Baby Longings

Today Mommy checked the Yahoo Inbox and saw this newsletter e-mail by Baby Weekly with the sub-heading "Baby Longings". The contents goes like this:


" Alice, as you watch your baby grow, learn, and become a little person, do you ever long for your cuddly little baby again? Many women start missing their little newborn baby when he or she reaches toddler-hood. Do you have any longings for your baby of days past? Write now."

How true! Mommy does have such longings. Gone were the days when Juan Or was such a little, helpless newborn baby, only sleeping and drinking milk throughout the day. With his little body, arms and legs, and the unfocused newborn eyes....Mommy's little baby! Gone were the days when by just cuddling Juan Or in Mommy's arms, Juan Or could doze off just like that - easily. But as soon as Mommy puts him down again, his eyes would open and his hands and legs went wriggling in the air, and Juan Or would start fretting as if to complain "Cuddle me! Don't put me down just yet!" And of course, gone were days when Mommy had insufficient sleep every day because of having to wake up once in every one or one-plus hour to breastfeed Juan Or.


Quite recently before, Mommy asked Juan Or this: "Juan Or, why do you grow up so fast? You grow up so fast, then Mommy won't have baby to hold anymore!"


Anyway, with the current economic situation and the current cost of living, Papa and Mommy can't afford to have another baby. Also, Mommy's period has not returned yet. At the moment, only one baby will do, and that's Juan Or The 'B'......

Breastmilk Supply for Juan Or

Shortly after Mommy's maternity leave ended, Mommy was able to produce an average of 12 oz. of breatmilk from both breasts (added together) during working hours. At that time, Juan Or was consuming 10 oz. of breastmilk per babysitting day (8 am to 6 pm).



Then the quantity went up to an average of 14 oz. somewhere when Juan Or was 4 to 6 months old. At that time, Juan Or was consuming 12 oz. of breastmilk per babysitting day. On a very good day, Mommy was able to produce a total of 16 oz. during working hours! But that was only once. By then, Juan Or was consuming 14 to 16 oz. of breastmilk per babysitting day.



Somewhere when Juan Or was 7 to 8 months old, Mommy's production went down to an average of 12 oz. again. By then, Juan Or's breastmilk consumption was 18 to 20 oz. per babysitting day.



By 8 to 9 months, Mommy's production dipped again to an average of 10.5 oz. And Juan Or's consumption of breastmilk ranges from 18 to 22 or 23 oz. per babysitting day. How sad!



All along, Mommy had taken steps to help make up the difference of production vs. consumption by hand-expressing breastmilk immediately after Juan Or had breastfed.....but still cannot catch up!



Mommy wonders how long more Mommy's production can last. And the buffer period of frozen breastmilk supply is gradually dwindling - from 14 days (shortly after going back to work) to the current of 8 days! Mommy foresees the day when the breastmilk that Mommy pumps the day before will be used up the very next day itself.....and from that day onwards, Mommy will have to resort to using infant milk powder to supplement.....

The 'B' Romper

Juan Or is also known as "The 'B' " (see previous posting entitled "The 'B'"). Recently, Mommy digged out this romper ( or onesie, whatever you call it!) from Juan Or's clothes drawer because Mommy recalled seeing the tag indicating for 9-month-old babies. And sure, it is a very nice fit. The interesting part about this romper is that there is a "B" label on the left chest part. Actually the "B" label is supposed to mean "Bear" because there is a furry bear picture on the right hand part of the stomach. So the "B" label is a coincidence that matches Juan Or's nickname (The 'B').

Mommy bought this romper from Tesco Extra Cheras for only RM7.90 (during a baby fair promotion) which is a bargain because the cloth is of good quality plus a furry bear design that makes the baby look cute.

Juan Or just can't stop kicking when Mommy was trying hard to get a good shoot of him.

Finally, Juan Or steadied himself, long (or rather, short!) enough to let Mommy take another shoot. See the 'B' label on his romper? That's why Mommy thinks this romper is just the one for Juan Or The 'B'!

I Dream of ...... Saturday Night Fever!

Mommy caught this photo of Juan Or's sleeping position at 4.05 am. Looks like Juan Or was dreaming of dancing the Saturday Night Fever!

Let's take a closer look......Hmmmm.......on one hand, Juan Or does look like posing as 'Superman', oops...'Superbaby' in this case!

Sleep, baby, sleep.......

Chinese New Year 2009 Edition

Here is a collection of Juan Or's baby fashion statement during the Chinese New Year (CNY)week. Most of Juan Or's CNY clothes were bought long before he was born (Yes....Mommy was very excited about baby shopping!).

"Yay! My ang pow!"

CNY 1st day: Juan Or received his ang pow from his paternal Great-Grandmother. Oh, sooooo happy! Juan Or was wearing a Mickey Mouse set suit given by the babysitter as his CNY present. Holding him was his paternal Grandma.

Still the 1st day of CNY, Mommy changed his clothes to Chinese New Year suit bought from Tesco. This is a suit meant for 1-year-old toddler and Juan Or was 8 months old and the top part cannot be buttoned anymore because his neck is too thick for it. Mommy bought this suit for only RM2.98 (85% discount), originally sold for RM19.90! Anyway, Mommy put this suit on for Juan Or just for the 'guests' to see. Can't wear for long anyway because this suit cannot absorb sweat efiiciently.






Shown here is Juan Or in his full CNY suit and being carried by his paternal Grandpa.






2nd day of CNY: Juan Or had just finished eating his baby biscuit and ewwww......Juan Or's mouth was totally messed up! Shown here is Juan Or wearing a Mickey Mouse suit set which Mommy bought from Anakku (2 sets sold for RM29.90).

Shown here is Juan Or getting a good wipe on the mouth from his paternal Grandma!

"What's that, Mommy? I can't hear you!"


On the 3rd and 4th day of CNY, Mommy didn't manage to capture photos of Juan Or....too busy.

"Don't say 'Cheese!' Say 'The B'!"

"Why, Papa? Do you want to join in?"

"Look at my hand kung fu!"

5th day of CNY: Juan Or's T-shirt is a Winnie the Pooh meant for 1-year-old toddlers, bought from Hytex warehouse sale in Kepong for RM5. The shorts (brand is 'Little Koala') was bought from a warehouse sale in Giant Taman Connought for RM5 also.

"Me in soldier clothes!"

"I'm a little soldier baby!"


6th day of CNY: Mommy bought this soldier suit set for only RM4.90 from a tenant in Central Supermarket in Old Klang Road. Boy, that's a good bargain!

"Hello, Mommy!"

7th day of CNY: Mommy bought this 'Little Koala' polo T-shirt (toddler size) for RM5 from the same warehouse sale in Giant Taman Connought.