Babies' Grandpa met an accident

Dad celebrated his 69th birthday on Sunday at Paradise Inn Bedok Point. We had a great dinner and everyone took turns to carry the babies.

Both of them behaved really well and we managed to enjoy the dinner. Just like to wish Dad a very Happy Birthday and that he will stay healthy to see the babies grow bigger and stronger.

But on the following morning, Mum called on my hp to tell me that Dad was hit by a motorised bicycle and ambulance was activated. It was a hit and run incident. I immediately drove over to Dad's place to look for him only to know that the ambulance had already sent him to Changi General Hospital.
I was pretty worried about Dad and wonder how serious his condition was. I remembered my birthday wish for him that Joshua and Josiah shall play with Dad when they get bigger.

Fortunately the accident wasn't serious but he had quite a fair bit of abrasion on his left leg. As his skin is thin and with his diabetic condition, I think his recovery will take quite a while. Both Mum and Dad is still able to drop by my place to help or else we will be in deep trouble especially when Felin is to go back work next week...

I really have to thank God for protecting my family and I know I have to trust him more on every thing and everyday.

Problem with the babies lately

Since last Friday, we were really unable to explain why Joshua kept crying excessively especially during the night. His crying can last nearly half an hour and its really non stop and very loud. The funny part is that he can be very happy the moment just before the crying starts.

We were thinking if he is starting to teeth or we had made him too excited in the evening. We tried not talking to him during the night but he will still cry so much. We were puzzled and hope this excessive crying will stop soon. We were pretty frustrated and worried at the same time.

We were also wondering why Josiah's appetite reduced quite a fair bit lately. He used to drink 130ml without problem but nowadays will stop at 70ml and need another hour or so to complete the other 60ml. His total intake also reduced to about 700ml compared to his usual 800ml. He is also rejecting latching now and is quite cranky when it comes to drinking. Hope this will stop for him too. Felin is going back to work next week and we cannot afford more problems to arise at this stage.

Its all the Breast Pump fault!!!

It was about 12 midnight, 23rd April, when Felin started her usual express session after feeding both babies. The expressing barely started for 10 minutes and the pump stopped because of low battery.

Felin took the adaptor and started charging the breast pump. As it was charging, we started to talk about our expenses and how we should manage our finances in the future. I also presented on what Whole Life insurance we should get for our babies. The discussion took nearly 30 minutes and we thought the pump should be quite ready to be used again and to our horror, the pump is still showing no battery and cannot be switched on even when the pump is in the process of charging.

We were quite panicky because this seldom happens and we were worried if the pump was spoilt. We waited patiently for another 20 minutes and the same error symbol were shown on the pump, We knew that Felin is in trouble because her breast is full and the engorgement is being felt on her left side. We quickly woke Joshua up for a feed but as his feeding time is still not up, he refuses to latch. We then work Josiah up for the same reason and he rejected altogether as well. Felin tried to hand express but it was too slow and painful. Felin was really in pain for the night and kept grabbing the babies for feed. The worst thing is that they refuses to latch even its time for feed. It was one of the unlucky day for Felin.

I fell asleep at 4am when Felin tried to latch Josiah and woke up at 7:15am and Felin told me that the Mandela service centre opens at 8:30am. I quickly got myself changed and drove to Toh Guan straight. The traffic was bad as usual at PIE during peak office hour and I reached the place nearly an hour later.

The technicians tested nothing wrong with the machine and changed a new battery for me. I left after that. When I reached home and tried charging the machine again, to my horror, the same error symbol appeared on the machine once again. I told Felin that it was alright at the service centre and I have no idea what happened. I then remembered that I only passed the breast pump to be inspected, I did not expect the problem lies with the adaptor used to charge the pump. Naturally Felin blamed me that I should have passed the machine with the adaptor for the Technicians to inspect. I was really sad as I need to travel all the way down again and not forgetting that I had cancelled my morning appointment.

Just as I was getting ready to get out of the house, Felin came to me and told me that the machine is now okay. I was really puzzled on how could this be possible and she explained that she had used the air humidifier adaptor to charge the breastpump and thats why it failed to charge. Our domestic helper had arranged the adaptors so well that Felin used the wrong one.

I was relieved that I need not go Toh Guan another time and we just laughed over this incident. The one who suffer most was Felin who have to endured the engorgement pain through the night. I was really drained and still need to continue my work in office...

SuperMom Carnival 2015

We brought the babies to the SuperMom Carnival on Sunday. It was held at the floating platform and the backdrop was beautiful place with the city and Marina Bay Sand right behind. It is the first time that we bring both babies out for a long trip out of home.

We reached the place at about 5pm after a hard time finding our way from Marina Square due to some renovation works there. We need to carry the prams up and down in rather uncomfortable environment. Right after we reached, the babies started crying for milk and we scrambled to get the milk ready.

While the ladies are feeding, I took some pictures of the floating platform.

After feeding, we looked for place to rest while we planned to look around at the stalls. But just as we are settling down, we heard the MC asking us to move forward for the baby massage session where they want to gather as many parents as possible to break record on the most babies being massaged at the same time.

 

I will say that it was really fun with the baby massage and the babies really slept right after the massage session. We were in the limelight for a while because the doctor saw that we have twins and announced on stage when the SuperMom photographers started to come over to shoot us.

 

During the 3 hours on the floating platform, a lot of time are spent latching the babies, checking the diapers and waiting for each babies to finish milk when they don't seems very keen, etc... We also chanced to meet Bernard and his wife Charlotte there and we chit chatted for a while there too.



 

 

 

We departed from the place at about 8:30pm after dinner and listening to the last talk about "How to be a good Father." by the Dads For Life Movement. We took the Esplanade route back to Marina Square and it proved to be a wrong choice because there was a lot of escalators and even steps where we need to carry the pram separately. Fortunately, our domestic helper Ann was quite strong and helped carry quite a lot of items for us. The journey was pretty long and certainly tiring.

 

We eventually reached home about 10:30pm and we unpack all the things, gave the babies their last feed and I simply knocked out to bed immediately at 12am...

 

What a tiring but memorable first trip out of home with both babies.

The 3 most common questions people will ask when they saw my twins

1. Do your family have any history of twins?
Most people heard that twins run in the family line but its only half truth.
Of the factors that influence multiple birth, there is only one that could be identified as genetic or explained by family history: hyper ovulation.
Hyper ovulation is the tendency to release multiple eggs during ovulation, increasing the chances of conceiving dizygotic (or fraternal) twins. So, in families where the women have a gene for hyperovulation, genetics would sufficiently explain an increased presence of fraternal twins.

2. Are they Identical?
There is no established connection between genetics and monozygotic (identical) twinning. Scientists haven't really identified and confirmed a clear cause for monozygotic twinning, which occurs when a fertilized egg splits and develops into two (or more) embryos. In short, identical twins don't run in families. The splitting of a fertilized egg seems to happen at random. A woman who is an identical twin is no more likely to give birth to twins than anyone else

3. Are they Natural?
In the last ten years, a large number of twin and multiple births can be attributed to fertility treatments: fertility drugs and invitro procedures. They can be simply taking Clomid, going through an IUI or and IVF.
* One very big misconception by most people is the assumption that all these treatments will result in a very high percentage of pregnancy success. Little do they realise that even treatment like IUI only offer success of about 6% and IVF about 25% even for the not too old.

So how do I answer them?
1. Do your family have any history of twins?
I will take a deep breath and explain in my own version...
About 2-3% of births result in twins of which they can be Fraternal or Identical. Fraternal twins means 2 eggs, 2 waterbag and Identical twins means 1 egg split into 2 and in 1 waterbag. Identical Twins are purely by luck but fraternal can possibility be due to genes though many a time are not because of that.

Then the next question will surely follow:
2. Are they Identical?
I will say that they are fraternal. They look different.

Some will try push through and ask the final question...
3. Are they Natural or you went for... Ehh... some treatment
Do they look natural or plastic? To me, they are real...

To be very honest... I don't like to answer all these questions but most people will still ask... I probably will in the past too and hence I don't blame them.

The patient and caring Grandparents

Every afternoon during weekdays, my parents will come over to my place to help taking care of the babies. Both of them will sit on the sofa and patiently rock the babies to sleep. If they are awake, they will talk the babies to sleep. Sometimes, they will fall asleep on the Sofa themselves.
They will normally leave around 7pm. Their presence really helps a lot as our domestic helper can concentrate on the household chore and Felin can express her milk in peace and to rest during that few hours.

I will say that my parents are not having an easy job because the babies do not nap for long during day-time and are awake or half awake most of the time. They will demand attention whenever they are awake. During weekends, when I take care of them, I normally will surrender and fall asleep in the midst. I don't think I'm that patient like them.

I just have to thank both of them for their enthusiasm and patience. I asked mum yesterday if she feel bored just sitting and rocking the babies everyday and she replied that time flies when she sit there.

When Felin goes back to work in May, they may need to come over as early as 8am everyday and its a long 12 hours shift before Felin returns at 7pm earliest. Hope it will not be too tough on them by then.

 

Joshua, Josiah, please remember how your Ah Gong and Ah Ma dotes on both of you when you grow up. Okay?... Both of you are really fortunately to be cared by them...

Went strolling with the babies

Yesterday was my first time bringing the babies out for a walk alone. Yesterday was Josiah and today was Joshua.

The air was cool and windy. The babies seem to enjoy the breeze, the sun and the sound of water from the swimming pool. We sat under the trees by the poolside as I sang songs after songs to them. I carried them around the compound and showed them all the leaves, flowers and everything we see. I taught them the importance of leaves and flowers and why the sky is bright during morning, etc... I just kept talking though I knew perfectly that they have no idea what I'm talking about.

We played by the playground and I jumped up and down the bench which they seemed to enjoy. I supposed that they are boys after-all and are not fearful of the jumps I made.

They don't cry while I'm downstairs and they to enjoy those 15 minutes walk. I also enjoyed the short stroll with them and was reluctant to leave the house before I went to work during morning. They are simply so adorable, especially when they respond to my endless speeches.

First time to Church and to Shopping Centre

Felin and I achieved a milestone today.Its our first time bringing the babies to Church and to shop.

Its Easter today and 2nd service starts at 1pm instead of the usual 11:30am. 1pm is a very nice timing where the babies would have their shower and they usually do not sleep during this timing. We hence decided to bring them for service.

We reached the church early and thank God that we found a parking lot in the church building. Today, we worshipped outside the worship centre together with a few parents with babies like us. We worried that our babies will cry inside the worship centre. We had a good session and Pastor Tony came blessed our babies and gave me advice that I should speak good unto my babies and not negativities to them. He reiterate that my role as a Father is a very important one.

Many Church members including my Cell members came to meet us outside the worship centres and played with the babies after service. They claimed that Josiah said "Hello" to them. I was amazed to hear that indeed. Joshua and Josiah are pretty chatty nowadays and kept "ee ee" "aa aa" or "oooo..." whenever we talked to them. They are getting quite fun at this 2.5 months stage.

We went back home, fed them, try coaxing them to bed with little success and Felin trying to express that last 10ml of milk with much effort while I carry the babies around until we were actually quite exhausted and I nearly fell asleep while rocking Josiah. We were undecisive whether to go Tampines Kiddy Palace to buy clothes for the babies.

We finally decided at 6:20pm to leave the house and drove straight to Tampines Mall. We quickly purchased whatever we need at Kiddy Palace and its time for the babies to drink. We crawled our way through the thick crowd to Tampines Mall MacDonalds and found a place to feed babies. As for myself, I walked quickly to Tampines One to buy our Favourite Sushi at Sushi express for Dinner Takeaway. When I was back at MacDonalds, Felin told me she needed to change diapers for Josiah.
I requested that we go home to change instead and she agreed. We were like racing against time just to bring the babies out. We were out just slightly over 2 hours.

When we were back, we scrambled to feed, latched, change diapers and coax the baby again until we managed to have dinner at 10pm. They seems to be quite hyper after a day out.

What a tiring day but we were happy that we achieved bringing the babies out today.

Daddy caught a flu and Mummy in trouble

I felt a sore on my throat on Sunday morning and a runny nose started to occur in the evening. I quickly took 2 pills of flu Panadol and some throat and cough medication which Felin got from doctor few months ago, hoping that my flu will not go full blown. I got so drowsy after taking the medicine that I fell asleep shortly after watching Mr Lee's Funeral on TV. I was very tired but I remembered Felin waking me up to tell me something. I said okay and just fell straight back to sleep. At 8pm, Felin was very angry with me and asked me why I haven't start cooking. OMG!!! I seems to be the lazy father who are not helping with the chores.

After dinner, I was totally banned to sleep in my room and to touch the babies. Felin was very careful, fearing that I will spread the virus to her and the Babies. Josiah has not fully recovered from his flu since last Wednesday and now its my turn. She was afraid that Joshua or herself may fall sick too. I was constantly reminded to sanitize my hands before touching anything that she may touch.

My 10pm to 3am shift were hence transferred to Felin and the domestic helper. Upon reaching home, I can only sit in the Living room or to check my emails in my study room. I just need to stay away from the babies. Felin took care of the sick Josiah exclusively and the helper took care of Joshua. Both of them were really tired with my absence and Felin told me that I must recover asap. I was quite worried about my recovery and it pains me to see my poor Felin who fell asleep while pacifying Josiah on Wednesday night.

Thank God that I'm finally recovered today and I started playing with my babies this morning. I really missed them so much and the babies seems to be talking a lot to me via their baby language. Hope none of us will fall sick again at this stage or else trouble will brew again.