The Toddler Kayla: 18 - 19 months

18-19 mths:

• Learnt to identify Number 8!
• Counting "1-10" in mandarin
• Climbing staircase independently, while holding on the side rails
• Identify "hair", "head", "eyes", "mouth", "ear", "nose", "face" and can say all them out as she points to each part
• Able to identify diaper and call it "per"
• Remembered objects like "cow","rab(bit)", "dog" n can say them out
• Likes to identify our clothes n goes "Papa clothe, Mama clothe, etc"
• Knows how to say ＂洗手＂while imitating the action of washing hands
• Knows how to say her own name
• Construct simple 2 to 3 words sentence. Eg, uncle-no more, mama bye bye, gd-nite
• Likes to "choreograph" her own dance steps n choose her own dancing music from the music DJ toy. Her dance steps involve twirling round n round and with one hand up in the air, tapping double feet, clapping... Really comical sight!
• Learning simple Cantonese nursery rhymes thru her grandparents!
• Likes to make funny faces & actions!

• Finishing an Alphabet & a Disney Character wooden puzzle by herself! Including matching the right letters/characters n putting them in! Proud of my girl!

The Toddler Kayla: 17 - 18 months

17-18 mth:

• Her 14th & 15th teeth sprouted out. With more big teeth forming, we decided to start her on rice (with soup) diet & she love it!! Keep giving me the thumbs-up! I always feel very encouraged by her!
• Also started her more on solid food and outside food (e.g. Ramen noodles, vermicelli)
  
• Continues with her numbers counting "6, 7, 8, 9 & 10"!
• Likes to sing & hum along with the songs/ with me!
• Always love to mimic the last word of either a song or a sentence or key words from the books.
• Able to match most of the Disney characters wood puzzles yet not quite able to piece it properly.
  

At the 18th month mark, there comes a very tricky issue that I still cannot make up my mind. That is... Potty vs Child toilet seat!

I have started receiving information from those child development newsletter that at 18th month, we should start to let the child be exposed to the Potty! Our hesitation to get a Potty is due to factors such as:

• Not sure if it will be an white elephant item as not sure if she is willing to try to use the Potty!
• Hygiene reasons. We find it cleaner and more hygienic using the child toilet seat which we have already installed in our master bedroom toilet le.
  

However, I read and heard that its easier for them to start using a Potty as it is not as high as using a Child toilet seat, so its less daunting for them, and they may be more wiling to try.. Is that true?

I really have to decide soon so as not to delay her potty training which is important milestone from now onwards!

Kayla's events in the first month of year 2011!

• Leap School House's trial enrichment class

Well, generally she was pretty "introverted" at first and shy away from the teachers when she was first brought to the school and classroom. I think its due to unfamiliar environment and she normally don't get in touch with new people often. Gradually she warms up and get less shy. However she still don't get very involved with the class lessons. Probably also she's new to the class curriculum. The curriculum in that 1.5 hour time involves: free play time (which I tink its a waste of 15 mins of time & the school fees!), gym time (she is quite dainty and not really got active. However she got to try the balancing bridge, which is something new to her!), story telling (she kept walking around the class kpo-ing around.. ), songs time (she prefers this to the other types), science and exploration time, (not really sure if she's listening or understanding?), art & craft time (her face went "eek" when the teacher dipped her finger into the paint to do finger painting. So did the father! haha... It was a hilarious sight! There was no proper attire for the kids before they do the painting, so I was worried that she would dirty her dress, which she did. So I think its abit not well-planned by the school.)

After going thru the trial class, we decide that at this stage, she still prefer music type of classes and she would enjoy better at there. And also, its still early to expose her to such wide variety kind of enrichment class style. We still prefer the focus type of enrichment class. Hope her kindermusik class in the new term will be confirmed soon!

Photos from the lesson:

The avid reader, as usual, attracted to the bookshelves of books!

Music time in the class

Gym time!

• Her first time eating Ramen (on her 18th month!) ~Yummy~

Training her to get used to Japanese food before our Tokyo trip in March!

The Toddler Kayla: 16 - 17 months

Her developments from 16-17 month's old:

- She finally know how to indicate "Yes" by nodding head, say "uhm"... (better than always facing a "No No", "Don't want" baby all the time!)
- Able to apprehend better what we say to her, and will give us her response indicating her understanding of our question to her.
- Her 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th tooth sprouting out
- Able to say numbers "1-5" although some numbers are not that clear yet
- Able to recognize and say ＂花＂ when see pots of plants although sometimes its juz leaves! LOL!
- Able to stand balanced on one feet while holding us for support when we change her pants.
- Reading story book aloud to herself!
December is the X'mas month! 1 more month to go before Kayla turns 1.5 years old! It has been a very fun & gratifying time watching her grow!

Events happening in December!

• The Yammies' 1st Road Trip to Malacca (17 - 19 Dec 2010)

Highlights of our trip - Eat & Drink!

• Xmas Eve - Bring your kids to office event! (24 Dec 2010)

Its half day work for us on Xmas eve, and with our Charity Committee organising a "Bring-your-kids-to-office" event allows us to skive publicly! haha... I brought Kayla to office, hoping to show her around my work place (not that she will know anyway), and for her to mingle with other kids of my colleagues! She enjoys the whole event as she walks walks around, get to know other kids, and watching the Magic show! Although it is really tiring for me, I am happy to see her enjoying herself that day!

• Xmas Celebration at Home (25 Dec 2010)

As part of our "family tradition", every year Xmas day is spent with our in laws. This year is hosted by us, at our place. We didn't tell Kayla beforehand that her cousins are coming and she looked kinda shocked when she woke up from her nap that they appeared in her house! She had a fun time with them around!

The Log Cake from Four Leaves

When all things fail...

When all things fail... I realize the most important person that matter to me at that moment is Her. My baby.

It doesn't matter that I m upset, angry or mad beyond words. When I touch her, it doesn't matter anymore.

She is the most important matter in my life. Forever.

The Toddler Kayla: 15 - 16 months

15-16 mth old:

- Able to use the TV remote and switch the TV on/off by herself
- Saying "Wah" in exclamation! (so expressive)
- Not only climbing Down, now also climbing UP the sofa and bed
- Able to feed herself with a spoon more steadily, but still need support occasionally.

- Able to construct simple sentences by that we can understand (eg Mama um = mama eat; 这个poh= 这个是pooh)
- Learning to hold the toothbrush and try to brush her teeth by herself
- Likes talking on her toy phone, and using different kind of objects (e.g. remote control) as her toy phone!

- Having more meltdowns due to toddler's frustrations inside her (e.g. Shouting loudly NO! In reply to us, hurling things on the floor in frustrations, crying loudly when taking away the toy from her in shopping centre). All these are quite common to happen during toddler stage when they are 1-3 yrs old as they can't express what they want. This is a very challenging period for us as we need to set limits and ground rules for her, yet not be overbearing & screaming parents, or over-giving in to her which may result to a over pampered tyrant in future. We need to be in control, stay composed & guide her the proper way to behave. I will always try to observe what she is trying to tell us, and hope that it will reduce her frustrations and the resulting behaviour.

Events in November:

6 Nov 2010: Cousin Dyan's 3 years old birthday party @ the Gymboree!

20 Nov 2010: Eiman's 1 year old birthday party @ the Hort Park!

21 November 2010: Gymboree Trial Class



28 Nov 2010: Chloe's 1st year old birthday party @ The Chevrons!

The Toddler Kayla: 14-15 mths old

Kayla's progress from 14-15mth old:

Motor Skills Development:
- Walk! Taken More n more steps each day

Even got her new walking shoes!

- Holding her own bottle toward n away from her mouth
- Learning to take her own spoon n put food into her mouth
- Sipping water using a straw

- Digging nose!

- Dance and move her body whenever she watches Mickey Mouse & Friends cartoon, TV commercials that have music

Linguistic Skills Development:

- Makes different kinds of sounds with her mouth
- Imitate simple actions of nursery songs tt were shown to her previously
- Imitate sounds of some animals (e.g. cat, dog, elephant, lion)
- Learnt new simple words from nursery sings (eg the 'Beep beep beep' from The Wheels on the Bus song)
- Saying the word "Babies" very clearly

Other Developments:
- Throw tantrums & throw up her arms when in frustrations & can argue back in her own baby language!
- Able to recognize it's herself in d mirror reflection
- At 15 mth old, she suddenly have fake measles that gave her fluctuating fever for 3 days then break out in red spots all over her body... Poor girl...
- Yam Seng with her milk bottle!

A mother who just want to be a better mom

All mothers are to be caregivers, aren't they? Unfortunately, I m not one mother who is deemed as a caregiver to her.

When she is in distress, she looks for her dad. When she is not feeling well, she looks for her dad. When she is feeling sleepy, she looks for her dad. I m nit her first choice. Or rather, I m not her choice.

I am more of her playmate cum story teller as she prefers me when of such nature.

I have tried and still is trying...to be her main caregiver, to be her first choice of need whenever she needs the comfort. This is the kind of mother I always wanted to be and aspired to be. A Great mother I always wanted to be n nothing else. But somehow things fall into pieces n doesn't seem the way wat I hope to be. Nobody can understand the dejections I went thru, the demoralized feelings I went thru when I got rejected by my own child, and when I have to b as a standby/backup to my husband. I tried to comfort her n carry her when she fell down in restricted premises ( kitchen) but she screams at me! Maybe thinking I m there to obstruct her again. I mean no harm but yet I m always the bad person in her eyes?or m I over sensitive? Some may perceived me to be petty who dun understand putting the child's interest in front and above of anyone else, including setting aside these selfish n unnecessary thoughts? Is it really I dun understand this simple logic as a parent or m I too absorbed in my own feelings or have I been demoralized and dejected so much so that I simply can't bury them as they keep evolving in me?

Do someone can really understand how I feel and not judge me as a selfish parent? I give my all to my girl, I tried my best and I wan to do more in showering her with love and warmth, am I wrong? Am I wrong to ask to do more but yet I dun have the priviledge of bring wanted in the end?

If no one can understand, I can't blame them. Cuz they may nt b in same shoes as myself. They may d ones on d other end whereby the kid sticks to them like superglue. That's when I wun understand their side of woes.

This issue has been existing since she was born till now she is more than a yr old. I duno how long and how hard do I need to try before I get to be a caregiver mother which I always wanted to be one.