Saturday, February 21, 2015
Letter to my Child Part 2
To my dear girl, you have just passed your very first Chinese New Year celebration in your mother's womb.
Today is the third day. The past two days were a hectic rush around Singapore visiting our relatives. Luckily, your mother is already visibly pregnant with you so she had a lot of lee way and we were able to avoid awkward questions like "when are you going to have a kid!". I was also ill with a bad nasal infection that left me tired with a ban on all Chinese new year goodies (thank your mother for her eagle eyes). Whilst it meant that the past few nights were spent sleeping in the living room away from your mother (for fear of spreading it to your pregnant mother), it also meant I also had a passport to skip all the extra visits to the far flung relatives in the far flung parts of Singapore.
One day, you must ask me about the big family. Even by my era, it was impressive. By yours, it should be next to impossible to find.
As i had mentioned, today is the third day of the Chinese New Year. Your maternal grandparents and aunt had earlier arranged to drop by in the afternoon to visit. That was the only thing on the agenda. Alas, things were not meant to be.
8.00am: your aunt jasmine (the property agent) calls to ask me to help her sell some furniture from her rental unit at Tanglin. I willingly obliged because that's what siblings do. Plus she already promised your cousin Ashton to bring him to the angry birds theme park.
9.45am: your mother and I completed the sale. Decided to go for a second breakfast because your mother deserves to eat more.
1100am: drove back to your grandma's place at ah hood road to drop off the keys to the rental and chill a bit
12.20pm: your grandma informed us that your grandfather tripped over a step and broke his fall using his face and yet managed to drive himself to Tan Tock Seng. I went over immediately.
Your grandfather was 63 when this happened. Falling at this age is already very dangerous. So he was warded after kicking up a fuss but eventually gave in after getting an earful from your grandmother, myself and the doctor.
So now he is resting overnight for observation. Preliminary scans indicated he did not have any broken bones. Your grandmother is staying overnight with him.
So why am I being so long winded about this story? This little incident taught me a few things.
1) Insurance is important, no matter the cost. Your grandfather was whisked into a quiet ward once he fell into the non subsidised category. His five children all chipped in to pay for his insurance because your grandfather stubbornly thinks he is indestructible.
2) Filial piety: your four aunts were raring to rush to the hospital once they learnt of his fall. I stayed throughout till the night. Why? Because i know they expect me, as the only son to be there when they need me. Not just for my father but for my mother.
3) Compromising: your other grandmother could not visit as i had to stay with your grandmother and grandfather. Once we explained to her, she understood and did not make any noise. She was actually anxious to visit our house as she has not had the chance to visit since we shifted into Seng Kang.
4) Being responsible. You aunt Joanne and Jasmine came but they did not bring your cousins because there is a risk of them falling sick due to exposure to germs and whatnot at the hospital. The same applied to your mother who is 5 months pregnant with you. I sent her back to Bishan to stay for the night, away from me. I stayed on in Ah Hood so that I could rest after running around the whole day and your grandmother can have someone nearby in case something happens. An unexpected sleepover.
That's it. Hope you can learn something from this little Kylie. We love you...
Today is the third day. The past two days were a hectic rush around Singapore visiting our relatives. Luckily, your mother is already visibly pregnant with you so she had a lot of lee way and we were able to avoid awkward questions like "when are you going to have a kid!". I was also ill with a bad nasal infection that left me tired with a ban on all Chinese new year goodies (thank your mother for her eagle eyes). Whilst it meant that the past few nights were spent sleeping in the living room away from your mother (for fear of spreading it to your pregnant mother), it also meant I also had a passport to skip all the extra visits to the far flung relatives in the far flung parts of Singapore.
One day, you must ask me about the big family. Even by my era, it was impressive. By yours, it should be next to impossible to find.
As i had mentioned, today is the third day of the Chinese New Year. Your maternal grandparents and aunt had earlier arranged to drop by in the afternoon to visit. That was the only thing on the agenda. Alas, things were not meant to be.
8.00am: your aunt jasmine (the property agent) calls to ask me to help her sell some furniture from her rental unit at Tanglin. I willingly obliged because that's what siblings do. Plus she already promised your cousin Ashton to bring him to the angry birds theme park.
9.45am: your mother and I completed the sale. Decided to go for a second breakfast because your mother deserves to eat more.
1100am: drove back to your grandma's place at ah hood road to drop off the keys to the rental and chill a bit
12.20pm: your grandma informed us that your grandfather tripped over a step and broke his fall using his face and yet managed to drive himself to Tan Tock Seng. I went over immediately.
Your grandfather was 63 when this happened. Falling at this age is already very dangerous. So he was warded after kicking up a fuss but eventually gave in after getting an earful from your grandmother, myself and the doctor.
So now he is resting overnight for observation. Preliminary scans indicated he did not have any broken bones. Your grandmother is staying overnight with him.
So why am I being so long winded about this story? This little incident taught me a few things.
1) Insurance is important, no matter the cost. Your grandfather was whisked into a quiet ward once he fell into the non subsidised category. His five children all chipped in to pay for his insurance because your grandfather stubbornly thinks he is indestructible.
2) Filial piety: your four aunts were raring to rush to the hospital once they learnt of his fall. I stayed throughout till the night. Why? Because i know they expect me, as the only son to be there when they need me. Not just for my father but for my mother.
3) Compromising: your other grandmother could not visit as i had to stay with your grandmother and grandfather. Once we explained to her, she understood and did not make any noise. She was actually anxious to visit our house as she has not had the chance to visit since we shifted into Seng Kang.
4) Being responsible. You aunt Joanne and Jasmine came but they did not bring your cousins because there is a risk of them falling sick due to exposure to germs and whatnot at the hospital. The same applied to your mother who is 5 months pregnant with you. I sent her back to Bishan to stay for the night, away from me. I stayed on in Ah Hood so that I could rest after running around the whole day and your grandmother can have someone nearby in case something happens. An unexpected sleepover.
That's it. Hope you can learn something from this little Kylie. We love you...
# posted by Jason @ 2/21/2015 10:49:00 PM 
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