Reminiscense part 3 - Babywearing

This is just to remember the first year when I was forever carrying Sean. During the first year, I went everywhere carrying Sean in a sling, but I have so few photos (and not of good quality) to remember about it because hubby never took photos unless I asked. =(


This was when Sean was 4 months old at Christmas time.
I made a simple baby sling with a cute Mango candy striped beach sarong. This was my favourite sling. The material was comfy and it was easy to put on and take off. The sling can be converted as a blanket (even for me!) or pillow.

Sean was a clingy baby who wanted to be carried everywhere. But I guess it's just the nature of babies to want to be in close contact with their mummies at all times.

I had several people telling me not to make a habit of carrying Sean because it'll be a lot of hard work having to carry him when he gets heavier. But I didn't have the heart to reject him from wanting to be close to me just because I shouldn't make it a habit. My wrists hurt due to the endless pumping during the early months. But I had the sling to assist me, so it was not really a problem as Sean got bigger and heavier.


When Sean was 3 months old, I slipped down the stairs while carrying him. It was my fault.. I was sleepy and my pants were too long. I think I slipped on the cuffs of my pants. Luckily we were both alright. But after that I had a phobia about going down the stairs with Sean. So I made sure that I carry him in the sling and always have myhand on the stair railing when going up and down the stairs since then.

My hubby is still traumatized over that fall. Every single day when I bring Sean down, he will ask if I'm wearing the sling and if I was awake enough to carry Sean down the stairs. Even now when my wrists no longer hurt and I can carry Sean down confidently, he still asks every morning.
The sling has been very useful. At one stage, Sean needed to be rocked and carried to sleep.I would put him in the sling and walked around until he falls asleep. I can do things at the same time too.






When Sean was 10 months old, he wanted to push the pram even when he still couldn't walk.






We had no maid for 2 months, so I had to carry Sean to do household chores. Sean was still crawling and since I didn't want to leave him alone, I carried him all about the house. By then I had bought the heavy duty Ergo sling since Sean was already 12 kg.



Now that Sean is bigger and can hold on to me while being carried, I don't use the sling anymore. Somehow he feels lighter now. But I still bring the Ergo sling along when I go to the library . Put him into the backpack position and then I can browse for books in peace without having to worry if he was tearing any books apart.

Tennis Balls and Stacking Cups

Sometimes anything can become the best toy that satisfy a curious toddler. One rainy a few weeks ago, Sean picked up a case of tennis balls and proceeded to play quietly and happily with his stacking cups in the corner of the room. He first tried to put the balls into the different size cups. Then he poured the tennis balls to and fro the containers and cups. I think it was one of the best rainy afternoon ever.

Sometimes I wonder if we should spend so much money on toys. I think it's us parents who are attracted by all the amazing toys available at the shop. Toddlers are happy enough to make do with whatever available around them.

Stickeriffic!

Sean's latest obsession, other than going out (which I truly believe will be a long-life obsession) is stickers. He loves peeling them off and sticking them somewhere (even his own face!), then peeling them off again. Our room is covered in stickers, the door, the floor, the bed, etc.

I've bought him cheap stickers from pasar malam. After all, the stickers end up being torn apart when he tries to peel them. It's just fun playing stickers with him. Sometimes I'll peel the stickers halfway for him so it's easy for him to pick them up. He'll then go about sticking them somewhere. What's funny is that he likes putting them on his face too. It's probably because I stick stickers on him to tease him sometimes =D.

Nen-Nen

A funny thing happens when you breastfeed your baby. Your breasts are no longer your own. In my case, they belong to Sean. In other words, they are his 'nen-nen'.

When Sean was young, I was forever offering him the breasts, either it's because I think he's hungry or I think he needs comfort. Breasts are useful things to have. Not only they produce fresh milk for your little darling, they're a source of comfort to him. When he falls while learning to walk, I offer the breasts and soon his cries dies down and he happily enjoys his nen-nen.

They're even a source of entertainment =D... When he's bored, he pokes at them.. Ok...not all the time, he still prefers my squishy tummy for entertainment. The tummy makes ruder noises when he blows them! LOL =P

Recently, my cleavage has another function. It has become Sean's pocket! He's shoved face towels, tissue, papers, stickers, even books and CDs into my singlet!

As he grows older, it's going to be rather embarrassing in public the way he indifferently treat my cleavage as his personal thirst quencher and pocket. Now he knows how to ask to nurse when he's thirsty or hungry. He'll pull at or put his hands into my t-shirt when he wants nen-nen and says 'ne-ne'.

So I've been contemplating about weaning him and starting him on formula. So earlier today I made a bottle and offered it to him. He took a sip, made a face, retreat to his corner (he was playing by himself) and said 'nye-nye-nye' (not sure what he meant, but probably 'don't like'). I kept offering him the bottle and entreat him to try some more. He threw a major tantrum and refused to stop until I asked hubby to put away the bottle and offer him his nen-nen. Tantrums stopped and he happily sucked away into blissful sleep. He was probably sleepy and it wasn't the right time to introduce the formula.

I'm still not decided whether or not it's a good idea to wean him or let him wean himself as he grows older. I wonder how long it'll take for him to wean himself?

Sean's new Blog

Sean has a new blog address:
http://seangabrielwee.blogspot.com/

I didn't want to usurp hubby's role as the voice behind Sean's old blog, so I've been bugging him to update Sean's blog. The blog is written from Sean's point of view (or rather his daddy's point of view) =P

On a hot day

It was really hot this afternoon. Sean, as usual, wanted to get out of the house. So we went to the garden and tried to play in the shade. It was so hot that I wilted just standing in the hot sun. I even tried to liven up the afternoon with playing with Ussop the rabbit. We picked some Basil leaves from the garden to feed Ussop. Even the rabbit felt to hot to chew. He refused to open his mouth!

We usually play with a water hose on hot days, but today was so hot that I was afraid that the water from the hose was too hot for Sean. So we came back inside and I shaved some ice for Sean to play with. Sean can usually play with ice and water for hours. I put the shaved ice in colorful cups and bowls. I give him a few spoons and he'll scoop the ice back and forth, usually wetting himself thoroughly and enjoying himself very much.

But the heat was still too uncomfortable, so we retreated into the cool air-con room and play some music while Sean play with his favorite box. Carrying it here and there, turning it upside down and spilling its contents everywhere.

I'm glad to say that it cooled down considerably in the evening. So we went back to the garden and played a bit of ball. I kicked the ball....Sean was just happy to be able to run about....

Period

My period has shown itself again today, exactly 16 and 1/2 months since Sean was born. I read that breastfeeding was a form of natural contraceptive and was rather skeptical about it before. When Sean was born and I started breastfeeding, it really didn't come. It was bliss not to bother about the old period while having to cope with breastfeeding.

As months came and gone, it still didn't come. I wondered how long it would last. This month I suspected that it was coming back since I thought I ovulated.. and true enough it came back! Bye bye period free days...I shall miss you....

Addicted to going out

I don't know if all other toddlers go through this, but I seriously think that Sean is addicted to going out. He has this hand signal where he puts his hand behind his ear that indicate that he wants to go out. Why do I think he's addicted:

1) After he wakes up, he wants to go out
2) After his bath, he wants to go out
3) After we distract him and let him play for a while, he wants to go out.
4) When he sees us dressed up, he immediately asked to be carried to go out.
5) When Ah Mah comes back from work he goes to her and ask her to bring him out
6) Even when he wakes up in the middle of the night and find us still awake, he thinks it's daytime and ask us to go out!

He just needs to go out everyday.

Ah Mah and ah Kong are kinder and bring him out everyday, unlike Daddy and Mummy =P. We bring him to shopping malls, supermarket, toy shops and book shops and for meals when we need to go, but not every day. But Ah Kong & Ah Ma will bring him to the ATM, to fill up petrol, to buy bread, or even just to drive Sean around the neighborhood whenever he ask them.

A little absence and a lot of Quality Time

Firstly thanks to all the mummies for the encouraging comments on "Growing Pains". Its true that babies go through many phases and as mummies, we need to take each of those phases in our stride.

Actually in Dec I was on leave for 2 weeks since it was holiday period and my students just wanted a break from tuition. So I had a lot of time at home. In fact, we spent most time at home. Which was probably why Sean wanted Ah Mah more than Mummy... because Ah Ma would drive him around even if it's just around the neighbourhood.

So January came and it was back to work for me. It's really true that a little absence makes a more loving son! He misses me more and doesn't take me for granted. But it's also because it means that he gets to get out of the house to drive me to and from work! =P

I have also made a resolution to actually spend quality time with Sean rather than just be with him. So whenever I'm not working, I try to play with him more rather than be next to him while he plays. I made him Winnie the Pooh and Gang cards and boards because he loves playing (or throwing around ) cards. We peel and stick Mickey Mouse stickers all over the boards. We mess the whole room (he messes and I clean =D) , stack and unstack the stacking ring. He dumps 200 balls all over the living room and I pick them up while chasing after him. Its been fun and exhausting, especially the last few days when I've been down with a bad cold.

You know how it is when you have a bad cold. All you want to do is curl up and play dead. But nooooo.... my son wants to play with me all the time now. He doesn't care that all I want to do is to sleep. He would crawl and walk all over me to get my attention. So there goes poor sniffy, hoarse voiced and coughing me....peeling and sticking stickers (Sean's latest game) when all I want to do is hide under the blanket. Luckily, the flu is gone today. So I had enough energy for picking up all those 200 balls! What are the rewards for these extra attentions? Lots and lots of kisses! Oh what bliss....... =D

The Lil' Dancer

Sean would dance whenever he hears a good tune. It's like an automatic function with him, wherever he is, whether he's standing up, sitting down or being carried. The moment he hears a good tune, his hands moves up and down, patting his tummy. He even has this cool move where he twists his wrists!

Growing Pains

My in-Laws had a New Year Eve's party yesterday. They invited many of their friends. What should have been a happy end to 2007 was spoiled by someone's thoughtless words.

One of the fathers with a 2 year old child was saying that his baby was very attached to the mummy. Unfortunately, yesterday, Sean was attached to his Ah ma (my MIL). He was dressed up and he thought he was going out. So once he was with her, he wouldn't come back to me. So this man said that that was the first time he's ever known a baby not wanting his own mother.

You know, I felt very hurt at his words. What was he implying? That I wasn't a good mother to my son? That my son doesn't want to be with me?

Of course I understood the reason why Sean wanted to be with his Ah ma. He thought that she was going to bring him out. She's the driver of the family. She usually drives when the family go out together. Sean is a smart boy. He knows that his Ah ma lets him get away with a lot of things that his Mummy won't allow. He loves to go out and my MIL unfortunately has made it a habit of driving him around. Therefore whenever he's with her he expects to go out.

Now I know that it's not true that Sean doesn't want me. He's actually very close to me. But I am the disciplinarian which means I'm the one who tells him he can't watch TV while standing 30cm away from it. When he's naughty, I'm the one who tells him No. etc.. etc.. So I know that I won't always be the popular person at home.

But.. even knowing this...I couldn't get his words out of my head. His careless words really hurt because he made me feel like a bad mother. I couldn't sleep the whole night thinking about it. It made me think and re-evaluate myself as a mother. What kind of a mother am I? Have I done my best? Have I been letting him spend to much time with his Ah ma?

Should I cut the amount of time Sean spends with his Ah ma? Probably not.... that would cause unhappiness for everyone around. She loves Sean and Sean loves her. Love should be natural and this is natural. I would like Sean to be able to enjoy all the love everyone has for him without any constraint.

My Son is growing up. I'm no longer the center of his world. It's a little painful to lose that special position, but this is probably just a taste of what all mothers will go through as each child grows up and builds relationship with other people.

So rather than recriminate myself for what I have or haven't done, I'm deciding that I should always remind myself to be the best mummy I can be. But I'm wondering how do I do it? Sigh... this is when all parents wish a baby comes with a manual.