Gavin Emmanuel

After the baby shower last Sunday, I found out that I was already 3cm dilated the following day.  Wewaited until Wednesday to be admitted in the hospital.  I was pushing for a normal delivery
with my OB and was optimistic with a progress to 4CM in 2 hours.  It improved to 5CM after 3 hours, but unfortunately got stuck at 6cm for another 4 hours.  Since my cervix was already opening days and weeks ago, the probability for infection for the baby was quite high.  Due to this, we decided to just push through with a CS delivery, safest and fastest possible route.

Our son, Gavin Emmanuel arrived yesterday, April 25 at 942am at Genesis, Asian Hospital.  He was five lbs and 7 ounches, a good weight for a 35 weeker.  I fell asleep during the delivery, hence I couldn't remember hearing his first cry.  Fortunately, my husband was in there with me and he was able to document everything :) 

Delivering via C section is not an easy thing.  It's really physically painful, I never prayed so hard in my whole life for God to take the pain away. I'm still hoping that it gets easier in the days to come :)

In the end, it's all worth it all for our baby :) 

Almost There

Looking back at the past 9 months have been both surreal...almost jumping for joy that we were expecting way back in September!  It has been hard...physically and psychologically with all of the health limitations and problems that we faced just to ensure a healthy pregnancy + healthy baby.
It has also taught us patience and trust in God.

It's now my 35th week and I'm about to pop in a few days time <3
Exciting times are ahead of us. 

Baby Shower Rubber Duckie

Our friends threw a baby shower for Baby Cruz at Conti's Westgate on a Sunday afternoon in April.
I braved going out of the bed because this coming week might already be the week that I'll deliver. 
I was super happy to see all our friends whom we have not seen for the past months due to my house arrest.  It was a perfect way to cap off the hardships of the past 9 months and to celebrate the coming arrival.

Pia, Babits, Gail, Frances and Weissy took the lengths in doing the preparations, invitation of peeps, games, etc.  We played Baby Pinoy Henyo and the Name Game :) 

I'm also very thankful that Paul, my bestfriend Aileen's husband was able to attend since he's also here in Manila for a short business stint.

 
 

Happy that we also got very useful gifts, ones that we haven't bought yet.  We're now officially complete with all the baby items needed.  Baby na lang ang kulang!!!

 

April Blues

April marks my last trimester.  The baby is now safe and sound, with a good birth weight :)
However, last April 15, I was again admitted to be confined due to preterm labor.
I was already having moderate to strong regular contractions which prompted my OB to take out my cerclage cervical stitch to avoid uterine rupture.  We all thought that I was going to deliver then after, but I guess, our baby has other plans.  After 5 days in the hospital, my contractions went down to mild to moderate and my cervix was still not dilated although it was already effaced.  It was music to my ears to hear that we were given discharge orders by Friday.  Yahoo!!!!

Happy Birthday Daddy

Noel celebrated his birthday at home together with both our immediate families.
Glad that in spite of my being stuck at home, he was still able to have a celebration of sorts :)

My mom and dad's gift to Noel

Let's see if this will work

This is Noel's favorite gift from Monica

Make a wish *

Happy Birthday Babe <3

Shopping for A Newborn

I've always looked forward to shopping for maternity clothes...but after almost 4mos of modified bed rest and 2 months od strict bed rest, I am down to just using house clothes. Boo! I survived the past 8 months with just 4 maternity dresses.  This brings me to shopping for the baby. I love shopping and I'm mega excited to shop for baby items...however, my mall takas days are over. So except for few items we bought from the Baby & Co Baby Fair few months ago plus few clothes picked up from Landmark and Mothercare (as in wala pang 10pcs), my shopping for baby items expedition has been close to zero.

Major parusa!!! Then again, maybe God has other plans with this shopping moratorium.  I'm thankful for my husband who hates shopping, but has gone in shopping trips to buy some necessities.  I'm thankful to my mom and sister who has bought things in my behalf. I'm thankful to friends who've gifted us with baby items as well as those who have lent us their baby gears. We are getting there...almost complete with the bare necessities.  For me, cramming na talaga to! My friends will attest that for Christmas, I would already start amassing gifts for others as early as June.  :)
So completing all items for the baby 1 week before my stork deadline is giving me an anxiety attack!

One last thing to cram is to set up our nursery at home.  Since we haven't been staying at our townhouse since Start of February, the baby room is still our tambakan room.  I'm really praying that I can be allowed to be more mobile in the next few weeks so I can set up our baby's room.  Loserville if the only thing there is a wooden crib...hayayay! This is so not the way I imagined how it will be.  It is also something that I'd like to prepare for myself-choose a carpet, get a changing table or cabinet in there, have a rocking chair or a recliner sofa for breastfeeding, customized some room decals etc.

In the end, this whole pregnancy has been a constant reminder that even if I'm a control freak and a constant planner, I really have to trust God's plan.  He has made me helpless without any control with what's gonna happen, he has crumbled all my carefully laid out plans  and he has taken away every iota of independence from my hands as I am stuck to the bed for months now.  In spite of it all, I've also gained a lot more than I can imagine. I've learned to trust him with all my heart, not knowing what's going to happen week after week.  I've learned to appreciate the people around me, both family and friends, they have been my eyes and ears to the outside world too :)

Pero God, let me just finish the nursery :) puleaaaaaaseeee!!!

Here are some of the early gifts that we've received from our relatives abroad! We're super thankful for everyone's thoughtfulness!

Thanks Ate Suzie

Thanks Chariss Filart :)

Thanks Ate Suzie!

First shopping find for baby when I was permitted to go out for 2 weeks in Jan :D

Hello Baby

Last March, after being confined again, I asked Noel if he can be the one to buy some basic essential items for the baby.  Some of my friends have recommended that we visit Hello Baby, the outlet shop selling Carter's, Luvable Friends, etc. factory outruns at a house in Bel-Air.  My husband is not a shopper at all, but since I really can't leave the bed, he doesn't have a choice, but be the one to buy the basic items for our baby.

I've reiterated that I don't want to spend a lot on newborn items because the baby will probably outgrow the clothes in a matter of days or weeks.  I just told Noel to select items that our baby can wear at home once we bring him home from the hospital.

The prices at Hello Baby were really discounted by a lot and the whole stash was about Php2,000+ only :)  The quality of the cotton was also good, quite comparable to the ones at the mall especially for the mittens, booties, etc.