On 6-999-6 formula

Daily production is less than daily demand.  That is the current status.  Therefore, we can no longer be based on daily basis, but weekly.  I am pumping only once a day during office hours now (reads: lazy), with average production between 7 oz and 8 oz daily.  That means, weekly production is between 35 oz to 40 oz.  Including 2 oz a day that I usually manage to collect over the weekends, we get a minimum of 39 oz a week.  6-999-6 formula means, Achik is taking with her 2 bottles x 3 oz on Monday, 3 bottles x 3 oz on Tuesday to Thursday and back to 2 bottles x 3 oz on Friday.  That means, a total of 39 oz a week.  Justification?  Because Achik has been and will be enjoying free flow and bottomless supply of her favourite drink over the weekend, so I think, it is okay to ration one bottle on Monday & Friday.  Yeah, we need strategy to survive the journey =)

It is the third milestone!

Alhamdulillah, we hit the third milestone in our breastfeeding journey today.  A day earlier because February only has 29 days :)  It could have been 2 days earlier if this year isn't a leap year.  Though there will be another six months to go, at times I do think about weaning.  Looking at the pattern now, I don't think it is ever possible :)  Never mind.  We will seriously think about it when the time comes.

When Achik says 'ummi'

This is the moment that I really treasure.  When my toddlers are able to pronounce their versions of the word 'ummi'.  No doubt that pronouncing the word 'abah' is a lot easier that they could do it as early as one year old or so.  But that was without really understanding its meaning.  In the case of Achik, at her age now, 2 weeks shy of 18 months old, she would utter it with full understanding of the meaning, combined with her facial expression and demand for attention that would melt my heart.  She would come from behind, brings her face close to mine, our eyes contact and says ... "mmmmmii..., mmmmmii..."  will full effort.  Haish ...  So sweet.  She would also wake up in the middle of the night, when her mood is okay, tapping on her source of favourite drink and again ...  "mmmmiii, mmmmmmii ..."  How could you ever resist?  =)

The [not so] new year updates

About one and a half month to hit the third milestone in our breastfeeding journey.  But I am not at all excited about it.  Achik has taken all sorts of food that fully breastfeeding is not so much an issue anymore.  Breastfeeding now serves its another role more dominantly, that is, bonding.  And we don't have problem at that.  We are strongly bonded, physically and emotionally.  Because we are ladies :)

I have even started giving soy based formula samples that I have been keeping for so long, but not yet expired.  Just to let her explore the new taste and enjoy the goodness that they may bring.  She didn't seem to enjoy them though.  But Angah did!  So, he finished them all on her behalf :)

Angah is a big boy

Angah now ...
-packs his own clothes and toys to the nursery almost every morning.
-helps ummi in the kitchen.  Frying sausages, mixing curry paste, chopping onions & garlics (using chopper of course) ...
-helps ummi washing the clothes.  Putting the dirty clothes into the washing machine, the detergent into the slot, setting the appropriate mode and temperature ...
-consoles Achik when she cries for ummi
-scolds Achik with oh-so-brotherly tone when she is naughty.


In short, Angah is on fast track to becoming big brother without Along around :)