Thank you to all who love me...

Okay, I'm here to confess that I've broken my promise to find time during the weekend to blog. But here I am making up for it :)

Reason for my missing-in-action this past weekend was cos I was feeling terrible.
My throat's killing me, I'm coughing, I've got a terrible headache, nausea, and on top of that, fever.
Crappy indeed.
As I told baby, what's worse than being sick while pregnant? The answer: being sick while pregnant.
I went to the doctor and he just said to rest and drink water.
Cos I'm pregnant, no antibiotics, no cough medicines, nothing.
Even the chemist said only thing I can take is the mildest Strepsils to soothe my throat. Won't solve anything, but it'll soothe.
Not much, but better than nothing.
Even taking 2 panadols when I was running a fever, the word GUILT couldn't have popped up in my head any faster.
I've managed to avoid medication all these pregnant months until now, so sorry little one, but this shall be your first dose of western medication.
Oh well, sorry but mummy's gotta sleep.
Baby's still coughing and everything too, but he was taking such good care of me that I feel guilty.
He was cooking, getting me water, giving me back massages, not minding that he spent a whole evening cooking and all I could stomach was 2 slices of bread... I almost feel as though I don't deserve him.
Thank you baby, for taking care of me, although you passed on your virus to me in the first place :p

We were planning on taking pictures of my belly this weekend cos it's the 18 week mark already, but I was in a mess (appearance wise) and pretty much dead on the couch most of the weekend so nothing much was done.
Next weekend? :)
But yes, we're 18 weeks now, almost halfway there and just 10 days to baby gender scan :)
Baby has been experimenting with my belly this weekend.
Playing Lady Gaga from his phone directly at my belly, and feeling baby dance around in there.
He found that so amusing I couldn't help but laugh although the kid was bouncing on my bladder and possibly punching my kidneys.
But I insisted that our little one's musical education cannot consist of Lady Gaga, no matter how much he/she likes it. So he played Bob Marley and Justin Timberlake. I think JT was more of a success :p
good taste, little one.
Sunday morning when I got up, I could feel what seemed like the kid's head low in my belly so I asked baby to come have a feel.
He was so amazed and couldn't stop giggling... the look on his face was so cute :p

I'm still sick, but work beckons. Not cos I'm a workaholic, but cos to have this kid, we can't be income-less. I may not be earning much at about 3k per month, it's still 3k per month right?
Right.
Enough motivation to get me out from under those covers on a 6 degree celcius morning like today and one the train for a 1 hour journey to work.
Oh and we got a Gold Coast holiday coming up, not the best timing in terms of our finances, but we need the break. So coming to work will help :)
Baby also promised me that we'll be alright and everything will work out. And I trust him because for 3 years now, he's been right :)

Ok enough about my griping and about our little one dancing to Lady Gaga. I want to thank some people here.
Firstly, my sisters.
Chloe did this wonderful piece of work with pictures of us when we were little and a pretty touching my funny poem about sisters, which my mum brought over from SG for me.
I loved it and I'll take a picture of it and post it here when I have the time.
Only thing though, is I realised I looked like an alien when I was growing up.
Big hair, spidery limbs, big glasses.
Completely ugly standing next to the cutest little kid named Chloe.
Not fair :p
And she's been stalking my blog everyday and giving me encouragements and even wanting to fly over to accompany me when I was gonna be alone.
So thank you to you for making me feel loved.
And Chantal wrote me a wonderful letter that was equally as touching, and Jude brought back a pair of the tiniest shoes she made for Baby A :)
I love!
Thank you to you too my lovely baby sister :)
Now I'm expecting more for your niece/nephew!
Then one day when you become a fampus designer I'll blackmail you with your unevenly-knitted scarf that we unfortunately love, and funny-looking but the cutest-looking baby shoes. Hahahaha!
Ok next, Edna :) I got the 2 little onesies you asked Jude to bring back, and I love them!
They look like boy clothes a little, but I have no qualms about dressing my baby girl in boy clothes if I have to :p but we still dunno yet, so it's ok :)
I love love love them... thanks sweetie :)
And thank you for all the encouragement you've given me, for all your prayers for us, and for being so completely wonderful :)

And Rozy! I love the random messages I get from my sayang, and although we don't communicate much, I know we're in each other's hearts and thoughts.
Thanks sayang for caring and for being there. I love ya~!

Hmmm... Mummy! I don't think I could have gotten through that time apart from Jude if it wasn't for her and Drago being around.
She was supportive and showed me how much she cares and loves me, so it made everything a little more bearable... and seeing the strength in her made me feel like I needed to prove I have that kind of strength too.
Not to mention it's just nice to have her to share pregnancy thoughts with... I love my mummy...

Ok and Drago too, for leaving his teddy bear for Baby A,
for chattering and keeping me distracted,
for entertaining himself without complaining when I slept most of the day when he was here :)

Oh and thank you mummy for all the baby clothes and stuff you bought for me and your grandbaby...
I love them. Especially that pajama set with the little hat :D

I got a lovely snail mail card from Sabrina and it made my day when I opened my letter box on the way to work in the morning and saw it :)
As I said on Friday, I love snail mail. And I will reciprocate that...
I'm incredibly happy that she's getting stronger by the day, glad that my words helped her some.
I love you, and many other people do too... so come to me if you ever need someone to talk to :)

Had my 3-month performance review with the head-of-school this morning and all's good, he's happy with everything I've been doing so I'm relieved.
Relieved that all those sick days and leave days I've taken haven't had a negative impact.
I've really taken alot of days off in the last few months!
But I guess that's my entitlement right?
Anyway, during that meeting, I also told him that I'll be looking to finish up here on or around October 25th, when I'd be about 34 weeks.
That'll be the best time because it'll conclude a full 7 calendar months from the date I started, which entitles me to 7 weeks of paid parental leave.
Plus it's the last week of the semester, which means it'll be quiet enough for me to be able to handover and train the new person, while giving that person a week or 2 to get familiar with stuff before the craziness of results, supplementary exams and unit outlines hit.
So now, I have a date to countdown too! less than 4 more months to go :))))
Let's countdown to this before we countdown to EDD la huh.
I think 34 weeks is a sensible time to stop, especially if I have to keep commuting an hour each way like this.
It'll give me time to get ready, physically and mentally for the little one's arrival, and also to make sure everything is ready in the house.
I'll be able to go for childbirth and breastfeeding classes without worrying about taking leave from work too.
People (including my doctor) say that babies can arrive up to 2 weeks earlier than their due date and still be considered full term, so if that's the case for Baby A, at least I wouldn't be caught off guard at work and not ready in any way.
I just hope that my body holds up well enough to last me till then, without any problems that will force me to stop work earlier.
*fingers crossed* cos goodness knows we need that full 7 weeks of paid leave I can get, which will amount to about 5k, covering all medical expenses relating to the baby's birth and scans and all.
So yes... so near yet so far.
Feels like a long way more to go, but I also know that when the time comes it'll feel like it just flew by.
Time to start the countdown!
Exactly 16 weeks to go!

I love having morning meetings at work, because before I know it, it's almost lunch time.
How wonderful :)
If only I have afternoon meetings that will bring home time closer as well.

I think having my own office has its cons, as much as its pros.
Time passes awfully slowly when you have nothing to do and no one to talk to.
But then again, I don't wanna talk to the lecturers.
They are a bunch of snobby academics, save a few of them who are really nice people.
Oh well. I kinda miss Hobsons and the gang of people there though.

Anyway, time to start pretending to be busy and stop blogging.

Hey there little one,
you have made daddy very happy with your antics this weekend and although I don't like that you seem to like Lady Gaga, I will try and re-educate you accordingly.
Let's hope you don't remember this.
I love it that you have started making big kicks and shoving your elbows or fists into my internal organs because I'm constantly reminded of your presence.
I love that you're always there :)
Perhaps the only thing not so lovable is when you decide to sit directly above my bladder, forcing me to run to the toilet with intense urgency, only to find little relief with just a few tiny drops of pee.
But still, I'll take it. And daddy will just have to deal with me flushing the toilet more often than he likes. I'm sure you heard him say "each flush costs me 20 cents!".
Hahaha! He's a hilarious one, isn't he?
I hope you take after him in that aspect... being funny and being money-wise.
I wonder what you'll learn from each of us as you grow up... I wonder about what we will each impart to you...
And I'll leave that musing to another time :)
Stay safe and keep growing strong my little one...
Mummy and daddy loves you very much.