Love Letters to Natalie
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Year of the Dog
Dearest Natalie,
I'm feeling all excited now. We have finished packing and we're all going to Taipei tomorrow morning! Yes, with your gong gong, por por and jiu jiu. This is our annual family holiday as our family business only permits us to go on long leave together as a family during this festive period. This year, your por por has really slogged very hard during the past month and I feel really guilty for not being any help at all. Therefore this holiday is for her, I hope she'll have a fun time in Taipei.
The last time I visited Taipei was in 1996, when I was on a Rotaract Exchange Program. Tomorrow you'll be my good friend, Patrice and her family. She's the only one I managed to keep in touch with after all these years. Her family has kindly drawn up the itinerary for us and she'll be our tour guide for the next few days. The reason why I'm looking so forward to this trip is because I'm finally going to see her again! I'm also very eager for you to meet her. For the last 2 weeks, we have been going around buying souvenirs for them and I did the final shopping today after your class at Kindermusik. Everything is done now! We're ready for Chinese New Year in Taipei.
On a separate note, I have signed you up for swim class and music class. We went to Aquaducks and Kindermusik to attend their trials. I like the way the lessons are conducted and wasted no time in signing you up after seeing how much you like those classes. You especially like your music class, you know how to follow instructions and will giggle or wave/clap along happily. I've no intention to nurture you to be a prodigy musician nor the next national swimmer. I just want you to enjoy the process of learning something new and experiencing new things.
An important milestone you have reach this week is - you have started to walk!!! I'm so proud of you, my baby! For a long while, we all knew that you are ready to walk, what you lacked is the confidence. Weeks before you could walk on your own, you would grabbed our hands/fingers and made us roam around the whole house with you. Sometimes we will tricked you into taking a few steps on your own when you're conscious about it. Last Sunday is the big turning point. Por Por taught you how to fly like a butterfly and while imitating how a butterfly flies, you started to walk... 1 step... 2 step.. and 8 steps by yourself. You gained confidence and tried to walk on your own since then and walked quite steadily by Tuesday. Though you still wobbles a little when you walk too quickly, I'm very proud to say that you are doing very well toddling around now!
My walking Toddler
Since you started walking, Auntie Sandra and I brought you out to play with the neighbour kids a few times and the older boys adore you. You try to "run" after them each time we let you come down to play and we are all very thrilled by your loud laughter. As you couldn't run very well with your shoes, I gave myself the excuse to buy you a pair of sandals so that you don't have to go barefooted or go through the hassle of putting on your socks and shoes when you are taking a walk outside.
Mommy is tired now! I'm going to sleep now.
Love you lots,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 1:11 AM
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Photo Updates
Dearest Natalie,
The second week of the year is another wet week. It rained nonstop for almost 1 whole week and got everyone confined to home. I'm so happy that the sun is back this week and we could have some outdoor fun together.
The following photos are taken last week and recorded what we managed to do despite the heavy rain and never-ending showers we had last week.
1) Hari Raya (Tues)
We managed to sneak out of the house when the rain stopped for a while. We went to the nearby Bt Timah Hill to look at monkeys and get some fresh air. It started to rain shortly after so it was a very short but refreshing time outdoor for us.
Extremely delighted to be out
One with Mommy
Another one with Daddy
2) Gathering @ Holland Village - Friday
On Friday, we met up with mommy's friends at Holland Village for lunch. Auntie Christina is going back to the States with baby Karu so we met them to say goodbye. Auntie Lily and Le Le were there too.
After lunch, we went to take a look at the school Le Le attends because mommy is thinking of sending you to a playgroup when you are slightly older. Before the visit, I've quite decided that you'll go to the same school as Le Le and after the visit, I think that's the school for you. The reason is simple. You seem to like the place and enjoy the toys there and I know teacher Lavina is a very dedicated teacher.
Auntie Christina, Mommy and you, Auntie Lily and Lele
Having fun with Le Le at Lavina's sch. Le Le was busy showing you around, giving you a first hand orientation
Having fun by yourself
At night, we went out with Daddy to have some desserts after dinner. Since we were all missing Hong Kong, we went to the famous mango dessert shop at Orchard Rd which is a franchise of the famous mango shop in Hong Kong. Daddy gave in to your request and gave you a sip of his drink, you loved it and asked for more, more and more.
Daddy, I want more!
3) Saturday
On Saturday, we went to Paragon for some shopping while waiting for your Daddy to finish his work at a client's place.
Having good fun at the slot-coin car. You enjoyed all the rides!
Resting your head on Mandy Jie Jie's lap after a long day.
That's all for the update. Goodnite, darling girl!
Love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 12:56 AM
Meal time!
Dearest Natalie,
Finally you are eating normal again tonight! Praise the Lord!
You have been eating like a chicken for the last 2 weeks, getting really fussy during your meal time. You'll take a mouth or 2 of whatever we gave you and then spit out the rest from 3rd mouth onwards. We tried all ways to get you to eat. Initially we thought you got sick of the food we fed you so we changed the food. We tried mashed potatoes, potato stew with green peas, corn and carrot, chicken, fish, macaroni n etc. All managed to sustain your interest for only 3 mouthfuls the most. It got to a point that I let you eat whatever you wanted, splitting into numerous meals a day.
Thank God after asking around, many friends told me that this is just a phase that you're going through and you'll be fine. A friend suggested to me to let you try feeding yourself and I decided to give it a try. Tonight as usual you refused your yummy porridge with the pork chop sauce I made plus some pork. I took your little hand, let you held on to the spoon on your own and guided you to take some porridge from the bowl and put the spoon into your mouth. You did it happily, with a sense of accomplishment on your face. We all can tell that you feel proud and important to eat like an adult! That look on your face is so precious and I regretted not rushing to take a picture of you. So you continue to feed yourself (guided) for the rest of the meal and finished the whole bowl of porridge. You continue to pretend to feed yourself after the bowl is empty because you enjoy doing so.
I am happy that you're eating well again! So starting from tomorrow, you're going to learn how to feed yourself. It's okay to get messy, as that's the way to learn how to eat!
With love,
Mommy
natnat's mom at 12:38 AM
Monday, January 16, 2006
You got Character!!
Dearest Nat,
You're my cheeky little princess!!
Yesterday afternoon, we went to Din Tai Fung at Paragon for lunch. A little boy from a nearby table started wailing loudly in the middle of our lunch. I was gobbling down my food as fast as I could so I wasn't paying much attention to that. Suddenly I heard you "wailing" followed by your laughter. Daddy and I both stunned by what we heard, turned to look at you and we saw you smiling cheekily at us. You continue to imitate the cries followed by laughter a few more times till the little boy stopped crying. We're very glad we did not sit too near them. Ho Ho! Daddy is very worried that you'll have no friends if you make fun of your little friends when they cry. :-) I know you won't.
Today after church at Suntec City, we let you walked on your own holding our hands (por por and mine) as we walked towards Watsons. You were so delighted with your new "freedom" and walked really excitedly. Passerbys were all attracted to you and smiled at you as they watched how happy you were with each step that you took. After a while, you started to get playful again. You discovered por por's feet and you tried to step on her left foot now and then and everytime after you did that, you will look at her with anticipation, waiting for her reaction. Now I wonder where you get that playful streak in your character from.
Your playfulness and funny antics continue to bring sunshine to us and I love you so much for that. On a sidenote, I've signed you up for a swimming and music trial class this week. I hope you'll enjoy the classes.
It's way past my intended bedtime now and I'm going to join you in bed now. Goodnite, my sweetie!
Love,
Mom
natnat's mom at 12:33 AM
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
First Week of Jan 2006
natnat's mom at 3:11 PM
