my dear terry

We're leaving in 3 days. But before i leave, i really wanna write something about my dear Terry. Since Joel's arrival, he's become the new baby of the family. Even as i'm thinking of what to write about him (Terry), tears well up in my eyes. I just took 3 photos of him which i'll upload later.

I still remember how our whole family went berserk when Terry was lost July last year. When he was found 2 days later, it was so touching. Sob sob...

Terry's been sleeping at the back of the kitchen (washing area) for a few months now. Initially, he still roamed around the house as usual, and Joel is not scared of his barking too. What made us isolate Terry to the metal shelf is becoz he has ticks & fleas...and it's VERY BAD. He was "infected" after his visit to the groomer's. In fact, it has infested the whole house! We find them crawling on the floor, walls, beds, tables - even on our clothes! It's quite gross actually. And when my father scolds Terry, he'll hide inside a small corner (eg. underneath Joel's bed, or at the lowest rack of clothes) and wont come out. So, we've got no choice but to leash and confine him.

I'm on my feet literally for 24 hours/day looking after Joel that i dont have time for Terry - not even look at him or pet him. So, bathing him is left to my sis (who calls him BABY). At the most, i'll just call his name when i'm doing the laundry or washing plates (like in the picture). As you can see, he spotted me taking his photo from afar and even ignored me. =(

Actually, I'm more afraid of the ticks than fleas. The ticks are crushed easily and a lot of blood will splatter. They look very gross too. But the good news is that they have kinda disappeared from our house. Maybe the fleas have longer lifespan, and sometimes, we still see them around the house. They are kinda retarded now...crawling more slowly or curled up (their legs)...maybe coz no more blood for them to suck on. Most of the time, they look like a round brown dirt...so it's hard to spot on the wooden floor. But when you pick them up, they will run for their lives!

I guess we'll still continue to cage Terry up for a few more months coz we dont want the surviving ticks and fleas to host on Terry again.

When i went to Shanghai, Terry is the thing i miss most about Singapore. I hope he'll be happier when i see him again in October.

little feet

I bought more cute socks for baby Joel. But the "slippers" are too fair for his tanned skin! Looks like china-man wearing skin-coloured socks with slippers! Haha! ;p

Everyone likes the converse lookalike socks he always wear, but they're getting a little too small. Hmm...weird coz they're meant to be for 0-12months. Also realised that the "slippers" only came in 2pcs/box...hmm...a little overpriced, i think. Can buy real slippers!

celebrity blog

I was searching for some beauty products and came across this blog! Wow! I think it's the Taiwanese host Lan Xing Mei. Too bad i cant read. :/

Before i left Spore, i was so into these Taiwanese programs on health & beauty! Every Saturday morning also have to catch it at 11am, or else have to wait till the replay after midnight. It's actually very interesting. Haha! ;p

pooh diapers

These 3 designs are my favourite (of 6 designs) in the pack of diapers. So cute huh? I like to use the one with the nightcap for night. Have a good sleep, my little one. ;)

surprise suprise

Suddenly realised i was on the PC for so long! Baby Joel could actually sleep about 3-4 hours today!

I could eat a cake, wash milk bottles, change the water...

I just went to check on him, and he's still zzz... Keke... ;p
Tired but happy Mommy

tgi-sunday

Over the weekends, i brought baby Joel to my friend's house. Luckily he was well-behaved. We enjoyed our makan & gossip session. Aunty Linda's 2 kids were so funny and i almost chocked on my fishball laughing. Glad we had the chance to catch up before i left. ;)

The next stop was to Aunty BeeLing & Uncle Dave's baby Kaede's 1st month celebration. Surprisingly, Joel was very well-behaved too (especially since it's been almost 6hours since we've been out). In fact, he stole the limelight! Everyone said he was so cute! Aunty BeeLing said he looks like an NS boy with his crewcut and tanned complexion. Heehee... ;p

Mommy & Joel had a great day! ;D

-photos from Aunty JoLim-

cranky cranky

Baby Joel has been extremely cranky since early last week (till now). I've been so bad-tempered too.

Usually, he will sleep for at least 2 hours each time during the day after his feeding, and only waking up for his milk again. Sometimes, he can sleep for as long as 4 hours each time. So it's an 'eat-sleep-eat-sleep' cycle. Now, he wants to be carried all the time! Once i put him down, he will cry non-stop till he's almost breathless. It's heart-breaking to look at him.

And when he's finally very tired, he will fall asleep on my shoulder (for about 30mins) only to wake up again coz the 3-hours is up...and it's time to drink his milk (again). It's very exhausting for me, and I'm going to breakdown too.

God, please help me. Give me more endurance AND patience.

P.S. He's in a happy mood in the photo. It's NOT cranky mode.

zzzeee

This is baby Joel's customized sleep profile. Get yours here too. Sorry, it's only for babies/toddlers up to 36 months only.

So far, i've been relatively okay with making Joel sleep at night. But sometimes, he gets really cranky...and i'll have a super hard time. He'll cry non-stop for very very very long...till he can hardly catch his breath... making everyone in the family "worried"... and Mommy very frustrated.

Some days, he's such a darling...he can fall asleep on his own (but need to suck his pacificer lah), or just after patting him for 5 mins! These days, i'll be so proud of him...and myself! Haha!

O sometimes, he can be such a kaypo too. When he's half-asleep and i put him down in his bed, he'll wake up - with eyes wide open - to look at the toys (which i try to block with a pillow), and even the prints on his bedsheet! Haha!

confession

"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God" (Psalm 50:23). "A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof" (Proverbs 18:20-21).

Read all here

3 months today

Our little Joel is 3 months old today! He had injections on both his right & left thighs - the Pneumococcal & 5-in-1 vaccines. OUCH OUCH! He cried louder for the 2nd shot, but only for a while. He fell asleep almost immediately after that. Heehee... ;p

He now weighs 6.8kg! WOW! No wonder Mommy has muscles! Grandma helped us take this photo so that I'll know how much bigger he is compared to when he was born. Oops, looks like his head is almost the same size as mine! LOL!

3-4mths Assessment (from HealthBook):
When your child is placed on his stomach, he can lift his head so that the angle between his face and the surface he is lying on is approximately 45 degrees. (Head up 45 degrees)
Joel could do a 90 degrees! Doc says most chubby babies cant even do a 45 degrees. ;)

cute tees

We were at a baby fair, and baby Joel got 2 new tshirts! Cute huh! Haha...the brand is called Bao 宝 (Chinese for 'baby/precious'). So ching-chiong!!! You can get them online here too!

privacy please

This reminds me of our zoo trip last week. Haha! Maybe we're being insensitive to animals.

Subscribe to these comics here. Sometimes, it can be quite funny. Keeps you sane.

mom's on mc

Mommy Jo has caught the flu bug. That explains the headaches and stiff neck... :(

the pacifier gang

i'm only 2.5 months

Today, we went to Gleneagles to see Aunty Serene & Uncle Andrew's new addition - #3 Gabriel. He's a lovely baby with sharp features just like his 2 sisters! They're such a beautiful family. ;)

At the hospital, 1 of the nurse thought that baby Joel is 4 months old! Haha! He's got everyone fooled! 2 days ago, Mommy Jo went to buy another babysling/pouch on special offer at Isetan. As always, whenever there's a good deal, all the Mommies will be there! Kekee... ;p

Everyone says 'Well Done!' to baby Joel. 1 of the mommy whose daughter is about 3month+, she helped me carry Joel while I try the sling on. She said his neck is very strong, and he's almost the same weight as her little girl! Another mommy's girl was also about 2months and she looks like, well, a baby. Joel looks like a BIG BOY!

cant go bangkok

Daddy Elvis just arrived in Bangkok today for work. He'll be there for 1 week.

A few weeks ago, i was planning to bring baby Joel to Bangkok to meet Daddy there. Checked out the promo airtickets which was a good deal, but needed at least 2 adults to fly together. Only S$500+ for 2 adults & 1 infant. But i cant find someone to go with me. Finally gave up the thought. Very sad.

Then last week, my eldest sis asked me about the night flight i used to take to Bangkok when Elvis was working there. Her husband had to go there for some work too, and she's thinking of bringing the kids there Thursday night-to-Sunday. So i quickly went online again to check the tickets. ALL SOLD OUT! Only left First Class departure and Business Class return. Very very sad. No choice, gotta wait till April to see Daddy.

Anyway, Daddy says he's thought of bringing us there this year (fly from Shanghai) to see Uncle Aye before he goes to UK. Yippie! So Mommy just hang in there for a while more.

what a headache

I'm having a terrible headache today. Must be the (hot) weather - after all that rain. Or maybe my 'Staying Indoors Syndrome' is back. I used to feel giddy and nauseous if i had to stay at home all day. O YES, i've been "cured" of that sickness!!! Weird how i didnt even realised that i was healed. Heehee...

Now that i recall, carrying/having baby Joel kinda made me stay home more. When i was pregnant, i still loved to go out. Somehow, after he's born (and looking after him 24/7) makes me have second thoughts about going out. Okay, make that triple thoughts. Even when transportation isnt a problem (when my sis drives), i would still hesitate about going out. Just thinking about the preparation work before we leave the house is enough to put me off.

This is what goes on in my head:
1. Going out about how many hours???
2. Gotta pack how many 3-hourly bottles + 1 extra + 1 extra for water???
3. Fill them up two-thirds with lukewarm water, and bring the remaining hot water (in a flask).
4. Divide the formula milk in the "special container" (which i've grown to love for the ease of pouring it out QUICKLY).
5. Bring extra diapers & wipes. (Has he pooed today???)
6. Grab an extra romper, towel, bib, tissue...
7. Take the pacifier (very important).
8. Take the babysling.
9. Pack the diaper bag neatly. (I like to find everything that i need easily)
10. Make sure my purse & keys are in too.
11. Need umbrella/cardigan (for myself) and the stroller rain cover???
12. What else, what else, what else... Hmmm...

It does seem like a lot of work huh! Even as i type this list, i'm trying to see what else did i forget to "pack in"! Haha!

No more days of carrying your own nice nice bag to match your clothes. Just wear whatever is easy and/or feels comfortable - especially with the babysling on. No more days of letting your hair down coz baby Joel has learnt to pull my hair!!! No more days of putting some extra things in your bag. Just cash & keys will be good enough. Or else the bag will be too heavy.

Ok, we're staying indoors today. So this is just prep-work in my head. Hmm...is that causing the headache?! But i'm planning to go shopping with baby Joel (alone) tomorrow. Hope i dont get one of those Triple Thoughts again. ;)

off we fly

We've kinda decided on the date we're flying "home" to Shanghai with baby Joel. Tentatively, it'll be the first weekend of April during the QingMing festival when it's a public holiday in China (so Daddy doesnt need to take so many days leave at his new job).

The weekly online newsletter about travelling with your baby came in so timely! Usually when a baby cries onboard, it can be such a nightmare for both the parents & other passengers alike.

Let's just pray for the best ride for Baby Joel! AMEN!

trip to the zoo

Today, it was Joel's first time at the Singapore Zoo with cousins Xan & Xavier's family. It was also his many firsts - 1st time getting a taste of ice-cream, coke...and even GLOW! Heehee... ;p

i want sashimi

take it away

Hey, Mommy! Take this off me now! I'm no girl, ok!


And are you trying to be funny putting this towel on my head??? Take it away before i get really mad! :/

painful?

Dearest Baby Joel,
If you ever get to read this blog, I'm sorry that i sometimes beat your buttocks (quite hard) and scold you when i'm frustrated coz you keep crying and i really dont know what you want. My tshirt reeks of your milk, i need to shower and i'm hungry. I hope it doesnt hurt - behind the diapers.
Love always,
Mommy Jo

sexy butt

family ties

I had a good laugh when i saw these! How sweet! ;p

1 cool gadget

I was browsing for some online purchase (again)...and kinda needed a calculator...and here's 1 damn cool and sweet little thing! Placed it at the right column - just in case you need it one of these days too. Or better still, just copy it onto your blog! ;)

flippers

Baby Joel just did a flip!
I was looking at him (lying on his stomach as usual)...and he seems kinda tilted to his right...so i helped him flip over once...then put him back into the 1st position. The next minute, he did the flip again - all by himself!!! I am amazed at his progress! WOW! He's a Hercules!

Last week, i was just reading about my friend's daughter who did her first flip (i think it was a 'flip-to-the-front' stunt coz she was smiling so happily lying on her stomach)...and i was wondering when will Joel learn to do that. In fact, i wasnt even sure what's the "normal procedure" - first lift head, then flip (backwards & forward), then sit, then crawl...??? But I'm sure running will come last, huh. And we have to CHASE! Haha... ;)

90% lookalike

Elvis & i think that our baby Joel looks like a Hong Kong actor.
Bobby Au Yeung (Zhen Hua) 歐陽震華 (left).
My sis & Elvis think that Joel looks like another Chinese child actor Hao Shao Wen (right). O, it's not the cuter monk on the far right. It's the fat monk at the bottom. (!!!)


Haha!
Mommy Jo is very sad...but have to admit that it's a match! :/

scatter tees DIY

I got this Mama-to-Mama newsletter, and here's a brilliant idea!


DIY 1 (from above picture)
Kids get attached to their favourite toys, clothes, anything that gave them wonderful memories. So don't throw those t-shirts away. They make creative casings for scatter cushions. Sew up the sleeves and bottom before you fill them with craft fills. Sew the neckline and you now have some very unique decorative cushions, a roomful of memories and happy children.
P.S. You can buy the stuffings from Spotlight. $5 will get you a VERY HUGE pack!

DIY 2 (Credit: Daddy Elvis & Mommy Jo)
Don't throw away rompers which are getting a little too short/tight at the bottom. Cut off the bottom part. Viola! You've got a new tshirt AND a panty/brief (just joking)! Your little one should be able to wear the "new" tshirt for a few more months (esp at home). Best part is, you dont even need to sew the hems coz tees dont fray. If it doesnt fit again and you wanna keep it, see DIY 1.
EXTRAS: Add some iron-ons, buttons, badges...and you've got another "new" tee!

Transformation of cute Joel to KickAss Joel:

disney babies

Joel's Mommy has always been a sucker for all things kawaii. I first saw the kiosk making these customised stickers when i was still pregnant and already wanna make them for Joel! Haha... Finally saw the kiosk again today! So happy!

There's so many cartoons to choose from! I would have loved to make my fav Bambi, Marie The Cat, or even Sanrio's Shinkansen. But let's just stick to the "more boyish" prints for Joel. This very baby & unisex design is $7 for 72 stickers and comes in a mini holder. Prices from $5/60 stickers (for most designs)...and there's $10/4 badges which i wanna make next time coz i couldnt decide on the cartoon character. Heehee... ;p

what a beautiful voice

Everyone GOTTA check out this really beautiful voice (click). I believe the MTV was shot in the charming parts of Shanghai - backlanes at the very modern Xing Tian Di, old streets near colonial The Bund, and her nice little cafes...

I think this lady is truly amazing! She writes her own songs, getting them posted - walking to the DV to press START/STOP and all... She's got to make it! Or has she already (???) with the MTV and makeover. Go on to read more about her here (click). Not sure if she's Japanese though...coz she goes by an English and a Japanese name.

U've got to see her, okay!

beat the chill

Baby in Training:
"Daddy, Look at my new hat! Dont worry about my neck (err...do i have a neck???) ...my double-chin can keep it real warm." ;)

umbilical hernia

It seems our baby has a condition known as umbilical hernia, and we had it "repaired" when Joel was about a week old. During his 1st month jab, the paediatrician also looked at it again and she said it's fine now. However, we're still worried coz his belly button's still a little protruding, or rather it doesnt look like what it should be - "going inwards".

My sis asked me to call and double-check with the paediatrician again. She was very nice (to even return my call. OMG, i'm so touched.) and assured me that it should go away when he's about 1 years old. She also asked me to look up the internet first for some pictures (of the serious cases), then if i still think it's very bad, i can then go down to her clinic to have it checked again. Hmm...I was thinking "Wah! Got $ earn she also dont want arr?" Coz consultation alone will also cost about $50 even w/o any medication (which was what we paid when we went to her to check out his condition the first time. No medication whatsoever, just a referral to another doctor for the surgery).

In any case, at least i feel relieved now that our baby is ok. ;)

P.S. We also checked out the paediatricians in Shanghai, and it's really exorbitant! Every trip will cost about 1000rmb/S$200!!! Sounds like daylight robbery to me! :(

inquisitive boy

2 months

People always comment that Joel is 'stout' or 'chubby'. I guess it's just a nicer way of saying 'fat'. Yes, I see those "extra lines" on his arms and thighs, and fear that he's slowly becoming the Michelin man. ;p

Whenever he's outside and makes some noise, well-meaning aunties and grandmas will tell me "He's hungry, he's hungry... See, he stick out his tongue" But it seems our baby loves to play with his tongue - even when he's NOT hungry. Heehee... ;p

Maybe all that eating is making Joel a strong little baby. At 3 weeks, he's able to turn his head from left to right while lying on his stomach. At 1 month, he's able to lift it up. Recently, he suddenly realised the toys on his bed (just above his head where he sleeps), and can lift his head up high for a few minutes...then rests and lifts it up again. I'm looking forward to the time when he can do a flip, sit, stand, walk, run...and SHOP with me! ;)

The sounds he makes now are...ang-gu...an-groo...ah...aii...eerr...hehehe...hi...hello...angry... Yes (!!!), and he sure looks ANGRY! Haha...

grrr...

When you're very angry, do you clench your teeth?
I realised that i do that whenever i look at baby Joel...but it's out of LOVE ♥ ♥ ♥ and coz he's sooo cute and cuddly and handsome and... Okay, sometimes when i'm "a little angry" with him (when he cries non-stop for ?-reason), i also clench my teeth too - out of frustration. ;p

It's kinda like a weird "habit" of mine (to do it out of loving someone)...and i'm beginning to worry that all my teeth will crack by the time my boy grows up to make me mad enough with him! What a Crazy Mommy!

warm knit

Look at this cool blanket Aunty Sandra knitted for baby nephew Joel! Isnt it pretty! It's his first"wen nuai pai" (aka "warm brand"). Baby's mama cannot imagine going through another knitting ordeal. Haha! But maybe Joel is not as fussy as Daddy. ;p

O ya, and i was just told that kids really do like to touch these tags - on blankets, clothes, and what-have-you!!! Amazing huh!!!

Check them out here.

gamer mom

Baby Joel is sleeping more now. He takes afternoon naps and also sleeps a little in the evenings. I'm very happy coz it gives me time to do things i enjoy - blog (like now), facebook, sit down properly to eat - other than just washing milk bottles and sterilizing them whenever i can. (Usually it's done with a crying baby in the background)

The best part is i now get to play my favourite game Bejeweled 2 a few times a day! If he cries when i'm playing, i'll just pause the game and carry him in front of my laptop. Then i'll pretend he's also enjoying the sounds and colours! I'll keep saying "Look! Look!"...and if he continue crying, i'll try to shake him a little in the hope he'll stop so that i can continue to play for as long as i can. Usually it works! Hahahaha... ;p

our match-making session

Haha! Elvis & i just managed to download Skype and use the webcam successfully! We were so "sua-gu" and couldnt stop laughing when we saw each other on screen. He said we looked like people match-making. (Yes, this is how we look at home - nerdy in specs) ;p

We've been calling each other everyday on the phone ever since he was working in Bangkok & Shanghai. (Yes, imagine my phone bills!) Even though we knew about Skype, we prefered using the conventional method coz it somewhat "feels closer".

Now that we've tried it, i still prefer using the telephone. But it's good that Daddy can see baby Joel until they meet face-to-face again in April. ;)

caring for your baby

my thoughts exactly

Try as i might, it's still not working out for us... Should i just give up?

Your life: Guilt over not breastfeeding

Today's society puts a lot of pressure on new moms to breastfeed. No doubt breast milk is the perfect first food. However, there are many reasons why breastfeeding just doesn't work for some women and their babies, including illness, discomfort, and frustration.

Guilt over not breastfeeding can hit especially hard if you had planned all during pregnancy to do so but then circumstances, such as having a preemie or a c-section, made it impossible or more difficult than you'd expected. Some moms find that after hours and days of breastfeeding attempts, their breasts simply won't produce enough milk to satisfy their newborn.

Both breast milk and commercial formula nourish growing babies. If you've given up on breastfeeding — or are thinking of doing so — be sure to discuss your choice with your doctor or a certified lactation consultant. Talk through your feelings and don't be too hard on yourself. The main thing to remember is that how you feed your baby is ultimately not as important as providing her with love and care.

Taken from BabyCenter

not that hungry anymore

A few weeks ago, we started Joel on 150ml feeds (as stated on his formula milk tin) hoping that he'll sleep longer periods and have less feedings in a day. He could sleep up to 5-6 hours in a stretch. BUT it was successful for only 1 day.

He went back to his 3-hourly/120ml feeds, and almost always leave behind 20ml. He even vomits some of the milk too. Maybe it's too "jer-lak" for him. Whatever happened to our Very-Hungry-Baby?!

When we "upgraded" from the 125ml Avent bottles to the bigger 260ml bottles, the size looked quite amusing on little Joel. Although it's only half-filled, i decided to continue using the big bottles coz it seems the milk powder dissolves better in the bigger space. Shake, shake, shake...

Hope it doesnt make our baby any more colicky.

more of joel

He's smiling more now...and looks cheeky sometimes. He has small eyes like Mommy & big nose and lips like Daddy but i think he's still cute! Heehee... ;p

joel's passport

We took so many shots for baby Joel's passport. These are the shortlisted ones. And the final selection is the bottom/middle pix. Cute? Hope we get its approval from ICA soon. ;)

we miss daddy

Elvis left for Shanghai yday to earn money for diaper and milk. Mommy was sooo sad (Elvis' mom too). It'll be just Joel & i for now until we join him again in April. Hope time flies FASTER FASTER FASTER!

valentine's day with joel

We went out for Valentine's lunch (instead of dinner to avoid the crowd) at Dempsey Hill. It was my 1st time there. Quite a nice and relaxing place which didnt feel quite like Singapore. We also explored to another "hip new spot" in Singapore - Mount Sophia Road - where Old School is located. The place looks familiar and i know i've been there before, but i couldnt recall what it used to be. It was only in the middle of the night when i was feeding Joel that i suddenly recalled it was MGS (my ex-"sister school").

Oops...photos on Elvis' camera. Will upload next time.

our little punk

All set to go out yesterday to collect some angpaos at Uncle WeiYang & Aunty Janice's house. Then off to Uncle Joji & Aunty Asha's house to see his new friend - little Riya! Here's her granny carrying baby Joel. Zzz as usual when he's out...

reunion dinner

Baby Joel's first reunion dinner on 5 Feb.

babytalk

What do you usually say to your baby (even though he doesnt understand a word you say)?
Is your voice 1 pitch higher? Do u baby talk?

Jo's mom: "Jo-eeelll..."
Jo's dad: "Who good boy? Joel good boy. Who good boy? Joel good boy. Di di di di..."
(and Aunty Sandra & Mommy Jo will say "Door closing"! Haha!!!)
Elvis' mom: "O-la ola ola ola ola ola ola ola ola... M-m-m-m-m-m-m, M-m-m-m-m-m-m, M-m-m-m-m-m-m... Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok... Gao gao kun, gao gao kun, gao gao kun, gao gao kun... O-la ola ola ola ola ola ola ola ola..."
(Grandma Chau usually talks without any fullstops or commas too)
Elvis' dad: " "

hamstering

Just realised that my friend's baby who is 5 months old only drinks 100ml (of breastmilk) and feeds every 4-5 hours.

Baby Joel - being 5 weeks old - gulps down 120ml hungrily and feeds every 3 hours! He seems to have an alarm clock on him too! And it rings before mine!

This is him hamstering...



Old Wives' Tales:
The baby does this coz the mother starves herself when she's pregnant.
And my mother-in-law says "Har lor, har lor" to this. (Fuming Mommy)

Baby Joel also seems to be very impatient. He's cranky and cries a lot - especially when he wants his milk FAST! Everyone seems to think he inherited his bad temper from ME!!! This makes mommy even more pissed and stressed!
It's bullshit again, right???
Mommy Jo just has to take the blame for anything bad that baby Joel do/is. (Fuming & very sad Mommy)