So Chloe

So what is Chloe like at 16 months old?

She can and loves to eat by by herself, feeding herself with a spoon, poking her veggie with a fork and just eating with her hands, refusing any help. Meaning if you feed her and she unknowingly took it, she will spit it out. She wants to drink from a cup with or without a straw, holding it by herself, no help wanted. Which simply means she took a big gulp, choke, cough, explore with her cup of water, another sip, spill whatever is left all over her shirt and floor.

Enjoying her pasta with salmon.

This is so much more fun, spoon and fingers.

Next, she wants to bathe herself and stay in the tub for the next 3 nights. She tries to take off her shirt (which wasn't very successful, shirt got stuck on her head) and put it in the laundry basket. She imitates me soaping her, washing her face and drinks from the tub using her little boat. (I didn't drink from her tub) Ewww...! And finally, when it's time to get out, she stays put. She just shakes her head, going into konasana (like a turtle).

She loves accessories! Bags, shoes, hair bands and clips which unfortunately at this point she can't do much except with hair bands. She wears her Mickey sling bag around the house, puts on a hat or band, pick a pair of socks from the wardrobe, puts on an extra t-shirt. My little fashionista!

We have to stop her from grabbing another 2 more bags from the hooks by letting her parade around the store with this one around her neck.

Her pink band.

Pink hat, pink tee, pink shorts, pink socks. I didn't plan this. :) She chose the socks herself.

Presenting Miss Spidergirl. This girl can climb onto anything. Sofas are nothing, so are chairs. Tables and toilet bowls are more challenging. The table, she started out standing on the chair earning a smack on the butt from me, which did not deter her. In defiance, she went onto the table and showed me her widest smile.

The toilet bowl, that was my fault. She just wanted to know why mummy scribbles her face with some many different pencils and brushes, so to find out she climbed onto the toilet bowl for the best view. Wow! So exciting! The make up box! After monitoring me for a few days, she picked up the eyelash curler and pretended to curl her lashes, took the puff and powered her face and applied moisturizer on her face. Is that adorable or what?

I love her, I love her, I love her... ... ... ... ...

Yes! I am a step closer to Mount Everest.

Hanging on the edge, pulling herself up

Almost there

Ooo... so exciting!

(And why is the dustbin on the ledge of the shower? To stop Ms So Helpful from throwing almost everything she deems garbage inside)

Chopsticks are lots of fun, so are the utensils

Breakfast in the mornings are never quite complete without Chloe ransacking the drawers in the kitchen. She is able to pull open the top drawer but unable to see and reach for the contain. Not much interest in the second one except for the disposable gloves. The last 3 drawers are on the top of her list.

She likes the drawer where I keep all the ladles, spatulas and scoops and whatever ( I didn't know I have so many of these till she did an inventory). So what happened when she gets the biggest ladle? She went around trying out her new toy! She first imitate how I taste the soup using the ladle and next doing real thing. The nearest pool of water - yes, Sunny's water bowl. She was just stirring making a din (poor Sunny was just standing there watching) and then she scooped some water. Ah...! That's when she flashed me her mischievous grin before bringing the ladle right next to her lips.

'CHLOE! Put that down, NOW!!'

After this one try, I took out all the ladles but she always managed to find something to mess up Sunny's food. So I moved the whole tray to the yard and she still managed to find it the next morning by following Sunny out. Faint!

The latest attraction, the old chopsticks, which I was reluctant to throw away hoping that it might be put to good use some other days. And yes, I'm playing pick up sticks every morning. She throws, I pick.

Chopsticks everywhere.

What A Party!

Happy First Birthday, Jake!

We were invited to Jake's birthday party at the gym on Sunday and Chloe had so much fun. She was going from one play structure to another, trying out everything with no pit stop the whole time till it's time for food. :) Thanks guys! We had great fun.

Jake, the birthday boy waving while bouncing on the trampoline

All set and ready to party and rock the house down

Boeing.. Boeing...
Cranston and Chloe taking careful bouncy steps on the trampoline.

On the ring. Future gymnast?

Time for some party games

A pair of sticky and creamy hands coated with cream sauce with a mouth stuffed full of pasta. Yummy! Nothing beats eating with your hands.

Smack! Smack!

Taking a swing at the pinata. No dent, no scratch, no damage after many hits. A tough cow.

Peeking into her loot bag, checking her stash of sweets and chocolate bars. Who gets to eat them? Me! :)

A group of happy party animals

Giving Audrey, the host, a thank you hug. (See the exhausted look on her face.)

Kiddie Rides

During the 80's, these rides cost only 20 cents and they go on and on for a long time. The machines are so much more interesting and mobile compared to the ones you see in the malls now. I remember almost every week, my parent would bring my sister and I to Yohan at Thomson Plaza where there was a little amusement park at the basement. It was like the best place on earth for the half and hour or so for us. I would always go on the helicopter, which would 'take off' a few centimeters and turn a few circles while bobbing up and down. Second favorite would be the submarine, where you get to maneuver the control to try and capture the octopus in front.

Now, these rides cost $1 each and they lasted only 2 minutes. And what they do is either they rock you left and right or front and back, you get to press some buttons or a honk. Gosh! Not very exciting. But Chloe is so thrill when she sees these at the kid's level in Paragon. She squeals and make a dash for them. Most of the time she will 'test drive' the comfort of the different rides by hopping on a few of them before making her choice. The Wiggles red car is her favorite, I guess she likes the little catchy song it plays.

A very serious F1 driver studying the knobs and buttons in front of her before the ride

Enjoying her ride on the big red car

Somersaults

It is not funny when you are showering and you hear excited shouts like this.

Simon: 'Dear, she's turning somersaults! She's doing it by herself! She did 3 already!'

Me: 'Ya! Okay!' (Wait a sec, somersaults?! Where did she learn that from?)

5 minutes later... I can still hear muffled laughter, excited screams and claps.

Simon: 'She made me turn her properly cos she keeps falling to the side instead of over but she did a perfect one!'

Me: 'You better stop! All that upside down action will make her very active and it's 10 pm now!' (I figured out she learned that from her gym class.)

Simon: 'She don't want to stop! I think she did like 10 or 12 already!'

15 minutes later, I came out looking at an upside down baby with hands on the bed, peeking at me between her legs, grinning. An equally happy papa who is also grinning from ear to ear looking so proud at his daughter's 'achievement'. And me, I stood there shaking my head while listening to a very detailed account of daddy's darling's latest achievement.

CNY Parties

15 days of celebration! On the 2nd day, we went over to mum's place for dinner. Chloe is all dressed up in her cheongsam which I suspect will not stay on for long and I was right.

All set and ready to visit Grandma in her little cheongsam. No resistance from her when I slipped the fitting dress over her, surprise.

'Let us out or I'll get Sunny to break the lock.'

I should have slit the side opening higher, not for a sexier look but to make it easier for her to climb and run. She looked so restricted in the dress.

So the dress did not last an hour. It came off 10 minutes after she set foot into Grandma's place, after everyone have a good laugh while she tries to walk pulling her dress way up and almost fall over when squatting down. Tees and shorts suits her fine, the cheongsam will be stored away for some fancy dress party.

A very creative Evans decided to style her hair after asking me the umpteen why she has so little hair. Well, my birthday, New Year Day, Chinese New Year's wish is for her hair to mushroom overnight and I'm still waiting for it to happen.

On the 3rd day of CNY, we had an open house party. The usual gang, Lily and family and our parents came. Lots of fun and laughter and more feasting.

Trio of happy and contented girls

Henry getting ready to hold the toss yusheng ceremony with all the auspicious lines and wishes ready. You have to say the right thing while you pour the oil, throw in the crackers and when you sprinkle the spices. Any errors will cost you a knock from the long chopsticks from us. And of course no one can do it better than Mr. Goh. Yay! :)

All in action. Tossing the ingredients as high as possible for a super year.

The aftermath. Trying to pick out the pieces of the abalone from the colorful mess.

And what is Chinese New Year without a game of cards. Chloe wants to join in the fun too. She ran over to Von and asked to be seated on her lap.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year!

Time to shop, feast and collect red packets! The Collector is Chloe while we are the Giver. :) Last CNY, Chloe's only 4 months old and she is now 15 months. Time sure flies.

'Er..er.. It's not me. I didn't do it'

While waiting for our table, Chloe decides to 'trim' the pot of mandarin oranges. Plucked the leaves and squashed fruit! She had a lot of practice back home as I always find mashed oranges on the porch.

Picked up by Simon before the poor plant went bald

Toss yu sheng for good health and prosperity

Munching on her rice cracker while waiting for dinner to be served. Well, it was a long wait for every dish. Dinner lasted 3 hours and half the time we are waiting. So you can imagine how hard it was to keep Chloe occupied and entertained.

Feeding Simon dessert, nian gao

I'm not sure if it's the high sugar contain in the nian gao that causes a sugar rush in or just pure excitement that it Chinese New Year in a few hours time. She did not sleep till 1 am, just walking round the room, dancing and singing.

Helping herself to more dessert while Simon is chatting away. She drank quite a few spoonful of the 'sugar water' and together with the nian gao it keeps her energy level high up.

Meddling with Grandpa's camera. The happy duo.