Beautiful Nine Months

Beautiful Nine Months, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

Dearest Baby J,

In a few hours, the nurses at Gleneagles will be sending you an invitation, an invite to the world.  Hopefully by afternoon tomorrow, (depending on how cooperative you are), we will see you for the first time.  After 40 full weeks of going where Mama went and eating what Mama ate, you are finally going to have a life you can call your very own.

I am going to miss having you in utero.  Your mischievous kicks and tiny hiccups are definitely something I’m going to miss.  They were our special moments and no one shared in those moments as much as I did.  I will recall how Mama was constantly obsessed with whether you were active enough (you averaged 10 kicks in 15 minutes) and how I got worried just the same when you started going crazy with your kicks (hitting 10 kicks in under 5 minutes) making me think you were in distress!

Mama and Papa found out about you on the morning of 17^th February this year.  It was the last day of the Lunar New Year.  We didn’t tell anyone and Mama still happily went to work in my 4” heels.  It was a very pleasant surprise, Mama remember going through the day in a little disbelieve.  Our God is good.  Your Yiyi Rene was the first to find out about you!  Three days later, Mama did a test again just to be really sure you were there and this time, the reality sank in a little deeper.  We happily shared the news with your Por Por, Gong Gong and Yiyi Sam.

Over the past nine months, you have been well looked after by everyone in the family.  The nourishing meals Por Por prepares for you, not forgetting all the bird’s nest.  The many pretty clothes that Yiyi Rene sent home and how Yiyi Sam always entertains you after dinner.  And there’s Gong Gong who’s most interested in making sure your bassinet and car seat were properly set up. And of course the hero Papa who has been your biggest fan! We hope you have enjoyed your nine months stay in Mama’s tummy.  It’s now time to say “hello world”!

We have been praying for you unceasingly everyday.  You are such a precious gift from God and He has been so faithful in answering all our prayers, taking away all our fears and anxieties.  You have brought me closer to God.  You have brought your Papa closer to God.  At this age and God is already making use of you to do great things for Him.  It is Mama’s prayer that we will bring you up in a manner that will honour and be pleasing to Him so that you may go on to do great things for Him.  

We love you very much Baby J and we cannot wait to see you so very soon! Our lives are about to change forever and we are so glad you are the reason for it.

Love you much,

Mama 

Fashionably Late

She has been a pretty punctual kiddo thus far.  During the first trimester, her alarm clock was set at 6pm - the time Mama would start feeling nauseated.  At 13 weeks, the 1st trimester queasiness went away just like what the books said.  Punctual yet again.  But somehow, between week 14 and 40, our daughter forgot all about being punctual and have chosen instead to be a fashionably late baby.  

And so, with no sign of her yet at full term, Dr C has decided today that we need to issue Baby J an invitation instead.  Prima donna this one.  So if nothing happens between now and Monday, we'll be admitted on Monday evening to be induced.  So by Tuesday, 1.11.11, the stork will have landed.    

At today's examination, I was told I'm barely dilated.  I'm feeling a little anxious that this may mean I'm in for a long labour.  Please pray with us that we will have a safe and smooth delivery and that the induction will be a success. 

Apple Cheeks

Baby J @ 39 weeks, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

We're at 39 weeks and clearly our daughter is still all comfy in there and not quite willing to come out just yet.  At today's gynae visit, we were told soon, next week likely so Baby J, please be good and come out soon.  You're already 3.2kg.  Get too big and Mama is going to have trouble getting you out.  

We got some really nice shots of her today and I think baby J looks alot like her cousin Sophie!  Dr C likes to make fun of her chubby cheeks.  He called them apple cheeks today.  I never thought my pre-pregnancy considerably small frame could carry a 3.2kg heavy baby with such chubbiness really.  

Its just a waiting game now.  I go to sleep every night wondering if this will be THE night ... everyone in the family is making a guess on when she'll arrive.  Dad and Sam have their bets on this weekend, the hubs think mid next week - which makes it my sister's birthday, while I have a nagging feeling she may go pass her expected due date.  Oh well, its anybody's guess.  

Stay tune! 

Nesting

Just in time for tea, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

I've officially started my leave.  No work till 1st March 2012!!! Woohoo!!!  Before Baby J arrives, this really is the best time to just have some "me-time".  Chill, laze and relax.  I'm trying really hard to be still - not quite something I'm accustomed to.  I did pretty well yesterday - watched Food Network, worked on my sewing and pretty much kept still at the couch all day in the cool rainy weather.  

But my stillness lasted only a day.  I just had to find something to do today.  So other than whipping up lunch, I decided Baby J and I could do with some baking fun!  So just in time for tea, we put together some bananas, illy ground espresso, choc chip and the usual flour, butter, sugar and eggs and 25 minutes later *ta-da*- banana espresso choc chip muffin!!  We just munched it down - moist and delicious to every bite!!!          

When Baby J is old enough, I think she's gonna enjoy baking adventures with Mama!!  Can't wait!! 

Chubby chubby chubby . . .

Baby J and her drumstick arm a video by pz.sher on Flickr.

In the words of Dr C ... "She's got chubby cheeks, even her arms are meaty ... nice drumstick to eat" 

Here's Baby J at 37 weeks weighing a nice 2.7kg.  

The count down starts now!! 

Lost of a Creative Genius

Steve Jobs

1955 - 2011

To the boy who turns 35!

Dearie's 35th Birthday!, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

When we found out Baby J was due end Oct, we were wondering if she may so decide to arrive on her Papa's birthday.  Well clearly, she didn't want to share her special day with anyone, not even her Papa so yes, its still just us two, celebrating dearie's 35th! 

We took the day off and it was a perfect day to laze at home with the early morning rain that kept the weather cool throughout the day.  I busied myself in the kitchen all day fixing up a lunch of eggs benedict with parma ham (which erhm, didn't quite turn out as it should cos we failed on the hollandaise sauce but oh well, never mind that, what mattered was that we both had fun in the kitchen!).  Chilled the afternoon away watching DVDs and working on my cross stitch.  Such bliss! 

On the dinner menu today was mentaiko pasta and grilled lamp chops.  Since I stumbled on Chubby Hubby's recipe a few years ago, I've faithfully followed his recipe each time I whipped up mentaiko pasta.  It's not often that I do cos the dish is just too decadent, you can't afford to eat it often - trust me, your heart will thank you.  But it's amongst one of the hub's favourite pasta that I whip up so on his special day, I had to indulge him.    

We winded up the day with some yummy banoffee tart and cupcakes from the good people at the MilkBar.  I like the banoffee tart alot more than the cupcakes though.  Presented the hubs with his pressies and made him a very happy boy!!  I think Baby J knows its a special day.  She's been kicking all day and got really excited when we sang "Happy Birthday".  She even obediently responded when I asked her to wish Papa "Happy Birthday" by giving him a kick! How adorable can she get!! ....

Happy Birthday Dearie!!      

Before Two Becomes Three

Our Babymoon, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

One of our travel plans this year before we found out about Baby J was to visit Spain.  Then Baby J came along and we thought we'll save the money we would have blown on a Europe holiday and settle for somewhere nearer.  So Melbourne came to mind and we were close to planning for a trip around April/May.  But we had to shelve those plans when Dr C said I had a low lying placenta and should therefore be more careful so we decided OK, maybe we should wait till after our 20th week detailed scan.  By that time, it was June and the start of a really busy period for me at work all the way till August by which time I would be close to 30 weeks and physically not that all up for travel.  And so all travel plans were shelved I resigned to the fact that I'm officially grounded this year - pay back for having travelled 4 times to the US last year! 

So just that we get sometime to ourselves before Baby J arrives and changes our lives forever, the hubs packed us away for a 2-night getaway at the Four Seasons Hotel for a pre-wedding anniversary cum Babymoon cum his birthday and my birthday celebration.  The last time we were here was to celebrate our 1st anniversary.  We didn't make it back last year cos we technically spent the day on the plane en route back from LA.  So here we are again albeit about a month in advance.  

Our wonderful wedding coordinator arranged a really nice room on their Couples-Only floor complete with thoughtful amenities -  selection of love songs, DVDs, lots of pillows (meant for pillow fight which I would have so challenged the hubs to if not for my current state of well .... clumsiness) and even a bath butler! A lovely "Happy Anniversary" cake and mini chocolate fondue was also delivered to our room, compliments from the hotel.  

We had a wonderful stay.  Not that I was expecting anything less but it was just total relaxation.  No need to check work emails, reply to work sms-es, no mindless surfing of the internet.  Just us, lazing on the comfy bed and duvet watching TV, indulging the hubs in silly photos, working on my cross -stitch, soaking in hot baths, chilling by the pool and sleeping in till 8am (yes, that's late by my standards).  

It was a much needed escape from reality for the both of us.  Without sounding too indulgent, I think breaks of this kind once in a while is good for the mind, just to recharge and rejuvenate.  This is about the last time the hubs and I are going to have time like this to ourselves.  I think I'm going to miss it but I also know what's ahead of us is so much more!     

Thank you for a wonderful weekend dearie!