Love Letters to Natalie

Friday, May 27, 2005
5th Month Health Assessment

Dearest Nat,

Brought you for your 2nd 5-in-1 jab yesterday afternoon at Dr Tan's clinic. Dr Tan was late so I took the time to bring you to the bookshop next door to browse at their stuffs. I'm thinking of buying you a children bible to start you with. There're so many children bibles out there and I don't know which to buy for you. Maybe wait until you are a little older...

Yesterday health assessment shows that:
1) Your head circumference is 40 cm, Weight is 7.5 kg and Height is 67.5 cm.
2) You have loose ligaments, which is genetic.
3) You are able to bear weights and can sit without support!

I'm pretty surprised by how much you have grown height-wise in just 1 month! You've grown 5 cm!!! As for weight, you gain about 1 kg. No wonder I find myself getting tired more quickly when carrying you now. According to the Dr Tan, you're of an average size. :-

I told Dr Tan how you refused to turn after turning over thrice on your own that memorable Monday, she was concerned and did a quick check on you. In the end, the conclusion is you're just being lazy. Ha Ha! I hope you didn't inherit my laziness! She was also pretty impressed to discover that you are able to sit on your own without any support for a few secs! I didn't know you're able to sit on your own until yesterday! Proud of you my baby! Dr Tan also try to bend your knees while holding you in standing position. She said that you are growing very well and is able to bear weight. So she's very satisfied with your growth and development and told me not to worry about the "turning over" issue.

I also discover for the first time yesterday that your thumb can reach your wrist! According to Dr Tan, that's because you have loose ligaments which is usually genetic. I know it couldn't be from me because I can't even reach my toes so I checked with your Daddy and found out that he and your Pat Shushu and Yvonne GuGu can do the same too. Dr Tan mentioned that one of the reasons why you don't like to roll over is because of your loose ligaments.

You didn't cry when the doctor administered the jab on you. Like what we did last time, we let you latch on before giving you the jab. You were stunned for a second and then continue suckling like nothing has happened. One more 6 in 1 jab next month and you'll be done with all your vaccinations for the time being. Praise the Lord that you didn't experience any major discomfort and fever so far! God heard my prayers! :-)

Recent Photos

All dressed up in your new dress from Auntie Ygierne, Shufang and Rongli

Looking like a doll!

Playing with Mandy JieJie

Mommy likes this picture!

Love,
Mommy

natnat's mom at 2:06 PM 7 comments

Wednesday, May 25, 2005
You're 5 months old

Dearest Baby,

Happy 5 months old! Time flies so fast that I can't believe you are 5 months old now. While sorting and showing your photos to your porpor yesterday afternoon, we were amazed by how much you have grown. Being with you almost every minute of my life makes me forget how you first look like when you were just a tiny newborn. I think you're getting prettier and chubbier with each passing day. You're not really a fat baby but I'm happy the way you are - healthy and happy.

From the crybaby you were, you have become a very cheerful little baby. Your favourite new words since yesterday are "Ah-Boo" and "Ah-Goo". Before that, it was just all sorts of funny sounds. You love to smile and smile alot. You're also starting to recognise people and places. You'll cry sometimes when you are at an unfamiliar place or when stranger carries you. It's funny how you always cry when Auntie Angel carries you after she comes back from a long business trip. You really break her heart, my dear. You'll usually not cry when Daddy or I are with you at unfamiliar places.

Yesterday, your porpor and I played a trick with you. I brought you to the office with me. I passed you to your porpor when I needed to go toilet. When I came back, I saw you in tears. When you saw me walking towards me, you broke into a smile with tears still on your face. According to your porpor, you looked at me when I turned to walk towards the door and you pouted the moment I closed the door behind me and disappeared from your sight. Wanting to see it for myself, I decided to try again and indeed the same thing happened. So now my little girl is able to recognise me very well now.
For your 5th month celebration, we went out to have Japanese dinner at Santaro Restaurant at Amara Hotel. The waitresses there kept playing with you and you responded with big smiles. Your Auntie May and Angel were with us too. The food was very delicious but extremely expensive. Your Daddy enjoys the beancurb with century egg paste the most. I know you're going to grow up loving food coz you kept moving your mouth and swallowing your saliva as you watched us eat. Ho Ho... you'll be starting on your own food soon! :-) Be patient!
As some of your clothes are getting tight, I took out your stash of bigger clothes and went through them one by one on Saturday morning. To my surprise, you're able to fit into most of your bigger clothes now. Luckily I took them out in time else you might not be able to fit into them anymore. That's how much you've grown over the last few months. So now Mommy will have a fun time dressing you up in your lovely new clothes!!

Here are some photos update:

The first ROM you attended

5 months old with Daddy & Mommy
Striking a pose with Auntie Angel

Laughing at each other

Looking pretty with Grandpa before going to church. Wearing your new dress
Daddy, don't you dare to sneak away!
Love, Mommy

natnat's mom at 2:15 PM 2 comments

Friday, May 13, 2005
Playful Natalie

Dearest Natalie,

I love to wake up seeing you sleeping soundly beside me every morning. I always thank God for you at moments like this. It is your sweet little face that tells me that even if you grow up into a rebellious teenager, I'll not be angry with you nor give up on you. I'll be patient with you and guide you along the way. Of course I pray that you will never become a rebellious teenager.

You've become very playful recently. Your eyes will light up when you see things/people that you want to play with, be it a toy or a food item or even us. I wonder what is so funny with your Daddy's face or voice coz you always laugh out loud when he talks to you. When you want us to play with you, you will keep smiling at us and try to get our attention by kicking your legs or making funny noises. Previously you'll cry out loud whenever you wake up but now you will just play with yourself quietly for a while before you cry for our attention. You love playing and staring at your own fingers and putting everything into your mouth.

Mommy has been reading the "Super Baby Food" book Auntie Rachel lent me. Two more months and you'll be ready to start on your semi-solids, hopefully I'll have a better idea on what to feed you after reading the book. I know you can't wait to start now because you always stare at us whenever we are eating, and sometimes you will move your mouth looking like you're eating something too. It's so funny! When your playful Daddy dabbed some sour lime juice on your lips, you kept sticking your tongue out like a snake for the whole day. I think you'll grow up loving food, just like the rest of us in the family. :-)

Here're some pictures of you playing with Daddy. I'm the one holding the camera, that explains why it is always Daddy and you in the photographs.

Some fun before bedtime

What a big milk bottle!
Love, Mommy

natnat's mom at 8:52 AM 4 comments

Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Baby Massage and Music Playdate

Dearest Nat,

Here's an update on what we did for the last few days. It took me so long to update your blog because your Daddy was working from home on last Friday and yesterday and hogged the computer. We were busy going out during the weekend and I'm too busy spending time with you on other days.

On Friday, Auntie Rachel brought Ryan over to have lunch together at our house. We had yummy Peranakan food from Ivins. Your Daddy dearest drove me over to takeaway food from there and my cravings were finally satisfied. After lunch, Auntie Rachel drove us over to her friend's house at Balmoral Rd. There's a nice music and dance room in their condominium. The room overlooks the swimming pool and has full length glass windows and a baby grand piano. It is such a comfortable room for your first music playdate.

It was really fun and Auntie Rachel is a very good teacher. You're the youngest in class and hence the most obedient coz you can't run around like other children yet. I'm so glad that you enjoyed yourself at the music playdate and this spurs me to get the CD Auntie Rachel played that day. It's called "BB make music" by Lynn Kleiner. I'll see if I can pop down to Music Essentials this weekend to get the book and cd for you.

Mommy & Darling taken during music playdate
click the link below for more music playdate photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_natalie/sets/324259/

On Sunday, which is Mother's Day, we brought you to your first baby massage sponsored by Johnson & Johnson at KK hospital. It was a sight to see so many babies lying around in their diaper. All the parents were busy learning how to massage their child. Shimin was also there with her parents. In fact, it was Auntie Grace who signed us up for this free massage session. Our worries of you crying out loud during the massage disappeared after we saw your happy face before the massage even started. You really LOVE being massaged!! There were a few babies crying around you, you turned your head to look at them and promptly turned back without giving a care. Maybe you knew that was Mother's Day and so you really behaved yourself to make me happy!

After we got home from church and baby massage class, you slept soundly for a good 3 hours and that really makes my day!

Getting sleepy halfway through the massage because it is too comfortable
click the link below for morebaby massage photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_natalie/sets/317736/

On Sunday night, we brought you along when we went to meet your Daddy's friend, Uncle Karl, from HK who is here on a business conference trip. By the time we reached home, you were very sleepy and cranky and that ended my first mother's day.

Our first photo together on Mother's Day 2005. Taken before we leave for church

Love,
Mommy

natnat's mom at 12:58 PM 0 comments

Turning Over

Dearest Nat,

You finally rolled over on Monday night!!

I was changing you after you woke up from your 3 hours long nap. After I finished putting on a new diaper for you, I noticed that you were attracted by the toiletries bag I placed next to you. You kept turning your head to look at the bag and stretching your right hand to reach for the bag. I watched quietly in anticipation for you to turn over. After a while I couldn't contain my excitment and went to get your porpor and your daddy to come. I don't want them to miss witnessing this important milestone in your life.

Your Por Por made a dash to the bedroom and you rolled over for the 1st time in your life by yourself a few seconds after your Por Por reached the bedroom! Poor Daddy didn't get to see you in action coz he was tied up in a meeting. By the time he came running into the bedroom, you have already done your act! Anyway, I was so excited that I screamed and cheered when you finally did that and I must have traumatised you coz you looked at me and then started to cry out loud. Well, I really didn't mean to frighten you but I'm really too happy. Your Por Por quickly grabbed you up and consoled you and I nursed you a while later to console you.

Sweet little one, I'm really happy that you finally roll over! I was worried that you didn't know how to roll over but you did it! It's really true that you'll be ready when you're ready. I've worried unduly. From now on, I shall be more relax and let you grow and learn at your own pace. I'm really proud of you. You showed no sign of learning/wanting to rollover and suddenly you just did it. I feel like I've just scored an A in my exams! Ha Ha! Your Daddy is equally proud of you!

After your first rollover, you rolled over for another 2 times and then you decided not to roll over anymore. We tried to tempt and motivate you with toys and food to get you to perform THE trick again yesterday but you simply wouldn't turn. You'll looked at the toy and food and smiled at house instead!

Now that I know you know how to rollover, I've to be very careful not to place you at the edge of the bed anymore. I don't want to risk you rolling over to the floor!

The Bag is what motivates you to roll over.
This is how you look immediately after rolling over

Love,
Mommy

natnat's mom at 9:24 AM 4 comments

Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Long Labour Weekend

Dearest Nat,

When one is happy, time flies quickly!

Our long weekend started on Thursday night because your Daddy decided to work from home on Friday so that we can spend more time together. As your Daddy wanted you near him while he was working, you had the luxury of playing with his notebook. Your Daddy said he's going to turn you into a computer whiz but I hope you won't become a computer geek like him.

On Saturday, we brought you to East Coast Park for Dim Sum in the morning with your Auntie May. It was a nice sunny day and we sat at McCafe sipping Iced Chocolate and Latte while waiting for the restaruant to open for business. Your Daddy dabbed a little whipped cream on your lips for you to try and you really like it! After that you kept looking at us, as if you wanted more! Of course I had to stop your Daddy from giving you more coz the whipped cream might give you stomachache.

On Sunday, we went to church as usual. For the first time, you cried before the service began. I think you're starting to recognise people because when I passed you to one of the aunties, you looked at them and let out a big cry when you realised they don't look familiar. Luckily you stopped crying the moment praise and worship started else I'll need to bring you outside.

Ryan also came with his por por & daddy & mommy to visit you in the afternoon. You were in a very good mood and kept smilimg and laughing. Uncle Rapheal really knows how to make you happy.

On Monday, your por por suggested that we go to MacRitchie Reservoir together. The last time mommy was there was many years ago and I was very surprised that the place has turned so beautiful. YOur Daddy being the strongest one around volunteered to carry you. I wanted to put you into your sling but porpor n daddy promptly objected. You, being a curious baby, had alot of fun exploring the new surroundings. We can tell you were enjoying yourself. You looked at the flowers, the fishes, the trees, the passerbys etc. You got really tired and fell asleep promptly when we got on the van.

To view the rest of the photos, goto:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/little_natalie/sets/295212/show/

I got Daddy to bring us to First Few Years to look at high chairs. We are thinking of getting you one so that you can sit with us at the dining table when we are having our meals. I thought this is a good way to teach you to have your meals properly. I don't wish to chase after you with a bowl and a spoon to force you to eat when you are older. Like what your PorPor said "吃飯應該有吃飯的樣子". We didn't really find any high chair that we like and is within our budget. Your gonggong got you a bamboo chair which is nice but unfortunately not high enough. I rem I used to have a similar chair when I was a little girl. Sigh, shld have told your porpor not to throw them (plus a very pretty wooden rocking horse) away.

Oh, before I forgot, you finally met Auntie Qimin's son - Gerwyn. I brought you to her house on Thursday afternoon. Baby Gerwyn is 1 month younger than you. I should bring you to her house more often so that both of you can play together.

Thst ends our busy and fun weekend. Tonight we're going to bring you to your cousin Alvin's house to celebrate his birthday with him. So right now, I must make sure you get enough sleep so that yo can enjoy urself tonight.

Love,
Mommy

natnat's mom at 3:43 PM 9 comments