It's not easy to be...e....MEEEEE...

Zhi Ming has failed his 18 month exam.  His weight 40 percentile and height 80 percentile (ok the only thing he did well on).  So here's how the doctor's visit went...


Doctor:  Is he sleeping well at night?
Mum:  Well he wakes up at 3am for a bottle.
Doctor: Do you give him a bottle?
Mum:  Well, yes.  He screams for a bottle.  I tried weening him off but paw paw insists on a bottle.
Doctor:  Well you need to stop or he will always wake up for a bottle.
Mum: Er, OK.

Doctor:  Is he speaking yet?
Mum:  Well, not quite.  At his 12 month visit, he was saying 6 words.  Now he is barely saying one word.  But he understands.  Watch, Ming Ming, how does a birdie fly?  (Liam smiles at the doctor and wildly flaps his arms.  He goes back to playing with his cars).
Doctor:  Well he certainly knows Cantonese.
Dad: Liam what does a firetruck say?
Liam: Woo.
Mum:  Yes he understands but he doesn't want to talk.
Doctor: I would like to see him 3 months from now and if he doesn't talk, we will need to take him to a speech therapist and some place that will stimulate him.
Mum:  Wait but you said it was normal for boys to speak later.
Doctor:  I'm factoring that in already.  Most babies his age who are boys are already saying at least 20 words.
Mum: Well, who is taking care of them.  Are they going to day care?  Liam stays home with paw paw.
Doctor: No, they are also home with the grandparents.
Mum: Hmmmm.....I see.


Mum:  Paw Paw, doctor said if he doesn't speak within 3 months, we need to take him to speech therapy.  You need to do more than stare out the window all day and ask him where the squirrels are.
Paw Paw:  What, he needs to go to a school?
Mum:  Yes, so you need to find a way to stimulate him or we will need to find a different way to get him to talk.  I've noticed most of the words he has learned from me....grrr...

Paw Paw turns to Ming Ming:  You better start talking or they will ship you on a bus somewhere and force you to talk until your mouth is sore.
Ming Ming.... (Blank stare...still not talking).


So we go home and my Mum decides to repeat words many times like (pacifier, shoes, food, etc).  Still no luck.  Every time Ming Ming doesn't talk, she reminds him of the bus and the sore mouth.

1 week later Ming Ming is saying...

-Bye Bye (and waving hand)
-Pak Pak Pak (from little einsteins)
-Bai Bai (put away...Mum got him to say this)
-How does paw paw cough? (makes the coughing noise)  (Paw Paw taught him this).
-How do you swim? (does the breast stroke) (Paw Paw taught him this).
-How do you massage?  (he squeezed his hands together)  (Paw Paw taught him this).
-Pull Pull (first english word...taught by little einstein..said it only once though :/).
-AP AP (ducky in chinese).


Not sure if the stuff my mom is teaching him will get him far in life, but its certainly a start :).

Little Liam...time to roll up your sleeves and start talking.  Hmm, I see you don't seem to be sweating over this.  Maybe you're right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzJymecPJyI
Ming Ming saying Ap Ap!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiio4-HDjXk

Where's the ducky Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ2vwx0um0E
Part 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k44lfHLRvW0
Mommy and Ming Ming time...

Emergency Calls thus far....

1. Liam having major constipation (probably from eatting too much congee).
2. Liam hitting his head on the floor (probably we should have put down carpets).
3. Liam falling down the stairs (where are the gates in-laws! aren't you taking care of two kids!!!)

 

2 fast 2 soon

LKZM is growing up.  He will be turning one in just THREE days!!!  I can't believe it.  He used to be a helpless boy, relying on Mum to feed him, change him, and transport him.  Well, 11 months and 3 weeks later, he can eat puffs and drink from his bottle by himself and walk (when he's not feeling lazy)!

The day I realized that he was growing up was when I took him to the park, stood him up, and he took off.  He ran through the sprinklers several times, screaming with joy.  He couldn't believe he was walking all on his own.  He tried to make friends with other kids as well.  He went up to a baby his age, stuck out his arms, and tried to wack the baby on the head.  I guess that is the baby way for shaking hands?...at least I hope it is.

As much as I try to savor the moment of every milestone he accomplishes, the tiger mum within me is unsatisfied. I'm now waiting desperately for him to talk!  He's making sounds, and trying to form words, but no spark yet.  One good thing is, the first sound he made was "mum".  I consider that his first word!...Although,  he does call everything mum...hmm.... His second, third, and fourth words were Ba Ba, bang bang (cookies in chinese...I was feeding him
puffs), and fay gey (airplane...he said this yesterday when he saw a helicoptor).

I know at some point, my baby is going to be a young boy with friends, and with a life of his own.  But for now, I'm going to be slightly selfish, and say he's mine for now.

Here's my little monster!

Hope

Dear Popcorn (Hope),

You have brought so much joy into the Kung-McGovern family.  But as soon as you came, you left.  I knew we may never meet, but I wanted to show you the world...our world before you left.  You will always hold a special place in our hearts..... Luv Mum, Dad & LKZM.

A true New Yorker takes the Metro.  (Here waiting for the A train at West 4th).

 Family time at Central Park. 

 Chillin with your big brother.

 Meeting Grandpa at work then Koren BBQ on 32nd.  Here's your big brother having steamed eggs.

I love my Mummy because....

1.  She always makes sure that I'm well fed before feeding herself.
2.  If there are two plums left (that's my faaavorite fruit), she would feed me both plums.
3.  She makes sure I get a warm bath at night and forgo washing my hair (because she knoooows I hate getting my hair wet).
4. She wakes up at night and makes sure I'm warm and safe.
5. She wakes up extra early everyday to shower me with kisses while I'm fast asleep.
6. She thinks of what I want to eat at the grocery store before thinking of what Daddy wants.
7.  She feeds me avocado everyday (my second favorite fruit).
8.  She encourages me to walk and to explore life (even if that means hitting my head on the walls and floor :( ).
9.  She would rather watch Baby Learns Chinese on youtube than catch her chinese soaps. (This is a big one!).
10.  She is always thinking of new ways to stimulate my tender brain :).
11.  She's willing to let go and let me be ....ME.

Luv U Mum,

LKZM2

Hope all the Moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!  Hope all the Dad's gave you full recognition on the great job you guys have been doing to help nurture and develop your little riceball.

I, unfortunately, did not get recognized as being a great Mom.  I guess the "Dad" in this household decided I'm not doing a good enough job, or he is just plan lazy, and unappreciative.

But it's OK because I know Liam loves me.  Even though I'm back at work, I spend as much time as I can with him when I'm home.  Here are some of our special moments together...

First time at a zoo!

 Teaching him how to crawl

Watching Pororo ( guess who was the camera man lady)

To Poop Or Not To Poop!

Well....Liam decided not to poop for over a week.  So we tried several things....


1.)Gave him four ounces of prune juice....He sucked it down and no poop.
2.)Gave him seven ounces of prune juice the next day....He decided to throw up all seven ounces on grandma's new bed.
3.)Brown sugar with water...pass....we didn't want to give him refined sugar.
4.)Thermometer up his butt.....1 ft long sausage came out :D.

Status....feeling much better but still constipated...I think!

Path forward?... Cutting back on congee and bananas.... If that doesn't work...hello thermometer :)



                                                                 FYI....That ain't dog poop!