GARGANTUAN steps

My dearest Nathan~

It's unbelievable how the year has passed so quickly and looking at my previous letters to you, how much and how fast you have grown as well! You've definitely been able to better converse with those around you, and are able to better express what you want (though you express what you do not want more vehemently). We brought you on a cable car ride on your 2nd birthday, where initially you were a bit hesitant high up in the sky, but it is now one of your favourite trips out that you frequently request for (and also one of the many activities we got a package for). You were also decked out in your favourite outfit - your minion gear and your lion bag. 

Perfect pitch!

Scooting

My Gym - with teacher Kumar

It was a nightmare trying to bring you every Saturday morning because you were just so adverse to it, till one fine morning when your 姨姨 brought you and your suddenly enjoyed gym lessons so much! She should have brought you earlier and then we wouldn't have had so much difficulties after that.

Your swimming has improved by leaps and bounds - and you now love your Sunday morning lessons. 

Acting skills

It definitely has been more challenging parenting a toddler, trying to help you grow and express yourself without getting exasperated by your tantrums and temper. On one hand, it would be easier to just give in to you and then you'd stop whining, but that wouldn't be particularly good parenting! On the other hand, it is tough to keep the tone down when sometimes your mummy and I just want to give you a good earful! I guess, as you're learning to grow, so are we as well, and hopefully we will learn to get better with time. The best way we can be parents is to model behaviour for you to follow, and one of them is a life of continual improvement.

Singing skills - one day you'll see the funny side of it

Spelling bee

It has definitely been a tumultuous year for you my dear Nathan. First, there was COVID-19 which caught the entire world by surprise. I'm not too sure how long we will have to wear masks in public when going out, or when the limits of meeting friends and family members will be removed, but we used to live in a time where we could about our daily lives without wearing a mask, without having to socially distance, without having to log in and out of various venues that we go to, and we used to travel quite freely abroad without having to be quarantined for fear of having the virus. School was closed for a substantial period of time and you were left at home with 公公 and 婆婆, and even I couldn't come over to 133 Dunbar Walk for a variety of reasons, whether it was because of the nature of my work, or whether because of strict restrictions put in place by the government. I believe there was a period of nearly a month where we could only converse through video calls, and when it all ended, you were rather happy to see me! It must have been tough when school re-opened as well, when normal interactions and play with friends were significantly curtailed. I do hope this will all just be temporary.

Makeshift indoor obstacle course

Your mummy and I rushed this out whilst you were sleeping at the behest of your 婆婆 so that you could have a work-out even if you didn't go to school during the circuit breaker

Finally reunited after a month

Even though there were no overseas trips for us as a family this year (hopefully this will change with time), we still managed to have some fun times revisiting old attractions and finding some new ones. The good thing about you is that you're a bit like me (though you would loath to admit) - you like to stick to familiar things - so we could keep going back to the same attractions and you'd still be well pleased (I think we took 4 or 5 cable car trips in the last year itself).

You are pretty fond of dogs!

Celebrating my birthday with a family bike ride

At Splash-N-Surf with your mummy, 公公 and 婆婆

Another cycling trip with your daddy, 姨姨 and uncle Ian

Feeding the elephants at the zoo with kor kor Raphael and godma

At the River Safari with kor kor Raphael

At Jurong Bird Park with your daddy 

Post-COVID-19 now as you can see the necessity to go around with a face shield

Longkang fishing with kor kor Raphael and godpa

Your catch behind the both of you

Feeding the horses at Gallop Stables with kor kor Raphael and godma

Aboard the Singapore Flyer

Your favourite new attraction - the round cable car (as opposed to the straight cable car)

Here are some photos with those nearest and dearest to you - I'm sure it'll be something for you to cherish when you look back at them many years later. 

Christmas time with the Yans at Aston's

With your great grandma and kor kor Raphael

I forgot we did manage to make it to Kluang for Chinese New Year, so we did have a trip out of Singapore this year, before COVID-19 took hold of the country

Chinese New Year with the Tings

Your 舅舅 had already left for New York City for further studies

You always had a special place for your mummy and she sure doesn't hold back on the pampering she gives to you (something your daddy doesn't do very much admittedly, or at least, not in the way you expect it). I guess that's why they always say mummy's boy and daddy's girl. 

Mummy dressed you as a snowman at Christmas

Trying to join in the fight against COVID-19 with your parents

Your mummy and 婆婆 were kept very busy each morning trying to prepare an entertaining breakfast for you! You only got kaya-peanut-butter-jam bread on each side of the bread from daddy.

Celebrating mummy's birthday (and more to come)!

You were clearly not too pleased to be dressed in matching cloths

Painful ulcer

Last year, you had your diarrhoeal episode after going to Batam. This year, you probably ate one too many durians and then developed a huge ulcer that gave you a lot of grief! Though you quickly learnt that you got ice cream because of that, and soon the acting skills came up again!

The second big change in your life (and ours) was the coming of your younger brother Daniel! You must have had no clue how much things were going to change, seeing mummy's tummy grow bigger by the days and months, but then again, you had bouts of jealousy even when Daniel was still inside! And when Daniel came out, you were such a loving brother, although your temper tantrums got a little worse. You lost out on all the attention that you used to get, especially from mummy, but you've also grown to love and accept the latest member of our family! I was really quite surprised with how willing you were to share some of your toys with, or even give some of your toys to Daniel. I'll never be able to tell you how it is to be jealous of a younger sibling, because I was the youngest, and was lucky to have my brother around. All that I can say is that I hope you have as great a friendship and kinship as that which I have with my brother. 

When we were still three (and a half)

A picture that paints a thousand words

Your first meeting

As your mummy says - don't know whether to laugh or cry at this!

A loving older brother

At Daniel's baby photoshoot

The cousins with 爷爷 and 奶奶

Peek-a-boo with 弟弟

Year End Concert

Such a pity we wouldn't be able to watch in person but have to watch over Zoom instead! But you are really enthralled by this song!

回家 

亲爱耶稣 我感谢祢来到这世界 

给我盼望 给我一个永恒的家 

亲爱天父 轻声唤我回到祂面前 

不再流浪 我看到家的光 

回家回家 回到永恒爱的家 

喜乐充满我的心 我不住赞美 

回家回家 回到永恒爱的家 

天父张开爱的双臂 我一生属于祂

The Yan family

Meanwhile, here's wishing you a very happy 3rd birthday Nathan. You make us so proud of you, no matter what you do. May you continue to grow in strength and love in the year ahead~

Happy 3rd Birthday Nathan!

Labels: Family, Nathan