Baby's first plane ride

Aloha from the land...er, West-ward!

I'm here in Perth, having landed about an hour 1/2 ago, to spend some raucous time with my aunts and uncle and my parents. Woohoo! Have left poor hubby behind, missing him dearly though...

So far the 4 hour ride's been ok, and the bubs wasn't kicking much of a fuss (although he was still kicking me). Had to get up and stretch frequently so I wouldn't wear out my back, and we had in-flight Foxtel for FREE 'coz the system wasn't working properly mid-flight so they reset it so everyone could watch - poor suckers that paid $10. Baby and I were pretty happy... ;-)

Perth's much warmer than Melbie, so that's been good for us. My mum teared when she saw me and the growing bump - her first grandchild - and she quickly acknowledged that it brought back memories when she was pregnant with me. Sniff! How time flies eh? Meanwhile, Dad was looking sharp and savvy, with his new black-frame glasses - kinda like mine. Like Father like Daughter!

The Ding-Dong Aunties (and Uncle) were adorable as usual, cooking up a storm (yum! beehoon & gingko nut porridge), swarming over the Krispy Kremes I brought (nearly "confiscated" by a drooling customs official at the airport scanner), and plying me with heaps (and I mean HEAPS) of baby clothing. All blue! Only Aunty E was nice enough to remember the mum in this situation - hehe, she bought me a necklace. Oh and the nice angpow from Uncle S.

But mum also brought a music chime that I had when I was a baby, and I still remember it! She tied it with the ribbon from my wedding invite 2 years ago - how sentimental! Plus she also passed on a family heirloom - a gold anklet handed to me by my grandma, now for my son. Wow. Firstborn to firstborn... I love the idea of leaving a legacy, to pass on tradition, mementos, moments caught in time, in some meaningful way to the next generation.

Feeling very pampered, which is always nice! Tonight it's off to Fremantle with the Cousins and dinner at the Japanese restaurant Uncle K's friends have opened (whom I knew back in GMC days). Then it's down the coast touring and sight-seeing over the next few days, and also seeing Uncle Y!

Really wish EG is here to share this! (Don't be jealous! You have your PS2 & God-of-War...)

Baby's first musical

We brought the bubba for his first musical yesterday...so what if he could only "hear" it through the muffled membranes of my tummy? He was still present! ;-)

It was magical, and I've found that EG has a secret fondness of musicals, or rather, as he puts it "well-performed stage productions". Ahem. He does not think that Cameron Mackintosh's Miss Saigon holds a candle to Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of Les Miz tho'. Quite the connoisseur he is, wouldn't you think?

That aside, it was such a tremendous performance - there's nothing like being captured by a story being played out - LIVE! - in front of you. Beautiful sets and costumes, constant melodrama, tremulous voices that crescendo - how engaging! We were pleasantly surprised to see the appearance of a (slightly greyed) RJ Rosales on-stage, claiming him as "ours", ('coz 1. he was quite the reputable thespian in SG theatre circles - Chang & Eng remember?!! - even if he wasn't formed from our ranks , and 2. I last saw him in Rent, so, like, I really know him alright?)

But having watched certain scenes replayed ad nauseum on screen - the helicopter (they replaced the mechanical one for a video depiction!) or Kim & Chris singing as they fall in love, I was quite unprepared for the actual storyline, which really really touched a chord with me. Maybe it's to do with having a child soon (yay, 28 weeks tomorrow, 12 weeks to go), or the scene where Kim hugs Tam knowing he will have a better life in America without her; it all sent me in a tizzy and tears started falling. There's just something about separation, sacrifice and love, that I believe only mothers (& fathers I guess!) will understand.

My nose did not run though, thankfully, 'coz I didn't listen to N's advice and bring tissues! (There I was, thinking I was going to be all stalwart and stoic, 'coz no schmaltzy musical was gonna make me cry!)

And the kid that played Tam was SO ADORABLE! He looked about 4 or 5, such a cute precocious chap. I even loved the way he bowed at the end. Sigh... I hope my baby grows up in showbiz being adorable like that... (can anyone say Stage-mum-zilla?)

Bellybra

Oh yes!

I'm currently wearing the Bellybra I purchased, and it's helping quite a bit with posture and holding the tummy up. It's meant to be a little snug, for support, but after wearing it for a whole day on Saturday, I find the edge of the shoulder straps really bite into your flesh (sits right near the armpit). I think they could do with cutting the straps a little thinner, although I'm not sure if that'll affect the support element of the garment.

Hmm...maybe I should feedback to the manufacturer...

PS. Er, that's NOT me in the picture...

I do...

I just bought 2 new ballet flats from the Country Road sale...and they're so gorgeous! One's cream with black trim, the other's red with red trim. Love them to death, especially now that I can't really totter around in heels, or wear my birkies 'coz it's winter.

HOWEVER...

I have failed to account for the swiftness of pregnancy change. Thought my feet fit nicely into those size 7/size 38 shoes last week, this week is another matter altogether.

My feet, sad to admit (and I still won't admit this to EG) have swollen a little with my expanding girth (27 weeks and counting!) resulting in a proportionate stretch to the shoe leather.

My poor new flats are beginning to bite back! The delicious black trim has developed barely-perceptible incisors that fang into my bulbous toes, while the beautiful round top-edge of the shoe has conspired to wedge my aching feet under my groaning weight.

I DO feel like a giant, waddling, walrus.

Nursery pics

We've uploaded some photos to our Flickr account... check it all here:

Our bubba's nursery-in-progress

:-)

Setting up the nursery

It's been a while since the father of A made a post. But here I am.



We finally bought our first big ticket item for A and it's a cot from Baby Buntings. Went there on Sunday with a few other expecting mothers for the sale and spent pretty much the whole afternoon trying to figure out how the Bugaboo works. Well, many sore thumbs and fingers later I think C, J and M kinda figured it out. So anyone still wants to buy the Bugaboo?



Man, figuring out which pram to get is hard, then there's also which car seat/baby capsule as well. So many decisions and they don't come cheap as well. Expect to pay up to about $600-$700 for a pram, and another $300-$400 for a car seat. This baby industry is definitely booming. We had to make a special trip to Coles today because Huggies diapers were on sale, so being the typical Singaporeans that we are, we bought 4 boxes (each with 108 diapers)



Wasn't it soo much easier during our parent's time. They were all carried around in baskets or slung to their mothers with a piece of cloth.



Anyway, on to the nursery. Sarah will probably be putting up some photos soon. We finally cleared the room or the clutter and set up the cot that we bought. It's looking good, a little plain at the moment but we plan to put some colours on the walls by way of a few simple paintings that we plan to do ourselves. Rearranged the spare bed in the room to accomodate a "feeding chair" as well as the cot and "tadah" a nursery is born. Now all we need is a baby.



So as we continue to fill the room with more baby stuff, the date draws closer to when A will be born. How exciting! We can't wait to meet you little man.

Mobility again

SO!

I had my back cracked by Chiro T on Thursday, and Friday morning ('coz Thurs's L5 spinal crack initiated Sat's pain again...the twinges and sharp stabs) but Friday's crack provided much relief - and my joints felt free-er. :-)

I still hurt now and again - almost a reminder to take care of my body - so I've to be careful. Am planning to get the bellybra - which'll provide some relief I hope! It's a huge cossack that lifts my belly and keeps my torso in the right posture, so that should be good news for me. It's apparently clinically proven, so fingers crossed!

Now it's back to waking up in the middle of the night (or early morning, should I say), not 'coz of pain, but 'coz of hunger again! Sheessshh... will it never end!

Can't wait till the bubs is born! 15 weeks to go and counting...