@ 5 months

I am officially 20 weeks and 4 days pregnant as of today. I have been too lazy lately that's why I have not been able to update my blog. Plus the fact that I can't really stay long in front of the computer because I easily get a headache.

I decided to update this today because we reached another milestone in my pregnancy. Today I had my congenital anomaly scan at St. Luke's. Weeks before having the scan, my prayer this time was for a normal and healthy baby. That the scan result will yield a very good result for us. It was also the time to find out the gender of the baby.

The scan lasted for about 15-20 minutes. From the head down to the toes, each one was shown and explained to us. Everything was normal!!! Thank God for that. The kidneys, heart, number of toes/fingers, no cleft chin, bladder, etc. Heartbeat at 160 RPM, good amniotic fluid, and no placenta previa.

Then the gender, we are having a baby girl. As in this is 100% sure because she showed it several times during the scan. She was also very active the whole time, she kept on moving around that's why the ob-sonologist had to keep on chasing her to be able to show us each part.

When I heard that everything was normal and that we will be having a baby girl, I was teary eyed. I actually wanted to cry but I tried hard not to because I was embarrassed. I am really having a hard time expressing how happy I am right now. Its similar to how I felt when I found out I was pregnant.

After the holidays, we will start buying all her stuff. Also, we need to settle her name as well. Since hubby and I have been calling the baby Rico since she was weeks old, all the while thinking that the baby is a boy. So now I refer to her as little girl or baby girl since we don't have a name yet.

My prayer right now is to continue having a healthy pregnancy, safe delivery and a baby for each of the couple who has been trying to conceive.

What Changed?

A lot of things changed as soon as I found out I was pregnant....

• I don't go out that much anymore. At most I go out once a week or twice a week if i had to go to the doctor.
• I'm not allowed to go up and down the stairs. So most the days, my world evolves around our bedroom and computer room. I take my meals in our room and spends around 30 minutes in front of the computer. Can't really stand staying long in front of the computer because I get so dizzy.
  
• I used to love fried chicken but now I hate it to death. Just thinking about fried chicken makes me want to puke.
• Our toilet bowl has been my best companion since week 5 of my pregnancy. We are together at least 5 times a day.
• I started my cravings with crabs then watermelon then ripe mangoes then ice cream then sweet and sour soup then boiled peanuts and so on and so forth. I pity my husband because he is going crazy figuring out what I want to eat. I maybe craving for something right this instant but a few hours later or the next day I don't want that food anymore. Not that I eat a lot, I only eat small portions otherwise i'll end up vomiting.
• I tend to get really sleepy after eating but I can't really lie down because for sure when I wake up I'll just vomit. So at times I have to wait at leas an hour or two after eating before I take a nap. But if at times I can't really help it, i just lie down and take my nap then prepare myself to suffer the consequences.
• I don't have the energy to fix myself despite the fact that I only go out once a week. I am just too lazy which so unlike me. I haven't had a haircut for 2 months.
• Can't eat raw food and vegetables. The vegetables I was surprised but as advised by my ob, we really can't be sure with all the pesticides being used right now so its better to have it cooked. So, no salads for me :(

These are just some that I can distinctly remember right now. I am sure that I am not the only pregnant person who is going through the same thing.

Being pregnant is no joke but for someone who has waited for such a long time to get pregnant, I don't mind going through all these things at all.

Prayer to Saint Gerard: A Novena For Expectant Mothers

Prayer of An Expectant Mother

GREAT SAINT GERARD,
Beloved servant of Jesus Christ,
Perfect imitator
Of our meek
And humble Savior
And devoted child
Of the Mother of God,
Enkindle within my heart
One spark
Of that heavenly fire
Of charity which glowed
In yours and made you
A seraph of love.

O glorious St. Gerard,
Because like you
Divine Master,
You bore without murmur
Or complaint
The calumnies
Of wicked men
When falsely accused of crime,
You have been raised up by God
As the patron and protector
Of expectant mothers.

Preserve me
In the dangers of motherhood
And shield the child I now bear,
That it may be brought safely
To the light of day
And receive the sacrament of Baptism.

Hail Mary (3 times)

Thank You...

Words are not enough to express how thankful I am with this wonderful gift, our baby (babies???). I just couldn't contain how I really feel because its been such a long journey for us and now we finally receive the greatest gift.

Thank you God.

At this point the only thing I wish for is to carry this baby (babies???) to full term and that he/they will be normal and healthy. I don't want any other gift for my birthday except for that.

I really could not ask for anything else.