Last month, I asked my Mom and Aunt Aaliyah's permission if I could stay at their ancestral house in Ilocos Sur. They allowed me at once and asked my cousin Vanessa to stay with me until I give birth or so. I liked it here because it has a similar ambience to our place in La Union plus the fact that it's quieter here; and of course, it's way too far from Manuel's area.
Well, I admit that I have been avoiding Manuel like a plague and that I have cut every single communication with him. My family members had also been aware of my nonverbal rule, "No-Manuel-news-when-I'm-around". However, I cannot prohibit hearing news about him and Cassandra over the news programs.
Anyhow, I am almost 5 months pregnant and my womb is getting bigger and bigger. Likewise, I am getting more and more excited everyday as I get closer to my due date. I have also gone shopping stuff for my little boy. Sometimes I was with my parents, sometimes with Bea, and sometimes with Vanessa.
Above everything that I bought, what I am most fascinated of is the baby book that I got from my mom. I placed the 4D ultrasound of my baby. Alright, he looks like Manuel a lot. Anyway, I also placed there pictures of me that show the progression of my pregnancy. I had indulged myself in designing it like how I have been doing in my previous scrapbooks.
The ancestral house is quite huge and I am glad that I am occupying the biggest room - triple the size of my room back in La Union. I decided to turn 'my room' into a nursery, so I'd be with my baby all the time. I chose baby blue and apple green as motif. I removed the bedside table and replaced it with a baby crib. I displayed all the baby stuff in the dresser. The stuffed toys I had collected from my room in La Union werenow occupying the divan by the window; and I bought more which I placed inside the glass cabinet at the corner of the room. A stroller is already set beside the cabinet.
Good thing I had my earnings from my previous salary along with the allowance that Edgardo and Aunt Aaliyah is sending to me; I was able to buy things for my little one.
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Last night, Vanessa and I had planned to hang out today. We strolled around the place and decided to picnic on the shore. She accompanied me in a brisk walk and we even played in the shallow part of the sea.
Vanessa was very enthusiastic and too much excited for my baby to come out into this world. She's a great help as she vigilantly looks into everything that I need. As a matter of fact, I am considering the name Andrei which she requested me to add up to my baby's name.
When we got home, my whole family was there. Another one among many unannounced visits from the time I had moved in with Vanessa. Yet, I never get tired of their presence. They had brought me some of my favorite viands; they also bought 2 sets of rubber mat which I could place in the mini lounge at my room, baby bottles and baby clothes.
It was Phillip who cooked dinner - dinuguan. I had eaten more than usual since it was one of my favourites; in addition to that, I enjoyed eating because everybody was around.
"Have you thought of a name for the baby already?" My father asked.
"None yet, Dad. Is there a name you would want to suggest?" I answered.
"I suggest 'Juan'."
"Oops! Andrei would be the baby's second name." Vanessa cut in.
"The name Andrei sounds good; I would go for that as well." Mommy said.
"Juan Andrei. What do you think, Latrice Faith?"
"That's a beautiful name. There were others which I was considering too; I just haven't decided yet. But I would go for Juan Andrei. It sounds pleasant to the ears. Juan sounds similar to one - first while Andrei is very manly."
