Mummy's kitchen

It's weekend again! Mummy's back to the kitchen refining her culinary skills. She's determined to whip up more yummy dishes for daddy, so by the time I'm ready for solid food, I'll be in for a great treat! Sure mummy would have perfected her skills by then.

Mummy once learned from someone that a child's growing up must be filled with the tastes of a mother's home cooked food. Well, probably a plus point to make children come back home for a familiar taste even when they've grown up. That will be many years later, but mummy's cultivating the habit now. Thumbs up for her!

Well, I promise to behave when mummy's in the kitchen from now, so she doesn't have to put aside the half done cooking to attend to little Jazz.

So mummy, awaiting your yummy food when my teeth are out!

I'm exercising!

For the past few days, Daddy has been training my mobile skills. He would leave me lying on my tummy, with his close supervision. He wants me to learn lifting my head up, while he shakes the rattle to attract me. I did it once and dropped my head again, no strength.

This position is good for burping too! Each time daddy does that, I'll burp! It's so comfortable. More milk please!

Thawed Frozen breastmilk

The expressed breastmilk in the freezer is disturbing. Yesterday, mummy thawed a bottle of frozen milk for me, there was a rancid smell, but mummy gave it to me. Not that the milk is spoiled, just that thawed frozen breastmilk doesn't smell good. No wonder I drank 20ml and stopped, mummy had to top up with fresh milk.

Mummy tasted before she threw the leftover and the milk is yucks - it was horrible! She was so filled with guilt for making me drink. But somehow, she wasn't at fault, it was said that expressed milk can be stored in freezer for up to 3 mths, and that milk was barely less than a month. I guess fresh milk is just best for me. Frozen milk will be for occasions when mummy is not home and daddy have to babysit me.

Now, mummy is contemplating to throw all the expressed frozen milk and stop expressing since she's latching me almost all times. If she can't stand the smell and taste, I'm sure she wouldn't bear to see me drink. Some ever said, breastmilk is like the mummy's 'blood', so precious! And now, painful when she decides to throw them away.

My Daddy

My daddy is a soccer addict! He would set his alarm to wake up for a soccer match but not to change my diapers. Not fair! Or maybe I'm a natural alarm, my cry is loud enough to wake anyone up. But, daddy is a deep sleeper, or maybe he's just pretending not to hear my cry, so mummy will wake up instead.

Ok, here's the defense, mummy has the milk, and daddy doesn't. Of course she'll have to wake up. Daddy, your determination to wake up for a match is really amazing, sleep is only what mummy cares for now. So what's the score daddy?

Mummy to Jazzelle

"Jazz baby, mummy really had a hard time taking care of you these days, I'm not sure what happened, you could hardly nap in the afternoon and that really exhausts me. In the night, its equally tough to get you to sleep on our bed, the moment we put you down, you'll start to cry. At least, daddy is around in the night to help me out.

These occasions frustrate mummy, leaving me a decision to not pick you up when the reason of your cry is to be carried. I'm sorry if I did it the harsh way, it wasn't easy to watch you cry and not do anything, it pains mummy, really!

This afternoon, you started the cycle again. True enough, I couldn't bear to see you cry helplessly, I picked you up again and again throughout the day. Am I not allowing you to learn on your own? Mummy's not sure. And sometimes, I feel so discouraged by you, I felt so incompetent being your mummy. I'm not sure if I've cultivated your habits and routines for behaving this way.

Well, if there is a standard way of handling a baby or child, then there will probably be a book on 'An idiot's guide to being a Mum.' I guess the upbringing of a child is to each of her own way. Baby, bear with mummy while I'm still learning. Being first time parents is not easy for us.

Jazz, forgive mummy if I've not been entertaining your loud cries, I promise to give in more. After all, which baby doesn't like to be cuddled? Mummy has been reminding myself that it's part of your growing process. Once you outgrow each stage, things will get better and we'll all experience different challenges again. What's important is to give you a happy and healthy 'babyhood.'"

"Mummy loves you!"

 

Week by week!

I'm into the 8th week of birth! Changes are fast, so is my growth:

First and Second week

 

Third week and Fourth week

 

Fifth week and Sixth week

Seventh week ... and This week!

Notice my face got round and rounder? Mummy's been feeding me well. haha. 

"Mummy, be assured that I'll cry and sleep through this baby stage soon, thank you for tolerating my frequent wakes, my nonsense cries and my need to be carried all the time. It has been tough on you."

"You often put down the housework to attend to me, you could not eat on time, you wait till I take a deep sleep before taking a good shower and certain days, when all things are completed, you have to rush off to school. After school, you're back for 'duty' again. You hardly have any time left for your hobbies and interests, not even reading a magazine for fashion updates. At least, while carrying me, you get to watch the TV, not too bad Mummy."

 

That's my mummy's life for now...

Just eat

A writer from The New Paper called mummy last week, telling her that research on baby foods showed that it may not be as healthy as many thinks. It may contain as much sugar and saturated fats than chocolate biscuits or a cheeseburger. And so mummy's comments as below:

A balanced intake of nutrients is important in one's growing up process, but mummy thinks it's still alright to consume baby's food purchased from stores. As long as she supplements the important vitamins with her home made food. After all, childhood is made up of all tastes and flavours, just don't make munching sweet food a habit, things will be fine. Children are active, I'm sure we'll burn off 'fats' with our high metabolism rate.

'Best' job

Crankiness begins again. Sigh! I tried to behave but still I love being cuddled and rocked to sleep. I must agree, It's been tough on mummy.

Today, While mummy was rocking me to sleep in her arms today, with the 'faith 2' CD playing, many thoughts were on her mind, there were mixed feelings. Looking into my face, pacing up and down the room, Mummy wonders about how tough it is being a stay at home mum. Not sure about other mummies, but my mummy thinks it really isn't easy.

Sometimes she thinks being at work seems better than having to coax a cranky baby to sleep, doing housework and not knowing when she can rest. At work, one gets paid for the time and effort, but at home, no pay, no promotion, no recognition. Though mummy always tell herself, gratitude is not automatic, if a child is filial and obedient, it's a blessing. That's why my Chinese name has the word 'En - 恩 ', to remind myself to be thankful about every little thing my loved ones have done for me. Mummy is confident in providing me the best of everything within her means. She knows I'm her greatest commitment ahead, it requires much more sacrifices.

Well, stay home mums aren't easy, they:

• don't have rest days, leaves or public holidays
• are on 24hrs standby
• have no income
• are isolated from trends and 'gossips'
• look haggard or what some call 'auntie' (But mum promises to keep looking fresh)
• have irregular meal times
• can't leave home unless there's a 'cover'
• hold many portfolios - baby and housework (wide range)

So you think being a housewife is the best job? Probably if yours the mahjong and Louis Vuitton kind of life. My mummy is on a tough job, knowing that the only bread-winner is dad, she starts to scrimp and save for everything even more than before. Good thing, home is where she spends most time in and there's no spending involved, it's not bad after all. Probably, her only reward now come from daddy, with occasional treats here and there. 

But I guess the greatest achievements for mummy serving the home (ministry of home affairs) will be much more greater than that of her being a career woman. Of course she hopes to be an all rounder and not that she doesn't intend to step into the corporate world again, just that for now, her comfort is in the smile on our faces. It's heart wrenching and sometimes her motivation, especially when I smile myself to sleep... yawn yawn... Good night!

 

I'm good!

It's amazing! I've been so well behaved these days, less cranky and I could actually be left to play and sleep on my on. There were occasions when I was crying but still not picked because mum decided to work the hard way out, i.e. not to carry me, instead she distracts me by talking and singing to me. I hope gradually, this kicks the habit of me wanting to be carried. Now mummy can eat and do the housework in peace. Sometimes, I sleep so much in the day that mummy will wake me up by playing with me. She wants me to conserve the sleeping energy in the night instead.

Last Saturday, dad and mum brought me to ikea. They were rather worried because they haven't tried bringing me out before. So we checked if there was a baby room in Tampines ikea before heading down. That's because when it comes to feeding, I'll get impatient and starts crying loud. But, you couldn't believe it, I slept through the whole spree. Dad got me a pink cupboard.

Now, my feeding time is every 3hrs to 4hrs, compared to the 2hrs previously, it's giving mum an easier life. When it was time for feed, mum headed to the baby room but it was occupied. Ikea is like a children's place, there were so many Kor kors and Jie jies around. Many parents were queuing to use the baby room, and mum was worried that I'll wake up while waiting for her turn. Hmm, ikea should allocate more rooms for nursing babies like me. Anyway, it was our turn, but I was still sleeping! Mum woke me up for milk, I opened my sleepy eyes and suckled my way through. It was an easy day out!

Here's the cupboard dad bought for me, nice? I love it!

First Mother's Day!

Hey, today is Mother's day! It's mummy first time enjoying this day, but hmm... it's just another ordinary day with me not knowing how to express love yet, I've been cranky the whole day - "Sorry mummy." Daddy said he'll buy mummy the 'Faith 2' CD, which she requested as a pressie. Hee.

Me in daddy's arms

Also, mummy finds comfort in the sms-es her friends wished her. How nice!

In the evening, Mum and Dad were preparing to go out for dinner with me, then grandma called to ask us for dinner. That was wonderful because mummy can celebrate Mother's day with grandma too! We had a good and sumptuous dinner at Suntec. Grandma and Grandpa had a great time carrying me after dinner, I'm so pampered. 

 

Dinner with grandma and grandpa, Daddy was the photographer.

Mum and dad gave grandma a fat ang bao as present. We appreciate her help and effort in travelling up and down to baby sit me and doing all the marketing for mum during confinement. Thank you Grandma! After my arrival, mum has learnt to be more tolerant and patient towards Grandma, she knows being a mum is no ABC or 123. Mum wants to be a perfect daughter, and I want too!

Well, all mums are great and specially mine because she:

• went through a tough pregnancy of 9 months
• couldn't get a job with me in her womb
• went through labour pain
• go through sleepless nights for me
• is still regaining her figure to fit comfortably into her jeans
• juggles between me, housework and school
• sacrificed pillow (our pet doggy) for months (mum misses him badly)
• sacrificed lots of social outings
• gets to date less with daddy
• gets arms ache from swaying and carrying me to sleep and
• has no time for herself!

So now we know why mother's day is always celebrated more widely than Father's day.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to mummy, to grandma and to great grandma and to all Mummies!

My FULL month party

I celebrated my full month on labour's day. Many people came, I felt so warm being passed around in everyone's arms. Hmm... should have played 'Pass the parcel' game, forfeit anyone who's got me in their arms when the music stop.

That morning mummy woke up early to pack the house neat and doll me up, haha... vain like mummy. Grandma together with the confinement lady made red eggs and cooked some bee hoon for the coming guests. We ordered food from YSL catering and ang gu kueh from the confectionary at Everton park. Mummy thinks that the catered food was average and not warm enough. The dessert, 'yam paste' received many positive feedbacks though, but the drink was not enough to last. Good thing mummy stocked some packet drinks in the refrigerator. Phew!

Mummy forgot to take photos of the 'before', these are the left overs. Ops!

More pictures to share:

Hello!

Great Grandpa's first grandchild

!

Blessed gifts

 

Mummy thank everyone for the gifts and ang baos given, we feel so blessed.

Oh, one thing mummy finds so comical is that when Grandpa arrived, his first action was to pick me up from the rocker and parade me around. Grandpa is so proud of me. Hee hee. And the amazing thing is, no matter how noisy it was, I slept like a log.

It was a fun filled day, Mum and Dad thank all relatives, friends and neighbours for coming! We appreciate your time and gifts! Mummy read this on her calender and she's inspired - Albert Einstein said, "The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving." Mummy loves her chances to give too!

Love you all...