I don’t love you

My mum and I were devastated. Last Saturday morning my mum randomly asked Sophia (in mandarin) whether she liked grandpa (nod), grandma (shake), grandaunt (nod), mummy (shake) and daddy (no reaction). I wasn’t present when this took place so I easily brushed it off as random reaction where she doesn’t know what the words really meant. But it affected me enough to try it again later in the day in English: Sophia, do you love mummy? (shake) Do you love gong gong? (nod) Do you love grand aunt? (nod) Do you love popo? (shake) Do you love daddy? (nod!!) Argh! The answers are the same!

After this though, she refused to answer these question anymore.

Even though her questions to the verbal questions are unequivocal, her actions are a bit ambiguous though. For instance this morning she insisted that I carry her rather than her grandpa and refused to let go of me even when we reached my workplace. In fact, when we were leaving home, she pointed stubbornly at my slippers and refused to leave the house with me wearing work shoes. At lunch when I returned she cried the moment she heard the sound of door opening indicating that I was about to leave home. Now if she doesn’t love me, she shouldn’t really care. I’m utterly confused.

My love for Sophia is unconditional of course. But I would strongly prefer it if she loves me back!

One for Sophia, two for mummy.

I don’t know how she arrived at this equation but it was so cute: I cut up strawberries for us to share this morning and of course she was allowed to pick them out of the bowl herself while I fed myself. Initially. After a while she decided to wriggle so much that I had to hold her with one arm and hold the bowl with the other, leaving none to pick strawberries up for myself. So Sophia very kindly decided she’ll feed mummy for a change. And when she first started doing it I thought she had enough and was trying to get rid of the leftovers by dumping them into my mouth, which is what she does with food she doesn’t like. But after feeding me 2 pieces she fed herself one piece, and repeated the pattern. How cute is that? Not one piece each, not random switching around but 2 for mummy, 1 for Sophia.

What a great idea

Sophia loves to tease her grandaunt. Its hilarious to watch. She’ll deliberately do something calculated to trigger a reaction, then watch poker faced for the reaction. And when grandaunt does something calculated to make her laugh, she looks on cooly as if finding it juvenile. Mischievous one she is.

Just that other day she insisted on holding grandaunt’s mobile phone while having her dinner. The doting grandaunt obligingly handed it over saying “don’t drop it.” Immediately we all detected a look on her face that said “what an excellent idea!” and the next moment her arm is sticking out holding the mobile phone precariously between her fingers.

Another favourite is to pretend to do something so as to generate a reaction. Like last night she was so tired she yawned once on our nightly stroll. We teased her saying “Sophia’s yawning” and she immediately started to pretend to yawn over and over again. And at the Dog Whisperer event, she kept touching her legs in a bid to attract grandaunt’s attention again. And of course she succeeded.

The grass's tickling my leg...not!

This little girl. What’s one to do with her?

No longer a shy baby

For a period of time between about 7 months to 9 months Sophia had strong stranger anxiety. Nobody is allowed to touch her or in cases of people she decided were dangerous (usually overly friendly males) they are not even allowed near her. But she’s really growing out of it. Last weekend she made a new friend all on her own. She saw this baby who was just a month older than her and shouted out to that baby. She then proceeded to walk down the row of seats to the baby and started playing with her (ie touching her hands and making a lot of baby noises). A good start I must say.

New friend found

When I brought her to a playgym trial the teacher even said she’s very friendly! Yay, success!

Is this what they call attachment parenting????

Look how she clings on to my shirt while exploring the barney car

Here’s another, clinging on to my dress even in her own room:

Sophia’s not really a girly girl, she can’t give two hoots when we rave about how she’s “such a pretty girl” and certainly is not gentle when she lets out her trademark screams, so why oh why is she still so clingy?

Is this a developmental phase??