Yx can't nap when nainai snores

Funny quips between my mom and wyx4:

On usual weekday afternoons, Yx takes an afternoon nap and either my dad/mom would lie beside her. It's the only way Yx will fall asleep. So Yx shared with us that on some afternoons, she was unable to nap because nai nai snores very loudly.

She complained to nainai, "Don't snore!"

Nainai retorted, "我要snore才可以breathe, 我是 old lady!"

1 min superstar 2nd place

Amidst the 100% WFH arrangement to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak, my company was concerned that staff were going crazy cooped up indoors, or feeling alone and dejected from the lack of mingling with our usual lunch kakis/team mates.

One of the activities they organised was a 1-minute Superstar challenge - to encourage staff to showcase talents, and encourage participation from family too.

The initial window period for submission was 2 weeks. However, due to a lack of participation, it was extended not twice, but thrice. That's how passive and unsporting the staff are... me included. Then the organiser XY texted me personally and asked me to participate. I was quite sian at first. Like, no mood to do anything leh. But we brainstormed and when I tried playing some songs at home with the ukulele, wyx4 was eager to join in and her interest spurred me on!

Submitted a short clip of us playing 细水长流, me on the uke while she played percussion (a baby shaker actually but it worked!).

Surprisingly we got 2nd place ($100) hehe! Timely money to buy some milk powder and groceries =)

Babywye milestones at 8 months

I'm guilty of not documenting babywye's milestones frequently enough. Her boundless physical activity is overwhelming our mental ability to pause and breathe!

Ok maybe it's the 2nd child syndrome ._.

Babywye at 8 months:

- Sits very firmly. Able to transit comfortably between crawling and sitting
- Crawls very quickly on fours
- Holds something for support and stands quite firmly
- Sleeps (rather soundly) from 11pm - 4pm.
- Loves food. Always eyeing intently on our adult food. Able to do blw rather well (soaked bread, biscuits, brocolli).
- Drinks about 3-4 bottles a day of 100-120ml each. Very little, but we've changed to a bigger teat and a sweeter brand of formula milk to no avail. She just doesn't want to drink more.
- Doesn't take to books or flash cards. Distracted very easily by sounds and movement.
- Begins to understand and follow when we say, "clap hands"
- Doesn't like to lie still when diaper changing
- Can drink water from a cup rather comfortably
- Likes the company of her sister. Smiles when she sees her. Always turning her head to look at her. Wants to touch the same things as her sister is touching.

She's really a handful, as compared to her elder sis who was more bookworm and sit-still type. Nevertheless, babywye is starting to grow on us with every day!

Yx's comic

Recently, Yx is very much into drawing.

She will sit at her table, grab a pen and quietly doodle.

A few days ago, she came up with a few sequential drawings of her family and herself, they seem almost to form a comic of a morning routine. I love the fact that she draws happy faces of everyone and that she's integrated her baby sis into her perspective :)

Description of the drawings, as explained by artist Yx herself:
1) Yx and meimei waking up in the morning
2) Morning toilet routine
3) Yx makes milk for her sister
4) Yx carries her sister to choose what clothes to change into
5) Yx and sister entering their parents' room, who are still asleep
6) Sister lying on the sofa, and Yx peering over the back of the sofa
7) Playing in the living room.

How I feel about paying taxes

Gone, money, gone.

Bedtime routine with Yx

22 Mar, Sunday.

For the longest time now, we developed a bedtime routine for Yx. It comprises brushing teeth, washing feet, changing into pyjamas and reading of books. Wifey and I take turns to do it, while the other will carry out Ye's set of bedtime routine in the living room. Yesterday, I had the luxury to do bedtime routine with our darling first-born. After completing it, Yx asked for my company to sleep with her. Wifey usually does this, but yesterday wifey relented to Yx's request.

 I turned off the lights. I was beat and I closed my eyes in a bid to sleep. Yx didn't have her usual afternoon nap that day. Despite the room being dark and it being late at 10.30pm, Yx was as perky. And talkative.

"Papa, do you know this that this that.... (I forgot what she said)."

I acknowledged, "Mmm."

A few seconds later, Yx went, "Papa?"

I didn't reply cos it was time to wind down and I didn't want to engage her in any conversation? She called out "Papa?" again.

I replied curtly, "Ya?" 

She went on to comment about sth (which I have now forgotten). As soon as she finished, I said, "Okay it's time to sleep."

And now, she was ready to sleep. After finishing up a typical female's quota of 10,000 words a day. "Good night, silly papa," she said.

"Mmm, good night," my lips murmured, on the edge of falling asleep.

"Good night, funny papa."

"Good night, noisy Ying Xi."

Promptly, she turned onto her right side, hugged the bolster and went into slumber.

Yx's song

A day to remember, a moment to hold dear.
A sweet phrase that melted my heart, I wish our connection will never too far apart.

At SICC, walking towards the lift holding yx's hand. Walking with a skip, she sang, "Papa, papa, I'm happy when I'm with Papa."

I wished I could have taken a video of that moment.