He Turns!

Ah where did my newborn disappear to? The little one is now almost 5 months old, and today he turned from back to front successfully. 

I've a mix of emotions. Pride, for sure, at seeing how well he is developing. And I think he is a fast learner. For the past couple of days he would turn from back to almost front, stuck because of the arm that was under him. Today I guided him on how to move his arm, and since then he just keeps turning onto his belly. 

He's only 5 months old and already I feel nostalgic and miss the little newborn that he was. I pack away the onesies that are now too small, and my heart breaks a little. 

But most of all, it's exciting. To be able to experience and be part of his growth and development, knowing that we are raising someone we hope will have good values and character. 

4.5 Month Baby Update

Let's see.. 

- Took him for his shots last week (he was almost 19weeks old). It was relatively uneventful. Cried when he got jabbed on both legs, but calmed down pretty soon after holding him up and the nurse distracting him by making some clicking sounds. The check up by the doctor was really fast ("What's his name? Can he roll over? Any questions?") and he had a slight temperature that night and the next day. A little paracetemol, cooling sticker on his forehead, and lots of hugs and kisses, and the boy was alright. 

- I've gotten a pretty good idea of his sleeping schedule after tracking it on the app for a couple of days. Why didn't I think of it before? Anyway, he naps a couple of times in the day, for about half an hour to an hour each time. By 5-6ish pm, he sleeps a little longer (about 2-3 hours) till his next feed and from 9-10ish pm onwards, he sleeps soundly, waking only to have a quick feed and then going back to sleep. In the morning he is usually up by about 5-6ish am, but I usually try to get him to sleep abit more. Sometimes I'm successful and can get him to sleep till 8-9am, sometimes he stays awake after +3 kisses him when he goes off to work. 

- I'm still EBF-ing, and it amazes me how I am able to nourish my little one. At his last check up, he weighed in at 7.11kg (from a birth weight of 2.895kg four months ago!) and is about 65cm long. The boy is growing, and growing well! I've gotten lazy to pump and my stash of frozen milk is close to zero now. I need to step up and pump more, in case I need to go out. The downside, though, is that he doesn't seem to like to take the bottle these days. Just today, I nursed him at 10am and went out for lunch, came back at 3pm to find that he barely drank from the bottle and would rather sleep instead! So he was really hungry when he woke up. 

- Unrelated but somewhat related. Che is going back to work and she is putting babyH in childcare. If I was still working, I'd already be back at work! EEKS. I can't imagine that, it's too soon! 

- The boy giggles and giggles often. Sometimes it's when +3 makes funny faces at him, sometimes it's when I make funny sounds at him, sometimes it's when nanny holds him and "drops" him slightly. I love love love love love his laugh, and sometimes he even snorts. It's the cutest sound. 

- I've been a little lax with tummy time and today I find that he can prop himself up with his arms. Progress! Previously, he'd just be able to lift up his head. 

Hmmm I think that's all I can remember for now. 

A Good Man

Woke up early last Saturday morning to the very sad and shocking news that my ex-boss, Santokh Singh, passed away at home on Friday night. He had dinner with his wife, watched the soccer match on TV while she was in the kitchen washing up, and when she came out, he had collapsed on the floor. 

SS was someone that everyone loved and respected. My last meeting with him was about a week before his heart attack, when I went to meet some ex-colleagues for lunch. He had heard that I was in the canteen with babyAC, and actually came down to say hi and chit chat. He really didn't have to come down to meet me, but that's just the kind of guy he was. Looking at babyAC, he commented that he thought my baby would be fat and chubby but his guess was completely off. 

Anyway, I'm glad I visited when I did, and managed to show him my baby. SS was so understanding when I tendered my resignation, and even tried to offer me a part-time position so that I would still have a bit of income (the reason I didn't accept was another matter). When I shared the news that I was expecting, he was so happy for me. 

I attended the wake with F and H, and it's just testament to what a loved and respected man SS was. The void deck and his home was full of people who knew him, from his ex-classmates to ex-colleagues, from old students to old friends. 

One week on and I chat with a few colleagues. Everyone misses him, and I do too, even though I've stopped working for a year. He was probably the best boss I've worked for, and am thankful for the time that I've known him. RIP.