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! :)
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! :)
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| Jules & his rubber ducky fren |
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| Bathtime Fashion 1 |
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| Bathtime Fashion 2 |
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| Bathtime Fashion 3 |
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