Friday 20 October 2017

Hello again, date night!

Sito and I just had our first date night in just over a year!!!

Oh wait.. We did go out at night while in Legoland...

Our first date night in Singapore in over a year! Hoho!

Yu happened to be awake since 2 pm so it was quite easy to get him to sleep. But Sito was nowhere to be found - he did not reply my texts nor pick up my call. I started getting paranoid and opened up the laptop to get his Apply password - I searched for his phone :p I found him at his office haha! I was sending the screenshot to him when he finally replied my text.

Then I had a little trouble convincing Yang to let me go - had to tell him I was going to bring Papa home. Kai was ever the big boy and agreed to be good :)

We had a simple dinner at Crystal Jade La Mian downstairs. Then we went to Watson and Cold Storage to walk walk and buy stuff. And we were home way before 10 pm :p

It was a good timing that we're resuming date nights coz we just collected our keys yesterday!! Wil definitely need to go shopping etc. So slowly, we'll venture further out. To more date nights :)

Thursday 19 October 2017

And they grew a little bit more...

I think my baby Yang Yang just had his first big boy cry.

We were reading a book on sports 比赛 when he said "this is bi sai!" and put snot on my face! I sent him straight to bed. He pled for the naughty corner but I refused. So he went to bed. He took a peek at me and Kai watching video later, and I shooed him back.

When I sent Kai to bed, I talked to Yang a bit. When I said goodnight, he said, "But I want to watch funny videos." He was referring to videos of their funny antics, but which recently expanded to sports clips. I told him no coz he was sent straight to bed.

His hands grabbed at his eyes and I thought he was rubbing them when I heard a sob escape him. He was sobbing so hard! But he was also very quiet. No loud wailing like usual. Yes, big boy cry.

I rocked him some more and left the room. Sighs...

So cute yet so naughty!


Now that they are bigger, the way we interact with them and the way they interact with one another seem to be changing. Kai and Yang fight more and harder but they also have their good days when they play quietly with each other.

Happily - ok, grouchily - sharing a yummy drink


We played our first Monopoly game on Sunday - junior edition!


I got bankrupt very quickly and ended the game. The boy who was most confused and yet also enjoyed himself the most was Yang - he kept wanting to follow my token around, and he wasn't much of a buyer too. So he won! Haha!

Yu could only force himself into games - like fishing with hands :p


Look, they'll get too big for the trolley at Giant very soon!


Btw, Yu was wearing the Kellogg onesie meant for Kai but I forgot to bring it out while Kai could fit! And then I forgot for Yang. I finally remembered for Yu! But truth be told - the material isn't too comfy *.*

And barely 10 days into his second year, he fell off the bed again yesterday! I know :( I was napping next to him but N called me out as Kai had a scary nosebleed. I was with Kai for barely two seconds when I heard a thud and a cry! :( I didn't even know which part he hit :(

I'm going to get Kai to the specialist again. Something bloody came out through his mouth this time. N claimed it was the size of Yu's hand! In any case, he has nosebleeds a lot. Even Yang got it once quite recently, when he was digging his nose. Hope he doesn't end up like Kai!

Tuesday 17 October 2017

Bye bye, pumps!

After the long child care centre closure weekend 31 Aug-4 Sep, I decided to drop one pump and just pump once between 2 and 4 pm.

Right after Legoland, I was on course for three days and didn't bring my pump. Instead, I hand-expressed. The quantity dropped madly to below 100 ml :(

The following week, I started a two-week course. The first day, I didn't manage to pump. The second day, I only managed to hand express at 6 pm in the car. The next three days, I expressed by hand in the middle of the afternoon, sitting in a back corner of the classroom. The quantity was pathetic but it was enough for Yu's last bottle at the end of the day, which is usually the least so that he can have dinner when he gets home.

Alarm deleted!


Needless to say, I haven't managed to top up my freezer stash for weeks. I finally ran out on Friday, 29 Sep, sighs!

My last ever packet of frozen breastmilk


As of last Monday, I totally stopped expressing milk, and Yu has been having formula in the day and nursing only at home. Last Saturday, I broke out the formula at home for the first time but he wouldn't take more than 20 ml. I don't know if it's because he wouldn't take the bottle at home, or he didn't like formula made in the Philippines - he was taking Nan Pro 2 made in Switzerland but when he turned one, his first Pro 3 was made in the Philippines. Hope there is no taste difference! Shall monitor...

I'm immensely relieved though - pumping takes a lot of time!! And I had to wear only separates to facilitate pumping. I wore a dress for the first time in a long time last Tuesday and Yang told me I was beautiful :) And I'm now going to sell or give away my two Medela pumps and parts, if anyone wants them. Declutter!

I'm still happily nursing though Yu likes to bite *.* But I shall carry on as long as he likes :)

Monday 9 October 2017

Happy birthday to my little Yu!

This is one happy chap who loves his birthday - I sang the birthday song to him in the past week and he almost always clapped at the end!

We had a combined celebration for Yu and Mother on Saturday. It was rather cramped in Crystal Jade La Mian XLB for a table of 10 but we don't have much options around here!

"It's ok, I'm happy!"


One big candle and one small candle


Kai and Yang also wanted to cut the cake after blowing the candles


I ordered a sugarless no added sugar banana cake from Edith Patisseri, just so that Yu may have a bite. But he didn't want any, bleah. At least it was yummy. We still remember Yang's horrible cake with no added sugar...

On Sunday, we crossed over from Chengzhu to Star Vista for Yu's birthday lunch. He woke just as we arrived.

Playing with Kai's balloon sculpture, undoing it and eventually bursting it!


Gugu putting on his first pair of shoes


"What are these?"


"I can't walk in them!"


Love his curious look when Jiejie was putting on the shoes for him. He was so guai just sitting there. Think both his brothers had to be held in place... But he couldn't walk with the shoes. Think it's a matter of getting used to them. Will try them out when we go out next week!

Next was 抓周! When we got back from lunch, Kai and Yang discovered the items on the table, especially the sword which was Sito's old toy! It was tough getting them away as Mum laid them out on the floor.

Yu went straight towards his left and picked up the ladles - next Michelin chef?


He got the blue bat on his second go. Unlike his brothers who did only twice, he went a third time, grabbing the microphone!

Yes, Chief Entertainment Office, we're very entertained by him all the time!


First time we did a group shot at birthday I think!


This boy was very excited over his birthday - he was bouncing up and down as we sang the birthday song! And clapping too! So proud of him! :)

And this morning, on his actual birthday, we wished him happy birthday again, and though he looked a little bewildered, he was clearly interested in the cake and/or candle and/or what they meant?!

"Oh, look at that flame!"


Let's blow the candle together!


If you look carefully, Kai was standing next to us. I don't know if it was because he was occupied with his toy or he understood it was Yu's birthday, but he didn't make an attempt to blow the candle. And there was Yang on the sofa behind us - he was sniffling coz he just got caned for jumping on my bed with pee on his feet!

I don't know why I didn't ask N to change bedsheets immediately but as luck would have it, he jumped on my bed with dirty feet again this evening so I made Yang promise to remember and not to do it again in lieu of no caning this time; the next time, he would be caned twice. And I made him watch N change the bedsheets. He helped to bring out the dirty sheets. "So heavy!" :p

The surprise fourth celebration in school!

Source: Teacher KY 

My super dorky birthday boy!

Source: Teacher KY 

And on his birthday, he got to enjoy the swing pushed by his brothers :)


And of course, on this date, he had to fall and hit his head AGAIN!!! I found him in my bed last night. Sito said I nursed him when he first came in but of course I didn't realise until he next cried. I sent him back to his bed and thought I averted a fall. But this morning, he was around his bed after nursing when somehow he fell backwards and bumped the back of his head! Crap!

That wasn't all. I accidentally let go and caused him to land on the diaper changing mat head first. Another thud, albeit lighter. Super sian!!!

And going back the past month, I'm sad to say that Yu fell off my bed again on 12 Sep :( I was sleeping and woke to a loud cry :( NEVER PUT HIM ON MY BED WHEN I'M SLEEPING!!!

Sito has been sore that Yu hasn't started calling Papa. But 16 Sep, Yu said it! But it was a one-hit wonder *.* We shall see...

Yu took his first steps in mid September. Within two weeks, he was walking like a champion! Ok, he does fall here and there, but he is so brave and fearless to keep standing up on his own and go! This boy started teething and walking earlier than his brothers who started at 12 and 13 months respectively. I wonder if the calcium pills had got anything to do with this...

In terms of his sleep, I had a glimpse into STTN on 1 October - he slept at 7 plus and didn't wake until 1 plus! The next evening, the same thing happened! And then he started coughing *.* But in the past few nights, I also discovered that he could sleep better on Kai's bed - first, he fell asleep there when I put him there; second, he crawled there himself and continued sleeping! But the second time, Kai came over to ask me to remove Yu. I had to ask him to let him stay and fortunately, he agreed.

So, one year old. That's my last baby to turn one :((((( But my babies are all growing up! :)) :(( Looking forward to all of their next milestones :)

Saturday 7 October 2017

Belated happy mooncake festival! And MTL...

Had wanted to post on time but I was on a very draining course and fell asleep before 9 pm on Wednesday!

Luckily, we already had fun with lanterns on Sunday. And by that, I meant we walked home from Mum's place at 7 pm carrying lanterns in the bright evening light!

The big boys happy with their lanterns with LED lights


I didn't even give Yu a light :p


I bought Kai and Yang's lanterns either the year they were born or the year after - dragon for Kai and unicorn for Yang, according to their Chinese horoscope. Unicorn is a kind of horse, right? :p Anyway, they don't have horses. I found out last Saturday that they don't carry monkeys in cellophane paper too so I decided on a fish for Yu - yup, 谐音!

I told Kai and Yang about what their 灯笼 meant.

Kai: Is Yang's one a 灯马?

*.*

At least he knows that dragon is 龙 in Chinese! But I need to show him that this 龙 is different from the 笼 in 灯笼!

Three reusable home lanterns with two school lanterns (already in the bin! oops)


That night, we read Kai's new book from Chengzhu. His teacher flagged out a few difficult terms. Kai didn't ask me about them but Yang did when he heard them.

Yang: What's 千家万户? What's 贡献?

I explained, and he kept quiet. I hope he understood me!

And their curiosity in language - I hesitate to say interest! - doesn't stop at Chinese. We passed by an electric box on Sunday morning, and Kai spotted the word DANGER. I read the Chinese and the Malay versions too but said that I could not read Tamil.

Kai: Do you know how to learn Tamil?
mf: How?
Kai: First, you watch Junction Tree...

I wanted to laugh so hard!! Of course, I just acknowledged that. I asked him about the second but I forgot what he said :p

Yang is probably absorbing as well. For a while last year, he could count up to three or five in Malay! And of course his famous sapu sapu :) Kai didn't show an interest in Malay until end July, when they sang Chan Mali Chan in school. I never knew the lyrics as a child so I was surprised to keep hearing "anak kambing saya" - I now know what that meant after doing an elementary course on Bahasa Indonesia on an app. 

Eventually Kai could sing the whole song. On our way home on Sunday evening, he was singing when a Malay uncle came from the bus stop and heard him. The uncle laughed and said he was very accurate! Kai thought he was laughing at him and ran off *.* This boy of mine can be a tad sensitive. But he's still singing the song. More anak kambing every day!

Oh, we didn't buy any mooncake this year. No date night how to go to mooncake fairs?? Hope to do so next year!