Merdeka?

Not to me. Here's when it will really be merdeka, when:

1. We can live without the NEP.
2. We think of ourselves as Malaysians first rather than Malay, Chinese or Indian, bumiputera or non-bumiputera.
3. Race-based politics no longer form the basis of our governing policies.
4. Those in power stop blatantly usurping taxpayers' hard-earned contributions.
5. When everything stops being too sensitive to be discussed.
6. When there is REAL freedom.

Rest assured, I'll be sure to play my part in this coming election to bring about these changes.

Rainbow

A rainbow tailed me
Faint hues in vibrant arc
Whispered: hope

Items Bought Today

1. Newspaper for confinement lady
2. Anakku wet wipes
3. Pigeon disposable breast pads
4. Wholemeal bread
5. Avent pacifier
6. Tolo Sneezy Wind Chimes Toy

Damage done: app. RM150

Somewhere in there I bought something that's not Sophia-related.

Week 6: The Evil Eye

Falling asleep, originally uploaded by Ashkarya.

Actually, more like, the sleepy eye. Kicking back after a feed, Sophia relaxes and attempts to nod off with over-enthusiastic mom wielding a camera in her face.

S-T-R-E-E-E-E-T-C-H

Reaching for the sky!

Resident Cow

Hot into my second month of maternity leave and I think I quite enjoy the role of resident cow. Of course, my confinement lady is still with me for this month as well, so I still get away with sleeping while she burps Sophie, changes her diapers and lulls her to sleep when she's difficult. Gawd knows I'm gonna suffer when she's gone and I'm back into work full-time.

Everything's peachy except...maybe I could do with smaller boobs. I've had to run out several times to get myself tops in new sizes. No more S for me. I've had to look at M and even L!! Tops which are too tight only emphasize the enormity of the twin peaks (though they look more like trodden molehills than perky peaks) and tops which are too roomy just make me look fat overall. I am now averse to underwires, so it's my nursing bras all the way. No more going bra-less even at home or I'll end up soaking my T-shirts with spilt milk when Sophie cries or if the udders become too full. I don't even know what I'm going to wear when I get back to work. Sigh...

But I suppose it's a small price to pay for the satisfaction of hearing the bub's contented gasps and sighs when she's stuck on a boob and drinking her fill. And knowing that I'm the source of that content. Or rather, me = food = happy Sophia = contented sighs.

If this is all it takes to be a resident cow, I wouldn't mind trading the rat race for this greener field. For now this resident cow is pretty much enjoying the field that she's grazing in. And being milked by the little monster that she calls her babe.

Emerging

Time follows a note
Ticks by in measured cadence

Waiting for your song.

Meet and Greet

Meeting nenek for the first time. Sophie offered her 'tea'. Yikes, her very own...not a very polite way of saying hi to your great grandmother, girl.

Back to the Breast

Our follow-up check with the paeditrician today gave Sophie a clean bill of health; her jaundice level has dropped from 255 to 137. We're back on breast milk solely from here on!! (I was beginning to wonder if I'd need a new freezer just to store the bags of EBM (expressed breast milk) piling up.)

Current weight: 4.7kg up from 3.6kg last week. Whoa!! The formula we've been feeding her twice a night or the increased intake of breast milk? No wonder my confinement lady's arm feels numb from trying to lull her to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

I've decided to take Sophie out for a walk tomorrow morning. Would be good to get some fresh air into her lungs (then again, I don't know how fresh is fresh, seeing as how polluted our air is). In any case, a little bit of sun ought to do her good.

In the meantime, we've got to try to figure out why she's been fussy these past few days. My guess is my increased intake of low fat milk as well as her introduction to regular (cow's milk) formula.

We'll test that theory this week and see.

Red Sky

The sky behind me
Bleeds claret and sighs a rain;
Red rivulets flow.

Here's to You, Babe!

Paying tribute to her mixed heritage; one single eyelid and the other, double.

Week 5: Legs in the Air

Stretching and kicking, she revels in her movement.

Stars

A string of sparkles
Shimmers with the weight of years
Burdened by regret.

Tiny Clippers for Tiny Fingers

Dad's contribution while she sleeps. The clipper came with a magnifying glass. Dad just could not resist the gadget.

The Golden Compass

I'm a great fan of Philip Pullman's work, especially His Dark Materials trilogy. His is one of the most complex and layered fantasies there is for young adults. When I was reading The Golden Compass a few years back, I never imagined they would make it into a movie.

It just goes to show how limited my imagination is. The movie will be out later this year.

I visited the website and found my own daemon.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Philotheus:

Counting sheep...

Taking a closer look, originally uploaded by Ashkarya.

My point of view, especially after she feeds.

Father & Daughter

Here's dad trying to breathe in as much of Sophia as possible before he leaves for work.

Week 2: Someone stole my mojo

...and crying, originally uploaded by Ashkarya.

Exercising her lungs and facial muscles...

One week later...

Screaming her lungs out, originally uploaded by Ashkarya.

The nurses in the peadiatric ward took this polaroid of Sophia for easy reference. She was admitted for a high level of jaundice. Her parental units schlepped back and forth to nurse her and to send her nightly supply of EBM (expressed breast milk). Total nights of stay: 3.

New Addition

New Addition, originally uploaded by Ashkarya.

Sophia Meiyin
DOB: 16 July 2007
Weight: 2.95kg
The reason I've been MIA.
This polaroid was fresh after her entry into the world.