Long posts - 3 weeks break from blogging

Happy Lunar New Year, everyone :)

Hi guys, im back! It has been a long break from blogging. Well, im getting more busy with work and fully exhausted when back home. Besides, looking after Ames now has become a more physically tougher job. I will have to take extra care for the caregivers.

Here I am too, a very playful mom who simply love fun. The airport is quite a nice place for children. Spacious area to swing the baby and walk hand in hand with the young todds whom are learning to walk. We enjoyed T3 while waiting for Gu-ma's return to Singapore for CNY.

This Ox year is Ames' first Chinese New Year. Last year, we were hoping that Ames would be a cny baby, judging from my oversized belly and fully active baby. In the end, CNY passed, Valentine's Day passed, even the Chinese Valentine's Day passed and still no labour pain. To avoid the leap day, we had to get Ames induced. That why he will always be, 28th Febuary 2008 (next month!)

CNY is totally a fun and yet tiring festival for many of us. Especially for me, now with Ames, this 11 month old baby is getting heavier, getting physcial, getting to struggle, crawl, whine and also more active. Not walking yet but is able to climb down from the bed on his own. No longer have the luxury of my own. Once Ames see that everyone is out of sight, he will gladly make his own descend to crawl around in house to find the nearest person. (sticky glue, I call him)

This CNY has taught him to play mahjong too. One of the DNA gene belongs to the Hong Kong National Hobby, Mahjong Spirit. Here is Ames looking intense in the game.
Still, he is a young baby who needs sleep at the right hours. One of the favourite activity besides the red packet collections, is watching Ames picking oranges. He has this fondness of picking the orange and putting into his mouth. I know its very dirty but you cannot help but see his reaction when he bite the fruit. The unpleasant taste of the orange skin just makes me laugh each time. When can he learn the lesson? It's not the skin that is tasty but the flesh of the fruit.

Going to leave this behind as a reminder that, my son will still be the one to chose my nursing home. So I better start to treat him even nicer now.

Swimming

Ames had his first swim last Saturday at Uncle's place. As first timers, we packed our simming bag very diligently with new bottle of sunblock, 2 thick towels, 1 froggy hoodie, new bath gel, the inflatable float with the pump, watering can which he can play in the water and many shirts for just emergency uses. We ended up with a big bag each for the vain mom and the innocent baby Ames. Besides, it's mom first time putting on the swimmers ever since I had graduated from school. Luckily the spandex material still enabled me to squeeze in..

Guess what Ames wore? I was thinking if I should rush down to buy the special waterproof swimmer diapers. But come to think of it, why should I waste $ on the diapers when we may not be frequent swimmers. So, I got the pull-ups for Ames. Had stacked aside free samples of huggies pull up. Actually, the Huggies pull up diapers looked very good on Ames too. Maybe I can upgrade him to these on some special days. So off Ames went to swim in the pull-up and a pre-loved board shorts from Aarron and his surfer boy wet shirt.

There were some fear in me before we appoarched the pool. Thoughts such as " crying baby? sick baby? fearful of water?" all started flying in my mind. No try no gain, right. So as long as I try to take the optimal precaution, judging from our powerpacked bags, we should be ok.

Got Ames sit on the edge first to try the temperature of the water. The little fella started to get more excited and kicked hard at the water. Maybe he ain't afraid of the water as much as the mother. Babies have natural water instinct as I watched the videos on You-tube of the swimming babies. Grabbed Ames and started to flat him in water. He had so much fun. Laughed aloud and kicked the water. Loads of splashes of water. More fun came with the cousins joining in. Ames also enjoyed in the float by himself. Of course, the eagle-eyed mother must never lax in the supervision. Well, the experience today will sure propel us tohave more water fun the next family event.

Eventually, we did have a crying baby. A crying baby that refused to be out of the pool. Ames was so angry with father for getting him out of the pool. I became his favourite person as I had stayed longer in the pool. Sometimes Ames will play naughty boy by refusing me to carry him. I was the lovely person whom his arms kept reaching for me!

We end up with a sleepy baby once in the home. Utimately, I think he got tired out from the kicking and splashing of the water. For hyperkids, I think swimmng maybe a good choice to knock out.

Estimation of Ames

For the faraway friends, here's an estimate how sizey is Ames. Use a bed as a marker. He can stand upright using the bed as a support. YOu can see his head even when you lay flat on the mattress. So he will sometimes "boo boo" us. AS for walking is yet to a no no. He can get up and down himself if he wants to from the bed or sofa. Not a very good skill but can do if he wants. One thing he is very capable is crawling. We are using less of the walker maybe because th walker is abit low hence no more adrenaline rush like before. He is using crawling to play hide and seek now and is more accident proned. Once he gets excited, he will just pick up and crawl without noticing the door or the corner of the wall.

With mummy friends - Potential Babysitters

Mummy been quite busy lately trying to catch up several groups of friends before the new "2009" hit on the calender. Still, it was slow but nevertheless old friends still managed to meet up. And now, with Little Ames it makes the meet up more interesting. As I can find suitable candidates to out source Ames if there is a time needed. Potential babysitters

Mom's friends

Mom's more friends friends.

And I'm sure Ames like when I bring him out cos everyone will start to feed him with the forbidden food. See.....

One feeding Ice cream and another feeding mocha drink? No ladies for the milk challenge?

Count Down @ Vivo City

Daddy and mummy ain't young couple that can still patronise clubs and parties. We are taking sabbatical leave from these parties til Ames can enter Zouk for Mambo. Anyway, we don't have the strength to even pass midnight before our eyelids turn heavy. And the after hangover effect not going be good for us, as Ames will still need to be in his routine for breakfast/wash/play/nap. Ames will never give us a chance to take a break off his schedule. Hence, its SABATTICAL time off from the parties til the time will be back.

Here in Vivo City, jammed packed with people and families to enjoy the environment.

Thought this expression of Ames looked very different from all his shots. Like trying to scare you with his hiding tricks.

Growing up

At the turn of the new year, we decided to do some spring cleaning. Guess what, spring clean Ames' cupboard. His 6 to 9 months clothes were too tight and exposing his round belly. I will miss the sight of him in those tight bodysuits. So now we have replaced with the 18mth sizes. I didn't get the 12mth clothings cos I overbought the 6-9 months and also reckon that my investment in 18mth will see me thru longer. So you may see Ames in bigger bodysuits now. Anyway, he will still outgrow them eventually, right?
I am pretty sad to keep away the smaller clothings as the small stuff are the cutest things. The fond memories of him in the clothings. My always fave is the terribly small newborn wear that cl bought. There was a big arguement about too small, but it was one of the very worthwhile pieces as Ames fitted in it just right. Oh, I post a picture now. There are very funtional with buttons and just wear over the infant than through the head.





My 2 weeks old baby Ames.