Sorry for not posting for a while…but first things first – Baby Ben is 10 months old today! His first birthday is getting nearer and nearer. My baby boy is slowly growing and one day I’ll realize he’s not a baby anymore and I won’t know what to do. I’ve been too much addicted to this baby phase that I might need to borrow someone’s baby when I need that ‘baby high’!

Benjamin’s milestones:

• Welcomed two new teeth (upper)! But these two nasty teeth came with so much discomfort for him including fever, restlessness and reduced appetite!
• He walks while holding on to furniture and cruises a lot confidently
• He waves both his hands when he hears music!
• Searches for objects when I try to hide it – “it” being a chocolate bar (oops!)
• Still breastfeeding but sadly, he has developed the knack of biting (either due to teething or he just want to hear me scream!)

As for me, I had one special moment a few days back – when Benjamin took his first wobbly steps unaided, I was there to witness it. I wasn’t at work, at the groceries or in any part of the house. I was THERE and it made me so happy. I remember when my older daughter Pristine was small, my mom who was then taking care of her called and told me on the phone: “your girl took her first steps!”. I don’t remember much about that conversation but I clearly can’t forget how it made me so emotional! As a working mom, these little milestones mean a lot and I’m just happy to see my baby boy chose to take his first little steps when I was there with him!

My close friend asked me a question that stopped me on my tracks: How are you going to celebrate baby Ben’s 1st birthday?

I was like, whoa, wait – is it that near already? Well, depending on how you see or define time, 3 months to the big 1st birthday is either ‘still a long way to go’ or ‘oh shit, what should I do??”.

Honestly, I don’t want to think about that big birthday yet and I don’t have any idea what to do. I may leave the party ideas to the baby’s big sister!

Meanwhile…

Benjamin’s milestones:

• Finally discovered that finger food is…food and not something you squash with your hand and rub into the sofa!
• Gaining a lot of confidence with regards to walking or attempting to walk. He would stand with arms holding onto something and let go of that something and take his first unaided step..only to tumble down, of course!
• Definitely knows which food he likes and doesn’t like and will let you know the difference through grunts and slapping of the spoon before it hits his mouth!
• Has become very social – talks to everyone in the house, calls people to catch their attention and kisses A LOT with a lot of drool too.
• Sleeps really well, I may say, jinx aside. He is usually sleepy at 8pm and wakes up at around 6:30 am

Baby eczema update – it’s been an on and off battle. We try to keep it under control by moisturizing and minimal steroid cream. I closely monitor his food and reactions to it. Now both of his cheeks are still red but at least it’s not weeping or bloody and he doesn’t need to take antibiotics. I really wish to see the end of this red patches on his skin! It’s getting in the way of how beautiful he is.

About me, I’m still shuttling from office to home and back during lunch break time but not really to feed baby Ben because the time I get home, he is usually already finished with his big lunch and is playing or taking a nap. I go home to deliver my expressed milk and just bond with him. It feels good not to be in panic anymore with the milk supply.

Today, I thought about what happened the past 12 months: I was 24 weeks pregnant and just found out I’m carrying a boy. A boy. It took a while for that fact to sink in. Just when I’m doing well with having a girl child, how am I going to handle a boy, with all the horror stories I hear (or the wild boys I see)? In case you didn’t know – baby boys are known to climb on walls and probably hang off from the chandeliers!

A year later, here were are – having that typical very active boy. He has not climbed on walls yet (but showing a lot of potential) so I am lingering on each moment I can still hold all of him in my arms. Having a boy is a whole new ball game and it’s fun.

Benjamin’s milestones:

• Eating solids 3 times a day now. Loves all fruits and veggies. I have this mix of broccoli, celery and spinach puree that I call Shrek food because of the color and even that, he loves. Favorite fruit so far is apple and orange.
• Smiles a lot and blurts out words that are music to our ears: mama and papa!
• Very difficult to put diaper now as he has become very mobile. We have switched to pants-type diapers instead of tape ones most of the time when he’s awake.
• Very curious about things around him, constantly reaching out, grabbing and putting it into his mouth!
• Has grown two baby teeth!

Update on his baby eczema – while the skin rash has faded after medication, I’m sad to report that it has come back again. We are desperately trying to keep it in control by doing what the doctor advised. I just hope we’ll see the end of this. I feel so restless just seeing him becoming restless with the itch!

As for me – I’m still breastfeeding at 8 months! Sure he eats 3 times a day now but weaning off the breast is obviously the last thing on his mind when we’re together!

And as for my back-to-the-fitness-wagon journey – I’ve changed my workout time from lunch break to morning after waking up or afternoon after work. I don’t know what it is with me doing exercises that makes Benjaboo squeal with delight, along with attempts to run over my toes and hands with his walker!

Look at our baby boy, already 7 months! Benjamin is starting to show that he’s the family’s little boss by voicing out a lot of his feelings. Sometimes, it’s not the cute baby babble that his older sister Pristine did before – he has a big booming voice! He is every inch a boy!

Benjamin’s milestones:

• while appetite is on the upstick and I expected he’ll love snacking (like I do…ooops) but no, he doesn’t like baby biscuits!
• ditched the Jumperoo and embraces the walker! Our little boy is starting to get mobile, beware!
• laughs a lot
• MOVES a lot. I have removed my earrings or any piece of jewelry.
• Let’s just say, if you’re carrying him, don’t wear sheer silk material or else you’ll look like someone being caught in a tornado

As for me – I am still breastfeeding. My initial goal is to breastfeed exclusively from birth to six months but I’m happy that I am able to extend it longer. Pristine was breastfed until she turned 2 years old so I would like to do the same with Benja. But the thing is, honestly, I don’t know if we can make it that far. My milk supply is so different now than before. Is it the age factor? (I was 27 when I had Pristine and now, I am 35). We are just ‘getting by’ in terms of breastfeeding during the work week.

And always in panic after my day off (Friday) because I do not have any extra milk to store for the next day when I go to work again. When Benja is with me, he consumes it all, not leaving any room for storage.

On week days, I express milk during daytime and it’s a bit of a struggle because the ‘secret room’ I use has no window nor aircondition. I spend 15-20 minutes expressing milk and come out all sweating and tired people wonder what I was doing there inside!

It’s getting so hot in Dubai right now but I have to go home during my lunch break to deliver the expressed milk so Benja has something to drink in the afternoon. My car, parked outside, basking in the hot, hot sun is a moving sauna room. Sigh. If only I can leave my boobies at home or ask them to drive back home so I wouldn’t need to.

Why all this charade, you ask. Don’t this lady know anything about formula milk?

Oh yes, I do and have bought several brands for the baby to try out. The baby has only one verdict: YUCK. Then he spits it out.

Our baby boy Benjamin turns five months old today. March had been good to us despite my threatened breastfeeding plan. Yes, I have mentioned here or on Twitter that I’ve been taking Fenugreek supplements that helped increase my milk supply but guess what? Benjamin’s milk consumption increased, too! I felt my body couldn’t catch up!

I expressed milk once in the morning and in afternoon at work (hidden of course LOL) so my body will keep up with the demand. Thank you body, for cooperating with me!

Thankfully, we have not resorted to formula milk. I’m quite stubborn with sticking to breastfeeding and will do so as long as I can. When he starts to eat solids and not depend solely on breastmilk, then maybe I can relax more.

Benjamin’s milestones:

• Rolls from belly to back!
• Baby talks a lot especially when I read books
• Has developed a lot of facial expressions, like a proper human being!
• Bites on everything. I mean, EVERYTHING!
• Has picked up extreme interest in food (after I let him lick an apple and a slice of papaya! Oooops!) I can’t wait to introduce him to the wonderful world of solid food soon. One more month, one more month!
• Night time diaper change reduced to two only! Yoo hoo!
• Still refusing to drink from the bottle – I think at this stage, I don’t hope for him to drink from the bottle at all. He is pretty happy and becoming an expert with the spout nipple.

As for me – I’m finally managing my daily routine without getting late in the morning for work. However, I still go home at lunch time to feed Ben and there had been times where I slip into a deep sleep while nursing then wake up to find out I am already 30 minute late.

And I have to drive for 15 minutes to work.

And before that, I have to put on my bra, proper drool-free clothes or comb my hair.

And then, there’s lunch that I haven’t even touched…

Lastly because I’ve been feeling like crap because I’ve been eating crap and not moving much, I’m going back to the gym on April 1st. THAT is not an April fool’s day joke!

The cliche is true: time flies fast.

Wasn’t it just yesterday when he was born? Today, someone turned 4 months old…or young. My beautiful baby boy has given me four whole months of precious moments (despite the early days of colic but still).

Benjamin’s milestones:

• Rolls from back to belly! (and then gets really cross when he wants to return back and no one helps him)
• Baby talks – alot!
• Sings! He started accompanying the songs I sing to him with ooh’s and ah’s and now, he really takes the cue. If I tell him, let’s sing, he does. If I stop, he stops.
• Bites! Those nasty toothless bites and epic amounts of drool. He uses LOTS of bibs and burp cloths.
• Sleeps through the night on some days
• Wakes up for two hours in the middle of the night on some days – he would just randomly wake up energized, big wide eyes looking at me as if begging, “what are you doing sleeping mom? Let’s go out and play!”, even if it’s 2 am.
• Still refusing to drink from the bottle
• Still breastfeeding but drinking from a sippy cup! He must be the youngest sippy cup user!

As for me – four months on, I still have a resentment going on with regards to the emergency c-section. I know it was medically necessary to save my life and Benjamin’s (birth story here) but I still secretly wish it was all a nightmare and did not happen. However, my scar and that incision wound still throbs and pains at times, reminding me of the reality. I still can’t exercise much – I miss the happy hormones brought about by exercise. I miss lifting weights, running. I miss wearing my old clothes.

So much for my whine.

Benjamin is a happy baby boy at four months. I can’t wait for the coming days when he can sit, eat solids, crawl, walk or run. Our first is a girl and now we have a boy, something tells me we have exciting times ahead and different challenges to face!