18 months old

Dear all,

I am one and a half years old already! Time really flies! :)

About 10 days ago, Mama brought me to the polyclinic to have my booster immunisation jab. With this jab, I would have completed most of my immunisation as an infant. The nurse at the polyclinic gave Mama a bottle of paracetamol in case I become feverish after the jab and I did run a slight fever after that.

Mama chose to let me have this booster at the polyclinic as she was eyeing the free well-baby checkup that comes with the jab. Unfortunately, she chose the wrong time for me to have the jab at 12noon. When I was done with the jab, I was really tired and cranky and by the time I was brought into the doctor's room, I was already asleep and the doctor could not give me a proper check.

So based on Mama's answer to the questions found in the health booklet, the doctor commented that I was slow in speech because I could not say Papa and Mama specifically. According to the health booklet, about 90% of the children in Singapore can say Papa and Mama specifically by about 15 months old.

Sure enough, I had said these 2 words but I say Papa too frequently as the main sound I utter regardless whether Papa is around or not and I only say Mama when I am in severe distress. The doctor asked Mama to bring me back to the polyclinic in 2 months' time for a review after advising Mama to stimulate me more by reading to me.

Mama was somewhat worried but after reading God's word, she felt more assured. Papa also checked with his classmates doing early childhood studies that this is quite normal especially for boys.

Nevertheless, Papa has decided to let me start some playgroup classes next year to help me with my social development. They are now doing research of where to send me for playgroup classes.

Interestingly, after the visit to the doctor, I seem to be saying many more words and uttering more syllabus. In fact, just the other day, Mama let me watch a DVD and when a cat puppet showed up, I said "cat" and moments later, I said "bird" when a bird puppet appeared. Mama was very elated to hear me say these words but it was not producible. When she showed the same DVD to me in the same evening in Papa's presence, I only said "cat" and that is also not reproducible the next day.

In addition, I also seemed to be more clingy to Mama for the past 2 weeks. I would hold her hand and bring her to the window and reach upwards towards Mama's waist to indicate I want to be carried. So Mama has been carrying me more often nowadays. This picture was taken when she was carrying me on one of the afternoons.

On the other hand, I am pretty advanced in my kinasthetic skills. I can already climb some steps without much help from anyone by holding onto railings. Of course, when more superior support like my Mama's hand is available, it will be foolish not to use them, don't you think so? ;p

In addition, I also like to climb onto Papa and Mama's bed. This is perhaps one of my more prominent accomplishment this month.

Unfortunately, my abilities also mean I fall more often. In the past month, I have fallen many times. On separate occasions, I had fallen from the top of the slide, from the bottom of the slide, from Mama's bed and even from the armchair. Mama thinks the fact that I am still alive and well really testifies to God' s protection, mercy on me and grace for my Mama.

Another interesting thing that Papa and Mama observed about me is, I am beginning to take an interest in kiddy rides. In the past, Mama put me in these machines for her own pleasure to observe me in a different setting. Nowadays, I want to go on one myself. :)

The idea is, don't bother inserting any coins to activate the machines. I am quite uncertain about how to handle moving kiddy machines. Better to get off them. So I ride these machines as they are and my folks are fine with this since it can allow them to pass time with me without spending more money. haha. ;p

I can also hold a pen and scribble. Just look at what I did to my Papa's dictionary. :p

This month, I am also starting to show my preference for certain food or at least, my "food mood". I seem to have grown a filter in my mouth which can cleverly filter out those food that I do not want nor feel like eating. For instance, if I don't feel like eating sliced chicken and Mama hides some of it in my porridge and give it to me, I can cleverly swallow the porridge and spit out the chicken. On other occasions, I seem fine with eating sliced chicken. Perhaps the shreds of chicken were too big a piece for me to handle when I spat it out.

Also, with exposure to food with stronger tastes, I seem to be more uninterested in the relatively tasteless food that Mama served me in the past. The solution to this : pork floss. Mama has bougth a small bottle of pork floss for me to make my porridge more tasty and I sure like my porridge better.

I am also learning to drink. I exhibit keen-ness to try drinking from Mama's glass even if it is heavier than the normal plastic cups for children. It's perhaps time for Mama to let me use a plastic cup for children. :)

I am also a very good helper in the household area. I can throw away my own used diapers and I like to throw things into the dustbin, even the tissue paper that Mama has used for blowing her nose. Of course, Mama has kindly declined my offer to help with the tissue paper.

I also help Papa and Mama with vacumming the floor and not to mention, putting my toys away. The latter is at times, done without anyone prompting me. Papa and Mama is so proud of me in this area.

Ok, that's about all for the moment. Thanks for reading this far. Have a good weekend! God bless you! :)