So needles aren't really that bad...
I've been really strict with my diet for the past months due to gestational diabetes but it turns out that it's not good for the baby since we're not gaining the extra weight we need. It's a real Catch 22- darn if I eat a lot, and darn if I don't. So the doctor told me to just eat more and they'll just give me insulin shots.
To celebrate my first insulin shot, I had a chocolate cake! Wow, drugs really do wonders. My blood sugar was still in a low range even after that sumptuous slice. And since I'm on insulin now, I cant go beyond my due date (22May) which means I'll be induced a week before. This is good since we'll be able to meet Aqui sooner! And I realized one thing too -- 18 May would have been my birthday if I wasn't born 2 months early! How great is that!
AND IT'S A BOY...... NOT!!!!
So, a few months back, we were told that we will be having a boy - although with the caveat that it's not definite. When we went for a scan a week ago, we were told that we were having a girl. Hmm, so which is which? Anyway, we've been calling our little one "Aqui" so we'll stick with that -- Joaquin Israel for a boy and Jacqueleen for a girl.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Household Lunch / Baby Shower
Thanks to our good friends for holding this for us. Enjoyed it a lot. Ronnel got to practice his diapering skills... ha ha
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Birthday and Prepping for Birth-day
Mystery Solved!
Finally, baby has opened his legs to reveal his jewels. Yup, it's a boy and so, Ronnel has the privilege to name him. He'll be known as Joaquin Israel T. Rodriguez. At least I get to pick his nick name "AQUI". Aqui from Joaquin, translates to different meanings in three languages. In Bicol, Aqui/Aki means "child" or offspring. In Spanish, it means "here" and in Japanese (yes, blame our anime and jap drama addiction), Aki means Autumn or Fall which coincides with the season he'll be born.
Hopefully, we won't get any surprises on d-day. Scans are not 100% accurate so there's still a tiny chance that it's a girl. Will we call her "Aqua" then?
Things We Learned From Ante-Natal Classes
A couple of months to go and we'll be holding Aqui in our arms but before that, Ronnel and I both know that we have to prepare for that day. Unfortunately, our family members won't be here when I give birth so it's just up to us two. Sure, we'll have friends to help us out but there's only so much you can ask of a friend (I couldn't really ask a friend to wash my perineum right? haha).
To help us prepare, we've enrolled in Ante-Natal classes which we found really helpful especially for first time parents like us. There were about 11 couples in class and I think all of us are 1st time mum and dads. My preggy friends outside NZ are asking if these classes are worthwhile and what we get from them so here goes....
Session 1:
>Class was shown things to buy and not to buy - which are must-haves and nice-to-haves such as:
Some must-haves:
Car Seat / Capsule
Merino Sleeping Bag (esp for NZ winter)
Bath Towel
Breathable mattress (must not be plastic or foam - note that optimal temperature for babies is 17Cdeg. To check, feel baby's back. Make sure your hand's not cold!)
Nappy liners - can be used as bathing sponge
Nice to haves:
Reusable Nappies (You'll be too tired to wash so just go for disposable during first few weeks)
Wool blanket
Session #2
Class was shown different types of baby clothes
Class was advised on what to bring to the hospital
What must be in your hospital bag:
Food! (especially for the dad)
Loose Clothing
Thick Sanitary Pads
Camera and back up camera just in case
Lip Balm
Old underwear (you'll be throwing them away after anyway)
Toiletries
Socks
Car seat
Mobile phone
Mum and Baby's Clothes for leaving hospital
Optional:
Entertainment stuff (a good book, relaxation CD, PSP?)- just in case labor lasts for hours
Danger Signs during Labor
> High temperature/fever combined with swelling and vomiting
> Leaking blood (1 tsp of blood is ok but more than that, call doctor/midwife)
> A presenting baby (he's ready to get out and you cant go to the hospital anymore)
Session #3
Watched Birth DVD
More tips on labor
> Go to hospital when contractions are 3-5 in 10 minutes
> Don't wait for your water to break to go to hospital
> Labor induction is done when you're 10 days overdue
- Labor-inducing stuff: Castor Oil rubbed on tummy, Evening Primrose oil rubbed in cervix, Clove Oil in bath, eating fresh pineapple, raspberry tea
Session #4
Learned Baby First Aid: CPR, Choking - Baby heimlich maneuver
Session # 5
Labor Exercises - pelvic tilts
Breastfeeding Techniques
Session #6 - missed this one coz we spent the whole afternoon in the hospital for my gestational diabetes sessions but this one was just a get-together class-closing session.
There are 2 more sessions after we all give birth (in June?) so there are still a lot to learn.
My Birthday
Yaiks! I'm another year older! Too bad we had to spend my birthday in the hospital since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But it's not too serious (I hope) - I think I was just over a bit (9 is the cut off and my results were 9.6). As a result, I have to monitor my blood sugar which meant pricking my finger for blood 6 x a day! It's also good that the government subsidizes the gadgets and medicines for this (yay, tax in action). Anyway, back to my birthday. We didnt really have the time (& energy - after being in the hosp for hours) to celebrate so Ronnel and I just had a simple dinner at home.
I guess it's a blessing in disguise that I have gest diabetes. Now, I really have to take what I eat seriously - especially that there is a chance that I might have it again in the future (on account of my family history of diabetes). I've created this nifty carb counter and Blood Glucose Level spreadsheet which tracks what I eat and my levels. This is not only good for diabetic people but also for those who want to go on a low-carbo diet!
PS Thanks for all the bday greetings sent in via email, friendster and facebook :-)
Finally, baby has opened his legs to reveal his jewels. Yup, it's a boy and so, Ronnel has the privilege to name him. He'll be known as Joaquin Israel T. Rodriguez. At least I get to pick his nick name "AQUI". Aqui from Joaquin, translates to different meanings in three languages. In Bicol, Aqui/Aki means "child" or offspring. In Spanish, it means "here" and in Japanese (yes, blame our anime and jap drama addiction), Aki means Autumn or Fall which coincides with the season he'll be born.
Hopefully, we won't get any surprises on d-day. Scans are not 100% accurate so there's still a tiny chance that it's a girl. Will we call her "Aqua" then?
Things We Learned From Ante-Natal Classes
A couple of months to go and we'll be holding Aqui in our arms but before that, Ronnel and I both know that we have to prepare for that day. Unfortunately, our family members won't be here when I give birth so it's just up to us two. Sure, we'll have friends to help us out but there's only so much you can ask of a friend (I couldn't really ask a friend to wash my perineum right? haha).
To help us prepare, we've enrolled in Ante-Natal classes which we found really helpful especially for first time parents like us. There were about 11 couples in class and I think all of us are 1st time mum and dads. My preggy friends outside NZ are asking if these classes are worthwhile and what we get from them so here goes....
Session 1:
>Class was shown things to buy and not to buy - which are must-haves and nice-to-haves such as:
Some must-haves:
Car Seat / Capsule
Merino Sleeping Bag (esp for NZ winter)
Bath Towel
Breathable mattress (must not be plastic or foam - note that optimal temperature for babies is 17Cdeg. To check, feel baby's back. Make sure your hand's not cold!)
Nappy liners - can be used as bathing sponge
Nice to haves:
Reusable Nappies (You'll be too tired to wash so just go for disposable during first few weeks)
Wool blanket
Session #2
Class was shown different types of baby clothes
Class was advised on what to bring to the hospital
What must be in your hospital bag:
Food! (especially for the dad)
Loose Clothing
Thick Sanitary Pads
Camera and back up camera just in case
Lip Balm
Old underwear (you'll be throwing them away after anyway)
Toiletries
Socks
Car seat
Mobile phone
Mum and Baby's Clothes for leaving hospital
Optional:
Entertainment stuff (a good book, relaxation CD, PSP?)- just in case labor lasts for hours
Danger Signs during Labor
> High temperature/fever combined with swelling and vomiting
> Leaking blood (1 tsp of blood is ok but more than that, call doctor/midwife)
> A presenting baby (he's ready to get out and you cant go to the hospital anymore)
Session #3
Watched Birth DVD
More tips on labor
> Go to hospital when contractions are 3-5 in 10 minutes
> Don't wait for your water to break to go to hospital
> Labor induction is done when you're 10 days overdue
- Labor-inducing stuff: Castor Oil rubbed on tummy, Evening Primrose oil rubbed in cervix, Clove Oil in bath, eating fresh pineapple, raspberry tea
Session #4
Learned Baby First Aid: CPR, Choking - Baby heimlich maneuver
Session # 5
Labor Exercises - pelvic tilts
Breastfeeding Techniques
Session #6 - missed this one coz we spent the whole afternoon in the hospital for my gestational diabetes sessions but this one was just a get-together class-closing session.
There are 2 more sessions after we all give birth (in June?) so there are still a lot to learn.
My Birthday
Yaiks! I'm another year older! Too bad we had to spend my birthday in the hospital since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But it's not too serious (I hope) - I think I was just over a bit (9 is the cut off and my results were 9.6). As a result, I have to monitor my blood sugar which meant pricking my finger for blood 6 x a day! It's also good that the government subsidizes the gadgets and medicines for this (yay, tax in action). Anyway, back to my birthday. We didnt really have the time (& energy - after being in the hosp for hours) to celebrate so Ronnel and I just had a simple dinner at home.
I guess it's a blessing in disguise that I have gest diabetes. Now, I really have to take what I eat seriously - especially that there is a chance that I might have it again in the future (on account of my family history of diabetes). I've created this nifty carb counter and Blood Glucose Level spreadsheet which tracks what I eat and my levels. This is not only good for diabetic people but also for those who want to go on a low-carbo diet!
PS Thanks for all the bday greetings sent in via email, friendster and facebook :-)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Last Outing before the big "Out-ing"
In 2007, Ronnel and I spent Christmas at a friend's bach at Waikawa beach. This year, we came back with reinforcements. We brought our friends along as an experience like that was really something worth sharing. Problem was, the weather wasnt on our side. We were having second thoughts the morning we left because the skies were dark but we consoled ourselves to the thought that there were lots of DVDs to watch in our friend's place anyway.
With Joel, Agnes and their cute baby Liway Megan, we trudged the sand in search of the beach. This time around, we took the bridge to get to the sea. Last year, we didnt realize there was a bridge and had to wade through the river! We got a bit lost in search for the sea (Ronnel was our navigator!) but we found it eventually. The water was freezing though so we just enjoyed basking in the scenery.
With Joel, Agnes and their cute baby Liway Megan, we trudged the sand in search of the beach. This time around, we took the bridge to get to the sea. Last year, we didnt realize there was a bridge and had to wade through the river! We got a bit lost in search for the sea (Ronnel was our navigator!) but we found it eventually. The water was freezing though so we just enjoyed basking in the scenery.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Feb Fun 2009
Ronnel celebrated his nth bday yesterday and it was really special for the both of us because it's his first birthday as a father! Of course, baby couldn't greet him with hugs and kisses yet so he kicked his/her (yes! still!) hardest to greet daddy. We didnt do anything extravagant, just bought a cake, prepared some dinner (Palabok, Chicken Satay barbequed real-time and Puto pandan.) We had a few friends come over to share the special day and more food came. haha. Best of all, Ronnel had spent his day doing what he loves to do-- play NBA 2K9!
Ronnel's birthday prayer during the blessing of the food was quite simple. He wanted to thank God for all the blessings He has showered us thus far, for giving him another year, and for giving us a baby. He also thanked God for giving us good friends who are there for us to support us, to be our surrogate family, especially that our families are miles away and couldnt physically be with us to celebrate. And as for his birthday wish, he didn't say it out loud but I'm guessing, aside from me and baby being safe on our delivery, I bet he wished baby's a boy. Haha!
Here are pics of our simple birthday dinner last night:
Another update from me.. I just wanted to share that finally I'm a frustrated writer no more.
Finally, my writing skills have been acknowledged! Well, I'd like to think it has been acknowledged rather than they didn't have a choice put to publish my article.. haha.
My article was published on the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysts) February 09 Newsletter. Attached is the newsletter and the full article.
IIBA Feb 09 NewLetter (check out Page 3)
Full Article (you wont be able to access their website without being a member)
Chinese New Year At NZ
New Zealand may be the first to celebrate New Year but we're definitely the last to celebrate Chinese New Year. But as they say, better late than never. Here are some pics from the Chinese New Year Expo in Wellington.
Ronnel's birthday prayer during the blessing of the food was quite simple. He wanted to thank God for all the blessings He has showered us thus far, for giving him another year, and for giving us a baby. He also thanked God for giving us good friends who are there for us to support us, to be our surrogate family, especially that our families are miles away and couldnt physically be with us to celebrate. And as for his birthday wish, he didn't say it out loud but I'm guessing, aside from me and baby being safe on our delivery, I bet he wished baby's a boy. Haha!
Here are pics of our simple birthday dinner last night:
Another update from me.. I just wanted to share that finally I'm a frustrated writer no more.
Finally, my writing skills have been acknowledged! Well, I'd like to think it has been acknowledged rather than they didn't have a choice put to publish my article.. haha.
My article was published on the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysts) February 09 Newsletter. Attached is the newsletter and the full article.
IIBA Feb 09 NewLetter (check out Page 3)
Full Article (you wont be able to access their website without being a member)
Chinese New Year At NZ
New Zealand may be the first to celebrate New Year but we're definitely the last to celebrate Chinese New Year. But as they say, better late than never. Here are some pics from the Chinese New Year Expo in Wellington.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Waiting Game
Three scans and nothing. Nada. Zilch.
When our OB told us that we'd find out our baby's gender on the 20th week scan, we were really excited and looking forward to it. Ronnel is hoping for a boy while I'm rooting for a girl. I'd like to have a girl to dress up, put braids and pig tails on and most of all, someone to shop with! Ronnel is hoping for a boy to play basketball with -- but I think it's just because he doesn't know how to raise a girl (coming from a brood of boys). He also admits being scared that he'd be too strict on a girl - just like he is with me!
On our 20th scan, baby had his/her legs crossed so the sonographer couldn't tell. We were told to try on the next scan. We had another one on the 23rd week and still, baby's legs were covering the view. The latest we had was on the 25th week and by then, we were really eager but still nothing. We even asked the sonographer to please look for it but we were told that it wasn't a priority for them. The scans were to confirm baby's health - not the gender. It was annoying because they didn't think of how important it was to us. Of course, baby's health is our priority too but if the gender can be determined, why can't they do it? Our friends who are pregnant knew as early as the 18th week!
So there, we were resigned to buying yellow and white clothes. I couldn't resist buying a pink baby suit though. Oh well, we'll just have to really wait till D day. Maybe on the next scan, there will be some leg-spreading action! Let's just wait and see. :-)
When our OB told us that we'd find out our baby's gender on the 20th week scan, we were really excited and looking forward to it. Ronnel is hoping for a boy while I'm rooting for a girl. I'd like to have a girl to dress up, put braids and pig tails on and most of all, someone to shop with! Ronnel is hoping for a boy to play basketball with -- but I think it's just because he doesn't know how to raise a girl (coming from a brood of boys). He also admits being scared that he'd be too strict on a girl - just like he is with me!
On our 20th scan, baby had his/her legs crossed so the sonographer couldn't tell. We were told to try on the next scan. We had another one on the 23rd week and still, baby's legs were covering the view. The latest we had was on the 25th week and by then, we were really eager but still nothing. We even asked the sonographer to please look for it but we were told that it wasn't a priority for them. The scans were to confirm baby's health - not the gender. It was annoying because they didn't think of how important it was to us. Of course, baby's health is our priority too but if the gender can be determined, why can't they do it? Our friends who are pregnant knew as early as the 18th week!
So there, we were resigned to buying yellow and white clothes. I couldn't resist buying a pink baby suit though. Oh well, we'll just have to really wait till D day. Maybe on the next scan, there will be some leg-spreading action! Let's just wait and see. :-)
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