First Gift for Baby A

As the Dubai Shopping Festival is now in full swing, we have begun buying stuff for our home that we actually need.  We patiently waited for the start of the promotions to be able to buy them at cheaper prices.  We had on our list a heavy duty home/office printer, a transformer (from 110v to 220v), a mouse to replace my busted one, and a new bread toaster. 

As we were at the mall looking around for some really good deals, I chanced upon this baby carrier in Mothercare slashed at 50% off its original price:

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I know ErgoBaby Carrier is a bit on the expensive side.  They sell for USD 115 on Amazon, and locally, Mumzworld sells them for AED 425 at their online shop. It was just the right timing as I was planning on getting a new baby carrier with better user reviews.  I immediately sent a question to the Mommy forum where I am a member of (n@wie here!), and got good feedback so off we went to buy the original carrier last night.  I did change my mind, however, after bumping into another Filipina Mom at Carrefour wearing the Sport one with her baby as she did say the Sport is a lot lighter and is more appropriate for the climate here in the Middle East.  I dashed back to Mothercare and had it exchanged, and luckily, the last piece of Sport was still there!

red is a good, happy color!

The thing I liked most about ErgoBaby Carrier is the comfort it provides the baby and the wearer.  Its signature padded shoulder straps and waistband guarantee the most comfortable ride for both parent and baby.  The baby can also sit on the carrier safely and easily without his/her legs dangling from the carrier, and his/her weight is evenly distributed to give the parent a much easier time moving about (and less backaches, too!)  The carrier can also be used in 3 positions (front, back and hip) and when used in front allows the Mom to nurse discreetly. 

The best news of all is that dear bestie has paid for the carrier, and it is officially the first present our little one has ever received.  The only thing we need to buy now is the infant insert which I can locally source or purchase from the US at USD 25.  Hubby tried the carrier last night with Lexie, and here they are modeling our new baby carrier:

my little ones super excited with the new contraption :)

We will now ditch the Baby Bjorn which we’ve used for Lexie.  I plan on selling it through Dubizzle to at least get a portion of my money back.  

Preparing for Baby # 3

I have adamantly told friends and family that I don’t want a baby shower for this pregnancy.  First of all, I find it tacky because this is our third and we still have the things we need to care for a baby.  Having another party to welcome gifts doesn’t sit well with me, and I am embarrassed just by the thought of it. Besides, Ryan and I have invested on sturdy and long-lasting baby stuff knowing that we planned on having more than just one child.  The furniture that we have are still very much intact and solid. 

Having said that, I am more open to celebrating when the baby is out though.  And celebrating for me means having a private get-together at home after delivery where we could have a few drinks and nibbles to welcome the newest member of the family.  That appeals more to me!

With the third baby, I am still inclined to buy a few new pieces here and there so as not to dump all hand-me-downs to our precious one.  The new baby is as important as its big bro and big sis so I am still thinking of getting brand new items for its use.  On top of new mittens, booties, bodysuits and PJs for the baby, I have a few things in mind that I'd like to get for our wee one. 

My first purchase was actually a pair of tops from H&M.  I will not post the photos here because that will give away the gender.  But they are super cute, I tell you!  :) My second purchase was a new set of cot bedding from Pottery Barn.  They are currently on sale and luckily, they have included some items that I am eyeing for baby popcorn on their marked down section.  I got a new crib bumper, a matching pillow sham and a fitted sheet.  I will have the pillow sham embroidered with the baby’s name once it’s out.

**Photos courtesy of Pottery Barn website

I have also just recently bought a crib bale for the baby which I scored at Babies R Us.  We still do have the yellow safari design we’ve used for Lexie but thought I’d get another one. No photos available, too, as it will reveal the gender, haha!

The only major thing that we need to purchase is a new electric breastpump.  Even though this is the last baby we intend to have, I still want to get a dependable breastpump especially when I head back to work.  I have asked my fellow n@wie sisters for their opinion and was suggested that I go for this:

**Photo from Medela website

Thankfully, father dear had promised to get me this as a present to the baby.  Such a big relief especially since this machine does not come cheap!

I also intend to try the Earth's Best toiletries for the baby, which by the way are now available in town through Life Pharmacy.   I plan on giving this organic brand's body care line a shot.  I'll use it on the new baby, as well as with Lexie because until now, she is still using California Baby which is hard to source as it's only available in the US.

**Photo from Earth's Best website

I have also grabbed a bottle of Mustela foam shampoo for newborn which I swear works on cradle cap based on our experience.

**Photo from Musetela USA website

For our baby swaddling needs, I am thinking of getting a 3-piece set of Aden & Anais muslin swaddling blankets.  Hubby and I are into swaddling, and I am excited to try this product for our third.  We did get a pack a few days ago from Baby Shop that are also made of Muslin and are 120 cm x 120 cm in size.  For its price & quality, it seems like a good buy.

While going through Babies R Us, I also chanced upon Koala Baby which quite similar to the quality of Carter’s apparel.  I am a huge fan of Carter’s and both Dade & Lexie used them when they were babies but they are just so expensive now.  Luckily, Koala Baby has the same make, material and style as Carter’s (Carter’s dupe, I say!) and their 4-pack onesies are currently on sale at AED 20-27 ($5.50 to $7.50) each.  Even their washcloths are amazingly priced at AED 20 ($5.50) for 12 pieces, and are made of the same terry cloth material as those of Carter’s.  So yes, Baby A will be strutting with new stuff, too. 

Of course I haven’t forgotten to look after myself so I did write down a few bits and bobs for my post-delivery needs.  First on my list are a few pieces of nursing bras from Bravado.  It was a toss between Bravado and Mamaway but the reviews of Bravado are quite stellar so I am giving the brand a shot.  Plus a lot of breastfeeding celebrities swear by it so I thought I’d purchase at least 3 pieces – 2 Body Silk seamless nursing bra and 1 Women’s Bliss nursing bra.  The ones I’ve used before didn’t really live up to my expectations & were very uncomfortable so even if each bra would set me back to at least $50, I would still make the investment.

In addition, as I plan on getting a Freestyle breastpump, I will get myself a Simple Wishes hands-free nursing bra from Amazon.  With a newborn to look after plus a pre-schooler and toddler to care for, too, I would need all the hands I could use to juggle all my Mommy tasks.  You wouldn’t believe who found this one of a kind and highly rated nursing bra to suggest to me.  Yep, it was my husband who is my biggest cheerleader and breastfeeding supporter.

As I plan to be fit this time around after delivery, I will also invest on a good belly binder that will help me get back into shape (or at least help me reduce my tummy’s size).  My first on the list is The Cinch Belly Wrap. 

**Photo from Cinch Tummy Wrap website

I also intend to get a Wink Shapewear for when I need to step out of the house.  I promise to be diligent in wearing a belly wrap with this last delivery -- it's either now or never!  The belly wraps are a bit on the expensive side, too, so that will encourage me to use them to justify their costs.

Other than these items, I cannot think of anything else to add because as I’ve said, we do have everything we need for the baby. 

After the shopping spree is over, the next thing on the agenda is my maternity photo shoot.  Now that will be super exciting!

9 Years of Married Bliss

I’ve been officially Missus de Gracia for 9 years now and I couldn’t believe how time flies!  I remember arriving just in time at the Mayor’s office, hoping that Ryan and his family are already there because my golly, it would’ve been embarrassing if I had gotten there before him! 

We celebrated our anniversary  with a relaxed and quiet breakfast at The Farm in Al Barari.  Nothing fancy – just my man and me. 

on the way to The Farm

here we are!

the menu

outdoor seating with a view of the pond

Luckily, our anniversary fell on a Sunday so it was easy to book a table for us at our preferred time.  The drive from our place was smooth, and only took us less than half an hour to get to the restaurant.

Both of us ordered The Farm Breakfast Set and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice each.  We also ordered a Classic White Flour Waffle with strawberries, maple syrup and chocolate drizzle on the side.  But my most favorite of all was the plain croissant which is the best one I have ever had here in Dubai.  It is flaky on the outside and super soft and buttery on the inside – just the way I like it. 

outdoor view

me taking photos of the tranquil place

happy breakfast eater

ready to dig in!

carbs no care!

happy 9th, my love!

I washed down my meal with a cup of cappuccino that was just the right blend. 

coffee & me

The indoor sitting area is also nice and quaint.  And they also have a small grocery inside the shop where you can buy some bread and other stuff for the kitchen. 

I would love to go back again while the weather is glorious and I might just bring the kids.  

Gender Reveal

At 20 weeks, people have started hammering us with the question, “Is it a boy or a girl?” every so often because around this time of the pregnancy, we should've already known the gender from the fetal anomaly scan.  I hate to break the news though that hubby and I have decided not to disclose the baby’s gender this time.  And for reasons we hope our families and friends would understand.

Before we conceived our firstborn, we prayed so hard for a baby after having gone through miscarriage.  Dade came as an answered prayer, and we found out we were pregnant with him at the most unexpected time.  We were in Manila for our annual vacation, and we had family members around us who were the first to hear of our good news.  What perfect timing!

After 2 years since Dade’s birth, we planned on having a second baby (and was crossing our fingers for a girl!).  We even asked for prayers through our friend Shelly who went to the Holy Land for pilgrimage.  Just a couple of months after, we found out we were infanticipating again, and the news also came at the right time -- just a day after my maternal grandmother passed away.  It was a little piece of good news that I brought home with me when I flew home for her funeral.   Lexie is also an answered prayer, and a dream come true for us as we really wanted a girl.

Now with my current pregnancy, everything was completely unforeseen.  Because of all the stress I had at work and with our Euro Trip, I ovulated late and didn’t realize I was fertile when we did the deed.  We traveled for our much-awaited Europe Trip this summer, and found out towards the last leg of our tour that we have a little hitchhiker onboard.  I already had a feeling that we may be pregnant but was in denial for days until I decided to take the home pregnancy test kit to get it over and done with.  Funny how I was telling Ryan when we got the PTK in Vienna that it better be worth its price as I had to cough up EUR 12 for the pack!  I actually meant that it should be accurate and wasn't exactly hoping for a positive sign.   

When the PTK confirmed my suspicion, my initial reaction was shock.  I showed the test result to Ryan who also had the same reaction, and none of us had the same jolly expression on our faces when we found out about Dade’s and Lexie’s conception.   Looking back, it makes me feel guilty that our little one wasn’t welcomed warmly like its siblings.  We were not fair as parents, and it sucks to remember that point in this pregnancy.  Sorry baby!

In addition to the not-so-happy reaction of ours, I also had a very challenging first trimester with all the symptoms and hormonal changes that I’ve gone through.  I had horrible all-day sickness that lasted for weeks followed by severe tooth and gum aches.  I also contracted conjunctivitis towards the tail end of my first trimester, which was really a pain.  My boss teased me that I was falling apart as I couldn’t complete an entire week in the office!

Last October, we had a serious health scare with the baby, and it made us reflect on our priorities as a family (more on this in a separate post).   After going through that hurdle, it made me realize how much I am taking this pregnancy for granted and how ungrateful I was of this beautiful gift to our family.  God blessed us with a wonderful year, and the least I could do is be more accepting of His shower of love. 

I thought of ways to make it up to our unborn baby until it dawned on me that keeping the gender of the baby until the delivery date will keep us and the people around us excited about its arrival.  Ryan welcomed this idea, too, which is great!  You see, our loved ones and friends are all excited to know the baby's gender, and holding off such information makes them extra giddy.  Everyone is now looking forward to the d-day!  I cannot wait to video tape their reaction when they come see us at the hospital :)  

We already have a boy and a girl so whatever this baby's gender is does not really matter as long as it's healthy and normal.  What we want is another baby to love, to play with, to cuddle, and to smell (ooohh, angel's breath again!)  It doesn't matter if it's a he or a she.  After all, my husband said that God does not give anything that isn't perfect :)

Benefit Loot

This is what boredom can do to you. 

my holiday order

  

Three weeks ago, I was leisurely surfing the net and found myself browsing the Benefit website.  I have been a Benefit user for over a year now having started with their Brow Zings brow shaping kit followed by the Rockateur cheek powder which I both love to bits (I am using them now as I am typing this!)

I was delighted to discover their Sweet Shoppe Holiday Limited Edition sets and instantly fell in love with the Sugar Glam Fairies, which I only got for $45 (originally priced at $97).  The set comes with the following products and are in a cute coffee shop tin can that I can use to store some knick knacks for Lexie:

• full size They’re Real! mascara
• full size The POREfessional
• full size Hoola
• Benetint medium

festive tin can

what's inside

I also ordered some of their other bestsellers for my besties for Christmas.  Can’t wait to share my bene-happiness this holiday season! 

bestsellers

They also had a promotion on free international shipping when you order above $125.  My total order was $124 and I had to find the cheapest item I could to avail of the free shipping offer.  This is what I found for $5, haha!

my new dual sharpener

And to top it all off, I get this lovely make up case for free among the free testers they threw in to my loot.

in my favorite color!

testers

So happy with my purchase, and most importantly, I was very much relieved that they came right on time. 

It's gonna be a happy Christmas indeed! :)