Actively Waiting...

It is the season of Advent. We are all preparing for Christmas but this year, we are more active in our preparations. Here is the wreath we made as we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior.

We are currently looking for a short prayer or ceremony for Advent that a 4 year old can endure. We want the ceremony to be meaningful yet still fun for the kids. We don't want them dreading prayer time because it is too long :P If you have something, please share :) Thanks in advance.

Of course our Lucas should also take part in the preparations. We made him his wreath as well.

Lucas is the perfect example of someone who is actively waiting. I remember, whenever I go home, he is by the window waiting for the car to pull up. He calls / shouts to announce our arrival. As I open the door, he would be the first to greet me by kissing my hand ("mano" in filipino), hugging and kissing me. Aw, after a day's work, it's the best recipe to melt all your tiredness away!

Thank you, Luc. Loves and misses you so much!

Oh, Rafa had show and tell in school today. They culminated their discussion on community helpers. Here is his DIY police costume with an attitude :)

Rafa' Prayer for Our Youngest Member

As part of our evening prayers, we pray for our special intentions. We pray for our loved ones, those who are sick etc. Recently. we also pray for the baby inside my tummy. Our big brother Rafa prayed this last night: that the bones are not broken and the heart is not broken. AWW... it melted our hearts to hear that from him. How can God not grant that prayer? Haha Thank you Ahiya (big brother in Fookien) for that wonderful prayer intention for our baby boy! Your brothers are so blessed to have you as their Ahiya.

Oyayi ni Jose at Maria

Oyayi ni Jose at Maria (Lullaby of Joseph and Mary) is an original composition of Mimmon Vicente of 29AD. 29AD is the music ministry of Couples for Christ Central A3 cluster. After our son, Lucas, died, the composer dedicated this song to him. My husband made this AVP for the song. Hope you enjoy it.

A Blessed Christmas to all.

We love you, Lucas! Christmas would be very different this year without you.

Gingersnaps Warehouse Sale 2011

I have been going to their warehouse sale for years. Mostly to look for gift items but I realized the items there are not really for gift-giving but for personal or family-use only. They are authentic Gingersnaps clothing but they are dirty and some damaged. So it will not be presentable as gifts but if you wash them and put in new buttons for the missing ones, it is definitely worth the time to rummage through the piles.

I will be going there for some trousers for my boy hehe He has grown and he always wear shorts :P I want him to wear pants because I think he looks handsome in them (haha mothers!) and it serves as protection from scrapes and deadly mosquito bites. Oh, how we hate mosquitoes!!!

Hope you get the chance to visit the sale. It runs from November 14 - December 29. 8am - 4pm except on holidays and sundays

Warehouse 19, Armal Compound 2, M. Eusebio Ave. Pasig City

Tel 9161553 / 9161542

Happy shopping and Merry Christmas!

 

and then there are three...

Last Saturday, we went to have our congenital anomaly scan for the first time. Yes, after  three pregnancies, this is our first congenital anomaly scan. Let me tell you why we did not have it done in with our previous babies. First, according to our OB-GYN, it is optional. Second, it is not covered by my benefit. Thirdly, if we found out something is wrong, I might have to carry my baby to term worried and sad. But after we had Lucas, our second child with down syndrome, and when we found out we are pregnant again, we decided to have the congenital anomaly scan. First, since we want to be prepared if in case there is an anomaly. Second, if there is, we won't be too disheartened since it won't be the first time and we know it is really not that bad as others might think :)

The scan was performed by Dr. Pilar T. Lagman-Dy. I have to say she is an expert! The moment the probe touched my tummy, she immediately knew the gender. My hubby was not even ready with his camera haha She worked fast. Most CAS take around 30-45 minutes but she finished in less than 20 minutes! It does not mean she was haphazard. She is just so precise that she knew what to measure.

Anyway, here are the results

Fetal Biometry
BPD 64.60 cms 26 1/7 weeks
HC 22.50 cms 24 4/7 weeks
AC 19.60 cms 24 2/7 weeks
FL 4.30 cms 24 2/7 weeks

No. of Fetus 1
Sex Male
Presentation FRANK BREECH
Fetal Heart Rate 153 BPM
Amniotic Fluid Volume Adequate
Placenta Posterior, Grade 2, No Previa

Mean Ultrasonic Age (UA) 24 6/7 weeks
Estimated Fetal Weight (EFW) 690.00 grams
Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) 2/12/2012

Others
No obvious gross anomaly seen in this scan; Normal head; no hydrocephalus; normal face; no cleft lip/palate; no nuchal thickening; intact spine; 4-chamber heart; intact diaphragm; intact cord insertion; (+) stomach bubble; normal liver; normal kidneys; (+) bladder; 4 extremities; 3-vessel cord.

Diagnosis
Pregnancy uterine, 24 6/7 weeks gestation by fetal biometry
Breech Presentation, Live, Singleton
Male Fetus, 690 grams (1lb 8 oz) Estimated weight
Good cardiac activity, FHB=153 BPM
Posterior Placenta, Grade 2, No Previa
Adequate amniotic fluid volume
No obvious gross fetal anomaly seen in this scan
EDD=February 12, 2012

We praise and thank our God for this great blessing!

FACE

NASAL BONE

BRAIN

SPINE

HANDS

LEGS