Currently, Im in HK!!! Yip, that’s right - having a little holiday with me mom! Touched down in Hk to be greeted by my littl’ sis…. Got in a taxi and had to shut my eyes all the way to her home.. Oh boy, I haven’t sat in a vehicle that really made me wanna vomit for ages!!! I physically wanted to puke…. swirving to the left and then to the right, I was glad to reach my destination! Darn, i knew I should have brought along my motion sickness wrist bands!!!

Then went to eat at a Shanghai Restaurant… Proper chinese, or should I say food that my palate misses and am used to!!! Nice!

Then quickly went to the local supermarket to get some essentials…. One thing though, that was really off-putting and I was not used to! This was the way that some people here in HK speak… They speak SO LOUD and SO BRASH, as if they are argueing!!! I suppose I could cope with the loudness but the way some of the people speak are so rude and cocky!! Ummmm… Like the title goes - It’s been awhile!!! There’s some getting used to!

Ofcos we will miss her.. But she is now closer to the “Asia-sisters!!!”

All of us are dotted around Uk and Asia - hey at least there’s free living accomodation for us!!!

This is for Ansy - Good luck my dearest sis… we are always here, no matter how far… Until our next family/sibling gathering…. MWAH MWAH MWAH to all my sisters and bro!!!

Sitting there watching Olympics, I looked at my arms…. Oh my goodness!!! The hairs from the elbows down to my wrists were super duper long and straight!!! Hitting a recorded record of 1 inch!!! One would assume that at a certain length, they would curl!??!?! But nope, super duper straight - as though I had used straightening irons!!! Funny thing is that the hairs on my head (if you look close enough) are no longer straight but cork screw waves/curls…. Watch this space - the development of the hairy creature!!!

Originally wanted to do Pilates or aqua aerobics in the local area but it’s just so difficult to find any which caters for pregnancy… And when they do, they want private one-to-ones and the prices are extortionate!!!

I really didn’t think that I would have so many problems finding a suitable prenatal exercise class here. I mean, back home, it’s super duper easy and even the local sports and fitness centres cater for pregnant ladies, with a whole range of exercises….

Well, after some research, I found one!!! It’s a prenatal yoga class at a private studio. Relatively good price - about 30 mins away via car… I attend the trial session this wed with Hupps…. Yippee, on my way to a fit and healthy body!!!

I appreciate that peanut allergy is not common in asia, however, it is common in UK, Europe and USA…. I have been told by some elders here in Singapore that there’s no need to worry and that it’s safe cos they ate peanuts when they were pregnant!! There is just so many foods here that contains peanuts/nuts…. I was born and brought up in UK and my lifestyle, diet and surroundings are generally that of a caucasian… In addition, in UK we are also trained to advise mothers to be to avoid this potential allergen if there is a family history of asthma, hay fever, eczema, or nut allergies. So I was extremely gutted to be told that I have been exposing my unborn child to this allergen since day one!!!

I so didn’t want my child to have any allergies because I have suffered from a body full of eczema since I was young - and it’s horrible…. What’s even worse is that it may have a peanut allergy - which can lead to anaphylaxis - and that would be a nightmare!!!

“Some experts believe that avoiding known allergens, such as peanuts during pregnancy, can reduce the risk of allergic reactions developing in your child. However, there is little evidence that this approach actually works and until more research is carried out, there are no strict guidelines. You may want to avoid eating peanuts while you are pregnant if you, your baby’s father, or one of your previous children has had an allergic condition.

Allergic conditions include:
• eczema
• asthma
• hayfever
• any allergic response (rashes, itches, bumps) if you’ve eaten food such as strawberries, shellfish, or peanuts

An allergic reaction is when the body over-responds to a particular substance: this can cause breathing problems, wheezing, skin conditions, and other symptoms. Peanut allergy is a growing problem in the UK. Approximately one in 70 children in the UK has a peanut allergy; most children will develop the problem before their third birthday. Peanut allergy can cause a severe reaction called anaphylactic shock in which the allergic person has such trouble breathing that they die without treatment.

Before an allergy can develop, a child first has to come into contact with small traces of peanut. This initial contact sensitises the child so that she later has a severe allergic reaction when she eats peanuts or foods containing peanuts. Some experts think that this initial sensitisation may occur during pregnancy, when a tiny amount of the peanut protein crosses the placenta.

Breastfeeding gives your baby protection against many infections; exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of your baby’s life helps decrease her risk of allergies in the early years of life. If you eat peanuts, there is a small chance that your baby will come into contact with traces of peanut through your milk.

If you decide to avoid peanuts while pregnant or breastfeeding, you need to avoid not only peanuts themselves (which are also sometimes called monkey nuts or groundnuts), but also products which may contain them. These include:
• peanut butter
• cereals, cakes, muesli, biscuits, some salad dressings, ice cream, and breads - always read the packaging label carefully for information on the ingredients
• dishes in restaurants - either ask if peanuts have been included or choose a simple meal which contains no ‘hidden’ ingredients

Other nuts, such as Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts or cashew nuts have not been identified as a potential problem.

After some simple breakfast and a heavy head (from yesterday’s last min late night Risk and Munchkin game sessions), we moved out towards the Istana at about 9.20am via MRT. We arrived at about 10am and was surprised by the amount of people already inside the Istana doing various activities.

There were people lying on the green field painting and drawing, kids with paper windmills running around in the field and lots of people visiting the famous main Istana building, where you have to pay $2 per entry to see the inside of the building.

We went straight to see the main Istana building as that was the main attraction, and us hoping to be able to see the president mingling with the visitors. We were so so happy that we went into the building because the aircon was so cooling…. hehehehe.. And of course the exhibits of all the diplomatic gifts from foreign visitors were lovely.

We left the Istana grounds soon after because Mama was hungry and seriously there wasn’t so much stuff that interests us there.