Can't believe it, time flies and its our first wedding anniversary!
We attended Sunday morning service at St. John's Church, where we were married. Lots of unfamiliar faces and curate whom married us and few familiar faces that we knew weren't there. Visited Sunday Farmer's market supporting local farmers and their products: bought mergets, Toulouse and Lincolnshire sausages, Blue cheese, smoke duck breast, Cornish pastie, pumpkins (for cooking soup) and Rustic apples.
We had fantastics 3 courses meal at Luton Hoo Hotel, Wernher Restaurant (formal dining room). Have a leisurely stroll at Formal and Rock Gardens and watch the world goes by.
Wednesday 27 October 2010
Friday 1 October 2010
Anamoly Scan 20w 5d (30/09/2010)
I drank 2 pint s (6 glasses) of non fizzy water within an hour before the anamoly scan (20-23 weeks). West Herfortfordshire Hospital have a no sex determine on fetus policy. Therefore, its gonna be a surprise for us. We gotta buy baby stuffs in nuetral colours, i.e black, grey, white, creamy but not pink or blue, how lovely.
Seeing the perfectly form baby for the very first time is quite emotional and I see his/her little arm moving, sweet little lips, lungs, heart beats, spinal chord, fully formed face and body, limbs/legs, kidneys, bladder and etc. I just want to hold my little angel tightly and comfort him/her. The report showed no obvious abnormality and average growth.
Seeing the perfectly form baby for the very first time is quite emotional and I see his/her little arm moving, sweet little lips, lungs, heart beats, spinal chord, fully formed face and body, limbs/legs, kidneys, bladder and etc. I just want to hold my little angel tightly and comfort him/her. The report showed no obvious abnormality and average growth.
Thursday 30 September 2010
Amniocentesis Test
Test brought forward to 25th August instead due to consultant schedule. Been briefed 1:25 (4%) risk of Trisomy 21 and 0.75-1.0% miscarriage after the procedure. We determined to have the further test to confirm the chromosomes abnormality.
The consultant drawn 16ml of amniotic fluid from my uterus with a thin needle poked through stomach with probe from scan. This procedure have to be done within 15th week but not later than 16th week just in case the fetus grow bigger. I have to put up my feet and rest for at least 48 hours without any house-work and refrained from work too.
Fortunately, the trisomy test for chromosomes 13, 18 and 21 is normal and I can carry on with my pregnancy as nothing happened.
The consultant drawn 16ml of amniotic fluid from my uterus with a thin needle poked through stomach with probe from scan. This procedure have to be done within 15th week but not later than 16th week just in case the fetus grow bigger. I have to put up my feet and rest for at least 48 hours without any house-work and refrained from work too.
Fortunately, the trisomy test for chromosomes 13, 18 and 21 is normal and I can carry on with my pregnancy as nothing happened.
Nuchal Translucency and Dating scan 13w and 2d (09/08/2010)
My EDD brought forward from 18th February to 12th February, 2010. I have triple test where blood test, dating and Nuchal (normally scan from 11w till 13+6 weeks) at the same time. My blood markers result ain't great and the Nuchal Translucency screening is 28mm (higher that average 25mm or lower).
Therefore, I have been categorised as increased risk for Trisomy 21 or baby with Down Syndrome or Chromosomes 21 abnormality. It had been a stressful and dreadful week ahead since the midwife rang to arrange for an amniocentesis procedure scheduled on 26th August, 2010.
Therefore, I have been categorised as increased risk for Trisomy 21 or baby with Down Syndrome or Chromosomes 21 abnormality. It had been a stressful and dreadful week ahead since the midwife rang to arrange for an amniocentesis procedure scheduled on 26th August, 2010.
Thursday 9 September 2010
FHHR
I heard my baby first ever FHHR (Fetal Heart Heard Regularly) during routine 17 weeks check-up. beating so fast and strong. Average beat 16-20 per minute. Occasionally heard his/her movement too. BP 100/50 and all well so far.
Wednesday 1 September 2010
Awww...its been a long time since I last blogged!
How awful? I should have done better in blogging my latest news!
Yeah, excitment and mixed feelings kick-in especially preparing for new arrival coming February. I'm 16 weeks pregnant and hopefully all goes well and my EDD 18th, February or first dating scan brought forward to 12th February, 2011. So, stay tune :-)
I'm lucky not having morning sickness or any time of the days' sickness except frequent trips to loo in the evening :-( Therefore, unable to sleep well and enjoy my beauty sleep. I suffer from cold and sneeze a lots; funny taste buds and metallic like taste lingering in my mouth ever since I discovered I'm pregnant 6th week. I thought all this will eleminate after 12th week but unfortunately I still have to tolerate with that! None of my close friends or colleagues suspect I'm expecting as my little bum still disguise well under loose T-shirt.
I'm gone off Indian curries but still craving for spicy food sometimes. Mostly, I'm craving sweet taste and chinese ribs (BBQ or Capital spare ribs)...probably my baby like Chinese food :-)
Sometimes I wonder what hair colour (probably dark or brownish hair colour), eye and how my baby look, etc??? Unknown sex yet and not able to feel the trumble or somersault at 16th week as describe in most book. Probably first time mom only identify this between 18th to 20th week!
Yeah, excitment and mixed feelings kick-in especially preparing for new arrival coming February. I'm 16 weeks pregnant and hopefully all goes well and my EDD 18th, February or first dating scan brought forward to 12th February, 2011. So, stay tune :-)
I'm lucky not having morning sickness or any time of the days' sickness except frequent trips to loo in the evening :-( Therefore, unable to sleep well and enjoy my beauty sleep. I suffer from cold and sneeze a lots; funny taste buds and metallic like taste lingering in my mouth ever since I discovered I'm pregnant 6th week. I thought all this will eleminate after 12th week but unfortunately I still have to tolerate with that! None of my close friends or colleagues suspect I'm expecting as my little bum still disguise well under loose T-shirt.
I'm gone off Indian curries but still craving for spicy food sometimes. Mostly, I'm craving sweet taste and chinese ribs (BBQ or Capital spare ribs)...probably my baby like Chinese food :-)
Sometimes I wonder what hair colour (probably dark or brownish hair colour), eye and how my baby look, etc??? Unknown sex yet and not able to feel the trumble or somersault at 16th week as describe in most book. Probably first time mom only identify this between 18th to 20th week!
Monday 8 February 2010
Victoria Cake
Freshly baked from oven!
Cooled and spread with Blackcurrent jam without cream. I dislike very rich cake!
A classic Victoria sponge cake, anyone?I didn't sprinkle icing sugar on top because I didn't like my cake too sweet!
Mmmm...smell of baking cake is so great and this motivate me to try more recipes (finger-cross)
I researched baking cakes recipes and tips from internet but have faith with Delia Smith Easy Cookbook.
Preparation time 15 minutes, baking time 35 minutes for 8 inches tin at 170C fan oven.
I would give 7/10 in term of taste and texture and no presentation :-)
The edge is a bit crunchy and dried, probably too much oil for the sandwich tin.
Saturday 6 February 2010
Zesty Orange Blueberries Muffins
I think I have fallen in love with baking cakes.
My first attempt in baking muffins was better than expected.
The baking smell make the house feel cosy and welcoming...compliment from my husband back home from work.
Preparation time is 15 minutes and baking time is 20-25 minutes at 180C fan oven.
I follow Delia Smith's method and a "twist" of recipe from the Leith's Cooking Bible.
The muffins taste great and perfect.
Tuesday 19 January 2010
Rice Cooker
How exciting, we seem to have cutting-edge in kitchen over majority of British for rice cooker. What happened?? Most of the British boiled rice in saucepan with salt; drained and served. Sadly, they preferred rice less soggy and less starchy, where as I brought up the opposite side, I like my rice soft and a bit starchy.
My family have been wondering how we cook our rice????
We bought a rice cooker to experiment cooking perfect rice.
1) I rinsed the long grain rice twice, something new to Tim, he cooked rice without rinsing in a saucepan (lots of water).
Tim was bought up boiling rice with salt water in saucepan, drained and served.
I measured water using back of my palm, sometimes finger.
Tim used more scientific calculation; ratio 2:1 (packaging suggestion)
The rice too soggy and starchy for him.
2) Rinsed rice three/four times, used the ratio 2:1 ie cooked 200g rice in 400ml water.
We discovered after rinsing, there is 50ml water in rice, so minus 50ml from the total amount of water for cooking.
He added a pinch of salt in cooking rice with rice cooker :-(
A bit less starchy but still soggy
3) Third time lucky, we cooked easy cook rice (part boiled). Rinsed twice, cooked rice by a ratio of 1:2. Precisely, the rice cooked to perfection and we like it too. So, we agreed on easy cook rice with the ratio of 1 (part of rice) : 2 (water)
4) Cooked rice as suggested on packaging 1(rice):1.8(water) without rinsing
Rice ok but overall texture a bit dry
This is not rocket science and it's easier to round up figure rather than 1.8 calculation of whatever amount of rice we cook :-)
We bought Thai Fragrant Rice but yet to experiment. Don't worry, we're not rice cooking obsessive and we didn't bulk buying.
We normally buy rice in 1kg pack :-)
There are express rice for microwave or boiled rice in sealed pack.
How revolting to dump a pack of sealed rice (literally heating up); fish out, cut and serve on plate. That's how you consider, cooking your own rice!!!
My family have been wondering how we cook our rice????
We bought a rice cooker to experiment cooking perfect rice.
1) I rinsed the long grain rice twice, something new to Tim, he cooked rice without rinsing in a saucepan (lots of water).
Tim was bought up boiling rice with salt water in saucepan, drained and served.
I measured water using back of my palm, sometimes finger.
Tim used more scientific calculation; ratio 2:1 (packaging suggestion)
The rice too soggy and starchy for him.
2) Rinsed rice three/four times, used the ratio 2:1 ie cooked 200g rice in 400ml water.
We discovered after rinsing, there is 50ml water in rice, so minus 50ml from the total amount of water for cooking.
He added a pinch of salt in cooking rice with rice cooker :-(
A bit less starchy but still soggy
3) Third time lucky, we cooked easy cook rice (part boiled). Rinsed twice, cooked rice by a ratio of 1:2. Precisely, the rice cooked to perfection and we like it too. So, we agreed on easy cook rice with the ratio of 1 (part of rice) : 2 (water)
4) Cooked rice as suggested on packaging 1(rice):1.8(water) without rinsing
Rice ok but overall texture a bit dry
This is not rocket science and it's easier to round up figure rather than 1.8 calculation of whatever amount of rice we cook :-)
We bought Thai Fragrant Rice but yet to experiment. Don't worry, we're not rice cooking obsessive and we didn't bulk buying.
We normally buy rice in 1kg pack :-)
There are express rice for microwave or boiled rice in sealed pack.
How revolting to dump a pack of sealed rice (literally heating up); fish out, cut and serve on plate. That's how you consider, cooking your own rice!!!
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