Finding Infant Care for you

Baby baby, mummy and daddy has to work and no one will be home to take care of you when you come out. After discussing with daddy between the option of engaging a maid or putting you to infant care, we decided to go with the latter. Reason being we wanted you to start socializing at an earlier stage and go to the centre to learn more things and play with friends.

And living in Kiasu Singapore, you really have to be Kiasu. Heard from many Mother-to-be's that the infant cares usually gets filled up really fast, which was quite true enough, some of the centres I called up are already full and you have to be put on waiting list!! What the... #&*$(@!  And so, mummy have to do lots of research on the child care centres nearby that provides infant care services. See the picture below? Hehe.. Calling up one by one to ask them if they provide infant care services, and the ratio of teacher to babies, and the price of putting you there. These 3 questions will be the qualifying questions and if all are good, mummy then make an appointment to go down and check out the centre together with daddy. We will have to make sure that the centres are kept clean, and to see how they teach/ look after the children, the sort of programs they have, the kind of teachers you will meet and so on...

Can see Mummy's working hard for you right? And had a really great news when I called Agape (the childcare your cousin's going currently and it should be good cos your ah Kim have done the researches too) today!!!They are having promotion to 31st Aug 2012 (god I'm glad I called today!) and there will be a $200 discount off monthly childcare fees!!! Usual is $1,500, less $200 will be $1,300 which is very comparable to lots of other childcare centres around! And not to mention it's a good school!! I have made an appointment to go down on 30th, and we will have to pay a full deposit if we would like to put you in this school. But you know, as Kiasu mummy, I had to at least see a few more before I can decide. So daddy and mummy will be going to another 2 more childcare on tomorrow and thursday before Friday's Agape's appointment, and by then, we should be able to make comparisons and decide whether to go ahead with placing the deposit or not.

At least I'm happy today after 2 super EMO and bad mood days!!! Waiting for your daddy to come back and tell him the good news!! You know anything that can save money can make him really happy too! :)

Love you

Mummy Joanna

Mummy's Tummy at Week 15

First time showing mummy's tummy. Am at week 15 this week. Nothing much to show if I were to show anything earlier anyway. I still find my tummy really small, and sometimes it can be pretty worrying. But many says not to worry cos you will start to increase rapidly in size when I hit the 5th month.

Side View

Front View

Will be wearing the same outfit to take pictures of my tummy all the time so that it's easy to make comparisons! :)

Continuation of the 1st post-Journey for the 1st 4 months

Continu-ing the first post where I ended, today we shall see some pictures!! (Finally after all the lengthy wordings, yes I know)

First scan on 21st June 2012
Baby, you gave mummy a shock and I had to rush down to the gynae to see you earlier than our planned appointment with the gynae. I had spotting and had to ensure everything was fine.

See, that's you!!! That small little beanie-sprout-lookalike thing. So tiny and so cute... (only 3mm!)

Yes, you were at 6 weeks then when you decided to be naughty and gave me a scare. Probably you wanted mummy and daddy to see you earlier!

Looking at you, it was just so touching. I cannot imagine I am making a baby, inside me, I'm going to be a mum and yes, there you are, it's real...

After seeing you and hearing your heartbeat, doctor ensured everything is fine and gave me 安胎药 to make sure the pregnancy would be stable and advised lots of bed rest. MC for 1 week!! But grandpa wasn't too happy initially. Your grandpa never liked me to excuse myself from work. But anyway, I wasn't fully on MC for that 1 week. Went to work whenever I feel I'm ok still.

The 安胎药 was good and spotting was gone. Daddy and mummy went Macau and Zhuhai for holiday upon gynae's approval and everything was fine!  Just had to ensure not too much walking and REST whenever I felt tired, and EAT whenever I felt hungry!

Second scan on 20th July 2012
It was such a long wait to see you again finally!

You are at 9+ weeks already and you have grown to 3.3cm. That's how tiny you are. I think gynae did mention your nose bridge was high. Erm.. you should be a handsome lad if you are a boy or a pretty girl! Afterall, your dad and mum has got high noses and we are handsome and pretty! LOL! :D

Third scan on 7th August 2012 - OSCAR Scan
Though it's only 3 weeks, it seemed like 3 months to me!! Today will be your OSCAR Scan . (Click on link for explanation) In summary, to check for risk of Down Syndrome and it's usually done between 11 - 13 weeks. Lab will not take in any test once you hit the 14th. Usually this scan will take about half an hour. If the baby was cooperative, everything will be done in 15mins. I've heard of some babies who are not cooperative and mummy had to walk around and go back to gynae again and again so that baby's in the right position for the scan, and it could take up to 3 hours!!

So guessed which baby are you? The cooperative one or the non-cooperative one?

See!!!! You are taking form!! Can see your head, hands and legs clearly!! We started the scan and saw you waving your hands at us!! Cheeky baby ain't you? That made mummy nearly cried... You are just so adorable!! And see your leg high up there? Gynae said you "kiao kah", (cross legs in english). And commented on the high nose bridge again! Too happy, too touched, I could see your daddy excited and happy too. Thanks for the joy you are bringing us.

As this was quite a detailed scan and we scanned from top to bottom, bottom to top, and side to side. We thought we saw something sticking out from you-know-where. Gynae said 80% you are boy boy. Daddy is the one who's most happy, traditional thinking dad. Mummy's ok with any gender of course, so long as you are healthy and happy. :)

Some other pictures of this scan that show's both sides of your brains and thickness of your neck (there's something like ratio and you'd know if there's a risk for DS). Yours was fine.

And today you measure 6.7cm.

Ya, you were the cooperative baby. The scan was over in 15mins! "Guai Bao Bao!"

Hugs & Kisses,
Mummy Joanna

23rd August 2012 - Events happening today and some feelings

Hi Baby! Mummy's back again! Before I carry on with yesterday's post on the past 4 months, first let me journal down today's events..

Couldn't have a good sleep last night and I only manage to get to sleep in the morning around 7am. Like a zombie when I woke at 12pm to go to work. Guessed it must have been the caffeine we had at Asian Market Cafe for Nicole's birthday.

Anyway, I was so excited today when I saw the papers!! NATAS Fair this weekend!!!

Wanted to go Hokkaido but change of plan cos grandma said it would be a waste of money as I wouldn't be able to savour the uber fresh sashimis... It would be nice if I could go some places in Europe but it was not feasible again as the flight journey might be too long for you to take it. Finally after googling the flight hours to travel to individual countries, I decided on Australia! - Melbourne, Sydney and maybe Gold Coast. In addition, the weather was perfect. Average temperature in October are usually 15 - 18degC. Mummy could only travel from now till Nov cos I'll be entering the 3rd trimester in December.

Really would have wanted to go spend christmas and enjoy all the whitish snow if I could, but guessed this plan has to be brought forward till xx years later, at least when you are bigger. See baby, all plans have to be changed all because of you. But when you are out, we will go together to the different countries in future ya?

Just a point of note for all mummies-to-be, you can opt to go Australia as the flight hours aren't very long as compareed to Europe's. Or if you have not been to Taiwan, i reckon it would be a pretty good choice too. Or maybe just a short few days cruise. All to pamper yourself for this difficult pregnancy period! :)

Going back to continuing the 1st post....

Hello Baby!!

This blog has finally been set up after about a week of procrastination. Mummy is 15 weeks pregnant with you now and I can only think of what had happened from the time we knew your existence till now... I think I'll probably do a point form of all I can think of of what to write before I forget again. (You know, pregnant mums tend to be more forgetful).

• When we know your existence?
• What happened after?
• Moods and feelings
• To post pictures of your first scan. (First appt brought forward and why)
• Followed by your 2nd and 3rd detailed OSCAR Scan
• What happened during the OSCAR Scan
• In between what had we done...
• Rem to take pictures of my growing belly!!
• Names

With all the point forms above, I can slowly write starting from the first point... It's gonna be a long post afterall it has been almost 4 months since the day we knew your existence baby...

When we knew your existence
I still remember the date clearly when I knew you are already in me. Isit mummy's hunch or what that stopped me from going drinking the weekend before I knew? (My friends had asked mummy to go out but I didn't). I bought the test kit and daddy and mummy found out I was pregnant on 16th June 2012. I think you were still really small then, but I could already feel you inside me...

Daddy was just right beside me when we were doing the test. When both windows had this line in them, mixed feelings had we felt then. I could sense your daddy was stressed right away. (Well, it was kinda funny to me). And for the whole day, your daddy couldn't talk much. LOL!! I guess too many had been running through his head then. It was only till the 2nd day he accepted the fact and slowly talked about you to me.

As for mummy, I've always wanted a family I can call my own. And of course I was delighted to see that 2 lines there.. Undoubtedly, I felt stress too. Daddy doesn't always do really well in his business, and I can't help but think if he could afford you and me. Well, he maybe didn't have to afford me, but there's now you so I was pretty worried then. But I thought to myself, if all others can do it, why can't I/ we? I'm sure daddy and mummy will work our way out for our first seed of love no matter what.

And guessed what, the moment I knew you were inside me, I QUIT SMOKING. After being a smoker for like 16 YEARS!! It seriously wasn't easy. But for you, nothing is impossible! Afterall, smoking is BAD FOR HEALTH. Remember this ya?

Moods and Feelings of a Pregnant Mum
It's amazing how bad-tempered I suddenly became!! I get irritated at the SLIGHTEST matter that's not going my way. And your daddy "kanna" alot from me. I'm lucky I have a very good-tempered husband, cos he always just lets me have my way. Ok, at least I'm quite automatic ok? I will apologize at times and say that's not me, it's the hormornes that are causing it and asked him to forgive and bear with me for a while. (And I carry on to make use of this privilege till you come out, LOL).

Mummy is always very energetic especially throughout the night, and I've always been a night owl. But ever since I had you, late nights didn't seem possible. I felt tired and fatigue like what? 24hours through the day!! Even though I've slept a good 12 hours, I'll wake up have breakfast and I'll feel tired again. It's strange and of course I didn't like it! Cos I couldn't do lots of my stuffs except sleep.

Many pregnant woman have morning sickness like vomitting or unable to down any food, Mummy is lucky that except for the super bad temper plus super fatigue symptom, I'm freed of morning sickness. Baby you have been good too, cos you don't reject any food mummy eat. Just like mummy ain't you, we are gluttons!!! Wahaha!! Talking about food, I know you love italian just like me! Cos I've had more cravings for pasta than usual, and not really into rice anymore, but we're still fine with it cos we're both good babies!!

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I'll carry on the rest of the points on another day as it's almost 4am now and I think it shouldn't be too long or no one's gonna read it just by looking at the length of it.


Signing off,
Your-Lovely-Mummy-Now-Very-Sleepy...