Classes Galore.......

This is a busy September. I have signed up for 2 baking classes and a scrapbook class plus I have to sit in for SY for one of her baking class which adds up to 3 baking class and 1 SB class. Not mention Alpha on Thursdays and 2 saturdays for ministry training and Alpha Day Away respectively.

Busy Busy Busy Pregnant woman is what RH calls me. I am thankful that I am still very mobile despite my huge tummy (I measure 34 inch). I still drive to work, pick up my own laptop, stand for 3 hours in baking class and just about able to do most anything except climbing. Just a little lazy when I have to stretch and bend down to pick up stuff cos it is kinda uncomfortable. I feel like I am squashing my tummy thus squashing baby too but I am quite sure that baby is safe, surrounded by a swimming pool of amniotic fluid.

I guess it is sort of my last chance to be active before my third trimester hits and I get aches and fatigue. I have heard that it is particularly tiring in your 3rd trimester. Plus, after baby is born, I probably would not have time for much actvities except taking care of him.

Here is what I churned out from my last two baking classes. For those who enjoy baking and wants to take their baking to the next level, I highly encourage them to take classes that explain the science and theory of baking. It is really interesting as you get to learn how the various ingredients contribute to the cake/pastry's characteristics. It is not the usual "follow the recipe" classes. Think of it as learning the "behind the scenes" secrets.

The class that I sat in for SY is just that. A basic cake foundation stage 1 class. We do not learn how to make fancy cakes but the instructor goes on to explain in detail all those theories. I really do enjoy the class and it might be because I took the class at Creative Culinnaire with Chef Judy. She is really generous with her knowledge and I can just see the passion she has for baking. She always strive to use the best quality ingredients in her shop, of course, within the budget so her cakes are affordable. Enjoy the pictures and sign up for her class if you are interested. Or if you want a more intensive class, BITC is also offering these classes.

Creative Culinnaire

http://www.creativeculinaire.com/

Eng Hoon Mansion

#01-03/04 17 Eng Hoon Street

Singapore 169767

Tel: 63241663

{Walnut Cake and Marble Cake, Cake Foundation Stage 1)

{Chocolate Sunflower Cupcakes, Cake Foudation Stage 1}

{Molten Chocolate Cake, Crazy for Chocolate Class}

{Velvet Chocolate Cake, Crazy for Chocolate Class}

{Flourless Chocolate Cake, Crazy for Chocolate Class}

Soooo Boring!

Nothing really to update, hence the lack of post. After the initial 3 months, I have been feeling quite normal, unlike a pregnant lady. Only think is that I:

• pee more often (which I am so getting used to)
• can't sleep well becos I am used to sleping on my back but now I can't (cos if I sleep on my back, it will press on some blood vessels which will not supply oxygen to me and bb) so I alternate between lying on my left then my right.
• baby is kicking harder and at random times of the day (so sometimes morning, sometimes in the middle of the night)

I just bought 2 new maternity tops and 1 baby outfit. Gonna import the rest from Indo cos it is like half price over there. Anyways, about the materinity clothes I bought, I actually bought it in a non-maternity shop. Its cheaper anyways but its funny how I can find stuff in non-maternity shops for my bulging tummy. One of them is kinda like a short empire wait dress/top, which is kinda popular now so i am not surprised but the other top is more like a really baggy shirt with frills on top and I cannot imagine wearing it at all if I were not pregnant cos it would look so dowdy on me.

I always promised myself that I would be a fashionable preggie even before I was pregnant. I was not gonna reduce myself to be a fashion slob that lots of pregnant women become. However, I also never realized how much hard work it is to be fashionable for a preggie.

1. With the selection of maternity wear here, its no wonder preggies are not fashionable at all. The nicer maternity wear imported from USA, Aust or Europe are just to expensive to afford to wear for a few months.
2. Our mental and physical lethargy is soooo bad that you just wanna wake up, put on "anything", go to work, come back and just get out of "anything" and into bed right away. Yep, when you are feeling backaches and headaches and nausea, you are just not gonna bother to dress up.
3. Some women become physically unattractive during pregnancy because of hormones imbalance. Soem women get really bad acnes, gigantic bloated arms and feet, big bottoms and thick feet not mentioning the huge belly you have to tout around all day. Nothing you do will make you feel prettier.

So guys, excuse your wives if they look kinda dowdy for the next 9 months. Having a baby is really hard work. If others do not understand, our own husbands should try.

**********

I have always believed Singaporeans to be a relatively polite society except for the few exceptions (sometimes foreigners). So, I did expect that I would definitely be treated better after I got pregnant. People opening doors for me, giving up their seats or like letting me into elevators first.

Well, reality is slightly different. Not many people in Singapore actually is like that. I often have doors that slam in my face and I really need to hold out my hands so the door does not bang into my tummy. Or have to wait for seats in MRT, buses, public places and foodcourts. I have encountered once when I was waiting at the entrance of an elevator but had to stand aside when the doors open cos I was afraid of being pushed down by a group of ladies who was rushing into the lift and they were behind me to begin with. I waited at the side of the entrance and waited till ALL of them marched in before going to the lift myself.

However, they are also polite and considerate people in Singapore. Its just that the norms are the inconsiderate ones while the considerate Singaporeans are a rareity. I do wanna commend on Marriott's excelent customer service though. I was having lunch one rainy day with my sister at Marriott's cafe. Lo and behold, 3 minutes after we were seated, a waiter came up to me to hand me a huge pillow for my back. Talk about good customer service. Whereas at a buffet dinner at Raffles Hotel on Saturday, RH had to ask for a more comfortable chair as they had us seated on very low sofas which were albeit comfortable for high tea and chit chats but very uncomfortable for consuming our dinner which were at sitting on a normal height dinner table.

Finished LO

{Japan Trip}

{I Love your Smiles}

I have finished my latest LO, saved for the journalling stamps. Found out from a local scrapbooking forum that it is best to use a different type of ink to stamp on photos.....Gonna go buy the inks this weekend.

Also, going to Taka Baby Fair to take a look at baby items. Hopefully got lotsa stuff to buy. Here are also some pics of the baby clothes that I bought during Fox Baby Sale. Soooo cute but I heard from FS that it gets out of shape pretty fast. Probably going to get some pigeon clothes $10 for 3 pieces.

{Rompers}

{PJ}

At this moment in time.

Finally managed to get a picture of pregnant me. Just wanted a memory of how I look when I was pregnant with my first.

I look horribly Auntie in the picture, I know..... It was not the best picture, maybe will try another attempt.

Me @ 19 weeks

I am going on an accelerating weight gain plan......getting so fat, so fast! I think I am gaining too much weight. I weighed myself on Monday and I was 56 kg which means that I gained about 6kg then again on Thursday and I was a whopping 58kg which means that I gained like 2kg in 3 days.

My tummy is of course huge now and over the weekend, I got RH to take some pictures of me so that I can show Bakong when he is born. Hehehe......here it goes, don't be too shocked.

{Outside the house. A new top for me. Looks kinda slimming actually. }

{My non existent belly button. As my tummy grew, my belly button shrunk. Hehehe, its now just a line. I think it is suppose to jut out but it has not happened yet so........we will see. }

**********

We celebrated my birthday one day earlier this year because we both have ministry duty at church on the 13th. RH brought me to the newly renovated Clarke Quay. I can't believe how happening it is there now.

{More of my tummy revealing pics.....}

{Its so beautiful at clarke quay after the renovation and there are like tons of new shops and resturants so head on down when you get a chance. }

Detailed Scan : Bakong @ 20 weeks

Had my detailed scan yesterday. So, its pretty obvious from the picture that Bakong is a male not mentioning the arrow to Bakong's genitals and the word "male". Hehehe, Balong was sleeping once again when the doctor took the scan. Only when my own gynae scan him did he move. Luckily he is a boy cos last weekend, RH and I bought BLUE body suit for him, our first baby clothes purchase.

Everything is ok with Bakong except that there is a liquid cyst in his left brain which gynae says will disappear but please just pray for him that it disappears soon or else he will be diagnosed with Edward Syndrome which I heard is fatal.

Gynae also mentioned that I am gaining weight too fast 1 kg per week so I have to cut down on starch and eat more fruits + vegetables......hehehe.....I knew I was gaining too much weight. I was so shocked when I weighed myself at the gynae....luckily RH does not mind.

Alcoholics Anonymous Class

Nothing to blog about so I am attaching a half done scrap from my scrapbook class yesterday.

I am so inspired by all the new products in the market that I am gonna attempt to make my own pregnancy journal. Am making one LO for my favorite nephews: ZH and NH......

Anyways, I met an NTUC agent just now when I went to buy lunch and the persistent lady actually followed me for about 100 meters before she gave up. I kept telling her that I am not interested. Anyways, she started asking me about my pregnancy. She asked me whether my baby is due soon cos my tummy is so big. URGH!!!!

Ok ok, I have a big tummy and I gained 6kg and I am shy of 5 mths preg by a week. Well, at least my face, arms and legs dun look fat. Thank goodness. Just hope that the baby is not too big. Last time we checked, he was normal range. :-)

Public Holiday tomorrow and we are gonna have two days of feasting: Steamboat then Barbeque. Hurray! I told SY, my sis that we should have like mini Singapore flags on toothpicks to get into the National Day celebration. She just said: "Can you stop being so patriotic!" *Sigh*