, fury and hurt he gave me was horrible and terrifying. Immediately, "What have you done?" razed through my brain.
I came clean, told my brother about it, and he took Hanan aside for some mano a mano counselling. And I am glad i could draw on his support for this.
But what if it happens again? And again? What if in frustration, Hanan says something to hurt me?
I need a manual.
***
I have a manual.
The bible is full of wisdom on how to raise a child.
Spare the rod, and spoil the child.
Do not provoke your child to anger.
Train a child in the way he should go.
Teach him God's commandments.
I haven't exactly been following the manual. It's time for a refresher. From the Refresher.
I realise that while the mature kid in him listens to me reason it out, the petulant child whines and carries on. Over the weekend, we had a battle of wills a few times, until out of sheer exhasution, I did the unforgivable. I hit the kid.
He didn't cry, but the look of intense pain, fury and hurt he gave me was horrible and terrifying. Immediately, "What have you done?" razed through my brain.
I came clean, told my brother about it, and he took Hanan aside for some mano a mano counselling. And I am glad i could draw on his support for this.
But what if it happens again? And again? What if in frustration, Hanan says something to hurt me?
I need a manual.
***
I have a manual.
The bible is full of wisdom on how to raise a child.
Spare the rod, and spoil the child.
Do not provoke your child to anger.
Train a child in the way he should go.
Teach him God's commandments.
I haven't exactly been following the manual. It's time for a refresher. From the Refresher.
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