Pink Dots & Grey Leopard - Me & My Baby Weight

The first day I went back to work...I felt so nervous trying to put on my old skirt.
The last time I checked...I couldn't fit into it.
Well, I could, but wouldn't be able to sit, or walk, or stand...or breathe.
But on Monday...I found that the skirt fits!
Yayyyy!!!

Before I had Marcus, I weighed something like 133-135lbs? (!!!)
Yeah, I was heavy, I'm only 154cm tall for freak's sake.
During my last stage of pregnancy, I weighed about 151 lbs. Gosh, I was heavier than SC! Hehehe.
Now I've lost all my pregnancy weight, thanks to taking care of the baby and breastfeeding...but I am by no means slim. I am just back to where I was...chubby :p

So, I am back to wearing what I love to wear...vintage tops layered with small cardigans to give it a more fitted shape (because I hate bringing clothes to the tailor for adjustments), skirts which are fitted in the waist and puffy on the hips to hide the junk in my trunk :)

Oh...and knee length socks, since tights sometimes make me feel miserable.

Top = thrifted
Cardigan = Zara

Skirt = Cotton On

Belt = Orange, Jakarta

Socks = Uniqlo

Shoes = Marks & Spencer's

BB Doctor Visit

We went for baby check up today.
Normally, it should be something to look forward to, right? Something to be excited about...but thanks to SC, the visit scares the shit outta me every single time.

Because...he always says that I've been gaining wayyy too much weight.

I did gain some weight from month #6 to month #7, so I really dreaded the moment I have to step on the scale at the doc's office.

I could already imagine that the doc will "lecture" me to watch what I eat and to exercise more. I was so scared, I even had a dream that I stepped onto the scale, and I weighed 290lbs!!! What a nightmare.

SC was so looking forward to seeing me being scolded by my doctor.
He was all smiles and whistles on the way to the doc's office, while I was shrunk into a tiny ball of guilt. Already preparing some excuses...
- ...but I didn't eat anything out of ordinary...
- ...but I walk a lot...
- ...I knew I'm wrong, doc...I promise not to do it again

Not only excuses, I went to the doc with minimum amount of clothing (just a t-shirt dress + my lightest flip flops) to keep myself as light as possible, and I kept my huge necklace, wrist watch and leggings in my bag, to be worn after my check up ^_*

So what happened when I stepped on that scale?
The nurse shouted out my weight to the doc...
Doc: OK, very well. Please go to the next room for ultrasound scan...

...SC's face was like...

He was so disappointed the doc didn't say anything about my weight.
He could've kept silent to minimize his embarrassment (to me), but he wouldn't...

SC: Doc, isn't she too heavy?
Doc: What? Noo...she just gained 4 lbs mah?
SC: *persistent* Isn't 4 lbs too much?

Doc: No la~ the baby's growth itself should be more than 1 lbs, so 4 lbs is ok
SC: ....*Extremely disappointed*

Me? If the nurse wasn't with me in the USG room, I would've done my little victory dance then and there :D

PS. Lil' SC is growing very well, his kicks are really strong, and his head is still up under my ribs...hopefully he'll flip in time for the birth. Wish us luck! :)

No Pain No Gain - SC's Journey from Chubby to Hunky?

If you thought that SC has always been this hunky...naturally...

Think again ^_^'

He had his cute chubby moments...with valid reasons. He had his whole thyroid gland removed due to thyroid cancer, and his treatment, made his metabolism as slow as...not moving. He survived the whole thing like a champion. Bravo, SC.

That aside, even without the thyroid problems, he isn't exactly naturally slim.
If he doesn't control himself, he could have let himself grow chubby any time, thanks to my bad influence of too much good (and bad) food :p
So, for us, there's really no such thing as natural beauty.
You might be genetically blessed, but something has to be done to maintain/enhance what you have been given.

While he had good reasons for being a little chubby...there's pretty much no excuseable excuses for the following poses...

Raccoon backpack, anyone?
Anyone?
No?

...how about this?

Hong Kong based readers might remember this pose from Ocean Park's ads. Remember the jingle? Hong Kong....Kowloon Hong Kong...I like Hong Kong...lalalala~

Those raccoons are super adorable and they make people do all this mad poses!
Yeah, blame the raccoons...

Now, what has SC done to metamorph from flab to fab?
No magic, no tricks, no cheats, but the good old...
Food control and work out.

Eat healthy, i.e. avoid my sinful treats, eat everything in moderation.
As for work out regime, lots of walks (up and down hills around our place) and recently, he's ordered this exercise bar online and had it installed at home.

How many does he do a day?


Hundreds?


Nope, max 7x or he'd do a couple every time he has a chance (during toilet breaks from playing Xbox)...and it works wonders!


Hello, bicep?


Ahem, I am against the necklace, but he insisted >.<


Toned arms, shoulders, chest, back muscles, and slimmer waist....are not God's gift to SC, it's really no pain no gain

Do excuse the nipple shots in the last picture, please...^_^'

My Bumpy Bump - 22 Weeks

Friends told me to take pictures of my bump every week, some told me to measure every day...but, a lazy bum that I am, I just take pics whenever I feel like it (i.e. when I feel that there's a significant growth on my tummy and I don't have as many pimples ^_^).

The great thing about having a bun in the oven is...it's the only time when it's ok to have a giant "luggage", a huge ass, and wear a bathing suit ^_^

...I surely won't miss this rare chance to flaunt my giant "luggage".

Just in case you were wondering....no worries, you won't see any nude shots of me here ^_*

PS. SC did a great job photographing me, didn't he?

Bikini top and straw fedora = H&M
Ruffled skirt = Zara TRF

Tummy Shots - Week 17

Did pregnancy stop me from shopping?
Hmmm...a little bit.
It puts me off buying stuff I knew I won't be able to wear for quite a while.

I didn't start off skinny, and I love buying loose fitting clothes, so actually most of my current clothes could still fit. However, I do feel my body changes...my chest grows, my waist slowly disappears, my bottom grows even more gigantic. I am growing into a hippo, and it makes my underwired bras, my favorite fitted-at-the-waist skirts and my belts become too uncomfortable for me to wear.

My chest and my already not-too-svelte figure normally makes my tummy less obvious, but I do have quite a bit of tummy...

...where lil' SC grows bigger.

I haven't started buying any mom-to-be outfits yet, but I did purchase some empire waisted tops I can grow in, and I will blog about them soon~

Do These Labels Bother You Too?

I remove almost all of these off my clothes.
It's not that I am ashamed of my size.
It's not that I am embarrassed by my clothes' labels.
But they ITCH like heck!

I believe that...I'm not the only one?
Or am I?

Babydoll Shirt Dress That Scored Me A Seat on A Train Ride

I've been offered a seat again!
How nice it is to see how kind people in Hong Kong are...

but...

I was wearing the blue version of this babydoll shirt dress, carrying a few bags worth of loot, minding my own business...and a guy, who was seated in front of my eyed me for a while, then stood up and offered me his seat.

Mortified, I refused to seat (it would've been easier if I just took the seat). An auntie who was standing beside me gave me a careful once over, squinted her eyes for a few moments, and then offered another older auntie behind her to sit. This older auntie gave me a once over, shot me a look full of pity, and insisted that I should sit. I said no again.

The younger auntie finally said to the older auntie "Won't you just sit? She's a young girl (thanks!), she can manage standing up!"

Oh gosh....a dress that caused a full drama involving 3 or more people on a train ride?

I'm never wearing it without a belt ever again!!!

So I've belted the orange version this morning and hope there'll be no more MTR seat drama. I threw a pair of shades to combat the damaging summer UV rays.

Shirt dress = FCUK sale, HK$1xx (forgot the exact amount, I have both blue and orange)
Shoes = Argyle Center, HK$79
Belt, Bag & Shades = H&M, all below HK$200

Casual Fridays

I used to hate casual Fridays.

Whoa whoa whoa WHOA!
Why?
Because I hate wearing jeans.
Why?
Because no jeans fit me. I look crap in jeans. Nothing worked, I've tried everything from Levis, Chevignon, to Miss Sixty...and...nothing.

But after I got these no brand, super sized, dark skinny jeans, which my sister recommended me (no one else knows the challenges of my huge booty better than she does), I started to love casual Fridays.

I wore this ensemble going out to dinner and dessert with friends. The top flatters me, the hooded short jacket kept me warm, mustard green heels to match the top and the jeans...bootylicious.

Top: chiffon shocking pink plaid ruffled top, from Tsuen Wan, HK$89
Jacket: yellow hooded cotton short jacket, from Zara, HK$129
Jeans: dark skinny jeans, from Plasa Senayan, Jakarta, IDR199.000
Shoes: (not shown, remixed) green mustard heels

My Flattering Tools - The Double Edged Swords

I am sure you noticed that some mirrors make you look slimmer, prettier, all in all fabulous. The same principle applies to cameras.

I am sure that my online friends think I am wayyy thinner and prettier than I really am. Some of them could not believe my real size even after gasping at my height (definitely not tall) and my weight (what you think + 20kgs).

Thanks to (or blame it on) my flattering tools:

1. SC's point and shoot camera (Canon IXUS 870IS)
It seriously is beyond flattering. It makes people prettier, with better skin tone and slim-slim-slimmer!
Plus:
Who doesn't like looking at a prettier and slimmer version of themselves?
Minuses:
- Who am I kidding? That person in the photograph is so NOT me!
- Friends saying "Is that YOU??" with disbelief
- Finally meeting your online friends and they said "Oh, you look so different" (not in a good way)

2. Mirror mirror on the wall
My living room and bathroom mirrors, my building's elevator mirrors, my office's bathroom and elevator mirrors. They do better a version of me.
Plus:
- Giving me the necessary confidence before stepping out of the flat and grabbing the world by its balls
Minuses:
- I've been ballooning rapidly without realizing, as the mirrors indicate otherwise
- Loss of confidence when I finally saw a realistic mirror. Damn!


In these shots, I was taking the outfit's photographs using the flattering camera, off the flattering mirror, for double flattering effect. I really needed it.

Dress = blue and white vintage dress, gift from my sis

Belt = Red stretchy belt with bow buckle, from Argyle Center, HK$69
Cardigan, bag and shoes = all remixed

Geometric Chic

Layering 2 summer outfits are just perfect for today's pleasant temperature of 21-23C. The old black chiffon shirt is from Veeko (I can't remember the price), the chiffon geometric patterned dress is from a shop called Lady Story at Yaumatei MTR (HK$119). The pair of plain black opaque tights is from Mong Kok's ladies market (HK$39)

I am feeling silver-ish today. Thus the accessories.
Why do I love belts? Despite the fun of being offered seats on trains/bus, I don't enjoy being mistaken for being pregnant. Thus, belts belts belts!

Black stretchy, satiny belt with jewelled buckle. From H&M (HK$129)


This sweet lil' pair of heels (from Union, HK$250) damaged my feet...but look at them! As always, they felt comfy when I tried them in the shop, walkin' on the thick and plush carpeted floor of the shop. But as soon as I got home, my blind faith bit me in the azz.


Without my morning coffee, I am just a walkin' & talkin' zombie. My poison of choice is...whatever's free from office's coffee machine. ^_^

Isn't Just Black & White

A wardrobe bursting with clothes and nothing to wear.
Don't we all hate staring blankly into our wardrobe every morning, keep changing from one outfit to another, which didn't work, and end up with an avalanche of clothes all over us? I do!...and unlike my sous chef, I can't settle to whichever clothes happened to be on the top of the shelves.

So, from now on, I'll start to post the results of my day to day fashion procrastinations. Hits, there were some. Misses, I had a few.

Enjoy.

Isn't Just Black and White

I love adding something to my black & white ensemble, and I love combining different textures and clothes from different seasons. I hate reading fashion magazines where they "mix and match" a "cheap/bargain" items with super expensive designer gears. Whatever happened to "cheap + cheap = nice?"

The Tops

A vintage silk/satin black & white polka dot shirt with double layered round collar (HK$50).
I love vintage items. I've heard the famous tip of tailoring vintage clothes for a perfect fit, but hell, I can't be bothered to do that, don't want to spend such money and so far, I haven't found a good tailor here. What can I do to improve the silhouette then? This time, I am layering it with a black cheap little cotton cardigan on top. The cardigan is fitted with puffy little princess sleeves, which flatters most shapes and sizes. The cardigan is from Fa Yuen St market (HK$39).

The Belt & The Skirt

A little touch of brown...it's from H&M (HK$129), faux leather with stretchy material. I like stretchy belts, it fits my waist perfectly and allows me to sit & eat comfortably.

The black chiffon layered skirt hides my dodgy bits perfectly, and it gives princess-like feel to it. I regretted not buying extra pieces, in case this one falls apart. From Zara (HK$259 and it is worth every penny)

The Tights

Solid, opaque blacks give slimming effect to my stumpy, tree-trunk-ish, elephant-esque legs. The tiny little bows added the extra sweet touch. It is from Fa Yuen St Market (HK$19/pair)

The Heels You Can Commute In

Finding the perfect shoes has always been my lifelong battle. I've tried cheap shoes (HK$20), I've tried expensive shoes (HK$1800), and so far, there's no such thing as a pair of comfy high heels for me. If I could die because of fashion, it would be because of high heeled shoes. They are killing my feet! This pair is from Scholl, the comfortable high heels collection. I've bought them from Sogo (HK$499), and yet, I can only commute in them, spend the rest of the day sitting in the office and walk the minimum walk on my office's thick carpeted floor. I can't stand a day of shopping wearing these shoes, no matter how comfortable they were advertised as.

The Bag

There were moments when I love designer bags. LV, Ferragamo, Prada, Celine, Burberry, Coach...you name it. Then, I downgraded myself to cheap street market bags. That didn't work out so well. The bags normally deteriorated after just 1 month. So far, I am loving this bag from H&M (HK$49). The "leather" is soft, the black doesn't look cheap, the shape fits me well, it can hold my day to day rubbish and it is super light. I added a touch of gold by tying gold hearts hair bands from Primark, London (GBP2 for a set of 3).

The Bits & Pieces

I am just counting on 2 watches. A gold and a silver. This gold one is from Patrick Cox (HK$999). I love the monogrammed face, the size is just perfect for my wrist and it goes well with almost everything I have.

Like it? Hate it? What else do you think I should do to improve? (Don't ask me to lose weight though)

Photoes, or Lack thereof

Those who frequented my facebook account knows how often I updated my pics. Daily, almost. It perfectly functions as my online picture diary, with my face all over it, where everybody can check out how fun & exciting/dull & boring my life is.

Lately, these people might notice my photo updating activities or more precisely, lack thereof.

Why?

All photographs I've taken recently are only about food, food and food.

I hereby place the blame on my alter ego, mochachocolatarita.

Food blogging makes me cook, cooking makes me eat, eating makes me (almost) fat, being (almost) fat makes me look terrible in photographs, looking terrible in photographs makes me feel absolutely reluctant to take more pictures, feeling reluctant to take more pictures makes me have no pictures to post anywhere.

There I've said it.

Plus, this limp straight hair makes me even less photogenic than I already was.

Excuses. excuses. I have only myself to blame, now I gotta do something to correct the situation, or you guys may never find out how fun & exciting or dull & boring my life is. :)