Hosting 101 for Preggy Moms

Posted by Analyse at 10:37 AM

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

If you're planning to host a friend and you're bump is too-big-you-think-you'll-explode-in-seconds, there are 2 important things to note that could save your life:

- Have your car and GPS available then prepare an itinerary for your friend. Save addresses in the GPS - home and maternity clinic as first on the list.
- Bear in mind that your friend is a potential babysitter.

Kidding aside, everything's going wonderfully well to think that we didn't prepare anything. We visited Beaune yesterday and took the scenic drive on our way back to Dijon. Aside from the vineyards covering the hills and plains of Côte d'Or, she was also enchanted by the old villages which completed the decor of this lovely paysage.

It was just funny tho that the bump is already touching the steering wheel and since we took some rough roads during the drive, I had series of mild contractions which forced me to drive on first gear during the visit. She proposed to drive but I prefered to do it so I could control the situation, slowing down if necessary.

Then I had my rendez-vous with the midwife last night. Frenchguy's presence was necessary because we learned the different positions on giving birth and the role of the father in each situation. Louna was delighted to stay with her new-found friend. Not only did she babysit, she also prepared dinner! Now, ain't that great?

Today, Frenchguy took a day off to accompany her in the Jura region while Louna and I stayed at home (well, Louna at school). Tomorrow, she will have the car for her all day so she could roam anywhere she wants. Then in the evening, we will take her to the train station. She will take the night train to Venice, Italy. She will then be back Saturday morning. We still have the whole weekend to catch up.

Filipino hospitality still runs in my vein. Not knowing what to offer her and not be able to accompany her, I finally decided to reserve a 2-day stay in Venice for her. There's a direct train from Dijon to Venice so it's really easy to organize (thanks Lovelyn for the helpful infos).

Hope she will enjoy her stay here in Venice Dijon. She's also hoping that our next vacation destination would be Mexico but that could still wait till the second baby learns how to walk :).

*Our Mexican friend was in fact my classmate at the French Language School 6 years ago. She stayed with us in our former appartment for 2 months when after school, she was able to bag a training contract in their satellite office here in Dijon. She was always with us in all our gimiks including bonfire camping with the barkada, a visit in Paris, an itinerary hike in the mountains of Jura when our French language skills were at its minimum (just the 2 of us), etc. We really had great time together. Inspite the distance, we were still able to keep the friendship alive. I'm sure, once we're again on vacation mode, Mexico would be considered seriously.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

you are a gracious host. imagine, you even reserved a 2-day stay for her in venice.

Soy said...

She's lucky to have you as a friend. :)

Anonymous said...

Sige, bisita din ako sa iyo ha, I will give you two days to spend with frenchGuyand I will take care of your kids for you.Two days :)

Analyse said...

Evi, I feel guilty kasi to bore her here in Dijon since I can't really move out that much.

Soy, thanks ;). Just returning the favor coz she organized everything for Frenchguy when he was in Mexico City few months ago.

Julie, pwede isang buwan, lol. para sulit hehe..

CLC Fashion said...

ganyan lang talaga siguro mga pinoy, very hospitable! hihi we had a guest lately too, they stayed for a week and we organized everything for them too. It was also returning the favor, kasi the hubs was a student and they let him stayed in their house in davao 13 yrs ago and they were one reason too how i met him. :-)

wow buntis 21 days to delivery na lang...i'm excited for you! sakin 61 days pa. I was rushed to the emergency last other day, kasi i fell down from the bed! lol glad everything is alright.

Heart of Rachel said...

You are a wonderful friend. I'm sure she appreciates your thoughtfulness. I think it's great that you still have energy to do all that for your friend. Take care.

Napotzki said...

Hello tukayo, been out for quite a while, so I need to catch-up your blogs. I missed it!

Hey your less than a month away from delivery. Will pray for you and the baby's safety.Buti at madagdagan ulit ng magaganda :-)

Analyse said...

Lucille, yep, pinoys just can't help it di ba.. and Frenchguy's all out too, biruin mo, nag-RTT pa to accompany her to Jura.. naglolokohan nga kagabi before she left, kung di daw ako buntis, sasamahan rin daw nya sa Venice.. ang mokong, haha, di pa kasi sya nakakapunta din sa Venice..

buti nothing bad happened.. bat ka naman nahulog from the bed? hay naku, bigat na nga and i really have difficulty sleeping now.. next week, maglalakad na talaga ako palagi to induce it naturally.. it starts to be boring na din.. and i have more stretch marks than before :(

Rachel, ow, vacation organization here in europe is but a click away, i did everything thru internet so no hassle..

Tukayo, where have you been?

raqgold said...

it is great to have guests around esp if they could also babysit, hehe! it was always when i was so huge that i also got some close friends avisiting -- a bit frustrating sometimes coz i wanted to go around with them but most of the times, am waving as the bus/train would take them someplace else

Analyse said...

Raqgold, lol, to be honest, i was kind of relieved when she took the train.. even if she's really at home with us, she's still a visitor, and hospitality's the name of the game.

lovelyn said...

I'm sure she's very pleased with what you did. You should have told me she's coming, I'll give her a barbecue party if I had known hehehe...

Cooking dinner for you was sweet of her anyway. Masarap ba luto nya? :-)

Anonymous said...

siguro inisip nya, better visit now, habang tahimik pa, kesa naman after you give birth, hehe...

o, pahinga ka na. enjoy the last few days before the D-Day...

Analyse said...

Lovelyn, that's too much asking.. pag kami na lang ni frenchguy ang punta dyan, ill be glad to accept the bbq party hehe..

we had something mexican for dinner, sumptuous!

Ruth, lol.. we were actually hoping to have the baby while she's here, para me babysitter hehe..

Princess said...

Lucky friend you got there, Ana. Reading your posts convinces me that you are a very organized person. Magandang pamana yan!