Isaac at the playground again!

We bring Isaac down for walks on most weekends. He loves it! Playing at the playground, lusting after the balls that the basketballers are playing with on the basketball court, looking at birds, dogs and cats... and though not as enthusiatic about it yet - meeting other babies and todds like himself :)

Here's a friend he made at the playground!

pictures taken on 14th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months plus

Isaac & Gong Gong

picture taken on 13th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months plus

Here's Isaac with my Dad. They've been spending more time together since the girls left for the States with their parents and my Mum. hahaha... Well, it's not that they didn't spend time together before... It's just that my Dad's always been kinda busy with the girls and all, but now, since it's just Isaac, no prizes for guessing who gets all the attention now.

We go back to my parents' place for dinner twice a week, and then on weekends, we sometimes meet my Dad for breakfast on Saturday morning, and if we go for mass on Sunday evenings, we go back my parents' place after that.

So in all, we see my Dad at least twice a week, sometimes as many as four times. Not too bad lah, right? kekeke...

He's been keeping himself very busy though.

He's been clearing out the storeroom, and the patio. And he's painted the garden walls, and the main gate. He even painted the front door (just the outside though, coz he says the inside is fine :p). He chopped down a few plants in the garden - he said it was getting too big and tall.

He now swims every weekday night instead of three times a week. And he got us to get him a pair of running shoes, as he's been walking to Bt Batok Nature Reserve or sometimes Bt Timah Hill on Sat/Sun mornings. He happily tells us about how he has slimmed down and is more fit now. Sighz. I also want...

I've also slowly brought him fractions of my vast dvd collection, for his viewing pleasure. In the beginning, he went through quite a few of them a week - alright maybe not THAT many, about, say 3 or 4 a week? Then later, he slowed down quite a lot, till almost zero - "I'm too busy!" he says!!! hahaha... he was busy with all the whitewashing...

My Dad's an alright cook, and so he can cook simple meals for himself. But think most of the time, he just eats outside for dinner, or just makes himself a simple meal. He doesn't take much for dinner anywayz, coz he's watching his health, you see.

Once, on Sunday, we came back after noon time mass, and he was eating a peanut butter sandwich. I asked him:"Is THAT your lunch???" and he said "Yes" albeit a little guiltily. I was like "Huh... do you want us to get you some proper lunch? coz we're gonna go get some right now." and he was like "No, no, this is fine... staying alone is like that one - can eat anything I want!" hahahhaa...

Oh, I'd say he's doing fine. When people ask him how he's coping, that's what he replies as well. But think he misses my Mum and the girls... Recently, when Auntie Vera asked him:"How? Do you miss your wife and granddaughters or not?" He said:" Yes, of course!!!" :)

See, when the grandfather have grandkids - dun care about his own kids liaoz... we're non-existent!!! kekekeke.... KIDDING lah!!!

Isaac on the kiddy ride!

hehehe... finally a nice pic of Isaac and Mummy!!! :)

Here's Isaac enjoying the kiddy ride! :)


pix & vid taken on 7th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months and a day

Incidentally, the very next day after these pix and video was taken, I went to KL for my work trip for like 5 days. I missed my Isaac so much - and this was the video I kept viewing to see him. I even hooked the camera up to the tv so that I could see the vid real big! Larger than life size! :)

Isaac driving?!

A toy car!!! hahahaha... We often go to IMM for breakfast on weekends, and we'd just walk around or do a spot of grocery shopping after breakfast. Here we were in Giant, where we'd inevitably wander over to the bicycles' section... Hubbs is currently into a road bike craze where he is salivating after custom made road bikes. No, not those that you can find in Giant, but SPECIAL custom made road bikes. He'd been in this road bike craze since he tried Kok Pin's bike, and felt the difference between a road bike and a mountain bike which he used when he participated in the Osim mini triathlon last year.

I'd always liked bikes from when I was young... my first bike was a nice blue BMX bike which my cousin Joel passed to me. It was a second hand bike, sure, but it was great! I loved it! Went everywhere on that bike - cycled to Jurong East Central on it to get my Burger King mushroom swiss fix, and sometimes to get a Mr Softee from 7/11.

I'd always liked cars too. I collected tons of Matchbox cars and little Micro Machines cars. I still have them at my parents place! I intend to bring them home one day, my treasured possessions! kekeke...

Thus, I have been hoping that Isaac would have this car passion of mine. Well, he seems to like sitting behind the wheel of a real car. But he didn't seem to know how to play with matchbox cars. Nevermind, I'd train him on that. Been buying him a few Ferraris already ;p

But kiddy rides he likes! And look at this vid below - he's having a great time! :) Ah... I think he'd like cars just fine... :)

pix & vid taken on 7th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months and a day

Isaac learns to brush teeth!

This is Isaac learning how to brush his teeth. Rather, it is us, trying to teach Isaac how to brush his teeth - minus the tears and struggle. Before this day, I'd kinda been forcing Isaac to brush his teeth, resulting in much tears and kicks and major struggle.
Then I read that we should try to slowly let him get used to the idea of brushing his teeth, by letting him familiarise himself with the tooth brush first. So here we are...
We also bring him to the bathroom when we brush our teeth, to let him see us brushing, in the hope that he'd wanna do the same.
And I must say our efforts have paid off! Isaac now doesn't cry when we get him to brush his teeth. In fact, he quite enjoys it, he'd put the toothbrush in his mouth, and insists on putting the toothbrush in the rinsing cup, just like how he sees his Papa do it.

pix taken on 7th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months and a day

Albeit he doesn't brush his teeth properly, and really seems to be sucking the toothbrush for the nice grape flavoured (children's) toothpaste - but I must say it's a marked improvement from before.

We're just aiming, that by the time he can count to ten - he'd be able to brush his teeth properly... Then... we just need to find him a drain... ;p

Isaac & ET @ 13 months

"I didn't do anything to ET, I swear!!!""Do you see what I'm seeing?!"

"Gimme that!!!"

pix taken on 6th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months exactly!

Isaac in the car again!

Here's Isaac in the car again. But funnily, as we speak (blog), Isaac seems to have outgrown this car craze of his. He has since more or less stopped lunging forwards to want to play in the driver seat.
It's only when you have a baby yourself then you truly understand what it means when people say "Kids grow really fast." Not only physically, but also how fast things change with babies and kids. They have this craze over something, but soon enough, they 'outgrow' it... Bit like adults, don't you think? ;p

pix taken on 6th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months exactly
Huijun @ 30 years exactly!!! HAHAHAHA

Climbing aspirations

Hubbs loves rock climbing... and he often laments that he doesn't have the time to climb anymore. he used to try to go to Climb Aventure at West Coast Recreation Centre to climb during the school hols when he had a bit of spare time in the afternoons. But that has since closed down, much to his disappointment.
Here we are at the Jurong West library cafe, having our breakfast. And I spotted some climbing magazines while chaperoning Isaac on his wanders around the library. So I brought them back to hubbs. Here he is eagerly showing Isaac the beatiful climbing pictures, and telling him about how they could go climbing next time once Isaac is old enough and big enough not to fall out of his harness.
The picture above shows hubbs trying to teach Isaac some overhang hand hold or something... and below - some kinda hook around the cliff/rock or something... hahaha...
Yeah, hubbs is eagerly awaiting Isaac joining him in his sports when he gets older. frankly, so am I! It's be fun to bring the kids on camping trips (we'd start in my parents' place garden ;p), canoeing expeditions to Ubin, rockclimbing trips to Krabi, climbing the smaller mountains in Malaysia... It'd be a blast! :)

pix taken on 21st September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months plus

Artistic shots?

Hubbs was out for this sunday morning run at MacRitchie. So after breakfast at home, I brought Isaac down for a walk, and to play at the playground.

He was in a kind of contemplative mood. So he wasn't his usual all smiles. He wasn't throwing tantrums either and he wasn't clingy or anything like that. He just seemed.. sorta... deep in thought...
So I started snapping pix of Isaac in his contemplative mood. I thought it'd look pretty different from his normal smiley pix.
In fact, I thought he looked much like a model trying to act cool and not smile and not look at the camera! hahaha... I kinda like these pix. How about you? :)


pix & vid taken on 6th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months exactly!

Ah pek singlet & nappy pants

Time for a crying pic of Isaac! :) Not sure if I mentioned, but my theory is, that we should also take pix of the kids when they're throwing tantrums, to show them how ugly and awful they look when they're throwing tantrums. That it is really not a nice thing to do.

Yes, Isaac throws tantrums too, when he doesn't get what he wants. But thankfully, usually they're not prolonged affairs, and he usually listens (somewhat) when I reason with him. Then again, hubbs would tell you that perhaps I just just like bored Isaac with my incessant talking that Isaac just gave up ;p
You can't see the "holes" in the singlet - but this is actually the quintessential ah pek singlet!!! And look at the pants! Can you see what that is? It's actually pants made from cloth nappies! My MIL made them. Cool huh!? I love them! hahaha...

When my MIL made them for Isaac sometime back, they actually reached right to his ankles. But look how much he's grown! They're now three-quarts going on berms already! :)

pictures above taken on 6th September 2008
Isaac @ 13 months exactly!

Isaac's here's playing with his Mickey toy thingy. Our Malay neighbour bought it for him for his birthday present. He loves it!!! It's the kinda toy that, with batteries in it, would run around on its own, spin round and round at intervals, while playing loud disco music with bright flashing lights. Isaac enjoys seeing it go around. But most of all, he loves to pick it up, turn it upside down, to see how the thing works! hahahha... His Papa says Isaac's just like his Mama, very curious about how things work! kekeke... *beams*

Isaac at Zenon's place

Isaac & friends: Zenon

Remember Zenon? He's a June 2007 baby - two months older than Isaac. He's also bigger and stronger than Isaac. plus he "starts first" for almost everything from sitting up, to crawling, to walking to running - just a bit faster.

But that's enough, coz poor Isaac's always being pushed around - literally, by Zenon! Coz when Zenon could start crawling about, Isaac was just starting to. When Isaac could crawl around and sit up on his own, Zenon could stand already. When Isaac started to walk albeit unsteadily, Zenon could zip about without aid, and he would accidentally bump into Isaac, or unintentionally push him over. (Well, sometimes intentionally. hahaha) And now that Isaac can walk pretty steadily, Zenon can almost run! hahhaa...

Ah well, they'd even out in time. Afterall, the effects of differences in age is most apparent at a young age - when Isaac is 10 months old and Zenon is 12 months - Zenon's effectively 20% older than Isaac!!! hahaha..

Here's Zenon trying to take back his ball from Isaac...
Isaac:" Zenon! You have a new car! Look at the gears!!! Can I have a go at it?"
Zenon:"No!!! Go away! Get your hands of my car!"
Zenon:"This is my car! Only I drive my own car!!!" Go away!"
Isaac:" Papa!!! Zenon don't let me drive! Just ONE time, please!!!"
Zenon:" Oh alright. There you go, sit lah, sit lah!"
hahahhaa... yes yes Isaac eventually got to sit in the car and play in it for quite awhile. The boys are learning to play together, slowly. Being similar in age, they haven't yet learnt to play together yet.

pictures above taken on 31st August 2008
Isaac @ eight days to 13 months
Zenon @ 15 months plus

And what were we doing while Isaac and Zenon was playing? We were playing games as well! Zenon's parents are our gaming kaki kekeke... We don't play mahjong, we play boardgames! No, not Monopoly, Risk nor Cluedo. We play more interesting games like Puerto Rico, Power Grid, Acquire, Alhambra, Samurai, Giza, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride... etc...

The one in the picture above is Modern Art - and guess what? The Modern Art above is a copy I made myself! :) Was Py & Jeff who introduced this game to us, and we liked it very much. But I decided to make my own copy of it as I thought I could do a much better job of it than the originals! And everyone agrees that my copy is nicer! :) kekeke...

The Settlers of Catan was the one that started me on gaming. Thanks to my dear friend Jacomijn who introduced it to me when I was in Aberdeen for student exchange when I was in uni. Since then, I've been initiated into this wonderful world of boardgames, gotten hubbs into it, and we've been trying to get our friends and family into it too.

So if any of you are gamers like us, or want to learn how to play boardgames! Do drop us a line, and we can organise a games day or a games session! :)

The weaning story

As you know, some time ago, I was in KL for a work trip for like 5 days 4 nights. So we were thinking of using that period of time to wean Isaac off my breast.

At that time, before the trip, Isaac was still fully breast fed. He would latch on and drink from me whenever I am home. Which meant he could latch on on weekends and on weekdays - at night after I come back from work, and in the morning before I go to work. He would get up during the night to drink as well, usually at least 2 or 3 times a night. say 1am, 3am and 5am.

He refused any other milk that didnt come from me, and was dispensed to him, from me. He didn't want expressed breast milk in a bottle/cup/spoon/straw. Neither did he want formula milk, nor fresh milk, nor soya milk.

Frankly, I am very reluctant to wean him off. I have had a good run on The Milk Trail ;) In the beginning, it was The Milk Trial for me - it was difficult, it was trying, it was painful. But I got pass that, and blessed with lots of milk, I have breastfed Isaac for more than a year.

I enjoy the feeling of closeness that latching on a baby brings. It is something that we share, something no one else would give him. It is an understatement that a bond is created between a mother and her baby when she breastfeeds him/her. I can't find the appropriate words to describe the beauty of it all.

My sister and I were both blessed with the chance to be able to breastfeed our babies. My mother often watches us as we latch on our babies. One day, she asked my sister, how does it feel like, to breastfeed. When I heard that she asked about it, I immediately felt very sorry for her that she didn't get the chance to breastfeed us.

Being a mother of the 1970s, my mother was one of the many mothers at that time who went to work in order to be a dual income family, so we could have a more comfortable life. With maternity leave being 4 weeks (or less?) at that time, full time work, and formula milk being perceived as superior to breastmilk, most mothers chose not to breastfeed.

What happened to your milk then? I asked her. "I ate pills to stop the milk."

"Oh." I said.

Suddenly, I just felt so sad. Sad that she never got to experience breastfeeding. Sad that I never got breastfed by her. Sad that we did not get to enjoy the closeness that breastfeeding brings. Would I be closer to my mum if she had breastfed me? I don't know. Perhaps. Maybe not. I don't know.

Suddenly, I felt so thankful that I was and am able to breastfeed Isaac.

Even in today's times, not everyone who wants to breastfeed is able to do so. A lot of people I know have problem breastfeeding successfully for long periods of time. Be it supply problems, or latching problems, or a non-understanding work culture...

I am just thankful.

So, now, to wean. Did I mention why?
1) Coz we're trying for another baby and they say it's tough to get pregnant while still breastfeeding... (But not impossible!!!)
2) Coz it's not good for the baby within, if the mother is breastfeeding due to "splitting" of nutrients... (But the body is smart enough to do that!!! internet say one!!!Lactation Consultants say one!!!)
3) Coz the milk will change quality during pregnancy... (But if Isaac doesn't mind...)
4) Coz breastfeeding will make my womb shrink and they say it's not good for the baby within... (But it has been done and they say so long as it's not an at-risk pregnancy, it should be okay...)

okay okay, so you see how I'm setting myself up...

Sighz.

Plus Isaac's still not drinking any other milk... so...

ANYWAYZ we have started to wean him off his night feeds. Coz that's another case altogether. Babies, whether breastfed or formula fed should be able to get through the night without drinking since they're 4 or 5 mths old. We'd be putting this off long enough, so we decided to persevere after I came back from KL.

At first, he still woke up at his usual timing of 1pm and 3pm, wanting to drink. He'd throw tantrums when I refused to let him latch, but we persevered... gave him a bit of water, and just sat out his tantrums...

Then, I thought: "What if he's really hungry?" So I started to give him food before he sleeps, like some bread, or cheese, or even porridge, if he'd take it. And he usually would take some food, and guess what?! He started to sleep longer!

I realised that if he ate quite a lot, he can sleep through to 5am thereabouts, but if he didn't eat a lot, he might wake up at 3 or 4 am... so he was hungry! hahahaa...

Anywayz, it's been slightly more than a month now, and he's pretty much sleeping through the nights. He'd eat some before he sleeps, still suckles to sleep, but once he sleeps, which is about 9+ or 10+, he'd sleep though to 4 or 5 am.

Quite often, he'd wake up at 4am, wanting to drink. Then I'd tell him: "It's too early, Isaac. Go back to sleep. Awhile more, ok? Mummy knows you want to drink milk, but it's a bit too early. Sleep first. Sleep." Then he'd go back to sleep. Not much tantrums now, unless he ate very little before he slept and he's really hungry.

But he's still drinking in the day, before and after I come back from work...

So... that's the weaning story... to be continued...

Sighz... dunno it's weaning Isaac... or weaning me... :p

Isaac and the paper box hat

There was one weekday evening, I just folded a paper box, and placed it on Isaac's head for the fun of it. Just wanted to make fun of him. But he kinda liked the paper box hat, and wanted to wear it! hahahha... take a look at these vids! :p


pic & vids taken on 29th August 2008
Isaac @ eight days to 13 months

More walking vids!!!

More walking vids! Fairly stable now, at a week to 13 months.


videos taken on 28th August 2008
Isaac @ eight days to 13 months

Isaac in long pyjamas

Isaac in a one suit pyjamas. He used to wear lots of these when he was younger, but then he outgrew all of them. I got this one which was for 18 months old baby, which, everytime I held it up, it looked very long. But we just tried it one day and it fit perfectly!
It has this non-slip substance at the base, much like how some socks have them. So he didn't slip while trying to walk in them. Here's him using the walker. He could walk on his own but not as steady yet. With the walker, he could zip around very quickly.

This picture below is kinda blur, but I thought it was quite cute! Like a very DUH kind of grin! hahahaha... :) pictures above taken on 28th August 2008
Isaac @ 12 months plus

Handsome Isaac

picture taken on 24th August 2008
Isaac @ 12 and a half months

Okay, I'd be the first to admit it. My son isn't HANDSOME. But I'd say he's mighty CHARMING! *grinz* Especially when he flashes his grin at ya. Don't you think?! :)

I always used to wonder (before I had kids), would I be one of those parents who claim that their kids is the most pretty and most handsome children of all? Now, I think about it, I suppose I can be objective enough to say that Isaac isn't exactly handsome per se. But he's quite cute, right? :) But then, almost all children are quite cute lah - yes yes trying to be sensitive and politically correct here - but it is TRUE lah :p

But sometimes, occassionally, Isaac would actually look HANDSOME in some pictures! :) Like this one above! Pity it's a bit dark, but other than that, I think he looks great there!

My Isaac!!! :)

p.s. found it! This was the other picture that I felt Isaac looks handsome in *grinz*

Isaac shares a secret with Papa!

Here's another cute picture of hubbs and Isaac. At least I thought it was cute - looks like Isaac is whispering in hubbs' ears.

picture taken on 23rd August 2008

Isaac @ 12 and a half months

I've been complaining to hubbs. That he doesn't take pictures of me with Isaac. That I don't have enough pictures with Isaac even though I spend more time with Isaac than hubbs does! (technically, if we count the minutes ;p)

My theory is, that of course Isaac knows now that I love him very much and that I spend time with him. He's like Mummy 80% / 20% Papa now. But what about when he grows up?! We all know that we can't recall what happened when we were THAT young, and the only "memories" we have of such a young age is likely to be from photos or from what people tell him.

Thus if he reads all these blog entries - he'd think all I did with him was to breastfeed him?!?! whilst Papa did so many things with him!?!? hummpphh!!! no fair!!!

So I've been bugging hubbs these few days. He gives his excuses of course, claims that he's not a very "photography person" that he doesn't know how to caryy a camera with him at all times and snap pix like I do. Of course I had my come back to that: "So how come you want to buy an SLR camera (which is like more than a thousand dollars) since you're not photographic-like?!?! HUH!?!?!?"

kekekeke... GOTCHA! ;p

Dinner @ Charlene & Lucas Cafe

Isaac & friends: Charlene

Actually this was the dinner we had at Charlene & Lucas Cafe before Lucas was born... hahaha... (yes, that was when Charlene & Lucas' mummy and daddy still had time to entertain and have us over for dinner kekeke...)The thing with kids of Isaac's age is, they prefer to play with kids older than themselves, rather than kids of their own age.
So, Isaac appeared to enjoy playing with Charlene more, than he did todds his own age like Zenon, Carrie and Ray.
Of course, it does help that Charlene is one sweet little girl too... ;) Look at the picture above! Looks like Isaac is snatching side glances at Charlene!
Here, Isaac shows you, that you don't have to learn to walk, before you start making the moves on a girl... woooot!!!

"Hello there, beautiful! :)"

"You look nice with your hair behind your ears..."

"Now, let me give you a massage..."

"okay! enough for today!" *cannot show all my tricks in one day!*

"Now for some fun!!!"

Mary & ZY actually rented this swing/slide thingy. So when we go to their place, they sometimes have different 'toys' - usually huge ones like that. We think it's a good idea to rent such huge toys like that rather than buy them, since it would cost more, and take up a lot of space!
See how Isaac enjoys the swing! :)

pictures and video above taken on 17th August 2008
Isaac @ 12 months plus
Charlene @ just past 3 years
17 Aug 2008