With mom in Bandungan

Yesterday was my first day sleeping in a bed I didn't get used to. It's not my crib and had no saliva smell of mine :p
Last night I was awake from midnight 'till 4 in the morning. Dada and Mom were about to sleep after chatting with Uncle Dave, but ever since I was awake, they both had to, whether they liked it or not, open their eyes widely.
I was kind of sleepy when Dada took this picture, but my new green-frog teether kept me up.

My first night away from Dada

It's painful... I have been cranky all day long... Mom has to double her patience. It appeared that Dada didn't say anything to Charlene or kiss, so she must have missed her Dada...

"Bubur susu" (Milk poridge?)

Since June 1st, (Charlene turned 4 months), she started eating milk porridge. The first time was like ship wreck. I held Charlene on a standing position as Daniel fed her. My T-shirt and her shirt were covered with the spill of the porridge. Oh boy!!
It was so cute, but by the time Daniel was about to take pictures, Charlene refuses. She was too sleepy and covered her face instead.

The second day was another new experience. Daniel had got to play tennis. I had to feed her on my own. For the first two bites, I put her on her stroller but she protested by stretching her body here-and-there, kicking hardly and lifting up her butts.
I finally moved her to her bouncing chair. She was so thrilled this time. She knew she was about to eat and happily she was kicking (a different kind of kicking, of course).
It only took her 10 minutes this time.

After wiping her lips and chin, I took her to her bed, turned the AC on, had her drunk water to clean her mouth, held her for a little while...and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.... She was sleeping until morning!!!

Roll over...Who says I can't???

Yep! I CAN roll over now, Dada n Mom ;)
It has been 2 or 3 days now. Charlene is able to roll over, but she still prefers lying on her stomach rather than her back.
Well..it's more comforting as some people and experts say.

Mom, let me hold my own bottle..I can do it!!

It was so cute. Yesterday at my parents' house, Charlene held her own bottle. My mom held the bottle at first and her hands started to join the bottle holding. Out of curiosity, I asked my mom to let her hands go....

SURPRISE!! Charlene held the bottle herself!!!

I had the picture in my cell... so cuteeeeeeeeeeeee

Bobok tengkurep sendiri aku!

Head up

Geeeeeeeeee..... DV2009!!! I am IN

What a surprisingly outstanding B-day gift from GOD!
On my B-day, I received an email notification addressed to Formulatrix, Inc. stating that I am IN the DV2009 (a.k.a. Green Card Lottery)
Hooray!!!! Rejoicing and Jumping like crazy!!!

When I was enjoying my motherhood with Charlene in my bedroom, Daniel was screaming and jumping like crazy. For sure, with BIG smile on his face, he told me that I was IN! Geeeeeeeee!!!!
Holding hand-in-hand, the three of us said grace to the LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Praise the LORD!

Sleep peacefully

I am so happy capturing this moment of her sleeping peacefully on my bed.
Look at her! What a cute little girl ;)


Thanks God for giving her to us

My baby understands!

After crying for about 30minutes, I came to her and whispered "how important it is for the three of us, Daniel, Charlene and me, to have her be an independent girl. She needs to learn to go to bed on her own instead of having me or other caregivers to hold her 'till she goes to sleep."

She understands!

A new car

After saving our money for years, thanks GOD! we are finally able to buy our own car. Of course, with the blessings of the Lord ;)

It's a used car but still decent

Discipline

I had to brave myself to see and listen to her cry. As today, the discipline worked out well. Charlene went to sleep finally after crying for about 30 minutes.
(Gotta go now.. change nappy)

Kung n Bo break the agreement

This morning Dada n Mom-mom went out for breakfast and home visit. Just before we left, Charlene was about to sleep but she peeked when mom was taking her blue jeans.
She immediately figured it out that mom was about to leave. She began cranky and asked for accompany. Though she had drunk enough, she wanted some more - wishing to keep me longer with her. Interestingly, she tried her best not to close her eyes since she knew I would leave her as soon as she closed her eyes :p What a clever little girl ;)

As we went back home, Charlene was on Bobo's embrace. Kung proudly told Mom that Charlene had been sleeping on her lap but as Bo held her, she was awake.
ARGggghhh...NO! Charlene was not supposed to be held in the morning during her sleep time.
As a result, Kung and Bo are not allowed to hold Charlene this evening (sort of punishment, I should say).
I should also be consistent with what me and my husband had agreed on ;)

Anyway, Charlene wanted to drink more, but after a few minutes, she threw the milk up.
I had to wipe her - all over her body - and finally changed her clothes, powdered her body and warmed her with the "minyak telon".
On my embrace, having me telling her that "Mom is here with you. Mom is not leaving you", within seconds, she slept ;)

Day 46

Today Mom is really in the mood of speaking English :p
Anyway, last night when Charlene went to bed, Dada n Mom-mom were having a serious discussion about how to discipline Charlene.
Lately, Mom had been really exhausted taking care of Charlene and Mom even rarely enjoyed her own time. Taking an enjoyable showering has been a privilege. Napping has ceased.
It almost seems and sounds that Mom's liberty has been robbed by Charlene :(
I know this isn't true. My liberty has NOT been robbed by my own child.

After reflecting and discussing this issue with my husband, we begin to realize that MAYBE so far I has *volunteered* giving my liberty to my own baby without realizing it. When she wants me to hold her, I answer her need by holding her 'till she goes to bed. In the middle of her sleeping, if she wakes up and demands another holding, I gives what she wants! OH boy!!!
This ends up of having me not having my own time.

We figured out that I need to be brave and strong enough to let her CRY as she doesn't get what she wants (me holding her, in this case).
I know it will be hard because deep inside my heart, it's heart-breaking to hear her crying so loud that my parents start to pity her. Usually, to evade hearing their granddaughter's cry, they go to the traditional market and/or sleep.

Anyway, today Charlene actually had slept for 30 minutes starting from 8.30 in the morning after taking a bath. However, at 9 she woke up and demanded me holding her. I refused and gave her pinky instead. Of course, consequently she cried out loud. She continued crying even after I changed her diapers, wiped her sweat. She even cried when my dad chatted with her and tried to sooth her by rocking her tiny little body. My mom finally couldn't hold herself of not holding her up. I warned her not to do that. She ended of holding Charlene for about 5 - 10 seconds, but then with the pinky inside her mouth, Charlene went to bed.

Hot, mom!!!!

Just today Charlene cried because of the hot weather. I didn't think of that first of all. I thought she was just trying to get my attention.
I let her cry for about 10 minutes. As I lifted her up to my embrace, I could see she was sweating. Poor my little girl... I am so sorry, dear....

Charlene's first angpao

Look! Here I am with my first angpao from Kung-Kung and Bo-Bo

Day 4

Charlene had been sleeping the whole day from 9.30 in the morning to 1.30 in the afternoon with no single break! After that, she had her milk time for about 30 minutes and went to bed for a second time today.
At around 5, she woke up and I fed her. I finally decided not to let her take another sleep this evening. I then got her to my mom and asked her help to keep Charlene awake at least up to 8 o'clock. For about 3 hours, Charlene (hardly) slept comfortably. Too many noises, I suppose!

At last!! Charlene had her milk at 8p.m. She stayed awake until 9.30p.m. as she fell asleep. This time, it was another long sleep of 3hours. In the middle of the night around 1.30, she woke up for her milk time. It was kinda tiring this time. She drank quite a lot, but then she threw it up. Her shirt and mine got wet, and her blanket did too. She opened her eyes widely and she barely slept for the next 1.5hours. Daniel volunteered to babysit Charlene during this time ;) which is very sweet of him. Well...I could barely sleep during those times but resting for a while helped a lot.

Luckily, at 3a.m., she felt asleep and that gave us a chance to sleep.................

At 5 in the morning (the next day, Feb 5th, 2008), Charlene woke up and she (again) couldn't sleep. She stayed awake although she had had her meal. The breast milk had been increasingly flowing. Mine even leaked and dropped though I did nothing.

Charlene Avery Kurnianto

Whew!!! PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD!!!!
After a long tiring journey of ups-and-downs contractions over contractions for more than 36 hours, finally on February 1st, 2008 at 4.48p.m. local time, CHARLENE AVERY KURNIANTO, was born through a normal delivery at Bunda Maternity Hospital in Semarang.
She was 3.25kilograms and 51centimeters ;)

We stayed in the hospital for two nights after the delivery and headed home on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 - which is, Daniel's birthday.
We stopped by at our future home-to-be :)

Charlene Avery Kurnianto

Setelah ditunggu 9 bulan... akhirnya lahir Charlene Avery Kurnianto, the great bless from GOD. She is sooooo cute......

Time : 16.48
Weight : 3.25 Kg
Length : 51 cm

So GREATTTTTTTTTTT..........!!!!

Shocking news

I am pretty surprised! My sister-in-law just got back from the hospital - having her womb's condition checked. Surprisingly, there was no opening although the water broke and she had got flex since yesterday. She then headed back home.

I begin to wonder now how about my case? I didn't feel hurt. Is it because I broke the curse of Eve? hehehe ;)