ONE

*I hesistated publishing this since it’s so late that Noey’s well and truly 12.5 months now! But since I don’t intend to continue this into his second year, I thought it only appropriate to round of the year with this.

12 months old on 2 Oct 2009

My dearest Noey,

I’m writing this to you on 10 October 2009, exactly 8 days after your birthday. Incidentaly, 10 October was your due date exactly a year ago but you came early, the impatient little fellow that you are. I’ve stalled writing this, partly cos there was just too much to do in the run-up to your birthday, and partly because inside, I can’t quite bring myself to acknowledge the fact that you are all of a YEAR OLD. That 12 months have just come and gone like that and you are no longer a baby.

I’ve been wondering what to pen for this momentous occasion. Somehow my usual practice of jotting down your little milestones seem somewhat inadequate this time round. Still, in rounding out these 12 months, there are some observations I think are worth recording for posterity.

Throughout this year, you have surprised us with how quickly you developed. While as proud parents we cheered your every development, being a fast developer meant that you grew up faster than we would have liked. Nowhere is this more apparent than in your walking. I’d always believed you’d walk early cos you a) just LOVED being upright and on your feet and b) just can’t sit still. You are now a full-fledged walker, much to your delight. I can’t say we always share your enthusiasm for it though!

Your latest craze is walking on the bed and on your mattress. The wobbly surfaces throw you off balance and make you giggle, which is very cute. Waking up to you standing on the bed is very scary though! You’re also getting better and better at navigating the kerbs and small steps between rooms on your own.

Another thing I’m particularly pleased about this month is the progress we’ve made with signing. Signing was something I was very keen on when you were younger. I made some attempts, but as you can imagine, my enthusiasm faded a little since it was entirely one-sided then. Since successfully teaching you “Up” (which also means “carry me and walk around” to you), you have also mastered “Please”, “Thank You”, “Milk” and, of course “Yes”. (For some strange reason, after we taught you “Yes”, you don’t do “No” any more!)

Please?

Please please please please?

(which really, in your mind, means “I want!”, I’m sure.)

I started this with you in a bid to cut down on the screaming and have been very gratified by the fact that it has actually worked. You now know how to tap me on my arm (or anywhere else) to get my attention, point to what you want, and sign “please” at the same time. You’ll also furiously nod your head to emphasise the point, especially when I say “No”. It makes me laugh to see this, but really, it just shows how your ability to communicate has moved to a higher plane and it has helped all of us meet your needs better. Of course when you don’t get what you want, we still have to deal with the screaming! That would need more work. In the meantime, we’re working on “Sorry”.

Speaking of screaming, we’ve had a lot of it this month, especially in your high chair. After eating well at the start of the month, things took a turn for the worse later in the month when you started spitting out your porridge. I tried different menus, giving you a porridge break, feeding you at different times, feeding you varieties of your favourite food, even letting you eat while (gasp!) running around. NOTHING worked.

Nope, not having any of that pasta…

On hindsight now, I realise that it was your teething that was interfering with your appetite. (I hate teething with a vengence by the way.)

I just need something to MUNCH on!

The thing is, even though I kept telling myself that it was your teeth, it was still incredibly stressful when you didn’t eat. Especially when folks like your NaiNai would tell me every time they saw you that you’d lost weight. ARGH. Whether you’d eat your meal became factor by which I judged if each day was a good day or not. I’m praying that once this round of teething is over it’ll be a long time before the next round — I can’t take the stress!

Otherwise, it has been a delightful month, characterised by what you can do, rather than what you won’t. You call Papa and Mama on request (most obligingly when bribed by food):

You bestow all and sundry with hugs and kisses. You give high fives, blow fly-kisses, wave hello and goodbye. You dance a jiggle to music. You’ve even gotten really good with those stacker toys where the poles are narrow and the holes small:

And you smile on cue.

You have been a blessing to all of us in so many ways. And we thank God for that. For the new dimension you’ve brought into our lives with your colourful presence. Life certainly has not been the same.

I see so much of myself in you. From the little things, like the way you play with your toes, to the way you crinkle up your nose when you smile, to the not-so-nice things like the way your eyes well up immediately when you’re upset to the tantrums you throw when you don’t get your way. It scares me sometimes, when I realise how like me you are. Papa likes to tell me it’s a good thing but I always tell him he thinks that way only because he didn’t know me when I was a child! There are many traits of mine I’m not proud of and which I hope you have not inherited but I guess only time will tell in those respects.

While I look at the year past with much fondness, it is the year ahead that I’m looking forward to. It will be challenging, as we struggle with matters like discipline. Our greatest desire is not that you show yourself to be clever or fast at meeting your milestones, but that you have a heart for God. And we know that it is our responsibility to teach you His Word and bring you up in His ways.

“⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

~Deutoronomy 6:6-9

Our duty to teach you weighs heavily on us. We try, though we can always do more. You now know how to say Grace and will put your hands together on your own accord for us to say Grace before your meal. Credit for this must also go to your YiPo who never fails to 祈祷 with you before you eat breakfast on the mornings she is over to watch you. You are, in so many ways, a reflection of the miracle of God’s creation and it is sincerely our prayer that we will be able to teach you to know this and love the Lord.

Thank you, my baby, for one incredible year. As we walk into year ahead with your hand in ours, we walk knowing too that the Lord holds tomorrow and our hands too. Walk on, Little Noey.

Loving you always,

Your Mama