MyGym @ Marine Parade

Ariel has finished about 1 term at MyGym, and is going onto her 2nd term.
She attends twice a week for 2 hours per session.
The fees are on the high side, but I feel it's worth the cost :)
It's not exactly your typical playgroup. It's coupled with many physical "stunts" that bring out the confidence in your child.
Oh, because of this, she has become quite a "fearless" monkey at home, attempting to climb here and there, undetered by her previous falls and bruises.

Here's how the 2 hours is spent.
First, the kids will have some free play to settle them down before class. The toys and props change every class

Next, they'll sit in a circle for songs and actions. The teacher would also use flash cards and objects to teach words or alphabets.

Thereafter, they'll have art and craft according to the theme of the day.

And then the best part! Gym stunts! They'll usually do 2 items per class.

The class will then wrap up with snack time and a story before going home.

Now, I'm contemplating whether to continue classes for her there. There's a promotion of receiving 1 term free if you sign up for 5. That would mean that I'll have to commit one whole year with the gym. What if... I decide to enrol her for other activities later this year... What if... She outgrows the programme and doesn't find it interesting anymore... Plus, it's not cheap! Hope I make a right decision on this!

Goodbye breastfeeding

At 21 months postpartum, I have finally kissed breastfeeding goodbye.
It was a journey that required a great deal of tenacity and sacrifice.
I had planned to hit the 2-year mark, but I couldn't do so anymore.
Tiredness was the key factor. Plus a developing toddler who requires more attention and play - I'd rather spend the precious moments after work reading & playing with her, than spend time being with the pump!
I feel so liberated! But a slight tinge of sadness too
Nevertheless, I feel I have done well, and ariel takes formula milk well too, after some long months of weaning.
SO, goodbye breastfeeding. You have been such a big part of me for almost 2 years.
I thank you for the goodness you've brought along to nourish my child.

OK! Moving on... Last Friday was Halloween. I do not endorse this festival. But since I had some neighbours who went all out to decorate their homes, creating scare zones and offered treats; I got ariel a small hat from Daiso and she brought along her pumpkin bucket gift and went home to home to collect candies :)
Quite a fun experience. Some people intentionally dolled up like ghouls to up the spook level. Haha.

Flying again!

The last time I took an airplane to travel out of Singapore was in July 2012.

After 2 years, I am finally travelling again!

This Friday night, I'll be heading to Kyushu with my family and my little sweetheart :)

Feeling excited, as quite a lot of time and effort was spent planning the self-drive itinerary and places of interest to visit.

I pray ariel will take this trip well and be covered with divine protection and health! 

It's gonna be her first overseas trip. Food will also be a concern and I pray she won't be picky. 

Come 8 Jan 2015, we'll also be going for our first cruise on Royal Caribbean. It's either Club Med or Royal Caribbean as I appreciate fuss-free holidays when travelling with a young child. Club Med was more expensive, so we decided to try Royal Caribbean. Read up and heard some rave reviews about the cruise, so it's another thing to look forward to!

Life is good :)

Here's a picture of my dear baby who LOVES dogs and is absolutely fearless. She has no qualms about letting a dog eat out of her little palm. Haha.

Recently, I read a short post about the feeling of humdrum in life, living each day with a sense of lack of purpose. And then she had a revelation of having FRESH BREAD every morning. Fresh manna of God's provision of joy, strength, purpose, faith, vision, etc every new morning. Wow! What a powerful reminder to me.

Exodus 16:19-21

19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.

Weekends are such fun!

Dragged my daughter out of bed early last Saturday for a hike up the Marang Trail to Mount Faber with some colleagues. It was quite a workout walking up the steps especially with a toddler who wanted to be carried...
Sometime later, she warmed up and had much fun with my colleague's puppy. We went to Quayside isle at Sentosa Cove for brunch at Kith thereafter. Yummy yummy food. ariel enjoyed a sweet corn omelette. It was a well-spent Saturday! She was knocked out after the excursion, haha.

Over the national day weekend, we also went for a staycation at Royal Plaza on Scotts. Convenient location in the heart of town. but andrew had food poisoning after our 1st night's buffet dinner, so the staycation was rather uneventful.

Then, it was my babe's inaugural visit to Universal Studios Singapore. she didn't really enjoy the rides, got a little frightened. The sesame street shows with song and dance really delighted her :)

That pretty much sums up my month of August. whatever time I have with my daughter is so precious so we try to pack the weekends. And she has Monday blues when everyone goes back to work :( Becomes a little cranky.
Will blog more when time permits!

Realized I've neglected to update my blog for one whole month!

In about 3 weeks, my miu miu would be starting school at 19 months old.

Honestly, I had the jitters about this. heard stories about kids crying for a whole month, wailing til they vomitted, having nightmares, etc, casting doubts on whether she was too young for pre nursery. so I asked myself, is it a good thing? the answer was, Definitely! Beats staying at home with the maid all day and getting so glued to Barney on TV. She can socialise and learn things which a working parent (sadly) may not have the opportunity & time to teach. wondered how she would adapt, would her sleeping pattern adjust well, etc. 

at the end of the day, I will remind myself, leave it in God's hands and all will be well!

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7.

Thank God for His word which brings assurance and comfort.

Last weekend was quite eventful! I had complimentary tickets to BMW World exhibition and we brought ariel along. she took part in her first race for fun, - BMW baby racer for 18months to 3 years. basically the toddlers have to complete a small distance on a kid's bike and win some prizes. she was the youngest contestant! this was an eye-opener for me to the world of kiasu-ism. OMG. we saw parents getting their kids to do warm ups before the race, parents prepping their kids by whispering into their ears, mothers asking kids to rest and don't "waste" energy before the race starts, eager relatives at the finish line cheering the little ones to quickly reach the end. I was thinking, please! It's just for fun... A little girl (older than ariel), was too terrified by the commotion and kept clinging to her father. she eventually dropped out as she didn't want to sit on the racer to compete. 

Yay, my little girl came in LAST. haha. with her mini cooper consolation prize.

After that, we adjourned to TCC at MBS for afternoon tea while ariel had a nap. Good coffee and nice canapés. my heart is full!

6 days to half a year gone

It's getting to be a drag going to work.

I've been with my current employer for 6 years! 

Though I've been given opportunities to further my studies, I find my life mundane. 

Perhaps I'm burnt out?

I'm truly looking forward to January 2016 when my bond ends, and I can throw in my resignation and take a GOOD break.

Meantime, Lord, please strengthen me.

May Your joy help me last and add value to my organisation while I'm still here.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalms 90:12)

Had some thoughts yesterday.

I used to carry my Bible and a highlighter in my bag to catch readings during whatever small moments I had. Wonder what happened to those days. 

It's so easy for us to be consumed in the rush of everyday, especially with new challenges to handle.

Teach me never to forget my first love, to number my days and lead each day worthy of the life You've given.

Anyways, I had my final 2 wisdom teeth extracted last Monday! Was given 5 days of MC.

This time round felt more painful than the last time.

And I bled quite a bit.

Til now, 9 days post surgery, the wound site is still sore and I don't dare to chew on that side yet :(

Hoping it heals quickly!

16 months old

Ariel has just turned 16 months this June!
It's a joy seeing her grow up :)
From a tiny vulnerable newborn whom we were clueless about, to a bubbly toddler who's full of antics and chuckles.
Watching her hit milestones bring out so much  feelings of pride and affection.

I am still breastfeeding.
Previously, I was very concerned about weaning, but I realised a child can actually self-wean.
Well, I thank God that through some trials and errors, Ariel has developed an acceptance for powdered chocolate milk.
she can drink a feed of PediaSure chocolate milk mixed with regular formula milk without issues.
this has led me to reduce my pumping as well. I now pump only 3 times a day.
It is usually in the morning and bedtime when she desires breast milk.
my supply has also dropped drastically.
After a bout of stomach flu for the past 2 days, it was worse. my pumping yielded the lowest volume of milk...ever...

Well, ariel was also down with stomach flu last weekend, and I thanked God she was well after about 2 days of symptoms.
Times like these make me appreciate that I've persevered on in breastfeeding.
Not amplifying on the efficacy of breast milk, but I'm a believer that it does have therapeutic values to help a child get through mild sicknesses.

I foresee the end of my breastfeeding journey soon, if ariel keeps up with her acceptance of formula. It was tiring and inconvenient, and I often marvelled at the lengths I went through to keep up with this exclusive-breastmilk-thing. I, for one, am not a mother with overflowing banks and stashes of frozen milk in the freezer. I produce somewhat more than her appetite and have to work extra hard (like sacrificing sleep) to go through periods of growth spurts.
I did give some thought about how I'd feel when this breastfeeding journey ends.
A little sad I suppose, like probably the sense of loss of not providing nourishment for her anymore?
But that'll be replaced with more quality time and less stress about keeping time checks to pump. Ahh, and the dreadful washing of pumps and sterilizing.

My prayer for her is to always be healthy and happy, and to
grow up in the ways of Christ our Lord.

Miu Miu can say Amen! :)

The amazing world of baby food

Was trying to plan for Ariel's first overseas trip (still unsure where we'd be taking her, but very likely Kyushu sometime in October). One major consideration would definitely be her food! while she's alright with trying most foods, it's still soupy rice with soft veggies and fish for proper meal times. Japan is a good choice considering their cuisine is so easy to the asian baby's palate :) some quick research on Japan opened my eyes to the amazing world of japanese baby food! So innovative and so appealing! Like instant - Salmon and Vegetable porridge, cod and rice, soup bases for mixing with rice or noodle, seaweed and fish rice snacks. Wow Wow Wow... A quick visit to Meidi-Ya at Liang Court left me even more impressed with Japanese food creations for babies! While Cold Storage and selected local supermarkets also carry baby foods from Heinz and Nestle, my baby just can't take a jar of summer vegetables, or a jar or tuna pasta, beef and potato, brocolli, oatmeal and apple cereal, fruity wheat cookies for a meal. When offered rice-based japanese snacks from pigeon and wheat-based puffs/biscuits from Heinz or Gerber, she chooses her rice bites anytime. Haha. My girl is truly a cheena baby needing her warms soups and rice. Yay, I'm relieved and thank God for smart and thoughtful Japanese food-makers for coming up with these instant baby foods so the asian child can get his/her warm and well balanced meal on the go!

First quarter of 2014 flew by!

Tomorrow is Good Friday, a day we remember the sacrifice of Christ.
My aunt just went through a major surgery - Total knee replacement, this morning. Was very concerned for her. With prayers, the whole procedure went well and she's now resting. Must continue to cover her in prayers for a good recovery with no infections and complications.
My life has been rather routine these days. Routinely pressed for time every day! Haha
So, I wonder how people cope with more than one child?
Although I know I cannot just have ONE child, and that the time would come for us to consider a sibling for ariel, I'm just not prepared as yet.
how to love another one? she's already sooooo loveable
Haha, these are rather thrashy thoughts.
I'm just taking a break to destress from work at the moment.
Mind is rather cluttered and I'm not making much sense here, just thought I'll come by to drop a note and keep this blog alive.
Speaking of which, ariel had an inaugural hair trim last Sunday. wahahaha...
She looks rather cartoon. LOL
but CUTE! the little piglet is drinking avocado juice at old airport road hawker centre. Haha, always likes to behave like an adult.
I'm so in love with my babe.

All set for school

Quite pleased that I've settled ariel's enrolment. Paid an application fee and deposit already. she'll be commencing on 1 Sept 2014! Right now, it's to bring her to school regularly to play so that she will get familiar with the environment, making her transition to preschool smooth! Here's a photo of her exploring her future speech and drama centre. The toys look so fun! I'm also confessing positive scriptures over her as she starts school, praying specifically for protection, favour and excellence.

In this new year, I shall be reminded of Jeremiah 48:11 as my guiding principle. “Moab has been at rest from youth, like wine left on its dregs, not poured from one jar to another— she has not gone into exile. So she tastes as she did, and her aroma is unchanged."
I pray I'll not remain stagnant and sluggish in my walk, but for the Lord to always change me for His glory. May my ways be guided by Him everyday.

Growing fast

Little ariel is about 13 months old now! She's walking steadily now. Such joy to see her hitting her milestones. But, i think she's a tad too skinny. Hope she eats more and put on a bit more flesh. She really loves milk and can drink a lot if you allow her to. Can you eat more solids please, miu miu?

Speaking about milk, she's still largely on breast milk. What an old baby to still be on breast milk. Haha. She can take at most 3 scoops of formula milk a day, but it must be mixed. So, shall be disciplined to increase her formula milk intake so I can wean her off slowly.
I've also signed ariel for half-day playgroup at ChildFirst commencing on 1 September 2014. It's at mountbatten square, a few bus stops away from home. shortlisted this place as they have a chinese immersion programme, and I really hope to give ariel a good foundation in mandarin, considering we are so ill-disciplined in NOT speaking chinese to her at home, and she has so little exposure to this language!
Last thursday, I brought ariel for a surprise visit to the preschool. had a very warm welcome and tour conducted by the school's principal. They had nice little touches which impressed me. no outdoor playground (which I do not mind at all, in view of increased incidents of haze), but an indoor playground and gym! what's best is they allow ariel to go to the school about once a week, to play in the school or join their tea break to get used to the environment and food, so there wouldn't be a culture shock when she commences officially. ariel was also visibly happy at the place, smiling around and grabbing legs of the principal and teachers.
I must admit the school fees are hefty! and there are definitely more lower-priced options from public-linked childcares. But i guess you get what you pay for. Not really a heavyweight shopper going around centres before making a choice. so I have settled for the first place that gave me and my babe a good impression and put us at ease. May she have a meaningful learning experience in time to come!

It's February already?

Another month has passed in lightning speed!
A significant event has taken place this month, and that is ariel's first birthday!
This may sound a little dismal, but I'm actually so happy and glad she survived the first year! You know how vulnerable our little ones are, and there are always stories of creepy illnesses threatening the well-being of kids.
I pray that the Lord be with her as her life unfolds, she grows in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people :)
Anyway, we are such staycation buffs, haha. Did one over the last weekend of January to celebrate ariel's turning one at Hotel Fort Canning. Very pleasant, small and cozy boutique hotel, but not cheap. We frequented Plaza Singapura and Liang Court on foot during our stay.

Also realized that ariel has an affection for dogs! During her walks, she'll always squeal in delight when she spots dogs and when given a chance to pat one. Haha!

Love my dearest baby!

Knowing that God is in charge

Being a first time mum and having a first experience of caring for a sick and cranky child is never easy.

The road to recovery appears long when baby shows no sign of improvement.

The doctors examinations that cause the child distress are heartbreaking.

At the end of the day, I have to remind myself that God is in charge.

He's the alpha and omega. He's the beginning and the end and I have to trust His heart.

A mother's first major experience with a sick child

When ariel was exclusively breastfed, I was "spoilt" with a largely healthy baby needing no doctor's visits for sicknesses.

her accident in mid December led to our inaugural visit to a hospital's accident and emergency department.

Although not related to her fall, since then, she had one thing after another coming!

First came the attack of a viral fever which lasted for about 4 days and thereafter she had an outbreak of rashes.

Thought that was over.

Then, people around her started sneezing, coughing...

I took for granted to minimize her contact with unwell people, because such has happened before and she did not catch anything previously (thankfully...)

this time, the germs proved too strong. She was already taking less breast milk as I was trying to wean her off with increased solid intake, plus some feeds mixed with powdered milk.

My poor baby succumbed to these stupid external viruses!

She's now having an on-off temperature, chesty cough with phlegm (heart breaks whenever she tries to cough out the phlegm til her face turns red).

Just yesterday, she started having a runny nose and I had to take her to the GP.

Now, she has 4 types of medications to take:
1) Syrup for cough
2) Syrup to dissolve phlegm
3) Nasal drip
4) Solution for flu

Everytime we try to feed her medicine, she cries like she's being tortured...

She has no appetite for food as well, so all I can do is offer breast milk. I did not even bother mixing with powdered milk and just let her enjoy the goodness of breast milk (because this fussy girl will reject mixed milk at times), hoping it has some therapeutic value to her health.

Really praying for a speedy healing of this wretched sickness!

And myself? I need strength to manage my own health, sanity and demands of a needy baby :))

The joy of the Lord is my strength!