Letter to Julianne #15

Dearest Julianne, 

See that birthday ticker up there?  It's just inches away from the number 1! Are you sure you're ready to bid babyhood goodbye?  I'm not sure if I'm ready for you to grow up just yet.  You're such an adorable age now,  I wished you stayed at this stage for a while longer so that I can still hear those little silly babbles you make, or watch you wobble as you try to take those tentative first steps.

Every month I say how much growing you've done, thinking that you probably can't amaze me further with your developmental milestones.  But I think the past month really took the cake as you learnt so many new tricks and really made me realise just how fast you're growing up. 

Happy in her own world

You have added 'bye bye' to your list of words that you can say with understanding.  You'll wave your hand and say 'bye bye' whenever you see anyone of us leaving the house except when the person is me because incidences of me leaving the house are met with tears and your loud cries instead.  On a related note, you have also learnt how to fly kisses.  You had a little problem with your hand coordination initially, putting your palm to the side of your face instead of your mouth, but you've since mastered it.  

Flying kisses when Grand-aunt came to visit

You're also clearly showing signs of understanding us better these days which opens up a whole new world when communicating with you.  You understand 'No no' and will shake your head (rather violently I may add) whenever we use those words.  You do the same when you don't want things (like when you're done with your food) or when you don't want other people to carry you (which usually happens when Mama is carrying you. Ha!)  I find your shaking head action totally adorable!  To top it off, you know everyone at home including Da-yi, Uncle Jude and Che Che Sophie.  You have passed the 'where is (Papa/Mama/Gong Gong/Por Por/Da-yi/Uncle Jude/Che Che Sophie/Yiyi Sam/Uncle Sam/Aunty Joy) test' by looking in the said person's direction or pointing at whoever it is we call out.  Good job little pumpkin! 

You also understand simple instructions like 'give'.  You'll hand over whatever that is you have in your hands although sometimes you turn it into a game by pretending to wanna give it to us and then taking it back again.  Mama hopes that as you grow, you'll always learn to give.  You also learnt 'ball' this month and with that, you totally understand what it means to 'give Mama the ball'.  You'll look for the ball in your play-pen among your many other toys and happily hand it over.  Yiyi Sam finds it totally amusing how you can do that.  

Jules @ play

As you get more and more mobile around the house, we've also been teaching you how to get around the many steps in the house.  Credit must go to Por Por who taught you how to get down safely from her bed.  So you have somehow interpreted in that little brain of your that you can apply the same method with the steps in the house.  Bravo!! Give yourself a little pat!  You are a very active child.  There is really no stopping you from crawling everywhere, opening cupboards, pulling out drawers and throwing out everything you see in it, stuffing your fingers into the fan, getting your hands onto anything and everything that you should not be touching.  Por Por is having trouble keeping up with your active pace.  But that is you.  Curious and inquisitive.  Mama likes.  It is your way of exploring the world around you and I'm happy to let you do it within safety limits so for the now, please know young lady, that the fan is out of the equation.     

One of your biggest achievement this month must be learning to nap out of your old faithful bouncer.  After napping exclusively in it for the past 9 months (you only started napping in it when you were 2 months old), you finally decided that you are a big girl now and that it was time to retire your bouncy friend.  You have no idea how happy I am to see you napping blissfully in your cot.  For one, it means we no longer have to sit next to you and rock your bouncer while you nap - which frees up time for me to get other stuff done while you're napping (which I really appreciate especially now as I prepare for your 1st birthday party!).  And for two, I don't have to worry how you were going to take your naps during our upcoming staycation and holiday cos there is no way I am going to lug the bouncer with us! 

Hi I'm Jules and I'm quite done with my bouncer!

On the food department, I am a little sad to say that I believe you may have inherited Sophie Che Che's dairy allergy.  I fed you some plain yogurt a few days ago and your broke out into a bad case of rashes on your face.  I thought you outgrew it when you didn't seem to react to the yakult drink I gave you last month but clearly you haven't.  Sigh ... there goes all my grand plans to introduce whole milk to you once you turn one.  I guess that's God's way of telling me to keep it at the breastfeeding journey which I'm more than willing to.  Like Sophie Che Che too, you have a deep love for bread.  Much like Mama! These days, you sit down with us every morning for breakfast.  You with your bits of bread which you'll self feed and us with our cereal or toast.  You'll start shaking your legs as you eat and pointing to the bread once there's none left on your tray.  We even have to put a topping of bread on your porridge during lunch and dinner to entice you to eat your porridge because let's just say meal times are quite a war zone without these carbo bribes. Bread monster you are!  Oh and did I mention you have also learnt to drink from a straw this month!  It was something you always saw us do and it thrilled your completely when you realised you had those magic powers too!   

You are a happy, cheeky little one and such a joy to be around. You smile is contagious and your cheekiness breaks us out into laughter. Thank you for being my sunshine and adding so much colour to our lives.  

Us and our sunshine!

Happy 11th month my Jujubee! Let the countdown to your 1st birthday begin!! 

Love you so much, 

Mama