Joshie says

Scenario 1
(walks into lift and crosses his arms across his chest)
Joshie : Oscar is not going to marry Emilie
Me : Oh really? Who is going to marry Emilie then?
Joshie : Me! I am going to marry Emilie
Me : When is the wedding?
Joshie : Next week

(and the next morning)
Joshie : Mummy, Emilie and I are going to have a wedding party. There will be chocolates at the party. But Emilie and I are not going to dance, cause I am shy.......

Scenario 2
Maid : Josh, drink your milk first
Joshie : But I am playing......wait first
Maid : No, you drink now. And play later.
Joshie : Aunty, I said wait first. You need to be patient.

Scenario 3
(we were on the escalator and he was observing the signs showing the do's and don'ts on the escalator)
Joshie : Mummy, you cannot bring the stroller on the escalator
Me: Why do you say so, Josh?
Joshie : It's wrong, mummy......(points to sign).....look there, cannot bring stroller coz it is wrong!!!

Joshie's first surgery

Our dear Joshie had his first surgery on 8 August 2012. It was a minor procedure, according to the ENT surgeon, but he had to be under GA as he had to be very still. Three main things were done during the surgery; i) adenoidectomy - removal of adenoids, ii) tonsillectomy - removal of tonsils and iii) insertion of grommets (ear tubes). We were told that this is quite a common surgery among kids and it is relatively safe. However, as parents, we had our own worries and doubts as well. 

It all started with an ear infection that would not clear, even with 3 doses of antibiotics, and various cough and flu medication. I was just so tired and scared of feeding him medication. He had a URTI in late May and that was when his paed found out, through an ear check that he has an ear infection. A 7-days dose of Augmentin antibiotics still did not solve the problem, so he was given another dose a week later and told to see an ENT for a more thorough check-up. So in late June, we visited the ENT who said that his middle ear still looks opaque (it's supposed to be clear, transparent). The ENT surgeon said that it probably would clear very soon but if it didn't, he'd need surgery to clear the mucus that was trapped in the middle ear. Otherwise, this could lead to other problems, such as hearing loss. 

To cut the long story short, he caught another URTI, possibly from school, so his ear never got a chance to heal. He had frequent fevers, and his cough/runny nose just wouldn't go away. It was a constant battle for us; fighting against the infection. He lost weight, didn't sleep well and I was seriously beginning to consider surgery. So we had a discussion with the ENT, talked to friends who had gone through this and of course consulted our Mr Google. The ENT suggested adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy as well as he said that when he checked Joshie's throat, his tonsils were really large and swollen. He reckons the same with the adenoids too. So a date was booked. And here are some pictures of our Joshie on that day.

I prepped him about the surgery but only casually mentioned the post-surgery discomfort as I did not want him to go into OT crying and screaming away. Here he is in the taxi, still in his pyjamas, at 7am in the morning. He had to fast from the night before. Thank God he didn't fuss about not being able to eat/drink. He is hugging his new Angry Bird soft toy, given by Uncle Gideon who visited him and prayed for him just the night before the op. Thanks so much Gideon. 

Hubby accompanied him till about 9ish am as I had to feed Bryant and put him down for his morning nap before I left house. I felt so torn, wanting to be with my big boy but at the same time, I knew B needed me too. 

Got there early, changed into the OT gown.
Still oblivious and in a really happy mood. Seems so 'new and exciting' to him.

Looks like a big, brave boy, surrounded by all the medical equipment.

And finally he was out at 9am, earlier than I expected. Look at my poor boy. He was feeling the after effects of the GA. Of course he cried and all I could do was to soothe him and tell him that this discomfort is temporary. He didn't really feel the pain and soreness in his throat yet due to medication. He only felt it a couple of hours later.

After about an hour or so, the GA effects were nearly gone and he started fooling around. I was so happy to see his cheeky self again.

We were discharged about 3 hours after he came out of the OT. Throat started feeling really sore by then and he was cranky and crying a lot, especially during bed time. However, he recovered really quickly; he was all OK on day 5, unlike hubby who stayed in the hospital for a week after his tonsillectomy years ago. The method used now is coblation, which is gentler and not so painful.

And look at his hospital tag. I was so blur that morning that I gave hubby Bryant's birth certificate instead of Joshie's. And hubby was equally blur. Luckily they were willing to operate on him without his birth certificate.

It was the RIGHT decision to agree to the surgery. Doctor said there was a lot of mucus inside, which could not be cleared with antibiotics. Oh, and while he was under GA, they performed a food allergy test on him and the result is MALT allergy. So we have been abstaining from food/drinks containing malt and I see an improvement in his health. Hopefully he outgrows this allergy quick. Malt is present in a lot of biscuits, breads, cereals, etc....and he also has to forego his favourite barbeque pork ("char siew") as it is made using malt sugar - maltose =(

Crawl, baby crawl.....stand, baby stand.....

Our little one has managed to progress from commando style crawling to proper crawling at around 6.5 months. He's been elated to discover that he can actually move so much faster with his tummy off the floor. I also discovered that his legs are quite strong, they can even take him up slopes.

The above picture was taken at Gymboree, whereby he was encouraged to crawl up a slight elevated slope of about 30 degrees. He managed to reach the top and this mummy was so happy......hahahaha.

And a month later, he started pulling himself up to a standing position in his cot. I know, I really should lower that cot before he falls off.

He is really growing too fast.......and I know I will soon miss this baby stage.

Play, baby play

This cheeky baby is no longer interested in his own baby toys. He is more interested in koko's toys as seen in the picture above. Although there is a 3 year age gap between Josh and Bryant, they play very well together. Of course there's the occasional snatching of toys and resulting cries but nevertheless, it is a joy to watch them playing together. So heartwarming to see them enjoying each other's company.

Recently, B has been babbling more and more. And we can finally make out certain sounds. At 6.5 months, he could say "ba ba". J started with "ma ma" first. And a couple of weeks later, B included "ma ma" in his vocabulary. He loves to "talk" a lot. And he is really cute when he does so.

Constipation in babies

Our older son, Joshua never suffered from constipation. I guess he inherited more of hubby's genes. Both of them defecate easily. However Bryant is not so lucky. He is more like mummy. Even before I started solids, he wasn't able to have a bowel movement everyday. He usually poops once every 2 days.

When Bryant started solids at 5 months, his constipation got worse. I did a google search and discovered that rice cereal can lead to constipation. Thus I stopped rice cereal for a couple of days and fed him avocado and sweet potato instead. His stool became softer and he seemed much more comfortable. Therefore, to prevent further constipation episodes in Bryant, I had to do my research on what food to feed him. Food that can lead to constipation are:

• rice cereal
• apple
• banana
• carrot

So I had to give him food that are more easily digestible, that would help his bowel movement which are:

• avocado
• sweet potato
• pumpkin
• prune
• pear
• peach
• plum

However, the above four constipated food are also good for him and high in nutrients. How do I get him to eat those food without causing constipation? Combos! Below are some of his favourite combos:

• apple + sweet potato
• apple + pumpkin
• rice cereal + prune/peach puree
• carrot + pear
• banana + avocado
• banana + peach

Feeding a baby also requires research eh? =)

Our 6 month old

Look at the cool baby...hehe......with his pair of sunnies. The sunnies don't last long on his head. He would fuss, cry and then yank them off his head.

So 6 months have passed since we welcomed this adorable little angel into our lives. We've had ups and downs. Downs mainly from his reflux. But other wise he's been ok, quite a good and easy to take care of baby.

I started giving him solids at 5 months, at the advice of his paed. I was told that solids would help his reflux problem. The food and the milk will hopefully stay in his stomach and not move upwards to the esophagus since his stomach content would be heavier. However, after a week or so, he suffered from constipation. So I added in avocado. And later had to mix and match other fruits/vege. He eats more of sweet potato, avocadoes, peaches and pears as these help his bowel movement.

At 6 months, he can sit for a while without support. However he is not very keen on sitting. He prefers to be on his tummy. He has been crawling commando style since 5.5 months. He pushes his lower body off the floor to be on a proper crawling position at times. But he is still clueless on how to move his hands and legs properly to crawl. I can foresee that he'll soon be mobile all over the house =)

Australia 2012

Yup, you heard us right. In April, we braved a 7 day holiday in Australia with a 3.5 year old preschooler and a 3.5 month old baby. Did we survive? Of course we did. And we all came back in one piece =)

The purpose of the trip was to attend hubby's colleague's wedding in Sydney. So since we were traveling all the way to Australia, we decided to visit Melbourne as well. Melbourne was our home for 3 years when the hubs and I were studying for our degree at the University of Melbourne. It is always nice to go back there - for the food and for the memories.

Of course the grandparents, especially the grandmothers shared their concern. Moreover, it was approaching winter in Australia and they were concerned about the boys, especially baby Bryant. I was having second thoughts too, after B was diagnosed with reflux. However, hubby and some other close friends were very supportive and managed to allay my worries. So we purchased the tickets, booked our accommodation and got ready for our first holiday as a family of 4.


Here's a picture of the boys, at the SIA check-in counter. B slept on the way to the airport and only woke up after we had breakfast at the lounge. Perfect start to the holiday huh? =P

B was very well behaved during the 7 hour flight. He only fussed a bit. No loud crying or screaming. Needless to say, he received compliments from our fellow passengers. 

We were only in Sydney for 4 days, including the days we travel in and out. So basically, only 2 full days in Sydney. No strict itinerary. We had planned to meet up with an old friend beforehand and so we headed out early the next day as soon as we all got ready. 

The two boys, Joshie and Oscar, before we headed into the Sydney Wildlife Park. They have not seen each other for 14 months. They were a bit shy at first but warmed up quickly. The indoor park had a wide array of animals for the kids to see. Perfect since the weather outside was so hot and sunny.

After that we headed to the Darling Harbour playground where the boys had a blast. Here's Joshie on the mini flying fox. 

We did not do much for the rest of the day. Headed back to hotel to rest and in the evening, had a long walk to Chinatown for dinner. Nothing to shout about. 

The next morning, we woke up bright and early as we wanted to have breakfast at the Sydney Fish Market before the wedding. It was a real disappointment. The food wasn't half as good as it was 9 years ago when I ate there. And we had to wait nearly 45 minutes just to get a cab. Because we have a baby. Unlike Singapore and Malaysia, Australia has a strict ruling regarding the use of car seat for infants. So we had to get a cab with a car seat. 

Rushed back to hotel and got ready for the wedding. It was a long bus ride to the church. Here's a quick picture of the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. Luckily both boys were well behaved during the church wedding. 

After that, it was a mad frenzy getting the boys back again to the hotel. Feeding time and bath time before we all got ready for the wedding dinner. Can't remember the venue but it was overlooking the Opera House and the Sydney bridge. Beautiful scenery. And lovely picture, thanks to our camera-friend. =)

The following day, we were up early again, getting the boys ready and packing our stuff before heading to the airport to catch our flight to Melbourne. We were in Melbourne for 3 full days. Only took a few pictures in Melbourne. We felt so at home, so didn't feel the need to take pictures =) LOL. Anyway, Melbourne was a lot colder than Sydney and it was raining a lot too. Cold wind pressing against our cheeks each time we were out. B didn't really like it and he was quite fussy, but still manageable. As for J, the hubs and I are really amazed. He loved the weather and didn't complain about the cold at all. We had to force him to wear his sweater. 

Here's the two boys, on a cold rainy morning in the city where their parents first fell in love!

 So how did we survive out trip?
1) Make no solid plans. Let your itinerary be flexible. I'd rather see/eat less but have happy kids who are not too tired.
2) Pack only what is necessary. Of course medication is, and everything related to the kids. The hubs and I packed very little for ourselves. I wore the same dress for the church wedding and the dinner =) All in, we only had 1 big luggage, 1 check-in sized luggage, a diaper bag and a sling bag each for the hubs and I. I managed to stuff all the diapers in and brought a container to cold sterilize B's bottle. So no need for the bulky steam sterilizer.
3) Remember to bring the kids' loveys or favourites. I brought B's pillow and his white noise machine. As for J, I brought some of his favourite toys and books.
4) Bring the iPad!!! LOL.....at least J had the iPad to entertain him when we needed a break from his constant chatter.

Will we travel with our kids again? Of course........can't wait for our next trip in December =)

Bryant at 4.5 months & Joshie at 44 months

This is my favourite  picture of my two boys. I am really glad that they love each other so much. Joshie is really besotted with his didi and Bryant adores his koko to bits.

Time really waits for no man. Our Bryant has now passed the newborn stage. He is now much easier to take care of. I had the most stressful moments with him between weeks 5 to 12. He rarely napped for long then, usually only 5-10 minutes and would fuss when his reflux acts up. Once in a while he'd take a long nap but that was really rare. Now at 4.5 months, he's more or less fallen into a flexible schedule.

He is much more attentive and alert now. He enjoys tummy time a lot. Since he mastered the skill of rolling over from back to tummy last week, he'll automatically turn to his tummy when you put him on the back. He's still not very good rolling the other way though. Thus, I am awaken a couple of times at night when he can't roll to his back. However, he's been quite a good night sleeper. Now, he's only feeding once at night, usually around 2-3am.

As for my Joshie, he seemed to have shot up a lot in height since the beginning of this year. Most of his clothes do not fit anymore. Friends have also commented that Joshie seems to have grown up a lot after being big brother. He is generally very good to his didi, but being a child, still does not understand certain dangers. He loves to hug his brother very tightly, too tight at times. Sometimes he'd put his whole weight on his brother, practically squashing him, and we have to pull him back.

His vocab and speech has also improved. We are amazed at the amount of things he learns in school. But of course only the good! Many times, he answers us in a really rude and arrogant manner, which he picked up from some of his peers. We have to keep scolding and reminding him that there are certain behaviours which we do not tolerate.

I sometimes wish I can freeze time. My boys are growing up way too fast. But they will always be my precious babies =)

How the hubby babysits

Someone tell me, is this good or bad?

My reflux baby

Despite his reflux, my Bryant is a smiley baby. I have so many pictures of him smiling, unlike his koko.

He was diagnosed with reflux when he was just 6 weeks old. No tests was done. It was mainly based on my "reports and observations" that the doctor made the diagnosis. Here are the symptoms that made me quite certain that my B was suffering from reflux, even before I stepped into the doctor's clinic. Of course I had already consulted with my faithful old friend - the internet!!

- hiccups long after feeds
- constant hiccups
- milk dribbling out from mouth and spit-ups. No vomitting though
- wanting to constantly suckle but would fuss and cry at the breast as he only wanted comfort. Not milk.
- arching his back every now and then
- difficulty sleeping, only catnapping during the day. Even when carried, he still catnaps.
- occassional sudden cry, as if in pain

The doctor put him on medication, Losec Omeprazole and Motilium. I was asked to observe B and report back to the doctor regarding any change in his condition. From there, the doctor would be able to confirm his diagnosis.

After two weeks on medication, B improved. So now, he is on medication everyday, till we visit the doctor again in a month's time. In the meantime, I also bring him to the chiropractor every week, when possible. At 3.5 months, his condition seemed to have improved and I hope that he will get well completely and would not need any more medication. Dear God, please bless my B with good health and heal him of his reflux completely. Amen.

Final year at Leap

This year marks Joshie's 2nd and final year at Leapschoolhouse. As usual, there was a change of teachers at the beginning of the year and my boy was a tad upset. However, after a couple of weeks at school, he adjusted to the change and loves his current two teachers. 

Just before Chinese New Year, the school organized an outing to Chinatown. The purpose of the trip was to introduce the children to the Chinese culture and the various preparations involved to usher in the new year. 

Here are a few pictures of the outing. 

The kids in front of the lucky tree, together with their English and Chinese teacher.

Visited several shops such as the traditional art shop (above) and one that sells the traditional blossoms available only during Chinese New Year (below).

The kids were really tired at the end of the outing. The teachers informed us that the kiddos enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

Brotherly love

So how did Joshua react to Bryant?

I'll let these two photos do the talking =)

Joshie loves his little brother, or more affectionately known as "didi" (little brother in Mandarin). He'd always shower Bryant with hugs and kisses. I had a hard time telling him not to kiss his brother when he was down with fever and flu. 

Of course he had his moments of insecurity. And there was also a lot of whining when mummy can't do certain things for him anymore. I've had to deal with him screaming in the bathroom just because he doesn't want our helper to bathe him. But overall he's coping well. The hubs and I are very proud of him. It's so heartwarming that he loves his brother dearly. 

The birth of Bryant

Our first son, Joshua came at 39 weeks. Therefore for my second pregnancy, doctor advised that the baby could be one week early as well. So in full anticipation, I looked out for signs of labour as soon as I passed 38 weeks. Waited, waited and waited but there was nothing. During my 39th week check-up, doctor did an internal check and pronounced that I was only 1cm dilated. Disappointed I was, and she then asked if I want to be induced by 40 weeks or go overdue. Since the hubby had to fly to Hong Kong for business a week after I hit 40 weeks, we agreed to induce if baby still doesn't want to come out.

The day before I was supposed to be admitted, I felt downward pressure off and on but it did not progress to anything. It just went off and on with no regular interval. I was calm since my MIL was already at our place to care for Joshua and the hospital was a mere 10 minutes away. So we waited till 11pm and went to TMC to be admitted for induction. The nurse inserted a tablet slightly past midnight to dilate my cervix further.

I could hardly sleep as the tablet seemed to have created a stingy feeling down under. The downward pressure that I had been feeling all day seemed to get more intense too. After 5am, this was accompanied by pain and therefore, I called the nurse to tell her that I think it's time. Into the labour ward I went at 6am. I was 4cm dilated. Bravely, I told the nurses that I did not want an epidural, just like my first labour.

The pain was still bearable until doctor came and burst my water bag at around 7:30am. I was 5-6cm dilated then. The pain got worse and I distracted myself with my iPhone. Even managed to call home and talk to my Joshie. Around 8am, the hubs told me he was hungry and was going down to Delifrance to get himself some breakfast. "Breakfast???? You are hungry and I am not? And you just had a cup of Milo not too long ago!!" But my dearest hubby just ignored me and went off, telling me that he would make it real quick.

Not too long after, the pain was really really bad and I felt as though baby was coming out even though I was not pushing. Pushed the button and the nurses came running in. Told them that I think baby was coming out and she did an internal check, telling me it's only 7cm. "What? Only 7cm. Gosh, I do regret not taking epidural now." I was given the gas and taught how to use it. By then the hubby had come out and he started taking pics!!! I glared at him and scolded him. After that, everything seemed to be in a frenzy. The pain was so so so intense. All I could remember was hubby's face right over mine telling me to calm down and the nurses saying "don't push, you will tear". And then finally the doctor told me to give a good push. After 2-3 pushes, my little B came out, at 8:40am =)

At 3.23kg, he is lighter than his brother who was 3.37kg at birth. I really thank God for the smooth and fast delivery =) Much better than my first labour =)

Our 2nd baby

Baby Bryant born on 9 January 2012 at 8:40am.

Weight: 3.23kg

Length: 50cm

Head circumference: 33cm

Koko with Bryant