Pregnancy Journal 8.3 (The Homestretch)

This month, Malik's the size of a head of lettuce at 32 weeks...


...a pineapple at 33 weeks...


...and a large pinoy melon at 34 weeks...


He's growing up so fast! Before we know it he'll be off to college! *Sniff* Fortunately, this means it shouldn't be too long until we meet our baby. Unfortunately, this also means there's less "headroom" inside my uterus for Malik now, making his turns and tumbles much more, uhm, "significant" (painful).

You've seen this photo of Malachi and me at 34 weeks...

Here's a drawing of Malachi and my insides, so we can all imagine how cramped he is in there, although this one's based on a 40-week old baby...

Last week, we finished buying some more things for Malachi to complete his first wardrobe. He now has a playpen, his own cabinet, and his own "ride" otherwise known as a stroller. Yey!

Here I am again at SM ticking off some things from Malachi's gift list. Don't we all love lists?! They make life orderly and organized. Ladi-da...

We're more or less good to go, as soon as we find the time to wash Malachi's new stuff, arrange them neatly in his cabinet, re-arrange furniture in our room to make way for baby furniture, buy that new crate for Pipo, clean the house and rid it of all chihuahua fur, prepare our hospital bag, finalize our birth plans, prepare the paperwork for the hospital, file our leaves from work, and turn over our assignments. Konti na lang naman. Toink. 

Pregnancy Journal 8.2 (The Elephunk)

I'm often grouchy these days, I don't know why. I get into "minor" quarrels with waiters and salespeople, say, if their service is slow or if the airconditioning is turned on too low. Of course I end up regretting my bad temper, after all has been said. By then it would be too late. Bahd.

My morning was off to a similar bad start today. I found out just when I was rushing to get to work, that all my maternity pants are in the laundry. I would not have fussed over it, ordinarily. But these are not ordinary times.
You see, my only remaining office bottoms are skirts and I have been swearing them off since I became so bloated. Look. I honestly feel like I have elephant legs -



Here's a tighter view. Notice all the spider veins. Eeek. (WARNING: Image not for the queasy or for people who still believe that pregnant people have a certain "glow" to them. Blah.) -



Even my watch barely fits anymore. It literally leaves a mark on my wrist when I take it off.



The solution I have in mind is to stay seated for most of today to hide my lower extremities under the desk. However, that would not be very friendly to my back. And at this point, we all agree I'd rather stay comfortable than be pleasing to look at.

Kebs. I guess I'll just pretend nothing's the matter with my elephunk.

Ang dami-dami

We had lunch yesterday with our closest friends and family to celebrate Malachi's upcoming world debut. Many thanks to those who attended. Now we're drowning in a sea of gifts for the baby. I guess that's why they call it a "shower"...

Pictures to follow. In the meantime, thanks again!

Pregnancy Journal 8.1 (Realignment)

We turned 8 months pregnant today. Hoorah!

I won't bother you anymore with the usual litany of aches and pains. Alam niyo na yun. I'll just show you how huge I've become compared to last month. It's like I swallowed an entire water melon overnight.

   Front View

  Side View

When Seated

On the brighter side, my belly has taken on a very practical purpose. I sometimes use it as a table of sorts, on which I could place the bowl of peanuts that I like to eat while watching TV on the bed. I can also use it to prop up my head, for when I'm thinking or sulking or trying hard to be cute like this. Achuchu-chu.

My hands are showing significant signs of swelling too. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to put on my wedding ring. As you can see, my ring finger has a bewang now. Haha

My nose and feet have begun to retain a lot of water. I wear my shoes without the laces. Because of the magic of pre-natal swelling, my Chucks stay on my feet without external reinforcement. No hassle!

I've given up on the stretchmarks. Like my belly, they also seem to have appeared overnight. I don't care. What matters is I have only 8 more weeks to go before the baby is born. Eggciting!

P.S. If you're wondering why this blog is subtitled "Realignment," it's because I decided yesterday to cancel our childbirth class registration. The decision isn't because I'm counting on a C-section. It's just that I don't have time anymore. (1) I feel exhausted all the time and would like to take the opportunity to get more sleep on weekends; (2) The expenses are starting to pile up and I think the registration fee of PhP4,000 may be put to better use; and (3) My mom gave birth without the benefit of a childbirth class, so I'm assuming I'm genetically able to do that too. Oh well.

Elmo likes to organize

My mom arrived today. She will be home until about 3 months after I give birth. Just the thought of her being around is comforting this late in my pregnancy. No amount of preparation beats your own mother's presence. She knows everything.

Anyway, my mother brought home these bedroom slippers (or socks? Hmmm.) given by my Aunt Lilia. I can't wait to put these on the baby. Yey...


The slippers (or socks?) inspired me to tidy up a little. I intended to organize after we've done some full-on heavy-duty shopping. But picking up baby's things from various places in the house, i.e. our sock drawers, seemed like a good idea today.

So now all of his things are in this plastic container. I haven't quite figured out how the Dewey Decimal system works, so the socks are rolled up in there with the bonnets and the mittens and the rompers and some other stuff. Some shirts for 2 years olds are also somewhere in there too.

What the heck. At least, it's a start.

Who am I?

You realize your priorities have changed when you:

(1) actually know what sugar cookies are; and

(2) get excited by the thought of sugar cookies shaped like baby bottles. 

I hope they taste good though. That's the trouble withordering food online. You kind of just wing it when it comes to senses other than your sense of sight. 

Pregnancy Journal 7.5 (Never Say Never)

I thought the wedge pillow we got when I was 5 months along was useless. It has actually become my best friend. I haven't been sleeping like I used to, of course. But the pillow's been a great help. At least it makes lying down for long periods of time, i.e. 8 hours, more bearable. Although Lawrd, how long until I'm able to sleep face down again? Hay.

I should thank the R&D teams of the companies that come up with these amazing products for pregnant women. I abused the Belly Belt and the Bra Extenders until they couldn't fit me anymore. Now I'm in love with the amazing Maternity Support Belt. I got mine from Havin' A Baby and it costs only PhP545. Yahoo. A maternity support belt looks like you're regular supporter -


- except you wear it around your belly rather than around your balls, if any. It looks more or less like this when worn, minus the pantyhose Teehee -

It literally supports a pregnant woman's belly like so, thereby taking some of the weight of the baby off her back. Thank the heavens, I needed the maternity belt only recently. My back only started seriously hurting at around 7 months, which is right about when I started to look like this.

Very heavy guys. Very heavy indeed.

All for now. I went home early and was trying my best not to cry in the car while driving from the office because of the back pains. I'm such a loser - who has got to get some rest. Toodles.