So this is how I should post videos here… through my Multiply!!! If I knew that when I wrote this post, I would’ve made more kwento. Anyway, I think now I will do that.

I took Sunday off (it is the first day of the work week in this part of the world) so that I can also work on changing my passport to my married name. Also, it is the first time in 2 months, since Karen took maternity leave, that I am off work. I left home for the Consulate as early as 7am. We got stuck in unexpected traffic due to a very tragic car accident. Anyway, we got there and we waited for the people to come in at 8:30am. I didn’t know that when I pass my application for new passport it was just a schedule for encoding in my details on a much later date after which I will have to wait a month to get my new MRP (Machine Readable Passport). I could’ve gone the other way of asking this person we know inside to get me an amended but non-MRP type. I honestly hate asking people favors. Even more when I am not close to that person. I decided to just wait and do things properly. At the end of the day, at least I get the more high-tech MRP to travel around with. hehehe. So much for changing passport & visa in next week. Gotta play the waiting game for now. Sigh. Oh the main decision making reason for me to not wait anymore was that I was already hungry. I only had a yoghurt that morning and I didn’t think that waiting there to get a chance to have my passport encoded early, in the humid heat that morning was worth risking harming my baby. :)

So…off to Ate Reg’s place for some heavy breakfast! hehehe. Had the pleasure of taking a nap too in spite of the noisy kiddies around… Then, wake up to laing for lunch… then a quick hair trim which I’ve been wanting to do… It was then already1:45pm when we left and we had to pass by home to get my ultrasound appointment papers for 3pm! To endure the heat really… UGH!

Thanks to Papi. We got there in time. Hubby was at work and unfortunately had a “take-it-or-get-hassled” schedule of medical for his visa at 4pm! His office is around 30 minutes away from the hospital. There was was no one else waiting at the Diagnostics so I was brought for ultrasound immediately. I was already laying in bed with the doctor in the room when hubby called that he is nearby. I requested the doctor to do the other checking first and put the gender thing last. Hubby came in after maybe 5 minutes of the ultrasound and didn’t miss much.

The doctor did put the gender thing last… I was nervous about whether it’s a boy or girl… Well, we were smiling from ear to ear when she said (and we saw) our baby is a girl! We were just in cloud 9 when we left the hospital. Hubby rushed to his medical while Papi and I went home.

The first thing I did before leaving the hospital was buy a banana carrot muffin as I felt hungry from all the excitement. My appetite have been amazing these days that nothing seem to keep me from being hungry after an hour only! Hehehe…

Well, I was so knackered when we got home but of course, I couldn’t help but post the result here still. hehehe. Thanks everyone for sharing in our excitement and for your comments. :) Hugz!

I have so much kwento about how exciting it was for both of us and hubby really made it a point to be there even though all odds were against him… I even have short clips of our princess that I wanted to share but finding the right way to post it really irritated me so… I lost my mood to blog… well, this will have to do for now.

Sorry Beau… you will have to be like you dad “idol” - the only thorn among the roses. ;)

We have been waiting for our 20th week consultation because we thought this was the time when we will find out whether our baby is a boy or a girl. I guess our baby felt this and thought teasing us to wait further would be a fun thing to do… tsk tsk tsk! Naughty naughty!

Our doctor did try. I even kept talking to baby to be nice and cooperate with the doctor so that we get good pics. I guess our baby had something else in mind. Look at the position it decided to take.

Paper & elements from Andrea Dickinson’s Berry Fabulous Kit.

Our doctor did try but it kept moving into “photo-unfriendly” positions. Camera shy yata si baby! hehehe. So she just scheduled us for an Ultrasound wherein baby will be checked in detail. For sure malalaman namin if we’ll be buying things in blues & greens or yellow & pink. The only catch…it’s another 2 weeks to wait! She said it’s better to wait para mas malaki na si baby and it will be a good time to see in detail.

Funny realization: After that appointment (it was at 9am), it seemed like my tummy just grew and kept growing throughout the day. Parang hinintay lang makita namin tapos ayun parang hinipan na me. This morning, I was feeling the pain of stretched skin on the sides of my tummy. Now, I know how it feels when Karen complained of sitting too much! Oh another funny thing, while I was walking to Ayhie’s office, I kept seeing my tummy bouncing. hahaha… Needs support that bump. :)

Till next time!!!

A few days ago, we (the preggy club in the office - 4 of us) asked HR about Medical procedures when we caught her in the kitchen. It was only then that she made me realize that I will not be getting Maternity coverage from our insurance. Apparently, the full 9 month period wait will complete only on the 1st Dec. I am due on the 23rd November!!! Furthermore, based on my observation from first time mommy friends, it seems the trend is giving birth 2 weeks prior to your due!!! Waaahhh!!! It’s only my boss Katherine (who is now 8 months pregnant) that says one could deliver 2 weeks later than their due date. Gosh! Baby & I would be so lucky if this happens. Although, my best friend Tina gave birth quite late too, I am worried that I could deliver early. :( This only means we have to shoulder a minimum of $2000 delivery costs, plus epidural, plus a major worry of extending to maximum $3000 if ever emergency caesarean is necessary. boo hoo.

The medical coverage was suppose to be $2000. This was why I really opted for a private hospital near our place. Yeah, I have an option of going for Al Wasl Hospital which is like 50% cheaper in every way. Al Wasl Hospital is a public hospital but well known for being a good hospital.

The truth of the matter is I am really not a public hospital type of girl.  I have told hubby about this from the very beginning of my pregnancy.  This was one of my first major decision when we got back from Pinas - which hospital to deliver in.  Of course, this also determined where I would be getting my prenatal care.

- I don’t like the hours and hours of wait.

- I prefer having proper appointments, wherein the set time is followed.

- I like to be treated like a well paying customer.

- I need to feel at ease & confident with the doctor.   I will be treated by this same person for nine months max so I might as well be comfortable with her.

- I like it when the nurses and staff are friendly and very helpful.

- I prefer a place that is highly recommended by many satisfied patients who have been treated and delivered there.

- I don’t like being passed around different doctors unnecessarily.

- I can’t imagine the inconvenience of having to risk getting stuck in traffic when I am due to deliver, therefore, proximity is very important.

- I need to get a good feeling of the place.  Ambience is very important to me.

Reading the points back, I feel like I am looking for a Spa or hotel. hahaha.  Although, all these are met by the current hospital I keep coming back to. My doctor is nice like a mom.  The staff are all friendly and helpful.  The place has a very comfortable ambience that encourages me to keep coming back. We still have to go for a maternity tour to see how the maternity wards or suites look like.  Sigh.  All these definitely come with a price.

Well, this is our first baby so I would like the delivery to be good experience.  We do plan to have more in the future. :)

Sigh. I better start filling up my piggy bank just for the delivery costs.  hahaha.  Think about the other expenses that will follow… ah well… that’s just money.  Imagine the bliss when we finally get to hold our baby in our arms!!!  As a friend said, it is that time that you will realize “It’s all worth it!”

I cannot the understand the logic as to how this pregnancy months is calculated. I just checked my pregnancy calendar and discovered that I am already in my fifth month since 5th of this month!!! That was my 16th week. No wonder, the past few days I seem to feel like I slept with a bump the night before and wake up like someone blew more air into my ballooning tummy. :) It’s actually exciting because now, I no one can deny I am preggy! hahaha.

I am feeling the tug on the sides of my belly already and it is just the start of the growing belly!!! These past weeks, I have been having a hard time sitting down because my belly is getting squished. Plus, I feel like my belly skin is being pulled on both sides. This afternoon while I was in the office, I had a hard time breathing because my skirt seemed to feel tighter and limiting so I had to fold it down. That’s another piece of clothing deducted from those that I can wear. I definitely have to go shopping this weekend!!! I don’t have anymore to wear for the office!!!

So this is how big baby is right now. They said that this is the time that I should experience “quickening”. Quickening is the first recongnizable movements of the fetus in utero, appearing usually from the sixteenth to the eighteenth week of pregnancy.

I think I felt it more than once but it is quite difficult to differentiate it from gas, as sometimes, I burp after I feel it. hehehe. I always put extra effort in my observation when I am lying down. Apparently, this is the best time to feel it as your body is relaxed and the “fluttering” can be more recognizable.

Friends and sis described this feeling to me in different ways. Sis said that it is like having butterflies in your tummy. A friend said it feels like having bubbles in your tummy.

Surely, this fifth month brings lotsa exciting new experiences. The one I am looking forward to most is finding out whether it will be a boy or a girl… that will be on our upcoming visit to the doc next week!!! YIPPEEEE!!!

Now hubby & I are playing the guessing game. I am guessing it’s a boy while he’s saying it’s a girl. We shall see… :)