Mummy 30 years ago, Sophie 30 years later

Even though it's more than a month ago when Sophie celebrated her first birthday, I thought it would be interesting to compare my big one bash with my little one.

Flash from the past...

When I was deciding on the cake design for Sophie's first birthday, I was contemplating to have a Number One shaped birthday cake. It is part nostalgic and part traditional to have a number cake to mark the different milestones in your life. But the bakery usually requires a min of 2 kg for that. But anyhow, Sophie's cake is so much nicer than mine, complete with icing blocks bearing her name and a precious moment figurine.

We're both so cool when it comes to taking photos with our parents who were beaming away. But I think Sophie was more attracted to her cake than anything.

And here I was all ready for some drumstick action too. But look at that chicken feet.. Ewww

Sophie is looking more and more like Mummy. And from the photos, its really quite telling too. Haha and guess what that includes the button nose too! Sorry Sophie, I wished you'll have a higher nose bridge too but guess you'll have to accept it.

Another teething episode, or is it?

At 13 months, Sophie still only has 3 teeth. This is certainly an area that she's lagging behind. By now, most babes would have at least 5. But just have to accept that every baby is different, with different personalities, with different areas they are good and bad with.

For one thing, Sophie is really friendly. She likes to "talk" to people now and will wave and make noises to get the attention of people like in the lift, while waiting for the train. It's really cute to see her so out-going and so sociable. She's also getting so curious with everything and everyone that she looks at everything with a new intensity and interest now.

On the other hand, she's starting to get easily impatient and is up to all sorts of monkey business now. Like standing and walking on the sofa and bed, giving us a heart attack moment. Then there are also the times when she wriggles from her pram and stands on it when we turn away! Yet another heart stopping moment. Regret that we didn't buy a pram with 5 point harness to keep this little monkey in her pram. She has also learnt to throw tantrums and throw her body wildly when we carry her to the point that our balance is threatened and her life as well. Big sigh!

And recently, I suspect that her 4th tooth is going to emerge and she's been ultra cranky. This is coupled with the fact that she's been taking shorter naps. A sign that she may transit to one nap soon. Now a days, she has just one nap and they can be as short as 40 mins for the whole day. And what I get is a cranky, grouchy, whiny baby.

This caused us so much distress both mentally and physically as we have to "fight" with her to keep her in her pram when we're out and even though she may be tired, she'll put up a good fight before she's willing to go to lalaland.

Which also reminds me that I have to retrain her to sleep independently for the night. We have been slacking after she came down with HFMD. Going to be long long nights ahead.

August babies party

Sophie attended her first mass birthday bash with the rest of her friends whose birthday fall in August. There were about 30 babies and their parents, so you can imagine what a crowd it was.

Just the princesses

At this age, the gathering was still more for the mummies to catch up with each other as the kids at one year old are still pretty in a world of their own.

Many were trotting around like Sophie and some just started walking while some were contented still crawling around. Sophie was busy playing with the balloon sculptures that some of the mummies made earlier. She kept looking for new balloons and wanted to exchange a new one for the one that has fallen out of favour. Heh.

An assortment of balloons for Sophie's pick

Turns out Sophie is not the only one who is a little Ms Tiam Chiak. She had a friend who snatched her biscuits out of her hand much to the disapproval of her mom.

Another Princess who wanted to share Sophie's biscuits

Which reminds me that I got to start teaching little Sophie her Ps and Qs too, starting with "Please" and "Thank You".

Personalised cupcakes for all the babies

It has been very helpful to have this support group of new mothers. We learn, vent our frustrations, seek each others advice, cry even as we share our experiences and stories of raising our babes. It's especially beneficial to have those who have their 2nd or 3rd child to remind mr that things will get better. And now that Sophie has turned a year, I guess the challenges will be different too. And you know what they say, the only constant is change. I have a feeling that the one who said that have children of their own too.

We're going to the Zoo

Over due update on Sophie's first visit to the zoo. Alexis's department had a company day at the zoo last Saturday. Family members were invited so Sophie went for her maiden trip to the zoo! We arrived at 9:40 and had to join in the ice breakers and games. But after that, we were left to own time, own target.

We introduced Sophie to the animals as we walked by each enclosure. But this little girl was more interested in the little boys and girls who were excitedly pointing or talking about the animals than the animals themselves.

Busy looking at the little girl who was in the group beside us

At one year old, I guess she's still too young to understand what she's there for and doesn't know that you only see these animals at the zoo. After a while she probably thinks that orang utans, baboons, chimps are all just monkeys, what's the difference anyway :)

A very apt adoption by Abbott for the giraffes :)

Since the animals in the enclosure didn't appeal to her, we thought that maybe the animal show will be more interesting for her. Wrong again. While we were waiting for the elephant show to start, Sophie kept staring at the lady standing beside us. Why she was so engrossed? The lady had a huge sunhat! In fact, she was so attracted to it that she nearly made a grab for it!

No interest in the elephant show as well

Sophie is KO mode. Only took her afternoon nap at 1:30...

But the main highlight of the day for little Sophie must have been the water play area at the Rainforest Kidzworld. After her long nap, a good 2 hours and 15 mins, she woke up to find herself in the middle of a huge water play area surrounded by so many kids.

Initially she was a little apprehensive and approached the water foundation cautiously. But it didn't take her long to lose her inhibitions and she enjoyed herself throughly as she tried to "catch" the water spraying out from the ground.

Having fun under the sun

As she left, she still looked on longingly at the play area. But we promised her, we'll be back someday for more splashing fun!

Sophie not convinced that Ah Meng is as friendly as everyone claims

We'll be back to the zoo again!

Exploration of new terriorities

Just when I thought that Sophie was just having a case of false alarm with the dreaded HFMD, she started to have spots on her body last night. They looked pretty harmless but since her mood still didn't improve and she was still rejecting food and milk, we decided to play it safe and have it checked by the doctor. And our worse nightmares were confirmed, she really was having HFMD. And with her as the latest "casualty", she became the 7th kid to get HFMD in her infant class.

Needless to say, she's house bound and must avoid going out. Since she cant go out, she decided to start making plans to go on a holiday by checking out the latest travel offers from HSBC credit card.

Daddy, lets go Club Med! The sun, the sand and the sea. Yeah!

And then she proceeded to check out the mooncake offers too. Which reminds me, I totally missed it last year as I was on my confinement.

Can I eat mooncakes too Daddy?

The little one got restless at home but can you really blame her since she hasn't been able to get out of the house since Wednesday? So we decided to attempt letting her wear her shoes again. Now whenever we mention about the shoe, we tell her that she has to wear shoes to go "gai gai". Initially she was shaking her head when I brought her pair of shoes to wear then somehow as I was telling her she has to wear shoes to go out, she suddenly nodded her head. So I quickly slid one side on her foot.I was waiting for signs of protests from her. Since she was quiet, I hurried and wore the other side for her.

I had to keep my end of the bargain after she wore her shoes, so I brought her out for a short walk along the corridor. She was so happy just being out of the house and walked happily to the lift lobby where we made an about turn and headed back.

Being her usual curious self and peeping into the neighbor's house despite being sick

After we got home, I taught her where to leave her shoes at the doormat so that we can ear our shoes when we go out in future. She bent down,grabbed her shoes and wanted me to put them on for her so that she could go out again! I do believe my little adventurer is welcoming the idea of wearing shoes to explore new terriorities! So proud that she took to the shoes much earlier than I expected. Way to go, Fifi!

Dreaded HFMD

Poor little Sophie has fallen ill. After the long weekend over her birthday and National Day, a case of HFMD surfaced in her infant class. That same night she developed a high fever of 40 degrees. By the next evening, she started to have blisters on her tongue. The pain must have gotten unbearable as she started to reject food and milk. The only thing I could do was to nurse her as she felt a little more comforted by it. Really pains my heart to see her suffering. And Alexis was also sick and down with fever and diahorrea. So worried that he might have caught the virus from her. Needless to say the nights were bad too with her frequent wakings.

On Day 2, her fever was on and off and the blisters on her tongue subsided but she was still in a very lousy mood. Without the obvious signs like blisters and sores the doctor can't confirm if she's having HFMD too. She was no longer the little ms sunshine that she used to be and even had to be carried while taking her nap.

We tried to take her mind off the pain and brought out her belated birthday present from us, a tricycle! Can't say that she was excited by it as she was still in a pretty cranky mood but it did help to take her mind off the discomfort she was feeling.

Having a sick child really is a nightmare and today is only Day 3. Praying and hoping that she'll get better in no time. There have already been 4 cases of HFMD in the infant care. In such a dilemma if I should even bring her back to the centre next week. But for now, all I can do is pray for her, keep my cool, be patient and get more rest.

Get well soon Fifi!

I'm ONE-derful

Sophie celebrated her first birthday on 7 Aug, 2 days before she turns one. We had a small and simple party with a few close friends over dinner. As some of them had little kids, we kept it short too from 5-7:30 so that the little ones will not get too tired.

Sophie however took a late nap and only slept 10 mins before 5 when her guests started arriving at 5. So the little one was a real a diva that day and kept her guest waiting for her.When she was finally up after a long nap, she was overwhelmed by the guests that were in the house that she must be wondering where did everyone come from.

Nevertheless she had a good time seeing new faces, playing with balloons, eating her birthday cake. Her play area was invaded by the older gor gor and jie jie and since she's only started walking she was not confident to play alongside them. So she was happy to reclaim her territory after everyone left and played with the balloons that Daddy blew up.

And since she has turned one, my Mom bought her a pair of shoes so that she can wear them when she goes out. But to our amusement, she was so scared of them!

We tried to shower praises of how nice her shoes were and how pretty she looked with the shoes, but she was terrified and threatened to cry if we didn't remove the shoes from her feet. I'm guessing this little darling is not going to be a shoe fanatic like mummy is she?

The next day it was presents time. True enough she was more excited by the wrapper, paper bags and the boxes than some of the gifts. I'm guessing that her favorite must be the toys for now since she wasnt interested in the rest after she starting playing with her new toy.

Daddy's wish for you is that you'll be strong and healthy and be a bright and cheerful little girl just like you are now. And Mummy birthday wish for you is that you'll grow up being confident and loving yourself for who you are. Stay happy my little sunshine. You'll always be our little cutie pie!