2 months old

2-month old now and I've grown! Now i am 5.4kg and mami is starting to find me heavy to carry about all the time. They have also shaved my head, making me look more like a boy than a dainty little girl *sniff*. Worse thing was, now my hair is growing out all patchy. Mami said the 'hairy' part belongs to papa and the bald patches belongs to her. Funny grown-ups. And there is laolao who kept rubbing my head with some funny alcohol thingy. I don't think mami and papa think it works but still, laolao persisted.


Before CNY, papa was attempting to take my photos for my passport. As you can see, I am not really cooperating because it was more fun trying to do funny faces. See bottom left? That's my impersonation of a king-pin terrorist. Fierce right? Bottom right is my "Gah" face. Hee hee, too bad papa didn't use this for my passport. I think the immigration officer would have enjoyed it. Top left is my usual "don't mess with me" look. Top right is my warning face, for when people disturb me while i am sleeping.


Anyway, after a while I thought better give some nice smiling shots for my passport so that papa can stop flashing that 'giant nipple' looking camera at my face. I thought bottom left was pretty good but mami decided to go with bottom right. Maybe cos' my eyes looked bigger in that one or she thinks one eye big, one eye small look is IN.


During CNY, I wore my very first dress that Aunty Winnie bought for me from US. Everyone thought i looked really cute but i am still a little miffed that i have no hair. Here i am with my very first angbao from papa. Mami said since papa gave the angbao, she don't need to give and anyway, she has already given me breastmilk which she say is priceless. I think mami is just being stingy *snort*. For my first CNY, i received many many red packets from all the relatives uncles and aunties. Papa was quite impressed. I have a feeling that this is the first time papa and mami got so much angbaos.

Over the last month, i also started to have some time to notice more things around me. All i remember from my first month was alot of sleeping, people changing my diaper and milk-milk time with mami. But now, i realized that there is a funny turning mobile on top of my bed. Sometimes mami will switch it on for me and it will go round and round. I don't like to stare at it took long because it makes me dizzy as i kept twisting my head a round to catch the next animal going round. The mobile makes music too but i much rather listen to 'live' music, especially when mami sings to me, cos' i get to look at her mouth moving. It really tickles me when people talk near my face and i see all the mouth movements. Makes me want to move my own mouth and make sounds too.

Mami said nowadays i am more 'managable'. I think it is cos' i am sleeping longer now at night. I usually know that mami wants me to go sleep on my own bed when she wipe me down, it becomes dark and she cuddles me close after milk-milk time. It is hard not to feel sleepy when it feels so nice and warm, with a dry diaper on my bumbum. After cuddling for a while, mami will wrap me up all cosily with my blankie and put me in bed around 9pm. Usually, i will have another milk-milk time at midnight (this time with papa and the milk bottle) but i am hardly awake when i drink the milk so can't remember much. Then next time i know, it is already 5-6am.

In the day, I am very good too. Once i finish my milk with mami, i will go poopoo. I finally realized that the 'ng-ng' sounds mami makes means to poopoo. Mami always laughs when i make the same sound as she helps me to poopoo. Papa say i am like him. Very regular. Once i poopoo finish, mami will bathe me and let me splash around in the tub. I like weekends when papa is the one that bathe me, because his expression is very funny when i pee on him while he is cleaning my face. I don't really have a chance to do it on mami because she always clean my face very quickly and then put me in the tub. I still nap alot in the day but i've been waking up more and like to have people talk to me. I also like looking out the windows where it is bright and being carried around for walks. Laolao thinks mami spoilt me by carrying me too much but she and gonggong carries me alot too. Heh heh.

This month is also the first time i saw my QQs and Aunty Winnie. QQs are mami's brothers. There is the Big QQ who likes to talk to me and put my photos on his own msn. He works in HK and always ask papa if got new photo of me on flicker. There is Small QQ who works in China. He doesn't talk to me much but he bought me cute chinese shoes and click his fingers to entertain me when i am bored in the car. Both my QQs don't dare to carry me, unlike Aunty Winnie who is papa's sister. She is very pretty and she bought me alot of pretty clothes. Aunty Winnie works in NY which is very far away so sometimes papa will show me to Aunty Winnie using his computer. Like Big QQ, Aunty Winnie also like to look at my photos on flicker.

*yawns* I think i need another nap already but first i want my milk-milk time with mami. I feel so comfy being cuddled to drink my milk. Mami say i'm the cutest when drinking milk and sighing contently. Maybe if i am good, she may bring me out go walkwalk later when i wake up.. *yawnnnsss* *sigh*

1 month old...

On 2nd of Jan 2009, Avery turned 1 month old, the same day of her yeye's bday. We didn't think to have a first mth celebrations since it was so near to xmas, new year & CNY, besides my mom is still sick and undergoing treatment. In the end, we just had a small luncheon at the in-laws where a few of mook's aunties/uncles came by to see the baby as well as celebrated Avery yeye's bday together. Actually felt quite bad not having 1st month thingy for Avery, esp on my side of the family but looking at my mom, i think it is better this way.

Anyway, it is tiring bringing Avery out the whole afternoon to her grandparents' place. Perhaps it was the number of people passing her around, so she was abit cranky and tired (same like mommy). Subsequently, mook and i tried bringing her out, once for a walk near indoor stadium, we barely lasted 1/2 hour because she pooped and needed to be changed (the car was a handy changing room). Thankfully i already had a chance to practicing changing diapers in the car because after her first month thingy at the in-laws, we had to make a side trip to deliver some cakes to mook's great-aunt and Avery decided to let rip a big poo enroute there. Oh well, could have been worse if we were on a cab or bus or mrt. :P

Avery also had her check-up at the PD after her first month. Everything is fine, except for a big pimple on her face. Doc say its normal due to hormonal changes but gave us antibiotic cream to help clear it in case it start to have pus and leave a scar. So far she is reacting well to it and the 'pimple' is clearing. I wonder if the cream will work for normal pimples for adults too.. :P

Currently she is 4.45kg and has grown 4 more cm (55cm) since birth. The double eye-lids we thought we saw seems to come and go and we did not notice any dimples though the grandparents swore that they saw one. Avery is smiling more (often in her sleep) and getting quite alert. I especially like the way she is cooing nowadays whenever she is feeling contented. However, putting her to bed is getting to be an issue since she will either nurse to sleep or pat to sleep in my arms. Whatmore, she has taken a liking for sleeping on her tummy so though people have caution me of it, i am putting her in the prone position but very watchful of her. Good thing though, she has turning her head left and right in the prone position and having pretty good neck muscle development at this stage.

Her feeding times are pretty regular at 2-3hr intervals and she is only waking up once at around 3am and 6am for her night feeds. The jury is still out on whether to use a pacifier for her. I was quite sure that i don't want to use but nowadays, if it will help sooth her, i am willing to try anything since i refuse to buy in to the "cry-it-out" method. If i refuse to apply it to my ASD kids in school, no way am i doing it to my own daughter. Crying will only lead to more stress and withdrawal. And the long-term impact on children is also pretty detrimental to their development. Besides, as a newborn, she doesn't even have the concept of cause & effect yet, hence it is ridiculous to say that she is being manipulative (i.e. to be carried etc) though things may become a routine (e.g. nursing to sleep). However, priority at this moment is to have a happy and secure baby. The rest of the stuff regarding 'discipline', will come later. And i am slowly working my way to develop a better long term routine regarding her sleeping.

It is tiring to be sure. Mook and I looked like pandas while our koala of a daughter (koala cos she enjoys clinging onto me to sleep) continue to poo, pee, fuss, coo, smile, feed and snooze. I am looking forward to the 2nd and 3rd month as she grows bigger and when i can introduce new toys and play. :)

The beginning - as told by daddy...

Day 0

The labour was close to 10 hours. Or rather we were in the labour ward for that duration. She had been dilating slowly throughout the day and towards the last hour, one of the midwifes had to help with the dilation. I'd almost thought that she'd pop the following day.

The gyne arrived at about 10.45 pm and told the wife that all she needed by 11 pm were 3 pushes. 2 midwifes were assisting by pushing on each side of the wife's tummy.

By the 2nd push, he paused to ask me what was the make of the camera I was using and commented that since he had not seen it before it must be new. I was dumbstruck for a good 5 seconds and lost the focusing on the camera. I had too lost track of the 3rd push, only to realise the baby will soon be out as the gyne reached for his 'favourite' vacuum plug.

The gyne barked over my wife's raised legs, telling me to ready the camera for the 'moment'.

***

She kind of 'slipped out' with the final push.

The gyne was almost directing my shoot from the front of the wife's legs.

'Set it on multiple!'
'Here's the head, look!'
'Out. Here you go!'
'Shoot shoot!'
'Take the time, the clock's behind you.'

My camera swung from place to place.
Got the baby, got the blood, got the wife, got the clock.
I'd lost focus on the camera but I didn't quite care. It's the Moment, right?

In a seamless flow, the midwives were dabbing and wiping her while inserting the tubes in all orifices to suck out the fluids. She cried and cried, then paused momentarily to open her eyes for the first time, peeking into the World.


I went 'wowowowow' and broke into a few 'hos'. I was tongue tied. Vocabulary eluded me. The wife was slightly better...at least she went 'Oh my, oh my....hello baby.'

The gyne had deftly snipped the cord and I was looking up down the little one, checking for hands, fingers, legs, toes, ears, nose...just making sure she's got them all.

The gyne then proceeded to draw the cord blood for our donation and had the placenta removed. I took a glance at the blue-purplish blob of placenta on the tray and failed to understand how anyone would process and consume it. I wasn't sure if the wife felt the gyne stitching her up after this. She was just looking over her shoulders, watching the midwife clean up Avery.


The midwife had her wiped down and prepared to give her her first jab. I alternated between shooting and assuring my wife.

The stitching took a while more (those were really big surgical hooks!), in the meantime, she was bringing the house down with her cries.

***

The midwife brought her to the wife.

It was indescribable that the pregnancy had ended and we were looking at our baby, our firstborn for the very first time. I don't know how the wife felt when she cuddled her for the first time. As i recalled mine, i was awkward, afraid that I would mishandle and injure my fragile dearest.
The stitching got done, and the gyne recommended a ped for Avery.
He got round to all the paperwork and gave me a firm handshake and a pat on my back.

'Congratulations.'

Avery was all swaddled by now and we were told that she'd be wheeled to the nursery on Level 6 and the wife had to stay put for 2 more hours for further observation. I followed the midwife and was briefed of the procedures for retrieving her from the nursery.

It's already 10 minutes past midnight when i called the folks to let them know of Avery's birth. Guess that officially makes me a father and them, grandparents.

***

We popped!

Well, Avery Tan Ying Xi... Welcome to the world darling. :)

37 weeks and counting

37 weeks.. or is it 38 now? Almost 38 i think. Sort of lost count after these days. Yes, pregnancy amnesia has finally hit me.

I am as big as can be. Okie... thanks to those who say that i don't look that big and making me feel better but the scales can't be wrong. All in all, i've put on 15kgs from the start of my pregnancy till now. There may be another spurt of weight gain but let's hope that it just bbump.

Bbump is about 3kg last week. Holding it stable for 2 weeks but that could change at next doc's appt next tues (there was a pasta lunch sometime during the week). But hey, bbump may be out by then! Except, if bbump is really coming, please do it on Monday and not the weekend, cos' mummy wanna go watch Avenue Q on sunday. :P

Family is sort of holding their breath and waiting for me to pop anyday now. I am still going to work (today is my last day since next week will be school hols anyway and i start to clear leave then). Bros will call and ask "Water bag broken yet?". Parents-in-law commented that they are not sure if we will be doing our weekly weekend dinner for the coming sunday (could pop then you know). My mom insist that she thinks bbump as descended though it felt otherwise to me.

So how am i feeling? Bbump is wiggling rather actively most of the time and the tendency is for me to feel a leg (or some limb) kicking out at the side of my waist on the right. Must be quite a tight squeeze. Am getting mixed feelings such as wanting to pop ASAP (but no... not before Ave Q!!!) and worried that once bbump is here, my life will go haywire starting from confinement (mothers from both side will be presiding). Sigh. Doc mentioned that bbump may be a big baby *groan* so asking me to consider epidural.

I am not that gungho anyway so i guess depends on how much i can tolerate first before going to hospital (doc warned to go only when STRONG pain but what's STRONG pain??). If "strong" pain already when i reached hospital and only less than 4cm dilated, i say give me the epi. Cannot imagine cannot tahan already and still more than half way to go. But say if's journey half done, then at least it make sense to 'diong' all the way.

In any case for now, i am still feeling pretty... normal. No funny sensation or anything. Sorted out work things before starting my leave (the reports i have to vet, the minutes i have to write, the emails i have to clear... sigh). Arranged for cordblood to be donated to the Singapore Cordblood Bank. Didn't think to spend $$ and store the cordblood for personal use but since they take donations, may help other people in future. Who knows? Finished packing my bag for the hospital and making sure necessary documents are packed (need real marriage cert or photocopy will do?). Got bbump's room ready but i think the test will be when bbump is back and the taking-care stars.

So... that's it. Just waiting for bbump to pop out. First decision bbump will ever make. That's cool.

34 weeks and counting...

We more or less confirmed bbump's chinese name but still looking for an AngMo name but if don't have also nevermind i guess.

We have confirmed the gender too at last week's visit to the doc. He also did a 3D scan and printed the side profile of bbump for us. Took a while because the placenta kept and cord kept getting in the way but the doc managed to snap a pretty decent side profile. It really cheered my mom up.

We are happy to say that bbump is doing well and at the moment, weighs 2 kg, more or less. The stuff we needed to buy is also almost done. Will need to wash the nappies and clothings. My mom made bbump two chinese patchwork coverlets. Very very cute. She also made a fluffy cotton mattress, bolster, pillows and a special tea leave pillow. Will need to also sun them and the cot mattress donated by a colleague of mine.

Looks like everything is ready, set... We will just wait for bbump to say 'go' in a 4-6 weeks time. Before that, must remember to pack the bag for hospital but i think i have some time left.

26 weeks and counting

Last consultation with the doctor during my 25th week showed that Baby Bump (still no name yet!!) is growing proportionally and having no major issues other than being smaller than it ought to (2 weeks smaller to be precise). I am not sure what kind of measurements norm the machine compared to but i guess Mook and I are still abit concerned.

Generally, i think i put on a bit of weight. 6 months into my pregnancy and i think my total weight gain is about 9-10kg. That's like 1.67kg per month but now i am not sure how much is me and how much is the baby. I am wondering if i am one of those mommies that suck in the nutrients instead of the baby. Eeuch. That's abit unfair since the only reason i am consoling myself for the weight gain is that it is all for the baby. And now, Mook is trying to make me pig out so that baby can grow more (durians being one of the things offered on the menu - eeuch eeuch eeuch!). But i am thinking i might be the only one ' benefitting' from the pigging out and who will be lumped with the excess weight at the end of the day? Me!

So poor Baby Bump, not like mummy is trying to starve you or anything (you should see the look on daddy mook's face directed at me when he talk to you about growing big and strong) but it is okie for you to fight mummy for the nutrients okie? Infact, take ALL of it! Mummy wants you to grow big and strong too, though not via the durian path. Eeuch.