Welcome to the world Juan Mateo Mendoza-Catalan :)

Wait wait.. Before anything else, let me shout Woooh (in a Regine Paolo voice)!!! Finally after almost two months of not posting anything, I am back! *confetti* Actually, I am torn between sleeping (since my bubba is sleeping now and I know I need a lot of energy tonight) and updating my blog. I am surprised to see increased views and I think I owe it to my sister aka Yaya Dub. :) I'm pretty sure there are first time moms who have read my blog, and I hope you can relate to the yays and nays of this journey. Okay, first things first, for now, I want to share my birth story. As you all know, I already gave birth to my little munchkin. I have no words to explain how painful it is to give birth via caesarian section, but seeing this cutie pie made me realize that everything is bearable! So here's my story.

September 1-I had my prenatal check up. According to my OB, I am only 1 cm. That means I'm far from delivery! I am 39 weeks and 3 days back then, and I am just so excited to give birth so I asked her to help me to give birth asap! She did something painful during my IE, I already forgot what is that called, but after that I started to feel back pain. After my check up, hubby went to work, and I decided to walk. I went to Market Market alone. After 20 minutes of walking, the pain is getting worse so I decided to go to a coffee shop and relax instead. When we arrived home, the pain is starting to distract me from doing anything.

September 2-Around 10 in the morning, I can no longer tolerate the pain. I asked John if we can go to the hospital to have myself checked already. I took a bath, packed my bag and went to the hospital. We arrived there at around 10. According to the resident doctor, I'm only 2 cm (still far from delivery), and I said I think I am already having labor pains! So I was admitted in the labor room that day. It's the longest day in my life as I look at the ceiling, the letters in the wall, the oxygen tank, and all the nurses as they monitor my contractions. The whole day I am in pain, until 12 midnight came and I asked the nurses to call my husband as I feel like I am dying. According to my ob, she put something (sorry I already forgot the medicines hehehe) in my dextrose to open my cervix. When my husband came, I can no longer recognize him. I was screaming and telling people to inject anesthesia as it was the most painful slate in my entire existence! No joke ang sakit talaga! The next time I realized, they broke my BOW and I am lost. I am half awake-half asleep when they brought me to the delivery room. 

September 3-At around 5:33 AM, I just heard my OB shouting, baby is out, thank you Lord! I heard my son's first cry. And then the anes said, ang puti ah? And the rest was history. Hubby is there the whole time, as he promised that he will not leave me and my son during my delivery. The next time I realized, I was already in the recovery room with numb legs. I asked the nurses if I can see my baby. They gave me Matti and I tried latching. I failed, so I just let him feel my breast. I was transferred to my room after.

So folks, meet my little bubba, Juan Mateo Mendoza Catalan. :)

So that's my birth story. It's an achievement for me to come up with this entry now that I am taking care of my clingy bubba! I will try my best to update as soon as possible as I want to share a lot of things already! I miss blogging!

 PS. They told me my son had a double cord coil during the delivery. That might be the reason why my labor is not progressing. When I still don't know about this, I felt bad that I had to undergo a caesarian operation despite the fact that I am aiming for a normal delivery. But when they told me that, I have nothing but thanks to the Big Guy up there for guiding the medical team during the process. Kung hindi, baka wala akong milk monster na kasama ngayon! Thank you Lord!

much love,
Niki-the happiest first time mom in the world

Biophysical Profile and Non-stress Test at MDCare OB Gyne Clinic

Yesterday, I decided to take a leave from work in exchange of some peace of mind. Matti has never been active or should I say hyper as he is lately, and it is making me anxious. I have been reading some real-life pregnancy stories and it's making me sick. So I told my husband our little munchkin is not moving as he is before and as always, he said I should not worry. But I am just persistent that I've sent a message to my OB gyne, asking her opinion. She said if Matti will not move more than two times after meal, I'd have to take my BPP and NST. So yesterday, we went to MD Care to have these tests done.

MD Care is located in E. Rodriguez. It's just in front of Burger King so we did not have a hard time looking for the clinic. We arrived there at around 11 in the morning. My husband told me that he liked the place because there's a big lounge inside. I was asked to fill up a form and so I did. There are only a few patients when I arrived so I waited for just ten minutes. 

(thank you hubby for the documentation!haha)

The receptionist asked me to go to the ultrasound room and wrapped this elastic thing in my tummy. She also attached something (which according to her will monitor my baby's heartbeat and contractions. She asked me to click something when I feel our baby moving. And for the first five minutes, I never felt the baby move. John is with me inside the room and I told him see? See? Matti is not moving! He told me to relax and after quite some time, our baby finally moved! Nakakaloka ka anak! Pinakaba mo muna talaga ako?! Then the doctor came and checked the monitor. He told me, malikot naman si baby ah? Okay naman. Another sign of relief! After that, I was asked to transfer to another room for the ultrasound. 

After a few minutes, we got the results! Fist bump my little man, we got 10/10! Here's the results. :) I was okay until I saw and realized that he's already 6.8 lbs! And I still have more or less a month to go! I know I am super matakaw, but it's quite surprising that I didn't have any weight gain problems during my first and second trimester, and now I should control myself from eating! Bakit kasi ang sarap kumain! And I am always hungry! Oh well, I will try oatmeal this time to at least increase my fiber intake.

Thank you MDCare for a very pleasant experience!:) I highly recommend this clinic for all the soon to be moms out there. :) Oh, and we paid 1,700 pesos for the ultrasound and test. According to the other moms to be, it is reasonable enough so I must say we got a good deal already.

That's all for now. I'm back to the waiting game. and before I forger, big THANKS to the Guy up there for taking good care of me and Matti. We owe it all to You Lord.

much love,

Niki-the super excited mom

JNC Babymoon/my 30th week!

hello everyone! After more than half a month of busy days, thank God I had the luxury of time to update. So what's new except from my growing belly? Well, my blouses are starting to fail me, I know I am getting bigger and bigger each day. I also get a painful back every morning, which is quite ironic because I should be getting some rest when I sleep right? I am also having a hard time sleeping. I wake up to pee and to tell my husband to move because I am big and I can't fit in our bed anymore. :P The list is endless though. It is true when they say that third trimester will make you feel awful literally and figuratively. But please don't get me wrong, I will forever be thankful of this little man growing inside my belleh. I will endure all the pain just to see him healthy, normal and alive ten weeks from now. (So baby please don't come out yet, you still have time to be healthy there, okay?)

And because of these 'painful' and unattractive stage in my pregnancy, my husband is sweet enough to organize a mini-babymoon for us. I've been telling him that I miss traveling (I am such a lakwachera) because we have to cancel a trip to Bangkok last January and let go of all the promo fares because of little Matti. Of course I obliged, our baby is and will be our priority right now. So imagine how happy I am when he told me that he booked an out of town trip just for the two of us.

We went to Punta de Fabian last weekend. It was just an overnight trip, but I really had time to relax and spend time with my husband.

We had a short dip in the pool (I'm not sure if I can swim long) and had a little DIY photoshoot after. I will be sharing some photos in my next blog entry. :) Anyway, I must say that I am indeed thankful for having a very sweet husband. Pregnancy had been a roller coaster ride of emotions and everything in between, but I am just so happy that he booked this trip for us.

Punta de Fabian verdict: 7/10: The place is good. The place is wonderful and rooms are clean. I also loved the infinity pool and the peaceful surroundings. However, I am disappointed with the selection of food. They only have two dishes in their menu every meal and their kitchen are closed earlier than usual. My husband even begged the staff to serve us dinner because it will be hard for us to go out of the resort just to eat, considering the fact that I am pregnant. 

That's all folks!

much love,

Niki xx

Lagro Ultrasound Clinic and Face to Face Ultrasound 3D Ultrasound experience.

And now that we're on our third trimester already, our OB allowed us to have our 3D/4D ultrasound done. A fellow mom told me not to expect too much from this but can you blame us for being the excited parents of this little man?! We'll grab every chance that we can get to get a glimpse of him!:) 

I've been hearing a lot of reviews regarding Lagro Ultrasound Clinic. They say it's affordable yet they provide good service so I scheduled an appointment with them last Friday. We are scheduled by 1 PM and we almost got lost since we're not familiar with the place. To my surprise, they are CLOSED. Yes closed. I am really disappointed because they didn't even inform us that they will be closing early! Imagine my disappointment when we traveled all the way from Bulacan to Lagro, just to know that the clinic is closed! The guard on duty wasn't even polite enough to talk to us. He just said "Umuwi ng maaga eh." Since we do not have any choice, I looked for an alternative. A friend recommended Face to Face Ultrasound clinic in SM North Edsa. We have errands scheduled that day so we went to Quiapo first and then to SM North. We're with baby's two ninongs this time.

We arrived there at around 4 PM. Hungry and exhausted, I told them to wait for a while before we eat because I'm excited just like that! I'm third in line. We waited for around 20 minutes before our session. This is how their clinic looked like.

(photos grabbed from their facebook page)

We availed their 3D/4D Silver package. During our session, our little man was so cooperative that he immediately showed his face! He's sucking his thumb, yawning and he even smiled! Here's some of his cutest photos:

One thing that everyone noticed... He got my nose! (Thank God!) My friends are telling me that I look like my son, just because he got my nose. Let me share a secret, apart from my prayer of a healthy and normal baby, I also pray for a cute baby! And God is really good, seems like we'll be having a cute one! So when your friends will ask you, where your looks come from, you can tell them "I got it from my momma!" haha! What's more important than this is that he's healthy and normal. I can't wait for September to hug and kiss you my little munchkin! 

And since we have already seen him, we also have a name for him now. And we'll call our little man "Juan Matteo." We got the Juan from his father John. And the Matteo is quite controversial. Lol. Ma-Mary Ann (my mom) and Tteo-Teodoro (my dad). So just like that, we named our little one after his father and his grandparents! My parents are really excited to see their first grandchild! (looks like I'll be having a spoiled apo!) We're counting the weeks before we see him. I wouldn't mind all the momsomnia and back pains because this cutie pie is all worth it. :)

much love,

the excited mom-to-be

Hello Third Trimester!

Hi everyone! I know I know, I've been away for almost three weeks because of back pains and momsomnia. :P A lot of things had happened, and now we are quite busy preparing for our litle man's arrival. we just can't wait to see our little man! Time flies so fast that I already reached the third trimester mark! And as of today, I only have 11 weeks and 5 days left! I'm excited and at the same time nervous. Giving birth is not a joke, I have read a lot of painful (yet rewarding) stories about it. How blessed can I be to experience it soon!

Yesterday I was brave enough to watch a video of a doula experiencing nature birth. I was in awe the whole time! The woman is super brave to gave birth in a lake without the help of anyone! (oh there's her husband who's taking the video, and her kid playing around.) I've seen how the baby's head came out! I freaked out and told my husband that I've been really nervous. Can I also do the same? (Not the entire nature birthing, but the strength to let our baby out!) Given that John is an optimist, he cheered for me and said that when that day comes, God will give me everything to let our baby out. And now I decided not to watch any videos again. :P

We have also started shopping for our baby. John said now that we're approaching the end of my pregnancy and the start of parenthood (naks!), we can finally buy the essentials! I just felt a bit disappointed that we bought items mostly in white. (At least he said yes to a blue doraemon receiving blanket!) Other than that, everything is plain. We didn't buy a lot of clothes since we have no idea how big the baby is, We also checked cribs, strollers, everything! I fell inlove with this stroller!

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Safety First Jordan edition stroller with car seat!

My initial plan is to get a blue stroller, but for practicality purposes, we will be getting a neutral colored one so that our little man's sister/brother can still use this. Although we haven't bought this yet since we are still looking for a good deal. 

Here's a list of the items that we bought for our baby bacon. (we still have a long list to go, but at least we have already started with the basics!)

3 pcs. white shirt (string side closing)

3 pcs. white shorts

3 pcs. white pajamas

mittens (with strings)

cotton cap

2 pcs. receiving blanket (they are in blue with cute prints!*insert happy dance here*)

2 pcs. 0-3 months onesies

1 swaddle blanket 

Whew! We're just looking for the perfect bottles for baby. A lot of moms said Avent is the best brand, so we're eyeing for a newborn bottle set. John told me I have to invest in feeding bottles because we will be using this for a long time so I obliged.

That's it for now!

much love,

the excited mom-to-be.

Preggo Diaries week 25.

Hello everyone! This week had been quite a roller coaster ride of emotions for me. Like what I have said, I am a worry wart first time mom so get worried when I don't feel my baby kicking for quite sometime. But my baby had been so cooperative that every time a worry, he sees to it that he makes his presence felt. Alam yatang praning ang nanay nya!hehe! There are times in a day that I don't feel him moving, but during night time, he goes ballistic! Crazy to the extent that I can no longer sleep! But that's okay, I'd rather feel him moving than to sleep. My husband even told me that while I'm sleeping, he felt the strongest kick ever! Ay nako anak, bakit kung kailan tulog ako tsaka ka nagpasikat sa daddy mo!:P So far I'm enjoying this pregnancy. No more bed rest orders from the OB and I can go around the metro without any worries. But of course, when I get tired, I rest. Priorities.

And for some good news (again), I already conquered my fear (not!) last Thursday and had the guts to take my OGTT test. Honestly, I'm more afraid of the procedure rather than the results. I am not a fan of sweets, in fact I don't eat chocolates, nor drink soda. But I am afraid of needles and blood! The process of three blood extractions is just unbearable. :( But I said I will do everything for the baby, so I faced the fear! haha. And as expected, I made it with flying colors! (naks!)

Thank God my sugar is normal, meaning, no gestational diabetes threats this pregnancy. I still have to minimize drinking milk tea though. My doctor allowed me to drink milk tea, eat chips and all, but I have to control myself. So when I crave, I eat a little and divert my attention to something else. haha! So that's it for this week! I will have my check up last week, will just update everyone!

much love,

Pregnancy Diaries. Week 24.

I know this is a bit late, but I'm updating everyone anyway. :) I am on my 6th month of pregnancy already!! Time flies soooo fast! Last week had been a not-so-busy week, but I just feel so guilty sleeping really late last Wednesday! I've met an online buyer so I have to go to Trinoma and John and I watched a movie after. It was such a waste of time! I wish I slept rather than sitting inside the cinema watching that film! I keep on saying sorry to our little man because I know he should've slept rather than hearing the movie. Lol. Anyway...

I know my husband told me that we should start buying stuff for our baby a month before arrives, but I told you I have the lowest EQ! And so when I met a friend in Greenhills, I bought this for baby bacon!

I just got him onesies. I can't resist these cutesies! Don't worry, they're not really expensive. The nivea wash was from his dad, bought during the blue week sale. And the socks, we got them when we found out that we're having a boy. We're just so excited that we're trying our best to stop ourselves from buying. (Actually I am quite surprised that John bought something, he's the frugal type and not into buying, AT ALL.) But maybe, since he got it 50% off, he knows it's a good deal already! 

I felt bad that we weren't able to go to the mommymundo event last weekend. A lot of fellow soon to be moms said it's better not to go because there are only a few good deals and Makati is just to far from me. :(

Preggo Diaries Week 23.

Yikes, it's almost the end of my 23rd week and I haven't had my update yet. And that is because I have been out and about almost every day of the week. I thank God for a very cooperative baby, I haven't been feeling any pains (except for heartburns). I allow myself to rest when I need to. But I am just an explorer like that and I always go out with friends just to have dinner or chat. I also have a very "legit" bump now, as I am approaching my 6th month already. Whoa, time flies so fast. I can still remember posting that I got a BFP and now I am just three months away from seeing our little munchkin! If you can remember, I had been religiously taking my picture with the same dress every week to see how much my bump (and my body) has grown. And for this week...

I am really surprised to see my bump "that" big. Before I thought it's big, but now, I feel like I swallowed a melon!:P And yes, I'm expecting it to be bigger and bigger as I am just a month away from my third trimester. Katakot!

I can't remember if I have mentioned it here before, but I'm going gaga over guavas. I've been eating it almost everyday! But I've been having heartburn so my OB told me that is because it is rich in vitamin C. So now I have to say adios to my favorite guava! But that's okay, I'm replacing it with melon and other fruits instead. :)

much love,

Preggo Diaries Week 22.

Time flies so fast. I am now on my 22nd week and everything is going smoothly. I am just so happy and relieved that the baby is healthy and normal. So now we move to other priorities like shopping for baby needs and looking for the best baby name for our little one. Like what I have mentioned in my previous post, we decided to keep the gender a sweet secret for a little element of surprise. Now I will try my best to control this low eq by keeping the name to ourselves first.

Actually last Saturday, I panicked a little because I still do not have a name for the baby. (As if I will give birth the next day!) I'm such a girl with the lowest eq, so I researched for possible names for baby bacon. (Commercial: As I type, there's a little party going on inside my belly, the baby is moving and I can see my belly moving too!) Luckily, I found two options! I asked for my husband's approval of course, because I admit that sometimes, I tend to be really impulsive and our baby's name is indeed a big deal for us. So we narrowed our choices and we're left with two options now. Of course I still can't reveal them now!

So let's just change the topic! At 22 weeks, I am itching to shop for our little one. There are a lot of choices, necessities and cute stuff that I see in the baby section! But the thing is, I am one clueless mom to be. I have zero experience in this and I have no idea what are the things that we should prepare before the baby comes out. I told John we can already shop as early as now because we know the gender already, but he said, we shouldn't. (Sometimes, it's hard to have a very frugal husband!) It's a good thing though, because we are saving up for other expenses. I just can't contain my excitement seeing cute cribs and fancy little clothes! Now I am trying my best to be reasonable and practical. I came up with a list of the things that a clueless mom should consider. (Please take note that I am a newbie, definitely not a pro so please bear with me.)

1. Research.
This is the first thing that I did. I looked for forums, threads and books that can help me to sort out everything. From feeding bottles to diapers, sterilizers to newborn clothes, research had been my best friend. I belong to this online group called Newly Weds at Work and the group had been very helpful to me. I am also an active member of female network, where I get to interact with first time moms too. Some already gave birth and some are already in their third trimester. At least I get to know their experiences.

2. Ask fellow moms.
I am fortunate enough to have some friends who just gave birth and who have babies. I ask a lot of questions. As in A LOT! From pains, to new experiences, emotional swings etc! Now that their babies are out and experienced giving birth first hand, they have a lot of things to share.

3. Invest on the right things.
At first, I thought I should get all the expensive (and good quality) stuff for the baby. From cribs, to feeding bottles, clothes, strollers, name them all! Only to find out that most of them will only be used for a few months. Based on what I have learned, we should invest on feeding bottles and stroller. Not so much on cribs, as the baby will grow up fast. I will just share some of the mommy tips as I learn them.

4. Discuss everything with your husband/partner.
As in everything! As you all know, I am blessed with a very supportive partner who loves to kiss my tummy every time he can. Every time I feel like being impulsive, or I am panicking because I am a worrywart just like that, I talk to him. And he keeps me sane. Minsan talaga may pagkabaliw lang ako! I tell him, oh the baby needs this! He'll say, no, hindi sulit. I'd like to think that he'll be the disciplinarian type of father, because he can balance things when I get too emotional.

5. Enjoy every step of being preggo.
I think this is the most important aspect of pregnancy. Sure, it can bring a lot of worries, and can make you freak out when you feel like something is wrong, but it is indeed a very fulfilling and exciting journey. We have prayed hard for this blessing to come, and now that it is finally happening, I can't contain my happiness! Pregnant people should appreciate not falling in line in banks, government offices and the like! Now I feel so special!

That's all folks! I hope I helped some of my fellow first time preggos like me. :)


much love,

Congenital Anomaly Scan. Done!

Yesterday was one of the most anxious days of my life. If you have been reading my blog, I had my CAS scheduled yesterday. I was nervous (and excited) because I am really hoping that my baby will be a healthy and a normal one. I have been fervently praying for good results since day one. And yesterday was our judgment day. I must admit that there are times that I've been eating junk foods, I had been exposed to pollution and other dangerous stuff as well. That made me nervous. I told myself if I can just turn back time and avoid everything that is harmful for the baby. 

We left the house at around 9 because I decided to go to Quiapo first before going to the clinic. I know I need to pray first, and ask for God's blessing. (After all, this baby is a product of prayer and novena) It was extremely hot! I just whispered a short prayer. Lord, ikaw na po ang bahala. Then we went to SM Megamall for my check up. I was in the 2PM slot and we arrived just in time. Dr. Tangco was the OB-Sono who was in charge of the procedure. She was a pleasant doctor, introduced herself and then we had the procedure. She first showed me a 3d image of the baby's cleft, just to be sure that the baby is free from cleft palette deficiency. She said I have nothing to worry about, that we will be having a healthy baby. I felt relaxed after hearing that. (But yeah, not so much as she is thoroughly checking every little detail of our little munchkin. We counted the fingers and toes, thank God there are five for each hand and foot. Heart, lungs and other organs are normal too! As a soon-to-be mom, the feeling is unexplainable. It was such a huge relief and joy to see and know that you have a healthy baby growing inside you. 

And then the most exciting part (at least for my husband) came after. We knew our baby's gender already!

We decided to share the exciting news to our family and few of our closest friends. Just for the element of a little surprise!:) I am not good in keeping good news such as this, but we're planning to have a maternity shoot and that is when we'll reveal our baby's gender! For now, please continue to pray for the baby, that he/she may be well until the 9th month! We can't wait to see you our little munchkin! :)

PS. That's our happy faces after the procedure! We're excited soon-to-be parents and we are indeed thankful for the upcoming blessing!:) Now time to shop!:)

much love,

Preggo Diaries Week 21.

We're more than half of my journey! Thank you Lord for keeping us both safe and healthy! This week is the much awaited week of my pregnancy (aside from giving birth of course), since I will be having my Congenital Anomaly Scan on Friday. I'm nervous yet excited. Like what I have said whenever I feel anxious about everything, I pray. And it helps. It helps me A LOT. I'm not that nervous just like before. God is giving me positive vibes!

So last Saturday, I had this mini-shopping trip in the maternity section of a department store. I was able to sell a phone and I told myself, I should be rewarded so I bought two maternity dresses as my belly is getting bigger every week! To my surprise, my mother told me we are going to shop for more clothes! Shopping for maternity clothes is not my priority, as we are saving up for the baby. I have some loose clothes and leggings at home and I know I can survive work by wearing those. But then my mother is such a "sozzzyal" (and they know that I am not, and can wear clothes from 168 or Greenhills) that she told me I should wear decent clothes especially during meetings. So I obliged. Who does not want clothes for free?? :) So she helped me to choose clothes (lots of it) and I never got tired of trying everything on. Thanks to mother, now I do not have a hard time choosing clothes every morning.

In line with that, I want to share my first ever "legit" preggo selfie! I just turned 21 weeks last Sunday and believe me, back pains and difficulty in sleeping had been some of my friends lately. 

Please help me pray for a healthy baby! :)

much love,

Preggo Diaries 20 weeks.

Hello everyone! Last Sunday, I reached the half pregnancy journey mark!:) And I post this, the baby is occasionally kicking (and maybe doing some acrobatics inside my tummy) I just came from a seminar slash semi staycation and I just feel that the baby got too excited as he/she is moving non stop last night. The hubby is just so thrilled and excited to feel his/her moves!:)

So what's up with me this week? Aside from feeling my baby more often now, I already have the baby's Congenital Anomaly Scan next week! The OB said I should have it by 24 weeks or more, but blame it on my lowest eq, I will be having it @ 22 weeks. According to some friends, 20 weeks will do, but I made some compromise so 22 weeks will do, right?=P I decided to have it in WOMB (World of My Baby) in Megamall because I've read some good reviews about them. I am planning to have the 3D CAS, but the receptionist said features would still be "payat" because there are no baby fats yet. But for the sake of having a "realistic" glimpse of our little munchkin, I still opted to have the 3D scan.

As soon-to-be mom, I cannot deny the feeling of worry. I've been working in a gasoline station (I work in the office though) and I have this rare encounter with gasoline. My husband said I should not worry, because 3-5 seconds won't hurt the baby. But I am a worry-wart so you can't blame me!=P sometimes I go out that I get to be exposed with pollution and all that.. And the list goes on. I am clinging to the assurance that God will never fail me. Throughout this pregnancy, I had been very dependent to prayer. When I worry, I pray. That's the most powerful thing in the world for me!:) So now I just try my best to have peace of mind and just trust God. That's it!

much love,

Preggo Diaries week 19.

I'm bringing one of the bestest news today!:) Our baby bacon turned 19 weeks last Sunday and what's a better way to start the day than to finally feel him/her moving! I finally got the "bubble" sensation that people are telling me about! The feeling is surreal. Nothing compares knowing that your baby is alive and kicking (literally) inside your tummy! I felt it several times in the morning at first. I told John to hold my tummy and to try if he'll feel our baby too.. and he did! Such a good buddy we have here! And mukhang nagpapasikat pa kay daddy nya ha! According to some mommies, the flicking sensation is normal during the early stages of pregnancy. And now I just couldn't contain my happiness!

And since it's a Sunday, John and I heard the mass together. I just feel good that despite a slight difference in religion, we still manage to patch things up. I asked God for a healthy baby (boy or girl) and I promised Him that I will religiously hear masses every Sunday. I know God will give us this one, after all, it isn't too much to ask for, right?

I am supposed to post this last Monday, but I had been busy so I am posting it today. Which is also good because I will also be sharing what happened yesterday during my 5th prenatal check up. Having Tita Nida (John's aunt) as our OB gyne is indeed a big blessing to us. It was a relief to be taken good care of a relative especially during this momentous (naks) event in our married life! So we had the usual doppler check, to hear baby bacon's heartbeat. Medyo makulit lang talaga itong anak ko at nahirapan pa si tita to look for a good position! I remember posting last month that I had a mini heart attack when she couldn't find baby's heartbeat at first!:P Now I'm a bit fine because I had already felt the baby's kicks and tumblings inside my tummy so I know the baby is fine.

Only that! I felt a bit disappointed that I still need to wait for four weeks to have our CAS and gender determination. Waiting is such a pain for me! I am known by people to have the lowest EQ in the world and it is indeed hard for me to wait for something, especially now that I am pregnant! I can remember when I've waited before just to see if the pregnancy will push thru or not. Thank God, I'm turning 20 weeks this Sunday!(halfway there!) Now I have to wait for another month just to see that my baby is normal and healthy.
And so I am appealing to all of my readers to help me pray for the baby. Every night I ask God to have a healthy pregnancy but I know God listens and it will be better if a lot of people are praying for you. Aside from waiting (and exhausting all the patience that I can have), the best thing that I can do now is pray. I told tita Nida yesterday that I am nervous regarding my CAS but she said that we just have to pray and leave it all to God. My faith is my strongest weapon that we will have a normal and healthy baby by September. :) Please help me to ask God for this. Thank you!


much love,

Preggo Diaries Week 18.

So far so good! I've been consistently posting updates about my pregnancy on a weekly basis! :) I'd say this is a challenge for me, because I tend to forget posting every now and then, but my baby is my motivation!:) Now I'm on my 18th week!

I can't help but to feel really excited (and a bit nervous) about everything! As a first time mom, I totally do not have any idea of how and what to feel, if not because of moms around me. According to the what to expect app, my baby is as big as a sweet potato! (5.5 inches, 5 oz) I can still remember when our baby is as small as a pea, I'm telling John ang tagal naman nyang lumaki! Now I am almost half my pregnancy journey already! Can't wait for my ultrasound and CAS. (Really praying for a healthy and normal baby!PS. And a cute one as well! and I'm asking people to pray for the baby too) I am really expecting that we will be having our CAS at 20 weeks, but my OB insisted that we should have it at 24 weeks instead. (Another month, why why???) I swear I have the lowest EQ in the world so waiting is really HAAAARD for me. John said we have to wait, so I have no choice but to wait. (cross arms)

I was looking at myself in front of the mirror yesterday and I have noticed that my body has changed. I have a defined baby bump already, I can see some visible veins (maybe because it's starting to expand) and I can no longer make it small.=P The other day my husband asked me if I can make my tummy small, and then I tried, and failed. Silly.

Speaking of bumps, I remember posting something about people telling me my bump is bigger than usual. Now they can no longer tell me that because I'm approaching my 5th month already! hehehe. =P I am guilty of eating a lot (I have this weird desire to keep myself full always) and I promise I will ask my OB next week on how to suppress my growing appetite. I don't feel really bad about growing, because I know my baby is growing too! A soon to be mom asked me if I am worried or what to gain weight, and believe me, been there done that! (The only difference is that I'm not pregnant back then) Not that I will not take good care of myself, it's just that I am willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of the baby. 

This week, I've been a little worried that I still haven't felt my baby moving. (I honestly experience flicking sensations inside my tummy and I'm not sure if that's really it) That night I immediately told my husband that I'm feeling something, and he started feeling my tummy. And he claimed that he felt our baby moving! I'm not really sure, since they say it feels like butterflies in your stomach. Now I am more confused. Some moms are telling me that's it, but I am not assuming just like that!=P Well I am still looking forward to more defined movements next time. (But I am still looking forward to those little flickers every night, just in case that's really the baby!)

I will be having my 5th prenatal check up next week. It's doppler time again and I am always excited hearing my baby's heartbeat. :) I will keep everyone posted about my weight gain (lol) and other changes that I will experience next week. :)

much love,

Preggo Diaries. Week 17.

Last Sunday marked my 17th week. I am still getting that feeling of paranoia, since I haven't felt my baby moving yet. All I have are these little flicking movements inside my tummy, but I am not sure if that's really the baby. My husband never gets tired of listening to my worries as a first time mom. (And I thank him for that) For a worrywart like me, it's quite impossible not to feel paranoid.=P 

Anyway, I always have this habit of making my baby feel loved by rubbing my tummy every morning after waking up. Sometimes I get confused, since my tummy doesn't seem to be as big as it is the entire day. But this morning, I suddenly felt that my tummy got bigger than usual. Something like, I swear I'm not this big last week! Just amazing how fast my baby grows! And yet again, I am thankful for the gift of life. In lieu of that, I am sharing this quote I've seen online.

Apart from the condition of my baby inside, I am quite worried of stretch marks. My husband had been very helpful in reminding me to apply lotion everyday just to make sure that I will not be having any marks after I give birth. But I realized, if I will be having them, why should I be ashamed? I have been surrounded with people who are wishing to have a baby. Some of them are waiting for years and years just to conceive. I know how painful it is to wait, especially if you do not know when is the right time. I feel very blessed and fortunate that baby bacon came a year after our marriage. I also admit that I have been struggling to conceive because I have PCOS. At first, we tried without any meds at all, and yes, I get delayed every month. I've spent a lot of money buying pregnancy tests, just to get a BFN. After a few months, I've decided to schedule an appointment with my OB, just to confirm that I have bilateral PCOS. I took meds. No, I took expensive meds just to increase my chances. (Clearly, it doesn't give me an assurance that I will conceive.) For a few months, we've been monitoring my follicles if they have improved. I got tired, and decided to look for an infertility expert. And luckily, last December, God granted us a very precious blessing. I am now almost halfway there!

I just want to give a shout out to all brave mothers out there who got postpartum marks. Never be ashamed of the marks that you got. It will forever be a reminder that God has chosen you and blessed you. :)

Preggo Diaries week 16.

Last Sunday, I just reached my 16th-week/4 months mark!:) I have a little mini heart attack story (actually stories) to share this time. As I have mentioned in one of my previous posts, I had my 4th prenatal check up last Wednesday. Our ob (which happens to be my husband's aunt) had an operation so we have to wait for her to arrive. We waited for an hour but that's my favorite day of the month, so I didn't mind waiting for her. 

After an hour, she arrived and as always, we had our check up. She asked me to lie down, and my most favorite part of the check up? Doppler time! I know we'll be having a naughty baby as early as now. Because when she checked the heartbeat, I've heard her say "bakit nawala?" I almost panicked! After a few seconds, we heard bacon's fast and loud heartbeat! Anak pinakaba mo si mommy! It is a big relief for me, because I've been hearing a lot of sad big M stories before my check up. So the day before that, I've been bugging my husband if he thinks that our baby is okay. He is the most optimistic person in the world, and I am so happy that he never gets tired of listening to my endless worries. I also gained a few pounds, but I'm not complaining. Everything for the health of the baby!:)

And now for the second worry that's bugging me for the past week. Recently I'm having colds especially at night. And then I found out that I got a swollen lymph node under my jaw. Not painful but it bothers me, now that I'm pregnant! I've been asking for a doctor who can help me regarding this, as it might affect our baby. John said that's nothing, it's just that my body is fighting some infections but I didn't listen because I'm a worrywart just like that. So last Saturday, I visited an EENT doctor to have myself checked. Thank goodness, my husband is right, it's just a swollen lymph node because of some colds that I got few weeks ago. Now it's still swollen, but definitely smaller than it is before. No more panic mode days!

This morning, I originally planned to wear my favorite pair of pants. And to my surprise, I am already having a hard time putting them on! I mean, it still fits, but it's tighter than it used to be. :( My tummy is indeed getting bigger each day. In that note...

I'm sharing a shameless selfie that I got last Sunday when I turned 16 weeks. I got eyebags, no make up, no filter and I'm in my most comfortable "pantulog". I've got a growing belly, growing appetite and some hormonal episodes every single day. I feel really ugly and haggard almost everyday. But I don't mind, not at all. Because I know I got the best blessing that I woman could have. I am chosen by God to make a miracle happen! And with that, I will forever be thankful. That is why I'm trying my best to take good care of myself. :)

much love,

God's love is amazing.

It was indeed a very tiring leave yesterday, because it's my monthly check up again. But let me skip that first for a more important realization in my life today. Last night John decided to leave his car in Manila so that he can drive for me home. He said "ayoko nang umuwi at magdrive ka magisa, pagod ka na." I am almost four months pregnant with an active baby and I drove the whole day yesterday, and it was indeed really tiring. We arrived home a bit late. At first I am planning to sleep immediately, but maybe it has been a routine for us to talk before we sleep about anything under the sun. And last night's topic was... our baby's name! I know my baby will hate me for the rest of his/her life if we'll name him/her bacon, so I said we shall think of better names, something the baby will never be ashamed of. We've decided to name the baby "Anita Anastacia" if she'll be a baby girl. (named after our beloved grandmothers) but if it will be a boy, I honestly do not have any ideas in mind. Oh, but John said we can name him "Juan Carlos" (named after him of course) but I said it's too close to John Carlos so we can still think of other names. I don't know why I suggested Fabaroti, and Juancho Miguel (telenovela-ish) and other funny names! My husband must be really amazed that he's now calling the baby Fabaroti! Oh baby, we love you so much that we're thinking of the best name to give you! ;)

So we slept late last night and I woke up a bit later than usual this morning. I was too tired to wash the dishes last night, so I told John let me do that today because I want to rest. And then he said okay. He woke me up this morning with sweet kiss telling me that he'll be leaving already. It's also starting to be a habit for him to listen to my tummy (and claiming that he's hearing the baby) and to kiss it to say goodbye not just to me but to baby. I find it sweet (and I know our baby does too) that he/she is loved as early as now. I even talk to him/her everyday, and telling our munchkin to just be healthy and hold on. Pregnancy is not an easy journey, but no worries, it is indeed a privilege to be bearing a child.

And so he left the house and after a few minutes, I went down to get ready for work. And to my surprise, the dishes are already clean and the hot water is ready! (I only use hot water when taking a bath) I almost cried because of too much happiness. This might be really usual and "mababaw" to some, but to me, it is a very meaningful act of kindness. Again I am just reminded of how God destined me to spend the rest of my life with someone who will take good care of me. In fact, I felt more special when I got pregnant. He cooks for me, cleans the house and do everything so I can rest. Sorry but I am not really a home buddy so doing chores is not really my thing. I'd rather work in the office all day than doing that. But God gave me a very loving husband that he is willing to do everything for me.

I immediately sent John a text message thanking him for loving me unconditionally. And as always, I am showered with sweet words from him. John is God's reminder that happiness is not measured by the material things that one can have. Rather, happiness is sharing your life with someone who will never let you feel you are alone.

Here's one of my favorite e-session photos that we had a few years back. A constant reminder of how happy we are having each other. :)

much love,

Preggo diaries week 15.

Hello everyone! I know it's a bit late to start, but I decided to update my blog every week regarding my pregnancy. It has been a good decision for me to track down my wedding preps, because I know I can vividly recall everything about our wedding last year. And now that I am about to enter the journey of motherhood, I also want my baby bacon to know joys (and hardships) that we've been through just to have him/her. From my ttc journey up to my pregnancy, I have nothing but gratitude to the Big Guy up there who gave us the best gift a married couple can ask for.

So to start (But I'm not really sure if it's good to start with a rant, haha), let me share my pregnancy diary for my 14th week. I am more than happy that I survived the most critical stage of pregnancy (first trimester). Although there are still episodes of morning sickness, I am lucky enough not to experience the extremes of this phase. So what's new last week? Apart from my growing bump, I am starting to feel itchy! Hello stretch mark threats! I can also feel that my tummy is starting to stretch, feeling ko medyo banat na yung tummy area ko! Is it too early to start feeling this way? I am getting used to some comments about my bump (telling me that it is bigger than usual) because the health of my baby is the most important thing in the world for me right now. It is just too annoying that sometimes, my tummy gets too itchy that it's hard for me not to scratch!

My solution?

Palmers lotion! My best friend gave this to me as a birthday gift and I have been using it since last week. It's really hard for me to religiously apply lotion twice a day, since I am not the vain type. In fact, I cut my hair short to save some shampoo and conditioner. :P I cannot give any feedbacks regarding this product except for the fact that it smells like cocoa/chocolate. And believe it or not I do not eat chocolates so it's kinda weird for me to smell cocoa!:P Let's see after the baby comes out. Hopefully I can also have a decent product review based on experience. :)

PS. I will be having my 4th month prenatal check up on Wednesday. I am so excited to hear baby bacon's heartbeat again! :)

much love,

My Bump, my bump, my bump, my bump my bump!

Hello errbody! Ang ganda ng title ko diba? (corny din.) Anyway, I just want to give share to some other moms to be how I've been feeling lately. So I've been really active in an online forum regarding my pregnancy. It was just comforting to know that there are also expectant moms who shares the excitement, the joys and the fears of being a first time mom. I'm approaching my 14th week already and I must say that I get used to the feeling of being worried. Sometimes I want to go inside my tummy to check if my baby is fine. The last time I saw him/her was during my ultrasound @ 6 weeks, to check if baby bacon's heart is beating. And like what I have shared here, I have such a healthy baby! No sub chronic hemorrhage, and the rest of the findings are some medical terms that I can no longer comprehend. :P the sonologist said the baby is fine and as a mom (soon!), it means more than my life.

A lot of people in the forum are saying that their bump is too small. Like they still do not have the "legit" baby bump @ 20 weeks. And me?

That's how I looked like last week @ 12 weeks. Quite big, eh? And so I get comments like "sigurado ka bang 3 months pa lang yan? ang laki eh." Sometimes I want to tell them that ay opo, sigurado po ako kasi bilang po namin ng asawa ko kung kelan kami ng BD. But of course I didn't tell them that. At first I get offended, but then I realized, this is my body and I know nothing is wrong having a baby bump this early. My OB said I have nothing to worry about. I am also surprised that since my first month of pregnancy up to the third, I did not gain any weight at all! As in. Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed to maintain that weight until I give birth. If I will be gaining some pounds, that should be my baby's weight. Aja! I have been in the extremes of being so thin and so fat and I don't want to go back to those stages again! :P So another thing that kept me going now? Deadma na sa nega vibes about my pregnancy! I am claiming that I will have a healthy and normal baby, no comment can make me feel the other way! :)

much love,

Happy BIrthday to me! :)

So I just celebrated my 27th birthday yesterday. I filed a leave from work just because I don't want stress on my birthday and crying isn't really my thing yesterday. I just wanted to celebrate and be happy that God gave me another year! I feel a bit bad that my husband is working that day (we have this unwritten agreement to spend our birthdays together), but thank God he finished work a bit earlier so he spent some time with me. :)

I just had an ordinary day yesterday. I decided to dropped by my favorite church, (Quiapo church), where I prayed hard for this little bacon growing inside my tummy. The church is so meaningful to me that it has been my sanctuary when I feel like I will never have a boyfriend after a very traumatic heartbreak. And now, I have a very supportive and loving husband and we're expecting a baby this year. What more can I ask for?

And so after I prayed and had my little thanksgiving, I went near my husband's office to wait. Spent some time alone just to reflect and feel really fortunate to have more than what I deserve. I know I have been very blessed. I also came to the realization that now that we will have our little family, they will be the most important people in my life ever! I will do everything to protect my family and will forever be there for them. I know I can never be ready to be a mom (no matter how hard I prepare) but with God's guidance and my husband's support, things will be easier for me. As early as now, I also feel that I have a very obedient baby (Because when paranoia strikes if the baby is doing well, I talk to him/her and tell him/her to make his/her presence felt, and then after a few hours, I am having nausea attacks again.) and even if I haven't hugged and kissed him/her, I already love her! My husband has also been very caring and loving, baby bacon is lucky he/she will be having an awesome father!

So I just set a simple dinner with few of my closest friends to celebrate. Nothing fancy, just a little something good enough for everyone.

I never have a dull moment with these guys. I had unlimited laughter and nonsense (but fun) stories last night. We may have different paths and priorities now, but I have thankful that we never lost the friendship along the way. Still the same, simple things make us happy! I might have lost some people in the process, I only have a handful of friends whom I share everything with, and I am happy that I stayed with these people. They saw me laugh, cry, cry harder, smiled, and laughed again. :)

And in connection, I am so happy that Joanna gave me a bag of candies! Nerds and other gummy candies! (Alam na talaga mahilig ako sa maasim!) But this is my favorite! Hello kitty and then it's super sour! Haha, ang babaw ko talaga!

Too bad I was not able to take a "welfie" of me and my husband. I just find this picture cute, so I'm posting it now because this guy deserves a shout out. (Warning, extremely mushy post ahead) I know our married life have never been a walk in the park. Trials come along and it had been really hard for someone like me, who always sees the glass half empty when the going gets tough. But having you as the first person I see when I open my eyes and the last person I cuddle before I sleep makes everything easier. I know we will never have everything and sometimes pressure from other people makes our life harder, but your positive outlook towards the life ahead of us helps me to feel that it wouldn't hurt to be positive. You inspire me to be better everyday. You are always there to listen when I rant about emotional stress. You have been my secret keeper, my husband, my best friend. Your love is more than enough for me to keep going. I love you and I will always thank the good Lord for the day that you've sen't me the message "Hi Niki, si John to, kamusta na?". 

Last night, before we sleep, I hugged my husband tight and told him, you are the best gift that God gave me bi. And then he hugged me back, touched my tummy and said, no, this is the best gift. And then I said, "diba bigay mo yan sakin? haha" And then he answered, "si Lord ang nagbigay nyan sa atin." And just like that, I am reminded again of the blessing that God has given us. He had been so good to us that we are having our baby despite the hardships that we experienced before that. Now I have more reasons to give back. :)

And that's all folks, it is indeed one of the simplest birthdays that I had. But it is the most important so far because of this baby growing inside me that will always remind me of how blessed I am.


Much love,

(birthday selfie :P)