Moments

Wrote this on my phone on Saturday, 28 May 2016, 11.58 pm.

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Last night, Sito and I were out for dinner so we didn't put ZK in bed. Around midnight, he woke and came into our room with his barang barang, squinting his eyes against the light and asking, "You're back? Can you 陪我一下？"

Just now, ZY walked out to find kakak. When she woke to follow him back to his room, he turned and trotted back, confident that kakak was following him. I saw his 背影 coz I followed him out to the kitchen - no bolster today so his arms were just by his side next to his baggy PJs, courtesy of his brother.

I recalled ZK's look last night, eyes barely open. I recalled last night shortly after sending ZK in, when ZY woke and came to find me, with ZK right behind him, and how I lay next to ZY with a leg on ZK's bed for ZK to grab onto.

These are just some of those moments.

I take photos of ZK and ZY often in an attempt to capture their childhood for eternity. But there are moments like these that are so good I want to see with my eyes, not through a camera. Or the camera is just too slow.

These are moments to live in, to savour, to pass on to the children, to recollect in our old age.

Love you, my babies.

Happy Vesak Day (with Pororo!)

It was a very busy and super tiring Vesak Day yesterday. First, I went to our Vesak Day gathering for Gramps with ZK. He kept asking to go to the playground and dutifully addressed all the relatives. He didn't know MZ but called out Jiujiu on his own when he stepped in. Playground happened after the joss sticks - ZK held one briefly too and blew at the tip...

The second cousins - fourth generation at the playground downstairs

ZK was fascinated with the burning!

He didn't like the noodles at lunch much - Mother made it pretty tasteless today *.* I couldn't give him the curry but lucky for us, there was chicken rice! And he had lots of grapes... This boy woke at 4.30 am that morning and resisted only slightly before he fell asleep. Got YQ to carry him off my lap to Ah Yee's bed. While ZK napped for the next hour plus, I caught up with the relatives. ML had "upgraded" from tying my hair 30 years ago to colouring HH's hair!

We left when ZK woke. I promised him ice cream so we stopped by the Macs downstairs for a sundae and a check-in with home.

Hello, ZY!

I was thinking about it over and over and finally decided to continue the day outside. So off to find Pororo we went!

ZK at the mime musical which took place right after we got there - didn't think he liked it much *.*

The ball pit was fun though I found it scary with all the kids jumping

ZK with Pororo! Such a sweet smile :)

And in Pororo's bed, pretending to sleep pretty well!

What's his name? Tong Tong!

His fave wasn't the play structure or ball pit but this toy area where he had the aeroplane in hand all the time.. But no complaints coz this was where I got all my eye power time from..

ZK's second train ride - upgraded from back row to front row

When it was time to go, of course I bought him the aeroplane... What came over me...?

ZK tried to open it by himself while waiting for the rest at the restaurant lobby

Oh ya, coz he said one for him and one for ZY!

It was Mum's birthday celebration, and eating was a blast. ZK managed to try quite a bit of different foods while ZY just slurped up everything and asked for more. Luckily I was still rather full from lunch so I could give ZY more.

Happy birthday, Ah Ma!

Both kids fell asleep on the way home. We wiped down ZY and sent him to bed since he wasn't too gross anyway. But ZK went to the playground etc so we woke him up or he managed to wake when we got home, and we gave him a shower. But he was tired enough to fall asleep quite quickly too. Me too *.* And I couldn't bring myself to get up this morning. So tired!

I shall not go out a whole day like this anymore!

My poor monkey baby

ZK was the luckiest foetus. His brothers? Not as lucky. In fact, it got worse each time.

1) Caffeine

With ZK, I steeped my Lipton for 45 seconds, poured it off and drank the next brew. I also bought decaf tea and I think I didn't have coffee at all. Had some bubble tea here and there though.

With ZY, I had coffee alright, not all decaf. And bubble tea? Definitely!

With monkey, I had coffee almost every morning during morning sickness, and threw in tea or bubble tea sometimes on the same day. Now that I'm better, I still drink some coffee and for sure, tea and bubble tea.

2) 胎教 and learning

I remember talking to ZK during long walks in Evanston. I played classical music on the phone for him just about every night. I read pregnancy books in English and Chinese, and various pregnancy websites and apps. I checked those apps every day.

I think I talked to ZY sometimes. I think he got some classical music too. I didn't read any books. I looked at websites sometimes, and I had an app that I looked at frequently. After birthing him, I told myself I should have read the Chinese book with details on how to push.

I remember monkey once in a while and say hi. I just started - at 16 weeks - to play classical music on my phone to him. Twice. Just started it for the third time as I type this. I open the app when I remember. I must remember to read that Chinese book.

3) Pregnancy and kiddy records

I recorded everything about my pregnancy with ZK - experiences, pictures of my belly and my pregnant self, recordings of belly movements. I recorded less with ZY - some experiences, perhaps a few incidental pictures. I recorded monkey just once so far. Twice if you count this.

Same could be said of kiddy records when ZK and ZY came out. Please let me have time to at least record key milestones for monkey...

But since this is my last, perhaps a maternity+family photoshoot will be nice...

4) Stuff

ZK had everything new. ZY had some new. Monkey.... Well, I'll buy new bottles etc for hygiene purpose. I'll buy a new onesie for hospital discharge. For just about everything else, he'll use his brothers' stuff.

ZK had unlimited access to baby spa. ZY had 20 sessions. I'm not thinking about it for monkey.

My poor monkey baby... Here's for coming in last. But no worries, my dear monkey baby - I'll love you like I love your brothers :)

My poor baby ZY

Last Thursday on the way home, I received a call from a teacher that ZY was running and fell on his teeth on a chair. A front tooth was bloody but not loose. I didn't think much about it then until I saw ZY - his right upper front tooth had sunken into his gums!

My boss came to the rescue once more - her husband is a dentist and her daughter suffered the same at two years old. She told me no need to see dentist, just monitor, the tooth might erupt again after a while. Just monitor for any future problems to do with the permanent tooth. She even showed me a picture of her daughter's smile today - big front teeth showing!

But so poor thing, my baby. 破相 plus don't know how it might affect his permanent tooth. We decided to see a dentist. Happened to be bringing ZK to the dermatologist the next day so it became a family outing.

After ZK's treatment, we went to Star Vista. We had called to cancel ZK's dental appointment since one treatment was enough for a day; he could do his first polishing another day. We didn't have to wait at all, and ZY walked in cutely. He even sat in the chair cutely!!

Happy with his baby bite - pacifier coz we had to take him away from a kiddy ride

The dentist was a very young lady, attended to by two assistants in a small room. First, we let ZY have some water to wash down the baby bite. I was surprised he let me have the remaining baby bite during the check! Anyway, next, the dentist took this small probe to his mouth - it turned out to be a tiny camera!

ZY was very cooperative and let her take photos of his front teeth area. He spent his time looking at her and the screen in front of him showing his cavity. This boy takes such instructions quite well - he let me look at his teeth many times since the previous evening too. Can't say the same for his brother though *.*

So the verdict was that that was nothing to be done since the tooth was still secure. We could only monitor for infection and any future problems with the permanent tooth, ranging from scratched tip to bent root! :(

The ladies were very nice to him and sent us out slowly. As we left the room, I realised there was a TV screen on the ceiling showing a cartoon! How kid-friendly! Best, we were not charged for consultation. Should bring ZK back soon for his first visit.

Can't help noticing that his smile looks a bit different with one front tooth shorter. On closer inspection over the weekend, it seems that the incisor on the right of the shorter front tooth is also knocked in. So poor thing....

This evening, ZY was rolling around happily on our bed when I spotted fresh blood on the pillow. Turned out to be from his tooth/teeth. But he wasn't disturbed and continued to play so I could only assume no pain, which was good. Maybe it's time for eruption? Just have to watch and see how...

My poor ZY, still cute ok!

My poor baby ZK

A few months ago, Sito discovered two pimples on the underside of ZK's scrotum. I googled and found pretty harmless stuff so we let it be. But they grew bigger and spread to his penis so I brought him to the GP right after Penang.

It was an unfortunate site for a case of water warts or molluscum contagiosum. As the name suggests, it is contagious, sighs.. We tried Aldara cream for two weeks with no improvement. The GP then tried to freeze the bumps off but ZK was struggling too much from the pain. He likes the doc though, referring to her by name and of course remembering her lollipops. Doc also commended ZK on his speech. Happy mama and pup though problem wasn't resolved...

Wanted to take him to see a paediatric dermatologist at NUH but the identified doc was away on maternity leave and the one recommended by registration was available only in June! So off to Novena Medical Centre we went last Friday, on the recommendation of my boss whose daughter had water warts on her hand.

The clinic was very welcoming and we waited for too short a time coz the kids were enjoying themselves!

To and from the Lego wall

The doc went through our case and recommended cantharidin treatment on the spot. The solution is painless on application but will cause a blister within hours. The blister will dry off and take the bumps away. ZK found it tickling and was very cooperative during the process. And because he could be listening, for the first time, I think, I had to spell out a word - will it cause P A I N when I remove the plaster?

And gosh, it was painful! He was feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the plaster at first but he soon forgot about it as we took ZY to the dentist (more on that later) and had lunch. He even painted at home before napping. But he woke an hour plus later in clear discomfort. As I brought him to our room which was brighter, he started feeling pain and could not lie down.

It took some time before we managed to remove the plaster amid flailing hands. The blisters had formed and a few had in fact drained. There was even one that was bloody! We took some more time washing him as the water caused a stinging pain. It was difficult to use the antiseptic shower liquid on him coz he was strategically covering himself. Next was applying the antibiotic cream, which was much easier once the area had dried. He mostly found it ticklish and reminded me not to pull his penis too high.

We decided to let him air it to help the blisters dry out more. So we got him a sarong! It was one of my scarves. For the rest of the day, I kept seeing his genitals coz it kept coming loose and coz of how he sat - legs open wide *.* Some pus oozed out along the way so I prepared some plasters to stick on his underwear to prevent it from sticking to him; he couldn't wear a sarong to bed!

The evening shower was another torture. As were all showers so far. He kept asking me if I was sure about the shower coz it was painful. He went from ouchie ouchie ouchie to just crying out mama in the most heartbreaking voice :( Sometimes, we had to force him into the shower, with Sito holding him up in the air :( He always came out of the shower limping :( These two days, especially, I hugged his thin, naked body after showering as he whimpered in pain :( But we thought he might have been conditioned to cry now coz his blisters were all better than the first day. Well, doesn't hurt to hug my poor baby a little more...

I alerted his school so today, they wiped him down instead of showering him after lunch. I prepared him before school but he said - but I'm not half day! Um, but do you want to cry in school??

The doc said it would take 7-10 days for the blisters to go away. I can't wait. In the meantime, baby, be brave and strong!