Dear Kristen,

Because your nap time has been messed up somewhat, it is 6+ on a warm Sunday and you're fast asleep. It's very odd as you're 'supposed' to be asleep at 11am - aboout 1pm... and be up in good time for your gym lesson at Marine Parade at 4.10pm. So far, we've missed two whole lessons...

Wait. I think I hear you pressing the computer through the baby monitor. So this will have to be quick.

Here are the photos that we took at PS (Project Shop) Cafe when we had a Christmas Tea with Auntie Mel, Auntie Mein, Uncle ZY and Auntie Xiaoyun. You behaved pretty well, and when you were squatting alot and playing peek-a-boo at one point, we guessed something was up. And true enough, you PS'ed (pang-sai) at the PS Cafe. You made Mummy and Daddy carry you out to the car (which was parked at least a good 5 minute walk out) and back again.

OK!

Time to GET you!

Dear Kristen,

Here's one of Mummy's favourite pictures of you.

During the Christmas Lunch, you were sitting at Lau Kim's house's playroom (Samuel's little room by the living room), sharing a drink with Granny. When Mummy called you, you looked up happily and smiled. You look especially photogenic with Granny here!

Yes... You've grown so much!

Okie! Finally updated the photograph-collage we took in Taiwan! Look at December 31st Entry!

Dear Kristen,

It's 2008! Happy New Year!!! We spent today lazing around at home in the morning and went over to Ikea for a walk in the late afternoon. Daddy thought he was very original, until we reached there and had to even wait for a parking lot! It was soooo crowded. We walked around for awhile but left during dinner (it was impossible to get a seat and we got our seat stolen from us right under our nose).

Instead, we went to Roxy Square for Tomyam steamboat with Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle Kelvin... as well as Ipoh Pong, Ipoh Koon, Chocho, Uncle Jeremy and Auntie Frances! Well, it was definitely much more yummy than Ikea food!

You got your toe hurt by a sliding door today... BUT... instead of fussing over you, we chided you for going to play with the door in the first place. Especially since we always told you not to play with the door. You stopped crying but after that you threw a mini-cold war at us. I just hope that you remembered that it was painful and not play with the door again.

Mummy has updated the 31st December entry for the photos of day 3 today.

Dear Kristen,

This has been a busy period with all the parties and events happening thanks to the holiday season...

You're now 17 months and well, there's alot of things you have managed to 'learn' again! Like how to point to your cheeks (looking very much like a Taiwanese pose)!

Anyway, speaking of Taiwan, we have just got back from a relaxing and enjoyable trip from there! Although you're too young to enjoy the place, what you enjoyed most seemed to be the company that you were in. Every once in awhile, you would look around at all of our faces and beam a bright cheery smile! It almost seems as if you were in disbelief that everyone was still there! And just who was everyone? Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Kelvin, Daddy and myself! We had a good time and took alot of photos... Mummy is trying her best to compile them FAST!

So here's the first two days of the trips....

Dear Kristen,

Sorry for the lack of updates. Mummy has been busy trying to prepare in time for the 'special time' next week!

You're a whole 16 months now! A couple of weeks before you turned 16 months, we brought you to Dr. Sim at Elias Mall to get your MMR jab. You took it very well and did not shed a tear. Very good girl! I think Grandma and Mummy were more frightened than you. Only problem was, you developed a fever a few days later that lasted quite a bit. But thankfully the fever wore off. I hate it when you are sick, it becomes very worrying and you tend to wake up more during the nights.

You're showing more affection these days. Like hugging us impromptu, and just today, when I got home late, you were so happy to see me you hugged me. The funny thing about how you hug is that you would grab my whole head, squeeze it tight, then pat my head. Haha..

We bought you a toy dog recently. It barks and is able to walk forward. You did something reeeally strange. After the initial doubt about the dog, you walked over to the dog and tried to sit on the dog! Who has been teaching you to sit on Rex??? Poor tiny toy dog. Then worse still, you tried to use your leg to pat the dog. *faints*. Mummy and Daddy are now trying our best to teach you to use your hand to pat the dog.... and NOT sit on dogs. Funny thing is, Mummy was telling Daddy that big dogs like Rex was okay, but Daddy scolded Mummy... He said you're too heavy!

Which... is true. You're a nice healthy 11 kg now. Mummy gets tired carrying you with one hand now. Daddy says Mummy is weak.

You're able to sing the endings of songs... Like when we sing "Twinkle twinkle little..." You'll say STAR! And when we sing "O'Macdonald's had a farm, E-I-E-I..." you'll say OH!... And "Heads and shoulders, knees and..." You'll say TOES! .... Haha... It's all very cute.

Here's a funny video of you...

Dear Kristen,

Auntie Geri went to the US a couple of months ago and bought you this pretty little dress. It's meant for you to wear when you turn 2, but Auntie Belle decided to let you wear it when Grandma picked you up on Friday when we went for dinner. You enjoyed strutting around Compasspoint in your long long dress! So cute...!

Other updates include how receptive you are to gym now. Yup, we have signed up for it and this was your third week! Although sometimes you're a little shy, but you're having so much more fun now. Still a little afraid of sitting in the airplane-swing thing though.

And Daddy celebrated his birthday last week but because he had an exam the next day, we had to eat at home. Fret not because Granny cooked yummy steak which you got to try as well. And we had a chocolate cake from Room for Desserts which you got to try too! Happy Birthday to Daddy.. *hugs*

Will enter more next week. Had not been logging on to the computer as much last week because of your latest bad habit. You need to be pat to sleep on our beds... Which makes me super duper sleepy.... And Daddy too if he's around. We have to pretend to be asleep so that you would not want to play, and then we have to pat you... And then Mummy gets too lazy to do anything else. haha...

Plus! Because of our plans in December, Mummy needs to do some research... Which Mummy has been procrastinating for the longest time. Sigh. Hopefully I'll be able to update more often because there's so many photographs sitting in the hard-drive! And you're learning to smile at the camera now!!!

Okay okay... till next time...

Dear Kristen,

Here you are at Olio Dome with Auntie Lumein and Auntie Mel at the Parkway Olio Dome... You behaved really well there!

Dear Kristen,

This was a short workweek because of Deepavali on Thursday. So on Thursday, we lazed around at Grandma's and went to East Coast Park for a walk in the evening.

At East Coast Park, strangely enough, you didn't really want to walk. You wanted to be carried most of the time... Perhaps because the place was unfamiliar? Anyway, that was good because it was quite crowded and having to chase after you and risk you hitting a bicycle (or vice versa), okay, it was fantastic that you didn't struggle to get down and run amok. We watched people at the Cable Ski Park... and Mummy wants to try it one day! ... Or bring you when you're older! We can go together!!

Sigh, today (Saturday), you woke up ultra early crying away. Daddy and Mummy couldn't figure out what was causing you pain or trouble. It was 5.30 in the morning and you were so upset. We tried to give you milk at first and you didn't want it. For the next hour or so, you alternated between falling asleep on Mummy's chest for like 5 minutes and then waking up and crying again, to being on Daddy's shoulder for like 5 minutes and waking up and crying again. Finally, we made you milk again which you accepted and finally fell asleep.

Then... you woke up at 9.40am! Wow... the whole day turned a little off schedule. Instead of having milk as the first feed, Mummy jumped straight to breakfast (toast with jam, and bananas!). You couldn't fall asleep after your milk feed at 1 (too early? not tired enough?) Ended up, you fell asleep only at 5pm (usual time should be 11am - 1pm) when Mummy was watching a play with Auntie Joyce. Yah... Mummy went to watch Pillowman with Auntie Joyce... It was reeallly goood!! Morbid but good show..

After the show, Mummy and Auntie Joyce went to Swissotel Merchant Court... to meet Grandma and Grandpa who were there for a wedding... and to pick you up! We then went for dinner at Manhattan Fish Market with Auntie Erin as well where you behaved really really well. One funny thing happened though, when you finished the first fry in your hand... you leaned over to my plate and grabbed another fry for yourself. And when Mummy plucked off the hard crispy top off the fry that you grabbed, you glared at Mummy.. hahaa.. So greedy..

You finally fell asleep at around 10 plus (phew... back to the normal time)... Hopefully tomorrow your schedule is not so 'off' again because we're going to a gym class!