The Busy Buzz
Originally uploaded by sparkleneely

Countdown Checklist to Welcoming Baby G

Well, well, it has been busy weekends..been tired, been weak, been weary. The exhaustion was not solely from Baby G, it was also from the meet-up of friends from overseas (my pleasure!) and David's one year old party. The warm humid weather is not helping either.

At least we are at the stage of rounding up preparations. The happy thing is Baby G has been good. He is now well-positioned and engaged, and facing the back of my spine. Good boy (for a start)!

On Friday, I went to the Takashimaya Baby Fair, and bought diapers and David's one year old present. There are a lot of educational toys in the market. So far, David has only received entertaining toys with loud music and noise, so I thought, hmm its time for brain, eyes stiumulating toys for a one-year-old.

Yesterday evening, I went to the supermarket to purchase more diapers, and a small tin of milk powder. Whoa, a small tin of milk powder costs many times of that of a large tin of milo.

Today is Sunday, we are heading to Dome for a western meal with my in-laws. I know whats going to be when I return home. I need to manage the shopping bags that have been on the floor.

In addition to that, I need to look through the documents received during the pre-admission to Gleneagles, read up on the usage of the breast pump, read up on the usage of the baby laundry detergent and softener. Quite a shame, but all these would be so new to me.

With that said, I am sure Gui and I would be able to handle. Tomorrow we have to go the to airport with the In-Principal Approval document to pick Sumini up. Oh yes, I need to learn how to manage a nanny/ helper. Did someone say, the only constant is change?

Its Official

Its official - David is not scared of dogs. Sunday morning, we decided to bring Bobby, whereas M brought David along to Botanic. Initially, David was looking at Bobby - very curious. It was probably David's first time seeing a dog.

After a while, David wanted to touch Bobby, but Papa M said "No". I told him, if you don't allow David to touch the dog - I have witnessed for myself kids at 4-5 years old being so scared of dogs, they scream your house roof down. Yea, we hosted a dinner once, and their two kids were screaming in our house....Having heard that incident, M tilted the stroller towards Bobby. I stroked it first, and then David followed. Stroke one, stroke two, stroke three..aha getting comfortable, he grabbed Bobby's skin and hair - ok, enough he has break through that psychological barrier, and we decided we have achieved our Sunday morning goal :) Soon after M took out a bottle of water to wash David's hand, which was the right thing to do since David is at the age where he puts his hands into his mouth often.

I know some of my friends will tell their kiddos - Dogs are our friends. So, I hope that my intentions and views are correct, and that Baby G and Bobby will get along great in time to come!

My Ever Changing Status and Size

I have a new support group - four of my close girlfriends are pregnant, one of whom just gave birth. Of course, my mum, and mum-in-law...errh and maybe my hubby...

It was especially a coincidence that we all are all delivering about the same time - its going to be a hectic and noisy 1Q10. Having a close support group is rather important, we could share tips and experiences on pre-natal nutrition, cramps, throwing up, how to stay happy, how sleep is now interrupted..etc, it makes you feel that you are not alone as you go through these abrupt changes in life.

First of all, lets just say I had a rather clumsy first trimester. The throwing up. Fair enough, the gynae seems to think its a good sign though because it indicates high hormone levels which feeds the baby well in the 1st trimester. I remember replying him by saying "ooh am I supposed to feel better after hearing this?" He said "Its uncomfortable for you, but its good for the baby."

There's also the saying that if you stay happy, your baby will generally have a happy disposition. Indeed one of my lady friend, who currently isn't working does seem filled with joy (hehe, better than when she was working). Another of my friend who also had a rather pukish 1st trimester commented, "how to be happy when you have to deal with the throwing up" - which is also so true...

I believe spouse support is very important at this point. Thats why in the book "What to Expect when you are expecting", it has a chapter for the dad-to-be. Both Gui and my fren's hubby gave up reading after some pages...guys.. Gui is also working very late daily. I am frequently home alone... but when he has a little bit of sane time, he will "speak" to the baby. Sometimes, he hits my stomach a bit so as to get a response from the kiddo - (??!). When he leaves for work now, he gives me a peck on my face; and one on the stomach... thats a new blessing to count indeed.

Curiosity!

Need to give special mention to this photo because Baby David was just too cute & curious.

At the same time, I wonder if I will be a good mummy in future. On the wedding day, when I went into their private room with a champagne glass in my hand, instinctly, I let Baby David sniff & smell the champagne.

He loved it, and couldn't stop grabbing my glass. Even as we were taking a group picture, he had both hands grabbing the top of the glass. His papa managed to hold one hand back as the camera snapped, so Baby David didn't look too greedy (too cute, too curious) in the picture. Baby David is strong. Just like his Daddy, he is probably going to love drinking as he grows! So thats Auntie Eimi introducing champagne at a tender age of four months (oops).

Rich Brother Rich Sister. After the preface, there is an introductory chapter on Robert Kiyosaki. The background information on Robert was interesting, which was probably going to be important in understanding the development of the rest of the book. An extract I found more thought-provoking is reproduced as below:

Success does not always mean we become what we were born to be. Graduating from college does not necessarily mean we have become who we are born to become. Just because someone is professionally successful - as an attorney or doctor - does not mean they are doing what they were born to do. The same is true for money. Just because you are rich does not mean you have succeeded in becoming who you were born to become.

And just because my sister had become a nun, it didn't necessary mean she had become who she was born to be. Becoming who you were born to become goes beyong success and attainment. Becoming who you were born to be is rediscovering your path and getting back on the path.

It is about life's journey, not life's destination.

Right now, I am discovering a new path indeed...

Inner Silence

I finally went to Mt Emily. A place where Gui & M often visit. It has a quiet charm and rather tranquil; and you feel seated in a private garden.

Read this article relating to WISDOM & INNER SILENCE by Ajahn Brahm which I would like to share in extracts:

Free Speech

I am surprised that speech is still free in our modern market-driven economies. It must only be a matter of time before some cash-strapped government regards words as another commodity and puts a tax on speech.

On reflection, it might not be such a bad idea. Slience would once again become golden. Marriage would last longer as young couples simply couldn't afford the cost of any argument. It would shift the tax burden from the hard workers onto the hard talkers. Of course, the most generous contributors to such a splendid tax scheme would be the politicians themselves. The more they argue in congress of parliment, the more $ would be raised for our hospitals and schools. How satisfying a thought...

Apart from the bright moonlight, this was our source of light during the dinner & wine.

With green tint

With slight purple tint

A traditional source of light


Crowd starts to come in at about 10~ish

We had a bottle of wine, and warm water for the pregnant lady.

Red

He/ She is coming out soon


Its so cool, KJ should be delivering anytime from now till end of February. She showed me her four cm thick book on pregnancy, which is in English! KJ is a Chinese national, and she has went through this thick reference book, used a English-Chinese dictionary to translate some of the terms, and jotted down notes. She only started learning the English language a year ago! Thats the length a would-be mother would go for her child. I was feeling her stomach - the baby was a bit slanted to the left side of her stomach. So I asked what she does at home daily: She reads the newspapers in the morning, and basically watch TV for the rest of her day mainly.

We went to her room with both our husbands, she had a box of BRAND's InnerShine Berry Essence. She offered one to me and said its only for the girls, guys don't get to drink it. Such a leisurely lifestyle.

I can't wait, I am already planning what I should buy her when she is delivering. Flowers, Fruit basket, or tonic basket?

She wants to bring a video camera when she goes to hospital. I will charge up my camera battery so I can snap photos of her newborn. Her hubby however said, no, don't, in the first week, they look really ugly.

Its official: Its one more month! She-is-delivering.

Whoa-la... this is her! After carrying a heavy belly for eight months, undeniably, she will be unloading in a month's time.

She is the closest girl friend so far that I have seen a belly grow, by leaps and bounds.

We had dinner together last Friday evening, together with my in-laws and Lama Shifu.

Apparently the doctor has scanned that it would be a boy! Shifu suggested it could be a girl. So this is science versus spirtual. OK... we will know in a month's time. After Shifu left, she didnt seem delighted that its not going to be a boy. Mmmm, I said "Be it boy or girl, its more important that the baby is born healthy."

As Ajahn Brahm puts it, the trigger for much of our anger is frustrated expectation. We sometimes invest so much of ourselves in a project that when it doesn't turn out as it should we become irate. All "should" point to an expectation, a prediction for the future. We might have realized by now that the future is uncertain, unpredictable. Relying too much on an expectation for the future, a "should", is asking for trouble. =)