going badoodles

Marriage and pregnancy has been one of my life’s greatest dreams. When i was in college, i would usually extend my class hours just to be at the Cathedral not to pray, but to watch the bride walk down the isle. I have always thought that every bride was at her most beautiful on her wedding day. Those exposures to different kinds of weddings have paved the way to my own dream wedding which to this day remains to be the most colorful and well remembered wedding in our family.

Now, like all marriages must develop into, we are on our way to parenthood. We are nine weeks and healthy as the Doctors say and the ultrasound has shown. Our little one also has a furious heartbeat that is beating at 160 per minute.

This all seems like a dream. I still have to get used to my expanding waistline and to the occassional nausea that strikes anytime of the day and the recent shortness of breath that has been leaving me gasping for the past few days.

I have seen pregnant friends throw up like crazy and i sometimes fear that they might expel their internal organs along the way. I have done my little research also, and according to my Mama, she hardly had any difficulty with all three pregnancies. So, that must be where i got the good fate.

Everyone is excited specially my usually silent father who is volunteering to be the Nanny of his first Grandchild from his first child, provided that the baby stays with him in the province while we go back to Manila. His reason is that we need to be able to focus on our work and the baby needs enough care and attention which will be quite difficult if Badoodles and I are both in the office the whole day.

Generous offer, but no thanks Daddy! I would rather have you come to Manila with us rather than leave the baby with you —- that is the usual conversation between us these days.

We initially decided that i will deliver in Manila, but then again, there is only the two of us and even if we call on our parents to assist, it will still be much more convenient to go through the process in the province where everything is within reach.

There is something new and exciting everyday. It’s a bit awkward when i think of something really tiny growing inside my body and the thought of 2 hearts beating, but the initial fear and uneasiness easily subsides because i am all excited and more about the whole process.

Sometimes, i get to share tidbits on information to Badoodles and he would usually say that it seems that i know more than the doctors do.

As it always is, life is good and i welcome the daily challenges of conception. I thank this little life for being really nice and cooperative and for not letting me go through the trauma and discomfort of a sensitive pregnancy.

It is with fervent prayer that i am petitioning for good health and a stable family that will see us through more happy times.

For now, it is just so much fun to be expectant parents.

My brother has practically grew up under my guidance and so called sisterly wisdom.  He is my pride and proof that i will someday be able to raise brilliant and well mannered children.

He was born when i was nine and despite the unwelcome attitude of having another sibling after being just with my younger sister all my life and the hesitation of taking on the responsibility of taking care of him, i managed to survive the rest of my life with him as a tag along to everything i do.

He has been with us since April when he started reporting for his OJT.  He prefers to report for work at night when there is more calm and peace in the office and prefers to sleep the day away never mind if he is alone at home. 

But despite the fact that i only see him for a long time on weekends, i appreciate the person that he has become more and more each day.  It is a well known fact that i am the eldest of the three, yet i am the most stubborn and the most childish.  He knows this as sure as the same blood type as mine flows in his veins.

It is also a blessing that he has also been very close with Badoodles from the time they met unto this very day.  They have shared more brotherly moments and passion than any true blood brothers would ever be able to do in a lifetime.  Badoodles has seen him practically through every high and low of adolescence.  He was there to guide him and to support him through all the crazy things an adolescent could get himself into…. that includes meeting with the school principal.

A more touching show of affection between them was when Badoodles had to meet with a surgeon for a minor operation.  A month ago, i was supposed to be the one to accompany him, but with the pregnancy and all, he opted to go alone to save me from travelling.

I tried to fit into my brother’s heart and asked if it would be possible for him to get off early from the office and be home at 7:00AM to accompany his “Bro” to the hospital for his surgery.  He did not say a word so i just dismissed the thought and went on with my day.

Later that day, we found out that he decided to skip his shift so he would be sure to be on time because they have to be in the hospital early in the morning. 

But the story did not end with accompanying and waiting in the lounge and sleeping in the hospital sofa as if he were in a hotel.

He even volunteered to clean the wound and cover it with fresh bandage. 

Man, that is something i would never do without dying!

I have a higher regard for my big baby brother now more than i ever did before.  He has become more responsible and mature than i never thought he would.

It is easy to bask in the pride of having been a part of his major developmental years and being his favorite sister in the whole wide world, but i must say that he has become the way he is and i was able to rear him the only way i know how because… i saw and felt it in my parents!

They have provided us with enough example and enough wisdom to live through life and be generous with whatever love and affection is in our hearts.

To you my big baby bro - cheers! Life has always been sweet and wonderful with you around!

The long wait is finally over… we are expecting Baby Badoodles!

As of today we are officially on the 5th week and 4th day of anticipation.  We tested last Saturday and sure enough we got the positive response to our prayers.

Things have not yet sunk into our excited minds, but the entire family from both sides are rejoicing and every one could only say: “Ingatan mo yan ha.”

I am still fairly normal with very minimal discomfort and cravings.  Everything seems pretty well and i feel fine, despite the occassional dizziness and the cramps that is making me really nervous.

We met with the OB last Saturday and true to my hard headed nature, i even went around the mall in Alabang despite Badoodle’s strict warning that i should be better of resting at home than to be walking about.  Hey, i need a new pair of shoes, what has a girl got to do?

Then in the middle of my joyful shopping spree, i started having cramps that would not go away so we decided to go home… after i had my nails done that is.

The rest of the evening was more cruel than i expected.  The cramps were stinging me more.  I felt like a bed ridden cancer victim lying on the bed and being served dinner in our room.

I was in pain for a good four hours, but eventually subsided as the night progressed. That scared the brat out of me.

Sometimes, i just have to be punished to feel that i have to be more mature and responsible. I am trying to be better and more careful now.  The pain is gone, but i still feel queasy and lightheaded.

This is the start of a happy journey.  Life could never get better than it already is.  I am excited to watch my belly grow in as much as i am reluctant to gain the weight that i would have to try to keep off later.

Things are slowly changing and i am just a spectator to the life that is beginning to take place. We have waited 8 years to be married… now we are waiting for another 8 months to finally be parents! 

Life is good!