Daddee Yah!

Actually, these are in no particular order!

That moment of realising we can have a pseudo conversation.
At the age of early-2 whenever I put Caitlin to bed, we’d be chatting, mostly about anything her young mind can take. These have generally been 3-4 word sentences from her, with grammatical errors and mispronunciations. It was quite amazing that I could understand her, but even more amazing are moments of her getting it. I posted before that we do this in the dark. Maybe it’s the lack of light that made the “click” audible! (Well, saying I could see her light bulb come on in the dark would be too cliche for me, you know!)

These days she is obviously trying more challenging words. Just last night when we were waiting for Mummee’s consultation with a Dr (Mummee has the flu), Caitlin was asking for a stethoscope toy. She was playing with a friend’s dr toy set weeks ago, and asked me what this thing was. Last night she still almost remembered what it was called, getting it correct enough that I knew what she was referring to; I think she got the “scope” with a “t” missing somewhere- “set-a-scope”.

Recording new speech or songs or physical actions
The camcorder is a wonderful thing. I have captured: Her first steps, her 2nd trip to the pool (first trip needed my full attention, naturally)

My PDA phone has a voice recorder. I have audio clips of her talking, attempts at completing a song, etc. At least I have these recorded, for they only happen once… These were usually during the above point #5

Showing her new things- Being there
While exposure to new things, in essence, continues for life, I know I will not be there with her at every event there is a Eureka moment for her. But of course as parents I believe we should try to be, especially when their minds are still maturing and may not know right from not-so-wrong… and yes, I realise this will continue into their 20’s, at least.

But coming back to the now, one such example is when she finally figured out how to peddle forward on her tricycle. She initially couldn’t do the “cycling” motion with her legs, needing to kick-push herself with her feet on the ground.

Putting her to bed
Asians (at least in these parts) practise the co-sleeping aspect of “attachment parenting“- sleeping not just in the same room but on the same bed with kids. With Caitlin I carry her back to her own bed after she is sound asleep, still in our bedroom.

Before that, we’d lie together and:

• Talk.
• I’d give her a peck on her cheek / forehead, she’d adorably reply with one for me too.
• With the not-so-new pj’s, she’d raise her legs and be busy tugging them down to her ankles, because they’d ride up, because she is growing!
• Watch her “comfort-habit” of playing with the sharp corner of the pillow case- teasing it back and forth with her index finger.

My own niece used to like twirling her own hair while gulping down her bottled milk. I have a cousin (now attending uni) who, when carried when he was an infant / toddler, used to like reaching up for the adult’s earlobes to self-soothe to sleep. I wonder if these are early signs of fetish?? But the corner of pillow cases?

Positive reinforcements
One such example I clearly remember was when I would change her diapers in the mornings, and upon discovering it being dry since the night before, I would cheer and clap and make enough fuss to see that grin on her face, looking back at her Daddee.

Having said that, I just realised this is something we haven’t been doing a lot of lately. I don’t know if it’s that she is getting more cheeky, the adults having less time and patience now with Caleb, or a combo, that we have mostly been frustrated with and at her more than we have been positive with her…

Another mental note to self…

I wonder how much of these I will be able to repeat with Caleb, since there was a lot more opportunity for giving undivided attention to an only-child. I also think there is some truth in what people always say, that fathers are closer to daughters than sons.. I wonder if it’s a gender thing. Note to self: Have to overcome this to establish the bond with little man too.

I chose only Top 5 because this list / post was getting too long already! Maybe in future posts I will list the “Next Top 5″!