Off to chapter baby

You know how people would always say/complain how their life of two has ended when expecting a baby?
I didn't have the chance to enjoy my 二人世界, and 第三者 is on its way.
So here, welcome to Chapter Baby.

Just a few weeks back, I was feeling a little different from being normal and was telling my bestie over swimming session that my period was so off course, she urged me to get it checked. And the result came back positive.

That's where the horror starts.

My search for hospital and gynea begun.

After a few calls and online researches, And since, I'm planning to deliver at Mount A. after much recommendations, that will mean getting an appointment at a private clinic.

Finally found a clinic that is in the west area and affordable consultation rate. Besides, going to a govt hospital is gonna take weeks before I get my first appt, and pte clinic could see me within a couple of days.
So my doctor is pretty good looking, I would say. Dr Ben Choey. Very soft spoken and patient.
There was once I ask him if 3D scan could see the color of the baby, and he say no, they would all turn out orange, and I asked again, but what about indian babies? Will they be of a darker orange? He said, no, and just laugh. He has been quite tolerant to my weird questions and quite comfy to talk to him.
Anyway, now that my baby is about 12 weeks big, it has already learn to paw. Might have learn it while I was training my sunny boy all these while.

Went for check up, blood test and scan a few days back, Down syndrome test came out with quite a good result 1:10000. And head, hands and legs are formed. So far no abnormalities.

Doctor says might be a boy, but too early to tell.

It is so expensive to have a baby, the blood test and down syndrome test plus gynea package already set up back almost $1.3k for this month.

Dear govt, your baby bonus only $6000, where got enough??

From a rough estimation, we might have to come up with about $4k cash for delivery. And that is for a 2 bedder ward for Caesarean with epidural. Don't understand how some was mentioning in the forums that they have paid lesser that this amount, but after calling the hospital to verify, all information on the charges are very vague, so total amount can only be confirm upon bill arrival.

I can only conclude that this baby thing is a really expensive deal. Thank god for pass downs from my very helpful brother and sil.

50.days.before

Done with the Guo Da Li, here's my update on what we've been busy with the past 2 months.


Gown:

Almost done. Went for the second fitting and needed to take another 2 inches off.



Fiance's Suit & Shirt:

Going for second fitting.



AD Lunch:

Deposit Paid.



Invitation:

Confirmed. Midst of printing. Waiting for collection



Wedding Cake:

Ordering soon.



Solemnizer:

Confirmed. Dr Phua Tan Tee.
So glad I'm able to get an appointment with him. Many great reviews about him.



Car:
Reserved.

Guo Da Li

This blog might have been dead for some time, and that's because I realized that there are many thing cannot be prep/done way before the wedding.

Anyway, we just got the Guo Da Li settled yesterday [19.01.2014]. Too troublesome. Too many itty nitty items. Never will want to do it again. So.. HTB, don't divorce me alright. This Guo Da Li was suppose to be done by the matchmaker, but since we don't have one, and FMIL ain't any experience plus everything is so google-able in this era, we did every thing ourselves, from choosing and buying to tying ribbons and sticking stickers all the way up till exchanging of items, of course with the help of my parents.

 How can we not do the classic pose?!

 Guardian of the basket: #SmellySunny

Rented this from The Chinese Wedding Shop: $48

A must have for Teochews.

3 layered basket symbolizes the groom will make tons of money and buy a three storey bungalow for me.

 So when the groom has to present this plate to the bride's parent with brideprice in the red packet, wrap with red handkerchief and a chunk of wax.

And it means 明媒正娶. Official lah.

Sesame Candy  芝麻糖

Peanut Candy 花生糖

: Teochew Style

 

Well, so basically, just too many thing to bring here and there. And here's my list.

 From the groom:

- Black & Red Basket 

过大礼蓝

--Top layer: Pin Jin Tray, Pin Jin / Brideprice, Wax, Si Dian Jin (4 pieces of gold jewellery)

--Second layer: 12 x Oranges

--Last Layer: 8 x Pig Trotter Cans 猪脚罐

In a seperate bag:

- Dragon & Phoenix Candles 2 pair 

龙凤烛两对

    Groom keeps the phoenix and bride keeps the dragon.

    To be lit in both homes at the same time.

- Wine

- Sesame Candy 芝麻糖

- Peanut Candy 花生糖

 From the bride:

Have to return part of whatever the groom brings over.

- 2 bottles of softdrink in exchange for the wine/liquor

- Needle and Thread set

- Bedside lamps

- Bedsheet

- Towels

- Mugs

- Clogs (Now replaced by bedroom slippers)

For bed setting 安床:

 

- Red Dates, Lily Buds, Dried Longans, Lotus Seeds

红枣，百合，桂圆 ，莲子

- Rock Sugar / Candied Winter-Melon Strips

冰糖 / 糖冬瓜

- 5 Colour Auspicious Seeds  

五色豆

- Dried Tangerine Slices 

- 12 red packets with gold coins

That's all, since my parents and fiance quite chin chye. 

SIL also came back with niece, so today already felt like CNY mood. Ate lunch before the sleep-deprived fiance dose off on the sofa.

 

three.months.before

Summary:


13.02.2014  Thursday

Dinner with maternal family


End___



Day 1 -  11.03.2014  Tuesday

Morning - Chinese Ceremony
Noon - ROM


End___



Day 2 -  16.03.2014  Sunday

Morning - Tea Ceremony
Noon - Lunch
Late Noon - After Party!


End___




Lunch venue for day 1 has been planned ages ago and so we went down to Park Palace@Grand Park City Hall couple of weeks back for "site visit". Dad joined us on the second visit to discuss about the menu and we did a little food tasting, courtesy of Mr CK Shek. I was glad CK gave us great recommendations for the dishes. Plus point, we didn't have to put a deposit.

So then we confirmed Park Palace for Day 1.



Being tempted by the fabulous food they'll be able to provide, our decision of the 5-star view venue was shaken. After doing the sums and much persuasion from my parents, we've decided to change day 2 lunch venue from Mt Faber to Park Palace. CK gave us a good discount for both the days.


Now another item strike off from the list of to-dos.
Phew~ this is months of hard work for a day of celebration.

Preparing for Taiwan

Do you remember that I mentioned about the pre-wedding photo shoot in one of my earliest post?

Now that I am starting to prepare for the trip, I will also included my itinerary for the trip (but maybe later .. god know when).

TAIWAN.

A place most familiar to me. Spent all my childhood vacations there. A little bit of selfie - My mum was born and bred in Taiwan, thus part of my family are still there. My granny and uncle (foster family) passed on some years back. So, other than to have gathering and dinner with the other family members, the most important activity on my itinerary is to pay my respects to granny and uncle.

So that's, dinner with many different groups of people, photo shoot, and visit the graves.

And since the fiance is crazy about herbal jelly (仙草) now, I found a little shop in TaiChung where they make herbal jelly from scratch and sells limited portion everyday.

Of course there are some must-do stuff in Taiwan, like hot-springs, eat shaved ice in XiMenDing and the list goes on. Seems to me like 90% of the list is about eating; eating with family, mum's friends, eateries, night market...


Right now, about three and a half months to the trip, I have yet to purchase the air tickets and to book the hotel; all I can think of is to buy my all time favorite winter wear.
I've also confirm the dinner location.

That's all for now.



 November updates:


Air Tickets - CHECKED
Taipei Accomodation - CHECKED
Le Meridien Hotel Dinner - CHECKED

five.months.before

Certainly, it has been a while.
Of course there's updates.


Gown - CHECKED.

Damage: $600


The first and only shop I've been to and it's set.

Maybe I'm missing the bride genes, I actually don't feel as excited while trying the dresses exceot that it was pretty warm from all the moving around. But thanks to all the help from my "childhood friend" - Stephenie and The Gown Warehouse owner - Anabelle, I finally found The Dress, after trying like a dozen of them. And on the first look, it looked so fluffy I was afraid I'ld look like a cupcake.

Wanted to rent, but final decision is to made-to-measure.

We are so glad that another item on the list can be strike off.

shine.bright.like.a.diamond

I bought this set of stones some time ago, been searching for a goldsmith to set them.
Then my mum told me about this old friend of hers, who owns a decent little shop in Lucky Plaza. This uncle Hung, used to "alter" some of my mama's jewelries. He did the extension of a diamond/gold bracelet that the future MIL will be giving me on the wedding. So now, my stones are with him to set into a pair of earrings. Happy much.

He's been in this trade for more than 30 years and is very reliable. I'm so lucky he charges me super cheap rates.

If anyone is reading this and would like to have his shop location and contact number, do post your email on the comments, and I'll get back to you with the details.


P.S. I'll update the "after" one month later when I pick them up.





Updated: