So you are expecting a Baby Boy!
Went to the wet market this morning for the first time (wah the food there is so much cheaper.. that's for another entry, if any :) and had an interesting encounter at the chicken stall.
Chicken Uncle : " Is this your first baby? It's a boy right?"
Me: "Ya, first baby and expecting a boy!"
Chicken Uncle: "So good hoh, first one boy, then no need to 'poh' (hokkien = try) again for the next kid"
Me: "It doesnt make any difference, my husband and I are happy whether it's a baby girl or boy"
Upon hearing our conversation, the Chicken Aunty shouted from within the stall with displeasure in hokkien:
" You bigoted fool, old antique, old thinking! what era is this? Why must have boy? Why daughter cannnot? Son very good meh.."
Chicken Uncle who was chopping the chicken that I bought, started waving his cleaver (which I must add, dangerously close to me) at his wife and retaliated in hokkien:
" You old woman, still so stubborn after 30 years, your thinking never change.. %^&^%^&^%^&^!....!"
And the squabble went on and on. I could only stare at the half chopped chicken and waited patiently for the domestic squabble to end. And yes I did get my chicken in the end, albeit, not very nicely chopped I must say :)
I find this encounter rather amusing and it illustrated the poignant difference between Asian and Western (in general) view towards gender of the baby.
While we were in the States, when friends or even strangers at the mall found out that we are expecting a boy, the general reaction is usually:
"Wow that's wonderful! Boys are usually more energetic than girls, so be prepared to run around more. But little boys are tougher, you can get really rough with them and so it would be really fun!
Upon our return to Singapore, when friends around us found out that we are expecting a boy, the typical remarks include: (pardon the Singlish)
"Wah very good, first one boy, no need to poh again ah"
" First baby boy, confirm got trump card, close factory also can!"
"Is your husband the only male child in his family? what, he's the only child.. wah lucky you, now status elevate high high liao lor"
"Status elevate high high??"
Mind you, these are comments from 20+/30+ Singaporeans.
Besides being thoroughly amused, one wonders what era are we living in. It is worrying and in a way disheartening that while Singapore prides herself as a leading First World Nation with a highly educated population, such medieval thinking is still prevalent among many. I'm not in a position to judge and neither will I, but its ironic that in this time and age many still trumps the birth of a baby boy as a higher honour compared to a girl while we purport to preach and fight for equality between the 2 sexes.
When I first found out I was expecting, I had a feeling it would be a baby boy though secretly I do wish for a baby girl (Yes, to fulfill my vanity of dressing her up :). Subsequent scans confirmed the chromosome pairing of XY, YET I still harbour the secret desire.
So my usual question to my Obgyn both in the States and Singapore on every visit :
"So what did the scan show? It's a boy?"
Untill the very last visit in Singapore, Dr Wong told me:
"Just let your desire die la, its a boy, 100% confirmed"
He went on to enlarge the scrotum area of the ultrasound scan, complete with circle and arrow and printed it out for me as a, quoting him, "take home present".
OK, I got your point :)
Anyway, A and I are happy as long as our baby is healthy.
Our sincere prayer for Baby Christian is that he will grow up healthily, with a healthy dose of self esteem, learning the ways of the Lord and walking in His Will.
A bible verse that pops up constantly during our prayers for him from the beginning of the pregnancy till now:
Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
We pray that Christian will grow up to be a righteous (not self-righteous) man, and be a blessing to the down and out of the society.
So.... we are expecting a baby boy!
Just like any other child, he is a Precious Gift from God.
To our baby Christian, We Love ya very much, Daddy Mummy cant wait to meet you!
Went to the wet market this morning for the first time (wah the food there is so much cheaper.. that's for another entry, if any :) and had an interesting encounter at the chicken stall.Chicken Uncle : " Is this your first baby? It's a boy right?"
Me: "Ya, first baby and expecting a boy!"
Chicken Uncle: "So good hoh, first one boy, then no need to 'poh' (hokkien = try) again for the next kid"
Me: "It doesnt make any difference, my husband and I are happy whether it's a baby girl or boy"
Upon hearing our conversation, the Chicken Aunty shouted from within the stall with displeasure in hokkien:
" You bigoted fool, old antique, old thinking! what era is this? Why must have boy? Why daughter cannnot? Son very good meh.."
Chicken Uncle who was chopping the chicken that I bought, started waving his cleaver (which I must add, dangerously close to me) at his wife and retaliated in hokkien:
" You old woman, still so stubborn after 30 years, your thinking never change.. %^&^%^&^%^&^!....!"
And the squabble went on and on. I could only stare at the half chopped chicken and waited patiently for the domestic squabble to end. And yes I did get my chicken in the end, albeit, not very nicely chopped I must say :)
I find this encounter rather amusing and it illustrated the poignant difference between Asian and Western (in general) view towards gender of the baby.
While we were in the States, when friends or even strangers at the mall found out that we are expecting a boy, the general reaction is usually:
"Wow that's wonderful! Boys are usually more energetic than girls, so be prepared to run around more. But little boys are tougher, you can get really rough with them and so it would be really fun!
Upon our return to Singapore, when friends around us found out that we are expecting a boy, the typical remarks include: (pardon the Singlish)
"Wah very good, first one boy, no need to poh again ah"
" First baby boy, confirm got trump card, close factory also can!"
"Is your husband the only male child in his family? what, he's the only child.. wah lucky you, now status elevate high high liao lor"
"Status elevate high high??"
Mind you, these are comments from 20+/30+ Singaporeans.
Besides being thoroughly amused, one wonders what era are we living in. It is worrying and in a way disheartening that while Singapore prides herself as a leading First World Nation with a highly educated population, such medieval thinking is still prevalent among many. I'm not in a position to judge and neither will I, but its ironic that in this time and age many still trumps the birth of a baby boy as a higher honour compared to a girl while we purport to preach and fight for equality between the 2 sexes.
When I first found out I was expecting, I had a feeling it would be a baby boy though secretly I do wish for a baby girl (Yes, to fulfill my vanity of dressing her up :). Subsequent scans confirmed the chromosome pairing of XY, YET I still harbour the secret desire.
So my usual question to my Obgyn both in the States and Singapore on every visit :
"So what did the scan show? It's a boy?"
Untill the very last visit in Singapore, Dr Wong told me:
"Just let your desire die la, its a boy, 100% confirmed"
He went on to enlarge the scrotum area of the ultrasound scan, complete with circle and arrow and printed it out for me as a, quoting him, "take home present".
OK, I got your point :)
Anyway, A and I are happy as long as our baby is healthy.
Our sincere prayer for Baby Christian is that he will grow up healthily, with a healthy dose of self esteem, learning the ways of the Lord and walking in His Will.
A bible verse that pops up constantly during our prayers for him from the beginning of the pregnancy till now:
Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
We pray that Christian will grow up to be a righteous (not self-righteous) man, and be a blessing to the down and out of the society.
So.... we are expecting a baby boy!
Just like any other child, he is a Precious Gift from God.
To our baby Christian, We Love ya very much, Daddy Mummy cant wait to meet you!
