Reflections at 31 and 32 months
Dear Sean,
Happy 31 and 32 months, baby boy! Yes this is a special combo letter coz I didn't manage to write one last month, oops.
Lots has happened in the past two months. We have finally emerged from the initial newborn fog and settled into a nice routine with your new baby brother and you.
You are such a colourful, exuberant character. It has been a real treat spending time with you at home. Getting you ready for school every morning, hearing you tell me about your teachers/friends in school, watching you pat your brother when he is fussy, bringing you out for little outings, reading to you every night, teaching you new things.
It made me realise two things: 1) You are growing up so fast! 2) It is very tiring to keep up with you!
I won't say you are very fond of your brother but you are tolerant of his presence.
You know he's always there and he needs a lot of my attention. Most times, you don't really mind and you will actually order me to go to Didi when he fusses. Didi ku. Didi angry Mama, you'd say.
I think you kinda like your big brother status. You like asking him to watch you when you are doing something fun, 'Didi, kan Gor-gor painting!' (Didi, watch me paint!)
You like pretending to be a baby like Didi
You also like pretending to be a baby like Didi. You ask me to bundle you up and curl up on my lap pretending to drink milk or sleep. I think you do it because you want my full attention and well, cuddles are always nice :)
Of course, there are also moments when you act up, like snatching Didi's pillow from him or demanding that I put him down to attend to you. But thankfully, they don't happen all that often and when they do, we try to be fair and explain things nicely to you.
I think you will enjoy having a sibling a lot more when the both of you can play together :)
You are at a delightfully engaging age now. You are very eager to learn and try new things and you absorb everything around you like a sponge.
Even your father - who once confessed he felt very clueless on what to do with you when you were a baby - is really enjoying your company these days.
Your speech and understanding have gotten a whole lot more sophisticated ever since you started school.
You have a pretty good command of Mandarin and English and you speak in complete sentences now.
I want icecream, big-big! Share (with) Papa!
You are constantly surprising us with the things you say. Oh, how you make us laugh with your funny little anecdotes everyday!
Your favourite question to ask nowadays is 'Who?'. You hear a funny sound and you go, 'Who that?' You see something unfamiliar/new in the house and you ask 'Who this? (whose is this)? or 'Who mai (buy)?'
Ming-ming splash Mama! Ming-ming funny!
You have learnt how to describe feelings. You tell us when you are hungry, angry, sad, happy, scared or when you think you are being funny!
I wake up, I go Junction 8 with Ah Po and Kakak!
You know how to use your 'I/you' pronouns correctly.
You use words/phrases like 'neh-mind' (nevermind), doh have (don't have), like/don't like, already, only one, too big/small, be careful, I yaf (love) you.
You can count up to ten and know a few random numbers beyond 10: twelve, fourteen, five-teen and nineteen.
You love singing. I know your father and you sing a whole bunch at bedtime coz I can hear you from my room.
Rain rain go away, Ming-ming yao qu wan sa!
You keep singing the same few ones: Twinkle Twinkle Traffic Light (some mangled version that has a verse that goes 'Red means stop, green means go!'), Old MacDonald had a farm or the EIEIO song, Rain Rain Go Away, Where is Thumbkin/Mama/blue socks? (for something/someone you are looking for), San Tze Lao Hu, Barney's I Love You, Happy Ber-day. They are a bit monotone and off-key but you get extra points for effort ;)
Poopsie daisy!
You are completely toilet-trained in the day now. You know how to go potty on your own and wash and dry your hands after that. You are so proud to go to school in underwear (and will not hesitate to show anyone who asks, hmm).
You have no problems peeing in public toilets but get a bit of performance anxiety about pooing outside the house. We are still working on that bit. In the meantime, we have to make sure we are always at home in the afternoons and evenings (which is when you usually do #2).
Next step will also be getting you off diapers during your nap and at night.
You liked the Nutella on the waffles more than anything
You are going through an incredibly picky eating phase. You are happy just eating your mushy porridge three meals a day and will spit out even the tiniest sliver of meat. You refuse to try anything new or even eat fruits that you used to love. You won't even take juice.
So I have resorted to blending veggies/meat to a fine puree (like in your baby days!) and sneaking them into your porridge.
Well, at least, you are eating regular meals. Just incredibly boring ones.
Your favourite past time at home now is art and craft. You call yourself 'Ming-ming Maker' (after Mister Maker) and you are *really* into cutting, pasting, painting and drawing and make the most elaborate collages.
It's a bit horrifying how much glue you go through (sometimes, one whole stick a day!) but who are we to stifle your creativity? :)
This month too, you learnt how to draw faces. You call them 'mosters' and they are the cutest googly-eyed and smiley-faced monsters ever!
Ming-ming moster! Mama scared! ARRR!
Your other favourite activity at home is running around the house and pretending to be a Power Ranger.
Superheroes need to refuel sometimes too
You always rope us into your imaginary battles and will dictate what role we play, who we are fighting, where to run/hide, what weapons to use, how/who we should fight, when to 'fall down', etcetera.
Goodness know where you learn it from coz I certainly don't encourage it at home. Sigh, you are such a typical boy!
I love my days with you and will really miss your company when I go back to work next month.
Happy 31/32 months, my sweet little monster.
Love,
Mama
Happy 31 and 32 months, baby boy! Yes this is a special combo letter coz I didn't manage to write one last month, oops.
Lots has happened in the past two months. We have finally emerged from the initial newborn fog and settled into a nice routine with your new baby brother and you.
You are such a colourful, exuberant character. It has been a real treat spending time with you at home. Getting you ready for school every morning, hearing you tell me about your teachers/friends in school, watching you pat your brother when he is fussy, bringing you out for little outings, reading to you every night, teaching you new things.
It made me realise two things: 1) You are growing up so fast! 2) It is very tiring to keep up with you!
I won't say you are very fond of your brother but you are tolerant of his presence.
You know he's always there and he needs a lot of my attention. Most times, you don't really mind and you will actually order me to go to Didi when he fusses. Didi ku. Didi angry Mama, you'd say.
I think you kinda like your big brother status. You like asking him to watch you when you are doing something fun, 'Didi, kan Gor-gor painting!' (Didi, watch me paint!)
You like pretending to be a baby like Didi
You also like pretending to be a baby like Didi. You ask me to bundle you up and curl up on my lap pretending to drink milk or sleep. I think you do it because you want my full attention and well, cuddles are always nice :)
Of course, there are also moments when you act up, like snatching Didi's pillow from him or demanding that I put him down to attend to you. But thankfully, they don't happen all that often and when they do, we try to be fair and explain things nicely to you.
I think you will enjoy having a sibling a lot more when the both of you can play together :)
You are at a delightfully engaging age now. You are very eager to learn and try new things and you absorb everything around you like a sponge.
Even your father - who once confessed he felt very clueless on what to do with you when you were a baby - is really enjoying your company these days.
Your speech and understanding have gotten a whole lot more sophisticated ever since you started school.
You have a pretty good command of Mandarin and English and you speak in complete sentences now.
I want icecream, big-big! Share (with) Papa!
You are constantly surprising us with the things you say. Oh, how you make us laugh with your funny little anecdotes everyday!
Your favourite question to ask nowadays is 'Who?'. You hear a funny sound and you go, 'Who that?' You see something unfamiliar/new in the house and you ask 'Who this? (whose is this)? or 'Who mai (buy)?'
Ming-ming splash Mama! Ming-ming funny!
You have learnt how to describe feelings. You tell us when you are hungry, angry, sad, happy, scared or when you think you are being funny!
I wake up, I go Junction 8 with Ah Po and Kakak!
You know how to use your 'I/you' pronouns correctly.
You use words/phrases like 'neh-mind' (nevermind), doh have (don't have), like/don't like, already, only one, too big/small, be careful, I yaf (love) you.
You can count up to ten and know a few random numbers beyond 10: twelve, fourteen, five-teen and nineteen.
You love singing. I know your father and you sing a whole bunch at bedtime coz I can hear you from my room.
Rain rain go away, Ming-ming yao qu wan sa!
You keep singing the same few ones: Twinkle Twinkle Traffic Light (some mangled version that has a verse that goes 'Red means stop, green means go!'), Old MacDonald had a farm or the EIEIO song, Rain Rain Go Away, Where is Thumbkin/Mama/blue socks? (for something/someone you are looking for), San Tze Lao Hu, Barney's I Love You, Happy Ber-day. They are a bit monotone and off-key but you get extra points for effort ;)
Poopsie daisy!
You are completely toilet-trained in the day now. You know how to go potty on your own and wash and dry your hands after that. You are so proud to go to school in underwear (and will not hesitate to show anyone who asks, hmm).
You have no problems peeing in public toilets but get a bit of performance anxiety about pooing outside the house. We are still working on that bit. In the meantime, we have to make sure we are always at home in the afternoons and evenings (which is when you usually do #2).
Next step will also be getting you off diapers during your nap and at night.
You liked the Nutella on the waffles more than anything
You are going through an incredibly picky eating phase. You are happy just eating your mushy porridge three meals a day and will spit out even the tiniest sliver of meat. You refuse to try anything new or even eat fruits that you used to love. You won't even take juice.
So I have resorted to blending veggies/meat to a fine puree (like in your baby days!) and sneaking them into your porridge.
Well, at least, you are eating regular meals. Just incredibly boring ones.
Your favourite past time at home now is art and craft. You call yourself 'Ming-ming Maker' (after Mister Maker) and you are *really* into cutting, pasting, painting and drawing and make the most elaborate collages.
It's a bit horrifying how much glue you go through (sometimes, one whole stick a day!) but who are we to stifle your creativity? :)
This month too, you learnt how to draw faces. You call them 'mosters' and they are the cutest googly-eyed and smiley-faced monsters ever!
Ming-ming moster! Mama scared! ARRR!
Your other favourite activity at home is running around the house and pretending to be a Power Ranger.
Superheroes need to refuel sometimes too
You always rope us into your imaginary battles and will dictate what role we play, who we are fighting, where to run/hide, what weapons to use, how/who we should fight, when to 'fall down', etcetera.
Goodness know where you learn it from coz I certainly don't encourage it at home. Sigh, you are such a typical boy!
I love my days with you and will really miss your company when I go back to work next month.
Happy 31/32 months, my sweet little monster.
Love,
Mama