Anyway, I am glad husband was so kind enough to volunteer to fix my hard disk which I think he should because he was the one who ruined it. Aside from that, every time he has done wrong, he is like a well tamed puppy who says almost yes to everything and sleeps just to escape my wrath (as if I nag him to death…my mom said I should nag him and kick him in the ass, hehehe).

Oh well, I think stress is part of my life. I think I was born to be pressured and endure such things. And to be honest, if it weren’t because of my water retention (beri-beri), maybe I would look so thin right now because of too much stress. I would look as if I took a bottle load of diet pills!

About my pregnancy, my OB doctor said that I have already reached 3cm last Wednesday. So all I need to do is implement natural ways of inducing labor. She said that I should not worry if the baby is still not going out. As long as she will go out before September 23, she will be safe. She said I must help the baby come out before September 23 to prevent from being overdue. So, after my online tasks, I am off to do more walking than ever! I just hope it wouldn’t rain again.

Anyhow, I really don’t like to worry myself since I am expecting on September 23 but knowing that I have already dilated my cervix and have reached 1cm, so I can’t help it. I don’t want to end up having a fetal in distress situation! That is way beyond what I want right now. I just hope and pray that everything will be OK and will turn out great! Please include us in your prayers that the baby will be delivered normal and safe. Thank you very much!

By the way, I have another announcement to make. Something to make everyone excited and something to make the worry in me go away! Actually, I will not be announcing the details now but later. Since I will be turning two years (Pinay Mommy Online’s Second Year and me as a blogger) in November, I have planned to have a book giveaway. I will be giving out two books to two luck winners. So, if you like reading books (sorry, they are not novels but very interesting ones), stay tuned for the giveaway details in my upcoming posts!

Anyway, my doctor has already advised me to perform 15 squats a day and to walk as far as I can. She said this will help me prepare for the big day and let gravity help on attaining the 9cm needed for the big day.

Oh well, I am a little bit excited. Though this is my third child already, it seems that I am a brand new mommy again since every pregnancy and child is different for that matter. This will be a different experience again to unfold each day! Thank God for the opportunity!

Honestly, I am really excited and a little bit worried. It’s been 5 years since I have been into labor. Aside from that, my two children were born under the supervision of the same doctor and now I will be sharing this experience with a new OB. I really don’t know how my new OB will handle me since when I am giving birth; I am a whole different kind of person because of the pain. With my first child, I was the meanest laboring woman at the delivery table. With my second child, I was the most kind of all saying thank you to everyone I am able to set my eyes into. Right now, I don’t know how I will behave though I have been reading more on how to behave during labor and delivery. But mind you, head knowledge is easy to say but hard to do when you are suffering from pain.

Anyway, the excitement of seeing my third bundle of joy is there but sometimes thinking about the labor pains makes me scared as hell. I just hope and pray that I will do well when the big day comes. Though this is my third child, I couldn’t say I am an expert on child labor and delivery. And I believe nobody becomes an expert when you are doing a normal child delivery because every time you give birth, it is a whole new experience – different in each child you bring to this world!

Anyway, according to www.baby2see.com, I am 37 weeks pregnant and here are the developments Baby Bella has:
* Typically, baby now measures 19.5 inches (50 cm) from the head to the heel.
* Baby weighs up to 7 pounds or 3 kilograms.
* The head diameter is over 3.5 inches (9cm).
* The water could break at any time.
* If it does happen, see a doctor immediately.

Gaining one ounce per day, your baby is growing rapidly. Keep up those exercises, especially your Kegels. Keeping your pelvic floor muscles toned will aid in a quicker recovery from the birth. An elbow, foot or head may protrude from your stomach when baby stretches and squirms about. Soon, as the wall of your uterus and your abdomen stretch thinner and let in more light, your baby will begin to develop daily activity cycles.

Even though you are three weeks from your due date, you are now considered full term. In most cases, nothing will be done to stop your labor once it starts, even if it is before your 40th week. You may notice a bit more vaginal discharge and/or cervical mucus.

Since 37 weeks is already considered full-term, you might expect me to be suddenly offline in the next few days because probably I might have given birth already! So if that happens, expect to see baby pictures on my next updates!

After a few minutes of waiting, I was called in. Both of them, the secretary and my doctor, were shocked with my appearance, they said I have become too thin and so white (pale must have been the word but I think they were being kind to me, LOL!). So, I reasoned out that I was into too much stress lately and we have transferred into a new place. As of being “white,” I can’t help it because I stay inside our home most of the time and the sun couldn’t burn my skin brown.

Then after a few “kamustahan,” my doctor went to her usual routine. She checked my UTI status which is so unfortunate because I still have another episode. With that, she recommended an anti-bacterial tablet to be taken twice a day for seven days. Then she went to check on my baby’s position which made me happy because my baby is no longer in breech. My baby’s head is already ready positioned for labor and delivery. Finally, she checked on my baby’s heart beat which is also normal. So, my overall prenatal check-up was great except for my UTI. She asked me to visit her again next week for follow-up.

By the way, check-out the picture below:

As you can see, these are the photos I took during the course of my pregnant belly. The first one was when I was 17 weeks pregnant; followed by 23 weeks and lastly my 33 weeks pregnant belly. Isn’t it cool to see your belly progress as your baby grow?!

And since I am already 35 weeks pregnant, according to www.baby2see.com, these are developments of my baby right now:
* Your baby is now about 18.5 inches in length and weighs over 5.5 pounds.
* Baby is about 47cm crown to heel and weighs almost 2.7 Kg.
* The body is growing round due to developing fat layers.
* Your baby’s reflexes are coordinated.
* Lungs are almost fully developed.
* About 90% of babies born this week survive.

Most babies gain about half pound per week in the last month of pregnancy. Fat stores accumulate in the legs and arms. These layers of fat will help them regulate their body temperature. Baby still doesn’t have enough fat deposits beneath its skin to keep warm outside your womb. If born now the baby would probably be put in an incubator, about 90% of babies born this week survive.

Lungs are almost fully developed. Your baby’s reflexes are coordinated; they turn their head, grasp firmly, and respond to sounds, light and touch. You should still feel movement every day. He or she is about 5 and a half pounds and growing fast, it is getting short of space in the womb.

Your uterus has become more cramped, your baby’s kicks and other movements less forceful. You may want to check on your baby’s movements from time to time and do a kick count.

Baby may push up against your ribs and make you a little breathless. Soon your baby’s position changes to prepare itself for labor and delivery. The baby drops down in your pelvis and you will be able to breathe easily again.

To give you a little update on Bella Grace, she is now 33 weeks. According to www.baby2see.com, here are the developments she has right now:
* The baby is now 4.4 pounds (2 kg) and around 17.5 inches (44cm) in length.
• The diameter of the head is about 8.5cm.
• The baby fuzz, lanugo, is disappearing.
• Your baby drinks about a pint of amniotic fluid a day.
• You may gain a pound a week (500g) for the rest of your pregnancy.
• Half of your weight gain will go directly to your baby.

The baby is using its lungs to practice breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid. Your baby is drinking about a pint of amniotic fluid a day now and urinating the same amount. The early baby fuzz, lanugo, is disappearing now and being replaced by actual hair. The nails of your baby are now long enough to reach to the tip of the fingers or beyond and may need trimming as soon as they are born. They may scratch their face even before birth.

You may gain a pound a week for the rest of your pregnancy. Do not stop eating or start skipping meals as your weight increases. Both you and your baby need the calories and nutrition you receive from a healthy diet. Calcium intake is extremely important during pregnancy because the baby will draw calcium from the mother to make and harden bone. This can greatly weaken her own bones and teeth because the developing fetus will take minerals from the mother’s skeletal structure as needed.

Now that my tummy is already on its eight month, I am getting excited to face another bundle of joy in my life. Well, not only me but the whole family is looking forward in meeting the newest member!

Well, I guess having a new baby in the house brings a lot of changes. Aside from the fact that my two children will become elder siblings, Baby Bella seems to bring a new hope for the family. I can feel that her arrival can bring change within me, my husband and my children. I believe that Baby Bella is a blessing for us all that is why I am pretty excited.

Anyway, I am currently 30 weeks pregnant and I have 10 weeks more or 68 days to go before the bubble bursts. According to Baby2See.com, these are the developments Baby Bella has:
• Baby measurements are 16 inches and weighs about 3 pounds.
• Length is 40cm and your baby’s weight is 1.4 kilograms.
• The head is almost 3.5 inches (8cm) in diameter.
• The feet are nearly 2.5 inches (6cm) long.
• The wrinkled skin is becoming smoother now.
• In boys, the testicles have moved down to the groin.
• The baby controls its own body temperature.

I had an ultrasound taken again last week. She is fine and has reached 3 pounds already. The sad news was that she is still in breech. I am really hoping that Baby Bella will turn in normal position in time for delivery. Please help us pray! I am also doing an exercise taught by my previous OB doctor to help the baby turn without going to local “manghihilot.”

Anyway, according to www.baby2see.com, this is the latest development of my baby Bella inside my tummy:

* The fetus has its own regular intervals for sleeping and being awake.
* The weight has increased to 1000 grams and is 37.5cm in length.
* 2.2 pounds weight and is 14.8 inches in length from head to heel.
* The feet are just over 2 inches (5.5cm) long.
* The hair on the head is now clearly visible.
* The milk teeth have developed under the gums.
* The eyes are starting to move in their sockets.

“Brain waves show rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which means your baby may be dreaming. Eyelids are opening. Eye color may change within the first six months of life especially if your baby’s eyes are blue or gray-blue at birth. Remember to talk to your baby often; reading stories, singing songs has been seen to slow the baby’s heart rate. He or she can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later after birth.

Your uterus will be about 3 inches (7cm) above your bellybutton. During this time of your pregnancy, your belly will grow about half an inch (1cm) each week. If you have been following a nutritious, balanced meal plan, your total weight gain is probably between 17 and 24 pounds (7.5 and 10.5 Kg).

Branches of lungs are quite developed now, so there is a good chance that baby would survive if born prematurely now. If your baby is born this week, the chances of survival are now at least 90 percent. However, some complications are still possible.”

Oh well, I am kind of excited because I have 80 days to go till I give birth. For short, that makes exactly two months of waiting! And I can feel that she is excited also because she kicks frequently and is awake most of the time. I just hope she wouldn’t be when she’s out!

Yup! You heard it. We are having a baby girl and her name will be BELLA (not from Twilight) meaning “devoted to God” in Hebrew and it also means beautiful in French because the name is a counterpart of the name Belle.

This was taken last month, MAY 2009.

Since I am 100 days away from giving birth, that means I am already in my 26th week. According to www.baby2see.com, my daughter has developed the following:
• The baby measures 14 inches long and weigh over 1.7 pound.
• Baby measures 35.5cm long and weighs over 760 grams.
• The feet are 2 inches (5cm) long. Hands are very active.
• The baby’s eyes begin to open around this time.

The fetus makes breathing movements, but there is no air in the lungs yet. Hands are active and muscle coordination is such that they can get a thumb into the mouth. Thumb sucking calms the baby and strengthens the cheek and jaw muscles.

The fetal brain scan will show response to touch. Touching and playing with the baby is possible now, as they may respond to your touch through your belly wall. Brain growth continues with brain wave activity for the visual and auditory systems starting to develop. Baby is probably very active in the womb, as the most active weeks are typically between weeks 24 and 28.

This week marks the end of month six, which is the last month of the second trimester.