Soul Be It

some updates on my feeble attempt dabbling with paint. at this moment, this is as good as it gets.
http://soulbeit.blogspot.com

Sunday, 25th July 2O1O

We went to Nicklaus' 1-month-old party @ Changi Ferry Point Chalet.
Kiki was crying terribly the moment we got there. She just doesn't like crowd. I thought she would simmer down but she cried even more and was frightened. Sharp, piercing screams she did, along with many tears. And so, I stopped trying to socialize her and brought her outdoors instead.
She was perfectly fine and enjoyed walking about, all over the fields.
She was so distracted that she didn't finish her milk, so I gave her some mushmallows and some biscuits. I said:"Kiki, woof! woof! Bark, and I'll give you some biscuits! woof!" (this is because she's wearing a top with this cute little dog. woof! Haha.)

Sunday, 25th July 2O1O

She was trying to wriggle away from the daddy.

She wasn't interested to pose for a picture and we ran out of ideas to have her smile for the camera, and I don't know how we ended up showing her a kiss and the action was frozen in time.

So sweet that she was holding my hand. She loves to hold my hand.

@ Borders

I am so blessed there's a Borders here.

Beauty

The actual scene was many times better than this picture.

We were going to our car (Lancelot), heading to work one morning when I paused to look at the sky. It was beautiful. In the next 30 seconds after I whipped out my camera and positioned to snap, the view changed. All the mothers who were bringing their kids to school looked at us like we were foreigners, but a few other people who were walking their dogs also stopped to see the clouds. Well, it's a nice morning, so let's just take it in.

Bath Toy

I bought this Elephant shaped watering can for Kiki as I know she loves to play with water.

Not every baby likes bathtime and I'm glad Kiki loves bathtime. I would pretend she's a flower and I'll water her, she'll turn and literally jump out of the bathtub when I water her head.

In turn, she would tilt the watering can and gesture that I put my hands together to scoop the water that she's pouring into my hands. There's much fun with a simple thing like this. By the way, this is a real watering can and not really a toy per se.

Saturday, 17th July - An Evening Walk

Oops... the Calvin Klein's showing.

Saturday, 17th July - Practise Walking

Nowadays, Kiki would want to walk. But since she has yet to be able to walk independently, she either walks by pushing the stroller or by holding our hands.

We circled the two ladies playing the Ukulele, it was very inviting. I mean the music.

I am acustomizing to the fact that my environment is half filled of non-native Singaporeans, like these two ladies, from their accents, I deduced they are from the Mainland.

I do not know if the pace or pressure had gotten us so much that we no longer see much Singaporean Chinese having such carefree moments. Or that we found it an inconvenience to have sand in our shoes. Literally.

Saturday, 17th July - Some interesting sightings

Look at the kite! It is shaped in the Chinese Junk Boat! How interesting.

I cannot figure out if they custom-made this mobile or they rented it at the bicycle stall.

It looks like an ice-cream peddler and is bright and cheerful.

We made a quick count on the number of persons on it and it was an astounding nine.

Two toddlers sat in the front and had full view. It must be fun.

Saturday, 17th July - Of Mobile Rides

A Boat Ride

Something new and it was moving quite fast, hence she was seated and did not steer the wheel as much.

Saturday, 17th July - More Mobile Rides

This is at the small scaled funfair at East Coast.
It is quite a shabby set-up and the equipment were old and rusty.
But still, it was fun for us.
Look, we had the whole bus to ourselves for a dollar.
I would want to take the passenger seat. I think we should go there again tomorrow.

A Cutesey Bus Captain.

Sunday 11th July

Home Box Office

Due to a cup of coffee at client's office at 4.30pm, I was wide awake at 10 plus, although tired.

Watched the movie: Bojangles, on MGM. (this is good)

The movie is about the life of a coloured tap dancer- Bill Robinson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Robinson

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (May 25, 1878 - November 25, 1949) was an American tap dancer and actor of stage and film. Audiences enjoyed his understated style, which eschewed the frenetic manner of the jitterbug in favor of cool and reserve; rarely did he use his upper body, relying instead on busy, inventive feet and an expressive face.

A figure in both the Black and White entertainment worlds of his era he is best known today for his dancing with Shirley Temple in a series of films during the 1930s.

***
Do watch it if you have the chance.

Eczema

The Allergy Specialist concluded that Kiki does not have any allergy to food and he insisted that I re-introduce fish to her diet. In fact, he said give three different types of fish and he wants me to report to him in three months' time (is it three-month-time, three month's time, three months' time or just three months time?)

Much to my hesistence, he assured me that her skin rashes and irritation has nothing to do with the food she's been given. He could sense my confusion and guilt about my conception of the food giving her the rashes; he looked me in the eye to repeat that I've done a good job and it has nothing to do with the pork or even fish.

And so, this was after doing the skin test, where the laboratary nurse drew a grid on Kiki's back and prick-scratch the skin with some tube / straw thingy, all 13 straws and waited for 15 minutes for the result to show. If there's any reaction, it will appear as a hive / hives on the skin. And so the result was 2 over 3, meaning Kiki has Eczema but it is just a mild case.

I thought Eczema was to do with beans or nuts but it was not so.

It is to do with -- dry skin.

(Below is from Wikipedia--
I don't wanna put the link here because the pictures are a tad disturbing {for me})

Terminology
The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes that are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin edema (swelling), itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding. Areas of temporary skin discoloration may appear and are sometimes due to healed lesions. Scratching open a healing lesion may result in scarring and may enlarge the rash.

Treatment
Avoiding dry skin ie, Moisturizing
Eczema can be exacerbated by dryness of the skin. Moisturizing is one of the most important self-care treatments for sufferers of eczema. Keeping the affected area moistened can promote skin healing and relief of symptoms.
Soaps and harsh detergents should not be used on affected skin because they can strip natural skin oils and lead to excessive dryness. Instead, the use of moisturizing body wash, or an emollient like aqueous cream, will maintain natural skin oils and may reduce some of the need to moisturize the skin. Another option is to try bathing using colloidal oatmeal bath treatments. In addition to avoiding soap, other products that may dry the skin such as powders or perfume should also be avoided.
End quote**

So, there are a few practices we have to correct.

Firstly, the temperature of the Bathwater need only to be luke warm.
Me being kiasu before, I used to give her rather hot water to bathe in.
This actually triggers the rashes and DRIES THE SKIN........ (sorry!)
So, ok, luke warm will do.

Secondly, keep bathtime under 10 minutes.
So, no more of extra-time in the bathtub my baby.
(the Doc said that prolonged water contact actually dries the skin and not hydrates)

Lastly, change of soaps to non-scent, non-foam, Ph balanced and what nots, and moisturize 4 times a day. This is not said by me, this is the doctor's prescription!
***

So, after about a week of this new routine, her skin does show improvement and somehow, I am beginning to believe that it is really not the food, although I still have to brace myself for the fish. I really HOPE that the next time we have fish,,,,,, she will be fine.

Piglet Tails

For my laughs, I can't help but to tease her hair.
Look at the tiny piglet tails I made.
Made her head look really round.

In the Morning

These are from the Papa's camera.

In the Morning

These are from the Papa's camera.

Green Fields

Kiki could stand on her own for a short while.

She is excited whenever she realises she's standing on her own.

She could take a few steps on her own but would launch and throw herself forward at the receiving person in front. At 15 months, most babies have already become toddlers, but Kiki is still taking her sweet time with being a baby.

Having Fun

Trucky

Trucky

This is Kiki's favourtie truck mobile at the mall.
She steers two steering wheels at one go, one hand on each wheel.
I joined her and asked her to steer her side of the wheel but she still wants to steer mine.
It was a very tight squeeze inside the truck and I could hardly even stay bent but it was funny and fun.

Sunday, 4th July 2O1O

The Slide @ T3
(terminal three at the Changi Airport)





The spiral slide is four storeys high, I wouldn't quite dare to take a ride but many children were queueing for it.

Sunday, 4th July 2O1O

They call it the "scratching station"

There are several wooden moulds affixed on the long table station and a generous supply of large drawing paper, limited supply of crayons (probably the crayons were lost as there were many children taking it along with them).

Kiki kept drawing on the other girl's drawing block and that girl kept starring daggers at Kiki.
I had to coax Kiki to draw on her own piece of paper, although I think that she was just being friendly or trying to interact or the grass looked greener on the other side.

Sunday, 4th July 2O1O

I brought her over to the Kid's Corner just next to the scratching station because the other girl was still staring dagger at my baby for attempting to draw on her paper. And since Kiki took every opportunity to draw on that girl's paper, I thought I would better separate them.

All the time, Kiki was thinking of tasting the crayon. I can see her mind at work.
Look at her,,,, she was considering how to eat the crayon without my objection.
I know that at this stage, she still takes in new information via the tongue and will attempt only with items she hasn't come across with items which are still new to her.



Then, she began to draw with the crayon.





while thinking how to put it in the mouth without me stopping her.




and finally made an attempt.




and showing her disappointment on being stopped.