From blabbing to talking...

Sophie will turn 15 months in another 9 days time. Although she only starting speaking after she turned one, she's beginning to learn more new words everyday. In fact she recently surprised me with new words which I never knew she's understood. Last Friday, Sophie said words like nose and could even point and show me where her nose is. She's also go on and point to Daddy's nose and Mummy's nose. And sometime it's from point to my nose to pointing up my nose. Eww... She's also learnt words like mouth, head and can point to all of them too.

We have this baby flash card program on our iPhone and will whip it out when she's bored in the car. When she feels like it, she can recognize the pictures and say words like bear, banana (She calls it nana). Right now she's able to mimic most of the one to two syllabus words we say but whether she does repeat them is another story. I have a feeling that she probably knows more words but is just keeping it to herself and waiting to wow us.

Fifi standing on the sofa looking like a big girl now

But when words fail, she'll point at the things she wants us to get for her. From the food we eat to her water bottle, to being carried out of the cot, to going out... So I borrowed a baby sign language book attempting to teach her sign language. After all I did teach her a few things like butterfly by opening and closing of one palm since it's not easy for her to cross her hands to make a butterfly. She also knows how to show the no more sign by twisting her wrist. But I'll have to keep doing it in order for her to pick it up. But one thing's for sure, she knows how to tell us when she want to eat when she goes Mumm Mumm...

Good night Sophie

I used to complain that Sophie is a terrible sleeper. Or should I say terrible napper. She is one baby that goes against the saying, sleeping like a baby. You would have thought that for a baby so young, she'll need much much more sleep. But she surprises me on how little she can get by on. She used to take awfully short naps of 30 mins, when other babies can nap and recharge their bodies for 2 hour nap. And she used to sleep so late that I wonder if she'll have eye bags like mummy.

Asleep in her cot

And for the nights, she used to sleep as late as 11pm, leaving us with little if not no personal time to do anything except to crash on bed. I've been told by many experienced parents that their sleeping patterns and routines will set in as they get older.

We did wonder if we should have started her on a bedtime routine earlier and tucked her to bed earlier. But when she's was younger she went through a colicky period and would not sleep till late. Subsequently, we did try to get her in a bedtime routine with a bath around 9, followed by Daddy reading a story book followed by milk. On good days, she'll toss and turn after her milk and drift off to lala land. But there are days when even after a milk, it gets us no where as she was always fighting to sleep despite being sleepy. But at 14 months now, I can finally agree that it does get better. Of course we're not expecting her to sleep at 7 or 8pm. And I doubt she will too since we have to pick her from the infant care after work. Which is typically 6 or 7plus.

Father and daughter...side sleeper

(Fifi nearly kicking Daddy off the bed!)

For now we're contented that she's slowly sleeping earlier...but nevertheless, still hoping she'll sleep at earlier so that we can have more time on our own too.

Sophie goes Mama

I've not been as diligent as the past where I'll post an update at least once in 2 weeks. Partly because work's been more busy, hence zapping my energy and my inspiration to blog. Also I used to like to draft my blog entry on my mobile then post it when Ive completed the post. But with an iphone, it's not as easy typing a long entry.

Anyway even though I just posted an entry yesterday, today calls for another entry as my little darling called me Ma Ma. This may not be the first time she has uttered those words. In fact lately, she has been calling out for Mama more often. Like in the car when she wants me to give her, her biscuits, bread, toys, books, etc. Or when she's behind the child gate and wants me to serve her dinner, wants me to accompany her, etc

But today it happened when she was lying down on the bed drinking her bottle of milk before bed time. While I was trying to be discrete in replying some messages on my hp. All of a sudden, she stopped drinking, looked up to me and called out, Mama. I was surprised to hear her call me and when I looked at her, she gave me the most innocent and pleased look when I responded. For a moment there I was just filled with a joy so pure that I cant even describe it in words. Although I didn't shed a tear in the end, I did lie down beside her and gave her a hug.

Such an awwww moment. Looks like this little girl is trying to get back into Mummy's good books after my ranting yesterday. This little baby sure has me around her little finger already.

Photos from Ann's wedding

Mummy and me

Hand in hand

Walking with Daddy beats being strapped in a high chair

Happy to be outside walking

Not for Fifi.. No Sophie...Arghhh...

These days Sophie has been testing our patience. Granted that she's growing more mobile, from just walking to running, more independent, she wants to feed herself than sit in the high chair, she's also developing a mind of her own and has a stronger personality. So she's pushing her boundaries, doing the very things we tell her not to.

Whenever we leave her alone, she'll be touching things she shouldn't. From the floor rug, to wires, to the fan and even picking dirt from the floor and putting into her mouth.

Today she just did some new stunts by turning the chair upside down and goofed around, causing her to fall and hit her lips. One part of me wanted to shout at her, see I told you so. But I know what she needed most was comfort from mama. So I hugged her worried that she was hurt.

Guess that's parenting for you.... Double, triple.. no just truckloads of patience to deal with whatever your kids throw at you. And to think my dear baby is only 14 months. Long way ahead for me.

At 13 and a half months

At 13 and a half months, Sophie can wave bye bye and say "Bye" or "tatat". So cute to see her charming the sales people when we go out shopping and she'll happily wave when she catches their attention and wave to them with her bright smile before we leave the shops.

She also knows how to clap her hands, when she hears the song, "If you're happy". But has not progressed to stamping her feet and going hurray yet. The other day when I was bathing her, I asked her to clean mummy's hands and she could take the towel from me and really clean my hands. A very pleasant surprise indeed!

Sophie's vocabulary is also slowly expanding. We attended a friend's kids birthday party last sunday and Sophie surprised me when she could point at the " walking dog" balloon and go "dog". Or at least it sounds very much like it. In fact, when there was a SPCA ad on TV the other day, she also pointed at the TV and went "dog". She also does that for birds and calls the balloon, ball. Haha.

Besides picking up on new words, she's also growing little horns now. She knows when she does things she shouldn't and is pushing the boundaries that we set for her. Like touching the standing fan, removing the rubber protectors from the edge of the table, walking on the bed and sofa. Oh yes I've mentioned those last bits before. So yes, she does know that she's not allowed to do those things, but she's still always caught doing them and will give us her cheeky look when we call out her name. It's also funny because sometimes we'll just observe her quietly then when we call her name in the middle of her "crime" and she'll jump in fright.

Sophie going through mummy's handbag and took out mummy's staff pass

She's still not at the age where we can really discipline her yet. And I really don't like the idea of raising my voice at her (though I have been guilty of it so many times already) and beating her hand because I feel that she may think it's okay to hit. I need some Super Nanny help here on how to discipline her gently. Help, help, help.

Sophie is at an in between age now where she doesn't fully comprehend everything we say. Like she does know that we don't want her doing something but she doesn't understand why and so she'll keep "testing" us and pushing her limits by doing the very things we tell her not to.

That said, I'm planning to get my hands on this book by Michele Borba. I've read the other book she's written on 12 Simple Secrets Real Mom know and liked her advices and stories.

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.