First Overseas Trip

At the age of 8 months I had my first overseas trip with my family. We went to Hanoi, Viet Nam. We stayed there for 6 days, from 28 December 2013 to 02 January 2014, for a family holiday.

- my family's first holiday with me! @ Changi Terminal 3 -

It was my first time to ride an airplane. I didn't cry. I didn't make a fuss. In fact, I was very "mukan" (short form for Visayan word "samukan" that can mean cannot keep still and/or keeps moving) as Mommy and Daddy say it. It was generally an easy one except that I had wind in my tummy on our way to Hanoi. It was probably because of the plane’s air pressure. I think it made me slightly uncomfortable for the first few days because I can’t seem to have uninterrupted sleep at night (which I usually enjoy) until I was able to let it all out and pooed on the third or fourth day (I cannot remember) that I felt all fine.

- first plane ride -

- with my brother Hendrik and Gary the snail -

- touch down Viet Nam @ Noi Bai International Airport -

- welcome to Gondola Hotel -

- good morning Hanoi! -

It was also my first time to experience winter. Although there was no snow but it was cooold. The average day time temperature was 17 degrees celcius (but with cold crisp air) and the lowest temperature being 4 degrees celcius early in the morning. Good thing Mommy was prepared as she brought a lot of winter stuff for me – long sleeves, long pants, mittens, booties, beanie, thick sleep wear, etc. She even asked Ate Mitch, my cousin who is way older than me (and a year older than my Mommy for that matter) to buy me winter/snow suit from Zurich. It was very timely that Ate Mitch was scheduled to visit Singapore more than a week before our trip as the winter/snow suit she gave me kept me warm while we cruise the cold winter streets of Hanoi.

- my red winter suit courtesy of my Ate Mitch -

- with my brother, Hendrik, @ the Red Bridge, Hoan Kiem Lake Hanoi -

- family love -

- @ The Tran Quoc Pagoda -

- look at my brother! @ The Tran Quoc Pagoda -

- with Mommy @ the huge grounds of Ho Chi Minh mausoleum -

- oh, hello there! -

- smile... -

- my happy Mommy and I @ the Lenin Park -

- oh, I want to ride that too... someday... -

The cold winter breeze surprisingly caused me to naturally doze off while we were out and about. I think my family finds it funny that I was sleeping while they were exploring the sights and sounds that Hanoi has to offer. Oh well…  ;)

- I dozed off in the middle of our mini train ride despite the screech and the snort -

- thanks to the good 5-year old stroller (which has been to a lot of places than I have been to), Mommy can rest her arms from carrying me -

- fun time @ Gondola Hotel -

We also celebrated Mommy's 35th birthday in Hanoi. It has been a tradition to celebrate her birthday overseas as it always fall on the dates of my family's annual holiday trip. Lucky her!

- with the birthday girl -

- can I have the cake now? -

As our bodies had adjusted well to Hanoi’s weather, we were all sweating when we arrived at Singapore Changi Airport even after removing our layers and jackets. Two different places two different weather; and it suddenly changes with just a few hours of travel.

- "mukan" moves inside the airplane going back to Singapore -

- being nice to the girls sitting at the back trying to befriend me -

I will forever treasure my first family overseas trip. This is one happy milestone for me.  =D

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8th Month

Last 05 December 2013 was my 8^th month. I am a happy baby because I smile a lot now. Mommy always looks forward to seeing me when she comes home from work every day because I always greet her with my cutest smile ever.  =D

I have started cruising on my crib. I have also tried to balance on my feet without holding on to something. Since I am still practicing, I can only make it for a few seconds then I am on my bum or my face lay flat first on the crib foam. If I am unfortunate my head gets hit on the railings big time. I cry, but only for a bit. I am a strong and brave boy, you know. Even if I cannot balance well yet I sometimes let go of the railings knowing that I will fall down, but I still do it anyway.

Since I already dislike eating my baby food – Heinz sweet potatoes, apple, banana, etc., Mommy introduced Gerber graduate puffs. I like it because it’s solid compared to the former. I also like the waffle from Prima Deli that Hendrik eats for his afternoon snack. Mommy doesn’t give me much of it because she’s afraid my tummy is not ready yet; but I love it.

Another big milestone for my 8^th month aside from my first Christmas is my first overseas travel for a family holiday! Updates and pictures soon (on the next blog entry maybe)…  =)

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First Christmas

My family’s 2013 Christmas is more special this year because they have an adorable and delightful addition to the brood – yours truly... =D

 

 - Daddy Joseph, big bother Hendrik, me and Mommy Feona -

Mommy let me sleep at around 9pm on the eve of Christmas Day with the intention of waking me up at 12:00am for our family’s annual photo shoot and noche buena. But she need not do it because I myself woke up at around midnight. It must have been the extraordinary connection between Mommy and me that made it possible. I didn’t even cry. I just woke up and then a few seconds later I saw Mommy entering the room =) .

  - "I looove my teething husk" -

 

  - "I looove my brother" -

 

  - "My name is Fyodor..." -

 

 - family's wacky photo -

After the photo shoot and the delish food that my family and our friends enjoyed for noche buena, Ate Hazel sent me back to the bedroom and made me sleep again. That was a smooth, good and quick Christmas celebration for me.

- with family and friends -

Related post: Christmas 2013 (Hendrik's Blog)

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7th Month

My 7^th month so far is so full of exciting stuff. I can stand up on my crib by myself. I just needed to hold on to the railings and tadaaa!... I am up on my feet. Since I haven’t mastered the art of balancing yet, there is never a time where I don’t fall down and/or hit my face on the crib railings. It’s painful I must say, and I am sure my family do gets the message when I cry. So, they cannot just simply leave me on my crib yet whilst doing other things.

I can also crawl very fast and toss and turn on the bed now. I babble a lot especially when my big brother, Hendrik, talks and plays with me. My brother always makes me laugh. In fact, he’s the one who can effortlessly make me laugh. Sometimes I touch his face and bite his hands because he is so funny.

The most exciting of all is I don’t have to wait for Christmas to wish for my two front teeth. They are already showing at 7 months!

Looking for more of my milestones next month…  =)

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6th Month

Mommy had been busy lately that she was not able to update this blog for my 6^th month celebration. And I just turned 7 months last Tuesday, so I guess Mommy has more to catch up with her blog entries here.  =)

For my 6^th month, we had our usual monthly cake to mark the celebration. We also roamed around Orchard malls in the evening for some shopping. As it was a Saturday, Daddy had a photo walk with Tita Claire that day so we had to wait for him. My brother, Hendrik, was the happiest because he got himself a new set of Lego toy while I was contented sleeping soundly in my stroller, while all the shopping happened.

- Orchard Road - 

During my 6^th month, I had my third visit to my doctor for immunizations. My next visit would be, hopefully, when I turn 1 year old. To update the numbers, I weighed 6.67 kg and 67 cm tall. I have also become more mobile – I can drag myself effortlessly and can move from one direction to another faster than ever.

- 100% cute -

Towards the end of my 6^th month, I began to love standing up although I cannot balance yet. I love it when Mommy or Daddy or Ate Hazel will have me stand up, supporting my armpits and have me “walk” on the floor. I would never fail to show my excitement every time I do this. And I must say, I complain if they put me back on the bed or crib to rest.

And yes, I do smile now. Mommy and Daddy love it when I flash my precious smile because they always think that I am the serious type.  =)

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Children's Day 2013

While some fathers would sleep through the night snoring or don’t even bother to move a bit when they hear their child’s cry and/or call and will just wait and leave it to the wife or mother to tend, there are surely a few exceptions – and it definitely includes Joseph. Here’s a snapshot of his thoughts posted on our Facebook page at about 11ish at night on 04 October 2013, which also happened to be Children’s Day:

Absolutely a different and affirmative perspective on seeing and/or doing Daddy duties.

Belated happy Children’s Day to our lovey dovies – Fyodor and Hendrik!

Mommy and Daddy love you heaps.  <3

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5th month

A few days after we celebrated my 5^th month on 05 September 2013, Mommy saw me rolling over from my back to my tummy to my back again. More than a week later, I started to lift myself up, like having arm push-ups. 3 weeks after, my mobility has improved a lot since I learned to move around by dragging myself to get and reach for Hendrik’s toys and other stuff that interest me. Mommy thinks that next to this is crawling, although I like it very much when Mommy supports my body and try to make me stand up. I think it’s more fun to stand up than crawling, but it is still too early, eh? Mommy also finds it very difficult to give me a bath since I move a lot in the bath tub now, thus splashing the water all over the place and all over Mommy’s shirt. I like warm water very much and I love my bath time! I also look forward to washing my hands and face with warm water when Mommy gets home from work late in the evening.

~ Mac user *_* ~

I also try my best to talk - or more exactly to babble to my family. I babble and sometimes I squeal with delight. I also get excited sometimes and I usually show this by stiffening my arms and legs. I don’t smile and laugh much though. Mommy and Daddy think that I am a serious type. But, I do smile when I am in a good mood, especially in the morning after sleeping through the night. I also smile when Daddy comes home from work. He will usually try very hard and make his best effort to make me smile. I also smile and laugh when Hendrik plays with me. He is a very good brother although I make him cry sometimes because he is afraid of my loud cry. I like to touch Mommy’s and Hendrik’s face when we play. Mommy loves me very much because she doesn’t mind if my saliva gets all over her face and shirt whenever we play or when she is carrying me. I am also being nice to people who greets me in church. I smile and sometimes babble to them. Whenever I am in a good mood, I also let them carry me and play with me.

~ 5 months 2 weeks old ~

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