And So.... A Year Has Past

I guess I'm doing fairly ok. If there is a report card for parenting, I think I probably scored B for the last one year term. Did I give myself too high a grade? Maybe, but at least I deserve a B for efforts? ;) 

So his birthday is finally over. Phew. No more major party until he's much much older. I don't think he'll remember that day, but very importantly, it will be engraved in DH and my heart.

I had wanted to let him stay up late(r) but by 645pm, he hasn't had his bath and began to be a little cranky and demanded to go to bed. Lately, when he's tired of playing, he will drop everything, crawl to his bedside table where I keep his pacifier, yell for it and then crawl to his cot and asked to be let in. I'm quite lucky in this aspect that he's at this stage. His naps are getting better and I'm relying less of the carrier. Sometimes he simply refused to be restrained in it.

Lately I've been trying to teach him how to give a flying kiss (where is it all grandparents want the kiddos to do this? Is this a local thing? :) ). Instead of his palm to his mouth, he sticks his index finger and pushes his tongue out. Too funny. He can pick out Mickey, Elmo and penguin from his pool of soft toys and even said "Elmo" once. Only that very one time. Not walking yet, although he cruises around a lot. I'm not teaching him either... Lazy mum. But I am looking forward to the day he can walk because we have so many things we want to do with him and places to bring him to.

Retrospect

25.04.2013

730pm

Me: I've been having what I think is contractions leh, but quite far apart, like 10-13min. I think we better standby tonight go in the middle of night.

DH: ya, better.

Me: but if go in not contractions very pai seh leh... 

DH: it's ok la, you're scheduled to be induced anyway, if not contractions then treat it as just go in early lor...

25.04.2014

730pm

Me: ok he's finally asleep. I will take a shower first then we can have dinner. Then the fun begins!

****

24.04.2013 

10+ pm

Woken up by contractions. Seems far apart and bearable. Better go back to sleep and wait awhile more.

11+ pm

Impossible to sleep. Contractions getting stronger. Used the iPhone app to track how far my contractions. Patiently tracked for one hour before I decided they are getting close. 3-5min apart. 

26.04.2013 

1+ am

Got up to shower, woke DH up after showering and told him, "baby, I think it's time". He leaped straight up and into the bathroom

25.04.2014

8+ pm

Me: a little bit higher on the left. 

DH: can't wait to see his reaction tomorrow morning when he sees the decor.

***

26.04.2013

7+ am

Watching cna for a million times but yet I don't rem what the news of the day was. Joking with DH, one hand holding on to my hp texting my friends and relatives, another holding on to the laughing gas like my dear life

26.04.2014

7+ am

Me:" Bradley! Don't go into the kitchen. Come out here"

B: "taaaaa.... Haaaahaaa" goes to fridge and demanded to be carried and to go through our personal game with the fridge magnets

DH: I'll take him across to buy bfast.

B: GAi GAi......

26.04.2013

9am

Dr Wong arrived. So happy and relieved to see her coz I know I am in good hands.

Dr: how are u feeling? No pain management, doing well. You are 6cm now, I'm going to break your water bag.

-strange warm water gushing out-

Dr: how? Do you need epidural?

Me: erm... I don't know, should I?

Dr: I think you can do without.

Nurse: ya you are doing fine.

-looks at DH, uncertain-

Me: ok I guess I try.

***

26.04.2013

10+ am

7 cm, excruciating contraction pains. I want epidural NOW.

Nurse: hmm... Let me check you again and also if the anaesthetist is around. 

Nurse left and came back with another to check on dilation again. 

Nurse 2: your next contraction, you are going to practice pushing. We don't need this anymore. -took away my dear laughing gas-

***

24.04.2014

10+ am

DH: coming back with the balloons!

***

24.04.2013

12.29pm

After 45min of practice and actual pushing.. My love came into this world. 

***

My life has since changed completely. He has given me the best pregnancy experience, and an incredible labour process and more importantly, given me love. I cannot imagine life without him and even if it means the sleep deprivation and all the late night staring game.

This Cheeky Baby is Turning One

Of late, he's making me laugh so much it's crazy how much fun we have. I should enjoy while this last, Mummy Mel said by the time they are three or four years old, daddies are their heroes and mummies are boring. Ok, I added the boring part coz I'm insecure. 

Love you my honey boo.

*back-to-panic-I-couldn't-sleep-last-night-mode*

Mummy Away

The mummy of this blog is in a hyperventilating mode now as there is six more days to her baby's first birthday party. She's unsure if she could pull off feeding almost 20 people, and mind you, 20 very fussy and spoilt people when it comes to food.

Whatever she said about going easy and simple on what was meant to be a Bengawan Solo cake, you can ignore it as she came across a fellow April mummy who is also a home baker and baked a few of the babies birthday cake. Baker Mum is charging almost the same price so why not? Afterall, her baby only turn one, once.

She will be back once she finished hyperventilating and survived the birthday party. Stay tuned.

三月十七

甜面。红鸡蛋。父母的祝福。

庙宇祈求，身体健康，快高长大。

充满欢乐的一天。

宝贝，你一岁了。

Keeping Busy

Strangely, I have an adrenalin rush today for being busy. 

I went to the market just before 7am, came back, washed the meat before DH left for work. Gave B his breakfast, let him play around while I mopped the house, bathed him and put him to nap. When he napped, I chopped up the ingredients for the chicken stew that we are all gonna have and threw them into the pot. When everything's cleaned up, B  got up, it's play time and then porridge time.

Mundane, boring. That's almost my everyday life. But today, there was a strange high, esp while I was mopping.

Sure I wished we had a helper to help with the chores and dishes, someone whom I can say "XX, can you cut up the vegetables and prepare B's porridge?". Or someone just to do the ever piling laundry.

But I don't. For now, keeping busy is the best way I can make myself feel useful. No more weekly meetings, random pull ups, quarter close, conf calls.

One gives you monetary rewards, while the other, quite frankly, nothing much but an important clean home with healthy, happy family.

The Prelude to Somersault

I managed to catch this on video. I hope it brings a smile to your face as it did to mine everytime I watch it.

Wet Market vs Supermarket

Before B came along, I had much time to be adventurous in the kitchen, but I never stock the house with food items because I don't cook everyday and when I do, the ingredients are not usually found in my fridge and we often made trips to the supermarket as and when I decide to cook. 

Shopping at the supermarket was good for me. They had ready cut fish, meat in a size that perfect for the two of us. I hated going to the wet market because I didn't know how to look out for what cut of meat I want, didn't know what to tell the butcher what I want, and quite frankly, I felt they were gonna cheat me just because I'm a noob, or even laugh at me.

But since B started solids, I had to buy a lot more food and a quick comparison between prices between wet market and supermarket had me gawking! Certain items can be 2-3x cheaper at the wet market. Moreover, the freshness of the produce is somewhat compromised. So I had to learn, and learn I did from the expert, my mum.

Now, I have my favourite butcher to go, who will throw in extras for me and round down the final amount. I have a favourite chicken stall whose owner gives me free chicken skin everytime I go- I've only asked from him once! (Fried chicken skin, truffle salt and paprika- killer combi with beer! Watch the cholesterol though). The veg guys throw in free spring onions or coriander. I am so sold. Freebies anytime.

One day, I overheard this convo:

Butcher: 来，要什么？

Aunty (in 50s): 啊。。我要猪肉

Butcher: 这边全部都是猪肉。你要猪的什么肉？

It's probably not as funny now but when I was there listening to it, I had to stop myself from grinning. It was silly.

DH said I've become a true blue aunty. For the other day he heard me in a conversation with the fruit stall and reminded me something I said which I didn't even realise. Whatever, for now, I'm really enjoying my weekly marketing trips and taking in the colourful happenings.

Writer's Block

So much to write about but I don't know where to start. I figure this will probably be one of those random post.

Sometime back, I took B to Polliwogs at Vivo as it was near to DH office and we could all go home together. But not realising it was school holidays, it was a bad decision. The place was packed with kids and we stayed less than an hour. The following week, I decided to give it another try again since it was a school day, and 10am on a Monday morning should be fine. When we got there, there was a bunch of probably 3 year olds child care centre kids on excursion! But it was ok, they were in a private function room for awhile before entering the play area.

And on one weekend, we went cycling. Did I write about it already? Can't remember. But it was so much fun despite the sun. Luckily we remember sunblock for him.

For about a month or so, I was basking in pride whenever B goes up and down the sofa and bed. But one day he seemed to have forgotten how to get down! No matter how much I encouraged him, he wanted to be carried down. This carried on for about 2 days. Then I decided to bring him to the playground below my block and let him crawl and play arouNd. And just like that, in the midst of his fun and excitement, he remembered how to do it. Sometimes, it only takes us abit of fun to remember how to do certain things. I need to remind myself. Give him the fun childhood I had, and better it. It's about having fun and not competition.

Self reminder.

Ok end of random post. Cool de Sac later his afternoon!