Birth to 3 months: Maya's Firsts

Maya is three months old today. 

During the last three months, she has been very busy discovering the world and trying new things. 

Below is a chronicle of Maya's firsts.... (we will do a separate "Portrait of Maya at three months" post).

0-1 month
First breastfeed:  morning of February 25th around 11 am
First time Maya saw her big brother: afternoon of February 25th 
First time in a car: February 28 - on the way home in Celine's car
First bath: March 2
First walk outside in the poussette: March 3
First time without her umbilical chord: night of March 3-4
First subway ride: March 4 to go to her pediatrician's
First bus ride: March 5 to go to the US embassy
First time over 5 pounds: March 15
First time sleeping in her big girl crib: March 18
First taxi ride: March 25

1-2 months
First lolette:  March 26
First time over 3kg: March 31
First bottle (breastmilk): April 4
First evening without Maman (but with Daddy): April 24
First nail cut: April 25

2-3 months

First time over 4kg: April 28 (4.087kg)
First night alone in her room: April 27 to 28 (she was in her bassinet in our room the first three weeks, then in her crib in her room but I slept on the couch in her room)
First tear: April 29
First real smiles: May 9
First haircut: May 17 (we trimmed the crown of unkempt hair in the back of her neck)
First blow out diaper: May 17
First time playing happily on her own in her park for over 15mn: May 17
First time over 10 pounds: May 18
First time in the pool: May 25th

Happy three months Mango Maya (all these pics were taken the day before her 3 month bday). 

He can hear!

After Noah's bout of chicken pox in August 2012, he had a very mild ear infection (no antibiotics needed but ears were a bit red) and along with the infection came some liquid in his middle ear. The pediatrician told us that in general it drains on its own and to come back and see him in a few months. 

A few months later, the liquid was still there and we went to see a ENT specialist. The specialist concurred that it should get better and told us to wait a little more. During that time, Noah's hearing would go from ok to terrible when he had the sniffles. He could not hear us when we called his name normally or hear me yelling from one room to the other (and our apartment is not THAT big). He seemed to be compensating well, however, and the liquid was supposed to drain... Finally, after a few more months of waiting, the ENT said we had to insert tubes in his ears to drain the liquid and possibly remove the adenoids and tonsils. To make sure, we saw a second specialist at the Singapore Children's hospital. He did a hearing test and found that Noah's hearing was pretty bad (even when we thought it was decent) and he confirmed the need to insert the tubes and possibly remove the adenoids if they were very enlarged (because otherwise the liquid problem would happen again). 

We scheduled the operation for February 26 at the children's hospital. However, on February 25, mango/maya made her surprise entrance so we had to cancel the operation. We rescheduled for March 25. We arrived at the hospital Maya and Eleonor (our "helper" in tow) but that morning Noah developed a mild phlegmy cough and the doctors thought it more prudent not to operate just then. We rescheduled for April 30. On April 30, Noah was cough free thankfully. Here he is changing into his "dress" as he called it. Our happy little boy, excited to be able to hear well again. 

I accompanied Noah to the hospital and Seth stayed with Maya at home (with lots of bottles of milk).  I held him while he was put to sleep - he did great. Leaving him there on the operating table asleep, drooling and vulnerable in his little dress was humbling and scary. We hoped that his adenoids would be small and that he would not need them removed and could go home after his operation. I left shaken but went straight to the bathroom to pump milk a bit behind Maya's normal schedule. Of course, in the middle, they called me to let me know that the operation went well and that they had to do the adenoids. He was asleep and should be awake in 30mn. I went back to my pumping and they called again - you need to go down and pay and deal with the admission as an inpatient. That involved queues and the card not going through on the first try because of the high amount to be paid and of course, as I was in the middle of that, they called to say that Noah had woken up. After much arguing, they let me go up to see him before finalizing the  payment and settling the admission (a rare thing in Singapore where they are sticklers for such things). I found my little boy - brave, awake and cogent but a shadow of himself. Such a strange state - we read some books and I almost got him to smile a few times and then we took some pictures... me of him.

And him of me (nice outfit - it was freezing in there so I had my warm scarf around my neck!)

After a while, we were rolled to Noah's room where his cage was all set up. He was given a "bravery award" which he was quite proud of (see below).

My little boy in his cage

I explained to the nurses that at home he has an adult bed and that really he does not need to be in a cage - after a bit of arguing (usually they are caged till age 4), we got a new bed - pheww.  Also, little by little, my little boy was becoming himself again - starting to smile and joke.

Ice cream number 1 (all he could eat was ice cream for the first few hours)- the smile is coming back.

Working on a lego project

View from the room - lots of greenery

Ice cream number 2!

He built a police car...

dinner time... more ice cream, some juice and some clear soup (you can see the room was kid friendly which was very nice)

Seth came over for the night and I went back home to be with Maya. The boys arrived home late next morning - Noah was his usual self (except for a nasal wheez) but the doc wanted him to stay inside and not see his friends for a few days to avoid catching anything... Below, Noah playing at home with the present he received from our neighbors (thanks Celine and Co.).

So much relief that this is all behind us and went well. The experience definitely made us realize how lucky we have been that he has been healthy so far and how hard and scary life would be if he got seriously ill. You do what you have to do but man is it nice when you don't have to do deal with such things. 

We only realized how bad his hearing was when he started saying things like - "the cars make noise"? "you can hear the cars from your room?" And he could hear us when we talked to him and called him from one room to the other in a normal voice - we had also compensated talking louder and going into his room to talk to him rather than calling out. So far, he is excited to hear well again and is doing wonderfully. So glad this chapter is behind us and all seems fine.

Miscellaneous April

A few additional April pictures...

Portrait of a working Dad - baby in sling and computer in hand!

I got it - Look I got it

Playing Peekaboo with Daddy

Indian night at Laura, Dave's and Kathryn's - the kids helping out to cook (we previously had Moroccan night at our place and Mexican night is coming up - fun times)

Papy and Mamie come to town (April 17-28)

In mid-April, Papy and Mamie came to Singapore for a visit. 

Maya, smiling in anticipation... (or just dream smiling)

little feet

During the visit, we tried many new restaurants, visited Singapore and had some relaxing time at home and by the pool.

Walking across Henderson waves bridge

Noah bouncing Maya to help soothe her

Maya sleeping on Daddy

with Noah

Papy and Mamie got Noah an early 4th birthday present... a two wheel bike

Noah at the bike shop with his two wheel bike

The next day he wanted to try out his new bike - Papy helping him out

My turn to help him

almost there...

and there he goes (see video above)!

It took him about 30 minutes - we were all very surprised that his practice on the balance bike was so helpful in learning to ride a normal two wheel bike. We all had memories of falling and trying again and falling and trying again... this was entirely painless and almost effortless. Balance bikes rock! 

He's biking!

A few tries later - he is really getting his biking legs (see above video) - thank you Papy and Mamie - see you soon somewhere!

Two months old: A Portrait Of Maya

On April 25th, Maya turned two months old! At two months, Maya weighs 3.950kg. She is a sweet, cuddly little girl, generally sleeping well during the night and able to hold her head pretty well and stand on her legs (with help balancing of course). She also has some fussy times in the evening but would usually quiet down in the bjorn. She was is an avid pacifier fan but had trouble keeping it in her mouth when napping or sleeping. She likes music and dancing with us (especially Guantanamera and Come Away with Me). She LOVES the womb noise app and the cocoonababy. She seems to enjoy watching her big brother and her cat mobile. 

GG, Grandpa and Suza come to town (March 31 to April 6)

In early April, GG, Grandpa and Suza came to visit for a fun packed week. We all had a great time exploring new activities and places in Singapore as well as testing out and playing with all the new toys and gizmos GG, Grandpa and Suza brought from the US (thank you :) ). GG and Grandpa gave Noah a "car" that runs on diet coke and mentos. 

Essentially you strap the diet cook bottle on wheels and then add the mentos and...

Off it goes... (see the above video of the first launch of the car - the second was less successful because we tried to reuse the diet coke left in the bottle...)

We also discovered the new aquarium in Sentosa - very impressive.  They even had white sharks! Noah enjoyed it and Maya liked it so much she peed in her pants which then leaked all over Suza!

April 2 was GG's birthday. Below, getting ready to head out to dinner.

Maya got all decked up for the occasion... (thank you Tania for the dress!)

That's something worth smiling about

GG, Grandpa and Suza took Noah to Legoland in Malaysia...

Noah and Grandpa with the lego tourist

Driving a lego car - a highlight of legoland

Driving a lego boat with Grandpa's help

Noah in front of "little Singapore" made out of lego

In front of the lego Singapore flyer

Lego Taj Mahal - love the little lego people

Noah's first real roller coaster... he was a bit scared but enjoyed it nevertheless

Fire, Fire - Noah putting out the fire

Riding an airplane with Suza - the cool part was being able to steer the airplane up and down

Riding a horse

Coming 'round the mountain

Close up

Hanging out with Lego man

Back home - Four on couch

So much fun :)

Maya holding in the lolette

On April 4th,  Noah gave Maya her first bottle (expressed breastmilk)

He had requested to be the one to give her her first bottle and was so excited about it

Maya took it well

The kids

After some pleading, Noah agreed to share the task with Suza 

... and Daddy

We also discovered the new zoo - the river safari with its pandas - below the red panda.

and the traditional black and white panda 

GG, Suza and Noah after the show at the river safari

Overall, a very fun week. Noah loved having his grandparents and aunt here and enjoyed all the extra attention and gifts (thanks again) and we are not quite sure what Maya thought of the visit though my guess is she enjoyed on some level the cuddles and extra shoulders to nap on and additional people to soothe her when she got cranky!