Learning to use chopstick

during the new year eve lunch, HE attempted to use chopstick to pick up the cooked peanut to eat, and to my surprise, with adult size chopstick, she succeeded! Then I realized she was keen and ready to learn how to use a chopstick. Hence I opened up the toddler's chopstick I bought some time ago and let her try using it. Initially she was not quite used to master the skill to use the it, I taught her the proper way ( as above), but after a while, she went to her usual way ( as below) I kept trying. Then next day we went to a Grand Imperial Restaurant in Bangsar Shopping Centre to try the Wan Tan Mee with Char Siew that was highly recommended by my friend. I put some mee into HE plate and let her try to eat with her chopstick. By using the chopstick, she managed to eat the mee very well. Even my auntie also asked me where to get that chopstick. :). Now HE can eat her meal with chopstick, she even pick up vege for me and hubby. :)

Received a newsletter from Fabulousmom boutigue on breastfeeding campaign. The programme look interesting, but it could be too far for me to go. Actually I am more interested in getting some stuff for 15% discount. :)

Motherhood expo 2010

I am into 36 weeks pregnancy now, meaning I am into 39 weeks of pregnancy on the date of motherhood expo! Though I can be in labour ( or already laboured,ha!), I wish to get to go just in time to get some freebies and stuff at discounted price. Wish my little baby behave well. :) Not to mention that I also apply to attend a 3 day seminars in the same time as this expo!

HE preschool work

HE started preschool since last year November. I always wished to be able observe how she did at school but that's not possible, as kid would behave diffrently during parents presence. Hm...it would be good if every preschool had CCTV installed and allowed parents to observe their kids online.

One way to find out was through the work they did at school. When En brought the first artwork to me, I felt so proud. Although it was just a print of her palm, I am amazed the creativity of teacher. Below was the card she did for Halloween
Then, there was another one for Chinese New Year, along with the ABC and 123 work she brought home in a clear folder.

I am so looking forward to see there are new stuff in the her clear folder everyday after school to see her progress. :)

Increasing milk supply

I was once confirmed to have low milk supply, as judged from my first born slow weight gain, despite the adequate daily wet diapers and bowel outputs. When back to work, I also need to pump frequently day and night to make up the daily requirement. This time, I hope that I am able to have abundant milk supply, so that I won't be so stressed over the output(hopefully oversupply like my friend who can easily reach 10oz persession of 5 mins only!).

I found this http://www.lowmilksupply.org/pumping.shtml and got some tips. Here were the notes I got
"balancing active suckling time and pumping time to no longer than 45 mins in total"
"fit in 8 to 10 pumpings during waking hours"
"...pumping for additional stimulation...pump each breast for at least 10-15 mins..."
'....pump one breast while baby nurses from another...' (this was the method that I had adopted, though I was not sure if it increased the supply, but at least it was the most time saving method to keep milk stock and kept the stock sufficient throughout my BF journey with HE)

I found that many references just give advice on nurse frequently, let the baby lead the cue...pump after 'finish' feeding to extra stimulate the breast....but hardly advise on how long to pump. A book by G*** F*** suggestion on boosting milk supply is the most ridiculous suggestion. It does suggest frequent pumping too, but instead of suggesting the duration, the amount to be pumped is suggested, assuming all mothers have good production, not thoughtful that some mothers like me may take minimum 30-60mins just to get that pathetic 1oz!

Anyway, I plan to do more breast compression during first few days of birth, and start the tandem pumping when mature milk kick in or from second week onwards, hopefully that make me a mother with abundant supply.:P

Also, I will try to listen to music to keep myself relax. My loving hubby just bought me an iPOD which is just in time to keep me relax to pass through the early difficult days to establish milk supply and later pumping time while at work. :)

Strawberry bread vs Chocolate

This morning I tried to put wholemeal bread with HE's favourite strawberry jam, hoping that she would take wholemeal bread. She took one bite, and then just lick the strawberry jam, to my disappointment. In order to make her eat more, I did the usual way, break a small portion and feed her. She took.....but it stayed in her mouth but not down the throat.

She went to fridge and spotted the chocolate given by my auntie from K. kangsar. Then she kept going to and fro between me and hubby, hinting she wanted to spit. Of course we refused. At last resort, she spitted on her hand.
My tempered was really up, rightaway I grabbed both the chocolate and the spitted bread from her hands. She cried, as expected, and I let her.
Me :" I asked you to finish the bread, then only chocolate, why do you have to spit it? now your hand is dirty. the floor is dirty!"
HE: (crying)
Me :" You finish the bread then chocolate, ok? tell me, ok?
HE: (still crying)

I made her take the tissue to clean the spitte bread on the floor. She did and also stop crying.
I make her promise again but she refuse to say yes nor nod her head. Just as I was almost give in

Me :" Ok, you finish the chocolate then bread ok?"
HE : (nodded slightly)

As I opened the 'tupperware'...to my surprise, she took the small piece of bread and put into her mouth, before asking to hold the chocolate in her hands. This time, she finished the bread (though just that small piece) before eating the chocolate.

I was glad that I insisted. and even pleased that HE listen and understood. Though I expect that there would food battle with this fussy eater still. At least this time it worked.

My CNY Holidays-1st day

Despite a tired day out yesterday, HE waked me up at 8am with her big round eye looking at me, asking me to open my eyes. ( Oh no!)

We had dried meat for breakfast. Just as we prepared ourselves for Dim Sum branch, HE kept complaining pain at her buttock, I suspected she need to go to poo. I was right as I found some 'residue' at her pant. As she had been complaining since the night before, I got worried that the stool might be hardening hence causing the pain. So hubby and I tried to make her sit at the toilet bowl to poo with lots of persuasion, singing...reading...even video...but failed, she cried and refused to continue sitting. I run out of choice but to take out the long unused potty for her to sit on in the living hall. To my surprise and dismay (in dilemma), in seconds, she pooed. sigh...my fussy and choosy daughter... Anyway I felt relief as I had this concern of constipation that could lead to something worse.

We managed to go out at 11 plus to catch Dim Sum at Sri Petaling. The dim sum were nice, much better than the highly recommended Jin Xuan Dim Sum at Kuchai Lama. However, HE's appetite remained small.

We went for the one and only house available on that day to visit, around 1.30pm. Before that, we got to watch Lion Dance which kept HE excited.:)

We were at home around 4pm, took a nap and had home-cooked meal (by me) around 8pm. Around 9pm, my hubby's friends drop by. HE initially was pretty quiet ( as usual with stranger)but she allowed the little boy do the colouring with her. Later, things were a bit warmed up when she started to bring books to little kor kor to read to her, keeping her mouth shut still (sigh...).

We all had a good time chatting and had wines ( except me) till 11+, as hubby friend's was leaving, HE even let the little Kor Kor to have good bye hug. However, as he gave her goodbye kiss, rightaway HE tried to wipe her face and even run to toilet to wash her face! That's was so cute! and I was surprised at HE spontaneous reaction. All thr grown-ups had good laugh at the scene.

It was a pretty good day.

My CNY holidays-New Year Eve

I was wrong to say that my holidays would be a boring one. It turned out to be quite a tiring one. :P

On New Years Eve, we had an early reunion lunch at Oriental Chinese Restaurant in Jaya 33 with my family ( father, elder sister and 2 younger brothers). The dishes were actually not bad, at least some of the dishes fulfil my father fussy requirement. We ordered set of 8 dishes and it costed almost Rm500 for 6 of us. Thank you hubby! :) After that, we went to Midvalley as I need to collect the repaired canon IXY. As hubby hasn't bought himself new clothes for new year yet and I thought it would be troublesome to go home and drive out again for dinner again, we planned to shop till dinner time.

However, it seemed to be a bad plan, by 4pm we were already feeling sleepy and tired. Hubby ended up not able to buy clothes that could catch his eye. By 6pm, we headed straight to TGIF, after my sis and bro had a drink at Paparich as they couldn't walked anymore. :). Me as heavily pregnant lady seemed to have more stamina then them.

When we were just entered the TGIF, my bro checked with sis if her camera was with her. Gosh! it was neither in my bro bag nor my sis hand. All our hearts were like hanging while my bro run back to Paparich. We waited with anxious heart. I was hoping the camera could be recovered, though with slim chance as otherwise it could spoilt the whole new year mood. As we saw my bro walked back in with the camera in his hand, phew!!! Again, malaysia still got good people around. According to my bro, as he was looking, 2 middle-aged man tapped on his shoulder and asked if he was looking for camera.

After sharing a burger and fagitas ( as we were still pretty full from lunch), we went for grocerries shopping and headed home, with really heavy leg and eye lid. However, I wasn't able to sleep till 11pm as HE was pretty active after her short evening nap from 7-8pm. (roll my eye) and she refused to eat much even with persuasion except a cup of milo mixed with Pediasure.

Happy Chinese New Year 2010

I am already 34 weeks pregnant now. Normally we will fly to Kuching to celebrate Chinese New Year, but this year we don't as I can't fly back after 1 week when I am 35 weeks pregnant. Although the free for life can be quite tempting if I ever give birth on the plane, I rather pay for the fare each time I fly rather than risking my and baby life by doing that. But my daughter will get much less Ang Pow this time.

I used to hear that the road is quite clear in KL during Chinese New Year, so this is the chance for me to witness it. But where should I spend the holidays? Shopping complexes? Hubby and I have tried to ask if anyone is staying in KL also so that we can visit them. There is only warm and the feel of celebrating CNY by visiting people. It will be quite pathetic if this festive season is spent in front of TV and shopping complexes. However, many are going back to their hometown too.

Anyway, we have plan too. At least we have 1 friend to visit on the first day, then we are going down the royal town in Perak to visit my old friends. On other days, we just take time to relax.
Boring?...Nowadays, after becoming parents, boring can be a luxury. :)

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEARS!!!

Parent lead or Child lead potty train

Eversince HE is borned, grandma always emphasize on potty training even from day 1. Once HE wakes up from sleep or after bath, she will quickly bring over a potty and make the sound as if that's the sound which make her pee. During the first 6 months, I am not quite stressed about it as I think if my MIL able to catch a pee or poo, its by chance. However, once HE started solid, and when the poo gets solid too, I get stress every single day when HE is not passing any motion. My MIL would tell me the horror story of how one of the baby she saw end up having 'intestine'coming out of the anus as the baby overstrain due to constipation... plus what I read online about constipated baby will try not to poo, then the poo get harder and causing pain leading to viscious cycle that worsen the constipation. So I always constantly watching out and try to let HE sit on potty with all the tricks to make her stay sitting on the potty. Before 1 year old, she is quite well 'trained' to poo in the potty and hardly any accident in the pant.

However, I am not managed to 'train' her to pee only in potty. I am also quite relaxed on that matter until she is about 2 years old. The modern cloth diapers don't help to make her in potty trained faster. I have also tried using training pants but that's to my convenience so that it can hold the urine in the pant but HE has no problem running around with a wet pants until hubby or I discover that she has peed! I have read and am told about how leaving toddler bottomless for a few days can speed up the process but I just too tired cleaning up the urine on the floor, sofa or anyway in the house. Therefore, the only strategy that I adopt is, bring to her a potty every 2 hours and keep letting her wear training pants.

The progress has been slow but improving. When she is about 27 months, we manage to keep her pants/pampers dry the whole day but she won't tell us when she wants to pee still. When my second pregnancy come, I start to worry and wonder again when she can be potty trained. All of sudden, when she is about 30 months old, she is able to tell she wants to pee, even when we are out. Now she is 33 months old, its getting better with minimal accidents.

I am glad she is almost completely potty trained. So I would say, HE is parent lead potty train for pooing, but child lead train for peeing. At least throughout the process, we hardly stress her for not able to tell when she wants to pee which could her make her hate toilet. Guess we parents got to stay relax and provide the accessibility, let the child be ready whenever they are ready.

My DIY Confinement plan

I have never engaged a confinement lady even during my first born, only my mother in law. However, after the first confinement, I learn that the confinement practice in Kuching is different from Penisular. My MIL also only know 3 meals : Chicken Ka Cak Ma ( a herbs that promote blood circulation), ginger chicken wine Mee Sua and Papaya soup. In order not to tire my MIL, and also to treat myself better, I thought of cater confinement food. We drop the idea of having confinement lady, as we can't accept having a stranger at home plus I have heard many horror stories about bad services. However, my confinent plan need to be more comprehensive as my MIL suddenly inform me that she will be likely going to Australia during my last 2 weeks of confinement. Its shocking, but I can't be selfish to ask her to stay as the trip is planned one year before. So I can only plan better to ensure I can pass through the confinement period.

I have searched online and find that many have done the same, even with the first born. After reading the forum (Link), and mommy blog (link), plus my previous experience, I have the following plan

1. Food :
Lunch: Confinement food catering. I have made a booking with SN Nanny for RM1500/30days including delivery. Have read the good comments on the services, compared to others.
Dinner: MIL cooking. During her absence, will reheat the confinement food if the portion for lunch is enough for 2 meals. Otherwise, will cater for normal food catering for about RM150 per person. Then during weekend, hubby will da bao the pork leg in sweet vinegar or pepper pork tummy from outside for dinner.
(2 reasons I plan this. Firstly, I am O type blood, so my baby will have jaundice more easily due to incompatibility. In order not to aggravate, I am supposed not to take any chinese herbs or ginger. Secondly, normal food catering allow me to take less herbs due to reason above and it cost much less too plus my hubby also can eat together)

2. Cleaning and Laundry:
Hire a part-time maid every other day for cleaning the hourse and do the laundry work. I have also prepared more disposable breastpad and panties so that less cleaning to do.

3. Baby care
Will call the nurses from Klinik Ibu mengandung dan Kanak-kanak so that they can do home visit during the first 10 days after delivery. Then, I'll be the one bath and change. I will be fully breastfeeding too so I have no worries on bottle cleaning but pump cleaning to do.

4. Bathing
There are ready to boil herbal pack for bath. During MIL absence, I will just soak the pack with hot water from water heater at highest setting in a pail, then shower with it. As for baby bathing, I do it myself if I am confident, otherwise just wipe with warm water.

5. Others
Hubby to take 2-3 days leaves to help out.

6. HE
I will prefer to have her at home at night and weekend as usual. If she doesn't behave or I can't cope, she will be with babysitter until things are more settled.

Hopefully the plan will work out well. I hope that this coming baby will not have jaundice as bad as the sister as hospital and clinic visits are really tiring. As long as baby stay healthy, breastfed well and gain weight, I think the rest can be settled easily.

Sending HE to preschool

Despite having to pay both babysitter and preschool, meaning more expenditure to hubby and I, we still go ahead to send HE to preschool as young as before she is 3. We believe that the critical time for learning is 0-6 years old. Instead of letting her watching TV all the time at babysitter place during these golden years, she is better off in learning more things in a preschool.

I like the concept of montesorri that develop good character in children including being independent and proactive. ( as I have seen many youngsters that wait to be spoonfed and very passive in my working areas, although they are probably smart and have good knowledge). Hence we send her to a Montersorri based preschool sometime near my place for half-day. Then HE is back to babysitter place until we pick her up after work. We make this arrangement as keeping the babysitter allow us to be more flexible in case we come home late or need to be away during weekend for work. Apart from that, HE love the babysitter and we are satisfied with her so far as she is indeed good.

Apart from first day, babysitter is the one sending and pickping HE to and from school for the past one month. Since I am on leave today, I send HE to school. As mentioned by babysitter, HE doesn't reject the school, but she stay really quiet and shy, even to her regular teacher. This is so opposite to her normal self when she is at home or babysitter place, which she is non-stop talking and running here and there. As I say bye-bye to her, her expression is down, eye fill with tears as she watch me going out. Anyhow, my heart also sank. "Have I done wrongly by sending her to school? maybe she doen't like the school at all?" suddenly these thoughts and sense of regrets creep up. But at least she didn't reject teacher to carry her when I walk to the car, that shows that she does accept her. Hope she will get used to the school soon and be a cheerful girl there.

Difference in how I spent holiday after I become mother

Before I am a mother, holiday is a day that allow me to wake up later . I could sleep till 11 am, even 12pm. Then I probably would just be lazy, or had some ad hoc activity, mostly shopping.

After becoming mother, hubby and I can no longer catch the latest movie, as after office hour and every weekend, we are with our daughter. I can no longer shopping freely, taking my time to browse through the collections available in the market, comparing prices. Hence I find that holiday is really precious and I cannot afford not to have a holiday without planning.

Hubby and I now will try to arrange for holiday during working day for a movie day out. Sometime if we couldn't get the normal price ticket, we rather go for the premier cinema as we think its waste of time to queue up. We will also only have good lunch together as we need to pick daughter up during dinner time. In the mean time, I will have a shopping list to ensure that I won't miss buying anything.

If I take leave alone, I will also make sure I can make full use of the day, to do something that can only be done during office hour. If there is nothing, I rather don't take leave as I will accumulate the holidays for better arrangement later.

As I am not taking leave during CNY week, I purposely take leave today to pamper myself. I wake up early as usual working day, and send HE to preschool as normally she is sent by babysitter. After having breakfast, I head to PNB building to have my lost book replaced. After contemplating whether to catch a movie, I decide to go to SS2 to have a hair cut and buy the breastpad from Babyland. I also manage to buy the pork and chicken dried mean (BakHwa) from the famous "Wo Lai Yeh". By the time I reach home, its just 2.30pm. I still have time to blog. and I plan to arrange HE's baby photos. I feel great in using time fully. Such discipline holiday is something that I don't do before I am a mother...

Good customer service from KWSP

Today is Federal day, i.e all people who work in Wilayah Persekutuan get holiday! So I take this opportunity to go to EPF to settle my renomination stuff. Although I have just switch my KWSP status to Pencen Scheme, I feel like I need to do that, just in case any confusion on the policy later.
I manage to find my way to KWSP PJ centre. At the turning into the centre, the movement of cars are already slowing down to almost jam. (in my mind "oh no, have I picked a wrong day to come!"). As I am ready 32 weeks pregnant, I choose to park inside. I see the parking rate is comparable to the shopping centre, 50 sen for 1st half an hour, then RM1.50 for subsequent half-hour, then...hope that I get to it done fast. Parking is quite full, but I manage to spot an outgoing car and park at just outside the main door.

I get the form and the number in pink. As I walk to the designated counter, there is a lady calling" number 96, number 97...". I puzzle. Then I hear from the officer that each colour has 100 numbers, the current one is yellow colour group, then blue, then pink...(huh! Not only I have to wait long but also need to pay a good bit of parking fees!). However, as I check with the lady officer, she sees that I am pregnant and ask me to follow her. Apparently the officers will come to the counters to check once in a while so that pregnant ladies or those with small kids get to process the application first. Within half an hour, my application is done!

I am so happy with the KWSP customer service. Despite the place is congested with people, the officers remain patience and smiling, even some of the bank fails to do that. I am glad that I can see such a good service in a government office. Kudos! keep it up!

Note: Also need to mention, as I am about to follow the officer out of the crowded partition, I am tapped at the shoulder. A gentlement is offering me a sit. It is really kind of him, as he is taking the trouble to probably stand for long hours. There are still polite and thoughtful malaysians. :)