20 November 2007 - The world can be beautiful after all

Have been very busy at work lately and I guess this will continue at least till mid-December. Although I am pregnant, but I am still working and to be honest, sometimes I really get frustrated over the fact that people seemed to have the thinking that we are very free just because we are in IFS. In a way, we are made to feel "inferior" to those in the main LOS even though I can proudly say that the efforts I put in to my work are no less than when I was in ASSUR.

Anyway, enough about these complaints. A few weeks ago, I was working late and feeling extremely tired and hungry, I decided to buy Mac's and take a cab home. When I got on the cab, the uncle asked if I bought Mac's and told me to eat while it's hot. Initially I was paiseh and told him it's ok but he insisted. I guess he saw that I was pregnant and think it is better I eat then.

Another time, a taxi driver was approaching the traffic lights which were turning amber. He beat the lights as he told me that initially he wanted to step on the brakes but he is afraid it will affect the baby.

Today, another taxi uncle asked if it is my first child and he said that my tummy is pointed so my baby must be a boy. Then he advised me that these last few months must be extra careful and don't go out too often as some escalators can be slippery, some steps are rather steep and dangerous etc. It brought a warm feeling to my heart that a stranger is kind enough to give me such advice.

The short encounters with these wonderful souls showed me that the rainbow will still appear, it is only a matter of when.


This reminds me of a phrase that I have read before. " As a symbol of hope, a rainbow over the Amazon offers a sense of optimism for this threatened world."

13 November 2007 - My birthday

Today is my 27th birthday. It is the first time in my life that I spent my birthday with another life inside me. Derek and me went to this Seafood restaurant at Boat Quay and had "Zi Char". The food was average but both of us loved the Thai Coconut Juice. The meal, consisting of 4 dishes came up to about $70 which I felt was too expensive. Last week, Derek also bought 6 bottles of concentrated bird's nest from Eu Yan Seng to pamper me. He refused to tell me how much he spent but I reckon that it must have been quite a lot because of the brand and the fact that everything is getting more expensive these days.

Since about 2 months ago, we have started to prepare for our baby's arrival. I bought some baby stuff at the BHG sale in October and last month, we also bought some from Derek's aunt's shop. As for clothes, Derek's sisters have bought a few sets for us since they knew of my pregnancy. Most of the clothes that I have gotten are white in colour as I think it is the best colour for babies. I do not like the idea of "boys wearing blue all the time" and "girls wearing pink all the time".

Sleepsuits, rompers, booties and mittens

Nappy liners, wet wipes, changing mat, bolster, brushes, etc stocked in the cabinet

Derek's aunt will be lending us her grandkid's cot. Hence, that is another thing that we can save on as I think babies will outgrow cots very soon. She will also be passing us some second-hand clothes that her grandson has wore before. We are waiting for the Kiddy Palace at CS to re-open so that we can get the Pigeon sterilizer.

10 October 2007 - Pregnancy books

Derek bought this book for me in July 2007. It was recommended by his colleague and is something like a pregnancy manual that talks about pregnancy in a month-by-month format. I am almost reaching the end of the book but will still refer to it every now and then to re-read or simply to find answers to concerns or doubts that I have.


Another book that I have started to read is this book on Breastfeeding given to me by Eleanor. Speaking of Eleanor, we did have many things in common and our EDD are only 1 week apart! Due to this, we will always share with each other how are our bodies changing during pregnancy, where are the latest baby sales, what we have read from the Singapore Motherhood forum and so on. She is the only one among my friends who is pregnant. In fact, I do not have any friends who had given birth before to ask for any advice. The only ones I know of are my cousins but they are at least 10 years older than me so we are not so close.



I can always ask my mum but the last time she gave birth was to Shirlyn, which was like 26 years ago! And after chatting with my mum a few times, I realised that things have changed so much now- in terms of medical and baby care. My mum told me that in her days, they did not have ultrasound scans during the visits to the gynae. Hence, it was only until the day you delivered then you know whether you had a boy or gal. And people will usually "tell" or rather, guess from the shape of your tummy to "assess" if you are carrying a boy or gal. I guess that was how those old wives' tales and myths started! Fish oil supplements were also unheard of. Moreover, very few people used breast pumps - they simply latch on the baby and surprisingly, breast engorgement were not a complaint. Likewise for steam sterilizers- people simply put the bottles into a pot of boiled water to sterilize them.

I guess society advancements has its pros and cons. Despite the improved medical care and technology in childbirth, it somehow feels less natural compared to the "olden days". And with more advancements especially the internet, books, magazines, I am sure many mummies-to-be are more informed but yet at the same time, exposed to more things which may cause unnecessary worry. I myself is guilty of it; when I read that someone is the forum is experiencing baby movements and I have yet to feel it, I start to worry. When I see other people gaining more weight than me, I worry again despite knowing that every pregnancy is different. It is only when I hear from my gynae that the baby is doing welll then I feel assured. The word "supposed to" ought to be erased from a pregnant woman's vocabulary and ear-plugs
should be made compulsory for all expectants!

6 September 2007 - Detailed scan at TMC

Today we went for my detailed scan at TMC. It was also my first time going to TMC. We waited for about half an hour for our turn despite having made the appointment at 10.30am. While waiting, we saw some parents bringing their newborns for injections- they are all so small and cute!

Finally we were being ushered into a room and our radiologist was Ms Tee. She informed us that the ultrasound machine in that room was a 3D one (compared to others which may be 2D). We were excited as we thought we could finally see our baby more clearly. However, baby was facing inwards most of the time and using his hands to rub his eyes or cover his face! The clearest picture I could see was the spine.

Baby's spine

During the scan, it was confirmed that we are having a baby boy. The estimated weight of our baby is about 342g and I don't know why in my mind, I kept trying to imagine a packet of preserved sour plums as you know, we usually buy in quantities of like 500g. Hence, I was telling myself, it is lighter than the packet of plums which I buy...

The radiologist also measured the size of the head, abdomen and checked for organs like heart, kidney, bladder, spine, nose, lips, the bloodflow and the level of amniotic fluid. Luckily my placenta is normal, not too low (as some mummies experienced low lying placenta). Everything is good according to the report and we rushed down to our appointment at Dr Woo's. There, he also told us that I have cleared the Triple Blood Test. Phew!

I told Dr Woo about my morning sickness and he said to give it another month :( I was thinking, shouldn't it be gone by end of 1st trimester like most people? Sigh, looks like I just gotta be more patient. So far, I didn't gain much weight, in fact, the vomitting and poor appetite has attributed to me losing weight instead. Dr Woo told me it is fine, the mummy's weight is not important as long as our baby is growing.

11 August 2007 - Morning sickness

It is getting worse. I feel very uncomfortable when taking the train and it doesn't help that because of my small built and tummy being not obvious, no one will give up the seat to me. Not to mention the bus, the jerking and braking of the bus is simply unbearable. Sometimes I have to resort to taking the cab but you know there are lousy drivers around Singapore as well. Once, I even vomitted on the cab. Derek and I just had Pasta Mania at Plaza Sing and again, my appetite was not good. Hence, I just ate 3/4 of a regular sized pizza then we bought some bread home in case I was hungry. When I was reaching Bedok reservoir, there was a sudden surge of vomit at my throat and luckily I had a plastic bag with me!

Although I felt better after vomitting, it still feels uncomfortable as I had never had this kind of feeling before. Many colleagues told me that so far, I still look ok as in, I didn't look pale or very tired like some pregnant women they have seen. All I could do is smile as I was thinking... it is because you have not seen me at night man! Only Derek could see how "black" my face was and how easily irritated I have become.

At our third gynae appointment, I took the Triple Blood Test. It is to test for Down Syndrome- crossing our fingers that everything will be fine. From the ultrasound, Dr Woo said that 95% we are having a baby boy as he could see his "thing" :) We will know when we have the detailed scan at TMC one month later. Baby has grown to about 9.5cm.

14 July 2007 - Second visit to the gynae

Today was our second visit to Dr Woo and we also signed up the package with him. $550 for consultations till delivery, inclusive of vitamins, calcium tablets etc. The nurse also explained to us the estimated charges for delivering at Thomson Medical Centre. Cheapest is natural delivery, followed by assisted delivery (which is with the assistance of forceps/ vacuum to "suck" the baby out), caeserean and emergency caeserean.

The moment I found out I was pregnant, no... in fact I should be saying that, even before I got pregnant, I was determined to deliver my baby via c-section. I do not want to go through the stress of a natural birth as the thought of it freaks me out. To me, c-section is like a surgery and I find it the most hassle-free. Hence, while the nurse was explaining to us, I only concentrated on the charges for c-section :P We were asked to go back and think about it as now is still too early to make the decision.

Baby has grew to about 5cm- still very small but Dr Woo was about to point out where is the head, the limbs etc. I couldn't make out the features at all.. all I could see was the "flashing light" again which is the heartbeat.

I hate taking the fish oil supplements as when i burp, the whole fishy taste will come up in my mouth and I feel like vomitting! However, for the sake of the baby, I have to tolerate... this is my first feeling of how a mummy feels. Now is no longer about doing what I want or what I like, I need to think about the baby as well. Just like how i simply HATE drinking milk powder. All along the only milk I drink is HL milk but because of my pregnancy, I heard from Shirlyn's friend that Annum is very good for pregnant women. I forced myself to drink a glass every morning.

My morning sickness is starting... and perhaps I should be considered lucky as my "morning" sickness only comes in the evenings and nights. In the morning, I do feel a little nauseous when I wake up but it was over in a while. However, when it comes to evenings and nights, I really feel like vomitting, bloated or simply no appetite. And when I have no appetite and do not eat, my gastric acts up again. The feeling is terrible... When will this end?

30 June 2007 - My first gynae appointment

Today is my first time visiting a gynae- we went to Dr Woo at Tiong Bahru, Central Plaza as he was recommended by Derek's friend. The first impression that Dr Woo gave me was a very patient and nice doctor. He has a smiley face too. Today is also the day I would never forget because it was the the first time we see our baby on the ultrasound machine. The baby is sooo small.. just like a nut! Baby measures about 2.78cm and we could see something "flashing" on the baby- Dr Woo said that it is the heart beating....

The first glimpse of our baby

9 August 2006 - Preparation of wedding invitations

Finally... a day where both of us need not work and can settle some of our stuff. Derek and I spent 4 hours plus today folding the invitations and glueing the inserts onto the cards. Contrary to what I had expected (initially budgeted about 2 hours to get it done), it is not an easy feat at all. Every single card need to be handled carefully so as not to smudge the ink and to ensure that it is placed in the centre of the card.

Inside of card

Front cover

The auspicious plastic bag that the printed inserts came in from Focal-Ad.

We were exhausted after the completion of the cards but felt a great sense of satisfaction. It's really great to do things together, especially when it is preparing for your own big day.

I'm so looking forward to everything...

1 August 2006 - Collection of wedding photos

We collected our wedding photos today and as we were not satisfied with some parts of the editing of the main album, we asked for a re-do. Will probably collect it back 2-3 weeks later and by then, our dads can go for the jackets fitting.

Like any other brides and grooms to-be, we were excited by how the albums will turn out. When we reached home, Derek and I looked through the photos again and the softcopies using my laptop. The next day, my mum came by in the morning to see and Derek's family came at night to see.

As each day passes, the big day draws near. The wedding invitations are all printed and once we have collected the main album, we can concentrate on the stuff to prepare for our "Guo Da Li", "An Chuang", sending of invitations and confirming the guests.

It is really not easy to prepare for a wedding.. imagine the amount of time and effort you need to spend... just on sourcing for various wedding packages can be a headache. Luckily for us, we have families and friends who are more anxious than us so they give suggestions and pointers to guide us along the way. We must be the most "relaxed and laid-back" couple around.. =)

Here are some pictures of us.. the rest would have to be revealed on the actual day itself

25 June 2006- Food Tasting & Collection of Invitation cards

Went for our food tasting today. However, due to my cough and blocked nose, I could not really taste the food very well. Other than just tasting the food, this is an opportunity for both families to meet up and interact with one another.

Seeing the elders making an effort to engage in conversations despite the fact that they do not know one another very well sort of touched my heart. It made me see that actually marriage is not just solely between 2 people in love (which was what I always thought) but a union of two families.

And to our pleasant surprise, my mum's cousin is actually the in-laws of Derek's first aunt... what a coincidence!

We finally decided on the ivory-coloured invitation cards so the next step is to source for printers and try to finalise the guests list. Feeling tired and drowsy due to my medication... I must recover soon and get back to work. I'm not gonna let a host of germs get me down. Life's too short for that.

05 June 2006 - Moving House

We are moving into our new house today... woohoo! Have been busy buying loads of miscellaneous stuff for the house the past few days. Everytime after buying, I will realise that I had forgotten to get something else. Guess its our "kiasu" nature, wanting to buy as much as possibly needed first- it was as if the shop/supermarket is going to close down after today or something :P

I have also made many trips to the new house to put my barang barang as well- bags and bags of them. I am trying to set a resolution- to not buy so many things on impulse as 1) alot of space is wasted to accomodate these impulsive buys 2) money wasted as well.

This is a new step in our marriage life... wish us all the best!

09 May 2006 - Our photos are ready!

Our photos are ready, we can view them anytime from tomorrow. I'm so so excited and worried at the same time. *Crossing my fingers & toes that everything turns out OK*

06 March 2006 - Sunday First appointment- Wedding gown fitting

Went for my first appointment at EB with Derek and my dearest sister, Shir-lyn on Saturday. It was tiring but fun! Had quite a hard time deciding on what I wanted but finally chose the 1st one I tried on.. Somehow, I took an instant liking to it the moment I put it on and hence, I think I should follow my heart and choose that.

There were some other gals trying on the gowns and we were like models, changing and posing and changing and posing. Everyone was busy taking photos, asking for comments and hoping to find the perfect gown for the big day while the husbands/bfs watches on. I think the experience was not as exciting for the guys as most gowns look the same to them whereas the gals were more concerned about the minor minor details. Poor Derek was having running nose that day and I think it must have been rather terrible to sit there for 5 hours! After I have chosen my day and night gowns, Derek went on to take his measurements for his pants and suit.

Two weeks later, I'll be having my trial make-up and we scheduled on photoshoot on 23 April 2006 which happens to be our wedding anniversary as well!! :) Here's a sneak picture of my outdoor gown...

05 March 2006 - The Start of our Story

Have been wanting to start a blog for the longest time but have not gotten down to actually doing it until now. What better time to kick-off than now, I thought... as may this be the place for us to pen our memorable moments as the story unfolds.

We got to know each other on 5 Dec 1997 (I still remember it was a stormy Friday night... kekeke) and became a couple on 12 Dec 1997. Despite knowing each other for only a week and meeting up only once, we clicked quite well and decided to follow our hearts, give it a try and see where it'll lead us. From then on, the rest is history.

I would say that the journey is full of many ups and downs and as the saying goes "The course of true love never did run smooth". I am very grateful to my family, Derek's family and all our friends who have given us support along the way. Derek proposed to me on 14 Feb 2004, slightly past 12am at East Coast Park. He totally caught me by surprised as I recalled I was working on one of the most stressful assignments in my portfolio, working past 12am almost everyday and did not even have time to meet him. He placed the ring and flower in a paper bag and as I was quite tired after work, I did not even suspect anything was going on. To me, it was just another supper time at East Coast and I even carried the paper bag for him when getting out of the car! I will never forget that moment when he asked if I would marry him, it was the happiest moment in my life.

We solemnised our marriage on 23 April 2005 at Swissotel Merchant Court by the poolside. It was a joyous occassion with our families, some close relatives and friends. Our dads were our witness and after the solemnisation, we adjourned to the Ellenbourgh Market Cafe for lunch. The solemnisation process was over in about 15 minutes but it held great meaning for both of us. The start of our marriage life.

"As both of you have given your consent before me to live together in matrimony and have solemnly promised, each to the other to do so, I now pronounce you two Man and Wife."

My Favourite picture