Category: Family and Friends

One Hundred Days

This day marks an important milestone. One hundred days represents one hundred years, and the baby at one hundred days is blessed with a long life of a hundred years. Here, Daphney is in the walnut maple cradle that was recently completed. Daphney: may your days be filled with blessings…

First Fathers’ Day

This is the most special Fathers’ Day, since it’s my first. Yan whips up this fantastic meal to celebrate the event. There is acorn squash soup, summer rolls, and clay pot rice with savory toppings. To finish this off, Yan presents mung bean shaved ice topped with a cherry. I…

Orthopaedics Party for Daphney

Yan and I give a big thank you to the orthopaedic department for organizing this beautiful baby shower for Daphney. The feast was nothing short of spectacular, as was the décor. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by friends.

Yan’s Graduation

After years of work toward her doctorate, Yan’s graduation is here. Just months before, while we were on vacation in Sedona, Yan was fretting over completing her graduation requirements. The program mandates a certain number of publications, and Yan and I worked on a resubmission of her manuscript. It got…

Baby in Black and White

Some of these first month shots are better presented in black and white, where the shapes and contrasts speak for themselves. This album represents some of those photographs, where simplicity better portrays the bond between parent and child.

Daphney’s First Month

This first month is about eating, feeding, and sleeping. In between those crucial activities, we had to squeeze in photo shoots. The curly baby poses are hard to get, and it was tricky to time this just right—right after feedings so that she’s sleepy enough. Then, there were times we…

First Anniversary

It’s been one year! We are so excited to be celebrating this first anniversary. We feel very blessed—to have each other and our newborn Daphney. According to what they told us, we saved the top of our wedding cake from the reception. Unsealing it brings back memories. It tastes familiar,…

Pregnancy Sequence

Starting at the eighth-week mark, we began to take pictures at regular intervals. We decided to do this every four weeks, and as it turned out, the timing was perfect—monthly at about the same time after church. Each month, I would add to the sequence. Daphney was born right at…

Baby Daphney Arrives

It’s nearly 6:00 am Saturday morning. I am groggy, but I remember Yan getting up a few times during the night. “You’re in the bathroom again?” I ask. “I’m not sure, but there’s some water here.” I jump out of bed, and after one glance, I grab our packed bags.…

Tests and Ultrasounds

Yan and I had discussed about starting a family, and after the last time with the negative test, we were ecstatic that one morning when we saw the + on the test stick. But it was the first ultrasound with the baby’s heartbeat that brought the most excitement. It became…

Baby Shower for Daphney

Alice and friends put together this most lovely baby shower, complete with monkeys to complete this year’s theme for the Year of the Monkey. Merle spearheaded the food preparation. And we are very grateful to the Rigsby for opening their home for this special event. I was kicked out of…

Six Months

We held our half-year celebration at Rok n Fondue, enjoying a cheese fondue appetizer, vegetables in broth and filet mignon on the rok, then finishing off with sparkling cider and chocolate fondue.