I'm Dreaming Of A Munching Christmas Tree

[updated on 18th December 2007]

The Christmas season is back again. But this year, it's celebrating the occasion with my new colleagues. Gonna be so exciting!

There aren't any plans within my departmental colleagues to decorate our workspace, so my teammates and I have decided to do it ourselves, in our own little team's corner. Tee hee hee.. We decided to chip in a pool of money together and buy a mini Christmas tree. Everyone in the team was excited about it!

Couldn't wait any longer, we asked for a time off to go tree-and-ornaments shopping in the supermarket (the fun thing about working almost above a classy shopping mall!). We bought a 4 feet tree, a set of blinking lights, lots of ornaments and even cotton for snow. All in all, less than 100 bucks. *Grin*

It was really fun to have everyone in the team to decorate the Christmas tree together. We also bought lots of yummy goodies (chocolates, candy canes, sweets, etc) to hang all over the tree and sent an invitation to all our colleagues within the department to come 'pluck' the goodies whenever they want to.

Munching Christmas tree. *lol*

My teammates and I will be having our own gift exchange session before the Christmas holidays. So yes, I'm looking forward to it! What to buy within the range of RM10 - 15 ah?

Post-Birthday Celebration

[updated on 17th December 2007]

Wowee.. More birthday celebrations in the office!

Because I took a day off yesterday for my birthday, see what I found early this morning, stuck onto my desktop monitor..

Birthday sticker from Ginny

And later during lunch, my teammates insisted on giving me a birthday treat. So we went to Manhattan Fish Market, coz fish is good for Baby. Tee hee hee..

Lots of fish!

Then I bought lots of munchies from the supermarket for them in return. *Grin*

Patchee Turns 28

[updated on 17th December 2007]

Gee.. Can't believe that it's been a year since my last birthday! And this time around, we have Baby to celebrate with us... From within the womb! *Grin*

Daddy and Mummy has been away for a pilgrimage trip to India. So I had a quiet pre-celebration somewhere near Terminal 3 on Sunday with Hubby and his friends. Today, I spent the entire day with Hubby and Sis at The Curve/Cineleisure/Ikano - lunch at Kenny Roger's, watched Bee Movie, walked a bit, and then dinner at Paddington's Pancakes.

So many pancakes!!

The cool presents I got this year, even though they're all pregnancy-related...

Hubby: The bestest, bestest birthday gift ever - BABY!!!! *Grin*

Sis: Mango Body Butter from Body Shop. Yummy smell! And oh, a birthday cake suprise! Double yum!

Princess: Pregnancy Countdown book. This is so darn cute! Measures the baby's growth according to fruit sizes and there's always something to read for each day throughout the entire pregnancy!

Chef, Footitie, Xiao Ping and Blur Sotong: Stretch mark removal cream from The Natural Source.

The birthday calls from Aneh, Wan Nei (happy birthday to you too!!!), Pa, Virgin Boy (from Melbourne), Labu, and a truly suprising one from Moorish (now in Houston). Thank you, peops! *Hugz*

The birthday SMS-es...

"Hi... Patchee... Happy birthday... Wish u a great year ahead, happy always and may ur dreams come true.. Take care!" - Suwee

"Patchee dear, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! may dis birthday bring more wealth, happiness n love in ur life. have fun on ur special day! *hugsnkisses*" - Curry Ayam

"To someone with a beautiful heart... Happy Birthday! Wish you luck and happiness today and all year through! :)" - Sek Long

"Happy birthday to u!" - Gastric

"Happy birthday!" - Bubble

"Happy Birthday! Have a good one ya :)" - Telco Boy

"Happy birthday girl.. first bday w 2 heartbeats.. so cool" - Sue

"Happy birthday patchee! Wish you the best of luck and the best of health for the 3 of you. :)" - Chef

"Happy birthday patchee! And congrats on your pregnancy too! you're gonna be a mom! Unbelievable!" - Spike in Sydney

"Many happy returns of the day my lovely Sunshine. May u have a wonderful day. Make sure ur hubby spoils u." - BP guy

"Happy Birthday Patchee! Have a great day. Cheers." - Poop Shooter

"Happy birthday patchee! Hope u have d best one ever! Love to baby too! Take care! xoxo" - NZ couple

"Happy birthday.. And many happy returns of the day. :D" - Ma

"Patchee. Happy birthday! Hope you enjoy the rest of your day off with lk (lou kong)!" - Mighty Dan

"Happy birthday la wahahaha pigi mana celebrate? 2molo must come ah." - Hedgie

"Happy birthday! Wishing u many many happy returns, especially with a new member to ur little family. ;)" - Blur Sotong

"Happy bday! Now your turn, how to celebrate?" - Soo Soo Monster now in Paris

"Oikkk happy birthday! hehe.. And another year older liao. :) *hugz*" - Der Der

"Happy Birthday!" - Cow

"Happy Birthday mrs.Inspector. Hehehe.. May u have a good year ahead of u." - Sabby

"Hi! Happy birthday. Another year older, another year wiser. :) Best wishes!" - FRG still in Bangladesh

"Happy birthday patchee!" - Seng Kor

"Happy happy happy burfday! May all ur wishes come true!" - Gummy

Thank you, thank you so much, all of you!!! Thank you Hubby, family, in-laws, buddies (from near and far!) and my colleagues (ex and current) for all the good wishes, kind thoughts and lovely gifts!!! May God bless each and everyone of you!!! *Hugz*

Baby Thoughts

[updated on 17th December 2007]

Come two more days, I'll be turning 28. How time flies!

I was telling Hubby a while ago that it would be okay if he ever forgets my birthday, our anniversary dates and whatever other occasions. I really don't mind at all. Just as long as he will always, always remember Baby's forthcoming birthday. *Grin*

I wonder when exactly will Baby arrive. So exciting!

Infected

[updated on 17th December 2007]

I had been experiencing short, sharp pains on my lower abdomen. Feeling very worried, I did some search over the Internet and came up with 3 possibilities - it's normal due to the stretching of ligaments; pending miscarriage (horror!) or an infection.

Left work early to consult Doc. Good news is that Baby is fine and healthy. *Phew* But true enough, I've had a mild UTI (urinary tract infection). Apparently Doc said that it's common amongst women, but even more common to get during pregnancy because everything just slows down, hence more easily prone to contract bacteria infection.

Thank goodness it's still very mild and can be treated with some antibiotics and a box of Ural, which has 12 granule sachets (like Eno) to re-acidize the urine. But if it goes untreated, the infection can possibly attack the kidneys, resulting in pre-term labor.

The visit set me back by almost 200 bucks. Learnt my lesson well. I'll have to drink lots and lots of water from now on. :( I must take good care of myself even more now. I'd do anything for Baby, coz Baby is our precious little one!

But the happiest thing is that Baby is nicely tucked within the sac, bigger and longer too! We even saw Baby's head and legs, so human-like!!! At almost 9 weeks, Baby is now measuring 18.5mm from crown to rump (buttock). We also heard Baby's heartbeat again, just to be sure. Tee hee hee!

3D Pregnancy Site

[updated on 17th December 2007]

While Hubby was surfing the net for baby names yesterday, he stumbled into a pregnancy website, 3D Pregnancy which provides rotatable 3D images of the growing baby in the womb. So darn cool! It has descriptions for the baby, mummy and sometimes for daddy too, and oh, some helpful tips! I like the part where it tells you the size and weight of the baby, and a summary of the baby's growth like for Week 8,

Size : 3/4 inch (2cm)
Weight : less than 2 grams
"During this week, I will get eyes and hands and flipper-like feet, just like a tadpole".

Super cute and 'tis so exciting!!!

2 Birthdays & A Wedding

[updated on 14th December 2007]

Today had been truly wonderful.

I woke up to a lovely breakfast suprise from Mummy in conjunction with my lunar birthday today. *Grin*

2 red eggs and a butter bun

Shortly after that, got dressed up and drove out to pick up Labu to attend Hammie's wedding buffet lunch at Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort. It was really nice to be able to reunite with all the colleagues from my previous company. Just didn't seem as if we had even parted at all! Had only shared the good news with those close colleagues and they were just as excited as me! :)

After lunch, got a call from Hubby telling me that he bought me 5 packets of fresh roses (of colours red, dark pink, champagne, light pink and yellow), all for only 10 bucks! So darn cheap!!!

Picked him up once he had returned from Cameron's, we headed back to my parents' place and all of us went to La Bodega for a small pre-birthday celebration for Daddy.

Can't remember the names of the yummy dishes, sorry!

Hubby and I finally got back to our home sweet home, and we both excitedly trimmed the roses and arranged them in a vase before placing it on the coffee table. So nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a wonderful ending to a wonderful day/lunar birthday! *Grin*

Bleargh

[updated on 14th December 2007]

Being pregnant can undoubtedly be so exhausting and sometimes frustrating.

Nowadays I'm usually very tired and tend to snooze a bit at work. At least my manager, Big Brother is understanding. I told him about the pregnancy the next day after we found out about it. He, having 2 kids of his own, immediately threw out advices and whatever 'pantang larangs' he knew of. He had also loaned me a couple of classical CDs to listen to, which apparently is good for Baby's brains. My colleagues, one by one, knew about the pregnancy too, especially after witnessing me almost hurling over lunch one day. Hehe.. They're all very kind and thoughtful though. Even though I'm just 8 weeks pregnant, they're already helping me pick up things and be wary on what I do, where I go.

It's the same back home. Only that Hubby's more protective. He had forbidden me to do any heavy housechores. In fact, not even sweeping the floor nor washing the dishes. *Sighz* This is the frustrating part coz all these while, I've been doing the chores and suddenly I'm cut off from doing them. All I'm allowed to do is to rest, sleep, eat, watch tv, sleep, read and sleep. Feel darn bad coz Hubby has to do all the housechores. :(

Now that Hubby has gone up to Cameron Highlands again today (this time it's some sort of a company event), I'm staying over at my parents' place. Mummy's always trying to make me eat and drink something. She didn't believe me when I told her that I have evening sickness until I really threw up the entire dinner. And then she fed me even more. *Sighz* Can't blame her though, she cares a lot.

Anyway, I promised Hammie to help him make a presentation slideshow for his wedding this coming Saturday. So, gotta go!

PS:- Happy birthday, dear Sis!!!!! *Hugz*

Baby's "First" Trip

[updated on 13th December 2007]

At 7 and a half weeks, Baby was already travelling to Cameron Highlands in Mummy's womb. I suddenly felt like a kangaroo. Tee hee hee..

Hubby and I joined my family up to the highlands yesterday. It was some sort of a family trip before Sis flies off to Hong Kong early next month to work and eventually, get married and live there.

We stayed a night at the apartments in Hotel Equatorial. Just cozy enough for the 5, sorry, 6 of us. *Grin* We ate a lot, did a lot of shopping at the veggie and flower stalls. To think that there's nothing much you can buy in Cameron's, we have Mummy and Sis buying loads of corns, veggies, gerberas, cactus, flavoured tea bags and even a chilli plant!

Lots and lots of food!

We also took the time to buy a few cake slices to celebrate Sis' lunar birthday later at night. It was a good trip. Well, besides the fact that Mummy was extra cautious about what I eat and drink. She even insisted of holding my hand while crossing the roads or even just walking. Tsk tsk... :)

Baby Goes A-Thumping

[updated on 13th December 2007]

Hubby and I went for our second visit to the gynae's today to hear the heartbeat. For the past entire week, I've been praying that Baby is healthy and strong. Call me crazy if you will, but I've even begun talking to Baby, telling Baby every day that Baby must be healthy and strong, and give us a loud, loud heartbeat.

Today, we heard it really loud and clear. It was really fast, almost twice the rate as a normal adult's. Like the sound of a galloping horse. It was really exciting and amazing, to be able to hear a little someone inside of me, his/her heart beating away!! I'd give anything to just keep hearing the heartbeat all the time! *Grin*

Am really thankful that the pregnancy is more viable now. Now I can safely join my family for a trip up to Cameron Highlands tomorrow. By the way, did I mention that Mummy's already been talking about what kind of school to send the little fella to, and what career field should he/she venture into? *Faints*

It's Baby!!

[updated on 12th December 2007]

Prior to the discovery of the pregnancy, I had been noticing an itching bulge on my tummy. Hubby even called me Fatty when I told him about it. Hehe.. And there was the constipation, tiredness, nauseaness and vomitting.. And of course, the missed period. Everything just became so crystal clear now.

We finally consulted a gynae today to confirm the pregnancy. Doc explained that we were about 6 and a half weeks pregnant and he would expect to see a sac and the baby within it through the ultrasound scan. The moment he said that I would need to do a blood test, my blood pressure and heartbeat rates practically shot up. Thank goodness I didn't have to do it today. *Phew*

I got propped up onto the examination bed, with Hubby standing by my side. Doc applied some cold jelly onto the scanner and placed the scanner onto my tummy. We saw the uterus as he zoomed deeper to the sac and a little dot within it. That little dot is Baby after all! So thankful it is not an ectopic pregnancy (thank you, thank you!!). The dot was really minute that there were many times I lost sight of the dot and had to interrupt Doc to ask him where was the dot. Tee hee hee.....

We are at 6 and a half weeks now, but could barely hear Baby's little heartbeat. Doc prescribed some vitamins (Folic acid and yucky Calcium) for me to take daily, and arranged to meet us again in a month's time. But we would need to go back next week to hear the heartbeat. Then only could he confirm the viability of the pregnancy.

'Tis soooooooooooooooo exciting!!! We ARE indeed gonna be parents!! Baby is expected to join us on 26th June 2008. Can't wait, can't wait!!! *GRIN*