Thursday, February 21, 2013

The one with the cancelled baby showers

During my 35th week checkup last week, I complained to my OB that I feel sharp pains when I walk, andTMI alert!that my vajayjay aches like it's been hit by a bowling ball. I've been feeling those discomforts since my 33rd week. After doing an internal exam, my doctor confirmed that Audrey has lightened (dropped into the pelvic cavity) and her head is already engaged (in position near the cervix). While this doesn't necessarily mean that I'll be giving birth sooner, the doctor told me to rest until I reach full term/37 weeks (1st week of March) so my cervix won't open early. I'm still experiencing sharp, shooting pains when I get up and walk around, so I'm now on partial bed rest. My activities are now limited to the bed, the desk (yep, still working), the dining table, and the bathroom.

Because of this, I have to cancel everything on my social calendar for the next few weeks. My high school barkada planned a shower for this Saturday that I bailed on because I can't get up to go around, and I'm kinda bummed about it because they never got to see me pregnant. I also have another one scheduled for March 10 that I'm also cancelling because I might be at the hospital or my baby might already be here by then. My college barkada has yet to set a date for my 3rd shower, but I told them not to bother anymore.

While I'm a teeny bit disappointed, I'm also excited because instead of baby showers, we can have "meet-the-baby" parties instead! And now that I think of it, it seems like an even better idea. My friends will get to meet Audrey right away instead of at her christening which isn't until she's a few months old. I'm not expecting any visitors at the hospital since I'm giving birth in the faraway kingdom of Las Piñas, so having my friends come over once baby girl is out sounds perfect.

Even while planning the showers, I told my friends that I just want a get-together and they don't have to worry about getting us gifts. Abet and I already have the essentials covered, plus we received a bunch of stuff over the holidays. I just want to spend quality time with my nearest and dearest friends—people who will love my baby—more than anything. And now, since we're having "meet Audrey" gatherings instead, I'll get to hang out with my friends and my baby! I can't wait!

*image from here

Monday, February 18, 2013

The one with the spoiled Ate

I'm now staying at my parents' home full-time, and I'm absolutely loving it here! Abet and I used to shuttle back and forth between Las Piñas (my parents') and Sampaloc (which is so much nearer UST where Abet works), but lately my preggy belly and I are staying put in Las Piñas. Abet still stays in Sampaloc most days of the week because they're preparing for a concert this weekend and rehearsals don't end until late in the evening, but by next week he'll be here with me as we wait for Audrey to arrive. We'll be staying here until after I give birth because God knows I'll need my mother around to help me care for a newborn.

I never realized just how much I missed my parents' home. Don't get me wrong, I will forever treasure the pre-baby time Abet and I spent together, just the two of us, in our tiny rented home in Sampaloc. But coming from a home with 4 siblings and more pets than I could count with my fingers, I missed the chaos. I missed the constant bantering and joking and singing. I missed the very noisy family meals. It feels good to be back! Good luck to you, Audrey. You're up for a whole lotta craziness when you arrive.

What I'm loving most right now is how utterly spoiled I am. My parents dote on me, but that's kinda expected—their baby girl is having a baby girl after all. My mom cooks/buys every single thing I ask for. But to have my younger siblings spoil me? I'm enjoying every minute of it. I'll enjoy it while it lasts. I love how I can boss them all around, haha! I also love how they get me whatever I want. I just text them my 'request' while they're in school, and I get my bola-bola siopao/Mineshine/pineapple juice/sampaloc candy/buko shake or whatever it is I ask for when they get home. My sister May, future OB-GYN, isn't very easy to ask food from, though; she's very strict with my sugar intake. She does buy me milk tea when I ask her, and she goes with me to doctor's appointments if Abet can't. And I know she'll spoil my baby the most. May and my brother Mako, who are both RNs/med students, also take care of monitoring my blood pressure.

All this attention from my family is definitely one of the best things about being pregnant. Add to that the attention I get from my dearest husband and it's more than enough to make little papansin ol' me happy. I only have a few weeks of being pregnant left—Audrey's coming in 2-5 weeks!—don't blame me for enjoying it as much as I can while it lasts.



Saturday, February 9, 2013

The one with the non-dragon baby


With the Chinese New Year coming up, I am reminded of a comment someone said to me shortly after I announced my pregnancy. She asked when my baby was due, and when I said that I'm to give birth March of this year, she said, "Sayang, di umabot na dragon baby ang anak mo."

Erm.

Okay, first of all, Abet and I are both not Chinese. We have no interest in horoscopes and Chinese astrology. I don't even know what animal sign Abet falls under. I know I was born in the Year of the Dog, but I have no idea what my personality is supposed to be like, who I'll be compatible with, or what profession is best for me. I don't care.

Most importantly, of course Abet and I are not going to have a dragon baby. Neither of us is a Targaryen. I'm a Lannister while he's a Stark, so say the quizzes we've taken. Not that we need a quiz to figure that out.

If that last paragraph didn't make any sense to you, there's still time to watch the first two seasons of Game of Thrones before the third season starts next month. It's seriously one of the best TV shows ever ever ever (maybe second best ever -- next to FRIENDS).

I do have a very good reason why I'm glad that Audrey will be a snake baby out of all the signs, but I'll save that for another blog post.

*image from here

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

The one with the nursery ideas

Early in my pregnancy, I spent countless hours browsing Pinterest and Houzz to get ideas on how to turn the spare room in our home into a nursery. I fantasized about what paint colors, baby furniture, and decor to get. I was so fascinated with nurseries that you'd think we'd have Audrey's room all set by now. We don't, and we only have less than two months to go.

We will be sharing our room with our baby, so it's not really going to be a nursery. Now that I'm about to give birth, I can't imagine having a nursery like the ones I see online where the parents' bed is not in the same room. So, what we'll do is to turn our room into the baby's room with our bed squeezed in.

We have decided to get a crib after all. We'll do without a bed frame for now and just have our mattress on the floor, I feel that it's much safer that way. That leaves us with just enough space for storage for Audrey's stuff, either a cabinet or a chest/changing table. Abet's and my cabinet is getting kicked out.

We were supposed to have the room painted over the holidays while my husband and brothers were on school break, but we never got around to it. It was mainly because I could not decide on the colors. I have now finalized my choices: light gray, white, and baby pink.


Above is the look I want to go for, except that it's going to be pink instead of blue. I wish the crib we're getting is white, but the one we want is only available in natural wood. I'm also going to do those white letters.

Here are other pink nursery looks I'm loving:







I'll try to incorporate the elements I like in the images above in our room.

We start painting the room this weekend, and I have already started on my craft projects. Can't wait to blog about what we come up with!