Tuesday, October 28, 2008

2 Years (officially)

Today is our second wedding anniversary, because this day fell on a weekday so the plan was just to have a nice lunch at the hotel where your mother and I got married... it was not to be, your mother's schedule was so tight around lunch time, on top of that I had meeting away from the office... :(

By the way, your mother and I got married twice... the first one was 28.10.2006 and the second one was on the 26.11.2006... I'll explain it to you once you are old enough to understand...

We have been together now for 8 years (27.11.2000)... you may wonder why I have the exact date... that is another story to be told in private... :)

Monday, October 27, 2008

Going Back to Pyjamas

IMG_4056 IMG_4322 We don’t know how to apologise enough, having just realised that your wardrobe consists of nothing but pyjamas! Between you and I, it is only your mother, and my mother who are fretting over this very, very minor issue. So far judging by your reaction, you certainly don’t mind socialising with the outside world in your colourful jimjams.


So, not to my surprise, this past extra long weekend (Piya Majaraj day, King Rama V’s commemoration day was on Thursday, and on the Friday both your mother and I took the day off, meaning we had 4 glorious days with you), thus your mother’s main mission was to buy some (what she calls) proper clothes for you…

Just guess where we went to shop? Your mother’s second home… Central Chidlom… So here is my first tip for you, once your mother is old and senile (hee hee) and if she ever gone missing, the first place you should look for her is the ‘shoes section’ at Central Chidlom.

IMG_4535 IMG_4508 The last time we checked you were about 74 cms, meaning the shirts and trousers we were looking to get was going to be tiny and cute (in comparison to my size). We weren’t disappointed, there were rows and rows of super adorable polo shirts, jeans, slacks and so on, it was fantastic (you should have seen your mother, she was positively beaming).

By all sense of reasoning, the tininess of your clothes should also reflect in the ‘tininess’ of the price? Right? So without checking anything apart from the sizes, your mother was picking this, feeling that, composing the colour scheme between tops and trousers… this went on long enough for me to loose interest, at the end you had 3 super duper outfits (see pic).


IMG_4510 IMG_4486 Now it was the time to pay… let me compose myself a little here… let just say, one of your shirt costs 475 bahts… this isn’t a typo… 475 bahts for a few cm2 of material (ok, if you want to be pedantic about it, including labour, logistic, storage and so on) but it is still one hell of a lot considering if they make it by the thousands… economy of scale… let me stop here and just say… you are going back to pyjamas (of course this is just a lot of hot air… there is no way your mother would let you look like a #$%^&, hee hee).

Love you

M&D

Then and Now

In the last few weeks before your arrival, your mother tipped the scale at around 70 Kg, that doesn't sound too bad... well, you have to consider she started off from 45 Kg!, which means it was a 56% net gain. Recently she had confided in me that she was slightly miffed to have only lost 8 Kg after you were born.

IMG_4141 IMG_1324 8 Kg gone, means she still had another 17 Kg to loose, and that have been her mission for the past 5 months, whether it be a special cream (made from a special 3 legged, 7 years old Yak's Bladder which have been marinated in a special Herb that draws water from the fountain of youth within in a small town call Atlantis), rigorous exercise and low carb. diet... But the worst of all, for some strange reason I was also roped into this insane plan (take away the water that I drink, take away the air that I breath, you can even take away my TV... but don't touch my carb... noodles, rice, potatoes... please).




Recently your mother had told me that she is now under 49 Kg (I really think she is more like 50 something, but for the sake of our marriage... she is definitely 49 something kg... probably 49.99995). All jokes aside, your mother had gone through a lot for you, and she will go through a lot more if need be, just don’t never ever forget that.

Love you

Dad

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Social Gathering...

The main gate totally died last night, so I had to get out of the car (moan), unlock and go through a small door (which is a part of the gate (moan, moan), take out a small key, bend down and open a tiny door on the motor's housing that operates the gate (moan, moan, moan), unlock the mechanism then open the gate manually (moan, moan, moan and moan to the power of a Kajijullian).

IMG_3919 Anyway, today is a Saturday, and all week we have been looking forward to today, because you are going to have your first class at Gymboree. For your mother and I, we didn't think it will make you super smart or anything so pretentious, we just wanted you to meet other people, but more importantly, they have loads of toys... it sure beats you sitting and doing nothing much at home... :)

Personally, I was hoping to get some great pics of you having fun, but it turned out to be such a laugh for your mother and I, I hardly had the time to push the shutter button. Including you, there were only 4 in the class and most of them were over 9 months old, meaning they were mobile (crawling/walking) and sitting unaided, while you laid on your tummy like a huge Thai North Eastern Sausage.

IMG_3955xFor what it was, just an hour, you seemed to have loads of fun, I think the change did you a world of good.

Some of the crawling exercises looked so fun, but you'll just have to wait a little longer, and you'll be glad to know we have already singed you up for next week class, so you'll have more chance to drool all over the exercise mat again... :)

Love you

Dad

 

IMG_3933xIMG_3981


   
 

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

As Big as a House (a slight exaggeration)

A friend of mine would have suffered from a heart attack if this thing came running. He/She was well hidden, but the sound of his/her footsteps gave its position away, I was actually on the third floor when I heard several footsteps on the ground floor, at first I'd thought it was a large dog that got loose and was ransacking our living room but it turned out to be something very different...

IMG_3891IMG_3892

Seriously, when I caught this, I wondered if this was the thing that gave you your swollen foot a few weeks back.

We'll never know, but at least it is now out for the house (until it breaks our door down and crawls back to the bathroom, haa haa haa).


IMG_3879 c The natural milk stock is running low, so we have decided to use formula for one of your meal each day. There seem to be no issue from your point of view, it looks like you'll eat anything now a day. My mother have started to give your fish again in the morning, and you scoffed that down like there is no tomorrow, the only thing I think you don't care much for is Prune Juice... you should have seen your face... :)

We are so looking forward to the long weekend next week, much more so than before you arrived... we are still discussing on where to take you, it must be a day trip because we don't own a lorry (a lorry is the only thing large enough that will be able to carry all that you need, who could imagine a two foot nothing baby would need to have so much stuff... haa haa haa).

Love you

Dad

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Interesting Day (05.10.2008)

The winter is here (sort of)! Instead of a horrid sticky heat we have been suffering lately (monsoon’s heat can be quite suffocating), this morning was fantastic, the sun was shining and the air was cool (in relation to the usual temperature we’ve been getting), so my mood was in high gear, for once I am actually looking forward to today's visit to the Dr.

Usually, Sunday is a universal day of ‘doing nothing much’, well, we normally also follow this mantra with total devotion, but I am afraid not this Sunday.

IMG_3714 IMG_3701 First of all, you had a Dr. appointment at 11.00, meaning we had to be up early to fit in all of your morning routine (medicine, breakfast, bath and a quick nap). Although in our house your mother is ‘The Architect’ (refers to Matrix the film), no matter how powerful she is, she still could not control time (hee hee), so as per the grand design we were very late in leaving  the house and didn’t get to the Dr. until around 11.40. The paediatrics’ waiting area was as fun and chaotic as ever, just imagine 10 – 12 kids running around in every direction but the doctor’s office. As per our expectation, the Dr. showed a sign of relieve, not at your read rash but at your swollen foot (so were we), all you have to do now is to finish off all your medicine (YIPPPPPPP PEEEEEEEE).

dg Apirak df Today (apart from you being exactly 5 months old), is also Bangkok’s Mayoral election, there are really 2 strong contenders (by proxy, representing the two biggest political party (Pa-Lang-sdfPrachaochon (People’s Power Party (incumbent ruling party) & Pra-Chat-Ti-Pak (Democratic Party, the main opposition party)), while the rest are extremely colourful but don’t quite have enough clout to make a real challenge to those two.

So after the visit to the Dr., we had to drive across town to the election station, admittedly it only took your mother and I 5 minutes to submit our electoral vote, but getting there was a nightmare (going through the Talad Klong-Tom on a Sunday would be a last choice for any motorists, unless of course you are a totally masochist).

Although the official results have not come in yet, but it looks like the current Mayor (Apirak) will keep this position for another term, probably meaning more woe for the ruling party who seems to just be making all the wrong move at the moment.

The rest of the day was just too boring to tell you about (got you a new toy and a couple of story books), but just wanted to let you know that your mother and I are so relieve now, may be I am being paranoid but I still think your foot is still very, very slightly swollen.

Cheers

Dad

Friday, October 3, 2008

Still Smiling (03.10.2008)

Just wanted to quickly give you an update, you are now all tucked in nice and warm in your cot. This evening I came to see you at around seven forty five, the traffic was terrible again, so your mother didn't come and pick me up as usual, but instead I caught the underground (MRT here in Thailand) from Silom to Hua Lam Pong main station, then caught a Tuk Tuk (or Sam Lor (3 Wheels) in Thai) to my parents (40 Baths, my mother said I had paid too much and told me for the next time to haggle for less, and of course I won't... I am just rubbish at it), one of the first thing I did was to take a picture of your back…

03102008(004_3) 03102008(001) In just twenty four hours the red rash have improved so much, but your hands and feet are still swollen, however on a better note, it looks like the original swell (by the way, which I still suspect that it was caused by an insect) have now gone, better wait for the Doc. to confirm it though.

So you are on the mend, fingers cross, lets hope tomorrow still bring more improvement… I am so happy to see your mother more relax now, tomorrow is a Saturday, which means we get to spend the whole day with you.

Love you

 

Dad

The Calm after the Storm (03.10.2008)

I want to start by showing these pictures of your face and back, so you can appreciate why your mother was so upset yesterday’s morning.

02102008(010) 02102008(011)

 












You’ll notice there was a little smile on your mother’s face, of course the red rash was a concern, but last evening (when these pics were taken) your temperature was normal and you were so cheerful, in short you were back to your old-self and that was the reason why your mother was smiling… (and so was I), more importantly, although your back looks terrible, the rash on your legs and your little (fat) belly have virtually disappeared. 

02102008(005_3)02102008(007)


 

 

 

 

 



As soon as we went to bed last night, we just wanted the night to pass as quickly as possible so that we can see how the rash will have improve in the morning… and we were not disappointed, your back is looking great now, still some small islands of red rash, but looking less angry than it did yesterday.

Your left foot that have been swollen for the past 5 – 6 days have also improved, I think it is back to normal now. When I tried to compare your left foot to your right foot, I found that your right foot is now swollen because of the rash (will this never end?), hopefully by this evening, most (if not all) of the rash should be gone…

It was great to see your mother so cheerful last night, she is talking about taking you on another trip… being a totally risk averse freak that I am, I said we should wait until you have recovered completely (you still felt a little warm this morning).

So looking forward to see you this evening…

Love you.

Dad

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Wiping her tears away (02.10.2008)

Last night your mother and I went to bed not particular in the best of moods, because your rash had spread further and was now reaching your chest, the only good news is that your temperature was still within range and you were still very playful.

This morning was different, the rash had spread to your face, the temperature was slightly high and instead of being cheerful in the morning (as usual), this time you were quite groggy, worst of all your foot was still slightly swollen. With everything coming together and perhaps not getting enough sleep, trying to be positive was just impossible for your mother this morning.

We did the best we could, gave you some medicine for the slightly high temperature, wiped your body down, packed you up in the car then headed off to my parents, you slept all the way again.

Called home a couple of minutes ago, I think there are good signs, the rash is wading away in the front of your body but spreading to your back (according to my mother), I hope soon you’ll be white-ish again, your left foot is also looking better, the swell on your ankle is getting smaller now, but the top of your foot is still not quite there yet (just slightly bigger than your right foot). You ate well this morning and at this moment you have just woken up from your morning sleep…

Your mother have also just had a chat with your Dr., we were confirming to him if it was ok to give you the medicine for your high temperature (37.5 c), he said at that level there was no need to give you the medicine, you must be glad to have one less to take.

We can not wait to see you this afternoon, lets hope the red rash will be less and your foot is back to normal.

Love you

Dad

A Small Complication (01.10.2008)

Not such a wonderful beginning to the new month, this morning we found some small red patches on your body, of course with me being a professor of medicine (not), I had assumed it was due to the heat, so we went through our normal routine, however we had to be out of the house earlier than usual as your mother had an early meeting.

At around 10 am, my mother called… when I saw ‘mother’ flashing across my Nokia, my heart sank, as she never usually contact me unless something was wrong. She sounded worried as the red patches have now spread throughout your body with most of it on your thighs. Initially I had thought that it was only a nappy rash (see, my experience in high medicine shines through again), but then soon realised that it was all over your body thus it could not have been.

Like a re-run of a few days ago, soon I was walking out of the office then jumped on the ‘(motor)bike taxi (30 baths)’, 5 minutes later I was waiting for my mother at the hospital. I got excited with every taxi that was passing by the hospital, this isn’t a fetish that I have, but because I was sure that it was you and my mother in the taxi. I was exhausted by the time you arrived, to my surprise my cousin (J-Na) had come too, I was glad for that.

SNC10924The first thing I did was to take a look at the rash that you have… was not a pretty sight, it had spread to cover most of your body. To cut the long story short, the Dr. said you had Urticaria (Lom-Pit in Thai) and the cause could be the medicine that you were currently taking for the swollen foot.

You will be taking Keflex (antibiotic) from now on (for the next 5 days), whereas before you were on penicillin based antibiotic. The red rashes could be a sign of you having an allergic reaction to the penicillin (your mother is also allergic to penicillin).

Personally I think the rash should be going away in a couple of days, but your swollen foot is what I am really worried about, it had been 8 days now, and it is still swollen (although it is very slowly getting better, can an insect bite take this long to heal?)… I was so worried, so after today’s visit to the hospital I went to the temple to make some merits for you.

I hope you get better soon.

Love you

Dad

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

A Close Shave: Trip to ‘People of the South Association’… (27.09.2008)

‘The South Association’ or ‘People of the South Association’ is very close to our home (about 1 Km on foot), it is a circular building (a somewhat of a landmark in the area, being especially useful when giving direction to the taxis) with expansive piece of land to the rear of the building. Once a year they organize a carnival type event, where they promote various highlights from the South. There are plenty of Southern Foods, Games, Live Shows and etc.

IMG_3515Because last Saturday’s trip went so well, we have decided to take you to this carnival, walking was our mode of transportation, not because we wanted the fresh air or anything, basically because finding a parking space would have been close to impossible. So off we went, it must have been around 18:35, the sky was dark but there was no sign of rain, and again the wind was nice and cool.

Walking with the pram together with all of the accessories and on crazy pavement have certainly slowed us down, it took us around 25 minutes to cover the 1,000 metres (measured on Google Map), the wind was picking up and the weather certainly looked a little more dodgy.







IMG_3518 As expected the place was jam packed with people, you looked a little startled with all the loud sounds from speakers not to mentioned the different colour lights and the mass of people. Your mother ended up having to carry you around while I tracked behind with the pram, umbrella, and a million other things we thought you may need (I was carrying virtually  half of our net worth). As I am new to this pram thing, I kept running over yourIMG_3524 mother’s foot (from behind, only a couple of times too many), so she was more than p*ssed off at me but she couldn’t do anything about it because you were with her… (thanks).

 





IMG_3523 We tried to get to the main tent, must admit it I was the first one to give up, I told your mother that I was going to wait while she went with you to look around (and undoubtedly to buy things…), but with your stuff hanging from every nooks of all of my body parts, it would have been too difficult for me to push my way through the crowd. So I stood while your mother walked away into the crowd… She must have taken about 3 steps then came to a wall of people going in every other direction but the one that your mother wanted to go.




Very soon after your mother gave up too, it would have been stupid to try to go on further, so she turned around looked at me, and without a word spoken we started to head back the way we came.

IMG_3519 There was another area, just across the side road with a lot less people so we decided to go there instead. Of course it attracted less people for a reason (no food), it was full of typical carnival games with plenty of people shouting from the huge speakers and brightly coloured neon lights trying to deafen and blind passer by all at the same time. You certainly had some ‘WTF is going on?’ look on your face, but you didn’t cry, so we assumed that you were enjoying the new experiences or that you had a mild shock to your system, as it was certainly much different than our quite house.

IMG_3522 After a quick once around we began to head back home, this decision had proven to safe us all… Again the pace was slow heading back, by the time we were about four hundred metres away, your mother felt a small droplet of water on her face, she looked at me and at that moment there was a huge lightning in the sky… It didn’t matter that our umbrella was the size of a small car, there was no way we could protect you from the rain in the monsoon season (the heavy downpour could have easily drown a fish with a scuba kit).




We started running, like in some B grade movie, your mother was pushing the pram while I carried everything else and lumbering just a little behind. It was spattering now, our pace picked up slightly, with two hundred metres left I broke away from your mother as I needed to open the doors so that you could have a quick entrance.

IMG_3531 I was waiting by the main gate watching your mother pushing your ever closer, the rain was still spattering but the lightning was definitely getting angrier, you arrived at the main gate, I picked up the pram hauling it over the small railing at the bottom of the metal main gate door, pushed you up the small driveway then hauling it again up the 3 steps, then through another door of the house, we were now safe, literally a minute after we got through the last door the sky let everything loose, just like a bad case of a dodgy vindaloo… We have never laughed so much, it was such a close shave.

My parents and your mother’s parents would have killed us if they have found this out, so we have decided to keep this a secret just between the three of us…

Love you,

Dad