Its been a while

Hello blog, it's been a long while. Sorry for the neglect. Alot has happened since we last talked. Nobody expected a pandemic, and it happened. 2020, lockdown happened everywhere globally. That was when I started to feel depressed. No travelling?? For how long?? And on top of that being worried or should i call it anxious about the kids getting it. I know I am catastrophizing things, but I can't help it. 

 

Working from home during lockdown is the worst thing ever. We were "squeezed" to our brink. Knowing that we got nowhere to go. The deadlines were tighter, we needed to do more.  It was hard. On top of that we need to do, teach, clean, and etc. I was not easy. 

 

So all those stress and anxiety took a toll on my health.  In March 2022, hubby, no. 1 and I all got in. That whole week I was so tired. Being sick myself, i need to care for the other sick and healthy ones, cook, sanitize. I am at the brink of exhaustion. And on top of that Charlie wanted me to work. So I had to do work for both sides while recovering. 

I blame myself for trying to please everyone. 

In summary, 2022 was the worst year for me.  I pray and hope 2023 would be much kinder.

 

 

Cute moment with No.2

Hello blog, it has been almost a year. Sorry for neglecting this space. I had too much in my life now.

A quick update, No. 1 is 4 now and No. 2 is 15 mths old. How time flies.

I wanted to update something I think sweet and cute before I totally forget about it.


I was sending No.2 to the nanny. As we are waiting for the green light, I teased her by curling my index finger repetitively (with sound effect) and poke her little nose with the sound of DING!

The little one is amused and chuckled. I then noticed she is studying her right index finger, trying to move it like what I did. I find it very cute. LOL then the next time I do it (she knows because I made some noise) she got ready her finger, curling slowly to meet mine. We missed the first 2 time, but our fingers met the 3rd time and it made her laughed, and made me beamed with pride.

Ahhh, moments like these, brightens up my day. :)

#2 : Grow baby grow

Cookie's stats :

When born
Weight： 3.02kg
Height : 48cm

1st mth

weight :4kg
Height :54cm
Milk intake : 2oz every 1.5 to 2 hours
Usually fussy at night for no apparent reason. Wakes up around 2 and 4am for milk.

2nd month

weight:5.2kg
height:57cm
Milk intake: 2.5 oz every 2 hours
Still fussy at night but at least will stop as soon as she's being carried. Can fall asleep on her cot by herself with the musical toy playing the lullaby song. Very "chatty", likes to "ang guuu" at you. Very smiley. Smiles back at you most of the time.

3rd mth
weight:5.6kg
Height:61cm
Milk intake : 3oz every 2.5 hours
Most nights only woke up once for milk. Starts to recognise faces. Has found her yummy fist. Showing signs of flipping. She can do a half flip now,and on rare occasions,she managed a full flip. Gotta barricade the bed now when she's on it.

Compare with elder sis Tomato here.

King,Queen,Princess and a Slave

One night while reading a book, Tomato point to the letter 'Q' and said q is for queen!

I was feeding Cookie milk,so to interact with her, I asked are you a queen or a princess?  She said :mmmm, a princess!

Me : How about mommy?Is mommy a Queen or a Princess?

Tomato : Queen!(* I must have looked smugged here)

Me : how about daddy?A King or a Slave?

Tomato : Slave!

Me : *eyes widen followed by a burst of laughter*

Oink : *-__________-|||*

I decided to try again because you know kids sometime just pick the latter choice when u ask them questions with choices.

Me : is daddy a slave or a king?

Tomato : Slave!

Lollllllllllll!! Cannot help it but burst again while trying hard not to shake too much ( was carrying Cookie).

Oink obviously couldn't accept it and lay face down on the bed pretending to be sad.lollll. And afterwards he asked again : Ask you again,Daddy is a slave or a king??!

Tomato : Slave! *followed by her giggles and then she jumped onto Oink's back and pretend she's riding a horse.lol!!

Oink : aiyokkkk!Call me a slave still jump on me!

Me : That is what slaves are for.lollllll

Oink :…

Labour Story #2

Before I start, my #1 kid nickname is Tomato. #2 is Cookie, and i refer my husband to be Oink. Just so you won't get confused with all these food popping up while I am telling my story. Heee..

Before I really start, let me start with a bit of a side story leading to the labor stories. Pay attention to it. 

Prediction #1

With this pregnancy,  I have a strong love for Indian food. I just love the taste of spices. All those natural aromas from the spices, how I love it. I even had a craving for it a few days before I delivered. :-p So, upon hearing this, my colleague jokingly said, eat la eat more of indian, later your kid look like Indian. 'x'!!!!!


Prediction #2

A few days before my labor, I think its a Tuesday, I told my colleagues, I feel sore at the pelvis area, and it felt a bit like menstrual cramp, just a little bit. And they all got excited about it. "Will it be tonight?" "Will it be tomorrow?" Then one colleague said, wait till 26th (which is a Sunday). She thinks those born on 26th are lucky. Anyway, ,in case they might be right, I quickly rush whatever work I have left.

Ok, lets go to the main topic now.

Saturday (25th July), we still went groceries shopping cos I planned to cook the next day for dinner. I went to sleep with Tomato. Oink went downstairs to watch football. 

26th July, 12.39am, while sleeping, I felt like there's water leaking through my *ahem*.  I was thinking OMG, have I gotten so loose down there till pee can leak like this? So I went to the toilet and peed. Then I lay down on bed, wanted to continue sleeping. But I felt something is wrong, I feel pain like I am having my period. So I went to the toilet again, to check my undie, no blood. Hmmm. Then I could feel more water coming down. That is when it hits me, is this my water breaking? My water didn't break when I had Tomato. So this is totally unfamiliar to me. Then I went and sit on the toilet, and more water came out. So I hollered for Oink from upstairs. I said "I think my water broke" And  I guessed that shocked him enough to run upstairs. LOL. What followed suit was chaotic, we haven't really done packing. *guilty smile* so Oink was rushing up and down to pack. I still feel much of a contraction yet, so I was thinking hmm, may be I still got time. I called my parents to let them know I might be delivering today. And Tomato might need to spend the night with them. I walked around being blur, and bewildered that its really happening, I am having Cookie today, and I don't feel quite ready yet, but what to do, baby decide to arrive earlier. Then I feel the contractions, and a sudden urge to poop (which I really did after that :-p). I told Oink we need to go to the hospital, then I called my parents again to ask them to come, but they told me they are already on their way. WOW, my parents can read my mind. LOL. Then I went to bath and wash my hair. Cos I know Oink and my MIL will forbid from washing my hair during confinement. My parents arrived while Oink is blowing dry my hair downstairs while I drink hot milo and was nibbling on crackers (I had 2 pieces only) (T.T) That is when I felt the contractions getting more intense but still bearable. Then after briefing my mom on where all the stuff is and what to do, how to arm and disarm the alarm etc, we left.

We are lucky we lived quite near to most hospitals. We decided to deliver at Borneo Medical Centre (BMC) as we heard the nurses are better, friendlier there. We at first wanted to deliver at KPJ, but after hearing stories on how bad the nurses there (I believed may be they had over-worked), my worrywart husband coerced me to change to BMC. I believed nurses are more important than doctors IMHO. Because based on my previous experience at KPJ, the nurses hang around me more that the doctor :-p

 We arrived at BMC at 2.40am. Oink parked near the A&E entrance to find the door locked and no one around when he peeked inside, and so he panicked, and rushed over to the lobby's entrance, before I could tell him the doorbell is actually on the side of the door LOL!! anyway, very soon, the A&E door opened, and out came 2 nurses, and they asked me would I like to sit wheeled around in a wheel chair. Well, since I don't plan to have more kids, and I may not get this chance until may be I am LAO KOK KOK (OLD), to satisfy my curiousity, I said ok. LOL! It was quite fun actually 'x'

They called my doctor, Dr. Phillip Kho. Then they wheeled me to the elevator and we went up straight to the delivery room where I got changed. The nurses asked have I went to the toilet yet, I told them I had done all, no.1 and no.2 LOL. I was then told to lay down, and I was strapped on to track my contraction and to monitor baby's heart beat. I remember the 2 nurses, but can't remember their name. One was older, clearly more senior, of Bumi Race, and have a short bob, I shall call her bob since I can't remember the name. Another one was fair, chinese, younger and wore glasses, I shall call her fair girl.  Short bob then told me she needed to measure my dilation,it was painful and unpleasant, and I was told I was 4cm dilated. I was like okayyyy, then should be a few hours more before the baby will come. She left, and Oink dutifully sat next to the bed, holding my right hand and asked me to breathe deep. 10 mins later, i could feel the contractions getting more intense and painful, I was thinking OH GOD!!! 4cm and IT IS THIS PAINFUL ALREADY! I had considered epidural for #2 if its too painful but a few days before that I read a news on FB on how this mother be paralyzed on the lower half of the body, and tht scares the shit out of me.  I asked Oink to call for the nurse for some pain relief. Short Bob came in and asked me which type I prefer, I told her may be I'll try the gas first.  She said ok, she went out to get it ready. She came back and taught me how to use it and left. I was in so much pain, I just wanna suck the damn gas and hope it will take the pain away. Well, it didn't >:-( . I told Oink, this is not right, I feel so painful, and I feel the contractions getting so near to each other, like 1-2 mins apart, is this even normal for 4cm dilation? I told him to get Short Bob back in. She came back in, and look at the machine next to me and said, should be not so soon, since she can see that my contractions is irregular. That is when I felt a big one coming, it was so painful i screamed and I can feel a gush of water rushing out from my errr *ahem*..AHAHHA and I heard Oink said "She's bleeding" while Short Bob ask me to keep breath in the Entonox. I think Short Bob panic. And the doctor has not arrived yet. Oppps. She went back out to call for Fair Lady. I breathed the gas until I can see stars, I felt numb and weak so everything is quite blur. Then I think Short Bob came back, I told her I felt the urge to push. She said don't push yet. "You lie down sideways" she said. So I did as told. I lay down on my side, legs closed, very much in pain and trying hard not to push. Because I needed to move to my side, I need to pass my gas mask to Oink (I think). After 1 contraction, I demanded for my gas mask 'x'!! Hey, being blur is better than feeling the pain ok?!! That is when i felt it during the next contraction, LIKE A BIG POOP STUCK ON YOUR ANUS, YUP, that is exactly how I felt. And the next contraction, it felt like something slip out and I can hear a ladies voice saying "Oh shit" HHAHAHHAHAHA. And I think I heard Oink said "baby is out" something like that. So I turn my head around and I saw her, her skin was dark and purple and all her fingers stretched like she's angry and she was crying out loud (according to Oink, she cried herself, nobody manage to spank her butt yet). This Cookie really couldn't wait ya, everything do herself.I slowly turn myself over to lie down on my back so that I could see what's happening. I look to my right where an unfamiliar doctor was examining her. Then I heard they say she pooped already. LOL. I was told he is an A&E doctor. I was still blur from the effect of the gas, shocked that Cookie came out so soon, but am also glad I didn't have to be in pain as long as I did for my previous delivery. Since my doctor has not arrived, I asked the nurse do I tear alot 'x' She said not much..GOOD THEN

Doctor arrived I think minutes later, he quickly got changed and quickly get to work. He took out the placenta, gave me some painkillers before stitching me up, make sure all blood is squeezed out (OUCH!!) 

After all is done, the doctor left, and Fair Lady said we are to move to my room now. She was so nice, she even asked me am I tired? She can make some milk for me. Which I politely declined, cos I don't really like milk made from milk powder. :-p She wheeled me to my room and reminded me to take lotsa fluid. She was really nice.

I think we arrived the room before 4am, or about that. And we couldn't sleep from all the excitement 'x' We didn't manage to tell the ppl there we plan to breastfeed Cookie, but I guess they are a pro-bf hospital cos soon after that, Cookie was brought to me for some mama milk.LOL

The nurses took turn to check on us constantly to make sure everything is ok. We were told that once I peed, and Cookie peed, we can go home. Or if we want, we could choose to spend a night there since everything is paid. I told Oink I want to go home if possible. So we waited and waited for Cookie to pee. I even did no.2 already and still she has yet to pee. LOL. Finally, around 6pm she peed and we can go home. YES!!


For my labor story : Tomato version visit here.

last day of jail (confinement)

I can't wait for the confinement to be over. finally I can be free!! This time for the confinement, we didn't hire any confinement lady after what we experienced the first time. Mil helped to cook for the first week then my mom took 3 weeks leave to help me.

although I am elated the confinement is going to over real soon, but at the same time I am afraid and worried. With 1 kid, we are able to manage nicely but with 2??

So far no.1 doesn't display much jealousy towards no.2. she is quite understanding when we told her why we need to tend to Mei Mei first. She also sings to Mei Mei when she cries. For that I am very grateful.

Oink is a great help. Without a cl, he helped out alot, did the laundry, wash baby stuff, prepared tomato's snack for school,etc. He even folded the clothings. Lol. *thumbs up* for my man!

As for me,I am trying to practise more patience. I can be pretty snappy at times especially when I am tired and both kids suddenly fuss at the same time.

Oink asked if,do I regret not hiring a cl? I do miss sleeping through the night and having afternoon naps. But the answer is no,I Don't regret it. I am more relaxed this time and much less stressed. The heartache and headache a cl gave me is simply not worth it IMHO.

Next up,I will tell my labour story (before I forget).

Sorethroat and what I missed

So I caught Tomato's coughing bug and is now down with sorethroat. My voice doesn't sound normal and my nose can't decide whether to get fully blocked or not. GRRR.

And you know what I missed most now? ICE CREAM. I WANT TO EAT THEM. OH WHY!!!


but look at the bright side, at least my diet is controlled, since i need  to now to prevent no.2 from getting too big.

BUT STILL, I want to get better so I can eat ICE CREAM, INDIAN FOOD and all. :(