To all Family and Friends of Baby Skyler,

Thank you for your faithful readership and for all your love for Baby Skyler.

We’ve started a new Blog for Skyler’s 1st Year. You can simply click on the link at the side bar on the right or go to http://www.skyler-1.blogspot.com/.

With Skyler’s birth on 28th December 2005, this Blog, an open letter to our “as-yet-unborn child”, is now complete.

Please do continue to visit Skyler’s new Blog, and do leave a little message or two of love for our Little One!

See you at Skyler’s new Blog! =D

Skyler’s Papa and Mama

Precious Child of God,

Today marks a very important event in your walk with God, Baby Skyler – your baptism!

And what makes this event even more special is today is Easter Sunday!!

Just as Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ, so baptism is the symbolic act of our dying to sin and rising again in the light and Spirit of God. Easter carries with it the essence of our faith – that we serve a risen Lord – and baptism is the declaration of our faith to the world. Isn’t it simply wonderful, then, that we celebrated both Easter and your baptism today? =)

In many ways, your baptism is linked to Papa and Mama.

Firstly, you were baptised today in the very same baptism fount that Papa was baptised in as a baby. Yup! After so many years, and after so many architectural changes, the baptism fount in the sanctuary of Saint Andrew’s Cathedral remains the same.

While some people are cynical about infant baptism and say that infants should not be baptised because they are still ignorant and as yet unaware, Papa and I believe that God does honour infant baptism. Consequently, we believe that the Spirit of God has descended upon you, and that you have entered into a covenant relationship with God, Baby Skyler, just as Papa did with God when he was baptised as a baby.

Secondly, you were baptised today by the very same priest who baptised Mama years ago, when Mama was still a young teenager! Reverend Ng Koon Sheng had just become a priest when he baptised Mama. He left to join a church in Hong Kong shortly after that and only just returned to Singapore a few years ago. From the sermons he preaches, it is clear that Rev. Ng is a God-fearing man who loves God a lot.

Evidently, he also loves babies a lot. During your Kow-Fu’s and Kow-Moh’s wedding reception, he came over to play with you and gurgle at you. Today, when he was baptising you and you cried, he brought you close to him and hugged you tightly, even though you were dripping with water from the baptism ceremony.

And after Easter service today, when he carried you for a photograph, he cuddled you so lovingly and cooed at you enthusiastically. He commented on how fair you are and how you’re just like a little water bottle, and joked about wanting to bring you home with him. =)

So that’s how your baptism is so so SO special, Baby Skyler.

Your godparents are Godpa Bentley, Godma Stephanie and Godma Audrey.

Godpa Bentley and Papa were classmates in their A-level years, buddies during their military training, and schoolmates again in university and teacher training. And Godpa Bentley was the one who brought Papa back to join the Saint Andrew’s Cathedral Youth Fellowship, where Papa met Mama. Isn’t that wonderful? =)

Godma Stephanie is Godpa Bentley’s wife. She owns a flower shop and is a very creative person. Godpa Bentley and Godma Stephanie have a son, Joshua, who was at your baptism too.

Godma Audrey is one of Mama’s best friends. We have been since our school days in MGS. We used to have lunch together every Saturday at “Hisatomo”, a Japanese restaurant in Raffles City. The name of the restaurant means “Long-time Friends” or “Friends Forever”. Godma Audrey would always order Spaghetti Napolitan and Mama would always have the Spaghetti Bolognaise. Sometimes, we would share a California Maki too.

Papa and Mama pray that you will have good Christian friends too, like we do.

So, Baby Skyler, congratulations on your Baptism! Fight valiantly under the banner of Christ against sin, the world and the devil, and continue His faithful soldier and servant to the end of your life!

AMEN! =D

To sleep, perchance to dream…

Most Dearest-est Baby Skyler,

Every time you go a stretch and don’t sleep much for a number of nights, Papa and Mama will feel SO tired and exhausted. Hours and even days will go by in a blur for us.

We’ll also feel like the only parents in the world who have not “trained” or succeeded in coaxing their little baby to sleep through the night. So many “baby experts” have expounded on the benefits and importance of training babies to sleep through the night, but Papa and I are reluctant to impose any kind of schedule on you before you’re ready, and we also can’t bear to let you “cry it out”, as recommended by these “experts”. It always breaks our heart when you have trouble sleeping and cry or scream in frustration, so we’d much rather carry you in our arms and soothe you to sleep rather than do as others advise and let you “cry it out”.

It’s always comforting, though, to know we’re not alone in our sleeplessness. Apparently, this lack of continued, uninterrupted, long stretches of sleep is a common characteristic of parents of babies below the age of 2!

In the foreword to the first anthology of the strip “James”, a strip about a feisty little 2-year-old boy, Mark Tonra, the creator of the strip, said:

“I used to sleep. I have very distant memories of an uninterrupted horizontal posture that was as restoring as it was unconscious. I may even have done it for hours at a stretch. With my eyes closed.”

In “Baby Blues: Ten Years and Still in Diapers”, Kirkman, a co-creator of the “Baby Blues” comic strip, made a dedication to Sukey, his “partner in sleep deprivation for a decade and a half”.

So while it doesn’t help that other Papas and Mamas have forgotten what sleep used to be as well, it is at least assuring to know we’re not alone, that millions of loving parents before us have survived years of sleep deprivation and somehow managed to keep their sanity and sense of humour intact.

Well, it’s been more than 3 months now and Papa and Mama have more or less gotten used to the idea of sleeplessness. Of course, there are long stretches of days too when you sleep very well and, sometimes, for many hours at a go. =)

We love you, Baby Skyler, and we love all the things we can do together with you when you’re awake.

Your loving parents who, like Mark Tonra, also used to sleep,

Papa & Mama

Skyler Darling,

Today is Papa’s birthday, and it’s also your 3rd Month celebrations! Hooray!!

Since Papa was at work, Mama and you spent the day making a card for Papa. You were a very good girl and contributed a nice little footprint for Papa’s card. Mama also took a picture with you and printed it out immediately so we could paste it on Papa’s card. What a labour of love for the most important man in our lives, Baby Skyler! =)

Later in the day, we all travelled to Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh’s house to celebrate Papa’s birthday with them and with your Gong-Gong and Po-Po. Being the sleepy little baby girl you are now, you slept through most of the dinner and cake-cutting! =P

Birthdays used to be more elaborate affairs before you arrived, Baby Skyler. In fact, Papa and Mama used to have a week-long celebration that stretched from Mama’s birthday to Papa’s birthday. Now that you’re here and just a little baby still, we’re content to simply have a nice simple dinner together. When you’re a little older, though, I’m sure we’ll return to having big bashes on all our special occasions together.

Papa and Mama do so love to celebrate. So once you’re just a little bit older, Baby Skyler, we’ll celebrate every little triumph and victory in our lives together! After all, we always need a little excuse to have ice-cream!

Happy Birthday, Papa! Mama and Baby Skyler love you lots! You’re our man!

Dearest Skyler,

Today, we celebrated Mama's birthday. Wow! It's such an interesting experience for Mama and Papa. We'd always celebrated each others' birthdays alone - just the two of us - but now there's you!

Papa feels so guilty! Papa has been so busy with work and taking care of both of you and Mama that Papa has had no time to get Mama a birthday gift or even a card. Feel SO bad!!! Then, to make matters worse, Papa had to work so long today that Papa had to rush straight home to help take care of you that Papa didn't even stop to buy Mama a cake! So terrible, so terrible!!!

Anyway, we had a simple dinner at home with you watching us (since you can't eat the same food we do as yet). Then, Mama asked Papa whether there was going to be a cake! Papa's heart dropped all the way to the floor (or it felt like it). Papa had been so horrible - did not prepare for Mama's birthday at all and then did not even get a cake for her. So, Papa immediately rushed off to the stores to get a cake before they closed.

Papa managed to get a chocolate-based cake in time as the store was going to close for the day already. Thank God!

Once Papa got home, we set the cake up and took photos together as a family to remember the occasion by.

Thank you for behaving yourself so well today. And for making Mama's birthday so special.

We love you!

Papa and Mama

Dearest Baby Skyler,

What a week of FUN we had! =D Papa had his 1-week break this week, so our little family of 3 went all over Singapore to enjoy ourselves.

The highlight of this week was, of course, our trip to the “Art of Star Wars” exhibition at the Singapore Science Centre on Tuesday. This was particularly special for us as Papa and Mama are huge Star Wars fans. Being able to bring you along with us to this exhibition and share our likes with you meant so much to us.

Star Wars is a significant film in pop culture. Created by George Lucas, the first Star Wars movie in 1977 – “A New Hope” – wowed the audience with its huge space vehicles and many interesting characters. What was most impressive, though, was how George Lucas made such convincing space scenes and dogfights with the limited technology in the 1970s.

We also went all over the place to eat this week. We visited Goodwood Park Hotel, Delifrance,

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Borders,

Swensens,

and even Sakae Sushi at Changi Airport Terminal 2. Boy did we have fun! =D

Papa and Mama love bringing you all over the place, Baby Skyler. You make every experience special! =)

Papa & Mama

Dearest Baby Skyler,

Look how much you’ve grown! =)

Today, we brought you for your post-delivery check-up at The Children’s Private Clinic at KK Hospital, the hospital where you were born.

The paediatrician who saw you, Dr Tan Keng Wee, was a kindly elderly doctor. After he asked about your development, he did a series of checks on your motor skills and found that you were growing very well indeed! He was particularly impressed with how strong your neck was. =)

The doctor also commented on how talkative you were, since you were merrily talking to yourself while he was writing up your report.

So, Baby Skyler, you’re now 5.23kg and 59cm long. Though you’re still very small in size, Papa and I can’t help but marvel at how much you’ve grown since your birth. You were only 3.44kg and 51cm long when you were born!

One day, precious Baby Girl, you’re going to be taller than both Papa and Mama! For now, though, while you’re still light enough for us to carry, we’ll treasure the feel of your warm baby-soft skin against ours as we cuddle and hold you in our arms.

Papa & Mama

Happy 2nd Month, Precious Baby Skyler!

How you’ve grown and charmed the socks off your Papa and Mama! =D

Today, we had a little family celebration of your 2nd Month. Just Papa, Mama and you. We bought a little kaya pandan cake from Bengawan Solo. This is one of Mama’s favourite cakes. You were so sleepy, though, and fell asleep while we were cutting your cake!

Baby Skyler, as you approached your 2nd Month birthday, you started expanding your vocabulary rapidly. From the most sweet-sounding coos that resonate with such warmth and quiet joy, you’ve begun to articulate other wonderful little sounds that sound like “hi”, “why”, “no” and “ah”. Papa and Mama are SO impressed by your expressiveness! We are also very pleasantly delighted by your attempts to communicate with us. Thank you, Sweet Baby Girl!

We simply can’t wait for you to speak your first word. What would it be? “Papa”? “Mama”? Or something surprising, like “Duck”?

You’re probably so verbally expressive because Papa and Mama have been talking to you and singing to you a lot since you were born. Well, actually, we have been talking to you and singing to you even before you were born, while you were still in Mama’s tummy.

These are some of the songs we sang to you after you were born:

· “Close To You”
· “Amazing Grace”
· “He’s Able”
· “Jesus Loves Skyler”
· “Those Magic Moments”

There were also some songs which you seemed to like to sleep too. Whenever we sang these songs to you, you would fall asleep in our arms:

· “Hickory Dickory Dock”
· “Six Little Ducklings”
· “Go To Sleep, My Dear Love”

It’s always surprising to Papa and Mama that you fall asleep to such chirpy, fast-paced songs like “Hickory Dickory Dock” and “Six Little Ducklings”.

With “Six Little Ducklings”, we’ve changed the song to suit our little family:

“Three little duckies I once knew –
Fat ones, skinny ones, just like you.
But the one little duck with a feather on her back,
She ruled her Papa and Mama with her ‘Ack, ack, ack!’”

Before you expanded your vocabulary, you used to call for your Papa and Mama with an “Ack!” So Papa and Mama like to joke about how you “rule” us with your “Ack, ack, ack!” =D

Papa has also started creating songs just for you. When Papa was trying to soothe you to sleep in your first month, he created the following “song” just for you:

“Sleep, Baby Skyler, sleep.
Sleep, Baby Skyler, sleep sleep sleep.”

It won’t be long before you speak your first word, Baby Skyler. While Papa and Mama look forward to that, we will enjoy all the sweetest, loveliest, most wonderful sounds you make now as you “talk” with us.

We love you, our little 2-month-old Baby Daughter. Continue to grow strong and healthy each day!

Papa and Mama

Dear Sweet Baby Skyler,

Today, your “Kow-Fu” (aka Uncle Victor) and “Kow-Moh” (aka Auntie Li San) pledged their love and commitment to each other before God and their families, and what a day it was!

We started the day with a traditional tea ceremony at your Gong-Gong and Po-Po’s (aka your maternal grandparents) house. This is where your Mama and Kow-Fu grew up. Though the place looks a little different now, with all the recent renovations, Mama can still remember all the silly things your Kow-Fu and I did there while we were growing up.

In the afternoon, we attended Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh’s Wedding Service in St. Andrew’s Cathedral. We had front-row seats and you were very good throughout, crying only once in the middle of the service, when you woke up and didn’t know where you were. Papa had to carry you to the back of the church to comfort you, and you kept very quiet after that. Thank you for being such a good girl, Baby Skyler!

Though the whole day was very long for us all, we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at this joyous occasion. How did Papa and Mama know you enjoyed yourself too? Well, despite this being your Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh’s big day, you were frequently the star of the day, attracting lots and love and attention from all your doting grandparents, relatives, and even your Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh!

And look how happy you were with the balloon Papa got for you from Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh’s wedding reception!! =D

Tomorrow evening, we will be attending your Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh’s wedding dinner at Marina Mandarin Hotel. The dinner will be held in the exact same ballroom which Papa and Mama had their wedding dinner in, back in June 1999. Of course, the hotel has just completed some major refurbishment, so the place looks a little different now.

Keep smiling, our little Princess! Papa and Mama, and your happily married Kow-Fu and Kow-Moh, love you very, very, very much!

Papa and Mama

To Our Dearest Skyler,

(who is now soundly asleep, dreaming baby dreams)

This morning, we read in the Straits Times about a baby who is ill with a genetic disorder – “Maple Syrup Urine Disorder”. Baby Sage, born last Christmas, is only 3 days older than you. Seeing his picture in the papers, with tubes sticking out of him, made us feel so sad.

Two evenings after your birth last year, a pediatrician came into our room and asked if you could be part of a medical survey. She explained to us that this test, using “tandem mass spectrometry”, was already a regular screening test done in the US for newborns, and that Singapore would begin testing all newborns for genetic disorders using this test from 2006 onwards. If we allowed you to be part of the survey, they would need a few drops of your blood, and the results from your screening test would help them determine what the normal range of readings ought to be.

We were hesitant about allowing you to have this test initially, but after assurances from the doctor that the test was safe and that it was going to be implemented in Singapore in 2006, we agreed to let you participate in this medical survey. After reading about Baby Sage in today’s papers, we’re glad we let you have this test. You were 1 of about 3000 newborns who took part in this survey so that our doctors can determine what the normal range of different types of proteins ought to be in the blood of newborn babies. With these results, doctors would be able to better screen newborns for genetic disorders come September this year, and babies like Baby Sage would have a better chance of survival and recovery.

Skyler, since you came into our lives, Papa and I have had a heightened sensitivity to anything concerning newborns, babies and children in general. Of course, we had always been saddened by stories of poor children all over the world. Now, however, it really hits home. When I hold you in my arms and you look at me and study my features closely, my heart aches for the many babies who, for one reason or another, do not have someone to hold them, feed them, clothe them and love them. It has become incomprehensible why people would abandon their babies after birth, and the thought of the many children in Third World countries who have to fend for themselves is too much to bear.

You have given us new understanding of just how precious a newborn baby is, Skyler. Your small and delicate frame cries out for all the love and attention we can give you, yet God created you strong and hardy enough to survive all our bungling blunders as first-time parents. The warmth of your body when we hold you in our arms gives us an incredibly warm fuzzy feeling in our hearts that we never knew we could have before.

You don’t know it now, Skyler, but you’re a miracle and a joy to have, a true blessing and gift from God. When you’re a little older, we shall pray together for all the little children in the world who, for reasons too sad to dwell upon, do not have papas and mamas to love them, hold them and kiss them. For now, though, we shall cherish every moment you look us in the eyes, smile and coo so sweetly our hearts melt.

We love you, our Darling Skyler, more than you know now and much more than you can ever imagine.

Papa and Mama

Dearest Sweet Darling Skyler,

You’re 1 Month-Old today!!! How time flies!

We started the day by taking you to Causeway Point to get a mobile for your playpen. This is Papa and Mama’s 1st Month gift for you. We were worried that you may not like it, but fortunately, you took to it immediately. We were glad to see that you enjoyed watching the little animals go round and listening to the accompanying lullaby, particularly when we were changing your diaper.

This also happens to be your first trip to Causeway Point. We’ll probably bring you there more often in the days to come, since this is the mall nearest to our home.

Later in the evening, we celebrated your 1st Month with our families. Quite coincidentally, today is also the Eve of the Lunar New Year, the time when Chinese families have their Reunion Dinners. The Reunion dinner symbolises the unity of the family, so Papa and Mama were very happy that we got to have dinner with both Papa’s family and Mama’s family.

After dinner, we celebrated your 1st month with a yummy cake. This is the cake that Papa and Mama got you in celebration of your 1st Month. It was a “decorate-it-yourself” cake, and it came with slices of peach inside.

Here’s what your cake looked like before we decorated it.

Here’s what your cake looked like AFTER we decorated it with the “playful bear” icing ornaments we chose. Not too bad huh?

Baby Skyler, since you were born, you’ve received SO many gifts from Papa and Mama’s colleagues, students, friends and families. We keep joking about how rich you are from all the "ang baos" you received, but really, you are very blessed to be so loved by everyone. Papa and Mama are also very touched by all the expressions of love and concern our colleagues, students, friends and family have shown us all this while. Do remember to love them all when you’re old enough to know how to express your love, little one!

In this first month, you’ve grown so much already. In fact, you’re now 4kg, and it looks as if you won’t be able to fit some of your clothes soon. =P

We’ve also been very impressed by some of the new things you’re doing. You’ve started smiling and cooing very sweetly, and you’re now able to see us from a distance and turn your head to the direction of our voices. How quickly you’re growing and learning new things, baby Skyler!

Papa and Mama are SO happy that you’re a strong, healthy and happy little baby girl. Though there were times when you bawled and stressed Papa and Mama, you have been an extremely sweet little girl and we thank God for you.

Continue to grow in God’s grace, Darling Skyler!

With ALL our love,

Your tired Papa and Mama

Dear Skyler,

Since we announced your name to our family and friends after your birth, many have been asking about the meaning behind your name and why we chose this name for you. It is a very unique name, so most people were curious about how we came up with this name for you. Undoubtedly, when you are a little older, you will also be curious as to why Papa and Mama gave you this name.

Well, for one, Mama has always liked the beauty of the sky. Whether it be a clear blue sky with lovely clouds in it or a wondrous night sky with sparkling stars in it, Mama has always felt the sky to be a beautiful creation of God.

The sky also reminds Mama of the freedom we have in God’s love. When Mama was in Secondary school, a song touched me very much. When you’re old enough, I’ll teach it to you. It’s called “Spirit Wings”. Here’s part of the song:

“Spirit wings, You lift me over all the earth-bound things,
And like a bird I’m flying high above;
I’m soaring on the love Your Spirit brings.
Oh, Lord of Love, You help me see
The meaning of Your majesty.
You lift me up and carry me on Your Spirit wings.”

I’ve always told your Papa that if you were a girl, I’d like to name give you a name that’s related to the sky, since that is what Mama sees her relationship with God as – one that gives her freedom in His love. If you were a boy, I would have liked to give you a name that’s related to the river, since that is what Mama sees Papa’s relationship with God as – one that’s marked by a steadfast faith that flows steadily like the river. So since you are a girl, we decided to name you “Skyler”.

But “Skyler” wasn’t a name we thought of giving you all along. One or two nights after we found out that you existed in Mama’s tumsie, Mama flipped through a book of baby names we’ve had all this while. It’s a very pretty book with beautiful pictures inside. That was when Mama chanced upon the name “Skyler” and decided it was perfect for you.

So there, our beautiful little Skyler. That’s the meaning behind your name. Contrary to popular belief, your name has nothing to do with Papa’s and Mama’s liking for the movie “Star Wars” or the character “Luke Skywalker” inside the movie. It also has nothing to do with “reaching for the skies” or aiming “sky-high”.

Your name has a Christian derivation for us. We pray that you will always have the joy that comes from being free in the love of God, and we pray that when you do feel down, you will look to the heavens and know that your help comes from God, who made you and who loves you very, very, very much.

Psalm 19:1-4a
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Psalm 108:1-4
“My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great if your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

Mama & Papa love you!