mummy's little girl at 18 weeks


....and swelling with pride

For You I Will
When you're feeling lost in the night,
When you feel your world just ain't right
Call on me, I will be waiting
Count on me, I will be there
Anytime the times get too tough,
Anytime your best ain't enough
I'll be the one to make it better,
I'll be there to protect you,
See you through,
I'll be there and there is nothing
I won't do.

I will cross the ocean for you
I will go and bring you the moon
I will be your hero your strength
Anything you need
I will be the sun in your sky
I will light your way for all time
Promise you,
For you I will.

I will shield your heart from the rain
I will let no harm come your way
Oh these arms will be your shelter
No these arms won't let you down,
If there is a mountain to move
I will move that mountain for you
I'm here for you, I'm here forever
I will be your fortress, tall and strong
I'll keep you safe,
I'll stand beside you, right or wrong

I will cross the ocean for you
I will go and bring you the moon (yeah, yeah)
I will be your hero your strength
anything you need (I will be..)
I will be the sun in your sky
I will light your way for all time
Promise you
For you I will

For you I will, lay my life on the line
For you I will fight, oooooh
For you I will die
With every breath, with all my soul
I'll give my world
I'll give it all
Put your faith in me (put you're faith in me)
And I'll do anything

I will cross the ocean for you (I will cross the ocean for you)
I will go and bring you the moon
I will be your hero your strength
Anything you need
I will be the sun in your sky
I will light your way for all time
Promise you (Promise you)
For you I will, I will, I will, I will,

I will cross the ocean for you
I will go and bring you the moon
I will be your hero your strength
Anything you need, (Anything you need)
I will be the sun in your sky (yeah, yeah)
I will let you wait for all times
Promise you (I promise you)
For you I will (Ooooh)
I promise you
For you I will

Updates!

Our little princess is doing some acrobat stunts inside even as i'm typing this! haha... She was awake during our dinner too. But her nudges were too faint for Zack to feel. They really felt like bubbles or little flutters (i call them butterfly kisses :))

Started feeling them since last weekend (17 weeks). Or rather, i was sure it was her. I've been feeling stuff for the past couple weeks but just couldnt differentiate what from what. (Oh i felt a light graze across my lower abs at 14 weeks! We were in the car when it happened. I'm pretty sure it was her :)) Now i'm feeling her everyday! And pretty often too: morning, afternoon, dinner, very late at night :)

She also had a sudden growth spurt these 2-3 weeks.. my tummy just suddenly grew! It's really exciting yet terrifying at the same time. I see many changes to my body after every couple of days it's quite scary i'm telling u! But i'm happy she is growing! Grow well little one.. be strong and healthy :)

I'm proud to say i've been eating well too (which can really be a chore). Plenty of cereal, milk, fruits, veg :S, white meat, no pork (Zack is not allowing me too). Zack said what the mummy eats during gestation affects the baby's future health as well. So i'm on a strictly no-pork diet. Which can be a torture while eating prawn noodles and the fat slices of pork kept swimming into your spoon :S

Good thing i've lost my sweet tooth and dont feel like chocolates or ice-cream which are empty calories. But today.... i'm feeling like prata! Maybe i'll reward myself and indulge.. :P And i'm trying to coax Zack into letting me drink pao pao cha :P. It's been a week since i last had a cup!

Alrighty, i'm gonna go name hunting! We kinda fixed on a name already but still scouting around for something better. I gotta stop Zack from calling her by that name lest that name stuck and she gets confused if we found something else later.. haha! But i find myself calling her by that too.. hahah. We really like that name :) But it's not our final answer.. yet *winks*


oh she's stretching inside!!

2nd trimester: 18 weeks / 5 mths!

How our princess's growing:
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

How mummy life's changing:
Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.

Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.

From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.

If you haven't already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you'll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby's growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you're working with is accurate, and see how many babies you're carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby's first photo album!
(no calls from KKH! yayyyyy!!!)

beanie's first present!

.....from lovely Auntie YY :)
all the way from the States!

but she gotta wait til she's 3 months old before she can wear it :)
isn't it so sweet and adorable??
our little gal is so fortunate.. all the aunties and jie jies dote on her so much..
and i'm touched.. really touched.

see lah yy... early morning make me tear.. :) *hugs*

"i can see 3 lines.."

so.......

*drumroll*

Zack and Ju are having a little PRINCESS!!!!!!!! *beams*

so Daddy said he will buy our little darling a pink Adidas crib shoe (3 lines)... hahahhaha!


Needless to say.. Zack is OVER THE MOON!

he's always wanted a little gal.. daddy's little gal :) One who looks like mummy (thats so sweet *tears*) I just told him i want a mini zack next, one as cute as Daddy :)

and also, needless to say.. I'm in complete shock. Still am at times!

cos i was dead sure we'll be having a boy. Why? Cos of Zack's family lineage

here goes: Zack has...
6 uncles 1 auntie - father's side
5 uncles 1 auntie (so 2 daughters including mum) - mother's side
12 cousins: 10 male 2 female - father's side
1 nephew (male!) from Melvin - father's side

the gender gene is passed down from the male line so that's a whopping 80% chance of a boy! Even Zack's mum said we'll most likely get a boy.. haha.

though there were times i had a haunting suspicion it might be a gal - u noe, expect the unexpected :P And i had a dream when i was a few weeks pregnant of Zack holding a baby gal.. she is sooo cute! Very fair with big dark eyes. Ok that might not count cos i had too many dreams which were completely weird!

let's just hope that 5% wouldnt swell up to 100%! :P

maybe i'll go check if Dr Tee's predictions are usually accurate.. heh. Zack said he is the most senior of the senior consultants in KKH and i dun reckon he is an Associate Prof for nothing. Those years of experience should count! :P

In any case, boy or girl... all babies are blessings from God :) I already love her the minute i knew of her existence. Just want a healthy adorable baby, some good looks wouldnt hurt either! ;)

I cant wait to go shopping for my little princess! Those little pink outfits are too adorable!

and it seems like Zack's wish on the shooting star really came true! :D

oh if u dont get the "3 lines", it suggests the labia :)

10 points goes to that person who can tell beanie's gender from this ultrasound scan!

Probability of getting it right is 50! ;)

i know i'm mean. You can never tell! hahahhaha!

cos this scan is completely blur and measurement was not accurate, you can only make out the head which is at the bottom. Our little sweet bean is upside down! Head is at my cervix (no wonder i felt 2 small thuds there the other day!!!!!), legs high up towards my naval. We got an acrobat in the making!

Yeah due to beanie's position, we couldnt get a good scan pic. But.. Dr Tee was still able to tell us the gender! I was worried when he said the little one was in a very weird position.. and i was thinking, oh no.. is everything ok?? Does it mean we cant see? I then tried to see the head and we saw his tiny little toes! Skin is still very translucent and we could see the spine very clearly, even the vertebre. The hands were fisted up so couldnt see the fingers. Little heart too is pumping *tears* And beanie moved!!! oh my gosh...

Afrer awhile, Dr Tee went: "i think it's a ***"

*gasps* OMG! really??? I was in fact not prepared for a verdict so soon. Cos i tot he'll take awhile due to beanie's awkward position. Zack and i looked at each other in awe and i was trying so hard to hold back my chuckle.

He looked somemore and said "yeah.. 90% sure." Zack could see it too but i just couldnt :( I could only see the legs but not what's in between. After more looking, Dr Tee went: "The more i see it the more i'm sure. It's 95% *** :)"

Wow~ OMG...........

So yes...

....someone is very smug
....and someone is gobsmacked!

i must say it's a very pleasant surprise even if we did prepare ourselves for it. Zack a gal and me a boy. It still came as a shock.. haha.

it was an incredibly special moment for us.
twas almost like when we first found out i'm pregnant.
ok, i think nothing could beat that.

That look of pure joy and surprise on Zack's face when i waved the blue stick at him.... is etched permanently in my heart. We just stood here hugging and laughing.. speechless. I'm so positively sure i saw tears in his eyes! But being a macho man, he would never let them fall.. haha (but he teared on our wedding day!!)

so we're still basking :)
things are becoming so real for us.

now that my tummy is growing.. (i think Zack kisses my tummy more than he kisses me!) there is a little round hill between my pelvic bones even when i lie down! *glows*

and now we know beanie's sex.. it's like a bond is forged inexplicably.. between the 3 of us and i can't remember a time i felt happier or more blessed *tears* :)

now i'm praying for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby :)
did a screening and praying for NO calls from KKH!


Next up:
Our detailed scan with a sonographer: 17 March 2009


and we'll spill the beans in a few days' time! ;)

today is the 16th!!!
and i'm leaving office now.. our ob appointment is at 7.25pm!
Dr Tee said we can tell if beanie will be peeing standing up or sitting down today!

after 6 weeks, i cant wait to see beanie again!
i think i'll eat something sweet 15mins before so beanie will have a sugar rush.. haha.


ok beanie, if you cooperate later.. mummy will buy you a present!
nope, not telling you what it is.. so be good later! :)

2nd trimester: 16 weeks old and mummy treated beanie to his first taste of DURIAN!

How beanie's growing:
Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

How mummy's doing:
The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.

Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently

2nd trimester: 15 weeks!

How beanie's growing:
Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

How your life's changing:
You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now (a little more or less is fine, too) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up, for instance (whoa! i'm having stuffy/runny nose just as i'm typing this!), you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.

If you're having amniocentesis, it'll most likely happen between now and 18 weeks. This test can identify hundreds of genetic and chromosomal disorders. If you're getting very anxious while waiting for the results, it may help to know that most women who undergo amniocentesis get good news about their babies — bringing welcome relief from their worries.

Don't be surprised if you and your partner are feeling a little stressed out these days. Many pregnant couples worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomforts on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women.