Her Baby

Oops!, originally uploaded by judebabe.

It’s been a long time since my last post.
Been really busy. Well, Sort of.

- We were in Beijing for Dp’s high school’s reunion in mid-August.
And for us, those were the hottest days this summer.

- Nanny couldn’t take the heat and fell sick during our trip, at her home in the village (the real one). She couldn’t come and wanted to be home and rest. Guess she is very much used to the comfort of air-conditioned environment here.

- Amanda wanted me to carry her, because its too hot to walk under the hot sun. I had to carry her in one arm, with a bag of fruits and her backpack of toys in another. She loves bring along her box of markers to draw at her GrandUncle’s place.

- When the nanny returned, I was hooked to shopping. Online and offline.

- I am loving the current flare and ‘flatform’ trend for the fall and winter.
The flare pants and jeans is flattering to the thighs and the ‘flatform’ adds heights without the discomfort of heels.

- I am out the service of HopShopGo, been busy browsing online at US sites and shopping.

- IT bags? I am now shopping for the IT diaper bags!
An appropriately-sized bag I always wish I have whenever the nanny isn’t around.
Something I could dump her bottles and used bowls and cutlery in without worrying about leaks and stains.

- Buying and Preparing for Amanda’s 2nd birthday party.
Making up for the fun, she missed last year.
I think everyone else had fun last year.
This year is about Pink and hello kitty for 70 guests in our estate.
Lots of party favor for the kids. Little toys online are cheap.

- We are adding another room above our roof.
Work started yesterday, and I am excited about doing up the room and the extra space.
We need the extra space for leisure, (think mahjong with friends) and for many stuffs we have.
Been wanting to de-clutter.
The thumping on the roof however, wakes us up early.

Coz of all the above, I have only been sleeping for 5 hours for the last few nights.

*yawns*

Hope to blog more real soon!

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I have not use the term, Girly, to describe Amanda, until recently.
Especially with her increasingly fondness of everything Pink and Red.
Its also a lot of fun shopping for Amanda.

Closer to becoming 2 years old, its also time for a change of toys.
I have recently put away her old toys to make room for new ones.
I have not been buying her toys for a while, at this stage, toys are no longer about developing fine motor skills but more of play-pretending.
I did get her a pair of learning chopsticks though, which she learning to pick up small items rather than food on the table.

I never want to over-indulge her with toys or drown her creativity, but through toys, its a fun way to learn.
Most of her toys are bought over the internet, she thinks that toys are bought by punching the keyboard on our notebook and if she ever request for toys at the supermarket, she would put them down after I told her that she already has one at home, which she accepts and nods with agreement, for now.

I started with a tea set when we were in Singapore, she loved it.
After pouring us coffee, tea (or whatever we request), she would come again with sugar and cream.
She too love cutting fruits (again, and again) put together with velcro in between.

Then when I saw playing with her cousin’s mini kitchen set, I knew it was time.
I have been wanting to get her a kitchen set, the minute I laid my eyes on this, but due to logistic problem, i.e, bulging excessive luggage, lazy carrier DP, I wasn’t able to lug this back from Singapore.
Nanny and I too enjoy flipping through their catalogue.

Then I searched online for days for a decent quality set that will last her till we lay our hands on the kitchen set from Singapore.
Or maybe when she’s 3.
I decided on a table top set. Other than pots, pans and cutlery, it comes complete with a sink, fried eggs and sausages.

70pcs. All for 128rmb.

I felt there was far toooo many pieces and I wouldn’t want to step on and break a piece, but I really wanted a sink.
It was a good decision made, because she loved ‘washing up’, while I kept the extra pieces in the boxes.
She didn’t care much about the forks and plates, and prefers slurping from the ladle and pots.

Next day, a friend dropped by with another kitchen set.

Yeah! A set in pink!

The set was low in height and Amanda didn’t mind playing with it on her knees.
We placed it near our kitchen, and she would sometimes play with it while the nanny is preparing our meals in the kitchen.
With the wall stickers, its now her happy cooking corner.

我要去超市！

A few days later, Amanda had her girlie-est moment ever, decked in her floral dress, slippers, necklaces, bracelets and ring (she puts her accessories on, herself), and her handbag, Bye bye！我要去超市, I want to go to the supermarket, she said.
I quickly stuffed Elmo into her trolley, asking her to bring him along.

She pushes her pink trolley to the door, where she pretends to be picking up items.
She then ‘returns’ home, runs up to me with 大青蛙，she picked from the supermarket.
She remembers them being sold at the supermarket.
After several trips, she ran to her drawers and picked out her tights, wore them with some help, and plonked herself on the nanny’s bed.
Sometimes, she enjoys wearing her wellies at home.

Later I went to pick up another parcel, and returned with a Mell Chan doll. I wasn’t sure if she’s going to like it.
After all, she didn’t like the soft toys I got for her, and she wasn’t attached to anything other than my hand.

The new doll kept her very busy for the next hour. And she started playing with the Sleepy Dora, I got a few months ago.

Amanda’s doll.

I like how the Mell Chan is appropriately sized for babies 18 months and above, and she has the same hair style as Amanda.
I have not tried, but the doll can join Amanda in the bath tub too.

She fed, bathe, applied cream, combed their hair repeatedly.
She names her new doll, Baby (with a Singapore accent :p) and sang the same line 一闪一闪亮晶晶满天都是小星星 while rocking the new doll.
Something the nanny does when trying to get her to sleep.
I tried convincing her to name her baby with interesting names, but the only name I can come with for a doll is Apple.
Of course, she wasn’t convinced and gosh! I am so bad with names.

She even read them her favorite bed time story, which she already memorized every line of it.

小猴皮皮是个贪玩的小淘气，天黑了他还不想回家睡觉… …

She imitates how we mix and shake her milk bottle, or unscrew the cap to let out trapped air, before feeding her baby.
At lunch, Baby sat next to her in her high chair, where she tried feeding her, her noodles and pats and checked on Baby occasionally, making sure she’s feeling Ok.
And at the end of the story, she bends forward to gently kiss them, sweet and just like her Mama.

It so interesting to watch run Amanda around hurriedly, pretending to take care of her baby, and how her actions reflect ours.

She then ran to her toy box, to pick out her broom, another of her favorite play-pretend toy, and started sweeping the floor, while singing and carrying her baby.

I am not sure if the nanny or I ever did swept the floor with her in our arms.
But I am sure she’s going to be a great Mum… When she stops grabbing them by their hair or dropping Baby or Dora on their heads.

Her interest for her Baby, were on and off for the last few weeks, but I guess that’s how toddlers are.
She doesn’t bring Baby to bed.

Dora can fit in Baby’s crib too.

When the Baby’s crib and new outfit arrived today, it renewed her interest, though she did expect the crib to come with a new doll, shown on the packaging.

Here’s a video of the very busy Baby. The very busy Real Baby.

I am considering bringing the doll along to Beijing, when we go for Dp’s high school reunion at a resort in the suburbs.
It would be a good time for the four of us to bond.

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Favorite food of the moment., originally uploaded by judebabe.

Amanda loves meat.
These days, she particularly likes chicken wings.

Here she is having a chicken wing at KFC at 10pm in her messy hairdo.
She didn’t make a fuss but we could tell she was upset when she dropped her last piece of chicken before this photo was taken.
She’s lucky to have pampering Uncles and Aunties to get more for her.

It all started when she had roast duck in Singapore shortly after turning 1,
Then she loves the braised beef sold in the market here.
And last month, when she saw me eating tandoori chicken drumstick in a Indian restaurant in Beijing… She’s demanded that I give her mine!
She finished every bit of the meat was chewing on the bone till I gave her another.

To her, it’s probably more fun to eat with her hands or bone, rather than from a fork or spoon.

If we even mention the word 肉 meat in our conversation during meal time, she would insist in having some when there isn’t any on our table.

Millet porridge is her like comfort food.
Like milk, whether she has appetite or not, she always has room in her tummy for them.

She too has preference for bread and instant noodles :p
Her favorite fruits right now would be Durian and Mango.
She finds canned peach sour.
And I don’t remember the last time she had eggs.

Kids start young here with sweets and flavored sweetened drinks, other than ‘gummi bears’ and some durian sweets, she never had any sweets.
You have no idea, the weird looks I get, when I used ‘screamed’ Don’t give them to her!, across the room to stop relatives from giving her sweets / lollipop / mandarin oranges.
Amanda thinks lollipop are pellets for her xylophone toys.

When DP accidentally gave her some Pepsi once, she shivered and didn’t like the bubbly feeling in her mouth.
In my effort to get her to drink more fluid, I gave her Ribena and fresh apple juice, she found them toooo sour.
I avoid orange and orange juice, because Dad told me it makes me cough, a lot, when I was a kid.

To justify having more of Daddy’s ice cream, Amanda told us that she’s feeling hot with a frown.
She’s too cute not to give her more.

According to the nanny, Amanda behaves well, is cooperative and has good appetite whenever we are not home.
DP and I are considering eating out often for her sake.

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