Last night in SG

Hey there Boy Boy!

Tonight is our last night in SG before we fly back to the US. You seem to sense that something is amiss. Usually you will sleep through the night when we put you to bed at 10pm. But tonight, you woke up again and refused to sleep till 11 plus. Maybe you know that our flight is at 2am tomorrow, so you are starting to adjust your biological clock, huh...

So hungry that I have to eat my turtle... Where's my food?

Parting is going to be quite difficult for everyone... Mommy has no idea how you are going to take it... Will you realize that something's missing? Will you cry for your ma-ma, ah-gong, po-po, gong-gong? Daddy just printed out a large family photo to bring back to the US, just in case. Hopefully it will have its intended effect.

High five to Hobbes!

You had such a happy time here in SG, it almost feels wrong to bring you away. It will be another eight months before we return , which is not that long really. (Only the same amount of time that you have been with us, that's all!)

Maybe if I stare long enough, Daddy will give me some of his food...

As Mommy is writing this, you woke up again. Seems like Boy Boy is nervous about tomorrow as well huh. Sleep tight, little one! We have a long journey ahead of us...

Mommy and Daddy love you!

Starting solids

Hey there Boy Boy!

It has been a whole month since the last post, although it didn't feel so. I guess Mommy's many mommy-friends are right when they say time passes really fast with kids...

Hmm... let's see. What happened this month? You started eating solid food, which was lots of fun for all of us. When you are hungry and Mommy's slightly slow with the spoon, you will bang on the table repeatedly, as if saying "More! More! More!" So impatient huh! Cannot wait is it?

But when we are feeding you something which is not one of your favourites, we will have to do all sorts of stunts to make you open that golden mouth of yours (singing, reciting numbers in multiple languages, saying "ahhhh" in variable intonations)... all these time with the spoon touching your lips so that we will not miss the chance to stuff it in your mouth when you open ever so slightly. Can be very tiring at times, especially when the target keeps moving around.

There was even a time when you hands were moving around so much that you knocked Mommy's bowl off my hand! Fortunately for us, your food has gravity-defying properties -- the gooey rice cereal was still stuck to the bottom of the inverted bowl when it reached the floor. So Mommy simply picked it up and continued with the feeding. Hooray.

It is always an exciting time when we feed you something new. You love porridge with pumpkin, chicken, or veggie, as well as potato, pear and prune puree, but not apple, mango, banana or papaya. Surprisingly, you didn't react too strongly when we gave you a teeny tiny bit of durian. And when we made a smoothie using a variety of leftover fruits from the freezer, you loved it! Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to replicate the same taste for you again.

With all these new tastes, I guess it is no surprise that you started drinking a lot less milk. So Mommy thought maybe it is a good time to switch you to formula. Will make our lives easier on the flight(s) back to the US anyway. But it seems like you had other plans. You drank 20mls of formula and that was it. No amount of cajoling or tricks could get you to take another sip.

At first, Mommy is really worried about you not drinking enough milk. There were days when you only nursed only during the night. (I guess you were too sleepy to reject, huh) But now, I guess as long as you are eating nutritiously, and are a happy healthy baby who is gaining weight, Mommy will be grateful enough. :)

Six months!

Hey there Boy Boy!

Guess what? You are six months old today! :) Mommy can't quite believe that we have made it this far.

Daddy and Mommy just went through all the blog posts since "the beginning"... Gives us a warm fuzzy feeling just reminiscing about the past... like listening to your heartbeat for the very first time, our first look at you through the ultrasound pix, finally finding out that you are a boy boy, your not-so-expected arrival, those pretty tough first weeks... and then just looking at photos and more photos of you from birth till now brings a smile to our faces. :)

We didn't really celebrate today in a big way. In the morning, your Daddy did come up with the brilliant idea of buying you half a cake to celebrate your half-year-old birthday (such a wonderful sense of humour the man has)... but that didn't happen in the end.

Six months old liao, big boy already okay? Must learn to be a good boy boy hor... Mommy and Daddy love you!

Wake up, Mommy and Daddy!

Hey there Boy Boy!

This morning, you woke up at your usual, early time ~ about 7.30am. But lazy Mommy and Daddy wanted to sleep in more (It is a Saturday!), so we picked you out of your crib, and put you in between us, hoping that you will magically fall back to sleep again.

Of course you didn't.

Instead, you tried to wake us up. First you turned to Daddy and tried to reach out to his face, grabbing his nose repeatedly... Upon seeing that, Mommy decided to turn my back against you, so that my nose will be safe from your claws... but you decided to beat on Mommy's back instead...

Okay... so Mommy thought maybe if I ignore you, you will stop trying to wake me up. But you were so determined! And the abuse went on for a few minutes, even Daddy commented "Wow he is really determined..."

"Or stubborn, like Mommy," I thought.

So it was no surprise when the least stubborn of the three of us (i.e. Daddy) finally gave in. Daddy woke up and picked you up to play with you. You got your way, and Mommy got mine... and I continued to sleep... heh heh...

***

Lately, you have been babbling a lot too. You sound so cute when you make those "agoobuhey..." sounds! We are so glad that you have progressed from your screaming phase a few weeks ago. But these few days, you have adopted a new habit: you will make this "booeh" sound when we feed you solids, as if you are trying to regurgitate what we just fed you. It is quite puzzling for us, because you used to like to eat the pumpkin and rice cereal so much. Maybe you are trying to tell us that you are bored of these foods already and want to try something new?

***

You have also learned how to sit up on your own! Good job Boy Boy! You are most steady when you are sitting still watching TV, but will tumble over when trying to reach out for that faraway toy. As for crawling, *sigh*, you are still not a happy baby when you are on your tummy -- Mommy has to keep you distracted with rattles and toys, or else you will run out of patience very soon. On the other hand, you can stand while holding on to our hands already. Heh, seems like this Boy Boy doesn't like to do things in order huh... must be different from other babies is it...

***

Nowadays everyone is very "wary" when we carry you. You like to grab our ears, hair, specs (especially specs)... and leave as in a frenzy as we wince in pain, try to unclamp your fingers around our ear/hair/specs, while at the same time making sure we don't drop you. Now we are slightly smarter. Mommy will tie up my hair while carrying you, and we will watch out for those naughty hands when they come near our faces...

***

Amazingly, you are still asleep after Mommy has finished writing this post. :) (Phew!) Sleep some more okay, Boy Boy. Later Mommy and Daddy will bring you out to "gai gai". Mommy and Daddy love you!

busy busy busy...

Hi there Boy Boy!

Waking up bright and cheery in the morning

On Monday, while Mommy is at work, Daddy called to say that you have been very fussy the whole day -- crying, refusing to sleep in your crib, and having to be carried the whole time. You were also coughing quite a bit. We thought maybe it is because of your teething and all that extra drool which caused you to choke and cough...

Saying "Hi" to the camera!

But you had a slight fever the next day, and (since you have never been sick before) we thought it best to bring you to see a doctor. After a brief five minute visit and a hole in our pocket, we were given some meds for cough and cold... You took the meds without much protest (phew!) and after two doses, you were back to your normal self again -- no more fussiness! I guess maybe you were not as sick as we thought, and that we were just being kancheong first-time parents... Anyway, lesson learnt: PD visits will be reserved for more serious illnesses!

Looks like the little tiger is about to pounce onto something

Daddy's uni friends had a gathering this week, and we brought you along. Daddy's friends all commented that you have really big eyes, coz you were staring soooo hard at them! One of them even asked if you ever blink your eyes... It reminded Mommy of an incident while we were still in the US. You were (again) staring intently at this man, and his girlfriend commented: "Wow, he is really staring at you!" To which the man cheekily reply "Well, most people do anyway!"

Going to "gai gai" today!

Mommy's band friends also met up this week. We went for high tea at the Regent, and had the most wonderful time. Everyone wanted to carry you, even after they complained of aching arms (you are now a squirmy 8.3kg sack of rice). You also met Xuan Hui jie jie and little Nathan (who is more "Michelin" than you when you were three months old). As usual, you were described as "round" and "solid" with "big eyes"...

Big "family" photo after the high tea ~ you are already asleep in Daddy's arms...

Bye bye 4th month, hello 5th!

Hey there Boy Boy!

It has been a while since Mommy has had the time to sit down and write something here. You are already five months old today! Time really flies and you have grown up so much already...

Sitting in your Jumperoo, chomping on your favourite butterfly... I bet the Jumperoo has something to do with your love for jumping

Growth-wise, you are sprouting along nicely... 7.9kg during our last weigh-in. Coincidentally, the word "solid" has been used to describe you on separate occasions by family and friends. Mommy can't help but agree with them! Not sure why, but you seem to have developed a love for standing and jumping; no longer are you satisfied with just lying on your bed or even just sitting up -- you will always go "EH! EH!", as if to tell us "Pick me up! I want to stand!" Of course we will happily oblige you, since you will flash us with your trademark smile... but that also means super tired arms for us... We joked that all the nutrients must have gone to plump up those chubby thighs of yours, coz I don't think four-month olds are suppose to stand yet...

Shu-shu making you squeal and laugh after dinner

Clothes-wise, you are growing so fast that we have to buy 6 - 12 month PJs for you already. And all your nice clothes for 3 - 6 months are only worn once or twice... such a pity... (but more excuse for Mommy to shop for you... heh heh...)

Winter clothes meant for you when we return to US... but since it fits nicely now, it probably won't fit when you actually need it in a few months' time

Food-wise, we have tried to introduce you to some yummies. After rice cereal, you have tried apples (yuck), watermelon (yum), pumpkin (okay) and carrots/potato puree (okay). You also sucked on a piece of peach, which you enjoyed. I think the adults had more fun seeing your really funny expressions, especially when you tried the apple and cringed/coughed/choked, as if it was the most vile-tasting food on earth. For the record, it was very sweet and yummy, as verified by all others who tested... maybe baby taste buds are a little more sensitive huh!

Ma-ma and you in matching outfits

You also went for your jabs. We were initially worried that the immunization schedules for US the SG will clash, but fortunately we got that sorted out... This time, the jab went to your bum-bum, after which you let out a big cry, turned around, stared angrily at the perpetrator, and fell silent again... Phew! Later on, you did develop a slight fever. We stuck the KoolFever pad on your forehead (btw, Daddy laughed at the way you look) and gave you some Panadol so that you will feel better, and things improved after that.

)Still relatively cheerful despite being poked in the bum

Oh yes, and teeth! Your two bottom teeth just popped up this week! Finally! They have been peeking out of your pink gums for such a long time... plus all that excessive drooling which flowed onto beds, linen, clothes and more...

Boy Boy, it is really a joy to see you grow up day by day... Mommy and Daddy's troubles will all melt away whenever you smile... Stay happy and keep growing okay? Daddy and Mommy love you!

Double Standards

Well Boy Boy...

You made your Daddy quite angry today, you know? Must remember to say sorry okay...

It happened not once, not twice, but many many times already... At bedtime, Mommy and Daddy will try to coax you to sleep. But you will refuse very loudly (growl growl growl), giving us your angry look and trying to scare us into submission, while using all your strength to wriggle out of our arms... We retaliate by trying to stuff the pacifier back into your mouth and struggling to get you to close your eyes -- sometimes even physically pushing trying to push your eyelids close... so desperate are we!

And at this time, when Ma-ma, Ye-Ye or Shu-Shu come into the room to see what the racket is about, you will immediately switch your growl into a big wide grin... coz you know them = play time! (Especially your Shu-Shu who always manages to make you so happy)

But of course, Daddy and Mommy can never stay angry at you for long, even if you make us feel like the bad guys who deprive you of fun when we are trying to do our "job"... You have given us countless moments of laughter and joy. These days, you have become quite a talkative boy, trying to chat up even strangers... Daddy and Mommy wonder why, since neither of us are quite as sociable as you... You are also very very loud... and very very fierce! But thankfully you are more often smiley and chatty than you are grouchy and difficult.