Happy Monday Morning

I've always dreaded mondays because it means, the workweek has started.  A 2-day weekend is definitely not enough.  Making it 3 days though is totally acceptable.  :-)

Anyway, to start the week right (for a change), I've decided to focus on what a beautiful Monday morning it is.  Let me start by saying I slept so soundly that I didn't hear the alarm clock ring nor noticed Kit stand up to prepare for work.  I only woke up when I felt him pull up the comforter on me and turned the aircon on again  (we always put the aircon on timer mode).  He then urged me back to sleep.  How sweet!  He didn't even open the curtains.  I love you babe for allowing me to continue sleeping and accepting my being "batugan" in the mornings.  :-)

So now that I have a complete and sound sleep (a 9-hour sleep!), I'm prepared to welcome the week ahead.

Happy monday everyone! Hope you all have a great and blessed week ahead. :-)   

The Hunger Games Movie

In one of my oldest posts, I've mentioned how I loved the The Hunger Games trilogy.  Such an interesting storyline!  So when I heard that they have plans of making it into a movie, I was excited.  I just hope the movie do the books justice.  

They've also announced the main cast.  Take a look!

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, the main protagonist.

     I have yet to see any Jennifer Lawrence films so I don't know if she's a good fit to Katniss' character. Upon seeing her picture (right photo), she doesn't look like Katniss (as described in the book: she has straight long black hair, which she normally pulls back into a long braid, olive skin, and gray eyes) at all.  Good thing other fans created a  movie poster using her picture (left photo) so we can better "see" her as Katniss.

 Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Katniss' co-tribute

     I have seen Josh Hutcherson's films when he was a kid, such as RV and Little Manhattan.  Again, i don't think he looks like Peeta in the book ( ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead blue eyes, and a stocky build. He is also very strong as he always carry heavy sacks of flour for their bakery).  But then again, I haven't seen him all grown up. 

 

Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' bestfriend

     
     I know Liam Hemsworth as the ex-boyfriend of Miley Cyrus.  I loved the book, The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, and they were the main cast of its movie version.  Though I've seen the movie, it didn't really made an impact to me so I don't remember how he acted in that film.  I just hope he really does give justice to Gale's character as he is my favorite character in the book. 

 There you go.  The main cast.  I really, really hope they give the book justice.

Disney!

I was browsing through the other mommy blogs when I came across the Disney entry of Mommy Fleur.  Sure enough, just the title thrilled me.  I have always loved Disney and the Disney princesses.  My fascination with them doesn't wane even though I'm in my late 20s already.  Hahaha.  Kung girl si Baby, magiging Disney Princesses kid din sya. Hahaha.  Ooops, we'll let Baby pala decide what kiddie character he or she wants.  Kit and I promised we won't influence his/her choice, if that's even possible.  Haha. 

Anyway, hope you'll enjoy this as much as I did.  Ang babaw ba? :-p  These are taken by Annie Leibovitz.

My favorite Disney film ever! Penelope Cruz as Beauty and Jeff Bridges as the Beast

Rachel Weisz as Snow White

Olivia Wilde as the Evil Queen and Alec Baldwin as the Magic Mirror

Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella

Julianne Moore as Ariel, the Little Mermaid

Gisele Bundchen as Wendy and Mikhail Baryshnikov as Peter pan

Jessica Biel as Pocahontas

Tina Fey as TinkerBell

Marc Anthony as Aladin and Jennifer Lopez as Princess Jasmine

Whoopi Goldberg as the Genie

Julie Andrews as Pinocchio's Blue Fairy and Abigail Breslin as the apprentice fairy

Beyonce as Alice, Lyle Lovett as the March Hare and Oliver Platt as the Mad Hatter

Roger Federer as King Arthur

David Beckham as Prince Philip of Sleeping Beauty

Queen Latifa as Ursula

Books, books, books

I have always loved reading.  Maybe it's the frustrated actress (Truth to be told, I once dreamt of becoming a theater actress when I was young.  I so love plays!) in me, but I can easily put myself in the protagonist's shoes.  So immersed am I when i'm reading that I always end up crying, laughing, kilig, scared or whatever emotion it is that you're supposed to feel.  And I don't like putting down books when I'm not done with it.  Usually, i finish a book within hours of starting it.  I just don't like the idea of cutting down momentum.

I remember when Kit and I were preparing for our wedding, I asked for a bookshelf in our condo unit.  But due to limited space and with the baby coming, I decided to just leave all my books at my parent's house and make do with our existing cabinet for my new acquisitions.  After all, i'd rather have a play area and storage for baby's things than a display case for my books.  But maybe in the near future, we can have both.  :-)

Anyway, here's a list of books I'm dying to get my hands on:  (Got the pictures by the way at amazon.)

 These books are also called the Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.  With the catchy titles, good reviews and movie to boot, I can't wait to start reading this crime-fiction series.   

 I loved Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, so I'm kinda sure I will also love this one.

I just finished Lore's I am Number Four, and I liked it!  I've always been a fan of book series so I can't wait for Lore to finish and release the Lorien Legacies.  This book by the way, will be released this August so it's still a long wait.

When I saw this at the bookstore, I really got intrigued with the synopsis.  It is from the perspective of Jack, a 5-year old boy who lives with his mother at an 11x11 ft room he considers his world.  It is definitely thought-provoking and very intriguing.  I am just afraid that I might get bothered with the story, especially now that I'm pregnant.  Oh well, I will read this after I give birth.
   

Another series.  This actually was suggested by my college friend, Jen.  Kit and I liked the movie so I decided maybe I'll like the books also.  At least, it's something light and fun and can bring back the kid in me.  Plus, this can be Baby's first book series.  :-)

So, what I am reading now?  I actually just finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore and I'm about to start with P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern.  I loved the movie with Gerard Butler and Hillary Swank, so I figured I might the love the book more.   After all, I have yet to find a movie that I loved more than the book version.

17 weeks Pregnant

According to Baby Center, 17 weeks of pregnancy will entail:

"You may be gaining weight rapidly at this point, even if you're not eating much. Experts say that the amount of weight you put on during pregnancy is dictated primarily by your genes, so don't necessarily blame yourself if the weight's accumulating faster than you'd like. Your baby's movements are felt as a gentle, fluttering sensation at first, but get stronger and more obvious as time passes. Some babies kick vigorously and often, others are quieter. And many seem most active at night! "

Gain weight rapidly? No!!! I'm freaking out because I've already gained 9 lbs in 2 months!  I'm complaining not because i don't want to look fat or bloated, but because my OB has warned me to take it easy on eating so I can have a normal delivery.  (I really don't want a CS...)  I've always been relatively thin.  I find it hard to gain a lot of pounds, so i was shocked to the core when I found out that I've gained 7 lbs in a month!  I couldn't even gain 7lbs in a year before!  Tsk Tsk Tsk...

But tell me, how can I resist (those oh-so-yummy) food when i'm continually hungry???  When a piece of chocolate seems to stare at me mockingly as if daring me to eat it?  Or when a piece of cake looks at me forlornly begging me to taste it? Or how about an ice cream looking so fine?  Yes, i've always been a dessert person so it's really a struggle to avoid them during my pregnancy.  Every now and then, I ask Kit for a cheat day... Just to satisfy (albeit small) my sweet cravings.  And I've already requested that once I give birth, there should be chocolates, ice cream and ice-cold Coke in my hospital room.  Hahaha. :-)

Anwyay, enough with my OA complaints.  =P I've already felt Baby moving inside of me.  Kit also felt it already.  And it really was exciting.  I really can't wait to feel Baby more often.  *Sige lang Baby, do your thing.  Mommy likes it.*

Preventing Birth Defects

Came across this article from Baby Zone while surfing the net.  Just want to share this to all pregnant (and those planning to get pregnant) women out there.  We've got nothing to lose if we follow this.  After all, we're all praying for the same thing --- a healthy, normal and happy baby. :-)

10 Ways to Help Prevent Birth Defects Before and During Pregnancy

1.  Take Folic Acid Supplements

All women of childbearing age should take folic acid supplements at least three months before becoming pregnant. It's important because insufficient levels of folate have been implicated as the cause of one common class of birth defects, neural tube defects (the most common of these being spina bifida). These defects occur very early in the pregnancy, well before the woman's first prenatal appointment, which is generally scheduled at 10 weeks. However, don't go overboard with the supplements—too much is also not good. A multivitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid is sufficient.

2.  See Your Doctor Before Conceiving

There's a growing movement to make the preconception doctor visit standard for every woman of childbearing age. Dr. John R. Sussman, an OB-GYN and author of The Unofficial Guide to Having a Baby, says his primary interest in encouraging pre-pregnancy visits is so pre-pregnancy care can be individualized for each woman. This is particularly important for women with chronic health conditions.

3.  Don't Drink

One entirely avoidable birth defect is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Damage from alcohol can range from mild intellectual and behavioral issues to profound disabilities or premature death. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), there is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

4.  Stop Smoking and Avoid Secondhand Smoke

According to the March of Dimes, if all pregnant women avoided smoking, the US would see a 5 percent reduction in miscarriages, a 20 percent reduction in low birth weight births, an 8 percent reduction in premature deliveries, an 11 percent reduction in stillbirths, and a 5 percent reduction in newborn deaths. While smoking has not been proven to cause birth defects, it does deprive the fetus of oxygen and is the most harmful of all environmental toxins.

5.  Avoid Environmental Toxins

Chemicals have long been suspected of causing birth defects. Avoid daily, heavy exposure to chemicals. If you work in a cleaning business, art studio, or factory where there is unavoidable exposure, use gloves, masks, and adequate ventilation. Avoid exposure to lead, important when buying and restoring old furniture or renovating an older home. Those who work in the medical field should take special care to take precautions against radiation.

6.  Eat Healthy

Good nutrition is one of the most crucial factors in a healthy pregnancy outcome, says Elizabeth Somer, a nutritionist and author of Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy. Somer says she hates to isolate one particular nutrient, rather, she encourages women to focus on eating a variety of healthy foods, with a particular emphasis on richly colored produce, whole grains, beans and legumes, and lean protein sources. She also recommends taking a supplement fortified with DHA, which is the nutrient provided by foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

7.  Screen for HPV

While the human papillomavirus (HPV) has not been linked to birth defects, it has been linked to an increased risk of preterm labor, which can result in serious brain and lung impairment in children. It's estimated that at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.

8.  Go Drug Free

It goes without saying that illegal drugs are always bad. However, many prescription drugs are not safe to take during pregnancy. Always consult with your OB-GYN so he or she can do a thorough review of any prescription medicine you may be taking, especially for chronic conditions, to determine if they're safe in pregnancy.

9.  Seek Genetic Counseling

The cause of most birth defects isn't known, but couples with a history of birth defects in their family may benefit from genetic screening to analyze their risk of passing on a birth defect to their child. Michele Clemens, a genetic counselor at Magee Women's Hospital in Oakland, Pennsylvania, says a typical session includes a review of the family history and performing a few tests to rule out specific diseases. This is an excellent tool for helping a couple make informed decisions. (Will you do genetic counseling?)

10.  Relax

Research shows that women exposed to severe stress are more likely to give birth to children with birth defects. Stress has also been linked to a higher risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, and infertility. Dr. Alice Domar, director of the Mind/Body center for Women's Health at Boston IVF, says there are a number of ways to manage stress, from counseling to yoga to biofeedback, and that a consultation with a psychologist can help.

 

Pitter Patter of a Tiny Heart

Though our schedule was at 830am, Kit and I were already at our OB's clinic for my monthly check up by 8am.  We didn't realize that we were early until we saw the entire [doctor's clinics] floor almost deserted, except for the janitor who was mopping the floor.  It was the first time I saw the floor empty.  On my previous check ups, it was usually bustling with patients, visitors, doctors, etc.  It was a nice change since it allowed me to take in the morning in my usual slow pace.  (Have I mentioned I'm not a morning person?)

Needless to say, we were the first in line.  Being early sure have its advantages! No more waiting! (Have I mentioned I'm also a bit impatient? Haha!)  Dra. Rivera complimented how big my tummy is already.  At 4 months, I already am showing.  Feel na feel ko talaga maging buntis. :-)  Anyway, she said that Baby is 1 inch below my navel and just the right size.  She also let us hear Baby's heartbeat for the second time.  And hearing that melodious sound never fail to put a big smile on my face.  :-)  Baby's heartbeat is really strong.  Kakalagay lang ng doppler, narinig na namin agad yung heartbeat.  The entire clinic heard it too.  What a beautiful way to start the morning!

For me, no other sound is more beautiful than the pitter patter of your baby's heart inside of you.  So tiny, yet so strong.  A part of you, yet has a life of his own.  A miracle destined to bring more joy and more love in our lives. :-)

*We love you Baby.  Keep on making your heart beat stronger, as the hearts of your Daddy and I only beat for you. *