Serendipity

My dear baby,

Shortly after you turned 3 in March next year, you are going to be a big brother. You will still be my baby. After all, you are the first true love that I have created. You will be my priority, little one. You knew about it before me, and behaved most astonishing shocking. You literally turned into a monster overnight. Insecurity got the better of you. I whispered I love you the most – after Zen perhaps – every night and gave you all the cuddles you want. You said you wanted a sister and you want to buy angry bird for her. I hope you can ride out of whatever negative feelings you have there; I’m losing patience and imagination.

So now, to brace ourselves for this major change, we’re going to work towards independence! At 29 months old, you are able to take off and put on your shorts, wear your own shoe and button your clothing. You still require assistance to wear your shirt but let’s go slow and steady! I also started cooking for 3 of us to save time, much to your daddy’s dismay. He’s not very pleased by the barely there seasonings. We’ll compromise, somehow. I wish for you to grow up tasting food for what it is. Delicate taste of fish, sweetness of vegetable, savour and smell rice for what it is. When Mummy was young, I used to be able to eat panfried salmon with melted cheese and blanched broccoli for weeks. When I had poxs, I was eating lightly seasoned pork chop and steamed potato for a week or so. I used to eat 2 apples and a large bowl of soup everyday. I don’t recall falling sick often in my school days at all.

This month, you have become a smooth talker, making us laugh and wondering in awe. You are able to speak in complete sentences and pronounciation wise, simply fabulous. You imitate us very strongly but your own wits is applaud able. You like to use your fingers to count 1 to 5. You can do simple additions like 1 plus 1 is 2. You become an extremely cheeky personnel and you have learnt “humour” very well.

We handmade a card and gave jam to your sweet teachers for Teachers’ Day!

Babylove,

You have become quite a character – read: tyrant. Your heightened sense of situation awareness has enabled you to manipulate people. You know that grandpa is your “leaning mountain” and insists he put you to sleep, much to grandma’s delight because she can catch a nap! You do better with just 1 caregiver in the house, morphing back to the sweet boy we know.

This month, I used BINGO song to teach you how to spell your name and you sang it right the second time simply because it was so catchy! Next, I encouraged you to rearrange the fridge magnetic letters to form your name in exchange for a goat milk sweet and after a few tries, you got it! When you grow up and read this, I want you to know that the first word that Mummy taught you how to spell is your name.

In quick summary, you had your second pet: caterpillars(first being fishes). It left such an impression on you that you treated “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” book like a bible. We also managed to go SAM for the children’s art festival and you absolutely adore it. Mummy also organised a playgroup with our neighbours at our house and to our amazement you were willing to share your toys! We also managed to sneak out for a short trip to Punggol Promenade for sand play and ice cream. You really love sand, totally abhore water though. I guess swimming will not be in the picture anytime soon. Not that I like swimming myself.

After what seems like hundreds of trial classes, Mandeville was your choice, and incidentally your first trial class after attending a year at GUG. I’m glad we stuck by you. You look forward to your lessons, participated with such life. The 45 minutes of happy hour made you laugh and smile so much I was thinking if your face could turn crampy. You were shy when it comes to singing solo for hello song but after 2 terms, Daddy reported that you sang the loudest in class. Hooray! I’m really pleased at how they delivered crochet, minim, allegro, forte, piano, lento. And different instruments. And names of music composers. You especially love it when teacher Loh plays the piano for Bach pieces. Mummy stopped attending lessons with you for almost 2 months now, I have no idea what to practice with you but just go have a blast! Be all hyped up and smiley and most importantly, be confident. Whatever your passion may be, remember we will always support you.

As I am typing out this post and watching you sleep soundly, I wonder how could I ever pour my whole being into devoting my life to raising a child. Everything is about you, every decision has to be thought through twice for you. How can anyone love someone so much, I cannot help but wonder. The other day you saw my scar and asked about it. I told you the doctor cut mummy up to take Dylan out. I added on it was very painful but I am glad we are safe. Without hesitation, you fling yourself into my arms, gave me the tightest hug and said I love you, mummy. I am not sure if you fully understood but I lived for that moment.

Love you more,
Mummy

Mummy’s Baby Dylan,

How you have grown into a bubbly and interactive toddler, just like I imagined you to be.

A surprise springs from you everyday. One day, you woke up and decided to talk in sentences only that we have trouble making out what is it. You begin to mimick mummy like she is the most important person in your life. I’ll call you “Dylan ah” and you started this habit of calling back “Mummy ah”. When I busy myself around the house and you are out of my sight, I would check on your by asking “Dyl, are you ok?” and you would reply “ah”. The other day, the lift door was closing then I dragged you back and said shit! You pondered for a couple of seconds before saying shit! and looked around the floor for “gold”. I’m no longer mama but mummy to you.

You are finally toilet trained. We forgive the few misses. We still take you to pee in the urinal regularly only that these days, you would grab your crotch and hold your pee and wait for us. You have your own little table and chair now that you would sit down for half an hour to have your meals. You are mummy’s fantastic helper in the house. “Bring me this, take this and give to daddy, throw this, turn this on”. You would look at me in the eye, listen intensively and then execute it perfectly and return chin up, knowing you have achieved something great.

I havn’t had the luxury to plan activities for you but hey, throw you some paint and paper and you are all happy. You also managed to complete 6 piece puzzles these days. 6 piece puzzles!

You are a good boy, darling. I can’t stop kissing your baby cheeks and I can look at you all night long.

When you grow up, you will enter this blog and know that you are and will always be loved.

Love,
Your Mummy

One fine evening, Chef J held a pizza making session for the kids. My little one was in such deep concentration for the session that he wasn’t even tempted to taste it. See the apron? Chef J bought aprons for the kiddos! It made my little one’s day.

And the happy campers before we shove the pizza into the oven!

From start to end! YUMS! Homemade handmade pizzas are always the best.

*Pardon the photo color level. No time to photoshop.*

On 1st Sept 2011, he attended his very first wedding dinner! This fellow made us mighty proud of him. He behaved when he was required. And he would allow anyone to carry him so long they accompany him to see the pianist at work. This bribery enabled us to feast! *wink* He also tasted every dish with exception of…….FISH!

The very next day, he attended his first ROM luncheon and had a lot of fun exploring the stage area. He knocked out after the luncheon which was fantastic because we could do some shopping.

It was Dylan’s 3rd trip to the zoo! Somehow, we managed to tour the entire zoo in 1 morning! Such accomplishment. Previously, we could finish about a third and maybe catch 1 show. This time round, we even managed to sneak in 2 shows! This is the difference planning in advance can make.

Make a guess which animal he saw hiding in the bushes?

Make a guess what animal sound is he trying to mimick?

Next comes the firsts. The first pony ride, the first time feeding a goat, the first time visiting the water feature at the zoo and the first time seeing the safari animals. Boy was he amazed. He kept pointing and going ooh ahh. I figured he was wondering how did the zebra get so big in real life. I think at some point he actually forgot to blink! The excitement in his eyes was contagious. We soon caught on and got all hyped up too.

And the trip ended nicely with a family photo as a momento.

On a sunny Sunday morning, I needed to do grocery and off we head to City Square Mall after church. Dylan was the first kid in BK and I reckon it warrants him……a crown! Hehe.

I managed to organised a playdate at CV for the march babies. Look at how they have grown! Instead of tending to the children like we did previously, they were playing on their own most of the time. The session ended with 2 loves: bubbles & cakes. Till xmas gathering!