Letters to Julianne #4

Dearest Julianne, 

It was a rather tiring month my sweetie.  Mama would say this was the most challenging month to date. We fought a cold, a windy tummy, a nursing strike, a bottle strike and a series of blood in your poop.  We made many visits to the doctors and even visited a lactation consultant all in the hope of getting you well.  We've been told you've lost some confidence in drinking since your cold when your appetite dipped tremendously.  We're working on helping you gain back that confidence now and I'm glad to report that we're making some progress starting with the bottle.  I do miss nursing you for all your feeds but I guess it is a transition we have to start making anyway as Mama prepares to return to work next month. 

I'm sorry you had to go through the cold and all that came with it.  It pained me to see you struggling each time with drinking and I really hated that feed time became stressful for both you and me.  But we'll overcome this I promise.  You're doing well. 

The pains aside, you are still pretty much the sweet happy baby that we brought home 3 months ago.  You've learnt to give really big smiles sometimes accompanied by loud chuckles.  It is most entertaining to watch.  You can also recognise Mama now, greeting me with a huge wide smile whenever you see me.  So precious! 

Papa gets a share of those smiles to though he wishes for more of them ....

Another thing you're doing alot more is your oohs and ahhs.  We have our little chit chats everyday, usually about how you're a smelly little girl who has a poopy diaper or about what a cutie pie you are.  You love talking - we can go on for a good 5 minutes.  You also like monologue with yourself.  Especially with your cot mobile and the moo-moo mirror on your gym mat.  Last night, in commemoration of your 3rd month, you happily soothed yourself to sleep at 4am in the morning when you didn't settle back to bed immediately after your feed.  Papa and Mama were just lying in bed, resisting not to pick you up just to see if you'll go back to bed by yourself.  And you did just that after about 20 minutes of talking to yourself.  So proud of you!  It reminded me of your cousin Sophie who also talks to herself before she sleeps.  For now, Mama shall translate your coos to 'Mama belongs to me and Papa belongs to me' just like what Sophie che che likes to say.      

On your physical development, you've putting on good weight (surprisingly in spite of the cold and strikes) and growing taller.  Your head isn't quite that steady yet.  We really need to work on more tummy time young lady!  Por Por has banned Mama from putting you on the bumbo chair until you get your head straight. 

We won't able to work on your sleeping out of the rocker this month cos Mama didn't want to stress you further after the cold and drinking strikes so let's work on that in the coming month and hopefully get you to take your day time naps in the playpen - deal? Let's not make things difficult for Por Por and Aunty Joy who'll be taking care of you.  

Oh how can we forget your 1st Chinese New Year!  All the ang pows you collected and all the smiles you gave out to the many relatives you saw.  

Mama only has one more month to spend full time with you.  I sure am going to miss having you as company all day.  Let's make the fullest of this last month of bonding my precious stream and do lots more growing up with Mama!! 


Happy 3rd month my sweet child! 

Loving you so much, 
Mama