Having lived in Singapore for over six years and comparing it with over a year of being based here in Australia, I’d say there’s a really big difference in the way of life.  Some areas are too extreme that it’s not logical to make comparisons.

It’s good that the daily news does not only keep me abreast with the goings-on in the country but also teaches me about life here in Sydney.  For example, I was clueless about bikie gangs and how they can get into trouble and break the law and might be needing something like a Pleasanton motorcycle accident attorney in the process.  Or, varied topics ranging from footy (a sport) to food.  It sure looks like there are a lot of things in store for us to discover in the land down under.

I’ve mentioned in one of my earlier posts that I was addicted to Channel 9′s show Home Made.  And all along I was rooting for the winner, Jason Sullivan.  I like his taste and sense of style when it comes to color schemes and picking up different decors and commercial furniture.  It’s like he was born to design homes!  I am actually waiting for the design magazine to come out so I could keep some sort of memorabilia of the show.

I miss traveling.  It’s been four years since we had our major vacation trip to the US and I’m so looking forward to the next opportunity where we can bring the kids with us to see not just the tourist spots but our families there as well.

But to be more realistic, I would love for the winter season to be over so we can head to the beach again.  The husband and I need a break from anything baby preparations-related. Ha!  A weekend day trip would be nice since an overnight beach stay would be too tiring for me.  Unless of course we’d rent a beautifully furnished beach house just like what Outer Banks rentals offer.  Sigh, it’s so nice to daydream.

Another item off our to-do list is finishing the hospital tour.  We’re a bit late on this but we really didn’t bother making it a priority since we are already booked with the hospital since my first trimester.  Overall, I am pleased with the facilities and the little details that they have in place in the birthing suite.  I can already envision what my delivery day would be like.  I am also glad that the maternity wing (or floor) is separate from the other patients seeking critical treatments (e.g. mesothelioma treatment, perhaps?).  I just hope that my expectations will be met if not expected when my D-Day comes.

My pregnancy this time around surely has brought a lot of changes in our lives.  One of which is having to prepare my toddler for pre-school next year.  We wanted her to try out a learning centre in our area to give her a headstart when she starts going to “school” on a regular basis.

There’s this centre that my husband and I liked and I just submitted an enrollment form so we could start the orientation soon.  From our first visit there, I found the place to be perfect for what our daughter needs.  There’s a balance of play and learning, a good number of qualified teachers, nutritious meals prepared by a chef, even the preschool furniture seem to be well maintained as they look new.

We hope my little girl enjoys her new adventure.

I’ve been really good at controlling my sugar intake.  Even if I passed my glucose tolerance test, I still managed not to give in to tempting treats like chocolates, cakes or sodas.  Until last week when we accumulated three bags of M&Ms, a box of chocolate mud cake, Arnott’s choco-dip biscuits and blocks of Lindt chocolates in the fridge.  I’m not sure how we ended up with so much stocks of sweets and now I find it hard to resist the crunchy peanut chocolate of M&Ms, the cake’s choco icing and the creaminess of Lindt bars.  Arrgh, I’m still dreaming of getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight sans the help of ephedra pills.