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)

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...