Becoming Mummy Of Two

A week since we became parents to our baby girl, Ava and I am slowly embracing this new status - Mummy of two. It got pretty emotional for me having to focus on Ava, and trying not to neglect Aiden. I felt guilty as I bond with Ava, as I can't spend time with Aiden. I hope this will pass quickly as soon as I am out of confinement and feel stronger physically to give my best to the both of them. Can't wait to celebrate our new family and counting down to the end of confinement in 20 days!
 
I struggled with breastfeeding this time round, and still trying my best to make it work. We sorted out Ava's tongue tie which could be one of the reasons for the difficulties in latching when we were discharged, and am glad things have improved. Now it's sticking to the schedule and be hardworking at breastfeeding & pumping (thanks to an efficient Medela Freestyle pump - will share more of my experience in a separate blog post)

'I want my milk now!'

Between breastfeeding and pointing my phone & camera at Ava, I am trying to get more rest, catch up on my blog posts and squeeze more quality time with Aiden & Daddy Darren.

'No more pictures Mummy.'

Crafting with my dear son, Aiden. Happy to see the smile on his face.

'Children needs your presence, not your presents'. 

Same same but different

November has been a difficult month for me (as you can tell with the lack of blog posts).  It is the busiest month at work, and it was also the last month for us to get ready for our second child, Ava, who was scheduled to arrive via c-section on 3 December.

The latter is in past tense, because our baby girl sprang a surprise on us at 36 weeks, just like her brother Aiden, who decided to come out at 35 weeks plus back in 2011!  If early signs (pun intended) are anything to go by, they should get along pretty well.

Aiden on the left, Ava on the right.

Look how similar they looked at birth!  Unfortunately, they also share jaundice, tongue tie and low birth weight between the two of them.  A quick visit to a clinic settled the tongue tie, and now it's up to Mummy Cher's breast milk and the sun to fix the rest.  Seeing how Aiden has grown since 2011 really helped to put me at ease the second time around.  Unlike the first time when I was constantly worried, I am confident that things will be ok for Ava in time to come.

I was so happy to see Aiden gently stroking Ava's head.

I am also glad that all the prepping which started months ago helped Aiden to settle into his role as a brother and protector of his baby sister pretty quickly.  We will share our personal experience/tips on how to prepare your first born for a newborn in time to come (we need to make sure it really works!).

Even with all the similarities between brother and sister, it is also already apparent how different Aiden is compared to Ava.  From their cries, I (and our neighbors) could tell that Aiden is the gentle giant, whereas Ava is the chilli padi.  From their feeding habits, I could tell that Aiden is the "eat-all-you-can" type, whereas Ava is the "fine-dining" type.  You know, a small bite here and there, and some conversation (or cries) in between.  I have a feeling we can't use the exact same parenting methods that we used on Aiden this time around.

One thing's for sure though, life will never be the same again (and again) with Ava joining our family.  Looking forward to it!

We took this precious family photo a few days before Ava joined us!

No Monday Blues

How glad I am to have Monday off as my office is closed for Deepavali PH today. Taking the chance to spend some quality time with my boy and mum as we hardly went out together, we headed to the malls as it started to rain. And Aiden was a happy boy as long as he doesn't have to attend school!

Shopping for both of them makes me happy. At 34 weeks pregnant, there isn't much I can fit into, nor do I want to spend more on maternity wear - hoping to breastfeed (and work out) my way to a trimmer me in time to come.

Showing off his new pair of boots

What I learn and enjoy as a parent is how each 'accident' can be a learning lesson for both my child and myself. Today, this was one of the lessons:

#1 - We went to Wendy's for a light bite & Aiden followed me to the order counter. He wanted to have ice cream and I ordered him a cup. I passed the cup to him to carry to our table and reminded him to be careful, and hold it upright. As we approached our seats, he had a fall and the ice cream spilled all over the floor. A group of diners gasped loudly, and gave us a 'OH DEAR, how could you let such a young kid carry his own food' look, almost like this was expected.

Aiden got up quickly and hid behind a chair nearby, lowering his head. I wasn't angry at all with him, and just wanted to make sure he was alright. Very calmly, I brought him to our seats and checked if he was alright. I went to the order counter and the staff replaced the ice cream for us. I asked Aiden how he felt when he fell, and he said he was scared. I asked him why and upon prompting, it was because he was afraid he would be scolded. I took the opportunity to explain to him that when he fell, I was worried if he hurt himself. And that this was an accident and wasn't his fault so he wouldn't be scolded. I also explained that food can always be bought again but it is important to make sure that he is not hurt. He seemed comforted and enjoyed his food.

It made me feel good about myself as well, as I have seen too many parents screaming at their kids when they spill their food. I always looked at them in disbelief (even when I wasn't a parent myself then), as the poor kid was already scared and embarrassed, and their parents had to add to that by amplifying the incident.

 

 

Enjoying ice cream & french fries

Since two haircuts ago, Aiden has been really brave and cooperative, not whining or crying at all. Today, just before it was his turn, he got anxious and his eyes turned red, and he said he didn't want to cut his hair. I spoke with him and comforted him before he agreed to sit through the hair cut, with me holding his hand. Is this him exhibiting traits of a baby again with the arrival of his baby sister? I hope he'd cope well with her joining our family in a month's time and we have been prepping him for it along the way.

Before his hair cut