Vanishing Twin

I know of a lot of people who are dying to have twins. In fact, some women who are trying to conceive even take fertility pills hoping to increase their chances of having multiple gestation. 

I always found the idea of having twins so adorable. When we see parents pushing around their twin strollers in the malls, we can't help but go "aawwww", right? It never occurred to me though, how it would feel if God would bless us with twins... until I went for my first ultrasound last February. 

I always thought that having twins is genetic. Since my side of the family has no known history of twins and Art's side has none either, I never had hopes that we could have twins. My current pregnancy is unplanned, as with all the rest. Because I only have one remaining ovary and my doctor told me that it might be difficult for me to have kids after I'm 30, we decided that "control" is not in our dictionary. Who knew that I could still be so fertile with only one ovary left?

Since I know my body too well, I can always tell I'm pregnant usually even before my period gets delayed. When I went for my first check-up in Dubai, I wasn't even 7 weeks pregnant. I remember my shock and disbelief when the ob-gyn called my attention to the ultrasound screen and showed me something that looked similar to this.

It showed two gestational sacs! Unbelievable!

I remember blinking twice before asking the doctor, "are you kidding?". She just smiled at me and explained that at the moment, one sac was significantly smaller than the other so we will have to check after 10 days to make sure that they are both viable. 

I was beyond shock and disbelief when I left her clinic and went out to my friend, Jenny, who came with me to the appointment. I remember telling her what the doctor said and laughing off the idea because at that time it just seemed preposterous to me.

Of course when I got home, it slowly started to sink in.

I wasn't able to sleep well for 10 days. I stressed and worried about how I can handle having twins in addition to my two boys. At least Kaden can already help me out, but Carlos is still very much a baby. It was hard enough for me being alone in Dubai and taking care of the two boys while Art was out, what more with two additional babies?!?

I called Dra. May, my Ob-gyn in Zamboanga and asked her some questions. Turns out that genetics only  increases the chances of twin pregnancies but it is possible to have twins even if it doesn't run in your family. She also told me the possibility of a "vanishing twin" when I told her that the two sacs were not the same in size. It was the first time I heard about it, so I had to research.

My parents, my brother, and Kaden were all very excited about the idea but honestly, I wasn't. I was scared shit. Art told me not to worry because God won't give us anything we can't handle. We prayed about it, and he was right.

When we went back for the next appointment, the doctor confirmed that there was only one viable sac which already had a heartbeat. Instead of being disappointed, I realized that I felt relieved.

Kaden on the other hand, refused to leave the clinic unless the doctor takes back what she said. He wanted to have twins so bad. *Lol* Art and I had to talk to him after that.

Apparently, the Vanishing Twin Syndrome is a lot more common than most people know.

Read more about vanishing twins here.

I still think its cute to have twins. But I'm not hoping to have one just yet, maybe after 5 years? :) Sometimes when I'm out shopping for baby clothes, I still get to thinking about what it would be like if we really had twins? Super magastos! Imagine having to buy two of everything! :) I also cannot imagine how I will nurse the twins! I got some ideas online...

... but I don't think I could have handled it! :)

Anyway, I'm now on week 33 and the 7 weeks to go is very agonizing. I can't wait to meet our new baby and go home to introduce her to her excited kuyas. Help us pray for an easy delivery and a healthy baby girl.

Right now we still don't have a final baby name! Its easier pala to think of baby boy names than of girl's. Oh well, I think today I will start washing her newborn clothes.

Mulberry For Target

I joined Gilt (for some guilt-free shopping) after reading Manilafashionobserver's blog post about british accessories designer Mulberry collaborating with mass retailer Target for "budget" handbags.   

Gilt was supposed to make a sneak-peak sale and debut the bags earlier, August 20 at noon EST, before it becomes officially available in Target stores on October 10th of this year. However, all the bags were sold out in less than an hour. 

I wasn't exactly planning on making a purchase. I was just curious about how much they'd price the bags. Turns out that none of the handbags are priced over $50. 

Out of the 5 handbag designs, I found this satchel in quilted denim the cutest. It comes in two sizes, with the smaller one at $34.99 and the larger one at $49.99. 

Other handbags.

$34.99

$14.99

$29.99

The denim satchel and the black patent version reminds me of the Mulberry Bayswater. 

I wish they had used real leather on the patent even if they'd have to increase the prices. Oh well, I will be waiting to see them in person come October to look at the quality. But if I do get one, I think I'd have to remove the heart charms so it won't look like a Juicy Couture Bag. :)

Small Talk

I noticed that people here are very fond of small talk. When I'm out shopping, even strangers give me a smile and ask me how I'm doing with the pregnancy. I know they're just trying to be nice. 

Oh well, you can't really tell them everything right. :)

Current Favorite

I have a new favorite cereal. It's just ShopRite brand but me and my cousins loveeett! :)

Stroller Talk

When we're expecting we always want what's best for our unborn child. Soon-to-be parents become excited and eager to get what they can in preparation for the arrival of the little one. From cribs, playpens, car seats, bottles, sterilizers, strollers --we try to find out the best baby gears in the market and if we can afford the best then we go out and get them. 

Upon visiting online shopping sites, expectant mothers are provided with a not-so-shortlist of "newborn essentials" and we, especially if its our first time, will really try our very best to be able to mark each item after another off the checklist. 

Luckily, this is now my third pregnancy and by this time I should be able to distinguish between the "nice to haves" and the "need to haves". So I'm not easily fooled anymore. :) 

One issue is that of strollers. Do we really need them? 

When I was pregnant with Kaden, I didn't have to buy one because my Aunt Tina handed me down a barely used Jeep stroller. 

Since I don't go out that much and when I do, I rarely take Kaden out with me, the stroller was not used that often. We only used the stroller when Kaden felt like strolling around the garden and getting some sunlight which wasn't very often.

Six Month Old Kaden

Then came Carlos Chace. With him, I knew there was no need to get a new stroller because the one Kaden got from my Aunt was still in great condition. So he ended up using it to some parties one party,  and then used it to the max when we moved in with my mother-in-law at the farm. 

Kaden's 4th birthday and Carlos' dedication

While his kuya was in school, his then-yaya would take him to daily "strolls" around the farm to look at the plants and animals, which my baby really loved! Of course back then, I had no idea that the reason his yaya was more than willing to push him around for more than an hour a day on their "nature walks" was because she wanted to flirt with the gardener who was her boyfriend pala! Susmaryosep, right! Since the farm is not exactly situated on flat terrain, the stroller was really used and abused. 

When we arrived in Dubai, Art and I realized we needed a double stroller for the two boys. The malls were huge and when Kaden gets tired of walking, he wants to be carried too like his brother! 

It wasn't easy to find a double stroller at that time. Mothercare was out of stock except for one umbrella double stroller. We figured if it cost the same to get a full-sized and an umbrella one, it was better to buy the full-sized stroller. On hindsight, I wish we just got the tandem Maclaren instead of this Eddie Bauer because the one we bought is too bulky! :( Although it did serve it's purpose for us. 

So now on my third pregnancy, I know that a stroller isn't that much of a necessity unless you plan to always go out. When we go back to Dubai in December, I'll be mostly left alone with the three kids while Art is out on the field. So I reckon that we'd be spending most, if not all, our time at home. 

With that in mind, I should stop thinking of strollers but right now I am crushing on not one, but two strollers! 

First is the Bugaboo Cameleon, which isn't the most practical stroller to buy considering it costs $979 (via amazon). Take note, there is no car seat included in that price. 

This Marc Jacobs for Bugaboo design is really cute if you're looking for a unisex stroller. 

Some Bugaboo celebrity sightings.

The second stroller I'm looking at is the Quinny Buzz 3 in the color Juice! Since almost everything I bought for our baby girl is pink, I would want her stroller (if she would have one) to be in another color. 

This is another stroller I don't think we can afford, with a price tag of $559.99 - $699.99 for the stroller + $199.99 for the dream bassinet. The car seat is Maxi Cosi $169.95, which is attachable to the Quinny stroller. 

These two strollers are very nice-to-haves, but since we don't have unlimited budget and we're preparing for the impending delivery, I think I should forget it for now. :)

Now if you're looking for a value-for-money stroller, there's always this Graco Travel System in Alano print for $164.21 (via amazon).

But right now, I'm only in search of a car seat since hospitals here in the states won't discharge newborns unless you can present them with a car seat. I remember during Kaden's time, the nurse escorted us all the way to the car to make sure the car seat was attached to the base properly. 

Kaden and his baby nurse on the day we got discharged from the hospital.

Seaside Heights Day Out

My Aunt Is and Uncle Roy are on vacation this week, so we've been going out. Yesterday, we spent the day in Woodbury Common Premium Factory Outlets. The stores there were pure love! ♥ 

Today, we went to the beach in Seaside Heights.

Today was also meet the parents day. :)

Here I am with my 7-month humongous belly looking like I'm ready to pop any day now. 

Along the boardwalk, you will find the Shore Store. The cast of MTV's reality TV show Jersey Shore work shifts here. I haven't really heard of the show until I arrived in NJ and I'm really no fan of reality shows (although I did watch PBB during the Melai-Jason season, lol!). Anyway, I ended up watching parts of the  show whenever my cousin/roommate Lucy would watch.

I was wondering why there were lots of people lining up outside, it turns out you have to sign a release form before entering the store. 

We ended up going inside the store much later after the cast and the bouncers left so my cousins could buy their overpriced hoodies and tees. 

I didn't feel like swimming or getting a tan today. So my aunt and I just sat on the benches and read our  novels while my cousins went to get their feet wet and then went over to the carnival at Casino Pier for the rides. 

That's it for our day. *Fist pump!* :)

In Search Of A New Everyday Bag

I need a new bag!!! 

For a few months now I've been trying to decide on a new everyday bag to replace my overused and abused Neverfull mm, which has been an amazingly durable everyday schlepping bag for over a year now. I've narrowed down my choices to either a Bbag or an oversized Alexa. 

Don't get me wrong, I have no obsession with luxury bags, probably because for one I can't afford to be obsessed with them and second, isn't it a bit shallow to obsess over such worldly things? *Lol* 

What I do have is a very strong appreciation for designer bags, not because of the label or the price tag but because if you really think about it, they (well, some of them) can be quite an investment [but not in a literal sense]. After all, I myself cannot see how bags can be called a solid investment by any reasonable definition of the word. My personal take is that I think of it as an investment in terms of buying quality, durability and classic style. Not to mention, the possibility of being able to resell it later on (at a lower value of course) when you get tired of it. Aside from that, I have come to a realization that it is more practical to buy one designer bag that you can weather, rather than buying numerous inexpensive 'disposable' bags. 

There are people who frown upon those who like buying bags with a label, that's their opinion and its really none of my business. However, I don't see any reason why they need to make snide remarks about those who do indulge in buying designer. I know some women who never gave in to the temptation of buying designer bags even if they can afford it, and I truly admire them for it. But how about the rest who make negative remarks about designer bags but end up buying class A knockoffs or replicas? Isn't that a bit hypocritical? 

I seem to have gone off topic for a bit there, but anyway, here is the Mulberry Oversized Alexa that I'm coveting right at this very moment.

The bag is named after and inspired by british style icon/"it" girl, Alexa Chung.

Olivia Palermo using her Alexa as a handbag.

Katie Holmes using her Alexa as a crossbody bag.

Last season's colors: Yellow-butter, Ink and Oak.

I really fell in love with the Alexa in Ink. This is the one I can imagine myself carrying. :)

Unfortunately, it's no longer in stock. :( And they have new sets of colors for this season, which consists of colors such as Grape and Plum. From the Mulberry website, the Grape shade looks a bit close to Ink but I really want to see it in person prior to making a decision. 

The Balenciaga I want is the Giant City in Black Noir with GSH. 

I've been lusting over a Balenciaga for a few years already. There are just too many yummy colors, and  its not very easy to keep yourself from drooling. Aside from black, I think this season's Pomegranate is also a very lovely color! 

It's very hard to decide between the City and the Alexa but I had to put my current lifestyle into consideration. I have two hyper little boys and a baby girl on the way so I need a bag that I can wear while on-the-go. This makes the option to use it as a crossbody bag a huge plus for me. I also love that the oversized seems large enough for me to put one or two baby bottles and a few diapers here and there along with my essentials, just in case I'll be too lazy to be dragging the diaper bag along. 

Oak is only my second choice in case there is absolutely no hope for them to bring Alexa back in Ink. But even Oak is currently out of stock for the oversized Alexa all across the US. Right now, there are no pre-orders available at La Gargonne and Net-a-porter for the oversized. Although NAP has the regular alexa available.

Oh well, I'm still reading reviews and researching about what size would be right for me since I'm short. I re-read manilafashionobserver's post about her regular Alexa and I'm now thinking twice about the oversized. I hope we can go to Barney's in Manhattan soon so I can at least see the bags in person, even if its in another color. Just so I can get a feel of it before making a final order. :)

30 Weeks And Counting...

I'm only 30 weeks pregnant but I feel like I've been pregnant forever! I keep staring at the calendar hoping that the weeks will fly by and I'll wake up in October. 

I'm seeing my doctor every two weeks now, thanks to my Aunt Bingbing who drives me to my appointments in Clark and to my Uncle Roy who picks me up. :) 

I've gained so much weight! Almost 40 lbs already and I still have 10 more weeks to go! I really don't know how to control my diet and I have very little exercise. My only exercise is when we go to the mall or outlet stores. Most of the time, I'm just in bed with my laptop and I only get up to shower, eat & pee. Talk about lazy, i know! I don't think its helping that whenever I'm pregnant I crave for sodas even though I don't normally drink sodas when I'm not pregnant. 

I had an ultrasound yesterday and according to the ultrasound tech, our baby girl is now 3.11 lbs! I was thankful to hear that she's doing okay in my tummy and for the nth time, I asked for confirmation that our baby really is a girl! According to thebump, our baby is now the size of a squash. But if you look at my tummy, it looks pretty much like I swallowed a watermelon. 

I know I should feel offended but I think its pretty funny that people come up to me and say, "awww... any day now, right?".  I can't help but smile at their look of disbelief when I say I'm not due until October.  

There are some women who make pregnancy look effortless, the ones who make you want to be pregnant just because they look so beautiful and chic while pregnant. How I wish I could be like them but since this is my third pregnancy, I've finally accepted that I'm just not one of them! Check out some of these women here.

Back to my pregnancy. They say that every pregnancy is different and I totally agree! For example, with Kaden I had morning sickness from my first trimester all the way to my third, while with Carlos I had the worst back pains ever and I experienced what leg cramps felt like for the first time ever in my life. This time, I have the worst kind of pelvic bone pains. My Ob says its perfectly normal since my pelvic girdle is preparing for the delivery but I say it's very very uncomfortable and it only gets worse when I move! I think I'm starting to get so heavy now that I find myself panting after a trip to the bathroom. Yeah, that bad. 

Well, that's it for my pregnancy update. 

As I write this blog, I got a message from one of my best friends who got married last June. They're expecting a baby!!! How exciting is that?!? :)  Congratulations Ryan and Lingling! I'm so so so happy for you guys!