5 and a half months old

Mami: "Okie baby, Mami's going to hijack your blog to talk about how naughty you are over the last month..."

Avery: "Sniff sniff" *sulk*

Did you know baby, you gave Dadi and Mami the fright of their life when you rolled off the bed the day before you turned 5 months old? It was at our Serangoon flat where Dadi and Mami were packing up and you were asleep on the bed. We thought you were guai guai sleeping on the bed while we were clearing up when suddenly you cried so loudly (first time ever) and Mami's heart nearly popped out when she found you lying on your back beside the bed. Aiyo... you were crying so hard until you threw up all the milk! Mami cried and wanted to send you straight to the hospital. Sigh... Luckily Dadi was more calm and kept reassuring Mami that you will be Ok. We waited 5 hours in the A&E at KKWCH but never got to see the doctor because there were SO MANY PEOPLE! Anyway I think you were okie and didn't have a head injury after all... phew. Next day you woke up and still smile and said 'Mama' so Dadi and I was very relieved. Still, we monitored you for 3 days to make sure that you are fine.

But who knows... just after the big commotion of you falling off the bed, all 3 of us became sick with stomach flu. Aiyo.. within 1 week, so much worrying over you! And for the 2nd time, we rush you to A&E, this time for high fever. We could tell that you must be feeling quite sick because you were so listless and cranky. Mami and Dadi had to sponge you almost throughout the night while both of us were also sick. Those few days were the toughest days so far since you came into our life. It was NOT easy giving you medicine every few hours because you cried each time and sometimes until you throw up then we had to give the medicine all over again.. You cannot imagine our happiness when your fever finally stopped and you finally could sleep well again. Anyway, we all survived as a family and i think after this, Mami and Dadi also became more confident in taking care of you the next time in Melbourne.
Okie la.. besides all this 'pain' we had over the month.. we also had some 'fun' moments... you were babbling "Mama" and "Papa" and made us so proud! Dadi said when you were sick and babbled "Papapapa" so pathetically, his heart was really painful. But funny, how after you recovered, you seemed to have stopped saying "Mama" and "Papa"... now you laugh and scream alot. Sometimes you go "WAH" really loudly and make us wonder what's so funny.

Around 5 months old, you also started to suck your toes! Yay! Another milestone for you! Auntie Fiona and Auntie Azmah (Mami's occupational therapist colleagues) thought you were wonderful. Of course, now Mami has to really watch out for you rolling smoothly (No more being alone on the bed missy!). Oh! Let's not forget that you are also starting to sit on your own, supporting yourself with your hands. Well, you are still learning and sometimes topple over but Mami is happy that you want to try to sit by yourself and will also lift your hands up to balance yourself. Hahaha, for 10-20seconds, you would sit so nicely and balance so well! Good job darling!!

Well, my dear baby girl... you are going to 6months soon and Mami and Dadi will be bringing you to Melbourne then. We are so busy packing and baby, you really have so many stuff!! Well, let's hope we all get there in one piece and settle down smoothly okie? Hope that you will enjoy it there too. :) In 1 month's time, we will see... okie darling? Be good alright?

4 and a half months old

"Allo everybody. My name is Avery Tan and I am a pacifier-holic."

That's what mami said, she will be sending me to Pacifier Anonymous soon because i am loving my tutu too much. Actually i think she is exaggerating because i don't need my tutu ALL the time what... i can give it up whenever i want to... eh.. wait. Don't take it away yet.. ARgh! STOP STOP STOP..

Okie. Maybe i am abit addicted but i think i can tahan not having it some time... just dont take it away before i fall asleep.. please?

4 and a half months! I am now 6.6kg and 68cm tall. I thought i am growing pretty big until mami brought me to this place where all other babies were there with their mommies and daddies. Wow.. some of them are even bigger and taller than me even though they are considered my meimeis or didis! Pout. But nevermind, Mami say i still got time to catch up as long as i guaiguai finish up my milk instead of driving poor laolao and nainai up the wall in the afternoons when i take more than an hour to finish up my milk (sometimes not finished even). Mami has been back at work in the afternoons for almost a month now and laolao plus nainai are the ones keeping me company. Most of the time i take my naps but when i am awake, they always have to find some ways to entertain me or else i will 'complain'. Laolao also complain that only when Mami is around then i am more guai... which is not true because i am guai if Dadi is around also.

Mami says that i am a Dadi's girl cos Dadi loves taking photos of me and i love posing for him. Sometimes Dadi will tell me funny jokes or make funny noises and end up laughing by himself (sometimes i really dont understand leh) or i laugh along with him. Dadi is spending more time with me now because he is not working on some days. So on those days, he will be the one who pompom me and feed me my milkmilk. Sometimes he also let me sit on his lap to watch colourful moving pictures and listen to music on his computer but usually i get bored after 10 to 15 minutes. I think i much rather suck on my fingers and go for a walk.

I've learnt some new things in the last month. I can flip from my back to my tummy and now i am trying to do the reverse. I can do it if Mami gives me a little help by tucking my hand nearer to my body. I am also sitting up with abit of support and i can now see so much better when i am upright! I am also having more fun with my little playgym. Wow.. i didnt realize i can do so many things with it. My favourite part is the 'Chicken in the Egg' which i like to spin and open/close. Most of the time i can entertain myself for 10-15 minutes with the playgym while Mami sneaks off to go take a shower. Sometimes i didnt even notice she is not beside me because the EggEgg is so much fun!

Another of my favourite pasttime is to 'Talk **** Sing Song' with Mami. We make the most wonderful sounds together. Now i can say 'Ah', 'Mm', 'Hmm', 'Oo', 'Uh', 'Ya', 'Ai' and my favourite 'WAH'. It is funny when Mami says the same with me and then both of us will giggle and giggle while Dadi wonders what's wrong with us. Heh heh. Last by not least, i really enjoy going out with Mami and Dadi. Yesterday we went to East Coast Park and saw alot of people rollerblading and it was nice and breezy. Mami say when i am older she will bring me swimming but she has to buy me swimming diapers first (she is worried i will poopoo into the pool hahahaa).

We have also been doing abit of shopping for stuff for me like diapers and toys. I think Mami is getting ready to pack them for our move to Melbourne. I've never sat on an aeroplane or gone to Melbourne before so i think will be very exciting! Laolao and Gonggong already brought over 2 full suitcases of my clothing and toys there but Mami say i have so many things, they will have to ship some over because the suitcases wouldnt fit all my stuff. Well, what to do, I am a girl mah, of course must have many pretty clothes. Winnie gugu got so much stuff for me until i think i dont need to buy more clothes till i am 3years old! :)

Oh well... there will be more things to learn this month because Mami is planning to let me try cereal when i turn 5 and a half months.. Ooo mum mum time soon! Hahaha I can hardly wait!!!

3 months old (plus a bit more)

3 and a half months old now and at the last weigh-in, i was 5.7kg and 58cm which doctor said that i am just nice on the 50 percentile. Not big Not small though i can't say the same for my eyes. Mami and Dadi has been looking at me very closely these days and kept saying that i have one eye big (Left) and one eye small (Right). Okie. The picture above is abit of an exaggeration but you all get the picture la. I think it is quite okie because it shows that i belong half to Mami (small eyes) and half to Dadi (big eyes) mah. Kekeke!


A lot of things happened in the last 1 1/2 months... I have been going out quite abit because Dadi got himself a cool Baby Bjorn carrier which he said had excellent back support. I guess it must be pretty important especially since they all want me to grow bigger. At first my view is always of Dadi's chest and goatee.. it was so boring that i kept falling asleep whenever i go out. But now it is better because Dadi has turned me around to look outside. Wow! So many things to see around me, especially in the shopping centres! All the toys and people! Heh heh it also gave other uncles and aunties a chance to see and smile at me, telling me what a cutie i am *beams*. Mami thinks i am quite heow because i enjoy it so much and love smiling back at them.

Besides going out, i am learning to do a few things. Like reaching out for toys and sitting up to read books with Mami on the Bumbo chair that Aaron GorGor lent me. I have been exploring with my hands and fingers too. I suddenly realized that i can open my hand up really wide and put my fingers into my mouth! Yum!! But Mami is always putting a nappie or bib around my neck because she say i drool so much. Heh if she doesn't do that, i think i will be blowing spit bubbles all day. So fun! BlooOoooopooppoooo..


Oh ya! I am also better on my tummy and is able to hold my head up high now. I was also trying very hard to flip myself around from my back onto my tummy. It took many many MANY tries but i finally made it on the 15th of March. And i did it when Mami was not watching too so imagine her surprise when she went to fill the bathtub and when she came back, i have already flipped over. Of course now she will have to be more careful cos' i may just flip myself off the bed *evil snigger*. Dadi at first didnt believe Mami so i also demo for him today. Heh heh he was very proud though i still need abit of help to adjust my arm because somehow it always get stuck beneath my tummy. Sigh.

This month was also Mami's 33rd birthday on 1st of March so Dadi got me together to 'perform' with him to sing Happy birthday song to her as a surprise. Of course i cannot sing yet but it was the thought that count la. So one more time... Happy Birthday Mami!!!!! *drool drool*. Dadi also got Mami a chocolate cake. Looks very nice but they didn't let me have any... guess i must wait until i have some teeth lor *wistfully*. Oh well... maybe on my first birthday...

I heard Mami telling 姥姥 a few days ago that she is going back to work so will need me to start drinking my milk from a bottle while she is not at home. That made me very cranky because i prefer my milk-milk time with Mami! *frown* I tried to get Mami to stay at home and stop giving me the bottle by protesting and boycotting the bottle. So i cried and cried whenever they put the bottle into my mouth. I know i was abit naughty because i actually don't mind the bottle because i have been using it every night since i was born but I just dont want to have it anymore if it means Mami is going away *sulk*. Mami had to try so many ways and she got me all kinds of different bottles, teats and milk. But actually, i don't care what type of milk or bottles or teats, I just want my milk-milk time with Mami lor.

Sigh.. but in the end i think Mami is alot more firm than i thought because she didnt give in to me and finally i had no choice but drink from the bottle or else i will go hungry. When i finally drink from the bottle, everyone smiled and Mami said that i am a good girl. So now i will drink from the bottle (but sometimes i like to tease them by smiling and not drinking at first.. heh heh) even when Mami has to go out. Anyway, it is not like all the time i have to drink from bottle so it is still Ok.. because i still have my milk-milk time with Mami in the mornings and at nights. If i can, i hope Mami will always let me have milk-milk time with her because she always sings and tells me little stories while i sometimes try to follow by making my own sounds *smiles*.

Well... it is time for bed now. Oh.. i have my regular bed time now and Mami is so proud of me because i don't fuss and will go to bed without complaining or needing people to cuddle me too much. *Stretches* Yawwnnn... maybe i will surprise Mami tomorrow by saying "mama or dada"... Maybe maybe.. heh heh

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. :)