Eat, sleep, poop

It's been almost two weeks since our lives have been turned upside down yet again but I must say Natasha's been a pretty easy baby, just like Natalie...touchwood! She hardly cries, only when extremely hungry or sitting too long in a soiled diaper but the rest of the time, it's just eat, sleep and poop.


Since returning home, she's been drinking an average of 60mls every 3-4 hours. The first few days she had formula till I had enough to express and now there's always excess milk! She's wisened up to the taste difference too, when offered formula in the middle of the night now, she spits out the bottle so it's booby milk exclusively for her at the moment. She tends to wake up only once at night (around 4 am), after a last feed around midnight, and then the next feed is already past 7am.



She's having mild jaundice, which will hopefully go down by the next check up. She's already developed a nappy rash, no more wet wipes for her! I had forgotten how 'explosive' it is when newborns poop, like a little firecracker!

I am getting used to the sleep deprivation, though it's a challenge during the day to have to entertain Nat and Gigi when I am not completely mobile yet or able to carry them. The maids have been a great help, hopefully by next week I can be more involved. Am not really having a strict confinement. I already shower everyday, been eating junk, went out to cut my hair, drank cold peach tea when Mummy was out. Am recovering slowly but surely, yesterday I started my post-natal massages at home.

The therapist applied a jamu paste before she wrapped me up and it was hot as hell. Felt like chili padi and black pepper had been rubbed into my skin and I couldn't take the burning sensation for long and showered after 2 hours! Today I opted for a milder cream instead, much more comfortable!

Nick is as paranoid as ever. This morning he barged into the room at 8 am plus while I was still sleeping and declared that the pumpkin's belly button was bleeding very badly and we needed to go to the hospital NOW!

Thinking that blood was gushing or something, I sat up immediately and inspected her stomach, only to find that it was actually dried blood that had stained her diaper. I calmly wiped her belly button with cotton and water while he paced up and down, insisting it was fresh blood. In the end, her button was still a bit damp and raw but it was nowhere near bleeding and I felt there was no need to see a doctor, just need to let it air dry...but he still accused me of being too relaxed before rushing off to work! Harrumpf!


Later on he messaged to actually suggest using the hairdryer on her stomach! *Faint*

In terms of looks, I find Natasha and Natalie quite similar at this stage, just that Natasha's a little chubbier and has more Chinese eyes. But with eyes closed, she looks just like Nat's newborn pictures. I kind of get reminded of a baby panda when I see her though, don't know why...the eyes are a little droopy.


She's certainly not as fragile as Nat at this age, fitting well into the newborn rompers I bought, unlike Nat who was swimming in hers. She'll be outgrowing them very soon!




Nat has been very sweet towards the pumpkin to the point of smothering her with kisses every time she gets close. Unfortunately she's unconscious of her strength and sense of personal space and we're always fretting she'll accidentally squish the baby. She greets and talks to Natasha, saying, 'Hello baby!' and has on occasion held her sister's hand as she tries to nap. She even holds up her flash cards to teach the baby stuff!

Nat has been a good little helper by bringing used bottles to the kitchen and throwing away used diapers and has not displayed any signs of jealousy. I hope it stays this way...thank heaven for little girls!

Nickypoo's 36th birthday

The hubby turned 36 today and in addition to the early birthday present I delivered on 1st April and the medical screening that was his anniversary/birthday present, I splurged on some Hermes soaps from eBay.


I knew he really liked the smell of them after he brought home his hotel toiletry set on his last Manila trip (he never swipes the toiletries usually!) and so I bought 10 x 50gm bars online, averaging $10 per bar. Think he was pleased and I don't have to put up with his Dettol bars for a while!

The dopes had offered to treat him to brunch at Mimolette but it was raining all morning. So instead, they took away a whole lot of food from Samy's at Dempsey, which he devoured despite the flu and cough he was nursing.


Kavi, Ananya, Riley, Jeanette, Kaelash and Pops put in appearances and there was so much leftover food that it was enough to feed the in-laws at night.

Ben and Wendy bought him a 1yr subscription to Motoring magazine and for dessert we cut a Bakerzin brownie and mousse cake which Nat made a mess of eating.




I hope he enjoyed his birthday despite being sick and all! Poor thing's been sleep-deprived by waking up for some of the night feeds, and ensuring Nat is not neglected so it's taken its toll. As soon as I'm up and about, he'll get some reprieve.

Prison break

The weather has been so hot lately that everytime I shower, I am sweating before I even emerge from the bathroom! And with the confinement, the number of showers I take is limited - forget about twice a day. It didn't help that my hair was in a mess and covering my neck, and I felt so unglam, along with being hot and sticky.

So today I convinced Mummy to let me out for a haircut. Managed to get an appointment with Selina and took a cab to the salon, bringing my float along!

These are the before and after pictures.



Felt a whole lot better after the haircut and ventured to UE Square where I did a spot of shopping at the supermarket, and signed Nat up for a 8-week gym session with JWT Kids Gym.

Nick had brought her for a trial earlier in the morning and she enjoyed it a lot but he needed my UOB card to save on the membership fee, and since I was in the area...

I also used the opportunity to buy Nick's birthday cake from Bakerzin. There is a 2 for 1 promotion on their sinful chocolate cakes this month and you know I can't resist a bargain! So I bought 2!

I asked the cashier for 3 big candles and 6 small ones and when she asked what message to put on one of the cakes, I said, 'Happy Birthday Daddy' (the cake is from his daughters). She got a shock and thought my dad was only 36! Ha ha!

This factory is closed!

Yup, we're stopping at 2 unless there is some way to guarantee a boy next. I don't think I can stand to go through all this pain a 3rd time round and already gave away some maternity clothes. Yesterday was excruciating, what with the stitches, engorgement and womb contractions all happening at the same time! I wallowed in self-pity and told myself, "This is the last time I'm going through this!".

Is it just me who thinks the recovery is bad? I don't know how Mrs Duggar does it one after another! To anyone who'll listen, I always say the pregnancy, labour and delivery is nothing compared to the pain of recovery. I can give birth, no problem but I wish there was some way to numb the body for 10-14 days after that! Maybe a C-section is better?

I was a little more prepared this time round though. Bought a surgical float to sit on, used cooling pads provided by the hospital, had a healing spray on standby and tried not to walk or sit so much the past few days, that I received guests while in bed.

People say 'never say never', and while I originally liked the thought of 4 kids, I don't think we can afford it! Not at the rate I shop anyway! Well, ask me again in about 6 months, when the pain is a distant memory...maybe we'll keep the factory open till am 35.

26-19

Nat turned 26 months today and Gigi 19 months. My precocious little elder daughter (have to get used to having 2 now!), is getting vainer by the day. Wearing hats and carrying handbags at home, and asking for her sunglasses before we go out. Nick also goads her into asking me to hurry up and she'll shout from the door, "Mummy hurry up!".


No more cot for her, we converted it to the toddler bed, she sings at the top of her voice when falling asleep, especially 'Wheels on the Bus' and is in a 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' phase.

Before I popped, she was kissing my tummy daily and now that Natasha is out, she smothers her little sister with kisses but isn't aware if she's being rough or pressing down on the baby.


She's been pretty well-behaved and compliant when it comes to the car seat now, as well as restaurant high-chairs. I have been more relaxed with her eating outside food, and she's also getting more practice at feeding herself and can drink from a cup without spilling...well most of the time anyway!

She bathes in the bathroom, no more tubs for her. Stands while she gets a shower, she and Gigi have been trained to hold the water pipe so they don't slip, plus we put in an extra non-slip mat.


She's been super sensitive to noise. Every little thud or bang, she goes, "What's that sound?" and she likes to give fake burps too and then self-reprimands by saying to herself, "Not like that!". Plus she's starting to pepper her sentences with 'lah'.



She is learning to colour and hold a crayon, but most of the time, it's just lines across the colouring book. Though she can sort of draw a circle on her magnetic doodle board, by that I mean an odd oval with the joints visible.


She still insists on being carried when we're out, poor Nick and Arlyn have to take turns lugging her 10.6kg frame around. She doesn't like walking from our home to the bus-stop but once we alight at Membina, she's fine to cross the overhead bridge etc.

At 26 months, I am amazed at her attention to detail. A week ago, she saw a grey Citroen C4 next to us at a traffic light and she kept insisting it was 'Uncle Kevin's car'. The fact that she recognised a C4, and got the colour right is amazing. And while we were at the museum last week, she saw an Ice Mountain water bottle and recognised it as the brand I drink exclusively at home and kept pointing at it on a ledge, repeating, "This mummy's water, this mummy's water!"

Gigi at 19 months though, is not as well-adjusted as Nat. I keep saying she's got 'issues', ha ha. Not only has her world been turned upside down with Mummy taken from her and moving back in with me, she's teething, she has a new maid to adjust to, she has to deal with separation anxiety from Swana when the latter goes to work, and her lack of fruit intake has led to constipation. She screams whenever she has to poop and has suffered a tear on her bum...but she still refuses to eat fruits.


She can say short 3-4 word sentences, like "I want book", "I want biscuit", she's quite independent, content to play on her own. She and Nat get very geram with each other, sometimes biting and pinching. She calls me 'Bita' and has the sweetest smile. Hope she doesn't suffer middle child syndrome with the arrival of Natasha!

Bringing home baby

This morning as we were getting ready to leave the hospital, we were still contemplating on what to name the pumpkin.

I was starting to lean towards Nicola or Nicolette, when I decided to search alternative Greek N names again. Found a website that had Natasha listed as having Greek origin, derived from Anastasia which meant rebirth/resurrection.

I had been against Natasha initially because other sites had said it was another form of Natalie, and it was Russian etc. But when I found the alternative meaning, it sort of resonated because she was born so close to Good Friday and Easter. That was justification enough for me and before we could change our minds, we agreed on Natasha Sonali Lim and filled out the birth registration form. However the queue for birth registration was too long, so she couldn't get her birth certificate before we checked out.

Yesterday morning when the doc came to check in, he noticed we were in a temporary ward and told us to request a change to the nicer ward upstairs. I had thought our room a tad spartan but was ok with it, but he put in a change request on our behalf too.

Someone came to deliver a complimentary cake from the hospital and give us a goodie bag.







Anjali, Mitra and Sabrina were the first visitors of the day who popped in while I was enjoying my Indian meal. They were followed shortly by Ma, Kevin, Swana, their new maid Lita, Arlyn, Nat and Gigi. I would have liked to have a quiet moment for Nat to meet her sister but it was not to be.


All Nat did was peer into the bassinet but she was soon playing in the room, entertained by the Elmo balloons Swana bought her and Gigi. We gave her a gift on behalf of the new addition, she wasn't too impressed!





After everyone left, I was left to my own devices. Nick went to attend mass and while he was out, a nurse came to inform me they had secured me a room at ward 81 and to get ready to move. I packed up and a porter came to help move all our stuff.

The new room (Ward 81, Bed 23 - same combi as when I had Nat!) was a LOT nicer! Soft yellow lighting, brocade curtains, wall mounted LCD TV, big sofa bed, wallpaper and a hotel-looking loo. Hmm, wouldn't have minded staying here a few more nights!


Uncle Barry, Uncle Gilbert and Mildred came to visit in the afternoon when Nick came back from church. Nick was the milk nazi all over again, perplexed by the fact he could only get Natasha to drink 15 ml from the formula bottles when the nurses managed 30 ml.



Pops came by in the evening, together with Swana and Kevin who brought Nat. Kaelash, Jeanette and Riley paid a visit, so did Kenny, Felina and Sarah.


There were no visitors at the hospital today, but Swana and Kevin came again to help us carry stuff home. We received a second goodie bag and cake - I guess this ward wasn't aware we had already received it in the earlier ward. Heh heh.

Shortly after we got home though, the Sees came to visit bringing nonya kueh from Glory. I whacked a few apom bukuahs before Ma could see! Kavi and Siva paid a visit too, and so did Ben, Wendy and Daniel who happened to be in town again.

Announcing the arrival of Flight NS2

Baby Lim 2 decided to make her appearance today, despite us having scheduled an inducement on the 3rd. Well, at least it's an easy date to remember though she will hear no end of April Fool jokes!

Here are all the gory birth details...

6+ am:
Woke up to pee and thought I felt intermittent contractions, which I ignore and go back to sleep.

8.12 am:
Uh-oh, was that a contraction? I sure hope not, Swana and I have a whole afternoon of shopping planned, including a UOB preview of the Lee Hwa sale at Marriott!

8.27 am:
Hmm, another cramp-like spasm, let's see how regular these are.

8.41 am:
Another contraction! That makes it 13-15 mins apart...is this it?

8.51 am:
The munchkin is awake and I tell Arlyn and Swana about the cramps. Nick just left for work, though he was home when I felt the first one, I wanted to be sure they were the real thing before informing him, knowing how kancheong he can get. I hit the shower and get confirmation that labour has started...there goes the mucus plug!

9.10 am:
When I emerge from the bathroom, I find out Nick is already on his way home. Who told him? I'm not ready to go to KK yet!

9.15 - 9.35 am:
I get ready and ask Arlyn to pack some bread with Nutella. I blow dry my hair, slap on some make up, pack my phones, chargers and laptop into the hospital kit (plus a bag of Cheezels!) while Nick taps his feet and urges me to hurry up. This is precisely why I didn't want to tell him till I was ready to leave the house!

9.40 am:
We are out of the house to drop Nat and Arlyn off at Membina, I nibble on a Nutella sandwich and Swana offers to bring me a bacon one, plus Ma throws in a grape Yakult which I relish en route to the hospital. Meanwhile Nick is getting on my nerves with his fussing and rushing, while I am cool as a cucumber.



10.02 - 11.05 am:
We reach KK and head straight to the delivery suites. I get hooked up to some monitors to be observed for an hour, while Nick waits outside. The bed is so narrow, and I have an assortment of gadgets on my lap to keep me occupied, i.e. blackberry to message Joanne, phone and camera. Contractions are still far apart.


11.42 am - 12.07 pm:
It is ascertained that I am indeed in the early stages of labour and am transferred to a delivery room, no.6. I send Nick down to grab a bite and get me a Mills and Boon from the bookshop to kill the time. Fill out some forms and watch CNA and have the bag of Cheezels for lunch!

1.15 - 1.41 pm:
Dr Siow makes an appearance and says am 4cm dilated, he bursts the waterbag and takes blood from me for the cord blood banking we signed up for. Out the water gushes and an antibiotic is administered for previous history of GBS, just in case. After he leave, Nick and I watch 'The Price is Right' and I update various folks via sms.

2.00 pm:
Yikes, is that blood in my drip tube? Hmm, there's a blur nurse in the house! Dunno what she did for that to happen! Hmm, the contractions are not painful yet, but I request for the epidural anyway before it gets too late.


2.45 - 3.20 pm:
In comes Dr David Woo to administer the epidural. I opt for the kind that provides a moderate dose, with the option to click a button when I need a boost. Ooh, my back is all tingly. After he leaves, I realise I am abandoned and helpless. The call button is out of reach, so are my phones, Nick had gone to wait outside. The machines are beeping away and no one is within hearing distance. I contemplate giving a little shout for help, but decide to just wait a few more minutes till someone checks in on me.

3.53 pm:
Now that the epidural and antibiotics have started, the nurse proceeds to start me on oxytocin to speed things along. The nurse assigned is Norliza and the laptop hooked up to the epidural to monitor the self-administered boosts keeps beeping because of some software issues.

4.23 - 7.44 pm:
I try to nap for it looks like a long wait. Initially we thought she could be out between 6-8 pm but she's taking her own sweet time. With the epidural, I haven't felt any pain at all, just some twinges of stomach tightening but nothing like the dilation pressure or contractions like the first time. I love epidurals! Last time round I had the shivers, this time it's just an itch around my stomach and arms which is easily relieved by scratching. I only clicked twice on the epidural booster, and had a video call with Nat. The nurse has given me the maximum dose of oxytocin and I still don't feel as if I am dilating or anything, but contractions are peaking at 2-3 mins apart. There is a change of nurse to Zaleha, she's strong and sturdy!

8.00 pm:
On Dr Siow's instructions, am checked for dilation and what do you know, am fully dilated! Honestly didn't feel a thing, how did I get to this stage? I can start pushing soon, but a bit hard when I can't feel the contractions! The epidural dose is finishing and they are not topping up. I have a moment of panic, what if the effects wear off while I am still pushing? Am told I have a good hour left before it wears off.

8.10 pm:
Dr Siow's been informed to make his way back to the delivery suite and in the meantime, we try a little pushing first.

8.35 pm:
Dr Siow arrives and the stage is all set. He gets down to business and apparently the baby's head is way down already...how did I not feel all this? Again, I reiterate...epidurals are amazing! The next 20 mins are spent actively pushing, Nick tells the doctor it's because I don't do sports that I can't coordinate my breathing and pushing, while I yak away in between pushes to the amusement of the doctor. I'm very quiet during the pushing, unlike some people next door I could hear screaming earlier! In the process though, I suffer a bit of a brain freeze from holding my breath. I feel some pulling and tugging, I tell Dr Siow not to tell me if he does an episiotomy.

8.56 pm:
And out she comes! Whoosh and she's plonked on the bed. I hear wailing and catch a glimpse of a tubby bubba. I raise my camera above my knees and snap away! She's cleaned up and immediately falls asleep in my arms...so lazy! 3.065kg, 49 cm long. Doc says I'm cool. ;-)






9.30 - 11.00 pm:
Dr Siow takes his leave while we wait for a ward number. Nick has bought me a Fillet 'O' Fish but having not eaten all day or perhaps it was the effects of the epidural, I feel nauseous after a bite and am soon puking into a plastic bag. Am transferred to Ward 72 Bed 14 but the epidural has worn off and am having the worse cramps ever! They say it's the uterus contracting but I don't remember this the first time. I request for a hot water bottle but the hospital has none. Swana and Kevin visit and bring a borrowed one from Sham while Nick goes home to shower and pack a few things more.