Little Miracles · Milestones

“I can walk now!”

February 16, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones | No comments

Ethan took his first steps today!

You know it was funny… as we were approaching the baby sitter’s place to pick up Ethan after work, Pete said that he couldn’t wait to play with Ethan today, cos he had a feeling he would learn how to walk today. And whaddya know… he really did! He began by standing up unsupported (smiling all the while) and then began inching his way forward. Pete and I were ecstatic!

We don’t have a camcorder yet, so I used my trusted Nokia phone to capture about 20 seconds worth of the priceless moment.

Wobbly though he may still be, it was a precious moment for our little family. What an awesome way to bring on the Chinese New Year cheers!

1-year Progress Report

February 14, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones | No comments

I am so so bad at writing reports, and I know this is really really late (our boy is already past one year), but anyways, I’ll just write a brief one.

Weight
9kg as of last visit at the PD’s

Height/Length
73cm

Teeth
Still 4 in total: 2 central top and bottom incisors.

Motor Skills

Has started taking a few baby steps, but is still not brave enough to go further.
Crawling skills have improved, and I think Pete and I have lost some weight ourselves just chasing after him when he crawls.
Able to consciously turn on the light button on his Graco music/light box which is fixed on his cot.

Communication & Social Skills

The words “Daddy” and “Mommy” are beginning to sound clearer now.
Can wave bye-bye, but only to the baby-sitter.
Is quite possessive of his toys and stuff he holds. When we take it away from him, he will scream loudly in protest.
Shows affection to Pete and me by biting us. I have had so many bite marks on me… it starts off looking red and the next day it will be blue-black.

Food
Started introducing egg yolk to Ethan. Also, pasta…but it appears like he doesn’t really dig pasta, preferring porridge instead. Pete reckons Ethan will soon grow to love chicken rice. Just like daddy.

Mixed Feelings

February 8, 2007 in Ethan, Growing Up, Milestones, Parenting | No comments

Yesterday evening when we picked Ethan up from the sitter’s, she proudly announced that Ethan had begun to take his first baby steps. Although still wobbly, she said that he was holding on to a chair and then very gingerly let go and took a few steps towards her!

Pete and I were ecstatic! Imagine, from a non-mobile infant to a crawl-everywhere-and-opens-and-closes-all-doors baby and NOW to a soon-to-be-free-roaming toddler! Wow… next milestone! Check!

However, I can’t help but feel that I would sometimes miss out on important milestones like these, being a working mom and all. So even though I am jubilating over his first few steps, I am a little sad that I wasn’t there to see it. C’est la vie…

Ah well. Maybe, hopefully… I will be there to witness the first few REAL steps, not the unstable ones. Hehehe…. me being my kiasu self now.

Oh, by the way, yesterday evening after we brought Ethan back home, I saw him take 1.5 steps from one side of the cot to the other! So I’m happy. Hee.

Ethan: The First Year

January 31, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones, Parenting | No comments

Ethan Turns ONE Today!

January 31, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones, Parenting | No comments

The moment you came into our lives
My pain all vanished when I heard your cries
After our nine-month getting-to-know-you session
You really lived up to our every expectation!When I first held you in my arms
I loved your smell, your closeness and your warmth
The tears I shed were definitely tears of joy
I couldn’t believe we now have a beautiful baby boy!

And so began our breastfeeding journey
You were a pro, even though you were so tiny
Cradling you while singing a lulling song
Our bond as mother and child grew strong

Diaper sizes from NB to S, then M and now L,
You turned into someone we knew so well
That cheeky grin and mischievous smile
We really got used to your “bulat” style!

First you rolled over, and then you were sitting
Before we knew it, you were an expert at crawling!
Cruising and then standing and babbling to talk
We’re now eagerly awaiting the day you learn to walk!

A year of sleepless nights we endured
Why you can’t sleep through yet, we’re not entirely sure
You certainly are a picture of energy
A chatterbox too, yes you’re a talkative baby!

You’re a food lover, you’re not at all fussy
Your favorite is of course, when you dine at Mommy’s
Now that you have 4 teeth and of course still counting
We anticipate days ahead of more yummy eating!

Our darling Ethan boy, as you turn one,
Daddy and Mommy are as proud as the sun!
For what we once called our bundle of joy
Has now been transformed into a big boy!

Walker Danger

January 30, 2007 in Ethan, Growing Up, Milestones | No comments

Last Friday, Mom and MIL *ambushed* me and asked what was the reason we didn’t put Ethan in a walker. A couple of months back, Pete clearly told his Mom (my MIL) to NOT buy a walker for Ethan. Anything can buy, except a walker.

Why do we insist on NOT placing Ethan in a walker?

There are several reasons, and they are best summarized in an excerpt from my Baby Weekly email:

When my son was a baby, walkers were thought to be a great way to help infants learn to walk. Since then, we have learned that walkers are actually detrimental to normal development. Because a baby in a walker can get around easily, their urge to move across the floor is satisfied, so many aren’t motivated to learn how to crawl or walk on their own. Walkers also strengthen the wrong muscles: the lower legs are used almost exclusively, while the upper legs and hips – used most when walking – remain relatively weak.

In addition, children in walkers have more accidents. Approximately 25,000 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms in the United States each year for skull fractures, concussions and other injuries related to baby walkers. Most baby walker accidents (about 96 percent) involve children falling down stairs. In 69 percent of the cases, an adult was with the child at the time of the accident.

In response to these accidents, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and baby walker manufacturers have developed new safety standards. In order to meet the new standards and be certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, a walker must be too wide to fit through a standard doorway and have a gripping mechanism to stop the walker if one wheel goes over a step. Instead of a traditional baby walker, try a modified version that has no wheels. These allow the baby to swivel, but are stationary.

Ethan is now *learning* to walk.. just cruising and standing unsupported…but not YET walking on his own. So at this point in time, it is inevitable that people would surely ask:

“How old ah, your baby? Can walk already ah?”

When SOME babies cannot yet walk when others the same age can, the question of why walkers are not used will arise. Well, now you know… but if you still have doubts, just do google up “baby walker danger”.

Birthday Party!

January 27, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones, What's Cooking | No comments

Ethan had his first birthday party today. We decided to celebrate it during the weekend, i.e. a few days earlier than his actual birthday, to make it easier for our parents and siblings to travel to Penang to celebrate it with us.We had a small-ish gathering during lunch. Small-ish because this would mean Ethan would not experience any confusion and separation anxiety. And lunch, so that it would not interfere with his bedtime.

I’ve read that for baby’s first birthday, the party should ideally be kept to at most 10 guests. This is to ensure baby would feel more at ease and vice versa, the guests would enjoy themselves more. No point throwing a big bash at his tender age when he hardly knows what is going on, right?

Anyways, as Pete and I are rather *fussy*…ermmmm…. detailed people, we of course had a theme for the party, complete with decorations. The theme we chose was Winnie the Pooh…

My Mom and Dad came to Penang the day before the party to prepare the food. We had ooh-la-la yummy-mummy lum-mee… ..and for the appetizer, I made salsa, served with nachos…

We also had yee-sang, an early and prosperous start to the Chinese New Year, compliments from SIL Pauline.
Of course, we had the all-important birthday cake, which was done according to the theme of the party. Doesn’t the cake remind you of the birthday boy?

It is believed that the approach the baby has on his first birthday cake determines the way he will approach life. In Ethan’s case, after we sang the Happy Birthday song, and immediately after we blew out the candle, he planted his hand print on the cake! All 5 fingers!

But then Ethan boy could not eat any of it (as it contained eggs which he had not been introduced to yet), so I made him a special cake instead… presenting my sugar-free eggless banana muffin cookie-cake, made specially for my darling baby boy:
Then came the presents!

We also had a photo session for our party guests (macam photo studio aje…):

Happy Birthday our dearest darling Ethan boy… we love you so very much!

“Look Mommy, no hands!”

January 10, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones | No comments

Lately, Ethan has been experimenting with standing unsupported. He would (as usual) hold on to something (sofa or cabinet) and then let go of both hands for a couple of seconds and then sit down again.

Yesterday, he did it again – this time with more precision and for a longer period. 5 seconds or so, I think. Pete thinks he is gearing up for his upcoming birthday by trying his best to accelerate walking. We’ll see.

The 11-Month Report

January 3, 2007 in Ethan, Milestones | No comments

Ethan is now 1 month shy of his first birthday. Here’s a summary of how he has grown:

Weight
We’ve not had a chance to weigh Ethan at the pediatrician’s yet, so I rely on the following method for now:
Weight of myself on the scales = X
Weight of Ethan and me on the scales = Y
=> Weight of Ethan = Y-X = ~9kgHeight/Length
Unable to measure as he is very wriggly and we can hardly get him to lie still for an accurate measurement. My guess would be circa 72-73cm.

Teeth
4 in total: 2 central top and bottom incisors.

Motor Skills

“Look Mommy, no hands!” – Ethan will sometimes release both hands from holding onto anything while he is standing, just to experiment. He can “tahan” for 2-3 seconds before he sits down again.
Monkeying around – Ethan has begun to climb. He can hoist himself up onto his infant rocker/chair. He has also developed an ability to reach for things. He likes to reach outside his playpen for things on the cupboard nearby.

Throwing – He loves to throw things, possible because of the sound that is produced when the stuff he throws hits the ground. He will also anticipate the sound by closing his eyes immediately after the item leaves his hands.

Communication & Social Skills

New “words”: Baby and Mommy (yay!!!). Well, actually he doesn’t say Mommy all the time, it’s really a mixture of Momma and Mommy, but we’ve heard him say “Mommy” really clearly on a few occasions. Yay me.
Can understand the meaning of NO, but sometimes will pout and start to cry when we say it. You should see him… pouting but still looking as adorable as ever.

Food

New foods introduced: Beef and other green vegetables. I can tell Ethan is a potential quarter-pounder-with-cheese lover by the way he wallops his entire bowl of nutritious beef porridge. Oh yeah… and our boy loves nectarines too!