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!  

Growing beautifully @ 36 weeks

Baby J is 36 weeks old!, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

We really can't wait to see you precious little one!! 

Love,

Mama & Papa

To Baby J with Love

To Baby J with Love, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

With most of the items on my must-do-list-before-baby-J-comes crossed out, I decided it was time to work on a little something for our precious one.  It was between knitting her a sweater or doing a cross-stitch of her name.  In the end, I decided to go with something more familiar - cross stitch.  I remember working on something similar for my younger sis 18 years ago.  I also did one for the hubs some years back.  Little Sophie too had her share of Yiyi's love when I altered some wooden alphabets with cute lady bug patterned paper!  So of course Baby J wasn't gonna miss out on a love gift from Mama.  It's just that this Mama took 8 months to get started on Project Love.  With more time on my hands now that I'm clearing block leave and with my tummy getting so huge that all I want to do on weekends is laze at home, I figured it's a good time to keep myself occupied with putting this together for Baby J.  

I ain't very fast with this whole cross-stitch business.  4 hours yesterday and all I finished was what you see here.  We brilliantly gave our daughter a fairly long name so it looks like Project Love will take a while before we see the finished product.     

Stay tune to see the progress! 

Happy Mid Autumn Festival!!

Mid Autumn Festival, a photo by pz.sher on Flickr.

There's something about decorating the garden with pretty lighted lanterns and sipping chinese tea while savouring some mooncakes.  I'm glad our family still preserves some of these tradition.  

Baby J @ 33 weeks!!

Our beautiful daughter is 33 weeks, 2.2kg, at the 70th percentile for her fetal age and

wonderfully created in His image!

Love you Baby J!!