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.

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.