cooling patch

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Hubs is already getting used to seeing me around with this patch on my forehead.

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My allergies are coming on and off these days, with only a not-so-effective nasal spray as remedy. The sneezing and teary eyes are absolutely uncomfortable. But the headaches brought about by my clogged nose are pure torture. And I absolutely refuse to take any kind of medicine for fear it would harm baby.

With the thought that normal headaches are more or less inflamed nerves and muscles, we thought of using these cooling gels, marketed to help lower down fever, to help ease the swelling. And so far, it sure is effective. Aahhh, thank goodness for cooling gels.

baby diaries: just gas?

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Is that you I feel moving baby or is it just gas? 😀 I know you’re kicking up a storm in there but that I wasn’t supposed to feel your movements yet up till 18 weeks or so, especially since you’re our first one. But there certainly are times that I think it’s you I feel moving and not just gas. It’s a different feeling, like some wavy motion; smooth. We look forward to the day though that we could feel strongly the kicks we saw you did yesterday. Those kicks (and your heartbeats) made your dad speechless who saw you in the monitor for the first time haha.

I hope you take your looks after your dad. Although your dad wishes you look like me!

But at the moment, I so wish you don’t inherit the same allergy I have. Mommy now is feeling terrible from all the sneezing and the teary eyes. I hope you don’t get this.

Sleep well, grow well and keep on kicking and somersaulting baby. 🙂

Holy Week online retreat

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What our retreat coordinator said back in College was really spot on – that we should take advantage of our yearly retreats as we wouldn’t have it as often anymore after graduation. Indeed she was right as 7 years after graduation saw me without undergoing any retreats.

Hence when I learned about the Philippine Jesuits’ online retreat two years ago, it was like finding a treasure.

These online retreats have come to be really meaningful and enriching for me. As I live in a country where Good Friday is a normal working day, these online retreats I such a treasure.

Last year, their theme was about the Fugitives of Lent. I remember having had to keep hubs on hold in our Skype conversation because I was still full of emotions from the night’s session. I hope this year I can do it with hubs.

This is the theme for this year.

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For those who cannot go to retreat places or on a pilgrimage like me, please know that you can also have a retreat in the quiet of your home. It won’t take more than thirty minutes of your time, for only three days.

Make your Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday richer and more meaningful.

Click here to know more about the online retreat organised by the Philippine Jesuits.

30 March – things to be thankful for today

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1. Thankful for a very kind Area lead who understands when and why I get angry at work. He totally gets me.

2. We had a project party to welcome the new comers. But it was also some sort of milestone party. In it, our team’s top boss announced and gave prizes to the team who performed best during last month’s HAZOP. And yep, it was our team! I keep on saying though that it’s mostly due to my other teammates’ units, which diluted the recommendations on my unit. Haha. Nevertheless, I’m happy we got the award!
My prize.

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3. Somebody gave up her seat for me in the train this evening. Yey! 🙂 it’s getting more frequent.

28 March – things to be thankful for today

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In order of events.

1. Thankful I didn’t blow my top
2. Thankful I wasn’t discouraged despite meeting overly sarcastic people
3. Thankful hubs and I were able to go to office together and walk home together
4. A guy gave up his seat for me in the train when he saw my badge. A rare occurrence!
5. Thankful to see this early bloomer. I hope to post the morning version soon.

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6. Thankful about the good news that Hubs’ parents told us. Thankful for hubs’ sis’ generosity with her time. 🙂

By the way, here’s the morning version of the early bloomer sakura.

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the story of the mackerel and a concerned foreigner

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Fish is highly essential in a pregnant woman’s diet because of the DHA and omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial on the brain development of her unborn child.

Not all fish is safe for consumption of pregnant women however. Shark (who would ever eat a shark???!!!), tilefish, tuna and king mackerel were the constant names mentioned in almost all books/websites I came across, highlighted as the types of fish which SHOULD be avoided owing to their high mercury content.

As I have this image that these types of fish were big ones, I made a mental note to just eat small ones.

Thinking I needed more intake of fish, we decided to have lunch at Ootoya where my favorite grilled fish meal is.

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I asked hubby what was the name of the fish I was eating. To which he answered that it was called “Saba”. I asked what was its English name. But hubby didn’t know. I just shrugged it off and continued in eating my fish. I find it really delicious and I was eating it with much gusto, happily thinking as well that baby is having a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

As usual, hubby finished eating first and excused himself to go to toilet.

Now, the people on the table nearest us were two guys – one a silent Japanese and the other a western guy who did most of the talking. He wasn’t eating as well. It was only his Japanese companion who was eating.

A minute after Hubs left, I heard the western guy said “it’s none of my business but I’ll say it anyway”. I found this weird but of course it’s also none of my business if he acts weird or not. And then in a flash he was already standing in front of me and saying something to me. Because of my surprise, it took me a while to understand what he was saying.

I had to shake my head to clear it from the shock and asked him to repeat what he was saying (for the third time):

it’s mackerel. The English name of what you’re eating – it’s mackerel.

When he saw that I finally understood what he was saying he then went back to his seat.

Meanwhile I had already recovered from my shock of him approaching me. But now I have a different worry. That i wasn’t supposed to eat what I was eating.

So then I called out to him.
Me: you helped me a lot in here. I wasn’t supposed to be eating this fish Thank you.

Guy: why not? Why are you not supposed to eat it? (yes he’s pretty confident)

Me: Because pregnant women aren’t supposed to eat mackerel.

Guy: Oh….. Well, congratulations anyway.

Me: arigatou. (smiling)

I still finished my fish though because I realized I’d be eating it for the last time for the next six months.

Thank you stranger, for intervening which could be life saving. I’ll pay it forward next time. Hubs and I had a good laugh about it later on but really sometimes, it helps to care even when supposedly “it’s none of your business”.