Cravings and books

It took me a while to actually develop a craving.. It was weird. Everyone kept asking me if I craved anything, and I usually said No, not really.. but now, I do! And it is... fresh oranges! I just love navel oranges at the moment, so sweet and juicy! Previously I have always had a preference for apples instead of oranges, but now, it is the other way round. 

Apart from oranges, I have been keeping myself occupied reading baby related books. When I first found out I was pregnant, I ordered two books from Amazon. The first one was the pregnancy bible 'What To Expect When You Are Expecting' and the second one, 'Great with Child: Letters to a Young Mother'. The first book is more factual and it is definitely very helpful, the second book is more of a story and tells the ups and downs of being a mother, in a very sweet and nurturing way. After reading this book, I get a bit more comfort and really look forward to the birth of my baby!

Some family members also  told me to get hold of Gina Ford books, and so I bought this copy 'The Complete Sleep Guide for Contented Babies and Toddlers'. A few weeks ago, a friend gave me two books by Dr Miriam Stoppard 'Complete Baby and Child Care' and 'Conception, Pregnancy and Birth'. Read much? Haha. While the factual books are great, sometimes I get a bit bored, and so I search for more interesting reads. Currently, I am reading this book by Pamela Druckerman called 'French Children Don't Throw Food'. She writes about parenting in France, in a clever and humourous way. I am really enjoying reading this book now. 

32 weeks

A very quick post to share with you some baby bump photos at 32 weeks. Yes time has flown so quickly, and I have only another 8 weeks to go before the baby is due.. and that means 5 weeks of work left before I start my maternity leave. TOO FAST TOO FAST!

Ahh!! Notice the double chin? GOOD GOD! 

Grumpy reckons my belly looks really pointy but
when I look down myself, it looks round to me

Baby Names

Today I am 29 weeks into the pregnancy, which also means I am now into my final trimester. I am very excited, yes I am.. but you know what? There is an increased feeling of apprehension too. Nervous about everything - labour, breastfeeding, raising a newborn, maternity leave, finances, Grumpy, child care, my mum, the dog, the house, the nursery, the list goes on! OHEMGEE

If I have not mentioned before, we (well, it was more me than 'we') decided to keep the sex of the baby a surprise. So at this stage, we still do not know if it is a boy or a girl. It is quite mean to the grandparents, I know, haha but that is too bad.. I think its more fun not knowing, to just embrace it.. and when the time comes, all I hope for is a healthy little baby in my arms - girl or boy - it does not matter. Having said that, many people have told me that they think it is a girl, only because of the way I look, and all the pregnancy symptoms - little things like how my skin is clear from pimples, how I do not have any food cravings, the size of my bump, all sorts of things! 

We have not decided on any names yet, which is not ideal. It is hard, having to figure out girl names and boy names. Naming a baby is just pure hard work, I have about 5 baby name apps on my iPad and I still have not narrowed down to a Top 3, or a Top 5, or even a Top 10. I guess the good thing about knowing the sex of the baby makes naming the bub easier, and even before they are born, you can start calling their names out loud already. Currently, we are always referring to the baby as 'it' - which can be slightly frustrating! "It kicked!" "It moved!" "Ooh IT likes ice cream!" 

A friend told me how her mum used to give her and all her siblings (while still in a belly) a very gender neutral name - something like Alex or Charlie or Danni, and then when the baby is born, they get a completely different name altogether! I thought it was cute. 

Anyways, Easter is approaching, and I am looking forward to a nice break. We have decided to take advantage of the public holidays and we booked for our babymoon this Sunday! We will be spending 3 days 2 nights here at the Yarra Valley. This is very different to what I initially had in mind. I was thinking of a babymoon in South America! But Grumpy narrowed down my choices of babymoon locations and have requested that I keep them in the country, and in fact, in the same state! BOO!

I have also made lunch and dinner reservations at some nice restaurants in the Yarra Valley area, and Grumpy has informed me how he plans to drink as much wine as possible, while I get the lovely task of being the designated driver! How kind!