Wednesday, July 8, 2009

妈妈的话

How time flies. You are eight... months old. Even though you are the newest addition to the family, you are already number one in all our hearts. How about you? How do Daddy, Mommy, Janelle, Andre, Snowy and Ringo rank in your chart?

For better or worse, life in this family has forever changed. Your cries and tear pierce our hearts; your laughter and smile drive our fatigue and troubles away. Singing nursery rhymes and lullabies to you is a skill all of us have mastered. Just the other day, as you and I drove home after dropping Janelle off for her sleepover, lulling you to sweet slumber and watching that content smile on your face was a most special moment I cannot begin to describe.

You have started to eat "real" food, and you love tomatoes. But it seems your favourite is still breast milk. Not only does it provide nourishment and beverage, it is also your primary source of comfort. When all else fails and nobody can calm you down, back in my arms you come. Suckling my breast is the most soothing therapy for you. It has been tough on my back, but I plan to breastfeed you for at least a year. I do hope you will start to be less clingy; a little break now and then goes a long way towards recharging my batteries, ok?
Weekday evenings are the most hectic. I have to prepare dinner and take care of the day's laundry. Everyone takes turns entertaining you: Daddy lets you sit on his shoulders and play Hannibal; Andre dazzles you with his footballing skills (and spills); Janelle puts on a mini piano concert. Anything for our little princess...

From the moment you were born, I watch you grow, day by day. Learning to turn over, sit up, crawl... now, you can pull yourself to a standing position using furniture and the wall. Soon, you will start teething and walking and get into more mischief. I shall not ask for too much, just health, happiness and be a good Mommy's girl for as long as possible.

Happy 8th month!
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Narelle: I am 8 months old today. Mommy has asked for the podium, so drum roll please...

Mommy: 不知不觉你已八个月。在这个家里,你虽然是老么,可是在大家的心目中,你已经占了第一位。你心中的排行榜呢?爸爸、妈妈、姐姐、哥哥和狗狗,在你心目中又扮演着什么角色?

家里有了你,越来越热闹。听一听你天真的笑声,看一看你无邪的笑容,能让我们忘却烦恼,带来快乐。 你喜欢听我们唱儿歌。前几天,我开车带你去兜风。你静静的坐着听我哼一首首儿歌。听着听着你就睡着了,小嘴上还带着满足的微笑。

你已经开始馋嘴,吃番茄的样子尤其可爱,不过你最爱的还是母乳。它不单是你的粮食、饮料,更是你的定心丸。每每你闹情绪,弄得全家人不知所措,我一抱你在怀里,你就会静下来喝奶。妈妈打算喂你到一岁;一年的辛苦算不了什么。不过有时候,你也未免太黏人,缠着我连喘口气的机会都没有。你什么时候才会体谅我,偶尔让我歇一歇,再跟你一起走更长的路,好吗?

傍晚是一天里最忙碌的时段。我忙着准备晚餐,顺手把当天穿的衣服洗一洗。大家轮流守护着你:爸爸让你骑在他宽厚的肩膀上,居高临下,俯览四周围;哥哥陪你玩皮球;姐姐为你开一场迷你钢琴演奏会。

从你呱呱落地,学会翻、坐、爬,直到现在能扶着桌、椅、墙壁自己站起来,我一天一天的看着你成长。妈妈对你的要求不太苛刻:希望你健康,快乐,听话。

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Little sleeping beauty... not!


I have been cranky the past few days, ever since I recovered from a little bout of fever. That Daddy went to Bangkok for three days did not help, as Mommy was the only one looking after me for the entire time. I am always seeking her attention, to carry and cuddle me, so much so that she cannot do any chore. I follow her in my walker and hold on to her legs while she bustles around the kitchen. She needs her own space too sometimes...

Daddy and Mommy are busy these few days, trying to decide where to stay when we move to Bangkok. Daddy came back with a few choices shortlisted. He made a chart and ranked each place according to attributes like convenience, access to public transport, unit quality, facilities, dog friendliness, etc. As most of the places do not allow pets, we have limited choices on hand.

The 3 key things about living in Bangkok are location, Location and LOCATION. Daddy must be able to get to and from work (Sathorn), and Janelle and Andre to and from school (Sukhumvit Soi 71) easily. Daddy has confirmed that traffic jams in Bangkok are as bad as they have ever been, maybe worse.

Last but not least, I need a baby friendly environment so I can interact with other babies. We are not looking at houses even though it solves the dog issue; besides mosquitoes, rats and other pests, we have to worry about security and being isolated from other people.

Mommy and Daddy discuss this every night, after I fall asleep next to them. The three of us will probably have to make a trip to Bangkok to finalize our choice. Or maybe the answer will come to me in my dreams...