B A B Y

Jan 2008

2008-01-23T23:18:00.000+08:00

Lookit New Piccies

2008-01-23T22:53:00.000+08:00

Wow, 5 months has gone by...

2008-01-23T22:19:00.000+08:00

2007-08-27T21:36:00.000+08:00

Now I feel so much "cooler"...

Staring at fishes...

Read to me!

Do I now look like Mum?

Or Daddy?

Were you there at my 1st Birthday?

2007-07-27T21:24:00.000+08:00

It's OK if you weren't, because here are some pictures to last a lifetime. Thanks for all who showed up either early or late, with your presents & gifts. It was a drizzly day & it wasn't easy to find the condo, but very much appreciated!!
Look at the spread!

Happy Birthday! To Me!!

The pool was just outside...great scenery!

Me & Daddy!

I'm mean! Heh.

Cake!!!

~HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO UUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuu!!!~

Am I smiling enough?

I love my grandparents!

Look at all the presents I got!!!!

My First Birthday is Coming!!!

2007-07-16T22:05:00.000+08:00

Yea, I can crawl!!

Yea, I love to read!!

Yea, breakfast at MacDees!!

Yea, my new mattress!!

Yea, ABCs!!

Yea, I do get out!!

Yea, I stole my Daddy's specs!!

Yea, I am the thinker!!

Yea, I have my own car!!

Yea, Baby You Can Drive My Car!!

Oh Yea, the invite...

The Cure are coming to Singapore!

2007-06-13T10:42:00.000+08:00

Here's a scary thought (scarier than Robert Smith's hairdo. scarier than Robert Smith's eyeliner. scarier than Robert Smith's wonky lipstick.)...The Cure are coming to perform at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 1 August (Wed), 2007!

A few posts back, I was still ruminating about their old double-CD "Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me", and now they are coming here.

Robert Smith taught me that even thought you looked like a ghost, you could still write & sing about bittersweet & romantic issues (Hasn't watching all the Shrek movies teach you ANYTHING?). Get past Smith's voice & you will hear this manchild sniffing quietly in a corner. Much has been said about his under-rated guitar skills (not to mention his talented songwriting). Here's a guy who wrote about being "eaten for dinner by Spiderman" (not the hero, a ghostly apparition in the form of a spider), "caterpillar girl" (Disney tune gone mad), "being hot, hot, hot" (in a song called unabashedly "Hot! Hot! Hot!"). But hey, it's not all Robert's show! Check out the bad-ass, smouldering hunk that is bassist Simon Gallup. You should not miss the fine lead-guitar work from Porl Thompson.

They also wrote a song that was not a hit at all, quietly tagged to the end of the little-heard "Wild Mood Swings" album called "Treasure". Anchored to a melodious cello, it was to me exactly how a Heartbreak / Heartache sounded like, if it were to be condensed into a song. Never had I heard it so succintly personified. Its apocalyptic lyrics also spoke of an enduring love that was other-worldly:

She whispers
"Please remember me
When I am gone from here"
She whispers
"Please remember me
but not with tears...
Remember I was always true
Remember that I always tried
Remember I loved only you
Remember me and smile...
For it's better to forget
Than to remember me
And cry"

...and when the guitar pickings end it with the accompanying cello, ah. perfect.

My New 'Do!

2007-05-31T11:15:00.000+08:00

Dun mess with the 'do!

Side view
I'm so happy with this cut!

oh, it costs $18? hmm...

My first haircut at Junior League!

2007-05-31T10:44:00.000+08:00

~ My haaaaaaaiiiiir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~

You heard all the horror stories of how babies get their 1st haircut. Parents unwittingly bringing their kid to the 'normal barber', only for the kid to get traumatised by the all-covering black cloth, the screeching cutter, the impatient barber who is not used to giving kids their virgin cut, you get the idea. So what did we do for K's 1st haircut? We spent 18 bucks on a 5-min job. Granted, the cloth was red in color, the cutter was soundless, there was on-board DVD entertainment by Barney, and the hairstylist was patient as hell.

And he still cried. Oh well.

Kayden at 10 months!!

2007-05-31T10:33:00.000+08:00

At Ikea Tampines!

Sitting Up!

My Toys!

My Car Seat Is Upright Now!

Waiter! I Wanna Order!!

Worth

2007-03-11T21:58:00.000+08:00

We hope it was worth the wait, and the pictures were worth a thousand words. There will be more.

And you thought we only had smiley pictures...

Has it been 3 minutes?

2007-03-11T21:45:00.000+08:00

Has it been 3 months? (since Kayden's last update)

2007-03-11T21:35:00.000+08:00

X'MAS 2006

2006-12-25T14:58:00.000+08:00

"Look what I got for Christmas this year!"

"Hey, that looks like me!"

"I look like..."

"I Have The POWER!!!!!!!"

"I love BiiiIIIggggGGGG Shirts!"

I'm BACK!

2006-11-19T22:15:00.000+08:00

After some republishing glitches, the K-Man is back!

"Lookit my Mercedes!"

"I have been framed!"

"Did I mention I have a few thrones?"

"Yo Bro, Peace from the K-Man, Gimme Some Love Yo!"

"Pardon my french, but DAMN! am i cute!!"

Kayden, the little prince

2006-10-31T14:29:00.000+08:00

"Do I look nice with this crown?"

"On my throne. It rocks!"

"On my OTHER throne. It moves!"

"See? My servants like to fuss over me."

"All Hail The King & Queen...er, my parents lah!"

Almost 3 months old...

2006-10-20T17:20:00.000+08:00

"Dun mess with the K-Man!"

"I'm A Rocker Dude."

"Want Some Tongue Action?"

What Scare Kids Most?

2006-09-23T14:54:00.000+08:00

"Mom, can we talk about having that BCG jab?"

"The needle was.....THIS.....LONNNGGG!!!!!!"

"Oh what the heck...What Me Afraid?"

Parents working...

2006-09-23T13:56:00.000+08:00

Mom doing her thing...

Dad doing his thang...

Kayden staring into nothing...

Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me

2006-09-19T14:18:00.000+08:00

It was an ambitious double album made in 1987. It contained the most perfect Cure song ever: "Just Like Heaven". I bought it when it first came out on CD. Now it is remastered into a 2CD Deluxe Edition, which i happily double dipped for. It is The Cure's 'white album'. It contains, on a singular release, every perceived possibility of every genre or style of 'A Song By A Band'. It's title (these were the 80s) is frank, honest, insistent, direct & artistic. Oh yes, it sports one of the best cover art ever (that's Robert Smith's own blood red lips). It is that good, and you would be doing yourself a favour by simply purchasing it, displaying it & hopefully one day, listening to it & getting moved by it...Simply Elegant.

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me - The Cure

Addicted

2006-09-14T09:58:00.000+08:00

Robert Palmer sang about being "Addicted To Love".

Some losers are addicted to Drugs.

Most guys are addicted to Porn.

I am definitely addicted to Music.

Girls are addicted to Shopping.

Can one be addicted to Baby Smell? *shivers uncontrollably, snot running*

Changes

2006-09-09T01:58:00.000+08:00

David Bowie had this song "Changes" that was used some time back in a Swatch ad...the lyrics might not be accurate but i always thought he was singing these words:

~ Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...Turn & face the strange ~

Kayden is changing. It's normal i guess, but the changes are subtle & daily, meaning he is still our son, but he is not the same person he was yesterday. It's amazing & unsettling at the same time.

He's growing bigger. His milk intake is increasing. His sleeping patterns are erratic. It seems he is cognizant about his surroundings (see that glint in his eye?). But at other times, it seems he couldn't care less.

But whoever Kayden is now, are all our adult musings & expectations that we force onto him...we think we can suss him out...we think we know better...we think "jiang hai si lao de lah" (older ginger tastes more fiery)...

I seriously think we don't have a clue. And we are too gutless to admit it.

Kayden is always changing. And we, as his parents, have to turn & face the strange, no matter how scary that is.

Dun Prey Prey.

2006-09-03T18:59:00.000+08:00

...a BIG THANK YOU to all Kayden's fans for SMS-ing your votes...er,,,we mean the BIG NICE CARD with your well-wishes.

Oh...you meant Kayden pictures!!

2006-08-31T19:50:00.000+08:00

More PICTURES!!!

2006-08-28T19:40:00.000+08:00

You asked for more pictures...here ya go!!!!!
The Collection - Alanis Morrissette (Limited Edition CD+DVD)

Interesting inner sleeve pix of Alanis' hand decorated with her album titles.

Look at the beautiful cover art inside.

The Many Faces of Kayden Why

2006-08-20T10:42:00.000+08:00

"Dragon Tiger Gate, watch out!"

"Don't you understand simple crying? I WANT MILK!!!"

"All We Need Is Milk! All We Need Is MILK! Milk is all we need..."

Kayden takes his own pix...

2006-08-19T11:26:00.000+08:00

"See? I took a pix of myself for all you fans out there!"

18 & Life

2006-08-12T21:14:00.000+08:00

Kayden is 18 days old today.

He sleeps well. He is active & loves to stretch. He has shown strength, tenacity, stubborness, adorability, contentedness to all around him. His range of facial expressions has been the source of joy for all of us. If we did not tell you, you wouldn't know he was an early baby.

To us, he is simply a miracle, a gift, and the love of our lives.

Kayden is born!

2006-08-11T14:11:00.000+08:00

The last few weeks went by in a crazy flash. Let's see...

I was in Reservist, happily serving the nation in a laisser faire manner, resting after duty the day before. Hazel was having a regular day at work. Then Kayden arrived.

Spotting. Grabbed the preggie bad (made up only the weekend before). Rushed down to Gyni. Hazel arrived shortly. Rushed to room. Gyni says to go to Labour Ward to observe. I went to Pre-Admission for the paperwork. Took me 20 mins. Upon going back to the Labour Ward, I was informed that Hazel will be having a Caeserean section in 15 mins time. I comforted her, and the Gyni & Paediatrician (PD) comforted us. Placenta was coming off & there was a blood clot, which was what was giving Hazel her sore backaches recently. She was wheeled in at 5.15pm. I called family, friends & the army to inform. Within 20 mins & in the middle of a phone call, the nurse frantically waved for me. "Check your baby....Is this your wife's name?...Your baby correct?...Check all his 10 fingers, all his 10 toes, check his ears". OK...ZOOOOOOMMMM he was wheeled away into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Kayden came into the world 26 July (Wednesday) 2006 @ 1725 hours. He was 34 weeks old. He needed to be given oxygen to help him to breathe because his lungs were not fully expanded yet. I was waiting in the ward when Hazel was wheeled in 1 hour later. Dazed, she asked: "Is baby OK? Is baby OK?" I was relieved both baby & her were OK.

Kayden wanted to see the world early. And he did.

******

The most heart-wrenching thing was seeing Kayden hooked up to the ventilator at the ICU. You have seen the soppy movies. You have heard the cliches. You have read the advice columns. But nothing quite prepares you for the sight of your own son hooked up to a machine. Nothing. I felt it, but I never shown it. I was wondering how to tell Hazel.

I told Hazel that Kayden was fine & doing well. I am sure Hazel felt the same strong emotions the first time she was wheeled up to see him. Her tears came. We all felt the same.

Both Hazel & I were recovering from cough & running noses, so we were peeking at him with masks on. We dared not even touch him. We had to learn to deal with not caressing your kid upon birth.

Despite how we all felt, Kayden was a fighter.

******

He stayed at the ICU for a total of 10 days. In that time, we went back home & settled down (tried to). And the hectic-ness of sending over expressed milk to the ICU daily was something that kept us in constant contact with Kayden.

Kayden was allowed home on a Saturday, 5 August 2006. Hazel, my mom & I drove him home. Emil Chau's new song "Yu Ren" (Rain Man) was on repeat in the car stereo, and it became our song for Kayden. The violin intro, the lyrics, the tune....I still don't know what is the connection. It could have something to do with the fact that the song was playing in the car when Hazel was discharged 6 days ago...without Kayden. We were leaving him behind, but we will be back for him.

SHOCKING picture ALERT!!!

2006-06-27T21:49:00.000+08:00

...ah well, I was shocked.

We Got Movement!

2006-06-24T13:12:00.000+08:00

I still remember the 1st time we felt movement from the baby. Initially when Hazel felt it, I quickly put my hands on her tummy, and felt what seemed to be her own tummy muscles moving. Slowly & gradually, I began to discern a difference in a human being moving inside her.

The feeling is extraordinary because it is a live baby doing their best kickboxing impressions inside her. Sometimes, he might even try a somersault to score points. I cannot imagine how a small baby is doing all these inside her tummy.

Day by day, Hazel's tummy is growing bigger, especially in this 3rd trimester (30th week). She is also beginning to feel breathless easily.

The most fascinating thing I read is that at this stage, the baby is urinating & drinking his own urine. Er, bottoms up mate....burp.

Sterilizer

2006-05-01T22:16:00.000+08:00

Over the weekend, Hazel & me went shopping, major shopping for baby essentials. We took advantage of a sale and went ballistic. The list included milk bottles, teats, bottle brush, baby bath, breast pads, clip-on fans, bath net & mat, baby nail clipper, some baby clothings, and some contraption called a sterilizer. Quite a list -- luckily Hazel had some vouchers she could use, and some of the purchases were subsidised gifts by family.

While jostling with the sales crowd to pay for our purchases, Hazel found it amusing that I was pushing the basket (there were no trolleys, mind you) stacked with stuff. "Not easy being a Dad huh?", she added.

I have been listening to lots of Massive Attack (after buying their hits collection on CD) and watching a lot of their arty-farty, weird music videos, that I had to pose for this Massive Attack-inspired pix.... and yes, that's the sterilizer.

Wayne. Bruce Wayne.

2006-04-19T22:05:00.000+08:00

I still remember I harboured this fave boy's name for a very long time.

Name for Boy: Wayne

Chinese Name for Boy: Wei En (direct translation, saves thinking about Chinese names!)

Origin: Batman, yes Batman has an alter ego which is Gotham City's billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne who is socialite by day and dark superhero by night. I always had a soft spot for his family name. Plus, I think Batman is a really cool comic character - zero super powers, but all the natural powers that a decent human being can possess.

1st time it was stolen (intentionally): I was in a previous workplace when a female colleague became pregnant with her first kid, a boy. She asked me for ideas on names to go with her husband's slightly awkward surname: Wang. I told her frankly my fave boy name is Wayne. She thought that Wayne Wang had a see-saw musicality that she liked a lot. So she asked me: "Do you mind if I used Wayne?" Go ahead!

2nd time it was stolen (unintentionally): Hazel's close friend since Secondary school days became pregnant with her first kid, a boy. She already had a name in mind for him, because her fave boy name was Wayne. She even wanted the Chinese name to follow suit: Wei En. Fabulous. Understand that her close friend & us NEVER communicated about baby's names before, and there you have it. This is called serendipity.

Name for Girl: Melody

Chinese Name for Girl: Le Di (direct translation, saves thinking about Chinese names!)

Origin: It is a loving tribute to my love of music. OK ok..I admit it was influenced by my mini crush on Melody Chen. But then, I have a mini crush on Carrie Chong too, so......
Maybe we will get a chance to use it. Next time.

So now we have dropped Wayne, although I did suggest Wayne as a middle name. What new name will baby boy have? Nicholas Jr. has been suggested a few times, but I do not think our baby likes Duran Duran THAT much. But who knows?

"ARE YOU SURE?"

2006-04-19T21:59:00.000+08:00

Watching the detailed scan at the gyni was an experience few words can aptly describe.
Our gyni scanned & showed us all the parts of our baby. I mean it, every part. Her scanner went through all possible angles to capture what she needed to confirm about the general health & condition of our baby.
She showed us the baby's hands, fingers, arm bones, face with orbits (eyes) & lips (he even yawned at one point), brain circumference & diameter (left & right brain), spine, chest, heart (and its 4 ventricles), stomach, liver, buttocks, thigh bone, feet, toes.....and ultimately coming to the nether regions.

"Ahhh....can you see that? I can see the sex of the baybeeee.....", drolled the gyni teasingly.
Oh really? Pray tell.
"See it?" Now she moves her scanner & magnifies a ....well, little prick on the screen, while proudly declaring: "It's a boy."
I could only manage a feeble & wary - "ARE YOU SURE?"
"Oh...Daddy sounds disappointed!?!", the gyni said to Hazel.
Hazel comes to my defence: "No lah, he is not disappointed."
My "ARE YOU SURE?" was not that I did not believe the Great Gyni. I believed her. I just wanted to be doubly sure. I have heard a few stories about wrong interpretations of the baby's sex.
As if to stem any more of my Doubting Thomas' inclinations, the gyni promptly typed out "Boy" on the screen, with an arrow pointing straight at the little prick, and printed out a photograph. "See? There's the scrotum. Let me magnify that for you." Oooooooookay Jose, I got you.
It was like Sec 4 Human & Social Biology all over again, for which I got an A1 incidentally.

Was I happy? I was.
Was I ridiculously delirious? Nope.
Did I expect it? Kinda.
Would I be disappointed if otherwise? Naah.
Hazel & me are just happy that we are having a boy. Just happy.

Sex Revealed!

2006-04-10T22:40:00.000+08:00

"Boy" also happens to be the frst single released by Erasure off their latest CD "Union Street", which is an album of acoustic versions of their electronic hits.

Hazel & I feel happy, whether it is a boy or girl. But my mother-in-law is of course, to put it mildly, delirious.

At least now, we can focus a bit more.

Sound + Vision

2006-03-29T23:02:00.000+08:00

What sounds should Hazel & baby be listening to? Some people say that if baby is exposed to the sounds of Mozart, in future the baby might start composing nameless symphonies with numerals for titles, all on a bad hair day.

Besides the lovesongs, ambient & classical compilations, here are a selection of stuff that baby will be tuning in to:

Kings Of Convenience (I attended their sold-out Esplanade gig...pure acoustic heaven)
David Sylvian
Jack Johnson ("Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the film Curious George")
Enya
Suzanne Ciani
Madonna's ballads ("Something To Remember" CD, not....er, "Confessions On A Dancefloor")
The Cardigans ("Life")
Air Supply ("Love Forever" 2CD)
Kenny G

I am very tempted to add in Nine Inch Nails because I firmly believe the right of baby to be a rock dude or chick. It's cool by me.

Her good friend even bought her a CD meant for expecting mothers with chinese words all over it. It has cryptic titles like "Gyni's advice to expecting Moms" & "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" sung by an exuberant China kid to a robotic synth beat. Heh, very indie.

What sights should Hazel be looking at? Some people say that if mummy looks at beautiful & cute pictures of baby, in future the baby will be born looking (of course) beautiful & cute. I know angmoh babies look the cutest, but doesn't anyone want their baby to look like them anymore?

Some people say. You can never question who these people are. Whether they are one or many. Whether they are young or elderly. Whether they are logical or superstitious. Whether they are right or wrong. Whether they are too free or too intellectual.

...like I said, some people say.
btw, "Sound + Vision" is a really cool & bouncy song by David Bowie (Rex & me were in the front row at his Singapore concert...we are not worthy...).

What is a blog?

2006-03-20T16:57:00.000+08:00

Blogs are weird places.

You become in the parlance of Clive Barker (renowned writer, playwright, artist and occasional filmaker, and my fave artiste of all time) a "Saint Sinner".

You become the Angel & the Devil all inside one person. A shameless exhibitionist and a secretive recluse.

You type something.

You post it.

What happens to it, you think.

(har-lou?............)

You want it to be read. You dun want it to be read. Oh, oh...you want it to be read by a kindred soul, someone who "gets it". Well, there are a lot of weirdos out there, so tread lightly.

That's why I dun believe blogs are like diaries at all. Not really, they are more like...whatever you want blogs to be. Does that sound existentialist?

Baby is like...

2006-03-19T23:12:00.000+08:00

Parents-to-be always wonder what will their baby turn out to be like?

Whether a boy or a girl, always the best for the baby.

"I hope the baby inherits your intelligence." *pats hubby's head*
"Oh hopefully, baby looks just like my beautiful wife." *pats wifey's leg*

Hazel says her pregnancy cravings (soft drinks & fast food) are unlike her. And the scan has revealed baby to be slightly on the tall side. Now, if baby likes action figures, that would make it complete. Seriously, i hope baby get her good looks.

New Life, New Life

2006-03-11T10:07:00.000+08:00

When I heard Hazel was expecting, the synthy chorus of Depeche Mode's "New Life" started up in my head.

A woman being pregnant is nothing short of a miracle, and the anticipation of a new life is like a shot of fresh air through tired lungs.

It is now Week 15.