How dangerous can a father be? At home, he will play games like throwing the baby into the air and catching her. After getting tired of playing with her, he left her sitting unattended on the floor alone. In the restaurant, he fed her wasabi, and attempted to pick up some food that dropped onto the table and, what else, feed her! While on stroller ride, he didn’t bother to harness her properly, because it is just a 5 min ride down stair to the car park. When pushing the stroller down slope, he would push it at maximum speed, or let go the stroller and run after it.

Are mothers overprotective? He is always quoting “what doesn’t kill the baby will make her stronger”, while I goes “she can’t get stronger when she got killed”. Occaional showing of black faces or baby safty nagging sessions seems to instill a stronger sense of catious nowadays. Mothers have that special instinct that enable us to pick up signals when danger is nearing our precious little ones. Fathers, please handle with care, small fragile babies!

I am puzzled.

“The WMCR (working mother child relief) is given in recognition of the additional responsibilities that working mothers shoulder. It is also an incentive to encourage women to rejoin or continue to be part of the workforce after childbirth.” -Family Town

Its seems that mothers who choose to stay at home to care for their kids are not deemed desirable afterall! While it is heartening to see incentives given to working mothers, isn’t it logical to encourage stay at home moms to lay more eggs? I thought this will be the group who will be more willing to go for the second, third or fourth or more if they think the new baby is within their means. Hmm…perphaps the committee don’t think in this direction. The aim is to encourage working moms to break the zero mark. Those willing and encouraged ones don’t need more encouragements.

This package doesn’t really has anything to do with me, neither will it affect our family planning decision. Looks like I get to cut $95 from the maid’s levy, but my father is the one contributing the levy. Good for him, he can give more treats during his daily coffee shop uncles’ friendly debating sessions. However, as a true Singaporean, I need to stand by the “people have, I also must have” attitude…haha!

Never leave a rubbish basket full of dirty diapers near a baby! I have kept away the baby’s toiletries basket, permanently close the door of the toilet that is full of small pebbles and cleared all loose and small items on the floor, in anticipation of her wriggling her way to picking them up and stuffing them into her mouth. But not the waste basket. I thought it will be too high for the baby to reach and fish out something from it.

Alas, all babies are born with the special ability to detect and obtain chewable objects. With nothing interesting in her path of view to play with, the waste basket was locked as the desirable target. She managed to overturn it. I didn’t realise what happened until I discovered she was out of my sight and heard some strange sound of plastic bag. Must checked her out, just in case she got stuck under the sofa or suffocate herself with some plastic bag. Horror horror! I saw the waste basket overturned, diapers and tissues spilling all over the floor. The best part was, she was happily licking a diaper!! Thank God I always wrap the used diapers properly before I disposed them. She only managed to taste the clean part, and not the dirty stuff inside. Yummy feast, baby?

The baby gives her support to Li Jiawei for her match tomorrow. Go go girl, just one more win for a medal!

She must have happily thought that I have given up watching the Olympic after some gymnastic disappointment and Susilo’s lost. I have made her watched the games with me, or shoved a toy in front of her to keep her busy. Just don’t pooed during the crucial moments to make me miss the important bits. Poor baby, must have been quite lonely lately. I tried to control my curses and frustrations, but still startled her quite a few times. I am really sorry, but couldn’t help it. Just 10 more days, and mama will return her all the attentions with extra showers of love.

Sixth month! Time to make real food for the baby. I have the menu ready. She will have porridge. The greens will be sweat pea, spinach or broccoli. Yellow vege will consist of pumpkin, carrot or sweat potato. For meat, she will have fish, chicken or pork. Plus apple, pear or banana for dessert. Looks like very complete and nutritious. I am really excited to let her try home cook food, not just instant cereal anymore.

I even bought the more expensive snow fish for her. Howver, things turned out to be quite unexpected. After her meal, she has that fishy smell all over her mouth. Yeah, I got fishy kisses from her. The worse thing is, she started to constipate. She didn’t had her big business done for two days, then on the third day, after some hard work of “nggghh nggghh nggghhhh” (she really made that sound), out came a pellet. Worriedly, I fed her more water. I continued with the porridge the next day. It happened again, hard stool. Porridge caused constipation? I was not sure, but wanted to play safe before it become worse. So, no more porridge from yesterday onwards. And really, the situation is back to normal by this afternoon. Hmm…how should I go about solving this problem? Should I feed her more water and fruits?

How many things does a baby want to do at during bathtime? First, she chased her little rubber boat around. Then she discovered that if she hit the water with her palms, she will create a splash. Sensing herself loosing balance, she quickly extended her hands to the side of the tub and grabbed tightly to save her little dear life. Upon sensing my camera near focusing on her, she quickly turn around to stike a pose. Time to transfer her to the big pool for more fun time?

I was busy nursing the baby when my father was shouting for me to watch some parenting programme on Channel 8. I managed to catch the last section of the programme “Bundle of Joy”. That episode mainly deals with baby feeding, very informative!

The next day, Lilin and her Allan Wu was on Channel News Asia’s “Here’s Looking at you, Babe”. I told James this programme is like a big rojak of different items randomly put together. There is no flow between the different segments and the couple’s non-stop conversation seems more annoying then “loving”. The numerous re-telecast of the programme are like non-stop bombardments of nuisance. But as the usual mama who doesn’t miss out any information on parenting, I faithfully watches every episode (and later complained about the shallowness to poor James).

I am especially interested about the segment which discussed about feeding babies soy-based milk in both shows, because my mother-in-law had suggested switching the baby to soy milk when I stop breastfeeding in future. She said soy-based milk tastes better, but I had my reservation. According to the the paediatrician (Bundle of Joy) interviewed, soy-based milk is only recommended to babies who are lactose intolerant or allegy to cow’s milk. For non breastfed babies, cow’s milk is the preferred choice, because it contains lactose that breaks down to galactose, which is essential for nerve covering…i think it has something to do with brain tissue development. Human milk contains one of the highest concentrations of lactose of any mammal milk, while soy-based milk contains no lactose. Thats why milk is so important for infants and toddlers, when the brain is growing at amazing speed.

On the other hand, “Here’s Looking at you, Babe” only mentioned that babies with allergies or who are lactose intolerant could choose soy-based milk, as it contains the essential nutrients the babies need. It didn’t even caution parents to seek the paediatrician advice.

I think the difference in depth of the topic discussed simply highlighted how sloppy the production team is. They probably didn’t do any homework and didn’t bother about researching on their features.

This is a joyful day! First, the baby turns six months old today! What an achievement for her (and for us as well). The audio visual images of her persistent frequent crying during her second and third month still records vividly in my mind. I can remember her “feel so fragile” body which we tried to handle with care. But she is so enjoyable now, we are fast forgetting all those agonising times. Persistent crying? Just scooped her up and carry her or put her into her favourite bouncy chair. Couldn’t understand why it frustrated me so much then. Engorged breast that felt hard like rock and so painful? No big deal, just let the baby suckle as often as possible, she is the best breast pump, isn’t she? No time to get anything done? Just leave her with Indar and forget about her for a few hours for a break, she is in good hands, no worries. Going out for extended hours and can’t breastfeed her? No problem too, just give her cereal, she loves it! If I don’t refers to the photographs taken, I wouldn’t be able to recall how she looks like during her first three months (which I think is not too pleasant looking. I think friends who said she ls cute are really kind not to upset me). Things seems to be so so much easier now!

Secondly, the Athens 2004 starts today! Hurray, this day has finally arrived. I tried very hard to stay awake from 1.30am to catch the live telecast , only half-way successful. But the opening part is spectacular! The fact Olympic returns to Athens already touched me a great deal, watching the awesome opening ceremony almost moved me to tears (weird, why should I feel so sentimental about it?). Now, I don’t mind the baby grounding me, I can stay at home and watch TV with her. Tired night feeding? There might be a game in action which I can watch. Gymnastic, sailing, diving, swimming, synchronized swimming, badminton, mountain biking….my favourites! This is going to be some happy 16 days for me.

So, what has the baby got any thing to do with the games? The Olympic fever certainly hit me and set me dreaming about my kid becoming an athletic some day in future. Maybe I should start training her today so she could be my hero one day!

Babies have amazingly steep learning curve. A few weeks ago, I thought the baby was only able to sit in well supported high chair or walker. Sitting her on the floor or mattress was deem impossible, and might injuried her spine or neck or some bones (paranoid me!). However, as I got annoyed by her frustrated protest from extended tummy times, and more frustrated protest when I laid her on her back, sitting her up was the only escape I could count on.

Initially, she sat like the a little hunchback, not knowing where to place her limbs. I had to arrange them for her! Letting go meant falling. But she didn’t seem to disapprove these new actions. Very soon, she started to straightened her back. I helped her by placing her hands on her legs for support. She could balance momentarily, but didn’t know how to let go her hands for balance. After a few days, with some toys placed in front of her, she ventured upon letting go her hands, balancing herself with the titanic “you jumped, I jumped” style. Now, she still sits like the humpty dumpty, but I am looking forward to the day she could balance herself independently.

One moment they were hugging and kissing one another gently, the next moment, they extended their formidable claws and demostrated their prowess.