Food Stories

Dear Baby,

You're appetite have been really good lately, when you're not distracted that is. What is cool is how you are willing to try different foods. Like for instance today during lunch, you wanted to try the fresh bean sprouts and pineapples and you really like them because you asked for more. You now insist in order for you to eat a banana you must get to whole the banana with the peel half way off, and munch away like the adults, where as before we'd give you either a quarter or half a banana. You like the Laughing Cow cream cheese cubes as snacks, with mummy's help to peel the foil off. You prefer celery to cucumber now, and daddy had successfully made your carrot and celery miso soup, his first time cooking for you last weekend.

In the new year, we went to have japanese food for dinner. You ate the garlic rice, chicken udon soup, tofu miso, and you finished off the shaved ice that came with the salmon sashimi. I wonder what'll happen when you discover ice creams and sorbets... Not going to find out anytime soon.

You had your first taste of cookie, daddy was eating a homemade cookie at a recent birthday party we went to and gave you a bite when mommy went to get you more watermelon. Two bites, that's it for you. No more cookies. You started to eat watermelons again after not eating them for at least six months.

And you had your first juice, fresh watermelon juice and carrot juice, which mommy orders without sugar, and you wanted to try, and kept it in without spitting out, which what you would do before.

Speaking of drinks, you also drink cow's milk, low fat variety since that is the only type at home. But I think it is so you get to hold the box and play with it and squeeze milk out everywhere after a couple of sips.

But water and breast milk is still your go to place for a thirst quencher and food and comfort.

Yes, you have this affinity with cold water and ice in various forms. And whenever you get washed up or having a bath, you'd take a cup and drink the water or straight from the tap even!

You always ask for soup with every meal, and eat the soup yourself with a spoon handled by you. There is a lot of clean up every time but at least you're hand eye coordination is improving.

You like the sliced garlic that gets added into stir fries, so now whenever mommy cooks, I'll always add in extra garlic for you.

The only time you would eat bread is if it's a pizza or toasted cheese sandwiches which you also call pizza.

I know various people have sneaked in other carb based foods such as crackers and rice puffs. They may not think I don't know but it's obvious when you ask more of it! It made me wonder if I should print out a list of yes and no foods you are allowed. Anything that comes out of a packet or a box ready to eat is a big NO! Because of all the chemicals, colourings, stabilizers, processing, artificial flavours colours, preservatives, trans fats that can wreck havoc for you in the long run. I am going to try and keep them away from you for as long as I could because mommy knows what those things can do to you, and we are going for fresh wholesome foods as much as possible.

Love,
Mommy

Work

This only lasted 5 minutes...

Dear Baby,

Today, you get to come with mummy to mommys' work place. Lets see how this will go... So far you had a walk down the corridor, met a couple of mommy's colleagues, had your bento and dismantled mommy's bento. And now it's nursing time, and it's only 10AM. Several more hours to go....

Love,
Mommy

One and A Half Year Check Up

Dear Baby,

Mommy missed out on the 1 year check up (can't remember the details)... but we have done the 1 and a half years check up!

The nurses gave an appointment date few days after you turned 17 months.

You weighed in at 12.6kg and a height of... I forgot in centimeters but it's 31 inches, oooh, 2.5 feet tall.

The nurse asked if your teeth came out, and daddy told you to do the cheeky face to the nurse and you did and she got to see your teeth.

The nurse asked whether you are eating porridge or regular food. Regular food for as long as when food got introduced to you.

The nurse asked if you were allergic to eggs. We say no as there seem to be no reaction whenever you eat dishes that have eggs in them.

The nurse asked if we want to give you a flu shot as they currently have in stock. Daddy and I decided there is no need, and daddy said you looked very happy about that.

And that was it, your next check up is when you turn 2, appointment date on the 14th June.

Monkey became one of your favourite toy to bring around

Oh, prior to us going to the clinic for your check up, we went out for breakfast first, you had the grilled tomatoes and mushrooms. Then when you got restless mommy took you for a walk and we passed by this shop that had stuffed toy monkeys, we went inside and mommy asked if you wanted to hold a monkey, and you nodded your head. Mommy didn't realise you wanted to take the monkey and almost walked out from the shop. Mommy managed to convince you to put the monkey back and we'll look for daddy so you can show him the monkey. We went back to the restaurant and you and daddy went out to the shop while mommy paid the bill. When mommy got to the shop there you were holding two monkeys! But daddy only said one and you let go of the other one. So now you have a proboscis monkey soft toy in your collection.

Love,
Mommy

Runny Poo Incident

Dear Baby,

There was one episode where mommy, daddy and you were sick. It was the first weekend of puasa, we went out with a kindermusik family who’s baby was in the same class as you for dinner. We went to a place we never ate at before, it was also the first time for them.

The next day, mommy had a bad tummy, thought it was just mommy. Apparently daddy had it too. And you had a runny poo. But we all didn’t think much about it until the day after, when one early morning you woke up and threw up! Fortunately your pediatrician was open on Sunday and we got some medicine for you.

That day we changed your diapers what seemed like every half hour and every time we tired to give you your medication you instantly threw up. You were still playing and eating as normal apart from stuff coming out at both ends. Nappy liners and sudocrem was always ready in hand. All your flat diapers were at nenek that time, and mommy used what few there was at home. The next few days were more throwing up and runny poo. We switched you to using flats for easier changing and washing until everything was all clear. With all the frequent pooing you developed a rash, a rarity.

We encouraged you to drink water and nursed a lot to make sure you were hydrated. It wasn’t until your throwing up episode lessen were you able to keep your medication down was when we started seeing the runny poo diminishing. Ten days it took before we had the all clear. You had to miss out one of your kindermusik class, we don’t want to infect anybody and have accidents happening.

Well, that was an interesting episode, and we're never going to that restaurant again.


Love,
Mommy

Words and More Words

Dear Baby,

Past few days, mommy noticed three words sentences / syllables coming out from you. The first one mommy noticed was 'I like it' and today was 'Door open'. Oooohhh...

You can already say and count 1 to 10, every time we go up and down the stairs, mommy take the opportunity to do counting with you, now mommy teaching you 11 to 20. Maybe mommy should try simple plus and minus as well....

We do the alphabet a lot, and we sign it as well. So it's really cute to see you saying the alphabets and moving your fingers at the same time to do the signs. On a good day you can say all 26 letters. We make it a game too, mommy say the first letter and you say the next letter in order and we'd take turns saying it. Sometimes we make it until the end, other times we stop half way because you lost interest. But it's all good.

Lots of single words, you know all the cats by name. You named your Cookie Monster doll as 'C', hmmm, we haven't sang 'C is for cookie' in a while.

Daddy do a lot of books reading with you, especially before bed, gives mommy a little bit of break before I put you to sleep. When daddy isn't home, mommy would spend some time with you as well for reading and playing. You like the finger puppets theater only mommy seem to get stuck making up stories for that one. We lost one of the wheel from your Postman Pat book and daddy had to get a replacement copy, and he managed to get the very last one.

You really like pop up books, still very rough with them though so some of the books needed supervision if you were going through them.

Right now, mommy is looking for ways to arrange your books, so that they'll be easy access for you and you can see what books you have without taking them all off the shelf.

Love,
Mommy

The Tea Party

Dear Baby,

When you were already in bed and mommy was tidying up your play area, turns out Cookie Monster, Darth Vader and Florrie the Fimble are having a tea party while you are sleeping....

Love,
Mommy

Mommy Upset...

Dear Baby,

Mommy really upset this morning. As mommy and daddy was getting ready for work, mommy got a call from your nenek. She said all the milk mommy had sent over last week had melted because somebody had unplugged the fridge!! And from the looks and smell of things it had been over several days already. The last time nenek had been to the fridge was when you were there last four days ago.

14 cups worth.

Spoilt.

Just like that, because somebody was careless.  (Nenek: Siapa lagi kesana and using the power outlet? Cubatah makai yang lain. Kalau bukan kedia, siapa lagi? Antu tah nganya tu. Translate: Who else would go to the room where the fridge was and using the power outlet for the vacuum cleaner. She could've used another outlet. If not her, who else can it be? A ghost? <--- refering to her amah. When confronted by Atok, she wouldn't admit to it)

It was very upsetting. Especially how nowadays mommy is only averaging 2 cups a day production on weekdays... Seeing the space available in the freezer and trying to catch up on filling it... Shed a couple of tears when mommy saw the empty cups when I came to see you at lunch time.

Sigh...

Love,

Mommy