Christmas celebration and my first birthday

With both lola and lolo together with us, this year's christmas was not only my first, but extra special for everyone. What made it even better, I became one month old. So the christmas eve was a major celebration. Mommy dressed me up in a Santa suit. Yes, I was up late for all the fun. We had our customary family photo in front of our little christmas tree. It was festive mood all around.

Lola has been cooking all day long and everyone was helping out.  tita and tito De Leon's and tita Mitch came over for the dinner too. There were lots of food, beautifully red christmas decor, lots of presents under the christmas tree, festive music ... the whole lot.

It was a christmas eve memorable for both my parents. With their two children in their arms, it looked and felt a complete, warm and beautiful family.

Earlier in the week, my parents went up to the childhood centre for a four-weeks check on me. The verdict was, I am growing big just as I should be. Both my weight and length is at 50th percentile. My parents were well assured by the nurse - 'keep doing what you are doing as it is working,' they were told, much to my dad's delight. He has been a bit worried thinking I might be gaining weight too fast. Mommy is doing absolutely fantastic job with me.

Back to my one-month celebration, there was the christmas log that doubled up as my birthday cake. Then we had the ice cream cake brought by titas and tito. We had noodle soup - for long life. We had christmas bonbons before the dinner.

Following day, we went to tito Allan and tita Jopai's place for our annual christmas get-together. This year, kuya AJ was the Santa Claus and we had a massive gift exchange. I could feel the excitement of the party all around from all the noise, while I tried to sleep through it all in the next room. Daddy cooked his roast turkey for the party, while mommy rolled the spring rolls. My sister had a splash in the pool, under the rain. She was shivering in the cold but did not want to come out of the water.

Later in the week, we got together again at lola Bing's house for another party - celebrating her birthday. Once again, lots of food and dessert. Right after the party, we drove up to Wollongong for the day. As we drove up, we hoped for good weather. But the clouds had other idea. It poured. So we spent most of the day watching movies in the apartment we were staying. As we left Wollongong, tito Ronz called up to say - the sun is shining up high! Well, I didn't miss much. But I could see my parents were stomping their feet.

It's my birthday

I have reached my first major milestone - today I am one month old! Gee, time just flies. I am a big girl now, I have started to communicate, I am shuffling around a bit. It's all happening! I will write to you more about how I celebrated this very special milestone.

It's almost christmas

My dad is still trying to work out my sleeping habit. During the weekdays, mommy is in charge. Although might not be exactly the case, daddy thinks she gets it easy. I am usually sleeping through only waking up once for a feed. On weekends however, when it's daddy's turn, I seem to wake up a few more times than usual. Settling me in also takes a little longer. So daddy is already smelling some conspiracy here.

There has been lot of discussions going on how to make me settle little better at night. There has been few innovations as well - like an improvised hammock made out of a blanket in the middle of my cot to give me a cozy feeling and a bit of swing at night.

Me in my hammock

This week was mommy and daddy's wedding anniversary. So they had a little date on Saturday. Its hard to go out when you have two 'less than two-year-olds' at home. But both me and my sister were very well behaved in the care of tita, uncle, lola and lolo. They had a wonderful time and was left wondering ... "may be we should to this more often".

I am getting lot more strength on my neck. I am able to lift it up a tiny bit to take a look at the world around me. I surprised daddy when I was doing exactly that when he was giving my my tummy time. I am also starting to enjoy my bath time, not crying at all and relaxing in the water.

It's christmas almost. Mommy has decided not to go out for shopping this year and doing most of her's online. Thank goodness for the Internet. Daddy loves the idea too!

I am growing fast

The community nurse visited for the second (and last time) our home. These checks are designed to ensure that my little self has settled in nicely in my own home. Last week she had some suggestions regarding my feeding habits. So this week, she was keen to do a weigh-in and make sure there aren't any surprises. Prior to that, mommy and daddy had a little bet on my weight. Mommy put her money on 3.4 kg or less and daddy put his on 3.5 or more. In the weigh-in, I came out 3.57 kg. So daddy won the bet. He was very happy. But they both were happy in the end knowing that I am doing really well with regards to my baby weight and am turning into a healthy, happy, relaxed and quiet baby. I only make noise (and very loud at that), when I am hungry. And why wouldn't I?

The next visit will be made by us to the local community clinic in couple of weeks time.

Mommy is lot more mobile now and doing lot more household chores. She's started to go to my sister's swimming lesson. Talking about going out, we all decided to have a little outdoor lunch at macca's. It was the first time my bassinet was pulled out and we all went for a little walk. My sister was very happy as she got to go to the play area. It was a good little outing for mommy too after a few weeks locked inside the house.

We were all looking forward to an exciting weekend since Lolo arrived on Saturday. He saw me for the first time. In fact, it was the first time he saw Ayesha too. We are now getting ready for a big Christmas and New Year. Lolo brought with him so many clothes for me and my sister ... Tita Jebs went bananas shopping for our clothes. They were all so pretty! Daddy said he won't have to shop for us for a long time.

It's shaping up to be a great holiday season. Quite a lot to do and quite a few parties being organised. Tita Anne has taken out the decors and the Christmas tree is up too. This would be my first Christmas!

Poll Result: Who do I look like?

The poll question asked who do I most resemble. Most people who voted thought it was my big sister. A couple of people thought I looked more like mom. But the consensus at home is that I am revealing a different look everyday as I am growing bigger and bigger. So wait for a few more months before you get the same question again!

Mommy	2 (28%)
Daddy	0 (0%)
Big Sister	4 (57%)
Mix and match	1 (14%)
I am from a different planet	0 (0%)

My second weekend

Yeah, its the second weekend of my life. It's always nice to wakeup with a house full of people. I am firming up on my sleeping habits. I woke up only twice last night for a feed. My parents decided not to wake me up middle of the night if I am sleeping. So its up to me to decide when I am feeling hungry. Can you believe it? I am only 11 days old and I already have control? However, mommy does wake me up during the day if I am not getting up myself and its feed time. There is a reason behind this - it will teach me the difference between day and night.

On Thursday, I was visited by the community nurse. This was the first time I was weighed again since I left the hospital. And guess what? I had a very good weight gain. It is expected that I should gain back to my birth weight within first two weeks. I have made long strides into that really. Another great news is, I am breast-feeding really well too. So mommy is slow reducing my formula intake. This time she is really trying to hold the balance between breastfeeding and lack of feeding which caused some excessive weight loss with my sister (and not to mention too many stressful awaken nights).

So, in summary, its week and half and I am really well settled.

Bubu and Bhaiya (grandma and grandpa) back in Dhaka celebrated my birth with Aqiqah. This is usually performed on the 7th day of the birth and this time it coincided with Eid as well. It was a double celebration. Bubu is a second daughter in her family and sees me as the lucky second daughter in ours. Thank you Bubu and Bhaiya for thinking about me from so far. I want to see you soon.

I must have mentioned about my sister, Ayesha. But she is one cute big girl (for me). You should see her take care of me. I think I am her favourite thing in the world. She showers me with kisses and hugs every time she sees me. Wait for the video of her with me.

This morning when I woke up, I found myself with a nice clean belly button - just like an adult. That dirty looking thing that was hanging over it is now gone. I feel clean already. I am also enjoying some tummy time. I am starting to raise up my head ever so slightly - or turn around when I am being held upright for a burp. I am growing up pretty fast.

My big sister plays with me

Thank you

My mom and dad has been very happy and proud since I have arrived. They have since received so many messages and greetings welcoming me. Daddy posted my first picture on Facebook, and since then there has been plenty of posts online too. All of these makes my parents feel so proud and happy - I can see. So thank you for all your beautiful notes, phone calls, SMS messages, flowers and gifts. Then there were messages and gifts from both my mom's and dad's office colleagues. Some of you took the time to go to the hospital or come and visit me at home. I was very happy to see you of course. So were my parents. So once again, thank you very much. You know I love you.

Fun Facts

• Aliyah started to sit unsupported first week of June (Month 7)
• In May Aliyah started to say da-ta and ta-ta very clearly; she is also chatting a lot with her little vocabulary. Aliyah also started to move from point A to B using a combination of rolls and turns. A crawl doesn't seem to be too far away. She is also able to stand on her fit for a short while while holding onto something (Month 6)
• May 25th Aliyah tried her first mashed vegie - sweet potato (Month 6 Day 3)
• April also saw Aliyah starting to rollover and push herself up on her arms (Month 5)
• 18th April, Aliyah had her first taste of solid, yum! (Month 4 Day 27)
• 28th January Aliyah took her first flight - she joined mommy, daddy and Ayesha for their trip to LA
• 23rd December, Aliyah had her first real conversation with daddy - as daddy tickled her chin, she smiled back at him and said 'aw' ... and that ran for a while too (Day 29)
• December 18, Aliyah was holding her head up during her tummy time (Day 24)
• On December 10, I took my first trip out after coming back from my hospital - it was the McDonald's nearby - but an outdoor trip indeed (Week 2 Day 2)
• Aliyah was caught smiling on camera for the first time on December 1 (Day 7)
• Aliyah opened her eyes moments after her birth and was looking around checking out the new world she came into (Day 0)

Keep coming back to this page as this will be regularly updated ...

Magic Moments

One big happy family ...

First flying kiss

Wrapped up and ready for delivery

Cutting the ties to the tummy

Poll result

This was a really close poll, but couple more people thought I'd be a boy. Well, you all now know I am lovely little princess and not a prince. But keeping it a surprise till the end had its fun. Not much damage though - except for a few blue coloured clothes I probably have to wear over the next few weeks.

Full Growth Chart

Month	Weight	Height
Birth Date	3.24 kg	49 cm
December 09	4.06 kg	53.3 cm
January 10	4.90 kg	55.0 cm
February 10	6.40 kg	60.0 cm
March 10	6.90 kg	62.0 cm
April 10	7.40 kg	63.0 cm
May 10	8.50 kg	65.0 cm
June 10	8.90 kg	66.0 cm

Aliyah's Height Chart

Aliyah's Weight Chart

I'm home

Today was my first day out in the sunshine. We left the hospital for home. It was a hot day for that. But life in the hospital was getting quite stressful for all of us. Firstly, my sister couldn't be with us most of the day. She was only able to spend 3-4 hours a day with me and mommy without heavily interrupting her own day. Secondly, mommy was getting stressed unable to simply relax and unwind in her favourite couch, eating her favourite desert.

If mommy had her way, we would have left yesterday. My paediatrician gave me all clear. Mommy got hers from her obstetrician. Only thing remained was some final practice rounds of breastfeeding under the guidance of the lactation consultant. So we extended it by a day. Before I start getting into too much details on leaving the hospital, let me give you guys a summary of how it all went in the beginning.

As you know, it was a planned delivery on 24th with an estimated arrival time of 8 am. Mommy and daddy turned up in the hospital pretty much on schedule. But it looked like the ops prior to ours were running late. When it finally finished, mommy started to get ready. Just about the time she was to be administered with the anaesthesia, an emergency case rushed into the theatre, pushing us further back. You know what it means, I had to wait longer.

Finally at about 11 am, mommy got into the theatre and I arrived at 11.10 am. Well, my gender was a surprise - that's how my parents planned it. As the doctor pulled me out of my mommy's tummy, my dad noticed first - he's got another little princess. Mommy was too sedated by the pain-killer. But as soon as that started to wear off, she joined with daddy in appreciating the sweetness of the moment. They were both so excited to see me.

Mommy had gestational diabetes. Which meant for the first 24-hours I had to be kept under the close observation of the special care nursery. But that was just formalities. As soon as I had my first feed within the first hour, my sugar level jumped up to right where it needed to be and continued to improve throughout the day. By day 2, I was back in my mommy's room sleeping right next to her.

So, apart from my beautiful look, what else were my parents impressed with me? Well, I am possibly the gentlest newborn ever. Apart from making them know I am hungry periodically, I pretty much sleep through the rest of the time. Sleeping is a no-fuss event as well. I love being swaddled (unlike my sister) and so my sleeping ritual is as simple as being swaddled and be in the cot.

I had quite a few visitors in the hospital; and lots of beautiful flowers and gifts delivered. My sister is quite excited being with me too. She knows I am a 'baby' and she always showers me with cuddles, kisses and occasional taps on me to put me to sleep. She is less interested in her toy 'baby' now - since I have arrived. She even calls in mom or dad if she sees me crying. I am looking forward to starting to play with her.

So back to coming back home - now that I am in a far relaxed environment, I am loving every moment of it. And you know how I express my love - I sleep through it. I am getting plenty of sleep. I had a bit of yellow shade on my skin - most newborns have that. But it started to go off as I get exposed to more light.

So, an exciting chapter of my life has began. What can me more exciting than the beginning? Keep coming back and I will keep you posted how it all goes.

Hi, I am here

I have arrived. I am a girl. At 11.10 am today, I stepped out of my mom's tummy and took a deep breath. A little bit of crying followed - after that, I opened my eyes big and started to savour every inch of my surroundings. I want to say so much - but I have got a few things to do before that. There's lot to learn - I just figured out how to have my meal. That's only the beginning. Until I speak to you soon, here are some pictures of me. And also some quick stats: at birth I weighed 3.25 kg and 49 cm in length.

What's your guess?

When my mom was pregnant with my sister, they decided to know her gender before she was born. That way, they were ready with the shopping and pick the right colours. This time, they have decided not to do that. Firstly, to add to the excitement of having a new baby. And secondly, logistically this time it is less challenging.

So this means, no one knows if I am a boy or a girl. Do you think you do? Then have your say in the poll. You will find out in couple of weeks time if you were right or wrong.

And oh, if you had a cool way to work out my gender, don't forget to tell us how you do that by leaving a comment below.

Countdown has began

Firstly, I have to say - my mom and dad has been guilty of not offering me enough time to say what's been going on around me. Yes, they were busy they say. But reality is, their time management was poor. Ok, so they had a toddler to deal with. As if that is the hardest thing on earth. Then daddy uses his 'real' work as an excuse. I say, what's real? Hello, it's me here that's real. And you have not much time left in your hand - my old man! That's it - that would get him moving. And mommy - she's finally started her maternity leave. Carrying me around isn't that difficult as you make out to be. Don't start blaming me even before I am born!

I feel better now.

There hasn't been a post on this blog for such a long time. You now know who to blame.

Done with my rants. Phew, I really feel better now!

You know what, it's only matter of days now. That's if I didn't decide to come out early. Mommy has been going to the obstetrician almost weekly now. And thanks to her gestational diabetes, she also has to get a full scan of me done every week or two. That means they get to see me often. Daddy had to travel again (yes, yet again) and was back Friday morning just in time for the scan. As the sonographer turned on the scanner and focused on my face, guess what did I do? I turned and winked at them. You bet I winked. Too bad there wasn't any recording done. You see, I am big enough now to open my eyes. And I know how to wink too.

This weekend, the preparation for my arrival has truly began. Mommy started packing her maternity bag. They fixed up my sister's car seat to switch back to infant mode (lucky her - she gets promoted to toddler booster seat). Daddy also did some shopping for me while he was travelling. There's been lot of talk at home how we will arrange for our sleeping. But its yet to be finalised. But mommy can really feel it's close; very close.

The date has been set (remember it all changes if I decide to come out early). The stage is ready. People are waiting - the spotlight is on. Only a grand entry remains. Hope to speak to you all soon ... from outside of my mommy's tummy.

Nuchal scan

Mommy went to get another picture taken today - yes, of me. This one's called Nuchal scan. In English, it is a measure of risk of developing Down syndrome. Apart from the ultrasonogram, she also had to take a blood test. The results should be ready in couple of days and she'd then have to go to the OB to get the results assessed. Both mommy and daddy were excited. I have already formed my hands and legs and have some distinct facial features. They got more excited when I jumped up and down as the scan was being taken. I am a very active kid growing in her tummy.

My official age was readjusted by a couple of days, making the ETA 25th November instead. On that count, today I am a couple of day short of the first trimester. It's starting to get exciting for all of us!

More official readings

Mommy went for an ultrasound scan on Thursday, a day before the Easter holiday. It's all looking good through the camera. I have grown to 5.8 cm tall. My heartbeat count read 134. And according to the computer calculation, I am 7 weeks old. Here's the exciting bit - the estimated date of arrival now reads 27th November, very close to mommy's birthday.

While mommy was getting checked, daddy called up Dr Huynh's office to get herself listed. Next month she'd have her first appointment with Dr Huynh, her obstetrician. It's all starting to get exciting for everyone.

My first photo

It's official

Mommy finally made it to the doctor this morning. She had her tests done on Saturday, and followed up with the report on Sunday morning with daddy and sister Ayesha. For the technical minded, here was the result:

Pregnancy test quantitative analysis: 28848 IU/L

And according to the chart, that's about 8-9 weeks of normal pregnancy. Yes, that means I am a  living and breathing life inside my mommy's tummy who is more than 2 month old (inside tummy days, that is). Doctor had few more tests recommended for mummy and a referral to check in with the obstetrician. They were all very excited to get a confirmation of their home test.

First signs

Welcome

Hi there, welcome to my world. Yes, I have just started my journey. In fact, my mom just found out I have been hiding somewhere in her tummy for last few weeks. Daddy was in Brisbane for the week. Mommy had the inkling for a few days and did the home test on Wednesday evening. It came out positive. She took a picture of the test result and sent it to daddy. It took daddy for a while to sink in the news. He was overjoyed. He couldn't focus on his work for a while. He was biting his hands for having to be away from home this week. Because my sister also started to walk - which he missed. Anyway, back to mommy. She went to the doctor the next day just to do some routine checks and get an appointment for a blood test to confirm she is pregnant. They are hoping to get it confirmed beyond doubt.

Meanwhile, mommy has switched to all the precautions she needed to take. She's started on her vitamins and high calcium milk so that I am well nourished inside her. She is also making sure she moves around carefully. First couple of months are always the most critical.

Now back to me. Yes, this would be my way to you what's going on in my life and how I am growing. You may have been following my sister's blog - so you know the drill. Let me know your thoughts about me. Obviously, I am looking forward to meeting you soon.

Cheers.

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