Arrival of Mei Mei...

Ok... this is a really overdue post. My 2nd baby has arrived and since then, the entire family schedule has turned topsy turvy. Anyway, not too late to start posting on my 2nd bundle of joy....

Baby Vivienne Chen Wei Yein is born on 27th Feb 2012, weighed at 3.1kg. Slightly heavier and longer than Valerie. I have opted for elective C-sec this time. No more trying to go natural first, if cannot then only c-sec. I find this really a waste of time and energy.. not to mention more $$$...

Same as previous time, I chose partial conscious so that I could hear my baby being born. When Vivienne is born, she cried very loudly and non-stop. I guess she sounded like how babies should cry when they are born. Unlike Valerie, only cry two times and then went to sleep. This is a first sign of how different both my babies are.

Hours later, she was wheeled in to be breastfed. As I latched her on, she sucked very very hard and I have to say it's very painful. I asked the nurses a few times, and they said she latched on correctly, just that she has a very strong suck and I'm feeling the pain.

Later on, I've also discovered she cannot suck any milk out from the Avent bottle. And then latch on to me wrongly. This baby has problem with nipple confusion, something that her big sister didn't have. Valerie knew how to breastfeed and drink from bottle from day 1. So I had to spend the first 3 weeks to breastfeed her fulltime before introducing the bottle. And yes, I've suffered through the pain of her sucking only on my nipple till the skin chaffed off... Luckily I went to Dr Koe for help and she showed me how to get the correct latch. Funny I have to relearn all this with the 2nd baby...

Vivienne is also very impatient when changing clothes. After taking a bath, she will not give you that few minutes to put lotion on and wear clothes. She will just cry and cry until you pick her up. Again, different from Valerie. Valerie would give you the time in the world to pat her dry, put lotion and do anything you want. With Vivienne, you have to be fast... and super fast....

Another thing is Vivienne accepts pacifier. Although a bit relunctant, this is nanny's requirement to taking care of her.  Last time, despite training Valerie, she refuse to suck the dummy :) So nanny has no choice but to give up. But with Vivienne, she takes on the pacifier naturally and sucks happily. But I have to say, babies who suck pacifier seem to be better napper and thus she is gaining weight faster than her elder sister. So, I'll just let it be, only worry about weaning her from the dummy a year later.

All in all, just when you think you have learned everything to be a mommy, a new baby sets you back off to square one, relearning everything again. Simply because, "Every baby is different". Now I know how true this phrase is.

Parent Deaf - First Sign of Toddler delinquency

Do kids get naughtier or so to say 'more opinionated' after going to school? She seems to be showing tantrums more these days. Or maybe I should say her 'terrible twos' came a year later. What's more annoying is she has learned the art of 'parent deaf'. She only responds after I called her like 10 times?

When I say 'No' to something, she will do it. When I say 'Do something', she will not do it. So my latest strategy is simply to reverse the psychology. If I want her to come, I simply tell her 'Don't come to mommy, ok... Don't disturb mommy.' Immediately she will grin and then as expected, come running to mommy.

If I say 'Come here, Valerie... come to mommy', she will pretend not to hear it and walk further away. Sigh.. annoying isn't it?

Having a Maid = Less Time with Valerie?

Our maid, Ann has arrived 2 weeks ago. So far everything has gone pretty well and Valerie warmed up to 'kakak' almost immediately. Oh well, she normally warmed up to anyone easily. Something that Ivan said he needs to worry about when she gets older :P

With the 2nd baby due in few weeks time, I delegated some 'Valerie tasks' to Ann like bathing and feeding on weekends, getting her ready for school and for bed. Since we still prefer our current nanny to take care of her, so that's basically all Ann is required to do. The best part is I'm finally able to attend church service together with Ivan while Ann brings her to Sunday School. It has been almost 3 years since I last sat quietly with Ivan in a service. Such bliss !

Although we're starting to enjoy a little more free time to ourselves, I can't help but to feel a bit guilty for spending less time with Valerie. Being a hands-on mom for the last 3 years, I feel it's the little things we do with our child that makes our relationship special. I actually miss the times we spent in the bathroom, teaching her how to blow bubbles or fill the teacup with 'real' water while trying to shampoo her and cleaning her up. And we had such fun that sometimes Ivan wonder what we're doing inside.

And although I can finally sit in the service and despite how I complained about having to bring Valerie to Sunday School whole of last year, I kind of miss being there with her. Now I'm not able to see how she behaves in the class or know what she is learning. I still remember how she was adamant to pull 2 chairs and put side by side so that she could sit on one while mommy sat on the other one next to year. Now I'm just like the rest of the parents, queuing up to pick up their kids after service.

Another thing is with Kakak at the car backseat with her now, I no longer get to hug her or sit and sing with her. I can hear a lot of movements and noise coming from behind with Kakak having no control of her. Sometimes, she does demand that mommy to sit behind with her. Secretly, I do wish I'm the one sitting at the back, playing games with her and hugging her.

I don't know, feel kind of strange. I feel like taking back all those 'Valerie tasks' but then I guess I need to let go. After all things will change again when baby no. 2 arrives. I just need to hug her more and tell her I love her whenever I can. I feel that's the best I can do for now.