Back to Oslo from Stockholm

24.02.12 Guess what baby Kara? We're on the train again but its back to Oslo and you've just been fed.  Mom says your eyes look cute now, probably because you got that drunken look after feeding - but we didn't spike your milk. Well I think you have that peaceful and contented look, and shuffling back and forth between wanting to rest and also wanting to know what is happening around you. Everytime you open your eyes I felt scared, not knowing if you will cry or do next, but a pat from mom and you immediately went back to sleep. Half an hour ago it was full of tension. The train wasn't here yet but the platform was full of people, and full of baby prams, buggy, wheelchair and oversize luggage. We went into the wrong carriage and it was jam packed with people and stuff and I had to chuck your baby carriage at the train steps just to let people through since it was quite sizable, and also trying to find our seats. In the end, we found out we were in the wrong carriage and quickly moved to the correct one where it was much peaceful and had more places to place your carriage. Lesson learnt, don't assume and rush into things, take a little longer to confirm things and it will save you much hassle. Earlier this morning we went to the Malaysian embassy in Stockholm to apply for your citizenship papers and passport which went very smoothly. The highlight of it was when we had to fingerprint you, and it was so tiny compared to daddy's. You were pretty calm when putting it down for the passport form, but you were crying the whole time when it was time for the citizenship paper. We met a very nice lady called Joyce who processed your applications, and then met another Malaysian lady who came from Oslo and is married to a Norwegian. It's a very different world in Europe and Malaysia in terms of marriage and having kids. In Europe, as a woman you get married and take your husband name, and you can change it with ease to reflect that but in Malaysia it would be a hassle. Or God forbid, for a woman who give birth to a child without being married, can register the birth of the child in Europe but not so easily in Malaysia, but mom says its a good thing so that we don't encourage pre-marital sex and single parents. All in all we spent 2 days in Sweden, but mostly on the train and in the hotel. I would like very much to take you and mommy out to see the sights but it's rather windy and you're either hungry and need feeding, or crying and making us worried. But anyway you didn't miss much. Stockholm is a mixed bag of semi-old and metropolitan in the city center, and pretty old in Gamlestan but somewhat scarred by commercialization. Everything looks so dispersed and faded, but compared to Oslo, it is very crowded, especially on the train and metro station. I guess that is why when I went to the supermarket, there is much more choices on the shelves, or many types of restaurant and cuisines, because the market here is large enough to create a demand and sustain it. Daddy got so much more to share, but then i don't think I qualify to comment after spending 24 hours in Stockholm and you're much too young to appreciate it. But one geeky thing that your telco engineer daddy didn't get to do was to go to Kista and pose in front of  the Ericsson, Sony Ericsson and Nokia buildings, but at least I came back in time to see you poop all over your pants and fed us so we could get onto the train in time.

To Stockholm to get Kara's first passport and registered as Malaysian

23.02.12 Baby Kara, as we are writing this, we are now on the train heading to Stockholm to apply for your Malaysian citizenship papers and passport. Our train journey has past 2.5 hours and you are such an angel, sleeping it through the views of pine trees, iced lakes and some snowy and some partially melted fields. Just to take the 7.25am train, we had to wake up at 5am but yet we almost didn't make the train. It was a mad rush but we managed to get you dressed up warm and cosy, packed our breakfast with pølse med lompa, and changed some Swedish crowns.  This is our first overseas trip together and with public transport lugging along our luggage in your pram - which is quite an experience considering we've always been used to travelling with car back home in Malaysia, and now with you just only a few days over 1 month old. Last night while we were packing, we also got a bit confused what to bring for you. Aslo, Thank God Scandinavian countries are baby-friendly country, your pram even have its own parking space on the train! Gosh! I think this is an achievement for us. But let's hope everything goes well and smooth the next 2 days and so many people is constantly praying for it. You know, you're really blessed in a way that so many people have been praying for us, and especially for you, while you were in the womb and now that you're out. So indeed your life is really a testament of all our prayers, and living up to your name that you are a gift of blessings to us, and that the gift of blessings is upon you as well.

Kara is 1 month old

18-19.02.2012 This weekend was especially special for you because you've turned 1 month old. Time really does fly when we are with you. So what do we think of having you so far - its been a great experience because you've been giving us such wonderful time with your every gestures, every smiles and even your cry sounds great to us. To celebrate, we invited some of our OIC friends over for waffles and scones on Saturday evening, and you were such adorable and in your best behavior - earning lots of oohs and aahs. On Sunday, we brought you to church. So remember the first church you went to is Oslo International Church held in Gamlebyen Church. Since it was your full moon event, we commemorated it with giving out the traditional red eggs with a twist - instead of dying it with red food dye, we wrapped a simple red ribbon around it. Many of the church members were pleasantly surprised and we had the chance to explain our Chinese tradition.  Speaking of red-eggs, your grandmom specially requested that we make it and distribute it in church and have you blessed by the pastor, but since Maicon is not around we'll do it some other day. She also receieved the photo we submitted online to be developed in Malaysia and courier to Kajang and was so so so very happy to see you clearly in pictures. She was so proud of you that she showed the pictures to our neighbor the Tan family and my second aunt. You got such good reviews about your eyes, being so big and attentive making you a look like a great leader ahead, to you sweet and cute disposition.

Kara - 3 weeks after

12-14.02.2012 You were very fidgety for the few days this week and had a hard time sleeping and was crying more than usual, up to the point daddy and mommy had to carry you the whole night. There was one night when daddy just slept on the sofa carrying you in his arms and then went to work after waking up, while mommy didn't manage to eat anything the whole day despite having cooked lunch. That few days, you went from this peaceful little baby we knew from the past 3 weeks to a complete change. We have to admit it was pretty stressful for us and that we weren't sure if we still have the energy or you'll be calm enough for us to hold a full moon party for you. I guess we learnt a lot that week, about the need to burp you, how to best burp you and some gas release technique - and you were back to normal by Thursday. During that time, we also realized how much we love you, for every cry to us and seeing you being uncomfortable breaks our heart, and despite your cries, it's doesn't frustrate us, but it made us appreciate the fact you are healthy and realize how much you depend on us, and how great is our responsibility. PS: We did manage to have a full-moon party for you in the end.

Kara's first 2 week

23.01 - 03.02 Your grandparents came to visit you, arriving on the first day of CNY. You and mommy were still in the maternity hotel so daddy went to bring them back. The timing was great because you were checked by the paedetrician for heart murmur and were cleared to go back the same day after spending 5 days 4 nights there. We were afraid you would inherit mommy's problem so we prayed much against it to break any generational curse, and after the ultrasound the doctor says the it's normal because your heart and blood vessels are still developing so it's common to hear some sounds during check-ups. We didn't celebrate CNY in a special way but spent the 2 weeks just being together as a family, having Chinese food all the time, and managed to slot in some CNY cookies, nian-gao and kerepok ikan. Oh yeah you also got your first ang-pow as well! Grandpa and grandma were so happy to be with you and see you and missed you so much when they were supposed to leave for Malaysia, so we took lots of pictures of them with you. Unfortunately the bad weather in Amsterdam closed the airport and they had to take an excruciatingly long journey back to Malaysia. Had we knew earlier, we could have made alternative arrangements that would have allowed them to stay with you longer rather that waste their time at the airports.