Life without a Sitter

When my babysitter told me that she won’t be taking care of Sze Juin anymore last month, I was devastated. But I was lucky because I have my MIL as backup. Just that I’m not sure how she would cope with 2, instead of 1 now. She’s been having difficulty in getting up and walking about most of the time, so how could she chase around my two naughty little rascals?

Another alternative would be to send Sze Yi to full day. To which she protested vehemently. She has promised to be good, to help Amah take care of Mei Mei, and to listen to Amah. If not, I threatened her that I have no choice, but to send her to full day. MIL was also persistent in saying that she could cope. No maid needed. She also voiced her desire to have both of the kids at home, compared to the current arrangement where the sisters’ time spent together would be limited to only night time’s bonding. All she said was, “they’ll get used to it.” If it didn’t work out, we can send Sze Yi to full day the following month. It’s really risky. I was tempted to ring up Sze Yi’s school’s principal and gave her a heads-up notice. But I didn’t. Still procrastinating…

In the meantime, I tried to persuade the babysitter to continue on. I’ll give her 1 month holiday to do whatever she wanted to do (well, her reasons was she wanted time off to do a lot of things), and then to come back in August. I don’t mind raising her pay. She told me, she’ll think about it. But if my MIL can handle it, then she’ll let my MIL take care of Sze Juin (Actually MIL wanted to bring back Sze Juin after she’s 1, so this seemed like a good timing).

I kind of like the idea of them both being at home, maybe they’ll have enough of each other during the day time, so by night time, it’s easier to get them to sleep? Recently, both of them just didn’t want to sleep, they would play until past midnight. Sze Juin just wouldn’t want to go to bed, and she would get excited when she saw her Jie Jie. The only way to make them go to sleep together is to get both Jie Jie and Daddy into the same room and sleep. It’s no point separating them anymore now, because she would insist to go join them.

But, that is the ONLY plus point. Or so for me, now. I have to mentally prepare myself of the things that would greet me when I go home everyday. I guess life would be harder, with all the housework, dirty laundry, ironing, unwashed bottles and dishes, toys strewn all over the floor, etc.. piled up (my MIL had been really nice to help me with the housework while I was working, so I have less headache after work). I guess I would have to say goodbye to the good old days. Hopefully things would not be as bad as I imagined. Previously, I only have headache with Sze Yi. I would go home to find her not bathed yet, or not eaten yet, homework not done, etc… So my task would mostly involve ‘settling’ her down before I went to fetch Sze Juin. And the best thing of having a baby sitter is that everything got settled for you. Sze Juin would be bathed and fed. And all I need to do was just play with her and nurse her, until it’s time for bed. I guess now, I’ll have to be prepared to settle 2 people instead of 1 when I reached home….sigh!

My babysitter is a really nice person. I am very happy with her so far. She made no fuss when I made 2 major requests – to use nappy cloth and feed her breast milk. Sze Juin was on cloth diapers all the time at her place, except when it’s about time for me to fetch her back, the sitter would change her into disposable. As for breastfeeding, she’s not a 100% supporter, but she obliged me all the same. That’s part of the factor that enable me to breastfeed her 100% till she’s 1 now. As for $$$ matters, she herself lowered the price that I was willing to pay her in the first place, so I actually got a very good deal. Apart from a very clean place, she’s also very flexible. She won’t show me a black face when I was late to pick up Sze Juin. In fact, SJ was there at her place for ~12 hours per day, and I can also pop up very early in the morning because she’s an early person. If I had something on during the weekends, I could just ask and she’s ever ready to say yes to babysitting SJ for a few hours without charging me extra. Overall, this sitter just suits me perfectly well, and I was really sad when she told me that she would like to quit. But somehow, I felt that I still have some hope that she would continue on next month… well, I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

Well, so how did Day 1 go? To begin with, Sze Juin cried when I left for work. She never cried like this when I sent her to the sitter. When she started to make a slight protest, the babysitter would tell her that Mommy needs to work, will be back to fetch her later, and she’ll be OK. No yells that would break my heart, not like her Jie Jie last time. Which makes going to work easier for me. But today, it’s heartbreaking to hear her cry when I left. Maybe the irony of being left alone when Daddy, Mommy and Jie Jie were going somewhere caused her to be so teary and sad.

During lunch time, I went home after fetching Sze Yi. I packed lunch for MIL, since she won’t be able to cook or go buy from downstairs. MIL told me that SJ didn’t want to drink milk, she never drank at all since I warmed up the milk for her this morning. I tried to breastfeed her directly; she just nursed for awhile and then pushed me away. It seemed that she’s full. She’s bathed and taken the porridge earlier. So, I entertained them and fed them fruits while Amah ate her lunch. I waited until Amah bathed Sze Yi before I went back to work. I guessed I would have to do this until we found a way to enclosed Sze Juin so that she won’t get into any mischief. You see, our play pen just gave way the other day, maybe it couldn’t take the weight of them both jumping up and down in it. I would have to find something soon, because Sze Juin could now climb out of the walker, high chair or her stroller even though we’ve strapped her up. And she’s now into climbing things – chair, table, sofa, you name it. So it’s really risky to leave her alone, while Amah’s bathing Jie Jie.

I guess life without a sitter would also mean this….
- more lunch trips home to relieve MIL
- that we’ll have to eat outside food more often
- me going home much earlier, to help feed them, bath them and clean up the mess
- staying up later at night to do the unfinished housework

Sigh… and it’s only Day 1. I wish July 31st would be here soon (arrgghhh, there are 31 days this month!) and my sitter would be back…

While Jie Jie was Doing Homework...

Jie Jie just left to sharpen her color pencils...

And when she came back, Mei Mei was still busy....

sorting things out!

All Eat and No Rules Make Me a Happy Toddler

Today, I was exempted from a lot of 'forbiddens'. Why? Coz I was allowed to eat cold stuffs like ice-cream and cold peach which was just taken out from the refrigerator (although I've tried cheese cake and cold mango last Sunday). That's not all, I even got the chance to eat outside food like tofu. But what I enjoyed the most is this....

Eating the sushi rice with my fingers!

Er, actually, Mommy gave me my teething biscuit, but I didn't want it. Not when I can eat all these. So I threw it away, leaving Mommy no choice.

We dined out today, at Mommy's favourite (as Jie Jie called it. Don't know why, whenever she saw the sushi conveyor belt, she'll say that's Mommy's favourite). I had a field of time. I'm sure you'd say so when you see the pics! Why? Coz I'm oblivious to everything, except eat, eat, and eat...

Everyone was looking at the came except me... until when I realised it's over!

Daddy, Amah and Jie Jie enjoying their meals.

Naughty Jie Jie had switched place with Amah to be at the conveyor belt, and she kept taking the food that came. Despite being scolded by Mommy and Amah, she's still unpertubed, until she was threathened to be left there to wash the dishes if Daddy didn't have enough money to pay later!

As for me, I was busy wiping the table. Need to clean up my mess, if not I might ended up washing the dishes with Jie Jie...

Before they finished their meals (I had finished mine), I grew restless so Mommy took me for a walk. Looks like I still couldn't really let go, I wanted to hold Mommy's hands. Even though I could manage a few steps already, I still felt comfortable holding her hand instead of on my own. But not when I had something to check out...

Well, after they served desert, we made a move. We had too, it's closing time. We were here very late, coz Daddy was stuck at work.

The walk back

On the way to the car park, we saw our favaourites! Jie Jie and I were both very excited, we played for awhile there. This time, even Jie Jie was ok not having coins or tokens with the rides!

Then, it's time to go home. But that's not all. You'll know why :)

A Pressie and a Cake

Last night, I was home rather late. When I reached home, I was greeted by this...





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too bad I didn't manage to get any photos. But, Sze Yi was holding a little pressent made out of her bricks, wishing me, "Happy Birthday Mommy! Here's your present".

Then, after I came out of the shower, she showed me another of her creation - a cake with a very tall candle. She said Mommy is 1 year old, so just need 1 candle. Then, later she went to draw something on her doodle pro and showed me 10 balloons - it seems Mommy had suddenly upgraded to 10 year old! LOL!

What about Sze Juin? She was clapping away after her Jie Jie finished singing the birthday song.

Let's Go Kai Kai

Last Saturday, I was allowed to walk outside the first time, instead of being carried by Mommy or Daddy.

But after awhile, I got tired and just sat on the floor! Ended up Mommy had to carry me.

The next day (which was Father's Day), I got to play in the playground at our condo. Mommy let me play with the slides for the first time (ah, but actually Daddy had let me tried them without Mommy knowing it). No wonder everytime when we passed the slides, I'd point to the slides excitedly, but Mommy always said, "wait till you can walk first". So finally, yesterday I got to walk on the field, play with the slides, climb up the steps, look at the fish, etc... on my own! I was so thrilled! Initially, I just couldn't slide down. Mommy wriggled me a little, pushed my buttock down a bit until I could slide. After a few times, I did it on my own - wriggled down a bit until I could slide down on my own! I spent about 1 hour at the garden there. In between, Mommy took me for a marathon ride (she ran while pushing my little tricycle). It was fun! Both of us got to exercise too.

Maybe we should do that more often next time. You know what? Both Daddy and Jie Jie (and Amah too) was sound asleep at home while we're having this work out on our own. Hmmm... if not I doubt I would get such quality time with Mommy :) Too bad no photos to share, though.

My Daddy My Hero

Anyone could be a father,
But not anybody can be a Daddy.

Daddy,

You gave me confidence I never knew I had,
and mould me into what I am today,
Thank You Daddy,
For being a friend and my pillar of strength!

Happy Father's Day!

To my Daddy with Love... specially hand-made by me!

And this is from Mommy...

Her first attempt at cheese cake - introducing the Cheesy Mango Delight!

Sze Juin's 13 Months Update

Weight: 8.8kg
Height: 70.4cm
Teeth: 8 in total (4 at the top, 4 at the bottom)

Feeding:

- At the babysitter's, she took porridge on Mon, Wednesday, Friday while cereal with EBM/water on Tuesday & Thursday. We came to this schedule after she couldn't poo poo everyday when she's on porridge everyday last time. So she had 3 milk intake (still at ~4oz) on the days she had porridge, while 4 times on the days she had cereal. With this arrangement, she'll poo poo about once every 2 days on average.

- She would now request for milk by tugging at my blouse, said Nen Nen and tried to pull my blouse up.

- The way she drinks milk while I was breastfeeding her was a rare case - she's no longer in the cradle position now. Instead, she drinks while sitting, squatting or standing! If I am lying down breastfeeding her, she would be on top of me, instead of lying beside me. She only stays in the lying position when she's really sleepy or when drinking in the middle of the night. Otherwise, she'll climb on top of me and prefers to drink that way!

- She can drink milk from the bottle on her own. Recently I was having rashes at night, so MIL didn't want me to feed her directly. Instead, she asked me to feed her my frozen supply. So I tried to bottle feed her, she drank in the beginning, but after awhile, she pushed the bottle away. I tried this several times until she's really angry and kept pushing the bottle away. Then hubby tried to let her hold the bottle on her own, and guessed what? She finished drinking the milk while lying on hubby's tummy!

New Food:

Dragon fruit, cake (with walnut inside), choc cake, her birthday cake, Gong Gong’s homegrown apple custard, bread, black bukit rice, 3-fruits cereal, soya, egg (egg yolk and also egg white), scotts emulsion, kim gin hua, red beans, durian, mangosteen, rambutan, etc.

Motor Skills:
- She could squat and stand on her own

- She can climb up to the sofa, chair, table, etc...

- She can now WALK :)

- She can jump! (though she hardly lift her legs, just her buttock). Well, maybe I should put it as she understand the word jump :)

Vocabulary:

- Mommy, Daddy, nen nen, mum mum - the frequently spoken ones this month

- She also speak some 1-syllable words, but I couldn't recall now.

Others:

- She now wanted to play the Kok Kok Beh (rides) when she sees one. Luckily, she's still contented even if we don't put any money or token inside, she would be happy just sitting in it.

- She loves balloons and would ask for one when she sees them in the shopping complex.

- She would put her hands to her chest and showed 怕怕 when we said want to beat her.

- I'm starting her on cloth diapers this week, at night. She's still on lampin during daytime when she's at the babysitter. Only during the weekends and at night, she's on disposable diapers.

- She wouldn't want to go to bed at night if there are still people outside. The only way to make her go into the bedroom is to ask everyone else to go to sleep (including Daddy and Jie Jie) and switch off the lights. Only then she'll be contented.

- She would beat her head if she's angry or didn't get what she wanted. Sometimes, she'll pull her hair too! At first, I was worried if she's annemia, but the paed assured me that she's not (judging from the way she cried during her MMR jab recently).

- She knows how to show "No No" sign - she called me and pointed to the potty and then started to shake her pointer left and right as if saying, "No No, cannot play with the potty".

- She's getting more difficult to control when in the car. She didn't want to sit on my lap, nor the car seat. Instead, she wanted to sit on her own just like her Jie Jie, without anybody holding her at all!

The Awakening Fall

It's amazing how things took a turn of event. Yesterday, Sze Juin had a fall. It's not the first fall, but it's a first from the bed, and the worst so far. I was a few steps away, adjusting the air-conditioner. She was sitting in the middle of the bed, with Daddy sleeping on one side, and Jie Jie at the other. All of a sudden, she just got up and starting walking - towards the edge of the bed. I was shocked and quickly ran to her, calling her name but she wouldn't stop. Faster and further away from me. Then she went right down to the other side of the bed - her head went down first. A loud cry followed just right after that. That cry woke Daddy up immediately. I quickly ran to the other side of the bed and soothed her. It was a great relief to find that there's no bump on her head, or any sign of blood on her teeth. Really, no words could describe how relief I felt.

At night, I was still searching her, anxiously looking for any signs or bumps. Then I felt a slight bump on her forehead. I quickly put the cold compress and ice against forehead. Luckily it didn't turn blue black or got worse. Things went as normal, she's not even scared when I put her at the same location after that. Gladly, I silently thanked God.

And guess what awaits me tonight when I reached home? Yes, she's walking!

I've waited for her to walk before she turned 1 (coz her Jie Jie actually walked long before she turned 1), but it never happened. Well, not exactly. She's been walking on the bed and sofa, but not on the floor. I guessed she's afraid she'll fall. But tonight, she walked steadily towards me, smiling triumphantly with each step.

Guessed the fall last night made her realised that it's not that painful afterall if she falls down :)