Decided to make this blog look like mine.

Now the link to this blog will be http://evespiration.com/

Evespiration : What inspires her/eve ….. The blog’s name came about after some nights of dreaming what tagline to use. It’s a little cheesy but otherwise useable.

Hope my readers will like this and do leave a comment when you dropped by. Bloggers need comments to write on. Thanks!

2nd thing we did today – Flew a kite at Marina Barrage.

Today….. I learnt how to fly a kite! Don’t laugh. It looks easy but it ain’t that easy!

Kim and I struggled for a while before we could get the kite up in the sky. I learnt that one was supposed to wind back the strings and let go at critical stages when the wind blew.

Totally life lessons.

It’s all about giving and receiving.

It’s all about let Go and let God.

It’s all about letting the hurts, pains, regrets of the past years fly up in the sky and worry no more…..

It’s easy said than done of course. But we all live on don’t we.

Anyhow, I just realised today how refreshing flying a kite can be……

2012, here I come!

I met a mummy in an online forum who contacted me after hearing about our story. 

I have asked E to share her story so we can go on encouraging other mummies who might be in a similar situation. Mummy E is an amazing woman who endured it all for her baby boy, Joel.

“ This is a long testimony that I want to share how Jesus protected my pregnancy, baby Joel who was born 3 months premature. Both my husband and I pray for a second baby. I was confirmed pregnant in Nov’10 and was advised to go through amniocentesis test due to my age. The procedure was done at the 4th month of pregnancy. My water bag leaked on 21 Feb, that was 17th week of my pregnancy. I rushed to hospital and was immediately admitted due to womb infection.

In the first few days of hospitalization, my gynae put me on anti-biotic drip to bring down the infection. Things started to look better when my infection marker dropped. Alas, when I was looking forward to discharge, my water bag burst. What I thought would be a short stay turned out to be a nightmare of long hospitalization.

My gynae took ultrasound scans on my womb and told me that my amniotic fluid was very low. Normal range of Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) is range 8-18cm but mine was lower than 2cm. My condition was known as Preterm Premature raptures of membranes (PPROM). The condition then was very unfavourable for my baby as the amniotic fluid is critical for the lungs development during the 2^nd trimester. The low fluid environment would also affect the physical developments of the baby.

My gynae painted a very bleak outcome for my baby and advised me to abort the baby. “This is a baby that you would not want.”, was the exact words he used. Through all this while, the baby heart beat is very strong. It seems that we are being placed in an impossible situation. The gynae told us that there is no effective method to patch the leak and we can only leave it to fate. His advice was to stay in complete rest, drink more water and hope for the water bad to reseal itself and the amniotic fluid to increase.

We cried to God and pray everyday for the water bag to heal and amniotic fluid to increase. However, the ultrasound scans would disappoint us every time. Apart from this, we were also worried about the rapidly increasing medical bills. Despite having bought all forms of hospitalization benefits, the insurance company refuse to pay a single cent due to their strict definition of what constitute an “approved” condition for pregnancy complication.

Things did not improve and we made a decision to transfer to KK hospital subsidized ward due to financial concern. The first doctor who visited me in the ward had also advised abortion and when told we want to keep the baby, he said “God bless”. Through the stay in KK, my amniotic fluid remains less or equivalent to 2cm. We searched the Internet for any recipe that would help to increase the amniotic fluid, but none was useful. The team doctors advised me to abort on several occasions. They gave the ultimatum on the 24^th week of pregnancy as that was the last week allowed for legal abortion.

Both my hubby and myself put our trust in the Lord, believing that my baby will not be due so early. We thank God that Jesus has the final say over my situation, Jesus had come to give my baby life and life more abundantly. Though there were times we were battling with emotions and bad thoughts, but deep in our hearts we knew that this baby is from God, therefore Jesus will take care of it!

At my 27^th week of pregnancy (30 Apr), I had placenta abruption and had to immediately undergo a crash caesarean to bring out my baby; he was 3 months premature!

He weighed 970g and was immediately sent to NICU. He was discharged from KK after 4.5 months stay. We named our baby Joel.

It was not a smooth stay for Joel either. Due to prematurity, he was diagnosed with a condition known as Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), hernia and weak lungs. He required extra oxygen for breathing for most part of his stay.

God had amazingly healed and restored Joel’s body and growth. Joel’s heart PDA closed up, the hernia operation was successful. Joel had also successfully weaned off from tube feeding and was able to go on full bottling.

I brought Joel for a recent doctor appointment and their comments were that Joel didn’t look like a preemie, his growth is above average compare with his peers and he is very responsive! Today he weighs 5.7kg, praise God! We give all the glory to our Lord Jesus!

Indeed it is Jesus’ finished work and His precious blood that we are protected from power of darkness, sickness and diseases. He placed us in the right place at the right time to have victories in our lives, victories over our situation. Though there were times of ‘why’, but Daddy God is faithful and He loves us despite of our mortal reasoning. Jesus blood has always protected my baby and my family members. Although the 10 weeks stay for me and 4.5 months stay for my baby were dark but praise to God, those days were temporary! Joy comes in the morning!! Psalms 30:5 And this joy is forever!! Whenever I look at my baby Joel, I can feel that this is really a gift from heaven. Joel smiles alot too

I would like to attach Joel’s pictures, on the day he was born weigh 970g, tube feeding and a recent photo.”

“ He had made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end”  Ecclesiastes 3: 11 (NIV)

Back now because I probably finished all the big hits – some 20 serials in 2 months… not a small feat huh.

On a more serious note, over this year, I got to know more mummies who were facing similar pregnancy situations as I was in before. Will be sharing about her story in the next post.

As for my adorably mischievous boy, Xi En had grown up so much! He’s now 29 months (non-corrected).

Just to document some of the milestones in his life so these serve as memories in the future!

Xi En can hum/sing the following songs:

1) Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (both English and Chinese version)

2) Baa Baa Black Sheep

3) Doe a Deer

4) Incy wincy spider

5) Barney I love you song

6) ABC

7) Happy Birthday (coupled with saliva-blowing candles action)

8) Teddy Bear

9) Jesus loves me this I know (this was the song we sang to him when he was in NICU)

10) Once I caught a fish alive

the rest – I can’t remember for now.

Xi En ‘s favourite cartoon/TV characters are (in order of LIKES) – Hi-5, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Thomas the train. He loves dancing to Hi-5 songs. Eat,drink,sleep Hi-5!

He enjoys running around, spinning, climbing, hiding; basically any physical activities.

No, he don’t exactly like books. unless it’s i-books of course.

Speaking of which, he’s a mini expert in Ipad/Iphone. He can swipe, pinch, shake, change volume and check out Youtube on his own…… No, he don’t know how to key in the passwords….yet.

Xi En can wear his own sandals and shoes now. Though sometimes left became right and vice versa – but he’s getting there.

He learnt how to pose too:

Ugly face:

smiley/cute face:

Hold-still-and-let-mummy-take-silly-photo face:

I can go on and on about the boy in my life. Stopping for now.

“We must teach our children to dream with their eyes open.”

Harry Edwards

My mum was totally troubled by all the idle chatters with the aunties and grannies whenever she brought Xi En to the playground downstairs.

The well-meaning advices by these aunties led to Xi En’s first hair cut! It’s the belief that a first hair cut will aid in future thicker hair growth.

His hair is fine (I thought so in a different way) and little – thus we did not conduct the traditional first-month hair cut/shave. Of course we couldn’t have done it anyway as he was still in the hospital fighting to survive then! Who cares about hair cut seriously when there are other more acute matters on hand.

But the time has come.

Mum was adamant on it. Kim wasn’t keen on it. I was…..neutral.

And so we marched off to a neighbourhood barber today!:

I was probably more nervous than my boy. I was worried that he might fidget; the blades might cut him.. the worries were endless..

But it turned out lots better than I had imagined!

Getting ready – Barber Uncle draped on the superman cloak:

Totally unsuspecting boy:

First shave. Xi En was totally unfazed by it. That’s my boy.

Good Boy; sitting still:

Oppsie – Half-time; he needed a distraction. Barber Uncle gave him the sweets box which worked. The container; not the sweets.

Getting all ticklish at the back!

Barber Uncle’s hands are so BIG! No escaping from his clutches! haaaa

Finishing touches:

Hey Hey Pesto! My little cool cucumber!

We brought Xi En to the Voyage Night Festival 2011 near the Singapore Art Museum.

My first time to the Night Lights. Interesting lights installations:

There was free entry at the Art Garden where contemporary art fun for children was exhibited.

Interesting familiar art – An entire room with Tomy train tracks!

Cupboard fruits. You can make one yourself at $1 too.

Entire wall of cute paper flowers with light-powered mechanism:

Boxes of “fake toys” – Lightning Action:

Now you don’t see it

Now you do:

My favourite art room: “Mummy’s Dearest”

Mummy’s off day in this colourful world of giant dolls, complete with a wardrobe of clothes, shoes & a huge cake!

Xi En’s favourite room: “Go*”

It’s a giant installation where the kids get to insert coloured discs to form a picture. It’s inspired by the ancient Chinese game of Go or weiqi. There were too many kids on that day and they simply had fun inserting the discs without forming a picture.  

Ended the night chilling with Nescafe! My boy was in love with the…Star.

The event is still happening tonight and tomorrow (Sat). Go early to beat the crowd and find parking space.

More details : http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/programmes/details.php?id=390 

Best of all – It’s FREE.  

Druuuummmmmmm!

Comment No.3: KAREN!

Congrats Karen! Kanten Clay will be sending a sample soon!

We got him to do PRINTS! Did this artwork on a hot afternoon when playing at the playground can induce heat stroke.

“Ingredients” for PRINTS:

1) Some old newspapers and a large piece of “manjong paper” (basically a white piece of paper):

2) Washable, Non-toxic paints suitable for finger painting. (Can be found at Popular Bookshops or Artfriend). I realised yellow isn’t a good colour. Red, Orange, Pink come out brighter and nicer.

3) Some old blocks/shaped/moulds – we took out Xi En’s old toys. I wanted to use some hard vegetables to cut out the shapes. My mum said those are our dinner! Oh well… these works too.

4) A very excited toddler. shorts off, old T-shirt on. I wanted to use my friend’s idea of tying a plastic-bag-inspired-bib on his neck. Xi En refuses to be part of such innovative dress sense.

And da ta! off we go:

We get PRINTS!

Oh wait! That’s not all. My super-amazing mum collected the PRINTS and created these end products with Xi En:

What can I say…. Mum’s the woman! haaa….

Xi En’s PRINTWORK on display behind our TV-console.

Try this on a hot afternoon like me or on a rainy day when you can’t go out. At least 45 mins of printing fun to occupy the energetic toddler.

N.B: Next Monday is the last day to win some Kanten Clay for your kiddos! Check it out now.

The friends from the same company – Sophie & Friends - sent along 2 pots of bright coloured modelling clay from Kanten Clay Studio. This clay is made in Japan using ingredients such as kanten (a type of agar agar/jelly), natural food colouring and brine.

The all-natural ingredients made it completely safe for young children and children with sensitive skin to play with. Even if accidentally consumed, it remains safe. Xi En licked his hands after playing when I didn’t noticed – this happen to many I am sure!

I love the little transparent pots they come in.

This unique product is quite unlike those oil-based clays in the market now. It does not stick to the table/floor & thus does not leave an oily mark after play time. I laid a plastic table-cloth on the table only to realise there wasn’t a need to!

The clay might seemed hard on the first touch. But after seconds of kneading and moulding, it is extremely stretchable and pliable.

We took out the “tools” from his other dough play set and allowed Xi En to cut, mould and spread.

Xi En enjoyed cutting and making “mee hoon kueh” (tearing the clay into flat noodles-like shapes).

Your child can make anything imaginable.

A tip here: you can buy baking moulds instead of play moulds. The baking moulds at Diaso cost only $2 for a big pack of interesting shapes!

Kanten Clay comes in 7 colours and you can easily make a new colour by mixing two or more colours together. Good to teach kids on concept of mixing colours too!

After turning 2 years old, Xi En is even more curious and active than before. Moulding clay “forced” him to sit still and play for a good 30 minutes. Experts (my mum for one) believe that such play brings out the creativity in kids and train patience at the same time!  

You can buy or read more about Kanten Clay Studio here.

GIVEAWAY!!

Sophie & Friends is kindly giving away Kanten Clay samples to one reader of this blog. Xi En enjoyed playing with this and we hope you will too!

To win this, please leave a comment on this post by next Monday, 15th August 2011. Winner will be picked randomly.

He’s such a big boy now. Compared to his 1st birthday celebration, he is more aware of the celebration and that it’s a fun occasion where he receives presents and sing birthday songs.  

This year we did small scale family celebrations as Xi En was just discharged from the hospital 2 weeks back. We had 2 days of gathering at home and Xi En loved it!  

That’s his birthday cake. He loves Mickey (calls him Mi-Mi); so we got him one such cake from Bengawan Solo. They have lovely Disney Characters cakes:

He loved the birthday song and clapped along with it:

Cutting the cake by himself is not a mean feat anymore!  

Loves receiving gifts and opening them (no holding back!)

Goes “wah!!!!!” whenever he opened one gift. Expression = priceless!

Loved all the gifts from Ye Ye, Ma Ma, Gu Ma/Jiong, Gong Gong, Po Po, Xiao Jiu, MQ Jie Jie!

He has 3 sets of Thomas & Friends now! Kids these days are so spoilt blessed…..

The gift that interests him the most currently is this:

Universe of Imagination Dough Fun Basic Set

Po Po, being an ex-childcare teacher, knows exactly what he will like at this stage and bought a set of play dough for him. Now Xi En is rolling, kneading and cutting everyday!  

Family photos for memories:

Once again, HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY Xi En! You are very loved!

May you grow up with great wisdom and good health!