My little girl is standing up!

I know I seldom blog about little darling Natalie. My bad. :).. But she has been keeping me very busy when we take care of her ourselves.

Today she achieved another big milestone! She stood up in her playpen with support. :)

23rd March - Standing up with support

She's definitely very different from Eunice. I do think she has lots of my gene! This is what I wrote in my facebook today. EG and Eunice were napping upstair so today it was only me and Nat's time together. :)
  
23 Mar: Doing some ppt slides while leaving the small girl crawling herself, and my little explorer crawled from the living area, to her play area, then to the study room, and crawled out to underneath her high chair, talked to some pest at the corner, and continue to crawl into the oily wet kitchen and got caught out and "quarantined" in playpen.. and while I continue with my ppt slides, from the corner of my eye, I saw my little explorer standing up in her playpen.... :)... @ ~7.5 mths...


Such a cutie! Muakss! :)

Eunice's Love Language

Eunice definitely has her father's gene. She needs assurance, love, hugs, kisses to feel secure. :)

She always wakes up from nap crying, asking her daddy to hug her or carry her. Initially we gave in, but after a while she's getting overboard so we have been telling her she cannot cry after she wakes up, else we'll scold her or even beat her. If she needs a hug, just tell us and we'll give her. Don't cry. We told her not to cry before she sleeps, and will really keep to our words - No carry or hug until she stops crying. And if she gets overboard, she'll meet Mr Cane.

So, she has been quite good. But at times, cane will come out.

And after the whole incident was over, and everyone is already in happy happy mood. While we're going for dinner, in the car, she asked EG.

Eunice: Daddy, you love me or not?
EG: Of course I love you..
Eunice: Then just now when I cried why you no love me?
EG: (preaching mode on....)

It also happened before that after a big scolding from EG, after everything settles and everyone in lovey-dovey mode, Eunice will ask her daddy again..
Eunice: Daddy, you like me or not?
EG: Of course I like you. As long as you are a good girl and don't cry :)
Then hug hug..... :)

Wahahahaha! Hug, is my Eunice's love language. :)

Eunice is 3!

Eunice is 3 years old! How time flies.
EG and I always think she's growing up so fast, and she's such a big girl already. Last year when she's only 2 years old, she still look baby-ish, but now, look at her, she's growing up so fast and she's a big girl now. :)

I have been thinking about her birthday months ago. After thinking for a long time, we decided to have her party with her friends in her babysitter's place, rather than having me inviting my friends for her party - which she might not enjoy in the end. I am glad that my babysitter allowed us to do that. :).

My previous baker who baked Eunice's 1st & 2nd birthday cake couldn't bake for me this year because she's too busy with work. Hence, I got a recommendation from another friend. And EG has been telling me to have a totoro cake for her. It's one of her favorite cartoons. We had a very simple party at 5pm, all children already had their dinner. Hence it's just eating the cakes, and having some drinks and jelly, oh ya, and of course singing the birthday song. Eunice loves it. She still mentioned about it once a while that Bryan took the totoro's ears, and Jayden blew the candles, etc. :)

On the first day of CNY, my parents in law also bought a cake for Eunice for a simple cake cutting and birthday song singing session in Taiping.

And we went back to Miri for CNY this year. My sister bought cupcakes for her beloved niece. She has been asking Eunice if she wants a nemo cake or a garfield cake. But Eunice will give different answer everytime. Hence, my sister asked the baker to make 6 nemo theme cupcakes, and 6 garfield theme cupcakes. Gosh, my girl's eyes just went BLINK BLINK when she saw the cake! :). And in the few days in Miri, she just kept mentioned MY garfield cake, and MY nemo cake. I guess she's really a happy girl.

For a 3yo girl to have 3 different birthday parties, I think she's too spoiled. Hahaha! A friend commented that it's like a wedding! Having parties in different places. Anyway, at 3yo now, she has her memory and I am glad that all her grandparents could celebrate her birthday with her this round.

Totoro cake with her friends

Nemo and Garfield cupcakes by yiyi

Happy Birthday my little big girl! We love you very very much. :)

Skill: Coloring

Happy New Year! :)

We still haven't sent Eunice to school yet, so we're teaching her ourselves at home during our free time. :)... Recently she can color very well. We have let her color before I delivered Nat, and in few moths time, she masters the skill very well now.

We are very proud of her. :)

Eunice's coloring @ early or mid of 2012

Eunice's coloring @ Jan 2013

Breastfeeding Journey II

When I found out I was pregnant, EG asked me if I want to upgrade my breastpump. Of course I want. :)... I was using Unimom for Eunice's time. It served me well. But this round, knowing that it's going to be another long journey, I bought Medela Pump In Style Advanced instead. I got it from Amazon.com and EG's colleague was really kind to help me to bring all the way back to Penang for me!

I have read that for 2nd baby, mother will have more milk. I prayed for that. During pregnancy, I felt my breast duct was a bit painful, the sensation is similar to when I had mastitis during Eunice's time. I was worried that it'll be a roadblock for me to breastfeed my baby. Thank God the sensation went away in my later part of my pregnancy.

EG said I have breastfed Eunice for 19.5 months, so I must do the same for Natalie, if not more, to be fair he said. :).. Well, I agree.

I direct latched Natalie after she's born. No bottle feeding. I insisted to direct feed. When I came home on my 4th day (I stayed extra day to observe Nat's jaundice), I felt my breast was very engorged. So I pumped, and I got 6oz output! Wow, amazing.

I pump once a day during confinement to clear my breasts. I can get 7oz easily, while I direct fed Natalie most of the time. So in the end, I fed Eunice my breastmilk since I dunno what to do with it. :)

After I started working, my supply was abundant. Averagely I get 8-10oz on my every pump session. And I tried not to over supply, hence I still only pump 3 times a day, even Nat has slept through the night. And I still get 27oz-30oz of output everyday. As a result? Not only my freezer is full, now both my girls are on breastmilk fully. Yes, you heard it right! Eunice is on breastmilk AGAIN. :)

I tried not to stuff up my freezer since EG didn't want to buy another freezer for me. I have to agree with him that as long as it's enough supply, no point stocking up so much. My girlfriend told me, it's a good problem actually. I have to agree with her. Oversupply is always better than under supply.

I love my new pump. I could get 7-10oz in 15 minutes. My friends sharing the same pumping room in office often shocked with my efficiency! It's good because work is crazily busy  now and I won't take so long in the room pumping like during Eunice's time.

I sure hope I can breastfeed Nat up to 2 years old. For 2nd baby, even breastfeeding is such an enjoying process. :).. Guess my friend is right, with a good pump, it surely makes the breastfeeding journey more pleasure! :)

4th day post partum, my golden creamy milk

My new companion for the next 18 months, or more :)

National day present - pumped 14 oz one go!

Freezer door full during confinement

1.5 mths post delivery

Effect of durians - 19oz one go! I also went @.@!!!

My freezer today on 28 Dec 2012

Natalie's Update

Once, a friend told me, you won't enjoy when you have the first baby because you're too stress up, for the 2nd baby you'll enjoy it much more. And that's what I am experiencing now. :)

Since we took care of Eunice ourselves, both EG and I were kinda ready to go through all the "hardship" again with Natalie's arrival. However, I thank God that Natalie is a much easier baby than Eunice. She enjoys going out, and she sleeps most of the time. She sits in her stroller and she's quiet as long as she's carried. :)

Time really flies with 2 kids at home. We're just busy with house work and preparing meals/milk for the kids and Natalie is already 4.5 moths old, going to be 5 months old soon.We're very happy with our little girl's milestone. In her 2nd month+, she could actually turn from her back to her tummy. She gave us a shock. What a strong girl.

At her 4th month now, Natalie can:
1. Lift head while lying on tummy @ her 1st month
2. Reponds to sound since confinement
3. Stares at faces since confinement
4. Follow objects with eyes since confinement
5. Gurgles and coos @ her 2nd month
6. Hold her head up high @ her 2nd month
7. Turns from back to tummy @ her 2nd month
8. Does mini push up @ her 3rd month
9. Rolls all over the mat from tummy to back to tummy @ her 3rd month
10. Grasp a toy with her hands @ her 3rd month +
11. Smiles & laughs

Whenever I carry Nat up on a sitting position, she'd "stand" on my tummy with her legs straight. :).. We do think she has very strong legs. Even confinement lady said that.

And the best part about Natalie is, at her 4 mths+, since 19th Dec, she has been sleeping through the night! Her last feed is normally around 8pm-9pm, and she'd sleep for 12 hours, sometimes even longer, without waking up to drink. I tried picking her up to direct latch but she cried. I was worried initially, but later I read that sleeping is more important than drinking. So, I let her be. Hence, as impossible as it sounded, I also started to sleep through the night. What a luxury it is! I could actually do some of my stuff after she sleeps.

I have to agree with some ppl that Natalie is a very contented baby. We brought her to watch a musical play from our church on Christmas, All Nat did was to lie on my chest, slept 2 rounds, woke up but stayed on my chest quietly, throughout the whole 2 hours! I could actually finish watching the whole play! :)

And yes, she's breastfed, of course. She doesn't drink as much as Eunice, at least 30% less, but her weight gain is on par with Eunice's with Eunice was a baby, hence Dr said there's nothing to be worried about since her weight growth is above average. She sleeps more than she drinks, I guess she grows in her dream. :)

26/10 - Flipped herself

Doing push up

@ Altera Family Day :)

My pretty little girl

2/12 - Sitting straight up in her bumbo

Toilet Training

A looooooooong due post

I toilet trained Eunice since May this year - when babysitter closed for holiday. She was 26.5 mths then.

I tried many ways - Using potty, diaper pants, asking her over and over again, and nothing works, until I let her run butt naked at home. Then it worked! She'll tell me when she wanted to pee or poo. I tried putting potty in the living hall, and after I went to do my stuff, surprisingly I saw some poo pieces in the potty. I praised her. Then, when I was working in my laptop, suddenly she came and told me said, "Mummy, I want to poo poo..", and she started to walk with legs apart, hands behind her butt, like something falling out. It was hilarious. But I am grateful that she's able to tell. :)

While taking care of her for that week, there's no accident. So when I sent her back to babysitter after they reopened, I told them to continue my effort. Well, accident happened there (obviously they were not as attentive as me, or she was too busy playing with other children until she forgot to tell?), but as time goes, she is almost fully toilet trained, except sleeping time and going-out time.

Eunice at 26.5 mths.
Need iPhone to kill time while doing business. :)

And now, Eunice at 32.5 mths, she can shout and tell us she wants to go toilet, either pee pee or poo poo. She can take off her own pants or panty and run to the toilet before asking us to put her on the toilet bowl (we got her a smaller toilet seat), and will shout when she's done. She can keep herself dry during napping time so no more diaper during afternoon nap. Once, EG forgot to wear diaper for her while sleeping and at 3am, she woke her dad up and said want to "shh shhhh". However, she's already wet her bed a bit. So she's still on diaper during night time.

We never really let her go diaperless when we go out.

But last week, we forgot to wear her a diaper after picking her and Nat up to QBM for dinner. And in Nando's, she said she wanna "shhh shhh"... So, I brought her to the handicapped toilet in QBM and carried her up to pee. The handicapped toilet in QBM is very very disappointing - wet floor, dirty toilet bowls, no toilet paper, etc. I carried Eunice to pee, and wiped her, washed our hands and used sanitizer to clean some more. And on Saturday, we tried again to let her go church with no diaper. It was a successful attempt. No accident. :)

Now, she's learning to put on her own clothings, esp pants or pull-up diapers, and she can do it well. She will walk around the house proudly when she does it successfully and I will normally praise her for her good job.

She's grown so much, and one day, she'll be independent and not depending so much on us now. :)

The two sisters

I wonder if it's because of the previous experience, or it's because my babies are just so adorable, I enjoy being a mother so much more comparing to the first time. I am more relax, knowing what's in front of me, and what and how I can do better to give the best to my babies now.

I am a very happy mother now. Eunice is so adorable, and Natalie is such a beautiful baby.

I feel my life is so complete now. I love putting the two sisters together and see how they can "communicate" to each other. From their eyes, I feel that they are connecting. They somehow enjoy each other's companion. That's why I felt so happy when doctor told me I was carrying a girl when I was pregnant with Natalie. I can just imagine how sweet my two girls can be when they are together, and now it turns out just like what I have thought. :)

We took some of their pictures whenever we put them together. I love all these pictures. It's so heart warming to see the two sisters together.
 

A Sunday Morning

Before changing to leave to babysitter's place

After changing :)

Play time before bed time

My favorite shot of the two sisters :)