He Recognised Words!!

Received an email from Nicholas' teacher saying that he is a fast learner and is able to "read" the words bus; van and car.

I had reservation on how true it was till I actually tested him out. I was surprised he really able to recognise the words even though its was only being taught that week.

I have difficulty asking him to do it for the video as he is now in the camera shy stage..so..heehee..got to offer bribe to get him open his mouth.

Setting Priorities in Life

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough...Remember this story.

A professor stood before his philosophy class. He had some items in front of him. When the class began, without saying a word, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and the pebbles rolled into the areas between the golf balls

He again asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

Once again he asked the class if the jar was full and the students responded with an unanimous 'yes'.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the contents into the jar, filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions – things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that, like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else.'

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled, 'it just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Nicholas And Baby

I never realised Nicholas had grown so much if not for the arrival of the baby! After facing Baby Ryan for the whole day, when I look at Nicholas, he looks so BIG and Grown Up!!!

Being a "rough" boy, I'm surprised that he can be so gentle with little baby. His every touch and stroke is so gentle...and I can tell he loves the baby too! Every morning, he will go to the cot and look at baby. And If I'm feeding baby, he will come near baby and gently stroke his hands and legs, sometimes, leaving a kiss on baby's hand.

See the way he look at baby??! So filled with loves... I'm glad baby Ryan is well accepted by all his siblings. Hope they will continue to love each other this way when they grow up.

First Check Up

Went back for the 1st check up on both baby and me. My gynae and paediatrician's clinic are just next to each other so its very convenient for me.

Baby got to see first and gynae got quite a number of patients. Baby had regained his weight loss in 5 days and he is back to his birth weight and slightly more (3.175kgs). His jaundice almost gone and everything is fine for baby.

After baby is done, hopped over to my gynae's clinic to take out the stitches. Gynae was in her jovial mood today. Told us that this pregnancy of ours had caused her to have a few more strands of grey hairs.

Next, we went down to register the baby's name. Daddy changed his mind on naming baby as Joel. He wants to name the baby Ryan. Since he is the daddy, I respect his decision.

So now, Baby Joel is Baby Ryan.

Home Coming And The Days After...

Finally, we are home! His weight on the day of discharge dropped to 2.91kg.

The first day was terrible! The baby cried the whole day and night wanting to be carried and fed. I was like a cow 24 hour!!! No chance to rest at all. As I did not engaged any confinement nanny, I will have to take care of him myself. Glad that I have a good helper to relieve me once in a while. But I was left to handle him throughout the long night. Hubby woke up once in a while to give me some morale support though. However, as previous, he dared not carry the baby yet.

I only got the chance to sleep at about 6am in the morning. I couldn't take it any more and pass the baby to my helper. Instructed her to place the baby under the sun from 9am to 9.30am as he had mild jaundice. Guessed little boy tired himself too crying the whole night and he slept throughout the "sun-tanning".

The whole day, helper took over him so that I can catch some sleep. She did the cooking for me while I breastfeed him. Guessed he must have not used to the surrounding and temperature of our house on the home-coming day, thus the non-stop crying.

But today, he was better. He just drink and slept. No more crying at night too. He is a fast drinker too. He was satisfied within 15 mintues to half an hour on the breast and goes to sleep.

And I had already settled into the new routine. Morning will be my rest time, Afternoon time was spending coaching the 2 girls on their work. Late afternoon, have an hour of nap. Evening time was 100% for Nicholas.

Day 2

Last night, hubby brought the kids to see their new baby brothers in the evening. The 2 girls were excited, fussing around their new brother. FIL commented that he resemble Rachel. What do you think? I can't tell..

Baby

Rachel

When hubby asked Nicholas if he wants to see his baby brother, he just kept quiet and turn his face away from the baby. Hubby disturbed him by turning him around so that he faces the baby. But Nicholas again turned his head away. Guessed he is a little jealous and also doesn't know how to react to the new baby.

Today, being Good Friday, my sister offered to take my 2 girls to her church. Hubby had some work to do and thus, came over only in the evening. My mom commented that he is very handsome..hee...I can't tell either but I know one thing is that he knows mommy is in pain and weak and thus didn't cry much for "milk". He using his reserve till mommy gets better.

Oh..gynae came to see me in the morning and was concern over the massive blood flow. She ordered the nurse to inject some medication into the drip to reduce the flow.

Our New Addition !

Finally, D-day!

Hubby arrived at about 8am after sending the 2 girls to school. Said a little prayer and waited to be wheeled into the operating theatre. Even after going through this 3 times, I still feel nervous lying there on the operating table. Can see hubby worried eyes too especially when the operating theatre door was closing. I think he knows there's a small element of risks here as doctor kept reminding him to keep vigil outside just in case they need to get his consent for any issue.

This little boy seems to like the number "4" & "9". A lot of his information has these two numbers.

While the boy was out very early, I was only wheeled into my ward at about 12 noon. Gynae told hubby that I have lost a lot of blood and she needs to keep me in the observation/ recovery room to monitor my condition. She again expressed her shock on my thin uterus! She said she was glad she make the decision to operate on me at exactly 37 weeks as any big contraction might endanger both mother and child.

I'm Checking In...

Yes, I'm leaving for the hospital now although I'm only schedule to be "cut" on 9th April. Gynae need me to have a series of blood test before the operation and the hospital need me to go in before 7.30am on the 8th April to start all the tests.

Given my low blood count, gynae wants to standby 2 packet of blood just in case I need it. So I need to have the test done at 7.30am and they will do a blood match and get blood from the blood bank at NUH (I think). She also want me to test if my blood can clog well.. so its a series of test tomorrow..

Since its make no difference if I admit tomorrow morning 7am or today after mid-night, hubby and I decided that we should admit tonight. We can have a nice supper and take a slow drive to hospital so that we need not rush the next morning.

Wish me luck and safe delivery...