Shane growing up!

I would say the last month travelling... there's so much that went on with Shane's growth and development.

For starters... physically, he's grown soooo much.
Before going on our holiday (when he was 5.5 months old) to the point where we returned (at 6.5 months old), he's put on weight and grown really tall. Part way through our holiday, he could not wear any of his hats. When we got back, even his straw hat (yes the really cute one) was too small!! I had to buy another hat for the summer - a 12-18 month sized hat. At our 6 month pediatrician visit, Shane was 8.6kg (70th Percentile) and 28 inches / 72 cm (90th percentile). Tall boy!!

In this month, he's learnt to sit up steadily in the baby chair and eat adult food! Though I must say he makes monkey faces at food he really doesn't fancy (like salmon, avocado and vegetables). Sweet stuff like bananas and sweet potato are his favourite.

He's also started rolling from one end of the bed to the other... and does play with toys a lot more (before that, he would only stare at the toys). By far, the best value for money toy is this V-Tech toy that I got on Amazon. It doubles up as a walker when he gets a little older. Book reading has been a lot easier when he actually pays a lot more attention to what's on the page.

Shane has also learnt to respond to his name, and make displeasing sounds at things he really doesn't like or when he's being ignored. (eg. when I'm on the computer or on my phone).

My little boy is getting older day by day...

Home alone with Shane

I wonder how some mums do it without help....

The week we got back from Singapore, the papa had to go off to New York City, while I stayed behind in Philadelphia with the baby (because Shane had a 6 month pediatrician visit). Being alone with a baby that is jet lagged and coupled with really hot and bad weather has been really tough!

First, the baby is cranky cos he's not getting enough sleep. It gets dark only at 830pm, but he's really sleepy by about 4pm. With the blinds all closed, it's still not pitched black. So putting Shane to sleep is a little challenging.Then he gets up at 2 or 3am. They say baby adjusts an hour a day... This time, it did not happen until after 2 weeks.

 

Bright and happy at 3am!!

Second, it's been mid 90deg F (which is like 35+ deg C) in Philadelphia since we got back and walking out in the sun with the baby in the carrier is another big challenge. He's feeling uncomfortably hot, and so am I. Fortunately, there's the jet lag... so we are both awake by 3am, and can then start the mornings at 7am when it's still fairly manageable (temperature wise), and by 10am, we're both hidden in the air conditioned home - yes all day!!

 

Hiding inside Ikea for Breakfast

Third, my whole week was pretty much spent at home... changing diapers, splashing about in the bath tub, playing with the baby, singing songs, reading baby books.... It can really get to you doing the same thing over and over again...  Towards the end of the week a cool change came, and I felt so relieved I could head out to the play ground and sit under the tree. 

Day at the Playground. Hooray for the cool change

Finally, housework.... I could only dream of doing some housework when Shane goes down for the day... Laundry, mop the floor, cook and clean his toys.... that's all I can do in the 2 hours I have. To top that off... I had some freelance work to do... so the next 2-4 hours was spent doing that. That gives me pretty much 3-4 hours of sleep a night.

Counting down 6 days to Z coming back to Philly was like 6 years. Those were by far the 6 longest, yet shortest day of my life. Went by in a whim, but yet.... felt like eternity.... (No, don't get me wrong, I love doing what I did, but sometimes you need a little adult interaction). How do some mothers do without any help at all? So my brother has this friend who is a full time mum, yet does part time work, and has zero help at home. I don't think Shane is a difficult baby, but how to manage a house & baby? I'm sure there is a way to manage... and let me figure it out in the next 9 weeks when we're alone in NYC....

Falling sick for the first time!

We thought this little boy had been hardy for quite a long time. He's finally caught the bug. I guess this was partially our (my) fault for turning the air conditioning on at 20 deg C. It all started yesterday morning with a bit of a dripping nose (and yet we still went out to the zoo). By afternoon / evening, it was pretty much a water fall of mucus from the nose and into the mouth. In the middle of the night, he developed some fever and we had to sponge the poor boy.

So this morning we took Shane to the Singapore Baby & Child Clinic (both Z and I went to this same clinic 30 years ago when we were kids!). The experience was so much nicer than going to the pediatrician in the USA. Doctors and nurses seem to really care about their jobs and were extremely helpful and thorough. Fees were very reasonable (comparing with the USA again) but medication was pretty expensive.

Thankfully throughout this episode, he wasn't cranky... Just a lot more tired than usual.
So we spent the whole of today at home. It was a real nice change after rushing out and about around Singapore over the past 2 weeks.

Papa sang to Shane... Wo you yi zhi xiao mao lu....

Jeremy & Michelle Wedding

Last weekend, my little brother got married to a really cool & beautiful bride. Welcome Michelle to the Tan family!

We are so overly happy with the wedding celebrations... Celebrations are so much more fun especially when they're your close family... The church ceremony, tea ceremony and dinner were all so well planned. 

 

So because my brother loves singing, he and the wife performed for the parents...

Also a bonus... was the surprise song for the new wifey. here's a little video of it. Excellent selection of song.