NDP Preview 2006

Dearest Little One,

On 29th July 2006, Uncle Milton brought his family and Grandma to the National Stadium to watch the National Day Parade Preview. They had managed to get some tickets through the balloting process. Papa and Mama were not that interested in going as we really do not like very crowded places very much, Little One, and the stadium would be jam-packed with more than 50,000 people who would be there to catch the spectacle.

Nonetheless, Papa and Mama thought that it would still be fun to catch the fireworks display since we missed it the previous week as there wasn’t any rehearsal. So, we made our way to the same spot as the last time – near Pebble Bay – to try to catch it as the media had reported that it would be a great show.

However, as we approached the area around the stadium, we found that traffic was simply terrible! The police had closed off several roads in the area and had set up road blocks on others to prevent people from getting near the stadium in their own vehicles. It took us some time just to get into the Pebble Bay area. Even then, the police had blocked off all the adjoining roads to where we wanted to go so we could not find any place to park to watch the fireworks. We ended up driving around slowly hoping that the display would begin while we were still around.

Papa ended up going down a minor road that was not blocked off and stopped by the side of the road just as the display started. However, a motorcycle policeman came by and told Papa to move our car. We had already gotten out of the car and I was carrying you to watch the display by then. Anyway, since we did not want to get into any trouble, Papa put you back into your seat and we left. It was very disappointing that, since we were not blocking anyone and as the display had already started and was not going to last that long, the policeman could not just let us enjoy a part of the National Day celebrations. Oh well…

So, we went through the traffic again and made our way home. It had been a fairly tiring evening but it was fun just for the experience.

Skyler, you must remember that your Mama and Papa just totally love being together regardless of what we’re doing, ok? So, even if we do not get to do what we planned, we still love just being with each other. We hope to enjoy such a relationship with you as well!

We love you!

Papa and Mama

And for the last time, I’m a GIRL!!!

Dearest Baby Skyler,

Today’s the 118th Founder’s Day of MGS, the school Mama went to and which, Mama hopes, you will go to as well in future. Mama had a really good time in MGS and is a “true-blue” MGS girl, having spent 10 years of her school life there. Many of Mama’s best friends today have been friends with Mama since her school days in MGS!

Interestingly, while we’re talking about MGS, a girls’ school, most of the people whom we’ve met think that you look like a boy! They usually think you are a boy before even seeing you because your stroller is blue in colour and most people think that boys must use blue things while girls must use pink things. Then again, even when Papa and Mama dress you up entirely in pink, people have asked if you’re a boy!

A number of amused parents have also come up to us to relate similar comments made about their little girls when they were babies. They tell us that you look like a boy now because you don’t have much hair yet, but that you will start looking like a girl when your hair grows longer at the age of 2 years, which was when their baby girls started looking like girls. Papa and Mama aren’t worried, of course. You’re already the most beautiful little baby girl on earth, Little Skyler!

Keep growing stronger and more beautiful each day, Sweet Baby Skyler!

With all our love,

Papa & Mama

Handbell Choirs & Fireworks

Dear Skyler,

On 22nd July, there were Handbell Choir performances organised by a Christian Japanese group and we decided to bring you to watch it. It was intriguing for Papa because it was the first time that Papa was attending something organised by the Japanese community in Singapore. The handbell performance is also something that interests Papa and Mama as Mama first knew about handbells from her school, Methodist Girls School, as they had a Handbell Choir. This MGS choir is quite well-known in Singapore and they get invited to perform very often in public. The performance was held in St Andrew’s Cathedral, our church, so it was convenient for us as well. We’d invited Grandma to join us.

The organisers had invited a well-known handbell choir performer to come to anchor the performance. He had studied overseas and has a university degree in music. He can perform a whole song using handbells by himself. They played a few pieces before inviting the younger members of the church who had practiced together for this occasion to play a couple of pieces of music. In the middle of the programme, a Japanese lady priest stood up to deliver a sermon. She had a translator who delivered an English translation. Papa kept on bringing you to the front to watch as you were too small to see the performers over the heads of the others in the audience. :D All-in-all, it was an interesting afternoon.

After that, we went for dinner with Grandma and we walked around the Marketplace in Raffles City. It had opened not too long before and it was the first time that you and Papa went there. Mama had visited it before with her friend. After we had walked around for a while, we had ice cream and then Grandma left.

Mama and Papa wanted to leave too but then we wondered if there was a National Day Parade rehearsal at the National Stadium. If there was one, we could watch the fireworks display from somewhere nearby. As we didn’t know, we decided that we would drive over anyway just to check since we were so close by.

We drove past the Stadium and found that it was quite empty with no road closures at all. (Usually, if there was a rehearsal, the roads around the Stadium would be closed so that the participants can leave without other people hindering them.) But as we drove past the car park, we saw a lot of buses so we decided that there had to be a rehearsal so we drove around to look for somewhere convenient to park and watch the fireworks.

We ended up near the Pebble Bay condominiums by the Kallang River. We had gone there a few years before to watch the National Day fireworks. There were several other people waiting for the fireworks as well. We waited for a bit and we were rewarded with a few bursts of fireworks. However, it was very few! :D We realised that probably it was an internal rehearsal not for public viewing so they used the minimum amount of fireworks that was necessary for the rehearsal. Oh well. =D

Love you lots, Baby Girl! We're so happy that we have you to share with us all these experiences.

Papa and Mama

Kow-Fu's Birthday!

Dearest Baby Girl,

Today we celebrated Kow-Fu’s Birthday!

We held the celebration at our place as it turned out to be the most convenient!

Papa had to work today so we could only go and buy the necessary stuff in the afternoon after Papa could get off work. Papa rushed home to pick both Mama and you up before heading to Causeway Point to purchase Kow-Fu’s birthday present and birthday cake.

Po-Po had cooked the food for dinner and we had durians after that. We bought a Pandan Kaya cake from Bengawan Solo for him. Mama likes this cake very much, and Kow-Fu was so sweet as to let Mama have one of her favourite cakes on his birthday. You were so cute too! You and Kow-Mo both helped Kow-Fu to blow out the candle on his cake. All in all, it was a very heavy dinner as we ate so much!

Kow-Fu had requested for a pair of Crocs sandals in lime colour and that’s what we got him. :D These sandals are very popular right now. Many people have them. They come in many many colours and they are light and very easy to clean. Kow-Fu says that they are very comfortable. :D

Then everybody played with you and you were so happy to have so much attention showered on you. It was almost like it was your birthday rather than Kow-Fu’s! :D Well, Mama and Papa are already planning your first birthday at the end of the year! We hope you’ll enjoy it! :D

We love you, Dearest Skyler,

Papa and Mama

2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany

Dearest Littlest Soccer Fan,

Congratulations on catching your very first World Cup! =D

One of the more memorable times that Papa and Mama watched the World Cup together was in 1998, a year before we got married. We spent a night in a Kelong with some of Mama’s friends and watched a match together that night.

After we got married, we watched the 2002 World Cup together in the comforts of our home. South Korea hosted the World Cup that year and they put up a brave fight before their home crowd, playing so well that they bowed out only in the semi-finals. In memory of the South Korean team that played so well in 2002, Mama named the stuffed dog Kow-fu gave me “Myung Bo”, after the name of the Captain of the South Korean team.

This is the very first World Cup that you’re enjoying with us. You watched the exciting opening match between Germany, the host nation, and Costa Rica with us on 9th June. Germany, led by their Captain Michael Ballack, won 4-2 and continued to play very well throughout the rest of the World Cup. We had hoped that Germany, spurred on by the home crowd, would make it all the way to the finals, but sadly they lost to Italy in the semi-finals.

In the end, Italy beat France in the finals on 7th July and emerged champions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Interestingly, the one memento we have of this World Cup is a Carrefour key ring with the figurine of an Italian player attached to it. We got this before the finals was played and actually joked that Italy would emerge champions of this World Cup!

The next World Cup would be held in South Africa in 2010. You’ll be a much bigger girl by then, Baby Skyler, and Papa and Mama just can’t wait to catch the World Cup with you then! We're even considering letting you stay up for some of the later matches! =)

Continue to grow well, sweet baby daughter of ours!

Papa & Mama

Gong-Gong’s birthday

Dearest Baby Skyler,

Today is Gong-Gong’s birthday!

Gong-Gong lives in Hong Kong most of the time these days, so we were not able to celebrate his birthday with him in person today. However, he should be back in Singapore for a visit in September, so we can celebrate Gong-Gong’s birthday together with Po-Po’s birthday then.

Since it is Gong-Gong’s birthday today, we called him in Hong Kong and spoke with him over the phone for a while. You babbled on and on with Gong-Gong, making him very happy!

Gong-Gong is a very kind, gentle and compassionate man. Po-Po also testifies to how romantic Gong-Gong was when he courted her. Though he doesn’t spend much time in Singapore these days, he loves you very much and always misses you when he’s in Hong Kong.

When Gong-Gong comes back in September, we can also celebrate Mid-Autumn’s Festival together. There’ll be lots of colourful lanterns then!

What lantern would you like then, Baby Skyler? =)

Papa & Mama