Registration For Kyrell's Childcare

Today we went down to Learning Vision @ Gentle Rd to register for Kyrell's childcare - FINALLY - We wanted a full day session and to commerce in Aug but was told that it was not available in Aug (actually the principal said something abt being new student, should start in a new class blah blah, I did not register it in hee). So we sign up for the half day class which mainly consist of foreign kids. I was abit concern initially... them being bigger in size, will they bully Kyrell? Then hubby told me that this may not necessarily be true, they may be better behaved since their mum are not working and should be disciplining them. Well I certainly hope so! Perhaps Kyrell might even pick up some accent/words from them?? haha...

Prior to this visit, we have went to the school twice - 1st to 'tour' the school and the 2nd for a trial class (1hr). On both occassions, Kyrell seemed to like the place and was at ease walking around playing the toys. We also like the environment and thought we should give it a try. Not that we have any other choice, being in current situation where there is no caregiver for Kyrell. And I could not be bringing him to office for too long. Although my boss and colleagues were understanding and being very supportive, work has already been interrupted and I do not feel good about it.

Ok back to the school ; The fee between the full day and half day session turns out to be about $60 odd difference! Before subsidy, the full day cost $1000 (aft sub, $770) and half day costs $800 (aft sub, slightly below $700). The timing is anytime from 7am to 7pm or 7am to 12pm for half day. In our case, I can pick up Kyrell after his bath (optional). I was hoping that by the time he is back at my office, he will knock out at least a straight 3 hrs, being up so early and various activities to burn him out! This way, I could probably still get some of my work done.

The principal was friendly and brief us through and answers our doubts, she told us to be prepared to 'part' with Kyrell when the intial 2-3 days are up, he will definitely cry so I/we gotta be strong. I honestly think that I cannot hold on when I hear Kyrell cry.... we shall see ya. The principal go on saying that todds at their age adapt fast, when they get familiar and comfortable with an environment, they will get used to it. Which reminds me that it is true. For the past 3 weeks that my mum was sick, Kyrell has gotten used to a hospital and office environment.

At the hosp, he knows that we got to wear a mask, he knows what nurse is and that we washed the hands in certain ways (those steps to washing). He knows that the sanitizer placed at the end of the patient's bed is for washing our hands and when we arrive at the counter, we need to sign in, get our hands chopped with a stamp, receive a sticker from the staff and take a mask before entering the lift.

At my workplace, he knows what a printer/copier machine is, whenever there's a printing sound, he knows that paper is coming out and he will say "mummy take" and he knows what a water dispenser and conference room is. He also learns what and say 'calculator'. Kids do pick up fast.

Pix of Kyrell @ Swensen - lunch after the registration. He has grown bigger right?

Kyrell Turned 19 Months Old

Kyrell is 19 months old today and counting down, in another 5 months, he will be turning 2 years old!! We are proud to say that he has (still is) been a rather easy to handle baby (toddler now). Growing well and happy. Because of his 24/7 time with me ever since my mum got sick, he has grown even closer to me now, I am totally thrilled about it. Only thing is, my work has been affected and how I wished that I could be a full time mum when he is especially easy to handle :)

His development :
Weight : About 12kg?
Height : ??
He can say more then 300 words and able to say some short sentences.
He is more sociable after tagging with me to office and hospital.
He can recognise numner 1, 2 & 8. And possibly some others but is not consistent.
He is able to say number 1 to 15 months back but still not consistent.
He can recognise alphabet A, J, K, M and Q but not consistent.
He can hum the zoophonics song which I sang sometimes.

Mummy : Twinkle twinkle little ___
Kyrell : Star
Mummy : How I wonder what you ___
Kyrell : Are
Mummy : Up above the sky so ___
Kyrell : High
Mummy : Like a diamond in the ___
Kyrell : Sky

Waiting outside the salon for his hair cut


Doing the 'cute cute face'

Birthday Celebration For Jowyn

We celebrated my sis-in-law's 30th birthday at Hotel Rendezous today. It was a post luncheon celebration, her actual birthday falls on 7 Jul. The lunch was great, lotsa variety and not very pricey. Kyrell enjoyed his little cousins' company as well. We left after the lunch, sent my MIL to her mahjong session then went back home for Kyrell's nap. I went to hosp to visit my mum alone in the evening.

In the pix are my MIL, Jowyn, hubby's elder bro Jason and his wife Eileen, their girl Nicole (7yo) and son Lucas (4yo).

1st Day @ Act 3

The class was originally scheduled to start on 4 Jul but because the Jun holidays were just over, alot of families had returned from their overseas trip, in view of the rising H1N1 case, the school had decided to postpone the class to a week later. I was abit disappointed at the delay but for the safety of everyone, this is the best arrangement.

We went to Learning Vision to check out the place around noon then went to my office to clear some work. The past 2 weeks has been very busy for me, having to go to-and-fro the hospital to visit my mum and adjusting with Kyrell at work. Hubby and I bought some pizza from around my workplace back and tried to pat Kyrell to sleep. Once he did, we ate and I start with my work. At around 430pm, we left for Kyrell's 5pm class.

There is alot of singing and dancing, a good way to warm up the kids! Kyrell was not very cooperative - not listening to the instructions most of the times, was walking around while everyone sat and kept wanting to open the door. And I have to keep running after him to pull him back haha.. I guess he will need some time to get used to :)

Today's topic is SPOTS, STRIPES and SWIRLS. There is a song for it and teacher Asha gave some round stickers for the kids to paste all over their body! There's pix to share. And I am looking forward to next week's class!

Bringing Kyrell To Work

Because my mum is Kyrell's caregiver (my only trusted one), I am now left with taking care of Kyrell myself. But as we have a colleague who recently left the company, work has been very busy. I only have one other colleague holding the fort. She is not in the best of health so I could not possibly leave her alone, at least not for too many days. So, the arrangement is, I will bring Kyrell to work with me, until we can find a solution.

In the morning, I woke up to prepare Kyrell's meal+food+drink and pack it all, hubby then sent both of us to work. My plan is to play with Kyrell, feed him lunch then pat him to sleep. Afterwhich I will get to work. Well, on the 1st day, Kyrell adjusted quite well and was obedient. My plan pretty much fell into place. We played with sticker book and his toys then I fed him lunch around 1pm. I played him some music and he fell alseep in his stroller by 140pm :) And he's such an angel to sleep for 3 whole hours!! So by the time he wakes up, I am almost done with work. I played him abit of Elmo VCD then we left to visit my mum in the evening. Hubby came to pick us up around 9pm at SGH, sent my father back home and then to our own. So by the time we washed up his utensil etc, cleaned up the house, bathed Kyrell, it is well past 11pm.

This is basically the routine for the next few days (2,3,6,7 Jul). On average, Kyrell will sleep 2 hours in my office. He does get abit distracted with the printer sound and us chatting just before his sleep, he gets cranky/noisy but is still manageable. Now he likes to talk to people he knows or to himself, in sentences, sometimes repeating our end sentences which tickles me! When we laughed, he copied too. And he calls my boss 'uncle' and my colleague 'auntie'.

2 Jul : 1st day at 'work'







5 Jul : off to visit ah mah at hosp


7 Jul : at mummy's workplace

My Mum Is Hospitalised

For months, my mum has been complaining of stomach bloatedness, some constipation and nausea feeling. We thought it could probably be a case of indigestion and asked her to see a doctor. My mum is someone who will avoid seeing one if she can. She did eventually, sometime in Apr/May. She was prescribed with some medicine to ease the discomfort. However she did not recover and continue to get worst, sometimes with actual vomiting and loses quite abit of weight. By June, she went to consult our GP who told her to go down to Polyclinic to get a referral letter to see a doctor in SGH. Her appointment was on 29 June. A week before her appointment, she felt rather unwell and so I called up SGH to bring forward to 24 June. She went in the morning with my father and I also managed to change Kyrell's 18mth assessment + vaccine to the same date.

She was referred to the colorectal term (clinic D) at SGH. The doctor commented that her blood count was very low (by looking at her eyes) and her rapid lost of weight is not a good sign. They did not check further on her but booked her on a colonoscopy scan on 16 Jul.

Over the next week, my mum's condition deteriorated, she was vommiting a few times a day now (mainly fluid) and her stomach bloatedness is making her losing her appetite. In order to make herself more comfortable, she has reduced her intake of fluid and food considerably. She loses more weight - at only 40kg! Her skin is pale/yellowish. She is losing her energy and looks fatigue. Of course taking care of Kyrell is literally draining her out.

By 29 & 30 Jun, she felt worst so I called up SGH on 1 Jul to see if we can bring forward her scan, also telling the nurse about my mum's worsen condition. Well it was fully booked but upon hearing my mum's condition, she took the initiative to check with the consultant and called me back, advising me to bring her down immediately.

I was in the office then, rushed thru my more urgent work and went back home to bring my mum to SGH, with Kyrell in toll. Atlas, we saw the doctor at 530pm who advised us to have my mum admitted so they can conduct testing/scanning the following day. At the moment, the doctor commented that her stomach did not seem bloated and she is still having some output, so the situation still does not seem too critical. Then again, we will need further checking to find out more.

My mum was agreeable to staying over, surprisingly. I guessed she knows her body better then any of us, she cannot take it anymore. Or, maybe she did sense something amiss?? She was assigned a bed by around 7pm. It was at block 4, level 7, room 11 and bed 4. We admitted her as class C ward (8-9 beds) but this was a class B2 ward (5 beds) and it seem rather comfortable.

The nurse took her BP (it was high) and briefed us through with the switches etc and her possible schedule the next day. Kyrell and I stayed till 9pm+ before we leave. Both grandma and baby seem reluctant to part. My mum was hugging Kyrell and smelling his head whenever she can.....