RSAF 40th Anniversary Open House

I brought Bryan to the RSAF open house today. Bryan loved it. He was so excited to see all the big planes and helicopters up close. He kept pointing at the planes taking off at the runway, "There's another air-plane. There! Mommy! See!" There were so many different types of vehicles there today. From the F16 planes to the Apache helicopters to the small unmanned aircraft. He patiently queued up to see the planes and helicopters up close. He even had his photo taken sitting in the cockpit of an F5 fighter pilot.

Then there was the air display. It involved the fighter planes and helicopters and some trucks and troops. The F5s and F16s took off right in front of us. It was deafening. Bryan was given ear plugs and he still had to cover his ears. I was a little worried that he may have been traumatised by it. But he really enjoyed it. When I asked him which one he liked the best, he replied, "The noisy one." And he wanted to go again next year. In the meantime, he wants Daddy to, "show me how to drive the helicopter and airplane."

100th Blog Post

100th Blog Post! Isn't Bryan so adorable sleeping? He looks like his Daddy when he sleeps. Heh...

8 Months

1 more month plus to go. It's been quite an easy pregnancy so far. Except the backaches at night. But baby is getting bigger and heavier everyday. According to the scan yesterday, he's now 1.6kg. DEFINATELY a boy. And he's going to DOUBLE his weight in the next 8 weeks. Oh Boy. I already look like I have a watermelon stuffed under my shirt.

Baby on the other hand, seems happy. I felt him hiccup the other day. There is this rhythmic sort of jump that baby makes. Felt really weird. This pregnancy, I seem to be more in tune with baby. I felt him moving much earlier and I can feel which position he is in. I also feel my Braxton-Hicks contractions more this time too.

But it's getting a bit more exciting now. Although most of the stuff I already have, I will still have to set up the nursery and redo Bryan's room. Bryan's going to get a new and bigger bed, so that baby can have his old cot. I hope Bryan will react well to the changes...

Preschool Conversations

Overheard while our 4 year old neighbour stood outside our gate...
"Hello" says Isabella.
Bryan replies, "Hello!"
"Hello"
"Hello" and both of them giggle.
"What are you doing out there?" Bryan asks.
Isabella replies with, "What are you doing down there?"
And followed by more giggles.

Then later in the evening, his 5 year old cousin calls up and specifically asks to speak to Bryan.
"Hello", Bryan pauses.
"Yes?"
"Wait... MOMMY! CAN I GO TO KATELYN JIE JIE'S HOUSE?"
To which I answer, "No. You have a cough."
Bryan disappears out of the room with the phone, then reappears minutes later only to pass me the phone. "Katelyn jie jie wants to speak to mommy."
And I end up having to explain politely over the phone to my 5 year old niece that Bryan has a cough. Maybe another day.

Since when has my 3 year old suddenly been able to hold a conversation over the phone? And with another preschooler too. And what in the world could they be talking about?

Paid Maternity Leave

Currently, working mothers are eligible for 12 weeks of maternity leave. Maternity leave will be extended from 12 to 16 weeks for all Singaporean births on or after 1 Jan 2009.

How frustrating is that?!! My National Day wish was to have longer maternity leave. I prayed for an extra month. Maybe I should have been specific. Maybe I should have asked for an extra month with effect from 1 October 2008.

[Edit]:

"THE Government has brought forward the start date for the new parenthood perks, in response to parents-to-be who appealed for the change.
Instead of Jan 1 next year, the benefits will be given from Aug 17, the day Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the changes at his National Day Rally." Straits Times

Woo Hoo! My prayers have been answered!

Singapore Wins Silver in the Olympics!

After a 48 year drought, Singapore finally wins silver in the Olympics in table-tennis. We faced China in the finals, played well but ultimately lost to them. It was quite exciting and I have to say that China is really good. But I don't think anyone in Singapore was disappointed that we lost.

Meanwhile, I've just started in my new clinic at Bukit Timah. It's a bit further for me and not as close to my favourite shops. And parking may be an issue. But the clinic is much bigger, not too busy and the staff seems nice too. Me being me, I've just cleared up the room, and parked all the memos/equipment where I want it to be. I hope I like it as much as I did my old clinic.

Car Wash Helper

Bryan loves to help out with anything we are doing. And he enjoys copying things we do too. He has this car that he plays with all the time. And he uses it to 'go for holidays' or 'to the zoo'. Then he'd pull up at a 'Shell station' and 'pump petrol' and 'pump air for tyres'. Once Daddy helped him to wash his car and Bryan diligently took a cloth and dried and 'polished' his car. It was very cute. I can forsee him helping us to wash our cars.

Dusty National Day

An early new addition to the family. Dusty the lop eared bunny. Hubbie wanted to get Bryan a hamster. I didn't think it was a good idea because they were so small. So we settled on a bunny instead. And now Kandy our papillon has a new playmate. Would you believe they are almost the same size?

Oh and Happy 43rd Birthday Singapore. I have to admit though that I was a tad bit more excited about the Olympics. The opening ceremony was really great. So many great ideas, like the one with the giant scroll painting and the finale where the flame was lit. The Chinese really out did themselves. I can't wait for the closing ceremony.

(Not) Legalising Organ Trading

"The SMA (Singapore Medical Association) is not supportive of legalising organ trade. Apart from the well-recognised short and long-term medical risks to the organ seller, the potential for abuse and exploitation of socio-economically disadvantaged groups and individuals, and the insurmountable difficulties of enforcing organ trade regulations in a transparent and equitable way make it inappropriate for SMA to support any move towards legalising organ trade."

From the 49th SMA Council.

7 months and counting!

I'm now 2 months away from my second child. Then it's the sleepless nights all over again. This time I'll also have a 3 year old to look after as well. Hopefully I can find time for hubbie and myself in between.

So far, the whole pregnancy is going well. I'm only just about feeling some water retention now and then. I'm still able to fit into my shoes and my wedding ring. And I'm still tottering about in heels to work. The only aches I get are at night when I get into bed. Somehow being all stretched out lying flat doesn't bode well for my hips and spine. So far no stretch marks and I'm not as itchy as I used to be in my first pregnancy.

Baby's quite active and when he's in the wrong position or sticks his legs or arms into the wrong place, I get the sudden urge to rush to the toilet. But he's growing well, which is the important thing.

Bryan seems to take the whole idea of having a brother quite well. I think he's gotten used to the idea of mommy carrying a baby. He says 'Good night' and 'Hello' to my tummy once in a whole. I hope he'll be just as receptive to Baby once he is born.

For the next two months I'm going to focus on spending time with Bryan and hubbie before baby arrives. I am also going to try to clear up all the errands and work I have to do. Like catch up with my scrapbooking and post blog entries more frequently.

But time stops for no one. And I need more hours in my day.

Zoo Friends

We took Bryan out to the zoo with another couple and their 3 year old boy. Bryan ordinarily doesn't have anyone his age to play with except for school. It was quite different from the other times we went to the zoo. The two of them sort of hung out together and pointed out stuff to each other. It was quite cute to see them together. Although it was more of copying each other than playing together. But Bryan quite took to his new friend which was great. More play-dates in the future!