Growth Spurt

20 weeks just this Monday and my bump has seemingly expanded outward overnight. Has gotten heavier, too. I still do chores around the house and now I can feel the extra weight as I move around.

At least I can still see my feet. Yey! :)

P.S. The pro of this huge bump is that I get to use the pregnant lane. Skipped 40 persons in the bank today and entered a different (and nearer) gate in the office today. Double yey!

Celeteque Anti-Stretch Mark Cream

Once upon a time, I was underweight yet had a couple of stretchmarks. I paid them no heed because they were hidden heehee. Then the Bar exam came and I gained 'Bar weight.' When I started working, the 'Bar weight' became 'office lunches and meriendas weight.' The good news is I am well within my ideal weight. The bad news is I also gained a few more stretchmarks. So before I got pregnant, I was already trying to minimize, if not eradicate, my stretchmarks. I've tried Palmer's but did not finish up the bottle because it smelled like spoiled milk. I didn't use it enough to see if it worked though.

So then I got pregnant. I had morning sickness in my first trimester so I knew I couldn't use Palmer's. Besides, it was helluva expensive. Then I saw the Celeteque Anti-Stretch Mark Cream. When I bought a tube, they had a buy one, get one promo. I am currently on my third tube. The stretchmarks are still there but I think they have lightened a bit.

 

 Source

It retails at P445.00. It smells much better than Palmer's, actually, I don't notice any smell at all although I haven't placed it near my nose. I spread a dollop on my belly and existing stretchmarks in the lower back and booty every morning and evening. So far, I haven't gotten any new stretchmarks, especially on my belly, and I hope it stays that way.

20 Weeks

20 weeks today. Halfway through the pregnancy. Should I panic yet? Haha.

We got back from the province last night. Four days of (eating) bliss. Stuffed myself with crab, shrimp, bangus, fried lumpia, lilot balatong, kineled and Ilocano veggie dishes.

So today was about rest and errands. Watched Ruruoni Kenshin first thing in the morning, dentist to check on my bridge (again, ugh), grocery and playtime with Archer. It's gonna be hard to go to the office tomorrow heehee.

We will be having the congenital anomaly scan on Saturday. We might know the gender by then. Again, should I panic yet? :)

Love your aches and all your edges

These days, my feet ache when I'm standing for some time - like in line at the grocery. Walking (read: trolling around the mall) is still okay though. I don't know if my feet are already swelling because my Payless flats sometimes pinch my toes (although this pair has always felt tight from the start). Must I buy FitFlops? Ack. I hope it's not yet edema because that's supposed to happen in the third trimester and I'm still at the start of my second. 

My only form of exercise so far is walking - the walk from the train station to the office. I bought a DVD of prenatal yoga but I haven't gotten around to cracking it open.

At night, I also noticed that my lower back hurts when I lie on my back. So I try to sleep on my side, usually the left side, which is recommended. Lying on one's back puts pressure on major blood vessels.

Next week is my 20th week per ultrasound - halfway through the pregnancy. Gaaah.

Robin Williams

"The seemingly happiest of people are actually the saddest." - me

Robin Williams died last August 11 by suicide. I've read somewhere that comedians are actually a serious lot. Or they are among the saddest people. Maybe making people laugh is an act of self-preservation.

Social media exploded with tributes. It is indeed sad that someone universally well liked did not feel enough to stay - I'm paraphrasing his daughter Zelda's tribute.

On some level, I do get him. Rest in paradise, Robin.

My life so far...

... is dominated by visits to the OB then dentist then OB then dentist. Dentist for my root canal and OB because I caught a cold and cough. OB prescribed me vitamins and rest. Sigh. I'll gladly take back the nausea and morning sickness over tooth and respiratory problems. :(

Someone's kicking!

I am currently on my 17th week. They say that the baby's movement can be felt as early as 12weeks but for first-timers like me, the average is 18 weeks or so.

These past couple of weeks, I've been feeling tiny flutters - parang may pumipitik-pitik. Then earlier in the LRT, the movement I felt was "solid" already. I tried poking my bump and I felt the "solid" movement again! Yey! So exciting!

On the other hand, I am down with colds and cough huhu. I hope these go away soon.