Merry Christmas from Zamboanga!

Originally posted in Friendster on Dec. 28, 2008.

Carl and I had a blast spending our Christmas in my beloved city of Zamboanga. I was so, so spoiled with my Papa, Grandma and Tita giving me all my food requests. Some of the best treats that they had prepared for the “butete” (their endearment for the preggy me) includes steamed samaral, latu salad, ginataang puso ng saging, sweet and sour lapu-lapu, locon (huge shrimps) and crabs, crabs, crabs! =) There was also an abundance of fruits - mangos, bananas, pineapples, watermelons.. Yum! Yum!When asked what we did in Zamboanga, the answer is simple. We ate and had a good time with family and friends. Thank you Lord for the abundance in food that You have blessed Zamboanga with and thank you for the great cooks in my family! =) Lucky me for not having morning sickness so I get to enjoy all the food this Christmas.

Yesterday before leaving Zamboanga, Papa, Carl and I woke up at 3am to buy crabs for pasalubong to the folks in Laoag. Papa’s suki owns the breeding farm and we get to pick the crabs we want to buy before it gets shipped to Manila. We bought 3 kilos male crabs, 2 kilos female crabs and a 1 kilo crab which is as large as a plate!

We arrived Laoag this morning. I didn’t get much sleep on the way here.. It was a bit of a bumpy ride but I had a good rest afterwards so no worries. =) I’m looking forward to my New Year here in Laoag. I can hear the cries of the goat who is counting his last days. Mwahahahaha! =)

Boy or Girl?

Originally posted at Friendster on Dec. 17, 2008.

Bruttie sent me a lunar calendar which they say is about 90+% accurate in determining the sex of your baby. To use the lunar calendar and predict the gender of the baby, find the mother’s age at conception (across the top of the table) and then the month at which conception occured. The intersecting point between row and column will predict whether the baby is a boy (blue) or a girl (pink).

This calendar is accurate with Carl’s side of the family however is not at all accurate for me and Miriam. I remember Carl in deep concentration counting back the days when we learned of our baby’s gestational age right after our ultrasound and he insists that its a boy. I think so too but just to be contrary, I’m betting that its a girl. =)

We’ll know by April who wins the bet. I already like the name Joshua for a boy and maybe Caitlin if its a girl. =)

Heartbeat Present!

Originally posted at Friendster on Dec. 15, 2008.

It was our second ultrasound yesterday to check for our baby’s heartbeat — and there it was at 176 beats per minute! =) Our baby is now 7 weeks and 5 days along, 1.44cm long and is due by July 29, 2009.

I can’t begin to describe the feeling when I saw that flickering spot in the ultrasound monitor that was our baby’s heart. Naiyak ako, promise. Even the grouchy ultrasonologist couldn’t dampen that feeling of excitement, gentleness and love I was experiencing. Sayang nga Dads were not allowed into the ultrasound room. Carl had to wait at the lobby where I just recounted to him my ultrasound experience. Next time we’ll have my ultrasound at a clinic were Carl can experience seeing the baby with me. =)

I did mention that this was our second ultrasound. The first one was taken too early (due to over-excitement!) that only the gestational sac was visible. I remember too well my conversation with the nurse during the ultrasound:

Nurse: Buntis po kayo Ma’am pero walang baby.

Me (Shocked): Ano!? Bakit walang baby? Pero buntis ako?

Nurse: Opo, buntis kayo. GS po meron. Doctor na lang po mag-eexplain.

I was really, really worried. Where was my baby? Why was this nurse telling me there was no baby? Hay naku, di lang pala kami nagkaintindihan. She should have said something like the baby is still too small to be seen.. Blah, blah, blah. But she had to say “Walang baby”. I’m pregnant and hormonal and no one can blame me if I take things out of context. Oh well, thank God for ultrasound picture charts in the Doc’s clinic where I get to know about GS (Gestational Sac) and the early stages of pregnancy. =)

Two lines = positive! =)

Our baby is being very good to me. Aside from the occasional drowsiness, lightheadedness and bitter taste in my mouth, I feel right as rain. No morning sickness for me so far. =) Sana tuloy tuloy na to.

I can’t wait for the upcoming holidays. I swear I’m gonna indulge with all the fresh seafood I can get in Zamboanga. Just thinking about Samaral and latu already makes my mouth water. Seven more days and counting! =)