X'mas at Elfa 24 Dec '10

Saw the pretty decor outside the centre. Decided to take a pretty pic of her.


Mummy

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Poor girl 22 Dec '10

Was having a conversation with Ashlynn when something she said somehow made me feel sad for her.
Me: Ashlynn fat fat or thin thin?
A: thin thin. Mummy fat fat or thin thin?
Me: fat fat
Me: you must finish ur rice so that you can grow fat fat.
I went on to ask abt her classmates.
Me: XX fat fat or thin thin?
A: XX finish her rice so she fat fat.
Me: why Ashlynn didn't finish her rice.
A: Ashlynn eat too slowly so cannot finish.
Sigh... Knowing that she doesn't have the luxury of time in cc to slowly finish her food made my heart ache. I know that our girl has always been slow in her eating. She might still want to eat but because she is too slow, the whole world can't be waiting for her.

I just hope that she doesn't go hungry in cc.

Ashlynn, u must jia you ok?

Mummy

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Ashton's First X'mas Party 12 Dec '10

We attended the X'mas party organised by some of the SMH forum May '10 mummies. Boy, we were impressed by the amount of work put into entire planning and running of the party. We walked away with attractive goodie bags, x'mas pressies and prizes. Kudos to the organisers!

Thank goodness both Ashlynn and Ashton were quite cooperative throughout. We didn't stay throughout as it was their nap time. Ashlynn was very excited to see the little babies. She even cheered Ashton during the sitting contest. She went "Go Ashton Go Ashton Go..."

We dressed him up as a bumble bee for the Best Outfit Contest
An upset-looking bumble bee while the mother laughs onWith Jeannie from Feb '08 thread

Ashlynn kept telling us she wants to be a butterfly. Suspects she felt left out.

Ashton in the sitting contest. He fell minutes or should I say seconds, after the contest began.

Posing for the group shot

Contesting for the top 2 places. The pixie/elf beat Ashton hands down.

It's a friendly match

Receiving his very first prize. A diapers hamper.

Me, Ashton & Ashlynn. Jeannie, Kieran & Gwendolyn.

A closing shot

Mummy

Foursome in Bed 19 Dec '10

Granny and Grandpa went off to Taiwan for their long deserved break. So Ashlynn is back in our room to sleep at night. The first 3 nights were bad. When I have to attend to a crying baby and shrieking toddler in the middle of the night. Good thing they didn't do it together. They took turns, one after another. Leaving me with barely few hours of sleep. Daddy didn't help much as he was catching up from the lack of sleep. I am having my holidays, so it just makes sense that I do the night duty.

On the fourth night, daddy suggest we all squeeze on to our humble queen size bed, but sleep horizontally instead. It did fit all of us, but Daddy, Ashton and myself barely have space to turn. Only the princess had the luxury of tossing and turning. We decided that this will be the arrangement until Granny comes back. At least everyone can sleep better with the exception of some backache. It's a wonderful feeling when Ashlynn wakes up and gives me a peck on my cheek and she strokes my forehead lovingly. Not forgetting the widest grin from Ashton whenever he opens his eyes and sees us.

We didn't want to leave Ashton with the maid as we have already make our stand from the start that we should look after our kids as much as we can. The maid's main duty is housekeeping, then followed by helping out with the kids whenever we are busy.

Mummy

Ashlynn Goes to Hong Kong 05 - 09 Dec '10

It was no relax trip for us as we prepared for the 5D 4N trip to Hong Kong. During the trip itself, while we enjoyed ourselves, we also find it quite stressful as we found time to be really short. A lot of time was spent on coaxing her to eat and searching for toilets for her.

There were some hipcups during the trip. I forgot to bring along half the amount of money which I have changed for the trip. And I brought the wrong credit card there. Luckily, we had enough to spend.

Ashlynn enjoyed the hotel stay most. She told me that her hotel is very pretty but in actual fact, it was a really small and simple hotel. Nothing impressive at all. I asked her what she liked about the hotel. She told me that she can write there using their memo pad and pen.

Overall, she was quite cooperative with the exception of turning cranky when she was hungry or tired. She also finished a 400g tin of Gain IQ during the short trip.

Getting ready to set off. The sweet hat is knitted by granny.
Family portrait by the helper. Her skills not too bad.

Bidding farewell at the airport

Catching on her beauty sleep

She was in a super good mood at KFC while we had our break

Dineyland

Minnie Mouse - her all-time fave!

At the lobby of Shamrock Hotel located at Jordan MTR station

The kids had a fun time at Prada outlet

At Tung Chung Citygate outlets

Spectacular Hello Kitty displays at Langham Place

Having her final lunch in Hong Kong

It was a coincidence that they wore similar outfit She simply adores Rheanne

Mummy

Siblings Love 4 Dec '10

One of the rare occasions she allows didi to be so near her :)


Mummy

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My 2 Darlings

Mummy

Ashlynn 32 - 33 Months

Just to share some recent photos of our lil princess :)

Mummy

Similac Scare 01 Dec '10

Ashton's face broke out in red patches about an hour plus after we gave him his first bottle of FM. We panicked like hell due to the likelihood that it is an allergy to cow's milk. Many thoughts ran through my mind. Like my milk supply has been reduced to get ready for the trip. Do I need to pump vigourously to bring back supply? Do I have to pump on the go in Hong Kong? Can Ashton take full bottle feeds of frozen BM? Maybe I can give Isomil, a soy-based FM?

I called the PD to check. He told me to stop for 48 hours, let the rashes subside, then re-introduce. I also call up Abott to counter-check. The nutritionist said that as Ashton was on full BM for the past 6.5 months, his body might be reacting to the sudden change in so-call nutritional composition.

Today I gave a bottle of FM again at 9am. Till now he seems fine. We are keeping our fingers and toes crossed.

Mummy

Breastfeeding Updates 29 Nov '10

On Saturday, 27 Nov, I started expressing 3 times a day. The ss was roughly as follows: 340ml, 280ml and 220ml. My first pump was at 7am. By the time it was 4pm, I felt sooo engorged but was only able to pump out 280ml, surprisingly. Will be going on 2x pumping coming wednesday, to get ready for my Hong Kong trip.

We started Ashton on FM today. I felt sad. Somehow, it's due to my selfishness that I have to give him FM. For the sake of my holiday, I decided to let go of my pumping. Sigh... On the lighter note, I'm glad that he took the FM quite well. Seems like Similac Stage 2 is more delicious than Sandy's @6mths+ milk.

Will try to perservere till 8 months, that was how long I breastfed Ashlynn.

Mummy

Boh Gey No More 22 nov '10

Ashton's bottom 2 teeth are out. Granny felt it when cleaning his gums this morning. We thought it was just one, but PD told me that both are cutting out.

I was looking at the archives to check when Ashlynn sprouted her first tooth. To my amazement, both of them had their first tooth cut out on the same day! 6 months 10 days. What a coincidence!

Ashton is not feeling well again. This time round, he caught the virus from me. I was having a cough and flu for many days. But I acted tough and refused medication. Until yesterday, my body gave in and finally I popped 2 panadols + cough syrup down. With daddy and granny's help to take care of the kids, I rested early but woke up to pump and discard 250ml of BM.

Ashton weighs about 8.9kg at 6 months 10 days.

Mummy

Ashton at almost 6 Months 8 Nov '10

Brought Ashton for his 2nd pneumoccocal jab yesterday.

At almost 6 months, he's 8.58 kg and 66 cm tall.

He can sit unassisted for quite awhile.

He has been drinking mummy's milk and my target of TBF for 6 months should be successful. haha... Coz he is turning 6 months on 12 Nov. I have a tin of Similac stage 2 waiting for its opening ceremony as we go for our Hong Kong trip without him in a month's time. We will start him on formula then as chilled EBM can only last 48 hours and I don't know if he can take the entire bottle of frozen breastmilk as we have been mixing. During the trip, I plan to express twice, in the morning and at night so that I can continue to have fresh ebm to be mixed with the frozen ones. Once the frozen BM is cleared, I will stop my BF career.

Ashton started his first solids of Bellamy rice cereal on 31 Oct. So far, he seems to enjoy it.

Mummy

What Did I Spend on in the Month of Nov

Over a short span of 2weeks, I think I spent $500-600 on PD visits and medication. With Ashlynn and Ashton falling sick, going back for reviews and Ashton's recent pneumoccocal jab, money kept rolling out from our pockets. In one month, Ashlynn has not been to school for 2.5 weeks. This seriously left me to ponder if I should continue to put her in childcare. It definitely does not do justice to our monies. Anyway, I doubt we will pull her out. Granny will be tired out handling the two kids and I think Ashlynn benefits a lot in childcare in terms of her development, at the expense of her health. Haiz...

She's finally off the nebuliser. Hope she continues to stay cough and phlegm free. May all bad bugs stay away from our two lil ones!

Mummy

Build-a-Bear for Ashlynn 30 Oct '10

Both kids took turns to be sick. First Ashlynn was coughing, spread the virus to Ashton, causing him to be on nebuliser. Ashlynn went back to childcare centre and caught another virus. This time was so serious that she developed bronchitis and had to be on the nebuliser. She cried so badly when she was administered the first dosage in the clinic. We were worried that she will refuse to take it when we are back home, so we bought a "friend" for her. She names it Kitty and it cost $84.50. Comes with a complete set of top, jeans, shoes and panties. The process of building the bear was very interesting. She got to play a part in doing it so we thought it was pretty meaningful.

We are bringing Kitty for a checkup today as apparently her clothes and shoes keep coming off. It may be understuffed so we will see if the sales person can fill it with more cotton.

Mummy