Oh Baby! - Call me "princess"

The little one is asleep, the internet is up and running, and I finally get some time on the laptop, so it's time for some "Clear-the-draft-folder" posts again. This was probably from a few months back.
Things are getting more princessy around here lately.
One morning this week, I saw J stepping on the leg opening of her oversized PJs and sprung to save her from falling flat on her face should she trip. She was mumbling and I didn't make out what it was until it was too late. Until I adjusted her pants and she got all annoyed. Turns out, this was what she was mumbling happily about...

"I'm walking like a princess!"

This is the start to all things "princess"...


We've been hoping to skip this princess-phase, mainly because we don't wish J to grow up feeling entitled. So we haven't addressed J as "our princess" in front of our family and friends. Not to J either.

I did expose her to Disney songs and she has a Frozen storybook gifted by a friend.
I have also accidentally told her that it "looks like a princess" when her necklace got stuck on her forehead.

J has this tutu skirt my uncle gave her. I haven't let her wear it out because it's not very flattering with her little belly. So that skirt becomes a dress-up item in the playroom. It wasn't intended to, but when J tries to put on her swimming costume as a skirt, I had to give her an alternative.

That night, we left her in her playroom after her shower when I went to pick up the shower-stuff.
When I returned to the room to this:

"I'm princess. " she said gleefully.
A few moments later, I asked her what her name was.
She said her full name, ending with "princess".

It was hilarious.
I also struck me that we have been too uptight about this sense of entitlement issue.
After she removed her tutu skirt, she was back to usual J. That J that would jump off the couch.
The J that still says "Hi" to the neighbours.
The J who tells her mom not to cry when her mother is taking her medicine.
That J who would be okay when I say that we are not getting that toy.

Putting on a pretty skirt or dress and declaring that she's a princess wouldn't give my child a false sense of entitlement. It's our daily interactions that matter.

For now, I'll embrace whatever Princess-pretend -play we have and enjoy all of it.

Oh Baby! - Facebook ploys

J has been asking to look at her own videos in my phone.
Narcissism? Or plain curious?

Today was one of those days, but I was scrolling through my Facebook feed. Bad momma, but this is needed to maintain sanity.
Sometimes. '
I told her to give me a moment, meaning that she should wait patiently instead of trying to squeeze and peek at my phone. I've been trying to teach her delayed gratification - this little one is too eager.

When she finally took a peek at my phone, I was at one of those parenting Facebook pages, and the screen showed a little girl sitting in the grass.

"What's that?" she asked.
"Oh!" I gasped. "They say that children need to pick up their toys after they are done playing with them."

I wasn't actually sure what the article said. I had just skimmed through it quickly and they did mention "putting toys away", but it was more of the reason to why kids don't put their toys away - they don't remember where they should put it. Something along that line.

J looked at me, and very quickly disappeared into my sister's room (which has now become her playroom). I followed and saw her shifting her toy shopping cart back in place. She came out and picked up whatever toys she had lying on the floor.

For once, there's a change in the scoreboard.
Momma: 1  Baby: 0

Oh Baby! - Don't touch me!

I was trying to untangle J's hair.

"Don't touch me!" She said suddenly. 

I was surprised, and amused at the same time because that sounded so dramatic.

"Where did you learn that from?"

"Elsa?"

Watch this (at the 1:26 mark).

In the exact same tone.

Oh Baby! - "Eat slowly"

Dinnertime.
We were seated like this.

J (out of a sudden): "Papa, eat slowly."
The Husband: "Okay."

After a while,
J: "Papa... eat slowly!"
The Husband (a little helpless): "Papa is already eating very slowly."

The dinner continued.
J (sounding worried): "Papa...! Don't eat so fast! Eat slowly...!"

I turned around, only to see the bones of the chicken leg in The Husband's mouth - he was trying to get the meat off the bones.

Then I got it.

J was so anxious because she thought that Daddy was trying to stuff the entire bones of the chicken leg into his mouth!

Oh Baby! - "Are you a princess?"

We were playing "Castle" with the mattress.
I had tried to convince J that that's a tent, but to no avail.

Other than this book,

and these songs,

we've not come across anything princessy.


Out of the blue, J asked me...
"Are you a princess? Are you Elsa?"

Frostbite.

Oh Baby! #5 - I did it!

That morning, we woke up with dry diapers.
Dry diapers are a big deal in the family then.
Well, they still are.

I asked J if she wanted the potty since her diaper is dry.
She just woke so she very very soft and she sounded hoarse.

I thought I heard her mutter "I did it."

"You did it?" I asked.

That's when her lips turn upwards into a smile.
I knew immediately that she was very proud of herself for having a dry diaper through the night.

I rewarded her with her kiss on her chubby cheeks.
I wanted her to know I am proud of her as well because these little things, matter to them.

Oh Baby! #4 - Word of the Day

Smile smile

Pronounced as: foun foun

(If it's too difficult to pronounce that, say "found" and leave out the 'd' sound.)

Definition:

1. Smile (when taking photographs of others)

2. Camera

Examples of use:

1. "Foun foun, cloud. Foun foun bear."

2. "I wan(t) Mama's foun foun," says J, while pointing to my camera.

Oh Baby! #3 - Promise!

J was introduced to the term "promise" a few days back.
She wasn't on her best behaviour and even though she kept saying "Yes!" to our "Please sit down" and "Please behave", she continued to be fidgety in the bus.

So I made her promise.
We did a hug instead of a pinky swear because she doesn't know how to do it yet.
Later that night, we changed it to the holding of my little finger. She kept hugging us when we say the word and I don't want her to grow up thinking that promise = hugs.

That day, my dad was driving us back, J got fidgety again in the car.
My mum and I both told her to "sit properly and behave."

She nodded.

"Promise!" She said.
And proceeded to hold out her finger.

Promise is now her favourite word.

Oh Baby! #2 - New favourite place.

J saw her Daddy dressed in going-out clothes.

"Go out. Go lie-b."

"You like going to the library?"

"A lot." (In somewhat British accent.)

Oh Baby! #1

I find myself saying this a lot to J lately. Either because she's doing something hilarious, something beyond my comprehension, or something that drives me a little nutty.

Let's start with something funny.

******

I sing her "Part of Your World" whenever I pat her to sleep or nap. These go-to-bed songs change from time to time but lately, we've gone back to Disney again. 

And it's getting difficult to stifle my laughter while singing these couple of days.

"I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty

I've got whozits and whatzits galore

You want thingamabobs?"

"Yeaaas" 

(That was J.)

o.O

Teehee.. She replies.

When she is too tired to respond, she'll give a little nod. When's she energetic, she looks up at me, gives a little smile and goes "yes!"

Funny little baby.

Love this kid.