.:I WANT:.
If Nat could speak, she’d probably be saying ALOT of it.
My little gal is beginning to test boundaries and make her own decisions. She wants to feed herself, wants to “walk” or be carried around (depending on her mood), stay longer playing in the sand, play while eating her meals, get out of the car seat (since Daddy’s driving and Mommy’s around to hold her)…just to name a few.
I wonder how much of a good thing that is? Because she can’t exactly express what she wants, she ends up screaming..make that shrieking, most of the time. We’ve got a Screamer, is all I can think of when she does that. *Sigh* I don’t always give in to her “demands”, especially not when it’s something that I wouldn’t want developing into a bad habit. Like poor table manners. So we put on our “earplugs”…
Cherns & my reaction to her is always somewhat calm. We speak in stern voices, do not smile and ask what’s the matter. We do not scream back at her. I guess there are 2 reasons for this. One: We do not want her to think that screaming is OK when you’re upset. (Although we adults are guilty of it. More so me than Cherns.) And Two: We do not want to work ourselves up into a frenzy. So far so good and she calms down after a short while. Let’s hope it stays that way and not develop into some terrible temper.
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On a separate note, I felt cold bone chills tonight and was feeling ill. I managed to get 3 hours and 20mins of rest before Nat started stirring. I nudged Cherns to go get some milk, but he was his usual s-l-o-w-I-need-3-minutes-to-wake-up-before-I-can-get-out-of-bed-to-do-whatever self, so, to save ourselves the stress of Nat’s fussy cry turn into screams, I jumped out of bed to do it myself. Again. Well, she did start screaming anyways, which meant that Cherns HAD to get on his act quickly anyways…but at least the milk came back up in a jiffy.
And now I don’t feel so good, but it’s like I’m not allowed to fall sick either. Not the best of feelings. :0(
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.:Tired:.
Not sure why, but I’m the most tired I have been for a long time now.
Maybe because I’m taking too many baking orders?
Maybe because I’m not sleeping well at night?
Maybe because of the recent incidences of PMS & Male PMS?
Probably because I’m not made of steel…
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.:Side Effects:.
Nat’s got double eyelids after the Roseola experience. Interesting…
I got double eyelids now!
I like! Her eyes now look exactly like Cherns! Pretty pretty pretty baby. *Woot*
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.:Roseola isn’t so rosy:.
Cherns & I had a BBQ celebration last Sunday, the 13th of Sept, celebrating our birthdays. More for mine though and Cherns’ had passed over a week before. We had his friends and my JC pals, some of which I had not seen for a long long time. It was a great time of catching up and feasting. :0)
The next morning, Natalie woke up with a slight fever, which quickly developed into a high fever registering 38.6 degrees Celsius. I thought it was due to her teething 4 teeth at once, but when the fever didn’t subside by the following day, I brought her to the nearby GP. Her fever then registered a whopping 39.4! It was worrying. She was however, really alert still – looking around, pointing at things, but just not as cheerful as she normally is.
am I going to be ok mommy?
The GP checked her – no sore throat, no signs of flu or cough or meningitis (or “brain burn” as I’d like to put it) so he diagnosed that she had viral fever. Viral fever – I don’t like this term. It’s really vague and makes one feel very helpless since you do not know what exactly IS the virus and how to cure it. He adviced giving Paracetamol and wiping her down to bring the temperature down. By Day 3 afternoon, when her fever did not subside, I brought her to her PD and he told me that she showed classic symptoms of Roseola – a “false measles” virus which runs its course from a coupla days of high fever and then rash. He gave me some suppository as a quick fix for Nat’s high fever if it goes beyond 38.5. I tried using it twice – once which made her cry non stop for over 4 hours in the wee hours of the morning and another time which made her crap. So that wasn’t so successful…
So anyways, the rash appeared on the night of Day 4 and she now looks like a spotted alien. A happy spotted alien with a 4-teeth grin. Ha! She regained her appetite and has been eating porridge for the past 2 days now. I wonder how long this rash will take to disappear? Infact, I wonder if the rash is uncomfortable to have?
We missed a friend’s daughter’s birthday party at a little gym today. I was so looking forward to it and letting Nat climb about, but alas, she will have to wait for another 2 weeks when I’ll be bringing her, on the invite of another mommy friend, to a gym somewhere in the East. Shall blog about that when that comes to pass! Right now, it’s home rest for Natalie, Daddy & Mommy over the long Hari Raya weekend! *Yay*
Oh…and did I mention? I’ve declared the next 2 weeks off from baking. I’m thinking of making some mooncakes. SH and I went for a mooncake making class yesterday and learnt how to make traditional mooncakes & yam spiral mooncakes. It sure was fun, but as usual, there were many of those kiasu type aunties in there. We brought home 8 mini yam spiral mooncakes, 3 big traditional mooncakes (2 with yolks) and 7 mini traditional ones. Not bad for our first try I must say! Perhaps I might consider baking mooncakes for sale next year?
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.:Our Birthdays:.
Nat just turned 9 months a week back and she’s developing a personality which I wonder if is too strong for a girl? She’s very energetic, that’s for sure, but she can be quite rough and boy, does she have a temper! Cherns said that children gain the most of their personality trait in the first 3 months of their lives…which makes it bad for Natalie’s case…since I was still staying with my in-laws then…and life.was.not.happy. *Bows head and prays against any bad-ness that has crept into our little family, in Jesus’ name*
Just the other day, I gave her an onion bulb to hold, saying the word onion over and over so she could hear. She decided that she wanted to eat the onion and put the bulb into her mouth, which of course made me pull it out of her hands. She wasn’t happy. I told her “No” and proceeded to give it back to her to hold. She decided to try her luck at eating it again and this time, I pulled her hand away from her mouth and repeated “No”. She was so upset that she literally threw the onion onto the ground like in a fit of rage and screamed at me! She went “AHHH!” and then cried. Make that, scream cried. I let her, but explained that the onion bulb was dirty because the skin had not been washed or peeled. And also that she wouldn’t be wanting to eat a raw onion because it is quite a pungent vegetable. I wonder if she understood? :0P After a while of screaming – which I’m sure my neighbour probably heard and wondered what was going on – I picked her up and everything “reset”, as Cherns would put it. Meaning, she wasn’t upset anymore and we could proceed to doing our next play/feed/bath program…
She’s also teething – her 5th & 6th tooth and as usual, that means that I have had interrupted sleep for almost 2 weeks now. I can imagine it’s not fun when your enamels decide to make their (bloody) appearance. Well, I give it another 3days and those 2 whites should have erupted outta the pinks. And then…there are 14 more. *Gah*
In less than 3 months, Nat will be one. Yes, ONE. Wow. Time flies…speaking of which, SEPTEMBER is the month of Cherns & my birthdays! This year, I’m hitting the Big 3-0. Bye bye 20s! They did seem like a really long time of my life – transiting from being a student to a working adult to a married woman and now a mommy. We’re going to be having a small combined celebration with some friends over BBQ this weekend and I’ll be baking “our” cake. So much for having a nice big “I’m 30!” cake. I’m too miserly to spend a bomb on something I can make on my own. :0P
We did, however, spend Chern’s birthday with my family. We had a nice dinner @ Sage – my parents’ treat! Nat was there too and had her share of Foccacia, mushroom soup, cheese potato, etc. She was too tired by the time we were done and was wailing away by the time we got home. :0( That was really stressful!
And oh! I got Cherns a Canon D50 camera for his birthday and he was really surprised. :0) He’s been using it to take family pictures and some of his RedDot Music work. I’m glad he likes it and has been taking very much care of it. Happiness – and might I add that I’m experiencing so much more of it after the move. :0D
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.:Before I forget:.
I was reading another mommy’s blog when I was reminded that I ought to write about Natalie’s milestones before I forget them!
She’s 8 months 1 week 1 day today and her 3rd tooth just erupted out from her gums this morning….which also means, I was sleep deprived last night! But it’s real cute I must say…and looks kinda big. Must be the father’s genes.
3 months 1 week: Nat did her first flip – from her belly to her back – afterwhich she did 4-5 more and no more for quite awhile. She did look kinda stunned when she landed facing upward, but she did not cry. I heard that many babies do, especially from the shock of a “different world view”. She’s a brave girl
4 months 1 week: Nat did a flip from her back to belly! It took quite some effort, but she grunted and groaned and flipped her body over. She’s a smart one, using the momentum of a swinging leg to give her that last bit of inertia to turn her over. After this milestone was reached, she was constantly flipping herself this way each time we positioned her back onto her back while trying to change her diaper. She definitely preferred turning this way than from her belly to back and it was the beginning of “c’mon-we-need-to-change-your-diaper-stop-moving” phase!
4.5 months: Nat’s first tooth erupted out of her gums and she bit me while nursing.Her 2nd tooth arrived soon after. I stopped latching her from then as I could not bear the pain that I felt when she bit. This girl is really strong (as most of you already know by now) and I believe if I had continued to latch her, I would be nipple-less today.
At 6 months, Nat began to crawl. She had this determined look on her face as she crawled from one end of the bed to the other and then some more. Of course I had to use something to encourage her (a video playing on my mobile phone, in this case) and she did her thing brilliantly. I must say that I was really excited! We tried to get her to do it again when Cherns got home from work, but she was too tired and decided that she was just going to rub her face onto the bed and lie down. Ha!
About 6 months + was when Nat started to smile a whole lot! She was laughing and giggling and grinning and even smirking every now and then! I thank God that she is one happy baby. :0)
7 months: Nat began to dislike sitting. She wanted to stand and walk while we held her hands up. She began to cruise at 7.5months and is now, at 8 months 1 week, attempting to stand on her own. She has apparently done so a coupla times, but I have yet yo witness it…
And so they say that once your child begins to walk, you’ll be so so busy! I can imagine. Well, looks like I’ll be losing even more weight than I already have then!
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.:Birth Story:.
Oh wow…has it been 7 months since Natalie’s arrival? Time flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? I’ve neglected thi s blog & my other blogs (including my Chris’ Pantry one) for too long now and I hope to begin writing again.
This post will be on my birth story – or at least what I can remember of it! :0P It shouldn’t be too different from the truth (I hope!) as the experience of something so intimate isn’t easily forgotten…
28th November 2008
I remember sitting in the room on the floor, feeling really big, fat & lousy. I was 22kg over my pre-pregnancy weight and with Natalie at an estimated 3.3kg in my belly, I felt like a whale. The water retention my body suffered caused my joints to ache and the pressure of Nat’s weight on my lower body was causing me incontinence! *Gah*
Cherns sat next to me and consoled me that it’ll be over soon, and to just hang in there. I was only a week from the estimated due date. He spoke to Natalie and asked her to be a good girl and to keep Mommy’s spirits up and not kick around at nights so that I would have good nights’ rests before the craziness of caring for a newborn begins. I probably went to sleep early that evening, so that I wouldn’t think too much of feeling lousy – I can’t remember.
29th November 2009
I woke up forgetting the previous nights’ emotional incident and went about my day doing…erm…nothing. The weeks approaching my due date were spent at home, surfing the net and taking long walks in the evenings before dinner. Of course, there were the occasional spurts of energy I experienced which I spent making curry puffs, baking tea cakes and whipping up dinner in the kitchen, but alas, I was one crazy pregnant woman, who couldn’t sit still.
After our evening walk at the Treetop walk (then, it was just across our home), Cherns & I were sitting at the foot of our bed, surfing our own computers. It was about 1050pm. I remember trying hard to find a comfortable way to position my legs. It wasn’t easy with the huge belly I had then. At 1055pm, perhaps due to my excessive wriggling, my waterbag leaked! It was a blob of liquid that felt really odd. I quickly told Cherns, “I felt some strange liquid come out. Is this it?”
Immediately, he jumped up and said, “LET’S GO! This is it!” I still recall him raising his fists & arms in the air like superman.
I called my gyne to make sure I don’t end up being one of those kiasu types who go to the hospital way in advance and end up being told to go home to wait. Dr. Wong said that I was to get ready to go to the hospital, but I didn’t have to rush as I did not have any contractions yet. However, I was not to take too long either in case too much water came out of the bag, leaving baby too dry inside, which isn’t ideal.
I got to the hospital just before 1am and waited to be checked. When the nurses erm…checked me, a whole gush of water spilled out like a burst balloon! I was then given an enema which was supposed to help me crap. I was told to hold it for as long as I can tahan and then “go”. But I think I did too good a job “holding it in” that after I felt like I really, really, really needed to go, I didn’t feel like I needed to go anymore! *Crap* So I waited for a second wave…Haha! It didn’t come, so I just had to try to “do it”.
I was brought to the labour ward at about 2am and was hooked up to the monitor which recorded my contractions & Natalie’s heartbeat. Cherns happily snapped pictures of everything. Dr. Woing came in at about 330am. She laughed and said, “You don’t look like you’re in labour. Let me help you.” She checked me (I was 3cm dilated) and stretched my cervics by another cm! Oh my goodness! The contractions came a minute later, as furious as 10,000 period cramps at once! It was excruciating!
Cherns didn’t know what to do. He just stood by the bedside looking at me, holding my hand. But each time the contractions came, I tossed his hand aside and grabbed hold of the metal railing instead as I did not want to break his bones! Strangely, the contractions I felt were not from the top of my belly downwards. They came as sharp needle piercing pains in my ‘down there’! *Yikes*
I tolerated the pain as much as I could, but finally gave up at about 5ish. I asked for an epidural and it was all calm in an instant. I told the nurses that I don’t want too high a dose of the drug so that I could still feel the contractions. I slept and so did Cherns. Dr. Wong came in again at about 9am and said that my contractions were very good. I was 9cm dilated by then and was told to get ready to push in an hour’s time. the feeling of contractions were like the bowels being on autopilot crap function. It was really weird!
Some nurses came in to prep me on the pushing technique and at 10am, it was time to get Nat out! Dr Wong came in and I was coached to push at each contraction’s peak. Push I did…with all my butt muscles! Each time I pushed, Dr. Wong would say, “I can see her head, push a little harder!” For an hour, this went on. Alas, I was getting really tired and each push after that was with lesser and lesser strength. I tell you, it was Nat’s head lah! It’s big you know! (Like Cherns’!) She was finally delivered at 11:13am using forceps. :0)
The first thing Dr. Wong did was to plonk Nat onto my chest and I went “Oomf!”. I have to admit thinking, “Why does my baby look so ugly?” She was purple in colour and swollen like Marshmallow man. Her lips were pursed like a puffer fish’s and with eyes shut, she looked nothing like what I envisioned her to be. :0P
The next thing I looked at were her feet & hands and remember seeing a “stub” on her right hand and panicked! Immediately, I said, “I want to see her hands! I want to see her hands!” while shuffling to hold the hand of my screaming, wringing baby. Thank God that there are no physical defects on Natalie! Our prayers have been answered. To God be the glory!
Quickly, she was whisked away to be weighed, wiped down and wrapped in a towel. She was a healthy 3.68kgs. She scored full points for the newborn test, which included how loud her cry was. Haha! She was passed to Cherns to be carried and the instant she was in his arms, she fell asleep. *Awww*
And so…Dr. Wong proceeded to stitch me up and we made small talk. I even asked her about the blood splatters on the ceiling. *Hur* After that, I was wheeled to my resting room and waited for Natalie to be brought back to me after a nice warm bath. She was beautiful.
And she’s getting more and more so as the day passes…
Ultimately, Praise be to God for a healthy, beautiful baby girl, who is now quite a handful! She’s on her way to learning how to walk now and Cherns & I are still learning about her everyday.
It’s true what people say about “Just looking at her and you don’t even need to eat your meals.” I love my husband Cherns and my daughter Natalie to bits. They’re my world.
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Welcome Natalie!
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natalie.mah
Isn’t she just gorgeous 🙂
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.:Kena scolded:.
I’m to date, only a mere 15 days away from my expected due date and have since still been working. I help out at my parents’ office daily & still get into the kitchen to bake pretty much every other day. This means I’m still driving to & fro from home to work.
Yesterday, I went back to my parents’ to do one last last last order before I deliver and was done with the cupcakes in about 45minutes. As Cherns was at worship practice and wasn’t about to be done any time soon, I decided to bake his favourite Oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies too. So I doubled a batch – so that the cookie jar can be filled a little longer – and happily continued baking. :0) Even though I was perspiring like a running tap, I really was very happy working away in the kitchen. Don’t worry, I had my towel on hand.
Then, my parents & Johnathan returned home from work and saw me baking…
And I got scolded. :0P
Well, truth is, they were more annoyed with that customer than with me, but of course, I got nagged at.
My mom went, “Your customers ah…like cannot live without your cakes issit? Don’t they know you’re so heavily pregnant? Why are they still expecting you to bake? And you…why are you still baking??”
My dad went, “Aiyoh, you’re so active. You should be resting at home already. Stop coming to the office too…okay, tomorrow is your last day at the office.”
Johnathan went, “You must be mad leh! Stop working. Stay at home and rest. You should be on the bed, not in the kitchen!”
Ah well…so yes. I shall try to stay home from this Friday onwards. I really am cracking my brain as to what I would do whilst staying home and not being allowed to bake/cook. Going out isn’t an option either, is it? Considering how I’m not supposed to be driving anymore.
And so…after I was done with my Oatmeal cookies, I went to pick Cherns up from his worship practice. I told him about getting nagged at and the huge batch of his favourite cookies I had made for him. He asked me why I didn’t just bake the cupcakes I had to and stopped. I replied that I was done with them real quick and had spare time to churn out the cookies. Unfortunately, I got no thank yous from him, but instead, he said, “You really can’t sit still, can you?” *Bleah* (Well, like I always say in response to that, “At least I’m not spending my time out at the malls, shopping and spending money unnecessarily, right?”)
So yes…15 days and counting down. It’s gonna get real exciting after that!!!
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the misadventures of cherns & chris 