Chomping Away

I have been introducing new foods to Mae consistently, and so far, she seems fond of the meals I've prepared for her. Since the last post on Mae's weaning, the new foods she's had include corn (pureed with rice), oatmeal, apple, orange sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and blueberries. She's a good eater, who likes avocado in almost everything. She's lost a bit of her infant flabbiness (part of the weaning process?), and has firmed up quite significantly. I'll be moving on to vegetable protein next, like tofu and lentils. Let's see how she takes to them.

We Love the Gardens

One Way to Cool Off

The weather's been stinkin' hot recently. We've been drinking endless cups of cold water, iced-tea, eating ice-cream, fruit, and grass jelly (chin chow) downing coconuts, wearing singlets and shorts, and we're still hot!!!

So yesterday, I decided that it was time to blow up the mini wading pool that we have, change Chubbs into his swimmers, and let him splash the afternoon away. The last time he was in it, he was a tiny baby. He looks so gigantic in the teeny pool, and it's all the more amusing when we can look into our neighbor's fabulous and beautiful pool just yards away. The most ironic part, we have never ever seen anyone take a swim in it.

So Chubbs sat, happily in the tiniest of pools, and played with his water weapons, cups and bowls. Mae couldn't join in because she was still nursing a cold and cough. Poor girl's been sick for three weeks, and is fussy and miserable almost all the time :( But seeing Kor-Kor happy, makes me uber happy.

Little Mae had a peaceful nap while he played :)

A Good Mother

For the past few months, we have shared our home with another family. A mommy hummingbird has built its nest on the lamp that hangs above our car porch. This is the second time we've had a hummingbird nest there. Guess it's a good spot considering the nest is completely sheltered from the elements.

I watched the hummingbird as she painstakingly built her nest, one twig/ strand of hair/ dried leaf at a time. The work of art slowly unfolding before my eyes. She then laid her eggs, and sat on them for weeks, perhaps even a month or two. She just stayed in there patiently, with her head poking out, keeping her eggs warm. Then one day, she wasn't there anymore. I was worried. Did the chicks hatch? Did something happen to the mommy? Are they alright? I checked in as frequently as I could.

After a few days, I saw the most amazing sight. The mommy flew towards her nest, gave a short chirp, and out popped two of the tiniest beaks I've ever seen. She was bringing food to her two hungry and greedy chicks. She perched on the outside of the nest, and the chicks reached into her beak and gulped food down. That picture would forever be etched in my mind.

Once the food is finished, she would fly off again, no doubt in search for more tasty grub for her darlings. When she's gone, the chicks sit with their tiny heads peering out into the big world, eagerly awaiting her return. The mommy's been at it now, for a couple of weeks, and each time before flying back to coop, she never fails to hover around in the shrubs nearby, to make sure that the coast is clear, to avoid detection of her nest and precious babies. She reminds me so much of what us human mommies do for our children. Us and her, we build homes for our families, we patiently take care of the babies before they "hatch", we tirelessly nurse them after they are born, and find nourishing food for them.

To me, Mrs Hummingbird is a great mother and her babies are so blessed. I have grown very attached to them and dread the day when I do my usual rounds and find that they have all grown up, abandoned the nest for greener pastures.

Days at the Arts House

Last year, Chubbs and I were introduced to Big Eyes, Big Minds, by a good friend, D. Every year, they hold a children's film festival and run screenings at the Arts House, and each screening consists of short children films from all over the world. There are shows for kids of all ages, and the stories left such an impression on Chubbs last year, that he made us scour YouTube for more clips. He has been happily watching these lovely short stories ever since.

This year, he went for two screenings, one featuring new short stories, and the other, a compilation of music from the Muppets throughout its history. He particularly enjoyed the former, and has been talking about some of the clips for days. While lying in bed that night, he said, "Mommy, I had a good day today." That was the nicest thing I've ever heard.

We went for the Muppets show today and we came across an old Volkswagen bus that was being used for a wedding. He was super excited as it was in the exact same colour as Filmore in the movie Cars. He happily posed for a photo, which almost never ever happens. It made his day. And that made my day.