Year 2009

gosh... its over in a wink

Love love love 2009!!!

The year I became a mother, the year I finally grew up, the year I learn to appreciate the people around me, the year I realized the importance of money, the year I stay at home most of the time, the year I will never trade for.....

Through the tears and peeves I get to rediscover myself and find the identity that I lost through motherhood... and I became a greater person than I was already was!

I spent this whole year figuring out who I am, what I want, how I was going to perform better Yes! there was hellavu lots of grumbling but thats how I get better.. and I think I did A-W-E-S-O-M-E...

Tomorrow will start a new challenge and I am ready to face it!

To all!

HAPPY NEW YEAR .......

XOXO

BB[V], Mummy Flo, Daddy Trev!!!

Towkay Neo

Sydney 21-29 Jan 09

was great fun!

Though both of us felt that it ended to quickly... 10 days gone in a flash... but then again issit all holidays?

Traveling with BB [V] was quite tricky on the way to Sydney as she kept waking up from her sleep due to the endless turbulence announcements *__* she got way restless as she wasn't able to sleep well and I refused to put her in the bassinet as I didn't see the point of removing her every time the announcement comes on. Thank goodness for Daddy T cause he was ready to bring her away when the crying starts.

But the return sector was excellent and I actually had time to watch 2 movies and 2 episodes of Entourage... for she was awake initially and fell asleep after her meal... which was great!

The 3 hours time difference didn't affect her much as she got herself tuned by day 3 and we observed that she sleeps alot in Sydney maybe due to all the hype and play her cousins brought.

Bronte and Lily

Elke... born in dec 09 .. so it makes them 10 months apart

Kai... born dec 08.. 1 month apart

We can forsee that she when she is older, we will put her on the plane to fly there to play with her cousins. For the cousins of her age are there... It's interesting how parenting brings cousins closer and how we in turn make so much effort to make our children even closer. We learn alot from them in their ang mo way of upbringing their children and explain our asian values that we inculcate in bringing up BB [V].

Though this is the 1st time we have been away from the family during Xmas but we did enjoy this xmas with the extended family.

We were so amazed by the lights on this house.. the owner never bring down the lights coz I guess there is no point too right?

On Xmas eve, the girls got ready their pressie for Santa ... one bottle of beer and a cookie... and for Rudolph was a bowl of water and carrot..

The morning after... guess Rudolph wasn't that hungry after all....

Besides the usual Xmas feasting, the shopping, we did explore a bit of Sydney... had to go to the zoo not for the animals but the scenery there is godsend...

Thank you Daddy Trev for the wonderful holiday... So me n BB[V] will be good for now... till my next holiday *crosses the fingers for the England or the Vegas* (daddy's biz trip)

Honestly, I don't feel like going back to work manz...

Teething chart

Just for my own reference....

Lower 1 x 2 - 18 August 09

Upper 1 x RHS - 30 November 09

Upper 1 x LHS - 20 December 09

11 months

she is getting real big.... and we still can't believe that she has grown so much...

BB [V] has become really strong with her legs and in fact with her pinches, bites, knocks and the smacks. The mummy flo here is getting bullied miserably.... though it is torturing, I will NEVER trade it for anything else..

She is very close to taking her 1st steps as she is able to stand without support for a few minutes and can be eating or holding something... which means she has pass the stage of having to concentrate on her balance. She has been very into climbing the stairs and can climb to our room on the 3rd floor when we are at the Ng's. Thanks to her never die attitude , she has got blue blacks all over her legs.

She is damn bloody loud lar... there is the screaming, the complains and oh god the whingeing, then you tell people that its killing you, they tell you its the girls thing! apparently girls whinge, oh fine, hope its a phase... its interesting that whatever me n Daddy Trev used to say that we don't like crying, screaming, whiney child.. it seems that it has befallen on us... but then we realized this are all passing phase of a growing child and we have become really forgiving to the other ill mannered children we see on the streets. We have learn the saying "never say never"

Despite the negativity .. DD T doesn't mind another girl (me too) for they are darn cute and the "manja-ness" is damn shiok ... and we got the name chosen and all...

She has FINALLY decided to fall asleep on her own! We will switch off the lights, lie down on the bed with her, allow her to toss around and she will find her sleep position and sleep lar! Awesome!!! The time has finally arrived... doesn't always work and there are days she still wants some TLC and patting but what the heck? we are nearing the the pot of gold....

though I can feel in my veins that the next tooth is arriving soon which means a change in the routine... *Yawns*

Flying...

going airport in 2 hrs or so...

We will be back on the late 29th.... I still haven't finish my book which means I will be damn busy when I return... Do hope that Sydney has all the internet that I need, coz I might get withdrawal symptoms lar! 10 days and Australia is not somewhere they can boast of great television at night and I won't be clubbing like the good old days... I wonder wonder wonder... 3 hours difference which means we gotta sleep by 12am there = 9 pm here... dies!!!

but I will be busy wine-ing and dining and am so charging to the supermarket for fresh produce the 1st thing I settle in... I totally miss the freshness of everything there and BB [V] deserves it too.... she is going to be a gourmet by the time we return!

brought the stylo mylo camera to get great pictures for her and entertain myself ...

okie.. gotta shower, redo the makeup, change her, check the bags again, kiss my lappie goodbye...

anyway... MErrY ChrIStmaS to all!

damn pissed!

MERRY XMAS!!!!!

HOHOHO....

we ain't going to be here for xmas.... so we decided to let her open her pressies on saturday as we will flying off on sunday and back only after xmas....

HER 1st XMAS!!

how wonderful to be a child....*sweets* the process of upwrapping was the best part !!!!

Emotions

Since I have been busy doing up my book and is enjoying re-reading my posts.... all my suffering, my joys, the laughters, the rants....

Just 10 mins ago I was transferring the 7 month post, was admiring the photos and the things I wrote, I got overwhelmed with the amount of love I have for this child... At this point, BB [V] was standing next to me playing with the lappie and the HI 5 jingle was playing in the background... she stopped playing, pulled my hand and gave me the biggest smile... at that point I couldn't help but started crying...

Hong Kong (day 3)

Stylo mylo train

The "OH so small" Disneyland.. but gd enuff for V

My fav ride! Small Small world!

Kena forced to sit twice

Pretty Minnie

Handsome Mickey

She needed a stretch!!!!!

makan time!

I order waffles for her.. yumz

the awesome photo with Mickey

shagged out after the whole day in Disney

kena woken up at 5am

Not very happy that the holiday is ending

So we reached Singapore Changi and I wanted to stock up on some booze.... so it was champagne to commemorate her 1st flight. Then it was either Krug or The Dom Perignon for they age well and I couldn't resist the black glass flute :) and 2000 is a good year, so why not?

For now it will sit in my wine fridge and to be open on the day she graduates (for what ever graduation).... not that I want her to be a alco but to appreciate the finer things in life... who better to cultivate this into her except Mummy F right? Of course on the expense of the Daddy T.... (okie we will do it within our means....)

Busy

It's almost the end of the year

I have been busy turning my blog into a book! For Victoria birthday pressie!

I never realized it will be so difficult... coz I'm learning a new application, gotta arrange the text, so many photos to edit and I can't document my videos in the book... I'm hoping to finish it before the year end so I can get it in time for her birthday. Then I have a lot of backlogs not blogged down yet...

There is the christmas shopping and the wrapping. Then after coming back there is the new year's celebrations and her friends birthdays...

But I am so busy till the end of the year, we are flying off to Sydney on Sunday and I haven't got packing yet... hate the fact it is 10 days, which means a lot of shit to pack.. Of course I don't hate the 10 days when I'm there! haha

My house in in a mess!! things packed for different houses, pressies to be handed over, clothes that are set aside for the holiday and packing for Australia is a bit tricky for the restrictions... and I gotta clear everything in this house by friday when the part time cleaning lady comes to clean, remove my sheets and I pack everything for Aunty Nita. Then I have luggage in 3 different houses... all made it extra difficult!

and we are packed with dinners and parties till Sunday... how to finish everything???

Having Tea with Caleb

Check out how intrigue Caleb is...

Diaper shopping

Now you see babies in the shopping cart... but have you seen one that sits like that?

Then I came home and DD T puts the diapers in the storeroom, counts the number of diapers and was like 14 packets??

But I was like "cannot count the 6 Fitti large"

He replied "you are full of shit"

( ;p shopping includes all sorts)

Bam Bam N V

the over due post...

So ever since the saga, we spoke to the professional Deidre Moss of SPCA (personal friend) and figured around how we should deal with the dog and baby situation. So after some analyzing, she feels that we should avoid 3 things, when Bamz is eating, sleeping and playing with her own toys. For she says that other than what happen when Bamz was eating and that BB[V] pulled her, Bamz actually "sayang" BB[V] alot. So we have been keeping both of them away when it comes to these 3 things and it has been working real well. There was that ostracizing month when BB [V] was recovering and Bamz was left at Grands Tay. But they still play together, just no common toys that they will fight over and of course no food around.

Just last week we were at the vet for Bamz yearly vaccine and the Dr Fredrick was not much concern about Bamz's behavior, just that she was protecting herself and that she is an alpha dog.

But ever since what happened, I decided to buy BB [V] a walker.. manz it rocks okie... she totally loves it and we too... she zoomzzzzzzz around the house, great invention man this thingy. Though I read about it delaying the walking part of the baby but no manz, BB[V] is still very into her walking, so.....

Look at her so contended in her walker... all the sweat!

Guess who goes in the walker when BB [V] gets all tired and wants to crawl around?

Kindermusik

She graduated today....

Was great fun with K-musik, DD T and I love the idea of going school with her, to include music in her life. We spotted her "talent" and want to nurture her cognitive, emotional,social, linguist and physical development.

Like you can see in the previous video, BB [V] very much enjoys music and she listens to baby songs and her k-musik disc in the car. She excels in the class and she is never shy to express herself. She is the one that sits in front of the teacher and is always called upon by the teacher because she is nearby. (Of course it helps heaps that she has a very memorable name.) Yes, its money well spent....

We decided to take a break next semester and join the term after. So its off to gym sessions next year Jan to burn off her excessive energy.

10 months (II)

forgot to write

Speech: BB [V] has started to talk...ALOT. She can hold a decent conversation if she is in that mood, it can last for a good 15 mins and we have to entertain her.

BB [V] : bla ma ya ta, ta go to ma ma da

Us: yes we know...

BB[V]: ma da paaa ta goooo, (drops alot of saliva) da ta ga maaa

Her favourite word is CAT, DOG... of course the usual mama, dada, papa, mah ma.... never say milk coz she still signs it now with both hands... though we swore we have heard CHURCH, AMEN when in church last week. It has been tough trying to video it down coz the minute she sees the camera, she gets all distracted and goes for the camera instead.

Oh well...

Actions: Sometimes you wonder where she learns these funny cations from? last few weeks, she has been putting her hands at her ears and giving us that doe eyed look.. like "OMG headache look" duhz? Then the pulling of her miserable little hairs and "OMG I'm so stress look!"

Besides that she does the 'hi 5 -s, bye bye, goodbye kiss-es" and many more that honestly not I lost track. But her favourite is putting her fingers in her mouth and like" my teeth pain...." OHhhh poor thing

10 months

She is 8 kg and last check in kkh a month back was 72cm.. so 73/74cm

Sleep: Her bed rocks lar! coz she sleeps in it sweetly... she can sleep from from 1030-6? okie sometimes 4/5 am? No eh eh eh... the cool part is that if she wakes up she will crawl up to our bed and demands her milk... and once she is done I will put her back on her bed and she will sleep to 10-ish... if i don't do put her back on the bed, she wakes up every hour! Letting her sleep by herself actually allows all to sleep well, trust me we miss the space on the bed and she loves hers. We realized she sleeps very well in her Mothercare sleepsuits too, so we ended up buying alot.

Car seat: We finally decided on a car seat as the old maxi cosi were hand me down from my girlfriend and we don't really like it as we kept fighting with the straps. So I was this close to buying the Britax Boulevard as that was the only car seat she didn't grumble in.. expensive taste lar my girl(1st class suede and all). Just before buying, we had tea with my ex classmate and she recommended the Maxi Cosi Tobi (which is even more ex) instead as she has both and she finds that her child behaves better in the Maxi Cosi Tobi instead of the Britax Boulevard. Ya lar , she is the damn rich type so she gets to try all the products then she will advise me what to buy, like how she told me not to buy the bugaboo - she dislikes it and advise to buy a maclaren or peg instead. Why? coz damn cumbersome and can't hang things.. She was upset she can't hang things and refused to buy those cheap velcro hooks... lol

wala!! BB [V] sleeps inside lar!!! Both of us were so surprised... bloody expensive but best buy! 1st class of all 1st class seats... harness like a pilot so there is not fighting with the seat belts, so many safety features and the seat doesn't move once it is strapped in... whatever it is.. most importantly is that she doesn't scream or fusses much and sleeps = comfortable driving for me.

Motor skills: She has started to stand on cold hard floor, something she didn't dare try for the last few months. She used to only stand on the bed coz she knows it is safe there. Can move around like from sofa to table now..

waiting for her 1st steps ... then its time for me to work back to work. (though I'm having 2nd thoughts... okie, am just feeling lazy.)

Baby Conductor

Julia Gabriels

we went for JG hoilday program....

All I can say is DAMN BLOODY FUN!!! Damn taxing to be going 5 days in a row but hey we passed it with great company. We were there with Brayden, Ern ern and Cleo, the teachers found it cute that they were all friends but not surprised. As they had great social skills for it clearly showed that they were communicating with each other and didn't bang into any other babies. These are signs to show that they are aware and used to having other babies around them.

We chose week 2 as as it was the "Sea" theme and we get to go Underwater world for excursion on friday. (Pictures in another post coz its in other camera...) Why? Coz week 1 was bird park - hot, rain issue, week 3 is music - mayflower secondary; yawnz. So week 2 sounds the best-est right! so typical singaporean.... JG teachers were one of a kind! Okie teacher Lynn was A-awesome okie! She is the best teacher that I have come across from all the trials and schools I have been! Damn goods... she has been teaching in Jg for the last 15 years, how not to be not good right? Loved the ratio too, we had 3 teachers to 8 babies.... I took videos of her lesson everyday and daddy will ask to watch all at night. He too loves her and when he saw her during our excursion, he was blown away at the teachers enthusiasm. He was like "okie how much are the lessons? 1k... hmm okie lar.. when u wanna go? I was like eh no lar... not now... perhaps later"

So everyday the babies get to do different things, there was painting, water play , swimming, puppet shows, singing, sand play, LOTS...

SEEEE!!!! she made a big mess!!! but I totally heart this photo.... there was 3 days of painting, totally dreaded it for they were so messy and they not only mess themselves they messed the mummies too! not to mention they like eating the paint... *sigh* the mummies decided to wear shoddy tops in fear of ruining the good ones.

Daddy said we should mention this in this post... for we as parents wonder if we should be pleased or worried.... I will let the photos explain for itself

You know something... she is the ONLY baby to have ever done this...

Xmas photo walk in promo

went for a walk in studio shoot in The Studio Loft... all these for $80 ..

hohoho!!!!!

Cut gums (2nd time)

today was horrid... the worst of the month

it has been quite a ride waiting for the 2 top one to cut... endless crying... mainly grouchiness... then it seems like its descending cause you can see the whitish gum but yet so long....

just today, I realized she cut gums for the 2nd time... top right tooth... the long awaited one... for it has been a bad trip this time.. oh well, its out, just a few more days of screaming for the top left tooth and all will be well...

then back to sleep-full nights again... :)

Reading

i love reading

I have been dying to go back to reading... something I find a luxury to do recently. Just on friday, we went to see the christmas lights in town and parked in Wheelock, the lift brought us to Borders... Since we were staying with the grands over the weekend I found it a opportunity to indulge a little. You must be wondering why? Coz when I read I don't put it now, once I start I must finish... I have this thing about being immersed "in the book" and can't detach myself, its like watching a good movie, you don't watch it in parts over a period of 1 week. DD T has gotten used to me sobbing in the middle of the night or not sleep at all until I complete it.

My favourite indulgence is a good book with a good meal - ALONE, better still, a good book, my iphone+music, a bottle of water, walking the streets of anywhere the whole day - yes, ALONE. I do well alone cause with a good book, you are never really alone. Everybody has different ways of unwinding.... some watch a movie, some listen to music, some read...

So I hesitated... because I wasn't sure of what book I should get. A new Dan Brown maybe but it wasn't a paperback and I like portability - Yes, the book doesn't leave my sight. Then I stumbled upon Twilight; and pondered if I should get it as since there has been a hype about the movie and all.. I didn't get a chance to catch the movie last year. I love fantasy, magical stories noting that my favourite books when I was young was "The Enchanted Woods Series" by Enid Blyton. Then there was my "Harry Potter" that DD T religiously bought for me every year, he would order online and collect it on the day of the release. Of course there are many other books that I truly love.... fiction... DD T always tell me how he will make have a room just for my books- a library... next time. They are all in big Toyogo boxes all in good condition, eh because I must read new books and I don't like to bend them... if you open them, it should have a receipt or hotel notepad of some place some where in the world which I use it as bookmarks.

Then vampires are not really what I was into... but I thought oh why not? Asked for money to pay up and DD T was like .. "400+ pages only? you will finish so fast... no point leh" and so I bought 2 books... I usually finish a book in a day or so.. depending. Though I have this super thick book "The Pillars of The World" that I was reading when I was preggie but its a damn difficult and taxing book to read... if it took Oprah 4 years to finish, I wonder how long for me now with a baby.

I spent the whole Saturday reading... The grands, DD T, aunty Nita saw me reading and got BB [V] out of my way for a good 3-4 hours while I read. How sweet! Manz the book was really engaging.... by the 1/3 into the book , I was smiling sweetly as I flipped...a twinkle of innocent love that sprinkle every page... 400 pages was easy peasy, though I must add this is a rare book that comes a few years once.. a feeling that deals with one's most inner most feeling of relationship - the first love.

MIlk

so there was this debate about fresh milk and formula milk after 1 years old in smh..

Last monday, I went to the PD as BB[V] was having some sniffles that she caught from Julian in kindermusik on sunday.... MM F didn't want it to turn into anything serious as the weather was a little bad... Dr Tan saw her and gave her 1 bottle of medicine just to clear the dripping nose. Since it was a simple consultation, I had a few questions as usual to ask her...

1) Hospital: I was going on about her trip to KKH and how the Dr was duhz etc etc... and wanted her to recommend me a hospital to go in case of emergency. She said go KKH a) even if you go to private hospital, its still medical officers attending to you b) all the specialists are there, if you go private and they can't solve your problem they will still refer you to KKH... example, our case... you will need to go back there as all the children eye specialist are there. c) just be careful in May and June as the new medical officers comes in.. ALL HOSPITALS, so its inevitable.

2) Drinking water: Told her that BB [V] likes water and some mummies say it is better to feed milk than water. Which got me thinking why? So she ask me why I give so much water? Coz there are days she is constipated and so water helps alot... so she says then why worry since I have reasons to give? In my case, it will defeat the purpose of giving milk as the bb won't poo. But she did caution me since BB[V] loves drinking water, she may feel full and not want to eat. Since she is a small "CC" baby, food 1st then water. So I started on this thing on not feeding water while she is having her meal except to help her flush her food down. So I'm sure that she is full from solids and not drink till full.

3) The little bub is only 8kg!!! She smiled when I asked her this, for she said "I knew you will ask me this question" coz I'm always so concerned about her weight. LOL... so she said if I wanna fatten her up, feed her things I won't want to eat.. Coz I'm afraid to get fat right, so I give her those things I find fattening...

4) So came the fresh milk, formula milk question...

I told her I was still breast feeding and she was all "great job, well done"... think its actually quite rare to find mummies who will breast feed till now as I read in forums that mummies now will stop bf-ing once they slim down or bf becoz formula milk are expensive... I mean why can it be because of love?

Dr Tan explained that....

Formula milk has all the necessary nutrients necessary for a growing child, with all the added supplements, vitamins, DHA etc. The main reason why fresh milk can give given to baby after 1 year old is because of it high minerals, the baby can't digest all the minerals. Which is why breast milk is the best and that stage 1 milk is the most expensive as they need to remove all the minerals in the milk and add back in whatever is necessary. Stage 2 being the next most ex as they will remove partial and stage 3 and 4 cheapest as they retain most of it. So its really the parents' choice on which they prefer to give. Transitional to fresh milk can be the easiest if you don't have a fussy eater at hand and easy to get as there are milk everywhere. Her 2nd and 3rd child never had FM and was introduced fresh milk once she wean them off, though she will buy Nespray tin milk if they feel like vanilla taste milk. So there are no hard and fast rule.

She did further explain examples like the India indians will give fresh milk and a cocktail of supplements till the child gets old or that the caucasians always have milk in their fridge - feeding the child will be out of convenience as they practice child/adult to have same diet.Of course, most Singaporeans will chose FM because of a simple reason - our diet (not every family has a fresh carton of milk everyday) and its convenience, with all necessary supplements included though its way more expensive than fresh milk.

So its really a person's choice.... carry milk powder everywhere or fresh milk on the go... oh ya must be full cream she said... fats is gd for brain development!!!

Her new bed

So we decided she was ready....

So its bed shopping time... We couldn't decide on what bed to buy manz.. another cot to toddler bed? toddler bed? single bed?

So darn confusing...

cot to toddler: same problem, restrictive for BB [V] rolls alot

toddler: can use for few years and gotta change.. cheaper though

single: spacious for a roller like her.. expensive.. are we ready to spend and in the end not sleep?

We went Ikea to try beds out as they had everything... so it was $200, $400, $1000 respectively. Then there is that issue of whether we should invest in a expensive mattress as most children go through the bed wetting and placing plastic/pee pads/or whatever thing on top of the mattress issin't very comfy and training takes a while. Imagine sleeping on the same mattress for the next ten years with load of pee (past). Not feasible leh....

Then.. we stumbled upon this bed and fell in love with it... the reason why we were given a girl to pamper.

DD T bought it for his princess... MM F was so happy..

This is the whole collection... I'm so buying it, when she is ready to sleep on her own.

Then we went bed sheets shopping.. MM Flo decided to buy her Egyptian cotton and DD Trev frown at the price tag "$49 for pillow case?" So MM F says "I buy lar"... then he kept quiet throughout... Must entice her with good sheets then she will sleep what, right?

Just 1 hour ago, BB [V] spat out a little milk as she was jumping about so much on her new bed and DD T said "Oh my greek sheets!" Please pardon him... MEN