29th March is....

Some events happened today in the past.
29th March 1886 - Dr. John Pemberton brews the first batch of Coca-Cola in a backyard in Atlanta, Georgia.
29th March 1999 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at 10006.78 – above the 10,000 mark for the first time ever.

Some important men borned today in the past.
29th March 1790 - John Tyler, 10th President of the United States.
29th March 1799 - Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
29th March 1900 - John McEwen, 18th Prime Minister of Australia.
29th March 1973 - Marc Overmars, Dutch footballer, ex- arsenal player, ex-barcelona player.

And on 29th March 2008 - Joel Tan Chee Wen was born. Although he is not a president of a country nor a famous footballer, yet. He is my son, my 1st son.

Joel was born on 29th March 2008, 4.46am, at Rafflesia Medical Center, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. So, in lunar year, he is a 'Earth Rat'. In western horoscope, he is 'Aries'. Don't bother to read the personalities of him either as an Earth Rat or Aries, because his personalities is shaped by how SyinNi and I raise him, and not by when he is born.

I went to the labor room with SyinNi, I saw how hard it is for a woman to deliver a child. SyinNi deliver Joel with natural delivery. If you know SyinNi, you'll know that she's very gentle and soft kind of person, but she managed to 'squeeze' all her strength to deliver Joel.

I once complained to my father, that why there's only songs about mother, with the most famous one, "The world only got mother is the best", (Direct translation from chinese). But now, I know why, it should be that way, if only I knew how hard it is to deliver a child, I wouldn't complain.

We went to hospital to check at 9.30pm, 28th March 2008. Because we found out that the contraction was quite consistant. I stayed there with SyinNi, I moved my bed side to side with SyinNi, I offer my hand for her to squeeze when contraction came, my sleep was never deep, ever interupted, but that is the less that I can do.

At 2am, 29th March 2008, the contraction pain was so immense. That is when we enter the labor room, and the real pain started. There are a lot of times when SyinNi kept on saying she can't make it, but I'm glad I was there to encourage her.

Joel was delivered at 4.46am, 29th March 2008. The first look on him really touch me, he shook my heart, he shook my world, I was so touched, I had tears at the corner of my eyes. I'm glad I was there to participate Joel's birth.

We stayed in that hospital until 30th March, 9.30am. I didn't leave SyinNi's side, I stayed there in that room all along. We slept there, we ate there, we chit-chat there. But I always go to the nursery to peek on little Joel, just to see that he is sleeping soundly.

I've uploaded so photos in my flickr account(click to enter) and dear friends, if you are done reading this, I have a small request, if you will. Leave a comment or I would say, a wish for Joel.

I'm coming....

This morning, SyinNi shows symptoms of labour. We went to Dr. Ramesh, after he did some checking, he said not yet, but soon... How soon??? "Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow, or day after tomorrow, no one knows." He said.

And now, it's 8.53pm, SyinNi said she experience some contractions late afternoon just now. And so, we timed the interval between each contraction, and the duration of each contraction for an hour. We timed it since 7.40pm, and it's so consistent, time interval between each contraction is 6 mins, every contractions last about 45-50s, for an hour.

We've decided to go to the Rafflesia Specialies Center at 9pm, and now, I'm here waiting for the time, while SyinNi's resting for a long 'fight'... I'm so excited. I'm so thrill, the result of 9 months pregnancy is just around the corner... I don't know what to say now, so excited and so scared.

I'll upload Baby Joel's photo as soon as possible.

Grandfather's 80th birthday

We celebrated my grandfather's 80th birthday on Sunday. I was the MC for that night.

I remember doing the introduction for my grandfather, saying, "Today is my grandfather's 80th birthday, he has 6 daughters, 4 sons. 17 'outer' grandchildren, 4 'inner' grandchildren. And another great grandson coming soon."

And as soon as I finish the last sentence, I hear applause everwhere. I guess to see your great grandson in your lifetime is a big achievement, that also means you have 4 generations in your lifetime.

Then I remember telling my dad, in another 26 years time, if Joel is also going to marry young and have a child young, like me. He'll have 4 generations in his lifetime too. Saying that, I was also thinking about seeing my grandchild in probably another 30 years more. Hahaha, am I thinking too much or what?

Well, we are waiting for the time to come. Can't blame me to think that much though. But I'm thinking too far ahead. Can't wait for Joel to be born. Hopefully Joel will be born soon, before I start thinking about my 80th birthday...

A new bed for Joel

We bought a bed and mattress for Joel today. We shop for quite some time for a suitable bed for Joel. We saw a nice bed in Anakku last month, but when we went back to buy that bed, it's sold, and the new stock is not what we want. Once we bought the bed, I brought it straight to our room to fix it. And I clean it with wet clothes. We haven't take picture of Joel's bed. But I'll post it once we've take picture of it.

Anyway, we received some present for Joel, even before he's born. Thanks for the presents. Joel will be the youngest child in my family, and also in SyinNi's family, even among cousins. So, I'm sure he'll get all the attentions.

I'm so proud that SyinNi and I have Joel. If people ask me what's my biggest achievement, I would say my wife and my child, that's how proud am I to be a father and a husband of this beautiful woman. And I'm sure Joel will be a loving father and husband 20, 30 years from now.

9 months of pregnancy

I've always wanted to gather the photos taken each month during the pregnancy, I've posted some pictures on other post, but I'm gathering all pictures taken during 9 months of pregnancy, month by month.

Well, this is taken during August, we were visiting Ipoh with SyinNi's colleague, and during August it's 1 months into pregnancy and can hardly see the baby bump.

This is taken in St.Anne in Butterworth during September. My parents went to Penang to visit us, and SyinNi's parents were also there. We took a visit to the famous St.Anne Cathedral. There's a saying about St.Anne, Butterworth that the holy water there can bring children. We didn't took that anyway.

I've posted this picture before, as mentioned this picture is taken in Melbourne, Australia during October. We were visiting the Eureka Skydeck. And this is the exhausted SyinNi, you can start to see the baby bump if you observe carefully.

I still remember how SyinNi felt the baby kicks and punches during this month. But when SyinNi tried to show me, I can't differenciate which is a baby kick/punch, which is SyinNi's breathing.




This picture may look like we are in a photo studio, well... We are in a photo studio, we attended SyinNi's big bro's marriage registration during November in Subang Jaya. I don't have the full stand up picture, but you still can see the baby bump.

Yeah, I started to feel the kicks and punches this month. It's so thrill to be able to feel it.

Yeah, this picture again. We took this picture during a friend's wedding reception in Shah Alam on 25th December 2007. What a special date to held a wedding reception. Anyway, if you compare this picture with any picture before, you can really see the baby bump. But for me, it's more than a baby bump.

I used to 'play' with Joel. I used to tap on SyinNi's stomach, and Joel will response with a kick or a punch. It's so fun to be able to 'play' with Joel in such a way, can't wait for Joel to be able to really play with me.

The baby bump during this month, January is actually quite big, but because of the jacket, I don't think you can notice it. This is the day we took a flight from KLIA back to KK, Sabah.

After staying in Penang, visit to Ipoh, visit to Australia, stay in Alor Star and stay in KL. We are now not going to travel that much from this point onward.

Well, this is a new picture taken in 9th February 2008. We went out for a diner in Tanjung Aru Beach to celebrate SyinNi's birthday.

We had a not-so-tasty meal, anyway, the main purpose is for us to be together celebrating this day. It's not the food anyway.

This is the latest picture, not only it's taken in March, but it's taken today. Just because we missed the March photo to upload, I requested SyinNi to take this picture before we go for lunch. Where??? Outside of my house of course.

I know you much be going 'Wow'... Yeah, the baby bump is quite big now. It's labour month, of course it's big. But SyinNi and I are having cough now, hopefully we can get well before the delivery comes.

I'm so thrill lately, did a lot of thinking. I recall what I felt when we first know about SyinNi's pregnancy. We were happy, we know we are going to have our baby, but just happy. Before we went to a gynae to do a ultrasound scan, sometimes we are not so sure, we don't feel anything different. SyinNi's not having a very strong morning sickness. Somemore very good appetite.

But now, it's different. We alreay have a name for our baby. Joel Tan Chee Wen. Joel kicks and punches, and he is coming out soon. The feeling we had 9 months back compare to now is very much different. 9 months ago, if you ask me how I feel, I'll tell you I'm happy. If you ask me now, I'll still say I'm happy. But the degree is different.

Now I know why a baby takes 10 months to deliver. It's for parents to get prepared, to build the bond between parents and child. I can really see how SyinNi bonds with Joel. I'm very glad that we are coming to an end to this pregnancy, although we enjoyed it a lot, we still want to see and touch Joel.

37th week

It's about 37th week now, and doctor said there's 10% chance that delivery comes during this week. And after 38th week, there's 90% chance, it's so close now. Can't wait to see how our baby looks like.

During our last visit to Dr.Ramesh, he said that our baby now weights around 3kg. And a newborn baby can weight anywhere from 2.5kg to 3.5kg, which means our baby is now weight like a newborn. Dr.Ramesh also told us that the tradisional due date calculation starts from the 1st day of the missed period, and Doctors calculate based on the 1st day of the last period. Which make sense because based on Doctors calculation, we are in 9th month, but for tradisional calculation, 9th month is due already.

Joel is Leo Junior

Few days ago, I called up a friend to congratulate him for his new-born baby girl. She was born on 29th February, what a birthday. From the phone he really seems happy, he said that you will have tears when you see your baby for the 1st time. I actually believe in him, it will be 1 of the most important moments in my life.

Now talk about Leo Junior, why do I say Joel is Leo Junior? JOEL, write it backward, it becomes LEOJ, (Leo. J.), Leo Junior. Hahaha, I must be thinking too much.