What baby wants for Christmas.

I've been sent this link a few times lately and after reading it, I was totally inspired to write about what our baby really wants for Christmas.

 http://theuglyvolvo.com/2013/12/10/a-ten-month-olds-letter-to-santa/

If you haven't read that blog, please do. It's hilarious. Then read what Caiden wants for Christmas. 

Dear Santa, 

I've been such a good baby this year and I've worked so hard to get these plastic shapes in my mouth that I think I really deserve them. If you could just kindly take them off this metal bar and place them in my mouth where they belong, it would really make my life so much happier. 

Mommy says it's too much for a baby to have a laptop but I don't see why I can't have one. How am I supposed to keep up with my fantasy football stats? Or if not the laptop, then just the keyboard that lights up. I'll take one, please. 

I still enjoy the simple things in life too. So could I please have more of these? But not for the reason you might think. I'm completely obsessed with the sound they make when I grab them. 

Also more straps and less toys in the stroller would be nice. 

Also I've been obsessed with this........

And this......

But more than anything, I want these animals. I've tried for weeks to get them off the bed. 

 

Baby adventures.

We've been having fun with our little outings. Lots of brunches and less dinners out. Here we are at Gardens By the Bay. 

Each time we go out , it gets easier. Lots of taxis which has almost convinced us to get a car. He likes the MRT and his baby bjorn. Can't believe he's almost 6 weeks old! 

Baby is here!

So baby arrived 2 days after our due date. Of course, the royal baby couldn't just let us have our own day and had to come the same day. Same weight and the same time of day as us too. I would have looked the same as Kate when she left the hospital, but I let her borrow that cute blue dress and wore this instead:

This is the day we came home from the hospital. I would say he's so much bigger now, but unfortunately he's not. After 5 lactation consultations, 3 doctors and 2 midwives, it's been determined that I just don't make enough milk. I guess that's a common fear that new moms have, but for me it's real. FINALLY, the midwife said I've just got to formula to get him back to his birth weight. Hopefully he'll be nice and fat in no time. Other than that, he's been a really easy baby. Not much to complain about. As you can see, I'm actually able to write a blog post as he takes a nap, which is pretty good for a month old baby.

The last babymoon

We were trying to decide on somewhere to go for our last little getaway before Baby arrives. Options included: renting a car and driving up to Malaysia, taking a ferry over to Bintan (Indonesia) or staying at Marina Bay Sands. I think if you're going to live in Singapore, you gotta stay at MBS at least once. It's the iconic building that looks like a big boat on top of 3 buildings. 

From our balcony overlooking Gardens by The Bay. 

From below

It was a little drizzly this day, but we still enjoyed the insane infinity pool on the roof. 

We had dinner downstairs and watched the sound and light show, which surprisingly didn't suck.

The Waiting Game

So the last 3 weeks we've just been waiting around for Baby to show up. The worst thing about being expat teachers is that all of our friends leave during the summer. Not only that, but everyone seems to be having the best vacations in the world and posting amazing pics of their European adventures which is KILLING us. 8 weeks is a long time to be in the same city. However, we've actually kept really busy and there have only been a few times when we've gotten bored. O has been lucky by having friends come in and out of town at various times so he's had someone to play golf, tennis, squash, and go on big bike rides around the island. He's explored more parts of the city which we didn't even know existed. I've been pretty happy to sit at home, watch tv, read books, get mani/pedis, foot massages, acupuncture treatments, shop for baby stuff, lounge by the pool. We usually go do our own thing each day and then meet up for lunch or dinner. We've been to both embassies together to get all the paperwork and get answers to all our questions. Sure, we could call or find stuff online, but why not just go visit each one. We've got nothing better to do. Saturdays and Sundays are designated pool days where we sit at the pool all day and order from the poolside cafe. Everyone says to enjoy your moments together and we've definitely enjoyed eating out- at least once a day! There are so many amazing restaurants and such a variety of food, we keep trying new places and we haven't come close to eating at every place even within walking distance of us.

We celebrated our 1 year anniversary in style. Took the cable cars out to Sentosa- a tiny little man-made island off Singapore. Oh, learned something new about Sentosa- there are wild peacocks that just roam around the island. They are really beautiful, but it's weird to see them just walking around.

And then had dinner at a new restaurant that was waaay too fancy for us. We had to google some of the words on the menu because we had no idea what we were ordering. We ended up meeting the owner (who we thought was the head chef) who came over to talk to us awhile. He's been in SG for about 10 years and his wife has had 4 kids here. This big belly sometimes gets lots of attention. 

It seems like the trendy thing to do is eat the top layer of your wedding cake on your one year anniversary. This has always grossed me out for some reason, I know it's frozen and all that, but still. We had cupcakes at our wedding, so I thought our tradition should be to have cupcakes on our first anniversary. Fresh cupcakes. Can you imagine if I had tried to keep cupcakes from our wedding in CA and brought it back to SG? They would have been smashed well-traveled cupcakes. 

There was one night where we really were bored and sick of eating out. I know, it's crazy with all the amazing food here. So we decided to make our own pasta from scratch with a pasta maker one of our friends gave us when she moved away. 

We couldn't get the pasta maker to attach to the kitchen counter or the dining room table, so we ended up setting it up on the table on the balcony. We started with ravioli and then tried spaghetti and fettuccine. The best part was pesto sauce I made from scratch- yes, I "cooked" and it was so easy and so yum. 

I've also added a few finishing touches to the baby's room. Even though baby will stay with us in our room to start because his room will have to be the guest room for awhile. I've washed all the clothes, sheets, etc. Everything has been sterilized and ready to go. Now it's just a matter of waiting for baby to make his debut. I've had signs of early labor, but he also hasn't dropped so who knows. So we are now not-so-patiently waiting. The exciting part is that friends are starting to come back in town! 

Hospital Tour

Medical Tourism- never heard of it? Well, it's all the rage in Singapore. Lots of people come here from the region due to our outstanding medical facilities. The government has a really great healthcare program that gives the best medical care to everyone regardless of socio-economic status, however your income determines how much you pay. I think this is completely fair and how all healthcare should be. We had already decided which hospital we want to give birth- this one is about a 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk away from our place so that's a no-brainer. However, they give hospital tours and explain all the different packages that are offered when people are choosing which hospital to give birth. Yes, it's a very well organized business model. We toured each room from the shared rooms to the penthouse VIP suite which came with a shocking price tag of $15,000. Despite whichever package you decide, they all come with a complimentary limo ride home from the hospital. Ridiculous? Yes. We have insurance and so this is a pic of the private room we will have. It really reminded me of a hotel rather than a hospital. They will come around and take my order for meals and O can stay in the room- there's a little bed and he gets to pick out his meals as well from a fairly extensive menu. 

Not too shabby. 

Week 40

Best pregnancy moments- When the doctor said, he could come any day now! 

How are you handling the heat?! It's called indoors and it's a great place to be. Also, the pool is really nice and the haze is gone. It's actually been raining a bit which has cooled everything down. Apparently my body feels like a "furnace" according to O, but I haven't felt too hot most days. 

Weight gain: Woah. 

Maternity clothes- Whatever fits. Forget trying to be cute. 

Stretch marks- Surprisingly no. But I have this feeling I'll get major stretch marks like the day before delivery. 

Cravings: Nothing really specific. Just enjoying all my "fat girl" food while I can. 

Miss anything? I can't remember what it was like to not be pregnant. 

Kicks/movement- Slow and steady. There's not much room for him in there now. Occasionally, he'll give a big swift kick in the ribs only because he hasn't dropped yet. 

Sleep: Awake a lot during the night, but making up for it by sleeping during the day. 

Happy or moody: happy but starting to get bored. 

Looking forward to: going into labor! Let's get this started. 

Latest scan: We've had so many scans, I'm not sure if this is the latest one. It's been hard to get a good pic of his face because he has been moving his face around a lot during the scan, but in this one he's sleeping.

Ways to induce labor

So it's that time of the pregnancy where you are just ready to have a baby. Inducing labor without medication is definitely the way I want to go, as does our doctor. She doesn't want to have to induce labor unless I'm at least 10 days over my due date. Here are some things I've heard and read about. Nothing is really proven, but I'm trying it all. 

• eating spicy food- This is supposed to work like castor oil. Allegedly, it may stimulate your tummy and therefore stimulate your uterus into action. 

• sex- sex releases prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that are like the medications used to induce labor.

• reflexology and acupressure- I don't think this works. I'm obsessed with foot massages and have been going throughout my pregnancy. I now go about twice a week and nothing. Here's what I found about it: The first area on the body used for stimulating labor is located between the thumb and index finger. This point is actually the “webbing” between these two areas. Techniques vary, but this pressure point can be pressed and rubbed for several seconds or simply pressed firmly for approximately one minute and then released. This technique can also be used during active labor to relieve pain.The next area of the body used for stimulating labor is the ankle. This area actually has two different pressure points. The first pressure point is located on the outside of the ankle, just behind where the bony prominence is. Just like the first mentioned location, techniques vary but the pressure point can be rubbed or pressed for several seconds or one minute. The other ankle pressure point is inside the leg, above the ankle. This area may be difficult to find but it is more sensitive to touch than the rest of the leg. Another area is located on the back, above the buttocks and lower back. This area can also be pressed or massaged as tolerated. The final area commonly used for initiating labor is located on the neck, the large muscle between the neck and the shoulder. This area can be pressed or massaged as tolerated.

• nipple stimulation- Stimulating your nipples can help release natural oxytocin hormones thus causing the uterus to contract.

• drinking red raspberry leaf tea-  I have this in tablet form so it's easier to take. It is said to help tone the cervix and strengthen our entire pelvic region. Raspberry Leaf Tea may not help induce labor directly, but it should play a key part in your overall birth plan. It is full of vitamins and minerals that are essential to the health of your uterus. 

• walking a lot, especially up stairs- This was the only thing that was recommended by our doctor. She said stay very active and that will help induce labor. I do have to say that on the days where I walk more, I do have more contractions. Not the real contractions though. 

• drink a beer- I have no idea. I think my friend just made this one up. I'm going to have one on the due date. 

• acupuncture- I have an appointment on Monday with this really old Chinese man who says he can induce labor. There's a girl I know who went to him and then went into labor the next day. Here's what science says: One small study at the University of North Carolina found that women who got acupuncture were more likely to go into labor without a medical "push."The study included 56 women who were 39.5 to 41 weeks pregnant. (Forty weeks is full term.) Half of the women got three acupuncture sessions, while the other half did not. 70% of the women who got acupuncture went into labor on their own, compared to 50% who received standard care. The women who got acupuncture were also less likely to deliver by cesarean section -- 39% compared to 17%.

• Eat an entire pineapple- an old Asian wives tale- Tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and papaya contain a proteolytic enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme is said to help soften the cervix, stimulate muscle contractions, and for shortening labor. Eating large amount of fresh pineapple can also kick start your digestive system, which is also said to be a way to kick start labor.

• Blowing up balloons: the theory is that the build up of abdominal pressure encourages labour to start.
  
  

Shows.

Being pregnant limits your activities. We have tried to see as many shows and movies as we could. 

 This was amazing. If you have never seen a Cirque show, you are completely missing out. Make sure you make every effort to see one sometime in your lifetime. I also highly recommend getting as close to the stage as possible. We splurged for 5th row tickets. I can't recommend this enough.

I had to go see this with the girls. The dancing was great, the acting not so much. But to be fair, the cast was from South Africa and they were desperately trying to maintain their American accents. Highly inappropriate for kids which there were far to many of there. 

This was our last show before baby comes. It was good, not amazing or anything surprising. Great to go out with friends afterwards though. We are definitely enjoying our nights out as much as we can. 

Will our baby be Singaporean?

We get asked that a lot from people back in the US and Canada. The answer is no. I found this article explaining this. Here are some key points from the article. (We are EP pass holders)


"You can be a tourist here or on an EP pass or be a Permanent Resident and give birth in Singapore and your child will not be classified as a Singaporean.

An oxymoron surely? You must take on the nationality of the place where you are born?

Ordinarily and in many other other countries in the world yes but not in Singapore.The irony is of course that Singapore has the lowest fertility rate in the world which is one of the main reasons that foreigners have to be imported here to fill jobs. That in turn is one of the main reasons why Singaporeans are increasingly anti-foreigner and believe that foreign workers should be second to infrastructure development to cope with population growth.

I have tried to find out why this is the case and can only conclude that the policy is designed to stop people from poorer neighbours like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia from just hoping over the border to visit Sentosa and having a baby here at the same time and gaining all the benefits.

However this overlooks the small fact that there is virtually no welfare system here. Born here does not give you any benefits unless you really are on the poverty line.

Even then the reason why so many older Singaporeans work in fast food outlets (way past any age they would do so in the West) is because there are no freebies, no safety net beyond your child looking after you (they must do so legally but if you have no family it becomes a problem).

The UK and US could learn much in this context from Singapore. They are billions in debt while Singapore is billions in surplus mainly due to welfare bills for the two western countries. As PM Lee recently said foreigners should be welcome as long as they integrate and contribute to society."

I think it makes perfect sense for us to not be able to claim Singaporean citizenship.

hazy dayz

Just another typical day in Cairo Singapore. Wait, what? 

Any time from May to October, Indonesian farmers in Sumatra set forests on fire to clear land for farming. Yes, you read that correctly. This causes a massive haze to blow over Singapore and making it unsafe to be outside for prolonged periods of time. Here's an article about it. 

I was planning on walking over to my prenatal yoga class, but not today. More indoor time means more blogging. No one is sure how long the haze will last. 

So what's new? School is out which means we are off traveling..... Nope, not this year. First time to ever stay in the city we live in for more than a weekend. Which means we are going crazy enjoying the peace and quiet. There's plenty to do in Singapore and we are "treasuring our alone time" as everyone says to do. We've eaten out almost every day trying new restaurants and going to see lots of movies. We've done lots of baby shopping. I went to the US Embassy yesterday. I could have called them with my questions, but thought I'd just go in. Pretty straight forward with getting a passport for the baby. And there's even a changing table and nursing area in the women's bathroom. USA! USA! 

O went to Beerfest with the boys and I made some more pictures for the baby's room. We went to the Aquarium one day. I know, it's so much excitement, we can really only have one activity a day. 

Other exciting things to look forward to:

go on hospital tour

write a birth plan

fix the printer to print out the birth plan

figure out how the baby monitor works

figure out how to use breast pump

sterilize all baby things

attend baby first aid class

go see the new pandas at the zoo

get a new couch cover from Ikea

O is going to take his Singapore driver's license test

count how many onesies our baby has We have 87 onesies! 

look up ways to induce labour

Baby Shower

Just realized that I never posted this!! 

My amazing friends, Cara, Teresa and Gemma threw me the bestest baby shower ever. 

Who doesn't love a diaper cake?

These little onesies were up and everyone had to guess the baby's name....

 and how much he will weigh....

and of course, his head size! 

These balloons were everywhere- so cute! Afterwards, we gave them to some little kids at the restaurant. 

This was so cute. Everyone had to draw a picture of what they thought baby Lebourdais would look like and then write their best advice. Teresa also got pictures from my mom and O's mom of us as babies. 

 Such an awesome group of ladies! 

So many great gifts! Teresa contacted my mom who sent baby stuff from when I was a baby.  Everything from the outfit I would have been brought home in from the hospital if I was a boy to the booties my mom wore from the hospital when she was brought home from the hospital. 

Before I was pregnant, I had maybe a diet coke every other day. Since I was trying to cut back on caffeine, I stopped drinking them. I've splurged on our babymoons and had a few "real" cokes, you know the ones made from sugar cane in the glass bottles in Thailand- yum! Other than that, I haven't had any, and I can say I haven't wanted any soda at all. I'm told that it's such an "American" thing to drink soda during the day without alcohol.

32 weeks

Best pregnancy moments- I love how being pregnant creates a bond for women. I'm loving my girls nights/days out and talking with friends who have had babies recently and sharing all of their joys and nightmares of having a newborn. I feel like they are really preparing me for a tough first 3 months, but giving me the real deal of how hard it is at first. Oh and a body pillow. If you are ever preggers, guuuurl you gots to get one! 

How are you handling the heat?! It's hot. About 88-93F for the high each day. The pool is nice at night and I keep the AC on more than we usually do. 

Weight gain: I spoke too soon about not gaining that much weight and I've started packing on the lbs! Gaining about 2lbs a week! 

Maternity clothes- H&M has some cute maternity clothes- good shorts are hard to find, but I've finally got some. Also, still obsessed with Old Navy maternity clothes. I've been given some maternity clothes from Singapore and some of the brand names are "Plump" and "MilkyWay". Gotta love their sense of humor. 

Stretch marks- Surprisingly not yet. 

Cravings: I craved chocolate for a week, but then got over it. Still craving lots of juice- mostly orange juice and cranberry juice. And I'm so obsessed with popcorn. Oh, and ice cream. Let's just say I like to eat. 

Miss anything? Being able to just touch my toes and gracefully get out of bed. 

Kicks/movement- Getting stronger every day! He kicks me under my ribs now. Oh, and the weird thing is you can actually see the movements! 

Belly button- completely flat, but I don't think it's ever going to stick out. 

Sleep: I get up about 5 times a night- drinking water (I go through 1 liter at night!) and then obviously peeing and then flipping over trying to get comfy. However, I'm taking 2 hour naps on the weekends. 

Happy or moody: Pretty happy

Looking forward to: Holding the baby! 

Latest scan: The last few scans have been 4D pictures, but lil baby keeps his hands covering his face so we can't get any good face shots. Everything is all good, head is down, and he was 1.9kg (4.18lbs) at the last appt. He's got very chubby cheeks and yes, a very large head. We now go in every 2 weeks to see the dr and get a scan.

28 Weeks update- Welcome to the 3rd trimester!

Latest bump pic. I couldn't get O to tear himself away from the NBA playoffs to get a good pic so it's me in the mirror. Not the greatest and I'm totally rocking the double chin. 

Funny pregnancy moments- You really have to just have a good sense of humor about your pregnancy. It's better to laugh rather than cry. I've had some major baby brain moments lately. I've been in conversations and completely responded as if I wasn't listening at all- which I wasn't and everyone keeps making fun of me for it at work. One of the worst baby brain moments was a few days ago. I was walking through a mall and realized I needed to buy some new shampoo. So I walked into Sephora and bought shampoo. I walked to the next mall (Singapore is just a big city of interconnected malls) and I thought, "I need shampoo", so I walked into Watsons and picked up shampoo and went to pay. Only then did I realize that I HAD JUST BOUGHT SHAMPOO. Ooops. Got home and realized that I don't even need shampoo, there is plenty in the bathroom.

How are you handling the heat?! Everyone has been asking that lately. I'm starting to get noticeably hotter these days. I've never really minded the heat here- growing up in Texas summers prepares you for living on the Equator. But with all this extra blood running through my body, yeah, it's fuggin' hot.

Weight gain: 10 lbs total since the start of pregnancy or as O says "That's it?!" I swear the scale is broken at the dr. office. 

Maternity clothes- It's actually really surprising that I can still fit into some non-maternity clothes. I've been told that depending on what I wear, some days I look "super pregnant" and some days I just look "normal". Whatever that means, I feel super pregnant all the time. 

Stretch marks- Surprisingly not yet. 

Cravings: Orange juice every day and ice cream occasionally.

Miss anything? Sleeping on my stomach and back. Being able to bend down without the belly getting in the way. A cold beer on a Friday afternoon. Oh, and cookie dough. 

Kicks/movement- ALL the time! Day and night, when I'm sitting or walking around, doesn't matter. With a new scan each month, it's nice knowing exactly what position he is in so I can tell if he's kicking or punching. He punches more than he kicks. Gonna be a boxer!

Belly button- still in, but barely

Sleep: It's getting harder to get comfortable some nights. Thinking about getting one of those body pillows. I've basically created a body pillow with 5 of our pillows but I have to rearrange it every time I get up to go to the bathroom. Also, O is sad he's just down to 1 pillow now. He guards it like a hawk.

Happy or moody: Mostly happy, but just don't ever eat a pregnant lady's food. Ever. 

Looking forward to: June 7- last day of school. Freeeeedom!!

Latest scan: I went in to the Dr this past week because I had a fever. Same story- lots of fluids, rest, paracetamol (Tylenol to Americans) to keep the fever down. Whenever I go in, the dr always does a scan to check to make sure everything is okay with the baby and also to "brighten up my day" as she says. Technology is amazing. With one click of a button, she showed me a 4D scan of the baby! It's a strange/awesome thing. Here's a pic of his face. 

Restaurants of the week

Al Qasar in Holland Village

 Holland Village is a large area of restaurants and shops about a 15-20 minute walk from our place. Decent lebanese food, but after living in the Middle East we are spoiled. First of all, it's over priced, but I think everywhere here would seem overpriced compared to the Middle East. Secondly, it's decent Lebanese food, not amazing Lebanese food. But I guess that's what happens when you've been to Beirut and had your mind blown with their amazing hummus.

La Salsa at Dempsey Hill

So we were going to try a new restaurant at Dempsey Hill- a large area of restaurants about a 15 minute walk from our place. We always say we will try a new place.....But once we saw our favorite place, we had to stop. It's "fancy Mexican" and what makes it even better is we get 50% off with our AMEX card. Yes, I said 50, which makes the price seem decent. It's one of the best Mexican places here and no it doesn't compare to Mexican in Texas, but it's still a weekly fave. They usually have a band playing on Friday nights which adds to the experience. 

more books.

Not baby books.... but here is an update of books I've read the past few months...

This book was super weird. And not in a good way. I read this around the same time as the Newtown murders and I couldn't help but think of how this book is about this weird loner just like that crazy guy. To be honest, I didn't really like it. 

You've probably considered quitting your job and traveling for a year, or maybe you've done it. More and more people are doing this. O and I talk about where we would go and what we would do in a year. I think the main thing would be being able to go to different regions of the world at the "ideal" time of year. Being able to go trek Nepal in October, avoiding all the monsoon seasons, etc. This couple quits their jobs, packs their bags and heads off to explore the world and all it's culture and get out of their comfort zone. First stop, Fiji. Wait, what the what? You're first stop is Fiji? Wow, super lame. Next stop, New Zealand. Come on! Explore! Isn't that the point of your wander year? While Fiji and NZ seem amazing and I can't wait to visit both places, they are places I will take my young kids because they are EASY and COMFORTABLE. The book was incredibly disappointing, although well written and at least short, they purposely avoid India because they "aren't ready for that kind of culture shock".  Come on! I want to hear about all your crazy adventures and how you had so many amazing experiences you would never expect. The most annoying thing was that they packed everything they needed into their 2 big backpacks and then also brought 3 suitcases. Don't say you're backpacking when you aren't. Thank God, the book was less than $3 on the Kindle. 

 LOVED this book! Amazing story, and sooo well written. Read this book. It's unbelievable that this is a true story. A must read!

As I've mentioned before, I love Peter Moore's books. He's the "traveler's traveler". So he wrote this after The Full Moctezuma where he travels around Central America with the GND(girl next door). A hilarious book that highlights the highs and lows of traveling with a new love for the first time. Obviously that didn't go well, and he's left broken hearted and decides to go to Africa. He goes from Cape Town to Cairo mostly overland. Having been to many of these places, it sparks lots of memories. A fun read, as always expected from Peter Moore. 

Another Peter Moore- maybe one of his first books? Not sure. He has been living in London and decides to head home to Australia overland. Can he do it? You have to read to find out if he can make it to Australia overland through some very tricky border crossings. I especially liked his description of Singapore. One of my favorite Peter Moore books. 

Well, you had my attention with the title alone. Western woman living in the middle east? Gotta read it. Also, it was less than $5 on the Kindle. This chick goes to live in Saudi back in the 80s and has to deal with all the extreme sexism and crazy religious laws. I enjoyed her perspective and I think I would have felt the same emotions seeing the injustice towards women and wanting to change it rather than just accept it as "part of their culture". She befriends several Saudi women and tries to help them change their social situations. They are very frightened to speak up, but a few do. Which leads me to her next book....

While living in Saudi, she befriends one of the princesses and writes her biography hoping to help improve the lives of women there by telling their stories. I loved this book as well. However, it hasn't helped my rage every time I see a lady dressed in full burka next to her husband who is in a singlet and board shorts. There are 2 more books about her life and the lives of other Saudi women which I can't wait to read. Highly recommend.