a half year old!

wow, it's been half of the year already since my birth! i have soooo many to share for this month so i'd have to divide this entry accordingly. so brace yourself for a really long and picture-laden entry. ready?! 1, 2 3!

** the 6th month birthday celebration **

since there's no 30th on feb, we chose to do the half year point celebration on the last day, the 28th. dad prepared some baked mac which he made special that day. my 6 candles were all on top of 6 large pieces of cheese danish (a fave of my folks) that they got from costco.

more 6th month bday pics here

** milestones and updates for the halfyear point **

from babycenter's milestones for 6 month olds, i can only do one on the Mastered Skills (most kids can do): that of turning toward sounds and voices. i'm a bonafide usisera remember? call my name and i'll surely look towards you.

i don't like imitating sounds however. but, i like it when mom or dad speaks my language. oh did you know that i already said "da-de"?! dad's just one proud father when i did that! i still have my own made up words and if you're lucky enough, you'd get laway-filled raspberries (that i looove looove doing because of the sounds it makes!) with that too! teehee!

rolling over still isn't my thing. yeah, i may have started to roll over early and that's just because i hated tummy time. i still do the tummy-to-back roll but i wouldn't do the other way since i still very much hate me on my tummy! but i do love standing up! i can stand up with less support from my parents, just enough to help me balance. i still can't do that by myself since i don't know how to use my hands yet to grasp for support. and be prepared to tone your arm muscles with me jumping up and down at your lap! specially when i get too excited! sometimes the act of bouncing just comes automatically for me. perhaps, a jumperoo would be a good companion!

i like walking too. but, don't get excited just yet since i only walk when mom or dad fully supports my whole body. this is the reason why my mom thinks that i might skip crawling altogether. but they still make me practice crawling by putting my toys or the tv remote (which i jut recently learned to work wonders) or mom's cellphone far from my arm's reach. i just couldn't resist squirming when i see them. and hey, don't say that i am not trying ok, coz i give myself a few minutes before i resort to whining! ahehehe.

as for the Emerging Skills (half of kids can do), i got a perfect score!

i definitely started with solid foods and i just love eating! this actually worried my mom since i'd prefer solids over milk. i've tried rice cereals, carrots, green beans and sweet potatoes. next time i'd try oatmeal and fruits and i'm probably ready for stage 2! and this is why my parents got me a booster seat already (it's like a high chair but most of the high chairs can only support up to a 3-year old kid as opposed to my booster seat) that can be attached to any dining chair. they put me here whenever they're feeding me or while mom and dad are eating just so i could join them on the dining table and be one happy family having dinner. but then of course, i normally eat ahead of them, haha.

let's eat!!!
sharing videos here and here on my booster
i am a no-support sitter for a long while now, and actually likes this position much much better when playing rather than lying down or at my tummy. you'll see a pic when mom starts sharing our makeshift studio pics on her blog.

i definitely mouth objects. everything that i grab (and i just grab everything, specially those things that my parents are holding) goes directly to my mouth (which my mom finds scary coz i might swallow something or worse, choke), even my hands, and yeah, my footsies!!! the video showing this is a work in progress over at mom's multiply site (she's having technical difficulties uploading vids lately).

want some?!
i also do pass objects from hand to hand. aren't we supposed to do that?! that's what i do with my toys just before i drop them, specially when i'm on my booster. as to why i am dropping my toys, like what my tita tokti said, it's a cause-and-effect thing that babies love. i drop the toy, mom or dad picks it. they'll give it back to me. then i'll drop it again. cycle repeats until they give up and tell me not to do that anymore. haha. you can also make me catch a ball and i'll throw it back at yah! catch-and-throw is one of the games that i play with my folks. but don't be fooled coz i can't catch yet. but i can use all my might to throw that cushy ball towards all directions, just a few inches away from me though. haha

let's now go to the Advanced Skills (a few kids can do). ..

i never showed any signs of starting to crawl. when i am on my tummy, i wiggle a lot though and try to move, but frustration beats me. crawling isn't my thing yet. dr. womack even said that i might skip it altogether. but i do a lot of twisting and turning to make nappy changing all the more challenging for mom and dad. but i do lunge forward. i do this all the time when i am dragging things towards me.

i do jabber and combine syllables a lot. i told you i have my own language that i don't think anyone in this household can comprehend. i'm one helluva talkative baby. and i can charm my way through this. yep, even at church. i break the silence and solemnity during the mass with my blabbering. i get shushed much more often now by my dad at mass. heehee.

as for other updates, i can now be left alone for a few minutes. just enough for my parents to do some chores. usually, my parents would put me on the exersaucer or my pack-and-play while i play by myself, or watch some noggin shows or baby einstein dvds. and i really do pay attention and find myself focused on the telly. they would only allow me to watch just for a few minutes though.

here's another video of me on the exersaucer
so far my favorites include dora the explorer (and i'd really squeal with delight whenever i hear dora's voice and when there's singing and dancing), backyardigans, the wonder pets (my mom's fave as well) and the noggin inserts between shows caref of moose and zee. i still get interactive while i watch basketball with dad by the way.

going out is also one of the things i enjoy with my parents nowadays. yeah, even when it's freezin' cold. i just like seeing things other than those within the confines of our home, and other people as well and that keeps me from being cranky even if i'm really hungry or tired. "batang gala", that's what i am


** the 6th month checkup **

this afternoon saw us at dr. womack's clinic for my 6th month well baby checkup. i was measured to be at the 60th percentile for my height (@26 and 1/4 inches) and at 50th percentile still for my weight (@16lbs). my head circumference is still at the 25th percentile.

like the usual, my parents, well, my mom, bombarded her with tons of questions. fortunately, my pediatrician is very patient. she now recommends water and juice for me, to help with the ahem, ya know and has explicitly told my parents to keep my milk intake at a minimum of 20 ounces per day. it might help if i'd take milk first before i eat solids, she said. coz no matter what, i'd still eat them anyway. that's how much i love food!

since it worries mom that i didn't like tummy time and wouldn't learn how to crawl, dr. womack tried to put me on my tummy to check. but of course, i was a showoff! i controlled myself from being pissed a few more minutes than the usual. haha. she tried to sit me up as well and got surprised at how i can balance myself without any support. and as always, she made me giggle. i just love this doctor! she never fails to get a smile out of me.

but then the smiles and giggles turned into wails when the nurses came. i had to take those drugs again! one, i took orally, and 4 were injectables. yes, 4! 1 of them is the infamous flu vaccine. and i have to take the other flu shot 30 days after. ugh! my mom saw how my eyes widened in panic when the 1st two were administered. wailing with tears came after that. but dad easily calmed me down.

i'm thankful though that i won't have to deal with these shots til my next well baby checkup on my 9th month.

so, are you still with me? yes, this is the end of the line. congratulations if you made it this far! =). as a bonus, i'll share my month 5 to 6 pictures with you!

tatah! til next month!

4th month well-baby checkup

this afternoon saw the three of us at the st. alphonsus' pediatrics for my 4 month well-baby checkup. as expected, lisa and dr. womack commented on how i've grown.

based on my measurements (@ almost 4.5 months), i was at 55 percentile for my weight (at 14lbs 10oz), and my 25in of a height placed me at the 50th percentile. my head measurement was also at par. so everything's been great from that end.

dr. womack suggested on giving me solid foods already. and oh boy, my dad's really excited. by weekend i'd be starting with rice cereals. and my folks will make sure... that i still take the same amount of milk... that i only take 1-2tbsps of these food, 1-2x a day... that i only take 1 type of food for the whole week before i move on to the next to root out allergies... that i start with cereals, then veggies before introducing fruits. well, that's how my pedia laid it out on them.

as for the dreaded shots, i already knew what the mean lady nurse would do when she had me laid down the exam bed. so i stormed the little room with my wails that i'm pretty sure everyone outside heard. so dad just carried me while i was being poked. as soon as he held me up, i was transformed to that happy baby that i am once more.

yeah i have an on and off switch. at one moment i'm crying, at the next instant, i'm giggling again. i couldn't actually control the happy me that emerged as when dr. womack was talking to us. i just love her pitch. and i also like it when she talks animatedly. i was showing my gummy toothless grin to her the whole time, specially when they talked about food! i even felt restless that i had to let go of some lil shrieks and kicks!

i also didn't budge when she carried me as she examined me further. she just checked on how i was sittin' and standin' up. as usual, my mom had to just tell her that i can now sit up, with the very least amount of support, and that my legs hold still when they're making me stand up. such a stage mom, my mom is! haha

everything went well from my checkup. so dasims were all smiles when we got out of the clinic. see you in 2 months dr. womack!

7 days to go...

.. until my due date! but still, nobody knows when to stop counting...

my parents were given a tiny bit of hope though during our 39th week checkup this morning. why? because mom's finally 1cm dilated. woohoo! dr. bouchard even had a hard time during the IE to determine if she was, and looking at mom's frustrated expression, she just tried harder and wella, she's finally 1! she told mom that it's better and a lot promising than nothing (i don't know how mom would handle having 0 dilation for 3 consecutive weeks).

mom also gave their birthplan to the dr. and there was nothing unusual about it according to the dr. she actually wasn't surprised that mom had a strong desire to take not even one pain medication during labor and delivery. dad is actually not sure if mom can bear the pain knowing how low my mom's threshold for pain is. but he supports her not having an epidural 100%. but they also both agreed that if she suffers from a really really long labor and would have a hard time pushing at the end, they might request for one.

by the way, just a side story, they had the birthplan finalized after finally attending the lamaze childbirth class last saturday. they were really thankful that they attended since they were able to practice some of the relaxation and breathing techniques with a coach. mom got a little more scared after seeing the videos of real-life labor and delivery though, but still glad since they now know a lot about what to expect during the actual thing. the class was all worth it specially since they got it for free (compliments of st. alphonsus since the manager really felt sorry about the mix up then cancellation of their jul26 scheduled class. they even gave my parents a $50 gift certificate which they spent on some educational toys for me... yep, i'm collecting toys now).

anyway, back to my story... dr. bouchard explained to my parents that during their 40th wk checkup next wednesday, they will be planning about THE induction. it scared mom a bit since she's so paranoid about lots of things like me being distressed the longer i stay with her or me taking in some of my first poop or her amniotic fluid leaking out and not knowing about it or being in labor and not knowing about it or about the horror stories that she's heard about induction leading towards a possible c-section, etc etc. yeah, she's paranoid about everything since she doesn't see me. so they're really praying that i come out sooner, naturally. will you please help them pray?

dad's still begging me to come out too, a lot of times everyday! he even has made up some chants telling me to come out already. he told me once that he wants me out to finally hold and take care of me coz he's a bit envious of mom feeling me and being with me all the time during the entire pregnancy. dad's so sweet!

dad and mom, patience is a virtue. i will come out when our Creator gives me the go signal, ok? meanwhile, continue doing a good job walking everyday. i love you both!

counting the days...

mom started counting the days since i turned 37 wks.. now, i am on my 38th and yes, i still am inside mummy's tummy :) i know she's really itching to give birth. even dad is begging me to come out already, haha.

during our 38th week checkup on tuesday, nothing has changed. mom is still 50% effaced and yes, she's not dilated still. again, the doctor said that the dilation should not be a basis on when i would come out. well at least i'm engaged contrary to what others say that i'm still floating based on how my mom's tummy is presenting (she's just short according to dr. bouchard, haha). everything's still great though and the doctor estimated my current weight to be between 6.5-7lbs.

for the birth preps, since my parents aren't sure if they'd still make it to the childbirth prep class scheduled on saturday, they tried to practice the breathing techniques based on the book for the class. but i doubt that they learned what they're supposed to learn because when dad was trying to coach mom, all i heard were weird breathing and lots of giggles from both of them. i hope they'd still be able to laugh like that during the actual labor.

anyway, we'll see if next week will be "the" week. mom's hoping that this would be the last week when everyone at work would ask her when she's finally giving birth. so, we'll see.

hang on in there mom and dad, i will just surprise you when i'm ready.

anytime now...

i am now 37 weeks old and considered full-term, which means that anytime now,i can come out, yey! but still, i'm gonna keep my birth day a secret.

some updates...

... my parents finally attended the baptism class at church last saturday. they will have me baptized on sep 28 (christening is done only on the 4th sunday of the month at OLR). so they filled up the form already and i will have ninong ruprup and ninang leng as my official godparents (my unofficial godparents were not informed yet since our parish requires only 1 pair). hence, the search for baptism favors started. my lola mami and lolo dadi are assigned to this task actually (they have searched and showed mom 2 items already but mom didn't like them, hehe). so mom surfed the net so that my lolo and lola will have an idea of what to buy. but with mom's requirements, she might end up buying from here. hehe. search for a reception venue will be next on my parents' agenda.

... yesterday morning, mom got a bit scared when she was woken up by a bad tummy ache while i was moving. she tried to sleep it off but it's still there. she thought she's in labor and woke dad up to help her up. bt as soon as she stood up, it was gone. now we all wonder what it was. but dr. bouchard said, we should like pain at this point in time since she wants mom's uterus to be exrecising in prep for labor.

... finally, dad was able to find a car seat inspector yesterday! so my seat is now snug and tight. secured and ticked off from mom's checklist! alright!

... today during our weekly checkup, aside from the usual routine that the dr. does, she also checked mom's cervix for dilation and effacement. mom was hoping she was already at least 1cm dilated, but nah, she's not. as in zero! but the cervix has shortened and softened already, so it's still a good start. also, dr. bouchard made an estimated guess (based on palpation?) that i probably am around 7 lbs already. now, mom's praying that i won't get too big during the remaining weeks so as not to fit through her pelvic opening.

anyway, mom's getting a little bit pressured, nervous and and anxious. she has been receiving a number of good news that her batchmates are giving birth. tita abby was one of them (praying that they had a smooth and safe labor and delivery and that they're doing great). anyway, she really is due i think about a week or two ahead of mom. the other one is tita michelle who's not due til sep 13. but her water bag broke yesterday and we're all praying that baby cassidy and mom are doing fine. we couldn't visit them at the hospital today since dad is down with a flu and probably a viral infection. this is one reason why i shouldn't come out today or this week since dad is still sick.

so when, oh when?... you'll find out soon. so just be religious with your walking sessions with dad, mom

almost ready?

am i ready on my 36th week, the start of the 9th month? well, all i can say is, among the 3 of us, only dad and mom are... well, almost.

from my mom's list, everything is already done except for their childbirth class (which was recently scheduled to aug 23, yeah a month later. and i may or may not be out by then, so it could help, or not. ugh!), the carseat inspection (turns out that dad needed to go to another fire station where most of the carseat inspectors are assigned), and just those that she needed to do (like call matrix and the work personnel) on my birth day.

so just to review... shopping? check! wash and clean everything? check! (well, of course they will continually clean the house). pack postpartum and labor bags? check! (and ready to be grabbed when the right time comes). attend newborn and breastfeeding classes? check! (oh, you can check out the pictures here and videos here and here). do other stuff online? check! (matrix e-filing and preregister at the hospital). nursery ready? check! (it's so pretty and just waiting for me -- but i'm pretty sure that i won't be sleeping there for the first few months). mom and dad also started walking every night within our subdivision, so i'd say item #14 is in progress. see? almost everything's ready!

how about me? from mom's checkup yesterday, i probably have descended (but not so much i guess), since mom's measurement is only a week advanced now. and dr. bouchard said that it didn't mean that i didn't grow as expected, but that i probably have dropped a bit. well, mom's been suffering from significant and really noticeable pains down there since last week so i must have been putting a lot of pressure there. it had been hard for her to walk, climb up and down the stairs, to stand-up, to change positions while sleeping (torture is how she described it), to get up and down from the car (she even stopped driving now). the dr. also has done group B strep test on mom yesterday. then next week, on my 37th, she will be checking her cervix for any signs of effacement and dilation. wow, i still can't believe that i am almost there! :)

so, a few more weeks mom and dad, just a few more! i'm as excited as you are!

all good stuff

just listing down some of the good stuff that has happened from my last update til today on my 34th week. so here goes nothing in no particular order...

#1. my folks finally got hold of the travel system that they want! they bought the sterling metrolite stroller from graco and it's matching snugride carseat about two fridays ago. dad's very much itching to get the carseat base set up and have it inspected at the fire station. but mom was able to talk him out of it and delay the setting up til after the childbirth class :)

#2. dad and mom's friends in bgy boise threw her a surprise baby shower last last sunday! it seems that mom and everyone else present had a blast since the only sounds i heard were roars of laughter and shrieks! mom's stories are in her blog. thanks for all your gifts titas and titos!... and i'd like to thank tita jen (and tito jojo), and tita nova (and tito by and kuya gabriel) as well. we have received your gifts! thanks!

#3. mom finally saw the dermatologist on monday. the doctor said that there's nothing serious with the rashes on her legs. thank God! it's just eczema most probably brought about by the swelling in her legs and feet, then worsened by the dryness here. hopefully, everything that was prescribed to her will work wonders.

#4. the "pin-and-needle"-like pricks that mom feels down there are normal! whew! the ob called this the "cervical knife" feelings. and oh yes, it really felt like a knife cutting through and it really hurts according to mom. she'd really stop whatever she's doing whenever she feels that. and she normally feels that when she's on her feet.

#5. mom's tummy seems to be lying low already (that's what everyone says when they see it). she's concerned that i am probably getting ready to go down. the doctor confirmed though that i still am floating.

#6. i am lying head first as other typical babies (as of today according to dr. bouchard). she confirmed this by feeling all my body parts by hand. she felt my head, my butt and back and probably my feet/legs.

#7. mom was so worried that her amniotic fluid might be leaking without any symptoms (which happened to their friend and she never felt any leaks at all). but the doctor told her that she has probably more than enough since it would've been easier for her to feel my body parts if she has lesser fluid.

#8. the cramping that mom's been frequently feeling lately is a good sign that her uterus is exercising, toning and getting ready for labor, according to the OB.

#9. my superpokes are more hurtful now than ticklish as mom said. well, that's a good sign that i am growing right on track right?

#10. everything else from our doctor's visit today was a-ok! and as expected, mom's uterus is still 2wks ahead in terms of measurements. probably coz of fluid? hmmmm.

#11. my nursery is really almost done! my parents will just be adding a little bit of some baby stuff here and there. ;) will show pics soon, promise.

#12. dad and mom will start to prepare everything after their childbirth class on saturday... from completing their shopping list (of baby essentials), to cleaning and washing all my clothes and stuff, to preparing the nursery, to packing their labor bag, etc.

whew! a long list of the great stuff heh?!

32nd week updates

it was time for another biweekly appointment with dr. bouchard, so we went there last wednesday. and like the usual, she would answer mom's questions first (her list is getting shorter by the way... and the doctor's probably thanking the heavens for that :D), then she would measure mom and they would all listen to my heartbeat. and like the past appointments, everything's a-ok! despite the fact that mom's uterus is measuring a week-and-a-half more. i guess, you all won't be surprised if i come out a week-and-a-half earlier.

however, we learned from lola mami that my mom came out 8 days later than her due date. does that mean there's a chance for me to come out late too? hmmmm. well, we'll have to find out if dad's on the same boat when he was born.

oh, there's just one whoopsie. mom had some weird rashes spreading on her legs. during the last two week's checkup, dr. bouchard suspected that it was just heat rash and nothing related to mom's pregnancy. she has prescribed some cortisone cream for her dad to apply on her legs. but it didn't work and was just spreading and getting all the more itchy. so she's now being referred to a dermatologist. hopefully she gets seen soon coz the itchiness would often wake her up from deep slumber.

another whoopsie. mom's been swelling a little more now that she had to buy two pairs of sandals that are a size bigger than hers (same style but of different color -- that's how comfy it is, specially with the edema lurking, haha). she could still wear around three pairs of flats that she owns and of course all her flip-flops. but that's all. she should've been happier for this good reason to shop for more shoes, but she never wanted to have pairs that won't fit her anymore after giving birth. also, her engagement and wedding rings (which are now being worn on her left ring finger) are now tight and had been leaving marks when removed. pretty soon, she'll be wearing them on her scapular chain. perhaps she should get nightly hand massages from dad too aside from his soothing leg massages. that might work.

on the carseat end, my folks have finally decided on getting the sterling snugride carseat and the matching metrolite stroller. thanks to all the pieces of advice, inputs and suggestions that you gave. they definitely enlightened my parents and so they'll march to babies r' us after work today to get them. hopefully they're still in-stock.

alrighty! happy weekend everyone! :)

9 more weeks!

and we're almost there! just two months to go (well, more or less)!

mom and i are too busy at work and (with a lot of activities lined up during the past weekend - she'll most likely tell you about it in her blog) that we never had enough time to update my blog ;) well, that tiring weekend actually scared the hell out of mom. i was too tired i never wanted to move as much last sunday, so mom was a little panicky! i could hear her and dad talking to me, praying to my guardian angel, and tickling me just so that i'd move. well, i would, but just a wee bit. teehee. sorry mom, i was really tired just like you and dad. but i am back to my regular programming now :)

anyway, just a short one, we had our biweekly checkup with dr. bouchard last week and as usual, everything was doing great. when mom asked about the results of her OGTT, dr. bouchard said that it was GOOD... that is NORMAL-GOOD and not BORDERLINE-GOOD! so both my parents were happy. she also made sure that her anemia isn't on the bad side of it. her levels are just slightly low according to dr. b. nothing that a daily iron supplement couldn't combat. mom will just be checked on her anemia again when she's about to deliver. my heartrate is a-ok based from what they heard (152bpm), but mom's uterus is really measuring 2weeks ahead (32cm at that). dr. bouchard teased her that i will end up as a 12-pounder. uh-oh! :) well, we'll see next week if it has grown 2 more centimeters ;0)

oh before i end, i'd like to make a shoutout to my tita abby and tita grette (and tito romel of course). we have received your gifts! woot woot! mom loved them so much. thank you soooo much titas! :) tita abby gave us my really cute tummy time mat and tita grette gave us that swaddling thingie and a changing table organizer. oh and thanks also to tita leah for giving us a boppy pillow!

so, what's everyone's plans for the july 4th weekend?! as for us, we really don't have travel plans, but mom and dad will do some serious shopping for me coz time is really running short. yep, they already did (and with the hand-me-downs and gifts that we've been receiving, my stuff are piling). but there are still some more basic little baby items that i would be needing (and yes, that travel system that they're still looking for up to now).

have a great holiday peeps!

27 weeks!

only 91 days to go and i will finally see what's outside of mom's belly :)

but the question is, am i on my 7th month already? or this is the last week of my 2nd trimester? from all the references that mom reads, only wtewye (what to expect, the bible of all preggy moms) and pregnancyweekly.com said that i'm on my last week of trimester 2. whatever! as long as i'm growing normally and healthy, that's what matters.

oh, and here's a shout out to my tita tokti... congratulations on your new baby! my cousin yana (julianna cecil) was born via c-section on june 3 (manila time). woot! she's 6.12lbs and 53cm tall. she looks very much like my tita tokti, according to everyone. tito ruprup said that she's sooo cute! here are some of her first pictures.

pls pray for my ate yana ok? we don't know the details yet but there's something unusual found in her head. we'll hear from them soon. i just hope it's nothing harmful. i am praying for you ate and asking your guardian angel's help as well. stay happy and healthy ok?