Family Time

Since we returned from the US, our favorite activity has been talking to Chamu before we go to sleep. After I shower every night, Dadu will set up the iPOD. We rarely play classical music but rather choose various songs in different language to play to Chamu. He particularly likes those songs with strong beats and he often moves along with the rhythm.

Dadu likes talking to him in Spanish while helping Mamu apply stretch mark cream. It's kind of strange but Chamu does respond to Dadu's voice (sometimes he wakes up from his nap because of hearing Dadu's voice). I don't talk to Chamu that much because I feel I already talk enough during the day and he should already be used to my voice. Right now, it is still all just one way communication since we cannot hear Chamu yet. Even so we enjoy our quality family time every night and really cannot wait until the day we have the actually baby next to us.

Changing Weather

Weather in Hong Kong recently is changing as fast as my hormone-driven temper. One minute it's sunny and clear and the next day it's cloudy and windy.
Last week we had a very humid and hot-summer like weekend so we decided to put away our comforter (thinking that summer is already here) but we woke up the next morning shivering in thin sheets.
Unfortunately I caught a cold because of the hastened decision. I have been coughing nonstop since. It's quite a terrible feeling when you are sick with no access to medicine and are trying to fight it off with your own very weak immune system. On top of the pains caused by the oversized belly, now each cough adds to pinching pain to each inch of my bones (ok maybe a bit exaggerating but you know what I mean). The more I cough, the more I worry about getting infection or pneumonia. And I can't imagine what kind of shock it must be for Chamu to hear each cough coming deep down from my lungs.
Today the weather is cold again (after 3 very beautiful sunny days) but I am sweating like a pig(actually I now bear great resemblance to a pig anyways so the description is literal and no longer metaphoric) ...
I should really stop complaining and rambling on and on because I think the more I complain the more tests I will be placed to face... I should just suck it up and accept this is natural. At least after this week I do not need to travel to Shenzhen anymore...

To "C" or not to "C"?

Two "C" questions we need to figure out. First, whether or not to "C"ircumcise Chamu, both Jaime and I are for circumcision so Chamu can be free of potential infections and also enjoy enhanced aesthetic value (we are thinking ahead too much maybe). I think we have decided favorably with this "C" decision and the doctor seems to think it is a very easy procedure. It's best to get it done within the first week after birth, after which we heard that general anesthesia may be required...

Second "C" decision is whether to have a "C"-section delivery. Since the beginning, I have thought about having natural delivery. Not that I'm brave but more because I am a big chicken. I have never had stitches before and I just couldn't imagine having to stitch up my belly being a good thing. But the bigger Chamu gets, the more I worry. Because the likelihood of having a complicated natural delivery is higher and I may end up with emergency C-section anyways. The doctor seems to suggest that it may be the better way to delivery a near 9-pounder but she also says we can still wait and see. I guess we still have 4 to 5 weeks to monitor Chamu before the second "C" decision to be made...

Supersized Chamu

Chamu has always been big. Even the first time we took him to ultrasound at 7 weeks, he was already one week bigger than he should've been and that's why we thought we miscalculated the conception date. But anyways, even with the revised conception date, he continues to outperform his peers.
Currently he should be 33 weeks and 5 days. On the ultrasound we saw at the doctor's office, he is already full-term size, weighing at 3 kgs. His head is huge, limbs are long and belly is big. Well when I nicknamed him Chamu ("Shamu" being the origin), I certainly did not expect that he will really turn out to be a whalesize baby. When babies are born bigger, there are less chances of complications so I think it's good that Chamu is getting big. When the doctor does the cervical scan, she sees no sign of Chamu arriving early so it means he is going to stay comfortably inside my womb for a while. Perhaps he will be a 9-pounder when he is born...

Planning for Life

I have always been a so-called high achiever (or obsessive-compulsive planner if you like). I like to plan ahead. First week in my freshman year in high school, I had already planned out the curriculum for the next four years and my path to Berkeley. I did the same thing when I was a freshman in Berkeley. Life generally turned out the way I had planned with some ups and downs in my life and career. When I turned 26 in 2001, I made two wishes on my birthday: one to remain employed (2001 was a very bad year and I couldn't afford to lose my job with my brother in college and mortgage to pay) and another to meet my future husband in 2001. I survived after four rounds of restructuring and I met Jaime at a bar in June 2001. I started planning for my brother after he changed his mind about becoming a dentist. I got him to HK in 2006 and found a job. Now after two years, he is doing very well with a career that he never thought of doing previously at school.
Last year, we started planning for having babies (which for a very long time was never part of my plan in life). First try was disappointing but there was nothing we could do. There are many things you can plan in life but having babies is certainly not one of them. We were extremely blessed to have conceived Chamu shortly after and now he is due in 7 weeks. I have always been very organized in planning my life, school, vacation, career but have been extremely behind in planning for parenthood. We don't really have a room (or even a crib) set up for Chamu (despite the fact it should be our "nesting" stage now). We cannot really plan for his actual due date (but I have work planned all the way up to his expected delivery date). We found a confinement lady/baby nurse just 3 weeks ago and just submitted the application for our domestic helper last week. There seems to be millions of things we have yet to do but I don't know where to begin.
Every now and then, I get anxiety attacks, nightmares and on top of those, I am extremely scared of the actual birth plan (antenatal classes and numerous books I have read don't seem to help at all). I kept telling myself, it will be fine, we will be fine and Chamu will be fine but I can't help worrying about my work (who is going to help me during my maternity leave?), my role as a mother (I probably will want to plan his life but I don't want to become one of those mothers...), and my life after Chamu. Will I be able to be a good mother? What about my career? I have become so tired from working (physically and mentally) since pregnancy but I don't think I can walk away so easily... Will it be better for him to grow up in the US? What about his school? Will he be able to learn to speak and read Chinese/Spanish fluently? Will he be a good boy? Some many questions and so little planning can be done...

A Sea of Pillows

Mamu spent the last three days home. Ever since she got back from the US, she has been feeling a lot of groin (and growing) pains. The hormones helped relax her bones, getting them ready for delivery. But it seems they have worked extra hard to even relax the collagen that are used to gel her bones together. As a result, her pelvic bones have become quite loose which means legs cannot stay close (or it's just too painful) and she cannot turn in bed without much moaning and groaning. Mamu now walks like a penguin with her legs open to adjust to the new center of gravity and loose bones.

Belly has gotten a lot bigger so she needs the support of pregnancy wedge when she goes to bed to make sure her belly does not hang in the air. In addition, she needs to have a long pillow in between her legs when she sleeps since legs cannot close. She also has another pillow that supports her back. Dadu jokingly calls Mamu's sleeping arrangement "a sea of pillows" which is really not an over exaggeration. Dadu can barely reach Mamu and Chamu when in bed since all he sees and feels are just pillows.

Worst yet, Mamu's lower abdomen is starting to show stretch marks. This may mark the end of Bikini days for Mamu (not that she was much into it previously). She still applies stretch mark cream faithfully everyday, hoping the marks will fade. Mamu also started to have swollen legs and feet. She now wears size 9 shoes and they are sometimes still too tight. Her calves and feet now resemble those of Horton's (quite a scary sight). Luckily, after three days of lying down as much as she can, one can start to see the toes coming back to their original shape, rather than the shape of baby carrots...

Another 8 weeks to go and then Mamu can maybe feel the need to try to be a woman again. Now she just wants to be in bed all day, wearing her pajamas and glasses without even combing her hair...

Chamu's Last Trip inside Mamu

Chamu, Dadu and Mamu are in Taiwan this weekend. We finally made it back to Hong Kong three weeks ago but Mamu was working around the clock to try to get a deal signed up. This weekend is the first weekend that she is able to get some rest. Since Mamu is already almost 32 weeks and it seems like this is the last weekend she can fly with Chamu inside, we decided to take a mini vacation to come to Taiwan to visit Great Grandma and Grandparents.

They were all very happy to see Chamu, Dadu and Mamu. We were stuck in the US for so long so they haven't really seen us since December. Mamu's belly has grown more than twice as big as last time. Great Grandma saw Mamu's belly and asked (with a very worried expression) if Mamu were already married. She was able to relax again when she saw Dadu standing next to Mamu, whose presence reassured her that Chamu would be not be a baby born out of wedlock...
Grandpa still has not quit smoking! Mamu bought him a lot of nicotine patches and his assignment is to quit smoking before Chamu is born. He also has not lost much weight. I guess nagging from Mamu alone is not enough... We also went to pick out Chamu's stroller. After hours of careful examination, Dadu finally made up his mind and bought a very hip stroller that is light enough for Mamu to carry Chamu and stroller at the same time.
We also went around and satisfied Mamu's craving for authentic Taiwanese food which is very important since it will be a while before Mamu comes back to Taiwan.
Everyone is looking forward to meeting little Chamu. He is less than 8 weeks away from being on his own. He is already a very big boy (2.1kg to be exact and on track to exceed 4kg by birth). His head measurement indicates that he is four weeks larger than where his peers are (just like his parents, both of which were born with large round head!). He is getting chubbier and cheekier, with Dadu's nose and Mamu's lips... Can't wait to see him and hold him!

We also finally found a nanny for Chamu and applied for her visa. Hopefully she will be joining us soon. We still have to pick out Chamu's crib, car seat, changing table and set up Chamu's little room... It's going to be a very busy eight weeks to come...

Feb 27, 2008


March 20, 2008