Random Thoughts on Life, Motherhood & Beyond: My Daring Weekend Escapade

To many people, London is an exciting, amazing city, pulsating with life, activities, culture, the arts, pubs, restaurants, shopping etc... you name it, it has it. A city that they would jump at the chance to visit. Unfortunately, for me, especially with a pregnancy fraught with nausea, exhaustion, heartburn, itches etc in the early stages, London is the last place I really want to be visiting. The start-stop traffic conditions, the dizzying number of people, the suffocating tube stations with endless stairs and few lifts/escalators did not help to make it worth the trouble even though I know my food cravings can be easily settled in Chinatown and the countless excellent restaurants offering other favourite cuisines. My nausea combined with motion sickness in our earlier trips to London have left a deep impression of the "hazards" of visiting London and have not encouraged me to go back since.

Thus, it was a big shock to Henry when I declared to him on Saturday that we HAVE TO visit London. In my mind, I was determined to have my last fling in the city before Baby's arrival makes this a mere dream. The good husband had expected that we would be getting the house in order and the hospital bags ready for the Big Day during the weekend, but obliged and we flew into a flurry to get the last things into the hospital bag and load this, the baby seat and our overnight bag into the car.

In the car, I was on an absolute high. I felt like I had cheated Mistress Discomforts of Pregnancy by this daring adventure. And to top it off, I have finally finished the tedious task of packing my complete hospital bag and baby seat into the car given the pressure of time. (In our antenantal classes, we were told that besides the hospital bag of our own clothes, toiletries, Baby's clothes, toiletries, we should also bring our own pillow, birthing ball, mat, aromatherapy/massage oil, CDs, books, snacks, towels(???) etc. And not to forget we had to pack Daddy's bag too, in case birthing takes us into the night and over into the next day ... at the end of which, I just really think I would love the Japanese system of paying more and having the hospital supply everything, or the Singapore system of going in, getting the epidural and having the baby... none of the birthing ball, mat, pillow, aromatherapy/massage oil, CD rubbish...)

It was a lovely weekend - eating 2 Chinese meals (lunch and dinner), buying a much coveted CD of the musical that we caught last December (the very excellent "Priscilla - Queen of the Desert"), catching a play (the very ingenious and hilarious "39 Steps"), staying over at Yen's, having a homecooked Sunday roast, visiting the flower market, and finishing it with a delicious meal at Singapore Garden, where I had a very satisfying laksa and a visit to a fellow Singaporean's house and catching up with her delightful family (love the twins!). Oh, and did I mention that we nipped down to Covent Garden to check out the world's biggest Apple store on its opening day and witnessed the incredibly, impossibly long queue of people waiting to buy their unlocked, no-contract iPhone4? These people stood in the rain with Apple umbrellas and now and then, claps and cries of jubilation (Hurray!) from the front of the queue would be heard - you would think they have reached Nirvana!

With the hospital bag etc packed, I was able to enjoy myself. And whenever I had the horrible image of my waters breaking in public (imagine in the theatre! - Wendy thought I would find instant fame in the "News of the Week" Hahaha!), I held in my mind the scene of Charlotte in "Sex and the City" when her waters broke ... and she was giving Mr Big a piece of her mind outside the very nice cafe where she had been having brunch while impeccably dressed in a very smart dress! I was immediately comforted and able to sail through the rest of my blissful weekend with family and friends in London :)

And when you think about it, I have to admit to myself that this is all about mind over body. A few days back, I had been affected by the news of Nicki's finally birthing and Chantal's waters bursting ahead of schedule, and I was convinced it would happen to me any minute, perhaps that very day itself. Emotionally, I was racked with a buzzing anxiety, all strung up and just waiting with a fatalistic dread for the moment of that great gush of waters bent on destroying my bed/sofa/carpets. Physically, I seem to grow weak and tired and had no energy to do any of my usual chores. Instead, I took to bed with my waterproof padding.

And yet, this weekend, with a mind all determined to take my last chance of freedom to paint the town red (with as much vengeance as I can muster), I have managed to triumph and push our weekend exploration right into London instead of our usual drive through the idyllic countryside around Milton Keynes. I am glad to say we managed to tick every checkbox in my weekend adventure list.

Now, I am at peace, as I resume my waiting game. In my hands, I hold on to Henry's baby photo, convinced that this is how my baby will look like - an impossibly cute bundle of joy with the most kissable cheeks and no matter how painful it might possibly be, we would be able to do it together with the most upbeat attitude. After all, he would be worth it! :)