Weaning Unsuccessful Yet

I have been planning to wean Tao when she is 1 year old. Nowadays, I express milk only once in the afternoon and plan to cut off her before sleep feeding and mid-night feeding these few weeks.

I dare not cut off BF completely yet because she has been rejecting formula milk. Tao does not like formula milk. Last few days when I tried to feed her more formula instead of expressed BM, she dranks only 2 oz each feeding. Then I tried Tian's Mamil Step 3, she also refused to drink. Since she is already one, I let her try Organic Phytomilk (consists of Organic Oats, Soy protein and millets with 10 types of other grains) that I usually add to Tian's milk and Tao finished 4 oz and cried for more. Since then, I will put mainly Organic Phytomilk plus only half a scoop of her Wyeth formula.

I think she prefers Phytomilk because she has got used to breastmilk which is light and sweet whereas formula milk tastes sweet but with a hint of oiliness and too creamy for her sensitive tastebuds.

The Organic Phyomilk that I bought before was at discounted price (2 cans for RM78). Normal price for 1 can is RM52. The lady boss mentioned that we can actually feed her only phytomilk and supplement with another DHA enriched soy powder. However, I do not want to feed Tao with too much soy due to some articles mentioning negative effects of too much isoflavones (plant hormones similar to female hormone 'estrogen') . So to be on the safe side, I supplement her DHA from formula milk. I also worry if there is any side effects from consuming only plant based milk powder as substitute to formula although most vegetarians and organic food lover would certainly disagree with me.

Tao is still not able to sleep through the night yet and most people would say this is due to breastfeeding that she is not full enough to sleep through the night. I think this is due to different temparament of babies.

Her feeding schedule is as below at the moment:
6:00-7:00am: Wakes up and drinks milk (either phytomilk with fomula or breastfeed)
8:30-9:00am: Organic oatmeal with fruits (choices between avocado, apple, pear, organic raisins, organic dried blackcurrants)
10:00am: Has milk before napping
12:00pm: Porridge*/ Organic noodles with a mix of vegatables with either fish or chicken
2:00-2:30pm: Has milk before napping
4:00-5:00pm: Has milk again
6:00-6:30pm: Same meal cooked for lunch
8:15-8:30pm: Has milk and gets ready to sleep
8:45-9:00pm: Breastfeeds before sleeping (I am trying to wean her off this)
She will wake up one time between 12:00-4:00am for breastfeed (I am trying to wean her off this as well)
Wish me luck!!

*Tao's porridge consists of 50% of normal rice, 30% of organic millet and 20% of organic quinoa

Tian's 3rd Birthday!!

Yesterday, we celebrated Tian's birthday a few days after Tao's first birthday so it was made simpler. We invited hubby's eldest brother who works in Singapore to stay overnight at our place. As we were planning a BBQ, we thought more people would make it merrier. Furthermore, Tian likes her uncles a lot.

We bought her a cake with cartoon and flavour of her choice

Presents from us: I bought her a book on animals and a recorder (which she refers as 'magic flute' as influenced by Dora the Explorer), my MIL bought her a bike, angpows from my mum and hubby's eldest brother.

Bike from her doting grandma

I feel that she grows up very fast especially after the birth of her sister. Sometimes we are more impatient in disciplining with her as we have a younger toddler to deal with (guilty!) but we love her all the same.....

Ler Tao's 1st Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Ler Tao's first birthday two days ago following Chinese Calendar date.

We did not do anything fancy. I bought a birthday cake, invited hubby's brother and my MIL came from hometown bringing traditional food that they had paid respect to ancestors like 'Ang Ku Kueh' (glutinous dessert containing either green bean paste, peanuts or coconut flakes), eggs (dyed red), roasted chicken, glutinous rice cooked with dried oyster, beancurd and shitake mushroom. I ordered curry fish head just to add some variety.

We let Tao stepped onto the 'Ang Ku Kueh' and it was believed to bring luck to her that she will have food to eat wherever she goes.
We let her choose a few items placed on the floor just for the fun of it. There were calculator, pencil, ruler, thread, book and chicken drumstick. That greedy little girl crawled to reach for chicken drumstick and started to munch away. I would prefer her to pick either pencil or book though :)
We bought 'nest and stack' cups for her (reason not to buy expensive toys was that it would end up to be her sister's toy). My MIL gave her a gold necklace with a pendant engraved with cow cartoon and my mum gave her a big ang pow (red packet), a set of dress, anklet and shoes.
Tao had just recovered from flu and she was on her suprisingly good behaviour that evening.

We will be celebrating Ler Tian's birthday this Saturday. She has been looking forward her birthday (she had even chosen the cartoon for her birthday cake) and we are planning to have BBQ.