Friday, May 30, 2008

Surviving 2 days of 3 kids and 1 baby

*i started writing this blog on saturday...couldn't finish it till tdy thurs

It's fun actually but tiring. At least not so bad with 2 grandparents, Ww & me, and a maid.

There's their usual morning stuff...go pee, brush teeth, drink milk, light bfast and bath.
Then their usual evening stuff...eat dinner, bathe, drink milk, brush teeth.
Eliza's routine is almost there...minus the 'go pee' (because she has diapers) and 'brush teeth' (because she doesn't have teeth yet) part.

We did a few outings in the span of two days. (it's great that Ww's dad has a mini school bus that can ferry such a party of people) Despite the weather forecast that it would rain and that it looks really cloudy (those kind of dark clouds cloudy). We still made it. Yays!
1. Botanic Garden's Jacob Ballas Garden
2. Bedok reservoir (cos Ww wanted to go for a jog)
3. Pasir Ris Park playground

1. Botanic Garden Jacob Ballas Garden
The clouds threatened to rain..but when we got there it was so sunny! We planned to go out at 9am and we made it! It was super sunny and while the boys ran about with their jiujiu (Ww la..) and me trying to take photos (yeap...i'm always with the camera), Eliza's stuck in her pram watching the scenery. nevertheless, she's happy.


ahhh....a nice nap after all strolling around

After that we took a trip down to Forum, bought some organic food, drool at children's toys, books, clothes.
Then we headed to ICA to pick up Eliza & my passport! Yay...now we can over overseas!

2. Bedok reservoir
This wasn't too difficult, cos Eliza's home with my mil while 5 of us tumbled down to Bedrok reservoir. So we explored the place while Ww went for his usual run around it. The boys sure had a good run. We explored the playground, tried out slides and swings. Sigh..it's fun to be a kid.


Eliza tried the Heinz teething biscuit...so yummmyyy!



3. Pasir Ris Park playground
We wanted to bring the boys out earlier but one was sick and sleepy, and it looked like it was going to pour. Eventually we still did at 630pm...
everyone played the swing...i didn't want Eliza to miss out on it either so we sat on it together. :) (actually they have the baby swing..but i was too lazy to take her out of Beco)


We also rented a new activity station for Eliza and returned the old one..she was really busy with it the moment we put her in...but one week later...she's more interested in chewing on the stuff we hook around the toys. Ww said we should rent back the previous one....


I'll con't on the West Coast Park outing another day...phews.!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Good night war zone

Today is the first day of the week that the boys (aka Eliza's cousins) come to stay over cos their parents have gone to Taiwan for a holiday. it was difficult on the 1st day with the older one calling his mum many times and crying, "Why didn't you bring me?"

So....3 active, talkative, fighting boys + 1 baby with 2 grandparents & a maid is a war zone (for the adults at least). While i work peacefully in my office, i wonder what is going on at home. Ww has camp so he's away till wed. I work from monday to wednesday and am only home at 8pm. so there's 2 more days before Ww & me can be home all day to manage all the activity.

It isn't really the 101 household things that needs to be done. It's managing the boys. They're cute surely, but it does get challenging with 3 boys clamoring for your attention or when they fight over their toys. At least they're obedient to a certain extent...but sometimes i find myself having to repeat the same instruction over a over again, and when it really gets out of hand a stern voice. (Ww's strict warning is the ultimate though..it just sends the youngest one crying with just the Stare)

It's gonna be a long week...but we're all looking forward to our outing on Thursday to the Jacob Ballas garden. Hope it'll be fun for the boys, to let them release some energy running out in the open after being stuck in the house for 3 days.

As i write this, Eliza sleeps soundly beside me. We have shifted her small cot out and brought in the playpen into our room instead. The play pen is much bigger and gives her space to kick without hitting the sides of her bed...at least when she's not too close the the bed sides. She's quite fidgety before she falls into deep sleep. Her right leg will be kicking and kicking, her hands will be scratching her head or her face or her eyes, then she'll get so frustrated she'd cry. After many 'dances' she'll fall into a good sleep.

So good night!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Back to a new week

It feels like next week is coming soon even though it's only saturday. hmm....

Forget about the potpourri, if i go on writing like this i don't have time for other things. hoho.

Anyway Eliza is turning 6months this coming wednesday!! i think i'll buy a cake for her :P


Characteristic 6-Month Milestones:
Sits with assistance or may sit alone
[she loves to sit, it's the next better position to being carried...i tried sitting her alone but she'll sway to the side or backwards]
Reaches for and grasps toys with one hand
[ohhh...it's not just toys..anything!! very focused!]
Can eat solid food from a spoon
[still learning still learning but she's eating her cereals...and despite the mess..i will realize that she has finished her cereal]
Former cooing now sounds like clear voicing of several syllables
[sounds of all sorts, some interesting new ones too...ooos, ahhs & sighs too]
Talks to toys
[gosh i dunno if she does! but she'll 'sing' or 'talk' to herself in the mornings if she wakes up early..she has been doing this since she was 4mths+..sounds really cute and we love to just listen to her in conversation with herself]
May try to imitate adult behaviors (if an adult coos the baby may coo back)
[i don't really think she imitates though...it's more like respond with anything from pearls of laughter to a cute Eliza frown]
Turns his head toward sounds or to an adult when they are talking to him
[yes she does...although sometimes she's so engrossed looking at something, it takes us quite a while to get her attention, else she seems to be attentively listening when we talk]
Enjoys being sociable -- laughs
[awww....she's so adorable when she does that]
Feels happy, sad or uncomfortable
[yeap...i thought that's normal?]
Reaches out to be picked up
[so true so true...she'd lift her hands up, whether she's on her exersaucer or her bed or when she's carried by someone else]

On night wakings
I was starting to get curious about this as i read many books, heard many people who write or say about babies sleeping through the night. Eliza doesn't. she did so 3 times. i'm still waiting for that elusive 4th time. i've asked a mum and she said her daughter didn't till she was 2. then i read abt ppl whose baby sleeps thru since 4th month. while Eliza doesn't drink milk at night after her 11pm milk (sometimes she's so sleepy she just refuses it when i wake her to drink), she would still wake up...anytime odd timing. sometimes it's 130am, or 330am or 530am. sometimes i'm wondering if i should just feed her so she'd go to zz immediately. but the thought of putting down a crying baby, warming up the milk etc etc is daunting in the middle of the night. so i've googled some interesting stuff...this Berkeley article are always quite interesting..and another one.

Days of Eliza
I always tell Ww that we don't take enough bath photos of her, especially since she loves it so much. cos i'm the one bathing her all the time i have no hands to whip out a camera to snap away. so i made him take photos...hehehe..


We tried pureed carrots on thursday. not too fantastic...baby cereal still better. we'll try again another time!


At another time i let her try pureed apple...but i think it's sour so she wasn't too excited about it. But she wants the apple i'm eating!


Philosopher Eliza! i will tell you what i like to eat...my milk!!


I find the high chair very useful to read books to her...but i wonder if she has mistaken it as food as well.....






Thursday, May 22, 2008

Potpurri of thoughts - Part 2

It was a loong weekend. probably the last weekend we can use Ww's sis car...boohoo...

So some family time...
We went to airport (w/o car). Ww lugged the pram but once we got to the airport it was a breeze. Babylegs are great for cold places like the airport.
Eliza and her potpurri of toys to chew on. doggie is her fav...she always attacks it's 3 strands of 'hair'. now i'll need to wash it more regularly.


We had coffee at coffee bean T3; and spaghetti too, cos Ww was hungry. Eliza decides to check out the marble table


On saturday afternoon, after Ww came back from school, we took a quick trip to Botanic Gardens. we wanted to check out Jacob Ballas garden but we missed the turn and ended up at the Tanglin side. Still it was great to walk in the gardens, soak in the late afternoon sun, breathe in the fresh air & check out interesting plants.



(check out where Eliza's right hand is...she discovered the Puku rubber label while we were strolling at Botanic gardens..and now she continues to scratch it and attempt to pull it out when she's on her pram)


Weekends are times when Ww's 3 nephews come over and it's really fun. (They're really adorable) Her two cousins here loves her to bits, always wanting to kiss her and smell her. This is them with there 'eeee' smile. Eliza also likes being with them, just watching them entertains her.


Ww says it's crazy mummy taking photos in the car using her hp camrea...Eliza always looks chubbier in this angle.


Can't remember when was this. I was trying to get her to sleep but she was too happy squealing about in her cot, so i let her be till she gets tired. meanwhile i surf the net and watch her...now it's her peeping out of her cot and watching me.


On Vesak day i went to meet up with Nov07 mummies! was really great seeing everyone & their babies in person. And guess what...one of the mummies is YJ&A's friend, i didn't know till we met at Amos' 1st mth celebration on Sunday, what a small world!
Eliza was so fast asleep then i let her cos she barely slept 1hr since we went out at 9am in the morning.


I went to the library today and made a library card for Eliza! didn't know it was free. yay! can borrow more books...for her la. i take so long to read that i always have to renew my books or they go overdue. and i realized that i need to read over and over again before i can remember what i read, else i only get the jeez of it. i'm trying to write down quotes that i found useful or inspirational. sometimes i wish i have a better memory, (like Ww...he can remember all those history dates, people's names, stories very well)

I should go to sleep. It's 12.24am. Actually i like this time of the night, even during school days (best time to study!). but i need to sleep before Eliza wakes. i'm trying to see if she sleeps better on her tummy at night...i've always been putting her to sleep on her back at night, and on her tummy during the day. i know she sleeps much better on her tummy, lesser scratching & startling but gotta practice sleeping on her back!

Potpurri of thoughts - Part 1

My thoughts are is a mess. they are always in a mess. a thought pops here and there in the day, i make a mental note to write it down but time escapes me.

So this entry is in no chronological order...it's just my messed up thoughts, add in some scatter-brained hormones..and yeaps messy. bear with me.

1.
Went to SKS to buy books on Vesak day...just because Ww said SKS is open on Vesak day! ok...so we bought $160+ worth of books. (2 books for Eliza!!)
Of the books we bought i started reading this (it was on offer!) :

And cos i started reading on my non-working day...i started reading in the bathroom...(don't try to guess what i was doing). I like what Gary Thomas wrote in..
"Parenting is a two-way street! Our kids have taught us how to sacrifice and how to handle guilt; they've schooled us in the art of listening and forced us to our knees in prayer; they've shown us how to laugh, how to grieve, and how to live courageously; they've helped us face our inadequacy, need, and reliance on One who is greater than we are. The experience of parenting comprises one of the most influential aspects of spiritual formation I've ever known."

No wonder they call parenthood life-changing.

I look forward to what lies ahead. But i also see how Eliza has changed me in this 6mths.

While my walk with God varies greatly in these months, mothering Eliza always reminds me of how much i needed to depend on God, or how much i have lacked in listening to Him, or how thankful i am for all He has blessed us with. Bedtime prayer always draws me back to Him.

Patience, one of the fruits of the Spirit. I used to think i am quite patient. Well...not until Eliza. I learnt and am learning to be more patient. It's like God is refining that part of me. there are times when i've lost my cool with her, especially when i know she's sleepy and yet doesn't want to sleep, and she'll cry and arch her back and try to get out of my arms; when i put her down or change position, it doesn't work still. It doesn't just happen once but 2, 3, 4 times! Sometimes i'll get so frustrated i'll change my tone of voice towards her. after that or halfway through, i realize that i needed to understand how she's feeling and that she may not have that capacity to say things or react to things like how we adults do. I just needed to try and try and try until we figured out what it is.
I also needed to be patient when a developmental milestone has not been met yet. Does it matter? Every baby is different and will develop at their own time, but we mummies will worry when our baby hasn't done this or that yet. Eliza didn't flip at 4mths but when she did at almost 5mths, she keeps doing it now.
I also needed to be patient when starting her on solids. It's been a week and Eliza's not as 'greedy' as i hoped her to be. She's doing better on her baby cereal but i think too distracted to eat it properly, i don't think she's fully mastered swallowing yet. So far pureed carrots and apples isn't a hot favourite with her yet.

Will be back...gotta go hang the clothes & warm Eliza's dream feed soon. It's 10pm.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Baby sign language

I knew i wanted to teach Eliza sign language..just not sure when. This video from someone's blog which i subscribe to, posted this link and i'm really inspired! I guess i better start teaching now! Actually the only sign i've taught Eliza so far was sleep, quite like the one in the video.

I find myself being quite slack in keeping up with Eliza's reading and flashcards (if i have any!) i try to let her watch or i show her the "Teach you baby to read" dvd/book. my dvd player has been having problems lately...taking 1/2hr to check the harddisk (i just discovered) before i can watch the dvd.

mummy gotta be more disciplined le.....!

Days of Eliza...
In preparation for my 1st taste (ok so called 1st taste..i've tasted pear & orange already..tasted ) of cereal...mummy & ah-ma has been proping me up on my high chair for practice..and also so i can join in the big family table dinners, instead of being banished to the playpen..it's fun..chewing on my toys..and flinging it away...hehehe


mummy gave me a taste of rice cereal today...hmm...i like the spooon! (mummy thinks i'm going for the spoon more than the cereal..cos i like to put anything and everything into my mouth)
not too drama...just that Eliza woke up hungry...and that's not the best time to start trying out new food...milk is still the best! i bought Bellamy 4+mths cereal and it sat there for 2 weeks before i had the time to try out.

Day 2 of rice cereal is a mess...sometimes Eliza blows it out cos i think she is still learning to swallow. let's see how it goes tmr!


yesterday i think i frustrated mummy by not wanting to sleep in the morning...i rather hang around my cot and check out the beautiful pictures...mummy caught me like this when she came to check on me...you know..the cot is too small for me...

After lunch, mummy hung around with me and read the book Cuddle to me, till i decided i want to check it out on my own...hmm...i wonder how it tastes like?

then i got hiccups (i get it now and then..everyday or every 2 days) so mummy gave me water..this time it's from this cup that's really fun!!
[yeah..one day i'll post out the video...she doesn't want to let go of it!!)

mummy's trying to take a mugshot of me for my new passport...i look shocked here...mummy can you not use this photo??

Watching the "Teach you baby to read" dvd...'dancing' to the music

mummy discovered she lost my nice white hat..boohoo...but and in attempt to shield my botak head, she found this hat..but it's too small for my head! waaahaaah!! how do i look?

phews what a day! it's now time to go to zzzzz...



Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Before i was a mum

This is frm one of the mummies blog which i really found meaningful..not sure if it's written by her or from somewhere...added my take on some of the lines

Dedicated to all Mothers...


Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
(i trip over toys and forgot words tho...cos i'm quite lun zun and forgetful.. but i will worry abt bad plants & now immunizations confuse me)

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
(yar lor...add in scratched on, drooled on...and i definately slept all night! i loved my sleep. and yes...i'm scatterbrained now..except for Eliza's stuff)

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.
(thank God Eliza doesn't scream...and she has been cooperative with her tests so far. most of her intense emotions evoke much in me..whether a tear, or frustration, or she melts me with what she does. i relish some moments of watching her sleep for the sake of watching her sleep, even Ww. ok...but i won't stay up late hours to watch her sleep unless she forces me to)

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
(nowadays when i carry her to sleep, i'll really enjoy that moments of watching her fall asleep and feeling her chubbiness against me, watching her interesting "asleep antics"...she really turns my life around)

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.
(yeap)

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.
(i used to check on her when she's asleep to make sure she's breathing..nowadays when she sleeps too well..aka not waking up to cry after bedtime...i also check her if she's breathing, i wonder if it's what mums do..fear of SIDS?
the days after birth were the most intense of those emotions, feelings only mums understand)



Days of Eliza
She has been more curious lately, using her fingers to do all sorts of things, grabbing stuff and putting in her mouth, and if it doesn't come to her, she moves towards it..her mouth open and ready to drool over it.
she has recently been caught spinning the toys..was quite engrossed with them for a while


Last tuesday, i decided that it was time for her to shave her hair...it has been growing slooooowly. actually the main reason is that it's been growing all over her head at different lengths. messy! so a trip to the hairdresser at cost $6 (which we could also buy a shaver and cut her hair on our own...but i won't want to shave her hair botak after this!!).
no tears! she was more interested in the sound of the shaver...turn her head left and right to see where the sound came from.
i thought she looked neater with her botak head :P

While i'm at work...see what ah-ma, ah-gong & daddy have been up to....

they really find Eliza interest in putting things in her mouth quite rewarding when it comes to food...i haven't started her on solids yet though. while i didn't really want her to eat new foods yet..at least not till we start on baby cereal proper, i kinda missed her cute expressions they described on Eliza taste of orange.


It's a longer weekend. :) mummy needs to sleep soon....

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Cuteness & Eliza's visit to her PD

I read from someone's blog that...
"cuteness was related to the proportions of the cranium to face ratio of the skull. Born with big craniums and undeveloped faces, babies are naturally cute as protective mechanism to make sure their parents fall so madly in love with their babies that they can’t help but take care of them. Unfortunately, as they grow bigger and less cute, they also develop annoying habits, throw very uncute tantrums and they will test the limits of your patience like no other. Those are the times when you will need to remember them the way they were when they were adorable just so you can get through the day."

Eliza's still very cute.
- even though today i napped twice during her short nap, so mummy wakes up still so sleepy from her nap but Eliza's raring to go, of that once she was peering out of her cot (as i put her on her tummy to zz), and smile happily at me when she saw me see her. i really dunno why i'm sooo sleepy today
- even though she doesn't want to be put down and left alone today, so i have to carry her or play with her sitting up at my lap. last resort is the activity station when i had to wash the bottles. i really don't want to leave her there all the time. but it's exercise & gymnastics for mummy. (gymnastics cos she can't seem to be carried still, always turning her body to peer at something behind her..thus i always gradually lose a good hold on her, and also cos i need to pick up stuff, take things here and there, with her in her twisty mode)
- even though she cried (she sounded really angry) when she managed to snatch the book we were reading to put it in her mouth, and i tried to pry it away from her. it's an old book...i really don't want her to lick it up.
- even though she wakes up at night to fuss and mummy needs to pat her to sleep, every night minus the 3 nights she managed to sleep right thru
- even though she drools and burp milk (used to do so tho) all over me

Eliza's vaccination today.
- i learnt to call the clinic to make appointment next time, so i don't need to wait forever. being no.9 is a 1hr wait. previously it was because i always called to change her vaccination date
- happy baby, the PD commented
- she lost weight :O now at 7.175kg. i guess it was also when she's sick...drank 1/2 her normal milk intake
- growth is slowing down.
height increased by 1cm only to 66cm.
head circumference increased by 1cm to 41.5cm
- her skin's getting thicker. i was distracting her and she didn't cry when the needle went in. it took like 5 seconds later for her to have a reaction to the jab. and it was 5 secs later when i carried her that she stopped and was fine again

In my sil's car...waiting for my mum & sis to go for lunch...and wanting to take Eliza with her new hat (it's not new liao...)

Outing at Vivo...mummy & daddy stops for their fav coffee at Coffee Bean before going home...Eliza looks tempted too.

Monday, May 5, 2008

What's left of this week

What else did we do this week.

May day.
Loooong day cos we had 3 places to go...
1.Went for a church wedding in the morning, this was taken b4 we went out but Eliza was fidgeting and her hat covered her face.
2. Went to Pegs place for afternoon get together with the gals & also to see her wedding photos.
3. Went to Parkway for dinner and Borders to buy a book (sale 30% off)
fun tho bz bz day :) I carried Eliza with the Beco carrier, Ww hasn't really done so also cos he was still sick.


On Sunday...Eliza fast asleep after her evening milk...unless we go out, she usually can't last past 8pm (she can when we go out because she always falls asleep in the car on the way home). also cos her last nap time usually ends at 530pm..so 2hrs frm there is 730pm...aft that she needs to knock out le..else she'll have a fretty evening sleep, (waking up frequently).


i juz gotta photograph her thunder thighs...she's gonna lose them someday i guess but it's cute for now. hee...


something we occasionally play with her and she enjoys it


i'm back to work tmr! sorta miss work, but i've also enjoyed myself tremendously being with Eliza these few days at home (and outings). i'm not sure if i can make it as a SAHM...i'm generally lazy with the housework. (i don't really like it..and if i do them, i feel i'm not as thorough as my mil). actually i'm fine with the clothes, i actually think i do more for the clothes liao...soak them 1/2 b4 throwing them into the wash. (my mil soaks them, washes them thru with water, scrubs some of the clothes, then put in the washing machine to wash). the part i don't like about washing clothes is that my dry fingers gets drier. since i-dunno-when, my left hand has been peeling & very dry (sometimes it 'cracks' like my feet)...so Neutrogena Hand Cream saves me...but i wash my hands so frequently i wonder how much it can help.

i really need to think about it...cos one day it may come, esp when no.2 comes along (mayb next year). Ww says it's not gd to tire his mum out with 2 babies, full of zest and needing much attention, and yet have no maid. we still don't want to get a maid. what shall i do then?

Brought Eliza to cut her hair today (was $6!) cos her hair has been growing all out of place. the hairdresser said she will have lots of hair (cos a lot of hair pores? i dunno what you call them anyway), and that when her hair is growing, it's a lil itchy and that's why she'll scratch her hair. i didn't know that! photos of her botak head when i upload them. :)

I LOVE YOU ELIZA!!
( i juz felt like saying it....even tho i tell her that every night...after saying goodnight, it'll be mummy loves you, daddy loves you, God loves you)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Toys!

the many toys Eliza has...and more to come!

balloon balloon in my hands...


mummy! get me outta here! why do you leave me here for so long?!


How to eat a purple bird...
First smile at it...

Then say hi to it...touch it a bit and make sure it doesn't bite...

smell it...hmm...not much scent at all

eat it up!

if the head can't be eaten...gnaw the wings, it's nice too!


[see...Eliza has a penchant for putting anything in her mouth. careful when you wave some paper or toy in front of her..she's swift and fast to not just grab it but got right at it with her mouth]

a toy i thought was useless a month ago since she didn't know how to use it then...she'd hold it and fling it somewhere...nowadays..it's this..sure does look fun to gnaw




Eliza learning to sit...and enjoying sitting up. yeay!

there she goes after 10secs...


me carring her in Beco Carrier! now going out is so much easier and lighter!