4 Months with 3 Kids under 2

The 4 month hiatus should give you an indication.

To Our 3 Rascals,

4 months have gone by in a flash since Didi joined us.

DiDi, our very adorable surprise. 

Surprise!

I'd forgotten how terrible the nights are with a newborn. Full of confidence when you first arrived, having survived the twins, I've now been reminded through your 3 hourly cries just how much energy it takes to keep up with newborns. Still, I'm sure I will look back fondly of those night I cradled you in my arms rocking, sometimes not so gently, you back to sleep, illuminated by the sunset of nostalgia.

Tried playing dead, didn't work

You're our first successfully latching baby! Mama had to sacrifice a lot of sleep to keep up the milk supply. You also gave Papa the convenient excuse to let Mama latch you back to sleep at least for the 1st month, until we started to bottle feed you.

Ha, just remembered the jaundice! Took so many weeks to clear, so many polyclinic visits

I feel like I've only seen you at birth then suddenly you're 4 months old. The newborn phase seemed to whizz by so quickly. Maybe it's also because you came out big and you grew so fast, 90-97th percentile for height! That's amazing, considering how short your Papa is. Could that have been my true genetic potential? I'm going to make sure you eat your vegies and not squander that.

At your 100 day celebration, we weighed you and you were a staggering 7.3 kg, even heftier than your Gorgor at that age. And like your Gorgor, you've become so drooly now we have to have you wearing your bip fulltime.

With your length and weight, 3-6 months clothing feels abit tight on you. You've been promoted to wearing 9-12 month old clothes. Once, your Popo gave you Gorgor's 24 month old romper, we didn't even notice it. That's also one way to get around getting all hand me downs from your brother.

Papa has been busy with vaccination and swab ops and sometimes miss the precious evenings with you 3, but believe me, I'm trying to come back as early as I can. Mama has gone back to work now and has to do calls sometimes too. Though you kids are so tiring, we can't help but miss you 3 when we're called away.

Also when Mama goes on call, it feels like Papa goes on call as well. It's just you and me Didi, with your 3 night feeds...

Our original twins, you two have recently graduated from infant care and are now in childcare, just when you two have finally settled into your infant care routine. You're still getting used it and crying everytime we drop you off.

Freedom! *Gorgor runs away*

With Didi's arrival, you twins have quite differing reactions. Gorgor acts like Didi is not there most of the time and is bochap and just carries on doing what he's always been doing. 

Meimei on the other hand gets quite jealous whenever one of the adults have to take care of Didi. Meimei, you would insist whoever is carrying Didi to be the one carrying you or attending to you. We try our best to make sure you are not ignored, we'll always love you. You don't have to be afraid or insecure darling. Meimei, you are also starting to scratch people when frustrated, so Papa has to be firm with you now and give you timeouts and lectures. It's for your own good, but I promise I still love you alot.

The cot is not to keep Didi in, it's to keep Meimei out

Now that Didi is using your old baby rocker and tummy time soft toy, suddenly you big kids are regressing and insist on playing with Didi's toys, even though you two rejected them last time!

In these 4 months, both of you had your word explosion. From vague sounds to now clear specific words. You two are learning so fast and have started linking words. You've come so far from "bir" and "ba". You two have also started to mimick animal sounds and movements, with the favourite lion's "rar"

Your social skills are improving as well, following instructions when you feel like and now can wave goodbye on command!

After school we try to bring you to the playground and you tow have been getting better at navigating the world. Now able to climb up the ladder and go down the slides by yourselves.

Seen climbing up slides

and down ladders

Your personalities are also developing. Meimei the fashionista has started to be picky about the clothes you wear. You also love hair accessories, crying when Papa forces you to remove your hair clips and ties to shower.

Gorgor is now suddenly obsessed with excavators, and you insist on going out every evening to go stare at one. Every day whenever you see me, you go "wa wa" and then proceed to drag me to the door to put on shoes, and when I refuse because it's time for school or you two need to have dinner first, you would start a tantrum.

I hear excavator operators make quite a bit overseas

Speaking of tantrums, both of you are now entering the terrible twos. Gorgor you have a weird habit of walking backwards when angry with no regard for safety! You've also learnt the satisfaction of throwing things onto the floor to make a point. Papa is going to put a stop to that. Meimei's tantrums are simple and effective, non stop crying.

We love you 3 so much. The twins are now at such a cute stage, beginning to interact with the world and people around you! We can't wait for the lockdown and restrictions to end to bring you out to play and travel around and show you the world!

Adios,
the cool kids

Love,

Papa