Helping Me Play

I've always been a gamer ... my first computer game was played on a 286 PC (I think Dad got it at a 2nd hand shop). That ancient equipment was followed by a 386 (again might be 2nd hand), an extremely overpriced Compaq Pentium II ($4.5K ... what the hell), a Pentium III lappy during my poly days (it weighted a ton) and finally my last 2 PCs, a Pentium 4 and Pentium Core 2, which I used for years to play FFXI.

Since giving up FFXI and I've rarely played another desktop game. The PCs were replaced by a Macbook and iMac, which doesn't support most games. So I've been on a gaming hiatus since I left FFXI and didn't have an avenue to play till Meimei bought me an iPhone in 2011. Granted the game play on the phone is not as sophisticated and engaging as those on the desktops. But still you could spend hours and hours jabbing at the little screen for entertainment. And the best part is you can do it anywhere. 

The initial games I played were those that Meimei played too as I wanted to stay in touch with her and share common hobbies. I tried Nemo, Candy Crush and Farm Heros. But they were simple games and soon enough I was gravitating towards more RPGish turn-based games like Battle Nations and Summoners War. These are more my cup of tea and I've spent countless hours playing those games.

I can imagine how some wives or girlfriends are frustrated when their partner buries his head into the phone or tablet to play his favourite mobile game. I'm sure Meimei gets irritated as well when she is trying to speak to me and yet I'm buried in the game and not listening. But she doesn't react like other partners and will simply let me be and try again later. I'm really grateful Meimei gives me space to play the games. 

Now the most incredible thing happened today. She offered to help me play Summoner's War while I was driving. You cannot imagine the excitement and glee I had when she made the offer. It's like when you were young and someone offers attention to what you are doing. You get a joy having the opportunity to share your hobby and interest with someone. 

I know she still doesn't take to the games I play. But this simple gesture of helping me press the start button and collect the loot really makes my day. What they say is true, its the simple things that keeps a couple happy together. And I am extremely thankful she tries :-)

Grandma Pampering~!!

Meimei's appetite has been erratic. I think she is past the craving stage but still gags sometimes when she doesn't like certain smells. This has given Mama a greater challenge as she tries to cook a larger variety of dishes incase Meimei is unable to stomach a particular food. So we are getting more dishes these days hehe.

She has been preparing special dishes for help boost Meimei's strength and immunity and also for baby too. The first is lobster! I can't remember the last time we had lobster. It is such a rare delicacy that you don't normally have it for normal dinner meals. She buys them fresh and whole from the wet market and fries them in a light batter. Everyone leaves them for Meimei and baby ... Love~!

The other delicacy Mama has been whipping up is Bird Nest! Although Meimei only takes it every other day or so, Mama boils a small pot everyday. Our fridge is being filled with bottles of bird nest goodness. We learn from the baby lessons that Meimei should not take too much of it so she is diligently moderating her in-take of this delicacy. I have a slight suspicion Mama may spoil our baby rotten, seeing how she accommodates Meimei in the choice of things to cook.

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing ~

Our baby has been very active the past week. I think our baby has strong musical inclinations. She's been twirling and kicking, especially when Meimei is humming a tune.

We're happy that our baby is active, it shows signs that baby is alert and growing well. But sometimes she gets Meimei into awkward moments, like when she kicks her bladder and Meimei has to make for the ladies. Other times Meimei is left grimacing in pain after being punched at the stomach.

I tried to tell our baby not to kick Meimei but Meimei told me not to confuse her. She goes on to rub her tummy and tell Emily its ok. Awww ... the love of a mother. Emily, you have to be a good girl and pamper Mummy too when you are older, ok? Oh and dont forget to sing lovely tunes to us when we are old and frail. :-)

Gynae Visit - December 2014

We are about 28 weeks into the pregnancy. This marks the start of the 3rd trimester. We had the usual ultrasound to see baby again. We couldn't make out the 3D outline of baby until Dr Loh point it out to us. She is at 1.2kg which is a tiny-winy smaller. We noticed it when the on-screen EDD came up at 18 instead of 8 March. So baby was about a week behind in terms of size. Dr Loh didn't look too worried and just casually mentioned it. 

Maybe we didn't get enough healthy food during the last fortnight since Mama was away in Jakarta. Thankfully Mama is back so Meimei is having wonderful home-cooked meals again. I know Meimei is trying her very best to stomach food so baby gets adequate nutrients. It's been hard on Meimei but she is surprisingly preserving in making sure she takes enough. The sacrifices and motivation a mother has for her child is an amazing force.

Forever Daddy's

Xi Yan @ Shaw Centre

Colourful Chinese Cuisine. Refreshing dishes with twists to brighten the palate.

Self Inflicted Inconvenience

Today is the last baby care lesson. This session is more of a marketing campaign rather than a true lesson. We were at a different venue, Singapore Chinese Girls School Khoo Auditorium and it was conducted for everyone from the various classes. I estimated there were about a hundred odd couples who came to attend the doctor's talk.

The doctor talk centred around post birth baby care and facilities, post-natal TCM care for mothers and shared several other Thomson post-natal care programs. The lobby area had several booths paddling baby products and sign-ups for stem-cell preservation etc.

Well I didn't write this post to talk about the lecture, it was boring at best. The interesting and somewhat laughable part were the participants. Specifically those that took up seats at the edge of the rows of seats, pictured below circled in dotted line oval.

Every had to enter the auditorium to the right of the stage. When we got there, the front half of the seats were pretty full. So we filtered along with the rest up the auditorium steps, marked in red arrows, and try to move into the empty seats. Meimei and I didn't like to trouble the folks already on their seats at the edge so we moved to the centre pathway and made our way to the seats in the centre part (marked in yellow).

As we settled down, we started looking around and watching the people on the left edge get up and down to let other parents in. As more people move in, the heavily pregnant mothers had to get up multiple times to let others in and out. You can see the pent-up irritation and discomfort on their faces. At that moment I couldn't help but let out a sheepish grin and shake of disapproval at them. This is a classic example self inflicted inconvenience. They know they are being inconsiderate by sitting at the sides and compounding their misery, yet they just can't bring themselves to move in.

Why can't you move to the centre so others can get in? How is it better to sit at the side and having to get up consistently throughout the lecture? I mean this is an entire audience of pregnant mothers with constricted bladders that have to go to the ladies every so often. So I can't help but laugh at their awkwardness. Muhahahhaha.

Oh well, I suppose Asians in general still have a long way to go to being more socially conscious and considerate.

Pre-Natal Classes - Week 5 : Baby Care

This is the last of the sessions with Fonnie. I've become accustomed to attending the training on Saturdays.

We watched a video on baby bathing. The baby boy was shivering constantly. I thought it was cruel of the presenter to let the baby shake in cold until Fonnie explained later during the course that babies are going to shiver as their nerve systems have not fully develop in the first few months.

Fonnie recommends that we talk to baby often, letting her know what is going on, where she is and sing to her. It seems babies are cognitive of their surroundings and need to be assured so they feel safe and secure. I've made a point to chat with Emily nightly. I hope this will help with our bonding since I don't have the luxury of being as close to as Meimei.

I thought today's session was a little rushed. We had a bit of hands-on practice on folding a nappy and a swaddle. I wished we had more time to repeat the exercise so I can remember it clearly. I wonder if I can recall the folding steps in another 3-4 months when baby comes. Well I supposed I'll just have to rely on instinct to get it right then.

Finding The Help

Having completed the orientation course last week, the next step was to setup a meeting with a maid agency. It's the first time we were getting a maid so we really don't know what to expect. My parents used to have a maid but that was donkey years ago. And at the time I didn't have to bother with the maid since my parents were managing her. So now that we are getting one of our own, the only criteria we had to start with was that we wanted an Indonesian so Mama can communicate with her.

The first step was then to look for a maid agency specialising in Indonesian FDWs. However I've always had a bad vibe about maid agencies. I have the weird feeling that they are out to con prospective clients. It's baseless but I can't help but feel this way. So thankfully Meimei's ex-boss had recommended her agency so we are more assured that we might be able to find the maid. Her ex-boss has been getting her maids from the agency and all were pretty reliable and good. I wouldn't know where to start if we were to look for an agency on our own. 

We were asked to come on a Sunday as they had two transfer maids whom we can interview on the spot. We have a couple of advice not to take transfer maids since they are known to be more 'experienced' in the wayward ways. However I believe its all about fate and luck. Sure, transfer cases usually throw up maids who are less than perfect ... it's likely the very reason they are on transfer. But I believe getting a freshie is just as risky since you are relying solely on the bio data provided by the agency. For transfers you get to meet them face to face for interviews where you can get a 'feel' for the personality and fit.

The first maid we interviewed has been with her employer for two years. She has just renewed in September and is now on her second stint. Her employer is a Muslim family so she doesn't know how to cook any Chinese dishes. That's ok Mama can teach her to cook. She doesn't speak English but I suppose that's ok since she is likely to be taking instructions from Mama and Meimei who can converse with her in Bahasa. I like that she is currently looking after a toddler and a newborn. This is a top priority as she needs to know how to care for our baby. Anything else we can teach but if she doesn't know how to hold our baby properly, that is a very big concern for me since she might injure our little girl and the consequences can be pretty dire. 

Her reason for seeking a new employer is rather odd though. She states in her bio data form that her current employer has her making 800 curry puffs from 6pm to midnight daily. And we understand from the agency owner that the employer doesn't compensate her for it. Ahhh ok, so if her current employer had paid her just a little, she might have been ok with the extra chore? Well whatever it is, getting her to make curry puffs for sale is illegal. There is no way to verify the truth of the matter so we can really only rely on what the maid says.

After trying to find out her daily routine and chores, we shared a little about ourselves. She seemed pretty concerned she has to go to Mama's place during the day while Meimei and I are at work. Plus when the baby comes we definitely want her at Mama's place so our baby has an elder to look after her. I'm not comfortable leaving the maid at home or entrust her with our baby without any supervision. So any candidate we select would have to be fine with the arrangement. I think she is afraid that she may have to work for both families. But that's not gonna happen. If she knew us, she would know we are pretty lay back and reasonable.

Anyways we ended the interview with the agency owner asking her to think about it. We made sure we got the message across that she has every right to choose and shouldn't simply say yes as an easy way to get out of her current predicament.

The next candidate is a very experienced maid. She has been working in Singapore for the past decade and can speak in English fluently. However I have strong concerns with her willingness to look after newborn infants as she has not been caring for crying babies since eight years ago when she joined her current employer. Her employer's children were in their teens when she joined and now they are all young adults. She is seeking for a new employers as her current one no longer needs a maid since the children are now working during the day.

Her reaction was somewhat the same as the first maid when we shared our situation. She was skeptical when she hears that we are going to have a baby. She answered that she is willing to look after newborns but I saw a twitch in her right eye and figured she was not honest in her response. I find her a little too 'smart' and quick-witted for my liking. She seems less genuine as a person than the first maid. So I tried to make sure she is prepared by reiterating the pressures she has to face in judging household chores while looking after a baby. Meimei told me later that I was being very fierce and scaring her off.

So having met the two transfer maids, we were given a selection of bio data files for fresh maids. The owner had a thick bundle of files but after filtering through the profiles, she only had a handful who have indicated that they are comfortable to look after infants. It seems most are unwilling to look after babies. It's really hard to judge based solely on the written profiles. I've heard horror stories of maids who arrive looking totally different from the picture on the profiles and possessing none of the experience nor preference as those stated.

While we were mulling over the profiles, the owner came in with news that the second maid we interviewed has just been confirmed by another employer. It seems the employer who saw her earlier was looking for a maid for her aged parents. So given a choice, the maid chose to look after elderly rather than babies. I quietly breathed a sign of relief at the news. Meimei also seemed happy that she doesn't have a dilemma of choosing between the two.

None of the other profiles interest us and so the owner offered to send us bio profiles as she receives them. She claims to have a constant stream of maids and receives new transfer cases weekly. It was at this moment that the first maid came back into the room. She express her interest to the owner in Indonesian and after some conversation it seems she is ready to take on our offer. I found out later from Meimei that the owner reminded her of our circumstances of having to be at Mama's place since she showed her reluctance during the initial interview. Her response to her concern was "Got baby ok".

Ting~ting~ting. Great! Looks like she likes babies! Which can only be good for our baby. So that's it, we affirm our interest in hiring her and proceed to complete the paperwork. She'll be coming in January before the baby arrives so she can familiarize with the household chores.

I have a good feeling about her. She's a little older than us, so I hope she can treat us like her younger siblings and look after us sincerely. I supposed we can only cross our fingers and hope for the best!

Pretty Rainbow Cake

Pretty yes, tasty ... doubtful. Reminds me of the childhood candy that goes popping in your mouth. Too sweet.

Pre-Natal Classes - Week 4 : Breastfeeding

It's all about breastfeeding and baby carrying positions this week. We were shown videos on the various positions to breastfeed a baby, how to position the baby's mouth so she can properly suckle without hurting Mommy. I'm surprised there are so much knowledge to be learned on breastfeeding alone. Always have this simple idea that putting the baby to the breast would suffice and everything will happen naturally.

I enjoyed the baby carrying exercises as I have no clue whatsoever and have this mortal fear I would injure our baby. We were each given a baby doll to practice with but they were a little freaky with half opened blue eyes. I wondered if they could have made the dolls cuter to attract parents to play with them.

There are no longer new exercises to help Meimei with her back. We'll just have to work on those we already know. The lessons are now a little more boring without the stretching exercises.

Pre-Natal Classes - Week 3 : Labour

The scare meter has hit the roof! Full frontal graphic video of childbirth via various methods. And there is no censorship at all ... clear in-your-face clips of baby's head popping out of a mother's tummy.

Lecturer warned us to look away or go for a coffee break if we cannot take it. i watched the whole clip ... partly because I was shocked stiff. And I think it showed on my face too. Meimei sat through it as well and I'm worried this may have re-ignited her fear of the pain in having a baby. The pain and anguish on each mother's face is telling of the magnitude of pain they are going through. I'm just hoping the joy and contended looks after the baby is born is enough to convince Meimei of the happy side of the delivery process.

I can't quite remember the rest of the session after the video. It has left me shell-shocked and basically clouded my mind for the rest of the class. I vaguely recall our teach using a prop to show us how a baby's head and shoulders will turn and twist as they come out. I found it surprising that the baby will instinctively know to turn to get out. I suppose nature right there.

Going back to the videos, I guess it was for the better that we saw them now so we know what to expect when the actual thing happens. Imagine fainting in the delivery ward and missing the birth of my firstborn. Nope that's not going to happen now that I'm mentally prepared ... I hope >.<"

Close One Eye

With baby coming, we have started brainstorming on the baby care plans. Meimei has secured a confinement lady so the most immediate need is taken care of for the first month. My in-laws will be over too to help to I'm sure Meimei will get the best care during her maternity. And if things at work don't pan out, I might be at home to help.

To make sure Meimei and baby gets the best care and to help out my mother-in-law after Meimei's maternity, we have decided to employ a maid. Meimei did all the research and the first step was to obtain a Foreign Domestic Worker Employer Orientation Programme certificate.

Ok that shouldn't be too difficult. I was tasked to complete it since Meimei isn't keen on taking tests. The course is pretty informative and useful. The quiz were straightforward and I breezed through most of it. There was one that stumped me though. I'm pretty sure I have the most sensible answer but the e-course keeps prompting that I have the wrong answer refuse to let me move onward.

Apologies with the lousy pic, the questions goes like this.

Question: A good way to maintain your FDW's job performance is

• To show her again how to do a chore correctly when she makes a mistake
• To deprive her of her day off when she makes a mistake as a prevention for future mistakes
• To reprimand her immediately when she is not doing a chore right
• To overlook her small mistakes

Simple question, which answer would you choose? As a responsible employer you should be patient and show your maid how to do a chore correctly yeah? How else can you maintain her job performance? It's cruel and possible illegal to withhold her off days. And reprimanding her would only sour the relationship. So ... yeah teaching her again makes most sense.

But! ... I got the wrong answer. No, you are not suppose to show her how to do it correctly. You are expected to ... Overlook her small mistakes!!! Damn! What crap is this?!! How is that the most appropriate answer? So our government mandated training course serves to teach employers to close one eye to everything? How is this helping both parties is beyond me. What were they thinking?

Everyone I shared the question with came to the same answer as I did. So I can only say that the folks that prepare this question is very wrong. I'm not going to close an eye. I'll be patient and teach her over and over again if I have to. Sadly I had to choose the 'correct' answer before the e-course allowed me to proceed to the end of the quiz for my certificate. Oh well, it's another one for the "What were they thinking?!" book.

Bakerzin Revival

Regular Bakerzin customer but stop patronizing half a year ago due to yucky Carbonara on the last trip. Give it a try today ... it's a dining option again. Glad it's back, the Strawberry Shortcake has always been to die for.

Gynae Visit - November 2014

This week marks the 26th week of pregnancy. We were excited to see our baby again. Dr Loh produced a 3D imaging this time which kind of freaked us out a bit haha. He described it as "yah right now all will look like alien ..." followed by a light smile. I've truncated the image so readers will not be taken aback by it.

I recalled our parenting lecturer's talk on inverted or low placenta and asked Dr Loh about it. He have a quick and assured ok, so yeah mother and baby are healthy and Meimei can continue to exercise. These days he seems aloft and nonchalant about us. I suppose no news is good news when it coms to pregnancy.

He wasn't too keen though when we asked if the "Bom Bom" sound from Baby-plus would affect our baby. We took his cue and will stop the daily lessons immediately.

Overall it was an uneventful appointment except when we were hearing our baby's heartbeat through the ultrasound. It's always comforting to hear it as it signifies a healthy baby. I've been videoing every ultrasound (when Doc lets me) for keepsake and sharing with family. It's good for reminiscence someday hehe.

Pre-Natal Classes - Week 2 : Pain Relief

This week's topic is on pain relief. This is an important topic for us since Meimei has low tolerance for pain. I think the most common method we've heard of is Epidural, which is an injection of painkillers into the spinal cord to numb the lower body. As the medication delivery is invasive, there is always an underlying fear of complications or side effects like nerve damage. Most articles I've come across on the internet says it is low risk, but I'm still skeptical.

We were shown a video on the various pain relief options such as TENS, Entonox (Meimei calls it the laughing gas), Pethidine, Epidural, Water delivery etc. It's useful to know the variety of pain relief options. I was tickled by the image of a pregnant lady sucking on the mouth piece delivering the Entonox gas. It looks somewhat like a druggy getting her fix!

We had a brief review of week one's topic on food, though I can't recall much of it now. The one thing I did remember, because it was somewhat disgusting, was the discussion on placenta and how some would preserve it to make pills or soup. It's an old chinese medicinal practice but I really can't see Meimei or myself drinking a placenta soup ... Eeeee, just thinking about it makes me want to puke. Thankfully the class didn't dwell too long on this topic.

For the exercise segment, we expanded on the angry cat exercise to extended cat. Meimei didn't take to this since she was already not keen on angry cat to begin with. The activity that Meimei liked though was the basic shoulder & hand rub, which happens to require hubby to administer. Hahah. Her face literally light up and soften as I gently rub her little palms. I can foresee nightly should and hand massages for my dearest honey!

Pre-Natal Classes - Week 1 : Foods

I've been meaning to sign up for parenting classes since the start of the pregnancy. I've envisioned fun sessions with Meimei as we try out the exercises and baby care. I see it as a good couple activity and bonding opportunity. The classes didn't disappoint, with a mix of lectures and exercise workouts. Although there were parts that were boring, the overall experience is worth the expensive course fee. It came up to about $350 for five two-hour sessions.

It is comforting to see that there are many other parents just as 'clueless' as me who have signed up to learn. Surprisingly every dad was there to accompany their wive though I suspect some may not be there willingly *grin judging from the aloofness and silence with their wives. Also a clear tell-tale sign is their long focused attention on their mobile phones rather than the lessons. I, for one, am enjoying the course and taking in as much as I can.

This week is the first sessions so the logistics took a little longer. I like how the lecturer offered her personal mobile number so mothers can Sms her anytime to ask about any pre/post natal queries. I applaud her for that as it really gives mothers a sense of comfort. It takes a truly caring person to offer such follow-on free consultations outside the classroom.

So the sessions are vaguely broken into 2 segments. First is the lecture where she will show us a video, followed by a slide presentation. The other part of the session involves exercises to stretch and soothe the aching muscles.

Food is the topic for the week. It's the usual advice you would hear from your gynaecologist. Avoid raw food, eat lots of fibre and take your vitamins and supplements. Interestingly she mentioned that the omega-3 pills are actually meant for the mother, to lower the risk of post-natal depression. I always thought it was for the baby to help with brain development but glad that it is helping Meimei as well. Other little titbits include her experience with some mothers that cannot take chinese supplements such as ginseng and bird nest.

The lecturer also surveyed the room on the type of foods that mothers like and it seems Meimei's odd craving to laksa is not uncommon. A few mothers shared that they crave for curry, spicy food, maggi mer and even cold drinks. The most regular response though is fried and junk food. Meimei seem to have wean off most of the initial cravings and is back to eating the healthy foods.

The highlight of the sessions, at least for me, are the exercises. I think Meimei needs these badly to help her with her back. And it seems backaches are a common ailment during pregnancy. You can see the increased attention and knowingly nods as the lecturer describes the back pains.

I find the pelvis raise and angry cat to be most useful. Fathers were encouraged to join in the exercises so you get a feel of the muscles stretched and can help your wife with them.

Another key takeaway is the recommendation to use 2 pillows for the head and to put a pillow between the thighs when sleeping. This helps to keep the spine straight as you lie on the side. Amazing how simple things like that can make sleeping easier for Meimei.

I'm looking forward to next week's lesson, especially for more exercises and tips to make the pregnancy as comfortable for Meimei as it can be.

Idiot Drivers - Reversing Without Checking Rearview Mirror

Its been many months since we encountered the lady that reversed into our car in the Vivocity carpark. And that incident prompted me to finally get an in-car camera to catch errant drivers red handed.

Today we encountered another one who reversed into our car. And similar to the lady he had the audacity to claim that there is nothing wrong. He initially said: "There is nothing wrong with your car, you have my car plate right. That's it." And he turned and wanted to go off. He knew he was at fault but wanted to play it down and run off scot-free. Well I wasn't gonna let him off, especially when he was not the least bit remorseful nor apologetic. Not a single 'sorry'. I refuse to let him go and insist that he give me his contact number. I wouldn't have been so persistent if he had been more polite. But his nonchalant attitude and pig face really irked me.

I hope the new amendment to the Road Traffic Act gets passed. Section C includes "drivers will also be responsible to provide their particulars to the owner of any vehicle or structure that is damaged following an accident, even in situations where there is no other person present". This will help to deter idiots like this fella from trying to get away after causing an accident. Ah-pueee! Own a WRX but cannot drive. When it gets passed, he can jolly well run off ... I'll just report it as a hit and run? Good for him!

Of Aching Backs and Kung Fu Kicks

Pregnancy is tough. You are drained both physically and mentally. And it is not something you could just stop or switch off. Once you are in it, you are in for the long haul. I suppose my role as hubby is to help soothe her aches and pains. And if I can help her emotionally, even better.

Backaches

I'll just say straight off I cannot even begin to imagine the physical pains Meimei goes through. As her tummy grows, so do the backaches. I give her a massage every night to loosen her tense back and shoulder muscles to help her get into a comfortable position for sleep. But she is a light sleeper and I'm pretty sure she has been waking up consistently from the aches. I've asked her many times to wake me up for a rub when she feels stiff but she never did, or at least I was unaware if she ever did (I'm a heavy sleeper). I know she tries not to disturb me *kiss she likes to pamper me too. But still ... I would like to have woken up to make her bedtime more bearable.

I'm hoping the next half of the pregnancy isn't going to strain her back any more than it already is. I think her slightly crooked back is compounding the problem. I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that the pregnancy will fix the back. My father-in-law describe that the body and bone movements will help to move the joints and organs back to its original position, kinda like a reset button. I pray she turns out for the better after giving birth.

Kung Fu Kicks

Given the diva our baby is, when she wants something she throws tiny little punches and kicks at Mommy. If Meimei has an early dinner, baby will nudge her when we are close to bedtime and Meimei wouldn't be able to sleep till she has a snack. It happens pretty often, especially 2-3 hours after a meal. I envy the closeness and eternal bond Meimei has with our little one. Meimei keeps me updated on baby's movement so I'm not left out. I really appreciate it, because its something I'll never get to experience, but by telling me about it helps to bring us closer.

I think every husband must appreciate the sacrifice your wife goes through to bring a child into this world. It is as much an engaging process for the hubby and we have a lot to contribute to the journey. I know I have to try harder to read up on the various pregnancy-related stuff so I can contribute more. I just need a big kick up the bottom to get going!

Gynae Visit - October 2014

Today's the standard detailed ultra-sound scan. It's a longer session today  since they were doing the various measurements of the baby, like the diameter of the head, the arc and length of the nose bridge etc. Baby's at 20 weeks now so you can make out whether it's a girl or boy. We already knew but were nonetheless excited and relieved to hear that our baby growing normally and healthy. That's always the news you wanna hear. She was very cooperative during the scan, giving good poses for the ultra-sound. There were couples who entered earlier and took close to 2 hours. Our baby finished her 'catwalk' in 40 minutes :-) She's a diva!

The slight downside of today's visit was that we didn't a chance to have a video of the ultra-sound and hear our baby's heartbeat. The ultra-sound tests were done in a special room on the 4th floor. And when we were at Dr Loh's later, he didn't do one since we already had it earlier.

Since we are now officially into the 2nd trimester, Dr Loh put it plainly with a grin, "Go enjoy your 2nd trimester ah, you can what you want, don't worry. When you come to 3rd trimester then the aches and pains will come."

Woot! So looking forward to next month's visit as always.

Speeding? Stitch? Are You Sure?

I received a summons from the traffic police today saying that I was speeding on the morning of 15th Oct on Upper Change Road East just in front of the Expo. They referred to a lamppost 44 which is just under the overhead bridge. Now the silly thing is that the overhead bridge is just a short distance from the junction. And the light is always red when you turn to the junction from Simei Street.

Google Maps 2014

So it's really hard to believe that I can accelerate with Stitch to go from 0 to 81 kmph in a short 200m (see red line in pic and gauge with the bottom legend). Not sure what the traffic police was smoking that morning but clearly something was faulty with the equipment. I have to drive on the centre lanes these days on the expressway because Stitch no longer has the horsepower to overtake cars on the right ... and to say I was speeding is just plain dumb.

But what can I do? Nothing, this is Singapore. So I'll just have to suck it up and pay the $150 fine and take the 6 Demerit points. Bah ...

Spam Chips at Southwest Tavern

I cannot believe spam can taste this good. Amazing find courtesy of Lao Da.

What's A Good Name For My Girl?

Pokpok's surname is Bxx (masked for privacy). Yes ... Bxx. It's one of those rare and weird surname translated from the original Chinese one, X.

So now that we know it's a girl we can start to shortlist a beautiful name for her. One which we hope she would grow into and love. As I brainstormed, a few other funny ones popped up and tickled me to no end. She would hate me for life if we ever give her any of these. Others just don't sound right with the surname. I think its a big challenge to find any that goes well with Bxx. Hopefully our little girl will like the one we chose for her. There are so many to choose from ... Here is my top picks.

Agnes - This is a toss-up. Agnes is a nice name, think Agnes from the Despicable Me cartoon. I love the name, but ... Agnes B is the name of a fashion accessory brand. So ... KIV for now

Emma - Has a nice string to it, Emma Bxx. Great for a little girl but I wonder if it will suit when she gets older.

Emily - This is my top choice as of writing. Goes well with our surname. I think 3 syllabus names might work better.

Felicia - The few Felicia I've met are very pleasant people. A classy name.

Megan - I find it very lady and refined. Meimei thinks it reminds her of Megan Fox ... So I suppose it's never gonna be this.

Sarah - The name gives me a very homely, obedient girl vibe.

Now, for my top 'No way, please~' name, I present to you ...

Pika or Peeka - This would be just plain mean, straight up. You know how people like to go 'peekabxx!' at a baby to make them laugh? Yeah imagine the horror of being constantly taunted for life *shivers

I'm sure Meimei has a better idea of the right name. She came up with many of the good names here, the goofy ones are mine haha. So which would you pick for Pokpok's daughter?

No Eat, No Kiss, No Sleep

Classic quirky sign at Mandarin Gallery. The sofas look too comfortable to adhere to the sign.

Bombay Masala Appam

Pleasantly surprised with this Indian Appam stall at Changi Terminal 3 food court. Love the sweetness of the brown sugar and coconut mix.

Poulet

Have you tried Poulet before? I'm sure many have, it has outlets in many of the popular shopping mall. It's signature dish is the french roasted chicken in white sauce. Thing is ... I don't find the chicken any special. And having causally asked the people around me, I find everyone has the same opinion. The chicken is dry and bland. The sauce is sweet and a hit or miss depending on your preference for sweetness mixed with salty. I suppose westerners prefer sweetness in their food.

So why am I blogging about it now? Well because I've discovered the good stuff! Ok, the Tiramisu has always been a welcome dessert. Its soft and delicate, great for after meals and you don't get a rich punch of flavour after a full tummy.

So the dish that prompted this post is the .... duck puff pastry pizza. This is part of the new menu. They hit it right on the note on this. It's flaky, light and buttery and complements well with the duck.

I think I'll be back again to try the shredded chicken topping. :-)

Stella at Changi Coast Walk

It was a spur of the moment thing. The haze was gone today so I thought I'll treat Meimei to a nice dinner at Stella. My colleagues introduced me to the place. It's a tranquil restaurant right by the sea. They have an deck built right up to the waterfront so you can  enjoy the beating waves and constant breeze.

I was apprehensive to bring Meimei there at first because of the low ratings and mediocre reviews I've found online of the restaurant. But I thought why not, I'm sure Meimei would like the romantic setting, the quietness and coldness of an evening sea breeze.

As it turns out, the food was pretty alright. We ordered the Cajun Chicken and Fish and Chips. Fish turned out great, love the batter - had just the right amount of crisp. The chicken could use a little more marinating but was still tasty.

The overall experience was a pleasant one. We like the quietness of the place,  no lines to queue, free parking, etc etc. Surely one to patronise again.

Lovely Turkish Fare, Right in Singapore

It's rather odd that I've not blog about Sofra even though I've patronised it many times over the past couple of years. I supposed it's that we usually don't take pictures of the wonderful food we've enjoyed at the restaurant. I put it down to the dim lighting. And I think I like to keep it a 'secret' so we won't see the masses of people flooding the place.

It serves the most delightful chicken and beef/lamb mix. We usually start with a salad plate and sesame bread. The aroma of the bread together with the salad will whet your appetite and draw you into the main course. That is mostly the Doner Kebab rice, which is priced very reasonably at $10 for what is a very lavish plate of meats, cold salad and Turkish fragrant rice. And you will kick yourself if you do not have Kenefe for dessert.

Whenever we are near Suntec, this place always pops up as one of the go-to spots for lunch or dinner. We have yet to be disappointed by the place and we liked it so much we've brought both our set of parents here on separate occasions. Yes, it's a great place for a quiet family gathering. I'm adding this to my recommended YumYum place. :-)

Gynae Visit - September 2014

Since the good news that our baby was a-ok, we have been looking forward to seeing her again at the gynaecologist. I can't express the excitement I have to see our baby. To see her grow takes away all the sacrifices that we have made.

It was nice to see that Dr Loh was relaxed and joking with us. It's a positive sign that our baby is now safe. We can now make out her head, spine, hands and legs. It's truly remarkable and moving to see our baby moving as if she was posing for the ultrasound. She's gonna be a star!

Up, Up & Away!

Meimei had fun drawing balloons today as part of the Sister's entourage activity before the wedding of one of the Nua gang. Meimei has artistic talents.

Paper Flowers

Meimei had friends over for dinner. Pre dinner activity was origami flowers. Very fun and pretty!

Non-Kitty Kitty?

Oh my. What the ... wait ... no it can't be. No ... but they did say it, officially nonetheless. How is Kitty not a Cat??!!! That's like saying Snoopy is not a dog! Oh wait, Peanuts has confirmed Snoopy is a dog.

Ok jokes over, now take it back and let the world go back to normal. Say Kitty is a Cat. And you can go back to earning millions in merchandising. I will continue to queue for McDonalds Kitties. Really ... I'm not buying a little girl dress like a cat. I will buy a cat, not a girl.

*blows mind ... Kitty is a cat, I don't believe this official crap.

Our Baby Girl

We were at the doctors again for the regular monthly checkup a fortnight ago. There was a lining during the scan and doc was not comfortable with it. He recommended that we take the Harmony test. In all that visit costed $1,600. Ouch, expensive but makes more sense for a peace of mind.

So for the next 2 weeks after the appointment we waited anxiously for the test results. The wait and concern was a tiring and taxing time. It didn't help that Meimei was still tired and having her regular 2 hourly meals. Adding on this pressure didn't help her at all.

So it came as an immense relief when the nurse called her to announce the good news. Every results on the test shows 'Low-risk'. Phew!! Also as part of the test, they did some blood work and were able to tell the sex of the baby. It's a girl! YES!! I always wanted a baby girl for my firstborn.

I was secretly guessing that it was a girl. I noticed that Meimei's features are becoming more refined and delicate. Positive signs that the baby's female genes are helping Mummy become even prettier than she already is! Woot! Hahha.

They say daughters tend to stick to Dads. A little sai-nine here and there and any daddy will melt. I really wonder if I can stick to my agreed role as the disciplinarian of the family. A lovely 'problem' to have for any dad. Heh!

Vase 303 - 3 Aug 2014

Orchids are the flavour of the house now that a baby is coming. Nothing too fragrant for Meimei.

Our Baby Likes ...

You know how pregnant ladies have cravings. Preferences on foods take a wild turn and sense of smell become ultra sensitive, all of which may create a highly irritable mother-to-be.

Meimei's taste preference started to change about 6 weeks into the pregnancy. The most distinct change was a dislike for the taste of pork. This caught everyone around her by surprise. She loves pork, her favourite meat. Every meal had to have a pork dish.

It seems though our baby has a different taste palate. Meimei is now having foods you would rarely see her eating before.

Chicken - Meimei is a pork lover. Chicken is like a 3rd option meat, behind beef. She finds chicken a boring meat, bland with no flavour profile of its own. But  with the baby she starts to ask for chicken rice when I buy her lunch. We could have it for 3-4 days straight and it got to the point that Meimei was feeling bloated. It doesn't help that chicken rice are hard to digest so we try to cut down on the frequency to maybe 1-2 times a week. I also try to mix it up with other chicken dish like Ayam Penyet. Her friends and colleague are totally astounded at this change. The girl that has to have pork at every meal is now rejecting it?!

Laksa - For as long as I've known Meimei, I've never seen her have Laksa. Never. So it came as a shock when she started digging into my Laksa one fine Sunday morning at Qiji. Now she has it regularly whenever we are at Qiji. She even tried the Ya Kun version, which she didn't really like. I think its the strong aroma and taste that attracts her.

Ikea Hot Dog - This ranks up there as one of the weirdest too. This is pure junk food in Meimei's book. Yet she actively ask for it when we were at the checkout counter at Ikea. She would never ask for this before, but it seems our baby is drawn to the smell of hotdogs.

I'm expecting that Meimei's taste will change again as we move into the next Trimesters. We kept a box of durians in the freezer for any chance that she might crave for it in the middle of the night. Our pantry is also stocked with a couple of cup noodles for when she gets hungry at mid-night.

Thankfully she has not bugged me in the wee hours of the night for a particular food. I know she has her urges but she tries hard to sleep them off. *kiss thank you dear. Meimei is also trying to down pork in hopes that our baby will start to take to the meat. Can you imagine how restrictive it would be if both mum and dad likes pork but our little one can only take chicken? So ... Meimei 加油!

Gynae Visit - August 14

Today's appointment was both fun and worrying. Fun because we get to see our baby again. Worrying because Doc noticed something during the scan and recommended that we opt for the more expensive Harmony test.

We can start to make out our baby's shape from the picture. Very excited yet apprehensive about the doctor's comments. We will have to wait for the test result - in 2 weeks. All we can do at the moment is cross our fingers and hope for the best.

My First Rotten Apple

The wifi on my iPhone 5 died. It happen late June but only have time to blog about it now. That and the irritation of the laggy-ness of the old iPhone 4 prompted me to rant about it haha.

It took awhile before I noticed that the wifi on my 5 was dead. My first clue came when the telco sent an alert for hitting 80% of 4G data bandwidth. I was utterly confused why it was happened but checked anyways to see if I had inadvertently turned off the wifi. You know how sometimes it accidentally scrolls up the command centre and the wifi or bluetooth button gets on/off while in your pants. But no, that wasn't it, the wifi icon was still on. 

The next clue came when I tried to google to see if others were getting the same 'error' message by the Telco company. The wifi icon will start to spin but the web pages will not load. I thought it was the problem with the ISP connection again, which sadly breaks pretty often too, and reseted the modem. Nope that didn't help, pages are still not loading. And thats when I realised ... oh crap. It's like going back to my old Nokia. It's frustrating that the 5 died after only a little more than a year. I know things don't last forever, like how one of the USB ports on my Macbook no longer works. But without wifi the 5 is practically useless! 

So for the next week I didn't dare to update any of my apps and limited myself to only using Whatsapp on the phone. No safari, none of the news bulletin and definitely no gaming. Only on the day before the monthly billing period was gonna restart did I initiate the app updates. And that was done with care, checking the remaining data quota and matching the update size to make sure I didn't exceed.

Meimei brought us to Sim Lim to try to resuscitate the wifi by changing the antenna. Sadly it didn't work and the technician could only offer that we call up Apple to ask for a replacement unit. "Tell them you are a loyal Apple product user, best yet, if you have a few Apple gadgets, take a picture and show it to the customer service." "Oh and call the US hotline" Well that was an idea. We were after all loyal Apple fan ... we have 2 iPhone 4, 2 iPhone 5, Ipad, Ipad Mini Retina, Macbook Pro and an iMac. But well, in the end we didn't call. I didn't want to deal with another hassle with customer service.

Thankfully Meimei was here to the rescue again. She could sense my immense irritation and dug out her old iPhone 4 for me. It was a temporary measure, we are likely to get a iPhone 6 when it comes out later this year and I could then takeover her 5.

I'm disappointed that my 5 died. I've always thought Apple products were sturdily built. While it's not going to stop me from getting Apple products in the future, I'm starting to expand my selection to other brands. Those galaxy phones do look attractive.

Gynae Visit - July 2014

Thankfully Meimei no longer has episodes of spotting or pain in the abdomen since a fortnight ago. And because she has been retrenched she could stay home to rest. She has been receiving tender loving care, aka 2 hourly feedings followed by short naps, at her mother's place. I'm more comforted that she is receiving the proper care and relaxation she clearly needs. I can't imagine what it might have been had she had to continue to work. With all the crappy projects at work, she was extremely stressed having to manage her incompetent boss. Thats never good for an expecting mother. So its all good on the retrenchment. Funny how things turn out ... when you think it is bad, it turns out to be a the exact opposite.

Our baby is growing slowly. It's a bigger 'blob' now hehehhe. Looking forward to the next appointment :-)

Our 1st Scare

I'm posting this a few months after it happen. It was really a scary moment. Early in the morning and Meimei was having pain in the abdomen. And there are spotting too. We just saw Doc a few days ago and the nurse had warned about spotting.

We immediately made our way to Thomson Medical. The nurse didn't dare to prescribe medication so we called Dr Loh to come down. The nurse warned us of the huge cost but nothing's more important than the safety of Meimei and baby.

Thankfully baby was ok. Doc gave Meimei a stabliser jab and instruct her to rest more. So she is on mc in the coming week. I think the stress at work is weighting on her. I supposed its a blessing in disguise that she is being retrenched, she can get a good rest to 养胎.

Phew, what a relief ... Doc gave us another pic of our baby again. I hope we don't get this sort of scare again. The tension and anxiety is really extreme.