Life being a mum : 0 - 4 months

Everyone would have asked the same question as part of our conversation ever since Ada was born.

"So how's motherhood?"

During the initial stage, there isn't anything much to reply besides being kept occupied most of the time and trying to get used to the baby's schedule instead of my own.

The official maternity leave is now over and it has proven that time passes by faster than anything during the 4 months of 'baby-only' time. 

I'll answer the same question again now with a totally different perspective. 

Being a mother or simply put, motherhood meant putting your child above everything in life. 

When she sleep during bedtime, you eat / bath / express breastmilk.

- by the time you are done, she will wake up soon again for the next feeding.

When she nap in the day, you work (clearing up all the mess made when she was awake!)

When it's her playtime, you play along and work hard being funny to keep her entertained.

When she eat, you work (feeding). 

When she poot (pass motion), you work (changing diaper).

When she cries, you work (trying all means to comfort her).  

The above was pretty much a daily routine for the past 4 months and everything I do, was dependent on her schedule, never mine. 

- Boring as it sounded? Not exactly... as you'll be too busy to even find it boring. Every effort is worth it when she's comfortable, secured and smiley! 

- Tiring as you thought? Quite! I can't remember when was the last night that I've slept through till the next morning. 

Sleep hours became shorter, personal time to surf the internet, play games, random chat with friends and anything else that I used to do, also diminishes over time. Life-style changes as pubbing is definitely out of the list, chilling at night became impossible and watching movie in a cinema got downgraded to plugging into an earpiece and watching it at home. 

Not trying to make motherhood sound boring but I'm sure mothers who are taking care of your own baby alone will agree with me. Most people might view this as sacrifices but I see this as an opportunity cost. The cost exchanged to spend time with my girl, to be around for every of her milestones, to provide the needed love and care for her, to keep her warm and safe, and to seeing her grow everyday. 

The cost that is worth anything when she smiles back at you or reacts positively to something new that you are trying to teach her. 

There were difficult times which really stresses us out when her jaundice lasted longer than the usual babies, starts vomiting after each feed, fusses every midnight and crying even after feeding, going through a minor operation and falling sick with bad nights due to stuffy nose. 

These series of challenges were the toughest during Ada's 1st 4 months but it's worth all the tiredness so long as she is well, healthy and happy!

This pretty much sums up my motherhood days during her 1/4 year! Looking very forward to all the upcoming milestone and playing a part to the every '1st' in her life.

Thoughts of the day

Life has been a cycle and mine just kept rotating at the same turning point.

Clarify your goal!!! 

Duck feast at Mouth Restaurant

Today happened to be Ada's 3rd month and we had a random weekend lunch that was superb at Mouth Restaurant located at Plaza Singapura, level 2.

Happy 3 months old darling! 

   

Colorful food always looks so happy and tasty.

 

Banana prawn fried roll was delicious and it doesn't break nor have oil lingering on your lips upon biting. 

I'll definitely return for this!

Next item on this list that will encourage me to return again was the snowy liu sa bao! 

The filling was generous and the salted egg taste wasn't too overwhelming. I really liked bolo bun and hence, with such a combination, how can I not give a thumb's up for this. Swee Choon's liu sa bao wasn't as nice since the skin wasn't as crispy as Mouth's.

Pan-fried carrot cake was quite good too, not oily!

Dim Sum was not the main focus of our lunch as I ordered just to keep me full while waiting for Brother, Sis-in-law and Jonas to reach. The real limelight of the day was DUCK! We ordered the duck feast where most of the food items were cooked using duck with it's different parts and cooking method. 

Peking duck, yummy!

Cod fish was really nice! We changed one of the fish item to this. 

We had other dishes such as soup, noodles and dessert but I gave those a missed as Ada woke up half way through our lunch! Just by looking at these photos makes me wanna go back again, drool~

Self reflection

It has been a while since I've spent time thinking about myself. Here's some time for self reflection while Ada is asleep. 

Too many events have been taking place for the past few years since teenage days (18 & above). Adapting to changes and making decision have suddenly became very important. No more 'mummy says, you follow' and have everything 'planned' for you via the usual route of our educational system. 

I guess the 1st important decision that I have made for myself was to major in HR during polytechnic, get a full time job upon graduation and study part-time for a degree while working. 

I have no idea what life will be, if I took on a full time degree on Facilities Management at NUS back then... everyone was fighting to enter but I gave up my chance. I have no idea why, but I chose polytechnic over Junior College and a private part time degree over a full time placement in a prestige university. 

Perhaps, if I ever did that: 

- our paths might not cross each other's (whoever is reading it) and I won't even know you
- I might make more friends and lose some or lose more friends and made some?

- I wouldn't be moulded into the society that fast to become who and what I am today.

- I would definitely be doing something different and the list could just go on and on. 

Too much possibilities but I'm grateful for what I have today. I count my blessing for knowing awesome people and gaining invaluable experience which I might miss out if I've chosen a different route. No one knows what will happen with each decision made and will things be better if I've chosen the other option? Some people walked in, while some walked out but well, one just can't have the better of both worlds. It's like that, isn't it? 

Adapting to changes and getting used to people walking in and out is part of one's journey. Thus, in order to be unaffected, it's best to be unattached as much as possible. Things are a lot easier to manage this way, at least for me la! *you don't have to agree with me*

A desire to achieve somehow enhances the desire to change. I am seldom aimless in life, but when I do, I get myself out of the situation. Seems like it's the start of an aimless journey as moments like this will cause me to rethink and get uneasy over it. 

In case you're wondering... I am contented with what I have right now although some emptiness still creeps into me at times. The thing is, can I be just contented and stay with the current status. Argh~

Happy Anniversary LG

To lg,

We may not have the best celebration nor prepared anything for the day due to the hectic schedule for our 1st year wedding anniversary but it's already a blessing to have you and darling by my side. 

Thank you for showering me with all the TLC, being the best lg as much as possible and giving all that you can to this marriage. 

Thank you for taking care of me and running all the errands during my pregnancy and spending more time at home when Ada is born! 

You have been an amazing husband, dad-to-be and an official daddy for the past 1 year. The multiple change of status in a year have kept us truly busy but happy! 

I love you. 

Thank you for spending time to edit the photo! (I help you post, lol.) 

As darling has been brave during her wound dressings recently, she deserve a gift on our special day. New and more clothes despite her full wardrobe. 

Brave Ada

Baby Ada has been hospitalized for 3 days at KKH and went through a minor operations successfully to remove the swell.  

It was her first mid-autumn festive and we were supposed to celebrate Travis birthday at home but was admitted to hospital instead :( 

I was very worried when we admitted her to a&e 2 days before and the thought of a need for an operations totally tore me apart. The heart breaks with every cry and no words can be used to describe the feeling of seeing a needle poking through her little hand. 

Glad that things became better and manageable with the help of the nurses and the assurance by the doctors. 

Family and friends who are concerned and offered kind words and prayers during the tough time are truly appreciated. 

Ada is now recovering from the lymph node infection which has already been removed and her wound is better. We could tell that her pain is lessen with every visit to change her dressing as she doesn't cry that much anymore. 

There is no explanation for the lymph node infection as much as we wanted to know so that we can prevent it from happening. All doctors said that this is common for infant and children and usually through cuts or insect bites etc. 

There were no cuts on Ada and the only difference was that she took 2 injections 3 days before I noticed the swell. Not even sure if it's due to that! All that we know was that this is common, may or may not return and we can only be as careful as we can to prevent her from getting any cuts or insect bites! 

Thank you lg, for running about for the past 1 week and being around for baby throughout!

P.s I didn't know I'm not allowed to be inside nor take picture! 

Nothing hurts more then seeing your love ones in pain. Take good care everybody! 

Admitted to KKH

Infected lymph node :(

Babyada got admitted to be under observation for 2 days with antibiotic via injection. Hope the swell will subside to prevent having a need for an operation! 

Poor baby cried so hard while the doctor's doing to plug. It's definitely heart wrenching to see your little love one under such pain. She will be strong to get through this.

God bless, may baby recover soon and be healthy!!!

: ...(

Tiny little hand got poked ... Ouch!

Get well soon

Our little darling is not feeling well again!

Found a swollen lump on Ada right groin yesterday noon and sent her to pediatrician immediately in the evening. Pd can't do anything and the need of having to send her to KKH A&E is horrible. 

Glad that there's an option to observe from home and no admission is required.

We have an appointment to follow up tomorrow morning and we're all praying that no surgery will be required. Hope that the swell is either due to injection or infection and will go down on its own by eating antibiotic. 

Please get well soon darling :(

I hate going to hospitals!!! Argh! 

Baby Ada: First month celebration (25 Aug 2013)

Event: Baby Ada 1st month celebration

Date: 25 August 2013

Venue: Multi-purpose hall at Mum's place

Caterer: Purple Sage Group Pte Ltd

Theme: Cute as a Button

Decorations: Buttons props DIY

Invitation

(template by: on to baby)

Ful month pastry for relatives and friends

Got the moonpie cake from Le Cafe instead of those traditional gift box for relatives and close friends. Since Mid-Autumn festive is coming soon, thought this might fit in as well :)

   

Simple cake for colleagues from Choz

   

Door gift

Button magnets, red eggs and glutinous rice.

   

   

Chanced upon spotlight and saw these pretty cloths that matched perfectly for Ada's 1st month celebration theme. Instead of plain table cloth and buffet overlay, we bought this for the buffet line deco. DIY and got Liang's aunty to help sew into the respective sizes. 

    

Buffet set up 

(Food and floral decorations are by Purple Sage)

NB: All buttons and full month related props are excluded; not from the caterer. We bought those decorative items on our own to enhance the buffet line decoration

   

   

   

   

   

   

    

   

   

DIY specially for kids~

Laksa 

(Must have, but I cannot eat!)

       

Desserts!

  

   

   

   

It was a super busy day and please accept my apologies if I did not get to spend much time with you. 

Photos are blogged in a very random arrangement but I have tried my best to organize and group the photos in accordance but it still looked a little messed up. Too much time needed to rearrange the photos, do scroll and 'look out' for your photos ok! 

Our sleeping beauty was very good, slept through the day and didn't get too fussy. 

Thank you Shuxian and Amanda for taking up the role of my personal photographer for the day! Muacks!

   

   

Nanny's last day!!

   

   

   

   

  

 

   

   

      

   

   

   

Playtime for the kids!

   

   

   

   

   

    

  

   

   

   

   

Such a sweet girl - I meant the baby~ (Mummy also not bad la huh, lol!

   

 

   

   

   

Pretty woman~~~

After all the younger kids went home, it's the older kids playtime! Tida, if you're reading this...

This is what your poor cute piñata went through...boxxxxxxx o.O'

     

        

     

   

  

   Alpha button monogram 

Thank you everyone who has helped to piece up Ada's monogram. I will frame it up as her 1st month present for her to hang on her future bedroom wall, till she is all grown up and able to appreciate the gift from everyone's effort.

     

   

 

Thank you Lijun for helping to complete it!!!

 

Thank you everyone for the gifts and angbao for baby Ada.

We started with an intention to celebrate Ada's 1st month with our family only but after taking care of her for a few weeks, I've decided to go ahead and plan for a gathering as a significance to her attainment of a full month's survival in good health. I'm glad that we did it and thank you everyone for the love that you have for us and Ada! 

Thanks for all the well wishes again, and I'm sure although baby Ada was sleeping most of the times, I believed she felt all the love from you all.