Signs

She has been imitating us quite a bit lately. I am amazed how fast she picks up those actions.

It started with the bye bye wave, then the no-no shake head move, after that she did the flying kiss - though not too accurate but cute nonetheless. She will blink her eyes if you blink eyes at her. When she hears music, she will wave her hands in the air like she just doesn't care. She dances too, when you say "dancing dancing". She will put her toy phone next to her ear when you say hello. Sometimes she will try saying hello, which sounds more than ah-o. She has the Sang Nao Jing move too, where she will put both arms on her head when you say Sang Nao Jing - which roughly means, aiyoh, you are giving me a headache!

Today, she did something that I have been waiting for a while now. She clapped her hands! Yesterday, she held both fists together and shook them up and down, as though doing the Gong Xi Fa Cai thing. Then today, I realised that she might be trying to clap her hands. So, I sang and clapped my hands and clapped some more. She was still GongXiFaCai-ing away, then before long, she attempted a clap. Wasn't really a clap but she was trying. After a few more tries, she was clapping better already. Some more got produce sound hor! Not bad leh!

When babies are learning new skills, they will practise and practise. She was clapping in the car, and when I was dressing her. getting her ready or bed. Her clap now, is good! In just a matter of hours. I am impressed!

I am hoping to see the clapping figuring itself into her dance routine, which for now, comprises just of hand waving.

I can't wait to see what she does next!

My Birthday

This post is 2 months late. If only I have more time! Better late than never. I was pretty excited this year, because I am celebrating it as a mother. Sometimes I can't quite believe that still.

Tea at the Fullerton Bay Hotel

She just started learning to walk. She loves it when you hold her hands and walk her around, she will tell you where she wants to do by turning her body and stepping in the direction that she wants to go.

Playing by the water fountain. She loves loves playing with water. If you look close enough, her face is wet!

Happiness

is having an upcoming trip confirmed finally!

I cannot wait!

Happines

is being greeted with a wide grin from your baby when you open your eyes in the morning.

The Little One hears a lot of 'no' from us these days. There have been people who believe in not using that word a lot. But really, how can you not use that word??????????? Babies must learn the word! They must know what it means and they need boundaries! I don't think that it is all too negative a word at all. It is one of the first few words that she understands (but not necessarily obeys it.

No, please don't put that in your mouth. No playing with the cord! No playing with our hand phones. No, don't pick up stuff on the ground and put it in your mouth! No, don't tear up my book.

So what should a mighty curious 91/2 month old to do? We can't possibly say no to everything. It will frustrate the hell out of her, and I do fear that it might curb her curiosity. So we pick our battles, no to electrical cords, yes to messing up our CD collection. No to hand phones but she can play with the remotes, even if she throws them all over. No to the books but she can tear up some old magazines to her little heart's content. I do let her try killing a couple of her own books too. Heck, we even let her crawl outside if it isn't too dirty. Just need to wash or wipe her hands soon as she is done.

Just few days ago, she started to shake her head like us when we said no. That girl is really imitating our moves now. Gotta be careful, I wouldn't want her giving people the finger too soon. She knows that there are things that she can't do, so she will look at you with that look, checking with you if it is okay. Now, she might just shake her head even before we gave her the NO. Cute!

When She was 7 Months Old

She has finally managed to pull herself up to sit on her own! After being so frustrated and helpless, she could do it all by herself. She had also started to pull herself to stand in the cot, so time to put the cot at its lowest!

Oh, and of course, she went on her first holiday!

When She was 8 Months Old

I had meant to post a monthly progress entry, but guess what! I have no time, even when I am home all the time! So I am just catching up on my blogging...

When she was 8 months old, she started pointing at things and people. She will point to let us know that she is interested in something and we will bring her over to that interesting thing. Real cute!

She started to crawl when she was 8 months old. I thought she never would and would skipped it totally. She crawls in her own little unique way. With one foot on the floor (like squatting) and the other with the knee on the floor. She would then, take a 'step' forward with the leg that seemed to be squatting and move the other leg forward, without touching the floor. This way, she will not end up with bruised knees. Hahahaha.

She had gotten really sticky at this point. I can't even go to the bathroom without her protesting! Thankfully, she is just sticky these days and not ultra sticky. I think she has hit the 'separation anxiety' phase.

She did this weird little thing for about 2 days, pulling herself up in the cot and then letting go and landing on her bum. She was practising how to get back down safely while standing. She would do it again and again and again. really funny to watch. Before that, it would take a while before for her to get back down, some times crying for help even.