Adobe Photoshop

It's now 2am and I just finished the layout for the mug and the tarpaulin for Sean and Sophia's baptism. Whew! I never thought I could learn Adobe Photoshop that fast thru self-learning and a little help from my sis-in-law. I was very pleased to have discovered how to replace image color. Cool!

Here's the mug and tarp design that I made. It's nothing fancy but I like it... simply because this is pure labor of love. :)

I am hoping that no one from our guests lists will see this before the baptismal party. Di na surprise. Hehe. I am just excited to post them kasi I basically did it from scratch. And oh, I love our invites too - kahit na nalagay ko sa date eh 2007... I'll post the picture na lang after the party.

Plugging na lang - thanks Mec for all the help! :)

It's extremely difficult to plan a party at this time since I can not simply leave my twins behind. I am glad that (finally!) I was able to pay the church and rental fee sa Montgomery Clubhouse as well as ordered balloon centerpieces. Pending will be the caterer, ordering of mugs, having the tarpaulin printed and ordering of cake. Whew. Need to complete them by tomorrow sana since Che and I will be going to Tagaytay for a stress-free weekend. :)

Chiao!

This is the season of.....

... giving

... receiving

and simply pure happiness...

We didn't expect to receive plenty of gifts for Sean and Sophia. Their wardrobe is full already for the next few weeks/months and we haven't opened most of the gifts yet. I'll post pictures later when we have finally taken our family picture beside the Christmas tree. :) This Christmas season, we experience a lot of firsts... first trip to tha mass, lunch out and malling with Sean and Sophia and first time I saw Sophia holding her bottle tightly.

This holiday season, everyday is pure bliss albeit the hardship and the sacrifices. We received the best gift of all... our adoring twins, Sean and Sophia!

Merry Christmas to all!

An early christmas present

I asked a friend who had a vacation in HKG to buy me a Technomarine watch. She got me already! Yipee.



It's a different model than what I earlier wanted.

When I told Che I wanted this watch, he said he will pay for it na lang and that's his Christmas and thank you gift to me (his way of thanking me for giving him daw our twins). He gave me the money but I said I will just shoulder it from my own money. I suggested kasi that instead of giving each other Christmas gift, we just pledge a donation or simply help others in need. But he still insisted that it is his Christmas present to me. Aww!

Reviving my wardrobe

Before I gave birth, I was too excited to use my old clothes and shoes (with heels). I was surprised that my shoes still fits me well albeit my size probably increased by a cm or less. I thought I won't be able to wear them as most people say. During pregnancy, some of my shoes were too tight but that could probably due to slight edema.

My total weight gain during pregnancy was 29lbs. I am proud of that considering I carried two babies (of 5lbs each), I lost 23 lbs exactly a week after I gave birth. During my next check-up last Dec 8, 40 days after I gave birth, I lost another 5lbs, that is, 1 lb short of my total pregnancy weight. I was utterly surprised with this considering I felt I gained significantly last few days. I eat about the same as during pregnancy and I am not breastfeeding anymore.

I tried on some of my clothes and I was very disappointed on how unpleasant I look with it. I hate the bulge on my tummy. My jeans also can not fit except for one pair! My hip increased in size! And so, for some weeks, I am using the skinny jeans from Gingersnaps I used during my first trimester pregnancy. My long sleeves I oftenly use in the office were too tight. I expect I would have to buy a few office clothes before I resume work. Good thing I still have P10k GC from IORA our company gave away as clothing allowance.


And so for last few days, I find myself happily shopping for new sets of clothes. At least for now, a new pair of jeans, a few blouses will do... until next shopping spree ;)

Creativity 101

I don't consider myself creative but I'd like to be one. In my attempt to create the baptism invitation for my twins, I did a very simple template using Power Point. Yes, because I don't know anything about Adobe Photoshop. :(

Well, it's basic. it's bland. It needs something to spice it up. Of course, it has to be done in Adobe Photoshop so print quality will be good and size will be just right.

At least I know the basics, right? :)

Kodak Moments

This morning, I was in the mood for some photo session with my 2 adoring babies. The purpose is actually for the invitation and tarpaulin that I, with the help of my sister-in-law, intend to diy for Sean and Sophia's baptism on January 5. Yes, I am cramming again! May God help me on this project. Anyway, here are some good shots that i captured.

SOPHIA

SEAN

I think I need to buy a better camera (digital SLR like Canon EOS 400D or Nikon D80) to capture better pictures hehehe... and of course learn basic (or I must say, advanced) photography. :)

Goodies for Sean and Sophia

We got another bag full of clothes and shoes for Sean and Sophia. Our 'super' ninang (we call her 'super' because she's SUPER generous!) came from the US and was kind enough to bring Sean and Sophia pasalubong. Among them were: 2 dresses for Sophia (one was super cute that she can wear for Christmas or her 2nd wardrobe at their Baptism reception), a pair of knit wear for Sophia and a Santa suit for Sean (yet too big for him and may fit only by next year's Christmas). And lastly, our uber favorite are the Converse shoes. We got a pair of Converse newborn socks which looks like a cute hi-cut Converse when worn and these pair of shoes they could wear in a few months.. Cute!

We texted our ninang to say 'thank you' and she replied there are still more to follow. Aww!

We are indeed very lucky with all the gifts we have received even without any occassion yet. We actually don't need to buy stuff for Sophia as her wardrobe is full already until she reaches 2yrs. No kidding. We just need to buy for Sean but have to admit that there are very limited choices for boys. I went to Greenhills last weekend and there are soooo many cute clothes for girls that I am controlling myself from buying.

First Trip

Some parents prefer to keep their newborns inside the comfort of their homes for a few months and allow only a trip to the hospital or to the relatives' houses. I know that will not be the case for our twins since their cousins have travelled to different places, even out-of-town, when they were still few months old. That's the reason why baptism at 1 month is a must for the San Gabriel clan.

At 3 weeks old, Sean and Sophia already attended the 1st birthday party of their 2nd cousin, JB, at the clubhouse of Urdaneta Village. I had them wear the red and blue onesies which was a gift to us by our friend who had a vacation in the US last September. Daddy Che was unfortunately not with us but kept on texting me what the twins will wear. :) We arrived the venue and some people look kinda amazed seeing a girl and boy twin. Although my kids wouldn't get to enjoy this kind of event, it was still nice bringing them along. Aheheh. The theme was Pirates of the Carribean and kids and some adults came in looking like pirates. They served japanese food (Sai Bachi Catering) with different food carts for kids to enjoy. The host, lootbags, balloon decoration etc all were in tune with the theme.

Even at 1 year old, a kid won't enjoy this kind of 'surprisingly expensive' party. But it is such a milestone that parents will not hesitate to spend money on. I believe the party is more for the parents instead of the kids. And I have to admit I am one of those parents. I am already counting the next 11 months till I plan their 1st birthday party (maybe with a Trick or Treat theme since party will be held at Nov1? haha). But before that, I am looking forward to the next trip of Sean and Sophia. The doctor recommended we go ahead and visit Tagaytay... :)

Grandma vs Mommy

It is really exhausting to take care of a newborn and for our case, it's double the effort. I am not a supermom though. I am in charge of night shift while my mom, her best friend, and our new yaya (thank god we hired one!) takes care of Sean and Sophia at daytime. When we are at my in-law's place, my mom-in-law and other househelp assist in overseeing our twins. We are indeed lucky to have all the help we need now.

There are some things I noticed about the difference of Grandma (my mom and mom-in-law)and Mommy (myself of course!):

- Grandma doesn't seem to get tired of taking care of the newborn. Mommy get super exhausted and can not afford to rise up in bed at around 5-6am.

- Grandma seems to have a magical power of keeping the baby asleep and quiet. I often don't know how to pacifying them especially when they are like screaming as if someone is spanking them non-stop. The only effective thing I do is to sing the Alphabet Song they seem to enjoy my singing prowess.

- Grandma tends to spoil the babies or should i say, their generosity can not be questioned when it is for the twins. My mom-in-law already bought 2 pairs of earrings for Sophia and other baby stuff even before they were born. My mom bought a Graco Pack n' Play worth P10k plus comforter of P1k plus which I will not consider buying. I am not saying I won't be generous for our kids. It may be a different priority - like me buying Medela PIS which I have not maximized the worth.

- Grandma is not a worrier while Mommy cries over little stuff like when Sophia got a smelly earwax. I almost could not forgive myself for allowing that to happen.

- Lastly, Grandma masters the art of bathing while I have never tried it myself. *wink*

The Twins in Bed

Home at Last!


Sleep Mode 1 (to the left! to the left!)

Sleep Mode 2 (face to face)

Sleep Mode 3 (Sophia covering her face)

Sleep Mode 4 (Sophia on her side and Sean on her back with legs wide open)

Day 6 Pics

We visited Sean and Sophia last night. They are still at the hospital due to continuous antibiotic injection and awaiting final result of blood culture test tonight. Hopefully they will be discharged na by tomorrow.

Here are more pics of our adorable twins taken yesterday. Mahimbing tulog ni Sophia. She's still pretty as ever. It's now Sean's time to make pacute. He's becoming more like her ate Sophia. Akala ng iba si Sophia mas cute ha. Mas maputi lang daw ng konti si Sophia. :)

Sean: Antok pa ako eh, nanggigising kayo!

Sean: eyes wide open/ Sophia: still mahimbing tulog

Sean's time to make pacute

Sean: Is that you Mommy?

My November 1 Babies

Yes, I have finally given birth last November 1. It was unexpected. I had a weird feeling the night before as I had a dark yellow discharge which I was still figuring out if it is the typical brownish discharge which can be a sign of false labor. The morning of November 1 at 7:30am, we woke up because our househelp delivered my daily breakfast supply. I went to the restroom and saw a bloodish discharge. It has increased less than an hour after. I had my breakfast, took a bath and went straight to Lourdes hospital after. I was very calm and excited. We waited for this day but have been trying to avoid (as much as possible) on giving birth on November 1 and 2. But we need not worry because this is the time that God has chosen for us.

We arrived at the hospital and I underwent various tests and confirmed I was 2 cm dilated. They put me on non-stress test and I was told that I will be scheduled for a delivery at 4pm. Never did we thought that delivery could only start 8 hrs after the last meal/fluid intake. Should I have not taken my breakfast, I would have been scheduled for delivery earlier. They are already close to 37 weeks of gestation and delivery is inevitable.

It waited at the labor room from 11am till 330pm. No pain whatsoever. I was just so inip. I was not scared at all.

I passed thru the corridor where Che is waiting. He seems very excited. He kissed me good luck.

I went inside the Operating Room which looked new - a far cry from the delivery room I saw in Makati Medical City. I was conscious during the operation and only few minutes after, I saw my babies. Sophia came in first then followed by Sean. They were so cute. Ang puti and kinis. It's like they never came straight from my womb.

I then woke up at the Recovery Room and few minutes after, the nurse brought me to my room where guests/family were waiting. Everyone was at awe at how cute and tisay/tisoy our twins were. They said it was all worth it.

A day and two after, I am in deep pain that I can't help but cry. I was discharged yesterday and Sean and Sophia stayed at the hospital under observation for risk of infection.

More stories to follow on their condition and my breastfeeding/pumping experiences.

Here are the pictures for your viewing pleasure...

Straight from the delivery room (Sophia on the left and Sean on the right)
2 hrs after they were born
Sophia (sleeping like an angel) at day2
Sean (mukhang brusko) at day2

Sophia and Sean at day3

Fear over Excitement

Before going to bed last night, Che and I were chatting during our cuddling and 'harutan' session. It started with some cheesy questions like 'Why did you fall in love with me?'. This is one of the questions that we normally ask each other because we basically do not have a consistent or straight answer. We usually answer back with a joke instead like 'Di naman talaga eh, pinikot mo lang ako' or 'Mahilig talaga ako sa mga maasim na pagkain'. That's how often we use humor in our relationship.

One thing that led to a serious talk was when Che asked me, 'Are you excited?' (referring to the birth of our twins). I immediately answered back ,'I am actually scared'. There's a fear that I won't be able to take care of the twins. Could I manage breastfeeding two babies? Who will take care of them when I return to work?

I asked him back 'And you?'. He replied saying the same thing. But Che's fear was more on not being able to sell (he is in car sales) and unable to provide to the needs of the twins/our family. He said this is the reason why he is working his ass off. He even work during weekends and holidays. I asked him to take it easy as we are fortunate to both have work that compensate well enough for our needs and wants. But he's never like that. He would never depend on anyone, even on me. Ever since, Che has always been a VERY responsible person. He is a good provider and never misses out on his obligation. He made quite a lot of sacrifces and you won't hear him complain. He return his blessings thru helping out other people that he never dare brag about. And that, I could honestly say, was one of the reasons why I do fell in love with him.

As parents, will this fear fade away? Maybe not. But I do hope that this fear will be one of the greatest motivator for us to be good parents.

Dealing with Remarks from Friends and Aquaintances

Here are some more remarks that I get during pregnancy and how I normally react. Let me correct that, I normally react by just smiling or saying 'oo nga'. Below are my silent reactions. :)

'In fairness, hindi ka mukhang buntis pag nakatalikod.'

Buti na lang. In fairness, may korte pa rin ako pag nakatalikod. Wag mo lang ako tignan sa harap! hahaha.

'Ma'am, ang laki ng tyan nyo!'

Natural kambal itong dinadala ko! (di naman ako galit, defensive lang)

'Grabe, bilog na bilog tyan mo'

Oo, parang bola ng basketball! (I actually like showing people that I looked like I swallowed a watermelon or a basketball) hehe.

'Ang tulis ng tyan mo'

Akala ko ba bilog? Nalilito na ako ha.

'Ang baba na ng tyan mo oh. Malapit na yan.' (sabay hawak sa tyan take note sa ibaba ng boobs)

Oh no touch, baka iba na mahawakan mo nyan. :) Ay, sabi na nga ba eh!

'Buti di ka tumaba'

Buti naman talaga at ang dami kong tiniis na hindi kainin. Pero pag nanganak ako, sa hospital pa lang, kakainin ko ung mga namiss ko!

'Uy, ung pusod mo nakaumbok na' or 'Wala ka na tlgang pusod'

Oo, nastretch sya ng sobra! At please, wag mo na tignan! Ang swangit!

'Pakita ng tyan mo'

Wag na! Baka matakot ka rin. :)

Will I miss those remarks when I give birth? Nah, maybe not! Ang gusto ko marinig na remark eh: 'Uy, sexy mom!'. Wahahaha. Sana nga!

Changing the Skin

I find my blog's skin already boring. I want to add a personal touch to it. But I don't know how...

Pictures! Pictures!

Finally, I can post some pregnancy pictures. Here it is for today...

I had our check-up today. I was stunned when I saw that I lost 4lbs from my last visit 2 weeks ago. I was scared actually. How could it be? I am eating rice every breakfast, lunch and dinner. Take note, I think I eat more than a cup of rice every meal. Although not much of sweets and snacks in between. I was calmed down when my OB said I should not worry because my swelling has totally disappeared. Two weeks ago, I had slight edema.

My OB said the skin in my tummy is so thin. She could feel na puro babies ang laman and no fats. My tummy is growing bigger and bigger every visit. And it's dropping already. We were happy we passed 34 weeks already. OB wanted to wait till I go into labor. Otherwise, we can set a delivery date anytime from Nov 5. We still have to think of a good date. I texted my mom if she can suggest a good date. Aba, I was laughing my heart out, when she replied 'Piliin mo birthday ni Vilma. Nov 2 or 3 ata'. Hahahaha! I texted back 'Ma, hindi naman ako vilmanian!' Hihihi.

As mentioned earlier, it's Che and I's anniversary today. So after check-up, we had dinner at Luk Foo together with my mom-in-law. I indulge myself with a slice of banofee pie from Red Ribbon at home. I actually had the cake delivered this morning since I have no way of buying anything for Che as our anniversary gift.

So here's to waiting till the Big day.

Our government can actually be efficient

If you ask any Filipino, there will always be a gripe against our government, whether on corruption or government's inefficiency in providing services. Today, I have a praise to give to our government. I requested for an NSO certified Marriage Certificate online thru ecensus.gov.ph. It was actually a recommendation by a friend. The request for a copy costs Php 300 only so I thought of giving it a try instead of the hassle of actually going to an NSO branch. I placed my request online last Oct 4 but managed to pay thru the bank only on Oct 16. Today, exactly a week after we paid, I got the certificate delivered by Fedex. Not bad.

I could say that I now have hope that our government could actually be efficient in the services that they offer to us, Filipinos.

A decade of love and happiness

Today, October 23, marks our 10 year anniversary as bf/gf.

I can't imagine that we already spent barely one-third of our life together as a couple.

I am sharing here our love story. I don't normally put everything in detail especially those not really close to both of us. It is not a fairy tale romance after all. But I am glad of how things went. Che is, in fact, the best gift God has given me.

Our Love Story

Che and I are actually blockmates in DLSU. We both took up Business Management and have been friends since our first year. We were actually 'just' friends. He was with another girl while I had a crush on someone. I had my guy bestfriend, also our blockmate, but Che and I remained close as well. His life took a turn on our first year college when he got her girlfriend pregnant. I was one of his confidant then. Their relationship was on the rocks during the pregnancy and she left right after giving birth. The child remained with him but the situation calls for him to be treated as his 'kuya' instead as a daddy. We became really close with frequent and long talk on the phone. We had a bet that led to a movie date. I was shocked on our first date when he held and kissed my hand. I swear to our common friends that I will not date him again. But I don't know what made me go out with him again. Hehe. It came to a point that we were too close and the situation got more complicated as her ex-girlfriend (mom of his son) kept bugging me. One night, I could not tolerate it anymore. I thought Che and I need to end the close friendship we had to keep my peace. Che fought for it and finally said he love me.

Few days after, on October 23, 1997, during one of our class break, one of our blockmates was teasing me that I already have a boyfriend. I was teased with my bestfriend and then a blockmate hinted it could be Che. Our barkada was asked by our other blockmates if we were really an item. It was quite funny. That same day, after school, I asked him something. I approached him because he was kinda aloof as he normally offer to bring me home (or drop me off the nearest place near home) after school. He finally asked me to ride with him and I agreed. It was that night that we reminisced the fun we had during our 'dates'. And suddenly, I thought I should give the relationship a try. That night, I also got my first kiss (a smack on the lips) while inside the car and caught in traffic before approaching Nagtahan Bridge. Hehe.

It's always fun reminiscing our college days. Che always teases me how I look like when we were in college - me wearing a Kamiseta printed shirt tucked in a pair of jeans, my hair pony-tailed, I carry with me my red or blue lacoste bag and a Hair Doctor comb at the rear pocket of my jeans. Che then had a long hair. I would love to post some pictures here but there's no digital camera that time yet. The 'in' thing then was a pager in which we both exchange our 'corny' messages. Hehehe.

Che used different cars since high school but if you ask him, what he love most is his 2-door Charade. It was the car that he used during the first few years of us being together and that includes the day that we became an item. He would call it his 'love car'.

Due to a lot of differences, we broke up in Feb 2000 but got back together sometime June/July 2001 just few weeks before I was assigned in Subic for work. Since then, we managed a long distance relationship. For a year when I worked in Subic, we will meet up only on weekends. When I moved to Hong Kong, we will meet up every 3 months. And for a year and a half in Davao, we would meet usually once a month. Surprisingly, despite the difficulties in a long distance relationship, we managed to stay together.

Ten years after, I could say our love grew even stronger. The humor helped sustain the relationship.

Sugarbox

Have just replied to a post in n@w regarding a recommendation for a cake supplier for a n@wie's mom's 60th birthday. Our cake supplier during our wedding, Sugarbox, far exceeded my expectations and so I recommend her to any who will need a cake for whatever occassion.

Here's a shot of our cake. For me, it was indeed perfect. It was exactly the cake I imagined and it matches perfectly the motif and of course my bouquet (with the cymbidium flowers).

I checked out her site once more (after barely 2 years) and tickled to saw our wedding cake in the site. Here's the link…

I will forever be grateful that I got Emily Uy to do our wedding cake...

Some Updates

Here are some updates for me (although no picture yet - sigh)

• I think I have already been accustomed to battling boredom at home. I watch TV now, surf the net, call whoever and whatever I think of (stores for stock availability/ churches for baptism schedule and venues etc)
• It's during my last weeks of pregnancy that I am asking Che to buy me pasalubong (something to look forward to at the end of the day). I am fortunate he gladly oblige.
• I already had my steroid injection about 2 weekends ago. I was rushed to the ER due to observation of reduced fetal movements. False alarm lang ako. Nagpapansin sina Sean and Sophia and began kicking vigorously on the way to the hospital. Or was it an excuse for me to see the outside world? ehehehe.
• I am getting nosebleeds frequently. One last weekend where I was rushed to the ER again to check my platelet count, bleed time and clot time. All results were normal. Init lang siguro.
• I had visitors last Friday! Our friends dropped by to have dinner. Boom, who had a vacation from the US gave us the pasalubongs. Our twins got a red and blue onesies from Carters! Also got the Avent pacifiers and Gap dream cologne that I asked her to buy. Also chat with fellow preggy, Leah, who everybody was teasing to also carry twins with how big she carries her pregnancy. We catched up with Maurice, Kaori and their 2yr old son Kenji and their parenting stories.
• I am feeling kinda weird lately both emotionally and especially physically. Am I anticipating labor soon? We'll see..

That's all for me folks. Till next time...

Top 10 things to look forward to

Whew! I am glad I survived barely 2 weeks of boredom. At least I know I could carry on for few more weeks - especially now that I have resumed broadband access in my laptop! That could be both good and bad. Good because I will have something to do but Bad because that means work will follow me since I am now able to connect to our office server.

Anyways, aside from our twins, there are 10 reasons/things to look forward to after giving birth. I am glad we are few weeks more to go before the 'big day'. Here it goes:

1. A good full body massage

- Oh I miss this so badly.

2. Bring the romance back

- Not that it was entirely lost. Che has been a very sweet and caring husband but you know, there are things we would like to go back to normal - the dates, and you-know-what. ;)

- Have already made reservations for an overnight Cuddle-Up package at Nurture Spa in Tagaytay on Dec15-16. I so look forward to that (even it means leaving the twins behind for 2 days). This includes a couple's body massage so reason #1 should be covered as well.

3. A trip to Salon de Manila

- My hair definitely needs some tender loving care. It needs a new cut and color.

4. A visit to a skin care clinic

- Give me that well deserved facial! Oh, and probably a consultation on how to bring back my tummy into a presentable look. Damn those stretchmarks!

5. Losing that weight

- It's every pregnant woman's wish, right?

6. Do some shopping

- I missed this! Or will I change to a 'conservative i.e. kuripot mama' when the twins are born? ;) Irregardless, I'd like to shop either for myself, my husband or most likely for the twins!

7. House Hunt

- Such a serious topic, let's see how it goes.

8. Party Planning

- Of course, for the baptismal of the twins! Can you believe I've done some 'research' already few weeks back?

9. A family out-of-town trip

- Che and I have planned on bringing both families in Boracay summer of next year! We hope this will push thru!

10. Christmas!!!

- Need i say more?

How about you? What are the top things you look forward to. Go tag yourself.

A prisoner with a big tummy

Yes, I consider myself as a prisoner at this time since I am on house arrest. Last Monday, I experienced frequent contractions (seems like it lasted the entire day) and so I texted my OB and she replied and said I should take Isoxillan and recommended a bed rest until we meet up for our check-up in 2 weeks time. I panicked considering I still have a lot of work to do plus I have a manager (that I hired who is coming from Denmark next week) for a familiarization/handover before he officially starts mid-Nov. Althoug my boss and our Managing Director here approved my leave until Oct5, as requested by my OB a month ago, we may not be prepared yet for an early bed rest. But what could I do? I took a leave the following day and monitored my contractions. I went for a check up and OB confirmed I am having threatened premature labor due to the size of my uterus. It contracts when I am standing and relaxes when I lie down. She then said I should be on bed rest until delivery and will be scheduled for an injection on October 9 (with an overnight stay at the hospital) to speed up babies’ lung development in case I will be delivering the twins prematurely.

And so, here I am completely bored.

I consider myself more like a prisoner. I am staying now at my in-laws place considering it’s nearer the hospital and also for someone to accompany me. We have our temporary abode at the 2nd floor. Our room here is at the 3rd floor but since it’s an effort to climb another level, Che insisted we stay in a room at the 2nd floor (used to be a guest room then converted to an office and now back to being a guest room). I am not allowed to go and up the stairs so the helper or Che will bring me food.

OB said she would be happy for me to deliver at least on 34 or 35 weeks. Based on my 1st ultrasound due date, I should now be now on 31 weeks (initially I count today at 32 weeks based on my LMP and latest ultrasound results). I survived 5days now and I have some more days and weeks to go.

So this is what it feels like being at home with barely nothing much to do or repeatedly the same thing to do every single day.

And so I conclude... I am not a housewife material.

Name Game

I initially thought we will be having difficulty in finding a name for our twins considering the name trend of Che, his siblings and the nephews and nieces. They all start with R and ends with L (I believe I have blogged this before also). Aside from that, the 3 kids now have Japanese nicknames which are not related to their given names.

My favorite girl name before was Patricia Dianne and I was keen before on giving that name to my first daughter. However.,due to some 'rules' or should i say 'name trend' in the family, that is not really a good option.

I realized that having a good meaning to the names is also a plus considering that they will have to explain the meaning of their names.

I thought of the following names which Che fortunately agrees (no qualms whatsoever).

Reese Sophia - I initially thought of Racquel or Rachel but since both means 'second wife' in the Bible, i changed it. I heard good stories about her though in the Bible. And I find Reese cute and yes, even that means not getting a name that ends with an L. Reese means Enthusiasm and Sophia means wisdom. Her nickname will most likely be Sophie or Sophia.

Raniel Sean - I really liked Sean and I think Raniel is a good choice too (falling exactly the name trend in the family). Raniel means God is my happiness and Sean means God is gracious. Sean will definitely be his nickname.

I don't know if there will be some changes later on. Although frankly, I can not think of anything else. I'd like our twins to have the same initials also.

So about the japanese nicknames, I really don't know yet.

The boring weekend and a weird dream

Weekend was very boring. Saturday, my mom picked me up early morning at my in-law's place where Che and I stayed Friday night. Che had to work on a Saturday that's why he said it will be good for me to stay with my mom's. Mom and I then headed to Fairview to get the Avent bottles and sterilizer from Anne's mom. We had some small chat with Anne's elder sister and her mom about pregnancy and stuff. Then the entire day was spent watching tv, eating and lying in bed.

Sunday, Che still has to go to work (on duty at Market! Market! where they have a car display). I was left at home and mom volunteered to accompany me. Then again, it was a day of resting, eating and simply watching Desperate Housewives. Good thing I was able to go out and see the outside world again when we heard mass at Don Bosco.

I could not imagine how bored I will be when I will take my early leave next month!

I had the weirdest dream last night. We had a quintuplets! Yes, 5 identical girls! They were all pretty and healthy but I was disappointed in the dream. I was kinda furious why two of the big hospitals in the city, where I had my ultrasound, were incorrect when they told me that I'll be having a girl/boy twins. Funny, isn't it?!

The 4D experience

We had 4d ultrasound earlier today at Medical City in Trinoma. Unfortunately, our twins were too shy to show us how they look like. We had a glimpse of the boy. His facial features is clearly seen but not so well defined. We saw his little thing also. The girl, as usual, is still malikot. But yeah, it's sure that she's a girl. We had a good shot of her labia. But that was it. We'll come back again on Wednesday to see her more. Hopefully she will cooperate by then.

Both of them are growing at the same pace with the boy just slightly heavier. The girl weigh around 1343 g and the boy at 1376 g. I'm glad to know that they are growing about the same as that of singleton for their AOG. The girl at breech position and boy at cephalic position. The ob sonologist said they are positioning head to head. My funny remark with the sonologist, 'Naku, di kaya nagkakauntugan sila' :)

It was my first time at Trinoma and I seem to like the place with a lot of nice stores to do some shopping. But sorry, malling should not be my thing for now - but surely after birth. :)

Here's a pic of me having lunch at Sizzling Pepper Steak just right across Medical City before our ultrasound.

My top 3 wish list

Well, I've got nothing to do. Bored at home and yet too lazy (and easily gets tired) to go shopping. So I just thought of my top 3 'shopping' wish list in order of preference:

1. A house

- Yeah, now that we will be having twins, we (or I) have been contemplating on moving out. I wanted to settle in a house that we finally own. I have so many pictures of my home inspirations in my laptop plus tons of home magazine. I guess my style will be asian-inspired with neutral colors that matches our furnitures of dark wood and asian decorations. I like this model house. I prefer a bungalow house nested in a spaceous lot.

And a patio/garden at the back for an intimate breakfast or a small playground with our kids. I want a dark brown sliding door like this. Oh di ba, I already have a design in mind. :)

2. Cartier Santos

This is my second love while my first love is my two-tone Omega Constellation which I consider as one of my precious possession. The kakuriputan in me tells me not to give in but I am still in love with it after several years of fascination over it. It's classic. Che and I went to a watch shop and while he is fascinated with Rolex, my eye is still on this....

3. Technomarine Technolady

I liked this since I was working in Hong Kong about 4 years ago. It was something that I like and not something that I really love. So instead, I got myself a classic casual watch. I thought it would just be a fad, maybe yes, but I still 'like' it for casual wear. I like it with a black and white leather.

My babies are kicking, it's time to go to bed (again!). :)