Aidan: a textbook baby

One of the first things I did after I learnt that I'd conceived was to get books. No, not the "what to expect when you're expecting" type of books (these info are easily available on the internet and http://www.babycenter.com/ is an excellent resource) but the babycare books.

DH and I knew all along that if we were to start a family, we'd be doing it pretty much on our own. This explains why I'm a SAHM because we have zero help and I definitely do not want to leave my baby alone with a domestic help. So I need to learn how to care for a newborn and how to raise a baby in less than 10 months!

Hence, the term textbook baby. We didn't even hire a confinement nanny. It's just DH, me and the textbooks, no kidding. Of course, it's somewhat like sitting for a practical exam by studying the theory, so you can imagine how inadequate we felt. Aidan, when he was a newborn was as predictable as Melbourne's weather (they say you can experience up to 4 seasons in a single day). So alot of the times, we were frantically flipping through the pages and found no answer. However good these books are, they won't cover every single aspect. Before Aidan came, I was pretty confident and thought I was well-prepared but with every few baby steps I took, I met with an obstacle. (ok I digressed)

The book I found to be the most helpful was Tracy Hogg's "Secrets of The Baby Whisperer". I followed many of her advice/routine plus a few of my own baby mantras (to be elaborated) and so far, I find Aidan to be pretty well-trained in several aspects.

1) He'd managed to sleep and wake up at the right feeding times. So he'd never stayed awake all night.

2) By the 6th month, he could sleep throught the night for 8-9hours a stretch.

3) When he was breastfed, I didn't have to latch him on for comfort sucking because I didn't feed him on demand. That left me some spare time.

4) His meal times are pretty standard and I don't have to guess if he's crying because he is hungry.

5) He always sleeps in his cot, in his own room.

6) He has no problems falling asleep on his own. He doesn't need to be rocked or held to be able to sleep.

7) He doesn't need me to be around all the time. He is quite comfortable playing or entertaining himself. I don't have to bring him with me on my toilet breaks!

8) He could sit in the stroller when we go out and never needed me to carry him.

If you've heard stories from mummies of a newborn, you'll know that they would be so envious. And yes, if you ask me, I think we did a fairly decent job :)

I think it also helps when it's only the two of us. He doesn't have eager grandparents around to spoil him or pick him up the moment he cries. But sometimes I feel sorry for Aidan especially when I brought him for his jabs and I saw that other babies have their set of parents and grandparents to accompany them while Aidan only has poor ole me.

Bath time. Then and Now.

THEN:

NOW:

My, they grow up so fast. Too fast.

Aidan's daddy is still doing his daily baths :) I couldn't do it at first due to my c-sect and it became their routine. Great for father and son bonding. He's a great dad. I didn't have to bathe Aidan till when he was about 4 months when daddy went for his first overseas work trip. Elaine's mum said I'm very *xin fu*. Hehe...yes indeed I am.

*xin fu*= blessed.

We love books!

You know I'm a collector when you see these.

When I like something, I tend to buy everything in the series and that doesn't only apply to books =P

A shot of Aidan's book collection. He has more than 50 now.

Our favourite weekend haunt is Border's bargain corner. There's always great buys. This book costs only $3.95 and it comes with a music CD!!!

Furthermore, as a VIP cardholder, we get an additional 10% off the tag. Now THAT'S a bargain!

A moment of negligence, a bleeding forehead

It's not the first time Aidan fell but it's the hardest he'd fallen. I was just right beside him on the sofa and I'd laid our huge Ikea cushions on the floor below just in case. Unfortunately, he toppled the opposite direction I'd anticipated. Everything went SLOOOW MO...... He hit his head really hard first on the edge of the shelf of the coffee table before landing TUD on our ceramic tiled floor.

My heart dropped with him and I knew his skull would surely get smashed. I actually hesitated picking him up for a very brief moment because of what I might see, a pool of blood. I considered for a split second how to get him to the hospital before I picked him up and examined him. There was a wee drop of blood from a tiny bit of scraped skin on his forehead. That's all. No bump, no bruise.


I thought surely, a bruise would appear later, if not the next day, but nope. I still couldn't rest easy the whole day. What if there's concussion? A blood clot?

Aidan of course howled really loudly. I carried him and soothed him and took him away from the scene. Went to my bed and a few minutes later, he struggled free and started to reach for my bed post, the cheeky grin already on his face. Thank goodness.

So, to the friend who recently wrote me a message on facebook: No, I'm not a good mommy at all.

Aidan, upright.

This post is long overdue. I say that because Aidan has been trying to pull himself up since when he was 7 months. He could master the art of standing while holding on to a stationary object when he turned 8 months. Now he's already 9 months :)

Daddy's coming home!

Finally! It's been a long, tiring and lonely two weeks. I really take my hat off to single moms. It's really tough!
Being 24/7 with a child this young is really quite boring. Aidan is at the stage where all he wants to do is to crawl around the whole house, tugging at things, chewing on stuffs, reaching at the impossible places and basically doing everything he mustn't do. He doesn't understand the concept of play or logic or danger. So can't really leave him alone for long and because there's really not much activities to engage him in, you can only follow him around the house making sure he is safe. Try doing this everyday, on your own, for a few weeks, it's mind-numbing I tell you!

The hardest part is that there is no respite. I couldn't hand him over to Daddy in the evening and then space out. It's hard to find time to do my own thing and I get hardly any adult contact on most days. I lined the weekdays with activites like meeting friends for lunch or bringing Aidan for trial classes at various learning centres, so that time could pass quickly. But weekends are the hardest because I don't like to go out then. Too crowded and transportation is a problem. The National Day weekend was especially bad for me. Stayed in with home delivered McDonalds, watching the celebration on TV by myself.
Just so you know, I'm not complaining. I'd rather I get bored looking after Aidan than someone else get bored taking care of him. But sometimes, one does need to rant a little.

Oven-Baked potato and fish with shaved cheddar

Ok, I know it doesn't look like much. But it smells really yummy and Aidan loves it.
With a side of boiled baby carrots as finger food for Aidan to feed himself.

Being used to pureed food, which is really very tasty and full-flavoured, Aidan doesn't really like to eat porridge. Some mommies told me they use stock to cook porridge so I decided to try it out. It does enhance the taste of porridge but Aidan still won't eat much of it.

I sometimes prepare this as a mid morning snack. I use natural plain yoghurt and then mash in a banana and mix it with my previously pureed fruit to sweeten.

Out in the rain

This boy really knows how to smile for the camera!

My baby can drive a buggy!

Actually, I push him around. I'm not sure if he's old enough to know how to enjoy this yet. He's only 8 months! We went downstairs and I pushed him around but he's so blase just sitting on it and sucking on his two fingers, expressionless.

I find this to be really useful when he needs to be around me and yet I have things to do. So I just push him around here and there while I go about my chores.

Check out the long spidery drool again.

Baby Jaccuzi

Took Aidan for Hydrotherapy today. This is supposed to be good for building of confidence in water and of course like all exercise, good for stimulating coordination and fitness. Babies are born-swimmers, having spent 9 months in their mothers' womb. Not sure if it's true but it's been said that if you throw a newborn into a pool, the baby will be able to float. However, Aidan is already 8 months and hence it's kinda late to introduce him to swimming. He has already developed a phobia of water as you'll see from his face. The lady told me the smaller babies take to the water very fast and will quickly kick their legs and move about.

Aidan was very tensed at first, looked scared and fussed a little. Had to bribed him with some biscuits. Then he started to feel curious and relaxed a little. He did moved round a little and kicked a little. But not for long, as he decided after about 20 mins that he had enough and began to cry haha.

Er...what are you doing to me?

Shaking my bon bon!

Smiling, at last!

Getting bored

ENOUGH!

I intend to go back. I think I probably enjoyed myself more than he did haha... It's very safe and clean because you don't share the pool with other babies. The water is warm too. They also have baby massage which I am thinking of trying too. See their website here: www.babyswimming.com.sg