A stressful week II

And so the saga continues..

I have rested for some time now in BJ, and feel slightly better today to continue.. 

Maybe it is the sunlight, maybe its cuz I have a good 5 hr sleep yesterday, at the expense of missing my pump at 5 am ($%^&@)

12 March

7am - Making the Move..

Piles of bags lying around..

Auntie and my bags to KL, Aunties' bag packed with Rui's playpen, Drypers (cuz the quality of economy diapers in China is questionable, so while we can get Mammy Poko for the nights and outings, the usual day use diapers are lacking ...), some clothes and cold wear from us and parents and parents in law..

My bag is filled with lactation supplements, 1 change of clothes, and pumps and bottles..

Rui, while going on a 2D1N trip, has like a cooler tub piled with ice and frozen BM, his bag of clothes, mittens, booties, bath time items, rocker for his day time naps, a cooler bag of freshly pumped BM, his book of feeds and poo with timings in them for Nanny's ref, and my list of cautions and notes for his G6PD condition, how to thaw BM and feed chilled BM (though nanny must know but I am taking extra pre-caution as I want to make sure the milk are served properly.. ), and a list of habits and no-no, like no 'Yaolan', not carrying for long, his noises at night which does not warrant much attention when he stretches etc..

And then we are ready to depart..

8:am - saying good bye to the Tods..

Xuan is easy enough.. hugs and kisses and he sems most happy/ oblivious..

En is a much trickier.. 

So i told him mummy is going to work, and Auntie is going home, and I will be back the next night, promising to call him from KL often.

It is a bit heart wrenching to hear him ask if I am going to China - but that I will have to deal with later..

 8:30 - 2:30 pm - Arriving in KL

So we dropped off Rui at the nanny, and checked in at the airport to fly to KL.

Interestingly, we met Michelle Chong and Adam Chen checking in behind us, and in the end, seated right behind us on Air Asia (think they are shooting an Air Asia Sponsored program), and right before getting off, we heard that they are also staying at Mid Valley Mall  - but at Bolovard hotel, the other hotel attached to the mall..

On the way and in between times slots, I pumped and throw my BM away (wastage, wastage, wastage), continue my calls with the tour agencies in both SG and MY to confirm tickets, visa etc and by the time, I arrived in KL, I was exhausted. 

But elated that things are going well, agent picked up auntie's passport, with an arrangement to meet at 530 pm the next day with an approved visa and air ticket for boarding.

For the rest of the day, I slept, pumped, ate and shopped..

Am glad we chose Mid Valley Mall, and to stay at Citatel, the mall is totally self sufficient, with baby and travel shops that meet all our needs, extensive eateries to choose from, and I even bought lactation supplements from GNC to stock up for my 1 mth in China.

And the best part is, we do not have to leave the hotel/ Mall!! Savings on time as we avoid the bad traffic jams in KL, and saving $$ on transport. Me feel so right abt the choice of stay!!

13 March

9am - 4pm

Continued the usual pump, and shop and eat routine, while making sure tickets and visas are cliche free..

5pm : Getting ready to depart

Auntie is all packed and ready for China, she picked up some bb items that China do not have or are of questionable quality and helped us bring them along. Her visa and ticket came, we paid for everything in cash, and got the nice cab uncle to pick us up to both the international airport for auntie and the domestic airport for me.. 

I am getting ready to return to SG with long list of packing items to pack for Rui and Myself to China. 

7 - 11pm

I sent auntie to KLIA to take her international flight, making sure she is checked in alright with a crew assistant to bring her to the boarding gate. I must say, in this aspect, the KLIA is efficient and great as the counter staff asked me if we require such a service before I even have to asked, when he saw that auntie is travelling alone, and I am trying to manage her documents and explained to her where the boarding gates are.

Then I hurriedly leave once auntie is in good hands to catch my domestic flight home.

By the time I arrived at Changi, I am quite exhausted, not to mention wth a day of erractic milk pumps which stressed me quite a bit mentally.

11:30 pm - Home sweet Home but dreading the leaving again.. Still have not figured out what to tell En for my long disappearance.. If he knows I go China with Rui without him, am real scared he will be upset and angry with us, since we made an earlier promise that once Rui is big enough to travel, we will bring him. Nj kept saying that we cannot tell him, as he will be heart broken... so it seems that white lie we must much as I hate it.. 

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14 march - A day of Prep and Dread

8am - 1 pm: The rapid shopping mode..

Woke up bright and early, (without much sleep actually since Rui was waking up for his feeds and was a bit cranky..) to make sure I have mentallly run thru all the missing items and have them noted down to be purchased.

Have checked on the internet that all the shops I need can be located centrally at Jurong point, so i went there early to get started for a One Stop shop.

Came back home after getting most items to prepare for the major Packing..

12pm - 3 am

I packed like crazy in between my pumps..

Interviewed a potential Philippino maid in between since this is my last day and the agent was nice enough to try and arranged it. 

And in between this episode with En ensued..

8pm: Dealing with En

For some time now, En saw me putting things in and the tonnes of clothes piled on the sofa etc since he came back from his nanny's place (we deposited him there again, so we can all cope with the madness of packing).

He asked me where I am going, and I answered with Rui's milk bottles in my hands, that I am going to work and will be away for some time.

The very astute En, looked at the bottles in my hand, and asked 

"Why you bring that to work?" 

And i was stunned, and I said I am preparing things for Rui when I am away.

He seemed pacified, but it seemed more like he knew something was up and suspected that we are going to China without him.

I felt very torn, as I felt that if he had known I am going China without him, and he just accepted it without telling me, He would know I was lying to him. And I do not want to lie to him.

So I sms NJ that I will tell him some of the truth, even though it is still lying by omission, but there is some truth in it.

So I sat En down, and told him that I am bringing Rui to let Auntie look after.

Because Auntie can't stay in Singapore anymore, Auntie has to go and stay with Papa.

So I am bringing Rui to Auntie and after that I am back.

With this, it wouldn't seem like I am bringing Ru

i to China, to See Papa. But that Rui is going to Auntie. 

En is quite quick to piece the pieces together though, after hearing me out, he looked at me and asked if Rui and Auntie will sleep in Papa's bed, and that I will also sleep in Papa's Bed, and that Papa need to sleep somewhere else.

So, in the end, he still knows that Rui is going China, and will see Papa, but he figured that out himself. On our end, it is not for Rui to see Papa so much as Rui is going to see Auntie.

He seemed to accept it fine, but I feel that He felt sad. But he did not asked to go. I thought that is very sensible and brave of him..

And the next day before we left, I spoke to him as well, and while he seemed on the verge of crying, he did not, and did not ask to go. It was difficult leaving him like that, But i promised to skype him when I arrived. 

15 march: Leaving Singapore and Arriving in Beijing 

Rui and I took a tiring flight to Beijing. Thankfully, he slept through most of it, and was OK with the take off and the landing. Does not seem to affect his ears too much, as I let him suck on his pacifier.

I was able to bring on board the EBM I expressed, so I fed him that on board. I also latched him to feed as well as some forumla when he refused to latch sometimes.

All in all, Rui seems fine on the flight, and I am thankful that he is so cooperative and angelic. Minimal crying. The airline is definitely not what I will fly again, and flying alone is definitely a bit more challenging.

However, i must say if prep is done well, and timing is calculated properly to anticipate BB's needs, it an really be quite easy. My toughest was to carry the pram, bags and Rui - as I was always conscious that I am not supposed to carry anything heavier than Rui. For that, and the less than helpful crew, my wound pained a bit more

 than usual.. 

Anyways, so that ends the traumatic 3 days and I was exhilarated when we arrived. It was quite worth it when Rui smiles upon hearing auntie's voice. The 2 month old Rui is very good at recognising voices and differentiating who does what. That skill of his made it possible for me to latch him even though he is already close to 2 months back then. While he does not drink fully when latched, but i is really good enough to help stimulate the milk flow.

Some pics of Rui on flight and here.. and well, if anyone wants to know how I pack for both Rui and En to keep them peaceful on flight, let me know. I have the list ready - for travel again when we are all moving here.. sigh.. :)