Selektif Daycare

I am not doing promotion for this daycare but a simple post about it. This is the daycare that I sent both Annabelle and Abigail to when me and Ivan off to work. A good nanny or baby sitter is every working mum's dream. For me, I sent Annabelle to Selektif Daycare back in Oct 2011 when she was just 2 months old. Everyone that I knew did asked : "Hey, your daycare accept infant?", "Do your daycare support breastfeeding and breastmilk feeding?", "Do they have enough caretakers to take care of the kids?". The answer to all these questions was "YES... YES!!" I am not boasting about their service but I have no regret so far sending both my children there. The daycare auntie name is Auntie Letchumy (a.k.a. Amma). She is a very kind, lovely and understanding lady. Our children called the daycare "Amma House".

Just to illustrate a simple daily scenario to you how this daycare support me.
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Early morning, we will send Annabelle and Abigail to the daycare at about 6.30am to 6.40am. We will leave the place with peace and smile in our heart as we saw a smile on Annabelle's and Abigail's face whenever they are at "Amma House". There are days I will need to send them earlier as I am having 8am classes, Auntie Letchumy will always there to receive the children immediately she heard the car honk.

During the day, as any other baby sitter or nanny will do; they will feed, bath, play and put the children to their nap. As I am still breastfeeding Abigail, Auntie Letchumy is so supportive in that; she will ensure milk are prepared heated up at the right temperature. Something worth highlighting, though this is just a daycare; they loved the children to learn and play well. Very often, I am surprised by some of the arts and crafts work that the children brought home. (As you can see from the pictures, these crafts work are simple but yet it is a way for the children to learn).

Auntie Letchumy like us to work well and she will normally not disturb us at work. The only time she calls us only if the children are not well or if there is another special incidents that needed our attention. Once, I remembered; she called me and told me and apologized that: "Shirley ma, Abigail has two mosquitos bite on her left cheeks; sorry ma... I had applied cream for her, baby is okay! You do not worry but just to inform you!".

At the end of the day, we are supposed to fetch the babies by 6pm but due to our "superb" traffic and jam conditions along our journey back home; we are normally late. If you asked me:" How late?", my answer to that is "8pm". Once when I had my Master classes(while Ivan was away to Australia), I picked Annabelle at 10.15pm. Yes... Night! Late! But, Auntie Letchumy never once complain and gramble.
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Annabelle is very close to Amma. When I gave birth to Abigail, she stayed over with Amma at the daycare for 2 nights. Annabelle is like a daughter to Amma.

Also to share, when a lecturer like me loved to hear our students' result to know their progress, so as Auntie Letchumy. Every time, when I send the children to the daycare after their clinic checkup and jab; Auntie Lectchumy will asked: "How her weight?". I guess this is an achievement for her if she knows the child under her care is growing well. :) so cute isn't it!

Having said so many about Auntie Letchumy, now back to the daycare.

The daycare started very small with only 3 children (or less~ I am not too sure) 3 years ago. Auntie Letchumy did not give up, with addition child into the daycare centre, she employed one other helper to assist her. Now the daycare has 7 children and she has 2 helpers to assist her. So, if those mummies that are very particular with "staff vs children ratio", this is 1:2; isn't it good!

Every year, the daycare will have its annual day. 15 Dec 2012 was the last we celebrated the "Selektif Day Care Annual Day". Lots of food, lots of laugh, lots of joy and good memory.

I just pray that everything move on well, hoping that every child that come to Selektif Daycare will stay healthy and enjoy their time in the centre and may our Lord always be with Auntie Letchumy and Uncle (Auntie Husband~Thata to the children) and her staff in whatever they do daily. :)

 

Little Library & Writing Table

While shopping for books in Popular,
she sat down on the floor and flipping on the book

Everyone believed that reading has to be encouraged from young. I do believed in that. In order to start Annabelle on this good hobby, we had invested into an educational programme (if you heard about Grolier) and had set up a small library for Annabelle. When we got all the books through this programme, papa and mummy are very excited to arrange them onto the book shelf (the shelf is one of the item in the package). At the same time, I had 1Malaysia book voucher as I am still a student; I had utilised these voucher for her books.


Her small library

Initially, Annabelle didn't really touch the books there. I was quite worried if she is ever going to pick up a book. Yesterday, while she was watching Doc McStuffins, in one part of the show; it mentioned Moo-Moo. Annabelle got up and ran towards the shelf and pick up the blue tall big book (which is also her favourite) and open to the page showing cow and pointed onto it and say Moo-Moo, Cow! I am so pleased to see her doing it. I praised her!
Besides a library, we also got her a table and 2 stools. She loved to sit on the stool and peel the stickers given to her and stick it on the paper and of course now you can see that the sticker is stuck onto the stools too. She will also messed up the colour pencils and crayons that are in the box. She does not know how draw much, who are the one who drew the most was probably the Mummy, Papa, Grandmother and the Godma. But I guess it is fine, as long as this setup give her an idea that she can use this table for writing.



Study Table & 2 Stools

BF Journey

BF short for Breastfeeding. This acronym should be familiar to most breastfeeding mother.

I started my BF journey back in August 2011 when Annabelle was born. The journey was not too pleasant and rather bumpy at the start as I had sore nipples, low in milk supply, no breast pump at the initial point and also lack of knowledge of BF. But after a period of time, I was okay with this experience and I breastfed Annabelle till she reached 11 months old. She weaned herself from BM - breastmilk.

But for the second pregnancy, I am more prepared and excited about the BF journey. Thus far, I am quite happy with what I am doing. I fully BF Abigail and did not supplement with formula milk for the past two months. I am able to produce more milk this time round and I do have two weeks of breast milk stock in the house freezer. Talking about milk stock, I was very happy that I had produced over 100 begs of BM. A big Hooray for myself! I told Ivan that I will continue this journey till the day that Abigail wean herself from BM. I just hope that with my BM, Abigail will continue to grow to be healthy and happy! :)


I started building my BM stock on the
2nd week into my confinement 

I was very excited! Yield 5oz for the first time
(in comparison to the 1st pregnancy)



I had bundled 5 packets (average of 4-5oz)
into one, labelled it
so that daycare auntie will know
the sequence of date (FIFO).

We trained Abigail on bottle feeding too
beside DL (direct latch) her.

My first time experience able to extract ~7oz
in one pump.
Happy to the max!
 





See carefully on the batch number is No 20.
That means I had produced
100 packets of BM!!! Hooray!



A happy BF baby at 2mo!










Our Papa ~ Ivan Vincent

This post is written as an appreciation from me to my husband, Ivan, and also papa to both my daughters. Though Father's Day is long to come, I like to record this to let both my daughters know their papa's love to them.

My darling has been a good papa to Annabelle since the day I conceived. For the past one year even before Abigail was conceived, Papa has been playing an important role in helping me in taking care of Annabelle. When Abigail is still in my womb, that was a time where Annabelle is so attached to me for attention; Ivan has been there for me in spending time with her from running freely outside the porch, washing fish tank together, "temaning" her in the playland, wrestling with her and many more. During my confinement, he took over my job of bathing and dressing Annabelle up. He did great!


Father and Daughter cleaning the fish tank

Papa & daughter on the boat

"Papa hold me properly..."

Daughter sleeping on papa's shoulder




Papa taking the role of mummy to bath Annabelle
during mummy's confinement month

It is important to know how to carry both daughters
at the same time
 

Since the birth of Abigail, papa's role becoming more important, he has make a BIG decision in temporarily stop serving/teaching the catechism classes on Sunday morning. This is so that he can give me a helping hand on Sunday after church when I am alone in the house.
Papa making sure that he spend most of his time with his daughter, even when he is laying down resting on the weekend; he will help to oversee Abigail. Abigail like to be talk to, she will look into the papa's eye and give the sweetest smile and will also look into his eye and give the most pitiful look so that papa will carry her. On the other hand, Annabelle will treat the papa's stomach as a "slide" she will climb on it and slide down and laugh. He has become a playmate to Annabelle.

I thank God for giving Ivan to me and to this family. Ivan has been very supportive in building this family. I just like to say: "Papa, thank you so much. We love you! Muaks!!!"

Toilet/ Potty Training

Annabelle is 19 months old now. I had discussed with my daycare auntie, Auntie Letchumy that we are going to toilet train her after CNY.

9 March 2013 morning , Annabelle done her "big" business on the potty. I am extremely happy :). (you will not understand the feeling unless/ until you are a mother/ parents!)

This is another milestone for Annabelle. Good attempt! Keep it up!

Full Moon (滿月) Celebration

Abigail was born on 3 January and now she is one month old. These are some of her photos from birth.

We celebrated Abigail full moon (one month) celebration on the 3 February 2013.We did not have a big celebration or gathering as we are planning to have it on her baptism which is schedule in April 2013.

On the 4 February 2013 morning, we were out from the house at about 11am to give out the full moon gift pack to some of our friends and relatives. Talking about the full moon gift pack, I read about these traditional treats and was surprised that many things I do not know about.

Ang Ku Kueh/ Cakes & Dyed Red Eggs: To symbolise luck and blessings, are given or sent to relatives and friends. Eggs are chosen as they represent fertility and their shape symbolises harmony.

Kunyit with Curry Chicken: Is the delicacy and have symbolic meaning that been past down by ancestor to celebrate a meaningful day of baby's full moon

It was a tiring process for us especially to Ivan as he needed to drive some one place to another. Thank God both of my babies did not give much trouble along the journey.

As this day marked the end day of my confinement period too. I had my hair washed, my room bedsheet changed and also I had normal food instead of confinement food. I drank room temperature water instead of red dates & "dong sum" water. Recalling back some of the food cooked by my mother in law and my mother, I really thank them for taking good care of me during my confinement month.

Some snapshots of my confinement food

Some Back-dated Updates About Her

Before my memory faded with more things around me, I need to update this blog with the precious moments about Annabelle.

Annabelle has grown up so much that ...
... She becoming more active and energetic in her activities and movements. For example, she do not need to be assisted when jumping into the mini play-gym pool in the house. "1..2..3..." she is already into it.
... She also has acquired more vocabulary of words even when the door bell ring, she will answered: "Coming...", "Go Down", "Don't Want", "No.. No.."
... She is cheeky with all the funny faces and expression she made
... Almost all her teeth fully emerged except for the two molars set at the back.


Some Updates (Month of October 2012)



See how she enjoyed her rides...

Rides with "Banana in Pyjamas" on
Papa & Mummy Anniversary

We celebrated our 4th years wedding anniversary with Annabelle on 4 October 2012. (Hint: To see how the couples celebrated: http://www.mywedding.com/ivanandshirley/stories.html) We had good time together at Setia City Mall where Annabelle has some kids rides. Annabelle enjoyed the rides so much that she can go on it for twice and we had to stop her for 3rd and 4th times. There goes all our coins... :p

Some Updates (Month of November 2012)



Eating rice with a fork?! Can?!

Annabelle learning how to use fork and spoon. We let her had her first hand onto it with the actual cutlery instead of baby fork and baby spoon. She is pretty good at it and in fact we were worried at first that she can't managed fork well but she is good at it.

Yes! The messiness started and this means more work for me, but it is okay. This is the right time for her to explore on fork and spoon.

Some Updates (Month of December 2012)

Delicious! Yummy!

Handy Little Helpers

Woo.. Woo.. My Christmas gift from papa & mummy




Family Picture







Hoo... Hoo.. Hoo... Santa is coming to town!!! This year, we didn't bring Annabelle to the mall like last year to snap photos though I heard from friends that some places had nice decorations. It is because I am "heavily" pregnant and just in case baby decided to arrive early. But this does not stop us from putting up the Christmas tree at home. This year, Annabelle was helping me in putting up the ornaments while recalled last year she was only 5 months old. How time flies!!!

On the Christmas eve, we had a good lunch at home followed by gift exchange. Gosh! You should see the amount of presents she receives and the excitement of her face.

Some Updates (Month of January 2013)

The long awaited January has arrived. Abigail has arrived! Annabelle has been promoted to "jie jie" ~ sister on the 3rd January 2013. I had followed some advice from articles and books that to buy some gift for Annabelle as the gift is giving by the sister to her. Friends and relatives ask me, "How is Annabelle with the sister?" I guess this is a good answer to all, "Annabelle is learning how to become "jie jie"~sister, she is doing fine!"