My do, my do

Sophie is turning 2 in about 1 week's time! Just a year ago, she just learnt how to walk and now she's running and jumping all over the place. While we're excited that she's reaching another milestone with another birthday, we're hoping that we can by pass the terrible two stage that has already began to rear it's head in the form of nasty tantrums as she displays her independence.

Of course she does have her very cute moments too. Have I ever mentioned how good she is at "acting"? Like the other day when Alexis told her she can only have one tissue. She understood it and then kept hinting that the table was wet and went on and on, until Daddy finally told her that she can have another tissue. And of course how she tries to fake a cry just so, she can be carried. Or how she always misses her "5" when counting from 1 to 10?

But we're most amazed at her language and speech development which I believe is a result from attending a playgroup. Just a few days ago, I asked her if her milk was too hot, she replied, "No mama, it's warm". It wasn't even not hot, but warm. Power vocabulary or what? (That just sounds like terrible Singlish).

And after I came back from Bangkok with all kinds of present for her, she was so pleased with her new Hello Kitty school bag and she proudly told her teacher, "Mama bought me new bag". Past tense okay, Bought not buy. Don't play play!

But of course these are just a few of her power England. Most days it's

• "Mama carry you, Mama feed you"- when it should be me
• " My do, my do, - when it should be I do

It's also great that she enjoys reading so we'll make a trip to the National Library at least once a month for her to pick out the books she want. Of course at times, we also pick out cool books like these and have some fun at home.

And yes she's likes her parrot now, always mimicking us when we talk so we really have to watch what we say in front of her.

The day Justin Bieber saved the day

I never thought I would have to "negotiate" with my 23 month old toddler. Turns out I was wrong, very wrong.

Today she insisted on bringing her tricycle downstairs when I told her that I have to grab some groceries from the provision shop downstairs. She relented only after I promised that we'll bring her out to the playground wearing her Mickey Mouse t-shirt later in the afternoon.

When it was time for nap, she had a bagful of trick up her sleeves. First, she insisted that Daddy and Mama slept in the room with her. Then after Daddy excused himself, she tricked me that she needed to "shee shee", and then it progressed to "poo poo" and made face like she was in pain. Since she was willing to sit on the potty, I let her out of the bedroom only to find that she was only interested in running to the living room to play.

After we peeled her off from her toys, we told her that as a weekend treat she could sleep on our bed but that didn't keep her in bed for more than 3 minutes before jumped and climbed on our bed and then exclaimed "poo poo" again. But we anticipated that from her and pulled out the potty that was already in our room. That made her angry, very angry and she kept pointing to the bedroom and shouted "outside, outside".

By then it was already 3 plus in the afternoon. I was so tired and relented so out of the bedroom she went and I left them to their own device while I try to catch a wink.

They both ended up not sleeping at all but at least she made herself useful by helping Daddy with the laundry. So by 4:30, we decided to not let the weekend go to waste and packed up to head for MacRitchie.

3 minutes in the car and she fell asleep.

Since she was sleeping, we changed our plans and drove to East Coast instead. Half way there, it rained and then poured... So all plans to cycle got scrapped and we ended up at Parkway.

Anyway to cut the long story short, she was a brat at dinner time and refused to sit on the high chair and told me she was tired and wanted to sleep on my shoulders. Which of course was far from the truth... By then I begin to feel eyes from the people sitting around us who must be thinking that I cant even take my daughter in my own hands.

And then she needed to poo, which in these days is accompanied by a lot of crying, screaming of "I don't want" and kicking and shoving. So to save ourselves from more embarrassment, I carried her to the toilet. But shit didn't happen...

Thank God Alexis saw my look of exasperation after we returned form the toilet and offered to take over since she didn't look the least interest in finishing her dinner. After they left, I could only slump my face into my palms and take a deep breath....

And then I heard the music playing, ....

Baby, Baby, Baby ohhh, like

Baby, Baby, Baby, no....

Then I remembered how adorable Sophie is when I taught her to sing the chorus of this song and slowly the frustration I felt melted away with the song. This has indeed been a less than perfect day but being angry will not make it better too. Alexis knew it too well when he came back with her and told me, don't get angry with her....

And yes I didn't stay angry with her anymore too.