Julian is 5 Years Old!

Happy Birthday, Julian! Julian celebrated his 5th birthday today (28 May 2012).

Here are his updates:

• Off and on, he would ask to carry Jianna. We would then position Jianna in his arms :-)
  
• He is still excited about Jianna, eagerly showing her off. He would often say, "Come, see our/my new baby!"
  
• Sometimes someone would ask whether they can take Jianna home for the night. When it happened the first few times, he would become very quiet - not knowing what to respond. His expression would change and he would look quite distressed. After a while he would say, "But she's OUR baby...". Now he has figured out a response. He would say, "But she needs to sleep on the bouncinette!" :-) Wonder how he would respond if the person says she has a bouncinette at home! :-)
  
• He is now able to tell the time for the hours.
  
• He can do his homework on his own :-) Hurray!
  
• He can button his own shirt.
  

[Julian is growing taller]


[An even more overgrown baby]


[Julian and Jianna]

Julian celebrated his birthday with his friends at the kindy on 25 May 2012 (Friday). We got him a cake and he requested for Angry Birds decorations. His babysitter prepared some party packs.


[Celebration at the kindy: Julian's Angry Birds cake]

His birthday celebration with our extended family was on 26 May 2012 (Saturday). We had lunch at Sea Palace Restaurant. Mummy specially made him an airplane banana cake with jam biscuits as engines and chocolate pieces as the cockpit windows. The top of the fuselage had his name spelled out using alphabet biscuits.


[Celebration at the restaurant: Julian Air Cargo]


[The Five of Us]

Today, Daddy baked a butter cake and made a simple racing car out of fondont as decoration.


[Celebration at home: Happy birthday to meeee! Fhhhhhh! Justin joined in the formalities...]

Ferringhi Coffee Garden

We had wanted to have lunch at Ferringhi Garden on 24 May 2012 but unfortunately they only open for dinner. So, we had to settle for Ferringhi Coffee Garden next door instead. Items on their menu were "lighter".

We tried the Mini Burger Platter consisting of beef, chicken, and prawn patties. We also ordered the FCG Special consisting of sandwiches, crab cakes, petit four, French pastry, and coffee/tea.


[Mini Burger Platter: RM21.80]


[The FCG Special: RM26.80]


[Dining indoors at Ferringhi Coffee Garden]


[For those who prefer dining outdoors]

Food was delicious although we would have preferred a heavier lunch.

Justin in Baby Talk

Justin's photo appeared in the Little Stars section of Baby Talk's May 2012 issue!

Again, thanks to Ethan & Hannah's mummy for keeping a lookout for us.


[Justin's photo in Baby Talk's May 2012 issue]

Mama Mia Kitchen

On 23 May 2012, we had lunch at Mama Mia Kitchen located on Lorong Selamat.

We tried their pork trotters in black vinegar (too kar chor) with rice, nasi lemak with chicken rendang, and five-spice fermented beancurd fried chicken wings.


[Too kar chor: RM10.90 with rice]


[Nasi lemak with chicken rendang: RM7.90]


[Five-spice fermented beancurd fried checken wings: RM10.00]

Food was delicious and portions were reasonably generous. Being fussy about my too kar chor, I was not disappointed :o).

Justin at 34 Months

Justin turned 34 months today (25 May 2012).

Here are his updates:

• He finally understood the concept of potty training. One weekend, we decided to let him go diaperless and gave instructions to blah, balh, blah. He has managed to tell us when he needed to do his business, on weekends and in the daytime at least. Hooray!
  
• He likes to sing the Thomas song to Jianna.
  
• He's getting more expressive and can converse quite well with Mummy, Daddy and Julian.
  

Despite some success in getting him to relieve himself in the potty/toilet, accidents were not unexpected. There was one weekend morning, when Mummy and Daddy were engrossed having breakfast. Justin was doodling on a piece of paper when he came to proclaim:
Justin: Mummy... Daddy... it's soooo big!
Mummy & Daddy (blindly answers): Oh, yes... so big! *assuming he drew something big, e.g. airplane, etc.*
Mmmy & Daddy: *but wait... what's so big?!... he's without his diaper... S @ # T!... goes to living room*
We found a nice firm piece of excreta on the carpet. Luckily it was firm and could be cleaned up easily with minimal mess *wipes forehead*.

Like many kids, the boys like to point things out when they travel in the car. Sometimes, Justin's retort can be thought provoking...
Julian: Do you see Komtar?
Daddy: Yes, that's Komtar.
Julian: My eyes are very sharp!
Daddy: Yes, your eyes are very sharp.
Justin: My eyes are smooth!
Daddy & Mummy: ?!?!


[Justin keeping a "smooth" eye on Jianna]


[Justin the overgrown baby]


[Justin on Ah Kong's deck chair]


[Justin on Daddy's shoulders doing a circus act... in case both can't keep their day-jobs...]


[Justin doing some serious potty training, finally!]


[There you are!!]


[X marks the spot!]


[Justin]

Bedtime Routine

Before Jianna came along, come bedtime, Justin is Mummy's charge while Daddy handles Julian. Now that we have Jianna, this is our current bedtime routine, especially during the weekdays:

• 8.50pm: The boys change into their pyjamas. Jianna would have been changed earlier.
  
• 9.05pm: The boys drink milk.
  
• 9.25pm: Go to bed! Boys would be herded to brush their teeth. Then, all five of us would go into the boys' room. Jianna is usually still awake.
  
• 9.35pm: Night prayer. Boys told to sleep. Jianna usually wants a feed. Justin waits for Jianna to finish while tossing pillows off the bed. Daddy is with Julian, often needing to scratch a few attention-seeking itchy spots and to hold Julian's "insecure" leg. When Jianna finishes, Mummy tucks Justin in to bed while Daddy takes over charge of Jianna and cradles her. Jianna falls asleep in Daddy's arms and Daddy continues reassuring Julian's leg.
  
• 10.15pm: Julian normally dozes off first.
  
• 10.30pm: Justin dozes off. Daddy deposits a sleeping Jianna on the masterbed. Mummy & Daddy can now breathe...
  

Recently, Justin objected to Mummy feeding Jianna at bedtime. The following conversation ensued:
Mummy: Mummy has to feed Jianna because Daddy cannot feed Jianna.
Justin: Is too small.
Mummy: What's too small?
Justin: Daddy's breast.
Mummmy & Daddy: ?!?!

Our 8th Anniversary

1 May 2012 was our 8th wedding anniversary. There was no celebration because the boys, especially Julian, were at the tail-end of their HFMD. We were stressed-out managing the isolation and handling Justin's terrible tantrums. It was the peak of pure madness.

We gave the Unity Candle lighting and anniversary prayer tradition a miss this time. Not deliberately, but at that time it was difficult even to think it was our anniversary!

Update
We did eventually get down to lighting our Unity Candle and saying an anniversary prayer together albeit 2 months late. Well, better late than never.


[Lighting of our Unity Candle 2012]

Jianna at 1 Month

Jianna was one month old on 30 April 2012. She had her first month clinic visit on 2 May 2012. She weighed 4.7kg and her length was 56cm. She is fully breastfed. She was given her second dose of hepatitis B jab. Expectedly, she cried when the jab was administered but quietened down soon after :-)

The initial plan was to celebrate her full moon on 28 April - the feast day of her patron saint, St Gianna Molla. But her full moon celebration had to be put off because the boys were still recovering from HFMD. Besides, she was kept away from her brothers from 25 April to prevent her from catching their germs. She finally got to come out of isolation on 1 May 2012.


[Jianna on Mummy's shoulder]


[All this sleeping is giving me a pain in the neck!]


[One-eyed Jianna]


[Neh...]


[Jianna]

Of Bums and Fake Dogs

I was tucking Julian into bed one night and he went on his hands and knees on the bed. This short conversation ensued...
Julian: Daddy, please touch my bum-bum...
Daddy: Why?!
Julian: Because I have a bum-bum.
Daddy: ?!?!

A few days ago, the boys were playing in the apartment playground when the regular roti man came by. A lady customer went up to buy bread carrying a small pet poodle. Here's what Julian had to exclaim...
Julian: Look! A REAL DOG!!
Mummy & Daddy: ?!?! *LOL*

Julian at 59 Months

Julian turned 59 months (4 years 11 months) on 28 April 2012.

Here are his updates:

• He wants daddy to accompany him to sleep at night. When he wakes up in the middle of the night, he will come to our room and call Daddy, sometimes in tears. When asked why, he would either say he cannot be alone or that he misses Daddy.
  
• He is still at the stage where he is asking a lot of questions.
  
• He shows interest in Jianna, constantly wanting to know if she's awake or asleep. He likes to 'read' to her, and 'show/tell' her things ("Jianna, you see a (an aeroplane) landing coming?", etc.).
  

[Julian enjoying his favourite biscuit, Oreo]


[Julian giving a cheeky grin]


[I love my sister]

Justin at 33 Months

Justin turned 33 months on 25 April 2012. On 7 May 2012 he weighed 13.05kg. Not much weight gain, but that's not surprising - no thanks to HFMD!

Here are his updates:

• He can engage in simple conversation quite well now although his articulation still needs to improve.
  
• He seems to be playing more with aeroplanes now and not so much with his trains anymore.
  
• He is affectionate towards Jianna and keen to be the big brother - taking things for her, wanting to help lift her from the bouncinette, 'show' her things ("Jianna, see... an Airbus!", etc.) etc.
  
• He would mimic how we talk to Jianna :-)
  
• He loves Oreo. He would 'peel out' the cream and eat that first.
  

[Check out these balloons...]


[Tricycle Thrill :-)]


[Don't fret, Jianna. I'll read you a story...]

Julian and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

On 25 April 2012 we noticed spots on Julian's hands and legs! Oh, no! We didn't need a doctor's confirmation to know Julian is now down with HFMD as well!

Thankfully, his symptoms were not as severe as Justin's. He didn't have fever on the onset and had just a few ulcers in the mouth. He could eat and drink quite normally. Periodically, he did complain of pain in the mouth. For Julian there were more lesions on the palms and feet compared to Justin.


[Small blisters on Julian's palm]

It took about a week for the 'spots' to clear completely.

School reopened on 30 April 2012, but the boys only went back to school on 3 May 2012. With that we moved back to some 'normalcy' in our lives...

Justin Recovers from HFMD

Justin caught hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) on 20 April 2012 (a Friday).

Days 2, 3, and 4 were the worst as he hardly drank or ate anything. When coaxed, he drank some water and "cold Milo". He was interested in taking some solids but end up wailing because of the painful ulcers in his mouth. He did not sleep well either and threw terrible tantrums.

By Day 5 (24 April 2012, Tuesday) afternoon, he felt better and took some food. Day 6 (25 April 2012, Wednesday) saw him almost his usual self. When we picked him up at the baby sitter's, he was even chasing Julian around.

He was practically free from any HFMD symptoms by Day 8 (27 April 2012, Friday).