Author: jucyn

Johan

31 Weeks

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Yesterday marked Baby Johan’s 31st week. With this milestone are just praises and gratefulness to our God who continues to bless and protect our baby in my womb.

And as I start the work week, I just have to share the Word for today <3

Luke 1:13 – ‘The angel said to him… “your prayer has been heard”.’

Zechariah must have been praying to have a child for decades and had probably long since given up praying that particular prayer. It’s encouraging that God does hear even if he doesn’t seem to answer. God’s timing was perfect for John’s arrival in the world. We don’t always see the big picture.

God’s love is the best. <3

Flight2J4816

11 months married :)

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after 6 years and 11 [married] months, naihatid ako papasok sa office for the first time! recording here this milestone 😀 more than the comfort it gave for this preggy stage, thank you more Hubby for the effort (for waking up early, for braving the parking challenge, etc.).

here’s to more firsts with you. 🙂

i love you! <3

#11thmonthsary

Johan

Spotting and Worrying

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We were attending Chiqui Brosas’ Birth Classes for the whole month of Feb (I’ll post about this separately), and last Sunday was supposedly our last class. We are actually looking forward to it because the topics that session are post-partum and newborn care. I even “organized” the ordering of one of the food deliveries for our potluck.

That morning though, when we are about to prepare to go to the class, I have “blood red” spotting after I went to the restroom. I immediately panicked, but calmly showed it to Hubby (so he will not panic as well!). We were both not saying aloud anything, but deep inside we KNOW the different possibilities. We just agreed that I inform my OB via Viber and ask what to do. I guess the downside of knowing a lot is that we also know a lot more reasons to worry.

OB advised to immediately go to the hospital and have it checked. To get my mind off worry for a while, I first arranged the changes in the food delivery for our class and informed them that we won’t be able to join that day.

And yes, we were praying above all that Johan is fine.

When we arrived at the OB Complex of St. Luke’s BGC, I was immediately attended to. A fetal monitor was attached to me to monitor baby’s heartbeat as well as my contractions. I was also asked to pee for urinalysis. They also called my OB, and was checked by the resident doctor.

After couple of hours observation, we were relieved to know that everything is fine. The IE also indicated that my cervix is not dilated. Looks like an infection in the urinary tract.

After a while, we were discharged but has to go through medication for the infection. All is well now for me and baby.

It was actually a scare for me. As much as we wanted to see him (soon), baby can’t go out yet at 29 weeks.

While attached to the fetal monitor (and I cant move because it would be interprested as contraction), I asked God to talk to me. I checked my phone, and of course He did. The daily bible passage feed in my phone is exactly the bible verse posted here in this blog and my favorite for my pregnancy with Johan.

Psalm 139:13-16

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Next time there’s a temptation to worry, I should remind myself that God is control and Johan is God’s baby first and foremost.

Baby Johan is most secure in His love. 🙂

Daddy's Corner · Johan

Daddy’s Song: When I Pray for You

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Dearest Baby Johan,

This morning, your Daddy is a bit emotional about something (yes, he is more ma-emo than Mommy, fyi). He came across a song, and this is a song for you, Baby. Because we know you always feel the love especially when we are praying for you.

We are already looking forward to see you. For the meantime, enjoy your time there. Daddy can’t wait to talk to you exclusively! But for now, you and I have exclusive quality time (sorry for the Cloud trainings you attended with me–too early for you but Mommy needs to learn it).

For now, Daddy can’t talk to you without me knowing everything he whispers to you! 🙂

<3

“When I Pray For You”

I talk to God about you
And I ain’t even met you yet
Everybody’s waitin’ on you here
I can’t wait to feel your heart beat
When I lay you on my chest

I’m already holding back my tears
I wanna be the dad that my dad was
I hope that I don’t mess this whole thing up

I pray you love like your momma
And you forgive just like she does
And when this life knocks you down
I hope you get down on your knees
Cause that’s what I do, that’s what I do
When I pray for you
Oh, and I pray for you

I know you’re gonna grow up some day
But don’t forget to take your time
And take the time to call back home

It ain’t always gonna be easy
It ain’t always gonna be fair
I know you ain’t always gonna need me
But I promise that I’ll always be there

I pray you love like your momma
And you forgive just like she does
And when this life knocks you down
I hope you get down on your knees
Cause that’s what I do, that’s what I do
When I pray for you
Oh, and I pray for you

I talk to God about you
When everything around me breaks
I look up and hear him say

Love like your momma
And forgive just like she does
And when this life knocks you down
I hope you get down on your knees
Cause that’s what I do, that’s what I do
When I pray for you
When I pray for you
When I pray for you

Flight2J4816 · Johan@0

Valentine’s Day 2017

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Dearest Baby Johan,

This year’s Valentines Day is a lot more special than any of the ones I ever had, because:

1. This is your Daddy and Mommy’s first Valentine’s as married couple, and your Daddy is still sweet enough to bring home roses (and KFC dinner) for me;

2. And most of all, because I have 2 hearts now beating inside me–mine and that little amazing heart of yours.

Happy Love Day, my Baby! I know your heart is created after God’s own heart, and every heartbeat we hear from the outside is His love echoing through you. The love is just overflowing! <3

 

Flight2J4816

Love You, All The More

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With Baby Johan on the way, I realized all the more how I love you.

It’s like 100x than the love I absorbed when you proposed to me. I’m amazed how our little one could magnify the love I knew you have for me.

How God chose you for me, I have no idea. But sure did He chose the perfect partner for me. I cannot imagine married life–cuddle times, going through pregnancy, facing my fears of the future–if it’s other than you.

Thank you Hubby from the littlest to the biggest things. From massaging my aching back, unplugging the hairdyer just because it’s difficult for me, fixing my Snug-a-Hug for me, slicing the papaya, patience when I’m emotional and matampuhin and irrational, for washing the dishes (which should be my chore), and a lot lot lot more trivial things you do everyday but matters to me the most. Thank you for loving me way way beyond I have imagined or have prayed for.

Thank you Hubby for the kind of life you have been providing for me and Johan, for this love that you are showing everyday. Thank you for making sure we are ok, for always prioritizing us next to God, and for protecting us by constantly praying for us.

Sometimes when you sleep, I hold your hand and look at you and I just get overwhelmed with your love (even while you sleep–and snore! 🙂 ).

I am more excited in the coming days, to see your father-son moments with Johan, and to spend a lifetime of cuddling and dates with you.

I love you forever Hubby ko. <3

Jpeg

 

Johan@0

Baby’s Gestational Age

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So recently, my baby belly has been showing up and people are starting to hesitantly ask me whether I am just gaining weight (a.k.a getting fat), or it’s a baby in there =)) As I am not fond of maternity clothes (yet!), my baby belly is proudly showing in my pre-pregnancy clothes, so I’d give them a smile and say yes with anticipation of the next question of “what month are you in?”, I’d offer the answer before the follow-up question.

Actually, I did not figure right away how to know “how many months” baby is in (medically known as baby’s gestational age ), because the due date is computed in 40wks. This is not a straight 9months times 4weeks. So I usually answer in weeks, just to be sure.

So I searched in books and online articles, and here’s the gestational age of Baby Jam week after week.

Today, we are in my 2nd trimester, 5th month, 19th week. On Christmas day, I’d be exactly half-way of my pregnancy on 😀

baby-jam-pregnancy-age

 

Devo · Johan@0

Most Selfless Prayer

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[A Christmas-y thought this season.]

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 NLT

For years in my entire life, I’ve prayed for countless [mostly self-gaining] prayers: salary raise, new car, fully paid condo, physical healing, losing weight, guidance on my career, and a lot more trivial things.

I did not realize that after our wedding, this time I have asked for the most selfless prayer ever: that is to conceive, and a have baby, and be a mother.

And because God is faithful (it was His promise I’ve been holding on to), He granted this prayer right away.

Suddenly, there were tons of selfless things I have to do, and most of this is to give up. I now think less of myself and more of baby for almost everything I do: no more eating of chocolates, no more coffees over cheesecakes, no more impulse buying and shopping-only-because-its-sale, less travels on a whim, and a lot more stuff within my comfort and luxury zones. From my walking to my work habits to my sleep position, all are being done thinking of our baby and how it will affect him/her.

And so it really amazes me how could Mary say “Yes” right away going through all the pregnancy challenges and giving birth in a manger, and eventually giving up that baby for a selfish world. Isn’t it the most unselfish act you could ever think of?

This thought makes my Christmas more meaningful.

Our baby is not just another blessing. It’s God’s way of giving me and Hubby THAT special privilege to experience how it is to be REALLY unselfish with love. I cannot imagine the magnitude of that love to be able to give your Son to a selfish world (us!), which Mary selflessly conceived and raised. How could you reject that love? Two thousand years ago and still this  unparalleled loving and selfless act is still celebrated and remembered today.

I hope that amidst the parties, gifts, food, sweets, and decorations, everyone finds also the personal meaning of Christmas in their lives. It’s where all the love in the world began after all.

A blessed Christmas from us and our little J! <3

Johan@0

16 Weeks: Sweets and Teeth’s Time

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It is baby’s 16th week this week, and I am on my second trimester! #ThankYouJesus really for this milestone.

By now, I am already relieved of morning sickness, bloated feeling, nausea, food cravings, fatigue, and sleepiness. I felt better all of the sudden.

But of course, as my body goes on to the next phase of preggy adjustments, the past weeks have also been challenging.

First, because of the notable high sugar in my comprehensive blood tests (so expensive, btw). I was advised by my OB to look for an endoctrinologist. As my schedule did not permit me to go to St. Luke’s BGC, I went to a doctor in Makati Medical Center instead.

And so the endo advised me to go through the OGTT, which is a sugar level test usually taken by women who are around 20-25wks pregnant. So mine was advanced few weeks ahead, because I was bordering beyond normal level in the fasting blood sugar.

It was a terrible feeling, having to fast for at least 8 hours, then being required to drink 75ml of syrupy, super sweet orange flavored liquid. And I cannot eat, drink, and vomit for the next two hours, untill all the blood samples were extracted. But I made it somehow, haha.

The results of the OGTT is almost consistent with the fasting blood sugar test, so I was advised to monitor my glucose/sugar level everyday every after meal. I have to prick myself 4x a day to get blood sample! So Why do I have to go through all of this? Because being diabetic is bad for baby. According to my OB, it can cause unwanted negative effects (congenital) if left untreated.

So I’ll have to do everything to make sure baby is ok.

The minor challenges I had was the toothache and flu combo I had last week! Oh it was so terrible, that I literally cried to Hubby as I requested him to buy ice to numb the toothache. That is in between major headache and sneezing due to my flu. As I cannot take any pain relievers, I have to endure everything with only water, including washing down the flu with lemon juice only. When we went to see the dentist the next day, she told me that it is common for pregnant women to have weaker gums and teeth, and anything not ok before I got pregnant will also be aggravated. I am very thankful she knows what to do, as I cannot also have major teeth fix like root canal while pregnant. Next week, I’ll have to go back to check the rest of my teeth.

On the bright side, it was my OB appointment yesterday. We heard again baby’s fast heartbeat <3 And I was told that 1-2wks from now, I will start to feel baby moving in my tummy. I am so looking forward to that!

As to baby’s gender, the comprehensive ultrasound will be done on the first week of January. Both Hubby and I are excited to know if Baby Jam is a boy or girl 😀 We are praying for a healthy baby, so any gender is great! It’s God’s plan, so He gets to decide the best for it <3