LoopyMeals

Monday, May 25, 2009

Born to Twitter

I love Twitter. If that isn't already apparent enough, here's one more reason.

On 16th May 2009, Baby Madeleine came out into the world. While she was always due on that very day, Doc had told us the day before that Maddie was most likely late. So we went about our Saturday like every other. But our Little Girl had other plans. I was just about done with my haircut when Mae called to say she was bleeding. No pain. No contractions. Just blood. We panicked. I called up our family members and told them. Told them also that I'd update on Twitter, which in turn updated my Facebook:

ThatJames rushing to hospital now. Slight bleeding. Baby due today, but could be false alarm.
12:21 PM May 16th from mobile web

mahyuni: @thatjames Hope it all goes well :) All the best to you and your family.
May 16, 2009 12:43 from TwitterFox

ThatJames Doc drew the curtains to inspect Mae. Jesse disappointed cos he wanna see. Kid doesnt realise he could be scarred for life.
12:46 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames 4cm dilated. It's today. Mae getting prepped. I'm registering. Stress! Jesse doesn't understand why he can't go in. MIL coming to rescue.
12:55 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames Registration taking forever. I need a shave. Stubble not good on baby girl's skin.
1:02 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames Waiting now. Nothing's happening. Strangely, Mae is in no pain.
1:21 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/59qor - Doc giving epidural. Painful injection!
1:34 PM May 16th from TwitPic

ThatJames Stepmom called. Reminded me to call confinement lady. Lucky! My brain stopped functioning an hour ago.
1:44 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames Didn't realise baby was arriving cos Mae didn't feel any painful contractions. Just the urge to take a dump. Weird.
1:52 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/59rrh - That spike was contraction. Mae felt it.
1:57 PM May 16th from TwitPic

ThatJames Water just broke on its own. Dad said when they told him my mom's water broke. He said, "That's ok, we'll get her another." Haha!
2:01 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames should be updating until baby born. Facebook limits Twitter updates. If u see nothing, try http://www.twitter.com/thatjames
2:09 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames From the charts, Doc says Baby very active. I think she can't wait to get out. Probably chanting, "Are we there yet?"
2:13 PM May 16th from mobile web

lord_ashe: @thatjames whoa. You've got my best wishes there. All the best! My wife is following your feed too!
May 16, 2009 14:20 from mobile web

ThatJames Thanks for the wishes. Will reply later. Not easy doing it from my cheap-ass Nokia. I need an iPhone but spent all my money on baby. Ha.
2:35 PM May 16th from mobile web

ShaolinTiger: @thatjames congrats mister, we want twitpics after birth. Time for a Nokia E71 or a Crackberry.
May 16, 2009 14:02 from web

lord_ashe: @thatjames haha thats what an iphone is for! i was watching the in room tv DuRInG delivery. Memoirs of geisha.
May 16, 2009 14:41 from twibble

ThatJames Abandoning Mae. Going for lunch. Hungry. Gotta choke down my food before baby arrives!
2:43 PM May 16th from mobile web

kimberlycun: @thatjames have a safe labour to you and mae!!!! more twitpics!
May 16, 2009 16:08 from TweetDeck

ThatJames Got me a Gillette at the shop downstairs. Now clean shaven enough to greet my baby girl when she arrives.
3:09 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames Turns out water didn't break. Doc came and burst it by hand. Would have taken a shot if wasn't momentarily dumbfounded. Nasty!
3:36 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames It's slow. Doc expects it to happen only by 5 or 6pm. Mae's sleeping. I wanna sleep too. Wish I had a portable DVD player.
3:43 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames CellSafe guy calls me to see how we're getting along. They're the new guys we're banking Baby's stemcells with. Good service so far.
3:49 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/59wkp - Contractns make Mae pukish. Hence tray.
4:09 PM May 16th from TwitPic

ThatJames turns puke-catcher! Mae blew chunks of Roti Canai & Dhal into a tray that's way too small. Thank God nurses got here b4 it overflowed.
4:26 PM May 16th from mobile web

ThatJames 10cm dilated. It's time!
4:43 PM May 16th from mobile web

jasonmumbles: @thatjames Prayers for both mum and baby. Keep us updated, James!
May 16, 2009 16:45 from TwitterFox

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/59y1i - Push. Rest. Repeat.
4:59 PM May 16th from TwitPic

jasonmumbles: @thatjames Mae looks like she's going to kill you for taking her picture at such time. Heh! Push Mae, push!
May 16, 2009 17:01 from TwitterFox

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/59yh5 - She's out!
5:13 PM May 16th from TwitPic

jasonmumbles: @thatjames Congratulations! Woohooo!
May 16, 2009 17:22 from TwitterFox

akiraceo: @thatjames Gratz ^^ !!!!!!
May 16, 2009 17:25 from TwitterFox

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/59ywb - Madeleine Tan. 2.9kg Born 16.5.09 17:05
5:28 PM May 16th from TwitPic

yvonneslyeoh: @thatjames - ah! lots of luv & kisses going her way....Congratulations to ya both!!!
May 16, 2009 17:34 from web

eyerizzz: @thatjames Congratulations! The live minute-by-minute updates were... er... interesting. LOL
May 16, 2009 17:37 from TweetDeck

lord_ashe: @thatjames well congratulations! Welcome to the world. My first twitter birth feed lol.
May 16, 2009 17:43 from twibble

kimberlycun: @thatjames hi madelein! Welcome to the world :)
May 16, 2009 17:46 from twibble

nileshbabu: @thatjames congrats!
May 16, 2009 17:51 from TweetDeck

mottgirl: @thatjames http://twitpic.com/59ywb - Oh man.... she's gorgeous!
May 16, 2009 19:47 from TwitPic

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/5a1d8 - Thanks for the love! Mommy, baby, fine!
6:51 PM May 16th from TwitPic

melodysong: @thatjames Congratulations to you all! They both look lovely:)
May 16, 2009 18:54 from TwitterBerry

sivinkit: @thatjames A Big congrats!! God's blessings be with your family and esp. mommy and new arrival.
May 16, 2009 19:49 from TweetDeck

ben_israel: @thatjames hey congrats!
May 16, 2009 19:53 from TweetDeck

ThatJames http://twitpic.com/5a38j - Jesse very thrilled to meet baby sis.
7:52 PM May 16th from TwitPic

meeshly: @thatjames Congrats mate!
May 16, 2009 19:55 from web

ThatJames is home for a quick shower, a Maggi Mee dinner and to pack some stuff. Staying at the hospital tonite!
8:52 PM May 16th from Twitterrific

ThatJames is so tired that even the hospital-issue 'hubby bed' looks inviting. Goodnight folks. Thanks for the well wishes!
11:15 PM May 16th from mobile web

So yeah, our little girl Madeleine was born to a small Twitter audience last Saturday. Her arrival was also duly announced in a blow-by-blow account over at Facebook for our friends and family to follow.

It was quite a ride, and for all you fellas who happened to be on Twitter and Facebook that Saturday, thanks for your support and comments. It was pretty amazing to be able to share the moment with you. Thanks to Twitter, Twitpic and Facebook. Does this make me some kind of New Media Whore?

Oh yeah. Come follow me on Twitter. :)

Saturday, May 16, 2009

It's Now

It's 2:20pm now. Came in at noon cos Mae had slight bleeding, and turns out that Madeleine is coming out now. As it stands, Mae is 5cm dilated. We're still waiting. And hence this blog entry from my phone. Yeah, it's boring here. Hehheh. If you're interested, I'm updating on Twitter. That's on the right hand sidebar.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Launching

The heavy oakwood doors swung open to Launch Complex 13A. Flight Director Mae Khoo steps onto the Mezzanine and pauses as she surveys the command centre, her team looking up from the floor below.

At 38, Mae cuts an imposing, although lately, a somewhat rubenesque figure. To commemorate the momentous day ahead, she wore dark slacks, a crisp white shirt and her signature white vest which her mother had made. Although crudely put together with low quality fabrics, likely a fashion disaster on a lesser female, Mae was a handsome woman who wore everything well.

She took a deep breath and walked to her command post. She switched on the console before her and put on her headset as a million little bulbs lighted up on the control panel.

"Project Madeleine flight controllers, listen up," she spoke sternly over the headpiece, "Susanna, give me a status report and the rest of you, a Go, or No-Go for launch!"

"Project Madeleine is stocked, docked and locked," reported Dr Susanna Huam, the head of Project Diagnostics, over the intercom, "we are Go for launch."

"Guidance?"

"We are Go, Flight" confirmed Guidance Director Vivienne as she flicked her thumb up.

"What's the status over at Backup ?"

"Affirmative!"

"Domestic Maintenance?"

"Yes Maam, we are Go."

"Camera"

"Yes, Maam," came the crisp reply, "Camera is all set for launch!"

"How about you, Support?"

"Yes," replied Fraternal Support Department representative, Jesse Tan. It was his first launch as Head of Support and you could hear the nervous anticipation in his voice. "We are go, Flight," he affirmed forcefully, determined to make the his mark on the team. Mae smiles at the rookie and gave him an appreciative nod.

"Transport?"

"Transport is Go, Flight Director."

"Finance?"

"All accounted for, Flight"

"Over to you, Management," said Flight Director Mae as she prepared to call the launch codes. She flicked some switched as she waited. This was the last confirmation she sought. However, she was met with silence.

"Management?" she repeated. "What the heck's going on down there at Management?"

"We're... um..."

"Speak up, man," snapped Flight over the intercom, "are we Go or No Go?"

"Um..." a voice at the other end trailed, "well, can we... um... we're not... um..."

"What is it this time?" Mae barks into the microphone.

Project Management was most crucial for launch, and yet it was run by the most incompetent slob in the team. If ever there was a screw up, Mae could usually track it down to this department. And there had been plenty. Finance was stretched thin, thanks to this guy. Thankfully they managed to pull through at the last minute. There was also a lot of indecision on his part where Transport was concerned. And Support got very little support from this asswipe. Then there was the issue with Camera which almost resulted in Camera's absence from the project. And now this; right at the brink of launch, Project Management was not ready, probably due to something trivial, Mae thought.

"Answer me now, Management," Mae yelled, "don't make me come there and abuse your inner child!"

"I... I... I..." the Head of Project Management replied, his face blue and his hands clutching at his crotch, his knees shaking vigorously, "I gotta pee."

...........................................................

4 days before the big day. Or anytime now, the doctor says. I'm nervous. Can you tell?

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Jesse In Love

Who's this Carmen, and what spell does she hold over my boy? And yeah, pardon the voice if I sound like a wuss. That's my son's spell over me. :P

A little background to what you'll be watching: We're talking to my Jesse about a name for his soon-to-be-born little sister when I decided to mention the name of his kindergarten classmate, the object of his affection.