Friday, April 19, 2013

Flashback Friday #40

18 October 2011: It was an afternoon spent at Changi Airport again! As with the last trip to the airport, Blake and I went to all three terminals, and we played till Sean joined us after work to have dinner together. Before heading home, we spent some time at the playground in terminal 3!



Crawling around cos that's still the fastest way to move for him!
During this time, Blake has yet to walk in multiple steps yet.







P.S. The next Flashback Friday is a surprise that I got from Blake when we were having some fun at terminal 3! It was a very, very pleasant surprise, so be sure to check back next Friday! J

Friday, April 12, 2013

Flashback Friday #39

13 October 2011: I brought Blake to the beach again. This time round, we spent time playing with sand! Hehe.

Initially, I didn't intend to let Blake go onto the sand. I solely planned to just let him sit on the plastic sheet I had brought along and just enjoy the sea breeze + view. But Blake slowly ventured out of the plastic sheet on his own, and there was no stopping him!

He enjoyed himself quite a bit, but I think he had a hard time moving around. During this period, he was still unable to walk unassisted, and crawling on the sand was painful for him, with all the sand and tiny stones.

Spent the afternoon there, before proceeding to the swimming club (mad love the club's location! Hehe.) to wash up and have dinner with Sean, who joined us after work.


First, a meal at McDonald's and playing at the playground!


Just before proceeding to the beach

Before venturing out onto the sandy beach













Monday, April 8, 2013

Tree & Bee Giveaways 2 - Results!

And we have our winners!!!








Congratulations to
Angie @ Simply Mommie (Galaxy Gem Necklace)
Connie Huang Low (Love Letter Necklace)!

Do check your emails on how to receive your necklaces :D

Thanks all for taking part in my second giveaway!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Twenty Questions

I know, I know... It's Sunday today, but I'm working on something that's part of Tuesday's Thoughts... But after reading a couple of other mommies' answers to these 20 questions, I want to join in too!!!

1. Was your pregnancy planned, and how old were you?

For Blake, I came home from work one day and told Sean, "LET'S HAVE A BABY!" Haha. I was 23.

For Nakayla, I turned to him and said, "Let's try for baby number two!" :P I was 25.

2. What were your reaction?

Both times, I was grinning from ear to ear. Haha!

3. How did you find out you were pregnant?

For Blake, I was patiently waiting for the day to arrive for me to test myself. Already had the test kits bought and on standby!

For Nakayla, I couldn't wait to test. I tested (and wasted) with so many pregnancy test kits. Always testing earlier than I was supposed to. After 3 months passed and nothing positive came up, I gave up. Then next thing I know, I was late and it was positive!

4. Who did you tell first?

Sean!

5. Did you find out the sex?

Yup. I wanted to know, both times. Haha.

6. Did you have morning sickness?

For Blake, no.

For Nakayla, I only felt a little nauseousness and loss of appetite. No actual vomiting.

7. What did you crave?

For Blake, Chocolate ice cream, fast food

For Nakayla, Chinese food - especially Bak Chor Mee (Minced meat noodles)

But neither cravings were so bad that I had to have it.

8. Who / What irritated you the most?

People who push and shove me, even when I was heavily pregnant. And those who snatch seats from me on public transport! Haha.

9. Did you wish you had a different gender from what you obtained?

For Blake, no.

For Nakayla, I was half-hoping for a boy. But my original plan (like can plan like that, haha!) was elder brother, younger sister. And I got what I originally wanted. And I must say, having another girl in the family is really good! Haha.

10. How many kilos did you gain during the entire pregnancy?

For Blake, I gained about 15kg.

For Nakayla, I gained about 10kg.

11. Where did you think the baby was conceived?

At home, for sure. Hahahaha!

12. Did you have any complications during the pregnancy?

Nothing major.

For Blake, I had spotting in the first trimester.

For Nakayla, I had low lying placenta.

13. Where did you give birth?

Gleneagles! :D

14. How many hours were you in labour?

I honestly have no idea when it started...

15. Who watched you give birth?

Both times - Sean, my gynae and the nurses

16. Was it natural, or C-Sect?

For Blake, Natural with Epidural

For Nakayla, Natural with only laughing gas (nearly died when I couldn't have epidural!)

17. Did you take medication to ease the pain?

For Blake, after giving birth, I took painkillers (tablets) and had a further injection when the epidural wore off in the middle of the night and it hurt like mad!

For Nakayla, after giving birth, I only took painkillers (tablets).

18. When was your child born?

Blake, 9 September 2010

Nakalay, 21 November 2012

19. What is his / her name?

Blake Maximus Wang Rui Xiong 王睿雄

Nakayla Rose Wang Rui Xuan 王睿璇

20. How old is he / she today?

Blake will be 2 years 7 months old in two days time!

Nakayla will be 5 months old come 21st!


Linking up with:
MummyMOO

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Saturday Morning Snapshots #5

It rained, and Blake wants to head out to play. After last week's hospitalization, NO WAY. Instead, we took out the out DDR mat we had bought when we got our Wii console, and got Blake grooving to the rhythms! Haha. He had so much fun, he was so tired, and preferred to just sit and lie on the mat after a few songs!


Linking up with:
Wee Stories

Friday, April 5, 2013

Flashback Friday #38

5 October 2011: Blake started to explore more during feeding time, and he ventured into pulling both his legs up from his baby chair, and setting them on the table. He only knows how to bring it up though. He had no idea how to put them back down, and it gets him a little frustrated when he's done with his feet on the table. Haha. It's a funny look for sure!


Monday, April 1, 2013

Blunt Abdominal Trauma with Vomiting

Blake got admitted into the hospital on Saturday, 30 March 2013. This was definitely not on our things to do over the long weekend!

It all started on Good Friday evening, when Sean and Blake went to the playground. It started to rain a little, a while after they got to the playground, but Blake insisted on playing so Sean allowed it - a little rain is seldom harmful, seeing how I was allowed out into the rain to play all the time growing up (fun times!). I honestly believe that was what build my immunity to the way it is today.

What Sean and I don't allow was for Blake to jump from point A to point B. Watching Dora kind of made him an active 'jumper', constantly wanting to jump from one point to another, from one step to another. It didn't help that there were older children at the playground doing just that. At his current imitation stage, he did what we told him not to do, refusing to hold onto Sean's hand as well. So what happened? He jumped from a round stand to another, only to land his entire body weight on his abdominal area. According to Sean, Blake let out a very strange type of cry - meaning a cry we have never heard before. And instead of clamoring for Sean to cuddle him, Blake actually signal to Sean to not touch him! We honestly didn't think much about it, cos after a while, he got up and continued playing. He even threw tantrums when Sean took him home. What could be wrong with a child who is still his active self, right?

Shortly after returning home, Blake fell asleep at about 7pm. Nothing unusual on the weekends, when he refuses to take afternoon naps. I took him into his room and let him sleep. I was half-hoping that he would sleep through, cos he has done it before, otherwise it will be a major problem for us! But I also wanted him to get up within an hour to have his dinner and milk, cos the last time he had food was quite a few hours ago. Turns out, he slept through the night.

The next morning, I went in to check on my boy. He was semi-awake, but he didn't react the way that he normally does when he sees me on weekend mornings. He was drifting in and out of sleep. He sat up for a while, only to go back down again. So what did mommy do when the little boy sat up? Pictures! Haha.




Then I asked him if he wanted milk. He had virtually no reaction, so I made some for him. The Saturday before, he happily drank his milk in sleep mode before heading out for his school's family day, with no problems. But that morning, he barely put the bottle in his mouth before pushing it back into my hands. I asked him, "Are you sure you don't want milk?" Then he took the bottle back, and drank a little before regurgitating. The first round caught me off-guard, and before I could get him to sit up and clear the mess, he vomited even more out, with quite a bit flowing out from his nose too! That really scared me. It was a lot of vomit for so little milk! Hearing my panic shouts, Sean came in and took Blake away to clean and comfort him. Blake had started crying by then, probably cos he had no idea what was going on, and mommy was panicking.

While I was cleaning the bed, Blake sat on the sofa, completely dazed and vomited another two times, according to Sean. This was when we thought, something must be really wrong with Blake. He looked really pale, had absolutely no energy to even sit up on the sofa, looked like he was going to fall asleep again, and rejected everything we offered him - from his favourite snacks to sweets!

It was then that we decided, Blake had to go to the hospital. Something was definitely not right with him. I made a call to my mom, and told her what happened, hoping she would be able to watch Nakayla while Sean and I rush Blake to the hospital. It was a Saturday, the most packed day of the week for my parents. So thankful that my mom was willing to give up her Saturday activities to help me watch Nakayla for the day. Thank you, mommy!

After Nakayla was settled at my mom's, Sean and I rushed to the hospital with Blake in a cab. I was definitely not thinking straight, cos instead of going to Gleneagles like we always do, I had asked the cab driver to take us to KKH instead. I only realize that when we were preparing to admit Blake into the hospital.

The children's A&E department was pretty fast, either that or me going to the vending machine to buy some sandwiches and coffee really took a long time, cos by the time I returned with the food and coffee for Sean (we haven't had breakfast), they were already in one of the cubicles and Blake had already been checked. In a matter of minutes, we were at the back where Blake was placed under observation.


He was placed right in front of the television, which was showing cartoons on Disney Junior. Haha.

They gave him some glucose water, and when he vomited again after taking less than 30ml of it, they said it is best to have Blake take an X-ray, and to admit him for an overnight observation while they run some tests.

So we moved to the next room where Blake had his X-ray taken. Despite crying throughout, Blake remembered his manners and said bye to the doctor and nurses in the X-ray room when they left. Quite a funny sight at such a daunting place.

We then waited for the results to be out, and during this time, Blake started to become a little more active. He even took my food to eat. That's a good sign! After waiting for quite a while, I was wondering why nobody called us, so I went back to the same doctor to ask. Turns out, we were supposed to prepare for admission after taking the X-ray.

While Sean was at the counter handling the admission stuff, I followed Blake wherever he wanted to go. He started his Dora imitation, pointing at things going, "Is this a fish? No! Is this a fish? No! Is this a fish? YES!" Yes, Blake is very much into Dora now. Another good sign!




By the time we got to his ward and room, Blake was 80% back to his normal self. While waiting for the doctors to come and check on Blake again, I went down to get some lunch (yes, from breakfast to lunch!). Nurses came in and told us that Blake cannot eat, just in case of this and that, and to let us know that after they draw the blood, they will leave the plastic thing in him, in case he has to go on drip. Sean and I were very sure that Blake wouldn't need to go on drip - call it parents' instinct or whatever - cos Blake seemed almost like his normal self, and he was busy snatching my food from my hand!

Then came the dreaded blood test. My poor boy was so traumatized they had to splinter both his hands down to draw the blood. They also left the plastic thing in his hand, like they said they would.


He got very agitated whenever he saw the plastic thing on his hand

Blake managed to un-splinter himself on one hand, and attempted to pull out the plastic thing many, many times! We could see blood flowing out of the tube! Sean and I then decided, no point having Blake with that when it's not 100% sure that he will go on drip. I'd rather they poke him a second time when there really is a need for it, than to risk him pulling it out and having blood splatter all over the place.

I spoke to the doctor, and she agreed to let me take it off Blake. I then went to get the nurse and asked them to remove it. Now, this is the first time I really got very angry and upset at a healthcare personnel. The nurse insisted on leaving the plastic thing on, and even gave me the talking-down attitude. And when I asked her, what if Blake were to pull it out, she replied, "Pull out then pull out lor." Oh really? I know for sure Blake will pull it out on his own (by hook or by crook), and I'm asking you nicely to have it removed the proper way, but you refused to, and that's the answer I get for asking what happens if Blake really does pull it out? This time round, I stood firm and told her straight up to remove it right away.

The next nurse who came in to remove it from Blake had the same attitude, she said, "So if later have to poke again for the drip, we just poke ar!" Again, I looked straight at her, and told her to remove it. If you ask me, getting poked twice is definitely better than being poked the entire time, and risking unnecessary loss of blood for nothing (cos it's still not 100% that Blake has to be on drip)!

Blake was once again put through another traumatizing event when they were removing the plastic thing for him. So thankful for the husband! He went through all of this with Blake cos I'm way too scared! I remember when Blake was hospitalized in 2011, the team at Gleneagles had wrapped that plastic thing real nice for Blake, he didn't even attempt to do anything to it, and when they came to remove it, I looked away. With the good pressure Sean had on the wound when the plastic thing was removed, Blake had no blood-soak plaster!

And while annoyed, Blake soon got back to being himself :)


After all that is over, I went home to pack some stuff for Blake and Sean (didn't know he had to be admitted!), and dropped by my parents' place to update my mom and play with Nakayla for a really short while, before dashing back to the hospital - had to get Sean his dinner before the shops at KKH Mall closed.

When I came back, dinner for Blake was served and this was what he had been up to, during the time I was gone.






A little after 8pm, I left for home while Sean stayed with Blake. It was close to Nakayla's bed time, and I had been away from my baby girl almost the whole day! Once we got home, Nakayla got ready for bed, and I was all alone for the rest of the night.

Through this entire journey back home and settling Nakayla into her cot, Sean had taken Blake out of the hospital for a walk. It was only after they had returned that I received updates from Sean, complete with photos, from their walk and the night before sleeping.


Daddy rewarded the brave boy with ice cream!






Blake washed up and changed in the clothes provided by the hospital




He didn't like wearing hospital clothes, so Sean changed him into home clothes before sleeping

The next morning, Sean and I spoke over the phone and he said that Blake can be discharged. Yay! And knowing that I have already troubled my mom the day before, I decided to just bring Nakayla along with me to the hospital. After all, it will just be a couple of hours and we'll be out of the hospital. I asked my dad for a ride to the hospital. Hehe.


A place we never want to return to!


While Sean took Blake out for a walk around the hospital, Nakayla slept in the cot


Finally! Everything is done and we can head home!


Nakayla was too low in the baby carrier and couldn't be seen in the above photo,
so I took one with her separately. Haha.

We were told to return to the hospital for a follow-up and ultrasound scan, cos they suspect Blake might have another issue with his abdominal area (they still don't know what really happened to him). Based on the medical term written in the report given to us, Sean did a research online about it and we found out that whatever that is, it is not dangerous, nor urgent. It was recommended to wait till he is after five years old before doing further checks as most of the time, the body would correct itself. So that's what we plan to do. We will continue to monitor him, and will bring him for the follow-up checks after he turns five in another two years time.

Right now, I'm just glad this whole thing is over, and that my baby boy is safe.