Time passes by real fast when you're busy

Time passes by so fast and as much as I want to blog my updates as well as for Rye Li’s, I also don’t have the luxury for this anymore. Work has been busy, no time even for facebook. ;) And time is ticking really quick, I’m about 30 weeks now and another 10 weeks to go, maybe lesser, maybe more. I’m going to briefly summarize what went by in the last several weeks :-

- the day I turned 28 weeks (beginning of my 3rd trimester) nearly 2 weeks ago, baby H (yes, she is now known as baby H) had hiccups for the first time. She’s kinda slow in this compared to Rye Li’s, Rye Li was hiccupping in the 2nd trimester all the way to the end and at times as many as 3 – 4 times a day.

- in my last visit to my Obgyn earlier this month, I’ve put on in total 10kgs so far. Also, I had my ATT (anti tetanus something) jab, which is for the baby and it was darn painful but I had to pretend that it wasn’t painful as Rye Li was watching me the whole time. I had to tell her while in pain that I’m not scared of jabs and that I’m not crying – something she does when she gets jabs. My next visit will be next Saturday and thereafter, it will be every 2 weeks and soon it will be every week till Baby H comes out.

- I still feel good being in my third trimester, at times I feel I have so much energy and that I don’t feel pregnant at all; even skipping and running around. I will get comments from my colleagues reminding me I’m pregnant. I got a feeling that this energy will run out soon.

- taking advantage of this energy, we went up Cameron highlands 2 weeks back for the weekend, only we encountered some bad luck there. Firstly, the maid and the girl had a cold and cough. The maid’s first time ever in a cold place and Rye Li was already sniffling at the daycare when I picked her up. Secondly, Hubby’s car broke down on our third day there and also the electricity in my dad’s apartment was out due to a fuse on the same day. Hubby decided to follow our friend back to KL that day to bring up my car and also the spare part for his car the next day. But I made sure our electricity was up and running before they left. We had to call TNB to come and fix the fuse box and it was a Sunday too. Luckily they did if not, we all have to squeeze into our friend’s car back to KL.

So that night, the girl, the maid and I were left on our own in my dad’s apartment in our last night at Cameron’s. Hubby was worried the whole night thinking all these could be a sign of bad omen for us to leave together. So, he couldn’t sleep well that night when he was in KL. My family was also worried about us and didn’t like the idea of me driving back to KL while hubby will drive his car back the next day. I guess I don’t blame them, I mean a 7 months pregnant woman with a sick child and a sick maid stranded in Cameron’s. But my consolation was that if any emergency were to occur, I got my uncle nearby to call out to. Anyway, all turned out well and we had to wait for hubby’s car to get fixed the next day before leaving for KL late evening the next day. My first time driving back from Cameron’s to KL. I was just dead tired after that, having to go back to work immediately. This would be my last holiday (and we didn’t even do anything in Camerons!) before Baby H comes out.

- Rye Li has been tremendously emotional and demanding lately. Probably part of terrible two’s as well as the fact that Baby H is coming. With hubby travelling a lot for work lately, I’m getting the brunt of this phase she is going through. I guess it is due to the fact that hubby plays a lot with her when he is around that when he is away for work, she really misses him like mad. I can’t exactly tell hubby not to play with her right so I just have to deal with her whines and cries of “I miss my papa” and it does get on my nerves as she can say this a million times in a day as if it is my fault that her papa is not around.

The worst was last weekend where she cried and cried when hubby left. I’m not sure whether she was seeking attention after that or was it for real but she complaint her ‘hoo-haa’ (we call it pot-pot) was painful and the way she acted with real tears and screams while holding on to down there also panicked me big time. Anyway, she didn’t show any symptoms of urinary tract infection nor had there been any rashes in that area but because she acted like this 3 times after that till night time, I was thinking perhaps she may had urinary tract infection. Other than the non-symptoms, why I had my doubts was when I got desperate while she was screaming and crying in pain, I told her that I’m going to take her to the hospital there and then to get her checked out and she replied “so dark outside”. So I really psyched her by cleaning that area with wet cotton balls and applied heaps of nappy rash cream and told her that if it is still painful when she pees, we’re going to see her doctor the next morning. Later on, she had the cheek to tell me that it is not painful when she peed in her diaper. And the same for the next morning too. And till now, she will tell me that her “pot-pot not pain ady (already)”.

Hubby was away for 5 nights and this girl got clingy to me. I’m grateful that the maid is around to do the house stuff while I get the time to be with the girl. But she wants me to sit with her while she watches tv too. She will not let me go and have my shower while she watches tv and when I asked her why, she replied “because I (am) alone”. So my daily weekly routine when hubby is away is:

Once we get home after picking her up from the day care, I’ll switch on her cartoon channel while I grab something to eat and will sit with her throughout. Once she’s done with her Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Art Time, she will switch off the tv and I’ll shower her and get her ready for bed. When she’s done, I will turn on her Barney DVD in my room and she will watch it there while I have my shower. Once I’m done and she’s done with her show, we will call hubby to talk and say good night; depending on her mood, she will be responsive to her papa, if not she will be whiny and sad or she will just ignore her papa as she will be tired already. After that, if she’s not tired, we will either read a book or will sing some songs and then it is slumberland. If I’m lucky, she’s asleep by 10pm, if I’m not, perhaps by 10-30pm or later. She gets up anywhere in between 7-8am daily. And yes, she still gets up for milk at times, perhaps 2-3 times in a week. I don’t mind this as she is still petite (only 11.5kgs) and also I’ll be hit with a newborn soon.

- I’m not prepared for Baby H’s arrival yet and I will only start shopping for some stuff next weekend since it’s a long weekend and also I want to use up some vouchers, which I’ve saved for her. The following weeks after that, I will need to wash all the baby clothes and stuff. So many things I need to do and so little time. I’m wondering when should I pack my hospital bag since I only got to this at 36 weeks with Rye Li and that also was half-packed when she came out a week later at 37 weeks. So learning from this, I will do this also in the next few weeks in case Baby H also comes out early.

And I’ve no idea what to get as a present for Rye Li from Baby H. Hubby wants to get her a bicycle but how in the earth am I going to wrap that and bring along with me to the hospital?!!! I need something smaller and definitely something she will like and want to play with.

I also have no idea what to do with the maid and Rye Li when I go into labour – I’m praying that Baby H comes out day time so I don’t have to be worried about the girl. She still needs me at nights and if I’m giving birth in the middle of the night, I need hubby to be around. I won’t get him to stay with me this time at the hospital at nights as I want him to be with Rye Li.

So many things to think about and I also pray that hubby is around when I go into labour so a message to Baby H; please come out anytime from 38 – 40 weeks ok and during day time too! And oh yea, don’t cause so much pain and come out real fast! I promise you that you will get a nice present after that! :D

About my big tummy again

I never had this thought with Rye Li and I'm not sure why I'm being so obsessed with my tummy now (other than the weight).

Lately, since Baby 2 is moving so aggressively, I like to lift my shirt up and bare my tummy to see if I can catch the movements or not. This is usually done at nights after my shower. I will leave it like that for some time and seriously, I feel nice and comfy baring and airing my tummy like that.

With the hot weather lately, it feels even more comforting to do that and now I'm wondering is this how all the Ah Pek chinaman (Chinese old men) feels like after a heavy meal whereby they will lift their shirt up to bare their big tummies?! I know you still can see this sight at some kopitiams here, okay, maybe in old towns and definitely in some homes now. But the last I saw this sight was in Penang town years back!

I must get hubby to do this with me and see if he feels the same. ;)

60 days maternity leave is NOT a holiday!

While I was pregnant with Rye Li, I used to get comments that my 2 months (not even 2 months, it’s 60 days!) maternity is like a holiday for me whereby I will get to rest and most importantly, I’m away from office and don’t have to work that 2 months. At that time, I didn’t really gave two hoots about those comments as I didn’t know what to expect being it my first time.

However, after I came back from my maternity leave then and still had those comments coming my way, I really gave that person my 2 cents worth, okay, maybe more than 2 cents! Along the way, when I still hear this kind of comments, I will voice out my disagreement.

Now that I’m pregnant the second time and still get this kind of comments, I will get so worked up and that person will also get a piece of my mind on this statement.

So, I’m repeating this….60 days maternity leave is NOT a holiday at all!!!!

And the following are the reasons why:-

1) After tremendous stress and pain of having a baby coming out of you, you’re immediately thrown into the lion’s cage. Okay, not exactly that bad (perhaps worst) but you’re faced with a crying and demanding baby that totally disrupt what you considered a normal like before baby came along.

2) You definitely don’t get enough sleep anymore – those back at the office that still have to work 9-6pm get more sleep that you do in that 60 days!


3) The one month (some will have 40 – 44 days) confinement feels like you’re serving time in a prison as you’re not allowed to get out of the house (although I cheated a few times, I still felt like a prisoner!)

4) I’m suppose to be resting and sleeping most of the time but tell me this, how can I when my breasts get engorged every 2-3 hours or so, have a crying baby that needs to be fed or diapers changed every 2-3 hours or so, have to express my milk after my baby gets direct feeding (as she doesn’t drink much and also I need to make sure the flow gets going for more milk later), have my MIL to remind me that I need to eat my breakfast/lunch/dinner when I finally get to catch up with my 40 winks, and also I still receive calls from office now and then (very minimal though). [I didn’t have a Confinement Lady with Rye Li and although my MIL was helping me, I looked after the girl at nights with some help from hubby when he wasn’t traveling].


5) Due to the lack of sleep and rest, and the after effects of childbirth, your body does not feel the same anymore. In fact, you do get the aches and pains especially in the first week. If you’re lucky, it will go away fast but if you’re unlucky, it will remain for some time. I was unfortunate to have my right leg affected by the huge amount of weight that I put on during my pregnancy with Rye Li and hence, I still suffered for nearly a month after she came out. Even my urut (malay: massage) lady was surprise by this as it was a nerve thingy and not a bone. Whenever she massaged that area, on reflex, my leg will come up and I will be in pain. I’m praying that I don’t get this again this time.

6) During the confinement month, there are a lot of taboos that you need to follow. For me, although my MIL wasn’t strict (and even if she is, knowing me, I won’t be so bothered), I still need to follow certain things accordingly. Of course, I didn’t stand long enough till 30 days to wash my hair. In fact after 8 days of not washing my hair, I had enough and told my MIL that I really have to wash my hair. She wanted me to wait till 12 days but I told her I cannot stand the dirt and itch anymore and she was nice enough to boil the herbs for me to wash my hair with.

Being it my first time, I wished that I washed my hair normally behind her back! That wash and bath was the hottest I ever had in my life! I was sweating profusely throughout the wash and also way after that. I didn’t really feel that cleaned after that although I did wash my hair. After this, I washed my hair weekly with the same routine (I cheated once normally when Rye Li was admitted to the hospital for high fever at 20 days old and I stayed with her there for 2 nights). So all in all, I washed my hair 5 times during that 30 days! But I did shower everyday – mostly without my MIL knowing but she did catch me a few times and told my hubby that I shouldn’t be touching water at all (yea right!).

7) With no intentions to disrespect my in-laws, that 1 month or so was the longest time I have ever stayed with them. Thankfully, the confinement was done in my house so at least I’m familiar with my surroundings. However, it also took me a while to adjust having them over in that 1 month. Before that, they have stayed over at my place whenever they came down from Penang but the most for over a week. I’m grateful and thankful that I had my MIL to look after me during the confinement period. However, with a new baby and a new routine, I have to admit that I did feel like a stranger in my house that month. There were times I wished that I was back home in my own family house – it was also a time where I missed my mom so badly! :) …my mom did come over now and then and I always resisted to shout out to her whether she could stay with me!


Alright, I’ll admit that I did get some relaxation of some sorts before I went back to office because I made myself to. Rye Li went to the day care at 1 and a half months so I also took the opportunity in that 10 days or so to do some errands like opening a bank account for her (she had some ang pow money for her full moon and also CNY after that). I also went for a spa as my body needed some relaxation so badly. But I can tell you, while doing my errands, it wasn’t like I had the whole day to myself. I had to work around my pumping schedule so that the girl gets enough milk as well as I didn’t suffer from the engorgement. Also, I had to do some light housework and made sure all this were done before I had to pick the girl up again from the day care and I remember that I mostly had her to myself as hubby was already traveling for work every week.

Now, with the second maternity leave coming up, one would think that it would be a breeze for me. Nope, I doubt so as I also have a toddler to deal with other than a baby and I’m not looking forward to a demanding toddler and a baby at the same time for my attention while my body is going through so many changes. Wish me luck!

60 days is definitely not enough to recuperate and whoever recommended the 60 days maternity leave here sucks big time. There were plans to have this move up to 90 days 2 years back but it never materialized. I feel even at 90 days, it is not enough but heck, anything more than 60 days is definitely welcome anytime.

So, ladies and gentlemen, if you ever come across my path, please do not mention that I got 2 months holiday soon or ever for that matter! With loads of hormones gushing through my body now, you better make the effort to make me laugh rather than to make me mad. ;)