Brainstorm for a name

What's in a name? Great meanings? Parents' fav actors/singers? Something unique?

We've been thinking of what to name our little Princess since the day we found out her gender. I googled at chinese websites and had a whole list of very nice names for her. Unfortunately most sounded weird when we add in the surname, Chee = 朱 = Zhu (in hanyu pinyin) = same pronounciation as PIG in chinese/canto. What a headache!

Meanwhile my sister happily gave her a name = 朱咪咪 (zhu mimi) named after a HK actress. And we've been calling her Mimi or Princess since then ;p

Big scare from bb

June 6 - We went for gynae check-up and did the OSCAR test which tests for probability of Down Syndrome (DS). It consists of a blood test and a more detailed scan that measures the neck thickness of bb. The gynae took a long time to measure the neck and he looked unusually stern then. When the scan was over, he told us bb's neck thickness is above the normal range. In other words, bb is considered at risk of DS. Our hearts sank. The option was either to do a more detailed testing known as CVS which is the drawing of placenta cells from the womb or live with the risk. Doctor didn't even bother to proceed with the blood test.

We were at a loss. CVS testing carries a risk of miscarriage and we didn't want to subject bb to such a risk. What if the test comes out negative but we lose bb as a result of CVS? If we don't do the test, are we able to handle bb if the risk probability turns out to be true? It was a hard decision to make. Hubby's take was to take the DS risk while I wanted to do CVS for a confirmed answer. Finally we went to ask Guan Yin Ma for advice. It was an average lot but both lots had same meaning of "bb will be protected by mother". It still didn't put our minds to ease so the next day I went for the OSCAR blood test.

June 9 - Clinic called in the morning with bad news. With the blood test result & neck thickness result combined, my risk of DS is 1:248, meaning a risk of DS baby out of 248 babies. Normal ratio for my age group is 1:500+. The nurse told me to think through whether I can accept the risk ratio or do CVS. As hubby & I had a discussion on this b4 the call, I immed scheduled the CVS test the same day in the late afternoon. Unfortunately hubby was at work and couldn't be with me during the procedure.

The procedure was done at the clinic. It's a good thing I'm not afraid of needles, else I think might have fainted. First was a small needle to numb the area, then a bigger/longer needle to reach the placenta, finally an even longer needle to extract the cells. All the while I could see the doctor in action and on the ultrascan screen at the same time. The nurse was very nice, held on to my hand for most of the time. Doctor also gave me a little bear to grab on. The whole things was over in around 15-20mins and I was led to a recovery room to rest for the next hour. Doctor did another scan after that to ensure bb's ok then I left. Hubby arrived soon after to bring me home. For the next few days I was on bed rest most of the time. We were moody and tried not to talk about the test.

June 14 - Clinic called with good news in the morning. Really a great relief! Also found out the gender as CVS checks all the chromosomes, including that of gender. We've a little princess!

Glad everything turned out well. Nowadays hubby will on/off "scold" little princess for scaring us :)

The day a red line appeared

April 10 - My period was a day late. Usually it doesn't bother me but on this day it did. It just didn't seem right for my period to be late w/o the usual PMS. So I used a pregnancy strip my sister gave me to test in the morning. A faint red line appeared. Positive? I didn't believe it.

We had a family buffet lunch @Parkroyal Hotel (Beach Rd) that day. As we were early, I went to buy a pregnancy test kit from Watsons nearby. I tested at the hotel lobby toilet. Once again, a faint red line appeared. I was in a half believe state. When I was out, hubby's first words were "How come u took so long in the toilet? LS ah?" My answer "I think I'm pregnant. " Hubby's reply "HUH??? U sure???"

In case you're wondering, we both wish to have a kid soon and had been trying for the past 3 months. However I gave up on using ovulation strips just after a month and relied on iphone's app (calendar method) instead. We never expected to strike at the 3rd month coz we thot it'll take maybe a year or so to conceive, esp coz I had taken contraceptive pills for 2 mths (so that I can enjoy my wedding & honeymoon) before we started trying.

We didn't mention anything to my family during lunch and I still feasted on sashimi that day.

April 11 - My birthday. Had a nice day out with hubby but all the while our minds were on the accuracy of the urine test ;p Finally decided to invest in an expensive digital test kit ($20?). By then I was actually quite sure it's positive but just needed something to re-confirm. I broke the news to my sister coz I had booked a 2D1N Batam resort stay that weekend and thot it's best I don't go and let her have the room. But no one could make it for the trip.

April 12 - Tested it in the morning before I went to work. Double confirmed!! :) Happily left the kit in the toilet for hubby to see when he wakes up. Made appointment with gynae for check-up. Also cancelled the Batam trip. Luckily no cancellation charge coz it's 3 days in advance. Told my family later in the week but didn't tell my in-laws till the gynae visit.


April 29 - 1st gynae visit and 1st glimpse of the little one. At gestation wk 6, it's just a tiny mass with no visible feature but we could hear the heartbeat. The feeling of hearing bb's heartbeat was wonderful.

5 months after the start of our journey as husband & wife, we're now starting on a new journey together as Daddy & Mummy. Really looking forward to it!

Strange couple

People often say the longer a couple is together, the more alike they look. In our case, after being together for 2.5 yrs, of which we see each other everyday for past 6 mths, I still don't see how alike we look. But one thing for sure, we're picking up each other's bad habits! One funny habit he picked up from me is that of talking to dolls and stuffed toys. He even plays with them and can't sleep without his stuffed dog these days. This was never the case before he met me. When he saw how I treated my darling AhKe, he felt I was a bit siao. Now he is just as siao. Nowadays he'll kiss me & AhKe before he goes to work. I've always thought besides my father, no other guy will join in my crazy fantasy world with dolls & toys. I'm glad I found the other guy. In fact now he's crazier than me. He talks to his car too!

It's the thought that counts

Hubby isn't the type who showers me with flowers & gifts coz he finds it impractical and a waste of money. Not even on special occassions like my birthday unless I bug him about it for days. Expensive gifts? That's even more rare coz I'm not a jewellry nor branded goods person and he also don't find it worthwhile. I think to date, the most expensive gift is my wedding band, followed by my iphone. Oh, plus the annual short trips to Malaysia/Batam sponsored by him. I used to envy friends who were showered with nice gifts. But now I realise I have the best gift of all. His love & care.

He'll cover me with blanket when i kick it off at night, turn the shades to darken the room if I'm still sleeping in morning, turn down the tv/radio volume when i doze off at home/in car, keep the last slice of bread for my breakfast while he eat biscuits, wait till late hours to fetch me home after my chill-out with friends, buy me special shampoo & hair tonic when he noticed I'm suffering hair loss, give me shoulder massages when I'm tired. And the list goes on. I feel loved and am very appreciative of what he does.

I'm not sure what I've done for him. I always throw tantrums and bully him. Last night I felt especially guilty when I found out he didn't eat dinner. He was on leave, relaxing at home. Instead of going home, I went for dinner for colleagues and left him alone at home and told him to standby to fetch me home at 10pm. Although in the end he joined my colleagues & I at the ktv from 10pm to 2am, I knew if given a choice he'd rather stay at home.

It's time I stop taking him for granted. I will now spend more quality time with him and stop bullying him. And learn to cook better so that he can enjoy home-cooked meals more often.

Our story

I wanted to create an e-invite but couldn't find a template I liked. I also wanted to tell people the story of how we met. So blogspot came to mind.

The restricted access to the site caused some problems for some of them, but most managed to view it. Now that the wedding's over, it's unrestricted access now.

Here is our story.......http://yongxiangbaoling.blogspot.com