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Some recent pics...

Mummy

Ashlynn on Walker

We placed ashlynn on the walker which aunt raani gave her. She seemed to enjoy it or at least for quite awhile before she started to make noise. After seeing how ashlynn enjoyed herself, daddy backside itchy and went to BHG to buy a Bright Stars learning station for her. Initially we saw a pink one which was really sweet-looking at United Square which cost $149. We were contemplating to buy it when we bring ashlynn to see the PD on monday for her cough. However, we saw this one at BHG which cost $119. So we buay tahan and bought it. Although it was not as pretty as the pink one, but nevermind, it matched ashlynn's bumbo seat as it is purple in colour. We have not taken any pics of ashlynn's new toy yet. Will post soon.

Ashlynn enjoying herself. She knows how to go backwards.




fiddling with the attached toys!

"Why are you talking my photo without my permission!!!"

Mummy/Daddy

New PD

Ashlynn has been having the problem with drinking her milk for quite a number of weeks already. Her previous PD advised us to start her on solids but we are reluctant. Ashlynn had fever on friday and spotted watery stools on friday and saturday. We decided to bring her to another PD and at the same time seek a second opinion for her drinking problem.

We brought ashlynn to Aglow Baby and Child Clinic at United Square. A very nice furnished clinic, it appeared to us that it was much more organised than the previous one which we went to. Doctor said ashlynn seems fine to him and she may take after mummy who is not big-sized. He suggested to let ashlynn take a urine test to rule out any possibility of urinary tract infection. I wonder how it this related to her drinking problem. Anyway we went ahead. Going to go back to the clinic on Monday as ashlynn developed a cough after going home that night. She has been coughing frequently and mummy is worried after hearing so many cases of bronchitilis recently.

Mummy and daddy hope that ashlynn will get well soon.


Ashlynn can hold the magmug!!













































Mummy

A Painful Decision

Finally after 4.5 months of breastfeeding, mummy decided to call it quits. After returning to work, I really find it so difficult to find time to express. The pumping sessions are really taking up too much of my time which is desperately needed to complete my outstanding tasks - Prelim papers, SGC, lesson preparation, etc... This is simply driving me mad. Worse still, I got no time for daddy and ashlynn! Luckily, daddy is adopting a very supportive role since I went back to work. He irons his own shirts which is so rare of him ever since we stayed together. He feeds ashlynn while I am pumping away. He keeps ashlynn entertained while I am slogging my work.

I really wonder how other mummies are coping so well. I am surviving on 3 - 4 hours of sleep daily. Maybe I am too inefficient in my work. A note to others - teaching is not a half-day job. Most of us are still working when we reach home. I am sure my fellow teacher counterparts can testify to this. If you are ever thinking of easy job, good money, then teaching is definitely NO for you. I guess I really have to attend those Work - Family Harmony Workshops. The first week of school was mad. No time for lunch. I have been living off biscuits and bread. No, i didn't lose weight because I return home to binge from the afternoon's deprivation.

My plan to bid breastfeeding farewell is to gradually reduce the number of pumping sessions. I am in my fourth day of 3-times pumping. Cannot start 2-times pumping yet due to unbearable engorgement. Should be starting 2-times pumping next week. I am blogging this down to serve as a reference for bf ashlynn's didi or meimei in future.

Wed
220ml + 340ml + 280ml = 840ml

Thur
340ml + 200ml + 270ml = 810ml

Fri
280ml + 240ml + 280ml = 800ml

Yes, it is decreasing. I will continue to track the daily yields till the very end.

That's all for now. Gotta do some housework. The house is at its dirtiest state since we shifted in.

Mummy

Ashlynn's eating issues

Ashlynn has not been eating well. And she is not growing big and chubby as daddy and mummy wants her to be. Our latest visit to the PD, ashlynn only weighs 6.09kg. Dr Keoy said that she is slightly below average where most 4 months old babies should be around 6.5kg. Dr suggest that we start her on rice cereal. I see how things go. I try to delay as much as possible as I didn't intend to start so soon. She doesn't seem ready to me.

Ashlynn was a brave girl yesterday. She didn't cry when the needle went into her. She only made a bit of noise and was ok when the dr seated her up. However, she cried when fed with the Rotarix medication.

Before we left TMC, we popped by at the nursery to collect some glass bottles. Went to United Square after that. We kinda like the place as there were so many baby stuffs to look at.


Ashlynn is so cheerful after being poked at her backside























We enjoyed ourselves while posing for photos at United Square

















Mummy told daddy that I will look forward to go there again next month when our precious goes for her vaccination.

Mummy

Greedy?

Bought ashlynn some cloth books at Robinsons yesterday. Tried letting her play with it today but it ended up in her mouth. She seems interested in eating everything except drinking her milk, which is very worrying. I really hope for a greedy baby and she can grow a little bit more chubby. I think she really looks small for her age as compared to her peers.

Recently, besides having poor appetite, she also gets frighten easily, especially when we bring her to unfamiliar places. She will start to cry loudly, and looks very pitiful. Even her tu-tu cannot calm her down. Yesterday mummy was really pai seh. We brought her to ah ma's house and she started crying inconsolably. She kept on looking around the house and crying. When ah ma carried her, she cried. But when mummy carried her, she sort of calmed down a little. I think ah ma must have felt hurt. So I told daddy we must bring ashlynn there more often.

In the evening, we celebrated Father's Day with granny and grandpa. Ashlynn slept throughout the dinner as she was tired. we have been out for the whole day.


Gave her the cloth book, immediately she shoved it into her mouth


















She saw mummy taking picture of her



















Who cares! She proceeds on to bite the doggy's tail. And she was really engrossed in eating the dog. haha...



















At Din Tai fung, daddy's fried rice with pork cutlet



















Mummy's la mian with pork cutlet



















Hong kong kai lan



















And not to be missed. Xiao long bao!!


















Before i became pregnant, I never touch pork. When I had ashlynn, I started eating pork porridge. Now I grew to like pork :)

Mummy

All alone?

12 midnight: The house is quiet. Mummy is still up. Doing what? Pumping.
12.30 am: Mummy is still up. Feeding ashlynn so that she gets the calories while she sleeps. Daddy is fast asleep. When I'm done, he chids me for not waking him up to feed ashlynn. And off he returns to dreamland.
1 am: Mummy is washing all the bottles accumulated the whole day as we were out. And also my pump. After that put them to sterilise so that ashlynn can have clean bottles the next day.

Finally settled down to sleep at about 1.30am.

6am: Ashlynn is hungry. The house is still quiet. Mummyquickly heat up ashlynn's milk. in my heart hoping daddy will wake up to help to feed.
6.30am: Mummy feeds ashlynn. Once done, daddy wakes up and chids mummy for not waking him up. Off he returns to dreamland.
6.50am: Mummy pumps again...

it's now 9am. The house is still quiet. Mummy is still alone. Mummy just washed her pump and ashlynn's bottles. Mummy has sweeped the floor as the floor is so dirty. There is no one else to help with the chores but myself. The floor is full of mummy's falling hair. Mummy wrote this not for ashlynn. But just went to write out what I have been feeling. Coz there's no one else to share these.

Mummy has to do the laundry now before ashlynn wakes up.

The whole cycle repeats...

Mummy

Milk!!

Went out for the whole day yesterday and returned home with super engorged breasts. Think daddy will never understand how painful mummy felt. Probably was not successful in clearing the reservoirs last night so managed to pump out a whopping 380ml this morning as compared to my usual 240ml!! Spent almost an hour clearing my breasts! Took a picture of my yield to keep as a momento before I call the milking job a quit.

I don't think i will ever get this amount again unless I go 10 hours without pumping. Which I hope not as it's so uncomfortable.


2 bottles to the brim:)






















Mummy

Daddy's First Father's Day Celebration

Mummy and ashlynn celebrated Father's Day for Daddy on Friday. It was almost like a surprise as i didn't tell daddy where we were going. This was the first time i drove ashlynn all the way to daddy's office to pick him up. Lucky ashlynn was cooperative and slept throughout the journey. We waited downstairs for quite some time before daddy joined us. We happened to see his colleague where one of them were surprised that daddy is a "daddy" already! I must be reminded to blog about my gathering with my NIE friends later. Back to Father's day. I told daddy to drive to Furama Riverfront Hotel. Then finally he knew where I was bringing him - Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant for buffet dinner. It had been long since I wanted to bring him there. I was there 2 years ago when my girl friends celebrated my Hen Night with me. I missed the ambience and food so this was a good chance to go back. A pity daddy didn't eat much during dinner.

Ashlynn was ok during the dinner except she made noise a few times. We realised that she has been very timid recently. She will cry when we bring her to new place. We had to carry her to comfort her and calm her down. After that she was alright and even took short naps during the dinner.

Mummy went to meet up with 2 of my close friends in NIE. It has been a year plus since we met up. So I told them I had some news to share. Immediately they shouted "pregnant ah?" I had to say "erm... no lah, gave birth liao." Really gave them a big shock that day.

Mummy and ashlynn inside the restaurant
























Daddy attacking the buffet line


















1sr round



















2nd round


















Daddy and mummy eating


























Ashlynn milktime. She wants to hold the bottle!



















Bonding time with daddy


















Family shot




















Happy Father's Day

















Mummy

Ashlynn is 4 Months Old

Today, ashlynn celebrates her 4th month based on the lunar calender. Granny prepared a bowl of mian xian for her to eat. No lah, not really eat. But we gave her a few spoonfuls of soup. In the mian xian, a few ingredients were added as they symbolised certain beliefs. Qin Cai (not sure what it is in English) - hardworking, pig liver - scholar, spring onion - clever. We also hope that ashlynn will not be fussy about her food when she grows up. She seems to enjoy drinking the soup as she kept on looking at the bowl of noodles after we finished feeding her.

Daddy was not around to witness this simple ceremony as he was on the flight back from Jarkarta. Yes, he went to Jarkarta again 2 days ago. Today he's back!! After the ceremony, mummy went to the airport to fetch daddy. I didn't bring ashlynn along as I'm not confident of handling her on my own outside.

Tomorrow mummy is bringing daddy out for dinner, so I will try bringing ashlynn out on my own. Hopefullyy she cooperates on the car ride from Simei to Carpenter Street. Keep my fingers crossed...

Granny feeding ashlynn















this is the food ashlynn is eating















ashlynn is happy after eating
















Mummy

Ashlynn's Discovery Ball

We brought ashlynn to Tampines Mall on Saturday night as we need to collect the Leapfrog Discovery Ball which mummy bought from an overseas spree. The ball is quite interesting except that a few buttons are faulty. But don't think we can do an exchange. That's the problem when you want to save money and purchase items from sprees.

We had our dinner at the newly opened Swensons. The resturant was blasting off techno music the whole time we were there and it got quite irritating. We could tell that ashlynn was disturbed by the loud music.
Daddy had the banana split for dessert but mummy got to give that a miss as advised by ashlynn's pd to abstain from dairy products. Daddy was kind enough to offer mummy a few mouthfuls of banana...

Don't know is it due to our dinner, daddy is having diarrheoa and fever now. So mummy has to do ashlynn's morning feed instead of pumping first. End up milk leaked all over, and ashlynn's pants all wet. Good to know I still have leaking milk so my body is producing.

Quite worried as I aim to feed ashlynn at least up to 4 months which is next sunday. Another week to go. That day went Jac yiyi's wedding, didn't pump for almost 9 - 10 hours. So worried that supply will be affected. in case you are wondering why wedding dinner so long. It is because mummy was the emcee and had to reach the hotel earlier.

Ashlynn's discovery ball






















Mummy's Fish in a Jacket






















Daddy carrying ashlynn while mummy gobbles down my food






















Daddy's curry chicken baked rice






















Mummy's turn to carry ashlynn and feed her























Mummy

Sending Daddy off to Jarkarta

Daddy has to fly to Jarkarta to work from Tue to Fri. Mummy is so sad and missed him a lot.
The whole family went to the airport to send daddy off, including little ashlynn who looks erm funny in the hat which granny knitted. Granny knows that we will not put on the hat for her unless she does so.

Ashlynn was rather gloomy at the ariport except the time when an old indian couple played with her at MacDonalds and when daddy was entering the departure gates.

It was quite a touching sight when daddy approached the departure gates and ashlynn started shouting out. Can see that daddy was very she bu de. Anyway, daddy is coming home tonight! But mummy will not be there to pick him up as I have to attend Jac yiyi's wedding.
See ya daddy!

Look, ashlynn is smiling as she is playing with the indian couple from another table.















Ashlynn is still playing with them
















Mummy

Lunch with Sherry Yiyi

This is the yiyi which ashlynn has not seen a lot of as mummy seldom gets to meet up. She is mummy's best friend of 15 years. We have known each other since Sec One. Mummy met up with Sherry yiyi for lunch at the Hong Kong Cafe at Anchorpoint. Although I work very near, I have not been here since the renovation was completed. There were many boutique outlets there, but we didn't get to shop around due to time contraints. Mummy had to rush off for a Cyber Bully workshop (which was a waste of my time) and sherry yiyi had to return to work. Nice meeting up and we had a great lunch. Mummy also received a belated birthday gift - a Biotherm lip gloss and a Bodyshop shower foam which smells heavenly.

This is sherry yiyi. She had black pepper chicken chop spaghetti.



















Mummy with my roti prata and chin chow drink.




















Mummy

Ashlynn's New Toy

Daddy bought Ashlynn a TOMY playgym from Kiddy Palace as we find her starting to kick more and trying to grab things these days. The playgym is very interesting with Pooh & Friends figurines which ashlynn will look at intensely.

Mummy