Happy Mid Autumn Festival

7 months and 1 week passed by in a blink of an eye. JT has grown from 50cm to 70 cm and tripled his birth weight, almost. In another blink of the other eye, he'll be saying goodbye at the airport to further his studies abroad. This is how it feels, how most parents feel. My parents do not express their feelings towards me the way I do to JT but I'm pretty sure they felt about the same. 1 mild fever and I'm all worried and stressed. Imagine I was sick every other week growing up, my mom must have been exhausted. I want to wish all parents out there, Happy Mid Autumn Festival and tell you kids you love them.

P.S: I love you

I recently just watched the movie P.S: I love you. Is a sad movie but it tell us how love still stay even if the person is not physically there. I thought about my son and how devastated he would be if me and my hubby were to passed away. Well, ideally we hope we die together so is less painful for either one of us.

The hero of this movie sent letters to help his wife to move on and to find herself. I think is the best thing to do for someone instead of griefing for his own death. This inspired me to do the same for my son. I hope when the time comes I will be able to prepare this for him. More importantly in his last letter he said, "Thank you for the honor of being my wife", "You made me a man, by loving me.", "You made my life. But I'm just one chapter in yours". Sob.. Sob... how beautiful is that. Check this out if you want to know more http://www.moviemistakes.com/film7171/quotes.

And here is what I want to say to my son. "I am with great honour to be your mummy". "You've made mummy to be a better person", "You've filled my life with so much joy, now go find yours", "P.S: Remember that mummy will always love you".

HAPPY FATHER's DAY!!!

To all fathers in the world. THANK YOU.
To my hubby, thank you. You are the greatest father in the world. You are every father's role model. I thank god for you.
To my dad, I love you.

Amazing smile

Something amazing happened this morning. I woke up just 10 seconds before JT opened his eyes. The moment he saw me, he cracked a smile that made my heart melt. That is worth all the effort and sweat waking up a few times every night for him. To me, it's not about how hard is it for us, how much we do. It's to be thankful to have someone that makes our lives more meaningful. We should not think about how great ourselves are; sacrificing for him because he did not ask to be born. We do it out of love, not responsibilities nor investment for future returns. Babies bring happiness to us, and we do the same for them.

TTH

Is your problem not mine

I have talk to many mom and most tell me that their hubby never help in raising their children. I feel blessed and I feel angry for them and angry at them. Dads out there, come on, take responsibility. Afterall, your kids carries your name not the mother's. AND YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS TO WORK.
Moms out there, tell your husband that he needs to be part of this. YOU DONT HAVE TO BE A SUPERMOM. Maybe I am lucky but I didnt get to where I am without an effort to ask. Well, if you are not as lucky, too bad but don't expect/think the rest of other mothers should like you.

3 months - He can recognised me... loving every min of it...sob sob ;)

My baby so big and healthy ar. Thank you god for this. I actually build muscle by carrying him. Most of my clothes sleeves is tight now. Doesnt really bother me cause I am so proud of him.

I think he can recognise me, a few times I managed to stop him from crying so hard and loud even after many attempt from others. Boy, it feels so good. Selfishly, I do wish that he only needs and wants me. Maybe by this way it makes me feel that I am doing a good job being a mom. Till now, I am still worried if I am a good mom to him. I suppose is a question that will going on forever till the day I die.

Every new things he does is like opening a new window of happiness in heart. His attempt to lift his head, his longer and louder "ang goos" or "aaa", grabbing my mouth, raising his eye brow, his giggles, doing the sucking motion when he is in his deep sleep, sleeping with his mouth open, looking good in his polo T, putting his hands together, his manja face when you hug him so tightly, sitting quietly on the car sit ... all this little things. Moments that even camera cant really capture the real feeling. Is the moment when I tell myself that he is my purpose life. Moments when I know I must have done something right to deserve this. These are the moments of my life.

He is getting better looking as he grows. I can never thank god enough for his good looks. Thank you.

I can't wait for more sweet memories to be kept safely and surely in my heart. I love you, my cute son.

Month 3

It's been 1 whole month since I got back to work. I mean, started my new role, having to deal with brand new team of people. It was a total craziness in the first 2 weeks but as I'm starting to get a hang of things, it's not that tough afterall.

JT is growing day by day, very well. His unique characters are starting to show. He's a happy baby when he gets enough sleep, milk and poo well but extremely vocal whenever he's not feeling comfortable or having a stomachache. He can cry your roof off just because he needs to be burped. He likes constant noise while sleeping instead of a quiet environment. When it's too quiet, a pin drop would wake him up, he's very alert and sensitive. But with the TV on, he can sleep like a baby, literally....hehe...He is very manja and wants hugs and attention all the time. Leave him alone for 2 minutes and he'll start scolding you - not crying just yet, but scolding, for good 5 minutes before he starts crying. As soon as you pick him up, he stops shouting immediately. He sweats a lot especially when drinking milk. If you lay him down on your thigh while feeding, sometimes you can really see sweat flowing down or a patch of wet sweat on your pants. He loves it a lot when you face a fan directly at him with strong wind blowing. As much as his smiles bringing him the ultimate power over us, his frowns will get him anything he wants. He is just too cute to say no to. Someone said his eyes are the least attractive of all of him but I think I spend more time looking at them then anything else because they are different everytime he blinks and I'll never have enough of them. At 3 months of age, he is bigger than most of his peers or even weighs the same as other babies at 6 months old. That's because he is going to grow taller and healthier than many others.

TTH

I am going to win lottery, I just know it.

2 months has passed. It was as fast as a shooting star, passes you by without you noticing and yet its beautiful and magical at the same time.
This 2 months was one of the best days of my life. Spending those quality time with my son is priceless. He has grown so well and I feel like a proud mommy. Though we have a long way to go but I really really ... I mean really want to be with him every single moment. Not wanting to miss anything about him. During these last couple of days, I know I have been really emotional. Crying and laughing as I already start to miss him dearly.
I am excited to go back to work but I suppose is not enough to be away from him. He is my dear angel that looks exactly like his daddy. I am truly blessed but I think I deserve more than this. Or at least I want more than 2 months. I will win my lottery and be with him. ;p
My son, my baby, my king. I love you and I will miss you so much.
Mommy will work something out. I promise.

I wish.........

I’ve been blessed to be able to enjoy so much fun time at home for the past few weeks. Everyday was a new experience and new learnings. There is no such thing as “routine”. Each day was a different day, feeding time, changing time, crying time…….just when you think you’ve read so many articles about how to take good care of a baby, they will just pull something out that you are totally not prepared. It’s frustrating not knowing how to calm him down when he’s crying after trying everything from feeding to changing to dummy to carrying positions……I wish I know it all.

TTH

Do you have a good support system?

No one tells you that caring for a child is easy. That's why you need a good and strong support system. I think we have one and just moment ago I feel really blessed. I suppose we did good though both having only little sleep. Each of us now understands what needs to be done and doing the next things for each other really works. Example, changing diapers - daddy hold the baby, I go prepare for warm water. I pump milk, he stores it and wash up. All this without being asked to do. Makes life easier for both. The keys is we are always ready for one another and helping each other on the next task that comes along. Small things to big things. One at the time.
My first few days and weeks was tough. One things for sure is keeping my temper down was not easy. Feeding, changing diapers and pumping milk, man... how hard it is right? haha... trust me is more than that. You will get angry, you will feel like killing each other but STOP, KEEP COOL and EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.
Ladies, this is important. If you are going to have a baby soon and planning to, make sure you have a supportive husband. Well, not that you already don't know. Anyways, is a partnership that needs understanding, open to each other, patience, compromising and most importantly you need love (you must love your child and love each other). Why? Because when things gets really tough, you always need to remind yourself that you love one another. Both has good intentions and just need to work it out. TELL HIM or HER THAT YOU LOVE HIM or HER ALL THE TIME. It does really help.
You can't do it alone, ask for help. If you don't have a partner that is willing to do this, doesnt matter. Get your mom, relatives, friends or external help. Just get a good support team ready, your child needs it. Not only you, but for your child too.
I am also blessed with a great mom that is willing to help without complaining. She has been open to all my decisions and she helped without asking for any return. I really want to thank her and still figuring what to get her. I suppose no amount of money or present can repay the love she gave to my son, my hubby and to me. THANK YOU MUMMY, WE LOVE YOU ALWAYS.

Oh! THANK YOU BABY. WE LOVE YOU TOO ;)

Delivered 62kg, wk1=61kg (yay!), wk2=60kg, wk3=60kg, wk4=60kg (OH NO!)

What's happening? Why am I not losing weight? Well, I don't expect myself to immediate go back to my pre preggy state but 60kg? I gained 17kg and only lost 7 (baby+plasenta+water retention). So, I actually ate more for myself instead for the baby.
You thought you can exercise and eat balance diet to lose weight. Dream on, you are not allow to even lift up you hand or walk down the stair after delivery for at least 30days. Well, by right according to my trusted confinement lady (ah hem) confinement should be 100 days. Food that you eat during confinement is not going to help much either. We are suppose to eat every 4 hours.
Then again if you are breastfeeding you are required to eat good amount of calories to keep up the milk production. So, tell me how to lose weight lar. Some people tell me that breastfeeding speeds up the weight lost, but it is only a myth to me :(.

Just do it!

Time flies when you are having fun. My son is already 1 month old and I am really happy. So love every minute being with him this whole month. Reality kicks in as you realised you only have another month left of maternity leave.
Babies, they grow so fast. How I wish I can slow down the time and enjoy more of our moments together. I look forward to seeing him grow bigger and older but at the same time I am already missing the passed of him.
Many people will tells you not to hold your baby so often or hug him to sleep or even kiss him too much. Afraid that your baby may be to clinky to you or refuse to sleep without you hugging. You have germs and kissing your baby will transfer it to him. I use to say this to my sister or other mothers too. Now, all I can say to other mothers is I am so wrong and "Just do it". Hold your baby, hug them, kiss them.
No doubt that they will get used to your hugging and cuddling that they cant be without you. Whats wrong with that? If is hard for you when you are working or away in future, worry about it later. Live by the day, tomorrows problem can wait. This is what you have now, time with your baby, cherish it.
As long as it doesn't hurt him physically, read more info on what do and don't for medical reasons and also make sure that you are clean. Enjoy your time with your child, trust me is not enough.

His sleeping song

i love you
you love me
we're a happy family
with a great big hug
and a kiss* from me to you
won't you say you love me too?

jayden teoh
jayden teoh
i am baby jayden teoh
i love mummy and daddy
and they love me too
i am baby jayden teoh

What he can do......

Day 7 - Lift his head up while holding him against the chest, burping him
Day 8 - Turn his head from side to side lying down
Day 9 - Lift his head and turn to the other side lying face down
Day 10 - Push the hankachief away from the face while sunbathing
Day 12 - Hold his own milk bottle
Day 13 - Turn his body left to right while lying down

Fatherhood Pt 2

Have been trying to write this for days and seriously, no time! Taking care of a baby is a fulltime job. No kidding! 24 hours is just not enough.

From the moment we admitted to the hospital, emotions have been overflowing from deep inside. Many people asked how is it like, how does it feel like……well….there is nothing that feels like this. NOTHING. It’s a brand new experience, no pre-natal class, articles, blogs, sharing of stories can prepare you for this. The 2 seconds…….between the time of the last push, Jayden came out, doctor put him on his mommy’s stomach, my eyes became watery, the midwife cleared his throat and nose, wrapped him up, carried him to the little bed under the warmer, cleaned his body and finally his very first cry. That’s how many things happened within the 2 seconds and they just flashed through right in front of you. Maybe it was more than 2 seconds, but when I kept replaying the scenes in my mind, it felt like that.

Yes, this is special, witnessing own child’s birth is something irreplaceable. If anyone missed that, I suggest you try having another kid. If there is a way to describe it better, then it would be like, nothing else in the world matters except the three of us in the labor room. The mommy has gone through 9 months of hard work and I get to enjoy the very best of the whole experience, how can I ever repay that. Well, I can start by feeding him and changing his diapers more often. And even that, I kill for.

How to deal with the family members and not offend them? TOUGH. There are so many people who gave you advices. Choose some that make sense and ignore the rest. I thank them for their good intentions but I’m also sorry that I can’t follow everything you said.

Eyes to eyes contact. He likes to look at you and keep the mouth open. Makes you think what is really happening in the little head. Whether he is laughing at me that I’m so silly talking to a 5 day old baby and think that he can understand or just trying to register every single part of my face in his super computer brain so that every time he sees this face, he knows that this is the man called daddy. The innocent eyes, cute nose, right dimple, pointy chin, puffy chick, dark black hair…….. why is god so unfair to me…. makes me jealous only. Hehehe….. He’s got all the good things I never had and I’m so grateful that god has been good to me, He gave me JT. And of course, JT’s mommy.

TTH

My undying love for my son

First check up after delivery on the 4th day was not as smooth as we hope for. Baby Jayden was diagnosed with jaundice. Slightly right below the borderline, doctor think is best to put him under the phototherapy. My first night after so many months away from him.
That moment when I have to pass my son onto the care of the nurses at the hospital, was such a painful experience. I just fed him and as the nurses helped take off his clothes, I couldnt stop crying. My heart ached so badly, I felt my undying love for my son. I think my hubby was equally feeling the pain as he too was having teary eyes.
After one night at the hospital, my strong son is finally home. My sweet baby was wide awake and his large eyes looking at us as we take him home. The sense of relief, now I know the real meaning of parenthood.

Reminder

Ok, I only have a few minutes to write this blog while waiting for the soup to boil. Hopefully over the next 1 to 2 days I'll get a chance to sit down and document the experience. But for now, I just want to remind myself how special and wonderful it was for the past 2 days and also, to remind myself what an amazing and incredible job the mommy did for the past 48 hours. More to come, hopefully soon............

TTH

No dogs!! What??!!

Had lunch with a bunch of colleagues who happens to have kids of their own today. When they found out that Jayden is coming, they are all happy for me. However, right after I told them that I have Buffy and Momo, they started to give advises like “you should not have furry animals at home”, “it not good for the baby”, “no carpets, no cats, no dogs”........alright alright, I appreciate their concerns but they will never understand that Buffy and Momo are family. They are not just pets. Many people with cats or dogs at home raise their child perfectly fine. In fact, I just recalled that when I was very young, like 2 months old young, we had a cat at home, called Charlie, who actually jumped over me and even accidentally scratched my face (of course I can’t remember, I was told so). So, stop asking us to get rid of Buffy & Momo!

TTH

I can't help to add more picture of my irresistable baby mo. Melts my heart too.

Dreaming about my baby

Oh Boy! Oh Boy! Oh Boy! Just another 24 days to go. Excited! I am beyond that. Worried! I am so over that. I don't even know what I am feeling now.
It has been hard to sleep well at night especially now that I am experiencing high body temperature. I wake up few times a night to go pee and changing position due to heat and back pain. And in those short sleep or naps, I dreamt about my baby this few nights. I can't really recall my baby face but I can remember having my families surrounding us after I delivered. Such good dreams. Ah....
We anticipated that this boy will come to world sooner than expected and yet everyday seems like a long wait. I had a mild food poisoning from Wed which causes me to have tummy upset and contractions. Both panicked, worried and confused, not sure whether is the real thing or not. It was abit funny thinking about it. Well, saw the GP yesterday and confirmed that it was food poisoning as I did vomitted and had diarrhea. She said tummy upset can also trigger contraction so it was a false alarm. ;p

Finally, I completed the major projects at work and now I feel more relax. I think I am ready. I ask my hubby, he said he is ready too. Baby Jayden says "here I come".

Recent photo of Momo

I love these photos so much that I have to share them. They warm my heart everytime I look at them.

TTH

Coming soon or not? How I know leh?

So when are you due? This is what you will keep hearing when you approach your third pregnancy trimester. Well, here you are trying to work hard and making sure you clear all your work before your maternity. But at the same time you wish you have more time to think about your coming soon baby.

When is he coming? I don't know. I wish I know so I can plan better but I don't know. Even doctors cant tell you when. I am so excited and wanting to see him so dearly but at the same time I dont want him out so soon cause I need to clear my work stuffs. I am getting confused and stressed out. The only way to make things better is to win lottery. Hahaha... so no need to work then no stress lor. kekekeke....

Gong Xi Gong Xi

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!! Happy Chinese New Year!!!

My favorite holiday of the year. I don't know why, I guess it's the sense of reunion although this year, not everyone is around during the re-union dinner. Still, it's a great holiday to celebrate. Baby J is really missing all the fun for arriving only after CNY. :)

TTH

TG It’s Over

If you are pregnant and thinking about signing up for a pre-natal course, I suggest you save your money for something more meaningful. It’s not a total waste of time but 90% of the things taught in the course can be found in most of the pregnancy books/guides that you have already read. Things that you are not so sure of, just ask the doctor or the nurses.

However, there was a very interesting point they made. They actually encourage mothers to take care of the babies themselves instead of dedicating the responsibilities to the confinement ladies (CL). If you have hired a CL or a maid, they are handy in helping you cook, clean the house, wash nappies and all the other household stuff. NOT taking care of your baby, NOT feeding the baby, NOT bathing the baby and DEFINITELY NOT putting your baby to sleep. Why?! Well, the CL can only be there for you for 1 month. You can’t expect to be hands off for 1 whole month and suddenly take over after that because the baby has already familiarized himself/herself with the temp nanny and observing how to bathe a baby is so different from actually doing it. And the first month is the most crucial time for the baby and the parents as this is the beginning of everything that follows.

TTH

Prenatal Classes

Our prenatal classes consist of 4 sessions. Every Saturday for 2 hours but we have been to 3 and normally it last longer than 2 hours.
First class pretty much prepare you mentally that you are going to be a parent soon. The importance of bonding with your baby and etc. Honestly, I was kinda bored. ;p
Second class was about the labour. Would be a scary for some people, they will show you some video clips on natural birth and c-sec. So, if you are afraid of blood then this might help prepare you a little bit more.
Before the third class I was already deciding not to go. I guess I was exhausted from the party the day before and I hate being in the hospital for long period of time. Also, we certainly hate seeing the couple whom keeps talking during the class which is super annoying when you are trying hard to listen.
But not wanting to miss anything, we drag ourselves to go anyways. This session is about exercising and learning about the breathing methods during labour.
All I could remember was the last part when the mother has to lay down and the intructor will walk you through the course of breathing methods. We had to keep our eye close and........ I.......
SNOOZE........
HAHAHAH... throughout the whole process until she said "Now you can open your eye". ;p
Boy, did I have a good rest. Thank god I didn't snore. ;p

Buddha Jumps Over The Wall

Buddha jumps over the wall is an umbrella term for a type of highly complex Chinese soup or stew consisting of many ingredients of non-vegetarian origins and requiring one to two full days to create.

We had this last Friday. This is officially the most luxurious soup I have ever had in my life.

My Tiramisu

Tiramisu is Italian and means "pull-me-up" (Tirami su), a reference to the effects of the sugar and espresso, and can be translated figuratively as "pick-me-up".

Not the best Tiramisu in the world but I like it just the way I made it. ;p

First Good News in 2009

So, after 2 weeks of worrying and being on strict diet, it finally pays off. Doctor commented that the diabetic condition has improved and she can actually afford to eat a bit more carbohydrate food. It’s a big relief and we immediately proceed to a celebration by having donuts haha….

Alright!!! Keep the good news coming!!!

TTH