Chubbs' Holiday Greetings

Happy Christmas! At least we hope that's what he's saying :/

Hats Up!

Courtesy of Fuzzy...


Result of his squirming...

Way too small :(

Showing off his crawling skills.

Another funny face.

His beanie.

First Christmas

Fuzzy and I celebrated our birthdays this year with Chubbs, and soon we'll spend our first Christmas together ever! This has always been my favourite time of the year. As kids, my best friend, Rissy, and I, would talk about Christmas weeks on end prior to the day, and would run around excitedly greeting everyone Merry Christmas eve. I love the sparkling lights, decorated trees, holiday spirit, familiar carols, shiny bow-tied presents, obscene amounts of food (especially chocolates, my favourite thing)... and everyone always seems to be in a happy mood. Maybe because we get two public holidays in a week, with New Year's round the corner. The only thing I dread is the shopping. It's stressful because I want the perfect gift for everyone and the hoards of manic shoppers in town don't help. I recall many years of scouring the shops with Yee (my dearest aunt) on the 24th, frantically looking for that elusive prezzie. Procrastination always got, and still gets the better of us.

Christmas this year will be very different. All of Chubbs' grandies will be away, Rissy's holidaying, Yee will be Down Under, so there won't be the usual extended family parties. It'll just be my hubby, my son and I. I'm really excited because I'm looking to create certain Christmas traditions that are unique to our little family. I want Chubbs to be able to associate this holiday with specific family memories such as opening prezzies round the tree, hot chocolate and pancakes for breakfast, turkey stew for lunch etc, so that he can think back on these memories fondly and remind himself of home if he is ever away for Christmas in future. Of course, he must also understand the meaning behind Christmas itself. That it is Jesus Christ's birthday.

I have yet to come up with the Christmas day "plan" exactly. But for sure, it will be a awesome day packed with laughter, hugs and kisses, with carols playing in the background. We will dress in festive colours/outfits (I want to dress baby up as an elf), have champagne, eat lots of chocolates... and most importantly provide many special treats that we will grow to look forward to yearly. Maybe I'll bake a butter and sugar brioche (Fuzzy's favourite), or roast a turkey with all the trimmings, or make pork crackling, or put together a logcake, or torch a creme brulee...I can go on all day. Yum!

 Happy Christmas everyone!

Storked!

Over the past few months, the stork visited a few of our close friends too. It'll be really adorable when these cutie-pies start playing with each other.

First up, Fuzzy's Purdue mate, N, and wife, S, welcomed lovely Caitlyn middle of this year. They are based in Washington DC now, maybe that explains her gorgeous rosy cheeks!

 Wanna pinch those cheeks!

Gone are the days when the boys played Metal Gear Solid for days on end, gorging themselves silly with beer and pizza. Don't know when they will return to S'pore, but we will definitely have lots to catch up on when we meet. Might even visit them in DC, if we make a trip next year. Guess the dads will have more substantial stuff (i.e. marriage, baby, work, wife) to talk about apart from video games.

Isabelle was next to arrive. She's a pink, round, cuddly bundle of JOY!

 Chubbs, Isabelle and doggy Sho

Isabelle's mommy, M, has been a source of encouragement to me. M's very knowledgeable about baby stuff, so she's almost the first person I turn to when something's worrying me about Chubbs. But often, she simply provides me the reassurance that Chubbs is doing fine. Moms are a "little" paranoid by default. Since Isabelle's a few months older, I find myself comparing notes with M frequently to see if Chubbs' growth and development are on the right track. During the trying weeks with Chubbs, M said when the going gets tough, she tells herself that tomorrow will be a better day. Sounds like simple advice, but that was what kept me going many (colicky) days in a row. Thanks M!

Our little angel Chubbs came along 3-months after.

Quite recently, my childhood friend S, became proud mama to spunky-haired Asher. He's a serene, happy little chap with bright eyes.

Peek-a-boo at birth!

I've known S for at least 12 years. She's been my steadfast support and listening ear as long as I can remember. S is my voice of reason, always playing the "angel" character in my head. I recall the carefree days when we spent watching endless episodes of Lost and me staying over during Christmas, sleeping under the tree. This is so surreal... we're moms now! Can you believe it, S? It thrills me to think (wistfully) of when the boys (meaning Chubbs, Asher, J- S' hubby, and Fuzzy) can start playing together and leave us girls to our tete-a-tete over bags of Estrelle. Remember the cheese and wine picnic that we had at Botanic gardens, S? Felt just like yesterday, huh?

A few days later, another Purdue pal J and his wife, C, welcomed their little darling Natasha.

(picture akan datang)

It's endearing to see how the guys' vocabulary evolved from rims, tyres and brakes to strollers, diapers, and bottle feeding. Wouldn't say they're no longer car-crazy though. Fuzzy recently went through an exhaust-obsession. He claims to have wanted to "zeng" the car because the ride was too quiet, and that's why Chubbs always cried when he sat in it. Not because baby was sleepy, hungry, warm or bored, but simply because the exhaust was not loud enough. Fuzzy knows he could have come up with a better lame excuse, but I indulge him anyway. Plus it was probably refreshing for him and J to discuss something familiar, for a change. So a few hundred dollars later, my hubby is a much happier man, and Chubbs, keen to compete with the new exhaust, cries even louder than before.

Its comforting to have friends who understand what we are going through and can relate with our daily struggles. Parenthood is still a novel experience, but it grows on you. Fuzzy and I cherish every moment of it because we know Chubbs will grow up all too soon. And our fellow noob parents have certainly helped make parenting more enjoyable.

By Popular Demand

Friends and family have requested for more pictures of Chubbs. No problem!

 Chubbs likes this big, comfy sofa.

 Fuzzy's obssessed about hats.

 Don't let that sweet smile fool u.

 The camera is a fascinating device.

 It has gotten easier for him :)

 "I'm not small... the chair is big!"

 Chillin' with Buzz & Barkers.

Quarter of a Year

We have waited long for this day... supposedly the miraculous time when all things "problematic" associated with infants dwindle away. We are proud to announce that 3-month old baby Chubbs is growing pinker and rounder by the day, and some say looking more like mommy (this is just proud mommy talk). Let's celebrate how far he's come.

 Hello people... I'm here!

 Finally home from Thomson.

 De-robing for bath no. 1.

 Snoozing away at 1-month.

 2-months, "sitting" is a breeze.

 Yay! 3-months!

Life in conventional terms have indefinitely been put on hold. Schedules are discarded, plans are non-existent, and ETAs are flexible. Movie? Restaurant? Massage? Travel? Haircut? What are those alien things you speak of?

Chubbs has taught Fuzzy and I the essence of quality time and how to cherish simple things again. Nowadays, the 5-min drives to the ice-cream parlour for a cone or popping into a nearby restaurant for dinner, are a rare luxury. But the scoops seem to taste better and I treasure the meals shared with Fuzzy alone, so much more (the two of us have only gone out for dinner once so far). It shocks me to think of all that we took for granted. Previously mundane activities like grocery shopping, paying bills at AXS, watching a full TV programme etc., have become virtually impossible. I've even resorted to cutting my own hair!

Truth be told, there were days of immense frustration when it felt like I was nothing but a walking milk dispenser who's on poop-patrol 24/7. The monotony was stifling and I wanted to throw in the towel. There was no need for make-up or perfume, it didn't matter if my hair was combed and I was in my jammies all day long. Worst of all, my son was colicky, in pain and crying for days on end. I read books, did research on the Internet, tried all the remedies suggested to eliminate colic, but none helped. He was hurting and I couldn't relieve his pain. I felt useless, lonely and started to think that I was a terrible mother.

But Fuzzy would brighten my days by finishing work early, giving me foot rubs and endless hugs or buying me surprise macaroons. Soon, it dawned on me that every day that passes is gone for good. I can never get those hours back to spend with Chubbs. This is my full-time responsibility now... nurturing my son and shaping his life. I have never felt more content.

Tonight, after we've bathed baby, fed him, changed his diapers, rocked him to sleep, tucked him in, mopped the puke off the floor, washed his bottles, expressed the milk, set the steriliser to work, taken a shower... hopefully we'll have time (it'll be at least 12am by then) and energy to pop a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and watch a DVD. Cheers to Chubbs... we're gonna pat ourselves on the back for a job well done so far.

NGs

Instead of showing the usual smiley Chubbs, here are some shots that went awry just as the camera clicked... or maybe he was just hamming it up? You decide...

 Learning to crawl is hard work.

 I've had it up to here!

 Haha! That tickles...

 YOU TALKIN' TO ME?!

 (We can't explain this one...)

 Potty practice...

 BLEH!

 Somebody did doo-doo! Smelly...

 I'm a pillow. I'm a pillow. (Identity crisis)

 Phew! That was tiring... need a nap now.