finally it’s all coming true…. all done and ready … money, IC, driving license, bags, food, baby stuff, food for tomorrow, settled the car, visa, workpermit, passports etc etc etc ….

we are excited… except Cameron, for some reason he is little cranky tonight

i reckon i will not be gaining too much of a quality sleep as i am so used to playing the ‘check the time game’ night before flying hehe, but hope it will not happen tonight, i am putting my bet on this cup of camomile that i am sipping at the moment.

Cameron seems to like the MAM bottle more than the rest. Hence, I bought another one from ToyRus yesterday just in case  I can’t get the same brand in KL. Costed me another £4. Gosh these baby accessories are pricey. I’ve been investing in all sorts of bottles and I think I’m gonna stop doing that if he is receptive towards this. Now the challenge is it only works if the content is water. No luck with milk yet but will keep trying.

Although he’s been very difficult but I guess the best solution in this matter is baby-led, meaning letting the baby decide when he’s ready for the bottle. At the same time, will drop nursing gradually starting with mid-day feeds as I do not mind feeding him in the morning, before bed and midnight (already gotten used to broken nights). I was pretty anxious at the beginning to entirely stop BF due to return-to-work pressure but I’m learning to be more relaxed. What’s the point of forcing him if he isn’t ready at all? It would only make the weaning process tougher. If I need to express at work, then let it be. Besides, I’ve been enjoying the bond that we’ve had all these while but it will not last forever. Some day, he will grow out of it and would be independent. Guess treasuring the special moment that we are experiencing now would be the best bet. I never knew I would become this obsessed with BF as well as I’ve been very comfortable nursing him outdoor (in nursing rooms and venues that appreciate BF of course). However, it would be a little setback in KL as most places including the 5-star hotels do not have nursing rooms. Wonder if Malaysian BF mums do not go to secluded places to BF or most babies are bottle-fed? Having said that, I only know Jaya Jusco has them, so I guess this would be the only place I can comfortably hang out during my trip. Besides, having to deal with stares…

I’m trying to wean Cameron off breastfeeding but he refuses the bottle. He had no problem with it when he was 2 months old as I was unwell then but I resumed exclusive bf when I got better. I tried introducing the bottle again when he was 3 months but he totally rejected it. I should have continued some bottlefeeding when he was much younger. At least a bottle a day; either with formula or expressed breast milk. Now that he’s aware of choices, he’s being very difficult although I guess he will eventually accept it. I’ve spent a lot of money and effort by trying all sorts of brands/teats from Avent to Tommee Tippee to MAM and now I’m trying to give him the Avent magic cup. I’ve received many advise from friends and have tried these but in vain:-

1. Switch to bottle halfway breastfeeding.

2. Bottle with water or formula milk.

3. Letting others feed him using the bottle.

4. Feed him by letting him face outwards instead of near my body.

Every baby is unique and I guess I just have to eventually discover his unique preference. Hopefully, he will surprise me by accepting the penguin looking trainer cup (the one in yellow). If it fails, I will try the spoon and repeat the bottles with various content till he accepts them. Wish me luck!

We are going home!!! YES I have finally sorted my leave with my company after weeks long of negotiation. And yesterday I received all the air tickets!!

It’s soooo exciting thinking about meeting with family members and FOOD FOOD FOOD and not forgetting friends if the schedule is not too busy and if we survive the temperature

Maybe it’s because I haven’t been home for nearly 2 years and furthermore we are waiting so eagerly to see our parents’ face expression when they first meet Cameron. It is going to be so heart warming!

We will leave next week but i will not disclose too much of our travel itenerary here (just to be a little wary with Internet).

satay, curry fish head, steam fish, crab, tiger and mantis prawns, roti canai, ayam goreng kampung, putu mayam, nasi lemak, jagung, coconut, durian, char siu pau, chee cheong fun, hokkein mee, yong tau foo,  banana leaf rice, kangkung belacan, cendol, rojak, wild boar… I AM COMING….

p/s I have to post this blog before I flood my keyboard

Time is gold…48 hours in a day is all I need now! Cameron is already 18 weeks old and gazing back at the past 4.5 months, it just went by like a blink of an eye. Looking after a baby without additional assistance plus exclusive breastfeeding is no joke. No doubt Eng takes over some chores when he gets back from work but the situation is still demanding. Though I thank God that Eng has been very supportive and understanding.

Cameron’s nap time is the only moment which I can get to execute my personal chores and that is only 3 hours in a day. At times, blogging has also become an effort, hence will always try to keep it short and simple and not as comprehensive as I would like it to be. I’ve been meeting up with a few friends who have babies of Cameron’s age. We all laugh about the same experience that we are going through which is rushing about like a mad woman during the 3 hour jiffy.

Since I had breast abscess back in April, Cameron had been bed-sharing with us. It was the only way to make him sleep longer and less taxing for me. Now that I’m kinda well, last Thursday was the first time I put him back to sleep in his own cot. Apparently, that would help him to sleep longer and it surely did. For the first time, he slept for 5.5 hours without waking up (from 9pm –2.30 am)! We are pleased but I miss having him on our bed. I still woke up at 1 am to check on him and thought he would want some milk. It happened automatically but found him still sleeping so peacefully. After the feed at 2.30 am, I put him back on our bed hehe. I didn’t want him to cry in the middle of the night, just in case if he realized he wasn’t sleeping with mumdad anymore. Eng said I am the problem…boohoohooo I think so too. Breastfeeding mums are usually more attached to their babies….

I will return to work end of July and our short term decision is to send Cameron to a childminder. We’ve been on the look out for a few. Childcare in the UK is ridiculously costly. In our area, the hourly rate ranges from £3.75-£5! Would see how it goes as who knows, our circumstances might change.

Both of us are crazy over tiramisu. The best tiramisu we’ve ever eaten was in a fine Italian restaurant in London several years ago. It’s a shame that we can’t remember the name and location of the restaurant.

Got this recipe from a friend here. To my amazement, the recipe is super simple and takes only 20 minutes to prepare with an electric whisk. I do not have an electric one but I have a human whisk called Eng hehe. Not too sure how authentic the recipe is, otherwise my Italian boss will be in tears if he ever sees this. Here are the ingredients and instructions:-

Sponge fingers, 250g mascarpone cheese, 125g double cream (optional), 100g sugar, 4 egg yolks, 1 egg white, 300ml Espresso or 3 packets of strong black coffee, coffee liquor (kahlua/rum/marsala).

I did not add any liquor for health reasons and due to the fact that I’m still breastfeeding. I even exclude the double cream as it is too rich. Firstly, whisk the cheese, cream, sugar, eggs and coffee until thickens. Dip sponge fingers into coffee and lay a layer on a dish. Pour the cream mixture over the sponge fingers. Sprinkle some cocoa powder over it. I love lots of cocoa powder as you can see by the thick layer in the pix. Chill tiramisu in the fridge overnight. That’s it!