This gallery contains 1 photos.
Caitlin, when she was about 2 years 3 months old, showing how she can rotate her dummy hands-free! These are screen-grabs of a video clip I took of her just before bed one night. This was probably only a few … Continue reading
Seems like a season for sequels. Nope, I haven’t watched The Dark Knight yet….. I have watched Hellboy 2 though…
Anyway, there’s been a build up of activities that have accumulated to a juncture at which there’s been a bottleneck, inhibiting the easy flow of movements, effectively creating a plug that is causing a backlog of new activities waiting to be cleared.
Yes, it took me a good while to write that simple passage of nonsense.
On weekends, we make it a point to sleep over at my parents’, since it is the only time everyone gets to see each other.
On Saturday, we took it easy. Hot Mummee slept in, but Caitlin was up “early” as usual (for a Saturday, by our standards). So Daddee has to keep her company and occupied. My mum wanted to go buy some fresh flowers at the wet market. So the 3 of us went. Then we came home, Caitlin had her lunch. I don’t recall if she had her morning milkies or not… Before her afternoon nap Hot Mummee and I sat with her to go through some of the new words she learned from school. Evening came, and only Caitlin and I, along with my parents and the 2 brothers and respective families, went over to Dr Pixie’s for dinner. Hot Mummee and Caleb didn’t go ‘cos the little man is only just coming out of (an)other fever and cold.
There wasn’t anything unusual about it. There were fish, vege, prawns, rice, and lots of fruits. Caitlin avoided the spicy stuff, but did get stuck into the fruits, especially the papaya and the rare treat of kiwi fruit.
We had a late night. Mainly ‘cos Caleb wasn’t there, allowing myself and Caitlin to remain and play / chat / explore the house. I reckon we got home around midnight. I think I did make her some milkies, but not the usual amount.
Sunday came and she only woke close to midday. Hours later, we packed up, went home to the condo, and the kids had their afternoon nap. No surprises- Caitlin wasn’t able to sleep quickly when night came. She probably only fell asleep close to midnight.
Before that, while washing up after brushing her teeth, I asked if she’d been. She hadn’t, for that day; and I can’t remember if I washed her up on Friday or Saturday night once, after her going.
Monday came, and it was going to be an interesting one.
Since she didn’t sleep early the night before, she was all of Miss Grumpy. Still, I managed to get her to school on time and outta-sight-outta-mind for me and on my way to work.
Like breaking news feeds of a major event, I get bits and pieces of info that I had to peace together: Sitting on the toilet for 3 hours, refusing to get off, only Grandma’s threats worked, insisting on wearing her brother’s diapers for just-in-case, trip to the nearest Dr, anema, but not satisfied, no afternoon nap. Somewhere in there was Hot Mummee’s interrogation on what happened / was served at Dr Pixie’s.
Poor kid is already lacking sleep, and is so constipated that she had to endure the up-the-ass too. I think it was only a squirty but nonetheless….
I think the only thing we’d done differently since part 1 was that Caitlin has finished her tub of prunes which Grandma had bought, and had effectively stopped eating it, or anything just as fibrous.
So I went to (finally) get a bottle of Duphalac, asking Grandma to administer today after Caitlin returns from school, 10mL, for 3 days in a row. Dr Pixie actually suggested to administer in the mornings, but since she says it will “work within 4 hours”, I also do not want any untoward mishaps to befall her during her school hours in the morning.
Hopefully when I get home later, I will be greeted with a wide smile I-am-so-finally-relieved fully rested 3-going-on-4-year old happy-as-I-am child, again.
Update: I was 
As planned, Caitlin only consumed the Duphalac after school. Apparently she had to go only in some 50min later, just after lunch, with full of greens. She got some soft plop-plops! And later, after I had reached home and having dinner, she had to go again. I don’t know which “session” the duphalac worked on, but now the plumbing is at least cleared!
Grandma and I have decided not to put her on it again tomorrow, despite Dr Pixie’s instructions of 3 days in a row. If it were just one visit then maybe. But since Caitlin has had to go twice already today I think we will refrain from further use / dosage. I did also ask Caitlin if she had any stomach discomfort. She claims she didn’t. I hope it’s the truth and not that she is being brave.
Posted in A father's POV, A toddler's POV, Ailments & cures, Caitlin the heiress, Food & feeding
Tagged anema, constipated, stools
I have 13 nieces and nephews. I can still remember seeing them wobblying their first steps, swaying to children’s music, “taking-a-knee” to see them eye to eye, using baby talk or at least simple sentences, participating in their tea parties, being asked “Is he drooling on me?” when my sister in law was carrying her sleeping boy over her shoulder.
These days, they are talking about who’s school has the hottest girls, that Shea actor guy from the Transformers and also the last Indiana Jones, plans for *university. Some are already driving too, saying “I love you” when hanging up their mobiles, paying bills.
It didn’t seem that long ago that I had wanted to see what they looked like in their first school uniforms.
It didn’t seem that long ago that I had wanted to change the channel to the X Files, resulting in my nephew running out of the room covering his ears and shouting “WAIT WAIT WAIT (till I leave the room please)!” cos he knows it’s (sometimes) a scary show. Now he speaks of his younger brother being possibly scared of The Dark Knight; possibly also being interested in the second installment of the X Files movie (though I doubt it simply cos he doesn’t know enough background of the series), and not even scared at all of the creepier Dementors from Harry Potter.
It also didn’t seem that long ago that another nephew was only starting to talk. Now doing his second year of uni, talking about investment mechanics and instruments.
It didn’t seem that long ago that I was still able to play tennis and run down a ball. I was also able to lose the weight that I was gaining simply by watching what I eat and working out more often.
These days, it’s achy joints- some due to carrying heavy loads of baby, others permanent due to wear and tear. It’s not being able to have the time to just-go to the gym at my heart’s fancy- family commitments of ferrying kids and sticking to a schedule of toddler sleep routine and baby milk feeds implies no time for self. That I am also going to be 40 in only a few years time also means that this body does not function the way it used to: Lose fat, recover quickly, damaged easily.
I also now have permanent arm rests; where some affectionately call them love handles. I do wonder why the term “handles” are used to refer to that area; only vaguely remember its application..
Oh my dear, as Caitlin would say; I am going to turn 40.
It wasn’t that long ago that I had started work for the first time. In a lot of ways I don’t think I had learned much in the way of worklife. I believe I think this way because I still think of myself as young. The downside of this has in some ways disadvantaged me in that I keep thinking to myself I have time to learn this stuff, but later; although I have slowly progressed upwards in my career and job responsibilities. Perhaps if I was more aware and alert of my age and its implications I may actually be higher up the food chain..? That, I wouldn’t know.
It wasn’t that long ago that I was just in *university. The cycle has come almost a full circle now.
Grandma was feeding Caitlin noodles. Grandma didn’t realise how hot the noodles was. Gave it to Caitlin, Caitlin immediately spat out, landing on her chest, and started crying.
Grandma immediately brushed it off Caitlin’s chest, comforted her, and was feeling bad…
“Sorry!! Grandma naughty! Grandma didn’t make sure the noodles was cool enough; Grandma naughty! So sorry darling!”
Caitlin, I guess felt sorry for Grandma. Still in her tears, Caitlin comforts Grandma, “No, noodles naughty! Not Grandma!”
Posted in A toddler's POV, Caitlin the heiress, Classic Quotes, Ergonomics, Food & feeding
Just came back from another extended-family dinner at Dr Pixie’s; sans the smiley face candles this time. It was really just a catch-up dinner with my parents, siblings, and the 3rd generation.
One of the stories shared was how one of my nephews had really come out of his shell as he reached puberty and into his teens now.
I do recall most of the stories of how he was a rather shy and quiet boy. When I returned from Australia in the late 90′s he was only just starting preschool, or very close to starting primary schooling. Since the kids of that generation (sorry Caitlin, Caleb, that Daddee married late and had you guys later) are all pretty close in their age, they’d play together and try the new things together too. I remember seeing this particular nephew always sidelining himself. Not really one to wanna try new games or participate in physical activities much.
When he started primary schooling, my sister in law was told (or that it was noted in his report card) that he was particularly quiet in class, perhaps almost introverted / reclusive. He didn’t really talked a lot at home either.
My parents have always wanted their kids (and I guess extended to their grandkids too) to be more extroverted and be able to present themselves, in manners of public speaking, etc.. My personal experience of this was when Mum signed me up for a singing competition, when I was in primary 2 or 3. I didn’t want to, but due to her superwoman fierce mother stronger than influence, I “had” to, and subsequently I attended the gig and sang, and kicked everyone’s ass (I guess that could be another post topic!)
So with this nephew my father gave him a challenge, knowing how this young kid was already finding ways to make / save money: If there was ever a chance or event for him to be up on stage in front of the whole school, my father was going to give him 50 bucks for it. It could be for whatever reasons: public story telling, singing, school debate, receiving a prize, etc.
I guess during those school years, this nephew started growing out of his shell. Feedback from the school teacher was that she couldn’t shut this boy up in class!
So much so that during a school assembly once, he and his buddies were caught chatting. And as you know you are supposed to give your utmost attention to the front of the hall during assembly. As punishment, they were summoned up to the stage to sing some kid song, in front of the whole school!
But wait a minute, I hear you say, doesn’t that mean that….
Yup. He came home and demanded the 50 bucks! A deal’s a deal! My father had no choice! I guess he should have reviewed the terms carefully!
He went to school the next day to brag about it to his very envious buddies. His friends obviously couldn’t believe it. He was all of pride and glory when a primary 1 school boy came up to him, pointed at him and laughed, “You are already in primary 6 and you had to sing a kid’s song!”
Posted in A father's POV, A toddler's POV, Parenting musing, Prequels
Tagged cash, cousins, extended family, incentive, nephews, outspoken, quiet, reclusive
As prompted by Hissychick‘s recent comment, Caitlin’s preschooling does include homework.
Of course with all these new “words”, she also needs to remember how to read / say / pronounce it.
On top of that, she does still come home with the sporadic artworks, usually done in school.
She also has books with 3-4 sentences per page, aimed at letting the kids recognise the words…..
These days, from the back child seat, she does already exclaim whatever she can read off the billboards she spots.
“Daddee! That’s a ‘six’ and a ‘zero’!”
No, not the speed limit; only an ad for a prepaid plan!
Posted in A father's POV, A toddler's POV, Caitlin the heiress, Education
To date, I already do these (not blowing my horn- please just read on):
Huh? What the??
That last point: Knowing how to braid hair- Does it make me less of a man??
Posted in A father's POV, Caitlin the heiress, Parenting musing
