Got the pregnancy blues.. September 19, 2008
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Parenting & Motherhood , 20commentsIn the cafeteria after lunch just the other day, I met someone I used to work with, and her first words when she saw me were, “You put on weight huh?”
Not “How are you?”, “How have you been?” or “How’s life?”, but those little words that spoke a gallon of truth.
Thankfully I had the perfect comeback to her statement.
Pregnancy gives one plenty of excuses, doesn’t it?
Weight gain is definitely lauded in every pregnancy but it must be a reasonable one. This time round however, I definitely gained more weight than before. I think I’ve already gained about 6 kilos, and I’ve only just recently started my 2nd trimester! *Gasp!* It’s inevitable, yes, but it is not something I look forward to in pregnancy.
I do look forward to:
- Eating yummy nutritious food. Just the other weekend, I thought I would definitely benefit from some homemade chicken essence, just like my Mom made for me, after I gave birth to Ethan last time round. Since I don’t have a double boiler (yet), my Mom had improvised by using a steamer rack placed over an empty bowl, placed in a water bath in the slow cooker. We used free-range chicken, with the skin removed and had the poultry seller smash the bones of the chicken. For all it’s worth, it certainly gave me a more restful sleep!
- Thicker, fuller-bodied hair. For someone with fine hair like me, being pregnant means that I get to enjoy a fuller head of hair, at least for those few months. Oh, and let’s not forget the glowing complexion!
- NO PERIODS!!! Woohooo!!!!
- Feeling that first baby movement. The indescribable joy of that fluttering feeling in the tummy region is pure bliss.
- Succumbing to my food cravings. A few weekends ago, while I was in Ipoh, I was blessed enough to be able to savor the famous Canning Garden chee cheong fun. Not the one that is in Canning Garden now, manned by a man wielding a cigarette the whole time, but the one that was ORIGINALLY from Canning Garden, and has now emigrated to a stall in one of the coffee shops downtown. Craving satisfied…
- Starting out on that breastfeeding journey all over again.
I do not look forward to:
- Excessive fatigue. Contrary to what people think, life doesn’t stop when one becomes pregnant. It doesn’t mean you get to lie back and enjoy everything once you get those test results showing two lines. And when you’ve got a house to clean, laundry to wash and a toddler to tend to, fatigue does become bothersome. I try to be SuperMom and SuperWoman sometimes, but at other times, I just throw in the towel, and hit the sack. Thankfully, the first trimester is behind me now, and hopefully, there will be more *joyful* times ahead in the second.
- Nausea. Almost every single smell is revolting to me now. I can’t find a suitable shower gel to use either. And you know, it’s no fun when you feel like puking most of the times you step into the bathroom. No fun at all. I hope this goes away soon. But then I’m afraid nausea in the first trimester will pave its way for heartburn in the second and third.
- Backache. Those mild aching pains in the lower back get worse at night. Rubbing it a little helps, but I have had to shift my sleeping position countless times before it gets comfy.
- Leg cramps. I got these in the later stages of my first pregnancy, and they used to attack me in the wee hours of the morning. Not looking forward to these at all.
- Itchy belly. Not looking forward to becoming a monkey either, but this is inevitable.
- Labor pains. ’nuff said.
Well, I’m tired now. And I got to get my sleep. YAWN. Sweet dreams, y’all!
Crazy & tasty pizza mania! September 16, 2008
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Drooling & Cooking, Relax & Celebrate , 12commentsSince Domino’s Pizza opened a branch near my apartment, I have not had the chance to try out their delivery services. I had tasted their pizza before, and I know it’s good.
Well, last Saturday seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to order a pizza, because there was this MEGA FOOTBALL MATCH on TV, and it made full sense to enjoy dinner right in the comforts of our own home. Ethan doesn’t really DIG pizza (yet), although he would go “peh ta! peh ta!” when he sees one, so it was a good thing that I had whipped up some wholesome delicious sweet potato porridge with ikan bilis stock for him for dinner that night.
I decided to use Domino’s online ordering service and placed my order at about 7:10p.m. If the pizza arrived at about 7:41p.m. or 7:42p.m., we’ll get a free pizza on our next order. Hehe…not that I was hoping for that anyway. But 7:45p.m. came and still there was no sign of pizza. With a growling tummy, I called Domino’s up, and the customer service officer told me that the demand was unusually high that night, so they weren’t able to deliver on time.
10 minutes later, still no pizza. Someone from Domino’s called to check if the pizza had arrived, and I told her no. She promised it would arrive in another 10 minutes’ time, apologizing profusely for the delay.
I actually found this episode rather ironic, because the Domino’s branch is literally just a stone’s throw away from my apartment.
FINALLY, at about 8:15p.m. our doorbell rang and we got our steaming hot pizza…and of course, a voucher for a free pizza on the next order. Frankly I would have preferred that the pizza I ordered was free instead of giving us a voucher for our next order, but whatever.
As soon as I sank my teeth into the pizza…..wah….. it was heavenly! And the Cinnastix I ordered? Unlike the miserable “sticks” we get from Pizza Hut, these were humungous! They were so generous with them! Tasted fantastically great with the sweet icing too!
Well, of course the most glorious taste of all that night was that of victory over The Red Devils. Liverpool beat Man U 2-1!!! Ah, the taste of success…. I simply LURVE it!
Hoping, praying, …living September 12, 2008
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Thoughts & Scribblings , 9commentsRemember my soulful lament and heartfelt letter to my dear prosperity plant? Since then, friends and especially those with *green fingers* have offered advice on how to resurrect my poor friend.
I tilled the soil, trimmed the dried branches and looked after it as best I could. There was no apparent improvement for all I could see. I even planted a few additional shoots, compliments from Ethan’s baby sitter, in the hope that these new ones will encourage the old ones to grow too.
Weeks passed and …. nothing.
Then one evening, while watching teevee, I could hardly believe my eyes when I noticed a little bud growing! It was a fresh new shoot, all eager to make its way into the world. A few days later, another one sprouted and I was happy as a lark.
I can’t help but wonder if this is an indication of things to come in my life. My family and I are about to face some major changes. Changes and experiences that would probably and possibly change our lives, if not forever, then at least for the next coming months.
This is certainly an indication of new hope, a new beginning. I’m excited, yes, but at times, I am filled with trepidation and uncertainty. I find myself unconsciously singing the tune from The Sound of Music….
What will this day be like?…….I wonder…..
What will my future be?….I wonder….
Indeed I wonder…..
But one thing I am certain of is that The Good Lord will be walking beside me all the way.
Entry #4 calling for votes! September 1, 2008
Posted by The Giddy Tiger in : Drooling & Cooking , 13comments
A favor I ask, in this time of dire need
As a friend or blog reader, I pray you’ll help me do the deed
Your precious vote is really all I seek
Just choose my name, it isn’t very hard indeed
All you have to do is visit Hochiak! today
Look for the poll for the USD100 giveaway
Every vote counts, so please vote for me
But hurry please, cos voting ends September 9th, you see.
Thanking you in advance for all the trouble you’ve taken
I’m Entry #4: please vote for my Ginger Sauced Chicken
Do rope in others to join in the excitement
Come one, come all, drop me a vote for the sake of entertainment!
***
Please, please, please go to Hochiak! Delicious Asian Food and vote for me in the USD100 giveaway contest!
Ethan Boy
Our Journey of Love
