awesome

You gave Mommy a jaw-dropping moment this morning. After you had your milk, Mommy made you sit with her arms around your tummy to support you.

Then . . .  Mommy let go.

You propped yourself with your hands with a look of amazement on your face.  You must have been saying to yourself, “Oh gosh, I am awesome!”

Or. . .  was that a look of bewilderment at why Mommy was raising so much fuss?

5 months!

How time has flown and how fast you have grown!

Mommy and Daddy can’t get enough of you. We love watching you play, sleep, giggle in delight, and listen to you babble. We love rubbing you all over, hugging you, kissing you, tickling you.

You now sleep through the night and wake up between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.  Mommy made the mistake one time of pretending not to notice you, in her haste to finish her book. Bad move. When Mommy came to pick you up at 6:00ap.m. from your crib, you also pretended not to notice her. Ha.

Except for Mondays and Tuesdays when Mommy has to be at the office (really) early, you and Mommy play for about 30 minutes after you wake up, then Daddy talks to you, then you have your milk and bath, then Mommy reads to you, and then you bring Mommy to the carpark (of course, Yaya  carries you, afterall, you are only 5 months...)

You love reading now! You know when you were seven weeks old, Mommy was a bit worried that reading did not interest you much. But on your 12^th week, that was your Christening week, you just suddenly showed much excitement as Mommy read to you.  Mommy is now starting you on “soft” books so you can read on your own. You got startled the other week when the hard cover of your book hit your head.

You can now quickly roll over; sit assisted or while propped against pillows; hold fast to your toys; touch both your toes; and suck your two thumbs at the same time! We can pull you into a sitting position, and make you quickly “stand” on your toes. You smile at the cute baby in the mirror, you like looking at the Horse and Anton Knight pictures glued to the wall, you love being raised up and down, you like listening to Mommy recite to you your personal details, and tickling your tummy amuses you no end.  You also now like sleeping on your tummy.

We made last Thursday our first project: A Valentine’s card for Daddy. Looks like you found the project quite delicious!

Here’s one this month that touches Mommy’s heart. When she comes home from work, when you are already fast asleep, you wake up at hearing Mommy’s voice somewhere in the subconscious labyrinth of your nocturnal state.  You raise your head like a meerkat, Mommy picks you up, you snuggle up against Mommy, and then drift back again to dreamland.


 

Anton's Baptism

09 December 2012

 

A Baptismal Payer

 

Heavenly Father,

In your love you have called us to know you,
led us to trust you,
and bound our life with yours.

Surround this child with your love,
protect him from evil.

Fill him with the Holy Spirit and
receive him into the family of your  Church,
that he may walk with us in the way of Christ,
and grow in the knowledge of your love.

2 months!

You are now two months old, Anton Lee Thomas!

“What to Expect the First Year” lists down the following milestones for two-month old babies. You’ve all been able to do these:

1.       Smile in response to a smile

2.       Follow an object in an arc about 6 inches above the face to the midline (on some days you can actually follow the object for 180 degrees, i.e., from one side to the other)

3.       Respond to a sound in some way

4.       Vocalize in ways other than crying (cooing, grunting)

We have been doing tummy time more often the past few days for you to practice raising your head. You amazed Mommy this week when you raised your head up high several times for several seconds.  You are doing this movement better and better each day!

We’ve introduced you this week to the Swatting Game. We’ve been suspending objects on your rocker and your bed for you to practice your swatting technique.  This game enables you to improve your hand and eye coordination.

 

Thank you Baby G for loaning me your rocker!
 

Port Power!

We’re going to see the pediatrician tomorrow, bello. We hope that you’ve gained some weight. In last month’s check-up you weighed 3.5 kilos which translates to an average weight gain of 5.64 ounces a week.  Babies should gain about 5-10 ounces a week in the first month and 5-8 ounces a week in months 2 and 3.

skyping with daddy!

 

You truly engaged today with Daddy over skype, bello! You were in amazingly great spirits the whole day!

Buon giorno!

Buona notte!

7 weeks and our breast-feeding journey

 

 

You are now 1 month and 3 weeks Little Pebble!

 

We went to see another pediatrician last 23 October. She said that you now measure 52 centimetres (about 20.5 inches) and weigh 3.5 kilos. We will likely be switching to this pediatrician. She supports breast feeding and is lucid with her explanations regarding most of Mommy’s queries. She also has a baby-friendly system of scheduling check-ups.  We see her on a particular time slot instead of waiting interminably until our turn gets called.  Mommy believes that we should limit your exposure to the hospital as much as possible especially with your undeveloped immune system. 

 

Remember we mentioned to you before that we will be breastfeeding you? It was challenging the first few weeks after you were born but we have finally gotten over the hump.  We did well as a team – you, Daddy, and Mommy. Mommy also had lots of support from her breastfeeding advocate friends.  

 

Thank you Ninang Cristine for this book!

 Why are we going through all this trouble of breastfeeding? Penelope Leach in her, “The Essential First Year” enumerates the following benefits:

 

1.       Breast milk is uniquely right for you adjusting itself to your age, stage, and even conditions. If the weather is warm and you need extra water for example, breast milk will adjust to the situation and provide it (which is why, we don’t need to give you water just yet).

 

2.      Breast milk changes within each feeding to accommodate your appetite.  This not only means more contentment but less risk of obesity.  The first milk you get from each breast, the foremilk, is low in calories so you can suck for thirst and pleasure without feeling too full.  It’s when you empty the breast that you get the high-nutrient hindmilk (this explains why you have to feed at least 10 minutes from each breast).

 

3.       Breast-fed babies have fewer or less severe respiratory infections and long-lasting colds and fewer episodes of wheeziness and glue-ear than bottle-fed babies.

 

4.       Breast-fed babies suffer fewer urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, and bouts of diarrhea (breast-fed babies will hardly get constipated too!).

 

5.      Breast-fed babies are less likely to develop juvenile diabetes (Mommy is concerned about this given her family history of diabetes).

 

6.      They are less likely to become obese in childhood (Statistics show that childhood obesity is on the rise which is easy enough to substantiate.  There is a substantial number of rotund formula-fed 10-month old babies in our building.).

 

7.       Breast-fed infants’ immune systems are more effective, which reduces the risk of disorders such as asthma and eczema, even where there is a family history of them.

 

8.       Breast-feeding reduces the small chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome even further.

 

Here’s the clincher why we must persist with breastfeeding, Little Pebble.  Research suggests that breast-fed babies turn out to be more intelligent.  Recent large studies found that six-year olds who have been exclusively breast-fed as babies score an extra 5.9 points in a battery of IQ and performance tests!

 

We have been spending quality time as a little family the past three weeks, bello. Daddy (a.k.a. the Master Chef) has been whipping up dish after dish for us. He probably fears you and Mommy might revert to Mommy’s bacholerette tuna dinners once Daddy goes back to work. Of course we won’t.  Ever since you’ve been in Mommy’s tummy, we don’t do those tuna-from-the-can dinners any longer, have we? Mommy has been learning to cook and even Daddy has noticed that Mommy has not mentioned anything about bringing her favourite Australian canned tuna when he flew over six weeks ago.  We are conscious now of what Mommy eats because you are ingesting the same. Mommy, whose blood probably contained more caffeine than water before she had you, is disciplining herself with her coffee intake.  While breastfeeding mothers are allowed about two cups of coffee a day, Mommy does not go more than a cup per day.  During your early weeks, she would just take a sip from Daddy’s espresso or cafe latte.  

 

Daddy has gone back to work this week and it’s just been you and Mommy getting up for the late night and early morning feedings.  We’ve missed a feeding or two (Mommy sleeps like a log).  Daddy said Mommy has to put the alarm clock far from her reach so she gets up instead of reaching over for it.  You’re not supposed to go for more than four hours without feeding.  So we will try that tonight, shall we, bello?

 

POSTSCRIPT:

 

You can now easily move your head from side to side.  Check out this video!
 

 

 

We’re still working on getting into a reading habit. We will eventually get there.

 

Thank you Diane for the bedtime book!
 

 

 

happy halloween!

Thank you Tito Mark and Tita Emily for my cool outfit!

 

You have just gone to your first Halloween party! You came dressed as a human-remnant-after-the-worms-have-gotten-to-you (in simple parlance, a skeleton).  There were lots of games but you are still little, you just contentedly sat on your stroller and watched the ensuing activities.

 We’re sure you are looking forward to next year when you can join the other kids in the games.