Eeiii....what is that? I don't like it...

Just now kakak placed me in the playpen and I was still not sleepy. So, I played by myself..tossing around, flipping my boltster and pillows. Then I pulled my cloth diaper out and throw it aside. Mommy then came in and wore it for me again and placed me back in my playpen.

I tried to sleep but still could not. I felt a need to push and I pushed. Then I felt something at my buttock. I tried to pull open my cloth diaper. I opened it and saw something at the cloth diaper - brown in colour. I used my hand to touch it, to hold it....eii...'lembik lembik' (soft soft)..I touched it and it finally dropped on my bed. My leg pressed on it..I didn't like the smell and texture.

I then immediately stood up, holding on the playpen and started crying. Mommy then came to my rescue and discovered the brown brown patch of thing on the bed. She was shocked and shouted "OMG, you are so smelly."

She carried me and discovered stain of the brown colour thing stick on my leg. I was scared and started crying. Mommy tried to wipe it off and soothed me at the same time. She thought of cleaning up the bed while carrying me. But the minute I saw the thing, I cried because I was scared. I didn't like it and please don't let me see it again...bring me away...that was what I pleaded.

Mommy finally brought me down with my naked buttock and asked kakak to clean up my bed. Mommy then cleaned my buttock and brought me along to fetch kor kor back.

On the way back, mommy told this story to kor kor and both of them were laughing and making funny noises. I laughted too, not knowing what they said..it must be FUNNY...

Outdoor

Last week was kor kor's school holiday. So mommy brought us out to the playground very often. Well, since I cannot walk, mommy just put me on the mat to crawl around or sit on the stroller.

I am the loyal supporter for kor kor. I will sit and watch kor kor play badminton, cycling. Mommy was busy capturing moments of course...

My routine

I've sort of established a routine during my 12th month. This is also the month mommy started to sleep trained me. Mommy has been trying hard to establish a routine for me for MONTHS but still failed because of my bad sleeping habits. Finally..finally her wish has come true.. my routine is roughly like this though it still changed sometimes..

9.15am - Wake up
9.30am - 150ml Milk
10.00am - Playing downstairs
11.30am/12.00pm - Morning Nap
1.00pm - Wake up
1.30pm - Lunch (porridge)
1.45pm - Play time
3.50pm - Bath time
4.00pm - 150ml Milk
4.15pm - Evening Nap
6.00pm - Wake up
7.00pm - Dinner (porridge)
9.00pm/9.30pm - Bedtime routine
9.30pm/10.00pm - Sleeping time
1.00am - 7.00am - night waking at odd hours for upteen times...

My night waking is back. Usually starting from 1am and it can be as worse as every hour till the next morning. I am disturbing mommy's sleep most of the night. If it is not for milk, mommy will ignore me and let me cry. I'll cry until I am tired and I'll sleep, then wake up and cry again....Mommy wonder when all these will end....Well..I don't know..

Anyway, this few days my routine has changed a bit.. I woke up around 7 - 8am and after mommt fed me milk, she left me in the bed again and I slept till 10am +. Then my morning nap delayed to 12 -1pm and woke up around 3pm. Mommy then let me skipped my evening nap and I am already cranky around 8pm. She will prepare me and I go to bed around 8.30pm - 9pm.

Mommy wish my routine can be more predictable. My problem is still my night waking. As long I can sleep through, my routine will be better. Mommy is praying hard...

My 12th month milestones

Ok...mommy has been very slack in updating my milestones...just let me do it myself here..I may miss things here and there but beter than not doing one right? 12 months milestone wor...very important leh...

Weight: not sure
Height: not sure..

Sleeping..
1. Trained to sleep on my own now in my own room since around 3-4 weeks back. No more rocking or dancing. No point crying for help since mommy will not bother about me. So, I just lie in the playpen till I fall asleep on my own.
2. But I still wake up quite frequently in the night and started crying..mommy will only come to me if it is feeding time. Or else, mommy will leave me cry till I am tired and fall asleep again..cruel mommy....
3. Nap twice a day ranging from 1 to 1.5 hrs per nap. Morning nap around 11.30am, evening nap around 4.30pm. Night time sleep at 9.30pm. Morning wake up around 8am++. Sort of established a sleeping routine now.

Feeding..
1. Started solids about 2 weeks back. Fall in love with solids and adult's food now.
2. Have porridge twice a day. Mommy is using millet to cook the porridge for me. All the ingredients are bought from organic shop.
3, I've tried carrot, pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, spinach, bayam and pork.
4. I love fruits. I only tried banana and apple.
5. I love biscuits too.
6. Mommy started using pork cook with the porridge and use kampung chicken to make the stock and cook the porridge. Every meal contains of 1 orange colour vege and 1 greem leafy vege.
7. Still taking 5ozs of milk maybe 3 times a day and 1-2 time in the middle of night. Mommy wanted to start me on enfagrow soon..she said cheaper wor..
8. Sitting on the portable chair for my meal.

9. When I see anyone eating, I also want a share. Especially if I see a banana in the kitchen, I'll lung forward and will ask for one. I can never have enough of fruits. When I've finished and the adults take away the skin/bowl, I'll cry very loud.
10. I don't really like ceral.
11. btw, I have 8 teeth now. 4 at the top and 4 at the bottom. More coming I think coz I have been drooling lately.

Bathing..
1. I love water..I love to lie down at the bath tub and enjoy the water.
2. I like to play with my face towel while in the water. Mommy needs to prepare 3 face towels in the bathtub. 2 for me and 1 for her to bathe me. I'll even bring the face towel out and I like to swing the towel on my body. Lately, I like to bite the wet towel too.
3. I dislike changing clothes. I'll cry especially if they put me on long sleeves. I'll try to pull it out.
4. Nappy changing has become more difficult. I hate changing nappy and always want to crawl away.
5. Wearing disposable diaper at night. Day time on lampin and cloth diaper during nap.

Ability..
1. Can stand up by holding on to something...

2. Can walk sideway by holding on to something...
3. Very talkative and like to baby talk.. (talk a lot when looking at her photos on the wall. Kakak always says..so pretty..Bel bel so cute hor? )
- First baby talk - issit, isaac..buuk...
4. Started to point at things with the wrist bending down.. (kakak always laugh at me saying like monkey hanging on the tree.)
5. Know how to play shape sorter. Can put the shape in the hole with some guidance. Know how to put things in the container.
6. Hand eye co-ordination quite good. Can aim the spoon to the opening of the bottle.

Likes..
1. Adores and love the kor kor very much. I like to hug kor kor when see him. I never do this to mommy also. I'll get excited (laugh and kick the legs) too when I see kor kor suddenly appear in front of me.

2. Love to play peek a poo.
3. Love to crawl and hide at corners.
4. Love to be chased. I can crawl very fast to run away..
5. Love to play what kor kor is playing. I always want the "exact" things that kor kor is playing/holding. I don't want similar one. If kor kor holding a particular book, I just want the same book; If kor kor is playing with the yellow car, I want the exact yellow car.

6. Love dolls, soft toys. Will always hug hug and use my face to sayang those soft toys.
7. Love to put things in my mouth.
Accident 1: On my birthday, I was playing with the polystyrene cup and I bite one part of it. I scared mommy off and luckily mommy quick enough to take it out from my mouth.
Accident 2: One day after my birthday, I pull out a sticker from kor kor's car and bite a corner out. I swallowed it and get stucked near the throat. Finally I vomited it out.
8. Love to play with things that got wheels.
9. Love to crawl while hands holding on to something.

10. Love books. Like to flip through books. I like the "Ants on the apple" phonics book. I also like books that has baby pictures.
11. I like gadgets too like handphones and remote control.
12. I know how to imitate listening to handphones. SOmetimes I'll just put my palm next to my ear to pretent I am talking on the phone.


Dislike:
1. Strangers. I have strong sepration anxiety. I only want mommy and kakak.

Character:
1. Strong and stubborn.
2. Persistant.
3. Know how to manipulate adults.
4. Loving too.
5. Active.
6. Drama queen...can act very well...showed her crying face without tears.

Oh..did I miss out anything? Guess that's all....

My 1 year old birthday party..

Daddy and mommy decided to celebrate my BIG birthday one day earlier. They had so many plans before they finally decided to do it at home on Saturday night. Daddy didn't want to do any work, just want to enjoy the party. So, he suggested to do it outside like having hi-tea or rent a cafe for the party. On the other hand, mommy felt that it is more suitable to do it at home because my waking hours is around 3-4 hours, hence I would get cranky if I am out too long. If do it at home, as long I am sleepy, mommy can just put me in the room and sleep and the party can still go on. Secondly, I am also more familiar with the home environment. Finally, mommy won and all agreed to do it at home.

We only planned to invite close family members and friends. So, the head count is just around 30 adults and 10 kids. Grandma said that we can just do our own cooking since it is just a small crowd. The menu includes chicken rendang, prawn sambal, fried meehon, stew pork & toufo, mixed vegetables, pie tee, fried fish/chicken nuggets, sausages, fried crab meat, drummets, satay, red eggs, 4 types of nyonya kiuh and fruits. Grandma in charge of the kitchen and mommy in charge of the decorations.

On the day of my birthday, I was behaving well like normal. Mommy was so afraid that my routine will get disturbed like kor kor's first birthday. I took my 2 naps as usual around 11.30am and 4.30pm. At 6pm, I was all ready to welcome my guest. But everyone was still so busy preparing things and mommy has no time to change me yet until the first guest - Aunty SL and family arrived at 6.30pm.

Mommy then hurried to change me and brought out the remaining food to serve the guest. I was dressed like a princess...well..I am a princess wat..mommy then put on a headband for me. I dare not move my head initially, then mommy put on socks and shoes for me. I dare not move my whole body..then..suddenly I was too scared and started crying. I really don't know what are those things, I never wear them before. But very fast mommy distracted my attention and I've forgotten about them in minutes.

I was behaving well the whole night except when the guests tried to carry/touch me, I'll straight away cried out loud. I was frighten by the strangers that came to my house. I just wanted mommy to carry me. I was so stressed out by all the unfamiliar faces.

I got sleepy around 9pm. Aunty May and her family came quite late. After they arrived, mommy immediately asked to cut cake first because I wanted to sleep. So we have out cake cutting sessions around 9.30pm. After the cake cutting ceremony, I bid goodnight to everyone and mommy brought me up to sleep.

The party lasted till 11.30pm and mommy helped up with the clearning and cleaning. She mopped the floor too and finally settled everything at around 1.30am. She was already dead tired.

I only opened my presents the next day and I received a lot of dresses.

Thank you mommy and gramdma for contributing so much for my birthday...I love you!!

Here are some photos for your viewing..

Party packs, party decorations and the yummy food...


My birthday portrait.. Do I look like a princess?


My beloved kor kor and me and my sleepy me...


My birthday cake...Chocolate Moist bumble bee from Secret Recipe..


Opening presents the next day...

Happy 1st birthday, Princess Isabel..

Today is your big day.
Finally you are 1 year old and no longer the little baby that knows nothing.
Though you have been giving mommy's problem (in making you sleep),
You are still the little gem in the house.

Now you are going to be a toddler,
You amaze us with new things everyday.
I know you are a smart girl,
with a very determine and strong character.

Every cheeky actions and smile from you,
always make us burst into laughter.
You just bring so much joy into our life.
We enjoyed your company so much.

Seeing you grow each day,
you are starting to lose the baby fats;
Your little feet and hands are no longer so little anymore.
Mommy hope that your baby smell don't vanish so fast.

You are growing cuter and prettier each day..
Mommy wish you all the good health and happiness in years to come...
I'm sure you will be loved by so many people..
Happy growing Isabel...
Mommy, daddy and kor kor love you so much... and always be there for you...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, MY PRINCESS ISABEL!!

Last year this day...

updated by mommy because I was still too young to know what happened...

Doctor suggested that I admit to hospital the night before the planned C-section, so that I can have a good night rest before the operation. I doubt that I can sleep well in the hospital but doctor promised that he will give me a safe sleeping pill to help me to sleep well.

My in laws were down to help to take care of Darren on Friday. After dinner, I packed my hospital bags, double confirmed I did not miss out anything. Called a few people, off hubby and I went to Sunway hospital at 9.30pm.

Once arrived the hospital, we went straight to the Emergency Room for registration. Then, the nurse guided us to the ward. I chose double-beded though hubby strongly suggested single room. Then, the nurse did some test on my, then put on the strap for me to test my contraction.

Somehow, I was having quite regular and intense contraction on that night. I presume it was braxton hicks because I was actually about 10 days early compared to my actual due date. After some time, a midwife came in and she told me that my contractions was quite intense and she needs to do dialation check through the vagina. I was shock because I thought I can escape from doing this check since I plan for a c-section. I was a bit reluctant but have no choice because if I have already started to dialate, I might need to have an emergency c-section done on the night itself. I kept telling the baby to wait until the next morning and pray hard that I won't need an emergency C-section on that night. Luckily I have not dialated yet. However, I need to monitor my own contractions in case it is still continue to be so intense for hours, I need to inform the nurse.

The nurse then gave me the sleeping pill around 12.30am. Hubby then left the hospital and I kept telling the baby to sleep and I'll see her the next morning. I was tossing around until 3.30am. A nurse came in and did a baby heartbeat check for me. I asked the nurse when the pill supposed to take effect and she told me it should be around 30mins. I was like "Huh?" because I was still wide awake at 3.30am. I don't think I slept that night, maybe just dozing off for a few minutes here and then.

I sent a few smses, talked to the mother at the next bed, hubby then arrived hospital at 8am. Only then I felt extremely sleepy. But the nurses started to prepare me for the operation.

Around 9.30am, I was wheeled to the waiting area at the OT room. The anaesthetist asked me what kind of anaesthetic to use and recommended me spinal anaesthetic instead of epidural. I followed her advise. Then I went into the OT room around 9.45am. Hubby was waiting outside and can only come in after the anaesthetic takes effect.

I was so scared and they did the injection through my spinal cord. According to the anaesthetist, it should take effect around 5-10 mins. After about 5 mins, suddenly I felt a sharp cut on my right lower abdomen. I immediately shouted out that I could still feel something. My gynea told me he was just testing and they waited a while. Later, he tried again and I could still feel the sharp pain. I shouted out again and this time, the anaesthethist titled the bed to the right. After a while, my gynea tried again and I could still feel the same thing.

Something not right...then suddenly my hubby came in. The anaesthethist was not happy and asked who brought my hubby in since the anaesthetic was not taking effect in me yet. My gynea told her it was ok since it should not be a problem. Hubby noticed that they have tilted me very much to my right. Somehow I could still feel the pain. I was getting very nervous. I then tried to move my toes..funny thing was - I couldn't move my left toes but I could move my right toes...so I knew something was not right. I told my gynea..he then asked me to lift up my right leg but I couldn't.

Then suddenly I felt a sharp pain nearing my left abdomen and I told my gynea. He answered me, "The operation has started." I was like "HUH? WHAT?" No choice I have to tahan the pain and hope the operation get over fast. It seems like he has cur from the left to my right. When it reaches my right, there was when I felt the pain. It was not easy as I can feel the doctor is cutting me up, even using scissors. I can even hear the cutting sound. It seems like ages for me even though it was just the mere 10 mins. I kept asking him how long it takes and he told me it takes longer coz this is my 2nd c-section. I was holding tight to my hubby's hand and he could feel my tension and asked me is it very painful and I nodded my head. He then informed my gynea and the gynea informed the aneathethist. Can't remember what she did, then finally the gynea told me the baby is out and I could hear the baby's crying. The nurse brought the baby to us and the funny thing is, I did not shed any tears this time coz I was IN PAIN. I just want this whole thing to be OVER NOW.

Hubby then followed the nurse out with the baby. The anaesthethist told me that since the baby is out now, she can inject more aneathesio for me and hence, I dozed off into my zz land not long after.

The worse is over and I woke up in my ward. I felt so sleepy. Hubby then came in and told me it was already 12pm. I asked him to go for lunch first since I needed some rest. He said he would go home and settled the contractor (we installed an air-cond and water heater at home at that time) first. I was ok and I tried to sleep.

However, the patient next bed was discharging the same day. They were walking in and out and making so noise. I just couldn't rest. Around 3pm, the nurse brought the baby in and it was the first time I came so close to her and I breastfed her. It was an easier attempt compared to Darren and the nurse left the baby with me. It was not so tension and baby was behaving and sucking quite ok.

Ann came and visit me in the afternoon too. Hubby then came around 5pm together with Darren and my in laws. We then requested to change to a single room because I really could not rest with people walking in and out the room and the ward was very near the counter and it was noisy. They then transferred me to a single room around 7pm.

For the next 2 days, hubby accompanied me sleeping in the hospital and I discharged on Monday.

Remark: I never thought my baby could be so beautiful and she looked so pinkish and girly when I first saw her. She is much smaller size than Darren, weighing 2.95kg. She just looked so adorable and pretty.

I love you baby Isabel. Though it was not an easy delivery but it is all worth it.

Constipation!

I have not ben poo poo for 2 days. I used to poo poo everyday and my stool was soft. Today is my 3rd day and early morning after I woke up and was playing downstairs, I suddenly feel like poo poo. I pushed and pushed..again pushed and pushed..still cannot come out. I tried lying down on the floor tummy down, still my poo poo cannot come out. I tried pushing very hard this time, then suddenly...I feel so pain at my anus and I started crying. I was crying loud and mommy thought I was having stomach ache and my poo poo cannot come out. So, she carried me up and kept saying "ng ng..ng ng" trying to help me to push. Later she can feel from my pampers that there was a stone like thing at the bottom and thought I have pooed. Once she opened up and what she saw was a BIG stool stuck at my anus and couldn't come out. She got panic and I was crying in pain. Without thinking twice, she used her fingers to help me to dig out the "gold". But it was still hard and it could't come out. I was crying and struggling. Mommy got even more panic and part of the stool went back in but still stuck at my anus.

Panic..panic...mommy immediately passed me to kaiak and she called our regular pead to see what we can do. Unfortunately the nurse said the doctor is seeing a patient and asked to cal back in 10 mins time. Luckily during that time, kaiak carried me with my legs open wide and big and she bent my body. I cried and cried and finally I last cried, I managed to push the big hard stool out. It was a relief...for everyone.

Mommy felt so pitiful for me and sayang me while kaiak cleaned me up. Later, kaiak fed me milk while mommy was washing up and I have another round of the same episode again. This time, I poo a lot..hard and soft one too..all came out one time...finally i feel much more better now. Relief..relief....

Mommy said maybe my solids intake has increased this 2 - 3 days and i have not been drinking water. That causes the constipation. Thank God it is over now. Mommy is trying to feed me more water from now.

Sleep Training Part 2

updated by mommy on my 11 mths 2 weeks and 5 days old


Bravo to my princess Isabel... She has been sleeping on her own in her own room for 10 nights and 10 days without any patting, carrying, swinging or dancing. Mommy is so proud of you, Isabel.


The results started showing around Day 5. On Day 6 onwards, she has shown great improvement. She didn't fuss so much and so long and at times she didn't sleep with pacifier too (during the night after a night feed). She didn't cried so much nowadays after I put her down in her playpen. Of course she cried a bit at certain times but usually after I left the room, she stopped crying. She will then toss around and fall asleep on her own not long after that. If I fed her before she sleeps, she will not cry when I place her down in the playpen. Now, making her sleep is a breeze.


Her night time sleep has improved tremendously. She has stopped waking up every hour. She will usually sleep around 9.30pm. At times she will wake up and make noise around 1am. If she did not has her milk feed before sleeping, I'll feed her milk at this time and she will sleep till around 5 or 6 am and make some noise. If she has her milk feed, I'll ignore her and she will fall back to sleep on her own. Same as the 5-6am round. If she has a milk feed at 1am, I'll ignore her and she will sleep till morning. Or else, I'll feed her and she will sleep till morning. Sometimes, she will make noise around 7-8am and I'll usually ignore her and let her fall back to sleep. Her morning wake up time will be 9.30am.

Nap time as usual. Morning nap around 11.45pm and nap for about 1 to 1.5 hr. Afternoon nap around 4.15pm and also around 1 to 1.5hr. Am glad that she has a total of around 14hrs sleep in a day.


She has back to her cheerful self too. I definitely love her more and feel that she is no longer the "naughty" baby we called her the last time. This sleeping arrangement has done so much good to everybody at home, especially the mommy here. Now, I have better sleep and not worried if hubby needs to go outstation as I can still sleep with Darren without worrying about Isabel.


We have bought a baby monitor that comes with camera to monitor her in her room. This makes us feel more relief while leaving her alone in the room.

17.2.11 Before we started sleep training, I left her crying in the playpen one of the nights in the room and she cried for 5 hours and ended up sleeping like this. The next day, she cried for 4 hours and ended up sleeping "kneeling down" position. I am glad she did not sleep like that when we started the sleep training and now she is sleeping tummy down most of the time. She was such a difficult baby during that time.



The wireless baby monitor that comes with camera. IMON digital baby monitor that costs us RM899.



I hope she will continue improving her sleeping habits and able to sleep through one night without night time waking and feeding at all.