My milestone at 18 months

Yes at 18 months and I can do many things. First and foremost, I can now walk on my own. Mummy is so proud of me!! Everyone is so proud of me. Oh, did I mention that I can also say "mummee"? and sometimes I call her "mummy-ah". Whenever I wanted her to follow me around or needed something from her, I'll call "mummy-ah, mummy-ah, mummy-ah".

And I've also mustered something else. I can speak words made up of two or three syllables: buff-ffer-fy (butterfly), dan-re-rus (dangerous), bam-be-ba (umbrella), loh sia (hokkien word for downstairs), ah-uun (air con). Only mummy could understand me while others try to figure out what I'm trying to say. And when they finally figured out, they burst out laughing.

Every morning Papa would take me downstairs and place me in my bright yellow remote control car, which the adults call "Hummer", and take me on a tour of the house. The ride usually last for about 15 to 20 minutes and I get easily bored after a couple of rounds but I think Papa is enjoying it very much.

Mummy and Ah Ma would usually take me out for my kai kai or sometimes we would drop by Lau Sa Yee's shop in the afternoons for tea. Mummy would also call Kong Kong (Wai Kong) to pick her up on some days so that we could go to Wai Kong and Wai Poh's house when Papa is meeting up friends for his games. And I would spent most of the evenings there. Wai Poh, Wai Kong, Yee Yee and Ku Ku spoils me rotten and so does everyone at home.

Ah Ma always calls me ho mia kia, hokkien for a boy who lives a good life. Perhaps, I am. Mummy thinks so!!

Walking Tall

May 2010 is coming to an end and Jacob is still walking with support but with much improvement as he learns to take bigger steps and longer walk. Just last night when we were about to head out for dinner, he saw his Ah Ma walked in and he let go of my hand and strutted towards her unaided. That is one BIG improvement!! So proud of my boy.

He did the same thing when he saw his Ah Kong and continued to walk on his own to and from our room to his grandparents room. I'm still waiting Jacob....mummy is waiting for you to walk independently. I know you will, very soon, very soon.

May has been a busy month. We followed papa and su su to Singapore for business trip. Ah Ma was supposed to join us but at the very last minute she couldn't because she came down with a high fever due to sore throat. Apparently, she got the viral from Jacob.

Speaking about viral, Jacob was down with a very bad cough and cold.He had high fever for 5 days. Papa and I was worried sick. Took him to see Dr Lee at SJMC and he was given cough and flu medicine. The medicine was supposed to cause drowsiness but looks like it failed because Jacob woke up a few times in the middle of the night crying. It was the cough devil. Likewise, mummy and papa didn't get enough sleep too. On Wednesday, we took him to back to Dr Lee because his fever was frequent and only subsided when i inserted the suppository. Jacob's body was burning. His paed was also concern and asked us to return on Saturday if fever persist. On Friday morning, we took him back to the hospital for a test for H1N1 and a blood count test. The results came out negative. Boy, such a relief!!! This time, his paed gave him an antibiotic called "Cedax" to complete full course and also a jab. Yes, a jab!! Jacob cried so much. He has developed a phobia for Dr Lee. The jab and medicine worked magic. His fever stopped completely after that jab. We were thoroughly relief. Jacob got better on Saturday. His cold and cough got milder and he was fit to fly on Monday afternoon. But poor Ah Ma. She couldn't join us although I really prayed hard that she could.

On 17 May, we flew to Lion City. This marked as Jacob's third flight out of the country. We stayed at The Festive Hotel at Resort World Sentosa. While papa and su su worked, we played. Jake refused to walk so I carried him most of the time and almost the entire time at Vivo city. My arms ache so bad. It was a good trip. A nice trip to end an eventful, tumultuous week of lack of sleep, stress and worries. A tiring trip but wonderful.

He's almost there.....

Jacob will be turning 17 months in 2 weeks time. How time flies. He talks a lot, learning new vocab everyday at an impressive speed. The traditional Chinese has this belief : "a child who learns to talk fast (or a lot) will be slower in the walking department". Well, I never really believe such myth. Jacob has started walking a month ago, assisted walking and he is very careful not to fall. Therefore, he is a bit slower in that department.

A couple of weeks back, my mom tried to get him to walk on his own. He did for a couple of steps and I felt so proud of him. How brave is that? We were all beaming when he did it and he continued to do the same every once in a while. Whenever we're out at the mall, he'll wiggle himself out of my arm to get down and walk. Sometimes, he'll grab my pinky to lead me to where he intends to go and he does it so steadily. Someitmes, he'll walk in circles and that makes me giddy. He can really tire me out by just walking.

I'm waiting for the moment he learns to let go and walk on his own. He's almost there.

Adult's lingo, simplified - Dor wan Dor wan and Pern pern

Yeah, you must be wondering what is dor wan and pern pern. Dor wan, Dor wan, Dor wan (as in "don't want"), is currently Jacob's most frequently used words and he shakes his head (from left to right) everytime he doesn't want something. For instance, when his pa pa carries him and I wanted to take over so I say: "Jake, mummy carry you k? Mummy carry you?" and he'll respond by shaking his head and saying Dor wan Dor wan. We always find that amusing. He does it even at meal time when he doesn't want anymore porridge, he'll go shaking his head Dor wan Dor wan.

And Pern Pern!! (as in "open") is always used when he wants us to open a packet of biscuit or a can of Pringles or Lays or to open the cover of his pacifier or anything that he could not open, he'll say Pern Pern. He used to say piss piss (as in "please") before getting us to do anything for him but now he only sticks to the word Pern Pern.

Now, there are other words he has mastered, just to name a few (his pronounciation is italicised):

daddy - pa pa
mummy - mei mei
grandma - ma ma
grandpa - kong
apple - perl perl
ball - bor bor
bird - burd burd
water - wa wa
please - piss piss
no - no no
car - carr
car - vroom vroom (with tongue rolling)
kai kai (cantonese for going for a ride) - kar kar
dog - doog
milk - nan nan
food - mum mum

I thoroughly enjoy my time with my bundle of joy. Jacob will be turning into his 14th month in a couple of days and can't wait for him to walk on his own. Some say when a child learns to walk, that will be your toughest phase. We shall see.

Love this song - Bitter Heart by Zee Avi

LV Mon Monogram has finally arrived!!!

My much awaited mon monogram has finally arrived!!!

When we bought this bag, we were told by LV's PCR that the bag would be ready in a month time from the date of purchase/order. Hubby ordered the bag on 11 Dec 2010 and when deadline was up, we called the store's PCR a couple of times to check but were disappointed when we're told that the shipment has been delayed due to the holiday seasons.

Anyway, after our trip back from HK, we got a call on 22 Jan at around 7pm to inform us that the bag has reached the store. Boy, are we elated!! Told hubby that night and he too was excited. He was more anxious than I was and I intended to wait till Saturday to collect it but he couldn't wait and planned for the bag to be collected the next day,Friday 23 Jan 2010.

Hubby picked us up after work at 6pm and we left for the LV store. It was raining cats and dogs when we left the house but got to the store by 7pm. The PCR was in a meeting and we were told to return at 8pm but we're already hungry and didn't intend to return so we got the other sales assistant to attend to us. When he took out the bag, I was overjoyed! It looked the way I envisioned it to be. It was beautiful. So sorry I couldn't post the picture here now but will do it soon.

Oh, and we got a Tressor NM too which we exchanged it for a Sarah monogram the next morning at LV, KLCC. The Tressor was too small and we liked the Sarah very much as it matched my speedy 30.

Crying for a good 30 mins - wonder why?

It's already 1pm and it's Jacob's nap time but he isn't planning on going to bed any time soon. Jacob is still so hyper. I'm already worn out. Tried putting him to bed a couple of times but he resisted and crawled back onto the floor. By this time, he was getting very restless.

Attempt no.3: Made him a bottle of milk, put him back on the bed and fed him. Drank 1 oz. Failed.

Attempt no.4: Carried him and plop him on the bed, gave him his pacifier. Sang "The Incy Wincy Spider". He cried louder. Resisted and wanted me to carry him. Again failed.

Attempt no.5: He began to cry incessantly. He was throwing tantrums and really crying. I'm at wits end. Couldn't figure out what he wants. Ok, figured he wanted to get out of the room or go kai kai but I wasn't intending on giving in just yet. I didn't want him to think that he could get what he wanted by crying. Another part of me felt bad because I let him cry. Still, I wasn't relenting. He didn't too.

Attempt 6: Carried him, craddled and soothe him but it didn't work. He continued to cry. Failed again.

Attempt 7: I probably lost count on the number of attempts I made. By now my attempts are now to get him to bed but more so to pacify and soothe him. Placed him on the floor and let him cry. He cried and threw his tantrums. I left him alone. I felt bad but if that's the way to train him to accept no for answer, then that's the way it has to go. He cried. I'm tired.

Attempt no.8 & 9: Craddled and placed him on the bed. Fed him his milk. Caress his forehead and whispered to him "I love you very much". He quietly accepted and drank until he fell asleep, still choking from too much phlegm in his throat as a result of too much crying.

He finally stop crying and slept. The last time he cried so much was last Sunday. We were at Pizza Uno for our brunch when he pooped (he has been having diarrhea for the past 1 week due to stomach infection caused by some viral he picked up). Hubby decided that we should clean him when we get home instead of doing it at the restaurant. Our little friend cried the whole journey home and continued to cry even after we've cleaned him up. Both of us were stressed out. I was exhausted from all the restraining I had to do so that his poo don't leak out of his diaper. Hubby took him out of the room to calm him down. It didn't work. He then took him to the car, placed him by the steering wheel and enticed him with the signal light and wiper indicator by flicking it on and off for several times until his cries subsided.

This is really exhausting.

Jacob at 13 months

Well, Jake will be turning 13 months in a couple of days. Time really flies. He is a gift from God and we are so honoured to be his parents.

He has accomplished quite a number of things at his age and thought it would be good to blog it here. He never fails to charm us with his witty moves and funny baby talk that sounded like a repetitive rolling of tongue. Here are some of his other achievements: He understands the word 'sayang' (or love) and knows how to gently caress when told to. When he wants something, I teach him to say 'please' which he actually did and it sounded like 'pooise'. But he forgets his 'pooise' when he gets impatient. One incident that surprised and made us laugh till we cried was when his Kung Kung ask him this; "How you hello hello?" to which he instinctively responded by putting the mobile phone to his ear while another hand cupped his other ear. It is then I realised that Jacob knew a lot but never showed until we prompt him to. When I ask him to give, he gave and when told to wait, he waited.

Just yesterday I was on the bed reading a Sidney Sheldon book when Jake crawled up next to me with a book in his hand. He sat up and put the book in my hand and i return the book back to him (as we would normally do when he gave us something). So I went back to my Sidney Sheldon book and continued from where I've left off. Then, Jake put the book back into my hand and I put it aside. He became aggitated and was about to cry when I realised that he actually wanted me to read to him. So I read him "Charlie The Car" while he sat quietly and listened as though he understood. When I've finished reading, he was happy and went on to look for things to play. These are the little things that brought immense joy to my life.

I must say that Jake is brilliant, loving, bubbly, friendly and is an easy going child. It was easy to travel or bring him shopping (and shopping here mean shopping 5 to 6 hours straight). He enjoyed going out very much and loves observing people. The only complain we have was carrying him for long hours. And if he gets very tired, he'll just rest his head on our shoulder and fall asleep, oblivious to the chaotic and noisy surroundings.

We are so blessed to have this little bundle of joy in our lives.