Phoenix Suns won!!

Yeah... they won... 121 VS 118 ... one game down. 4 more to go...

But 2 good players, Marion & Bell, are down with injuries and the next game is this Friday. Will see how the game will be played... it's such an exciting game because this is the 3rd time that the Suns are in the Western Conference finals. The last 2 times were 1976 (the year I was born!!) and 1993, so it'll be awesome if they even win it this year!!

Till then...

Communicating with Valerie

*Note: wrote this on 29 Apr, but only manage to post it today.

After feeding Valerie her morning snack, our dear princess was not interested in going back to bed. So, we (Paul & I) decided to place her on our bed and played with her. She looked at us intensely as though understanding what we're saying, and the next thing we knew, she started cooing and aahing to us. A miracle, I tell you. Knowing that she probably understands and was answering us.

And since she has shown signs of wanting to communicate, I decide to teach her first 2 most important words... DaDa and MaMa... although we prefer Daddy & Mummy... but it'll probably be easier for her to pronounce the first pair.

And she giggled at us and just answered us with "Ah guuuu"; "Ah geeee" and "greee greee". That was good enough for us both. It felt like heaven!!!

Well... that's our first encounter with Valerie talking to us, and it is such a wonderful feeling.

23 May
Nowadays, talking to Valerie is our daily gratification. It is such a joy to talk to her and get a response. Can't imagine when she can really talk.... u think she'll be a chatterbox like me?

Dressed in all white. A future PAP member? Paul & I were day dreaming the other day, thinking that Valerie could be the first female President of Singapore. Or even the first female Prime Minister. Hey... we have to dream big... in order for our lives to be bigger!! Hahhahahaaa....

Valerie enjoying a game of Basketball....

Oh my... I think my baby girl is addicted to TV!!

We were watching a NBA game on tv last night... Suns VS Clippers. It was game 7 (final game) and it was exciting cos this game decides whether Suns will go to the West Conference finals or not. And our dear Valerie was fussing and not wanting to go to sleep, so Paul carried her and sat her on his lap while we watched the game. Then we suddenly realised that Valerie stopped fussing and her eyes were kinda focused towards the direction of the TV, and I started to worry.

My philosophy is to not have her watch TV till she's about 3yrs old... I know that sounds very unrealistic, especially in this day and age.... as we are so reliant on the TV. But I've read that the rays from TV are not good for infants younger than 3... and furthermore, I'm worried that she might have to wear glasses at a young age if exposed to TV too early. I see so many kids nowadays wearing glasses as young as 4-5yrs old. And I've also read that watching TV doesn't help with her speech development either. So I'm taking precautionary & preventative measures.
Anyways, we tested her. I turn the TV off when the game was on time out. Lo and behold!! She started to fuss....almost immediately. It wasn't immediate, but when I turn the TV back on in a minute or two, she quiet down. I don't believe it!! So I tried it again during the next time out. Similar reaction. Oh my oh my....

But daddy says that's I'm overly worrisome. He kinda likes it cos he felt that the whole family was relaxing and watching a game of basketball together. And the funny thing is, she makes cooing and gurgling sounds when the game was on as though she understood the game and was also enjoying it as much as her parents.

Well... it was just this one time. Will try not to have the tv turn on when she's awake. But atleast now I know Valerie will like basketball like we do.

PS. By the was, Suns won the game against Clippers and will be playing against Dallas this Wed.

Valerie is 2 mth old

Valerie taking her bath. And she loves it everytime... and she probably enjoys looking at herself in the mirror too... vain... ehheheehe....





















Taken on our sofa... with her favourite toy "the worm" around her arms.

It's already 2 mths... can you believe it? And she has gain lots and lots of ounces. At her 2mth check up with the pediatrician, she weighed 12lbs 8oz. Doc said she's at the 95 percentile of infants in the same age.

Valerie's first outing

(Note: this was written on 24 Apr, but was only able to finish it today)

Yesterday was Valerie's official first "kai kai" day.

The whole family planned to go for Dim Sum at 11am, hop over to Ranch (Asian supermarket at the Chinese Cultural Centre, aka Phoenix's tiny Chinatown) market for grocery shopping at 1pm, and then continue on to Arizona Mills for a little shopping at 3pm and we still have time to go home for dinner. That's what we thought was going to happen... but we totally forgot to factor in "Valerie time"!

There we were, all ready and dressed to go... then we realised that it was about Valerie's feeding time. Therefore, in order not to have Valerie awaken for feeding while on the way to Chinatown (which is about 1hr drive and I won't be able to feed her cos she'll be in the car seat), we tried to wake her up to feed, but she wouldn't stir. So, we waited till she woke up on her own. Which was about an hour later. So, after feeding and a change of diapers, we were all ready. We left home at about 2pm.

The hour long journey was pleasant. Our princess slept throughout the car ride. We went straight for lunch at the Shanghainese restaurant. Had my favourite soybean milk with "you tiao"!! Yum Yum.... and our princess continued on with her zzzz.... and didn't awake till we were done. What a good little angel. I fed her in the restaurant, while the 2 grandmas went over to the supermarket. After 1 side, we proceeded to the car to change her diapers... and continue the feeding in the car for the other side. Thank God for air condition!! After that we went back to the supermarket to look for the grandmas and once done, we were off to Arizona Mills.

I needed to get some nursing wear, and there is a Motherhood outlet in AZ Mills. Halfway through my shopping, our princess woke up and cried for food. So, I fed her in the changing room. The lights were bright and hot... it was so uncomfortable.... but we managed to finish the feeding and also change her diapers. We walked around for a little while more and it was already 7pm!! Time flies... I guess especially when it's your first outing. So, we went home.

That's Valerie's and my first outing together... wasn't too bad. It takes getting used to... especially finding the right spot to feed in public.