Photo of the Day *Backdated I*

13.11.08

With Halmoni, Kisu's mum. For fun, Halmoni has tied Ellis to her back using her apron! Something about carrying babies on the back in Korean culture. Ellis is holding the drumstick from her drum set - it is not an instrument of torture.

Harabogi's turn!

All dressed up and ready to go out!

10.11.08

Grandpa teaching Ellis to play the drum!

This is Ellis' Harabogi, Kisu's Dad. My parents in law were in town for 2 weeks leading up to Ellis' 1st birthday - which is a BIG event in Korean culture. That and the baek-il (100 days) which they missed. 

They were besotted with Ellis as only grandparents could be. They brought her toys, fed her, sang, danced and played with her with such gusto and were endlessly tickled by her antics. We the parents could not understand how her jet lagged grandparents at twice our age could have double our energy.

These pictures were taken at the Hankook Rice Cake House along Thomson Rd - we were there to order birthday duk (Korean rice cakes).  While my MIL did the duk-ordering, my FIL decided to pluck the drum off the shop display, plonk Ellis atop a commercial freezer (that's what she's sitting on) and let her go wild.  I'm sure Mrs Kim, the owner wasn't too pleased but she was too polite to say anything. In return, we bought kilos of duk from her, so I hope she didn't mind too much!

Photo of the Day 31.10.08

In this picture, I feel like I can almost see a shade of a grown up Ellis

Walking

Ellis decided to walk today - with help of course. She'll allow you to take her hands, be pulled up into a standing position and put one foot in front of the other in big wobbly steps. But she can walk! Previously I'd tried to get her started, but she wouldn't want to - from a standing position, she'd let her legs go limp and buckle at the knee. She's been practising going from one room to the next. Her favourite journey is from the living room to the master bedroom.

Once in a while she'll stop, arch her head back to look at me and give me a wide gummy grin. And maybe take a break as she kneels into a sitting position. But before long she's up and back at it again. It's a novelty for her as much as for us, her parents.

photo of the day 22.10.08

whoa - i don't know what happened to her hair!

photo of the day 18.10.08

Sleepyhead

it's so hard to get a photo of her when she's sleeping because she tends to wake quite easily with just some slight sound. she must have been very tired on this day because she didn't stir when we opened the door to her room. I hesitated for a little too long - you can see her just coming out of her sleep here with the one eye open...

what is ellis doing now? 11 months

Physical Progress

1. Cruising and standing on her own - she's pretty fast walking with help from the couch or bed. And she is just starting to learn stand on her own, this tends to happen when she's distracted - she lifts her one hand off whatever she's using for support. But when she realises she's on her own, she gets nervous and drops onto her butt.

2. Top 2 teeth are out but not fully grown in.

3. Her thighs are getting bigger - does that count?!

Emotions & Personality

1. Throws the occasional tantrum when she doesn't get what she wants.

2. She's figured out where to find me in the mornings so she'll crawl into my room to wake me up from bed. If the door isn't open she'll bang on it till it is.

3. Has learned how to point. She points at whatever she wants to touch or eat; whatever she's interested in.

4. Likes to play hide and seek!

5. She mimics, alot. Especially sounds - so if we give her a funny chuckle, she'll make one back of her her.

6. Has figured out how my mobile, TV and aircon remote work - she'll flip channels or turn the A/C on and off for fun.

Eating

1. I'm planning on weaning fairly soon, so I've cut her down to 2 milk feeds a day morning and night.

2. She's a pretty adventurous eater - so far the more exotic foods she's consumed include laksa, bibimbap, and kim chi. She didn't look at all bothered by spicy or sour.

3. Think she's more interested in adult food than her own.

4. Will harass me when I eat even after I've fed her!


Sleeping

We had several blips over the past month. She started getting more difficult to put down at night. This used to be the easiest put down of the day, but she started getting very cranky. She also started waking up in the middle of the night - the worst was four times in one night but thankfully that was only once. I think I cuddled her for too long at night before I put her down - I thought it'd be OK as long as I didn't let her fall asleep in my arms (she didn't) - but it still got her into the habit of having me around when she was going to sleep at night. She started crying for me and refusing to let me leave the room. We had to nip it in the bud really quick and things seem to be back to normal now. I've had to reduce the cuddle time and plonk her into bed pretty quickly. She wails abit when I leave the room but settles down almost immediately.