Sunday, 21 July 2013

The 19th and 20th month



I have been a really bad mum not updating Rayray's progress last month BUT my excuse is that we had  only gotten back to London so we've been busy settling and enjoying the wonderful summer here!!!!! To the point that it actually gotten so hot last couple of weeks that the government issued heat wave warnings!!! (hilarious!!!)

Anyway, before we came back I thought about putting Rayray into a nursery for a couple of days a week.  I know I'm now a full-time stay-at-home mum and why would I send my baby to nursery when my job is to look after her? Well, I do want to get back to work and have a few projects I'd like to get done. So the search of a nursery began and I must have trolled through ALL of the outstanding nurseries from OFSTED and finally found Zoom to be the one I'd feel comfortable to put Rayray in. She has never spent any time apart from me since birth, ok maybe for a few hours but NEVER more than 3 hours so not only this will be a challenge for her but its more about how I'd feel not seeing my baby for that amount of time!!! We started off with three settling days and she really enjoyed playing with other kids but when we started on a Thursday as her first official day, she got a bit upset seeing mummy leaving and I think that was when the novelty worn off. And I was almost in tears but had to hold it back as didn't want teachers there to come and tell me she would be ok....when all I thought was 'have I made a wrong decision?" Last week was her second week at nursery and she seemed to settled well, she started to eat better and was 'ok' when told mummy was coming back later to pick you up whenever she pointed at the door saying mama (gosh, hearing this from the school really really broke my heart!)

Poor Rayray got chickenpox

Other than that, Rayray somehow managed to get chickenpox right before we started at the nursery but luckily, it was mild. She was fine apart from spots on her torso and they weren't even itchy. She still had good appetite and lots and lots of energy!

Rose Garden in Greenwich Park

We just absolutely adore the summer here! It is simply pleasant and as it doesn't get dark till 10pm we love sitting in our garden chilling in the evening!

Obviously we didn't miss the Wimbledon, either!!!

Eating her favourite dish at Scalini 

Favourite spot in Greenwich Park's playground

Getting ready to go shopping!

We have had a lot of play dates since we got back and I just love it!!! Probably more than Rayray does! hahaha It makes the day goes by quicker than it already is and I feel so much more of a 'human being' again. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with Rayray but I do feel I need some grown-up conversations too!

Toy Kingdom with twinnies!


Colouring at her favourite restaurant - Bar Boulud 

Homemade espanola tortilla


Scooting in Kensington Garden

After months of pushing rayray on the scooter, she has finally learnt to ride it herself, more steadily. I can't wait to see her whizzing around on it! 

Play date with Sophia in the South Bank

I love this photo, walking out of nursery and gosh, Rayray looked all grown up!

Chomping on a bread roll happily on the DLR

On the way to nursery and she HAD to have her miffy 

Development -
  • Loves and HAS to feed herself most of the time, including cereals! At first I was rather hesitant as didn't want milk splashing everywhere but then thought it was actually a sign of my baby growing and being independent!!! 
  • A little helper - loves cleaning the dining table for me after each meal, I also got her a set of brush, broom and mop so she can clean around the house while I do the dishes! Also loves binning rubbish, getting nappy from her nappy basket for me and list goes on! Ahhhh, how lovely I now have a helper! hahaha 
  • Knows when she has done a number 2 and would tell me 'mama, botbot' ie, mummy, it's time to wash my botbot! hahaha
  • She can 'count'! She can say, 1,2 3 and then 6 and 9! I guess all the counting when going upstairs and downstairs on daily basis really helped
  • I told her to call Jocelyn 'JoJo' when we got back and now it seems JoJo is one of her favourite people as she calls JoJo A LOT and goes to her room to wake her up in the morning! She is now more confident about saying new words and this month, she can say
- mummy instead of mama
- dada
- JoJo
- Chair
- Door
- Ball (all time favourite word)
- Ba (for ballon)
- Bro (for broccoli)
- B (for beetroot or bee)
- A (for apple)
- Moon
- Pool
- Nu (for noodles as JoJo cooks her noodles almost every morning!)
- SheShe (Thank you in Chinese with the nodding gesture)
- Ta (Thank you)
- More
- WoWo (for dogs)
- Buuuuu (when she sees cars)
- Baba (for baby or sheep as we sing baba black sheep)
- MooMoo (means cow)
-baobao (as 抱抱 in Chinese but she only says it when she wants to be lifted up or carried)
-niuniu (as 妞妞 in Chinese and she knows that's what daddy calls her)
 There are probably other few words I have left out but it just to show that she has improved her vocabularies! lol

Rayray has cut through four more teeth at the back, both top and bottom and so has been rather miserable and dribbling lots and lots! Though she looks a 'proper' toddler with all that teeth and I sometimes just struggle to believe the baby in my arms is no longer a 'baby' but a toddler that runs around and understands what we say and responds in simple words or her little funny faces!

I have also discovered that Rayray can be quite possessive. I know it is probably human nature but for example, when we are in playground and if she gets onto the slide or a climb ing frame first, she would push other kids who want to get on after her! She also gets terribly upset if she sees someone else 'touching' her buggy especially when we are at restaurants! 

My happy pumpkin

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

The 18th month

My baby turns 18 month old today and my, this month I do feel she isn't a 'baby' anymore she is a little person that I can have conversations with and she actually understands things I say!! She truly is a bundle of joy to be with!

Look at my little poser!!!

This month we moved houses as the old flat is now going through major renovations which will take up to 6 months to complete and thankfully Rayray being a total adventurous explorer, she settled well and finds granddad's place another new playground for her! lol

A play date with baby Maddie and it cracked me up to see them lying side by side!

Height - 81cm 

Weight - 11.8kg

Eating - Still loves her fruits and BROCCOLI!!!!! (I am guessing because it is MY favourite veg and I ate so much of it while I was pregnant?!) I am grateful that she eats well even though sometimes she gets fussy but generally she likes her food. 


I love this photo as she still looks so sausagy and her innocent baby eyes!

Sleeping - I have now cut her LTN to an hour and moved her bedtime forward to 6.30pm so she doesn't take too long to settle in the evening. Generally sleeps for a solid 12 hour at night but obviously with occasional glitches of EMW.

mama, let's go shopping

Development -
  • A really obvious spurt in physical development as Rayray can't seem to get enough climbing of furniture and just loooooves playing ball with T. She also loves rolling on my bed ENDLESSLY, basically just leaps about!
  • has learnt to RUN and boy does she like running! It is as if she HAS to run everywhere she goes!
  • She loves dancing whenever she hears music and has learnt to twirl! 
  • She would 'talk' to herself when she plays and it could go on and on and on!
  • Rayray is fond of cleaning after Lorna started looking after her in the morning! YES! After 17 months of looking after her 24/7, I finally got a helper even though Lorna works part-time but I already can feel the difference and most importantly, Rayray adores Lorna! So Rayray would pretend to wipe the floor using ummmm ANYTHING she can get hold of so I guess it's time to get her own dustpan and brush and possibly a baby vacuum cleaner.

Looking rather puzzled before Kindermusik which she loves!

Looking so serious on escalator

mama, look at me!

Little happy reader in car

Whenever Rayray calls mama, it melts my heart, instantly! My 'concern' which isn't really a concern YET but she isn't talking as much as a 18 month old and I put it down as we speak both English and Mandarin to her so she needs more time to adapt.

Anyway, Happy 18 month Birthday my little dumpling!

Sunday, 21 April 2013

The 17th Month


Hello, big girl!

This month I see A LOT of developments going on with this little person! When Rayray is awake, she has bursts of energy that she finds everything an opportunity to explore! She barely sits still and just loves playing!!!

Height - 80cm (hasn't really grown in the past months since we left London?!)

Weight - 11.9kg

Eating - Still a fairly good eater and now has 180ml of goat's milk first thing and another180ml before bed. I have given up on trying various of plant-based milk as she just doesn't seem to like it. Though I discovered this black sesame drink with various of nuts and barley and she absolutely loves the stuff! So she nows gets this after her LTN. I have also tried mung bean soup with barely with Rayray and to my surprise, she really liked it!


Look at my belly! and the rather 'grown-up' smile? 

Sleeping - I have been using 'gradual withdrawl' sleep training method for the past two weeks and it seems to work fine so far... It's just that she still wants to hold my hand when going to sleep! Or she screams!!! Well, I am not complaining YET as I guess it could be much worse. I have also cut her LTN to 1.5 hours to combat evening bedtime battle and it seems to have worked! I honestly never thought sleeping could be such an issue with babies and my, how I have learned!!!


Hey mama, higher, higher!

Development -
  • Understands most things we say but obviously she is selective when it comes to putting them in action. 
  • Loves playing with kids but unfortunately kids in Taiwan don't seem to like mingling with others. It's another post but I have discovered that mums in Taiwan don't want their kids to play with others and they are so overly protective that I got some dirty looks when I let Rayray fell or playing with their kids!!! 

Super friendly Rayray waving at everyone at Story House
  • Discovered her 'scream' voice! Sometimes when she is overly excited, she screams; when she is frustrated, she screams so yes we have a little screamer in the house!
  • Loves cuddling and dishing out kisses! 
  • Has learnt how to step down on stairs and Rayray is always very cautious and it is very funny watching her doing it.
  • Always wants to eat what others have so we now try to have dinner with her at 5pm, too!

Can I have that too? Pleeeease?

Thursday, 21 March 2013

The 16th Month

Mama, look! 

This month not only I get a fully fledged toddler, I feel as if I have a totally different baby!!!!!!! Can a 16 month old throw tantrum already? I guess I know the answer already I just didn't expect it happening soooo soon! Having said that, it is indeed very rewarding to watch how Rayray has grown into a toddler and actually understands a lot more than she can speak!

At Baby Play

Height - 79.5cm

Weight - 11.6kg

Eating - Rayray's appetite has shrunk considerably and I think it is fairly normal? She has 180ml of milk in the morning and 100ml before bed and as I can't get hold of goat's milk yogurt in Taiwan, she now either has 80ml of goat's milk after lunchtime nap or I am experimenting with soya milk (so far she doesn't seem to like it), black sesame milk (she seems to like it?!) and Taiwanese style almond milk which she hates. 

Sitting comfortably 

Sleeping - Been sleep training her again as she seems to have totally forgotten how to self settling. It has been three weeks now and she still cries herself to sleep.... and as result her voice is hoarse....I pray it won't last and she can soon learn how to self sooth again!

Scooting!!!

Development -
  • Walking confidently and does not STOP wandering as soon as she opens her eyes in the morning! As she is at such a mobile stage, I just let her explore! She gets particularly excited when we get ready to go out! She would go and get keys as if she was opening the door.
With her cousin, MC
  • Rayray has been brushing her own teeth for the past couple of weeks but I still ask if I could 'help' as I want to make sure her pearly whites stay the way they are!
  • Discovered the fun of balls and she gets almost ecstatic when she sees one! She loves picking up balls and throwing them around!
My little explorer
  • Loves loves animals! Whenever she sees dogs, she goes 'oof oof' and could stare at them for ages if she sees pigeons, squirals or just animals! Not to mentions dogs! She has NO fear! Unlike her mummy or daddy! She would march straight into a dog and touch it or try to play with it!!! 
  • Loves dancing to whatever music she hears!!!
Holding on tight to papi

Hey look at me dancing!

Rayray is absolutely a bundle of joy and laughter to be with and although I felt my baby has turned almost wild when she reached 15 months, I guess I just am scared that she is growing up too fast!

Friday, 15 March 2013

Blancpain Dinner

We were invited to a Blanpain dinner held in Hibiscus and M and I had such a good time!!!

Before we started on bubbles and vino

The gorgeous Pao Mama

Lovely starter -souffle 

Grilled cod with spring veg puree...even though it wasn't exactly spring time! 

Slow cooked beef - divine!!!

Dessert - can't remember what it was as it wasn't that impressive and bubbles just seemed a better option! hahahaha

Finishing off with chocolates, madeleines and nougats 

After having a few glasses and it was me attempting to have a go at the watch assembling!

A wonderful evening out and I can't wait to have more of these to come!

Thursday, 21 February 2013

The 15th month


Oh hello there! I found a new hiding spot! (We only put her in there for a laugh otherwise the door is always shut)

This month has gone by waaaay too fast! I felt we had only celebrated Christmas and New Year and before we knew it, it was CNY! We celebrated CNY in London this year and we kind of liked it that way as to be honest, Taipei is almost a dead city during the festive season and it's just another excuse to eat MORE food!

Height - 78.5 cm (yes, either Rayray has shrunk considerably or the tape measure in UK was VERY different from the one in Taiwan?)

Weight - 11.5 kg 

Eating - Rayray is still a good eater and I hope she remains one! Though she has started wanting to feed herself and so apart from offering her finger foods, I assist her in loading food onto her spoon then guiding it to her mouth. It amazes me how a 15 month-old knows what she wants i.e. She would want a mouthful of meat, some bread, followed by some veggie and a sip of water!!
Though it does frustrate me when it comes to milk time as she would normally down her morning milk but it is always a struggle in the evening. I have to read her stories and 'bribe' her i.e. saying that I'd read her more after milk. I now realise how easy it was to breastfeed as I never knew how much she drank! and yes I am the kind of mum that FORCES her baby to finish her milk as she doesn't have the recommended daily amount i.e. 690 ml. She would have 450ml the most, but 360-400ml on most days.


Mummy, do I look cute like this? (one of her favourite funny faces!)

Sleeping - LTN is still a bit of a hit or miss and it is the evening bit that frustrates me as she decided that I had to either stand or sit by her cot till she falls asleep. It doesn't usually take long as she is normally tired by then. I guess it is just one of the phases that babies go through.

At Greenwich Library's sing & rhyme time

Development -

  • Rayray has now cut through two more upper front teeth! 
  • She took her very first unaided steps!!!!! She has been pushing arounf her walker for a few weeks but to see her walking on her own was just amazing! I have it on video but still have no clue how to upload it on here! Help Rod!!!
  • She understands more than I realise! When I ask her where her beaker/milk is, she doesn't point them but instead looks around for them and will stare at it when she spots it. Apart from understanding 'NO', she also understands 'Come here', 'Look' and 'Baba' is still one of her favourite words and she has started saying a lot  of 'dooooor'?!
  • Rayray loves carrying objects i.e. bags or toys when she walks around. I guess it is just one of the many new skills she acquires.
  • She also understands the purpose of various objects i.e. she would 'pretend' to comb her hair when given a brush, she would know hair clips go onto her hair, tooth brush is for brushing teeth and shower gel is to wash her body!
Scooting around!!!

My happy bunny, my whole heart

My little dumpling is just so much fun to be with but she is changing so fast that I can't keep up with!