I took out the sofa bed cover and pillow covers in Izzie’s room for wash while Soo Chee cleared some space for Izzie’s things which increased exponentially after her full month party. He threw away old bed sheets and a chair. We went out together to throw these away. Then I did something I have never done since moving to our marital house. I offered to wash our toilet. I used Enjo gloves, cloth, scrub, marble slab, and water to clean the toilet. I was tired from bending and standing up from cleaning the bathroom shower screen. I told Soo Chee I needed a maid. Haha. Overall, I enjoyed clearing junk from the house and cleaning the house together with my man. More to come! ;p

Today we brought Izzie to the market with Ergo baby. I carried Izzie to and Soo Chee carried her back from the market. It was a nice morning walk together with mommy. We had breakfast near the market and came home.

In the evening, we brought Izzie out again. We wanted to have a meal with mommy at Putien. It is the first meal we have with her outside since she came in July. It was an interesting experience. 🙂 We enjoyed the outings today.

Soo Chee and I have long agreed that we do not want to use the pacifier on our children. Izzie has been fussing quite a bit recently and yesterday after 30 mins of attending to her fussing, she finally fell asleep like an angel. Phew!

In the night, she was fussing again. She wasn’t hungry and her diaper was clean. When I couldn’t take her crying anymore, I stuck the pacifier in her mouth. It worked wonders. She was quiet!!!

I felt bad…

Oh God, develop my patience and love capacity.

Izzie turned 1 month on 1 Sept 2012. We had family and friends over our home to celebrate the joyous occasion. Not many photos were taken but it was a good chance to meet up with some people we haven’t seen for a long time. Today I was shocked when I compared two photos of Izzie with similar sleeping pose. Can you see the amazing growth in less than a month?

Some photos from the celebrations

Door gifts for guests

Peanut butter swirl cupcakes for TV crew

Izzie bub’s thinking pose

Photo with my precious bub

Lizzy carrying Izzie

Mama Marina carrying Izzie

We are so proud of Izzie. Happy 1st month darling!

While doing my confinement, I get to spend a lot of time with my baby Izzie. I gotta prepare milk for her feeds, feed her, burp her, wash and sterilise her milk bottles, check her temperature, clean her pee, clean her poo, clear the diaper bin, prepare her bathing stuff, give her body wipes in the evenings, soothe her when she cries, wear her forever-coming-out mittens (eventhough we sew to make them smaller), swaddle her endless times coz she always comes out of the swaddle and the list hasn’t end. I get to listen to her coos, her cries, her farts, her burps. I get to see her funny facial expressions and bodily movements. Soo Chee and I would imitate her sometimes when we have couple time and we would laugh at our little princess. Haha!

It was especially tiring the first week she came home because it was challenging waking up every 2-3 hours for about an hour just to feed her, burp her, change her diapers and put her back to sleep. There were ‘fountain’ and flying poo incidents while changing her diapers!!

Over the past weeks, everyday I discover something new about her. Everyday I have something to laugh about. Everyday I bond closer to Izzie. I am starting to enjoy motherhood. Sometimes in the midst of tiredness and moodiness, all it takes is a smile given by Izzie. Whenever she cries (there is a certain degree of her crying intensity before I pick her up) and cuddle her close to me and she falls asleep and gives me smiles during her sleep, I feel everything is worth it. I would give my best to her.

Everyday she demands for milk, for care, everyday I clean her poo and pee, and everyday I soothe her discomfort is a good day and a day that I am thankful for!!

It’s amazing how babies grow and change each day. Izzie looks a little different every day. She has been feeding and pooing well and in 27 days, she gained 800g and grew by 4cm!! Woohoo. So proud of my champ! 🙂 Looking forward to celebrating her full month this Saturday (and I am eagerly looking forward to the end of my confinement too).

I do have my own thoughts about motherhood. They are brewing…

Meanwhile I rather like the quotes I’ve found:

“I think that the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to experience life on their own terms, allow them to take the subway…let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves.”
― C. JoyBell C.

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is…and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”
― Donna Ball, At Home on Ladybug Farm

“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.”
― Howard W. Hunter