First Dinner with the family

Today was the first time we had baby join us sitting at the dining table, and first time we had Michelle as part of the Tan family (yay!!). Finally, it really feels like my little boy has grown up! The little prince got the head of the table seat and smiled at everyone while we ate (and he had his very own organic avocado).

We haven't been super diligent in giving him his avocado meal, and I've done it about 5 times only. Now, we're just waiting for him to learn to not smash the avocado into a million pieces and eating it off the table tray... But I guess he's really starting to like it because he ate 3 thick wedges in total tonight! (He started with only half a wedge about 2 weeks back). So he's also starting to figure out how to use his tongue to keep the food in his mouth.

Next food...Carrots!!

Happy and Done with his meal

Little Water Snake Swimming again...

Shane hasn't had a swim since we left Singapore in April. Our first destination was Dubai where we felt that he had finally developed the concept of fear in the water.

Our first swim at the Ngs villa was not as well received. Not sure if Shane was tired, or just scared of the water. He clung on to his favourite float for his dear life. And got really really edgy and irritated after swimming for a while. The next swim at the Millers was pretty much the same.

So we thought we had to re-orientate him back to the pool... BUT! This afternoon, Shane happily swam in the pool (with his neck float, and without me holding him) for a good half hour. So I'm not sure what the problem was... Tiredness? Water Temperature? Or simply just getting used to it.

Head Shaking

Today, Shane had just started vigorously shaking his head.




For a while, it was quite funny. But after a while, I started to google if there was any issue with that.
 Gasp... it's  one of the signs of Autism. But thankfully he does not display any other symptoms of autism. It's gonna be on my checklist for the next pediatrics visit.

Bad Eczema

Shane has had a bad run with eczema since our last trip back. We have tried so many different stuff, including Aquaphor, Physiogel Cream, and Cetaphil... And even baby oil. Nothing would really get rid of his eczema until we found this magic cream - Mustela Emollient cream!

First easy flight with the bubs

We had a relatively easy flight to Dubai this time with Shane. We brought along the iAngel carrier instead of the monkey sling.

Our flight departed at 11ish in the morning, so that meant we had to set off from Philly at 5am. Strapped the sleeping baby into the car seat... And luckily he continued sleeping till we got into JFK. So the first hour and a bit during the flight, he took his morning nap in the carrier. We used the bassinet for a mere 5 minutes while the meals arrived. Of course he started grumbling!

The next few hours were fairly predictable as he's learnt to make his really funny sound when he's feeling tired. So he got back into the carrier and went straight back to sleep for another hour. In total, 4 hourly naps and a 5th nap during landing that lasted 1.5 hours

Let's hope the next flight is equally easy!!

Peek A Boo with Shane

This little one hardly laughs out loud. For the first time today, I heard his laughter when I played Peek-a-Boo with him. It's amazing how excited I can get by just knowing my little one is developing mentally and physically by the day. First it's his silent laughters… then now it's a small chuckle. I'm just waiting for the day he does a hearty laugh.

Starting this week (Week 24), he has been smiling a lot more. This really makes my day so much more worth it. 

First Mom's Day

Yesterday was my first Mom's day… As with all 'firsts', it's supposed to be really exciting. But somehow stupid Wharton Global Consulting Project had to have official scheduled meetings from Sunday to Thursdays. Since when did they work Middle East timings? I thought the Western world worked from Mondays to Fridays!

I guessed these Wharton Professors have absolutely no life… no families… no moms (or moms who they actually care about). Seriously, get a life. You made me celebrate my first Mom's day by myself with the baby. Poop and shame on you - University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School especially.

Anyhow, I spent the morning in church with the little one (and yes I did feel like a single mom). There was this photographer at church with props and so we took a few fun shots

Then went out to meet my Dubai friends, Don & Mandy, who happened to swing by Philly for some cheesesteak and pulled pork sandwich.

A lovely surprise when I got home.... some flowers and a really heart warming card (of cos it had to be from the papa) that read:

Well, as they say… every mother's day will be you (or the husband) making something for yourself until the little one goes to school. Yup, definitely true! At the Parent & Child Development Class @ Penn hospital, this was what we came home with.

To all moms, especially mine...

Hope you had a Happy Mothers Day. And thank you for all the years of sacrifice. Love you lots.

Jumperoo Happiness

Shane started in the jumper when he was about 3.5 months. So when we first put him in, he used to sit and chill out for a while, then started swaying a little. These days, the moment he gets in, he looks around then starts bouncing around. He's got a lot more expressions as well, as compared to 2 months ago.

Thanks Uncle Gideon and Aunty Evelyne for the gift… it certainly has made mommy and daddy's life easier when we're alone with Shane. At least we get a smiling baby after half an hour doing our own stuff - just because he loves it, and does not get irritated after a while.

Starting on Solids

So over the last couple of weeks, I have been reading up on solids.
Baby center (and a lot of other website) and the pediatrician says that we can start solids when:

1. Baby has good head control

Yup. My little boy definitely has good head control.

2. Baby needs to lose the extrusion reflex - ie. stop pushing food out of the mouth

Well… I guess you wouldn't be able to tell until you've actually started solids right? DOH!

3. Sitting well when supported

I guess yea he does sit well when supported…

4. Chewing motion - he should be able to move food to the back of the mouth and swallow.

Again… you won't be able to tell until you've actually started right??

5. Significant weight gain (or at least 15lb).

Oh well… the little man was 17 pounds a month ago… so we're good there.

6. Growing appetite. Seems hungry all day

Recently he has been feeding every 3 hours… and sometimes 2 hours intervals… I guess either I do not have enough milk, or he is really hungry!!

7. Curious about what you are eating

This video sums it up!!

Other resources:

I found this website to have lots of really good information.
http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com
It's good a food chart for reference on when to start what, preparation of food, information on allergies, travel information, as well as baby led weaning if you're interested!

What I found especially useful was the bit on feeding a G6PD deficient baby (yes the type of food you can and should give them is different - and I did not know that until I read this!!)
This is the link for starting solids for babies with G6PD…
http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/foods-for-a-baby-with-G6PD-deficiency.html

Silent Laughs

I don't know if this is common amongst babies… But my lil one doesn't LOL… and I mean literally laugh out loud…

I know he is tickled… and smiles and grins…. but there is just no sound coming out. It is as if someone had a remote and pressed on the mute button.

Mum mum

Are you hearing what I'm hearing?? Is this mum mum??

Weekend at Shenandoah

We had a great weekend… The weather was perfect and we were out in Shenandoah National Park with some of our friends. Now, this is what I like about the USA. There are just so many activities to do!

Shenandoah is some 5 hours drive away… We set off at close to 11 in the morning, and by the time we got into Shenandoah, it was 5-ish in the evening. Since we got lost in the car convoy (and arrived a little earlier), we explored around the town and did a small walk around the Massanutten area. Absolutely beautiful area.

Painter's Pond, Masssanutten

It was a little chilly the next morning when we drove up to Skyline drive, and up the mountains it was a lot cooler than we thought. Baby took the cold really well (and maybe that's why he enjoyed staying in the carrier for such a long time. Anyhow the walk was nice even though all we saw were trees, trees, bird, fern, rocks, stream...

I would love to have done more trails… but time only permitted us to do one trail. So we packed our bags, got out there, and walked. It was not exactly a super long walk… but it was enough to digest that huge breakfast we had at the Thunderbird Cafe…

So the baby took the trip really well… Almost through out the entire journey, he was in his car seat. We kept him busy with the Skwish, and singing Elmo...

New York City House Hunting with a Baby

So we're going to be in NYC for the summer for Z's internship. And I must say, for our budget, all we could get were really small and very old apartments in mid town. It's soooo small and soooo old that it should be illegal for people to charge that much money!

We took baby on a 3 hour drive (yes! traffic) to NYC and parked in a garage we found on upper west (79th/1Av) that charged $10 for the day. Then we walked all around town with the baby from 10:30 to 6pm. Non stop! The only time we stopped was for a 30 mins lunch break. So I must say the iAngel carrier is superb for the 7 hour walk around town. Google Maps distance measured almost 10 miles of walking today (16km!!)

The little man was in the carrier the whole time except over lunch. After all that walking, I think he finally enjoyed sitting in his car seat. Definitely way more comfortable in the car seat as compared to the carrier.

Happily chilling out with mommy

Taking a stretch during lunch

Anyhow, I'm definitely NOT looking forward to moving during summer. It's only for 10 weeks, but I must say I'm starting to count down (to the end, not to the start) because that city is totally not baby friendly at all… Today's weather was perfect spring weather (20 deg C), but it was extremely hot (by my standards). I can't imagine what hot humid summer is going to be like.

Crib Training - Failed

So I wrote a few post on our success with Crib trainings… Well, the last few nights was… totally unsuccessful with the crib. I'm not sure if it's because Shane was teething or if it was just a phase.

This was what happened…

He fell asleep while feeding. As usual, I would put him down in his crib. On those good old nights, he'll just toss a few times then fall asleep. The last few nights, he would open an eye (yes, just one eye) just to peek where he is. When he realizes he's in the dreaded crib, he starts screaming! Then we (take turns) pick him up and he falls back asleep in our arms again. Again, we try the crib, and again the same thing happens - big cry! Finally we decided to put him in our bed. One eye opens… and he sees our bed, smiles and goes back to sleep.

My little man knows his place in the room now.

Hello Teeth!!

First of May: Baby Shane is exactly 5 month old today, and his first two teeth popped out of the gums today!!! Hoorah!