Dear Sammy - 21 months

Dear sweetheart

Can you believe you're only 1 more month away from becoming a big brother? Mummy's almost 9 months pregnant and it's so mind-boggling to think that soon there'd be two little T. boys in our household.

Over the past month, you were successfully transferred to your big boy's room and bed. At the beginning, you would cry at least once in the night and we would hear the pitter-pattering of footsteps before you climbed onto our bed and continue sleeping there for the night.

Now, you've had quite a couple of nights during which you slept through until 8 / 9 in the morning. Thing is, your room is pretty bright since we don't have proper shutters to shut out daylight. And since it's approaching summer, the day gets bright around 4am.

We don't mind you joining us in the middle of the night though. What can I say. Mummy simply enjoys cuddling with you! But it's still good that you're able to sleep on your own - at least for the majority of the night. This would definitely help with the logistics when your baby brother makes his appearance. 

Now that the sun has finally showed its face, we've been hanging out at the park more often. You're one fearless kid. You actually climbed up a vertical ladder all on your own, plonked yourself at the top of a slide and slid down by yourself. For your first few attempts, you would wait for Mummy while I scrambled to the bottom of the slide to catch you.

However, you suffered your first mishap yesterday when you slid down sideways, such that you fell on your face at the bottom of the slide.

It was like watching a horror film, watching you slide down and knowing that you were going to land horribly but being too far away to do anything about it. You cried your lungs out and tried to spit out the small stones that got stuck in your mouth. Now, you look like a little toddler mafia, with bruises on your forehead and under your nose. *heart pain*

I guess Mummy has got to learn to be more thick-skinned, cos bruises and injuries are all part and parcel of growing up, especially since you're a boy.

Oh, you've started talking a bit more lately. You actually started repeating words after me! You can now say "oh oh", "jie jie" (Mandarin for older sister), "ka ka" (German for poo) and "baby". I know this still sounds very little but it's way more compared to what you could say one month ago. So well-done little one! 

You also seem to know that Mummy is having a baby, because whenever I ask you "Where is baby?", you would automatically point to my belly.

You love music and have started dancing and swaying to music whenever you hear it on the radio or even live. It's so cool just watching you being in your little world and doing your thing.

Keys. You love keys. Whenever you decide not to walk anymore, Mummy would just take out my keys to entice you to walk a couple of metres further. You love inserting keys into keyholes and trying to figure out if gates open. Unfortunately, you're still too short for most keyholes. The only one that works so far is the one to our letterbox, which you open with gusto each time we get home.

Swimming is still your favourite pastime. We could throw you into the water and you wouldn't make any noise even if you came up sputtering for air. A lifeguard recently taught Daddy how to "train" you to use different muscles underwater. You were such a pro when Daddy repeatedly balanced you on one hand, twirled you around and flunked you in mid-air into the water. We would probably sign you up for swimming classes once you're old enough.

You have a very sensitive and caring nature. You would often hug and caress us spontaneously if you sensed that we were down / tired. Once while playing some toys with a little girl you just met at the playground, she used her toy to hit you out of the blue. Mummy took you away and tried telling the little girl not to hit since her Mum was nowhere in sight.

When Mummy looked at you after that, I noticed tears in your eyes and my heart felt so sad! Oh, if only I could protect you from all these unpleasant experiences in the world! It's just another learning process which I have to let go and allow you to fight your own battles, although I must admit that I'm relieved that you didn't retaliate with force. It's encouraging to see that you have a gentle spirit.

You continue to be a generally easy-going and happy toddler. You wake up most days with a smile on your face and I consider myself fortunate that on days when I'm too tired to get out of bed, you'd be able to play on your own while Mummy caught another 40 winks. You'll be able to find food for your breakfast (from your bag) and feed yourself while Mummy slept! Even if your diapers are full, you've never once complained, such that we had no idea that you were soiled!

This might very well be the last monthly update that I'm writing about you little boy. You're so special to us and we continue to count our blessings when we think about how you have been enriching our lives!

Love
Mummy & Daddy

Hanging out with you at the spring festival. You were overly-stimulated with all that noise and lights such that you had a hard time falling asleep that night!

Sometimes you look so grown up (left) but then you'd flash a cheeky grin and suddenly you're my kiddo again!

  And here, you look so businessman-like!

Finally managed to get a shot of you with your sunnies!

Another contemplative shot at the playground closest to our home

At an indoor playground when the weather was crappy

Hanging out at the park when the sun was out! Too precious!

You seem to enjoy not looking at the camera sometimes!

Moments before you dropped your ice-cream on the floor

Enjoying the ducks in the lake

Post fall: My poor baby. Still my little cheery beam even with bruises on your face

One day after your fall. You look pretty mischievous with your new hairstyle if I may say.