L'il Baby Toh

Ms. Crankypants

2009-05-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of my "cherish the weekends!" weekend did not fare as well as yesterday. Sarah had the fussies which started bright and early this morning at 5:00, with a cry for help from her room. Now as you know, Sarah is normally very calm and pleasant so it was extremely unusual for her to be Ms. Crankypants pretty much the entire day. I even had to give Sarah her very first time-out in the playpen when she continued to whine (and break out into big tears) each time I put her down from my arms! She obviously did not like that I did not cave in and after the time-out, she improved a bit, though she remained cranky and pouty for the rest of the day.

Despite the attitude, Daddy and I still took Sarah out this afternoon. Again, our plans were changed when the neighborhood water park we went to sprayed the most icy-cold water you could imagine. However, we were able to break out the wading pool that we had in storage back at home so not all was lost.

Sarah most enjoyed splashing in the water and was content until the party had to end since it was nap-time. Hmmm...I wonder if it is the heat that is bothering her? Anyway, 1 out of 2 good days isn't bad and I am sad that the weekend is already over. Back to work I go tomorrow!

Trekking To Buntzen Lake - Part Deux

2009-05-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

As my good friend Homee says, cherish the weekends! That indeed was my mantra today and I truly enjoyed every minute today.

With some last-minute planning, we headed out to the beach for a picnic in the early afternoon with Sarah's aunties and uncle. While we had planned originally to go to Belcarra, the navigation system in my head directed us to Buntzen Lake instead (oops!). Anyway, we were lucky to find the beach not completely full so we were able to find a spot right on the beach overlooking the incredible view. The last time I was there, it was just under two months ago and boy was the experience different now that Sarah is walking. Daddy and I had so much fun walking along the water with her and I especially enjoyed getting my feet wet and building a mini sand-castle. Had I thought to wear my swimsuit, I certainly would have jumped into the lake even though the water was cool :)

TGI Friday!

2009-05-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Again, my apologies for not sharing about my adventures more often but truthfully, there hasn't been a whole lot worth mentioning now that I am back to work.

I live for Fridays! Absence does truly make the heart grow fonder and I got to spend one of my 2 days off with Sarah. She has been such fun to be with now that she is walking well (yay!) and has definitely developed her character. She continues to be very confident and social and only has 'off-moments' on the rare occasion.

Anyway, the day started off with breakfast for two. I really enjoy this meal with Sarah because not only do we give each other our undivided attention (no telly believe it or not!), but I have lots of fun letting her feed herself. Breakfast foods are way less messy so it isn't too stressful for a self-proclaimed former neat freak! Sarah is getting better at feeding herself by hand and while she still prefers to use her left-hand, she can pick up small items...

Following a quick brekkie, we went to the neighbourhood elementary school where our government has actually provided funding for a *free* program that is geared toward the 0-5 crowd. For once, it feels like I am getting a direct benefit from our elected leadership :) Sarah really loves going to the class and has already tried out your stereotypical kindergarten-esque activities, such as finger painting, drawing and playing at the sand table. She is certainly no expert when it comes to chalk and felt-pens but I still have high hopes that she will inherit my penmanship ;)

So that was the morning. Whew. In the afternoon, we needed a respite from the sweltering heat so we went out for a Superstore run that got us out of the house for nearly an hour. Since Sarah stays up longer (i.e. 3 hours or so), I certainly don't feel too rushed to get stuff done with her so it's nice. She enjoys sitting in the shopping carts but unfortunately doesn't quite feel the same about her stroller now that she wants to walk so until the novelty of toddling wears off, we will just have to stay away from the mall for the time-being!

And one last thing. Remember how I expressed that babies really do know more than we give them credit for? Well, in the oft-unglamorous life of a mommy, you really lose all sense of privacy. I find that since I have a little girl, I have to look forward to sharing a bathroom stall with her, not to mention all the other stuff. Not fun but that's life. Anyway, this girl happens to know where people do their business. I will admit that I have been letting her follow me around even to the bathroom and this has obviously helped her 'pre-train' for her potty-training days! Funniest part is that she will even copy me by sitting on the floor! Okay, way too much information but I just had to share because it is pretty neat don't you think? :)

Toddlers & Tiaras

2009-05-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

First off, sorry for the lack of blog entries of late. Working part-time with a little kid at home has been taking a toll on me and it feels as though I have two full-time jobs!

Well, Sarah's first birthday came and went in the blink of an eye and now we have a toddler. I always say it but I'll say it again. Time flies. It is incredible how fast the year went by and until you experience it for yourself, it is almost impossible to fathom how fast it really is. Just look at the picture - Sarah doesn't even resemble any of the 'baby look' that she had not too long ago. Sigh.

Daddy and I enjoyed seeing everyone at Sarah's birthday party and are overwhelmed by all the kind wishes and great gifts that were bestowed on our little girl. Anyway, one of Sarah's current oft-used gifts (among others) happens to be a Radio Flyer wagon from Carina Yee-Yee. The timing could not have been any better, for Sarah was starting to get really tired of sitting in her stroller and we certainly were not going to carry her around until she got comfortable walking!

Speaking of rides, Sarah loves going on them. No need for fancy schmancy rides however - when we are at home, Sarah goes for rides in an empty diaper box, laundry basket, Rubbermaid bins, you name it! Funniest part is that she would actually crawl into the box herself and summon one of us to push her around. By "summon", picture a little girl pointing at you to move the box, all the while rocking away in it to will it to move! :)

Anyway, I finally had a day off that didn't require me being in the kitchen so off we went to the park with Jestina & Lainey this afternoon. The outing was a milestone in itself, for I finally got the courage to let Sarah walk around the park on her own. She of course took a few minor tumbles but at least it was on grass so no tears were shed and our little girl is quite tough ;) My new neighbour friend Emily and her daughter Eliana happened to also show up there with her trike, which the kiddies got to test out. Sarah had a blast with it and loved sitting on it and pushing it around like a shopping cart. Yet another toy/ride to add to the ever-growing list! ;)

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-04-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

Why oh why did*'t Sarah choose to pry apart a*other key i*stead? This 'modified' keyboard is drivi*g me completely *uts a*d it's taki*g me so much lo*ger to get my blog thoughts o* the scree*! Sheesh! Oh well, e*ough ra*ti*g...

It just felt like a few short days ago when I last blogged and now it's already Friday. And it's not just any Friday either, for it's the last weekend before I revert back to the status of office worker bee. I am hopeful that I won't miss Sarah terribly, think about her too much or call home for updates every half-hour :)

Anyway, we enjoyed a good walk this afternoon around the ol' neighbourhood as we always do. This time, I remembered to bring Sarah's trusty shades with me. I could tell that she wasn't too comfortable with them but she complied for a short while. Asians wearing bridgeless shades = what was I thinking? :)

I am continually amazed by how a regular jaunt on the same route can bring new surprises each time. Today, for one, was no exception. Sarah and I stopped to get a Slurpee before heading over to the tot's playground, where we were met by none other than a lone coyote.

With another mommy at the park and no sign of a pack of coyotes, I wasn't too freaked out although I did feel a wee bit like Little Red Riding Hood. Wait a sec - that was a wolf wasn't it? Either way, I did feel wary about being in close proximity to a wild animal so our time on the swings was cut short. Not to mention that it didn't help that some little girl named 'Gracie' kept telling mommy that she was scared and wanted to leave N-O-W!! ;)

Back at home, Sarah continued to practice walking and this time I finally got a good video clip to prove it to my 3 (publicized) faithful followers.

Sure it isn't the most steady of steps but it's still amazing isn't it? I'm so thrilled that Sarah is starting to become even more independent but at the same time sad that she is really no longer a baby. Why does time have to pass by so fast!!

You Are My Destiny, I Can't Let Go, Baby, Can't You See

2009-04-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

After 51 weeks of true maternal bliss taking care of a little one, I can't believe that the final week before my return to the office is now upon me. It wouldn't be so depressing were it not for the fact that I am having so much more fun with Sarah now that she is approaching *gasp*...toddlerhood! Of course, the fun does not come without its additional exercise however. Now that Sarah has perfected the art of crawling up the stairs, I have found myself going up and down our three levels a gazillion times throughout the day. Not only is she becoming more adventurous with this new-found skill, she is also moving fast and taking lots of baby steps, which explains the lack of publish-worthy pictures of late. Here's an example of the calibre of our recent photo shots - we so need to get a new camera!

In addition to the cruising/crawling/walking, Sarah has become quite vocal over the past several days. About a week ago, Sarah had started to point at things and get us to carry her to look at and/or touch whatever she finds interesting. That was fine until she figured out that pointing = communication. Now she "talks" to us by pointing at an object and one of us immediately afterward, e.g. "Dad, please get me the toy/thing on the table/bookshelf/etc." The most hilarious (and humbling!) part is that when she does this, it resembles a queen summoning her subject to fetch something for her. Funny but true! Anyway, we 'vermin' succumbed to her cute antics and let her baby-handle our beloved Blackberries. Yes, we are suckers for that innocent face of hers ;) That's how the "N" key on our laptop managed to get pulverized...those darn prying fingers!

Anyway, Day 1 of my 7-day back-to-work countdown was a great one. Even if it were less than stellar, I am most definitely living up to Homee's Twitter advice to cherish these last few days! :)

Up And Away We Go

2009-04-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, she finally did it. Sarah had first started crawling up the stairs back in December but lost interest soon afterwards so I'd thought it was the end of that. This week, however, she wanted to get back to doing it again and lo and behold, there she was crawling up the stairs without any encouragement! Since she hadn't been working on this movement regularly, we were needless to say very shocked that she was able to get up each step so quickly and she wasn't even scared to be up so high (unlike her initial attempts)! Guess she wanted to perfect her new skill before showing off! LOL :)

Now that she is comfortable going up the stairs, Sarah has found herself some new play areas in spaces that used to be off-limits. Our mealtimes have become even more interrupted now, with us taking turns following Sarah up the stairs - time to put up another gate asap! :)

As for walking, Sarah continues to toddle about with some support and has progressed to taking up to seven steps on her own before gravity takes over. She is getting stronger and more confident with each day so I am hopeful that she will be walking well by the time she hits the big "1" mark in a couple of weeks!

Keep On Truckin' Along

2009-04-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Ever had a day where things just didn't go right and nothing you did to help could make it better? Sarah certainly had one of those days.

While Sarah woke up earlier than usual and didn't take her bottle well, the day itself started out just like any other day. The drama really started to pick up after lunch. We had stepped out to the mall to do a little shopping where Sarah started to fuss and didn't want to be in her stroller, resulting in a quick end to our outing. Luckily, we were close to home so we were able to put her down for her afternoon nap. An hour later however, things still hadn't improved. Sarah woke up crying and did not stop fussing right up until bedtime. While she clearly wasn't having a good day, it certainly did not help matters that Mommy and Daddy both found it rather amusing and had to snap a few photos to remember this rare occasion :)

What could it be, you ask? Well, we don't know for sure although it could be the lack of good afternoon naps the past several days or even possibly some anxiety issues from the imminent goal of walking. Anyway, we hope the rest of the long weekend goes smoothly for us - fingers crossed!

Just Visiting

2009-04-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

What luck! We were spoiled to yet another gorgeous day of sunshine in this grand city of ours. Sarah and I had not planned to do anything today but with the fabulous weather, we had to get outdoors again so off we went across town to visit my co-workers at the office.

Bringing a baby to work is very much like attracting bears with honey. You can get nary half your body past reception before getting swarmed by umpteen 'oohs' and 'oh my goshs' from the ladies (and some of the guys too!). It is like they can smell the scent of baby from a-far! Anyhow, a full two hours later, we saw most of the people we had hoped to see and Sarah did extremely well, even allowing herself get passed around to endless people.

Given that it was now well into Sarah's nap-time, the next question was: do we pay a visit to Daddy's office? I hadn't planned on staying at my office for so long but his office is along the way home so I made the decision to stop by there too. Poor girl - she had just fallen asleep in the car when we arrived but she was a dream child again and was very pleasant even though she only had a 5-minute catnap (if you can even call it one) :)

Anyway, Sarah and I are exhausted from all this visiting and I'm glad that I got to see everyone before returning to work in a couple of weeks! :(

Trekking To Buntzen lake

2009-04-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

Snacks for mommies. Check.
Snacks for Sarah. Check.
Diapers, wipes and other toiletries. Check.
Clothes for if it's warm. Check.
Clothes for if it's cold. Check.
Jackets for if it's warm & cold. Check.
Baby sunscreen. Check.
Baby sunglasses. Check.
Baby sunhat. Check.
Bedsheet. Check.
Wallet and keys. Check.
Camera. Check.
Baby Bjorn in case we go for a hike. Check.
Water. Oops.

Whew. One large heavy backpack later, I was finally all packed to go for an afternoon outing. You would have thought with all the stuff I had packed that I was going to some far-off locale but it was only Buntzen Lake. With all the stuff I have to lug with us every time we go out, I should really invest in some good rolling luggage :)

Anyway, I enjoyed good conversation with my new mommy friends and Sarah equally enjoyed playing with Lainey, Hailey and Evan. Speaking of playing, you wouldn't believe the attention these kiddies paid on Mum-Mums. Not the crackers themselves mind you - they passed around the crinkly wrappers for a good several minutes!

As soon as Sarah was no longer interested in playing, we went down to the water's edge so that I could dip her toes in. While she seemed fascinated by the feeling of sand at her feet, she did not care for the cold water. That's okay though, I'm sure that we'll be back again in the summertime when the water temperature is comfortable :)

PS. Jes: Thanks for saving Sarah and me from being housebound today. We had fun!

Swim Like A Fish

2009-04-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

It's the weekend! As promised, we took Sarah to the neighbourhood pool this afternoon for a dip. Being a water-lover myself, I was very thrilled that Sarah turns out to have an equal affection for water! She already loves baths but I just wasn't 100% sure that she would enjoy the pool so it was a very nice surprise for us. She loved watching the older kiddies play in the wave pool and didn't even complain with all the water splashing on her face. In fact, she encouraged it and even did it herself :)

Unfortunately, we had such a great time that we couldn't get ourselves out of the water enough to take a few photos. What happens at the pool stays at the pool they say! haha

Weekend Day #2 was not as exciting as our swim day but we did get out for dim-sum and then to the play centre to hash out the details of Sarah's birthday party. Again, the centre was quiet thanks to the good weather so we were able to snag a ride on the Thomas train :)

And as if our weekend wasn't packed enough already, we went out for a family dinner that included lobster done right (Chinese-style of course!). Aaahhh...a perfect end to a perfect weekend. Have a good week everyone!

Splish Splash, I Was Taking A Bath

2009-04-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Sarah is 11 months old today!! I will say it again - the time flew by so fast and I can not believe that the curtains are closing on my time away from work. Anyway, the morning started out pretty good even though Sarah woke up 45 minutes earlier than usual. I am not sure why that happened but in any case, she wasn't grumpy and was happy to get her day started. Guess there's lot to do for an 11-month-old that can't wait! ;P

Sarah is starting to become more comfortable standing and we have seen her toddle about for a few steps at a time. She will even stoop down from standing to pick up a toy - amazing! As you can imagine, things are going to get more interesting once she starts walking about. I hope we can all keep up with her :)

As much as Sarah wants to stand and try walking, she still enjoys crawling and cruising though it gets her into trouble every so often. Here she is peeking out from under the desk...

...right before she bumped her head as always :)

With all this moving and bumping, it is no wonder that Sarah loves bath-time every night. Nothing like lavender-scented bath bubbles to soothe kiddie growing pains :)

Anyhow, we are going to take Sarah to the pool on the weekend to celebrate her 11-month birthday so stay tuned for pictures!

Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day

2009-03-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Fridays are sacred for me as I try to stay out of the kitchen and start my weekend a bit earlier. However since it was rainy today, I broke that rule and made some more food for Sarah and even went as far as doing a load of laundry, vacuuming the house and re-arranging the living room to make room for Sarah's stash of toys. Sarah tagged along and was a good little helper the whole time but she did get into some trouble, particularly while playing in my closet where she found my purse collection. She's definitely a girl with her bag fetish! Mommy might pass them down to you if you're good, but hands off the Gucci!

Sarah also continues to be afraid of the vacuum cleaner but I think she seems more scared when it's turned off than when it's turned on. Strange but true! I don't know what it is but somehow it must appear more ominous when it's towering over her? Here she is crouched low on the floor with her usual look of concern while I was vacuuming.

Here's hoping that the weekend will be brighter since I don't have much more housework to do! Hmmm...the bathrooms could use a little scrubbing though (hint hint to Daddy) :) Until tomorrow, Mommy owww-ttt!

More Sweets And Treats

2009-03-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

The birthday celebrations continue with yet more eating, this time with my family. I must admit that eating out with someone hankering for your attention takes some time to get used to, but it is still enjoyable to take Sarah out for meals nonetheless. It is a luxury nowadays to have a bite to eat with Daddy at the table together, as we usually take turns eating while feeding Sarah her dinner. Thank goodness the people around the table gladly offered to take her to play with cousin Matthew and explore the fish tanks while Daddy and I enjoyed a few minutes of eating together in reasonable peace :)

Thanks everyone for the great presents, dinner and of course the volunteer babysitting!

When we got home, I snapped a few more photos since it is a rare occasion to see Sarah in a dress (I am a bit paranoid about her getting sick). This is her 'private schoolgirl' look complete with a pair of Hello Kitty tights from H&M. Isn't she just so squishably adorable? :)

Hopefully the weather improves really soon because I want Sarah to model a few more dresses that I have saved in her closet! ;)

Homee and M: Better start saving up your pennies. Not only will you need diapers but you are also positively going to go broke from buying all these clothes for your little girl as we are! LOL!! :)

Sweets And Treats

2009-03-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

Some girlfriends stopped by today with their wee ones to celebrate yours truly's birthday with cupcakes from Cupcakes and the best tiramisu from Valley Bakery. As usual, Sarah had a good time and was a good hostess to boot, entertaining the two younger men with her plethora of toys.

Thanks for the desserts ladies, I am still on a sugar-high from filling up on those decadent sweets! :)

Life with a baby is not without its surprises, as I learned quickly today. As you know, I have been repeating simple words to Sarah every day and it has come to my attention that she actually absorbs more than just the words that I teach her. Take, for example, the dino rocker that she got for Christmas from Po-Po. We instinctively say 'rock, rock, rock' while she's riding this rocker. Well, today she saw the dino while we were having lunch so I just happened to say 'rock, rock, rock' and guess what she does? She mimicked the rocking motion in her high-chair! It was sooo incredibly funny!

So now on top of knowing 'rock, rock, rock', Sarah also knows: foot; fingers; ear; button; butterfly; flower; tree; truck; "leen leen" (necklace); "bei bei" (give me that); Hello Kitty; Brobee; Quatchi; how to dance and clap; "drink water"; and how to kneel down from standing when instructed. Yes, I borrowed my experience from training the family dogs but hey, it really works!

Anyway, this just proves to me that these little people are more aware of their surroundings than we may think. Way to go Sarah! :)

Baby Beluga In The Deep Blue Sea

2009-03-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Another gorgeous day so off we went on an afternoon outing to Stanley Park. Seeing that it was the last day of Spring Break, I wasn't sure if that was a good idea but it turned out to be less busy than I thought, which was great. As soon as we arrived, we hopped on the Miniature Train. The breeze and shade made it a cold ride but Sarah absolutely loved every minute of it. Again, I forgot to pack our trusted camera in Sarah's diaper bag but luckily our Blackberrys saved the day :)

After our cheapy train-ride, we headed over to the Aquarium. The admission rate is crazy expensive at $20 per adult but it was still very busy and packed with big and little people. We wanted to stay for the dolphin show but by the time we got outside, there was already a huge crowd and I didn't want to stick around and fight for spots, as we witnessed two families doing. Not cool.

Anyway, missing the show worked out for us because we scored front-row bench seats to watch the beluga whales before the dolphin show crowd let out. Sarah enjoyed this quiet time and even met a few other little friends while having her afternoon snack of bananas and Mum-Mums. Of course, as soon as we got into the car, Sarah fell asleep and was out cold until we pulled into our garage. It was a great afternoon and I can't wait to go back to the park when the weather gets warmer :)

Early Spring Day Outings

2009-03-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, the sun was actually out today on Day 2 of Spring! We gladly took advantage of this and took Sarah for a walk in the trails and played with the other babies at the playground. She especially enjoyed the swing even though she doesn't seem to sit up on it properly. Here is a picture of her having a blast, taken from Daddy's Blackberry. Much to our pleasant surprise, that thing takes very good photos!

To cap off the day, we went out for sushi night with Daddy's family (thanks Papa Toh for an excellent meal!). Sarah's aunties and uncles had just returned from a whirlwind vacation to Australia and New Zealand so we also received a few souvenirs to take home. Daddy got a wombat and kiwi, while I got a super-soft lamb. As for Sarah, she now has her very own Dorothy the Dinosaur plushie and even a pair of Uggs to wear next winter. Yes, she is spoiled :)

Thank you Aunties Pat & Wendy and Uncles Roger & Kevin for the sweet souvenirs!

With all this indulgent spending on Sarah, we really hope that she doesn't get too used to it especially when she gets older. In any case, I think Daddy is in for some trouble as Sarah has found a new interest in none other than his wallet! Get your little hands away Sarah, that is Mommy's job! ;)

Teething Pains

2009-03-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yawwwwn. Last night was a rough night for me as Sarah is teething again, this time working on tooth #5 and 6. As much as I grumble about it, it really wasn't too painful for me as I sometimes miss the late-night visits and Daddy didn't hear a thing as usual. Anyway, Sarah didn't take her bedtime bottle at the usual time so she woke up hungry at 1:30am. Then she woke up crying a short time after at around 3:00am. On bad teething days, we usually give Sarah some natural homeopathic tablets but I guess she was still in pain so in came the Baby Tylenol. She fell asleep quickly after that :)

Anyhow, Sarah isn't too crazy about the strange sensations going on inside her mouth - I don't blame her! - and we all can't wait until the rest of her teeth come through. In the meantime however, Sarah will just have to grin and bear it though she clearly isn't amused! ;)

M'mm M'mm Good

2009-03-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Old Lady Winter refuses to retreat and we are still getting hit with bouts of snow so we haven't been out and about too much of late. Despite the wintry weather, I am hopeful that the warm weather doesn't come with a vengeance because I am still working on getting Sarah's wardrobe stocked up for sun and surf. I can't wait for better weather though, since I have already picked up a few cute pieces, including some girly dresses, so that there is absolutely no way that Sarah can be mistaken for a little boy! ;)

Since we haven't done this in a while, we decided to measure and weigh Sarah ourselves tonight. According to the growth chart, she is currently in the 50th percentile for weight (21 lbs) but less than that for height (26 inches). Chubby and short isn't exactly the ideal combination, so hopefully she doesn't stay that way for too long! haha

And speaking of chubby, Sarah continues to eat like a champ and has truly become a foodie much like her parents. She hasn't grown tired of trying out new foods and will want to taste whatever is on our plates. Here is Sarah enjoying some mixed fruit for dessert after dinner tonight :)

March Madness

2009-03-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

It's already March, but that doesn't mean that winter weather has passed. In fact, it was quite the contrary for us today. The snow queen reared her ugly head on us, sending us some of the white stuff. Luckily however, the snow that fell quickly melted so we took Sarah to the community centre for some jungle-gym time. While Sarah enjoyed crawling through tunnels and going for rides down the slide, I think what she liked most was watching the other older kids play :)

In other related news, Sarah is now getting stronger and more confident at standing on her own. She can stand without support for several seconds every so often - not a huge developmental leap, but it is an accomplishment in any case. She is also starting to use her walker-toy more, although she still prefers to be 'driven' around in her tiny car. I guess she is living up to the meaning of her name ;)

Finally, Sarah is also talking a lot more. Whenever Sarah hears the garage door open on a weeknight, I will ask her who that is and she responds with "ba-ba", presumably meaning 'Daddy'. That might be her first word but I have a strong feeling that it might well be "yummy" because she is a hearty eater and always says "mmmm!" every time she eats something that she likes! :)

She Wore An Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny...

2009-02-28T22:20:00.000-08:00

As you already know, one of Sarah's current favourite activities is being chauffeured around the house in her little ride-on car. Seeing that she sits up very well now and knows to hold on to the car's handlebars, we took her out this afternoon to try out some rides to prepare her for Playland this summer. Luckily we had brought our stash of quarters, loonies and toonies with us because it cost us an arm and a leg for a 1-minute ride. But it was so worth it because Sarah had a wonderful time ;)

In case you were giving us the benefit of the doubt, no we didn't return from our afternoon empty-handed. Honestly, it is very difficult to guess how big Sarah will be so we shop often to buy clothes that fit her current size. Plus it also gives me an excuse to re-live my mall-rat days :)

Anyway, my hunt for a bathing suit for Sarah ended today with a purchase from Children's Place. Yay! Daddy actually approved of (and picked out) this one and when we got home, I absolutely had to try it on her. Call me biased but she looked so unbelievably cute in it, especially when paired with the matching terry cover-up that we could not leave behind ;) Apologies for the blurriness but our camera has not been able to keep up with her constant moving... :)

To finish off the afternoon, Sarah passed out in the car within two minutes of us leaving the mall. She still prefers not to sleep in her stroller and stayed up pretty much all afternoon. Sweet dreams Sarah!

PS. Hugs and kisses to Homee and Capital M for the wonderful baby news. We can not wait to meet the new addition!

Snow To Usher In Spring Perhaps?

2009-02-25T21:44:00.000-08:00

It was indeed a wacky Wednesday in our fair town, with snow falling outside. Come on already, it is late February and we are still not cleared of the white stuff! Anyway, this was the view from our patio. Yuck.

Sarah was obviously also not impressed nor pleased that Mother Nature had wreaked havoc on us yet again.
Thank goodness, however, the snow was short-lived and we did not have to dig ourselves out as we did in the heart of winter! :)

Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing, Baby

2009-02-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

We were treated to one last gorgeous day of sunshine so off we went to the local Japanese restaurant for cheap and good sushi (there is such a thing, if you don't mind mediocre customer service). Anyway, Daddy took Sarah home afterwards while I went off galivanting with Christina for the afternoon. But enough about me...

Sarah has become more 'vocal' about her likes and dislikes, throwing a mini-fit here and there when she doesn't get her way. She is however such a well-mannered baby 90% of the time that her tantrums are not really worth complaining about nor even be considered as such. Anyway, Sarah has shown a definite interest in going for rides in her car around the living room and will even try to get on it herself. Daddy has been getting a good workout 'driving' the car while she sits proudly as though she were on a parade float :)

Another one of Sarah's big likes right now is watching The Wiggles and other music videos on YouTube at the computer. She enjoys it so much that she will sit still on our lap with her mouth wide open, while watching the four grown men sing and dance to her delight. I don't mind singing along and doing the actions with Sarah but oh how I would love to sleep without having one of these darn songs in my head the entire night!

And finally in toy-related news... Daddy is a tech-toy junkie so you can imagine his excitement when he learned that LeapFrog is introducing a Blackberry for babies! I have a good feeling that Sarah will have one in her hot little hands as soon as it gets released. So much for playing with the real thing!

It's A Beautiful Day, Don't Let It Get Away

2009-02-20T14:48:00.000-08:00

It's another gorgeous day so off we went for a good long walk after lunch. Despite having full-on sunshine in the middle of February with nary a cloud in the sky, it was still quite chilly in our alpine neighbourhood so I was glad I had Sarah bundled up good. It is pretty ridiculous though because the playground still had enough snow that deterred us from staying for a little swing time.

Our stroller walks are starting to become more interactive nowadays. As you know, we took Sarah out for walks as soon as we got the Baby Bjorn shortly after her arrival, but while there was the obvious close physical bonding, there was not much else in terms of true 'learning' opportunities. Now, whenever we go out, I will point things out to Sarah ("Look, Sarah, that is a tree/dog/etc.") and she will reply in baby-talk. It is very cute and makes talking to her that much more enjoyable now that there is a response coming from the other end ;)

Anyway, I positively can not wait until the weather warms up so that I can get Sarah into a bikini (Daddy-permitting) for a swim at the local pool. Now that will be loads of fun for our water-loving little girl!

Let's Get Loud

2009-02-18T22:04:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday so off we went to see my folks for our weekly dose of dysfunction and loud ruckus. It truly isn't all that bad and I honestly enjoy the buzz of activity and conversation since the other days of the week tend to be much quieter. Anyway, Sarah was intrigued by Toffee this week and was even bold enough to try and pet him while having her afternoon snack. Ahhh, how I long for those innocent days :)

Speaking of Toffee, Sarah's vocabulary continues to grow at a fast pace. Just today, I pointed Toffee out to her and she immediately caught on (no joke!) and could point to the 'doggy' when I asked where he was. I also made her a photo album with pictures of our family and I think it has helped her to identify who is who and she will look at the right person when we ask where is 'so and so'. It's really amazing how fast their little brains absorb information!

Finally, as you know, Sarah is not shy about trying different foods and today was no exception. 'Po Po' made our little piggy beef stew for dinner tonight and I also got to take home a big batch of it for freezing, which is great because that means less time spent slaving away over the stove for me ;)

Partying It Up At Play Paradise

2009-02-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

With my dreaded return to work just around the corner, it is time for me to think about Sarah's 1st birthday party. In my search for a possible venue, we went to a playcentre in the area after lunch today. It was unbelievably quiet there, with only a handful of kiddies playing. Apparently it is normally a lot busier there but I guess with it being Valentine's Day, most families are out doing other things. It was perfect for Sarah though, since she got to play with whatever she wanted. Anyway, the centre is pretty much a kid's playroom or living room on a large scale, complete with sofas, magazines and food for us big people. Sarah had a great time as usual and Daddy and I wanted to jump into the bouncy castle with her but she isn't old enough for that yet ;)

It's Raining Cats And Dogs

2009-02-13T22:39:00.000-08:00

It's Friday so no cooking for me! Sarah and I met up with Daddy at the super-mall this evening for some healthy food-court fare instead. Come to think of it, we have never been out with Sarah this late other than meeting with family for dinners so it was a real treat for us. Sarah was again really well-behaved in her stroller - she didn't even fight to get out even though she enjoys being mobile so much. Yessss!! This may seem like small potatoes but this is a major victory for someone who used to madly rock or marathon-walk the stroller to get baby to quiet down or sleep. Hmm...that explains why I didn't take her out much in the beginning ;)

Tomorrow marks Sarah's first Valentine's Day! To celebrate this occasion, I picked up a few gifts for her. She enjoys playing with those bead-chaser toys so I bought a ball-version from Fisher-Price. And of course, every Asian girl must have her very own token Sanrio doll, so we made a pit-stop at Build-A-Bear. Thirty dollars later, we left with a Hello Kitty doll, complete with her first outfit. Believe it or not, my sister did not find anything Sanrio when they were in Hong Kong but for some unknown reason, Hello Kitty has made a serious come-back here. Who woulda thunk it?

No shopping trip with Sarah is complete without a visit to the pet store, so we stopped there before heading home. Now I am strongly against getting a pet from the pet store - dogs and cats anyway - even though I am a two-time culprit myself. Oprah's show on puppy mills will have you feeling the same. The next time I ever think about getting a pet, it will most definitely come from the local SPCA shelter. And now that I got that out...

We had the camera ready in case Sarah would break out into laughter again from seeing the puppies. That didn't happen. This time, the birds really caught her attention (she would wave 'hi' to them) and she was mesmerized by the fish in the large tank outside the store.

Anyway, we had a great evening out and I look forward to taking her out more now that I know she doesn't get over-stimulated by the sights and sounds. Have a good Valentine's weekend y'all!

Babytime At The Library

2009-02-12T15:07:00.000-08:00

Surprise! My blog was looking a little tired so I decided to give it a fresh coat of HTML, courtesy of The Cutest Blog on the Block, and cleaned up the extra stuff that I had added to the original layout. The design part is really what I enjoy most about having a website, although the write-ups are a close second ;)

Anyway, now that Sarah is older - a 'pre-toddler' as they call it - and stays up longer during the day, we have more options available for things to do outside of the house. Admittedly, I had been reluctant to go out with her during nap-time following her sleep-training so you can imagine my delight to see that Sarah can stay up for close to 3 hours at a time. However, it is still difficult to find something that works around Sarah's nap schedule and isn't too far to get to. Luckily however, I found a weekly Babytime session at the library so that was where we headed after lunch today.

The verdict? Well...while Babytime isn't anything special, it is really good for Sarah to socialize with other babies her age since she spends the bulk of her time with us big people. Sarah thoroughly enjoyed herself and even made a couple of new friends while playing with the bead-chaser toy. I think this class is a keeper! :)

PS. On a health-related note, Sarah has finished her antibiotics and the coughing and sniffles are now gone. Yippee!

Girl, Put Your Records On, Tell Me Your Favourite Song, You Go Ahead, Let Your Hair Down

2009-02-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. I took the afternoon off and went for lunch with a couple of girlfriends. With the 3 of us being new-ish moms (including one who is expecting #2 in the coming weeks), the conversation was inevitably centered around babies and life as a mom. It is nice to know that we all have similar challenges and I am not alone in thinking that this gig is not as easy as it may seem to some!

Anyhow, we did a little shopping after lunch to find more cool things for our little ones. As usual, I did not disappoint and returned with a few items including a new bath toy for Sarah, who is now using the full big-girl tub (yay!). Thanks Mal for finding us those neat placemats too - another thing to add to the diaper-bag but I can't wait to use it the next time we are out.

Of course, all good things must come to an end and so it was with my time away from mommy duty. No regrets, however - as I was pulling into the driveway, Daddy was just getting little Sarah up from her nap so I got to surprise her.

That's our girl! In addition to waving "hi", Sarah also knows how to go "yay" (2 arms up) and knows where her foot, Pooh Bear and truck are by either grabbing the item or looking at it or in the general direction when we ask. She is also starting to 'dance' when she hears a favourite song. Learning is tough - no wonder she is so beat by the end of the day!

Sleep 'Til You're hungry, Eat 'Til You're Sleepy

2009-02-04T14:39:00.001-08:00

Mother Nature played a cruel trick on us today, giving us a taste of spring even though that is still some months away. Sarah and I did not mind this slight stroke of luck and took advantage of it by taking a short walk after lunch. As usual, Sarah enjoyed being outside and was clearly upset that I had stopped to take a few photos :)

Speaking of lunch, I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen these days, even more than before. Now that Sarah is almost fully established on solids and eating more, I have been making different meals for her. Aside from the congee staple, I have so far made beef stew, carrot & butternut squash soup, macaroni with chicken & carrots (thanks mom!), banana pancakes, and cheesy squash & potato mash for Sarah, among other things. She loves trying different foods - her favourite so far is tofu - and has not been fussy with eating or allergic to anything, which is great. Unfortunately however, our own meals have sometimes taken the back-seat but Daddy has been very understanding. Let's just say that those take-out menus have come in really handy for us ;)

Anyway, off I go back to the kitchen to do some more cooking. Ta-ta for now!

It's A Small World After All

2009-02-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

We are officially the parents of a 9-month-old baby/toddler girl as of today. WOW. I know they say time flies but this is honestly way faster than I had imagined or hoped. That means I only have about 3 more months to go before my time off comes to an abrupt end :( Ugh - I am dreading the thought as I write this.

Speaking of Sarah's age, it dawned on me the other day that she looks a fair bit younger than how I had 'pictured' a 9-month-old to look like. What do you think?

Aside from looking younger, Sarah is also quite tiny, attested by the fact that some of her clothes (depending on the brand) are still sized 3-6 months. Add to that, she is only just now starting to fit into her 6-12 month clothes better. Just for fun, I plugged in some numbers on a baby height calculator that I found on one on my regular website visits. Turns out Sarah is estimated to be a whopping 1-inch taller than Mommy. Oops, sorry Sarah!

Anyway, happy 9-month birthday, little girl - we hope your bronchialitis clears up soon so that we can celebrate with some cake! ;)

Root Root Root For The Home Team, If They Don't Win, It's A Shame

2009-02-01T22:54:00.000-08:00

It's Superbowl XLIII!! What better way to watch it than with the boys. Sarah showed her support for the Cardinal underdogs by wearing their team colours, but it did not work out for us in the end. Nevertheless, we had fun watching the big game and Sarah watched with intense anticipation, all the while snuggled up with Uncle Rog ;)

We also took Sarah out for a shopping trip on Saturday. While she is still fighting her cold - which now includes a bad cough (poor thing) - getting some fresh air was really good for her and we noticed that she did not cough as much while we were out. Hmmm...I wonder if I should take her to the mall more often for the sake of Sarah's health :)

Anyway, this one's for Homee. Sure, we can not mistake who is Sarah's daddy but you have to admit that she is starting to look a bit more like Mommy here! LOL

Don't Worry Baby, I Got Your Back...

2009-01-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

A-ha! As promised, I continued my cleaning this morning so Daddy was able to capture some photos of Sarah. Actually, I really didn't 'continue' to clean - I just brought out the vacuum so that Daddy could see for himself how scared she was. Aren't I mean? ;)

Anyway, little Sarah was still as freaked out of the vacuum as she was yesterday. While this hand-vac of ours is honestly very loud, it is so funny to feel Sarah behind me, hiding and clinging on to my back for dear life. Even Daddy thought it was hilarious to see her so afraid and even saw her jump when I first turned one the machine. The look of fear on her face was priceless :)

In any case, I don't think I will continue with this charade for the time-being because our not-so-baby Sarah just got her first bout of the sniffles today. Poor thing. She is still her usual cheery self but wasn't napping well today. I knew there was a reason for a rocking chair in the nursery and now I kind of regret not having one for times like these. In fact, we could have had it sooner so that Uncle Rog wouldn't have to resort to rocking Sarah while standing in a darkened bathroom ;) But I digress... Anyway, hopefully Sarah will get over her cold soon because Daddy is quite distraught to see his little Pooker like that :)

If I Were A Boy, Even Just For A Day

2009-01-23T21:23:00.000-08:00

Although Sarah may look like a boy sometimes, her 'girly' side is certainly becoming more and more apparent these days. Take for example today. It has been a while since I last vacuumed (okay, a long while :)), so this morning I thought I would take up that chore after breakfast. As soon as I started up the machine, you should have seen the terrified look on Sarah's face! Not only did she whimper but she also had to hide behind me the entire time I had the vacuum cleaner on, standing while clinging to my back for dear life. It was so funny and cute to see her so afraid! I guess it's a sure sign that I need to vacuum more often eh? ;) Anyway, it is too bad I was home alone so I don't have any evidence of this, however I am planning to continue my pre-Chinese New Year cleaning tomorrow so hopefully I will have some pictures or a video by then :)

In other news, Sarah did another funny thing tonight. As you know, she has a Rubbermaid toy-box in our living room that she digs through from time to time. Anyway, tonight she decided that she would empty out the entire box while still searching for whatever it is she keeps looking for. It is truly amusing to watch her examine each toy briefly before tossing it aside and continuing her hunt!

Here is an idea of how much junk she pulled out from the box - luckily it was easy for us to clean up afterward :)

We're Gonna Party Like It's 4707, Chinese-Style!

2009-01-20T20:28:00.000-08:00

Remember how I told you that Sarah is getting into everything these days? Well, being the small kid that she is, Sarah managed to get herself literally under our barstool. She looks trapped but really she just crawled under the chair and pulled herself up using one of the footrests. She is one adventurous little girl!

With the Year of the Ox right around the corner (it lands on January 26th this year), I am teaching Sarah some proper 'little kid' etiquette for the holiday. Here she is learning how to 'ching ching' for red envelopes. I already have an outfit picked out for her to wear that day - actually, it is a traditional outfit that my mom bought for her when they were in Hong Kong. I can't wait to see how she looks in that - hopefully it won't look too hokey :)

And finally, since I have not recorded any clips of Sarah fresh out of bed lately, I thought I would do so this afternoon. With her new-found and well-practiced mobility, we always seem to find Sarah standing at the side of the crib, waiting for one of us to get her when she is done sleeping!

More Outdoor Play

2009-01-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

It's another sun-filled day in our sometime paradise. Sarah finished her lunch more quickly so we had time for a short afternoon walk. Normally, I struggle with deciding whether to have her strapped in her stroller - especially when she's already 'tied' to the high-chair over lunch - or let her play freely indoors, but we just had to take advantage of the warm sunshine so I made an executive decision and went with the former. I am glad that we went for our walk and I think Sarah misses it too for we used to go every day in the summer. Also luckily, with Sarah being able to stay up longer, we still had ample time for indoor play-time when we got home so my decision wasn't a hard one to make :)

PS. For those smart cookies who noticed - yes it is another stroller :) We have become quite the stroller junkies and thinking ahead to vacations and a walking Sarah, we sold our Skate and got the Maclaren Techno XLR instead. This Maclaren is WAY lighter than the Skate (by 20+lbs!) and while I miss that stroller, this one is more convenient for carting around and will be perfect for wherever we decide to go for vacation this year!

Oh Mr. Sun Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, Please Shine Down On Me

2009-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

While our place is well above the fog line, we had a lingering thick blanket covering us this past week, so the sunshine we had today was a warm welcome. I love when it is nice and brisk like today because I can finally open some windows to let the fresh air in. Not only is it good for the home but the fresh air is apparently good for helping babies sleep ;) Sarah has been having issues with her daytime naps so I think it might be time to tweak her schedule again and either lengthen her playtime or shorten her naps. I told you the guessing game never ends! ;)

Anyway, taking advantage of the weather, Sarah and I basked in the sunshine for a few minutes out on the patio. I had wanted to take her for a walk after lunch but she did not finish until later which would mean a short walk and it isn't worth it given the time it takes to get her ready to go. Despite that, Sarah enjoyed her time outside and liked watching the three cars go by (yes, we live in a quiet neighbourhood).

Following our little siesta outside, we continued our play-time indoors. Sarah still loves to dig through her toy box to find 'new' toys to play with but we can always count on Sophie to be her (and most other babies') favourite for a while. We even had to get a second one just in case we lose this one!

As for Sarah's afternoon nap, the several minutes of fresh air has seemed to do the trick so far - fingers crossed - but it could also be that Daddy is back at work that is getting things back to normal for us at home! ;)

Wining and Dining

2009-01-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

With Sarah in tow, we normally hit the regular Chinese and/or kid-friendly restaurants for grub, so it was a rare treat to go somewhere with white tablecloths and candlelight tonight. And it wasn't only because it is the annual Dine Out Vancouver event - we all went to The Cannery to celebrate my sister's birthday. Given the annual discounted dining event, the Asians were out in full force but it didn't seem as bad as in previous years. I guess with the better restaurant manners, it wasn't as embarrassing :)

Considering the restaurant's environment, Sarah did surprisingly well and did not fuss while sitting in her seat, although she didn't care for my dad's looks (sorry Dad - not sure what it was). As you know, Sarah is adventurous with her food repertoire, so I let her have some bread and try some of my potato and corn chowder. She actually quite enjoyed the soup but with the paprika in it, it was a bit spicy so I only let her have a taste.

All in all, we enjoyed a nice evening out and I was happy that Sarah behaved herself and didn't really fuss even though she was getting a bit sleepy (guess the dim lighting didn't help either). I think the best part of the night for Sarah was getting to take home my sister's birthday balloon. The best part for me however was getting to put Sarah in a fancy schmancy dress for the night! :)

Finally, just for kicks, here is a new favourite picture of mine. Sarah likes to socialize while having her meals and she gave me the biggest and happiest grin while having some water from her juice box after lunch yesterday. So cute! :)

Baby Babbles

2009-01-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

I have been diligently identifying people to Sarah and so far she has 'Daddy' and 'Mommy' down pact, looking in our direction whenever we ask, "Where's Daddy/Mommy?". As for talking, she has started to add a combination of sounds to her vocabulary, saying words like "ga", "ka", "la", etc. along with her other babble. She continued to do this over dinner tonight and didn't stop even after she was done. It is simply the most adorable thing to watch her do. Anyway, here I was feeding Sarah dinner tonight when suddenly out of the blue, she said "Da" out loud for the first time! Of course, Daddy is very proud of Sarah for saying that and I am also very excited that she is starting to make out words, although secretly I am hoping that "ma ma" or "mommy" will be her first real word.

Here is a snippet of her baby babble. But beware, it is VERY cute (in my biased opinion) :)

In other news, as you know, Sarah has no shortage of new toys from Christmas and has been having a grand old time with all of them. In fact, we should probably invest in stocks of the Energizer Bunny because practically every toy she likes requires some sort of batteries. So much for the 'natural' toys from our time. Anyway, here she is having fun at her Laugh & Learn Kitchen from 'Po Po'. As you can see, she no longer likes to sit still and prefers to stand whenever she is playing with something!

Help, I need somebody...Help, not just anybody...Help, you know I need someone...

2009-01-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hack. Hack. This never-ending cough is making me miserable and I am sure that Sarah isn't fond of it either, for story and singing time are not quite the same with me losing my voice half-way through a book or song. In any case, Sarah is enjoying Daddy's week off at home and even "helped" him put together her new walker toy. Here she is reading the instructions to Daddy.

And of course, this includes having a taste of the paper...

...before Daddy decides to read the instructions to Sarah Pie instead.

This extra time with Daddy is hard to come by and Sarah and I are lucky to have him home with us for the week because he will be starting a new job on Monday. However, with the new commute, he will likely not have as much time to spend with Sarah before her bed-time, so his special one-on-one games with her will have to make do. Her favorite game to play with Daddy right now is "Super Girl" - it never ceases to amuse her and she absolutely LOVES flying high and low all over the house. She even finds it more fun if you "fly" along with her!

PS. Thank you Uncle Homee and Auntie Capital M for the cute Hello Kitty shirt - it looks ADORABLE on Sarah and I have already put her in it 4 times since we got it :)

The Bottom of the Barrel

2009-01-05T21:19:00.000-08:00

YAY - I am finally on my way to recovering from the last bit of the flu. While my appetite still needs to improve, I did eat more than I have eaten the last several weeks at Wendy and Kevin's tonight. Thanks for the wonderful hot-pot dinner guys - it really did me some good! Yum.

To get out of the house and some much-needed fresh air, I took the afternoon off yesterday (before it started snowing hard again) and did some post-Christmas shopping. Actually, I had to exchange a few gifts and pick up a few necessities that I had been meaning to get before I fell sick. And of course, no shopping trip would be complete without getting something for Sarah. This time, I picked up her first pair of Puma sneaks from Foot Locker. They are so cute and look so great with the Roots sweats that Daddy picked up for her. I know, I know - it is a bit much, but remember we are only having one kid so we don't mind treating her to a nice wardrobe while she is young. It will be a different story when she gets older of course ;)

Finally, I went through our video archives and thought I would post a clip from early December since I haven't added any in a while. Here is Sarah digging through her Rubbermaid toy chest, looking for something that was obviously stuck at the very bottom. I never did figure out what she was looking for, but it was fun watching her try her hardest to get at whatever it was!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

After 12 days of laying in bed succumbed by the blasted flu, I finally emerged and feel almost back to normal. The coughing is slowly starting to go away and my appetite is nowhere near normal yet but I am at least up and about. And I certainly don't mind that I have shed much of those dreaded preggy pounds during these past several days ;)

With my sudden stroke of misfortune (not to mention the multiple dumps of snow), Sarah's first Christmas was not the best that it could have been, though it was memorable. Daddy took her to a pre-Christmas dinner at her Yeh-Yeh and Ma-Ma's house and then to Christmas Day lunch at Auntie Wendy and Uncle Kevin's place while I stayed in bed. He was also planning to take her to my family's big Christmas shindig but I was feeling pretty rotten and he didn't want to go so far that night.

Anyway, being that it was Sarah's first Christmas, you can imagine the score she got. I did not get a chance to tally everything but if you feel so inclined to count, feel free to do so!

Oops, I forgot to include these...

And one more...

With all these new toys and including some RESP money she received, Sarah is well-stocked for now. Her first birthday comes up in a few short months so hopefully we will be able to find new things for her to explore.

Thanks to all of our family, friends and neighbours who helped make Sarah's first Christmas the very best it could be!

Bah Humbug

2008-12-21T20:54:00.000-08:00

'Hate' is a strong word but that is how I feel about this huge dump of snow that we just received. And that's not even the end of it yet. The white stuff is expected to continue right through to Christmas Eve and Day which means we could be housebound for Sarah's very first Christmas. That royally sucks. Bah humbug indeed.

Anyway, seeing that we were blanketed in the white stuff, Sarah decided to have Christmas come early and helped herself to a present from under the tree. If I knew how much fun she would have ripping away the paper, I should have wrapped up some boxes in Christmas wrap and let her have at it instead of buying her a gift!

Sarah is getting better and better at standing now and is able to pull herself up on just about anything. While she isn't furniture-surfing yet, she is exploring all sorts of surfaces, including Daddy's prized TV. Luckily there are no fingerprints on the screen yet but I'm sure that will come in no time. Guess he will just have to add a new TV to his Christmas wish list for next year ;)

Almost A Big Girl

2008-12-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

Now that Sarah requires more energy outta little ol' me now, sometimes the simple things must take a back-seat until it's nap-time. This morning, it took me three re-heats of my Ovaltine (which I never finished) and multiple treks up and down the stairs before I could finally sit down and add to my blog. Ahhh...it does feel nice to sit back and relax a bit after 2 full hours of non-stop action. No wonder Daddy isn't keen to trade places with me ;) Last night was no exception to the energy requirements but at least Daddy was home to watch her closely while I watched the Linden tribute on the tube. Apparently, vertical blinds provide an easy source of entertainment.

To keep this little monkey from getting into trouble, Daddy dropped the crib down a level. I was initially nervous that the new height would cause some sleep issues, but Sarah was fine and it has not affected her sleep at all. Although I am getting a bit emotional because it almost looks like she is in a big-girl bed. Sigh.

And finally, it has taken me a really long time to get this but I finally managed to get a picture of Sarah's two baby teeth! She is currently going through another phase of teething, so by the time I get the next photo, she may have another few teeth to display :)

Keep On Movin!

2008-12-16T16:28:00.001-08:00

It feels like I am constantly on the run these days - literally. Sarah has treated us to another developmental leap and is now getting the hang of crawling up the stairs, which means I get to play the fun game of chasing her around the house. So far, she has only gotten up the one stair that has a large landing but it is still pretty impressive, given that we only showed her how to do this a few short days ago.

And just because she likes to surprise us, Sarah is also starting to stand up on her own! As you know, we have been supporting her on her feet while she plays. Now she has proven that she can perform this feat independently. In fact, when I went to get her after her afternoon nap today, I found her standing at the side of her crib! (Un)luckily she takes on her mommy and doesn't have height on her side so she wasn't leaning dangerously over the crib. While I am proud that she can do this so quickly, I also feel a bit cursed at the same time because she is getting too advanced far too quickly for her own good. Sure they say that girls develop more quickly than boys, but does it have to be this fast? :) Oh well, it's still all very exciting for us and it means that I will have a little helper sooner rather than later! Yay Sarah - keep on movin'! Daddy will have to play 'handyman' again...

Video Withdrawal Help

2008-12-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

Apparently some followers of Sarah's blog have been going through "video withdrawal" so I thought I would oblige and post some clips that I took this afternoon :) Actually, I am terrible with the camera and often forget to have it close by at all times, which means that I don't always capture all of the precious moments so thanks for the friendly reminder.

Anyway, Sarah is very particular about who she opens up to and almost always displays her quiet side when she is around others, even those she is familar with. In fact, people think that she is quite serious and reserved when they first meet her. When she is at home, however, I get the fortunate pleasure of watching her squeal and shriek to her heart's content - something that I absolutely adore. Here's a clip of her laughing at my silly faces (actually, it's just me raising my eyebrows at her) shortly after finishing her lunch. Beware the decibal level is quite high so turn down your speakers unless you want to broadcast it across the room :)

And folks, today is your lucky day for we are offering 2-for-1 video clips just for all you blog followers. Here is Sarah rummaging through the recycling basket again - this one's for you, Auntie P!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2008-12-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

Alright folks, I did it. As of this afternoon, our Christmas tree is finally decorated! Yay! It isn't really all that attractive but I used the most Sarah-friendly and basic ornaments that I could rummage from the garage. I guess it works out for when I take it all down sometime in the new year :)

Did I mention that Sarah is starting to grow tired of crawling now? Not only does she feel that commando crawling is good enough for her, but she also wants to stand now. Guess the novelty of crawling is starting to wane. While this of course is very exciting for us, it means that our arms are getting a work-out just to hold her up so that she can play without toppling over. Anyway, I think she has gotten the hang of it and is happily exploring around the house. Who woulda thought that a recycling basket would be so interesting? ;)

15 Days & Counting...

2008-12-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! Christmas shopping is finally in full swing. The momentum got a kick-start in the arse at Babies R Us last night. As usual, I spent a pretty penny there but this time I was able to restrain myself and only picked up some essentials (and a token toy from my trip) for Sarah and a few presents. The weather people are predicting our first snowfall this weekend so I thought I would stock up on some extra-thick and warm crib sheets just in case they are correct for once.

To keep the momentum going strong, we went to the super-mall today for some more shopping. Sarah napped well in her stroller (for 45 minutes anyway, which is great when we're out and about) and was content staying put so I managed to check off another 4 names off the list and didn't totally break the bank doing so either. As for my tree however, it remains bare but I am still determined to get it fully decorated come the weekend.

Speaking of Christmas, it has arrived early for Sarah. In fact, she is already playing with a gift she received from daddy's work. Mind you, it wasn't wrapped - at least it wasn't when it came home with daddy - so we just let her have at it. She is bound to get a few more on Christmas Day itself I'm sure.

By the way, Sarah is totally getting into everything now. I mean everything. Daddy found her under our dusty side table in the living room when he turned his back on her for a moment to put a few toys away. She even managed to get into her Rubbermaid bin - with a little nudge from mommy - and played for a few minutes there. Quite the little monkey indeed!

Countdown to Christmas

2008-12-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

It has been another uneventful few weeks in Sarah's world. While Sarah continues to crawl up a storm and I'm secretly dreading the moment she starts to walk, it hasn't been so news-worthy to warrant a blog post. The fam left little ol' me behind and went away to Hong Kong to attend a family wedding so Sarah did not get any play-dates in with her little cousin Matthew. I was going to surprise them and meet them there but by the time I had thought of that, prices were stupidly horrendous. Points were an option but that would mean that I would fly solo with Sarah and I would have preferred to fly with someone. Anyhow, everyone flew back into town on Sunday morning so we stayed for a longer visit that evening since we didn't see them for so long. Of course, Sarah scored big as usual - so big that I have only brought back half of her haul so far. One of her new favourite toys is a hand-held drum souvenir that Po-Po and Gong-Gong brought back from Beijing. It is a little noisy but I love watching her shake the drum and she loves it too.

On another note, only *16* more sleeps until Christmas. Sigh. I haven't even bought ANY presents yet and even more embarrassing is the fact that I have had the tree up since the beginning of the month but without any ornaments on it. Nada. Zilch. Zee-ro. I've got the lights up but that really doesn't count since it's a pre-lit tree. I will resolve to get it up by the weekend...keep you posted.

Finaly, speaking of the weekend, the holiday-related event invites are slowly starting to come in. I am excited because Sarah will get to meet Santa for the first time at my work's kiddie Christmas party on Saturday. Hopefully she won't be too scared of the big white beard or the jolly ol' man himself! :)

Sitting Pretty

2008-11-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

As Sarah's small legion of followers already know, Sarah has been crawling commando-style for about 2 weeks now. While she is still making her way around the house that way, it seems that she is wanting to by-pass crawling altogether and try to stand instead. It is so cute the way she pulls herself into the downward dog pose and stays that way for a few seconds. Aside from wanting to stand, Sarah is starting to get the hang of sitting up on her own and even tries to pull herself up to sit up from the crawling position. She often misses and tips over but she's very determined and keeps trying. Daddy played 'handyman' again and put up baby gate #2 today so we're getting even more prepared for the eventual milestone of crawling up the stairs and walking! :)

A "Hair-Raising" Tale

2008-11-29T21:17:00.000-08:00

Sarah's hair is finally growing longer and the bald spot on the back of her head is slowly being replaced by fine, wavy hair. I can hardly wait until I can put her hair up into pony or pig-tails for what to do with her current 'do is a mystery to me. I've been looking for ways to do her hair, but have only had moderate success with a funky mohawk look (which looks pretty cute if you ask me), but it doesn't really suit her. Guess I'll just have to patiently wait until the hair on the back of her head grows out before I get more options. Anyway, here is a shot of her current 'hairstyle' while checking out daddy's BB...maybe I should hire a personal stylist for her like all the Hollywood babies! ;)

On another note, we went out on a l-o-n-g overdue 'date night' sans Sarah for the first time since Sarah's arrival (sad but true)! Sure, it was just dinner at a local sushi joint followed by a shopping run at Superstore but it was nice to be out without watching the time too closely. A GAZILLION thanks to Auntie Pat & Wendy for coming by to babysit Sarah - I'm really glad that she wasn't too difficult and didn't totally scare you guys off! :)

PS. Teething Update - Sarah now has two teeny weeny baby teeth that are surprisingly razor-sharp (as witnessed by Auntie W) so watch out all you fingers! :)

Catnaps & Meals On Wheels

2008-11-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

Since her birth, Sarah was never one to fall asleep easily outside of her bed so imagine my surprise to find her fast asleep in my arms after her morning bottle today. Usually she plays by herself after finishing this bottle while I clean up in the kitchen, but she seemed content this morning in my arms so I just let her be while we caught up on the morning news. I had just happened to look down and there she was, passed out peacefully in my arms. It was so sweet!

In other news, we took Sarah out to the mall for dinner this week, where she got to try out the communal high-chairs offered in the food court. We normally leave her in the stroller for her meals but it turns out she did better while sitting in the high-chair, although she kept following the conversation at the table beside us :)

I'm Comin' To Getcha!

2008-11-16T14:44:00.000-08:00

Daddy installed a baby gate for us this afternoon, officially making Sarah a permanent resident in our home ;) While we weren't able to find any gates that fit our design aesthetic, it is good timing because Sarah is now getting really comfortable on all fours and getting even better at crawling the proper way. Now that we have some form of protection from the stairs for Sarah, I am not as worried whenever I look up from the kitchen and can't find this little girl of ours. Now if only I can find a way to keep her away from the Christmas tree :)

Sarah's View Of Her World

2008-11-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

Baby-proofing requires more effort than I had thought. I mean, I thought that all we really needed are some plug covers and quick-thinking action, right? I am so wrong. While Sarah has not fully mastered crawling yet, she has discovered a way to move ALL around our living/dining room to explore everything that she can get her little hands on.

For instance, she found a new interest in the cable box, daddy's beloved PS3 and everything else in that corner...

She also found a bag full of coin wrappers that were apparently quite tasty...

And she found the sound from her fingers scratching the shredder box to be equally entertaining!

Now that she has officially taken over the main floor, daddy will have to consider erecting an electric fence around his prized TV and mommy will just have to temporarily live with a non-designer-inspired home! ;)

First Everythings

2008-11-12T10:17:00.000-08:00

Having a kid allows us ample opportunity to capture all sorts of milestones, from their first smile to first tooth to first word etc. etc. My friend's friend has even continued this tradition into her kid's teenage years, snapping a photo of her son with his date at their first Grade 8 dance (poor guy)! Anyway, as another first for us, we took professional family photos with my friend Melissa at Voth Photography and I just received the proofs today. Thanks Melissa & Sean - we are thrilled with how they turned out and especially LOVE the ones of Sarah smiling for the camera :)

Mrs. Dress-Up

2008-11-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since we had dinner with my family at a restaurant. Come to think of it, I think it was the first time since Sarah's 1-month dinner so that made it extra-special for us - I even wore boots instead of my trusty sneaks! ;) Anyway, I thought it was an opportune time to get Sarah into a dress, which is a very rare thing in itself. Daddy bought her a Hello Kitty sweater dress that we paired with a pair of tights and some stylin' booties. Surely no-one can mistake her for a girl now! Anyhow, I had lots of fun playing dress-up with her and I think more dress shopping is in order now that the holidays are fast approaching :)

Fall Days At The Park

2008-11-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

Another event today - Sarah is definitely becoming quite the social butterfly, albeit slowly. Daisy Yee-Yee and cousin Matthew stopped by for an impromptu visit today. Since we were lucky to get a rare break from the countless days of rain and yucky weather, we took Matthew and Sarah to the park after finishing a quick lunch. It was getting dark again so it was only a short jaunt but Sarah got to try a swing for the first time and enjoyed it even though it doesn't look like it. You'll just have to trust me and I blame the camera shutter speed for that. Hmmm...a Christmas wish perhaps? ;)

Alo-ha!

2008-11-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

It is astonishing just how much extra stuff is needed to bring a baby out and about. I may have mentioned that the trunk on our mini-SUV was practically full before we left for our US road trip. Well, it is apparently no different for the casual family function. We had dinner with Sarah's daddy's family tonight and just for that, we had to lug with us her diaper bag, dinner and a Thifty Foods bag chock-full of toys to keep her well-entertained. Needless to say, we are very glad that we bought the new car for the additional space is priceless!

Anyway, Sarah is becoming much more social these days and I think she thoroughly enjoyed the company at dinner. To make this weekly event more special, Auntie Wendy and Uncle Kevin brought back a bunch of goodies from their vacation to Maui (we are so jealous). As usual, Sarah scored big again - she received her very first lei, a Hawaiian print dress that will be perfect for a day at the beach, a Classic Pooh cordoroy jacket and a second summer dress. Mahalo Auntie Wendy & Uncle Kev!

Your Crib Or Mine?

2008-11-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

Our friends, Mal and Donald, happened to be in our neck of the woods today and stopped by for a visit with their new baby. It was really nice to hold a wee one again - it feels like eons ago when I experienced that myself :) Rylan is a pretty good baby, very easy-going and actually doesn't mind his car-seat - if we only knew what that was like! ;) Anyway, Sarah seemed quite intrigued with her new friend and I think they will enjoy some great times together!

Order Up!

2008-11-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

It has been another uneventful week, except for a visit to see Sarah's doctor for her 6-month shots. That little girl of ours is a real trooper. I was warned that by around this time, Sarah would learn that doctor equals ouchies and that we should be prepared for some tears. But she surprised us yet again. The doctor administered the first shot without any protest or crying from Sarah and the second shot only caused a slight whimper. No tears whatsoever! That is really good because it makes these visits less stressful for mommy and daddy.

In the food department, Sarah continues to eat solids very well. I am giving her lots of variety for her meals and have been giving her cereal mixed with fruit for breakfast, veggies for lunch, and veggie combos and fruit for dessert at dinner-time. Today, I made some congee with chicken that didn't go over too well - guess it was too bland for her. Anyway, I'll try again and make it a little differently next time. I totally feel like a Chinese kitchen short-order cook but it beats buying cans of jarred food for her ;)

Lastly, I may have bluffed earlier but I really believe now that Sarah is a few short weeks (if not days) away from perfecting her crawl. Not only has she got the position down now, but she has also learned to turn and reach for toys by lunging toward the items. By the way, one of her new favourite toys isn't a fancy light-up electronic toy but an empty tissue box...go figure!

PS. On an unrelated note, I was watching Ellen the other day and noticed that Stryker has been replaced! What's up with that?

Half-Birthday Bumps

2008-11-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

It truly is a wonder how unbelievably fast time flies when you are having as much fun as I have been so lucky to have. Sarah is 6 months old today. Already! Where has the time gone? It honestly feels like it was just yesterday that we brought Sarah home from the hospital and now she is all "grown up" sitting in a high-chair, eating solids and doing all the other 'big girl' things. Before we know it, she will be tearing through the house and we will have to resort to using a baby leash just to keep some sort of tabs on her! As for celebrating, we don't have anything special planned but I will be treating Sarah to her first taste of apple juice for lunch. Yippee! It's the simple things that matter... :)

Teething & Tantrums

2008-11-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

To get Sarah used to eventually brushing her teeth, we had been diligently washing Sarah's gums every morning since Day 1. Anyway, daddy was 'brushing" Sarah's gums on Friday when he felt a piercing sting on his finger. Sarah's first tooth is starting to come out and boy is it ever sharp! So far she has been pretty co-operative with this strange new sensation, for it didn't even occur to us that this was even happening. But that is where the good news ends for now. I think the teething pains are coming on stronger - she is not wanting to eat as much again (preferring the bottle) and is getting a little more testy with us. The fussiness actually doesn't bother me so much as it is quite entertaining :)

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

Yay! The day has finally arrived! Daddy took the day off work to join Sarah and I in the festivities. While we won't be venturing out in costume ourselves, we are bringing Sarah trick or treating at the mall. Yippee - bring on the Kit-Kat bars! :) Have a safe and happy Halloween y'all...

Update: So we only scored one Kit-Kat bar from our mall trick or treating session :( Oh well, at least we had fun and I think Sarah enjoyed herself too. Now if only people would stop setting off the firecrackers - we have a baby who is trying to sleep! Grrr.... :)

A Sign Of Things To Come Perhaps?

2008-10-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

I think Sarah gave me a small taste of life with a two-year-old today. As you know, meal-time with Sarah can be a long drawn-out process - she eats like mommy - so in order to speed things up, I took away the toy that attaches to the high-chair. However, I did give her a spoon to play with while I was heating up her lunch (don't ask me why). Here is where the 'taste test' comes in. I take away the spoon that Sarah has in her hands and she immediately starts crying and fussing until I give it back to her! That was the first time that has ever happened. Anyway, I didn't give in and sang to her instead while she had her cereal. Hmmm...I wonder if that's worse? :)

My Contribution to Saving the Economy

2008-10-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

To satisfy my love of window-shopping while at home, I have been scouring various retail websites for clothes, toys, and whatever else might come to mind at the time. One place that I recently re-introduced myself to is good old Craigslist. I can't believe the scores of deals that can be found there, especially for baby-related items and not to mention costumes for Halloween. Kiddies, especially those who are only several months old, are only in costumes for pictures so there are some really good bargains out there. Since Sarah still hasn't grown into her cow costume (and not wanting her to look the same as cousin Matthew), I decided to take a look at what is available and found a gently-used costume for Sarah that only set us back $10. YAY! I'll wait until Friday to spill the beans on what she's going to be :)

If that wasn't a bargain enough, I found another whopper of a deal yesterday on Craigslist. I had been eyeing the Laugh & Learn activity toys for Sarah but they are quite pricey for a made-in-China plastic toy, so when I found the Laugh & Learn Baby Grand Piano for a steal at $15, I just had to pick it up. Oh, the pleasure of finding a good deal...

With all these new finds and to reclaim some adult space in our humble home, we are now slowly converting the office into a playroom for Sarah. Hopefully she won't get as many Christmas presents as Matthew because we are running out of room fast! Here's what the interior decorator-wannabe in me is thinking (yes, even her room needs a TV)...

A Day in the Life

2008-10-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

Aside from taking Sarah out for lunch at the mall (my current favorite kid-friendly eating spot), we spent a relatively quiet day indoors today. To pass the time while Sarah was awake and not eating, we continued to help her practice crawling, gently pulling her along the carpeted floor. It isn't nearly as brutal as it may sound and Sarah really enjoys these 'rides'. Speaking of rides, J took Sarah on a magic flying carpet ride. Okay, it is actually a laundry basket but it could double as one, can't it? I can't believe that I had never thought to use this ordinary household item as a play-thing but I think I will use it to help her practice sitting up :)

Also, as we do on a daily basis, the day included some story-time. Sarah has already built up quite the library for herself and her current favourites are by Sandra Boynton. We love them too - the characters are so cute and the stories are amusing to read. I would like to pick up some classics, like Dr. Seuss, however I am finding those hard to find. But that's okay. We have some new titles on order from Chapters - including a Mother Goose book - so we may find some new favourites soon :)

Finally, to end the day on a high note, we helped Sarah expend whatever crawling and rolling energy that was left so that she could sleep more soundly. Doing some of this helps too... ;)

An Incurable Disease

2008-10-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

Help! I have a bad bad disease that can not be easily cured. Not only am I obsessed with researching and looking for all things baby-related, but 'baby-shopping syndrome' has got me making trips to Babies 'R' Us on a much too regular basis. My case of BSS is so severe that even one of the salesclerks there remembered what I bought before. Either she has a really good memory or I am at the store way too often - or both.

Anyway, I made two trips out there this week primarily out of necessity since Sarah is now taking solids - the second trip was only because they were having a sale that started today. What I had to get were some beginner sippy cups, a baby-food freezer tray (basically glorified ice-cube trays but with snap-on lids) and sleepers that were marked down. While I found all that I needed, Sarah also scored a few new items yet again. Yes, I know that I can (and probably should) get only the things on the list but it is so hard not to check out their other offerings - it is a large store after all :) What I ended up also getting were a new bathtub (this one is a necessity now that she is sitting up more), a teething bunny doll (okay, a splurge), a crawling helper thingy (another splurge), and a toy for the high-chair/booster seat (it was cheap!).

All these things for the low low price of....well, let's just say that it wasn't pennies :) But I will say in my defense that I find myself shopping continuously for Sarah because she is changing all the time and we forget about the little miscellaneous things as she continues to grow. And that's a good reason, no? ;)

Anyhow, here's Sarah going through a "dry" run of her new bathtub...

And playing with her new crawling helper thingy (it's supposed to help)...

The Grass Isn't Always Greener

2008-10-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

With all these entries about Sarah's sleeping and eating issues, I thought it timely to remember and appreciate all the good things that come with that little package of ours. Now don't get me wrong - I absolutely adore my little girl and wouldn't change anything. It's just that it is so easy to dwell on the sacrifices/problems/etc. but I am making a conscious effort to take things in stride and enjoy the time with Sarah because she is after all only a baby once. Not to mention that this experience is a one-time deal anyway - guaranteed ;). I do sometimes long for the days when life was more spontaneous but looking back, it really isn't too vastly different. Okay, who am I kidding - it is different but it's a good different. Anyway, enough of this airy-fairy stuff - back to reality...

Nothing much has happened in Sarah-ville lately, save for the fact that she was still on her bottle strike this week up until today. Finally we have a baby who eats like a champ again!! :) (Hopefully I didn't jinx us because the day isn't over just yet.) Anyway, after having a full breakfast, Sarah scarfed down a Hungry-Man sized lunch of formula, followed by barley cereal mixed with carrot AND applesauce for dessert. She also tried "using" a sippy cup today too - still some practice required :)

Finally, as for sleep, we have an all-night snoozer again (sort of). Aside from the occasional cry out for a cuddle, Sarah has been waking consistently at 3:45am half-babbling and half-crying for about an hour before drifting off to sleep again. Assuming that it was hunger, I fed her one night but decided that would be reverting back to our old ways, so I reciprocated with a strike of my own and now I'm trying not to check in on her unless she's really persistent. I think it's slowly working ;)

Charades anyone?

2008-10-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

I have never been very good at charades. Life with a baby, however, is like a never-ending game of it made tougher because the correct answer is never obviously revealed to the players. And so Sarah continues to keep us on our toes guessing with her current eating habits. She only took the minimum amount of formula yesterday but slept through the night so now I'm really uncertain what might be the cause of her eating strike.

But thank goodness for computers and the creators of Google :) I found another strategy. Yay! Learning that the excitement of the world might be a potential source of distraction, I fed Sarah in her room as soon as I got her out of bed this morning as suggested (I usually change her before bringing her downstairs). To my amazement it worked! Well, better anyway. She took half the bottle in one sitting, which is GREAT given our recent battles. Anyway, if you're interested, I found the post by Ask Moxie to be extremely helpful and most importantly reassuring that other kiddies are causing similar grief for their parents :) The lesson? Don't sweat the eating thing because baby will always let you know when she's hungry!

Now on to the next feed. Who is going to win this round? Stay tuned...

8:45PM - The final score for today: Baby 2 - Mommy 2. At least we're even. I still think teething is the culprit. Hopefully Sarah still sleeps through the night. Guess we will have to try again tomorrow - we will figure it out some day!

Anyway, here's Sarah doing something that is more enjoyable than eating. Food is clearly over-rated to some people ;)

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

2008-10-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

A nice autumn day is hard to come by, especially where we live. So taking advantage of the good weather today, we started a new annual tradition and took Sarah to a local pumpkin patch this afternoon with Aunties Wendy & Pat and Uncle Rog. The farm itself was not very impressive (I had pictured hay-rides and the like) but since it was our first time going to a pumpkin patch ourselves, we had some good fun nonetheless.

The farm had a Tiny Tots Patch where Sarah got to pick out her very first pumpkin with Daddy's help. Daddy was a real trooper and got his hands dirty to search for the perfect one for Sarah. It was a stretch for him to do that so I was quite impressed. That's L-O-V-E I tell ya. Now let's see how he makes out with the carving part...we might just resort to our good friend Jiffy instead ;)

Unlike what I had imagined, there were no fields and fields of pumpkins but there were bunches of pre-picked ones so we still got in a few good pictures. Here are a couple shots of Sarah that I especially liked. The blue background is actually a wheelbarrow (I was having an 'artistic' moment)...

Anyway, I think we all enjoyed ourselves at the pumpkin patch. Now I can hardly wait until I can share my childhood holiday tradition with Sarah - Christmas light touring! :)

Sweet Potato Pie

2008-10-17T14:11:00.001-07:00

As promised, I not only have photos but also a video clip of Sarah trying some more sweet potato today. Auntie Christina stopped by for a lunch visit so we were able to capture the footage - thanks Chris! This time, instead of only puckering her lips and giving a little shake, Sarah included some eye-blinking for added effect. What a drama queen! I will definitely have to sign her up for acting classes one day :)

Finally, this isn't food-related but I just had to share this photo with y'all because I think it's absolutely adorable. Here is Sarah's cousin Matthew planting a wet one on her before saying bye-bye. Matthew loves Sarah and even has a Sarah doll to play with when she's not around. Yes, boys are allowed to have dolls too. Isn't that just so cute? Sarah needs more cousins - hint hint...you know who you are! :)

Becoming a foodie...

2008-10-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

Now that Sarah is familiar and doing well with baby rice cereal, I let her try some sweet potato for lunch today. The reaction to this strange new taste was priceless! Sarah would pucker her lips after taking each bite and give a little shake as the food went down. So funny! Too bad I didn't get the camera in time to take a photo of it. Maybe tomorrow...

I also let her try a Baby Mum-Mum cracker that Daisy Yee-Yee gave to Sarah. While she wasn't so sure about the sweet potato, she eagerly took the cracker. I'll bet that it was the novelty of holding something herself :)

Speaking of these crackers, I did some research on them since I wasn't sure when Sarah can actually have them. Apparently there have been some concerns around choking with this product so maybe I will wait until her solid-eating skills are well-established before giving them to her again. Also, I don't know where the Mum-Mums here are imported from, but the company issued a reassurance that the milk products are not of the tainted kind from China. I'll leave it to your discretion whether to continue offering them to your kiddies :)

On the developmental front, Sarah is still working at sitting up and constantly fights to sit upright while I'm bottle-feeding her, which makes for an even longer feeding session. It's alright though, she is beginning to get the hang of it and the novelty will wear off soon. We'll just have to continue practicing this more!

Family Get-Togethers

2008-10-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

We went home to see Granny (and 'gong gong' if he's home in time) for our usual weekly visit tonight. Dinner at Granny's is almost always a crazy affair but I love it anyway. We have Sarah's cousin Matthew tearing up the house or chasing the dog, Toffee clamoring for any attention he can get other than from Matthew, and lively (read: "loud") conversation about the day's happenings from Daisy Yee-Yee and Carina Yee-Yee and others if they make it home for dinner. This environment is a sharp contrast to what Sarah is used to with just the 3 of us and makes for quite an overwhelming experience for her. However, the little trooper seems to be getting more comfortable now, even allowing people other than Daisy Yee-Yee to carry her (which is saying a lot if you know her well)! I think she thoroughly enjoyed herself tonight :)

Following a quick cat-nap during the ride home, we had an Energizer Bunny on our hands so we played with her for a short while before her bath. Sarah tried on a pair of new booties for Daddy, who was dying to see them on her after I came home with them last night. Here she is checking them out.

And...as if new colourful cow-themed booties weren't enough to keep her entertained, Sarah quickly found a new toy in the prized remote control. Hmmm, I see Mommy & Daddy use this gadget to change images on the big black screen. Maybe I can find Pocoyo, Kai-Lan or Dragon with this myself! ;)

Late-Night Rendevous

2008-10-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

Little Reesie threw us for a loop last night, which has left me wondering if this is yet another one of her growth spurts or simply a call or test for some cuddle time. Here is a recap of what happened:

1:15am - Sarah wakes up half-crying, half-babbling. I leave her alone.
1:45am - She's still up. I go in to change her diaper.
[Silence]
2:15am - She's up again. Sigh. Whatever could it be?
2:20am - Check in on Sarah. Big par-tay going on in the crib with Pooh Bear & Gerry Giraffe tossed all over Sarah's digs. A big smile from Sarah. Hi Mommy! :)
2:25am - I feed her a small bottle. She finishes it within minutes and cries for more. I holler to J to make another bottle.
2:35am - After a quick cuddle, I return her to the crib but then notice that the sheets are wet from her drool. I holler to J again to change the bedding for us.
2:45am - Clean sheets (check), clean diaper (check), full tummy (check). Good night Sarah.

Weird! While we were groggy from waking to Sarah's babbling, we couldn't get over her cute little eyes staring at us when we were in her room. She looked so adorable that I almost wanted to take her into bed with us :)

On another note, I think I have found Sarah's favourite non-kiddie song!

Way to go Sarah - we have another Madonna fan in the making!!! :) Sorry daddy...

Knowing When To Keep Quiet

2008-10-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

Took in some valuable 'me-time' and sat on the couch to veg and catch up on my shows this evening. Yippee. Caught a new episode of one of my current favorite guilty pleasures, Jon & Kate Plus 8.

That Kate can sure be snippy with Jon - it's almost like looking in the mirror for me ;). However, I can appreciate that with 8 kids, it can be pretty easy to get impatient at the littlest thing. Just thinking about it makes me shudder - eight (or nine including hubby) different temperaments to tend to, ten mouths to feed, the diaper changes, etc. etc. I only have one kiddie to deal with and here I am wondering about what to do with an extra 1/2 hour with Sarah now that she is awake longer. Wow - guess I can't really complain about all the work that is involved. But as they say, the grass is always greener. I can't wait for Sarah to be 'x' age, but I should live in the moment - like watching Sarah practice sitting up :)

Sigh...before we know it, Sarah will be a tween - hopefully nothing like Maddie! - and we will be longing for the days we have with her now. Being loved by a baby to no tomorrow feels great and does wonders for one's ego! ;)

Things You Didn't Need To Know

2008-10-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

WARNING: The following blog entry may be offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Okay okay, it really isn't all that bad or even worth mentioning. But as the title suggests, it is something you don't need to know. That is, unless I have peaked your interest :)

Today, Sarah had her first solid poopy diaper! A vivid description of the event is by no means necessary but I still wanted to capture the milestone for memories sake. And besides, isn't that what blogs are for? ;P

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving y'all - hope your bellies are stuffed from eating all that turkey! :) Ta-ta for now...

Afternoon Play-Time

2008-10-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

We are lucky to have several nice playgrounds in the neighborhood so seeing that it was a nice afternoon, we took Sarah to one a few blocks away. Here she is sitting on one of those wobble-wobble thingys:

Sarah also went down the slide several times. Although we didn't get any noticeable reaction from her, mommy and daddy had a grand ol' time nonetheless :)

And just for kicks, I am pleased to report that we are seeing improvement with Sarah's eating now. Maybe it was just another 'phase' that she was going through. She is feeding better and also catching on to using a spoon without too much dribble down the chin. Less mess means more food in the tummy, right Sarah? ;P

PS. Yes that is a new high-chair. We love the Rainforest collection and Sarah loves it even more :)

We've come a long way baby...

2008-10-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

I thrive on routine and schedules. Surely having a baby made me realize how anal I am about it and that is why I often blog about this very subject. It's not so bad (is it?) and I certainly don't apologize for being this way :) While some schools of thought center around letting baby make the calls in this area, I much prefer helping Sarah develop a routine so that I can interpret her cries, fussiness, etc. (I also learned that babies happen to do better with routines.) Knowing this, I had developed somewhat of a schedule shortly after bringing Sarah home but the results were very erratic at best and it needed some tweaking. At 7 weeks, Sarah's days went something like this:

7:07am - wake up

7:20am - false alarm (back to sleep she goes)

9:15am - wake up & feed
10:50am - nap
11:35am - wake up
11:45am - false alarm again
12:35pm - wake up (this time for good) and feed
2:30pm - nap
3:15pm - wake up (already??)
4:35pm - feed
6:35pm - nap
7:45pm - feed
8:30pm - bed-time
10:40pm - feed
11:30pm - back to bed
2:30am - feed

Erratic, no? ;) Within 3 weeks after hiring Dawnn, Sarah's days finally became much more manageable and mommy had her hands free again. Ahhh...the luxury of eating in peace and actually getting to use the kitchen :) Sarah's schedule post-sleep consultant at 10 weeks:

7:30am - wake up & feed
9:00am - nap
11:00am - wake up & feed
12:30pm - nap
3:00pm - wake up & feed
4:30pm - nap
5:30pm - wake up & light feed
6:30pm - bath-time
7:00pm - feed & night-night
10:30pm - dream-feed

So not to be a free advert for Dawnn but as you can see, hiring a sleep consultant not only helped us with Sarah's sleep habits but also gave us some much-needed predictability. We've had to sacrifice spontaneity for the time-being but now we can time our activities around Sarah's schedule so that we don't have a cranky-pants on our hands. And while we know the schedule keeps changing throughout the first year and beyond, we can work from the current routine so the changes are not as big a deal for us :)

PS. If you are one of the lucky ones who has an easy sleeper, CONGRATS and count your blessings! It was a tough slog for us in the beginning with a 'hard-to-sleep' baby so we felt we had no choice but to go the consulting route :)

Oh, who are the people in your neighbourhood?

2008-10-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

We took Sarah for a walk in her stroller tonight as we normally do on rain-free evenings. However, we did not bump into the other moms and dads on our usual route. Oh but of course - how silly of us. We must be the only crazies out there who would think to bring a baby out on a chilly evening. At least we had the sanity to bundle her up real good in her teddy bear jacket - thank you Auntie Theresa & Uncle Richard! I guess we will have to move our stroll in the mountains to the afternoon from now on :)

Speaking of mountains, we often encounter wildlife in our area, including a baby black bear that once walked right past our front door (Momma bear, fortunately, was nowhere to be seen). Anyway, tonight while we were on our way back home, we came face-to-face with a deer! How exciting. Given where we live, this isn't a rare occasion, but it was certainly the first time that we ever came so close to one :) He was standing so still that we first thought he was just a garden ornament until he started working on the plants :P

Tricks & Treats

2008-10-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

It's October - time for turkey, falling leaves and of course trick or treating! I have such fond memories of making the rounds in our neighbourhood with a pillowcase, empty it out as soon as it got full, and return for a second or third round. What fun that was! As for costumes, I often had to be creative and drum up a quick idea for the night, often resorting to a few hand-drawn whiskers using Mom's eyeliner pencil. Sure I didn't have ears or a tail but I made a good cat (or mouse or anything with whiskers) :). For Sarah's first Halloween, we are dressing her up as a cute little cow (thank you Auntie Christina!). It still fits a little big on her so hopefully she will grow into it in a few weeks.

P.S. A quick sleep update. I think Sarah is sleeping through the night again despite not eating as much as usual. YAY - finally!

Counting down to nap-time...

2008-10-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

We have officially reached close to two hours of wake-time. Yikes. What am I going to do with Sarah for an additional half hour? With her eating habits, it is hardly enough time for me to take Sarah out far and she also seems happiest within the safe environment of home sweet home. Sigh. It must be the fact that she would rather freely play on the floor than be confined to a stroller - I suppose I would feel the same too. Anyway, I managed to fill the time this morning by teaching her how to sit up and continue practicing crawling. With her eating going the way it is, at least some of her time awake will be spent fighting with her to take the bottle :)

As for eating, we tried some rice cereal yesterday! Sarah eagerly took about 5 itty-bitty spoonfuls of the food but I think she was more excited at the novelty of sitting in a high-chair. Here are some shots of our big girl sitting up - she clearly enjoyed sitting in a high-chair and getting a better view of her world...

Lastly, Sarah finally slept through the night again last night. YAY! Hopefully the previous several nights were just blips and that we have an all-night sleeper again. Here's hoping that I didn't just jinx myself :)

Kung "Food" Fighting

2008-10-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Changes are coming at us fast and furious now. Not only has Sarah changed her feeding schedule and is preparing to crawl, she has also started waking up again in the middle of the night. Sigh - we were doing so well right up until now too. I guess that is a sign to start solids! As much as I am excited - and sad - to see my little girl grow up so incredibly fast, I dread the additional time that it is going to take for her feedings. Like mommy, Sarah is a s-l-o-w eater and she is extremely picky about when she eats. Oh well, we will have to sacrifice play-time for our little rascal then!

And as if things could not get more complicated, we are getting ready for the dreaded fall time change. I am so not looking forward to midnight November 1st. But I have a plan, courtesy of Babywise Mom (thank God for blogs)! I am moving Sarah's schedule back 15 minutes each week leading up to the change so that we don't have an early riser by the time the change takes place. Hope it works out...wish us luck :)

Activities with Baby

2008-10-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

I enjoy spending time with Sarah but it takes a lot of work - not to mention a lot of creativity! - to keep this little ball of energy entertained during the time she is awake. In addition to playing silly games and singing songs with her, we have armed ourselves with some much-needed 'assistance' through various play-gyms, activity centres and her current favourite, the Rainforest Jumperoo. She will happily jump and bounce for what seems like hours on end and is often still jumping as we pull her out. Here she is working out her little legs this afternoon. 'Lord of the Dance' anyone? :)

In the search for other activities to keep in our back pocket, I also came across a Fisher-Price kiddie games website some time ago and now that Sarah is more adept at sitting up assisted, we tried out some of those games today. She seems to be showing some interest in them but we'll see if it continues. If it does, I bet that she will be getting her own computer from Daddy soon!

Finally in other news, we are preparing to take our first-ever professional family photos with my friend Melissa! Sarah tends to be wary around strangers so I hope that it goes well and we will get some good shots of our little family :) Fingers crossed for good picture-taking weather...

A New Friend

2008-10-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Sarah has found a new playmate. A good friend of ours had given Sarah a large Olympics mascot doll a while back (thank you Uncle Min!) and you wouldn't believe the smiles we got when we showed Quatchi to her last night. Could it be that he is just the right size for her and incredibly soft and cuddly? Or is it a sign that she is looking for a little brother or sister? No way I say! We'll settle for getting her the Sumi and Miga plushies instead :)

We have a crawler (sort of)!!!

2008-10-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

As Oprah would call it, I had an "a-ha moment" today. Sarah had been experiencing some sleeping issues lately and I think I know the reason for this sudden change in behaviour. In addition to dropping her late-night dream-feed and going down to 4 bottles a day (changes that took place within a day of each other), Sarah is well on her way to taking over and destroying the house. Two days ago, Sarah magically got herself onto all fours and into the crawling position! Watch out daddy - no more babying the TV soon! While she seems to have figured out the correct position for crawling, she hasn't quite understood that she also needs to move her arms and legs. The result? A lot of rocking back & forth and shuffling about with her head on the ground :)

And...as if the prospect of crawling wasn't enough to get us nervous and looking into baby gates, Sarah is now also grabbing at just about anything we will allow (other than phones and the prized remote control). I have been letting her practice grasping with her face-cloth and am quite impressed with her hand-eye coordination - she is usually able to grasp the cloth with one swipe of the hand. To help satisfy her interest in this new favourite activity, I put together a "treasure chest" filled with little goodies for Sarah to explore. It's amazing how interesting such simple things as a measuring spoon and hairbrush can be for her!

PS. Happy 5-month birthday to our little girl!

Welcome to my new site!

2008-10-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

I heart change. Those who have known me for a long time have had to bear the burden of changing my contact info a gazillion times and who knows how many times I have re-arranged and redecorated my room back at home. Websites are no different.

With the additional time spent at home nowadays, I am on the computer lots and have developed a passion - okay, an obsession - for creating blogs. This new favourite past-time is helping me stay sane and keep in touch with the world, while helping me develop and advance the writing skills required for my life outside of the home. The site I have been using recently hasn't been working out as well as I had hoped, and since realizing that Blogger is a free service - we are, after all, living on one income right now :) - and much more reliable and user-friendly, I will be posting all future details on my adventures with Sarah here.

Anyway, welcome to the new site! Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride of life as a new mommy with me :)