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Sweetie (1 - 18 months) [click x if cannot view]

Cutie (1 - 18 months)

Saturday, December 27, 2008

18-month old Sweetie

Mummy has been too busy packing the house after we have shifted, so got to backdate this blog.



How time flies, now it's my Sweetie's turn to reach 18 months old. As Mummy looks back at the old photos of this Sweetie, she can't help feeling glad that this darling of hers has grown up well and happy. Mummy also feels bad towards her baby cos' she was not able to dedicate as much time as she did with her Jiejie. The time and effort that mummy has, is now torn between her and her Jiejie. That's one of the reasons that mummy intends to send her Cutie to a pre-school, so that she could spend more quality time with her Sweetie alone.

My Sweetie can now say quite a number of words, here's a record of words which she understands and uses them:

1) peas (please), hug hug, kiss, stand (understand), lo (hello),

2) wey (wait), there, tuck (stuck), eat, keep,

3) hap (help), cut, give, opern (open), gif (give)

4) sare (share), trow (throw), back (meaning put back), up, down

5) cold, hot (also used when referring to spicy), ye (yes), no, wet,

6) per (apple), ringe (orange), nana (banana), egg, milk,

7) bear bear, bit (rabbit), raf (giraffe), fish, bird,

8) cow, key (monkey), pig, wof (wolf), ret (parrot),

9) bra (haha... zebra), duc (duck), fly (butterfly), wer (flower), ter (water)

10) ah ra (dora), pororo, kitty (Hello Kitty), Elmo, thomas (Thomas, the train),

11) ger (Tigger, the tiger), mous (also referring to mickey/mini mouse),

12) eyes, nose, ear (ears), neck, hair

13) gers (fingers), toe, cap, bag, shoe (shoes)

14) star, har (heart), ker (abacus), wal (watch), fone (phone),

15) ball, book, ring, pen, loon (balloon),

16) tool (stool), chair, bed, matt (mat), ble (table),

17) Jie Jie, mei mei (younger sister), mama, papa, gougou (her doggie),

18) gongon (grandfather), baby, mummy, time (when telling it's lunch/dinner time), gurt (yoghurt),

19) late (chocolate), sheet (sweet), bye (goodbye), pain pain (painful), tissue,

20) tee (teeth), car, cle (spectacles), ligh (light), poopoo,

21) had (hat), snow (snowman), ki (Pinky, her softtoy), no more, sion (lotion),

22) nap, you (thank you), kock (clock), ori (sorry), milk,

23) ble (bubble), watc (watch), finis (finish), cle (spectacles), door,

24) bowl, kip (hairclip), cake, some alphabet letters especially E (yes, E for Elmo) and goes "ou ou ou" whenever she sees a doggie [Mummy finds this amusing cos' this sounds more like the seals actually].

So far, this Sweetie is able to repeat the words after us, of course remembering them is otherwise haha.... But Mummy thinks this Sweetie is already quite good to be able to say the above-mentioned words on her own and uses them correctly.

In comparison, my Cutie knows more words than her (able to recognise A-Z (video), 1-9 etc. Sorry Sweetie, Mummy has not been spending much time playing flashcards with you). However, this Sweetie is quite an achiever with many 2- and 3-syllabus words at this stage. This Sweetie is also no less more musical inclined (maybe cos' of the singing activities we often have as a threesome). Many a times, Mummy can hear this Sweetie trying to sing the ABC song herself and also some self-created songs which often only has same word as lyrics throughout eg "bear". Mummy has not been able to capture this on video cos' this Sweetie will stop whenever she knows she's on camera, *naughty*, *naughty*. She is definitely no less a happy and cheerful baby. Mummy simply loves her smiles.

Daddy is also very happy to come home everyday, with her welcoming him and calling him "papa" so sweetly and with her sweetie smile. Daddy says it melts his heart.

Recently, my Sweetie enjoys helping mummy to put the wipes back into the cupboard. Mummy is glad to have her help cos' it's getting too "expensive" to get my other helper (aka Cutie) to help [my Cutie is into playing "supermarket" and "cashier" lately, that whenever she passes me the new pampers and wipes, she will tell me 3,000 (haha... referring to Korean won of course and her Dora laptop automatically becomes her cash register)]. Mummy often has to play along to "pay" for the stuff.

Mummy only has 2 complains about this Sweetie at this moment. The first is that she's in the stage of exploring things, however she doesn't have the habit to put back Mummy's stuff after playing with them. Mummy often has to spend time looking for things which she puts on the table just a while ago. It can be so tiring, just looking for things especially when you need them urgently. *Sigh*. Mummy just need to endure through this growing phrase for young toddlers. In fact, Mummy is actually quite glad that her babies doesn't have the habit of opening drawers and cupboards.

The second is, of course, her freely used "NO". Everytime, when you asked her something, you can just predict the answer that you will get from her. When Mummy asked if she wants to eat chocolate, she will just simply say "no" and turn her head away from the chocolate with great pretence (haha... bet you didn't know that she loves chocolate). Mummy gives up after getting the same response again and again, so Mummy decides to eat the chocolate. Then this Sweetie will come running after me, calling "Mama" non-stop. Playing hard to get already at such young age? Often she's only trying that on Mummy and she will ofen come begging Mummy for the things after Mummy gives up trying . Arrgh.... getting cheeky, right?

Here's a video of my Cutie peeling the oranges which she enjoys doing very much. Do watch out for my busy Sweetie in the background. See her identify the letter "E" and share with you her "Elmo mama" and "Pororo". Gee...

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Copycats

Hee... of course mummy is referring to her darlings.

Young toddlers are great at copying what they see and test it out at home, especially when they are around 2 years old (guess that's how the Terrible 2 Stage comes about). It's usually worst when they starts to attend pre-school/playgroup.

I thank God that my Cutie's Terribe 2 stage seems to have reached the peak and now she seems to be able to be able to see the light of being good vs being naughty. Mummy is glad to have the old sweet-natured Cutie back again.

Lately, this Cutie enjoys immitating what Daddy and Mummy do. She loves to wear her apron, so that she can "cook" like mummy. When I placed the coffee table near the wall, she is so happy. Why? Cos' she wants to study like her Daddy. Immediately she claims it as her study table and starts to place her laptop, cup, tissue box on it (just like her Daddy's study table).
Watch the following video to see how possessive she is of her "study table" and doesn't want to be disturbed cos' she's very busy studying.

As for my Sweetie, she's constantly imitating whatever that her sister is doing. She's also learning to exercise her rights, to fight for things that she wants etc. When mummy was sick last week, this Sweetie also copied that. Thank God now her vomitting and diarrhoea have stopped and her stool tho' is still soft, but at least not as watery and often as the early stage. Gee... guess she's too young to know what not to copy. Recently, she loves to sit on her Jie Jie's study chair and doodle on the table (just like her Jie Jie). Mummy will need to prepare a study area for her too when we shift to our new house soon.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Boxes Day

Last week, we forgot to bring our shopping bag, so we got a box to put our groceries (fyi, boxes are readily available at the shopping centre in Korea for groceries).

After that, caught my Cutie sitting in the box which she told me it's her "spaceship".

Subsequently, my Sweetie also found her way into the same box which only has space for one. Then my Cutie went to hide under the blanket which henceforth becomes her "spaceship", then the box becomes "Meimei's spaceship".

Since then, Mummy often caught both of them hiding under the blanket (aka spaceship). Everyday, my Cutie will ask Mummy/Daddy to go inside her "spaceship" (ie. inside the blanket) and if there's a opening, she will call out to us to "close the door" (ie. the blanket). So cute, it's so amazing that they can derive so much joy from the box and the blanket.

Then we got some boxes home again and my Cutie put the boxes together to become her "submarine" (see picture on left).

When mummy stacked up the boxes together, my Cutie says it is her kitchen. Everyday without fail, she will ask me to put on her apron (just like Mummy) and she will be busy preparing and cooking in her "kitchen". When asked what she is cooking, she will say "she is cooking yakult". Haha... yakult doesn't need to be cooked, darling.

Since my babies are having so much fun with the boxes, mummy decides to put on her creative cap too. Mummy suddenly remembered the popular pretty hand-made "box" bags (ie. bags made from boxes) which she had donkey years ago. Yes, it is going to be added in her "To Do List in Korea". Gee... now mummy understands why boxes can be fun.

Here's my darlings with their "helmets"(pails) , haha... ready to blast off in their spaceship.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Thursday, December 11, 2008

2 Terrible 2s

This morning, my Cutie woke up early and thus we sent her Daddy off at the door together. After that, gave her the baby bun to eat and at the same time, shared with her my toast with ham. She ate half of hers and gave to me, saying to share with me. So sweet.

Haha... in actual fact, it's cos' she wants to eat my toast and so she doesn't want to eat the baby bun. Hmmm... nevertheless, I played along with her and told her she is so nice to share her bun with Mummy. *heartbroken*

This Cutie is getting smarter, she is at the stage of knowing her rights and wanting to fight for her own independence (which explains her refusal to listen at times and wanting to do things her ways). She's been observing that other kids have been able to get what they want by whining or refusal to listen, so lately she's been testing how far hers can go. I thank God that at least, she will listen and understand her actions when we explain and talk to her at the end of the day. Mummy is thus more understanding towards her recent change in behaviour.

However, Mummy will still need more deliverance from God cos' this Sweetie of mine has also grown up and is learning to exercise her rights too. She's starting to imitate what my Cutie has been doing. My Cutie is in the terribe 2 stage while my Sweetie is approaching her terrible 2 too. So advice for mummy-to-be, don't have kids at 1 year interval, will need a break to handle their individual terrible 2 stages. Yet, whenever Mummy sees her Sweetie smiling, she doesn't mind having her to come into our lives early too.

*Sigh* foresee coming 2009 will be a tough year for Mummy.

Here's some "great" photos taken by my Cutie at yesterday's function. It's her first masterpiece, so you got to see it from an artistic point of view, *grin* or rather a child's perspective of her surroundings.

(Click on the music icon on the bottom left of the picture if want to mute the song)

Thursday, December 4, 2008

2 years old Cutie (Part 7)

Mummy is feeling apologetic towards my Cutie now. Mummy feels so bad that she hopes that she could have realised her mistakes earlier.

It's normal for kids to cry, cos' when they cry for you, it shows how much you mean to them.

Instead Mummy just keeps on telling my Cutie to stop crying and is only willing to carry her if she stops. When this Cutie stops crying and Mummy finally carries her in the arms, here's what she says "you hush hush, Mummy will carry you" (as if comforting herself).

This Cutie has, in fact, been a sensible girl since young and now despite her sadness, she has stopped herself from crying further and comforts herself that mummy will carry her when she stops (hush hush). Mummy suddenly feels so ashamed, realising what a tall order she has set for a mere 2 years old kid. And this Cutie has displayed such great self-control of her own emotions.

After doing some reflection, Mummy realises that it's not that the kids are getting naughtier, but rather it's her patience that is running low these 2 days (gee... got to put the blame on pms and the winter blues as mentioned in the other blog). Mummy will tell herself to do more reflections whenever her patience runs low and learn to be sensible like her Cutie - to stop and remind myself that my kids are just expressing their love for me whenever they cry.


Below is my incompleted blog update last week.
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Everyday, this Cutie has been a great helper to Mummy. She will automatically take and pass me the toilet roll/wipes when her Meimei is on the potty. When Mummy needs a new diaper, she will go to the room and take one for Mummy. Everytime, Mummy will feel so touched by her actions. At times, Mummy feels bad towards her, of expecting her to act like a big sister - to share her things with her Meimei and to help to keep/find the stuff messed up by her Meimei. She has, in fact, been very sensible being a 2-year old kid.

The other day, was surprised to hear my Cutie telling her Daddy "Papa, I love you so much". I can't believe my ears when I heard that, that not I'm jealous that this darling of mine loves her daddy, but to hear her use "SO much" which describes the great extend of her love for her daddy is a bit unexpected of a 2 years old. Oh my, she has told me "I love Mummy" only (gee... actually it's ok, I know how she feels deep down inside).

Here's my Cutie reading part of the Chinese Classic "三字经" which Mummy has taught her after coming to Korea.

人之初,性本善。性相近,习相远。苟不教,性乃迁。教之道,贵以专。

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Hands-on Fun


Oh dear, our rice supply was running low and yet we were still unable to replenish it cos' either the supermarkets do not carry that brand or it's out of stock. (Gee... don't worry, rice is still abundant in Korea, just that we only know that brand which is similar to our type of rice from Thailand, ie. not sticky rice).

Instead of cooking noodles or making cereal for the kids, Mummy had a much better idea of merging fun, art and craft, vocabulary and snacks into 1 activity for the day.

Yes, it's to have their first hands-on lunch.

Both my darlings were delighted to see how the toast was transformed into a face within minutes and best of all, what they had created are edible. Yummy and nutritious too.
Guess it's my Cutie who had the most fun. Fyi, the mandarin orange was actually peeled by her(without any help). Bet you didn't know that broccoli is her favourite veggie too.

Here's a video of what my Cutie made for Mummy, gee... do lookout for my Sweetie too.

Sisterly Love