18th month update

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

Jack in a box

Shamindra is just 6 months away from his second birthday.

He’s running, climbing; he can throw and kick a ball forward and is able to follow simple instructions. He loves to assert his independence at mealtime and can somewhat use a spoon but not exclusively. His vocabulary is expanding and Shamindra continues to surprise us with new words every day.

Shamindra is at the stage where he’s eager to express himself. With a limited vocabulary, he is easily frustrated when he’s unable to get a message across. To avoid subsequent tantrums we do our best to try to understand what he’s trying to convey to us.

How is your 18th month old doing?

Home Sweet Home

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

We're home! The kids loved the beach; we all had a fabulous time. The weather was bright and sunny; we spent most days in the pool or by the sea.

We're back into the routine of school, art and music classes. The kids are just as happy to be home amongst their toys.

We are still talking about the beach and are already planning our next holiday.

 

 

To the beach we go...

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

We’re off to the beach. Our bags are packed with the essentials – sunscreen, UV beach tent, UV swimwear and play toys.

Ayanna is especially excited to explore sun, sea and sand.

See you soon

Potty Training – is your toddler ready to be toilet trained?

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Shamindra turns 18 months this month and I’m wondering the same. He’s been displaying his readiness for toileting. I reckon the timing could be right.

Here are some of the signs –
Shamindra has become increasingly aware of his bodily functions, and seems to grasp the understanding of it all by referring to ‘pee’ and ‘poop’ and even requesting for a ‘change’ of diaper.

Some privacy pleeeease.....

He goes off to a quiet corner to squat when he’s ready for a bowel movement.

He loves to imitate and is eager to sit on the potty.

Is your toddler ready to be toilet trained? How are you going about it?

My four-year old

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Ayanna is getting closer to celebrating her 5th Birthday. She’s now in her last months of her 4th year. She’s 4 and ¾ years old. And she’s enjoying every bit of being a typical 4 year old.

She’s got quite an imagination and loves creating stories. As her vocabulary expands, she convincingly tells us stories with vivid details of trips to faraway lands, princes and princesses.

She’s becoming increasingly confident in her movements – jumping over things, climbing, kicking throwing and catching more accurately.

17th Month Update

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Shamindra is in his 17th month, surging on and endeavoring to assert his independence in every way possible. He wants to feed himself, dress himself, and brush his own teeth. As with everything else, he's constantly experimenting and pushing the boundaries. He's climbing onto chairs and benches- nothing seems to be beyond his reach.

Shamindra just like any toddler his age is a finicky eater- and since toddlers, according to experts, are naturally good at selecting the nutrients and amounts they need, mummy does not fret as much.

He's busy adding new words to his vocabulary. He mixes regular words with babbling phrases, which is adorable to watch and hear. As a toddler's tongue and mouth muscles develop, so does their enunciation. Helping a toddler out by repeating what he says helps to accentuate the correct pronunciation of a word.

Tantrums are common. We choose to ignore his meltdowns which usually results in him calming down.

Mother's Day Celebrations

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

We’re still reeling from our mother’s day celebration. The weekend was spent with each other celebrating love and family ties. Some of the activities included a mother’s day party at Gymboree, an art bazaar and lunch with ammachi (grandma).

How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?

Happy Mother's Day!

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To all mothers

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope you are all having a fabulous day!

From

The four of us

Hand-Foot-and-Mouth (HFM) Disease

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

We're hearing so many cases of the above around us. So let's update ourselves about this disease.

What is it?

HFM is a viral illness. It produces blisters in the mouth and a rash primarily on hands, feet or buttocks in most children. Children are cranky with a sore throat, decreased appetite and/or fever. The illness typically clears in a week.

It is caused by several different viruses. The vast majority of cases are caused by the coxsackievirus A16.

What if your child has gotten it before- is he or she immune to it?

A child will form antibodies to a virus that causes the infection. If your child is re-exposed to the same virus, he will probably not be re-infected though he may still be susceptible to the virus in varying degrees.

The good news- most children have had one case of hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome caused by the coxsackievirus A16. Therefore, they probably will not catch it again but there are no guarantees, especially if a different strain of virus becomes the major cause of this disease.

The not-so-good news - The coxsackievirus A16 occasionally succeeds in hiding inside children's own cells. It can cause chronic and recurring skin lesions. Your child's healthy immune system is able to keep these recurrences from being as severe as the initial episode.

That time of month....

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

The Fuyoh Art Bazaar is always a great way to end the month, packed with plenty of activities for kids. This time round, however, there were not as many to keep little ones entertained. Ayanna was happy she found her little corner where she put her creativity to work – painting a blank canvas.