Team Ellie

My best birth support team

Sorry I farted in your face twice in my table top position.

My best breastfeeding support team.

Weight up

Olivia who was born with 6lb 13ounces had a downward weight trend at her three day checkup.

Boo.

The pediatrician told me to do two hourly feeds. I have forgotten how exhausting they are. But thanks to grandma who helped me to keep an eye on the clock and prodding Olivia to wake up, we managed to keep up with the feeds. 

We had to return the next day to see if her weight went up. It did! Three ounces! 

Ok I cheated a little by giving her 40ml of formula. The doc said the average weight gain is 1/2 to 2 ounces so she overshot which meant she didn't really need the formula. Who cares, she looked like she was starving and I didn't want a de javu starving Sophie episode. 

 

The day when 5 became 6

The very helpful big sister

I was initially worried that Sophie would be really jealous toward mei mei. She looked a little apprehensive when she first met her at the hospital but that quickly turned into acts of enthusiasm. Over enthusiasm at times actually.

Always wanting to change a diaper.

Always wanting to give a kiss and hug.

Always wanting to carry her.

Even if Sophie was trying to show that she's jealous and wants attention, I think she was pretty clever about it. Like singing songs all day. Mommy is always attracted to her singing!

After these days, we finally managed to get her to cool off on the changing diapers and carrying. She's still pretty clingy at times, like wanting me to put her to bed. 

Olivia

Our mei-ster is here.

Born on Oct 22, 2014 at 5:19pm.

Weighing 6lb 13ounces at 20inches. 

She came out with one push! Wow!

Baby mei mei

10/22, 1:30pm

Well, the mei-ster might be finally on her way out. We checked into the hospital around 11am today and dada is having some stronger contractions. Dada is 2-3cm dilated now so the doctor admitted us. The contractions are a 6 as far as pain level according to dada which is more than the 3 level that she felt when we came to the hospital last Saturday. Now time to wait. Looks very painful for dada during contractions... 加油

3:56pm

Doc just popped dd's waterbag and now she is 7cm dilated. Things should be moving fast now. Bath seemed to help just like with Sophie. 

6:38pm

Olivia was welcomed into the world at 5:19pm. 6lbs 13oz, 19"

Things went by so fast and dd just had 1 big push before Olivia came out. Doctor almost didn't make it in time since another women was delivering at the same time. Phew! Lucky she made it. Luckily only 1 stitch for dd so not as bad a tear as last time. 

10/23, 1:30am

All setup in the recovery room. Olivia just had her bath and is sleeping while dd just devoured a bowl of cup o noodles. 

Silly faces

40 weeks and 1 day

I'm past my due date and my belly looks really funny now.

Grandma's surprise

Grandma enticed Sophie to eat more by giving her a surprise-favourite coconut!!

The coconuts were on sale and as expected the meat was tough. So grandma had to hack the nut into two. See the duo devouring away...

"Gime that piece!"

With gramps at happy hollow

The five of us went to Sophie's happiest place on earth-happy hollow! I realized I didn't tell the folks we were going there before they reached the place. Accidental good strategy otherwise grandpa would have exclaimed "too expensive" and don't want to come. Haha!

Taking her train-train dragon ride with grandma and smiling for once!!

She got on the horse barrel after some persuasion but still refused to get near the petting zoo goats and sheep. I bought some goat feed and tried to entice her to feed the goats. She just looked on at the goats nibbling my tshirt for more food and thinking her mom went nuts. 

Our little munchkin is so confident with her poot poot car ride now. I still remember her terrified look when I first put her in one year ago. Now she turns the wheels wildly and rings the fire truck bell. And also wants to climb in and buckle herself up now.

Almost 40 weeks

According to history, I should be having contractions later this morning. Doesn't quite feel like anything yet. I have a doctor's appointment later this morning. Let's see what she says.

The gramps have been here for almost a week now, just about the same time that my piles have taken me by storm. It's very painful! Sitting, standing, walking, laying down are all painful. The only relief is being on all fours. But how long can I stay in that position? The next best is laying down, so I did that for an entire day on Monday. But it cuts off blood circulation to my legs and then my sciatic nerves hurt. Nothing to please this pregnant woman with her baby so low down and stuck in her birth canal and baby legs dangling in the air.

I finally woke up at 3am to pee and realized that my piles have started to bleed. Ouch. I feel a little better after cleaning them up. Time to do something that makes me feel a little better-like looking at pictures of Soph.

First day of maternity leave

What a blessing to be sitting at the mall with a bubble tea without a care in the world (for the first day!)!

So tired trying to wrap up work yesterday that my sciatic nerves went crazy. I imagined I had to spent my first day of leave in labour... But I made it! Ahhh...

Not too much longer now...

Craft workshop at Home Depot

It's once a month and it's free!!!

I've been seeing this workshop on my freebiesformom deals website and always wanted to join it, but the recommended age is 5-12 so I wasn't sure if Soph was ready for it yet.

But this month, the craft was ambulance truck and knowing Soph's love for trucks, I decided to just sign them up for this. Add some father-daughter bonding time to that too, while I go for yoga.

So, Sophie gets a little Home Depot apron, a pin (with a picture of the truck!), a kit with the wooden truck pieces and stickers to paste on the truck, drawing papers, and crayons. Wow! Only downside is that they have to line up to get the stuff. Well, who doesn't want freebies. 

Heard from dd that they provide an area with tools like hammer and paint to build the truck. It sounds fun.

There was even a real fire truck and policeman there for the kids.

After the workshop, the duo chilled out at kee-wah while Sophie busily continued working on her drawing. She didn't want to take off her apron.

Next month's workshop is pallet coaster. I think this might just become a monthly activity. Gotta collect all the pins!

Cutting Skills

<Snip-Snip> goes Sophie's wavy art and craft scissors that are a little wonky. But she can still follow the line and cut in a straight line!
Also not forgetting to shout "School bus lai le!" when she heard the orange vehicle roll past our home.