Did You Know?

Did you know that...


Shit from a one week old baby can: Fly through the air, more than 30cm, in stream and really soil you... if you are not careful.

That is exactly what happened during yesterday's diaper change and it had to happen past midnight. Not exactly a bargain just before going to bed.

One really had to see the humour in the situation and it still brings a smile to my face even when I think about it now.

his nails are SHARP!

Do not let anyone tell you that a baby's nails are not sharp. Apart from inflicting little scratches on their faces, these claws can actually cause quite a little bit of pain.

But I guess I deserved it for tricking the little one with my non-existent breast... Ouch, when he reached out and dug in with his claws. :0

The Many Faces of Elijah

Its amazing how many faces one baby can have. Its his 6th day of life and the little one already has a myriad of expressions on his little face.

It really is amazing and how wondrous a miracle life can be. We can already see subtle differences in his behaviour, expressions and development from day to day.

Enjoy his little faces..

Baby Elijah is here

Things have really been hectic and surreal since Monday, but the good news is...

ELIJAH is HERE!

The little one was born on 12 Feb 08 past midnight, weighing in at 3455 gms. Fran had to undergo a C section after a prolonged period of labour but thank God that both mummy and baby are safe and healthy.

I will be following up with photos here...so hold on tight

Update:
Follow the link here for photos!

Elijah Michael Tan

We have settled on a name, after mulling about it for a long time. The name is important and it gives meaning to what we hope for him as he grows up in our family, under our guidance.

So if you think Elijah is quite uncommon and why this name? Elijah was a prophet of God, set in the old Testament. Characteristically; bold, direct and obedient to God, he went about challenging the authority of the kind and the worship of false gods.

The painting below highlights some of the scenes from the story of Elijah including the call of fire from the sky to light the offering on the altar, the raising of the dead son of the widow of Zarephath, and his rising to heaven in a fiery chariot.

St. Michael, Mont St Michel

Photo by Adrian. f4, 1/10 ISO 1600

And then Michael? Michael is going to be his baptism name. We were very taken with the image of Michael the archangel during our pilgrimage to Mont St Michel. Michael, one of the archangel means "who is like God" is also traditionally depicted as a warrior with a foot over a defeated serpent. We hope these bring meaning to how we hope to bring up our little boy... an obedient servant of God and a defender of the faith.

Our 9th Meeting 4 Jan 08

35 weeks, 2.2 kg

5 more weeks to go. I actually feel jumpy and impatient about it. I can' wait! His movements have been a lot more and he is really an active fella. I want to see how he looks like and I want to hold him in my arms.

The past few weeks have been busy, taking advantage of the holiday season to pack and prepare for his arrival. The room has been cleared out, his cupboard bought and the little odds and ends for his survival and comfort. The first trip out, I could not believe I was queueing up to buy sterilizers and milk bottles. However, since that trip, it got more and more exciting each time we went to buy furniture, fixing it all up as well as putting the seats in Miss Daisy for the baby seat.

Here are some photos


Look, it really is a boy!


A side profile of the head


His hands and holding on to his feet!

Time to meet soon!

Our Eighth Meeting 141207

32 weeks, 1.6kg

8 weeks more. This little fella is quite a mover and a kicker. The one at the end of his little punches and kicks is poor frances. We could just spend time looking at the little movements of her tummy or just waiting to feel the little jerks with my hand.

It is surreal, how life is growing day by day and even from within the womb, he can interact with the outside world. I can located the position of his hand or foot and when he kicks or punches, I can push against it and he will withdraw, only to kick and punch again a while later.

So preparations are underway to prepare his room and soon also his cot, stroller and the car seats to accomodate him.

It is fitting that the scan this week could not get a shot of his face but his hand and foot.

Waiting for the day we can hold them in our hands

4 Years and kicking

In a twinkle of an eye, 4 years of married life has passed. When I look back, it does not seem that long...but it has

Another great thing, is that after 4 years of being along as a couple, we will soon be joined by a new addition to the family. And the small boy sure made his presence felt 12 minutes into the 4th Oct .... I felt him move for the first time.

I was not sure it was him at first and I had to keep asking Fran if she was the one moving. But after a few more times, I could feel the distinct movement made by our son. I wonder what he was doing?

I am so excited I cannot wait

Our Fourth Meeting 310807

17 Weeks 0 Days, Height: 10.6 cm

It was with great anticipation that we approached our 4th meeting with our kid. And true to previous experiences, we were not disappointed. It was a time filled with amazement and wonder at how beautiful life is, even at this young stage.

He (see previous posts for explanation of how this came about) is much bigger, more developed and we can make out his eyes, nose and lips that make up his little face. His legs look lanky but they remain flexed at the hip and knee, nicely tucked up. This static description cannot begin to describe his activity during the entire meeting. He was busy opening his mouth, nodding at the neck and twisting and turning around. We could even make out his little finger as he opened and closed his hands.

By now, you probably cannot wait to see him too, so here are the photos


A good look of his face here. See the little eyes, nose and lips

Here are the legs.

Right arm then left arm

Full body shot

Our Third Meeting 10 Aug 07

13 Weeks 4 Days

It was our third glimpse of our kiddo. She has sure grown and now stands at 8.2 cm tall. we are at the end and entering the 2nd trimester already. The most dangerous period for the baby is now over. Fran is doing well also with minimal manifestations of morning sickness.

Today, we saw he tilt her head back and forth and also opening and closing her mouth. You can definitely see the profile of the face and her hands and feet has little fingers and toes. It is so mesmerizing, Fran and I could just watch all day. If only we had an ultrasound at home, we can meet her as and when we want.

So here she is.




Just look at the last photo, thats is a view from the bottom, so we are looking at ahem...the butt. Look at the 2 legs extended and spread apart. There is something else there... our little "she" may turn out to be a "he" after all.

Continue to check out her photo album at Project Baby@Flickr

Close Encounters of the 2nd Time

Age: 11 Weeks 0 Days

Today was our second check up and I had to admit we had our concerns. After all, the first trimester is fraught with danger for the unborn child and sometimes it is a wonder that anyone turns our normal at all.

It is therefore a huge relief to see his/her little heart pumping furiously away when the ultrasound came to pass over her (not that I am hoping only for a daughter, but for convenience sake let us just use the feminine convention). In turn, the head, then the little arm and then the little legs came into view. She was quiet and still... asleep?

Then she STRETCHED! She was moving here legs and kicking them around, and stretching her little arms. I could stare at the screen forever.

She has grown, bigger than expected and the age has been corrected from 10 W 4 D to 11 W 0 D. She will join us much sooner.She now stands at a height of 4.38 cm. I am such a proud dad so far.

So you all know how she looks now:

The Latest Addition to the Family

The latest addition to the family. Just 7 weeks 4 days old and 1.27cm tall. oh my, what a change in my life!