Couplehood

Togetherness

holding hands

A Quick Update First  
Thank you, dear readers and friends, for all your prayers and thoughts. We've had a rough week to begin with, but everything is starting to work out. Angela's feeling loads better, and David's been hiccuping (the cutest thing). We're relieved - though I must admit that not being able to see him and see how he's doing worries me somewhat. But right now, we're resting in God's mighty hands. A good place to be.  

I Spoke To A Number Of Folks On Divorce  
And it's sad what they say. "Prepare for it," one guy tells me, "because you never know when it will hit you. And when it does, it'll be a freight train." He's not alone. I've spoken to some parents who give their soon-to-be married children a perverse "pre-wedding pep-talk" that centered around how one can get the best financial deal out a divorce. Hmmm? If thinking like that doesn't lead to some form of confirmation bias, then it's going to contribute to a serious lack of trust entering into marriage. Bad thing, that.

And, I don't know when it happened, but planning for your (almost certain) divorce is now good financial sense. Feh.

I'm Glad Though, There Are Some Who Want To Keep On Keeping On  
Okay, the real reason why I'm talking about all this is because I've been talking to a couple who've been having more than a hard time. I'm greatly encouraged that they're willing to work it out and give the relationship second chances. I'm also happy that as a friend, I've been able to help (just a little bit) in the process of healing. It's going to take time and a lot of effort. I hope they find it to be worth all the effort, and I wish them all the best.

Why, You Might Ask
I believe marriage to be of God. Marriage is holy, beautiful, and perfect. Perhaps the only thing going wrong for it is the fact that it is inhabited by fallen creatures like you and I. This just means if we are to receive the fruits of this wonderful union, it means working at it, not giving up on it, or planning to give up on it from the start. Oh, if I didn't mention it before, I should do so now: the only way fallen creatures make it are by God's good graces.

I'm reminded of something I read not too long ago:

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. "

-- Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Activist

Angela Had A Fall

Hey guys, just a request for prayers. Angela's had a bad fall in the toilet, and she landed on her left side. She didn't manage to cushion the fall in time, so her skull and mid-section sustained the main force of the fall.

We rushed to the hospital, and everything *seems* alright. David's kicking, and his heart's beating normally. The lady's left with a nasty bump on the head, and bruises down the left side of her body. Meanwhile, I'm monitoring her for the next 24 hours to see if anything weird happens.

Man, talk about feeling helpless.

They're On The Way!

Hoisting Babies for Grandma

We've Counted
And they're about 7 of our buddies expecting a bundle of joy this year (what, no twins?), excluding two who've already burst. That makes a total of 9 babies in my immediate circle. All of them this year. Cool, isn't it?

We Went For Antenatal Classes, And Got Weird Stares
And I'm rather amused by the strange stares people give me and the wife. Can't say I blame them, because we look awfully young (so say our friends, which means you). So there we were, playing along, giggling through the whole session like a couple underaged teens. Well, at least I was. I was even prepared to introduce the wife as "my girlfriend". Which would make the wife mightily embarrassed to be with me - okay, moreso than usual.

Antenatal Classes Are Enlightening
We had a most amusing teacher for the session, whom I figured to be a ex-maternity nurse/mid-wife. She was fully equipped with soft toy babies, soft toy pelvis-es, and an explicit vocabulary, which made for the most lucid demonstration of the birthing process outside of secondary school's sexual education (which was very graphic). Consider us enlightened; it was a very good session. 

SOEKs and Goodbyes (Not Really Goodbyes)
A few posts ago, we waved a mini-goodbye to the SOEKs (SomeOne Else's Kids) we've had the chance to spend loads of  time with and see grow up (after all, we would be getting SOOO [Some Of Our Own] soon, and won't be able to hang out as much). Our page boy, Daniel-san, ran up to me over the weekend, and gave me a long hug. Man, I love these kids. It's hard to say ta-ta when they're as adorable as they are. 

Buddies and Goodbyes (Well, More Like "See You Soons")
We met up with the wife's buddies from SMU on Thursday, who were all somewhat in awe of the lady's tummy. We had a great time over dessert and makan. Thanks for the memories guys! We hope to see you guys around soon. Maybe when David's out!

[Next post: Father's New Steps!]

Napping Is Good For You (Finally, The Truth Is Out)

Seen at 43Folders

For a long time, I've known sleep only to do the best things to you. Believe me now!

You look good for a nap. How about right now?

[Next week: Our first antenatal class!]

I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls

seen at Flickr, by Metal Chris

I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls
With vassals and serfs at my side
And of all who assembled within those walls
That I was the hope and the pride
I had riches to great to count, could boast
Of a high ancestral name
But I also dreamt, which pleased me most
That you loved me still the same
That you loved me, you loved me still the same
That you loved me, you loved me still the same

~Balfe

Finally, Time.

That's My Boy!

So, I Had An Amazing Weekend
It's true. I took some time off from the world (just for a bit) and had some fun with my birthday presents (having been among the first in the world to finish the epic event of MGS4, I can now lay a series to rest). I also brought my family out for a nice seafood dinner, since the two preggers in my family were craving for some crab. Jumbo wasn't half bad. But, when you've had Sin Huat Crab Bee Hoon and Mellben's Take On It, the bar is raised forever. Hence, Jumbo was, well, normal. No complaints though, because "Seafood = Happiness". Donchaknow?

The Mummy Is 6.5 Months Pregnant
She's rosy, happy, shiny, and putting on weight. Which is all good. It's lovely seeing her come so far and still keep good spirits (even through the nausea). As I mentioned in the post yesterday, the Missus went in for an ultrasound and diabetes test. The ultrasound came out nicely this time. In that picture hanging over this text, you can make out his face and hands, which are all looking nice. What you can't see, though, is him licking his fingers in the most adorable way. Yeah. I missed it too.

The pre-natal classes have been booked. This is where we learn how to deliver a baby as a team. Apparently, I'm a cheerleader. *readies the pom-poms*

My Sister's Almost Due
Good thing now that my sister's boy is growing faster now, and that everything is on track for a safe and healthy delivery. There was initially some worry about diabetes, slow growth and a soft heartbeat. Before that, there were the premature contractions. Then there was a scare when he stopped moving for a day. It's been very, very, very tough on her. We're praying that everything - and we do mean everything - gets better.

We're Settled
Over the past few months of preparation, we've had to make many life decisions. I think we've grown immensely as a couple, just by working through it together, and being open with each other. We're clearer on our roles in the family more so now than ever, and we're happier for it. It's awesome.

You know, I can barely wait to be a father.

 

Coolest Google Reader App Thing (With An Apology)

Check This Out
http://lifehacker.com/396184/get-a-ninja-in-your-google-reader - Because if you're like me, a big user of Google Reader, and somewhat of a geek, you'll love this.

Right, I Know Something Else Should Be Here
Yes I do, but I was meeting a deadline having had a good part of my weekend dedicated to my birthday (and resultant celebrations). I did have an awesome week, and I'm proud to say that it ended SOLID.

I'll Post Tomorrow, Because I've Got Updates!
It's true. The Missus just hopped to the clinic earlier today, and she'll be telling me all about it when I get home. Which will be just about in an hour. Sorry for the delay in updating, but it'll be soon!

Toodles!

Whooppeee!

Originally uploaded by Pensiero

I'm estatic. God's been blessing, and so have a couple of good friends.

I couldn't have asked for better gifts this year. You guys are the best.

A Friday Affair

Once in a while, buddies get together, and catch up a little bit. For moments like these, nothing is more appropriate than durian.

From Wikipedia:

"British novelist Anthony Burgess writes that eating durian is "like eating sweet raspberry blancmange in the lavatory." Chef Andrew Zimmern compares the taste to "completely rotten, mushy onions.""

Just the way we like them. All this and more on June 13th.

Crazy (But Effective) Japanese Tips

Originally uploaded by freeparking

I'm quite into the whole personal productivity movement. As avid as I am, I'm not anywhere near some of these guys who are absolutely obsessed. I'm sure some of these work (I'm somewhat eager to try them), but I'm not so sure when it comes to swishing saliva to make babies sleep.

1. How to make a baby stop crying
Dilemma: Sure, the baby's cute. But why won't he stop crying?
Solution: The secret to stop a crying baby lies in making the sound you produce during the mouthfeel stage of wine tasting.
Why this works: When babies are still in the womb, the noises they can hear are limited to those in the 6000-8000mHz range. The sound you make when you slosh the liquid behind your lips during wine tasting takes place at about 7000mHz, reminding the baby of a time when the world around was peaceful and the whirs and stirs inside Mommy's tummy soothed him back to a sleepy state.

Yeah. The wife and I are taking notes, and we'll find out soon enough.

Here ya go!