Guardian Angel

DD fell off the bed this morning. I was brushing and I heard a crashing sound, followed by a baby's cries. I threw the toothbrush away, still foaming in my mouth, I ran to the bedroom. And there she was, on the floor, on all fours. I quickly scooped DD up and comforted her, crying and telling her I'm sorry, it was all my fault. Then I check her for injuries. No apparent bumps on her head, her fingers and toes were ok. Thank goodness! I thought. But I still feel a sense of guilt from my negligence. I told my mum and she said maybe "someone" held on to DD while she fell, that would explain why she is unhurt. I stopped and pondered over her remarks. That guardian angel would have to be my grandfather! I looked at my grandfather's tablet and said a prayer of thanks, hoping he will continue to watch over DD.

Urgh!

What happened to "motherly instinct"? Urgh!!!

Untitled

I believe that all children were born strong, mind and body. But most parents have the tendency to make their children weak(mind and body) by over-protecting them. Parents just need to love their children unconditionally and they will grow stronger than you can ever imagine.

This is what I believe.

Victory

I had finally let DD cried herself to sleep. It was a great feat for me. She cried for about 20 to 25 minutes, stopping for a few seconds just to catch her breath. I know this is wicked but as I lied down beside her observing, I thought it was rather amusing. Her cries were different, with varying pitches and loudness, then silence, as if she had called it quits, only to resume with her number. She was all sweaty and her hair was wet. Well, it did go on for almost half an hour. Then, she let out a wail and all was silent again. I stayed lying down, not daring to move an inch. One minute passed and it was still quiet. DD was asleep. I felt triumphant! And a little bit of guilt. But DD has to learn to sleep on her own, without rocking or a pacifier or my breasts. She will get it, after a few more tries. Sorry baby.

Parents', or Rather, Mothers' Expectations for Their Children

It is amazing to find the sort of questions parents, or rather, mothers asked. You can find them on a certain parenting page on FB. Questions like, what should I apply on BB's head to make his hair grow, or has anyone brought their child to IQ test assessment. Oh come on! Give yourselves and your children a break, mummies! Some BBs are born with a lot of hair but in the end, suffered from balding; some BBs are born with little or no hair but they might be the next hair shampoo model for all you care. And the most ridiculous is the IQ assessment. Unless needed for medical purposes, I don't see a need for an IQ assessment of your child just to know where he/she stands.

Of course, every parent wants the best for their children, no doubt about that. But then, so what if your child looks hideous in someone else's eye? To me, my child is the most beautiful creature in this world. No one can make her look ugly or pretty just because some stranger says so.

Right. I am just as guilty. I like to buy clothes for DD to make her look adorable. In a way, I admit that that satisfies a part of my inner desires, to look good and to spend money.

But I do agree that it is vital to recognize and draw out the potential in your child. So, that being said, DD's legs are extremely powerful, so taekwondo is definitely in the list. And she is also very vocal and "talkative", so speech and drama lessons are next. Oh, DD is only 6 and half months old.

A New And Wondrous Year Ahead, I Hope.

I'm becoming more auntie-like now.

I can't help but browse through every single advert in the papers, hoping to find that cheap bargain. And I'm not talking about apparel or shoes or bag sales. I found myself looking at pots and pans, groceries, diapers, sewing machines, mixers and whatnot. Sigh.

I think about a lot of things. Like, is it necessary to buy expensive clothes for your babies and/or toddlers? Who is the one looking good, you or your child? I remembered I almost wanted to buy a romper from GAP costing almost 50 SGD when I was still carrying DD in my tummy. There was only one reason for wanting to buy - the romper had many tiny whale prints all over it. Back then, Hubby had allowed me to buy it. I stood in front of the rack, deliberating over which size to get. 0-3mths is too small and impractical because babies can grow very fast. 3-6 mths did not seem big enough, I was afraid DD was going to be a big baby(which she still is) and not fit into it. 6-12mths is too ... It was a struggle. We were standing there for a good 5 minutes before deciding to look around, hoping to find other cute clothes for DD. All were expensive, for a baby. Soon, that tiny percentage of practicality in me said, "Look elsewhere." And we left, never to go back again.

I love buying clothes for DD. I think women just like to spend money. Any type of spending is retail therapy for me. And since I no longer want to buy clothes for myself, I buy for DD. And I only get those clothes I like. Not you, not them, but me. So to answer my second question, if your child looks good, the parents look good and to look good, you have to buy expensive clothes, which answers the first one. I figured that is what most parents might have thought. But I can't have myself thinking this way. I can't teach my kid to be brand-conscious. I want to tell her that, while we are not able to give her branded clothings, we are giving her our time and love. I hope she understands that in the future.

Happy New Year.

Boxing Day Lunch

Mushroom and ham pasta in cream sauce

Celery soup

Cooking is addictive, at least to me. But the celery soup wasn't quite what I expected. I should have strained the soup. That will make it smooth and creamy.