My Sister's Birthday

My sister came from Jakarta few days ago. And she will stay here for about a month. What a great time to have her here.

Besides helping me do the chores, she serves us with various meals too. She likes to read recipe books, so I’ll just let her do whatever experiment she would like to do in the kitchen.
And result…. Yummy!

Breakfast with Noodle Omelette

Rice and Cucumber Roll

Today is her birthday; we brought her to Sushi King as she likes to eat Japanese food.

Happy birthday dear sister! May you grow in the Lord, obey and serve Him forever. Amen

Train Fidel To Sleep Through The Night

Last week, I lied on the bed for three days. I had a bad flu-runny nose, fever, backache and headache. I really need my mother-in-law to take care of Fidel at daytime, and Joseph takes turn in the evening. I went to doctor and he suggested me to stop breastfeeding for 2-3days though he didn’t prescribe antibiotic for me. But anyhow I managed to breastfeed Fidel for 3-4times/day.

Usually I will feed my baby on the bed till him asleep and he will wake up and cry at least 2-3 times before he really got a deep sleep, again at 3-4am. Every time he must suck the breast milk only he will go back to sleep.

Since I was sick, Joseph thinks that it’s a best time to train him sleep through the night. Then, the training starts….

First night, after feed him to sleep (the last breast milk at night), I move to another room. Joseph sleeps with him. Like usual, he wakes up after 1hour, he cried but this time no more milk for him. Let him cry for half hour, and he go back to sleep.

Second night, he wakes up again at 1am, let him cry till he sleep. He woke up at 5am and tapped Joseph backside.

Third, fourth, till sixth day mostly he wakes up one time, and normally he sleeps again until 6am, and Joseph carries him to me, and I feed him.

Seventh day, he didn’t wake up at all from 10.30pm till 7.00am. We were surprised! Is it success? We are not sure about the answer. Joseph is sick now. I think I passed the virus to him. And Fidel will sleep with me again.

Thank God that Fidel is still fine; he is strong. I guess it because the antibody from the breast milk that he took while I was sick.

For all mothers who breastfeed your baby, when you are not feeling well, flu, fever, just continue the breastfeeding. Wear a face mask and feed your baby or you can pump the milk out. The breast milk will still contain antibody to prevent your baby from get sick.

Breastfeed For Health

Fidel is 8 months now, and I still breastfeed him, 3-4times/day.
From the newspaper I read last Sunday about breastfeeding; multiple studies have shown a reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression in women who have breastfed their babies. The longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Breastfeeding helps restore the uterus to its original size by inducing uterine contractions and decreasing postpartum blood loss after birth. The act of breastfeeding also provides an intimate, relaxing experience for mother and baby, helping them bond. Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm, and comforted.
Breastfeeding mothers also may have increased self-confidence and feelings of closeness to their infants.

Breast milk is always warm, ready for use, and in perfect proportion to infants’ needs: no bottles to wash or trash to discard. And because of the immune protections provided to infants, breastfed babies are healthier, saving on health care expenses and increasing productivity of parents who miss less work.

It is very important to do exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for the first year of life and beyond.

8 Month-Old Fidel Fell From Bed

Eight o’clock in the morning, I was washing the rice, preparing the porridge for Fidel. Suddenly I heard him cried. I hurried myself to the room; I was shocked when I didn’t see him on our bed. Oh no… He is on the floor! He fell down from the bed.

I quickly picked him up, hugged him, rubbed his head and calm him. He cried for few seconds. I checked his whole head, limbs, pressed his head, see whether got any pain reaction from him, and asked “Is it pain? Are you OK?” He smiled and laughed back to me. Oh dear, it’s really scared me.

Fidel usually doesn’t cry while he wakes up in the morning. Sometimes we do not know that he wakes up. Next time I need to be more careful, though I’ve blocked him with many pillows, because he can crawl very fast now.

Thank God for his protection.

Fidel New Hair Cut

Today we took Fidel to an Indian Barber shop for a haircut. Recently he sweats a lot, especially his head. He keeps scratching his head till he gets a rash.

Before

The man placed a small stool on the normal chair. Fidel sat on the stool and I hold him. Fidel sat still, he didn’t struggle or cry. He enjoyed it. He was like wondering,” What is this man doing with my head?”

It took about 1-2minutes, for three ringgit only.

So, here is Fidel new hair cut.

After

My First Mother's Day

Last year was my first time experienced mother’s day when Fidel still inside my womb. This year, it is my first time again to experience mother’s day with the “real” Fidel.

This morning when I woke up, I was like reminding myself, “Oh! I’m a mother now”. After 7.5 months I take care of Fidel, I realize that it is not easy to being a mother.

There were a group of children sang a song of mother’s day this morning in the church. They sang it in Mandarin; I was touched though I didn’t fully understand the meaning. I just prayed that God will strengthen me and help me to bear this special occupation which God had trusted the little Fidel to us. And I thank God for my lovely mommy too. She is the greatest one.

Happy mother’s day!

Fidel's Favorite Porridge

Since Fidel was 6 month old, I started give him porridge for his lunch and dinner. When he was 5.5months I gave him cereal twice a day. He doesn’t drink so much water, he doesn’t like drinking water. End up he got constipation. There was one day he tried to poopoo , already sat on the potty for 35minutes, till whole body sweating and crying, the stool still didn’t come out. The stool was too hard and he didn’t have strength to push it out. I took him to the hospital then.

The nurse helped to insert 5ml of Glycerin Enema into the rectum. This liquid treatment is adhered to clear the bowel, induce better functioning of the bowel, to cleanse and provide therapeutic benefits. After 1-2minutes, “all” came out. Wow!

OK… We go back to the porridge again. Doctor encouraged introducing more porridge and fruits/vegetable purees in his diet. These are rich in fibre and will help prevent constipation.

I cook porridge and add potato, carrot, and spinach/broccoli. I use slow cooker to cook the porridge. The spinach, I will put it in 20-30minutes before I get the porridge done. For the broccoli, 15minutes is enough. Overcooking vegetables may lose its nutrients and vitamins.

Shredded potato and carrot

Porridge with broccoli

Porridge with spinach

Fidel loves to eat the porridge. If we feed him too slow, he will complain and crying. Sometimes he will open his mouth big big while I just want to scoop it from the bowl. Must quick!