a family..
something that you need to treasure
when you can share pain, laughter,
happy memories, bad dreams..
it's priceless
but don't take for granted
consider yourself lucky if you have 'family' 
our last holiday was Bali, 2003 (before I'm married) and now, Singapore 2006, 3 days together 4 of us with additional member: Ari & Arya (my lovely fam). Unfortunately my dad can't take day off.
Dedek Arya is 2 months today. Here are his footnote:
- still nursing every 2-3 hrs even at nite time
- have a new hobby: poo while sitting in his rocking chair
- W: around 6 kg and H: around 61cm. The measurement might not be so accurate because we used ikea's measurement tape and weighed him using adult scale - the weight deduction between dedek&I when I carried him and myself. =p However as a benchmark in his 5th wk, Arya's W:5.1kg and H:59cm. So the measurement seems allright.
- smile more often especially to his Imbah (my mom).
- when he's lying in his tummy, he can lift up his head momentarily
- at nite, he likes to sleep sideways depend where the mummy is =)
- he lie happily in his stroller, rocking chair or under his playing gym
- his eyesight is improved
- he likes watching his daddy playing playstation
- he looooooooooves being carried using Jarik (traditional baby sling)
- his clothes are getting tighter and tighter
Being a new mum, your world basically is centered around your bub. I did say in my previous posting that I'll be a better mother when I'm back to work. That statement still seems right to me however I'll question more abt the meaning of 'work' that suits me, as a person and part of family. My mom is stay-at-home mom and I turned out to be OK. I can't imagine how my bub's world will be. My mom already set a high standard about a good mom is and I can't compete with that. Basically my 24hrs a day will divide by 4, as an employee, a mummy, a wife and me-time. I have to sacrifice something. I don't believe that I will success in all. I'm not superwoman. Should I take a part-time job?!!!
Jumat malem kemaren, pertama kalinya dedek keluar malem loh. Kita ke Clarke Quay buat makan malem sekalian perayaan Dr. Joko (proudly say) dateng ke Singapore.
Dedek ama Jokie sama2 heboh...Dedek karena liat lampu, Jokie karena..hehehe. Dedek maunya ngliat keatas mulu.
Adin bergabung ama kita setelah menghabiskan sorenya di bedok library buat make-up workshop dan bete karena akhir2-annya malah ditawarin produk.
Setelah muter sekali, kita memutuskan buat makan di 'tapas tree - spanish food'. Kita pesen seafood paella, udang, baby squid, chicken wing ditutup ama churro. Si dedek awalnya bobo pules di keranjangnya setelah dininabobokan ama Imbah, e..ditengah tengah kebangun deh si dedek, haus...terpaksa..dgn kepedean yg tinggi, dedek mimik deh. Hehehe kayanya makin lama mama dedek udh makin jago niy nursing di tempat umum.
I've been back to work for a week now. It's like a rollercoaster ride. Sometime I feel happy not trapped at home however more frequently I feel guilty to separate my baby from his food resource. Imagine that babies are very simple. He only needs basic survival kit: love,food and comfy environment. Unfortunately during the day, he can't enjoying his food totally.
On the first 3 days, I slept at 8 pm after nursing my baby. I think I'm physically and mentally drained after working for 8 hours, back and forth nursing and pumping milk and having broken sleep everynite. My dedication to work (wow!!) are reduced. I don't think I love my job as much as I thought before. I have other priority in life, nurturing my baby to be a 'positive' person.
On my first week of working, we still do trial and error to fit Arya's best schedule. I plan to either bath him or take him out for morning stroll before going to work. I'd prefer to take him out to get a fresh sea air and sunbath. We leave from home at 8.50am, go back at lunch time at 12.30-1.30 and back from the office at 6.30pm. I express my milk at 11am and 4pm. See...lots of distraction during work.
On my first day, I expressed my milk in shared restroom. Smelly. So I asked HR if there's a cleaner room. There's 2 option: sickbay (near the CFO) or executive restroom. I chose the second one and quite happy with that. It's private, big and clean.
In between catching up with tons of email, preparing next year planning, helping to do month end and adapting with working/parenting world, I have a pressure to provide enough milk for Arya. Arya is big baby, his weight is more than 5.5kg in his 7 weeks so it also reflect his needs of milk. On thursday, i sent sms to Fanny and Ocha and said that I need to top up with formula in order fulfilling Arya's need. The pressure to provide baby with exclusive breastfeed minimal until 6 months is high. I know the benefit of exclusive breastfeed but it's not easy, you know. Not every woman has luxury to get more than 200ml of milk in each pumping time. My milk supply is not abundant only enough. I'm still lucky to be 'enough'. Ari also support me as long as baby and the mummy are happy.
Today, I can proudly say that Arya is exclusively breastfeed in my first working week. Somehow we can pass friday without formula milk..hopefully we can continue this achievement =p
