After 1.5 weeks, life finally is settled down a bit.  Jacob has finally recovered from the serious flu and virus infection.  My breast feeding can be said as successful (after all the pain, bleeding, working out the best position with Chester).  Also, after visiting the mother/baby caring centre, the nurse there reminded me again how to judge if Chester was hungry (that if his head moves right and left with mouth open and close) and remind me to simply feed him whenever he is hungry.  Since then, I realize that Chester is quite easy to take care.  It is extremely difficult at the begging because I don’t have enough milk.  So, the trick is, for the first few days, when the milk is not enough, just let him “drink sucking” for stimulation purpose (but it really hurts, woo woo woo, I really cried out =~~~) and then feed him with milk powder. Then, gradually, more and more breast feeding, less and less formula milk.  The process is not easy but you got to have patience and you need to hold on there and insist!!!!! Also, the second tips that I want to remind myself is that I should always first making sure myself to have enough rest instead of thinking of what I should best use of time or to achieve during my leaves.  Without a good rest, my health, my mood and my temper become very bad and this is definitely more harmful. So far, Chester is easy to take care.  He has quite a strong body that he can already turn around his head himself.  It seems that he can play with us and smile to us as well (but not very sure =p).  Also, he has very strong arms and legs that he kicks strongly when he gets hungry.  He is also very sensitive even that he can sense even a slight movement (which is a bit unusual to baby at this stage).  Also, he seems to learn very fast that we had used a very easy sucking milk bottle for 2 times and he can already learned the difference.   

I hope that I can take more photos of Chester and Jacob and share them here during my maternity leave.

 

May be it is because of the pregnancy and giving birth that I get a bit emotional.  Looking at Chester and Jacob, I start worring that the time flies too fast.  I know that the baby mode of Chester will pass very soon.  Don't know how to catch the moment.  His facial expression is funny, his tiny hands and feets...how he totally relies on you....All these will stay here with only a very short period.  I treasure every single moment with Jacob and Chester because most likely I won't be able to go through what I am going through now again...hope to capture every single moment..and I remember how fast they grow that you won't even have enough time to recognize their change.   They have changed when you recogonice...

 Jacob was sick for a while and he stayed at Grandma's home last night for a better rest.  Haven't seen him for more than 1 day, I really miss him.  Since I have spent most of time with Chester, when looking back at Jacob, I sudeenly find his size is so big tough he is still a "baby" to me who is still so lovely, innocent and cute.

 My two little boys, thanks for being here in this family.  It is really amazing.   I am very lucky to have a chance to have you two, the best gifts to my life.  Leaonrd, thank you so much  =) 

Jacob had joined playgroup at Tutortime for longer than 1 year.  Both Jacob and we (Len, me, Ma Ma, Po Po or Rosa) get used to attend the playgroup together. 

Since Jacob would change to Kingston for the 2-yr old class starting from the new academic eyar, we on purposely registered for him the summer courses in July.  We hope this can help him to adapt to the 2-yar old calss in the new school in Aug. 

It is proved to be a good decision to join the summer courses.  At least, he used that one month to get used to the new school (he told us that he didn’t like Kingston at the first few days but now is perfectly fine).   So, the first challenge of getting used to the new school was solved. 

The second and the biggest challenge was that he had to attend 2-yr old class by himself soon after the transitional period.  We all did worry about this because everyone of us has talked to him on this and he refused every time when we talked about this. 

But that day still came, on 15 Aug, he had to attend class by himself the first time.  We had put our (Daddy and Mummy’s wedding photo) photos in his pocket telling him to take them out to have a look if he is scared or if he missed us.  At the end, teachers told us that Jacob did cry a bit and he showed the class his photos in the middle of the class.   

Well, “a bit”, it was already better than we imagined.  And then, starting from Monday (18 Aug), he has already sort of gotten used to it, he walked into the classroom, picked up his name card and gave us…no crying anymore (although we could tell that he still wanted us to go in)..

Anyway, it was amazed that he can manage it, he can adapt to this new change so quickly (especially when we saw a number of kids were still crying before they went into the classroom). This is him, this is Jacob, and this is very me as well  =) As he said “Jacob is a big boy now”, “Jacob is not scared”.

In the 23rd week, we went to have regular check.  This time, we finally see Chester's face (his 4-D photo).  First of all, I must record down that Chester had grown up a lot in the last month and I have therefore gained 10 lbs just in 1 single month (well, I would say it was because of Chester's growth although there was no prove if the weight actually contribute to I myself rather then him =p).  My tummy grows significantly bigger.  Chester is now in 2lb already while when I look at the info below that baby in the same week should only be 1.1 lb..no wonder why the doctor worry.  Everyone thinks that I am gonna deliver soon.  Don’t know why, it is the same as when I had Jacob, my tummy is much bigger than others.  May be it is because I carry two big babies?  So far, Jacob’s height is always above 97percentile.  

According to Dr. Wan, Chester will be definitely big (he didn’t say this about Jacob at that time but he seems to be so sure about Chester..but it turns out that Jacob is already quite tall..so, I can’t imagine how big Chester will be).  Talking back about the 4-D photos, as the Doctor said Chester has a nice nose.  From the 4-D picture, it seems that Chester has Leonard’s nose.  Later, when I compare Chester’s photo with Jacob’s first 4-D photos, I would say that they really have very different nose.  Jacob definitely have mine nose while Chester’s one is more like Daddy.  After all, the most important thing is that Dr. Wan said the baby looks healthy.  Everything is fine except that Mummy has to cut sweet things including fruit =p  Well, I will try my best ~.*  Otherwise, I will have hard time in delivering Chester!  

Besides, I started feeling Chester’s movement since week 15-17.  He moves occasionally, a bit active but not very.  I think that Chester is a happy, funny, a bit active but very gentle little boy. 

Week Twenty-One

• White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense sytems. They help fight infections and diseases.
• Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque.
• Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry!
• If your baby is a girl, her womb and vagina are formed. Unlike males, females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth.
• Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system!
• Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals.
• Length is now measured crown to heel.
• Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).

Week Twenty-Two

• Your baby weighs close to a pound at this point!
• Your baby can now hear your conversations more clearly than before!. When you talk, read, or sing, expect her to hear you. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero.
• Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed.
• Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers.
• Be prepared for all those "Why" questions coming! Your baby's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday.
• With some help from mom, baby's liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells.
• If your baby is male his testes begin their descent to the scrotum.
• Primitive sperm have formed and he is producing testosterone.
• Length is 10.94 inches (27.8cm); weight is nearly 1 pound (430gm).

Week Twenty-Three

• Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.
• Bones located in the middle ear harden.
• Your baby is able to hear. (Dads, did you know: low-frequency sounds mimicking a male voice penetrate the abdomen and uterine wall better than the higher frequencies of the female voice?)
• The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
• The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. She has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
• If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day. .
• The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.

• Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs.
• His body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.
• Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste.
• Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of his hands has improved as he sucks his thumb.
• Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin.
• His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
• This week your baby is officially considered viable.
• Baby weighs 1.3 pound (600gm) and is 11.8 inches (30cm) long -- almost the length of a ruler!

Last night, Daddy stay late in office for work, I took care of Jacob for the whole night.  When I tell Jacob stories at our bed, I started not feeling too well and I told Jacob that mummy was not feeling well. 

He was lovely, he said that "find Daddy".  Since I was not sure if Daddy had come back home, I asked him to check.  He moved quickly outside, searched arround the house and reported to me that Daddy was not there...he tried to comfort me by kissing me..he even gave me flower =)  He was really a lovely and caring boy.  He has grown up a lot and I strat to feel that he begin to take care of me..

Although he is like me, I hope he will be happier and more open up than me. 

 Not sure if it is because of the pregnance, I feel a bit down and blue recently.  Also, there seems to be high pressure from different dimensions...sometime, i really want to have a big break or a big change...but everything is tighlited mounted and it is not easy to have a breakthrough...may be the boundary is within myself ..  or may be, i should take some days off to have holiday myself (with Len =p).

We temporary call the baby as Jeffrey.  In this few days, I start to feel Jeffrey's first movement.  It was excited to feel that because I felt that I can start interact with him and he starts to participate our "activities". 

I was too busy with works recently, I promise Jeffrey to take better rest and will try not to work so fast.  I should be a better mum.

Hey, Jeffrey, do you know that since very beginning, Jacob was responsbile to feed you every morning?  Jacob was quite jealous at the beginning that he said Jeffrey was the name of his teddy bear.  Now, he starts kissing and talking to you.  I feel very happy for this.  Also, Jacob usually points to his tummy saying that not baby, is tummy and then point to you saying is baby, not tummy.  Of course, he will also point to daddy saying, fat man, is big tummy.

We are waiting for you =)  Build up a strong and healthy body and join us when the time comes.  We start imagining how the family will go picnic, do exercise, etc.  Can't wait for that!

Last week, after a walk at Science Park, there was a little bit of bleeding.  So, I have taken Friday off and went to Dr. Wan to check up.  Um...today, after a walk, also have some bleeding.  It seems that this baby don't want me to walk or work too much but only want me to sleep and take rest.

 Anyway, the doctor said that it was fine.  The ultra-sound showed that the overal growth is heahtly =)  And we found out the baby to be a boy =)  So, Jacob is gonna have a brother!  We are very happy!

We are searching for a name of the baby.  We come across two names, one is Jasper and the other is Jeffrey.  Temporary, until we find a better name, we will call him as Jeffrey.

 Jacob is still acting a bit jealous to baby.  He still don't like to say Good Morning to baby but rather to teddy bear, mickey...  Well, it is fine, it takes time and we just better to emphasis too much. 

We went to have check up yesterday.  It is amazing that Little T has a human shape now.  We can cleary see the 2 hands and 2 legs and the head.  The doctor has also measued the thickness of the neck sink and everything is normal.  The doctor said that baby seems to be quite active who waves hands and legs to say hi to us and Jacob.  Leonard recall that he didn't see Jacob move like this last time.  Honestly, Jacob was really gentle in when he was in my tummy, not much movement.  Well, Leonard see a tiny little thing and wonder if the baby is a boy but the doctor said that it could also be the shape of the girl part and therefore is not very sure yet.  He said that it will be more sure in next month.  The doctor said that in general the baby growth very well (about 5 cm) except that my sugar level is a bit high and I have gained 5 lbs in 1 month!!!  Have to be careful.  In addition, we have done a blookd test as well and we will know the result on Monday, hope that everything is fine like last time. 

BTW, when we were waiting at the reception area.  Jacob played very happily with a baby, he kept following the baby and talk to the baby (just like the same way as what we do to him).  Hope that he and the baby will get alone happily the same way.  Now, Jacob already learned that there is a baby with me.  Most usually, he is gentle and he will say don't sit on the baby.  But when he get sleepy, he will get naughty and try to push his hand to my tummy saying don't push at the same time.  His purpose is to look at my angry face.  Well, it will be a big challenge to us how to handle their relationship and hope that we can handle it well.

 Week Eleven

In early this week, my sickness suddenly disappear.  If that is the case, it is really great and this baby is really a good boy/girl.  This could probably the last time in my life to experience the pregnancy sickness.  Honestly, having pregnancy sickness is really bad...you feel so weak, endless sleep, bad temper, etc.  Well, this week, we will visit doctor for check-up, hope everything is fine.  Not sure if we will know if baby is a boy or girl this time.  Will let you know =)

For the purpose of writing blog, we agree to temporary call our baby as Little T.  I still feel very tired this week.  So far, unlike from the time when I had Jacob, no much morning sickness or sick feeling so far.  In fact, the following things are different from the time when i had jacob:

1.  Don't like eating chicken or much meat (except if it is BBQ or deep fried).
2. Do like eating McDonald, KFC, etc.
3. Like to drink soup (especially tomato) and vegetable.
4. Don't like eating too sweety or strong taste things.

 Things that are the same:

1.  Need to chew gum every time after meal..otherwise, feel sick. 

Same as the last time, the most challenging thing for me during pregnancy is the ill feeling (psychologically) of doing nothing.  I mean, since I am so tired, I need to sleep a lot.  Just take this long holiday as an example, I didn't do much work and is not very productivity (from the working point of view).  This makes me feel quite guilty.

Well, but I should remind myself.  I am actually very productive because my body needs me to take rest so that it can produce another body.   The more tired I am, the faster little T grow up.  I hope that little T can grow up well =)

We had a checkup again during the weekend.  We decided to try to go with Jacob and see if we can handle him in the clinic.  During the ultrasound checking, we hear the heart beap of the baby.  It is about 13x times per minutes.  When Jacob looked at the screen and heard the heart beap.  He said "Oh, baby crying"..Ha ha..oh..but may be he was right...cause after the checking, the nurse told me that there was a bit bleeding.  The doctor told me that it is not totally stable and asked me to take a week off.  I felt a bit sad.  Just like what I have said, I didn't realize that I was so tired and I didn't take enough rest.  I was a bit too engaged with work and was working under quite high pressure.  I felt bad that I didn't take care well enough this time.  But it is a good reminder, since the doctor asked me to take rest, I start feeling very tired and have slept over the whole weekend.  Mummy promise to tvery ake good care of you, I love you. 

 By comparing the the week 7 when I had Jacob, it seems that I am not feeling so sick.  But same as last time, I don't like strong taste food and I need to chew gum after meal.

After all these busy days, I can finally sit down to write down this.  Yes, this is a private and secret time between me and bigger bean bean (should have grown up a bit now).  So far, my changes are:

1.      Body was itchy

2.      Face skin becomes more beautiful (smooth and white)

3.      Start to have sickness feeling, my heart beat is now about 90 times a minute.

The change 1 and 2 are different from the time when I had Jacob.  It is interesting to contrast it to the reaction of Jacob at week 6 .  From now on, I should record the journey down at least once a week.  So, i am responsible for their record of life before their arrival and Daddy is responsible for their record of life afterward (ha ha, Daddy's work is much harder =p). 

According to Pregnancy.org, here is the development at week 5, it serves a good reminder for me to take care of myself because all the major developments are happening right now which will affect his/her whole life!! Have to be extremely careful!!  That is why I feel better during weekend (having more rest).

Week Five

• First heartbeats begin - If you have an early ultrasound you may not be able to recognize this tiny being as a baby, but there is no mistaking what it feels like seeing your child's heartbeat on that screen. That rhythmic beat is echoed in your own heart.
• Umbilical cord develops - This is your baby's lifeline in utero. It bears the responsibility of pumping in oxygen, removing waste, and supplying the necessary nutrients for the remainder of your pregnancy.
• Blood is now pumping - All four heart chambers are now functioning, insuring your baby's body will receive all it needs over not only the remainder of your pregnancy but throughout life.
• Most other organs begin to develop - Your infant's lungs start to appear, along with her brain. Already your little one is preparing for a quest for lifelong learning!
• Arm and leg buds appear - While they may not appear to be much at this stage it is ok to dream of the future. Just imagine your ballerina twirling and jumping around your kitchen floor. Or perhaps you will have the precocious boy that throws the perfect pitch -- right through the neighbor's window.

The expected date is 25 Oct 2008.  小豆豆, welcome to our family =)

Quorum

 the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority.  (used in voting regulation)

 舉一反三

反，推論。「舉一反三」指從一件事情類推，而知道其他同類的事情。語本《論語．述而》。後用「舉一反三」形容人於學習中善於觸類旁通。

http://140.111.34.46/chengyu/pho/fya/fya00013.htm

今天做了很多事情：

1一大清早到了淺水灣和玩沙，是Jacob的一次。可惜淺水灣的沙很粗

2一家人在父親節探公公。上年，還能在你面前說出父親節快樂。時間過得真的很快，已差不多一年了。

3到西貢Anthony's Catch吃了一個 extremely enjoyable lunch。

上星期五，終於可以成功hand-over了一個project 。做了eLeaarning 已8年，很期待re-organize 一下，重整人生，make significant change in life，希望開始講求多一點quality instead of quantity. 希望闊視野。

還有一件事想記住。千萬不要有assumption, everything can be viewed with very different angles and have very different results. 

回應你早幾天寫五首使我感動的外語曲，這幾年每天在忙(尤其有了Jacob的這一年)，有時忘了好好把生活的一點一滴記下。

 
《If》

我第一次聽這首歌，是從你在Australia寄給我的cassette tape，我們那時只是朋友+pen-friend，那時我決定了去加拿大讀書，那tape陪住我渡過了很多日子，在你的tape內，我特別留意這首歌，另外還有”when will I see you again”，因為那時有一刻覺得歌詞好似你想對我說的說話，但我告訴自己沒有可能，那些只是你想和我share你喜歡的歌。因此，我無甚惦.掛的去了Canada讀書。怎知，多年後，你才告知我，原來歌中寄意。不知道，如果當年你早些告訴我，我們的路會否行得容易一點？

 
《Perhaps love》

有很多人說，婚禮那天忙了一整天，過得很快，什麼也不記得，但在教堂的那片段，我永遠記在心中。01年，知道爸爸患了cancer，我便有一個願望，好盼望他可以帶我步行入教堂，然後和你簽紙，你再把我的頭紗揭起……如果人生可以停頓，可否留在這首歌的每一刻？

 
《I believe》

對不起，看這戲時，聽到這首歌，令我想起，我曾經好像那女主角一樣痛苦，曾經有一個守在我身邊的人，但我就在等一個不在我身邊的你。到我可以同你一起時，我又放不下不在我身邊的他。我永遠好像比現實生活走慢了一節，生活在一個錯了的空間一樣，非常痛苦。不過，如果當天我選了跟另外一個人，我知道你會像男主角於餐廳內在我不在時與他去講和我相處的十條規矩。我常覺得，在這世界上，只有你一個會對我這樣傻。只有你做到，愛，不一定要擁有，見到我開心，你便開心。

 
《 When will I see you again》

This song is not in your list because it is my favorite.  It was in the same tape that you recorded “If” to me.  不用我多說，十幾年後的今天，當我們知當”答案”，再聽這歌，

是否特別有意思。  我們long distance 了咁多年，可以work到，is a miracle。是你堅定的信念，以下歌詞才夢境成真。

When will I see you again?
When will we share precious moments?
Will I have to wait forever?
Or will I have to suffer and cry the whole night through?

When will I see you again
When will our hearts beat together?
Are we in love or just friends?
Is this my beginning or is this the end?
When will I see you again?

最後，我想和Jacob送給你

《Happy birthday》

還remember that it is still not possible for us to celebrate birthday together when we were apart, it was a leisure, was a dream　…we can only sing songs across the long distance call or in fax…. So, I won’t attach the clip here because I am gonna sing to you in person. 

 
Hope you will like this belated gift and like the birthday dinner that I prepared for you.

Suddenly want to record down this feeling and experience. Having a baby is like giving you a chance to go through again the begining part of your life which you had no memory. It gives you a change to experience it again from a very different angle. I could not imagine that I had been so close and so dependent on my parents. I could not imagine I had been like what Jacob is now. I could not imagine the love that my parents give me....all the patience, all the love and how they devote their life for us.

Daddy, although we had not talked a lot when you are here but I understand it. How you hold on and how you prevent me from visiting you in afraid of affecting me and my baby...How you spend your life to think and do things good for us. Daddy, thank you and I love you.

It is now until I am a monther, I understand it better...

You are the World

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

First, on 24 March 2007 when Jacob is about 11 months old. He started walk quite a few steps by his own. It happened at GrandMa's home that Jacob used to use our hand as handle to walk but this time, he simply hold the ear of a doll (treating is like our hands or the handle) and walk by his own from one end of the carpet to the other end. This is really a big breakthrough. At the same time, he now can understand a lot of what we said. I have taught him "clap hands" 2 times, he can do it now when I say "clap hands" or when I sign a song with "clap your hands". In addition, if we asked him who is a good boy, he would put both hands on the chest indicating that Jacob is a good boy. I also want to record down his characters:

- He is quite "leader". Instead of we hold him to walk, he hold our hands as handle and lead us to where he wants to go. He also likes control and do things his own. (sorry, this is very "mummy" =p)

- He likes sharing. He likes to share things with people he likes. He would treat you milk, the dummy, any "good thing" that he likes... no matter you like it or not, he would deliver and force you to take it =)

- He is considerate and like to care pepole. When we cough, he would拍拍你心口!

- He is strong in rympth. If he hears music, he would sometime dance or用手打拍子.

- He has strong eye sight and hearing. My broher has bought a "star machine" from Japan to him which simulates stars in space (very little fade spots on the ceiling) and Jacob loves to see those and count starts when he sleeps. Also, he is very sensitive to low volumn sound.

Well, another thing that I have to record it down is that I have bought a tester yesterday. The result looks similar to last time (last weekend) which is negative. When I was about to throw it away, I see an extremely light line....um....same as last time when i had Jacob, I showed to Leonard and he said that there was no doubt to have a line! But again not sure yet...let us be the "confused and most stupid couple in the world" again =)