@ 6 weeks

when i found out i was pregnant last week, i was 6 weeks on the way already. expected date of delivery: 8 sep 2011 (mother mary's birthday!). per the ultrasound report, crown to rump length is 0.33 cm, fetal heart rate 122 bpm. all good signs, said the sonologist.

According to baby center, the embryo is the size of a lentil this week. If you could see inside yourself, you'd find the fetus has an oversized head in proportion to its body. The embryo's facial features are forming with dark spots where the eyes are, openings where the nostrils will be, and pits to mark the ears.

Protruding buds that will become the arms and legs are even more noticeable now. The embryo's hands and feet look like paddles. Other developments include the growth of the pituitary gland and muscle fibers. You can't hear it yet, but the heart (which has divided into the right and left chambers) is beating at about 150 beats a minute - twice the rate of yours.

Halfway through this week, the embryo makes its first movements. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until sometime in the second trimester before you get to enjoy feeling your baby's exercise sessions.

so far, i can say i am having an easy 6 weeks (pwera buyag!). except for frequent trips to the toilet, lack of taste (no cravings yet, lahat ng kinakain ko walang lasa), and easily getting tired, i am fine. and i hope it stays that way til the rest of the way. my officemate g is having morning sickness and is always sleepy (whilst i am not sleepy at all!).

my first OB visit

after finding out i'm pregnant, i began the search for my OB. having sought out recommendations from friends who've had babies in the last few months, i have a few names. and being next door to megamall, i went to visit the OB who holds a clinic there. omg, her schedule was 4-6pm but she arrived 5:15pm. i didn't mind waiting as i took time off work but sayang din naman oras ko di ba?? anyway, i wasn't too upset. i was number 7 in the list and i got to see her at 5:45 pm.

dr. R was nice and pleasant. she asked me to get an ultrasound first so she can see how far along i was. so i did, and i saw our baby's heart beat! it was so unexpected, naiyak ako! :) the sonologist (?) told me the baby's heartbeat is strong, so that's a good sign. can't believe there's indeed life growing inside of me! she also confirmed that our baby is 6 weeks old. :)

then it was back to the OB, she prescribed me folic acid and prenatal vitamins, and asked me to do more laboratory tests. i did those and was told to pick up the results the next day.

after picking up the results, i was glad that dr. R also had a clinic schedule on the same day, 2-4pm. i was number 3 on the list, but was so disappointed that she hasn't arrived yet at 3pm. when i asked the nurse-assistant, she said "nasa parking na po." nakaka-highblood!!! :( i left na lang.

my friend rey texted, "welcome to doctor's check ups! dear, amo gid na sya but ask nurse if she's coming. kay kis a ga pa bun a pa na sya mo hehe. amo man na obrahon nya sa pasyente nya kun ikaw lang magbun a. :)"

oh well. i haven't seen her since, as her schedule falls in between office hours and i can only make takas once in a while. we have an OB coming in today at the office clinic so i might as well see her about these tests first.

k and i actually agreed to stick it out dr. R already, but i am now considering seeing another OB who was recommended by a college classmate. hmmmmmmm.

happy weekend!

let's end the work week on a funny note! here's sharing a photo of my team in the office coop (taken yesterday, 13 jan for the 2010 annual report).



think happy thoughts! :)

a new chapter

oh yes, i'm so glad it wasn't all that holiday weight gain!!! :)

last tuesday, my officemate g mentioned that her period was delayed. i countered, "i think mine is, too. been carrying a napkin in my bag for almost a week or two now." i seriously thought i was going to get my period any day, as i had the symptoms.

you see, last week (friday), i was on sick leave. been feeling "too warm" for a few days and couldn't take a day off until then because my boss was stuck in siargao due to bad weather and i was coordinating flight changes, security issues, and the like. thankfully, he and his family was able to fly back to manila on friday morning (after travelling to surigao and then to cagayan de oro just to escape the bad weather). so, i called in sick. i thought i had a fever, but felt nothing else so i just rested it out.

back to tuesday. g and i decided to get tested at the office clinic. i actually brought my workout clothes that day as i was planning to hit the gym (coding kasi ako), and was also contemplating on doing a colon cleanse procedure (been eating less and less lately). expecting a negative result, i wanted to start on a clean slate and work on a healthier and much leaner body. k and i have agreed to work on having a baby this jan-feb period so i had to be ready!

and surprisingly, both tests came out POSITIVE. i was talking to k on the mobile while g was on the phone with the clinic for the results - i was telling k, "o, ayan na results ng test. mukhang positive si g! g, positive nga? call you later, babe! kausapin muna namin si g mukhang di mapakali!" when i put down the phone, i was aking g, "positive nga??" and she said, "ano ka ba, pareho tayong positive." WHAT!?! i even asked her if she was kidding! she retroted, "bakit naman kita lolokohin tungkol sa bagay na ganito?":)

i offered to get the results as i couldn't believe it i had to see it on paper! i called k, and he said, "totoo ba yan? walang ka-effort effort a! we we're going to work on it pa lang e! kaya nga ako nagbabawas ng workload para makapagleave at gumawa ng baby hahaha!" i got the paper from the clinic, and believed it. k wanted another test at home so he can see for himself, and it turned out 2 lines the next morning.

yes, we're having a baby! what a wonderful blessing to start the new year with! :) k and i agreed to have a baby one year after the wedding (he wanted it earlier but i said maybe later hehe), and we did! the precious one arrived exactly on time! :)

this marriage has given me so much joy and contentment. k has been so good to me, so loving and patient and kind. we take good care of each other, and now that we have the precious one arriving soon (as of my frist OB visit and ultrasound results yesterday, 13 jan, i am 6 weeks pregnant), EDD 8 sep 2011 (what a blessed day, mother mary's birthday!), i am sure that our bond will grow stronger than ever. :)

P.S. and by the way, i checked 2 chinese calendars online and they both say it will be a GIRL! we'll find out soon enough! :)

kailangan bang backless!?

i cringe.

couldn't finish this video. as soon as the second girl (with the even more revealing outfit!) sashayed her way down the aisle, i stopped.



di ba malamig sa loob ng eroplano? :D

the holidays

our december 2010 schedule was so full (and so were our stomachs!) we didn't know how to split ourselves so we can go to every event! here's sharing the photos. :)

office party at the crone plaza


christmas lunch at banana leaf with my girls


and dessert at cafe breton


MVP law party @ seaside (here's k with the kids)


my dad and youngest sis flew in from the province so we caught the great american circus at SMX


and went mall hopping!






annual family christmas party, this year at the discovery suites








our christmas photos






k's barkada's annual party at the coronels






new year countdown at eastwood






we are truly thankful for the wonderful year that was, and expecting an even amazing 2011! God is good, all the time!

P.S. and i hope to shed off all the pounds i gained, promise!!!

christmas letter 2010

i drafted a christmas letter to send to family and friends but never got to send it out (my bad). but i did get to send out christmas cards (and emails)!

our ninong and ninang, k nd i, sends out (by email) christmas letters at the end of the year to update family and friends on what they have been up to during the year, and what they are looking forward to.

i (we) would like to start the same, like a tradition of sorts. and here goes my draft. :)

Hello everyone! And welcome to a new tradition which we are starting - our Christmas letter of 2010. We would like to keep in touch with you, our dearest family, relatives, and friends with whom we can reach by post and email. Here we will try to update you of what we have been up to the whole year, a photo collage of sorts. :)

2010 has been a year in which:

• R officially changed her last name



and started to work (seriously) with her new office (well, last year she was too busy with the wedding and all haha!)



• K and R moved near Cafe Juanita (and Charlie's).





• R’s baby sister M graduated from nursing school and passed the license board exam (yey!)





• R got her driver’s license (and is actually driving!)



• K and R went to Dumalag, Capiz to vote in the 2010 Elections (R went all out for G1BO!)



• K and R explored Singapore and Viet Nam (and ate our way around, believe me! – R)





• R’s brother RG got married (and she missed it because she was down with chicken pox!)



• K surprised R with a party on her 32nd birthday



• K and R watched Cats and Legally Blonde the musical (R caught Avenue Q and Xanadu as well)



• K and R bought a lot where they will build their dream home in 2011



• K and R watched Pacquiao demolish two opponents (Clottey and Margarito)





• K celebrated his 32nd birthday with family and friends (who were glued to the Pacquiao DVD all night long)



And yes, we are celebrating our first wedding anniversary next week! :)

We hope everything is OK and well with all of you. Though we are apart, and may not keep in touch for a while, please remember that we are always near in our hearts. And we are always here for you.

Here’s leaving you with our warmest wishes for the Christmas holidays - full of love and fun moments shared with your loved ones, and cheers to a bright and blessed 2011!

Love,
K and R

a year down, forever to go

the first year of marriage is often considered the year of adjustment, and i think we have adjusted quite well (i don't know with k, you have to ask him haha!).

but seriously, married life has been very good (again, you'd have to ask k...). and i am truly thankful for giving me such a wonderful, loving partner.

k, this is just the first of many, many anniversaries and celebrations we will have together as mr and mrs.

i look forward to growing old with you. :)