My Personal Fathering Targets

Hmm... since I'm in the mood to update the blog, let's make hay while the sun shines.

MY PERSONAL FATHERING TARGETS
1) Carry baby properly

I can carry Devon comfortably now in both arms if he doesn't struggle. However, I need to expand my repetoire of positions to (a) 2 hands cradling in front of me and (b) carrying on my shoulder, with baby peeking over my back. However, if Devon struggles and "rigidifies" himself and starts crying, I tend to get flutstered. My wife says I sound like an old auntie, going "aiyo.. aiyo...", whenever I get panicky.

2) Burp Baby

Managed to burp him once in a while, but the way I hold Devon during burpingneeds some working on.

3) Diaper Change

I can change diapers fairly well now by myself. I have learnt how to prevent being splashed by Devon (which had happened to me 4 times), but inadvertently, Devon's clothes still get stained (need to work on that... hmm)

4) Baby Showering

Have not tried out yet. Popcorn Mama will be trying out this week for the first time before our confinement lady leaves.

5) Baby Feeding

I can perform the necessary setup for the breast pump and sterilizer, and do the cleaning and sterilizing. I have fed Devon through a bottle about 3 times successfully so I think I'm good to go here.

6) Baby Coaxing

Discovered yesterday that Devon can fall asleep if I sing to him continuously... Will try that again tonight. Seems he prefers Emil Chou to Jay Chou.. heheh.

Devon's Second Toy .... Made with Tenderness!

After a good dinner at Upper Bukit Timah (the row of restaurants opposite Beauty World and Bukit Timah Plaza), Popcorn Mama and Papa arrived home to make another toy for Devon.

Yesterday, I had cut out the pieces for the brown bear. I washed it and let it dry. This time, I decided not to try to sew any part of the bear as my backstitch sucks big time. I let Popcorn Mama do all the sewing while I did the stuffing, marking and threading of the needle (luckily I can still do it... else I need to go see an optometrist).

We started around 8 pm and completed the bear around 12 midnight (about 4 hours of work). Sewing the separate legs, arms and ears was the easy part. Later when we tried to put everything together, Popcorn Mama had a hard time sewing all the body parts together. Once it was sewn together, I had a hard time trying to turn it inside out (it's almost like doing surgery... pushing 4 arms/legs through a small hole based on feeling is tough). Nevertheless, we completed the bear, and we sewed on a small little tail, and the face.

It seems that the arms are uneven, but we learnt quite a bit from this bear (as it was much more complicated than the bunny we did yesterday). I think we can definitely improve from this!

All the pieces cut out neatly, ready for Popcorn Mama to sew them together!


Mr Wabbit playing around with the uncompleted legs/arms of Mr Fuzzball


Mr Fuzzball all stuffed and ready for his facelift!


The final product - Mr Fuzzball!


Here is Mr Wabbit poking Mr Fuzzball's tail!


Best Friends Forever!


Bonus Content for Pregnant Moms with cravings for Coke
Mr Wabbit introduces the caffeine free Coke! (expensive at $1.95 per can as it's imported from USA. You can find it at selected Cold Storage outlets)

Devon's First Toy... Made with Love!

Yesterday, Popcorn Mama and myself went to Spotlight to pick up a few things -> yellow jersey cloth, brown terry towel cloth, thread, cotton stuffing and some felt. We wanted to make a toy for Devon!

We had earlier bought a book that detailed how to make a stuffed toy, and decided on something simple for a start... a small yellow bunny for Devon.


I spent yesterday tracing the designs out and cutting the yellow cloth. It was actually quite tough as the material was quite stretchy and was difficult to cut.


Popcorn Mama washed it and let it hang out to dry.

Today, we took it down and ironed it. Popcorn Mama then began the tedious process of sewing the bunny together. She sewed the pair of ears first, then the legs. (I helped to sew a bit myself too!... although Popcorn Mama complained that I cheated on some of my backstitch as I made the stitches too far apart. She had to remove it and sew all over again.)



We turned the bunny inside out and stuffed the bunny.

Let the stuffing begin! Notice the black felt eyes next to the bunny.


Popcorn Mama pushing in the cotton stuffing.


Popcorn Mama sewing on the eyes, nose and mouth.


Tada!!! Our baby's first toy. We think it looks a little bit imperfect, but that's what makes it so special for us.


Tomorrow, we're trying a teddy bear. Here are the pieces hanging out to dry. (I washed the pieces myself with baby laundry detergent).


I'll keep you guys updated on the results!

Funny Pregnancy Tips (Part 2) + Baby Handling Tips

Found more humor on this friday morning. Enjoy!



















~ Delvin

Confinement Lady Fiasco!

There was a big fiasco over our confinement lady last week.

2 to 3 months earlier, We had paid our confinement lady (from Malaysia) $200 as deposit. She asked for $2000 for 1 month's service (This excludes the customary two hongbaos). She also asked for us to reimburse her ticket back to Malaysia.

Last week, my mother-in-law (Evon's mother) called her to let her know that our confinement lady had been caught stealing money and we had to change our confinement lady. It was a shock to us as we feared that it might be too late for us to find a new confinement lady.

Later that day, I called the post-natal masseur (let's call her 'M') that had arranged for our confinement lady to find out the details. Apparently, our confinement lady (let's call her 'A') stole $100 from her employee. However her employer had installed a CCTV camera that 'A' did not know about. When her employer went back home later that day, they reviewed the camera and caught 'A' stealing on tape. Her employer confronted 'A' and casually mentioned to 'A' that she lost $100 and asked 'A' whether she knew where it was. 'A' was still unaware that she was caught on film at this point. 'A' then replied that she did not know but suggested that the post-natal masseur, 'M', that came earlier that day could be the culprit.

Her employer was very angry but chose not to confront 'A' at this point. Her employer then called 'M', whom had recommended 'A' to her employer, who was equally pissed off when she knew that 'A' had accused her. 'M' later canceled all her appointments and went down to see 'A' and her employer. Upon confrontation and showing of the video, 'M' threatened to send 'A' and the video tape to the police. To cut the story short, 'A' asked for forgiveness, and 'M' and her employee gave her a 4th chance (!) and told her that she was not to come back to Singapore and to return all the deposits that she had collected. 'A' left immediately, and 'M' arranged for a new Indonesian confinement lady to come the next day.

Apparently, 'A' had allegedly stolen small amounts of money earlier (about 2 to 3 times) from different employers, but her employers always gave her second chances and the benefit of the doubt.

Another thing to note if this happens to you.
We are actually illegal employers of these Malaysian or Indonesia confinement ladies (who are not working without work permits). If 'M' and 'A's employer had went to the police, it might cause some trouble to the employer. However, if you go thru proper agencies, it should not be an issue.

Last Sunday, we met up with 'M' and got a new confinement lady, and our $200 deposit back, which we paid to the new confinement lady.

So.... just be careful.

~ Delvin

Popcorn Shopping List!

Spent sometime researching the net and found instructions to add a Shoutbox and Hit Counter. I also modified some of the settings. If any of the mothers want me to "zhng" their blog, drop me a shout. I'll see what I can do!

Anywayz, something baby related. Here is our shopping list of items bought for Popcorn so far
1a. Stroller - Quinny Buzz
1b. Car Seat - MaxiCosi Seat + Adapter for Quinny Buzz
2. Cot - St Ives Cot Bed + Mattress + Bedding (Note : If you buy cots from Mothercare, be prepared to purchase their beddings (as their cots require special bedding sizes) which can be quite expensive.
3. Clothes - Popcorn Mama went overboard buying stuff from the 0-3 month range (I have banned her from buying 0-3 month range hehehe)
4. Confinement Lady (interesting story about this. I'll blog about it some other time)
5. Feeding - Avent Sterilizer, Bottles, Baby Monitor
6. Towels
7. Consumables - Toiletries, Diapers (enough for 1 month... I think)
8. LOTS of toys (Popcorn Papa went crazy at a Tuas warehouse sale where almost everything was 30% to 40% of the current market price. These toys were still on the shelves in Toys R Us, so they are quite current. The only thing is that they are quite dirty, and needs some cleaning up to do)
9. White Cabinet (from IKEA!), with a diaper changing station
10. Bathing Tub (I am psychoing Popcorn Mama to buy the stand for it. Hard to bath the baby squatting down leh)

To get
1. Cord Blood Banking
2. Breast Pump (Avent Isis Duo)

Popcorn Mama complains to me that we bought almost everything... Nothing left to buy :)

~ Delvin

Funny Pregnancy Tips

This is extracted from a website I visited earlier. Some funny tips about pregnancy. Enjoy!
























~ Delvin

Greetings!

Hi everybody!

This is Delvin & Evon here. We are in the midst of setting up a blog for our baby (aka Popcorn!). His delivery date is due on 12 Sep 2008, and we will update this blog more regularly closer to that date!

We have given him a nickname 'Popcorn' as he pops a lot around in Evon's tummy, hence the debut of this Popcorn Journal!

~ Popcorn Parents