Tag: liam

What Liam says

Liam is turning 3 in two months and with age comes speech. I have to be honest, for a while I was a little worried about his speech. My nephew who is 4 months younger than Liam started speaking a lot sooner and as much as I refused to compare, it’s hard not to. Following a few mums on Dayre and Instagram I also noticed kids his age or younger have started speaking. I couldn’t help but worried if he’s got an impediment due to his prematurity?

Anyway, my worries were unfounded because Liam has started speaking. A lot! From parroting us poorly at first, to just saying “banana” and “no”, he has now gone on to making actual conversations.

As his parents, it’s fascinating to listen to him!

For instance, we were at a cafe near home for lunch. They had some cakes on display.

Liam: Mummy I want cake.

Me and Gareth:

Liam: Mummy, I want eat cake.

Me: Okay you may have cake only if you sit here quietly and finish up your lunch okay?

Liam: /indecipherable grunts

*He normally darts around the cafe running his Hot Wheels on the walls but this time he sat quietly on a regular chair throughout lunch and ate everything without being a pain in my bum! After he’s finished his pasta…

Liam: Finish!!

Me: Yes, well done! You’ve finished your pasta!

Liam: I want eat cake!!

Me:

Me: Hurm, okay lets choose a cake.

*He gracefully let himself down from the chair, walked with me to the cake display and chose a cake WTF.

This in fact took place just moments ago and prompted me to write this blogpost….

Me to Gareth: Do you think we should throw a birthday party for Liam?

Liam: Yes, please.

*Me and Gareth turned to look at Liam.

Liam: I want presents.

Me and Gareth:

Liam: Mummy I want party.

Guess Gareth and I have to start to be more conscious of what we say. Other than cuss words, we usually say whatever whenever because Liam’s just a kid who doesn’t really have an contextual understanding, right? Not anymore!

As the conversations above show, he well and truly understands what’s up.

And this is a picture from said lunch outing. I had told him to wait while I take a picture of the cake, and he did so. Haha.

My son turns 2 month old and just a teeny bit of rant

Liam has just turned two month old, however his adjusted age is just shy of 10 day old :)

Here are pictures of me and Liam because the light was nice and we were both wearing white :)

Whenever we say that we do not have help (ie: confinement lady or a relative) with Liam, we’re always met with surprise, followed by mild sympathy. Honestly, don’t feel sorry for us as it’s a choice we made. And one we are glad we did.

We just knew very early on that having “help” will frustrate us more than anything. The last thing we needed was for someone to insist that I sleep in another room away from my baby just so I could “rest”. Or someone making comments about my parenting skills. Or someone doing something stupid to my baby because of some housewife’s tale.

No wonder so many new mothers who go through with traditional chinese confinement end up getting so stressed up. The stress I believe affect the milk supply of breastfeeding mothers too. Babies who lack maternal skin contact also tend to be colicky (contrary to belief, colic is not just about wind it means crying for no reason and baby lacking of motherly contact are fussy as hell). Lets not even start with the sheer ridiculousness of the confinement diet.

No drinking of plain water, anyone?

When Liam was in NICU, a relative told me that she thought my doctor was scamming us because another relative who was premature did not need to stay in NICU. I guess if my premature baby stopped breathing at home, this relative would be able to resuscitate him for me because obviously she knows better?

And then, there was someone who sent me an article about how babies lose 10% of oxygen while strapped in car seats. I suppose I should then risk my baby being flung out of car in the event of an accident then? Honestly, people!!!

What new parents need are encouragement, support and kind words. Fresh, healthy food. Heck, even unsolicited advice are fine as long as they are scientific, logical and beneficial. At the risk of sounding crass, yes, money is great too. Just don’t come and tell me not to do this or that cause I’d get wind and will suffer in 30 years.

Seriously, who doesn’t suffer from aches and pains and farts when they’re 60? Don’t be foolish can?

Anyway, enough of ranting. The past two months have been a heck of an experience but we wouldn’t have it any other way :)