Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Cambridge - Doing what I do best! (24 Jul 07)


Yum...

(How's my spiky hairstyle, by the way?)

Cambridge - Thank you, Uncle Luis and Auntie Peipei! (24 Jul 07)


Stop disturbing me, Papa!

(I'm wearing one of the shirts that Uncle Luis and Auntie Peipei gave me.)

Cambridge - 2 weeks old! (24 Jul 07)


I was weighed yesterday - I'm now 9 lbs 2 oz!

Papa went back to work today... I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to Papa's colleagues for giving me loads of nice presents!

Cambridge - Thank you, Uncle Xieyong! (22 Jul 07)


Uncle Xieyong gave me this little piggy, coz I was born in the year of the Golden Pig!

Cambridge - Getting chubby! (21 Jul 07)


The rest of me have to grow bigger, or else my head will look really funny...

Cambridge - Thank you, Auntie Val! (19 Jul 07)


This is the "I love mummy" shirt that Auntie Val gave me!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Cambridge - Mama's lecture notes (19 Jul 07)


Hmmm... those look really familiar! (I was in Mama's tummy the whole time she was doing her final year as an undergrad.)

Cambridge - Burping! (19 Jul 07)


I drink milk like there's no tomorrow, so I tend to burp and hiccup a lot!

Cambridge - My new Moses basket (18 Jul 07)


This is how I poo!

Cambridge - Tummy check (18 Jul 07)


Check out my big tummy!

Cambridge - Nappy change! (16 Jul 07)


Clean nappies are awesome!

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Cambridge - Sleeping peacefully (14 Jul 07)


This is how I like to sleep!

My umbilical cord stump fell off today. I now have a cute little belly button!

Cambridge - Family mealtimes (13 Jul 07)


I don't like being left alone, so I get bundled up in a little basket (my carseat, actually). This way, I can sit with Mama, Papa, Nainai and Grandpa while they have their meals.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Cambridge - Little boxer (13 Jul 07)


Ready for my first boxing match!

Cambridge - Sleepy heads (13 Jul 07)


I'm the only person in the world who can sleep more than Papa...

Cambridge - Home at last! (early July)


This is what I look like just after a feed!

Cambridge - Swaddled! (early July)


They swaddle me coz I like rubbing and scratching my face. Nainai's very good at swaddling me... but I'm even better at escaping!

Cambridge - Who do I look like? (early July)


Papa wanted to post this photo because he and my grandparents think I look like a famous Chinese politician from this angle (they think it's very funny). Can you guess which politician it is?

Cambridge - My first hour (early July)


Here's a photo of me in Nainai's arms. Nainai was super - she didn't sleep at all while Mama was in labour (unlike Papa, who dozed off...) and really helped Mama a lot!

You know what, Papa said I looked very pretty just after I was born. But I think I'm handsome, not pretty... I'm a boy after all! (Quite annoyed with Papa...)

Friday, July 13, 2007

Cambridge - Just born! (early July)


It was taking too much time for Mama to go to established labour naturally, so Mama and I were induced at 16 hours after Mama's contractions started. I was born 6 hours later!

Don't I look very cute? :-)

Cambridge - To the hospital! (early July)


Papa wanted me to post this photo of Mama just before we all went to the hospital. Some of the water I swim in started to leak out at 5 min to midnight. We had to be at the hospital so my heartbeat and Mama's contractions could be monitored.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Hunstanton, Norfolk - Mama and me (early July)


Papa took this photo with our new Canon camera - don't I look huge from this angle?

Mama hoped I would be born today or tomorrow so I could be her birthday present for Papa. But I don't want to leave Mama's bump yet! It's so nice in here... I can still move around comfortably, and I have 24 hours' access to food. Mama's complaining that she's getting more and more stretchmarks, but I don't think she really minds.

Hunstanton, Norfolk - relaxing on the coast (early July)


This was the first completely sunny day so far this summer, so Papa decided to drive us to the Norfolk beaches.

My grandparents (Papa's side) are here to help Mama and Papa take care of me - without their help, Mama would have to drop everything and be a housewife for at least a year (which would be bad news, coz she's not a good cook!).

Cambridge - Mama's graduation (30 Jun 07)


Mama and her college buddies are clowning around in this photo. Aunt Hala lent Mama a big white shirt to wear for the graduation (Papa's white shirt was too small to fit both Mama and me!). Mama almost got into trouble for forgetting to wear stockings - luckily Aunt Jacquie had an extra pair!

After the ceremony, we had dinner with Mama and Auntie Hala's good friends Uncle Jim and Aunt Natasha, and Auntie Hala's good friends Aunt Julie and Uncle Angus. Aunt Hala is so entertaining - I like listening to her stories!

Mama finally decided on a name when Aunt Julie suggested 'Gabriel' - Mama wanted a name that would sort of match cousin Raphael's, who's around the same age as me. Mama also thinks 'Gabriel' matches 'En Lai' quite well. 'En' means thanks or gratitude or something along those lines, while 'Lai' means come, coming, etc. 'En Lai' can also be interpreted as 'the coming of grace' or 'grace comes', and Mama thinks it's appropriate coz it was the angel Gabriel who told Mary she would give birth to baby Jesus. Lola Bembem finds it cute to have two little 'angel' grandsons of the same age.

Cambridge - Lucy Cavendish College Garden Party (15 Jun 07)


Mama's happy that Papa finished work early enough to attend the garden party! (I'm happy there was lots of ice cream, little sandwiches, and strawberries to eat!)

Cambridge - Lucy Cavendish College Garden Party (15 Jun 07)


All exams are over now, so everyone's celebrating, Cambridge-style!

Mama's wearing the only dress that still fits us both. I'm curled up inside Mama's bump!

Cambridge - 28 weeks (end of April 2007)


If you ask me, I think Mama looks very silly in this photo. I think she's excited to finally have a full length mirror - she and Papa moved house last week. (Poor Papa did almost everything.)

We had our fourth ultrasound this week. Everything was finally normal, including my femur length! Couldn't take a photo though, because I was too big so the image was too blurry. I'm just under 2.5 kg, which is average.

Mama still hasn't decided on my official first name - she says she'll decide after her June exams.

Cambridge - our (Mama and me) 3rd ultrasound (20 Mar 07)


Aunt Helene thinks I look like a little alien in this photo. Can you see my nose, mouth, left eye socket, left fist and four fingers of my right hand?

We had a Doppler ultrasound - the sonographer measured the blood flow to Mama's uterus (a special scan because of Mama's high HCG levels). Mama heard the sshhh-sshhh-sshhh sound of the blood flow for the first time. Everything's normal except for my femur length. I guess the sonographer's a bit worried about my growth rate, so Mama and I are booked for yet another ultrasound.

Cambridge - our (Mama and me) 2nd ultrasound (22 Feb 07)


Hey, don't I look cute in this photo? I've got a good-sized head and tummy, but my femur is quite short - right at the bottom of the normal range. Mama's a bit worried, but she hopes it's just because of Papa's genes. Hehe, this annoys Papa slightly - he thinks that the so-called 'normal' range is normal for the Brits, but not for those of other ethnicities, like the Chinese. He also thinks it's because Mama's not getting enough calcium.

Cambridge - our (Mama and me) first ultrasound (25 Jan 07)


Mama's in trouble because she didn't study at all during the vacation (she blames it on the travelling and the 'morning sickness'), but that's another story.

Had our first ultrasound at the Rosie today. See my first photo! Mama and Papa thought I'm only 12 weeks, but the sonographer said I'm actually 16 weeks! (Hehe - I'm good at surprises...)

A week later - Mama got a call from the hospital today. Her HCG levels are quite high, so the hospital wants to do a special ultrasound at 24 weeks. Mama's starting to worry... and I have no idea what's going on.

Hong Kong - sightseeing at Ocean Park (9 Jan 07)


I can't believe that Papa's never tried amusement park rides until now! Mama's not allowed on the rides (because of me), so Papa had to go alone. If you ask me, I think Papa looks very silly on this swing ride (can you see him just under the palm tree?).

Hong Kong - meeting Mama's Cambridge friends (8 Jan 07)


Today we met Mama's good friends Aunt Jane and Aunt Calamus. We also met Aunt Jane's boyfriend Uncle Kelvin. Aunt Jane's the one taking the photo. Aunt Calamus wants to be my godmother - I'm so happy she likes me! Papa has decided my Chinese name will be 'En Lai', like the Chinese premier. Aunt Calamus thinks the name is too good - when I grow up, I'll prove that I can live up to the name.

I'm a bit annoyed with Mama... Hong Kong is famous for its food, but I'm not getting enough of it because her 'morning sickness' is getting even worse, and she especially can't stand soy sauce! Such a shame...

Iligan - swimming in Tinago Falls (29 Dec 06)


The water was really clean, and the current was quite strong! Mama and Papa had to wear life jackets. Lola Bembem and Lolo Nel kept a close watch while Papa swam as close as he could to the falls. They looked really worried when Papa swam back and talked Mama into swimming with him back to the edge of the falls. Mama wasn't worried though, coz she herself swam to the same spot when she was a teen. (I think Lolo and Lola were worried about me.)

We went snorkelling in the sea the next day - Papa, Mama (+ me) and Lola. It was nice - small, colourful fish ate bread out of Mama's hand. But we had to turn back halfway because Mama got seasick. I hope I won't be seasick like Mama!

Surigao - Christmas Eve (24 Dec 06)


Mama's 'morning sickness' is getting worse, and she still can't stand the smell and taste of soy sauce (and also beansprouts, garlic, bell peppers and coriander). Lola Bembem has had to modify her recipes, but they're still yummy. I'm always hungry though, coz Mama's been too queasy to eat much.

Papa's not in this photo coz he's the one taking it. You can see that Mama's got a bit of a bump. Lola Bembem thinks that Mama's already 3 months along - no one knows for sure until Mama has her first ultrasound.

Mama's Lolo Bedoy and Lola Dading were very happy when they heard about me. I will be their third greatgrandchild!

Manila - meeting Mama's high school friends (19 Dec 06)


We have a very busy schedule in Manila. Today we met Mama's friends Aunt Rona and Aunt Vesper at a Japanese cafe on Katipunan, and then Mama's high school friends at a hotel suite in Ortigas. Aunt Nikki organised the hotel one. It was really interesting because Mama's friends arrived at different times, from 6pm to the early hours of the morning! (Many people worked odd hours, and Uncle Adrian came straight from the airport.)

Tomorrow we're meeting Mama's good friend Anna and her boyfriend. Both of them are studying medicine. I wonder what I'll do when I grow up.

Sydney - hiking the Blue Mountains (12 Dec 06)


Papa's conference starts tomorrow. Today Uncle Seung took us to the Blue Mountains. It was a shame that the fog obscured the view, but it was still a nice hike. Mama had to be very careful because the paths were damp and the steps going down the side of one of the 'Three Sisters' were very slippery.

Mama's Uncle Glenn also took us sightseeing. Mama wanted to see the koalas and the kangaroos. We also visited Uncle Glenn and Auntie Sandra at their house, and I said hello to their daughter Georgie, who is actually my aunt, even though she's just around 10 years older than me! I wanted to meet Georgie's little twin sisters, but they were already asleep.

Singapore - meeting Papa and Mama's friends (10 Dec 06)


Did loads of eating today. Papa's good friends Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Adeline and their baby son Jayden treated us to a buffet lunch at the Mandarin Hotel on Orchard Road. The food was SO good!!! Aunt Adeline gave Mama a pregnancy book. Mama seems to be collecting presents...

In the evening, we met Mama's friends from her old a cappella group. Papa's good friend Aunt Poh Lee was also able to join us. Mama found it challenging eating so soon after the buffet, but I had no problems at all...

Singapore - meeting Mama's Uni friends (9 Dec 06)


Mama and Papa met up with Mama's close friends from NUS for dinner today. Aunt Zoe did the organising (she's so good at it!). I was the secret guest of honour. Aunt Zoe gave Mama a pregnancy book, and Aunt Valerie gave me a cute little bodysuit with "I love mummy" written in front. Mama sat beside Aunt Kristine, who was 9 months pregnant with baby Seth at that time.

The next time I visit Singapore, I'll have friends to play with. Seth will be less than a year older than me, and Papa's good friends Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Adeline's son Jayden will be 2 years older than me.

PS: Singapore is so hot and humid, even in December - I wonder how Mama and Papa managed to live here for 5+ years! I think I prefer the English weather. The food in Singapore so SO much better though.

Cambridge - the journey begins! (24 Nov 06)


Mama's been feeling weird. She blamed it on stress and the weather, but that didn't explain why she suddenly couldn't tolerate even the smell of Papa's cooking. Papa was ok with it for a while, but tonight he finally lost his temper and scolded Mama for being so picky.

Mama hates to quarrel, so she thought real hard how to explain her strange behaviour... when she told Papa, he couldn't wait to buy a pregnancy testing kit, so off they went to Tesco and bought two packs. Here are the results - Papa was so excited! (Mama felt more dizzy than excited.)