All I Want For Christmas...

So we were waiting for his front teeth to fall out of his head and they maintained their "wobbly" status for a long long time. They finally decided they'd had enough hanging around and popped out (2 of them on the same day), all 3 of them!

One of the big upper teeth was helped out by a friend's son whose shoulder collided with Zac's face! Eek.

Happy 14th Month Eli!

My little Eli... you've got 2 more little teeth budding and you're not happy at all. I'm so relieved that your fever's gone and that you're just starting to eat and drink your milk again. We've worked hard to get you close to 9kg now and hope you continue with your hearty appetite. Even though night-time feeding was a concern since tooth decay seems to occur in most children who drink Pediasure, we're more eager for you to put on the much-needed weight. You drink 4 bottles every night and I'm so grateful that Mama helps me take care of you so I can make sure your big brother gets enough sleep.

You've attempted walking on your own a few times these past few days. It's been really tough getting it on camera but I'm determined to capture your first steps. Exciting times.

We have a short holiday coming next month and I'm eager (and a little frightened) to see how we'll manage just daddy and me. If this Bintan trip works out well, I think daddy and I will be brave enough to conquer the rest of the world with you and korkor!

Cheers to progress!!

Happy 10th Month Eli!

My little sunshine, you're just 2 months shy of your 1st birthday and you're already fully capable of escaping from your cot ninja-style. You're positively fearless and love dangling off the side of the bed much to your mummy and daddy's horror. You're teething again and that means a runny nose. I hope the little suckers will come out soon and not cause you too much pain. (Right now, it causes mummy more pain since you've been using me as a teething toy! OWWW.)

You're loving your food and seem to be eating all the time! Curious and very determined, you'd lunge at anything you're offered or attempt to grab it on your own. We had a newspaper photographer come by today to take some pictures of us for an article about children and drinks. I have a sneaking suspicion that your big brother will be the only one in the limelight since you're only drinking milk or boiled water at the moment.

The past month, you've been cuddling up at night with Zac and mummy since daddy's been needing to work late in your room - not that you're complaining. It's almost as though you've claimed your spot on our bed because you instantly calm down and fall asleep without much trouble. Zac loves waking up with you near by and is always sneaking a cuddle even though you're still asleep and mummy's told him not to wake you!

Now that you're a little steadier and can hold your own in a high chair, we've been bringing you out with us a little more often. You're still not enjoying your car seat and don't take to sitting in your stroller for very long so our Ergo has come in really handy! You do love being out and about with the family and get really excited when you're brought into the car.

There's lots more to see and do my little one!

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!

Night Terror

Sleep deprived and kinda irritable... that makes 2 of us.

Zac has been down with the cold for the last couple of days. The bug, coupled with some serious teething has made the little mister mighty cranky. He kicks and screams and throws himself about the bed when he wakes mid-sleep at about 1AM and this carries on for about an hour. It's just awful when you bear witness to it and have to bear the brunt of the "beatings" but when you yourself aren't feeling in tip-top condition, it's magnified!

I am very grateful that Len is sweet and so gentle with Zac cos at least when I'm close to flipping out, he steps in and takes over. Even though it doesn't quell the screaming, it does give me a bit of time to gain composure (and to pee) before going back into battle.

Thank God for good men like Len.

Crankypants

Looking at this face, you'd never guess that this lil critter has been wreaking havoc with his mondo mood swings and crying fits. I think he's teething and the discomfort makes him crabby more often than not. He wakes crying, no, make that WAILING, allowing nothing and no one to comfort him. Usually, he'll take his pacifier and go right back to sleep but for the past 3 nights it hasn't been the case. I'm pooped out of my mind and going a little nuts trying to soothe my cranky kid.

If there are any other parents in the crowd who have teething solutions, drop me a msg!

Dr. Spork

This month Zach turns 13 months old! Month to month the changes are monumental and it's really amazing to watch this child grow and develop right before our eyes. Since we've been in Barcelona, he's put on a good amount of weight and has grown quite a bit taller too!

On Food

I am pleased to report that I have officially hung up my nursing bra! I was concerned (heck, I worried like crazy) how I was going to wean Zach but by God's grace he's weaned himself off and is on a healthy diet of solids and cow's milk. Though the little guy is still not much of a milk drinker, I have been cooking his porridge with milk so he gets his daily dose of calcium. Each time he eats, I marvel at where he puts it all. At the moment, he has about 3 main meals with 2-3 snacks in between ranging from yogurt, cereal, cheese, wholewheat bread sticks to fruit.

Zach's favourite mode of eating is with his little hands. I've been trying to teach him to use a spoon and his spork (a cross between fork and spoon) but so far I have been unsuccessful.
*VIDEO TO FOLLOW ONCE THE SITE ALLOWS*

On Physical Development
It's been an exciting week. Zach's standing on his own more and more. Part of his bedtime routine is standing on the bed and flopping onto the mattress. He does this with great glee so it's difficult to stop him from continuing his acrobatic act. He's able to climb off the bed by himself and has managed to do all manner of furniture-scaling for quite a while now. So far, he's not made any attempts to walk but he's still cruising and crawling very fast. I think it's a matter of time before he takes his first steps. Lets hope I have my video camera handy when that happens!

On Speech
We're loving his baby babble. He's added an occasional "mummy" to his repertoire but I don't think he uses it with the intent to call me yet. It's amusing to listen to him talking to himself. His soliloquy is quite musical and sounds like a real language sometimes it makes me wonder!

On Play
Zach's favourite toys have always been, well, trash. He loves empty plastic bottles, boxes and doo-dads that we have every intention of tossing into the rubbish bin. I spent some time watching him play with some of these items and it's wonderful to see that intense look on his face like he was really trying to learn all he could about the object. He's pretty good at playing by himself but hasn't quite grasped the whole concept of playing with other people. On occasion, he brings over things he's picked up to show it to me but usually, he holds on to new discoveries tightly in his fists even when he falls asleep!

A Not-So-Brief De-Brief

Travelling with your baby for the first time is certainly enough to turn anyone into Jell-O. However, I've come to the conclusion that planning ahead and going with the flow while on vacation makes all the difference in the world! Here are the things that I did or planned to do, what worked and what didn't plus how I would have done it on hindsight. Seriously, if I can do this, I'm pretty sure ANYONE can have their vacation and enjoy it too!

Patti Notes 11

On the Airplane

What we packed:
1) Diapers (1 per hour of flight)
- I know, it's crazy to pack that many diapers. On hindsight, I didn't need that many but you can never be too careful. We're using Huggies Comfort now which I buy when it's on sale only. They really last a long time between changes!!
2) Wet wipes (2 travel packs)
3) Disposable bibs & 2 cloth bibs
- Zac doesn't really like having a bib on so the disposable bib ended up being a little useless. We rotated the cloth bibs and I did laundry every other day. We used the disposable bibs as and when we needed it.
4) Cloth nappies (3 for mop ups, as a light blanket, etc)
5) Small face towels (2)
6) Extra change of clothes for Zac (a top and a pair of PJ pants)
- Spills and spit-ups do occur no matter how careful you are. We used the change of clothes when we stopped at Schipol on the way to Barcelona. Unlike us, Zac was clean and fresh when he got to Spain.
7) Sweater/jacket (1)
- Zac was dressed in PJs with a short sleeve top and long pants. The sweater was on standby in case it got too cold or drafty in the airplane. Layering gave us options to keep Zac comfortable.
8) Snacks (rice rusks, Cheerios, etc)
- SO NECESSARY. They keep your baby occupied and also doubled as baby food when they had to do an emergency landing and we were stuck in Dubhai for 6 hours!
9) Baby bottle with cool boiled water
- The water that's "boiled" on the plane comes to you piping hot so having some as backup for a thirsty baby made all the difference. I used the water to mix food sometimes if the air crew are too busy to attend to you immediately.
10) Baby blankets (2 - 1 for warmth, 1 as a playmat)
11) Plastic bowl and spoon
12) Plastic bags or large resealable bags (3-4)
- For containing soiled clothes, towels, used baby stuff, etc
13) Hand sanitizer
- I got a few of the Dettol miniatures so that I could keep my hands clean even if I don't make it to the bathroom to wash my hands.
14) Changing pad
- All of the changing tables I've come across aren't padded. Having a cushion to put Zac on was great though not absolutely necessary.
15) Diaper cream
- I had some sample size ones that I got as part of those packaged sets. They're the perfect size for travel.
16) Moisturiser
- Airplane air can get really dry. Poor Zac's skin got a little dried out so the moisturiser was a good skin soother. Doubles as moisturiser for me!
17) Pacifier (2)
- Best to bring an extra or two especially if Jr needs them for sleep.
18) Quickie diaper pack (a mini-change kit that contains enough for 1 change, ie, 1 diaper, some diaper cream, wet wipes, small towel for wipe ups)
- We used Munchkin's Diaper Change Travel Kit which is available at most baby supply stores or department stores. A Ziploc bag would do just fine of course. This certainly made changing him on the plane or while we're on the go much easier. No need to lug the WHOLE diaper bag into tiny confined spaces.
19) A flat, regular-sized pillow from home
- It sure beats using those teeney cotton-ball bags they call pillows on the plane. Zac slept on this for most of the flight. I'll definitely do this again!


Things I Missed:
Baby food - After that 6 hour delay fiasco, I'll definitely pack baby food too. I'll pack the powdered cereal variety and bring on a small bottle or two of store bought food. I might consider bringing some infant formula to add to mashed snacks in the event of an emergency.

Happy 9th Month El Guapo!

The Spanish really love babies and kids. It's not unusual for random strangers who don't speak a lick of English to come over and ruffle Zac's hair. They make small talk with him in their own language and he gurgles and smiles in response. Several people have referred to him as "El Guapo" but I didn't come to find out the meaning until I came home and looked it up on Google. Well this month, we celebrate "The Handsome One's" 9th month.

To date, he has 4 teeth - 2 large ones on top and 2 bitty ones on the bottom. Even with 4 teeth, he chows down on biscuits, cereal, fruit chunks and more as though he was a shredder. We think there are more just waiting to burst through his little pink gums since he's been drooling a lot and has been attempting to bite everything he can get his hands on.

He's much much more mobile on all fours now so much so that he doesn't seem to like standing anymore. The latest development is his love for climbing stairs. He's successfully made it all the way up to the top with someone watching him of course!

I think it's so amazing to watch his personality come through. He's sweet and smiley more often than not but is pretty impatient when it comes to food and sleep. I love when he looks up at me and squeezes his eyes shut smiling with gusto.

He's not quite speaking at the moment but he is very vocal. He does know who "mummy", "daddy", "yi-yi", "Opa" and "Mama" are since he looks in the right direction when we ask who or where each person is. I guess that's a good enough gauge no?

We're now closer to his 1st year and looking forward to plenty of new adventures to come.

Patti People Take Barcelona -- Day 3

We decided to take it easy today and not force ourselves out of bed until we were good and ready. Zac seems to be expecting more teeth so he woke at around 4AM bawling away. Since it was accompanied with drool and him attempting to bite everything that was near by, it had to be the teeth. To take the edge off the pain, we administered a bit of baby paracetemol we brought from home (we had some from the paediatrician's and was told we could use it in the event he needed some pain relief). He went back to sleep soon after so by the time we got out of bed, it was around 9 plus.

Watching TV while the rest of us got dressed...(and yes, the chick being passed around is clothed)

We took our time getting dressed and washed before heading out for breakfast/brunch. Zac had his breakfast at the apartment so we just had to worry about feeding us adults. We ate at this sandwich joint near the apartment called Sandwich & Friends. The food wasn't traditional Spanish cuisine in any way but Len and I were happy to have something hot to eat.

The weather was quite dreary today with a bit of rain but that wasn't quite the case when we left the apartment so we ended up having to go back to get the weather shield for the stroller. We popped Zac back into the stroller and set off for the day. Amazingly, he fell asleep not too long after that and because it doesn't happen that often (only 1 time before), we took a photo!

Today's objective was to take a walk down La Ramblas, a stretch made up of a couple of streets that lead to Port Vell. We were planning to take the train but since we were told that we could get there on foot and it would take just 20 mins, we decided to walk. Zac slept in his stroller while we made our way. I love the fact that Barcelona has really beautiful buildings with this old-world charm. I haven't seen any of the Gaudi buildings but I have seen some Victorian styles on the streets. The boutiques are another cause for excitement. The stores are a good mix of cool and eccentric as well as stylish and modern. Needless to say, we made our stop at Zara and Mango which carried a mind-blowing selection of stuff. There was H&M and Massimo Dutti too! I'm in love.

We had lunch at El Corte Ingles but later realised the outlet we should have had lunch at was further down. The one we missed was the one with the great few from the restaurant at the top floor and a supermarket in its basement. We did stop there to top up our baby food supplies. (NOTE: All the baby food came in big-ass bottles that had enough for 2 meal servings!) They sell Nestle and Hipp Organic and then there's the local brand, Hero. The only down side to shopping for baby food here is that all the labels are in Spanish so I have to guess by the pictures on the bottle what's in the mash. Not terribly convenient if your baby hasn't been exposed to a lot of different foods yet. So far, the only new addition to Zac's diet because of this is onions. So far so good.

Lunch at El Corte Ingles


Baby Food for Zac


By the time we wandered far enough away from where we started, it was close to 6PM. Carrying a 9kg odd child while you push a stroller packed to the brim with shopping and baby essentials is no joke. Both of us took turns but even then, it was taking its toll on our feet, hips and backs! We thought it prudent to call it a day and live to shop another day. We ended up not making it to La Ramblas though we thought we did. The map we got said otherwise. Oh well, we'll have to try again tomorrow or the day after.

We strolled back to our apartment for a break and to wash up before dinner. They eat dinner really late here (around 9 or 10PM!) so we didn't have to worry that restaurants would be closed. We had some tapas at Tapas del Born which was nice and quick. Zac was terribly sleepy by this time and grumpy so we had to eat and dash so we could get him to bed. We did have time to stop for an ice cream and waffles which we took back to enjoy in our room. Tomorrow we plan to wander around the Born area (where we're staying) since we discovered it had more than enough to fill a whole day. Will try to post some more pictures soon.

Finally...

... a picture of the elusive 2.

Take My Picture

I noticed during my many trips to Tanglin Mall how so many expat mums have their infants' passport pictures taken at the Kodak shop. The poor sleepy babies are rudely awoken from their slumber only to have a blinding flash go off in their face. Needless to say that usually ends in tears (both mum and babe sometimes!). I told myself I wouldn't put Zach through that trauma. However, because we have plans to travel as a family, it looks like we're going to have to.

In the interest of convenience, the Singapore government has allowed us to apply for a new passport online. This means we don't have to put up with a screaming child in public but try to take their passport photo in the comforts of home. Unfortunately, trying to get the right shot is easier said than done. The fruits of our labour...



These are just a few of the many many pictures we attempted. I think after so many tries, we did manage one shot that's as close to a winner as possible... (by the way, the teeth are his lower teeth even though he looks like Bugs Bunny here.)

I haven't been able to capture Zach's first 2 teeth with my camera yet. We're expecting more teeth very soon since he's been drooling again and gnawing on everything he can get his gums. He's also taken to doing this:

Happy 7th Month!

We've hit the 7 month mark and I'm happy to report that we're all still doing exceptionally well. Except for the sniffles that struck a second time, the bubba is healthy and seemingly happy. Wait, scratch that, he's ecstatic!

Social Studies

Seems this past month has seen a dramatic increase in Zach's responsiveness towards people, things and animals. Anytime seems to be a good time for him to laugh out loud, gurgle or let loose a yell. He's ever-ready to be picked up and loves having people around all the time. Of course, this applies to familiar faces as opposed to strangers or people we don't see very often. He whimpers and displays a little anxiety when we're in a new home and takes a little while to get comfortable enough to let someone else carry him. In the meantime, he's glued to my hip. Strangely enough, he doesn't seem to react that way when we're in public space. Go figure!

I've noticed that he's taken quite an interest in other babies recently. Perhaps it's because he figures they're life-sized dolls that oddly enough, move on their own! It makes me wonder what he'll be like if he had a sibling. (It'll be a while before we get to find out.) For now, I guess our dog Josie will have to suffice as a playmate and Zach doesn't seem to have any problem with that. He's taken quite a shine to her and she is surprisingly tolerant of his sometimes unwanted affection.


Zach's a pretty social kid usually so I think he might enjoy playing with other kids when he gets a little bigger. It sounds a little nuts and I think I'm a little nuts but I've already registered him for nursery at St. James Kindergarten. It's situated in a really lush landscape with wide open spaces for running around. The curriculum is pretty well rounded and the kids looked really happy to be there. I really wanted him to go for the pre-nursery group they have but apparently, even at this early stage, there's already a waiting list! Needless to say, Zach's now on said list which we may have to rethink since we may be overseas still.

Physics

On the developmental front, Zach's hitting all those baby milestones and getting to be quite the strong man. He's now able to push himself up to a sitting position though he doesn't stay that way very long. His walker is his favourite mode of transportation when our arms are too tired to carry him around. He's not quite able to pull himself to a standing position but he'll demand to stand supported every chance he gets. Our biceps are certainly getting a good workout!

He sits pretty steadily in a high chair. The incidence of head-bumping is thankfully low so feeding him at the dining table is a little easier.



His grip has always been strong but now he's able to hang on to anything with a death-grip that even the jaws of life couldn't pry loose! This is one of his favourite things to do:

Chemistry and Biology

I've been fuelling my bubba with lots of great new foods like avocado, broccoli, butternut squash, pears and plums. He's a good eater so it makes feeding times more pleasant for all of us. I've been reading Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron for tips and recipes to try. The book is great for nutritional information and unconventional foods to try out. It's a pretty hefty book but the chunks are broken into bite-sized pieces for easy digestion. (haha.) To supplement this book, I also got First Foods which was written by a 5 dieticians. They give some simple recipes and tips that have a local flavour so Zach gets the best of both worlds.

Recess

After the first harrowing months of no sleep, I think we've settled into a do-able schedule. Here's what Zach's night-time routine is like, give or take a half hour.

8.30PM -- A/c comes on while Zach winds down
8.45PM -- Last bottle of milk
9.00PM -- PJs and mini massage (we usually play his bedtime song and story CD)
9.10PM -- Zach's in his crib for sleep
9.30PM -- He's usually passed out if all goes well.

He wakes once or twice at night but I think it's got to do with the fact that he's teething. Usually, his pacifier or nursing him will help send him back to lala land.

Len and I realise that he's growing up quickly and we're trying as best as we can to savour every moment. He's not going to be this way forever but we're thankful that we get to witness this little person's growth.

Bite Me!

This is Zachary Kai Pattiselanno...



And he is a nipple muncher.

Patti Notes 6

Much to my chagrin, my son's been putting his 2 new friends (bottom 2 teeth are out and proud) to good use... on ME. I've been bit on several occasions and find myself dreading the next feeding since I don't know when he's going to chomp down on my boob next! I've had to hold back from yelling too loudly for fear of shocking him into weaning too soon but I'm pretty certain I'm this close to flinging him off me in reflex.

I've tried tapping him on the cheek with 3 fingers and saying "no" but that has failed miserably. In fact, I think it makes him bite down even harder! While complaining to Lenard on the phone the other day, I had Kenneth check online for a solution and he found this on one of my go-to websites for parenting and baby info.

So far, I've tried a version of the "push baby into the boob" solution. I squeeze his lil schnoz so he'll release the nipple as a knee-jerk reaction to get air. The nose-pinching, I figure seems to be irritating enough because I've fed him a couple of times today and no biting so far! Has Zachy learned his lesson well or will mummy moo have to go through No Biting 101 once again? Stay tuned to find out.

Baby's Bogay-No-More

When a perfectly cheery baby who's pretty mellow turns into Mr. Grumpy Pants, it's a sure sign something's up. Zach's been a little irritable of late but we put it down to simply being one of those days. Still, his crankiness (instead of the usual smiles we get) when he wakes in the morning was a little disconcerting. It was only today when he was gnawing on my thumb that I felt these teeny razor-like bits on his lower gums. I haven't actually seen them yet since it's hard to get him to open wide enough for me to peer in but take my word for it, my baby's first teeth have finally made their appearance!