December 29: Tenth Maternity Checkup @W32

We will start the weekly visits to the OB this week. Just a quick update on other maternity checkups:

November 19: Seventh Maternity Checkup @W26. FHB=154bpm. Found traces of protein in my urinalysis. Had to undergo urine culture.

December 3: Eighth Maternity Checkup @W28. FHB=145bpm. Was prescribed with antibiotics after getting urine culture results. But no worries for baby.

December 17: Ninth Maternity Checkup @W30. Had a glimpse of our growing baby at the ultrasound. Estimated weight is 1460 grams, HR=176bpm with Cephalic presentation. Sonologist said she's just in the right weight.

For this checkup, FHB=157bpm. Continue prenatal medication, blood sugar monitoring and insulin. Was advised to monitor my blood pressure and weight gain. I have gained more than twenty pounds already. And I am actually heavier than Denden. Haha! At this point, it's just right. I'll just have to watch out for sudden weight changes and a high blood pressure.

As we are getting near the "big" day, we have started discussing bits and bits of the birth plan.

Due, to Shashing's request, we had a December-cold weather-family-beach-outing before the check up. Thus the picture of me and baby on the beach.

2011 Holidays

Shashing is back in Manila, just in time for Christmas. First stop, Nanay's birthday and our reunion with the Cunanan Family. Sadly, Nanay wasn't feeling well that time so she couldn't join us. We just visited her at home and greeted her. As for the reunion, everyone was happy finally seeing me with a big tummy. My growing cousins were all excited to be called tito's and tita's soon enough.

As one family, we all gathered and prayed to thank Him for all the blessings and answered prayers in 2011.

Chrismas day in La Loma means Tita's Kare-kare, which means heaven. She cooked Sinigang na Salmon also which is equally heaven but more nutritious for me. There were new additions to our growing family this year, plus at least one more next year! I can't wait when Euen receives and opens her first Christmas gift from Santa Deeday who gives the grandest gift to every Marcial child and child at heart.

More little kids running around the house again, just like us when we were small. Admiring the huge Christmas tree, snooping at the gifts under them. A new generation of the Marcial clan is coming and growing.

Lucky Pregnant Me

They say your luck increases when you're pregnant. For the eight years that I've been attending our annual company Christmas Party, the most the I've won in the raffle is a minor prize, a gift certificate for a few hundred bucks.

Last Friday was our Christmas Party. I already had a long day before the party. The first half, I was in the working in the office, took the half day off because of my scheduled ultrasound. We reached the hospital at 1pm and we were informed that the sonologist won't be in til 4pm. So we decided to go to Sta. Rosa to shop around. We were back before 4pm but the doctor came in at 5pm and we were finished past 6pm already.

I was actually having second thoughts attending the party since it was late already. The only thing I'm interested in was the raffle. But I was advised that it's okay to be late and I'm still eligible for the raffle. After two hours of traffic, I got to the venue. Had dinner, watched the presentations, sat and waited. The minor prizes were raffled off but I didn't hear my name. Waited for the first set of the band to be finished. While everyone was dancing and I was just plain, watching. Then the last five major prizes were raffled off. The fifth, fourth, third... I took my bag and headed for the exit. For the second prize, my first name was called, I paused and waited for the surname, (since there were two Eunice's)... Yey! I won a Samsung DVD Home Theater System.

My driver for the whole day, a.k.a. Denden said it was worth it. Euen indeed is our lucky charm.

Putting up the Nursery: Part 3

Here's our criteria for the crib: 1. It has to be white. 2. It has to be convertible to toddler bed. 3. It should have a drop side for convenience when getting baby in and out of the crib. We decided on Mothercare's Takeley Cot. A cot meant that it is smaller than the standrard American-sized cribs that we usually have. But we opted for this since there is limited space in our room. Removing the side/s could convert it to a toddler bed, but we're thinking it will just be up to 4-5 years. For the cheaper price, we figured it was okay to change beds after five years. We had a small dilemma since the cot was continental size, mattresses were harder to find. Good thing there's Ikea with continental sized mattresses, a sister in Singapore and Kuya Shosh who shipped and handled the mattress with care. Ikea's Vyssa Vackert, a mattress with durable pocket springs in a protective foam box. The quilt was recently bought and specially selected by Denden for two reasons: the butterflies and it's pink.

Recent addition to baby Euen's nursery: From Ate Annika and Kuya Alfons, a newborn to toddler portable baby rocker, hand-me-down clothes, from newborn to eighteen months (a whole wardrobe), Medela Manual Breast Pump and feeding bottles. I want to breastfeed, all, if not most of the time and I am hoping not to be able use the breast pump and the feeding bottles too much. But it's good to have the bestest bestfriend who saved it all up for us, we won't have to buy these.

Lastly, we put drawers on the wardrobe cabinet for the baby clothes to be more organized. and we decorated with some stickers.

It is getting crowded in Euen's room, literally bouncing and kicking, I can feel she's pretty excited too.

Having a sister...

Happiness. One of my all time favorite songs by Lea Salonga that goes, "Happiness is two kinds of ice cream..."

During a concert, Lea's brother edited it and added,
"Happiness is.. having a SISTER..
Sharing a sandwich
Getting along
Happiness is singing together when day is through
And happiness is those who sing with you."

Me, I have two of those. Two sisters. That means, twice the happiness.

Today, one of my sisters is celebrating her birthday. Eventhough she's far away and we can't hug her in person, something to look forward to is the thought that on her next birthday, she's going to be back here with us.

This line is especially for her...
"...And happiness is coming home again."

We love you Shashing.

Planner for 2012

Every December, I look forward for the annual Starbucks planner. Since 2006, I have been collecting and using their planner. I didn't mind drinking lots of coffee almost everyday. It's not only for the planner, if I may say so. With every drink comes a story, maybe a serious bonding, a personal talk or a light conversation, with smiles and laughter, with whomever you're with: loved ones, special friends and family.

This year is different. I have prohibited myself from drinking coffee for seven months now. And I cannot take in, too much sweets because I'm pregnant (and diabetic.).

Luckily, I have the bestest baby sister who volunteered to get the planner for me. She said she'll do it not only for me but also because of her first niece, Euen. And after nine Christmas drinks and eight regular drinks, I got my planner the other day.

I may have missed the stories from every drink. But there will definitely be an additional character to my 2012 Starbucks Planner. Thanks MamaCherub. We love you.

Shipment from US

I'm on my 28th week now and I am giving a warm hello to the third and last trimester!
I got a treat, our orders from the US arrived in the Philippines the other day: the car seat, stroller and bassinet! And to celebrate, Denden picked it up from the warehouse himself. After all, it wasn't far from our house.

The boxes were indeed big, especially the car seat. After careful inspection, it was as he expected it to be. Details can be found here in my previous entry. One excited daddy wants to install it in the car last night, I just forced him not too.

The stroller and free bassinet were both lovely. It looked bigger compared to the pictures. And it looked very sturdy and durable. There is a huge space underneath for all the stuff you'd like to bring. Yey for me who likes to bring EVERYTHING. I was happy with the reversibility, it wasn't hard changing from rear to front facing. And I also liked the fact the we could change the stroller seat to the bassinet. It wasn't hard doing that either. The bassinet will be attached to the stroller for the first few months as intended.

Thanks to our Ninang Rose who took care of the shipment from US. Also, for the "other stuff" inside the box. Thanks to Marose for the baby things she sent: toys, clothes and a pair of baby shoes for Euen.

Last night, it seemed that it wasn't only me and Denden who's excited. Little baby Euen kept on moving and kicking inside my tummy while we were assembling. Just a little while now, my baby. It won't be long and you'll be here.