Breast is the best

E turned 6 months a week back. I gave myself a silent pat on my back for making it so far. She is still on breastmilk now, but boy the journey! So dear World Health Organisation - I made it! I don't have plans to stop yet, and though it is only 6 months now.

So looking back on how jaundice isn't common in Tally and they made such a big fuss about it. First 2 days of her life spent under the light, and mummy could only carry her out and feed her every 2 hours for 20 minutes, whether she latched well or not. Then they decided instead of letting me feed her longer, it's better to give her formula to flush out her jaundice, and did not offer me alternatives to giving her in a bottle (which I now know there are other ways!). All I wanted was for her to get better, so I said yes. No one told me I could pump to stimulate the milk, and I didn't know better. Here comes the downward spiral - the more she was bottle fed, the more impatient she got with the breast, the less she was latched on, the less milk I produced. I was in tears, postpartum guilt hormones raging. It was a tough first month.

I am completely jealous of mummies who produce a whole freezer of milk. I am completely jealous of fully breastfed babies because it is so easy to bring them out - pop out the boobies and they will have a full belly. Then I decided it to live and let live. It is okay that she doesn't want to feed directly from me - as long as she gets the goodness of the milk. So I decided to become a lean mean pumping machine.

No, I do not enjoy pumping. Still don't. Probably never will. I mean, you are hooked up to a vacuum producing machine with 2 funnels cupping your boobs, elongating them right? Duh. But I pumped day and night. I watched netflix while pumping - an episode of Vampire Diaries or 30 rock or whatever I fancied and embarrassed to tell people about. Even then, I still needed to supplement her. Shrugs. I became happier because I came to terms with the fact that I may never have enough.Whatever was made was given, and the shortfall was made up by formula. I live and let live.

At 3 months my supply stablised and since have almost enough milk - a bottle of formula for her last feed every few days when my supply runs low. She still gets fed from the bottle but loves to comfort nurse before she goes to bed and when she wakes up. Although she does not direct latch, she is so clingy to me and I am just enjoying every moment (well, almost every) of her clingyness because I know this will not last long.

If I have a number 2, I will try to get it right from the start now that I know what went wrong. But hey, life is not perfect. I am here wishing all the mummies who are struggling to hang in there if you can, but don't beat yourself up if you decide to throw in the towel. You and I both know they will grow up just fine, formula or breastmilk. E is in the 90th percentile, a ball of energy and super fun, And we know she will probably be the same even if I fully formula fed her. So do what you can, give what you can for as long as you can, then let go and live and let live. We all want to give them the best, but what we feed and do for them in the next 18 years is just as important.

Almost 3 months old

Home for more than a month and E has been properly adjusted, aside from being an aircon baby. Watching her grow up is one of the most enjoyable process I am experiencing in my life, although there were tears of frustration.

I only wish she could talk, so I can have a glimpse into her fascinating mind. How she is amused and amazed by inanimate objects and grins at them etc.

T - 6 days

Time just flew by especially in the last 38 days ever since baby E was born. From the initial sleepless 3 nights watching her suffer under the phototheraphy lights in the hospital, to the adjustment back home, and to now, 38 days old. This busy period has led me to almost forget about time ticking away and my time in the USA is coming to an end.

I had many brief chats on fb with friends asking if I am ready to go home. I told them in all honesty that I haven't even stopped to think about it. So since I have my 5am with my girl and is now awake, I shall list down the things I will miss when I am home.

- Being "baby-less" / being able to be spontaneous.
There is 2 part to this. I love my baby to bits and would not do things any differently but the spontaneous-let's-go-now! is an impossible dream for the next decade at least. While it is not US exclusive thing that I will miss, the ability to be spontaneous has led us to places and seen things on the fly. E.g. last summer we declared it was too hot for us and ran off to Canada for 3 weeks. Having said that, it seems baby or not, being back home also mean it is not possible to just do the let's-go-now! anyway, with work commitments and all. So being back home and having work = less chance to be spontaneous, and having a baby just makes it even more impossible. :/

- The drives
I wish there was a way (without taking too much effort) to calculate the mileage we clocked throughout the 17 months here on the road. Well, it has to be A LOT. The variation of the scenery, the journey there as oppose to a means to an end, and of course, the reward at the end of each drive leaves some wonderful memories. From the first short drive to Panama City, all excited over being here for the first time and buying SO MUCH at the outlet mall, to the breathtaking scenic drives we experienced from LA to Yosemite, the LA loop through Vegas and Utah region, the Rocky Mountains backdrop in Alberta, the indescribable awe inspiring Alaska and the 3000+ miles road trip with the family through Florida, Georgia and up north. Being back in home driving in the crazy city traffic is really something I am not looking forward to.

- The trips
A broader point from the above. The freedom of both of us not working allowed us to make this almost as our gap year (and a half) taking all the wonderful trips we did. We know how privilleged we are - so many citizens we spoke to haven't been to half the places we have been within such a short period of time.

- The apartment
I have to say we live in suitably one of the most boring cities, but our apartment is just so great! We have an excellent view of the swimming pool, which is literally 50 steps away. The house is a comfortable size for a 1 bedroom 870 sqft - it is like 80 sqm, which is just freaking 10sqm smaller than my flat in TPY. Love the walk in wardrobe, the HUGE bathroom and the kitchen we made many amazing meals in.

- The community
Being away from home means being away from friends and family. I am so glad we have a tiny little community that gives us the feeling of being surrounded by people we love. The village dinners, the trips taken together, the sharing of travel tips.

- The people
Maybe being back home where we already have all our friends and family to busy ourselves with made sure we had little time to experience making new friends, but even just strangers and people on streets are so much friendlier and nicer. It may be exclusive to Florida and the surroundings (and the other non city-ish places we have been), but it is just nice to have people stop for you when you cross the road and smiles and greetings and small talks everywhere.

- The weather
Florida weather rocks! Except in summer, which is fine because we are away most of the time! Argh to 100% humidity and frizzy hair back home!

- The shopping!
Even though this is basically me talking to myself, I don't want to be judged by putting it higher up in my priority :p. But yes, I will soooo miss the shopping. I am glad we went through the various phases - the crazy just reach here wide eye phase, then the going to an outlet mall with each trips we made just so we don't miss out on good deals phase, the our family is here and they are in the wide eye phase phase, the baby crazy phase, and the online shopping phase. Then there is the grocery shopping coupon crazy phase - getting things on the cheap or almost free. Of course, there is costco, which we love so much!

What I look forward to at home :

- Friends and family
It's just not the same doing skype vs hanging out. It is a bigger bummer to miss out milestones like weddings and babies. So hurrah to hanging out, especially now with many of our friends in the same plight as us (stuck with a baby or two!), the lack of spontaneity is mitigated seeing everyone is in the same shoes.

- Food
Cooking is fun. But I just miss having to not cook every meal. And clean up. Both which I am so grateful for my mum and dad being here to help us out for the past 2 months. And I just don't have to list out all the local food that is so awesome. Although TBH I hardly miss it here, since we have learn to remake many of them.

- New phase of life
Our flat that we bought and own since 2008 and have not lived in for the past 5 years. Finally a place to call home, that we can spend time to decorate and let it be "us". Of course with the baby too, plus we have the friends and families to hang out with.

So there, I have verbalise my thoughts - to help with a bit of a closure to the chapter. :)

Milestone checks

Something to remind us of silly milestones we have achieved as a family.

Pooped on while changing diaper
Peed on while changing diaper
Peed on while trying to soothe her (while airing her bum)

Happy 16th day

Time flies when you are happy. 10 days have passed since my 5am post. 10 more lack of sleep, but happy days with my baby girl. Watching her grow everyday is just one of life's little pleasure that I need to remember not to take for granted.

Since then, she has been told she is not gaining as much weight as she should, leading to us putting her on a feeding frenzy for the past week. On her 2nd week weigh in, she shot up double of the weight she was supposed to put on (but it is not a bad thing!), so we could relax on waking her up every 2 hours and almost force feeding her. Also, to give us some time to build up the breastfeeding regime which has taken a backseat, as we wanted to make sure she is growing as she needs to.

Then 2 days ago she caught a cold, and it is heart wrenching to see her laborious breathing and having mucus  stuck in her nose and not know how to get it out. Her dad has to use the nasal bulb to get some out, but we are so scared of hurting her delicate nostril.

But so far, it has been somewhat a breeze. With dad and mum around to help us out, and the husband not working and at home all the time, my sanity is in check. Sure there were moments of tears from feeling helpless and useless for not producing enough to feed her, and self blaming for allowing someone who is not feeling well get near her. But this beautiful girl is such a gem - she does not cry for no reason except when she is hungry or lonely or when daddy changes her diaper when she has diaper rash. Even now with her cold, she has adapted and no longer as irritable as she was when she first caught the cold. I still have no idea why I am so blessed to have such a wonderful daughter, and wonders once in a while still, whether she is mine.

my 5am with Emma

It's day 6 of me being a mother and so far the rewards have far exceeded the sacrifices. I can't seem to measure the rewards except the joy of seeing a miracle come to life unfolding in front of my eyes. How is it that I have created this beautiful creature - so perfect and beautiful who belongs to me. Her little nuances like being an escape artist - removing her hands from the tight swaddle, to her staring at big eyes at you - observing you, marking you as the single most important person in her life (at least for the time being). Her total reliance on you, and her old so cute little face, with the little mouth that resembles yours.

So on day 6 I got the 5am with you. You refused to sleep and your daddy cared for you from 3 till feeding time. You fed like a champ and had 3 big burps. You then proceed on to poop just as I was going to change your diaper, so I saved the diaper and allowed you to do your business. (Oh how wonder that life's successes are measured by poops, pees and burps) You are in my arms while I am typing with my other hand. You just escaped again from the swaddle, your little right hand in the usual boxing pose, your cute little face making involuntary squirmish actions, breaking into little half smiles, mouth half open, tongue sticking out, possibly dreaming about milk. Then you decided to wake up, and just content with staring into my face, as I did with yours.

I am just enjoying this precious 5am time with you, watching you grow, knowing I will never again enjoy a moment just like this, because you grow so quickly so fast and everyday is going to be so different.

I love you so much, my baby girl.

Life as a mummy day zero

Birth story

I started leaking some watery discharge which I wasn't too sure of nature for the past 2 days. To be in the side of precaution, we decided to go get it checked out in the middle of the night. We arrived at hospital at abt 3 in the morning.  After admissions and filling up registration, went to triage at 4.   Informed by nurse in triage that it was not the water bag that was broken, but my blood pressure was high - and it has never been throughout the whole pregnancy. I was at 4cm -2 station 70 effaced, and the on call doctor Dr Francz advised for me to be admitted and induced, since we have planned the induction on Thursday anyways. At 4.30 we got admitted to birthing ward 215. Contractions started and we wanted to discuss the possibility of not getting induced since labour has progressed. At  4.45 contractions were 5 - 6 mins apart. At 5.30 contractions were 4 - 5 mins apart and started getting painful, but bearable. At 6.30 contractions got to 3 - 4 mins apart and by  7.30 contractions 3 min apart, becoming unbearably painful especially in my lower back, where my old injury from the skating incident was. I asked myself if I can handle this pain for potentially the next 5 to 10 hours and the answer was no, so I requested for epi. At  8.15, the epi done. Finally I got some rest! I felt little to no contractions and slept till about 10, where my progress was checked and I was at 6 cm. The water bag was broken by the doctor at 10.30 in hope of speeding up the progress, and sure enough at 12.30 I was already 9.5 cm! My lower back pain came back even with the epi, and eventually at 1.25pm I was fully dilated! The nurse suggested for me to start the pushing with each lower back pain. And finally, at 2.04pm, after 40 minutes of pushing, Emma came to this world, delivered at 6 lbs 13 oz (3.1 kg), 20.5 inches tall, head 12.75 inch chest 12.5 inches.

I suffered some tears but it's healing okay. My baby girl is now 42 hours old and there is nothing I would change about the experience because everything was so worth it when you hold her in your arms for the first time, knowing this is the very thing you created, and protected from the world for 40 weeks and 3 days. This beautiful little girl who decided to come on her own terms, decide on her own birth date. Love you so much already. X

Still counting down

Dear baby,

Your dad is like a little boy under the Christmas tree staring at the wrapped up present that he is not allowed to open. When are you going to relieve him of this agony?

Actually, your mummy isn't in a big hurry. She is not in pain, enjoying your (somewhat lessen) movement and just waddling around with a tummy. But unfortunately, due to our time constraint, we will need you to be out on the dot, if not earlier, even though we feel bad rushing you. Hopeful that we will not need to induce you out medically, will rather let you be ready yourself.

So do yourself a big favour and enjoy your last 4 (or less) days in mummy and we will see you soon in the real world okay?

With love,
mum xx

2 more weeks (or maybe less)

Homeeeeestretch now. We are ready for you baby Emma. I am just relishing the final few days with you moving around inside me, and taking advantage of sleeping in and lazing around. My appetite is still the same, except that I am craving a bit more fatty sugary food for now. So the pilates exercise cannot stop.

See you soon!

Week 37 and counting

Baby Emma is considered full term this week. She was 5lbs 8oz as of 21st March, expecting to be a close to 7lbs baby if she makes it to the 40th week. I am beginning to feel heavy and clumsy, and my joints are looser than ever before. The sciatica nerve pain is a nuisance, as is the general discomfort of being 10kg heavier. But other than that, it is great, because dad and mum arrived from home and is here to help us out. We have not been required to do much cooking, just lazing around and bringing them out shopping. 

The countdown begins!

Letter to Emma - week 35

Dear Emma,

Your daddy set up your crib today. I was a supportive supervisor. We don't have a room for you, but you have a little corner and a wall all to yourself. Seeing your crib next to our bed is getting us more excited about you. Your little onesies and beautiful clothes are sharing our closet for now - until we go back home and you will have your own room.

This morning, I woke up with dull menstrual cramps - first sign of the Braxton Hicks contraction. Does this mean you will be coming soon? It is a dilemma you know, feeling crappy because of the shift in center of gravity and the backaches and nerve pain - wishing that you will be here soon so I can stop being pregnant, but at the same time wanting you to grow and grow in the safe and secure womb to full term. It is like a present is all wrapped up in beautiful paper and ribbon and we are not allowed to open it for the next one month!

We love you so much and can't wait to see you, feel you and kiss you. I know I will miss feeling your kicks and movement inside me once you are out, and the sleep deprivation will then begin - so I am trying to savour every moment of this.

Is this a reflection of our society?

First of all, a disclaimer that I have no experience with the healthcare in the home country - this is purely from my hearsay of others who have gone through the experience vs what I am experiencing in this country.

So I attended my third childbirth class and concluded that

1. This country really allows people choices - from having your own birth plan, allowing the dad to participate during the birth, positions you can birth from, coping mechanism they provide and allow during contractions are all unheard of back home.
2. Interesting to note that back home, there are "packages" which basically tells you that you have 8 hours in the delivery suite, any more, you need to pay extra.
3. Choices are not given to you UNLESS you ask - otherwise they will just perform what is normal.

Is this a reflection of our society - where time = money and efficiency and 'chopchop-ness' outweighs the rights, preferences and comfort of mums (to the extend where I am hearing epistomy is not common and only necessary if baby is in distress, v.s. back home where it is fairly common. I wonder if it is a preventive measure instead of doing so only when necessary - cut already easier for baby to pop out = faster and more effective).

I find this pretty disturbing considering I am returning home for good and should I decide to have a second child, I will have to fight for my own rights and preferences. Or maybe I am mistaken - only public hospitals are such and the "high class" private ones are the same. 

rewarding self

After months of buying stuffs for baby Emma, as the date draws closer, I decided it is now time to pamper the mummy. Shopping for comfortable and pretty looking nursing wear, sleep wear, new undies and bras, just because I deserve it.

Oh and today I found out I am low on iron again. Time for the revenge of the red meat!

today i learn

in my 2nd birthing class, that :

- babies are born ugly. They are shriveled (from living in water for 9 months), purple (from the pushing, pink afterwards), likely have elongated heads if naturally birthed (through tight birth canal)
- if you have an all natural birth with no pain medication, you can hang upside down on a pole to give birth if you want to. 

pregnancy blues

so one day after posting on how great pregnancy is, I am hit with a day of gas and indigestion + feeling lethargic the whole day. Just as I have exclaimed before during the first trimester - this body no longer belong to me!

On a separate note, C and I have been creating personality for Emma. Like how when she responds to daddy's voice, we give her a "simi sai" ah lian voice, or some nonchalant hipster voice. 

pregnancy perks

Yet another perk of being pregnant is the wonderful positive smiles given freely by complete strangers, and their desire to help you.

So today 2 of us wives went shopping and when we got to the changing room, the sales assistant was all smiles and asked what I was having, and even allowed me to bring the underwear I was going to buy, but with no intention to buy, into the changing room (okay that's a bit gross, but she meant well and I really didn't try it on, and have every intention to wash it before wearing)

While S was trying on shoes, I took a seat on the floor and rubbed my tummy, and no one bat an eyelid at me for being a little silly sitting on the floor in the middle of nowhere.

Later when we went to pay, and an additional 10% off coupon was presented to us, and she helped us to use the coupon for a purchase which wasn't regular priced - and she was so happy helping us so, all smiles and glad to have helped us to save some money.

So there we have it. Little things like this to make me happy. And of course my almost negligible discomfort as compared to others throughout the pregnancy is something I need to give thanks for.

Let's wish the following fifty-something days will continue to be as smooth sailing and happy as it has been, and a happy and healthy and beautiful baby Emma will be delivered smooth sailing as well.

V day love

Casually mentioned I miss eating crab tang hoon, thai style, and my lovely husband recreated it! He had to euthanise 6 poor blue crabs in the process, but it was all worth it. <3 p="">

A preggy journal

Today we attended our first birthing class and one of the suggestions made by the nurse who runs the program, is to have some form of way to record down our journey, so that we can benefit our child in the future. Since it is now week 31 and I have been unsuccessful in keeping any journals of any sort throughout this journey, it's still not too late to start. Better now than never yeah?

So we first discovered our pregnancy when we were halfway through our trip in Alaska. I was 5 days late and showing some symptoms - really, really sore and tender breast, some bloating and general fatigue. So we drove to a Walmart on our way to Denali National Park, and actually waited for 2 more days before we tested it.

I suppose I can say the conditions were less than ideal - we were staying in a tent for 2 nights, clearly with no attached bathroom. So I peed in the communal toilet while Clifton waited outside. 1 line means you are not pregnant, and 2 lines means you are. We had a 1.5 line - 1 very dark line and 1 super faint line. After stressing and reading online about what faint line means - conclusion was there is a higher chance of it being we are pregnant than we are not. So we took it easy for the rest of the trip, tried to eat a little more healthily and made our first appointment to see an OB/GYN. On 28th August 2012, we found out our small fry exist.

Throughout the whole pregnancy, I am really blessed. No drama in the first trimester - just really really tired and needed to sleep all the time. Did not have to throw up even once, nor was there any acid reflux. The weight gain was almost negligible up until about end of second trimester - to the extent that the hubs was worried and wanted to go on a fatten hui up mission. Thankfully our doctor said it's okay and our little bub was on track in growth and weight, so I was spared.

In my second trimester, I felt like a superwoman. The fatigue was gone, I was still small and did not feel any discomfort, so was able to bounce around and drove half of the 3000 miles we clocked during the big fat family trip. I even took some rides in Universal Studios.

Now in my third trimester, I am starting to feel the energy draining from me. The first trimester feeling is back - tired, can't eat much, now adding 15 lbs of weight, an active little girl kicking and moving all the time, and a tummy that I no longer know my clearance distance. A body that does not look like it belongs to me, and it will continue to grow for the next 8 weeks and 2 days. I am told, it is a blessing to feel the moving of the baby because it means she is well, even if she keeps me awake from all the movement. *weak smile*

Back to positive thoughts - here is what we did while I was pregnant :

First trimester : Went to New York and Alaska
Second trimester : Went to the Great Smoky Mountains, went on a Thanksgiving trip to Destin and New Orleans with our friends, did a big 3 week family trip to Atlanta, St Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Miami, Keys, Orlando, Great Smoky Mountains (again)
Third trimester : Went to Yellowstone National Park and its surrounding.

So dear baby Emma, I am in full expectation that you will grow up being an adventurous girl who loves travelling, because mum and dad brought you to so many places before you were even born. xx

Week 30

Week 30 and I have put on about 14 lbs (~6.3kg). Have this fear that I will not go back to my original weight, and is hoping to drop a little more even.

Dreaming? 

Favorite National Parks

So the National Parks has this passport thing which is quite awesome - you get to do a stamp (or chop, in our terms) at every national park we visited. 2012 was the 100 years anniversary, and there was some special edition version, which we did not buy. Of course, after visiting countless parks and having the wife swearing under her breath about not getting the passport any sooner, FINALLY, after 1 year in the United States, we bought our passport!

Unfortunately, all the places we visited prior to the purchase were not stamped, but I did note down all the national parks and monuments we have visited by state, and we will talk about the favourites later.

DC (all in April 2012)

• Lincoln memorial - the old man super sized - pretty majestic, but toooooo many tourist trying to snap pictures.
• Washington memorial - had a wonderful picture taken as I was walking up to it during the wonderful twilight hours of sunset, so it was sweet
• White House - MEH. Anyway, can only view from so far away.

CA (April 2012)

• Yosemite NP - Great trip with our friends, the drive up and back, the almost ridiculously long trek which we decided to go uphill all the way instead of the usually taken downhill route - going back to nature living in Curry Village, which later we found later in the season, had some fatality resulting in some rat poop. But we are alive.

UT (May 2012)

• Zion NP - who would have thought after Yosemite, that hui will still be crazy enough to continue with all the cheong sua - namely, "Observation Point" and the river wading through slot canyon "The Narrows". Although my feet was blistered and the last mile down from Observation Point was almost the most painful experience in my life walking, Zion still is one of my favourites.
• Bryce Canyon NP - The natural formations were amazing, the walk, like Badlands NP, was as though you are going through Mars. Nice
• Arches NP - Very interesting natural formations of Arches too. One of my favourite parts was the Fiery Furnace, it felt very backcountry and wild and untouched - without well marked signs etc.
• Canyonlands NP - voted for best scenic and panoramic view of the Utah area. Awesome and nice that there wasn't too many mad hikes to take (you can imagine hui is pretty physically exhausted at this point)

AK (August 2012)

• Kenai Fjords NP - What can I say - Glaciers!!
• Denali NP & Preservation - this park holds a special place in our hearts because this was where we found out we were expecting little Emma (yes, peeing onto a stick when we were living in a tent!). Mt McKinley, or Mt Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, is indeed impressive, but not as much as the cool tundra vegetation we hardly get to see.

FL (Dec 2012)

• Everglades NP - I know, we live in FL and visited 1 national park? See the thing is, there is only 3 national parks in FL. So.... But anyway, it was gators galore and pretty fun, although not one of my top picks.

TN/NC (twice - Nov 2012 and Jan 2013)

• Great Smoky Mountains NP - The mystic blue smoke effect, the beautiful autumn leaves set the Smoky Mountains apart from some of the other parks we have seen. We also had some beautiful hikes there too. Just a shame (no thanks to Superstorm Sandy) that some of the hikes we wanted to do was too snowed in (in November!), and by January, we were with the wrong crowd to attempt the hikes.

WY (Jan 2013)

• Devil's Tower - awesome natural formation and funny legend of the bear who scratched the lines of the tower.
• Grand Teton National Park - sort of last minute decision, but the tetons were really grand and amazing. A little too cold visiting in the dead of winter, but nonetheless great experience snowshoeing with the rangers using the old skool tennis racquet style snowshoes. 
• John D Rockerfeller, JR, Memorial Pkwy - a nice long scenic road that brings you to Yellowstone directly (during non winter months)
• Yellowstone NP - also up in the running for one of the favourite national parks of all times because of the beautiful snowy background with the random geysers going off. And just how amazing that it is a super volcano - really cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

SD (Jan 2013)

• Badlands NP - rating it and comparing it to Bryce Canyon National Park, except we did not do as many big hikes there because of our company, but nonetheless pretty amazing and yet another of the feeling you are on the moon or in Mars.
• Minuteman Missile NHS - A random find on the road - got the boys so excited being able to visit the actual missile stations and launch sites - they were what prevented a nuclear warfare with Russia. Awesome.
• Mount Rushmore - I wasn't initially impressed with 4 presidents' heads on some granite mountain, but after knowing the story behind it - how precise and accurate, and how much attention to details and changes was needed, respect!
• Windcave NP - A cave is a national park? Until you actually visit that you realised how intricate the cave system is, and how lucky we are, to be able to experience just a small percentage of its wonder.

The world is a wonderful place.

Wallace Stegner, 1983:

"National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst."

Reviving blog in 2013

So erm, I have decided to revive this blog again. It is strange to do so after being away in a foreign land for more than a year - however it has been proven that no paper journals, iPad diary apps have been useful so far, to keep me from updating. So let's try this, if not for anything, to preserve some memories of being preggie.

To start off I shall post at the top of my head, what I liked most about being pregnant.

1. Big boobs!
2. Nice hair
3. Caring husband who allows me to throw tantrums
4. Legal rights to laze around and sleep anytime I want to
5. Never being alone - especially in the past few weeks, it is an amazing and awesome feeling to be connected to your baby. Favourite moments include her responding and communicating with me. E.g. today, driving in the car the both of us were (or so I think) singing and dancing to the music on radio
6. Smiles from strangers when they do a double take on the tums and confirm in their mind that I am expecting
7. License to be blur and forgetful

That's all for now. Stay tuned!