ETHAN our 1st; Elijah our 2nd; Matilda our 3rd,,and we are happy

Christmas girls!

2009-12-24T23:46:00.000+08:00

Here are the Christmas eve girls.

Papa's home!

2009-12-20T23:41:00.000+08:00

It's a great feeling. Going home. The moment I step into the house, my 2 sons shout out "Papa" and run to me. The glow in their faces. It's so simple for them. They are just so happy to see me. They love me. They come and bury their faces into me; hug me, and try to tell me what happened for the day. They want me to carry them. They want to hang out with me for the rest of the day. This is wonderful. This is how I always want to remember my kids. Kids, Papa loves you too.

Its Christmas. Yeah!

2009-12-20T00:19:00.000+08:00

Ethan, the soft spoken brother. He is showing more of his expressive character. He runs around. He shows funny faces. He sings loudly. He skips and dances. I am so proud of my son.

Fashionable Matilda!

2009-12-20T00:11:00.000+08:00

Clothes these days are soooo fashionable. Check out Matilda in her well coordinated dresses.

Getting ready for Christmas!

2009-12-13T23:59:00.000+08:00

2009. It's Christmas time. This year, I was involved in the setting up of the Christmas tree. Which means, things are getting better for me. It's been years since I really felt Christmas. With my beautiful wife, kids, and family. I am contented. So what are you waiting for? Go set up your trees!

Panda ride

2009-12-13T23:54:00.000+08:00

Here's Elijah enjoying a nice Panda ride with music. Kor Kor Ethan decides not to ride. He chooses to push instead.

Farmart..feeding animals

2009-12-13T23:39:00.000+08:00

The tour concluded in Farmart. For the un-initiated, Farmart is a must go place for all kids and parents. Its petting zoo section is a delight for all kids. For a mere $2, you get a bunch of vege for the goats, and another $2 for the rest of the animals; hamsters, rabbits, tortises, fishes, etc. Of course check out the other tenants at Farmart; quail, cakes, landscape, wine, fresh seafood, tropical fishes, etc..

Finally.. Vegetable farm!

2009-12-13T23:29:00.000+08:00

Wow. A vege farm in Singapore. I have to say, I am impress. Judging from the people who drove here to buy vege, seems like this is a well know secret! So, come on down and check out the fresh stuff!

Chalet in Lim Chu Kang

2009-12-13T23:19:00.000+08:00

Yup. Care for some quiet time? Get a chalet in Lim Chu Kang and enjoy some kampong and farm life. Also, check out Ethan. Imagine, kids living in urban cities have never seen mimosa plants before!! Wow!! Here, Ethan is enjoying himself. Totally fasinated by the mimosa plants.

Farm tour part 2: Fish farm

2009-12-13T22:57:00.000+08:00

This gentleman standing beside me is William. This is a fish farm. Yes, you can buy fishes bred in Singapore. To eat of course!

A visit to the farms!

2009-12-13T22:40:00.000+08:00

Compliments from my work with one of my clients; we were part of a group that visited a couple of farms in Singapore. Farms? You ask. Yup. Farms. We have farms in Singapore ok. My good friend, Uncle William, (www.farmart.com.sg) runs a quail farm but is also the official tour leader for farmart and other unique farm tours. A highly entertaining tour PLUS educative and also plenty of freebies courtesy from the farms we visited. Parents, visit farmart to get a summary of what type of farms are there in Singapore. Also, you can call William to get more info.

It's official. Matilda is now 3 months old!

2009-12-10T22:17:00.000+08:00

Here's a 3 months old Matilda.

Having water fun at Vivo city

2009-12-09T22:31:00.000+08:00

Kids love water play. Here's Elijah and Ethan taking a water play break at Vivo City.

Act cool

2009-12-07T22:24:00.000+08:00

Elijah is our cool kid. Almost a rapper. Ha!

Its Christmas!

2009-12-07T22:12:00.000+08:00

Its Christmas time. Here's Mau along with her friends; Jean and Audrey.

Ethan and Matilda

2009-12-07T22:00:00.000+08:00

Some more pictures of Ethan and Matilda. Matilda is almost 3 months old. See that mosquito bite on her forehead?

Rides in Plaza Singapura.

2009-12-05T23:59:00.000+08:00

As parents, we feel that these rides keep the kids entertained. But they are expensive and distracting. Kids seem to be able to sniff out where is the nearest kiddy ride. Argh! So remember to always keeps some $1 coins with you!

A wet and inflammed belly button. Why

2009-12-02T23:46:00.001+08:00

Matilda is coming to 2 months old. We came to a specialist, recommend by Dr Wong. Basically, we noticed that Matilda's belly button is often damp and slightly inflammed. According to the doctor, there is still a little bit of the umbilical cord stump inside the belly button. So we were given a "magnesium stick" and cleaning solutions for 7 days' self treatment. It went away only after 12 days. Initially, Matilda was really uncomfortable. I think the "magnesium stick" burns. Heart ache lah. Like as if I am torturing my kid. But alls for the better. She recovered. Whew! Of course it cost a bomb!

Kids love to play with water!

2009-12-01T23:36:00.000+08:00

A gift from a relative, this small portable pool was just right for Ethan and Elijah. Especially Elijah, he was sitting in the water quietly playing on his own. It was such a joy to watch them play. However, Elijah had a fever the following day. We wonder if its because he spent too much time in the pool.

My 3 kids! Group hug!

2009-12-01T23:27:00.000+08:00

My 3 precious. Hanging out together on the couch.

Hello? Hello?

2009-11-27T22:55:00.000+08:00

Imagine. Ask my kid if he can describe what is a phone; and he will tell you a phone is like a N95 nokia. Wow! He has never seen an actual desk phone. That's the new generation. Wow. At the tender age of a little more than 1.5 years, he can turn on a phone, scroll through the phone list, dial, and checkout the photo album. Impressive!

Ethan's many faces.

2009-11-25T00:18:00.000+08:00

Ethan has grown to become a really adorable, well-mannered boy. And I am proud of him. He also likes playing th erole of an elder brother. Lucky Matilda.

Elijah's many faces.

2009-11-25T00:11:00.000+08:00

Elijah is really a funny kid. He is bright. He responds to us positively. And he has all these different expressions. Cannot sit still, Elijah is full of energy. Check out some of his ah beng sitting positions.

Elijah loves to ride!

2009-11-25T00:05:00.000+08:00

Here's Elijah riding on a really "cheap" 20 cents ride. Cannot get enough. Rode 5 times. Can lah.

Happy Birthday Grandma part 2

2009-11-24T00:01:00.000+08:00

Birthday ice-cream at Swensens. Yummy. The kids get to blow more birthday candles.

Matilda getting ready for bed

2009-11-21T23:58:00.000+08:00

Matilda looks pretty even in her sleeping clothes.

Happy Birthday Grandma.

2009-11-21T23:51:00.000+08:00

OK, everytime there's a birthday cake, it's Ethan's birthday. So Ethan gets about 5 to 6 birthdays a year. This time, grandma shares her birthday with Ethan. Elijah just started getting the hang of what to do with the birthday candles.

Dinner at Spring Court Restaurant

2009-11-21T23:35:00.000+08:00

The family went to Spring Court Restaurant at Chinatown for dinner; to celebrate mom's birthday. There were 2 models among us. Handsome?

Horror!! Auntie Yvonne prawning!!

2009-11-18T01:02:00.001+08:00

I finally managed to convince Yvonne to join us in our prawning outing. I think it was a success. She caught a couple of prawns, so that's pretty good. She looked excited when she caught her 1st one (i'll try to get that picture from her iphone). See the concentration....

Playtime at the old Bukit Timah racecourse..

2009-11-17T01:07:00.000+08:00

Ethan and Elijah enjoying some kid rides before we went upstairs for dinner at the OWEN Seafood resturant. Frankly, nice food with reasonable price and very fresh seafood. Elijah likes rides. He always wants an additional ride t o keep the action going. However, Ethan does not like the shaking and rocking. He doesn't want me to put in the coin. That's alright for me. Saved a couple of dollars! wow!!!

Visiting Doctor Wong

2009-11-14T00:49:00.000+08:00

Many would know that the pediatrician is an important person. Somehow, Dr Wong, as my kids affectionate calls her, has the medicine that will make them well. Not forgetting that she attends to all my kids, we visit her VERY regularly. Being a parent, keeping your medicine box well stocked with all sort of cures, is important. We not only have to keep track to medicine, but also the dosage for each kid as they grow. Getting their jabs are also not cheap but as a parent, the best gift we can give them is a good health. Perhaps for parents, do remember to budget for medicine and cost of jabs. Lastly, know your pediatrician well. And try not to switch too many doctors. Each kid has his/her "patterns"; one medicine may work well with 1 kid but may not go down well for another.

Jurong Bird Park

2009-11-08T00:33:00.000+08:00

OK. It was an inpulse visit. We simply hopped into the car and drove to Jurong Bird Park (We had the FOZ card). But I think the 2 kids enjoy visiting the park. Especially the large aviary. You get to feed free flying birds with plastic cups filled with water and chestnuts (i think, not very sure; by the way, it cost $2 per cup). A must go for any parents and families. A tip. Also a must go for avid animal photographers. Do bring along a stroller and mini fan, it can get hot and is less breezy compared to the zoo. Don't know why. Also, food is EXPENSIVE! So bring some snacks. Another tip. Avoid the marshland/waterbird aviary; its really really really smelly..

Happy 1st month celebrations Matilda!

2009-11-07T02:07:00.000+08:00

Finally, the cake! Matilda asleep, big brother Ethan blowing the candles on her behalf, with 2nd brother Elijah looking. Wow. We have 3 kids in our family. Just having them 3 with us, the 5 of us, looks like a huge family. Blessed. Having 3 bubbly kids running around the house will be a huge havoc. I think we prefer it that way, don't you agree?

Visitors for this celebrations.

2009-11-07T01:13:00.000+08:00

More visitors for this party!

Matilda's 1 month old!

2009-11-07T01:06:00.000+08:00

As usual, we throw a small celebration for our friends and family. Celebrating Matilda's 1 month old, is a good thing. Its also a good time to get everybody together.

Superman

2009-11-06T01:03:00.000+08:00

Here comes Superman..

Ethan and his frog umbrella

2009-11-06T00:58:00.000+08:00

Cute or not?

I surrender...

2009-11-06T00:55:00.000+08:00

All my kids sleep like this.. haha..

Dinner time..

2009-11-05T01:24:00.000+08:00

The kids and us.

3.5 weeks old Matilda

2009-11-05T01:20:00.001+08:00

Ms. Chubby. Yup. That's what we should call her!

Elijah.. the I do I do kid...

2009-11-02T01:02:00.000+08:00

My son, Elijah, is a "I do" kid. Unlike his brother, a "You do for me" kid, Elijah wants to do it himself. Even at this age, he knows how to turn on the portable DVD, mess with our handphones (yes he knows how to slide a N95 to turn it on), wants to feed himself (he eats really fast too!). He's one intelligent kid and he really makes me proud!

More visitors

2009-10-28T00:55:00.000+08:00

Matilda is about 2 weeks old. We have auntie Serena and uncle Samuel; as well as friends, Nielson, Dawn, and Nigel, visting us. That's Nigel playing with Elijah. They are both only months apart.

Ethan and Elijah

2009-10-15T00:48:00.000+08:00

Here's Ethan posing with his new "Top Gun" look. I don't know who taught him this pose. Elijah just woke up. He is a handful. And damn cute too.

We are going home!

2009-10-14T00:41:00.000+08:00

Going home is a good feeling. Going home sometimes can be daunting. No more nurses, no more nursery to help make the baby sleep. Here's Matilda going home; dressed in pink, of course!

Mount Alvernia Hospital: Thank You!

2009-10-13T00:02:00.001+08:00

Giving birth and spending 3-4 solid days in a hospital is very tiring; for both mom and dad. After 3 babies(2006 Ethan, 2008 Elijah, 2009, Matilda); MAH has made out stay as pleasant and comfortable. Future moms and dads to be. Do drop by MAH and check out their facilities. But more importantly, spend time observing the way the nurses go about their daily routine. They take care of the babies with love and show real care for the new mothers (and new fathers of course). Yes, it is the nurses that made our stays special; all 3 occasions. Every time little requests; they helped with smiles, and professionalism. So, thank you.

Milk.. yum yum..

2009-10-12T23:54:00.000+08:00

Matilda and us.

Day 3 visitors

2009-10-12T23:44:00.000+08:00

Thank you for visiting us!

Ethan and Matilda

2009-10-12T23:28:00.000+08:00

Big brother and little sister.. Reminds me of when I was little.. heehee looking at Yvonne.. haha..

Matilda on day 2.. sleeping

2009-10-11T01:25:00.000+08:00

Sleeping... sleeping..

And the list goes on!

2009-10-11T01:03:00.000+08:00

It was a long day with a long list of very good friends and relatives. Thank you!

Day 2 Matilda and family

2009-10-11T00:55:00.000+08:00

Here's day 2 in MAH. Matilda in grandpa Alan's and grandma Julie's arms.

More pictures of Matilda

2009-10-10T23:59:00.004+08:00

Here's a contented Matilda after her 1st feed. Does she look like she's now bigger? Ha! And that's me, wheeling Matilda back to the nursery.

First VIP visitors

2009-10-10T23:59:00.003+08:00

Honors go to auntie Joanna. :) Of course the VIP list also include Denada, and my uncle and auntie.

More of Matilda

2009-10-10T23:44:00.000+08:00

More pictures!

More of Matilda

2009-10-10T23:33:00.000+08:00

Here's more pictures of Matilda.

Day 3: And she is looking lovely..

2009-10-10T23:14:00.000+08:00

Maureen has now recovered and got off the bed; started eating too. More pictures of Matilda!

Mau's and Matilda's first meet

2009-10-10T23:13:00.000+08:00

Maureen cannot wait to see her daughter. She was anxiously looking at the photos we took and when i wheeled Matilda from the nursery, you can see why the mother and daughter bond is so strong.

Maureen back from the operation

2009-10-10T22:53:00.000+08:00

It was past 4pm, and Maureen is bak in the room. Defnitely looks more groggy than the last 2 birth ops. Don't know why. But she looks fine and that's the important part. Also, she's asking to see Matilda, so that's good too.

The first visitors

2009-10-10T22:33:00.000+08:00

Aunit Joanna was the first one to vist us! Yeah!

In the nursery

2009-10-10T22:32:00.000+08:00

OK, these are the "censored" pictures of matilda in the nursery minus all the measurements and cleaning up. That's me, doing the 1st daddy job; identifying my daugther and checking her weight and meansurements.

The rest of the family

2009-10-10T22:20:00.001+08:00

With the arrival of Matilda, its a time for family celebrations. Here you get to see the rest of us before seeing other posts of Matilda..

Welcome! Matilda Tham Hon Xuan

2009-10-10T22:12:00.000+08:00

In the afternoon of 10th October, 2009, our daughter, Tham Hon Xuan, was born. Just like any other wailing babies, she came with beautiful features and and very powerful set of lungs. This picture was taken by me; but there remaining nice ones are usually taken by James. Thank you uncle James and auntie Yvonne for coming early to be with nervous daddy. haha.

The moments before...

2009-10-10T19:05:00.000+08:00

OK. So why opt for C-section GA? Well, a couple of reasons. 1. It is cheaper than a C-section Epidural. 2. Honestly, we feel this is more an operation than a birth. The doc puts Mau to sleep; do their operation, and out comes our precious kids. There is really no stuggle, no feel. 3. I can't tahan blood. heehee..

But I was there all the way for Mau and my baby. From being with her right until to the operation room; and the moment she comes out of the operation.

OK what do I do during the operation? Typically takes 45mins before they wheel out the baby and 2 hours before I see Mau again. To tell you the truth; I felt apprehension. Of course there are risks. I worry. I pace outside the operation room. I feel edgy. Ask Yvonne and James.

But I try to relax too. Coz I know, once the baby is out; that's the start of sleepless nights, changing diapers, etc etc..

The Big day! inside the suite

2009-10-10T18:40:00.000+08:00

Tips for would-be parents: This being our 3rd, here's some tips for those that want to know, what to do before the op:

1. book the time with the doc. It is important, if you are going for a C-section, that you therefore have the luxury of booking what time you want the operation done. In this case, since most patients checkout after 12noon, we planned for an afternoon operation.

2. go early: really. going early means you are in front of the queue, in case there are limited choice rooms. Going early allows you to be more relax, not so kan-chong. This is the same Singaporean kiasuism. Heehee..

3. Make sure you know if they hae wi-fi. Imagine 3 solid days inside the hospital. OK. I'll be spending a lot of time with the baby and taking care of Mau; but believe me, fathers-to-be will have plenty time to do things. Wi-fi allows us to send out emails to inform our friends, post pictures online, surf the web, etc. Of course make sure you bring all your computer equipment.

4. Bring a sweater or long sleeve shirts and a couple of very comfortable clothes. It is COLD!! especially in the mornings, and sleeping on the couch is not really very comfortable.

5. Bring all your documents, Remember, you will need your ROM cert, ICs, and bank account info. Having decided what you want to name your baby is good, so don't kanchong. Also, if you have time on the 2nd day, then do the registration; don't wait until the last day.

6. Try to relax. Really it is an important day for all. I still remember most of the moments. I take time to recap and print it out. We certainly enjoyed our new arrivals.

7. Don't be paiseh. See our luggage? Haha. you will have lots of things to bring along. Importantly is that you are trying to make the hospital your home for those 3 days. Obviously you need stuff. Go ahead. Bring. Better to bring more than you have to rush home for something or waste $$ and buy. We threw everything into 1 luggage; easy to pack when you go home. Don't forget, friends will give you gift, you need some extra luggage space as well.

The Day has come!!!

2009-10-10T12:21:00.000+08:00

So the day is finally here! All systems go. We are so looking forward to this day. We've done it 2 times. So the 3rd time is a breeze right? Wrong!

We were early, and I had breakfast (Mau can't heehee).

We came in to MAH and this time, they did not have a 1 roomer for us. We checked into a 6-roomer; and after 2 hours, I asked if there were suites available. Remember, perserverance pays. I think I asked and bugged the nurses more and we were given a suite (no 1 roomers available for the day). It costs a bit more but at least we start the day relax and ready.

The Johore Trip (part 3)

2009-08-12T02:38:00.000+08:00

Another good thang about Jusco is the very "cheap" games at the Jusco amusement on the 4th floor. Ethan has a blast on the bowling mahine. Of course we did some shopping as well. Bought clothes for Elijah and some clothes for Chinese New Year. Typical kiasu Singaporean.

Trip to Johore (part 2)

2009-08-12T02:22:00.000+08:00

Checkout this place at JB Jusco Tebrau City; a Japanese restaurant called Kinsahi (www.kinsahi.com.my). While you can get excellent Jap food in Singapore; its expensive! For less than 1/2 the price, we get reasonable Japanese food that can not only fill your stomach, its fresh sashimi and sushi looks good and taste excellent.

We ordered the catch of the week; can't remember what fish it was, but it was very fresh and not expensive. The ambience is reasonable; called it bad luck; but the restaurant was facing some clogged pipes and the place was slighted flooded. Luckily, we finished out food just when the water was heading towards our table.

Anway, Jusco is a nice shopping place. Check it out!

If you're wondering where is Ethan, he is fast asleep beside Mau.

Trip to Johore (part 1)

2009-08-12T02:11:00.000+08:00

Took Mau and Ethan over to JB for a quick 1 day trip. Needless to say, it was a well planned activity. It was also Ethan's first time into Malaysia. Verdict: Plenty of fun and lots of good shopping and food.

Ethan got to ride on motorised bikes, played in an indoor playground at Plentong (Giant), free animal rides, and we had oldtown coffee + delicious prawn noodles for breakfast.

Another episode of the Zoo! (part 3)

2009-08-10T02:06:00.000+08:00

Perhaps one important exercise for this visit is to get ready for our next BIG trip. I think the kangaroo provides a good hint.

Another episode of the ZOO.. (part 2)

2009-08-10T01:56:00.000+08:00

Another important criteria: Always make sure you get more adults than kids. Honestly, handling kids are not my forte. Both kids can be quite a handful sometimes. With Yanni around, things get simplier. I concentrate on getting them there and back. For domestic issues, Yanni helps out a lot. Thanks!!

Another episode of the ZOO (part 1)

2009-08-10T01:42:00.000+08:00

Zoo?Didn't we just did that just days ago? yaj, yah, yah. But equiped with a unlimited visit Friends of the Zoo card, how can we not go? It's free entry tickets, free parking, and if you bring your own food, you don't need to spend a single cent!

Of course, that is not the case.

Just this trip, we bought an umbrella, a couple of t-shirts, drinks, lunch, etc.. and the whole thing came up to quite a hefty sum of $$.

OK, lets focus on the fun part. A well-spent day with the kids. As usual, we zoom in into a couple of animals the kids like to see: elephants, orang utans, australian exhibits, tigers, hippos, and the polar bears.

Grandma's Birthday (part 2)

2009-08-09T01:34:00.000+08:00

Its grandma's birthday. We're celebrating it at a AMK Chinese Teochew Restaurant. Plently of Aiyoh.. you are so cute.. and I have to admit. Ethan is V cute. Any advance booking, girls?

Grandma's birthday celebrations (part 1)

2009-08-09T01:21:00.000+08:00

These pictures were taken by.. Ethan! Yup! True! No bad for a 3 year old boy! I see some talent. Worth grooming.

Elijah celebrates National Day too!

2009-08-09T01:14:00.000+08:00

Here's an exuberant toddler learning how to show his national pride!

Kampong stuff (part 3)

2009-08-09T01:03:00.000+08:00

Considering the huge smile and that "V" for victory sigh, I believe this was a successful outing.

Kampong stuff (part 2)

2009-08-09T00:16:00.000+08:00

Here's more pictures of what you can do and see at Pasir Ris Kid's Kampong. A word of caution: The koi pond is shallow but keep an eye on your kids! Also, check out that Super Mom in red.. Isn't she hot? Heehee..

And we celebrate National Day; Kampong Style (part 1)

2009-08-09T00:05:00.000+08:00

It's National Day; a.k.a Spend Time with the Family Day. I came across this place a couple of weeks ago and decided to bring the family there. The Pasir Ris Kid's Kampong (www.prkidskampong.com) is a must go place for al urban kids. You get to catch fishes (artificial long kang); feed koi, ducks, chickens, rabbits, etc. Of course its not free. At least Ethan gets to do something different. He certainly enjoyed himself. You get to keep the fishes you catch.

Our anniversary celebrations as a family

2009-08-08T00:47:00.001+08:00

8th of August. Its also our wedding anniversary. We went out to Black Angus for a good Prime Rib set lunch. This is a MUST for any beef lovers out there. Black Angus has the best prime rib. Period!

Do you see a Super hero?

2009-08-07T23:56:00.000+08:00

Do you see a new Singapore Super hero? Fetching Ethan after his National Day celebrations after his Nusery 1 class.

Pictures taken by Ethan!

2009-08-07T00:38:00.000+08:00

These pictures were taken by Ethan. Talk about talent! Keep it up son!

More pictures of Elijah. He's learning how to walk right.

Evening swim at RTC

2009-08-07T00:24:00.000+08:00

He looks confident. But is he? We've not gone "swimming" for quite a while. Ethan seems to enjoy himself!

Elijah and his pacifier

2009-08-07T00:18:00.002+08:00

Here's Elijah and his important pacifier. He loves playing with balloons.

The infamous 1st fight!

2009-08-07T00:03:00.000+08:00

I'll be posting a video soon of THAT infamous fight. That's right. When Ethan and Elijah fought; and was caught on tape! I'll elaborate further after converting the video.

Ethan to the zoo! (August 2009)

2009-08-05T23:41:00.002+08:00

A quick visit to the zoo! Maureen gets some exercise too before the next baby arrival.

A Malacca trip Part 3..may 2009

2009-05-21T01:19:00.000+08:00

So after a good nite's rest, it was back to more shopping and food! Before coming back to singapore!

A Malacca trip part 2..may 2009

2009-05-20T01:04:00.001+08:00

Looking at the food. what more can I say? Just enjoy it lah.. wow...

A Malacca trip part 1.. may 2009

2009-05-20T00:55:00.000+08:00

Maumau goes on a 2 day trip to Malacca with uncle steven and family. Also with Eunice and mom, and Joanna. From these pictures, mau seem to be having a lot of fun.

We have another good news!! Maumau is pregnant again! April 2009

2009-04-20T00:37:00.000+08:00

After so many birthdays, we are now going to expect another birth this year! YES! MAU IS PREGNANT! Well, we kinda know it a couple of weeks ago, but delayed till recently to get checked.

For those of you that says, "ah ha! This must be an accident!" no no no no. We planned. Mau and I decided to try to have another baby.

Another point we have not shared. Honestly, when you plan to have a baby, it is not easy. Having a baby means you need to make sure both of you "work hard" when the chance of being pregnant is high. For those that want to know our successful technique, you can email us privately. Hahaha..

OK, seriously, we are delighted. I think Mau is happy as she is hoping this time, it will be a girl. A you can see, there is 75% are guys. Mau is now currently the only girl in the family. So my little baby in my Mau's womb, we are hoping you're our long awaited Matilda.

I am 1 year old. Hear me roar! part 5 april 2009

2009-04-19T00:34:00.000+08:00

My name's Elijah. I am Ethan's younger brother and i am 1 year old today!

Yummy cake.. part 4 april 2009

2009-04-19T00:30:00.000+08:00

Argh. ku-ku is cutting up the cake!!!

You like the uniform? part 3 april 2009

2009-04-19T00:22:00.000+08:00

These are our uniform. this year, uncle monster, ku-ku yvonne, and grand uncle steven all had uniforms too.

i hope everyone likes them.

Elijah's 1 year old! part 2 .. april 2009

2009-04-19T00:11:00.000+08:00

We are all up in arms. As you can see, we all have "elijah uniforms".

The cake we bought was from the same store where we bought Ethan's cake. It is a custom cake. Cost us $200.

It is not just for you, but also for all to enjoy the cake. To enjoy your celebrations.

Elijah's is 1 year old!! part 1 April 2009

2009-04-18T23:48:00.000+08:00

It's finally Elijah's birthday. My dear son, you are now 1 year old. Its a sigh of relieve and a sense of contentment to know that you are now 1 year old. And we want to share this with all our friends and family. And they will come. Because we all love you. You look so smart in your cute T-shirt. And we start the day, preparing for your celebrations, taking out all the chairs for everyone.

Welcome!

2009-04-13T20:55:00.003+08:00

Elijah was born a month before my birthday (we picked the date) in Mt. Alvernia Hospital. Same nurses, MAH offers us the really nice and cozy atmosphere we loved.

Checked-in in the afternoon of a day in April 2008, we were all ready (more pictures coming soon). Unfortunately they did not have a single room and so we had to check into a suite and was transferred into a single ward later.

It was a smooth delivery. Everything went as scheduled. However, I remembered feeling overwhelmed when I first saw Elijah outside the op theatre. Partly due to some workload; but seeing my new-born baby was like Elijah was telling me everything is going to be alright.

Elijah was much lighter than Ethan; smaller and looks more fragile; he is really a blessing. Fortunately he is not G6PD. Mau coped better in this delivery.

We checked out 3 days later.

Here's to u!

2009-04-13T20:48:00.003+08:00

It's been a hectic crazy month (or actually more than a couple of months). Honestly, sometimes I feel so tired. Don't want to bitch too much but life's like that isn't it.

We sometimes just want to say.. )@_$)%^#@!

Anyway, back to the topic; we've started teaching Ethan how to point but unknown to us (must be genetics), he points with his ermm... "unique" finger! That's when he was 2 years old.

He doesn't do that anymore. HAHA.. This is a great picture. yes?

Teaser: Do you know who is this kid?

2009-04-04T23:37:00.003+08:00

Ok.. ta-da! Here's Elijah. Born last year (2008), Elijah is our latest addition in the Tham family. You'll see a lot more of him in the next few blog posts.

A quick thought from this father of two.. Having kids really change the way you view the world.

I still remember in the not too distant past, drinking a jug of Long Island Tea was the best way to spend a Saturday nite. Not any more.

On the other hand, while Ethan's arrival was like stepping into the unknown, Elijiah's arrival was like a visit from an old friend. Many couples with kids would tell you that the initial excitement is lost for the 2nd kid. There are some truth in this. I mean, we don't worry that much during Mau's last trimester; the visit to the hospital was almost routine; we talked about how we'll handle Elijah.. in another words, we did not "kanang kaboh".

Perhaps sometime to tell Elijah about when he is older and reads this blog; it's not that daddy did not care any lesser; but daddy was more confident to be your daddy. Those mistakes that we made with Ethan, we know we will not. For example, when Ethan fell off the bed when he was about 9 months old.. I'm proud to say we had been diligent in 'implementing contigency plans' to make sure that does not happen. Daddy knew more about how to take care of you; that i think is important.

Mommy and Daddy loves you..

OK! So I have slacked!

2009-04-04T16:23:00.002+08:00

ok guys.. sorry sorry sorry.. we've not posted anything since we last came back from Australia. That was what, 2 years ago! A lot has happened..

Ethan has grown up..
He had has 2nd and 3rd birthday..
We worked hard and had Elijah..
Elijah is come 1 year old! yup yup!

and...

Maureen is pregnant again!!! yes!!

Ok, so there is really really a lot more that has happened.. So hang in there for more updates.. i'll have to update 2 years of info!!

I am 11 months old!! Elijah.. Mar 2009

2009-03-18T23:39:00.000+08:00

Elijah is now 11 months old. And quite a handful. Many a times, he will struggle if you don't put him down while carrying him. He's still not ready to walk but he wants to. And instead of walking, he runs! So here's Elijah, hole up in his cot.

Dancing and Singing on my birthday .. Mar 2009

2009-03-18T00:47:00.000+08:00

My talented son, Ethan, dancing and singing.

I also can feel the pleasure of seeing my son enjoy himself. his boost in confidence in evidence to his growth.

Spanking.. right or wrong? ..Mar 2009

2009-03-18T00:34:00.000+08:00

OK. Have you spanked your kid before? I have. Todate, I've probably spanked Ethan perhaps 2 times. Spanking means 1 smack to his buttocks using my palm.

Am I proud of it. NO! No parent (I would assume, a loving parent) would want to spank his/her kid. But spanking is 1 form of punishment among many. It is perhaps the most serious. It is meant to shout "wake up" and "stop". Like an emergency brake before an accident. You would only use it very rarely. That means that if you have other means which will better teach your kid, then you should use it.

Another reason is also perhaps an act of desperation. When you don't know what to do to teach your kid. I do personally say that I don't condone spanking. But there will be moments when spanking is necessary. Yet, restrain is necessary as well. Let's remember that your kid will always be a minor and only a kid. Like I'd said. It is means as a "stop what you are doing" purpose. Nothing more.

Another technique would be our version of naughty chair. If Ethan is naughty, he sits on the stairs. He doesn't like it. And nowadays, this is a better solution. I think it depends on kids. Ethan, being more mild mannered knows that when I say sit at the stairs, it is very serious. It also means, "stop what you are doing".

I am glad I don't need to spank Ethan for a long time. I am also glad, my son obeys me, not because he is scared of me, but he knows that when Papa is serious, Papa needs to be obeyed. But I also explains, or someone else explains to him why he needs to listen. I also make a point to hug him and love him 1 hour after the whole episode.

I am proud my sons loves me deeply. And I believe there is a level of respect in their love. I don't abuse their love. If I promise them something, I will get it done, no question about it.