Dear Peanut,

We had our second prenatal checkup less than two weeks after the first one. This time, we scheduled our checkup at 2:00 P.M. instead of the usual 3:00 P.M. and we had to wait a little because Dr.AZ was still out at lunch.

If we're living in the Philippines by the time you read this, it might sound a bit strange. Normally, working people break for lunch in PH at around 12:00 to 1:00 PM. But here in Malaysia (where I'm writing this now), it's normal for lunch to extend up to 2:00 P.M.

It's a bit lax here, laidback, which can be a good thing, lah. "Lah" is slang here, similar to "naman" in Tagalog. But as we have eventually realized, it's boring here. I'll tell you more about this in later entries.

So we had our checkup at around 2:30 P.M. already. But that's okay. We just made a mental note to schedule our checkups at 3:00 P.M. moving forward.

I don't look pregnant yet. I just look like I had a very hearty lunch.

As usual, I asked Dr.AZ a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of questions. I have this pink notebook where I write down all my questions, observations, maternity recipes, medicines, and milestones.

Dr.AZ answered all of my questions and put my mind at ease because, as SC put it, I get paranoid easily and to start with, I am a bit crazy, haha. I just want to be sure that I'm not doing anything that could harm you.

During our second ultrasound, we can see a bit of you already in the small black hole where you're supposed to be. You're still super duper tiny. And we can't make out the shape yet. But in my head, you're already very big and kicking and making such a fuss.

This is your second selfie photo at #6Weeks. See? There you are, peeking at us. You look like an edamame bean, hahaha.

Dr.AZ showed us a C-shaped ring and she said normally, when that's visible in the ultrasound, it means the baby is getting the right nutrients. We think it's the umbilical cord, we forgot to ask but that's where you're getting your food, so that must be it.

Dr.AZ said we can already hear your heartbeat at this point. She first showed us your beating heart on the screen and highlighted it with blue light. Your heart's beating (and blinking) so fast.

The doctor said a baby's heartbeat is really faster than that of an average adult, so you're doing fine. She tried to let us hear the heartbeat but the sound is too faint. However, she assured us that everything is okay, and "baby is okay," her favorite line.

We are always excited for our prenatal checkups because we know we'll get new photos of you.

From that point forward, it all felt surreal. I mean, come one, there's a little heart beating inside my tummy. There are two hearts inside my body! It's like Inception, pregnancy version.

It's just so magical and a bit weird knowing that my tummy is home to a little human. And not just the burgers, pizza, popcorn, jackfruit, salted egg squid, and all the other things I love eating way before you arrive. SC and I always joke that I have a food baby, but now, it's a human baby! Amazing, huh?

As usual, I asked SC if he feels like a Daddy already. Medyo lang daw. Ang kulit talaga ng tatay mo!


Love,