My Dollie Baby

Subject: Random Shots of Racia
Date: 30 May 2009 (Saturday)

We spent a quiet day at home today. These were some ransom shots which i took when we went for breakfast and dinner.

Having Breakfast

Such a cute photo, pity it was a little blurred.

Dinner a Yoshinoya Kovan

She was admiring herself in the mirror

Racia's serious pose!

Subject: New Presents
Date: 29 May 2009 (Friday)
Racia is 2 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days old today

Racia has new presents today. Check out her brilliant smile when she saw her pressies!!
- I got her a new pillow
- Daddy bought her a new toy from Toys R Us - An activity table which she has been bugging us to buy for a few days!
- She also got a new FP Little People set which i intend to keep and only give it to her during Christmas!!!


She loves getting presents!


Smiling so happily!

Subject: Racia has a new Kuromi Bib
Date: 28 May 2009 (Friday)

I picked up this new bib for Racia at Raffles Place today. Racia reminds me of Kuromi sometimes..especially when she is naughty!

Don't she look like Kuromi?

Subject: A vist to the Dentist
Date: 15 May 2009 (Friday)
Racia is 2 years, 2 months, 1 weeks and 4 days old today

I brought Racia to a PD dentist today.

Dr Ong from Smile Focus was a highly recommended PD dentist by my colleague Kim. Apparently, kim's daughter has the same teeth problem as Racia. Since i was quite worried and wanted a 2nd opinion, i decided to make an appointment for her.

Dr Ong is so popular that her earliest Saturday morning appointment was more than 3 months away. In order to cut short the waiting time, i scheduled for a session on Friday morning instead. For this Friday morning session, we waited a total of 3 weeks.

Dr Ong's clinic at Camden medical centre was so cool. They had a play area at the holding area for children. There were xbox, story books, flat screen tv screening cartoons, toys and various drawing tools and material. Racia had fun there, she tried almost everything except the xbox.

We didn't have to wait long. When we enter the dental room, Dr Ong had us seated at the side while she asked me a whole list of questions. These questions were mostly on her eating and feeding habits, we well as how we maintain and and clean her teeth.

When i told Dr Ong that i used first teeth, she immediately asked me to stop. She said that many of her clients that came with stained teeth were all using first teeth tooth paste. She asked for me to stop using the toothpaste immediately and asked that i only used plain water to scrub and clean her teeth. She said that children up to 3 years of age, need not use toothpaste. We can start introducing toothpaste to a child when they are 3 and above or when they can gaggle and spit effectively.

Dr Ong made Racia lie on my legs. This position ensured that Racia opens her mouth quite naturally. She proceeded to check and polish her teeth. She was so fast that the procedure ended in less than 2 minutes. Racia did not cry, in fact, she only started to fuss when the cleaning device came in contact with her tongue.

Racia's teeth is so white after the polishing, i can;t believe that her teeth looked so good now.
Dr Ong said that Racia was lucky, it was because of this black bacteria coating her teeth which prevented any tooth decay. This was because Racia has the bad habit of wanting to latch to sleep every night. And because of these harmless black bacteria, her teeth was well protected from Milk decay. According to Dr Ong, these bacteria might be a result of unbalance PH level in her mouth.

The session cost us $156 ($90 plus for consultation and the rest for polishing)

Crying

Trying to smile

Finally another smile

Smile Focus at Camden Medical Centre

So happy at the play area

Exploring around

Racia wants to draw

Racia wants to play with toys..
me in the background filling up her form

Now Racia wants to read

Distracted by toys

Subject: Happy Mothers' Day
Date: 10 May 2009 (Sunday)
Racia is 2 years and 2 months and 6 days old today


We celebrated Mothers' Day today! Daddy bought mummy and Nai Nai a choc cheese cake from The Patisserie.. It was delicious and very expensive (500gm for $42)!.

Check out the photos below.

Ohh.. the cake! $42 for this 500g cake.

Racia posing with the cake

Racia eyeing the cake hungrily

And to side track, she had her first taste of watermelon tonight and sghe loved it.

Racia with her watermelon.

Subject: Our Cable Car Ride
Date: 9 May 2009 (Saturday)
Racia is 2 years and 2 months and 5 days old today

We brought Racia on the Cable Car today!

The cable car will cease operation in late May this year for a overhaul and mummy wanted to take Racia on a ride before it officially closes. So off we went for a round trip ride from Harbour front to Mount Fabre, then up to Sentosa and finally back to Harbour front again. The ticket cost us $32 fro 2 adults with the Islander card and Racia rides free (usual price is $18.50 per adult ticket).



We had breakfast with Nai Nai and Gu Gu at this famous pao shop near our home.

Didn;t managed to snap when the food arrived!
This was what was left!

Dusk cable car ride!

Daddy and Racia posing with the cable car

Racia with daddy

A family potrait

A photo of Racia

We were on cable car no. 72

Posing with Mummy

Beautiful view of the setting sun.

Subject: My Weaning Diary
Date: 9 May 2009 (Saturday)
Racia is 2 years and 2 months and 5 days old today

I started weaning Racia on Monday (4 May 09) this week. This had been a really difficult week for the two of us. I kept a diary this week to chart her progress and also for me to look back and remember this time.

4 May 09 - Monday
Racia cried really hard (non-stop) for 20 minutes. She cried till she threw up and finally fell into an exhausted sleep after about 20 minutes. She woke up intermittently though out the night but surprisingly she could fall back asleep after crying. Towards dawn she woke crying badly, i gave in and latched her and she went back to sleep.

5 May 09 - Tuesday
Again, Racia cried really hard for 10 minutes. She finally agreed to let me carry her and she fell asleep lying on me. She woke up 1 hour later and cried for another 10 minutes before falling asleep again on my chest. She woke up a few time throughout the night crying for my breast. I gave in again and latched her twice when she woke around 3 am and 4 am.

6 May 09 - Wednesday
I was braced for more crying tonight and finally at 8:30pm (her bedtime), she started her crying episode. She cried for about 15 minutes. The good news was that her crying was not as hard and forceful. I have been thinking of SIL's suggestion of applying medicated oil on my breast to deter her. I finally asked hubby to bring me the medicated oil when she kept crying for my breast. I pour a tiny bit on my fingers and rub it near my breast. I told Racia that my breast is "La La" and i asked her to smell. When she went near it and smell the medicated oil, she screamed and cried hysterically for 10 minutes. I was kinda shocked by her reaction. She finally fell asleep exhausted from crying. She woke up crying at 2:30am but I did not give in. She fell back asleep lying on me and crying for 10 minutes. At 6:30am, she woke up crying for my breast again, i persisted. She kept crying and finally woke up fully after 10 minutes. She then took her teddy bear, stopped crying and smiled to me.

After today, i finally realised that my daughter had become a BFing addict. There are 2 sides to her, when she was rational, she was a wonderful child but when her addict kicked in, she became a monster! I really hope tomorrow night will be a better night with less crying.

7 May 09 - Thursday
Racia exhibited some really weird behaviour tonight. When it was near her bedtime, she refused to sleep. She insisted on playing and seeing her pictures in the digital camera and refused to switch off the lights in the bedroom. We struggled to get her to sleep. Finally at 10:30pm, she insisted on Nai Nai carrying her and she fell asleep after a short struggle on Nai Nai's arms. .
She woke up once at night crying for "milk milk" and i ignored her. She eventually fell back to sleep all by herself after crying for about 5 minutes.

8 May 09 - Friday
As a treat for her effort this week, I brought her to MacDonald's tonight.
By the time we reached home, it was close to 9pm. Again, she refused to sleep in my arms. She cried asking for Nai Nai and in the end, she fell asleep on Nai Nai's arms again. I felt a bit sad tonight when she does not want to sleep in my arms. But knowing that this is a difficult period for both of us, i know I should be more optimistic.

I really do hope that she will be totally weaned off my breast by the end of this week. A part of me feels sad that she is not drinking from my breast any more. I guess part of me still do not wish to wean her off.

9 May 09 - Saturday
I had a hard time making her nap this afternoon. She refused to sleep and lie down on the bed. Finally at 1:30pm, I carried her out into the living room and she fell asleep after lying on my chest for 10 minutes.

Tonight, she didn't go to bed till 10pm! I realised it is now so much harder to put Racia to nap/sleep. It used to be so much easier before, all i had to do is to latch her on and usually within 2 minutes, she would be asleep. I guess the two of us are still adjusting to this new change.

I was feeling emotional today, I told hubby again that i am feeling so sad. I felt that I was not prepared to wean her off nor did i gave her enough time and prepare her on this weaning. I felt that she was weaned cold turkey!

I think i am finally successful in weaning her as she never once asked for my breast at all today. I guess part of me was not ready to wean her. I was telling hubby that i am not sure what was the urgency in me wanting to wean her. This was because there was really no major or critical reason for me to wean her now. But alas, i can't look back now, what is done is done and I can't turn back the clock.

The comfort for me now is that i think she is finally starting to get better quality sleep. She can now sleep longer at night and she is waking up less. I am hoping that soon, she would be able to sleep all the way through without waking up at all. And now when she wakes, she would usually cry less than 5 minutes and will fall back to sleep on her own(no more struggling, pulling at my clothes demanding for my breast.)

Tomorrow is the last day of this week and will be the last entry of this one week diary. Let's hope the post will be a better and more cheerful one. :)

10 May 09 - Sunday
Today was good :) She slept on my shoulders in the car after class on the way home.
And tonight, I lie next to her while she toss and turn herself. She finally went to bed all by herself after tossing for close to 20 minutes. What an achievement! And not once did she asked for my breast.
Next steps, I will need to readjust her sleeping time again. Because of this weaning, she has not been able to fall asleep at her usual bedtime at 9pm. Instead, she has been falling asleep at 10pm or 10:30pm. Let's hope this will improve soon.

Subject: Night out with Nai Nai
Date: 7 May 2009 (Friday)
Racia is 2 years and 2 months and 3 days old today

I asked Nai Nai to take a break tonight and brought all of them to MacDonalds!
Racia loves her MacD outing..the fries, nuggets and not forgetting the toy!

She calls MacDonald "M"!

Racia at her favourite "M"!

The food which mummy ordered - enuff to feed a small army!

Racia and Nai Nai

She is not a big fan of apple juice, only taking a little each time
Posing for the camera with Nai Nai

A Happy shot for the camera!

Laughing with Nai Nai

One more Happy shot for the camera!

Subject: Enrollment at Paya Lebar Methodist Church - Pre-nursery
Date: 4 may 2009 (Monday)
Racia is 2 years and 2 months old today

I enrolled Racia for her Pre-nursery class to start on January 2010!

What a milestone for my baby! Come next January, she will be turning 3 and will start school.
She will be starting at the pre-nursery class at Paya Lebar Methodist Covenant Kindergarten. It was a pretty quickly decision as i only called the school and enquired today. Within 30 minutes of calling, i was down at the school paying a deposit. This was because there was only 1 vacancy left for the morning slot that starts from 8am and ends at 11am. The kindy has only 1 class in the morning for a total of 16 children and in order for me to secure a slot for Racia, i had to confirm asap. (My first choice, the TPBC kindy's pre-nursery class was full and i was put on waiting list at number 5, thus, this prompted me to look elsewhere.)

This was a really quick decision as i did not even have time to consult with hubby nor make a trip down to observe the environment, teacher and pre-nursery curriculum!!

I will have to arrange for a separate session to bring Racia down and to see the class. Let's hope she can adjust well and will have minimal crying when school starts in January 2010!

Subject: Weaning off my Breast
Date: 4 May 2009 (Monday)
Racia is 2 years and 2 months old today

I was suppose to wean her off from my breast at bed time on the 1st of May, but we all forgot about it!

When i remembered last night, i tried. And surprisingly, I was successful!! i was extremely lucky as I managed to tricked Racia and she eventually fell asleep all by herself (no patting, carrying or latching) after 20 minutes of tossing and turning! In that 20 minutes, she actually cried for "milk milk" twice but i ignored her and when ignoring didn't work, i told her to wait for 5 minutes! And she waited, and waited till she fell asleep.

I guess I was sneaky in a sense and extremely lucky that she bought my "5 minutes trick". At least after last night, i know that she is capable of falling asleep on her own.
Let's see if i am lucky again time tonight!!!