SIZZZZLING...

It's been SO TERRIBLY HOT this summer and I really hate it. And yes, I mean "hate". It isn't pleasant at all being pregnant in this weather. I just wish summer would end already so the rainy season would bring some relief from all this heat!! I have been showering 4 times a day just to keep cool and to keep my headaches at bay. The boys spend mornings and afternoons in their pool and I don't blame them. We can't use the AC anymore because our electricity bill is horrendous! P8,800 for this month!! Imagine that?!?! I can't imagine where the consumption happens but it's just atrocious!!

We would happily spend time in a mall just to stay away from the summer heat but that only means more expense (who goes to the mall without spending for food or stuff?!). Sigh. I absolutely hate summer. And I hate El Nino. And I hate global warming!

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Last night, I met up with some of my High School friends and their families. Out of the blue, Glenda SMS'd me and asked if we could have a get together because our classmate Irene is in Manila for a few days (she lives in Cebu). I said yes after telling Ruther about it. Glenda picked me and the boys up at a nearby mall and we headed for SM Mall of Asia. We ate at a seafood restaurant and even if there were only 6 of us, Glenda, Ritza, Irene, Jasmin Abbie and myself, it was a lot of fun and we were all so noisy (as usual). Anyway, after dinner we strolled for a bit by the bay and took photos. This is the first time I've met up with my friends after so long (excluding Glenda who I see yearly). It was really great. I hope to see more of them again. :)

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My pregnancy is going along fine. Except for the bothering heat, I'm coping quite well. I could definitely feel the baby kicking and it kicks a lot! Am still hoping for a girl. I still want to be pretty. My friends last night all gushed that they hope we would have a girl and I feel the same way. I just think it would be wonderful. I lost my cravings this month, but who knows later on? Ethan is starting to kiss my tummy and to acknowledge that we're going to have a baby later on. I think that's good. So he's prepared and wouldn't think, "where did this baby come from?" He's a jealous guy. He sometimes doesn't want me and Ruther to hold hands!! Silly boy. :D Anyway, a few more weeks and then we'd finally know...

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I am so hating politics in the Philippines. I just think it's so crooked. You don't know whom to trust and once election's over promises are forgotten. That's why I'm staying out of all the election fever. And I'm not voting either. I'm not registered (we were in Japan when the registration took place) and besides, I don't have a candidate in mind. I know it's very apathetic but I really don't give a @*#^.

LAST CLASS

Nikki's summer swim class has taken up much of our time lately. His class is everyday for 10 days (except Sundays) so by the time we get home after his class around 1130 or so, I would have to prepare lunch then bathe Ethan and then spend the rest of the afternoon homeschooling or letting the boys do some learning activities and of course, have their naptime. By evening, I would do some chores (it's just too hot to clean during the day) and then it's showertime for everyone. At around 830pm here, we would have our video chat with Ruther which would last around 45 minutes to an hour and a half sometimes. After our chat, I would either catch up on my shows and then it's time for bed at 12. Yup, we sleep kinda late here but I really don't mind because we always nap in the afternoons.

Anyway, Nikki's last swim class will be tomorrow and after that he could rest his body a bit. He's had fever the other day and missed a day of swim class but made-up for it the next day with a 2-hour session. Unfortunately, I think the 2 hour class took its toll on his body and he's now coughing. Sigh. And he had fever again last night. He's a bit better today and I hope that he'll be ok tomorrow for his last class. I know he'll be sad to end his lessons but I will be glad for him to get some much-needed rest for a change. Don't want him to get any sicker!

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I need to go to the dentist. A new one. My previous dentist's restoration on my upper right front tooth was just lousy. The first time she did it, the restoration came off when I flossed! And then now, a few months after, I have a small hole where the restoration used to be. There's no subtle way of putting it, she's just a really bad dentist. Anyway, I'm planning to go to the dentist this Thursday. I hope our medical card covers the treatment.

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My tummy is now 39 inches big. And I could definitely feel some kicking (or hitting) from the baby every now and then. I've been having less cravings and less headaches (thank goodness!) and my backaches haven't been that bad (yet!). So, am hoping of breezing through this 4th month as calmly as I could possibly can.

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Ethan lost 2 of his milk teeth - one last night and another a few days ago. My boy is not a baby anymore! I feel somewhat elated and worried that my boys are just growing so fast. I mean, even if I'm with them 24/7 I still feel I need to be with them more. Does that even make any sense? I sometimes feel there's just so much I haven't taught them, that we haven't experienced together, that we need to do as a family. And sometimes I feel like time is running out on me. I mean, I'll be 40 in a few years. It's no use trying to sugarcoat it. I know I'm going to have to try to just parent my kids the best way I know how. Hopefully, God will give me a good many years to spend with my kids and Ruther.

SWIMMING CLASS

Nikki started his swimming class a couple of days ago. He was apprehensive at first but got to enjoy it after a couple of sessions. He's going to start his third day tomorrow. Hopefully he'll learn a lot from this experience. :D

I CAN'T BELIEVE...

I forgot to do something important the other day. And I can't believe I forgot! I was supposed to accomplish this important thing before April 1st and I was mentally reminding myself days before to finish it. But of course, I procrastinated. And so I received a notice reminding me that I failed to accomplish my duties before said time. What do I do now? To fix the problem (or shall we say, be granted an extension) I would have to pay around P7,000+ which I really can't do now because it's not in our monthly budget. I would need to save money for Nikki's swimming class this month and also for my prophylaxis and restoration of a couple of teeth when I go to the dentist. Not to mention set aside some money for my eventual birthing. So really, P7,000 is not an option for me to just spend right now, even if it means getting that extension. I KNOW that's the right thing to do, I'd just have to learn to let it go without a heavy heart, you know...

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It's been so warm these past days. I've had some headaches but I try to take a lot of fluids and of course my folic acid (thanks for the reminder Becky!) regularly. Naturally, that means, more trips to the bathroom but we all know that's part of being pregnant, right?

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Maundy Thursday is usually the time when we would do Visita Iglesia or Church Visits. We usually do that when we are in Zamboanga. Last time we got to visit 7 churches. Some of my friends spend the whole day doing Visita Iglesia and prayers. Sometimes, one station of the Way of the Cross per church and it would take them a long time to finish. Here in Manila it's not too common. People here usually spend the Holy Week vacationing someplace. It's just the way it is here I guess, much to the disapproval of the Church. My family, we prefer vacationing when everyone else isn't. It's just less crowded and more fun that way.

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It's finally April. We'll be seeing Ruther next month! Can't wait! :D

EARTH HOUR 2010

I'm starting to get used to my pregnant belly. I know it's only going to be so much bigger in the next few months and who knows if I could even walk properly by then (I believe it's called waddling) but since this is going to be my last pregnancy I want to savor every moment of it.

I already started having some back pains which will only worsen later on (had that problem with the past 2 pregnancies) and am still having headaches (like now) which are no fun at all. Still, a small price to pay for helping a life grow inside me for 9 months.

Sometimes, when I'm not doing anything, I just rub my tummy and imagine I'm actually touching the baby inside. Sometimes I could feel tiny movements. Really tiny. If I was not pregnant before I would think it was something strange but I know it's the baby moving. The sonologist (during my first ultrasound) told me that I would not feel the movement for a few more weeks but I know what I felt and I was not imagining it nor was I intentionally thinking of the baby. I just felt it suddenly. I can't wait for Ruther to come home and feel the baby move. I'm sure he'd be psyched!

Oh and yeah, I'm still hoping it's a girl. :P

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Did you get to observe Earth Hour? We did. I bought some candles and we formed a 60 on the table representing the 60 minutes of no lights. Oh yeah, we have photos. :D




























I know some people think that Earth Hour is lame but I'm just glad that people from all over the world are willing to forget their differences and for one hour be united in taking part in this event. I only wish that every day is an Earth Hour day. That would be so wonderful.

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My favorite aunt is coming in June! Well, she's not actually my aunt really but Ruther's. But she's still my favorite. I know I wrote several posts about Tita Nicki (who is from Australia) and she just announced recently on her Facebook profile that she'll be coming to the Philippines! What's more, she'll be staying for a year!! That is so great! It will be so wonderful to have her here again. I missed her a lot these past months and have been calling her sometimes for advice or just when I need a shoulder to cry on. She's been so fantastic. She's been a wonderful second mom to me. I just can't wait to see her!! Ohh! Wait til she sees my tummy! :D

BAD HEADACHES

I've been having headaches lately. I think it's because of the summer heat. It's been so terribly warm these past few days. Yesterday I had a nasty nasty headache and I was in such a grumpy mood poor Ruther had to message me frequently to cheer me up and make me feel better. Today I had a little headache but before it could escalate into a migraine, I turned on the AC for a few minutes just to keep my head cool. I also had to take a nap because I got so terribly sleepy this afternoon. It did me a world of good (although I feel like I'm getting sleepy now).

Anyway, I try not to resort to taking meds immediately when I feel a headache coming on. I would do massages or apply mild liniments first or take a cool shower before finally taking paracetamol should the headache prove to be intolerable after a few hours. I hope my headaches don't recur any more. It's just so bothersome...

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I started crocheting some baby stuff. I made a little cap, a bib, a bottle bag and a swaddling blanket. The blanket is only half-done because I ran out of the tricolored yarn. Too bad. I was on a roll and I suddenly had to stop because the store where I bought the yarn in the first place did not have the yarn I needed in stock. That was just too bad. Anyway, I'm planning to make a little onesie as well. Don't know how that's going to turn out since it'll be my first time to do that. I just hope I don't waste any yarn in the process. I'll post some photos tomorrow...

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My tummy is definitely bulging out more now. Which I think is weird because I'm (guessing I'm) only in my 11th week. So it's either I'm eating too much (which I hope isn't happening) or my tummy is just big to begin with (and I don't know what to feel about that!). Anyway, I suppose as long as the baby is normal and healthy, I shouldn't be too worried, right?

My relatives in Canada found out from my sister that I'm with child. Told her to email them for me and my aunt was very pleased with the news. Since a cousin of mine there recently had a baby, I asked my aunt if I could have the baby clothes and stuff they no longer needed and maybe some of the maternity stuff as well. They were planning on sending a box home anyway (in 2 months' time) so I figured I could make use of those stuff instead of having to spend for those things here. It would be a big help, really. Besides, with this being my last pregnancy I have no desire to buy maternity clothes any more! I still have some of my maternity clothes from before so I suppose they would do. As for the baby stuff, we'd buy some essential things but whatever friends and family could give us would always be welcome. I'm not a picky sort of person.

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I'll be going to the OB-GYN tomorrow for my second check-up. I hope everything goes well. My doctor is Ruther's aunt so I'm quite comfy with her. She was my doctor when I gave birth to Nikki and Ethan so why not this time, right? She's very matter-of-fact and very straightforward and I like her like that. Anyway, since we'll be at the mall tomorrow, we might as well make it a bonding time for me and the boys. Maybe have pizza or something. :D

MY JAPAN: PEPPER LUNCH

I love eating here. It's a good thing we have a Pepper Lunch resto here in Manila. When Ruther came home last December, I asked him to take me there. Really miss this...

STILL MISSING...

I miss Japan a lot. I've been thinking about it these past few days and I realize that it's never been out of my system since the very first time I went to that country. Every little thing that reminds me of that place just make me want to leap on a plane and go there. I just miss it so much.

After living there for more than a year (collectively), I just know that my family could be happy there. I just know that it would be wonderful to live in a great country together. I know of course, that there will some inconveniences from time to time (like how to go to a movie without the kids) but I'm sure, as always, we'd be able to manage. To be honest, when we were in Japan, I didn't feel homesick at all. I got to talk to my family through Skype, we'd email each other regularly, when we want Filipino dishes we'd go to a Filipino store for supplies/food, and most importantly, we had our family intact so I never felt like I needed anything else. Plus, the people in Japan were so kind and friendly that I never felt like the language was much of a problem.

I miss Japan so much, even if i couldn't take the winter cold sometimes, or if I didn't know what to cook for the family anymore, or if I always worried about our homeschooling. It was difficult but I was so happy. And I just know in my heart that that's the place where I would want to live with my family eventually.

EVERYTHING BABY

Now that I've seen the baby through ultrasound I can't deny it any more. I can't say "It was probably a false positive" or like in Glee, "it might be a hysterical pregnancy". Nope. Can't deny it any longer. A baby is growing inside me and in a few months, we'll have another addition to the family.

Of course I'm still hoping it's going to be a girl. If I can't admit that to myself then I suppose I'm simply deluded. I just think it would be wonderful to have a baby girl in the family, you know. And it would great to finally be pretty during a pregnancy. Having two boys did weird things to my face while I was pregnant. Really weird.

Anyway, I've started buying some onesies (and mittens) for the baby. Just 4 pieces though coz I still have some of Nikki and Ethan's baby clothes. I've yet to see how many we have at the moment and I'm sure we'll still be getting more later on (in the form of presents). It would be great to dress the baby with cute clothes if it turns out to be a girl. Just imagine the possibilities. :D

I have to plan ahead and check what other baby things we have in the house. We still have a couple of strollers, baby blankets, cloth diapers, but we gave away the crib years before. No matter. I'm sure the baby will be sleeping with us on the bed. I know that in some places this is a no-no but believe me, in the Philippines, it's a natural thing to do. I've had Nikki and Ethan sleep with Ruther and me on the bed and no harm has come to them. I just hope the baby won't be fussy...

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I've started crocheting again. I've already made a baby beret and I hope it'll fit the baby's head. I started making a swaddling blanket but ran out of crochet yarn (I need 4 more) so that's on hold for now. I'm now making a onesie and so far it's progressing nicely. Will post photos when I'm done with some of my crochet projects.

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Ruther tells me that he'll be home May 29. It seems not too far along but it feels like such a long time. Sigh.

FIRST GLIMPSE

Today I went to a nearby diagnostics clinic to have my tests done. I called beforehand to find out the schedule so I was at the clinic a little past 4pm.

I had to wait for a few minutes before I was called into the doctor's office. The radiologist asked me the usual questions: age, last menstrual period, etc. then we proceeded to the ultrasound room. Instead of getting a transvaginal ultrasound, he told me that a pelvic one would suffice since I seem to be more than 10 weeks along (rough estimate). So, I lay on the bed and got ready. After a few minutes of checking out the important things: placenta, fluid, etc, he showed me the baby. It was really cool. The baby was sitting upright (breech position) but the doctor told me that could change later on as it grows. I saw its head, its arms, its body, its tiny heart beating away, its legs and I got so overwhelmed. It was like the first pregnancy all over again. I wanted to cry but of course, not wanting to look like a fool and alarming the radiologist, I just concentrated on the monitor. I asked the doctor if it was moving and he said yeah. He then showed me. And did it move! I was relieved of course. After informing me that everything seemed normal and okay, I thanked the doctor and left the room. Back at the waiting area, I messaged Ruther and told him about the experience. Of course, I was sad that once again, he wasn't here to share the experience with me. It would have been so great for us to have seen the baby together for the first time. But he did promise that when he comes home in May, I'll have another ultrasound and we'll see the baby together then.

Anyway, after that, I had to wait for a few more minutes before having my blood extracted for testing. I needed tests for CBC and HBs-Ag. The extraction didn't hurt at all. I guess it's good I have a high pain threshold. I needed a urinalysis too and that wasn't too hard because I now have the constant urge to pee. Anyway, I was out of the clinic at around 545pm. Since I didn't get a transvaginal ultrasound (which costs P850), I only paid P945 for everything, which is pretty reasonable. The pelvic ultrasound cost P450, CBC was P175, urinalysis P100, and HBsAg screening P270.

And here are the ultrasound photos:

KITE-FLYING

March in the Philippines is usually the time to go kite-flying. So one afternoon, my brothers-in-law brought the boys to a nearby empty field and taught them the basics of kite-flying. It was fun! :)

SUMMER, SCRAPBOOK, SO MUCH MORE...

It's been really warm these past weeks. We've been making shakes and smoothies like crazy, been taking frequent showers and having brownouts because of the heat. We're surviving though. We turn on the AC when it gets really unbearable, which usually happens when there's no breeze at all. And it's not even the summer months yet! Sigh. Been getting some headaches from the heat but not too frequently. I just hope this El Nino goes away soon!

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Today is the Pacquiao-Clottey fight for all you boxing fans. I'm quite sure everyone in the Philippines are glued to their tv sets waiting for the bout to begin. And I'm sure the streets and highways will be empty once more because people will all be tuned in to the fight. Well, Good Luck Manny! I know you'll make us proud!

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My tummy is getting bigger. A bulge is forming and I don't know how to feel about that. Some people might think I look somewhat pregnant but others might suspect that I just came from an all-you-can-eat buffet. Not pretty. Sigh. And I think I'm starting to get fat! Sigh. I hate it. I've had issues with my body since I was little. With a petite sister AND mother, I've always been reminded to "lose weight" or "don't get too fat" or "remember our family's medical history" or "you gained weight again" or "don't eat too much". And now I'm pregnant again and sure to gain even more weight!! I've been doing light exercises and I stare at the mirror sometimes and look at myself critically for flab and fat and all those. It's really depressing, I know. But I can't help it! I have a difficult time losing weight! I guess I'll have to watch my diet more closely now.

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I've started a pregnancy scrapbook. I figured, if this is going to be our last baby I might as well document everything. So it's going to be like a pregnancy diary. I'm done with the first 2 months but have yet to add the ultrasound and lab results which I'm going to have next week. Then in a couple of weeks I'm going to start on the third month. At least this keeps me busy.

I also started crocheting again. I'm making this blanket from granny squares. I hope it'll turn out nice. I have some difficulty joining the squares together. I guess I need more practice. I also made a little hat but it looked too small so I think I'll need to make a bigger one. Anyway, more crochet projects coming up...

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I've been craving for durian lately. In case you didn't know what it is, it's a fruit that looks like this:

It's somewhat hard to find this time of the year but a nearby supermarket sells them fortunately so I buy some there. It's really yummy (in my opinion) and everyone in my family love to eat this (when I say my family, I mean MY family. Ruther's family are not so fond of this fruit since it's predominantly found in the Mindanao are of the Philippines where I grew up.) Anyway, this is the first time I've had food cravings. When I had Nikki and Ethan I didn't have any particular craving. So I find this weird coz when I crave for something I usually want to eat it right away. And if I can't get it, I have difficulty sleeping. Am I weird or what?

MOVING ON

I'm probably on week 6 in my pregnancy. But I've yet to get an ultrasound to confirm that. I'm making a guess. Work has made me so busy I hardly have time to homeschool the boys. But of course, we still manage. Other than that, I've stopped crocheting, watching my shows because after I get home from work, I'd be sleepy and then it would the boys' naptime at 3pm. I feel so unorganized.

Anyway, I'd be done with work on Friday. Many of the students are flying back to Korea this month. One of my students already went home last Sunday, 2 will leave tomorrow and my last student will fly home on Saturday. I don't mind ending my stint with the school. I had fun and I learned a lot. But only those were the positive perks. My pay was measly. I earned only P280 (approx. US$6.11) a day because they only paid me P70 (approx. US$1.53) per student. Early January, I asked the head teacher if the P70 pay was fixed and she said it wasn't and depending on performance, I could get an increase. But I don't see that happening now with most of the students leaving. So I'll end my work on Friday and just think of a way to earn while at home. It'd be so much better and we'd get our homeschooling back in order.

There. I feel so much better already.

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I feel so awfully fat. But so far no one has guessed that I'm with child yet so I think I should be thankful for that. But this time, I want to make sure that I don't get too big. I hope (I said "hope" instead of "want") to exercise in the mornings by walking around the subdivision. I would love to do that anytime everyday if it wasn't for the fumes from tricycles and vehicles around the neighborhood. Carbon monoxide really irritates me. Anyway, I hope to be able to do that regularly every week...

And I'm still wishing for a girl...

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I miss Japan a whole lot. Ever since I went to that country, I just wish my family could live there already. I just love Japan and its people. It's such a wonderful place and I miss it like crazy. I wish I could see Japan again soon...

JEEPNEY DRIVERS

I commute to work everyday now and I can't help but observe the many jeepney drivers that ply Dr. A. Santos Avenue daily. I am simply amazed at how they multitask. Unlike bus drivers who only have to pay attention to the road and drive, jeepney drivers have to do a whole lot of things. They have to:

1. drive
2. collect the fares (which are passed to him by passengers)
3. compute payment/fares from one point to another and then return the change to the passenger/s (which is passed from the driver to the said commuter)
4. keep watch for commuters eager to ride (unlike buses, jeepneys have no designated stops)
5. take note of passengers who don't pay

If I were a jeepney driver I would probably go crazy in a week or get into an accident. I mean, who could do all these things and still manage to drive straight for goodness' sake? Some drivers however have a companion who collects the money and computes the fares. Then all the driver'd have to do is keep his eyes on the road. This is probably safer for jeepney commuters.

Anyway, despite my misgivings, I have no choice but to ride jeepneys to work still. It's convenient because jeepneys abound the avenue, it's cheap (I only pay P8 or approx. US$.17 and taxis would cost sooo much) and it's fast. But maybe I'd have to hold on to my seat (and say a litany of prayers) while drivers do what they do best.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUTHER!

The birthday muffin :)
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Ethan sings "Happy Birthday" to Daddy...
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Nikki's birthday card.
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Ethan's card for Daddy.

BIRTHDAY

It's Ruther's birthday today! He's now 35. Wow. How time flies.

It's a good thing our birthday cards arrived today and on time. When Ruther was home from work, he messaged me that he got the cards. Whew! Nikki and I made a cute card that looked like a DSLite. Ethan's was like a shirt and tie. Ruther liked them and I was glad.

We got him a birthday muffin and blew a candle for him. The boys enjoyed that. Hopefully, future birthdays will be spent together.

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Well, in my case, still the same. Still pregnant. I could feel my waist thickening a bit but I'm hoping it isn't so. I mean I'm just on my second month for goodness' sake. Other symptoms are breast tenderness (and I mean ouch!), sleepiness and allergies. My skin has this tiny bumps that are just so darn itchy! So far, my allergy has been the most uncomfortable experience yet. Sigh.

And yes. I still wish we're having a girl...

I AM

Is it gross that I put this here? It's just that Jan 21 was the time I knew for sure I was pregnant and this proved it!

I WANT A GIRL

I know that sounds selfish. And so un-Catholic. I'm half expecting lightning to hit me anytime soon.

But I do want a girl. I would love to have a girl in the family. Especially for Ruther. I'm sure he would love to watch her grow and see all the differences raising a girl is from raising boys. Besides, I'm sure I could balance being a mom to both genders, you know? And also, I never had that pregnancy glow that everyone talks about. When I had Nikki and Ethan I looked like I had a terrible allergy attack. My face was all swollen, my neck turned black and I looked like a monster. I'm not kidding. I still can't look at my photos then! I was really hideous! I hope that this time, I could be glowing and pretty and not (too) fat. Sigh. Is that so selfish of me?

It would be great to have a girl. Aside from Nikki's wish would be granted ("I want a sister because I already have a brother"), it would be nice to see him and Ethan interact with a female sibling. I'm also thinking this would be the last time I'm getting pregnant because it would just be too difficult for me to have another later on in life. So I'm really really really hoping that we're going to have a girl this time around.

If the Lord would be so kind, of course.

.....

Now that I'm pregnant I feel that everytime I'm out of the house I'm on Mom alert. I always cover my nose so I won't inhale fumes from vehicles and smoke from cigarettes. I used to be careful not to show my displeasure at fumes and smoke but now that I know a baby is growing inside me, I don't even have to think twice. It's so weird. Well, maybe not so weird.

I also noticed that I'm always hungry these days. And it's bothering me a lot because I don't want to get too fat (it happened when I was pregnant with Ethan). I try to moderate my eating but after a couple of hours or so, I get hungry again. Ruther teased me that maybe I'm carrying twins. Well, I hope NOT! I'm currently 150 pounds heavy and based on my reading, I want my weight to increase g r a d u a l l y. Hopefully, watching what I eat will do the trick.

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I started reading What to Expect When You Are Expecting again. I read the book once before when I was pregnant with Nikki and when I had Ethan I thought, "I still remember pretty much a lot of it" so I shelved the book. This time, after 6 years, I have to read it again just to remind myself of some of the important prenatal details. It's amazing reading all the text I highlighted then. (I know, I'm weird like that.) It was like looking at myself through a time portal.

Anyway, still got to read a lot but I've got 8 months so I guess that's not going to be a problem.