Mother & Baby Fair (19-21 Mar 10)

The biggest Mother & Baby Fair is back for the 5th year & free admission!

Details
Date: 19 - 21 Mar 2010
Time: 11am - 8pm
Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 6B

There are contests, performances & talks for both parents & children to enjoy & learn from.

Last year, I managed to get good discounts for Avent products & baby clothes too. Hopefully I can get some Similac milk powder at good discounts too :)

I think I'll probably attend the talks too, especially "Beyond the milk diet" since Charis has already started on solid food, & probably "When will my child talk?" too since I just asked James yesterday this same exact question too.

I am not pregnant!!! Hurray!!

My menses came today!! I am overjoyed!! Haha!!

I'm not nuts, just happy that Charis is not having another sibling so soon ;)

My menses are usually very regular, so I got real worried when it was late by more than a week this month. I am totally not prepared to be have another baby so soon again, especially when I need to take care of my brother now. Imagine taking care of him with my heavy tummy... the risk on mine & baby's health because of our lower immune system while taking care of him... & most importantly... I want to give Charis at least 2 years of my full attention before another baby pop along so that I can spend quality time with her in her most crucial 0-2 years old stage.

Since I was worried I might be pregnant again, I tried convincing myself that another baby might be good... just to be positive you know? I was concerned that if I am negative, the foetus would be able to feel the rejection. After all, there's no accident in God's timing, especially when babies are God's precious. He already created us even before we were in our mothers' womb, so how can there ever be accidents right? :)

Anyway, I was convincing myself that since I'm still young & has the stamina to take care of the babies, might as well be real productive these few years, especially when my sister still can look after Charis for me. After 4 years, I can go full force in my career again. Rather than juggling between the baby & my job now, then 2 years later when I want to focus on my work, I'm pregnant again... so disruptive...

But nevertheless, when I know I am really not pregnant, I am still overjoyed! Hurray!!

Me = Demoted; Charis = Promoted

The night before James travelled to Japan, I asked him, "Will you miss Charis or me more?"

... "Both."

"Charis or me more?"

Grinning... "Both."

... "So means Charis lor..."

"Cuz I see you more often but I seldom see Charis. I only see her on weekends."

Conclusion:
1. Charis is now the queen while I have been demoted.
2. Maybe I should stay over at my mom's house over the weekdays too?

Miss u, Charis!

I'd moved back to my mom's place temporarily to take care of my brother (he's home about a week now). I missed James & Charis because I seen them less often now. In fact, James in now in Japan on a working trip & will only be home just before CNY.

Every week when I go to my sister's house to fetch Charis home, she would be so excited to see me. Her whole expression would be filled with joy & it simply melts my heart. It's sad but I'm so relieved she still remembers her Mummy & is so happy to see me.

She hasn't learnt to flip & turn yet. I think her progress in learning has been slow & affected since I can only spend weekends with her. On Saturdays morning, James is serving while I sometimes have to be with my brother, & then followed by church service. On Sunday, it's in-laws visitations the whole day. So actually, the 3 of us seldom get to spend much quality time together as a family, lest about teaching & developing her motor skills.

Sometimes, I wished I could do more for her, but my brother needs me too. But as my brother improves, I'll be able to spend more time with her then. Looking forward to that day!

Charis' Newfound Friend

Charis' Eyeores

I'd been trying to influence Charis in developing a love for Eyeores just like me. Since she was 1 month old, I'd been placing an Eyeore soft toy at her bed so that she can look at it everyday, & hopefully she'll grow to love it. Then I won't have to buy so many soft toys for her anymore because she can just inherit all of mine! Haha, save $$ =)

Most of my Eyeores (some of them are not in this picture because they are too big to be displayed around my house, so they ended up in my storeroom). Hopefully she can inherit all of them soon.

Her 1st inherited Eyeore. I chose this because it's small & colourful enough for her.

The 1st Eyeore I bought for her.

Her 1st Xmas gift (from Lily).

Last Sunday, she grabbed the Eyeore that Lily gave her by the long ear & held it face to face with her. She then smile & talk to the Eyeore! How interesting. Since she like it so much, we decided to let her bring out her Eyeore for that day!

The next thing she likes to talk to is the television! She must have thought that the television is "talking" to her, so she simply responds back... Haha!

Charis has a thing for lights & television (Yes, television! My gosh, I hope she won't grow up to be a TV addict!) So to give her a treat, we brought her to Orchard Road on 22nd Dec to look at the Xmas lights up.

Of course, she wouldn't know how to appreciate the beauty & she won't even have the slightest memory of the experience, but nevertheless, as parents... we'll do anything to give her even 1 min of happiness :) Orchard Road was so crowded on a weekday night! James simply can't stand the crowd, but for Charis' sake, the sacrifice was worth it! :)

There was lots of beautiful Xmas trees everywhere! Charis simply adores the lights! Her eyes were lit up with curiousity & she was looking everywhere! I love the streets lit up too. I think this year's theme is nice, filling the streets with Xmas ambience in the air!

There was masquerade of Roman soldiers, 3 wise men, & folks etc. parading from ION all the way to Takashimaya Square, & we eagerly took pictures with them. I think Charis could sense my excitement because she was sleeping before the photo taking but woke up immediately when taking pictures with them, & then fell asleep almost immediately after the photo taking. There were street performances everywhere, so it was really noisy. But trust her, she can always sleep even in the midst of a storm - typical CHC baby trademark!

Despite our tired feets & the amazing crowd, we managed to walk from ION Orchard all the way to Plaza Singapura. Our conclusion at the end of the day - bringing a baby out can be so troublesome & challenging! But it was all worth every sweat! :D