17 months and 3 weeks

It has been two months since we (Mami and I) last posted! Again, i point the finger at Mami... heh heh

I am almost 1 and a half years old now and officially a toddler (since i started walking as reported in my last post). I am getting more and more independent with my walking . Nowadays, i even tried to jump by imitating Dadi but of course, i cant seem to get my feet off the ground, without falling over. I can do several things pretty well by myself such as feeding myself with a spoon (or fork but i need help poking my food with it, esp the slippery ones.. like grapes) and pretty much insist on doing it myself (i will tell Mami "self-self"). Mami has almost given up on trying to record down the new words i am saying. Hahaha, i am surprising her by popping up with new words, phrases here and there. I think i am more confident with talking now and if i really want something (e.g. food), i would even string together simple sentences like "I want..... more". Just the other day, both Dadi and Mami got a shock when i told them to "Sit Down!" (of course i meant what i said, i even tap the sofa so that they don't misunderstand me!) because previously all i could say was "down down".
Dadi is still concerned if i will speak Mandarin correctly. Okie, i admit, i do have a bit of a funny 'accent'. But that's because i cant really get the 'pin yin' right, so i always tend to end on a higher intonation. Shrug. But Mami has been quite patient, she would say the words really slow and get me to repeat after her, some times i was able to get the right sound. She told me, i just need to practise more. But at least i am understanding instructions in Mandarin fairly well and I can identify or express the label of some common things in English (if i already know them) when Dadi ask for it in Mandarin (e.g. "香蕉" is banana - "nana"). I think Dadi don't have to worry... i am most probably going to grow up Bilingual. Once i get my intonation correct! Hahaha. My articulation is getting much better too, so is my ability to imitate words and sounds. Mami always do it face to face with me when she is massaging me after my bath. I found it great fun, especially when she does her funny faces, sing funny songs and tickle me.
Over the last two months, I went on another trip (yes i know! I am not even two yet and has been on the plane so many times!) to Hong Kong and Singapore. This time we went to Hong Kong to see QQ who has just moved into his own apartment. Wow.. i really like his balcony because i can see ships, cars, buses and alot of other things from there. It is on the 46th floor but i am not afraid of heights. I love going to the balcony! I also like the indoor playground in QQ's apartment building. It was while there Mami taught me to climb up and slide down a slide. I guess i am not very confident with my gross motor skills, which had Mami worried for a while (esp when i showed so little interest in participating) but when she do it together with me, i found that it is actually easier than i thought! Once i get the hang of it, it was easier for me to do again and i began to enjoy it.

Over in Hong Kong, i also met Gonggong and Laolao and Xiao QQ. They took me to eat alot of different things. I love growing up because now Dadi and Mami let me try anything and everything (except prawns/crabs). I love the dim sums, the cakes, the desserts, and oh, so many good food! I think Gonggong is also like me, he loves eating too! Gonggong also went with me to Ocean Park but we didnt really enjoy it because it was hot and really crowded. :/ I think QQ enjoyed my company quite a bit and often played and talk with me while i was there. Mami thinks QQ should get married soon and have his own kiddies, then i will have more playmates. :) Well, in HK, of course there will be shopping besides eating. Dadi bought me some toys from HK and a pair of new shoes. Now that i am a confident walker, i dont need the soft sole shoes anymore and can wear regular ones which looks so much nicer.
We spent about 6 days in HK then we went to SG for another 5 days. It was a pretty busy trip and I had fun going shopping at Carrefour with Mami and Dadi. I also had fun going to Polliwogs with Aaron Gorgor and Andy Didi, with my Godma Angie. I had a chance to demonstrate some of my new skills there (like climbing up the giant playground and going down the slide). That day, we also met up with another of my Godma Suean and had a Japanese buffet dinner! It was a early celebration for both my Godmas birthday. So happy early birthday Godma Suean and Godma Angie!! Of course good food for me again... except the raw stuff which Mami say i cannot eat. It was great to see Aaron Gorgor again and this time he didnt bully me at all and we could play together! Andy Didi has also grown bigger and taller! I think when i go back to SG next time, i will be able to play with him too!

Over the trip, I also met some of Mami's ex-colleagues like Fiona Jiejie and Aunty Fauziah (whom i greedily took a whole box of oreo cookies from.. heh heh). Fiona Jiejie was very good and told Mami how to help me be more confident with using my body and reducing my drooling. Well, it really works because my drooling has really really reduced! Nowadays, i hardly need to wear any bibs. HAHAHA no more people laughing at me wearing funny bibs! Before we left SG, I also met up with my cousin Joshua. Mami had a good time having a family dinner with her cousins (my aunties and uncles), while i was busy checking out the new toys that Joshua Gorgor have. Heh heh. Gonggong and Laolao was also back so there was plenty of good food again (i tried my first yong tao fu!). It was a good trip back and i miss seeing the Elmo that QQ got me which Mami left in SG, so that i have a friend whenever i go back to SG.
Oh, the last thing we did before we left SG was to cut my hair. Aiyo.. why must they mess with my hair? Even though the aunty that cut my hair was very nice and i get my own little tv screen to watch Thomas the Train, i still HATE cutting my hair. Sigh. Anyway, after 11 days of being away, now we are back in cold cold Melbourne again. Sad to say, after a few days, i began to have a cold. I started to have mild fevers, runny nose and cough. Poor Mami and Dadi had to do shift work to take care of me through the nights again. Till now, though my fever has stablized, i am still having my runny nose and cough. Sigh. It makes sleeping most uncomfortable, even though i have my humidified and a pillow to help elevate my head. I really hope to get well soon, and then i can sleep better and go out and play again. Sighhhh....
Okie, i think that's all the updates i have for now. Hope to write again soon!

15 months and 3 weeks

We are now back in Melbourne and the weather has been rather good. Mami has been taking me out for walks in the garden nearby and i also started my playgroup again. This time, everyone in the playgroup is older than me and everyone is walking so well. Except me. But then, i am the only one in the group that's talking alot and labelling pictures in books. Mami says everyone is different and we will all learn things in our own time. Well, at that time, i wish i could walk because everyone looks like they are having fun pushing toys and doing drawing. They could also come and take my biscuits away from me. But of course, i am the one that can tell them "No!" when they do that... not that they understood me. Hahaha.

In any case, that was 2 weeks ago. NOW i am starting to walk so i think i will be catching up with the rest soon and we can all join in the same games! Heh seems like walking is a major milestone because i heard Mami and Dadi being asked if i can walk already by Gonggong and Laolao all the time! Well, it is not like i couldnt but you know, i just like to be careful... i feel safer if Mami or Dadi let me hold their finger. But yesterday, after our visit to the garden, i surprised Mami and Dadi by walking across the living room. Wahh.. you should see their faces. Heh heh i felt very proud of myself also because even though i was still abit scared, it is OK to walk without holding on to Mami! So now i will walk for a bit without Mami BUT only if i can see her infront of me (just in case i fall down). Heh she seems to think it is a game to see if i could catch her... It is actually quite fun. :) I think give me another week or so, i will be chasing after the dogs in the garden. Hahaha that is one place where i DONT want Mami's finger because she is always making me go in the opposite direction that i WANT to go. Well, you just watch Mami... when i don't need your finger any more, i can go wherever i please!

Okie.. back to what else i have been learning. Now i can do a 4 pc inset shape puzzle with knobs, with a little help from Mami to keep me focus (i tend to do 2 then i want to take them out again... well, what do you expect? i am still a kid mah!). I also like to do my shape sorters. Mami wonders why i am can be so neat with some toys but not with my books. I will always put the balls back in the sink of my play kitchen but will leave my books all over the floor. Eh.. cos the sink is easier for me to keep things than the shelf?? Haha Oh.. almost forgot, Mami and Dadi got me a small table/chair in the spare room where we also keep the piano. Now i have my very own 'work-station'! So sometimes i will sit there to play with my puzzles or musical instruments while Mami plays on the piano. Of course i will also clap for her when she finish a song and sometimes hum along.

One of my favourite activity now is scribbling on paper. Everyday i have to pester Mami to let me have the crayon and paper. Sometimes Mami will nag at me not to draw on the floor or eat the crayon (i wasn't eating!!! but it looks nice to chewchew and my gum is itchy la!). But dont know why, the drawings i did all dont look like what i have in mind. Hmmm... Maybe i just need to practise somemore. Mami also bought me some finger paints. Cant wait to start on that. Heh heh. Should be fun! But there's also the not so fun part. Mami has been putting me to sleep on my own and without my tutu too. Sigh... she say that i am a big girl now so i should learn to go to sleep on my own after she help me brush my teeth and read me a story. I did protest initially but after while i decided to save my energy. Besides, i am also tired. Yawns... it is actually not such a big deal to sleep on my own because i still have Minky with me. And then, Mami promised she will see me in the morning when she say goodnight and so far, she has been keeping her promise! :)

Anyway, Mami thinks i better note down some of the new words that i know.

* down /下 (i know "up" and "上" already)
* 干 (as in 饼干)
* egg /蛋
* bear
* pay (as in play - the piano)
* baby
* 包 (as in 面包)
* mao (as in mouse)
* doh (as in avocado)
* bitebite
* patpat
* peas (as in please)
* hab (as in help)
* 萄 (as in 葡萄, or glips - grapes)
* 毛毛毛(for her 毛毛虫 caterpillar toy)
* car

My words are getting clearer too so that means more people can understand me. Of course most words i am not saying it spontaneously unless i hear or see something related to it (Mami calls it 'labelling'). So ya.. i am 'labelling' objects that i know. I can also related to some actions when i see photos of it (like "mum mum" when i see a picture of man eating). Mami was abit surprised but i dont know why she should be surprised since it was so obvious! Mami was also surprised that i can do 'pretend play' because she saw me trying to feed Big Bird, Ernie and Mewmew with a spoon. Well, if my buddies are feeling hungry, of course i have to feed them. :) I guess, i better ask Mami to get me some food that my buddies can eat. Mami mentioned something like toy food.. i guess that must be it. :D

Listening & Talking

These days I am talking a dime to a dozen though most time people don't understand me. However, Mami does a fair job of 'interpreting' what i say. In fact, I am getting better at imitating sounds and words. But it also depends on my concentration level. I must say, my best time is in the early morning while in bed cuddling with Mami. I especially love songs and Mami is always surprised at how fast i picked up words from songs.

At 14 month and 17 days, this is what i can do so far:

Receptive skills -
1) Identifying familiar people by pointing to them: All the family members including QQs and Laolao's helpers
2) Identifying common objects by pointing at the real objects: e.g. My toys (including my tutu), familiar fruits/food (biscuit, apple, water etc), household objects (including flower & dog)
3) Identifying common objects/animals/fruits by pointing to pictures (e.g. strawberry, ladybird, flower, apple, ball, etc)
4) Identifying nursery songs by doing parts of the corresponding action (e.g. signing 'twinkle' , 'diamond', 'gongxi gongxi')

Expressive skills -

Here's the list of words and parts of songs that i can say/sing -
* Mama/Papa/Laolao (rao rao)/ kaka (what she calls the helpers)
* MumMum (for eating)
* Hello (ah-roll)
* Byebye (ba-bye + wave hands)
* Bubble (bah-ber)
* Ball (bah)
* Star ('tar) - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
* Up (up + pointing up)
* Biscuit (b-skiat, kiat)
* Cake (kay)
* Flower (far-were)
* 抱抱
* 鞋子 (cheh-si)
* 猫 (mao, meow)
* 拔萝卜（ba-bo) - 拔萝卜
* sprout (spout) - Insy Winsy Spider
* More (orh + sign)
* Tutu (titi + sign)
* No (now + shakes head)
* Apple (ah-per, per)
* Duck (duc)
* Bird (ber)

I can be quite insistent on people looking at me when i talk to them (esp when Mami wants to sleep, i actually have to move her face and tap her eyes so that she wakes up!). Persistence also plays a part when i insist that people carry me. I will say "抱抱" until they do, if that's not clear enough i will say "抱抱 up" too! Of course, with all these 'talking', i am also enjoying singing... from just "lalala" to now some words. I love completing the songs whenever Mami sings to me my favourite ones. Mami also asked Dadi to use the same way to teach me to sing some Mandarin songs too.

Anyway, it gets less frustrating now that people can understand me abit better, especially when i am asking them for somethings. Pointing just doesn't work with some people you know? Well, if all else fails, i guess i can always fall back to screaming. THAT definitely gets their attention. Hahaha!

13 and 14 months.

Sorry folks... we have been travelling so not much updates but at least photos are up on flickr on our trip to Humen/HK!

Some recent developments:
- My two top front teeth are out and I am spotting another two below! Tally is now 6! Now i can BITE! (Mami being the first 'test' subject)

- I am eating adult food now and I enjoy buffets!

- I am saying a few words: flower, ball, tree, laolao, byebye, ahro (hello)... I call a doggie 'woahwoah' and I can sort of sing the last words of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" ('tar'-star, 'ah'-are) with abit of 'action'.

- I can relate picture of objects with the real thing, and see the similarity in two same pictures (i.e. pointing to picture of ladybug and pointing to the ladybug on my bib).

- I can point to my family and friends when their names are called.

- I can climb up the stairs (but not down) and walk when supported.

- Finally i learnt that 'kiss' is not to knock others with my forehead but plant my lips on them! And i will kiss anyone!

- I ask for help by giving others the object and pulling their hand. Sometimes, if Mami happens to be sleeping, i may need to tap tap her face too.

Finally, a post from Dadi!

Observations of The Kiddo Dec09-Jan10

The Wife maintains a blog for the kid. in fact she does a pretty good job at it and i've just been plain lazy to contribute my observations. but of late, she'd grown to be more interactive and expressive....e.g.

• she's certainly not reserved in literally pointing out to you what she wants. she will also make short 2-syllabic 'commands' when she points
• she shakes her head and pushes item away when i get the wrong stuff for her
• she understands 'give' and of late will assert her refusal to give by shaking her head rigorously and spinning herself in circles (when she's seated)
  
• she pouts and frowns when i think she's thinking hard enuff
• she joins in the conversation, often exclaiming with outbursts of 'hahahas' & outstretched arms
• she does some imaginative play with her toys, 'talking' to them
• she treats everything with buttons as a phone (she used to just press n bite on them), placing them next to her ear and mumble to it
  
• she is proactive in getting us to play with/demo to her. sometimes when she can't get a desired reaction from her toys/wants our participation, she'd take our hand and place the toys in them (e.g there was this once when she took her tutu as a phone and stuffed it in my left ear)
• she crawls fast and explores new places a lot more
• she associates certain sounds to some animals - cow says, moo, sheep says baa, tiger& lions says hraarrr, cat says meoow, dog says woowoo
• she waves byebye (& the odd mumble of byebye when she remembers...tho she can't do flying kiss)
• she kisses by doing a forehead knock on us
  

i'd also like to think that she'd gotten more discerning and exhibits different behaviour when she's with either of us. for example......

• i'm the iphone guy & she'd come to me for her sesame st-on-the go kick. she no longer likes The Elmo Song...now she prefers Bert & Ernie's Lalala Song, Diana Krall's Everybody Song & The Pointer Sister's 12 Pinball Song
  
• i'm the carry-me-hi-hi guy & she'd try to get onto my shoulder when i carry her

but she's still pretty much the same in other ways.....

• she has only 2 grown teeth
• i hope she'd learn to stand and maybe totter around as she builds more confidence over the weeks.

12 months 3 weeks

I am 1 year old now!

Okie, maybe 1 year 3 weeks old (it is so hard to get Mami to update my blog!).

So what did i do on my birthday?

Mami made me a small elmo cake and i saw my first birthday candle! I also had some chicken rice which Dadi made and took photos with all my furry pals at home. After that, Mami and Dadi took me to the park and we blew bubbles (they blew bubbles and i chase after them la). It was a nice day with great sunshine and i get to spend it to the two people i love most: Mami and Dadi. Of course, i also had all my new presents to play with too! Mami said Dadi went crazy on Ebay. Not that i mind cos' i really love my new toys! Esp the table with singing Elmo!

Then on Sunday, we went on a picnic with Aunty Phyllis, Uncle Mark, Korkor Owen and Korkor Liam, as well as Aunty Wendy and Uncle Laurence. It was another nice day. Mami made me some more cupcakes and egg sandwich. I also had my first mashmellow from Aunty Phyllis! Wahh... sweet!!! After that i watched the two korkors played with bubbles and had fun trying to crawl to the tree and pick the flowers off it. It was another nice day... Aunty Phyllis was suggesting that we should do this more often, maybe next time at the beach. *nod nod* i think that will be really nice.

So...

Now that i am 1 year old has anything changed?


Not really!
Hahaha!

I still only have two teeth but Mami say she can see my top tooth is coming out. Hmm maybe that's why some nights i feel so uncomfortable and don't sleep well. But other than that, Mami said she is glad that i am beginning to sleep through the night! Well, i guess i am a big girl now, so have to TRY to be more independent. I still like to drink milk milk from Mami but sometimes i am just more interested to look at my toys, look out the window at the cars or do other stuff! Anyway, Mami will always be there. She say she is like my milk kiosk, or 7-11. Ah.. not sure what is that, but its good! I can self-serve too! Heh heh

These days i particularly enjoy listening to people talking and singing. I found that i can actually 'lalala' along with them and my body seems to move to the music beyond my control! Dadi thinks i am a groovy baby... well, i love grooving! Besides singing and dancing, I also like to listen to Mami make animal sounds, which i try to follow. I especially like the lion's roar. It goes like this.. "rroooooaaaaarrrrr". "moomoo" is another nice sound. It always makes me laugh. Nowadays, Mami will play "hunt for the animal" with me. She will say an animal name and then i had to go around the mat to look for them. I love pointing at 'zebra', 'elephant', 'monkey' and of course, 'lion' *rooarrrrr*. At night, i love to do some reading... sometimes i read on my own (Mami say she dont understand what i am saying but that's because she doesnt understand baby-lish) or i will bring the books to Mami or Dadi to read with me. Mami hopes i will enjoy reading as much as she does. Well, i do.. though i wish Mami will let me read HER books. Hmmm..

Okie... next week i will be seeing Korkor Aaron and Didi Andy when Aunty Angie and Uncle Max come for a visit. We will be celebrating Aaron korkor's birthday too! And hopefully, Mami wont get so lazy and update my blog soon! :P

11 months 3 weeks old

So sorry everyone for not blogging for such a long time! Mami has been lazy with updating even though "I" wanted to... (Avery has been really interested in grabbing Mami's laptop keyboard).

I am going to be 1 year old soon! This is an important time for baby because this is the first ever birthday and so that's special! I wonder what Mami and Dadi will do to celebrate this special day with me (Mami: Hmmmmmmmmmmm........). Small QQ came the week before and it was nice to see him again after so many months. I love to crawl to QQ's room to visit him because he also have a laptop and it is always on the floor where i can reach it! Yay! And he also have a PSP which i was eyeing. Hahaha. Dadi say i am a gadget girl. Yessireee... I love Dadi's iphone too because it has my favourite Elmo song on it. "la la lala la la lala Elmo song!" Then there are the sesame street podcasts on Dadi's macbook which are also very nice! I think i prefer these to watching the children's song vcds that nainai gave me. I am so in love with Elmo (Dadi: Then you will like your present. Heehee).

This month, Mami has been cooking up a storm for me. Some of the new things i have tried are, Cheesy Tuna and Pasta Gratin (I love cheese!), Pumpkin Risotto (*Smack lips*), Steam Egg with Chinese Mushroom (I ate it with rice!), Apple Crumble (Sweet!) and Chicken Pasta (Chicken is yummy!). There are others too but these are a few of my favourites. I think Mami has a new cookbook, that's why she is so hardworking. I like these more than i like porridge. Dadi say i eat like an 'ang moh'. Hmmm what's an 'ang moh'? Anyway, Mami say as long as i am eating well, it is okie already.

I am not sure if i've learnt much new things this month. I am still pooing in the toilet bowl and drinking from my straw cup. Mami got me a new straw cup but this is much harder to drink! I think it because the straw is longer. Anyway, i dont like changes. *sulk* Why can't i just keep to my old cup? Sometimes i can hold the cup and drink on my own but after that, i love to fling the cup around and watch the water dribble all over my table. Hahaha. But Mami doesn't like that very much. Oops. I am doing alot of standing, cruising, holding to squat and getting up but Dadi still ask me how come i am not walking. Well, let me just say that, i will walk when i am ready! Dont hurry me please.

I think Dadi will get more headache IF i am walking because i am so ready to let him chase after me while i go around and meddle with his stuff. Already he is always complaining about me pulling my books off the shelf (I love to count them as them fall down) and pressing the buttons on the PS3 and DVD player. Now my new target is trying to get to the kitchen! Dadi thinks he can stop me by putting the shopping trolley infront of it but that's not going to stop me for very long. ESP if i am walking. Hahaha. (Dadi: Nevermind.. i got a GATE already!).

I am still going to the playgroup and sometimes we meet my friends in the park. My friends are all older than me by a few months but i am taller than most of them! But of cos, i am also skinnier. Laolao seems to be abit upset with Mami for not making me fat fat... but then i think taller is better. Heh heh Dadi say he hopes that i will be taller than him but Mami say like that hard to find boyfriend. Dadi say i am too young for boyfriend. Hmmm...

Anyway... I am all excited thinking about my birthday, so much so that sometimes i wake up in the night and laugh to myself. Of cos' that means Mami will have to come tuck me in to sleep again. She wonders how come some days i can sleep through and some days i can't. Well, i can't explain it either. Sorry Mami! Well... hopefully i can sleep through and only wake up in the day. Dadi say Mami is very tired if i keep waking up at night. :/ Well.. i will try la.

Okie. That's all for now. When i write next, i will be one year old! Will tell everyone how my birthday goes.. :)