Pregnancy Update – 35 Weeks

From Babycenter.com:
“Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.”

• I now weigh 136 lbs. I gained 3 lbs since my last check up and my OB said that’s not bad at all. 
• My blood pressure dropped a little at 90/60.
• I’ve been feeling some pressure down there from time to time that makes me think I might be giving birth sooner than expected.
• I’m always, always tired and all I ever want to do is sleep.
• Speaking of sleep, there are nights that sleep eludes me because I’m worrying too much about giving birth.
• Johan’s things are almost complete, we only have to buy him some crib beddings.
• Our hospital bags are packed.
• My OB told us to expect Johan to arrive from September 13 to October 4.

Things to Always Remember

• Your presence is a present to the world.
• Your life can be just what you want it to be.
• Take the days just one at a time.
• You’re unique and one of a kind.
• Count your blessings not your troubles.
• Within you are so many answers.
• Understand, have courage, be strong
• You’ll make it through whatever comes along.
• So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
• Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
• Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
• Don’t put limits on yourself.
• Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
• The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.
• Life a life of serenity not regrets.
• Don’t take things too seriously.
• Life’s treasures are people… together.
• Have health, hope and happiness.
• Remember that a little love goes a long way and remember that a lot goes forever.
• Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
• Realize that it’s never too late.
• Take time to wish upon a star.
• Reach for your peak, your goal, your prize.

Just a Few More Days

My OB-Gyne told me that I should expect to give birth anytime as soon as I reach my 37th week. Given that this week I’ll be on my 35th already, that gives me two more weeks to prepare myself for “Labor Day”. I’ve been frequently asked by friends if I would deliver via Normal or Caesarian Section. My prompt answer would always be, “it depends”. I would try my hardest to deliver Johan via Normal Delivery but if the circumstances won’t allow it then I would be more than willing to go CS. Another frequent question is would I do painless or not. Knowing that I have very low tolerance to pain and even the simple flu vaccine terrifies me to tears, I think the answer is quite obvious. Yes, I would do painless only if I could not bear the pain anymore. Tomorrow will be my check up and from then on we will be doing it every two weeks to monitor my progress. Time’s going too fast now and before we know it, Johan Matthew will be here at last.

Our Hard Disk Drive Crashed

Yesterday when I woke up, hubby told me the bad news. Our hard disk drive crashed and we're not sure if we could still recover everything that's in it. All of the pictures, the videos, the movies, ebooks, my lay-outs and templates, my photoshop tutorials, my css codes, my bookmarks, the first few pages of Johan's photobook - I lost everything and it sucks. Hubby bought a new drive just so we could use the computer asap but when I think about all of my files that were saved in the old drive, I cannot help but feel really bad. How will I ever replace everything?

I just hope we could still recover the files in the old drive. Haaayst.

My Morning Rush Addiction

I used to listen to RX 93.1’s Morning Rush program with Chico and Delamar everyday from 6am till 9am and I remember that it was my favorite time of the day because their tandem always make me laugh. I also used to send in entries for their Daily Top Ten using various nicknames depending on the topic for the day, I was even one of the no-namers to hide my identity as I know quite a few people who also listen to their program. There were more than a few mornings when I was still working in Alabang and hubby meets me at the LRT station on our way home that we were both tuned in to the program and we couldn’t help ourselves from laughing out loud (while we’re inside the train) at the answers for the day’s topic.

When I learned I was pregnant and had to resign from work, I also stopped listening to the program. My body clock has returned to normal and I was asleep at night until half of my mornings so I usually miss the program. So, I was really happy when I chanced upon Chico Garcia’s blog where he posts their Daily Top Tens. Even better was his most recent post about somebody actually recording their Daily Top Tens and uploading them as podcasts! Really, really great as I get to download their daily program and listen to them even off the air.

I’m sharing here the link to the podcasts: Chico and Delamar’s Top 10

And here is one of the funniest Daily Top Ten ever:

The Top Ten Celebrity Jokes

1. No name – Erap was singing: “Put your left feet in, then put your left feet out…” Jinggoy: “Dad, dapat foot.” Erap: “Ay oo nga, sori. Foot your left feet in, then foot your left feet out…”
2. OscarDelaHopia – Pacman: “Nars, gib me samting por my pain!” Nurse: “Okay sir, I’ll give you morphine” Pacman: “No, no! I want less pain, not more pain!”
3. Hoypunks – Jinggoy: “Dad, anong spelling ng ‘success’, dobol S ba?” Erap: “Naku, ewan ko anak, tatluhin mo na, para sigurado!”
4. Rehaz – (Nasusunog yung bahay ni Erap at Loi sa U.S.) Loi: “Tawagan mo yung emrgency number!” Erap: “Teka! Nahanap ko na yung 9, pero di ko mahanap yung 11!” 
5. Fratman – Erap: “Hindi maganda itong nabili mong sabon, ayaw bumula!” Loi: “Eh bakit naman kasi ayaw mong basain muna?” Erap: “Hello? Nakalagay nga ‘for dry skin’ only!”
6. Zeni Grand – Not a joke, but it sounds like one. I saw Alma Moreno being interviewed on TV. Host: “Ano naman ang specialty mo sa pagluluto?” Alma: “Mostly Chinese diseases…”
7. Andee – Erap: “Hon, na-carnap yung kotse natin!” Loi: “Nahabol mo?” Erap: “Hindi, pero nakuha ko yung plate number!”
8. Boknoi – Friend: “Pare, saan ka nanggaling?” Pepe Pimentel: “Sa libing ng biyenan ko.” Friend: “Eh bakit ang dami mong kalmot?” Pepe: “Lumaban eh…”
9. Sakura – “It’s one, in one.” Manny Pacquiao on the latest deadly virus (H1N1)
10. Numbynacky – (During a funeral) Erap: “Anak, bilis, lumabas tayo agad! Wag tayong paiiwan!” Jinggoy: “Bakit po?” Erap: “Ayan o, nakalagay, ‘REMAINS WILL BE CREMATED”.”
11. Ralph Waldo – A woman comes up to Melanie Marquez and shouts: “Hey bitch!” Melanie shoots back: “Don’t you EVER call me HEY!”
12. Glennmich – “Noodle! Noodle!” Manny Pacquiao playing “Deal Or No Deal”.
13. No name – Erap texts Jinggoy the following message: “Anak, naiwan mo cellphone mo dito sa bahay.”
14. Neo MD – “Hidden Soldiers!” Manny Pacquiaowhen he was asked what’s the world’s number one anti-dandruff shampoo.
15. KiD BuKid – Teacher: “What is the scientific name of the female sex organ?” Erap: “I know this…it’s at the tip of my tongue…”
16. Bebe – “Toilet! Toilet!” Manny Pacquiao when asked which movie had Edward and Bella as the lead characters.
17. Glennford – (An exchange of texts between Erap and Loi) Erap: “Pa-pasaload naman ng 2 pesos, kasi last text ko na ‘to, may kailangan lang akong i-text.” (Loi sends 2 pesos) Erap: “Tnx!” Loi: “Wag mo na kong i-text!” Erap: “K!”
18. Aynluvcookies – Jinggoy: “Dad, pasilip nga kung sira yung signal light.” (Erap puts his head out the window of the car) Erap: “Sira nga! Ay, ayos pala! Ay teka, sira nanaman! Ayan, ayos nanaman…”
19. Aynluvcookies – Alma: “One burger please!” Waiter: “With pleasure, ma’am.” Alma: “No, with ketchup.”
20. Isenhart – Reporter: “Anong pasalubong mo kay Jinky?” Manny: “Ibon!” Reporter: “Ha? Anong klase?” Manny: “Mik-ap, lipstik, iba-ibang Ibon products!”
21. Jerguin – Alma: “Doc, si joey po laging sumisigaw pag nagka-climax siya!” Doc: “O, normal lang yun.” Alma: “Eh, nagigising po ako eh!”
22. RC and Cess – Q: “Bakit hindi nagsusuot ng grass skirt si Mahal?” A: “Kasi nagmumukha siyang sipa.”
23. Boknoi – Q: “Bakit hindi nagsusuot ng turtleneck si Bembol Roco?” A: “Kasi nagmumukha siyang roll-on.”
24. Japo – Q: “Anong title nung children’s album na ginawa ng Goo Goo Dolls at ni Lady Gaga?” A: “Goo Goo Gaga.”
25. Sasha Purse – Jinggoy: “Dad, bakit ang barko lumulutang sa tubig pero ang karayom lumulubog?” Erap: “Duh! Yung karayom may butas!”
26. Boknoi – (Alma Moreno called Philippine Airlines) Alma: “How long is the flight from Manila to Vancouver?” The person on the other line said: “Just a minute, ma’am…” Alma: “Wow, ang bilis lang pala!” (then puts the phone down).
27. Bebe – The Abu Sayyaf were looking for FVR, GMA and Erap, who all hid inside a sack each. The rebels kicked FVR’s sack, and FVR said: “Arf! Arf!” The rebels moved to GMA’s sack and kicked it, GMA said: “Meow! Meow!” The rebels moved to Erap’s sack and kicked it, and Erap said: “Patatas! Patatas!” 

Enjoy everyone!

A Healthy Sleeping Routine

Share with us your bedtime routine and win JOHNSON´S® Baby Bedtime products!!! (click to join)

Sleep is one of the most important factors in releasing growth hormones, most especially for very young babies.While your baby sleeps, her little body produces 3x more growth hormones.

The good news is there is a way to promote better sleep for your baby: through a consistent nightly bedtime routine.

Learn more about the JOHNSON´S® Baby Bedtime Routine, clinically proven to stretch your baby´s sleep by as much as 23%.

In addition to the JOHNSON´S® Baby Bedtime Routine and products, there are countless other ways you can help your baby fall asleep and even share bonding moments in the process!

I am not yet a mom but I soon will be one in only a matter of weeks now. I’ve been reading a lot of articles from pregnancy to childbirth to raising your child. One of the most important thing I’ve learned is that we have to set a sleeping routine for our kids. According to Sleep Apnea Cure: researchers believe that during sleep, neurons can shut down and repair any damage done during the day. Without these repairs, the neurons may not function correctly due to a buildup of waste products. Sleep also seems important for the formation of memories. A child who gets enough sleep and sleeps well is more likely to be cheerful during the day. The better the child sleeps, the happier the entire family will be.

So, when our little Johan Matthew arrives, I intend to create a healthy sleeping routine for him consisting of the following:

• a warm bath or sponge bath before bedtime using JOHNSON'S® BEDTIME® Bath
• read a good book to him
• sing my own version of Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, “I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be”.
• whisper I love you before he sleeps.

Nokia: My Life Contest

With the prices of everything going up – electricity bills, rice, bread – who wouldn’t want to get something for free? Manila Blogs is having their biggest promo yet and they’re giving away just a Nokia C3 phone!

For more information on Nokia phones, please visit the Nokia website here.

 

Click on the banner below for more details on how to win.

Good luck to everyone joining the promo!!

Win a Diaper Bag from ManilaBaby Shop!!

Who wouldn’t want to win these bags? I definitely want to win!



Up for grabs are these two diaper bags from ManilaBaby Shop. For more details on the giveaway just drop by Manila Mommy.

Some Maternity Shoot Photos

Date: August 12, 2010
Location: Mall of Asia
Photographer: Rk Yboa
   
  

Almost But Not Quite Enough

Manila Bay at around 4 in the afternoon. The sun’s shining but not enough for a photo shoot.

Today’s plans for my maternity photo shoot did push through. But we started out much later than we thought we would. We planned to start at around 8 in the morning just as the sun has already shone but hopefully not that humid enough. What we weren’t expecting were the heavy rains that poured this morning which lasted until way beyond lunch time. This didn’t give us much options as we were really looking forward to an outdoor shoot. Luckily enough we found one nice little cafe inside the Mall of Asia with cute furnishings ideal for an indoor photo shoot. We asked the staff if it’s alright to take a few shots there while Papa sipped his Capuccino and we shared two servings of Crepes (Peach Crepe and Strawberry Crepe). The staff were kind enough to give in. So, we took some shots there while waiting for the rain to stop, which took forever, until we were hungry again in time for lunch. We had our lunch and my photographer sister had to leave the MOA to go to the DFA to have her passport renewed. She came back around 3 in the afternoon and by then there was a glimpse of the sun. Finally.

So, we grabbed our stuff and went to the Seaside grounds of the MOA to do the shoot. It was unbelievably hot for an afternoon with the sun barely in sight. I was uncomfortable and was itching for the shoot to be over. My feet were killing me. Obviously, they can’t take my weight anymore much less walking back and forth looking for some nice spots for the shoot. I was really grateful (almost to the point that I don’t want to get up) when I lied down on the grass for one shot. We wanted to take some shots as the sun was setting but the extreme heat made it impossible for us. After only a few shots, we were on our way back to the air-conditioned haven of the MOA.

All in all, it was a good experience. I got to bond with my sister and my parents (who were our official PAs for the day). Hopefully, with those few shots we still got some unforgettable ones worth of uploading. :)

Am I Ready for My Close Up?

My photo hobbyist sister has been making me kulit to have my maternity shoot done. We had it scheduled last July at Nuvali but had to postpone a few days before because I was prohibited by my OB from traveling due to the mild contractions that I was experiencing that time. So, we just decided to have the shoot at a location closer to me. We considered some locations like Paco Park or at the Orchidarium in Rizal Park but we end up choosing the MOA Seaside grounds and we’re going to do it tomorrow morning. The truth is I’m not that excited anymore to have my maternity shoot because it has been pretty uncomfortable for me to move around that much, what with my huge belly in the way. Also, I don’t feel pretty anymore and my tummy has stretch marks all over (well, nothing that Photoshop can’t correct, right?). But still. Well, I guess I’ll just have to get it over and done with. This is my first pregnancy anyway so it really is a good idea to have it documented on photos. :)

Very Cramped Drawer

I knew that I had to make space for Johan’s arrival. I had to put some stuff away to make way for the crib and since we haven’t gotten around to buying him his own dresser, I had to vacate some drawers on our already full Orocan plastic dresser. I was only able to make one drawer available as I don’t have enough storage bins so look at how Johan’s stuff filled the drawer:

It really is that cramped and take note, those are just some of Johan’s stuff. Most are still in their original packaging waiting to be washed and stored. I’ve been wanting to have a wooden dresser custom-made and even searched the net for inspirations, like these two:

But, due to the limited space in our bedroom I don’t think it’s possible as of the moment. So, I’ll leave this for now until we have our own house. I’d probably just buy another one of those plastic dressers to hold all of Johan’s stuff for the meantime.

Packing Time

I’m already on my 32nd week and I’m still listing down things to do and questions to ask my OB on our next check up on August 28. When we last saw her, she told us that Baby Johan should not be making his grand entrance in less than 7 weeks. But, still I want to be prepared just in case the unexpected happens. So, last week I washed some of Johan’s clothes and my MIL finished everything today because I still cannot hand wash everything since I still got wounds on my fingers after I did the washing last week. I wanted to do the packing early on so it would be quick to just grab the bag and rush to the hospital come Labor Day. Still, there are some things that need to be bought and I’m waiting for more of Johan’s stuff which my Mom is supposed to bring from our house in Laguna.

For now, here’s what I am packing:

Three sets of mittens, three socks, sets of side-tie shirts, a couple of bonnets and a receiving blanket

CJ came to Visit

CJ is my niece, Cassandra Jay. She is the first pamangkin/apo in the family so she is well-loved by everyone. I so miss this little girl because she used to stay with us for months when she was still a baby till she grew up to be a toddler. Now, she’s 5 years old and goes to school already so she only gets to visit her Lolo and Loli in Laguna every weekends. I saw her last when I stayed in my parents house in Laguna last March so I was really glad when my Mom and CJ went to visit me last Friday here in Manila. We just met at the mall near our house and as usual spent a lot on CJ. Hehe! Here are some pics:

 

From top to bottom: CJ loves all things gummy – gummy bears, gummy worms – so when she saw gummy burgers at the supermarket she just grabbed a bag and won’t let go, we spent a lot of tokens on one of those “alien games” at the arcade where you try to get as many chocolate bars as you can (if you look closely enough on the right you’ll see that we almost got 1 Crunch bar but just as we were about to drop it in the hole we ran out of time), she’s making me kulit to buy one of those dolls, CJ never got tired of this ride – made me dizzy just watching her.

I miss you, Cassandra! I’ll see you soon and don’t worry I will ask my doctor if you will be allowed inside the Delivery Room when Johan arrives so you can take pictures of him and I will make sure that the doctor knows you’re not scared of blood so she’ll let you in.

Pregnancy Update - 31 weeks

I admit, this 30 day challenge thing is getting a bit boring and I am thinking about stopping already - the reason why I haven't posted anything the past couple of days. So, just to get away from the monotony of my posts, I am posting my pregnancy updates instead.

• My tummy is a lot heavier.
• I'm now 133 lbs, I only gained 1 lb since my last prenatal check up and was advised by my OB to eat more and gain at least 1 lb per week. 
• I had my 50gram GCT last week and my glucose level is normal. Yey!
• I'm still having mild contractions so I'm under Duvadilan again twice a day for 1 week.
• I feel tired sometimes even if I'm not doing anything but lie down and watch TV.
• But, there are times that I'm full of energy like yesterday when I washed most of Johan's clothes and today when I ironed hubby's clothes.
• I'm getting nervous now that my OB told us that in 7 weeks Johan will make his grand entrance. I am so not ready for labor pains just yet!
• I want to sleep all the time. (Like now, it's only past 8pm and I'm already soo sleepy)

30 Day Challenge – Day 18

* Plans/dreams/goals you have *

At the start of the year I posted my visual dream board. I got my most-prayed-for dream which was to get pregnant (it’s only a matter of weeks now and I’ll be delivering little Johan Matthew into the world). As for the rest of my plans/dreams/goals, please read on:

• To have our own home (with at least two bedrooms, an all-white T&B, modern living room, modern kitchen and a garden)
• Save up for future needs.
• Learn to cook.
• Go back to work at least 3 months after delivery.
• Support hubby with his plan to work abroad after I give birth to Johan (and eventually follow him wherever he ends up in).
• I plan to breastfeed exclusively, I just pray that I be given the capacity to do so.
• I’m not sure if I wanted another child after Johan, but if it’s in the “Master Plan” I just pray that the child be given to us after 4-5 years. I want to be able to dedicate most of my time to Johan until he’s old enough to go to school then I might be ready to care for another infant by then.
• I want to share with Johan my love of books so I plan to read to him as soon as he is born.
• I want to give Johan the best of everything that we can offer.