Last Friday, Tearful Outbursts, MMR Vaccine, Teething and Giggles and Laughter

Ethan I think has just entered a new phase. It's the phase where if we say that he can't do something, or hold our hand over something he wants to play with , he bursts into huge wails, ( the kind where he is so upset, he holds his breath in and then lets it all out in one huge wail followed by wracking sobs and a river of tears follow. It's quite heartbreaking and of course he gets picked up, cuddled and comforted but what usually works is a quick distraction. He seems to like animal noises. In Chinese, while holding him, I will ask him "What sound does a cat make?" "Meee-Ow, Mee- Oww" Ethan's response: Pause in crying, Half hearted -aha(laugh) "What sound does a dog make?" "Wah Wah " (In Chinese, it is not woof woof but Wah Wah- similiar to ruff ruff") Ethan's response: Haha with a smile and tears in corners of his eyes. "What sound does a monkey make?" "Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh" Ethan's response: hahah and smiles and is waiting for mom to repeat all of this again. Other distractions include toys and pointing at real dogs, looking at goldfish and sometimes just mommy being incredibly goofy. He has also developed a preference for Asung and I to hold him more than Gong Gong or Ama and especially anyone else which I've read is quite normal for a 1yr old. So, Friday, A-ma was visiting Ethan , in the morning, at Asung's and was witness to Ethan's emotional meltdown and very concerned for him since he's usually Mr. Happy Go Lucky. He also has been nappping less at Asung's. Then before dinner, Gong Gong and Ethan and I went to the hospital for his MMR vaccine. Obviously, he wasn't much in the mood for a doctor's visit being a bit sleepy. The doctor said his weight(8.9kg) and height (75.9cm- so apparently he has shrunk since last week's measurements...not very reliable) are on target. He is bound to be sleeping less since he is getting older so everything is normal and good development wise. He's still got allergies which account for the pinkyness under his eyes and the doctor prescribed some cough syrup for a little bit of his cough from last week's cold. Then as I lay him on the bed for his shot, he's burst into tears again followed by louder cries as the vaccine was administered. Like with his other shots, he was fine shortly afterwards and when we got home, he had a bottle and off to bed right away. The Doctor said that he may have a slight fever from the vaccine afer 5 days as a side effect but so far nothing. Ethan also has his 5th and 6th upper teeth coming in, which are the incisors? (The sharp pointy one ) At first, I though his molars were coming in because he would stick his fingers into the back sides of each cheek but at last check, nope. He does, every now and then , when he chomps down on something, break into huge rivers of tears, loud sobs sometimes with that frightful no sound, i'm holding my breath cuz it hurts? or is so awful I can't stand it and then a massive huge wail as he expels the trapped air kind of cry. Poor guy but again the animal noises seem to do the trick. On the opposite side of the crying spectrum, there is the laughter and giggles spectrum which also happened Friday. Just before nap time, we were playing on the bed since he wasn't in the mood of listening to a bed time story but more in the mind of eating the bedtime story book. So I was rubbing my face into his sides, tummy, thighs, butt - wherever really, and he would burst into giggles, grins and laughter. Absolutely excellent feeling to see and hear him do that as you didn't get that reaction before. He also giggles and laughs as you lift his legs up and help him do a somersault of course supporting his head , any direction for a somersault is good. He will even prop his legs up so he is in a upside down V in wait for you to flip him over. So there it is. The not so good with the good.