Madison is ONE!

Today is D day!

Exactly one year ago, when I woke at 3 AM I was going into labour and as I sit typing this out, I was already in KKH, in the throes of pain and agony as Madison was welcomed into the world. Of course it took awhile, and was only at noon that she arrived. Those were the days of blissful ignorance...

1 year... it is actually a celebration for the PARENTS who have learnt, matured and survived the first year of the first child. Of any child, actually... but.... it's all true. You do forget really quickly, must be the chronic sleep deprivation that you actually adapt to, and life does revolve somewhat around the child at this stage.. although that is improving and life does begin again after 1.

It's a pity Nancy fell short of her first, she was there to welcome Madison when she came home from KKH. Nancy was really my wing man throughout this first year, and she did very well looking after Madison...

Well.. life is about change..

Madison's party is in 2 days time and now I am starting to get the jitters over it.. will there be enough food? Will the guests get bored? Have I done enough preparations? I hope it doesn't rain.. the silly weather.. all last month it was sun shiny and HOT and now it periodically pours in the afternoons! Of course it doesn't help we are short of a domestic help RIGHT NOW.

But.. that is in 2 days time.. today it is all about our girl and us... I shall endevour to relax and enjoy spending time with her today!

Maid gone MIA!

I cannot believe how quickly my life has turned topsy turvy!

Things were actually chugging along well, we had all got into a groove with our routines. Nancy was doing well with Madison and I was starting to put in more hours at work. Chris' mum came to visit on the 9th March, to attend her birthday party on the 15th. The new Heal Balestier Clinic was due to be started on the 16th of March. Pa and Ma were away in Boston for a pathology conference.

Then BAM!

The night that Chris' mum arrives, after dinner at Bakerszin, Chris drops the bomb on me. The neighbours maid had messaged him about Nancy, and basically split the beans on her boyfriend! And that Nancy had just recently had a pregnancy scare on top of that! After speaking to the maid, we were both in a state of complete shock.

The next day I casually asked Nancy how she felt about the maid next door. Her answer seemed that they were friends. My heart sank. Trying to keep things as normal as possible, I waited till Madison had settled for her morning nap, then went off to work. There, I immediately contacted the maid agency to ask for advice. The agents' instruction was to bring Nancy in immediately.

Things went downhill from there. I went home, picked Madison and Nancy up, then went over to the Novena house to pick Maria up as a safety precaution. I didn't know what to expect from Nancy's reaction if she found out, and I certainly didn't want to be alone with her then.

The agent interogated Nancy and confiscated her mobile. Nancy admitted to the accusations and since she was in breach of her contract the agent basically decided that she had to be repatriated. From then on, things moved really quickly. All I had to do was to hand over her passport and pick her things up, close her bank account and that was it.

Suddenly, I was maidless. Then I had to give Madison lunch. And go to the bank. And pack Nancy's stuff. And in between all this work was calling! So work had to take a backseat. Decision made: 1. Feed Madison. 2. Afternoon nap 3. Pack Nancy's stuff. 4. Go to bank. Maria to babysit for now.

And Nancy had a TON of STUFF! It was incredible. I was unable to carry it all by myself from the house to the car, much less lug it to the agency at Bukit Timah plaza! So then I had to wait for Chris to finish work to take it over.

Anyway.. the parting was a little sad... Nancy apologized for her transgression.. I felt almost ready to just take her back.. but it was irreversible.. her air ticket was booked.

Now I am trying to cope maidless, and life hasn't been too bad overall... I am so grateful that Madison has settled into her routine and Maria could take over quite well. A few bumps over the past few days as we try to adjust to the new situation, but I trust, like hundreds of others before us, we will SURVIVE!

Almost 1 !

My dear daughter is ALMOST ONE!

It's so cliched, but I really cannot believe we all survived the first year. Intact. And sleeping better these days... there certainly is light at the end of the tunnel!

These days, Madison is all about exploring, walking and doing things... to the exclusion of wanting to sleep or sit down for her meals. Like all parents... we now have a major headache when it comes to mealtimes... the conundrum.. to let her " eat on the run" or to enforce table eating? For the moment we are hanging precariously to table eating, but so many times now I have had to " take a deep breath, keep calm !"

Why do they have to make eating such a challenge? I know we are meant to follow the child's signals and not offer food if they refuse, but what if this happens at the start of the meal? After 1 bite!!

Sleep is another issue... we are supposed to have sleep trained our girl, and most times it works well, except that I haven't dealt the final blow and still nurse her to sleep.. I know... BAD HABIT, and one that needs to be broken. I have started thinking about fulling weaning her off breastfeeding, and the main difficulty I face is how to get her to sleep without nursing! I have been talking to her about it and I think she understands when I put her in the cot awake and say "nap nap! " but then the battle to get out starts. I really hope not to have to go the controlled crying way, and am still hoping that she would just amaze me and decide to go off to sleep by herself!

On the other hand, there are lots of benefits to extended breastfeeding, from allergies to immunity and bonding. It has become second nature and extremely easy for me at this stage, except when I have to be somewhere else at nap time! The only downside to this are the 2 episodes of mastitis and Madison's recent biting that left me in pain for close to a week (last week). I can't decide. I think if I do want to wean now it will have to be cold turkey at naps.

On a brighter note, we are in the midst of planning her first birthday, and I have conceptualised a " picnic in the park " themed celebration at the Novena park. ( Whether it turns out is a completely different topic!)The plan is a barbeque with some catering, lots of toys and space for the kids to run around. The catch? Our unpredictable weather! After being rainless and hot for the past 2 months, it's suddenly raining every afternoon! The party is supposed to be from 4 to 8PM...

It's almost 330PM now.. Madison should be getting up from her nap pretty soon...