Monkey-ing Around

Hi Everyone!! Happy Happy weekend to all of you. Gabe had a good weekend, playing and eating.

Here he is this weekend dressed up a a monkey..a cute one no doubt. Coincidentally, he has been eating alot of bananas past week since it has high calories n fills the tummy. Tonight, we had a nice buffet dinner at Sizzler. He was such a good boy, sitting down the whole time in his high chair playing and eating...so Mummy n Daddy got to eat alot. Gabe had many things, trying all the food we stuffed into his mouth.

Anyone can guess what he just ate here in the pic????

After the meal the 3 of us were so so full. Gabe even gave a big loud burp!! Here's the monkey resting with Daddy after the meal...

Hope all of you had some yummy dinner too!!

Bath Time is Fun!

Bath Time wasn't always fun with Gabe..from birth till about 2 months ago, he wasn't a fan..he'd scream during hair wash n screamed even louder during bathing..not sure why...umm, so well he didn't bathe everyday, especially during winter.

But it's hot hot hot here now...but 2 months ago, he changed and began to love bathing...i think it had to do with Gymboree whereby there was bubble blowing time and he loved it! So when he too bath, i started to show him bubbles and told him in Gymboree teacher blew bubbles too..and i think he kinda associated both and that's how he started having fun...

So much so, when i take him out of the tub, he fusses and wants more!

Here's my boy:

P/S: Good news for you Grandma, you probably won't need to rub him down so much when you see him...all the "kau kwek" nearly gone liao...

Peek A Boo

Ok, sometimes I am stunned by the things Gabriel can do. Sometimes, I have to teach him many times, sometimes just a few times and he can get it.

But then, there are things I didn't teach him at all. Like the Peek-A-Boo. we do it in Gymboree weekly only for a minute at the end, but we use our hands. But today, while i was changing his diaper, he had his shirt in his hands.

Then, he suddenly brought it to his face and brought it down again...and smiled. So i thought maybe he wants to play and that was a random action. But, i just wanted to be sure, so i told him let's play Peek-A-Boo...and said "Gabriel Do" (these 2 words I consistently use it when i want to teach him something and after I show him, i tell him to do using these 2 words).

And true enough, he knew how to do it when I said "Peek-A-Boo". Watch



It's amazing how he learns things sometimes. So happy

New Shopping Haven

On Sunday, Daddy had to view a car in Saitama. So, we all took a trip there and after that, we headed to an outlet mall called Lake Town Outlet. It is huge huge huge. A total dream.

We didn't have much time because the mall closes at 9pm and by the time we had our dinner, it was 8.30pm. Anyway, we weren't gonna do much shopping, so it was more of a look see trip. It's only about an hour plus away from Tokyo, so we could easily make another weekend trip there.

We had dinner at AEON, and boy was it super yummy...and, silly Daddy thought some dishes were ala carte, but actually it came in a set, so we ended up with ALOT of food!!! We totally pigged out tonight.

These were taken earlier at lunch. Father n Son..Look alike???? Who's cuter?

Ok, this deserves a special mention...i'm not too sure what this action means really, but so far from what we observe, it's like Gabe's special way to say "Hi"...and according to Terry, this action is so so similar to someone in the family...guess????.....yes...Grandpa! Grandpa does this similar action when he says "What lah you"....so i guess somehow Gabe Gabe has inherited it too!!

He saw his Senbei (rice crackers) and was so happy...his all time fave snack

I think Mummy n Gabe will be back here again for a shopping trip...good thing train station is nearby...yay!!!

Understand

"Your pain is the breaking of the shell which encloses your understanding" -by Kahlil Gibran, a quote from Kathryn Lynard Soper's book. The Year My Son and I Were Born.


I've just finished reading this book and honestly i was moved to tears by the author. Her raw honesty in conveying her emotions were so real. I couldn't help but feel her pain and joy and frustrations. The story of how she discovered herself, how she dealt with having a Down Syndrome baby. How through all the pain, she discovered herself and learnt that her son Thomas would teach her to rediscover.

I could relate to her pain and torment when Thomas was sent to the ICU minutes after birth, how she had to travel the tough journey of dealing with just having given birth and being with your son in the hospital. I've been though that too and the feeling then was just pure torture and it takes a toll on you emotionally and physically. I still shudder at the thought of it. How i managed i really do not know.

But i do know that somehow, those previous heartaches and pain i endured before Gabriel's birth, those events made me stronger and tougher. And now i think i understand that it was God's way of preparing me for the biggest challenge i had to deal with. It all prepared me for my greatest role ever: Mother to a Special Kid.

I wouldn't be who I am today without going through those events. And i thank God that today, I can say that i'm stronger than ever, more prepared than ever to give my all to my precious son. And i am capable of doing it all. It's all the "pain turned to superhuman strength" that will get me through.

I understand it all now....

New Work-Out Toy

Today, we went to Toys R Us to get Gabe a new toy. To prepare him for standing and walking. So off we went to Yokohama.

There weren't that many choices to choose from, and since i wanted something to pique his interest to stand first, and then proceed to walking, there was only 1 which really fit the list.

This is a 3-in-1 toy which Gabe could later use it as a toy car to sit on...and push by himself...Mummy has back pain, cannot bend so low to push..ahaha

Umm, we set it up this morning, but Gabe didn't seem too interested in it..yet..so we'll give him some time.

We also let him test out some rides since we were there...here he is on this bicycle...nearly fell out though...not too stable for him

And here he is on the Anpanman truck...this he really liked and seemed so comfortable in it. He was practically bouncing up n down, so happy...but in the end we didn't get it coz (1) our apt is too small for this (2) Sangenjaya's streets aren't too child-friendly.

Here is Daddy n Gabe with Mr McDonald

His Majesty at Gymboree waiting for class to start...see how excited he is...

Is it me or does he look more grown-up here?

How to Catch a Girl's Attention: Tips By Gabriel

You know, i have to admit, my son is a natural charmer. He manages to make friends with people, ahem, specifically girls wherever he goes. And mostly, this happens on the train and on the streets. Err, however, i noticed that there is a great extreme to his so called group of admirers:

1) Ladies in the age gap of 60-80
2) Ladies in the age gap of 22-30

Now, all you single men out there, if the above age gap fits your heart's desire, learn from him. If you can't master it, then i could possibly loan you my son for a few hours, but it'll cost you!

Sample scene takes place on a train ride.

*Both Gabe & Mummy are standing in the train with others. So happens many ladies around and it's kinda packed*

Gabe: *Goo goo gaa gaa, blah blah..aaahhh*. Yes he starts by making these adorable lil noises.

Mummy: *Gabe, shhh, not so loud*

Gabe: *Smiles at Mummy. Followed by a small tug at whoever is nearby. Tugs at either their shirt or handbag*

Mummy: *Gabe!!! No no no..dun pull!!*

Lady: *Turns to look at Gabe*

Gabe: *Innocent look first* (refer below pic)

Gabe: *then followed by killer cute smile* (refer pic below)

Lady: *eee...kawaii!! ahhh.....hello, hello..kawaii*

Gabe: *does cute action* (eg like this below)

Lady: *laughs n giggles while looking in awe at Gabe, and continues talking in mushy language to him*

Mummy: *watches in amusement*

Finally we get to our stop

Mummy: *Gabe, say Bye bye*

Gabe: *waves hands to say bye bye*

Lady: *more kawaiis!!! Bye bye*

There...now that's how you try to snag a girl's attention everyone. So go n make perfect these expressions gentlemen, and you'll be lonely no more in time!