3 Quick Notes

1. Two days ago was the first time in 6 months that Simon and I went to a Family Baptism Celebration for about 1 hour without Tania. Those with baby will understand how momentous this is. Of course we returned and get the report that she cried for a bit but they are able to distracted her. Hallelujah for Aunties and Grandma! 
2. Today, I went shopping for clothes. Another momentous occasion. I have been dreading to go shopping since my postpartum body decided to grow into voluptuous shape ^_^... but family wedding day is approaching fast and I had to be prepare. Nevertheless, God is good. Despite constant teasing from Simon, which I now welcome aboard and enjoy, We manage to find a good outfit for me. YAY!!!All round applause please...
3. I got my almost waist length hair cut to above shoulder cut. My hairdresser, her assistant and several other women in the room gasp and wince when she cut my hair. She said "Don't you feel sad and depressed cutting your long hair?"... I smiled at her through the mirror and said... "Goodness, NO! A very active baby with long hair? I had enough for 6 month now. It'll grow back. Now... Make me 'human' again!" - Anyway, I'm lovin my new hair and I feel 'alive'

Don't have the picture of my newly cut hair yet but you can expect it coming... ^_^....

What We’ve learned as 6 month old parents

1. The one and ONLY thing you need in raising a child is God! The source of wisdom, the Provider, the Strength and the Centre of Joy. Trust in God even in the smallest thing like changing a diaper.
2. Money is not necessarily the biggest problem. God has been opening doors and blessings had been flowing like rivers. SO no fear when money is short and a baby is coming. See point 1 above – Trust in God and all will be well. Take our words for it… We’ve been there and certainly, God provide even before we even think of it.
3. Your husband is no longer only your lover or best friend, he is the father of your child. Never neglect him or pushed him away from the exciting adventure of caring for the baby. If the father is willing and eager to be involved, include him and learn together. There’s a precious moment to a child to see her parent as one team.
4. (If you are lucky as I am, to live close/with one) Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles , Nephews and Nieces are great aides sent from above. These are your helpline. They come all geared up with tons of genuine love for your child and a sets of willing hands to help you, either rocking or playing iwht the baby so you can get that PRECIOUS several minutes rest.
5. Get rest whenever time allowed. Caring for a baby requires lots of energy (Can I Get an AMEN Ladies) and when Mommy is cranky – baby will be fussy too. A little rest will do wonders to keep your level of sane-ness and uplift your spirit.  – Use helpline – see point 3 and 4
6. If you think motherhood is tough, try switching your point of view to the father. Fatherhood is equally tough. Just because men/husband/father didn’t go through labor pains that doesn’t mean things are easier with them. They are also entering new phase of life with new perspective, new role and new responsibility.
7. If baby is throwing tantrums, bad mood day, growth spurt or things just don’t go right,… pray and say this to yourself… “This too will pass!” --
8. Baby Bjorn, Baby Walker (and perhaps other baby stuff for you) are important tools to put baby to sleep
9. There are no such thing as “She has too many pictures or video al ready”. Later in her years those snapshots will be the gems. You’ll find time to laugh and smile at them.
10. All those fancy  (read: Expensive) baby stuff, baby toys, baby clothes and baby utensils  are not necessary. Baby don’t care about brand names or how cool they look. They need good diapers, clean clothes and lots and lots of love – As for clothing, they’ll grow out of it in a blink
11. I find that having a baby give you more time and opportunity to have intimate time with God. Those long (lonely) nights of breastfeeding are my perfect time to chat  with God, to give thanks, to cry, to think and to listen, and most of all just to realize how blessed I am to be God’s partner in raising this beautiful gift in my arms. – (later then of course I will update my status on Facebook before going back to sleep)
12. Seeing Tania relies on us for her every single need, for love, for comfort and for protection enable me to understand my/our relationship with God. We call God, Our Father (Please no gender comments – let’s see this as a figurative language not about the patrimonial figure but rather a set of parents figure in one as a metaphor for parent-child relationship of God and us). Thus as parent and child relationship, I/we rely on God for our every need, eben the smallest one. Dear God, How on earth do I not praise you in my every breath, if like a child, I am dependent on You. You have thought of what I need and provide them on time. Verily God, You are amazing and I am humbled to find God who sees me as a child of Your own.
13. Be informed and be wise. Parenthood is not just tradition, habits and old-wives tale. You will get many advices – medically, spiritually or traditionally. Take them all aboard and use wisdom to go though them. We are new parent. They have has grown up, healthy and successful kids. So they do know a thing or two about raising a child. And YES, you don’t STUDY how to raise a child from a BOOK. But reading enables us to put sense to the advices whether it is beneficial for the baby medically, emotionally and physically. Some advices will be plain nonsense and dangerous but so many other traditional advices are proven helpful.
14. Baby sweat is the sweetest smell …. Hehehehehehe
15. The world is suddenly more exciting and full of new discoveries when we see it from our baby eyes – Discovering different smell, learn to sync hand and eye coordination to grab objects, learn to swallow your first food and how it taste etc
16. Be thankful for cicles of Momies – if you don’t have one, create one or join one. I am thankful for my many circles of Mommies those I met in real life and those I meet on internet. - - Circle of Mommies in Brighton, Circle of Ninety-Niners Mommies, Circle of Facebook Bible Study Mommies.
17. And of course, both Simon and I, are ever so thankful for our great parents. Being a parents ourselves, help us to understand, respect, and love our parents more. They have sacrificed a lot to get us to this time and state.

Trust me my initial list is actually longer and the list grow longer by the minutes. ^_^… But here’s is my sharing, may it be a blessing to those who reads – esp my fellow new mommies….

A letter to my better-half

Dear my boyfriend (still),

We had an awesome 3 years of marriage on our hand now.

Not yet as many as our parents but we give thanks for each passing year.

But we’re also dating each other for 10 years and will still continue to do so.

Thank you for these 3 and 10 years.

We have ride the wind hand in hand high and low

We fall and we bruised

But we get up and soar again.

We have done our best to be the wind in each other’s wings

So we may fly and reach the sky

Thank you, I have flown high and you have been the anchor and the solid ground I stand.

Thus, I don’t fly too high and get lost but stay rooted and remember who I really am.

We both have our weakness and strength

In 3 years of marriage and 10 years of dating

We have learned to work in-tune with each other

We have learned to understand, accept, respect and love each other

We have been together in each other weakest point and also in our strongest point

And now as we have been trusted with our bundle of joy, Tania.

I can’t say anything else, I thank God everyday for a great man as you are.

My wonderful husband and boyfriend,

My best friend and partner

The father of my child and the better-half of me

Thank you for always treating me lovingly (I’ll do my best on my part too)

Thank you for trusting me and believing in me

Thank you for loving my family as your own

Thank you for putting our love and life in God’s hand

Thank you for the fun, crazy and adventurous thing we’ve done together (and more to come)

Thank you for the best head and shoulder massage (available every time with/without request)

Thank you for caring for me during pregnancy (your wits help me survived)

Thank you for holding my hand on the delivery  room when Tania came to this world (actually, allowed your hand to be squeezed so hard by me to the point of bruising)  

Thank you for a hands-on, ever so ready and willing help in those first day of parent hood (thank you to Internet and bunch of friends and family on facebook for the tips and advices)

Thank you for not reside in being “Man-ly” and always there for me as we together care for Tania. Unlike any man or other father I know for sure.

You have shown me and Tania what a great man is made of.

 Hope one day she’ll be as blessed and as lucky as I am to find a man like you

Thank you for so many different things. I would like to say more but the list will go on and on

So I’m ending it with the most important thing

Thank you for choosing me…