So thrilled that Carina can now recognize me as her mummy, not just in person but in video calls as well! The smart genes are strong in her ;p
Time to get her started on the next assignment now - alphabets, numbers and shapes! :)

Carina Mae

A gift she is from heaven above
A perfect example of God's precious love
I'm filled with love beyond measure
For our sweet little treasure.

Meet the newest member of our family - baby Carina Mae Raj; born 8th August 2017 at 5.46pm; weighing 3.45kg and 51cm in length; safely delivered naturally after 9 hours of active labour with no epidural. What an experience and what a joy to finally meet my little sweetie in person, to finally hold her in my arms. Words alone do no justice in describing the intense feeling and impact she has had in our lives, then and now.

@ 28weeks

@39weeks (fresh out from mommy's oven!)

So full of hair and cuteness

My favourite picture of us - she may hold my hand for a while now, but she holds my heart forever

Chubby cheeks



Mesmerizing eyes 

Curled up like a little worm

My sleeping beauty @ 1 month old

@ 2months - future boxing/kickboxing champ in the making!

Keep smiling, keep shining 

Mae & May

R.I.P. Russell

You were always closest to me. I miss our walks together so much. It was so hard not being able to hold you when you needed me most to. I didn't even get to say goodbye, to see you in your last moments. It still breaks my heart and brings me to tears whenever I think of the pain and suffering you had to endure in those last few weeks - the way you looked at me before you lost sight, your frail, scarred and bony body as your limbs and internal organs give way. Thank you for trying to stay alive as long as you could for me.

 

Thank you for 8 great years of companionship. I will never forget you. Enjoy doggie heaven, my dear Russell. I love you.

 

 

Unconventional affection

Sometimes, affection comes in unconventional forms and deliberately when you are least aware - but that is probably what makes it all the more special and memorable.

In case my memory fails, may this post remind me of how lucky and privileged I am to have been the recipient of your unconventional (+ occasionally deliberately secretive) affection.

-----

#1    I struggled to paint my own toe nails because of my bump and you came to my rescue without me asking. You were patient and did such a great job at it!

#2    I fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie. I must have looked completely asleep but I was actually only half asleep. You covered me with a blanket and kissed my forehead.

#3    On our babymoon, for the first few nights, you got up in the middle of the night and watched me sleep. I knew because I felt you stroking my head and face.

#4    For the last 4 months, you've diligently made me breakfast and fed me my vitamins every morning.
 

G for Grateful and more....

It's been in the past for a while
I get a flash and I smile
Am I crazy?
Still miss you baby

In a dream you appeared
For a while you were here
So I keep sleeping
Just to keep you with me

It was real, it was right
But it burned too hot to survive
All that's left is
All these memories

I'll draw a map
Connect the dots
With all the memories that I've got
What I'm missing
I'll keep re-living

Baby Shower - 31052017

A celebration that someone special, someone dear, someone new to love is coming soon!
It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for my two lovely and loving sisters/aunty-to-be. 

The games were the best part of the night and unfortunately there were no pictures or videos to remind me of them. :(

Anyway, the 2 games I made everyone play was "guess Ally's bump size" and "guess the baby's birthday." Sam won the guess-Ally's-bump-size challenge which came as a big surprise to me because his answer was so near accurate! Mom was in denial the whole night as she couldn't believe her waist size was as big as my bump! ;p 

Twas' a great night. Couldn't have felt more blessed to have such loving family and amazing close friends to celebrate together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

  

Pregnancy milestone

For the first time today, 7th May 2017, I saw my belly move from the baby's kicking!

Upcoming milestone - 14th May 2017 - my first Mother's Day!

Placenta brain

Had a blonde moment today which I think is attributed to the "placenta brain" symptom of being pregnant. :D

 

Don't know what got into me last night but I was so certain that this weekend was Mother's Day. As I had not bought Mom a gift (yet), I frantically searched the Internet for online flower delivery services and hastily made an order for a nice big bouquet of flowers to be delivered to Mom today. I thought it would be nice to surprise her with flowers while she's at BB in church with all the kids. Even rushed to compose a sweet note so that it can be included with the bouquet. I was so pleased at myself Friday night for being able to make such a last minute arrangement work. 

 

Saturday afternoon came and while on the drive home from the market, it suddenly hit me that Mother's Day is always on the second Sunday of the month! My supposedly sweet surprise is 1 week too early! How could you be so silly, Ally??!!

 

I can't believe I only realized it 15 hours later....

 

Gold Award & BB Juniors' Canteen Day

A day of BB good news. :)

Found out that the Gold Award applications for the 6 kids that I coached and submitted last year got approved, with no rework required. Phew! A BB record for sure - of the highest number of Gold Badge recipients per batch since company inception in 2001.

Then, found out that Squad 1 (my squad) won first place for the BB Juniors Canteen Day!

So proud of them kids.

The nooooodle stall  

The girls' masterpiece

Kai Wern's masterpiece - so impressed with his 3-dimensional pepperoni spaghetti idea and mock-up!

Goofing around before the competitive sale begins

Sales pitch in progress....

Young entrepreneurs and hagglers ;p

These are the little things I'll miss about BB when I start my sabbatical leave. :(

The frailty of life

It is not the years in our lives that count, but the life in our years.

It is not the duration of our lives that count, but the donation of our lives.

 

 

Thank you, Sir Loh - for investing in me; for seeing the potential in me when no one else did, for always pushing me to conquer my fears and insecurities when I was a teen. Thanks to you, I had the opportunity and confidence to deliver my first public speaking at the age of 16. Thanks to you, I had the exposure and opportunity to worship lead in BB and in church. Thanks to you, I had my first taste of event planning and management at the tender age of 16. Because of you, I had my first missions exposure to Cambodia. Because of you, my teenage life was enjoyable and memorable. And that has made all the difference.

 

It broke my heart to watch you laying lifeless when I've always known and seen you to be so full of life.

 

It is a privilege to have known you and be mentored by you. You've changed my life. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for your mentorship, faith and encouragement. Your memories and legacies will live on through the lives of those you've so faithfully mentored.

 

May you rest in peace.

 

So weird how this sponsored ad popped up on my feed.
This is one shirt worth getting. Hahaha!

Baby bump @ 16weeks

Prior to being pregnant, I have always had idealistic expectations of what my pregnancy journey would be, being the planner and perfectionist I am. I'd imagine myself taking baby bump shots every month, every trimester, documenting everything well within a photo journal, early shopping for pretty maternity wear and monthly progress on the purchase of baby items.

 

Life's been so hectic (maybe too hectic than it should be) that I've only had time to take my first baby bump shot at 16 weeks, and that, an amateur selfie shot!

 

Note to self: Get it together, Mayyi! Being a mother requires lots of discipline - to pump, to feed, to cook, to pick-up the baby on time etc. There's no room to slack! Stop working late hours and stop putting work first - get your priorities right! Be the supermom the baby deserves.

 

 

On a side note, I now appreciate how skinny I used to be, as I start to put away the clothes I can no longer fit. The saying's true....you'll never truly appreciate what you have until it's gone. Not just size, but every other component of life....

 

happy birthday.
i wish you knew how much i still think about you every day.

be happy.