… is that I’m pregnant. I kept feeling with the hormones and the morning sickness that I must be behaving extra-weird and so I kept explaining to people why I might be extra-weird. (Because when I’m weird, I’d like it to be intentional). Fortunately people don’t give me nuclear launch codes.
And then there was Rockstar.
Me: So what do you think of babies?
Rockstar: <snobbily> I don’t like babies. They’re too noisy.
Me: <thinking: oh crap> Well everyone has to start out as a baby. You were a baby.
Rockstar: <horrified> No! NO!
Me: <thinking: ok desensitize him now!> You think they pulled you out kicking and screaming from Mummy’s belly looking like that? Wearing school uniform (with matching backpack)? Clutching un-age-appropriate Lego? You were a very difficult, screaming baby and everyone had to put up with your noise. You made us take 2am trips to the (HK Sanatorium) hospital emergency room with all the screaming. You befuddled nannies and horrified nurses and helpers.
(This is not an exaggeration – one nanny who has a 6-month waiting list asked me one day if she could tie a piece of jade round him. That’s code for she has tried everything and has no idea why he’s still screaming and (this was later explained to me by my mum) so maybe he’s screaming because he saw something “unclean” for e.g. evil spirits. Hence the jade for protection. I am not kidding.)
And then there was Kings.
Kings: Ssoooo…? How to read ah, that thing?
Me: 2 bars means positive, 1 means negative.
Kings: Ssoooo…?
And then my own reaction:
1) Dear Lord, if it’s your will, please, please may the baby and our family be healthy (Rockstar’s arrival – and he was perfectly healthy, just “difficult” – was chaotic enough to cause family rifts and scare us off trying for a second one for a few years)
2) There goes my SFC (Securities and Futures Commission) license.
(You get to keep the license 3 years out of the market provided you keep up yearly CPT (Continual Professional Training) hours. I’m just over 1.5 years out of the market, have been called to “explore” returning twice, did not find it easy to say no (loved those bosses). With Rockstar getting older and going to attend longer and longer hours in school eventually, I wondered if I would in the end stay out for the 3 years.
With the prospect of a second child, all that goes away. The job I did, the one I loved, means long hours. And even when I’m in the car, even at home expressing milk, I’m going over trades and pricings or writing market commentary in my head to RMs.)
3) Oh crap next year is the dragon year and this is Northasia. Everything’s going to be way more insane than Rockstar’s Golden Pig Year where we already went bonkers. (But please let me have this baby Lord, of course please let me have this baby.)
4) How am I going to explain another one to the dog? (kidding – we “explain” with her favorite foods so she associates the smell with “good” things)
See? Best buds.
Back to Rockstar:
Me: <thinking: ok better manage expectations> Not all pregnancies develop into babies and therefore brothers or sisters. We won’t know for a few more weeks, what Mummy has is a fertilized egg in her, and we have to see if it grows into a baby.
Rockstar nods solemnly.
Weeks later, when the doctor finds a heartbeat.
Me: Remember the egg Mummy told you about? It seems to be developing into a baby.
Rockstar looks so pleased I’m caught off guard and for a moment I get a little misty. Must be the hormones.
Me: You look happy.
Rockstar: Oh, (his two closest friends) have a brother and a sister. They even brought pictures to school.
Me: You’ve been taking note of your friends’ siblings??
Rockstar: Yeah. (Rattles off names – pretty much all his good friends have siblings, and something along the lines of his preference for getting to be the elder sibling).
Me: <thinking: great. More pressure on me and my 35 year-old uterus.> Umm… Just remember it takes a lot to grow a baby. Mummy needs to be careful, you need to not jump on me, and we need to pray and pray.
Rockstar: <still looking a lot happier then I’m comfy with> Ok. I’m going to be Charlie! (From Charlie and Lola)
Me: Umm… We don’t know if it’s a boy or girl, but yes if I carry this baby to term you’ll always be the elder.
Nowadays he watches the fetal development videos. I’m the Rockstar’s little science experiment.
Back to Kings.
—
—
Kings: So this morning sickness thing……. It lasts…… what, 2 weeks…..?
Caution: I take offense at anyone speculating I might prefer a boy or girl. All I fervently hope and pray for each day are 10 fingers and 10 toes. Unless you are my very good friend whom I know is just dying for one or the other due to detailed emotional, personal story. (Not… that far as I know (you can tell I’m nervous right?) we have any family history of anything other than 10 fingers and 10 toes, but I’m always nervous – your entire life changes and then some, more later…)
PS: Kings’ reactions are like that because with Rockstar I think I called him and said something like, “I’m pregnant… Ok, going for (job) interview now.” During that last pregnancy he would keep going, “You don’t need to vomit meh?” and “I thought pregnant women vomit. Y u not vomiting?”
I had almost no nausea with Rockstar (though I slept more), and strode about everywhere like I hadn’t noticed I was carrying 45lbs extra and bowling ball. This pregnancy – very different. The fatigue, the nausea, did I mention the fatigue? I absolutely refused to give up Rockstar’s school run, but many mornings I’d literally have to lie down til it was time to bring him. Thank God for Lego and Mr Men obsessions. Half the time I’m spacey and write crap. Also, school interview season and morning sickness do not mix well. I hate everyone or think they hate me.
Congratulations Aileen!! Sorry to hear about the morning sickness and fatigue though, take good care… When is the baby due?
Thanks Steph, well the Gynea says I should “feel pregnant” so I console myself at least I still am! Due late June..
Congratulations Princess Aileen! May everything goes smoothly in the year ahead. A little brother for Ryan is great. A little sister is even better, so he learns to care for girls. You also learn how it is like to raise a daughter. (NB: I’m not speculating your preference, just expressing my wish for you 😉
Hey you, thanks and – what’s with the “princess” thing?! I had to moderate out Rockstar’s name btw, we don’t put it on the blog anymore
You are a true princess at heart – nobility, eloquence, elegance, erudite, charm, beauty. Kingston is a “king” so his wife must be at least a princess.
Congrats! Baby Rockstar looks so cute and cubby in the photo with JD. Take good care.
Thanks Mun… He looked so different, face changed so much – apparently babies’ faces change like, 18 times
Good luck with the pregnancy, Aileen! 🙂
Hey hi, nice to see u here! Btw I found some more CGL girls living in HK!
Hi Aileen —
I love the way you write… so, yes, have been lurking. 🙂
Re CGL: Really?? S-c-a-r-y! 😀
Good luck with the pregnancy, Aileen! 🙂
Congrats on the news! I hope that you’ll have a much “easier” pregnancy now. Charlie & Lola stories rock! Am truly happy for you and your family.
Thanks dear, yeah they’re great for siblings.. I still feel pretty lousy physically, can’t really tell how much of it is the cold 😛 but having to take ZERO meds is annoying even as my snuffling person cries out for the drugs!
Oh my!!!! Congratulations dearest Aileen! I’m jumping for joy for you, Kings, Rockstar and the little precious who will be the luckiest baby on earth! Hugsssss!!!!
Superhero hugback! At least as much as my current cold’ll permit sweetie 😛 Hey any plans for you, I hope to be able to return some sweet greetings too!
hi Aileen, what blessed news! sharing your joy as you move along life with baby #2. have fun and enjoy yr new exciting journey. 😉
Thank you, Fidelia – it really IS a blessing. And I will remember that throughout this crazy journey!
Congrats Aileen!
Thanks dearie
Congrats!!! I think it’s great that Rockstar would have a sibling. 🙂
By the way, I had morning sickness (…and sometimes it comes in the evenings) ……all the way.:P When I was pregnant with my youngest child, I had really bad nausea after my evening meals. Sweets, ‘asam boi’, preserved ginger…and even ‘Vitagen’ all tak boleh pakai. It was soooo awful. Finally found my solution….after evening meals, I would go to my room and pray. It worked.
I still remember when the doctor showed me my firstborn and told me to look properly…to confirm the sex of the child, I was checking out the 10 fingers and 10 toes. 🙂 Congrats again!p/s Don’t hate everyone… not good for the baby oh… Think happy thoughts always!! 🙂
Thanks dear… You had morning sickness throughout and every pregnancy?? You’ve got way more kids than me, HOW did you manage to stick it out, I even find it hard just having morning sickness n Rockstar 😛 (yeah I’m a wimp) Praying’s a good idea, it never occurred to me to try it….
It’s really not that easy to see b or g on ultrasound til much later on right, generally I ask the doc what she sees…
Wishing u a belated Merry Xmas!!
I had morning sickness throughout all my pregnancies but the last one was the WORST. Fatigue and serious nausea and vomiting. Even the ‘charcoal’ pills (can’t remember the actual name) that the doctor prescribed didn’t help. My hubby couldn’t understand why I couldn’t cope with the morning sickness during the last pregnancy.
Haha … I was really desperate and was running out of ideas on how to keep my food down. Really hated the nausea…cos I had to make myself vomit …in order to make the nausea disappear. Praying’s a gud idea. 🙂
Nowadays, ultrasound quite accurate. We oredi knew the sex of the child. The doctor just wanted to make sure before they put the baby tag. (to avoid baby switched at birth.. :?)
p/s during my first pregnancy, there was an occasion where i ate wantan mee…..then vomited out…and looked like ‘mee suah’. Didn’t eat wantan mee for a few years … cos totally grossed out by the ‘mee suah’ looking wantan mee. 😛
congrats Aileen! take good care of yourself ya! the blog will soon need to change name! raising Rockstar & Superstar / Princess! hehe! 🙂
Haha thanks.. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact we are going to have another one 😛
Congratulations, Aileen! Here’s praying that the pregnancy will go smoothly. Take care and God bless =)
Thanks, you take care and God bless too
CONGRATULATIONS, Aileen & King!!!! FINALLY…it has been a long wait!!! hahahha…
Thank you you… Long wait for you isit? 😀
congratulations!! i’m so glad for you!