The End Of The Year

Hello Baby,

It's that time of year again, when daddy is really busy and comes home much later than usual. So now you know, come November and December, he won't be back til after you've gone to bed. Which mean you have to make sure you wake him up in the mornings.

Last week mommy had the monthly check to see how we're doing. The nurse listened to your heartbeat again, yup, still fast as ever, and gave mommy more folic acid tablets and this time, iron tablets, that's to make mommy's blood take in more oxygen to make sure we both have enough. Not only that, because mommy's hemoglobin, they're the blood cells that carries the oxygen, is only 10.1 and for normal people is 70, mommy's not normal, the nurse decided mommy should have my blood monitored too, and that means having to do a blood test every month!

So now it has been 16 odd weeks, you're getting bigger in there, size of a palm, although thanks to mommy's strong abs muscle, I'm speculating, mommy's not showing much... yet. Daddy said most likely when mommy hits sixth month, that's about over 20 something weeks, then mommy will show that you're in there.

One thing mommy and daddy have learnt, McDonalds prosperity burger does not agree in our family. No more McD for us, from now on it'll be Burger King! Junior Whopper no mayo thanks *grin*

Love,
Mom

Buy Now Or Later...?

Dear Baby,

We came back from Singapore a week or two ago. Out of all the things mommy intended to buy or didn't buy ended up buying something that I didn't think I'd be buying. I did think of buying maybe a couple of maternity outfit to accommodate the growing tummy, something simple and nice and can wear on other occasions, and as the last day came and everything already packed and checked out the hotel and a leisure time spent checking out more shops, on the last place we went to, there was a shop which mommy got enticed to enter. It was a maternity shop to boot, the fancy kind.

Several change of outfits later, mom and dad walked out with about ten outfits, tops and dresses which what enticed me was that I could use it for breast feeding without having to take it off. Design was really great, one of those, now-how-come-no-one-thought-of-that... then on the way to the airport, of all places we forgot to ask for the GST refund!! And we were really good about making sure we always ask for it, but somehow at that particular shop we just forgot.

Interestingly while mommy was in the changing room, dad observed an old man who just walked into the shop and sat on the waiting seat, dad noticed the old man was fidgeting with his bag and prior to that the old man was by the decorated christmas tree just inside the shop. Then all of the sudden the old man just upped and left. Dad noticed that the lower branches of the tree was missing a couple of ornaments, good chance the old man swiped it. Who would have guessed...

Love,

Mom

The Elusive Heart Beat

Dear Baby,

Last night daddy got to hear your heart beat, after mommy had to drink a bottle of water just to fill the bladder up. I'm guessing the theory a full bladder is like a speaker because before that, we couldn't pick you up on the scan. Right after taking the whole bottle it picked up immediately. And after that, mommy had to go to the toilet to four times! And we were at Auntie Elaine's place and it was raining a storm so we were stuck for a while until the rain lighten up a bit for us to get to the car.

The highway was flooded as we were going back, but daddy got us all home safe and sound.

Mommy happy that daddy got to hear you. Check up with the doctor's tomorrow morning, I wonder what new things will mommy find out...

Love,

Mom

2nd Trimester Is Officially Here!

Hi Baby,

Yes! Mommy is excited that we have hit 2nd trimester (if calculations is correct) safe and sound and no drama.

1st trimester recap:

• Was amazed to discover I am pregnant the day before my birthday, and had immediately forgotten what age am turning to.
• At the height of mommy's morning sickness, I was still able to make bentos for daddy. Because of that, whenever mommy look at the bento pictures, mommy feels ill immediately and most of the food I can't eat because the memory of being sick just came over me.
• Mommy was being really good in the first trimester making sure slept early, was already in bed by ten in the evening, leaving daddy and Shazam! to their own devices.
• Had to be careful of what can and cannot eat, there's a whole list of them.
• Mommy kept a pregnancy book, in it contains food list, nutrients list, and workout list. Not the kind of pregnancy book people are expecting.
• Mommy can't eat chicken when pregnant because it makes me feel like I want to throw up and good chance probably will never eat chicken again just like your grandma lambak.
• Had major issue with the kitchen sink, nose was so hyper sensitive I can smell the stink of the drain even though cleaning agents and baking soda with vinegar was poured down it.
• Disinfected the kitchen with dettol, it smelt like a hospital for a week.
• Was tired all the time, had a hard time getting to work!
• Cleaning house with great difficulty...
• Bewildering first antenatal appointment.
• Had to learn how to walk slow.
• Couldn't do hash.
• Trying to keep you a secret.

So far that's all mommy can remember...

There are now two cats in the house.

Mommy been busy trying to raise money for Animal Shelter, been making cards, ornaments and whatever me and Auntie Wina (mommy's cousin) can think of. There has been lots of late nights.

Oh, also now mommy notice can't eat much and I keep on forgetting to eat slow or else food is backed up and throwing up will happen.

Mommy also need to check with the dentist, gums all sore and red. I keep on forgetting to make an apppointment... when you're around, I guess we'll be going to the dentist quite regularly. We'll get daddy to take you.

Today daddy won't be home for dinner, he's attending a conference ball and mommy got hash with the ladies, and grandma mata-mata is making assam laksa! Yes!

Love,
Mom

Being Sick

Dear Baby,

2nd trimester is coming up soon, can't wait!

Daddy last night in his sleep turned over to hug mommy and his knee landed straight on the tummy, shocked me awake and the pain was strange, hopefully it didn't affect you, but it did worry me for a while. I prayed that you were alright and that it didn't affect you in anyway. Daddy's defense was that mommy kicked him earlier, hmmmmm....

Today was a good day, that mommy managed to get to work in the morning. Yesterday mommy had to take Shazam! to the vet for a check up and found out she had a fever and the vet said to keep an eye on her. Shazam! is the tortishell cat you will meet and she lives with us, and a vet is a doctor that takes care of animals. When you come out you will have a doctor that takes care of babies until you're old enough. We were worried that Shazam! got a fever, imagine how worried we'll be when you get sick. I'm sure you and Shazam! will get along great, your grandparents in Mata-Mata loves her too and they'll love you just as much.

Mommy's morning sickness has been reducing, nowadays it's not so bad, just the strange feeling in the tummy and the occassional nausea coming and going. I just have to remember to eat, but there are times when I don't feel like eating. And times when all I want to do is eat.

Mommy's dreading 2nd trimester because they say that's when the appetitie comes back. Oh dear...

Love,
Mom

Maths & Percentages

Dear Baby,

You will know that both mommy and daddy are very fair people. More so for mommy now that I'm carrying you, mommy's description from fair had moved up to pale. This is to do with your heritage, both mommy and daddy are a mixture of malay and chinese blood.

Daddy is 50% chinese and 50% malay.

Mommy is 75% chinese and 25% malay.

Baby is going to be 62.5% chinese and 37.5% malay.

So there is a good chance Baby is going to be very fair like us! It won't be a surprise for you considering so are the rest of your aunts and uncles and some of your cousins.

For some reason, mommy is interested to know whether you're going to have curly hair like daddy, mommy's hair is wavy and daddy likes it long. Mommy likes daddy's curly hair although he always try to pull them back and make them go straight.

Will you come out with hair I wonder...

Love,
Mom

The Secret

Dear Baby,

Not many people know you're around... yet. There's this thing about keeping things hush hush until after the first trimester, that's when you'll be three months old in the tummy, because the first trimester is considered the critical time for babies, as anything can happen (touch wood - you'll learn what that means when your older) and your daddy and I didn't want to jinx it. We're happy having you, and we're hoping for the best.

Your grandparents knows you're coming after mommy went for the first appointment at the clinic, and a couple of your aunts. Some of mommy's friends knew as well, they cleverly guessed and worked it out, mommy played the neither confirm nor deny card. I think it was the all day sickness that gave it away if anyone was watching.

Even daddy's colleagues knew when one day daddy said time for him to go home to take mommy out for dinner because mommy didn't feel like cooking, and one of them said, so, how far along is she?

This is how excited we are of your arrival, mommy and daddy want to tell people but we can't and we end up dropping hints left right centre.

When the baby bump starts showing, it'll be hard to deny you're here, very exciting!

Love,
Mom

The Thalasemia Check

Dear Baby,

Today mommy and daddy woke up early so we could beat the queue to take our blood so the doctors could check if we're carrying thalasemia. Well, mommy is but they want to double check on daddy so that you would be ok.

The night before daddy and your granddad had a loud discussion about it. Daddy was convinced that the nurses and doctors at the prenatal clinic aren't doing their job because he said it would be written in his medical records at the hospital and they just had to look it up. Well, it's ok, blood was already taken and quick too, although we waited almost an hour. At least daddy wasn't too late for work and mommy got to her meeting in time.

Now mommy is trying to keep food in her stomach down because it feels like there is a queue in the throat waiting to come up.

Love,
Mom

1st Doctor's Appointment

Dear Baby,

Mommy couldn't sleep last night and decided to read up The Complete Illustrated Lewis Caroll, and after the first few pages, decided this isn't the kind of story I would read to you because the main character in the story, Alice, annoys the hell out of me. I do hope you'd be much much smarter and cleverer than Alice was. I might read it to you if we could find the politically correct version where she's actually smart.

Today was the first doctor's appointment. Mommy did the urine check like I was taught and weighed in, mommy lost weight! Yay! The doctor was quizzing mommy about the details the nurses took on the first visit, she wanted an official record of mommy being what they call a beta talasemia and wanted to make sure daddy is ok. So she got mommy and daddy slotted in tomorrow to take our blood.


Today mommy is plagued with a tense neck, shoulder and a headache that's moving around the head... And the constant something in throat feeling.


Never buy Supa Save corned beef bun, it tasted yuckky, tuna bun was so-so, the beef pie was bleah, but really enjoyed the garden salad although the vinegarette had too much oil and not enough vinegar and stuff. I'm glad you like the salad, when I told your daddy about the corned beef bun, he said it has always never been nice. Daddy could've warned me.

You're 12 weeks already, two more weeks to go til 2nd trimester!

Love,
Mom

The Appointment

Dear Baby,

Mommy's been waiting for this day, and you're much bigger now, a plum! Hehehe, still small but enough to make me feel that you are here.

I went for the appointment, bang on time, turned out I wasn't the only one as we had to wait for the doors to be opened. There were lots of people about and most of us weren't sure what to do next. Mommy managed to be the fourth in the queue, and when it ws my turn, the nurses taught how to check urine for sugar and protein, and had my height and weight measured. Apparently they need to know daddy's height too so they can calculate how big you're going to grow when in the tummy.

Then they quizzed me on the family medical history, aside the fact that your daddy smokes, there was nothing much to tell on his side. On mommy's side, just your grandma, grandpa, and uncles having hypertension, the pressure in their blood is high.

Any twins in the family? No.
Does mommy and daddy have blood relations? No.

And mommy almost forgot to tell them I'm talasemic, and imediately my cards got a red sticker on them to aleart the nurses and doctors if anything happens. Ooooh...

The nurse then told mommy things that I already read up about. Apparently mommy have to stop wearing an underwired bra, would have to take time out for that to look for a non wired ones. All of mommy's sports bras are too tight now too.

Then, mommy got given folic acid, 5mg per tablet. All these while mommy been only taking 800mcg per tablet. So now, mommy is taking extra folic acid to make sure you are developing properly. On top of the omega 3 and vitamin C, and mommy had learnt that when taking folic acid to take it with juices and not milk.

If mommy had complained of all the nausea the hormones is causing me, the nurse would schedule a doctor's appointment immediately. But since I'm still able to carry on it'll be a week later. So we'll learn more at next week visit won't we.

Love,
Mom

There Goes The Chicken

Dear Baby,

Ever since having you mommy can't eat chicken anymore, because it makes mommy sick. Really sick. Read that the reason why there are food aversion during pregnancy is so that the body had automatically prevented anything bad from coming in and harming the fetus. That means mommy's body is your bodyguard and it says chicken is bad. Must be all that chemicals they pump into the chicken. Your grandma would be pleased, she stopped eating chicken too when she was carrying your pa'long I think, or was it your pa'ngah...

Well, that basically removed half of what I could order from the menues.

And chicken isn't the only thing mommy got aversion to, broccoli! That's suppose to be good for you but mommy can't eat it! I'm wondering whether it had anything to do with that when mommy was preparing broccoli I was feeling really sick.

Same goes with the apples.

Then, when mommy checked on what food I can eat now that you're on board, a whole list of food that I can't eat comes up! Smoked salmon! Oh no! Sushi and sashimi! What on earth did pregnant japanese moms eat? Mommy started keeping a book, where I note down all these new information. There is even a page on safe food to eat when nauseated. Mommy's learning everyday about having you. Right now, there is no coke, no coffee, no tea, bottom line, no caffine for you. Mommy kinda miss taking a little sip from daddy's coke whenever he's having one.

Water tasted strange right now, and the safe way for mommy to take it is that it has to be warm, tepid if possible. So if you're feeling a bit thirsty lately is because mommy is having a challenging time with drinking water.

Well, at least mommy get to eat a lot of lamb, hehehe...

love,
Mom

The Clinic

Dear Baby,

Yesterday mommy and daddy celebrated mommy's birthday. We went for a nice dinner at Sheraton's Deals. Did you enjoy the meal? Salmon and lamb, yum, both my favourite. Daddy got mommy a moonstone pendent and a lovely bouquet of roses, he cleaned up the house and he took the afternoon off just to do that, how sweet of daddy.

Today mommy went to the clinic to get us registered, so that the doctors can monitor your progress in there. The thing is, mommy wasn't really sure on where to go. Went to the regular outpatient clinic for our area and was told to go to another clinic as that's where the antenatal clininc for us. Fortunately mommy was in a good mood so wasn't too fussed.

Then when mommy got there, was told by a nurse who was taking tempertures whether I had done the official urine test to confirm that I am carrying you. Needless to say that took me aback because I would have to go back to the first clinic in order for that to happen.

Still, mommy tried anyway and went to the antenatal clinic and told the nurses there. They asked how I know and if I have proof. Fortunately I had the camera and showed them the picture! Well, they were happy enough with that, filled in the forms and got my first appointment, which is over three weeks away!

What do I do with you between now and then? Hmmmm....

Love,
Mom

Hello!

Dear Baby,

Hello there! So I'm carrying you now. Very unexpected surprise. Mommy and daddy have talked about having you and according to daddy's plan it'll be a year after we got married. According to calculations, that would be about the time you'd be born! I wonder if that's a coincidence or part of the plan. Mommy not expecting you this early, but non the less excited to have you now.

Mommy had been feeling sick the past few weeks and was wondering why. Both mommy and daddy during that time been encountering people who are pregnant, or asking questions about pregnancy, or outrightly said mommy's pregnant. But I just poo pooed the idea, can't be, I thought.

Mommy's been fasting because I needed to pay back the fast I missed during the fasting month not long ago. After discovering am having you it explains a lot why I felt the sickest during that time, because you were already here! Needless to say after discovering that I am carrying you, mommy can't fast anymore worried about your development.

When mommy took the test and the result came up positive, I was feeling hazy. Took out the camera and took a picture of the result as proof that what I was seeing was correct. And when I told daddy he wasn't surprised, as a matter in fact he said, oh yeah, to be expected. Trust daddy to take out the fun in telling. Heh...

Well, hello baby, make yourself comfortable, we got a long ride ahead of us...

Love,
Mom