Getting our own home

Our second weekend as parents ended after we took my precious hour to go through the flats still available for selection.




So happy that's it's finally our turn to select a flat tomorrow after years of house hunting and half a year of tedious appeal against the HDB income ceiling, even though it had been revised recently.

So sad that many of the good units are sold. We went into detail on the units to select down to where the lift is, where the dustbin is, the layout, imagining the routes we would take everyday.

And I like one of the floor plan configuration. Full length window that extends over a corner of the bedroom. Daddy likes the study room to be near the living room rather than the kitchen. But to have this configuration, we have to accept a flat that is less convenient.




The configuration that comes with the more convenient location is this one:




Daddy even planned where Joy Joy's room will be (just beside ours), just in case she brings her boyfriend home in future, how we can eavesdrop on them. LOL.

We shortlisted some that are still available and can only hope that what we want are still available tomorrow.

Daddy's Birthday

It was Daddy's birthday yesterday and he was sulking because no one seem to love him extra.

We were up the night before taking care of Joy Joy. In fact, she slept in my arms half the night. So by morning, everybody was tired and had no energy to SHOW that we love him extra. I didn't even have the strength to make him a peanut butter sandwich.

Daddy wanted a banana chocolate (did someone just say CHOCOLATE?!) fudge cake from secret recipe but I couldn't leave home on my own, much less leave Joy Joy milk-less.

So I got grandma to get him a cake. When he knew there was a cake he was elated and did a little jig before remembering to ask me "From where?". I stuttered and told him that secret recipe is out if the way for grandma so we got him one from prima deli, he sulked harder and proceeded to wail on the floor with his legs kicking like Joy Joy display his displeasure. He even had a wailing competition with Joy Joy, who was crying because she had a wet diaper but yet dislike having a bare bum when changing.

In the end, we a simple celebration by ourselves ( actually Grandma and Grandpa were more interested in TV) and this is Daddy making a wish.....






... After singing "Happy Birthday to me..Happy Birthday to me.."

Don't worry, next year Joy Joy will sing for you and blow out your candles. ^.^

We're getting better

In the past few days, Grandma has been trying her best to take care of me. She also quit her job at Daddy's request and paid 4 days of salary in lieu of notice.

I think it's a matter of differences in practice. My principle is still to do things for the benefit of Joy Joy rather than for our convenience and I don't subscribe to myths that don't make sense (some "myths" are actually based on logic) but some of her practices have proven to help Joy Joy and us cope better.

I think we'll get better and better as the days goes by. It's just a lot of communication and discussion on reasons why to convince her / for her to convince me before we reach an agreeable way of taking care of Joy Joy.

And no matter what she promised us before, I really shouldn't take it for granted that she's supposed to help us out in every sense of the word. Fact is, she's not young now and it's our responsibility as parents to take care of our baby.

A&E

We've been to the children's A&E 2 times now in the 12 days we've had Joy Joy. I know the procedure inside out.

First time on 27 November 2011 for what we thought was an infected belly button and Second time yesterday for painful reflux that kept Joy Joy awake, needing to feed all night to soothe her pain.

Her belly button is fine, so says the house officer who didn't recognize "runny stools" as a description for stools because, "there is no such description". I wish i still have a photo of the pus filled belly button but it really seemed to clear up shortly after, just that now we see dried blood. The test of whether to see a doctor, according to the doctor, is whether there is any redness around the belly button. There wasn't and still isn't. But I'm observing it everyday.

The doctor we met yesterday was better. Although we didn't get to know the causes for Joy Joy's reflux (I suppose there are many possible reasons), the tips she gave us on feeding, sleeping burping helped Joy Joy tremendously (I don't want to jinx it but she's been sleeping well and eating well). Daddy says its the best $90 he's spent.I think it really helps that she's a mummy with a baby who has reflux too, many of the tips I got from her are practices in caring for a baby with reflux.

Both times, we had Joy Joy's jaundice checked. First time without me nursing Joy Joy and she screamed her lungs out. 2nd time I nursed her and she only moved slightly when the nurse poke her. Jaundice level is going down but still above 100, so we gotta do it again next week.

Motherhood made me read and read and read alot when I am nursing Joy Joy. The reflux is probably coz I had chocolate (alot of it) and garlic. So I'm staying off 2 favourite food of mine until Joy Joy is older. Baby at ease is worth more than the short lived pleasure i get from these foods.

I hope not to get too acquainted with the A&E department. My heart breaks whenever Joy Joy is unwell.

Answer

I've got the answer to all the why and how questions in my last post.

It's because I'm her mother.

Thats why.