Training: Shower Time

Most parents I know don't seem to have any problems showering their children. Gabe, however, proved to be a challenge when we transited him from the tub to the shower. The initial period saw lots of screaming, crying, and hence very wet and angry parents. He was so afraid of the water running down his face that the entire bath time would be traumatic for both him and us.

It took us about a month or so of long suffering persistence before he finally gave in to the idea. And it wasn't until about two months later that bath time became as enjoyable as before.

Jemmy's mummy again, gave some very helpful tips on how a mother with a growing tummy could get by bathing a toddler. Thanks, woman!

The latest fad is to burst into a run, out into the living room, screaming with glee and shouting "shame shame!" after the mother has removed all his clothes. Here's a shot of the boy goofing around before he enters the bathroom. He was very amused with the shirt being "stuck" on his head.

Training: Cot to Bed

You'll notice that we're trying to get as much training done as possible partly because gabe is at the stage of readiness and partly in anticipation of the arrival of #2. To complete the training of these areas would mean that we will face less protest in changing habits when he grows older, and hopefully that we'll have an easier time when #2 comes along. And since #2 is going to take over some of gabe's logistics, like the cot, it makes sense to transit gabe out of it, and make it available to his sibling.

We did some homework, checked out what some of our peers are doing, and settled on this Ikea bed. We made a few trips to Ikea, introduced gabe to his new bed there and told him we were going to buy that for him. With fingers crossed and hearts prepared for him not being able to settle into a proper night's sleep for a couple of months, we set the date for the transition four months prior to the arrival of his sibling.

To further ease him into the transition, other than the brain-washing we've attempted, we got him a big pillow and a new companion to add to the new piece of furniture. The pillow, so that he'll stop fighting with me for my very own baby pillow, which I hug to sleep, and Golden, a stuff doggie he fell in love with at first sight on one of those trips to Ikea.

The big day arrived and the bed was delivered and assembled. That very night, we put him to bed with the sole instruction that he was not to get out of bed on his own, and that he must call out for mummy or papa to help him if he needed to. He repeated the instructions to us voluntarily and lay stiffly in bed when derod put him down after our nightly routine. In fact, he seemed so conscious of himself that he hardly moved at all. We figured it's perhaps due to the lack of grills.

And guess what?! The first two nights are fuss-free, as though nothing has changed. We thank God tremendously for this miracle and pray that He will continue to extend His mercy towards us to ensure that every night will remain as smooth as these first two nights.

Training: Toilet

Gabe's pooping routine is rather predictable, and he's also able to communicate to us after he has soiled his pampers. So we started training him to poop on and into the toilet bowl a couple of months back. Thanks to jemmy's mummy, we got some tips on the kind of seat to purchase and some step by step procedures for the process.

We introduced the concept to him with a reward of a drink of ribena if he successfully poops into the bowl. The initial stage saw him protesting and sometimes crying when he was placed on the seat. Then he started protesting at the point where he realised we were going to drag him to the toilet. Today, he still makes his protests known, but we have less difficulty in getting him to the destination.

He does a hippity hop kind of dance on the spot and add that to the expressions on his face, and we know he's about to go. He is still not at the stage of volunteering the information of his urge but the signs are clear enough for us to whisk him to the toilet. There are times of false alarms, of course. We have also transited to the stage of rewarding ribena only when he does the full job in the bowl, and his pampers remain clean.

At the first sign of download, he will declare to us, "Good boy! Mummy give ribena!"

We've yet to succeed at getting him to pee into the bowl, which we really hope will take place soon, like before #2 comes along. It's funny because many mothers tell me that the pee-training usually comes before the poo-training. If anyone has any tips, please feel free to share with me.

Meanwhile, keep us in prayer as the boy transits from one stage to another into toddlerhood.

Note: image has been removed for modesty purposes

Update: 20 Months

Funny English
May I have the go outside please mummy?
May I have the sit down please mummy?
Your wheel
Papa give you peace (It should be "Jesus gives you peace")

Direction Sense
Can navigate from home to Buangkok Mrt on foot
Points to correct direction when asked where his home is, where mrt station is from waipo's house

Transited to one nap a day from about 18 months.

Speaks so much I lost count. But never fails to surprise with unexpected statements or weird English to make us laugh. Experiments with sounds to make you laugh.

Loves cleaning. Picks up pieces of paper or cloths and starts wiping everything. Fights to hold on to the magic-clean mop to clean the living room.

Imitates the mother cooking, especially "chop garlic" and "beat the egg". Helps that there is a masak station he can unleash his cooking skills at.

Has a scary memory that never fails to remind us we should be careful with our words or actions. Even things that we take for granted on an irregular basis is remembered.

Favourite toy: sausage
Favourite past-time: sitting on the day bed and reading the magazine

TV Time: approximately half and hour a day, with Mondays being the exception of an hour so that cleaning lady can get stuff done in the house.

Somehow started screaming and shouting for things he wants, without anyone teaching him. Has to learn to ask for things nicely before he is given them.

Initiates creativity. Creates "fireworks" and "water fountain" with soap on the glass door at bath time. "Draws" "fireworks" on his magnetic board. These will always be done in large circular motions as if trying to bring out his understanding of the nature of these objects.

Shoe size remains at 7, since about 18 months.

By now, all canines and front molars are out but are at different stages of growth. Loads of gaps in between teeth though, not the kind in nice, neat rows.

Train and Bus Boy

Gabe loves the (MRT) train, taking the train, watching the trains, commenting on what he sees with regards to the train.

Common phrases heard at the MRT station:
This one our train
That one not our train
Another train
Doors closing
Happy (berhatiti di ruang platform)
Train coming
Dao le
Hai mei dao
Train spoil
People get off train
Take escalator, take lift
Cannot take escalator on own

He loves to take the bus too. We'll be waiting for our bus at the bus stop and he'll obediently sit on the seat and wait till the bus comes. Meanwhile, he'll be playing with my ezlink card, and has no problems handing it back immediately at a single request. Likes to imitate the "deet" sound when the card comes into contact with the machine on the bus.

Thank God our boy loves the public transport, since we don't own a car!

Thorn Among the Roses

The Ds braved a trip across the island into the realm of Siberia (what a friend calls our home in this remote part of the world) last week with their two lovely girls. And how better to round up the gathering than with a few snapshots of the kiddos?

Seated in order of seniority, Tas, Gabe and little Yulia. A bit tak glam to be in diapers next to two well dressed ladies - something to dig out and laugh at him when he grows up. By the way, do gabe's grins give you a glimpse of him on cloud nine? You see, this guy is a buayalet (like piglet). He actually told me "U for Yulia" from the time after the visit. Amazing huh?!