Prayers for Little Tykes

My nephew (Tyler) whose EDD was to be late Nov will emerge and see the world tomorrow at 1130am via C-sec. My younger sister's adomen shares the same fate as mine. :P Little Tyler and little Ethan was conceived at around the same time as well. hahhaha.

Anyway, last night was a miracle (hope I will not jinx things by putting it publicly online). Ethan 'went to bed' after his last feed at 10+, 11pm and then did not emerge in my room until around 530am. He had roused once at 230am to feed again (from the bottle) and Auntie has taken that unearthly-houred shift.

He hungrily fed from 530 to almost 7am this morning, by then I had already fallen asleep countless times. haahah. Alan had had a relatively good sleep as well. Yay Praise be to God!!

Oh yah, Alan had gone to see a geomancer (who is uncannily accurate - she predicted I'd get pregnant this year and also deliver via c-sec) a couple of days back and we discovered that Little Ethan lacks the elements of water and earth in his 8 characters so hence his name was chosen:

Ethan Tan EE-Hom (sounds like wong lee hom? hehe). Chinese name will be Ethan Chen Yi Hong. Quite nice lah rite? haha. I am just glad it's not some overtly cheena pok name he will blame me for giving him for the rest of his life. hahhaa.

The little one is getting stronger and stronger and he kicks and pushes quite a fair bit. He has enough strength to lift his head to follow my voice and also to use his hands to take off his mittens. His poo has changed to a watery yellow (which the Auntie said it's 'beautiful' - I quote, "Hen Mei") - I'm glad he is peeing n pooping well. A sign of healthy feeding. One never knows how much milk he is downing when he feeds from my breast directly. *worries*

Anyway, time really flies and it's already Day 11 of his existence. Sad to say, Alan has been real busy recently and unfortunately has been spending more and more time in the office. He is also slated to fly again to Jakarta shortly. :P What terrible timing. I hope Ethan can recognise him in his later years. :P

On a lighter note, I am more confidently of handling Baby Ethan and don't fret so much nowadays. Just pray that he grows stronger and healthier and puts on more weight!

Battle Scars

pic taken on Day 8
3 Novemeber 2009 (Tuesday)



I had an AM appt with Dr Ravi to remove my stitches and Alan accompanied me there. Both of us sat in his clinic, fighting off the sleep bug. Our panda eyes are comparable to Dr Ravi's though his is for a good cause. ;p I printed out a pic of Ethan to add to Dr's collection.



My battle scar is an approximately 15cm long thin red line running below my bikini line. It has healed rather neatly (Dr Ravi is a genius) - I had initially worried about the c-sec leaving frankenstein scars. All my worries were unfounded.



Dr Ravi also introduced us to a scar-removing gel pack which costs a hefty RM194. It's called Cica-care and supposed to reduce scarring and keloids (something I am prone to getting after a wound). We also shopped in the pharmacy for hot/ cold packs for my cow glands, and bolster swaddles for Ethan and also alcohol wipes for ET's umbilical cord.



After the stitches were removed, Alan and I sneaked into Victoria Station to grab a DECENT bite. hahaha After all the confinement food (pig trotters, pig stomach, pork ribs etc etc) I was craving for some REAL FOOD.



We each had a creamy mushroom soup and a ribeye steak ahahah. Shhhhhhhhh. Eh, my confinement lady endorsed my meal ok...so it's all OK!!



After that ,we headed to Mid Valley to change $ and then I returned home to feed my starving and irate son who had already finished up the store of expressed breast milk in the fridge. :P I was immediately placed on a guilt trip when he looked at me with big soulful eyes which seemed to ask ," Had enough fun? Where were you when I was starving?" and when Ethan heard my voice, he burst out into wails again. boooooohoooooooo.



4 November 2009 (Wednesday)



Ethan is 10 Days Old today. Amazing how time flies. (Actually, more accurately, time flies in the day when he is angelic and crawls at night when he is a cry baby.) haha.



Last night, Alan and I had a really good sleep, however. I had expressed some milk and stored it and because of a bad back, I told the confinement lady to feed him the milk when he woke up in the wee hours. As a result, the poor fella did not disturb Daddy and Mummy at all from 11pm - 330am! Wow.



I didnt sleep all that good though, and had dreams that I was breastfeeding and when I woke up, I found myself 'breastfeeding' my bolster. OMG. The stuff that lingers in the sub-conscious mind....



Ethan also REFUSED to feed at 330am, duly pissed with his mother for not giving him enough attention (AND MILK!) and took revenge by pooping twice and wailing loudly. I had to carry him and sat , away from Alan, on the OSIM chair and both of us fell into a deep sleep there. hahaha. An hour later, I brought him back to our bed where he slept till 8am on a growling stomach! This fella got CHARACTER ah! :P

Ethan's First Visit to the Paediatrician

31 October 2009 (Saturday)

Today is Ethan's 6th day in existence. We have kinda established that he is an angel in the day and a monster at night. OMG. Hope he reduces his wailing ASAP so that my family members and I do not turn into pandas. There are enough animals in the household already!

We brought the little fella to his paediatrician (Dr Lim MK, Gleneagles, KL) today at 330pm because he was turning a little yellow. Dr had said that if he started showing signs of jaundice, we shld bring him to see him asap. So there we were...

Little Ethan slept all the way in the car and only woke up when he was stripped to take his weight. OMG he lost 300g from the date of delivery!!! To think he is drinking quite well too. :P Hope his weight will go up quickly. Jia You Baobei! *mum whips out pom poms to cheer Ethan Boy on!*

Dr Lim checked Ethan and announced that there's no point of concern as of now. Very mild case of jaundice. Nei Nei paid RM122 for that piece of mind and colic drops and some nasal spray. On the way home, Alan Daddy bought icecream for himself and Nei Nei. (NOT FAIR)

Welcome to Our World, Ethan!

26 October 2009 (Monday)

Alan and I packed our bags and left for Dr Ravi's at around 9am this morning. We were squeezed in to see him (since we hadn't made appt) at around 10am (after we got there admist the traffic jams). Unfortunately or fortunately, I don't really know, Dr Ravi did another scan and announced that the aminotic fluid was dwindled and the baby has not put on any weight since the last appointment. At the same time, the umbilical cord was twirled around Ethan's neck and therefore it was TIME (finally) to get him outta there!!! Because the cervix wasn't dilated, we had no other option but to slice open the belly and perform the C-section. Dr Ravi is a busy fella alright but we managed to squeeze in the operation at around 130pm. I was pushed into the OT at around 1+pm and given the spinal block by Dr Suresh. In a few minutes, I couldn't feel my legs and that was when the gloved and prepared, Dr Ravi strolled into the OT. Alan was also scrubbed down and given a blue operating gown to wear.

Then, with Alan's hand in mine, and admist continuous shuddering (effect of the spinal block), Ethan was tugged (literally) outta my womb by the expert hands of Dr Ravi. Dr Suresh helped PUSH my womb also and then SUDDENLY (at 1:49pm) the OT was filled with loud cries. Ethan had ARRIVED! Weighing in at 2.490kg and with length 44.5cm and head circumference 33.5cm).

Dr Lim MK (the pedatrician) then charged in and took charge. He cleaned and wrapped the baby etc and placed him on my chest (whilst I was still being stitched up). Ethan looked like this red little alien thing. ahaha. I looked and saw Alan's eyes tearing up (hehe) but I was too busy shuddering to activate my tear ducts.

The doctor took Ethan away after the bonding session and when I was done and Dr Ravi had completed his handiwork, I was rolled into an observation room and placed there for 20minutes to monitor my progress. BP and all. SHUDDER SHUDDER

When all was well again, I was rolled back into my maternity ward (D311) and Alan was there to welcome me. We waited (impatiently) for Ethan to be brought into my room but it was around 5pm when he came, all showered and clean. :) Because he was a tad (10g) underweight, and his glucose level was a bit low, he was given a supplement formula feed of 30ml. I was worried that he would not want my breast milk after that but thankfully he did not refuse my goodwill gesture :P

The days and nights rolled into one long stay in the hospital, but amazingly, I recuperated from the op very, very well and Dr Ravi allowed me to be discharged after 2 nights only! We left for home at 1+pm on 28th October 2009 and Ethan was introduced to his kingdom shortly after...

Coco's Amazing Feat

Sunday 25 October 2009

Coco Tan did so well in his pre-novice examination. He was awarded 94%!!! Same as Jay Jay Tan! *claps* We were astounded to receive that result. ahahhaha. Amazing, but true.

Shopping at our Fav Haunt

Sunway Pyramid is really a one-stop shopping mall for all OUR needs.

After bringing Coco for his extra lesson in preparation for his pre-novice examination the next day, Alan and I showered, had a late breakfast (of leftover bacon sandwich and a blueberry muffin), instructed our gardener Ah Chu with regard to our garden and then left for Sunway Pyramid.

Next door was a shop that Alan wanted to patronise and so we stopped by first for him to pick up his remote control car body kit and paints :P Again, it worries me that my husband has not grown up and I will have two babies to take care of in the near future :P

We were STARVING when we arrived at Sunway at around 230pm. I coveted the Vietnamese food we had once eaten there and thankfully the restaurant had not closed down. O'Viet was located and we shared a platter for an appetiser, made up of vegetables and meats and rice paper. And then both of us each had a bowl of beef noodle soup. I washed down the oil with my lemongrass and ginger drink whilst Alan had a traditional Vietnamese coffee.

After the meal and with smiles plastered on our faces, we proceeded to SHOP. Finally, we located Annaku from the map and checked out the prices of certain items we wanted to buy. However, we ended up buying Ethan's mosquito net and stand from World of Cartoons, together with another box of nappy liners.

Then, we headed to Parkson to pick up diapers. The Drypers were going for RM39.90 at 56 per pack (with a free set of mittens) and MamyPoko was going for Rm38.50 for 52. We picked up one packet each in order to test their suitability on Ethan's little bum bum. Also, I chose a medicine (touch wood) feeding spoon and two CD/ VDV combos which we will play on Ethan's CD player in his room to keep him entertained when awake. We invested in Breastflow milkbottles (which has teats which apparently greatly resemble the mother's nipple), some corn starch powder and also some batteries (for Ethan's mobile, stroller fan and womb-sound player). - Yes, my son is a pampered little prince ;P Since our godson, Hayden's 7th birthday is coming, we also chose him a Bionicle character which needs to be fitted together , from Lego.

After stepping outta Parkson (and lamenting on why I hadn't brought the RM50 Parkson voucher I had stashed away), we were greeted by a lovely sight - Pets Lovers Centre! We hurried in and bought three packets of kibbles of the brand Fish4Dogs. The cod fish formula had apparently made Coco's fur very shiny and we wanted to continue feeding him that. Each packet came with a free gift of sea jerky as well (which retails in Singapore at around SGD$9/ pack)!! We bought Myra one packet of kibble too, as promised.

Alan needed to pick up some hardware for the house/ garden and so we headed up Ace Hardware. I stoned outside with a trolley piled to the brim with our shopping and thankfully there was an empty seat to rest my bulging ankles and aching feet. :P After 15minutes or so, Alan emerged with a saw, a grass cutter and also some rubber protectors for Ethan's cot.

By this time, it was late 5pm and I was dead tired from all that shopping / strolling. We hopped into Zen (Secret Recipe) for a drink but Alan couldn't resist the moist chocolate cake and ordered a piece to be shared whilst we happily indulged in our fruit juices (orange, apple, carrot and apple, lemongrass and ginger). The cake was just to die for and worth all of the ten-minute wait! :O~~

Then, we found our way to the car park and made our way home...

After dinner, Alan and I busied ourselves with more preparation for Ethan's arrival. Alan set up the mosquito net and stand and experimented with the high-tech stroller. I tested the stroller fan, mobile etc if they were functioning and continued to add little decorations in his room. I pasted some sponge numbers of his loo door and some cutesy little icons (bought in Malacca) on his drawers for decoration. ;) It was after midnight when we crawled into bed, exhausted.

Little Prince Ethan's Nursery

With the nesting instincts naturally kicking in (high time!!) , I have devoted my past few days to doing up the Little Prince's room.

Before you enter the nursery, you will be welcomed by a friendly white door on which Ethan's name proudly is stuck, together with two cute little red hearts. :)

Ethan's cosy and magnificent Paddington 3-in-1 cot lies in the middle of the room, flanked by the blue wall. His sheets / comforter / bumper etc are from Aussino and they have been washed thoroughly. I have put up an unbreakable mirror in his cot so that he can entertain himself with his monkey faces when bored (and preferrably then choose to forget about screaming his lungs out). ;P

In Ethan's Sunny Play Corner, there are wall stickers and his name stuck on one of the walls and on the other, two posters (one ABC and one cutesy one of the human anatomy). Education is definitely gonna start early in THIS household. muahahaha. :P

On the floor of the sunny play corner lies the ABC cushy floor 'mat's. The adorable baby pictures have been removed from my room and stuck on Ethan's white cupboards and they really form very delectable decorations~ Especially since all the babies are angmoh. hahaha. Blue eyes and blond...ohhhh what's there not to like??

To the right of the door, Ethan's changing table has been put up and he will have his baths and his nappy changes there whilst he still can fit the table. Outside Ethan's toilet and inside his room, there's an ultraman floor mat (which I had bought so long ago, probably from BKK).

Now all it leaves is for Ethan to come H-O-M-E.