1st Child, 2nd Child, 3rd Child

I just had to post this.....one of my personal favourite
All mums will identify with some of it, I do!

Your Clothes
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYNconfirms your pregnancy. 2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for aslong as possible. 3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regularclothes.

Preparing for the Birth
1st baby: You practise your breathing religiously.2nd baby: You don't bother practising because you remember that last time,breathing didn't do a thing. 3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8thmonth.

The Layette
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, colour-coordinate them & foldthem neatly in the baby's little bureau. 2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean & discard only the ones with the darkest stains. 3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries
1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown - you pick up the baby. 2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your first-born. 3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Pacifier
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it. 2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle. 3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not. 2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed. 3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour. 2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics. 3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going out
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a babysitter, you call home umpteen times. 2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached. 3rd baby: You leave instructions for the babysitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby. 2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby. 3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing Coins
1st child: when first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays. 2nd child: when 2nd child swallows a coin, youcarefully watch for coin to pass. 3rd child: when 3rd child swallows a coinyou deduct it from his pocket money.

The Final Chapter

2 more weeks to the end of my job and counting down.

As I enter into the final chapter of a career that's spanned nearly 10 years, I can't help but feel emotional. Aptly, the very last batch of trainees I've trained graduated today. My last 'bunch of crew'. As I watch them perform and receive their graduation letters on stage, my mind floated to the day more than 9 years ago, where I was on the same stage, performing, receiving my letter and winning the best groomed award.

Yesterday, I was introduced to a new colleague, who has just come 'on ground'. He recognised me as the interviewer who interviewed him 3 years ago. I'd told him "I'll give you a chance." And now he's here. Kind of nice to know you had a role to play in creating turning points in someone's life. "I'm glad I gave you that chance." I said to him.

I know time will never turn back and the day has finally come for me to hang up my kebaya - for good. (I've always harboured hopes of wearing it again one day.) As I close this book after the final chapter, I will begin starting a new book. Like my trainees, I'll be moving on to another stage in my life. The past 10 years has been both enriching and fulfilling. Without the past chapters, I wouldn't be what I am today. I'm sure I will look back with fondness on the many memories I've created. It's gonna be hard saying goodbye to the 'world' I've lived and grown up with.

10

Flu is in the air

The 2 boys contracted a nasty flu bug last week. Baby X got it worse than his brother. His chesty coughs bothered the pediatrician so much that she prescribed antibiotics for him (as well as KK).

Poor baby, he's got 4 different types of medication to take everyday. Last night, Baby X coughed so much that he vomitted on the bed. In the middle of the night, we tried to clean him and change him. As for the bed sheets, we beared with the dampness till morning. Baby X is very brave though, he didn't cry one bit. But every cough he makes makes me sad.

Today, Hubby left for KL again. This is really bad timing. I'll be alone with the sick kids (literally) at night for one whole week. As if this is not bad enough, he took with him to KL the car remote lock and the spare set of car keys as well! Now my car is flashing its hazard lights non-stop and the alarm goes off whenever we try to open the door with the key. No choice, have to spend some money to disarm the car alarm for the time being.


10 - Hoping there'll be no more crisis for the rest of the week.

Milestones

Baby X is 9 months and 2 days old! Our baby is growing up!

Recent Milestones

• Eats porridge instead of infant rice cereal.
• Takes water from a sipping cup.
• Learning to slide down the edge of the bed legs first.
• Claps his hands.
• Looks at the lights when you say 'light light'
• Looks at objects where you point.
• Able to change from tummy to sitting position.
• Shows preference for certain people to carry him.
• Makes lots of sounds and expressions when in the mood.
• The upper front teeth is starting to pop out from his gums.

Logic of a 5 year old

Telling a 5 year old mummy's not gonna be a working mom anymore

KK: Mummy, I want you to stay with me.
Me: Mummy is going to stop working in October. Then I'll stay home with you.
KK: October, I don't need to go to school? Is it holiday?


Trying to comfort a 5 year old from his mosquitoe bites

Me: You know why the mosquitoe bite you? Because you are very sweet.
KK: Sweet?
Me: This means you are very nice.
KK: So if I'm rude, the mosquitoes won't bite me?


A 5 year old learning Chinese

KK: (pointing to an orange) Papa, that's my name.
PP: Huh?
KK: 'Cheng' (mandarin for orange). 'Cheng En Kang' (The Chinese pronunciation for Tan is 'Chen')

The Rise & Fall of Baby X

Using his head as a pivot, Baby X is getting very good at pushing with his legs, buttocks up in the air. He does this regardless of terrain (my chest, the pillow or the floor) and without concern for consequences (there's no such word in babies' dictionary). Using this method, he is able to climb over obstacles and even maneuver himself from the crawling position to the sitting position. Eventually, tonight, it led to his downfall - literally. Baby X falls from the bed, just 1 minute after I leave him asleep in the room, surrounded by a barricade of pillows/bolster. It took a few minutes of sobbing, with eyes still closed, before he goes back to sleep - thankfully with only a swollen mouth and flatter nose.

On a brighter note, today was actually a great day of achievement for Baby X. He learnt that touching his palms together makes a noise! Baby X seems rather proud of this feat and kept practising it the whole evening. Clap, clap, clap...all of us applauded this milestone in his life.

Sleep - How can I see you again?

After 2 nights of badly interrupted sleep, my body finally showed signs of fatigue this morning with a splitting headache. For this, I have no one to blame except me, myself and my 'active' mind. You see, when I wake up in the middle of my sleep, for whatever reason, there is a high chance I cannot get back to sleep again once my mind becomes alert.

Previously when I was breastfeeding, this problem is minimized as I’ll simply pull Baby X towards me and breastfeed him half awake. After we returned from Brisbane, I had totally weaned him off. So when he wakes up at night, Hubby is there to make the milk and wash the bottle. I just have to stuff the bottle into Baby X’s mouth and hold it, trying to maintain my semi-conscious state of mind.

These last 2 nights, Hubby went overseas for work. I had to wake up and make milk for Baby X, feed him and then wash the bottle. I will then refill the water and milk powder to prepare for the next feed. After all these activities, I climbed back to bed and spent the next frustrating hours trying hard to return to dreamland. My awaken mind will unconsciously start to wander off and I will catch myself thinking about stuff about work, home, kids – anything under the sky! Those of you who can identify with this will know that it is the nightmare of all nightmares! I’ll tell myself, ok, stop thinking about this now and even try counting my breathing (inhale – 1, exhale – 2) to focus my thoughts. 90% of the time, it doesn’t work. I’ll eventually fall back asleep after tossing and turning for about 2 hours.

Half an hour after that, Baby X stirs again…..arrgh, time for the next feed?