3 weeks old

Parenting is a school for spiritual formation

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And our children are our teachers

-Gary Thomas-

Dear Faith,

Such a miracle you are to daddy and myself.  Last year at 6 weeks of conception, you gave daddy and me a scare when I suddenly bled.  It was a relief when Dr Wen said that all is well with you.  Then, I knew that you are one strong resilient little one.

As you turn 3 weeks old tomorrow, I still tear each time I look at you when you sleep.  I love to just sit by your side and stare at you when you sleep. That peaceful look is priceless.  Time spent with you is so precious.  Whenever I look at you, I still can't believe that you are finally out and we are daddy and mummy to a little girl.  In the last 3 weeks when daddy and I hands on to take care of you, I wished God will just drop us a manual or a to-do list so that we know what we can do for you or what those cries mean.

You are one little girl with a character.  When you need your feed, you will cry till your little face turned all red until you get your milk.  Thus, every 3 hours, we would have our mini battle of you needing to latch on correctly to my breasts.  You love cleanliness so with each pee and each poo, daddy knows that he will have to change your diaper. You love to be hugged to sleep and when you are put down, you'll start to whimper to be carried again.  To be honest, we just love to carry and cuddle and kiss you.  Sometimes, to the point I pray that you would not be too spoilt by all these carrying, cuddling and kissing. :)

You never fail to brighten up our day with your endless expressions.  Popo, yiyi, daddy and I can stand forever at your cot looking at your expressions changing almost every second.  We wonder, how could a newborn be so ever expressive?!

The first two weeks, we were so convinced that you dislike bathing! Now, bath time is daddy's mini battle with you.  You would cry your lungs out whenever daddy attempted to bathe you for that 1.5 weeks.  After 2 weeks of stay at Popo's house, daddy and I decided that we are truly the new kids on the block when it comes to caring for a newborn.  We hired a nanny for 2 weeks so that we can learn the basics, right from feeding to sterilizing to bathing to changing of clothes.

In just 21 days, you braved the hospital 4 times.  When you were 5 days old, we got a scare when your temperature reached 37.2deg.  Your doctor, Dr Terence Tan, was sharp and immediately knew that you might be dehydrated in view that mummy wasn't able to latch you on properly.  At the same time, doc decided to put you on photo therapy to bring your jaundice level down.  You were then known to Dr Tan as a little chilli padi.  You fought your health back without much injections and by the 3rd day, you were discharged.  We went back to the hospital again 2 more times for you and me to learn how to be breastfeed and be breastfed properly.  The 4th time was just last night when you refused to sleep cause of the wind in your stomach.  We were so worried that all those crying will make things worse for you and decided to bring you back to the hospital for medication.

Motherhood has changed me and it's a role which I have never thought I would have felt an overwhelmed of emotions.  It is also one of the toughest role that I have ever attempted to take up.  Never have I been this stretched in my capacity to love.  Never have I had someone so dependent on me before either.  In your little ways, you have taught me so much.  You are a reminder to us how gracious God is to us.  As we seek God for more wisdom as parents, may you also know of the love God has for you.  

We love you, our little darling Faith.