Welcome Baby Chloe

Thank God for safe delivery. Here is baby Chloe all wrapped up. 

And here is the hubby after learning how to shower Chloe. 

Thank you all for your prayers! We are now resting at home busy with changing nappies and feeding our little bundle of joy. 

My IUGR Baby

The past 2 weeks have been one roller coaster emotional ride for me and Calvin. So I had a routine medical check up on Monday and expected it to be a normal hi-bye-thank-you-doc kinda visit, until the doc realised that baby Chloe was at the bottom 5th percentile in terms of growth. In another word, she was very small for her gestational age and had not been growing much since our last visit 2 weeks ago. Alarmed, the doc sent me for another sonograph which confirmed that Chloe was indeed small. She was only weighing 1.6kg when she should be above 2kg. 

What followed next was a CTG monitoring, which checks the baby's heart beat to make sure she was doing alright in the womb. All was fine with Chloe's heart beat; thank God it was good and regular. However the CTG monitor also picked up that I was having regular contractions! And what was more bizarre was that I did not realise that those hardenings that I have been feeling in my stomach were not Chloe bundled up in a corner after all. I barely had any pain, and I thought contractions are supposed to be painful. 

Anyway, by then I was already so overwhelmed by the sudden turn of event and it had been such a long day of waiting for the doc/sonograph result/doc and then the CTG test (and I was supposed to log on from home to finish up some work) that I just broke down and cried in the hospital. Yeah I was bawling. 

Calvin couldn't be there with me during the check up as he got called in for a simulator last minute. The doc asked if I wanted to call him but I refused because I knew I'd cry more if I hear his voice, and I didn't wanna alarm the doc and all the pregger ladies outside the clinic *read I was a total emotional mess*. I eventually did later when the doc said she had to hospitalised me to try to stop the contraction. 

As I was only 35 weeks along then, it was best they administer steroid to strengthen Chloe's lungs in case she comes out early. As the steroid takes 48 hours to work, I was put on medication and drips to minimise contraction and to try to wait out delivery until at least 48 hours later. It was the most uncomfortable 2 days of my life but thank God Calvin was there with me throughout the whole ordeal. 

Fast forward to today... I have been discharged from the hospital and been asked to monitor baby movement daily. I am also required to go back for CTG monitoring twice a week until delivery day. Baby Chloe has been doing great so far, although my odd contractions still does not subside. 

I will be 37 weeks along this coming Monday, and that's when we will induce baby Chloe. 

A big thank you to friends and family members who have been there for us, helping us to get ready for the arrival of Baby Chloe, and also for the emotional support. We love you very much and couldn't have done this without you. 

Please pray for safe delivery of Baby Chloe.

My Dearest Husband

My husband has a lot of free time when he is not flying. It is the perk of the job, he says. Since my application to be a full time housewife is pending approval, I can only watch with envy as he wakes up late and have all the time in the world to hang out with his friends of the same profession. But no matter how many friends he meets or how many activities he has on for the day, he never fails to show up on time to fetch me home from work. And sometimes this chauffeur comes bearing gifts of geberras and sunflowers. 

My husband snores, so loud he would wake himself up sometimes. But recently I noticed the snoring has diminished because he's deliberately slept on his side so that his pregnant wife would have a good night sleep. And he'd never failed to hold my hand underneath the sheets right before I fall asleep. That to me is the most romantic thing ever. 

My husband does not plan. He is the pack-your-bag-and-go kinda vacation planner and is all for spontaneity. While it stresses the mild OCD in me sometimes, it actually brings out a sense of adventure previously alien to me. Thanks to dear husband,I got the chance to shoot an AK47 in Vegas, pat a leopard in South Africa and sky dive in Santa Cruz (well technically that was my idea but he was all for it and did not chicken out).

My husband thinks he's put on weight. I think the little pouch is too cute. 

As I am on this hospital bed waiting for the nurses to check on Chloe, the husband sits quietly waiting beside me with his Nexus 5. And I am reminded of how blessed to have such a wonderful husband who is there for me through thick and thin. This post shall post as a reminder to myself not to that for granted. Love you my dear. 

Week 32

Dear Baby

Happy New Year dear Baby C! It's 2014 and you'll be arriving very soon. Mommy is very excited and scared at the same time. Try not to hurt mummy too much when you try to come out okay? 

Mommy and Daddy were in Hong Kong with Uncle Shaun just last month and we brought you along! Did you enjoy the dim sum and all the goodies ? 

Your kicks are getting stronger and more frequent these days. As much as they hurt mommy sometimes (especially when you kick mommy's ribs), mommy thinks she'll miss them when you're finally out. Nonetheless we are both so excited to meet you! 

Grow stronger every day, my dear little bulb!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Highlights of 2013

.. And it's December again, can you believe it. Time sure flies when you are having fun. I hope you guys had a great year too. Here's the 2013 recap from the The Chans. 

January 2013

Made a trip to Koh Phangan to catch the Full Moon Party courtesy of Wei who generously gave us the trip as our wedding present. But we got the dates confused and missed it *face palm*

Feb 2013

Managed to make a trip back home towards the end of CNY to see the family.

March 2013

Had a Safari trip to Kruger Park, South Africa. It's our first time flying with South African Airways and meeting the Big 5s! 

Hubby's turn to remove all 4 wisdom teeth! I still love you even though your face is bloated!

April 2013

JPM run

Had an epic road trip in California, where we drove from San Francisco to LA and stopping in Santa Cruz, Sillicon Valley, Bakersfield and Vegas. I must say that this trip was the most fun trip I've ever had in a while now. And neither one of us could forget our sky-diving experience, what an absolute adrenaline pumping episode! Truly something to do before starting a family. 

May 2013

Celebrating hubby's birthday with a surprise party at Law's. Followed by a family dinner. 

Met David Choi again!

Parents came down for a visit. 

June 2013

Found out we have a new addition to the Chan family :)

July 2013

The hubs brought me to Equinox to celebrate my birthday. And he bought me a really thoughtful gift too, sent directly to the office. Check it out!

August 2013

Made a short road trip to Malacca and KL. 

September 2013

Grew much bigger.

October 2013

Sold Beemie and got Uncle Beemie instead. Ted's days of riding in a cabrio are over. 

Went to Paris for our Babymoon. 

November 2013

BFF came back for a short visit and look what he bought for Baby C!

Suz's hen night! 

Dec 2013

Made a trip to Hong Kong with the hubby and Shaun. Also met Yuan and some friends. It's my very last trip before I am Singapore-bound. 

Christmas celebration at Shio's.  

 

Hubby attended his first Christmas Eve service in SJSM. 

2014 has been a really wonderful year for us with lots of trips and hanging out with family and friends. It is also the last year  alone for this pair of husband and wife before baby C comes along. I anticipate lots of sleepless nights in 2015. Wish us luck :)

Week 25

Dear Baby - Are you a cat or a dog baby? 

Week 23

Dearest baby,

Oops.. looks like mummy has been lazy updating the blog. It's been another busy week for both mummy and daddy. Mummy was busy with work as usual, and was so exhausted in the evenings that even your kicking and punching don't wake mummy up at all. Daddy on the other hand was busy serving national service, and now he's gone to work at Christchurch. So little baby, it's just you and me for the weekend.

Oh and we have also started thinking about how to do up your little nursery... stay tuned Baby C!

Kisses,
Mummy and daddy