It’s another girl!

Soon after we returned from Vinzons in January 2004, we knew that my wife was pregnant because she missed her period. We confirmed this on a visit to her obstetrician, Dr. Anecita F. Po, at St. Jude General Hospital.

Dr. Po has long been my wife’s gynecologist/obstetrician. We came across her clinic while looking for a doctor with the same-sounding hospital name. She had her clinic at Perpetual Hospital then. Since my wife’s first pregnancy, she became a family physician and friend. Not just she’s caring, Grace got used to her way assisting her all through the entire period of pregnancy, especially during delivery. We find her very accomodating. At the onset of her delivery, she was there patiently waiting for the baby to come out. I know some obstetrician going only to the hospital at the very moment of delivery. We can call her up at her residence anytime of the day for any consultation pertaining to her condition.

Because we already have two wonderful girls, Farjanna Dienne (Farjienne or Honey) and Fallen Dana (Fallana or Dana), we hoped it would be a boy this time. The Gliponeo clan seems to have an attenuate breed for a son. In fact, I was the first born son of the family. My only uncle had four daughters and they only got me. That’s the reason perhaps my grandfather named me after him, Benito III. But later, I got two step-brothers bearing the same surname and my uncle later had his.

Most people pronounce our surname as glipônyô but I always try to correct them by saying glipônayô (as in neo in neonate). This is a very rare surname that even yahoo and google would return few search matches. I remember one time when I came to meet a Gliponeo at the airport. I said I too am a Gliponeo. I asked about her ancestry and soon realized she was my my uncle’s daughter. I didn’t know her because she lived in the United States when we were young.

Grace didn’t have any real difficulty in bearing the child within her. Her progress chart showed consistency with her previous pregnancy. She only had been diet controlled since her third trimester as she was gaining weight fast.

Pregnancy is not quite easy. She finds the nine-month period grueling. She hoped that her pregnancy be soon over. Even with the two girls, she became restless waiting and counting the days.

We were happy with the two girls but we also hoped for a boy to complete the family and spread the lastname. She wanted the baby to come in surprise so we didn’t have an ultra sound test to determine the gender but we have always dreamt of having a baby boy. This just remained a silent prayer in our hearts. We believe children are a gift from God. They are a privilege not a right. We don’t have a choice but wait.

We did not tell our friends, officemates and relatives in the province about her conception to make it a surprise although some of them are becoming skeptical about her figure and the rumors they receive from friends visiting us in Manila.

She’s here!

I was in the office when Grace felt her first contraction; that was ten in the morning. I advised her to call me up when the contraction becomes more frequent. I called Dr. Po to inform her of her condition so at least she would be expecting a delivery in the next 24 hours. It was slow to progress; I completed my days work and she was still in irregular contraction.

At 9pm, we decided to trip to the hospital after having contractions of 15 minutes apart lasting for a minute. It was continuing on and off but not regular. The hospital is just a few meters from our residence so we decided to walk. We had to stop from time to time whenever she felt the tightening.

She was examined to have three centimeters opening of the pelvis. An hour later, Dr. Po arrived. She was brought to the delivery room at 11pm.

I waited outside the delivery room as most scenes we see in movies but I am not that type that walks back and forth. I stayed calm sitting by the stairs while saying prayers silently. What affects me most is the fear of loosing her and the baby. I think this is one greatest fear every father has in mind while waiting for the delivery.

Finally, Faythe Danyelle was born September 24 at 01:32am weighing seven pounds four ounces and measures 50cm long. She was due October 3 and she may just be too keen to meet her sisters that she came nine days earlier. We call her Faynyelle or Daney (Dana and Honey combined) as she resembles her sisters.

End of era?

Perhaps, a boy was not meant to us but I am happy to be a father of three girls—enough to make a happy family.

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