Chloe's First Year

Chloe just turned 1 on 26 Oct 2007. Looking through all the photos I took of her for the past one year, I realized how much she has grown and how much she has changed. From the little baby who was swaddled up in a bundle when we brought her back, she is now capable of voicing her wants (yes, in her baby babbles) and is learning how to walk.

I tried to write her birth story wanting to remember every single detail but never got past the second paragraph. It seems you will never forget that day, how it seems like yesterday, I can still remember what I ate the whole day before I feel the first contraction around mid-night. On the way to the hospital, I tried to stay calm by focusing on the traffic, yelling at Simon every time the car goes over a bump or when he hits the brakes. When we got to the birthing suite, I think I'm ready to murder anyone on site.

When it really started to hurt like crazy, I imagined I'm walking along the trails in Nepal, driving up the icy roads in Tibet, running the marathon, telling myself the finishing line is just ahead. And of course, I have to walk, wobble and dragged myself around the room then turned and tossed on the bed, irritating the s*** out of the nurses.

After 6 hours, we did finished the 'marathon' and got our finisher medal, in the form of a wailing baby.

Chloe Grace Soh, half a day old. I was so reluctant to let the nurse take her away from my bedside, she was wrapped in a green towel with just her diaper on and slept with me still sticky with all the gooey stuff, though they did cleaned her up in the birthing suite. The over-whelming feeling of 'Wow! I'm a mum. I have a baby!' It just felt so different when she is inside my tummy and the moment she is out. Even though I'm really tired, I just could not take my eyes off her. I just want to lay there and hear her breathing, watch her sleeping. I don't want to miss a thing, right from the start.

Breast feeding was not a breeze for me, wrong latch, sore nipples, engorged breasts, plugged ducts. I had it all but we did not give up despite what everyone says. We did it!

A month old. Amazing, see how much she has changed. The first few months was really crazy, I wonder how I survived those days. The night feeds, lack of sleep, Chloe's crying and not knowing what is wrong. Well, first time mom, you just got to do the trial and error thing. Diaper, checked. Milk, check. What could be wrong? What is she trying to tell us. In the end, we just snuggled and slept together. She is also adapting to her new environment just like us.

Chloe at 4 months old. She did not know how to sit upright yet, we just propped her up against the cushion. This was taken on eve of Chinese New Year. I think it is around this time she started taking a liking to the mirror and the camera. Each time we held her up to the mirror, she would smile. And when you point the camera at the, she will flash you her sweetest smile.

51/2 to 6 months old, so many things started happening. Chloe started rolling, teething, discovering her baby babbles and started on her semi-solids.

It is always said that parents are responsible for teaching their children about life, the rights and wrongs. In my experience, I think it is the other way round at times. Chloe has made me more patient and to appreciate the simple things in life. Watching her splat cereal on her face and then reaching out to rub some on my face, dropping her biscuit for Sunny. These are the little things that brings joy and smiles.

7-8 months old. Learning to sit upright.

Begin pregnant - 10 months. Raising a child - lifetime. I think my approach to parenting is probably by instinct, baby first. We learn to read her body language and her cries and let develop her own routine though we do take over a little at times.

Chloe at 10 months old enjoying her ride at the playground. She loves giving food to Sunny, gets very excited when she sees cats and birds, loves reading, advertisements breaks, likes to eat fish, vegetable, enjoys her the bath, her rubber ducky, toying with my camera, my mobile phone, pulling wet wipes out, being difficult when I tried putting on her diaper and the playground.

11 months old.

Learning how to stand and taking steps with the help of whatever she can grab. This is her favorite part of her room - the balcony. She will stand there and wave at our neighbors' cars whenever they are back, the stray cats and the dogs going for walks.

Chloe, taken couple of days before she turns 1 year old.

Celebrate! Countdown to 1

Yesterday, we celebrated Chloe's first birthday with a sumptuous Chinese dinner at the Cherry Garden. Lots of pictures...

At the poolside.
Chloe trying to wriggle out from Eileen's grasp.

Smile, baby! Show them your teeth. = )

An angpow from Auntie Lily

Yeah! Fanning her angpows.

Staring intently at Grandpa's shirt pocket. She took out his pen and whatever is inside after this shot.

Simon trying to keep a straight face while Chloe is yanking his hair.

That big toothy smile! She's watching Eileen playing with her mini basketball.
Happy trio.

'This little piggy went to market, this little pig stayed home.'

A break from dinner, taking pictures outside the restaurant. Notice the pink basketball? Yep! That's her birthday present from Eileen. A mini basket ball set.

All together!

Hey! I'm not ready yet.

Our baby girl is 1! Amazing!

Chloe's birthday cake, in a riot of pink and red. Red currants, raspberries, marmalade with rose macarons, meringue and rose-flavored cream. And it has got a nice name 'L'Amour'.

Getting It Right

Try taking a perfect nice portrait shot for a squirmy baby, quite a task. We manage to get a shot on the very first attempt. Phew! Here's how.

Tip #1
Make sure the model is well rested and well fed. In this case, Chloe just woke up from her nap after a meal.

Tip #2
Best time is when the model just woke up, still drowsy. With all the action around, she will think that she is still in la-la land, so you get maximum co-operation.

Tip #3
Plop her down immediately in front of the white back ground, get the entertainers out and the photographer just snap.

Taaa-daaa! Presenting Chloe's passport photo. Okay, the one we sent in was digitally enhanced as the lab assistant said the background is too dim. So they cropped and pasted Chloe on a really white background. They were so meticulous that they even crop away the little teeny fluff of hair on top, sob!

Staying unbelievably still for 30 seconds, trying to figure out what the hoo-ha is all about

Ahh! Totally awake now. Coming for the camera.

Placing her back for a second attempt, we get this sullen look. As if she's trying to say 'I'm done!'

Chloe's Days

So what have we been up to lately? Hmm... Seriously, nothing much. Very mundane life, no food fights, no big scares, no surprises... argh! Basically, very boring. Yawn!

It's been raining almost every other day, so swimming is out. We spent most of our time indoors, playing, reading or visits to the playground, walks or hit the malls.

Just lazing around, watching Chloe growing up, not wanting to miss any moments of it. Enjoying her and her antics, her babbling, her everything. Zoosh! Do I sound like I'm obsess with my own daughter?

At Robertson Quay

The whole place have changed so much since the last time I was here. There were so many nice restaurants by the river.

Anyone realized that Simon has so many pictures with Chloe? Ya! I'm jealous. And the pictures he took of me with Chloe are not fabulous most of the time. I think that explains why I'm the 'officially' photographer.

Don't be taken in by her, she's not sitting in that high chair quietly without a protest. This is just a kodak moment. Smile baby! :)

Something I feel really happy about when I look at this picture today, she will sit in her stroller throughout the whole shopping trip now! It has to do with grandma and our last shopping trip together. Grandma so patient with her whenever she whines and wants to get out, distracting her with different toys and sweet talking her. Hmm... I did all that and why it didn't work? The magic touch!

Simon was really surprise and happy and almost couldn't believe it the other day when we were out. He made a bet that she will start whining in less than 5 minutes when I strapped her in. Ha! He lost the bet.

Taking the arm of the cozy armchair for a ride. Yes, she's actually rocking herself.

Wondering why Chloe looks a little uptight? Eileen squashed their faces together to keep her from fidgeting.

Step By Step

Chloe loves climbing the staircase, especially this flight. Her initial purpose of going up was to fiddle with the masking tape on the rolled-up carpet, tugging at it, hoping to yank off a piece.
Simon will always says she's going up Mount Everest when she's at it. Hmm... this is Chloe's mini one.

Then she found out, there's more interesting stuff at the top. What caught her attention? You will never guess. My in-immediate-need-of-attention, over-grown with weeds, jungle-like, unkempt roof garden!

Halfway up, taking a photo break. This is the third round up and she's still so excited.

Almost there, 3 more steps to go! It's always right here, she will turn over to bear hug me, sign that she wants to be carried up. Why? To peer over the high window for a view of the weed filled pots of plants.

Ah...! The door to the roof garden. Not now baby... when it is cooler in the evening

What We Do When We Are Bored

What happened when baby is energetic and ready to go 24/7? You get this. Taking a breather at a corner, I was watching her playing with her toys. Slowly, she took out each piece, examine it, turning it around and tasting it before throwing it down. After a few pieces, she decided just overturning the whole storage box is much faster. Ta-da! You get this.

Camouflaged by her toys. Spot her? She's messing with the radio's buttons.

Of course, mama has to join in the fun. By putting her in the box and snap a picture.

And push her around in her new ride. So fun! Yeah, that's how we entertain ourselves. : )

Children's Day

Chloe had such a great time today with grandma. Shopping at Toys 'R' Us, playing at the indoor playground and a yummy dinner (this is for me). Surprisingly, she sat in her stroller almost the whole trip, keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this is staying for good.

Posing for photo on the kiddie ride. I was about to slot in a dollar coin when she slipped off the seat. The last time I was on a ride, it cost only 20 cents. Gulp!

We were resting outside the playground watching the kids playing and Chloe struggled to get off my arms to get nearer. Mum, the doting grandma, just carried her up and put her on the slide, she was thrilled to bits. You should hear her squeal and laughter.

Couple more rounds and she's hooked, refused to leave.

The big, happy and contented smile.

That just keeps grandma going on and on. So who's spoiling her rotten?