Drawing

I went out to for some groceries in the afternoon and came back to see this piece of drawing laying on the floor mat. Both of them are fast asleep in the playroom, exhausted from playing and scribbling. This is a piece of work dedicated to his little princess.

Unbelievable but it happened

'I was riding a super big and fierce BMW motor bike going up the slope of a multi-storey carpark. Dressed in black with a nice leather jacket and a cool pair boots. I got to the top and was parking my bike... when in the distance I heard 'beepbeepbeep... beepbeepbeep...' '

Then suddenly everything happened at once. KABOOM! I lost control of my bike and fell over! That happened in my dream. In reality, I actually flipped over to off the alarm and fell off the bed. How bizarre! Yeah, tell me how crazy can my dreams get.

Simon jumped up, shouting incoherently, thinking that Chloe fell off the bed. I sat there in a daze, crying out in pain. My badges of honor - a bump on my head, a bruised left cheek, a bruised left knee and a bruised right ankle. Don't ask me how I land cos I only remember how I was parking my bike then.

Fast-food Pancakes

We woke up this morning to a wet and rainy day so we went back for another 5 minutes nap which stretched to an hour. Oops! Double oops, when I found out there is no more bread for breakfast and no pancake mix! (My well stocked 'mini-mart' actually went out of stock) So, I did something which I have not do so for 2 years... I called for MacDonald's delivery. Hmm... see I boycotted them 2 years ago and have not touched a 'Macfood' since then but in desperate times now, since Her Majesty is hungry, I have to put aside my personal feud.

Well, glad to say service has improved. The came within the stipulated time and they delivered everything correctly. How amazing! But grouses still, #1 size of the hotcake shrank, #2 they look ugly now, they look flat and instead of nice having nice round edges, they are jagged. #3 fillet o fish shrank too! And the fish is so dry.

Miss Chloe is not the least bothered by all these teeny-weeny stuff, she is so happy that she gets to eat her breakfast in her pyjamas and using disposable cutlery. What a treat! She ate one and a half pancakes.

Yummy! This taste so good! I'm down to my last bite.'

Signing

It's interesting but Chloe likes to sign for communications and she made up lots of her own. I was worried why wasn't she learning how to talk yet. Apart from 'dadad', 'mum-mum' for food and 'Mmm' for delicious, the rest are communicated through body language and hand signs and gestures she came up on her own which we have 'learned'. Paed and teacher says that there is nothing to worry about as she is physically dominated so the verbal development will take a back seat. And there is a boy is her class who is also the same, he's 18 months and don't speak beyond 10 words, just signing. So it's the norm now, huh? New age babies?

So while other parents spend tons of money on books and CDs earing baby signs, these are Chloe's signs for songs and stuff.

Elbows bent and flaps arms = Old MacDonald had a farm or Five little ducks
Taps her head = Head and shoulders, knees and toes or If you're happy
Index finger brushing teeth = Brush your teeth (yah, there is such a song)
Turn hands = Mickey Mouse
Hugs herself = Skid-a-ma-rinky dinky a dink, I love you
Shows her fingers and smack the floor = Four fat sausages
Pats her face = Pretty
Pinch her nose and squash her face = Smelly

The best expression would be the one when she poos, she will just pause and her face goes all serious and red for a few seconds. Big business.

Hide & Seek

'Chloe! Where's Chloe?'

Movements behind the curtains and you can see a half a foot sticking out from underneath.

Simon walked into the room and pretended to look around but a very excited girl just couldn't hold it any longer. She tries to take a peek from her hiding place giggling. 'Chloe... I can see you.'

'AHHHH!!' She went wild with excitement and charged out of the room waiting for Simon to hide this time. Seconds later, she came into the room and started gesturing, asking me for clues. 'Dadad not here? Where?'

So they exchanged hiding places, from the curtains to the sofa, the toilet, the stairs case (only for Simon :)) With such limited 'hiding places' the 2 of them can 'hide and seek' and have so much fun.

This is what I loved and enjoyed the most, just watching the pair running around, laughing, having fun.

Life's a Party

School's term end party. Isn't it fun? A party to mark the beginning of school break. Why didn't we have that in school? We are loaded with homework and more homework... Heck! Let's party!

Chloe with her teacher, Lin

Playing the drum with her friends.

Staying quiet for story time

Tap! Tap! What's in the magic box today? Let's tap and find out.

Snack time

This chix nugget is a not approved snack which she sneakily took it from the parent's party plate. Forbidden food always taste so yummy.

Whee...!

Staying put in the car even after play time is over. She refused to get out and each time I opened the door she pulled it shut, kicking up a fuss. In the end, Lin managed to coax her out.

Getting her portfolio from Lin. Her artwork for the term.

Checking out her work.

Her certificate and artwork.

Sharing a box of raisins with Emma.

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)