It's A Boy!

Today's scan revealed that all I have been feeling is right - our baby is a boy! And he has grown quite a bit too! Not surprising, what with all those carbo (pasta) I have been gorging on?

I'm 19 weeks 2 days today and baby is now 12cm in lenght! Dr Gordon has taken 3 scan pix of baby for us today. Enjoy!



(left - Body of baby)




















(left - Head of baby)

(Left - Cross-section of baby's waist)

Now, the headache begins ... we are still struggling with baby's name. HB wants a Finnish name and wants to use my surname as a middle name for all our kids. He said since Daddy only had 2 girls (Jen & moi), we must preserve and carry-on the Tuominen name - arhh! that's so sweet Papa! No wonder after 13 years of marriage I still love you like I did when we first met! Wonder if you feel the same? Keke!!

Last Trip Before Baby Comes, Milan

I will be following HB on his flight to Milan - guess one of our last carefree trip before baby comes along? But we are eagerly anticipating the day when we will bring our baby for a holiday. We are planning when baby is 3 to 4 months old. We want to expose him to all the different cultures and people so he will grow up to be a well-travelled, well-read and an empathic individual.

Guess all parents want the best for their children ya? We want to nurture them to the best we can isn't it and we pray that whatever and all we do is good and right - HB and I will have to strive hard then, right papa?

Singapore-Milan, 23/8/06
We left Singpore on 23/8 at night and I was 18 weeks & 1 day pregnant. Arrived Milan early morning. Flight was terrible and I had bad cramps, must be the air pressure and small space. Flight was overbooked so no free seats to stretch out... oh, well. Again, I didn't sleep - do not have the habit to anyway.

Milan 23/8/06 - 29/8/06
HB was afraid that I would tire out too easily so most of our site-seeing plans have been thrown out of the window. He said we should just relax and will only make 1 trip out of Milan to Venice.


(left - just outside Milan's train station aka MRT in Spore)

As it's the summer hols, most shops around the hotel were closed and the place looked so boring and dreary. Even tv was boring...! This place really makes me appreciate Singapore even more! Can you imagine most eateries are only opened from 12-2pm for lunch and again from 7-10pm for dinner. Other than they are closed so no snackies...

We are so lucky, in Singapore anytime also can find food. But I must say the Spizza Joint next to the hotel serves really simple but nice food. Their pasta are truly Al-Dente and a simple grilled turkey steak can be so juicy and delicious - minus all these msg and seasonings. I love it! I love my food enahnced lightly so that its natural frangrance can be the top-notes and not those slab of seasonings. But,, its difficult in Singapore as our meat and poultry are just not the same in freshness, etc. Guess that's the pay-off ya?

Duomo
The 2nd day, we took a train to the main shopping area, Duomo which also sits this huge and popular cathedral, Duomo di Milano. The cathedral is truly majestic and beautiful. We didn't go inside as there are some renovations going on. Also visited the Ferrari Shop - very nice and expensive stuff!













(left to right - HB outside Ferrari Shop, me outside the Cathedral @ Duomo & inside a shopping mall)

No shopping here for me now as I've come off branded stuff. I'm also surprised how that Gucci handbag in the window can't beckon me into the shop. My priorities have indeed changed! Anyway, since am not working now, where am I going to strut these new handbags? At NTUC or the market? I'd rather keep the money for baby! Now am only keen on babies' stuff.

Venice
On our 4th day stay, we took a train to Venice together with HB's 7 other colleagues. The train ride took about 3.5 hours but the great company we had made time flew quickly. Venice is indeed very beautiful. We walked the whole day but enjoyed it!
(left - The famous canal in Venice)
(2nd left - In front of a Gondola)





On the train back, 3 stations away from our destination, someone threw himself in front of the train and we were delayed more than an hour. Finally, all the passengers had to evacuate to another waiting train to continue the rest of the journey. By the time we reach Milan, it was after 10pm and we were totally exhausted! It was a nice day but what a way to end it? It still gave me the shivers thinking how this man could kill his son and finally commit suicide by jumping in front of a train...

(left - on the beautiful street of Venice)
(2nd left - Look @ that giant balloon sculpture!)


The next day, we rested and only did some small shoppings at a nearby supermarket. Nothing much here for me to buy really. Happy to be going home tomorrow as I missed Enzo very much and I'm really sian of Milan... so boring. Guess cos didn't really go serious sight-seeing.

Milan - Singapore 29/8/06 to 30/8/06
Flight back was excellent as it was relatively empty so I grabbed 3 seats and rested my legs. My spirits are lifting as we will be seeing our baby tomorrow Wonder how he is and how much he has grown! Baby, me and papa missed you too!

Clothes Galore from The Big Apple!!

Hb came back from LA today with lots of clothes for baby. Julie also bought so much for baby.

Thank you very much, Auntie Julie!! Baby saying loads of thanks and kisses to you in advance!

Look here :-

Papa's stuff for baby & mummy:

(1st left) - Swimming Top

(Left) - Baby Plus pre-nantal learning

(Bottom) - Cute Polos & American Flag swim trunks

Auntie Julie's gifts for baby & mummy:

(Above) - Jeans from 3 mths to 18 mths!



















(Left to right) - Rompers & shirts from 3 mths to 12 mths & Jeans for me

Baby's First Flutter

How silly of me ... kept thinking this weird, tickling feeling near the bladder I felt today was something else. But read that it's none other than baby's kick! Can't wait for it to get stronger and visual! Gambante Baby!

Impatient Wait for Next Check-up

Sigh... nowadays, I just can't wait for each check-up to come along as I miss checking in on baby's progress. Wished I had the scan at home so I can scan as and when I like! keke!

Heard from some of my fellow forum frens that they could tell the gender of their baby as early as 12th weeks already. I hope today baby will co-operate and reveal his/her gender. In the mean time, many forum mummies are also trying out different 'methods' of predicting their babies gender! So fun - Chinese Calendar, tying a strand of hair to a ring and letting it rotate or swing above tummy, length if linea nigra, etc...

For my case, 2 different Chinese Calendar gave 2 different answers... hmm.

Anyway -update from Dr Gordon's office - Baby is not revealing just as yet but he's doing very well and is now 10cm in length at 16 weeks.

Way to go baby! Continue to grow big and strong ok?