Withdrawal symptoms

Not spending enough time with the family and missing them too much.

Sigh

Baby steps

The girl can stand up on her own. She lifts her little butt off the ground with her palms on the ground and lifts off!

Seeing this, the husband was confident that she can walk, or attempt to - so we decided to be there to guide her and let her try.

And she did it!

She's not very stable, rather wobbly, but she can take a few steps and it is so terribly cute. I'm, again, amazed by nature and developments.

TGIF

Work's been truly mad and I've only gone home too late for the past few days.

I miss my babies.

What's nice to know is that they miss me too!

Mid-Autumn Festival

Kate enjoyed the festival with her grandparents. The FIL and MIL brought her to the neighbourhood to watch other kids play with lanterns.

The husband also let her try a bit of mooncake.

I missed spending the day with her, but I'm happy to know that she had fun!

Kate and her Hello Kitty electronic lantern, gift from the grand-aunty

4+4

That's the number of teeth Kate has now.

There are 2 new ones on top, 2 new ones below.

My girl now has a grand total of 8 teeth. Have not been able to snap a pic of them yet, but they are definitely there.

Happy Birthday, Kate

Breakfast at Prive

Childrens' colouring corner

Little artist

Shopping at Vivo City

Rides at AMK Hub

With the grandparents!

Dinner; happy birthday girl with her cake

Blowing out the candle with Papa

Family

Everybody

Birthday girl tries cake

Exhausted birthday girl

Dear Kate

Dear Kate,

Thank you for being the most beautiful child in the world.

Thank you for making me smile.

Thank you for giving me hugs when I ask for them, and even more when I didn't.

Thank you for being so easy to feed as a breastfed baby, for enjoying food, for going "umm" with zest and making everyone giggle.

Thank you for teaching me patience.

Thank you for being such a charmer, making everyone you meet break out into smiles as they receive your friendly waves and cute grin.

Thank you for giving new purpose in my life.

Thank you for making me evaluate what's important in life.

Thank you for making me proud.

Thank you for showing me love.

Thank you for teaching me persistence, when you insist time and again when we say 'no'.

Thank you for showing me effort, as you imitate when we teach you something.

Thank you for bringing such joy and laughter to everyone's life.

Thank you for making me feel special.

Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for making such adorable animal noises - wo wo wo (dog barking), aah (cat meowing), oooooooohhhhh (cow mooing).

Thank you for listening so attentively everytime there's "lesson time" and we play you your educational DVD.

Thank you for making my life so much more meaningful.

Thank you, for being you.

Happy birthday my precious. Mommy cannot begin to describe the love that I have for you. You mean the world to Papa and I. It's been a fantastic year, and I look forward to more happy times with you.

Things may not always be fun and cushy, sometimes they will be unpleasant and even painful. I wish that you'll learn your lesson through your experiences and become a stronger, smarter person. I will always be here for you, as your Mother, as your friend.

You're so much more aware of your surroundings now, and I look forward to more exciting discoveries and developments in your life. I know that we will have an even better year ahead.

I love you Kate. You are my everything.

Love, Mommy

The very last bit

... of liquid gold.

363 days

Today is 2 days before Kate's 1st birthday.

It was about this time last year that I first experienced contractions.

It was 2 nights before the Estimated Delivery Date, and the husband and I were getting impatient and I remember patting my huge tummy, saying "Baby Kate, it's nearly your EDD. Give Mommy some signs and symptoms, ok?" That very night, I felt my first stirrings of contractions. They didn't last long, nor were they painful - just uncomfortable and I felt like my stomach was being plucked at like a harp. *twang twang

It's been a roller coaster ride this past year, and I wouldn't change any of it for the world. Sure, there were some downers when I was admittedly - in retrospect - a little over the edge. But I also recognise that every step along the way was an experience, and I had to learn things through trial and error myself.

I cannot thank the husband enough for his support and help - having a child is a joint responsibility and our ride in the past year has been mostly good as we both matured and grew in our roles for our child. He was my pillar of sense and sensibility when I was nothing but a bundle of nerves. I can count on him to do very rational things such as taking the temperature, playing with her, training her to walk, explaining things to her in high details of technicality and science... he's a good role model (mostly, minus the *points - the sister will understand) and I know that he will be a great playmate for Kate as she continues to grow older and more active.

The dynamics of our relationship has changed too; just the other night, I said to him "babe, we don't take pictures with each other anymore. Now, it's all about Kate!" This is pretty evident from my picture updates on Facebook - my most recent albums are all of K's.

I appreciate the friends I have around me who have given me personal advice from their own trials and tribulations, and I've come to appreciate the finer things in life. I definitely appreciate family and their help with Kate; the grandparents, grandaunts and granduncles, cousins - everyone has been so generous with their love towards my little girl.

My priorities in life are definitely different - family is tops now. Not that it wasn't before, but there is a renewed vigour in my appreciation of what's closest to my heart. All of life has become so much more special and meaningful since I've become a mother. Taking a walk - it's sweeter with Kate. It's more fun as I point out the birds and the trees, the cats and the cars. Eating - it's fun to experiment and let her eat with us, teaching her how to say please and eat in hand signals; seeing how she is always eager to join us at the dining table, how she has a seemingly bottomless stomach as she asks to eat everything that she sees. Going to the library, the park, the mall - everything is more exciting because we can share it with her. I love it.

I'm overcome with emotions as I think back and recall vividly the moments from the first contractions till the time the husband and I drove to the hospital at 2am; to hearing the nurse announce me as "5cm dilated", to pushing (not a very good job I did, apparently says the husband), to the first wails of Kate... to the first time she flipped herself around, her first smile, her first words, when she crawled, when she can run and play catching in her walker, when she knows that she's being reprimanded for doing something wrong, when she cried from colic, when she cries wanting attention, when she laughs when we tickle her, when she gives me a hug and crawls to lie on my body... it's been an awesome journey and the best 12 months in my life yet.

In the clear

So it's been a whole week since Kate was diagnosed with HFMD and I'm happy to announce that she's all fine now!

The strong little one had it bad the first 3 days, where the fever really made her super cranky.
By the 4th day though, she was on the mend and she was pretty much back to normal! Over the past 2 days, she was totally fine, active and cheeky safe for the spots which were drying up and scabbing.

Now, we look forward to Friday, where the husband and I can spend all day with her on her birthday. Yay!

Kate's 1st year - the video

The husband made a most awesome birthday for Kate.

I saw him putting in hours and hours making it right. I love how the song reminds us of the innocence of all kids, and how they are the hopes and aspirations of all parents. I find it very touching too that we can share our special moment with kids of our friends - knowing that every parent understand and go through all the same trials, tribulations and triumphs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJwgdTizjj0

No-party day

Today was meant to be the day we celebrated Kate's 1st year birthday in advance, with balloons and streamers, in pink and bears, with cookies and catered food, with friends and family.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

Once Kate was diagnosed with HFMD earlier this week, the husband and I quickly went about cancelling all that we could as we knew that the party could no longer happen. The catering was cancelled, the party preparations halted and the only thing that we kept was the cake. Nothing's going to stop us from devouring the cake on the actual day!

I guess there's still lots to be grateful for - the well-wishes that streamed in from friends and families asking about Kate and wishing her speedy recovery; the fact that Kate was under the weather for only about 3 days, of which the fever was quickly contained and the spots are already on the dry by now. The most awesome piece of news is that she will be out of the quarantined period by the actual birthday, which means that the husband and I will be able to bring her out for a celebration!

While I feel wistful that today is not happening, I'm trying to focus on the good stuff.

The husband is putting finishing touches to this awesome video, a special tribute to Kate and her lovely first year. Looking forward to sharing that final product!

Cranky Kate

So the HFMD has really hit and the blisters seem to be sprouting. They seem to attack her ezcema spots making it look angry and spotty. Little we can do but soothe/ distract her best we can. The husband has been very diligent about applying cream for her.

Last night, she woke up crying for no apparent reason, rejecting even the pacifier. I suspect the blisters have attacked her throat/mouth and causing her distress.

She didn't sleep till past 12, unable to settle properly and extremely clingy. She didn't allow me to leave for work yesterday morning - she sat on my lap with her head on my chest and wanted me to sing to her. The MIL and I had to distract her with a bath while I made my escape to work. Last night, she preferred to lie on my body than beside me before drifting off to sleep.

My heart breaks, imagining the pains and aches and discomfort she is experiencing right now. Day 3 already, another 5 to go. Really sayang to see her in this state. The only comfort is that she's still eating her foods and drinking milk, and not resistent to medicine.

Dear Kate, Mommy hates to see you in this state. If I could, I'll bear
the pain for you, but I can't. The bad bug will go away very soon, it will make
you stronger, so be good and bear with it for now, ok? Mommy will always be by
your side to hold and hug you, even if I cannot do anything else, I will never
leave your side.

Love always and be strong my love...

This is me

HFMD

has hit Kate. Poor girl was already unwell right? Seems like the throat infection is not actually that, but the initial stages of the dreaded HFMD (Hand Foot Mouth Disease) - wonder where she caught it from?

The birthday party cannot take place on Saturday afterall, as we have to quarantine her for 7-10 days.

More importantly though, I wish I could take away all the discomfort Kate is feeling - the fever, the itch and pain she's feeling.

Sigh. My poor baby.

Ka-ching!

According to the chinese lunar calendar, Kate is 1 year old today.

Besides prayers to the Gods, we did this very traditional ritual which in olden days, "set" the path for the child's future.

This is how it works: you line up several items that signify different career paths for the child. Items may be pens (become a writer), books (a scholar), food (hm, not sure about this, a chef, perhaps?) or money.

I'm not typically traditional, but since the MIL was arranging the whole process, the husband and I caught on and saw no harm to attempting the ritual.

So we lined up the following items today: a chicken drumstick, a calculator, a book, a $100 note and a pen.

It was very interesting to watch Kate react when she saw them lined up in front of her. She first reached towards the book, but she changed her mind at the last moment and picked up the $100 note!

Ah, my daughter's destined for big money! Woot!

Go away bug!

Kate is running a viral throat infection, causing her much discomfort and a temperature that keeps fluctuating. Poor girl's temperature hit 39.5 degrees celcius at its highest.

The husband and I have been on our toes all day, monitoring her temperature very closely.

Get well soon, my precious.

Progress

The intentions were good. Quite a while ago, the sister and I already started discussing the outline of the party. I did a list (where is that btw...) and it seemed too early to do much then, so we were taking it easy.

It is now 7 days before the party and uh, I feel as if there's still much to be done!

Hm, now's probably a good time to dig that list out and run through it.

Found it! Here goes...

Invitation: done and sent out!
Deco: have purchased a roll of crepe paper, a roll of construction paper and a roll of felt. Have also purchased some balloons - hm, need to sort out the helium.

Food: catered, need to amend the number of pax catered for.

Displays:
a/ feet & hand mould - gotta find that
b/ photo growth pics - the sister will be helping to print these
c/ video - work-in-progress by the husband

Music: what's suitable for a kids' party?

Games: have bought some party play-items and bubbles

Chairs: need to remind uncle to bring them over

Ice-box: the husband to borrow from friend/family

Cake: this has been ordered!

Gift bags: still unsure of quantity and what to put within. Maybe cookies.

Birthday banner: in-progress, pending support/help from the sister.

Gosh, I feel terribly unprepared!

A warm and fuzzy feeling

That's how I feel when I cuddle Kate. It's how I feel when I look at her.

Last night, I was watching her sleep when the husband came up from behind and whispered "why are you staring at her?"

I love watching Kate. I do it because I get this sense of love and calm, and I feel like the world's come to a standstill as I'm looking at her peaceful face. Her cherubic cheeks, the pouty lips, the very slight double-eyelid that she has (she is, through and through a single eye-lidder when her eyes are open though), her tousled hair (yes! She has hair now! After 10 loong months)... I love how she can toss and turn herself around and about to make herself comfortable. Sometimes, when the husband and I kiss her, we disturb her sleep and she'll wrinkle her nose and rub it with her tiny fists and it's soo incredibly cute!

Kate also performs acrobatics in her sleep. One moment she'd be lying in a spot, the next she'd have flipped to another. I have to be careful before I move my hands or body as I never know where her head or feet are, as I don't wish to squash her. For a small person, she takes up a lot of space. It's cute though, when I wake up and I feel her head close to my body and the next find her feet instead!

I also love lying very very close to her, it's an amazing feeling to have her little body next to mine. What's even more precious is when she comes to lay herself on my body when I ask her for a hug.

Awesome.