Mummy's Pride & Joy

What a Feast!

2007-10-07T17:06:00.000+08:00

Yesterday evening, we celebrated Erica Ah Yee's birthday at Poh Poh's house, and what a feast we had! Poh Poh cooked stir fried asparagus with prawns and carrots, stir fried egg with tomato (Vernice Jie Jie and Mummy's favourite) and steamed chicken with ginger and mushroom. Erica Ah Yee and Uncle Victor bought Sri Lankan chilli crab (finger-licking good), garlic fish head and yam dumplings with tuna. With the spread in front of me, guess what I was having for dinner? The usual porridge with chicken, sweet potato and broccoli, topped with some of Poh Poh's carrot pieces and eggs.

Nicole Jie Jie contributed the yummy Espresso Cheese Cake from Secret Recipe. It's all the way from JB! Jie Jie said it was cheaper to get from there. As usual, we lighted the candles, sang the birthday song, and Erica Ah Yee cut the cake. Everytime we take photos, Erica Ah Yee would ask, "Will put on blog or not har? Must make myself look beautiful." High spirited Gong Gong even took out his treasured XO to celebrate the occasion!

After the cake was supposed to be desert - durian paste and mango pudding but all of us was up to the brim so we had to TaBao the desert home for supper. For the rest of the night, Daddy and Mummy felt very bloated, yet they had to finish the durian paste desert for fear that it would spoil the next day. It was yummy, and very rich indeed.

Batam View Staff Outing

2007-09-07T02:00:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, we went to Batam with Mummy's colleagues on a staff outing. We reached Batam View Resort at around 11 am. The resort looked as if it had weathered many seasons, but the lobby and rooms were newly renovated. After check-in, we had lunch at the hotel cafe. For the first time, Mummy did not cook any porridge for me for the entire trip. I pretty much ate what they ate and thank God, I didn't have to starve. The spread for lunch was good.

After lunch, I took my usual nap before we went for a swim in the not-so-sanitised-smells-of-urine pool. We didn't swim for long. The thought of swimming in urine put Mummy off. Meanwhile, Mummy's colleagues were enjoying their 3-hour spa treatment (quite cheap at less than S$90). Of course, Mummy had to miss that part cos she didn't think Daddy could babysit me for 3 hours.

After the swim, we took it slow and easy as it was still quite some time before dinner. The princesses were still having their massage. We went to buy some snacks and went to play briefly in the Children's Playground, which was quite rundown - old and broken plastic furniture and dirt-stained floor, not to mention that it was near some bushes so there could be mosquitos.

Dinner was at the Kelong Seafood Restaurant. Simple spread but nice food. It was followed by a Karaoke session. It was my first time so you can imagine my fascination with the microphone. For most of the time, there could only be one singer as I would be hogging the other mic. Most of the songs there were ancient - I think Po Po and Nai Nai would enjoy it much more than we did. The session ended slightly more than an hour later. By then, I was already snoozing away while Mummy and Daddy ended the night with the song "How Deep is Your Love".

The next morning after a hearty buffet breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and went on a city tour, which was mostly shopping. Before we reached our first stop, it was already pouring. The streets were flooded and Mummy's shoes were soaked! Still, I stayed dry, protected from the rain by the Ergo Carrier. We didn't buy much, only some local snacks, and half a dozen of the famous J Co. Donuts, which we had to queue 20 minutes for. The donuts were interesting but nothing fantastic.

I dozed off on the way to the ferry terminal, only to wake up 1.5 hours later when the ferry reached Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

First Trip to Singapore Zoo

2007-09-05T23:20:00.000+08:00

Last night, Vernice Jie Jie came for a stayover. We had so much fun and I was so excited at the new guest that I didn't sleep until past 11.30 pm. This morning, we woke up early to prepare for a trip to the zoo! Auntie Vivien and Favian joined us too! We met at 10 am at the entrance.

We saw so many animals - lions, tigers, elephants, sealions, penguins, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, etc, etc (obviously, you can't expect a 1.5-year-old to remember the names of all the animals). But the part I enjoyed most wasn't the animals. It was the Children's Playland, where Vernice Jie Jie and I played in the fountain pool. It was so fun! Both of us got all drenched, but Mummy was well-prepared with a small towel (which the 2 of us shared), and extra change of clothes. After that, we went to watch the Animal Show and the Sealion Show.

Favian was quiet and so well-behaved throughout the trip. I really like Vernice Jie Jie so much that I had to hold her hand wherever we went. Mummy expected me to take a nap right after lunch but I was enjoying myself so much that I only dozed off at 4 pm in the tram, when we were making our way out of the zoo. Favian was even stronger - he was still winning the battle to keep awake when we parted, even though anyone could tell that he was already exhausted!

Woke up at 5 pm when we reached home and couldn't go back to sleep anymore. Mummy gave me a good shower to scrub away all the dirt and sweat of the day. I fell asleep before 9.30 pm that night, despite the 7th Month Ge Tai that was blasting from right beneath our flat - slept like a log.

Inventory

2007-08-08T22:55:00.001+08:00

Haven't been updating my blog for a loooong time. Thought I'll give an inventory of new skills and vocabulary I've acquired over the past few months. Here goes:

Words I can say meaningfully:

* Mamma
* Dadda
* Nai Nai (which I pronounce as Nay Nay)
* Yeh Yeh
* Mei Mei
* Apple
* Ball (which applies to both balls and balloons)
* Car
* Bye! (Which sounds like 'Baa')
* Hi! (Which sounds more like 'Hey')

Parts of the body I can point to:

* Eyes
* Ears
* Nose
* Mouth
* Hair
* Toes
* Knees
* Belly Button
* Neck

Given a picture of a mixture of things, I can point out:

* Ball
* Cat
* Dog
* Doll
* Teddy Bear
* Crying Boy (and imitate the crying sound and action)
* Bird

I can gesture:

* Cute Cute (by putting my index fingers on my cheeks and tilting my head to one side)
* Mei Mei (by gently stroking my cheeks)
* Shang Nao Jing (Headache)
* Chou Chou - smelly (by pinching my nose)
* Bye
* Hi (same gesture as Bye)
* Shake hands
* Wash hands
* Shui jiao - sleep (by putting my head on a cushion or pillow and pretending to sleep)
* Cry (by rubbing my eyes and pretending to cry aloud)
* Xiu xiu - shame shame (I love doing that when I see half-naked men)

Recently, I've also learnt to play with people other than my caregivers. Mummy says I'm becoming more sociable and having less stranger and separation anxiety. The biggest breakthrough is that now, I'm able to stay in the Cradle Roll without Mummy or Daddy's company during Sunday service, which is a GREAT relief to them both as it means that they can attend service in peace at the same time.

Koh Samui

2007-06-16T00:05:00.000+08:00

This week, we went to Koh Samui for a break. Before we went, we were already warned about the hot weather. The moment we reached there, we could feel the warm, sultry night air. The next few days were so warm that all we wanted to do was to curl up in the hotel room (Chaba Samui Resort) to enjoy the air-con, only going out for swims in the morning and some shopping at night.

I must say, the beach is one of the most beautiful I've seen, not that I've seen a lot of beaches, lah. But even after 3 days of coaxing and encouraging, Mum and Dad could not convince me to walk on the beach. The sand was so soft and felt so squishy under my feet. I did have a nice swim in the sea, though (It was my first time swimming in the sea). The waves were gentle and there were fish even in ankle-deep waters. The hotel has a nice swimming pool, too! After 3 days of soaking in the sun, we all came home red like lobsters even after applying loads of sunblock.

Mum was a little disappointed though, saying that it was almost exactly like Phuket, except that it was less crowded and 'messy'. And we paid almost double of what we would have had if we had gone Phuket.

On our way back, we had a good look at the airport (it was night when we arrived), which was very interesting. It was, indeed, made up of "a few huts", as aptly described by Auntie Caris, who had been there before. There was not even one air-conditioned room in the whole airport. It was so small that we could see the runway and planes taking off and landing at the check-in counter! I met a Japanese 12-month-old friend at the Departure Gate. Played with him for a while and then it was time to board the tram, which would take us to the plane. Then it was Bye Koh Samui and Home Sweet Home.

New Words

2007-04-25T23:21:00.000+08:00

I added two new words to my growing vocabulary today - Nai Nai (which I pronounce as Nana) and Meimei. Mummy's pleasantly surprised with my progress. "So clever," she would say.

Amen!

2007-04-21T00:42:00.000+08:00

Recently Daddy and Mummy notice that I always say "Mmmmah!" at the end of our prayers. It's only after a few days that they realised that I was actually trying to say "Amen". I know my pronunciation isn't perfect, but I'm trying, mah.

Missing Dad

2007-04-18T00:46:00.000+08:00

Daddy wasn't home last night! According to Mummy, he had to attend a school camp. There's no way I would go to bed without seeing my Papa for the day. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I suddenly cried rather loudly and Mummy was pretty puzzled. Then she asked, "You miss Papa, is it?", and I pointed to the door several times, expecting to see Papa coming home, but he was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until Mummy called Daddy on the phone and allowed him to talk to me that I finally fell asleep without much fussing.

Sentosa

2007-04-07T23:31:00.000+08:00

It's the Good Friday long weekend. Daddy and Mummy had been thinking of going for a mini outing, something different from the usual, so today we went to Sentosa. It was my first time there. We took the $3 ride on the Sentosa Express from Vivo City. By the time we reached there, it was almost 4.30 pm, and the sky was threatening to rain. From the Sentosa Express Station, we took a beach tram to Pelawan Beach.

There was a little wading pool beside the beach. Daddy said he would let me play in the pool next time if we were prepared with new change of clothes. We took a walk along the beach and since it was my first time walking so close to the sea, I was very curious and was constantly looking at the waters rushing up to the shore, and then receding, totally oblivious to everything else that was going on around me. As we walked closer and closer to the sea, Mummy took off my leather shoes as it was not waterproof and I could feel the sand under my feet. Thrilling! When the waves came in, I could even feel the cool water splashing up my legs!

All too soon, at close to 5 pm, it started to drizzle and Daddy and Mummy quickly cleaned me up and we took shelter at the nearby Koufu Food Court, where they had an early dinner. Then, when the rain got lighter but since it was still drizzling, we decided to board the Beach Tram again and took a joy ride on it. Mummy was hoping that the motion on the Tram would put me to sleep but it was in vain. We went back to the Sentosa Express Station and took another Beach Tram which went the other direction. We must have spent about half an hour on both the Trams but I still wouldn't sleep. How could I, when there was so much to see and so many people on the Tram? The second Tram took us back to the Station again and Daddy and Mummy decided that we would take a walk along Merlion Walk, which was just a stone's throw from the Station.

At the other end of the Merlion Walk was the gigantic Merlion, and Delifrance Cafe. We stopped by and this time, I had my dinner. It was almost 7 pm. After dinner, we took the monorail back to mainland. Daddy decided that it was high time I got a new pair of shoes, since the pair I was wearing that day got wet, and as a result, the leather got rough, and cut into my feet. So we ended the day by going shopping for a pair of shoes at Vivo City.

Swimming

2007-03-31T23:16:00.000+08:00

Today Daddy and Mummy brought me swimming. It has been a long time since I've been in the water. We went to Erica Ah Yee's house with Charis, Auntie Sally and Uncle Ben. Erica Ah Yee thought I looked cute in my new swimsuit so we took pictures. After playing for 20 minutes in the wading pool, Mummy took me to the deep pool. Surprisingly, I was more at ease in the deep pool, but I still would not sit in the float although Mummy urged me several times. Then, Mummy taught me to kick my legs in the water and I was able to do so while holding on to Mummy's hands. Mummy also sat me on the poolside and encouraged me to throw myself into her arms while she caught me in the pool. It was fun!!

My Library Card

2007-03-28T23:18:00.000+08:00

Today Mummy registered me as a member of National Library Board. She read in the website that even newborns can become members under the Born To Read, Read To Bond Programme so today we went to get my library card done, and got a free small goodie bag upon registration. Then Mummy asked the librarian whether there were any baby books in the library and was directed to a little corner in the Children's Section. That was when Mummy discovered for the first time that there is quite a good selection of baby board books in the library. I went wild browsing one book after another, while Mummy selected 4 books for me, 2 Chinese books so that Nai Nai can read to me, and 2 English books. How glad Mummy was! She told Daddy that we don't have to waste money buying books anymore. Just borrow from the library! The selection is great and it is free!

A Very Satisfying Meal

2007-03-24T23:38:00.000+08:00

Every Saturday, if Daddy and Mummy have nothing else on, we would have our family outing. They would wait for me to take my noon nap, wake up and have my lunch, and then have their lunch outside. Today, as usual, I was down for my noon nap, but I took an unusually long one and woke up at close to 2 pm. By the time I had my lunch and we finally left the house, it was already 3 pm. So you can imagine how famished Mum and Dad would be by the time we reached our destination, The Central, a new shopping mall at Clarke Quay MRT station.

Daddy and Mummy quickly glanced through the list of restaurants at the directory and the name "The Manhattan Fish Market" caught Mummy's eyes. Daddy said he remembered the restaurant being featured on the TV so they proceeded there not a minute too late. A glance through the menu proved that the prices were right and the food looked good, which was fantastic as it meant that the hungry stomachs didn't have to go around searching for another eating place.

The friendly waitress took us to a table near the other end of the restaurant facing the Singapore River so we could enjoy the splendid view of the River and Clarke Quay through the glass panels. Then, she offered Mum and Dad the menu and handed me the kiddie menu. It was in the cute shape of a fish, and I could actually take it with me when I leave because there was a space for me to write my name on the menu. Mummy liked the place already when she saw that. Lately, she's been impressed with restaurants that are kids-friendly. Mum looked through the menu and commented that there was a lot of resemblance to Fish and Co.'s menu. They ordered buttered mussels as starter, and a Manhattan Seafood Platter for two to share. While waiting for the food, the waitress handed me a kiddie feeding bowl (which was actually a mini wok), and a spoon. From then on, I'd really turned the place into a market - full of clanging noise, as I was pretending to cook and feed myself using the spoon and the wok. I dropped the wok on the floor once and though Mum and Dad protested, the smiling waitress insisted on changing a new one for me right away. That was definitely good service!

The mussels were YUMMY! The seafood was fresh and the the cream sauce was buttery and "garlicky" - a very nice mix of flavour. And the sauce was thicker than that in Fish and Co. so it went perfectly well with the bagel that came with it. Then, came the Platter for Two that consisted fish and chips, deep fried oysters, calamari, prawns and garlic rice. Before the waiter offered it to us, he used a torch that looked somewhat like a bunsen burner to flame the prawns - kinda like a mini show - until it was slightly brown. What that achieved we didn't really know but the slightly burnt prawns tasted really scrumptious, especially with the caramelised sauced. The other items on the Platter were completely satisfying and the two hungry souls dug on, while I continued to busy myself with the wok and spoon. Now and then, Mummy would offer me bits of bread, fish and rice. The portion was big but the two finished every single bit of it, so finally, they agreed that they would skip dinner this evening. That made the meal even more worth it. Two thumbs up for The Manhattan Fish Market!d

Batam

2007-03-17T12:55:00.000+08:00

Finally, it's the March holidays! Everyone had been looking forward to this break so that we could spend more time together as a family. Maybe even Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai were looking forward to it so that they could finally get a well-deserved break from their duty of looking after me.

Last Sunday, we set off for Batam, Holiday Inn Hotel. Mum and Dad chose to go there because they didn't want to spend too much time travelling with a very active toddler. It was a nice place, very resort-like, with a relaxing atmosphere. Upon arrival, Daddy asked for a room with a king-sized bed but there was no more of such rooms so they gave us a free upgrade to a suite! What a pleasant surprise! The suite was huge, with a living room, a dining area and a kitchenette. And it had a pool view! It came with 2 separate supersingle-sized beds so Mummy pushed them together to form one gigantic sleeping area for the 3 of us! I could roll and turn about as much as I wished when I was sleeping!

Daddy wanted so much to take me swimming but Mummy gave a firm 'NO' each time because I was still suffering from cough and a running nose. Every day, Mummy would look at the pool from our room and say, "The pool looks soooo nice, but too bad, you can't swim." So we whiled away much of our time resting and playing in the room, and taking short walks in the resort, basking in the sun. Mummy said it was a splendid time of rest for her. She couldn't remember the last time she took a 3-hour nap. The Kid's Club was a haven for me. I was pampered with so many toys, and there, I learnt to climb up stairs for the first time. There were also other Jie Jies and Gor Gors doing colouring , drawing and painting.

The second day, we went to MegaMall in the town for some shopping. It was a 30-minute drive from our hotel. It was a huge shopping mall but many of the shops on Level 3 were not opened. Nevertheless, we managed to spend one afternoon there, and then returned to the hotel by about dinner time, after having bought a pair of shoes and a top for me, and a T-shirt for Mummy.

On Tuesday, we returned to Singapore. The next 2 days, Mummy had to attend a course so there I was, back at Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai's house again.

Daddy's Birthday Celebration

2007-03-03T23:18:00.000+08:00

The three of us had a mini celebration for Daddy today at Vivo City. This is our second trip there and as we explored the place again, we found new places that we had not been to the previous time, like the open-air space at Level 3 with wading pools in which little children were having a whale of a time. It has a nice view, looking out to the cable car tower and Sentosa.

We had lunch at an Italian restaurant, Modesto's. Overheard Daddy and Mummy commenting that the food is nothing to boast about (the calamari was a bit under-fried, the fold-up pizza was not herby enough and the tiramisu was too wet), that they still prefer their favourite Prego's, but I like the view from the restaurant - we could see the stretch of water separating the mainland and Sentosa, many boats sailing on the sea, and the brightly coloured monorail travelling to and from Sentosa. We could even see the Sentosa Merlion!

After lunch, we shopped for a while. Went to Toys R Us but found nothing worth buying. Mummy wanted to get a watch for Daddy but he didn't manage to find one that he likes. Like the last time, finding a nursing room in Vivo City was a nightmare. The nursing rooms are all spread out and if one is occupied, we would have to walk about 5 minutes to the next one (bearing in mind MY walking speed). We hopped from one nursing room to another because they were all occupied until we finally settled in the one on Level 3, our 4th or 5th stop. We must have spent about 20 minutes just looking for the nursing room! After milk, we took pictures at the open space on Level 3, then it was more shopping, and dinner at Subway in Harbourfront Centre.

Today, Mummy noticed that I'm becoming more at ease with strangers, trying to make friends with people I meet in the MRT, restaurants, and everywhere I go, trying to play with them, and waving hello to them. Guess there's good progress in my social development!

My Bedtime Routine and Toys

2007-03-01T00:45:00.000+08:00

My bedtime routine starts with a warm, soothing bath. My favourite bathtime toy is the blue elephant watering can, which Mummy calls Elle sometimes. I simply love to fill Elle with water and see the water coming out from its spout when I try to empty it. In fact, I'm enjoying my bathtimes so much that I would shake my head in protest when I see Mummy spreading the towel on her body, ready to pick me up from the bath tub and put an end to my pleasures. I would let out a short little cry of protest when Mummy picks me up so she pacifies me by allowing me to continue to play with Elle as she puts my pyjamas on me. Then, she would put me on her bed and Daddy would join us. I really enjoy these pre-bedtime moments when Mummy, Daddy and I would be playing on the bed in our dimly-lit room and sharing loads of laughter and sweet moments together.
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Lately, my favourite bedtime toys have been my big pink checkered teddy bear (from Uncle Eric), and the small purple February bear. The February bear is a gift from Auntie Yu Mei when she went to visit Mummy and me in the hospital when I was born. When Mummy asks, "Where are your teddy bears?", I'll point to my cot, where they'll usually be resting. I can also respond to instructions like "Hug your teddy bear", "Kiss your teddy bear" and "Pat your teddy bear to sleep". I'll 'feed' the teddy bears water with my water bottle and even try to put my teether into their mouths, but no matter what I do, they just wouldn't open their mouths. Could it be that they don't like the taste of my teether?
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After a while, I would begin to fuss for milk and Mummy would feed me, during which I would usually doze off to sleep. Funny, when I awake in the middle of the night, I would find myself in my cot.

Toddling and Kissing

2007-02-28T00:26:00.000+08:00

I'm becoming more pro at walking. My latest record: walking from the sofa in Nai Nai's house to the room, which is about 6 meters away. No, I can't run a marathon yet, but I'm slowly but surely progressing. I can even make a u-turn if I want to. I've also learnt to give kisses on the cheeks and ever since I picked up this new skill (without being formally trained), Mummy and Daddy has been asking me to plant kisses on their cheeks not less than 986 times a day, which I gladly oblige.

My First Word

2007-02-27T23:36:00.000+08:00

Mummy was on the phone with Po Po tonight and discussing how I had progressed as compared to my peers. Mummy commented that though faster in my psychomotor development, I'm pretty slow in my speech. While my friends already has had some vocabulary to boast about, I'm still speechless. Usually, when Mummy says "Call Mama", I'll go "Pa-pa-pa-pa".

Much to Mummy's delight, when she requested for that again tonight, guess what I said? Yeh, I went "Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma". She tried it a few more times and I gave her the same reply (though the number of syllables differs each time)! Mummy says it sounds soooooo soothing to her ears.

I'm Sick!

2007-02-16T23:54:00.000+08:00

I made a visit to Dr Khoo today. Have been coughing and feeling uncomfortable for the past 2 nights. This morning, I developed running nose and a temperature. Mummy's afraid that if it gets worse, there'll be no doctor to see in the next few days, due to the CNY hols. After waiting for about an hour, we finally entered Dr Khoo's office and her diagnosis was that I've caught the flu bug (probably from Daddy, who has just recovered). Mummy's relieved of her guilt because she had thought that my cough was a result of the oranges she had been feeding me. She took leave to take care of me so today, we stayed home, didn't go to Nai Nai's place. After the visit to the doctor, Mummy quickly made breakfast for me (which was almost 2 hours overdue), fed me, bathed me, and put me down for a nap. And I slept for a good 2 and a half hours. Didn't sleep well last night because of the coughing and phlegm. Hope tonight would be better after taking the cough syrup.

My First Artwork

2007-02-12T00:50:00.000+08:00

Vernice Jie Jie bought me a doodle pad for my birthday and today at Mc Donald's, Daddy and Mummy let me play with it while they were having dinner. How's this for my first work of art?
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I'm ONE Today!

2007-02-04T23:13:00.000+08:00

Yes! I turn one today! How time flies. I'm certainly thankful to God for watching over me. It was He who has been keeping me growing strong and healthy for the past year.

Daddy and Mummy brought me to United Square today to have a mini threesome celebration and also to get me a birthday gift. Now that I'm able to walk with support, there's no way Daddy and Mummy could keep me in their arms or in the pram. I insist on my right to walk on my own 2 feet like anyone else. Of course, that means that shopping is much more difficult for Mummy, because she has to inch her way through and she can't go anywhere unless I'm agreeable. After only a short time of power struggle, Mummy decided that it's time for dinner. We went to the family-friendly restaurant, Globetrotters. They provide baby feeding accessories and there's even a section for babies in the menu! I was feeling a bit sleepy and cranky sitting in the highchair so Mummy quickly ordered a fish congee for me, and a fish and chips for herself, and swiftly took me into the playroom while waiting for the orders to come.

When orders came, disaster struck. The baby cup that they provided was so attractive that I reached for it and tipped the whole cup of water all over myself! A waiter and waitress swiftly cleared up the mess and put newspapers on the floor and so for the rest of the meal, we had to dine with my highchair resting on a small pile of newspapers. The fish congee was yummy, not too salty, so it was good for me, and in no time, I had finished three quarters of the bowl (I would have finished the whole bowl if Mummy hadn't stopped me. She thinks the portion is too much for me). Then, to keep me occupied while Mummy eats, Daddy ordered a Gerber jar of apple for me, which I also gladly emptied.

After dinner, Mummy continued with the shopping that she had missed out earlier, now that I was fed, and in a better mood. She bought me a polka-dotted spaghetti-strapped top from Fox Babies. I finally have new clothes to wear for the New Year!

My Birthday Party!

2007-02-03T23:49:00.000+08:00

The long-awaited day has finally arrived! Today, I had my very own birthday party! It was a small party held at the function room at Erica Ah Yee's house. Only the family, our CG, and Uncle Eric were there. Of course, there was food, music, balloons, banners and a cake but on top of that, there was a baby corner, posters about me, and paper pasted on the wall where the kids could doodle with the crayons provided. Mother thought that since there would be quite a number of babies and kids, there ought to be something to keep them occupied. I bet the kids did have a lot of fun drawing and writing on the big sheets of paper.
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Prior to the party today, I did not take any naps at all, probably have been infected by the excitement in the air. Since everyone was busy putting up the decoration, how could I be left out? It's MY party! As a result, 45 minutes into the party, I was so sleepy that when Mummy was carrying and rocking me, I could hardly keep my eyes opened and dozed off in her arms! And I slept half of my party away! When I awoke, I only had time for a quick dinner, and then it was cake-cutting time! Seems like I've missed out most of the fun in the party!
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A BIG THANK YOU to all who were there and for all the wonderful presents. May God bless you richly, just as you've blessed me!

Walking

2007-01-21T01:23:00.000+08:00

This week, someone donated 2 walkers to me. On the first day I got them, I was so excited that I was almost 'walking' non-stop. Daddy thinks that the walkers really helped me because today, at Po Po's house, I suddenly released my grip and stood unsupported for quite a few seconds, with thrill and pride written all over my face. Though I've been practicing this on the bed, this is the first time I've consciously done it on hard ground. I repeated this several times and in no time, I took 2 steps forward, then 3, then 4! Of course, after that few steps, I went 'plop' on the floor again. Mummy's hoping that I'll be able to walk by my birthday so that she can stop carrying me so often, and she'll be able to show off my newly-acquired skills at the party!

Another Tooth!

2007-01-11T01:16:00.000+08:00

Today Mummy spotted a white spot on my lower gum. Seems like another tooth is cutting through. It's my lower front tooth on the right. Mummy thinks that I must be trying to make up for lost time. She's caught off guard, though, and has not armed herself yet with infant toothbrush or toothpaste.

My First Tooth!

2007-01-09T23:23:00.000+08:00

FINALLY.....after a few months of anxious waiting, my first tooth finally sprouted. It's my upper front tooth on the right. What a timely new year gift from God! Mummy was really puzzled about why I still have not cut my first tooth at 11 months so she googled on the web and found that late teething runs in the family. And it was no wonder because Daddy got his first tooth at 11 months too! At least I won't have to go through my first birthday TOOTHLESS!

Gold Coast, Australia

2007-01-07T00:55:00.000+08:00

Got some serious catching up to do in my blog entries. Haven't even shared about my trip to Australia though we've been back for almost 3 weeks! There's too much to share so here goes the highlights of the trip.
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Mummy had been worried about whether I would be cranky on the 8-hour flight but her worries proved to be unfounded. Since it was a midnight flight, I slept for a good 4-hour stretch, even though I only fell asleep at 2 am! Everything seemed so new and exciting - the pretty air stewardesses walking around, the blue and purple bassinett, the little boy beside me and the Kris World remote control. The rest of the time, I was contentedly playing with Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai until touch down. Not too bad for my first air travel.

For most part of the 2-week vacation, we stayed at Grandaunt's house in Robina, Gold Coast. It was not huge, but it was spacious and there was plenty of room for me to crawl around. Ratio of adults to baby - 6:1 so I absolutely enjoyed having the attention of Mummy and Daddy, Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai, Grandaunt and Granduncle. The most stressful thing for Mummy during the trip was to get me to stay contentedly in my car seat when we were travelling, sometimes for up to 3 hours, since it's compulsory for all babies to be confined in car seats for safety reasons. The days were long, with the sun rising at about 4.30 in the morning so I woke up at 6 plus on average every day. This was trying for Mummy, who is usually able to sleep in until 9 or 10 am at home.
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Grandaunt brought us to Surfer's Paradise, Tropical Fruit Farm, Cararra Weekend Market and many shopping centers in the vicinity. We decided to give the theme parks a miss because the 'oldies' and baby wouldn't enjoy the rides, and the 'youngsters' (Mummy and Daddy) won't be able to play much with a baby at hand, not to mention that the admission charges are worth a small fortune.
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On some days, we visited Uncle Ping, Auntie Angela and Trinity up in Brisbane (1 hour drive from Gold Coast). Uncle Ping is studying in University of Queensland. How Trinity has grown! She's now rather chubby and able to sit up on her own! Uncle Ping was busy with his exams most of the time so Auntie Angela played host and took us to several places like Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane City and Southbank (a place with artificial beach and weekend market). Brisbane is warmer than Gold Coast and it had been sunny most days so I got pretty tanned during the trip.
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Over the last weekend we were there, we drove up to Sunshine Coast and stayed there for 2 nights. Sunshine Coast is a torturous 3 hours' drive from Gold Coast, especially with a baby in the car. It's a nice place, though, very much countryside-like, and different from Gold Coast or Brisbane. We visited the famous Australia Zoo, which Mummy thought was quite a disappointment given its fame, and in comparison to Singapore Zoo. We spent one morning at Eumundi Market, which is a huge, interesting weekend market, followed by an afternoon at Ginger Factory and Macadamia Factory. Nothing much noteworthy there. On the way back to Gold Coast, we visited a very scenic mountain called Montville. The view from the peak was simply breathtaking but it was rather cold up there especially because it was drizzling. No regrets, though. The picturesque view was well worth it.

On the return trip, I slept for about 2 and a half hours - not too bad, considering it was an afternoon flight. Was a little cranky though, for the remaining hours, because there was no space for me to crawl around and sitting in the bassinett all the time was simply boring. And I had to poo poo when the plane was touching down so Mummy couldn't bring me to the toilet to change immediately. Can you imagine the discomfort? I was almost wailing my lungs out!

My Christmas Outfit

2007-01-07T00:46:00.000+08:00

Mummy bought me a "My 1st Christmas" suit from K mart in Australia. On Christmas day, she tried to make me wear the suit but there was no way she could make the Santa Claus hat stay on my head for more than 2 seconds. It was cool to wear and the hat fitted just nice but unfortunately the romper was a bit too roomy. Perhaps it'll fit better next Christmas but by then, it'll no longer be "My 1st Christmas".

Mummy's Back to Work

2007-01-07T00:45:00.001+08:00

Haven't been updating my blog for a long time because everyone has been busy since we came back from our Australia trip. There were last minute Christmas shopping to do and Mummy and Daddy had to go back to school for meetings after Christmas. Yes, Mummy has started work since Wednesday. By God's grace, she's been posted to a school really near Yeh Yeh's place so it's really convenient for her. Every morning, Yeh Yeh would drop Mummy off at her school and then drive me back to his house, where I would stay until after dinner. This has been my daily schedule for the past 3 days:

10 am : set off to Yeh Yeh's house

10 + : have cereal for breakfast

12 nn : bathe and take first nap

1 + : lunch

4+ : cereal or biscuits for snacks, followed by second nap

6+ : mummy knocks off from work and we'll have dinner together

8 : balek kampong, wash up, last milk feed and prepare for bed

I've been adjusting very well at Yeh Yeh's house, not showing the slightest sign of separation anxiety until I see Mummy again in the evening. When Mummy comes back from work, I would insist that she carries me and I'd be stuck onto her like glue. The only problem Mummy thinks I'm having is that I reject formula milk, not to mention that I've recently been discovered to be allergic to cow's milk. Had rashes around my mouth and eyes the last few times I drank formula cow's milk. Since Mummy switched to soy milk, I've been refusing to take even a single sip, not even when bread is dipped into it. It tastes simply HORRID. So Mummy's having headache now, and she's going to try out other brands of soy milk, and possibly, goat's milk. Hmm...wonder how they would taste like.

Wild Wild Wet

2006-11-28T10:03:00.000+08:00

Yesterday we went to Wild Wild Wet in Downtown East with Vernice, Celeste, Auntie Rina, Uncle Fuji, Elisha and Hannah. We reached there at about 11 am. It was very sunny and fiery hot.

As usual, I was cautious of the water at first. After about 30 minutes, I was entertaining myself with my elephant-shaped watering can and was thrilled by water splashing here and there in the infant pool. I really had fun riding on the float with Mummy in the ‘river’. At close to 1 pm, afraid that I might get burnt from being too long in the sun, Mummy rinsed and changed me and then I took my nap in the pram. By the time I awoke, it was drizzling and the adults were already enjoying their KFC lunch. After lunch, Uncle Fuji and his family needed to leave so we continued resting. There wasn’t much else we could do because by that time, it was raining cats and dogs! Thank God that the weather was good in the morning so we could play to our hearts’ content.

While waiting for the rain to stop, we had cakes and coffee at Mc Café at Downtown East. Everyone was amused by my ‘head-shaking’ trick. Mummy took this video with Dad's handphone.

Updates Again

2006-11-27T00:36:00.000+08:00

Mummy's email to Auntie Caris:

Hi Caris,

Hee Hee... actually I'm not back to work yet. Called MOE and they said my date of resumption of duty is 3 Jan 2007. so I think I won't have much pay for Nov and Dec. Good for me too. Can rest for a few more weeks. Good news - I've been posted to Xinmin Primary School! I requested for it because it's really near to my in-law's (3 minutes' walk) and they granted my request. It would be so much more convenient if I work near Beth. Can save on transport cost and time too!

Nathan must be a very chubby boy now. Wah...a mighty 9 kg. Beth's only 8.5 kg now. Must be very tiring to have to carry him around all day. But once he's learnt to crawl, he won't want you to carry him as much already. Beth doesn't want to be carried much now. She's enjoying her freedom and would go wherever she likes. Sometimes, as I busy myself around the house, she would follow me like a little shadow. So cute.

She's learning to stand without support now. Sometimes she would hold on to furniture, stand up, let go of the furniture and try to balance herself. Of course, she can only stand for less than 2 seconds, then she'll be down on the floor again. She especially enjoys it when Granny or Grandpa holds her by the armpit and supports her while she 'walks'. Also getting more social now. Will initiate play (like peekaboo) and understands some words I say, like 'milk', 'mama carry', 'go gai gai', 'porridge', 'sit up', 'clap your hands', 'shake your head' and so on.... Sometimes, when we sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", she would imitate the action by holding up her hands and opening and closing her palms. She surprised me today when she clapped her hands at worship time and shook her head to the beat of the music. Makes me feel that she's praising God in her own way too. One thing I'm really pleased about is that this girl seems to loooooove books, even preferring them over toys. She loves to flip through the books and look at the pictures and also enjoys it when we read to her. She would sit quietly and listen to the story, or use her fingers to touch the pictures. Of course, she loves to chew on her books too. Sometimes, when she's flipping through her books, she would babble in a sing-song manner. Makes me wonder if she's trying to imitate our reading.

Will be bringing Beth to Brisbane next Sunday for tour and visitation. A bit anxious - don't know how she would behave on the 8-hour flight (Thank God it's midnight flight so hopefully she'll sleep throughout), and not sure whether she'll be able to adjust to the new environment and weather. Will be there for 2 weeks. Really looking forward to it! Be back on 18 December. Catch up with you then!

love,
pagon

Vivo City

2006-11-18T14:20:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, Daddy and Mummy took me to the most happening place in town - VIVO CITY. You wouldn't believe the crowd that was there, given that it was a Friday afternoon and many of the shops were still not opened. The place is huge and one could easily get lost in this maze of shops.
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Right outside Vivo City was the big ship, Doulos, which has a bookshop onboard. Mummy went onboard to shop for books while Daddy and I waited at the shopping centre. It was so crowded and stuffy that Mummy nearly fainted! Boy, was she glad that she didn't bring me along. The books were good buy, though. In Vivo City, Mummy bought some more books for me, since I prefer books to toys (I especially love to gnaw on the corners). So these are the new additions to my mini library of books:

Then, we went to Toys R Us. We saw this Elmo doll that was bigger than I! Knowing that Elmo is my favourite Sesame Street character, Mummy wasted no time in taking this picture for me.

Vivo City was too crowded so we went to the quieter Harbourfront Centre for dinner. At the entrance was a gigantic Christmas tree adorned with lights and teddy bears. It was simply eye-catching!

Potty Training

2006-11-07T17:47:00.000+08:00

Mummy's potty-training me for BIG BUSINESS! Now, I do most of my poo-poo on the infant toilet seat. Whenever Mummy sees my signature grimace, a sign that I'm ready for poo-poo, she'll place me on my 'throne'. Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai are also learning to read my face. That's a photo taken by Daddy when I was in action.

Changes, Changes, Changes

2006-11-04T02:23:00.000+08:00

There seems to be so much changes in my young little life this week. I've been going to Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai's place every day. Mummy says she wants me to get used to spending my day there as she's going back to work soon (boo hoo hoo) and they are going to be my primary caretakers during the weekdays. I've been bathing, napping, and having most of my meals there for the past week. I'm now having my naps in a playpen instead of my cot. Today, I tried having milk in my bottle - something which I've not done for the last 5 months. The milk bottle seems not so obnoxious now. I managed to finish everything in it, although it's a mere 30 - 40 ml of breastmilk. I'm having a ball of a time playing with Yeh Yeh and Nai Nai, and exploring the place on my fours, so much so that I've been having restless nights. Daddy says that I'm probably overstimulated. Everything at Nai Nai's place seems new and fun, except when I'm sleepy or have just woken from my nap. In those moments, nothing would suffice but Mummy's presence and warm cuddles.

I'm Cruising!

2006-10-26T18:43:00.000+08:00

Yeah! That's what I'm doing, though I'm only a beginner - able to take only one or two steps at a time! And I can crawl pretty efficiently on fours now. Like to stalk Mummy wherever she goes in the house. When she walks to the room, I'll tail her. Whenever she makes her way to the kitchen, I'm right there behind her. This way, she can never get out of my sight. I'm like her little shadow.

Porridge

2006-10-19T00:29:00.000+08:00
After 2 months of surviving on cereal and milk, Mummy finally decided to add a new variety to my menu - Porridge. And the debut was this:

Chicken and Pumpkin Porridge
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Boy! Porridge IS delicious! It delights Mummy everytime I gobble up even the last morsel of this stuff. Now, two weeks after I started on porridge, I can finish one to one and a half small bowl of it and I have it for lunch and dinner, my breakfast being cereal. Each time, Mummy adds 3 to 4 of these ingredients to my porridge: fish, chicken, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, potato, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach and pea.
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In fact, Daddy's worried that Mummy might be overfeeding me. I seemed to have put on a bit of flesh on my cheeks and tummy recently, according to him. But Mummy says that it's high time that I put on weight, because I haven't done so in the past month. With all the crawling, more calories would certainly serve me well.

HDB Tai Tai Meet Up

2006-10-18T23:44:00.000+08:00

Today, Mummy met up with her secondary schoolmate, Auntie Vivien, at Bishan Junction 8. Auntie Vivien brought her son, 6-month-old Favian, along. Isn't he big and chubby for his age? He's such a chirpy boy, constantly flashing his charming smile and chuckling at the slightest stimulus.
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After a milk shake at McDonald's, the two "Tai Tais" went shopping for, of course, baby stuff. Mummy bought me a feeding spoon that comes with a box, convenient to bring out when she needs to feed me outside. She also acquired a new feeding bottle for me to use at Nai Nai's house when she goes back to work.
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To end off the brief but fruitful meet up, we went to Coffee Bean for cake and drinks, where Daddy soon joined us afterward.

Mid-Autumn Festival

2006-10-07T18:13:00.000+08:00

Last night, we celebrated my first mid-autumn festival. Daddy and Mummy took me to Punggol Park, together with Yeh Yeh, Nai Nai, Auntie Sally, Uncle Ben and Charis. Charis was happy to be there! She has just learnt to walk and was thrilled to be able to run on the grass. Even though she fell a few times, it didn't bother her and she just got up and continued running around. The park was crowded. Everywhere we went, there were people holding lanterns, lighting candles and playing with the 'fireworks'. The perimeter of the pond was seemingly decorated with little twinkling lights.
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The haze was especially bad. In every breath we took, we could smell smoke. Today, I developed a slight cough and running nose. Must be due to the polluted air.
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Daddy and Mummy took some pictures but because it was too dark, none of them turned out really well. What a pity.

My Latest Achievements

2006-09-21T18:06:00.000+08:00

My latest achievements: sitting up on my own and standing with support.

I'm thrilled by the fact that I can now hold on to the cot railing and pull myself up to a standing position! Yesterday, this episode took place at my morning nap time.

Mummy: Ok, darling, time to sleep (puts me down in the cot).
Me: (Immediately flips over and heads for the cot railing. Then stands up, leaning on the railing for support.)
Mummy: No, it's sleep sleep time, baby. (puts me down again to sleep)
Me: Mummy, just let me practice one more time! (heads for the cot railing and stands up again)
Mummy (very sternly): No, darling, that's dangerous!
Me: (Squeals with delight)

This happened again and again until Mummy finally gave up and put me on my playmat to play. I was so excited over my latest achievement that I was in no mood to nap.

This morning, Mummy and Daddy lowered my cot platform so I wouldn't fall over.

Celebrity Look Alikes

2006-09-16T12:13:00.000+08:00

Mummy chanced upon this interesting website that matches my photos with the celebrities I resemble. Hehe...so funny: See who I look like.
Mummy tried 3 different photos and Son Ye-jin appeared in all 3 matches and Magic Johnson appeared in 2 of the matches. Hmm....I wonder whom I will grow up to look like.

How Beth has been Doing

2006-09-11T11:54:00.000+08:00

An email that Mummy wrote to her friend, Auntie Caris, mother to 4-month-old Nathan, who asked how I was doing:

"Nice to hear from you again! I've been updating myself by reading your blog postings. Good to hear that Nathan's getting better and taking care of him is easier.

The day is so much brighter when you're able to sleep through the night, ya? Sigh...I wish I could say that of Beth as well. She's still having those night-waking spells - cries in the middle of the night (sometimes, once, sometimes twice or even thrice) and needs to be carried to sleep. Sometimes she can be awake for 1 whole hour. Not sure whether it's separation anxiety or she just cannot go to sleep on her own. So this week, I've been trying to train her to fall asleep on her own. The result is a lot more crying in the day especially when she's sleepy. And it takes 1 - 2 hours before she finally fusses to sleep, or she would fuss until the next milk time and suckle to sleep. Tried all sorts of methods - play with her and try to tire her out, sing to her, pat her, etc, but nothing works. She just wants to be rocked to sleep. And she still wakes up in the middle of the night! I've been so stressed up by her crying this week that today, I decided to stick to rocking her to sleep. Since she's still waking up at night, I need some peace in the day, else I think I'm going crazy soon. Don't know when I can have a good night of uninterrupted sleep again. Sigh.....really need lots of prayer for strength, patience, joy and wisdom.

She's been having stranger and separation anxiety as well. Been really sticky to me. Cries when she sees me walk away. Doesn't allow strangers to carry. Sometimes doesn't even allow daddy to carry. Guess it's another phase of social development. I don't mind it, though, knowing that when she has learnt to walk, she would be fiercely independent and won't even allow me to carry her. So, I'd better enjoy this phase as much as I can. I'm just worried about what would happen to her when I go back to work.

Beth's also been crawling pretty quickly now. Can't really leave her alone for longer than 2 minutes else she would make her way to dangerous places that are interesting to her - like the standing fan in the living room. Loves to drum-beat on the base of the fan.

Feeding solids has also not been easy. She's been rather erratic. Sometimes she takes slightly more, sometimes only one or 2 mouthfuls. Have been trying all kinds of fruits and vegetables, but she seems easily bored. Yesterday, I went to see a doc for some fungal infection and she was going to prescribe an oral drug that was not breastfeeding-safe. I told her I'm still breastfeeding and she asked me how old my baby was. When I said "7 months", her response was "Aiyah, 7 months already should be weaned off soon, right? Should only be drinking once or twice a day?" I said "No leh, I'm still latching her on 5 times a day." So in the end, she prescribed a cream instead of oral medication.

She's been behaving quite well otherwise. Becoming more responsive, expressive and playful. Loves it when I sing action songs to her, kiss her, hug her or tickle her. Very smiley, observant and curious. Despite the complaints, I still enjoy her very much. Gonna miss her a great deal when I resume work, which is only about 2 months away.

cheers,
Pagon"

Desaru

2006-09-08T12:39:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, we came back from our first overseas family trip (actually it was just across the causeway at Johor Bahru)! Travelling there was easy - a 30-minute ferry ride from Changi Ferry Terminal, followed by a 30-minute bus ride to the resort. There wasn't very much to do at the Pulai Beach Resort but we enjoyed taking walks by the beach, having dips in the pool, and just relaxing and spending time together.
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The room wasn't fantastic but it was big and clean. What we enjoyed most was the king-sized bed! Even with the three of us on it, there was still plenty of room for me to roll and crawl about, unlike our own bed, on which I am always squashed in between Mummy and Daddy.
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The pool was great! We went swimming twice during the trip and despite the dollops of sunscreeen that Mummy had applied on me, I still ended up a bit tanned.
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On the second day, we took a tour of a nearby fruit farm. It was more of an animal farm to me. Not much fruits as the fruiting season was over, according to the guide. The only fruiting trees we saw were the ubiquitous banana trees and jackfruit trees, longan trees and dragonfruit trees. There were many animals, though - ostriches, a monkey, a snake, a 7-month-old crocodile (as old as I), peacocks, some chickens, a rooster that was crowing incessantly, rabbits, goats, sheep, and many other animals. I wasn't too keen on the tour and was yawning throughout, having woken up at 6 am that morning because I missed my own bed, not to mention that the heat from the sun made me very drowsy.
Get Your Own! View Slideshow

My First Dip

2006-08-27T23:24:00.000+08:00
We went to Erica Ah Yee's house for a swim today! It was my first time in the pool!
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After a short tennis session, Mummy got me changed into my blue floral-printed swimsuit. Then, while she herself was getting changed, Daddy carried me into the pool. All was well until Daddy tried to put me into this big yellow swimming float. It was scary! I'd never seen this thing before and Daddy wanted me to sit in it??!! I wailed and protested and wanted to have nothing to do with the float or the pool. So Daddy had no choice but to get me out of the water. I would not be pacified until Mummy got out of the changing room to carry me.
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Then Mummy VERY gradually submerged me in the water again. I was nervous and cautious, clinging on to Mummy, but this time, I did not protest. I slowly relaxed as Daddy, Mummy, Celeste Jie Jie, Vernice Jie Jie, Jessica Ah Yee and everyone else tried to make me feel comfortable. Before long, I was enjoying myself and making tiny splashes by beating on the water. Soon, I was squealing and chuckling and jumping with delight! Being in the water is so much FUN!
To top it up, nothing beats sucking my toes while having a swim.
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After the swim, we had dinner at Erica Ah Yee's house. I have to mention this red push cart that Jessica Ah Yee brought to let me sit in. The moment Mummy put me into it, I was transformed into a toy for the entertainment of Kieron Gor Gor, Chloe Jie Jie and Vernice Jie Jie. I don't mind it, though, and quite enjoy being pushed around.
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By the way, this Kieron Gor Gor hor...he's tall, dark and handsome, and 1.5 years older than I. He loved to touch me on the face and push me around in the cart. Guess what? Before he went home, he even planted a kiss on my cheeks! *Blush* There goes my first kiss. Is this LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

I have a Passport!

2006-08-24T18:35:00.000+08:00

Today Mummy went with me to collect my first passport. It's a biometric passport! Now I can travel to anywhere I want. Hmm...let me study the world map before planning the route for my round-the-world trip.

Didi or Meimei?

2006-08-23T11:30:00.000+08:00
Last night at Cold Storage, Compasspoint

Stranger Auntie (talking to her toddler and pointing to me) : See this Didi. So cute!

Daddy : She's not Didi. She's Meimei.

Stranger Auntie : Meimei ah? Looks like boy hor.

(Excuse me, Auntie, can't you see the butterfly hairclip on my hair?)

Some Updates

2006-08-22T15:51:00.000+08:00

I've been started on solids for 3 weeks now and these are the fruits and vegetables that I've tried so far, besides cereal (in order): butternut squash, banana, sweet potato, prune, pear.
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VERDICT: Bananas taste okay but give me constipation. All the other foods are not to my liking.
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Mummy's stressed up at every feed because I just wouldn't open my mouth beyond the first mouthful. The aftermath would be a bowl of unfinished food, which Mummy has to gobble down (no wonder she just couldn't shed those flabs), and splats of food on my face, fingers, legs, bib, clothes, handkerchief, hair, highchair.......(the list goes on)
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Mummy finally decided that there is no need to rush solids, since I'm not showing any interest. Plus, I've not been 'chewing' well and sometimes gag on my food, and I've been constipated (despite drinking lotsa water) this week so she concluded that perhaps my digestive system is not yet ready for solids. Anyway, research shows that some babies thrive solely on breastmilk well into their first year. So what's the rush, Mummy. I guess Mummy was eager to introduce solids only because she enjoys preparing them.
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I can crawl forward now! Still not a professional, though, mostly on my tummy and elbows. Most babies master sitting before crawling but Mummy says the reason I'm crawling first is that it gives me mobility so that I'll be able to reach my toys or go wherever I want. Sitting offers no such incentives.

A Crying Bout in Church

2006-08-20T09:40:00.000+08:00

Mummy, why did you leave me in the hands of unfamiliar people in church today??!! Although they are really nice aunties, and there are many toys and jie jies and gor gors to play with, I still miss you very much! I screamed and screamed but you couldn't hear and you took forever to come!!!
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Mummy: But Mummy is only downstairs in the sanctuary listening to the sermon, what. And it's only for a mere half an hour. You used to be okay in the cradle roll leh. Only started having separation anxiety these 2 weeks. Sigh....

After the bout of crying, I really couldn't keep my eyes opened during lunch so I dozed off while Mummy, Daddy and Uncle Eric were having their chicken rice, fishball noodles and laksa in a coffeeshop near church.

Fun in the Sun

2006-08-19T21:54:00.000+08:00

Daddy and Mummy wanted to take me outdoors today so after considering a few options, they finally decided on Botanical Gardens. Unfortunately, when we reached there, we found that the part of Botanical Gardens that we wanted to visit was out of bounds so we took a bus to nearby MacRitchie Reservoir after lunch.

It was hot and humid but not really sunny. The first thing I did when we reached there was to have a milk feast while taking a catnap. Then I was up and about and in a better mood to appreciate the beautiful nature that God has so wonderfully created.

We took a short walk along the perimeter of the reservoir and took a rest at a pavillion that extends into the water. The view at the pavillion was fantastic! But before long, the Z monster caught up with me again (All too soon!) and when Mummy noticed that I was rubbing my eyes, she suggested that we should pack up and go so that her darling can take a good nap at home.

Of course, I couldn't wait till I was home! I was knocked out on the bus journey in Mummy's arms while she was also snoozing away, resting her head on Daddy's shoulder.

Have you heard of Baboz?

2006-08-14T20:24:00.000+08:00

Mummy got me a blue denim Baboz Baby Chair Harness today! It is used to strap me to a chair - well, almost any chair. Mummy says it's very portable (it comes with a small pouch to fit into) so now she doesn't have to lug along the pram when we go out dining. What's more, I always complain when I'm left in the pram whilst she and Daddy enjoy their food, so she ends up having to balance me on her lap with one hand, and struggle with her food with the other. So with the harness, I can participate during mealtimes and she can eat in peace - a win-win situation!
How do I look in the harness?

I can Sit!

2006-08-12T17:10:00.000+08:00

Can you believe it? I surprised Mummy one day when I could balance myself without she holding on to me. Although I still have to sway my body to and fro to keep myself balanced, and I topple after a short few minutes, Mummy says it's a great achievement already!

Mummy take MC?

2006-08-01T11:52:00.000+08:00
Mummy fell sick last night. She insisted that I was the one who passed the flu bug to her. And she kept asking, "Baby, Mummy is sick, you know? Can Mummy take MC or not? If Mummy takes MC, there'll be no one to take care of you, loh." What?! No one to take care of me?!

What's MC, by the way?

My First Semi Solid Meal

2006-07-31T21:43:00.000+08:00
Finally...the long awaited moment has arrived! Mummy gave me my first semi solid meal today! It was long awaited because she bought the cereal 2 weeks ago, but waited only till today to feed me with it. Here are the ingredients:
Mummy's milk and brown rice cereal

Here are other stuff that she needed:

And...the finished product:

Ok...now for the first bite...The taste is not bad at all! I kept opening my mouth, waiting for Mummy to give me more before she was ready with the next spoonful.

The mess I made after the whole feeding:
Not too bad for a beginner, yah?

Of the Sun, Sand and Sea...and Shopping Carts

2006-07-30T23:14:00.000+08:00
Daddy and Mummy brought me on my first CG outing today! After church, we went to a very nice, by-the-sea eating place - Shore Restaurant at NSRCC Sea Sports Centre - for lunch (wonderful recommendation from Uncle Damien and Auntie Fong Yee). It was pouring when we reached there. Mummy was kinda disappointed at first but thank God the rain stopped just as the adults had finished their lunch so we went to a pavillion by the shore to blah blah blah blah and ha ha ha ha (you know, two of those things that adults always do when they get together).

Oh! I had a photo taken with my CG friends! Mummy says this has to be one of her favourite pictures. Quick! Tell me who is the ultimate amongst these four beauties (Si Da Mei Nu)? Don't you dare say it's not me!

And this is our entire CG (missing in action: Auntie Sabrina, Samuel Gor Gor, Joel Gor Gor, and of course, Auntie Mary, who is behind the camera) :

The sky was still overcast after the rain.
In the evening, it was time to do our weekly grocery shopping. Mummy seated me in the shopping cart, hoping that I could steady myself so that Daddy doesn't have to lug along my pram everytime we shop for grocery. I was able to do that for a while.

But alas! After 5 minutes, they had to be disappointed.

My New Toys

2006-07-28T11:12:00.000+08:00
Hurray! I'm up and about today so let's move on to today's topic.

Introducing (drumroll).... the 2 new toys that I got this week.

New Toy # 1: A pink inflatable hammer Auntie Sarah bought from Hong Kong. I love to hold and look at it from different angles, shake it to hear the bell inside jingle, and yes, most of all, lick it. Strange...how come it doesn't taste like strawberry?

New Toy # 2: A polka dotted rocking horse that can be sucked on to my high chair. Mummy bought it from NTUC on Tuesday. Try as I might to remove it, it's stubbornly stuck onto the tray. Mummy says that's a good feature. I guess she's just tired of the fact that she has to pick up my toys each time I drop them from my highchair.

And within 5 minutes of fiddling with the toy, I've figured out my favourite part of it - the horse's tail, which is made from ribbons. I can put the whole thing in my mouth and suck on it!
(Did you notice the way I sit in my highchair in the picture above? Mummy says I sit like an Ah Pek)

Help! I've been Bugged!

2006-07-26T15:42:00.000+08:00

Boohoohoo...I'm down with a cough, fever and running nose today (cough cough). Dr. Saw said that I've been attacked by a virus. Sigh...everytime I see Dr. Saw (sniff sniff), I'm reminded of the horrible jabs that he gave me so I would protest and cry each time Mummy takes me into his office, jabs or no jabs. So today (cough cough), Dr. Saw had to take my temperature thrice to get a correct reading because I wouldn't let him. My temperature? 38.8 C. Quite high, yah (cough cough)? As if that's not bad enough (Ahchoooo!), Dr. Saw gave Mummy 2 bottles filled with orange and pink syrup and ordered her to feed me with them. They taste horrible! Boohoohoo... I hope I'll never have to see him again....

Legs Opened so Wide!

2006-07-25T22:09:00.000+08:00

Today I got it again - comments from passers-by about the way I sit in my pram. Comments like "Wah...this girl so chor lor. Legs opened so wide!" This is the 5th or 6th time that I've got such comments already! Sigh...can't they understand that I'm only 6 months old and babies are not the slightest bit concerned about being well-groomed? Who cares? So long as I'm comfortable. And in case you're wondering...ya...those are Daddy's feet in his Teva sandals.

My First Books

2006-07-24T11:32:00.000+08:00
Mummy says she wants to start me on a reading programme (she's not going to lose out to other Kiasu Mummies) so yesterday, she and Daddy took me to Popular @ Compasspoint and bought these books:

Hmm...I wonder if I would find any of them interesting.

My Play Area

2006-07-20T22:54:00.000+08:00
This is my play area, which Mummy very cleverly improvised by putting 2 exercise mats together so as to create a place where I can roll about freely without the risk of falling. Mummy put velcro in between the 2 mats to stop them from moving apart when I move vigorously. Total cost = <$40 : a much cheaper alternative to those bumper playmats that cost hundreds. Another advantage: It can be easily kept away in a matter of seconds.

My Farm Cot Activity

2006-07-18T15:30:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, when Mummy needs to leave me alone, she would put me in my cot. I would then entertain myself with this farm cot activity that is hung on my cot railing.

I especially like the yellow duckie. I have learnt to pull it down and am amazed by the way it moves up on its own with a "zap zap zap" sound when I release it.

My favourite is this little blue and green donkey. Daddy likes to squeeze the carrot and the squeaky sound it makes never fails to amuse me and bring a smile to my face. He also likes to pull it to play the lullaby. Best of all, I looooove to lick the donkey's ears or suck on its carrot. Yummy! Thanks, Donkey, for sharing your carrot with me!

My First Highchair

2006-07-17T22:52:00.000+08:00

Mummy bought me an Ikea highchair from Yahoo Auctions yesterday. Costs only $15. Condition not bad for a second-hand item. That's me sitting in my new old highchair for the first time! It feels great to be able to see Mummy at eye level (with Mummy sitting down, of course) and look at things from a higher perspective!