Re-train Fidel

Three weeks ago when Fidel was sick and didn’t want to eat for 4-5days, we decided to let him latch on me while he sleeps at night. Every time he woke up, I’ll offer him. Until he recovered, it became a habit. He wakes up quite many times in the middle of the night and will get back to sleep only when he gets the milk. When he wakes up, I would pretend sleeping and won’t bother him. Guess what he did… He did “self service” by pull-up my shirt and act like the milk is belong to him, and he would suck till sleep.

I told Joseph that we can’t let him go back to his bad habit—wakes up many times and need to latch-on only get back to sleep. So, we decided to let him sleep with Joseph.

Then the training starts….

Fidel woke up at night and knew that the person slept next to him was not me, he cried. He cried for about 40minutes and fell asleep.

In the morning 05.30, I heard from the other room (when its training period, I sleep at other room) that he cried. I did send SMS to Joseph ask whether need me to go to the room. He said wait till 6 O’clock only give him milk. After cried, he gets back to sleep again.

When breakfast time, Joseph told me what happened at 5.30 - Fidel cried. Fidel woke up and pull-up Joseph’s shirt. He couldn’t find the breast, so he tried to touch and it was FLAT! (Hahahaha….) Suddenly Fidel cried so loud, because he knows there was no milk for him.

After few days sleeps with daddy, few times wakes up at night, he cries for few minutes. Slowly he knows that no more milk at night.

We are very happy that he doesn’t wake up anymore at night. If he wakes up, we don’t bother him, he will make noise (complaining) but he will go back to sleep again.

Finally, after one week, all of us can sleep through the night.

Fidel is Fully Recovered

Finally after 10days struggling with cough and cold, Fidel is fully recovered now. First 5 days when he was sick, I need to struggle with him many times in a day just to feed him the medicine. Hold him tight and use syringe pump the medicine into his mouth and he will cry very loud. One more thing that he didn't like to do was breath-in the gas/ventolin exohaler using a tool, called aero chamber. This one, I need to tight his whole body with a cloth/blanket. While breath-in, he struggled, screamed and cried. Sounds sadistic huh? No choice... For his own good. He cried loudly, I cried in my heart too.

We try to keep him familiar with the thing and the medicine by letting him play with those things and keep reminding him that it won't hurt him, and the medicine is sweet. Slowly he let us put the aero chamber and he behave very well. We almost couldn't believe how good Fidel is while taking the medicine. No struggle, no cry. Thank God, thank God! He answers our prayers.
One day when he woke up from his nap, I peeped from outside the room. He took the aero chamber and put on his face, pretended using it. I grab my camera and go in to the room, have few shots of him, and he ask me to do it for him. Oh dear... He is such a good boy.

"I think everything is ready here"

"Is it correct to insert this way?"

"Put the mask on your face like this, OK?"

"How come still can not go in?"

Thank you Lord for answering our prayers and healing my baby.

Thank you brothers and sisters for all your prayers and concerns to my little one.
May God bless everyone of us.

New Words

Two weeks ago we were visited by four friends from Jakarta. They are Devi, Christina, Renna and Cecilia; very talented young musicians. They did a classical concert here in Penang. Many people loved their performance.

They stayed in our tiny apartment and we (Joseph, Fidel and I) had a great time with the joy and happiness that they brought. Fidel was very happy, because got many “Jie Jie”(sister) played with him.
I told Fidel many times that they are “jie jie” when they played together. One day in the car, he looked to the back where they sat and he said “ceh... ceh…” Everybody was shocked to hear Fidel call “ceh-ceh” instead of “jie jie”. His ability to vocalize is improving.

Second word that he learned recently was when he plays with my handphone and the light of the handphone was automatically off, I said “No more light…, no more…” and Fidel imitated me by saying, “mo-mo…mo-mo”. I was shocked again, he learn something very fast. He is 10.5months now.
Few moments that Fidel will say “mo-mo” and turn his wrist, when:
1. Each part of Fun Song Factory-children song program that he watches finish.
2. I switch off the laptop.

I Try Not To Say "NO"

Recently, Fidel can’t stay long in the playpen, rocking chair or baby cot. He will screaming or make the crying sound till we feel pity of him, and decide to take him out and play with him. He will just smile at me and crawl away as we put him on the floor. Then… his adventure is begun.

He crawls to all over places in the house. His favorite place is under the dining table. When we eat, Fidel crawls around the house and he will stop under the table. We must be aware before we move our legs or else he will get kick.

Fidel is a very curious baby. Everything in the box, plastic bag, he opens up and takes all out and leaves it. I always say “No”, “No”, and “No” when he touches something that he shouldn’t touch. Sometimes because afraid of dirty and dust, I do not let him touch. He touches this and that, I will say “No!” for so many times.

Fidel starts exploring his world now and I think I shouldn’t say “NO” every time for just a small matter. End up, I will just watch him when he plays, make sure he doesn’t put them in his mouth.

"Ah ha... I found this in the kitchen"

"Dad, sweet potato for you!"

Must Check The Date of Expiry!

Today I bought a pack of formula milk for Fidel. Tomorrow morning we will leave our house quite early to the church, so I prepared his rice cereal into the plastic container.

I opened the box and when I took out the packing inside, suddenly my eyes gazed the date which was written there “USE BY 04/06/2009”. Oh dear! The milk is expired. It was really scared me when thinking of how if I didn’t see the date and let my baby consume the expired milk. Oh no, oh no! I hurried check all the rest of baby foods that I bought.

Normally, beside dairy product or something which can stand for few days, I rarely check the expiry date of the food that I buy. Next time, I will check all the date of expiry, no matter what. Must remember to check!

Thank God that He protects my baby. He opened my eyes to stare at the date.

My First Mother's Day

Last year was my first time experienced mother’s day when Fidel still inside my womb. This year, it is my first time again to experience mother’s day with the “real” Fidel.

This morning when I woke up, I was like reminding myself, “Oh! I’m a mother now”. After 7.5 months I take care of Fidel, I realize that it is not easy to being a mother.

There were a group of children sang a song of mother’s day this morning in the church. They sang it in Mandarin; I was touched though I didn’t fully understand the meaning. I just prayed that God will strengthen me and help me to bear this special occupation which God had trusted the little Fidel to us. And I thank God for my lovely mommy too. She is the greatest one.

Happy mother’s day!

Vaccine for Fidel

Yesterday we took Fidel to the clinic to have the hepatitis B, DPT, Polio, Hib vaccine. He cried so loud for few seconds. We quickly gave him milk and he forgot the pain.

After gave him a vaccine he slept for a whole day.

Next year, Fidel and I will go back to Jakarta and visit my parents. So, we went to the immigration and make a passport for him. The process needs 3-4hours to get it done. In the between we went to have a tea time. Fidel woke up for a while. You see the photos below here.

"God bless you mom" (he is praying for me)

"Amen" (thank you, Fidel)

Yesterday was Fidel’s first time sit in the car seat with daddy as a driver. While driving or stop at the traffic light, daddy can see and talk to Fidel. They both enjoy the journey very much. I was happy that I didn’t need to carry him in my arm, because his weight is 4.9Kgs. Heavy la…
Anyhow, thank God that means he grows well.

After we reached home, Fidel’s body started getting warm, and he had fever for the whole night until next afternoon. He woke up every 1hour and cried. I almost became a panda, because didn’t have enough sleep. We were so worry. Thank to my mother-in-law, she came in the afternoon and took care of him, and I can take a nap.

Fidel gives his smile and starts to communicate with his language, and we know he is fine now.

Your Name is Fidel

When your dad was first married with your mom, he was very afraid of bringing a child to the world.
Not because he didn't want you, but it was because he worried of you being born into this world of pain and suffering.

When considering a name for you, he asked himself.
What I want my son to be?
What I wish my son to have in order for him to be able to face the trials of life ahead of him?
The answer that came to his mind was Faith.
Your dad wishes and prays that you would be a man of faith.
Not a kind of self-confidence, but faith in the One true God of Trinity.
Therefore he named you 林怀信.
Fidel is your name.
Which in Latin roots means Faithful.

We know, you will be a man useful in God's kingdom, and a blessing to people around you, if you remain Faithful to God and who you are and what He entrusted you.
Dad and mom cannot accompany you through out your life's journey.
But, we are grateful to have each moment with you.
Only God can lead you all the way,until we shall meet in eternity.

Remember son, Your name is Fidel.

Shepherding a Child's Heart Through Proverbs (Part 3)

"My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths" (Proverbs 1:10;15)

Son, learn to say 'No' to sin.
Sinful way may seems attractive, interesting and rewarding at the beginning, but eventually it leads to bankruptcy of life.
What is sinful way?
Sinful way is the way that bypass the law of God written in the Bible and in your heart.
Know the law and the will of God, and walk in it.
This is called Wisdom; and this is the reason why 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'.

God set boundaries according to His Holiness, for your own good.
"For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them." (Proverbs 1:32).
Just as a car running on the highway without boundaries will not go far, so does a man who says 'yes' to every enticement in life will come to a dead end very soon.

With God as your point of reference in life, you will have wisdom to know when and what you need to say 'No'. And God promised that "whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm" (Proverbs 1:33).

The Most Important Nutrient For Children

Today at the kindergarten, I saw something that made me smile.
One of the teachers encouraged the children to drink a lot of water with an interesting trick.
Teacher will start by saying, “One… Two… Three….”
And they say “Go!” At the same time, they take their water tumbler and drink it.
They repeat it many times, and they really enjoy it and have fun.

Children have smaller bodies, but it does not mean they need less of water. Water is in fact one of the most important nutrients for children.

Water not only keeps children healthy, but also will help them perform better in school. Long-term chronic dehydration may cause health problems and illnesses.

Because many schools have inadequate water resources, parents and teachers should regularly encourage children to drink water at home, and even bring their own to school. Children should especially drink water after taking part in sports, such as in gym class.

A small degree of dehydration can lead to a reduction of mental and physical performance. It can lead to poor concentration in the classroom, which could mean not as much participation, and even lower test scores.

Another reason why children should drink up is that their thirst mechanisms are less developed than adults', and tend to appear after dehydration has already set in. Children should therefore be encouraged to drink water even if they are not thirsty. Headaches, irritability and sleepiness are often signs of dehydration. Of course, children are bombarded with ads of cool soft drinks, but parents, please note that water is a far better choice.

Shepherding a Child's Heart through Proverbs (Part 2)

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ Proverbs 1:7

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.’ Proverbs 9:10

To raise you up in wisdom, discernment, discipline and a good heart, you need a point of reference.
This point of reference should be big enough to encompass your whole being and all your experience in life.
This point of reference I give to you is God.
But, it is not any god. The God I give to you is God the Creator and the Sustainer of all the existence, who had once for all revealed Himself through and in the Bible.
Only God is big enough to be your point of reference for what you think and do.

I cannot be your ultimate point of reference.
I am neither perfect nor wise enough to know everything in life to guide you all the time.
Your friends, your teachers, your own self, cannot be the point of reference for all your experience either.
No, we are all not big enough for that.
But, since God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, He knows all things.

Therefore, He is our ultimate point of reference.
By trusting Him and His Word whole heartedly, is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
The consequence of not believing in God is you will believe in anything else.
And believing in anything is no different from believing in nothing.

So, son, I will lead and guide you to this one and only God.
Because, to make sense to your life, you need a point of reference, and only God is big enough for that.

Shepherding a Child's Heart through Proverbs (Part 1)

'The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth.
Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
And the one who understands obtain guidance'
(Proverbs 1:1-5)

The goal of your upbringing is to possess wisdom, discernment, discipline and a good heart.
But these are things that you tend to ignore and avoid from me.

Instead, what you are asking from me are the best toys; best food; best games; best devices; best entertainment and best of many other things.

I will give you these within our family affordability, by God grace.
But, you need to know from the beginning.
These things cannot accompany you, satisfy you or carry you far down the road in you upbringing.

What matter most are things inside you: Wisdom, Discipline and a Good heart.

As your parents, we are entrusted by God to raise you up towards this goal.
All other good things outside of you will follow if you are careful with what is inside you.


'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.' (Proverbs 1:7)