Moved...

Sick of not able to post pics on blogger & also facing loads of script problems thus I have moved to http://chroniclesofjaviertan.wordpress.com/!

Daddy's going back to work... :(

Dearie's 3 weeks leave is coming to an end. Must say I m feeling kinda sad. Baby Javier felt sad too! So far dearie has been taking care of Javier in the wee hrs while I get to slp. Meaning from now onwards, I will need to take care of Javier's night feeds & diaper change till early morning when my mum will then take over. :( other than that, something I will missed most is dearie's company in the day! Guess the confinement period I am goin thru now has been more bearable with dearie ard me. Dearie was contemplating to take 1 month of no pay leave to help take care of bb longer but think it will nt reflect well on his wrk performance so told him better nt.Funny thing was dearie asked me to consider taking 6 mths NPL! Told dearie that this has nt crossed my mind b4 & will not think of it too. Well... Dearie then say when the time comes, I will tink bout it. Haha

Anyway, broke the rules on sat when mummy granted me a 1 day break fr my confinement! Begged mummy to let me out as dearie wanted to have a short break b4 resuming wrk on mon. As such, mum allowed me to go catch a movie and have my meals outside (weets! No more confinement food!) Only rule for me was I must keep myself warm outside & thus I was wearing a jacket when I was out. Seriously feel so good to be out
! Haha looks like I am so deprived huh? Hee. Anyway, 2 more wks to regaining my freedom! Can't wait! *grinz*

Confinement = Post Natal Blues?

Asked mummy last night why must woman go thru 1 month of confinement after delivery and not juz a week. Mummy has no ans for me except that whatever I am going thru now is for my good.

Somehow,this confinement period can be quite agonising at times. No cold food/drinks but plently of HOT tonic. The only time I can drink WARM plain water is when i am taking pills (supplements). Otherwise, the only drink i can take is Longan Red DAte boiled with ginger and it must be warm upon consumption. My meals are very healthy thou they are again very heaty as there must be at least some ginger/herbs involved in the cooking. GUess it doesn't help with the warm humid weather going ard now. Think the worse feeling so far is I can't leave the house at all. :(

Think all these heaty stuffs are getting into my head as I am slowly throwing tantrums at home. YEs. For those who really know me well, my temper can be quite bad. Was sulking at home ytd when Dearie went out for too long to run some errands. Kinda upset that i cant tag along I guess? Haha... Like a little kid huh? Got irritated by baby cries juz now too that I simply shove him into my mum's arms (Sorry baby Javier... look like I am not a good mummy after all huh?)& juz walked away. Sigh...

Am I showing signs of post natal blues? HAha... tink so bah. OR someone who really has post natal blues will not know that? Seriously, as much as I am happy that baby Javier is finally born, there are also many other heavy feelings settling in. 2 nights back, when baby is finally sound asleep, had a nice long chat with Dearie under the moon. HAHA... actually we were juz sitting on the mattress in the room and happened to be basking under the moonlight near the window. Talked alot bout what has happened the past few days and I realised that Dearie is actually very sensitive to my needs (which he is all along? hee). HE kinda told me he knows what is bothering me and he actually told me what are some of the gestures he has done to make me cheer up. Anyway, we have arranged to go on a date after my confinement period and I simply can't wait. THere's so many things I missed doing with DEarie!!! haha....

As I have told Dearie, I will never forget what he has done for me during this period of time. I sincerely treasure it and I really feel blessed and lucky for a hubby like him & for a daddy like him for our little prince. :)

Baby Javier's first visit to the paediatric

Ytd marks the day baby Javier turned 1 week old! Went back TMC to his pd for follow-up checkup & also to take his metabolic screening test. As for Mummy, it marks the day I can finally breathe fresh air! REally hate confining myself at home... Haha...

Granny was initially worried Baby Javier may create a din like he does at home sometimes. Guess what, he was such an angel! Slept from home to TMC. Woke up when it was his turn for to see doc. Cooperate with the doc who did the usual body check on him. He even kept still and quiet when the doc placed him tummy down on the bed while we bombarded the doc with loads of qns... After the checkup, he did wail for a few moments as it was feeding time. After the feed, we brought him to the lab to withdraw blood from his feet for the screening. Broke my heart thou when granny told me quite abit of blood (like 3 tubes?) was taken from him thus he started wailing abit when the 2nd tube of blood was taken. Still, he was easily pacified after the blood withdrawal and he fell asleep not long after when we go to the clinic to remove my stitches. After a long wait for my stitches to be removed, we finally left TMC and Javier is still sound asleep until we reach home! :):)

Granny said Baby JAvier really knows how to "zuo ren"! Whew... Daddy & Mummy was so relieved that the checkup went well and mummy's wound is also healing very well! :)

Baby Javier turning 1 week-old soon...

Juz last wed, i was anticipating the arrival of my little prince. Now, it's been nearly a week since he was born on 29th July.

The operation was more or less a smooth one except for a slight hiccup when my little prince refused to be pulled out from my womb and he put up a strong struggle with my gynae. Of course I didnt really see the struggle but Dearie witness his birth process and he told me it's was like baby was playing tug of war with the gynae! HAha... Anyway JAvier was finally delivered with additional help from my anaesthesia doc who helped to push my womb to force him out. Thought that was the only slight uncomfy experience I had when she pushed my womb so vigourously.

Though it's only 1 week, I felt that my life has been quite a bit of roller coaster ride. I must say this little prince is not easy to handle! His wails are really deafening and no one can placate him till he gets what he wants. It may seemed like a simple diaper change or feeding session but as he's really impatient when we are slow, thus we need like 3 ppl to entertain to his 1 simple need? Yet, Baby Javier juz knows how to work his way through. After his needs are met, he will reward us with a charming, heartwarming smile. Dearie was so touched when Javier did that for the 1st time that he actually teared in joy. Looks like Daddy is so emotional huh... 1 smile was all it takes to melt everyone's heart.

In bout 2 weeks' time, I will be busy with his full month birthday party and I juz cant wait to show off my little bundle of joy! :)

End of the 9 mths journey... Embarking onto the next phase of Lifelong commitment

Finally.... In bout less than 9 hrs, Baby Javier will be delivered from my womb. Can't believe time flies past so quickly thou these 9 mths did seemed to be crawling at times. More or less experienced some not so nice things bout being preggy (infection, hormonal inbalance, morning sickness, tired aching legs/body), on the other hand, also had loads of nice memorable moments that are really beyond description.

Anyway, loads of mixed feelings now. Anxious. Excited. Worried. Happy. Actually I don't know what to expect lah. Haha.... too many thots running thru my mind. hee... Past. Present. Future.

Ok. Shall end here cos thoughts kinda gettin incoherent le.

Baby Javier, Mummy & Daddy can't wait to hear your first wails and carry you in our arms. :)

1 more week to go!!

WEnt for my last checkup today before the delivery next wed. Baby Javier is 3kg tdy. DUn tink can reach my target of 3.5kg next wk. Nvm... He will gain wt fast when's he out! Quite pleased with my glucose & bp monitoring so far. Under control le but gynae still wants me to continue with my blood glucose monitoring so feelin so sian. Seriously, it's no fun pricking your fingers so many times a day. Blur me even slit across my entire right thumb when I was replacing the needle on the pricker. Darn... Mummy was telling me the pain will be worse off when the C-sect op is done. Guess this prick is currently building up my pain tolerance for the real thingy? Haha... DEar suggested takin pics of all the needles I've used for the glucose test but I told him I'll prefer to keep nice memories of my pregnancy thou he said its to show Baby Javier how "noble" I am...

1 more wk to go. Yet to let the feeling of anxiety set in... Hmm...

9 more days to go...

Getting abit restless as the delivery date draws nearer. Seemed to be having prob sleeping too. Baby Javier was so active last night that I slept like at 3.30am and woke up without the alarm goin off at about 5.15am! Javier woke up to with me as he was wriggling so much inside me. When I reach my mum's place at 7am, he is still doing his morning exercise. Dearie was saying Baby is also excited to see us next wk so he's kinda preparing himself.

Guess this is the surge in energy I read about when a woman's pregnancy is coming to an end? Kept thinking about the prep for my delivery & confinement stay @ Mum's place. Ambitious me went to pack most of my nike clothings (which I usually wear at home b4 preggy) for my confinement and then Dearie & Mummy told me I will not be able to fit into those clothings within such a short period of time. Mum told me to stick to my maternity wear for a period of time 1st. Was whining and sulking when I heard it. :(

Anyway, booked the lady who does home post-natal massages and tummy wrap le. Can only start her services after 6 wks cos need to wait for my wound to heal. Recommended by my mum's friend so hope she is really cheap ($380 for 7 sessions) & good! LL was telling us her fren's size changed from M to XL after pregnancy and I was like totally freaked out. All I want is seriously to regain my pre-preggy frame of M size esp getting my waist back! Kept thinking bout the post-delivery tummy flap that was talked about and think that is so much scary than stretch marks! Arghh... think pregnancy really "ugly-fied" me. Really a noble sacrifice for baby Javier huh...

So baby Javier must love Mummy more than Daddy k? Haha... Looks like being a father is so much more easier... Must make sure Dearie is more actively involved in parenthood and not juz play with baby like most men... :))) Already told DEarie that he must master the art of changing diapers, bathing, feeding, carrying him, rocking him to sleep in 3 wks' time when he's on leave from 27th July-17th Aug! Mummy will simply focus on nursing baby only and regaining back my health & body during my confinement! :)))

Over the years...

Nov 2008

(On my wedding day)

July 2009
(36 wks pregnant)

These friends of mine have been with me throughout the many significant moments in my life... From taking our O-levels tog - graduating from NUS tog - planning & being the bridesmaid gang for my wedding - going through my pregnancy phase now. Wow... Thank you dear friends for going through all these significant phases in my life and very soon... I'll be entering motherhood which will be another impt phase in my life and I know you gals will be there to share my pride and joy! :)

Counting down... 13 days more

Went for checkup tdy. BB Javier weighs 2.9kg at week 36. 100g short of my expectation. Wanted him to be at least 3kg... Haha... Anyway, Gynae estimated that he should be ard 3.3kg when he's born in 2 wks time. Oh yah... the ultrasound also showed that Javier has also engaged which means his head is now down at the birth canal. No wonder I kept feeling his kicks at my upper abdomen nowadays...

Went thru the fetal heartbeart & movement test too! Javier is kinda notti tdy. Irritated that Mummy is strapped on to the machine, he tried so hard to push and wriggle so that the heartbeat attachment on my tummy will fall lose. Ended up Dearie and me have to hold on to the attachment for like 20mins so that the machine can record his heartbeat properly. Dearie even complained that his hand was tired after some time...

Hmm... Guess tdy's checkup left me with a heavy heart... BP still not ideal so I am placed on anti-hypertensive medication to control my bp for the 2 wks. Gynae intially comtemplating to bring forward the C-sect date but we came to a conclusion that it will nt be too good for Javier to come out before Wk37 as such we will still stick to 29th July.

On top of that, thou my previous blood tests results shows that I do not have gestational diabetes, there is some indication of slight glucose tolerance impairment so she wants me to monitor my blood sugar level next wk since I am entering the crucial period. This monitoring involved the finger-prick test to be taken 7X a day! Dearie was kinda shock to hear it when the nurse was teaching me how to use the glucose test machine and he even tried correcting her by saying it should be 7X a wk bah and not a day! haha... The nurse then told us it is indeed 7X a day and Dearie responded by saying to me: "NI SHI GE WEI DA DE MA MA!" (translated: " You are a noble mummy") & I went like #&%#$%! As the nurse realised I was looking kinda sad today, she kept comforting me and told me not to think too much. She then jokingly told me if the prick tests hurt alot since I need to prick 7 of my fingers within a day, I can prick Dearie's fingers instead.

Despite all these, I did not cry today le thou my eyes were teary for a moment when Nurse Alice asked me why I looked so down today... I have to go through the next 13 days and I am determined that Javier will be born no earlier than 29th July. I know what I have to note in the next 2 wks and will hang on no matter what. I will stay positive so that Javier will be happy inside me too and not feel sad along with me!

BABY JAVIER, YOU MUST JIA YOU TOO AND WE WILL MAKE IT TO YOUR BIRTHDAY ON THE 29TH JULY!!! :)))) Daddy & Mummy LOVES YOU ALOTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!

Javier's favourite position

(View of my tummy from the top)

A loopsided tummy! Javier enjoys staying on the right side of my womb which results in an unequal distribution of stretch marks on my tummy too. Sigh. My right side has so much more stretch marks than the left nw! Shall nt show the pics here cos dun wanna frighten you ppl about the "ugly and unglam" moments in a pregnancy. HAha...

Can you see a faint vertical dark line running down in the middle? It is called the Linea nigra. It's much darker actually but nt so obvious in this pic due to my lousy hp cam. Anyway, it is caused by pigmentation in the skin when the abdominal muscles stretch and slightly separate, to accommodate the baby as it grows. Supposedly will disappear a few wks after delivery. Juz recalled the joke made by my boss back then that this line is actually a "guide" for the gynae to "slice" open my tummy... Diaozzz... He even added that I should use markers to draw dotted lines on it!!! 8)

A new addition

Gotta this little number 9 Serta sheep to signify Javier's birth in 09! My little family... :))

"Last Day" in school

Went back sch to settle some admin work and YW kept taking my preggy pics as she said it's my "last day" in sch! HAha... Anyway, think I did not take much pics in my entire pregnancy as I kinda feel "ugly &huge". Anyway... some pics of my huge state now;

Total wt gain = 17kg at ard 35 wks

Find my nose gotta bigger eversince I am preggy. Cos of Baby Javier?

THe people I am gonna miss while I am on leave!!!

Daddy Vs Mummy

Juz read my colleague's baby blog and her latest post seemed to be a ranting on her hubby if I am not wrong. Somehow she felt that all Mummys have to "do-it-all" & "know-it-all" while the Daddy is always a not so proactive caregiver.

This leads me to pondering what type of Daddy will Dearie be in 3 wks time? Dearie is also like my colleague's hubby, can spend loads of time with the computer and games (think mine worse cos Dearie is into Com games, PS3 AND PSP). Recalled we bought a book in US on "Everything a father-to-be needs to know" and guess what? I've finished reading the book on Dearie's behalf and he hasn't really like read more than a page... Guess the 1st line on the 1st chap should tell all Fathers-to-be to first give up on all their addictive habits, well if they bother flipping the pages in the 1st place?

Funny thing was that Dearie was praising himself last night after watchin some HK drama show. Commented that he is unlike the actor in the show who enjoys going out to meet friends for drinks in town at night and abandoning his wife. Told me that I am "lucky" to have a hubby like him! A husband who will give up work to rush home to attend to his wife's needs and one who goes home straight after work to accompany his wife. Haha... Well I do admit that DEarie does spend loads of time with me and he doesn't abandon me lah. Eventhough he can be engrossed in his games at times while I will be usually reading books, online surfing or watchin tv in the room alone, he will constantly check on me (like once/twice every 1 hr) to see if I need anything in particular. Eversince I am preggy, he will like constantly keep asking me if I want to drink milk every now and then. Wondering if he is feeding me or baby? Hmm...

Anyway, the real deal will arrive in a few weeks and that will be the time to see how Daddy will fare. And of cos how Mummy will fare too. Somehow, we are kinda lax with my mummy the Know-it-all + Do-it-all Super Nanny on the frontline. Anyway, I believe Dearie will not let Baby Javier and Mummy down. :)))

Go slow and easy...

Went for my blood tests ytd. Earlier than scheduled since my bp kinda raised to >140/90mmHg on Thu.

WEnt through 3 rounds of blood withdrawal from 0830-1030, once every hourly. Guess the glucose drink (for the Diabetes Test) wasn't as bad as mentioned & I kinda enjoyed the drink which is super sweet! Guess the fasting from 10pm the night before causes the drink to be more tolerant in me as I was hungry and thirsty by the time I reach the hospital. BB was even kicking and kinda dancing not long after I gulped down the drink so guess he is enjoying the sudden glucose rush too?

Anyway, gotta the results in the afternoon and while a sigh of relief that I cleared the glucose test with no signs of diabetes, the risk for PreEclampsia is there. Which means if my bp continues to be high, I will risk going into fits/convulsions/stroke and also lose my baby if the placenta stopped sending nutrients/oxygen to bb. Guess this came as a big shock and can't help it, I finally broke down. Kinda freaked Dearie out with my sobbing and he needs to keep assuring me that with ample rest at home, my bp will be under control.

For now, I have to learn to stop my super-fast paced walking. Got reprimanded by Mummy too last night as she said I am not walking like a pregnant woman, instead at a too fast pace which she can't even catch up at times. Think alot of colleagues at work has been "reprimanding" me for the pace I used in school too? Didnt really occur to me that this will raise my bp... :( And of cos my twice daily bp monitoring at home and the weekly gynae checkup from nw on. Juz praying hard that my rest at home will be fine as I do not want to be hospitalised early for monitoring or even worse still, to deliver BB prematurely.

Go slow.... Go easy... Keep my spirits high... Even decided that I will cut down on the com/PSP games which I planning to play when I am bored and they should be of less intense nature. If possible, think I will like juz sleep and go on a hibernation mode. Somehow, I juz can't stay still if I m awake?

3 more weeks to go... Baby Javier, Hang in there k? Everything will be fine soon. Juz keep growing and be strong my dear little precious one...

Going on leave soon... 6th July-28th July

Had my checkup ytd. Mixed feelings after the checkup. Happy that BB gained 0.7kg (coincidentally I have also gained 0.7kg since the last visit too!) and nw weighs about 2.4kg at 33 wks old. Gynae said he will be ard 3+kg by the end of next mth when he is born. Hoping he will be at least 3.5kg! :)

Something worrying is the rising bp whenever I go for checkup. As a result, gynae is putting me on more tests this coming wkend as she worry I may be at risk of Preclampsia. Drags... Even got to take the test for gestational diabetes! Shucks. Tot I can avoid that since so many preggy ppl told me how terrible it is... Sigh. Guess as what Dearie said, take the tests and can set our heart at peace. Hope everything will be ok!

Supposedly to go on leave from 18th July onwards but with the H1N1 thingy going ard plus my rising bp, gynae gave the green light to go leave earlier. As a result, I will be on leave from 6th July to 28th July. Total gotta 23 days of hospitalisation leave! Only worrying thingy is of cos my grad class which I have to hand over. :(

Anyway, have been cooking dinner for the past few wks and kinda enjoying myself (too bad didnt take any pics!). Next wk onwards no more cooking le cos we have ordered for tingkat dinner service from Neo Garden. Partly also, I am getting more clumsy each day so cooking can be a hazard for me at times!

Think I am going to rot at home for the next 3 wks cos can't really go out (since I wanna minimise contact with ppl outside). Dearie gotta me books, mag and com games but somehow, still will get sian man. Initially Dearie wanted mummy to come keep me company but she's kinda busy helping out at my aunt's antique shop. SO SIAN... ... Guess I should still be happy that I can rest before the little one pops out and take control of my life? Haha...

Leo Baby = Baby Javier

The Leo baby is bright, sunny, strong, friendly, loves attention and affection but likely to set afoot where angels fear.
(Hmm... Javier means Bright! Guess the name is suited for my Leo baby )
THey seek attention, if positive attention is not forth coming, they will turn to negative behaviour to get needed attention.
(Ohh... This can be tacky huh... )
They want moms and dads to be proud of them and want you to acknowledge their achievements and tell them that they did well.
(Look like Javier needs positive reinforcement huh?)
They need encouragement for creativity and remember, Leo baby demands goodnight kisses and hugs from whole family at bedtimes!
(Woah! Look like Baby Javier gonna be a big attention seeker. *Gulpz*)

HAve been pondering about the big change (bringing up a child) that is coming up and wonder how ready are we. Realised I didnt even think that much when I was preparing for our wedding / marriage. Dear and I have been enjoying our freedom and personal space together (thou its a short one since we married and live under one roof only like Nov last year) so thinking bout how all these will change with Baby Javier around.

Have been getting abit restless lately as being heavily pregnant can seriously incur loads of constraints. Activities that I can't do. Food/Drinks that I can't consume. Places that I can't go. :( Something that kept me going of cos is the thought that everything I am doing / experiencing now is for the best of my baby.

For now, I shall just try my best to enjoy what is left with my 1mth+ of pregnancy. :)

BAby in action!!! Thou he's asleep throughout the 4D scan...

Moving about and turning his head

BB sulking and pouting

Sleeping must also have pose.... Haha..

sticking out his tongue...

Smiling even when sleeping... guess Baby Javier is having a sweet dream...

Baby Javier 3D scan

BB showing off his foot!

sleeping...

Still sleeping...

Deep in sleep...

Rubbing his chubby cheek...

BB is smiling!!!

BB showing his fist...

Zzzz...

Aww...

BB is irritated I think... looks like he is gonna cry...

In Lala land....

Nice fingers....

Can you hear us calling you?

Mummy is growing too!!!

DEar enjoys taking random pictures of my tummy so as to monitor the growth of BB from the expansion of my waistline. Must say the growth of my tummy has not be linear of cos and recently it is growing at an exponential rate! As much as it signifies the growth of bb inside me, the missing waist and ugly appearance of stretch marks can be daunting at times! Anyway, check out the growth spurt below!

Feb 2009

MArch 2009 (nt too much of a diff from last mth)

April 2009 (hmm... sudden growth heh?)

May 2009 (Wow! Mama is big huh?)

Nice little bulge in March

Dear spotted signs of stretch marks in Apr! Ahh...

Shucks! Juz taken few hrs ago. Now I know why Dear is calling me a balloon... Sigh... Stretch marks are really unavoidable...

What a BIG and beautiful baby you have...

This is the comment made by my gynae ytd. As she was looking at the ultrasound, she said BB has grown much bigger and should be at least 600g. What surprised us next was when she was using the machine to measure the weight so as to test her estimation. The screen then reflected a whooping 1017grams! haha... She was exclaiming that BB is growing so fast. Usually, on average, babies are supposed to hit above 1kg only when they are at least 28wks old. Our little one is only bout 25 wks old ytd.

THe cutest thing that happened next was BB kept raising his index finger (signifying the number 1) and waved at us... That scene seriously melted our heart. It was like he telling us he is 1kg and very proud of it!

Can nv say how happy and emotional I am (so is Dearie) whenever we go for my mthly checkup. 3 more mths to go! NExt mth will be the 4D scan! Can't wait....

We love you our little Javier. Grow up fast and be our strong little boy k? Muacks!

Preparing for his arrival

Finally turned on full gear to buy plenty of bb stuffs! Must say I have nv felt so much happier buying things!!

Recalled KK was telling me bout preparing a baby shower gifts list but think it's nt going to be easy cos I kinda can't control myself from buying things for bb whenever I am out shopping nowadays! Think by the time bb is celebrating his full mth, his nursery will be quite well stocked! Haha...

So far what I've bought for our little precious one:
1. 2 baby cots (1 for my mum's place and 1 for our hme)
2. 2 baby bouncer/rocker
3. 1 toddler floor bed
4. A baby pram
5. More than 10sets of clothings inclu tops & bottoms
6. 4 sets of mittens & booties
7. Winnie the Pooh Wall Stickers - for bb's nursery!
8. Newborn feeding starter kits x2
9. Bedding set x2
10. Bottles Steriliser kit x2

Plus many more as seen in the pics below...

His first ball - which he is learning to kick nw as i placed it on my belly everynight! Haha

Cow toy -since bb is born in the Year of Ox

Play gym

To be hung on bb cot for entertainment!

A vibrating rocker

A cot mobile to put bb to sleep

A planetarium night light! Rotating Winnie the pooh shadows on the wall & ceiling when it's on!

Javier Tan - the name we have decided! This is a luggage tag made specially for bb!

A fan for bb's pram

Totoro's rattle toys we bought in Japan

Another toy we bought in Japan for bb.

Baby Boy Names

Starting to think through and researched on names. So far Dearie and me have 2 names that caught our attention. As Dearie wanted it to start with the letter J, we narrowed to these:

1. Jonas - meaning peaceful like a dove
2. Javier - meaning bright and enlightened.

hmm... the meaning of Javier seemed more compatible for a boy... What do you think? Any other suggestions on boys name starting with J?

Our Little Prince... ...

Finally seen the gender of our little precious tot! As promised, I went to buy something for bb today. 2 pairs of mittens and booties which are of cos... meant for boys. :) Loads of ppl have been sending me congratulatory msg upon knowing bb's gender. As for me... nothings matters more than clearing the anomaly scan test and seeing my bb developing very well.

BB's head circumference is 191mm and abdomen circumference is ard 137mm which puts him in the above ave size bb. Gynae commented that my size should not be a prob for normal delivery despite BB's L size. Well... after some discussion with the gynae on the Pros and Cons of the diff type of delivery, I am more determined to go for C-sect! We have also re-choose the delivery date. Will be either 29th July or 2nd Aug.

Next thing on my list now is really to get ready all the basic stuffs for bb. Going to buy the newborn starter feeding set tog with a steriliser equipment tml. More $$$ to be spent but definitely will be money well spent! :)))

Oh honey... Daddy and Mummy are very happy... YOu are really our sunshine!

Flutterings made my heart flutters too...

Finally... I can feel bb moving inside me. Must say the moments of flutterings are priceless. Not sure exactly which part of bb is moving but think it is the legs or hands stretching which is felt when it is near the surface of my tummy. The flutterings felt like bubbles popping? Or to say also like small little wave ripples. :)))

Dear has been staring intently at my tummy recently when he actually felt bb moving too as he was placing his palm/cheeks on my tummy on a few occasions. Guess the next thing we are really looking forward to is for bb to prod his hands/legs more to the surface of my tummy that we can actually see it!

I have decided to do a 4D scan too! Too excited to see hw bb looks like... :)

Boy or Girl? Looks like we all saw something...

Went for my monthly checkup today. The little one seemed so active today! As usual... it (he?) nv fails to wave at us. As bb genitals are kinda formed already, we were supposed to be able to know its gender tdy. Played peek-a-boo with us for some time as bb kept exercising throughout the scan. BB then got coaxed to a lying down position which should facilitate us in seeing the genitals, if nt for BB crossing and uncrossing its legs. Whenever BB uncrosses its legs, we can only catch a fleeting glimpse of what is btw the legs. Well... 3 of us (inclu gynae) somehow thot we saw the little birdie. Twice to be exact. Gynae thinks it should be a boy but not confirmed yet since BB kept crossing back the legs within secs.

Sigh... Looks like BB is really playful & cheeky huh... Still, our hearts always melt when we see BB in the scan. The pic above captures our little one rubbing its eyes. Aww... So adorable.

3 wks later will be the detailed scan for any physical abnormalities. Pray hard all will be fine. :) Hopefully can also determine bb's gender cos I CAN'T WAIT TO BUY ALL THOSE CUTE LITTLE CLOTHES AND SHOES I HAVE SEEN!

Still recall the exhilarating feelings I had 2 wks back when I bought a baby cot, a floor mattress bed plus a baby bouncer for bb. Nv felt so happy buying things before... Haha..

Little BB... Be good next checkup & cooperate with us k? Daddy & Mummy really wanna start decorating your nursery + buy all the cute little garments we have been eyeing...

Dreams

Recently making loads of dreams. Mostly incoherent ones and they involved many diff ppl in my life. Some are ridiculous of cos. Some are frightening. Very little sweet ones, sadly. Read up that preggy women in their 2nd trimester dreams alot becos of the hormones developing the little one. And of cos the emotional and physical state that is supposedly kinda like a roller coaster now?

Food for thought...

Been eating quite alot now since morning sickness kinda subsided. Definitely more than 3 meals per day now. Trying to re-introduce milk into my diet too since I stop consuming it since the onset of my morning sickness about a mth ago.

Some of my latest fave food:
1. Fish burger from MOS Burger (something which I have nv eaten for my entire life b4 pregnancy)
2. Spicy food esp laksa + curry noodles/yong tau foo
3. Fried beancurd - the juicier the better! Redhill market ones are oiishi!

And of cos all the random food cravings that always pop out of the blue! Too many to name here...

A colleague told me something very interesting recently. She (mother of 2) told me that I should just eat whatever I feel like & not hold back too much otherwise baby will be a "tan chi" baby when he/she is born. Haha...

Little tot @ 13wks old

Went for my monthly checkup today to check on bb and also get back our blood tests. Everything looks good & as usual, bb nv fail to put smiles onto our faces when we view it on the ultrasound screen. We saw it flexing its fingers, waving (at us!) and even scratching its face! It was really cute... Mummy has put on 3 kg since the last visit & bb has grown to 8cm today. Really amazing to see how much it has grown & develop over a mth. Haha... Have to slow down on my weight gain as commented by gynae. Guess the weight gain must be due to all the chicken rice I have been eating... ;)

Mummy & Daddy is really happy today!!!

1st Trimester Screening

Went TMC to do my end of first trimester screening tdy. Needed to do some blood tests plus ultrasound to measure the little one. What we tot was just a simple routine checkup turned out to be an agonising 5hr stay there.

As the ultrasound imaging needed to measure the little tot in different areas, it was impt for the baby to be at the correct position to facilitate the measuring. Everything was quite fine & we were amazed with the growth and movements exhibited today. We couldnt stop smiling & laughing at baby's every single movement. Either BB will be waving hands, stretching its body & legs, crouching, bouncing or even just turning to look at us. Nightmare came when it was time to measure the thickness of his neck spine to assess the most impt aspect which is the risk of down syndrome. BB decided to sit up in a crouching manner therefore blocking the view for measurement. We tried so hard to coax BB back to the lying position & face up. After numerous tries, I was asked to go for my blood tests first & return back for a 2nd try.


The blood test turned out to be another nightmare. After taking my blood, a wave of nausea hit me & I have to crouch down on the floor. Blur me didnt hold my puncture point properly and blood oozed out rapidly from it and the plaster patched over it couldnt contain the flow. The nurse quickly brought a seat for me & I endured not puking while they patch back my wound. When Dear is done with his blood taking, I ran to the toilet and puke like I nv did before. I was like the "Merlion statue" when puking. Amazed at the amt of liquid that was released!!! Anyway, felt so much better and rested for a while. Sad thing is my bladder needs to be full for the repeat ultrasound so went to gulp down tonnes of water.


BB is really stubborn and the subsequent ultrasound were not successful. Went thru rounds of walking ard the medical centre (so as to induce baby to move to the correct position), emptying bladder and then filling it up again. From 8.15am - 1.20pm, I kept going in and out of the ultrasound rm. Even the nurses could recognise me & they can't help laughing at my plight. Finally a senior radiographer was asked to handle my case & finally the measurement could be done with a little bit of cooperation from BB. Haha...


Tests results will be out next wk & pray everything will be fine! My notti little one must be strong & healthy k? Lol...


Finally, a pic of me in my maternity top, at the 11th wk approaching the end of my 1st trimester.

Its all the hormones... ...

For the past 9 wks, all possible infections have been linked to my hormonal changes. From the never ending cough/sore throat/flu to the fungal infection to UTI and then now the fungal infection again. Wonder why my immune system is so weak. Every single sickness I get will ultimately get the same diagnosis from the doc. "It's all becos of the hormonal changes during pregnancy." Must admit that I am quite fustrated cos of the tonnes of med I need to eat everyday. Worse still, one medication somehow will lead to the compromise of another system and then a new sickness will develop soon after one is cured. Finally gotta my urine culture test result today & was glad my UTI is now cleared but the antibiotics that I was on had led to fungal infection since my bacteria flora is disturbed. Groan.

Sigh. My mum was telling me that she dun even have time to vomit when she was pregnant with us as she has many wrk to do. As for me, the nausea feeling is forever there. Puke my guts out this morn again. Stomach empty also puke, stomach too full also puke. Getting 6 small meals a day is not easy when my tummy sometimes just wanna act up on me. Furthermore, a typical school day only allow like 2 meals? Many colleagues had been coming up to me to remind me to slow down my pace in sch. Telling YT recently that I'm worried with sch wrk as I kept taking sick leave. She told me that nothing is more impt than my body & baby nw so I should not worry too much. Boss has been trying to reduce my wrkload by passing my wrk over to others but still feel I should be able to handle quite well on my own. Oh well... with the amt of sick leave I am taking, not surprised that quite abit of my wrk is best left to others.

NEED to build up my immune system now. Practicum for the NIE trainees is starting soon & I am appointed CT to 2 trainees so better not miss sch anymore. I know the 2nd trimester will be a much better one so seriously counting down to it. Bout 2 more wks to go. I MUST HANG IN THERE!

My precious baby... Be strong & be healthy inside mummy. All I want is the best for you. :)

Tiny but Mighty

Went to scan today to check that baby is ok & not affected by my recent UTI. So glad to see that it has grown from 1.9cm to 2.5cm over 1 wk. Today, it was moving so vigourously that we could actually make out the tiny hands and legs. Too bad my bladder was too full so the machine can't zoom in on the image otherwise we can see even better. Dear & me are always very ecstatic to see its heart beating strongly on the screen.

Next checkup which is in about 3wks time will be a more thorough one as its the end of the 1st trimester. There will be a series of tests to undergo (Fetal Risk Assessment). Dear & I have also decided to undergo the OSCAR test which is to check for my risk of having a Down Syndrome child. Praying hard everything will go through well. Getting worried too cos there is a chicken pox case in my form class now & she will be coming back to class next wk. Doc told me to keep a distance away from her to play safe so guess I just have to be prudent den.

Hmm... Guess all the recent scares (infection, eating too much med etc) have stressed me up to an extent. Even had some nightmare about my pregnancy. Tsk Tsk. MUST keep my spirit high and of cos to "Be happy, Don't worry". :))))))))))))))))))

Worried mummy...

Vomitting & stomach cramp gotta worse last nite. Felt something not rite & went doc this morn. Guess my motherly instinct is correct. My Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) gotta worse. Doc have no choice but to prescribe antibiotics if not i may risk losing baby. 

Sigh... Feeling down now. Really dun wanna eat anymore med cos worried may affect baby but guess I have no choice. Baby... Sorry Mummy health is just lousy. Will take good care of myself to make sure you will be safe & sound. Promise Mummy you will be strong too.

Shopping!

Dear brought me out to Suntec & Marina Sq to shop for maternity wear. Quite reluntant at first cos still think it's kinda early but guess I really need those elastic work pants cos the ones I have now are really getting kinda tight. *Dun wanna suffocate my precious one*

Found a maternity wear boutique @ Suntec which I kinda like all those bottoms they have! Spent more than $300 there to join their membership. What I really like most is those adjustable elastic waistband work pants I've gotta there. Can wear them for some time until my pelvic grew bigger bah... Hee... What was most funny was when we were looking at some strollers, the shop assistant came over & tell us to slowly decide as we have loads of time before baby is due by looking at my tummy. Guess I have the most flat tummy in the shop as most of the preggy women in the shop were like at least 5-6mths pregnant! That was why I always tot it's still early for me to step into maternity wear shops. Haha...

Supposed to start taking pics of my swelling tummy but the baggy top I wore out today kinda conceal the bulge so didnt take. Was thinking of taking when my 1st trimester coming to an end... Shall start to upload pics of my tummy swelling monthly too... :)

Dear burnt a pocket in his wallet today... bought me maternity clothings + bird nest for nourishment. Became Eu Yan Seng member too cos he spent >300 on bird nest. Wow. Having a baby can really be financially draining huh... But I can't wait to start splurging on baby wear & stuffs. That will come when baby's gender is determined. And of cos doing up the baby's nursery room. Another major project on hand. :)

1st Gynae Visit

The exciting day for us has finally arrived! We finally got to see baby!!! (see ultrasound below & spot baby in the circle!) It's bout 1.9cm now and we got to see the heart beating which was a flickering sight on the ultrasound screen.

The estimated date of delivery is also out based on this ultrasound - 18th August 2009! This is so cool becos it's the same date as my lil'bro birthday (baby's uncle)!!! Haha... Immediately called mum to tell her the coincidence and msg bro too... Guess bro's birthday may not be so impt after all if baby really pops out that day! Anyway, Doc was telling us we may get a National Day baby too since the actual delivery date is mostly earlier than the estimated date. That's quite cool too cos baby's birthday will always be a holiday for him! He can get to see fireworks too! Haha...

Doc told me to brace for the next 4 wks as the morning sickness will get worse with headaches and giddiness too. Sigh. Will need to hang in there man. Starting to use the doc's recommended stretch mark cream as she told me the tummy will be starting to expand. Just went to buy some L size tops to start off my baggy dress code too. Bad hubby was saying I will be wearing size XL soon... :(

Very happy now cos getting to see the little precious thingy inside me is such a different feeling than just looking at my body changing externally. Next appt in 3 wks time & can't wait to see how much baby has grown by then... :)))

Overnight Sickness...

Started my full-blown morning sickness at 12am this morning and felt real terrible till like 5+am? Didnt sleep at all & went to GP this morning for med & MC. First MC for 2009. Hai...

Doc took my urine sample and found everything ok (no blood, no glucose) except that there are leucocytes (white blood cells) in my urine. This simply indicate I have a urinary infection. Drags. Doc explained that its becos of the expansion of my uterus which exert pressure on the bladder and some muscles loosening around the vaginal area that made preggy women prone to bacterial infection. Cant take antibiotics becos may affect baby so I have to drink loads of water plus some salt thingy to clear the infection.

Doc told me my onset of morning sickness is actually a good sign! Simply means my body hormones are working very well and matches the timing of baby growth. He told me I am currently into my 8th wk pregnancy (as they count from my last period on 5th Nov).

Can't wait for the 1st gynae appt this thu. REally hope to be able to see my little one from the ultrasound... Very curious to see how much has my little precious tot grew over the wks... :)

Creating a baby blog

Finally created a blog to record down the events of my very 1st pregnancy.

Haha... For the 1st entry, I finally experienced my 1st morning sickness. Thou this can happened anytime of the day despite being termed as "morning", I really had it in the early morning at 5am! On a Sunday which I am supposed to sleep in late!!! After vomitting some choc milk I had before sleeping, crawled back to bed & woke Dear up. He's in deep sleep that he didnt hear me vomitting at all. *Sigh* Anyway, he applied some vicks vapour rub on my chest to ease me back into sleep.

Just before I fell asleep, I told him what I feel like having for breakfast! Haha... Another of my mock cravings.