It has happened. Kate didn't break her crown (thank goodness!) but she did have a fall.
No visible effects, seemingly no effects actually. She's clingy and whiney - but she's been acting up a little more the past week, and I attribute that to some discomfort from her gums/teeth. Though she is a fiesty one typically anyhow...
Anyhow. I've read up on monitoring a child after she hits her head and so far, Kate seems to be doing fine. Very normal. The next 24 hours are crucial though. Gotta keep monitoring her.
How my heart aches at the pain and shock she must have suffered when she fell. How I know this is only the beginning of many heartaches I will get (actually, this isn't the first!). I'm very grateful that she's doing fine so far, and I can only pray that my baby is always blessed and be able to pick herself up after every fall.
Story of our simple lives - of our family, of our beautiful children, Kate & Jake
Monday, June 14, 2010
Mama
Kate is very clingy to me, especially at night time. It's true how children are creatures of habit (I need to develop a strategy to wean her off; but that's a different chapter altogether).
Last Saturday, I headed out for an afternoon out with my gfs. We did a movie (SATC, how appropriate) then dinner. I was out without the husband nor the baby. It felt liberating. I did miss them but I made sure that I enjoyed the time I was away from them.
When I got home, Kate was asleep but she got awakened and while she was screaming her head off, I peeped at her from outside as I didn't want to distract her. This little girl has very sharp vision and she yelled even louder (how she goes a notch louder everytime we think she's hit the max volume I don't know) when she spied me spying on her.
I had to go in and hug her (which was what I really wanted to do the moment I stepped home but I had to control myself as I didn't wish to disturb her) and she was so distressed and annoyed that she did take a while to calm down.
During that while, my parents, the sister and the husband were all in the room watching Kate have her little meltdown. And in the middle it all, she lurched for me and called out "Mama".
It has happened before, that she's blurted this out - and I know it's because she's learning how to say the likes of da, ma, pa, la, ya currently. But at that moment, when she called out for me in front of an audience - I felt very, very happy.
Last Saturday, I headed out for an afternoon out with my gfs. We did a movie (SATC, how appropriate) then dinner. I was out without the husband nor the baby. It felt liberating. I did miss them but I made sure that I enjoyed the time I was away from them.
When I got home, Kate was asleep but she got awakened and while she was screaming her head off, I peeped at her from outside as I didn't want to distract her. This little girl has very sharp vision and she yelled even louder (how she goes a notch louder everytime we think she's hit the max volume I don't know) when she spied me spying on her.
I had to go in and hug her (which was what I really wanted to do the moment I stepped home but I had to control myself as I didn't wish to disturb her) and she was so distressed and annoyed that she did take a while to calm down.
During that while, my parents, the sister and the husband were all in the room watching Kate have her little meltdown. And in the middle it all, she lurched for me and called out "Mama".
It has happened before, that she's blurted this out - and I know it's because she's learning how to say the likes of da, ma, pa, la, ya currently. But at that moment, when she called out for me in front of an audience - I felt very, very happy.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Clever Kate
I know the title sounds rather obnoxious, but I'm truly amazed at how K processes things in her little brain. I'm sure children, in general, are very clever as they absorb things quicker than sponge; but since this blog is dedicated to K, I'm going to brag about her clever-ness (o screw humility. I'm proud as hell of my daugher *hah)
Here are some stories of my funny little daughter.
1. Looking for the belly ring
K, as with most/all kids, like details. This applies to tiny specks of dirt on the ground, prints on anything or the likes. She's discovered my belly ring and on more than one occasion attempted to tug at it when it catches her eye. I sometimes pull my shirt over and once it's out of sight, she'd forget about it. I also sometimes use my hand to cover it - she'd then lift/push my hand away, knowing that the ring is beneath. Some nights ago, I pulled my pants higher then covered my hand over and K quickly shoved my hand away. As the pants were pulled over my belly button, she couldn't see the belly ring. She stared for a moment, obviously puzzled. She then pulled to look at my hand, turning to look at my palm. She was obviously very puzzled that the ring has disappeared and was attempting to see if it was attached to my hand! Made me giggle.
2. The forbidden zone
Ever since I scolded Kate (that first time), she has truly learnt to not pull at the wires now. I always watch to see if she ever attempts to pull at the wires again, but time and again I see that she just walks past the wires without even taking a second look! Amazing.
3. Pacifier with the mouth, not the hand
The husband started playing this game with Kate some nights ago. He'd place the non-teat side of the pacifier in his mouth; Kate will reach out with her hand to take it but he'd not let go. When she leans forward to bite the pacifier with her mouth, he will. After some tries, she knew not to bother with her hands anymore. He tried it again last night and she remembered! She went straight for the pacifier with her mouth on the first attempt! Great memory, I guess this is why the experts always say 'repeating' is essential for the child.
4. Clapping, waving, kicking, jumping and 'me'
By now, Kate can clap her hands, wave 'hello' or 'goodbye' and point to her chest when you say 'me'. She also responds to 'jump' and knows to move her legs when we say 'kick'. It's amazing how such little gestures are so simple yet seem like such huge milestones when our child does it. Truly makes me appreciate the little things.
5. She knows
Her level of understanding of the nuances in life is fantastic - when we are going out, she'll want to follow. When we're eating and she's sitting in the high chair, she'll play. But the moment we are done eating (when any person stands up), she'll demand to be carried. When we try to let her take the pacifier, she'll throw it away when she's not in the mood for it. When her food is being prepared, she'll kick her legs in excitement and anticipation. When she sees her milk, she'd reach out for it. When she is thirsty, she'll drink water from her sippy cup; when she isn't thirsty but is offered to drink, she'll sip only to store water in her mouth and spew it out. The child is learning all the time.
There are too many things to record down and these are merely some that I remember off the top of my head.
I'm definitely enjoying every moment of motherhood, and constantly amazed at how much love my heart can hold for my daughter - surely it must burst at the 'much-ness'! I love how she teaches me things that I never knew or thought about, I am thankful of her constant clever-ness and developments. Kate makes me so happy and is the love of my life and every day, I feel grateful to be blessed with her.
Here are some stories of my funny little daughter.
1. Looking for the belly ring
K, as with most/all kids, like details. This applies to tiny specks of dirt on the ground, prints on anything or the likes. She's discovered my belly ring and on more than one occasion attempted to tug at it when it catches her eye. I sometimes pull my shirt over and once it's out of sight, she'd forget about it. I also sometimes use my hand to cover it - she'd then lift/push my hand away, knowing that the ring is beneath. Some nights ago, I pulled my pants higher then covered my hand over and K quickly shoved my hand away. As the pants were pulled over my belly button, she couldn't see the belly ring. She stared for a moment, obviously puzzled. She then pulled to look at my hand, turning to look at my palm. She was obviously very puzzled that the ring has disappeared and was attempting to see if it was attached to my hand! Made me giggle.
2. The forbidden zone
Ever since I scolded Kate (that first time), she has truly learnt to not pull at the wires now. I always watch to see if she ever attempts to pull at the wires again, but time and again I see that she just walks past the wires without even taking a second look! Amazing.
3. Pacifier with the mouth, not the hand
The husband started playing this game with Kate some nights ago. He'd place the non-teat side of the pacifier in his mouth; Kate will reach out with her hand to take it but he'd not let go. When she leans forward to bite the pacifier with her mouth, he will. After some tries, she knew not to bother with her hands anymore. He tried it again last night and she remembered! She went straight for the pacifier with her mouth on the first attempt! Great memory, I guess this is why the experts always say 'repeating' is essential for the child.
4. Clapping, waving, kicking, jumping and 'me'
By now, Kate can clap her hands, wave 'hello' or 'goodbye' and point to her chest when you say 'me'. She also responds to 'jump' and knows to move her legs when we say 'kick'. It's amazing how such little gestures are so simple yet seem like such huge milestones when our child does it. Truly makes me appreciate the little things.
5. She knows
Her level of understanding of the nuances in life is fantastic - when we are going out, she'll want to follow. When we're eating and she's sitting in the high chair, she'll play. But the moment we are done eating (when any person stands up), she'll demand to be carried. When we try to let her take the pacifier, she'll throw it away when she's not in the mood for it. When her food is being prepared, she'll kick her legs in excitement and anticipation. When she sees her milk, she'd reach out for it. When she is thirsty, she'll drink water from her sippy cup; when she isn't thirsty but is offered to drink, she'll sip only to store water in her mouth and spew it out. The child is learning all the time.
There are too many things to record down and these are merely some that I remember off the top of my head.
I'm definitely enjoying every moment of motherhood, and constantly amazed at how much love my heart can hold for my daughter - surely it must burst at the 'much-ness'! I love how she teaches me things that I never knew or thought about, I am thankful of her constant clever-ness and developments. Kate makes me so happy and is the love of my life and every day, I feel grateful to be blessed with her.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Cirque de Kate
I just spent an hour trying to put Kate to sleep. For 2 nights now, she's so tired she conks out before 8pm, only to wake up 30-45mins later, refreshed from her nap.
I'll leave the room dimmed with only the night lights on, and lay still on the bed with her. I'll try to feed her (to try to cheat her to go to sleep) but if she doesn't want to sleep, well, she wouldn't.
And with her learning to crawl and stand, that's all she wants to do - practise! It's so adorable watching her try and get frustrated, rolling around; talking to herself and playing. I only dread the day she'd knock her head - hard.
So far, she's had a tiny accident resulting in a mild bruise on her right cheek. She's also knocked her head lightly on several occasions, and fallen over unscathed on some. I know it's inevitable with this learning progression, but I'm not looking forward to the repurcussions. I can only console myself that 1/ it's a phase and she's gotta learn and 2/ kids are resilient and hardier than we imagine.
So my dear baby was crawling around the bed, sucking her toes, kicking her feet, pulling herself to stand, falling on her butt... at some point I remember thinking that I'm the sole audience to this private acrobatics show! Hah.
What's endearing is that she'd never crawl far from the length of my body. She'd sometimes throw herself at my chest or head - which I like to think is her way of showing me affection. It just hurts though, sometimes when she hits right on my head, collarbone or hipbone.
Eventually, after an hour, she tired and in the last moments before she slept, her hands were still moving. That's my fidgety baby!
I'll leave the room dimmed with only the night lights on, and lay still on the bed with her. I'll try to feed her (to try to cheat her to go to sleep) but if she doesn't want to sleep, well, she wouldn't.
And with her learning to crawl and stand, that's all she wants to do - practise! It's so adorable watching her try and get frustrated, rolling around; talking to herself and playing. I only dread the day she'd knock her head - hard.
So far, she's had a tiny accident resulting in a mild bruise on her right cheek. She's also knocked her head lightly on several occasions, and fallen over unscathed on some. I know it's inevitable with this learning progression, but I'm not looking forward to the repurcussions. I can only console myself that 1/ it's a phase and she's gotta learn and 2/ kids are resilient and hardier than we imagine.
So my dear baby was crawling around the bed, sucking her toes, kicking her feet, pulling herself to stand, falling on her butt... at some point I remember thinking that I'm the sole audience to this private acrobatics show! Hah.
What's endearing is that she'd never crawl far from the length of my body. She'd sometimes throw herself at my chest or head - which I like to think is her way of showing me affection. It just hurts though, sometimes when she hits right on my head, collarbone or hipbone.
Eventually, after an hour, she tired and in the last moments before she slept, her hands were still moving. That's my fidgety baby!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Just like old times
The MIL went on a week-long holiday with the FIL. It's a well-deserved break for her, and me! I took time off from work to be with Kate, all day long. Oh, the joy!
Here's a snapshot of our days out.
Monday at Orchard: Lunch @ Xiaolongbao, followed by sinful desserts at M-Pantry.
Lunch with Poo
Kate & Finn (& Mr Panda - it's so big I can't stop feeling like there are 3 faces in the pic!)
Misha & Sam who will be embarking on a new journey in London very soon. Very glad to have caught up before they did.
Tuesday at Jurong Point: Lunch at noodle place then an afternoon of hanging out with the SIL and her bubba.
What's K looking at? (See how she's tip-toeing? So cute!)
Kate & Lukas hang out
There are a lot more photos but I'm developing a heart attack trying to load and re-load the pictures (dumb site fault); and since I don't wish to die an early death whilst blogging about joyous experiences (o the irony), I shall just continue the rest of the entry in words.
Before our adventure-packed Monday & Tuesday, our weekend was pretty decent with the husband and I spending most of our time with K - we ate out, walked about town and despite a failed attempt for the husband and I to go exercise (woe to rain), we made up with a short swim for Kate. It was more time spent together than real exercise for us, of course but it was still an experience and I think K enjoyed herself.
Wednesday was spent with no plans, so Kate and I spent our whole day together at home. There was no one at home at all except for her and I and it was truly time on our own. We headed down to the shops a couple of times to replenish on food, and we also made 2 trips to the playground. I cooked for K for the first time! Pretty embarrassing but I burnt the potatos and carrots on my first attempt (wasn't watching the water levels properly); and I think our little missy doesn't fancy potato very much. The highlight of the day has gotta be K doing a mega-poop which spilt out of her nappy! Onto me! Solved that mess by taking a shower, again for the first time, with K.
May seem like pretty routine stuff, but that's what I love about it all. The fact that I'm with Kate all day long, and it's just like the good old days when I was on maternity leave.
Bliss.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Kate goes to the zoo
Two Sundays ago, the husband and I brought Kate to the zoo. It was her first trip to the zoo! I was very excited and very grateful that the weather was sunny (would have been terrible if it rained!). We were there to attend Matty's 1st birthday party.
Kate and birthday boy, Matty After the guests were gathered, we headed to the tram catered for our private party.
Kate on the tram
The tram whizzed by most animals so it was abit difficult to see the animals since the tram didn't stop. So I doubt Kate saw any animals that were still and blended into the background, such as the hippopotamus. I hope she saw the giraffe (as it was big), but she definitely saw some monkeys (jumping around) and the white tiger (swimming).
The tram did a stop-over and we headed for an enclosed habitat where animals were allowed to roam free. It was rather fun seeing all the animals up-close! We spotted spiders, bats, a sort of furry monkey, mousedeer, bla ue-coloured fowl (have no idea what that's called)...
Upclose with nature
My daddy tried to feed me to this upside down animal
As part of the tour, we got the chance to go "behind the scenes" where the keepers hang out and got to meet some creepy crawlies! I didn't particularly fancy it but it was a nice experience as their shack isn't open to public. I love the innocence of children - Kate had no fear, since she had no idea what worms were!
Stare-down 
*SQUEAL (that was me hah!)After the stopover, we continued the second part of the tram ride before being dropped off at the Forest Lodge where lunch was served.
Family shot - love their animal chairs
At the indoor-playgroundWe left after lunch and Kate had gone without sleep since she woke up at 10am that morning! On the way out though, shortly after we left the tiger enclosure, she dozed off rather quickly.
The Seahs at the Singapore ZooI'll like to think that Kate enjoyed her day out in the sun, and I wonder if perhaps, in her little brain she had wondered "what's up with the funky smells?" Heh.
I look forward to more visits to the zoo with Kate, where she'll be able to appreciate everything more.
Kate's fan from US of A
Pretty Elise
Elise looking at Kate's picture This is Elise, the gorgeous little precious of Wai.
Wai is one of the oldest (in terms of length of time since we've known each other) friends I have, and we both had a baby within 6 weeks of each other. She's living in USA now with her little family and I think that's too far away.
I'm so looking forward to the day I get to reunite with my girl, and our girls get to meet face-to-face.
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