Raelynn managed to flip today!

This milestone was witnessed by daddy dearest who found her lying on her tummy when she was on the bumper mat in the morning. I saw her trying to flip since early this week but she wasn't successful until today. After hubby whipped out the video cam, she did not repeat her stunt. Such a pity. :)

Frozen EBM

Brought about 10 bottles of frozen EBM 2 days ago to deposit at ILs freezer (cos mine ran out of space). Hubby told FIL to mix about 50-60ml into RaeAnne's FM to help clear stock. We have been doing that for 1 month plus liao. But since RaeAnne is there in the daytime, I can clear my frozen stock faster if they help to mix in the EBM as well.

Then tonight he asked MIL if RaeAnne has been drinking the frozen EBM and she said no, don't want to give. I told her we have been mixing it for 1 month plus already, not that we just started it. And she just replied don't want again and with a disdained look on her face. No explanation, nothing. Hubby just looked at me and don't dare to say anything. I was damn upset but cannot confront them directly since hubby chose not to say anything. When I have a quiet moment with him, he told me bring the bottles back lor. His parents are not advocates of BF, what to do? :/ Told hubby that's why I dislike having them to look after RaeAnne cos they never respect the decisions made by me as a mother. Worse reject my decision with no explanation at all. Why don't they understand the goodness of BM no matter how I explain to them? And this problem started since RaeAnne was born. :/

Think I will start bringing RaeAnne home from school liao. After all, MIL is getting nowhere with toilet training cos if RaeAnne hasn't pooed for the day, she will keep her diapers on. Consistency is the way for toilet training but I know they can't do it cos they are scared of the cleaning up and they have no maid.

What I worry about is BF and blocked ducts. But I guess if I kenna blocked ducts cos no time to latch and pump then take cab down to see TMC LC with baby n toddler in tow. If maid can't cope and no time to cook then order tingkat. Worse come to worse, pay my mum $ to come Mon, Wed n Fri to help. Will take one step at a time. I will 看开点，as long as it's something $ can solve, I will try my best not to get upset and fret about it. Since there's no way I can communicate to them if they are being so backward and opininated. No point banging my head against a stone wall and make things difficult for hubby.

Looks like I confirmed got to get a second hand upright freezer after all. Cos I won't have freezer space to store 1 week's worth of food to cook for RaeAnne if I don't.

22nd Feb 2010

It's 22nd of the month again. Have decided not to take a monthly photo of RaeAnne today. Feels weird not doing something I have done for 24 mths. ;P She is no longer a baby and it makes more sense to do a yearly review on her birthday instead. Also, it's time to focus on Mei Mei instead whose special day falls on the 2nd of the month. Will be fair and dedicate 2 years to Raelynn too. :)

Have decided to let MIL look after RaeAnne in the day by default. Although I still feel guilty about not spending enough quality time with RaeAnne, making sure that she learns stuff. But I have no choice cos I get blocked ducts problems so often. If I got to look after RaeAnne in the day, I don't have time to pump after latching Mei Mei and no time to massage before and after BF. Since I'm not working, I can't keep seeing LC as well. If I were to give up BF Mei Mei because of RaeAnne. I will feel guilty as well. So, I guess the best way is to accept MIL's help and maintain status quo. I can spend more time with RaeAnne on weekday mornings and weekends.

Tried to adapt to Gina Ford's method of getting bb to sleep through the night ie. 12am to 6am but failed to make Raelynn sleep from 7pm to 11pm. Main reason is because it's dinner time and after that we make our way to MIL's house to pick up RaeAnne. Hardly the minimum stimulation stipulated by Gina Ford to make bb sleep early so that he/she can wake up hungry and ready for final milk feed. Oh well, I did managed to drag Mei Mei's final feed to 11pm instead and she slept until 430am. Better than nothing I guess. Tonight's timing is almost similar cos she refused to sleep at 10+pm after final milk feed at 10pm. I had to feed her again at 11pm before she knocked out. Let's see when she will wake up again. :P

RaeAnne's First Lo Hei!

It was 人日 yesterday but we didn't realise until we watched the evening Chinese news. We already finished dinner by then but it's not too late cos hubby went to ta pow raw fish from our nearby coffee shop. It's RaeAnne's first lo hei and her training chopsticks are not for show. She can pick up pieces of the 黄金 crackers with them. I was quite surprised. When I first introduced her to the training chopsticks 1-2 months ago, she only managed to pick things up if she's lucky. ;)

Recently, she has really grown up by a lot. She can say 1-10 accurately, 11-20 not so accurately. Wear her pants, wear her shoes (although sometimes she wore her pants backwards and put on the left shoe on her right foot, hee), she can understand opposites and get them right half the time. Eg. big and small, inside and outside, open and close, hot and cold, tall n short, empty and full etc. :)

Milestones

Since last week, Raelynn has been gurgling and cooing at us when we talk to her. She makes different sounds each time. I only remembr 'ah ku ra' and 'ahh.... meh....' haha. She loves seeing her own reflection in the mirror. She loves to be carried upright against our shoulder in burping position and I usually walk towards the mirror to check if she is sleeping or still awake as I pat her. ;)

Today, I tested her tracking reflex and she has no problem following the object in the air. But she still doesn't move well and can't turn yet when we put her on tummy or on the back. Guess she doesn't get as much practice compared to cheh cheh cos she is carried by the maid quite often. Plus the airflow cool mat on her cot bed is a bit slippery so no grip. Have asked the maid to put her on the bumper mat more often and don't even partial swaddle her in the day (since it's not cold) so that she can learn to move her body more. I already cut her nails today and removed her mittens tonight. Hope she can learn to flip/move soon. :)

2 months • Vocalizes: gurgles and coos
• Follows objects across field of vision
• Notices his hands
• Holds head up for short periods • Smiles, laughs
• Holds head at 45-degree angle
• Makes smoother movements • Holds head steady
• Can bear weight on legs
• Lifts head and shoulders when lying on tummy (mini-pushup)

3 months • Recognizes your face and scent
• Holds head steady
• Visually tracks moving objects
• Squeals, gurgles, coos
• Blows bubbles
• Recognizes your voice
• Does mini-pushup • Rolls over, from tummy to back
• Turns toward loud sounds
• Can bring hands together, bats at toys

Valentine's Day and Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Chu1 is also Valentine's Day so hubby ordered flowers from Far East Flora but it came 1 day late. No discount even for late delivery by the way, cheh! But the flowers were lovely and RaeAnne kept eyeing the bear. I'm sure Daddy ordered the flowers with her in mind too. ;P

We brought the two gals to Reunion Lunch at Nai Nai's place and Reunion dinner at Waipo's place. This year, RaeAnne can sit at the big table and eat with everybody at my mum's place liao. She loves enoki mushroom, there's a big plate right in front of her and she will keep passing them to me to cook (Waipo's annual steamboat session).


On Chu1, we dressed the gals in bright red as per CNY tradition while they went visiting at Nai Nai and Waipo house again. RaeAnne has no problems holding the orange bag and passing the oranges. But she still haven't mastered saying "gong xi fa cai" but her "happy new year" was quite accurate though very soft. :)

Today, we went over to my 2nd aunt'splace at Serangoon and RaeAnne had a good time playing with my cousin Shirley's kids' toys. :)

Visit from Aunty Wendy

My friend Wendy who is based in Beijing finally came by to visit, she didn't managed to visit last year when she was here cos Rosabelle (Rosie) was down with fever then. And being her usual considerate self, she didn't want to visit to avoid 'infecting' me as I was still pregnant then.

This time, she also brought the loot which she helped me order from taobao, China and refused to accept any payment. So, the gals got Carters/Gap rompers, shoes, an inflatable bathtub, even mummy got present (washable breast pads) from generous Aunty Wendy. :)

Got the maid to cook a kids friendly dinner: steamed tofu with meat patty (chopped carrots and mushrooms), steamed cod fish (marinated with teriyaki sauce), tofu seafood soup (prawns, pork slices, fishball, crabstick, egg tofu, sio bai chye cooked in chicken stock) and stir fry sweet potato leaves (with hay bee hiam for the adults).

Rosie was very 赏脸 and patiently ate almost half of her food and even drank a small bowl of soup. RaeAnne on the other hand refused to eat fishball, cod, crabstick, tofu, meat nor rice. Arghh!!! So frustrating. Hubby had to resort to feeding her bread after that. But I found out today that she's definitely teething. A wee bit of her bottom right molar (one of the last 4 molars to erupt) has cut through the gum. Which explains why she has been so fussy with food recently.

The gals need some warming up at first especially RaeAnne who is too possesive and refuses to share with Rosie. From the high chair (which she refuses to sit on for goodness sake) to my iphone (hubby was trying to show both she and Rosie the apps games). She even cried when Rosie hugged and kissed her. Duh... So unfriendly and so embarrassing for Mummy. :P

Luckily she did warm up towards the end and was happy to share the blueberries with Rosie. When we saw Wendy and Rosie off in the cab at 830pm, she said, "Rosie 妹妹回家了，milk milk, orh orh." She thinks that Rosie has gone home to drink milk and sleep. Maybe she's right cos Rosie didn't nap today. While my naughty gal only napped 1 hr from 130 - 230pm today so she KO while I was taking my shower at 10pm.

Just realised that I've known Wendy for almost 10 years since our days at Mileage Communications in 2000. Haha, how time flies.My 9 months stint there sucked but my reward was making a great friend. How our lives have changed since we worked and bitched about work during the mrt ride from Tanjong Pager to Paya Lebar/Eunos. Thanks for the ten years of friendship, Ah Niah and for always making efforts to catch up when you are back. :)

Raelynn is 2 months old!

Our second princess is 2 months old. When we checked last week, she is 51.5cm long and 5.64kg. Weighed her just now at ils place, she is 5.8kg now. Gained about 2.5kg since she was born. :) Here's a photo of Cheh Cheh at 2 months old too. Can you guess who is who? ;)

FM and diapers - penny pinching

Hubby and I went out to stock up on Friso3 n diapers even pigeon wet wipes yesterday. Thanks to Jan and Feb forum mummies, I checked out both medical halls at west plaza pasir ris n got the best deals from each shop.

We dropped by Ikea to get the pot coasters but they are OOS. But at least we managed to eat chicken wings and have a drink at the Ikea cafe. :)

Jin tai tong
Friso3 900g - $21.90 ( malaysia packaging)
Huggies pull up pants - $13.90 (bought 3 packs)
Mamy poko s 48pcs (small pack)- $14.20 (only bought 1 pack cos worried that Raelynn will outgrow the S and move to M size soon)

Chinese medical hall nearer to kopitiam
Friso3 1.8kg (sg packaging) - $45 (bought 2 tins)
Friso 3 900g (sg packaging) - $22.50 (i did not buy since Friso packed in malaysia anyway, got it at Jin Tai Tong instead)
1 big bundle of pigeon wet wipes 6 packs - $18.40

But I just found out that Sheng shiong is even cheaper for Friso 3. Buy 1 big tin and get 1 small tin (900g) for $51.50. :P