A Working Mum

Today is the last day of my maternity leave. Well, my weekend was just absolutely perfect, so I guess it was a nice way to end my 8 and a half months mini-holiday/time-off. Grumpy didn't work this weekend or play golf at all, which was a bit of a change!

On Friday night, Grumpy and I left Little Bambi alone with her Nana, and we went to watch Silver Linings Playbook at the movies. It was good.

Then on Saturday morning, we took Little Bambi for her usual weekly swimming lessons. I attended class with her (in the water), instead of Grumpy. He just didn't have the heart to go through another crying ordeal with her. Before our lesson, we brought Little Bambi to the play area in the pool, called The Pirates Cove. They have water fountains, water cannons, slides, packed with kids, and we let Little Bambi have a play by herself. The water was shallow in some areas and so she could crawl on her own in the water, which she loved so much! By the time we got to our swimming lesson, Little Bambi was thrilled to be in the water, and she did not shed a single tear or let out a cry at all. I was such a proud mama! Hahaha I couldn't stop kissing her during our lesson.

After swimming, we rushed to my cousin's engagement party. Over there, we caught up with family over lunch. Then my mum spent the night at my brother's apartment, giving Grumpy, Little Bambi and myself some alone time. It was really good to be us three again. Not that we don't enjoy my mum's company, its just nice to have Little Bambi all to ourselves again once in a while.

For dinner, Grumpy got greasy chinese takeaway, and we ate outside on the deck with a chilled bottle of pinot grigio. Hehe the weather has been disgusting lately, very warm and humid at times.

At night, Grumpy and I camped/slept outside in the living room under the A/C. Little Bambi was quite tired that she slept through the entire night until the morning so peacefully.

This morning, after breakfast, we brought Little Bambi for a walk in her new trike, along with our much neglected dog. Weather was nice and cool this morning. Then we came home and let her have her morning nap. I was able to do some housework this morning, laundry, cleaning the showers etc. Then we went out to Nandos for lunch. Little Bambi is now strong enough to sit on restaurant highchairs. So we all eat our lunches together with her, which is quite fun! She's so chatty now "ah dah dah.. baa..baa...pstttt...psttttt eyyyyyyyy". Then again, we came home for her afternoon nap. And after she woke up, we brought her to the pool again for another play time! Haha yup thats two days in a row. We dunked her three times in the water and she was not frightened at all. Woo hoo!

For dinner today, Grumpy whipped up a seafood feast on his BBQ and we had my mum and my brother over. It is still a very warm night at the moment, lets just hope I get a good nights sleep tonight and be ready for a new challenge tomorrow!

Ahhh my new journey begins.. becoming a working mum!

8 Months

Little Bambi turned 8 months yesterday, and on Valentines Day, she was clearly my darling Valentine!

We went to see the maternal and child nurse yesterday for her 8 month check up, and she now weighs 10.17kgs. She is on the 98th percentile in terms of weight, which is a bit of a worry for me, but the nurse is very pleased with Little Bambi's progress. She was constantly praising me, saying I am doing very well with my baby! Which is amazing of course! A happy baby that sleeps and eats well, I am indeed very lucky.

At 8 months, I have been cooking all her meals myself still, and have not resorted to feed Little Bambi commercially packed baby food yet. She gets 3 milk feeds (mummy's milk) and 3 meals each day now. Our solid food adventure has been extremely positive. This baby eats anything I give her and she loves it! Phew! I have heard about fussy eaters with babies and it can be quite a challenge.

She crawls very well now, she is so quick. She is a little explorer, she goes everywhere around the house. And from the picture above, she can sit up by herself now. Although she does not stay that way very long, only because she loves moving around.

Last weekend, we celebrated Little Bambi's first Chinese New Year with my family members here in Melbourne. It was fun dressing my baby up in a traditional chinese outfit, and giving her angpao packets to play.

I have been to the office this week to meet up with my new boss. Work sounds pretty exciting and challenging, however I am lying if I say that I am completely fine about returning to work. These past couple of days, I have woken up in the morning with anxiety attacks, knowing that I will not be able to spend much time with Little Bambi now. She's just so much fun these days, so loving and full of character, that being away from her just means I will miss out on plenty of mummy-baby-lovey time. Maternity leave has been so awesome for me. I loved every minute of it.

Come on Jules.. be strong!

Swimming Lessons

Everyday I look at my calendar and I cringe.. its getting closer and closer.. me going back to work..

On Wednesday, a bunch of us 'new mums' from Mothers Group gathered at a local restaurant for dinner and drinks for a girls night out, without our babies. It was really fun! I have read some articles that these mums do end up becoming your friends for life...? Not sure, but we shall see?? One of the mums who has returned to work full time at the start of the year said she only gets to spend two hours a day with her little bub. And that is definitely going to be the same for moi!

You see, I have got it all planned out..
At 6.45am, wake Little Bambi and breastfeed her before work (of course by this time, I would have already been up by 5.30am, have my brekkie, taken a shower and get dressed). Then I will make a mad dash out of the house and run for the train around 7.30am-7.40am. Then at 5pm, I will also leave work and probably get home by 6pm. And that is an hour left with Little Bambi before she goes to sleep at 7pm. Yeap, these 7pm-7am sleep routine babies..

I signed Little Bambi up for swimming school at our local pool recently, and two Saturdays ago was her first lesson. With these swimming lessons, some of the mums told me its a father-baby bonding thing, and so I persuaded Grumpy to go in the water with her. Between the two of us, Grumpy is not a swimmer at all. But throw me in a pool, and I would be happy doing laps!

As you can see with the pictures above, her head is completely dry. She is fine in a pool without getting her face or head wet. 

However... when Humpty Dumpty had a great fall (i.e. cue for when the babies get dunked in the water)... hahaha she bursts into tears!!

Little Bambi annoyed, while holding on a toy for dear life

On a different note, I had to share these pictures of dinner Grumpy made recently on Australia Day. The good ole' beer battered fish and chips.

It was cooked to perfection - crunchy, light and so tasty! Flat head tails, my favourite! And he even made some grilled fish for me, a healthier option. Since we have Little Bambi now, who sleeps at 7pm, we hardly go out for dinner at restaurants. Instead, Grumpy whips something special at home, especially now in summer, on his BBQ at his deck. And we share a bottle of wine, or some beer and cider. And you know what? Its actually quite fun!