Our First Two Weeks as Daddy and Mommy

It's been two weeks since Lucas completed our family. The past fourteen days weren't easy but we still wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Sleep is something that I am lucky to have five hours in a day of. But when Lucas needs mom, a mom I have to be. JJ's been back to work since last week (he will sparingly avail of his paternity leave) and thank heavens for the two long weekends as he got to spend an extra two days with us after our firstborn's birth.

Lucas is getting bigger everyday. He's gone a long way from the pink baby that he was when our relatives visited him in huggery the day he was born. Back then, everyone said that he looked like me and that he's fair. Fast forward to now, he is the spitting image of his dad. My dad said that his looks will still change and that it's not until he's a few months old that one can really tell how he'd look like. I guess we'll see :-) (yeah, I am still hoping that somehow something from me will pop out :D).

I also had two scares already. One was when he vomited milk and some were coming out from his nose as well. I was in a state when I saw it. Good thing my mom was there to assure me that it was quite normal as long as happens not too often. Nowadays, I hold him upright for 15 minutes after feeding for me to be sure that everything is down in his system (pedia advice). Another was when he's cord bled. I already noticed a few drops days before but yesterday, there was blood all around it. We were scheduled to visit his pediatrician yesterday as well which was a good thing. When Dr. Suratos inspected his cord, he said that the bleeding is normal and that I just have to continue wiping it with alcohol. He also prescribed an antibacterial ointment for it. I realized after that episode that JJ's more calm when it comes to tricky situations. He knew what to do while I was panicking already. This is something that I really have to improve on.

The cord that nearly gave me a heart attack. I won't be at peace until this thing falls off!

Lucas was also given a shot (Hepa) during the visit. He was wailing before the injection and after the initial pain, he immediately stopped crying. JJ said that he stopped crying because he realized that there are more painful things than what he initially thought was painful. He found out what pain was after the shot :-) Sans the cord thing, everything is fine according to his doctor.

That's how the past two weeks went by. Thanks to everyone who wished us well, who prayed for our safety during the delivery and everyone who visited us at the hospital and at home. I'd be completing the tags I got in a few days (promise!). I just have to get the hang of my "new" schedule. Tata!

Baby Lucas is Here :-)

It's been a while since my last entry, but I have good a reason. Last August 15, I gave birth to our baby boy :) I am one of the lucky ones as I had a relatively easy (normal) delivery. Here goes my birthing kuwento.

August 14

JJ picked me up from the office and we decided to drop by Festival Mall before heading home so we can take a stroll. A lot of people are saying that my tummy is still high and that I have to walk for the baby to start to descend. We shopped for a while and bought several items from Shopwise before going home. While paying, I started to feel pain in my lower abdomen area. Thinking that it is not "labor" (starting from the back then whole tummy area) pains, I just ignored the pains.

All through the night, I felt these lower abdominal pains. I'd wake up every hour or so still feeling the same pain. Again, I just ignored it as I was able to go back to sleep naman after shifting positions.

August 15

7AM - While having breakfast, JJ and I decided to take the morning off from work so we can have a check up. I just wanted to see a doctor to make sure that what I felt was normal. By this time, I was feeling the pain in intervals, but not consistently and not in increasing intensity.

9AM - We arrived in Asian Hospital and started looking for an OB Gyne. My OB's mom passed away last weekend and her reliever has no schedule in Asian on Fridays. We were given an available OB and we were 6th in her list so we decided to wait in the lobby area. We saw my OB's secretary and informed her of what's happening. She said that it's ok to see another OB as the reliever will not be in until the next day. She said that she'd inform our OB rin of what's going on with me.

10:15 AM - Ate Nelly, my OB's secretary, informed us that my OB said that we should proceed to Genesis for the check up instead of seeing another OB. Though hesitant, we proceeded to Genesis to have myself checked.

10:20 AM - We informed the staff in the reception area of what I was feeling and our OB's instruction to have myself checked. They ushered us in the labor room and in minutes, I was strapped with a fetal heartbeat and contraction monitors. I had to be monitored for 30 minutes. When the nurse left us, JJ and I exchanged looks and laughingly joked "kaya siguro ako naka-strap dito para masingil nila tayo ng mahal." I was honestly feeling how ridiculous it is for me to be strapped there with just lower abdominal pains. Pains not so intense that I can even laugh and exchange jokes with my husband.

11:10 AM - An OB Gyne on duty went in to see me and told me that she'd be performing an IE to check my condition. (First time IE for me, so it was scary). After less than 30 seconds, the OB said "Ang ganda. 5 - 6 cm na. Admit na ito." WHATTTT? I was already in labor? Akala ko ba labor pains will start from the back? I thought my tummy's too high pa? Oh my.... were we in shock....

11:30 AM - At this point, JJ and I realized that we're so not ready for this yet. We don't even have our camera with us! I have stuff I plan to put in my hospital bag pa sana! JJ was asked to handle the stuff for my admission and I was asked to change in a hospital gown already. We were also sending out SMS to our parents and offices that I am already in labor. JJ also called home for the camera and other stuff to be brought in the hospital.

2 PM - The OB who will be delivering my baby arrived to see me. Dr. Perez was very kind and she seems competent naman. She performed an IE and she said that I am 6cm still. They also asked me if I want to have an epidural na as I am far off the 4cm mark na naman. They said that they could just insert th catheter and then administer the drugs later on as I seem to handle the pain well pa naman. We agreed and nilagyan na rin ako ng medicine since my labor might progress agad.

3PM - I was only 7 cm and based on the contractions monitor, I am not having strong enough contractions to progress. They gave me oxytocin to help. The doctor also pricked my bag of water.

5PM - My dad arrived and I was suprised that he was allowed in the labor room. I was starting to feel the pain of contractions so i asked JJ to call the anesthesiologist for an additional dose. I was also trying not to show my dad na mejo painful na for me yung contractions kahit may epid pa ako. After a while, my dad said that he'll go home first (our house is 15 minutes away from the hospital) and that we keep him updated. He also said "kayang-kaya mo yan anak" before leaving.

5:30 PM - OB did another IE and she said that I was fully dilated already and that baby's head descended na daw. It was time for me to be transfered in the birthing room.

Birthing room - While I was being prepared, the anesthesiologist and another doctor were teaching me how to push. I was already feeling numb from the waist down and I cannot feel the contractions so they were telling me when to push. When they said that I just have to push as if I am constipated, BINGO! Chicken! :-) I've been constipated because of the iron supplement and at least all that hardship in the bathroom will be put to good use :-) After several rounds of practice pushing, they told me that the next sets will be for my baby to come out na. The first round was not successful as I was suprised when the other doctor laid on top of my tummy to help me. I was suprised so I was not able to push properly.

6:18 PM - After the second round of pushing, baby Lucas was "out crying beautifully" as Dr. Perez puts it. I was just looking at my baby boy in complete amazement. I was not expecting it to happen that day and I just felt so blessed that I had a so much easier birthing experience than I expected.

Still Preggo.....

On our 38th week already. We weren't able to have our weekly check-up last weekend because my doctor's mom passed away last Saturday (God bless her soul). I will probably have a check-up scheduled within the week. I was telling Lucas not to pop out yet until we're sure that our doctor can attend to us (hopefully, he'll listen :-) ).

The waiting game officially started last weekend. But everyone is telling me that my tummy's still too high and that I should start taking longer walks. For some reason, I am not fearing the giving-birth part that much these days. I am just so excited to see and hold my little boy. Hopefully this calm and excited feeling will stay with me until the first labor pains come :-)

We also moved out of my in-laws house. My brother-in-law has German measles and though I had my MMR shot last year, OB asked me to move out of the house to be on the safe side. We're currently camped in my parent's house and it's nice to be staying there (for more than a weekend) again after I moved out in 2006.

We're also thinking of where we'll be staying with Lucas if I give birth this week or next week. See, according to some info we read online, rubella is most contagious one week before and one week after the rashes' first appearance. If I will be giving birth this week, we can't bring bring Lucas home to my in-laws place. He might be exposed to the virus and since he doesn't have the MMR shot yet, he might easily get infected. Kawawa naman my little boy if he'll be sick this early. Hubby also mentioned something about the other people in the house who might be carriers, since three weeks ang gestation period ng rubella virus. We will never know before that three weeks kung meron bang ibang nahawa sa house. We'll just ask our doctor about it when the time comes. We might be overreacting to the stuff we read over the weekend :-)

There goes our weekend. I hope you guys had a great one.

coffee break ver. 1.30

From sis Jan.

Hubby and I are not much of restaurant-eaters. We rarely go out to try a new restaurant. But if I were to recommend three (3) restaurants considering food quality, service, cleanliness and price, try these three.

1. Gilligan's Island - try sisig, adobong kangkong and calamares. yummy! and for a great price.
2. Don Henrico's - my fave buffalo wings. period. Don Hen's (two na lang ata ang remaining branches) is the best place to eat when you're craving for pasta and pizza. Better rin if you eat there and marami kayo as the servings are quite big.
3. Trinity in Dampa (near NAIA) - ok. restaurant ba ito? oh well, isama ko na rin since my family and I love eating here. I love their chili crabs and their sinigang sa miso. Kailangan lang you have someone with you who knows how to scout for fresh seafood, etc. Cheaper kasi if you're the one who will buy the ingredients sa wet market there. My dad usually buys the stuff in the wet market before we have it cooked by Trinity.

There :-) ginutom ata ako dun ah.

Week 37

Our baby is now considered full term and should he decide to pop out anytime, it will be ok. The weekly check-up last Saturday went well. I didn't gain a single pound (Yippee!) and Lucas is doing fine inside my tummy. Wala rin raw akong manas sabi ni OB. I was told that I can stop taking my vitamins but I have to continue taking my iron supplement and Anmum. We were also given the admitting letter. This is it! Anytime talaga I can give birth na.

My FIL keeps on telling my tummy "Oh Lucas ha, August 8". Seems like he wants his apo to be born on 08-08-08, the so-called "lucky date" for the year. But I can almost imagine how chaotic it will be in the hospital as mommies with due dates within this date and will have CS will probably have it scheduled on this date. (I know I would have). But whenever Lucas decides to pop out is fine by me, as long as it still safe for him to be inside my tummy, kahit mejo matagal pa :-)

Wondering how big I am now? Sabi nila I am not really that big naman and my tummy rin is not that big. This is me at 36 weeks.

That's it for now and please continue praying for us :-)

Brangelina's Twins

Ok,ok so sue me. But I've been fascinated with this family for quite some time now. I logged on to People.com this morning and this is the headline news:

I read somewhere that People shelled-out something to the tune of US$14 Million for first grabs of the twins pics. Oh well, understandable given the world's obsession with this family. One more thing, is it safe to have a two-year old hold a less-than-a-month old baby? Just wondering....

Ynzal's Red Tag Sale

I am not a MAC user but I got this from our HS forums this morning and I thought I'd share the info. Visit their website for more information.

RED TAG SALE: All systems are brand new and factory-fresh with full-manufacturer's warranty (unless specified otherwise). Please visit our showroom to see actual items on display! All items are ex-stock subject to prior sale but quantity is limited. All prices are only valid while supply lasts!

I also got this chismis that the sale was brought about by the termination of Ynzal's Authority to sell MAC products. Here's a third party recount of what happened: http://www.philmug.ph/forum/showpost.php?p=423837&postcount=99. I got curious so I searched articles from the net.

I hope something will happen to have them reinstated as an authorized seller.