Immediate Family You Should Know

Today is Christmas Day! It's the birth of Jesus Christ okay, and not Santa Claus. Without Jesus, Mommy and Daddy would not have been born.

Or met.

Or gotten married.

And hence, created you.


When you celebrate your first Christmas in this world, we'll show you pictures of Jesus. Although, we don't think He's really so fair because He lived in the middle east where most people have darker skin.

Daddy and Mommy started the day by opening presents near our Christmas tree. Daddy pretended to be surprised by the shoes I got him (he was there when Mommy picked it out for him). He was truly surprised by the New Order Collector's CD I got him though. As Mommy has repeatedly mentioned to you, Daddy loves music.




Mommy received a silver bracelet with a teddy bear on it. It's the cutest bracelet ever. Daddy knows Mommy likes little trinkets. We also opened Mommy's Godpa's presents for us - a book for me and another CD for Daddy. Lovely.

 















Then we went to collect the Christmas turkey one set of your grandparents ordered earlier. Turkey is what most people end up eating for Christmas lunch or dinner. It's a big bird, what else can I say? Although I admit it's not as big as the yellow Big Bird on Sesame Street.

 
Lunch was at your grandparents' home in Taman Megah. The guests who turned up included Mommy's parents (your other set of grandparents), your great-grandmother (Daddy's mom's mother), Uncle Victor (Daddy's mom's brother), Uncle Brian (Daddy's brother), Aunty Angeline (Daddy's brother's wife), Uncle Raj and Aunty Prema (Aunty Angeline's parents).







Remember what Mommy says in the morning about respecting your elders? Well these are some of the people you must learn to respect and love because they're family.

"Elders" - people older than we are - make mistakes but we must still be courteous to them as this is the mark of a person with inner strength and humility.









There was a lot of laughter during lunch. It was also nice this time because Aunty Angeline's parents were with us. Aunty Angeline is going to marry Uncle Brian in January 2009. So it was a good opportunity to get to know her parents.










Daddy's mom made fish cutlets, a curry chicken plus a lovely coleslaw. She also bought some roast pork from the market. Mommy contributed a potato salad. It was all quite delicious and I'm sure you'll agree: you moved quite a bit for the next few hours. Uncle Brian saw Mommy's tummy tremble while you wriggled, and got excited.










After lunch, we all moved to the living room where we exchanged gifts. Daddy's Mom made jokes about how her presents must have come from a RM5 shop. She also exclaimed that our gift of cufflinks to Uncle Brian was the most exciting gift, probably because it was something expensive.

As you grow older, you'll notice Mommy and Daddy stressing on the importance of "giving from the heart". You could give a hug to Mommy and I'd feel as if it cost a million ringgit. And while many people in this big world may not feel like that, Daddy and I believe it should be the way.

Gifts aren't measured by the price tag on them but the sincerity with which they are given. That's why we hope you'll understand if we say NO when you want a really expensive toy.

 


Learn to appreciate things of value, not of high cost - a smile, words of encouragement, a card, trees and animals, books, friends, rainbows!

It's not easy but when you've been touched by God's spirit, you will understand.


 

It's Technically Your First Christmas!

Last weekend, Daddy and Mommy decided to put up a tree for Christmas. It would be the first tree in our home. And technically, since you "exist", it would also be your first tree and your first Christmas.

We had fun picking out the ornaments at Jaya Jusco in One Utama, one of the big, big malls near our home.

You didn't "protest" too much either so we figure we picked the right stuff.

Our tree has little pastel coloured drums, little pink ornamental balls, mid-sized lime green ones and also large gold and cloth-woven ones. We almost forgot the little pine cones, which always seem to impart a traditional, woodsy mood to any tree. Then there are stars - silver ones and blue ones; and also some snowmen, a sock and a reindeer.

It's simple, not at all glittery and glamorous like the ones in the shopping malls but I guess it's a tree that reflects our personalities - homey, ecclectic, with a bit of shine and sentimentality.

I wonder what your personality will be like?

Even though you have been getting more active in Mommy's womb, you haven't treated the walls like a punching bag. Friends who gave birth in their late thirties tell me that "mature" babies behave more maturely. It seems they have a "sense" of what to do and what not to do.

There's no proof to any of this of course. But it's still fun to wonder.

We don't need you to be perfect, Baby Aidan. Every human being has his or her own cross to bear. We are given some years in life to move towards a better version of ourselves. And in that time, we learn from mistakes made, we learn to be comfortable in our skin, to know who we are, to share our best parts with friends and loved ones, and to finally gain peace and joy - which is a deeper and more lasting form of happiness.

As Christmas is a time of hope and expectations, our wish is for you to be healthy, happy and loving. You are the star on top of our "tree" and we'll do our best to keep you safe and help you achieve the person you're meant to be.

Merry Christmas dear one.

God is with you.

The Story of Your Kicks

Ever since you started making your presence felt in Mommy's womb, I figured you were a pretty calm, gentle baby. You'd move, squirm, wriggle and give little tiny prods and kicks but they never "rearranged my insides" if you know what I mean :)

Plus, you tend to be quiet in the afternoon, too, only gaining momentum right about 8pm and escalate into a bit of an aerobic workout around 10:30m - 11pm.

Well, today, Mommy learned you have secret Jujitsu moves that pack a punch. All 4 kicks came while Daddy and I were praying for you in the car, with the last being a 9.0 if ever the Richter Scale could be applied to "babyquakes".

I actually felt sore inside for a good 15 minutes after. And wondered if my stomach was still the same shape as before.

Don't get me wrong - I'd rather you Bruise Lee me than not move at all. Which therefore brings me to the little scare we got in the evening.

As Mommy said, you normally get pretty active from 8pm onwards; if I balanced the TV remote on my tummy, nobody would call me a nutcase if I said it would soon become a "dancing remote". Well, after the Jujitsu performance, I didn't expect you to go all quiet on me. But that's exactly what you did.

You went all silent. And the only sound I heard were those of my gastric juices digesting the chicken I'd eaten for dinner. Of course Mommy decided that this was "out of your pattern". But as I didn't want to panic, I waited to see what God was trying to tell me. 9 o'clock came. Then 10. Nothing - all was quiet on the Plains of Wombus Maximus.

Mommy then told Daddy about it and together we spent 30 minutes calling out to you, talking to you, singing to you - and if you recall a strong yellow light almost blinding your new little eyes - well, that was our attempt to get a response from you with a flashlight.

At 11pm, we decided that you were either too tired from your Jujitsu performance or struggling with the umbilical cord around the wrong places. So we drove to the hospital to make sure it wasn't the latter.

The sound of raging "horses" spluttering out of the machine was so reassuring! At an average of 140 bpm, your heartbeat told us you were doing fine. The machine didn't allow us to see you but it was equally good to hear you.

As you can see, it's not easy being a Mom. There are little things to watch out for every single month of the 9-month pregnancy.

Mommy's next checkup at the gyne's is on 15 December. Hopefully, my blood sugar levels will be normal or else I wouldn't be able to feed you rice, bread or anything sweet like chocolates, cincau and fruits.

20 Nov: Kick Diary

9.30am: Faint movement
10.45am: Wriggle
12.45pm: Movement
2pm: Movement
5.45-6.15pm: Wriggle and dull kick
8pm: Wriggle
10pm: Wriggle
12.30am: Movements, faint kicks

19 Nov: Kick Diary

9.30am: Moving about
10.10am: Little kick.
12.30pm: Moving about
1.15-2:15pm: Restless movement
4.10pm: Gentle kicks
5pm: Movement
5.45pm: Dull kicks
8pm: Movement
12.30am: Wriggles and other movements

6.5 Months and Counting

Two days ago, it was time for your monthly checkup with Dr. Guna. So Daddy and I went over, as usual, full of expectations of how much you'd have grown.

The good news is, Mommy's put on 3kg and you're the right size in all the important departments - length, width, head-wise, etc. He didn't say you were "advanced" like Aunt Murni from Mommy's office. Due originally on 22nd December, she's now going to give birth on the 10th because Khalif Lucas is actually the size of a 38-week-old baby although she's only 34 weeks pregnant. In fact, his growth has stabilised in the last two weeks - he was "size 36 weeks" when she was just 32 weeks!

Dr. Guna did a 3D scan on you - your skin now looks thicker and your face seems to have filled out a bit :). And while you were kissing my placenta the last time, you were holding onto the umbilical cord this time. And boy, did you look cute.

Dr.Guna says I'm officially moving into the 3rd and final leg of the journey - 3rd trimester. So Mommy's in for some aches and pains. From ankle swelling, cervix aches from all the weight you'll be gaining on behalf of me, lower backaches for the same reason, and of course, in due time, lack of sleep due to the pressure on my bladder which means multiple visits to the loo throughout the night.

This is the time for Mommy to be extra alert to your movements, too. You're supposed to move rather regularly throughout the day or at least in the morning, afternoon and nighttime. I hope you won't get too rough in Mommy's womb and get yourself entangled in the umbilical cord. That will definitely cut off your oxygen supply and get you gasping.

If you see a light and hear a gentle voice, telling you to be safe, or just calming you down - and it sounds too manly to be Mommy - then that will be Jesus. He is looking after you and making sure you're developing well till it's time for you to see the world.

You'll be arriving in time to know the world has her first African-American President of the USA. So you are coming into a world of Hope. Not so sure about the country you'll be born in however.

Nevermind.

Maybe you've been called into existence by God to make a difference to your country.
How big a difference depends on God's plan for you and how you respond to it. :)Having said that, however, Mommy and Daddy are praying to God everyday to remove our weaknesses so we can set the best possible example for you.

It's going to be a long journey but I'm glad we're on it together, with good friends around.

Things You Should Know About Daddy

There are fathers and there are, well, daddies. "Father" sounds serious. And brings intimidating, sullen and quiet types of men to mind. You, well, you have a...Daddy.

Daddies like your Daddy are good men. But they are hardly intimidating, sullen or quiet.

I don't want you to grow up being disillusioned that all daddies are like your grandfathers. Those are true blue fathers. They "look" fierce and don't feel very comfortable hugging (but I don't think they have the same problem with grandchildren so do go on and jump on them when you like).

Back to your Daddy. Here are a few things you should know and understand. Especially if your friends' dads are more fathers than daddies.

1. Daddy believes in good grooming. And this includes investing in good products to keep the skin clean and soft and trouble-free. He is very particular about what he puts on his skin and this explains why he has a cupboard full of creams, lotions and serums while Mommy only has half a shelf of them. There is nothing wrong with this; he's just different from most. And it's okay to be different because it means we really are as special as God means for us to be.


2. Daddy is faithful to the sport of football. There will be months in the year where you will find him glued to the TV, not only watching the actual match but replays, highlights and commentaries. In fact, Daddy will also buy DVDs on all the matches played by his favourite club - Manchester United. So if you do not happen to grow up liking football, don't worry; Daddy is not abandoning you. He will make up for all the times he has lost with you somehow. However, if you can't wait for football season to be over, just stand in front of the TV while the match is on and do the "Little Aidan Needs Some Lovin' Show". He'll play with you, I just know it. (It has worked with Mommy, though not all the time.)

3. Daddy is a good sport. When Mommy first met Daddy, he was a cool kind of skunk. He liked all sorts of cool music. And he wore cool clothes (he still has lots of cool clothes but you already know that). Mommy, however, had a collection of soft toys I didn't want to throw. I didn't think your cool Daddy would embrace Mommy's "furry friends" but as you can see from this picture here, he not only embraces them but loves to hold them once in a while. I'm sure there will be one day when you think soft toys are boring. Just remember, it's not good to buy things you like only to put them away after a while because that means we don't appreciate the things that have been given to us.


4. Daddy can be very pleasantly surprising if you show him lots of love. Mommy used to cook a lot for the both of us. When Mommy got pregnant with you, he decided to cook for the three of us instead.

The pictures here show his "Caprese Salad" and the "Lemon Rocket Pasta with Shredded Chicken". Yes, you've tried both of them and I think you actually enjoyed them. :)

There are many other things about Daddy that you should know about. But most of all, you need to know that he is a good, honourable man. He is Mommy's inspiration when it comes to loving and caring for other people. This is not to say that he is a perfect Daddy. No, nobody is perfect, not Mommy, not you. That's why it's important to be humble and accept that we can always be better. As long as we have that attitude, we will have peace and joy.

A Moment of Panic

We went for the last of the antenatal classes on Tuesday. These are classes Daddy and Mommy are taking to prepare for your arrival in the world.

(Yes, there is no button to push whereby you just conveniently slip out of me in 3 seconds.)

Anyway, this last class was on "Pain Relief & the Process of Labour".

I think many mommies in the class changed their birthing plan after this session from "No epidural" to "Please pass the epidural or I'm bringing my own supply of Morphine".

An epidural, by the way, is a form of local anesthetic that's injected into the spine to numb the lower part of Mommy's body from pain. It's supposed to help Mommy give birth to you without a lot of screaming and harm to daddy.

I know Mommies and Daddies are supposed to be strong enough to face anything and everything. But you're coming out of a pretty tiny hole in Mommy's body. And even though it's meant to automatically stretch, there are cases where the muscles there are stiff.

(This is where Mommy might yell in pain.)

Sometimes the gyneacologist will do an "episiotomy" - or a cut - to help the hole expand more for you to come out. This requires stiching up after you're well and truly out of Mommy's tummy.

(These are two possible situations whereby Mommy could yell, too. And maybe cry and dig my nails deep into Daddy's Biotherm-softened skin.)

At this point, even Mommy wishes that a stork really delivers babies to the doorstep of parents' homes. But don't let anyone tell you that it's "sissy" to be scared. Fear is a natural defense mechanism for human beings that helps us make choices for survival. It is unnatural to not be afraid sometimes. Even for superheroes (just watch Batman with Mommy).

Anyway, after that lesson, the nurses took us around the Maternity and Labour rooms. Daddy felt his knees go weak when he saw the demonstration of how the pregnant Mom would lie on the bed.

I hope he doesn't faint because that would mean Mommy has two babies to take care of! Yet, deep inside, I know your Daddy would end up being inquisitive and ask the gynaecologist lots of questions as he and the midwives bring you out.

Hello, Baby

So this is kind of what you look like.

Wow. And to think you were just a little bean sac not too long ago :).

I'm thanking the Lord that you're kissing my placenta like it's the tastiest buffet you've ever had. Because that just means it's giving you what you need.

One set of your grandparents - that would be Mommy's parents - have seen this picture of you (yes, you have two sets). But both sides are so excited about you. Daddy's parents think about you everyday and call him just to tell him that. And mine are buying little button-down bodysuits for you.

Dr. Guna says you've got a long femur. So that could mean you're going to be a basketball player. Or a male model. Daddy's praying hard you will be the former.


I'm just over the moon that all your main internal organs are looking normal: Your brains, heart, kidney, lungs, bladder, lips. Although of course, your lips aren't exactly an internal organ. Apparently, some babies develop a cleft which makes eating quite a challenge for them, poor things. And some develop a hole in their hearts. Anyway, we'll pray for them together.

Dr. Guna also says that your movements will be erratic at best for now. This must explain why you were doing a lot of Cirq de Soleil moves last week but just a lot of pirouettes this week. I'm supposed to monitor your movements more closely next week which means keeping an eye and ear out for your thumping and kicking.

For today, your movements are as such:
9.10am - 5 little kicks.
2pm - 2 faint little knocks.
6.45pm - 3 little prods.
7.30pm - 2 little kicks.
9.30pm - 1 little push.
10.30pm - 2 little knocks.

Looks like you're going to be a nightowl.

Bringing You Up Isn’t Just a Sunday Affair

What a week it has been!

Mommy’s partner (and Boss) was away so I couldn’t go home early.

This means no exercise for the past 7 days.

Not good.

I promise to make it up to you this week, ok? I know when I exercise, both you and I benefit: You get a healthier environment to grow in and Mommy doesn’t balloon into a whale and get into all sorts of difficulties while giving birth to you.

Yesterday, Mommy had a very interesting experience at a Positive Parenting workshop with Aunty Hsian and Uncle Srihari.

This “Children Are From Heaven” workshop was again Aunty Hsian’s idea (you’ll meet her and discover what a fun Aunt she is when you’re born).

Your dad was on house-chores-and-visit-parents duty so he wasn’t with us.

Anyway, it was a 9am till 6pm session and Mommy learnt heaps of ways on how to bring you up properly.

First of all, you’ll be happy to know that nothing about a cane or feather duster was mentioned.

We might show you what they look like, though, so you know what Daddy and I have gone through before.

You see, when we were younger, your grandparents would cane us for a variety of reasons. Mostly, it was for lying about being Top 5 in class (sometimes we were 8th or 9th!) and trying to kill our brothers. But generally, it was for being naughty.

How times have changed.

In fact, these days you’re allowed to make mistakes, be different, want more things, be emotionally negative, and even say “No” if, let’s say, you’ve been asked to clean your room. Of course, this is only as long as you know that both Daddy and Mommy are the Bosses. What does that mean? Well, simply that sometimes there’s no negotiation, and you just have to do what we ask you.

Isn’t that cool?

You’ll also be happy to know that we believe that every child should have room to be naughty and mischievous. You’re just trying to learn what you can do and what you can’t. But see, that’s also why Daddy and Mommy need to teach you what is right and wrong.

Doing what is right can give joy to yourself and other people.
Doing what’s wrong can land you in jail.

There are no toys in jail. No friends. And no pizza, either. Think about that before you chuck a fit and your dinner at Mommy’s or Daddy’s face.

At the end of the day, just know this: We love you very much. And so does God Who decided to give you life (and your parents a chance to nurture and shape that life). And it’s only because of love that we hope you’ll grow up well adjusted, well mannered, and happy. (With no criminal record.)

Your First Gear

Saturday, 11 October 2007.

Saturdays are your dad's "beached whale" days. This simply means he needs to know he's in control of Time.

(In short, he's going to be super lazy.)

But you and mommy need to remember this particular Saturday. Because he was actually excited about doing our first shopping spree for you at 1 Utama.

(We normally go shopping to stock up on his grooming products or scope around Mooks, Nike and Borders. So it's always nice to shop for someone else instead).

We stopped first at Jusco - always cheaper than the specialty stores! - where we got milk bottles, teats and a bottle steriliser. Our friends recommended "Avent" for ease of use and colic control, so hopefully you won't be attacked by an uncomfortable tummy.

We then moved on to Mothercare - good example of expensive specialty store - but could not resist buying two bodysuits with adorable messages on them: "Probably the cutest turtle on the beach" (blame your dad!) and "I love my Daddy & Mommy" (ok, ok, that was me).

[By the way, since you'll be a dad one day, too, remember that front-button bodysuits are better than the slip-over-the-neck ones which are harder to manoeuvre around a newborn's soft neck and head. :)]

T-shirt messages aside, it's important for you to know that love comes before wealth and intelligence. I'm not sure if you can hear mommy repeating this mantra to you even as you somersault and do little backstrokes in my womb. But yes, a man who loves is more powerful than a man who has all the money and smarts in the world but does not know how to be weak in the presence of another person.

Anyway, this must seem like heavy stuff to you, depending on when you read this entry. But you'll know exactly what I mean when you're old enough to marry the girl of your dreams (unless you end up being a priest, of course).

After Mothercare, daddy and mommy dropped by Chicco in the Old Wing, where we had a look at strollers. Typical of daddy, his eyes went to some Star Trek looking contraption - those PetPeregos that look really sturdy and can be manipulated many ways. We've heard that these are really good, though. And you should know that every parent wants the best for his/her child even if we may not be able to afford the best sometimes.

(If you turn out anything like mommy, you're going to argue a lot with us over this "what's best for you" phrase when you're a teenager. Trust me. But we'll work it out together, somehow - preferably without alcohol abuse.)

Just like this super advanced stroller, daddy is also fancying a Gracco cot-cum-playpen-cum-changing-table for you because it's adjustable and has lots of mesh wire so you stay cool.

Daddy, you must also know, is a man of exceptional quality who also seeks products of exceptional quality. And this just simply means he goes for expensive things. So if you turn out more like daddy, be ready for mommy to say "No" to a RM350 pair of shoes that you like which look exactly like the last RM350 pair of shoes you've got.

Right after a stroll around the other babycare shops in the New Wing, you started asking for some food. So daddy and mommy shared an Orange Julius hotdog.

We didn't stay long after that but guess how much all three of us "walked" that day -5 good hours. Which explains the picture of daddy you see on this entry. As an act of appreciative love, Mommy made a cup of tea and a foot-soak for him with some peppermint salts, right after I made one for myself and you.

It was a cool day.

And nope, we aren't referring to the little thunderstorm that occured in the evening.

Your Name Means A Lot

Everybody loves to name a baby. It's one of the first things the parents do once they know they're expecting.

Your dad and I are no different.

In fact, as far as a year before you came into existence, we were sharing our favourite boy and girl names with each other. When it came to girl names, daddy and I were quickly in agreement - Eden Inez Pereira. "Eden" after God's paradise in the book of Genesis. And "Inez" after St.Inez.

It wasn't so easy with the boys' names.

Mommy, being a fan of Christian Bale (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Rescue Dawn, The Prestige - and many other good movies - in case daddy tries to tell you otherwise) was planning to call you Christian John Pereira. This desire was further encouraged by the coincidence of our birthdays falling on the same date, of course (30 Jan).

(John, you should know, is mommy's favourite gospel from the Bible, and translates to "God's grace". )

I was also moved by strong Biblical characters like Isaac. And Caleb wasn't bad either. Neither was Hector, although this was more of a Greek mythological hero's name than anything.

Then, mommy found out that Isaac was taken by two of daddy's friends' newborns. And calling you Caleb was equivalent to calling you a dog. I absolutely love dogs and daddy will tell you how crazy I am about them. But this was a whole different kettle of fish.

Meanwhile, daddy had other ideas. Influenced by music (especially soul), he itched to name you Curtis. Or Lopez. Or Quincy.

Names are quite important, you see. They are supposed to express the parents' (that's us) hopes and dreams for their child (that's you). They also give you an identity. And they stick with you from cradle to grave.

I wasn't sure you wanted to be stuck with a name like Curtis. Or go to the grave being known as Lopez, or Quincy.

Finally, after a long-drawn stalemate, we decided to look at the list of saints. Hoping the Holy Spirit would guide us into finding the perfect name for you.

The answer: St. Aidan of Ferns.

Aidan is of Celtic origin and it's supposed to mean "Little Fire" (now you know for sure that this blogsite really was started with you in mind). But the saint with this name was known for being generous and kind to people, as well as his love for animals. It is said that he made a stag invisible in the presence of a vicious hunting party.

So, if you're wondering how you got your name, well, you now know the story. I hope your teachers manage to pronounce your name right. Failing which, we hope you won't get mad at us.Remember, it could've been worse.

It could have been Dog.

And You Appeared

Dear Aidan,

Aunty Hsian, mommy's close friend since 2000, gave me a good idea yesterday.

She suggested I started a blog for you to read when you get older.

Like "Notes to My Unborn Child".

This way, she said wisely, you would be able to share mommy's experience before you were born and of course, after.

So.

Ta-dah.

You've been in my tummy for 5 months now.

I remember watching the pregnancy kit stick go positive on the 20th of June this year - in other words, you simply appeared on my radar. I quickly took a picture of the stick (and the results) and texted it to your dad.

I wrote, "Congratulations Papa" and he was so excited that he had to go smoke a cigarette.

(We'll talk about why cigarettes are bad when you're older.)

Anyway, it was a blessed day for both of us.

Mommy is 35, not young, and it had crossed my mind that it may not be in God's plan for me to be a parent.

Your conception means mommy was wrong.

(We'll also, later, talk about how human beings make mistakes, even adults.)

Doctor Guna, the gyneacologist I see, estimates your arrival date to be 23rd February 2009. However, Uncle Alvin, my Godfather, has placed a bet for 14 February. We'll see.

Both your dad and I are really looking forward to meeting you. So we pray for your health, growth and happiness everyday in my womb. Hope it's not too tight in there.