Playing Catching

Life's been a whirl the past couple of days.

We've been...
1. Catching up on lost family time.
2. Coping with baby jetlag.
3. Unpacking our 128kg heavy 10-piece-luggage.
4. Re-organizing and babyproofing the existing furniture and household items.
5. Grocery shopping and topping up lacking household amenities.
6. Adjusting to more time with HH now that Bro and Gram are not around to help take over.
7. Barely finding time to log in to peep, not to mention posting or chatting with concerned friends.
8. Getting used to our new premises in the midst of downtown Deira and its terrible traffic.
9. Rediscovering the culture of Dubai.
10. Dozing off whenever HH allows me a quiet moment, even while playing with her.

For Crying Out Loud

I think it won't be long.

Papa says to pack a cane into the luggage.

For crying out loud for nothing, HH will soon be getting a smack.

I totally agree.

She's been very difficult lately. Call it the teething period, but patience comes with a limit. And aching bones brings that limit lower.

I foresee myself crying Tolong Tolong very soon. Bcoz she is really getting too heavy for me to sling the whole time. My PerPer weighs a constant 6kg and already causes aching shoulders to carry in her bag. And HH already surpasses that weight by 2 kg. It's going to be another 5 months before she'll be able to walk on her own.

Sighz... Somehow, I think she'll be crying quite a bit in Dubai.

Mama loves you, my dear, but you have to learn discipline so that everyone else will love you too.

Night Out

Went to visit PC and her new son with Carmen and SW.

I had to leave HH at home with Mom bcoz HH is still coughing. Did not want to risk passing the germs to the new baby.

I was away from HH for 3 hours. And I realized I enjoyed my time away. Not that I am tired of my responsibilty towards her, but that I was able to move about freely and participate in the conversation with my friends wholeheartedly, not needing to watch and mind her with one eye.

But she was tearing when she saw me when I got home. And I don't know if she was crying because Mom had just tried to clear her nose or because I had reappeared. Perhaps a combination of both reasons. But the result was a major outcry that took a long long while to pacify.

I think it'll be healthy to have her get used to life without me every once in a while. But I know it is terrible for the alternative caregiver aka my mom. Every time I go for a night out, my mom gets no rest until I return.

Freedom with guilt.

Sighz...

Hey! I think I shall deploy the Papa to this task once they become more acquainted with each other. Mom and me will go for our sauna and gym while Papa entertains her. Yeah! That'll be THE plan!

Bye Bye Sarong

Mom dismantled and packed up the sarong stand yesterday. Not to add to our luggage, but to put away in the storeroom.

HH has officially weaned herself off the sarong. Erhh, or should I not be too quick to pass the verdict.

HH has officially wearned herself off the sarong for now.

She's been sleeping on the mattress. Last night she rolled a few rounds in her sleep. I had to flip her back a few times.

Found another similarity between Papa and Girlgirl.

They cannot keep still even when asleep. :P

Pivoting HH

HH's learnt to pivot herself on her stomach. Sprawled on her tummy, using her hands to push, she manages to rotate herself in a circle.

Hehe... it's funny to watch her. Technically moving, but actually still stationary. Zero work done, if my physics hasn't failed me yet.

Hoping to see her crawl soon.

Intelligence Void

Was trying to think up something intelligent to post.

Something other than HH.

Hm....

Hm again...


Not so intelligent after all.

Once a Cow

Mommy K came by to collect my latest stash of EBM, and left me her Pigeon breastpads and MIM nursing tea.

She's got no more use for them.

I didn't think much about it until I nursed HH to sleep just now.

As she was suckling, my thoughts went to PC who had just been discharged from the hospital today with her newborn son. I suddenly remembered how it had been for me then. To be home with HH on the very first day. How I kept putting her to my breasts and she kept wailing in hunger after that. My milk flow did not come in like some mothers do, and hence HH was hungry.

I was not worried because I had read that I needed her to suckle more to relay the message to my brains which in turn would inform the glands to produce the milk needed. But she just kept crying.

Mom insisted on giving her formula. I relented and HH gulped 80ml at one go.

I decided to try pumping to see how much I could offer HH. When I could only express 10 ml try as I might, I decided it would not do to let HH go this hungry.

So every 2 hours or less, Mom fed her formula, AFTER I latched on. And while she was fed from the bottle, I continued to pump.
To me, this method provided a win-win solution. HH was fed, while my milk glands were stimulated.

Simple as it sounds, it meant I had no rest. HH fed 2 hourly. I was taught to latch her for 15-20 minutes at each breast each time. After that 30-40mins of latching, I went to the pump and pump for as long as HH took to drink to her fill, which could mean another 30 minutes (newborns are notorious at falling asleep several times during feeding, so it takes forever to finish a feed). After she finish the bottle, I/Mom would burp her, which could take up to 15 minutes. By the time we lay her down to sleep, I had about 45 mins max to rest before the next feed. And the cycle repeats itself 12 times every 24 hours, day and night.

It took me about 2 weeks to establish my milk flow. Thereafter I started to latch her direct and stopped supplementing after every feed. Still, by HH's full month dinner, I still had to add a bottle infrequently.

It was well into the second month before I could confidently leave milk bottles at home when I brought HH out. Total breastfeeding was finally achieved.

*****************************************************

I know every breastfeeding mother went through a tough time to establish the supply. Along with it, we suffered engorgement and blocked ducts.

Finally, we have reached the 6 months mark, and several mommies I know have decided to stop, for various reasons.
It is with complex thoughts and mixed feelings I receive their decision.

I wonder how it'll be for me. For the moment, I am still comfortable with nursing HH and find no compelling reasons to stop. But I am feeling more at ease now that I have reached my initial target of 6 months. I feel I can now stop with no guilt at any time, so long as the situation allows.

Even though I know I will definitely miss the special moments of closeness with HH during nursing, I know I will bear no regrets when the time comes for me to wean her from my breasts.

I wish the same for all bf mothers I know.

Cheers, to all my fellow cows, past and present.

Friday Fever

HH developed a slight fever today. She was cranky and listless and refused to smile.

She was 37.5 at home and 37.7 at the doc's.

Some time after the dose of panadol, her mood became better, but she was still at 37.5.
I suddenly remembered I bought her some fever strips in prep for Dubai yesterday.

The back of the strip looked so plain on her forehead I just couldn't resist.

Making Lists

I've finally gotten down to making lists. One list after another.

In 2 weeks time, we'll be on our way for our first family trip. Got to pack so much stuff for HH even though it'll just be a 5 day trip. Nonetheless, better safe than sorry has always been No. 1 on my kiasi policy.

2 days upon return, and we'll be off on HH's first 7.5 hour flight. So got to pack for both trips concurrently.

Reality Check.
Not much time left.
Seemed like there's nothing much to pack, but miscellaneous items just keep popping into my head as I pack and my checklist gets longer and longer.

Why I am my Papa's Girl

1. Papa can talk to himself.
Mama don't talk for no reason.
I am talking even though no one understands me.

2. Papa cannot sit still.
No one will describe Mama as hyperactive.
So I am making Mama walk walk walk.

3. As a child, Papa pulled and dislocated the neighbour girl's shoulder.
As a child, the only things Mama pulled were her socks.
Pull! I pull at anything within my reach. Hair, tablecloths, sleeves, bag straps, safety belts, spectacles.

4. Papa thinks sleeping is a waste of time.
Don't wake Mama up, and she'll sleep till noon.
Sleeping is not my favourite thing to do. You can tell from the way I resist sleep by insisting on being carried upright all the time.

5. Papa loves anything electronic.
Mama can barely understand her handphone functions.
I can play with those black tv remote controls whole day. Please take away the silly soft toys.

6. Papa kicks soccer balls.
Mama kicks her own heels and trips.
Call me Bruce. I have been practising my powerful kungfu kicks all my life.

7. Papa was scared of dogs.
Mama trained her dog to turn off the fan.
I think PerPer is a horrible alien or something.

8. Papa thinks Stephen Chow is one of the greatest comedian on earth.
Mama wonders what on earth Papa finds funny about Stephen Chow.
Ah Mah drops a tupperware lid on the table and I couldn't stop chuckling. It was SO FUNNY.

9. Papa gets drenched in his own perspiration every other hour.
Mama's sweat glands are mostly likely blocked.
When the aircon stalled, I developed heat rash.

10. Papa loves Mama.
Mama loves Me.
I cannot live without Mama.

A Worthy Celebration

The plane was preparing for take off while I was settling HH for bed.

I believe in it now, this amazing instinct between a parent and his child.

It is such a joy to watch HH with her Papa.

This must be the easiest Bye Bye I had ever said and the first time I leave the airport lightheartedly.
Very soon, the weekend that just passed would become our lifestyle and I dearly look forward.

The best part of the evening is that HH fell asleep within 10 minutes of patting on the mattress. I had anticipated another difficult night.

It left me in such light spirits I decided to indulge in a little pampering - with a scrub and a mask.

Ah... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Perfect Weekend

The family spent a most beautiful weekend together.

It would be perfect if HH could forgive Per Per for how she looks so that poor Per Per need not have been grounded to her chair.

Poor Per Per.

I only had 5 seconds to tousle her hair and kiss her furry head.

Well well, I guess I can't ask for too much.

After all, life's never perfect.

Dear Per Per, Mama promise you, next time. OK?

Colour Coded HH

*WHITE* for *PUriTY*

*BLUE* for *InnocENCE*

*PINK* for *SwEEt roMAnce*

Under Flu Attack

Both of us down. HH and I.

I caught it first. Started feeling the irritation in my throat on Friday night, after our visit to MIL's. Zhixuan was still coughing. I highly suspect it was this virus I fell prey to.

My flu did not develop full blown. It was just a nagging itch at the throat, a few sneezes, a little runny nose, and a few coughs. Not serious enough to see a doc, I took flu panadol after HH turns in for the night, where I can be certain I will not be nursing her for the next 6 hours at least.

Nonetheless, 4 days down the road, HH caught my bug. She starting sneezing a little more than usual on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning, she woke up happy and alert, but accompanied by cough and a runny nose.

She was not running a fever. And looked generally well. But I didn't want to risk her symptoms developing further. With the haze in the air too. I was afraid her nose would become stuffy and she would not be able to suck.

I brought us to a GP immediately.

GP was not overly concerned about her condition, but prescribed her meds for cough, runny nose and nose drops for nasal congestion (upon my request).

We came home. I kept the pacifier in hand to test her nose for congestion. If she can suck on the pacifier, I gather she is able to breathe through her nose and hence able to suckle.

We are still nursing her flu while I have very much recovered from mine.

Save for a frequent string of mucos at her nostrils, and tantrums during medicine time, HH behaves like her normal active self.

The baby is asleep and let's hope she rests well tonight and rises bright and chirpy to the weekend ahead.

Floor Exercise

The books recommend more tummy time at this stage, to stimulate their hand-leg coordinations. This will help them learn to crawl.

However HH had never liked to be left on the floor, whether seated or lying down, be it tummy down or tummy up.

Unlike many babies, she is not contented with playing by herself and prefers human company and touch to toys.

Recently, because of her sarong dispute, I had resorted to lying her down on the mattress after nursing, while she is in a state of drowsiness, hoping that she'll be tempted to sleep.

Of course, it's wishful thinking on my part.
Instead of sleeping, she would leisurely roll and flip herself around for as long as 30 mins, until she becomes wide awake.

I would sit by the side and watch her in the dark.

This is when I noticed she had secretly learned to flip on her left. All along, she's been a right side girl, and has become a pro at flipping from back to stomach from her right side.

I was also very pleasantly surprised to see her flipping from stomach to back. In other words, she is actually capable of rolling across the room if she wants to.

I've never seen her demostrated these in the day, when she would be frantically calling out for everyone and anyone to pick her up from the floor.

I even see her quietly trying to crawl. This is totally unfathomable in the day. Instead of getting upset she's not moving the way she does in the day, at night, she would try for several minutes before she stops and start flipping again.

Suddenly, I see a new, quiet, good natured side of her.

I had been concerned that she'll be slow to crawl, since she don't spend time on her tummy.

However, this floor exercises discovery brings me new hopes.

Positive Infant Class at BnC

Every Sunday for the past 8 weeks, HH and I go to GWC to attend a Positive Infants Class.


These are HH's classmates and my fellow mommies. (We all donned class uniforms that day for this class photo. Babies in white and Mommies in black.)


These are a few of HH's classmates.

Ooops! Yes, you saw that.
Although I hate to admit, HH has been seen to be rather forward when it comes to making (boy)friends.

It was BB Macho Boy one week.


And then cheeky BB Pai Kia the following week.


And throughout the first 5 sessions, HH was fervently making eyes at BB Cool Guy.

Besides going around befriending (or scaring) the boy classmates, HH once tried to pull the hair of BB Beauty Queen when she was not looking.

And I am quite sure HH did not inherit these characteristics from me!

Dear Papa, I think a little lecture on self-control would be in order.

Ardent Fan

This is the reason why the ancient low-cost Mo*iko ad is never replaced by somthing more updated.



It's an evergreen hit with all babies.

Wicked Angel

So they say she looks like this. The tooth fairy. But I really wonder.



Ever since the fairy's visit, HH's sleep has turned haywire again.

1. She chooses to nap at 8pm. And wakes up at 9pm. And refuses to sleep at 10pm. For the past 3 nights, it took me 1.5hrs to get her to sleep, at 11.30pm. Heavens!
2. Not only does she not want to turn in at 10pm, she refuses to rock in the sarong too. Even in a state of drowsiness, she would wake up and cry when I put her in the sarong. Although she doesn't protest when I lay her on the mattress, she would flip and roll herself around (to 180 degrees!) for a good 30 mins, until she loses all feeling of sleepiness. I don't know what she has against the sarong now. Does the rocking hurt her gums???
3. The only viable way is to sling her and pat her. She would fall asleep in the koala position and then I place her down.
4. Nursing her to sleep is the last resort. I don't wish to make this a habit. As it is, she has too much dependence on me already. Sleep should NOT be a result of nursing.

Sighz.... I wonder why the pretty fairy would do this to me.
Or maybe it was not the tooth fairy, but this little fellow who dropped by?



Oh oh!

Why a Mummy?

A fellow mommy brought it up a few months back and it caught my attention. Apparently, her maid had posed her the question.

It is a very good question. I did not manage to think up an answer. So I asked Viv on MSN.


Me: You know the way we refer Mother as Mummy?

Viv: Yes. Why?

Me: Aren't mummies wrapped up corpses?

*a moment's silence*

Viv: Wow... I'll never see you in the same light again. BAWHAHA...

So Viv had no answer why we were taught to spell Mummy instead of Mommy.
But I do make it a point to always spell mOmmy from then on.

Fruit Tart and I

Hm... so, this is my birthday tart.

Ok, let's try to eat it.

What? You mean that's not the way to eat it?

What do you mean ONLY this brown thing can be eaten? Why didn't u tell me earlier?

Gulp. Too late. *BURP*

1/2 Year Old Now

HH turns 6 months old today! A major milestone in both our lives.

Early morning, I dressed her in her new white dress. And her new headband.


Then after her afternoon nap, we went out together and bought her a lovely fruit tart. Papa said he had wanted to order a chocolate cake for her. Luckily he didn't. It would have made HH drool more and Me fatter.


"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to HH, Happy Birthday to you!!!"
Gram, Mom, Bro and me, the four regulars in her life at the moment, celebrated her life with her.


The Birthday would not be complete without a phone call from Papa, who sang her a birthday song on his own, to which she listened intently. :)


Today she got a special treat too. I rinsed and mashed a little of the peach from her Bday tart and added it to her dinner cereal. So she really had a slice of her bday cake!

The Offending Breastbone

Any idea where the breastbone is? Or more specifically, where the tip of the bone is?

I never really cared. Until Sunday.

Mom had discovered HH has a rather protruding bone located where the ribcages join. It doesn't protrude as in jut out, but it can be easily felt when you feel her chest.

This was a few weeks back.
Then, I did not register it as anything too major. Because HH obviously does not hurt from it and she appeared very delighted when Mom, me and Bro all surrounded her and took turns to touch her chest. Although I am unable to locate the sharpness on myself, Bro said it was normal.

Saturday night, it suddenly occured to me to ask the mommies to check their babies since we were all going to meet in class the next day.

After class, I got the mommies to feel HH. While we were dicussing if the presence of the bone was normal, Mommy K's new domestic help who was a nurse, came up to feel and declared it was ABnormal. In fact, she obviously felt it important enough to warn me a few times. "Must see doctor. Very Important."

The seriousness of her tone gripped my heart. And got me pretty worried.

I started to imagine the worst.
What if the doctor shake his head, call for xray, put HH through other tests, and finally surgery???

The images were heart wrenching. The entire evening, I kept hugging HH close.

*******************************************************

On Mommy K's suggestion, I called for a PD appointment early in the morning and got one scheduled. HH is almost due for her Hep B jab anyway.

HH was routinely checked for weight, height, head circumference and had her development progress recorded. (W: 7.9kg, H: 67cm, C: 43cm)

The PD examined her and said lightheartedly: Oh, that's the tip of the breastbone. In some, it can be quite protruding. But it's ok. Nothing to worry about.

Within the span of the 10 mins in the PD's office, HH had her thigh poked and I had my worries put to rest.
We left with teething gel and medication for constipation.

Constipated Butt

HH is definitely constipated.

The signs:
1. She shows her gek sai expression several times a day, but when we check, her diapers are clean.
2. She gek and gek on the potty only a teenie weenie bit of hard like plasticine stool comes out.
3. When I remove her from the potty, her entire little bums are covered with perspiration.
4. Lying her down to encourage her to poo, I witness the tip of the plasticine trying to pop out, but failed.
5. Her little constipated butt is all red from all the gekking.

The rescue plan:
1. Fed her diluted prune juice twice since yesterday. To which she takes with a scrunched up face because it's so sour.
2. Gave her the 1st dose of the constipation medication after tea. Hopefully it'll relieve her poo.
3. If all else fails, I fear she'll have to go to the PD for an enema soon.

The documentation:

Subject makes the 'URRGH.....URRGH....' sounds.

Subject appears tired after the gekking.


Subject is force fed prune juice.

Subject's initial reaction to the juice.


Subject's final reaction to the juice. We fear temporary facial disalignment.

Crossing my fingers

Worried about something.

Mommy K's new domestic help got me pretty worried with what she said.

I will need to find out more tomorrow.

When Grandma's missing her Motherly Instincts

I always believe that Grandma K would most likely faint or hit the roof should she see Grandma T at work.

Below are some of the reasons:

1. Grandma T had no issues with aircon/ shower/shampooing at confinement.
2. Grandma T was the one who started training HH's arm muscles by having HH in flex arm hang position, at around 3 months.
3. Grandma T snipped HH's skin off her little finger while trying to trim her nails.
4. Grandma T had HH toppled face down while holding her in her lap at around 6 weeks. And then she laughed.
5. Grandma T returned empty EBM bottles to the fridge without washing, thinking that's where I keep them.
6. Grandma T attempted several Formula1 stunts, with HH as an unsuspecting passenger.
7. Grandma T has no idea what most of Grandma K's pregnancy/confinement/childcare rules mean.
8. Grandma T would most likely laugh at the same things Grandma K would be anxious about.

Am I glad Grandma T is the one I stay with.

Mama's the Chef!

Mama = Me

Chef = Great Cook

My culinary judge = almost 6 mth old HH


I can see HH's learning to enjoy her food. I figured it has to be she has come to appreciate my culinary skills.

I used to need to aim correctly and time my movements precisely before shoving the spoon into her mouth. I miss quite often, and her food gets onto her cheeks, nose, forehead, into her nostrils and once even stuck on her eyelashes.
These days, she expertly opens her mouth in sync with the advancement of the spoon, sometimes even before I can heap the next scoop. She has also been caught waiting for the spoon with her mouth wide opened.

I used to need to wrestle the spoon out of her mouth as she would bite hard on the spoon and refuse to let go, while both her ten fingers grasp eagerly on the spoon handle. More effective than prying her fingers apart, I resort to sliding the entire spoon through her palm. Not a very clean and hygienic way of using a spoon, but I figured she usually needs a bath (again) after her meal, so what the heck.
Now, she no longer insists on grabbing the spoon and getting her hands grubby. Instead, she plays with the buttons on her walker and only occasionlly attempt to feed herself when she thinks I'm too slow for her liking.

Not that she has mastered table manners, but she has definitely become much easier to feed.

I gave her mashed avocado. Upon tasting, she gave me a strange look. Nonetheless, she swallowed it. She did the same with the second and third mouthful. Only after I mixed the avocado with apple puree did she stop making the funny expression.

Today, she tried homemade whipped potato. (I was told potato cannot be blended as it becomes very starchy. Paying heed to others' experience, I added 3 spoons of EBM to the blender before blending. The result was fantastic. Think KFC whipped potato without the sauce. You got it.) As with every first time food, she paused to taste the flavour. She gave a strange look again with the potato. I tried a second mouth. This time, she showed her approval. She smiled and started to coo.

Another masterpiece. Hehe..

Tooth Fairy Visits

Discovered this little sharpness on the lower gum.

She smiled at me as I rubbed her gum, drowning my finger with her drool.

But I can't see the pearly white yet. Maybe in a day or two.

A big girl now.


Oh oh! Now I worry about the breastfeeding....

Potty Time

After I found out about potty training for tots at this age, I was most eager to try on HH.

Finally bought her a potty on Wednesday at Bedok. (Actually I bought 2, 1 to use here, 1 to fly to Dubai. I doubt I can get a SGD1.80 potty there.)

Yesterday, she did not poo. Despite me being very encouraging during her Lunch. (She has developed this tendency to poo halfway through lunch.)

But today she did.

She slowed down her eating and showed her gek sai face. An intent look of concentration with her lipspursed into a straight line. Even her face turned red. I quickly took her out from her feeding walker and removed her diaper to check. Nothing yet.

So I brought out her potty and had her sit on it.

We all went "URRGH......URRGH......URRGH......." She probably felt a bit disoriented sitting in a potty for the 1st time in her life. Which was why she lost all urge to poo.

Removed her, diapered her and we continued lunch. Halfway through, she stopped eating and showed my favourite gek sai expression again.

I quickly jumped into action. And I did the "URRGH....URRGH....URRGH" with a most encouraging smile for her. It took a little while, but I was rewarded with a "BRR....POOT...POOT....BRR". And then she looked up and considered herself done.

I peeked into the potty before Mom removed it for washing.

Hehe... a gross but rewarding view.

The Battle With the Invisible Bottle Snatcher

Taken on 20 Sep 2006.

Blog Outstationed

Decided to create a new blog and leave the beta premise for a while.

Was getting very troublesome to post.

But I suggest my readers to retain the original url, coz I intend to migrate everything home when I am better equipped.

For the time being, got to bear with this new shabby squarter quarters.

And this is to facilate movement,

http://tictactoh.blogspot.com

test post

testing post