(Baby Keira) 6 months already?!

Keira turned 6 months a couple of days ago! Half a year old. Wow. Why so fast!

As usual, she has been learning every single day. Absorbing like a sponge. Her recent achievements:

- So she has discovered her toes. Not only that, apparently they taste yummy to her! I guess all babies do this at some point or another. Putting their little, tiny toes into their mouths. K looks soooo adorable when she does it.

- Our little bub has learnt to call for me in her own little way. She always whines or whimpers when she's being carried by others and wants me to take over. No more actual crying cries if you know what I mean!

- She's still experiencing sleep regression so I attribute that to mental growth leaps lol. I honestly have been sleeping very badly. My eye bags are sooooo bad. 

- Keira has been flipping like a pro since she learnt it last month! She can push up on her arms really really high now and she has been practising how to crawl. Our sweetie can now rotate around the bed and drag herself slightly forward or backward using her arms and torso. It's fun to watch her take pride in discovering movement lol.

- We fed Keira solids for the first time 3 days after she turned 6 months! Puréed sweet potatoes with a little friso milk for extra nutrition! Like Leia, we sat her in the bumbo whilst I tried to feed her. She started licking and eating almost immediately! After a few tries, she started smiling uncontrollably, as though she was enjoying it immensely. Glad I caught it on my videocam!

(SAHM journey) The hardest but most beautiful part of my life

Before my memory starts to fail, I need to pen down and describe how life was like as a full time SAHM, with no help. I became one from 10 Aug 2016 - 16 Dec 2016 to be accurate. It was the hardest and toughest thing I had to do. But yet, it was a beautiful journey of much self discovery... A period when my world was just us... G, me, L and K. A phase given to me by God as a test.

To be honest, when it first began, I wasn't confident. I've always had a helper since I moved to my own place... Except for one month in April 2016 when Jo didn't come back and things went haywire. I wasn't sure if I could do it. That's why we tried sending Leia to a full day childcare which didn't work out because she hated it and I just didn't feel comfortable with how shorthanded the place was and how the teachers handled the children. 

Sometimes, I feel God really works in amazing ways. Maybe the childcare didn't work out because I was meant to take on the life changing opportunity to care for my kids and my home on my own. 

It.was.hard. Especially in the beginning when I was still learning to care for little Keira again whilst juggling Leia. I remember struggling to give BOTH of them attention when they demanded it the same time. When Leia would cry and ask me to stop carrying Keira... And I had no one to pass either kid to. 

It.was.hard. I had to do laundry and cook lunches and do the housework, whilst surviving on minimal sleep. I was -never- so tired and exhausted in my life. I was in survival mode lol. Couldn't and didn't think much because I was just constantly doing and doing. I didn't have much time to do anything else. 

Hello 2017! New and simple Resolutions!

My 2017 resolutions! 

I realize I didn't make any 2016 resolutions! But I did grow a lot as a person due to the circumstances. I'm going to try to make a few simple ones this year that are hopefully, achievable. 

As a mummy of 2, I need to be realistic! 

1. Be healthier (my 2015 resolution)

During my pregnancy in 2016, I didn't gain a lot of weight. In fact, I only gained 5kg! And post pregnancy, I lost all of it only to gain it again since I was eating so much -all- the time. I blame it on breastfeeding! =D Well, I need to start eating healthier again. I need to:

- Cut down on sugary drinks. For eg, drink only teh si kosong. No soft drinks!

- More whole grains! This is quite difficult I must say. Especially when G and L don't like brown rice. I might have to start but mixing just a little brown rice to the white... Then slowly increase the proportion. I shall attempt to eat more oatmeal!

- Try to lose 2kg to 52kg!

2. Practise cooking and experiment with new recipes!

- Cook at least once a week!

- Learn from my mum, mil and my new helper =D

3. Declutter and simplify my home

I'm inspired by Marie Kondo to Declutter my life! 

4. Continue to improve my parenting skills! 

- Complete 2 of the parenting books I got!

- Put into practise the parenting tips from the books. 

5. Continue to take lots of photos and videos of my little ones! I hope to dress them up and take more natural yet more professional shots of them, using natural lighting.