Bielet: Rockstar Photographer (in-the-making)

I've always loved it when Bielet takes over my camera because the gadget returns with a new collection (of a gazillion) photos and they are all pretty interesting. And funny. My only concern is that she might drop the camera (which is usually my handphone) and it spoils...

So when we have our regular playdates with our neighbour Winnie and her children, mummy Winnie usually togs her professional-looking camera and when Bielet insists on being the photographer with that camera, I'm always pretty nervous. Nevertheless, the photos she takes are mostly very artistically framed and I think she has a cool perspective of the world. Look out hipsters, budding one here to conquer your world!

Here's a selection of her photos (obviously we chose the best, non-shaky ones).

I wasn't bluffing, eh. These are some good shots, a lot of 'feel'. Whaddaya think? Which is your favourite? (My personal fave is the one of her tubby little toes, clad in her favouritest pair of sandals. She makes the footwear look gooooooooooooooood.)

To encourage her keen photography interest, I shopped around for some cameras and was just about to purchase one for her birthday gift, when Winnie let me in that SHE BOUGHT ONE FOR BIELET! The little girl was obviously over the moon when she unwrapped the present and went trigger-happy (230 shots in an hour). But, this mama needs to nag and remind everyone no buying such expensive presents for the girls. Not that I am unappreciative of the thought which goes into the gift, but simple presents do just fine - in fact, no presents are fine too. I'll take babysitters anyday thanks!

Bielet's Quirks (Part 3): I Don't Understand Why

Bielet is one of the funniest kids around - even my friends say so. I'm lucky that this little one has brought us all so much joy and laughter. Plenty of naughtiness and scolding too, but that's another story for another day....

Part 3 of Bielet's Quirks are some of her pecularities, which while driving us up the wall at times, also are so much part of who she is. Conclusion? This is one odd kid.

Happy October First, my love! (And Bieny too, of course!)
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1. She. Talks. So. Much.
Granted she's rather shy if she hasn't warmed up to you, but if she's nicely acquainted with you (or you have a handphone or tablet to share), she morphs into Little Miss Chatterbox. And she really talks on and on and on and on and on........... One of my goodest friends asked me if we find ourselves talking less since Bielet talks so much. Um, no, but the house resembles a market nowadays.

It's especially so when we are all tucked in a confined space, say the car or lift. (Mannnnnnnn, we're never going to hear the end of it if we head up Taipei 101.) She cannot stand the urge to hold her tongue, so if ZX and I are talking to each other at the front of the car, she always needs to interrupt. We keep reminding her that it isn't nice to cut in when others are having a conversation, and she replies, "But I NEED to talk."

After a full day out last Sunday, we were driving home leisurely and Bielet was just doing her usual non-stop chatter to herself. I turned to look and her eyes were closed! But yup, that wasn't gonna stop her from the continuous (incoherent) babble. Ask me for the video when we meet. It was so hilarious. ZX said, "She can't have gotten (the non-stop talking bug) from me. I think it's you." Great.

A screenshot of the said video!

Another screenshot. This was video-ed by our neighbour (on our regular playdate with the neighbour's girl, Sonia) and Bielet was going cray cray belting out nursery rhymes at the top of her lungs. Well, at least Sonia enjoyed the impromptu ktv session too.

2. Ambition to be a cleaner
For someone whose energy automatically dips to negative when she is asked to pack her books and toys up, it seems uncanny that she 'aspires' to be a cleaner. Strike that, she only wants to be a wiper. Whenever she's given a wet wipe to clean her mouth, she will use it to clean the rest of whatever is on the table since that happens mostly when we're eating out. She will wipe the table, wipe the dirty dishes and cutlery, wipe the chair etc etc. And when she's out of things to wipe, she repeats the cycle. That means starting from her mouth. EEK YUCK HELP CRINGE SCREAM RUN!

When she learnt how to open our wet wipes container, she went all loco. Using one sheet to wipe each rung of the stair, to polish each tile, to scrub the wall, to clean the door etc etc. One day, I found her with a mountain of wet wipes and tissues as she went about her cleaning (wiping) duties. I went loco, and made her fold each square and put it in a bag (for reuse to really wipe stuff off the floor). Since then, she has never repeated the mountain-act. #tigermumftw

3. Imaginary colleagues
So children have imaginary friends, it's fine. Miss Bielet has imaginary colleagues and ex-colleagues and teachers. She used to 'work' at HDB but she doesn't pull that card anymore. (Little wonder since I left about 2.5yrs ago!) I guess she does freelance teaching now because she doesn't seem to have a fixed office address. Her colleagues have rather predictable names: Shuda, Fada, something-da it seems.

We went for dinner with my fam and my mum's side the other day. Bielet wandered off by herself to the next table and my jie's boyf joined her, so she started being a waitress and went to get 'food' for him. She returned and to her chagrin, my jie was seated opposite her boyf.
"YIYI, WHY YOU SIT THERE?! My colleague is sitting there," she cried.
"Where?"
"You flattened her already."

Oh my.

Sianz.

4. "I'm hungry"
This phrase sounds like every parent's dream, eh? Except that she only says it when there are snacks around. During proper meal times, it's more like "I'm full." Actually, I'm already quite lucky because Bielet usually finishes her rice and veggies and fruit. I mean, that usually takes a huge effort but she gets the job done (an hour notwithstanding). Then, five minutes after she announced "I'm full", her eyes gleam with excitement as they land on a packet of said snacks and her tune changes to "I'm hungry!" Happens. Every. Single. Day.

Soooooooooooooo busted, Bielet.

She learnt to verbalise that she's hungry or thirsty pretty early on. But sometimes she mixes thirsty up and says she's "drinky". So we figured, she adds a 'y' (pronounced: yi) whenever she wants to do something. When she wants to draw, she's "drawy". When she wants to sing, she's "singy". When she wants to cut, she's "cutty".

Interesting range of verbs there.

5. Her favourite TV channel is CBeebies
Lucky for Bielet, my parents subscribe to the children TV channels on cable (we do no such thing at home). She started with BabyTV, then went on to Disney Junior, but her all-time favourite is CBeebies, the kiddo offshoot of BBC. Frankly, I find having to re-watch Teletubbies - yes, I did watch it during my secondary school days since my cousins were still pretty young then - and their eerie lookalikes in In The Night Garden rather disturbing. But. Bielet adores the shows. (Sarah and Duck has grown on me.)

Teletubbies (Source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/)

In The Night Garden (Source: http://www.desktopaper.com/)

(Source: http://www.photonstorm.com/)

I started speaking with a fake British accent and Bielet asked me why I was talking like that. I replied that I was simply following her CBeebies characters and speaking in the Queen's English. "No, they don't talk like that, Mama." But then, I got her to start listening more intently to their accents and now she asks me to talk to her in the Queen's English. I have to admit though, my accent is really kaput so don't expect me to put it on for you.

Bielet has recently realised the horror of cable TV, which is endless reruns, especially on children TV channels (the same episodes show within the same day). But she still loves CBeebies. She even knows how to change the channel herself. Whoopdeedo.

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If you liked this, see more of Bielet's Quirks. I'm slowly building up a glossary of Bieny's Quirks too.

Baby Yogini :: Wordless Wednesday

:: Linking up with ::

Thunder, a cupboard, heaven and a train

Bielet is always startled by the loud roars of thunder, so I took to telling her that it is just a big noise, like someone from heaven throwing a cupboard down.
It was something I read before. From an Enid Blyton book, if I'm not mistaken.
And I told her lightning is like the flash from a camera as someone snaps a picture.

A couple of weeks ago, as a sudden groan of thunder rumbled boisterously by the window and caused her to jump, I repeated my cupboard from heaven story.

Bielet nodded and said quietly,
"Aunty Wendy gone to heaven. Aunty Wendy throw cupboard from heaven."
So I replied, "Yes. Aunty Wendy has gone to heaven. Umm, I'm not so sure she's the one throwing the cupboard though."
She continued thoughtfully, "Aunty Wendy gone heaven, Mama cry."
To which my response was, "Don't worry, sweetheart, Mama won't cry anymore."
And lastly in conclusion, she told me, "Aunty Wendy gone heaven in choo-choo train."

I suppose that's what the casket looked like to an innocent 2yo.
In the short period that we stood there in the viewing gallery, watching the casket make its way to the furnace, Bielet somehow understood that we were sending Aunty Wendy off on her final journey.
She understood why everyone was sad and crying. (As I cradled her, she kept patting me and calling out softly in a concerned tone, "Mama?")
And she somehow figured out in her funny little mind that the mode of transportation to heaven is a train, because the casket was moving by itself (due to the mechanised system, of course).

Thunder, a cupboard, heaven and a train.
Never would have thought about it that way. A child's imagination never seizes to amaze me, while the innocence within always warms my heart.

Is this what Bielet envisions?

:: Flashback :: 5mo Bed Time Blues ::

So after blogging on my bed time blues with Bielet, I kinda recalled that I wrote something about her snooze antics before. True enough, I dug out one of my fb notes and thought it would be a nice addition to my blog. Hee.

This was when she was 5mo and I had just gone back to work after luxuriating in 4mths of maternity leave.

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When Bielet sleeps with arms poised in a surrender, she is deep in slumber.
She also likes to sleep with arms outstretched. Cute as it may be, I am somewhat cheesed off when that means I have no place to lie cuz I don't want to crush her tiny arm or shift her back to her rightful spot on her pillow...
If her arms are pointing down, she will be waking up soon.

She has established a new position the past week - sleeping on her side, cosying up to me :)
Maybe it's cuz ZX is away and there is no Papa to protect or sayang her for now.

Bielet makes a big fuss normally at 3am or 4am, tossing and turning from side to side, but I realise she's actually sleeping (or semi-sleeping) cuz her cute little eyes are still shut.
When she is actually ready to sleep proper without any more drama, she turns on her side to face me (still asleep) and splats her hands into my face to announce her decision that the wayang is over.

Her small fingers curl up.
Her cheeks stop their chubby-ing as she no longer sucks her lower lip-cum-imaginary pacifier.
Her little chest rises up and down ever so slightly.
Her tiny hot breath puffs into my temple.

With me back at work, what little time I have with Bielet is so precious.
I love having her sleep next to me.
Every inch of the little her.

Goodnight sweetheart. Meet in dreamland! Xoxo.

[Penned 26 Mar 2011]

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Plus some old pictures of Little Bie when she was just a tiny baby. They really grow up so fast, don't they?!?!?!

One of the cuddles I got from Bielet in her sleep :))

This uber cute face is sooooooooooo irresistible! How to not plant a big fat kiss on her chubby cheek?!

Mid-pout when she was sucking her imaginary pacifier. Heart.

And to be greeted by her lovely mop of bed hair in the morning. Hee.

Bed Time Blues

Bielet is almost 31mo.
Have been trying to get her to sleep in her own bed, but our unpredictable night schedules make this quite difficult.
Especially with ZX away and us staying over at my parents' most weeknights these couple of months (and my room only has one queen sized bed)...
She is actually quite okay sleeping in her own bed at home, just so long as mama snuggles in with her until she falls asleep.

It seems like just yesterday that Bielet was a small bub.
We let her sleep in her cot the first couple of nights but night time nursing was such a battle that I succumbed to letting her lie in between ZX and I. So easy - cue cry for milk, lie on side, pop the boob, sleep - and repeat again in next 2.5hrs.
Sure, I did have the occasional (or more) jolt from my sleep to make sure her breathing was uninterrupted and that we/blanket/pillow hadn't smothered her.

Then the days became weeks, later months.
Even when I stopped nursing Bielet, I loved cuddling her to sleep - especially since sleeptime was probably the most I spent with her after I returned to work.
Her hot little breath on my cheek, the usual flap of a little palm onto my nose, a sudden kick jabbing my ribs. I loved them all.

Now that I've stopped working full-time and spend so much more time in the day with Bielet, I know I really should encourage the independent sleeping.

But

I miss our head jostling matches for my pillow
I miss holding her tiny hand and interwining my fingers with hers when our hands meet
I miss her rolling over and hugging me for no reason at all
I miss the little snores of hers reverberating through my eardrums
I miss sometimes finding a toe at my chin
I miss hearing her once-in-a-blue-moon sleep chatter or giggles
(But I sure don't miss catching a whiff of a soiled diaper)

You guessed correct that I'm typing this while in bed with Bielet.
She's growing up too fast, me thinks. Soon, I won't have a choice because she won't want to sleep with me :((

#mamaproblems

Bielet's Quirks (Part 2): Pet Phrases

Thanks everyone who told me you enjoyed reading Part 1 of Bielet's Quirks :)) It was really nice to receive encouraging words on my writings, tho all credit goes to Bielet for having the best hugs ever! And as promised, here's Part 2.
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Bielet likes to talk. Like really (previous posts on her baby babble, here and here). When she was a wee cherub (read: indistinguishable words), I could just sit with her and listen to that adorable baby talk all day. Now that she has a clearer vocab, it's even more fascinating to be around to hear her use a new word for the first time! For a start tho, you should know that there are a few pet phrases that she uses on a daily basis. Here goes:

1. No laughing
Like who the heck taught her this, I dunno but it is so funny that it makes us laugh even more.

It could be something in relation to what she said or someone else, but if the reaction is your chuckle, you can be sure to receive a very condescending "No laughing" - plus a solemn talk-to-my-hand action and an evil eye. Imagine the strictest but most polite headmistress. That's my little girl.

We keep telling her that it's okay to laugh when we are happy but to hear her "No laughing" command really makes your day. Especially if any giggles still escape us and she crosses her arms while repeating said phrase. And an awesomely deadpan glare.

Classic deadpan glare. Love.

2. On myself
Welcome to the terrible twos where she's starting to assert her independence. (Disclaimer: I've heard the term 'terrible twos' many a time but thankfully, Bielet is in her 'tame twos'. I think mama is too fierce for her to turn terrible! O_o)

Whenever Bielet wants to do anything BY herself, she will use the oft-phrase "on myself".

Example #1: "Heidi bathe on myself. Mama stay outside." She insists on showering herself and I'm quite happy to let her do it, except that she soaps and shampoos the walls and glass doors instead of herself. If we had it her way, she would just be watered while the rest of my loo would be sparklingly clean.

Example #2: "Heidi walk on myself." While we stand absolutely firm that she holds our hands when we walk across the road/carpark or up the escalator, she very much prefers walking solo. She first announces it by uttering the above phrase then releases herself from your clutch and literally holds her own hand, little fingers all intertwined. Like during her prayer (except she's trotting along). Trot trot trot.

3. So scary
Think Mitten's decibel-busting barks and shrieks of excitement when my bro or anyone familiar arrives home (Mitten is my bro's sheltie, btw). Think a sudden bang of thunder. Think someone shouting angrily at another person.

Bielet jumps in shock then runs for cover in the arms of the nearest one or couch or pillow. Then she exclaims "So scary" and pats her chest to calm herself down.

Sharing a (quieter) moment with her best friend, Mitten

Oh, think also ginormous ducks hovering around you. Yeah, she went on her pre-nursery excursion to the Animal Resort and told us after that "Ducks so scary". Her teacher, Ms Tan, told my mum that she got frightened by the geese but enjoyed herself otherwise. I'll say. It's been almost a week since the outing and she's still proclaiming her scary duck story to everyone. H7N9, anyone?

You've actually met the scary ducks before, Bielet! (Earlier visit to Animal Resort)

4. Please {insert name} can I have {insert object of desire} please?

Object here mostly refers to a snack or gadget. It figures that these are what motivated her to articulate her most complete and clearest sentence...

She first used it when she discovered a tube of Gerber stars in the kitchen trolley. I was so awestuck by the clarity of her speech that I must have OD-ed her on the stars snack. Ditto for my mum and her iphone. Gosh, are we suckers or what?!

5. Where my {insert person/object of desire}? Where?
Seemingly common question. Except that our convo goes something like this. (Below is for 'person of desire')

Bielet: Where my A-pa? Where?
Me: A-pa is in Simei, sweetheart.
Bielet: Where my Granny? Where?
Me: Granny is with A-pa in Simei.
Bielet: Where my Mitten?
Me: Mitten is with them in Simei. She's guarding the house, right?
Bielet: Where my A-pa and Granny?
Me: Like I said earlier, they're at Simei.
Bielet: Where Yiyi? Where Uncle Robin? Where Kevin Ah Gu? Where Aunty Jenny? WHERE?

And this line of questioning can go on for an entire car journey. She usually fires these questions right after the said parties leave us. Like when we leave her kindergarten, she usually demands the whereabouts of her teachers and half her class (and their parents/grandparents)...

As for 'object of desire', the question is mostly rhetorical cuz she remembers where she placed the item. She asks, then hunts for it and triumphantly announces "Oh there! I found it!" If she fails to find the object, she will put on the saddest look she can muster with a "It lost" until you feel so sorry for her that you would rather waste ten thousand years of your life locating then digging it out from her mess, I mean, mass of toys.

6. Terrible
When I referred to a condescending tone in "No laughing", I mean Condescending here. Say whenever Mitten pees or poops out of her newspaper-lined tray, Bielet will bao-toh "Mitten poo poo all over" then shake her head in disapproval, saying "TERRIBLE". Most times tho, she uses it on her toys.

If you're wondering who taught her this, I concede it was me. But it was because I needed a substitute word for the horrendous drivers on the road or anything else that pissed me off BAD. "Terrible" ain't such a bad cuss word sub, right?

7. I tired
Try as you might to get Bielet to do something against her will, she will mutter a quick "I tired" then pretend to lean against her seat and close her eyes. Like if she sang a song really well and you wanted an encore but she felt otherwise.

Calling her bluff - really looks like she's sleeping here, right?!

The meal-time equivalent when she doesn't want anymore is "Eat so much, tummy ache. I full." Usually accompanied by a stick-out-tummy-action (sometimes with a tummy rub) and a low sigh. Also pushes plate or bowl away.

8. Tummy ache
From above. "Tummy ache" isn't used exclusively in negative terms. When Bielet wants to weasel another snack from me, I usually use my "You can't eat so much (for instance) jelly, sweetheart, or you will get a tummy ache." To which, she flashes her cheeky, dimpled smile and replies laughily, "I want tummy ache!"

Rare capture of her cheeky little smile!

"I wannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnt tummy ache!"

9. Sit here, don't move
Again, mainly reserved for her toys. She carries the toy to the chair and commands them not to move an inch (with a stern palm in their face, I might add). Must be what her teachers are saying to her in school cuz she sometimes includes "Sit here, don't move. Mrs Eppie say." (Mrs Eppie is the assistant teacher)

"Sit here, don't move. Mama big smile."

(Disclaimer: Bielet lined up all the toys herself before plonking herself down and asking me to snap a photo, i.e. "big smile".)

10. Dear Lord, thank you for the milk milk milk
Perhaps my favouritest of her pet phrases. As far as prayers go, Bielet could say "Amen" first. Then she learnt "Dear Lord" and the accompanying clasp of her hands. A few months back, I started getting her to verbalise what she was thankful for.

Me: Dear Lord
Bielet: Dear Lord
Me: Thank you for...
Bielet: The milk milk milk**
Me: Thank you for providing the yummy milk that Heidi drinks. For giving her the strength and energy she needs to be healthy and strong. Thank you also for...
Bielet: Papa
Me: Thank you also for blessing Papa and keeping him safe. For bringing him back to us, dear Lord. Thank you for...

And she rattles off a list of people and things she wants to give thanks for that day.

(After giving thanks for whoever she lists) Me: Thank you for blessing us and all our loved ones. In Jesus' name?
Bielet: AMEN

** Giving thanks for her milk happens every prayer, whether meal-times or bedtime

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As a November baby, I realise that Bielet doesn't speak as well as her other classmates (some of whom were born in January of 2010). I worry that Bielet is frustrated in school because nobody understands her.

But my sweetheart, mama understands. Xoxo.

Bielet's Quirks (Part 1): A Bielet Hug

One thing you should know about Bielet is that she has a major load of quirks. I'd like to think she got this side of her from *ahem* me since ZX is so straightlaced (but then again, you don't know him enough! LOL). So I decided to chronicle a new series of her quirks and twists, for posterity's sake :DD

To kick things off, here's a post on the little one's hugs - saw this quote on a friend's facebook and it brought to mind how much I love hugging my precious Bielet. 

(Source: My Motherboard)

1) Goodbye-to-mama-cya-after school hug: usually with fake sobs as if reminding me "you better make sure you pick me up".

This is a genuinely unhappy face, actually, but you get the drift!

2) Goodbye-to-everyone-else hug: she goes towards you seemingly for a mutual embrace but turns her back at the last minute so that she gets the full, fat hug without doing anything. Laughs.

3) Proper hug: she's picking this one up in good time, when she actually stretches out her arms and lightly wraps them around your shoulders (or legs if you are too tall or don't bother to bend down). Mostly followed by a faint utterance of "Hug Hug" for goodbyes or thankyous. 

(From left) Hugging sweet Caitlyn (yiyi's friend's daughter), her baby doll she named Toto and standing in a box while hugging her "grandmother bear" (a bear in the 'likeness' of my mum, replete with specs and black pants, courtesy of one of her ex-colleagues!)

Bielet ran up to ZX in Isetan the other day after he bought her a toy and gave him a mega thankyou hug from behind. Problem was it was mid-walk so ZX nearly tripped over as his left leg got held captive momentarily!

The "proper hug" is also a usual sighting during parties, mainly reserved for the birthday boy/girl.

Embracing birthday girl Ariel-jie jie at her party (yup, it was a Hello Kitty themed one)

4) Death grip: this usually occurs when something terrifies her (like unfamiliar crowds) or maybe on an off-day at swimming when she prefers simply to soak in the water. Also dubbed the koala-bear-hug because she holds on so tightly (like a baby koala on the mama) that you don't even have to support her bum with your arms. Quite a cool sight to behold. Lol.

5) Night-night hug: see "proper hug", but usually followed by a sleepy call of "Night Night {insert name}" instead, and a soft peck on the cheek.

6) Sleep hug: not to be confused with "night-night hug". When Bielet is almost about to fall asleep or just wakes up, she rolls over to me and plants a huge kiss on my lips and presses her face against mine. Think happy big head hug. And you wonder why I'm having difficulty letting her sleep on her own (my problem, not hers).

7) My-blanket hug: if there's one item Bielet loves to bits, it's her red blankie. She used to drag it everywhere she went but nowadays, she will only search or demand for it when she's sleepy. Then she buries her face into the blankie as she squashes it between her arms. If you try so much as to dislodge it, be prepared for the fiercely unhappy shrieks proclaiming "My Blanket! MINE!" My bro did it just the other day and in response to her cries, he replied "Yeah, it is your blanket but it used to be Kevin Ah Gu's before, you know?" Eh, don't think she gives a hoot but thanks for letting her take it, Vin ;))

8) Specially-reserved-for-papa hug: ZX huddles over the laptop to work while he's seated on the couch. So Bielet will clamber up to the couch cushion behind him, sit (with her legs on each shoulder, like piggy back position) and hug him real tight from the back. It really is quite sweet although sometimes she overdoes it and some strange, choking noises emit from the said papa. During ZX's recent mountaineering trip, where he was away for 1.5 weeks, Bielet must have missed him very much because her teacher told me she was choking her classmates while seated behind them. I was very disturbed at her behaviour until I pieced it together and realised she was actually trying to embrace them with her special hug.

9) **Rare!** Very-excited-to-see-you hug: as the name suggests, it happens only when she's over the moon to see you. Like when my parents returned from their 2 week long trip, Bielet went running to my mum with a huge grin on her face and smothered Granny with her little arms (and also bumped Granny with such force that she would have fallen over if she didn't know better, I'd like to add). These rare occasions are very satisfying to watch but sadly, I don't recall receiving this hug before. ZX had a few though. He says cuz I'm always around. Bah.

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There's just something so comforting about a warm, sincere embrace 

A pair of nice strong arms enveloping you maybe
Or perhaps just a spontaneous response when you randomly meet a dear one.

But the best of all is a Bielet hug.