Parenting Poem Month: Love is...愛. 是.

Before we become parents, ideally we would have fallen head over heels in love with someone. One who makes our hearts beat faster every time we hold his/her hand, one whom we would like to grow old with. 

But the real challenge comes AFTER the initial flutter of our hearts. How do we love our spouse more each day, so that we can walk through life's challenges hand in hand? My Parenting Poem Month ends off aptly by a poem, written in 2 languages, by a respected sister in Christ, Ann, who casually spells out her little definitions of love. 

Love is...every day's compliments and heartfelt "I love you"

Love is...every day's hugs and kisses.

Love is...taking care of the 6 a.m cries.

Love is...taking responsibility over the family's finances.

Love is...asking "is there more?" after complaints.

Love is...making me the priority everyday.

Love is...the well planned getaway for two.

Love also is...the chat over sunset on the couch.

Love is..."I'll get take out" during one of those days.

Love is..."thank you for dinner" for the simplest of meals.

Love is...finding out four hours flew  by.

Love is...bringing up a new topic even after lights out.

Love is...sharing the Spirit's promptings.

Love is...baring the soul's condition.

Love is...over the top passions.

Love also is...sweet ordinaries.

Love is...praying together every night.

Love is...celebrating every year.

Love is...after 12 years of marriage

Still feeling...Yeah...I do like you.

Writer of the poem Ann, and her lovely hubby Tim

愛。是每一天的讚美及由衷的「我愛你」。

愛。是每一日的擁抱及親吻。

愛。是每一早上照顧六點鐘哭醒的小娃。

愛。是擔起這家的經濟責任。

愛。是投訴一篇後的「還有嗎？」

愛。是每天作「你是重心」的決定。

愛。是精心預備的兩人度假。

愛。也是兩個人在沙發上看夕陽聊天。

愛。是懷孕時的「今天不要煮了」

愛。是對每天的粗茶淡飯說「謝謝！好吃！」

愛。是有說有笑後發現竟然過了四個小時。

愛。是晚安，熄燈後的又再最後話題。

愛。是聖靈感動時可以分享。

愛。是靈命枯乾時可以坦白。

愛。是轟轟烈烈的熱情。

愛。也是平淡中的甜蜜。

愛。是每晚的禱告。

愛。是每年的紀念。

愛。是12年的婚姻

還是覺得。。就是喜歡你。

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Parenting Poem Month is not about parents writing for the sake of writing. Such emotions cannot be faked, and you will not be able to write phrases like these without experiencing them yourselves.

If you missed our other pieces, here's where to catch them:

1. Poems by a Hands-on Dad inspired by too much Seuss
2. The Emotional Chapter by Constance
3. The Singlish aka SG50 Chapter

Birthday Letters from Daddy - Ellie turns 1

Our little celebration at home on the actual day

Dear Ellie

Before you, there was only Noah. Your korkor had Mummy and Daddy exclusively to himself, every moment, everyday. Looking back at the past year, the overwhelming emotion I have is a lot of apologies.

You did not wake up in the morning with Daddy on one side and Mummy on the other.

You did not listen to Daddy sing softly into your ear to coax you to sleep.

You hardly ate food specially planned and cooked for you by Daddy.

You hardly enjoyed any showers given to you by Daddy.

You hardly spent any actual time with Daddy since Day 1.

Being the little one in our house, you have been forced to share right from the start -- Daddy and Mummy's time, the clothes you wear, the books you read, the toys you play with.

Luckily, we are blessed that you have a big heart. You beam at me with love in your eyes even if I didn't do much for you. The cheeky, feisty streak that you are developing is also a welcome addition to the house formerly completely owned by your possessive brother.

You are such a precious little lady, and that's why, on the week leading up to your 1st birthday, Daddy and Mummy planned a whole week of activities to make sure your special moment is properly celebrated. Every single guest at your birthday party was hand-picked by Daddy and Mummy. They represent completely, the people who have showered you with love and welcomes into their houses in the past year, plus Daddy's special friend from Singapore who made it a special effort to be present.

What a cheeky pose from you, at Uncle Romans' house before going for your birthday photoshoot

Your birthday party at Champions Restaurant!

Your emotions swung from the highest

To the lowest 

You had what could be the most incredible-looking nyonya kueh cake for a 1-year old in recent history

All our lovely guests

Daddy promises you that from now onwards, I will make up for lost time. You will see more of me and do more things with me. I also hope that you will grow into a toddler bursting with positive energy, surrounded every moment by the boundless love showered on you by Daddy, Mummy and korkor.

Happy Birthday Ellie.

Love,
Daddy

PS. Special thanks to Jacqueline for making the party such a great one, and Romans for the beautiful pictures.

Itim Lamoon: Traditional Thai flavours frozen in Premium Ice Cream

Slightly less than 2 weeks ago, during my weekly visit to Mega Bang Na, I chanced upon an ice cream stall like no other. It looked rustic, playful and vintage all at the same time, and after tasting their concoctions, a wave of excitement rushed through my brain, as it's been a while since a F&B concept in Bangkok grabbed my attention in such a manner.

Itim Lamoon's shop front at Mega Bang Na

Think of Thai sweets and you can come up with a few names. Mango Sticky Rice, Thai Durian, Coconut and the ever-reliable Thai iced tea. But having lived here for almost 6 years, there is much, much more. Take Yakult for example. Back in Singapore, we are used to Yakult being sold everywhere in assorted flavours, but here in Thailand, Yakult cannot be found anywhere readily. There is only 1 flavour, the original, in a tiny bottle, which can only be purchased when the Yakult lady appears in your neighbourhood. I reckon if I were a little boy in Bangkok, I will be waiting eagerly for this particular lady to appear at my doorstep everyday to have my favourite drink.

Yesterday, I spoke to Danupon (more affectionately known as Moo), the owner of Itim Lamoon, and was suitably satisfied to understand that his concept is to weave together the childhood memories of local adults and present them in the form of premium ice cream. His first signatures were coconut cream, Thai tea and Milo, and he slowly came up with more and more flavours, most of which carry a distinctive Thai soul. Some interesting ones will be the Thai coffee (Oliang), Taro coconut, Sala(a red syrup carrying a similar identity to rose syrup in Singapore but tastes different) cider with Lime, Rum and Raisin (which uses locally-famous Sangsom Thai rum) and even a Red Bull sorbet.

Even his toppings have a vintage feel about them, from crispy dough fritters to mug bean to rainbow sugar

Moo shared with me that his biggest challenge was to convince the Thai locals that local Thai flavours are not always cheap, as even though he tries to emulate traditional tastes, he uses imported raw material to ensure his ice cream are as good as the premium home-made ice cream we can find in other more internationally-established dessert shops. As a foreigner, however, I feel that spending 49THB on a scoop of good quality ice-cream (with a free topping, no less) that tastes uniquely Thai is more than worth it.

The ice-cream shop is designed to look like a vintage playground. Kids are encouraged to play with all their toys.

Aside of selling ice cream by the scoop, Itim Lamoon also comes up with their own vintage sundaes and drinks, all of which carry a Thai traditional flair as well.

Can you recognize this character from Kamen Riders?

One of their specialties really surprised me. I bet most of you understand Affogato as an Italian dessert that involves pouring richly aromatic espresso over some gooey vanilla Gelato. What if I told you the Lamoon Affogato is pouring rich Thai kopi-O called O-liang over their signature creamy coconut ice-cream?

Lamoon Affogato looks and tastes charming

The main reason why I have such a strong feeling over Itim Lamoon is because After You and Mr Jones Orphanage have been hogging the Thai dessert headlines for far too long. Both have legitimate reasons for success, with Mr Jones Orphanage depending more on their atmosphere than cakes to attract customers. However, both these big names have earned their reputation recommending foreign-style desserts to the public. Finally, Itim Lamoon has a concept that brings local traditional desserts to the next level, packaging it in a attractive way, yet versatile enough to refresh their flavours as frequently as they wish.

All said and done, at this moment, Itim Lamoon is certainly not the finished product yet. The ice cream is still a wee bit too sweet for my non-Thai palate, and I do wish they eventually come up with a proper ice-cream shop that allows customers to enjoy their pretty desserts like the Lamoon Affogato in a more comfortable space with their whole family. I also think they should start considering opening stalls in places where tourists have more access to.

If you do manage to see it though, please give it a shot, as it might transport you back to your long-lost childhood. The Stranger in Bangkok's favourite flavours are Thai Tea and Yakult Jelly.

Parenting Poem Month: The Singlish aka SG50 chapter

Parenting is not a bed of roses, for every beautiful moment that tugs our heartstrings, there might be more than one contrasting moment of complete frustration, which I believe, will be quickly forgotten, or not.

So here's my rendition of one such instance, spoken silently in my brain, now also silently on cyberspace, in a language that best suits the occasion:

The day is great the sun is high

Finally the clothes can dry

Then someone nudged me on my thigh

"Daddy Daddy, I just bang sai."

Wife look at me, I say chin chye*

But deep inside, I want to cry

Ripped off diaper, he said “Wa!”

Ohhhh that smell

Really can die

“Poopoo mountain, I so lihai!”

Wah lau eh, sibey kana sai

Nuff said. Photo Credit: Busy Chris

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Parenting Poem Month is not about parents writing for the sake of writing. Such emotions cannot be faked, and you will not be able to write phrases like these without experiencing them yourselves.

If you missed our other pieces, here's where to catch them:

1. Poems by a Hands-on Dad inspired by too much Seuss
2. The Emotional Chapter by Constance

Parenting Poem Month: The Emotional Chapter

I might regret not putting in 20 more hours a week in the office.

I might regret not visiting my customers more often. 

I might regret not going out enough with my friends, who deserve more of my attention. 

I might regret not going to more networking events to know more business associates. 

I might regret not putting in all my time to try push my career to its ultimate limit.

I might regret not trying harder to earn more money.

I will regret not spending more time with my parents.

But what I will definitely not regret, is to have spent as much time as I could, with my growing kids.

Daddies and mummies out there, take a deep breath and devour every heart-felt emotion in this beautiful poem written by my friend Constance last night. If you have walked the path of parenthood, like me and her, I am sure you will be touched by every word, and every phrase:

One day you will no longer be little

You may be so busy that you might forget to doodle

The tiny notes we write for each other

May become fewer but still none the sweeter

My little ones chasing butterflies

Will one day grow, with wings bigger than mine

The endless hours we spend doing everything and nothing

May become rare, all the more precious, these moments fleeting

But for now you are still little

And not so big that I can no longer cradle

Though your big voices are demanding your rights

Your small bodies still want hugs real tight

While you now do so much with your friends or alone

My time is still something that you wish to own

There is no one parent who looks back and lament

"I spent too much time on my kids."

For there will surely be some regret,

if you don't, while you can.

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Parenting Poem Month is not about parents writing for the sake of writing. Such emotions cannot be faked, and you will not be able to write phrases like these without experiencing them yourselves.

So thank you my friend Constance, for inspiring me, and inspiring all parents reading this beautiful poem of yours.

*wipes tears*