A Decision Has Been Made EDIT: VISA GRANTED!

Also, had enough time to say goodbye to my family and friends coz I won't be home for a long time.

Thanks, Nickel. My baby's due in 23rd January. We will be having the 20th week scan in a couple of day's time to know the baby's gender. My husband is crossing his fingers for a boy

Congratulations

Wow gonna became new year baby...You take care Ann! Mr.Nickel already agreed I will have my biometrics in cebu and the CFO too then..as it is just across the pond!But I will still be in Manila one more time, to meet up with the lawyer....for online visa application and rechecking of documents (that's Mr.Nickel's decision eh)..

All this baby talk makes me feel jealous!

I never show but i'm jealous too..how I wished for a blue-eyed blond baby !

Hmmm how I've heard that blue-eyed baby request from my asawa. Highly unlikely as I have brown eyes too. Our first baby is "definitely Filipino" in her looks. Mummy's genes are very strong

Your little baby will be delivered to the UK in a few weeks time

As long as he/she is healthy.

Bella says

My wife finished work today, having served her four weeks notice. There is very little work at the Language School now and they are probably going to lay off quite a few teachers. So getting the visa at this time has saved further worries.

She has decided not to get any documents red-ribboned and I can find no reference on the Internet where anyone in the UK has been required to produce red-ribboned documents. The Philippines does not recognise documents legalised in the UK by the FCO, so I assume the same applies to legalised (i.e. red-ribboned) Philippine documents being presented in the UK.

I think the only problem may come if she wants to Schengen visa to some country that does recognise red-ribboned documents and also requires then for the Schengen Visa application.

Just have to wait now for around 5 weeks before we see each other again. It will be are biannual anniversary on Sunday so I will send her half a paper! Been buying a few things for the house - such as bathroom storage (we all know how much women need such things) but also a kitchen table so we can have meals together. Currently, I eat my meals at the computer desk.

Also want a dining room table but I only have one living room but have hit on the idea of buying a coffee table that can convert to a dining table and found they do exist, albeit somewhat expensive. One necessity, of course, is a rice cooker!

In the UK the parents are not permitted to know the baby's gender ahead of the birth - this is to prevent selective abortion of girls by South Asian and Chinese parents.

@Methersgate Some maternity units do refuse (supposedly on costs grounds) but there is the suspicion it is to avoid selective abortion, but I am pretty sure there is no UK-wide policy on this.

When my ex wife was pregnant with our younger son she was refused the information and was told this was indeed a nation wide policy (the obstetrician was an Indian lady!) - she flew to the Philippines for her sister's wedding; she slipped and fell and had a check up and was told we had a boy!

... karaoke machine... wide screen TV.... three cans of Spam in the back of the kitchen cupboard, supply of tamarind paste, sardines in tomato sauce...

Bagoong

Gentleman's Relish, Marmite...

Well the policy didn't reach North Wales then as my wife was asked if she wanted to know the gender (I'll let the cat out of the bag) on both children. Yes we are having a baby girl, imminently

eh ? my daughter in law asked me back in the spring if i wanted to know the gender of my unborn grandchild---i declined. she had a boy on the 3rd of may.

Sorry for the off-topic ...... But I really miss marmite sometimes.
It's always those little things.
Like Bisto Gravy
Like Piccalilli
Like coleslaw
Like .........

To be honest I don't think I'd want to know.
I can understand why some folks want to know though. Just not for me.