The Skinny on This

The Husband and I finally tried Skinny Pizza at their newly opened branch about a month ago. We had gone to Wheelock Place a few times in hope to try it but was always disappointed to see the hoarding still up. We are definitely impressed by the quality of the ingredients used and although the crust was really thin and crispy, it was surprisingly filling! My favourite part about the pizzas was that they are all generously topped with rocket leaves! I ordered a mushroom one that was smeared with a truffle paste, which of course contributed to the feeling of satiation. The Husband had a very, very tasty seafood one with a squid ink crust. I will definitely order that the next time we go.

Kick Me

I have been getting kicked a lot these days, and sometimes pretty hard might I add. It isn't painful at all, as most people are curious to know. I am not really sure how I would describe it, but I guess it can be said that each kick feels like a giant gas bubble popping inside your tummy. I suppose you can equate it to the feeling of jabbing the inside of your mouth quickly and hardly with your tongue. The best part is that the kicks can be seen from the outside of my belly and I have managed to capture them on my camera a couple of times. I feel the movements sometimes in the day, after I eat or when I'm swimming. The most is felt at night when I am lying in bed watching television. It is really fun to watch my belly go up and down when it happens!

Recently I have also been experiencing quite a bit of "false contractions" called Braxton Hicks. It's the body's way of practicing and preparing for labour, minus the pain. It's a really weird sensation because sometimes I can feel my uterus shrinking and my abdomen will harden into a lump. I have read in books and websites that it is common to experience Braxton Hicks after 20 weeks but I'm really not sure how much is normal. I wish I had a ob/gyn friend that I can just call and ask these questions. It is really hard to request to speak to the doctor direct and I usually have to wait till the next visit which is at least 4 weeks away. So what I do is I note down all the questions, however silly they may be, and patiently wait for the appointment day. For now I just consult my sister and the books I have by the bed!

A Big Head Start

I finally had my check up at 21 weeks (20 weeks and 6 days, to be exact) recently. Lo and Behold! I am a whopping 5 kilograms heavier from my last check up, alright get this, 5 weeks ago! That is a scary kilogram a week! Even the nurse could not believe it and made me take my weight again. Maybe I should seriously rethink not monitoring my weight from home because this shock is not much fun. The doctor advises that I go easy on the carbohydrates (NO!!!) and opt for complex ones instead. Well, it isn't that bad since I already am eating wholemeal and wholegrain stuff. I just am really into Spaghetti Bolognese these days.

So anyway, I had a detailed scan, or anomaly scan, done to check the structure of the baby to ensure that all is good. We are all extremely happy to know that he is a healthy baby with all his parts well and working. The baby is only 418 grams at this point, so yes, the rest is just me. We caught a glimpse of his tiny fingers and toes! They are really long like The Husband's! His head is a little large albeit within the healthy range, just like The Husband too. Of course, when I mentioned this, Ka and Yv laughed but were quick to point out that it means I might have a hard time giving birth to him. Guess the joke is really on me!

A Stroll in the Park

We made our first "baby" purchase about 2 weeks ago! Splurged on a Paul Frank Special Collection Bugaboo Cameleon stroller and have been most excited about it! There are 2 designs in this special collection- the Color Blocks design and the Skurvy design. The Color Blocks had Julius the Monkey with well, blocks of colors and the Skurvy design was a dull khaki green with a collage of the cross bones. Obviously we opted for Color Blocks because even though Skurvy was cool, it was a tad bit dark in terms of color and character.

Actually I have been in this state of inertia and was just never in the mood to shop for baby stuff. We had chanced upon this stroller quite a while back but I completely thought nothing of it. It was my sister (who knows all the stroller brands and their pros and cons) who kept asking me what would I like and all I could say was that I wasn't sure because all strollers looked boring and frumpy. She reckoned that I seriously consider the Paul Frank collection because it was unique and fun, plus Bugaboo is a good brand. She suggested that I called the store to check for stock availability and much to my dismay, they have run out of the design that we wanted. The Husband and I visited the store a few days later to explore the other options we had and even left our contact with the staff so that they could call me if they had news of a replenishment. We weren't going to settle with the Skurvy, so when we got home the same day, I started googling for all the distributors of Bugaboo strollers. I called up 3 or 4 stores to check and was beginning to get desperate when all I heard was that they had either run out as well, or had no idea what I was talking about. Finally, I called the last of all distributors and was extremely delighted to be able reserve the one and only piece they had. Later that evening, we paid up in full and arranged for delivery in March next year.

There are so many brands of strollers out there and like a friend mentioned, it can take much time and effort (aside from budget) in choosing one. I believe we made a good purchase. Even though the stroller is pricey, it is kind of a good deal because the Bugaboo Cameleon comes with a bassinet (that is totally flat for babies) and the regular seat for when the child gets older. It may not be the sleekest, but it is easy to assemble and collapse. It is compatible (with an adapter) with the Maxi Cosy car seat which is a hand-me-down from my sister, and it probably won't be slicing off any fingers.

Image taken from www.cottonbabies.com