I so hope we’d get to dine in and visit this mansion on one of our Manila trips!
Click here to start that La Cocina de Tita Moning experience.
Ah, they’re mine!
Tuesday last week, a couple of the baby care apps I refer to talked about the development of baby’s sense of touch.
Babycenter:
Kidfolio:
And true enough, late the other week, Yui seems to have finally realised that those flailing things she see beside her are hers. She started grabbing things and (yikes!) even tasting how those flailing things are – which prompts me to make sure her hands are always clean.
And then last Monday, I was able to capture a first – her hands finally are together for the first time!
November 5 had been pretty eventful because it was also the first time she slept for 7 hours straight at night! Mommy wasn’t able to sleep well though because I kept checking in on her – wondering how she is haha.
I’ve read that from when they’re 6 weeks to 6 months, babies start to sleep longer at night. And we’re so thankful that Yui belongs in the 6 weeks category.
November 5 found us with visitors from the ward office as well – a midwife and her interpreter for a routine check on Yui. Everything is fine thankfully. And something beautiful happened for the first time: Yui directly fed from me for five minutes. While in the hospital, Yui wasn’t able to learn to latch properly hence I’ve been pumping breast milk since then and that since then my milk has dwindled. But the midwife taught us how to do it. And Yui did suck despite the fact that she’s already used to feeding from the bottle. That night, Yui again fed directly on me for almost ten minutes. But not again after that. I wish I could say that Yui directly breastfed since then. But after those two miraculous and beautiful occasions, Yui wouldn’t do it again. Nevertheless, at least I had those beautiful fifteen minutes to remember. Thankful still.
For the lucky moms who can breastfeed their babies, enjoy your beautiful moments.
——
November 13 update: Yui breastfed on me again for 15 minutes!! A beautiful experience. Happy and thankful.
Lola Basing
Lola. I have always admired your strength of character. And as I have always held you in high esteem, it is highly obvious I am not alone in this – everyone can see how well respected you are not only by our family and relatives but also by the countless lives you have touched.
You have lived a rich life Lola. And I believe towards the last of your days you have been in terrible pain and is already very weary. Rest now Lola. I know you are with our Creator and also with the ones you love who have gone ahead of you.
I am sorry we cannot visit you and send you on your final earthly home. But I am very glad that when Atsushi and I visited Davao last May, we were able to see you. And I think you would agree with me, that it’s best that we remember you that way – smiling and happy.
Rest in peace Lola. You are well loved and respected.
on baby sleeping habits: best advise so far
Best advise so far from my references re: sleeping habits of your baby:
– Help your baby learn the difference between night and day. During the day, keep the normal household noise as usual e.g. radio, tv (we still didn’t purchase one), vacuum cleaner etc. Talk to/play with your baby as much as you can while she’s awake. Keep the blinds/curtains open. At night, keep the bedroom light low. Minimise talking to your baby and if needed, talk in hushed tones.
– Help your baby to have the ability to put herself to sleep. Put her in bed while she’s already drowsy but still awake. Try not to dance her to sleep. Try not to nurse her to sleep. Most babies need to sleep after two hours of being awake so try to put her to sleep before the two hours is up otherwise she’d be cranky and would cry that sleepy cry for hours.
Such golden advise. The first one helped us have better sleep at night. Hope we keep this up! 🙂
successful tummy time and the smile it brought forth
As urged on by my reference materials (both Japanese and Western), I started tummy time last week; whereby I give Yui some time off on lying on her back by laying her down on her tummy which would help her exercise her neck muscles. It makes her fussy after some time though so I only have her on it for a couple of minutes or so.
When I started last week, she can barely lift her head, as expected. She would lift her head a bit, like 20 degree angle, then have it back down again. Sometimes when I put her on her tummy it happened that her head is a bit raised. But after a few seconds on her tummy, she’d put her head back down and she’d only be staring down trying to lift her head as I encourage her.
This morning, her head was down when I laid her on her tummy. And then lo, she lifted it! And a pretty 45 degree angle at that, with her shoulders besides! I was gleefully cheering and clapping that she looked surprised at my behaviour. And because she was focused on me, she held her position for a long time, which made me even more joyful.
A minute after, when I was already hugging and cuddling my daughter, she must have felt my happiness and hence gifted me with her first real smile, never knowing that she gave me yet another reason to be happy. She has been smiling ever since her first week. But it’s at nobody and only when she’s sleeping. This time though, she looked right at me and smiled a big toothless smile. Suffice it to say that my eyes were brimming with tears of joy.
Six weeks (today!) and counting, Yui anak. Please be healthy, this I pray.
happy birthday Mayumi!
It was difficult to surprise Mayumi with the cake. But at least she was surprised with the gifts.
Mayumi blowing a wish.
It was my first time to take a long look on Shu Eumura’s fake eyelash collection for sale – there were more than 30 types!! I had these on shortlist for Mayumi.
I did well in choosing I think hehe, despite my inexperience.
I wonder if Yui would also grow up to be the kind of girl who’d wear false eyelashes on a daily basis.