1st Trimester checkup for my 2nd little one

Tuesday, 27th Nov 2012

Today I went for my check up. This is 12th week of my pregnancy. The last check up and scanning I did was at 7th week and all we can see on the screen is just a small white patch that is less than 1cm. Today, when doc put the scanner on my tummy, I was so surprise to see that my baby is almost fully form and is 6cm now. Whoa !!! Today's scanning is also to check baby's neck to see if the development was normal. Everything seems good.

I didn't put on weight over the last 5 weeks. At 7th week, I weigh 55.5kg and today, I weigh 55.1kg. There's a reduce of 0.4kg. Weird though but I have not been having good appetite for the past weeks. The morning sickness (which last the whole day and get worst in the evening) and nausea feeling that I have everyday is making me feel so sick. Doc says is a good sign I have all these morning sickness... buek. Still don't like it.

Today's bill at the doc visit came up to RM875. Crazy !!! The "First Trimester" scanning and all including the blood test for possibility of down syndrome is costing us so much. I don't remember paying just an expensive bill the last time. Oouch !  

Isabelle's "Trigger Thumb"

This is Isabelle's first surgery and hope it's the last ofcourse. We "check-in" to the hospital and waited in the room for a couple of hours before we were called into the Operation Theater.

Nurser trying to give Belle a pre-checkup before the operation.



Here's a pic of her in the room waiting patiently. We were both so bored in the room, lucky that I bought some of her toys and puzzles along to keep her entertained.

Her operation was scheduled to be at 1:30pm. At 1:15, we were asked to be prepared to walk to the OT. Belle didn't want to be pushed sitting on the bed so I had to carry her. I was also asked to changed and followed the nurse and doctor into the OT because they knew Belle wouldn't just go in without her mommy. They put the anesthetic mask over Belle noise so she can breath in and within less than a minute, she's sleeping like a baby.  Operation only took 30 minutes and its done!

Belle cried so badly right after she's awake. She didn't like the bandage on both her hands and she got very frustrated and keep wanting to pull off the bandage. The nurse tried so hard to calm her down, gave her a glove balloon and it didn't work. It took quite a while before we could calm her down and we walked back to our room.

After a while, i gave her some water and then milk. She felt much better after taking her milk. I guess she was very very hungry as well cause she has been fasting since 7:30am in the morning until after her operation completed. Poor girl.


After the operation

Bandage on her Right hand

Daddy bought some balloons to make her feel better

Next day morning. So bored in the room waiting for doc to visit

Yay! Finally Doc is here. Doc changing the dressing on Belle's hand after which we can be release and discharge to go home.

New addition to the Family

We have been planning and trying for 3 months and finally I've just tested positive 2 days back. Even though we've been planning and have anticipate for this but when it really happens, suddenly there was a big question mark in head. Questions that popup were "Am I ready for another baby?". "Can I go through another pregnancy mode again?." "How am I going to manage a baby and a toddler at the same time?". "What should I plan for Isabelle?" and the list goes on.

I was a bit terrified that night after seeing the test results. But thank go that the next day when I woke up, I feel better and less terrified. Then I started have in my mind that I need to spend more effort and time to seriously plan for Isabelle for the coming days.

Nanny decided that she wants to take a long break and stop babysitting for a while which means I have to look for alternatives and options for Isabelle. I have done some research and short-listed a childcare/Montessori/Preschool for her. This is not an easy task. I'm sure all mothers out there would feel the same as well. There are so many things that I need to consider and weigh before deciding. Ultimately, all I want for Isabelle is that she can learn by playing and she's happy learning. I don't want a place that is too academic driven.

Next I have to decide whether if I would want to put her on Full-day or a Half-day at the centre. I felt guilty if I were to put her on full-day  She has only just turn 2. Quite pityful to put her in a new place for a full day, 5 days a week. What is best for her? I'm really not sure. Sigh.  


Here's a comparison list I've done to compare the pros and cons between the centres that I've visited

Trip to Japan, Osaka

Vacation : 5th Sept 2012 - 10th Sept 2012

This is my first trip to Japan - Osaka. It was a very tiring trip for us as bringing a toddler along with you to a trip which requires lots of walking, it takes up 3x more of our energy and strength for a leisure travelling. But I was quite happy and glad that we took quite a lot of nice photos with Belle at this trip.

Japan - Osaka Sept 2012

Belle had Urinary Tract Infections

At age 2, Isabelle tested with Urinary Tract Infections. When I first found out, it was when she tells me "mommy, pain" when you pass urine. Not just once but a few times. I was quite worried as I have UTI before and I know very well how much pain it was for me more so for a 2 years old.

I took Isabelle to see doc and told doc everything. We took Belle's urine sample for a test and true enough that in her test results, there was some bacteria trace found and there were some other traces on her white and red blood cells as well. Thank god that after 5 weeks giving Belle her antibiotic medicine, she has recovered from UTI. Upon next visit at doc again for another urine test, the red and white blood cells readings were back to normal and there were only slight traces of bacteria found. Doc says that might just be caused by contamination when I collected Belle's urine.

We have to be very careful in managing Belle's hygiene cause as doc says, if Belle were to get UTI again the second time, he will have to do some serious test on belle which includes putting in a tube into her ureter to take some tissue and samples cells. This sounded so serious.

The disadvantage of being a female :P

Family Portrait

We have recently took some photos at a friend's studio place. The photo session wasn't really meant for us for family photos session but we just took the opportunity to get a few shots. I have always been asking for hubs to arrange for a proper photos shooting session for our family especially now that Isabelle is almost 2 years old, we should capture her cute chubby face and expression before she outgrown her 2 years toddler age. Unfortunately, I have to remind myself that I should never expect a man to do the job where I can manage it myself.

At least now I can make do with what we have so far and if it's possible I will arrange another proper photo shooting session again soon.

Stains on her teeth

Couple of months back Belle's teeth appears to have black stains on them especially her bottom front teeth. These stains has been visually disturbing to me, every time I see her smile I will surely see the black stains. The stains looks like cigarette stains but am pretty sure Belle is not smoking.

There the stain can be seen on the picture above. The stains are building up more not only on her bottom front teeth but also on the top front teeth and her back molar teeth.

I have done numerous research online and found that there are many other babies or toddlers out there who has the same problem with their teeth as well. Most of them say that the stains caused by iron built-up either from formula or the extra vitamins. Since I am not giving extra vitamins supplement to Belle, so that will not be the cause of it. Most likely the milk powder is the cause of it. Belle is drinking Gain Plus Eye Q every since she turns 1 years old. I have other friends who's kids are also drinking Gain Plus but they don't have the same problem that Belle is going through so I'm really not very sure if the milk is the culprit.

I make it a point to brush her teeth day and night but getting her to brush is also a a big challenge. Every time she finish her milk, I'll give her water to drink so at least the water helps to rinse her mouth. I've also tried using baking soda on a tooth brush and on a wash cloth (tips I found online from other moms) to rub her teeth but doesn't help remove the stains. I'm so depressed.

However, rather than sitting around and looking at her teeth getting stain more every other day, I try switching her to another brand of formula milk : Mamil Gold. In the beginning of switching she accepted the milk quite well probably because she didn't realise it was different. After a few days, she starts to reject her milk. Belle is a child who loves drinking milk and we never had a problem getting her to drink her milk. Just yesterday and today itself, we struggled to get her to drink. She won't even open her mouth at all. I've tasted both the milk, they taste about the same only difference is the Gain Plus Eye Q has a slightly stronger taste. What else can I do? I have made an dentist appointment for Belle, hopefully doctor can help identify what is the cause of the stains and helps polish her teeth and remove the stains. My other concern with the dental visit, I have no idea how we are going to get her to sit quietly throughout the check-up.

Feelings : Depress, Upset, Stress

Learning more words and into singing

Belle is 23 months old now. She has learn to speak so many words to some extend I get amazed on how she can express herself with proper words and sentences.

She can now recognise all the alphabets A-Z thanks to the little alphabets magnets. Nowadays Belle also loves to sing. Though she can't get all the lyrics perfect but she knows the songs. She loves to sing Baa baa black sheep, Two Little Tikky Bird, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, ABC song, Row Row Row a boat. I wonder if all toddlers at this age develops the same skills at the same pace.

Some of Belle's favourite phrase now are :

- I don't like this. Not nice
- I don't want mommy .....
- Beat you
- I want play big book
- Daddy where? Mommy where?
- I don't want Daniel play bicycle
- I want grape

Belle is half potty trained now. When she wants to poo poo, she will tell us and we'll quickly bring her to her potty. Sometimes she couldn't hold it longer so after she tell us she wants to poopoo, she already pooed abit into her diaper. That is not too bad cause atleast she tries to tell us.

Belle will be turning 2 years old next month September. Time really flies at a blink of our eyes. Now is time to plan for the second lil one.

My baby's first sentence

20 Months 11 Days

My baby girl said her first full sentence "Mommy, I want book" (book refers to iPhone). I'm so proud of my baby. Every since then, things that she wish to have or get, she will utter and say "I want"... *faint*. She is definitely growing and developing well. She's not even two years old yet but she can express herself very well already. Hmmm.. when she start to make more sentences that is when she will know how to demand more on the things she wants. Oh dear! :)

First trip in year 2012 - Hong Kong

Wow, it has been so long since the my last post. I've been so lazy updating this blog, but I've still been posting and updating pictures on my Facebook and Picasa album.

2011 is gone, Isabelle is now into her errrrr 17months old. Almost coming to 1 and a half years old. She has grown a lot in terms of her speech, her physical built and also her development on her motor skills. Let me just list a few that I can think of now :

Speech
-  Can count 1-10 in english and mandarin but she repeat after us
- Ask her from A to I she can name each object or animals to that letter
- Very fluent in saying "No" to things or questions that we ask
- She says bye, bear, bird, dragon, tiger, lion, babu (means elephant), fish, apple, ball, dog, cat, gorilla, house, come, poo poo, sleep, seat, drop, hold, car, walk, milk milk, nana (for banana), book (iphone/ipad), star, good nite,

Motor skills
- walk up stairs and glide down the slide
- climb on our bed and sofa in the living room
- help herself onto her tricycle
- carry a small stool around the house
- crawl underneath the dining chair
- feed herself with a spoon (although she still make a mess feeding herself)
- and many other more

There are so many things she have learned and so many things she can do or say. I'm so amaze sometimes how fast kids learns nowadays. Yesterday I was shock when i hear her saying "Mommy, come" and waving her hand. She wanted me to help push her on her tricycle so that she can move forward. Sometimes I think in my heart, I wish time will slow down a little so that we can enjoy more time with her as a toddler. I was reading the BabyCenter website and it says that at 17months old, the child should already know how to undress herself, brush her teeth without our help, and tenderly nursing her dolls and stuff animals. Hmmm, Isabelle is not really doing of those yet except sometimes hugs her soft toys. Should I start introducing brushing teeth to her already?

We have just recently came back from our trip to Hong Kong. This is Isabelle's 3rd flight. Some friends and even my mom ask, why do I want to bring Isabelle and travel along on a trip like that? Wouldn't it be too much hassle plus she's too young to appreciate or even remember anything. Oh most importantly is waste of money. To certain extend I do agree especially the 'too much hassle' part but I'll always response and say "Why not?". Is good to let her be out at the field travelling with us and get her expose to everything. I am very sure every minute she spent when she's not asleep, she is learning and her mind is absorbing knowledge. It's definitely worth all the hassle. Am sure Isabelle enjoyed her trip very much especially the day we spent at Disneyland.

Photo Album

Hong Kong Trip 16-20th February 2012