Pony tail beauty

I was surprised to find Sophie's hair tied up in a pony tail when she came home from school one day. Since then she's allowed me to play with her hair like how I imagined I would when I have a little princess of my own.

These days she never leaves home without reminding mummy to put on a hair clip for her.

My little pony tail beauty

Demanding Toddler

With 4 months to go before Sophie's 2nd birthday, I'm already dreading having to confront her terrible two tantrums that's rearing it's head. Some months ago, I decided that I'll have a more positive attitude and look forward to her independent ways when she turns 2. After all life should be easier when she learns how to feed herself, express herself with words, use the potty, etc.

While she's done a great job at feeding herself, no less from the sheer motivation of food, she's become very demanding of late. Her latest chant- "I want, I want." With her ability to communicate with us, it also comes with an expectation that things must be done and given to her quickly, immediately, NOW!

L: Not wanting to hear "No" for an answer when told she can't have calamari R: Still angry because she got fries instead of calamari

In a better mood after she gets more fries from Daddy

Just the other day, she demanded to have her snacks that I was packing for her school. When I flatly refused, her tears started flowing freely, leaving me to wonder just where did this little drama queen learn that from? Thankfully, it's still relatively easy to get her distracted now but I can only imagine things will get better worse from now.

But meanwhile, I shall remember that all this is part of her growing up. Her independence doesn't mean she's deliberately being wilful or naughty. After all, she's starting to realize that she's a serperate person from us and is exercising a mind of her own, something which I've to accept and not loathe. And my job as her mom is set the boundaries for her so that she don't hurt heself as she flex her indepenance muscles. And remember to face each tantrum with a deep breathe, a cool and level head and perhaps a sense of humor too.

Ready for the big bed

Over the weekends, we decided to pack up Sophie's cot as she's not been sleeping in it for the past 3 months.

She's turning 20 months in 2 week's time and many would argue that she's not ready to make the transition to the big bed as the recommended age is at least 2 years old. By then they'll be able to understand that they have to stay in bed and not do a Houdini escape act. While others recommend going by these signs

• they start climbing out of the cot
• they are being toilet trained and it helps them to get to the toilet easily during the night
• they should not be staying in our bed or
• the arrival of a new baby who needs the cot

Out of the 4, we're battling with no 3. It was somewhere in the beginning of the year that she started to join us in bed. At that time, we reasoned that it was because she was going through a phase of separation anxiety and would cry out to us in the middle of the night. At first, we would go into her room and give her a little pat or use our voice as a reassurance and she'll go back to sleep. But the night wakings got more frequent and we caved in and carried her to room to sleep with us. We regretted not sticking to our guns and am now paying the price for it as we have to take turns to sleep with her on our bed while the other gets banished to her room as there's simply not enough room for 3 on a queen size bed! (Sophie rolls around the bed too much)

Sophie enjoyed her cot in the early days

You can tell that she's no longer interested in sleeping in the cot

Since she's no longer sleeping in the cot, we decided to pack up the cot and focus on making her room more inviting to sleep in. Now we just got to decide when we're prepared to start the sleep training since I had a surgery not too long and it would be too exhausting to get up a few times in the night. After all, we don't want to make this another futile attempt as we endeavor to teach the dear daughter independent sleep.

Bed times

When Sophie was younger... much younger around 1 year old, we used to wonder if Sophie would be a early sleeper. The reason we were doubtful was because after she turned one month, she was very colicky and would cry and cry. So we tried everything in the books, white noise (hair dryer), baby wearing, rocking. On some days, some of these methods were effective, on other days, oh don't even remind me. We would be so frustrated that we were short of packing her in the car and driving around the estate, which trust me, I've heard tales like that from desperate parents.

And as predicted, after she turned 3 months, things improved. But as she didn't used to be put to bed early (it was usually round 10 after all we tried), she didn't get into a routine of going to bed early.

Fast forward many months ahead now....I do think that she's better with a bed time routine. These days she has dinner in school and sometimes joins us for a small bite while we eat, followed by some playing or reading, then a quick shower and a bottle of milk before she drifts to dreamland. If we're lucky like today, she asked for her milk at 9 and slept at 9:35pm. But most days she'll sleep at 10pm.

Playing before bed time

Between Alexis and myself, I've become the dedicated one to put her to sleep. I would like to think that she enjoys having "little conversations" with Mama while she drinks her milk and I ask about her day, sing her lullaby, plant kisses on her cheeks and say a prayer for her. Most nights she has one hand on her milk bottle and her other hand is stroking my arm like a little kitten or when she simply holds my hand to just be close to Mama. What I enjoy the most is when my little girl pulls me close to her and showers me with her sweet little kisses. Awwww.... Makes it all worthwhile to sacrifice TV personal time.

But one questions does linger on my mind. Just when will she learn to sleep on her own again? Due to my surgery, we have just decided to let her sleep with Daddy while I sleep in her room so that she wouldn't kick me in the middle of the night. Should we start our sleep training again?

Sense and Sensibility

There are times when I'm pleasantly surprised by Sophie. But she's really surprised me by her sensibility when I had to go for an operation last week. Before the operation, Alexis and I have been prepping her for it by explaining that mummy's stomach pain pain and needs to stay in the hospital for an operation, so she needs to stay in Tampines with Daddy and Nai Nai. Sometimes she'll just reply "No, No, No.." other times she'll ignore us, leaving us to wonder how much she understands.

The night before my operation, I decided to let her sleep with me, after all I wouldn't get to do it for a while after my op too. Once again, I reminded her of what's to come for the next few nights without mummy to put her to bed. Of late, she's been more particular and will only want me to put her to sleep so I was really worried if Alexis or my mom in law could handle her at night. That night after her bottle of milk, she pressed her cheek next to mine and nuzzled me, like she understood that mummy's not going to be around soon and was giving me encouragement and reminding me that she loves me. My heart really melted.

The next day, she got up very early and saw me dressed up so she refused to go back to sleep. After I explained to her that mummy and daddy have to go to the hospital, I asked my mum to bring her into her bedroom in my attempt to avoid a tearful farewell. Subsequently, my mom told me that after we left and they came out of the room, she looked around the house for us but didnt make any noise when she didn't see us and proceeded to wear her uniform and got ready for school. She was such a responsible girl that she even reminded Grandma not to forget her bag as she pointed to it and went "bag, bag". I'm so proud of her!

Even though I missed her dearly after my op, I didn't want her to see me in pain so I only saw her on Sunday, the 4th day after my op. When she arrived she was asleep in Daddy's arm and when she woke up she was curiously looking around to see where she was. She sure was happy seeing me and lunged forward to ask me to carry her. But when we told her that mummy's tummy pain pain and cannot carry, she didn't insist anymore. She pointed to the plaster on my arm and scrunched up her face and told me "pain pain". Then she started being her cheeky self and was squealing in delight and running around. When it was time to go, she just waved bye bye to me and left.

That evening when Alexis went back, she ran to him and called out Daddy Daddy and raised her hand and called Mama, like asking why I didn't come home with Alexis. Alexis reminded her that Mama's stomach is still painful and has to stay in the hospital, she just carried on playing.

Sophie unwrapping her present from Mama

Figuring how to play with her new toy

Learning the letters of the

alphabets

How I love my sensible toddler. I'm hearted that she's so understanding and was relieved that she has been behaving very well at my in laws place. This little baby of mine is no longer a baby anymore but a fine little girl growing up :)

Little talking machine

Sophie's 18 months going 19 months and of late she's been more vocal. This was also noticed by those around like my mom, and also the teachers in the child care. The teacher told me this morning that initially when she went to the new child care, she was rather quiet, if not she'll be rather whiny or sometimes crying. Now that she's adapted to school in the past 3 weeks, she's shed her inhibitions and starting verbalizing what she wants and how she feels.

Family members: Daddy, mama, yeye, nai nai, por por, yiyi, jui jui, gu gu

Activities: mumm mumm, walk, carry, brush, bath, poo poo, draw, throw, beat, wash

Food: bread, apple, banana (nana), cherry, carrot, rice (ice), cheese, biscuit, bao

Toys: bear bear, elmo, rabbit (air bit) , pig pig, pooh bear (poo poo), car, train, ball, ballooon, bubbles, book, star,

Body: eyes, head, hair, teeth, nose, ears, hand, toes,

Animals: cat, dog, duck, cow (moo moo), owl, panda, lion, crocodile (dial), bird, bee, butterfly (fly), fish,

Other: NO! (almost automatic for all kids), hello, bye bye, kiss, please (peas), thank you (Q), milk, more, no more, open, close, up, shoes, socks, diaper, baby, mei mei, boy, pram, flower, tissue, pain, push, oh no (when she drops something) aiyoh, towel, on, off,

These are about the words that she can say now. And there is also so much more that she understand but cant verbalize yet. Like when I ask here where is her tummy, hand, finger, leg, she can point to them but cant say the words yet.

But one thing about my girl, is that it depends on her mood if she wants to entertain you with her new found vocabulary. Oh yes and now she know numbers too, like 2, 5, 9, 10 which I think she learnt in school as they count while they wash their hands.

And of course there was been some funny moments when I teach her new words too. Like on Monday when I taught her how to pray and end with Amen.

Me: Sophie when you finishing praying, you say Amen. Say A....

Sophie: Apple!

I cracked up so hard that I probably shocked her with my behavior when here my little one is thinking to herself, isnt A is for apple?

And till now it beats me why she calls Alexis Daddy and me Mama.

As I'm typing this entry, Alexis is reminding me to speak to her more in Mandarin. Which I try to remember too from time to time. Sophie now respond to her Mandarin name, 佳宣 so I do think we're on to a good start :) Oh and she can tell you that her name is "Fi". We call her Fifi at home :)

Spot Fifi in her classmate's celebration!

Sophie only wants Mama

At 18 months, it's not unusual for toddlers to go through a phase of separation anxiety. And for Sophie it was no different. But the intensity of it heightened last week when she was ill, was growing two new teeth and had to adjust to her new child care centre. That can be a lot for a little kiddo to handle!

Sophie used to be such a Daddy's girl and would call out to Daddy in her sweetest voice that Mummy here often got jealous. But lately she just wants no one but Mummy! Of course it can be endearing but what this also means is that she's so worried when she knows I'm not around. Like last Sunday when we left her at Grandma's place. She was pointing at the door and looking for Mama. My cheeky niece even tricked her that I had returned for her when it was really Sophie's aunt who came back. And to express her dashed hopes, she bawled her eyes out! It was only I came back that she was more relaxed and would play with everyone and resumed her chirpy self.

Now Sophie only wants Mummy to put her to bed and she'll happily bid Daddy bye bye. This morning she wouldn't even want to drink her milk until she see me.

Daddy lending a hand to bathe Sophie

I hope she grows out of this phase soon. But nevertheless I've been reassuring her every time I'm out of her sight that I'll return. So what helps is telling her where I'm going, eg.going to the bathroom, to the kitchen, going to work and promise her that I'll come back and when I see her again, I'll tell her, "see mummy promise to be back and I'm back now."

So far this week she's much better except when it's time to go to school in the mornings. I spoke to soon about no tearful goodbyes last week and now every morning she'll be crying, whining and kicking a fuss when I leave her at the child care. But I'll remind myself to remain calm and explain to her that after work I'll come back for her. Tears or no tears, it's out the door I go, otherwise she'll learn that she can hold her hostage with her tears. Anyway the teachers tell me that after a while she'll stop and will be okay in the company of her friends. But it's quite a different story in the evenings when I'm there to pick her. She'll be so engrossed in her coloring (a typical after school activity) that the teachers have to hurry her along to go home.

Hair all wet after her evening nap in the car

But for every stage that Sophie has progressed from I thank God that she remains a healthy and cheerful baby!