mommy

Mommy’s Diary 43: Changing and Adapting

March 5, 2012 By Chie

Some week seem to be harder than others. I felt, a little, drained way this week. Kiko was whiny, cranky and cried for no apparent reason. For instance, all of a sudden she decided to hate her bath time. I usually let her hang out in the tub while I wash myself, and when I’m done, I get in and play with her. It usually takes 5 minutes for me to wash my face, hair and body. She used to stand at the ledge of the tub and watch me, sing, or do whatever. But then, all of a sudden over the past three days during our normal routine she will start to weep and scream the entire time she waits for me to join her in the tub. As soon as I get in with her, the tears dry up immediately and she is happy and wants to play as though nothing happened.

Also, it seem that as she grows and becomes aware of her surroundings, she has begun to show people preferences. For example, beginning this past weekend while at church when other people held her, she started to cry. In the past, she would go to whoever and smile at them. I’ve read this is called “stranger anxiety” in Baby Center. I know this is just a phase in her life, but this week’s been long and frustrating!

In an attempt to cheer myself up I online window shopped some fancy stuff that I’d like to put my hands on.. here is my list.

1. Nursery Wall Decal, 2. Mama and baby bunny embroidery, 3. Piggy wall decal, 4. DIY Mobile, 5. GAP Girl’s Romper, 6. Cutest kid’s room ever.

Mommy’s Diary 40: Making a Tradition 2

February 9, 2012 By Chie

I wrote in the past that I’m big on making family traditions. Saturday breakfast cooked by Andy is one of them. There is something so relaxing about Saturday morning. Last Saturday, Andy cooked pancakes for everyone. For Kiko, he made a special pig shaped pancakes using a cookie cutter. We both loved it! Why pig shape? If your a regular on my blog you know, but if not the reason is that one of Kiko’s many nicknames is piggy. When she was first born she kept snorting like a pig while she was sleeping. Thankfully it eventually stopped, but the name stuck so we still call her piggy.

What is your family tradition? Do you know how it started?

Mommy’s Diary 25 – The End of Breastfeeding

October 13, 2011 By Chie

My baby is almost six months old, and I’m done with breastfeeding. The end to my breastfeeding days came rather suddenly. One day Kiko decided not to take my breasts. She was three and a half months old. I was shocked. I thought my breasts were her most favorite thing in the world. Although I had a difficulty with breastfeeding (terrible engorgement) in the beginning, I learned to be okay with it over time. But one day, the switch happened, and Kiko would scream when I would try to breastfeed her. At that point it became impossible to breastfeed her while she was conscious. I switched to nursing her while she was groggy during the early morning feeding and late night feeding. The rest of the time I pumped. Slowly, Kiko started to reject those groggy feedings as well, and as I pumped less, my body produced less milk. Over the past two months, I slowly decreased the frequency of pumping, and now I don’t pump at all.

It was sad when she rejected me at first. Andy knows, I cried. I’ve read in the Baby Center about some mothers comments about missing “the bonding time” with baby. It seems like babies get selective around three months and not taking breasts seem to be a common problem.

But now that my breastfeeding days are over, I must say, I am kind of glad that I don’t have to carry around a pump, worrying about leaking, washing nursing pads endlessly, bearing with engorgement pain, or smelling disgusting with leaked milk. I almost exclusively breastfed Kiko for the first three and a half months, and I was glad to be able to do that. But at the same time, I am glad my breasts did whatever they needed to do and it’s over. Now I can have some “bonding time” with Kiko by playing with her, singing to her, reading her books and praying together.