Yu's first day in infant care

Yes, my last baby is now in infant care! He'll then go on to playgroup, nursery, kindergarten, primary school, ..., exams!!!!

I had wanted to take a family shot at the level 2 carpark this morning, in front of the car with our block in the backdrop, to remember this day when the last baby of the family went to school for the first time. But it started raining at about 6 am. We ended up taking it in the car at the level 1 carpark where it was quite dark...

Everyone was smiling but Yu was blocked!

Hello Yu! But Kai was being uncooperative...

What a small and very cute head!! And this head loves to stare at people. He kept staring at one of the infant carers when we got there and as I was going through his habits and preferences. I kissed my dear little boy and he stared me a goodbye. I didn't get to kiss the older boys who were then engrossed with activities with friends - I should be glad they even looked up to say bye... And they were infants too...

I had a full day of admin activities. As I went about them, I kept my phone close by with the ringtone on in case the school called. I was particular anxious about Yu coz he didn't take to the bottle. Not a sound. No news = good news?

At the end of the day, I was so surprised and relieved to hear that he took the bottle! They started with spoonfeeding in the morning before trying the bottle. He even dozed off after drinking 20 ml for his last nap. And I was also surprised at his 2.5-hour mid-day nap - so long!

While I was glad that he took the bottle, it was also clear that there were difficulties. He took only 270 ml in school, compared to his brothers who took some 650 ml. By the time I changed him back home, he was whining. While I was whipping out a boob, his mouth was already coming at me fiercely! He usually took one side but this evening, he took both. So poor thing. He must have been quite hungry :(

I'm bringing less milk tomorrow to reduce waste. If it's not enough, there's still a packet of frozen milk in school leftover from today. Hopefully, he'll take to the bottle more and drink well.

On a related note, I used the electric pump for the first time this morning. I was so shocked to find an ant nest in the pump I used to use at home!!! It was so gross! Sito helped me clear out the ants while I used the pump that I was going to bring to office. When I came back from office, he was going to assemble the set when he found more ants hiding in the switch! Very gross!! Just glad I have two pumps else I would have been stuck this morning..

Thank you, Dear!

Catching up with friends

My social life is very happening in the past five months since Yu's full month, always out running errands or meeting people. This week is my last happening week for a while - heading back to work next week, which means my social life will reduce dramatically to zero coz I'll be lunching in as I'll be pumping milk. If Yu drinks and eats well, and if work is ok, perhaps I could get Saturday mornings...

Well, some highlights of the past few months here to last me until the end of pumping...

Na and I popped about a week apart - best person to meet up! But we are 一个东一个西... Come to think of it, my friends who gave birth at around the same time all live far from me - LS for Kai and Yang and CY for Yang! And best, we'll be even further apart when we move house *.*

Only photo of us with our babies together

Was having bingsu with Na when both babies decided to poop!

I barely had my bingsu so I thought poop could wait. But then I saw that Yu had leaked pooped from one side! Luckily, I had a plastic bag in my bag - I put it between him and me and continued eating :p

Somehow reconnected with DL who popped a month after me. We used to sit with each other in primary six! But haven't met her since secondary school days. Turns out she lives near our future home too!

The mums and the to-be-acquainted babies

CY popped her twins like three months before me but she was taking leave flexibly so we managed to meet a few times too. Also visited her new home. I'm so envious!

We only took this one photo together - can't remember if that was baby K or J...

Also caught up with ex-colleagues. Always good to see the NPS/NPTD people - know them for so long and worked with many for so long too. Though I felt so old when I saw that those who joined out of university are now mums themselves! No wonder they called me 小妹妹 last time!

Even met old MCYS colleagues - there are seven kids among us three mums!

Met current colleagues too to bitch and to keep myself updated about stuff sans details. Also had a farewell lunch coz my director left! Sighs... Now I wonder if I'll still be doing the same thing when I go back... Though I was asked to look at slides in Yu's first month (which I politely refused of course!), fact is, they didn't need me for six months?! We'll see...

Will so miss such relaxing days once I return to work!!

End of nua-ing at home for Yu

There were three significant events in Yu's last week at home.

On Monday, he took his first shower with me. He's getting too long for the bathtub but is still unable to sit unassisted. With infant care coming up, I won't bathe him on school days. No point keeping the bathtub sitting in the open all the time for use twice a week on weekends so shower is best. When he can sit well, we can use the bathtub again but more for fun.

On Thursday night, we decided not to rock Yu when he woke at 9 plus. He cried for some 40 minutes? Then he dozed off. I was surprised that he wasn't sniffing in his sleep coz Yang still would sniffle in his sleep if he had been crying hard before sleeping. Then guess what? He next woke at 2 plus instead of 11 plus woohoo! But one hit wonder. I saw the clock every hour after that, bah!

But tonight onwards, I'm going to try not to nurse him if he wakes every hour - I mean, cannot be hungry every hour right?! I'll just rock him. But I don't know how it will be like from tomorrow - if he doesn't drink much in school, I'll have no choice but to open buffet at night! Which brings me to the next event...

Today, I gave Yu solids - if he still rejects the bottle in school, they can give him cereals on top of spoon-feeding which spills a lot. At breakfast time, I gave him the brown rice cereal from NTUC. He didn't seem to like it. Perhaps the taste was too strong for a first food? So I went to get the usual Cerelac rice cereal but couldn't find it. Bought the more expensive organic oats cereal instead. Just looking for a tasteless one. At lunch time, Yu seems to take to it more though I didn't think he swallowed much. But this evening after his shower, he pooped and I thought I saw lumps inside - the solids??

Now, let pictures tell his story this week...

He can't sit unassisted yet but when he sits and sees something he wants, he'll propel himself forward!

He's barely six months but interested in chemistry already!

He loves to eat my credit card!!

Loving at seeing himself in the camera :)

Cute baby wrap!

Actually Yu is one week shy of six months but I gave him solids today also coz he was sucking his lips when he saw me having lunch on Thursday. Yesterday, I took him to a colleague's wedding and he looked up when I was eating! He was staring a lot yesterday, even at the bride hoho!

Your turn soon, my boy...

His breakfast - one teaspoon of cereal

All the best tomorrow, my dear Yu!!

Sunday out!

Today, we did not go to Mum's place coz Mum was out. So we packed lunch to eat at home, napped, and went to the "new" playground!

Kai can now run around unsupervised though he needed help with this ladder

I was guiding him on his next steps. In the end, he decided he would go no further but asked for a hand down. I couldn't help him as I was carrying Yu so I guided him where to place his feet.

And Yang is now a big boy in the bus!

Gosh, we really haven't been there for a long time! Or rather, I have not been there for a long time, not since pregnancy I think...

All sweaty!

They had great fun running around and playing with N - coz the mama has a baby on her and the papa is relaxing one corner :p We took a cool-down walk to Star Vista for dinner.

My walking boys :)

Ice cream after pizza? Best dinner ever!

It was also a good dinner for the parents coz Yu was asleep for most of it and the whole thing was under $50! We didn't walk around much. I was so tired from wearing Yu the whole time, and I would like an early night coz it's Yu's big day tomorrow - first day in school!

Things my boys say

So after the "chit chat" conversation, Yang came up with another gold.

Mama: I'm going to smack your bum bum!
Yang: No! I sit down on my bum bum! *sit*
Mama: *stunned*

When he stood up...

Mama: Ok, I can smack it now!
Yang: No, I sit down!

And he did!!

But he's such a naughty boy. That day, he hit Kai first and Kai hit back. Kai refused to say sorry before Yang, which is only fair in my opinion. But Yang was not backing off. So I told them to say sorry at the same time at my count of three.

Mama: One, two, three!
Kai: Sorry!
Yang: *smile*
Kai: Hey, you never say sorry! Say sorry!
Yang: Thank you!

*.*

Yes, you! You very naughty!

The baby of the family can speak too! But no one can understand him yet :) Though some time in the past week, Sito and I thought he mumbled mama! Probably mur mur when complaining or whining! :p

Kai is a bigger boy now, and sometimes he didn't want to talk to us coz he was engaged in play or some other interest. But he told his teachers that Yu will go to school next Monday :) He can also spell the days of the week and many numerals too :)

The old boy also says the darnest things...

We were watching Ninja Turtles yesterday. Sito, Kai, Yang and me. And there was this scene where a human girl hugged the Sensei and addressed him as her father.

mf: How is she his daughter?
Sito: He used to be human
mf: What happened?
Sito: 沾到 rat mutagen
mf: The turtles...
Sito: They were originally turtles...
mf: I know, then what happened?
Sito: 沾到人

!!!!

I laughed my head off! Yup, I had to ask, right...

The other day, Yang took a photo of me. I deleted it coz I looked so ugly!

mf: Did pregnancy change my features? So ugly :(
Sito: Not ugly. Just fat.

Thanks, Dear, thanks ah...

First centre closure day of 2017

Today is the first child care centre closure day of the year. We had scrambled eggs for breakfast and made some flapjack (so much easier than cookies!) for afternoon tea. Then it was time for Cool De Sac! Planned that for a while and it was a good choice as the indoor playground was so empty on a weekday!

Kai and Yang napped on our bed with Papa

While Mama played with Yu who woke

Sito put Yu on him and went down the slide with Kai and Yang!

Yu had mini fun in the mini kids' area too :)

The bigger boys did their active things...

Always a hot favourite

Yu looked on enviously...

So in he went too!

Boys peeling hard boiled eggs at Keisuke

Enjoying their free ramen

Forgot Yu's toy so gave him the cover for the scissors...

The boys were quite tame today but Sito felt ill towards the end so they were still quite the handful, especially who was so noisy on the way back and couldn't keep still at all! So he didn't get YouTube :p Now YouTube is an almost weekly privilege for good boys only. Very good boys.

There are more centre closure days. I especially dread the ones over Teachers' Day - five days no school!!! Have to plan some activities so we don't get stuck at home with all their energy!

Final week at home with Yu

Very soon, we are here - the final week of mama and babe together all the time before the babe goes to school!!

This morning, after I rocked Yu to dreamland for his first nap, I looked at his cute face - round cheeks, pouty mouth - and cried. I'm so going to miss seeing his cute face all the time! Of course that was me remembering only the cute times; he has had plenty of uncute (i.e. fussy) times too :p

He can stay on his front very well, reach for things and discover new things, like Dory

Put him in the high chair on Monday - time to practise!

Actually, he cried the first time I put him in. I tried again five minutes later and he was ok. Phew!!!! What to do if he rejects bottle and the high chair?!

All at the dining table!

Must take this shot - standard for the kids!

Maximising the new Sophie :p

His first taste of food - steamed broccoli! Dropped soon after...

Well, he puts everything into his mouth actually, including the corner of my pillow

Gonna miss this little sleeping face...

And this cheeky playful face...

Also his blur face... That's Yang's mistletoe on Yu's head - perfect fit!

Even the sleep pose - this is just one of many he can sleep in

Final week. So sad our long break will be over soon... But I'm also looking forward to my seven days of freedom when he's in school but I haven't started work yet. So conflicted, motherhood!

New bedtime routine

Had a rough night when Sito was in KL on Thursday and Friday coz both Yang and Yu woke at the same time. Eventually, I convinced Yang to let me go to Yu. He said, then I'll find kakak. Ah well...

On Saturday, we started a new bedtime routine. It's not totally new la. I still go in to do all the bedtime things but I will not stay until Yang falls asleep and than sit with Kai for a while more if he isn't already sleeping. I will just leave the room and let them fall asleep by themselves. This could potentially see my me time start from 8.30 pm - a full 30 minutes earlier than the usual!

Else, I had many episodes of me falling asleep with the boys. Sito woke me at just past 9 pm many times. When he was in KL, I woke on my own - at 10.20 pm!!! With Sito starting on a new job in late April which might see him working late and travelling, I need to ensure I get out of their room so that I could do some work.

So, new routine.

I told them both about it since the morning. Of course that was very useful *.* When I was going to leave, they were still asking me to stay. "Then kakak sayang me!" "But you haven't pei wo!" "I want Mama..." "Hey, Didi is sleeping on my bed!" etc...

But I got out eventually. I sat right outside their room and watched them over the camera. I also had the cane with me and I would tapped the door handle if they didn't stay in bed. Ya I did this once previously when they were naughty and Sito forbade anyone from staying with them. But this time was not a punishment. I hope they forgot about the last punishment *.*

They were monkeying around a lot!!! But it was very cute la. They ran about, sang, drank water, ran out to say goodnight to kakak and Papa or complained about each other.

Singing! Kai's "How Far I'll Go" and Yang's made-up song about injections...

As usual, the room would quieten down only when Kai stays quiet. And he didn't until he felt "eating pains" in his stomach - as opposed to poo poo pains or vomit pains - coz he ate too much pizza! I put some oil on him and told him to stay still. Yang asked me to put the cane away and I did when he was staying put in his bed.

Down temporarily

Kai came to ask me to sit with him after he thought that Yang was asleep. But Yang was only drowsy so he came to the door too! Argh! When Yang was really asleep, Kai came out to complained about Yang sleeping on his (Kai's) bed. I shifted Yang but he ended up waking a little. I hugged and carried him back to sleep. Then he went down and soon, Kai too.

Was a little surprised at the success despite being pang seh-ed by Sito who was in bed with a fever. We tried tonight again and the boys were taking turns to tip toe to the door and be scared back to bed by a tap of the cane until Sito went in - they really stayed down! 爸爸的威严？:)

A tidbit from tonight:

Mama: Let's chit chat!
Yang: I like chocolate chit chat!
Mama: ... That's Kit Kat!!

Paediatric tuina

This morning, I brought Yang for his first paediatric tuina. Fevers aside, he keeps getting running nose and coughs. And he doesn't sleep well. All are issues that could possibly be managed with tuina. I really didn't know what to expect but no harm trying right? The only harm is to the pocket...

Mama kissing my handsome boy

Well, he wanted to draw but we were running late. Had to use the glasses to lure him out of the house... Digression: We have many touristy tops - he's wearing Mykonos and me Barcelona :p

We were the first appointment so there was hardly any waiting before we saw the doctor. She asked and I replied - his issues, what he eats every day, his temper. She surprised me when she asked whether he had a big temper, coz Yang was sporting this angelic face the moment he saw the doctor - who would know he's quite the chilli padi?! :p

Yang clammed up the moment he saw the doctor, acting all coy and tame. He buried his head in my vast tummy during the consultation. When he was asked to open his mouth, he stuck out a bit of his tongue and had to be coaxed to open up further. When the doctor took his pulse, he sat very still and fiddled with only the marshmallow I gave him.

In the treatment room - very guai

The doctor used some powder during the treatment. I should ask her what powder it is the next time. Anyway, Yang likes the powder. He kept poking a finger in it and wiping it on his knees *.*

Being tui-ed - he's enjoying it!

The doctor started with his forehead, moving to his arms and legs then stomach before turning over to his back. He made a face while lying facing down. From the time we stepped into the consultation room until that point, he hadn't said a word. Then he went "ouchie" very softly. It seemed that the part where the doctor pulled the skin up and shifted roll up along his spine hurt. But it was swiftly over. When asked if he was ok, he gave a very soft "ok". At the end, he even said "thank you" when I asked what he should say now. And despite reminding me later that his back hurt during the massage, he said he liked it and was ok to go again.

So the diagnosis is that he is 内热 and should not eat too much fried or baked stuff. He doesn't eat either in school except on cookery days when it happens to be baked goods. On weekends, he has more exposure to both, especially baked stuff - pizza, cakes, sweet and sour pork. So I asked if drinking more water or eating "cooling" stuff could counter it. She said water is fine but use food rather than medicinal herbs, i.e. old cucumber soup. Guess we have to give him more soup than over his rice...

The doctor also said that he needs to go outdoors to work off his inner don't know what. I guess this is supposed to help him sleep better. She also taught me to rub his forehead and temples at night to help him sleep better. I just tried but forgot the temples :p

Made an appointment for next Saturday. We were advised to go about 10 times then see how he is. That's a big hole in the pocket *.* But I'll get a photo of PAssion Card to get 10% discount off consultation fees next time!