BPA just in plastics? Think again!

I saw a rather disturbing news about BPA. Following are some of the excerpt of the article

So you've bought a BPA-free water bottle and ditched BPA-filled canned food. But BPA, a toxic chemical found in many of the products we use every day, may still be a big part of your life. That's because massive amounts of BPA are found on many store receipts. And according to a recent study, BPA easily makes the transfer from receipt to skin, where it penetrates at such a deep level that it can't be washed off...

For further reading please refer to: Toxin BPA Found on Receipts From Safeway, Whole Foods, Walmart

Iggy’s First Birthday

Today is Iggy's birthday.  I guess nothing much will be happening on the actually day, as it is weekday.  Besides, we already organized  a small birthday party for Iggy last Sunday.  Not many photos are taken as Mummy and Daddy busy overseeing the outcome of the party and entertaining the guests.


Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to Ignatius ...
Happy Birthday to you

For the past year, not only that you grown a lot, Daddy and Mummy also grown together with you.  Even though it had been a year since you are born, sometimes I still feel amazed that I'm actually a mummy now.  It is really a blessing having you with us.

So Ignatius, Mummy wishes you continue to grow up strong and healthy.  And walking in the path of the Lord always.  Love you very very much.  Muuuaaaakkk!

Oatmeal For Iggy

Iggy loves oatmeal I cooked for him.  My oatmeal recipe is simply, the ingredients are flexible and the cooking instruction is extremely easy.

I add a few types of veggies to my oatmeal, usually 2 to 4 types of veggies.  It could be any type of veggie you prefer.  Following are the veggies I used so far: pumpkin, potato, radish, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, sugar snap pea

 
cauliflower, baby carrot, sugar snap pea

For protein, so far I only use either anchovies powder or minced chicken

 
Minced chicken added to rolled oat

Mixed everything, add adequate water to the mixture of rolled oat, veggies and minced chicken, and double boiled the mixture.

 
Oatmeal mixture ready to be cooked

You can cooked it on the stove if you want.  It just happened that my rice cooker is not the conventional type rice cooker.  It is actually a rice steamer which can be use as a double boiler too.  Although it might takes longer to double boil it than to cook it, I can actually leave it and not have to worry about stirring constantly to avoid burning the oatmeal.  It takes about half an hour to double boil, depending on how mushy you want your oatmeal to be.

 
Cooked oatmeal

Let the cooked oatmeal stand for a while, it will further thicken it up.  I usually will make 2 to 3 serving of oatmeal at a time.

 
Cheese added!

I also add bits of Kraft cheese to give the oatmeal a hint of saltiness.  Iggy doesn't like sweet stuffs, except for fruits.  Then in the fridge it goes.  At the next meal, just reheat the oatmeal and the cheese will  melted and blend with the oatmeal nicely.

For protein, so a far I only use either anchovies powder or mince chicken

Great News For A Change!

Yesterday, I received a good news, great news, in fact .. hahaha

A friend delivered safely. Both mother and daughter are in great condition.

After the bad news, I'm kinda apprehensive towards childbirth's news. Furthermore, this friend of mine, has a lot of complications during her pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension and oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid).

Anyway, after been induced, she delivered naturally yesterday.

LORD, thank you for listening lots of lots of prayers offered up for her!

一個小生命結束了

Thanks for stopping by.  For those of you who don't understand Chinese, I'm sorry.  It's not my intention to make life difficult for you nor try to be secretive.  When I brooding over something, I prefer to write in Mandarin, which is my preferred spoken language, whereas, in fact, I have better command in English in written form than Mandarin.

今天收到了一個坏消息
同事剛出世沒多久的嬰孩過世了。。。
這消息對我來說簡直是晴天霹靂

一直相信這孩子會沒事的，可能剛開始時會一點麻煩
但最終會健康茁壯的成長，就像小軒一樣
哪知道。。。

回家的路上哭得好傷心
說真的我跟他的父母的交情其實並不怎麽樣
可能是當我得知他媽媽懷他的過程出狀況后，
有替他們母子禱告，所以感覺到特別親切吧。。。

本來買來要送給他的小衣服排不上用場了。。。

我不敢說我了解他們現在的心情
但至少我可以體會到失去孩子的滋味

主啊！求你安撫那悲傷的心！

What is Iggy Eating Lately?

Friends have being curious with what I feed Iggy with...

 

This is the latest!

PASTA!  Spirals vegeroni to be exact.

"Huh?  Pasta?"
"Pasta?  Why not rice porridge?"
"Should give him rice porridge lah"
etc..

That's the usual responses I get.  Ok, ok pasta might not be a typical food for a Chinese baby, but why not?!  Pasta is healthier compare to noodle in the market.  Besides, I looove pasta and most of all Iggy seems to love it too, hahaha.

The recipe:

1 or 2 handful of spirals vegeroni (cooked until soft)
some cauliflower, potatoes, pumpkin (cooked until mushy)
1 teaspoon of olive oil
bits of kraft cheese

Mixed everything together and you are done! Super easy!

The Day Iggy Was Born

Prologue

With previous case of ectopic pregnancy experience and with my petite build, I was always been told that I might not being able to deliver naturally.  However, I kept praying and hoping that I would be able delivered naturally.  And I also prayed that when the time comes, the doctors will know what is best for me and for my baby, be it naturally or Cesarean.

The Countdown

June 08, 2009		Having on of my regular checkup at the clinic. Everything is good.  (Baby: 33 weeks + 5 days)
June 09, 2009		Just finishing my lunch with my colleague when suddenly I felt water trickle down my legs. I'm thinking, "... I think my water broke ...". Returning to office, told HR I'm taking EL, packed, drove about 40 mins back to my home. While driving, made a few phone calls and informed hubby to get back immediately and drove me to hospital. Reached home, packed hospital bag. Hubby reached home while I'm packing. Drove to GH around 2 pm plus.  After waiting and checkup, I finally get admitted at around 4 pm plus.  Diagnosis was my water did not actually broke but it was leaking and continued to leak. After strapping me to a machine to monitor baby's heartbeat and found out that baby is ok. They decided to try to delay the delivery. In the mean time, I was given injections of corticosteroid, which accelerates the maturity of my baby's lungs. Thus, I stayed at the hospital until "further" notice.  (Baby: 33 weeks + 6 days)
June 10, 2009		The day passed uneventfully. Check for baby's heart beat, my temperature and blood pressure, routinely 6 times a day, round the clock even in 4 am in the morning. Ultrasound in the morning. Looking good, amniotic level still ok, despite the leaking. By the way, I was still leaking on and off.  Been warning to monitor carefully for my raise of temperature and the changes in the color and odor of amniotic fluid, which are indications for infection. (Baby: 34 weeks)
June 11, 2009		Another uneventfully day. More routine checkup. Still leaking on and off. My backbone started to complain for laying too long on the uncomfortable hospital bed. (Baby: 34 weeks + 1 day)
June 14, 2009		Routine checkup. Ultrasound. Amniotic fluid level dropped. Still leaking on and off. Doctor considered induced labor. Extremely bored. (Baby: 34 weeks + 4 days)
June 15, 2009		Routine checkup. Will be induced tomorrow. Back pain was killing me, getting worse. Really hope to get it over with as soon as possible. 9 pm plus, I am having a fever. Not good, sign of infection. Can't wait until tomorrow to be induced, had to perform Cesarean immediately!! (Baby: 34 weeks + 5 days)

The Moment

They prepared to wheel me to the delivery room. The doctor in charged discussed my situation with her head through the phone. For some reason, she quite reluctant to perform Cesarean on me. Cesarean will be the last resort

She checked me. Then she exclaimed excitedly to the nurses. "She is 5 cm dilated! Yes! No need Cesarean!". Should I didn't have the intense lower back pain, I would have joked with her, "How come you are more excited than me??". By that time, I'm feverish and the back pain intensify. Then it just hits me, what I thought of as back pain from uncomfortable bed was actually sign of labor, back labor. The nurse confirmed my thought by telling me that I having contractions.

They wheeled me to the delivery room. It was 10:02 pm. On the way, I called my hubby.  I hooked up on the IV and got a jab on the butt.  I don't know what it is.  Should be some kind of painkiller and also a gas mask should I need it.  I asked hubby to rub my lower back and it really help to lessen the discomfort with each intensify contractions.  To cut it short, Iggy entered the world at 1:58 am :).  He was whisked to NICU before I even got a chance to take a look at him :(

Epilogue

I was discharged the following day, without Ig.  He had to stay at NICU for about a week and 2 more weeks at GH Pediatric Institute.  By the time he came home, he was 3 weeks old.

 

Ignatius @ 1 day old ; Weight @ 1.92 kg ; Length @44 cm

Ignatius @ 10 mths+ ; Weight @ 7 kg+ ; Height @ 68 cm

Looking at Iggy, looking back, I still got a lot of things to be thankful for.  Those are the tiny little pieces of life that may looks like nothing at all but added those tiny pieces up, it's really mounted up.  Most of all I am thankful that God sent us Ignatius as He promised!