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.

4D real time

You are now 30 weeks little one. You’ve been active the whole weekend, are you doing cartwheels inside Mommy’s tummy?

According to “Pregnancy from Preconception to Birth”, you have continued to open and shut your eyes this week. While you may soon slow up growing in length (you measure 15 ¾ inches from crown to toe), you will continue to gain weight steadily until the time you are born. Right now there is about 2 pints of amniotic fluid surrounding you but that volume will decrease as you get steadily bigger.

You and Mommy had another ultrasound (your third one) last 16 July. Daddy and Mommy requested a 4D. We are so excited to see how you look like! Here’s a video clip in real time from last week:



The result of the ultrasound showed that you had a fetal heart rate of 126 times per minute and your estimated weight was 2 lbs. and 14 oz. Daddy said that you frown just like him!

We’ve already fixed the date little pebble. You’re coming to us on 17 September, Monday. That’s seven weeks and one day from today. Hang on there, and please don’t decide to come out earlier. Daddy is arriving on 13 September and we’d like that he will be the first person you lay your eyes on when you come out into this world.