Week 40 - Waiting...

It's Week 40 now. And nothing is happening... no contractions, no water bag bursting. Only a throbbing migraine, increasing sleepless nights due to to the weight of the baby and frequent need to visit the toilet etc.

Last check at the gynae on Monday indicated that the baby is estimated to be close to 3.7kg already! Cant imagine if the baby refuses to come out till the actual EDD of 2 Feb, she will be 4kg?? Actually, I'm rather worried that the baby will be too big to come out naturally but the gynae seems to be rather relaxed about it. She said I can manage up till 3.8kg (but it's already 3.7kg now!) and that above 4kg will be more difficult (but I am close to it already!).

So it's now waiting waiting at home everyday for the signs... hoping that it will be soon. It's getting too tiring, both physically and mentally. And we have stopped sending Kaelyn to childcare since yesterday because of a chicken pox outbreak at the centre. So I need to spend more energy playing with her in the mornings...

Baby baby, (by the way, her name is most likely to be Sherryn), when are you going to come out of the comforts of Mama's womb?

Week 39 - At home

Last Friday was my last day at work before I commence by long 6 months break from work. On Friday itself, while I was busy clearing the remaining of my work and handing over, and packing up, I felt some pains at my lower abdominal area. It was something that I have not felt in the last 8+ months of pregnancy. I asked myself 'is this it?' Also told my colleague not to be surprised if I suddenly diasappeared to deliver. But it was a false alarm.

I managed to survive through an early reunion dinner on Saturday with my family (as I will most likely be in confinement during CNY), and a birthday high tea on Sunday with in laws. I dont know why I kept thinking the day is not too far away, so much so that David even brought his camera to our gynae visit yesterday in case I was warded right away... ha ha...

But alas, the gynae hinted that there was still some time to go, the baby has 'dropped' but the cervix was not ready. So, probably will pop only nearer to the EDD of 2 Feb, or at most 1 week earlier like Kaelyn's case. Last check yesterday, baby's weight was 3.38kg. At this rate she is growing, I am afraid she will be too big to come out naturally!

So, what's it like to be not working and staying at home? Well, I simply cant get used to it, and I feel more tired than while at work. Yes, all because of the princess at home demanding attention, throwing tantrums etc all the time. And my easily tired brain and body cant do too much to control her anymore....

But I told myself I should cherish the time with her before her mei mei comes out.

Notes from the teacher

'Dear parents,
Today Kaelyn was better. She joined in the class activities like singing along, listening to story and playing parachute in the music room.
She also spoke to me about her 'Nai nai' and a few other things. As Kaelyn is warming up, I can see that she is rather active. She turns the stools in the class upside down and pushes them around. In the music room, she also pushes the stools around!
Today, she did not eat the lunch served (kway tiao). When I fed her, she spit it out (into her bowl). Importantly, she did not cry or look for grandma. However whenever she saw grandma, she would smile at grandma and resume what she was doing.'

So what do i think of the above?
- I'm glad that she is finally joining her class in the class activities.
- She's stop acting dumb in class
- She's stop crying finally!
- She's starting to show her true colours! - the hyperactive, defiant, disobedient girl..
- Not surprising that she spit out her food - she's very very fussy over food. I heard that she told the teacher she doesnt want to eat the kway tiao and wanted to eat the bread that we packed for her instead. At least she knows how to communicate this to the teacher..
- Overall, a good beginning.

Kaelyn goes to Child care - Part 2

As the week went by, the concept of being left in a strange place without her Papa and Mama seems too scary for Kaelyn. So much so that she started crying at home when we changed her into her school jumper. She would also cling on to me and asked me not to go to work. Usually, she would happily bid us goodbye as we leave for work.

At the centre, as David leaves for work after dropping her there, she started wailing again. The teachers took turns to carry her around to pacify her. If I were there, I probably will be crying with her as well! The poor thing. Hope she doesnt grow to hate school after this 'traumatic' experience.

Kaelyn goes to Child care - Part 1

When I first started nursery many many years back, I was one of those kids who screamed and cried non stop for the first few weeks of school. I remember my mum told me that the principal had to carry me around to pacify me, but I just kept kicking and screaming. And the principal was actually pregnant at that time! I dont remember all these myself but I can imagine the pains that the principal, teachers, my grandma and parents went through trying to settle me in nursery.

Now, almost thirty years later, it's my turn to experience placing my daughter through child care for the first time. We had enrolled her for full day but only starting her on half day only to slowly settle her in. I took leave on the first day to accompany her. As usual, she didnt join the other kids in the activities and either wandered around the compounds on her own, or stayed by my side. There was once when she actually joined them for an activity, and I thought 'ok, that's a good start'. She didnt cry at all on the first day since I am there the whole time with her. But I realise that most of the kids in her class are much more independent and 'easier' to look after than our princess Kaelyn.

For 1, she is a very very slow and fussy eater. Breakfast was cereal and milk. While the other kids fed themselves and finished rather quickly, she was still slowly picking out the 'honey stars' one by one. I could actually count the number of honey stars she ate, and she refused to eat the cornflakes. Lunch was bee hoon soup, with some chicken, carrot, vege and fishcake. Most of the kids fed themselves and finished their food rather quickly, while the rest needed help from the teacher to help them finish their portion. One girl even asked for seconds. Our dear Kaelyn was scooping her bee hoon and eating them almost strand by strand. Even with my help, she barely finished half of the portion, and that took twice as long as the rest!


Secondly, she's not toilet trained. We tried at home but she just refused to use the toilet or potty. Some of the other kids could just inform the teacher that they needed the toilet and just went off on their own. I'm impressed!

Well, I guess each child is different. Hope she picks up all the good things from school!