Boy, has it been a week of snowy weather! Speaking of weather...I've been under the weather for over a week now. I don't have much of an appetite and I'm utterly repulsed by jarred baby food lately (Mommy really hopes this will pass!). Mommy thinks I've lost my "chubby cheeks" from my reduced diet. But I'm still taking my formula and good 'ol Cheerios. I'm napping most of the day and don't play much cuz I'm feeling rather tired. The good news is I am getting better. I hope I'm back to my usual self by Christmas!My preference these days is to be standing on my two feet as opposed to resting on my two cheeks. It's fun to pull myself up on just about anything (sturdy, hopefully).
I'm really enjoying the musical activity table that Mommy and Daddy got me last month. It's interactive, plays music and even lights up. It's got lots of buttons and stuff for me to push, pull and bang - great for developing my motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The best part is, it even serves as a walker!
Mommy continues to enjoy some time to herself (read: cleaning the dishes in the sink) while I'm holding my bottle and feeding myself. I'm usually given some Cheerios as an appetizer while Mommy gets my bottle ready. But because I love my Cheerios so much, I just can't seem to put them down and consequently, I've learned to hold my bottle with one hand, while securing my Cheerios in the other (not to mention Mommy tends to eat my Cheerios too).
Every year, HP throws a Holiday Kids Party for employees and their kids. I was lucky enough take part in it this year. Picture a huge convention hall packed with massive inflated fun houses and rides, face-painting, arts and crafts, and all-you-can-eat sno-cones, popcorn and cotton candy. Even Santa Claus was there to celebrate with us!
Mommy was eyeing the arts and crafts station all morning and was very crafty while I took my afternoon nap. Take a look at her festive creations...
I can't wait for next year's party - instead of observing the rides, I'll be big enough to actually ride them! And instead of being teased by the unlimited offerings of popcorn, sno-cones and cotton candy, I'll be devouring them to my heart's content :-)
I can't wait for next year's party - instead of observing the rides, I'll be big enough to actually ride them! And instead of being teased by the unlimited offerings of popcorn, sno-cones and cotton candy, I'll be devouring them to my heart's content :-)
Following the HP Kids Party, we continued the holiday cheer over at Philip's house. Talk about party central :-) It was lots of fun being in the company of so many toddlers, and toys toys toys. Philip is the luckiest little boy ever. Can't wait till next year's Holiday Potluck at the O'Learys - instead of watching all the kiddies play, I'll be big enough to actually play with them!
Auntie Phan was snapping away (as usual) so Mommy got lazy and didn't pull out her camera but here's a couple of photos that Daddy managed to take. Notice the awesome O'Leary Christmas tree - I loved the "choo-choo" train going 'round the tree. Can't wait till Auntie Phan posts all her photos (hint hint) :-)
Mommy and I have been going to the Gymboree Play & Learn class and the Mommy & Baby Fitness class every week, so it's been very busy for the past little while. Feels like I'm always on the go, popping in and out of the car - and the car seat. I've grown a lot in the past month (gained almost two pounds in one month) and with my poofy snowsuit on, it was getting very cramped and uncomfortable in the infant car seat. Mommy and Daddy decided to get me a new car seat, and I am very happy to report that I am now sporting a Britax Boulevard convertible car seat, and I am a much happier camper now.
My hair has now grown just enough for a hair clip. That got Mommy real excited and she can't wait till she can put my hair up in pigtails. Mommy thinks I look like a pretty little girl in these photos.
My hair has now grown just enough for a hair clip. That got Mommy real excited and she can't wait till she can put my hair up in pigtails. Mommy thinks I look like a pretty little girl in these photos.
I've become a much more efficient crawler now cuz I've learned how to use my arms *and* legs. I'm often venturing out of my designated play area by the couch and exploring new terrain - the dining area. Sometimes I'll surprise Mommy by silently crawling under the dining table and tickling her toe :-)
Happy Birthday, Mommy! The cake was so yummy...
Couldn't taste Mommy's birthday cake last year cuz I was still in her tummy...My birthday gift to Mommy: some down time while I feed myself.
It will be Mommy's birthday in 9 days. How old will she be? Mommy says she dun know - she stopped counting when she turned 30. But what makes this birthday super-special she says, is the fact that it will be her first birthday as a Mommy, celebrating with precious little me. So what would Mommy like for her birthday? One word, literally: Mommy. So the pressure's on - I have to turn my "thaie thaie" and "nah nah" into "mama" in 9 days. Better start practising!It's been an exciting month for developmental milestones!
My fine motor skills are coming along nicely. I've learned to pick up small things with the "pincer grasp." Watch me in action with my favourite snack, cornflakes. Mmmm...they're grrreat!
And after much anticipation, I've finallly learned how to crawl. It's so much fun exploring the living room. Sometimes my slow and steady crawl goes unnoticed and Mommy has to pick me up before I enter a not-so baby-friendly zone. But they're so much more interesting than my play area.
I've also started to explore things vertically. With the help of stronger muscles, I can pull myself up to stand. When Mommy sits me in the crib, I automatically reach for the railings to pull myself up. I giggle every time cuz it feels so good to be standing on my own two feet and viewing the world from this new perspective. My next goal: cruising!
The O'Learys came over last weekend for dinner and I got a chance to play with Philip. He was my very first playmate - even visited me at the hospital when I was just a day old. I'm a bit shy around visitors and sometimes I need time to warm up to my guests. But I enjoyed your company, Philip, and I look forward to having you over again. It'll be fun to share all my new toys with you!After the free session of Play & Learn at Gymboree, Mommy felt it was time to get me more age-appropriate toys. The solution? Go to Toys R Us, of course!
Cuz I'm able to sit up independently now, I can sit in the shopping cart. Mommy is very pleased - no more having to maneuver the stroller and a cart at the same time at the grocery store!
We entered the store with an empty cart (plus me in it) and left with a cart full of toys, toys, and more toys! When we got home, it was waaaay past my bedtime but even Mommy and Daddy couldn't resist checking out all the goodies. It was like Christmas in November! (Wait a minute...does this mean I won't be getting any Christmas presents?)
Cuz I'm able to sit up independently now, I can sit in the shopping cart. Mommy is very pleased - no more having to maneuver the stroller and a cart at the same time at the grocery store!We entered the store with an empty cart (plus me in it) and left with a cart full of toys, toys, and more toys! When we got home, it was waaaay past my bedtime but even Mommy and Daddy couldn't resist checking out all the goodies. It was like Christmas in November! (Wait a minute...does this mean I won't be getting any Christmas presents?)
Me in a sea of "age-appropriate" toys.
Mommy looked into "Play & Learn" classes at Gymboree and decided to check out a free session. They had a spacious, colourful play room equipped with "age-appropriate" toys, ramps, slides and climbers - just perfect for a curious crawler and beginner climber like me. I had oodles of fun playing in their indoor playscape. 
In between the free playtime were several structured group activities, like interactive sing-a-longs, riding on a huge inflated teeder todder, "Baby soccer", bubbles, and parachute activities. My favourite activity was the teeder todder and I found the bubbles most intriguing (the parachute - not so much).Mommy and I had lots of fun singing and playing together (though something tells me Mommy had more fun that I did - it was like she was re-living her dreams of being a host on Polka-dot Door!). Mommy's decided to enrol me in one session starting next week. So hooray - I get to play in the wonderful Gymboree play room and Mommy gets her Gymboree discount card (and has a valid excuse to be at the mall)!
The weather was really mild last week - it was like spring in November with temperatures hovering around the mid-teens. Mommy decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and took me to our neighbourhood park, Earl Bales Park.
Now that I can support myself sitting up, I was finally ready for the kiddie swing! It was lots of fun swinging back and forth, and learning my first Physics lesson: energy transformations i.e. gravitational potential energy transferring to kinetic energy. 
Mommy and I went down the slide together too. Another fun example of energy transformations!
I got my dose of playground pleasure and Mommy also got quite the workout by walking briskly along the paths behind the playground. One path led us to the discovery of a little park tucked away on the north side of the Sheppard bridge. Our fun-filled afternoon concluded with a victory climb up a very very steep hill. Mommy didn't think she could make it but she really had no choice - the stroller and I would go tumbling down otherwise! Talk about motivation! We had so much fun, and the nice weather kept up, so we went back to the park two more times that week (and Mommy climbed that steep steep hill for a grand total of three times! Wow, she's never worked out so hard). I'm so lucky to have such beautiful green space just steps from my house.
Happy Halloween!
from Natalie The Dinosaur
from Natalie The Dinosaur
(Thanks to Auntie Phan for the cool costume.)
Just bounce wit me
I'm sitting up so confidently now, I can chill on the mountain top with my plush crew.
Crawling is still a work in progress, but look - I'm supporting myself with just one hand (albeit for two seconds)! 
It's official - I now have teeth!
Tooth no.24 & 25 - lower central incisors, to be exact.
With my two pearly whites I can now chomp on biscuits to my heart's content (with supervision, of course). Yummmm!
Mommy apologizes for the delay, but she finally managed to get the photos from our Vancouver trip organized and posted. Enjoy!
Stanley ParkCan't wait till I'm old enough to come back for a bike ride around the park!
Vancouver AquariumA real cool place. I got to see sea lions, sea otters, beluga whales, dolphins, star fish, and jellyfish.
Capilano Suspension BridgeDidn't think Mommy could do it, but she crossed the bridge, while holding me!
Dr. Sun-Yat Sen Chinese GardensIt's such a pretty place, Mommy thinks I should get married there.
Somewhere in ChinatownWe kept taking lots of pictures in front of this huge abacus. Does this mean I have to be good at math? Something tells me Mommy's gonna make me learn the times-table before I can even walk...
Rodney'sMommy was in crab heaven. I was taking a nice nap on Daddy's lap.
Boeing 763Daddy and me blowing raspberries on the flight back to T.O.
Thanks Auntie Betty for being such a wonderful Vancouver host/tour guide. I love you lots! (My deepest apologies for keeping you up at night - I know how precious sleep is for you, being a first year resident and all).
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