Jerry at 12 months.

I know I said this many times.. But I can’t quite believe a year has since passed!

It’s a big milestone for mummy me, as well as baby jerry. Ok. I must give credit to the husband for surviving it as well. LOL.

He’s a TODDLER now. On his birthday, the husband kept telling jerry, “baby, you are not baby anymore.. You are a toddler already!!”. I found it hilarious because I’m not even sure that jerry could understand/comprehend what the husband said.

That said, we both are feeling incredulous that time has passed us sooooo fast.

Jerry doesn’t seemed to have changed much in the past month, mostly because he is very developed in his motor skills and have hit milestones that are meant for much older babies. He climbs everywhere and has since learnt that he can use a stool, a pillow, a toy as a stepping tool to get where he wants to go, which is the table top, the windows (much to my horror!!!), and top of the sofas.. I think he likes the view up there! Once up, he’ll stand on his feet, do a little jig and flap his arms in joy. Sometimes, he dances and then start exploring if he can go higher. Errrrmm. He really takes after me in this aspect.

He’s a lot more expressive these days, and babbles a lot though I can’t quite make sense of most things except his favorite verse.. “ah ah arple”.. Which is part of a phonics song that my mum plays to him daily from YouTube. He also goes around pointing things and goes “这个!” (this!).. He repeats it like a 100 times a day but every single time it happens, it triggers peals of laughter from daddy and me. No babies I know say that first! It’s such an odd word to pick up but I guess it’s because my mum points at things daily and goes.. “this is table.. This is nose.. This is head.. This is water bottle..”

With the added expressions also comes the added stickiness! The thing I used to like about my son is that he is generally open to being around strangers and people usually can carry him as they please. But lately, I am see a slight shift in that and he is sticking to me more often, and articulating in his own ways to say he wants me instead. He has also learnt the ‘lean towards mummy with wide stretched hands’ act to ‘jump’ into mummy’s arms. Else, he cries or show a grumpy face when mummy doesnt carry him. Sometimes, even daddy isn’t spared from the cries. While I relish the thought that he loves me, I feel rather stressed about the loss of freedom. I can’t even wash milk bottles now because he wants to be in my arms all the time! I tried having him stand beside my legs while I explain that mummy needs to wash the bottles, he just burst into tears!!

With the stickiness comes separation anxiety. Here’s one of those mornings that he burst into tears when I leave for work..

Though heart wrenching, I find it über cute.

He has since learnt to throw tantrums as well! He screams loudly non stop to get your attention. Then he stamps his little feet and burst into tears or kicks his legs non stop if he happens to be sitting down. How and where did they learn this from? Natural instinct?!

The bruises are getting lesser since he is slightly more agile now with better awareness of the items around him that would potentially trip him, but he also gets harder falls because he climbs a lot higher.. It pains me when I see him hit his head.. And I worry about him having concussion with all that knocks and falls. Though I always try to keep an eye on him but sometimes accidents do happen.

Appetite wise, he’s still sticking to his vegetable purées with beef or fish daily. Anything that’s slightly more grainy, he spits it out, machine gun/blow bubble style and the food lands all on your face/clothes/floor. Its quite funny or frustrating depending on how you see it. He loves checking us out when we have our meals and demand to try what we are eating. If its something bland, sauce less, I’ll usually give him a small piece. Oh! My son loves strawberries and durians.. Probably because he had the first taste of strawberries it when he was 6 months old. As for the latter, im guessing its because i had loads of it when i was preggers.. Bananas is next on the list while the rest of the fruits are hit and misses depending on their sweetness and his mood.

Caught him secretly climbing to the top is his rocker as standing up! (please pardon the mess behind) I must say, I’m impressed with his sense of balance.

Don’t think I mentioned this before but Jerry is a super curious baby. He likes to dig into my bags, dig out the contents as ‘savour’ them. Here, he opened my wallet’s coin compartment and attempted to put at 20cents coin into his mouth. My new shoes stored underneath the bed are not spared either.

Weight wise, the last he measured was 8.4kg 2 weeks after the above picture was taken.. But as of yesterday, he lost all the weight gain because he was suffering from diarrhea and it pains me greatly to see his weight below 8kg again.

He’s crying, but I think he is dammmmn cute! Haha. Am i the only mummy that laugh when her baby is crying his lungs out? I is evil mummy.

Because he is super active/hyper and always about, he hardly naps these days. Some days, he takes only 1 nap, on good days, he takes 2 naps and when I’m home, his nap times are precious times..

That’s when I get my sanity back by stoning or resting or getting my chores done.. Babies look so angelic when they sleep but such a terror when they wake.

My son is a fan of peekaboo/hide and seek. And he really seeks you out. I had a good laugh some months back when I discovered that the moment I tuck him in his blanket, he’ll pull it up to cover his face only to pull it down seconds later and breaks into peals of laughter when he sees you. If he doesn’t, he covers back his face and tries again. Repeat 20times. He does it the first thing in the mornings when he wakes too, so he plants a smile each time he does it and totally makes my day. Here, he is tunneling under my duvet and trying to find the way out.. And a cheeky grin when he finally accomplishes it. I play this with him quite often because it’s a good way to tire him out and let me steal pockets of a minute or two to just rest and not do anything. But I always make sure I keep a watchful eye over him though.

Here’s a family shot taken at paragon changing room. It’s so hard to change diapers now that he is super mobile! He wouldn’t stay still no matter what. Even when we resort to giving him the mobile phone (it’s a bad habit, I KNOW!!) but he just doesn’t stay still. It’s worse when it’s in a new environment because he just wants to explore his surroundings! Here, he spent a lot of time talking to himself in the mirror.. And we stuck the diaper on him while he was standing up.

Splish-ing, splashing away in his tiny tub. We downgrading his tub when he started sitting up so that we won’t use that much water and also to prevent him from slipping into the tub since there isn’t much space. His toothbrush is his best friend that day, and did you spot that he’s a leftie?

Sometimes, he is a rightie.. So I’m quite confused. Most days, I don’t bother to correct him and let him develop and use whichever hand he pleases. Best if he grows up to use both interchangeably. He loves his rubber duckie, throwing it on the ground and screaming to have you pick it up for him, that is..

He doesn’t use a pacifier.. But he chews on everything else when he is teething, fingers included. His teeth count is still standing at 8 for now but I could feel his molars pushing out from his gums these days so he’s chewing his fingers a lot more.

I love his smiles in the mornings. Cheers up my day instantly, but it also makes me wanna stay home with him! Haha. He’s excited shaking a box of kinder surprise here.. And no, he isn’t allowed to eat chocolates yet.

He loves getting his hands on new things. Here, he’s checking out his new car that my aunt bought as a present.

Actually, he loves the cardboard more than the actual car. My son is weird. He prefers the cheap stuff than the toys.

He’s also my mum’s vacuum cleaner at home! He picks up the tiniest piece of paper, dust or hair on the ground when he sees it!

Us, at the salon waiting for a haircut. I have upgraded him to a normal salon as compared to the usual juniors league salon that I bring him to. It’s almost 1/3 the usual price we pay and I like that it’s Derrick’s stylist who is likely to be more patient with his son. Haha.

Me, doing some acrobatic moves here, with my son perches on top of my shoulders, and mimicking me. Monkey see, monkey do.

Anyhow, it’s been a wonderful 12 months, albeit tiring and stressful. I hope I have been an okay mummy thus far!

Dear baby jerry,
Although daddy says you are no longer a baby, you are and forever will be my smiley, funny baby. Love you to bits. Yes, even the annoying bits.

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