Fooling around at NTUC

Took some random pics of the gals at NTUC taken on Mon using my iphone after we brought the maid to Tampines interchange so that she can transfer $ home. :)

RaeAnne woke up so many times tonight since she slept at 10pm. Hubby has been so busy looking after her cos she's a Daddy gal these few nights. Want Daddy, don't want Mummy. Poor hubby is not even back in the room yet, looks like he's going to be camping over at her room tonight.

Too tired to blog so will just post the pics. :)

RaeAnne's new school - Elfa

Finally going to pay registration, deposit and collect uniform at Elfa today. Went down yesterday and they actually gave up my waitlist due to a miscommunication. Cos they called me in Sept and said got place on 1 Oct and asked me if I wanted to start RaeAnne but I debated and think it's too early cos RaeAnne's friends are still at The Learning Train playgroup. No point switching her yet. But the staff I spoke to said I'm still on waitlist for Jan11.

But end up they thought I didn't want anymore and gave up my queue no. But luckily the Principal remembers me cos I went down a few times to visit the centre. So, she gave me a place. But got to start her in mid Dec cos the principal said too many kids starting in Jan. Got to pay $1003 in cash or cheque today. Heart pain. But they are full, both my hubby's colleague and my friend's sister cannot get a place for their kids so I don't dare to procrastinate. Quickly pay and confirm liao. :P

Had to call in the plumber today cos the common bathroom showerhead is dripping, my MBR shower area is choked and the Ariston storage Heater has brown water staining the pipes. Only moved in for 5 years and things are all breaking down after their warranty period. In the end, got to pay $700 for all the plumbing work. Spent $1700+ in a single day. Heart pain. Must really go and find work next year to earn extra $ for the gals' enrichment lessons and CC fees. But just found out that $300 subsidy only applies to full day CC. If I want to continue putting RaeAnne in half day CC, it'll still be $470 for FTWM. Duh... :P

Brought RaeAnne to Elfa to collect new uniforms in the afternoon after she woke up from her nap at 245pm. She was quite curious about her new surroundings especially the music room, the roleplay area and the indoor playground. I tried to explain to her that she will go to Three Little Pigs (Pre nursery 1) classroom for 2 weeks in mid Dec then switch to Little Red Riding Hood (Pre nursery 2) in Jan11. Hope she adjusts well to the change.

RaeAnne knocked out at 955pm cos she woke up so early from her nap. :P Keep fingers crossed that she will sleep through.

A drama night...

My mum's birthday is on 9 Nov and my dad's lunar birthday is 1 week after hers. We had our usual small family dinner at Chin Lee Teochew Restaurant at Bedok North Road. Last year, when we went, there was only RaeAnne as I was heavily preggie with Raelynn then. :) Today, bought a tiny cake so that the gals can cut cake with Ah Gong and Ah Ma. Ah Ma doesn't like cream cakes nor the smell/taste of butter so I got a chocolate truffle cake instead. Gave RaeAnne a tiny slice (1cm thick) cos she was so excited about it.

But when she came home, she had milk, nearly finished it, then peed on her bed (we forgot to ask her if she wanted to pee after she came home). Then hubby gave her a small banana, she nearly finished it when she suddenly threw out everything, cake, milk and banana. Not sure if it's because she overate or is she falling sick? While we are all busy cleaning up RaeAnne, hubby was instructing the maid how to clean off the vomit the floor with newspaper, I brought her to the toilet to rinse her mouth, and then she peed again in her panties so I had to wash her bottom and change her again.

When we finally settled with RaeAnne, I went back to the bumper mat and found out to my great horror, that the bumper mat littered with dessicant silica gel beads. Raelynn had bitten and torn the packet of silica gel from the pair of new shoes I was trying on for her (before I got distracted by RaeAnne). Hubby quickly grabbed her and tried to sweep her mouth for the beads then the maid also tried to use a wet towel to clean away. I used the dustpan to sweep away the remaining beads while RaeAnne started to 'scold' Mei Mei for eating the 'small balls'.

Feel so guilty that I left Mei Mei alone and went to attend to RaeAnne. Luckily, she was ok after crying for a while when hubby grabbed her. Hubby goggled and swallowing a few silica gel beads causes dryness in mouth or at most a tummy upset cos it's a dessicant. Hopefully, we stopped her in time from swallowing any or many beads. If it's anything bigger or poisonous that she swallowed, she may have choked then we'll have to rush her to A&E or do the hemlich manoveure. Though there are 3 adults in the house, still feel short handed sometimes esp when there are 突发状况.

Sigh, what a drama night. Needless to say, both gals slept late. I had to latch RL for the second time while hubby sat by RaeAnne's bed until 1140pm. She refused to drink milk or milo so I think she will wake up hungry early tom morning. Hope she is not sick, cos there is a school outing to Downtown East Explorerkidz tom. :P

A night without RaeAnne

Asked MIL to bring RaeAnne home after school today. Hope she got to sleep more at MIL house for her nap and bedtime.

Wanted to have dinner and watch a late night movie with hubby, something we have not done in a long, long time. Had dinner at Jack's Place It's strange how after being parents, how we choose a movie is no longer based on what is the movie genre, what is the title of the show, how is the movie review etc? Instead, our first criteria was where is it screening, followed by what time is the movie.

First we narrowed down to either Tampines Mall or Century square, cos we still can't break free from Tampines area. Sigh. Wish I can eat somewhere new for once but Hubby knocked off at 6+pm and we have a tight schedule so didn't want to waste time travelling back and worth. Chose a movie close to 10pm cos I wanted to go home after dinner and latch RaeLynn her last milk feed before she sleeps. Plus I feel bad to be out whole day, not spending time with Mei Mei so I will not deprive Mei Mei of her last milk feed. My supply has hit all time low after my menses returned so didn't want to miss a feed. I even forgot to pump when I rushed out to meet the curtain supplier this morning. Got some sweet curtains for the gals room and 2 new sets of curtains for the living/dining area cos the old set of curtains have been ruined by sun exposure. :P

Oh yes, almost forgot - so what was the movie we watched? Megamind 3d. Turned out it was a movie just launched today 4 Nov. Perfect for a movie 'suaku' like me. kekeke.

Energizer bunny RaeAnne

RaeAnne refused to nap today even though I laid by her bed from 1pm to 3.25pm. Don't know why she is so energetic. Tried to make her sleep early today after an early dinner. She KO at 9pm after I fed her milk at 8pm. Early but definitely she won't get even 12 hours of sleep cos I'm very sure she'll wake up before 9am. Oh well, hope this does not happen too often. -_-

Raelynn is 11 months old

Raelynn is 11 months old, 8.8kg and 69cm tall. She still has only 2 bottom teeth and her hair growth is minimal. The fancl shampoo helped but did not do miracles. Think she will still be botak by her 1st birthday party at this rate. :P

Physical update
Can walk confidently
Can clap hands
Can climb on top of the coffee table
Can self feed bread and rice

Speech update
Ah ma
Ma
There (sounds like Cheh)
Ye
me1 me3 (sound like mummy)

Why I love Tampines

hahaha, because besides the 3 shopping malls and 2 cineplexes that provide numerous hours of shopping/entertainment, there is now a new Wendy's at Century square. It took over the old Royal Sporting House.

It just opened today and as expected is packed so hubby and I tapow the original burger (half pounder - 2 beef patties), a fish burger and a kids meal for RaeAnne (the cheeseburger set came with a Casper spinning top. I was so happy when Popeye came to Century Square and now there's Wendy's. Have been curious about Wendy's since the famous Orchard road flood which destroyed the new restaurant's renovation. If only there is a Koi bubble tea at Tampines, then life will be perfect. :)

P.S. Finally found out why my supply has been dipping by so much. Big M visited yesterday after disappearing for 10 months. :P

Dilemma

Sigh, my supply has been dipping a lot for the last week. I'm not sure why cos I have not seen the big letter M yet. But the low supply is affecting Raelynn and my pump yield is so low that hubby jokes that should just use it for milo instead of storing/freezing for RL. I still took more than 10 mins to pump that pathetic amount okie? Sometimes even more than 20 minutes when I see that the amount is so little so I let the pump run longer. Duh, men... So insensitive sometimes. :P

I'm using nursing tea, drank 3 packs in 2 days. Hope there'll be some effect cos I sold all my BF supplements liao. Anyway, I'm in a dilemma if I should buy fish bones and green papaya to make fish soup to boost SS. Cos Raelynn is already turning 11 months soon and I'm going on holiday in early Dec without the gals. I have about 3 months worth of frozen EBM which we are using to mix into RL's morning cereal. So, is it a wise decision to try and increase supply now?

What if I end up with blocked ducts now or during holiday? The reason for my supply has dropped over the months is also because she is always distracted and escaping from my lap when I'm trying to latch her at 9am, 12noon, 5pm. Since TMC LC told me that it's ok, just need to latch 2-3 times a day, I left her be and didn't bother to pump when she didn't want to latch.

Just now, she was distracted by Cheh Cheh and woke up when I was putting her to bed after latching. Then for the 1 hr when I was trying to put RA to sleep, she kept crying. When RA finally slept, I came out of the room and tried to latch RL but she refused. Kept crying. So end up, I resorted to heating up EBM and she drank all 90ml. Still cried a bit and I heat up another 80ml but she refused to take anymore. She fell asleep after fussing and crying for a while more.

I wonder if I should start giving her EBM for last feed and add rice to her dinner instead of just porridge. She already has 3 solids but she seems always hungry these days. Poor gal. Growth spurt again? :P

扁嘴

Finally saw Raelynn 扁嘴 today and I was the guilty one. She was latching halfway then had tried to bite me 3 times when I was trying to latch her at 9.30pm after we came back from NTUC. After the 3rd time, I lost my temper and beat her mouth gently (cos my KK LC taught me to do that with RA when she was biting me). Actually, it wasn't very painful cos luckily RL has only 2 pearlies at the bottom but when she 'gum' her gums tight, it is still painful.

After I beat her, she paused for 1-2 seconds as if unsure that Mummy will actually beat her, then she started to 扁嘴 and 一脸委屈。She made a hurt sound but didn't cry. It pained me to see her 扁嘴 cos she's a resilent one. Even when Cheh Cheh pull her hand/or take away toy forcefully, she will only complain loudly and sometimes cry in protest if her head really hit the ground but never 扁嘴 to her sis or me before.

I don't even feel as guilty when 2 years plus ago, when I beat RA on the mouth for biting. RA is the vocal and sensitive one, she'll cry loudly for the slightest thing even up till now. So, I'm a bit 麻木 when dealing with her crying. But not for RL. I hate to see her cry cos she's such a happy baby. :P

No wonder, they say 'Youngest child syndrome' and 'the youngest one can get away with murder'. If I stop at 2, and Raelynn is going to be the youngest, I think I'll spoil her rotten. :P

Fan Review

The fan supplier came to install the fan at 5pm. Thanks to him for agreeing to come earlier cos I sms him that I need to bring my gal out for dinner and 6pm installation is too late. Turns out he was very understanding cos he has a toddler born on Sept08 too and his elder kid is already 10 years old. Kudos to them for having another kid after such a long gap. Anyway, I digress...

Just tried the fan. It's good for Raelynn who is just under it. At setting 1, it's silent with a slight breeze. But it's not good enough for my 'oven' RaeAnne who insisted that it's hot even at setting 2 because she is away from the fan. Had to shift her pillow to the opposite side of the bed but she's not used to it. So woke up crying just now after just 1 hr of sleep.

So end up I still have to switch on her usual standing revolving fan. Which to me defeats the purpose of a ceiling fan. But hubby still thinks it's not good to have such a strong ceiling fan in the kids' room. I'm sure the grandparents and the chinese sinseh will agree with him.

Oh well. At least it's silent and cute. And most importantly, the fan is blowing from the top so poor Raelynn doesn't have to sweat surrounded by the cot bumpers. We can always change to a bigger ceiling fan after the gals grow up. :)