How big am I?

I received an e-mail yesterday from my cousin asking me to send him a recent picture because he wants to see how preggy I look already, hahahaha! If I know he just wants to see how big I have become now that I'm on my fifth month! Anyways, the obedient cousin that I am, sent him these pictures:

that's how big I am (taken a couple of weeks ago)

and this one was taken just this morning but I got the haircut last Thursday... I just felt so irritated with my hair that I had to go and have a cut!

Crib Choices

Lately, I have been looking at different possibilities as to how my baby's room would look like... (I could dream, couldn't I?) And these are a couple of the pictures I saw that I really, really liked.

Hopefully, I'd be able to set up a nursery similar to any of these two by December when we start renovations on our house in Cavite. But if our budget would not permit us to be as lavish as we want to be in setting up our baby's room, I would settle for a portable crib like this.

I'd like to thank Melisse for giving me this:

They all are charmed with the Blogs, wherein the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do Friendship. There are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows. Do we want that they are cut or that they propagate? Then let's try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to 8 Bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this text.

I'll be leaving messages to the blogs I'm awarding this as well...

The Return

Wow! Finally I'm able to update my blog... Anyways, thanks to all those who visit my blog and watch out for updates periodically... I have been itching to be able to update eversince I came back from my month-long leave from work in July but unfortunately, my internet connection at the office was suspended when I went on leave and it's only just now that I am able to get connected again!

Ok, first thing's first: About my pregnancy, everything going quite well... I am now 21 weeks preggy and although I am still having difficulty (like a bit of tummy pain and the occassional bout with morning, noon and night nausea) I am quite happy and content that my last check-up went well and I have stopped taking duphaston and am just now taking prenatal vitamins. My tummy is quite prominent already and people who see me often make it their business to guess my baby's gender. So far, a majority of the well-wishers and self-proclaimed "fortune-tellers" think that I am having a girl and only four people said I'm going to have a boy... Well, they would just have to find out later when I have my next ultrasound.

In the past couple of days, I have been feeling my baby move and this miracle continuously makes me smile and thank the Lord that I was fortunate enough to have been given such a wonderful blessing. My only prayer now is that my baby would be healthy... no matter what gender (although Daddy Charlie is saying it's going to be a handsome baby boy, hehehe!).

I guess this would have to do for an update for now, because work is currently beckoning and I have to answer. Hopefully I would be able to return bloghops later and continue with the updates as well!

Mixed Bag

I have a mixed bag right now... A mix of good and bad news that is... Let me start by saying a story and then you'll know why...

Monday morning (June 23), hubby and I decided to go to my OB a day early for my check up mainly because I have been experiencing pain for a couple of days very similar to menstrual cramps and so off to the doctor we went, leaving our cellphones in the house. Upon arrival at the hospital, I went straight to get a transvaginal ultrasound (as instructed by my OB a couple of weeks back). While lying back and waiting for the sonologist, I closed my eyes and said a prayer that this time they would tell me everything's going smoothly and my baby's just fine but when the sonologist started the procedure, the first thing she asked me was "nag-bleeding ka ba?" (did you experience bleeding?) and I said "no" and then after a couple of seconds she asked again "nag-spotting ka ba?" and I answered "no" again but I was starting to feel panic already. Again, after a couple of seconds she said "when you peed before the trans-v did you see blood?" and quite impatiently I said "no, nothing... why?" but she only said "your doctor will explain to you later" making me worry even more. By that time, I was fighting the urge to cry because in my mind I was already thinking the worst and then after a few more seconds I heard something, a soft beating of some kind and the sonologist said "that's your baby's heartbeat" and then pointing at the screen she said and that's your baby. At that time, I didn't know whether I was going to say thank you or slap her silly for making me think the worst. Tears just started falling down my face and a surge of relief came over me. While waiting for the printout of the ultrasound report Charlie and I were already excited to talk to my OB and go to my parents house to share the good news. The doctor said I had minimal subchorionic bleeding and that the baby was a bit small for it's gestational age so she instructed me to go on bedrest until I have hurdled my first trimester which was in a month's time and prescribed new vitamins and duphaston for the bleeding. It was a minor setback that I was willing to accept considering it was really a blessing that this miracle of life is slowly revealing it's wonders to us. From the hospital we went straight to my parents' home and imparted to them the news. We had lunch there and rested for a couple of hours before heading home (stopping by the drugstore for the medications, first of course). When we arrived at our house around 3pm, Charlie found his phone had 10 missed calls already from his cousin in Ilocos and a text message saying "Insan san ka? tawag ka, importante lang!" (cousin where are you, please call, it's important) but before he could even make the call, his phone started ringing again and when he answered his cousin told him that his father (who has been bed-ridden for almost a year now after suffering from 3 strokes in the past 4 years) is already asking for him (Charlie) and from the looks of it, is not going to last for long anymore. Of course, my hubby was shocked with this piece of news, he said he would not be able to go to Ilocos right away since the following day, Tuesday (June 24) was Manila day, was a holiday therefore he wouldn't be able to ask for leave from his superiors, besides he didn't think it was wise to leave me alone. But I said I would be fine and should probably stay at my parents' house while he was gone... Anyways, to cut it shorter, it was decided that he was going to go home to Ilocos on Wednesday night instead while his older brother would be going home Tuesday night. Upon arrival in Ilocos on Thursday morning, Charlie found his father has already died. Which was too bad because he wasn't able to say goodbye properly but he was able to accept it fairly well considering he has been suffering for a long time already. At least Tata, would have no more pain anymore... Charlie's still there because the burial is set for tomorrow, Tuesday (July 1) and I miss him a lot but I wasn't allowed to follow him due to my doctor's orders. As for me, My official leave from work starts today, unfortunately my one-month leave is going to be without pay and so, it's going to be a bit of a stretch financially for us... But so far, I have not been experiencing pain anymore and my parents and siblings has been feeding me all kinds of healthy food. I am being treated like a princess, not having to lift a finger when I need something. And Charlie has been calling me everynight assuring me that everything's going to be just fine and we will soon be together again to take care of our baby. That's it, that's my mixed bag...

P.S. More of my baby's 8 weeks and 1 day ultrasound when I get to scan it later...

Friday, Fry Day?

Thank God it's Friday once again... I can sleep longer tomorrow... We've already contracted someone to come to the house and do the laundry and ironing so that's two things crossed out on my to-do list for the weekend. The thing is, I have to cook dinner and I'm super tired from work already that I don't feel like cooking something more complicated than fried chicken... so, Fried chicken it is! Maybe I'll just make one of those instant soup to serve with the chicken so dinner wouldn't be so dry. Charlie would just have wait for a day when I don't feel so tired (or lazy) to taste another culinary masterpiece (ha!).

My Featured Friend

Some of my frequent visitors might notice that my featured friend of the week has not changed eversince I've added it to my blog... No, I have not forgotten to change it, it's just that I have made it a rule to make the blogger who visits here and leaves the most comments within the week would be my featured friend for the following week... And Aidisan of Fruitful Voyage has proved to be the most diligent in leaving notes whenever she visits. So there, if anyone happens to want to be my next featured friend, then don't hesitate to leave a comment whenever you drop by... who knows, you might be the next contestant on the price is right, ehehe! I mean the next featured friend of the week!

Moment of Truth

Jhona tagged me with this... Thanks sis!

::: Start here:::

1. Sojourn 2. Pinay Mom in Czech Republic 3. See Me for what You Will 4. LAINY’S MUSINGS 5. OUR JOURNEY TO FOREVER6. My Paperless Writings 7. As The World Turns 8. My Daily Discourse 9.From This Side 10. Our Family Adventure! 11. Shopaholic Ties the Knot 12. FunFierceFabulous 13. My Precious 14. My Wonderful Life 15. Winged Words 16. YOU
Are you deeply in love with your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend? If you do, let’s try how well you remember the moment of your life with him. But before you put yourself in the hot seat please read the rules of this tag first.

RULES:
1. This tag should be pass on to your friends.
2. Visit the blog of the person you’ve got this tag.
3. Leave a comment on her/his tag post. Be sure to thank her/him for this tag.
4. Highlight and link all the list of people who accepted this tag by visiting their blog site.
5. There are 10 questions that you need to answer but you will be the one to write the 10th question for the next person you want to pass this tag. Here are the questions. Be honest with your answers.

Lets Start:
1. How did you meet your husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend?

~ Charlie and I met through the internet, I was browsing the net and checking my e-mail when he all of a sudden sent me a PM asking if we could be friends.

2. Where did you go on your first date?

~ We agreed to meet at the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran and then he took me to a restaurant after the mass.

3. When was your first intimate kiss?

~ May, 2004 at a Private Pool we rented for my family's outing. It was the first time he came with us and he was accepted as part of the family.

4. How many girlfriends/boyfriends he/she had in the past? Do you honestly know?

~ He had 1 serious relationship before me, I guess there were other flings though...

5. What is his/her ethnicity?

~ Filipino

6. What is his/her favorite food?

~ He loves local dishes like Sinigang, Pinakbet, Adobo and most Seafoods. He's also willing to try anything so long as it's not moving, hehehe!

7. What is he/she like if he/she is mad?

~ Quiet

8. What are the things he/she did you thought is the most romantic thing he’d/she’d ever done?

~ he gave me an engagement ring and a huge cake for my 31st birthday and a card where he poured out his feelings.

9. Describe how he/you proposed to you.

~ during my first visit to his hometown in Ilocos, we were walking back to his parent's house from a dinner we shared with his relatives by the beach when he all of a sudden talked about marriage, I thought he was joking because it was out of the blue so I laughed and he got serious and asked me to marry him! I said yes, of course. The ring came 8 months later, though...

10. Do you give gift during anniversary?

~ Yes

Now I'm tagging Kathy, Aidisan and t'que

Tofu

A lot of people have been asking me what food I am craving for these days (that's eversince they found out I was pregnant) and I always say "it's varies quickly". That's because it does, one minute I like pizza and the next I like strawberries dipped in whipped cream... But one thing is constant for the past 4 or 5 days... Tofu! It's my favorite "veg out" food these days. I watch TV and I eat tofu, I watch a DVD and there it is... tofu again! I particularly like it deep fried into a golden brown so it's crispy outside yet still a little white inside and dipped in soy sauce mixed with vinegar, a little sugar, chopped onions and a dash of pepper.

God's Gift

The past week or so has been truly a chaos of unforgettable happenings in my life. And I have restrained myself from blogging about them for various reasons that I don't want to dwell on... let's get on with the recent events that made my life even more exciting and happy...

First, there is the completion of my parents' home. Although I am a bit sad that I don't get to see them everyday like when they moved in with us while their house is being re-built, I am happy to report that they are now home and currently enjoying their new house.

more pictures to follow (since they're still rearranging their stuff)

and then here's the more personal, and really happy news... I'm pregnant! Finally! Oh yes, I can finally say it, I am 7 weeks and 1 day pregnant today! After two long years of waiting to finally be able to say that we are going to have a baby, I am ecstatic to announce this news to one and all!

I have already gone to an OB to have my HCG levels checked and see how far along I really am because ever since I have stopped taking my fertility meds months ago, my monthly period has gone irregular again. I underwent ultrasound to check my due date... turns out I was only 6 weeks 1 day preggy even though my last period was in March.

The OB said I had a nicely shaped (because it was round and big daw) gestational sac but it was too early to see the baby so I was adviced to go back after two weeks for another TVS and we'll go from there. I have been reading up on different mommy stories on when their baby was first seen on ultrasound and some of the stories were depressing because some turned out to have a blighted ovum or anembryonic pregnancy but I am staying postive and keeping the faith that this would not be the case for me.... There were also several stories I've read that said their babies weren't visible in the ultrasound until they were well on their 8th week so and their babies turn out healthy and without complications... Besides, nothing and no one can rain on my parade now, I am grateful that my current OB is very positive as well and tells me there is a greater chance that it was just really too early to see the baby. She prescribed me a couple of weeks worth of prenatal vitamins and scheduled my visit on the 24th of this month. I am continuously praying that everything would turn out ok... I went on leave for one week last week, just so I could stay off my feet for long periods and have ample time to rest and de-stress myself. I didn't even take allergy medications eventhough I was so covered in red spots for a couple of days due to the intense heat (the doctor said it was safe to take my meds and my heightened sensitivity to allergens was due to my changing levels of hormones) and just stayed inside our airconditioned bedroom most of the time (mindless of how huge our electric bill would be). I am currently feeling breast tenderness and slight cramping everytime I stand for long periods but other than that, I am fine... I am happy and staying focused on having a healthy baby. (Walang kokontra!)