My Little Elf

Dearest Phoebe,

To add on to daddy's entry, although we didnt have any party this year, we had fun together as a family. Daddy and mummy looked at you in awe as you slurped the Udon at sakae sushi and the chawamushi. By the way, we always order two bowls of chawamushi for you so that by the time you finish the first bowl, the second one will be not piping hot. Each time we see you enjoying the steam egg, mummy would exclaim how we should make our own steam egg..but till now it has not happened :-)

We headed off to Swensens to meet Er Yi for desserts. Mummy ordered a "Mr Big Smile" icecream for you comprising half a banana, a scoop of choc icecream and some hundreds and thousands bits. You didnt really like it. Guess you still prefer the Gelare type of icecream which you had a few times. We invited Er Yi and Cindy jie jie to our house where you played with them. We did some art and craft too. Lately, you have been really obsessed with the colour red. Other than red attire, you want everything in red. Red bottle cap for your milk bottle, red crayons, red balloons, red caterpillar (??), red sun (??) and red shoes. You even told mummy that when you "become an adult", you want to carry a red bag and drive a red lorry! Anyway we were so tired following the morning to afternoon's activities that we slept from 4pm to 8pm on Christmas Day. We didnt even know what time Er Yi left our house. So much about hospitality!

Little girl, sometimes you may hear mummy grumbling or lamenting how tiring it is to bring you up. As what some of my friends say, Mummy makes a lousy ambassador for motherhood. But deep down, I just can't describe how rewarding it is to see you growing everyday and how much love you have given to us. Love you always, mummy.

So this is Christmas and what have you done?

Dearest Phoebe,

we have just celebrated Xmas and the New Year is just around the corner. This is always a time for recollection and introspection. We didn't have our yearly Xmas party this time round because most of us are in a sombre and austere mood, mostly brought on by the economic uncertainty in the days ahead. Plus, we don't have a formal religion but thankfully, Daddy and Mummy are not atheists but I guess I can safely say we are both agnostic to a certain degree.

Mummy and Daddy would leave it up to you to pick your formal religion when you turn 21, so don't sweat it. In my opinion, religion is a moral compass for the human soul. It gives a person strength in times of trails and tribulations. Most importantly, it will govern his way of life.

We had a Xmas day celebration lunch with Er Yi and Cindy Jie Jie. In the afternoon, we spent time opening up presents from Auntie Constance and Auntie Michelle. Auntie Jiahui gave you your Xmas present way before the Xmas carols were playing over the PA systems at the shopping centres. So a really big thank you to them for your Xmas goodies. Mummy and Daddy didn't get you a present though. No particular reason but we probably felt that you already have a lot of presents.

Recently, I had a chat with one of a family acquaintance of sorts. She's an Australian of Eastern European descent (I guess?) and naturally, our discussion centred around you. She was delighted when I mentioned you and she said; in her thick slurry accent, "She don't belong to Mummy and Daddy, she belong to public" [sic]. She went on to explain that she sees great potential in you and your future contributions to society.

In my opinion, most people in our obsessively meritocratic society are worried about getting ahead in their careers or academic standing. Sadly, our accepted societal yardsticks of success are the contents of one's wallet and the type of one's "humble" abode. of course we would wish that you would have outstanding academic results and an illustrious career.

However, if you have the good fortune to measure up to society's yardsticks, Mummy and Daddy would hope that you would give it back to society in kind, based on the strength of your merits. "Paying it forward for the greater good", I say.

Hence, I feel that Mummy and I are custodians with heavy responsibilities, making sure you get the right education and to top it off would be our good ole Tender Loving Care (TLC)! I would look forward to day when we sit around the coffee table and I would ask you, "So this is Xmas, what have you done for our society?".

Be good and smile pretty,
Daddy Dearest

PS: You moulded this piece of Playdoh and was going round the table, attempting to scare Ah Ma, Er Yi and Cindy jie jie with your yellow "snake". Silly! We just finished our lunch outing with them and were chilling out at Ah Kun coffeeshop.

P W - About a Girl

Dearest Phoebe,
the weekend before last was really fun because we had a night outing to the Singapore Flyer. It was Family Day that Saturday and Daddy's employer had kindly sponsored Flyer tickets for us.

Er Yi and Cindy Jie Jie were with us too. It was one of those rare nights when we would be out late. By the time we got home, you were so tired that you feel asleep in the very clothes you wore out!

The day after, you caught a chill and nursed a runny nose for the rest of the week. So Phoebe dearest, do remember to keep your chest warm by rubbing some Vicks Vapor Rub especially on cold nights OK?

The other morning, while we were bringing you to school, you insisted on carrying your Thomas school bag and trudged along in your red Neckermann sports shoes. Just when we were crossing a small slip road, you instinctively reached out your little hand and held Daddy's hand. Hence, the three of us were sort of strung out while crossing the road.

There was a sense of deja vu as I used to remark to Mummy when we were still a childless couple that I can picture the exact scene that played out that very morning. I'm not sure whether my writing can do justice to that distinct sense of deja vu I felt; however, your innocent little gesture really brought bright smiles to Mummy and Daddy.

As I am penning this entry, this beautiful, beautiful song titled "Beautiful Boy" by John Lennon came to mind and I have excerpted a part of its lyrics for your perusal and I hope its beautiful melody will one day add a touch of flavour to your life too.

Out on the ocean sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But i guess we'll both just have to be patient
'cause it's a long way to go
A hard row to hoe
Yes it's a long way to go
But in the meantime

Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans

"Beautiful Boy" (John Lennon, 1940 - 1980)

Be good and smile pretty, my beautiful girl
Daddy Dearest

PS: Dearest, you really like to eat chocolate gelato but Mummy looks on sternly for fear of your overdulgence! 8-)

She came back in her uniform

Dearest Phoebe,

when you were still attending childcare at CM, Mummy would give me daily afternoon updates. One of the statements she would write would be "She came back in her school uniform". Well, this meant that you didn't wet yourself in school that day.

Mummy started toilet training a couple of months back and there were misses; hence, in the process, you had to be changed out of your school uniform and into whatever spare clothes we had packed inside your school bag (BTW, you had a blue Thomas school bag coz you were really into Thomas & Friends).

What most people take for granted tasks as simple as easing yourself in the toilet was a daunting task for a toddler like you. Hence, coming back home in your school uniform was a sign that you have mature and are more aware of your bodily functions. Plus the fact that you are able to inform your teachers of your need to visit the toilet, I am glad that Mummy persisted with the toilet training at home and in school.

Phoebe, I am sure you would read about this incident in your history books but I would just like to highlight to you that last week, there was a young Singaporean lady who was killed in a senseless terrorist attack in Mumbai, India. She died of gunshot wounds and the press had a field day covering this tragic event.

Mummy and Daddy did agree that there were some reports that bordered on sensationalism; however, there was one journalist who wrote a touching commentary. In his attempt to make sense of the illogicalness of her death, he quoted from the Renaissance poet, John Donne. "..any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind;...". He ended off the article by saying, "We are mankind and we are diminished".

We, human beings are social creatures, taking comfort in the masses but yet most of the time, we choose to build walls around ourselves. It probably takes a monstrous event to make us realise our interconnectivity; however, such social awakenings are usually short-lived and fleeting. Pretty soon, we are back behind our own walls. Our emotions are extremely powerful and can spur us into actions.

So if you happen to experience such a surge in your emotions, Daddy would like you to write about it. Write a simple prose, a poem or even a song! Mummy and I would definitely like to view it when it is done.

As for Daddy, I would just like to paraphrase one of the literary masters who had shown great wit and candour in capturing our emotions in his writings, William Shakespeare.

"I pray that Thy mercy is not strained;
from the heavens, droppeth the gentle rain.
To wash away my pain and sorrows,
of today and many, many morrows."

Be good and smile pretty,
Daddy Dearest

Time will tell

Dearest Phoebe,
last weekend was a special one as you partook in our 5th wedding anniversary celebration on Saturday, 22 November. The other coincidence is that when Mummy and Daddy got married 5 years ago, it was a Saturday too.

We had lunch at Seah Street Deli which was a one of our favourite haunts while we were dating. Nowadays, we really take pleasure in bringing you out for meals as you have exhibited enough discipline and motor skills to sit down and eat family meals together. It doesn't really matter if it's fine dining or eating at the hawker centre. I really enjoy the social bonding we experience during mealtimes.

The following day, we went for a play "The Hungry Caterpillar" by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, a theatre troupe from Canada. The last time they visited our shores, we caught their adaptation of "Guess How Much I Love You". You had your own seat and when the show started, you quietened down and paid attention. Daddy stole many sidewards glances at you during the show, I must say you were really mesmerised by the elaborate set and the puppets. The play had enchanting narration and the props used stayed true to the illustrations of Eric Carlye. It was as though we were immersed in his books!

Phoebe, there are many a times when I would wonder aloud what sort of profession you would take up when you are all grown up. Would you pursue your dreams or would you be lull into a pragmatic life of a working professional, working to pay off your worldly possessions and hoping to save up enough for retirement?

Just yesterday, I was sharing my thoughts about you turning into a professional writer with Mummy. Writing books for a living, touring the world to speak to people about your writing; sharing your vision with like minded people from the world over.

You have exhibited strong language skills ever since you were a wee baby. It is your strength, a trait that no one can take away or deny its existence. However, this very trait would lose its lustre if you choose to suppress it or not to exercise it. Know your strengths, understand your weaknesses and most importantly, trust yourself.



Be good and smile pretty,
Daddy Dearest

Mum's little toadstool

Dearest Phoebe,

Mummy hasn't been writing again; maybe subtlely mummy has decided to leave it to Daddy to pen the entries. Not only because he can express better, but also because Daddy is more objective afterall.

Anyway, here's a quick entry from Mummy. You are now able to narrate certain incidents that happened in school. Although mummy would never know how much of it is true, it is really comical to hear from you how one of your classmates scratched her backside in class, what you ate in school, the art and craft that you did, and Ms Zarina giving you stickers while on the school van home.

However, just now, you told Cindy jie Jie that you were scolded in school by one of the teachers. You still weren't able say why and how but at that moment, the at-times over-protective mummy in me just felt very sorry for you. Although daddy and I know you have an extremely fiesty temper and uncontrollable tantrums, the thought of you being scolded by someone other than mummy herself is just unbearable.

Nonetheless, we hope through all these discipline in school and at home, you learn to manage your emotions better. For that, mummy needs to work on being more patient with you too.

Love you, my little darling, sometimes known as mummy's little toadstool :-)

Something yet to learn...

Dearest Phoebe,

Mummy and you are both sound asleep now. Last weekend was special because we had our first ever parents-teacher meeting with Teacher Bavani and 李老师. They are your English and Mandarin teachers respectively.

We brought you to this meeting because when you were just a toddler, we brought you along wherever we went. Fortunately, during the meeting, Teacher Bavani brought out some crayons and paper and you busied yourself with them while the meeting was conducted. The thing that struck Daddy was that Teacher Bavani said that she had to find ways to challenge your inquisitive mind.

She mentioned a particular incident when you noticed the branches of the shrubs just beyond the classroom window swaying in the wind. Then, she said that you two sang the song "A, B, C, D..." together according to the rhythm of the swaying branches. I found it particularly amusing!

However, she mentioned that you can be very stubborn at times as you wanted things to go your way. This is not new to us as we have seen you exhibit such behaviour before. Frankly, I believe that you get away with it easy in school as the admonishment you get from Mummy is much harsh and fierce. You do get your fair share of scolding from Daddy as well.

After the meeting with Teacher Bavani, we adjourned to the next table where 李老师 was seated; she had much kinder words for us about you. She did mention your tantrums but her comments were delivered in a euphemistic, typical "李老师" manner; very gentle and encouraging.

She said that you could actually remember which waterbottle your fellow classmates carried and would volunteer to get them when it was time to drink water. Probably that was why 李老师 said you stood out in class and that was evident even to casual observers.

As we collected your report card and pieces of artwork and were about to depart, 李老师 patted Mummy on her shoulder and said "妈妈的付出一定很多!" Then, I knew the teachers-parent meeting had truly ended because those heartfelt words were said from one selfless mother to another.

Be good and smile pretty,
Daddy Dearest