sleeping time

My sleeping 'handsome' is at the far end of the chart for sleeping time. hehe...yes, this baby likes to sleep! With night time sleeping from 7pm to 7am straight -- woke up 3-4 times for milk or sometimes he just wants to cuddle to me and day time nap about 3-4 times lasting 1-3 hours each depending on how tired he is. Currently, at 7 and 1/2 months, his total sleeping time will be about 14-16 hours per day. WOW!!!

PS: I think soon, I have to tought him how to sleep through the night without him wanting to cuddle or have some night time milk! I think he is big enough for that. Some of my friends had tought their child since they were 3 months old.

playing with my toiletries case...

Caden loves to play with his toiletries basket -- it's a container that we put his gromming stuff (hair lotion -- very very important, vaseline, baby oil, cotton buds, etc and medicines). But now it is becoming one of Caden's many toys. Caden hates putting on his clothes. In fact, I think Caden used to be the son of Tarzan! *_* He will wail and struggle (EVERY SINGLE TIME) so whenever that happens I will give him this blue basket. He will lose himself in exploring his many hair products therefore forgetting that he is being changed! How convenient! :D

It does take lots of ingenuity to be a mother.

in oma's car

At last Caden can try out oma's new car -- of course without his car seat installed. Yup..the reason why Caden has never ridden on oma's car is that oma doesn't want the new leather to be scratched by Caden's extremely heavy car seat. But today we visited a friend who has just given birth to a baby girl, living in a service apartment nearby. So...ehem...Caden was not in his carseat today and I know he likes it that way!!! hehe... but sorry son, this apply only for today! We have to put you in your carseat next time, it's for your own safety!

how wonderful GOD's creation is...

I know there are lots of pictures of Caden in the pool but I can't resist posting this picture in the blog...he looks so cute with his eyes closed tight, being ready to be submerged into the water. I am surprised how smart he is at this young age where he could not even communicate through verbal words but yet understands more than we know! We only tought him a few times by counting "one two and three" and then submerged him into the water and now he already understand it fully what's going to happen after the count of three.

Above everything else, I think I am amazed of how God's able to create this wonderful person in him -- how he has grow so much this past 7 months and can't thank GOD enough of his grace to allow me to be his mother. I pray and hope that I would be given the strength and wisdom (lots and lots of it) to be a good friend and mother in Caden's life.

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my boby and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it."

Psalm 139:13-14

PS: ii Valerie took the picturess...!! thanks i...

spiderman 4 - son of spiderman

Caden's new and dangerous hobby! Crawling to the end of the bed and stay there for a few seconds and wailing for us to let go of his leg as he wants to continue his journey downwardss!!! Caden, IT'S VERY DANGEROUS!!! So now, we cannot leave him out of our sight even for just a few seconds!

with Oma's flowers

Oma had just bought these pretty flowers for our living room but unfortunately it won't live for long! So oma told Caden to take pictures with them so "it will not wasted," says Oma. Hahaha as you wish Oma! These flowers cost so much and is Caden continues grabbing the flowers it will die even sooner!!

spoon-handle chewer

This is what happens when we give Caden his spoon at meal time -- he chews on the handle, not the part which should go into the mouth! SOON I have to teach him that what he does is not right!!! It's difficult to teach him now... He's still too young to understand! The moment I let go of the spoon, he will turn it up-side-down again! *_*

terrible seven???

Today is the 4th day of Caden's Terrible Seven (he is 7 months old)! Hehe…not really the kind that you find in two years old toddler but similar….I hope! *finger crossed* ^_^

These past few days, meal times have been very difficult for all of us. Caden doesn’t seem to have an appetite. He would just lock his lips or snatch the spoon (which makes the food land on his face, hands, body and his booster chair) or worse, pushing the spoon away which makes the food fly all over the place. Furthermore, he will add his wailing (wanting to be carried – away from his booster seat) and screaming (although still far from a toddler’s scream that I heard in a mall before -- please...not my Caden please!!!). I know that Caden is not like some babies who loves and looking forward to his meal times, but those meal times never get this challenging and demanding.

It’s difficult for me to see him like that – as if he screams for me to get him out of that misery. On one hand I wanted to say, “It’s okay suster, let him go” but on the other hand, I know that he needs the vitamins from the food to help him grow to be a strong and healthy kid. *sigh*

If those meal times get very bad (like at dinner in this past 3 days), I usually told suster to stop and wait for half an hour or so. In the mean time, I carried him out from his booster (usually he would smile right away) and gave him a bath or rather a play-time with water. Caden loves water, he loves to splash the water and started to try to make bubbles using his mouth (his swim lessons teach him that but he is still too young to do it himself, so usually I will make bubble using my mouth while him watching me doing it).

Those bath times give Caden a little bit of relief and relaxation before he got back to his booster seat and try another shot of his dinner time. I tried everything. I gave him his favorite cereals where he was suppose to eat his porridge, give him fruits where he is suppose to eat his cereals! Haiyah…and everything doesn't seem to work well.

Suster said she saw Caden’s gum looks a bit white on his left bottom and thought that his tooth is coming out soon! I just hope that that’s true and hope that that's the reason for him being difficult at meal times. If so, "please come out soon, tooth!!! so that Caden would be back to “normal” in no time!" *finger crossed*

PS: Surprisingly, Caden seems to sleep better and longer! Nap time which was usually lasts about an hour, could stretch up to 3 hours straight (wake up one or two times just to breastfeed and go right back to sleep).

swimming today....

PS: Caden was put underwater for more than 5 times today! ^_^ He is a brave boy, indeed!

Happy Mother's Day

Oma and mommy

"Happy Mother's day to all mothers...especially to oma...!"

We all made this for oma in the morning of mother's day. It was fun looking at oma's surprised face(especially when she was in her pajamas!). She was asleep when ii Valerie and I arranged the pears in such a way too look like a 'cake'. Wanted to buy a cake for oma but this few days, she always complains that she gain so much weight, so we thought that making a 'cake' from the pears (oma's most favorite fruit) would be a better idea. ^_^

PS: I bought the roses and the pears a day before but it's been so hot in Singapore this past few days that the roses died within one day -- although I hide it in my room with the AC on, i guess it was still too hot for them! :(

someone was definately sleepy....^_^

"looks like someone was sleepy!!" ^_^

Just got this photo from my sister's wedding last January...everyone was praying while Caden yawned (a big one) -- maybe because of great-grandma's prayer? ^_^ I laughed hard looking at this!

PS: Caden actually had just woke up from his afternoon nap!

fighting over laptop!

We took this last weekend! So interesting for me to see them playing together on the weekend! Paul doesn't have much time for him on the weekdays but he surely make a whole lot of time for Caden on the weekends!

First time dining out

I had been wanting to bring Caden out for his lunch and see what will his reaction like -- will he eat better in the new place or worst? Meal times for Caden is not always good which makes me cautions to find the 'perfect' day for him so he won't hate his experience eating outside than the kitchen at home.

Today was the first day after oma came back from Jakarta and she asked us if we want to go out for lunch. Ii Valerie was also on holiday today (after finishing her prelims yesterday). I feel that Caden probably ready for it today... plus, ii could be the photographer on the first day of Caden's important day! hehe...

Arrived at Crystal Jade Kitchen in I-Setan, Shaw Center at around 11.30am. It wasn't packed (good thing!) and we got a table right away. I set up Caden's booster seat --yes, we brought our own highchair from home as I thought Caden would eat better on his usual seat in this totaly strange place for him -- then suster made the cereal and mixed it with my breastmilk.

All of us ready! Waiting for Caden to open up his mouth for his first bite! haha..but first few times, suster failed. Caden locked his mouth so tight that the spoon wasn't able to go in. But in the end, Caden actually eat better there than at home. He finished his meal without wailing (which sometimes he does it at home), without any mess around his face/head/body that we usually have to bath him right after that and lastly (to my surprise) he was able to eat outside with other people around. Yup! His meal times are always a private thing between suster and him or else he will just look at us (even at me) attentively but locked his mouth at the same time -- worst is when oma cheer him by clapping her hands and say "where is the big mouth?" over and over again!! So oma has been banned from Caden's meal time, FOREVER! ^_^

Overall, I am happy that Caden was eating so well today and of course I will bring him to another dining out again soon...

playing near the swimming pool...

We were suppose to swim together today (Anya, Vai, Noah and Caden) but Anya and Vai came too late at 6.15pm... Astrid and I decided not to bring the kids to swim today. In the end, we end up just playing on the pool side with Caden's and Noah's feet touching the water.... it's okay, we were having great time accompanying Anya and Vai swimming (Anya was really looking forward for this!). I hope we have this again next week and this time, all of us (including the moms) will go into the waterr.....!!! ^_^

Caden was tired and cried so much on the way up to our home, while Anya, Vai and Noah were still pretty much awake and rather hungry! Among the three, Caden will always be the sleeping 'handsome' !!! ^_^

on Noah's tricycle

Noah brought his tricycle along for Caden to use...yey!! Had a great time on the tricycle today! Thanks for bringing it today, Noah...bring it next time when you come here again, ok?

@ little gym today...

Another moment of me with my lovely teacher Amy....

Emily and I... isn't she cute and pretty???

Love you, Caden...

mother and son moments together....

Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of love.

belated chinese new year

Took this pictures back in February and it took us another 3 weeks for the printing but was surprised when the photo of the 'two' Cadens were not in the angle that we want (above). So I brought it back for another printing and wait for another 3 weeks for it. *sigh..*

going underwater..

There are about 8 of us (4 babies and 4 moms) who are taking the swim lesson but all, except Caden and I, were sick...so we were having a private lesson today. It's nice to have private lesson once in a while because then I could ask a lot of question to the teacher and Caden would be the center of her attention. A lot of activities were carried out today as there were no waiting time to take turns between babies, and that made Caden seems to get tired more than usual days.

I asked teacher Wendy when could we put Caden into the water? and was surprised when the answer was, "We could try today at the end of the lesson so if he cry, you could just go on home." I was definately not sure if Caden would be ready for it but throughout the lesson, teacher Wendy said Caden showed sign of readiness to be put in the water -- such as, when we bring him up then down (as if we want to put him into the water), he closed his eyes and mouth and wasn't crying (and again closing his eyes) when a lot of water run down on his face.

So...towards the end of the lesson, teacher Wendy grabbed Caden from the back (so that Caden won't see her face but rather mine that he saw), sing a song with him, rock him side to side - up and down and count 'one...two...three' before putting him into the water -- she said, the counting will tell Caden that it was time for him to get ready. After a few false trial (bring him up then down but not submerged him yet), Caden then was underwater for a few seconds.

I thought I was going to be sacred but I was not -- *surprised.* Maybe because I trusted that teacher Wendy knew what she was doing and I knew that Caden could do it. This little guy really likes water -- he never cried when we bathed him (rather stopped his crying if we put him in the water) and did not cry too when he bring him to his first swim at 3 month of age.

Up he goes after a few seconds...and was not crying and acted like nothing has happened. Teacher Wendy gave Caden thumbs up! She thought he was going to cry but "Caden did so well in this young age", she said. We submerged him again for the last time before we end the lesson. Good job, Caden! Mommy so proud of you!

PS: I promised myself to bring Caden at least twice a week to swim outside his lesson time and continue what teacher Wendy has thought us.