New Life, New Beginning

10 weeks and counting

2012-01-15T00:02:00.004+08:00

It's been a while since I've blogged and the dust bunnies are beginning to settle. You can't blame me...I've been living, sleeping breathing, thinking of nothing else but the lil bub. All I want to do everyday is to survive till nightfall, when I could perhaps lay back and breathe before a new day ambush me. I look downright disheveled.

Anyhow, quick photo update on progress:

I made a big boo boo. Was in too much of a hurry whilst clipping her nails and look what happened! I was frantic as I was alone at home with no baby band-aid. I applied pressure on her little finger but the blood kept oozing profusely. My heart bled and I was unspeakably guilty. After consulting some experienced mommy, i came to realise that it's actually a common thing! haha and that babies are like wolverines, thus their skin will heal in no time. Just air dry it, no plaster needed.

At 4wks, she's 5.1kg and time to upgrade. From a 3-room flat to a condominium and she seems to like it a whole lot!

You got to adore the pictures! I'm simply enveloped in the warmth of love. Looking back, I'm thankful for the unbridled blessings

I'm so happy that both the hub and I were able to witness certain milestones. The above was achieved on 27 January! Jia you lil pumpkin! soon you'd be crawling and creating havoc!

Wearing many hats

2012-01-15T00:01:00.004+08:00

It's tough enough being a mother...now i'm a mother, a cow, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a maid and a wife. Rather than becoming overwhelmed and letting chaos reign, it's the cummulative effect of several small steps int he right direction and I think I'm adjusting slowly. It's really quite a struggle to balance the ever-growing to-do-list. No matter how small the item may be eg giving the grandma a call, I have to try to squeeze time for it. The difficulties I face as a new mother caught me off guard. I had looked forward to motherhood and assumed that caring for the baby would happen naturally. Instead, I found that I had no clue. It doesn't help that the hub is constantly travelling...being away for two weeks prior to the Lunar New Year was certainly no joke. Spring cleaning thankfully started early for me, else the dust bunnies on my blog would be passed on to my home. I tend to be an all-or-nothing type of cleaner/ organiser, thus when it comes to spring cleaning, I give myself the added stress. When the hub finally came home for a day in between trips, he had to fall ill! There went my hopes of him helping to take care of lil pumpkin while i catch up on forty winks.

I know that I should not entertain lil pumpkin's every waking moment as that would be really taxing. But trust me, you wouldn't want a wailing child as an accompaniment whilst doing those chores. Thus, I resorted to doing the laundry at 5am and cooking my lunch at 10am. Whenever there's pockets of free time (usually only for 15mins), I would try to do something productive. After spending my last ounce of energy attending to my baby, she would then sometimes cry for no discernible reason, and it puts me over the edge.

However, after 2+months of training, I would say that we have established quite a bit of understanding. I try talking to her quite a bit and she seems to understand that mommy has to bathe, eat and shit. It works sometimes. Her bedtime routine is also more or less fixed, with the fussiness setting in at around 8 - 10pm and dozing off to sleep by 11+pm. That to me is a bonus. Thereafter, she'll wake up at 4am but there were occasions where she woke up at 6am! WOOHOO! At times, I would be the one waking up before her, wondering what's happening? I guess my clock has now been adjusted. These days, mostly, I yearn for more sleep, but would often wake up at dawn with rock hard boobies. Then, Dilemma would strike -- To pump or not to pump, that is the question. You see, very often, shortly after pumping, lil pumpkin seems to sense it and would wake up for her feed! Despite knowing that there's always a constant supply, how can the supply be great right after pumping?

To boost supply, apart from the "holy" fenugreek which everyone swears by it (But i've yet to try), I turn to the kitchen and treating myself well with home cook food. If you recall, I really enjoy cooking, but with the lil one on board, fixing up a simple meal sometimes seems very elaborate and arduous. Below are some of the food I've been pampering myself with:

To minimise the guilt of eating instant noodles, I added fish (生鱼）and egg. Hey, give the woman a break ya, I haven't had instant noodles for eons.

Somehow, I feel that I hadn't had much soup during my confinement and the Chinese believe that confinement should actually be 40days instead of the usual 30 days. My rationale is, just nourish oneself once in a while! the body isn't only gonna absorb during those 40 or 30 days! The hub also benefitted. TCM physician said his body is "cooling" thus would need to take more "confinement" food to "heat" up the body. Thus whatever i drink, I'd give him a bowl.

A rare sight-- 3 dishes and a soup!

Mostly, in the afternoons, I'll just have a fish/ meat and rice. It can get a little bland and boring, thus I try to tweak the recipe at times. The above is pan seared salmon with crispy ginger bits.

Another simple fare

They say you'll have to constantly latch and religiously pump in order to up your supply, so even if it means sacrificing my sleep at 5am, I'll do it. Typically I do it once at that hour when my supply is peak. To date, I'm consistently getting approximately 180-200ml from the better boobie and 90ml from the not so good boobie. A vast difference!

Mom has been pretty helpful, getting me groceries every monday. However, each time she does that, she'd complain that food is expensive. This, despite the fact that I give her additional $ for the food she buys. To top it off, she gets $ from my dad as well. talk about being shrewd. That's Empress Dowager for you.

This was one of the more "elaborate" meals I've whipped up. Preparing and frying the pork chops took a while thus it was really quite an achievement when I manage to savour the fruits of my labour!

530am: Attended to baby's feed
6am: Pat baby to sleep again and got ready to head to the wet market
640am: arrived at the wet market
7am: done with marketing and spent almost $100
720am: bought breakfast for the hub and I at another venue
8am: Arrived home to the above scene (sooo sweet)
830am: was done with washing and packing up the raw produce
840am: decided to pump my rocks since lil bub was sleeping soundly
9am: Thought I could finally take a breather and rest
915am: lil pumpkin decided to wake up for her feed. *YAWN*

Parenthood is a big thing. Make that a big and often lonely thing. Most days, I could sure do with a big dollop of encouragement and inspiration to keep going.

Hello 2012!

2012-01-03T03:04:00.005+08:00

It was a traumatic start to 2012 and blame it on the hub. I am still so not over it. Visions of what happened keep playing like a movie reel. The incident totally manifests the hub's lack of responsibility, patience and BRAINS! See, what happened was, seeing that I was tired after our new year eve's party, the hub offered to feed lil pumpkin. After much persuasion, I relented, thinking that it'd be a good chance for father and daughter to bond at an unearthly hour. Usually, I would rather latch on as it's really quite a hassle to heat up the EBM and wash up eventually. Anyhowz, he had to be woken up by me when the lil one cried. Yes, selective listening has hit once more. I was initially in a semi-conscious mode when lil bub was crying for milk but soon drifted back to sleep when all sounded peaceful. That was 5am. By 9+am, I suddenly heard a really loud wail (nope, i don't think i missed the little whimpers...i'm usually very sensitive and would jump out of bed). Upon hearing the cries for help, i immediately shot to lil bub and was appalled to see her slipping to the edge of her bouncer, head nearing the metal piece and before I could reach her, she toppled off and landed, head first, with a thud on the hard tiled ground!!!!!! She screamed. Naturally. and I screamed too for I couldn't believe what the hub had done!!! What was he thinking, not strapping the little one to the bouncer?! In the first place, WHY WAS SHE EVEN ON THE BOUNCER!!!!! she should be in the cot when she's sleeping at night! that had been the routine i've been trying to establish. The hub dashed out only to explain that it was coz lil pumpkin didnt want to sleep thus he left her on the bouncer n went to sleep!! WTF! I was hell mad n instead of staying by our side during that all crucial moment, he touched the lil bub's head for a moment and went back to sleep!!! Double WTF! Lesson learnt: Trust no one except yourself when it comes to taking care of your lil one. Not even the hub! Men. They think they are oh so strong, but in reality, it's the women who are the stronger ones!

Till now, I am tremendously worried. Will there b any side effects? Fellow mommies have offered advice and most say that babies falling off is a very normal situation and as long as there's not unusual behaviour, vomitting, drowsiness, things should be fine! SHOULD. How would I know if there's anything hidden? In fact, the dr will not be able to detect it that soon either. No xray can be given to a child this young. True, she might not have fractured her skull given that they are at an age where their body parts are flexible. It takes approximately 18 mths for their skull to fully harden. But falling with a thud, head first, is certainly no laughing matter!! Minutes ticked into hours. I didn't dare sleep. After coaxing the little one, I did my chores and was hopin to see the bubbly and even the crying lil pumpkin at the next feed. She woke up several hours later (almost 4hours) for her feed and fell asleep almost immediately. In fact, she was sleeping most of the time which is pretty unusual in my opinion! I am freaked. yet, the hub simply dismissed it as she's tired from all the excitement we had the night before.

Hours turned into days..it's day 2 and she seems bubbly and alert today. Wailed a few times due to hunger, and diaper change. I'm somewhat relieved and would like to believe that she's becoming more attuned to the routine and not cry at the slightest matter. I'd like to attribute it to the praying session she had earlier this week.

May you be surrounded in comfort.
May you be filled with love.
May you relax.
May you be calm.
May you be serene.
May you rest as your body heals in your safe cocoon of comfort, love and strength.
May your body be transformed into one filled with love, happiness, joy and health.

The last day of 2011

2011-12-31T07:19:00.010+08:00

Time and space are fragments of the infinite for the use of finite creatures Time waits for no man and it's worse when you have a child to keep you on your toes!

it's the last day of 2011 and i didn't even realise till i saw the many wishes on FB. There hasn't been much difference in night and day since lil pumpkin's born thus you can't blame me for amnesia.

It's always on this day that nostalgia kicks in and i'll review what I've achieved through the year. 2011 has been a whirlwind for me. Every bit of memory holds a special meaning and this year my treasure box of nostalgia is brimming over. this year has been a fairly tumultuous one, coping with the 24/7 sickness during the first tri and the intense exam period in the last tri. Coupled with the hub's constant business trips, I was left to face the unknown myself. All was worth it, when I laid eyes on the most beautiful thing in the world -- my lil pumpkin :)

Having lil pumpkin means several adjustments to our lives. Married life is already difficult and now, there'd be more compromises to be made. I am guilty of not tending to my hub's needs and feelings at times but I want to tell him that I appreciate him lots despite my constant "scoldings" hehe...Tolerating each other's habits and way of life is something that we all must learn continually, but most have been sweet and I'm thankful for the beautiful and sacred covenant of marriage.

The lil pumpkin's growing n that is evident from the amount of poop she excretes. I suppose she's 5kg now. Few wks ago she was 4.2kg when she went for her first vaccination.

She's a brave girl and faced the jab with a big scream and calmed down really fast thereafter.

It isn't an easy task to hv to juggle with laundry, cooking, chores, amidst diaper changing, feeding and coaxing, but I'm proud to say that I'm coping well thus far. In all truth, the clueless times were an incredible test of patience but it comforts my soul and makes me smile to hear lil pumpkin's coos and gagas.Well, sure I can do with more rest but this learning curve has been an incredible process.

My main driving force

This year marks also the launch of my agency. No mean feat either, considering I was preggers and had to juggle with my main line. Despite several technical hiccups, I pulled through. Though marketing has been shelved, several deals have been closed and I'm truly blessed for the word of mouths. I hope to climb to greater heights in 2012!

Christmas wasn't helluva celebration unlike in the past without lil pumpkin. In fact, I suppose age is catching up and we are embracing the camaraderie and hanging out with the usual friends instead of partying the night away. Thinking back, those times were really fun, but we are entering another phase of our life. Time in its aging course teaches all things and I hope i'm able to learn more and excel.

A man who dares waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.

Charles Darwin

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

2011-12-30T05:56:00.002+08:00

Indeed, God has made us all different. In particular, the two sexes are significantly distinct. I don't know to say if it cracks me up or irritates me to no end that the hub is such. Many a times, he would offer to do the night feeds and allow me to sleep in, but my rationale is, if he has to get up, sterilize everything, feed, clean up, pat lil pumpkin to sleep and then probably get ready for work thereafter, there's really no point.. I'd rather latch on. I'm no where near being superwoman and to be honest, I think though he's out at work at this point in time, I'm constantly working at home too, with the immense amount of laundry (cloth nappies and all!), spring cleaning and not forgetting my work, I would like to think that I've much more on my plate. But then again, things shouldn't be compared on that basis.

Anyhow, since the hubs is on leave tmw, I decided to allow him to fulfil his fatherly duties -- Feed the baby at unearthly hour. First response from him --> dear, you've got to wake me up. HUH? do u mean to say that all this while, you can't hear lil pumpkin "neh" in the middle of the night? Apparently so! n he had the audacity to say he didn't get good sleep on some days and that he's a light sleeper compared to me! These days, I've even hardened myself and allow myself to go for a leak b4 attending to a wailing child. But yup, apparently, the hub has developed selective hearing not only to me, but to lil pumpkin! However, perhaps due to my shocked response, he subconsciously managed to get up after a few cries. No prizes for who got up first. The intention was for me to sleep through till the next feed, but lil pumpkin's incessant cries of hunger kept my eyelids opened. After monitoring for a good 10minutes and with the intensity getting greater, I decided to drag myself out of bed to check on things. ALAS! the hub was busy sterilizing and left a wailing baby in her crib. While it's true that one should not always rush to carry the bub when she cries lest she develops dependency, crying in such manner has great repercussions, namely WIND. That would lead to more detrimental consequences. Below is the flow of events in chronological order:

445am Hunger Cues
5am The hub started sterilizing
515am The hub finally started settling down to feed. By then, i decided that since I'm up, I might as well express my milk
530am I was done with expression (150ml from both boobies..not bad at all!) and the hub simply placed the lil bub in her crib after a burp, without ensuring that she's fast asleep, despite my naggings. Knowing that lil bub or perhaps most babies need to be comforted and pat to sleep b4 being placed in the crib, I hung around for a while.
540am Lil bub started crying...where was the hubs? he bounced right into bed after "throwing" lil bub into bed
540-now I'm still trying to coax the lil one to sleep.

This worries me thoroughly...what's gonna happen when I resume work (which is soon!)..how am I gonna cope with the long nights and long work days?

Sigh....the difference between men and women is so define...or perhaps only in my case?

Burping in progress....CUTENESS MUCH?

Monster in law

2011-12-27T20:46:00.001+08:00

Once again my patience was tested today :
Mil: bb's hair so fine sure drop like all my 3 children
Me: CHOY!!
Mil: really will drop one
Me: CHOY
Mil: might drop till bald. Most bb drop at the fringe.. Very ugly
Me:silent (fed up to the max)

Seriously why are the old foggies like that? Earlier today his aunt also commented that this particular bb is very ugly. 很难看 were her exact words! Mean words run in the family I guess? Intentionally or unintentionally it's really uncalled for!

The two most important people in my life

2011-12-19T23:34:00.004+08:00

My favourite pic. It perfectly encapsulates the love sweetie has for our lil pumpkin.

Bathing the lil pumpkin. Not an easy task considering how slipper the affair is and that her neck is still soft.
Sweetie has been a great dad thus far, not so much the loving husband I expect though. Mayb my expectations run too high and perhaps I'm a little short fuse from the lack of sleep. From the day she was born till date he has been caressing her cheeks and coaxing her to sleep. However, patience seemed to be weaning yesterday when the hub was asked to do the laundry for lil pumpkin. Since the end of confinement, I had been doing all of lil pumpkin's laundry. mind you, it's not simply a case of chucking into the washer and spin it. They have to be separated from our clothes and for some handwashed. I'm using cloth nappies for half a day and lil pumpkin can be changing 3 nappies in an hour! it's intense. Given that the hub isn't the most organised person in the world, bathing the baby and doing laundry become two major task. When told to bathe her, off he scooted, without preparing all the stuff needed. Halfway through, he'd shout for me to grab her towel etc...as if I dont have my hands full! The whole idea for him to bathe her is for me to get some other things done. I feel like I'm constantly a maid to him. Then when it came to laundry, he loves procrastinating and accumulating. When told not to do that, he'd wash a load in the day and another at night. Given the very nice cooling yet rainy weather, that's not exactly the wisest thing to be doing given that we do not have a dryer. True enough, after the 2nd lot, in his frustration, he exclaimed that there isn't any place to hang them dry and that we needed a maid coz laundry was getting intense! Who wouldn't like extra help? Only that finances doesn't quite permit else it'd be very straining. and HALLOooooo...the wife has been doing it for the entire wk, coupled with all the cooking, washing, diapering and feeding! There was even a dilemma for me as to whether i should feed or leave the wailing baby and shit! I chose the latter coz I've been constipated for the last few days and this was the golden opportunity to excrete! Back to the topic -- MEN. you can't stand them, yet you can't live without them. (in some cases). This whole episode goes to show how strong women (well most) are and the amazing things mummies go through for their love ones. Men in comparison, WEAK WEAK WEAK!!!

I'm one month old!

2011-12-19T15:22:00.011+08:00

10 months of baking. yes the full term and more, out comes lil pumpkin. Unimaginable! Time seems to flash past when u are in bliss. The lil bub is ONE MONTH OLD! Happy one mth my dear! :)

For this special event, the very vain mommy went to extremes. It's as if i have nothing better to do during my confinement. But i figured, I need to feed her anyway, and the nights are long thus what better way to occupy myself but to do some crafts for the event:

Invitation cards :)

Check out the very adorable mini rabbit longevity buns i've ordered!!! So cute just like my lil pumpkin. n totally apt since it's the year of the rabbit!
The cous was suggesting that she could help me to put together a full month package. I thought that it's a neat idea since MIL could not confirm the numbers. To order would probably more straining to the pocket. These days, every cent has to go through stringent checks. THe above are the many roses I made. a total of 150!!
What went in it: 2 Ang ku Kways, 2 red eggs, 2 longevity buns and 4 cupcakes. According to Chinese customs, when a baby turns one month old, a ceremony is held to celebrate her first full moon. This also co-insides with the end of the mother's confinement period, and both mother and baby are formally introduced for the first time. Before the unveiling party, the baby goes through a host of customaries. Once that is over, a party is held to celebrate the health of the baby. Relatives and friends gather to give their blessings and gifts to the new baby, and traditional treats such as ang ku kueh and red eggs are featured.

Traditional cakes and eggs, dyed red to symbolise luck and blessings are given out to relatives and friends. Eggs are chosen as they represent fertility and their round shapes symbolise harmony. It is believed that if you have a boy, you give out an odd number of eggs, and if you have a girl, you give out an even number of eggs.

According to word of mouth on Hokkien tradition, if you have a son, plain round ang ku kuehs (red glutinous peanut cakes) are given out, and if you have a girl, you mould the ang kus into the traditional tortoise moulds, which are more intricate and delicate.

Tradition also dictates that you shave your baby's head, although most parents don't observe this practice anymore. And with such a gorgeous mane, Why would I want to cut my darling's hair? Instead, i trim a little bit of hair off, to symbolise the shedding of the birth hair (hair from the womb). After the first hair cut, both the mother and the baby supposedly must bathe in water mixed with pomelo leaves, to wash off any unwanted and evil vibes. But the MIL did not prepare (though she was told), so be it.

It is believed that if you wrap your baby's hair in a piece of red cloth and sew it to his pillow, it helps calm him down. I SHOULD TRY THAT!

The end product. So proud of myself!!! :)

Love how the mineral water bottle turned out! One guest even asked if the bottles were from a certain upmarket brand! haha..it's from NTuC..OPS!

We placed our star on the table like a centre piece..makes viewing easier :)

Happy One month my darling! May you be blessed with wisdom, good health and beauty!

Our first family portrait. Absolute LOVE!

Baby Language...goo goo ga ga?

2011-12-19T14:28:00.003+08:00

Since my last post, things improved a fair bit. I took advice from Sis E and spoke to the little one for 5mins after her feed, when she's in a semi-conscious state. If i were to put her down immediately, she'll wake up like before, but last night, SHE DIDN"T! YEAH! accomplishment!!! talking to her for a longer period of time does work! Not that i have not been talking but perhaps the way i bring across the idea?

Below is also a clip which has also helped tremendously. See, the power of technology! so who says it doesn't pay to be a tech nerd? Though there's nothing much we can do with regards to the "EAIR" sounds, at least I wont be that clueless and will be able to cope better mentally and keep the hormone-related woes at bay.

Now I'm lost in a sea of happiness and can operate better despite the lack of sleep. Things hopefully can be on auto-mode soon and I can be blessed with bountiful optimism. In truth, we are all new in this game and she's just a lil baby new to this world. The first year of baby's life is the most memorable and exciting..there'd be loads of first and every moment is monumental. She's starting to notice the world and definitely taking notice of her parents. She's responding to our calls and is taking delight the little details of the world. All these little changes make the very insides of me light up.

Ahhhhh...BLISS :)

Fussy Baby

2011-12-19T11:57:00.006+08:00

Being alone with baby most of the time in the day made me really efficient. Bathing became a luxury and the same goes for shitting and pee-ing. At times, I had to put her in her pram and watch me shower! She adores the sound of the shower and would keep quiet for a bit.
I was pretty much getting into the routine of things...feeding every 2hrs and by dawn, i'd be doing the laundry, washing the cutlery and preparing her bath before the next feed. at night, she was also able to sleep for 3 and sometimes even 4 hours through! Then thereafter, I'd be preparing the ingredients for the day's meal. All was well and peaceful until Week 5/6. Things got little haywire. Lil bub decided not to feed every 2 hours at night and instead changed to an 1hour. at one point in time, it was every half an hour! Again, i was doubting my milk supply. I mean how can those muscles and glands be producing that quickly? Seeing her tugging at my nipples wasnt a pleasant sight too as it could mean my flow was slow. NATURALLY! that aside, I was exhausted, but I pressed on and refused the frozen EBM which I so painstakingly expressed at wee hours of the night. It wasn't only 7-11, it progressed to beyond the 11th hour...things got so intense I ranted to friends, both online and off. Only to be slammed by a good male friend for spending too much time online and complaining about how tough this whole fiesta is. What else did he expect me to do whilst feeding? Talk to her i did, but i was too tired to even carry her. At times, i would be patting till i suddenly jerked awake! It was scary and I had to find things to distract myself -- namely, the computer, my phone and the television. Vices perhaps, but definitely needed in this case. Also, these were my sources of mental respite. Thank God for the invention of Whatsapp as it was an online mommy forum for me. I seeked solace and comfort in the advices many gave over Facebook. Seriously the men just dont get it!! I can't be generating negative energies and passing them on to the lil bub thus I had to rant it off and give good vibes to the lil one. On top of that, fellow mommies were very helpful and they certainly reached out to me in times of need, with links to articles and video clips. So what is so wrong with being online 24/7 even if I was. Does that make me less of a mother? In all honestly, I may be blogging, but it's coz lil pumpkin's right in front of me, getting ready to feed any moment. I can't possibly be doing anything else.in fact, this post was crafted eons ago and saved as draft as I simply didnt have the time to complete. Had to revisit almost 6 times before publishing! So dude, if u r reading, pardon the raging hormones, but perhaps more empathy could be given?

Anyhowz, to make a note of things, again, credits to the informative kelly.com, below is what I've found:

My baby is fussy! Is something wrong?

What is normal baby fussiness?

Whether breastfed or formula fed, during their first few months, many babies have a regular fussy period, which usually occurs in the late afternoon or evening. Some babies' fussy periods come so regularly that parents can set their clocks by it! The standard infant fussiness usually starts at about 2 to 3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks and is gone by 3 to 4 months. It lasts on "average" 2 to 4 hours per day. Of course, there is a wide variety of normal.

To distinguish between "normal" and a problem, normal usually occurs around the same time of day, with approximately the same intensity (with some variation); responds to some of the same things each time, such as motion, holding, frequent breastfeeding, etc.; and occurs in a baby who has other times of the day that he is contentedly awake or asleep. Normal fussiness tends to occur during the time of the day that the baby usually stays awake more, the most common time is in the evening right before the time that the baby takes his longest stretch of sleep.

What causes babies to be fussy?

If you feel that your baby's fussiness is not normal, it's never a bad idea to get baby checked by the doctor to rule out any illness. A common cause of fussy, colic-like symptoms in babies is foremilk-hindmilk imbalance (also called oversupply syndrome, too much milk, etc.) and/or forceful let-down. Other causes of fussiness in babies include diaper rash, thrush, food sensitivities, nipple confusion, low milk supply, etc.

Babies normally fuss for many reasons: overtiredness, overstimulation, loneliness, discomfort, etc. Babies are often very fussy when they are going through growth spurts. Do know that it is normal for you to be "beside yourself" when your baby cries: you actually have a hormonal response that makes you feel uncomfortable when your baby cries.

Comfort measures for fussy babies (many fit into several different categories)

Basic needs	Nurse Burp baby Change his diaper Undress baby completely to make sure no clothing is "sticking" him
Comforting Touch	Hold baby Carry baby in a sling Give baby a back rub Carry baby in the "colic hold" (lying across your forearm, tummy down, with your hand supporting his chest) Lay baby across your lap & gently rub his back while slowly lifting & lowering your heels Lay baby tummy-down on the bed or floor and gently pat his back Massage your baby
Reduce stimulation	Swaddle baby Dim lights and reduce noise
Comforting Sounds	Play some music (try different styles and types of voices to see which baby prefers) Sing to baby Turn on some "white noise" (fan, vacuum cleaner, dishwasher)
Rhythmic motion / change of pace	Nurse baby in motion (while walking around or rocking) Give baby a bath Rock baby Hold baby and gently bounce, sway back and forth or dance Put baby in a sling or baby carrier and walk around inside or outside Put baby in a baby swing (if he's old enough) Take baby outside to look at the trees Take baby for a walk in the stroller Go for a car ride Set baby in a baby carrier (or car seat) on the dryer with the dryer turned on (stand by him, as the vibration can bounce the seat right off the dryer onto the floor)

One of the most interesting things I've seen in the research regarding infant fussiness is that almost anything a parent tries to reduce fussiness will work, but only for a short time (a few days), and then other strategies need to be used.

If you nurse and it doesn't seem to help, then try other comfort measures. If you pick him up or nurse him, and baby is content, then that was what he needed. If it works, use it!

Growing Pains

2011-12-13T11:57:00.008+08:00

My latest Muse -- nope it's not my new Marc Jacobs or my latest Mulberry..it's my little pumpkin

Going from being a hard worker bee to mostly-Mummy can be a tricky affair.

The initial wks were tough. Given that I went under the knife, I couldn't quite do the cradle hold when breastfeeding. Football hold wasn't something I anticipated. Each time I needed someone to carry baby to me as I'm not suppose to exert myself during this crucial recovery period. The uterus contractions and the stitches kept me awake at times, but mostly it's the cracked nipples. Once the 30 days were up, the MIL packed all her ingredients, pots and pans (super clear-cut might i add) and off she went to distribute the full mth cakes and subsequently taking a holiday at Macau! My fridge was totally emptied. At one pt i could not even find my pepper! All my things were in disarray including lil pumpkin's wardrobe thus I had to spend time repacking. That aside, It was quite impossible for me to go out with the lil one at this pt in time, and having no fresh ingredients at hm didn't help. No doubt there's an NTUC just below my blk and a coffee shop but these did not help as it's said I'm able to continue with this confinement business for another 10 days. The Chinese believe that during this period, if one does not nourish oneself, the nutrients will never be back. I choose to believe as anything to do with health, I'm quite a freak.

So yeah, the first wk after confinement was certainly a challenge. With the cloth nappies to be washed (not forgetting that some were soiled) and the lunch, dinners and double boiled soup to be prepared by myself (ingredients gotten by Empress Dowager), amidst all these, I needed to be a moo moo cow + bathe the lil pumpkin. This is really the role of an ultimate multi-tasking, multi-talented wife and mom; whether at home or in the market place. By God's grace, I am a proud mom of a lil girl. I am thankful for that each time i see her smiles, for that matter at times her skirmish gestures and screams as well. Motherhood is a life changing experience and the pregnancy journey is just the tip of the iceberg of this amazing enriching experience. Nursing has created a bond between myself and my lil pumpkin but it's not an easy journey. Initially, there was the cracked nipple and no amount of Lanolin seemed to help ease and heal. Not until the purchase of the nipple shield! that was really God send! It didn't come cheap though...the Medela Nipple Shield cost about $29 from the pharmacy. But i was desperate then to find alternatives. Then just when the nipple heal, other problems arose. I did not anticipate such a thing called colic or growth spurt. Naturally, I know the lil one would grow but the feeding was so intense it drove me nuts! Initially it was a 2-hour interval (mind u, the clock starts ticking from the moment she suckles), then it became 1-hour interval when she decided to take on the 7-11pm routine. As if this was not enough to drain me, the latest few nights ago was a 1/2hour interval! A typical timetable could be at 7pm i feed, 730pm i'd be done...i'll pat her to sleep and the moment i place her on the cot, she wails...by the time i calm her down, it's her feed again.

I'm sure it's as frustrating for her as it is for me. Afterall, we are both very new to this business. NO amount of education has equipped us for this role. Admittedly, at one point in time, I felt like giving up on this whole babysitting and nursing business and simply get someone to look after and succumb to giving her the bottle. However, upon seeing her twinkling eyes and rosebud lips, I couldn't bare. It was an absolute luxury now to spend all my time with my daughter, watching her grow into the little girl that she is becoming, so if I don't take this opportunity to bond and do my best, in future when i resume work, I may not have such a chance.

Her incessant feeding and my extremely flaccid boobies led me to think of the following question:

Is your milk supply really low?

(Below info credits to kellymom.com)

First of all, is your milk supply really low? Often, mothers think that their milk supply is low when it really isn't. If your baby is gaining weight well on breastmilk alone, then you do not have a problem with milk supply.

It's important to note that the feel of the breast, the behavior of your baby, the frequency of nursing, the sensation of let-down, or the amount you pump are not valid ways to determine if you have enough milk for your baby.

What if you're not quite sure about baby's current weight gain (perhaps baby hasn't had a weight check lately)? If baby is having an adequate number of wet and dirty diapers then the following things do NOT mean that you have a low milk supply:

Your baby nurses frequently. Breastmilk is digested quickly (usually in 1.5-2 hours), so breastfed babies need to eat more often than formula-fed babies. Many babies have a strong need to suck. Also, babies often need continuous contact with mom in order to feel secure. All these things are normal, and you cannot spoil your baby by meeting these needs.
Your baby suddenly increases the frequency and/or length of nursings. This is often a growth spurt. The baby nurses more (this usually lasts a few days to a week), which increases your milk supply. Don't offer baby supplements when this happens: supplementing will inform your body that the baby doesn't need the extra milk, and your supply will drop.
Your baby nurses more often and is fussy in the evening.
Your baby doesn't nurse as long as she did previously. As babies get older and better at nursing, they become more efficient at extracting milk.
Your baby is fussy. Many babies have a fussy time of day - often in the evening. Some babies are fussy much of the time. This can have many reasons, and sometimes the fussiness goes away before you find the reason.
Your baby guzzles down a bottle of formula or expressed milk after nursing. Many babies will willingly take a bottle even after they have a full feeding at the breast. Read more here from board-certified lactation consultant Kathy Kuhn about why baby may do this and how this can affect milk supply. Of course, if you regularly supplement baby after nursing, your milk supply will drop (see below).
Your breasts don't leak milk, or only leak a little, or stop leaking. Leaking has nothing to do with your milk supply. It often stops after your milk supply has adjusted to your baby's needs.
Your breasts suddenly seem softer. Again, this normally happens after your milk supply has adjusted to your baby's needs.
You never feel a let-down sensation, or it doesn't seem as strong as before. Some women never feel a let-down. This has nothing to do with milk supply.
You get very little or no milk when you pump. The amount of milk that you can pump is not an accurate measure of your milk supply. A baby with a healthy suck milks your breast much more efficiently than any pump. Also, pumping is an acquired skill (different than nursing), and can be very dependent on the type of pump. Some women who have abundant milk supplies are unable to get any milk when they pump. In addition, it is very common and normal for pumping output to decrease over time.

After reading all the above info, I began to feel much more at ease. At the very least, mental preparation was taken care. Physically, sigh...perhaps more chicken essence or the yucky DOM might do the trick?

Too many chefs spoil the broth

2011-12-13T08:23:00.005+08:00

When you are blessed with a child, unfortunately, you aren't equally blessed with more time. been meaning to blog every step of this arduous yet fulfilling journey, yet the pockets of 15mins break don't seem enough for my creative juices to flow. Or perhaps it's just an excuse. Blame it on the lack of discipline on my part. I with God can multiply my strength and time.

My 30days confinement is finally over. Which marks the beginning of a new challenge -- to take care of lil pumpkin alone! The MIL was pretty clear cut on the last day of the confinement. After leaving me at home with lil pumpkin whilst she went round Singapore to deliver the full month cakes, she came back only to clear and bring back all her pots and pans. In the fridge lay only a fish head, a slab of lean meat and some weird concoction. Before leaving, she mentioned that should I want to continue nursing myself to health, the nxt 10 days is also important. It's a time to take nutritious things coz thereafter, it is believed that whatever thing you eat is useless. With that said, there's still no offer from her to stay another 10 days. Not that I'm in favour of it to be pretty honest. BUt the least she could probably do is to offer help in terms of lunch and dinner? Nope. None, Neh. So i could only seek Empress Dowager's help in grocery shopping. The thought of caring for a newborn and doing the chores (note: i'm using cloth nappies -- compliments of the MIL), cooking double boiled soups for myself, on top of it all, breastfeeding and bathing the baby -- scares me. Where does one find so much time and strength to do it all. Indeed, all these require an immense amount of COURAGE! especially when you are faced with a possibly colicky and wailing kid...or when bathing a slippery screaming child. It can sometimes be very testing.

Ok, before i deviate into other matters, the focus of this post is -- The MIL from hell! Ok she aint exactly the worst MIL i've heard, but I guess due to the fact that we've never lived with each other, things were pretty intense for me. In fact, she was my major source of post natal blues.
I was initially thankful that she had given up work to take care of lil bub and I for I knew Empress Dowager would not do such a thing. However, the first few wks were very upsetting. To facilitate the train of thoughts, I decided to list things down in point form:

1) whilst breastfeeding, she would carry the baby to me, see me strip (though i do it really slowly to indicate that I'm actually very uncomfortable that a stranger is looking down at my boobies!) and once I'm done feeding, she'll carry the baby away! -- CRADLE SNATCHER! The episode is truly a case of invasion of privacy. I cried each time that happens yet no one is there to lend me a shoulder. The influx of raging hormones can really get the blues kicking.

2) Whilst breastfeeding again, she'd sometimes walk in and out of my room on the pretext of doing chores. One may say : why dont u just lock your room whilst nursing. My answer: i'm in pain after C sec and can't quite carry the baby, let alone, walk to lock the door!

3) Once, when i was done breastfeeding, she stood next to me and said she'll carry lil bub away from me to burp her! Isnt this typically done by the mother? WHere's the opportunity to bond then?

4) As she and Empress Dowager had never breastfed before, there was very weak support from them. Instead, i received several sarcasm as they think i'm being ridiculous not to use the bottle. THe logic is simple-- Wouldn't it be easier in terms of washing up to latch on than to go through the hassle of sterilizing etc? Note, at this point, lil bub feeds on avg every 2 hours (sometimes less). and this interval is counted from the moment she latches! In other words, she can start suckling at 7pm, be done by 730pm+., after burping and calming her down, it'd probably be 8pm...thereafter, if i'm lucky (no need for diaper change), i'd be left with an hour to eat, shit or bathe! So where would I even have time to sterilize stuff? Note, I do not have any help whatsoever! Also, the antibodies are more for breastmilk than formula and should I make use of the frozen EBM, i'd be discounting the antibodies! It all doesn't make much sense to me.

5) The hub gave me a bouquet of roses at the hospital. Possibly his 3rd in our entire relationship thus far, so it's exceptionally meaningful. I brought it home. A few days later, it went missing!! The MIL threw them away without even asking! and the roses weren't even wilted! THis happened not only Once, but twice as the second time i received a hamper with flowers and helium balloon (which i wanted to recycle) and it mysteriously disappeared again! upon searching, i found them in my recycling bag! Told the hub about it, hoping that he'd empathise, but instead, he said "she just kept it aside, i'll get it back for u"..ya from the rubbish bag? How fresh is that?I know it's tough being sandwiched in between, but he seriously needs to work on mother management.

6) She threw away loads of sauces and stuff from my fridge...some without my permission again! Every single thing I'm using from the type of soya sauce I'm using (she claims it's too dark and weird) to the brand of detergent we are using (she said it stinks), she has a comment. We had to buy new ones coz of that. Just the other day, I wanted some pepper but could not even find! the entire organisation of the kitchen was in disarray.

7) Lil bub has not been able to sleep through for 2 hours...the moment she's placed down, probably after 15mins on avg (depending on the hour) she'll start her tantrums for some reason. I dont blame her as she's only a newbie to the world. But the MIL attribute all these to the lack of FOOD and kept questioning my milk supply. I was down. Very down. I started questioning and doubting myself too. Was I doing a good job? Should I succumb to the tin I have stored for emergency? Do i need to turn to the holy fenugreek -- the herb which claims to boost milk supplies? Or the strange concoction of papaya fish soup? However, upon pumping, i realise that I've got sufficient if not excess milk!! even my massage lady says I'm good.

8) Whilst organising the full month party for lil bub, emotions escalated. Initially, out of respect, I seeked MIL's advice as to whom she'd like to invite. She started counting the number of relatives (incl Msian relatives) and said we should do a luncheon for relatives and tea or dinner for friends. Taking that into consideration and knowing that both MIL and FIL has heaps of siblings, I reckoned I needed a bigger place for the party; my house was out of the question. Thus after searching, I settled for the function room at my uncle's place. Paid for it and ALAS, the MIL decided that it is rude to invite ppl as it would imply that we are begging them for ang bao!!! OMG which planet is she from? In the first place, these relatives would have already come to my house and pass me the present or ang bao! Thus it'd be a nice gesture to invite them and be merry at the party! Apparently FIL had the same thinking. I dont blame him, coz afterall he's from Mars. That apart, together with Empress Dowager, they couldn't give me a proper number for the number of cakes they needed. I told them my intentions to DIY the package and yet it didn't seem to get into their brains. At the 11th hour in fact, MIL said she wanted to deliver some sets on Friday (the part is on saturday) which means to say, everything has to be ready by Thursday!! This project isn't solely mine. I had to depend on heaps of help, namely from the couz. she's a gem to bake all the cupcakes and she's doing all these amidst her work! Thus to make such an absurd request is infuriating! So the couz and I had to restrategise and I had to activate my dad and the BIL who so kindly helped me with collection since I can't step out of the house. to bake all 200 cupcakes on Thursday and keep majority of them till Saturday isn't ideal as freshness is compromised. Thus, we had to do it in batches. Being in confinement and having a hungry baby every 2 hours didn't make things any easier. Also, out of the blue, I can have a request from the MIL or empress dowager that they need extra to give to this or that friend. See, there's a similarity between the women in my life: they have all the ideas and plans in their mind, but they dont verbalise it. They expect the people around to know what they are thinking and when things dont go as plan, they get upset or wonder why. The entire traumatic experience was too much to stomach thus I shared my unhappiness with the hub. Unhappy that things have been screwed up but more importantly because the hub was going to be away for a wk til the morning of lil bub's full mth party! thus logistics is on my shoulder. I needed him to speak to his mom urgently. However, perhaps my complaints had been fast and furious, it finally got to him and he accused me of blaming his mother. I took a step back and realise this IS afterall his MOM! Then again, who is helping me? Thankfully there's the SIL who totally understands what I'm going through as she had been going through it for the last 30 yrs! She tried to "manage" her mom for me in and indirect way and I thought it was really effective and wished the hub had done likewise. Afterall i dont really fancy bad-mouthing anyone.

9) The MIL, Empress Dowager and I have all different views on the food I should be eating. Empress Dowager says I should not take too much ginger since I'm breastfeeding. I find that logical however, MIL beg to defer. MIL thinks that eating salmon is good due to the fatty acids and again, I found it logical but Empress Dowager said it is poisonous and got utterly upset that I ate it during confinement. I think that eating certain types of fruits is "cooling" and according to my TCM physician, vinegar will soften my bones ..but the MIL thinks i'm ridiculous and insist on cooking vinegar. Since day one, I've been forced to gulp down Chicken essence and eat first born eggs, but alas, a wk later, Empress Dowager said due to my Csec I should not eat all these as they are again "Poisonous"-- this i've actually heard. I'm sandwiched. When baby seemed to have colic, I googled on the gasy things I should avoid and apparently broccoli was one of them together with milk, eggs, wheat etc all of which the MIL had been drowning me with. I shared with her, only to be refuted with her own set of theories. To Empress Dowager, should i try to educate her, i'd be deemed as going against her. To the MIL, i try to drop subtle hints but she would have her 101 excuses. It's tough being both a daughter and a daughter-in-law.

Now that I'm alone with the lil bub, I feel more at peace though way busy. However, everyday is a learning experience and I think i'm doing alright in this steep learning curve. Looking back, it's impossible to avoid the blues unless your support group is strong. Thankfully I manage to keep my sanity by ranting to fellow mommies and favourite uncle (re family politics which arose during the organisation of the full mth party). I do however, wish that the hub can extend more TLC and sincere concern to me. But for now, I'm on my own and have to take comfort that the lil bub is growing healthily day by day.

You are a good father, but may you have more wisdom in controlling your anxiety when lil bub wails or your frustrations when the wife feels emo.

Growing day by day

2011-11-26T15:19:00.006+08:00

When raising a child, discipline is necessary. But in the case of a newborn, that is quite impossible. The first wk was pretty much spent in the hospital. Was admitted on Wednesday and discharged only on Monday. The pain from the wound was pretty bearable the first two days and I was up and about by the second, albeit just walking a short distance to the nursery. By the third day, I thought that I could walk further and decided to visit a primary school friend A who had just delivered on 12.11 and was staying at another ward. But Alas! she didn't pre-empt me that it was the last room down the corridor and it was an painful walk literally. the worst part was, shortly after I've arrived, her gynae arrived to do her daily rounds and I had to make myself scarce! So back I went, with each step being agonising. THe pain was so bad that the painkiller didn't do much magic. In fact, the painkiller's effect only lasted probably half an hour? Enough for me to walk myself to the toilet and back. The pain level on a scale of 10 was probably just a 2? Nothing beats the labour pain! On a bad day, it reached and agonising 6; on a good day, it went down to a glorious two.
The older I get, the lower my threshold for pain it seems.

In addition to the pain in the wound, I had to accept another pain, both mental and physical -- Breastfeeding! In order to stimulate milk production, it was necessary to let the newborn suckle every 3hours which means to say, I had to wake up in the middle of the night and with the help of the nurse, shove the nipples into lil bub's mouth! as the nipples were not roughened out initially, the suckling caused much abrasion and there was an underlying crack appearing. By day 2, we were told that lil bub had mild jaundice and had to go under phototherapy. In order not to disrupt the process, the nurse suggested i rent a breast pump for $20 and pump out my milk. Being a first-timer, naturally i heeded her advice. WRONG MOVE! the nurse instantly switched the pump to its maximum causing the cracked skin to rupture and there, in the medela bottle, was Strawberry milk. My tears rolled down uncontrollably. The hub had to use a tissue to cover it up. It was heart rendering to see that lil bub had to swallow that, though it is said that it's fine. My body has since been telling me that it's succumbing to entropy.
The pathetic amount of milk pumped (which supposedly was pretty good for Day 3)

the subsequent episodes for breastfeeding was tough. Improper latching caused my nipples to be sore. Many a times i wanted to give up but for the sake of the lil bub, i persevere. The hub wanted to go home each night but stayed on to accompany me till the end. The poor thing had to sleep on a sofa bed which gave him tremendous backaches. There was simply insufficient rest for both the hub and I, given the endless stream of visitors we had. It's either we would be entertaining the visitors and repeating the story over and over again, or i had to be a cow. mooooo.

Monday 14 November 2011
Jaundice -- Cleared
Me -- cleared
Lil bub and I went home :)

this is probably the 3rd bouquet of flowers the hub gave me. it's really meaningful to have come this far with him. To think that I found him to be annoying during our younger days.
The man behind the scene. Come to think of it, it's really not an easy task to bring lil bub into this world.
My hospital confinement food. YUCKS! Plain and vegetables were yellowish. the only thing I appreciated was the milo. In fact, I was hungry for more than 24hours as once epidural was injected and enema (which must be the most amazing laxative) was given, no food was to be taken. First question after my operation, I asked Dr Tay: When can I eat? haha

Bonding time with daddy dearest :)

The Adventures of Kaelyn

2011-11-23T15:26:00.005+08:00

It's been a while...a long while in fact that I've updated this space. I've been faced with life's biggest challenge -- THE BIRTH of Little Pumpkin. There had been so much drama, I dont know where to start. But, for the sake of documentation, I shall start from the very beginning, so bear with me.

9th November 2011 (Wednesday)
The cervix is still as stubborn as can be.
Status: Unripe.
We are already 40wks +3days overdue and Dr Ho suggested admitting to ripen the cervix. Typically, it takes an average of 2-3days to ripen which works out to be 10/ 11th November. Hoping that lil bub's birthday would be on 11.11.11, I went with the plan. In I went into the cold delivery suite. Waiting there like a old fat duck as the hub likes to call me. Was a tad guilty that he had to bring along his laptop to work. The wait was ardous. The pill was inserted at 10am and by 3pm I was experiencing fake contractions. It came fast and furious at 2 minute intervals. To think that these weren't half as painful as the real contractions! The hub went home for dinner (with my blessings), during which I tried to alleviate the pain by some in-room entertainment -- Channel 8. Later that night, the hub had the audacity to suggest meeting a friend for a cup of tea and even said he does not intend to stay as there wasn't a proper bed. True, there was only a leather chair which doesn't exactly look comfy, but hey! THE WIFE IS IN LABOUR!

In the delivery suite. Obviously way before the pains came.

10th November
Midnight
Status: cervix is ripened and I'm 2cm dilated (SHIT...means I might not hit 11.11.11).
The pain was getting excruciating and no amount of laughing gas was able to mask it. In fact, it wasn't that easy to get the laughing gas activated. I had to breathe in really hard in order to experience the true effects. I was floating on cloud nine literally. Try drinking 10 shots of tequila. It'd be the same effect unless you are a drinker. I heard buzzes and was not able to reply coherently. All I could do was to give the thumbs up or down. Fortunately, telepathy with the hub did not fail. He could decipher my messages rather accurately. At one point I was shivering in pain rather badly. I came out of the toilet, hunched and in shivers. The hub held me by the hand and my head was buried in his chest. His first response: Can you walk properly please? URGH
Seeing that I was in such pain, the nurse suggested epidural. So Epi it was...ahhhhhhhh....relief! Prior to that however, it was pretty painful. The shot was made into the spine and I had to curl up like a foetus and not move. Any movement could render me paralyze. I breathed in the laughing gas so hard, it was no longer funny. After half an hour -- Instant relief! However, I was shivering uncontrollably and I really thought it would go on and I would shiver to death! Prior to injecting, they did get me to sign an agreement stating that I'm aware of all the known side-effects of epidural like shivering, nauseousness, headache etc....However, I think it's such a horrid practice as I'm in so much pain, how would I have the sanity and the rationale to read and digest every line! thank God for the hub.
The freaking needle was apparently very thick. Obviously i didnt see!

Time: 830am
Dr Ho announced that I was only 3cm dilated and he broke my waterbag to induce the labour. A drip was used to hasten the process. By 230pm, i was 4cm and he instructed the nurse to up the dosage of induction. by 430pm i was only 5cm. It was then that the critical decision had to be made. If we were to go on waiting for the magical 10cm, it could take another 24hours and the baby could be in distress. Not only so, lil bub may already have learnt to poo and be breathing in her own poo, which isn't ideal. So an emergency Csection was ordered. By 450pm I was cut opened. Got my desired anesthetist -- Dicky Tay. He was great at distracting me, but all i could say was "please be gentle". They said I would not feel a thing. IT"S A LIE!! i felt the cut (ok, it wasn't pain but nevertheless, I could feel)...then i felt the tug! This was definitely of mild pain. The stitches was done quickly and professionally (though the dr and anesthetist were engrossed in their discussion of some worldly news). In approximately 10 minutes, the lil bub was out!

Hey what are you looking at?

The feeling at that moment was indescribable. Her wails was so magical and I was still in a state of delusion. Was this real? Am I a mommy? I did not know how to react the moment Lil bub was brought to me for skin to skin contact. The bond was strange but heart warming.

This screaming, red-faced, scrunched-up, tiny little bundle all wrapped up like a spring roll was in my arms. My heart melted like ice-cream on a hot road -- God has bestowed me a beautiful gift -- my daughter Kaelyn

This marks, once again, a New Life, New Beginning!

40 weeks + 2 days

2011-11-08T20:55:00.007+08:00

The long weekend had been plagued with loads of well wishes, texts, emails etc coming in. Why? 6 December is suppose to be the B-Day. But I guess my little pumpkin is rather picky of the date and quite clever I must say according to the below calendar:

Am officially 40 wks and 2 days today. Went to the obstetrician for a check and guess what? the cervix has not ripen but apparently I'm experiencing irregular contractions!! wow! And the whole time I was thinking those were pushes and kicks by lil pumpkin. Lil pumpkin's a pretty feisty one so I wasn't suspecting anything when things got a little intense. According to the nurses, first time mommies tend not to feel the contractions initially. However, as my cervix has yet to soften and ripen, Dr Ho could not induce me. I wasn't sure if that was a blessing or not as I've heard induction's contractions are more painful!! Apart from that, if one were to be induced and the waterbag has yet to burst, the gynae will have to use a rod to prick it! OUCH! After laying out the cards, we decided to place a pill to soften the cervix n probably inducing. It was professional of the gynae to let us know all the options but he was scaring us with all sorts of scenarios! I hate bad thoughts and have been trying to keep them at bay, but it was good to be educated as the hub was clearly concern and worried. Even Dr Ho could tell. So I guess right now we can only leave things in the hands of God. I pray that things will go smooth and as seamless and painless as possible!

Now that I know how a contraction feels, i get paranoid each time my tummy tightens. Can't seem to time it coz I've yet to establish the difference between the prickling sensation, lil pumpkin's stretching and contraction. am doing some last minute packing now that I may have to be admitted earlier (ie. more $ involved. sigh). Seeing Dr Ho again tmw. Within two days, the damage has amounted to $540 at least. The whole year's payroll is being sucked dry!

To keep my mind off things, guess what i did yesterday:

Was initially planning to go for Dim Sum @ East Coast, but they required a minimum of 4 pax for the a la carte buffet, thus after reading heaps of good reviews of the tarts at Imperial Treasures, I decided to make things happen! How could one just have Dim Sum at Imperial? it's called the Imperial Treasures Super Peking Duck for a reason. The duck was HEAVENLY!!!! but a little pricey -- $68++ and on top of that, if you wanted them to fry the "remains" of the duck, there's a top up of $15.

The tarts and Char Siew Sou were OHHHH soooo GOOD!!!I'm not a big fan of custard buns but this was oozing great!

After the early morning Dim Sum, we went for drinks at Canele. Xmas bells are ringing....time really flies! Thereafter, the hub decided to make me exercise a bit and we shopped around for 2-3hours! TIRING! the legs were aching like mad at the end of the day! Wonder if that could be the trigger for contractions.

rising temper and exasperation

2011-11-05T23:52:00.004+08:00

He will probably never know. Not unless he reads this blog which he created for me years ago. Yes, created n that was it. Unless i shove the screen in front of his face, else perhaps nothing I write would interest him. In fact, I'm probably the most boring person on this surface of the Earth for him?

Anyhow, as you can sense, the tension is mounting. Indeed, I'm angry, no, livid. My breath caught in my throat as I felt my heart pounding, and temper rising. I'm controlling, but the result -- my eyes bulged and the veins on my forehead seemed ready to burst! I'm incandescent with rage and am very embittered...turning into an extremely disgruntled wife all because of one person -- HIM! Yes you! you know who you are! As patient and understanding as I try to be, the following events have upset me tremendously:

EDD is tmw n though there's no action, no one's sure when will what come right? Given that these few days are wkends and pH , I was initially thinking it’s a gd thing at least the hub can be around for me and spend some couple time with me. The last few days had been rather busy for him at work, thus I can't complain even if I wanted to. You would think that things could be compensated since it's the wkend. WRONG. so WRONG:

Thursday — I waited till 530pm then he informed that he can’t have dinner with me at his mom’s place. Granted that he has work, but it’s so irresponsible to tell me at the 11th hour n the mom doesn’t even know he wasn’t coming back. Upon reaching home at 840pm, he announced that he wanted to join his friends for soccer at 9pm. I was in immense pain that night. The jabbing and prickling feeling in the V area was rendering me helpless n tears of physical pain was well as emotional pain were rolling down. Yet, he wanted to go ahead. It was not until i was in a very uncomfortable position, pouting and tearing, that he decided to relent n cancel his plans. Why do I even have to go to such extent?

Friday — mil din cook thus he said wana come home cook spaghetti n couple time with me (that was coz I told him we really should make use of the remaining time we have else things will change). Sounds sweet? yes, for a moment i was touched and gave him credit. So yes he came back at 7pm...had dinner with me till 8pm, then a phonecall came n he scooted off with tea with E. This time with my blessings as I thought he was merely having tea at the coffee shop down by our block..However, after few hours, he was not back yet, thus sensing something amiss, I texted him twice. No reply after half an hour! Crucial period, how can he do such a thing right? Finally I called him n he said that they changed venue..went to another kopitiam instead. It was nearby n has prata. For the last two days I’ve been whining that I’ve craving for prata but it din occur to him AT ALL that he could buy for me. I questioned him as to why he didnt reply my text..his excuse was that he was busy playing some stupid iphone chess game with E thus NOT FREE! Freaking hell rite? NOT FREE?...ok fine. So I insisted he come back (that was 11pm aldy btw) with prata. He came back at 1145pm (Singapore isn't that big and it would take only 5mins to walk home from his last place of disembarkation). He said he waited for 10mins for prata n asked for curry but after 5 min no curry, he came home as he was pissed with the seller for making him wait. He couldn’t even have the patience to wait for 5more mins..it’s not coz he was in a hurry to come back mind u. he simply was pissed with the seller! WHAT WAS PRATA WITHOUT CURRY?

Saturday (today) -- He woke up n sat over the breakfast table for 1.5hr again on iphone game. The bane of technology! Am really skeptical about the invention of the iphone! I tried distracting myself by completing my xmas decorations...then later told him if he has the time he'll need to wash the fans...esp the ones in our rm n baby rm. He said Aiya, still got time la..in anycase, he can come home whilst I’m in hosp to wash! I had to nag him like crazy, which drove me nuts, until he started to mop the floor (usually he enjoys doing it)...then as for the fan, he procrastinated until I got so fed up I washed it myself after lunch...over lunch he told me he wanted to go practise golf. U would think I should just chill right? yes I'm trying but I know that time is not at our bidding, plus anything can happen anytime, thus it's crucial to get everything done b4 we think of having fun. Then, after dinner, he said at 11pm he wants to go fren’s house watch soccer. I pouted. N he said I shld go too! Why would I want to go? Num one I dun like soccer. Num 2, 11pm-- if i'm lucky, i should be asleep! I did not want to voice out my grievances as he knew what's going on in my mind. I'm scared shit these few days and yet I've to tolerate such crap. So Off he went n assured me that he was just a call away! FYI he'd take 20mins to get home. N i told him i'd rather call my Dad or an ambulance in that case. it wouldnt be of any difference then. In fact, perhaps taxi uncle would do a better job?

Lastly, he preempted me that he has travel plans in early dec. I asked him: what about full mth? his reply: full mth is calculated base on chinese or English calendar? Lame much?

I try to put myself in his shoes. I understand that with the lil one coming along, friends and work may decelerate. However, who's giving me empathy? We women have our career and social life to balance too. Why do women have to always take the backseat? I would love to, but i'm not a SAHM and neither can I aspire to be one given the financial situation he has. it has been a bittersweet r/s and with the highly anticipated arrival of lil watermelon, although we are both very excited, I'm not quite sure of the future. Skeptical. Worried shit. Right now, I'm flushed with ire and really feel like letting go a torrent of expletives, but for the sake of lil watermelon, i shall hold my piece and simply let my angry bile rise in my throat.

I'm such a hoarder

2011-11-04T20:58:00.007+08:00

Yes... Apart from being a shopping whore, a perfectionist wannabe and a neat freak, there's something else to add to the list --I'm a hoarder!

Was clearing our my kitchen cabinet n look at the amt of things I have to throw:

Apart from clearing the cabinet, had another gynae check up this morning. Second time this wk. the total wk's damage-- $540! Ouch! Dr Ho did another cervix dilation check. This time I'm mentally prepared n Dr Ho, probably sensing my anxiety, guided me to breathe n that certainly helped. However, I still felt violated! Anyhow, the verdict-- I'm not ripe yet! 2 more days to EDD n I'm thankful it's a long wkend thus the hub is here for me. For the past 39 weeks i've been waiting for this moment. The birth plan is written, bag is packed, and im sure that any minute now i will feel the first contraction. Gulp! And then... nothing. Not even a twinge. Everyone is anxiously anticipating lil watermelon's arrival. Even daddy dearest called me!! A rare gesture as daddy dearest is a man of few words. Maybe I need to gv lil watermelon a nudge though mil says the longer the smarter! The following methods are how one can stimulate labour:

Nipple stimulation
It is when you gently rub or roll your nipples to encourage the start of contractions. The idea is to stimulate the suckling of your baby. This releases oxytocin, a hormone which causes contractions to start. Nipple stimulation could well work if you're ready for labour. The hormone oxytocin is released in your body when your breasts are stimulated.

Oxytocin helps your labour progress. It controls the contractions of your uterus (womb) during labour. Midwives sometimes use a synthetic type of oxytocin to induce labour. Oxytocin also stimulates the flow of breastmilk. So nipple stimulation can help labour start, but only if your cervix has already started to soften, thin and open ready for labour. In a study, 37 per cent women who had tried nipple stimulation went into labour within 72 hours compared to just six per cent of those who had not.

Nipple stimulation tricks your body into thinking you are suckling your baby. This means you'll need to gently massage the dark area around your nipple (areola), not just the tip of your nipple.
Place your palm over the areola and move in a circular motion, firmly and gently. You may need to continue doing this for some time. Stimulate your breasts for an hour, three times a day. Spend 15 minutes continually stimulating one breast, and then alternate to the other breast for 15 minutes until the hour is up.

If you're having a healthy pregnancy and you haven't had any complications then it's fine to try nipple stimulation. It won't over-stimulate your uterus, which could be dangerous for your baby.
Please don't try if u hv a high risk pregnancy.

Raspberry leaf
Raspberry leaf can be taken as a tea or in tablet form. It is thought it may stimulate your uterus and encourage labour. Raspberry leaf won't help to bring on your labour, but it may help it to progress well once it's started. It will work best if you start taking it when you're about 32 weeks pregnant, not before. That's because raspberry leaf can have a stimulating effect on your uterus (womb). If you start taking raspberry leaf at 32 weeks, it'll have plenty of time to build up in your system. I'm probably a little late but better late than never.

You can take raspberry leaf as a tea, or in tablet form. To help prepare the muscles of your uterus for labour, you could start with one cup of tea a day, gradually increasing to three cups.

One study has shown that raspberry leaf could speed up the second stage of labour and reduce the need for assisted birth.

Sex
Having sex can be tricky when you have a big bump. But it could trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone which causes contractions. Having an orgasm could also stimulate your uterus to get labour going. Id like to do this but the bump isn't exactly putting me in the mood.

Walking
The pressure of your baby's head pressing down on your cervix from the inside could stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone which causes contractions. Being upright also encourages your baby to move down onto your cervix. According to obstetrician baby is down n engaged, perhaps I'm too tense?

In anycase, I'm a believer of letting nature take its course so m trying to chill m enjoy the remaining days of couple hood though the hub is showing his excitement too by always telling me that the lil watermelon is knocking on the door. Ironically, last night after arriving Hm at 830pm, he wanted to join the boys for soccer at 9pm! That will lead to supper which in other words, he won't be back till midnight! Talk about enjoying couple hood! Grr. To redemn himself, he rushed Hm to whip up a top shell cream sauce spaghetti for us tonight. :) this was probably to reciprocate my efforts last night:

The poor thing did not have a proper dinner. Due to the lack of ingredients, I could only make do with a breakfast menu.

To keep my hands busy n mind off things, here's my other project of the day:

Ohhh n lastly, I got my fix of rum ball cake ($1 per tiny pc) and coconut tarts(70cents per tart) from my favorite stall: Donna Manis @ Katong Shopping Centre. A Quaint small confectionary. Fresh out of the oven! Heavenly:

Pain

2011-11-03T23:20:00.001+08:00

Movements have been utterly ardous n excrutiating. A simple task like getting up from the couch or bed is tedious. Each time the prickly feeling hits the V area I'll jump. Lil watermelon's kicks have also been intense till it hurts. Sleeping has also been agonizing. Upwards, sideways it all doesn't work. Upwards-- presses on my lungs; sideways -- supposedly gd for the heart if it's towards the left but lil watermelon apparently doesn't quite like it. The bladder despite cutting down on fluids at night, is constantly full every 2- 3 hrs.. A prelude or test of what to come I believe.

Was rather emo today. Have been hoping that the hubs could spend more couple time with me before the little one comes along -- which could be anytime! Unfortunately work has been pretty intense and each day when the clock strikes 530pm I'll text him only to learn that I'm to dine alone again. Can't blame him as diaper money's more important. However this evening, he rushed Hm not for me but to go for soccer⚡that was after telling him I wanted to go for a stroll w him n walking alone to his parents' Plc had been very arduous. Tears rolled down uncontrollably. On the one hand I know that he may not be able to attend soccer practice all that often in thd coming weeks, on the other hand, I'm the pregnant wife and with my edd being this Sunday, I, ME, YrsTRuly is of top and highest priority!

To get my mind off such thoughts and keep myself occupied, below are the projects of the day:

Inducing Labour

2011-11-03T10:59:00.004+08:00

3 days more to countdown. Wonder what's Lil watermelon thinking right now. Went for the weekly checkup on Tuesday and the Dr Ho threw out the option of induction. It caught me by surprise as I've not reached full term. more importantly, he wanted to do it the NEXT DAY! i'm sooooo not ready for the pain! Then, realising that according to the Chinese Almanac, 3 Nov is supposedly a good day, I requested for that day if an induction were to be done. Silence. Apparently I've made a very silly and unscientific statement which dumbfounded Dr Ho. As with most doctors, Dr Ho does not quite believe in "lucky days"...but on the contrary, as like most mothers, I would like everything to be perfect. Upon explanation however, I realise that it doesn't mean that if you were induced today, it means you are gonna pop today! In Singapore, the typical practice is to have a pill popped into your V area to help dilate the cervix. The cervix has to be dilated to 10cm before the baby can be naturally delivered (Dear God please let mine dilate naturally!-- muttering a prayer)

What does it mean to induce labor?

(Credits: http://www.babycenter.com)

If your labor doesn't start on its own, your practitioner can use medication and other techniques to bring on (or induce) contractions. She can use some of the same methods to augment, or speed up, your labor if it stops progressing for some reason. In 2006, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 5 births in the United States was induced. This rate more than doubled from 1990.

Why would my labor be induced?

Your practitioner will recommend induction when the risks of waiting for labor to start on its own are higher than the risks of the procedures used to get your labor going. This may be the case when:

You're still pregnant one to two weeks past your due date. Experts advise waiting no longer than that to give birth because it puts you and your baby at greater risk for a host of problems. For example, the placenta may become less effective at delivering nutrients to your baby, increasing the risk of a stillbirth or serious problems for your newborn.

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Live birth: Induction

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In addition, if your baby gets too big, your labor is more likely to be prolonged or stalled, your chances of needing a c-section are higher, and both you and your baby have an increased risk of injury during a vaginal delivery.
Your water breaks and your labor doesn't start on its own. In this case, you'll be induced to decrease the risk of infection to your uterus and your baby, which is more of a concern once your membranes have ruptured. (However, if your baby is still very premature, your practitioner may hold off on inducing labor.)
Tests show that your placenta is no longer functioning properly, you have too little amniotic fluid, or your baby isn't thriving or growing as he should.
You develop preeclampsia, a serious condition that can endanger your health and restrict the flow of blood to your baby.
You have a chronic or acute illness – such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease – that threatens your health or the health of your baby.
Are there any techniques I can try at home to get my labor going?
No do-it-yourself methods have been proven consistently to be both safe and effective. Here's the scoop on some of the techniques you may have heard about:
Sexual intercourse: Semen contains some prostaglandins and having an orgasm may stimulate some contractions. A few studies have shown that having sex at term may decrease the need for labor induction, but others have found no effect on promoting labor.
Nipple stimulation: Stimulating your nipples releases oxytocin and may help start labor. While it's a time-honored approach, more research is needed to determine how effective it is. And because there's a possibility of overstimulating your uterus (and stressing your baby), it's not something you'd want to try without being monitored. Sometimes – more often when the end of labor is in sight – a practitioner will suggest nipple stimulation to provide a little extra help with contractions.
Castor oil: Castor oil is a strong laxative. Although stimulating your bowels may cause some contractions, there's no definitive proof that it helps induce labor – and you're likely to find the effect on your gut very unpleasant.
Herbal remedies. A variety of herbs are touted as useful for labor induction, but there isn't enough evidence to prove that any of them are both safe and effective. Some are risky because they can overstimulate your uterus and may be unsafe for your baby for other reasons as well.

After Dr Ho has laid out all the pros and cons, we decided against it though everyone in the family is anxiously anticipating the day. Apparently, the older generation thinks that it's an easy and risk-less procedure, thus I had to educate the MIL as she wanted lil watermelon to be induced on 1.11.11. In anycase, Dr Ho did a cervix check for me and too bad, I'm not ripe yet! Being un-mentally prepared, I was totally caught off-guard with that procedure and felt terribly pain and violated as he stuck his two fingers into me!! I'm still very traumatized and it seems like this is the standard Singapore hospital procedure to check for cervix dilation. OH NO!

On other matters, whilst trying to keep my mind off this wait game, my nesting instincts have once again bitten me. In preparation for the mountain of food that the MIL needs to store in my fridge and perhaps bottles of breastmilk, I decided to give my fridge a good scrub!

Look at all the expired stuff and this is just 80% of the things I threw!

EEwwwww....Think it must have been a year since I've cleaned it! OPS!

Yeah! Space!

And more space!!:)

In preparation for confinement, the MIL has brought over most of the herbs and "goodies" over to my place. Am very thankful that she has offered to help me with confinement thus saving us a bit of moolah. Hopefully no conflict will arise as in the case of many. I think everything happen for a reason. Empress Dowager is in a totally oblivious mode (apart from blessing me), whilst the MIL is constantly in and out of Msia and markets, sourcing for the best ingredients. Am truly appreciative.

Inspired by R's blog, I decided to try my hands at scrambled eggs. Realised that I have never scramble an egg before and yum yum, it tasted pretty good!

Leaving you with an adorable looking phone found in the MIL's house! hahhaha
*BLEAH*

Simple and Beautiful Felt Roses

2011-10-31T17:09:00.005+08:00

When one is bored, one gets crafty. Just want to pen this down for future reference. Am so so inspired!

Credits to http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com

It's really so simple and I did it!!!! The last picture was made my me! Yeah! i can start making pweety hair accessories etc for my lil watermelon! :)

It seems to be an addiction...with the hubs constantly at meetings these days and MIL not cooking, I'm left to entertain myself with MORE crafts which isn't such a bad idea. Below is craft no. 2 of the day:

1. Cut a strip of felt 1 inch wide and 4 (to 4.5) inches long. Cut a second strip of felt that is 1 cm wide and about 1 inch long. Lastly, cut out 2 pieces that will go behind the bow.

2. Dab a little hot glue down the center of the strip. Fold over both edges and press down until the glue starts to dry. This side will be the back of the bow. Don't use too much glue or it will harden and be difficult to work with.

3. Before the glue completely dries, pinch the front middle of the bow until the glue hardens.

4. Flip the bow over and fold up the edges to give the bow little creases. Then glue the strip around the center of the bow. You may need to trim it so that none of it is visible from the front.

5. Glue the 2 ribbon-like pieces to the back of the bow. Make sure that they are the right size and shape before you attach them.

6. Ta da!

Credits to http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com

Auspicious Dates for baby

2011-10-31T10:45:00.004+08:00

With hardly any fresh ingredients in my fridge, and majority of my nesting instincts satisfied, there's hardly anything to do today. Really got to find things to occupy myself before my thoughts start running wild. It's really quite a mystery as to when lil watermelon decides to make her appearance. Both daddy and mommy are anxiously anticipating as many things have to planned around that all important day. In fact, everyone's so anxious that they are asking me to get the doctor to induce labour and get baby out on 1-1-11. Nice if baby can hear me. Below is something interesting I found. some people actually choose to go C-sec due to auspicious dates. n guess what? 1-1-11 is indeed an auspicious date:

Blogging on the go

2011-10-30T19:21:00.002+08:00

With the advent of technology, iPads iPods iPhones etc I should not take a backseat, not when I've already inherited the iphone3 fm the hubs. So I made it a pt to download blogger app so I'm able to blog on the go.. Haha no excuse for the lack of post now hopefully. Come to think of it, perhaps I can even blog whilst going through labour? A high tech form of epidural?

Moving along, a quick first update using the blogger app. Took sips of coconut water today as many swears tt the bb will come out 'cleaner' however there's another sch of thought which says that it will cause yr legs to weaken n this no strength to push. So what shld I do? Strike a balance

Tender coconut water (elaneer / nariyal pani) is one of the richest sources of electrolytes. It is high in chlorides, potassium, and magnesium and has a moderate amount of sugar, sodium and protein. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and heart function. Coconut water is also a good source of dietary fibre, manganese, calcium, riboflavin and Vitamin C. Coconut water is a natural diuretic and so increases the flow of urine; this helps prevent urinary tract infections (UTI) as well as reduces the incidence of kidney stones. Coconut water also helps relieve constipation, improves intestinal function and promotes digestive health -– it is often recommended to people suffering from acidity and ulcers. These are the scientific benefits of drinking coconut water. However, there is a myth saying that the baby will come out "cleaner" if the preggie mum drinks coconut water in her last tri. In actual fact, the fetus is cleaner because fernik fat (fat that covers the body of the fetus) decreases. If he was born over 36 weeks of age will be born clean. If less months fernik then there is still fat in the skin, it’s not dirty but fat protecting the fetus in the mother’s stomach.

In addition to fresh coconut, I had my 2wks crave for Bo Bo Cha Cha finally satisfied! YUMZ! it's been a while since i had it!

Check out the cool shoes this dude has!! the people at the next table all don with fashionable clothings and vogue hairstyle. Even the little boy had a lopsided haircut just like his mama. The Japanese sure know how to make a statement!

Distracting myself with Crafts

2011-10-30T18:12:00.004+08:00

The rains and floods have dried up (for a short while only I hope!) and today is well, a relatively nice a sunny day. However, somehow, I haven't had it good for the last couple of days. Been feeling nauseous and had two bouts of vomiting spells over the last two days. It feels like I'm in the first trimester all over again. The feeling is all too familiar. Read up about it and apparently nauseousness is a sign of labour!! AHHHHH somebody quick call the ambulance!

Ok, to distract myself, I've been doing heaps of late. Firstly, I'm proud to say that after all the technical glitches and obstacles, the highly anticipated and procrastinated project of mine...it's like a baby to me too...is launched -- JUMPSTART TUTORS!

Jumpstarttutors is dedicated to help parents get the right tutor to bring out the genius potential that lives within the heart of every child so that together we may pave the way to a better tomorrow. Being an educator for so many years, I feel it's time to help more parents cope with the whole education frenzy.

Being a very aesthetic person, the site had to be close to perfection before its launch. I won't deny but I'm no HTML guru or CSS stylesheet reader thus the whole experience was pretty exasperating especially when you know there's help just an arm's length away (the hub) but you can't get it because he's always so preoccupied. So independence worked its way and paid off! I even designed my own business card for the record! Achievement much! With all these creativity mounting, my obsession with crafts started to bloom once again. Checked out several craft sites set up by SAHMs and am inspired! If only i have the time and resources, but most importantly, can be a SAHM!!! I realise how much I can achieve, given time, but yet again, to have time, we need money! It's the hard truth. Very often I envision myself marrying my passion and work but somehow, it's just so hard.

Anyhowz, check out the crafty resources which I've pooled together and hopefully will embark on them one day soon! Afterall, Xmas is round the corner!

This is pretty manageable. I'm sure I can do something like that for my desk before the new year :)...it is also a necessity since memory failure is here to stay for at least 2 more years after pregnancy according to sources.

Jessie J -- Price Tag

2011-10-29T02:05:00.001+08:00

I didn't realise my cousin is so talented. God is fair :)

As the wait begins

2011-10-27T13:00:00.007+08:00

It's day 7 of rest and rest I did. I surprised myself just how much I can actually sleep. Ok I don't exactly sleep all that much as I've been getting up periodically at 1am/ 3am/ 6am and finally at 8am. But the ability to get so much done during my rest days is amazing. Oh, and watch TV. I can't remember the last time I watched TV like this - lying on the couch endlessly flipping channels and spacing out. Wow, is this how most people spend their time relaxing?! (as opposed to doing 90000 things and getting oneself frustrated?!)

Well, just to share....some of the things I did over the past few days:

Met up with E sis on a Monday. Such luxury! Planned to do a mani and pedi (since I can hardly reach my toes) and decided against making and appointment thinking that no one in the right mind would be doing such a tai tai-ish thing at 12noon. WELL WRONG! apparently there are a lot of tai tais or perhaps "rich aunties" around and 3 palours I visited were full! Almost giving up, I chanced upon this place at Victoria Street (Bugis Village) called Nail Spa and decided to give them a buzz. It took them by surprise that I was coming NOW. It was a pretty good deal -- First trial: $38 for a classic mani and pedi. Service was pretty good too. Only qualm i had -- climbing up 3 levels with a basketball with me. Thereafter, we went for a good meal at Iluma. Decided to check out the Ramen festival they were having and oooo, the pork broth was excellent!!! However, somehow, no char siew in Singapore seem to meet the quality of Japan. Personally, I'm not a fan of the fats on the char siew but after my maiden trip to Japan with H, I decided to give it a chance. The ones in Tokyo simply MELTS in your mouth. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Singapore's standard.Desserts are a must these days. Ended off nicely with a Goma Cheesecake at Shokudo (dont know if I got the spelling right).

Desserts were certainly the theme for last wkend when I caught up with XL and H. More than often, meeting up with friends whom you have not seen but yet have that familiar feeling, is a basket of joy. This time, I suggested GOBI as I wanted to check out their full month cakes. Typical Singaporean attitude? I think not given that most places require 2 wks advance order. Anywayz, I was very impressed with their meticulous efforts in creating their masterpieces. They were too pretty to be eaten. Service was good as the staff, seeing that I was a potential customer, gave me a sample of the full month cake. It was a tad too sweet but more importantly, I doubt the seniors would appreciate such gifts. I'd probably come across as stingy in their minds should I be giving out only two tiny 2inch chocolate pastries, 2 ang ku kways and 2 red eggs. Will probably have to go for the typical economical kind in the market. Boo.

Had an overwhelming urge to order the "FANTASY" despite having two of the below. Shared it with XL and H in case it dawns upon you that I'm such a glutton!

Awesome apple tart. Can't remember the exact name but it was DELISH!
Molten Chocolate Lava Cake -- All time favourite!

They say that if you are having a girl, you tend to have a sweet tooth. The initial stages of my pregnancy did not show such signs but somehow, such cravings are surfacing these days. A fortunate thing as well coz if it started off too fast and furious, there may be a tendency for gestational diabetes. Which is why I've avoided the King of fruits -- DURIAN till today...ok I was guilty on two accounts, but give the woman a break!

Empress Dowager treated me to brunch the other day. It was a little Thai restuarant near her work place. I must say the food was rather decent and for the above, we paid only $17.90!! how awesome is that? Lil watermelon was probably on a Thai spree as that evening, the hub and I had another round of Thai food at Mad Thai along East Coast Road. On a semi-related note, Empress Dowager decided to throw a bomb at me: She's going on a short trip to Msia on 6 Nov which is supposedly my EDD. THanks for being there for me Mom! I constantly remind myself that I mustn't be anything like her.

The above were quite some time ago but didn't really have the time to blog. Cousin-in-law was back for a bit from Australia thus the family decided to feast on crabs. On a usual day, I would be jumping in joy, but ever since having lil watermelon, I try to avoid. According to the Chinese, eating crabs would result in the kid being very "touchy"..can't keep his/her hands to themselves. On a more scientific note, crabs feast on decaying stuff thus it wouldn't be wise to be introducing such matter to the tummy right this moment. However, the family, in particular the MIL didn't really quite understand my rationale and was busy discussing my nonsensical theory. In the end, I gave in to pressure and temptation. I'd definitely be back for more after a month or so! The BBQ crabs were decked with so much roe!! Mind you, advance booking of the exact quantity is needed. We wanted extras, but the chef told us there weren't any left at 8pm!

Been trying to clear out the fridge and treat myself better with nourishing homecook food. It has been a while since I've cooked and am so glad I haven't lost the touch. I would say that I am a B+ cook, verging on A sometimes. Cooking is always therapeutic for me and having homecooked lunch/ dinner on a weekday is such a luxury for me!! Wish such times don't have an expiry date to it.

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.

~ Harriet Van Horne.

Friend W kindly lent us his DSLR in anticipation of lil watermelon's arrival. I've been in a dilemma as to whether we should get a DSLR, but have been hesitating due to its bulk and price. Thus when the hub managed to borrow it from W, I was ecstatic and tested it out on the above clothes shoot. From the looks of things, the amount of clothes that lil watermelon has is gaining on mommy! Am soooo jealous that I didn't have such adorable numbers when I was young!

Iowa Couple Married for 72 Years Dies Holding Hands, 1 Hour Apart - ABC News

2011-10-23T00:53:00.001+08:00

THIS IS JUST TOO TOUCHING!!! MUST READ!

By CHRISTINA NG

Oct. 19, 2011

A devoted Iowa couple married for 72 years died holding hands in the hospital last week, exactly one hour apart.

The passing reflected the nature of their marriage, where, "As a rule, everything was done together," said the couple's daughter Donna Sheets, 71.

Gordon Yeager, 94, and his wife Norma, 90, left their small town of State Center, Iowa, on Wednesday to go into town, but never made it. A car accident sent the couple to the emergency room and intensive care unit with broken bones and other injuries. But, even in the hospital, their concerns were each other.

"She was saying her chest hurt and what's wrong with Dad? Even laying there like that, she was worried about Dad," said the couple's son, Dennis Yeager, 52. "And his back was hurting and he was asking about Mom."

When it became clear that their conditions were not improving, the couple was moved into a room together in beds side-by-side where they could hold hands.

"They joined hands; his right hand, her left hand," Sheets said.

Gordon Yeager died at 3:38 p.m. He was no longer breathing, but the family was surprised by what his monitor showed.

"Someone in there said, 'Why, then, when we look at the monitor is the heart still beating?'" Sheets recalled. "The nurse said Dad was picking up Mom's heartbeat through Mom's hand."

"And we thought, 'Oh my gosh, Mom's heart is beating through him,'" Dennis Yeager said.

Norma Yeager died exactly an hour later.

"Dad used to say that a woman is always worth waiting for," Dennis Yeager said. "Dad waited an hour for her and held the door for her."

The inseparable couple was engaged and married within 12 hours in 1939 on the day Norma Yeager graduated from high school.

"She graduated from high school on May 26, 1939, at about 10 a.m., and at about 10 p.m. that night she was married to my dad at his sister's house," Sheets said.

The vibrant duo had a "very, very full life."

They worked as a team. They traveled together, they were in a bridge club together and they worked in a Chevrolet dealership, creamery and other businesses together.

"They always did everything together," Sheets said. "They weren't apart. They just weren't."

Dennis Yeager described his father as an "outgoing" and "hyper" man who was still working on the roof of his house and sitting cross-legged with no problem at age 90.

"The party didn't start until he showed up," he said. "He was the outgoing one and she supported him by being the giver. She supported Dad in everything. And he would've been lost without her."

Dennis Yeager said it is strange today to go into his parents' home and see the "two chairs side-by-side that they sat in all the time," empty. He said it was in those chairs that his parents cheered on the Arizona sports teams they loved and rarely missed an episode of "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price Is Right."

According to their obituary, besides their children, the Yeagers are survived by her sister, Virginia Kell, and his brother, Roger Yeager, as well as 14 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Their grandson Randy Yeager said he has been inspired in his own 13-year marriage by his grandparents' loving and lasting marriage.

"Grandpa and I were talking this summer about all of the people getting divorced for this reason or that and he mentioned that nobody stays together anymore," Randy Yeager wrote to ABCNews.com in an email. "I told [him] that my wife Mara and I would never be getting a divorce and he said, 'That's because you're old school, like me!'

"That was one of the greatest compliments I could have ever received and one I will strive to live up to for the rest of my life," Randy Yeager said.

The couple were put in a casket together holding hands for their funeral this week, but are being cremated and will have their ashes mixed before burial.

"All their life has been together," Sheets said. "So, when it came to the funeral home, the family asked, 'Can we have them put in the casket together holding hands?' Because that's the way their life was."

Freebies galore!

2011-10-22T20:54:00.005+08:00

Good news! Lil Watermelon is engaged as at 37 wks 5 days!!! WOOHOO! Have forgotten to ask the gynae is it's in the posterior or Anterior position. Am hoping that it'd be the latter. It's a wonderful and relieving news however, at the same time, it being only Day 2 of my rest day, I'm really hoping the lil one will allow mommy to rest a little more before deciding to make her appearance! I sooo need to sleep!!!

Have been running loads of last minute errands and making sure things are in place. Confinement stuff have been settled. Namely:

Herbs (30 packets compliments from the MIL!! WOOHOO!! i can bathe everyday if i like!)
Klorane Dry shampoo
Pads pads and more pads!! (apparently one can bleed anything from 5 days to 2 mths after giving birth!)
Disposable gloves (in case i need to touch water during the first month)
Liquid disinfectant (hygiene is still important even though we aren't allowed to touch water. A myth which I choose to abide....don't wish for those aches and pains to haunt me in future!)

The hospital bag has been packed. More or less I guess...though somehow there's still a slight unsettled feeling. Mommy matters settled, now for baby. Below are some freebies to share:

Diaper Sample
Drypantz / Drypers Diaper 1800 466 3002
http://www.drypers.com.sg/#/request-sample
Fitti / Pet Pet Diaper 6861 9155
Huggies / Pull Up Pants / Little Swimmers Diaper 1800 484 4437 http://www.huggies.com.sg/free-sample.aspx
Mamypoko / Pull Up Pants Diaper 6265 1648
√ Goo.N Diapers – Register and get a free sample of the Goo.N Diaper.

Milk Powder Sample
I shall monitor the breastmilk flow before requesting for any. Am really hoping that things will work out nicely.
(Mamil series) Milk www.dumex.com.sg
NutriLine at 1800 265 3188
Friso Milk http://www.friso.com.sg
Friso hotline at 64198484
contactus@friso.com.sg
Abbott (Similac / Gain / Grow / Pediasure / Isomil) Milk http://www.abbott.com.sg/family/free_sample.asp Wyeth (Promil Gold / Progress Gold / Promise Gold) Milk http://www.wyethnutrition.com.sg
1800-6886886
√ Nestle – You can’t ask for free samples over the Internet for nestle. But there’s a customer service number which you can call to ask for NAN sample and Brown Rice/White Rice cereal samples. Updated on 21 March 2011 – You can now join Nestle Baby Club and request to be sent a NANPRO or NAN-HA when baby turns 6 months old!
Mead Johnson (Enfa series) Milk http://www.meadjohnsonasia.com/
√ Enfa – Here’s the Enfapro, Enfagrow & Enfakid or Enfamama milk powder. If you sign up as the club member, they will send you a 400g tin of milk powder when your baby is 6 months old. After which, they will send 2 packets of the 1 year old milk powder. But if I remember correctly, their membership has an expiry date.
Karihome goats milk Milk Punggol Plaza 2nd floor kids shop

Others (Baby Stuff)

√ Depending on which hospital you gave birth to your child, you will get a Bag of Love or the Baby Plus guidebook. Check out here.

√ If you are staying in the southwest district, you can get a babybliss cash-card valued at $38! This amount is good for paying off some ERP or car park charges right?! For those who do not drive, you can buy your baby items and pay off using the cash-card. Check out details here.

Sanitary Pads

√ Kao Laurier

√ Fennel

You may call me a cheapo but having a kid is no joke at all, especially when the mommy herself is high-maintenance. Thank goodness for the host of resources! On an entirely separate note, empress dowager has informed that she'd be going on tour to JB on Nov 6 which is supposedly my EDD and the hubs has pre-empted me that he needs to travel from Nov 14-15. Talk about having pre-post-natal blues!!! I really hope and pray that all will go well and it's not wishful thinking that everything's gonna be a breeze.

We have come this far

2011-10-16T20:56:00.010+08:00

Week 36 and the clock is ticking into Week 37.
Finally, we are done with our antenatal class. The last being on the topic of marriage enrichment. Throughout, the dear hubs was oblivious and engrossed in his iphone. The bane of technology. I dont blame him. Marriage isn't something that can be "taught"...it's a lesson in life which all must go through. No textbook will prepare one for the ups and downs in marriage. Suffice to say, whenever whatever we go through together must be taken in stride. However, an interesting question asked by the coordinator: What are your primary concerns when the baby comes along? An array of answers were given: will there be us time? who will look after the baby? ....The same thought was probably swimming in both hub's and my mine: how are we gonna handle our finances? After the class, I asked him if this was the thought that struck him and why didn't anyone raise this important question? His answer -- coz everyone's egoistic. True.

Well, there's no use mulling over such a thing and having a kid sure comes with a truckload of sacrifice. There's no 30-day moneyback guarantee, store or return policy or 1-for-1 exchange for a new model/ colour.

The weekend has been an extremely fulfilling one -- Decorated the nursery, washed nappies (2nd last load); attended the last antenatal class; celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary over a good dinner @ La Cantina and presented ourselves with a memorable gift -- took some really good maternity shots. As reluctant as he was, the hub was a good sport and went along. With this lil watermelon besotted to us, before she makes her grand entrance, I thought we should really capture the moment (even though it came with a hefty price tag!)

Other developments:
face and hair seemingly getting oilier as we progress into the last lap
Lil watermelon has grown to a whopping 2.7kg
Feet and fingers are in a state of water-retention (can't wear my wedding band and none of my heels fit!)
Calves are not spared too...none of my jeans go beyond the calves!
Feeling very sleepy most of the time
Am hoping the wriggling action will not end and continue for a longer time :)

The nursery has come together finally! green's good for the lil one's eyes. See the little details: rabbits hopping around? I can also mark lil bub's height on the leaves with chalk. Lovely idea! Now i just need to work on my little mushrooms...probably my one mth confinement project if I have the energy and time!

Jane (the photographer) was really good at creating the mood. The hub isn't great at smiling with teeth showing whilst I'm the exact opposite.

Oh man! the stretchmarks!! URGH

Looking like I'm carrying a basketball!

One of my favourite shots!
Looks like some ad for Motherhood or Young Parents

Finally a less serious and comic shot from the hub!

There are several more "obscenely artistic" shots. This is by far my most daring attempt. The hub wasn't too supportive though. The photographer had to tell him not to show the "black face" when he's home. But beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder...when we saw the raw photos, he was pretty pleased.

It's quite a weird feeling and the whole parents-to-be feeling hasn't really sunk in. But I think what we want to achieve as parents will soon begin to crystalise within our minds.

Thank you for 14 years of crazy years! I love you dear!

Unpredictability in Babies - Bathing & more

2011-10-08T23:00:00.004+08:00

Taking notice of the little details make me light up. Even though the hubs isn't with me for the last 2 wks, my little cantaloupe is enthusiastically keeping me company and not to mention awake. It's fun to keep track of how she grows and in the blink of an eye, I'm moving into wk 36!! OMG! somebody shoot me! It's been 9 mths already? This is moving all too fast!

The last two weeks had been utterly overwhelming. That might have been an understatement. With the hub travelling intensely, I had to attend the antenatal classes myself. Thankfully the hubs managed to catch the class on labour where the various pain-relief methods were shared. During the video screening, both of us looked at each other with fear sketched on our faces. Crimson red blood isn't our thing, but sweet enough, the hub said he will be there for me. Let's hope and pray that isn't lip service. Despite close gfs offering to go with me and hinting to the SIL that I needed company (only to receive no reply on the matter), I decided to be the independent woman of the millennium and drive myself to Mt A for class. It's really no laughing matter to be driving at this stage. Getting in and out of the car is beginning to be a chore. Ingesting heaps of new info after a long day at work is also brain-draining. I've even resorted to snapping a video of bathing the newborn as my brain was simply on standby mode. Information was so overloading that we ran into overtime and the whole lesson lasted for 2.5hours instead of 2hours. By the time I headed home and had dinner, it was already 930pm. Considerably early compared to if I were to be working -- a consolation much?

During the whole time, hubbies were whipping up their iphones, taking shots of their wives practising the cradle hold or the football hold while I wallow in self-pity. Ok, I didn't really have the strength to dwell on that but indeed, loneliness was enveloping me. The only shot I managed to take was of the fake doll. I didn't want to look like a crazy woman trying to camwhore with a doll. Like I mentioned before, this whole journey seems to be a PHD. The amount of information and books given by others have not even been 1/4 touched. Sadly, I'm not much of a reader. Solution- To compile whatever I have learnt in bite size. Here's some to share:
Interesting note to self: If baby has the cradle cap, apply olive oil. Myth or fact? hmmmm..

Meanwhile, checklist:
Hospital bag 80% packed
Baby closet packed
Decor for nursery & playpen -- arrived but still in incubation
Pre-admission hospitalisation form -- to be submitted
Name for little cantaloupe -- Still working on it

Somehow, no matter how prepared one is, there's this feeling of settlement. But for now, I shall just embrace the love and company of my love one and look forward to an exciting time next week! It's gonna be a special moment next wkend! :)

"LIFE IS TOO UNPREDICTABLE TO LIVE BY A SCHEDULE

THE COURSE OF LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE. NO ONE CAN WRITE HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN ADVANCE"

Nesting instincts

2011-09-15T00:35:00.006+08:00

At Week 32,

MUMMY is:

Very tired due to the extensive amount of work
A little worried that she can't cope
Not sleeping too well as the lungs are compressed
Can't sleep sideways coz baby likes to rock and roll
Easily frustrated by scheduling problems (pre-preg or not, this is still frustrating)
Still working till an average of 10pm and settling down only at 1 / 2am
Feels very unprepared and unsettled
Sweating like a pig
Has not completed the antenatal classes
Engross in getting cutie stuff for lil bub
Very grateful for the help from people who are not close. On the contrary, am disappointed that all those close (apart from the MIL) has not contributed in anyway. Just a note: one parent called to say she has an infant seat to pass on; another parent passed on some bottles; n another said she wanted to buy a pram for me!! (which I rejected of coz!)...but am definitely counting my blessings

DADDY is:

Still having travel plans at the end of the month and early October
Still not buying the expendables and start on the washing process
Thinks there's 2 more months and heaps of time
Fearing that he won't have time for golf and is desperately trying to golf on a Sunday (a day when we are suppose to get our act together)
Sleeping much earlier than mummy

Lil Bub is

now a honeydew (estimated size of 48cm and 2kg -- will have to verify this Friday)
Pushing a whole lot due to the lack of space (it's a really comforting feeling and feel very blessed. It's a blessing which is very well disguised)

Gratitude, like faith, is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows, and the more power you have to use it on your behalf. If you do not practice gratefulness, its benefaction will go unnoticed, and your capacity to draw on its gifts will be diminished. To be grateful is to find blessings in everything, This is the most powerful attitude to adopt, for there are blessings in everything.
Alan Cohen

The Nursery for little lettuce

2011-09-13T14:02:00.004+08:00

The arrival of lil lettuce is drawing near and the aesthetic part of me really hope to revamp a little corner for the lil one. Imagine having the cherubic angelic smile could melt even the most hardened heart. I envision the pink little lips pouted as the lil one would demand for my attention. Can u imagine the baby gurgling with delight at the toy dangling above his cot, babbling nonsensically to himself while playing with the mobile.

Been researching a bit and found loads of inspiration. Inspiration I've got, but time is a little lacking.
Chalkboard wall for the lil one to draw in future. A little hesitant though, as chalk = dust = allergy?

Am having the above customised. Very excited!!

Aiming to get these mushrooms done. Inspired by http://www.ikeahackers.net/search/label/children?updated-max=2011-05-16T09%3A14%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=20

Another inspiration from Ikea Hackers. However, the amount of space would not be enough for the amount of books I have!

The hub managed to fit the curtain rod into my book shelf and converted it to a baby closet! YEAH! I can start washing all the pwetty dresses and displaying them! Imagine a walk-in closet for a newborn! LUCKY THING!

The mountain of books I have amassed over the years have grown. I can't seem to throw as they are my bread and butter. The solution -- Buy another BILLY from Ikea! It was such achievement to fill them up! (oh no...that means I can't buy anymore!)

Really love this tree but it's retailing at approximately $800!

Adorable much? But hmm why do I need it?

Antenatal Lesson 2 - Physiotherapy

2011-09-13T13:39:00.004+08:00

I've done so much the last few days, I feel somewhat accomplished! With so much on my plate, it's really important to pace myself.

The massive amount of prep work done on Sunday! 4 full hours. Felt so drained at the end of it but looked forward to comedy date with the hub at 1030pm. Had a really good night's sleep that day.

Session two was on Physio..something which I really look forward to. Unfortunately, the massage bit was a tad disappointing. They emphasized more on touch. A sensual aspect between couples. The hub and I aren't exactly sensual when it comes to hardcore massage and the fact that I'm really aching, I really don't appreciate such techniques. Thankfully the hub knows me best and exerted the right pressure and skill on me :)

As a reminder to self, I've posted the notes given by the hospital:

At the end of the session, I asked if there's any cure for upper backpain which has been nagging me insanely every night. Seems like upper back is not as common as lower back thus there isn't much one can do. The gynae attributed this to poor posture. Yes, I'm guilty of it, but seriously I just need to slouch at times. Carrying a basketball, walking and driving myself around isn't exactly the most luxurious thing. I'm also suspecting that i'm having mild Pelvic Girdle Pain. Pregnancy related Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) causes pain, instability and limitation of mobility and functioning in any of the three pelvic joints.The affection appears to consist of relaxation of the pelvic articulations, becoming apparent suddenly after parturition or gradually during pregnancy and permitting a degree of mobility of the pelvic bones which effectively hinders locomotion and gives rise to the most peculiar and alarming sensations.

A combination of postural changes, the growing baby, unstable pelvic joints under the influence of pregnancy hormones and changes in the centre of gravity can all add to the varying degrees of pain or discomfort.

PGP can begin as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. Pain is usually felt low down over the symphyseal joint, this area may be extremely tender to the touch. Pain may also be felt in the hips, groin and lower abdomen and can radiate down the inner thighs. You may waddle or shuffle, and may be aware of an audible clicking sound coming from the pelvis. PGP can develop slowly during pregnancy, gradually gaining in severity as the pregnancy progresses.

During pregnancy and postpartum, the symphyseal gap can be felt moving and/or straining when walking, climbing stairs and turning over in bed. These activities can be difficult or even impossible. Pain may remain static, i.e. in one place such as the front of the pelvis producing the feeling of having been kicked, in other cases it may start in one area and move to other areas, you may even experience a combination of symptoms. Any weight bearing activity has the potential of aggravating an already unstable pelvis producing symptoms that may limit the ability for the woman to carry out many daily activities. She will experience pain involving movements such as dressing, getting in and out of the bath, rolling in bed, climbing the stairs and sexual activity. Pain will also be present when lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.

Severity

The severity and instability of the pelvis can be measured on a three level scale.

Pelvic type 1:The pelvic ligaments support the pelvis sufficiently. Even when the muscles are used incorrectly, no complaints will occur when performing everyday activities. This is the most common situation in persons who have never been pregnant, who have never been in an accident, and who are not hyperactive.

Pelvic type 2:The ligaments alone do not support the joint sufficiently. A coordinated use of muscles around the joint will compensate for ligament weakness. In case the muscles around the joint do not function, the patient will experience pain and weakness when performing everyday activities. This kind of pelvic often occurs after giving birth to a child weighing 3000 grams or more, in case of hyperactivity, and sometimes after an accident involving the pelvis. Type 2 is the most common form of pelvic instability. Treatment is based on learning how to use the muscles around the pelvis more efficiently.

Pelvic type 3:The ligaments do not support the joint sufficiently. This is a serious situation whereby the muscles around the joint are unable to compensate for ligament weakness. This type of pelvic instability usually only occurs after an accident, or occasionally after a (small) accident in combination with giving birth. Sometimes a small accident occurring long before giving birth is forgotten so that the pelvic instability is attributed only to the childbirth. Although the difference between Type 2 and 3 is often difficult to establish, in case of doubt an exercise program may help the patient. However, if Pelvic Type 3 has been diagnosed then invasive treatment is the only option: in this case parts of the pelvis are screwed together.

Causes

Sometimes there is no obvious explanation for the cause of PGP but usually there is a combination of factors such as:

The pelvic joints moving unevenly.
A change in the activity of the muscles in the pelvis, hip, abdomen, back and pelvic floor.
A history of pelvic trauma.
The position of the baby altering the loading stresses on the pelvic ligaments and joints.
Strenuous work.
Previous lower back pain.
Previous pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy.
Hypermobility, genetical ability to stretch joints beyond normal range.
An event during the pregnancy or birth that caused injury or strain to the pelvic joints or rupture of the fibrocartilage.
The occurrence of PGP is associated with twin pregnancy, first pregnancy and a higher age at first pregnancy.

Treatment

Once a diagnosis of pgp has been made there are various treatments that can be applied. One of the main factors in helping women cope with the condition is with education, information and support. Other coping strategies include physical medicine and rehabilitation, physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, psychologist, prolo therapy or platelet-rich plasma therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture and alternative medicine. Mobility aids such as a wheelchair, walker, elbow crutches and walking stick can be very useful. Medication dispensed by a qualified health care provider can also be used to manage:

Chronic pain
Anxiety
Depression
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(resulting from birth trauma/ pregnancy)
Musculo-skeletal disorders.

Some pelvic joint trauma will not respond to conservative type treatments and orthopedic surgery might become the only option to stabilize the joints.

Self help management

Self help management techniques include:

When getting into bed sit on the edge keeping knees close together, lie down on your side, lifting both legs at the same time. Reverse this to get up.
Try not to attempt to pull yourself up from lying on your back.
Keep knees together when rolling over in bed.
Sleep with a pillow between the legs; add more in other areas for support.
When getting into a car: Sit down first and then swing legs keeping them together.
Avoid sofas and chairs that are too low or too soft.
Try to reduce the stress on the joint.
Avoid any movement with your knees apart.
Take smaller steps when walking.
Avoid stairs if possible.
Take breaks.
Move within the limits of pain.
Avoid twisting, bending or squatting.

Many women find floating in a heated pool relieves the pain.

I should seriously and consciously do more stretches. The walking from house to house doesn't amount to a significant amount of exercise it seems. But given my current energy level, all I want is to veg out on the bed and sleep! Sleep-- a luxury it seems! Note to self: not to eat too much durians! For the last 6 mths I hadn't touched any, but last Saturday, I feasted on durians! Wrong move! That very night, my lungs felt extremely compressed and I was sweating in profusion despite the fan being blasted at me. Frustration really mounted when I tossed and turned from 2-6am and finally getting an eye shut for about 2hrs whilst sitting upright.

Keeping calm

2011-09-06T00:09:00.001+08:00

Antenatal Lesson 1 -- Nutrition

2011-09-04T22:56:00.004+08:00

Learning from experience is a faculty almost never practiced -- Barbara Tuchman

Well, in this case, it is indeed never practiced! Antenatal lessons have started. Seems like the kiasu-ism in Singaporean extends to such classes. I had to be on waiting list for a mth and if I were to procrastinate any further and wait for a wkend class, I'd have to wait till October! The hub feels there's no need to spend such money and that he knows everything there is to know about childbirth (MCP at play once again). Yet, education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.

Lesson one was about nutrition for mums-to-be. A tad too late given that I'm 9wks more to countdown. Nevertheless, it made me realise that I should be putting on more weight! Perhaps due to the the vomitting spells during the first tri, it wasn't easy to catch up. Apparently, if you are underweight (BMI less than 18) your total ideal weight gain should be 15.1kg. If you are normal weight to begin with, your ideal weight gain should be 12.7kg. And if you are overweight (BMI more than 23), your weight gain should be 10.2kg. I m of normal weight and currently, I've put on 7+kg. 5kg more to go? I think it's quite possible. I hope all my weight gain is sucked by my lil cabbage. It is said that only approximately 3.5kg of hte total weight gaini s due to the developing baby. The remainder comprises of vital tissues and flluids that nourish and protect the foetus before and after birth.

Eating has become a chore as I have to think of what nutritious food to fill my tummy with. It requires effort from the mother if you want to provide the most conducive environment for the development of your baby. Given the crazy amount of things to deal with right now, food is simply what's available there and then. Guilty much. So what are the calorie requirements during pregnancy? There are four essential food groups that contribute towards a healthy diet. These are:

1) Rice and alternatives. These include rice, pasta and noodles. They provide protein, energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals. One should take approximately 5-7servings a day! (i'm wayyyyyy below that!)

2) Fruits and Veg: They provide fibre, energy, minerals and vits, particularly A and C. Approximately 2 servings.

3) Meat and alternatives: This gp which includes poultry, meat, fish and dairy products, provides protein, energy, vitamin and minerals. Eggs, peas, beans and nuts are also included in this gp. Milk and dairy foods provide the much needed calcium for strengthening teeth and bones. Approximately 2 to 3 servings.

4) Fats, Oils, Sugar, Salt: These include butter and margarine. This gp provides energy, essential fatty acids and vitamins, particularly Vitamins A and D. Quantity: Sparingly.

Effectively, pregnant ladies should pay more attention to protein, calcium, iron, folate and water. Particularly Calcium. The baby requires most in its last tri. Dairy foods are the best sources of calcium. You should aim to take 1000mg of calcium daily. These can come from milk (300mg); yoghurt (290g); Sardines (300mg); Water beancurd (300g); Ikan bilis (300mg); broccoli (240mg). For iron, it's essential for the successful manufacturing of blood. It is major part of a protein called haemoglobin which carries oxygen around your body. I'd like to think that I'm good in this department particularly during the first tri when the MIL cooked liver every other day after my first fainting spell! HOwever, contrary to the believe, liver/ kidney should only be taken once in a while and each time should be approximately a matchbox size! Right now, I'm on vitamin supplements which contains iron and folic acid and it's causing my constipation to return and my stools are dark green! It's normal as the body will not fully absorb thus out it comes. Good sources of folic acid include spinach, broccoli, peanuts, salad vegetables and wholegrain products. However, because folic acid is often lost in cooking, the doctor will prescribe a supplement, often in conjunction with iron. It is more crucial during the first tri for the closure of the spinal cord. In the 2nd and 3rd tri, it contributes to red blood cells.

Drinking plenty of water is always a good idea, but when you are pregnant, it becomes especially important. At this pt, i see several mummies picking up their bottles. I think i'm a little behind in this department. M trying to buck up but the stomach has shrunk tremendously due to the bulk and a little more food/ water causes bloatedness. I should probably step up on the intake as it helps to reduce constipation. Since i'm on this topic, other ways of reducing constipation include:

Increase your consumption of whole grain bread and cereals
eat plenty of vegetables and fruits which are high in fibre
Regular exercise (ok, i'm guilty of not doing so....does walking from place to place count?)

Lastly, I've went home learning a new word -- ODEMA which apparently is what is known as water retention or swelling of legs. This happens for several reasons but one main thing is due to extremely salty foods eg salted fish, eggs or salts veg should be avoided. Canned or preserved foods should also be taken in moderation. That does not mean you should go salt-free. Do not restrict salt intake unless you have been excessive in your consumption. Put your legs up at every opportunity and do some exercises to improve the circulation.

Another interesting thing to take home from lesson 1 was the foods to eat during confinement. Apparently the body loses a lot of heat after birth, thus one must eat more Heaty food. I think that's "Yin" state according to the Chinese beliefs. During confinement, drinking of water is not allowed too apparently! Only red dates and dried longan drink. Hmmm i like that, but wonder if i can take that for long. Fruits are the most forbidden during this period as it is too cooling, with the exception of papaya and durians. The basic idea is not to allow your body lost heat, thus wearing socks and not bathing for a mth (NO WAY!) are some ways. Aircon is apparently fine as long as it's not blasting at you and it isnt too cold. Lastly, some believe that one should not take ginger as it causes jaundice. This is just a myth. But if you bb is born with jaundice, then just take in moderation.

Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts -- Henry B. Adams

Maternity Exchange and more

2011-08-25T12:57:00.008+08:00

My body is literally a factory at the moment. It's using up all my energy stores to create and sustain life. I really want to rest, but due to some selfish parents, I can't. Shit happens every Thursday. at 11pm I'll receive a text to inform me that the kid has something on n that I have to reschedule! I m knackered! Don't these people have something called Shame or responsbility? An eg of the conversation:

ME: I'm having my antenatal course in Sept thus our lessons will be affected
XX: Ohhh..can u come more frequently during the Sept holidays then?
ME (In my reverie): WHICH word in my sentence doesn't she understand?!?

I'm allowed to get some well-deserved rest but the phobia of finances in the next few mths pushes me hard. I won't plonk my ass down for prolonged periods. Too much on my plate:

Collection of lil bub's mattress -- 27 Aug;
Delivery of playpen -- 10 Sept
Delivery of ink cartridges (due to the impending exams, the printing is going to get intense) -- 26 Aug
Setting up and launching of website -- pending
Buying items on Checklist version 1.1 -- pending
Washing of lil bub's clothes, hankies, blankets, toys, nappies -- pending
Decorating (or attempting to do whatever minimal decoration) of nursery -- pending
Finishing my Gina Ford & Glenn Doman -- Pending
6 + 1 sessions of antenatal classes -- September
Cutting of my mane -- unknown

OMG! So many things are pending! n the list goes on. It's insane! As organised as I may seem, I think i've been running around like a headless chicken. Thank goodness for the advent of the Internet..so I'm able to order some stuff and follow up on things after work (which is an insane hour of 10pm on avg). I know i shouldn't rant...hopefully it doesn't cause my amniotic fluid to be acidic. I sit here typing with a little wriggle of joy in my belly. Comforting especially since the hub is still travelling extensively. My biological clock these days has been rather screwed. Not being able to sleep early is already a pain, but waking up way early is insane! Strangely, the back pain is minimised when I have the whole bed to myself! The only perk when the hub is away. The room feels colder when he's not around. Missing him lots perhaps due to the influx of raging hormones. Apart from the backpain, lil bub has been pretty active at night. Loving the flutters though it can get rather intense. The lil bub is also doing quite a fair bit of baby waves. I literally see the wriggle of joy doing the kallang wave! Really wonder what's going on in there. I've approximately 10 weeks more to countdown. Kindof scary since I don't have the full 24hrs to be productive. For now I can only pray that the hub will be around, as promised, when I'm nearly full term!

Meanwhile, a bit of photo update:

Am loving the idea of maternity exchange and am thankful for kind friends. Am also particularly lucky that there's a friend who just had twins and was able to hand-down heaps. Except that it's mostly in blues. But I'm not discriminating coz afterall, I'm more of a blue person than pink! The above and below are just some of the many things kind friends have passed down. From maternity wear (3 big bags!!); mittens (i must have a dozen); 2 sterilizers; a changing station; Bottle rack; milk bottles; clothes; toys; sarong; rocker and some other random items. To think that I was initially worried as most around me are not done with the reproduction process thus would not be too willing to pass on their bb's stuff.

Pump in style (Medela) on loan. Apparently, breastpumps are a trial and error affair! Some mummies I know have two! They don't come cheap in Singapore too. Thank goodness, I only have to buy the parts. In case you need them, you can get them conveniently on:
http://www.mumsfairy.com/ and http://littlethinkies.wordpress.com
That's why i'm thanking the invention of the Internet and entrepreneurship else I wouldn't have gotten so much done with my hectic schedule. With that said, i've yet to place order as it seems that there's a 10% discount at the hospital's retail pharmacy! Am going to check it out on my next visit. With the endless things of things to invest in, I can't help but transform myself into a thrifty buyer. It's quite an interesting journey and amazing to learn how much one can save if research is done. Am also thankful for the helpful mummies out there.

One of the items I got online to clean lil bub's toys. Apparently this brand is used by hospitals and kindergartens! $38.80 for 5 litre.

Even though the hubs has been soaring the skies (I'm not exaggerating here, he has received his gold status in less than a year!), he tries to do his part when he is in town. Was extremely touched when he got his hands dirty and almost broke his neck whilst separating those husks. The oldies believe that a husk bolster placed on his chest is able to calm the little one thus I shared this knowledge with my MIL who was surprised that I'm so old school. She suggested making it ourselves since she's a great seamstress and the husks are FREE! I love the word FREE but didn't expect the whole process to be so tough! But DIY is really rewarding. Hope lil bub likes her bolsters:

The finished products. I applaud the MIL on being so efficient. First were these bolsters (separated and sewn within 3 days!), then came the pillows and their cases. Now she's onto sewing the extra covers for the rocker and bedsheets!

Apart from the husk pillows, the hub was also quite intrigue with the breast pumps and steriliser. As there was some scum on the metal plate, he tried using vinegar to get rid of them but to no significant avail. Am thankful that he is handson when it comes to such appliances.

The mil's loot from Australia! Immense amount of PINKs....
Hand-me-downs from mummy E. Thank you!!

The hub's loots from Canada!Irresistibly cheap! I'm still waiting for my shipment from the States!

A simple yet heartwarming meal whipped up by the hubs (I only helped with marinating and instructing).

Ok, i'm feeling knackered from today's activity. Shall leave you with a video of how my sweetie is going to be a loving daddy:

Checking 1 2 3

2011-08-14T23:15:00.007+08:00

I'm seriously all over the place when it comes to organisation. As much as I'd like, I don't seem to be as focused as before. Probably hormones influx or perhaps there's just too much on my plate. As mentioned before (or have I not?), this whole baby business is a real PHD. From the very beginning where one needs to find out which gynae has the best stitches, to finding the right breastpump and cot, every single thing is education! I kid you not! To call me kiasu is totally over-rated. I thought i was...researching every thing I could during my 2nd trimester when things are much more pleasurable, thinking that I had my timeline all under control...but boy was I wrong! Firstly I had problems switching to my preferred gynae after my detailed scan at wk22. After a long 1.5wk wait, the gynae FINALLY approved my transfer! it's either he's that busy (which he certainly is) or he is being cautious. Detailed research and thought has also been made towards his package which starts after wk20 and after much calculation, I thought this would be the best and most economic plan. WRONG AGAIN! Transfer mommies are not suppose to be on the package! Well donez! In other words, I have to pay-per-visit! First visit set me back by $319..a stark contrast from the $100 which I've been so used to paying! Not to mention, the no wait time! Seriously don't know why I'm putting myself through this. But I'm praying that it's for the better?

Then came the booking of a masseur for after birth. Once again, I have put aside my top 3 candidates and procrastinated till today (wk28), thinking that there's still time. But a fellow mummy shared that she booked hers (who happen to be in my top 3 list!) 6 mths prior to her EDD! PANIC button has been pushed and it propelled me into action. I called. disappointment overwhelmed me when all 3 candidates are fully booked for the month of November! talk about Kiasu Singaporeans! Sheez..n the hub still thinks I'm in the league. Thankfully, one of my top consideration recommended someone from her Kampong and I've booked myself a post-natal masseur at an attractive rate of $50 for 1hr 15mins. Not bad considering the lady will come to my residence. Am truly looking forward to it as I haven't had a proper massage since 7 mths ago! The hubs do try to ease my tension once in a while, but it's seriously not enough. Granted that he does a good job, but it's a mere 10 minutes or so. Barely enough to cure that backpain for me. Speaking of which, I've been waking up in pain every day. The common complaint is lower backache, but for me it's upper backpain! Been trying to pinpoint the problem, and tried several ways like sleeping in an upright position, propping the legs, all of which to no avail. :( I attribute it to my Serta mattress but i highly doubt it as the hub doesn't get such a problem. Now I have a phobia for sleeping. It also doesn't help that the mil doesnt allow me to go for pre-natal massages. *GROAN*

The list of things seem to be endless each day. with the masseur and gynae settled, next comes the buying of the essentials. Thankfully i have quite a bit of hand-me-downs from cousin-in-laws and friends. Heaps of maternity wears! Yeepee! no need to spend! Just last wk, to make full use of the National day Public holiday (which incidentally was a mere half day work for me), the hubs and I went round collecting those stuff. From Jurong to Pasir Ris, it's seriously tiring for both him and me. But it was all worth-it as the haul included: 2 breastpumps (a manual and electric); disposable breast pads, a changing station, some baby clothes, some toys, 2 sterilisers, one food warmer, a couple of brand new teats and bottles and one baby basket pending. Nice. As they say a penny saved is a penny earned.

I feel more comforted that things are beginning to take shape. The hubs and I finally succumbed and bought our lil bub a playpen cum cot today at the Taka Baby Fair. Yeah! After much comparison of brands and prices online, things didn't go the way I wanted (AGAIN). we wanted to get our hands on the Graco Pack 'N Play Playard/Playpen but seems like most sites online are OOS. Blessing in a way as we got a better deal with Evenflo! (retailing at $369, we got it at an attractive $199!) I can now probably try to figure out how to rearrange things for the nursery cum our study room once the cot is here in September. :)...This leaves all the expendables and breastpump parts which the hub will take charge. Hopefully it's not all lip service.

Presenting our Evenflo BabySuite Select Playard in Atom Grey

We didn't have much of a choice when it came to colours. It was Green/ Blue. I reckon green would be a more unisex colour. I love the way it is structured. Light but stable. And upon packing, it's very compact. Though it can only withstand a weight of approximately 13.5kg, I guess it's good enough as the kid would probably be around 2 yrs old. By then, the lil bub would perhaps not even want to be rolling in the cot. Next on the list: getting a well ventilated mattress. Yup, it didn't come with one. SIGH. more work.

Speaking of expendables, I wanted to try out cloth diapers for our lil bub. Found a great lobang via SMH portal and mentioned it casually to the MIL. I thought she was on the same wavelength as me when she supported the idea of cloth diapers and rattled on the benefits of it like it being eco-friendly and wallet friendly in the long run (though u'd have to wash) and the lil bub will be less prone to nappy rash. At the end of our little talk, I then realised what she meant was the ancient unfolded nappies which we used to use as a child! As opposed to what I wanted was the pre-folded kind. She insisted that mine is far too expensive and said Malaysia would have cheaper alternatives. Next thing I knew, she went Msia and got me 2 dozen of those unfolded ones! *FAINTZ*...when she presented it to me, she even happily announced that it came with instructions on how to fold! double faintz! With this, I'm plagued with the dilemma of whether to get those pre-folded ones. The cousin-in-law says she gave up after a while as she thought it's too hot for her baby. Some other mommies whom I've corresponded with have also procrastinated due to the intense amount of washing.

The above was what I wanted and am still keen on getting. Just look at the delicious colours! How can one resist?? Blame it on asthetics overpowering practicality and rationality.

Bump Ahead

2011-07-31T10:58:00.007+08:00

Above: ain't mine, but the belly button's really resembles. So interesting that some have their belly button protruding whilst others have them flat.

Below: The hubs and I have been fascinating about how it'd look when one day the little bub decides to kick and make an imprint of its little foot. Will this be how it'd look?

The baby bump is getting bigger and bigger. I'm blessed however that it's not exponentially bigger. To date (approximately wk26), it's 36 inches and I've put on a mere 4kg (as of 21 July) since the beginning! Nice. Banish all thoughts of a bulbous-nosed, ashen-faced hag with limp hair and spotty skin waddling painfully along...I think I've been really blessed thus far. However, I should really make more effort in keeping up with my grooming. Not very innovative when it comes to mix and match. It's more of see-and-grab. However, the shopping bug's back and July's budget was way blown!

With my due date in early November (which means our progeny was produced probably on Valentine's day 2011), I am on the home stretch of the nine-month long journey. It's really a blink of an eye and soon I'd be able to see my little bundle of light at the end of the tunnel. It's really amazing how time flies! Freaking me out honestly as I'm so not prepared for this "PHD". Procrastination -- Have yet to book massage lady; have yet to register for antenatal classes; have yet to think of names; have yet to collect various hand-me-downs from friends; hv yet to complete reading Gina Ford's Little Contented Baby (u can't blame me, I fall asleep when reading); have yet to buy big ticket items like cots, prams, carseat etc (really gotto find time to visit the TAKA/ Isetan BB fair which ends August 14)...n the list goes on!

It was a really tough first tri, but I must say the 2nd tri was a honeymoon and I was filled with utmost energy and productivity. There seems to be an unseen strength that comes from within (pun intended). However, things seems to be slowing down as I move into the 3rd tri. Am experiencing some of the less glamorous sides of pregnancy like backaches and leg cramps (luckily twice only!) Skin has also been a little oilier and this wk I found 3 new spots! URGH. I've been using a specially formulated stretchcream (thanks to willing-to-share mummy LM) religiously every night to prevent the skin from being dry and stretched. I've also been elevating my feet to prevent any chance of water retention. So far, the lymphatic drainage and blood circulation has been good. With traditional Chinese medicine and organic calcium, vits and DHA from the OBY, I've never felt healthier! During pregnancy, one needs to be properly-nourished with good blood circulation, so I made sure I had a good portion of fruits and herbal concoction like black chicken soup, ginseng, cordyceps, and other blood-nourishing herbs from the MIL.

With the due date drawing close, I'm a little worried about confinement. Have very much confirmed that the MIL will be there for me. She has been kind enough to say that all she needs is a bed in my house. But am still a little skeptical, worried that she'd be overworked. On the other hand, my own Empress Dowager has been a little senile and refused to speak to me for 2 wks when my uncle asked her who's looking after little bub. Seriously, if you are any bit concerned and willing to offer, I'm most willing to discuss. But if tantrums is all you throw, I'm terribly sorry, but I can't entertain.
On confinement 'myths"

One is not supposed to bathe or touch water for one mth! OMG! can u imagine being sweaty and hot and dirty with unwashed hair? Thankfully, the MIL said there's some kind of herbs for bathing.
Not using the fan or aircon! Are you kidding me?! Singapore's 365 days of summer, I really hope I can survive this! My electrical bills have gone up by 50% due to the heat I'm experiencing currently. Waking up in a puddle of sweat each day is no joke.
Nourish, Nourish and more nourishment! Have passed a confinement recipe book to the MIL and she has been ploughing through it like a bible. It is said that during this period, if one eats well, every ailment can be cured! GO MIGRAINE GO! GO BACKACHE GO!
"No no" to going out during the first 30 days! Thankfully, the MIL again, shared that she sneaked out once or twice on the pretext to buy milk powder during her confinement. hmmm...hint hint..
Ginger (to dispel wind) and Vinegar (to cleanse the womb) are a must. Some believe in black fungus too. To some however, ginger will cause the bb to be yellow especially if one decides to breastfeed. As for vinegar pig trotters, I've been instructed by my TCM physician that I should avoid. Can't quite remember the reason but am just thankful coz I hate Vinegar and i hate pig trotters!

Honestly, I'm a more traditional person than my parents or parents-in-law, so I'd probably survive the above. *PRAYING FERVENTLY*

The Almighty M.I.L

2011-07-31T10:31:00.007+08:00

Recently, I read that a young English couple, Heidi Withers and Freddie Bourne have been thrust into the media spotlight, due to a letter written by the groom's mothers. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009518/Carolyn-Bourne-Mother-law-hell-sends-email-bride-Heidi-Withers.html) In her missive, Carolyn Bourne gives her future daughter-in-law a dressing down about her apparent lack of manners. She berates Withers for her behaviour during a visit to the family in April, which she describes as "staggering in its uncouthness and lack of grace". Bourne is now labelled by the media here as the "mother-in-law from hell". In this respect, I'm lucky. The horror stories of formidable M.I.L came thick and fast the moment we got married, but I must say, mine is no Empress Dowager-style monster-in-law. In retrospect, I think my own mother is the wicked witch! haha...One reason for our good in-law relationship is coz we aren't living together. With all those hormones under one roof, it's no surprise that sparks will fly. There is a comfortable distance between us yet we are close enough (just 2 blocks away for that matters) to foster good relations.

During this difficult time, particularly during the first tri, with the hubs always away and nonchalant about my well-being, the MIL has been showering me with care and food. Each night when I arrive home at 10pm, I'd have home-cooked food by her. Without qualms (or at least I'd like to think of it that way), she'd bring it over to my house. Very often, there's also the infamous ginseng, double boiled soup and birds' nest soup. I feel so blessed and cared for. On the contrary, my mom will buzz me for a bottle of birds' nest. Yes, this is the sad fact. The MIL has also offered her services during my confinement. I m tremendously thankful else I would have to incur a minimum of $2k for a confinement nanny. Many have urged me to get one regardless as my MIL may not be able to cope with the nights but she has insisted that she is able to. Given her record, I must say, she's a superwoman! Waking up at 4+am to do chores, then goes to work; after work, comes home to cook for the family and be at the beck and call of her children and her picky husband. Totally salute her! Thus, I have faith that she'll be able to do a good job during my confinement month *cross fingers*. Am praying we won't have conflict as to how to take care of the little bub. Many friends have caved in to the pressures of an almighty MIL and hv been battling with depression. Currently, whenever I mention that there's something to help in pregnancy, she'd go all out to get it for me. Upon knowing the gender, she went shopping for clothes the very next day! Excited much? Amidst the domestic flurry, you'd think she doesn't have much of a life balance but WRONG! She manages to travel every now and then and recently came back from a wk long trip with 6 other aunties to Australia! Half her luggage was filled with baby stuff and health food for me! haha...the sis-in-law was desperately wagging her tail in hope of pressies, but all she received were pink socks! haha..I guess as long as we don't overstep their boundaries, it should be less difficult to extricate yourself from any ensuing drama. It's a precarious balancing act and I had good training from my own mother!

PS: Credit should also be given to my sis-in-law who has been a dear during the absence of the mil. Whipped up a simple meal for me and even helped me with my massive books at unearthly hour when her bro, my hubs, isn't around for me. Am truly blessed.

Pregnasia

2011-07-26T12:57:00.003+08:00

The active incubation has a funny effect on the brain. Apparently I've been told that the woman will become forgetful especially after giving birth. Somehow, mine came early. I decided to pen down the following events just for laughs in case I forget in time to come.

Incident 1:
was walking with the hubs one night and saw the back of my car....
ME: dear, look, the number on the plate is quite nice hor? (rattled out the number)
Hub: mmmm...(thinking that I was boasting about my own car)
ME: (as we walked towards the front and I stared at the frontal view) Wah, this driver is so creative too! places soft toys on his dashboard just like me! The pig is just like mine too! (saw the number plate again) n look! the number is very much like mine too! So coincidental!
Hub: are u alright?
ME: OMG! It's my car!!

Incident 2:
Was having dinner with gfs n faced X for almost 3 hrs before proceeding to her home.
She took a quick shower and...
ME: wow! U shower real quick considering that you have long hair!
X: huh? Are u ok? u stared at me for the last 3 hrs and dont know that I have short hair?
ME: Really? OMG!!

Incident 3:
the hub and I decided to visit the NTUC down our blk for a quick grocery shopping.
Upon entering the lift, he looked at my feet and went:
HUB: Why are u in your bedroom slippers??
Sigh....Need I say more?.....

A Whole new challenge

2011-07-13T11:53:00.008+08:00

I've been incubating. Literally. The feeling has been very surreal since the day of discovery. It's an awkward moment, trying to reconcile the fact that I entered the A&E ward purely due to a sprained ankle and a bad sprained back, to knowing that I'm an incubator with a little embryo growing inside me!

Been keeping mum about it due to the 3 mths taboo. According to Chinese myths, we should not reveal during the first tri to keep the little one safe. In anycase, it didn't really sink into both sweetie and me for the first few months. Partly due to the fact that I did not balloon (Thank God for that!). In fact, at Wk23 currently, I'm still wearing my pre-preg clothes! though they are slowly getting tight. We didn't quite indulge in the good news till quite recently. Even my dearest daddy didn't show an ounce of happiness at the A&E ward. His reaction: Gal, if u have any financial problems, u must tell daddy ok? With that, my tears simply streamed down incessantly.

Meanwhile, I've been inundated with websites and reading material. Trying to equip myself both scientifically and mythically! Just to share, here are some old wive's tales:

Carrying High, Carrying Low (I would say mine's low)

The way you are carrying during your pregnancy is one of the most oft cited ways of determining the sex of your baby. The general story goes that, if you're carrying low, you're having a boy. If you are carrying high, then you must be having a girl.

What Your Urine Says (ok i've not tried with Drano but the colour is mostly brownish and yellowish. The Chinese physician claims it's due to the lack of water)

This next test to determine a baby's sex may not be for everyone, although it is very simple. Just take a sample of your urine and mix it with Drano. Depending on the color change of your urine, you will have a boy or a girl. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on what color equals which sex. So, if you do decided to try this and your urine turns bluish yellow, brownish, brown, black or blue you will be having a boy. If your urine looks more greenish brown, green, blue or doesn't change at all, then you're having a girl. But be warned: if you decide to do this test, there could be some pretty harsh fumes produced - not to mention the possibility of an explosion!

Heartbeats (initially sweetie said our little one's heart rate seems below 140. It's really hard to decipher)

One belief that has been around for some time, and even had some acceptance in the medical community at one point, is that the fetal heartbeat differs for boys and girls. If you're having a girl, then the fetal heart rate will be above 140. A boy will have a heart rate below 140. However, that pesky science has reared its little head again to say that this is complete fiction. A baby's heart rate is not affected by its sex until it is born, when a girl's heart rate will increase considerably compared with boys during labor.

Craving Something…Sweet? (i was craving for ASSAM fish and anything sour initially. Hate chocolates and puked upon eating them. But lately am into desserts)

Many people believe that your cravings are caused by the sex of your baby. So, if you can't get enough chocolate, you could be having a girl. Does the idea of drinking straight lemon juice sound delicious to you? Then those sour cravings are a result of the little boy inside of you. However, if you go by the scientists, then some of them will claim that you're not even having cravings because cravings just don't exist.

Weight Gain (ok this is a tough one. the hub has been eating chocolates every night, so naturally he's been putting on weight. His tummy to date is still bigger than mine but it's not coz I'm passing on the food to him. Strange)

Thankfully, this one doesn't refer to your weight gain. The belief is that, if your husband puts on weight during your pregnancy, then you will be having a girl. If he doesn't put on a pound, then you're carrying a boy.

Is Her Face Round and Full? (quite the same actually. But the complexion's much much better)

Some say that the shape and fullness of your face during pregnancy can indicate your baby's sex. Every woman gains weight differently during pregnancy, and every woman experiences different skin changes. If people tell you that because your face is round and rosy you are having a girl, they might be right - but it's just as likely that they are wrong! There's also another saying that boys give mommies beauty whilst girls suck away the beauty. I find myself much prettier than before whilst my mom commented that I look UGLY! (yes, what sort of mother says that?) a friend of mine who is bearing a boy has huge nose and claims she looks like a hippo. Guess beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder?

At-Home Tests

Here's a test that you can do next time you change or get out of the bath. Look in the mirror at your breasts. If the right one is larger, you're having a boy! A larger left breast indicates a girl (if they're the same size, does that mean you're having one of each?). --Oh come on! To begin with, mine's bigger on the right already, so what does that mean?

ACNE (not a bit! Yeepee!)

Do you have acne? Some believe that getting acne during your pregnancy indicates you're carrying a girl. Maybe the acne is caused by twice the amount of female hormones?

Hairy belly
Some say this is due to the influx of testosterone. It's quite disturbing as I'm having a really hairy belly! The hubs is worried that I might turn into a man! It is also said that hair growth on the legs and pits will slow down if it's a princess.

BOOBIES
Don't we love it when they grow infinitely during pregnancy? Well according to my mom, she said that if it's a princess, boobies will grow all the way whilst if it's a boy, it will stop around the 5th mth.

Honestly, these myths don't work on me. Well all the better as it suits the mil's and hub's preference. :) The mil has been a gem and I m very blessed to have her around. Hub has been jet-setting across half the world thus leaving me pretty lonely during the first three torturous months. I was literally hugging the toilet bowl and feeling so knackered. The constant nauseousness really made me depressed as I'm lost as to what to eat. Fortunately the mil has been cooking stuff and bringing them over to my place so i'd have a warm meal at the end of the day (which incidentally is at 10pm on the average). Double boiled soups, birds nest soup just to name a few. It's a world of difference over at my own maternal side. Empress Dowager probably thinks she's the one who is pregnant and has been whiny when she was down with a cough. She even asked me for a bottle of Birds nest instead of buying me some! And if I don't call or visit for more than a week, she'll fly into a tirade. Talk about being emo! I think I should get the priority ain't it? Another clear distinction between the two mothers -- MIL went shopping for baby clothes the next day she knew of the gender...mom on the other hand replied "u are so ugly, i knew u'd be having a girl! good for u lor"...mind u, the words "good for u" wasn't delivered in the most sincere or pleasurable manner. She'll really be the death of me. Having to manage a little fetus growing within me and an overgrown baby isn't quite my idea of enjoyment. okok...GOOD THOUGHTS GOOD THOUGHTS!

Anyhow, with the 23rd wk in place, there's no more nausea and a lot less exhaustion. I can't say that much for the mood swings though, but i try to keep them at bay. The little flutters in my belly are no longer jabs and they are pretty pleasurable now. Each time the hub places his ear on my tum tum, I feel a sense of love and warmth. There was even this instance when our little one kicked him in the ear! haha...I can start talking to her and tapping to evoke a response. The only three things which are really bugging me now are: Amnesia, the bladder alarm and backaches. I guess they are mild compared to what other mommies are experiencing. It's probably also the big guy's way of giving me a rehearsal of what's to come.

The great staycation

2011-05-31T13:39:00.007+08:00

Have been really uninspired lately, thus the lack of updates. actually quite a bit is happening, but my migraines have been keeping me at bay. It's quite bad and I'm staying away from panadol or all other relief methods. (for the moment at least) This space gets a little stale and sleepy when overactivity in the real world gets a little outta hand.

The task to get started in writing again flummoxed me, but ever since the great staycation I had over the weekend, the zen feeling is coming back.

The noise pollution has been driving me nuts, thus I booked us a room at the Quincy. Nice cosy boutique hotel nestled in the heart of Orchard Road.

Love the decor. Modern.

Entrance to the male toilet

Entrance to the female toilet. Unique.

check out all the freebies! Love complimentaries!

The aircon was such a relief! Stayed in the room almost 24/7 catching up on shows with the hub. Blissful. By keeping my head cool (literally), the headache seems to be minimised. If only Singapore's weather will get cooler!

Complimentary bottle (yes, singular) of wine. But, guess what? we found another in the room, so it's BOTTLES (plural) of wine for us! What a nice birthday gift for the hubs.

Complimentary minibar! SHIOK

Awesome toiletries! MOLTON BROWN! The gingerlily shower foam was heavenly!

The hotel lobby

My green drink and green soup. Sounds healthy?

Set dinner for the night for him.

My Salmon steak. beggars can't be choosers. Was pretty decent.

Quite a boring but typical spread for breakfast. All inclusive.

After breakie, we went up to the top floor to catch up on reads. Was suppose to take a dip but it was rather nifty thus we gave it a miss.

Overlooking the shopping district

Set lunch. Did i mention this is all inclusive too?

Really hope that this feeling of zen will continue. The migraine has a terrible way of spoiling things and giving me a sense of imbalance. It's funny how I have the tendency to shove things to some corner of the ever expanding mental space or simply just let it melt into the background.
Maybe my metabolism, productivity or character is changing, evolved or morphed. For a good reason though. The secret is slowly being revealed, but things are still in a surreal state. Feelings veered into obtuse directions when we hear friends basking in happiness. It's a strange and unexplainable feeling. I or rather, we, were overwhelmed by the enormity of what was unknowingly triggered by those who shared.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING!!

Out of office

2011-05-03T14:53:00.001+08:00

I know i should be keeping up with this. It was afterall my resolution. Exciting things are brewing, i just need some time. Promise to be back in a wk or so, if by then you are still interested in my mundane life!

Sleepless nights

2011-04-05T12:08:00.007+08:00

This space is getting a little stale. Seriously. There ain't anything blog worthy these days considering the fact that I've been feeling very much under the weather and the hubs has been travelling much. My appetite been rather bad these days owing to the throbbing headache n scorching weather. Been wanting to go out with the gfs for tea and such, but the sun simply refuses to stop its rays and is constantly beating the ground with a vengeance. Sleep hasn't been all that good too due to the arrival of NTUC.

Due to the presence of two supermarkets ie NTUC and ECONminimart, cargo trucks are a common sight. Admittedly, there may be a price to pay in the name of convenience, however of late, the problem has been intensified. I have been residing in this estate for the last 5 years and have seen the problem escalating. Noise or unwanted sound can cause annoyance, stress and in extreme circumstances, sleep deprivation. This has indeed been a major problem for myself over the past few months when I had to tolerate the entrance of heavy vehicles as early as 630am and as late as 10pm or sometimes even at midnight. Even on weekends when most people have the luxury of resting, trucks would stream in intermittently at odd hours of the day. It has caused me incessant headaches and gastritis due to the stress induced by the noise. In addition, at times, when the trucks are illegally parked, private cars which wish to move out of their lots are unable to do so and would honk nonstop. I do understand that the estate is relatively small and to have conveniences by your doorstep comes with some inconvenience. However, the cacophony of noise is truly unbearable. I do believe that the respective vendors are able to minimize such inconsiderate acts. Research demonstrated that young children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental health hazards, and some health and learning problems are linked to pollutants. A fair proportion of the community here, have children. This means we must protect our children against environmental hazards in homes, schools, and communities that can threaten or impair their long-term health and ability to learn.

To make matters worse, the drivers of the heavy vehicles do not switch off their engines whilst unloading. Fumes as such, find its way up my bedroom. For your information, the unloading bay is an enclosed area and all most units are having their bedrooms facing the bay. This translates to bad air quality whilst most at still at home, possibly in the bedroom, at that early hour. Drivers should turn off their engines when their vehicles are stationary. Motorists should not leave their engines idling unnecessarily as such an inconsiderate act produces pollution and wastes fuel. It is also an offence under the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions). I see an urgent need to highlight this deploring matter (which for the record I did...sent a letter to the relevant authorities over the wkend) as coupled with the lift upgrading (which is beyond our control), the air quality and noise level has dwindled tremendously and has serious repercussions on the residents.

The lift upgrading fyi is right by my window. I'm not kidding. A peek out of my bedroom window n there u see, a hugeass monstrous crane piling up a new lift shaft. Another price to pay for convenience? URGH i didn't even want the lift upgrade! To make matters worse, the lift at my own block has not been upgraded and works will soon start! I don't know how to survive. The thought of moving back to dad's peaceful condo did come to mind, but between a pig sty and noise pollution, I choose the latter. Then there's always mil's place which is just 2 blks away. But there's 4 other residents in the house, I certainly don't want my privacy to be invaded. Last resort? BUY A NEW HOUSE! ha! An extremely tempting thought. Am contemplating especially since this is our 5th year. However, sweetie has just found a job (which hopefully can be his long-term ticket to retirement) and well, things are just too financially unstable at the moment. So I guess I'm back to square one. *SIGH*

SpreeOholic

2011-03-20T23:18:00.003+08:00

It's official! we have launched! F21, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, Bloomingdales, Victoria Secrets, Steve Madden, Charlotte Russe, Tory Burch, Bath & body works, OPI, Coach etc. Whatever brands you have your eyes on, let us assist you in getting them. Have an eye candy in mind? Ask SpreeOholic today!

Black hole

2011-03-20T23:11:00.003+08:00

I seem to have disappeared into another black hole. Well yes, kindof. Was working on launching my website (see next post). It's no joke when one is technically challenged, but even sweetie's really proud of me! :)

Admittedly, there hasn't been much happening. No gastronomic eye candies to share. Appetite has been bad thus no high caloric affair. In anycase, we should not splurge when in such status. But the thankful thing is, SWEETIE FOUND A JOB! it's about time!! There was no heavy pondering as it was clear this was a good route. *fingers crossed* As we await the first day of work in anticipation, the boss called and told him his first day will be in GERMANY! Coolbeanz! Pity he can't pack me along :( Prada, Gucci, Bottega, Balenciaga....you guys will have to wait as the hub's notoriously bad at presents and surprises. Some big plans in motion now, I pray they will go through smoothly. One thing at a time yes, but time is finite and so is this world.

Drifting apart

2011-03-02T12:15:00.003+08:00

Took this off Holly's blog. I think it's so true thus decided to replicate it here.

Some sooner than others, some more obvious than others... people do change and can drift apart.
A couple does not have to go through a huge, traumatic ordeal (e.g cheating) to break up with each other. Sometimes the relationship simply runs its course.

It's so common, and yet, we often don't see it coming. That's because in most cases, the relationship is exactly the same as it was before, for instance, same bed, same routine, same job, same friends, same country... but now, the feelings are different.

How do you know if you and your partner are drifting apart? Here are the signs...

1. Less Intimacy
By intimacy, I am talking about affection and closeness. Does he still kiss you? Has he stopped cuddling or spooning you at night? Does he pull away when you try to hold his hand?

2. Less Communication
When a partner stops calling as often, or does not bother to return your calls or messages, it's highly likely that he's not bothered to. When you no long feel like you want to tell him about your day (good news or bad news)... it's a red flag too.

3. No Shared Activities
Yes, it's great to have your own life, independent to your partner's. Yes, be your own person. But when you and your partner do not make the effort to include each other into some activities in each others' lives, then you will eventually be 2 completely separate people. Probably not even suited as friends... let alone life partners!

4. No Sex
Yes, there are periods of droughts in every relationship. But prolonged (more than a couple of weeks) periods of no sex (even though you're in the same city/country) is a big red flag.

5. No More Joy
When you realise that there is no more fun and laughter in your relationship, that can definitely be a sign that the two of you are growing apart, especially if you used to laugh together a lot.

6. Petty Fights
Having disagreements from time to time is normal. Fighting every few days is not. If one or both of you start picking fights over the little (and ridiculous) things, or if you find yourselves being much less tolerant than before, those can all be bad signs of an imminent break up.
.
I wish none of these were true... but it is.

3.5 out of 6. That's my score.
Many factors could cause that 'drifting apart' feeling, maybe not to that extent but inevitable if both dun continue to keep it going stronger. Wonder if it's common among couples nowadays, for the relationship to become saturated or worst, stale?
As time pass by, no matter how pretty you are (or "WERE" once upon a time -- that's worse); if a guy look at you everyday somehow the novelty will wear off.

.

Walking through the Four Seasons

2011-02-22T12:22:00.011+08:00

February must be the cruellest month of the year. First it was the infamous hallmark festival, thanks to T.S Eliot -- Valentine's Day. A day where every teen and adult is in a state of ecstasy. You must have noticed that this year, I chose the low key approach and did not even have a post dedicated to the wretched date. Next up in February is a day when I gracefully age. Lest you think I'm cynic, I'm happily married and am graciously accepting the fact that age is catching up (though mostly I still try to live in denial!) This year, the excitement seems mellow. Probably because we can't afford to be financially extravagant. Have to seriously manage my expectations for I believe this year he'll be an ultimate cheapskate. Cards, flowers and possibly cakes are not quite his thing, thus I shan't expect any form of declaration from him. He doesn't believe in being pretentious and insubstantial. Thanks to his unsentimental bent, I've learnt to breeze the day away as if it's an ordinary day ever since my 21st birthday. erm, well at least I try not to whine about it. it would be nice though, if in the years to come, there'd be a bag of my choice glitter or some girly gadget presented to me on the special day. Ok, materialism has set in, but from time immemorial, which woman wouldn't yearn for such simple pleasures in life? Grappling with the rigours and expectations of a relationship is certainly not easy. Friends J & W however have brought their love to the next level and decided to cement it last Sunday:

Singapore's ang baos are plain boring. Specially bought ang bao envelopes from HongKong. Nice :)

The lovebirds -- A matchmade in heaven. They have the same radiant smile! I was just commenting to sweetie that we smile differently. I can't smile with my lips closed while he on the other hand, often gives a purse-lip smile.

Are they not like two volumes of one book?

Food was pretty good. On a scale of 10, it would garner an 8 from me. In particular the soup which many of the boys thought was a tad sourish. The herbal chicken was however a slight disappointment. Couldn't taste any herbal ingredients. I would like to think that my version of herbal chicken's far better. In the midst of the banquet, friend J ordered his infamous bowl of rice. Lousy according to him as it was microwaved. Dessert was a generous portion. Pity I had to restrain myself and share it with the hub coz all were "cooling" stuff. sigh.

Unlike most other weddings attended, what was different here was that the bride had prepared a surprise. A song with exceptionally meaningful lyrics. I could have swore I had a tear rolling in my eye. It certainly takes courage to finally decide your man is the right one for you and to share the rest of your life with him.

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

~ Germaine Greer~

W won TOTO! HUAT AH!

2011-02-19T01:07:00.009+08:00

Was not quite in the mood to blog honestly, but something inspiring just struck me thus here i am.

So what's the big news? SGD $1,280,233! That's what? Small sum to some, but it's an obscene amount to me! Friend W is one of the lucky 9 winners of tonight's TOTO! (not sure if it's true though) A depressed sweetie had been pinning his hopes on this but as usual, lady luck's not quite smiling at him.

ME: OMG u are one of the 9 lucky winners? SGD $1,280,233?? OMG OMG OMG (totally ecstatic)
W: ya (flaccid response)

It sounds like it's a norm for him! GOSH. With a 7-figure winning, I sure can fulfill most of my dreams! For now, they can only be dreams.

Sigh, wonder when are things gonna start changing? Some divine intervention would really be nice. In Sick and in Health, for poorer or for wealth. How true. Am really trying to cope but it seems so impossible. I'm becoming a nasty piece of wok with a mangled soul despite the "chio" superficial exterior. Last year was the year of the ferocious Tiger. A year which signifies placid pace of growth than in previous years. Prolly that's why things were moving ever so slowly. Dreams seems far and beyond. On the other hand, rabbits move at an unhurried pace and are tranquil and serene, so will that mean a slow year again? Come on! My birthday is nearing, but somewhat I'm having a surreal mix of emotions. A celebration of any kind at this juncture would be good, but this year, I don't foresee Sky on 57 or FiftyThree @ Armenian, or the Triple Three Restaurant. Not that it ever happened, but it doesnt hurt to dream right? Even on Vday, there was nothing but campbell soup cooked with loads of love after much whining and nagging. u can't fault me...the hub kept my hopes high by saying that he'll do some grocery shopping and whip up a steak @ 10pm. But at 915pm when i texted, his reply was: I had dinner. too hungry, go pack your own dinner. Thanks. so much for romance. Not that I'm that into this hallmark occasion, but the bubble of expectation was blown and deflated by him.

When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place

Gosh, didn't I say I wasn't in the mood to blog? What started off as unbelievable news is tapering into the usual ramblings. Ok, I'd better stop and spice this post with photos:

The annual mahjongkahki reunion luncheon this year was held at the Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Restaurant. Can't their name be a little shorter?? It's so cliche too! It's depressing to see creativity lacking.

Reservations was for 1:30pm but I think it was about 2pm that we had our three tables! Probably having vision problem due to hunger, most of us thought the above was a piece of chocolate! Turned out to be a mat for the tea pot! haha

The Family. Seems like it's growing with several new, young additions.

Service was horrendous. Given that it's CNY, I do understand they may be understaff but that's not excuse for forgetting my cup of hot water after 3 reminders! We were particularly exasperated when after the first or second dish was served, we were told that it was gonna be last order for the tim sum menu and that we had to hurry! Imagine our disappointment and frustration. To add fuel to that, when we queried the quantity of each portion, we were told that there'd be 4 pcs on each plate, thus after some arithmetic, we ordered, only to find out that some items came in 3s. The number of people @ our table was in mutiple of 4. Obviously the sum did not quite equate. We feedbacked to the captain, but she said it's not entirely their fault and that it's actually quite enough as we've ordered a large variety. That's not the point! We wanted everyone to have a pc of everything! It was clear to me the lady wanted the easy way out instead of changing the orders for us. To make matters worse, before everything else, friend X informed me that the cutlery was dirty! No matter how good the food is, if the service sux, customers are unlikely to return.

Playing with the new kid on the block.

Presenting: the old kids on the block!

"If you're going through hell, keep going. "

~Sir Winston Churchill

Hop for the best

2011-02-07T15:32:00.009+08:00

Woo, in the blink of an eye, it's Day 5 of Chinese New Year! Good times seem to fly by more quickly, in particular when there is a long wkend. Seems like 2011 doesn't have too many long wkends thus I was really appreciative. Technically, it's Day 1 of work but I'm totally not in the mood. Prolly due to the spill over effects of visitings and overdose of goodies. I'm glad I made it through the festival albeit being bombarded (as usual) by middle-aged aunts with annoying questions like when will I be having children. Typical conversation:

Aunt: So any news?
Me: yeah..there is news on Channel 5 or 8..or do u want China news on Cable?

Aunt: So when am I getting the egg?
Recently married cousin: Go to the supermarket and buy it!

Hahaha..i think my witty cousin is simply hilarious. Seriously, i think such queries are merely to fill up those awkward conversation lulls. Visiting is sometimes a drag, especially when you meet the same ppl at different location. Sweetie's family is more efficient. Meet up @ Granny's on the eve, have the reunion dinner, hang around till midnight and distribute ang baos. No individual visitations. Sweet. On the other hand, my family's visitations are spread over 2 days. But even if the new year rituals are a drag, i guess in some sense we derive a sense of satisfaction from having suffered through the motions. One minor ritual I dislike however, is the the giving of ang bao. I rather be on the receiving end but of coz, I have obligationis to meet as a married person. This isn't an uncharted territory, for I have about 4 yrs of experience now. But somehow, I still have a bit of a dilemma when it comes to HOW MUCH? Ang bao is a gesture of good wishes thus should not be a material yardstick, however, many may think otherwise. I recall this particular student who received a small packet of $4 from me (she had 2 other siblings!!) 2 yrs ago, and when I told her to write a composition on Chinese New Year, she wittily wrote that she was disgusted to receive a pathetic amount ($4) from a certain someone! The audacity! Clearly, her upbringing isn't all that good -- one reason for giving her that SMALL packet! 2 yrs down the road, she has not receive a cent from me! This definitely helps in the capital outflow that I have to contend with.

Now for a peek to what I did for the last few days:

Outfit of the day...nice fitting Cheongsam

One of the places we visited. Gardens @ Bishan. The structure is a reminisce of the condo we stayed at whilst in Guangzhou several years ago. Such architecture is rare in tiny Singapore.

Day 4's shoes. CUTENESS right?

Whipping up a storm for friends. Supervising my Sous Chef :)

Nice to make new friends

Yusheng is a raw fish salad which was popularised in Singapore in 1960s. The ingredients usually include shredded carrot and radish, ginger, orange peel, pomelo bits, golden crackers, slices of raw fisha and a plum sauce dressing.

Dish 1: Spinach with clams

Dish 2: Braised Mushroom with mock abalone

Dish 4: Golden Garlic Prawns
Dish 5: Emperor's Herbal Chicken (I forgot to take a picture of that!)

Soup of the day: Lotus Root & Peanut Soup

To top it off, a good bottle of white & red wine

My satisfied customers
The night ended really well and relatively early with mahjong and chit-chats. Wish everyday can be like this! Now I must really psych myself up for work amidst the festivities and hop for the best in all my endeavors!

Ushering the Wabbit year!

2011-02-05T02:36:00.008+08:00

This may come a tad late, but then again, we have 15 days of celebration, so GONG XI FA CAI everyone! Hope it'd be a year full of good cheer and health!

Time really flew by like a speeding bullet. It was officially 2011 just a couple of weeks back and now it's the lunar new year. Frankly, things didn't really sink in till now. This new year is, again, full of repetition, obligation, tradition and duty. It's actually a great time to fly off and escape from it all as this year, CNY falls on a long wkend...however, we (or at least, I) have to stay. It's easier on the pocket too (unless we run off to somewhere near like Malaysia) Unfortunately, at this point in time, Frugal is the keyword. Was speaking to the hubs and we have really polar views on this entire visitation thingy. His family works very simply. Everyone gathers at granny's place, distributes ang baos and calls it a day. Mine, u basically have to visit one aunt to another, but seeing the same visitors over and over again. I would think it does force us a little to make that effort to keep something. Social relations.it's really quite important as mostly we see those relatives once a year and it's this time you find out what they are doing. You'd be surprised what news awaits you! ie. I'm gonna be an aunt (again) this Vday; the little no-longer-innocent cousins are getting weirder; the coming-of-age adolescents have suddenly shot up in height and we are holding more intellectual conversations...and the list goes on. One thing I hate most though, is how the old follies enjoy regaling the young ones with stories of their activities. + pressuring my biological clock. So jaded when I hear of such stuff. Things don't get any easier when you learn that your cousin who got married a year ago is going to be father this Feb. Don't they know, stress doesnt help? I liked though, how a fellow cousin answered when bombarded with such questions:
Old Aunt: So when am I gonna get to carry your baby?
Cousin: ohh u want one? go supermarket and buy one

haha how original.

The year has begun on a rather painful note. Painful due to the onslaught of migraine and ulcers. I seriously should try to be more obedient! Had two deep fried chicken wings the other day and the deluge of headaches and neckaches just poured. But I've been restraining. Keeping to the motto of drinking only warm water. I think I'm doing good in the face of temptation.

The above are gifts from kind souls! I can simply open a cookie shop!
Hopefully they'll vanish soon! The temptation is just so strong!

Reunion luncheon @ Mummy's. Was rather annoyed with her as she waited for me to arrive and slice up all the ingredient and marinate them! So she basically prepared the curry and plain soup! Was nagging the whole time how tiring it is for her to put this together! Sigh

HUAT AH!!
Did not have many representation of the rabbit at home, thus did the next best thing -- DRAW!
and MADE two really adorable origami wabbits!

Reunion over at Sweetie's granny's house. Now this is what I call festivity! the mood is so apparent over there with 4 generations under one roof!

Sweetie luring the happy kid with food!

It's FA CAI time!
Outfit of Day 1. :)
Outfit for day 2: LOVE it max!

Visited godma today and am glad all is well with her. The dog (Lucky) is getting fat, but he's such an adorable member of the family! The moment he misbehaves, all the owner has to do is to say she's gonna get a cane and the little doggie will hide in between the sofa!

It lovessssss being tickeled and caressed!

After a great BBQ with family, it's time to head home for some gambling action.

Wonder if we'd be caught for mass gambling when this gets published?! hhaha...Sweetie really needs to do something about his luck...sigh.

With another year, the past gets left further and further behind. Reflect on this year and manifest what's next!

Loft living magnified

2011-02-01T01:27:00.009+08:00

The morning was grey and wild. Rain came with such velocity that it struck into my flesh like cold needles. The heavens was a pale blue dome. It's been raining incessantly for days, but my mood -- SUNNY :)

Just last Sunday, the gals and I visited S at her new place. A cool zephyr was blowing; it brought with it an aromatherapy that filled the air with a soothing scent of freshly cut grass. I didn't know I was in for a visual treat. S is probably one of the more successful ones, who married early and have 2 bundle of joys, with one more on the way. Now, to add to her milestones, she's the proud owner of a landed property! For those who know, Singapore's property prices are insane. It had been fueled by investors who were trying their luck at flipping (that is until the government stepped in with several cooling measures). Coupled with the fact that Singapore is just a tiny dot on the map, land scarcity is a major problem and push factor for crazy prices. Thus, to own a landed property (without parental backing) at this relatively young age is to the envy of many. Or at least me.

Was greeted by this beautiful foliage the moment I entered. With a huge custom door that allows light to flow out to the patio (or vice versa).

A swing cleverly installed for the kids. Clever. Radiant-heated concrete floor -- SWOON

The clean lines of the living room's furniture juxtaposed with the designer's art and that incredible colourful chair (below) demonstrate that when designing interiors, opposite tastes can truly make for a great thing.

One of my favourite feature! Noooo not Mohammad Ali! The wall! The taste is marked by a minimalistic aesthetic feel. THe artwork and accessories seem to stand out against the subdued paint colours.

Another love! The gorgeous dining table made from recycled teak. Vintage + urban & contemporary digs..all in one!

The spacious and inviting space is further enhanced by this to-die-for island! The kitchen provides a great space for entertaining! Pity the owners don't cook often! The cabinets were of interest. They were in fact filing cabinets! Functional yet sophisticated. Space was further created by concealed storage and that activated visual cues and connection.

Upon ascending to the second floor, a new horizontal composition of windows reveals a new heaven. Though not much of a view, I would love to have a little balcony, just to be rejuvenated by the fresh air every morning.

The designer created exceptionally subtle manipulations of form and space. The long line of wardrobe didnt look that bulky, yet was able to store a whole lot, because its width span across two rooms! Talk about ingenuity!

kids' room.
The couple celebrates parenthood by letting bright, kid-friendly elements dominate the space. Due to the high ceiling, a playroom was created.

The little ones have to climb up in order to go up to their "tree top". A perfect hiding place when mommy wants them down for homework! The place is simply an aesthetic treasure hunt.

The piece separating heaven and earth, is made of tampered glass, thus the kids' safety is assured.

A board just for graffiti

The designer's keen sense of design flourished into fruition.

On to the master bedroom. On first glance, the gals reaction was that this place is in fact two rooms! Boy were we wrong! We could probably partition three rooms from this! talk about posh living! Definitely posh, after spending a bomb at renovation (approx SGD180k)

Love this shelf!!!! + the books! So sleek and organized!

The stylish connection to the world beyond. Every girl's dream. A wild dream for most. Left: His clothes; Right: Her clothes. According to S, the contractor couldn't help giggling when he was building the wardrobe. He felt that this couple's in the retail scene.

After the tour, we sat down to chill. Cakes from Cedele and pastries from all over. It was great fun with great company!

Soon the setting sun set pale streamers of purple and orange across the blue of the heavens. It was standing in the saffrom west sky. The day had ended as beautifully as it started. The rain simply perks me up!

Far away land........

2011-01-29T01:58:00.007+08:00

Nope, I have not disappeared into oblivion. Was just trying to deal with issues. Namely, money and time. Seeing more enthusiasm and effort on your part, the mood has been a tad lifted. Hearing the bitch's name however, threw me into the abyss of frustration once more. The mocking laughter is still ringing in my ears. I seriously don't know where's all this leading. Each time I make a small achievement at being mindful, something has to creep in once more. Attempts to reintegrate, all rejected. I wonder how issit that the adolescents are able to maintain their lovey dovey posts.

Have been busying myself with heaps. After a host of catch ups and a wedding, it was time to set things straight at work. Have confirmed the new deal and am waiting in anticipation to embark on the new project (which i'll probably reveal when the time is right). Hope things will work out! For now, job proper can only start after Chinese New Year. Hope I'm still able to catch the peak and it will not be effort down the drain! Schedule wise, things were seemingly settled...that was all until yesterday! DANG! the menacing cloud, bringing a malicious news loomed above. I hope everyone corporates and stop giving me headaches! It's times like these when you really feel like throwing in the towel. Work aside, chores have been keeping me...or rather, US, on our toes. Been trying to clear things bit by bit since December! THANK goodness I started early! I wouldn't have managed with the insane timings I'm keeping and the amazing mountain of chores to clear albeit religiously keeping the house neat and tidy. Pictures below will manifest my thoughts:

A great breakfast (for Him) to start last Sunday right! Need all the energy for the great cleanout!

The amount of things to do is simply overwhelming at times, thus, I put my knowledge to practise and created a mindmap for the new year! haha

At a glance

Cleaned this couple of months back with a ruler! The inventor is simply a genius! There seems to be no way for this gadget to be dismantled and clean. The motor itself is attached to the back of each "circle"! Even by force, we could not open up the cover.

Despite the above complaints, I managed to get it from this (above).........

To THIS! (above)

With the help of THESE! (Above). Nooo they are not skeletons in case you are thinking otherwise...they are COTTONBUDS! i painstakingly cleaned each crevice using the bud! you can't imagine the insanity! Thank goodness there was KENNY G in the background to calm my nervy condition.

After 4 yrs, this bulb is finally retiring. Sweetie seems to be in the mood for bulb shopping these days....

The interior of the kitchen light. How those stuff got in there (it's covered with no gaps), i seriously m in a blur.

I've been neglecting a certain someone. We go back a long way. Presenting Mr B, my bf! Can't recall the last time I gave him a good scrub. Mostly, I'd just take a cloth to give him a quick rub. This year however, I decided to be good. Thus from lackluster, he turned to..........

TADA! This! his former glory has been reinstated! Look how handsome he is! :)

was very hesitant about the above initially. But I knew i had to face the music eventually.

Reluctantly, the shelves were emptied one by one and cleaned. Yet another insane project. The good thing which came out of it all was that I threw away 5 pairs and gave away at least 6 :) An excuse to stock up again? :)

In its full glory!

Could not believe how much I've achieved that day. After the arduous chores, I even had some energy left to conquer my fried nian gao! The plain nian gao has been sitting pretty in my fridge since the beginning of the year. It is said that these can be kept for months (the last I read was 6 mths though) in the fridge and the longer you keep, the more luck there is. Well, desperate times call for desperate measures! Though the underlying reason was because I absolutely forgotten that I had such an item in my fridge! Thankfully, we are both fine after eating :) The end result wasn't as expected. Effort in cutting was huge! (IT"S HARD to cut when first taken out..then upon steaming, it's difficult to take out because it starts to sick! URGH)

It's really quite invigorating to be doing the chores and I'm looking forward to this wkend when I have to clear the last lot! It's therapeutic in my opinion when you see yourself achieving so much albeit small or big feats. Have to press on the turbo button!

Feverishly pursuing the light of illusions
Seeking salvation
Falling into a whirling vortex of
Darkness, Desperation, Desolation and Despondency

Trying to find my way out of the Maze of Life
Trying o find the reason of my existence

Forlorn

2011-01-20T13:56:00.003+08:00

A broken swing,
Stood at a corner of a lively playground
An eagle with a broken wing,
Losing all its abilities, and can't even prowl.

The whistling of the cold breath drifted
Seeped through the eyes of light.
Darkness so deep yet vulnerable
Mist perpetually complex yet simple

I look around the room
the four walls threatening to engulf me
My heart is frozen
I am demoralised

And in the silence
I SCREAM

Talk about mood swings. Thought that it would be a good start for the forthcoming Chinese New Year, but the dark clouds loomed above just a few minutes ago. There's about 1.5wks more. Would he be able to find something suitable? Would his talents be recognized? Do miracles exist?

Late Start but great start

2011-01-16T18:11:00.007+08:00

16 days has passed since 1.1.2011 and yes, I'm late again, a problem I'm trying to be mindful of. Afterall, the theme of 2011 is to be mindful. When mindful, I probably won't indulge in unnecessary shopping (still working on that...not seeing the light yet), and am apt to be less idle. When I'm mindful, I'm better able to regulate my emotions (a personal challenge); most importantly, being mindful will also lead me to a calmer frame of mind.

So far, 2011 has been great. letting go of bad feelings and focusing on the positive. Though today the hub sprang a surprise on me to mess up my mood -- he expressed his intentions of golfing in BKK on Day 3 of CNY just because cousin's going. Am trying to keep calm but who likes being "abandoned" during a long break? Being retaliated with the words "it's my hobby and you can come if you want" didn't sound all that right too. Trust me, the latter was purely lip service. I'm made to feel like some excess baggage being dumped in the gully. Marriage can be exhilarating as couples experience new "first". Such is not aplenty in mine. In fact, those episodes were short-lived. I'm befuddled. Things in life, no matter how small, ordinary, humble, mundane or insignificant can bring the most enduring pleasure if only we become aware of them. It takes two to clap and the booms are not permeating on this end. A character flaw which I can't reconcile. Am insanely jealous when I see how others are. I know. It's unhealthy, but it's human nature. Blame it on my obsessive over-thinking. But I promise myself to focus on looking forward as if we are intent on driving in reverse, we'll miss all the scenery. Life is too short to be lived on auto-pilot. I hope I can find my delectable moments elsewhere.

One of my delectable moments! Met up with the gals last Sunday to trade idle banter and juicy gossip. It's amazing how gals can chat. From 4pm we chatted and ate all the way till about 930pm!

The place is nicely done up and nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Delectable cakes come at a price

Strawberry Shortcake with a twist -- Thumbs up!

This cup of hot chocolate was melted literally from PURE imported chocolate! Hardcore! Was nice at first sip but after a while, it got a little overwhelming.

Signage to my favourite part of the cafe

I'm never a pink person but this is so inspiring! The flowers really brighten up the whole place.

Attended Mz's wedding at Grand Park City Hall yesterday. It's amazing that it's been 1X years since we left school. Thankfully, everyone's still looking more or less the same. Time sure flew like a speeding bullet!

Absolutely love my outfit of the day. H says it's my colour. Couldn't resist taking a narcissistic picture of my back! I almost died in those 4.5" killer heels though.

The food was nothing to shout about. This was the only photo-worthy dish. They were mostly stuff you could find at your local coffeeshop, except they were of slightly higher quality. Service was not up to standard too. J who had vegetarian, was served with a plate of mock squid only to be taken away from her later (after we nibbled) as the waiter informed that the plate was actually meant for all the vegetarians at the banquet! Imagine our shock! On top of that, whilst we were away at the ladies, the noodles was served. We came back and discovered a strand on J's chair! hmm...

Sunday's coming to an end. It had been good. With Kenny G and Yanni in the background, Sunday Times in one hand and sipping a cup of rosebud tea, I hope there'd be more delectable moments and I'll have the presence of mind to enjoy every one of them! :)

Wrapped in a cocoon of pleasure

2011-01-01T22:57:00.007+08:00

I'm grinning like a Cheshire cat lapping a bowl of milk. Am loving the first few days of the year. Am laying in bed with my Macbook. Such luxury! The mixture of earthy scents and the night air invaded my nostrils, inspiring me to do another post! Wow! That's new!

Am loving the car! Sheer bliss to be standing next to it.

Look! I found a twin! The car parked next door. A smaller mini. Can it get any smaller?

Visited friend C's new crib on new yr's day after catching up over coffee with H and J. All the way to Yishun! A long drive.

The ever favourite Serta bed. Seems like they are doing really well these days. Word has it, they've taken over Simmons! I knew my investment was right!

Of the entire house, I love this mirror best! So apt for camwhoring!

Clever move to do away with the walls and let the light stream in through the glass. Instant glow to the house.

Sweetie's favourite corner! We've been trying to conceptualise such a cosy corner but due to the layout of our balcony, we can't :(. Am trying to work on "Project Outdoor Bench" before CNY. Hopefully the hubs would cooperate on the technical aspects.

The chic black sky was star-dusted with glittering stars speckled all over. A slim crescent dangled amidst the stars, emitting an enthralling pearly glow. Wisps of silvery clouds waltzed across the sky as the chilly night breeze howled softly. I stifled a yawn and snuggled deeper into the warmth of my blankets. Am drifting off to slumberland. Good night world!

Evolution 1.1.11

2011-01-01T18:43:00.015+08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR WORLD!

Finally I have crossed the finishing line of 2010. The fact that 2011 has finally arrived hasn't really dawned upon me fully. It seems like yet another day if not for the annual BBQ countdown. Somehow evolution has set in. It's moments like these that I really thank the ppl around me; immensely grateful for their gd company; and splendidly blessed with a not-always-so-good but i-still-love-him-very-much hubby. It's really awesome to be spending the 1st few hours of 2011 with good pals. This year, our annual BBQ has upgraded. The theme -- High Class, Good Food. Peektures below may render you helpless and immobilized so BEWARE:

The above was just a portion of the food that we had! As usual, they overbought. You probably can't tell much from the above. There were angus beef, pork belly, mussels in white wine sauce, bacon wrapped asparagus, BBQ clams and so many more! below are some zoomed-in shots of some delicacies.

Why is everyone fussing over some roast over the pit?

Now you know why! Our version of Lamb Shank! Pity I don't take lamb, but from the looks, I could tell it was two thumbs up.

Minced meat with melted cheese in peppercorn.

My favourite -- BBQ Clams! The juice that was oozing out was simply out of this world!
Angus Beef? Steak done to perfection. Certainly a gourmet treat!

Despite being a tad saltish, this bacon number was certainly a mouth-watering delight. While the style of service and presentation isn't exactly elegant, the 'petite' portions were designed with an inquisitive palate in mind.

A great balance of tomatoes and bacon! The pulps burst the moment you embrace 'em in your mouth! This heavenly combination was a crowd favourite.

Hot plate pork belly.

The man of the night -- Chef Liew. Our degustation menu was crafted by him. It marries both exquisite flavours and a fun element.

The man needs a rest too! Sometimes I really applaud him for being a superman. With a hectic day time job (esp this time of the yr) and hardly enough sleep at night (in my opinion), he still volunteered his services to get the groceries and cook 'em! How does he do all that? beats me!

There's no denying that age is catching up fast and furious. Wisps of tangy clouds moseyed across the sky, shielding the fiery ball of orange sun that was setting. Temperatures dipped to a new low (A great welcome!) as the evening breeze swept the surroundings. The trees tinted with a beautiful evening glow, swayed and danced in the gentle wind. Everything slowed to a laidback pace as the evening drawled on leisurely. As the breeze caressed our cheeks, we sat around, observing a gp of teens dumping their friends in the pool as early as 830pm. Reminiscence and nostalgia kicked in instantly. We were a bunch of rowdy monkeys back then. Far worse! With beer cans in the pool @ the stroke of midnight and many of the babes clad in skimpy bikinis frolicking in the pool (ok that sounds sleazy!) Now, the conversation revolved about pregnancy and marriage and instead of babes in bikinis, many were armed with a babe or were spotting a baby bump. Occasionally, baby gibberish would stream out of the little ones' rosebud mouths. As for the men, it's no longer intense sessions of drinking. Everyone was unbelievably sober and grappling over some iphone game -- Vege Samuri! There were no more rambunctious shrieks or vibrant balloons streaming from the pavillion framing a banner proclaiming our party theme. Evolution has dawned upon us. After all the yuletide and new year cheer, detoxification will start soon hopefully.

Alright alright, detoxification can start after the above home-cooked-by-the hubs new year dinner! :)