*ing

The Taste of Yesteryear

2010-12-25T00:04:00.005+08:00

It was the "Dongzhi" Festival or Winter Solstice Festival on Wednesday. My mum had bought some glutinous rice dough to make some dumplings as offering to my late grandparents. When I got up, I saw that my auntie was cooking some in an orange syrup soup (using the same type of sugar eaten with steamed rice cupcakes a.k.a. "wa ko kueh") with dried longans for a added flavour. It sure made my day.

I got reminded of how my sister and I would make these little pink and white dumplings when we were little. Just barely tall enough to reach the kitchen counter top in our grandmother's (we call her Mama) house, we would roll the dough in our palms into balls. We would make them all pink or all white and even a swirl of both colours. Mama would cook them in the traditional orange sugar syrup, without the longans. The syrup would completely stain the balls but when you bit into them, you could see the pretty pink and white swirls.

Although they are plain compared to their Hong Kong and Japanese equivalents, they were very comforting and heartwarming. The longans that my auntie added changed the taste of it a little, but it was still nice to be taken back some 20 odd years.

I love you Mama. I love you Jie.

All Bound for Moo Moo Land

2010-11-24T18:49:00.009+08:00

I packed away my nursing bras today. The cow has gone home.

Months ago, I would secretly wish for this day to arrive. But it's a kind of bittersweet feeling, I must say. I've always had mixed feelings about breastfeeding. I liked the closeness that I shared with The Baby. I loved how his tiny hands would wrap around my little finger, and how his tiny fingers would intertwine with mine, whenever he nursed. It's all true, the "bond" that magazines and websites and doctors talk about. It's a bond that only you and your baby share. A bond that cannot be replicated any other way. Then there were days where it would be really frustrating. Like when The Baby went on nursing strikes (which led to horrible engorgement) and when he would not cooperate and fight with me under the nursing cover. Or how troublesome and time consuming pumping milk out is. I will not even get started on how unflattering and uncomfortable (most people would disagree on this) nursing bras are! It was just impossible to find the "perfect" nursing bra. Basically, breastfeeding can be rather socially, for the lack of a better word, crippling. Having said all that, I still feel proud to know that I was providing the best thing that The Baby could ever have.

Weaning The Baby off was trying for me. I had mastitis. It sucked because I came down with a fever (low grade, luckily) and body aches. I went to see a doctor who prescribed antibiotics (apparently there is no other choice) so strong that I had an upset tummy after the first dose. It must've killed off all the good bacteria in my gut. For five days I was especially tired and dazed. Didn't help that The Baby still does not sleep through the night coupled with the restlessness caused by possible teething. And the pain from a blocked duct and general engorgement was not fun. I tried cold cabbage and cold compresses but they only provided relief for as long as they stayed cold. But as horrible as the antibiotics were, I'm glad they worked. I just pray that nobody gets mastitis, ever!

Got Milk?

2010-07-13T15:53:00.005+08:00

Most books and websites, even doctors and lactation supervisors say that breastfeeding helps a mother lose weight quicker and regain her pre-pregnancy figure. And I have a fussy baby who won't let me sit while carrying him. That means I at least get some kind of exercise while putting him to sleep. A foolproof weight loss program, right? Wrong. Because, my fellow already pregnant or planning to be pregnant girlfriends, breastfeeding makes you hungry. Pretty much all the time, just like when I was pregnant. Isn't the human body just amazing? I probably feel hungry because the body is telling me to feed myself so I can produce enough milk. A perfect excuse to eat.

So in an effort to make healthier choices to keep up with the hunger, I went to the supermarket yesterday to stock up on some vegetables and meats. Today I made Grilled Chicken and fresh Orange Salad, drizzled with Lemon Miso dressing. It was refreshing because the tart lemon juice woke my taste buds up. And the chicken (fillet) was tender and nicely flavoured with rosemary and thyme. Even though it was satisfying and feel-good, I have a feeling it won't keep me full for long. As I write this while sipping coffee and munching on, er, munchies (oat and coconut cookies made by my little sister), I think I probably will be pretty hungry for dinner soon.

Strike a balance

2010-07-04T01:16:00.009+08:00

I might have had the worse day on Friday. I left the house without enough time to pump out my milk. Not a good thing. It was made worse with The Baby deciding to go on a nursing strike. My boobs were filling up quick and they started to become lumpy and painful. With him refusing to feed, I had no choice but to buy a manual breast pump to relief the discomfort. I have never used a manual pump before and was dripping milk on myself. Sitting in the nursing room, I felt rather miserable. I was worried about The Baby not drinking, wondering if he was starving and not being able to do anything about it. And I really didn't know why he was refusing me. It was frustrating because every time I tried to feed him, he would stiffen up his body, turn his head away and cry his lungs out. I was afraid to force his head towards me because I didn't want to hurt him, but I didn't want him to starve too! My sister consoled me by saying that nursing strikes happen and I should not be so stressed about it. The Baby will drink when he wants to. I just couldn't help feeling so rejected.

Sometimes I feel like I am running out of fuel driving down this road of motherhood. There are no exits, hardly any stop signs and plenty of potholes. Alright, enough with the analogies. I know it has only been 2, almost 3 months and I'm complaining so much. But on days when The Baby is difficult, I can't help but feel extremely "trapped". I really do miss my old life where I can just get up and go whenever, wherever. Now, going out means I have to rush through my shower, bathe The Baby, feed The Baby and importantly, pump out the milk. Otherwise I will be in a situation of over supply. Oh and wherever we are going, it is an absolute MUST that it is an air conditioned place because it is absolutely, totally, oh-my-goodness-I-could-combust, HOT when handling and breastfeeding a baby. Okay I tend to exaggerate, but I dare say all mothers will attest to this.

It's so hard to have a balanced life now. All my time is spent looking after The Baby. I don't get much time to myself. It's not that I'm selfish; I've let go of the freedom and the many pleasures in life the moment the positive sign came on. I mean, I have had my fun and now I have a family. What more could I ask for? Perhaps my life is pretty balanced after all. Of course, and its only natural to miss the things that you no longer have. I miss going to work, I miss late night drinks with friends, I miss brunches with The Husband. I miss finishing a sentence here without having to run and check on The Baby. But I know in years to come, what I will miss most is that gummy smile and sheer joy The Baby has whenever he sees my face.

A Glass Full

2010-05-04T18:31:00.004+08:00

Two more days to the end of my confinement period. The Baby will also be officially one month old! How time flies when you're having "fun". Well, I'm not using the word fun without the inverted commas because honestly, it has been tiring and trying. I don't sleep much at night and barely squeeze in an hour's (if I'm lucky) nap in the day. The rest of the time is spent feeding, changing diapers, cleaning spit ups and putting The Baby to sleep. It can get pretty annoying when he stirs and grumbles the very moment I put him down on the bed. I am fortunate to have my mum help me out but it is quite tiring for her too. She goes to the market in the morning, a chore she insists on doing because the pork in my meals must be fresh. Then she bathes The Baby, cooks my lunch and dinner. In the night she helps with the diaper changing and the pacifying. I'm glad there are only two more days left, so at least she won't have to be so busy with the food preparation.

As mentioned in my previous post, the food hasn't been bad at all. I hardly crave other types of food. I guess that is the good thing about chinese food. You probably can never get sick of it as compared to, say, Italian. You know you are getting old when you say something like that. But I must admit I do think of random food items and they are:

- Peanut butter
- Pineapple
- Durian
- Old school bread ice cream
- Udon soup
- Handrolls
- Salmon sashimi
- Banana Nut Crunch cereal
- Sandwiches from Simply Bread

Out of these items, only 2 are immediately accessible. So on Friday morning, I shall have the cereal and a peanut butter toast. Oh! But not before I treat myself to a large glass of refreshing plain water. Man, I cannot wait! I think my kidneys will be thankful.

Gingered Up

2010-04-22T12:23:00.008+08:00

Being in confinement actually isn't as bad as I expected. I am lucky to be allowed air conditioning and showering every 3-4 days with herb water. Of course, there were some days where I would feel extremely uncomfortable from the humidity, especially while breastfeeding. I do feel pretty tired from waking up several times in the night to feed The Baby so I try to snooze in the day time but hardly do simply because I'm not used to afternoon naps. I guess the only thing that can be annoying is that I can only drink ginger red date tea. It is believed that plain water has "wind" which is not good for a postnatal mother, and can cause bloating. It was rather trying when I came down with a slight cold but I loaded up on vitamin C which helped.

I have been taking to plenty of ginger quite well, much to my surprise. I have always disliked ginger and would only eat it with "xiao long bao" or as a form of herbal infusion tea. Now, its in all my meals, except breakfast and I find myself looking forward to crunching down on the strips. My meals have been tasty, comprising of ingredients that are pretty much the same everyday.

Breakfast:
Oats / Cornflakes / Bread. I am getting quite sick of marmalade and jam. I need some chunky peanut butter!!!

Lunch:
Lunch is more varied in terms of the staple. Sometimes its "bee hoon" or "mee sua" or brown rice porridge. Today I got "kway teow"! But its always soup with pork, chinese spinach and fish.

Dinner:
Served with brown rice, there is always a pork dish with vegetables. Fish is also an important feature because it's suppose to boost milk supply. Sometimes there is chicken or pig kidney or liver.

I still dislike liver. The texture doesn't do anything for me; its powdery and has a distinct "innard" taste. No thanks! But it's still palatable compared to a dish of pig trotters and old ginger stewed in black vinegar. It's got to be the MOST vile thing I ever tasted. I actually love vinegar, but this dish was sweet and the smell of it reminded me of a herbal feet soak my sister used to treat her eczema. And the best part was, the pig trotter was not meant to be eaten. Only the ginger. My sister said she would drink a couple of bowls of the vinegar when she was in confinement. Amazement!

T minus 10

2010-04-16T14:10:00.008+08:00

Today is the 16th of April 2010. The day that I was supposed to be due to deliver. Instead, I gave birth 10 days ago on the 6th of April at 2.50am, to a happy and healthy boy of 2.96 kilograms. It was intense and still oh-so-fresh in my mind. Before I forget (if it is even possible), I shall record here every single detail with as much accuracy as possible. Warning: TMI ahead!

5th April 2010, Monday

3.45am:
I got up to pee groggily, as usual. Making it a habit to check the paper after every wipe, I was shocked to see a little light blood. I quickly stood up to check the toilet bowl and saw more light blood and a brownish clump. I whispered "Oh my god!" to myself and hurriedly walked to The Husband and told him that I might be in labour soon. Not knowing what to do, he suggested that we wait it out and go straight to Dr Chua's clinic first thing when they open. As he continued to snore, I laid awake, anticipating contractions. I started to feel slight cramps, much like those of menstruation. I made a call to the clinic, just so I can listen to their recording that informs of their opening hours - 8.30am. Long time from now, I thought. I couldn't sleep, even though I kept telling myself to. I was nervous and frantically monitoring the contractions. The cramps were irregular, sometimes 20 to 25 minutes apart, sometimes 15.

7.00am:
I jumped out of bed to shower and packed whatever that was not packed into my hospital bag (to be specific, it's my Minnie Mouse trolley bag, which I think is really meant for kids).

8.40am:
I called the clinic just to inform them of my arrival. Shirley, the nurse, told me to go in at 1.30pm because Dr Chua would only be in then. Besides, my contractions were irregular and totally manageable. I felt disappointed, for some reason, that she didn't share my excitement and nervousness. I laid in bed momentarily feeling lost. I called my sister and she advised that I go straight to the hospital to get admitted.

9.00am:
I sent a text msg to my mum. She also agrees that I go straight to the hospital but not before taking a bottle of chicken essence. I suggested to The Husband that we have breakfast at Starbucks (Paragon) before going to the hospital.

9.50am
My sister picked us up and we drove to Paragon.

10.15am
I had a cranberry walnut toast and spearmint tea. The Husband had a sandwich and green tea latte. My sister had a spinach egg fritata and a double short soy latte. We chatted and enjoyed breakfast like I wasn't in labour!

10.45am
The Husband and I make our way to the hospital. Not knowing where to go, we walked straight into the Delivery Suite.

11.00am
We were settled down in Delivery Suite 5. I changed into a pink hospital gown and got acquainted with the nurse and midwife on duty. I had to give a sample of my pee and was strapped onto the machine to monitor the baby's heartbeat and my contractions. Midwife/Nurse No. 1 came in shortly after to explain certain procedures and also checked how far dilated I was. Only a centimetre. She wasn't very good at checking. Ouch!

TV channels in the suite rocked! There was Star World, Discovery Channel and HBO. I was watching Glee!

11.55am
I called Kim who was in holidaying in Japan.

12.25pm
I am admitted. No promises for a single room yet.

12.45pm
I call Karen whose first words were, "Oh My God!". Lunch was served in the delivery suite.

1.05pm
Pain is still manageable, almost negligible. We walk around to aid in the progress of my dilation.

1.45pm
Dr Selina Chua pops in to check on me. I am only 1-2cm so far. She gave me a choice to wait it out or break my water bag. I chose to wait because I didn't want to be in pain suddenly. She will check in at 6.00pm. We were told that we could be moved up to the ward to wait it out.

2.40pm
We adjourn to Ward 4B Room 4437 (single room) to rest. The Husband takes a nap while I watch more tv.

3.30pm
Tea is served. The chicken sandwich I ordered turned out to be tuna sandwich instead. I only pinched the corners of the bread.

4.30pm
Pain is not getting anymore intense. We walk around somemore.

5.30pm
The nurse gave me an enema. Awful!

6.00pm
We make our way back to the delivery suite. We meet Midwife/Nurse No. 2.

6.30pm
Dr Chua checks that I am merely 3 cm dilated. She suggested breaking my water bag but I was worried of the sudden onset of pain. If I wanted to wait it out further, I could become very tired. She chided me saying that I will be in labour anyway. :(
I plucked up my courage and got my bag burst. I had no idea it contained so much amniotic fluid!

7.30pm
We return to the ward. My mum, sis (+2 kids) and auntie were there.

8.15pm
The pain got more intense. 5 minutes apart and were like extreme menstrual cramps. At one point when Aeryn was talking to me, I could not reply her properly.

8.45pm
We return to the delivery suite. We meet Midwife/Nurse No. 3 and 4. Dr Chua orders for me to be induced to really speed things up. The nurse applied the needle and hooked me up to a glucose and oxytocin drip. No more food, only water. The oxytoxin would be administered after every cm that I dilated, about half an hour apart.

9.00pm
Pain escalated relatively quickly. I had to grip on the bed handle to manage the pain. Breathing slowly helped.

10.00pm
Very quickly, the pain climbed to beyond bearable. I was trying not to cry and asking The Husband "to make it stop". Haha. I needed epidural NOW. The nurse called for Dr Jung, the anaesthetician, who would take about 20 minutes to arrive.

10.20pm
Yes! Dr Jung arrived! Boy was I relieved to see him! Little did I know what I was getting into. The application of the epidural was the most awful experience EVER. The lower half of my body felt alien; it was a mixture of weakness, numbness and pain. I was fighting with a contraction and the horrible sensation of the epidural. I attempted to verbalise the pain I felt but the doc couldn't hear me because my face was burrowed in the pillow. What a baby I was. The nurse inserts a urinary catheter as I could not walk or pee with the anaesthetic.

10.30pm
Aah. Relief.

11.00pm
The nurse asked me to get some sleep to help the cervix relax. I am completely wasted by this point as I was awake since 3.45am on Monday morning.

6th April 2010, Tuesday

12.00am
I felt extreme rectal and vaginal pressure with each contraction. It was pretty bad. I inform the nurses and they maxed out the dosage for the epidural.

12.40am
I was now already 9 cm dilated and the nurse said I can start pushing at 1.00am.

1.15am
Nurses prepped me for delivery. My leg were completely numbed by now and could not even maintain its position of the leg rest. I attempted to push but was inconsistent with the way I pushed. The baby's head kept coming out and going back in. I tried not to fall asleep from sheer exhaustion.

1.45am
The baby's head can be felt by the nurses. I started to show blood in my urine. The nurses call for Dr Chua. I continue to watch Glee.

2.15am
Dr Chua arrives (wearing a NUS polo tee, berms and some kind of uncool footwear. She's a MAN.)! She put on her scrubs and asked me to push. As there was blood in my urine, Dr Chua informs that she would need to use a vacuum to assist in the delivery of the baby. The vacuum looked like a tiny plunger, attached to a pressure machine, and was inserted into you-know-where. There was a lot of squishy sounds.

2.50am
Baby Luke (yes, we changed our minds) arrives! The Husband cut the umbilical cord and Luke was taken by the nurses to clean up. Dr Chua collected the cord blood. My placenta was delivered soon after ( I saw the doc pulling it out by the umbillical cord) and it looked like liver. Yuck.

3.20am
Dr Chua stitched me up. I didn't even know I had an episiotomy. Luke got weighed, tagged and dressed simultaneously. His right foot print was taken. The Husband went trigger happy.

3.30am
Dr Chua leaves. I got more glucose drip to flush out the blood in my urine. I breastfed Luke for the first time.

4.00am
The Husband went trigger happy again. We wait further for the blood to flush out. The nurses were frantically cleaning up the delivery suite at this point and I make small talk.

5.00am
We leave for the ward, which was changed to a double room but we got the whole thing. Ward 4A Room 4417/18.

5.30am
The urinary catheter was removed without discomfort. Lucky me! I feel pain from my uterus contracting. I was slightly nauseated from the journey from the delivery suite.

7.00am
I finally got some sleep.

So there it is. Probably the most memorable day in my life. Well, other than our wedding day. Even though the pain was excrutiating, it all went by just like that. I must be crazy to keep wanting to relive those moments again and again in my mind. Would I do it again? Honestly, I don't... know yet.

Got change?

2010-03-19T13:52:00.005+08:00

I am now 36 weeks (officially full term at the end of 37 weeks) and the baby's head is in a downward position. The doctor said that at this point in time, the baby usually will not move back up so there is no risk of him in breech position. However, it looks like it will be unlikely that I will be popping in the next 2 weeks. Great! More time for me to gain more weight! It really isn't funny anymore. I am now at the heaviest I have ever been. I keep telling myself to cut down on the snacks like chocolates and sweet drinks but I end up thinking about them more. Of course I have people like my sister who says that I should just eat whatever I want now, and my mum who thinks I don't eat enough and also The Husband who believes that I don't look like I have all that extra weight at all. I just think he is being really nice. I feel swollen everywhere; my face, my hands and feet. My arms are humongous and I have never had so much cellulite on my thighs. I look at old photos and think, "Really? I looked like that before? I... I had collar bones?" I do miss them.

My body has gone through so much change, some good some bad, and sometimes I forget how it was like before. I guess the worst change would be the weight gain because the others creep in quietly and it's not immediately noticeable until I spot it. Then I'd go, "Hey! where did that come from!" An example would be the pigmentation of my skin. My boobs are kind of splotchy all around (like a really bad uneven tan) and the areolas are really really dark now (Sorry! Too much information). No way the baby will miss it! I also have tiny little mole-like spots sprinkled around my tummy and neck. They don't bother me much actually, just interesting to notice them over time. Even my face seemed a little more freckled than before. Did I mention that my underarms have gone darker too? That's hot. My mum and sister assures me that all this should go away after giving birth.

I am lucky to not have any new stretch marks because I have been very zealous with the application of oils and body creams. I guess it helps that I was not skinny and skin-tight to begin with. Plus my dry skin has forced me for years now, to go through tubs and tubs of creams so the stress of the skin stretching is reduced. Oh and I love my hair now! I began losing lesser and lesser hair as I progressed in my pregnancy. I was losing only 2-3 strands of hair in my second trimester and now, none! My hair now feels luscious with each thickened strand. It even grows faster and my scalp is less greasy than before. So I am most not looking forward to the post-natal hair loss. Definitely does not help that I have to adhere to the old wives' confinement rules of infrequent washing. For best results, don't wash at all!

P.S. See you soon!

2010-03-16T14:49:00.011+08:00

Last week I suggested to my mother and sister that we lunch at P.S Cafe (formerly known as Project Shop Cafe) before embarking on some baby shopping. Although they have changed their name to the same as the one at Dempsey and Palais Renaissance, I was pleased to find out that the menu remained the more casual one. Although we don't go very often, The Husband and I always have a good time trying their interesting specials. But this time, we ordered from the menu the familiar Laksa Pesto Pasta and tried the P.S Burger Club. I was smittened. It could probably be the best burger (aside from the Wild Rocket Burger at Relish) I have ever tasted! It was served on a kind of turkish flat bread sliced and presented with a large wooden skewer poked through. It was really tasty and it came with a side of the most yummy mayonnaise dip that had a citrus note (I believe its kaffir lime) to it. The fact that a flat bread was used made it great to handle with hands which, isn't that what a burger is all about?

Not being able to forget the taste, I asked The Husband to take me there again on Saturday and we both ordered the burger and House Salad to share. I was doubly smittened this time! The salad was a delicious combination of roasted mushrooms, baby spinach and tomatoes tossed in a balsamic dressing with fresh dill and basil (score!), topped with sweet golden raisins. My taste buds were joyfully tickled by the sweetness of the raisins and the tangy balsamic vinegar.

Oh now I cannot wait to go back for more! Perhaps I will cajole my mother and sister into lunching there again this Thursday before my check up. Who cares about the scales now!

Packed, man.

2010-03-05T17:15:00.002+08:00

As I guessed, I have gained another jaw-dropping 4.8 kilograms, of which only the ".8" of it went to the baby! Should've put down that jar of tarts and "bak kwa" before it was too late. So far I have gained a total of 16 kilograms and I hope it doesn't go up anymore! We shall see at my next appointment in a couple of weeks' time.

Time really flies and I am 2 weeks to being full term (i.e 36 weeks) after which I will technically be ready to go anytime from then. We have done my pre-admission to the hospital and I've packed my hospital bag as well. It was then that it really, really sunk in. Well, not that waking up with a huge belly everyday didn't drive the message home enough. But I've been taking it really easy, not feeling the rush to purchasing any baby related items yet (doing so next Tuesday!) So when I do something that is in preparation for the arrival of the baby, I get pushed hard (pun intended) back to reality and I go "Whoa! This is it. This is really happening". I'm excited to be a mother but I am completely freaking out about labour. I really don't know what to expect even after hearing many stories and watching many videos or programs. It makes me wince just by thinking about it. I couldn't even take a really bad leg cramp I had recently!

Actually, I feel like I can give birth anytime now. I have been feeling very heavy lately. My belly is huge and putting quite a bit of strain on my back when I walk or stand too much. Its worse after I eat a big meal. Its horrible because I feel so unfit and unhealthy. I feel clumsy and restricted. I experience great difficulty bending down to pick up things; I have to do so slowly with my legs and knees opened in the most unglamorous manner while reaching out for the item so far away on the ground. Its tough even drying my legs after a shower! I get really breathless climbing up a flight of steps (this is at the speed of a snail). I cannot move around in bed freely, worried that I might pull something or overstrain my belly. I now also hate chairs or seats that have straight (like 90 degrees) backrests and are not couches. It kills my back when I sit on them for too long, which is about the length of a meal time.

Ok I better stop! I sound like a terrible frumpy pregnant woman now.

The Last Lap

2010-02-12T14:47:00.003+08:00

Since my last entry, I am now fully in my third trimester. Yes, the last lap. It feels almost too long now. We have 9 more weeks to go (assuming I give birth at textbook 40 weeks) and I just cannot wait to hold our baby in my arms. I also cannot wait to get some good sleep, if that is even possible with the baby around. The frequent pee trips in the middle of the night is just not fun especially when I take a while to fall back to sleep. I end up waking up late in the day and feeling generally like an "unfun" person.

But having said that, I would give up all sleep to feel the kicks and turns in my belly. I think most expectant mothers will agree that it really nice when the baby kicks. Sometimes I laugh because the way he kicks makes my belly wobble in a way like he is doing the "running man" or the "kway teow" (a dance move coined by my friends, that involves body waves usually done by "ah lians"). And sometimes I squirm because he kicks my sides which is a strange sensation, almost like tickling me from the insides. I guess he is putting his big feet into good use!

The last check up showed that the baby is 1.5 kilograms and I am curious to know how much he has grown since. I am pretty sure I have grown too, much thanks to the festive Chinese New Year coming up and all those pineapple tarts lying around. Talking about it just makes me want to grab some right now!

The Skinny on This

2009-12-29T14:42:00.004+08:00

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

2009-12-22T17:53:00.004+08:00

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

2009-12-11T14:10:00.003+08:00

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

2009-12-07T14:28:00.006+08:00

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

Baby Steps

2009-11-25T18:31:00.007+08:00

Since my last post, I'd quit my job and have been relaxing and feeling for baby movements. The past 19 weeks has been a great journey and I completely understand now what it means when I hear people say that they "enjoyed" their pregnancy. I am back to wearing more make up, especially eyeliner when I go out; a sign of my mood picking up and finally feeling good about myself again. My skin is at its all time best (aside from those few old blemishes) and I only wish it could last forever! I'm not monitoring my weight gain at home. I know I'm definitely gaining weight so I don't want to stress myself out unnecessarily by obsessing about it. Anyway it is kind of fun to be "surprised" each time I have a weigh in during the doctor's check up. The next appointment is next Friday and I just cannot wait. It has been so long since we last saw the baby on the ultrasound and I am most curious to see what the he's up to.

As my belly grows, I am fitting better into clothes now. Strange, but true! I'm no longer in between now so it is easier to shop for clothes that will accommodate my bump. It's fun to show it off! Dresses are great to be in because they help me stay cool in our horrible weather. And with the unpredictable wet season now, a cardigan will do the trick. Bottoms are a little troublesome; my sister's maternity jeans aren't the best fit (yet) and they droop as I walk. Besides they are of an odd length for me so I would really like to shop for a couple nice pairs.I have not bought much clothes since I found out I was pregnant. I can still squeeze into some of my clothes and my mother went crazy shopping in Thailand recently for stretchy tops for me. I did buy a couple of pretty frocks for The Husband's sister's wedding recently. I think I looked pretty "boomz" in it.

But the items that I am most most pleased with are my brand new sandals. My feet ache very quickly these days and what better footwear to supply me with the correct support than Birkinstocks! Unlike clothes, I can wear them even after birth! And who can resist the limited Disney edition and the pretty sparkly diamante buckles! Highly recommended to shoo off those hormonal mood swings!

Something

2009-10-10T10:57:00.005+08:00

Something tells me today is going to be good day.

I had a nice drive to work, sure beats driving under the scorching sun. When I got to my office building, the air was wonderfully cool against my skin as I walked to the lift lobby. I just felt like walking all day, not caring if I'm kicking dirty water onto my pants. I wished I was in a park, like the one where the Husband and I were at in Paris. Beautiful flowers and bright green carpet grass. It would be so nice to just stroll and breathe in the crisp smell of leaves.

I am in resort-ish wear today which puts me in a resort mood. White linen pants with a cotton waistband and a spaghetti strapped top. Can't believe I can still fit into them!

I will be having lunch with The Husband and then heading to my parents' place for chicken soup homemade by my mother.

I am meeting my friends for dinner tonight. We're going to Keppel Club for Peranakan food (there better be assam fish) and just hang out after. I haven't met up with B for a long time and it would be really nice to just catch up.

Something tells me today is going to be a good day.

Ding Dong Bells

2009-10-08T11:13:00.004+08:00

I was a frump yesterday. I put on a few outfits (that looked good only in my head) and ended up looking like a slob. I didn't care anymore so I went to work in a black tank top and aladdin-like calf length pants. I had almost no make up on; just filled in my brows. I dragged my heavy shoulders and legs to the office. The day passed super slowly and each time I checked the clock, only 10 minutes had passed. I had nothing to do at work, which made me question why I was even at work. Even today.

Desperate for clothes that fit and possibly flatter, I tried on my sister's maternity and non-maternity, maternity clothes later that night. I was pleased to be able to wear most of the bottoms because I cannot fit into any of mine anymore. Most of the dresses fit too but I felt a little embarrassed because these were the same dresses she wore when she was probably 6 or 7 months pregnant. I am only 12 weeks. If I don't wear those clothes now, I won't be able to contain my boobs in them later.

As I looked at myself in a maternity dress, bells went off in head telling me, "OH. MY. GOD. I. AM. PREGNANT." I could get used to this.

Willy Wonka

2009-10-07T12:14:00.004+08:00

Yesterday was my First Trimester Pregnancy Screen. I had four tubes of blood drawn from me and the procedure felt like it was going on forever. A list of things will be tested with my blood along with my urine sample.

The baby has grown twice in size now! He is 6.62cm and really fidgety. When the image of the baby appeared on the screen, I let out a soft "oh!" because it is so amazing to see how much he has grown from 3 weeks ago.

The doctor checked his neck fat, nasal bone and location of the umbilical cord. All these were markers for down syndrome and all was normal. At one point he stretched his legs out and maximised the entire space in the sac. What a funny sight because his legs were really skinny! He has a big head and tummy now. Much like his father. :P

You should notice by now that I have dropped the "his/her" and "he/she". Just check out this picture, where the arrow is pointing at a 60% chance of a Seth / Luke / Dean. It a little hard to see, so some imagination really helps.

Three

2009-10-05T15:48:00.014+08:00

Saturday was our third wedding anniversary. Only our third anniversary. That makes it a mere 6 years since we met. Suddenly it seems like time is passing so slowly. I suppose it is a good thing!

So in effort to make it a yearly pilgrimage, we went for dinner at Broth, located at Duxton Hill. We had a wonderful time talking. Even though most of it was silly banter, it was nice to talk because we don't do it very often. Needless to say, the meal was wonderful. I am quite infatuated with this restaurant and think it's great fun to keep it to a yearly affair. Every year that we go, the menu is different. And it never disappoints. The Husband probably feels a little different but I know I enjoyed myself a lot. Even without wine!

Appetiser 1: Baby Spinach & Portobello Mushrooms with Sundried Tomatoes and Fried Onions

A really refreshing appetiser with the mushrooms served raw and the fried onions added an interesting flavour to the dish.

Appetiser 2: Foie Gras with Potato Scallop and Apple Sauce

There is just something about pan fried foie gras and apple sauce. They balance each other out perfectly and it is the most decadent of flavours. The potato scallop was really yummy because it was crispy on the outside and the was nicely tender inside. Potatoes rock! Oh, and the truffles on top are just heavenly!

Main Course: Braised Veal Cheeks

The Husband's choice of main course after deciding against the red goat curry pie. Tasty and tender, the meat melts in your mouth and the was not overpowered with the flavour of the sauce. Still a hearty dish!

Main Course: Linguine with Sliced Beef in Tomato Sauce

Obviously, I ordered this. It was the best of both worlds! Pasta and the meat I need to eat for the sake of the baby. Delicious but the sauce could do with a little less sugar. It was a huge plate with many slices of beef. Really filled me up there!

Dessert: Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream

Ah! What else but the most awesome sticky date pudding ever! Honestly, I have never tasted any other that is better than this. I hope there is someone out there who feels the same way as I do because it is perfect! The chocolate wordings is a trend that The Husband started when we celebrated our anniversary at Broth during a year while we were still dating. And it shall be our little own cringe-worthy "thing".

To my dearest husband and love of my life,

I love you. ***

Attack of the 50ft Anxiety

2009-09-24T10:33:00.003+08:00

Last night was the second time I felt miserable. And it wasn't because of food.

I had a pretty bad day yesterday because I couldn't leave work early like I planned to. I offered to give my colleague a ride to the store because I was going to pop by anyway. By the time we left the office, it was 6pm and I was feeling super tired. So I told him I will drop him off nevertheless. I had no idea they started to close the roads for the F1 races this weekend, so we were stuck in traffic for a good half hour. I was frustrated enough and when I finally got to my parent's place, my mother grumbled at me for being late and not being able to drink the chicken soup she made. I almost wanted to cry; not sure why but I felt really sad. I managed to cool off by relaxing in the car ride to dinner.

When The Husband and I got home later that night, I was hit pretty hard with anxiety and broke. Sitting and sobbing uncontrollably, I felt so alone and helpless. I was suddenly consumed by the thought of being a mother and completely freaked out. Perhaps we are not ready for this. It is a huge responsibility that we might have just taken lightly. After an hour of bawling my eyes out, I called it a day and went to sleep. I was completely and thoroughly wasted.

I knew a big part was the hormones that attacked me but I still cannot stop thinking about what a huge step this is for us. And if we had really really thought this through properly. But I know that as our baby gets bigger each day, I love him/her more and more. I want to be a good mother and I certainly feel pretty stupid for starting the drama last night. I just hope in the next couple of weeks or so, I will start to feel better.

California Dreaming

2009-09-22T17:49:00.004+08:00

For the first time since I discovered I was pregnant, I was really miserable last Saturday evening. The Husband had to work late but promised that we could still make it for sushi and soba noodles. So when we got to Sushi Tei at Paragon (after an elevator ride with a very strange guy), the kitchen had closed and we made it 2 minutes before last order. There was literally nothing I could eat since the there was no more cooked food, soba noodles included, available. I was starving; I really needed some california maki and just before I reached for a plate on the conveyor belt, I remembered that they were rolled in ebiko (prawn roe) a.k.a raw eggs a.k.a risk of salmonella a.k.a dangerous for baby.

Before I knew it, my hormones took over and I blew my top at The Husband. I wanted to cry but swallowed it all up and settled for eel handrolls and sushi. And I was rudely unfair to The Husband because it was completely not his fault that he had to work. He has been so super supportive and caring so I apologised. I felt horrible, because I have been so easy with food. I don't have much cravings but it would be really really nice to have some california rolls with wasabi and soy sauce. I'm slowly starting to forget how they taste like.

I'm such a drama mama!

The Root Problem

2009-09-18T16:47:00.005+08:00

I love carbohydrates. I'm not ashamed to admit it at all. If I could (and technically I can), I would eat all the pastas, rice and potatoes in the whole entire world. Imagine all the Spaghetti Bolognese and Penne Arrabiata and fried rice and french fries and chips! I would be one happy person. You have to agree that these otherwise plain staples are so very important. I once tried to avoid them as much as I could (yes, I had issues) and only ended up with headaches that start promptly at 10am every morning and nausea throughout the day. I went to see the doctor and I even went to get an endoscope done, thinking that there was some problem with my stomach. In the end, I laid on the operating table, wide awake despite the general anaesthetic given, swallowing a black tube as thick as a garden hose. I would rather swallow raw tube pasta, anytime.

I became socially crippled because I was moody and tired all the time. I decided that this was really stupid and embraced (cringe) carbohydrates again, even though I did lose some weight. It was unhealthy and unwise.

These days I eat whatever I want. As you should be able to tell by now, I cook a lot of pastas. Easy and delicious! I do make a conscious effort to stay away from fast food like burgers and fries. But I recently crumbled and voluntarily asked The Husband to have lunch at Mcdonald's so I could have french fries. I thoroughly enjoy fries (and chips, chunky chips) with tartar sauce now and was pretty disappointed that Mcdonald's didn't fulfill requests for extra tartar sauces anymore. Did I mention they stopped the Shaker Fries promotion already!? I don't think it can be considered a craving, but I sometimes find myself thinking about potato chips too. Yikes!

I am thankful that my family does not have a habit (if it can be considered one) of dining at fast food joints. We are not much of junk food, erm, junkies and I have my father to thank for this. My mum always tells me this story which I don't recall at all. When I was little, maybe around 6 or 7 years old, we were at a restaurant for dinner. My dad asked if we wanted drinks and being the round ball of a girl that I was, I quickly asked for a glass of Coke. To which, my dad fiercely shouted, "No! So fat already still drink Coke!" Apparently I was very sad and cried secretly.
As "poor thing" as it sounds, I am actually very glad my dad told me off that way. I don't drink Coke or any other carbonated drinks for that matter and I think it's great!

The Name Game

2009-09-18T16:06:00.005+08:00

I spent the whole afternoon looking through a names book yesterday. I have to say that looking for the perfect name is really hard. You like the sound of a name but the meaning of it may not be the best. And when you really like another name, The Husband doesn't. It's hard. It really is. But we know we are definitely going for classic names. Not old. More like, timeless.

So basically I'm "in charge" of girl names because The Husband already has his list of boy names (specifically one syllable), leaving me little space for any contribution. And thankfully he already has because boy names are extremely boring and uninspiring. :P

Ok, so here is our shortlisted list for boy names (not necessarily in order of preference but it is for me):

- Seth (my contribution and choice!)
- Luke
- Dean
- Keane / Keene

And for girl names (not in order of preference, yet)

- Sage
- Kaelyn / Caelyn
- Kaela / Kayla /Caela
- Colette
- Megan
- Cleo
- Vera
- Viera
- Carrie
- Lyndsey / Lindsey

I actually had Deandra, Daelyn and Deirdre on the list, but after second thoughts, maybe not because they can be difficult to pronounce. I aso had Sophie but our friend's daughter has the same name. I might add Desiree to the list but my sister thinks it sounds old. The Husband approves and added that the name invokes an image of a tall, beautiful, tanned girl dressed in her school uniform and who everybody likes. I told him he just made the name sound perverted.

Ruler of Me

2009-09-16T15:39:00.005+08:00

I had to go for a blood test yesterday for toxoplasmosis because I have Kitty at home. I hate having my blood drawn. The anticipation of resting your arm on the cushion, the I-want-to-look-but-not moment, the swiping of the alcoholic swab that leaves a tingling feeling on the skin. And then, prick! and your whole arm goes weak. I have to go through this a couple more times after my first trimester. Yikes!

So after getting my blood drawn, I went for my check up and phew! I didn't grow a kg but went down one on the contrary. Finally! I got to see the baby again. Yipee! He/She has grown yet nearly another cm to a whopping 3.09cm. And when the doctor was scanning, he/she was moving and waving his/her arms about. I tried not to cry but at the moment, it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

All is good, with the umbilical cord forming, an indication that the placenta is well on its way as well. But I'm generally still quite weak, getting headaches and feverish sometimes. The doctor has given the okay on taking panadol but so far it has been bearable. She was pretty funny to say that I really don't have to bear with it.
I've decided to take more time off work and really get by the first trimester smoothly. One too many spotting scares. I went into the office today and quickly felt unwell again. As the The Husband said, it's just not worth it. :)

More and More

2009-09-08T15:30:00.008+08:00

I am back at work today after a long break. I guess it wasn't much of a break considering I had to pop into the store occasionally and answer calls from my staff then feeling all stressed up. Now that I am sitting in the office, I don't get any phone calls.

I was actually given a week's medical leave last week, then I had to start spotting on the last day of the leave (Saturday) and then the next couple of days. So, paranoid, I made a last minute appointment to see my doctor and was most happy to hear the baby's heart beat as strong as a horse. The baby has grown a cm in a week and yours sincerely has grown a kg too! That's in 7 days. I should be gaining a kg a month! Being at home all week is definitely not a good idea.

We shall see if this is going to be the trend during my appointment next week. Yikes. In the meantime, the baby is 2.25cm as of 8 weeks 4 days. He/She has a more visible head and short fore arms (think Barney) but I doubt my doctor should change jobs to become a photographer because what she shows us on the screen always ends up a blob in the photos.

Although I am not obviously pregnant yet, I am beginning to get more and more bloated especially after my meals. By the end of dinner, I might as well be 6 months pregnant. Apparently, according to books and websites, my uterus the size of a grapefruit now. And the baby is only the size of a grape!

I 8 Jagabee

2009-09-02T10:36:00.006+08:00

I'm on medical leave for the rest of the week because I recently had a case of threatened miscarriage. Sigh. I had some light spotting on Sunday evening and although I cannot pinpoint what caused it, there is a high possibility that it was from the swimming (meaning exercising the first time after 5 months) I did on Saturday, even though I was really slow. Guess I won't be exercising for the next month (yipee!) or so.

I am 8 weeks today! The baby has grown so much from 0.24cm to 1.28cm (as at 7 weeks 4 days). We heard the heart beat for the first time and I could feel my eyes well up just a little bit. The entire ging-gang of my mum and sister plus her sleeping kids were in the room and I probably would feel very embarrassed if I cried. I thought it was pretty funny that The Husband kept saying "cool" in response to the heart beat. I cannot wait till the next appointment!

I don't reckon being at home now is a good idea because I don't have much to do (which is essentially the idea of medical leave) so all I am thinking of now is FOOD. For lunch today, I am thawing out a piece of salmon and I am probably going to make some pasta with it. Right now, I, oh I mean the baby really wants to eat Calbee's Jagabee fries. Now, I don't normally endorse junk food, but these thick cut fries are not too salty and tastes awesome! I first tasted them at P & A's place during a mahjong session but never thought much of them. Then ended up buying Jagabee from Watson's in the evening yesterday after being very tempted to have some potato chips at home (not good idea to be home at all).

Hmm. I think I might take a walk to Watson's later. Oh, I really need the exercise anyway!

Thank God it's TGIF Friday!

2009-08-28T12:24:00.000+08:00

Whoopee! It is finally Friday. I'm going for dinner and tea (camomile I suppose) with friends at Raw Kitchen Bar tonight. Am most looking forward to just indulge in some banter. I'm feeling the need to lie down again. The past couple of nights have been short because I was up till later and the sleep just isn't enough.

I took a picture of myself today, while my tummy is still relatively flat. I'm so bloated all the time and my arms are pregnant too. I should start exercising soon, when I find the energy to wake up early. I do want to take up pre-natal yoga classes but all the places I've checked are only available for mothers in their second trimester. I guess it's walking (boring!) and swimming (cold!) for now.

Noise Annoys

2009-08-27T16:39:00.004+08:00

I'm blasting my itunes to block out my colleagues' chatter from outside my small office. Less obvious than closing the door, which was what I did a couple of days ago.

It's totally weird because just last week I was completely fine and indifferent to them, but now, ARGH. Just. Be. Quiet. Please. And. Don't. Talk. To. Me. Period.

Pregnancy makes a person weird. A colleague told me that when she was pregnant, she told her husband not to wear a certain color because it made her sick. Funny! And I read in books and on websites that some people crave inedible things like coal and dirt. Talk about organic!

So near yet so far

2009-08-27T16:27:00.005+08:00

What an incredibly slow day for me. I feel like I've been at work all day and it's ONLY 4.30pm. ARGH. Didn't help that I was completely unimpressed with my lunch today. How unsatisfying. And I'm feeling extremely exhausted. Should not have stayed up to watch The Bachelor, even though I lasted quite late last night. These days I'm out by 11.30pm, then I'll get up a couple of times in the wee hours to, well, wee.

This fatigue and exhaustion is a vicious cycle. Am most looking forward to meeting up with my girlfriends to chill tomorrow night!

So yes, lunch was Grilled Chicken Fillet with Couscous. I overheated it in the microwave which caused the tomatoes to breakdown and make everything mushy. Tomorrow will be better. I'm looking forward to Spaghetti Bolognese! I've been much of a carnivorous which I suppose is a good thing because I really need the iron and protein.

Was watching some 3 dimensional animation on a baby's development over the span of the pregnancy. I had a nice tingly feeling in my tummy (and I'm sure it isn't the baby) and felt a little emotional. I cannot wait for the next check up on Monday. I cannot wait to see what's the baby like now.

Hungry Hippo

2009-08-26T13:31:00.005+08:00

For some reason I'm feeling rather moody today. Just not feeling sociable and irritable. More than anything, I just want to sleep. No.Actually, I want to eat too.

I get hungry really quickly these days. The moment I finish my breakfast, I want my lunch already. I had frozen waffles for breakfast this morning and even though they didn't quite hit the spot, it was good enough. Got to work and had a glass of milk. Bleh.

I just polished off my homemade lunch of stir fried chicken with assorted vegetables and multigrains. Yes, multigrains. I love 'em! Of course Karen feels the total opposite at the supermarket last night. "Yuck. They make your mouth dry", she lamented. They're really yummy, Karen. Maybe I'll cook some for you next time! Wahahah!

So anyway, I resolved to prepare my own lunches from now on so I don't subject myself to the uneccessary salt intake (even though a nice bowl of salty and sour Tom Yam soup sounds awesome!) and questionable freshness of the food at the canteen. Today's meal was quick (if you don't take into consideration the preparations done the night before) and easy to cook! I sliced up the chicken filet and marinated with maggi sauce and over the counter lemongrass seasoning. Pre-cut some broccoli, green beans and carrots and cooked the multigrains. This morning I just stir fried everything in olive oil and garlic. Improvised by adding some fresh orange juice and zest. Subtle but pleasing, might I add! A few drops of sesame oil (what else!) and a teaspoon of oyster sauce.

All I want to do now is lie down, watch some television and just let myself drift off to sleep. But I am at work so that's kind of sucky. I shall think about what to prepare for lunch tomorrow.

1 + 1 = 2

2009-08-25T14:21:00.001+08:00

Wow. It has been a year since my last entry! And what a way to kickstart this journal with an awesome announcement.

I AM PREGNANT!

I found out on a Wednesday night, the 12th of August 2009. I was late. And I know, I'm always late but this time it felt different. So I got The Husband to buy a pee stick. I admit I could not wait to get home to test it. I was a bunch of nerves because I was afraid it might be a false alarm. Weird, but it was then I knew that I wanted a family.

I shouted and cried when I saw the positive come on.

The first person I called to share the news with was Kim. It must have been weird for her. Because it was totally weird for me. I called my sister the next day and she screamed and shouted like a mad woman. But in a affectionate way. She was way more excited than I am. And still is.
The next few days were the longest days ever. My company event was on and I was on my feet all day. I was exhausted and emotional. Upset that I had to carry cartons but could not tell anyone that I shouldn't actually. All I could think of was the baby. I wished I could tell EVERYONE. Even random strangers.

Finally the event ended and I went for the first check up. "So this is how it feels like", I thought as I saw the ultrasound scan. I fought back tears as I saw the tiniest heart beating. 5 weeks 5 days and only 0.24cm long.

It is completely surreal. I never ever thought of a day like this. To think that a little life is growing in me. I'm going to be a mother. I feel so grown up!

Comfort Food

2008-07-23T13:34:00.007+08:00

I was home on sick leave from a bad cold. But I still managed to whip up a meal for The Husband for dinner. I wasted half a bottle of white wine; it was good for cooking but not for drinking. Not all wines get better with age. So with that half bottle, I made White Wine Sutchi Fillet baked with tomatoes, fennel and olives, served with Spaghetti Aglio Olio.

I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome, especially since my taste buds were numbed by the flu bug. Initially I thought I had put too much wine because even after 10 minutes in the oven, the smell of alcohol was still very strong. By the time the fish was done, the sauce that was left was sweet and flavorful.

Jastronomic Adventure

2008-07-04T09:29:00.010+08:00

JT offered to cook dinner. So after grabbing the essentials from the supermarket, we headed over to his place for a feast. I tried to help with the cooking but didn't know where to start but more than anything, I didn't want to get in the way of the chef. Personally, when I cook at home, I prefer to do everything myself because I have it all planned out in my head. So I took a backseat and prepared a simple salad instead.

It was a big meal of a salad, two side dishes and a main course of fish, prawns and chicken with pasta aglio olio. Amazingly, we polished off everything!

I thought my salad was pretty good too. The sharpness of the balsamic vinegar was balanced with the sweetness of the green apple slices. Light and refreshing! But, compliments to the head chef, anyway!

The Best Yet

2008-05-31T11:46:00.006+08:00

One of my favourite chicken rice places would be Yet Con located at Purvis Street. I've only been there twice so far, but it is enough for me to highly recommend it. Everything about it is "old school"; the tiles, the tables and chairs, the old cashier man(dressed in his pyjama pants) and the abacus on his counter top.

We had dinner there last night, vastly different from my initial request to have something "soupy". We ordered chicken, sambal kang kong and Hainanese pork chop. The chicken meat was really good; it was fresh and not drenched in sauce. Of all the Hainanese pork chops, this one is the best I've had. The vegetable deserves some praise too! I meant to order white rice but they had sold out (honest!) so we had the chicken rice instead. I quite liked the onion bits hidden among the grains. The chilli, however, didn't do it for me. I found it a tad bit too salty and had no heat at all.

Good thing we were there relatively early. Ten minutes into ordering our food, a queue had formed at the door. This place is really popular. I think it offers what people are looking for: straighforward, authentic Hainanese chicken rice that is good because the business believes in preserving traditions. It is sad that there is high likelihood for the restaurant to disappear soon if no one continues the business. So do yourself a favour today.

And Cockle Shells...

2008-05-27T10:26:00.002+08:00

Week 5.5

Ahh... they grow so quickly...

Fire Me Up!

2008-05-16T16:28:00.013+08:00

The Husband and I indulged in a great Japanese meal recently at our favourite albeit expensive Japanese restaurant. Sun with Moon Japanese Dining is like a spa for our mouths and tummies. The food is every bit as good as it looks. Art on a plate, some might say. They serve an array of yummy dishes from salads to noodle and rice items. The salmon avocado salad we had was really good. The fish was half broiled and the dressing had a hint of wasabi in it. But they also have a good selection of sushi with half broiled toppings. This means fresh fish slices that are lightly browned with a blow torch.

Our must-have: Aburi Foie Gras Sushi - Half broiled goose liver sushi. I can't even begin describing the joy of how it tastes. It is one hell of a party in the mouth. I remember the first time we had it, we were blown away. The sashimi is also the best we've tasted so far; it is fresh and served at a nice cool temperature. Point of information: I only eat salmon sashimi because it generally has no smell and the texture is slightly springy, unless its old. I just don't like the taste of any other fish. A big thank you to The Husband who generously let me have all the salmon in the sashimi platter, as well as the extra piece of foie gras sushi. ***

It's a Sticky Date!

2008-05-12T14:15:00.005+08:00

I love a good sticky date. I am referring to the dessert, sticky date pudding. Now, I don't suppose a sticky "date" will be a good thing. Anyway, I digress. We recently had the dessert at Marmalade Pantry and it was pretty good. Didn't exactly hit the spot but I was happy. So far, the best I have tasted is from BROTH, located at Duxton Hill.I think the latter serves up a plenty nice one. Or it could just be the whole romantic ambience that made it perfect. I am just dying to go back there (this is one of the many hints that I throw at The Husband)!

The Husband would take me to BROTH for dinner on our anniversaries. But we were more adventurous last year, besides the fact that it was our first anniversary as "Man and Wife" (cringe). My crave for the sticky date pudding has been insatiable since. I have found the recipe for this dessert and will try my hand at it sometime soon.

Sticky Date Pudding from Marmalade Pantry, Holland Village.

Mixed Rice, Filipino Style!

2008-05-09T11:40:00.005+08:00

Such an adventure. JT suggested we try Filipino food and even called our colleague to check which floor and restaurant to go to at Lucky Plaza. When we got to the restaurant, which looks more like a cafeteria, we were greeted with a thousand pairs of eyes staring at us like we were aliens. Well, quoting Sting, that makes us legal aliens then. Still unsure of what we were doing, we ordered our dinner of beef, pork, vegetables and an omelet. It's just like "cai png" (loosely translated to dishes and rice in the Hokkien dialect), with some Thai and Malay influenced flavors. Interesting! Oh yes, there were three sauces that accompanied our meal. Unidentified soy based sauce, "banana" sauce and "multi purpose" sauce which tastes like rust, according to JT.

With Silverbells..

2008-05-09T10:36:00.005+08:00

Week 4

I am most pleased at how my basil babies are growing. I have come to realise how much water a basil plant needs. I water all of them twice a day, and they sometimes still look like they could do with more. JT, are you jealous now?

How Does My Garden Grow?

2008-05-07T18:23:00.007+08:00

Week 3

I am growing myself a garden, or balcony, of basil. I love basil. I LOVE BASIL. I harvested seeds from the flowering basil and threw them in a pot of soil. They have been growing and look the cutest pot of basil I have ever seen. I will continue to document its growth right here. How fun!

One Step Closer

2008-05-05T18:52:00.005+08:00

I think I am almost there. I can almost taste success. And I think one of the reasons why I could not achieve the flavor of Aglio Olio was because I used wheat based pasta. The noodle itself had a strong flavor which probably masked up the flavor of the garlic and olive oil. The Husband said it was a much better attempt, or that was what I interpreted. His request for a poached egg on top failed miserably because I haven't mastered the art of making it. However, I must applaud him for suggesting to have some crumbled roasted chestnuts sprinkled in the noodles.

In a Stew About Stew

2008-05-05T18:11:00.004+08:00

Note to self: Use potatoes!

Quite Contrary

2008-05-05T11:12:00.006+08:00

I have been trying to grow a green thumb of late. Actually it has been a while, just that I'm not particularly impressed myself. I started with basil plants (what else?) from the supermarket. I think I went through about 2 pots before I eventually decided that I need to re-pot them for it to actually perpetuate. So my third pot withered till there was 1 stem left and I re-potted it. It deserves a shot, I thought. And boy, did it grow with a vengeance!

From a single stem, it branched out with small yet sturdy and frangrant leaves. Not before long, it started to flower. 'Oh, how pretty!', I said to myself with a big smile. I also began to use the leaves in my cooking. By this time, the stem and branches have turned brown and woody. "It's diseased", JT said. But if its flowering, it can't be that bad right? WRONG. Apparently, for basil, it is a sign of premature ageing and dehydration. Thanks for the heads up, JT.

Fed up, I cut off all its branches, leaves and all. I put the twigs in a new pot of soil and watered it everyday. For fun. Water is the giver of life, right? Well well! What do you know!

Pork and Spoon

2008-04-17T09:53:00.016+08:00

Finally got down to making dinner again! Served up a simple tomato salad, pork chops with pasta and a yoghurt dessert. Trust me when I say the pork chops smell look better than they taste. It's highly frustrating when the night before, as I marinade the meat, I think to myself, "Yes! This could be the defining moment for my quest to be Super Chef!", only to fall teeth first into blandness. Sigh. Oh well. I'll just have to keep trying!

I do take comfort in the result of the tomato salad and The Husband's request for a second serving of dessert. :)

If At First You Don't Succeed...

2008-04-14T16:46:00.006+08:00

Tried my hand at aglio olio again. Was way more generous with my garlic this time but as pretty as it looks, it still didn't cut it. My mum reckons that the fault lies in the garlic I used, which I bought from the supermarket and it come in cloves. Apparently it isn't as robust as those that are sold as bulbs or bought from the wet market. I have since purchased a bag of them and will attempt aglio olio sometime soon. My apron is gathering dust as I type. Dust, anybody? Nobody?

Aglio Idio Olio

2008-03-24T15:24:00.009+08:00

It was Sunday. I was home alone; The Husband had a full day of school. I felt a little more adventurous than most Sundays, plus I had fresh garlic at home. (Yes! I am complete!) Lunch choices at home are always limited. I hardly buy perishables because, well, they perish. Unless I know I am definitely making something, my occasional grocery shopping list typically consists of:

- Florida's Natural Orange and/or Grapefruit juice
- Canned tuna (soaked in olive oil and/or in mineral water only)
- Some sort of salad, like spinach or rocket
- Instant noodles
- Cereal Bars
- Some kind of fruit like bananas, grapefruit or green apples
- I think I just fell asleep

So yes, to have fresh garlic and chilli is indeed very rare. So I set out to make Aglio Olio Pasta con Tonno. English: Olive oil and Garlic Pasta with Tuna. Ok, I am very picky when it comes to tuna, as you might have deduced from my shopping list. I actually sort of hate it. I never ever have tuna sashimi or tuna sandwiches or tuna anything. Which you might have noticed, if you have been following, that it totally contradicts the 123 Sandwich. Basically, I will only eat tuna if I open a can of it myself. It's just one of my idiosyncratic random psycho neurosis obsessive compulsive behavior. Why? What's wrong? I think I am allowed to have a preference. Go ahead and think what you want. I don't care. Leave me alone.

A friend, JT is a huge fan of Aglio Olio pasta. He once told me he can eat it several times in a day. Talk about idiosyncratic random psycho neurosis obsessive compulsive behavior. Just kidding JT! So I sliced up some garlic and heat up the pan with olive oil, threw in the cooked pasta (wholemeal,no less) and breathed in the garlicky aroma in the kitchen. Added in the drained tuna, tossed in some black pepper, bottled herbs and a wee bit of "magic powder". Lastly, fresh spinach gently folded in to prevent over cooking and a sprinkling of my very own basil.

Lunch is served with an Alfred Hitchcock dvd on the side.

Ezzit so?

2008-03-22T10:34:00.010+08:00

How long has it been? 3 months. Really? That long? Yes. Auntiead commented that I haven't been writing and I felt a little sad. I have been so swamped at work, leaving whatever free weekend time to laundry and housekeeping. Whoopee-do.

On the same note as laundry and housekeeping, a relative sent me a link to a website (www.ezziliving.com) recently to check out the clothes hanging systems available. It is most "hapz" (i.e. happening, refers to something that is totally rocking). I think I will consider installing something from them because I am currently using one of those foldable types and its not sturdy. We had already gone through one. It gave way one day after I hung out a batch of freshly washed laundry. Like totally broken, beyond repair, flat on the ground, type of gave way. So yes, perhaps this one that installs on the ceiling will be the answer to my panty hose. I mean woes.

Image taken from www.ezziliving.com.

Chew Stew

2007-12-26T16:17:00.000+08:00

An attempt to make beef stew failed miserably. The meat couldn't soften in time and my guests, The Husband and The Housemate, were hungry. Yes, I know stews take hours to make because you need to simmer it and stuff. But the recipe I referenced with said to simmer for 50 mins only. Oh well, nonetheless, it was served with what little dignity it had. I wish I had the time to make the perfect stew. I mean, the recipe is perfect already. Its got beer and red wine in it! It shall not be robbed off its glory. I will be Super Chef!

On a Whim

2007-12-22T10:08:00.000+08:00

Decided to cook all of a sudden on Thursday. Had no plans because it was family day for my sister and I haven't cooked in awhile. On the menu was Skillet Sutchi with Fettucine Pomodoro. English: Pan fried fish fillet with pasta in tomato sauce. I actually wanted to try making Spaghetti Aglio Olio but I had no garlic at home. I mean, which household doesn't have garlic?! Such a taboo for domestic goddesses! I had brought them to my parents' place and forgot to take them back.
So anyway, I had to do some crisis management and the contingency was the aforementioned dish. Since it was on a whim, I used whatever I had at home. Bottled herbs (all purpose, thyme) and spices (black pepper, paprika) to marinate the fish (which was frozen), and lazy left over bottled pasta sauce for the fettucine (spinach, by the way). I must say it was pretty decent. The Housemate looked on with envy, not that I didn't offer.

I am looking forward to experimenting more with frozen sutchi fillet. Another taboo perhaps? But it is really quite convenient. Definitely recommend to buy some for random I-feel-like-cooking-today moments.

Brought to you today by the letter A

2007-11-20T10:37:00.000+08:00

We went to see the Andy Warhol show on Sunday after hokkien mee. The queue was scary when we got there and contemplated for a split second whether to go. I'm glad we did because it was great and I like going for exhibitions. But I am not going to write about it or about Andy Warhol because I'm not going to pretend to like him or dislike him, or pretend to be very knowledgeable about him. He is Andy Warhol. And A is for Andy.

Please Come Daily

2007-11-20T09:54:00.001+08:00

I haven't written in a while... thats because I haven't cooked in a while. Not even 123 Sandwiches. But I have been eating though. Eating is good. Eating is fun.

For lunch on Sunday, The Husband and I tucked into Hokkien Mee from our favourite store, Come Daily (天天来) at Toa Payoh. It is probably the best hokkien mee ever. We used to eat it relatively often when we were still dating. His work place was in the area and I would buy dinner up. It feels really good to eat it again after so long. Sinful pleasure, I say.

Unlike a lot of places where you can pick up clumps of egg, the egg in this hokkien mee is evenly spread, so that its in every spoonful. The noodles is just moist enough with generous servings of fresh prawns and squid. I like that the thick bee hoon is used; absolutely dislike it when some stores use the skinny ones. And the chilli.. oh the chilli! Mmm mm! One thing to watch out for is the sneaky lard pieces that were coated with egg. If you're not careful, you might end up eating up those very unhealthy clumps.

123 Sandwich

2007-10-31T15:18:00.000+08:00

Lunch today was a, what I call, 123 Sandwich. Reason being that its super easy to eat and even easier to make. I discovered this recipe one afternoon when I thought I had better finish up the spinach and basil sitting in the fridge. Looking into the cupboard for inspiration, I decided to use that tin of tuna that I conveniently forgot about. I am generally not a fan of tuna fish but I surprised myself with this totally experimental sandwich. The tuna I used today was soaked in mineral water, much cleaner tasting than when I discovered this recipe with tuna soaked in olive oil. I highly recommend the olive oil version because it was really really good but I think the basil was the winning touch. Love love LOVE basil. :D For that extra crunch, add sliced cucumbers!

Topped with a sprinkle of oregano or multi-purpose herbs and a generous dash of black pepper. Mmm mm!

I gave some fish to Sugar because I know she would love it. But I made sure I rinsed off the salt first!

家常便饭

2007-10-31T13:25:00.000+08:00

I can't say this enough. I LOVE cooking. Had fun making a simple dinner last week. My first attempt at "tze char"-ish dishes conprising of Black Pepper Beef, Kang Kong with fermented beancurd and Ma Po Tofu, served with brown rice. For the greater part of my life, we only used white rice but in the past 6 months or so, my mother slowly replaced it with brown rice. I really like it; its more exciting than white rice. The mild nutty flavour and "oaty" texture is interesting. Besides, its really good for you because its got loads of fibre and vitamins that aren't stripped off. Apparently its got similar amount of carbohydrates as white rice, but the high fibre content slows down the carbo absorption so your blood sugar level is controlled. So yes, I only have brown rice and wholemeal bread at home. Of course, I also have chocolates and chips and jelly shots.

I used beef cubes (which I sliced) and it came out pretty tough. I guess it would've been better for stews than stir fry. The ones that were meant for stir fry had streaks of fat in it and I refused to get it. Next time I will use tenderloin instead. I was missing the green peppers for colour so tried to make do with some big red chilli instead. Usually in a Ma Po Tofu dish, minced pork is used but I substituted with chicken instead because The Husband and I had been eating quite a bit of pork lately. The dish came out rather wet because of the tofu and also because I didn't have corn flour to thicken up the juices, but overall, I guess it was okay. Tasted much like the Zha Jiang I made previously though.

The kang kong was the most satisfactory. The flavours were as I expected and the gravy that was left tasted really good with the rice. It was also the easiest to cook since vegetables generally cook quite quickly. And it seemed the least pretentious.

In the Hood

2007-10-20T11:30:00.000+08:00

After posting the entry about Sugar's new hiding place, I very randomly googled "cooker hoods" and found some that were to die for! Ok.. most people "die for" things like bags/shoes/jewellery/iphone. I guess I am quite the "Domestic Goddess" my friend says I am. :P But seriously, wouldn't you want this in your kitchen too?

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH... Gimme gimme gimme! And it comes with a remote control! The Husband would definitely say its form over function because it will definitely be a b*tch to clean. But its so nice!!!! And they make great conversation pieces.

Here's more funky cooker hoods to wish for.

All images taken from www.appliancist.com

Hide and Seek

2007-10-20T10:16:00.000+08:00

An episode of drama. It goes a little something like this...

Sigh. Just as I said that Sugar isn't hiding in place anymore, she totally disappeared from sight on Wednesday afternoon. I was on half day leave to receive the repairman for our fridge and I managed to squeeze in doing laundry and other chores. Suddenly, I noticed that Sugar was nowhere around and I started panicking big time when I couldn't find her. My immediate fear was that she had leapt out of the window at the wash area. I had opened it to let natural light in and stupidly forgot to close the door. I couldn't help but imagine the worse because I had a good friend who's cat died aftering falling 10 floors. But I looked out the window several times and found nothing. Phew.

I kept calling The Husband and wanted to scream each time he didn't pick up. But after he found out, he was most quick to call the guards at our place to look out for Sugar. Nothing. Great news!

Still worried and in a daze, I continued to mop the kitchen floor. When I cleaned under the kitchen counter, I thought I heard her bell. 'She's in the cupboard!', I thought and quickly opened it to check. Nothing. At this point I thought I was going mad. Then as I slammed the cupboard door (most grouchily), I heard it again. So I kept slamming the door to get a better listen. Suddenly, out she crawled from UNDERNEATH the cupboard! No wonder she had been so gritty even though I showered her recently. We've since blocked up the gap from UNDERNEATH the cupboard and I put a box there so there is no way she can crawl in again. Sigh.

One silly cat she is. Always pulling such acts that sends me into a frenzy. Yesterday The Husband found her new hiding place. Right ON the top shelf above the cooker hood. So now I have 2 choices: to clean the top, or close the kitchen door... Well of course its easier to clean the top... But it's ok, I will just close the kitchen door.

Noodling

2007-10-17T08:36:00.000+08:00

I have resolved to cook more often, now that we're on our own. I jump at the chance whenever we have no plans for dinner and The Husband is usually up for it ( I don't make him do the dishes, by the way). It's great fun to cook and I want to do it as often as possible so that I can be Super Chef! Recently I have been very enthusiastically searching online for recipes of Asian cuisine. I think Asian food is so much more complicated. Too many steps and too many sauces/spices/ingredients. It's relatively easy to whip up a western fare, especially Italian with sauces readily available in supermarkets. I prefer to take that extra step and use tinned tomatoes with tomato puree, but we'll leave that for another time.

Last night I surprised The Husband with an Asian flavor - Minced Meat Noodles aka Zha Jiang Mian. I found a couple of recipes and decided to combine them and improvised along the way.

Simple ingredients of minced garlic and ginger (surprise!), sliced chinese mushrooms, minced pork and shredded cucumber and sliced spring onions to garnish. Also, a little something extra: sliced eggplant.

No man or animal was harmed in the making of this meal.

Heat up garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add mushrooms, eggplant and marinated mince pork and stir fry until the meat loses most of its pinkness. Add Shao Hsing wine, hoisin sauce (I sustituted with oyster sauce) and bean sauce (I used a spicy version so I skip the step of adding chilli).

Top with a bunch of shredded cucumber and sliced spring onions. Woohoo! Dinner is served.

The Husband aproves of it. Yay!

I had to make some substitutions like using oyster sauce over hoisin sauce. I used a type of Japanese noodles (which turned out to taste like 'mee sua') because I couldn't find 'la mian' in the supermarket. But all turned out well anyway. We were so starving by the time I finished cooking that we slurped up the extra portion! I couldn't achieve the consistency and texture of those found in restaurants because it wasn't saucy enough. But it was definitely healthier with the lean pork and low sodium content. Maybe there should be more Shao Hsing next time! :P

ReloCATing

2007-10-15T09:04:00.002+08:00

We recently moved Sugar (also known as Kitty, Baby Kitty, Sugar Pie, Kitty Cat, Keeni) over to our new place. We've finally moved ourselves and it was time for her to join us too. She seems to be settling in much better this time (we've brought her over once, before we officially moved in); she isnt going and hiding in corners and under the dining chair as much. Then again, it could be the catnip. I've read that it can take a cat up to 6 months to get used to a new environment, and Sugar is one neurotic cat so I was pretty worried. But I am most pleased to see that she is eating fine and poo-ing fine as well.

I have decided to deny her entry into our bedroom, which The Husband is most concerned about. He keeps asking me why not and where is she going to sleep etc. Even though her cries break my heart every night, its for the better that she sleeps outside. It's nice to have her snuggle up at night, but breathing in her litter dust and fur isn't. So JTB!

Celebrating

2007-10-10T13:28:00.008+08:00

The first entry here was 9 months ago. I actually thought it'll be the last as well. But I am motivated today (thanks auntiead!) to keep this going for as long as I can. So to kick things off, I shall start by sharing on a small celebration I had with The Husband recently for our FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. It was not so long ago that we exchanged vows; the memories are still fresh and I still can't help gushing about it. I want to do it all over again. Call me psycho, but I would get married again in a heartbeat. Only to The Husband, of course.

Anyway, The Husband took me to a nice restaurant at Duxton Hill, without first throwing me a red herring. You see, before we got married, we've always celebrated our anniversaries at another restaurant at Duxton Hill. I was excited, as the sticky date pudding there is to die for. But, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the other Duxton Hill restaurant also doubles up at an art gallery with some great pieces by a famous Indian artist.

The Husband had made arrangements and we were seated at a very private corner of the restaurant, which was good since it's been a while since we had a "romantic" dinner like this. We ordered the set dinner and the menu went something like this:

Appetiser (on the house)
Seared cube of tuna and grilled cube of lamb on a bed of apple sauce. Not a fan or either but tried the tuna and promptly offered The Husband the lamb.

Soup

The set came with lobster bisque, which I don't fancy so I swapped for a mushroom soup made of salt. It was lip-shrivelling salty.

Pan Seared Foie Gras with Banana coulis

Hello heaven. Goodbye collar bone...

Scallop and King Prawn Risotto
Yum. But the scallop could've been a bit more grilled.

Ribeye steak with medley of vegetables
It was alright. Meat was a bit chewy though.

Flourless molten cake with Vanilla ice cream
Hello heaven. Goodbye waist...

Extremely sinful dinner. I loved how they combine bananas with the foie gras instead of the usual apples or pears. YUM. Sorry. Dessert was just too delicious. We might return to try the ala carte items. But I do hope to return to the "original" restaurant at Duxton Hill for a sticky date sometime soon.

Starting

2007-01-10T15:16:00.001+08:00

So yes.. We have decided to start a blog and surprisingly a decision that was solely made by me. :P

Was never a fan of blogging, but since The Husband and I have embarked on a new journey together *cringe*, I thought it would just be nice to write about it. Also, much thanks to Pete's blog which was the influence of this rash decision.