More is not always good

Mama Ann says:

I did a check online and found a few articles (not just one source) that say a toddler needs just 16-24 ounces of milk a day, if he is fed more than this, it'll fill him up and leaves less space for other food.

Ryo has already hit the upper limit, i think it explains why he's not too interested in other food sometimes.

I really don't like to be ask why he's not given milk every 3 hours, over and over again? I think every 3 hourly is for small babies. Toddlers have slow down their growth, thus reducing their need for milk.

Zoo trip

Ryo says:

Yippee, I finally went to the zoo today with Lankston and Brexton. We had loads of fun there, and there was so many animals to see. I even went on the elephant ride you know? It was only a little bit scary. My mama purposely made me dressed like a zoo ranger, do I look like one?

I'm going to the bird park when my papa comes back in Feb.

Ouch ouch

Mama Ann says:

Whenever we are back in Singapore, we'll catch up on Ryo's vaccination. This time he is having the shots for:

1. Hepatitis A


2. Chicken pox


3. Pneumoccocol (3rd and last dose)


4. MMR

Since the Chicken pox and the Pneumoccocol shots can be administered at the same time, Ryo had each of them on both his buttocks (see picture). Of course he brawled. The fever was very mild considering two shots, and did not last more than a day.

Sleepless

Mama Ann says:

It's 1.30am, I just can't get to sleep, I guess it'll stay this way for the next few days.

The compeling feeling is creeping back. Really, I wish I could fly back to Tianjin now. If not for Ryo's vaccination, I don't think I like to be back so early. Please please fly time faster to end of Feb.

Complains

Mama Ann says:

I guess I'm always a topic of complains, behind my back that is. But sometimes through conversation I get comfirmation of my guess. It made me miss Tianjin all the more.

I'm gonna stay there as much as possible. Do whatever I like. My way. My idea.

Suck! I dislike acting. Life is about acting.

He can scream

Mama Ann says:

Ryo can scream along with Little Miss Muffet. The nursery rhyme goes like this:

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet

Eating her curds and whey

Along came a spider and sat down beside her (SCREAM!!!)

And frightened Miss Muffet away

Jam

Ryo says:

Let me show you how to make strawberry jam.

• First you squeeze a strawberry in your hand till you have juice dripping out
• then place the strawberry on the table, pat it a few times to get pulp
• wipe the pulp from left to right on the table
• have a taste and you are done

Making jam is hard work, look at my sweat!

How they've grown!

Mama Ann says:

They were just little babies as far as I remembered, now they are already running around by themselves.

Who's on the dots?

Mama Ann says:

I have new dots coming from the US, Australia, Middle East, Europe and Taiwan (I think).

I know it's Aunt Dorothy who's dotting while she travels in the USA, I think I know who is in Australia and Taiwan.

But who is dotting in Middle East and Europe?

Busy month

Mama Ann says:

We've been back for a month, and I think the past month was a bit busy and crazy. Why?

1. Lankston's mummy went back to m'sia, we (3 adults) have to handle Lankston, Brexton and Ryo and that's quite crazy especially at meal times.
2. We have a new maid at home, who cannot cook much, we have to eat out most of times. So I spent an average of 5 hours outside the house everyday for meals.

How I miss Tianjin, where I have more time to myself and my maid did most things for me, haha. Next year I won't wanna come back so early.

Baby kiss

Mama Ann says:

Ryo and Brexton just cannot get enough of each other, whenever they see each other, they run towards each other and kiss.

Limping

Mama Ann says:

When Ryo started to limp, his Ah Ma thought the worst, and tried to scare me by saying he is going to get paralysed if he is not treated at all. I for one is not so worried by his limp and thought his limp is due to a normal sprain of his leg and will recover in due time. His leg was not swelling nor he in pain.

But after some nags, I just gave in and we brought him to a chinese sinseh. He was forced to lie on the bed with us pressing him down while the sinseh twisted and turned and made the crack sound and he annouced that one of Ryo' leg was 1cm shorter than the other and if he does not get well in two days he has to go for xray.

Half a day passed and he was still limping, his Ah Ma was already worried sick and continued to think of all the possible things that could go wrong. She wanted to go ask the god, but I said it's not even two days.

Anyway two days passed, we brought him to the padiatrician, after deciding between her and the xray. Lucky we chose her. She said it's the viral infection on the ligament that's causing his limping. Not from a fall, nor a leg pulled too hard. Neither does it require a xray as you can't see ligament from xray. An MRI, which can see ligament, cost thousands of dollars and requires a baby to be SEDATED!!! She prescribed Brufen(medicine for high fever) to help reduce the inflammation and told us to wait for two weeks.

After two days of Brufen Ryo is no longer limping.

Cousins hug

Ryo says:

I like to hug my cousins, and they like to hug me too.

Dog pee 2

Mama Ann says:

Ryo has upgraded his dog pee stunt to a standing position. He can even do it when he is running.

Anyway Ryo can walk down steps by himself while holding onto the rails. This morning I brought him to the playground and I made him walked back himself, including walking up and down the stairs and over little drains.

We are back in Singapore

Ryo says:

Yippee, I am back to this hot hot homeland. I slept most of the time on the plane, and missed my childmeal breakfast :(

Bear bear jacket

Ryo says:

Everyone likes my bear bear jacket. It's comfortably warm too, especially in this freezing cold weather.

Bowling

Ryo says:

Recently so many people have visited me. First it was great aunt Dorothy, then uncle kai and uncle xuan, then great grandma and grandpa.

We went bowling with uncle kai and uncle xuan, can u see me cheering them?

Jealousy

Mama Ann says:

An update on Ryo's emotional development: he can be jealous whenever I carry another baby or when I hug his papa. He'll push his papa away. Maybe to him I can only sayang him and him alone.

Shyness

Below is an extract from Babycenter.com. At least here's an article I find comforting. At least here it does not say that it's my upbringing of Ryo that's making him this way. At least I'm heading the right way in requesting for smaller classes rather than force him to join larger noiser classes.


Why it happens
If your child frequently hides his head in your pant leg and resists trying new things, you've probably already concluded that he's naturally bashful. He might also be a bit anxious or restless and cry when he's faced with unfamiliar people or situations. Maybe he's a light sleeper. Perhaps he's even more sensitive than other kids to teething and illness. You may wonder where this tendency came from and whether it will last.

Most experts now believe that, to a great extent, a child's basic temperament is inborn — that some kids come into the world outgoing and assertive while others are naturally bashful or reserved. This is a relatively new notion. For a long time it was believed that a child's environment was primarily responsible for shaping his character. But scientists today believe they've found genes linked to shyness, fearfulness, even thrill-seeking behavior. So your child's temperament — largely a product of his neurochemistry — may predispose him to be wary of new situations and make him slow to warm up to the unfamiliar.

Before deciding that your toddler is shy, though, consider that he may be going through a shy stage brought on by separation anxiety. Here's how to tell the difference: If your child has suddenly become more cautious around strangers or fearful of letting you out of his sight, it's probably separation anxiety, which suddenly crops up right around the time most children become more mobile and independent. Almost all children go through at least one episode between 7 and 18 months, and many continue to have bouts of separation anxiety until they're 3 or even older. (These may be triggered by situations like a new childcare setting, a parent going out of town, or a fear of being alone in the dark.)

If you sense that your toddler's bashfulness is more than a stage, try not to worry. The fact that he has a more introverted personality doesn't have to hold him back. He might occasionally need some special TLC from you, though.

What to do
Don't label your child as shy.
It's best not to speak about your child's timidity with others in his presence. He may hear "He's shy" as a criticism or "He's just shy" as an excuse that sets him apart from others. Instead, try saying "He takes his time to get comfortable with people he doesn't know." Try not to always think of your child as shy, either. If you expect shyness, your expectation may influence his behavior.

Be sympathetic.
Let your child know that you understand how he feels. If you walk into a roomful of toddlers at a birthday party, for example, you might say, "It's hard when all the kids are being so noisy, isn't it?" This tells him that his reaction is normal and that others might well feel the way he does.

Offer encouragement.
Any time your child reaches out to make a friend or join in an activity, praise his efforts, no matter how tentative. If you catch him flashing a bashful smile at Grandma after he's spent 15 minutes hiding in your skirt, say, "That's a nice smile. I bet that makes Grandma happy," instead of commenting on how long it took for him to say hello. Coach your child's aunts, uncles, and grandparents to be patient and to avoid pushing him.

Don't criticize or belittle.
Nothing crushes a child's confidence faster than unkind words, even if you think you're just teasing. Remember, there's nothing to be gained from making your child feel bad for being shy. This is just how he is — it's not a trait that he can turn on and off at will.

Don't avoid social situations.
Although you may think you're making life easier for him, don't keep your child away from group activities. He may take a little longer to involve himself in a playgroup or join the table at a birthday party, but the more he's exposed to such gatherings, the more comfortable he'll become. When you expect it to be a big gathering or party, try to get there early, before other children arrive, so your child will have extra time to relax and feel settled.

Find less stressful ways for your child to be social.
Choose activities that involve smaller groups and quiet or familiar environments. If the library is one of your child's favorite places, you might take him to story hour there or invite a friend to join you for a library visit.

There's no way to know whether your shy child will remain shy, but countless people have outgrown childhood bashfulness. In fact, many researchers believe that as a child grows, the influence of experience overtakes that of genetics. Ultimately, they say, only a fraction — perhaps about 10 percent — of an adult's personality is inborn. So try not to worry about the future. Instead, focus on providing the acceptance and support that will help your child face the world. Help him feel comfortable with himself, and the confidence you instill in him will help him succeed.

Gymboree Level 4

Mama Ann says:

Now that Ryo is almost 16 months and had shown no interest in his activities in his level 3 , we are now promoted to level 4. But as always, he did not participate much. I suppose it is due to his introvert self. Particularly if the environment gets very noisy, or many people are looking at him.

This does not mean he is not developing. Other times when we went there to play on our own, he can play very well. He can even venture on his own to find a toy or an older kid. That is why I prefer a smaller class, so that he can participate with others in a quieter environment.