PREGGY  GIRLS  ALL  IN  A  ROW

MANILA, MAY 7, 2008 (STAR) FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo - As I’ve been saying, in this Year of the Rat there’s a baby boom in showbiz (and outside of it?). Since January, movie headlines have been full of stories about this and that star infanticipating or suffering from, ehem, morning sickness. (GMA newscaster Vicky Morales holds the distinction of being the first showbiz lady to give birth this year, to twins no less.)

Those waiting for their date with the stork include (in random order now) Gladys Reyes, Danica Sotto, Aubrey Miles, Jennylyn Mercado, Sheree, Alicia Meyer, Inah Revilla and Hot Babe Ella V.

Preggy girls all in a row. All of them were invited by The Ricky Lo Exclusives to a “baby shower” party but only the first five mentioned were able to make it. (Ella V. was reported to have suffered a miscarriage as this column was being written.)

Studio A of GMA was transformed into a virtual nursery, with blue (for baby boys) and pink (for baby girls) balloons all over, and complete with a “birthing” table where lay five cute dolls (gender not indicated) in immaculate white diapers courtesy of Huggies Baby Diapers and Baby Wash. There were stacks of feeding bottles, wads of cottons, boxes of baby clothes and many other things needed by expectant mothers, most of which were given as gifts to the “heavy” guests.

Only two of them came with their partners — Danica with husband Marc Pingris and Sheree with boyfriend Gian Magdangal (who came from a taping at the adjacent studio). Gladys, who’s having her second baby, said that husband Christopher Roxas was busy somewhere. Aubrey came without boyfriend Troy Montero and Jennylyn without boyfriend Patrick Garcia with whom she’s running an ugly word war in the media.

Sheree was giving birth “any minute now” to a boy whom she and Gian are naming Gian Hailey.

Asked when exactly she would be opened up, Sheree smiled. “After this interview,” adding that the time could be, yes, “any minute now.” Right there and then...on national television? Dared Sheree, “Why not? It would be a ‘first’!” Luckily, Sheree did not.

Because of the never-ending intrigues and controversies (the latest linking her to veejay Andrei Felix) swirling around her and Patrick, Jennylyn is in constant stress, prompting her friends to remind her to relax and not be swayed by it all so as not to harm her baby.

Six months into her pregnancy and Jennylyn didn’t know yet whether her baby is a boy or a girl.

Asked if she and Patrick would ever get back together again, maybe for the sake of their baby, Jennylyn shook her head and simply smiled.

Aubrey said that she and Troy have been planning to have a baby during the five years that they’ve been going steady.

“When Troy learned that I was pregnant,” said Aubrey, who is due sometime in September, “he was so excited at nag-tumbling siya. And then, he called his friends and they had a party!”

Danica and Marc’s first-born, to be named Jean Mitchell (the first from Marc who’s full first names are Jean Mitchell; he’s half-French), will be the first grandchild of Danica’s parents, Vic Sotto and Dina Bonnevie.

“But my mom doesn’t want to be called lola,” revealed Danica. “She’d rather be called daw Mommy D or Lady D! My dad naman wants to be called simply Tatay.”

Being a second-timer (her and Christopher’s first child, Kristoff, is two years old), Gladys was the one giving the four “first-timers” precious pointers.

Said Gladys (due to deliver a girl this time, to be named Aquisha): “They should breast-feed. It’s healthy for the baby. I breast-fed Kristoff for one year and I plan to do the same to Aquisha.”

It was also Gladys who co-hosted the game portion, with the four would-be moms pitted against one another on how well they could “diaper” their babies (with the cute dolls as models) and how accurately they could measure their bulging tummy.

Guess who won.

(Note: For more on the “preggy girls all in a row,” tune in to The Ricky Lo Exclusives on Q-11 tonight at 8:30 to 9:30. You will enjoy the baby shower, I’m sure.)