Thankful Thursday 37 In behalf of Chrixean, I would like to announce this exciting news... ...Kirsten Soleil has now become a very lovely member of the family. She was born weighing 7lbs & 10 ounces by caesarean section on September 28, 2006 at 3:54 AM. She, Allan and Nicky would like to thank the Lord for blessing them with this little miracle. Chrixean and baby are both doing very fine and will be out of the hospital in two to three days. By then, she will be posting pictures of their new bundle of joy. Links to other Thankful Thursdays (If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

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Special thanks to Running2Ks for help with the code design. The Thankful Thursday Blogroll:

*Unicorn Child (new "home" of ThT and code)648r133A Child of GodA RevisionAnna's Place**As My World Turns****Friday's Child**Imagine BlissJournalling Through the Valley**LadyBug Crossing**Looney Bin For SureMabuting BalitaMomma's Life**Mommy Does It All****Mommy Needs To Vent****Nightingale****no_average_girl**Reverberate58Show Them Through MeSting My HeartUzi's MusingsYellow Rose's Garden

Where's the baby?

Yes, where is she?

I'm on my 39th week and still no sign of Keira coming out yet.

I am...

Tired
Impatient
Tired
Tired
Heavy
Concerned
Anxious

I don't want to be induced into labor again. I prayed for the last 8 months that this baby come out naturally, so I am not going to accept the idea of labor induction. My exact due date is on October 2, so I have less than a week to convince her that it's time to come out. I've been walking almost every other day already, and I may do it daily starting this afternoon if I know it to really help. If you see me in person, you won't even know that I'm due to give birth soon. The baby's sitting so high still, my OB-GYNE says she can still feel the baby's head "floating" a bit above my pelvic area.

Sigh.

I've read about the different ways to induce labor "naturally" without the help of an IV, but I don't feel comfortable trying any of these methods without my doctor's consent. So I guess, I'll have to just stick to walking some more and hope and pray that Keira cooperates with me.

To all the mommies out there who have given birth naturally (meaning no C-sections), have you ever gone beyond your due date? What did you do to make sure the baby came out already? Would really appreciate it if you shared with me your birth story...

... before I lose my mind waiting.....

Thankful Thursday 36

What CHRIXEAN is thankful for this week * Nicky is well and healthy. He's been down under the weather since last Friday, and we've been concerned because he just recently recovered from a bad cold and a fever. I'm thinking it might be because his classroom is closed and airconditioned, so when one kid gets a cough and a cold, it's much easier for the virus to be passed on. Good thing he was given an ok sign by his pediatrician this morning when we brought him for a check-up, and was given supplements and vitamins to boost his appetite and to increase his body resistance. * I've met several design deadlines before I gave birth. Early this month, my biggest worry was not being able to deliver most of my ongoing projects' deadlines thinking that I might not make it to Keira's arrival date. But I guess I should really leave it up to God to decide what should get done on time and when I should bring Keira into the world. With the help of my office team, I was able to submit all my projects on time, and I actually now have time to accept new projects while waiting for labor. * Dinner with friends. I recently had dinner with my really great friend Jennie G, and I was so happy to have spent time with her after a long while of not having a girls nightout. When I wasn't pregnant yet, I used to go out with her on dinner dates or for coffee chats at least twice a week, just to relax, have a good laugh and to swap gal stories. So it was quite a change for both of us when I got prego and had to cut down on the late night outs and the coffee meets, and just settle for text exchanges to keep us updated on stuff. Tomorrow I will be having dinner with my friends Bien and Jerome, who are in town for a visit. I haven't seen them in almost 4 months, so I am quite excited to have this time to spend with them too. What are you thankful for? I bet there are a lot that you can think of! If you want to join Thankful Thursday, just email me or leave a comment, and I will add you to the weekly list and to the TTh blogroll :-) Links to other Thankful Thursdays --> A Revision As My World Turns EPH2810 Friday's Child Imagine Bliss Journalling Through the Valley Mommy Needs To Vent Mabuting Balita.Net Nightingale Looney Bin For Sure no_average_girl Show Them Through Me Uzi's Musings Blog Charm Russell And Aine's Haven Gabrielle

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My Brain In a Knot

Image courtesy of Milana Huang's Knot Gallery

This is my first day in the past weeks where I am actually sitting at the computer doing nothing else other than to surf, blog and read blogs. Isn't that wonderful? I declared today an I-will-be-a-sow-and-just-eat-sleep-watch-tv-and-blog day. The downside to having your office right next to your house is the temptation to go to work and finish stuff that you know are still dangling over your head. So I had to fight this temptation (since I practically worked the whole day of yesterday anyway) by keeping my mind of the week's project line-ups and focusing on useless, senseless and unimportant stuff like YouTube videos, fastfood online delivery menus (just felt like having a totally unhealthy Jollibee meal for lunch today) and memes. I feel like my brain is in this really tight knot and it needs unravelling badly.

So be prepared to see a lot of useless information being unravelled right before your very eyes, as I will attempt to write down a list of 10 things about me which probably a lot of people didn't know (even my closest friends) that I just happened to think about (or remember, for a more appropriate word) right now and which I will list here because if I don't I will probably forget them entirely.

1. I had a pet cat at age 9 named Sylvia. I didn't buy her at any pet store. She just wandered into our house, so I decided to pick her up and lay claim to her fate. She stayed with me for less than a year because she ran off with another kitty. That's when I learned she was actually a Sylvestre....
2. I am scared of dentists. I am more scared of dentists than I am of gynecologists.
3. I want to have a tattoo. Why? Because it's cool. Because I am an artist. And because I am an artist, I want my art to be tattooed on my body for the world to see. Why don't I have a tattoo then? Because I am scared of needles. And so ends my dreams of having a tattoo...
4. I drove my schoolbus into a wall. I accidentally turned the ignition key of the bus instead of turning on the radio (which I was told to do!), and so the bus jerked and slammed into the school's wall. No, I wasn't drunk. No, I don't need psychiatric help. I actually don't even know why I did it in the first place. I probably had an out-of-body experience of some sort....
5. I don't like nature trips. I am a city girl through and through. I don't like the outdoors where there are trees and grass and hills and streams.... I don't like any place that didn't have a hotel and a mall nearby. I don't like camping (which is why I never joined the girl scouts). Trees, mountains and grassy areas to me are equivalent to bugs, SPIDERS, snakes, roaches and all things slimy, icky and gross.
6. I want to study ballet again. I did. I stopped. I never went back. Now I like the thought of dancing again.
7. My dream as a child was to be a world-renowned fashion designer. I had stacks and stacks of sketches of dresses and ball gowns. I have no idea what happened along the way, but I lost interest and ended up doing other things.
8. I never liked children. Up until the time I had Nicky, I would never have imagined myself being around a baby, much more to take care of one!
9. I lost a baby sister who I named Christine Anne Morse Percy. I don't know why I gave her such a strange long name, but I know for sure that if she were alive today, she wouldn't be too happy with me.
10. I don't wear perfume, I don't carry handkerchiefs and I don't bring make-up or a hairbrush in my bag. Perfumes make me sneeze, I lose hankies ALL the time, and I am not one of those girls who go to the ladies room to fix my hair or to retouch my makeup.

I just realized that 10 in my list is not enough. I will need a separate post to continue this list, but for now, I think these are ok. My brain is breathing more freely now, and I've accomplished my first senseless task for the day. Now I'm off to eat a heavy, unhealthy fastfood meal and go about doing absolutely nothing the rest of my lazy day.

Bye!

Thankful Thursday 35

What CHRIXEAN is thankful for this week Less pain on my back and sides which meant better sleep. It's either the baby has descended slightly, or my body has gotten used to the pain. Whichever the reason, as long as I get enough sleep, I'm happy :-) My newly hired designer. I know I was thankful about this same thing several TThs ago, but that designer resigned. So I'm thankful for this new one I got to assist me in my work. Seeing that I only have days to count before I give birth, having someone to do the work I will be leaving behind is a blessing. Good health. I am so happy that I made it to my ninth month healthy and strong. God has indeed granted this specific prayer. I continue to pray that my labor and delivery will be complication-free and that Keira would come out a healthy little baby. Links to other Thankful Thursdays --> A Revision As My World Turns EPH2810 Friday's Child Imagine Bliss Journalling Through the Valley Mommy Needs To Vent Mabuting Balita.Net Nightingale Looney Bin For Sure no_average_girl Show Them Through Me Uzi's Musings Blog Charm Russell And Aine's Haven Gabrielle

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Countdown...

I just met with my OB-GYNE recently and she told me that I am already full term at 37 weeks and that I can expect labor any day or any week from now. Do i look forward to this? I'm not really sure. I'm not saying I don't look forward to seeing Keira, because more than the excitement of a new baby in the family, I am absolutely curious to know how she looks! What I'm not sure about is whether I look forward to the whole birthing process again. Ok, so what mother actually looks forward to labor pains and delivery (Ok, for moms with their hands up, don't even bother saying anything....)? It's been 7 years since I last experienced this, and I don't know if I should feel more prepared since I know more or less what to expect, or if I should be more fearful because i DO KNOW what to expect.

I didn't have much of a dramatic birthing story to tell with Nicky, which is fine because drama in the delivery room is definitely not good. I gave birth to Nicky just a few weeks earlier than my due date, all because I had that sudden "energy surge" to fix the baby room and do a makeover till 2am. I woke up at 530am to pee and saw blood flowing out. So we went straight to the hospital that morning and was "confined" to it for the next 19 hours! I was at 2cm from 7am to 2pm, and stayed at 2cm until my OB-GYNE suggested to induce the labor. I quietly agreed, not knowing what I was saying yes to. And boy, was that decision a shocker! In the next few hours, my contractions intensified to 3-4X the pain I was experiencing earlier. It was like someone suddenly pressed the FAST FORWARD button on the player! Everything was happening so fast and the pain was horrible. I felt like sawing my body in two. Good thing I studied Lamaze breathing exercises, so the paced breathing helped me to calm down a bit and gave me the chance to rest in between contractions. I distinctly remember looking for my anesthesiologist at the 11th hour of my labor, because I was oh so ready to have my epidural in! I was getting upset and irritable by this time because my anesthesiologist was stuck in traffic and i was nearly about to tear off the labor bed's railings. After almost an hour she arrived and I willingly welcomed that frighteningly long needle to entire my spine, because at that point, nothing scared me or freaked me out any longer. I just needed rest from all the pain. Ok, so to shorten my story, I finally gave birth 8 hours after I got a "slight" reprieve from the pain. By 12am, I was sore, tired and very irritable. I just wanted to get the baby out and go to sleep! By 1220am, my OB-GYNE asked me for one big long push. My Lamaze breathing exercises and Kiegel exercises paid off well, because I finally delivered Nicky into the world! All I remember from that moment was my doctor saying, "here's Nicky!". She put Nicky on my chest, I looked at him once, smiled, then passed out. Next thing I knew I was in a recovery room with another girl who had probably just given birth too.

Ok, so that was 7 years ago. Fast forward to the present now. I am now 7 years older, I am more stressed out and have more work to do than I did back then, I move around more and I gained lesser weight. What does this all mean? Nothing, really, i guess. We've all listened to and read various versions of mothers' birthing stories, and there really is no definite pattern to how it will turn out whether this is your first delivery or second or third. What happened 7 years ago may or may not happen this time around. I may wish for a shorter labor, one that need not be induced but hopefully would just progress to delivery in its natural pace. I would also definitely wish that no complications arise from my labor where I will suddenly need an emergency C-section. So what will I expect to be different in this birthing experience? My prayer and my faith. My family and I have been declaring and claiming in faith that there will be no complications that will arise, that I will have an easier time in labor, that I will deliver fast and easy, and that Keira will come out normal, healthy and well.

With God with me in the labor room and the delivery room, I will leave the fear, the pain and worry in His hands, and just wait to welcome my baby girl into mine. :-)

Thankful Thursday 34

Hey everyone! So sorry that my post is yet another Thankful Thursday. I have a lot on my plate right now, and I am having more and more difficulty blogging at this time due to work and preparations for Keira's big arrival (she's expected in 2 weeks!). But I make it a point to not forget to be thankful still for all the wonderful blessings that come my way, so here are my thankfuls for the week....

What CHRIXEAN is thankful for this week More love "showered" on me and Keira! Jennie surprised me with this really cute "Star Baby" shower party. I was shocked, because of all the baby showers I've had recently, this was planned in secret really well. Thanks of course once again to my hubby, Allan, who by now has mastered the art of hiding these baby celebrations. I thought all along that I was going to help plan a surprise party for Jen's hubby, Rein! You should've seen the look on my face when I walked into Jen's house and saw big bright flowers, a milkyway of stars and a clothesline of pink baby clothing hanging across the room. My first thought was -- why in the world will Rein like this decor? Hahaha! Of course, then only did it hit me that it was actually a party for me! And it was a really great one, too! I loved the decor (thanks so much to Jen, Rein and Me-an!) so much that I brought them home and stuck them to Keira's wall! The food was great -- (oh my, oh my, you guys should try those creamy cheesy colorful sandwiches Ria makes. Mmmmmm!), and the cake was gorgeous (I felt so bad that I had to eat it at one point)! It was another memorable day for Keira and me, and again I feel so, so blessed to have such wonderful, caring and thoughtful friends. Thank you so much Jen and Rein for planning this day really well and for allowing us to mess up their lovely house in the process! Thanks also for all the great gifts for Keira, ninang! The clothesline was a great idea (and made for fantastic decor for the party!). Thanks to Me-an (I'm sorry, but the unicorn dolly is MINE! hehe) and Gigi (perfect scrapbook color choice!) for coming all the way to this side of town to be a part of the party! Thanks to Patty, Miren, Bianca and Niña, who adopted me and made me one of their siblings (I loved all the baby stuff... glad that we also have the same tastes too, hehe). Thanks everyone!!! Now all I have to do is sit back, relax (I wished...), and wait for Keira... :D Isn't this a wonderful photo? Pretty maidens, yummy food under pink layette and a starry background! The spread was mouth-watering! But those colorful sandwiches on top right were hands down winners! A new take on the "guess-my-waistline" game. These creative ladies got carried away and created some really flashy belts. The accomplice... Great, great gifts all! Under the laundry line. Jen and the supposed "surprised" birthday boy Rein (so sorry the Sammy surprise didn't happen...) Beauties without their Geeks...:P Links to other Thankful Thursdays --> A Revision As My World Turns EPH2810 Friday's Child Imagine Bliss Journalling Through the Valley Momma's Life Mommy Needs To Vent Mabuting Balita.Net Nightingale Looney Bin For Sure no_average_girl Show Them Through Me Uzi's Musings Blog Charm Russell And Aine's Haven Gabrielle

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