Tuesday, June 29, 2010 ;
6:25 PM
Several updates of dd in her 4th month:
This pic was taken on ML's birthday. It was a Mon (7 June) and was the 1st day of L's funeral wake. Angeling would be busy so I offered to "celebrate" ML's birthday for her. Initially Angeling was worried it'd be difficult for me to cope cos I have 3 of my own kids and plus her, it would be 4. And I usually interact much more with MX (her older sis) instead of ML, so we haven't gotten to know each other that well.
I am so glad I had the opportunity that day to get to know her better. She is usually quieter than her older sis (just like my ds1 and ds2) so at least that day I could talk to her alone. Her older sis went on a pre-planned trip to China with her dad and grandma.
Angeling dropped her off at about 10am in the morning? Can't quite remember, but we spent a short time in the house, warming up to each other, and me getting dd ready to go out. I promised ML to bring her out to pick a present from Kiddy Palace at JP and also have lunch out together.
ds1 was at camp and ds2 at school (sent them off in the morning), so it was kind of quiet. Everything went well, ML is very well-behaved, well-taught and trained by her parents.
After a long time at Kiddy Palace (choosing toys can be tough for a kid!), she looked tired, so I suggested buying the food back home to eat instead. She agreed and she chose to have fishball noodles. Great choice I said, very healthy. So I bought 2 sets and we walked home.
Ok, the journey home took some cajoling. I have gotten used to the speed of my boys, and they are older than her, so the walk took much much longer. Plus, she was also tired. Dd's weight was really breaking my shoulders, so glad to finally reach home. I was very happy that ML continued to soldier on despite her obvious exhaustion. I kept talking to her in a bright and cheery manner, and kept playing this game called "Spot the change in colour of floor tiles" with her, so she will just focus on the steps ahead of her and not at the distance she still had to walk.
(Cos there was no way I would be able to carry her, with dd on me, and carrying 2 piping hot noodle soups, plus a huge Kiddy Palace bag.)
She is made of strong stuff. Didn't cry at all, even as she dragged and shuffled her feet back to my home. Good girl!
She even played with dd for a while when I went to quickly get lunch ready in nice bowls.
Nap time was also a challenge. Any SAHM knows. A child who has always been tucked into bed by a SAHM and no one else (no maid, not much by the hubby, nor grandparents or other caregiver) will not easily sleep unless the mommy is there. Also she was fully breastfed as well. Fully breastfed kids (duration more than a year) tend to be very close to the mom and would reject most other people at times of nap/ sleep. Those are crucial times.
So I looked at her sleepy face, and she was full and contented now, and suggested she lie on the bed in the kids room, while I read a story to her.
"No" was her firm reply. She doesn't want to sleep. Ok, I said. No problem. Let's play for a while in the living room.
Then after some time, I mentioned maybe she can have a nap first, while waiting for ds1 and ds2 to return home. She started to scrunch up her face. Ok, I said the taboo word "nap", my bad. So forgetful. I remembered how my boys hated the word "nap".
I said, ok, ok, no need to nap if you don't want to. Just sit on the sofa here with the stuffed toys and we play together ok?
She said ok. I settled her with a pillow, some Ikea stuffed toys and I wanted to pat her. (Patting induces sleep easily, for my kids, so I thought I'd try that.) She shifted away. And then she started to scrunch up her face again, and said, "I want my mommy" and started to cry a little. Not very loud. So I quickly hugged her and said, "Oh, I understand. I know." Just kept repeating those words and some reassurance then I gingerly tried this "Mommy is preparing for the service tonight at the church building. We will wait for a while then mommy will come or I will bring you there to see mommy ok? In the mean time, let's play with the toys together first?"
I also switched on the TV (which was covered in dust, cos we have not watched for ages) and discovered that okto was showing Mickey Mouse. Very good, cos it is non-violent, funny and rather educational.
The TV was a good distraction. She allowed me to pat her, and then stroke her head. That did slowly lull her into a deep slumber. I switched off the TV and snapped a pic of her sleeping to send to Angeling. She was so sweet and adorable, with the stuffed toys around her and one hand holding on to a Yan Yan biscuit snack her dad gave her before he flew off to China. (She insisted on holding on to it and of course I obliged. Both my ds have held on to many weird things before, just cos it gave them comfort at that point in time.)
When ds2 returned home, he was so happy to see ML. When ML finally woke from her nap, they both played doctor and patient for a long time, and then they blew candles off a toy cake. So fun. When ds1 also returned, the 3 played happily till Angeling came to get ML. Ahh, with such a disciplined child like ML, having more kids is not a problem at all. Such a joy.
Ok, the rest of the pics are of dd.
At church: (now she has this bib on all the time cos her drool is produced at an alarming rate and in copious amounts)
My mom made this denim skirt for my niece Eva when she was 1 yr old. Since dd is getting too fat for it, I let her quickly have the chance to wear it once. I realised she doesn't look good in top/ skirt combi, cos she's got tummy folds that show up, and it just makes her hips look so big. No waist, some more... not nice.. She should stick to rompers, onesies and dresses.
She loves looking at her brothers play. Here they are playing "cafe world" and serving up food to her, the customer. I turned her chair to face me but she would rather strain to look at them. Her thighs are too fat to allow her skirt to settle properly, so it doesn't look good on her too.
On the hotel bed. She seems to be able to distinguish a higher thread count in the sheets too. So lovely. She enjoyed herself rolling around in them.
She's going to be 5 mth old in a few days' time. I have started letting her taste stuff like pumpkin, brown rice porridge, apple...
She doesn't eat them much now, just tastes them. It'll be a whole new ball game now, with the introduction of solids. It will be messy but it will be fun!
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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My mom made this denim skirt for my niece Eva when she was 1 yr old. Since dd is getting too fat for it, I let her quickly have the chance to wear it once. I realised she doesn't look good in top/ skirt combi, cos she's got tummy folds that show up, and it just makes her hips look so big. No waist, some more... not nice.. She should stick to rompers, onesies and dresses.
On the hotel bed. She seems to be able to distinguish a higher thread count in the sheets too. So lovely. She enjoyed herself rolling around in them.
