How can anyone NOT wanna pinch those cheeks?

Don't they look just pinchable, chewable, edible? They are quite quite tempting. And believe me! They are just so sweet. We just LOVE chomping on those cheeks. Daddy and I. And I find it particularly sweeter just when she's woken up... her cheeks are just so nice and warm and her breath smells really sweet! (YES! Sweet. to me anyway. No bad breath smells until the teeth comes in). I have to nibble on her and sniff her all over. Ok, before anyone gets paranoid and think we're abusing her, of course it's like sweet soft, almost non-nibble with our lips over the teeth. She loves it and giggles whenever we do it. I just adore these intimate touches I have with her. Oh and the sniffs. I love sniffing her. The smell of her especially in the morning, hmmm. Oh and fresh warm feet! Lovely. I used to love the smell of Bibou's feet in the morning too, oh but now ARRGGGHHH! She's got daddy's feet. Ai ai ai. The other day, while we were in the car, Bibou must have stepped on some mud, 'coz she was tracking something really bad on the back of our seats, so we took off her shoes. Yikes, WRONG THING TO DO. Oh mi gosh... I thought I had died. It was really bad. And it was a long long loooooooong way home too.









Seraphine's just had her monthly check-up at the doctors last week. Everything is AOK, she was given a great clean bill of health and is growing steadfastly. She's now, at 4 1/2 months, 7.4 kg (16.5 lbs) and 66 cm. Still at the top of the curve my little sumo wrestler. She's also starting to really lift her head and upper torso up very well. She can do a narrow V when she's on her back. Looks like she's ready to sit up soon! And she keeps trying and trying. She's a real determined little gal. Friends of ours also said that she looks like she's gonna be ready to walk very early. Like I'd previously mentioned, she just LOVES being on her feet when you're holding her on your lap. She'd be giggly and bouncy when she's 'standing' on your lap. Looks like she's gonna be a real handful when she's mobile. Ai yayaya. She just wants to get up and go! And something new this week, I'd noticed that she's starting to see something in front of her and then reach with her hands to grab it. Hand and eye coordination! WOW.

Mummy's back at work!

YUP! I'm finally back at work, probably really noticeable seeing I've not posted anything for more than 2 weeks! It hasn't been easy. So returning to work last Monday, and BAM! A lot fell on my plate. My boss, who’s recently been promoted to President while continueing his CFO role (and next year, if all things go well, he will be CEO), has returned to France. (so no more coming into office late and leaving early!!!) We had a chat when I came back and he told me that he’s increasing my job responsibilities. I’m now his Executive Assistant (IR responsibilities which I’m still in charge of, will be mainly handled by our IR agency). First task for me was to review a whole load of documents and prepare an executive summary for my boss and CEO, for...opps almost gave it away...for some top secret thingy LOL. And I had to complete it in 24 hours. Talk about stress! But I completed it (with some help from my super duper friend in Singapore who does this all the time), and boss was happy with it. New job is a lot and quite stressful, but I’m pleased to be able to get my brain going again. Rusty after such a long time away, only filled with breasts, pump and diapers. And it’s a lot more interesting as I’m learning new things again. After a while, the IR stuff got very boring.

What's even more stressful is the rushed routine every day, before and afer work. As it is, I have to wake up around 6.30 am every morning to get ready! I wake up, get ready, and then wake Angel up if she's not awake yet, feed her on one side and pump milk on the other side (this means that bottles etc have to be sterlized in advance). Fortunately, anything to do with Bibou is mostly handled by Daddy for the moment. We need to get everyone dressed, fed (with Angel, I have to pump while feeding her too), shoes on and out the door by 8.30 am. Evening's is just as bad as we need to get dinner into the girls, and up to bath by 8.00 pm and into bed. Have to also get our dinner ready, and by the time we eat, it's arond 9.30 pm. Then it's packing lunch for tomorrow, sterlizing all the bottles and pumps for the next day and getting everything ready to get out the door.

But all this is nothing compared to... missing my girls terribly, even while I'm busy at work! In a blink of an eye, they seem to grow up so very quickly... especially Angel. In the last 2 weeks, she's becomed even more active if possible, changing so much. She's very animated, or shall we say even more animated now. She loves to do her little 4 hands and legs octupus jiggle on her changing table. And blimey, she's even able to raise her head up high when she's on her back, like this photo shows. She loves to 'stand' (on our knees, with us support her so she doesn't loose her balance), and has been able to do so for a while now. Oh and she's getting very talkative. She gabbers on and on to herself; it is simply hilarious! She talks and talks and suddenly probably told herself a joke, 'coz she'd just burst out in sweet peals of giggles. Ah my sweet pea. She's taken to being with Giselle, the nanny very well. She takes the bottle regularly now, 2 bottles a day, 2 HUGE bottles a day. She's pretty good on schedules now. She gets sleepy around bedtime, perks up for her bath (favorite time of the day), and sleeps promtly to sleep after her last meal (breastfed). She then falls asleep for most of the night, waking up afer 7-9 hours.

Bibou is totally enjoying her school. Also, in the last few days, she's 'changed'! (Touch wood, I certainly hope I'm not 'jinxing it' by saying this out loud). I'm guessing (hoping!) that she's moved from her terrible twos stages. Previously, all she ever did, (and sometimes all day!) was moan and whine all the time. She was simply miserable to be with (and Daddy would eventually loose his temper too). I think she's adjusted, plus she's now much more able to vocalize her thoughts and wishes. What a joy it has been to be with her the past few days. Her lovely sweet natured, humorous (oh mi gosh, she loves to play pranks and make silly faces, anything to get a laugh out of us) and she still just adores her little sister. It's just been great. She's even starting to eat what I make (instead of just hot dogs and nuggets!). Makes one forget the rather miserable summer we had with her, this past July / August. I'm just hoping and praying she won't go back to moaning and whinging again!

Here's a vid of Seraphine giggling to herself.

And giggling with Daddy.