Juan Or's Experiments with Cause and Effect

Baby books in bookstores often mention about baby learning about cause and effect through their play sessions. Examples cited on cause and effect are usually noisy toys (e.g. squeaky duck), shaking a rattle, pressing buttons on simple toys to make sounds or a face pop up, knocking down a tower of plastic blocks, and swiping at a roly-poly doll that rights itself after being pushed over. However, Mommy thinks that these examples are fairly common and very 'decent'. Here are some true and daring incidents that Mommy experiences with Juan Or which Mommy thinks are worthy ideas or examples to be cited in baby books:


Cause: Juan Or lowering his head (by gravitational force) onto a hard surface.
Effect: Painful head and Juan Or cries,"Waaaaa-aaaaaa......."
Post-cause-and-effect: Juan Or lowers his head slowly and steadily whenever lying on hard surface.


Cause: Juan Or grabbing and pulling on Mommy's hair.
Effect: Mommy yells,"Ooouuucchh......."
Post-cause-and-effect: Juan Or continues grabbing and pulling on Mommy's hair just to hear her say,"Ooouuucchh" and ends with a mischievous grin on his face.


Cause: Juan Or's little fingers grab, pull and twist Mommy's nipples (after breastfeeding).
Effect: Mommy yells,"Aaawwww......"
Post-cause-and-effect: Juan Or continues grabbing, pulling and twisting Mommy's nipples just to hear her say,"Aaawwww...." again and ends with a mischievious grin on his face.


Lessons in cause and effect in the 'B's world......

"Don't leave me out for kai-kai!"

It was 8 pm already, and Tardek (3rd Uncle), Tarnin (3rd Aunty) and Cousin were getting ready to get into their car to go back to their house. On the other hand, Grandpa, Grandma and Jidek (2nd Uncle) also got up to go send them off. But Mommy remained inside the house with Juan Or. On seeing almost everyone shuffling about and heading out of the house, Juan Or started making his loud fretful sound as if to say,"Where is everyone going? Are you not taking me out too? Don't leave me out for kai-kai (outing)!"

On seeing Juan Or's antics, Jidek started his car and with Grandma holding Juan Or in her arms and Mommy tagging along, all went for a short night joyride round the Taman Bukit Intan neighbourhood. Once back home, Juan Or was quiet and contented. So, looks like Mommy's boy is a kai-kai boy, huh?

Tender Moments with Mommy

Juan Or woke up at 1.40 am. After Mommy had breastfed him, Juan Or still refused to go to sleep and wanted to play. So Mommy took Juan Or downstairs to the hall, laid out the folding mattress and then surrounded the mattress with pillows and sofa cushions as barricade. However, Mommy kept the hall dark. The only light source was the light from the stairs, just enough to maintain visibility, yet dark enough to signify to Juan Or that now was not the proper time to play. Next, Mommy offered Juan or his toys: the spider, fire engine, the broken (but usable) rattle and the teether (borrowed from his cousin). After playing for some time, Juan Or seemed bored. So Mommy laid him on his back and blew raspberries on his tummy. And Juan Or smiled for the first time since Mommy took him back from the babysitter. Mommy felt good to see his sweet smile again. The babysitter reported that Juan Or had crying spells throughout the day. Mommy looked tenderly into his eyes, and Juan Or continued smiling as Mommy tickle his armpits and sides. And Juan Or looked into Mommy's eyes with tenderly love. How sweet......

Go 'Kai-kai'

It was night already. Mommy's car was only a quarter tank full and so urgently needed a petrol refill. Moreover, Mommy's car did not move at all for the day. So Mommy suggested to Papa to take Mommy's car out for petrol refill and at the same time be a joyride for Juan Or and Mommy.


So after dinner, Mommy clapped hands towards Juan Or to gesture to him that Mommy wanted to carry him. At the same time, Papa signalled to Juan Or's Second Uncle (Jidek) to reverse his car to make way for Mommy's car. So Jidek made way to the door. On seeing that, Juan Or (in his baby walker) quickly chased after Jidek, thinking that Jidek would be the one bringing him for kai-kai (outing). When Mommy told Juan Or that Papa and Mommy would be taking him out for kai-kai, Juan Or seemed to pay no heed. Huh, Juan Or is not convinced!? Just because Jidek was standing out of the house, and Papa and Mommy still on the inside meant that Jidek will be taking Juan Or for kai-kai? Mommy's dear little 'B'....so naive and innocent....and simple-minded. After all, Juan Or is just a little baby.

Another Primitive Crawling Session

Yesterday, Mommy persuaded Juan Or to do his primitive crawling by hooting the horn on his baby walker. Indeed, he crawled, but not for long.....turned out that Juan Or wasn't too keen on the horn sound after all.

And Juan Or said,"I am the 'B'!"