If You're Happy and You Know It...

Hi Aunties and Uncles, how are you doing? From the title of this blog I bet you figured out I learnt a new trick! A few weeks ago, on February 19th, if you must be precise, I figured out clapping! I was so happy to have a banana with my cereal I started clapping and then realized it was good fun. Now I do it all the time, especially when I'm trying to dance.

It seems to keep the adults quite amused too. I love watching them get so excited about such a little thing. Hey, if it keeps the bananas coming, I'm all for it. I am not so crazy about the whole lunch and dinner thing though. Not sweet enough for my liking! But if Mamma gets me distracted enough, it goes ok.

I scared my parents last week. I fell off the bed. They felt really bad since they couldn't save me in time. Mamma had run to the bathroom and Daddy was so tired and alone with me. Luckily I fell mostly on a pillow (Mamma thought she had built a fortress of fluffiness around me but I outsmarted her).

It gave me quite a big shock though and I was shaking but I got over it fast. Only cried for about a minute. Daddy got me and then Mamma came running and everything was ok by me. After that I went back to my dance rountine, jumping on Daddy's belly, but I think my parents were really upset.

That's all the excitement on this end. I better let Mamma do some work. Talk to you soon! 6

Months Two & Three

Hi there! I'm baaack! Or rather Mamma went back to work (temporarily apparently) and so she has the time to get online since her dad is a far less demanding boss than I am. She hasn't had a moment to get online while she was at home. Of course the crappy internet connection they had didn't help either.

Any old how, you should see me know. I'm a major chatterbox. Sometimes I get up at 4am and Mamma looks like she is about to pass out. So after a quick meal, she doesn't seem like she wants to start yaking, so I have long facinating conversations with the ceiling fan. It gives me a big thrill! I find the TV rather amusing too. Sometimes when I wake up I turn my head to the TV to get Mamma to put it on for me.

I love to swivel my head this way and that and check out my surroundings. Daddy calls me a surveillance camera. Mamma calls me a nosey parker. It's fun being a baby--everything is brand new to me! Speaking of which, I had my first fever last week. That made me tired and I wasn't in the mood to have a chat, despite my parents valiant attempts to 'cheer me up' by starting nonsensical conversations with me.

I was jet propelled to the doctor and he suggested baby panadol for my fever and nose drops for my cold. I can't stand the nose drops. I can see it coming and if I could run, I would! Speaking of which, trying to stand on my feet while I'm being carried really gives me the giggles! I laughed for the first time at the end of September. I couldn't stop when I started that time. Now I've got a hang of it though:)

I'll write more again soon! love, Baby BB Milena

My First Month

I’m baaaaaaack! Hi Aunties and Uncles, the long silence was rather deafening for me! I missed being online and blogging but I had to get used to my new environment and Mamma had to get used to lil old me! So things are kind of hectic in our neck of the woods. Daddy is rather pleased with himself after having produced me and Mamma is just tired all the time.

My birth was alright. I was up all night doing my thing and had just about managed a nap when all of a sudden there was all this bright light and I felt these hands on me yanking me out of the only place I called home! I was kind of dazed and confused and the whole suddenly breathing air thing threw me off. I cried a little and wondered where Mamma went.

I was wrapped measured and all kinds of weird stuff was done to me and then I was plonked down on Mamma’s face (her hands were fastened by an IV and some weird gadget). I knew it was her at once and I fell asleep on her cheek. She was rather thrilled. All she could really see was one big eye of mine and the let me wait on her for a couple of minutes. But we had a lovely cozy Hallmark/Kodak moment.

Once again I was yanked off and taken away but this time I yelled and screamed the whole operating theater down. That’s when I met my grandparents (both sets), Disampathi Seeya, Punch, Rohith Uncle and of course Aunty Manjari. My first few days were a blur. Mamma was hooked up to an IV and loopy but I spent a whole lot of time in Uncle Phill’s arms. We had a grand old time. I stared up his nose adoringly and he looked at me like I was the most wonderful thing ever. Good times.

I was taken to my maternal grandparents house for my first week since Mamma couldn’t climb the stairs in our house. It was all kind of a blur since Mamma and I were trying to get used to each other and a routine. She was in tears a lot since the whole feeding thing was painful and she felt bad she couldn’t spring up and get me quickly when I cried because of the gash on her belly.

We are now in our own place and more or less settled in a routine. Mamma is learning to manage on little or no sleep (I’m little, I get hungry quite a few times in the night). And hey, I really can’t control my bowel movements so sometimes I get Mamma during those 5am nappy changes!

So I’m going to be one month old tomorrow. It’s tough being a baby. I have bad gas issues and colic makes me scream in pain. Nothing my parents do can help me and I get more upset since I sense that they are stressed/worried about it. No pun intended but I heard it will pass in a couple of weeks. It really hurts me a lot so that seems like an eternity for me and my folks.

Other than that nothing much is going on. I’ll try to get one once a week! Leave some comments for me. Lots of love, Baby BB Milena ps hope you saw my picture, if not bug Mamma 6

Time to Say 'Hi' Thirty-Seven

Hi Aunties and Uncles, the time is almost here it seems. This blog won't be very long since Mamma is at home and her internet connection is driving her insane (although she is glad not to be sitting in her office). So this has been a week full of news and important events. On Friday Mamam and Daddy went for a scan. It turns out I was already about eight pounds (and Mamma was only starting week 37 that day). Since I put on half an ounce to an ounce each day, the doctor who performed the scan and our doctor both strongly adviced my parents to opt for a c-section anytime after the 19th of this month!

Mamma was quite keen on a natural birth (mostly to prove that her large hip bones were worth something) but the doctors said in my case they won't help her much. She was really upset about it and has been having panic attacks about becoming a mom (since she is up all night with pains and bladder issues anyway). Ok I feel bad about the bladder issues, but I'm upside down in here and I can't help head butting her bladder! I'm only a baby:)

Any old how so back to the news, my parents thought about it and decided to go on Saturday providing the hospital can accommodate them (for some reason they can't go in until the day before the operation since it's 'elective'). So they are hoping a room will be free since who knows when I'll come out otherwise. So I guess I'll be seeing you all really soon (hopefully)!

In other news, my Aunty Manjari, Uncle Phil and cousins Millie and Kasi are here! It was nice to hear them, but they are noisy! I have heard so much about them and I know Aunty Manji's voice from the phone. We are going to have great fun together. To make it even better, I 'met' my cousins Arun and Ruwan for the first time yesterday too. The were playing with Millie and Kasi. One day I hope they will play with me!

So that about covers all the news for this week. My Mamma is quite tired now so I'll sign off. She is trying to get everything ready for me. They have to work twice as hard and Daddy is moving stuff too since they can't stay in our house right after an operation due to the stairs and general layout of the house. They have to move into my Grandma's house for about ten days after our four day stay at the hospital (let me tell you, Mamma is not a happy camper about staying so 'long' in the hospital).

I'm going to nap while Mamma packs. Daddy is taking a week off to hang out with me so I'm excited about that! So I guess next time you hear from me, you will actually get to see me and know my real name (I'll get my parents to put a picture up). Can't wait to see you! Thanks for all the support. By the way, you can reach my parents at prabhasanji@hotmail.com Leave some comments for me please:) Lots of love and hugs and drooley baby kisses, Baby BB

Torrential Thirty-Six

Hi Aunties and Uncles! I nearly didn’t get to post you a blog this week! Mamma is so out of it, she logged on to type for me, then forgot about it and logged off without doing anything! Luckily she heard my psychic shout out to her and got right back on. She had no sleep at all last night because she kept thinking about my birth and all the stuff that it entails. Plus everything hurts when she is trying to get comfy. Right now she feels like she is walking under water with shackles at her feet most of the time. Everything seems heavy.

Today is her last day at work before she takes leave so at least that is a good thing. Of course Mamma wouldn’t be Mamma if she didn’t leave without drama. She was typing away at her computer when she sensed a cockroach barreling his way down the wall behind her. She is terrified of roaches and has an uncanny ability to spot them no matter how well hidden they are. She’s funny. She can deal with rats and snakes, but show her a cockroach and all of a sudden she can run at Olympian speeds (which is funny since I’m sure no one has even seen her walk really fast let alone run).

A guy in her office tried to get rid of the cockroach and he started to fly and before Mamma and I knew it we were out the door! This from a woman who made a mental note this morning to be careful with me since she was so sleepy and tired. Naturally, all her coworkers thought it was hilarious—it was quite a spectacle to see someone her size just zip right out of there through stairs and all. Oh dear!

Any old how, in other news, Mamma finally got her hospital bag ready. She has been packing that thing on and off for the past two-three weeks and it was always short of something. There is not much in it, but she hopes it will be enough. At least she got my diapers and cute tiny outfits ready. Mamma and Daddy can’t fathom how tiny I will be when I come out. They love looking at baby clothes. They picked up a tiny shirt Aunty Manji sent and Daddy thought he could put only his little finger and ring finger through the arm socket. He thought that was sweet.

So two days ago I was moving and now that Mamma’s stomach has dropped slightly I spend a lot of my precious waking hours fighting with her thighs. I was squirming around and Daddy was talking to me while Mamma tried to comfort me and for the first time she felt my hand through her stomach (I unintentionally whacked her hand). She thought it was amazing (all this time they could only figure out where my back and bottom were). She was shocked at how little it felt.

My parents met up with my pediatrician yesterday to make sure he was a good guy. They seemed to like him. Mamma started to see her doctor every week now. As I mentioned last week, he was in disbelief that Mamma fell again—in all his years as an OBGYN he has never had a patient quite like her. He wants us to go for a scan tomorrow to see how much I weigh. He thinks I’m a whopper! I do put on about an ounce and half to an ounce of fat each day.

Daddy moved my crib into their bedroom and Mamma installed a mobile and arranged the bedding for me. After that they spent a lot of time just gazing at it and wishing they could meet me already! The debate goes on about when I’m going to come out. Daddy has been given a list of e-mails so you should hear about my birth as soon as I come out (that is if Daddy can bear to pry himself away from me to get to a computer—Mamma I’m assuming will be in no condition to even think of computers). I should sign off since I’m pooped and so is Mamma. I can’t wait to meet you all! Leave some comments for me. Lots of love, Baby BB

*Please note that if I come this week for some reason, Daddy will e-mail you to let you know I arrived, but if it's a c-section Mamma won't be able to write to you or post blogs for 2 weeks (she would have to go to my Grandma's house since our house is not post-op friendly). But hopefully you'll hear from me again for week thirty-seven!6

Topsy-Turvy Thirty-Five

Oops she did it again! Mamma is so tired these days she can barely get herself up the stairs to her bedroom. She is, however, very good at going down the stairs—she just rolls down them. Yes, Mamma dearest fell down again!

This time she was going out with Daddy for some Indian food and she was plunking down the concrete steps one foot at a time, trying to be cautious if not elegant about it, when on the last step her ankle gave way and she fell hard on the stone floor. She twisted her ankle really badly and Daddy got a big shock.

For a while it seemed like all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t get Mamma up and running again, but after much ado and Daddy’s fruitless attempts at lifting us, she was up, if not barely about. Not to worry, I was fast asleep and wasn’t bothered by it. I just figured, there she goes again (she has averaged one fall per trimester I think). She had to limp for two-three days but it was kind of nice for me since it provided me with a nice rocking motion.

She is much better now. I am absolutely fine. Mamma had a cut or two on her foot and her right knee and left ankle made it hard for her to walk for a few days, but she is fine now. Daddy still can’t imagine how we fell down. He was in front of us, trying to make sure this wouldn’t happen.

This is why whenever Mamma and Daddy go to the doctor, I can always hear the sharp intake of his breath and Mamma says his eyebrows go up a couple of centimeters. He always asks them what Mamma did now. He’s kind of scared of her/thinks she is the most impossible patient he has. This time my parents knew the drill of what to look out for and thought they’d spare telling the doctor about the fall till their next visit this weekend. Her doctor would very much like it if she put bubble wrap around her stomach and stayed in bed till I came out. I don’t mind so much. Mamma wouldn’t be Mamma without a dash of clumsiness and a pinch of chaos.

Any old how let’s talk more about me. I’m getting chubbier by the week. Remember several weeks ago I told you that only about 2% of my weight was fat. Right now the percentage has gone up to 15%! I’m not getting any taller though, since there is not enough room for me in here. As it is I’m banging on Mamma’s bladder and lungs. I’m so big now that there is more of me than amniotic fluid in here.

If I was born sometime now, I’d be alright. This stuff called cortisol is in my lungs to help them develop in preparation for birth and my kidneys should be developed fully by now. I’m also developing my own immune system. I kind of have an idea of when I want to come out, but that’s my little secret for now. Plus I’m a fickle little fetus. I change my mind about these things all the time (hey I gotta do something inside here).

Other than that not much is going on here. It’s hard for Mamma and me to get comfy at night. I push or kick through her belly onto the bed and her bladder when she sleeps on her side. She is always up with palpitations or heartburn or some other malady. Her rings don’t fit her fingers anymore and her feet look more masculine than Daddy’s at the moment! Also her nose seems bigger. She is not keen on that. Basically she is hoping that I would make an early appearance. Daddy is also hoping for that, but that’s because he wants to see me already. He thinks everything I do is cute (well I am a sweetie if I do say so myself).

I think I’ll sign off and let Mamma post this for me while she is safely seated and actually slightly alert. In case you didn’t see the pictures Mamma sent, please tell her to get them to you. Leave some comments for me! Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Tedious Thirty-Four

Hi Aunties and Uncles! How are you doing? I’m growing at a rate. I weigh a little more than five pounds now and am at least twenty inches long head to toe. All in all, I’m a bundle of cuteness. This week I have spent a lot of time sleeping. That’s because my Mamma finally took a few days off work and we both just napped and napped away. She’s still tired though, but I’m fine and dandy.

At our most recent doctor’s appointment, Mamma complained about the palpitations she had been experiencing at night. Her pressure was ok, at 120/80 but the doctor wanted to be cautious and scheduled an ECG for her. Mamma was not a happy camper about it but Daddy and the doctor insisted. After much ado, it turned out Mamma’s heart was fine and that she probably felt palpitations when she was lying on her left side because her heart is also on left side and she must have been sensitive to it since pregnant women have a faster heart rate.

My parents are spending four days at my maternal grandparents’ house so Mamma can take it easy. She took three days off work this week to just rest while she is there because at least there we have company and won’t be home alone while Daddy is at work (plus Grandma makes yummy food for us). We move back to our house tomorrow and then it’s back to cleaning and stuff!

The bed in Mamma’s room there is smaller than the one we have at home and the first night, Daddy was shoving his pillow onto Mamma’s belly. That kind of irritated me so I was clawing at it with my tiny hands and legs all night, keeping Mamma up (she was nauseous and up because of a queasy feeling and my kicking didn’t help her much). In the end she felt bad to do so, but had to wake Daddy up to get him to move. When she told him about it the next day, Daddy thought it was funny and cute and he was smiling away imagining my little hands and feet.

Daddy is still busy with his work. He is having back pains and is tired a lot but he cheers up when he talks to me. He can’t wait to see me. Mamma is starting to have weird dreams about when she delivers me. She can’t wait to see me either. She is having a lot of problems she had in her first trimester. Her sense of smell is really sharp again and now she has to run to the bathroom all the time (except this time it’s not because of hormones but because my head is resting on her bladder).

Mamma’s quite tired all the time. Yesterday we pretty much slept all morning but it didn’t seem to do her any good. When she stands, after a few minutes the soles of her feet start to hurt and at night she has a backache. Her palpitations are still there sometimes at night and she gets nauseous around meal times. When she gets really tired, her stomach feels heavy and she feels like she is walking underwater.

As for me, I’m kind of cramped in here. The uterine wall is thinner so more light comes in and I am blinking lots in response to it. There is glycogen stored in my liver, which I will have to use for energy during my birth (esp if I come out the natural way) and for the first few days until Mamma and I can get a proper routine going with the feedings.

I am no longer floating in the amniotic fluid, but rather I am resting on Mamma’s uterus. Everyday, I shed a little lanugo (the fine hairs keeping me warm all this time) and put on a layer of fat, but I think I’m going to have some still left when I’m born. My fingernails are quite long too.

In general, I spend quite a long time sleeping now compared to before. The doctor identified various body parts of mine to my parents last weekend, so now they have proof that I do move my tush a lot! And I love reggae music. Daddy is thrilled about that. He tried to sing me some the other day.

I guess I should go and let Mamma post this for me before she gets pooped or forgets to do so. Daddy still owes you pictures. Please leave some comments for me. My Mamma is saving your comments for a scrapbook she is making out of these blogs for me to enjoy when I’m bigger. I’ll write again next week and I’ll be seeing you sooner than you imagine! Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Thumbs-Up Thirty-Two

Hi Aunties and Uncles! How are you doing? This week I had my first real big scare! No wonder when my Daddy went to Vietnam he told Mamma to please be careful and not get into any ‘situations’. True to form, drama found itself at her feet (in one case literally).

Over the weekend, Mamma found out why her foot was hurting last week. She got something like a large thorn in her little toe. After a rather painful ‘operation’ performed by Grandpa and his help, they managed to get most of it out. It really hurt Mamma a lot (I could almost feel her pain) but in the end, her foot felt a whole lot better. She was ok after that, except for the tiredness she’s been feeling lately.

But here’s the drama: Yesterday, Mamma forced herself to go to office, trying to save up her leave. Well, she should have stayed at home! We were both really tired sitting at that desk of hers when suddenly a crazy client came bursting in and started randomly threatening her coworker! He was yelling so loudly, I got such a shock that I jumped up really violently, which in turn made Mamma jump out of her seat.

The sound really upset me. She was quite angry with that man for frightening me (she’s a ferocious Mama bear when she wants to be) and rather annoyed that he was talking so rudely and making threats to her staff. He had shoulder-length hair, was clad in a seersucker suit and donned a weird thin red bandana across his forehead. In the beginning he claimed to be a doctor, then he said he was a criminal lawyer so he could get away with murder and he was going to bring his gun and shoot everybody.

The best part? The idiotic fashion-challenged lunatic got the wrong department! He wanted to threaten people in the credit department, who have nothing to do with us (we do insurance brokering). Mamma’s poor coworker couldn’t get a word in edgewise to explain this to Mr. Psycho. By this time Mamma was really pissed. The man was shouting so loudly that people from other parts of the building had gathered!

Her boss did nothing about it and she wanted to go and tell the lunatic to get a grip so that we could find the appropriate people to help him with his issue but then she stopped short because of me. Since I got so scared when he shouted, she didn’t want to bring me closer to him, especially if he was going to get violent. Eight months ago, she probably would have wanted to karate chop him herself, especially since the wonderful security guards in the office were not intervening.

Eventually all was sorted out. I took a long time to settle in again and Mamma was concerned about me. Incidentally, her coworker(s) were fine. She checked up on him and he said that this particular man was notorious for this type of behavior so he wasn't upset about it. Well, that’s good to know!

Any old how, other than that, things are progressing nicely in here. It’s starting to get a little cramped so I curl my legs up a lot. I can’t perform my kicks and punches anymore; just mostly little rolls and squirms. We took my Grandpa out to dinner a few days ago for his birthday and we had some Chinese food (my favorite!). I was quite content so I started sucking my thumb.

Mamma noticed the thump, thump, thump movement and told her mother about it. Grandma knew what I was up to right away and for the first time Mamma realized I was sucking my thumb. Daddy was thrilled (but he thinks everything I do is wonderful).

I have my routine. Mamma is supposed to monitor my movements and she has noticed that I suck my thumb at 7am and 11pm. This made Aunty Manji delighted since she used to do the same thing when she was in her mom’s belly. Aunty Manji (wishfully) thinks that I will be a mini-Manji, just as her daughter, my Cousin Millie, is like a newer improved model of my Mamma. She calls everyday to see how I am.

Other than that, I have been dreaming of milkshakes. Mamma finally made one for me yesterday. I love them! She has been having some Braxton-Hicks contractions but they don’t bother her much. In fact it took her a while to figure it out.

I have some important news for you; Daddy finally took a picture of Mamma before he left for Vietnam. That is the first picture taken of her since I came into the picture (pun intended I suppose). We have to wait till Daddy comes back to get it onto the computer, so please bug my forgetful Mamma to get it online and post it for you next week! You can see how big I’ve become. I’m such a cutie! I guess I should go now. Please leave some comments for me. Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Trying Thirty-One

Hi Aunties and Uncles! I need you to scold my Daddy! Naughty Daddy has to go to Vietnam again. I am not thrilled about it so I think I am going to ignore him when he tries to talk to me. Mamma is not stimulating company (and I’m stuck with her) since she is so pooped all the time. But the funniest things happen to her now.

This weekend we went to the grocery store with Daddy and Uncle Marisha. Mamma is well known for her fear of germs and bacteria (sadly it is in the genes from her father’s side of the family). She tends to catch a cold just by standing next to a sick person, so I guess she is trying to be careful because of me.

She was in the detergent aisle, and true to form, she didn’t remember what she was looking for. A man with a rather prosperous looking belly stood next to her, sniffling and coughing away so she waddled out of that aisle as fast as she could. Minutes later, she was in the dairy products aisle. The same man came and stood next to her. She backed up to give him room and wound up sandwiched between him and the refrigerator!

Between the size of her stomach and his, she couldn’t get out of the aisle and she was sending Daddy a mental SOS when luckily Uncle Marisha came along and asked her what she was doing stuck in the corner. She was so embarrassed she pointed at her stomach, and the sniffly man realized he had cornered her and he laughed and backed up. When she emerged from the aisle, half the supermarket staff was laughing at her.

So why didn’t she ask the man to move? Mamma, in her dazed state, was so afraid of the germs she didn’t want to talk to the man. She is really so silly these days! She keeps making mistakes. Her cell phone was about to conk off and she was desperately trying to write down the numbers saved on it and she wrote down half the numbers incorrectly! She just can’t seem to do anything right.

It is hard for her to sleep at night and all these hormones are floating around the place, making her head quite foggy. Being at work really is tough on her now but she wants to come in for as long as she can to save her maternity leave to hang out with me! Can’t say I blame her, I’m adorable!

Everyday this week Mamma has swollen feet, an achy back, a ligament pain, and a weird stinging sensation under her right foot. It feels like an insect bit her several times in one spot. After dinner she almost always has heartburn and heart palpitations. She felt better last weekend, but then she got so happy to feel better that she walked too much and was back to square one.

So as you can see, it’s rather entertaining hanging out with Mamma. I’ve been doing my growing thing this week. I did a funny roll and scared my maternal Grandma because she thought I dropped. She is terrified I would come early while Daddy is in Vietnam. I have no such plans. After revealing that I am a girl, the only fun I am having now is keeping everyone on their toes about my arrival date! I’m really going to have fun with that one.

The only thing is Aunty Manji is so excited and waiting to see me and I am torn between playing a joke on everyone and actually arriving in time for her to be able to spend time with me. She can only come for two and a half weeks because all the flights are full. I’ll have to take that into consideration.

The doctor said Mamma and I are doing fine so far so he can’t tell when I’ll choose to be born. If Mamma elects to do or requires a c-section, it can be done anytime after July 20th. He had no explanation for her problem with her foot, but said the swelling was normal so long as her blood pressure remained normal.

Oh, and I’m the right side up (or down depending on how you look at it)! On the way back, Daddy was grinning to himself and telling Mamma ‘isn’t she sweet? I’m so proud of her. 31 weeks and she is already the right side up!’. Mamma thinks he did get misty-eyed! Any one would have thought I got a PhD in here or something. I am a smart cookie but I am in this position because it’s comfy right now. Little does he know that I plan on moving around a lot while I’m still in here!

Please leave some comments for me. I’m going to go take a nap! Write soon! Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Thankfully Thirty

Hi Aunties and Uncles! We’re finally in the thirties! This means if I am on schedule I’ll be here eight to ten weeks from now. But as my cousin Millie says, I am tricky, so you never know when I’ll decide to pop up.

It was kind of boring in here, but this week so many things have happened to me. I’m getting smarter by the day. Believe it or not, my brain was a smooth surface all this time. Now I have all these grooves and ridges on it, just like yours. Brain impulses are traveling faster and that makes me a quick learner—or rather I could be a better learner if Mamma would get her veggies sorted out!

I am pleased to announce also that my bone marrow is finally in charge of the production of my red blood cells. All this time it was being taken care of by tissue groups and then my spleen. I’m becoming more independent by the day! I have also developed reflexes. I can feel pain now too—I’m not so hot on that.

Other than that I while away the time moving around, hiccupping, shoving the bed through Mamma’s belly, kicking a little, making faces and getting excited about Daddy’s voice. I don’t sleep as much as I used to, but when I do, 80% of my sleep is in REM mode.

Oh, and my maternal grandparents arrived from Seattle yesterday! Today for the first time, my grandma felt me move on Mamma’s stomach. She was so happy! The last time she tried, I was much smaller and when I heard her voice I would stop on purpose just to be funny. Yes, I have a naughty sense of humor, but I'm cute enough to make up for it:)

Although I am having fun amusing myself, Mamma is not feeling so good these days. She has found this week at work particularly difficult. By the time she gets home, she is exhausted, her feet are swollen and she suffers with back pain. Daddy rubs it down and it feels better but she is more tired than she has ever been in her life.

At night, she can’t sleep despite her fatigue. It kind of bothers me since she flops around a lot and can’t seem to find a comfy position. By the time she does fall asleep, she has to pee (I’m partially guilty for that) or she wakes up because she has fallen asleep on her back and her heart starts racing.

As a result, she suffers from memory loss and incoherence during the day, making working quite hard. She is also finding herself heavier, making her even more clumsy than before (this is scary since her nickname for herself is Blunder Woman). I’m at the very least 3 pounds 12 ounces now and in addition to that she is lugging around about a pint a half of amniotic fluid. Water retention doesn’t help her either. It’s kind of funny, when she bumps into things because she can’t gage her stomach properly, she bounces right off.

I hope she gets some sleep tonight though! I need her to be with it enough to do my blogs for me! I guess I should go so she can post this for me. Aunty Manji, if you are reading this, I love you and thank you for all the wonderful wonderful things you do for me. I can’t wait to see you. I’ll be talking to Cousin Millie again soon I’m sure. Leave comments for me please! Love Baby BB 6

Tummy-rumbling Twenty-Nine

Hi Aunties and Uncles! I’m getting bigger and bigger in here. If you had Superman x-ray vision to see me, not only would you think I’m adorable, you’d think I’m trying to get jiggy in here. I have more energy and I’m moving around a lot. My movements are stronger since I am much more solid than I was before. Do you know that at least 3.5% of my body weight is fat now? I’m likely to double or triple in size from now until I come out! Good luck to Mamma!

To support my growth spurts, I’ve been requesting anything with dairy from my Mamma. Although she is taking calcium, I think we need more! When she can spare a coherent thought, she spends her time thinking of cereal with milk or icy creamy drinks. I’ve been making her think of a cold iced coffee with whipped cream but she refuses to give me any because of the caffeine and cream. She told me I’ll have to settle for a cold chocolate milkshake at best or some cereal with skim milk. How can she be so strict with a cutie like me?

Any old how, I’m bumping into Mamma’s lungs and I am back to lounging on her bladder, mostly because of my constant movements. At least once a day, she seems out of breath. I can’t help it. I’m not the only one getting bigger. The placenta, my main source of nourshment, is also increasing in size. So with all this growth, even with Mamma’s large hips, there is only so much room in here.

Daddy is doing ok. He is feeling much better but work is hectic for him. He loves that I’m moving so much now. Mamma feels really hot now because of the hormones we are sharing. Her doctor said there is nothing he can do about it. The other day she had the AC and two fans on and still broke into a sweat, which is odd since as some of you know, she never sweats—that’s some sort of weird feature about her.

My growth spurt is also causing Mamma pain on her side again. She is finding it quite hard to come to work since she is feeling tired all the time because she can’t sleep properly at night. She is still getting used to her new size (she can’t see her feet anymore) and dealing with the shift in her center of gravity. Concentrating and remembering things is a major challenge for her now. Then sometimes I am up when she is trying to sleep. Between all this, finding a comfy position to sleep in is hard for her especially since she was advised it’s best to sleep on her side (preferably the left side).

I do something cute when she rolls to her left side—I push my hand out and press through her belly until I can feel the bed. I think that is so much fun! It’s really neat to feel the sensation of touching something solid—well for me at least. Keep in mind that I don’t have much to play with in here—I don’t think Mamma would like it if I did the same thing to her ribs. So when she is on her side, I reach out to touch the mattress and press and press and press away. At first I sensed it made Mamma nervous, but now she is used to it. It does keep her up though.

Oh and the other day, I did such a huge flip, my Mamma’s stomach and hip flipped to the side along with me! So as you can tell I’ve been keeping my parents on their toes (the shape of things to come). Daddy is getting more excited by the day—I’m pretty sure I’ll have him wrapped around my cute little finger. I’ll be here in a little more than ten weeks! I can’t wait to see you all! Until then, please leave some comments for me. Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Tiring Twenty-Eight

Hi Aunties and Uncles! It was an exhausting week for a little baby like me. At the start of the week, Mamma went for a glucose tolerance test. This was not fun for me since she had to fast for ten hours at least—which meant no food for me either! Then she woke up early and got jabbed and had to give a urine sample. She was not counting on the latter and she was not a happy camper because of her phobia of public toilets that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.

She was then given glucose to drink, which didn’t thrill either of us, but they were nice enough to put some limejuice in it to camouflage the flavor. I kind of enjoyed it actually—hey, I’m little, after not eating for such a long time, I would have taken anything! They had to repeat the testing in an hour and then in two hours. We were both really drained (no pun intended) after that.

Daddy took us to dim sum for a treat. By the time the food came, it was at least seventeen hours since my last meal (Mamma had to have a shower before going since she thinks hospitals are full of germs). I was hungry and Mamma was tired. When she is tired, I get tired in here. But guess what? I loved, loved, loved dim sum. It was delicious! I hope Mamma and Daddy take me again some time soon. I have been making Mamma think about it lots so the odds are in my favor.

But the really bad part of my week came on Monday. My daddy got really sick. He had gas and was throwing up and didn’t feel good. I sensed all the chaos and I was really restless in here. Mamma knew that he wasn’t telling her everything because he didn’t want to upset her because of me and so in desperation she went next door to call my grandma (daddy’s ma). Daddy’s parents came over in a hurry and before they even got to him, Grandma had to throw up!

After much ado, later my Mamma thought she would ask her aunt Punchi (my Mamma’s mom’s sister) for help (she couldn’t call her parents since they are in Seattle with my sweet cousins Millie and KR). She tested Daddy by asking if he would like my uncle (Punchi’s husband) to take him to the doctor. She knew if he was really feeling very sick he would agree, otherwise he would never get them to leave their house so late at night.

In the end Punchi, Mamma’s uncle and cousin rushed over. Punchi stayed home with Mamma and Mamma’s uncle and cousin took Daddy to the hospital and stayed with him. I was really restless the entire time—so much so that I was making Mamma’s nightdress flop around. When they came back it turned out that Daddy had contracted some sort of viral flu so he had to stay in a different room from me and Mamma. This made me sad, but I settled down once I heard his voice again—I am his little girl after all!

But not to worry, Mamma stayed home with Daddy and now he is feeling much better. Daddy made it to work today and things are more or less normal now. They were concerned that if Mamma gets sick it would be very bad for me since fever and vomiting are not so good for someone my size. Right now my brain has formed so much so that I can actually feel pain, warmth and cold. They don’t want me to suffer.

In happier news, I discovered I like Mozart—well his faster pieces at least. Daddy introduced me to him. He is hoping to teach me about classical music and art. He explained some pieces to me, but my memory is only just starting to kick in so I can’t really retain all that information yet. Mamma is getting tired again as I get bigger and her ankles are really huge after work sometimes. She calls it her Frau Brunhilda look for some reason.

That’s about it for this week. As you can see I’m pooped. I’m glad things have settled down. Time for me to take a nap—you know now I can dream! That’s pretty cool. Please leave some comments for me. Please don’t worry, everything is fine now. Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Telling Twenty-Seven

Hi Aunties and Uncles, boy do I wish I had a drum roll for this one. I have two very exciting announcements. Please bring your noses closer to the screen. Number one, Mamma is on her third trimester this week! Yippee! Number two, the moment we have all been waiting for is upon us—my parents finally know my gender! Any guesses? I am an adorable baby girl, bouncing soon to a lap near you: )

Now that we got all that out of the way, let me tell you about my week. Obviously, my parents took me for a scan. Mamma was strongly urging me to cooperate. Of course I decided to cling onto the umbilical cord with my legs again (at which point both Mamma and the doctor nearly slapped their respective heads). After a little shoving by the doctor and a lot of pleading by my Mamma I relented and let them sneak a peek.

Daddy was so excited by the whole process he was oblivious to the doctor's efforts and was squinting away since he couldn’t make sense of anything on the scan. He was trying to see my face in the middle of all of this! Well you know, if he could see me, he would have had a pretty good sneak preview of what I would look like when I come out. My face now looks like it would at birth, well maybe it’s slightly thinner right now.

I weigh about two and a half pounds at the moment. I am supposed to put on some fat to keep me warm as the weeks go by. My skin is all wrinkly because I’m constantly soaked in fluid, but that doesn’t make me any less cute, does it? Don't worry, you won't be stuck with a baby prune, I'll fill up the wrinkles as the weeks go by.

After holding everyone in suspense about my gender for laughs, I’m quite bored now that I have let everyone in on my little secret. Things here are progressing slowly now. In my spare time I find myself sucking my thumb. It helps strengthen my jaw muscles. That and I'm a baby, that's what we do:)

Last week I told you that my eyes opened up. Now my retina is developing its’ normal layers. My lungs, liver and immune system are still fine tuning themselves, and the lanugo (fine downy hair that covered all my body all this time) is starting to come off in places. I have developed a sleeping pattern.

Sometimes my parents see me doing lots of movements. It’s kind of funny because they get all excited thinking I’m doing some aerobics in here or something equally tantalizing, but guess what? What I am really doing hiccupping. That happens once a day almost since I tend to swallow too much amniotic fluid at times.

Daddy gets a thrill when Mamma calls me “Daddy’s little girl”--it's true that's what I am! He kept looking longingly at my ultrasound pictures (although they just look like blobs of various shades of gray). Mamma can’t wait to see me either. She is very happy to have a daughter! Can't blame her, I am so loveable!

So as you can see I have had an exciting week for someone so little! I hope you are all doing well and please leave some comments for me. I really need to think up something interesting to do in here! Any tips are welcome! Lots of love, Baby BB (girl) 6

Thumping Twenty-Six

Hi Aunties and Uncles! It’s not even lunchtime yet and already I have had a trying day. I was all cozy tucked up in Mamma’s belly but there was so much thunder this morning I kept waking up. The claps of thunder were so loud that car alarms were going off in the distance.

Of course, dainty Mamma fell down the stairs since they were wet and landed on her bum with a big thump. I was jostled and slightly annoyed since I was just settling down again. Mamma was rather upset about it since she was actually watching her step. But everything is ok and she’ll go for a scan to check me out.

Onto more interesting news… I am pleased to announce that my eyelids are no longer fused shut. They have opened and I had my first look at things. It was exciting for about five seconds and grew old soon because, really, there is nothing much to look at inside a belly. It's exciting nonetheless, and I’m enjoying this new sensation commonly known to you as blinking.

My lungs have formed branches called bronchi, but they still have a long ways to go in terms of development. Even though I appear to already be quite the genius, my brain and neurons are continuing to grow, making me an even smarter little cutie.

Mamma and Daddy went to Lamaze classes this weekend, where they learnt lots about how to bring me into this world safely and how to take care of me from then on. Whew. That’s a relief! They quite enjoyed the class and even signed up for one more that deals with psychology (feel free to insert jokes here).

I should go since I need to save some energy to give Mamma some kicks today. Otherwise, because of her fall, she will be worried. Her doctor told her to make sure she feels me today. Daddy will probably sing some more. That always gets me jiving! My favorite song is “Old McDonald”. I particularly love the part where he sings about ducks and Daddy goes ‘quack quack’. That gives me the giggles!

Alright, Aunties and Uncles, I’ll talk to you again soon. Please leave some comments for me. Love, Baby BB 6

Ta-da Twenty-Five

Hi Aunties and Uncles! Ta-Da! We are almost done with the second trimester. Isn’t time flying? I wish you could see me now. I weigh a little more than a pound and a half (so Mamma, when you get on that scale at your appointment tomorrow, remind Daddy, some of that extra weight is me—the rest must be those Oreos you’ve been eyeing).

I’m absolutely adorable, if I do say so myself. That lean mean look is gone and I’m packing on fat, looking more and more like the cute little cherub my Aunty Manji is envisioning me to be. So Aunties and Uncles, feel free to imagine me cooing in your arms looking all chubby and charming and what not at this point. I shall be nice to you and not pee, poop or spit on you since you are taking time out to read my blogs and I think that’s sweet.

There are other changes going on in here. My nostrils were plugged up all this time and they are starting to open up little by little since I’m still practicing my breathing. I’m inhaling amniotic fluid right now—don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. My bone centers are hardening and I’m growing stronger. So good job on the calcium intake Mamma! If I had more room I’d practice some kung-fu fighting or do the quick step in here!

I’m also no longer a fickle little fetus. My memory is getting better and I can get used to a routine. I sleep in the afternoons and wake up when Daddy comes home and sings to me (yes, the poor guy is learning some nursery rhymes that don’t involve babies falling from trees or teapots on fire). You should have seen his face when Mamma told him ‘Ring a Round of Rosies’ was about the plague!

Mamma and Daddy enjoy seeing me move on her stomach. That is their after work/before dinner ritual. I am responding to them, but also I am fluttering around because I am slowly starting to rotate to get ready for my birth. Yes, I have to flip myself the right side up (or down I suppose) because I’m debuting in about 14 weeks actually! Aren’t you excited? Once Daddy heard my heartbeat when he put his ear to Mamma’s stomach, but his subsequent attempts failed since Mamma’s digestive system was way louder than my heartbeat! It’s quite noisy in here!

Mamma for the moment is feeling better in terms of tiredness. After work her ankles are swollen and then at night her back hurts and the ligament pain comes back, but she can live with it. She is starting to wonder about birth plans. Of course part of that is up to me. I might decide to come early or I might have to be taken out for whatever reason. I don’t think she’s keen on the whole pain aspect of labor or a C-section. Hmm. Hopefully, when she sees me, it will all be worth it : )

Ok dear folks, I must run. Going back to practicing breathing, trying to flip to the right side, and reminding Mamma that it’s almost lunch time (a good kick to the nearest organ does the trick). I can’t wait to talk to you again soon. Please leave some comments for me. Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Touchy Twenty-four

Hi Aunties and Uncles! This has been an interesting week both in my outside world and in utero! I’m growing quite fast, packing on about 6 ounces a week from now on. I’m about fourteen inches long now! Aren’t you proud of me?

The only thing is now things are starting to get slightly more cramped, even though I hear I’m lucky to have such spacious accommodations (Mamma’s larger than life hips). I can no longer do my somersaults, but I am doing a lot of fidgeting, thumb sucking, and stretching. I can even touch my feet with my hands and clench my fists if I want to!

Over the weekend, I just couldn’t get comfy and so I was stretching all over the place. I guess that made Mamma all anxious since she was trying to go to bed so Daddy sang me my very first lullaby! Well, he started with ‘Rock a Bye Baby’ and he caught Mamma’s eye on the line about the baby falling from a treetop and tried to change the lyrics. He settled on ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ after that. What he doesn’t know is that Mamma tries to sing ‘Hush Little Baby’ in the shower quite often.

Oh, and you will love this story, if you are a Hallmark/Kodak moment sort that is—yesterday my parents for the very first time saw me moving! Yes, you read right, they saw my movements on top of Mamma’s belly. They were thrilled to bits! Ok, at one point Mamma thought it was freaky because I made a motion that to her looked like I made a square shape around her belly button. I was just trying to get comfy! But they were so delighted. Tiny things make them happy. They were even hoping I’d move some more, but I’m only little—I have only so much energy.

Time seems to be flying. I think it’s only about sixteen more weeks for you to meet me, unless I decide to come out earlier. Most of my organs are completely formed—all except my lungs. I have surfactant now. That is surface activated fat that helps my air sacs during inflation. I am practicing my breathing techniques in here, although all I’m sucking in is amniotic fluid.

I’m an adorable little baby, but my skin is wrinkly, pinkish and transparent. Over the next few weeks fat will deposit under my skin and ‘fill me out’. My face looks more or less like it will when I am born. And gasp, I am developing sweat glands!

So as you can see, it’s been a busy week for me. I have to go now since Mamma had her second tetanus vaccine yesterday. Her arm is sore and I think she is tired of typing for me. I’ll catch up with you next week. Until then, please leave some comments for me—last week was just too quiet! By the way, Aunty Shal and Uncle Velan, thanks for visiting me! You two rock! I can’t wait to meet you again—neither can Mamma. Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Temperate Twenty-Three

Hi Aunties and Uncles! Daddy is back! Well, after the last blog, Daddy called and said he had to stay in Vietnam for two more days and I was really sad. I was so bummed out that I didn’t even bother to kick Mamma in protest. He spoke to me while Mamma held the phone to her belly but it didn’t help much. Not to worry, I bounced right back after a nap. Someone my size can retain information or hold a grudge only for so long.

Mamma was in a lot of pain all week, and she had two exams to study for in addition to dealing with the drama that was residual from last week, so I decided to be a good little fetus. She was waddling around grandma and grandpa’s house because she couldn’t walk properly due to the pain in her side. It turns out it was just a ligament pain since everything is expanding to accommodate me. I’m just growing at a rate!

Daddy came back on Sunday night and rubbed Mamma’s belly as soon as he walked in and told me he missed me. I kind of ignored him a little, just to play tough. What does he think abandoning someone cute like me for so long? Mamma was more relaxed since she finished her exams. She made a deal with me not to sit on her bladder while she was sitting for them and I obliged—after all, she is taking these exams so that she can spend more time with me when I come out into this world.

Mamma, Daddy and I spent two days in Dambulla, at the Kandalama hotel. Mamma and I have never been there, and of course I couldn’t see what was going on, but the vibes were good. Mamma and Daddy actually relaxed and ate yummy food. They said they could see Sigiriya rock from their room. Daddy ate a little too much and threw up though. I am also pleased to announce that I was very well behaved and didn’t go near Mamma’s bladder and she made it there and back without having to run into a bush to pee in. As funny as the sight of that would be, I thought I’d give my old lady a break.

After we came back, Mamma and Daddy picked up some furniture they got made for my room. It sounds quite exciting. Apparently they got me some chairs that look like giraffes and zebras! Mamma is hoping that I will be an animal lover just like she is. Daddy is spending his free time trying to find some names for me.

Other than that nothing much is going on . I’m just getting bigger and bigger. My senses are all fine tuning themselves. I do not like loud noises at all! I’m off to do some twisting and turning. Big hugs to you all! Please leave comments for me: ) Love, Baby BB 6

Taxing Twenty-two

Hi Aunties and Uncles! I have not had a good week! Mamma is stressed, and seeing as we share a body and everything, that sends bad vibes my way. Grandpa gave her and Daddy a small house in Kandy, which they rented out and now the tenants broke the lease (as well as the furniture) and they have not paid their bills. The water and electricity to the house has been cut and Mamma is in a major mood about sitting for four hours each way in a car up and down windy bumpy roads to deal with it. She doesn’t think it’s good for me and that’s what stresses her the most (besides the crazy bureaucracy she’d have to go through to get the utilities connected again).

Also, there are no decent places to pee along the way and she doesn’t know what to do about that since I’m kind of pressing on her bladder and making her go on the hour, every hour. I could try to do something about that, but even with Mamma’s wide hips, I can’t help but have to move around every so often to get comfy and stretch—after all, I am stuck in a sac and growing at a rate now.

Then to make it worse, she thought she would stay with Grandma and Grandpa to get some rest while Daddy was away (naughty Daddy is still not home from his trip to Vietnam) and our cook allegedly ran off with someone’s salary and the booze in the house, and there’s some long convoluted story to that that makes Mamma’s head spin (which in turn effects the ambiance in here for me). It’s amazing how Mamma’s moods affect me. I mean, I do have my own mind, but this whole symbiotic relationship thing is really the pits sometimes.

So as you can guess, it’s not fun for me this week. I miss my Daddy, who is still in Vietnam. I threw a tantrum, kicking every one of Mamma’s vital organs I could reach, so she asked Daddy to call and she put the phone on her belly and that appeased me to some extent. Bad Daddy, I have made a mental note to pee on your lap when I get out there, and don’t think you can sweet talk me out of it!

In other distressing news, Mamma has taken to singing again. You should hear her go at it—she’s really belting it out since she knows Daddy is not here to hide behind the door and laugh at the out of tune mess that she is (because that’s what he does). You’d be hysterical Daddy! I mean, she is butchering Pearl Jam and Queen classics. She even sang ‘Gloria’ really loudly and made a glorious mess out it. My poor brand new spanking ears!

I sometimes don’t know whether to laugh or cry when she goes at it (and trust me, I can do both from in here). She better not mess up the Boss’s tunes though, I love Bruce Springsteen! Hey! Just because I’m not breathing on my own doesn’t mean I don’t have musical preferences.

On to brighter things…I weigh more than a pound now. Mamma can use that as an excuse to munch on the cake I’ve been making her crave. Speaking of which, I think it’s teatime, but what do I know in here? It’s all dark and stuff all day. Oh before I go, I have been up to some of my antics. Grandma is dying to feel me move, but even though I have been having my tantrums, I stay really still when she touches Mamma’s belly to tease her a little. Maybe tomorrow I’ll oblige. Gotta keep my sense of humor in here. Please leave your comments for me! I could use the moral support this week: ) Lots of love, Baby BB 6

Another song redone:
Manic Monday
Panic Mom-day

Six o'clock already
I’ve got to get steady
I was just in the middle of a dream
I can’t eat those pickles and cream
I was kissin' Valentino
I will need a ton of Bean-o
By a crystal blue Italian stream
And my pants are tearing up at the seam

But I can't be late
I just gained weight
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
And I guess I’m bigger than my mate
These are the days
Oh how many days
When you wish your bed was already made
That I wish this nausea would already fade

*It's just another manic Monday
It’s just another panic Mom-day
I wish it was Sunday
Heartburn is here to stay
'Cause that's my funday
I wish there was just one day
An I-don't-have-to-run day
That I could just sleep all day
It's just another manic Monday
It’s just another panic Mom-day

Have to catch an early train
Have got baby on the brain
Got to be to work by nine
Have to pee all of the time
And if I had an aeroplane
And I got this weird old pain
I still couldn't make it on time
Aching up and down on my spine
'Cause it takes me so long
My waist said so long
Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear
Wish I’d fit into my old underwear
Blame it on the train
Dressing is such a bane
When the bus is already there
Where’s there’s no maternity wear

CHORUS
All of the nights
Get hold of the tights
Why did my lover have to pick last night
Why, getting in them’s gonna be my last fight
To get down
I’m too round
Doesn't it matter
Yes, my butt’s fatter
That I have to feed the both of us
But I have to eat for two of us
Employment's down
Yet keep my weight down
He tells me in his bedroom voice
You know if I had the choice
C'mon honey, let's go make some noise
I would handle of this with poise
Time it goes so fast
Gas: it ain’t no blast
When you're having fun
When will I be done?

Turbulent Twenty-One

Hi Aunties and Uncles! We have had a drama filled week! Daddy was supposed to go to Vietnam on Sunday night—which I didn’t approve of by the way. Mamma went to her parents house and I was making her feel kind of nauseous since I was not a happy camper. We had really weird dreams and in the morning we found out that Daddy was in a major jam at the airport.

He was just on board his flight when he heard a very loud boom and saw security and military folks running in the opposite direction. Then the captain brusquely told all the passengers to get off the plane at once. Grandpa (Daddy’s daddy) was actually up at 3am watching news and he saw what was going on and was on the line with Daddy the entire time.

Daddy decided not to fly out later that day, although his flight was eventually cleared for take off. He wanted to be with me after what he went through--poor guy, it was 9am by the time he returned home. He tried to hide the details from Mamma, but Grandma (Daddy's Mamma) filled her in a little, so Mamma went home to see how he was doing. He said the first person he thought of when the crisis broke out was me! However, naughty Daddy is trying to fly out again this week. What's up with that?

On happier news, Mamma and Daddy took Aunty Nirma out with us and they all found me a cot that sounds super! I can’t wait till they put it up. Hope it’s comfy! I can sense and hear what they are doing, which is a good thing since it gets all boring in here.

Besides listening in through Mamma's belly all I can do is flip around from time to time. Thank goodness Mamma has those wide hips! At least I have room to move around because of them. My favorite spots are still on top of her bladder and her left side though.

I have been practicing swallowing and digesting as practice for when I break out of Mamma’s belly. I eat a lot of amniotic fluid, but most of my nourishment still comes from the placenta. I have taste buds now, and the amniotic fluid tastes like whatever Mamma’s been eating. So far I love Chinese food the best, but she hasn’t had any lately since she was all full of phlegm and now she has a swollen gland on her throat that’s bugging her. Oh, and I’m getting to be quite the looker—I have fully formed eyebrows and eye lashes now! I am sure they will only add to my cuteness! I'll be modelling for Baby Gap in no time!

Yesterday, while I was bored, Aunty Manji called and said she thought I sent her psychic messages to call Mamma (I did). Since my parents hadn’t felt me doing anything for awhile (again, because I was so bored I dozed off) poor Aunty Manji was told she was wrong and the conversation was unceremoniously ended since Mamma had just thrown up and was pooped.

So an hour or two later (like I can keep time in here?), on behalf of my Aunty Manji, who I am rather fond of, I decided to jump around and bug Mamma (she complained but secretly loved it). Even Daddy felt my antics when he placed his hand on her belly. After about ten minutes of enjoying feeling me, Daddy rubbed Mamma’s belly in that calming way of his and told me it was bedtime, so I thought I’d take a nap. Daddy is great!

Speaking of which, I think I’m going to catch up on some beauty sleep right now. Please leave messages for me—thanks for your input last week! Any tips on how to keep my old folks on their toes are welcome: ) Aunty Shal and Uncle Velan, Mamma can't wait to see you all soon! Lots of love, Baby BB

ps here is another song Mamma changed the words to:
Don't Worry Be Happy
Don’t Hurry Be Crabby

Here's a little song I wrote
Here’s a changed up song to quote
You might want to sing it note for note
For mom’s to be who need some hope
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
In every life we have some trouble
With pregnancy there’s cause to grumble
But when you worry you make it double
Every body part you have is doubled
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
Don't Worry - Be Happy now
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby ow!
Ain't got no place to lay your head,
Really wish you had stayed in bed,
Somebody came and took your bed
That nausea messes with your head,
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
The landlord say your rent is late,
The scales say you gained too much weight
He may have to litigate
You’re bigger than your mate
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
Look at Me - I'm Happy
Just like me—I’m Crabby
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
Here I give you my phone number
See my bum’s as big as my bumper
When you worry call me, I make you happy
When you’re hungry, you can be crabby
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
Ain't got not cash, ain't got no style,
You’ve got a rash, you bring up bile
Ain't got no gal to make you smile
That hot flash will make you rile
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
'Cause when you worry your face will frown
You can’t hurry all around your town
and that will bring everybody down
You barely fit in that old gown
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
Don't Worry, Don't Worry - Don't do it
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
Be Happy - Put a smile on your face
Be Crabby—get out of the rat race
Don't bring everybody down
Can’t keep anything down
Don't Worry, it will soon pass, whatever it is
Be Crabby, the gas will pass, the shoes will fit
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Don’t Hurry- Be Crabby
I'm not worried, I'm happy . . . .
I’m not hurried, I’m Crabby6

Twitchy Twenty

Hi Aunties and Uncles! I have been a very very naughty baby—I had my parents in a spin (Aunty Shal will be delighted). Well, week 20 didn’t start out too grand for us. Mamma, ever the anal one, decided not to go to work on Friday because her throat was really hurting and she felt a cold coming on. She went to my Grandma’s house thinking she could just watch TV and relax, but boy, was she mistaken!

As soon as she reached upstairs, the granite floor was wet and floooop, she fell flat on the floor! I was fast asleep at the time and I got a heck of a jolt. I got kind of annoyed with Mamma for the rude jostle, but then when I felt that she was all upset about it hurting me, I decided not to start kicking and make a fuss. Her doctor said it was not something he recommends doing (falling that is) but said I should be ok (and I was).

Then come Sunday Mamma was all stuffed up and throwing up phlegm (yes, delightful I know). Whenever her stomach contracted for that it messed up all the comfy positions I was in. She then proceeded to have a major coughing fit that lasted most of the day. By Monday she was full of phlegm and breathless. Needless to say, her asthma acted up again and she didn’t show up to work till yesterday.

On Tuesday, my parental units went to the hospital to get an anomaly scan. They were dying to know if I was a boy or a girl. They had to wait for two hours and I heard Mamma telling Daddy that she is sure that I would hide or stay in a weird position so the doctor won’t be able to tell us. So sure enough, that’s what I did.

I was up and about but then all that waiting made me sleepy. The first thing Daddy saw on the scan was me yawning and it thrilled him to no end. Mamma was a bit slower on the uptake, and spent her time marvelling at my fingers and toes, the only things she could phatom on the screen she was watching.

Any old how, I was so sleepy, I curled up with the umbilical chord between my legs and firmly planted my feet in the left most corner of Mamma’s side. The silly doctor kept shoving me through Mamma’s stomach, trying to get me to move, but I wouldn’t budge! He was persistent, but I was equally stubborn.

At the end of the scan, my poor parents still don’t know if I am a boy or a girl. The doctor was frustrated—called Mamma a difficult patient thanks to me. Mamma had a sore belly and Daddy had a bruised ego—the doctor said I was big, most probably because of my ‘big made parents’.

Later that day, I really enjoyed hearing Mamma and Daddy chatting. Daddy insisted on going out to get some cough medicine for Mamma (which she didn’t take in the end because she didn’t want to risk me any way). So I kicked and shoved and kicked and shoved. Mamma was desperate. I refused to simmer down until Daddy got back, rubbed Mamma’s belly and asked me to be calm.

The good news is that I’m so darn cute, Mamma wasn’t the least bit mad that I was pummeling her insides (and that’s saying a lot since she has a horrible temper these days). Daddy felt me moving for the first time on March 20! He was so happy! I have been one busy fetus this week! Will sign off for now since I have to think up new ways to 'entertain' my folks. Don't forget to leave comments for me. Lots of love, Baby BB 6