Happy 18 Months JD!

My baby girl is growing up. This is happening so fast that it seems even I'm having a tough time facing reality.

It's like all of a sudden JD is 18 months and all independent. She feeds herself, she walks off on her own without giving 2 hoots about us. She dictates what she wants to do and what she doesn't. She decides which bedtime story I should tell. She indicates when she wants a diaper change. She will happily say bye to me when she sees a play area with toys. It's hard to believe that this is the same baby who was so difficult to handle & pacify since day 1.

It's also during this past month that I slowly see her character emerging. I'm not sure if this will further change as she grows older but at this point, I see her as a potential victim of bully, unfortunately. I've let her play with other toddlers around her age, +/- 2 months. She's got the other toddlers pushing her, pinching her & stepping on her feet. The best or (worst) part is she doesn't retaliate. She just stands there & screams & does her famous "no no" gestures. To me, what's the point, the damage has already been done. In such scenarios, better to be a bully than be bullied? I've gotta teach this girl to defend herself. All along I have always been reminding her that she cannot snatch toys, cannot hit people but it seems that other parents do not share the same values or rather they don't seem to think it's anything wrong, as to them they are after all, kids. But to me, if you don't start teaching them now, then when?

In any case I will probably have to deal with this in about 9 months time, when she goes to Pre-Nursery. In 2011, she will turn 3.. THREE!! And it's time for her to enter school. Sobz. Wake me up!

Meanwhile, she has taken a strong interest in play cooking. Thanks to Aunty Gin's little cooking set, Ah Ma's pots & pans can now make their way back to the cupboard and no more loose uncooked macaroni on the floor..