I’ll miss you.

Keira’s 2 bottom teeth have been slowly growing out over the past few weeks.

Now they’re almost fully grown, we have to start cleaning them! So bought Keira her own little tooth brush today.

She got her first brushing just before bedtime and giggled her way through thinking it was a game.

I bet after few more sessions she won’t find it funny anymore. Then the real fun will begin. Sigh.

I am such a different person today compared to what I was a year ago. A year ago I was filled with doubt and regret. I could see the life I loved slipping away because I knew a baby would change everything.

Now, I can’t even remember what I was so worried about losing. Was it the freedom to do anything I wanted anytime? To enjoy a night out? To travel? Yeah, that’s it. Somehow I don’t feel the loss as badly as I thought I would.

Somehow I have become a MOTHER. With a mother’s 100% preoccupation with her baby. The change in me is so dramatic I now have a new found respect for the power of mother nature.

That’s the only way I know how to explain this transformation.

When a woman gives birth to a baby, a switch inside her is turned on and she starts producing some crazy hormones that totally take over her mind and body. I’m talking about the chemicals or whatever it is that make mothers suddenly fixate on the little crying thing and realise that NOTHING else is as important as this. You would die for this.

Just a nuzzle of that soft head and a smile from that small face makes up for all the times when she thinks its fun to throw everything from the shelf onto the carpet or when her name is Miss Whinge-a-lot.

So yeah, my outlook in life has had a radical change. But there are still some other things that are important to me. Doctor Who for example (the finale is tonight!!). And finding out the mystery of Lost. And siew yuk. And island holdays. Ahh, to relax on soft white sand with a cool breeze blowing against the sound of gentle blue waves.. ahh…

For now though, the baby rules the day. I have to remind myself that she won’t be a baby forever though. She will grow up and become her own person. We will fight and she will rebel. And I will miss the baby so, so much!

So, this is motherhood. Now I understand.

After months of training, Keira has finally learnt her first trick.

Yay! *applause*

Unfortunately, she doesn’t do it all the time when we ask. She only deigns to grant our requests when she feels like it.

So here I am telling everyone that she can clap hands, but when I say “pai pai shou” … nothing. So people don’t believe it.

Anyway, the video is the proof. Keira is beginning to understand words and associate them with actions!

Keira and I have been going to baby gymboree classes for more than a month now.

I’m finding it quite enjoyable. But I’m not sure about Keira. haha.

The past few times we’ve been there she has been fussy during class. When I try to put her on the slides or play with balls, she just sits there and whines.

I have had to carry her while all the other babies played with the fun little toys. I don’t know what’s worrying her!

So yesterday I took Keira to the open gym session - this is when there are no classes but members can just go and play on their own - hoping to get her more comfortable with the surroundings.

She didn’t budge for 10 minutes when I put her down with the balls, then only moved to follow me when I left her side!

This is very unlike her usual self when she’s at home. She is a flurry of activity at home. A non-stop moving machine.

But once I got her crawling around she became more confident and began noticing the toys and playing with them.

She still didn’t wander further than 2 meters away from me tho. I wonder if this means that Keira is going to be clingy and timid next time, or will she grow out of it?

I also wonder if we should continue with Gymboree if Keira doesn’t enjoy it. It is quite expensive!

I have been watching chefs on TV cooking with figs so often that I when I saw fresh figs at the fruit vendor recently, I just had to buy some to try them out.

This little pastry is very easy to make as it is just assembly work.

I used pre-made pre-rolled puff pastry, spread on caramelised red onion chutney (from a jar), put the fig on top and a chunk of goat’s cheese inside the fig. Then bake in oven for 30 minutes.

The combination of flavours was excellent. Sweet, creamy and savoury.