a tight squeeze

Some friends have commented that i look slim again. But i actually still have a 4-month tummy, ALL my bottoms dont fit, most of my tops look awful (coz of the tummy)... Every time i wanna wear something, i'm "surprised" i cannot even squeeze into it!!! So, i'm still wearing my maternity clothes most of the time. I wonder how long do other mothers lose all the excess bulk??? :(

The only pair of jeans that fit just nice now is a pair of "YOYO! jeans" that i didnt even have to unbutton at all coz it'll just go up & down my hips - with a few more inches of extras. I hardly wear it, but guess it'll be my new "favourite jeans" from now. All others that used to sit on my hips are now too tight to even button up!!!

I gained about 11-12kg during my pregnancy, but only 5kg came out together with baby Joel.

I figured the only weight i lost is the fats (water) on my face... Hmm...

2nd attempt

Yesterday, we brought baby Joel to Orchard Road with Elvis' brother's family. When their baby cried the minute we stepped into Taka, I was thinking "Hmm...heng our baby Joel seems happy." Soon, both babies took turns to cry...but theirs still cried more lah. Keekee... ;p

We learnt from experience to bring along the baby sling...coz it's no joke carrying a "sack of rice" when baby Joel wants to be carried. I heard a few people said he looks cute (when I carried him kangaroo-style), and i felt so happy! Heehee... O ya, the pacifier (which we just used on him a few days ago) also came in handy. Haha! ;p

Soon, Elvis' mother called and we had to rush back for dinner. Hmm...and we only arrived in Taka at 5pm. It was only about an hour. Hai...not shiok. Plus imagine all the effort and preparation stuff (milk bottles, diaper etc etc)...


O ya, look at these lovely shoes Aunty Stella made for baby Joel. I was deciding between the socks (left) or shoes (right)...and Elvis thinks the socks matched better.

1st month jab

Joel was clueless we were going to bring him for his 1st month injection. He looked so cute on the way there. Heehee... ;p

When the OUCH! came, he cried for a few minutes... Poor thing.


JOEL on 24 Jan 2008

1st shopping trip

We decided to go out shopping with baby Joel last Saturday. It's our FIRST family outing! Heehee... ;)

We decided on Marina Square since it's very accessible from City Hall MRT. (Cab fares on Saturdays are ridiculous now) He was very well-behaved and slept very soundly from the time we left home. We managed to shop shiok shiok for a few hours. Then when it was his time to be hungry, he went berserk or rather WE went berserk!!! We didnt know what to do with him coz fed him, changed his diaper, carried and coaxed him...but he still continued to cry... So we chop-chop took a taxi home. Then we realised that he was hungry again. Haha! Our baby with the BIG appetite!





We finally took out the "standby pacifier" the following day coz Daddy Elvis cant take it already. It's blurred coz he's sucking very quickly! He hasnt gotten the hang of it, so it pops out very easily...but i thinks he enjoys it a lot! Zooo-zoood... ;p

see the difference

Baby Joel wearing the same Gap romper on Day 4 (27 Dec 2007) and a month later (25 Jan 2008).
He's put on 1.8kg and grown 2.5cm


He now drinks 120ml (up from the 90ml)...and he still looks very hungry after that! Night feeds on 90ml was 2 hourly, on 120ml is about 2.5-3 hours. So you can imagine how tired we are by now...

role-play

Joel pretending to be Maneki Neko 招き猫 the Japanese lucky cat...

Baby, quick grow more hair!

and a fat chinese monk.

joel's first haircut

Baby Joel's first time at the barber. We were surprised he could sleep throughout the zeeeee...

joel's best friend

This is baby Joel's first best friend, Aunty Ann.

home haircuts

Today is our last Independence Day. The nanny will be leaving tomorrow morning, and we'll be caring for baby Joel fulltime. So, we decided to go out and paktor alone for the last time. Heehee...

We shopped around and bought some baby clothes and a Braun hair-clipper for baby Joel. His hair is falling off and it's all over his face and clothes, so we decided to shave it off for him. The hair-clipper was recommended by Ivan, and we thought it really made sense to buy it especially since our kid is a boy. Can save $ on future home haircuts.
THE MATHS: A kids hairsalon/cut at Vivo City costs a whopping S$20.
4 haircuts = the hairclipper

Daddy Elvis was also worried that the hair-clipper at the barber's shop is dirty...so we decided to get it early (for baby's FIRST haircut tomorrow). Haha! ;p

Hmm...I had thought that only bandang Chinese stick to the tradition of cutting babies' hair on their first month, but i googled this and found out that even the angmohs do it too! And they also keep a small section of it for posterity. Elvis' mother kept baby Joel's umbilical cord & his soon-to-be-cut-hair in a red packet for good luck too! (Some people even use the baby's first hair to make into caligraphy brushes)

I also found this WikiHow article useful. Baby/daddy/mommy wimp out on the haircut? No problem, take baby to the salon instead, and follow these helpful tips for making it a happy experience for your little one. Oh, and check out these good baby/toddler hair-styling tips too. Dont take chances especially with babies. ;p

joel's 1st month celebration

We celebrated baby Joel's FIRST month yesterday! He was so alert for a looong time in the morning and i wondered if he'll be awake at the "party" later in the evening. Heehee... Yea, i was right. He slept throughout. Dont be fooled. Usually, it's quite difficult to get him to sleep. ;p

Anyway, babies' first month celebrations are usually more for the adults to get together. Most of the time, people "forget" about the baby too. 1 of my friend even forgot to take photo for her daughter at her 1st Month Party - who's supposed to be the STAR! Keekee...

Some of our friends arrived at the chalet earlier than us, so we totally forgot about the balloons we had wanted to put up! Haha! I didnt take any shots too coz baby Joel was sleeping away and i only got a shot of the cake. I was sooo deprived of chocolate (coz of diabetes at the final stage of my pregnancy) that i ordered a TRIPLE chocolate cake - chocolate sponge + chocolate hazenut cream + chocolate crunchies! YUMMY!!!

There were quite a number of children, toddlers & babies yesterday, and they had their own get-together too! O, and not forgeting 3 moms-to-be. WAH! Instead of attending friends' gathering & weddings, our lives will soon revolve around lots of babies' get-together! ;)

THANKS to everyone who came, and for all the gifts & angpaos for baby Joel. ;)

embarrassed mommy

It's been so demoralizing that i dont have much breastmilk for my baby. Sometimes, it's only 10ml. He gulps down 90ml in barely 5 mins. When i'm "lucky", i might have 80ml a day - which is not even enough for 1 feeding.

I feel embarrassed when i store my 10ml bottles in the freezer,
I feel embarrassed that the nanny has to wash and sterilize the pump so many times (for that little bit of milk),
I feel embarrassed that my in-laws ask/know i have no milk,
I feel embarrassed the nanny feeds my baby more than i do,
I feel embarrassed Elvis has to pay for baby's formula milk,
I feel embarrassed when Elvis praise "Well Done!" to that 10ml,
I even feel embarrassed that i can go out shopping coz i dont need to feed the baby,
...
...
...
I'm embarrassed!

Friends told me not to give up (pumping), and that more milk will come in. I know, i know... It's just been demoralizing so far.

joel's 1st winter coat

Daddy & Mommy went shopping again! We wanted to buy something for Joel to wear for his 1st Month (coz we didnt prepare anything "special", and aunty says most babies wear new clothes). Instead of shopping for Joel, Mommy bought the same jacket as baby Joel (which we bought for him last week)! Haha! In a kids-size too! I think we will look very cute together, right? ;)

We were fussy about the design and "stingy" (coz many of the babies clothes we saw costs more than S$50!!! It's too much to pay for newborns!!! And boys didnt have much nice choices...), so we didnt manage to buy "the special clothes" for Joel's 1st Month. Stingy Mommy says can wear his 3mths clothes. He's a baby with a whole lot of clothes but nothing to wear - just like Mommy & Daddy! Kekee... ;p

7 Jan (see updated picture above):
Daddy Elvis & Mommy Jo went shopping (before the gynae's checkup), and we bought baby Joel his 1st winter jacket from Zara (coz it was on sale).

It's army-like with furry bits on the insides. It's too big for him now (and to make it "worse", it's a knee-length style for toddlers)...but since we're going to carry him when he goes to Shanghai a few months later, i guess it doesnt really matter that it's too big now. ;p

I can imagine that Joel will definitely look very cute & charming in it! Kekee... ;)

in daddy's arms

Mommy love this photo of Daddy Elvis holding baby Joel in his arms for the first time. It was our first precious moments together as a family. (Mommy could only zoom this shot lying on the bed coz she's still drowsy and nauseous from the anaesthetic)

pop

Naughty mommy decided to upload 1 of the photo Gynae Tham and his team took. Some are really gruesome - tugging baby Joel's head halfway out of mommy's belly (coz baby Joel was born c-section) & baby Joel shouting HELP!, baby Joel covered in "jelly" and crying on those green hospital sheets, baby Joel safely wrapped in daddy & mommy's arms for the 1st time and we were close to tears (sob sob). Heehee... We decided to spare our friends of those shots. ;)

We werent allowed to bring our camera in (maybe coz it's c-section), but good thing Gynae Tham had the Anaesthetist take these shots (and saved onto a CD for us) - seconds after our dear baby Joel was born.

P.S. Oops...note Joel's lips! Just like Daddy's.

routine

Hai...the Confinement Nanny is giving me headache again. She said that she has to leave on 22 Jan (instead of 24 Jan). Luckily it's only 2 days earlier (supposed to be 28 days).

We plan to start learning how to bathe the baby etc from next week. Aunty always bathe the baby so early in the morning that we're still zzz... Heehee... Now cannot be lazy liao. Need to know baby's routine and get accustomed to it. ;p

making faces

DAY 18 Joel

is it really me?

I'm very worried i'm suffering from post-natal depression. I've been crying easily over silly things...and since baby is too (lately), i'm wondering if he's feeling sad for me and/or i'm feeling sad for him. =(

I also get overly-suspicious of Elvis esp when he turns off his MSN Messenger or hides the windows when i walk near his computer. Hmm... Maybe i'm going bonkers. I believe we quarrel more in this 3 weeks than the 10 years we've been together combined.

Is he a good man??? I'm no longer sure of it...

ouch baby ouch

Baby Joel went to have the "extra flesh" removed today. We think that the doc seems like a quack doctor! Coz he merely snipped it off with a pair of scissors! (The Raffles Medical paediatrician told us that it'll be cut off using a special apparatus like laser.) It was very quick and we were told to press on it for 5 mins (while the doc talk-cork with us). Within 10 mins, we were out of the clinic...and it costs S$160+.

O man...it really seems like something the paediatrician could have done herself yesterday at her clinic...or even mommy if i'm brave enough. Haha!

Baby Joel cried throughout the "snipping" (maybe more from shock than any pain coz it's supposed to be not part of the baby's belly button/flesh so no nerves at all). When i held him after that, he stopped after a while. Hope he recovers fast.

Good night, my baby.

oops

Today, we brought Baby Joel to another paediatrician (my nephews' paediatrician at Raffles Medical Tampines)...and she said that he's overfed! Coz he's already gained 1kg in slightly over 2 weeks (16 days to be exact). He's now weighs 3.7kg. Most babies gain 1kg every month. Oops...

Maybe the nanny fed him more than what's necessary. No wonder we realised he's grown so much, and with rounder cheeks!!! But when we came back and told her, she said that he always does the "hamster" action...unless we wanna feed him less and give him the pacifier. Elvis is very against introducing the pacifier (although i bought it long ago for "standby"). Hmm...

O ya, the reason why we brought him to another paediatrician is becoz Joel has this "flesh" protruding from his belly button. This paediatrician (at Raffles Medical) referred us to another baby doctor (at Gleneagles) who will do this minor surgery to remove it. So sad...my little baby has to undergo an op. I hope it wont be painful. =(

P.S. Daddy & Mommy also went shopping today. Haha! Coz Daddy wanna buy a new camera to take shots of Baby Joel. I think it's an excuse. ;p

bored parents

We've been so bored that our room is officially a games room for Bejeweled 2. We started the week before baby Joel is out, and has still been at it - while the nanny cares for Joel (most of the time). It's very addictive! Even Aunty Sandra & Uncle Jerome is hooked!

TRY IT FREE ONLINE! (click)

milk like a cow?

Many people say that once u have a baby, u'll start to milk like a cow. I dont know if i'm plain lazy...coz instead of milking every 3 hours, i just milk like 3 times a day! And each time, it's not even enough for 1 feeding. (Sorry, baby) =(

I wonder how other mommies can stock up sooo many packs of their breastmilk in the fridge???

Baby Joel is on half formula-half breastmilk. We realised that he finishes 1 can of 400grams formula milk every week. And he's starting to drink more too. 90ml at each feed. His face is also rounder now. Sooo cute....

Joel: Yum yum... Mommy, I need more milk!
DAY 11 Joel

jo+el

1 - We used Joel's Day 1 photo.
2 - Then Joel's Day 6 photo...Hmm...
3 - And a not-convinced-Mommy reused the 1st round of Daddy-Mommy photos. Hmm... ;)

confinement?

My 2 weeks of confinement has been somewhat bearable. I'm not sure if it's becoz of the "Confinement" Nanny. She cooks dishes that doesnt seem/taste like confinement food, with the exception that i have to drink the red dates water every day like all "Confinement Mommies". Best of all, she lets me bathe EVERYDAY, again, with the exception that i had to wait till the 12th day to wash my hair. Before that, i couldnt imagine how i could stand all the confinement rules...but it wasnt so bad lah.

Some people even forbid washing hands under normal tap water, but i do it very often (when i cant be bothered to wait for the water to turn hot). She said that we can get people to "make" a special rice wine to wash hands etc, but it's just too troublesome. I just dry my hands after washing.

The best part of my confinement is that Elvis & i even went to the movies today! We also went shopping in Tampines one of the afternoons, whenever we can after our doctor appointments, and we're planning to go shop in Orchard after my gynae appointment on Monday. Down side is that i walk very slowly now (compared to my usual speed). Sometimes after walking for too long, my wound will hurt a little. So i plan to TRY to rest more in the afternoon to recover faster for my shopping trip on Monday! Haha!

(I believe i dont have as much rest as most confinement mommies in the day. At night, i just leave baby Joel to the Confinement Nanny.)

Hmm...what do i dislike??? Definitely the "heat"!!! I just feel very hot 24hrs a day. But we break the aircon/fan rules too. Confinement Nanny says it's ok to turn on the aircon, just dont let the fan blow directly at me. Incredible huh!

Both daddy & mommy are getting bored in being confined in the house...and maybe baby is too! ;p