Families Gathering 搖呀搖,搖到外婆橋

Today is a busy day, granny and 3rd uncle, Bing from Mommy's side arrived from Malaysia to see you. Daddy was so happy to see them, because mommy had been homesick during pregnancy but Dr Chan advised her not to travel back home. It has been almost 11 months since mommy seen granny last. Today daddy's brother, your 2nd Uncle, Tony has also came to Singapore to see you. He immediately took many pictures of yours and held you for a long time.

What is your name?

Dear Yasmin,
It is a wonderful day today! You are no longer just baby or 529, you were named today!
Daddy has chosen 陳映彤 Chan Ying Tung, Yasmin as your name. Ying means a projection, a nice reflection, usually used to describe a beautiful shimmering lights. Tung is the brightest red color, like a mountain full of red maple leaves. Daddy love the flower jasmine, for its pureness and delicate sweet fragrance and had wanted to call you Jasmine. Mommy wanted a more exotic name, so Daddy found that the word Jasmine has a Persian root, and it can also be called Yasmin. Both mommy and daddy liked the sound, so you are Yasmin.

You are the first of the 4th generation for Daddy's and Mommy's family, so you will become a big sister to your cousins. When you are bigger, Daddy will bring you back to Hong Kong to visit your great grand-parents. All 4 of them are now in their 90s, and they are still very healthy. They were so excited learning of your birth. You have 11 grand uncles and aunties from Daddy's family, and 14 grand uncles and aunties from Mommy's side.

It was a very complicated process chosing your name, it must not clash with any of the the earlier generations from the Chan's side.

Home Sweet Home

Dear baby,

Welcome home! Daddy had woken up very early this morning. I checked that your bassinet was set up properly, you nappy changing station was ready. Daddy couldn't sleep last night, looking at all your things and imagining you lying in your bassinet.


Daddy then went to the hospital to pick up mommy. It was an exciting journey from the hospital to home. When we get home, Grandpa met you at the car park, while Granny was busy cooking nutrious food for mommy. Granny gave you your first bath, your legs were so strong, and Granny had a shock when you did a frog leap in the basin.


You slept almost the whole day today, but whenever you cried, daddy ran to hug you since mommy is too weak to get up. You wouldn't sleep just now, and daddy hummed songs to you. I realized that you really liked the song 'lu la le' which daddy sang to you when you were still in mommy's womb, do you remember it? Mommy said you must have recognized Daddy's voice, since you seemed to quiet down whenever I spoke to you.

Dear baby,
Today daddy went to the parentcraft classes at the hospital. I learnt how to bath you, and how to burp you after each feed. Daddy met another couple whose baby had jaundice and have to stay in the hospital. They would spent the whole day in the hospital for the next 3 days with their baby so that they can feed the baby breast milk, and to hold him. Now daddy truely understand the common saying that parents would always do anything to provide the best for their child.

Mommy had been suffering from pain since giving birth to you, and could not sleep at night. She also worried that you have not had enough to eat. Doctor Chan advised mommy to stay one more day in the hospital so that she can rest more.

This evening Auntie Geraldine and Uncle Andrew, Uncle Jeffrey and Auntie Cindy came to visit you. Do you know that Auntie Geraldine is also expecting a baby girl? You will be a little big sisiter soon.

Today I finally hold you

Dear baby,

Today daddy went to the hospital early to visit Mommy and you. Mommy told Daddy that you cried very loudly last night because of hunger. Mommy felt very bad because her milk has not come yet. However the nurses told us that it is ok for babies to go hungry for the first few days. We finally agreed to let the nurses to give you a bit of glucose water when you cry loudly.


After lunch, Daddy finally had the chance to hold you and Mommy took a picture for daddy. You felt so light, so tiny in my arms. Daddy promised to protect you, to give you the best I can give to make sure you grow up healthily.
The whole day, daddy accompanied mommy and you. We tried to feed you when you cried, but you could not latch on properly in the beginning, so we always looked for the nurses to help us. When you drink milk, you make a sound in your throat that sounds like a kitten.

Grandpa and Granny brought mommy meals everyday. They also brought a broth made of boiled lemongrass and onion for month to clean herself. Daddy ended up eating all the hospital meals for mommy. This evening, when grandpa went home after shopping for food to cook for mommy, he had a fall in the bus and bruised his wrist and legs. Grandpa loves you so much, you must love him back baby.

The day we all get promoted!

Dear Baby Daughter,

Mommy and Daddy finally met you. You hairs is so bushy, your eyes are long, you are just perfect in every way. You are just as we had imagined for the last ten months, a little angel, a little princess.

We could hardly sleep last night, we were too excited to close our eyes because you are to be born today! We arrived at Gleneagles Hospital at 6:15 this morning. After checking in and settling down, Dr Tanny Chan came in and started the process to invite you to see the world. Three hours past with mommy's increasing pain and contractions. Mommy and Daddy past the hours by counting your heart beats which increased with every contractions. Eventually you started grinding at mommy's pelvis bone and mommy was so in so much pain, Daddy asked Dr Chan to give mommy the Epidural. Once mommy had the epidural, she became calm and fell asleep.

Finally 4pm came and you were ready to come out to the world. Granny and Grandpa were waiting in the waiting lounge, daddy stood beside mommy in the delivery ward, holding mommy's hands. Dr Chan asked mommy to start pushing you out and after 15mins, she used a suction cup to help you come out of mommy's stomach. With a very big push, you arrived! When the nurse placed you in the warmer beside daddy, you were grayish in color, and your head was cone shaped. The nurse sucked your nose and throat to remove the mucus, and tickled you, you gave a very loud cry to announce your birth, and you became pinkish.

Daddy was so moved when hearing your first cry that I couldn't speak. I tried to tell you 'welcome to this world daughter, mommy and daddy have been waiting so long to greet you.' but words just would not come out, there seems to be a lump in my throat. Finally I started humming the lullaby which I always sang to you before mommy and daddy slept every night for the past 9 months. You seemed to have heard daddy and slowly you opened your eyes and I could see your eyes rolling around as if trying to find daddy. Daddy cried

While mommy was resting, daddy and Dr Chan brought you out to the nursery. Granny and Grand pa were waiting very eagerly to see you. They saw the nurse wheeling you, they called out to you, and you 'wave' to them and cried out once as if greeting them!

You were cleaned and wrapped in the nursery and afterwards wheeled into mommy's room for your first mouthful of milk. Mommy decided to exclusively feed you breast milk. Granny, Grand pa, Auntie Annie were there to see you.

Before Granny and Grand pa left, they went to the Nursery to say good bye to you, we found that you love to flung your arms around. All the other babies were wrapped tightly, but you kept kicking until your can wave your arms and roll your eyes around.

I have just realized that everyone had their turn holding you except myself! I had been so excited the whole day and forgot to hold you! Now daddy have to think of a name for you. Grandpa suggested going to a feng shui master for advice. In the mean time, Auntie Annie suggested calling you 529, since this is mommy's room number, and the nurses refer you as the baby 529.