10 Months Old Baby

My baby just reached 10 months old. She is happily standing and jumping around now while squealing at high pitch sound. Maybe this is what is meant when people say baby make your house warm. Especially with the almost non-stop babbling, it is so funny to watch her.

My baby is one happy bub. She likes to smile, giggle and laugh. What's so unique about her, is that she is shy at the same time. After getting warm up with stranger, and when the stranger say hello to her, she can smile and look away hiding her face, a shy gesture. So so cute. I've never seen any baby that can be shy. Hohoho

She is also very active and alert. Even when my maid walk towards us from behind, and only making the slightest noise, she will turn her head so quickly to check what's happening.

Here's how she looks now.

Smoking Outside House Can Harm Baby's Health

My hubby is a smoker. I've been telling him to quit smoking, or at least do not approach our baby after smoking before he showers. But little of what I've been telling him goes into his mind.

I've read from What to Expect book, that even when parent(s) who do not smoke near the baby can actually harm the baby's health. It can cause damage to lungs for up to 70%.

And today I came across reading this article that supports what I read before. The article mentioned that even when smokers have finished a cigarette outside, they are still breathing out smoke when they enter the house, contaminating the air. Nicotine also attaches to the hair and body, while other particles also attach to the clothes.

So, the combination of exhaled smoke, nicotine and other particles, pollute the otherwise clean air and results in the child breathing in these poisonous substances.

So if you smoke and you think it's safe by not smoking near your baby, think again!

How Much Television Should Children Watch

I've read long before that AAP recommends not to let children under 2 years old watch television. Not even turning television on, despite the fact no one is watching, as this has been shown to reduce the communication level between parent and children.

And for children above 2 years old, the recommended watching time is 2 - 3 hours per day. This is to encourage children to spend more time playing outside and learning new things.

Nevertheless, it was just late last week I've learned about the new guidelines in the US, stating that children 2 years old should not watch television AT ALL! And for children between 2 - 5 years old, only one hour a day is recommended. This is a part of the federal government campaign to reduce obesity in children.

In my opinion, I think it just depends on how we use the television to benefit from it. I personally prefer my kid to watch educational TV programs, so that she can get the best out of her viewing time.

You may want to read this article about whether watching TV cause damage to children's eyes. And research has shown that watching too much television increases risk of asthma.

All in all, television seems to have more cons than pros. So, keep in check the hours your children spend in front of television

Car Seat Tips and Safety

It has been long overdued, and we have now bought car seat for my baby. Back in Indonesia, there are no regulations whatsoever concerning car seat. And all of the people I know do not buy any car seat for their babies. But in Singapore, there's law requiring all children under 8 years old must use child restrain. Although the authorities exercise some flexibility in this area, we decide better to get one rather than paying the same amount of money or even more for fines due to traveling with baby without car seat.

We bought the car seat during Baby Fair at Takashimaya, Singapore. We chose this "The First Year" American brand. The cushions are made in China, but the assembly and everything else was in America. And at S$249, it is actually a great offer! The car seat can be used until the child is 8 years old, which is just perfect.

We were actually deciding between Combi car seat, made in Japan and made of great, very comfortable cushion. But it is priced at $899, which is a whole lot more expensive for great cushion.

And came the time we tried to put my baby on the car seat. As I've suspected before the car seat purchase, she might not like it. Since we took quite some time traveling without car seat, and she definitely do not like the rear view of the car. She cried so loudly until she vomitted. Goshh

So now I took the car seat off the car and put inside the living room. The goal is to get her used to sitting in the car seat while we can put on some entertainment on television as a distraction. And hopefully she'll get used to the car seat and don't mind being strapped inside the car.

One thing to note though, if your baby is still below 1 year old, you still have to put your baby in rear-facing car seats, until they reach 1 year old mark. The same rule applies even if your little pumpkin already weigh over 20 pounds. The reason is to avoid the risk for serious spine injury.

Hope the above helps for parents whose baby hates the idea of car seat (^-^)

Finding Causes of Baby Vomitting

Today my baby girl vomitted again. She vomitted around 1 time each week. I am not very sure what's the caused of her vomitting. She is my first, and I am kinda blurred as to what's happening.

I've asked her pediatrician previously, what could be the caused of vomitting. But this was when my baby girl was still less than 3 months old. By then, it is quite normal for baby to vomit due to very immature digestion system.

I was advised there were 3 reasons of baby vomitting, and these are:
- baby is sick
- baby is too full
- gulping air during milk feeding

But now that my baby is 8,5 months old, am not sure whether the above still apply. For sure, she is not sick, she doesn't gulp air during milk feeding. Too full? Not sure. It is already 2 hours apart from last milk feeding to when I gave her fruit puree just now. I am thinking of any other possible causes of baby vomitting. Anyone?

Sleeping Baby

There is a saying that if baby girl tends to look more like her daddy, and baby boy tends to look more like mommy. And looking at my friends' babies, I am quite convinced by the saying.

As for my baby girl, she doesn't just look like her daddy, she even sleep like her daddy.

But of course, minus the snoring. Although occassionally I could hear her "mini" snore. Even her snore sounds so irresistably cute.

Baby's Day Out

We went to Upper Seletar Reservoir. It was a great place, very cosy. There were lots of parents bringing their children to play there too. The place has a children playground, park, and of course reservoir. With cool breezing wind, this place is a very relaxing place to go with your children.

There are flowers planted along the side of pathway. And my baby being a baby, she is really curious. She likes to see new things, learn new things, touch new things, even sometimes damage the new things they touch.

I gave her the chance to touch and feel the flower. It is actually very important for babies to explore many different textures with their hands. She started by touching it quickly then pulled her hand away. Then slowly touched the flower and pulled hand away again. After 3 -4 times, she knows it is safe to touch the flower and she started to hold the flower longer. Then she started to squeeze the flowers, and before I knew it, she started plucking off the flowers. Hahaha. I didn't manage to take the plucked flowers fell on the floor, but I surely can tell you, the bunch of flowers on the photo there, they are almost all gone. Hohoho (^-^)

Condolences to Victims of Padang Quake and Samoan Tsunami

My deepest condolences go to the victims of quake in Padang, Indonesia. Also for victims of tsunami in Samoan islands.

The tremor from quake in Padang, Indonesia, which happened on 30 September 2009, could be felt as far as in Singapore and Malaysia. I was inside my apartment on 17th floor, and I felt the building is shaking. It wasn't as bad as reported in some other parts of Singapore where it was so shaky that people escaped from the building.

The quake was 7.9 in magnitude and causing buildings, hospital, shopping malls, houses to collapse. Fire was also broken out in some area.

This quake was only few hours apart from 8 magnitude quake that caused tsunami waves in Samoan islands. This caused at least 113 people dead.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Padang has reached more than 1,100 people and is still rising as of today.

Together let's extend our helping hand to the victims, pray for the victims and families left behind. Let's open our heart and donate for these people in needs.

High Chair for Baby

Now that Raelene can sit quite steadily, I put her on high chair during meal times. I've been using bouncer chair, but since the chair does not have shoulder straps, and she's getting more and more active everyday, it is no longer safe using the bouncer. She would just try to peek what's underneath the chair. Yeah, she's just that curious.

This high chair is especially bought from Indonesia and hand-carried all the way to Singapore. This particular brand, BabyDoes, is so much praised and used by my friends. Even my friend staying in Singapore would go to Indonesia and carry this high chair to Singapore too.

I asked my relative to buy it for me, and my hubby carried it to Singapore. I didn't check the chair by myself though, just fully trust on friends' recommendations. But, it turned out that this high chair is the new model from BabyDoes, meanwhile the one receiving all the praises is the old model. The tray table of this new model cannot be adjusted as the old model. What a pity. And what a waste of time and efforts of bringing this high chair all the way to Singapore. Oh well, lessons learnt.

But Raelene surely enjoys sitting on her high chair. I guess because it allows her to see more things around her from her high chair.

Quick mommy! Food please!

Well, at least the chair color looks good. Hohoho

My First Pearls

It's quite exciting to see those pearls poking through her gums. I spotted white spots on her gums when she was 7 months old, and yet her teeth just don't really poke through all the way yet.

But now she's 8 months old, she can already flash that teethy smile. Hoho. Kinda miss her toothless smile though. But am more excited waiting for the next teeth to show up.

My Much-Awaited Pearls

I am still cleaning her teeth using gauze cloth. Not sure when I should start cleaning her teeth using toothbrush. My mom said that it might be too early to brush her teeth using toothbrush, but am not certain whether this holds true as nowadays there are just so many things developed to cater baby needs. Do share your opinion though. Really appreciate it.

Sit Down Properly On 8 Months Mark

Time has passed very quickly. It just felt like I've just given birth to my daughter, Raelene, yet she's already 8 months old now, and counting. The sleepless nights and very very tiring night feedings are only vague memories by now. It is so much fun playing and communicating with my little one. She's surely one social butterfly (oh well, at least I hope so by seeing how active, playful and cheerful she is). Do you know the feelings when you just can't get enough of the smiles, the laughs, even the cries sound so irresistably cute to me.

Just took some photos of Raelene when she turned 8 months. She surely loves the camera, especially if accompanied by jiggling her rattles, she just kept on laughing and squealing non stop. Am I just so blessed being able to stay home and spend so much quality time with her.

Here are some of her photos.

She can sit steadily now. Something she never really do before, as she prefers to crawl than anything else. What a milestone to remember.

She just loves the roly poly 8. Kept on playing with it. Picking it up, put it in her mouth, taste it, throw it away. Then pick it up again, taste it again, and the cycle just keep on repeating.

Ooh. I hope I can be the one to discipline her when she grows older, since my hubby is almost never around except on weekends. Hope I have the heart to do it. Hoho. It's gonna be a tough job though, being the "bad cop" to my forever-will-still-be-my-little pumpkin.

First Swim

It was just yesterday when I finished feeding my baby and put her on her stroller. I sat down and was busy with my laptop. Next couple of minutes later I checked on her, and she was busy looking at both her palms. She turned both her palms forward and sideways, then she looked at her arms.

Guilty feelings strucked me when seeing her with no rattles no nothing to play with, and instead just looking at her own palms and arms. Goshh. Then I decided to bring her down to the swimming pool for her first swim. All these times I've been trying to postpone swimming for her as the water is pretty cold for me. But seeing her like that, I decided for her to try out swimming.

Next thing is I was holding her in my arms while standing next to the pool. Acting as if she knew I was going to put her in the pool, she closed both her ears with her hands. She always do that whenever she feels uneasy, tensed or scared. I put her on my lap, she still had not touched the water yet. I touched the water and luckily, the water was pretty warm, as it has been a hot day.

I started by splashing water on her feet, getting her to use to the feeling of the pool water. She gave no reaction, then I slowly put her on the floater. She was so tensed, her fists clenched while holding on the floater. She was so still and didn't move any body parts until the next 10 minutes. Hahaha. But she was being a really good girl with new experiences. She didn't cry nor being cranky. Look at her tensed face.

My First Swim

She was being so quiet and still, although I know that she actually enjoys playing with water. Whenever I bathe her, she always squeals so happily and keep on splashing the water until I am almost completely wet.

Can't wait to bring her for another swimming to get her used to new surroundings and experiences. (^-^)

My Little Pumpkin

My baby girl has started crawling pretty smoothly, although she still has many falls. She likes being mobile as she is very active baby.

Love to play with her all day long. All the baby coos and baby mumbles. So adorable. This is her picture taken when she's 6 months old. Fyi, she is going to be 8 months old by next week.

I believe all moms out there agree with me that motherhood is the best experience ever. No matter how tiring it is to cope with housechores and taking care of baby altogether, a little smile from baby just wipes all the tiredness away and pumps in energy to new full level. Love you baby.

Surprises From My 7 Months Old

The very first day I am completely well after being ill for 2 week long, there is a surprise waiting for me. The not very good news is that my baby kinda forget her mommy already, after her mommy "disappear" for 2 weeks. She used to always smile so widely and kicks her legs in excitement even at the glance of my silhouette from far away. But now, she is just looking at me with big question mark in her face, and followed by a frown. Ouch. Apparently it doesn't take very long time for a baby to estrange her own mother!

This doesn't make me sad though, as I am so happy to be able to kis her, cuddle her, and hug her in my arms again.

Another surprise awaits me. When I fed her solid, and she wasn't in a very good mood for food, she cried so loudly with her mouth wide open. Then I saw two white spots at her bottom gums. Wow!!! Her teeth has finally made their appearance! Luckily she sail through her teething process, no crankiness or fussiness, no fever or diarrhoea. Now I must start buying gauze cloth to clean her teeth. Back then, I was advised by my dentist not to brush baby teeth and better wait till at least 1 year or more, just to make sure the teeth will sit well in her vulnerable gums. Okay dentist. Mama will do whatever needs to be done!

Infant Fall

It has been almost 2 weeks my maid has to take care of my baby for me. And it was on one sunny day, I was at the kitchen doing some cooking and cleaning, while my maid just finished giving milk to my sleeping baby (yes, she's sleep drinking) and put her on my bed, instead of in baby cribs. My baby is still sleeping in my room, in her own crib. But when she's awake, usually we put my baby on my bed. My bed is a King Size bed, around 60cm high from the floor. And being 7 months old, my baby can do a little crawling, but most of the time she will fall down on her side and then she will roll on to her tummy again.

My apartment is quite small, that usually when my baby cries, we can still hear it from kitchen. So I almost never turn on the baby monitor.

Thinking my baby is still sleeping, my maid did some cleaning.

A while later, when both me and my maid were in the kitchen, we can hear a very loud cry from my room. My maid rushed to my bedroom, followed by me as I need to put down stuffs I was carrying. When I got into my room, my maid was carrying my frantically crying baby. I could see my maid trembling, and a bolster on the floor near where my maid was standing. I knew right away my precious baby must have fallen from bed to the floor.

I could feel my blood flowed so fast, my face flushed, my heart beated so quickly. My maid, in trembling voice, told me that my baby Raelene fell to the floor. I quickly took Raelene from her, and hold her in my arms. She was still crying so loudly, I've never heard her crying that way before. I quickly put her down on my bed, checked for any bruises or injury. I remembered people telling me that if a baby fall from high place, I must make sure that she didn't vomit. If the baby vomits, then I should call my pediatrician right away.

My maid then told me that Raelene fell on top of the bolster, she was hugging the bolster when my maid found her. I felt a bit relieved, but still continue on checking. My husband was at home by then, and he came over and did some tricks in his attempt to make my baby stop crying and hopefully laughing. His tricks worked, and my baby stopped crying. I hold her body, pressing on her body, little by little, to see if she cries if I touch on certain spots. Luckily, she didn't cry at all. She is completely uninjured.

I was sooo thankful for God's blessings on her. It was a miracle that she could fall exactly on top of the bolster! Thank God for His blessings on my baby. I will not let this thing happen nomore, and will always stay with my baby when she's awake and playing.

Taking Care of Baby When Sick due to H1N1 Virus

It has been 7 months into motherhood, and I am loving every minute of it. Looking at that toothless smile is so priceless, wipe away all my stress and sorrows. My daugher, Raelene, really loves to play and I should say, very sociable. She loves playing with people, even strangers.

Anyway, I have been sick for almost 2 weeks now. A very bad flu, possibly H1N1. Can't confirm since I didn't take any blood test to confirm it. Anyway, it was a very bad flu, nothing like those I've had before. I suffered from headache, very bad sore throat, cough, phlegm, chills, nausea, vomitting, joint aches, lethargic. I was so sick I slept for 2 whole days, only woke up for meals and medicine.

This flu is so contagious that my husband also catched it from me. I am not very concerned about me nor my husband getting sick, we both take Tamiflu for the H1N1 virus. We both healthy adults and not in high risks groups. But our biggest concern is about our baby. She's still so young and Tamiflu is only for 1 year old and above.

First 2 days when I was sick, my baby also suffered from cough, fever, and lots of vomitting phlegm. I was sick worried but I can't do anything as I have to stay away from my baby. Luckily I have maid at home, and she can help take care of my baby the whole time I was sick. I gave her chinese medicine, and after 2 days, her fever went away, left a bit of coughing and phlegm.

And the fact my husband was also sick, just elevated my level of worry. I prayed every day for her well-being. May God always protect and bless her with great health.