I'm so pleased that my living room wall has just gone from this:
Ikea-rised and peeling
to this:
Summoning nature
:)
Christmas Outfit
Since I started on the breastfeeding journey, my wardrobe choices have been severely limited.Besides nursing tops, I opt for button-down shirts that allow for easier access when feeding. The thing is, few things changes one's body more than a pregnancy can. My body shape is no longer as before, and I cannot fit into many of my old clothes. Nothing to do with fats or not - I suspect my bone structure has also changed!
Fortunately, a quick trip to some High Street shops got me a few good basic pieces.
For our yearly Christmas gathering at a friends' place, a pair of tailored shorts was perfect for lounging about in.
And of course - I can always do with a touch of red :)
The Gift this Christmas
This Christmas, we remember God's precious Gift to us,
His Son Jesus Christ.
We also thank God for His gift to our family, our beloved baby girl
This is her first Christmas with us, and we look forward to many more in the years to come.
Here's wishing all of you a lovely Christmas season, filled with much joy, love and warmth! :)
We're on a roll
Bubbles has been doing this recently:
She turns herself to one side, tilts her head backwards, pushes her arms forward, and arches her back. On some days, her legs kick in that direction too.
This picture was taken at a friend's place. The more experienced parents there said that she is starting to learn to flip!
How exciting! But it also means I can no longer leave her unattended on places she can potentially roll off...
Smells from the kitchen
My oven tends to be a little hotter than it should be, so testing out new recipes goes something like this:
For a 180C/1 hour recipe:
At 30 mins, my cake looks done.
Take cake out to poke it. Hmmm, a little wet on the inside.
Pop cake back in at 150C at a 'heat from bottom' setting for 10 mins.
Take cake out and poke it again. Still very slightly wet.
Pop cake back in for another 5 min.
Done :)
Let cool.
Spread icing.
Pop into fridge till the next party.
I still haven't figured out how to make it easier for myself! Bake at 1 hour at a lower temperature? At a different oven setting? etc.
Scratch head
3 months check
Last Friday, we took Bubbles for her 1st 5-in-1 jab and her monthly check-up. There was a bit of a crowd at the clinic as the doctor was away on leave the week before. We had to wait...
and wait...
and wait...
Soon, it was nearing her nap time and I was relieved when her name was finally called. Our little bundle was by then rather grouchy and made it known that we really have no business doing all these strange doctor-y stuff when she all she wanted was to sleep! The doctor even told her: "Please don't sleep! Dr X needs to check you!"
Finally, I put her to my breast (which she wasn't happy about either - how would you like it if you wanted to sleep and someone shoves a burger in your face?), and the doctor poked the needle in. Bubbles gave a yelp, sobbed a bit, then when I stood up to carry her, she fell asleep in my arms! Right inside the doctor's office. Funny baby.
She continued to sleep through our McDonald's breakfast, and all the way home.
Just to be preventive about a fever coming on, I plonked a cold wet towel on her forehead when she got home. Besides displaying an initial few curious facial expressions, it didn't seem to bother her much - she just carried on with her usual self-amusements.
Bubbles at 3 months:
6.67kg, 63cm
I need to smell like me
Then, without thinking, I deftly picked up Bubbles to leave the room.
She gave a loud, sharp cry!
It took me a few quick moments to check her (did she get bitten/cut etc?) before it dawned on me that it must have been the scent I wore! No more Mummy smell!
I had to quickly wash off what I could that was on my wrist (yes I always dab some there), and brush my hair. The scent still lingered but I was running late. So I bent down to look at her in the eye to tell her that it was still Mummy who is going to carry her.
I then picked her up gently and she was all smiles!
It has been 3 months!
The 1st month was one of discovery for the family, especially for Roboman and myself. From the start, she showed a fiesty personality, kicking herself round her cot while on her belly during a crying fit. Mummy's fault then, as I didn't know babies can get hungry THAT frequently. She latched on confidently right from the start and thankfully my milk supply soon caught up with her demands.Newborn Bubbles charmed everyone with her efforts to communicate. From distinct curious stares, to excited flapping of arms. She was an escape artist who never stayed in her swaddle. We sort of gave up and left her arms unwrapped most of the time. 
Her cries were rather distinguishable, and we soon understood when she needed to feed. When she learnt to trust us, her hunger cry reduced to gentler 'eh eh eh' sounds to indicate a rumbling tummy.
Few things thrilled us more than when we saw her smiles; and she rewarded us pretty frequently with them. Even in her sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 2nd month was an exciting time as we watched her grow. Random smiles gave way to genuine responsive ones to anyone who made effort to talk to her. She also started to sleep longer through the night, allowing her mother's eye-rings to lighten somewhat. 
This was also the month where she suddenly turned from a little newborn to a chubby babe. Her growth happened so quickly that we hardly realised it until we had to give away 4 packs of newborn diapers that she outgrew. Her hair also started to gradually stand up on her head, tickling the chins of people who carried her. We also found out to our delight that she is extremely portable - being able to sleep anywhere without disturbing her routine. 
Rejuvenated from longer sleeps, I managed to set a routine for her that included play-time with varied activities that we are both still enjoying. She also started to do mini push-ups on her tummy, which was really fun to watch!
In order to allow bonding time with Roboman, we decided that he should feed her a bottle every night. She took well to this until one strange day when she decided she didn't like the idea. We thought it was a rejection of the bottle teat, but realised later that she only wanted me to feed her - be it bottle or breast! I could be lying right next to her but she wouldn't take the bottle if I wasn't the one holding it. We realised then that we really do have one discerning baby!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bubbles just turned 3 months' old. She still has a smile that lights up the room :) 
This past month has been the most enjoyable one so far. I feel it has passed by almost too quickly! Bubbles is now a little chatterbox (in a good way). I enjoy having our daily 'conversations' and watching her earnest facial expressions.
This past month has been the most enjoyable one so far. I feel it has passed by almost too quickly! Bubbles is now a little chatterbox (in a good way). I enjoy having our daily 'conversations' and watching her earnest facial expressions.She has moved from stuffing her hand in her mouth to deftly sticking either thumb in. I have watched her turn her head to switch suckling from one thumb to the other with perfect aim.
Tummy time now lasts longer, with her surveying her surroundings the moment she is flipped on her tummy. She doesn't seem to want to flip on her own anytime soon, although I have been told to look out for it so I can make sure she doesn't fall off our bed!
Tummy time now lasts longer, with her surveying her surroundings the moment she is flipped on her tummy. She doesn't seem to want to flip on her own anytime soon, although I have been told to look out for it so I can make sure she doesn't fall off our bed!Bubbles demands attention, and fortunately there are always people around to give it to her. She joins in conversations when she realises everyone else is talking, and responds to the first person who turns and acknowledges her. She enjoys being read to and to be shown books and pictures. She is not the docile, girlish baby. Instead, she is rather cheeky, and as her grandparents put it - very active and in constant motion. We warn people who want to carry her that she always insists on being carried facing outwards so she can see what is happening around her. Don't comply and you will get an annoyed babble!
After many nights of persuasion and many days of playtime, Bubbles now lets Roboman to feed her again. The number of people who are allowed to feed her now stands at a grand total of 2. She has categorised us as her only feeders and everyone else can at best be fun playmates.
She still smiles frequently in her sleep, and is now able to sleep 7-10 hours through the night. This is really wonderful for her previously sleep-deprived parents, and we are so grateful for this development! We know we just have to enjoy it as much as we can for now till the next change! (teething, perhaps?)
It is difficult to believe that it has only been 3 months. It sometimes feels like she has always been a part of our lives. A very special part. She holds the softest parts of our hearts and the hearts of her grandparents. It has been a privilege to be her parents. She stroked my face the very day she turned 3 months, turning me to mush.
Thank you God for blessing us with this little baby. May we be worthy of this precious gift, and learn to love and guide her as she grows.
Smile!
Bubbles has been smiling more as the weeks go by.Just the other day, we were having lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Roboman and I had the pleasure of eating our meal in peace as the waitresses there did the 'babysitting' by playing with her as she sat in her stroller. She obliged with plenty of giggles and gurgles.
She usually smiles at anyone who looks straight at her to talk or to make funny faces or sounds. If she finds you especially funny, she would crunch up her face into a big cheeky smile and pull her knees up to her tummy. If you are a stranger, you would have to do all these without trying to carry her though. She's particular that way, and screams when carried by people she is not familiar with - which unfortunately, includes almost everyone other than Roboman and myself.
Just as well, as I've been getting slightly paranoid about strangers touching her, especially since she has not had most of her vaccinations yet. So I have been relying on antibacteria wet wipes to clean her hands - hands that find their way into her mouth a lot these days. Her favourite thing to chomp on now is definitely her thumb! So it better be kept clean =P
On a more somber note, it is December already and soon I will have to go back to work. It is not by choice that I am going back so soon, and I think because of that, I have been having some nightmares. I recently dreamt that Bubbles was taken from me, and in replacement, another sweet baby girl was presented to me. I screamed that I wanted my own baby, and tried desperately to look for her. How awful! But God's plans go beyond what Man can imagine, and I trust that things will work out for good. I have 3 weeks to wean Bubbles off me, to take the bottle from someone other than Roboman and myself, and to take the bottle in the daytime. It is trying, but I am trying!
Leo the Lion
Bubbles owns a few gorgeous plushies given by people who love her. They are really pretty and come in sweet colours. Her favourite however, is a brightly coloured lion puppet. When I first saw it, my first thought was "How ugly!". Thankfully, I didn't let my prejudice stop me from using the puppet during Bubbles' play time. Leo the Lion, as we call him now, never fails to put a smile on her face. No matter how much she is crying, or whatever the reason for her discomfort, she would pause midway to give him a smile when he is put in front of her. If she can manage it, she would also pause to "talk" to him, presumably to explain why she is upset. She is very sweet that way :)
Unfortunately, because we received so many presents, I can't remember who gave her this Lion! If you did and are reading this - thank you very much for this gift :) It is certainly very well-loved.
Exhausted from playLittle Miss Chatty
Their "conversation" continued for a while longer as I stood, amused. After all, I didn't understand either language being spoken!
And here is Bubbles when we got home. Deep in thought surely, about the interesting opinions she heard that day from her foreign counterparts ;)
Outing
I know that sounds terribly suaku and un-noteworthy to many Sept 09 mummies who have already done this tons of times.
So far, outings with Bubbles have always involved someone else other than me. When no family member is available, I take my helper along.
Unfortunately, even my mum and husband also weren't too confident of me going out alone with Bubbles, and that kind of added to my lack of confidence in doing so. It was beginning to get ridiculous. I felt trapped at home despite having a car at my disposal. I desperately wanted to wander out by myself without having to trouble another person.
So I decided today that I just had to do it. After a feed, I dressed Bubbles and myself up, and made her wear a bib (in case she regurgitates in the car and I can't dab off the milk as her carseat is behind the driver's seat).
Then, ignoring my helper's shocked expression, I popped Bubbles in a stroller and heaved my diaper bag on my shoulder as I headed out the door.
I'm proud to say that we managed rather well :) She was great company as I tried on clothes in different dressing rooms. She contentedly gave me coos and gurgles as I sought her opinion on the button-down outfits I was trying out (beats expensive nursing tops!). While strolling in the little mall, she obliged passer-bys who peeped in at her by giving them her trademark wide-eye gaze.
I think I can do this again :)
Chocolate Cravings
For some reason, I have been having pretty frequent chocolate cravings these days. I've been stuffing myself with chocolate milk, chocolate bars, brownies, cookies, cakes etc.I asked my helper to bake these Chocolate Fudge cookies today. With lotsa help from Betty Crocker (wink). I supervised her in the making of some olive oil chocolate chip cookies last week, but they turned out to be failures :( I have been told it is probably because we hand-mixed the dough instead of using a machine (which I do not own). That effort resulted in cake-like cookies - with too much air in them.
This batch though, was foolproof to do. Not much supervision was needed, and they taste really yummy.
Our dinner guests tonight will get some :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)