cloth diapering

6 Alva, 2 Happy Bee, 1 Grovia, 1 Baby Wizard… and 2 Coolababy on the way. That’s 7 pockets (and 2 on the way) + 3 hybrids. What am I talking about? My new must-haves: cloth diapers!

Gone are the days when cloth diapers meant gauzy cloths folded and held in place by large pins on both sides. Thanks to the creative innovation of moms (yes, I believe they’re the force behind this) who wanted to ditch disposables and rely on the many benefits of using cloth, modern cloth diapers nowadays are more convenient to use.

There are 4 reasons why I’m trying to switch to cloth diapering. 1) Cloth diapers (CDs) are better for baby’s skin because it lessens the incidence of rashes. Fewer chemicals touch baby’s bottom so it’s less likely he/she will develop sensitive skin. (Chemicals found in disposables are responsible for making them absorbent. The more absorbent gel a disposable nappy claims, the more chemicals are in it.) 2) I try to be eco-friendly as much as I can, and I believe this is our little way of helping the environment. The less disposables we throw in the trash, the less guilty I feel about filling up landfills with things that take hundreds of years to break down. 3) It’s more economical in the long run. Yes it costs a bit to get started on cloth diapers, but in the long run it will be more cost-efficient than buying disposables on a regular basis. And 4) They’re adorable! They come in cute prints and bright colors that make your baby’s bum more fashionable. Hello, fun fashion statement!

Our growing stash of colorful cloth diapers!

We’ve had our first experience with cloth diapers back when Eila was less than a month old. We used these cotton diapers shaped like disposables, complete with velcro tabs. They’re easier to use since you don’t have to work with pins anymore, but since they’re like the typical gauzy lampin, they don’t really absorb pee (and poo) well. One round of pee and we have to change it right away. Like any other newborn who pees and/or poops almost every feeding, Eila went through at least 12 diaper changes in a day, so we figured out it isn’t the most convenient way to go and stuck it out with disposables.

And then I discovered these modern cloth diapers a couple of weeks ago and I decided to give cloth diapering another try. We’re on our second week already, although not on a 24/7 basis yet because we still have disposables in stock, which I am slowly trying to finish. Plus, like I mentioned, CDs do not come cheap, and we don’t have enough yet to go on full-time cloth diapering. Just to give you an idea, the cheapest pocket diapers (at least the ones available here, which are China-made) cost Php300-350 each (some offer them at 3 for Php1k) while hybrids can cost from Php500 to Php1,000+ each. If you think about how many diaper changes you have to do in a day — currently we’re at 6 to 8 a day — and factor in whether you do the laundry everyday or every other day (and how kind the weather is for the nappies to dry quickly), you would pretty much need at least 20 CDs for 24/7 cloth diapering. So, do the math.

Pockets, hybrids… have I confused you? There are actually several cloth diaper systems — pockets, all-in-ones, hybrids, fitteds, to name a few. So far we use the pocket diapers, which are essentially a two-piece diapering system composed of a diaper shell that has a waterproof outer layer and a pocket opening where the insert (think pasador) is stuffed. The inner lining of the shell is made of a stay-dry fabric (typically microfleece or suede), while the insert acts as the absorber. So when baby pees, the stay-dry fabric pulls the wetness away from baby and the insert holds all the pee — just like a disposable nappy, minus the chemicals! The only thing is, the entire pocket diaper (shell and insert) needs to be replaced and thrown into the laundry basket when wet (right after it’s soiled with poo, or around 2 to 3 hours if pee only). It’s what I’m investing in right now since it’s the cheapest among the diaper systems. Most pockets also come in one-size-fits-most (OSFM) size so they can be used from newborn to toddler stage. Another plus point for being a practical choice!

Our first foray into modern cloth diapering - with an Alva pocket diaper in zebra print

Alva pocket diaper in leopard print

The other system we have is the hybrid, also known as the all-in-two. Just like a pocket, it comes with a waterproof shell, but the difference is that the insert (or sometimes called a soaker, in the case of all-in-twos) is put on top of the shell, usually through snaps. At each diaper change, only the soaker needs to be changed and the shell can be used over and over, provided there’s no poo, of course. There are also disposable and flushable inserts (yes, made of more eco-friendly material than typical disposable nappies) for hybrids, which are handy when you’re going out. Unfortunately, hybrids are, as far as I know, the most expensive diaper system. Grovia is a popular brand, but is might pricey for everyday use (which is why I only have one!). Good thing there’s a cheaper alternative here, Happy Bee, but still it’s pricier than my beloved pockets.

Another system I’d like to try is the diaper cover. It’s like a hybrid which has a waterproof cover, only it’s more versatile since you can use any kind of insert (microfleece, bamboo, hemp, what have you) or even prefolds (the gauzy cloths we are familiar with). The cover is thinner and the inside is wipeable, too. All you need is to run tap water and wipe dry for pee-only changes; of course when there’s poo it goes straight to the laundry bin! They say this is the best choice for newborns (peeing and pooping machines, these little ones are!). I’d like to have one or two in our stash for rainy days, when it’s harder for pockets and hybrids to dry fast.

I also joined this group in Facebook called Modern Cloth Nappying Pinays, a local group of mommies who advocate and share their experience on cloth diapering. I learn so much from them everyday, like which diaper system is great for nighttime or the right way of laundering the diaper shells and inserts (plus where to find the best steals, hihi).

I really hope we can do this full-time. Eila’s baptism is also coming up… here’s to hoping we can find a cloth diaper sponsor!

first-time mommyhood

The other day we celebrated Eila’s two-month birthday. Happy birthday, little munchkin!

Eila chubby cheeks at 2 months. We've yet to see her toothless smile!

Though sometimes it seems I haven’t really stopped to catch my breath and collect my thoughts since I gave birth, there’s no denying the joy our daughter gives us everyday. Plus every moment we spend with her is a learning moment.

As a first-time mom, the first important thing I’ve learned about parenting is to have non-negotiables. And you do everything to stick to them, no matter how many unsolicited comments and opinions are thrown your way.

On top of my list is breastfeeding. I have been doing it since day 1 — not a drop of formula, no bottles, just direct feeding from me. We once tried to use a dropper to feed her with expressed milk collected in a small cup, but it was a slow, futile effort that couldn’t keep up with her big appetite.

I have been told by (I’d like to think) well-meaning folks that I need to supplement her milk with water (and juice, when she’s a few months older), that I should do mixed feeding or else I won’t be able to go out, and that soon my milk supply will eventually run dry. So much for moral support, right? But no matter what they say, I’m sticking to my vow of exclusively breastfeeding Eila for 6 months, and continue to give her breast milk until she wants (hopefully past her 1st birthday). I do pump once in a while, but honestly I find it tedious to pump and store, then, when the need arises, have to transfer to a bottle and warm the milk. Since I basically stay at and work from home, it’s much more convenient for now to just have her latch on to me anytime she wants.

I don’t know why they undermine breastfeeding. Probably they’ve had misconceptions about breastfeeding for so long, especially about maintaining adequate milk supply (it’s really a supply and demand thing), that they actually forget the reasons why it should be diligently practiced by every new mom. But just like I said, it’s my number one non-negotiable. No matter how painful it can be sometimes (hello plugged ducts!) and how nursing in public can be tricky at times, I won’t have it any other way. If there’s one thing I can tell a fellow new mom, it’s that you’ll only be successful at breastfeeding if you have your mind and heart set on it. The first few weeks can be painfully challenging, what with sore nipples, awkward feeding positions, difficult/wrong latching, leaking breasts, and never-ending concern if the baby’s getting enough milk to throw you off your game and make you think about picking up a can of formula. Just take a deep breath, read up on the basic techniques, think of your baby and all the benefits he/she will get from breastfeeding, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be enjoying it as much as I do. Dedication is key to success here.

And oh! Eating lots of malunggay has helped me, too. I put malunggay powder — homemade! — in all my soups. Yes, even in a hot bowl of sinigang na baboy! We air-dry malunggay leaves until they’re crisp and grind them until they turn into powder form. I believe it’s a more natural option than taking malunggay capsules.

Next in my non-negotiables list is the right way of sleeping. One of the earliest arguments I had with the older folks is when I told them my baby should not sleep with any pillow or blanket. No, you have to put a pillow under her head or else it will be flat on one side, they argued back. To which I respond, it’s the pedia’s instructions so as not to risk suffocation, or worse, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). (And yes, I often use the ‘but my pedia said so’ argument to settle things.) Even the care instructions in her crib say so. It’s always better to be in the safe side.

We also practice co-sleeping during nights. For daytime naps I put her in the crib or on our bed, depending where it feels comfier for her. But at nighttime, she sleeps in between hubby and me in our bed. I’ve read many articles that cite the benefits of this practice. One is it’s easier to nurse in the middle of the night. I just do the side lying position and voila, no need to stand up and pick her up from the crib to feed. Also, I can easily sense her needs — if she spits up, if she suddenly cries because of a bad dream perhaps, or if she needs a change of diaper. Although most of the time I end up occupying just 1/8 of the bed (just enough space for me to sleep on my side and not fall off the bed!) it’s nice to know I can immediately give her what she needs even as the lights are out. According to what I’ve read, it’s one of the foundations of establishing trust in your child. Plus, your child will be more emotionally stable when he/she grows up — independent sooner, with higher self-esteem, and more comfortable with affection.

Lastly (for now), I try my best to always be calm and patient when I’m with her. I realized early on that young babies don’t really know the difference between needs and wants. What they want is what they need. If they want to nurse, they need to nurse. If they want to sleep, they need to sleep. And all those are communicated to us by crying. I’m learning how to decipher Eila’s different cries, yet often I still find it difficult to tell what she really wants me to do. Persistent crying can really be unnerving, to the point you’ll get exasperated at both your baby and yourself. I’m pretty lucky because Eila’s not really much of a crier (as in long bouts of wailing) but when she does cry, I try not to make her feel that I’m at loss as to why she’s crying. It’s because I know she can sense if I’m frustrated with what’s happening, so I always approach each cry with soothing words or touching, rather than making her feel that I’m upset in the hopes that she’ll quiet down. It’s a lesson in patience, really.

There’s one more thing I’d like to include in my non-negotiables list — babywearing. As in carrying my baby in a sling or pouch as often as I can. Why? Because I’d like to have my baby as close to me as much as possible while allowing me to do other things like eating with both hands and tackling chores. It’s also a great way to nurse discreetly when we’re out. I know it’s completely opposite of what I’m often told — wag sanayin sa karga — but I realize all babies, especially those who are just a few months old, want to be held most of, if not all, the time. And it just makes intuitive sense to hold them and let them feel your warmth. I don’t believe in subjecting a baby to the “crying it out” method so she can learn to soothe herself because I find it mean and counter-intuitive to do so. It’s not spoiling (a concept that’s far from her comprehension at this point, anyway), rather it’s making her feel loved and safe while she tries to make sense of this new environment she’s in. If I were a newborn and everything around me is suddenly bright and noisy, I’d want to be held and comforted, too.

I have 3 different soft carriers and I’m still figuring out which one she feels more comfortable in, as well as learning the right ways of getting her in and out of it. Babywearing is a lifestyle and I intend to try to practice it and be comfortable with it.

I know we still have a long way to go before she walks and talks. We’re at this stage where our conversations with her are composed of rundown of daily activities and questions from us, and cooing, grunting and gurgling from her. It pretty much melts our hearts already. There’s still so much to be learned and I look forward to taking them all in.

Hello 2012!

And I’m back. I know I’ve been out of the loop for a few months now and have pending stories to share. Seven days into the new year, I’m still trying to get a grip of the fact that it’s 2012 already.

Allow me to walk down the 2011 nostalgia lane for a bit…

It was pretty much a bittersweet year. We lost our uncle and grandfather in barely 9 months apart. I think about them every now and then — how our 2010 Christmas was especially fun, not knowing it would be the last we’d have with them; how all too sudden both their passing were; and how I wish they’d be able to meet our little one. I know Tito and Tatay are all smiles as they watch us from their happy place, so I try to remember only all the good and happy times.

In June we learned that our birthday wish was granted — we’re having our first baby! As of this writing, I’m exactly 36 weeks and 2 days, which means in less than a week I’ll be reaching full-term. Which means I’ve about 3 weeks until my due date, February 2. Which means sleepless nights are on the horizon. We have this wish that the little munchkin will choose to come out after January 23, which is Chinese New Year, so that she’ll be a Dragon baby. But of course, we pray that she’d be safe and healthy whenever she chooses to make her grand hello to the world.

My sister came home from Canada after two years. My mom had the chance to go to Norway again (but the vacation was cut short because of Tatay’s passing). Our house underwent renovation. Hubby and I moved to a new room.

Blog-wise, I signed up for the postaweek2011 thing here in WordPress. And as records show, I was far from being successful at it. Haha! Still, I give myself a pat on the back for trying.

I started on a cross-stitch project last October. Thanks to my Saudi-based friend who introduced me again to the wonderful world of DMCs, Aida cloths, and careful stitch countings. It’s a pretty big project of 26″x20″ proportions, which I hope to finish in time for mom’s birthday in April but I don’t think would be possible at all. Haha! So let’s just see how far I get to finish before I give birth.

And now that 2012 has started rolling, I made a vow to take it a month at a time. I know it will speed by just as quickly as our little one will grow up (as soon as she comes out, that is). So I’m taking a deep breath, facing the year with a brand new surge of hope and eagerness, and filling my entire system with positivity that 2012 will be a more exciting yet calmer and more blessed year for us.

Cheers to you all!

 

 

techno-dependency

Why is it that at this time and age, the thought of not opening the computer (or phone or tablet) and checking one’s email, Facebook or Twitter page at least once a day seems crazy?

After having lunch today, I thought, this would be a good day for reading. When I say reading, I meant reading books off my iPad, which may kind of defeat the purpose of getting on a tech diet, but at least it’s something I don’t get to do everyday. But then I succumbed to my routine of staring at the laptop screen, switching from one tab to another on my browser, checking on my social networks every once in a while. Or watching a TV show or Googling some random idea. And even if I managed to put the laptop on rest on the table, I find myself checking my Twitter page on my iPhone instead. Alas, I’ve become so attached (even psychologically invested perhaps?) to my devices.

Well, the day isn’t over yet so I can still manage to pull away from the computer and achieve my goal of finishing a book. I just had to write down these thoughts. Have you had such days, too?

House revamp: kitchen/dining area

So it must have slipped my mind that I haven’t posted about the recent renovation that kept us all here in the house up and about for more than five months. Good thing my friend reminded me about it. (Hi Berns!)

A recap: our house (which is actually my parents’ house, where we are currently living in) has basically been untouched for around 24 years, save for some paint jobs and little repair work here and there. No big renovation has been done, that is, and the area layout has been the same in all those years.

A year after typhoon Ondoy left our house in chest-deep flood — thankfully the structure and most of our stuff are still intact — my parents decided to have it renovated for a new level to be added. It’s been a common scene here in our village after Ondoy — a lot of the homes have been sporting an additional storey, as a contingency plan to what could happen again in the future (although we all pray heaven would forbid). Initially, my parents wanted to add a whole new floor upstairs that would compose of extra two (or three) rooms, a bathroom and a family room. But they realized at some point they’d be empty nesters so it would be quite pointless, not to mention financially taxing, to make the house bigger. Especially since my sister is already living abroad, and my husband and I are also moving out as soon as we can.

And so the plan was to use the space above our garage and extend it towards the back to make it the new second floor. Downstairs, the kitchen and dining area will be reconfigured, plus a maid’s room will be in place. New roofs will also be installed because the current ones are already rusty and showing old age. We took the services of family friend and contractor, Tito Ric Unera, to handle the job.

As you know, my uncle passed away last February, so we had to push back the start of the construction by a few weeks. Work officially started in March 3, and ended around middle of August.

I’ll divide the story into several parts. Let’s start with the kitchen and dining area.

BEFORE:

This is how our dining space looked like before. To the left is the sliding doors that led to the grotto. The door in the middle of the picture led to the kitchen and the helper's sleeping area. At this point the dining set, appliances and contents of the cupboards were already moved out, to prep for the demolition.

Let the demolition commence! The old cabinets and tiled countertop were knocked down to make way for an opening to the kitchen. The plan was to make the dining area and kitchen one big open space.

The kitchen/dining walls were knocked down. We decided not to have the entire wall (on the right) torn down so it won't be through and through to the door that leads to the back of the house.

The upper level was being prepared here for the new flooring.

Cement has been poured at this point and is awaiting curing time.

On to the new kitchen/dining space as it was being constructed…

The new structure where the kitchen countertops will be are being built here. The walls also got an extra layer of plaster since the one on the left is already our perimeter wall. It gets rained at a lot and we noticed before that the paint peeled easily, probably because of all the moisture.

The new kitchen cabinets are up. The old flooring (ceramic tiles) were taken out, and another 4 inches or so were added to level it with the existing floor of the dining area. Much of the new ceiling (gypsum board was used to replace the old plyboards) is already in place and has first few coatings of paint. The door further on is the new maid's room.

Another view of the kitchen. Black granite was chosen for the countertops, and 60x30cm ceramic tiles that mimicked wood grains and are in a light color that matched the existing marble were installed on the floor. There used to be a wall with windows on the left side, and it was decided to open it up and replace with sliding windows. I actually wanted it to be kept open for ventilation but they were against it since the stairs is right next to the new counter.

The first coat of the new paint in the kitchen. We chose white textured ceramic tiles for the backsplash. Our contractor put a granite trimming so it would tie with the countertops and it won't look too white and boring.

 AFTER:

This is how the dining/kitchen area looks like now. We bought a new freestanding range (yay for me!) and a hood. We also replaced our old narra dining set with an 8-seater set in mahogany (the glass top was a recent addition). But we pretty much eat on the smaller table most of the time. LOL. The wall on the right didn't go through any revamp, so it was just given a fresh coat of paint.

The other side. A pantry was built beside the ref. There's the new sliding window I mentioned earlier. As far as many Filipino homes go, this is the "clean" kitchen. We barely use the range -- only I do when I bake -- and I think we haven't even let a single drop of water from the faucet to the sink after all the plumbing tests. Haha!

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

the hamburger sign

Yes! We’re having a baby girl!

Here’s the proof of the “hamburger sign” (which honestly doesn’t look very hamburger-y to me, haha).

And so my momma instinct is off the mark, and hubby’s is so right!

I really thought that it’s a boy because of the constant kicking and moving around. The doctor said that girls are actually the ones who are more malikot. Now that I think about it, I didn’t get to ask what’s the explanation for that. Our little girl was trying to prove her right, though, because all throughout the ultrasound, she was so restless and makulit! The doctor even joked that it looks like we have a budding actress because baby was making all sorts of gestures with her hand to her face, like she’s in deep thought or she’s saying ‘stop with all the paparazzi shots!’ Haha!

I swear the sonographer has exceptional powers. What we had is the CAS (or congenital anomaly scan), which is pretty much a long, detailed ultrasound that checks and measures every body part of the baby. I remember the part wherein the doctor pointed out the baby’s kidneys, and I seriously couldn’t make out the form! There were body parts we could easily tell, like the four chambers of the heart, the spine (intact from nape to tailbone, yay!), and the limbs. As for the others, all I could say was ‘uh-huh’ like I could really distinguish them. Haha! After reviewing the prints, I therefore conclude that obstetric sonography requires really serious studying!

The important thing is we, the parents, are very relieved to know that our baby girl is healthy — all her organs are of normal size and are developing well, and her fingers and toes are complete. The doctor even pointed out her eyelashes!

Here’s the thing: I have two sisters (with me as the eldest) while hubby has an older brother. I’m the eldest grandchild in my mom’s side, and my lolo has been very vocal that he likes to have a baby boy as his first great-grandchild. I think my family is looking forward to our first baby boy, too. As for hubby’s family, he said that it would be great to have their first baby girl. Although he said it would also be an advantage if we have a boy because aside from him and kuya, they have only one cousin who’s a girl, so they need more boys to continue the family surname.

So how did our families and friends react to the baby gender news? Their reactions are priceless, and funny. From my parents’ some sort of laugh that says they’re very happy with the news but at the same time hints something like ‘oh another girl!’, to my in-laws’ giddy cheers. A friend said she lost a bet (she was so sure it’s a boy) and another friend is so happy her guess is right that she said, “I won!” (take note, both are random reactions; they didn’t bet against each other). One of hubby’s friends volunteered to help him “gear up” for my daughter’s future suitors. That is actually a pretty scary thought — both the gearing up and the future suitors.

But I know everybody is as happy and excited as we are. The aunts are particularly excited about the shopping part, because a baby girl would mean much more fun in the dressing up department. I do have one request though — not so much pinks, please. The momma rule (I’m not a fan of pink) applies to the baby as well.

Let the countdown begin. More or less 16 weeks to go until our little girl’s big arrival. Wuhooo!

RIP Steve Jobs

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma–which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”–Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement speech, 2005

It’s so weird. It feels like I know him, that I’m affected by his passing. Maybe it’s because for the past several years, I have become a loyal Apple fan.

In 2003, I got my first Mac — an iBook. I remember I had to convince my dad then to allow me to buy one, despite the fact that he just bought us an HP laptop around that time. I think I’ve earned a good girl badge that year because I got my wish right before Christmas time. I named my iBook “Beebop”. The HP laptop became solely my sister’s.

Less than a year later, I got a blue iPod mini, this time a gift from my aunt in London.

Since then, I’ve never looked back. Even when those ultra-mobile netbooks flooded the market. Every time I was asked why I chose to use a Mac, I had one simple answer: it never crashed. I didn’t encounter any viruses either. The Mac OS (I started out with Tiger) is simple to learn and get the hang of. I’d admit that then, part of the reason why I so wanted a Mac because it was cool to have one. Now it’s more than the cool factor, but simply it’s just how my computing life works best, with a Mac.

Our entire family uses a Mac. Well, except for my dad because his work programs don’t run on Mac OS, but he did own a black Macbook before. I would think it’s because of my persistent persuading — or maybe they just easily believed that I know what I’m luring them into. LOL.

We have an efficient hand-me-down system with our Macs. Hubby bought a black Macbook in late 2008, then less than a year later, he decided to get a Macbook Pro. Dad bought the blackBook from him. In 2009, hubby again decided to buy a newer Macbook Pro, the one in the unibody series, so he gave his old MBP to me. I brought home my iBook, which became shared property between my mom and my youngest sister. Dad realized, much to his dismay, that his office programs are Windows-based only, so he gave the blackBook to my mom. That year, my sister was about to leave for Canada, so mom gave her the blackBook. She and youngest sister shared the iBook again. Late last year, I bought a new MBP, so I gave the alum MBP to my mom. To my youngest sister’s delight, because that meant she had the iBook to herself again. Canada-based sister bought a new MBP, too, so she brought home the blackBook, which youngest sister now owns. The iBook then became the shared computer among my cousins (who live with us). A few weeks ago, hubby sold his MBP and got a newer model.

While the iBook’s charger conked out just recently, I know that as soon as we find an inexpensive replacement, it would come back to life. Not bad for an 8-year old computer at all. Whose contemporary, the HP laptop, succumbed to technological death years ago.

Then there are our iPods (except for our parents) and iPhones (not for youngest sister, anyway), too. Yes, we love Apple — the tech products and the fruit.

I learned about Steve Jobs’s passing this morning through a friend’s text to me then on Twitter, in an app I have on my iPhone. Come to think of it, it’s surreal to read the news in a device Mr. Jobs created. And I write this now using my MBP. Not to risk sounding cheesy (but I think it would anyway), but his great vision really had an impact in my life. Without these products he cleverly designed and marketed, I’d never enjoy and appreciate computers and smartphones the way I do now.

Thank you for changing my world and making it infinitely better, Mr. Jobs. You really are a genius. I believe you are now happy in apple heaven.

To celebrate your legacy, I’m officially ditching my yearning for an ebook reader and getting an iPad instead.

there’s really a human being growing inside me!

And so yesterday we went to the doctor for this month’s check-up. Everything’s looking good, from the heartbeat to the body measurements, but guess what? The little munchkin was quite shy and didn’t want to show his/her “parts” yet. There’s no little thing protruding yet, but no “hamburger sign” either (it’s what they call the two lines that confirm girl parts). Talk about keeping up the suspense!

Our detailed ultrasound is scheduled next week and our OB-gyn assured us that we’ll know the gender by then. Fingers crossed!

Our doctor was very kind enough, though, to give us a free sample of a 4d ultrasound and allow us to take pictures of the baby while he/she poses for us onscreen. We even had to coax the baby to put his/her arm aside so we can get a better view of his/her face. Here’s what our little one looks like at 23 weeks

baby: a little privacy please, I'm sleeping!

after some persuading, our baby finally showed us his/her entire face!

profile shot in 2D: doc says baby's chin definitely resembles ours, and the nose is matangos -- now from whom would he/she get that from? Haha! I say it's probably recessive gene

Today’s technology is really incredible, isn’t it? It’s amazing to see our baby’s features, not to mention catch him/her yawning and moving his/her little limbs inside my tummy, in real time! As my hubby said, one day we were just dreaming about having a baby and next thing we know, there he/she is, growing and looking more and more like a real human being. Just so awesome!