Bye Bye 2010!!

2010 has been a challenging year for our family, first being DY arriving but diagnosed with G6PD Deficient and then ZY's hospitalization. It had disrupted our plans and once again shown us the importance of ones health. It's a great blessing and not an entitlement to be healthy and be able to enjoy life.

Thanks to the support of our family members, all is back on track now and we can look back and be thankful for what we have.

MW and I did not manage to go to Bangkok this year as plan but hopefully we'll be able to do so by mid next year :)

For the year 2011, my only resolution or should I say wish, is good health for my whole family and to spend more time together with them. Happiness and health, two most important things in life.

My Compassionate Girl

ZY has always been a teary eye girl just like her daddy when he was young.

Whenever ZY sees someone crying on a TV show, she will ask me why is that person crying with watery eyes herself.

Yesterday, when I read the "Matchstick Girl" story book to ZY, she surprised me by crying out really loudly. When I asked her why was she crying, she told me that the little girl was very pitiful. I've to console her by telling her that it was just a story and hence not real. Moreover, the little girl in the story is now with her grandmother, who loved her very much.

This is the first time that ZY had cried not because of any physical pain or just throwing tantrum. She is now aware of the feelings of others and is able to feel their pain. I hope that ZY will grow up to be compassionate towards others and help those who are less fortunate than us.

G6PD Deficient

While waiting to be discharged on 3 March 2010, a pediatrician informed us that DY is suspected to be G6PD deficient. Hence, according to the hospital protocol, he cannot be discharged and has to be in the hospital for at least 7 days to monitor his jaundice level. G6PD deficient newborns are prone to high level of jaundice for the first 2 weeks of life and hence needs to be monitor closely.

It really came as a shock for us as I don't know anything about G6PD deficiency and we were really worried. We had no idea that either MW or me are carrier of this genetic disorder. Luckily, after talking to the nurses and doing some research on the internet, we found that this genetic disorder is relatively common among boys and with careful avoidance of certain Western and Chinese medicine, the child can live a normal and healthy life.

Anyway, since DY is not able to be discharge, I decided to stay on for another day so that I could breastfeed him for the precious colostrum. We also decided to stay at my parents' house for my confinement instead of going back to Sembawang so that we can visit DY everyday at the hospital. I went to the hospital everyday at 3p.m. to direct latch him so as to stimulate my milk production. On other times, I will express the milk and bring them to the hospital so that the nurses can cup feed him. Though it is very tiring, I'm glad that I'm able to see him everyday and cuddle him.

It really breaks my heart to be discharged from the hospital without DY with me. Everyone is happily packing their bags and leaving the hospital with their bundle of joy while I'm walking out with two empty hands... I felt so sad and seeing him in the baby cot at the nursery ward, I'm near breaking down. But I tell myself, DY is in good hands and its best for him to be in the hospital under the close monitoring of the professionals. MW who is holding on better than me, also try his best to console me and his support really helps. In fact, I'm glad that all my family members are all out to support us and it really means alot to us.

The Year 2009

It's the last day of 2009 and looking backward, I'm glad that its a peaceful year for us.

Reading my first post of Y2009,  the only thing that I wished to do and was actually done was bringing ZY to Korea. Other than that, my so-call resolution of doing a craftwork with ZY per week was not that successful..hehehe, no excuses here, just plain old lazy mum! ZY sudden change of behaviour and having nightmares at night also left me no choice but to pull her out of her playgroup after Semester Two.

I can foresee that the Year 2010 would be a very busy and challenging year for me as Bay Bay will arrive in end Feb. I really had no idea how I'm going to handle a newborn baby plus an active 4 years old all by myself at home but I'm sure with my supportive family, I can do it. ZY will also be attending Nursery One next year and hopefully she will like the new environment and enjoy herself in school.

Lastly, I also hope that MW and I can go for a short trip to Bangkok maybe during the end of next year as I'm sure by then, both of us will need sometime to be alone together and recharge ourselves without the kids. I've already hint hint ZY about this "planned" trip and hopefully she has no problem leaving me and staying with my mum for a few days by then...

Hereby wishing all my family and friends a very Happy and Fruitful Year 2010!!