::PREGNANCY:: Baby M, Baby D!

Here's our Baby Murphy hanging out with Baby D!

Yawnz

Daydream

What's a didi? Is it yummy??

Listening to me

YAY! to a name!

There ll no longer be an identity confusion around in the house!

::PREGNANCY:: 35 weeks

 Decided to get some workout in this weekend!

Been 2 months since I last hit the pool and I almost forgot the fabulous feeling of a post-swim!

SUPER SHIOK YO!

And here's a bump shot of my 35-week old belly

We are almost there now.

::PREGNANCY:: Fashionidisastar

DON'T judge a waddling woman with a shoe misfit. 

These days, I found feet solace in the most comfortable shoe I have had all along.

My Adi fluid trainers.

The feet has grown from size 36 to size 38 in prettyfit and gripz - the only 2 places I found decently padded undersoles in a pretty pair of flats. 

The first 2 pairs were covered and soon gave me a bad toenail crack.

Just as I have given up searching for a good shoe, I found my 3rd pair which fit all criteria - pretty with a blingz ribbon, decent rubber soles, comfy pig skin and peep toe. 

I have been wearing it for 3 months now and I thought it would last me till the end of this whale-ling journey. Sadly, it started to give me a swollen feet lately due to the restriction of blood flow from the snug fit. 

It wouldn't make sense to start the whole shoe hunt again since I know how hard it is to find something decent plus I technically only have 3 more weeks to go till full term. PLUS the feet really don't fancy WALKING now as it aches and tires easily. Shopping is definitely out of the question. Potentially fruitless shopping is definitely not going to happen. 

I sadly thought I was going to turn up on the streets in my crocs.

I actually weighed this decision very carefully - the cons of going on a shoe shopping trip on my tired feet that is going to be potentially fruitless vs the cons of being seen in non-casual wear and in the CBD in the big head purple crocs till I birth. Neither appealed more than the other. 

I thought of just putting up with the daily swell since it actually de-swells if you give it a good rub during the night. 

But last week, since we had an exercise session at the antenatal class, which got me really excited about getting pumped up again, I started to put together the gears for my first 'gym' session in monthssss. Sadly, the gym tops I used to wear now ride high on my belly.

Something like this

Hmm.. the 'beauty' of pregnancy is a bit misleading here, maybe something like this is more reflective of the reality. heh!

Although the cuteness is overstated here too...

I resorted to wearing the man's shapeless Tshirt and my maternity shorts for the workout.

How sexy.

For the shoes, I was just being hopeful that I could still fit into my only pair of trainers. 

I dug it out from the shoe cabinet and VIOLA! Despite the 2 size upgrade in my pretty shoes, the trainers still fit!!! :D:D

So here I am, a happy trotter in my Adi trainers!

DO NOT JUDGE ME AH.

::PREGNANCY:: Keeping Active!

The 2km walks to the Singapore Expo used to be such a breeze. We would take a leisurely stroll there and back if we had no intention of bringing back any major purchases. 

After being a lazy ass for several weeks - I haven't been swimming, we decided to take a walk to Expo on Sunday for Murphy to meet some furry friends. He has also been bumming around the house  during the weekend. So it was time for our lazy asses to get some adrenalin kicking in!

Passing Sunbird

And we made it in one piece!! 

-At 34 weeks-

Lugging around all that extra weight for the 'workout' gave my poor feet an ache the next morning! And Murphy started snoring really loudly at 9ish that night. 

How unfit are we!

Luckily all those previous bodypump and cycling sessions have been really useful in prepping the body for pregnancy. N&I attended our 2nd antenatal class (exercise class) last week and realised more than half the ladies in class suffer from backaches. 

Through these 34 weeks, I gathered there are 2 important areas to workout on pre-preg:

Abdominal Muscles

During pregnancy, the belly stretches outwards. The abdominal muscles are connected to the spine so together, they form the support over the growing uterus. While the abs stretch outwards, the spine also curves in in the same direction. If the abs are not strong, there will be additional stress on the spine to support the growing uterus and that's when you get backaches. So train up your abs!

Quads 

Imagine all the extra weight you are carrying and having to stand up from squat positions or the floor, which become increasingly difficult as the weeks progress. The last thing you want is to wail for help after picking up the dog's poop in public. ;p

Muscle Isolation

 This isn't a particular area to work out on but knowing how to isolate muscles helps especially if you have a heavy dog like mine (10kg) or a #1 toddler to pick up every once in a while - I try not to carry Murphy from the floor if I can help it but when I do, I make sure I put him close to my body and am not using abdominal muscles just in case it squeezes the uterus - Have u heard of uterus collapse?! o.O! It's nice to have people fuss around and make sure you don't carry the 'heavy' stuffs once in a while but seriously, we are not handicap! It's really for us to pick up that sack of rice or that pack of dog food if we use the correct muscles! Then again, try not to be too gungho if help is available la. 

So to my friends who are preparing to start a family, start training up for it! And thank me again for your smooth pregnancy! ;p

::PREGNANCY:: Early Labor

::NEWS FLASH LAST WEEK::

The arrival of SS and YN's baby girl at 33 weeks.

JH and Reb's 1yo baby girl was also born at the 32 weeks. 

Since we were all in a group chat on whatsapp sharing conversations about baby stuffs, the announcement and the shocking reveal by JH made N&I panic a little about the arrival of our precious little prince. 

We are at the 33-week mark now. 

And have only attended ONE pre-natal course so far - about nutrition (which is most beneficial to those in their 1st trimester of preg, not ppl like me who is in the last tri ;p)

The classes for contractions, labor pains, childbirth, breastfeeding and bathing are all scheduled in the next 5 weeks!

Will we be graced with enough time to finish all basic labor identification, delivery, lactation and baby-handling skills before the arrival of our little prince?

So just last night, I experienced some recurring contractions at 230AM. 

I finally understood what my gynae meant by "Stomach hardening". Previously when she warned me to track any "stomach hardening" during my 24th week, I didnt quite understand her, because my stomach is as hard as it is every moment now. Hey! I am carrying a baby inside my pouch, not a muffin belly ok! So my stomach is quite hard and it gets harder after a meal because of all the organs bursting for a space inside. So we left the clinic that day with the take-away word for the day - "Stomach hardening", without really knowing what it meant. 

And last night, I finally experienced "stomach hardening". Recurring "stomach hardening".

So I whipped out my iPhone and frantically googled for help, at 230AM, while the world was in slumber. The husband was also in a DEEP slumber but I didnt want to wake him up in case of false alarm. And I needed him to wake up fresh so he could get us both three to the hospital if it was really a true labor. 

I used the Contractions app to monitor the duration and frequency of my contractions.

After 1/2 hour of monitoring and getting some non-conclusive results (based on what I learnt from Google), I got up and packed my hospital bag. Just in case.

I went back to bed at 3ish and found little fella hicupping frantically inside. 

He gave some kicks and judging from the position of his legs, I think he has shifted during the contractions. So I continued monitoring his movements and got ready to monitor the rest of the contractions while thinking to myself that I will have to take leave in the morning.

But my contractions went away. 

And I drifted back to sleep.

All these while, thanks to our wonderful Serta bed that can absorb all bed movements, my dear husband did not even realise that I jumped in and out of bed at least 3 times and tossed and turned and flipped and kicked my pillows/blankets/bolster while trying to have a better feel of the contraction cycles.  

But he did dream that we were both on leave this morning because of the baby. 

Scary how my thoughts could translate into his dreams!

By the way, this story doesn't have a dramatic ending. YET.

I woke up this morning, as pregnant as ever!

But I am going to get everything ready by this week!

Just in case!!!

Coastal Settlement

The July Babies get together at Coastal Settlement.

Brownie is definitely to-die-for

N&I later on had some first hand experience dining with 4-month-old parents and we learned to appreciate eating our dinner in peace while said parents took turns snuggling a fussing kiddo and eating with one hand. 

Like what the 'adults' say - Enjoy your FREEDOM! 

But I am sure the fuss s going to be just as awesome! Right?

::PREGNANCY:: Cropped!

Ivy asked if this was going to be The Cut. 

I told her to go ahead. 

She was one of those whom I told The Big Secret to before The Official Reveal simply cos she has been caring for my tresses since preps of our wedding. So she was excited that I could finally curl and color my hair after the wedding but I had to tell her about my chemical abstain for the time being.. ;p

Ivy has also once cared for the tresses of Murphy! :D

::PREGNANCY:: Doing the Laundry

We have been buying little clothes from everywhere that we travel to and stashed them in the wardrobe.

Last Sat was spent doing the laundry for our little one. 

We hung them on a laundry string that stretches over the whole 4.24m of our balcony (yes! his stash of little clothes alone took up 4.24m of space!) and brought out the little pegs that we have stocked up for his laundry. 

There was no more space for mittens and booties. So these were separately sunned.

Halfway through, N & I decided to get some TWOsome stuff done at the movies and we returned home to find that it had rained o.O"

And there we go again.....

::PREGNANCY:: Week 23 vs Week 31 snuggles

How snuggling has evolved between me and Dog. 

::PREGNANCY:: WEEK 31 AND NAIL WOES

Hello toes!

I can still see you!!

Though I have to live with a spoilt toenail for the time being cos doc says a toenail is but aesthetic. Lets get the baby out first before we treat it. 

And let's try not to paint your nails for the time being.

Why do you think we earn the title of being the greatest woman on earth?

There are big sacrifices that come along with it.

Like that of living with a cracked toenail.