Baby talk: My mummy's many faces help me realise just how much she loves me

It's Children's Day today! We take a look at life through the eyes of a little boy, with some help from his mummy, of course!

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Hi! My name is Jed.

I stepped foot on this earth just over a year ago and I’ve been having a great time so far!

Of course, you just have to take my word for it, ‘cos I am a baby after all.

But I have been telepathically transmitting my thoughts to my mum, my primary caregiver, who is writing on my behalf since it’s Children’s Day today!

Even though I’m only one year old, I think I am already an expert on one thing (besides sleeping, eating and pooping), and that’s my mummy’s moods.

Mummy has multiple faces. It changes each day (sometimes even every hour) and I am guessing that is because she is also dealing with life as a new mother.

Mummy laughs

When I try to speak and make sounds, she laughs.

And when she laughs, I laugh too. And that gets her so excited that she takes her phone and goes snap snap snap: “Jed look here.. again, again!”

I wonder why she smiles so easily at me.

I guess laughing is contagious? I try to get other people to laugh too by smiling at them as broadly as I can, but it’s not always as easy as getting Mummy to laugh though.

Mummy cries

Sometimes when I’m hungry or uncomfortable or sleepy and grumpy, I cry, to tell Mummy that I need attention.

But Mummy cries too. She tries not to let me see it but I see her sometimes looking really sad.

I wonder if it’s because she’s hungry.

Daddy sometimes takes care of me when Mummy is sad.

Maybe Mummy cries because of many things that are on her mind that are pulling her in a dozen different ways. Maybe she is experiencing complex emotions that she can’t deal with right now and crying is one way of feeling better.

Maybe she feels sad that she no longer looks or feels the same as she was before she gave birth to me. Maybe she is stressed that her life seems to have changed and she is overwhelmed that she doesn’t have time to even catch a breather for herself now.

It usually works when I smile at her to try to make her stop crying, and she runs her fingers through my hair. I try to tell her that it is ok not to be ok, but she seems to be reassured enough when she plays with my hair and cheeks. It seems to make her feel at ease.

Maybe she isn’t hungry after all?

Mummy worries

Sometimes I see a not-so-beautiful face from Mummy. She furrows her brows. She looks really seriously at her laptop, hitting those keys that I enjoy touching so much when I sit on her lap.

It’s also the same face that Mummy gives me whenever I touch things that Mummy tells me not to. And she goes: “Jed Jed, no no no no no!” but I often ignore her. I’m going to be a computer genius when I grow up! What could possibly go wrong by pressing a few keys, right?

On days that I do not feel that well, Mummy usually frowns more. I guess I’m still growing so I get sick from time to time, like if I get a mucusy nose that refuses to stop running, or when I cough up icky sticky phlegm, or spit out food after I cough, or even having hardened poop!

Being a baby is tough. But tough times never last — tough people do!

I feel stronger and more ready to face similar challenges each time I overcome these illnesses. And that makes Mummy worry a lot less too.

Mummy tries

I think Mummy tries to be creative. Every day she feeds me something new. She’s always saying: “Clever boy, ahhhhh, yummy? One more?”

But when I try to do the same with my toys, she acts all different.

“Here Jed Jed, play with this toy!” She would pass me a different toy every five minutes with a whole bunch of instructions: “Listen to this, hold this, share that with your friend, no biting! Don’t put it into your mouth! No no no…”

Just to mess with her sometimes, I try to eat the (child-safe!) toys that she gives me. Then I laugh at her panic and then she laughs with me.

After all, I should entertain her the same way she entertains me, right?

Mummy celebrates

Almost every three months or so, I will get a huge reaction from Mummy as she discovers a new superpower I developed.

First, she got so happy when I learnt how to flip around from my back to lying on my tummy. Whee, I’m a pancake! Flip flip flip.

Then when my teeth started coming out, I chewed on anything in sight. Nom nom nom!

The first time I sat upright without falling over, she got so excited I thought she was going to pass out.

From her, I’ve learnt that milestones, no matter how small they may seem, are worth celebrating with your loved ones.

She tells me that we are all worthy of respect. And I think so too! Give yourself a pat on your back if you see yourself being a better version of yourself.