Quick Update

Has it been that long already? I had better look at my bills too! (after note: yes, i missed some bill payments)

Well, was caught in the Singapore General Elections fever and spent way too much time trawling the net for GE related videos, such as jokes and spoof of the then incumbent MPs. And then I got way too busy with my girl, who was fast turning two.

Well, she is 25 months old now. And how fun she is!

She started asking the "Why" questions a few days ago, just before she turned 25 months.

Like:

Isla.X: Why did you leave the bedroom door opened?

Mommypixie: Because I want to keep the cold air in.

Isla.X: Why do you want to keep the cold air in?

Mommypixie: So that the room would be cold.

(Good thing she stopped there. and the above conversation was in mandarin.)

She can point out airplanes in the sky, during the day and at night!

(You see, we stay near the airport and could see airplanes blinking away in the sky at night. We were out one night and while in the car, she pointed towards the sky and said 'Fei Qi' and me, thought I could play along, looked up, and really saw a plane!)

She would say to the Grandma:"Be careful okay?" when the Grandma was walking on a pavement which has an open drain.

She also said:"Daddy, be careful okay?" when the Daddy accidentally hurt his foot, which made the Daddy really happy.

Childcare Update 1

Date: 15 April 2011
by Mommypixie


After about 15 lessons or so at her childcare centre, Isla.X suddenly can manage to allow the teachers to carry her and wave bye bye to me when I drop her off at the centre.

The first day she did that, which was in the second half of March, my heart broke.

Well, I should be jumping for joy cos it makes morning drop offs more pleasant and less worrying for me but one BIG part of me doesn't really enjoy seeing her willing to edge her body forward, stretching out her arms to the teacher and letting the teacher carry her! (actually, I was very taken aback and shocked when she did that.)(but I must say my horror only lasted a split second.)

The only consolation was that when her body turned towards me to wave me bye bye, her eyes were really teary and she was reluctant to say bye bye to me, with a frown and her mouth was shaped into a very obvious upside down U.

Though my heart was crying, I gave her my happy look and chirped bye to her with a lively wave and turned and walked away.


It is good for the both of us, I figured.

Wonder how the transformation took place.

Was it because:

- she really got used to the idea?

- that her grandpa and grandma had been drumming in the 'school's fun' idea into her? and not to cry at school?

- that she can relate to the idea of "see you later, alligator"?

All of the above ba.

I felt lost for a good part of that morning.

When I picked her up a few hours later, she was the usual crying baby, shouting Ma Ma Ma Ma, and dashing towards me.

That gave me much comfort.

That my girl still needs and longs for me.

Isn't this whole childcare thingy such a big training on your nerves and emotions?


(side track: Isla.X just woke up from her sleep. She sat up and patted her bolster a few times, and went back to sleep. She is maturing so much each day! More on that in later posts)(She just turned 22 months yesterday).

(some background on her number of childcare days: although she started childcare after the Chinese New Year and was enrolled for 3 half days per week, she doesn't have full attendance due to our visits to malaysia where we would stay for a few days, and sickness, thus missing lessons).

Bus stops

Date: 25 March 2011
by Mommypixie

Slightly freaking out while in the bus.

Last Saturday, we decided to take the bus to a nearby chicken rice place for dinner. 

When we reached the bus stop and sat down, Isla.X started crying and fussing!

Oh my, Mommypixie immediately said,"No, we are not going to school. We are taking the bus to have our dinner." 

This is how much she loves (hates) going to school. 

We take the bus to school (a.k.a childcare centre), which is just one bus stop away.

Even then, Isla.X is not convinced and remained quite apprehensive. So much so that Mommypixie took quite a lot of photos of her looking concerned.

To me, it is a few minutes of peace. Ha! Silver lining. 

The Daddy just found it amusing. 

Isla.X only lightened up after passing a few bus stops and the scene looked decidedly different.

Btw, Isla.X always clings onto me when I am in the bus with her when I send her to school in the morning. And will start fussing and crying and say, Ma Ma, Jin Qu (Ma Ma, go in, meaning she wants me to to into the centre and keep her company) after we alight. 

Therefore, I am delaying starting full day childcare till April. Even then, I am in favour of putting her in just 3 full days instead of 5 full days as earlier planned.

Head

Date: 24 March 2011
by Mommypixie


While getting Isla.X ready for sleep tonight, changing into pjs, the Daddy mentioned something that happened while we were parents-to-be about 2 years ago.

The Daddy: Remember what the doctor said about her head?


Mommypixie: What about the head?

The Daddy: Remember that her head was large and we asked how?


Mommypixie: Her head was large? (which pd said that?) What did the doctor said?

The Daddy: The doctor said, just buy her a bigger hat!

Smiles.


Yah. Now I remember. (It's the obstetrician lah, not doctor. No wonder I can't recall.)

During one of the routine ultra sound scan, it was measured that her head circumference was larger than average while her limbs were shorter than average. So we were concerned.


The obst was this old professor from XieHe Hospital in Beijing. She is simply wonderful, handling our concern is such a humorous and thoughtful way. 


Isla.X's head circumference has always been larger than average. 

Even now, she could not wear the size 26 t-shirt from the childcare centre as her head could not fit through the collar. So she is wearing a size 28 t-shirt which is much too big for her body.

Oh well. Such is life.

Perhaps the shirt can be better designed.

1st day at childcare

Date: 5 March 2011
by Mommypixie

Playing at the slides. (I can't get the photos in chronological order. The order is reversed.)

Isla.X is the one being carried by the Teacher at the far left end when i went to pick her up.

Cheeky in the morning. She was excited cos she gets to use her green bag bag too. And even managed a pose like this. Wonder where she learn that from.

She could not believe her luck that she gets to go out so early in the morning. Gave me a really co-operative smiling pose.


Isla.X was really excited when Mommypixie was getting her ready to school. She likes the idea of school.

About 5 days before her actual day at school, I started telling her that she would be going to school, learning skills, making new friends and having fun toys to play with. After introducing the idea of school to her, I asked if she would like to go to school, which she had visited twice with me, she nodded her head. A pretty good start!


Then, about 2 days before D day, I told her the truth....that Mommypixie would be working while she is at school. When she heard that, she shook her head, indicating that she doesn't like the idea of going to school without me. Oh well.


On the day of school, while getting her dressed, she was really happy.


And she was still happy when I reached the childcare centre and passed her to Teacher Fen while Teacher Sam attended to me with the logistics of getting her diapers, snacks and water bottle. Teacher Fen and Isla.X then disappeared into the childcare centre.

So all was well!

Until I asked if I should say Bye to my girl, and Teacher Sam said no, she is fine, she's just in there and I asked if I can take a peek and Teacher Sam said yes.


So I went into the centre and well, Isla.X was actually brought upstairs cos Teacher Fen thought that she will be joining the younger toddlers but in fact she should be with the group downstairs so when I stepped in, Teacher Fen was carrying her down and we bumped into each other at the stairs! Isla.X was still smirking at that point.


I did not know how to react and decided to just calmly waved to Isla.X and said:"See you later, alligator!" (avoiding the word 'bye') and Isla.X, immediately upon hearing this, wailed! and wanted me to carry her.

Such a big boo boo.....and I had to 'run' out of the centre....

and heard her crying and shouting for mommy on the way out!

When I went to pick her up 2.5 hours later, during their lunch hour at 12 noon, she was sobbing, eyes red, nose running and holding on to her water bottle for her dear life.

When she saw me, she cried some more and then stopped and was in her element again.

She showed me where to sit, asked me to eat the meal, fed me, showed me the place and the birds, played with the slides, and was smiling.

I was told that she did not take part in any of the activities and was crying on and off.

So, this was how it went on the first day. :)

1 to 10

Date: 28 February 2011
by Mommypixie

Yes, she could say her numbers better already and I've got it recorded. This was recorded when she was 19 months, Jan 2011.


Here goes!

Flying @ 18 months

Date: 22 February 2010
by Mommypixie

All bundled up and ready to go to the airport

Flying back with Isla.X when she was 18 months old in December turned out to be very pleasant!

We took the 8.45am flight.

Isla.X played, then napped, and woke up to play some more. She could also keep herself occupied by checking fellow passengers and smiling to them, being cute.

At one point in time, Mommypixie was just too tired, cos she had been keeping late nights busy with the packing and running errands in Beijing before the flight, and tried to make Isla.X sleep by carrying her like a koala and asking Isla.X to sleep. Isla.X responded by holding onto mommy and her bolster and stayed quite motionless, so much so that Mommypixie just drifted off to sleep.

When Mommypixie woke up, she realised that Isla.X wasn't sleeping at all and was all along trying hard to fall asleep by sucking her pacifier and rubbing her eyelids with the bolster. When Isla.X saw Mommy wake up, she got really excited and was all happy and started playing with Mommy.

Mommypixie was very touched by her thoughtfulness and co-operation.

One thing Mommypixie did, which was unplanned, but felt that it worked out quite well.

I had leftover dark chocolate kisses from christmas present wrapping and brought them onboard. I took them out to munch and decided to share them with Isla.X, fellow passengers and the air steward and stewardess. I felt that they, including Isla.X, appreciated this gesture and I felt less guilty when asking for assistance.

So mommies out there, pack some chocolates or sweets onboard when travelling alone with kids and share them with the people sitting around you.

Etonhouse

Date: 22 February 2010
by Mommypixie

After dropping Isla.X at childcare this morning, I took the bus to work (as there were no cabs in sight! and no cabs for booking too!).

The bus passed by the Mountbatten area and I saw that there were at least 4 Etonhouses!

My, they are so popular isn't it?

Will have to do more research into Etonhouses. And determine if it shall be the pre-school for my girl.

Milestones

Date: 17 February 2011
by Mommypixie

Was checking on the milestone chart for 19 to 24 months.

And noted these under the Advance Skills for a 24 month old: Begins to understand abstract concepts (eg sooner and later), Becomes attuned to gender differences, Learns to jump.

I am kind of surprised that 'jumping' falls under the 24th month mark and under an advanced skill because Isla.X has been jumping already. She has started jumping since ... like 1.5 months ago? I did not take notice because I thought it is something that she should know earlier than at 24 month.

Anyway, she is now 20 months and I am glad to know that she can perform all the tasks the milestone chart states under Mastered Skills up to 24 months (except I did not count whether she has a vocab of 50 to 70 words, which is a milestone for 23 months. probably not.)

I am very blessed to not having to worry about her milestone development.

But I was worried before. She flipped only towards end of 3rd or 4th month, sat at end of her 7th month, and barely crawled at end of 8th month and only starting sprouting very late 9th month.

Her weight is also at the 25th percentile, even though she has a ferocious appetite. Sidetracked.

Happy to learn that Isla.X is developmentally on track.


After note: I decided to count the number of words Isla.X knows. and stopped counting when I hit 105. Out of these 100+ words, she uses about 75 of them regularly. These 100+ words exclude expressions like:

- woh (when the car she's in makes a sharp turn),

- yee (when she sees someone sitting at a corner motionlessly whom she had missed the first time she walked pass),

- wah (when the Grandma wears something nice or when she sees a new toy), and

- oh oh (when she misplaces something and could not find it) and some others.

Week begining 30 Jan 2011

Date: 11 February 2011
by Mommypixie

This is a bit of a backdated post that wasn't published till now. Better late than never, right? 


Tshirt as pants

Isla.X refused to believe that what she is wearing as pants is actually a T-shirt. She is now into learning how to wear pants on her own.

And the weird expression on her face...well, she doesn't know how to smile for the camera yet.


Bump on her head

See the bruise on her head?

On 29 or 30 Jan (can't remember now), while Mommypixie was in the kitchen washing dishes, the Daddy put her on the bed, which was pushed against the wall on one side. The moment she sat foot on the bed, according to the Daddy, she immediately leapt forward and launched herself to the wall, with the head banging flat against the wall.

By the time Mommypixie rushed to the bedroom, Isla.X's forehead had already formed the highest and ugliest and largest bump on bump that both the Daddy and Mommypixie had ever seen in their whole life! This caused a huge panic and phone calls to the Grandma and the Aunty.

Mommypixie was shouting to rush to the nearest clinic/hospital and the Daddy had the most worried and anxious look on the face and kept asking "How?"

After a few minutes of panic and much ado about nothing, the parents finally calmed down and managed to find some ointment and forcefully rubbed Isla.X's forehead.

Poor baby. Just half hour before she got this bruise, she had bumped herself on the forehead on the same wall!

Anyway, she was fine and 72 hours later, Mommypixie and the Daddy finally relaxed, felt and breathe better.


CNY 2011

Happy for her. She got quite a lot of angbaos! Mommypixie has not tallied the takings yet..hahaha...

Childcare

Date: 10 February 2011
by Mommypixie

Will be starting Isla.X on childcare and she will enter childcare this coming Wednesday, on 9 Feb 2011.

Having very mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, it means that I will be able to work, have some personal time and give her some structure and routine, which is sadly lacking for her, due to my work arrangement, our staying in Beijing and me having no help in Singapore. So it is good right?

On the other hand, I do not know how well she or I can handle this separation. Handing her over to strangers instead of trusted relatives.

And I have this guilt that perhaps I did not pick the best possible childcare centre for her. I picked this one mainly due to its close proximity to where we stay. I can walk to the centre with her.

And the guilt that with her in childcare, I will have my freedom back! For like 3 half days per week in Feb, so that I can go to work and perhaps run errands or sleep in on days I don't have to work, without the guilt that my poor mother is looking after Isla.X while I am happily working.

I have to deal with guilt.

Been feeling guilty since I gave birth.

Wonder if it is some kind of depression that I am facing.

Oh, Isla.X will be doing 3 half days in February, and then 3 or 5 full days from March onwards, due to the vacancies available in the childcare centre.

Potty

Date: 8 February 2011
by Mommypixie

Our shipment arrived last friday in Singapore and reached my in-law's place this evening. About 56 boxes.

Before you scream, that is 6 years worth of things we have accumulated and bought just before we left Beijing. And some of the boxes include Isla.X's high chair, which counted as a box. And Isla.X's potty, which is a box as well. So really, it isn't that much stuff.

Well, we left almost all of the boxes at in-law's place and brought back Isla.X's potty and high chair and some other stuff.

Isla.X was simply too happy to see her stuff! She went 'Mum mum' over and over again, as if telling me to assemble her high chair. I don't know how she knew that this thing is her high chair (see picture below) and remembers that the high chair is used for eating. (Mum mum to her is eating.)

The A shaped structure on the right was initially bubble wrapped with lots of yellow duct tape. I had removed the bubble wrap, wanting to assemble the high chair seeing how enthusiastic Isla.X was about the high chair, but decided against in the end.

Well, I don't want to assemble the high chair because I know she would insist on sitting on it once it is done, which is such a no no cos I still have to wipe high chair first. Instead, I took out her potty from the box and let her used it.

She happily sat on it and pee on it!! oh my. and she wanted to still pee on it after I poured away the content. I just ignored her. Then she was still bugging me while I was washing the potty.

When the potty is finally all cleaned up again, she sat and sat yet no pee came out.

So what did she do?

She asked for water.

And drank a sip in the kitchen, and ran to the potty which is in the living room and sat on it.

When no pee came, she asked for the water again.

I have to say, that is pretty good problem solving on her part. But, well, she is too impatient.

After 2 tries of sipping water and potty sitting and yet no pee, she gave up and ran towards the Daddy, who is assembling something else.

@ 19 months

Date: 24 January 2011
by Mommypixie

Last week, the Grandma told me, Isla.X said this today:"Ah Gong, chi fan le!" (literally, Ah Gong, eat rice le, meaning Grandpa, it's dinner time.) She took her initiative and said this when the Grandma had put all the dishes on the table.

I am pleasantly surprised and mighty glad that she is behaving and knows how to get into the right books. 

Yesterday, the Grandma showed me how Isla.X could wear her sandals without assistance. Apparently, Grandma had taught Isla.X how to wear her them by showing her how to wriggle her feet into the sandals. While Isla.X was wearing her sandals, she said, Jin qu, jin qu. (meaning, go in, go in).

Also yesterday, Isla.X said "Wan liao. Finished, all done." after she had finished her milk. (Wan liao literally means 'finished already').

Don't think I have mentioned this. I am the Mandarin speaking parent while the Daddy is the English speaking parent to her. I did not think that she picked up much English as the Daddy does not spend as much time with Isla.X as I do and even then, the Daddy sticks to really simple English.

So, I am intrigued that Isla.X could piece the words together and use both languages to convey her message.

Today, after returning from grocery shopping, she slipped out of her sandals, took one of it and flung it towards the gate and the Grandma started laughing and said:"She could not throw previously and I thought her how and when to release her grip and see...how far she can throw now!"

Isn't it great that you have someone other than yourself to teach your kids?

Amy Chua's Why Chinese Mothers are superior

Date: 17 January 2011
by Mommypixie

Have you read the book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua?

Well, I haven't but after reading the article "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior - WSJ.com", it got me really interested.

I was about to write a post about how I do not know how I have fared as a mother and this article made me even more confused.

I was also feeling guilty about how I had screamed at Isla.X a few days ago when she was constantly whining and sticking to me and now, having read the article, made me wonder...So, did I or did I not dent her self esteem and does it or doesn't it matter?

The other thing that was bothering me was whether I should start her on enrichment classes and whether holding her back is limiting what she can achieve. hahaha...oh well...

Sidetrack: You see, Isla.X attended some gym classes when she was in Beijing. We just wanted to bring her to somewhere near and warm and to keep her occupied during the cold winter days. She enjoyed herself tremondously while attending the gym lessons and is game for lots of the activities there.

Since returning to Singapore and Malaysia, we have not brought her to any playdates or classes.

But shortly after returning to Malaysia, she started saying things like "pean pean" and would clench her fist and move them inwards and outwards. For about 3 days, Mommypixie had no idea what she was doing. Then she started saying "see...see" and would sway her body while her arms outstretched to the sides.

Then it dawned on me. She was reciting the commands and moving to the commands that she had learnt from the gym classes from the warming up exercises!! "pean pean" was the command "open", where you have to open up your arms to the sides.

"See" is part of the two word command "See and saw", whereby you have to stretch out your arms, and you sway your body left and right, making your arms move like a see-saw.

So it seems to me that she does pick up skills and has the capacity to remember them.

Back to Amy Chua, I do not know whether I will be chinese or western in raising her up yet. And which will be the best for her and me.

But some things are certain: I would like her have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and have self control.

How will I achieve that?

Leading by example I guess.

Tough one but I will try.

Been meaning to write - part 2

Date: 3 January 2011
by Mommypixie

I owe an update from my previous post "Been meaning to write".

I meant to update it much earlier but with an active toddler, an approaching winter, attending new bible studies, virus and a relocation, your time and life is just not within your control.

So, the above is my excuse for being slack and below is my belated update. I have to warn you though, the below is a real quick update and some sentences will not be coherent.

Mid Oct SIN-PEK flight: After my horrendous experience with flying Isla.X at her 15 month, I decided to take the midnight flight. At least she would be sleeping for a few hours and I will have less hours of embarrassing moments. And so we did, we took the midnight flight.

The flight was very uneventful, much to my delight, but am sorely disappointed by SIA's deteriorating service, which is not a topic in this post. Anyhow, we survived the flight.

On the day we arrived, we, meaning Isla.X and Mommypixie, spent the entire day sleeping and eating. Bliss.


Vomit attack: However, things went terribly wrong at midnight cos Isla.X woke up fussing and starting vomiting! Mommypixie had to clear away the bedsheets and changing Isla.X.

The following day, Isla.X was fed plain porridge and all was well and Mommypixie was very relieved. At night, Mommypixie fed Isla.X rice. Then she refused to eat more and wanted milk instead. While Mommypixie was kneeling down to get the water from the dispenser, Mommypixie felt a wet sensation at her shoulder and turned around and saw Isla.X's puke on the floor. She was close to Mommypixie and some of the puke ended up on my body. More cleaning and washing and dressing.

We figured it was the cold. The day we arrived in Beijing, the temperature suddenly dipped and perhaps Isla.X caught a cold when she was being carried from the taxi to the apartment in the early morning, which is a 3 mins walk. I believe the temperature was about 8 degrees Celsius and already that is really a 28 degrees' difference.



Keeping late nights: Taobao. And Mommypixie discovered Taobao, which is a online shopping platform in China with everything under the sun. There are thousands of sellers, maybe millions, selling everything conceivable. (like bubble machine, bubble wrap.)

And for each item, there are many more sellers selling them, and they could be located in different parts of China. Mommypixie had to do research and read product write ups, reviews and decide if the seller and product is authentic and that takes up an enormous amount of time.

Mommypixie spent ridiculous amount of time Taobaoing cos she had to get Isla.X's winter wardrobe ready. During the process, Mommypixie discovered some really really interesting shops for herself!! Alas! more time spent on Taobao getting clothes for herself!



Dramas. China started showing this Austrain show, Four Women and a funeral. See more info about the show here: http://www.pikfilm.com.my/productdetails.php?c=5&s=22%C2%A4t=1&from=product&pkid=616

Grey's Anatomy. I'm probably the last person to watch this show. I am squimish when it comes to blood and surgery so I did not think I can handle the surgery scenes very well. That's why I have never watched it. Now that I have given birth, somehow it changes me in certain areas and this is one of it. I can.


Food blogs. I have a reference page for this one, TasteSpotting.com. It is a database of foodblog! I will click into the photos i like and will end up reading the blog to search for more recipes from the same blog. At any one time, I will have about 5 foodblogs opened at my computer and while waiting for a post to load, will begin clicking and selecting other entries from the next food blog to read.

After spending so much face time with the computer and the www, your mind is too active and i end up tossing and turning in bed. Some nights, I can't fall asleep and will wake up to bake instead.

Ended up sleeping after 2.30am each day for about 2 weeks. and Mommypixie became a walking zoombie.

Diapers

Date: 28 December 2010
by Mommypixie


At 18 months, I would not think that there is a need to discuss diapers. We should have gotten this sorted out by the time Isla.X turned 1 month right?

I was wrong.

For one, the type and price of Huggies you can get are different in Beijing, Malaysia and Singapore.

Isla.X was using Huggies when she was in Malaysia and Mommypixie thought Huggies are all the same right? When we got to Beijing when Isla.X was 4 months old, Mommypixie realised that Huggies was made differently. There wasn't Huggies Ultra, the purple packaging one, and no Huggies Dry Comfort, the red packaging ones.

My ayi in Beijing also commented that the Huggies I got from Malaysia are too thick for a lady..hahahaha...and recommended Pampers, the yellow packaging ones.

So Mommypixie switched to Pampers, yellow packaging and supplement with whatever Huggies is available. By the way, the Huggies in Beijing are much thinner than the ones you find in Malaysia.

Then the diapers could no longer hold Isla.X's pee at night, which is a major deal cos the stained clothes and bed will turn icy cold at night. Mommy S in Beijing suggested getting Pampers yellow packaging, but up the size to L, so that it can hold more pee, and gave me some to try. It worked and thus Isla.X was upgraded to size L at night.

Mommypixie also tried out Goon, which worked beautifully. But since Goon is higher priced, it was only used for bedtime or when we are out. This arrangement plus some cloth diapering saw us through many months.

54+2 pieces of premium brand diapers ago, Mommypixie wanted to order Goon again but the correct sizes were out of stock at Lijiababy! Even the higher priced Goon with Vitamin E was sold out and Mommypixie simply refused to buy it off at the upscale supermaket located just across where we stay. She had did so too many times and only realised recently that the prices were such rip offs. So Mommypixie ordered Kao Merries instead, which is slightly more ex than Goon.

When Kao Merries 54+2 pieces arrived, Mommypixie fell in love with it. It was so soft and so thin, and so absorbent and so dry!

Kao Merries, worth the penny

When that ran out, Mommypixie ordered Goon and alternate between Huggies and Goon. And just before we returned to Malaysia, Mommypixie ordered the Kao Merries again.

And Isla.X could tell a difference too. For the past few days, she would lie down still on the bed to let me change her when Kao Merries are used.

Now Mommypixie is in a fix. There is a pack of Malaysian Huggies Dry Comfort sitting at home and am wondering if Isla.X would let Mommypixie put that on.

Mommypixie may just let Isla.X wear thick Huggies and reserve the Kao Merries for bedtime real soon, or get her potty trained.

Potty training

Date: 27 December 2010
by Mommypixie

Think I got trained instead.

I started my research on potty training when Isla.X was turning 15 months and liked the 'Potty training in three days' as featured in Baby Center. When she was at her 15 month mark, I let her go diaper less for a few days and started letting her sit on the regular toilet bowl with the training potty seat. I managed to let her poo in the toilet a few times and that was because her poo was hard to start with and I could see her constipated look and was able to rush to the toilet on time.

At her 15 month, I was back in JB for almost 1.5 months and since I don't have a helper with me, I did not continue with my haphazard potty training. (I was not very systematic to start with as there was always something that crop up and training her for a consective 3 days was not possible.) But I did let her wear cloth diaper for a while as she started protesting when I put disposable diapers on her. Guess that helped as she could feel the wet sensation, which is part of potty training.

When we flew back to Beijing in mid Oct, when she was about 16 months, I did not continue with the potty training as she wasn't very well on and off for about a month.

But when she was into her second half of 16 months, one day, she dug out a part of the potty, which is a bowl like shaped container which was meant to hold her pee and poo, and started squatting on it, saying 'shee shee..'. It was so cute.

Sometimes when she does that, I will bring her to the regular toilet bowl and let her sit on it, with the training potty seat placed on the toilet bowl.

It was hard work as she likes to say shee shee...and then when brought to the toilet, will sit there and shake her head.

At 17 months, when she says shee shee...it usually means she want to poop, only that she doesn't want to poo into the toilet bowl. And she turned this into a tactic to delay sleeping time. She would go 'shee shee' when I am settling her down to bed and to give her the benefit of doubt, I would remove the diaper, bring her to the toilet, wait with her for her to pee, which she doesn't, and bring her back to bed and struggle to put a new diaper on her again.

When she was turning 18 months, she liked the idea of saying 'shee shee', where Mommypixie would remove the diaper, bring her to the toilet, and she would ask for 'zzeee' (meaning the toilet paper), and she would pretend to wipe herself and throw the toilet paper into the bowl.

Having said that, she managed to poop into the toilet bowl a few times, which she would be rewarded with 'flushing the toilet'. We would also say 'bye bye' to her poop before we flush so she was quite happy with the whole ritual.

Today, on 21.12.2010, at night, she wanted to remove her diapers and the Grandma asked Mommypixie if Isla.X wanted to pee (We returned to JB from BJ a few days ago). Well, I wanted to say "NO LAH! She always say shee shee but never does it. She just want to sit on the toilet bowl and play with the toilet paper" but stopped myself and brought her to the toilet instead (although I had none of the potty parts with me) and helped her sit onto the toilet bowl.

After about 5 seconds, Mommypixie heard the trickle and she pee-ed! Mommypixie was so surprised and happy!

And this feat was immediately announced to the Grandma and the Grandpa. and the Daddy when the Daddy called.

So we let her take a break from the diaper and let her wear her undies instead.

At bedtime, which is about 1 hour after the successful pee in the toilet, Mommypixie brought Isla.X into the toilet and told Isla.X to pee, even though she did not say shee shee. She sat there for a while, and proceeded to pee!

Wow...she can control her bladder now!

I am mighty pleased with her and have decided to mark today with this blog.

Not exactly sure if she is indeed potty trained yet as 2 successful tries in less than 2 hours does not seem to suggest that to me. But I vow to take her seriously now the next time she says "Shee Shee".

And I concluded that Isla.X has trained Mommypixie instead. Trained Mommypixie to rush to the toilet whenever she says shee shee, whether or not she indeed does want to pee or poop.

Stomach Flu

Date: 29 November 2010
by Mommypixie

Last Sunday, while mommypixie and the Daddy were having dinner, Isla.X decided to go sleep! Which is pretty unusual as she loves eating with us. Mommypixie then realised that she is feverish and so brought her to bed.

But Isla.X then decided to fuss and insisted on going back to the living room, whichmommypixie obliged. Somehow Isla.X ended up in Daddy's arms and ...oh, she wanted milk so was transferred to Daddy's arms while Mommypixie made milk...and then it happened, she vomitted. All the milk that she took in the last hour was out and more, covering a huge area.

Then the mood turned sombre and Mommypixie went to put her to sleep without milk and the Daddy cleaned up the mess. (Thanks Daddy. You are so sweet.)

By midnite, she began having a high grade fever and was fed Tylenol and Mommypixiehad to convince her that she needed no more milk. In the early Monday morning, shevomitted again.

I was waiting for the ayi to come in on Monday morning to clean up the mess made over the nite but received a sms from her saying that she was not well. So I braced myself for a day without help and a feverish vomitting toddler.

Anyhow, I monitored her fever, kept her temperature under control, brought her to see the PD, and survived the day. By nite, Isla.X was so lifeless and weak that when the Daddy came back, she could only sit on the sofa and smile to the Daddy, instead of running towards him. The Daddy's heart broke at that instant.

On Tues, her fever subsided and she started having loose stools, but the situation was still manageable. Then, when I was alone with Isla.X again (ayi returned home at 5.30pm and the Daddy was not back from work yet), she started having very very bad diarrhoea! Within an hour and a half, from 6.30pm to 8pm, she had had seven diaper changes!! Whatever little amount of rehydration salt solution that I fed her was exploded out a few minutes after! And I was close to tears. I didn't want my toddler to be dehydrated!

The Daddy came back and immediately calmed me down and told me to call our friend, J, a very experienced mother. Following her advise, we left Isla.X alone and gave her only a teaspoon of the rehydration salt in 20 minutes interval. That got her diarrhea under control and she only explode every one hour. (at nite while asleep, the diarrhea was stretched to a four hour interval).

With not much food in her stomach and the diarrhea, Isla.X became very weak and could only wobble around.

By Wed evening, Isla.X was so dehydrated that the PD wanted me to get her to down 712ml of rehydration salt solution in the next 4 hours, which was so tough!! Cos Isla.X simply hated the stuff. While I was dashing around Beijing CBD getting zinc supplement,Pocari and ribena, the ayi was at home feeding Isla.X with the salt solution.

I took over the solution feeding at around 5pm and continued feeding till 8pm, but only managed to get her to take a total of 320ml. But, that was enough, according to the PD. Ideally 712ml but 320ml is good enough. Her diarrhea is now on a 2 or 3 hour interval.

Just before she slept, she let out a really loud explosive bang, expelling some specks of green veg and I felt that that is the last of it. And it really was.

Thursday, she was much better and Friday, no more diarrhea. And was busy aggressively asking for food.

And she can once again walk, run and dance to the music. And playing and teasing us.

After 5 restless nites, many cancelled appointments and chapped hands from washing her buttocks and cleaning up, Mommypixie am glad it was finally over.

And Isla.X was 0.5kg lighter.

I want to thank all the friends for helping me and making my life easier during this time when Isla.X was down with stomach flu:

- M for generously sending her car and driver for me to use at my disposal, which was very thoughtful of her as she felt that the wind was too strong that day.

- J for giving us advise, offering her driver, and the Ribena, which she had brought from Singapore for her family's use as her kids love Ribena.

- E for calling and suggesting Ribena and Pocari.

- S for advise and concern.

- Ju for her concern.

- my ladies group for the prayers.

Me, Isla.X and the Daddy are so blessed!

Pigeon Bowl...again

Date: 22 November 2010
by Mommypixie

Remember how I had commented that prices in Singapore are half of Beijing's in this post. 

So imagine my surprise when I found out that the pigeon bowl, plate, fork and spoon travel set are sold cheaper in Beijing compared to Singapore! See photo below, right bottom. (it's RMB89, which is about S$18.50, for the whole set!). I don't usually remember prices but since it was recorded in this blog, I went back to the previous post to check the prices.


This info is from the Lijiababy brochure, see below pic.

In Beijing, you can just call up the company, tell customer care the product code of the stuff you want to buy, as indicated in the brouchure, and they will deliver free of charge to your home the next day. Very convenient, especially during winter.

I was then told by a more experienced mommy that Pigeon stuff are just cheaper here in Beijing. Even though they are made in Japan. Drats.

And she added that Avent stuff are more expensive in Beijing compared to Malaysia. (Drats!! I just bought some Avent stuff in Beijing!)

We do not know the logic, but, yes, if you happen to be in Beijing, get Pigeon.

Hold on to the bowl

Date: 14 November 2010
by Mommypixie

I have been teaching Isla.X to hold the bowl while scooping for the past few weeks, so that the bowl will stay in one place instead of it being shifted to the side by the end of her fourth or fifth scoop. Today, she did it without me asking her to!

Look at her left hand.

I am so impressed by this that I have posted two photos of her doing this.

Well, it did take me a few weeks of repeating the request at every meal so two photos is called for to record this milestone.