ELRIC IS ONE YEAR OLD!!!!

It's definitely mixed feelings when I think about Elric turning ONE YEAR OLD!

On one hand, I miss that innocent and fragile look when Elric was first bornt. I miss carrying and hugging him, and he wouldn't retaliate. :P

On the other hand, I love watching him grow up and learn new skills everyday. I want to be there with him when he does his FIRST flip, turn, when he learns to sit, to stand and when he starts to walk. I want to cheer with him, clap for him and say 'Great job, Elric!!' That's real joy and accomplishment for both Alphonse and I. :)

I was browsing through Elric's photo... Lo and Behold! He has changed so much!!
So let me share them with you. :P

When he was in the hospital, he hardly opened his eyes. 

As I was supposed to feed him at about every 3 hours, I hardly slept in the hospital because I was waiting to see him again in 3 hours time! :P

See his THICK THICK HAIR???? 

I miss them so much... T_______T

Mama what are you doing? 

What is that thing on your hands?? 

That was the time when we could clothe him with funny hoods & he won't (can't) retaliate! hahaha...

Elric has learnt to flip by himself. ^^

See him cuddle with Daddy Dearest!

Let's have a chat with Dr. Elric Lee Z.Q.

ho ho ho...

"Yo Yo Yo!!! Look at my STRONG LEGS!"

Hahaha... I actually love this picture a lot! haha

 I'm a Happy Baby!
... and I smile happier than Mr Bee!

 Elric proudly showing Papa and Mama that he can stand!

I was so trailed when I first saw that!

Elric was looking at my handphone, hoping to see what I have got on my screen. ^o^

My Sunshine boy has learnt to feed himself with finger food!

Even during times of worries and sadness... Elric's smile never failed to cheer me up!

And there we go... ELRIC is 1 years old!!!!

Sad to say, I won't be holding a birthday celebration for him this year, mainly because his grandpa, (my dad) just passed on. Don't think it is appropriate to be holding a celebration when it is merely 2 weeks apart.

However, we will be spending sometime together as a family.
And to our Elric Dearie...

Happy Birthday!!
May God bless you with true joy and love as you GROW, GROW and GROWWW!!!!!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...
Mama Kaye
(^o^) muackx...

What happened to the puppy, Dino?

To friends who have bee curious (just as I am), since my last post about the late night barking of the dog:

What actually happened to Dino?

Today, Alphonse met the youngest son from the family. Out of curiousity Alphonse asked the boy where Dino went because we haven't heard or seen it around.

The boy told Alphonse that Dino is in the hospital (vet I guess, otherwise would be SPCA).
Reason? Dino's leg was injured.

Poor Dino was injured and they didn't care to send him to the vet?
No wonder it was crying so badly. Could it be that it was beaten up very badly?
It has to be. Otherwise the police wouldn't have interfered.

This is a family with 4 children. It's fun and educational for children to take care of a pet. It teaches them responsibility. But the pet is not there for you to abuse! That's not how you teach your children?! :(

I certainly hope Dino has recovered from the injuries and will soon meet with a better owner.















These little creatures need your love too!
Please treat them with care!

Love,
Kaye

The thin line between being nosy and concern

Helllooo!! Sorry for keeping this space empty for awhile.I have been very worn out lately and rather EMO as well. Maybe because Elric was sick and now Alphonse is down with fever too. 

Just thought of sharing with you something that happened to me which brought me to stop and think about myself.  

"Don't be so Kaypo (nosy) can or not!"

Has anyone said that to you before?
This thought suddenly came to my mind when I was deciding whether to call the police because of my neighbour's dog has been barking from 12Midnight to almost 2AM for a few nights.
I know the dog. His name is Dino. I used to like him a lot but hasn't met him and his owners recently.

It started off when Dino was barking after 12 midnight! The first thing that came to my mind was, "WHY IS THIS DOG SO NOISY!!" My son has been down with fever and rashes. He hasn't been sleeping well because he was uncomfortable. Pls don't bark and wake my son up!

I was angry because the kids from that family have been noisy in the day and now even the dog is noisy! :( I was tired and lacking in patience because when Elric is unwell, we can't rest either.

On the 3rd night when the Dino started barking, my husband asked me if we should call the police. That thought gave me a pinch! I was upset by the noise. I was irritated that the dog was barking loudly at such an unholy hour. But that shouldn't warrant the police to their door... right? I needed a bit a time to consider, so I told my husband that we should observe for awhile before we call.

During this 15min or so, I tried to listen to the Dino's barking.
I came to the conclusion that it was crying. It was barking out of fear.

I decided to call the SPCA after checking the website. I didnt know if it was right for me to 'disturb' SPCA at 1AM in the morning to check on the dog. I mean, what if I was wrong and it is not a case of abuse? Damn so paiseh right?

Still, I called SPCA and was told that they can't approach the family unless I have evidence of abuse. Otherwise, I can call the police that the dog is making a nuisance.

OOOiiiii!!! I am not calling you because I am angry with the noise! I am calling because I am worried that Dino is being abused! :( Still, I understand where they were coming from. They can't go knocking at people's door in the middle of the night just because I suspect there is an abuse.

So... I was back to whether to call the police. Here came the question I asked myself.

Kaye, are you just angry with the dog's noise, KAYPO or really concern?
After some 'self-examination', I called the police. Within 15min, the police came and Dino stopped barking. 30min later, the police car left.

I guess I made the right call. It was a case of abuse. I no longer hear any sound from Dino these few days and I believe it was brought away. I hope Dino will be taken care by a better owner from now.

This very minor incident brought me to think further. What is the difference between being nosy and concern? If i didn't get to know Dino before this happened, would I have noticed that it was calling for help instead of just barking crazily? If I don't have a baby and careless about barking dogs, would I have paid attention to Dino?

Somehow we are brought up in a society which tells us to "mind our own business" and "Don't so Kaypo can or not?". Isn't this the reason why people would walk away from an injuried toddler run over by vehicles? Take photos of dying/injured people without helping? We talk talk talk, complain complain complain and there after, we walk away. It is so easy to click the "share" button on Facebook and "retweet" button on Twitter, but are there real actions after that? I guess we need to put away our pride and start to care for the people around us EVEN IF it place us in a vulnerable position.


I don't have a halo on my head. Neither do I rush to help every single person in need. However, I certainly believe that if I hope for others to lend a hand when I am in need, I have to first pay attention to others I meet.

Passing Thoughts.

Love,
Kaye

Read to your baby!

"It's never too early to read to your baby!"

Yes. I certainly subscribe to that. :)
My husband and I took turns to read bible stories aloud since I was pregnant. Once awhile, we would go to the library to borrow children books and "read a story to my baby" before we sleep. :P

I was clueless whether he really knew what Daddy and Mummy were doing, but it certainly formed the habit for Alphonse and myself to read a story to him every night.

During the first 2 months after giving birth to him, I was rather confined and couldn't borrow books from the library. So Alphonse and I downloaded Andriod Apps which contain children stories/bible stories to read to Elric. From 3 months onwards, we visited the library almost every weekend to borrow 6 books. (that's the maximum number of books we can borrow with each library card)

1 week 6 books = 4 weeks 24 books
That's quite a lot!


hahahahahahaaha.... No wonder my son is a bookworm!!!
He loves munching on his books.

ohh... the book taste good!

Don't get me wrong! I have totally no intention to train him to be some nerds or scholars. I was never a book lover myself. I just think it is more beneficial for him to be occupied reading then to indulge in iPad games. There are so much more a child can learn from books and baby toys than those games. So I must start the habit young.

So why is reading good for the babies?

It teaches your baby to listen. Remember that your baby does not only learn the words you read, your baby is also learning your tone of voice. So when you read the story to your baby, care to be more expressive. For example, "Woah, that's a BIG elephant!"
"See? That's a smalllll turtle!"

This will help him improve his communication skills. When your baby hears you speak, he is learning too. You may not understand his "Gu gu ga ga ga... bua bu ba ba mumu mama ma..." but he is learning to express by imitating you and that will ultimately improve his communication skills. You will be surprised how expressive your baby can be when he starts to speak!

Reading your baby a story, is also a good time for family bonding. Your baby gets a quality period of time with you. He gets your full attention and he enjoy listening to your voice. :)

There are many types of baby books which are suitable for your baby.
You can always head to the library to grab some books too. Just that the books have passed through many hands. You may want to avoid letting him lick or bite on the book!(>__<)

Books borrowed from library. Careful to clean their hands after touching and reading.

 Unlike the past, there are many types of books designed to aid the growth and development of babies.


 Touch and Feel books

These are the books with different texture for babies to touch and learn.
You will see portions of the pictures with a different cloth material to stimulate the child's sense of touch.


Waterproof books
I bought this waterproof book from Campbell Books when Elric was just 3 months.
He loves this book since, and we bring it along whenever we travel out. This waterproof book is great as a bath time activity too. Keep you child occupied with the book while you scrub him clean! :D

waterproof book from Campbell Books

Normal Board books

Bought this Ugly duckling book from Popular at $4.90. :D Cheap Cheap! I like! whahahaha... It is heavy though, so if your baby still can't sit up straight, don't let him handle the book on a lying position. Just in case he drop the book onto his face. It happened to Elric. :(

Cloth Books

I bought these cloth books sometime back from http://www.joli-petite.com. The good thing about cloth books is that they are very light and easy to bring along. I got the pack of 6 books at $26. (each about $4.50 after adding postage). The bed time prayer book was $15.90. Once a while I would pick this up and reread to him. I like this one because the colours in the book are in pastel colours. No so stimulating and suitable as a bedtime story.


Musical books

My Mother-in-law bought this Fisher Price Musical book for Elric. She bought it from Malaysia but I checked the local pricing. ABOUT $40+!!!! Well, grandma always dotes on their grandchildren. Right? :)

Elric like this book alot too! It's very colours and everytime you spin the round button at the corner, it will introduce the animals on the page and plays a song. I will sing along with it every page I turn.

Activities Book
This is the latest book which I bought. The Playgro Clip Clop Toy Box Teether book. You can find it at http://www.joli-petite.com ($16.90).

 

I am still struggling with what animal this is. Pony right???

We all know that children products are getting more and more expensive. Hence with every purchase, we want to make sure that we are stretching every dollar to the max. So here is one good product I found! :D It's not just something fun to play with, it is also great for learning.

Elric with his new toy book explorig the legs and tail of the toy.

You can guess by its name (Toy Box) that this book contains different activities for the child.
1. It is a CUTE TOY! The colour pictures and legs stimulate visual learning.
2. The crinkle and texture of the pages encourage sensory and tactile learning.
3. There is a squeaky at the head of the toy which stimulates motor skills and audio development
4. The red and blue feet or 2 textile teethers

Lastly, I personally like the red velco strap which you can use to secure the book when you are bringing it out. :) Thoughtful isn't it? 

Best of all, Elric loves it!

Woah... This is a lengthy post. :P
Hope my sharing will encourage you to read to your child/baby too!
Instead of letting your child play your iPad, INVEST some time to read and play with them.
You effort will NOT go to waste!

Cheers,
Kaye

Just for Laugh

Kaye: A sign that Alp is too bored!!

Swaddling is a traditional practice of wrapping infants in swaddling cloths. It is believed that babies will feel calm and secure being swaddled up so as to enable them to sleep well. However please do take note to ensure that the baby is not swaddled too tight :p~~~

Below are pictures taken when Elric was less than a month old.


Muahahahahhahahahaha...






I was looking back at those old pictures...

 My cutie ELRIC!!!!
See he has grown so much over the last 9 months!

( ^ o ^ )

'Cosplaying' Elric into a Cupid

I knew in my mind that it will be a perfect Cupid pic after Kaye took those 3 lovely pic of Elric wrapped with his diaper cloth. (clean of course :P) I spent quite sometime on the xiuxiu.meitu to edit his picture.

No no... I am not bringing him out for Halloween party. hahaha
but this is so fun!!!

At least I managed to entertain myself. I am sure we will have a good laugh when I flip back these pictures with kiddy Elric on my laps. :D

Before editing <=        => After editing

The complete version

To some of our friends who are considering setting up a family, hope this will encourage you to look forward to parenthood! :P


To Elric:
Careful hor... Don't anyhow shoot your arrow ok?
Can be very jialat one loh! :P

Baby Abandoned in the Dump, eaten by Ants

I teared when I read this article from theasianparents.

http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/baby-eaten-by-red-ants-in-dump/

How can ANYONE in the right mind throw A BABY into the dump!!!!??

That's absolutely insane!!!

What's more, it's the mother's very own flesh and blood! She carried it where ever she went for 9 long months! She brought that little soul onto earth and immediately tell him that he is unwanted and he belongs to the dump?! Gosh!!

This poor baby was thrown into the dump alive. Ants were eating his flesh and crawled into his nose, almost suffocating him!!!

Can you imagine what that helpless baby went through???
Mother of the child!! Helloooooo! Lay yourself in the dump and get bitten all over! Can???

This reminded me of the Singapore case of the baby being buried in the soil and found out by an uncle.

The last thing the mother could do, is to give the baby away! In a school, a home, a church... Why bury/dump the baby!? Why do you want to murder your own baby?!

Due to selfishness. No? You want to live your own life, don't want your baby and afraid of being caught by police for whatever reasons?

*Breath*

As much as the chinese song goes "世上只有妈妈好”, it is a sad truth that there are many mothers in the world who are not so loving to their babies. :(

We may not be the richest people in the world or have the capability to provide our babies with the best in the world. But with whatever we can offer, we provide for them. Even if you think you have NOTHING to provide for your baby, he just needs to be with you. Cause you (yes mother! YOU) are his world! Without you, his world collapses! You are THAT important.

Some says, "That's why I chose abortion."

Is abortion any better??

To me, absolutely NO!

Your baby,

born or unborn

does not belong to the dump.

Baby, "Mama, please take my hands... not my life."

NEW LOOT: Multi Activity Box from Jam 'n Muffin

We happened to come across this coupon deal from Jam'n Muffin in June and since then we have been eyeing on the toys available on the site. 

No no no... it is not Ben and Jerry.. Ben and Muffins... Jam and Berries!!! 

WHATEVER... for 5 months we've been visitig that site we still managed to get the name wrong!  

Okay... get it right for once. It's JAM 'n MUFFIN! 

Jam 'n Muffin emphasizes about their environmentally friendly products which promotes learning for our kids. 

This is what they promise in the products they sell: 

• Recycled or Recyclable
• Natural (made from 100% natural products)
• Organic (from certified sources)
• Non-Toxic and Bisphenol A Free
• Sourced from low impact / renewable sources
• Encourages waste reduction / energy reduction
• Produced under fair-trade conditions 

Pretty impressive isn't it?


With all the negative news about toys/clothes/milk powder that are harmful and toxic, all we need is the assurance that the toys we buy are not causing harm to our little ones.

So what's our loot from there? 

The Multi Activity Box!

Here's the description:

A magic box to awaken all the senses. Your little one would be delighted with the different colours, shapes and numbers.

Features a mirror, a maze to find the colours of fruits and vegetables, a clock to tell the time, a magnetic origami and an abacus to help develop concentration and motor skills. The abacus can be removed for ease of storage.

Designed in the heart of the Jura Mountains, France
16.5 x 16.5 x 29cm
12+ months

When I tried using the coupon code, I had some trouble. The site stated that there was an error in the code. So I contacted the site where I bought it from and Jam 'n Muffin promptly responded within a few hours!
Problem solved and my coupon code worked! :) 

Good service!

Okie... Elric is still 9 months old and the toy is meant for 12 Months old. 

But I accidentally let Elric spot the toy. So might as well take some pictures for you to see. ^^ 

Elric seems to like the Magnetic Origami very much. Only that the triangles have sharp edges, so we have got to monitor closely when he plays. 

Thanks Ben and Jerry... OOPSSS... I mean JAM 'N MUFFIN!!!

Food recipes for Baby Elric

It's really nice to hear people praising Elric and saying how healthy he looks!
Of course I think the diet plays a part. Other than the breastmilk that he is still drinking now, I want to feed him with nutritious food to keep him healthy!

We have been reading up and exploring new recipes for Elric. These are the first few recipes which we have combined different vegetables for him and he really loves them alot.

SWEET POTATO, POTATO, SPINACH and ANCHOVIES
1 large sized Sweet Potato (cut into small cubes)
1 medium sized Potato (cut into small cubes)
A cup Spinach (leafy part for easy digestion)
150g Anchovies (removed the head and intestine)

Put into the Philips Combined Steamer and Blender
Steam for 20 min and then blend.
You can divide the ingredients into 2 portion and steam separately.
This amount for vegetable is good enough for 1-2 weeks.
Potato and Sweet Potatoes are source of carbohydrate. As potatoes are less nutritious, I prefer to add in some sweet potatoes for nutrients and taste.
Spinach provides him with the serving of vegetable he needs and Anchovies provides protein and it is high in Iron and Calcium as well. :)


RED BEAN with APPLE
200g Red beans (You can consider getting organic ones since its not really that expensive. We soaked the red beans overnight to make it really, really soft before cooking)
Boiled the red beans till its really pasty and sticky. You will need to stir and add some water along the way.

3-4 red apples (cut into small cubes)
Put the ingredients inside the machines and steam for about 5 min
Place the red bean puree into the blender and you will get your red bean and apple puree.
*red bean is very blend. do get the small red apple that is sweet for taste.
Red bean is a good source of carbo, protein as well as dietary fibre. It also contains a good amount of Folate.

SWEET POTATO, CAPSICUM, PUMPKIN and ANCHOVIES
1 Large Sweet potato (cut into small cubes)
2 Capsicums (remove ALL seeds and cut into small cubes)
1 slice of pumpkin (cut into small cubes)
200g of anchovies  (removed the head and intestine)

Yellow taste sweeter, but all the 3 colours (green, red, yellow) provides similar nutrients.Capsicum is a great source of Vit A, C and antioxidant!
Put into the Philips Combined Steamer and Blender
Steam for 20 min and then blend.

You can divide them into 2 portion and steam separately. 

This amount for vegetable is good enough for 1-2 weeks.

Hope your baby will like the recipe too! ^^

Cheers,
Alphonse

NEW LOOT: Baby Cube for food storage @$16.90

Got this a S$16.90 for a set of 8 cubes of 70ml each.
If you have coupons from gmarket.com.sg, it will be even cheaper!

Using this for freezing my baby food. ^^ I bought 2 sets previously. Just bought another 2 sets cause Elric is eating more now.

Why Buy? 

- BPA Free

- It's stackable for easy storage

- It's freezable and microwavable

- Ideal for storage your cooked/pureed baby food. :)

Top on of that, the containers are very light and thin. This means that the reheating it faster.
The container is also translucent so that you can easily find the one that you are looking for. :)

Where?
gmarket.com.sg

www.babyonline.com.sg

XOXO,
Kaye

Going Out with Baby

Travelling out with your baby can be a nightmare to some.
There are so many things to consider and so many things you need to bring.
It can be frustrating if friends and family fail to sympathise. 

As advised by my son's pediatrician, it is best to minimise travelling to crowded areas until baby has received his 1st jab. Before that, he has very little immunity to the viruses that is around him.

From 1-3 months, try to keep your session short because babies during this period requires a lot of attention most of the time. Feeding and diapers changing are about every 3-hourly. They are however, very good travel companions as they are asleep most of the time. For those who are considering bringing babies overseas may want to think twice. It is important to note that vaccination (eg. flu vaccines) cannot be done for babies below 3 months. So it is better to wait a little.

From 4-6 months, babies are more awake and curious about the surroundings. Schedule is gradually changing and you may be able to extend travelling hours to 3-4 hours without scheduling in a nap time. Be sensitive to baby's cue when he is sleepy or hungry. they tend to be distracted until they are very hungry or grouchy. This will make feeding and napping harder then usual.

From 7-9 months, babies has started solid food. Hence there are more to bring out with you when you are travelling around or runing arrands.

Here is the checklist of stuff you may want to take note whenever bringing baby out.


Diaper changing
Diapers- Minimum 3
Wipes
1 set of clothes for change. If you need to bath him outside, bring 2 sets.
Diaper cream


Food
Baby bisuits (snacks)
Cerelac
Food Jar (for convenience)
Bowl & spoon
Milk bottle
Baby Milk Powder (if you are on formula)
Hot water (in thermal bottle)
Breast milk (if you are giving ebm)
A bib and a hanky
Room temperature water
Fresh juice

Comfort
Toy
Teether
Book
Clip on fan
Soother (if your child is using)

Miscellaneous
Mosqito repellant
Sunblock lotion
tissue
waterfree hand detegant
changing mat
2-in-1 bathing lotion (if bathing)
towel (if bathing)
vicks

Till now, each time I travel out with my baby, the session is short.
That's unless there is a place where he can take a nap during the trip.

When Elric grows older I guess I will have more experiences to share. :)

XOXO
Kaye

Our Laughing Baby

Elric is a happy baby and he laughs easily

That makes me feel good!

As though he is telling Papa and Mama that he is well-taken care of. :) 

Kaye was making random, funny sound and Elric started laughing at the 'farting' sound. 

hahahahaha... 

How I love the way Elric laughs. ^^

I can't help but to laugh with him every time I watch the clip!

Elric at 8 months old

The Case of an Injured Giraffe

As all good stories start...

Once upon a time, there was a giraffe named Sophie. She was a cute and gentle giraffe.

Sophie the Giraffe

Sophie loves babies and would smile and play with them.

Sophie had a good friend, and his name was Elric.

Elric would hug and kiss little Sophie, while Sophie would accompany Elric to play during his wake time everyday.

One day, while Elric was playing with Sophie, some thing bad happened!

As Elric was teething, his gums were swollen and itchy. He couldn't resist himself and gave Sophie a bite!

It hurt Sophie terribly and she gave a loud squeak but Elric couldn't care less and continued chewing on her legs!

Sophie was very cross and gave Elric a kick!

Baby Elric was choked. He vomited all the food he had for lunch. :(

hahahahaaha... I am just trying to tell you how much my son loves his teether, Sophie and Giraffe. It's a trusted product and it does help my son relieve his uncomfort caused by teething. However, do watch your child closely when they are biting the teether. The long legs of Sophie may choke the baby. :)

I miss the Newborn Elric

I told Kaye that I have been missing those days when Elric was first bornt.
He was so fragile looking, so small and sweet looking all the time.
And Gosh! He is only 8 months old and I am missing him as a newborn already!

Not that I dont like him now, I am very happy everytime he learns something new.
I love how he calls for Papa and how he crawls to me and lay beside me.

I just miss that 'little thing' he used to be. :P
He couldn't do anything by himself and had to rely on us all the time.
He wouldn't kick and splash during bathing or diaper changing. 


But to prove that I still love him just as much...

Ohhh.... my Baby Elric!

And Elric loves Papa just as much!

I was so happy when Elric first managed to sit up straight with his hands off the ground!!

And when he finally was able to sit on a high chair by himself. ^^

But I am sure 8 months later, I will tell you that I miss the way he is now.

So I will treasure every moment as I watch him grow. ^^

New Minestone... I mean, Milestone!! ^_^

I love watching Elric cross each of his new minestones...

Opppsss I mean Milestone! hahaha...



Those are minestones too, when he is not careful. :P
Like when Elric tries to crawl and fall face flat! hahahahaha...
I know I sound sadistic but I really laugh at him when he falls. It is so that he thinks it's funny and refrain from crying! ;)

Just a couple of days ago, Elric started to 'stand on his fours'! Like Kaye's mum put it,‘好像小马喔！’ (like a little pony)

:D We were not in time to change the lighting when Elric first did his stunt.

Kaye was so happy, clipping and praising Elric, that he repeated what he did over and over again for her to see. hahaha... go on his fours and fall face flat!

pumping position DOWN!

Mama, See I am good at it. heh heh...

Then we thought he looked like he was doing Yoga!!!!

ooommmm.........

 hahahahahahahahaha........

Papa and Mama had a good laugh, so did Elric! :D




Before I go, hope you had a good National Day Holiday!

Elric,"I am all dressed for National Day!" :)