Keith is 16 months

Keith has turned 16 months (1 year and 4 months) four days ago but I have not been able to do this post until now because I am really being tired down with too many burdens to shoulder recently. Sadly he still has his running nose and occasional cough. It is sure tough to give him his medicine but we managed to give him his medicine with minimal fight back despite his reluctance. We have delayed his MMR jab again because I don’t think he will be given since he is still sick.

Despite his skinny size, he is really a big eater. I just wonder where all the food he ate went to….. Perhaps his move around activity and his moves to the rhythm took it all


Statistics from last month (will update later on)
Height - 77cm
Weight -8.75kg

Diet
His milk intake is now about 5-6 bottles of 5-8oz, in addition to his 2 actual meals of solid but he is no longer interested in his porridge. He is more into out normal food, like rice with sauces or noodles cut to bits. He can even finish half a portion of my dinner of salted egg with steam meat and he can get really eager to share it too.

He always wanted to share our meals with us. He tend to like meat better and don’t quite like veggies. I think he might be cutting down on his early hours feeding (late night feeding) because he is not completing his bottle of milk during his 2 early morning feedings.


Sleep
Lately he will only fall asleep on our bed and would not want to sleep on his cot. He dislikes to be left alone in the room or in the dark. On one occasion the power got tripped and he squatted down on the floor and started whining for us. When he sleeps in his cot, he would sometimes cry out and would only fall back to sleep after Elaine or I pat him and let him know that we are there by his side. To my surprise, without any accidents so far (knock on wood!), he is able to get down from the bed by himself!!!! And I was afraid that he would fall of our bed. Lately it is getting harder to make him sleep in the afternoon in our restaurant because he keep wanting to go out and because of our staffing problem, I have not been able to take him out as often. I guess it made it hard for him to fall asleep because he is afraid that I will go out without him. I think I have not been a very good daddy lately too.

Teeth
He now has 12 teeth and 2 of his upper molars had already appeared on his gum. He really gave me the scare by teething so early. Funny thing is many parents were so disappointed that their toddlers were teething late.


Verbal
He would be calling me as "papa" "apa" "da" and even "dada". Funnily he seems to dislike calling "mama" or “ama” but he would if we tempt him with his favourite chocolate pudding or when he is in his talking mood, normally in the morning. He would just ignore us when we repeatedly say "mama" in front of him without any response from him or he would say “ka” or “aka”. He would spit out his pacifier and begin to call out "umm", "umm-mum or mumm-mumm" when he sees us taking food. He would even say "ah!" when he wants water..... Guess because I kept playfully gave him the expression of "ah!" after he takes his water, in hoping to encourage him to drink more water since he is now taking powdered milk. Whenever anyone tried to make him say some words which he is unable to utter, like "ku" - (paternal aunt) for my sister "grandma" or "mama", he would keep saying "da" or "dada" in return. I wonder if this "da" and "dada" is for me or everyone! He calls my sister “ka” and “aka” too.
Although he is yet to greet people close to him, he is able to point to the person when we ask him where the person is.

Mobility
He is beginning to walk on his own more steadily now and he would turn around to face us when he wants us to carry him. Sometimes he would put both his hands in mine or would be pointing at me (with his index finger) and call out to me, sort of telling me to carry him. He seems to have the habit of picking up things from the floor and walk to the rubbish bin to throw. He is also able to sit down more properly now, when we tell him to sit especially if it is for food! He also knows how to rock on a rocking horse too but he is still afraid of stairs. He also likes to dance his own moves to the tune of the children songs as well as those more funky (bass filled) music too :P

Others

• He is now more okay with people carrying him, just as long as the person is not a stranger. He is more picky when he is not in the mood or when he wants to go out.
• He would try to be cute by slanting his head to his side and look at me whenever I scold him or give him the stern look.
• He is still unable to board onto another person's car without his mommy and I carrying him. Nobody else can carry him into a car because he would start crying, as soon as he boards the car, until he puked on one occasion in my sister’s car.
• Developed a liking to shout at a very high pitch, when he is unhappy, not given what he wanted, not carried or when I switch on the blender! He also likes to "quarrel" with my sister!!!!
• He likes to point at things with his index fingers, it is either to where he wanted to go to, something he wanted or when he sees pretty girls. Now he also like to give flying kiss too.
• He is also able to respond very well to "tim choong-choong", "clap-clap hand", "friend kiss" and "habis and occasionally remembers to "gong xi, gong xi"
• Likes to put his hand into his mommy's shirt and torture her mole on her upper chest or even our earlobes. Sigh! Sometimes it can get really painful because of his repeated torture and he likes to use his fingernails too.