Rafe’s 15 Month Birthday

Adik is now 15 months old! One and a quarter years old! Since I’m always late with the entries and happily backdating it, I wonder if I should even mention that anymore. Ah well. 🙂 [[image:2013_0329_rafe13.jpg:Hi y’alls!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions We have confirmation of at least eight teeth now! Adik has four times as many teeth as Yaya did at this age, I think! And he is very close to being able to climb onto the sofa. He’s attempted it and can do it if there’s something on the floor boosting his height a little bit. It’s not long now, seriously. He runs around confidently. We have to make sure that he wears his little robeez shoes so his feet do not slip on the tile floor (a.k.a. “the brown floor”), otherwise he keeps wiping out every time he maneuvers a corner at great speed. It […]

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56 Months

Yaya is now four months away from her first half decade! 56 months now! Where did all that time go? [[image:2013-yaya56month-13.jpg:Marveling on the merry-go-round:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Food status: something weird happened at the grocery store. Yaya surreptitiously took a bite of a carrot at the produce aisle. She chewed a bit and then ended up spitting it out (into my hand, ew!) but she randomly took a bite of an unwashed, unpeeled, unprepared carrot! How odd is that? After we advised her against taking a bite of unwashed produce, and encouraging her to give carrots a proper try next time (meaning: washed, peeled, perhaps even cooked or with dressing, etc.), we did reward her for trying something new with a game. Right or wrong, we didn’t want to stifle her experimentation with food by not following through on our promises. Sadly she did not try […]

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Yaya and Adik’s Snowy Adventure

So it started snowing the evening of March 5, 2013, and we ended up getting a significant amount (about 5 inches accumulation), and it stuck around for a few days before temperatures rose and everything melted. I, of course, cursed like the dickens, but Yaya was ecstatic and thoroughly enjoyed the snow. She finally got to go out and build a snowman! The other snowfalls this winter had either been too powdery to make snowmen, or too little snow had accumulated for proper snowman building, or we left town before Yaya could build one. [[image:2013_yasnow_01.jpg:Snowy view from the upstairs front window:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Here are a few pictures of the yard in the snow: [[image:2013_yasnow_02.jpg:Front yard, lonely mailbox by the unploughed street:center:0]] [[image:2013_yasnow_03.jpg:Snow in the back yard:center:0]] The kids went out to play and Vin shoveled a little. It was too cold and powdery at […]

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Rafe’s 14 Month Birthday

And here it is not even a third of the way through March and Adik’s 14 month entry is here! As always, thanks to the gods of backdated entries! [[image:2013-adik14month-02.jpg:Look at all my teeth!:center:0]] Adik has at least seven teeth, possibly eight (although the eighth is unconfirmed at this point). * Mouse over the pictures for captions The boy is running now! He falls down quite a bit but it doesn’t keep him down for long. Up he gets and off he goes, to the races! He even tries dangerous stunts like walking with a towel over his head covering his face as he thinks that that is funny. We have to help to steer him so he does not bump into things like furniture and walls. It is amazing how far he’s come with becoming mobile. He used to trip and fall over even the smallest things, but he […]

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55 Months

And so Yaya is now 55 months old. Five more months before her first half decade! [[image:2013-yaya55month-05.jpg:Let’s make orange juice!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Food status: no change. Although I did catch her tasting one of her own boogers, and she almost tasted a strawberry ice lolly. I did not however, reward her with a new toy for the little booger stunt. A small win: she ate pizza by picking it up and biting into it like a regular person (like Peppa Pig, apparently). Normally we have to cut the slice up into little fork-sized pieces. God forbid that the child gets her hands dirty in order to eat! We felt that having her handle her food with her own hands was a big win though. Also, Yaya has been helping Papa squeeze oranges and tangerines into juice. Sadly she will not taste the fruits of her […]

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Concourse of Aeon Sri Manjung

Happenings at the Beginnings of the Year of the Snake

Meanwhile, the three-night balik kampung back to Sitiawan for Chinese New Year was somewhat enjoyable. The traffic was not too bad, and no one lost their sanity. We left the city early, during the time where no one is sure they’re awake or they’re dreaming, and often, you’d wish for the other. Fortunately there was no sign of Mi-Go shadowing us from above. Nor of any Shantak. Also, I prepared awesome tunes for the return trip. Well, awesome to me, that is. On the first night we ate out with Atok and Opah. We tried out a new restaurant which had some tasty Thai food. It was not made of Thai people. On Sunday morning, the Sitiawan contingent, made up of Atok, Opah, Ain, Irfan and I had a Skype chat with the Ohio contingent which consisted of Ayah Cik, Cik Dik, Yaya and Little Adik Rafe. Rafe, now foot […]

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Rafe’s 13 Month Birthday

Another month, another very late blog entry! Again, we give thanks to the gods of backdated entries (whee!). [[image:2013_0129_rafe27.jpg:Drooly cutie pie:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions This month, Adik went from walking a few steps in a row to a pretty consistent walker. He walks all over the house and can easily go from the living room to the office without falling over or resorting to crawling. However, when there is a need for speed, he does go down on all fours to zoom away. He is so funny when he walks though – that toddler walk, hands up in the air for balance and kind of a pirate-like rolling gait. Utterly adorable! Last seen in this house when Yaya was toddling around. Despite its cuteness, it gets the job done. Adik has now found his feet and has gotten fairly confident on them. This means we are […]

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54 Months

And so Yaya is officially four and a half! 54 months! Where did all the time go? My little baby isn’t so little anymore! [[image:2013-yaya54month-13.jpg:Happy girl:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Happy New Year! I think I forgot to wish everyone that earlier. 🙂 So, at four and a half, Yaya still has not expanded her palate. We had some small successes (very sad). Suffice it to say, in order to get a new toy, she actually sipped a little soda (I won’t even say what kind because it is shocking I tell you, shocking!). And we not only let her try it, we encouraged it. She had three sips of it to qualify for her toy, and off she went. Also, she licked an orange lollipop. For a new game, of course. So the new things that she tried this month was soda and orange flavored lollipop. […]

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The one with the (second) first birthday party

So two weeks (and a day) after Adik’s first birthday we had a small gathering of friends and neighbors at our home, to celebrate Adik’s birthday (again!). [[image:2013_rafe1stbday03.jpg:Another party! Yay!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions It sure is much harder to prepare to get anything completed on time with two little kids running around, but we did our best. Thanks to our guests for their patience in waiting for the food to be served and the festivities to commence. [[image:2013_rafe1stbday01.jpg:The group:center:0]] [[image:2013_rafe1stbday02.jpg:Yaya getting tips from Natalie, a real artist:center:0]] Finally food is served and it is time for cake! Thanks to Natalie for taking these photos while Vin and I ran around being party hosts. Unfortunately, it did mean that we didn’t get very many photos of Natalie herself. [[image:2013_rafe1stbday04.jpg:Yaya can’t wait to blow out the candle, while Adik wants to get his hands on the cake:center:0]] [[image:2013_rafe1stbday05.jpg:Happy […]

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Rafe’s 12 Month (First!) Birthday

And now, Yaya can no longer declare that Adik is zero years old! The boy is now one! Yayyyyy!! He’s pretty pleased about it, too! [[image:2012_1229_rafe28.jpg:What you get when you ask him to smiiiiiile:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions It is just staggering how quickly a year has passed. Adik is no longer a tiny little newborn, but a fun little boy – he’s become a real person with a sense of humor, preferences that he can communicate, and a wonderfully sweet attitude to life. He’s a lovely easy-going baby, and happiest most when everyone is playing and laughing. In this past month, Adik has gone from being a world-class crawler to an almost-toddler. He can now walk about six steps independently. He loves to hold our hand (only one though!) and walks around getting into everything. He still is primarily a crawler – and it is amazing […]

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53 Months

53 Months! Again, backdated. She’s really getting close to her 54th month, but let’s not go there, yes? [[image:2012-yaya53month-04.jpg:Mama tied a ribbon in my hair:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions It has been a busy month. Lots of work to finish up, deadlines to meet, during the lead up to the end of the year, and then the Winter Break occurred. Yes, I realize I backdated this post, but I am using some photos from our after-Christmas trip (cheater! cheater!). No traveling until after the girl’s actual birthday, but then some traveling after Christmas. As you will see. Yaya is still on the no new games or new toys until she tries something new to eat. She did not try anything new, therefore, she did not get any new toys or games. Kind of nice for the wallet though – you want a new game or toy? What […]

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Rafe’s 11 Month Birthday

So here we are, at 11 months! Only one more month before Adik turns 1! It’s really amazing how quickly time has passed. I mean, it’s almost a year since he was born! And look how far he’s come now. [[image:2012_1129_rafe18.jpg:Happy Adik:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Adik is growing so fast, we can hardly believe it. He is a super fast crawler (four-point) and pulls to stand up by pulling on anything and everything, disregarding his own safety for the most part. He also walks along the coffee table and other furniture as long as he has a hand-hold. He also stands without holding on to anything for short bursts. But when he needs speed, he goes on all fours and motors away. Vin predicts that he will be walking by age 1 – the clock is running, Adik! 😉 Along with “Ma ma ma ma” (his […]

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52 Months

52 Months! And backdated entries are a good thing. 🙂  [[image:2012-yaya52month-15.jpg:Happy Yaya says Hiiii:center:0]] * Mouse over pictures for captions Another month has passed – without traveling again! Things are pretty quiet at home, even Lily the cat seems calm and relaxed (she’s tense when we leave her). Food status: Another slight success. As mentioned last month, we imposed a new rule that Yaya will not get a new game (on the iPad) or new toy until she tries a new food. This past month she tried nutella (she dipped her finger and tasted it). And for that she got a new Team Umizoomi game on the iPad. Sadly, the Peppa Pig Sports Day game is only available on iTunes UK and I can’t seem to download or purchase it without making it seem like we’ve moved to the UK and will only shop iTunes UK from now on! May […]

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Rafe’s 10 Month Birthday

And so Adik is now 10 months old! (And change, if I were honest – thank goodness for backdated entries!).  [[image:2012_1029_rafe01.jpg:Cheeky toothsome slobbery grin!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Adik has abandoned the commando crawl and graduated to the traditional four-point crawl! And wow, he is pretty fast! When he wears footed ‘jamas, sometimes one foot will come out and he will get stuck, poor baby. But on the whole, he is quite quite mobile. He sometimes crawls in such a way that one of his feet is actually flat on the floor – like a reverse-lamed horse? Very amusing. He still loves to head towards the forbidden areas – cat food area, kitchen, downstairs bathroom (and catbox). We have our work cut out for us chasing after him! Vin cleared the playpen of toys (we had been using it as a toybox to store all toys) as […]

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51 Months

And so another month has passed. The numbers are rising! And the girl has definitely come a long way in 51 months [[image:2012-yaya51month-14.jpg:Yaya loved the train ride at the outlet mall:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions We had another fun month, but no traveling this time! A nice stay at home month for us (or has the hibernation begun?). Food status: slight success. Yaya ate home-made pancakes! She ate them dry and without syrup, but she ate them. I made them special Yaya-sized little medallions and she ate some of it. We were terribly proud! We thought perhaps we could springboard from pancakes to other bread-like foods, like naan bread, or nutella or peanut butter on her toast. But no luck. The pancakes were it. So now, as an incentive for her to try something new, we told her no new games on the iPad until she tries […]

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Rafe’s 9 Month Birthday

Another month has passed and now the boy is 9 months old! [[image:2012_0929_rafe22.jpg:Beautiful eye:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Adik has continued another month of commando crawling – he’s fast too! He loves heading towards areas that he is not allowed to go, like the kitchen or the cat food area, and squeals and shrieks happily when we chase after him. So he already loves the game of tag :-). He has a bit of a callous now on the key bits of his body (i.e., his knees) which he uses to push himself forward when commando crawling. He crawls up the stage steps with no problems and is crawling down headfirst (and tumbling down). He can climb over pretty high obstacles now with no problems so we have to be very careful with him on the bed. We no longer use the changing table to change him […]

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