A Mother Journal - 母亲的感言

Finally Baby Julian is 1! See how difference he looks now and then. He was then a 3kg baby and now he is over 9kg! He has changed so much, grow so much during the last 12 months.

Seeing this little thing sleeping next to me every nights, I feel so contented and at peace. I've been putting a smiley face to bed every night cos of him. Although he is naughty and very hyper-active and he always wear mummy down, nevertheless he is Mummy's best medicine for bi-polar.

ON FOOD - I've never been a good cook so when I first realised that I have to cook for a baby after being a mother, I am worried! I basically started collecting recipes and asking around for advises when he was born! Baby Julian has a big appetite and a fine tongue! He started asking for solid when he was 4.5m old! As a 4.5m baby, the food in the market is quite limited as most of it is for 6m above. So it put me to test! He first started with Eu Yan Sang 四神糙米粉 recommended by his god mummy then he soon got tired of it. Next Auntie Samantha advised me to cook mashed potato with carrots, green peas with mashed potato, mashed sweet potato... Soon he grew tired of it too! He was about 5m plus then. So Mummy decided to cook the dreadful porridge! The porridge was bland and he didn't like it so Mummy panic and started asking around for advice again. This time Auntie Jessia recommended mummy to put a teaspoon of organic miso to give the porridge a taste and others suggested BOVRIL (Mummy's childhood fav!) He loved the miso but not the BOVRIL. So Mummy would always cook the porridge with miso, veggies and fish then blend it for this little one with 4 teeth. Mummy also went for Nutrition Talk organised by polyclinic to hone up my cooking skill. So far, I've cooked pasta, udon, apple porridge... for him. With the discovery of dried scallops (also a recommendation from god mummy and so far sponsored by her at S$13 a pack), mummy's porridge cooking skill has improved tremendously. Now mummy will blend a tub of grains to cook everyday. Ingredients will be veggies, meat and 5 small pcs of scallops. Julian will finish his dinner diligently. Seeing him eating to heartily, I'm so contented. Dear Julian, I will improve my cooking skill and add more variety to your daily meals. I PROMISE!

ON WEANING - I had tried to wean him off since he was 7m but was not successful cos he didn't want bottle feed and he didn't want the formula. Anyway, I was not persistent too cos my intention is too feed him till 1 year old. When he was about 10-11m, my milk supply dropped and he would cried every nights for milk. Then I started to panic and desperately trying to substitute him with FORMULA! Luckily, this time popo was around to help. With advices from the Mummy Support Club & the right FORMULA... He was weaned off quickly. I got him a Pooh Bear training cup on the advice from the Mummy's club and told it was milk milk from Pooh Pooh. He would kiss the bear on the cup and start drinking from it. I couldn't feed him but popo will do the job (also advice from the Mummy's). With the right BRAND, he is on FORMULA now. No more chasing after Mummy's breast. So finally my factory can rest.

ON PARENTING - I think women are really SUPER! When I was a pregnant. I really had no idea about what I should do as a Mummy beside having the experience of taking care of Nicole. So I read and read.. When Julian was born, I couldn't apply the theories cos very panicking. I couldn't even carry him properly. With nobody to help and the confinement nanny was gone... I struggled. Throughout the 12m, I am "P plate" (Probational) Mummy...learning along the way. I guess the responsibility and commitment is so great that I become a SUPER MUMMY. I become a better cook, can wake up in the middle of the night to check on him especially when he was sick... Those were the things I wouldn't be able to do it in the past. BUT being a mummy is forever a learning process. I tell myself, I will go on...