Almost ready... One month to go!!!

Yeah, I'm almost there, technically one month to go and we are going to see our precious angel! Weee, Daddy and I can't further explain how happy we are...

I can feel that his getting stronger everyday. I feel like he can move my tummy easily but his movements right now were minimized, it's normal and nothing to worry about since he's getting bigger thus giving him a little space to move and do his cute little kicks, hehehe!

I am having more sleepless nights. I am having a lot of dreams, I don't know why... they are not all concerned about the baby... it's about anything. I can no longer remember all of them. I am having problem on walking, I can already feel his own weight. I feel like his in the middle of my below... hehehe. I'm a fast walker but now I learned how to walk slowly. Mind me, it's very slow. I am taking any new changes in my body day by day. So far, everything is part of pregnancy and they are all normal.

This coming weekend - March 20 will be my next visit to my OB. She will going to do an IE (internal exam) to me to check my status at 36th week. Then she will decide wether I need to go on leave from work already or not yet. I am very hopeful that everything is normal and healthy.

Updating my checklist again -

- full name for baby Ivo -> we've already finalized it but it's a secret for now :P
- baby bag -> of course, its done! :) - got it from baby couture
- things to bring to the hospital for my delivery (they said that I should start packing them now) -> i created a checklist for this and it's done! yey!
- first baby Ivo's suits -> done
- crib -> the daddy is very picky, so he's in charge of it, not yet done
- stroller -> the daddy is very picky, so he's in charge of it, not yet done
- feeding accessories
- sleeping accessories
- bathing accessories - still need this one :(, i haven't had a time yet to look for this but I'm on it :)
- toiletries for baby Ivo
- and a baby room -> decided not to decorate our room to be a baby room, we'll just give him his own room once he's already 3-4 years old

We love you soooo much baby Ivo ♥♥♥ We are all excited to see you. Stay healthy and strong baby...

I am missing Deng sooo much... wish he's on my side right now.

God bless us all!!! Mwaahhh!

Ivo's 3D/4D Ultrasound

We got even more excited when we finally met him with clear features while he's in my tummy. I had my 3D/4D ultrasound last February 17 (I'm on my 31st week) at OGUSCA in Festival Mall, Filinvest-Alabang. It was a great experience. At first the baby is hiding so we had to go back after 45 minutes so we had our dinner first. When we came back to check on him again, finally he let us see how cute he was... Here are the 3D pics we got. I don't know yet how to upload here his 4D video but I will definitely share that one...

I wonder what Ivo would tell if he saw this blog and I included the picture of his - 'it's a boy'.

Daddy Sherwin couldn't imagine how happy he will be to have this little boy to think that most of the features were all gotten from him. HAHAHA! He no longer wants to go back to KL as he already wants to stay beside me all the time. God has reasons why He's not giving all the options you wanted. God would like to let us think on how to be happy for what we have and understand then accept for what we don't have.

Everything happening right now are all blessings for me. There were some problems but I know that should be a part of it. It's just that I am lucky enough to have Daddy Sherwin in our life and we'll be even luckier to have Ivo in our life. And that is very very soon!

Updating my Checklist...

Here are what have been done so far - still a long way to go!

- full name for baby Ivo -> we've already finalized it but it's a secret for now :P
- baby bag
- things to bring to the hospital for my delivery (they said that I should start packing them now)
- first baby Ivo's suits -> done
- crib -> the daddy is very picky, so he's in charge of it, not yet done
- stroller -> the daddy is very picky, so he's in charge of it, not yet done
- feeding accessories
- sleeping accessories
- bathing accessories
- toiletries for baby Ivo
- and a baby room -> decided not to decorate our room to be a baby room, we'll just give him his own room once he's already 3-4 years old

Need to get the baby bag very soon. I'm planning to do my next shopping this coming weekend.

A Valentine and Birthday Surprises!!!

Daddy came home to celebrate valentine and my birthday. I did not know anything about it, well that's why it's a surprise!!! He woke me up as early as 7am last Feb 13 with 12 lovely red roses! Awwww, he's the sweetest guy ever!!! My reaction? I feel like my heart stopped beating for 5 seconds... I was speechless. I just kissed and hugged him. I was teary eyed! That was really amazing...

Feb 13 - he came home

Feb 14 - valentine's day

Feb 15 - my 29th birthday

Feb 15 - PAG-IBIG loan application

Feb 17 - Ivo's 4D ultrasound

Feb 20 - OB's checkup

Feb 21 - he came back to KL

Yes, he was here for 9 fruitful days!!!

See how haggard I was, I went home late friday night, then I was awaken by these 12 red lovely roses... how's that...? HAHAHA! I couldn't contain the happiness at that time... That was the best valentine and birthday gift ever!

I thank you Lord for giving me a man who never failed to surprise me every now and then. I love him sooo much...

Ivo's Moves

I was trying to capture his moves while I was lying down on one lazy weekend afternoon - my tummy was on 7th month.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QheTmGjtJKg

On my 7th Month

It's been weeks since my last post. Not that I have nothing to share but I was too busy for the past weeks. Everything is happening too fast right now. In work, house, pregnancy, wheeeew a lot more to mention but good thing about it... I am learning from it everyday... :)

On my 7th month, I feel like it's very very near already. I feel like I am cramming... I feel like I no longer have enough time to prepare. Gosh, I was preparing since my first trimester and I am not yet done! Yes, I am not yet done... hehehe. Here are the happenings on my 7th month -

• 
  
  my Natalbes vitamin was removed, so the baby wont get bigger
• 
  
  had an anti tetanum shot (twice), in preparation for my delivery, not for me but for the baby
• 
  
  checkup routine with the OB is now done every two weeks until I give birth to the baby, before it was monthly
• 
  
  the baby is becoming more active even at night thus it's giving me some sleepless nights, sometimes it hurts but I am definitely loving it
• 
  
  I feel like my weight got doubled, I now look different, my face got bigger specially my nose... hahaha... my feet got bigger too... and of course my tummy is undeniably got bigger

Ivo, two more months... please stay healthy and strong!

See how does a 30-week old Fetus look like

Here's Ivo's picture inside my tummy. This was gotten from an online pregnancy monitoring guide - Baby Center. This also includes physical characteristics of a 30-week old fetus.

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

How your life's changing:

You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

Feeling my Baby's Kick

I would say that one of the precious moments during pregnancy is when you start feeling him inside your tummy through his different moves. Well, I don't know what movements are those but I can feel that he's like doing a kickboxing inside my tummy! Ivo normally moves around 6 o'clock in the afternoon. He will become more active when I lie down to bed around 11 o'clock in the evening. I'm currently on my 30th week and he's getting more active each day. What a little boy!!! How I wish his Dad can actually feel his kicks. I got nervous if in a day I can't feel him moving. I used to talk to him asking him to move then eventually he will give me some small punches... waaaa I am loving it. I already forgot the hardships during my early pregnancy, hahaha! This makes me even more excited to see him.

God knows how happy I am to have Ivo in our life. My only wish right now is for him to be healthy and normal.

Daddy and Mommy are both excited to have you in our life Ivo... ♥♥♥

Ouch! He's kicking me again... that's my little boy! Hehehe!

74 days to go...

Time really flew fast... 74 days to go... see my little banner above on my blog...

Feb 02, 2010: screenshot of the banner counter of our baby Ivo!

So much things to do!

I have so much things to do in my mind -

- full name for baby Ivo
- baby bag
- things to bring to the hospital for my delivery (they said that I should start packing them now)
- first baby Ivo's suits
- crib
- stroller
- feeding accessories
- sleeping accessories
- bathing accessories
- toiletries for baby Ivo
- and a baby room

Now I feel like I'm cramming. I still have 2 months to prepare for all these stuffs.

Aja aja Mommy Rish!

Daddy Sherwin is sooo sweet, he's calling us everyday. Before, he would have the first line as - "Kumusta ka na Meng?" now it's - "Kumusta na kayo ni Ivo?" Awwww! He's the sweetest Daddy ever...

Hopefully he could go back home by this February as I am planning to have a 4D ultrasound for baby Ivo...

Baby Ivo, just stay strong and healthy in Mommy's tummy, we'll gonna meet soon! And it's very very soon!

it's a BOY!!!

It's a late post. I've been very busy at work lately but anyway I am very excited to spread the news that it's definitely a BOY!!! Wooohooo...

Yey! We are soooo happy! Wish granted, it's a BOY! And a big wow, the Lunar Calendar is correct... Daddy Sherwin  is expecting to have a baby Boy since day one. Well, I also like baby Boy for my first baby. Eventhough we are not yet sure of the gender before, the family was already sure that it's a boy based on how I look... hmmnn!

Name??? We will now officially call him "Ivo" as his nick but we are still deciding on what he will be his full name... Wonder where I got the name Ivo? There's a local movie before and the name of the lead actor is Ivo and I found it cute and so musculine so I told to myself once I got a baby boy, I will name him as Ivo.

So I guess I can now start shopping since I already knew the gender... Waaaa, I have a long list... need to start very very soon!!!

I am sooo excited!!! We are all excited!

I can no longer wait to see my BABY IVO!

Traditional Beliefs and Myths about Pregnancy

1. Do not stand or sit on any door or openings - you might have miscarriage

2. Do not put anything on your neck like necklaces - the umbilical cord of your baby will coil around his neck

3. During evening/night, cover your head if you're still outside - if not, you're baby will be prone to sickness like colds

4. Do not do any planting activities - it will be difficult for you to deliver the baby

5. Always have a garlic pin on your dress - to defend you from what they called 'witches'

6. Guessing Game: The baby's sex - if you look pretty during your pregnancy, then it's a girl if it's the opposite then it's a boy; if the mother's belly is rounded then it's a girl if it's pointed, it's a boy

7. If you see or like something ugly, then your baby will look the same

8. You should double your calorie intake since you already have another one also eating in your tummy

9. If you didn't eat the food you like during 'paglilihi', then it will mark on your baby's body

Disclaimer: These are not my beliefs and myths, I just learned them from the older member of the family as I go along with my pregnancy.

Do you wonder If I followed them ALL?!?!?! Hahaha!!! The answer is YES, who knows they might be true. That's the reason why the guard in the office would always ask me where's my ID lace because I am not wearing my ID - see # 2. Hehehe!

My Prenatal Vitamins

My prenatal vitamins -

NATALBES - multivitamins and multiminerals
FUMIRON + B - iron and vitamins
CALTRATE PLUS - calcium with vitamin D and minerals

I took Natalbes and Fumiron+B on the start of my pregnancy. Then Caltrate Plus was added on the start of my second trimester (4th month).

These will be my best buddies to make my baby strong and healthy. These need to be taken once a day.

Hayzz, I'm definitely a happy mommy! I can't wait to see my little angel soon. Thanks God for making every day a meaningful one for all of us.

Deng, we are missing you soooo much!!!

xoxo

OFW Lovers ;)

Every check up I had with the doctor, I see to it that Daddy gets the latest update about his baby eventhough he's on the other part of the world... here's the life of the OFW lovers, hehehe ;)

Check-Up Days!

My monthly checkups-

And meet my OB - Dra. Mary Ann B. Orlanda

My 6-Month Journey

The first time I confirmed that I'm pregnant, I got so excited... My mom gave me all these advices and reminded me of some 'pamahiin' during pregnancy. My in-laws were even more excited (who would not get excited if it's a first grandchild to an only child! hahaha). Everyone in the family were full of enthusiasm for the upcoming angel in our home...

1st month

- hmnn nothing unusual yet. I don't feel anything yet except that I know in my mind that there's already a live thing in my tummy that reminds me the I should be careful all the times. My tummy is like just normal. In short no physical signs yet of pregnancy except that I am not having my period. Based on some articles I've read on the internet, normally some pregnant women would start to feel dizzy and vomiting on this stage.

2nd month to 3rd month

- there you go... the misery has started. I now feel dizzy every afternoon. I feel like I want to vomit every food I intake. I want to sleep all day and just lie down all the time but I can't do that since I am working. I can't eat well and I don't even know what I want to eat either. But there was like a week-long wherein I was looking for some dishes that has a lot of dark sauce in it like soy sauce like adobong maraming toyo, adobong kangkong and dinuguan. Oldies would like to stop me because they were all afraid that my child would get black skin but I can't help it. HAHAHA! Now, I am starting to feel my tummy getting bigger. I hate to smell foul odor. I think this is what they called 'paglilihi' and now is my time. I start to take pre-natal vitamins (Natalbes and Fumiron).

The craziest thing that happened to me on this stage was that I got spotting. There were some spot of blood that came out. I was very very shocked when my OB told me that it's dangerous and it's a sign of possible miscarriage. What?!?!?! OMG! I'm still on my first trimester and I was already feeling the pressure of carrying a baby. To be pregnant is NOT THAT EASY well in my case! I was advised to get a vacation from work. I was bed rest for three weeks while I was taking up Isoxilan medicine that will help the baby to stay in my womb. I followed all the instructions of my OB. NOOOO, of course I don't want to loose the baby. If it's hard for me to think what was happening to me, tripled that with what my hubby was feeling. As much as he wanted to take care me and assist me during my pregnancy, he can't because he's abroad. He was calling me everyday just to check on me. My mom, in-laws, siblings and everyone in the family including my friends were all very supportive and guess what, the baby is saved. We were all very thankful to Him for not letting that disappointment to happen.

4th month to 5th month

- some would say that it's already a start to enjoy the pregnancy as you will no longer feel what they called 'paglilihi' but that was not my case. Huhuhuhu. As much as I want to enjoy the whole thing about pregnancy, I can't because I can't still eat well and I'm worried that my baby is not getting all the nutrition he should have. I make sure that I go to my monthly checkup and everything is still in good shape. On the latter part of my 5th month, it's starting to get normal again. Aside from having a big tummy, I no longer feel anything that would make me feel uncomfortable during pregnancy.

6th month

- wow, it's a festive month, December. Now my problem is how to stop wanting to eat food. I consulted my OB about that but she said that I can still eat what I want  except that I should minimize eating salty foods and sweets. Though, I can already feel the heaviness of my tummy, I still do my daily acitivities like going to work. But everything I do of course is with extra care.

My hubby came home to enjoy the holidays with us. He was here for Christmas and New Year celebration. This was the first time he saw me with big tummy. He was so excited!!! Every night, he would talk to our baby and even sing for our baby. I don't know the title of the song he used to sing for our baby, but it was like - "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey...". Waaaa it was a precious moment for us. I got even more excited to see our baby. I know we will be a one great happy family! I am super super excited!!! I love you baby, I love you Daddy! You both complete the whole thing about me... mwaahhhhhh.

Here are my pics during my 6-month journey... notice how I got bigger every month and how my excitement get tripled every month :)

at 6 months - with my hubby (first time to have a pic with preggy mommy rish :P)

Closer Look...

Take a closer look at the expectant parents!

Meet Daddy Sherwin ->

And meet Mommy Rish ->

I wonder what would be our baby look like... *wink* *excited*

BIG Question: + or - ???

We were now both ready but there's one more to check... argh! Our work schedule... I filed a one-month vacation leave (July 17 - Aug 17) and I was lucky enough to have it aprroved, well I told them the truth why I was filing for vacation that long. During that vacation, I stayed in Malaysia with him and we had our moments together. We never had that moment since we got married so it was sooo precious for me. We visited Singapore, Thailand and different places in Malaysia. Days flew sooo fast! My long vacation has now ended and I was hoping that I'll gonna bring back home the good news.

Was it a good news!?!?!?!?! After using three types of pregnancy test and consultation with an OB - IT'S POSITIVE!!! When my hubby knew it, he was like the happiest man ever lived. I was asking him for any words but he was speechless... and teary eyed! God is good... He knows that we will be a good parent of the angel He will soon be giving to us.

100% sure it's positive!

 Here's the first ultrasound that confirmed it's positive!

And please meet the excited soon to be parents!!!

at Petronas Twin Tower, KL Malaysia

at KLCC Park, KL Malaysia

The Preparation...

I got married last 2008. It's a wonderful marriage... so far and I am looking forward for a more fuitful years with my loveable hubby. We decided to have our first baby by 2009, well we are not getting any younger though... hehehe. But how? We are oceans apart. He's working in Malaysia and I am working here in the Philippines. But since we are persistent... HAHAHA! I have subscribed in an online ovulation calendar so I can monitor my best times of the month (that's what internet can do nowadays). I started monitoring it early part of 2009 while hubby was monitoring the ticket sale on Cebu Pacific so he could at least get a cheaper air fare (sounds like a plan huh!). But since we both working on a hectic toxic field of IT, our schedules didn't match so in short we failed.

Again, but since we are persistent, hahaha, giving up was never an option. Around July, I consulted an OB from Medical City on how to effectively set things up, as they called it how to have a "sure ball" plan. I had a series of tests that I haven't done before. Tests include pap smear and transvaginal ultrasound which check the health of the ovary and uterus. Everything is in good state in short I am a healthy carrier of a baby! That was my greatest fear even before, I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to give birth to a child but that has been crossed out now since science has already proved that I am a healthy carrier! Yey! Hehehe... After the series of tests, the OB gave me a vitamins as part of the preparation for my ovulation. She gave me a Vitamin E and Folic Acid that will be taken up once a day. I took it two weeks before my ovulation week. Isn't it sounds like a systematic plan?! The OB also gave a Vitamin B for my hubby. The doctor also asked my hubby to stop his daily Vitamin C for now while we were prepaparing...