Expressive Toddler

Sophie is getting more expressive day by day. No longer is she the helpless baby that can only cry when she wants something. Now she can easily point to the things that she wants and go "eh eh", "nugh nguh" or walks in a certain direction when she wants to go somewhere.

And horror of horrors, she has also learnt how to behave like a brat and throw tantrums!!! This happened a few times already especially when she doesn't get her way. And just yesterday when she had her water bottle taken away, she got so upset she refused to stay in her pram and also didn't want daddy to carry her and just sat on the floor in the shopping center. Where does she even learn this from?

I know many children experts agree that you should not give in to a child's tantrums, otherwise you are demonstrating that such behavior is acceptable and will only encourage the child to keep behaving this way. Yet at the same time, you still have to instruct them with love that its the behavior that is not tolerable.

This was pretty much my thoughts when I had to deal with her alone today as Alexis was still at work and I had to spend the evening with her alone. Dinner was such a struggle that I initially shouted at her to stop playing with her food. And of course I cringed when I see food all over her tray, clothes, hands... But I stopped and told myself if I kept getting angry and scolding her, she will also in turn think that it's okay to raise her voice when others don't behave in the way she wanted them to.

So after a few deep breathes, I let go literally and gave her her bowl and utensils and let her feed herself. Never mind the mess, the clean up after that. What mattered more was that we enjoyed each others company while Daddy is away. And she was sweet too, to feed me the noodles.. but erm it was the noodle from her sleeves. But she kept insisted that I eat it from her hands. But the smile I got from her after that was priceless...

Being a parent means knowing when to hold back, when to let go and just enjoy the moments...

Turning a blind eye to the mess...


The aftermath

Fiesty Fifi

Sophie got complained by her infant care yesterday- the crime? For biting her classmates. And not just one but two of the kids!

The teacher said it happened when she was playing some toys with her friends. But she got over excited and in the words of the teacher, "too wild" and wanted the toys that her friend had, so she bit her on the head! Don't even ask me how she did it. But I was so worried about the poor girl who got bitten. It was a good thing that the teachers saw it and pull her away so her friend was not hurt.

You can only imagine my embarrassment and worry about how this little monkey of mine has even turned into a bully!

And the funny thing was when I picked her up from school and asked her what she did in school and why she bit her friend, this little lass just refused to look me in the eye and can tell me no no. I seriously expected to only deal with this when she's 2 or 3. But now at 15 months, she's going around bullying other kids.

Gosh I sure have a fiesty little girls on my hands.

Sophie up to more monkey business during meal times


Not enough just standing on her high chair, got to even put her leg on the tray

My little star

In my last entry, I blogged that Sophie was learning new words and today she could say "star" when we sing twinkle twinkle little star. She's truly mummy's little star.

Sophie also also learnt how to feed herself about a month ago.

It started with us trying to get her to eat her own MacDonalds pancakes, then it progressed to Kenny Rogers corn muffins and mash potato and now carrots! I must say what helped in getting her to feed herself was us giving her a bowl and a spoon while we feed her at meal times. It served a few purposes
- helps to get her distracted while we stuff feed food into her mouth (surprising I know, considering how she loves food)
- gives her something to do instead of pushing our hands or attempting to climb out of her high chair
- and of course encourages her to feed herself


Taken on 2 November 2010

You can see the concentration in her eyes as she aims her fork into the carrots and how she lights up when she gets it into her mouth at the end of the video.