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There are things which are best defined by actions and not by words…these are lust, love, hate and obsession. Here’s a picture to define the last word.
A father, watching the infant child sleep. With his camera – ready to catch anything and everything…trying to imortalize the silliest things because to him they’re not silly at all but extremely precious
I posted this question and answer sheet 2 years ago and i thought it would be nice to answer it again and see what has changed.
FIRSTS
First screenname: Gorgeous (of course)
First self purchased album: If it was using my own money it’s got to be Wilson Phillips
First funeral: Auntie Belen I believe (my grandmother’s sister in law who shares my birthday)
First piercing/tattoo: first piercing would be the one on my ears as I’ve had that since I was a baby, but the first one I actually paid for would be my bellybutton piercing
First true love: Ruy (woohoo)
LASTS
Last car ride: Going to my lola’s house for lunch
Last kiss: I’ve been annoying Andrea with kisses left and right
Last library book: shit don’t remind me…I had to pay 1600 before Ateneo would sign my clearance form
Last movie seen (in theater):God, I don’t remember!!
Last beverage drank: Water with a lot of ice
Last food consumed: Pastillas made from carabao milk from my mother in law (i’m eating this like a person who hasn’t had any food for days…BAD!!!)
Last phone call: I called Ruy just to say hi
Last Time Showered: Last night…Andrea wouldn’t sleep long enough to allow me to shower
Last shoes worn: flats from a Korean store
Last item bought: bulb for our room
Last annoyance: Andrea’s yaya thought it would be smart to lessen the water in andrea’s bottles by an ounce. Therefore Andrea has been drinking milk which don’t follow the proper measurement which led to her constipation….Iasked the yaya why she did that and she just said “kase malaki ang bote….” i don’t get the logic…maybe cause there isn’t any.
Last time wanting to die: back in my suicidal days a looong time ago
Last time scolded: a loooong time ago
RELATIONSHIPS
Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? mmm No, we’re married
Do you do drugs?: No
What kind of shampoo do you use? Amazing Grace Shampoo
What are you listening to right now? Deeper and Deeper by Barry White
When do you want to get married? I’m married now
What would you change about yourself? I’ll make my post pregnancy tummy go away
FAVORITES
Color: aquamarine
Food: I’m too full to think about food
Boy name: Santiago, Miguel, Inaki
Girl name: Agatha, Sophia, Alexi, Sabina
Subjects in school: English, Psychology
Sports: Shopping…
Perfume: D&G Light blue, Acca Kappa from Essences, Amazing Grace from Philosophy, and Ralph Lauren
Ever been in love?YES
Made yourself cry to get out of trouble? I don’t think I’ve ever done that….great idea though
Lied? Yeah!!! hahahah
Fallen for a close friend? Almost…then I realized I can’t be with someone who’s exactly like me…too freaky.
Been rejected? Not really, I don’t crush a lot
Rejected someone? Yes but I suck at this. I suck so bad there was one time when I thought I was finally able to break up with someone ayun pala he thinks sinasagot ko siya.
Used someone? Duh, I’ve used people, I’ve been used by people. Shit happens when you don’t live in Sesame St.
Done something you regret? Oh yes plenty plenty things!
CURRENT
Clothes: blue robe and white havaianas
Music: Barry White and the rest of my gigolo music
Annoyance: Andrea’s yaya
Smell: Baby Soap
Favorite band/artist: Usher, Madonna, Beyonce, Kylie
Desktop picture: Andrea
DVD in player: nada
LAST PERSON
You touched: Andrea
Hugged: Andrea
You imed: Jen
Imed you: Jen
Called you: Ruy
You called: Ruy
Bought you flowers: Oh my God…I think it was Ruy a looooooongggggg loooooonnnnnnnngggggg time ago
WHO DO YOU WANNA
Kill: stupid people…I’m evil I know.
Slap: People in the elevators with no manners…Kase babae kung uunahan mo lahat ng tao pumasok sa elevator make sure na hahawakan mo naman yung “Open” button di ba? Atsaka if you see a line forming outside the elevator it means these people have been there for a long time and you have no business going inside the elevator before they do
Kiss: Andrea
WHICH IS BETTER
Coke or pepsi: I like coke
Flowers or candy: Diamonds hahaha…fine flowers…actually anything basta good timing
Tall or short: Taller than Me
RANDOM
In the morning I am: trying to catch some sleep
All I need is: discipline
Love: is a decision you have to make every single day
You dream of: leaving the Philippines having a son and a daughter and being able to cook
Last person you danced with: Ruy, while hugging Andrea…ohhhhhhhhhh ha sweet noh…like in the movies…hahaha
Worst question to ask: Did you gain weight? or Are you pregnant? haha
Who makes you laugh the most: Loi, Patrick although in different ways. I love these guys to pieces. Also Dorothy…damn our office would be boring without her
Who has a crush on you: Ruy…you better have a crush on me!! Although I doubt this, I’m not his type
DO YOU EVER
Wish you were a member of the opposite sex: Hell no! I’ve enjoyed my femininity so much, I’ve milked it for all it’s worth.
Wish you were younger: Sometimes, I wish life was simpler
NUMBER
Of times I have had my heart broken: i’ve forgotten
Of hearts I have broken: I don’t know, I don’t count
Of continents I have been in: 3
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
Movie: Must Love Dogs, American Beauty, La Vita e Bella, Amelie, A Very Long Engagement , Y tu Mama Tambien
Song: Like a Prayer by Madonna, Human Nature by Madonna, the song Ruy wrote for me, What It Feels Like for a Girl and of course Gigolo Music!!!
Holiday: none…i like birthdays though
Ice cream: Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey among others
Book: Like Water for Chocolate, house of spirits, da vinci code, I also love the shopaholic series.
Quote: Wala I hate quotes
Number: mmmmmm
Flower: I like all flowers except mums
Memory: when Ruy showed up in Power Plant unexpectedly…
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE:
Actor: Johnny Depp, Will Ferell because he’s so funny. John Cusack,
Actress: Diane Lane, Nicole Kidman and Kate Hudson
Town mourns death of abandoned newborn
By GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writer Wed Mar 28, 5:10 PM ET
OROSI, Calif. – The first newborn was discovered swaddled in a blanket on a park bench, an umbilical cord still hanging from his tiny body. Then, at neat 11-month intervals, two more abandoned babies were found in parked pickup trucks in the same neighborhood.
This week, DNA tests established all three babies were almost certainly born to the same mother.
Now, in a heartbreaking mystery that has transfixed this central California farm community of 7,300, investigators are trying to find the mother and figure out what drove her to such desperate lengths.
“How can the relatives not see this girl pregnant, and then see that she’s not pregnant anymore and not ask where’s the baby? Somebody must know something,” said Hortencia Espino, 81.
All three newborns were found within a two-block radius. The first two — a boy and a girl — survived and are now wards of the state.
The third baby was found dead of exposure on the cold night of Dec. 3. She was enveloped in a sweatshirt in the bed of a pickup parked near the high school, some 60 miles southeast of Fresno. The coroner concluded she was alive for less than a day.
On Wednesday, a Catholic church held a baptism and funeral Mass in Spanish and English for the baby girl, who was dubbed “Angelita DeOrosi,” or Orosi’s little angel.
Later, under the shade of a corrugated plastic awning, sheriff’s officials and grandmothers delicately sifted handfuls of dirt onto her white coffin before it was lowered into the earth.
Marely Pena, who found the infant in her father’s truck, cried behind dark glasses.
“I ask myself every day what if she had been alive. We could have saved her,” said Pena, 25. “I just hope the mother comes forward to please just make us feel at ease.”
Orosi, a town encircled by fig and lemon orchards, has long been the kind of place where everyone seemed to know each other. But that is changing, with new housing developments going up and a burgeoning gang problem that has led to a rise in violent crime.
As upset residents built makeshift shrines in honor of Angelita, authorities interviewed local women they thought might be involved. But DNA testing eliminated them as the babies’ mother.
After exhausting all leads, officials are asking the community for help finding the parents and are offering a $5,000 reward. Police said the mother could face criminal charges. But they also said they want to make sure she doesn’t do it again and isn’t in some kind of distress.
Investigators would not speculate as to the reasons for the abandonment, such as whether the mother might have been a prostitute or a rape victim.
“Whether the mother is in a physical state of danger or a mental state where she feels she can’t ask for help, our heart goes out to her,” Karen Franzen, manager of Dopkins Funeral Chapel in Dinuba, which donated a casket and cemetery plot for Angelita.
The first deserted newborn was found on Feb. 10, 2005, a barely breathing boy with a body temperature of just 85 degrees. On January 8, 2006, a resident discovered a full-term baby girl inside a pickup two blocks away, clothed in an undershirt and pants.
On Monday, sheriff’s officials announced the DNA results. The first two babies probably had the same father, but Angelita was fathered by a different man.
California and 46 other states allow parents to legally abandon a child at a hospital or other designated safe zones within 72 hours of birth, no questions asked.
Since California’s law went into effect in 2001, parents have safely surrendered 182 babies at fire stations, emergency rooms and other safe havens, according to state officials.
“This little community is a family. We know pretty much everyone else’s business and they know ours,” said Eugene Etheridge, principal of Orosi High School. “It’s concerning that this could happen again when the most precious thing we have is our children.”
I read this article and I can’t help but let the tears fall (when have I ever been such a cry baby?), I don’t understand how any human being can do this to her child…not once, not twice but three f*cking times. What the hell was she thinking? Or wait, maybe that’s the problem…she wasn’t thinking.
How can a thinking human being, an adult? Enjoy sex and not even take responsibility for the repercussions of her actions? And because of the irresponsibility of the mother the life of a helpless, innocent child had been taken away.
I can’t help but look at Andrea as I type this post. The thought of leaving her alone at home with a yaya as soon as I go to work is already killing me…what more leaving her on a bench park?
When I was pregnant, a lot of people were asking me if I was afraid of giving birth. I would always reply “No, I’m scared of motherhood…”. Being a mother is a very powerful thing, not only do you play a major part in giving life to a child but you also hold so much power. You can mold the best human being, you can also screw up the life of a person by your choices and by your decisions. It bothers me that a lot of people get pregnant, have unsafe sex without thinking of this.
This is what I’ve been going through for the past two days. Ruy’s work has brought him out of the city again but this time it’s different, this is the first time he has left not only me but Andrea as well.
Ruy and I have been going out for over half a decade and he’s been at this job for around 4 years so I’ve gotten used to this set up of him being goe 3-4 days a week. I would be a hypocrite if I said that it was easy. Hell No! In fact it was extremely tough at the beginning for me. I hated the fact that I can’t see him at will. That I needed to call others when I had car problems….etc. Then I realized that if it was tough on me it’s probably a dozen times tougher on him. At least I’m here in the city surrounded with friends but he is driving miles and miles accross deserted streets to places where he only knows handfuls of people. I know it’s even harder for him now that Andrea’s here.
While Ruy’s gone though, I realized that I’m playing a role of a single parent. It’s both tough and great. The great part? I get to make my own decisions with Andrea without having to think about another person. I have become an extremely independent thinker and having to consider another person’s input in raising Andrea has been the toughest adjustment for me. I can also let Andrea cry without having to think about waking Ruy up…
Now the drawbacks…not having someone there. I realized that not having someone has an impact on one’s psyche. Every night I need to pscyhe myself “Liv, you might not get some sleep tonight so be prepared…” I know I’m not going to have a reliever if ever I get sleepy or feel tired.
I think about it and I realized that there are a lot of people really go through child rearing alone. Wow! These women are amazing. I have the utmost respect for them and I realize the sacrifices they have to go through. These very sacrifices are probably the reason why some women choose to stay with assholes called husbands instead of leaving them. They’re afraid of having to go through everything alone. I don’t agree of course but I kinda see where they’re coming from.
Andrea has been with us for 18 days already and she has so many nick names already.
So many names, yet she has no proper nickname yet. What do you guys think? What would be a nice nick for someone named Andrea Sabrina?
Read this in another blog:
ellen
well, here you are on the cover of details magazine, looking very stylish..(female audience cheers and hoots)
ellen
and the headline reads, “ashton kutcher.. may just be the best husband in the world”.(ashton blushes)
ashton
the key word there is.. “MAY”!(audience and ellen laughs)
ellen
no really, but why do you think they say that? what makes you the best husband in the world?ashton
ah, well.. you see.. its simple. i have the best wife in the world.(everybody now.. “AAAAAWWW..”)
I’m dying here people!! If Ruy were here right now I’d demand that he say the same thing about me….hahaha This made me like Ashton Kutcher…I demand that every woman watch his movies from now on!
I’ve been meaning to rave about several products but I’ve been forgetting so now that I have a bit of time (the little devi err angel is sleeping)
Lamaze Toys – Baby’s First Mirror
I’ve been wanting to buy this toy ever since i found out I was pregnant. It matches everything I’ve learned from Developmental Psychology. It’s a bit pricey as far as toys go but it bought me a few minutes of quiet time with Andrea. She actually spends around 10-30 minutes staring at herself in this mirror. (oh no, she’s vain like her mother) The problem is when she starts getting hungry she tries to eat the mirror and gets really mad when she can’t….tsk tsk tsk
Fita Spreadz
Ruy bought this for me and I was awed. This MSG rich cracker is just oh so good!! It is a sandwich of two fita crackers with a thick layer of bacon flavored spread. One pack contains 3 cracker sandwiches and it’s filling enough to tide me over until dinner. The draw back? 130 calories per serving…YIKES!
Modess Cottony Soft – All Night with Wings
The best napkin ever!! I switched from maternity pads to this prematurely and I couldn’t be happier. The maternity pads are soooooooooo bulky and they’re bigger than all of my underwear…hahaha. So I tried this pad, it’s extremely long and the back part has a shape to accomodate one’s booty. It’s extremely absorbent, without the bulk. Plus it’s made of cotton and not plastic so it doesn’t irritate you. This is so important for me right now cause even my bathroom breaks are scheduled around Andrea, I can’t afford having a napkin which doesn’t work.
Motorola V6maxx
I am currently in love with this phone. Thank you globe for this wonderful “gift”. it’s brilliant and stylish …the drawback? I can’t seem to figure out how to type without the dictionary function…oh well
I know I’ve been gushing too much about Ruy already but allow me to gush some more. We had a surprise “date” last night. Well it’s not really a date date but when I asked him to take me to the ATM he said let’s use this time to eat out, just the two of for the first time in over 2 weeks.
It was really sweet, much appreciated and needed. PLUS he allowed me to order TUNA (something I haven’t been allowed to eat while I was pregnant) despite the fact that he hates fish.
One of the things I was afraid of about being a mother is the fact that most people assume that this should be your only and primary role. I love Andrea but being a mother is not all I am. I refuse to give up being an employee, a daughter, a friend, a bitch, a sister and of course a wife. I’m glad Ruy’s helping me make sure I don’t stop being a wife…
Just like the tita and the mom
My 8 year old sister, Helena, is being such a great aunt to Andrea. She showers Andrea with letters, gifts, and clothes. She also hovers over Andrea for hours without getting bored.
I think therefore I am…man becomes man because of his capacity to think…if I don’t think I cease to become human.
nuff said!
…and be merry.
(this was taken when she was still in her swollen glory)
Who would have thought that I’d be so thrilled about the fact that my baby grew by .9pounds? The person who Ruy called hard to please a couple of years ago is now finding joys in ounces and centimeters.
My baby’s weight is still considered low right now, and her height is now on the upper limit for girls her age. I just hope her weight will pick up soon…
This morning Andrea decided that it would be really fun to bawl her eyes out at around 2:30 am. When I say bawl I mean plates chattering kind of bawling. It was so loud I heard that’s how our neighbors found out we had a new baby in the house. When my sister was a kid we used to hum a sort of tune to get her to calm down and sleep…I tried this with Andrea and it didn’t work. I thought to myself “Maybe nursery rhymes would work” …so I tried that too…NOTHING! At that point I just gave up and decided to just sing songs to calm ME down. I sang Moody’s Mood for Love (see my post about Gigolo Music to understand what I’m talking about) and guess what? Andrea calmed down and started cooing…woohoo we have a P-I-M-P in training right here!! She’s currently listening to Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Barry White.
Luggages under my eyes that are so big and dark they could be mistaken for samsonites, still visible uterus that slightly jiggles, sweat sweat sweat despite not leaving the air-conditioned room, slightly limited movement due to the caesarian operation, no more privacy, no intimacy, snuggles which never last longer than 5 minutes, practically no communication as any extra time is just spent catching up on sleep…
No Johnson and Johnson commercial ever showed this side of post pregnancy. These are the things I honestly was not prepared for. And no don’t worry I’m not undergoing Post Partum Depression. I am actually quite content right now. I never imagined that despite all of those things I mentioned above, I have never felt closer to Ruy. It feels like we’re finally really a team. I do admit it sucks that it’s the woman who suffers the brunt of the situation, all the sacrifices fall on the woman but still Ruy’s been a great companion through it all (just don’t count the early mornings…he’s insane during these period and can barely understand anything I say or ask).
I specially appreciates the trust he’s giving me in taking care of Andrea. You know how when you have a baby everyone’s telling you what you should do with your baby? Well they’re telling Ruy and Ruy would always ask me and if I say “No” he just believes that it’s best. I know that seems petty but I have friends whose husbands are assholes and demand to be the ones making ALL the decisions about the kids. Ruy has input definitely but he’s never bullheaded about anything and is always open to logical discussions about stuff….
I don’t know what the point of my post is =) I’m just gushing about my husband I guess…
I need…
=(
I woke up not long after and the Dr. told me everything was okay and done. The baby had been brought up to the nursery and that everyone had gone home. While I was being wheeled to the recovery room however I heard the nurses talking about a man still waiting there. They said there was a big man, who was sporting a skin head and still hasn’t left the room. They weren’t really talking to me but they were talking amongst themselves. I had to smile, I knew that man was Ruy and I was thrilled to know that he made it back to Manila in time.
When I was in the recovery room I was already getting impatient. Knowing Ruy was there made me want to go out and talk to him. I was going crazy wanting to tell him about EVERYTHING I went through and about the baby and about his trip. I was basically feeling needy and I really wanted to be with Ruy already. I was bugging the nurse and asking her why I had to stay in the recovery room when I was wide awake. (all the other women there were knocked out) She said it was because I still couldn’t move my legs and they need to make sure the anaesthesia will wear off. Here’s our conversation:
Liv: Nurse, hindi pa ba ako pwede bumalik sa kwarto?
Nurse: Hindi po mommy may anaesthesia pa po kayo
Liv: Eh gising na ako oh, lahat sila tulog pa
Nurse: Eh mommy kailangan po gumagalaw na yung paa niyo
Liv: How long will that take?
Nurse: Mga 2 hours po
(Inside Liv’s head: I can move my toes, I know I can do this. Uma Thurman was able to do it in Kill Bill and she was paralyzed for months…go toes, move)
After 10 minutes…
Liv: Nurse gumagalaw na yung paa ko oh!
Nurse: Mommy dapat buong legs, hindi yung paa lang
Liv: Eh sabi mo paa eh.
So I concentrated some more and was able to move my legs within an hour. Finally, I was wheeled back to my room where I saw Ruy waiting.
Ruy was amazed at the fact that I was wide awake and fully conscious (despite giving strange answers which I will eventually not remember saying a couple of days after) and he was also amazed that I was smiling when I saw him. I need to be mushy and say that I was really really looking forward to seeing him and I know I didn’t need him to be there during the procedure but having him there after was really nice.
I started asking him about the baby, how long was she and how much did she weigh? Ruy was clueless…hay naku…MEN!!
I later found out that Andrea was a very long and very thin baby. She weighed 5.8 pounds and was 50cm long. The lack of amniotic fluid I suppose really affected her weight…PLUS the fact that she was born 2 weeks before her due date didn’t help either. We’re happy to say though that as I type this she has really filled out and looks so much better. I will post pictures ASAP, we just need to get a new USB cord for our camera
Taking care of Andrea has been extremely easy for me…why? Because my sister was born when I was 16 and a half and so I was able to take care of her, feed her, wash her, help bathe her, etc. I was a pro at handling Andrea right off the bat. Ruy however had a slightly more difficult time. You see, Ruy is a big guy and I noticed that in the beginning he was so afraid of hurting Andrea so much so that his movements became really awkward.
Now, exactly a week after, he’s getting quite good!! He can now switch arms while carrying Andrea, lay down Andrea without waking her up, etc….woohoo…SNAPS FOR RUY!!
March 9 7pm
In the delivery room I was strapped on to a fetal monitor and an IV through which they administered the oxytocin to start inducing labor. A few minutes after the drug was injected to me i started feeling very strong contractions, the contractions were nearing 100 in the contraction scale (which is the maximum) and I was pleased to realize that it didn’t feel that bad. I have a very high threshold for pain and seeing that I wasn’t so affected by the contractions gave me hope that maybe, just maybe this giving birth thing will not be so painful for me…then the drama begins.
On the 3rd round of my contractions, the frowning OB resident sat beside me and held the monitor in place. I realized that the baby’s heartbeat was becoming weaker and she had to hold the transducer just to hear the sound. The OB resident was so alert (thank God) and she immediately stopped the Oxytocin and told my OB that the baby can’t handle labor. Andrea’s heartbeat went from 150 down to 80 in a matter of seconds. Even non-doctors would know that that’s not a good thing.
My OB arrived shortly and told me point blank that I need to undergo CS now…okay? And I said, well it’s not like I have a choice right? Plus truth be told, I would much rather have a wound cutting my stomach than my vagina. So this was a welcome news for me. I was led out of the labor room into the operating room…and guess who’s waiting for me? My mother, aunt, sister and mother-in-law. They were all talking excitedly and I was asking everyone to please tell Ruy where I was going and what’s happening. My family was hopeless and were all just too excited to care about what I was saying. Thank goodness my mother in law was there and was sane enough to inform me that yes, Ruy has been informed already.
I was pushed into the operating room which looked so clean and pristine to me. I loved the fact that there was a cross hanging there, it made it look more human and less clinical. It was also less scary for me somehow (see, I’m not an atheist!) seeing that there, it’s illogical I know but that’s how I felt.
I have to be honest, the best part of the entire thing was my anaesthesiologist. She went in talked to me and explained the entire procedure to me step-by-step. I love that! I loved that she treated me like a thinking human being who deserved to know what was going to be done to her. She explained how each step would feel, why she opted for that over other options. She was an angel!!
When everyone was ready, I was asked to curl up into the tiniest C position. Considering the fact that I was 9 months pregnant, this wasn’t the simplest thing to do. HEre’s the thing though, I’ve been very very limber and flexible all my life even when i was 9 months prenant but I had a bit of a tough time getting into that position. I wonder how other people do this? Oh well I digress yet again…
The worst part for me during the entire thing was the loss of control. The moment I felt the loss of control over my legs I started feeling anxious. I was also feeling claustrophobic. Imagine this, you can’t move your legs, both your hands are strapped on to the sides with apparatus attached to them, a blanket on top of my chest covering my lower body and a woman holding my face. It’s a claustrophobic’s night mare…and I am claustrophobic.
The entire procedure didn’t last very long. I was conscious through it all and was able to see my baby immediately after they have cleaned her up. Andrea was brought out for her family to see while I was sewed back up. At this point I decided it would be okay to sleep a bit.
I checked in by myself carrying all of my purchases. I paid for my deposit by going to the accounting area myself. I walked to the room accompanied only by a nursing aide. I found it annoying how so many people looked at me with pity. I was asked 5 separate times “Ay mag-isa ka lang? wala kang asawa?”
EXCUSE ME!! I chose to go to the hospital alone, I have a whole slew of people who would be willing to go with me but I refused to ask them because I think giving birth is a personal experience and if possible something I want to go through my way, either with my husband or alone. What if I was a single mother? Does that make me less of a person? Does that make the experience less special? Of course not!! Anyway I’m digressing here
So I went to the room I chose. I decided to stay in a semi-private room to cut up on expenses. It was a great experience cause i shared the room with a woman who was also about to give birth. I have already reserved a private room for the next day but since I’m going to be alone anyway I decided to get a semi private room. The difference between a private room and a semi private one is just 500 BUT everything else costs less if you’re in a semi-private room. So the needles, the medicine, the delivery room, even PFs change with each room upgrade.
So there I was in my room, being prepped with all the tests and everything else needed before the operation. They then said that since I don’t have anyone with me I can bring my cellphone, money and valuables and just deposit it in the delivery room. Then I walked to the delivery room…
March 9 2pm
After reserving a room I instructed the driver to drive to my office so I can talk to people (against my doctor’s commands) and then to my grandmother’s place so I can get stuff. While driving there I suddenly realized that I could be putting my baby’s health at risk and for what? What’s the worst that could happen if I don’t have all my things with me? I decided to go to greenhills instead…now don’t castrate me for thinking about shopping at this point in my life cause I weighed all the pros and cons and this is the most logical thing to do because…
1. The driver hasn’t had lunch
2. I need a charger for my new phone and since the model is so new you can’t find the charger just anywhere.
3. Greenhills has babyland and mercury for the things I need while I’m in the hospital.
So with these rationalizations err reasons in mind I went to Greenhills, and shopped away. Here are the things I bought:
While trying to find a robe I can buy I called my grandmother’s home in order to instruct the maid regarding the things to put inside the bag she needs to send over to the hospital. I had forgotten that my sister and mother were visiting so it was my sister who answered the phone.
Helena: Hello
Liv: Hi Helena, can I talk to Mary please? (Mary’s our maid)
Helena: ATA! (that’s what she calls me) When is Brina coming out? Can she be born already please???? (note that she said Brina, this is because she doesn’t like the name Andrea and chooses to call her niece by her second name which is Sabrina)
Liv: Helena I need to talk to Mary now…my phone has very little battery give her the phone.
Helena: she’s not here she went to the market to buy something. So Ata when will I be a tita? Can it be soon please please please?
Liv: Henna! Give the phone to an adult now….HURRY
Helena: Why? Are you going to give birth now? oh my God
Liv: Henna hurry!!
Helena: (shouting to everyone) Ata’s having a baby!!!
Notice that not once in our conversation did I mention giving birth…tsk tsk tsk I guess the overactive imagination of children are almost always acurate. =) So I gave them instructions on what to prepare for me without telling them that I was giving birth…they just think it’s Oligohydramnios yet again.
So I left greenhills and asked the driver to bring myself to the hospital. He was then asked to go back to my grandmother’s place and get Mary and my things.
I then walked to the admissions office and checked myself in.
Helena: Hi Ata
Before I begin my ”excruciatingly detailed birthing story” I thought it would be interesting to point out a very interesting piece of trivia. What was the last thing I did before being confined, and what was the first thing I did upon being discharged? The answer to both questions would be SHOPPING!!
March 9 – 9am
I was getting ready to go to the hospital for my weekly check-up. I decided to put on a lot of make-up today as I wanted to look my best despite being almost as tall as I am wide. I was already in the hospital by around 10 and I wrote my name down on three lists: 1. The Cardiologist’s List, 2. The OB Gynecologist’s List and 3. The List in the Ultrasound Room.
I waited and waited and found myself being called first to the Ultrasound Room. The sonologist told me that my AFI (amniotic fluid index) was at an all time low…it’s now at 2.3 (normal levels are from 5-25). I felt so dejected…oh no here we go again!! The last time I was confined my AFI was 7, imagine what would happen to me with this level!!
I went straight to my OB but she wasn’t there yet so I left the results of the ultrasound with the secretary and went one floor down to the Cardio. I was texting Ruy at this point and telling him everything that was happening. Ruy was panicking cause he was all the way up in Baguio and it would take him at least 6 hours before he could get to me….PLUS his car was coding that day and so he could only enter Manila by 7pm…hell
I was called in by the Cardio who checked for my arrythmia and MVP (mitral valve prolapse). Amazingly enough my last 2D Echo shows that I have no MVP, apparently some pregnancies do that…make MVPs better I mean. She did one last test (an ECG) then declared me to be fit to undergo any OB procedure…YEY!
I then went to my OB where I was called in immediately. She told me point blank that I will be giving birth within the day. She says that the baby now has no room to move and that the fact that just a week ago my AFI was at 11 and now it’s down to 2 is pretty scary. She told me that these would be the next steps.
1. Get admitted
2. Blood Tests and Prep
3. Administer oxytocin (she didn’t really tell me what she would administer but I assumed it’s oxytocin) to induce labor
4. The oxytocin should take effect within 2 hours and so I’m expected to have a baby by that time…however if the oxytocin doesn’t work then we’ll have to perform a CS operation.
Now at this point I already new she was going to say these things so I wasn’t so shocked. I didn’t want to stress people out though so I only told Ruy and the HR department in my office.
I bargained with my doctor to let me go home to get some stuff before being confined. I argued that I didn’t have my cellphone charger with me (it’s in the office) and I didn’t have baby stuff nor any of my clothes. She didn’t want to budge but she eventually did with the condition that I go down and reserve a room already. That’s exactly what I did…
There’s a funny story which happened in the admissions office. The woman said:
Woman: Sino pasyente?
Liv: Ako po
Woman: Ay bakit iha ano sakit mo?
Liv: Manganganak po?
Woman: Huh bakit buntis ka ba?
Liv: Oo naman noh, ano akala niyo obese lang ako?
Woman: Eh hindi halata mas mukha pa akong buntis sayo….
At that point she called everyone to look at the buntis na hindi mukhang buntis. The cow is being paraded in front of the farmers yet again…
…Life is what happens in between feedings. Yes, this is the philosophical realization which I have encountered during my 4 day confinement. Why was I confined? Because my stubborn baby girl decided to leave the tummy a bit early, I guess all the gigolo music got her all worked up and she wanted to join the party ASAP! =) So just to let you all know, Andrea’s here!!
I am currently obsessed with this music I call Gigolo Music…of course the term gigolo music is my invention but somehow other people seem to understand what I mean when I tell them about Gigolo Music. SD aptly describes it as nakapanglalambot…woohoo deep Filipino word right there. Seriously though it makes me want to melt. I am one of those people who go insane over lyrics of particular songs, one such song is Moody’s Mood for Love. Here are a few lines from the song:
There I go, there I go, there I go, there I go
Pretty baby you are the soul that snaps my control
It’s a funny thing but everytime I’m near you
I never can behave
You give me a smile and I’m wrapped up in your magic
Music all around me, crazy music, music that keeps calling me so
Baby close to you, turns me into your slave
Come on
Come and do with me any little thing that you want to
Anything, baby just met me get next to you
Am I insane or do I really see heaven in your eyes
Bright as stars that shine up above you
In the clear blue sky
How I worry bout you
Just can’t live my life without you
Baby come here, don’t have no fear
Oh, is there wonder why
I’m really feeling in the mood for love
So tell me why, stop to think about this weather, my dear
This little dream might fade away
There I go talking out of my head again so baby won’t you
Come and put our two hearts together
That would make me strong and brave
Oh, when we are one, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid
If there’s a cloud up above us
Go on and let in rain
I’m sure our love together would endure a hurricane
Oh my baby
Won’t you please let me love you and get a release from this awful misery
Woohoo…okay I’m going crazy here. I actually have 4 versions of this song (1, Quincy Jones, 2. George Benson, 3. Brian McKnight, 4. Elliot Yamin) all over the place. I have copies on CD, in my flash disk, my laptop, Ruy’s pc, my cellphone it’s driving me freaking insane. When I hear this song my stomache does flip flops…seriously!! Just like the way it does when I ride a roller coaster.
My collection of Gigolo Music doesn’t end there of course. Look at my extensive collection of oh so exciting Gigolo Music (mwahahah)…notice the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow? Needless to say that song is not very Gigolo…I don’t know why it’s there. Despite Dorothy leaving Kansas and going to Oz to frolic with the munchkins she’s still not P-I-M-P enough to dish out serious Gigolo Music… =)
I realized that with Andrea’s birth comes…my monthly period. Well not immediately I know but I’ve been enjoying the long months without it. Welcome back dysmennhorea, tampons, sanitary napkins, cramps, cravings, and pms.
Oh well, you win some you lose some!
All throughout my pregnancy, people have been looking at my nose. It’s as if they can tell how far along I reallyam just by looking at my nose. Unfortunately for them (and fortunately for me) my nose hasn’t grown that much through out the pregnancy. I am a very logical person though so I thought…maybe it did grow a lot I just don’t realize it. So here’s what I did. I compiled pictures of myself all through out my pregnancy from the First Month all the way to the Ninth. Presenting…the nose
Hmmm…I think it did grow a bit!! Amazing! I thought that was just an urban legend. Oh well…it’s not that obvious anyway so it’s not a big deal I do hope it will shrink back after I give birth. Also…can anyone guess which one shows me during the first few weeks of pregnancy and which picture shows me on the ninth? Let me think of a price…and VICKI, BETH and AVRIL you cannot guess cause most of these pictures were taken during office affairs.
Also, does anyone have any idea if there’s a contest for the vainest woman on the planet? I’d sure like to join.
The best indicator that you had good food…you don’t have any pictures to show. hahaha…Needless to say, I feel bad about the fact that I dont have any pictures to share with you all cause the food Ruy and I had last night was FANTASTIC. I don’t know what made it so good considering that we’ve eaten each and everything before but somehow last night everything tasted so good and tasted well together. It must be the fact that I was so hungry (we ate dinner at around 9:50) that I was practically chewing on my arm.
We ate in Gerry’s Grill in Libis and I was initially in a sour mood because: 1. I can’t eat the fish I wanted to eat cause I’m pregnant (tuna, salmon and blue marlin); 2. I’m so hungry. I chose the first dish which was Tinomok.
Tinomok to those who are not familiar with this dish is a bit like laing. It’s also made out of gabi leaves cooked in thickened coconut milk (geez I’m drooling again) the difference with laing is that this dish has meat balls wrapped inside the gabi leaves. I imagine that this dish would taste so good if its a bit spicier as it is though it has a sweetish taste from the coconut milk which perfectly complements Ruy’s chosen dish which is Sisig.
Seriously, who eats at Gerry’s without eating sisig? The best thing about Gerry’s Sisig is the fact that it’s topped with very crisp chicharon bits. I also like the fact that the meat is cooked well so much so that you can’t feel the texture too much. I personally find sisig disgusting (but I still eat it) and the less I’m able to identify the parts I’m eating the better. =) I love Gerry’s sisig with calamansi and Knorr Seasoning (yohohoy, MSG deluxe!!). This went so well with the Tinomok I’m telling you.
Lastly, we also had baked tahong. The baked tahong was my least favorite cause it was dry and a bit over cooked. The mussels were also small and so they weren’t interesting. With that being said, I was the one who ate most of the tahong. Yes, yes, I’m a pig!! Hahaha. What can I say, I was hungry!! Once again this dish went so well with the other dishes.
Ruy and I left the restaurant wondering if Gerry’s really tasted that good in the past. After all, a hungry, hormonal woman and a 6 foot man who just came from a day at work and a basketball game are probably not the most reliable judges when it comes to food.
I’d probably still be wanting more =). What can I say, it’s human nature to be greedy and to never be satisfied. I’ll actually take an opportunity to earn money which is why I’m getting myself involved with blog marketing to help me achieve the billionaire status I’ve been aiming for…hahaha
I have not been a very good blogger in terms of advertising lately and so I’ve only made around $30 which is not a lot compared to the other people who are really taking this seriously. I promise that from this point on I’ll be advertising seriously and I’ll be earning a hundred before the month ends…(okay this depends on how cooperative Andrea will be). What do I plan to do with my moolah if ever I do end up earning a lot from this venture? Well surprise, surprise! I already have a list ready
Wow, I just realized I don’t really want a lot of things. I just like the security of knowing I have money if ever I would need it. I’d also want to save up for Andrea’s education, do you know that in Miriam pre-school costs 60k? My sister’s tuition in Poveda is 80k a year. My goodness!! I wonder how much it would cost when it’s Andrea’s turn? Damn, I just realized I need to post more if I want to be able to send my kid to school…hahahah
I was scanning my files and updating my webshots account when I realized one thing…I had practically no pregnancy photos. How sad is that, while other people have pictures of themselves clearly showing how their pregnancy has progressed, I had only a few.
If Andrea ever doubts the fact that I am indeed her mother and that I carried her for 9 months, I wouldn’t have anything to show…except this. Yey, I have pregnancy photos!! These are some pictures taken when I was 7 months pregnant…
See Andrea, I really am your mother. Oh wait wait wait…I saw another picture.
The picture which shows me wearing a greek inspired dress shows my tummy at 5 months, while the picture which shows me wearing black showcases my tummy at 7 months. I don’t know why having these pictures make me happy now. I just don’t want to regret not having these pictures when I’m old and gray.
You might have noticed a peppering of ads here in my blog. I have recently joined Pay Per Post which makes blogging a lucrative affair.
The new segmentation system awards bloggers with high traffic blogs. You could make $1000 for a single sponsored post! At this point imagine the dollar signs in my head….woohooo MONEY!!
Also…Did you know that Pay Per Post only charges a 35% service fee. This is extremely low compared to the other services which can charge all the way up to 100%! Imagine that money could be going into my pocket already!!!
Pay Per Post makes sense for high traffic and lower traffic bloggers alike. Of course the only thing Pay Per Post is asking you to do is to disclose some information to let them know that you are legit.
My husband asked me if this can be considered selling out. I said “No Way!”. You see I’m really going to blog anyway no matter what, so I might as well make some money of it right? =) Besides, the great thing about Pay Per Post is that you get to choose which ads you want to put in your blog. So you can choose the ads which fit the theme, mood and the personality of your blog. Plus, any excuse to earn money is good for me. =)
Andrea’s not even out of the womb and she’s already facing the quintessential female problem….what should I wear? I decided to make an inventory of her clothes so that Ruy and I could figure out what we still need to buy, and guess what? She has so many clothes for 3 months onwards and practically none for newborn. Oh lala…
Based on my inventory, Ruy and I now have 2 options as to what Andrea should wear when she goes home from the hospital. Here they are:
I’m torn between the carter’s yellow duck romper and the gerber’s red onesie, both will of course be worn with the denim jacket. Notice how there are no pinks anywhere? I refuse to be typical and so I’m initially shying away from all the baby pinks. I say initially because I already have a lot of pink stuff in the closet for Andrea…I will just have to stop myself from dressing her in head to toe pink.
The thing with the yellow is…I find it a bit typical and normal. I know, I know it’s not a bad thing but it seems so ordinary for Andrea’s first debut. The good thing about it though is the fact that I already have everything to go along with the outfit. I have the receiving blankets, the burp pads, the mittens, even the tiny little shoes which says “Little Power House”.
The red is unique, I like the fact that it’s very rare for me to see babies in the Philippines (particularly newborns) wearing such a shade. BUT BUT BUT…I’m not sure if it will fit Andrea’s coloring. Also, I don’t have the other parts of this outfit and I’m not sure if I will ever have the time to buy them.
Ahhh…don’t you wish all your problems are of this magnitude? =)
The tough thing about not being allowed to drive is that your entertainment is completely dependent on other people…
The Bella Band is this band which you can wear around your belly. If you wear it early in your pregnancy then it will hide unbuttoned pants, etc. If you choose to wear it when your pregnancy has progressed further then it will help you carry the weight. My stomache was never that big and I only felt extreme discomfort last week (thank God) and so I thought it wouldn’t be practical to buy it considering that I’ll be giving birth probably by next week or a little after that. People say that since your pre pregnancy clothes wouldn’t fit you after giving birth then this would definitely be a good investment.
Some people (specially the smaller ones) really need the support of this band, some wear it as early as the 5th to 6th month.
The down side is that it’s really really hot cause it’s quite thick.
I’m facing a sort of moral and social dilemma right now. I have principles (which are quite young, I’ve only started developing them upon working in my current job), these principles are currently being challenged and I’m so tempted to go against them.
I was reading a totally unrelated book last night when I came across these wonderful sayings which gave me a better insight on the situation.
“I just don’t want to give that son of a bitch the power to make me the son of a bitch”
and
“Never wrestle with a pig. If you do, you’ll both get filthy. But the difference is the pig will love it.”
I don’t know who said these but the last one sounds like Socrates….NOT!
My sister and Ruy were playing Text Twist last Saturday. Ruy would type the words while my sister would try to form words from the letters…My 8 year old sister whispered to Ruy
Helena: “I see another word but I can’t say it cause it’s bad…”
Ruy: What word is that?
Helena: S-E-X….
Gosh…I don’t think I even knew about SEX unti I was much much older.
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