Since we have moved to very hot and humid weather, I know I have to gear my baby against harmful sun rays. I recently purchased Baby Banz Retro Sunglasses in red and hooray it came in the mail today! As soon as we got into the car, I ripped off the packaging and put it on my baby..hahaha it's so adorable! She didn't even get annoyed while it was on, she did great keeping it on while we ran errands.
Although after having it on for an hour, it left my baby's nose bridge with marks =(
I really like it but it would've been better if they put a plastic grip on it so it doesn't leave any marks..though my baby didn't complain, but I think it does feel uncomfortable after a while. I will have to improvise on fixing this or something because it would've been a waste if we don't use it..

Sleepless mom...

I have accustomed to sleeping like a chicken these days, I'd be lucky and thankful if I did get a 5hrs of sleep which doesn't come very often. Not because my baby is having sleep issues because she doesn't...it is more of a mothers paranoia that couldn't put me to bed. Now that my baby rolls over during sleep and ends up in her tummy, I constantly check her to make sure her head is facing sideways. I always pray that she'd be protected all the time and thank God in the morning for the safe night.

I'm a lousy blogger....

Yes 5 long months when I can get free time in my hands..it's not easy being a new mom, I kid u not! tho it is the greatest accomplishment one woman can have.

So where shall I start? It might be really long boring now to tell my labor and delivery story but i'll make it short and sweet. =D

April 19, 2010
Contractions starts: 745am
Started pushing: 10am-1251pm
Total labor hours: 2.5

See, that was short. lol..yes I did get the horrific epidural which now I blame for my backaches. If I knew this labor will be this short I will not get a so called wonder drug, the fact that it numb my right leg make it a bit harder to push.
Even to this day everything from that moment was still vivid and fresh in my memory, from the time my water broke, the grunting I have been making noise, when my husband was snoring next to my bed, and when my baby girl was delivered...I felt so connected that I felt her head and limbs came out of me! ahhahaha it was amazing feeling!

It has been 5 months and we are truly blessed and happy to have such a perfect baby girl. I never thought one person can love so much until I held her in my arms.

~C

40 weeks + 2 days = overdue

I'm back with still big belly =(
I'm past my due date and I am still 3cm dilated from last week to today according to my O.B.
I am getting mixed emotions now, anxious because I want to see her already, sore and tired because my body can't take it anymore and just overall it's making me sad. I've done everything I could to make this easier, I walk pretty much everyday and kept doing and moving around the house thinking this would help me put into labor but my hard work still 3cm dilated..
I know I should give it another week, perhaps the doctors miscalculated my EDD and that happens. I just wanted to avoid being induced which they might schedule me next week, I really don't want to do that because I know my body will not be in tuned once medications are administered.
The days/weeks seems longer these days, I couched, I clean the house, dreading to go to sleep thinking this might be the night only to wake up with the urge to use the restroom. =|
Many suggested that I should enjoy this relaxing moments for I would miss it once she's born and need more of my time and attention which I highly agree but part of me just can't sit and lay here relaxing knowing that I am expecting a bundle of joy anytime soon..

Where are you?

Today is Baby A's due date but no signs of grand entrance yet. I feel like It's been a very long 6 days for me since I started my countdown. I know one of these days I'd be blogging next how adorable she is.
So Danny and I have been couped in the house for hmm 3 days? The last time I went somewhere was Friday and it was a false alarm hospital visit. I am dreading to be outside the house and what if my water breaks in public? I would panic hysterically and probably be embarassed although there's nothing to be ashamed of since people seeing me with huge belly means I can pop anytime soon but I just can't imagine what I would do if that happens.
Tomorrow I need to go out and grab other things for Baby A and long walks will help to start labor, maybe.
So to kill boredom today, Danny and I assembled Baby A's swing. We got her the Fisher Price My little Lamb and I received a bouncer from my baby shower. Both looks pretty neat and soo cute especially the little lamb, I really can't wait till she uses it and I would do a review on how she likes being on it. Mommy likes it I hope she will too!

39 wks 3 days...3cm dilated

I had my doctor appointment today and my cervix was checked..I was at 2cm but asked for strip membrane to help things moving..normally I wouldn't do anything against nature but due to circumstances I am obliged to do this one because...
1. My body is so sore from belly down
2. My fave doctor will be on Spring break by next week and I love this doctor he was the only one that took me under his wing and made sure that all my expectations are met during my pregnancy.
3. We're on a time line , our family is scheduled to be relocated to another country by July. ( I won't mention it just yt till we get there)
All paperwork and baby should be ready yada yada yada, a lot of paperwork!

So pretty much I weighed and taught this thouroughly before I decide, the experience?
It was painless but lots of pressure going on, I misunderstood stripping membrane from inducing labor. Now it is really waiting game for us, I have to be alert with my possible contractions and see if I go in labor sometime tonight or tomorrow. I just hope this is not going to be a very long one.
Hopefully on my next update it's with baby pics already =D

Skincare for pregnant women

I have always been a skincare and makeup junkie prior to being pregnant. I've tried so many that I can label all the ingredients on top of my head, just kidding but seriously I have done so many research to make my skin more radiant and smooth since I have a notorious record for having breakouts at my age. My first trimester I had few spots here and there but they went away on their own without the use of any topical treatments , tho when I approached my 3rd trimester my skin got horribly dry. So here are some products that I've been using since then.

Cleansers:
Clinique Facial Mild Soap - It's pretty basic wash tho it doesn't remove mu
Clinique Take the day off cleansing balm

I have been using this balm for over a year now and let me tell you that it's the best makeup remover I found. If you've used double wear foundation, you're probably familiar how hard to remove the product is but this one does the job! It's a bit steep for the mu remover but the jar lasts me at least 5 months.
Origins Perfect World- I just recently got a tube of this and I am loving it so far..uncertain about the mu removing part but it feels nice on clean skin. I just use this one in the morning in the shower.

Moisturizer
Clinique Moisture Surge

I believe that any skin type can use this one, like I said I have dry combination skin nowadays but this one gives me enough hydration without leaving streaky film behind. It also gives me good result when makeup is applied on top of it, sort of like a primer.

So pretty much those are the only two things I use day and night, for makeup it's pretty simple I just Shiseido SPF42 in SP50 as a foundation if I am going somewhere special or if I am going to work. On my low key days like running errands I just use Clinique Superbalanced mineral powder.
I hate to jinx myself but truthfully I have never seen my skin so much better since being pregnant. I know that it's the hormones and yes I avoid anything that has a lot of harsh chemicals and treatments to all the product since most of them can be passed thru your blood stream which I highly avoid.

Oops not to leave behind the stretch marks issue...I have been using generic Cocoa butter all over my body esp my belly twice a day since week 13 and I currently switch to St. Ives Oatmeal Lotion because I have sever itchy issues these days. My beautiful stretch marks didn't show till my 8 1/2 months! I was sooo happy during the 7months that I still can show my belly but not anymore! ahahha
I am not ashamed of my imperfect body because I bear a beautiful child within. =)

Braxton Hicks

If you were like me and never had menstrual cramps during your lifetime well you will be surprise with the braxton hicks.
I remember asking doctors, nurses, friends on how would I know that it's a cramp? It may sound dumb to ask the question but really I never had them so I dunno. Last night was the most uncomfortable night, I couldn't sleep due to my runny nose, baby "A" has been actively doing cartwheels in my belly and on top of that I am having braxton hicks. It was more like somebody put their fist on your belly and try to squeeze it so hard..yah it wasn't fun at all, I had 3 seperate occassions where I have to reposition myself becaue the contractions were steady lasting more than a minute, and I knew it wasn't true labor because I wasn't having bad ache.
I have been couching for the last 1 1/2 month now together with Danny and our little Tucker we all sleep uncomfortably at our couch. I miss our bed and laying on my back, my left arm is so sore from sleeping on that side for this long.
I would suggest getting those body pillow because they help even a little bit, it can give you a good position whereas you can sleep a little bit better.

Sniffles, cough and rain =|

It's weekend and I had big plans, finish cleaning the house, run some errands, organize, organize and organize! ha! not till I came down with the sniffles and cough last night that permits me from doing my chores for today and not only that the crappy weather made it worse. I thought it was Spring already but hey I guess not in Germany, rain starts pouring down..oh man.
So instead of me being productive on my very planned weekend, I end up finish season 2 of Big Love, Amazing Race and Apprentice..I know I know it's kinda lame seating in the couch while I blow my nose and drink gallons of water, trust me I hate this sniffles.
I felt better when Danny made me a delicious potato soup, it was very comforting and super..I think I gained couple more pounds from the soup =p
Holy moly I got 2 more weeks left and I am so anxious to hold our baby in our arms and see her face. I find myself cuddling up to some of her blankets and clothes, it's probably one of those maternal instincts. I was telling everybody that I wanted an Easter baby so April 4 sounds good to me even if her due date is the 11th, LOL but whatever God tells me I am absolutely fine with it.

Updates!

Wow this seems to be the week that I have more updates about my pregnancy.... =p
So I had my doctor's appointment on Thursday and did a routine check up, her heartbeat is good, I'm on the right path at gaining sufficient weight, did some culture lab test and ultrasound. My doctor guesstimated that our baby is weighing 5lbs. he assured me that is normal for first babies and it's a good weight tho it kinda worries me that she'll be small but as long as she's healthy that's what matters most.

There's a very strange feeling this week, I have been itching like a mad woman! It is mostly sitting on the lower belly and I can't help not to scratch it, I've tried so many creams and yet nothing works! Tonight I will see if I can soak myself in oatmeal bath..x cross fingers x

Yesterday Danny and I had to attend a lamaze class, it was educational and I would suggest it to anyone that is expecting to attend this kind of classes. I don't know about you but being in the class ease my mind about labor compared to just reading books and articles. We have to do all these breathing exercises and I couldn't kep myself serious and just kept on laughing, oh my could that be a sign that I will be weeping during labor? =c hope not! I have to give props to my dear loving husband for being such a good team and support system during class and I'm sure he will be more supportive even during labor. Love you Danny <3

False alarm!

So here's what happened to my mini incident on Friday...
I was at work the whole day, had lunch with Danny then walk around for a little bit...we went to check out and paid our stuff then I briefly stopped and told him "What was that". I felt icky feeling and got so anxious. Danny left to go home while I stayed to finish work, I was still anxious...I asked and told my friend how I was feeling and she have told me to go check myself in the restroom and see if I have bloody spots. So I did but there's nothing, she knocked on the stall and offered to check it out herself LOL this was the most embarrassing moment ever! I trusted her because she is more experienced and has gone through pregnancies with different women (friends), I told her she should've been a nurse or a doula.
So going back, she recommended me to call labor and delivery department just to make sure that I didn't tear my amniotic sac. The nurses at the hospital adviced me to come by at the hospital to be seen and so I did. Long story short they kept me for 2 hours, hooked me up in monitors and took some test and everything is perfectly fine...whew! It was a weight lifted off my shoulders...it was just a normal women thing =) I am happy that our baby will still have more time in my belly to grow.

I am so bad in updating my blog and I have no excuses because I am lacking!
So anyway, here I am on my 35th week and omgosh I am close to the finish line...I have mixed emotions about it...excited because I wanted to see our baby and hold her in our arms, scared because despite the comfort from family and friends that labor will be okay..I can never fully trust what I am getting into until I spread my wings and actually be the one experiencing it lol.

Although I think I will miss the fact that she's growing in my womb, the feeling of huge belly, how nice and polite people are on me, the feeling of her jabs in the middle of the night and see her movements while I sit and watch...I will miss being pregnant.
Odd to think and believe coming from me knowing that in my previous life I would have never thought of having a child, but never say never....If God chose you to bear a child, it is a wonderful unexplainable feeling a woman can have.