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kids inc

Anyone knows how to cure Bag Lady Odor?

September 3, 2009

It’s not for me, obviously, because I smell wonderful all the time. But seriously, I need a cure for a severe case of bag lady odor. And I need more constructive comments than moth balls and talcum powder.

See, it’s actually for my baby girl. My beautiful baby girl, whom I love to bits. Who also smells like a bag lady every morning. And not just any ordinary bag lady but the kind that has been living in an attic for the past 25 years surviving solely on the fungi she grew in her armpits. Yeah, *that* kinda bag lady.

It’s bizarre, really. Every night she goes to bed all clean and smelling like rainbows and strawberries. Then 7 hours in her cot (in an air-conditioned room, mind you), she wakes up and… BAG LADY. It’s not even the smell of body odor after a vigorous workout, which would be perfectly normal seeing how she squirms and grunts all night. But it’s the unmistakable smell of an 85-year-old lady who’s lived in an attic. I kid you not.

I suppose it’s not a big deal because it does go away after a shower, but for a little lady, that’s just not cool. I mean, ok, if it’s just a phase that goes away after a while, that’s fine and Mama can find a way to not pass out while picking her up in the morning. But what if it never goes away and even when she’s 25, she still has to rush to the toilet every morning to ward off the bag lady odor. I feel for the dude who becomes my son-in-law and wakes up on their honeymoon to his grand-aunt Ingrid.

I tried googling it, but nobody seems to have that problem, so I guess I’m all on my own here. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Oh wait, Kirsten, if you’re reading this and wondering why no boy is asking you out, Mommy tried her best and it’s just incurable. The best shot you got is hoping that these nice people will find a way to make the smell disappear.

by Daphne

kids inc

Mommy, baby me too

September 1, 2009

One of the biggest ironies in life is that babies spend all that time trying to grow up but once they do, they want to go right back to becoming a baby again. Tru’s in one of his baby-me phases where he’s trying to relive his days of infancy. Seeing how Kirsten is having such a blast with all his old toys, he’s decided to chuck all his big-boy toys and go back to becoming a baby. Except that he’s way too big to fit and ends up looking like a giant who’s destroying them.

My legs are so long I've got to curl them up

Baby toys are so fun

Why is it called a mobile when its stationary?

But I figured it was probably just a cry for attention so today I babied him and put him on my lap and fussed over him and smothered him with kisses. 15 minutes later, his desire for mischief kicked in and he decided being a baby was way overrated. So he got up, yanked off the apron strings, climbed into his big-boy car and waved me goodbye.

Which is just the way I like it.

Bye mom, gotta run

by Daphne

kids inc

The prettiest girl in the world

August 24, 2009

See those deep soulful eyes

At 6 weeks, Kirsten is turning out to be a real looker. Even though she’s still an exact replica of her brother, her features are somehow softer and more girly. She’s got this coy smile that looks all Audrey Hepburn and it’s all in the eyes, I think. Tru has this glint in his eye like he’s up to no good all the time, but baby girl, her eyes are deep and soulful. And she has this way of looking at you that makes you want to melt.

It’s amazing how her features are changing everyday and at the rate she’s going, I’m going to have to beat off boys with a stick by the time she turns 18. Rather, her dad will be the one doing the beating. I’ll just point and laugh.

Now I know why my dad looked so stern when I brought the husband back the first time (He actually panicked and started stammering). Fathers will always be protective of their baby girls, and it’s their job to put the fear of God into the dudes who may be harboring carnal thoughts towards them. I can just see it. Flash forward 18 years.

Husband: So, young man, what are your intentions towards my daughter? While we’re at it, how many ex-girlfriends have you got and how many of them want you dead?

Random dude with the hots for Kirsten: I..I..I..

Husband: Speak up and stop stammering! If you break her heart, I’ll break your legs… with this stick right here.

Ideally, this will send him scurrying for the hills.

Unless of course, Kirsten ends up liking the boy. In which case, she’ll have her way because she’s got her daddy wound tightly around her little finger.

by Daphne

kids inc

Eeny Meeny Miny Moe

August 7, 2009

Guess who..mommy is going to pick?

One of the downsides to having 2 kids so close together is that my boy is forced to grow up a lot faster than he would otherwise have to. At 14 months, he’s still very much a baby, but with the arrival of an even smaller baby, the contrast makes him seem like a giant of a child. I often find myself thinking that he’s a big boy, then I stop myself short and remember that he’s just barely made it into the stage of toddlerhood.

To be honest, if things were a little different and I didn’t have Kirsten around, I’d still be babying him till he was 12. But with 2 kids, he’s just gotta learn to deal. We all do.

Only thing is, while he’s been amazing these past weeks in making room for his little sister and having to play by himself and coming to terms with the fact that Mommy’s not all his anymore, there are days where I can tell he’s struggling to adjust. And it shows up in different ways. One day he’s clingy and needy and stuck to my hip and another day he’s refusing to let me carry him. Also, after months of sleeping on his own without fussing, he screams bloody murder every time I try to put him to bed. I need to hold him and snuggle for a good hour before he’ll be contented enough to drift off to sleep.

That’s the dilemma though. On any given day, both kids will be demanding for Mommy AT THE SAME TIME and God forbid they have to wait a fraction of a second for me to magically appear. Much as that is a boost to my ego (I’m hot property), it breaks my heart to have to decide who’s turn it is to get me first. At first I was all like “of course I have to attend to the smaller one first since she’s a baby and all”, then I realize that they are both still babies and it’s not really fair for Tru to have to wait all the time. In fact, Kirsten is probably too small for a little bit of crying to do any permanent damage, but Tru’s at an age where he might actually remember that Mommy wasn’t there for him because she was too busy taking care of his baby sister.

So I’ve kinda developed a system to assuage the guilt. Kirsten gets first dibs if she’s hungry (which happens like MOST OF THE TIME and you don’t want to mess with her when she’s hungry) and all other times, I’ll attend to Tru first. When I’m particularly insane ambitious, I’ll try to tackle both at the same time. Although there’s that one time where I hid under the kitchen sink until they both stopped crying and fell back asleep.

I’m totally kidding. About the kids falling back asleep part. I was hiding under the sink but the screaming went on for hours. I think I must have been the one to fall asleep.

by Daphne

kids inc

Monkey see, monkey do

August 3, 2009

Tru’s at that age where he’s starting to pick up things faster than I can blink. And I don’t mean with his hands. He’s observing me and replicating everything that I do. It’s terribly cute but also scary as hell because I’ll be solely responsible for the way he turns out. Like if he picks his nose in public or gives some random kid a sucker punch in the nose, it’ll be all my fault (except that I NEVER pick my nose and I’m the most peacable soul around – I can’t even hurt an ant) Now I understand why parents are the first to get blamed when kids misbehave.

It all started out pretty harmless. When I’m doing the laundry or folding the clothes, he’ll come over and try to do the same thing, except make a bigger mess, but I’m guessing he was trying to help. Or when I’m fluffing the pillows and making the bed, I’ll see him trying to imitate me. But I didn’t give that much thought either. Until this morning.

So usually the mornings are madness these days. It’s mayhem from the time we get out of bed trying to get the kids changed and fed while the husband gets ready for work. Inevitably, there’ll be some crying because I do not have enough hands to attend to the small one when I’m changing the big one and vice versa. Sometimes, when I’m washing up, both kids will be up to some mischief. So anyway, I was brushing my teeth this morning when Kirsten woke up and started screaming for milk. Next thing I know, Tru goes up to her, points his index finger at her and says “Nonononono”.

Just a little bit of background, that’s my classic move when I’m telling Tru he can’t do something like drown himself in the pond or jump off the table Superman style. I’ll do the finger wagging and say “No no”. Apparently, he’s picked it up and doing it to his sister.

The implications are huge though. Now I have to think twice about raining curses on the next imbecile driver who almost gets me killed or when I stub my little toe on the curb. In fact, I’ll have to be on my best behavior ALL THE TIME from now on. I’ll have to eat all my spinach and peas, say please and thank you and not leave all my stuff strewn around the house. When I indulge in a tub of ice-cream, I’ll have to do it late at night or hiding in the kitchen like a fugitive. See, I’d rather not be explaining why he can’t have a tub himself.

They say having kids make all your flaws glaringly obvious. I say that’s an understatement. Having kids is like taking a loudhailer and blasting out all my imperfections at the top of my lungs while driving around the neighborhood. And then having it appear on the 6 o’clock news. Only this time, my kids are going to do it for me.

by Daphne

kids inc

Attack of the clones

July 31, 2009

I feel like a factory and my kids are like little clones coming out in exactly the same mould. Some folks have kids that take after one parent each and look as similar as carrots and peas (meaning not similar at all).

But my kids, they’re practically clones. If they were the same age they would look like identical twins.

Truett then

Kirsten now

Truett then

Kirsten now

Truett then

Kirsten now

ABy the way, this weekend is going to be an awesome weekend of firsts! We’re kicking off August with a guest post from Superdad *clap *clap* on Saturday (that’s tomorrow!) so do check back for that.

The best part of the weekend for you readers however would be the premiere of our Super Sunday Giveaway! We’ll be giving out something which I think you would like regardless of whether you’re a mommy or not.

Till tomorrow, have a great weekend!

by Daphne

kids inc

Second time’s a charm

July 30, 2009

It’s true what they say – experience counts for a lot. Being a mother a second time around, I am enjoying the process a lot more. Sure, I did some extensive research before Tru was born; gathering reading material, birthing videos, getting advice from other moms, but none of those really prepared me for the real thing. I remember during the first month postpartum, I was on the verge of breaking down countless times. I had no idea what to do with a screaming baby and motherhood was way too overwhelming. To be honest, there were days that I just wanted to run away and hide under a small rock in Disneyland. All I could think of everyday was OH GOD PLEASE LET THIS END.

Then against my better judgment, I went out and did it again. This time around, it’s been dare I say it, almost enjoyable. Thanks to the blasted hormones, the blues were inevitable, but it seems to have subsided somewhat and I feel stronger than I ever did. Even though it’s much crazier with 2 in the picture, I’m somehow managing to stay afloat and still take a gander at the scenery along the way. Granted, I swallow a few gulps of water here and there, but I ain’t drowning yet.

Like yesterday, I was expressing my milk while running after the two kids and in the process spilt an entire bottle of milk. It’s not that big a deal and it’s probably happened to many mothers but it’s the kind of thing that makes you lose it a little bit. I just stood there for half a minute trying to take deep breaths and count to ten, all the while thinking of all the expletives to describe the situation. You know like this episode of Friends, where Phoebe let out a whole string of profanities in slow mo (see below). But I looked at the kids looking at me and I let out a giant sigh, wiped up the spilt milk and carried on with my day.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68U7SAFsaEM

The point is that on any given day, my life is made up of moments. The good and the bad, sometimes happening all at once. The best thing to do is to just roll with it and not sweat the small stuff. No breast milk, there’s always formula and one feed less isn’t going to hurt. If the house is in a mess, that’s fine. The kids are screaming, they’ll get over it. Just roll with the punches.

And when you least expect it, you get a moment that makes you stop and smile and go all fuzzy inside. A moment kinda like this.

Tru kissing Kirsten. It happens about 20 times a day.

by Daphne

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