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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!
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 :)
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? :)
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! ;)
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!!
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! :)
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!
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!
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! :(
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!
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!
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! :)
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 :)
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! ;)
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! ;)
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 :)
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! :)
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!
