Jul 31
How to move house
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Et Cetera | icon4 07 31st, 2006| icon310 Comments »

A lot of mommies asked bout the blog migration after I’ve moved to the new site. I’m writing my experience here to share in case anyone decides to migrate their blog too :).

As you notice, the site is not under any FOC hosting (e.g. blogger, wordpress), so it’s a paid site, like what Michelle has too. I paid RM135 for a year subscription. This includes domain name (xxx.net) for RM35 and the disk space (10GB) for RM100. The difference within FOC and paid is paid you can do more things with the amount of space given. Like for Michelle, she host a forum as well. As for me, I host my own photos website, as well as jewelry website (yet to come).

OK, once registered & paid you can start setting up your website. To setup the blog, you need a blogging tool (e.g. wordpress, movable type). I chose wordpress cause everyone says easy to use mah. So you download the wordpress, then follow the instructions to install it to your website. While setting up wordpress, you will need to setup a database for your blog to be connected to. The database serves as storage of all your blog postings (if I’m right).

Once this is done, login to the wordpress with the user & pwd given. Then you can start blogging lorr!! If you want to migrate from blogger, there’s an import button. This is where you can migrate from blogger to wordpress. Take note, during migration:

  1. make sure internet connection very stable, or else some post will LOST IN SPACE and you have to reimport again!!
  2. some of the format will go hairwire
  3. photos that are posted will remain on blogger site, it will not import and store onto your own diskspace
  4. i heard that videos on utube will go missing? not very sure since I never post videos :)

After migrating, I checked all the post, YES ALL (200+) to relink the photos to my own hosting site and also make sure formatting correct. This took me a while since there are so many post :(. And not sure why, some 10-20 post got corrupted!!! No matter how many times i reformat it, it still out of alignment, so end up I copy it out to notepad, then delete it, recreate a new one and paste it back. Then it works…weird!!

Once everything is up, then you can select a template you want to use. There are alot of free templates around, go get a nice one ;). Copy those template files into your diskspace as well, then you will be able to see it at the Wordpress admin page.

So it’s like that lorr..it’s quite easy, just need some setup initially and tidying up the posts after migration. I hate the tidy up part..really takes up a lot time. My advise, if you don’t have a lot of post and wants to migrate it’s good. If you have a lot post and wants to migrate as well, be prepared for tidying up :).

Photo Pages

As for the photo pages, it’s even easier. I used this software called Porta. All you need to do is to copy all the photos you want to post in the web into a folder. Then launch the Porta software, select the folder where your photos are and the software will generate the page for you automatically. Once completed, copy the album into your diskspace and it’s done ;).

Jul 25
New headache
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Et Cetera | icon4 07 25th, 2006| icon316 Comments »

Pheww…after spending more than 3 hours today, I’ve finally fixed the website. But there are still quite a number of post having problem which caused the distorted alignment of this website. Hopefully will have time to fix it tomorrow.

Welcome welcome everyone to the new website. I decide to migrate and host my own because:

1. Blogger been giving me tonnes of problem

2. I can learn more things

3. I can design my page (not that I did - I only design the top banner, nice eh hahaha)

4. I can also host my own photo website (yet to come)

5. I can also host my own jewelry making website (also yet to come)

Lets hope I finish fixing this website pretty soon.

Elsewhere, everything is fine. Gonna start work in 2 weeks time :(.

Jul 18
Growing Up
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Faythe, Scrapbooking | icon4 07 18th, 2006| icon38 Comments »

Whenever Faythe is @ home, it’s very likely she turns the house into a warzone. Her toys are all over her play area. At times when we are bored with the normal toys, she will sometimes get *real life* toys to amaze herself with. Lately, she likes to play with shoes. I think it’s because she wants to get out of the house but Mommy is so lazy to go out.

Jul 14
2nd time labour
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Jazzmint, Motherhood, Vyktore | icon4 07 14th, 2006| icon317 Comments »

We chose to admit to hospital for induce on the 8th of June. That night, Daddy was working for the last day of the week. He’s on night flight so MIL drop me off at DSH after dinner. I happily went into the hospital, emergency ward. Showed them the letter and got myself admitted.

845pm
Check-in to room 202…wow I got window view, I just love it. And it’s facing the main road, I can see pizza hut TTDI from the room kekeke….

915pm
Nurse came in and ask for some details…I told her I need to be induced as instructed by gynae.

930pm
Nurse came in again with the heartbeat machine…put that on to the tummy and I could hear horse galloping sound :P

945pm
Daddy called, but the line is pretty bad so we only managed to SMS each other. I gave him the room number, he told me he has one more flight then he’ll be back to KL. Will come to hosp once he arrives

1015pm
Nurse came in and say *Let’s induce*. She put on her gloves, insert the pill (suppose to help serviks to dilate), and there I was lying down on the bed ever so relax. I was too confident that it’s gonna be the same like before. *Nothing happen, slept thru the nite, bla bla bla*. But all hell breaks loose in the next 30mins!!!

1045pm
Hmm…I begin to feel mild contraction. TV was on, I’m waiting for the World Cup Opening Ceremony and German vs Costa Rica.

1100pm
Titttt….I pressed the HELP button and the nurse came. Told her I begin to felt contraction…aiyo, apa ni, so fast kick in liao, I still want to watch my football lehh…

1115pm
The contraction gets more intense…I was pretty sleepy by then. Half awake, half watching football and half feeling the contraction.

*I actually told my boy, don’t come out so fast ehh…wait for Daddy, he’s on his way here*

1200am
Daddy called, he just landed and now on the way to KL Sentral. I told him you better be quick, I got contraction since a while ago.

130am
The contraction is getting bad, it’s now last longer but the interval is like what, every 30minutes. I called Daddy, he just arrived home. I assured him I’m alright, he can take his shower and have his dinner.

200am
Daddy came to the hospital, I was asleep when he came into the room. He asked how am I. I told him, got contraction off n on but so far still OK. We talked a bit bout the German Costa Rica game.

230am
Daddy left the room, went out to take his dinner (or maybe early morning breakfast). I’m half asleep, half contracting. Can’t really sleep properly.

300am
Was awaken by the Ecuador Poland match. Watch a bit while still feeling contraction. My eyes could barely open. Everytime when there’s a goal, I’ll wake up to watch the replay..then I fall asleep, in between I feel contractions.

400am
The contraction was getting more intense. Nurse came in after I beep them. Checked the serviks, only 2cm dilated!! My goshh…when is this gonna be over mann…Daddy came back from his dinner. We finished watching the Ecuador match.
Nurse came to check how am I doing and gave me the painkiller jab, it did ease the pain a bit, but still feel contraction.

500am
I could feel the contraction is getting from bad to worse. Suddenly I had the urge to take epidural. But I told myself, wait first. I totally forget bout breathing technique *slap forehead*. I went to the toilet hoping to ease some bowels, but nothing happen. I still can’t feel like going to beranak. But I told the nurse lets take the enema now and get ready to go labour room

515am
Enema taken, went to toilet and completed the big biz of the day. Came out, I could barely walk, not because of the biz but the contraction was getting closer and I could feel as though something gonna drop off from the bottom there!!

530am
Wheelchair came in. By this time, my pain was coming like every 5-10minutes. I dare not get off the bed. So waited for the pain to go off, then quickly hop on to the wheelchair. And we head towards the labour room. I was shivering, so cold lahhh…
Reached the labour room, again, I waited for the pain to go off, then quickly climb onto the bed. The nurse strapped on the heartbeat monitor.

Contraction was getting closer. I didn’t time it cause sudah kelam kabut. Daddy tok my watch and time for me. He told me it’s every 5 mins.

600am
As the contraction comes closer n closer every minute, the pain got worse. I totally forgot bout breathing in and out STILL *slap forehead* until the nurse told me, breath in, breath out…so I did a series of that. Then start to inhale and exhale laughing gas. I start to curse..where the hell is the gynae..faster come lahh…aiyoo..
I was gripping Daddy’s hand so tight that he screamed cause my finger nails was long kakaka….after that he let go of my hand and I gripped the bedside bars. Pandai lah him…

630am
Gynae finally arrived. As usual, he’s ever so calm. I can’t remember what he says after this as the pain was getting really horrifying. All I could remember is he snip the bottom (after jabbing me).

645am
Whoaa..I screamed so loud. I was in excruciating pain, now I remember the pain that I had 1.5 years ago. The gynae said *hey you are not doing any work, don’t be so lazy. The uterus already done all the work and push the baby down, you just need to push, one hard push and baby’s head gonna be out*.
Apalah…one whole night I didn’t sleep and eat and you say I’m lazy. If you are me, you see you got energy or not. Challenge me somemore.
And so, with one big push out came the head of Vyktore Hon. Phewww….there goes one big milestone. And another push…out came the body of Vyktore Hon and there he was born at the wee hours of 10th Jun 2006.

———————————————————————————————————————
After that, I was totally so relaxed…at last, this boy is really a tough fella, gave me a hard time. Now if you ask if I want another child I would say no thanks. Who says 2nd labour is always faster, totally opposite!!!The gynae clean up all the blood, I saw him taking out the placenta. It was whitish…ermm..is that all the calcium deposits..too lazy and exhausted to ask. Daddy went off the room a while they clean up the mess. Then he came in and snap photos.
The nurse showed me the baby, see ahh..boy ahh..oh ok. They wrapped him up with towel, let him suckle BM, but he doesn’t want. My only comment, wah..also alot hair eh…
They gynae continue doing his job, sewing the wound as I laid there, half falling asleep.I think it was about 730am when it’s all done. I finally head back to room 202 and Vyktore was sent to the nursery. I collapse right after that until 12pm+. Had lunch (was so hungry, sapu everything) and called Daddy whom was still asleep at home.

Jul 6
Week after week
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Vyktore | icon4 07 6th, 2006| icon320 Comments »
Vyktore is just 4 days short of his 1 month old. This lil fella sleeps most of the time, so the photos that I take are pretty boring *all the sleeping photos*. There are only a few *awake* photos. Here are some photos of him taken over the pass 3 weeks after jaundice.
photo taken after discharged from hospital
in Mommy’s arm
sleeping with whiskey
eyes wide open
chubby cheeks
another chubby cheeks
oversized *jie jie’s* pacifier for Vyktore
Jul 5
1 + 1 = 0
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Household | icon4 07 5th, 2006| icon312 Comments »
4 days ago, when we were *washing* our eyes watching the arowana swim, we spotted something in the aquarium. Then we took a closer look to see what’s in there….Holy cow!!! Fish laid eggs. I almost terpengsan (because of joy) when Daddy confirm it’s fish eggs.
So happen we bought a pair of parrot fish to accompany the new arowana, and so happen it’s a female & male, and so happen that the water and environment in the tank must be so good that they were able to mate and lay eggs.
Daddy mentioned, no wander last few days saw one of the fish’s stomach a bit buncit. I saw the Mommy fish guarding the eggs, didn’t allow the Daddy to go near the eggs. When the Daddy fish tries to swim near, she will chase him away. Very fierce. Reminds me of how we protect our newborn and take good care of them (of course not protecting them from daddy though :P).
We were very worried that the baby fishes might be eaten up by the Daddy & Arowana once they hatch, so we put some vitagen bottles for them to hide.
But today when we check on them….it’s sad to say that most of the eggs turn into mould and some of the shells has broken. Daddy says they can’t survive. Poor thing, I’m so sad. I thought we will be able to see some baby fishes, at least a few out of the hundreds. This is the first time we have fish lay eggs in our house since we started raring fishes 3 yrs ago.
R.I.P. all you baby fishes
Jul 4
Cs, Bs, Ms & …
icon1 jazzmint | icon2 Faythe | icon4 07 4th, 2006| icon316 Comments »
Since I started confinement, I’ve been able to spend most of the time with Faythe. Except when MIL takes her over to her house. I realise that at the age of 17 months, she learns things very fast. She’s definitely a late talker (unlike Zara), she only started talking or rather babble a few words whenever she’s in *da mood*, rest of the time she just doesn’t bother to open her mouthful of gold. Since I spend more time with her, I also get to talk to her more, which I find out that after repeating the word a few times, she can now speak more words and I can definitely understand more now. Of all the words, I notice most of it begins with C, B or M. Here are some words that I’ve captured the pass 3 weeks (not exact pronounciation, but at least I can decode it :P):C
Car (when she sees car, she will point & say car)
Cut (she took the nail clipper and pretend to cut my nails and repeated say cut)
Card (when she sees cards on the table, she will grab them and say card)
Ching (refers to the *dacing*, I was wearing BN t-shirt with the dacing sign and tought her ching (in cantonese))
Cer (means cheers - yum seng. She will take a cup, give one to maid and toast with her)B
Bag (refers to any bag that she comes along)
Back (behind her, or behind mommy)
Bus (refers to his toy bus)
Bam (refers to the Avent Pump, she says that when she sees me pump milk)
Bear (refers to her bear or any bear she sees on our shirt)
Button (refers to buttons on our shirt)
Boh (means no more in hokkien)

M
Mak (one day Daddy’s friend, Mark, came to our house, we kept calling his name, then suddenly she just said the word, amazed us and we started laughing cause she repeated it like more than 10times)
Man (refers to postman)
Milk (refers to the milk she drinks)
Ma (dunno she refer to me, or grandma or whatever)
Mo (for motorbike)

G
Got (means have, she will nod her head and say got got at the same time)

N
Nen nen (refers to Vyktore’s milk, only Vyktore’s. Her milk is call milk)

P
per (refers to diaper)
pokok (trees that she sees in the magazine)
po (refers to po-po *grandma* - the CL)

T
ter (she calls Vyktore ter - she woke up in the morning just kept saying ter)

Other than the words above, sometimes she will say some sounds. Funny though, she only say it in front of me. When Daddy or MIL ask her, she doesn’t say.Here’s the usual conversation:

Mommy: Faythe, snake how
Faythe: ssssss
Mommy: Dog
Faythe: wou wou (sometimes just wou)
Mommy: Cat
Faythe: mau or mou (dunno why the cat sound is mou *scratch head*
Mommy: Cow
Faythe: Moo
Mommy: Pig
Faythe: nyoi nyoi (Mommy thought her oink oink)
Mommy: Frog
Faythe: ke ke (MIL’s house has this artificial frog sound that mades ke - ke sound when someone walks pass, she picked it up fr there)

I am glad that the confinement came right in time where I can spend more time talking to her and capture all these *first words*

Jul 1

It’s 3rd week of confinement…1 more week to go…yippie!!! Overall, I’m feeling better this confinement compared to the previous one, which I was dreading for it to over. Lets see how’s the progress for the pass 3 weeks

Bathing
Previously, I bought herbs from Amway to bath, it wasn’t really effective…probably didn’t prepare the herbs properly. This time round, we bought *pre-packed dai foong ngai* for bathing. We also alternate that with ginger skin & lemon grass.

Washing hair
Previously, I will wash my hair every 4-5 days cause it was soo hot I couldn’t stand it. Moreover I had short hair (which really makes thing worse). This time round, I was my hair every 6-7 days since I have long hair, I can tie it up and just live with it. My verdict: Better have long hair than short hair during confinement

Ginger food
Previously, I had ginger chicken cooked with wine for 20days. Yes!! 20 days non stop!!! That was madness. This time round, I only had it for the 1st week, and subsequently a few times over the pass 2 weeks as Vyktore was admitted to hosp for jaundice and nurse request to stop ginger.

Confinement food
Previously, the CL cooking was pretty boring. She always ask me what to cook!! Duhh!! Like that might as well I cook lah. This time round, the CL is pretty creative. I can say everyday got something different, even got noodles, lou shu fun & cantonese fried yee meen…

Breastfeeding
Previously, I was pretty blur with breastfeeding, it was occasional pumping & sucking, but no schedule. At night Faythe was most of the time on Formula. This time with Vyktore, so far I manage to fully breastfeed him except for the night he was admitted to hosp (didn’t have the EBM then). I’ve also manage to build up some EBM, so at night he’s on bottled EBM, day time direct. Hope breastfeeding can still continue after this.

Weight Lost
Previously, I gained 20kg, lost about 12kg during confinement. This time I gained 10kg, lost 7.5kg so far. I would say weight loosing is better, but I still have some to loose over the months though :(.

Going out
Previously, I waited until 20 days then went out for lunch @ TGIF with Daddy :P. This time, I went out when Vyktore had jaundice, and initially went out once to send CL to market to buy groceries.

Confinement Lady
The 1st confinement lady was really… (no further comments). This confinement lady, I would say she’s 85% to the perfect one, except for only 1 thing, she’s not 100% BF supporter. She kept telling me that at night should supplement with formula. Guess it’s for ease of her job, so that baby can sleep longer. Although I had a tin of formula in the cabinet, I hid it from her and told her I don’t have any…kekekke…I co-sleep with her and baby for 2 weeks so that I can feed him @ night while I express extra over the pass 2 weeks. Since beginning of this week, Vyktore is on bottle EBM @ night. That’s good news cause we know how much he takes and he does sleep longer. Mommy also gets to sleep more. I will wake up about 3am each night to express the milk (best time to express, can get 4oz). Also curi watch a bit of football before head back to sleep.

Blogging & Others
Previously, had a lot free time, so practically blog & chat almost every other day. Now with 2 fellas around, I have less chance to blog and can only chat a short while. Most of my time I spend on feeding or expressing milk. Other times would be sleeping or play with Faythe.