My Little Movie Star

My brother in law is one of those who carries a big camera with detachable lens and tripod stand and 10 megapixel or something. The whole thing kind of weigh 2kg. All these were meaningless to me, as I flash by 7.2 mega pixel compact and sleek canon with great satisfaction. Naively.

Until I see his work.

There is a difference.

Most Beautiful

I guess it's natural for people to show concern to pregnant women. So when people look at me now, they would usually ask
"How are you doing?"

I would usually answer
"I am good, just getting fat and forgetful and clumsy."

They would usually say
1. "You are not fat, my so-and-so was so much fatter when she was pregnant"
That means I am fat, her so-and-so is fatter

2. "You are not fat, you are just pregnant"

3. "Eat less carbo."

4. Worst still. "Have you signed up any slimming program after delivery?"

One gentleman gave the most consoling answer last Saturday.
"Being pregnant is the most beautiful time in a woman's life."

These kind souls make the world a better place. And make women want to have 10 kids.

Excursion To Clinics

Last Thursday we had an interesting family excursion -- Go to Thomson Medical Centre together. That was for me to see WK Tan for my 32nd week checkup, and for Bevan to see Dr Ong Eng Keow to have his MMR injection.

WK Tan
Our little baby was facing the camera. He looked really adorable to us. We saw him raising his hand to touch his nose. Dr Tan said he has chubby face. Aha, that's mine! He was around 2kg then, and if the weight gain maintain, this little brother birth weight will be quite a bit heavier than Bevan. As for me, my red blood count is low, so she asked me to eat more red meat. I don't mind at all, I love Whopper Junior Burger! I got my admission letter which I am supposed to carry with me all the time.

Ong Eng Keow
Bevan's weight was 11.2kg, and height 82cm, which make Bevan a 75% percentile baby. Above average for both height and weight! Dr Ong said we don't have to cook specially for Bevan now (just avoid nuts and preserved food). Others like full cream milk, egg (one a day), chee chiong fen, cha siew pao, ice cream are fine. I am sure he'll love it. Bevan let out a cry during the injection, but stopped within 5 seconds. He is a warrior! We met an Indonesian mom who brought their baby to Singapore just for the injection and "shipping" back to Batam straight after. Three cheers, heart felt ones, to all the loving Dads and Moms in the world.

Note: Injection in Dr Ong's clinic costs $125, injection in Batam costs $1(600Rupiah)

Those Were The Days

I always think Bevan looks like me, especially when Leslie is not around. We pointed these pictures (me @ 20 over years ago) to a 3-year-old girl, and asked her who this baby is. Guess what she said?

That's Didi Bevan!

I am so happy. My son looks like me.
(Come'on... can you just nod your head.)

Eventful Day At Work

Today is eventful.

The retail business is good, which is rare on a Monday. I had a good customer who decided on a big-ticket within 5 minutes in the morning, received 3 complicated custom-make orders in the aftermoon, a customer who bought something for his mistress in the evening, another good customer for collection, settled wholesale orders, did solitaires purchasing. And then I told a staff off. Who then got angry and threw a tantrum.

My mood swung between
"I am going to be the next youngest multi-millionaire jeweller!" to
"I think I should just stay at home, be a tai tai"

And change diaper. And breastfeed.
Ooh I am having migrain attack again.
Luckily there is something call chocolates.

Walking Milestone

I think I missed this out. So here it is.

10 months - Stand without support for a few seconds

11 months - Stand. Walk with support

12 months - Walk 1 step without support

13 months - Walk quite many steps, but prefer to crawl!
Man, that time I was worried. How come he still prefered crawling? Was it because I didn't let him walk enough? Was it because I didn't cook frog leg porridge for him? Was he is too active? Too heavy? Paranoid-Mother-Syndrome attack. Major one.

14 months - Walk, emergency brake, turn 180 degrees, skip, dash, tap dance...

Birthday Party

It was Bevan's cousin, Kieren's birthday.

Kieren is 2 years old, and he loves to hit Bevan's head! So I can't really say I like him very much. But he is definitely a very handsome toddler. And it was his birthday.

It was held at Aunt Lena's place, and there was a drumset, a piano, a keyboard and a hi-fi. All was played at top volume at the same time. The guests must have felt how I felt, because the living room was left almost empty, and all of us were in the garden. Relatives told me (excitedly) about Bevan being a handsome, kind-hearted and gentlemanly baby -- he let other kids play with the keyboard, went socialising with others, only walked back when no one was playing. I am so proud of him.

And there is a secret. Leslie has a family nickname, and it is Robert (hey it was such a cool name then). They now call Bevan Robertson (And its Robert's Kia in Teochew). Please don't tell Leslie I blog about this. :)

Freaky Fortune Teller

This Indian man, who looks like a father figure, trustworthy and sincere, is so terrifyingly accurate in fortune telling.

The first time I saw him was when he walked into my boutique 8 months ago.
He looked at Bevan and me and said
"Your second one is coming, it’s going to be a boy."
He stared at me with his spectacles hanging low on his nose,
"And coming very soon."

He came to my boutique again today.
HE: You should drink Coconut every morning, it will make your baby's eyes and face clear and clean
ME: I shall do that. And you were so accurate in saying that I am going to have a boy soon!
HE: Oh. Let me see your hand.
ME: *Show him my hand*

HE: You are extremely independent. I mean... you do have help, but you don't like people to help.
I worked in corporate/ gave tuition/ started business myself, though I didn't have to. All because I stubbornly insist to be on my own.

HE: You used to pray everyday, and these 5/6 years you stopped?
I used to pray everyday because I had always been in a catholic/ christian school, and I stopped because I have graduated from these schools. Aha.

HE: You have brothers and sisters?
ME: No I am a single child.
HE: Your brothers passed away?
I nodded my head. Sadly. He patted my hands.

To cheer me up
HE: You will give birth in first or second week of March. I know the exact date, but I won't scare you further.
HE: Sleep early, like about 10 or 1030pm.
HE: Don't watch scary movie, especially scary Chinese movies.
HE: Bring happiness to your husband, and your husband will bring happiness to you, and you'll have a happy baby.
Now that he has changed my EDD, should I trust him or my gynae?

ME: You are so scary!
HE: Don't worry. You are good. You'll be good.
He patted on my hand again before he left.

Blog Over Ovatine

Bevan woke up early and so woke me up early and so we started the morning early. Now that he is eating cereal, I am here blogging over a cup of hot ovatine and a tousha bao.

1. Bevan My Prince
He is the family little precious. We (especially the grandparents) tell everyone the little things he does or says. He say "oh oh yain yain" whenever it rains, o wange (orange), purple, beef (lift), o toy (motorbike) and attempts to say whatever we ask him to say. He points at photographs and call our names (and its such a compliment because we all look fatter/older now), points at high-level body parts like neck/ nails/ toes, laughs and poses infront camera and mirror. And he handsigns a lot. I looOve it. I finally understand why babies are ooooh, "bundles of joy".

2. Leslie's Humour
As we were chatting last night, leslie said something like
"It's not something alice sally mary can do" (huh?!)
"Oh its the female version of tom dick harry"
This, I call it Leslie's Humour. Its so worth blogging.

3. Blog More Often
I am determined to blog more. To record my preggy experience, which I know I would miss the feeling after March. Like, I have started vomiting again in this third trimester. I don't think I will miss this though. Duh.

Ok time to cook rice for Bevan and leave for work.

Wrap Up Xmas

I have not been a very Xmas person all my life.

I have only hung a mega big sock on my bed 1 time (and it was my dad's sock), not because I believe in Santa Claus. I thought since he lived in the States, so it's too far for him to travel to Asia. (Plus in reindeer?) Instead, I was hoping my parents got my hint and drop a barbie doll inside. As I grew up, X'mas was just a reason to stay out late.

Things changed eversince Bevan's first X'mas. I see X'mas with a new light -- it's time to cherish blessings, to make friends smile, to give people who needs blessings your blessings. This year we had heartwarming Xmas with Leslie's family, with our friends. I bought presents with my heart and soul. I have yet to teach Bevan unconditional-giving and bring-happiness-to-the-unfortunate-ones and treasure-the-blessings we've got. But I have planned to do so.

X'mas is over, new year has come. Happy new year!

Thank you everyone for being with us in the past year.

Me @ 30th Week

Being fat does not stop me from being vain.
Photo taken at 28th week.

Back From Holidays

Get ready to feel very very envious. :)

We went to Malacca. Stayed in a wonderful hotel. Did the most tourist-y thing (like having complimentary breakfast buffets), visited local favorites (which means we did not go to A-Famosa), pasar malam, museums, shopping malls. Its a place which truly east-meets-west. They sells cha-kuai-teow beside a Santa Claus and a street of pubs. We bought paragon-standard-intellectual-games for Bevan at pasar-malam-prices. In Ringgit. It’s heaven.

And then we went KL. We let our hair down. Ate and slept and ate and slept. We hugged and kissed and accompanied Bevan. He loved us so much more that he shouts for Daddy every morning now, and he calls me Mommy in the sweetest tone (He has been calling Mama, so I have no idea how he gets to know Mommy). He ran around shopping malls, walked up and down staircases, ate chicken rice for dinner (for the first time as I did not cook for him). We went to places we have never been before, like Ampang, PJ SS2, SS14, Starhill (and had a RM100 buffet). We even visited Ikea KL.

In short, we looooove the ONE-WEEK-trip so much. It’s beyond words. We are closer as a family. And we plan to go for short trips every 3 months. It's just so not-good-for-health to stay in squashed-up Singapore all the time.

Malaysia Travel Tips
1. The best FOS in KL is the one at Mid Valley.
2. The Yong Tao Foo at Ampang is a no-joke. Order 20 fried 10 soup for 4/5 pax. Eat with lots of sauce.
3. Park your car at Lot10 instead of Sungai Wang.
4. Did you notice that Starhill is the translation of Bukit Bintang?
5. Malacca Hotel Rates (peak season walk-in rates which are cheaper than call-in rate): Grand Continental RM186, Bayview RM242, Emperor RM155, Renaissance RM295++
6. KL Hotel (which we booked for our friends): Book Cititel to avoid Bukit Bintang jam if you are driving. Its cheaper to book from their official website than any of the asiaroom or zuji etc.