about a boy

Dear Jayden,

you turned 14 months old today. I didn’t quite remember. Not with you falling sick and just barely recovering. The fever has broken and I pray that would be the last we see of it.

We are starting to see more of your cheeky self returning with the flu retreating. A good thing as it means you are getting better, but awfully exhausting as you are back to your sofa climbing antics. At 14 months, I think you are barely tipping the scales at 8.5kg but your energy level is quite the feat.

A chilli padi in the making I say.

You still cannot talk but you babble endlessly much to all our amusement. You love to hold the phone to your ear and talk. You sound as if you are really holding a conversation with someone on the opposite end, having strategic pauses and mumbling again at the appropriate time. It would be fun to have you say your first words soon but given the way you mumble, I think we might wish you stopped soon enough.

Whilst unable to speak, your actions demonstrate that you have a clear understanding of what we are saying. Just today when we asked you to finish your milk so that we could go for a walk, you downed it with such gusto and waited impatiently for the promised trip thereafter. You know how and who to manipulate for emotions… running to the sweet embrace of your grandparents whenever you sense a scolding along the way.

You have 3 upper teeth and 2 on the lower jaw with a few more threatening to erupt soon. Unfortunately you are not doing much with them. You prefer to drink milk from the bottle and refuse to eat much. You are the fussiest little eater I have seen. Ever since you were introduced to soft boiled eggs ala Ya Kun’s style, you refuse the hard boiled ones. Even so, you diligently spit out the whites, only going for the runny yolks. You love to nibble at our breakfast and steal a few morsels from my Blueberry cornflakes but refuse much of the plain cornflakes.

Somehow you developed a liking for corn! You attack my corn on the cob and leave cute little teeth marks on it. When I give you a kernel to eat, you chomp delightfully until you are unable to manage the husk and spit it out again. Kind of silly but true.

You like to drink water, straight from your lil cup with the covered spout. You trot around the house, totting the cup and looking quite the adventurer. Every little thing captures your attention! Regular conventional toys do not hold your attention as well as a book, phone or box. I am beginning to think it is just one big advertising scam. The toy manufacturers have that is.

You love company and some noise for play but for sleep, you love to cuddle up in a bundle on the shoulder. Your hands grabbing at the shirt or giving us a pat as we cradle you to sleep. You are soothed with the song “Jesus Loves Me” and settle down on hearing it sung. You love the rhythmic patting as we send you to sleep and curl up, arms around the bolster as you settle in for the night.

So till the next marker, happy 14 months Jayden!

We love you