Day after Tomorrow : Ceasarian operation on July 8, 2010

Only a day before I get to meet my baby! As I have said in my previous posts, I am excited yet scared to hell...the doctor said that my cervix is still close, as in C-L-O-S-E, last Saturday when I went to see her for the weekly check-ups. So then she decided, without my approval, to have me undergo the C-sect operation on the 8th of July (she even chose the date, probably, a lucky day for the Chinese!). After much thought and prayer, I decided probably it is best to have the C-sect than go through a normal delivery and then have an emergency c-sect which will cost a bit more money and more damages. (of course, normal delivery may cause a tear but then eventually I'll end up being cut anyways). So, yes..I will go for a Ceasarian section, although a longer recuperation is needed, to see my baby Sean and for Joevy to be able to see his pictures because on the 8th of July, they are still in the hotel in Texas and has access to internet and facebook.  

Right now, I am still at work for my boss postponed his trip to Qatar, so I was obliged to work today but will start  my maternity leave tomorrow, in time for my last check up and ultrasound before I deliver my little one.

I will be posting pictures soon...and I am sooooo excited!!! I'll be needing prayers for my safe delivery.

ciao!

Missing hubby, inauguring Noynoy : 15 more days to go..

15 days more or maybe less before I get to meet my baby! Here's to a super duper excited mom...excited yet scared for the pain but all moms said that the agony is very much worth it. Upon seeing and holding your baby, it' s like love at first sight.  However, I already love Sean even if I haven't seen him personally yet. I guess that's how maternal love is!

My hubby left for the Philippines (again!) yesterday. I wasn't able to send him to the airport because I had to stay for work and my boss is here in Bangkok (he's usually in Qatar), so I had no excuse to be out for the day :( . He really loved the teeny weeny guitar that I bought for him in the market...so cute and I love it that he's crazy about it! He was carrying two guitars when he boarded his flight and now he's already in the Philippines waiting for the agency's call, probably before July 3 for him to join the ship Libre in Texas. I am missing him totally!

Today is President Noynoy's inauguration ceremony...majority of the Filipinos are crossing our fingers for the improvement of our economy and eradication of corruption in our country. But of course, he's no superman...but at least there's hope and in hope we thrive.

On Joevy's Bangkok arrival after his training : 21 days to go...

Yehey! I feel ecstatic...why? Because this evening my hubby will arrive from Manila for a few days stay here in Bangkok. Even for a few days, I am willing to spend like 7,000 Baht just to see and be with him. I miss him so much! I just hope that during the days that he's here, I will be able to deliver Baby Sean normally so that his daddy  will see him during his birth. I pray Thee oh God!

I am now scheduled on a weekly visit to my OB, so this Saturday, Joevy will accompany me again..yey! I love being with my hubby...don't get me wrong, friends like Marie and Abhie are also well appreciated for accompanying me to my doctor but still, a husband is a husband. *grin*

Last night, I watched the movie Shrek Forever After (probably the last sequel of Shrek), a little blurry on some of the scenes because it's not a DVD copy yet but still it was fun  though I wasn't able to finish it because I had to sleep at 10 pm so I guess I'll finish it this evening while waiting for my dear Joevy to arrive.

Countdown begins : 24 days to go...

I am now counting the days till I meet my baby Sean...so freaking excited yet scared!!!  I visited my OB last Saturday together with Marie and Abhie (thanks to their support and kindness) and the nurse placed me in a bed attached to a machine detecting my baby's heart rate and how often he moves inside the womb.  The doctor concluded that Sean was asleep that time because his movement wasn't that often as compared as when we were in the taxi heading home.  But as far as the check up was concerned, everything is better, according to Dr. Ratchananikom and I am happy for that! However, the nurse said that probably Sean's head is still in my right side (his favorite spot) and he has not drop yet...so most likely(and I'm praying against this) I may have a Caesarian section.  C-sect operation, aside from being so expensive takes longer time to heal and I hate  that since we are not financially prepared for that and I want to hold my baby as often as I could after I deliver him.

On news regarding my hubby, he already got the US visa and I am so thankful to God for it.  Though, we don't know yet if he is given a multiple or single visa entry.  He is having his ISM training this week and I soooooooo miss him. He will probably join his crewmates on the 3rd of July, same day of Marie's departure for the Philippines.

On news about me, I went shopping for fashion accessories in Chinatown for Floi's business. I really enjoyed it because of the inexpensive prices...in less than 2,000 Baht, I was able to buy plenty of items. I know Floi will be glad with these items.

On Happines and Sadness : 30 days more to go...whew!

It's been five days since my hubby left for the Philippines. I still feel lonely but is on the process of adjusting now... I am happy though, that he is doing well there, busily preparing his documents and participating in medical exams and trainings to prep himself for his on board probably by the end of this month. We are short in finance though...sigh, I will be giving birth without much savings, fortunately for us, Bhe and Jesher will lend their wedding money to pay for the hospital bills and hopefully pay them back before October. That is such a big relief because I am not sure if Ms. Anne will be able to give us back the money we invested in time for the birth. (fingers-crossed!)

I am so happy this morning upon reading the message of Vanessa (Nadia - another Doman mom), she is also a Filipina and she's willing to share tips on how she was able to successfully teach her daughter, Cammie into early reading.  I immediately replied and I am hoping that she'll get in touch with me again.

Auntie Jude, Cocoy and Ate Jing are in my house since the weekend. Except for Ate Jing, they are bound for the Philippines this evening  after 3 weeks of vacation.  I also learned last Saturday that Ate Jing is now separated from her hubby of more that 7 years (I think...). Sad, how love can start quite wonderfully yet end up in separation, much to the hurt and pain of their children.  However, that was their decision to make..probably, it's  best for both of them.

Leaving On A Jetplane : 36 more days to go...

Tears. These definitely cleanses the eyes and helps in easing your chest when you bear a great burden or sorrow.

I shed a lot of tears at the wee hours of this morning because my hubby is bound for the Philippines today to report to their office for work. Another ship, another contract, another year, another adventure. He is suppose to be used to this kind of job, but today it's different. The difference lies to his status, in his previous voyages, he was still single...but now, he's soon going to be a dad and he will miss the opportunity of hearing his baby's first cry. I will give birth in a month's time and that is also his reason for leaving, for us to be able to pay the hospital bills and the baby stuff needed. Sad...but ces't la vie!

Together with Marie, I send Joevy off to the airport, had a late breakfast there first and then he proceeded to the immigration counter. As of now, probably the plane is taking off....taking with it the happiness that Joevy gave me for the past couple or so months.  Luckily, I have my baby Sean with me...he will give me joy while Joevy is away. Plus, friends and relatives are always there to support and take care of me.

Yesterday, I listed some things that I will miss about my hubby, here goes:

I will miss...

• the breakfast, dinner and sometimes lunch that he usually prepares for me
• him picking and sending me to my workplace
• the way he massages and applies hot compress to my feet
• the way he passionately plays his guitar
• his being a facebook addict ( wala na akong kaagaw!)
• him making comical scenes and the jokes he cracks before bedtime
• his hugs, cuddles and kisses all over my face
• his way of telling a story to baby Sean
• his never-ending and repeated stories
• his mockery ( I remember how he said  that I now look like a mammoth....yet a beautiful one...grrr!)
• his way of putting gel/clay on his hair
• and a lot lot more...

I MISS EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM and it makes me sad...but I know I have to be strong for my baby. I need to think of happy thoughts alone!!! So help me God.

Defying Sadness : 44 more days to go...

My father went home to Bicol after 3 months of vacation here in Thailand. I feel sad yet happy at the same time. Sad because my dad has been very helpful, encouraging and an inspiration when he was here but happy also because my mom has been missing him for quite some time and now they'll be together.  My dad left on the 27th of May and my hubby's birthday was on the 28th. We then, had a little gathering...cooked some food (of course my hubby's famous kinilaw was served!), ate a heartful and sent my dad to the airport. We were a little anxious though, because curfew has not been lifted yet and it starts at 12 midnight, so we had to hurry heading back home.

That was last week.

Today, I feel a little sad again because my Joevy will be leaving next week to start another contract with the agency.  The ship that he will be assigned to has a worldwide route and that means  weeks or even months of no communication. Sad, sad, sad....I will be delivering my baby without him by my side and probably baby Sean will see his father when he is almost a year old..sigh!

I am missing my hubby beginning now and he knows it....but we need the money for the baby, that's why we do not have a choice. :(

Healthy baby at 7 months and a week : 52 more days to go...

The war has ended, thank God Almighty! However, huge losses are in store for the Thai economy, what's with the burning down of Central World and Center One among other establishments burned.  The protesters had gone too far, if they are really the ones who perpetrated those cruel actions.  However, some of their leaders had surrendered to the Thai government and hopefully the peace will be restored continuously.  The sky and subway trains had resumed their services since yesterday and we were able to take those transportation when we went to Jatujak market to buy the accessories that Floi has requested us to purchase.  It wasn't an easy task looking for some specific bracelet/necklace designs...we walked around the huge vicinity with the sun shining above us and we were sweating heavily.  We found a few items worthy of purchase but t'was a little expensive than the first batch that I sent to Floi a few weeks ago.  But then, that was her request so I guess she has to bear with us.

After 3 or 4 hours of looking for accessories, we went to Jatujak Mall and found a small shop that has similar items as with the designs Floi has sent through email.  Although, a little expensive, we bought the said items.  We arrived home at around 8:30 pm (scared of the curfew imposed at 11 pm), wet from the heavy downpour and extremely tired. ( I'm 13 kilos bigger now...I felt so heavy). We slept like babies afterward...waking up at 6:00 am.

I admire and love Joevy more because of his patience and support with my endeavors. What's with all the shopping? Other guys would have complained of the long hours of roaming and looking for shops. But my  guy, no way...he is just as loving and caring.  He even expressed his opinions on some of the items purchased and he was really hands-on with the shopping spree. I so love my husband!

By the way, I went to visit my obstetrician, Dr. Ratchanikorn last Saturday in Sukhumvit Hospital. She checked the baby's heartbeat ( which is very good...kudos to my baby, yay!) and measured the size of my belly...(man, it's getting huge now). She gave me additional folic acid for baby Sean's brain development and calcium for the baby's bone and teeth strength.

Can't wait to see my little bundle of joy...7 weeks more.

Bangkok in shambles : 55 more days to go...

Bangkok --- a once peaceful, tourists-loving city was turned into a war zone since last Thursday, May 14, 2010. 51 death toll had been reported plus 1,500 were injured. Central World and Center One in Victory monument collapsed from fire and 30+ more establishments were tried to put in flames, luckily, the loss is not as huge as caused in Central World.  The red shirt leaders had surrendered yesterday but still chaos was continued even in the provinces. Curfew had been imposed for two nights now and will be continued until Saturday night.

It is too depressing...lives and properties were lost just for the sake of re-establishing Thaksin Shinawatra to his former position as Prime Minister or probably he has plans to overthrow the monarchy, that I don't know...but one thing I am sure of, the peace-loving folks of this nation is mourning for what had happened recently. 

Now we are back in the office, after days that it has been closed.  Everybody is hoping to can go back to their normal lives of living freely and peacefully here. 

Let us all continually kneel and pray for the restoration of peace in Thailand.

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My dear husband is anxious to go back to work now that our financial resource is getting low and the birth of the baby is imminent.  Sad, that he'll be away but I think it good for us since we never can really predict what will happen...like if I will be delivering normally or by C-section( Lord, forbid!)

I am so in love with my baby now...I never thought I will love someone that I have not seen yet, but a mother's love is way way deep and profound.  I love you baby Sean Harvey, hope I can be a good mother to you.

On Bangkok Chaos : 59 more days to go...

Bangkok is in chaos! Red shirt protests have emerged again last March and continued until now...but since Thursday, the peaceful rally had turned into violence.  One of their rouge leader had been shot in the head and it triggered the attacks between the Thai military and the protesters.  Skytrain and subway transportation were suspended until further notice. Schools, supposedly opening today has been extended till next week. Even some of my colleagues here in the office didn't come because of transportation difficulties.  Most of the roads in the Central Bangkok district have been closed and sealed off as danger/war zones. As I have seen on tv and read on the news, bullets are fired, tires are burned and the casualty has been increasing...the latest I've read, the death toll was 35 and more than 200+ injured. 

Whew! We are all affected here..although not that huge on me because I'm located a little farther from the danger zones, but still it's stressing and depressing.  We never know what will happen next especially as I read today that their leader just died (the one who was shot last Thursday), and I think this will instill more anger on the protesters.  Anyways, I just hope that the Thai government and the Red shirt protesters come into a compromise and end this chaos.

Glee, Elections, Etc. : 63 more days to go...

Here I am, with loads of free time but finding myself so lazy to add a new post in this blog. My blogaziness again! So now, I am forcing myself to scribble a few lines just to add a new article. Anyways, my boss is away on a long business trip (like 20+ days) to Qatar so I find myself always watching the series Glee!  I love the series! It's musical with a simple plot...but what I like most are their musical presentations and how their choice of songs fit the story of the series.  Well, it's another way to bide time here in the office...because I have nothing to do except watch the results of the 2010 Philippine presidential elections online or be on guard if the Suea Daeng (red shirt protesters)do something damaging (again!) to the Thai economy.  However, in my 7th month gestation, I guess doing nothing is way better than laboriously doing hard work that may affect our baby gwapo.

Baby update: He's kicking real hard, like a football player! Sometimes, he is like running a 100 meter dash run. There are times, he continues to kick for several minutes. I love the feeling, and my hubby too! 

My body is HUGE and I have edema now! The websites and preggy books say that it's normal as long as the swelling is not severe and does not include my face. So I am still okay with this..I just don't want to develop pre-eclampsia because that would mean a few more thousand bucks to add to our budget...deliver budget that we don't have yet. O God, please help us!

On My 30th Birthday : 70 more days to go...

May 4, 2010 marked my 30th birthday...yep, not in the 20's anymore! I hope I just don't age but I really get wiser and more mature as the years go by.  Probably so, since now that I am 30, I have the sweetest husband in the world and I am carrying his boy! Such blessings, I can't start to fathom and thank for. Gifts that only God can give and sustain...Thank you Lord for all the blessings that you have bestowed upon me.

Financially, I had nothing on my birthday, but emotionally full! My day was complete with my hubby waking me up after 12 midnight just to greet me a happy birthday and pull out his self-made gift from the drawer. Aaaahhh...so touchy! Another thing, he cooked lunch for me and brought it here in the office. Isn't he thoughtful? I really love my hubby and I love the way he treats me. Beats no one! All right, probably you readers, are fed up of the flattery I am giving my dear Joevy, sorry! It's just that I can't help it... I just hope that he will be like this for the longest time and that our love will never end. (Okay, I'm so damn corny now...I know!)My apologies! 

One word to describe my 30th birthday ---- COMPLETE!!!

Baby Shower : 75 more days to go...

Last Sunday, a baby shower was held for me and my hubby for the arrival of our baby boy. I was stressed! Stressed from the preparation....questions like,what sort of things to buy, what food should we prepare, who will go to the market popped up in my mind.You see, whenever I plan for an event, I make sure it is well-planned and that things can go on smoothly. However, with this one, I was not sure as to what to do because I thought Marie will be the one to prepare for everything. I was a little disappointed, as a matter of fact. Why? Because as to the food preparation, we had done most of it. Luckily, my family and relatives were there to help, if not, we wouldn't have made it till 4 pm that afternoon.  In all fairness to Marie, she was really busy with her school requirements. My sentiment is just that, if she knew she will be that busy, she should have moved the event to another convenient date. Well, the party is over and everything went on smoothly.

Anyways, we finished preparing the food at around 3 pm and was able to get the Leche flan from Sinar Bromo ship in time. We waited for the guests to come, they came in batches at around 5 pm and so we started the games at 5:30 pm. As hosted by Marie, the games were fun, of course! The food was great, thanks to the cooks and helpers like Papa, Joevy, Baby, Bless, Bing, Edmar, Grace and Marie.

Gifts and well-wishes were given by friends. I will attach photos of the gift to help me remember as to who gave those presents. Because you see, as I read from the book I borrowed from Lot (The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy), after delivering the baby, moms are forgetful and they tend to forget the things that happened while they were pregnant. So I must record everything!

That's it for now...ciao!

Shopping for Baby Sean! 76 more days to go...

I went shopping yesterday worth more than 10,000 baht and I don't feel guilty about it! Haha...well, it's for my baby Sean! Oh, did I mention that I will be delivering a boy?!?! Yep, we went to Sukhumvit Hospital last Saturday and met my new OB-Gyne (who is very nice, by the way) and I had my second ultrasound. My OB pointed to the monitor twice to stress out that we are having a boy by showing the baby's penis. I was a little surprised actually, all along we had been convinced that it's a girl because most of my relatives and friends told us so. However, it's the opposite yet I am still ecstatic because Joevy wants a boy for him to be able to play basketball with in his growing years.

Well, my topic is regarding the shopping I had last night. You see, my friend Lot advertised that she's selling baby items in craigslist.com yet I had no idea that it was her. I just got  interested because she was selling the things in less than half the price. Brands like Avent, Gap,Guess and other signature baby's clothes  were up on sale. So I immediately emailed her (without any idea as to who the seller was) and she surprised me with her reply that it was actually her. We exchanged emails regarding the details of the items as well as she gave me some pregnancy  tips. So we went to her home yesterday and picked up 8-bags full and almost 11,000 worth of baby things. My baby now has so many clothes...I think it will be enough until he's almost more than a year old. The baby clothing were so cute, they are like doll's clothes. I enjoyed the trip going to Lot's house as they were accommodating, including her sister, and the kids were just beautiful!

We went home later excited to see the baby clothes once again.

Things That Change When You Have A Baby: 84 more days to go...

I love this article which is very applicable to me and to most moms. An excerpt that I got from babycenter.com.

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What changes when you have a baby? A better question may be: What doesn't change? Here, writer and mom Rebecca Woolf lists her most notable post-baby observations.

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

Huh! The power of being a super duper mom... nothing compares! Thank you, dear mother for bringing me out into this world, and now my turn has come and I hope I can qualify to your standards in rearing my dear little one.

On Right Brain Learning : 87 days more to go...

I am at the moment reading the forum section of Brillbaby.com. Very informative! I learned that a baby, as small as it is can learn extensively. The baby will digest learning math, reading and any other stuff that  you put in his/her right brain.  Babies are like sponges, they can absorb anything even when they are not focused on your teaching.  I have read testimonies and seen youtube proofs of babies reading whole words (not only ABC's, take note!) and these motivated me into teaching my unborn child on how to be able to read even as an infant.

There are several ways that can be used in teaching babies, there is the Doman method (by far, the most popular), Shichida and Henguru method (Japanese-based) as well as the use of Tweedlewink and Your Baby Can Read videos. I don't have them at all :( but I am preparing a set of few flashcards to show to my baby once she gets 4 months old.  Just  simple flashcards and powerpoint presentation to show the picture of the word plus the word itself. I am just thankful that I have a lot of free time at work to be able to make these flashcards, problem lies with printing and laminating it... :(  Anyways, I'll be able to sort it out.

My hubby and I still have this problem as to where I should deliver the baby. Yesterday,  I tried to surf the net for the nearest and most convenient hospitals but I have not done any decision yet. I'm nearing my 7th month of pregnancy so I better hurry otherwise they won't accept my condition there.

Songkran Vacation 2010 : 88 more days....(I skipped some days, sorry!)

I wonder how many days left now...I had been out of the office for the whole week (except half day last Monday) because of the Songkran holidays.  The rest from work was fulfilling, I'll give you a recap of last week's highlights:

Monday - I went to work but only a few employees reported in because most of my colleagues already used their vacation leave to be able to go to their hometowns and visit their relatives; thus, my boss told us around midday that we are free for the afternoon. So I went home and had a sumptuous lunch(sweet and sour fish) that my hubby prepared. 

Tuesday - off to Rayong we went, we left at around 9 am but was able to reach Baan Chang at past 3 pm. We got lost. (*grin) It was actually only a 3-hour ride for those who know the way. All five of us in the car, Mike, Michelle, Marie, me and Joevy just laughed it out when we got confused of the route and had to u-turn several times just to make it to Baan Chang. After several hours drive and hungry stomachs later, we were able to meet the very accommodating couple, Michelle(another Michelle) and Richie. Starving, we went straight to the beach to have a late seaside lunch. The prices of the food were skyrocket high, so we settled on a few dishes and consoled ourselves that we will just have another meal at another place later to save a few bahts.

After lunch, we took a rest at our accommodation till sunset and had a delicious dinner outside the couple's apartment. We ate grilled fish and stir-fried vegetables...hmmm, that was some dinner indeed!

Wednesday - We woke up at 5:30 am to Marie's summon of spending sunrise at the beach. Around 6:30, some of us were already taking photos of the scenery while some were enjoying their swim.  I didn't swim because I don't fancy sea water...too salty for me! Later that morning, we went to a beach pool in one of the subdivisions in Baan Chang, and the place was awe-striking!!! It's like an oasis...there is a pool surrounded by coconut trees with a crystal clear water. Joevy and I spent the rest of the morning dipped in the water that is why our skin is a little tanned. It's alright...I enjoyed every moment in that refreshing pool! After a nap, we headed for Bangkok...oooppps, not that fast, we went astray again but finally found the road back to Bangkok. Quite an experience for us!

Thursday -  Last day of Songkran festival, so together with my family and relatives, we went to Nana to join the splashing of water, which is their way of celebrating Songkran! To pour, splash, spray,sprinkle water....for the Thai people, it's a blessing! You are blessed by receiving water and well-wishes from your relatives and vice versa.  However, to most, especially to farangs ( foreigners), it means fun, fun, fun!!!! Some would even put wet powder on your face...I really don't get it's meaning but I just thank them whenever they put them on my face. There were some questioning looks as I passed by...probably they wondered as to what a pregnant lady doing there...maybe they were worried that I might slip and that could be dangerous for me and my baby. So after a few splashes, I settled on a chair at the roadside and just had fun watching the crowd have fun. We went home soaked, tired yet happy.

Friday - I dyed my hair golden brown....oopps, another no-no for a preggy lady but my stubbornness got the better of me. So here I am, with a different-colored hair.

Saturday - I had diarrhea since late Friday afternoon, probably got it from Hot Pot restaurant or maybe from the milk that my hubby bought from 7-eleven. Whichever the cause, it still gave me an awkward feeling... Joevy laughed at my dilemma (grrrr!). Due to that, we went to church late. After the service, I exchanged smiles and greetings to friends, had lunch, then headed home.  Joevy played basketball in the evening...not so good game for him.

Sunday - spent the last day of vacation at home.

So that 's my whole Songkran vacation...

By the way, did I mention that I asked my baby of her gender? She told me she's a girl...(she answered by kicking!) Therefore, I will name her Samantha Nicole Sayloon.  She has been kicking hard and strong on my right side. I and my hubby feels elated whenever she kicks strongly. I will post pictures when we have our internet connection at home.

Ciao!

Boy or Girl, What's Your Guess? 98 days more to go...

Thank God it's Friday! My hubby and Papa will be here early tomorrow morning and probably we may be able to go to church after their arrival. 

Last night, I bought a second hand stroller...but I am not really happy with it, it was a little old although the previous owner informed me that it was only used for two months. The brand is Cool Kids with grey and red as colors, it is still functioning well but a little dirty so instead of bringing it home, I dropped it by the nearby dry cleaning shop hoping a little magic will do and it will look clean and fancier.  Now I am regretting of not buying the Camera brand in Central Latphrao, actually, it matches the playpen that Ms. Anne had given us, sigh! Well, at least I was able to save 2,000 baht from buying the new one.

We really have to save money for the baby. Babies are cute and wonderful, but they also come costly. What with the diapers they use every month and the milk that they intake. I really hope I will be able to breastfeed for a maximum of 1 year. I will be able to save a lot if my baby will be breastfed.  I felt the baby flutter just now, he/she is kicking stronger now and it's really awe-inspiring when the baby does that.

As to the baby's gender, we still do not know since we have not done the ultrasound again yet. Joevy wants a son but he said that if it's a girl, then we are also blessed because that is a gift. For me, any gender will do as long as the baby is healthy and complete. Prayer is the key, I always ask God to take care of my offspring and help him/her to be healthy.

99 days more to go...wow!

99 days more to go and I am going to meet my baby! Wow, less than a hundred days...time flies so fast! 

I woke up alone in bed, my hubby is on his way to Laos with Papa for a two-month visa run. It is quite sad when you miss someone. I am so used to having Joevy at my side...if he can help it, he would not want to leave me. He will be gone for 3 days but I really miss him... I miss his kakulitan and his way of taking care of me. What more when he has to leave for another ship and that means more than 7 months of separation... I don't want to think about it yet. Not yet.

My baby has been kicking hard these last few days, I bet he/she is enjoying our quiet time as mother and child. I get to read the Bible stories every night and listen to children's music / classical music to him/her.  Last night, I also was able to practice Yoga for pregnant women..it was quite fun although some are a little difficult for me since it's my first time to do Yoga. I still need a lot of practice.

Hospital Hopping : 100 more days to go...

Wednesday. Holiday again for me....kidding! Well, I don't have to report for work today because I have an appointment with my OB at Petcharavej Hospital.  However, I still have to wake up early because the trip going to the hospital is farther now in my new place and I know that the waiting time in that hospital is very very long...I am not exaggerating, I have been going there for several months now, and I have to wait like four to five hours just to spend less than 10 minutes in the doctor's office.

I was expecting to have an ultrasound but I was disappointed, after waiting for 4 hours, my OB told me that I should have come earlier to be able to undergo ultrasound. What????I was early...I even came ahead of him, I saw him pass by when he came in, he was the one late, not me!! I was sad, tired and hungry by the time we were finished at 1 pm so I decided to inform him that I will be moving to another hospital, probably Rajvithi Hospital which is located near Victory Monument.  Due to my hunger, I got irritated with Joevy when he mistakenly bought a sandwich from 7-11 store with Pork Bologna as filling. I did not talk to him for several minutes but as comic as he was, he found it cute of me to be pouting like that...soon, I was able to get back to my normal mood. My hubby has a good way of making me smile.  After that drama, we took the taxi and went straight to Rajvithi Hospital, where, upon entering I found it to be so crowded and dirty. I was dismayed of the place so we thought of going to Police General Hospital after eating lunch.  I ate lunch alone since Joevy said that he was already full from the two sandwiches that he ate.  After lunch, we decided to go home instead of dropping by PGH because my hubby has to travel to Laos for his visa run that evening.

My father and Joevy left at 4 pm to catch the train for Laos.

Trip to Central Latphrao : 101 more days to go...

I am way behind my blog now and tomorrow is weekend again so that means another two days of not blogging. So I have to keep up....so here goes.

Tuesday...Wan Chakri, or Chakri day, I do not know who he is or what kind of holiday this is, but all I know is that I don't have to report for work. Thank you Thailand for your public holidays.  I got to spend the whole morning in bed with my hubby...cuddling, teasing each other, telling funny stories as well as laughing at my hubby's comic acts. I love spending time with him especially that he is only here for a month or two. How I wish we can always be together yet be able to have enough money to spend for our family...sigh!

In the afternoon, we prepared to go to Central Latphrao, where, as my colleagues informed me, has a big sale going on in almost all of the shops because the mall will be renovated by the end of this month. So off we went and true enough, huge discounts were given, however, signature names are way expensive so even though they give 70-80% discount, the prices are still high.

We ended up buying a pair of baby clothes and an Avent milk bottle. We weighed ourselves into buying the green Camera stroller for the baby but opted on buying it later on since maybe, just maybe, someone will be generous enough to give one.

Arrived home very tired and sweaty.

Plans for the Baby : 102 more days to go...

Beginning of the workweek again! I woke up at 6 am and entered the office at 7:30 am. Whoa..I am way early, early because the traffic was not congested since most of the schools are closed for vacation and it's almost Songkran festival..the happiest and most celebrated annual festival in Thailand.

I browsed Craigslist.com and saw an ad selling a stroller, I quickly emailed the address shown but unfortunately there was no reply. Too bad...

We need a stroller for the soon-to-be born baby. Ms. Anne, already gave us a playpen, crib and walker and we are so thankful for them. We saved a lot by not buying those baby things...although we still need a lot of things for the baby but Marie informed me that I and my husband should buy after the baby shower since probably there will be gifts from the attendees. I am planning to hold the baby shower on May 5th and maybe it will also be a celebration of my birthday on the 4th as well as house warming. Hmm, I wonder how much will be spent on that party???

Stroll at King's Park/ Massage : 103 more days to go...

Sunday.  It's Easter, actually..but as Seventh-day Adventists, we don't really participate in that tradition. I do not even know why they hunt eggs on Easter :)

My hubby and I got out of bed late in the morning, we teased each other as soon as we woke up. Joevy is sooooo makulit! That's a Tagalog word for someone who is so playful...

After taking a bath, we went to the living room for our breakfast and soon after, we watched a movie while Marie and I continued on arranging our things which were messed up by our transfer. Thankfully, we are almost done with it.

After a delightful lunch and nap, we went for a stroll in King's Park...hmm, it's near our place now so we can go back  there anytime especially with the coming of our child, I bet my little one will love the place. With Kik, Bless, Bing taking the photos of the scenery, Joevy, Papa and I went to have some exercise with the body building/exercise instruments in the park. We were tired after the walk and so decided to have a soothing massage in Onnut.  

I had a very relaxing Thai massage, I am so thankful for my masseuse because she was extra careful in pressing my muscles because she knew beforehand that I am preggo. Joevy, on the other hand, later told me that he had a rough yet  also relaxing massage. 

We were so hungry and tired that's why after a late dinner in a restaurant in from of our apartment, we called it a day.

One Lazy Day: 104 more days to go...

Saturday morning - we were still in Elvira's place where we stayed after picking up my sister from the hospital. We had a hearty breakfast of fruits, fried rice and oatmeal (Bhe cooked them for us). After the meal, we headed for Bangkok.

We took the taxi going to BTS Morchit station, took the skytrain and rode another taxi going to Onnut soi 40. Tired...tired enough to go to church that Sabbath..so we just lazed around, slept, ate and kept some clothes in the closet.

I retired early for the night, probably still fatigued from the travel. My husband crept on the bed a little later and grumbled that I left him watching TV.

My Sister Had a Miscarriage : 105 days more to go...

Friday - still a work day. However, I opted in attending to my sister who has been hospitalized last night due to a miscarriage. She had a D & C at 8 pm and the doctors removed the remaining blood in her ovary. So I asked my boss for a day leave and he kindly agreed. Whew! We had no idea that my sister was pregnant, but before she left for the Philippines, we were already teasing her that she'll be preggy once she gets back here, and true enough, that' s what happened.  Sadly, the baby is gone. Maybe from exhaustion from her travel back and forth from Sukhumvit to her school and last Wednesday night, we move to a new place, remember? I gave my closet for her to use in her new flat, however, nobody was there to help Khun Puey carry that big cabinet, so probably, she was forced to extend a little hand. And that blew it...the next day, she bled... a lot! Luckily, some of her co-teachers brought her to the nearest hospital and there she was admitted for the night.

We arrived at Princess Sirindhorn hospital in Klong 16 at noon time. Boy, that was a long trip...I never expected it to be so far, but then we were thankful to reach that place safe.  Khun Puey picked us up in Future Park Rangsit and he brought us directly to the ward where Baby, my sister, was taking a rest. She had just finished her lunch and complained that it was egg again for lunch.

At around 2 pm, the doctor came and announced that she can go and take a rest at home. We paid the bill of almost seven thousand and headed for Katsy's place.  We bought some sweet pineapple and viand along the way.  Heat welcomed us as we entered the house, we turned on the 3 fans and opened the doors and windows to no avail.We were sweating like mad. After 2 hours, I asked Baby if she is strong enough to travel to Elvira's place in Rangsit, where it's way cooler to sleep because of the a/c. Fortunately for us, Suthep's girlfriend is heading the same direction, so we hitched a ride.

I had a good rest but my hubby didn't. He was a little jealous of someone :)

A New Place : 106 days more to go...

I did not do much in moving our things but I was dead tired last night. How much more the people who helped us?!?! My father, Joevy, Jesher, Bkik, Bing, Khun Puey, Baby, Marie's hired pick up driver, Marie, Elvira, Edan and his friends in our old place...whoa, they were sweating heavily. I cannot believe that I was able to acquire a lot of things in my 7 years of stay here in Thailand...but my belongings were nothing compared to Marie's :). I guess that is the result of the Thai baht having a high-buying power. Commodities here are noticeably cheaper than in the Philippines plus foreigners have the advantage of receiving a good salary.

They were able to finish the transfer at around 11 pm. Everyone was exhausted, so we called it a day.  Baby and her colleague, Khun Puey went back to Thanyaburi (another tiring long ride) whilst Elvira and Jesher went to Jesh's place for the night.

Thank you all for the help...I definitely would have accomplished nothing without your big hands.

On Moving Day : 107 days more to go...

We are ready to move to a our new place! Finally, no more sweats...problem only lies with my 1 month deposit, probably I won't be able to retrieve it since I told our old apartment's caretaker that we will be moving within a few days before we move.

Nette and Egay already moved out yesterday, taking with them all their things...it's just sad how things have turned out this way. Nette is such a good friend but with the control of her boyfriend, I bet she will lose everything around her. Feels so sorry for her.

My sister and her friend with the pick up truck will come and help us carry our things to our new place, so most likely we will be finished by night time.

I am really thankful for my husband and my dad who had packed all my things for me. I haven't done anything except select my shoes from the rack...lolz!  I am so blessed, really!

Thank you God for all these blessings!

The One with Nothing Much To Tell : 108 days to go...

Pregnancy changes...nothing much! Except that my tummy is getting heavier and bigger everyday, my meals are bulkier and more frequent, and I'm getting prettier by the minute....lolz!!! CHILL guyz, I just want to crack your face a little :)

Too quiet here in the office, most of the executives are in the meeting at the 2nd floor.

Last night, I was dead tired from walking around Seacon Square and from the bus ride going back home...I was sweating when I arrived home but bloated from the pizza and iced tea that Joevy and I shared in the Pizza Company. We even brought one whole box for Papa, Marie, Bing and Kik to eat.

My hubby had a hard time sleeping from all the iced tea that he drank...I feel so sorry for him, no more iced tea next time, my dear.

We will be moving to our new place tomorrow and I'm currently negotiating online as to who will take over in our apartment, for us to get our deposit of 4,000 baht.

Out for now..nothing much to tell.

One Beautiful Sunday : 109 more days to go...

A recap on yesterday's activities, 28 March 2010:

I went out for an early morning walk with my hubby. We bought bread,grapes, banana and milk for breakfast from Lotus Express, a nearby grocery store.  We also, were able to ask for some empty boxes. Empty boxes! Hmm.. we need loads of 'em, oh by the way, did I tell you that we will be moving to our new place? The apartment is located in Onnut Soi 40, a spacious two-bedroom unit..and did I mention it's fully air-conditioned? Good thing...because in our current apartment, no AC and I tell you it's hell! We are sweating all over whenever we are inside that flat plus the ambiance is not very healthy for my unborn baby. Rats are roaming outside plus ants are infesting us inside our house...GRRRRR!

Opppsss, this is all about yesterday... the blog is being diverted :)

Well, okay after the morning walk...we had our breakfast, took a shower and waited for Marie, Mike and Michelle to come and pick us up because Marie's family wanted to see the new place. We probably waited for 3 hours and then we headed to On nut...we waited for a long time because they met a slight accident..but luckily, no one was hurt. Only their car( well..Mike was hurt emotionally!)

So off we went to Piyada Place and the couple (Mike and Michelle) liked the unit...and we settled arrangements with the apartment's caretaker. A few minutes and grumbling stomachs later, we were on our way to the pizza parlor( Michelle was craving for it!). With my mistake in giving them directions, we ended up eating at MK restaurant. Sorry Mitch! Did I mention, Mike was caught by the police for swerving? He paid the police 200 Baht ( they were asking for 1000 baht)...

We went to the dentist for my monthly check-up after lunch.

Yesterday was also Edan's birthday/swimming party, my baby had a good exercise and good food.

It was also Lanie's birthday yesterday...happy birthday my dear bestfriend.

The One with the First Trimester : 110 days more...

1st Month

CLUELESS...I did not know that I was on the family way that time.

My life was a routine...weekdays, go to work while weekends are spent with my boyfriend by going around Bangkok or sleeping at Sinar Bromo ship and sometimes being able to attent violin class! Which reminds me that I haven't practiced for a long time now :( 

By the end of this month, I found out I was pregnant through the home pregnancy test and a week after that, together with Joevy, I went to an OB for an ultrasound. The baby's heartbeat was music to my ears, I can't seem to fathom how a miracle can happen within me. Simply amazing! (By the way, I forgot to ask for the print out of the ultrasound...bugger!)

2nd Month

Our WEDDING Month. There had been a lot of changes (with the venue and date of the wedding) but finally, we settled on December 12, 2009 in Novotel Bangna Hotel here in Bangkok. Most of the arrangements and decisions were made by me alone because my fiancee was always away at sea and a day present during the weekends. Luckily, I have family,friends and relatives who supported and helped me in the preparations plus my wedding planner did everything to make my wedding a bliss.

Thus, on the night of December 12, Joevy and I were matrimonially blessed by Pastor Donald with Hawaiian as our theme. My bridesmaids and groomsmen danced to the tune of Pearly Shells & Tiny Bubbles. Really nice and unique!

The food was okay, they said...though I wasn't able to 'really' taste it because of the activities led by our emcee/bridesmaid/coordinator, Marie. Thank you all, guys!

3rd Month

Most of my colleagues now know that I am preggy... and they have been asking me every now and then if I am having difficulty with my 1st trimester (Phae mai?). Fortunately no...at first I expected it but then my sisters told me that when they were bearing my nephews and niece, they also did not experience morning sickness. I guess it runs in the blood and I'm thankful for my mom's blood for that :) The only thing was, I was always sleepy at work and always craving for food..any kind of food especially strawberries (well, strawberries were craved for only a week). I just love munching...up until now. Good luck to my body weight! Hope I will be able to get back to my shape once I deliver my baby. Crossing my fingers!

The One Where I Found Out I Was Preggy : 111 days to go...

I missed my period for several days...that didn't disturb me much since my menstruation is usually late for a few days...but days turned to weeks and finally I spotted a brownish discharge in my undies one day and that got me into worrying.  My then boyfriend regularly called when their ship was docked in Malaysia or Singapore and everytime that he called, I poured out my fear of the possibility of carrying a child.

Anxious.

We planned to finally use the home pregnancy test...oopps, two pink lines! The piece of stick was shouting P-O-S-I-T-I-V-E at us!!!!

At first, I was confused as to what to do when I found out I was pregnant...should I be happy or sad?  What if my boyfriend then, refuse his paternity of this unborn baby? Luckily for me, he didn't have hesitations (or probably a little...he just didn't show it) as to what to do...he said that soon we should get married. Marriage??? Was I prepared for that? Well, at my age of 29, most people would think I should have a long time ago...but personally, that time I still felt so immature and irresponsible. Am I ready to be a mom?A BIG question.

Worried.

Weeks passed and Joevy assured me that he will always love and be there for me...and that this child is a blessing for both of us.  He always reminded me that maybe this is his destiny and he's glad about it. Who would have thought that he will be able to find a woman from another country when Philippines has plenty of them?  His kind words and comfort were honey to my ears and that made my heart at ease.

Relieved.

My Baby's Daddy : 112 days to go...

My husband is a sailor by profession with the rank of Able Seaman (AB), his  previous salary was fair enough but then it can be higher if he will go with a worldwide-routing ship. However, that also means that we will not be able to see each other for several months, probably a year and that is kinda difficult since the baby is on the way and I tend to always miss him.  Anyways for now, my hubby is having his vacation here with me, maybe for a month or so and that is enough reason for me to be happy everyday.

Since he came last Sunday night, 21st of March 2010, he is the sweetest person around.  He cooks breakfast and dinner for me, he cleans my house and picks me up from my work.  Just like what my friend said (who is also a sailor's wife), seafarers as husbands, treat you like a princess when they are on vacation.  Probably because, they are making up for the lost time that they are apart from their wives. Well, that one is true for me and I'm so thankful and blessed for my husband.

He is so excited to be a dad and meet his child. He feels elated whenever the baby kicks. I am sure Joevy will be a very good and responsible dad.

Thank you my dear hubby...I LOVE YOU!

Baby websites : 113 days to go...

I am a working pregnant lady yet I am lucky enough that my job is light and most of the time I am just browsing the internet.  I am only needed whenever I have to type an email in English, draft a letter or sometimes translate a word or two or look for their synonyms, quite easy right?

That kind of work gives me a lot of free time to browse the internet and ever since I knew that I was on the family way, I looked for helpful information relating to pregnancy and motherhood.

Here are some of the websites that I find informative:

1. www.brillbaby.com

 - A site that tells us that a baby can learn reading and Math as early as 4 months, this is a very informative site with some free downloadable resources but with Little Reader and Little Math, you have to purchase it.  I am also a member of the forum and I gained a lot of insights from the mothers there.

2. www.llli.org

- This site is a good source for breastfeeding mothers.  Breastfeeding importance, problems and their solutions are identified here.

3. http://drsearsfamilyapproved.com/

- Nutrients for your baby are found in this site. I especially like Omega 3 and some other kind of fish oil. Other information are also available regarding raising a child.

4. http://www.kids-pages.com

- Crafts and activities for your toddler can be found here. Just print it out and let your kid have fun!

5. http://www.bambiweb.org

- For mothers who are in Bangkok like me, this is a very useful site.  Not to mention the classified ads where you can buy 2nd hand baby stuff for a huge discount.

So there now, those are my favorite baby sites..hope you find it useful.

Beginning, again!!!@ 24 weeks

Alright..so this is my nth blog! I started writing blogs since two years ago but after a few posts, I stop. I can enumerate a lot of excuses but it leads to one primary reason : KATAMARAN - lolz, that's a Filipino word for laziness. Yup that's me, so 'ningas kugon'(a Filipino idiom for a behavior that is only temporary/does not last). Whenever I start on something new, I really feel enthusiastic and passionate about it to the point of foregoing food and sleep but soon after, that passion wearies and that hobby/behavior is almost good as forgotten.

Now I am starting anew....probably because my life will never be the same again! Yes, I am soon to be a MOM, and that scares the hell out of me! What if I won't be able to meet the standards of being a good mother...what if I make a mistake in taking care of my baby?!?! What if...what if...what if...

I am on my 24th week and right now my baby is kicking as I type this :) I don't think the baby is hungry since I had a snack of Khao neaw mamuang ( A thai dessert made of sticky rice topped with coconut milk and eaten with ripe, sweet mangoes)...and did I mention that it was really delicious! 

Pregnancy is a blessing...although a lot of changes are happening to my body like my hips are expanding and aching during the night, my calves' are twice the size 5 months ago, and I gained like 7 kilos now..whew! I blame the milk...I'm not really into drinking milk and eating yogurt but I have to, for my baby's calcium needs.  Well, don't get me wrong, I have accepted this changes and my hubby and I are so excited to see my baby in person.

Can't wait...113 days more before my expected delivery.