(2008/02) Feb 2008 MTBs

Gar, I'm here.
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Just came back not long ago after bringing my gal to playgroup.
 


pauline *wave*

btw, are you planning to BF for #2? my mom has been nagging me to re-consider cos she feels that i have not "recovered" from first pregnancy and that if i were t BF #2 it will suck away more nutrients from my body.

so now i've been "ordered" to go to Chinese TCM to take pulse and get advice on tonics to take...*duh*
 
Gar, yup, definitely will BF no. 2. Already ordered the Medela Freestyle from spree ($500). Had to sell away all my old pumps to raise capital for this heavy investment. :p I think if you take your calcium supplements and take more tonics during pregnancy and confinement, should be ok bah. Did you have a CL to help you with Arielle?
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pauline,
i oso think taking supplements should be ok leh ....do you know what tonics are suitable for us?

no CL for arielle and hb not keen to have CL for #2 as well.
 
I see, with CL, it was easier for me to rest cos she'll take care of baby and cook tonics for me non stop. I feel that with mum or MIL, they are already so tired to help look after baby or cook confinement food, may not have time to make tonics or even boil red date tea. :p

I know ginseng 人参粉 is also good in 2nd trimester whereas 当归 is not suitable for preggies at all. Not sure exactly what type of tonics but my CL brewed a lot of different soups and tonics using 'dang sheng', pao sheng, red dates and cordyceps to 补气。
 
Garfield, you can tell your friend not to worry, if she is still taking dairy and eggs, plus beans, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds , fruits and veg, should be more than sufficient. You can check whether it’s sufficient by seeing how well the baby is growing.

As for #2, actually CL really can help a lot. Then you can have better rest and your body can recoup faster! If I have another bb, definitely I’m going to hire CL. Jiayou on bf ok.

School: I think I will only decide when the kid is about 5 or 6 years old. Cuz school changed over time? Yes or no?
 
pauline,
OIC...no i did not take any tonics during my confinement for Arielle - maybe that's why my mom feels my body is not strong.

tong,
thanks, i will let my friend know.

i'm also tempted to get CL but again my #2 will be during CNY and the prices will be like close to $3K. haha....so ex!! if i don't have CL, will cater confinement food at least i will have some nutrition lor =)
 
Gar, haha, I paid close to $3k for my CL too cos RaeAnne was born 2 weeks before CNY in 2008. But I considered the $ well spent cos my CL looks after baby at night, does night duty, help to feed EBM, wash and sterilises bottles, pump parts, cooks tonics eg. green papaya fish soup, red date tea and confinement food for me, hubby gets some extra dishes, cleans for us (wash clothes, sweep and mop), she even help me to massage with hot towel to stimulate letdown when my ss was very low. After all, how many kids are we going to have? It's important for us to recuperate and rest as much as possible after delivery I feel. Cannot spend all our money on baby's needs and neglect our own health mah. :p

I've engaged my CL for 40 days both times so I'm paying even more. :p She still got energy to watch taiwanese drama serials in the late afternoon hor, no need afternoon nap. Whereas when my MIL helped me during the rest of my ML, she is so tired that she must have afternoon naps because she looks after RaeAnne in the night. And everything else, I got to do on my own. Eg. hire PT cleaner to clean the house, do all the washing, sterilising myself. She doesn't even cook so no tonics, no soups, no red date tea. Everyday, my FIL will tapow or bring food over. Catering confinement food is expensive too, $1k-$2k if I'm not wrong so I rather top up more for the extra services that a CL provides. :p
 
pauline,
so your CL helps you with night feeds? i latch on at night that's why i felt having a CL will not be of much use since i have to wake up anyway haha....

for tonic soups my MIL did cook the soups for me but of course not as "pro" as the CL types.

my hb said he'll take leave 2 weeks or more to tag team with my mom to help me. so plus CNY holidays he will be around for close to 3 weeks. i'm thinking will it be overkill to also have CL?? food wise will probably cater.
 
Gar, I latch on at night too but my CL helps to bottle feed baby if I'm so dead tired that I can't wake up. Also sometimes baby cries cos diaper wet so at least I don't need to wake up. She'll only wake me if I tell her I want to latch on. Eg. If I sleep at midnight after last feed, I'll tell her I'll latch on at 3am, anytime before that, please don't wake me. My hubby will be home during the Dec holidays too so my house will be very crowded with hubby, maid and CL. He looks forward to slacking a bit more for this confinement. His main purpose is to help me with RaeAnne and soothe her cos she may have difficulty adjusting to all the changes in the house including her new mei mei who keeps crying. At least she will have her Daddy to give her TLC when mummy is busy. Haha.
 
Pauline, your CL is like super nanny leh, where did she find so much energy to do so many things? She is really good and I guess you are using her this round too?
 
Yup, yup, I book her very early. Recommended jobs to her through the forum too. Ok lar, she has more than 10 or is it 15 years experience doing this so she's very seasoned. Cook very fast. Cleaning not 100% clean lar cos only sweep and mop. If vacuum will be cleaner but with baby around, hard to vacuum also. :p
 
pauline,
Sometimes i find sweep + mop cleaner than just vacuum, especially for tiles/wooden floor. Unless you're using carpet, then vacuum is needed. :p

tong,
i give fresh milk directly out of fridge... C likes cold stuff...

gar,
i didn't use CL as well last time, but had a maid who took care of all the household things + cleaning... but taking care of bb is my job :p
 
Hi, Snowbelle

Congrats!!
Told my DH that you are pregnant. He asked:"Are all Feb mums pregnant already?". I answered: "At least I am not".

---Home schooling
My DH hinted and hoped that I can homeschool kid(or consider...), especially read Evenlyn Tan(陈毓芸) homeschooled from newspaper.
I am not keen; it's too much discipline for me .


Hi, Xiaoyun, blueginger
Taoan is very good school. How I wish that my E can study there! But too far away, and my DH's primary school is not-so-good one at Bishan neighbourhood.

Hehe....my DH says that E may just go to nearest primary school for convenience, but he wants me to spend efforts teaching E.
 
hi mummies,

congrats again 2 all 2nd time MTBs.

genice,

jia you! hope u strike soon!

re : bf

sad 2 say my bf (partial oni) job ended when my boy turned 2 mths old. initially i plan 2 bf as long as possible tis time, but wif a "sticky" Cayenne koala me whole day, i simply cant bf.

Even pump, she would wan 2 sit on my lap, if she happy, she will let me latch on her di di. if not, she wont let me even 2 carry di di, she insists i must carry her. so there goes my bf job...

Gar, kitsune, hope u gals can do it.

re : primary schools.

the talk of primary schools is it 2 early ah... ;p i cant even plan 4 Cayenne's meal time, let alone choosing which school 4 her.

bx,

simei no gd school ah? there's one school directly in front of my blk 101. (die liao, 2 long didnt go back 2 simei, i 4get the name of the school!)

u knw which one i'm referring 2? if so, u tink is it gd?

re : SAHM

am struggling with the idea whether 2 be one or continue 2 work. Cayenne wif me 4 abt 3 wks plus, she become super super sticky 2 me. i cant even go bath or toilet! nw she sleeping, i must stay in the room wif her, if not, she will cry if she didnt see me when she wakes up.

i told hb tat i very much wan 2 be a SAHM cos i dun like the idea of sending Cayenne 2 CC full day so young. (But the ironical part is i jz enroll her. Sigh) i dun mind half day or playgroup of 2, 3 hrs. BUT then, i cant stand her sticking 2 me whole day, 24hrs and everyday! bad mummy. keke... ;p
 
Tongtong, don't know leh. Constant white noise maybe ok bah but got to on and off the power and drag the vaccuum all over the house. Not sure if still considered white noise. :p

Tute, my floor tiles is brownish with patches of grey and uneven (left behind by previous owner and I didn't change). Somehow, sweep not clean leh. Always got dust left behind, find vacuum followed by mop is cleanest.
 
Esty, RaeAnne is on 2 hours playgroup daily. I think it's good. At least I get 2 hours of 'breather' time in the morning. Want to go marketing also can, want to prepare and cook her lunch also can. When no. 2 arrive, at least I'll have 2 hours of uninterrupted time with her.
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kitsune,

is RaeAnne clingy 2 u nw? who is she closer 2? u or ur hb? my gf who gave birth 2 her #2, she has no pro cos her #1 is very clingy 2 her hb since born. so when my gf's #2 arrive, she dun hv such pro.

Tong,

i wanted 2. but hb and my bb sitter say it is cheaper 2 get a maid instead. i dun like the idea of having a maid. but hb kept asking me 2 try out. u knw wat, i cried alot during my #2's preggy days cos whenever i tink of gg 2 get a maid, and cayenne has 2 go CC, i dunno if i can tk gd care of my 2 kids anot reali stress me out. plus hb got a transfer in job & has 2 travel 4 2 mths straight after my boy's full mth! so can u imagine hw unhappy and stressful i was...

in the end, we reali got a maid & so far (dunno is it becos i'm still on ML) the maid been handling my boy quite gd. but she got pro bathing my boy. so am tinking if i go back 2 work, probably i will bath my boy in the evening instead when i come back frm work. and becos of maid, i insist on installing IP cameras in my room and living hall.
 
Esty, RaeAnne is super clingy to me. She always wants me to 'bao bao', 'bao bao' but lucky thing is if Daddy plays rough with her (eg. swing her around, play with her), she will still accept. As I was telling Gar, luckily no. 2 will be due in late Nov or early Dec ie. during hubby's school holidays so he'll be home. I'm relying on him and the maid to 'take care' of RaeAnne while CL and I look after the baby. After 40 days, then my real problem will start lor. But MIL has already offered to take care of RaeAnne in the day if we bring her over so see how lor. If RaeAnne is really so sticky and jealous of Mei mei then maybe ask MIL to fetch RaeAnne from playgroup at 11am then bring her to their home and look after her in the day. :p
 
kitsune, but hor i heard tat not so good 2 split the 2 siblings away leh, as they wont be close?

4 me, i handle cayenne most of the time while maid tk care of di di... i felt so guilty 2wards my boy. but no choice leh...
 
Esty, yup, I also think so. That's why I hired maid lor, hope can look after two together. But with different nap and feeding times, one needs me to BF, while the other wants me to put her to sleep, will be a bit difficult to coordinate lor. :p I don't know if I can trust my no. 2 with maid leh cos she's so young and can't complain or voice out. At least RaeAnne is older and more communicative liao, problem is she rejects my maid. Hiaz....
 
xiaoyun
don't know why shawn is afraid of the soldier toy leh. once we turn the switch on and the soldier dance, he'll cling on to me and stay away from the toy. his sister lagi more afraid.

re: calling mummy
shawn started with calling me 'ma ma'... no matter how many times i repeat 'mummy', he'll still go 'ma ma'. it's only from the recent couple of months that he started to call 'mummy' and he usually call 'mummy' when he needs/looking for me. otherwise, when i tell him to call 'mummy', he'll call 'ma ma' instead (think he purposely do so).

piglettail
good to hear from you again. of cos i remember you, our pretty mama
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shawn also struggle to get out from his car seat in mid of the ride. sometimes i don't give in and he'll stop after a while. sometimes he continues to cry and i'll carry him on my lap and wrap my arm around his waist. hope our kids will get use to seating on car seat soon. my gal used to be like that. slowly, she'll auto go to her carseat and sit thru out the ride.

Re: schools
my hubby was the one who brought up the topic of sending my gal to nanyang pri. i was like "huh, must take school bus leh, really must go there?" he then said "people want to go also don't have the chance". so ok loh, paid $1k to join the alumni and wait for 2 more years to register. at least the school is near my mum's place.

nevertheless, my hubby is usually quite a bo-chup person.

i agree the family upbringing and environment mould how one behaves. when young, i seldom read (other than textbook) cos my mum did not have formal education and hence did not know the impt of inculcating reading habits to us. my writing and comprehensive skills was very bad. thankful that i can pass english/GP. my frens who enjoy reading are stronger in their english language. i better start exposing my kids to books and hopefully they will enjoy reading unlike their mum.

garfield
what makes your mum to say that you are not that strong?
 
esther,
r u refering to CCPS? for now, i know i wun send ashlynn there. dunno y. but i know the sec sch next to it is not really good. (no offence to anyone who has affiliation there)
 
tongtong,

Hehe.....Like.... He never expected me to help look at map/find friend's block num, if necessary he would stop his car along roadside, to check map.

Like .....Every time at weekend night, he will ask me where we will bring E out tomorrow.

Hehe.... yah....just consider it a praise whenever he prefers me on teaching .
 
Tubao: Do u happened to attend a seminar at NTUC Marina Boulevard yesterday? When I was registering at the counter, I saw your name after mine. Ideally mother is the best educator for the child but sadly most can't do it.

#2: So many of u are preggy really make me feel like having #2 soon but still can't at the moment.

Pri sch: Stressed leh talk about primary school liao. I think I have the same dilemma cos everyone want the best for the child but worry it will be too stressful for the child too. Anyway I think likely Amanda will end up in her Daddy's school in AMK.

Genice: Why nyghs? ahha I was from there. I choose the school myself cos it has got ART elective programme which in the end I did not get in ahhaa but no regrets cos I have fond memories of my ECA activities and friends but not the schoolwork and the catching of the bus at 5.45 am just to get to school! My good frens are all from sec school. Really miss those carefree time.
 
morning!

Stephie, Tute,
*waves*

Re: car seat
G was fine in car seat (not really willing but at least will sit thru) until 2 months ago. now cant even get him near the seat...his strength very strong, even hb also has prob restraining him when he's at his 'worst'.
not sure if i should get yet another car seat?? currently mine is for 0-18kg (he's only 14kg)...should i get those which is just a 'seat booster with no backing'? not very well versed abt the type of care seats and uses/functions
 
tong,
dunno leh? maybe cos she always say i face green green haha...

piglettail,
is your car seat facing forwards or backwards?

for booster seat - depends on his height if the normal car safety belt doesn't touch his neck when G is on the booster seat should be fine.
 
Piglettail, wow G 14kg liao! Mind showing us G’s photo? Don’t think I see him before leh!oryou have blog or fb or not
 
kitsune,

same same. cayenne aso rejects the maid sometimes. regards 2 feeding & sleeping time difference, wat i do is i let the maid do the bedtime feed 4 my boy while i go sleep wif cayenne. i spend most time with cayenne as she is undergoing changes (maid, di di, gg 2 CC soon etc). i dun wish her 2 feel left out.
 
Esty, I see, ya, good thing RaeAnne has adjusted to playgroup. I have 2 more milestones to cross before no. 2 arrives. No. 1 is Getting her to sleep in her own room in the toddler bed with maid in same room on the tilam. And no. 2 is toilet training

Last night was an improvement, she slept at 1045pm. Maid said she woke up at 3am but after she pat her and gave her some water, she went back to sleep and woke up again at 7am, and she allowed the maid to feed her milk and clean her face but not to change diaper and brush teeth. Think they become closer to whoever sleeps with them.

As for toilet training, I'm half hearted whether to start trying or not. Was reading the Gina Ford book, she said if the toddler is close to 2 yrs old and I'm delivering soon then might as well defer training till baby no. 2 is 3-4 months old cos some toddlers will regress when no. 2 arrives. But nowadays, she can make poo poo sounds after she pooed so don't know if now is the ideal time to start training. :p

Pigletail, think your boy can start using high back booster seat liao cos 13.5kg is the minimum weight if I'm not wrong. Ya, like Gar said, height also plays a part so best to try out the seat first. What's your boy's name by the way?
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Pauline
i have the same "goals" as you before NO. 2 arrives.
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Just that I can't decide on which one to embark on first.

I was thinking of toilet training her in next 2 weeks since she seems to be able to say "toilet" but it will require full time commitment plus sppt from MIL to do this. Training her to go back to her own room is easier I'm sure. Just need hb's help cos it's getting harder for me to bend over the cot with a growing bump.

Esty
Did u have a maid already when #2 arrived or only later that you got one? My dd also getting very sticky to me, won't let me go to the toilet!, doesn't want to play by herself, need me to sit ard and play with her! so I feel that perhaps I shld distance myself from her in preparation for #2 since a newborn's needs are more acute and only i can fulfil those needs whereas dd can be taken care of by nai nai, maid or hb.

My fren who just delivered 2 days ago also said it's hard to bf cos her son keeps disturbing her. I want to be fair to both kids in bf-ing. Since dd got the full 1 yr benefit, No. 2 should too, esp since #1 will be bringing home the germs from school.

Tubao
time to start trying???? since E is so "guai", I think next one no problem. I like it that she's so neat, I saw her arranging her shoes nicely before gg to sandpit. Impressed. hehe.
Is yr helper coming already? Sheila is very nice lady. You know when she learnt that my maid had a health problem, she actually didn't take the remaining loan from her. Altho small amt, I thot it's reali nice gesture. Btw, i kept my maid tho she had health prob which required specialist care. Much of it had to do with Sheila's mediation.
 
bkk, pauline,
wah...you gals are so on in terms of preparing for #2's arrival. i feel like i'm such a slacker haha! infected by hb's "when the boat comes to the bridge it will naturally become straight" attitude
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ok, start to get my butt going!!!

it's been a long time since my last amazon spree so i'm now jio-ing MTBs to buy this book called "I'm a Big Sister" intended to prepare our #1 PRINCESSES for the arrival of the younger sibling. This book also comes in the male version "I'm a Big Brother".

will only accept 4 orders since this is a buy 4 pay 3 promo. anyone interested? http://www.amazon.com/Im-Big-Sister-Joanna-Cole/dp/0688145094/ref=pd_cp_b_1

1. Garfield9
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kitsune,

toilet training, i dun intend 2 start soon though Cayenne can tell me AFTER she poo-ed. Cayenne dotes on her di di alot but i believe she does show her jealousy thru other means such as clingy 2 me, sometimes dun let me carry/bf di di. so i dun wan 2 "stress" her out with toilet training. my SIL told me she didnt train my nephew at all. my nephew auto will tell her but there was when he was 2yrs plus coming 2 3yo.

but 4 u and bbkgal, i tink if u wan, u gals can start b4 ur #2 arrives but then aso hv 2 observe if ur kids wan 2 do so anot, judging they knw they gg 2 hv a sibling soon. sometimes they tend 2 do tings out of their norm. probably 2 attract attention etc...

bbkgal,

my maid arrived 1 mth b4 my boy's arrival. Cayenne sometimes depends on her mood, suka suka will play wif the maid and even hug her, otherwise will scream @ her.

Seriously not easy 2 bf the younger one if the elder one ard. but 4 u gals who hv PILs or parents 2 help, may be shd be easier than me.
 
Esty, my motivation is I've already bought 3 training pants for her so far. If I don't start soon, she's going to outgrow them. Maybe I'll try out over the weekend and see how it goes. :p

Bkkgal, hi5! I also aim to BF no. 2 for 1 year cos I also BF cheh cheh for 12.5 months. In fact, I hope to be able to pump extra EBM for RaeAnne cos I had to end my BF career for her prematurely to TTC no. 2. Still feel a bit guilty towards her. :p

Gar, recently I have been buying books from bookdepository cos they have free international shipping. There's a 5% discount off $6.97 too if we order via the discount link. Will that be cheaper than Amazon?
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Discount code link
http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/messages/590029/2934268.html?1253725782
I'm a Big sister
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780688145095/Im-a-Big-Sister?selectCurrency=USD&currencyChange=%3CSPAN%3E%3CEM%3EChange+currency%3C%2FEM%3E%3C%2FSPAN%3E
 
bkkgal
by the time ur no. 2 is borned, k is already 2 yo. so probably will be easier to handle?

my gal was 3 yo when her didi was borned. so i've no issue with bf no. 2 as she won't come to disturb. she will just watch by the side and sometimes say she wanna latch on too (for fun only cos she didn't like to latch on when i was bfg her).

piglettail
there's carseat that can be used till around 40kg. mine can be used till 45kg. think seat booster with no backing is not suitable for our kids now.
 
Gar
no lah, everyone got different ways of preparing... i'm more of a worrier so i like to make sure that everything that can be circumvented is circumvented.

Steph
Yeah, she'll be 2yo by then but maybe terrible 2s will strike? dunno..hope not of cos....your girl is naturally tong shi one. She's very considerate to the little ones at the JWT bash but not all kids are like that. Mine already starting to boss the cat around, makes me wonder if she'll boss the No.2 around!

Pauline/Esty
The earlier we start, the more $$ we save on pampers! hehe.

I got the training pants too but I think it doesn't have an effect cos it's still snug and cosy after she has pee-ed. I'm going cold turkey on her - i.e. no diapers - let it leak, we mop up whenever. My fren said to set the timer every 30 mins ring and bring her to the loo.
 
pauline,
i've not ordered from bookdepository before. is there a minimum spend to qualify for free international shipping? don't mind trying. so you want the book?

bkk,
wanna join us and order the book for K?

terrible 2s,
i think A is in this phase now. her favourite word is NO. hopefully by the time #2 is here, A has outgrown the phase.

caregiving arrangements,
had a long chat with my parents. damn grateful my mom is not leaving me in the lurch. but i'll have to get help for her. anyone knows where to find part-time day nanny that will come to my house for half day from Mon to Fri?
 
BF #2 with #1 around,
my plan is that as a last resort - i will turn on #1's favourite TV show dora the explorere which will hopefully distract her for 30mins while I BF #2
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#1 will be v happy to be able to watch dora so many times a day!!
 
Gar, book depository has no minimum spend but sometimes, they may ship the books one by one even if you ordered 4 or 5 at one go depending on stock availability. No need to consolidate orders anymore cos free international shipping to our respective houses mah. Hee.
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Gar, I deliberatly never introduced her to Dora cos my cousin's gal is such a big Dora fan that I became sick of Dora. Bad mummy! Hee.
 
Garfield: My Amanda is also crazy about Dora. She will be screaming and jumping when the show starts. She say the word "DORA" even before she call me.

Not Pauline but i ordered twice from bookdepository. No minimum order for free shipping. u can all order on your own to be sent to your own place. Oh and u can try searching online for discount coupon. Both times, I managed to find coupons and get some discount.
 
clover
ya, sounds absurd to have car seat that caters to 40kg. maybe becos it's recommended that children use car seat till child is 8 yrs old.
 


Apple, I bought from book depository before too. About 3 books plus 2 box sets. Find it cheaper than Amazon in general cos they always list Amazon's price on their website so easy to compare prices. The boxes of the box sets were not mint condition though, corners a bit crushed. But never mind cos RaeAnne destroyed the boxes also. :p
 

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