Snow is Here!

It has been forecast that this will be a very cold winter, in fact, an arctic winter. And the Met office has been saying that we will have snow one week before December, but last week, we only had one day of frost on the grass in the morning, and a few snow showers. Well, winter is unmistakably here now - for today, we woke up to a snow-covered landscape. 

The first time I saw snow was when I and some other friends, went to Australia after completing the "A" Levels. Before we went, the only notion I had of snow were images of pretty cottages sitting cosily with their smoking chimneys in a white landscape on Christmas cards.  Naturally, we were very excited to see snow for the first time. And it was indeed a magical experience. I discovered for the first time that in cold, wintry conditions, there is less humidity and was amazed at how fast my long hair dried after a shower. And how I could walk for miles with hardly any perspiration.

My subsequent encounters with snow were tinged with the baggage of age and responsibility.  About 4 years after my Australian encounter, I and a few other teachers brought students from the Outdoor Activity Club on a school expedition to Sikkim, India, to climb the 3rd highest peak in the Himalayas. Kanchenjunga, at 8586m or 28,169 feet, is also the third highest mountain in the world. My memories of that adventure, besides the breathtaking landscape and majestic mountain range all around us, include 8 hour treks everyday over terrain that had less and less vegetation and more and more snow as well as ice on the ground. We had trained for months before that and invested in expensive warm clothing and tracking boots, and yet did not find the terrain or the weather any kinder. We had an entourage of porters and yaks, which carried our backpacks and the porters' cooking equipment, for they would always set off first before us, so that by the time we reached the next rest-point, they would already have a hot meal ready for us. And I remember with great humility how these porters were wearing threadbare jackets and waterproof boots like those worn by the fishmongers in the wet market - which hardly have much traction - and yet, they were always faster and a much more cheerful lot than us, weary city-folk moaning away about the cold and our aches. And even though the food was simple and the same everyday, I think back with fondness at that basic but yet unbelievably delicious and nourishing, steaming hot bowl of tomato-ginger soup, the perfect thing for our cold bodies, once we stopped moving. 

I also remember how straight after the hot meal at dinner time, we would jump into our sleeping bags and sleep, while our bodies are still warmed by that soup. We would change into our sleeping clothes and throw our tracking clothes for the next day in the sleeping bag with us, so that the clothes would be warmed in the morning. But how we dread changing the next day - it was always a lightning-fast operation, as we took in a deep breath and quickly jumped out of our pyjamas and put on our tracking clothes... followed by the porters coming around with cries of "Tata Puni!", that is, "hot water" for us to wash up with. 

So, in that trip, I learnt that snow is pretty, but well, not exactly comfortable.  And with about 20 odd students under our charge, you learn to watch out for slippery bits of ice on the ground, another attribute of snow that remains etched in my mind.

In 2004, Daddy Low brought me to America for his naval training. And that was my coldest winter - when the airport doors opened, I remembered how taken aback I was by the strong wind blowing in our faces and clutching my coat more tightly around myself against the biting cold. We also experienced our first blizzard - 18 inches of snow.  The cars looked like they were cemented in snow - the white stuff reached up to the windows!  For that one day, school was cancelled until the roads were cleared. En route to Canada that winter, we were hit by a snowstorm and our connecting flight was stalled and we had to stay one night in the airport hotel. And on our visit to Whistler Mountain, that famous skiing attraction, I looked like Rudolph the Reindeer in the photos, as my nose bore the brunt of the cold. I also broke out in itches, as the dryness on the skin was something that this tropical girl was totally unprepared for.

Oh yes, by then, I have learnt that snow is more romantic than practical. That snow is, in fact, a pretty picture, and that it should remain a picture, for it can be unforgiving and extremely harsh. And in our preparations to move to UK this year, I cannot deny that the climate weighed heavily on my mind. 

Yet, despite all these misgivings, the white landscape that greeted my eyes today was an awesome sight and made the whole neighbourhood look different. There is something magical about snow, with all its cotton-soft-like and pristine white appearance. That when you see it piled on roofs and treetops like fluffy marshmallows, you cannot help but smile and enjoy the sight. So, there I was, fresh out of bed in my pyjamas, standing transfixed by the window... then running for my camera and taking my few shots of our first white British winter.  

It will be Julien's first winter. I have already bought him a beautiful and very warm pramsuit and think it would be lovely if he can make his first snow angel. Daddy Low is mortified and it's no good, since Jules can't do it on his own anyway. Well, Jules, nevermind, we can make a snowman together.

And the arrival of snow helps to mark the coming of Christmas. Somehow, a white Christmas always excites and in fact, feels only right. And today being the last day of November, you feel like Mistress Weather has conspired with Father Christmas to start the countdown to Christmas.  

And we are ready for this white wonder - Daddy Low has bought our snow shovel, ice scraper, de-icing liquid and snow spikes for our shoes. The only thing that remains is to keep ourselves toasty with some warm clothes... and the 30% sweater sale at Gap beckons! :)

Julien and his Baby Armchair

Lately, Julien seems to be growing through a growth spurt. He is feeding a lot more, and has started becoming quite strong in his legs, liking to straighten them and stand quite firmly when held up. He has grown taller as well and last week, we had to take out the baby supporting seat in the car seat - which is like an extra cushioning layer on top of the actual seat - as well as adjust his shoulder straps higher. 

Julien does not like to lie down anymore and has made his displeasure known many times when he is put down on his playmat or in his bouncy chair. And even the car-seat and bouncy chair, which are in a semi-lying position like a recliner, no longer have his vote. In fact, he once managed to get himself out of the straps in the bouncy chair! No other position seems to please him except when he is upright, when carried or held standing up, because he can then look around.

Thus, getting him a highchair for him has been on my mind for a while now. And when I found myself saying this again and again to Daddy Low, I was convinced that we need to get him some sort of chair to allow him to sit up.  

Most highchairs are only suitable for babies 6 months and above, so I was reminded of the Bumbo Baby Sitter my friend Wendy told me about a few months ago. We had gone to Mothercare to check it out and I had been impressed by the sturdiness of the chair, yet its material was soft and comfortable.  Later, other friends have said good stuff about it. Now that it has come to mind again, I decided to check it out in Amazon and was pleased to read the many positive reviews. The price was cheaper than that in high street stores and I thought, oh well, why not? We could always return it if it does not work out.

The Bumbo is a sturdy baby chair, looking somewhat like a potty, since it has a big depression, where you put Baby's bum in and 2 little U-shaped openings in front allow the legs to come out. It is made of a foam, substance that is strong and heavy enough to hold baby firmly to the ground instead of topping over.yet, its softness gives when pressed, thus allowing Baby to feel snugly tucked in, when seated.

When I showed the Bumbo to Daddy Low, he looked at it skeptically and soon forgot about it.  After I ordered it, I excitedly put Julien in the seat and we were both simply delighted by the result - Julien's neck is relatively strong now and he can hold his head straight quite well now. And when we put him in the Bumbo, it was a perfect fit! He looked so comfortable and had both his arms hanging relaxed by the sides; in fact, he looked like he was sitting in his own little baby armchair! It was a really charming picture :)  Of course, the best thing is he is happy seated instead of lying down. This means he stops crying the minute he is put into the Bumbo! It is, in my opinion, an absolute lifesaver! :)

In fact, we felt so confident of the Bumbo, that we decided to give Julien a haircut the very day we received the Bumbo. Julien was in for a treat!  Daddy Low gave him a full shower, together with his nice haircut.  First, the bathtub was filled with hot water till ankle high, with Julien seated in his Bumbo, placed inside the tub.  Thus, Julien did not feel so cold, since his feet were soaking in the hot water.  And he did love it, because throughout the whole cut, he was entertained being able to kick freely and cause much splashing around. Daddy Low was thus able to cut his hair relatively easily, since he was happily distracted. Daddy Low had been afraid that Jules might jerk suddenly, so used his shaver in preference to the scissors, so Jules, you pretty much got a rather professional haircut from Daddy's own hairdressing apparatus (Daddy Low uses the same shaver to cut his own hair - yup, he cuts his own hair with a shaver and a handheld shaver! :)  And after that, Jules, of course, had a very pampering shampoo.

And I must say the haircut was very nice. Daddy Low, good job there! And all thanks to the Bumbo! Haha! What a brilliant product, this baby armchair! And I am looking forward now to using it during the day, when I am cooking or doing other chores and Jules can sit there calmly and happily instead of being upset, when he can't see what's happening around him.  And it is light enough for us to bring it around with us, when we go to visit friends etc. The product information claims that the Bumbo can be used up to when Baby is a year old and beyond and up to 10kg; I am not sure about that, since Jules does look like he is fitting in it quite snugly now at 3 months... but hey, even if we only get to use it for 2-3 months till he can fit into a proper highchair, I think it would still have been worth it!

Jules before the haircut

Jules after the haircut

P.S.: Just to clarify, I have no shares no any other interests in this company, and my support comes purely from my satisfaction with this product. Darn! I sure wish I have some shares! :)

An Oral All-Clear!

If you've always thought an electric toothbrush is an expensive, gimmicky toy, join the club.

When this revolution was first unveiled and we checked out the price, this was my exact thought - that it is just the latest gadget to help gadget geeks part with their money. Surely, a normal toothbrush does the job without having to turn to the fancy toothbrush!

But recently, after my visit to the dentist here, I was strongly advised to get one. During pregnancy, increased hormone levels make the teeth and gums more sensitive and vulnerable to bacteria. And during my nine months, my gums have been red, swollen and tender, so booking myself in with a dentist has been one of my priorities after the delivery.

Visiting the dentist in a foreign land is quite an adventure. You walk in with expectations that it will be the same back home, but learn soon enough that the world is a bigger place than "back home" and things are not the same outside. As a new patient, my first appointment was purely a check - the dentist goes through my teeth and her assistant notes down the dentist's observations of each tooth. 

And the verdict was not pretty. Just as I had thought, my gums were in bad shape, and to top it off, I had a cavity.

I was told I need to see the hygienist before the dentist would address my cavity. Excuse me, but what is a hygienist? It is the first time I have ever heard of such a term!

Apparently, the hygienist focuses on cleaning and scaling and gives advice on how to clean one's teeth. I felt a bit sheepish, when I went for my hygienist appointment, feeling like a kid sent to Workshop "How to Brush Your Teeth 101". The hygienist gave the same sad message - my gums were in trouble - and set about cleaning them immediately. At the end of the session, I was told that I had to see her one more time, after my gums had some time to rest after this first session, so she could complete the treatment.

Now, this is a bit of a surprise to me, because what she had done in the first day did indeed feel like half the job done. I did not feel as clean as I am used to after a dental visit. And to be honest, I minded quite a bit, because dental care here is so expensive. Each appointment with the hygienist set me back 45 quid, which is the same in Singapore, except that it would be 45 in Singapore dollars! And I had to see her twice?!

But if I wanted to get my gums back to health, I had to do that follow-up treatment. I was sent home with some extra small Tepe brushes (that act like floss to clean in between the teeth) and a recommendation to get an electric toothbrush.

So, there you are - I got that super-duper toothbrush. Initially skeptical, I am now a true convert! Not only is brushing almost effortless, it is almost fun. Yeah, tell me, how mature I sound there... And it is true - you do feel so clean after each brushing session. I have to say the Oral-B advert is right (though I bought a Philips) - you get a dentist-clean feeling every time you use it!  And those small Tepe brushes - they do make sure I get every bit of food trapped in between the teeth. I wish someone had told me of these amazing dental aids earlier!

And we end with today's visit to the dentist to get that cavity filled. So, today, I am done! My oral worries settled. Yup, it did burn a hole in the pocket, but hey, I'd much rather spend the money than lose my teeth - a truly terrifying nightmare for any foodie! And I'll be happily brushing away with my new, gadgetty toothbrush :)

Sale Mania!

This week, Amazon.co.uk holds its Black Friday Sale, which is essentially 5 days of great discounts on selected items. But these are not called Black Friday Lightning Deals for nothing - they really do move fast!

The sale starts at 7am and ends at 9pm, with new items being opened for ordering every hour.  Daddy Low had told me that I have to be vigilant and stay by the computer, poised to strike if I want to get my deals, but I had thought that would be rather over-the-top behaviour, so had just kept in mind the timings of the items I want. 

I missed my first item, because I overslept. Then, I missed the second item, because I remembered the time wrongly. By then, I have decided that I must heed Daddy Low's words if I want to bag my deal, so I hover around the pc for the next item. In fact, I was watching the screen for the half hour preceding that. And watching the time ticking away on the screen, I got more and more impatient. And when the time came to 00:00:00, I excitedly clicked on the item...

And that was my costly mistake - I was supposed to click on the button "Add to basket"; instead, I clicked on the picture of the item, which brought me to the product description and the regular price! Horrified, I started frantically clicking the icon for going back one page, and of course, that took forever, given that probably at least half of UK was also clicking on that page.  Needless to say, I did not get my deal and can only kick myself for my silly mistake.

Daddy Low and I decided that we will try again, and this time, we were on the ball, just watching the screen like hawks. We got in the queue - yup, after you click, you still have to join the queue - but did not manage to snap the item.  And you start to ask yourself - how fast does one have to be?! We click on the dot and yet still did not get it?

We gave up and out of curiosity, I started to read the Amazon forum. And what an insight into human nature it is!

First, there are people whining about how this is all a scam, since they clicked on their desired item the instant it opened for sale, but yet, they did not manage to get it. And it is amazing how strongly they word their complaints. There are threads going by the headings of "Amazon should be ashamed of itself" and "What a con"...which is really funny, when you consider how this is really just about a company having a sale, albeit it being online and these losers make their complaints sound so much legitimate by dragging in ethics, which in my opinion, is a rather tenuous argument! So, some argue that it is a con, because Amazon probably only has 2 of each item for sale... A friend told me that in UK, there is, in consumer law, a clause that states that there should be a reasonably sufficient quantity of goods available if put up for sale. Now then, what does that mean? Isn't "reasonably sufficient" a matter of subjectivity? And really, which profit-making company, when having a sale, would only put up 2 of each item??? The logic begs questioning.

Second, there are those who brag about what they manage to bag, which really is very unnecessary and rude, I thought. And to rub salt in the wound, some will even state that they don't even want these items in the first place! Which makes you then ask, why did they even click on it instead of giving others a chance?!

And the ridiculousness of it doesn't even stop there. Today, I saw a thread that says "The how-many-items-did-you-bag-competition"! So, you have people writing down how many items they manage to grab and some even listing what the loot is.  At which point, you start to ask yourself - do these people have a life??? Especially when you consider that, for them to be able to bag so many items, they must be sitting at home the whole day, glued to the screen, with abated breath, as their trembling finger clutched their mouse, just waiting to click once the item is up for sale. Please, can this be real?!

And to add insult to injury, you have people who bought the items to resell it for a quick buck on Amazon's own forum! What kind of behaviour do you call this? Shameless, I say, to buy something from someone and resell it at a higher price just under their noses, in their own backyard. And the strange thing is there are people who would buy from such touts, which of course, further encourages such behaviour. And if we think about it, how realistic is it even to buy these items and pay through PayPal when these touts have yet to even get hold of the items from Amazon?

And the strangest one yet is the last group which I would call the Good Samaritans. These people claim to buy these items, in order to pass it on to those who really want it at the same promotional price that Amazon is offering. Apparently, these people have superfast internet connection, and so just want to help out the genuine buyers without this advantage and so, in the process, stop the touts from getting hold of the items... now, what about postage, Mr Good Samaritan?

In my younger, ignorant days, when asked about the characteristics of Singaporeans, I would trot out the familiar line - that we are kiasu (afraid that we will lose out to others) and that we love a good lobang (a good deal). After a few years overseas, I have to say that this is not a national trait of any particular country; but that these are part of human nature. Everyone loves a good bargain - I still remember how, when we were in the States with classmates from all over the world, the favourite pastime for the weekend is to suss out the good deals and come back to school and compare. And our dear fren from Bahrain emerged the champion with a deal that no one could beat - a pair of branded jeans for 70 US cents! Granted, it is not designer wear, but it is a reputable brand nevertheless, and we all stood in awe of him ever since :)

And so far, in UK, I see this same love for shopping and good deals. Imagine a shop opening at 5am for their annual sale (the Next 5am Sale)... and people do actually queue up at least one hour before that! That is the height of commitment I can imagine of any bargain hunter.  I am afraid I can't compete with such standards. I am happy to get a deal, when I see one, but not lose sleep over it.

Well, the Amazon sale is up for the whole of this week. It is a spot of fun and hopefully, before this week is out, I will be lucky and get something I want :)

3 Months Old & More!

Julien turns 3 months today. And as I look at his photos from birth to now, it is amazing how much change has taken place. From a brown, wrinkly, little newborn who would not open his eyes to a cute chubster with much bigger eyes, Julien is like a balloon that has slowly been inflated, with his features all filled out now.  We brought him for his weighing check yesterday and he is now 6.43kg, a good weight gain that puts him right smack on the recommended weight on the weight line for his age.

And all this growth just on milk, mostly breastmilk. It is incredible really, when you think about it.

When I think back now, the one topic that has totally absorbed me is probably feeding, and by that, I mean specifically breastfeeding. I remember how I have have been miserably exhausted by the countless times Julien needs to feed at night and the sleep deprivation was nearly driving me insane. And the emotional upheaval that goes along with breastfeeding - the wonder of it at the beginning, followed by a dread of it as it becomes a chore that seems to take forever when Julien would feed for more than an hour sometimes, followed by resentment as I started to feel like a milking-cow-on-demand, followed by the frustration of back-to-back feeding as Julien went into the cluster feeding phase (For the uninitiated, this means baby feeding almost without any break, as if he is never full, but what's happening is he is storing milk like a camel), before slowly going into the blessed land of longer sleep patterns before needing a feed. Many of my friends' babies are sleeping through the night now, but Julien can only manage 3 to 4 hours before needing to wake up for a feed. But that's alright; the doctor and health visitor say that all babies are different, and we know this baby will grow up well regardless of sleep and feeding patterns. He is, after all, piling on the weight at the right pace!

And then, there was the time when I had worried about not having enough milk a few entries ago, since I no longer seem to get the telltale signs of engorged breasts or Julien's gulping noises when he feeds. But after seeing that Julien is gaining weight visibly and he is never upset at feeding time or indicates that it is not enough, I put away that worry. Recently, I was reading up on baby stuff online and I came across an article that explained the almost magical way that breasts function in breastfeeding. Apparently, as one goes further in breastfeeding, the breasts become more efficient and learn how much milk Baby needs exactly and would produce just enough, and can eventually not show these signs at all. In fact, they would be able to make milk on the spot when needed, so there is no more the feeling of engorgement. It all sounds incredible, but it is true. These days, I almost only start to feel the let-down reflex when Julien starts to feed and I suppose therefore sends the cue. At other times, if I delay the feed, I feel the milk in just about when Julien starts to protest really strongly, so confirming that it is feeding time. Truly, life is a miracle and the human body is just one amazing piece of work!

And this is the same message I get when I look at Julien - he has grown well. His legs are stronger and he can stand longer and more firmly when held up. And recently, when I raised him in the air, he shows signs of understanding that cue now and seem to get ready by squatting down for a better spring. He is also more inquisitive and does not like lying down much anymore. Instead, he likes to be carried, and would turn his head about to check out his surroundings, especially if there is a bright light beckoning to him. And he loves to talk, always making noises and can go on for ages too, if you engage him.  And sometimes when he cries, you can tell they are more show than real; and the funniest thing is when you cajole him, he breaks into a half smile before crumbling into a grimace again, almost as if he just remembered that he is supposed to be upset...

Oh yes, my little boy is starting to learn how to get what he wants. Daddy Low is convinced that he will be a feisty one. 


Even if I have a bit of trepidation, the one thing that comes through for me is how simply fascinating and wonderful it is that my baby is slowly becoming a little person with his own personality. I can't wait for him to be strong enough to sit by himself in a highchair and join us at the dinner table. And then, walk on his own in the toddler wobbly way. And then, talk. Oh yes, talk! We would have such conversations. And all the books that we will read together. I would read the words and he would have to make the sound effects. What a riot we will be! And yes, I have to start getting about learning how to bake, then we can have baking afternoons together, just like how Daddy Low was his mum's great baking helper...

Oh dear me, Mummy Low, Julien has only just turned 3 months old, and we have such grand plans! What an exciting time awaits us, Jules! :) 

Julien's 1st Christmas Market Experience

The Christmas markets opened this week, and we decided to bring Julien to his first Christmas market experience. We checked out 2 over the weekend; the first one was at Stowe House in Buckingham and the second was the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market and Craft Fair.

Stowe House is one of Britain's finest 18th Century houses. A majestic work of architecture, Stowe House is built to be a palatial show house with impressively designed rooms and landscaped gardens. Many famous people, including royals, had been its visitors. Now, the house is in use by the Stowe School, whose takeover saved the house from near destruction.


For one day only on Friday, Stowe House held a Christmas intimate shopping experience with vendors setting up stalls within its State Rooms, offering luxurious coats, vintage jewellery, antiques etc.  We were not in need of anything specific, but thought that it would be a good opportunity to view the majestic house, besides browsing the wares.  On entering its grounds, one is already impressed by the long driveway, which goes through picturesque and hilly grounds. On both sides of the driveway, there are trees and ponds, and I even spied an obelisk in the distance! And once we came up face to face with the building itself, it took our breath away, being so very huge and grand-looking. Going from room to room, we were more intrigued by the design features of the interiors rather than the stalls. We came away without buying anything much, but with a sense of having encountered something spectacular today. And as we drove out along that long driveway in the middle of beautifully landscaped grounds again, you can't help but think agree that the first Headmaster of the school, J F Roxburgh, achieved what he set out to do - that every pupil leaving Stowe would "know beauty when he sees it all his life".


The Christmas market in Birmingham is renamed the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market and Craft Fair, because it is apparently the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany and Austria and has become very popular in the UK. Combined with the city's own local trade fair stalls, this year's market boasts 180 stalls, in picturesque wooden chalets, selling traditional handicraftss and food. 


When we reached the market, it was jam packed with people. Luckily, we had decided to use the baby carrier to carry Julien rather than the buggy, which we would have a much harder time manuoevring in the crazy crowd and probably risk having a falling frankfurter in too!

In all, there were 180 stalls, all housed in little wooden chalets, which help to conjure up the European village atmosphere. And as you browse the market, you can almost imagine that you are in Europe - the same usual suspects in the stalls: stollen, mulled wine, female accessories, woollen scarves, gloves and knitwear, Christmas ornaments etc. It reminded me a little of the last Christmas market we were at last year in Vevey, Switzerland. You are only brought back to earth by the British accent of your fellow crowd jostlers...


In a way, I suppose the Christmas market is to the Western world what Chinatown would be to us in the days leading up to Chinese New Year.  You head down to the packed streets and squeeze in with the crowd to buy some festive goodies and decorations as well as to soak in the festive atmosphere. And while there, take some pictures to show for your adventure.  

Except that this time round is slightly more challenging, as we have a baby with us and so have to watch out that he doesn't get squashed. And this time we skipped the mulled wine too. In fact, we steered clear of the German beer and mulled wine stalls - if you are with a kid, you don't want to be anywhere near the booze in England - the stalls are swarmed by thirsty Brits! 

As a new baby, I guess there is a special significance - everything is a "first"! So, to mark Julien's first Christmas, we decided to get him a little souvenier - a little snowflake globe. There was a giant carousel, and I was very tempted to have all of us go up for a ride, it being the first carousel I have seen with carriages big enough for adults. But I restrained myself, thinking that it would be more meaningful to do this, when Julien is older and better able to appreciate and enjoy the ride. So, we stood by the side and watched, and Daddy Low made the interesting observation that Julien actually seems to be tracking one moving part - a horse maybe - and when that vanishes round the side as it goes on its merry go-round, Julien's eyes return to the original point and start all over again. What did I say? My boy is a genius! :) There is system in his observation, not just some random, aimless stare! Heheh... the proud mother hen swells ...


We stayed a total of one hour, walking the length of the market and back again.  And by now, we are hungry and ready for dinner. Before Baby's arrival, we would probably have just settled for the food in the market. But now, with a little one to consider, we decided to find a restaurant for fear that he would catch cold, for the temperatures were falling with the evening.


In the restaurant, we took turns to hold Jules and eat. And before the night's adventure is over, we had a surprise. A man came up to our table to admire Julien and before leaving, gave us a fifty pence coin.  He said Julien is such a cute boy and it is an English tradition to give silver to new babies. We have not much idea about this tradition, but were so touched by the man's gesture. Daddy Low later joked that Jules has already earned money when he is barely 3 months old, and maybe, we ought to set him to work modelling! We had a good laugh.


Jules slept the rest of the way home, exhausted by the day's outing. He had been busy checking out all the dazzling Christmas lightings and the many people all around him in the market. At home, he looks at the snowflake globe curiously, but like all young babies, it does not hold his attention for long and his eyes are roving around inquisitively. I can only imagine his fascination when we put our Christmas tree up.

There is no question that our first Christmas with Julien is already off on a good start! :)

Shopping inside Stowe House

The Impressive Facade of Stowe House

The Beautiful Grounds of Stowe House

At the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market

Cute hedgehog nougat sweets!

A very cheeky Santa Claus!

Julien's very own restaurant!

Julien's first Snowflake Globe

Julien, My Little Man!

Today started with Julien going for his second round of immunisations. He gets 2 different ones at each thigh each time. Just like his BCG shot, I entrusted Julien to Daddy Low to hold, for a firm grip for the injections :) And it was over in a second. Jules was an absolute angel - not one single cry or even whimper... until he jerked and got his thigh grazed by the nurse's needle. He gave out a cry, but after he has got that out, he was soon okay and smiling again. Bless him! He's a really lovely, calm baby. 

Straight after, we went for his 3rd baby massage session. I was not exactly sure he would be up to it, but just decided that we could still go and watch how it is done, if he refuses to have his massage. But he was fine with the massage and we went on ahead.

Today's focus was on the chest and arms.  Now, the whole massage thing is starting to fall into place - legs, then tummy, then chest and arms. Helen said we will move on to back massage next and I am really looking forward to it.  B reported that her baby had really good bowel movements after the tummy massage, and others reported better sleeping. For us, I haven't been able to do the full routine for Julien every time I tried - I think he tires of it and starts to wave his arms and jerk his legs, so we always only manage bits and pieces. But at least, I have noticed that he has started to be more calm and have less of the witching hour nonsense. Not entirely sure it is totally due to the baby massage, but think it probably plays some part.

What I like about Helen's baby massage sessions is that she incorporates nursery rhymes into the actions and that is really great for us, since it means I can also collapse our own rhymetime at home together with baby massage... it was getting a bit hard to find time to do everything - bathtime, massage, rhymetime, storytime etc - otherwise.

Helen ended again with the sharing of another poem - about how babies are individuals and persons in their own right and also deserve respect. In fact, that is the basis of her massage sessions - we always start the massage by asking our babies for permission first. Not that they can answer, but you can tell from their baby cues, if they want to have the massage or not. If they cry or fuss despite the soothing actions, you stop immediately. And we always thank them at the end of the session. 

But today, this message of respect and babies being persons struck home for me especially, when Helen shared what she read once at someone's house - That the babies' tomorrows are made from their todays. That our babies grow up to be who they are because of what they observe of us, since we are basically their first models in life... Because our babies are also persons, who can learn from what they observe.

As an analogy, I am the kind of teacher I am today, because of what I have observed and learnt from my teachers when I was a student. I incorporate what I like from the teachers who inspired me and steer clear of those whose style I reject. But I am able to do so, because at the age when I choose to become a teacher, I am already a mature adult with the ability to discern. 

A baby is different. He cannot think, rationalise or judge yet, but will easily pick up and follow what he can observe from the adults closest to him - his parents. So, we really need to be mindful of our words and actions. It was a timely reminder indeed.  I can certainly see how Daddy Low and I display bits of our parents :)

On this thread of babies being persons, the conversation went on to how kids feel about their parents seeing them naked and vice versa.  How when your children go into adolescence, they start to feel conscious of you being in the room, when they are dressing, while it takes the parent a while to register that, because you have always bathed them since Day 1 and in your eyes, they are always your little boy/girl. And from the other side: when you are a first-time harried parent, sometimes the only way you can have a shower is to put your baby in a bouncy chair and bring that into the bathroom with you. But as your baby grows, it becomes awkward for some of us.

My boy is not a teenager yet, being barely out of his diapers, so I have nothing to contribute to the first bit. But certainly, I can say with regard to the second bit, I have not been able to bring Jules into the bathroom with me.

In the earlier days, when I worry about leaving him alone and was struggling with his crying and my need to shower, some girlfrens have advised me to do just that. But somehow, I could not do it. It is a bit weird to imagine my baby boy with me, when I am naked. Truthfully, it is not as if he would know any better or remember it. After all, he is only a coming-to-2-month-old baby... and this really only means one thing then - that the whole dilemma only arises because of the adults' own socialised thinking and hang-ups. The conversation went round the table with various anecdotes, whether from our childhood or what we have heard from our friends.

And the only interesting thing that comes from the conversation for me is maybe the difference lies in the gender of the baby - I think I would probably feel more comfortable if my baby is a girl rather than a boy. Isn't it funny how our socialisation affects our thinking?

Well, Jules, I love you for who you are. You are the best little baby. And I have always wanted a baby boy first - because I have always wished that I had an older brother - even if sometimes I wish you were a girl, so I can dress you up and we can go shopping and have afternoon tea together when you are older.  But, know what? I am sure we can still do that when you grow up to be a fine young man - shopping and afternoon tea are very much unisex activities... and I am sure you would go with your old ma for a walk through the shopping aisles and a cuppa anytime! :)

Daddy Low, Me & My Blog

I've been lazy again.

Daddy Low asked me today why there has been no new blog entry for a few days now. 2 days of headache and no inspiration, that's why. I have been so preoccupied trying to boost my milk supply that I have decided to nap when Julien does and I did it the first time yesterday and I have to say I am impressed by the result - I did have more milk today. And then started feeling guilty as I wondered if I have been too preoccupied with blog writing and not put Jules's needs first, since I always tend to blog at night when he is asleep, so depriving myself of this precious milk-generating sleep time!

Anyway, back to Daddy Low. I suppose I have to say he is my No.1 fan, and rightly so :) He always bugs me when I have no entry.

And today, I asked him why. His reply - it helps him to know what is going through my mind. 

"That's not fair," I said, "You don't tell me what you think all the time! " But he replied that his mind is a blank slate most of the time; his precious memory space is used up for storing practical information - the things to do with the practical business of day-to-day living... which I suppose implies that my mind is buzzing with all the things that are not so practical, the musings of life... hahaha...

Well, I am not upset or offended. In fact, by now, I suppose my male readers will be going on in their mind like, "That's just so like a woman", which brings back memories of this Youtube video I watched of a stand-up comic act about the difference between a man and a woman's brains - Inside the man's is Nothing. And this is how he wants it - a state of nothing to just de-stress and chill. Inside the woman's is full of somethings - thoughts, activities flying around. And this is not an empty or nothing space, 'cos the woman would want to bring plants in, put up some paintings, curtains etc... was a good laugh, this video!

It is a good analogy of me and Daddy Low, I suppose. But this entry is not about the gender debate. Rather, it is about him, me and my blog :) 

I suppose I should be flattered that he wants to read it. In fact, I know it is part of his routine when he comes home from work - he checks for a new entry and reads it while having his snack. So, I do feel bad on the days when I have nothing.

And I do like it that he has this routine. Even before I asked him the reason, I have always felt that it is a channel through which we communicate. There may not always be a reply from him, but I have always been the one between us to rattle away anyway, as I like to tell him about my day. And I know he likes to listen, even if he sometimes teases me that I just yak on and on and on... My greatest vindication came when I returned from my first overseas trip without him and he told me he missed my rattling for that week I was gone!  Heheh! :)  So, really, the blog is perfect for both of us. And so even if I am asleep when he comes back, there is me yakking on to him through the blog. I love the thought that, this little blog being part of his routine, connects us somehow.

But more importantly, I like the blog because I can fill in the gaps of Julien's growth and development for Daddy Low. I have always wanted to stay at home to care for my child for at least the first year, when I have one, so that I won't miss out on his "firsts" - first step, first word etc. And this year, being able to do that, is really a dream come true for me, no matter how much I struggle or whine about it sometimes. But this time together with Baby is also a luxury. A luxury that I am able to enjoy because Daddy Low is working hard to support us on his income alone. And I am grateful. (Julien now will actually search for my face first when there is a roomful of other faces.)  But Daddy Low is missing out on these moments with Jules and I know he worries that Jules doesn't recognise him or feel as close to him. I think it's early days yet, but certainly his worry is a valid one. So, Daddy Low gets Jules a lot more to himself during the weekend - he bathes and changes diapers. And when we are heading out, Daddy Low prepares the hot water and the baby bag. And he likes to be the one to carry Julien in the baby carrier or be the one to push the baby pram. And I like to take photos of them together, their man-to-man time :)  Sometimes, it makes me feel like maybe I am a bad mother and, perhaps, people think so too, seeing how laidback I am when we are out. But I tell myself that they don't know better or in fact, they are actually envious that our baby's father is so hands-on. Whatever, as long as we are happy.

So, with my blog, I also intend for it to be a link for Daddy Low to Julien - to update Daddy Low on what Jules has been up to in the day. And to know that no matter the topic, Jules and I are thinking of Daddy Low too!  Xxx

Daddy Low getting Jules ready in the car-seat

A Finger-licking Good Time!

Two weeks ago, Julien discovered the joy of making bubbles with his saliva and on top of that, he has started to have a happy stream trickling down his chin to his clothes, so, now, a bib has become an essential item of clothing.

Last week, he has gone on to suck his hands - there is always one hand in his mouth at any one time. And he sucks so loud too! It is incredible, the noise he makes!

Right now, all his sleepsuits have integrated mittens and if he is not in a sleepsuit, he is wearing mittens. We are still having his hands covered up, because he tends to give himself scratches, no matter how closely I cut his nails or how much I file them. Which means my darling boy is chewing cloth the whole time these days. And honestly, that's horrible.

Because he always has wet "hands", so to speak. And you don't know what kind of germs and eecky stuff the cloth picks up, once wet. Plus it is not the most exciting experience in the world to have a wet soggy hand touching you everytime you pick him up, feed him etc.  And not to mention the eecky smell...

So, I understand now why some of my girlfrens offer their hands and fingers to their babies to suck instead. But I am not really sure that this is the best solution.  I noticed that my girlfrens also tend to let their babies go "mittenless", so I am curious and asked if the babies not scratch themselves. And yes, they do, but the scratches heal so fast.

And hand sucking is supposed to be positive - it is a way for the babies to self-soothe themselves and it is true: Julien gradually stops crying once he gets to suck his hand and he falls asleep doing that sometimes too. And for this purpose alone, the hand beats the dummy hands-down, since it doesn't fall off and requires picking up... which means no wailing baby if he is reliant on it!  If you have an irritable baby, anything that helps to soothe the baby is a winner with the mummy! And you will have one, when they start teething and sucking hands does seem to soothe their itchy gums.

But more importantly, babies start sucking hands at this stage, because it is apparently part of their exploration of their hands, now that they discover they have hands. And that makes me worried if I keep them hidden in the mittens, Julien will miss out on this developmental stage. So, we are cautiously letting those hands out of the mittens and hoping that Jules will not scratch himself so often.  And I have to say, now that the hands are out, I am reminded again of how long and beautiful they are. Hopefully, Julien will finish this hand-sucking phase soon. I dread thinking of how to wean him off it!

A Bumper of an IMD Weekend

When we tell people that we are now based in UK, people assume, almost without fail, that we are in London. Which is an easy and natural enough association, since most foreigners have the image of London in mind when talking about the UK. 

But living outside London, in what someone has once remarked as "retirement countryside", we have a lifestyle nowhere near London. And with that, it also means we often miss out on the buzz when overseas friends come to London.

In the whole time we have been here up until before this weekend, we had only had one set of visitors come visit us - dear Kate and Dave, and that was when I was still in my second trimester.  After that, the one other time meeting up with IMD frens had been when we made the ardous trip down to London for a gathering, of which the notoriously congested London streets had prolonged the journey to almost twice its actual time needed - we crawled the last 8 miles, taking almost an hour to reach our destination, when that same amount of time would have gotten us home! And the discomfort caused to a young baby stuck in a car-seat had more or less convinced us that going into London is just something we would avoid if possible...

So, it is with excitement this weekend, when we receive 2 frens from our not-so-distant past in Switzerland, though that time definitely feels terribly distant. And the amazing thing is these 2 classmates had planned their visits for the same weekend separately, so, at separate times over 2 days, they came and went, missing each other totally. 

But the point is that we have visitors from IMD, bringing fond memories of our time together as well as news of other classmates from the last reunion, which we had sadly been unable to attend.

As we caught up with one another, it was just amazing to see how much change one year has brought for everyone. Many have already been promoted or changed jobs, while others have happy news of marriage or new additions to the family. And as for us, Joe and Eugene both found it almost incredulous and magical that the last time they saw us, there were just 2 of us and now, when they see us again, there are 3 of us!  We are, after all, not likely the same old Henry and Kelly who are likely to go out for drinks or club at the drop of a hat anymore.

And as we talked more, it is almost surreal to hear ourselves describing our lives - it all sounds really sedate and boring.  But I am not complaining really. We do miss our former lifestyle and being able to meet up with frens easily, but Julien's arrival has brought aspects of life that we love and have come to embrace. Perhaps, it comes with age. Or perhaps, parenthood brings with it more endorphins than we ever imagined. But this life now is real. And it is good. So, there are no regrets :)


With both visitors on a blitz visit, we really just focused on enjoying one another's company over good food and good conversation. And of course, much cooing over Jules and taking photos all round.

Thank you, our frens, for taking the effort and time to make the trip to visit us. We really enjoyed it very much and truly appreciate it. And we know Jules did too, 'cos he spent his whole time checking you out, didn't he, with his little sharp beady eyes? :)  And once he is older, we do hope to be more mobile and attend the reunions. In the meantime, keep well in work and personal life, and we look forward to the next call, the next mail to hear of your plans for your next visit! :)

Splish-Splash, Rub-a-Dub-Dub!

The favourite part of the day for Julien - other than feeding - is undoubtedly bathtime. Some babies cry when they touch water, as I've heard from some frens, but not Julien. He loves it. I am not sure if it is about getting naked or just the pure joy of splashing water, but his enjoyment is unmistakable.

Bathtime used to be one of the last things I look forward to, because he used to be so small and slippery in the water. And once he did slip from my hands and fell into the water. I fished him out immediately, but there is no way I can describe just how horrible his crying was after that. Or how much guilt I felt. His pain cut me like a knife and I felt like the worst criminal ever. But well, someone's got to do the bathing and yes, the chances are likely to be me, the SAHM, rather than Daddy Low, the breadwinner. And as I figured, we all do have our first accidents - not that this should be an excuse - and after what I've heard from other frens, I decided to look at it from the bright side - that it taught me to be more vigilant and careful - and just get on with life, motherhood and bathing! :)

I try to have his bathtime latest by 7pm, then feed him after that, then baby massage, then bedtime. But of late, I have realised that he is much more happier and cooperative when he has been fed first before having the bath.

The bathtime routine starts with a shampoo over a little basin of warm water in the bathroom sink. Much like that of the style in hairdressing salons, but without the fancy seat, which is substituted by yours truly's arms and back. So, yes, it is a backbreaking affair, but Jules does not always appreciate it. He tends to wriggle about and sometimes complain for clearly this substitute seat is not veryn comfortable. But once he fell asleep while I was shampooing him and I realise that this was after a feed, so I try to do that always now. But, that day, looking at him asleep while having the shampoo, I had a sudden twinge of nostalgia - I so miss my regular visits to my hairdresser, where haircuts don't cost a bomb and you get a nice head and neck massage thrown in too! Sigh... I miss my "pampered" days! :(

Anyway, after the shampoo, he goes into his bathseat in his baby bathing tub and it is amazing to see how his face and body, which previously were rigid and tensed before, just gradually relaxes, as he enters the water. And before long, he would be kicking and splashing around. Oh yes, my little man is now very strong and he enjoys a good kick or two every chance he gets.

I have a soft towel, to wipe him in the water. And after I am done with every crease, I wet the towel anew in the warm bathing water and lay it over his torso. Nicely warmed and covered now, I get out his bathing fren - yup, his rubber ducky! This is a gift from Auntie Yen, who believes rightly that every baby should own a rubber ducky. And I make it a point to bring it out every bathtime to make sure they are acquainted. I made up a little rhyme about rubber ducky and sing it to him in English, followed by Mandarin. Sometimes, if we are not in a hurry, I take out his next fren - his little blue bird with a multi-coloured ten-ring tail. And if we are really having a good time, I bring out Kaola Bear - his cute present from our dear frens Kate and Dave. Jules loves them all. He smiles and giggles now, whenever I do our little rhyme about the rubber ducky, especially when I squeeze it and make it squeak. And recently, I got him a new bathtime "toy" - a waterproof, plastic book "I Love My Duck". It's got this huge funny duck on the cover and it can squeak and squelch water as well. I read this to him, but it is too new to make a lasting impact yet. Still, he does look at it :)

I dread it most when I have to do the nail-clipping bit on the days when they are too long. The baby nails are so small that I am always afraid that I will clip him. It is best to do it after a bath, because the nails have been softened by the warm water. And basically, the most sure-proof way is to peel back as much of the flesh from the nail before you clip to ensure that you do not get the skin in the clipper, but there is always a chance, isn't it? That's why I have never dared to cut the nails too short, but that then sort of defeats the purpose, because they are still long and sharp enough to scratch him. And so we have always kept his hands in mittens.

But today, I decided I have to try. And so cut them I did. Nail by nail, bit by bit. And it took an enormously long time, 'cos I was basically talking Julien through it the whole time, telling him not to jerk his fingers about, to co-operate. And I had to stop every time he moved and fidgeted. I think it felt like the longest bath ever for me. Definitely a very nail-biting experience! Haha! :)  But happily, I did it! Or we did it :)  And after I went through his nails with the emery board, so they are nicely filed and no longer sharp, I can say proudly, "Mission accomplished!" 

When we are done, we do our little leg massage and he is still new to it, so I have not seen any visible reaction or recognition of it as a pattern yet. But it is a nice ending to the bathtime routine. And top it off with some milk again and this boy is a satisfied customer! :)

Boy, when did taking a bath become such a major affair?! But it is an affair that anyone can fall in love with, when your baby rewards you with his giggles and splashes! So, hey, splish-splash, rub-a-dub-dub away! :)

Jules & his rubber ducky fren

Bathtime Fashion 1

Bathtime Fashion 2

Bathtime Fashion 3

Baby Massage

One of the advantages of being a SAHM is that you have the time to bring your baby to all sorts of activities. And one of the activities that I have always wanted to bring Julien to is baby massage. People do it for all sorts of reasons - to calm a colicky baby, to bond with baby, to hopefully help baby sleep longer hours etc. I just wanted us to do something together, and if Julien is like his parents, I know he would love a good massage!

Today is our 2nd session and we love it already.  When we entered the room, Helen, our instructor, has already set up the mats and towels. We were each given a bottle of oil and printed handouts with diagrams showing the massaging actions that we would be executing. Every session, there is a focus area - the first session was on legs and today's session was on the tummy.

Helen was very friendly and approachable and definitely knew her stuff. Her instructions were clear, especially as she modelled the massage actions for us to see on her lifesize baby doll. But what I like most of all is how the sessions are so baby-centred, meaning the baby's needs come first - if Baby wants to feed, you feed; if Baby wants a diaper change, you change; if Baby wants to nap, let him nap. Helen will simply give us a baby doll to work with in the meantime or just observe her if we so choose. I think that really made us feel so comfortable, and not worry about missing out instead. After all, we are here to learn some massage techniques for our baby to feel relaxed and calm and not have both of us becoming all frazzled.  And when the session has ended, Helen was more than happy to demonstrate again to those who could not do it, because they were earlier occupied with their babies.

Julien has been perfect on both occasions. In fact, Helen commented that he seemed to be all ready for the massage session, being so chill and just checking out his environment so calmly. The only time he made any noise today was because he was hungry. Once fed, he was happy again and was back to observing his surroundings serenely.

I had incorporated the massage into the bath routine and been giving Julien his leg massage after his bath a few times since the first session last week, but I am not sure he really noticed it. In fact, I thought it was probably best to do it separately than after the bath, since he sprayed me once after being exposed so long.  Others in the class reported that their babies seem to sleep for longer stretches at night after starting on baby massage or being more calm. Jules has always been a more or less amiable baby, only crying when he has needs - feed, diaper change, want to sleep, too hot, too cold etc, so I guess we have not seen anything noticeably different, since he had no particular issues in the first place. But I do hope that as we do the massage more often, he would learn to recognise the actions and give me baby cues like offer me his other leg for massage when I am done with the first one.

But from what we have learnt in these two sessions, I sure wish I am a baby. It all feels so relaxing. In fact, I am thinking that I should play some relaxing music - we did buy some soothing baby music - and maybe even light a scented candle for our next massage.  After all, we are already taking the trouble to do it, why not go the whole hog? Jules, you are one lucky baby!

Helen ended today's session with a reading of a poem about the importance of touch, which I found very true and touching. Whatever people may say about or maybe even booboo touch psychology, I think no one will disagree that touch is very important indeed, especially for a new little life just starting to explore and make sense of his world. I hope you like the poem as much as I do.

Please Touch Me

If I am your baby, please touch me
I need your touch in ways you may never know
Don’t just wash and change and feed me
But rock me close, kiss my face and stroke my body
Your soothing and gentle ways says security and love.

If I am your child, please touch me
Though I may resist, even push you away
Persist, find ways to meet my needs.
Your goodnight hug helps sweeten my dreams
Your daytime touching tells me how you really feel.

If I am your teenager, please touch me
Don’t think that I am almost grown
I need to know that you still care
I need your loving arms, I need a tender voice
When the road gets rocky, then the child in me still needs.

If I am your friend, please touch me
Nothing lets me know you care than a warm embrace
A healing touch when I’m depressed assures me I am loved
And reassures me that I am not alone
Yours maybe the only comforting touch I get.

If I am your sexual partner, please touch me
You may think that your passion is enough
But only your arms hold back my fears
I need your tender reassuring touch
To remind me I am loved just because I am me.

If I am your grown-up child, please touch me
Though I may have a family of my own to hold
I still need Mummy and Daddy’s arms when I hurt
As a parent the view is different
I appreciate you more.

If I am your ageing parent, please touch me
The way I was touched when I was very young
Hold my hands, sit close to me, give me strength
And warm my tired body with your nearness
Although my skin is worn wrinkled, it loves to be stroked. 

Jules feeling zen before the session

Starting the session by undressing the babies!

Baby's sleeping, so practise with the dummy first!

www.mkbabymassage.co.uk