ZY is 13 months old!

Well, ZY turned 13 months on Monday so I'm four days late.. But that's how it is with two kids and that's how it is especially for the second kid. I feel kind of bad sometimes that I can't document ZY's growth and development as much as I would like to. Even if I have time, I may not have the energy...

But today, I decide that I've had enough OT! I want to share photos of my littler boy :)

小猪猪 - beats me why he decides to make that a common expression of his!

And ZY can stand with support!

He's such a dao boy...

But when he laughs!

On another occasion, he splashed the water so hard his head and face got quite wet...

Holding his bread and eating parts of it!

This boy is a little slow with food. While ZK could eat rice quite well before one, it's only lately that he started to eat more rice. And it's only in the past couple of weeks that he finally could put Gerber puffs into his mouth. He's now showing signs of wanting to hold the spoon too :) Oh, and he likes to have whatever we're having.

Some bread nicely broken up for him at Tony Romas :p

First time on a swing :)

That was after a jab. Looking happy :)

That was quite a funny trip to the PD. ZY had his jab first and ZK saw the whole procedure and saw ZY cry a little. When it was ZK's turn, the PD distracted him with candies and a sticker before preparing the syringe. So ZK was watching the PD doing it.. And then he got distracted by one of us and looked away. When he looked back, the PD was facing him with the syringe near his thigh and he went "nonono!" But in the needle went and he cried for a short while. It was hilarious! Ok, we're so mean :p

ZY saw his brother helping AhYe so he wanted to help too :)

Mama, you're blocking me..

Still blocking me...

ZY threw a ball.... backwards!

Stand up for Singapore - without support! :)

Playing with AhMa - very happy!

ZY can be so cheeky. He would crawl out of the room, sit there and wait for someone to spot him before continuing his escape! And if no one bothers, he may crawl back cheekily and entice us to chase after him... Looks like we have quite a handful with two cheeky boys!

Finally ZY can sign "please" but only for food *.*

This boy is really quite different from ZK in a number of ways. He loves reading for one! I finally started reading to him regularly at bedtime this week. He would follow my finger and I underline the words and point out the pictures. And today, he placed his hands on this particularly page filled with handprints without me prompting! And I really like it when he takes a book or a toy and snuggles into my lap :)

He refuses to go back to sleep quietly if he wakes after 4.30 am. Nothing but the bottle can pacify him - we tried water which worked too - although I succeeded in silencing him with the pacifier once... ZK used to wake too but he did not cry loudly; he just stayed there quietly even though he might not sleep for the next two or three hours *.*

Although both boys were breastfed and then had the same formula, their poop smelled so different. Even when solely breastfed, ZY smelled like the zoo when he pooped! So cute, yet so smelly! It got better recently, phew! But he refused to stay still for his post dinner diaper change every day!! ZK didn't like it all the much but it wasn't 100% refusal to lie down..

This boy also tried to open a cabinet door in his room. ZK has not tried to open cabinets there yet even though he can now pull the door open if he wants to. And ZY could call me mama earlier than ZK. Well, subsequent kids generally learn to speak and walk earlier than the eldest kid, right? Monkey see, monkey do..

But like ZK, he very quickly got the idea of getting off a higher place legs first. He would do that even for his bed sometimes, even though it is very low already. And like ZK, when he wants to eat, he wants to eat NOW! And what a foul temper lies beneath that cute look too!

ZY's big fall

We had quite a scare last Friday, Hari Raya Puasa.

After ZY woke and had his 10 am milk in our bed, I left him with Sito to wash his pacifier and put down the milk bottle. And when I was almost done, I heard a loud thud and my heart sank. The next moment, ZY cried out. I rushed in to find Sito carrying a crying ZY who had fallen on the back of his head. Scolded Sito! My heart ached for my baby! :(

Shortly before he fell

He stopped crying pretty soon so we changed him to go out. We were heading out to get ZK a helmet to go with his new scooter. But shortly after we drove off, ZY looked a little too quiet, just sitting on Sito. And suddenly, he vomited! The milk came out, the blueberries he had during the diaper change came out, his breakfast from 8.30 am came out! Mum turned for NUH A&E.

Not sure whether it was not crowded or because of our case - fell on his head and vomited - but we were whisked in very quickly after we cleaned him up in the toilet. The PD felt around his head and took a little hammer to his limbs. All the while, this baby was quietly watching her.

She then asked us questions over his fall, and was satisfied that he did not lose consciousness. She said she didn't find anything wrong with ZY upon examination and told us to stay there for observation for some four hours. If there was no more than one more vomiting episode and behaviour was normal, we could go home.

So we asked Mum and Dad to bring ZK out while we stayed in the hospital. We had a little cubicle with a bed and two chairs. ZY was more alert and active by then, and was trying to stand and grab and throw things. Four hours - gosh!

Worried Mama with ZY in NUH

While Sito went for lunch, I brought ZY around the ward and saw other babies and kids, and scrutinised kiddy wallpaper. When Sito returned with my lunch, we fed ZY - we asked the nurse for the necessary and she found us cups and plastic spoons which served us fine.

Then it was time to let ZY sleep. As he was dozing off, the PD came to us and said that she wouldn't keep us longer as ZY seemed fine. She told us what to watch out for and gave us a pamphlet to bring home.

ZY napped for more than an hour after we got back - that was a little scary; I kept checking for his heaving little chest. When he woke, he was all sweaty cos we didn't turn the aircon on. But otherwise, he seemed like the usual ZY!

Sweaty!

ZK was napping at Mum's place so we went over when he woke. ZY was all over the place again when we got in the car - tiring for me but I was glad he was normal again :)

ZK hugs ZY in the car

We continued to monitor him for the next couple of days. Alerted his teachers as well to inform me if they felt he wasn't behaving as usual.

This week, after his fall, he slept differently from before. He used to lie down on his back to sleep, or turn on his side, with his little head on his bolster. Now, he grabs his bolster and throws it all over until he falls asleep in some funny position. Was it yesterday? He hit me repeatedly with his bolster before he fell asleep *.* But this isn't new. ZK went through this as well! Or I should say, ZK is still like this *.*

Now we're super paranoid when he's on the bed. He can get off the bed legs first for quite some time already but this scary episode showed that accidents could still happen. One second with my eyes turned away is one second too long. No more falls!

ZK is three!

Can't believe it has been three years! Happy birthday, ZK! :)

Now that he's older, it's easier to bring him out. So I ventured out with him on Saturday, the day before his birthday.

Waiting for the bus

We reached the National Museum a few minutes before my scheduled brunch hour with LS and SX, and the Masak Masak exhibition was right in front of us. So ZK wanted to play! Unfortunately, it was not open yet as the staff was still cleaning up the inflated playground.

Running about the playground and having fun anyway

Mama, this is how you do it...

Bumped into LS there. She brought mini SX and so the kids met for the nth time but no longer in slings! And this meeting really made me wonder - why is ZK everywhere?! Example - LS went to the washroom and asked mini SX to stay with me. She obliged and even let me hold her as I went after ZK who ran into the museum when the doors opened. And when LS left the table later, she was quietly occupied at the table; I was sitting right there and yet my son was running all over the place *.* Why??

ZK had some food and asked for cake when he saw the cakes. Well, it was his birthday weekend so I gave him a warm chocolate fudge cake. We sang him a birthday song too! :)

Yummy! And the boy is still....

When I wanted to go pee, he wanted to go pee too. Um, ok... So I had him pee standing - but he just had to take off his shoes and pants and underwear, and he stood such that his scrotum was resting on the toilet bowl, yucks!!! And of course, I was in an unglam mama position - kiapping his clothes under one armpit and holding his penis with my fingers *.*

Later at home, I showed him a photo of him pooping with his pants at his ankles. Thankfully after that, he was ok not to take off everything in the toilet, phew!

Had some fun with the Masak Masak exhibition and the kids area after brunch.

Hula hoops!

Playing with his "new friend", as he calls her, even today!

Took a double decker bus home - not his first time but it was the first time I went up with him. He enjoyed the view from the upper deck :)

Sleepily watching the excavators as we passed by...

Took ZY to baby spa after their nap. ZK had fun there too even though he couldn't go into the pool anymore :) But when a new baby went into the pool, he poured water over the baby's head!! Luckily the parents were quite chill about it..

Happily playing water with Papa

Learning about electromagnetic field at a science fair at Vivo - way to go, boy!

We got a cake from Bakerzin on the way home. We couldn't wait for him to blow out the candles! :)

But first, his present!

Mum and Dad got him a helmet for safety. Will upload pictures one day - it's so big on his head. And he looks like ALIEN :p

Surprise at Mum's place!

(He was trying to smile for the camera :p)

More natural :)

Eh, big boy, feed yourself leh!

ZY had some fun too! Looks so fat here!

Cake time!

ZK blew out the candle right after the song ended. RIGHT AFTER. No time for Chinese version, no time to ask him to make a wish, even if he knew what that was all about.

The little family! (While restraining him from cutting the cake!)

Yummy again!

Looks like a big boy with no top, in army pants and some underwear showing haha!

Dinner was at Long Beach at IMM cos there's a playground right outside. Pretty uneventful but I think it's a pretty good birthday :)

Hope you've enjoyed your day, my love! :)

ZY's birthday trip

Well, not really, we just happened to be on a trip on his birthday cos KS was getting married. That was why we celebrated his birthday one week earlier.

It's the standard divide-and-conquer. Sito and I took the small one while the less small sat with Dad. Mum and Y are free cells.

Standing up and not sitting or lying still, sighs..

But the toddler can sit still with entertainment!! :)

Though that forlorn look was probably due to him feeling unwell - he puked towards the end of the coach ride *.* Gave him axe oil to smell for the rest of the journey..

We arrived at PoPo's place with a smelly toddler. Washed him down before we headed out for lunch. Then as usual, we returned to wait for check-in.

Classic shot again - third consecutive such shot!

And ZY's first - what an expression!

Sito was supposed to be on reservist - his first! - in June and couldn't join us on Friday. But something went wrong and his reservist was postponed. The whole episode resulted in us booking a suite instead of separate rooms, to facilitate night time childcare without the Papa.

So with everyone together, we ditched ZY with Y and took ZK out in search of foot reflexology :p That doesn't sound so crazy if you know what's in our bag... That's right - downloaded YouTube videos *.*

We got some bubble tea on the way, endured some whining along the way cos ZK saw car rides and wanted them but we refused to give up our foot reflexology, oops... Anyway, he was ok once we whipped out the videos. Just that twice during the session, he left my side to wander into the full body massage area! The second time, I asked one of the therapists to tell him NO! And then he kept looking at her when he tried to move later :p

Dinner was at PoPo's place. Buffet spread with the yummiest dragonfruit-pineapple blend! Even ZK liked it :) We didn't stay too late as the kids must sleep. Mum stayed over at PoPo's place as she had to go with the groom to fetch the bride early the next morning.

With such a big bathtub in our room, we couldn't resist but take a bath - ZK loves the small bathtub at home which we use every Saturday, and this was a full-size bathtub! (Henceforth known as the big bathtub *.*) Sito didn't join in cos he hadn't pooped... ZK had fun with his dump truck while ZY had fun splashing water!

It was a pretty rough night though. ZK was supposed to sleep with Dad but came in for us in the middle of the night. Luckily we had a king bed so no one was crushed! First time the little family slept on the same bed :)

Woke up to a one-year-old boy in our bed wanting his milk! :)

And he got his birthday present from us - yup, library card!

We are very fair - ZK got a library card for his first birthday too. But actually, ZK has not used his yet... Oh well!

ZY had biscuits in the premium lounge while we had breakfast; he had his in the room

Got to PoPo's place just before the troop returned from KL. I had stupidly left the angbao in Singapore. Lucky we had enough SGD combined to make a nice number. I had fun at the tea ceremony - I missed out n times being a jiemei when we were in the US so I finally got to play a role at a tea ceremony! Cheap thrill :p

Pre- or post-tea ceremony play time with his cousins

ZK was probably in the naughty corner for being rude when given angbaos by the happy couple...

We headed out for lunch. There was karaoke there but no one made use of it! At least I got another cheap thrill watching MTVs and singing along to my birthday boy - I found that pop songs could lull him to dreamland...

Lunchtime nap!

Some laughs before his nap time

All rested, we went for waterplay!

Source: Dad

ZK drank some water when he slipped as he went further inside the pool. "Don't go there, later fall down..." Awww...

And then we left ZY in the room with Y and brought ZK out. He was quite ok to bring along now. Just that he remains playful as ever!! But as promised, we let him ride the car he saw yesterday.

Driving, driving in my (remote-controlled) car...

And father and son shared some Marrybrown's...

Went in search of another bubble tea and took the wrong way. Ended up with the same bubble tea. And a little cut on ZK's right shin when he fell BEFORE we reached an escalator. I wonder how... Anyway, we got back just in time for Sito to get changed to go to the restaurant - he and Jiejie were the emcees! The rest of us had a bit more time which was lucky as I took a bit to put on makeup :p

Why aren't the babies looking at the camera?? 

But the grandparents sure look happy!

As do we!

Mama with the playful tot - very handsome too!

Also handsome, the birthday boy :)

The wedding was quite different from the usual in Singapore. First of all, it was very traditional, as in hosted by the parents. The friends took only one table; the rest were relatives the couple might not even know! And the logistics were unacceptable - imagine trays rolling out of the kitchen, through your ballroom into another ballroom for another wedding! But the food was good! I even had quite a bit of suckling pig...

Anyway, ZK had somewhat of a meltdown. But it was probably cos he was tired, what with waterplay in the sun and no nap since lunch. He slept on Dad for a while before I transferred him to my lap. ZY also fell asleep and both didn't wake even when we got back to the hotel. We managed to changed ZY's diaper without waking him. Mum managed to change ZK's pants. We were lucky ZK didn't pee in the bed cos the last time he peed was pre-dinner! And ZK woke later than us the next day. Yeah! But we were up cos ZY woke early. Bleah.

We decided to head to the main lounge for breakfast as the premium lounge had a smaller selection of food though it was way less crowded. And with some time until check-out, we ditched both kids to go for foot reflexology! Or rather, we ditched ZY and ZK ditched us for AhMa.. Oh well...

And this foot reflexology was good! The previous one was Thai style. This was Chinese pattern. I could feel the effect for days after, shiok!

Went back to the hotel to rest a little before lunch at a nyonya place nearby.

My cute little tiger!

And his classic tilt-and-smile killer pose

And it's back to PoPo's place with our luggage to wait for the van back home. While waiting, we had durians - MSW, D24, D1, D2, big thorn, hongxia, kampung. I ate so much! And there are still some in my freezer! :)

Come, let's play together while the adults eat the 臭臭!

Gripped by little fingers :)

We went without a break stop and got back in time for dinner. But I was so busy with durians that I forgot to change ZY's diaper before we set off. By the time we headed for dinner, his diaper had leaked *.* And by the end of our Korean dinner downstairs, he pooped *.* Finally got to rest only after washing everyone up!

Now this Malacca trip was only a rehearsal for the long trip in October. The kids will be older but if this and India were anything to go by, we'll be all quite tired at the end of the holiday - good luck to us all! :)