Theodore's Second Swim

Jul 24, 2010. We brought Theodore for his second swim at baby spa. This time together with Baby Joshua.

What wouldn't change, would be how Theodore would knock out after some milk. On his second attempt, he swam for 30 minutes.




Irwin and I always joke about how we are Really parents now. We have a weekly routine of bringing Theodore to his swimming sessions; and getting him to join us for brunch if the environment is suitable, i.e. not overly crowded and air conditioned... yes this boy breaks out in heat rash easily.

So tired now. Had to follow up with some office's matters, and was reading online furiously about baby's poop patterns. Would I be able to handle both work and family appropriately? I only made a few calls today and already I am having a headache. Am I really going to devote myself to family only? The scary thing is during dinner two days ago my father-in-law said 'Yes you should be taking unpaid leave for the next three months to take care of Jun Rong. Don't forget he is priority.' He further said that 'Don't forget you will probably have a second child and then you need to re-prioritise again.' Gulp, I still can't forget the days when I had to hug the toilet bowl about four times a day; how I had to walk slowly from kitchen to bedroom in order to prevent puking; how toothpaste, perfume and Bobby's food make me either vomit or felt like vomiting... *puke puke* now I feel nausea.

Theodore hits the water

On July 18, 2010 when Theodore was 3 months and 27 days old, we decided to bring him to baby spa to try swimming. We suspected that he would love it since he loves using his legs a lot. While placed on the play mat, he prefers to kick rather than bat the hanging toys with his hands.

It was a fun experience as we watched him warm up, and then put into a neck float that looks like a strangling device. This place is called Baby Spa and he can swim, have a massage, haircut or have his parents shop there for him.


Theodore lasted 20 minutes for his first attempt, but of course it was also thanks to the staff there who massaged him while he became a little tired. He naturally kicked around, and turned round and round without any coaching. I supposed some babies would naturally know how to move around into water, although I saw some wailing while palaced into the water.

Tomorrow we are bringing him for his second swim, and am excited to see what new tricks he can come up with, although I think his actions might be restricted within the tub.

Theodore at three months old

Theodore is now three months old. Mummy's role has basically been to cater to his milk and nutritional needs, read up on baby care and to see to his developmental milestones. I read up frequently from babycentre.com which sends me emails week by week providing useful information on baby's development. I also bought a What to expect in the first year to gain a better understanding of taking care of a baby (for the first time!).

Starting to move around in cot

In the picture below, we placed him parallel to the cot. Within minutes, he has shifted himself, using energy from his legs, butt and stomach so he could have a better view of his musical mobile. That happened on July 2 when he was 3 months and 12 days old. We had a good laugh as we witnessed this new capabilities as he could only lay on his back with no shifting movements previously.

It may sound like child's play. To a new mother however, this brings a big smile to see her child acquiring new movements and capabilities.

Another significant activity Theodore loves is to look at Daddy's and Mummy's lips, and he tries to mimick our mouth movements and sound. When Theodore was two months old, I repeatedly say "Hello" to Theodore when I realised him looking at my lips with focus, and a slight frown on his eyebrows. I guess the frown means concentration. At two months, he blurted out his first Hello. Irwin and I stared at each other in shock, a little freaked out, and the hair on my arms stood on ends.

After that we reminded ourselves, no we shouldn't be reacting this way. We should feel happy or clap to show that Theodore is doing the right thing. Otherwise he might misinterpret our shock reactions and not want to continue learning that way.

At 3 months 18 days now, he can blurt out 'Hello, I Love You, Milk'. When Daddy and Mummy was singing to him on July 7, he started to sing or hum along too.

That is one talkative, sociable and vocal baby.

Bye Bye Dahlia

This week has been more busy. Why so? We sacked one helper. I have always found her to be pretenious. She is well behaved and well mannered when my in-laws are around, but a total punk when they are not.

As I have not been having enough sleep and rest, I got fed up one morning when she replied 'Yeah' in a rather rude manner. I told Irwin who came home to question and scold her. She shouted back. Thats it, we decided that since she did not treasure this employment opportunity, she has to go.

We kept her in the kitchen area, kept all the knives away, and took out our tennis racket and put them in some corners (just in case ;). By 4pm, my in-laws came home and we made her pack and sent her back to the agent.

She appeared non-chalent and said she wanted to go home already. Till today I wonder if she meant what she said. To us, it was simply getting another helper. To her, she lost her rice-bowl, her employment and would be sent back to Indonesia. She would be facing her family who has been pressing her to send money home (according to her). At the same time that she told us her family is pressing her for money and she wanted advances from us, we discovered that she has bought a gold necklace, a handbag, and a mobile. Errh, she doesn't even take off-days and only steps out of the house to walk Bobby daily.

Now that she has been sent home, we discovered more. She has 'borrowed' $28 from our housekeeping money, and borrowed a total of $76 from our neighbours' helpers.

Funny enough, with one hand less to help out, we all felt relieved, including my in-laws. It was stressful managing her although we always try to defend her saying that its her background hence her mentality...

We would get a part-time helper instead. To have two live-in helpers in our house felt a little intolerable. Plus only Theodore and I are always home, I always felt out-numbered...haha... It was tough this week, but it just gives me more opportunity to be closer to Teddy..never mind that sleep would never be adequate...