Tearful Goodbye to Nanny!

I wish someone had prepared me for the moment to say "goodbye" to Nanny.
But then again, I have a really awesome confinement nanny and just somehow we got along extremely well.

Today marked THE DAY my confinement nanny returns to KL. I've blogged previously about what an awesome nanny she is and how she is absolutely a God-sent to my husband and me.
But the day has arrived when her visa no longer permits her to stay in Singapore.

It was a tearful goodbye. Yes, you've read it correctly, a Tearful goodbye.

Nanny hugged Baby C and cries cause she misses him and cant bear to part with him.
Mummy Est cries because she cant bear for her to leave.
And Baby C cries because... well he is a baby, babies cry.
The husband called from Australia previous days and wishes he was here to bid her farewell.

We all cried because Nanny has inadvertently became a part of our family over the past 1.5 months. She is liken to an old grandmother to us, and not just a hired help. She helped us to survive the otherwise very tough first month of parenthood. We eat together, stay up late watching over Baby C together, bath Baby C together. The husband and I shopped for clothing, shoes and electronic deivces for her; she buys kueh-kueh whenever she is out and take it upon herself to cook "good food" for us. Yes, she has become an extended part of our family.

I'm grateful because Nanny took really very good care of me and baby.
I wthrough a rather tough labour followed by a bout of very bad viral infection.
So I'm gonna let the pictures do the talking (no camera tricks):

Mummy E @Week 1
(I looked "ghostly", could barely sit up straight for half hour. The husband told me later that he was worried sick)


Mumy E @Week 2.5
(some semblance of "human-ness)

Mummy E@ Week 3
(looking MUCH better.. on the road to recovery)


Mummy E@ Week 4
(looking good babe!)

My obgyn commented that I recovered really fast for someone who went through a tough labour, bad infection and put on strong medication for half a month. I must attribute it to the good nutrition (and of course prayers of loved ones). Nanny put me on a "soup" routine:

8am - Kidney and Liver soup
3pm - 泡参鸡汤
9pm －炖酒

Though I'm not a "soup" person, and many times I was forced to gulp down the bowls of soup under the watchful eye of the nanny, I must say I definitely feel stronger and more energetic after going through the soup regime.

Oh did I mention, before she left, she bought stacks of biscuits, cereals and stock up the larder. Knowing I will be alone with Baby C and worried that I wont have time to cook for myself, she stored lots of cooked food in the fridge to tide me through the week. Seriously, I'm thankful.

So from the bottom of A.C.E family, "thank you" nanny and we love you!

Confinement

Its been 4 days since I was discharged from the hospital.

Baby C had to stay a few more days as he had to undergo phototherapy for his jaundice. It really pains my heart to see him "sun-tanning" in the nursery with a dozen other crying babies, having his blood drawn every day.
Nonetheless, he has since been discharged to our care, and we are going to visit the pediatrician tomorrow for another checkup.

Anyway, I'm officially into my 30-day confinement.
Contrary to lotsa horror stories I've heard, I'm actually enjoying my confinement!
Part of it must be attributed to our confinement nanny.
We are SO SO SO blessed to have engaged a SUPERB confinement nanny from Malaysia, at the recommendation of our friend Jiaqi.

Quoting my husband, she is really GOD SENT.
Though she is 71 years old, she is such an efficient worker - Cooking, laundry, taking care of the baby. But most importantly, she loves babies, and she LOVES Christian. You know she is not here just for the $$$, because her love and concern for Christian is so genuine.. it moves my heart. I find myself "fighting" with her for Christian because she wants to personally tend to his every need, which makes me the mother rather redundant.

She wakes up at 4am every morning just to prepare food, do the laundry, prepare bathing water for me, housework etc. Adrian and I are quite worried for her health as she is getting so little sleep having to watch over Christian at night.

I find myself chasing her to take a nap in the afternoon/at night, whenever Christian is sleeping. It pains me that she is working so hard.

I really love our confinement nanny, she is such a sweet, kind old lady.

Aunty is an excellent cook too! I've been enjoying yummilicious food everyday, and so is my husband. We were joking that we are going to get fat together!!!

So if you are looking for a confinement nanny, she truly is an excellent choice :)

Some photos of the yumillicious food I've been enjoying!