Alab's glossary

Life has been happening so I haven't really had much down time to just chronicle much of my or the kids' life nuggets.

Sigh.

Oh well. Here's a go.

Alab is now 17.5 months. His first word was at 11 months, which was "tak" referring to "clock." Interesting that Alon's first was "lat" for "light."

In the course of a half year, he's picked up quite a few words. His pedia, during our 15th month check-up, said he was advanced with speaking.

His first batch of words included "tah" (star), "tata" (tatay or nanay[!]) and "papis" (dog or any four-legged animal).

Now, his vocabulary has just grown!
Nanay = me!
Tatay = tatay or kuya Alon (!)
Pis = please
Caht = cat
Buh = ball, balloon
Muh = moon
Te = ate
Cah = car
Bats = bus
Bee-bee = jeep (the horn of the jeep goes beep-beep-beep, just to explain)
Oto = motor
Eypen = airplane
Buh (with flapping motion) = bird
Taki = taxi
Oos = shoes or slippers
Up = carry
Baba = go down or put me down
Pis = nappies
Puhpuh = i'm pooping
Bas = labas
Nana = banana
Apo = apple

I know I'm missing some words, nonetheless, I'm quite happy that he's as daldal as kuya. And boy, do these two chatter when they talk and play.

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Godzilla

Alon has developed quite a fascination with Godzilla.

These past few days, he has been requesting to watch Godzilla videos. His favorite is video of stills of Godzilla over the year. Another is just his various roars. (find his attention span fascinating when he is truly interested in a particular thing.)

When Alon was a year and half, his cousin Eo generously gave an old Godzilla toy he no longer played with. He has renewed fancy with the toy at three years and four months.

One day, I arrived home finding Godzilla with double-sided tape plastered over him. Apparently, he got hurt so Alon put band-aid on him.

The photo above also has a corresponding story, as told by Alon.

"Ito si Tatay Godzilla, Ito si Alab Godzilla. Si Alon Godzilla, nasa day care."

I asked him, "asan si Nanay Godzilla?"

"Nasa office."

It seems Nanaz Godzilla is a working mom like myself. :)

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First step

First independent step! Alab took one step forward, then another, then the third one was mostly gravity. And this was after he stood the longest unsupported. 

Next thing I know, I wouldn't know which way to run since I have to run after two wild horses. Haha!

This is eat

The initial attempt to feed Alab did not succeed as I imagined it to be. Given that when he eat, he looks at us with much longing, I thought he would be giddy-happy that it was finally time to him to share in the family meal. Apparently not. He would push the spoon away or close his mouth as it approached or pushed his tongue out.

For more than a week, this was a case. I thought to give feeding him a rest since his main source of nutrition should still be milk anyway.

Since we do not have the time to really cook his food every time (it's such a small portion, at that), we freeze his food then just thaw it out when we are too feed him. One day, I thought of giving him a frozen potato slice to chew on. He enjoyed it! He ended up eating a couple of slices. I tried it with squash and sweet potato, he enjoyed them both. I also tried giving him a small slice of fresh banana (not frozen), he ended eating a lot.

My initial thought that baby-led weaning was not for us has been debunked.

Kain na!

Last Saturday (9 May), Alab ate for the first time.

Contrary to my expectations of giggly joy of finally having food, he was crying and throwing a fit. My little Baymax did not enjoy his first time. :(

It might have been the attempt at baby-led weaning (BLW).  I gave him a sliver of squash which he eagerly put in his mouth (as he tends to do lately with anything he lays his hands on). He tastes it and gums it... and gags. He ends up crying.

I went back to old-school feeding of mashing the squash and adding some breastmilk to give him a more familiar taste. He reacted much better to it but ends up crying again. 

I ended up nursing him both for comfort and hunger. He fell asleep a few moments after.

When I fed him again on Sunday, I stuck to old-school mashed food. He was more receptive than the day before. Still not giggly joy but at least there was no more crying until after he finished what I prepared.

Maybe BLW is not for us, but we are definitely on our way to solid food. And stinky farts and poop. StinkIER farts and poop, I mean.

Milestones: Alab

It's almost a week that Alab can sit for longer periods of time without support.

Thought bubble 1: Yey! Development milestone on track. And look, he's so proud of himself. Nakakatuwa! Where's the camera?

Thought bubble 2: We really need to get rid of the bed frame soon and just have the mattress on the floor.

Thought bubble 3: Shucks. In just a few months, dalawa na ang hahabulin ko. *groan*

Thought bubble 4: I really should have a first aid kit ready asap. And stock up on soap. This house is going to smell like boys. Euw.

Thought bubble 5: Yey! I'm prouder of him as he is of himself. Where's the camera?