Peekaboo

A few days more and I need to go back to work.

And it pains me to leave the baby.
But we need to sacrifice a bit.
For now, I need to enjoy every minute spent with my little darling.

Fingers crossed, I hope everything goes as planned.
I hope all will fall into place.

Bottlefeeding the Baby

My maternity leave is nearing its end. In preparation for me, going back to work, I started pumping milk once a day and storing it in the freezer. I thought we wouldn't have problems with bottlefeeding the baby since she formula-fed during her first few days. But the first time we tried, we didn't succeed. Thawed milk was thrown away. I tried using freshly pumped milk but she still didn't want it.

Last night, I pumped an ounce of milk and prepped the other room. After her bath, she and Papa went to her room while I stayed in the other room. First attempt of Denden, she didn't want it. He let Euen sleep for a while and on his lap, he gave the bottle. Denden called me and we both watched Euen finish the ounce of milk! I was so happy and proud of my baby!

Denden will feed her once a day so she won't forget how to feed in the bottle. A bonding time for both of them, and a few hours of "me" time.

Happy Two Months

Our baby is two months old today!

Our current routine: feeding every two hours during the day but after her last feed at night, she has a five to six hour stretch of sleep. Yey for me! Her current weight is 11.6 lbs. Since it is summer, we give her a bath twice a day. The first one I give her after lunch. But I don't put her in the pail. The second one before she sleeps.

She started giving me the cutest smiles! Especially when she wakes up in the morning. She's also making different cooing sounds, as if answering when we talk to her. She's been enjoying her mobile also, staring at the toys. I can put her in a crib and she'll just play by herself, at most up to thirty minutes.

I am enjoying every single second with our baby. I do not want her to grow up too fast.

Happy two months to our princess.

Growing Baby

Somebody graduated from using mittens! I cut her fingernails to prevent her from scratching her face. Then I tried removing just one mitten. She screamed and cried after a while and I saw her pulling her own hair. Funny. So I put it back. I tried again a few hours a day, one mitten, then two. Then overnight. She seemed okay so I didn't put it back on. I watch her brushing her fingers through her hair but she learned not to pull it. Very good baby! I just have to cut her fingernails regularly.

We also noticed that she couldn't sleep in her bassinet anymore. So we tried the stroller seat and she loved it.

Time flies. Our baby's growing up so fast.

Baking Trial

We did't have a space for a stove with oven in our kitchen. I thought it was okay because I do not know how to bake anyway. But during my pregnancy, I thought it would be fun to bake pastries and deserts when we have children already. Thus the number one excuse to get an oven. But where to put it is the question.

Our conventional microwave oven is placed on the left corner of our countertop. I was always puzzled as to why ALL microwave ovens open from the right. This complicates opening our microwave oven.

One day, a salesman gave me a positive answer, there is a microwave oven that do not open from the right. It opens downwards. But it is not just a microwave oven, it is a microwave, grill and convection oven in one, the Whirlpool Jet Chef. I got excited but I held off buying because it is pricey.

BUT, our microwave broke a few weeks ago. Instead of buying a normal microwave oven, it gave me the second, third and fourth excuse to get an Jet Chef oven. Yey!

For my first try in baking, I got the help of Betty Crocker with the Chocolate Chip Cookies. Not bad for a first timer. Denden and Mamacherub liked it.

Post Pregnancy Hang-ups

Aside from a slice on my lower abdomen, a wound that needs cleaning, a binder that needs to be worn 24-7, the best part of leaving pregnancy is the baby that came out of my tummy.

But I had one pregnancy symptom that still hasn't left. A few weeks before I gave birth, my wrists started to hurt, especially in the mornings. My OB said it is part of water retention. I didn't have edema, my hands and feet didn't swell. But anyway, the pain was tolerable and I hoped it will go away after I gave birth.

But NO. The pain actually got worse after I gave birth. I consulted my OB and she said, give it a few more weeks and it will go away. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in pregnancy and post pregnancy is common. I read it could extend to months, up to a year, post pregnancy. Sad and scary. I was very cautious and careful everytime I carry Euen. And I didn't want to give her a bath for safety reasons.

Another good part after pregnancy, I was back to being prediabetic. Thus, goodbye insulin! I still need to test my blood sugar once a week and I was prescibed with a once-a-day metformin.

Denden had a business trip and I was left alone with the baby for three days. Good thing Mamacherub came at night to bathe her.

Euen and I survived the three days home alone. It was a challenge but every time she stops crying and I stare at the sleeping baby, I forget that I am tired.