15 months old

You're having the time of your life with so much attention from everybody. It just melts my heart to hear you laugh and shriek in excitement everyday from playing (although this may be the reason that you wake up at night from being over excited). You have become very cheeky and love being 'chased' around the house.

Your verbal vocabulary still only just consists of
- dada
- mama
- nana (for all food, including milk)
- 'uh-oh' (for everything unexpected)
- taaaaaa (after getting something and I wonder if it means thank you?)
Although I know that every child develops in their own way, I can't help but worry and wonder occasionally about why you are so slow in learning to talk, and hope that you will be talking more soon ;)

You have learnt to walk backwards. You still have your fascination with the washing machine (which is a good 'babysitter' as you'll sit/stand mesmerised), still LOVE eating (especially now when there's so much variety of food), and is as cheerful and always laughing, amusing us.

Last week of research

I can't believe I only have 6 days left before I restart full time clinical work. It seemed just like yesterday when I started the post, and now life has taken a full turn, with having a toddler around. There's such mixed feelings of definitely missing my current job with its flexibility, but had its share of frustrations, and the excitement of being able to 'get my hands dirty' again :) I pray for strength, wisdom and understanding family and colleagues, in juggling roles of being a mom, wife and have a career. I'll also fully enjoy this last week.

Frozen Liverpool

We decided to brave the wintery weather and went for a walk in Sefton Park. It was bittery cold and although the scenery was beautiful, we did not even make it to the 'lake'. We turned back midway as we could hardly feel our toes.

Merry Christmas 2010

'It's the most, wonderful time, of the year' again :) The snow has not thawed so yes, we did have another 'white christmas'. As usual, there was lots of food and eating, and laughter, especially with you, Isaac. I still vividly remember last year when you were only 3 months old, and tried to join in and now have become the centre of attention.

Main courses: roast lamb, salmon en-croute, and roast turkey thigh

Not liking the party hat and keep wanting to take it off

Wanting to open the presents?

Very excited with more toys

You had the exact shot taken a year ago, and can still fit into the 'bumbo'

Having fun after dinner and opening presents

Uh-Oh

This is your favourite phrase over the past 2 weeks. You will 'uh-oh' if you drop something, hear the phone ring, hear the oven alarm, see someone drop something, or if anything is not what it's supposed to be. Maybe if we say 'aiyoh' more often, you will catch that too :) It is however very difficult to capture you as it was always so spontaneous.

An attempt to record by purposely taking the stirrer and dropping it in front of you:

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Finally!! It snowed heavily in Liverpool :) AND, I finally built a snowman with you!!!

I excitedly bundled you up in 4 thick layers and went into the carpark behind the apartment, which was totally empty and beautifully covered with ankle deep snow. Unfortunately, you were terrified by the snow and your reaction was totally not what I expected. You refused to walk and looked scared most of the time. It was slightly better when we sat you on the trike. Maybe your feet was too cold in the snow?

The beginning of the snowman, but you were totally not impressed with anything

Our masterpiece, which is still standing now. We'll probably build her a companion tomorrow :)

'Mama' finally?

Yesterday, I heard you call me 'mamamamama', but I don't think you actually understand the sound you were making, or was trying to call me that, although you know that I am 'mama'. You continued with 'Mamaawawawawama' today. Hopefully you will learn to call me 'Mama' or 'Mummy' soon :)

You however have definitely started to call 'banana', 'Nanananananannana' and in fact can't stop babbling 'Nananananana'. You just seem to love this babble. All this came over 2 days. I am really hoping that you will start to say some words soon as many your age can say quite a few words already.

Good times

We are all throughly enjoying ourselves after the bout of illness. It's good to have family around :) Although your gong gong and popo are now in Romania for a week, you have enjoyed more than enough attention from 'sam yi' and 'sai yi'.

Out shopping - entertaining you was not easy, but definitely more fun with sisters around

International buffet dinner and we stuffed ourselves

We are definitely looking forward to my parents coming back from Romania and Siau visiting later on. The last time we were all together was at our wedding 4 years ago. It will be a good winter, no matter how cold it beecomes :)

God is great

Thank God everybody arrived safely as planned for their holidays. It was on the night before they arrived that I started feeling ill. I do not remember the last time I was this sick: fever, rigors, sore throat, and diarrhoea, the exact same symptoms that Isaac and Richard had. God had perfect timing in bringing my family here as Richard was in Barcelona and I would not have been able to cope alone, as Isaac was very clingy and whiny as he was also not totally recovered. Thank you Jesus, for always being faithful.
We are all now recovered from this winter flu, apart from the sniffly nose and cough.

Career mother?

The challenge of which comes first: family or career, is really put to the test when a child is sick. I always quote 'family comes first'. But, when something has been pre-organised at work, and no one can take my place, and then you're not very well, what should I do?

It should be easy if I stick to the rule of 'family comes first'. But in reality, is it that easy to call and say 'sorry, my son is sick and I can't come in?' Even if I could, how many times can I do that? Are work colleagues that sympathetic? All these questions constantly swirl in my mind as I prepare to go back to clinical work. It becomes reality as today I had to send you in as I could not cancel the appointment already made at work, but had to bring you back early as I got called twice about your fever. What should I do tomorrow? I also have another work commitment.

Winter bug

My 2 boys are down with diarrhoea and vomiting :( Praying that they get better soon and I won't catch it.

Mummy's little helper

It's 4 weeks before Christmas and hence time to put up the Christmas tree.
I thought you were going to be very excited with the tree but you were weary. You initally didn't even dare come near the tree and was slightly afraid :) Probably a very cautious boy? You then played with the decorations and surprisingly handled them with care. You were also very helpful and passed me the decos one by one to put on the tree. You didn't really know how to hang it on the tree, eventhough I tried to teach you.
A real surprise: I thought you were going to remove all the decorations from the lower part of the tree but you did not even touch them :)


I tried to take a photo of you and the finished product but there was no chance that you were going to sit still in front of the tree :) So, this is the result.

Standing you in front of the tree, then holding you to prevent you from running away while my other hand holds the camera and quickly takes the shot

In the night garden

Glued to your favourite TV programme - In the night garden. It's the programme that makes feeding time so much easier :) You know how to ask for the TV control to turn the programme on during meal times. I have 1 recorded as back up so that it is 'on' if you do not eat at your usual time.

'Footballer' in training

You do try very hard, but probably need quite a few more lessons before getting it right :) Maybe you'll be ready when the weather gets better.