Husband nearing 5-month pregnancy interval (Charis writes)

As I'm writing this, I'm listening to Christmas carols on the Internet radio... it has always been my most favourite time of the year. This year's Christmas is also exceptionally special while we wait to open the package with the gift tag that says, "Open only when due."

Baby, do you know, you are supposed to be due on April Fool's Day? Daddy has had a whale of time thinking of weird names (read: Bozo?!) for you to mark that special day. But we know better, if you're early, you're coming out on March 17 in to commemorate "Incredible Kid Day" or if you're snug and cosy, you're coming out on April 7 to celebrate "No Housework Day" with me.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a few of our American friends over a scrumptious buffet dinner in Siam City Hotel and there was the traditional turkey and glazed ham! After our meal, Samuel and I took this funny pic to compare our bellies. He's getting there, I tell ya!

Headline: Husband & wife nearly 5 months pregnant

I know I was supposed to write a letter to Little Bean, I'll do it in the next post! :) There's just so much to say to my little son :)

The chromosomes tell it all!

So recently we were given the chance to head back to Malaysia for a 1-week, then extended to a 2-week break due to the flood situation in Thailand. It was a great opportunity as we weren't meant to go back so soon. Our neighbourhood in Bangkok was spared from the floods but not so for people living in the outskirts. It would seem the waters would never go away! Please do continue to keep Thailand in your prayers.

Anyway, besides ticking food off our lists back home, we also had time to meet up with a local ob/gyn specialist. I was around 18-19 weeks then and we wanted to get our first detailed ultrasound scan. We headed out to UMSC with my sis-in-law and her 2 sons (we had to go visit my grandma after that) and met a really good doctor. You knew he was good when you had to wait 2 hours to get to him!

We've had scans before this but not one as detailed. Here, we found out that Little Bean is no more a little bean, but an almost fully-developed baby with all limbs and organs intact! That's how we came to find out about Little Bean's sex. I didn't want to appear desperate to the doctor about knowing about it so when he moved the probe around and finally said, "Ah, so now you can see the sex of the baby".

I was: What?! I cannot see a thing. Where? It was Samuel who first spotted it (I guess he would know best) and then he exclaimed happily and squeezed my hand which he was holding! I was still shocked and exclaimed "But everyone wanted a girl!". Thinking back I shouldn't have said so in case the doctor thought I was being ungrateful or something! I didn't mean what it sounded like, really!

So we are having a boy! I'd show you the amazing shot that sealed it all but maybe we should take that offline ;)

Next: A letter to Little Bean...

The journey so far... (Charis spills)

... has been rather exciting. I wouldn't say it is as nerve-wrecking as a roller coaster ride, but it sure ain't a stroll in the park either!

Firstly, a decent woman can only stand so many hormonal changes! Secondly, the weighing scale has GOT to go. And lastly, a little ache and a pain here and there will see me running to the "experts" on the WWW.

Here was what I googled (please don't laugh, ok!). See answers below.

1. Will I hurt my baby if I sneezed too hard?
2. Can my baby hear the music I am hearing from the earphones?
3. Why isn't my belly button popping out?
4. Why am I showing at 4 months?

Answer 1: No, but the pain you are feeling is from uterine expansions.
Answer 2: NO.
Answer 3: Not every woman is a popper. But it certainly doesn't determine the gender of your baby!
Answer 4: Unspecified. I tell people it's because I have winter storage like bears in hibernation (and then scuttle away in a corner to sulk).

I am not worried, though. The questions first-time mummies ask in online forums can be downright amusing sometimes! Like, "Can my baby hear my thoughts?". Lol!

Can they? :-/

Next: The chromosomes tell it all...