Eli is 1.5!

My little bean has grown into a sturdy little sprout. He's an adorable bundle of mischief who's lightning quick and as explosive as a bundle of firecrackers. A small fry he may be (yes, he is still low on the weight/height chart for his age) but he more than makes up for it with personality. He knows what he wants (or rather what he doesn't want by saying "NO" very firmly and loudly) and makes sure to get it whatever the method.

He loves his big brother and follows EVERYTHING he does and plays with whatever he's playing with. "Kor kor" is the first thing he says when he wakes in the morning and charges into our room to look for his favourite playmate. This proves to be a challenge when refereeing the 2 while they play. Naturally, fights break out and tears are shed but at the end of the day I'm so moved to see my babies loving each other.

It's much easier to bring Eli out now that he pretty much eats whatever we're eating and loves walking/running around. He's gotten a little suspicious or new faces but once he warms up, he's a charmer. I've noticed that he doesn't take to new places as quickly as I thought. Elevators and water theme parks scare him at the moment. He really really likes playgrounds and when he's outdoors, he's in his element.

He's speaking and picking up new words so quickly and I even notice that he's approximating how to say certain words faster everyday!

Happy 1.5 Birthday Eli! It's a thrilling, exciting and wonderful experience being your mummy and daddy. We love you!

Sweet Child of Mine

Maybe that should read "Sweaty Child of Mine" instead!

Sleepless in Singapore

It's 3.08am and it seems I'm not the only one awake! I'm not up for a night feed since we are all down with the flu - Len first then me followed by Eli then Zac, each following the firsts' pattern.
Oma is helping me to take care of Eli while I play Flo Nightingale to my other 2 boys.
Thankfully, we seem to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The cough is the hardest to shake it seems.


I'm a little worried about my breastmilk supply since Eli hasn't really been feeding well and didn't want to latch on altogether for 2 days straight. I've had to pump and bottlefeed but at least I can rely on that for now. I will need to work on increasing my supply by eating better and coaxing him to latch on more. This is all new to me since I had little to no problems with breastfeeding Zac. I'm a little more stressed out this time and now have to work harder at keeping my supply up.

Notes To Myself:
Normal body temperature for a baby can go up to 37.5C.
The fever for babies/children can go as high as 40C and be considered 'normal'.
Your body temp naturally goes up in the evenings so fevers usually rear their ugly heads then.
It can sometimes take 2-3 days for the fever to break. Keep children hydrated but no need to worry if they aren't eating much.

Happy 6th Month Eli

It's already the half-year mark and you're growing so quickly. I wish there was a pause button and I could keep you the way you are right now - sweet and smiley. You're already starting to "speak", babbling in an intelligible way but coupled with body language, you make your opinion known!

You've discovered sucking your thumb for a while now but since your two teeth have appeared, thumb sucking doesn't seem to appeal to you for now. I've started to regulate your naps (twice a day around 11am and 4pm) and bedtime at night (around 8pm) but we're still working things out where meals are concerned. You love your pumpkin, carrot and sweet potato purees but you're definitely not hot on bananas and spinach.

Once you start being able to sit steadily on your own, we would love to bring you travelling with us but we're a little uncertain about whether you'll travel as well as your big brother. He had his pacifier and as long as he was carried, he'd be soothed and promptly fall asleep. You're a feisty fellow and it seems you need to make a loud announcement when you want to sleep or need a feed. Otherwise, you're a gem to have around!

One of Those Mornings

Note to self: De-fog camera before attempting to take pictures!

It was one of those mornings where things started a little rough (read: lack of sleep from wailing older child who refused to sleep in his own bed, further complicated by younger child waking at 2.30AM wanting to play!) but then somehow fell into a pleasantly manageable one.

We got some good playtime in at our play kitchen with Zac pretending to be a cafe owner who even went out to stock the pantry so he'd have things to make for his customers.

I love it when simple activities end up being great bonding time and a chance for the brothers to play together. Even though Eli and Zac don't exactly play together, just being around each other is good enough. I'm rather happy that I managed to get some shots of the 2 of them together AND I finally managed to capture Eli's 2 little chompers!

Happy 5th Month Eli!

My Little Guy Smiley,

You're a lovely sight to behold and we're thoroughly enjoying how responsive you've become. You gurgle when tickled and seem to really understand when we speak. It seems you have also started to notice the tele thanks in no small part to the fact that your big brother watches too much. Bath times remain an enjoyable part of your day since it's been so hot these past few weeks.

You're able to sit up when aided by a bunch of cushions and can finally sit in the Bumbo without slumping. It seems to be a relief not to have to lie on your back or your tummy for a change.

Even though the way we care for you is no different than with your brother, it feels different and it seems you set your own time table and stick with it really well. Bed time is regularly at 7.30PM and you demand that you be brought to your room to wind down. You're usually fast asleep by 8.30PM and don't wake up until 4AM for a feed afterwhich you doze off for another 2-3 hours. Mummy is grateful!

We eagerly anticipate you sitting up on your own a little more so we can bring you on more adventures!

It Happened Again!!

It's the 2nd night in a row that Eli has slept from 930pm to 5-6am!!! Y'mean I can actually get a solid block of sleep from now on?

HALLELUJAH!