Toilet/ Potty Training

Annabelle is 19 months old now. I had discussed with my daycare auntie, Auntie Letchumy that we are going to toilet train her after CNY.

9 March 2013 morning , Annabelle done her "big" business on the potty. I am extremely happy :). (you will not understand the feeling unless/ until you are a mother/ parents!)

This is another milestone for Annabelle. Good attempt! Keep it up!

Annabelle's First Few Words, Sing Along...

Annabelle has started speaking and talking more frequent lately. She is able to speak few words that I can clearly identify what are they such as "Amma", "Akka", "Mummy", "Papa", "DogDog", "Sit", "Car Car...", "Baby (but she pronounced it as ba-bi)... :P (these are some that I can recall)

Sometime, out of a sudden, she will utter some words that are really out of our expectation. She will also imitate what we says...

I remembered last two weeks ago, after my departmental training at the hotel, Ivan brought Annabelle to the hotel to fetch me home. Ivan had complained to me (in front of Annabelle) that she was a little naughty, refused to drink the milk that was prepared. Annabelle looked at me, put her moving index finger up and say "NO... NO"... We both burst out laughing when we heard that. That was really a good moment to refresh!

Besides speaking, she loves to sing along some nursery rhythm that we put in the car. The all time favourite "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" was one of those she loves to sing especially follow the last word or sound of the song. She will also sing and dance along when she watch her Disney Cartoon, Mickey Mouse. She will also waive "bye bye" and kiss "flying" kisses to say goodbye...

It is such as joy to see her grow. Mummy and papa are so proud that you learnt well.. Keep it up!  Annabelle girl, another milestones achieved..!!! Hooray!!!

Updated Teething Chart (as of 12 Jul 2012)

Annabelle's 7th and 8th teeth (the 2nd lower lateral incisor) just emerged last week. So far, thank God for his blesssing that Annabelle was not having much problem coping with the teething process. Like what the papa said: "She is a strong girl!". With more teeth coming out, she is now able to eat so much of food from biscuit, fruit, rice and many more. Oh yes, not to mention that she will sometime leave a small bite (mark) on your hand or shoulder when she feel "geram" at you... :P

Aha... It is also time to start the brushing teeth practice. Every morning, (if time permit); I will bring her to the toilet and I will ask her to look into the mirror while I use a handkerchief to clean her mouth, her tongue and also her teeth. I bought for her a mini toothbrush, will slowly use it so that she has an idea about brushing teeth :)

Annabelle girl, you are now a big girl... need to learn to brush teeth ya!!!

Our Princess has grown so much... She is walking now..

This is exactly what I told Ivan recently, "Annabelle has grown up so much. She is walking by the herself." She started taking her 1st few steps on the last week of June (which means at her 10 months, 4 weeks old); it was really nice to see her getting up by herself on her feet slowly and taking the steps forward.

I always doubt when is the right time to let her wear her shoes so that she can walk on a rough surface when we are out. So, last weekend, we bought her her first pair of shoes (it cost us about RM30.00++ though). She looks so cute in that but she has the habit of taking it out when I put it for her. I learnt that if I tell her "Annabelle, we wear shoe shoe and go "kai kai (~going out)". She will quietly let me do it. Then, she had her first outing -- walking (with our assistance) in Subang Parade. She was so excited and screaming away when we walked up the carpeted ramp.

On last Sunday evening, Ivan suggested that we go to the stadium near the Istana Klang. We reach there about 6.15pm. There are many people jogging, walking and playing football. Annabelle was so excited. The moment, we let her down in her new pair of shoes; she seems having difficulty at first and dragging her feet while walking. Then we told her repeatedly:"Baby, take one step at a time, slowly...". Finally she got a hang of it and walk about 1/4 of the stadium. Good achievement, ya!!!

Her first "Stroll-Along Walker"

Last weekend, Annabelle was trying to push the dining chair from the dining hall to the hall. She has used it as a guide (sort of as a stroller-walker). It struck me and Ivan that we need to buy a stroller/walker to assist her or give her the confident in walking.

I researched online and also bump into one of the mummy's post on Mummies Connects that she say her boy used it and it is pretty worth it though she got it as a pressie from her friend. Because of its price which is slightly on the high side, I told Ivan that we KIV it first.

Monday evening, we need to go to Tesco to get some stuff. In the toy section, we saw the stroller/ walker that we wanted. Funny thing is there were no price attached to it, Ivan said:"Take and have a price scan to check the price."... "Da... da..... the price is just within our little budget , we decided let's get it though the quality is not as good as those that is selling at "RMXXX"..." The best thing was, Annabelle seems knowing that we are getting that for her; she looked a little impatient and turning her head all the time (when she was at the shopping cart) to look down to check if the walker box is still there. Oh my god!, I can imagine when she grow a little older; I think I need to refrain to bring her to toy section too often... but again, this is how a child grow.. with toys..

Check out how she start using it the night we reached home. Though she was not too confident then, now she is so happy using it/ showing off to us by even holding it with one hand and walking...

"Annabelle... Annabelle... cute little baby!"

Da... Da... Da... PA... pa... pa...

I really need to pen this down before I forget. Annabelle has grown so much that sometime I hope my post will be automatically posted when I have the taught in my mind... (Mission Impossible!, hahaha)...

Annabelle started to say "dada" when she was 7.5 - 8 months old. In Tamil, the pronounciation of dada means grandfather actually. In my mind, if my late father-in-law heard this; sure Annabelle will be kissed, hug and love to the maximum. Anyway, when she first said that; we were very happy and the father even say: "call me.. dada.. .daa..dad...". I once laughed at him:" Oh, dada is you, when she says a... a.. , yu yu... all others also you??!!" The father give me the stare and smiled.

In the past one week, she started saying "pa.. pa..." though it was not too clear but she will utter this word on and off when she is in her mood. Oh yes, the papa is at the top of the world when he heard that that day.

Listening to her first word and sometime some baby words that come out from her mouth adds lots of laughter and smiles on our faces. It also indicate to us that Annabelle is growing up so quickly. :)

I wondering when she will say: "mummy...."....

Gong Xi... Gong Xi... Gong Xi Ni

Hahaaa... "恭喜...恭喜...恭喜你" ... Halo... you must be wondering why am I wishing you when Chinese New Year has past and the next Chinese New Year is long way to come.

Annabelle has grown to learn to bring her two tiny hands together spontaneously. Few days ago, when me and my mother in law were playing her in the hall and suddenly we saw that she did the act of wishing like "Gong Xi Gong Xi". So, to see the action again; we repeat the phrase of gong xi and she indeed repeated her action.


I am so happy with her... though CNY has over, I am sure she can wish her papa and mummy and others next year with this little skills she learnt.

Milestone: Learning how to stand

On the exact day of her 7 months, Annabelle showed off to me that she could stand by herself holding onto an object. That morning, came back home after church; she was playing at the playmat while I was in the kitchen. Suddenly, I noticed that there were no noise/ sound outside at the hall. I dashed from the kitchen and all I see is she stood up near the sofa chair and holding onto the seat by herself. If Annabelle knows how to talk, she will say: "I am standing... standing..." She gave me a big smile when she noticed that I was watching her and slowly she sat down on.

Annabelle achieved another milestone achieved.... :)

Annabelle is teething!

So fast! This is what everyone tell me when I told them that Annabelle is teething. Last Friday, my babysitter told me that she was a little fussy at the daycare; she also told me that Annabelle is probably teething as she can sense the lower gum is a little rough when she clean her tongue.

On the Saturday, I checked on it by myself. True enough, I can see there are two tiny teeth buds starting to develop on the lower front of the mouth. It is so amazing! I couldn't take any photographs because naughty Annabelle refused to show it and kept her lips tight (she thought that I am cleaning her tongue which she hated the most.)

As I was reading some symptoms of teething, Annabelle has the following:

Drooling (Yes)

Gum swelling and sensitivity (So far, the gum is a little rough)

Irritability or fussiness (A little)

Biting behavior (Oh yes, every and anything she grab hold, she will bite)

Refusing food (Praise God, so far she is feeding well)

Sleep problems (Sort of a little, she wake up more often for the past couple of nights)

With advice from my colleague, Helen, I actually bought the teething biscuit about a month ago. I have decided to let her have it over the weekend. She was so excited on it. I managed to snap a photo on it.

By the way, as teething is an important milestones in her development; and I know the 20 baby teeth will emerge slowly one by one, I will patiently wait for all of them to come true :) I have also decided to print out the teething chart to record these beautiful moment.

I am sitting unsupported

A week after the CNY, Annabelle can sit up unsupported. Being a worried mummy, I tend to put my hand around her and hold her a little to refrain her falling on her back; you know what Annabelle did, she pushed my hand away... If she could speak, I think this is what she is trying to tell me: "I can sit up by myself. Is okay, mummy! Do not need to hold me...".

Actually, we are so happy and proud that Annabelle is moving on her development milestones pretty fast. We enjoyed seeing her progress. We loves to taking video and photo on all these special moments before it past.

 Annabelle, you did well... Good job!!!

Her First Solid Food

Annabelle is approaching 6 months soon! As being adviced by the paediatrician, we can start her on solid food at 6 months old. However, Annabelle had been eyeing on food when we eat every now and then and she is trying to get hold on anything from cup, mug, plate, bowl and cutlery on the dining table.

I had been doing some search online on solid food and ways of preparation for the past few weeks. A week before Chinese New Year, I have decided to feed her rice cereal from Nestle (Cerelac). Since this is her first try on solid food, she did not seem to like it. I have noticed that what I fed her, she could not swallow it much but the food remains in her mouth. When I checked that with my colleague, she mentioned to me that it is pretty normal and ask me to try again as once she gets the momentum to swallow she will enjoy it and chase after the feeding spoon.


















So, I thought that rice cereal could be a bit plain and bland; I had prepared sweet potatoes puree one day and fed her. I put her on the hair chair, got all the feeding gear ready and here we go. She is okay for the first 10 minutes, soon after that; she becoming cranky and turning her body like "ular", I have no choice to bring her down and put her at my lap and continue feeding. Oppss... she rejected it again. I told Ivan: "Sweet Potatoes project failed!". In the end, I found out the cause of this; I have chosen the wrong time to feed her. She was too hungry and wanted to have her milk instead of her the sweet potatoes.

Yummmm... yum.... yum....

Oma....oooommaaa...

My very first high hair papa mummy bought for me.
Let me see what can I scoop out with this spoon.

The effort of feeding Annabelle her solid food does not end. I tried again on last Saturday. This time, I choose the right time, repeat what I did last week. She is so happy eating the sweet potatoes and finished the portion in the bowl. :) (Big smile on my face! and a "GOOD GIRL" marked on her book).
Finally, the solid food project is successful and more to go... Annabelle, you are lucky as your mummy would like to try other type of puree and I am sure you are going to like it.

A Backdated Post: (Back-->Tummy, Tummy--> Back)

Yes, this is a backdated post. I reminded myself that I need to record every milestones of Annabelle in this blog, that is why I looked back at my camera recording; wanted to post this two videos on Annabelle's first turnover.

Annabelle started to turnover from her back to tummy on the 10 Nov 2011 (at her 3 months 6 days). At first she was struggling as her hand got stuck everytime she is on her tummy. She will cry and scream for help. Ivan and I need to help her by gently pulling her hand out and place it at the right direction. I remembered posting this status on my facebook.

After her roll over, she gets irritated and cry as not able to find a right position to sleep. I woke up almost every 2 hours because of that. But nvm, this is mummy's girl; I don't mind to do anything for her!
November 11, 2011 at 7:32am

Through some reading, it says that it is normal for baby to become irritated and cry because they may find it uncomfortable if they stay too long at their tummy, but they will get over this stage and turn to their back at about 5 month old so or.

Then to our surprise, on 18 Nov 2011; Annabelle managed to turn from her tummy to her back.

Yeah!!! Annabelle you did it... :)

Her First Crawl - A great achievement!

It was a great achievement for Annabelle on the last Saturday. She started to crawl... Yes, it is at 5 months 3 days old, she did it...

As usual, Annabelle, the early baby, woke up in the morning at my parents' apartment refused to sleep back and wanted to get out from the room. I brought her to the hall and put her down on the mattress. She started to flipped and turned around. She slowly moved her body out from the mattress and reaching the floor. Annabelle started by looking around the place and rested her head on the floor and began to move forward a little. Without any delay, I dashed into the room and took my camera and recorded a moment that I would not regret. Little by little, she is crawling... I was so happy seeing her progress. Though I was happy, I can't stop myself from saying "Careful!!... careful!!... 小心!!.. 小心!!". Of course, I was worried because this is her first attempt trying to crawl and she was on the hard surface and I really hoped that she remembered that she is not on the mattress.

While recording, I encouraged her to reach out to my handbag first which is not too far from her. Then, I thought I could captured her attention to the cup of coffee and spoon that I was having, but she had a better spot on. She spotted the leg rag/ carpet that near the kitchen. Anothing funny action she did that worth mention, "Tong Tong Cheng" (Ivan described it that way as it looks like lion dance step). We both love to see this step and can't stop smiling whenever we recall what she did.

I had researched on the net, this type of babycrawl is called the Belly Crawl also known as the commando crawl! About half of babies begin crawling by keeping their tummy against the floor as they move. (http://www.parents.com/baby/development/crawling/types-of-baby-crawls/?page=2). According to the source, the "Tong Tong Cheng" style that she did is actually preparing her so that she can crawl on her four when she is ready.

Seeing her crawling and trying to reach out to the object she targeted, I know that my baby has grown up; she is exploring more. I am so glad that she is not afraid and very brave in taking each step in her milestones. I also know that she might get hurt sometime during this stage, as mummy I  had to be ready with it as I guess too much of "protection" to the baby may delay her development.

To Annabelle, papa and mummy are very proud of you. Mummy had written a "GOOD" in your good/ naughty girl book.