happy father's day!

Port Adelaide gave Daddy a wonderful present for Father’s Day. Today, in their last game, our team tied up with Richmond. Wooohoooooooo!!!!

We’re now on our official countdown, Little Pebble – 15 days to go! We went to the doctor last Tuesday as Mommy has been having tummy pains for two days.  The doctor told us to take it easy little one, we don’t want you coming out before Daddy arrives on the 13^th.  Anyway, the doctor gave Mommy instructions for symptoms to watch out for, and whether we like it or not, we need to rush to the hospital, if she experience any of these signs.  We don’t want to upset Daddy, ... so hang on there until he arrives, ok?

Because Daddy likes seafood and it's his special day today, Mommy made today seafood pesto pasta for us.

Seafood Pesto Pasta

¼ kg shrimps

Tuna (200 grams)

1 bottle pesto (200 grams)

Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (about 40 grams)

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic, chopped

Olive oil

Butter

Olives

Capers

Salt and pepper

1.       Heat olive oil in skillet

2.       Brown onions and garlic

3.       Add butter

4.       Lightly cook in shrimp

5.       Add tuna

6.       Slowly add in pesto

7.       Add cheese

8.       Add olives and capers

9.       Add salt and pepper to taste

You definitely love your pasta, Little Pebble. Mommy notices that you even start getting active now even while she is cooking. Seems you’ve really gotten used to your weekend treat.

We’re really, really, really getting near to having you, dearest.  You cannot even begin to imagine how excited Mommy and Daddy are. All we do is keep talking about you now.

making space

We are now at the end of the eighth month little pebble. The book, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” says that you are now about 18 inches long and weigh 5 pounds.  Growth, especially of the brain, is great in this period and you can now see and hear.  Most of your systems are well-developed but your lungs may still be immature.

Mommy and Mildred (your nanny) have been hard at work the past weekends preparing the flat. Voila, here’s how it looks now!





Mommy Bear's Corner





 

 

 


   





 

Daddy Bear's (The Master Chef's) Corner)



Anton Bear's Corner



Mommy searched high and low for your first layette. She's read that you will be focusing on the colors white, black, then red in your few few weeks. Imagine how pleased Mommy was when she was able to find this exact color combination.

We're also giving you a head start on the alphabet, little pebble. That wall quilt should catch your attention in the morning :)  Your lola said that you'll probably come out from Mommy's tummy already with a Masters degree.







adieu, happy bachelorette pad

When Daddy first saw Mommy’s flat (which he called a shoebox) he said to her, “You really planned (note the past tense) your entire life just working and travelling.” Mommy had to extol the virtues of her flat which is so convenient to clean, easy to lock up when the travelling bug bites, and near but not-that-near to her workplace.

Ever since Mommy and Daddy received confirmation that you’re on the way, Mommy had been slowly packing up her books and storing her clothes and shoes to make room for you while your own nursery is still being prepared.

Mommy today officially closed a chapter in her life. Paintings, which she's picked up from her travels, had to be put down as she is afraid that they might accidentally fall on you. She’s got you closets for your stuff.  She’s made space in her shelves for your books.

Three weeks to go buddy!  Mommy and Daddy are counting the days of your arrival!

nursery

We are almost there little pebble! Last week, you were already 33 weeks! Our “Pregnancy from Preconception to Birth” book, says that you weighed about 4.5 pounds and measured approximately 17.5 inches from head to toe.

Mommy has read that the first colors that you will especially pay attention to are red, white, and black. Mommy has been doing some changes in the flat for your coming and you can be sure, you will come home to a red, black, themed place, in the meantime that Mommy and Daddy are still getting ready your own room.

Mommy and Daddy are not particularly zoo lovers so there’s no reason why they should assault you with an animal/pet/zoo-themed room. They feel that you should have a room that reflects your origins and something that will slowly evolve with you as you grow up.

Here’s a couple of ideas from the net… what do you think little one?

ragu sauce

Mommy’s weekends are mostly now devoted to preparations for your coming. Got something very special for you today from Greenhills but Daddy and Mommy will keep this a secret for now :)

Mommy has made you a treat today. She’s made you pasta with ragu sauce she’s read up from a book (the proportions here are Mommy’s call).

1 onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
250 grams minced beef
200 grams bacon
400 grams canned chopped tomatoes
500 grams tomato sauce
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

1.Heat onion and garlic in olive oil.
2.Add bacon.
3.Add minced beef. Cook for about 15 minutes.
4.Add tomato sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5.Add chopped tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes.
6.Add oregano, salt, and pepper to taste
(Good for 500 grams pasta)

Mommy and Mildred (your nanny) enjoyed the pasta while watching the night scene from our 11th floor veranda.

You really love your pasta. After Mommy had dinner, you started doing fantastic sommersaults inside her tummy.

sun's shining!

You are now 32 weeks Anton Lee Thomas!

Our “Pregnancy from Preconception to Birth”, says that you now weigh approximately 3 ¾ pounds and measure about 16.5 inches long from head to toe. Although your lungs won’t be fully developed until just before birth, you are busy inhaling amniotic fluid. This is to exercise your lungs and practice breathing after you are born.

We went to the doctor last Thursday and she said we’re both doing well. We just need to do a blood test two weeks from now to see if Mommy might need some blood transfusion when you come out.

Such terrible rains in Metro Manila from Monday to Wednesday of this week, little one. 427 millimetres of rain was recorded between the late afternoon of 6 August and mid-afternoon of 7 August. It was so bad Mommy couldn’t go to work on Tuesday. It was flooded everywhere! Did you hear Mommy talking to you not to try anything funny on that day? We would have had to swim to go to the hospital. The streets around our building were not passable and visibility was almost zero.

This video was taken from a street where Mommy passes in the morning to go to work:




Here’s another video showing flooding in another part of Metro Manila:



But today the sun is shining brightly dear little pebble. Just like life. There will be times Anton Lee Thomas when you will feel like there’s a lot of flooding all around you. Your troubles may feel so heavy and you might start feeling there’s no end to it all. But trust, little one, that very soon, the sun will come out shining and all your tears will be wiped away. You will say to yourself, “What did I worry for? What was that all about? I am much a better person now than before having gone through that experience.”

Through it all, you know what, little pebble? Mommy and Daddy will always be there for you, guiding you, and praying for you. Mommy and Daddy will not be always able to take away your pain, but they will be there so that you learn from the not-so-good times and acquire the wisdom that comes from the lessons that life hands to you every now and then.

olympics

Anton Lee Thomas, you’ve got 6 weeks and 4 days and then Mommy and Daddy will get to hold you!

You are now 31 weeks and according to “Pregnancy from Preconception to Birth”, your arms, legs, and body are continuing to fill out and at last are proportional in size to your head. You are looking more like a newborn now. You weigh in about 3 ¼ pounds and measure about 16 inches from crown to toe.

While our baby book says that you may not be moving out so much now because you’re running out of space, Mommy feels that this is most your active ever. Last night, Mommy and Daddy we’re laughing because you seemed to have gotten yourself in such a strange position. Mommy’s right side of her tummy was so much bigger than her left side!

Your Tita Cristine thinks you may have joined the Olympics in Mommy’s tummy. See how special you are little one. The Olympic games, which can be traced back to the 8th century BC, only comes every four years and amazingly, this year’s summer Olympics falls on your birth year. London (its 3rd time since the modern games started) plays host again this year.