Eric & Tong Huey's Wedding

24 March 2007

Jia Xiang & Me

24 March 2007

Jia Wen at playland at Tesco Melaka

24 March 2007

23 March 2007

Jia Wen is into tying her hair up these days

21 March 2007

Blowing bubbles

Me

I am so fat! I am hungry all the time and I think I am going to be very depressed very soon. I don't know why but I am definitely fatter than when I just delivered Jia Xiang! People say it is because I am breastfeeding and that's why I feel hungry all the time but.... ARGH!!!!

So unfair!

Online Goddess of Mercy

Joyous Naw Ruz

To all my fellow Baha'i friends and family - JOYOUS NAW RUZ!

Baha'i Naw-Ruz

In the Badi` calendar of the Bab, Naw-Ruz is the day of Baha of the month of Baha, a day called by the Bab `the Day of God' (yawmu'llah). It was also the `Day of the Point' (yawm-i-nuqt3ih) -- i.e. the day of the Bab. Finally, it was a day associated with Him Whom God shall make manifest, the Promised One of the Bab. The remaining eighteen days of the month were associated with the eighteen Letters of the Living, an indication that the Bab envisioned the Naw-Ruz festivities encompassing the nineteen days of the month of Baha, just as the traditional Iranian Naw-Ruz festivities last thirteen days. During Naw-Ruz the Bab permitted the use of musical instruments and other luxuries prohibited at other times. During the night of Naw-Ruz each believer was to recite 361 times the verse `God beareth witness that there is no God but Him, the Ineffable, the Self-Subsistent'; and during the day, `God beareth witness that there is no God but Him, the Precious, the Beloved'. Fasting was prohibited during the whole month of Baha. During the six years of His mission, the Bab and His followers observed Naw-Ruz, although it is difficult to say how much this represents a distinctively Babi holy day. Baha'u'llah adopted the Babi holy day of Naw-Ruz as the feast day following the fast and stressed that it is associated with the Most Great Name, bearing as it does Baha'u'llah's own name. `Abdu'l-Baha explained the significance of Naw-Ruz in terms of the symbolism of the new life of spring. Baha'u'llah defines Naw-Ruz as the Baha'i day on which the vernal equinox occurs.

Thus, even if the equinox should occur just before sunset, that day -- which in the Baha'i calendar began at the moment of sunset on the previous day -- is Naw-Ruz. At present, however, Naw-Ruz is fixed as 21 March for Baha'is in all countries outside the Middle East, regardless of exactly when the equinox occurs.

Naw-Ruz is one of the nine Baha'i holy days on which work is to be suspended. It is generally observed with a meeting for prayer and celebration -- often combined with a dinner since the sunset on which Naw-Ruz begins ends the last day of the Baha'i fast. As with all Baha'i holy days, there are few fixed rules for observing Naw-Ruz, although Iranian Baha'is often follow Iranian traditions. Many Baha'is use Naw-Ruz as a day of gift-giving. Baha'is do not usually observe Naw-Ruz for longer than one day. Since Naw-Ruz is the first day of a Baha'i month, it is also the day of a nineteen day feast. It is not permitted to combine this feast with the observance of the holy day.

Arty Farty Pics

Biker Jia Wen

Jia Xiang is 3 Months

I must be slacking. I haven't really blogged about anything for a while and to think that I used to have monthly journals / newsletters on Jia Wen when she was a baby, I am really slacking with Jia Xiang. Wonder whether it is my daily chores and 2 kids consuming my time on the computer or whether I am simply getting very tardy at this. Oh well, can't blame me right? At least I put up pictures as an update and to keep my blog "alive".

Yes, Jia Xiang is 3 months today and honestly, although time seems to be passing by so quickly these days, I feel that this past 3 months have been really slow and I can't wait to get through the next 3 months and Jia Xiang will be 6 months old. It must be because I have been so busy with the 2 kids and the home, I sometimes wish that I didn't get myself in this shit. Taking care of Jia Xiang hasn't been as easy as when Jia Wen was 3 months it is sometimes very overwhelming for me.

Jia Xiang is totally different from Jia Wen as a baby which makes caring for him like caring as if he is my first born. Everything seems to be new to me eventhough he is my second. Jia Xiang cries a lot and wants to be carried alot too and at most times, carrying isn't enough for him - he wants to be walked about. You guys must think that this is because I "manja-ed" him from the beginning which isn't true! I know from the beginning of time never ever spoil a baby by carrying him all the time but somehow, Jia Xiang knew this was my "motto" and made sure I break my motto and yes I did break that, not by choice but because I can't have 2 crying babies at a time in the house! It drives me mad! This baby can really cry man.

Boy will be boys - they seem to eat more? Is that a true or not? Well it must be. Jia Xiang has never been satisfied with just breastmilk. His meals are usually supplemented with formula but I am pleased to say that his formula intake has reduced quite a bit lately and obviously he is taking more breastmilk now.

Juggling between Jia Wen, crying Jia Xiang, Shien Wei and the housework, I don't seem to have much "alone" time with Jia Xiang as I used to with Jia Wen last time. I want to be able to play with him while he is not crying but I don't seem to find the right time to. He is either crying his lungs out and I am walking him about the house or he is sleeping and I am doing my house chores or attending to Jia Wen and when he is not crying or sleeping, I am rushing through my house chores.

As for milestones, Jia Xiang can now lift his head up 90 degrees while on his tummy and can keep it up for quite a few minutes. He can also respond to your facial expressions and loves to be talked to. He can laugh and sometimes squeal to certain expressions and sounds. He also loves to talk (coo in his case). When he is not crying or sleeping, he laughs and smiles quite easily which makes taking pictures joyful and it sort of counters for all the cryings he's done.

I don't usually like to tell people about this sort of things in case I jinx things but since I need to journal it, so here goes. Jia Xiang has been slowly stretching his nightfeeds further apart for the past few days which means that he is slowly going into "sleeping through the night"! Which is a great thing for me and I am really glad but I have a problem with my breast which tends to get really full after 4 hours and it makes it difficult to sleep and timing breastfeedings a little more difficult. But of course I am more glad that he is slowly sleeping through the night. Last night, he slept from 9 pm to 5 am when I had to wake him up for feed. Yipee. Oops.. I shouldn't be too happy over this.

As of last week (5 March 2007), Jia Xiang weighed 6.2 kgs and was 58 cms long / tall. His weight gain is definitely good which makes it harder for me to carry each day. I know it is good exercise for my arm but the trouble is, I only carry him on my left arm which will now make my arms lopsided isn't it? Hahaha... Well, the reason why I carry him on my left arm is so that my right arm / hand is free to do other things easily e.g. eat, wash, type, feed Jia Wen, etc.

As for me, I am still alive. Handling 2 kids is not as easy as I hoped for but at least I am coping. Not sure whether I am doing a good job at it but at least my house isn't filthy and my kids are clean and fed all the time so I guess I am doing the best I can. But I think I need a holiday away from my kids soon. Any volunteers?

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that Jia Xiang has graduated from size S and is now wearing size M (diaper).

Jia Xiang Today

Jia Wen & Jia Xiang

DJ Victor G @ Melbourne

Hey hey, my bro will be performing in Melbourne, Australia the whole of this month. So go check him out at the following:

09.3.07 Platform One, Melbourne
16.3.07 Beach Club, Melbourne
23.3.07 Platform One, Melbourne
30.3.07 Tickeled Pink # 15@ Circus Club

He plays "house" & "electro".

Chap Goh Meh Tea Party

We had a small "chap goh meh" party at my cousin Ann's house and Jia Wen had so much fun in their pool.

Birthday Party

Cupcakes by Happy Belly Bites

Birthday cake by Happy Belly Bites

More "instant" kids

Our Princess

Kyle & Kaelyn's 3rd Birthday Costume Party

Jia Xiang & Jia Wen

Jia Xiang smiling

Jie Jie giving Di Di a kiss

My kids

Goh Family CNY Reunion

Fretful Jia Xiang

Jia Xiang is so much different from Jia Wen when she was a baby. Jia Xiang is a fretful baby and cries a lot. He simply cries so much! Also, I don't know where did he learn to want to be carried all the time. I have been carrying him so much that I think I have permanently damaged my left arm. I do let him cry it out once in a while but he has never caught the idea of "Mummy isn't carrying me no matter how much and how long I cry". He can cry for 15 minutes straight without stopping. Sometimes I have no choice but to let him cry because I need to hang out the laundry or prepare a meal in the kitchen. What's worse is that he likes to be carried upright with his head resting on my shoulder and because he isn't quite long enough yet, my arm has to be put in a very awkward and painful angle. Mind you, he isn't light! I think he is already touching 6 kgs.

I remember Jia Wen wasn't like that when she was that age. I remember even being able to wash my laundry in the bathroom (handwash that time), hang out the laundry while she lies down on the mattress on her own. I could do a lot because she didn't need to be carried all the time. I can leave her on her own for 1-2 hours at a time without having to carry her.

As for Jia Xiang, after he falls asleep in my arm and when I put him down, he would only sleep for a few minutes before he wakes up again and start to cry. Then the cycle starts again. He spends more time in my arm than he sleeps.

Last night was one of the worst nights - putting him to sleep took me 2 solid hours! He was crying almost the whole time and I was carrying him the whole time. I don't quite know what was wrong with him yesterday but clearly something was bothering him. I can only guess that it was his tummy. So I was carrying him upright for 2 hours and I forgot to mention, he needs to be walked about too!!! So imagine carrying him upright with my arm in an almost 90 degree angle walking about for 2 hours!

Shien Wei keeps on saying that he is the lucky baby who is now being pampered by his mother. Well I say - Jia Wen didn't need such attention last time. I think I have carried Jia Xiang more than I have carried Jia Wen in her whole first year! Seriously!

Mati lah gua!