Happy New Year!

As the new year unfolds,

May you be blessed with the joys of new begginnings

Prosperity to live life to the fullest

Serene moments to bring peace and happiness...

May each new day bring for you new joys and new hopes!

Happy New Year!

December Top Entrecard Droppers

I am posting this earlier than planned because I might not get a chance to blog about it with the excitement of the new year celebrations... I am thanking the following for being the most frequent droppers on my entrecard this month:

I hope you continue to visit my blog...

Sick & Waiting

There's nothing worse than getting sick at the peak of the holidays... Oh, but there is... Getting sick at the peak of the holidays while pregnant and waiting just a few more days before "labor day"!

I have been avoiding going out precisely because I know the fumes from the firecrackers and whatnot that plague the air as the new year comes would trigger yet another asthma attack but still... Now I can barely breathe with this blasted runny nose... I just pray that this wouldn't develop into a full blown asthma attack as I am having hard time with the pregnancy as it is without further complications.

My OB declared it's highly probable that I will be giving birth by the 2nd week of January and I can hardly keep the excitement at bay... but this sickly feeling I am having now is putting a damper on things. Right now, I am just thankful that my baby continues to be "active" despite my being sick and having to take medication (of course, approved by my OB and pulmonologist) and that it's not for a few more days that I have to go back to work. I wouldn't want to start my maternity leave too early as I want to spend as much time with my baby after he comes out...

Mitsado

Everyone calls it Mechado but I prefer calling it Mitsado because of the "Mitsa" or "wick" of pork inserted in the beef. It's one of my favorite viands to cook and eat! I have posted it's recipe in my other blog before so I'm just posting a step-by-step picture of it now. As I cooked it last Sunday when I had a sudden burst of energy and was able to prepare a feast for our lunch...

And here's comical hubby, very impatient and wanting to sample the dish even before I had time to take a picture of it!

Happy Holidays!

I have been completely lazy these past few days in updating this blog... I've been busy preparing for the coming of "Charles Adam Yadao"... yes folks, that's what Charlie and I have decided on naming our first baby. Recently, all purchases has been in preparation of our baby boy's arrival, like a crib, several clothes, baby beddings and all the other stuff babies need. This year, my godchildren would have to just understand their ninang's inability to buy them personalized gifts as they just received an enveloped monetary equivalent as their "aguinaldo". I just didn't have the energy to brave the malls and tiangges before the holidays hit. And now that I have more time, I have been avoiding stressing myself and excessive walking as I have not reached my 36th week of pregnancy, which my OB and I are aiming for before Adam decides he can't wait anymore and it's time for him to come out. As of the moment, he's still in breech position and although I have been trying everything everyone has been telling me to do to get this boy in the right position, he's just not moving as desired. Anyway, I still have a couple of weeks and hopefully he heeds mommy's requests really soon.

Right now, I'm here at my parents' house... waiting for my godchildren to collect their gifts... trying to stop myself from attacking the refrigerated cake that my sister made... and preparing myself, conserving a bit of energy before cooking spaghetti this afternoon...

To everyone.. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! May the spirit of the season fill our hearts and may love, giving and selfless touch everyone's homes all year round. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sale Shopping!

Today I went to the office super late... I just couldn't let the chance to shop Factory Sale items for my baby boy and so I asked my sister, Zelle, to accompany me to an early morning (the sale started at 9am and we were there by 9:30) shopping for baby clothes and beddings. I found out that there's going to be a sale from my Aunt who works at the same factory (Hello Dolly Manufacturing / Canadian). Today is the last day before they do their annual inventory or something. Imagine baby mittens for only one peso per piece. Newborn onesies for Php 45. Newborn sleeveless shirts (the ones with buttons on the shoulder) for Php 27. Baby briefs for Php 30. Short sleeve button down shirts for Php 33. Baby Pajama bottoms for Php 35. Crib comforters for Php 250. Baby pillow cases for Php 20. Baby bolster pillows (with pillow case) for Php 50. Breastfeeding pillows for Php 225. And Bolster pillow cases for Php 25. There were also comforter sets and beddings for king size beds but I didn't really want to get distracted from my baby things shopping so I didn't pay attention to their prices anymore. The sale lasts until 5pm only today and I just had to partake in it! I can't get over how many I was able to buy with only Php 1,300. I would have bought more if I wasn't worried that my sis and I wouldn't be able to carry it all and that I really had to go to work today because we're going to have our office christmas party (4:30pm) and I'm one of the people in-charge of the decorations. Anyway, I am satisfied with what I was able to take home without making a big dent on my budget!

Happy House

I know it sounds like the name of a biscuit (here in the Philippines) but it's not about that. It's my first time to join Tuesday Toot and I hope I'm doing it right... here goes:

Today I was able to finish cleaning the spare bedroom at our apartment (it might sound as not such a great accomplishment to most people but when your 8 months preggy and you almost always feel like your tummy is going to "pop" any minute from it's sheer hugeness and heaviness... this is quite an accomplishment for me!) and now it's ready for when my hubby's cousin comes to stay with us (maybe 2nd week of January). She's going to help out with the baby when it comes specially since I only have a couple of months leave (maternity) and then I'd have to go back to work again. I believe a clean house is a happy house and so I feel that my house is happy now that I got to finish clearning out the boxes and whatnot from that spare room after almost 4 months!

Blog Advertising

Most bloggers nowadays get paid to blog. I mean since most of us spend a significant amount of time updating our blogs and coming up with posts anyway, wouldn't you want to earn while doing the things you like? Opportunities to earn come far and wide when one is online and so one cannot help but grab them specially during these times when any additional income is most welcome. Besides, one need not understand rocket science to be able to earn while blogging... It's fairly easy once you get the hang of it. The basic principle is you write about a topic either assigned to you or something you have grabbed in a pool of opportunities which has been presented to you and that's it! All you have to do then is just submit your post wait for it to get reviewed and approved and voila! You get paid! If you update your blog more often and present your readers with frequent fresh posts that you would definitely have an edge over others. The possibilities are endless. A blogger could earn as much as he or she wants as long as you are willing to let your creative juices flowing and open yourself to a multitude of topics. Plus there are also tips that you could follow to be more effective as paid bloggers so you aren't entirely left to your own devices. The best way to start of course if find a network where bloggers and advertisers can meet. One such network is payingpost.com. They offer a friendly environment for bloggers to be able to seize prospects from advertisers seeking to promote their products and/or services. Registering is as easy as 1-2-3. Instructions are easy to follow and getting approved is quite fast too. So if you're like me who enjoys writing about almost anything and everything that strikes my fancy, then you definitely should give it a try!

Excited!

My bloghoppers and frequent visitors may have noticed that I have not updated in a week, here's why...

Monday, December 8, I went on my regular bi-monthly check-up (since I'm already in the last trimester of my pregnancy) and was declared still fit to work. The only concern my OB had was that I still had signs of UTI and my RBC was low. And so she prescribed a higher dosage of meds and scheduled a repeat urinalysis and a BPS for my next visit. She wanted me to come every three days now but since the hospital is quite far from where we live she conceded for me to come on a weekly basis instead.

Tuesday, December 9, I felt really bad... sort of heavy and my thighs were cramping. I dismissed it as just fatigue from my visit to the doctor the previous day (hubby and I walked and climbed and walked most of the day) and told my husband I was just going to rest for the day and call in sick at work.

The following days (Wednesday and Thursday) I was still feeling the same, in fact the pain was getting harder to bare because everytime I get up to go to the bathroom or get something for myself (I was alone in the house) I felt sharp pain in my lower tummy, thighs and upper legs. I didn't have any unusual discharge though so I thought it was just something I had to endure.

Friday, December 12, was my Mom's 61st Birthday... I really wanted to come but I was still feeling the same so I texted her my greetings and explained to her that I wouldn't be able to come for her "family only" celebration. By lunch time my Dad texted me and told me that he was going to pick me up so I could partake in my mom's birthday lunch and merienda celebration. Of course before I could protest he was already there, pressing the doorbell, waiting for me to get dressed, hehehe... very typical of Dad! Anyway, when my parents saw me, they said I looked pale and it shows that I was really in pain when I walk or shift positions even when sitting down so my Dad insisted that he take me to the hospital. When I arrived, the OB said she was not going to let me go home because I was 2cm dilated. What?! I was only going on my 34th week! I'm not ready yet! Hubby (who arrived about an hour after I was admitted) was acting calm and collected and kept telling me to "just let it be" and "you're going to be fine" but I could sense that he too was also nervous and wasn't expecting this yet. I kept praying and praying that I be given more time to prepare myself. Good enough, by around 9pm of the same day I was told that I was down to 1cm and if my condition continues to improve, they were going to discharge me the following day. Thankfully, I was allowed to go home by Saturday noon. And here I am again, back to work... still feeling heavy and my legs are still cramping a bit but not like before. Hmmm.... baby boy would just have to wait until mommy's good and ready for him to come out. Hehehe! Seriously though, I would love to see my baby as soon as possible (in fact no one could be more excited to see him but me) but I really want to try and deliver normally and right now, he's still in breech position so... Baby boy, heed your mommy's request and position yourself properly...

Boys Names

Lately I have been getting a lot of suggestions as to what I would name my baby... well, guess what? I have quite a list of names I already but I am still taking suggestions. The thing is I want his initials to be C. A. I have recently shortened my list from about 20 combinations to just three but I have an absolute favorite right now that I would probably be using if I get no other great suggestions. So what do you think? Do you have a name in mind? I am accepting suggestions until middle of December and then after that I am going to announce my final choice. Calling all experts and novices alike, hehehe! The names doesn't have to be fancy or ones that have extraordinary meaning. The requirement is simple, I want two names complementing each other which start with the letters C and A. Oh, and of course they have to be BOYS NAMES!

Friendship Tag

Here are the rules for this tag:
1. Copy the badge and put it on your blog,

2. Link back who pass you this tag,

3. Spread this tag to at least 7 or more bloggers those who you think you are friends with.

And lovely are the blossoms
That are tended with great care,
By those who work unselfishly
To make the place more fair.
And, like the garden blossoms,
Friendship’s flower grows more sweet
When watched and tended carefully
By those we know and meet.
And, if the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship’s flower will bloom for you.

Thanks to Che for tagging me.... Now I'm passing it on to Ann, AidiSan, Anna, Meng, Mec, Mae and Zelle

November Top Entrecard Droppers

I would like to thank my top entrecard droppers for November... I hope you continue to visit my blog frequently. I try as much as possible to return the favor by returning each visit, but just in case there are days that I don't get to drop ECs on you, please know that I appreciate each and every drop and bloghop that I get... THANKS a lot!

25 drops

17 drops
16 drops Hip to be Mom - 13 dropsBroke as a Spoke - 13 dropsC'est La Vie - 12 dropsJuliana's World - 12 dropsMrs. G - 12 dropsCouple's Footprints - 12 dropsMira's Web Journal - 12 drops