Happy New Year 2013!

I'm not really in the mood to make a post today but I feel I just have to considering it's the first day of the New Year and all. Anyway, I want to greet you all a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR! May all of our wishes, hopes and plans be granted this year 2013. Surely this year is going to bring good tidings and great surprises I just feel it! And one of our greatest gifts will be arriving soon so, it's all good vibes for this year.

I know many of you have their New Year's resolutions written down before the year 2012 closed and unlike you, I didn't make any. I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore because I cannot follow through. I just make it a point to do my best everyday and in everything I do. That's what's important right?

At this point I want to share a beautiful prayer for the New Year that I found on Inspiring Thoughts.net. I hope this inspires you too!

A Prayer for the New Year What shall I ask for the coming year What shall my watchword be What should thou do for me, dear Lord What can I do for thee? Lord, I would ask for a holy year Spent in thy perfect will Help me to walk in thy very steps Help me to please thee still. Lord, I would ask for a trustful year Give me thy faith divine Taking my full inheritance Making thy fulness mine! Lord, I would ask for a year of love O let me love thee best Give me the love that faileth not Beneath the hardest test. Lord, I would ask for a year of prayer Teach me to walk with thee Breathe in my heart the Spirit's prayer Pray thou thy prayer in me! Lord, I would ask for the dying world Stretch forth thy mighty hand Thy truth proclaim, thy power display This year in every land. Lord, I would ask for a year of joy Thy peace, thy joy divine Springing undimmed through all the days Be thy days of shade or shine. Lord, I ask for a year of hope Looking for thee to come And hastening on that year of years That brings us home to you. Happy, Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Christmas Day!

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's Christmas Day! Well, the day is almost over in my side of the world. I just actually spent the whole day at home watching movies, listening to music and resting. The whole family already had an advance Christmas get together on Sunday night because my sis and her family have to go on a road trip today. My brother-in-law's brother is getting married on Saturday and my two nieces are going to be flower girls so their presence is a must.

Hubby went with them today as well. He wanted to see his family in Manila so...He wanted me to go with him but I declined. I don't think I can handle the long drive at this point. Sitting for long periods is getting to be quite tiring for me. And I also can't stand the long distance walks involved when navigating the streets of Manila so I'm just here staying put at home this holiday season.

Anyway, it's not boring at all because there's baby to talk to. He baby moves around a lot! He also has his favorite spot in my tummy. He likes to rest a lot on the right side. I just feel and see him bunching on that side. It's a joy to see.

By next year we'll have our own baby boy to play with during Christmas! I can't help but wonder what kind of temperament he'll have. I'm excited!

Anyway, I hope you all are enjoying your Christmas Day! 

Manny Pacquiao Knocked Out Cold by Juan Manuel Marquez

The whole world, especially the Filipinos were shocked by the outcome of today's boxing match between the People's Champ Manny Pacquiao and Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez. This was their fourth match and for the first time, Marquez knocked Manny out during the sixth round! Yes, Manny was knocked out cold by Marquez's right hook!

Everyone, including those watching live in Las Vegas and those viewing from their homes, were shocked when Manny landed in an unconscious heap on the floor! His wife Jinky Pacquiao was shown on TV crying when her husband failed to get up a few seconds after his fall. It was a nasty fall and I guess a lot of people were worried that there was something physically wrong with him that's why he was unconscious for a period of time. They were only able to breathe a sigh of relief when Manny gained consciousness and immediately began smiling as his assistants talked to him.

But the knock out during the sixth round wasn't the only exciting thing about their match. During the third round, Manny was also knocked to the ground but he recovered immediately. Manny got back at Marquez during the fifth round as he was also knocked to the ground by his powerful left hook. And before Manny was knocked out cold, he was able to pummel Marquez's face pretty badly, leaving it swollen and bloody.

Oh well, as the saying goes, you win some you lose some. I'm not really a huge boxing fan but I just think that this is a sign that Manny needs to retire already. His attention is not focused on boxing anymore and at his age and considering what he has achieved, it's about time he leaves boxing behind. He should have done so while he was undefeated.

Did you watch today's Pacquiao vs. Marquez match? Do you think it's time for Manny to retire?

Photo Credit: 4umf

It's a Boy!

It's a boy! This little bundle of joy inside me is a boy! My hubby got his wish and he's so thrilled. He's the first grandson in my side of the family; my sis and bro both have little girls. We've actually known for two weeks now but I just got around to writing about it today. I hope that the ultrasound's accurate. We just got the common ultrasound and not the 3D one that a lot of expectant parents get these days.

Sometimes, ultrasound results aren't accurate especially if done in the early staged of pregnancy so I hope ours is correct because I already started buying baby things fit for a baby boy. I mostly got blue wraps and baby clothes. I only bought a few so far. Whenever I go out, I buy one or two things for the baby so that it won't make an huge impact on our budget. But anyway, come Christmas we really have to buy all the necessities.

A boy. No wonder he's so active in my tummy. There were times in the past months when he just goes on a kicking spree! Some were so strong they couldn't be ignored. Looks like he's going to quite a handful when he comes out! Hubby better be ready.

Anyway, now that we know our baby's gender, we're caught up in another dilemma still! What name to give to our baby boy! As much as possible I want it to be a combination of my and hubby's name but it's difficult. We might have to choose another as long as it begins with R and is unique.

My baby boy! Can't wait to meet you!

Room Repainted for Baby at 23 Weeks

Baby and I are halfway to the finish line! We are now on our 23rd week and my pregnancy couldn't be any better, well except for the slight swelling of my feet and hands. The swelling just manifested itself two days ago after hubby and I went to the city for some errands. It was only after I removed  my shoes that I noticed my feet looked bigger than they used to be. We had to walk some distances so that's probably the reason for it.

Anyway, my tummy is getting bigger with each passing week. I keep staring at myself in the mirror sometimes because I can't believe how big my tummy has become. I hope it's just because of water retention and not because baby has grown super huge (I don't want to undergo CS thank you very much!). But I also noticed that baby is more active these days. In fact, if I stare at my tummy while baby is moving I can see some of the movements through my clothes! It's amazing! Baby is usually active at night, kicking and squirming for a few minutes. Even though I haven't had an ultrasound yet I think baby is doing very well inside my tummy and that's what's important.

Since we're already halfway through the pregnancy, I've already started preparing for his/her arrival. Got my room repainted so that we'll be more comfortable staying in it. I know baby won't be able to appreciate it yet but a room with a good ambiance will be more restful for him/her and me as well of course.

My room's new color is a mixture of lavender, pink, and white. Very girly eh? I know that's what hubby said too but it's the color combi that took my fancy. Anyway, if our baby is a boy he'll be too young to know it's too girly.

Aside from the paint I've also rearranged the room's contents to make it look tidy.

So, these are the things I've accomplished for baby so far. Next on the agenda is shopping for baby clothes and other necessities.

I've included a photo of the repainted bedroom. What do you think? Too girly? 

Baby's Heartbeat for the Second Time!

Heard my baby's heartbeat for the second time today! I'm so happy! I know this might not seem like a big deal to some of you out there but for a first time mom-to-be like me it's beyond words! Hearing my baby's heartbeat makes it him/her more real. I'm already 5 months along and although my tummy is already bigger and it's become more obvious, directly knowing that she is really growing inside makes me feel more excited to finally hold him/her in my arms.

Will my baby be a boy or a girl? I'm really not sure but all I know is that this baby is so active! My ob had a difficult time tracking her heartbeat this morning. She placed the device on the left side of my tummy, then on the right. Just when we thought there was a heartbeat it was gone! Baby moved! She had to reposition the device several times until finally baby was cornered at the center of my tummy. This is so unlike the first time, that was four weeks ago. My ob was able to locate the heartbeat on the left side of my tummy without any trouble. Oh well I think it's good that baby is active even at an early age.

Anyway, aside from hearing baby's heartbeat for the second time, we also found out that I gained 7 lbs. in one month. Doc had to prescribed a multivitamin that serves as an appetizer at the same time because I wasn't gaining any weight since my first trimester. I have to take the vitamin/appetizer for another month. I'm afraid i'm going to get really fat because of it. But I just keep thinking, it's for the good of our baby. 

Being fat is not the only thing, I had to have an anti-tetanus shot today too. Ouch! I'm so afraid of injections but then it's a necessary evil for the good of our baby. I'm going to have another injection on our next visit :(. I'm so not looking forward to that part.

But what I'm most excited about is knowing the gender of our baby. To be sure that there won't be any mistake it will be done in December. By that time, the sex organ is fully developed and so it will be clear in the ultrasound. I'm so excited! Can hardly wait! 

Who wants to bet if it's a boy or a girl? ;)

The Baby Inside!

A BABY! Yes we are having one! In fact, I’m already on my 14th week. We’ve actually known about it in the last week of June but I just got too lazy to write about it here. Don’t blame me too much from what I’ve read that laziness and inability to concentrate are among the things that occur to pregnant women during the first trimester.

Wow I can hardly believe there’s a tiny human being growing inside of me. Sometimes I still don’t think it’s real you know. And my tummy doesn’t have a proper bump yet and I can’t feel the baby so, sometimes I talk to myself and ask, “Is there really a baby in there?” But my OB assures me there is. In fact, she told me I’m lucky that I don’t get morning sickness or dizziness that a lot of pregnant women experience.

Hubby and I went for a checkup again last weekend and my OB tried to see if we can hear a heartbeat already but it was a no-go. She put a device (I don’t know what it’s called) with a sound detector attached to a speaker on my tummy and tried to listen for a heartbeat. Then there was a loud thudding sound but she said it’s not the baby but my pulse. She tried for several minutes but it couldn’t be detected just yet. She told me that by 18 weeks to 20 weeks the heartbeat would be easier to detect.

Pregnancy 14 Weeks

My baby is already 14 weeks I can hardly believe it! I kept reading about pregnancy at 14 weeks online. The articles say that my baby is fully formed at this point and the most amazing thing is that he/she can already make some facial expressions! He/she can now squint, grimace, frown and even suck a thumb! I’m really amazed how a baby can do that at just 3 ½ inches! Such is a miracle! 

It’s early stage yet baby so just relax in there. But know that Mama is excited to meet you!

Photo Credit: Babycenter