Quiet Baby

These 2 days, Declan had been exceptionally quiet. Usually he’ll skip on one’s lap when someone is carrying him upright or at least he’ll flash his toothless flirty smiles when a female species teases him. (he is one cheeky baby whom I realized prefer the female species to the male). Even if he is not trying to “skip” out of one’s grasp when someone is holding him, at least he’ll be alert like a little rabbit looking out for predator. He’ll turn his head this way and that way while his eyes will dart and observe everything in sight. However he seems listless recently. I gotta put in double effort to squeeze some laughter out of him…

Is my baby mourning for the tsunami victims? Is it because I’ve subjected him to too much hideous television footage on this disaster? Or is it just the effect of the coughing medication which I fed him? Or maybe his metabolism rate just drop like pregnant polar bears during winter time since it’s exceptionally chilly these 2 days?

Hmmmm I guess little babies are just as sensitive as those animals living in the affected disaster zones. Somehow they can sense that things are not right. (it’s reported in the papers that no animal bodies were found in Sri Lanka as yet) For the little animals, they scrambled to safety before disaster hit. For little babies, who aren’t as predictive as those animals, they’ll probably be sensitive enough to feel the sadden mood hanging in the air.

*Anyway the above statement about babies’ sensitivity is my own deduction with no scientific backings. Readers may choose to go along with me or choose to disagree with me. If you disagree with me, no need to flame me down ok?? It’s just my personal thought.

I choose to believe my little boy is one babe with a big heart. He is just quietly mourning for the ever increasing casualties… I bet when he saw tv footages of little babies and children who died, he’ll feel bless that he’s born in this sunny island shielded from such calamities by its neighbours. As a little baby, he can’t really do much to help those victims. The least he could do was to observe some silence as a form of respect. Well done boy! Grow up with a big heart! I’ll want to see a man full of compassion in years to come!

With this, Little Declan will like to wish all babies, mummies, daddies and all others a peaceful, epidemic free, disaster free, terrorist free and accident free New Year. With all the bad news splashing all over the news in Year 2004, it no longer matters what you will get in the coming year, it’s what you can avoid which is more important.




May "Sister Declan" bless the world and help to bring a little smile to warm your day and your heart in this chilly year end.

Gummy King

Seems like at this point of his existence, Little Dec's only aim in life is to gum everything within his reach. He plays all his toys in his one and only way, that is using his taste buds..... Just look at him!!







Even his tiny little toes are not spared from being gummed!Everytime I see him doing his extreme stunt of raising his feet and shoving his little toes into his mouth for a round of chewing, I'll ask him :" Hey Darling, are your little toes really that tasty??" Feel like giving it a try hiiakhiakhiak!!

As usual, when my ever worrisome Mil saw him chewing all the toys I gave him, she'll go through each and every one of the toys and asked me 1 by 1 :" will this block break open and cut baby's lips? Will the little bell inside drop off and choke baby? will the cloth contain tiny hair which after baby swallow will clog up his lungs? Will the fur (which is actually not there, cos i dun buy furry stuff for my baby) cause asthma? Will baby be affected by the dust which settle on the toys?" etc etc. The list goes on and on and on and on..... sometimes i'd end up asking myself :" Will I go crazy with all these questionings??"

To me, chewing and gumming everything in sight is a natural development phase which all babies will go through, thus no need to be over worried. Just ensure that the baby's toys are clean and without tiny little parts which will choke or poke them and all will be well. I don't believe in bringing up baby in an over sterile environment. I believe, a little exposure to dust and some not so harmful bacteria and sorts will not kill them. It might in turn assist to build up their resistance to such foreign bodies. Remember the "Dirty Eat Dirty Big" theory?? I swear by that! But of course that does not mean one can be unhygienic when it comes to baby stuff.

With this I wanna wish Little Dec, Happy Gummy Time!!!! It's Gummy Time! I won't stop you! go gum whatever you want! Just keep away from poison, medication and all things toxic!

Dec's January Calendar

From now onwards, I'll share with all little Dec's Calendar every month. So here you go! January 2005! Sorry folks! I know it's kinda small but unfortunately my HTML skill is not there yet, so I don't know how to resize it.

Declan's 1st Christmas

Decky’s got his first ever x’mas pressie.




Unfortunately for him, it’s not from his mum nor dad. It’s from Angelia! Nice gift! Decky’s first Fisher-Price toy. A musical banjo!







In fact, I’ve planned to buy Dec some Fisher-Price’s toys soon but Angelia beat me to it. She promised to buy the kids at home more gifts if she strikes 4D again. Hahaha. Oh yeah that reminds me that I must thank Baby Ethylyn for the mini windfall she gave us. Angelia won $750 while I won $1000 (out of which 600+ went to my insurance $!*!%P!%!&!!!!) from betting on Ethy’s related number. Typical Singaporean huh??!! Every thing also can buy 4D!!! hahahah ok ok back to the baby talk!!

Though it’s already pass Christmas, I still bought some new toys for Dec at Isetan sales yesterday as promised! Good buy! Fisher-Price was at 30% off!!

On Christmas Day, we brought Dec over to Kiat’s colleague’s house for a pot luck session. Food was good,




company was good, even music was good but... Baby was bad…. While all the others were happily chitchatting and enjoying the festive food, me and Kiat gotta take turns to comfort our “Stranger Anxiety” hit baby……




He’s fussy the whole time there… whining whining and whining plus pooing….. Poor baby…. He just dun seems to be able to get use to the strange environment… We end up leaving early…sigh…… Hope his colleagues won’t think that we are a spoil spot.

Luckily I managed to fulfill my promise of capturing some photos with the Christmas lighting for him. Before we shoot home, we stop by Orchard to snap a few pics. I got a hard time trying to get Dec to face the camera. This little bundle was so intrigued by all the bright lightings that he kept turning back to look at the lights and décor. When he looked at the back, I’ll swirled around and let him faced the front, b4 Kiat could captured anything he’ll whirled his head to look behind again… I’ll then had to swirl to the other side again in order for him to face the front…. So if anyone of u spotted a crazy woman in front of Tanglin Mall with a baby in one hand and seemingly trying to dance salsa in public on Christmas nite, that’s none other than yours sincerely.






You guys may refer to my Christmas Album for more pics.

My Best Christmas Pressie in 2004!

See that??? How cute! hahahha! When I opened my office mailbox earlier on, I saw this email title "look at this baby, soooo cute" sent by Kiat. I tot it was another one of those circulated attachments of other people's cute baby. So I did not opened it immediately and went on to read other mails first. When I'm done with the others, I finally opened this faithful mail. It opened in a minimize window, and I only saw a baby's face. I was wondering, whose baby was this? As the pic was not very clear. So I maximise the window and read the message written "on" the baby. OHHH that's my baby!! hahahah..

I always like this kinda innovative and "self made" present rather than some material items :) Merry X'mas to you too Kiat and Declan!

Declan's 1st X'mas

My Little Reindeer I think he looks more like a bunny wannabe in this pic

First I wanna wish all of you This will be Little Dec's 1st ever Christmas in his life. Unfortunately I forsee that it will be an uneventful Christmas for the little one. I've yet to get him any pressie. No time to shop. But I'll definitely shower my little bundle with lots of pressies!! Just that he won't get it in time for christmas as I've planned to buy him loads of toys and clothes in the coming Isetan Private Sales on 28 Decemeber 2004!! Cheapo mum hor??!! No choice lah, who ask him to be born to a pauper mum? So I'll rather stretch my dollar a little. If I buy from the sales I'll be able to give him more things with the same budget. Right???

It's oredi 24th Dec and we've not bring him to Orchard to take photos with the christmas decor and lightings... I doubt we'll hv time for that either... Decky, mummy promise that I'll try to squeeze a little time out to help u snap a few memorable photos ok??! but if I can't make it dun disown me hor?!!

HO HO HO! jingle bell jingle bell jingle all the way, oh wat fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh~~~

Tummy Ache

Just came back from the clinic….tummy ache...

Doctor prescribed some charcoal and Hyoscine pills for diarrhea and stomach pain. According to him, both pills are safe for a nursing mum to consume... but to play safe it’s better for me to stop breastfeeding for 2 days!! What?? 2 days??!! Huh?? I hate it when doctors give such half past 6 advice!! Y can’t they just give me a definite yes or no??!! give me this kinda wishy washy advice.. damn lame….

Stopping for 2 days will mean that Declan will need to go on about 9 formula feeds as I’ve still got about 6 feeds stored in the fridge… Wahhhh cannot lah…If I stop for 2 days, I’ll need to take probably another 1 day to build up the stock in the fridge again… which also means more formula feeds for Dec while I try stocking up again….

I worry that if he continue to feed on formula for the next 2 days… he might reject my milk later on…. Too risky! I won’t let that happen! So I decided not to take the medication!! I’ll just let the system clear itself and endure the stomach pain (anyway what kinda pain can be worse than labour pain right???) in order to continue breastfeeding… but hor… issit still advisable for me to continue with breastfeeding when I’m having stomach upset?? Hmmm meanwhile I’ll let him feast on the stock in the fridge while I plough the internet for more info. Mummies care to share your knowledge with me???

Heartaching News

I read with heartache the news of a baby who was thrown down 23 floors by the maid of the family. My heart ache for the baby, the mum and also the pair of grandparents who witnessed the tragedy. Though I am not related to the baby, I can't help but let sadness wash over me. I feel sad. I guess this must be the work of maternal instinct within a mother. If I were to read the same piece of news 3 yrs back when I was still a swinging single, I doubt I'll feel the same magnitude of sadness. No doubt I'll feel disturb by the tragedy but I think there won't be much hint of sadness.

Baby Jonathan was merely 5 months old when his little life was abruptly ended by a stranger who was introduced into his family around the same time when he first arrived into this supposingly beautiful world. What kinda person will have the heart to perform such damaging act towards a helpless little angel? This incident is extremely close to my heart as I've also got a 5 months old baby boy. I feel for the mum. Though it's unfair to say that I know how Jonathan's mum is feeling right now cos my own boy is still very much alive today, but I can imagine how disillusionise the mum must be right now. After having this little bundle with her for 24hours a day for 40 weeks, she finally get to see his angelic face. Day by day she witness how this little angel blossom into what he was at 5 months old. 5 months is the age when the baby will be easily intrigue and amuse by his surroundings and thereby triggering his cute gigglish laughter. Whenever a baby of that age is around, the room will definitely be filled with joyous laughter, both from the baby as well as his caregivers. To see this little bundle lying cold on the hard concrete floor and being wrapped up by a plastic sheet is definitely heart wrenching. It'll just be PAIN, PAIN and more PAIN for the mum... My condolences....

I do not want to comment on the maid..cos it'll be unfair to her. Though I hate her for killing the baby, on the other had, I do sympathize her too. No one knows what she has been through that resulted in such extreme action. It takes a heart of stone to throw a lively baby out the window and it takes mighty courage to end one's own life too. May she rest in peace and hope her grievances will be redressed.

For parents who engage maids at home, do be extra careful. Don't take your maids for granted, remember they are as human as we are. We make mistakes, so do understand that maids make mistakes too. We take time to learn, so do understand that maids will also need time to learn too. It's actually double effort from their part as they have to adapt to the cultural and environmetal differences when they come over.

Christmas is just round the corner, let's make peace and be a little more accomodating towards each other.

Stranger Anxiety

Sigh.. my ever friendly boy is starting to have stranger anxiety liao... look at the cringed up face... His face always get all crumpled up whenever my mum carry him. I bet that really broke my mum's heart cos she loves him dearly. I guessed Declan "labelled" my mum as a stranger probably due to the fact that they seldom meet. He used to be all smiles whenever people carry him but now, he's kinda selective. Let's hope he'll outgrow this stranger anxiety real soon!