ROAR! its friday again!

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2736518/Rare-black-tiger-cub-does-best-terrify-s-cute-s-good.html

not into guinea pigs but i think this is the cutest i have ever seen!

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2734543/Dapper-new-guinea-Rodent-latest-celebrity-animal-block-cute-outfits-attract-thousands-admirers.html

and so today is the last time my baby had breast milk and also officially ends my first bf journey. i watch her gulp down the last pack of bm with bittersweet feeling.

during pregnancy, i read about how to bf and in the process i gained information on how beneficial it is for the baby. i also read how some mothers struggle with bf, especially those not born by natural birth, and i told myself to just stay calm if my baby doesn’t latch.

the first time the nurse carried her to me for feeding, maybe it’s the anesthetic, i was pretty relaxed though something was shouting inside my head. magically, she latched perfectly and we bonded well though she was born via a cesarean and the voice in my head died promptly.

BUT all the reading i had, did not prepare me for my bf experience. bf moms seem to only talk about how good, nice, how much they are pumping and all other positive things about it. they don’t talk about how the not nice things.

the truth is, it is damn tiring and painful - mentally and physically exhausting.

i was carrying her every 1-2 hours and for 30mins to almost an hour each time. and when i carried her (that little pumpkin weighed almost 4kg) my cesarean wound hurts like it’s a fresh cut. there was once it was so painful, i thought the scar was going to split open and i gave her first bottle of formula. my wound took a long time to heal.

over 5 months, i have latched her for 192hrs & 6mins. and over 6months plus, i have pumped a total of 377hrs & 44mins and produced about 2,247 oz. just for record purpose.

if i have a next kid, i will still take the same approach and mindset. i will not insist on exclusive bm only. i had that thought at first cus i was told by parents that babies wont fall sick if they are fed exclusively bm. but i have learnt that its not true at all. they still get sick with cold, flu and fever. which i think is normal for babies to be sick.

the only two things i love about bf is probably her contented smile after a satisfying meal and how she looked at me like i am her whole world when i latch her. =)

here are some furry / non furry animals that made me smile today! happy friday everyone!
going to be a busy weekend since the baby fair is in town. SHOPPING! my favourite! hehehe..


up first is Houston Zoo's clouded leopard cubs.

the nicest blue eye baby i ever seen.

and i can say this freely without feeling any guilt cus my babies wont have blue eyes.. HA!

aww.. dont you just want to cuddle them too?

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2729822/Posing-paw-traits-Introducing-Houston-Zoo-s-cute-leopard-cubs-just-want-snuggle-teddy-bear.html

***

next up!

cheeky lemurs posing with camera.

 so curious.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2730172/Say-bananas-Cheeky-lemurs-creative-camera-left-paddock-interested-climbing-taking-snaps.html

***

lastly..

this little guy (girl) has such a contagious smile ^_^

she is wombat, if you are wondering.

she was so little only when they found her.. =)

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2730137/Will-I-grow-fur-soon-mum-Super-cute-baby-wombat-adopted-human-mother-dead-mothers-pouch.html

感恩

许多父母不知不觉中在培养着白眼狼
source: http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5ODA3Nzk4Nw%3D%3D&mid=200427307&idx=2&sn=5f2c824c696b5a96668ac466832ef5af&scene=4#rd


星期天的晚上，饭菜已经上桌，我呼唤女儿：“吃饭啦。”“等一下”，她答。

​​​​我先吃了。几分钟后，女儿走过来，看了一眼桌子，问：“我的饭呢？”伴随着的是一副忿忿不满的神情。​

​​​我心里一惊。她的表情，她的诘问明明在告诉我：你应该为我盛好饭的，为什么不给我盛饭呢？​​​​

7岁的她有一双好手，她明明可以自己盛饭，为什么觉得我理所当然得替她盛饭呢？​​​​

我立刻找到了原因。虽然我一直警告自己不要替孩子做太多，让孩子学会为自己负责，但是我仍然和许多母亲一样，不知不觉替孩子做得多了点。​​​​

以前我一直替她盛饭，以至于她认为盛饭这件事是妈妈应该为她做的，所以她不但不感激我一直以来替她盛饭，反而因为今天没给她盛饭而不满起来。是啊，既然是妈妈应该做的，她怎么会感激呢？​​​​

我意识到这是在助长女儿的“受之无愧感”，“受之无愧”是指，某人觉得别人欠了他东西，或者认为别人必须给他特殊待遇。有这种倾向的人认为别人（尤其是亲近的人）应该给他想要的事物，别人给了，他觉得那是人家应该做的，他不知感恩；别人没有给，他就认为别人太不应该，于是就心生不满和怨恨。​​​​


受之无愧感强烈的人可能变成一只“白眼狼”。​​​​


前不久在网络上看到的一个帖子，发帖人小A 10岁时父母相继过世，年长他20岁的姐姐将他抚养成人，并供他上了大学，后来他考上了公务员。姐姐在工厂上班，姐夫在学校门口摆一个小摊。现在姐姐退休了，退休金每月1800元。姐姐的儿子--小A的外甥考上了外地某个大学的建筑专业，学费比本地大学其他专业贵。姐姐家收入锐减，开支突增，财务突然紧张起来。​​​​

姐姐想让小A每个月给她1000元作为养老费（实际应该是补贴外甥上大学的生活费），小A不干，并劝说姐姐不让外甥读学费昂贵的建筑专业。姐姐一气之下，扬言小A不给抚养费就要将他告上法庭。小A问，如果姐姐将他告上法庭，他需不需要承担抚养费？会不会对他的前途造成影响？他特别强调，姐姐只是将他养活大，对他没有对外甥好，至于如何不好，他举例说2003年上大学时，姐姐每月仅仅给他300元的生活费。言辞间很多对姐姐的不满，毫无感激之情。

​​​​姐姐将他抚养成人并送去上大学，小A本应心怀感激、知恩图报，他却认为姐姐姐夫做得还不够。我不熟悉法律，不知法律上这位弟弟有没有义务赡养姐姐。但从朴素的人情道义来看，滴水之恩当涌泉相报，面对抚养自己十几年，还送自己上大学的姐姐，在她遇到困难时，有什么理由不帮帮她呢？

​​​​我替这位姐姐感到悲伤，带着弟弟出嫁本已不易，多年辛苦竟养出一只白眼狼。​​​​

我可不想将女儿养成白眼狼。我养育她是我做为母亲的职责，不图她的回报，但是如果她长大后认为我替她做一切都是理所应当的，如果我哪天做少了，或者不做，她就怨恨我……如果发生这些，那是我的悲剧。​

于是，我告诉她，妈妈刚才反思了一下，可能我以前一直替你盛饭，使你觉得为你盛饭是妈妈应该做的。我觉得到这样很不好。从今天开始，盛饭就是你自己的事，应该由你自己盛。

从那以后，我更加警惕是否替她做了太多，经常提醒自己不要替她做她份内的事情，并将一些家务分配给她，让她承担起家庭一员的责任；在我们劳动的时候，邀请（并要求）她帮忙，让她体会我们劳动的辛苦；教导她表达感谢，如果她表示了感谢，她会得到更多，如果她没有感激之心，下次我不再替她做那件事；物质方面减少满足，让她懂得并不是她想要任何东西都可以得到。

我看到许多父母不知不觉中在培养着白眼狼。他们替孩子做得太多，上学或放学路上，大多数孩子的书包都由父母背着，孩子心安理得空着手走；衣来伸手饭来张口，不用干家务，只要搞好学习；物质享受被过分满足，许多小学生有了自己的手机和电脑……这些都是在助长孩子的受之无愧感，今天他认为你应该为他背书包、买手机，明天他就会认为你应该为他找工作、买车子、买房子，如果某天你给不了他想要的，他就要心生怨恨了。

​​​​写到这里，我想到三年前机场弑母的留学生汪佳晶，他留日五年，从未打过工，学费和生活费都靠母亲每月7000元人民币的收入来出。母亲四处举债，实在拿不出钱，他竟在机场捅了前来接机的母亲9刀。24岁的青年本应自立，靠自己打工解决（或部分解决）留学费用。但他心安理得享受着母亲含辛茹苦提供的温室生活，当母亲拿不出钱，他不念亲恩，那满腔怨恨化作9刀。

​​​​Tips:这个案件让父母们警醒，教导孩子学会负责、懂得感恩有多么重要！一个懂得感恩的孩子，他会感激别人替他所做的，珍惜他得到的一切，觉得拥有眼前的一切既快乐又幸福。我们做父母的要谨记：如果你不想将孩子培养成“白眼狼”，那就千万不要替孩子做太多，不要助长孩子的受之无愧感，要去教导孩子懂得感恩。

sometimes i feel that my daughter don't really love me.. she likes me a little i guess but definitely not love..

her grandpa (my dad) receives her most enthusiastic welcoming party from her everyday when he comes home from work.. she will yell for his attention to carry her while he quickly goes wash up before carrying her. for the next 15 mins or so, no one can tear her away from her dear grandpa. it's a drastic difference when i reached home.. she would just look at me and smile, oh stranger mom, you are here home...... :(

and when it's play time, she always prefers her dad and yiyis.. and her yiyis just need to look at her and she would laugh. yes LAUGH!

earlier before her dad went for shower, he placed her beside me.. she was sleeping soundly but when he came back, she promptly roll over to him and continued to sleep.. the hubs was of course so happy and proud that the little girl prefers him and was showing me the smirk.

so whispered into her, 偏心鬼.. and she crawl back to me..

now i can sleep soundly knowing that she probably loves me after all... =)

9 months.

she is nine months old today?! *count again using fingers.

YAH ITS REALLY BEEN NINE MONTHS! so she have been outside the womb almost the same time as she has been on the inside.. hahaha..

she went for her nine months developmental check last friday...

at the polyclinic, the nurses weighed her at 9.125kg and measured 71.5cm tall. the funny thing was, today when she went for her follow up at KKH, her weight increase to 9.38kg and she grew to 73cm instead. all this in 3 days! wow! and suddenly she is in the 90 percentile instead of 50.. lol. but i trust the polyclinic's measurements more..

back to the developmental check, mummy took her instead because i could not take time off work. according to her and the little girl's health booklet, she seems doing good! growth, feeding, hearing screening all OKIE! and for her development check, she is already doing what she is suppose to do at 10.5 months! =)

this month, she learnt to point and has not stop pointing.. pointing seems to have become her way of saying "hello" when she sees us. but most of the time she would just pointing randomly and yet sometimes she seems to know what she is pointing at.

this is the first pointing photo taken of her. =)

more "pointing" incident..

婆婆 also join in the pointing fun. hahaha.

the favourite thing she loves to do this month other than pointing is chasing her duck!

and of cus putting it into her mouth after she caught it.. 

hahaha..

few favourites photos of the month...

my top fave!

check out her expression!

the funniest thing she did this month - i left her on her own, on my bed, to drink her milk before bedtime while i sat beside her using my phone. i placed a pillow between her and the wall so she wont knock her head. after drinking a little milk, she took the bottle out of her mouth and started to crawl towards the wall. she began her phrase 2 of wall examining thinking i am not aware what she was doing. i put my iphone aside and watched her. she got braver and started to stand up using the wall as a support and it was then i decided to cut short her exploration expedition. i called out her name and asked what was she doing. she quickly lie flat on her belly on the pillow and didnt move for awhile. then she slowly turned her head and looked at me and tried to make me smile by smiling at me.... -_-"

Revealed: You shouldn't talk in 'baby speak' to your child... because it could impair their SPEECH by Sally Lee

A new study has cracked the code on how children develop an understanding for language and vocabulary. The research by the University of Western Sydney discovered that children aged three to six start to use the same strategies as adults when identifying new facts and objects.

This follows previous studies which uncovered baby talk to infants was a pivotal part of their learning, where adults naturally start to use a more sophisticated form of speech once the child reaches their first birthday.

The recent study found that children aged three to six, like adults, were able to use a process of elimination to arrive at an answer. But their understanding of how new words and expressions are linked to objects can be different from adults.

Co-researcher Karen Mattock says when children hit this age group, adults should be using 'child directed speech'.

'This means we should be clearer and give short, simple and repeated instructions to better convey the message,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'When you are teaching your child the names of items or giving information about them, keep in mind that their knowledge about language is different, so make sure they are attending to you as well as to the item you are talking about and encourage your child to ask questions.

'These quality interactions go a long way to helping your child’s vocabulary and knowledge grow.'

That's not to say that baby talk should be eliminated.

'At a young age this is very important for an infant's learning,' Ms Mattock said.

'The melody of baby talk maintains the infant's interest and allows them to capture emotions which facilitates bonding. 'Also the sing song nature of it and the exaggerated, hyper articulation of stretching out vowels also helps with their development.'

The research is part of a wider three year study into children and language. 'Young children are amazing at the way they quickly gain language skills,' Ms Mattock said.

'What we wanted to do is find out more about the way children learn words so we can give parents the best strategies to teach new words to their children.'





Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2726437/Dont-talk-baby-talk-child-want-speak-properly.html#ixzz3AjLZFLai

went to ikea today to get some fabrics to make the giant pillows for her but i realised that they dont have that much fabric as i thought they had. =(

in the end we got toys for the little girl. we got her a crane with magnetic blocks, stacking rings, building beakers....

... and a toy boat for bath!
i am so jealous of my daughter's toy... =P

happy chuckling seals!

happy friday everyone!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2715877/The-laughing-seals-Chuckling-sea-mammals-love-laugh-bound-smile-face.html

sometimes i really hate crowded public transport. other than the farting sardines & butt pinchers, sometimes the crowd seems to be crowded with not really nice people.

like today i have an ahnei (i am usually more polite but who ask him to keep knocking into me) who kept elbowing my ribs on my side (not sure the bus really got that bumpy anot lor) and a chinaman rubbing his arm up my left arm. grrrr...

tried moving away from these two crazies but there was no where to go. fortunately the traffic was good and i was not stuck on the bus with them for too long.

call me 洁癖 but i never liked skin to skin contact with strangers and especially those who are sticky (or i am sweaty) and have bed smell where i can smell from miles away. babies are excluded and they usually smell nice. who knows where these people has been and did they even shower? came to office and wipe my arms with wet wipes.

sigh.. what a way to start a wednesday....

flat out.

we took her out earlier today in the evening for dinner with the hubs' colleagues. she started fussing at around 8 plus and promptly fell asleep on the cab back. usually when we get her off the car, she would wake up because there is a change in temperature - cold to warm. but today she hardly stirred and slept all the way home.

and this is how she looked...

i guess this is what they call flat out tired. lol.

even when we changed her, she still did not wake up...
so not her..
oh my cute baby, why she so funny one...