Winged Words

Water Dragon

2012-01-23T01:43:00.000+08:00

As far as I can remember, this is the only time that the Chinese New Year became a holiday from work... So here I am, just now about to go to sleep and it's about to turn 2am already... I let my little boy stay up also, we watched fireworks (on Television, hehehe) and shared a midnight meal of Ham, Barbeque, Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chicken, Herbed Loaf, Queso de Bola, Fruit Salad and Tikoy. May the year of the water dragon bring all of us good luck!

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!

Plastic or Paper?

2012-01-14T22:52:00.000+08:00

More and more people are getting more aware of the impact of our day to day activities to our environment. This is more evident in the new ordinances that some of the cities here in the Philippines have put into effect. Like now, in Las Piñas City, when you go to the malls or groceries, they don't use plastic bags anymore. Your purchases will be placed in paper bags or you bring your own recyclable bags. At first, like most new things, it can be quite a hassle, specially if you forgot to bring your own bag and you have to commute carrying all your purchases in brown paper bags without handles. But once you get used to it, and you think of how in your own little way, you have contributed to helping save our planet, then it definitely is worth the effort!

Temper

2012-01-12T21:07:00.000+08:00

As a child (until I was in my early adult years), I have been known to succumb to the occasional temper tantrums. Although, of course, they were much less often as I grew older. I am not known for my patience but rather for the lack of it. When I gave birth to my first child, my son, Adam, my friends and family told me that I was going to have to learn to be more patient and that there always has to be room for compromise. They were right. Specially now that Adam is already about to turn 3 years old and I have a newborn to take care of, being a mommy also means being a negotiator, a nurse, a playmate and a teacher. All the said occupations require a certain amount of patience and understanding. I cannot just lose my temper. I cannot just launch into a shouting session or be angry at my kids. Even as a wife, I have learned to control the sudden surge of emotions that come with not getting things to go the way you plan it. Life just doesn't work that way.

Fresh

2012-01-11T16:08:00.000+08:00

Since we are still at the beginning of 2012, I've decided to start fresh... at home, I have rearranged our bedroom furniture, bought new bedsheets and curtains (that compliment each other) and did a bit of general cleaning. I even went as far as sorting the clothes in our closets. I have "thrown out" those that we have not worn for quite some time either because they don't fit us anymore or we have just worn them out. I still haven't touched our living areas yet since I plan on buying new furniture for that by summer, but there was still some "clean-up energy" left so I decided to rearrange my workplace also. Of course I wouldn't be able to finish this in one work day because I still have to entertain clients that come to the office and there's just too much paperwork to be organized, but so far, so good! My office table has been moved to a more favorable position and the sofa that serves as the waiting area for my clients (if I have more than one at a time) has also been placed better. I'm lucky that I have my own office so that I don't have to take into consideration what my officemate would want instead of my preference. My other co-workers were just surprised when they entered my office today but the general consensus is that the new arrangement is much more pleasing to the eye as well as more effective and dynamic.

Breakfast

2012-01-09T10:06:00.000+08:00

With all the rich food that we have taken in during the holidays, I just lost my appetite for the usual bread and butter or fried rice, eggs and hotdog breakfast. It's a good thing that my mother-in-law brought us dried fish from Ilocos during her last visit with us. So here's my breakfast for today!

Eating this, you really have to use your bare hands... it adds to the pleasure of eating "tuyo" dipped in spicy vinegar. I know one shouldn't eat too much salty foods but when you eat it just once in a while, I don't think it would be that bad. I just had a craving and had to fulfill it!

2012

2012-01-01T09:33:00.000+08:00

We have been blessed with so much this past year, 2011... I have only to pray that 2012 will be filled with as much laughter and happiness as the year that was. And if there be trials that come our way, may we continue to strive hard to overcome them and remember the knowledge that we would gain from each experience, good or bad. I pray for prosperity and good health for my family and friends... Happy New Year everyone!

2 months

2011-12-30T14:36:00.000+08:00

Time seems to be flying so fast when you have a toddler who's about to turn three and a sweet baby to occupy your days. My angel, Charlize Ann is now 2 months old! To celebrate, I cooked spaghetti (which was consumed by Kuya Adam with gusto) and bought a chocolate cake.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T13:25:00.000+08:00

Merry CHRISTmas to all! May you have the joy and peace that can only be achieved from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the life and light through Him who is forever faithful! Always remember, everyday is CHRISTmas because of what CHRIST did for us. May God bless us all in the coming new year too!

Back to Work

2011-12-18T20:55:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow, I am reporting back to work after two months of maternity leave. Time seems to fly so fast. I hope my mom and sisters would be able to care for Izzy and Adam while I am at work because I still have yet to find a nanny.

Everyday is a Miracle

2011-11-07T15:01:00.000+08:00

Having a baby (even if it's already your second) really makes you discover new things about yourself and the changes that you have gone through either by choice or by circumstance. What's even more enlightening is the fact that you are now living the life that you have dreamt of when you were younger. Isn't that a miracle? Here you are trying to achieve your goals and aspirations in life, praying that the realization of your dreams come soon and then before you know it, there it is... Now I feel so complete, I have a loving, generous and caring husband, a very active, intelligent, talented and good-looking son, and now a perfect princess ~ my daughter.

Today, Izzy (that's what I want to call my princess) had her first check-up with her pediatrician. So far, her she has gained weight: she's now 4 Kg.! She'll be starting her vitamins by next week and her next appointment with her pedia is on the 30th for her Hepa B 2nd dose. Haay, life is so amazing talaga... I went through all these with Adam but now that we're starting from scratch with a new baby, it still seems so refreshingly new.

The Day our Princess Came

2011-11-03T12:35:00.000+08:00

It has been quite an ordeal, going through this second pregnancy... Maybe I was just not expecting my second experience at being preggers to be that much different from my first, but the pain and emotional rollercoaster really took it's toll on me. So, by the time I reached my eighth month I was so ready and willing to give birth already. But of course, I still had to weight a few more weeks... and so I did but entering my 9th month, I already went on maternity leave. I just couldn't go to work anymore with the pain I was feeling plus the frequent cramps I was experiencing at that time. I stayed at my parents' home while waiting for my due date, which I spent embroidering my baby's name on her blankets and diapers.

October 26

I was wishing and praying that this would be the day... but nothing happened.

October 28

Please Lord, let it be today or before October ends... I just can't endure the wait any longer...

October 29

I almost can't even get up to pee... The pain just seems to be getting worse! Today's my Aunt Lily's birthday but I just couldn't leave the house. At around 6:00 in the evening, I drank lots of water and told my mom I'm going to sleep early. It was already 8:30 PM when my hubby woke me up to have dinner but I said I didn't feel like eating so I just had a couple more glasses of water then went back to sleep.

October 30
At around 12:45 AM I got up to go to the comfort room. I also splashed water on my face because I felt really hot and then went back to bed. I couldn't go back to sleep though... I kept tossing and turning until I gave up trying to sleep and tried to read a book instead. After a couple of pages, I got up to have another glass of water and then went to the living room to watch a TV. It was already 2:00 AM when I felt the first contraction... I timed the intervals and when they were coming too quickly after one another, I woke up my husband and parents and we all went to the hospital. I was admitted to the Emergency Room of Olivarez General Hospital at 2:59AM. My water broke when they performed IE on me and the contractions kept becoming more and more frequent. They couldn't properly IV me so they just sent me to the OR so the anesthesiologist would be the one to do it. My OB arrived at around 3:15 AM and at about the same time I heard them say that my contractions are too frequent and long already that it was too late for an epidural. I think I just got a shot in my arm for the pain because the rest was just a blur after that...

Next thing I know... I am being wheeled in to my room and was being instructed to rest up so my baby could room in with me by the next day. It really is quite an overwhelming feeling when you get to hold your baby for the first time... It's like being introduced to your purpose in life... here she is, Charlize Ann Yadao, a very welcome addition to our family...

Charlize was born on October 30, 2011 at 3:31AM weighing 3.23 kilograms with a length of 50 cm.

Wazzup?

2011-09-23T15:34:00.001+08:00

2 months and no posts... that's what a difficult pregnancy and being busy at work does to you...

There are of course moments during my bedrest that I could have written something just to update this blog but I seem to have lost the will-power to do so... Anyway, I a couple or so weeks away from starting my maternity leave at work and I still have a kilometer's worth of lists to attend to before giving birth... There's doing the laundry and ironing of baby's clothes that I have been given or have bought over the past couple of weeks; there's buying the baby stuff I would be needing and don't have yet; there's figuring out who's gonna be taking care of Adam during my hospital stay; and a lot of other stuff that I can't seem to figure out when I'm going to do and how I'm going to go about it. Who knows when my next post is going to be... maybe a month or so after I have already given birth (let's cross our fingers) or maybe much longer than that...

Coping

2011-07-11T14:10:00.000+08:00

Looks like I'll be doing one post a month again... I just came from a couple of weeks of complete bedrest as ordered by my OB and I'm at a loss as to how I'm going to deal with the mountain of work that was piled on my desk while I was "out". There's also hubby's change of work to take into consideration... I'm just thankful that I have a very supportive mother-in-law who has been quite a huge help in the financial department. And of course, I wouldn't be able to cope if it weren't for my parents and youngest sister, Mae, who takes care of my little prince when I can't. Thank God for blessings like a supportive family, without which I wouldn't know what to do!

Troubles

2011-06-13T14:57:00.000+08:00

Lately, I have been looking for the right words... the strength... the time... to be able to put into writing the quite busy and trouble-laden weeks that has been plaguing me. First, I am having quite a difficult pregnancy and although I have been advised by my OB to take a leave of absence from my work, I just can't. Short of someone offering us financial assistance, hubby and I just can't afford a month or so of me not having any form of income at all. We are barely able to save up for my forthcoming delivery from both our monthly income as it is that I just can't imagine how we can survive if go on leave now. So that's that... I can't complain about having work because it's a blessing that both hubby and I have jobs when others don't, I just pray everything's going to be alright with baby #2. See the thing is I have a low-lying placenta and... well to make the long explanation short, it is causing me pain and I have to take meds and all that... and hopefully my condition will improve soon! And then, just when I am having difficulty moving around like I did before, Adam got sick, and was cranky and wanted to be carried all the time. Of course, I can't carry him for more that a minute or so, so I had to ask my hubby and sister to do it for me but Adam wouldn't have it that way so he got even more cranky and short of just breaking down and crying with him, I had to be more creative in keeping him entertained while he was still feeling sick. Oh, and of course between me and Adam having to take meds, it only means even more expenses... *sigh* even writing about it makes me exhausted... I just pray these troubles go away soon!

First Ultrasound

2011-05-20T13:05:00.000+08:00

I had my first ultrasound at sixteen weeks, the gender couldn't be determined yet so I guess I would have to be patient a little longer and wait for my next ultrasound to be performed... I am really praying for a baby girl but another baby boy would, of course, be so welcomed also.

5 Years!

2011-04-26T10:03:00.009+08:00

Happy Anniversary Honey!

Pichi-pichi

2011-04-06T09:58:00.000+08:00

Since my first taste of Amber's Pichi-pichi with cheese about a year and a half ago, I have always compared other pichi-pichi to it. So far, I haven't tasted any that would surpass the cheese-topped goodies that come from Amber's. And I am super thankful that Amber's opened a branch very near our place in Parañaque. So now, whenever I get the craving for their delectable pichi-pichi, I wouldn't have to go far. Just this Monday, after office, hubby and I went to Amber's to get 30-piece-box to enjoy for merienda. We got to share it with Adam, my niece-Cheska, and my parents. The kids loved it so much that we had to stop them from eating too much or they will ruin their appetite for dinner.

The Graduate

2011-04-02T14:56:00.001+08:00

My youngest sister graduated last Wednesday, March 30 with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. I must say, that it was quite a happy moment for the whole family since Mae, has been hard at work and study at the same time for almost two years now. She started out as a full time student her first two years of college and then became part of the Jollibee SEEDS Program that enabled her to work, study and earn a bit at the same time. Both my parents has been retired for almost three years now, so aside from the 12,000 per semester shouldered by Jollibee, we have to come up with the rest of the money that is needed to complete her tuition fee. I am fortunate enough to have been able to contribute enough financial and moral support to my very industrious sister who is now a full-pledged graduate! So you may understand how ecstatic I am that we have hurdled the worst, and she would now be able to support herself and maybe help out with my parents' household needs. I love you, Mae, we are so proud of you!

After the graduation rites, we celebrated with a monster meal delivery from Shakey's. We were all so hungry but we didn't get to finish all of it even though the food was tasty. Maybe we're just too tired or maybe there was just too much food. :))

Gatadobo

2011-03-29T17:05:00.013+08:00

A while back a friend gifted me with this delectable dish from a restaurant called Coconut House. Since then, I have been wanting to visit the said establishment if only to get another dose of the tasty Adobo with gata but I have not had the opportunity to go there. The craving was renewed however when I got to watch a feature from Carmina and Pekto's show, Day Off. The Coconut house was recommended as one of the must try places when dining out. Now, I also want to try their coco halo-halo... hmmm, hopefully, I'd be able to finally visit this restaurant this summer and try their mouth-watering goodies!

All Day Sickness

2011-03-18T11:29:00.000+08:00

While I was preggy with Adam, I didn't get to experience what most of my friends and relatives said they did while they were pregnant - morning sickness. So, these days I'm thinking "be careful what you wish for..." It's not like I wished for it, I sort of just shrugged at them when they were saying that it was hard for them to wake up in the morning because you feel like you're going to throw up any second... Well, here it is... and worse, because I also feel it in the afternoon and sometimes at night!

The solution: Currently eating small but frequent meals; I always have saltines and/or hard candies in my bag; and I take 5-minute naps whenever I get overpowered by drowsiness. Hopefully, I would be able to overcome this stage really soon because it is quite a damper on the happiness of being pregnant, not to mention, it becomes a hassle when I have to attend to Adam but I feel so sick to do so. :(

While I Was Out

2011-03-10T14:34:00.000+08:00

It's almost a month since my last post and I have been dying to write about what's been happening to me these past few weeks... I'll just have to compress everything into one short post for now because I am still reeling with the flurry of activity that has been my world lately.

First, let me start with a big, happy bit of news: I'm pregnant! Yes, baby #2 is on the way... I am now 7 weeks pregnant and counting.

The thing is, I have been suffering from asthma attacks again. I even developed skin allergies from I don't know what, a couple of days back and had to take my anti-allergy meds again. That's something I haven't done for a couple of years now, so it was quite a surprise to me. There's this constant feeling of nausea and drowsiness that I didn't experience while I was pregnant with Adam before. I have gained almost a kilo of weight already and I haven't even reached my 2nd month of pregnancy! I'm scheduled to have my first ultrasound next week so...

In the office, a transfer of offices has been already announced and I have to carefully pack and label everything before the big move. I don't have a secretary/clerk to assist me so I have to do all these on my own. It's a good thing that the office I'm moving to is just a couple of doors away from my current one so it's not going to be a huge adjustment, but still, the amount of documents I need to transfer is quite a lot and the office I'm moving to is relatively smaller so it's going to be a challenge to fit everything into my new space.

As for my talkative, active baby boy, Adam, he's just a little fireball that keeps me going. Currently, he's into games in the I-touch like "Traffic Rush", "Sniper Strike", "Cops and Robbers", "Tower Bloxx", and "Pig Rush". While Pororo, Pocoyo, Handy Manny and Cars are the cartoons he never tires of watching. He's more conversational lately although some of his words, you'd have to strain your ears and imagination before you can understand. Like one time he kept asking for "Picky Caws" when he was actually asking for his "Mickey Mouse" stuffed toy. Then there was one time he said he wanted to eat "Pochik" when he wanted to eat "Pork Steak". But most of the time we can understand him and is very talkative...

Well, I guess that's all the update I can give right now. Hopefully I'd be able to post soon and report more often but I can't really say anything for sure these days.

Happy Hearts Day

2011-02-14T12:23:00.001+08:00

Today marks "the feast of hearts". We commemorate love and affection almost everyday but today especially... call it riding the commercial wagon, call it corny, call it whatever you want. But I enjoy seeing lots of people celebrating their love, so this is one of my favorite days of the year. Where you see heart decorations almost everywhere and you get sweets from your loved ones. This year's sobrang cheesy gift by my hubby is a short AVP he posted on Facebook. He says he didn't get to put as much time and effort to it as he wants due to his work (and probably my using the computer every chance that I get). But it doesn't matter how short or long the time he spent working on this, it's definitely the thought that counts!

It's his rest day today and he usually picks me up from work on Mondays, so we'll see what else he has in store for us this Valentine's day.

Manila Zoo

2011-02-03T01:18:00.009+08:00

It has been over a decade since my last trip to Manila Zoo so I was excited both for my son (who will see it for the first time) and for me too. I have been hearing good reviews of the renovations for this place that I have been wanting to visit for the longest time. Hubby and I were awake and getting ready for the trip as early as 7AM, unfortunately, we let Adam sleep late the night before so he woke up late (9AM), as a result, it was already past 10AM when we left the house. My mom, dad, youngest sister, Mae and my neice, Cheska, went with us on our "field trip".

Anyway, the trip itself was quick enough since it was a weekday and we didn't encounter that much traffic. Manila Zoo was... well, a bit disappointing for me since I was expecting a much improved place, but that's just me... what's important is that Adam loved seeing the animals for the first time (well, most of them, he saw for the first time) instead of just looking at them in his picture books or seeing them on TV and videos. He almost threw a tantrum though, when the "bebra" (his way of saying zebra) didn't come out in the open. It was the one animal he really wanted to see in person but Adam had bend over the fence just to get a peek. Good thing when went over to the tigers cage, they were roaring and moving around... he really enjoyed that and didn't want to go to see the other animals anymore. He loved hearing the tigers loud roars (while I was scared just hearing one roar) and even imitated them. We stayed in front of the tigers' cage for a good twenty minutes. The only reason Adam lost interest was when Charlie bought him a monkey stuffed toy from a vendor nearby. Adam hung the monkey around his neck even as we gave him his milk while sitting in one of the benches inside the park.

After the "field trip" we went to Congo Grille at SM Mall of Asia for a super late lunch and also to celebrate my youngest sister's birthday. We were supposed to go on the "Cruise" of Manila Bay right behind MOA but the kids were all tired out already so decided to postpone it to a later date. We passed by Dampa instead to buy prawns (my sister's favorite) which we later cooked in lemon butter sauce and ate to our belly's content for dinner.

P.S.

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!

Adam @ 2 yrs.

2011-01-30T16:21:00.026+08:00

Like I've mentioned before, we ditched the big party idea for my son's 2nd birthday. Instead, I cooked spaghetti and we had cake and ice cream for my baby on the 26th and then we went on a "family day field trip" on the 28th.

The little boy woke up with a smile on his face as we were singing happy birthday to him the night before and he was super excited to blow the candles on his cake.

As soon as the spaghetti was cooked, we dug in right away...

The birthday celebrant ate lots! *syempre spaghetti's one of his favorites these days*

And then Tita Mae, lighted the candles on the birthday boy's cake *notice that the boy is already trying to blow them out even before we finished lighting the candles*

And then of course, we had to help him blow out the candles or they will melt until there's nothing to blow anymore. But he asked to do it again (light the candles and blow them out) three times. The only reason he stopped asking to do it over is when we told him it was time to eat the cake!

Oh, and he had to help cutting the cake, because no one's allowed to touch much less to eat the cake if he's not the one serving, hahaha!

It doesn't matter that there was more cake on his chin and cheeks *and on the floor* basta big boy na sya so sya na lang daw kakain on his own.

And after the feeding frenzy, we went to hear mass.

Soon as we stepped back home, he asked for ice cream!

And here's the birthday boy clowning around for the camera.

And here he is again, holding one of his favorite gifts *this one's from me*, a pillow in the image of his new favorite cartoon character, Lightning McQueen.

Note: Pictures and kwento about the field trip to follow.

Family First

2011-01-23T21:26:00.002+08:00

I have always envied my friends who are SAHMs, I feel they are able to maximize their quality time with their kids, not to mention be there to witness practically every milestone of their children's life. This is one of my frustrations... not being financially able to quit my job and leave the earning part to my husband. I am very thankful for having a good-paying job and for having a husband who works hard and is very responsible. I am also grateful for having a family who takes care of my little boy while my husband and I work. I am specially appreciative of the blessing that is my son. I just pray that in the future, we would be able to afford to live on my husband's earnings so I could concentrate on being a mother and a housewife. Having said that, I apologize to my former classmates who never tires in inviting me to get-togethers and reunions. Sorry for always declining... It's just that I have very few free time and these precious moments, I really want to spend with my baby. I do have a social life, it's just that they're limited to workout time or after-office "chikahan" over coffee with my friends and co-workers. I have never been an extrovert, even as a teenager, I have always preferred being at home, playing couch-potato or tinkering over an art project. I guess I'm what you'd call a homebody... it's what makes me happy. I don't fit in in crowded, noisy places. I very seldom have the desire to dress up and go to parties and on the rare occassion that I attend an event, I do so just to see and be able to catch up with old friends. This is who I am, I do miss my college buddies, high school barkada and gradeschool friends, but given the choice whether to spend the weekend going to a restaurant to meet former classmates or cozy up with my son, hubby, a DVD movie and a bucket of popcorn... I'd choose the latter.

Change of Plans

2011-01-18T12:32:00.002+08:00

It's official... we're ditching the party idea for Adam's 2nd Birthday celebration and treating him to a family "field trip" instead... He hasn't been to the Manila Zoo, so we're bringing him there. And then the whole family is going to eat out wherever we feel like it... The decision was made last weekend when we found out my youngest sister needed money for school. I just feel so wasteful to spend the money for a one day affair when someone I love needs it for something that will last her a lifetime. So, I talked to hubby and we agreed that since, Adam got the big party bash for his 1st Birthday, we're going to celebrate in a more subtle way this year. This way, I know Adam would be able to appreciate the trip more, plus we'd be able to give my sister a more meaningful gift. By the way, my sister, Mae, is already in her last year of college and she's celebrating her 19th birthday on the 28th of January!

Don't Quit

2011-01-17T10:47:00.001+08:00

I just want to share this poem I found in a ceramic decor in my mom's house...

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow--

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Comfort Food

2011-01-15T19:42:00.014+08:00

Saturday morning turned out to be busier than usual... Hubby wasn't able to go to work due to fever and severe headache so before doing my usual Saturday chore, which happens to be tackling the laundry, I cooked breakfast for him first. It's a variation of a recipe I found from Miss Connie's website. This time, I just did the usual omelet instead of "cupcakes".

Then for lunch, I brought hubby to a recent discovery... Sen Lek Thai Noodles. We feasted on steaming hot bowls of Thai noodles before he took his medicines.

And then in the afternoon, as we are about to go shopping for Adam's diapers and stuff, the little boy asked to eat burger amd spaghetti from his favorite fastfood... McDonald's. Of course he had to order spaghetti and burger and also a hot fudge sundae... oh, and fries too!

All in all, this day has proved to be a day of comfort food for the whole family.

Picture Books

2011-01-12T15:54:00.000+08:00

I tried to expose Adam to picture books as early as he was only 10 months old. His current favorite is a 4-piece set I bought from Toy Kingdom last September (2010). I guess exposing him at an early age is paying off now that he's almost two years old because he can identify most pictures or objects when pointed out to him and sometimes he even corrects his cousins when they identify pictures or colors incorrectly. Here's a video of how he "reads" a couple of his books and show his kakulitan in the process.

Weekend

2011-01-09T21:46:00.002+08:00

Weekends these days aren't really as relaxed... Since I don't have help, I do the laundry on Saturday mornings and attend to Adam the rest of the day. When Adam wasn't walking yet, it was easier, but now that he's really mobile, we very seldom spend it lazing around in the house, enjoying the quiet time. These days, even when we are watching a video of his favorite toons (Pocoyo, Handy Manny & Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), he would say "Mommy, bas tayo" or "Mommy, walk tayo bas". And you have to either keep him busy with something else or succumb to the call of the outside because he wouldn't stop asking. Sunday mornings, I spend ironing my and charlie's uniforms then it's family bonding time once again. But as I watch "my boys" goofing around or just sitting together, I feel like our weekend time together is always "bitin". How I wish I could spend more time with my hubby and son...

Biggest Loser

2011-01-07T12:37:00.001+08:00

Yesterday marked the first day of our "biggest loser" program at the office. Actually it's not really an office thing, but together with a few officemates, I started working on my weight loss project. The motivation for all of us (aside from the health benefits, of course) is the pot money. Each person who decided to join the "biggest loser" thingie agreed to give a certain amount of money which would be the price for whoever loses the most weight after 3 months. We had our "official initial weigh in" yesterday and our "official weigh in results" would be taken on April 7, 2011. The premise is that we would have workouts as a group every Tuesdays and Thursdays after office hours but the rest is up to you. Whether you want to work out on your own and accompany it with a diet that best suits you is all in your hands. We had a fun and sweaty workout yesterday and everyone who joined (not all included in the picture above) is looking forward to the next "session"!

Countdown

2011-01-06T04:45:00.025+08:00

In 20 days, my son, Adam, is going to turn two years old. A small celebration is already in the making (and has actually been in the making for about a month already). But more than the day itself, just the experience of being a mom to this fireball that is my son is quite a day-to-day momentous event. It really is quite amazing how babies grow so fast and absorb so much information in so little time that you sometimes get breathless when you think about it. In a blink of an eye, he's already 2!

This talkative and hyperactive boy is the love of my life. He can be quite a handful at times but I guess that's just normal for kids. His tantrums sometimes almost brings me to tears and the times he got sick caused my heart to break, but just a smile from him makes it all worthwhile.

Optimistic

2011-01-05T10:21:00.000+08:00

I want to start the year right, I want to be able to blog more yet work as efficiently and be a mom and wife at the same time... talk about multi-tasking! Anyway, 2010 has been a year of ups and downs, like most years are, and I'm sure 2011 would be another roller-coaster ride. But whatever blessings or obstacles come our way this year, I want to stay positive and stay mature about everything. I have been a bit of a procrastinator for the past several months but I want to do away with that this year. Optimistic and Participative... that's what I want to be more of for 2011. I'm crossing my fingers, praying hard and concentrating as hard as I can so I would be the best I can be for this year and the years to come!

It's Me!

2011-01-03T18:22:00.001+08:00

Since it's been a while since I last posted anything in this blog, some of my "regulars" may be wondering how I look like these days... We'll, as you can see... I've gained weight! Hiyang siguro sa stress at puyat, hehe! Hopefully, I'd be able to lose weight this year and post a slimmer me soon!

P.S. Just in case you were wondering, I am not endorsing the alcohol that I was holding in the picture... I tasted it that night (it was given to a friend as a gift) and it was way too strong for me, even for occassional drinking! (Gumuguhit, teh! Sobra!)

Welcome 2011!

2011-01-01T02:25:00.001+08:00

I want to revive this blog from it's long sleep by greeting everyone a Happy New Year! May the year ahead bring us more happiness, less troubles and abundant blessings!

Busy Bee

2010-05-13T08:45:00.000+08:00

I guess I should be glad that I have been kept busy by work, housewife and mommy matters lately... I mean, it's better that I'm busy with productive things rather than be idle and not know what I should be doing nor what my purpose is. It has been a month of many ups and downs... For the last week of April, I got sick, then as May came, my son was the one who had to be attended to when he couldn't take the heat wave that has been hovering over the country for the past several weeks. I just thank the Lord that my husband and I are fortunate enough to be both earning enough to provide for our son's needs, I just can't imagine what I would do had we not have enough funds to bring my son to the doctor and buy medicines so he would get well. True, there are times when I worry that hubby and I are not saving enough for the rainy days and there are even months when we don't save anything at all, but when I think of people who earn much less than we do and have more mouths to feed, I just count my blessings instead of dwelling on the bad...

As of the moment, I am still occupied with tons of work, an active toddler brimming with energy and enthusiasm for everything his mind can grasp, a loving husband who keeps me sane, a family who continuously supports me and oftentimes still requires my attention, and friends to share stories with and remind me that I should also have a social life outside my family circle. And with all of that on my hands, I am lucky to get the chance to post anything for this blog... or maybe I just need to improve on my time management skills?

One Last Post for March

2010-03-31T09:48:00.000+08:00

We're only until noon today at the office and I'm glad I get to spend a longer time with my family (especially my son) this long weekend. And so I wanted to end March with a short update for this blog...

First there's Adam, he's just a bundle of energy that never ceases to amaze me (not to mention, tire me out!). He's a constant source of happiness. He can say "mama" he wants to go with you (meaning "Sama"), he says "la na" or "nanana" to indicate that the toy he's playing with has somehow vanished or what he's been watching is finished or he's food/milk is all gone (meaning "wala na"). He walks with support now and often demands that he be put down (as opposed to being carried or in the stroller) so he can walk.

Then there's Charlie, my hubby, who often demands that he be "babied" too, hahaha!

And then there's work, which keeps me busy enough not to be able to update this blog as much as I want to.

And of course, there's my now more active social life... Thursday is the day for coffee with friends after office hours. Or sometimes we just go to the mall and talk while we window shop (or shop period). Or we go on a food trip and try out new restos...

Well, that's life...

Stolen Moment

2010-03-18T13:15:00.000+08:00

As my title suggests, this is just one of those moments when I can write a few words just to let everybody who happens to read my blog know that I am still alive... I have been super busy lately and has less time to go online so I grabbed this rare opportunity to check whether my blog is still here. Hopefully, things would be easier a week or so from now and I would be able to blog more but for the moment... I just have to ride out the work that has flooded my office.

Wishlist (Part 1)

2010-02-21T22:10:00.001+08:00

These days, it's very seldom (if ever) that I get to watch TV. Which is a good thing considering that I had time to watch TV for just a couple or so hours today while Adam took a long nap and I saw stuff from the shopping channel that I want to have or has caught part of a series that I now want to be able to watch regularly or maybe just watch online!

First there's this spin mop that I really got fascinated with. I mean it looks easy to use plus I don't have to wring the mop with my hands when I rinse it.

Then there's the 9 minute marinator which promises good food everytime. I particularly like the tenderizer feature which I could definitely use on meat for grilling which my husband loves.

Then as I was flipping through channels I caught sight of the teaser of Drop Dead Diva and I really liked it and now I wanna be able to watch it but I didn't catch the airing schedule and even if I did, I don't think I'll be able to remember it, let alone watch it...

It's going to be like a couple of weeks ago when I was able to watch the "Bird" episode of Worst Week where laughed my a** off and has promised to watch the succeeding episodes but has never gotten to!

I even went online to search for online episodes but I can't seem to find a working link! Now I have to remember to look for these shows when I am able to go to a DVD store, if they're available so I can watch them.

But as this post title suggests, this is just part of my loooong wishlist, and although I don't plan to throw my earnings (or my husband's) down the drain by spending it on whatever looks pleasing or caught my fancy, I still can wish, can't I?

Special Fried Rice

2010-02-19T10:05:00.000+08:00

I was inspired with Ms. Connie's post and has always been a sucker for fried rice that I made this last night:

It is not actually Yang Chow because of the absence of roast pork but I added diced ham, green peas, cabbage, eggs, diced hotdogs and leftover longganisa. My family loved it!

Refrigerated Cake (Peaches)

2010-02-17T11:47:00.000+08:00

Since I was able to go home early yesterday, I had time to look at our pantry and see what I can "tinker" with... I found an unopened bottle of peaches which I bought a week ago (thinking I was going to have peach melba) a couple of packs of Graham Crackers and All purpose cream. All I needed was milk and I was ready to begin preparing my refrigerated cake.

It only took 30 minutes to prepare the cake so after placing in the fridge, I still had time to play with a Adam for a while. I guess I must have played with my son a little longer than I was planning to or maybe my cake was just that irrisistible that before I knew it...

...my brother has already sliced his share of it! nyahahaha! Anyway, I was planning to put it in a nice serving plate and garnish it with the peaches I set aside specifically for that purpose and then take a picture of it, but this was the only picture I was able to take because as soon as my sisters and mom got wind that the cake was already sliced, they also took their share and ate it! :)

Happiness

2010-02-15T09:49:00.004+08:00

Lately I cannot say "Thank You" enough for all the blessings that we have been getting... I just feel so loved and blessed to be getting all the material things and the positive feedback and events that have recently come my way. I cannot put into words how happy I am at this very minute...

~ ♥ ~

Valentine's Day was almost like any ordinary Sunday for us... see eversince December of 2009, my hubby's only restday falls on a Monday so most weekends, we don'y get to spend with him. Yesterday, I thought he was going to forgo any form of celebration for Valentine's because he didn't even give it a mention during our usual everyday conversations, but my hubby being the closet-romantic that he is, was planning something special pala! My day started ordinary enough... waking up a bit later than usual and then taking my son, Adam to church, while hubby goes to work. I even joked about it to my friends and family who asked how I was celebrating my Valentine's day - I said, "May date kami ni Adam". I brought my son to the mall where we just walked around, did a bit of grocery shopping (which mostly consists of diapers and milk) and then we ate at McDonald's because Adam just loves their fries and spaghetti. And by late afternoon we were already at my parents' home.

Charlie came at around 9:30 PM, played a little with Adam before we finally were able to get him to sleep at around 10:30 PM. By 11:00 PM, Charlie and I were already in our apartment and I thought our day was over, without him even saying "Happy Valentine's Day". As we have been doing for quite a while now, we said our prayers together before sleeping and as I was about to lie down he said "Honey, pwede ba pakikuha mo naman ako ng T-shirt?", since I'm used to him wearing just boxers or pajama bottoms when he sleeps I asked "Bakit? Giniginaw ka ba?", which he then answered with a "Yes" and so I said "Gusto mo, patayin ko na lang yung aircon?" but he said "Hindi na, mag-T-shirt n lng ako" and then I remembered that there are a couple of his shirts that I haven't put in his cabinet and are still on top of the ironing board so I got up and took one and gave it to him, but he didn't want that shirt and came up with the flimsiest of reasons: "Gusto ko yung white lang, wag na yang de-color", to which I replied "E di ikaw na kumuha, ang arte mo naman pang-tulog lang namimili pa ng kulay". But he said "Ikaw na lang, please" so I went to the other room where his cabinet was located and upon opening the door I saw a dozen pink and red balloons with "Happy Valentines" written on them and on each ribbon tied to the balloon were small notes like: "Whenever you walk in the room, my heart bursts with pride" or "Everyday, I discover more reasons for me to love you"... etc.

Haay! I love you Mr. Charlie G. Yadao! Happy talaga ang Valentine's day basta were together!

~ ♥ ~

Today, despite all the problems I have recently discovered (which I will not discuss on this post since I want this to be a happy one), we had our flag raising ceremony and our boss talked about love during her message of the week. And then after our "short program" she treated us to a breakfast meal from McDonald's and greeted us a belated Happy Valentine's Day.

~ ♥ ~

Just a couple of minutes ago, a long lost friend and classmate from high school got in touch with me and invited me to join a reunion. I miss my high school friends and although I am not sure whether I'll be going to the reunion or not, I made a promise that we will get together really soon to catch up on all the kwento and goings on with our lives... There's going to be some major catching up!

Charles Adam

2010-02-01T11:44:00.000+08:00

The 26th of January marked my son's first birthday. It started out quite normal for me, I went to work as usual and thought I was just going to have food delivered when I get home that afternoon (I was going to go home early to be with my son) but my Dad had other plans pala. At around two in the afternoon, as I was already preparing to leave early, my Dad brought my son to the office. He said he thought that since it was Adam's birthday he should be with me, hehehe, mainipin si Lolo! Anyway, since he was already there, I just had food delivered to the office for a birthday treat cum "merienda" for some of my officemates. And then we went home at my usual time off.

January 29, Friday, I brought Adam to Kids' Hair Salon in Southmall, Las Piñas to have his first haircut.

At first, I said "wow, ang bait naman pala magpagupit ng baby ko", because he was really just his usual curious self. Slightly "malikot" but he was letting the hair-cutter do his job. He was even watching the Barney video they provided. And then after several minutes, he already lost interest in the video and started to get uneasy. I tried to divert his attention to the toy car that he was sitting on and I succeeded naman for about a minute or so and then he started fidgeting again. When I didn't carry him off the seat that he wanted to get out of, he started crying. Buti na lang the staff there were really patient and always ready for such situations. They gave him a lollipop and Adam calmed down again until his haircut was finished! After his haircut, he looked even more like his father (if that was possible) than before!

Then on January 30, Saturday at 4:30 in the afternoon, we had a small celebration for Adam's first birthday at McDonald's in Sucat, Palanyag. It was a fun affair that was shared by our relatives and close friends. There were also blunders like the video camera loosing its battery charge just at the start of the party (I checked it a couple of hours before the party and it was fully charged, the problem was I forgot to turn it off, thus...) and the fact that I forgot to have the tarpauline layout I made printed but aside from that, the kids and adults had fun, the food was ample and as usual, yummy and the appearance of the mascots were a hit! I'm still sorting through the pictures and video and should be able to upload them by the end of this week, for now, I am just so happy that I got to experience yet another parenthood milestone and am looking forward to experiencing more! Thanks to everyone who helped make my son's celebration a success!

All Set!

2010-01-25T10:04:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow is my son's first birthday! Here's a video of him trying to stay awake way past his bedtime:

He really is the happiness of my life!

Anyway, since his birthday falls of a weekday, we decided to throw the birthday party on Saturday, January 30. Everything is set... The invitations already distributed, the giveaways done and ready, the reservation for the party place, food and cake already paid for... we are just awaiting the big day! Of course, tomorrow, we're going to have a private celebration plus the much awaited first haircut for Adam (his bangs are always falling over his eyes). Happy Birthday baby! Mommy and Daddy loves you so much!

I Love You, Goodbye

2010-01-22T08:07:00.002+08:00

One of my best friends, Jaybee is leaving for the US on the 25th. He has been a constant in my life since 1998 so it really is going to be quite an adjustment to not see him at the office or go on night-outs and weekend gimmiks without him. But I am truly happy for him because he will be with his wife already. As a send-off we (several of his friends and officemates) treated him to a videoke bar. It was a lot of fun!

We will miss you Jaybee!

Neck-Deep

2010-01-13T08:49:00.000+08:00

Sleep-deprived and barely coping... that's how I would describe myself these past couple of days. Adam has been sick for almost a week now. We brought him to the doctor and was prescribed medication for Asthma (haaay! kawawa naman, my baby). What's different this time is, gone were the days when it was so easy for me to get Adam to take his medicines... I guess he just has had enough of it. He cries a lot and pushes away the meds. Even when I try to nebulize him, he gets cranky and throws a fit. Of course, even the shortest time of crying would cause him to cough even more and oftentimes he would throw up. He lost his appetite, even for milk. Now his weight is down and although he is beginning to start drinking milk again on a regular basis, he still gets cranky a lot. To make matters even worse, I've had to cope (and am still coping) with a lot of RUSH work at the office. And this is not even because I forgot a deadline or I was remiss in doing my job. I have been waiting and waiting for instructions and for approval of layouts and whatnot for days and now that the "event" is near, the "higher-ups" realize that they only a few days to come up with results. And of course, now they delegate me to deal with the "technicalities" and produce results in a snap. Aarrrgh! I am trying my best but I can only do so much... last night (or shall I say this morning, since I slept around 1:00 AM), I had the strangest "dream": I was neck-deep in what seemed like black "goo" which looked really yucky and garbage-filled. I was trying to come up but I was sinking. Good thing, I woke up because I was already in a state of panic. Weekend, I need you now!

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-05T14:28:00.000+08:00

2009 has been a series of ups and downs... an emotional roller coaster that is called life. Now, as we usher in 2010, my wish is that may this year be filled with learnings and more happy events, and if trials come our way, may we be strong enough to hurdle them. I cannot put into words the joy I experienced when I first saw my baby, Adam, January of 2009... now, as the anniversary of that day approaches, we will experience another first... his 1st Birthday! We are "all systems go" for his birthday party preps that's why we didn't exert that much effort during the new year's celebration... anyway, there's still "Chinese New Year" to look forward to. Here are some highlights of our Media Noche:

And here is Adam's first encounter with his paternal grandmother:

Since Nana, lives in Sinait, Ilocos Sur, and the last time she visited us here in Manila was December of 2008 (while I was still pregnant), this is the first time Adam and Nana saw each other. Adam was cranky the whole time and I'm really sorry that Nana wasn't able to see her only grandson's cheerful side.

Christmas, 2009

2009-12-28T16:08:00.000+08:00

However rushed our celebration of Christmas was, we still had a lot of fun! Several days before Christmas, I got sick and had to go on leave from work... I got the 48-hour bug and I when I was able to shake it off, my head was reeling from the medications and the fact that I still had a lot to do before Christmas Day comes. I wanted to make it really special since it was Adam's first.

Of course, the little boy was not able to wait until Christmas Day to open his and mommy's gifts!

And then on Christmas Day, he was dressed up and ready to go and hear mass when he messed up his clothes and so we had to change him again before leaving...

We spent almost the entire day at the mall... We bought him new rubber shoes (because all his rubber shoes don't fit him anymore) and a remote control toy car with lights and music which spins and spins and keeps the little boy quiet and entertained everytime his Dad plays with it. By the time we went home, Adam was already tired and ready for bed. All in all, it was a tiring yet happy celebration. Next up, New Year and the little boy's 1st Birthday celebration!

8 days to go `till Christmas!

2009-12-17T09:50:00.006+08:00

Initially, I was planning a 12 days of christmas countdown... an everyday posting of significant events leading to the day itself starting on the 12th of December which is my Mom's birthday. Needless to say, I didn't get to do that, because I got so wrapped up with the daily activities, coupled with the rush of the season. Anyway, I'll try to post as much as I can despite the increasingly long list of my errands and must-do's.

Like I've already mentioned, December 12 marked the 62nd birthday of my mom. We didn't get to do anything special that day because it was a workday. But my sister, Lynne, cooked carbonara and we just bought bread pan to go with it, hehehe... rush na e! I didn't even get to buy her a gift (slightly kapos sa budget, e) but I promised her a full supply of her medications (she has Parkinson's Disease) come pay day. Happy Birthday Mom!

Yesterday, "Simbang Gabi" started already... nope, I didn't get to attend the mass because hubby and I got home so late the night before, tending to Adam, that we were not able to wake up at the break of dawn.

The Christmas parties have already started... the other night (December 15), I got invited to attend the school custodians' Christmas Party and it was a blast! Thanks ate Cynthia and Grace for inviting me, I was laughing my heart out at the games you prepared, plus the food was delish!

Last night, I got to sneak in a bit of Christmas shopping after work. I went to the mall and bought something for the exchange gift for our office Christmas party tomorrow. I was going to have it wrapped there also but the line was super long that I decided against it. I also got to buy Adam's first baby toothbrush and a refill of his liquid soap. When Charlie came home from work, it turns out he also went to the mall (a different one) and bought Adam a polo shirt and hip-hop shorts, which he mistook for baby pants, hehehe!

Horsey-horsey

2009-12-08T12:30:00.004+08:00

Last weekend my dad made Adam a rocking horse.

Ok, so it doesn't look like a horse but to my son, it was! Iba talaga pag apo! To think that I was already contemplating on buying Adam a rocking horse... But of course, Lolo Dad said, you can't buy a rocking horse that's like the ones for sale before (before -- as in nung baby pa ako, nyahaha!), the plastic ones in the mall aren't that sturdy and may not be small enough for a 10-month-old baby. So my Dad bought wood on Saturday, and by Sunday... voila! Adam's very own horsey-horsey!

Everyday Battles

2009-12-02T11:33:00.001+08:00

I know everyone has their own problems and sufferings... I know that there are more people out there who are much more less fortunate that I am and I continuously pray for all of us that we be able to hurdle our obstacles and live through each day with hope in our hearts, but sometimes it just helps to rant. There are just limits to how much one person can take -- emotionally and physically -- and when that limit is reached, you either take a breather and then have another go at whatever it is you need to do or cry and vent out your feelings to prevent implosion.

All my life, I consider myself lucky, to have been blessed with parents and grandparents who has shown me affection and has given me everything that a growing girl needs (and more). As for me, I cannot truly say that I have been vocal in showing my appreciation for all the blessings that I received but believe me, I have always been thankful. I am generally a quiet person and often keeps to myself... sometimes this trait is mistaken for being a haughty or downright mean. If they only knew... I'm just not the type to make the first step... not the type to present myself to get noticed or get attention... I'm just a shy girl with all these ideas in my head that I'd rather share in writing or only when asked to. So even as a student I have excelled in individual projects -- ones that I can really sit with and contemplate about on my own and then apply my own ideas in. Not to say that I'm not a team-player because I can be that, also. It's just that I'm better working on my own. I guess I have brought this trait along with me as I grew older and matured to the woman that I am now. It may even be the reason for this blog... an outlet of my thoughts and ideas... of my raves and rants. In gradeschool it was a "diary" (a thick pink one with the "little twin stars" on the cover); in highschool, it was "journal" (a purple hard-bound notebook with loads of stickers and dried flowers on the cover and in the pages); in college it was an "organizer" (a red cloth covered one with inside pockets filled with pictures and calling cards and post-its); and then I took a rest for several years... no more "dear diary", no more "to do list", just the occassional post-it stuck on my mirror to remind me of a chore or a shopping list... now this. Anyway, I have gotten carried away and has babbled on and on... the point is...

I may not always be airing my views and opinions on every topic imaginable but it doesn't mean that I don't care about them. I may not always say out loud my thoughts on a subject being discussed but it definitely doesn't mean I don't want to be bothered with them... Sometimes, I just would rather listen... weigh things out in my mind first before forming an opinion. And besides I consider myself sensitive enough to know when to open my mouth and when to shut it. Granted I don't always have to consider other people's feelings first but more often than not I try not to vent directly to the person I disagree with at the heat of the moment for fear of saying something I will regret later and ultimately cannot take back. Sometimes I just want to keep quiet and let things take its natural course... So when people -- not really involved in the issue -- MEDDLE in affairs they know very little about and talk behind my back, it irritates me in the highest level! Don't they have more important things to do rather than to speculate and put words into my mouth?! Shouldn't they be minding their own business and settle their own affairs first before involving themselves in yet another problem -- one that they don't even have the slightest connection to, in the first place?!

We all have our everyday battles... some are trivial and some more complicated... but it's the decisions we make that make us the people that we are. It's the battles we choose to take that's important. And when we choose these battles, we should NEVER let it slip our minds that other people could be affected by our words and actions... because we live in a society where each one of us is one way or another linked to another person, either by choice or by chance. Because no man is an island. Because that's just the way it is.

Time flies...

2009-11-27T12:34:00.001+08:00

My son turned 10 months yesterday... as I was feeding him macaroni soup which my dad cooked, when I suddenly realized how big he has grown and how fast he continues to learn new things. In just two months he's going to be a year old! How time really flies...

It makes me really thankful... for his continuous good health... for each smile... for each giggle... for each hug... for his just being there... my baby boy.

At the same time it makes me also regretful of the times I don't get to spend with him... for the times he has to be taken to the doctor and I can't be the one to do that because I have to work. I hope he will grow up to know that everytime I am not with him, my heart aches... that if it were only possible that I stay with him every minute of every day, I would.

"I love you my baby boy!"

Credits: Dreaming of a Golden Night Add-On Kit by Fanette Design

What now?

2009-07-21T10:00:00.000+08:00

When I think about it, it never ceases to amaze me how sometimes we choose a certain path with a certain goal in mind but when we reach the end of that path life surprises us with a totally different venue that we often get confused and oftentimes disoriented. Before, I dealt differently with these "curve balls"... I used to punish myself by thinking about the choices I've made and dwelling on the "what ifs". Now, I just take things in stride and pray that I would have the strength and wisdom to overcome the obstacles that come my way. Recently, my mom was diagnosed with partial parkinson's disease. Anyone who has been reading this blog in the past months would know that my mom is the one who takes care of my son, Adam while go to work everyday... Last week was a battle... I had to go on leave for a week because although my brother could help me out with Adam, he is far from experienced with regards to diaper changing, giving a 5-month old baby a bath, etc. This week is a whole different battle -- yes, I'm back at work but my mind is constantly on the move as to how we could solve our problem with who would take care of my baby. It's fortunate that this week my sister is on a week-long leave and is able to take care of Adam but the weeks to come after this is still a big question mark! A nanny would be the perfect solution, of course, but hiring one isn't as easy as 1-2-3. These days, it really is quite hard to find a nanny with whom you would be able to trust enough to leave your kids with. (*SIGH*)

Post of the Month

2009-06-18T09:50:00.002+08:00

I guess I have to resign myself to having just one or two posts per month... I just haven't had the hang of balancing a career, being a housewife, being a mom to a four-month old baby, having a social life and maintaining a regularly updated blog. Anyway, this is my first and maybe last post for June...

A lot has happened and I wanted to blog about most of them but I guess the moment has passed me by that I cannot seem to put into words the details of what my complicated existence have been through for the past weeks... There's my son, Adam, turning four months and growing so big, so fast that now he doesn't fit anymore on the net which we normally use when bathing him so his Dad or my brother Allan would hold him in the baby tub while I bathe him.

And then there's the teambuilding seminar that I went to a week or so ago (where I took lots of pictures of but I can't seem to get around to organizing and uploading!) Then there's also the matter of promotion (Yey! Finally!) Now my thoughts are running faster again than my fingers could type so I better stop before I stop making sense and wait until I can post something again (hopefully more thought-cohesive, hehehe!).

Happenings

2009-05-18T14:12:00.000+08:00

I have been remiss at updating this blog lately mainly because I have to steal time away from work to be able to do so... and it's not easy to do that considering that I have tons to do and I don't have a clerk to help me. But aside from that, recently my 3-month old baby got sick. He had a cough and so I was attending to him most of the time. I had to nebulize him with normal saline solution (his pediatrician didn't want him to drink cough medicines at this early) every 6 hours for 5 days and so I was on leave. And to top it all, my sister Hazelle gave birth, so my mom who takes care of Adam when hubby and I go to work had to attend to her and her new baby, Francesca Louise. I had to extend my leave to care for my baby while my mom takes care of my sister and niece. Now I am back to work and have a mountain of tasks to accomplish! More details later... when I find more time to blog.

Three

2009-04-26T10:15:00.039+08:00

Today, Charlie and I are celebrating our third year anniversary as husband and wife. Today also happens to be the day our son, Adam is turning three months old. So hubby and I decided to make a simple celebration just for the three of us. Although hubby won't be home until 6pm tonight (he was asked to go to work today) we are definitely going to celebrate this double occassion. While Adam is sound asleep, I have already cleaned the house and I took out of hiding our best china. I double checked the ingredients for what I'm cooking for dinner (Tanigue Steak, Pork Asado and Chopsuey). Charlie promised to bring home a small cake for dessert to complete our candle-lit, homemade dinner. I can't help but smile as I am writing this because I keep thinking... "I hope all married couples are as happy as we are and as thankful for the blessings they are given." Yes, we have our share of problems and I cannot say our marriage is better than everybody else's but somehow we manage to rise above the trials and maintain a loving and giving relationship. Three years may be a short time compared to other marriages but so far so good and with the arrival of our baby, Adam, our love for one another has reached another level and has added a new height of bonding for us. So to you my wonderful, patient husband... Thank you so much for loving me and taking care of me and our son, I love you! Happy third wedding anniversary! And to my adorable son... Happy third month birthday! May you grow to be a God-fearing, happy person. I love you son!

April Celebrators

2009-04-16T13:27:00.000+08:00

April marks the birthday of two of my siblings:

14th - my brother Allan who turned 29 this year

that's my brother with his girlfriend, bevs.

and 15th - my sister Hazelle who turned 22.

That's my sister Hazelle with our dog, Muffy!

To both of you, Happy, Happy Birthday and I wish only the best for you... Loveyah both!

Adam's Baptism

2009-04-13T10:45:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, aside from being easter sunday, marked my son's entry to the Christian World. The ceremony was simple and shared with 5 other babies at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Parañaque. The reception was held at my parents home with the help of a caterer friend who gave us a huge discount and relatives who pitched in by providing the sound system and running errands for us. The invitations were a project I played with using photoshop and then had printed in a nearby photo developing outlet. I did several layouts and couldn't make my mind up which one to print for the final layout so I ended up having two different layouts for the invites:

I also made a layout for a tarpauline which I had printed for only 350 pesos:

Here are some of the pictures taken during the ceremony:

The food during the reception were: Beef with mushroom and young corn, mixed vegetables with shrimp, chicken lollipops, pork hamonado and buko pandan. My aunt cooked spicy shrimps to add to the viands layed out for the guests and I ordered a chocolate cake from Red Ribbon also to add color and sweetness to the mix.

The giveaways were miniature ceramic displays and glass pacifiers for the guests while the godparents received tumblers with Adam's photo in it with text saying "I am a proud godparent of Charles Adam"

And here's the new christian sound asleep after the ceremony:

To all our relatives and friends who were able to attend, Thanks so much!

Baby Talk

2009-04-01T15:28:00.000+08:00

I just wanted to share how my son and I "communicate". Here's one of our "conversations" during our alone-time last Saturday.

Multi-tasking Worked!

2009-03-31T09:42:00.028+08:00

For the past several days now, I have been cramming to accomplish several unrelated stuff: finishing preparations for my son's christening on Easter Sunday, filling-up numerous forms and compiling document requirements for my upcoming promotion () and filing for refund of the overpayment of a loan deducted from my salary. Now, I am happy to report that I have finally finished two of them and am now concentrating on putting on the finishing touches to my son's baptism preps. And here I thought doing all these at the same time is making things more difficult and longer to finish... At least now I only have a few more errands to run (finalizing the menu with the caterer, finishing the DIY giveaways and printing and distributing the invitations).

Meanwhile, Adam turned two months last March 26 and although we were not able to celebrate it like when he turn 1-month old, he definitely has grown bigger, heavier and stronger. He often coos, gurgles and sometimes even shouts at us when we are talking to him. He even chuckles once in a while now. It really is amazing how fast babies grow and develop!

Three Kings

2009-03-24T11:23:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday my cousin Levie had a celebration cum Thanksgiving for having passed the Nursing Board Exam (Congrats Levie!). It was also an opportunity for a family get-together and photo-ops. Since it was the first time that "the three kings" - that's what our relatives call my son and the sons of two of my cousins because they were born a month apart and they're all boys - got together, most the cameras were focused on them. Of course, the pictures included their mommies so here they are...

That's me and my baby Adam, my cousin Tin-tin and her son Ethan, and my cousin Erika with her son NC.

upper photo: us again, this time with Inang Chayong (our grandmother); lower photo: Me with Adam

and this is me again with my son.

Of the three, Ethan was born first (Dec. 4, 2008), then came my little Adam (Jan. 26, 2009) and then NC (Feb. 13, 2009). It was our Uncle Jim who coined the "Three Kings" bit. He even said Ethan was going to be called Mel (short for Melchor), Adam was to be Gas (short for Gaspar) and NC would be Bal (short for Baltazar). Of course only Uncle Jim calls them that, hehehe!

Back to Work

2009-03-20T10:03:00.000+08:00

Today is my first day at work after my 2-month maternity leave... so far, I have texted my mom twice inquiring about Adam and it's only a little past 9am (I left the house about 7:45am). Ganon yata talaga, hirap iwanan ang baby even when you know he's in good hands. Specially since a couple of days after he turned 1-month old saka pa naka-latch on ang baby ko so I have been mixed feeding him (breastfeeding in the afternoon and at night and bottle feeding in the morning) eversince. Anyway, to take my mind off Adam for a while (as if!) I have decided to update this blog and then concentrate on organizing the accumulated paperwork that I have to accomplish. Time seems so slow though when you want to be somewhere else...

Going Home

2009-03-03T11:40:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow, Adam and I are going home... Charlie has finally declared he has less overtime work from tomorrow onwards and so he'll have more time to bond with Adam when he gets home, that's why we have decided that it's about time we go home to our apartment. It will also serve as our practice for when I go back to work. The plan is that I will bring Adam to my parents house in the early morning before going to work and fetch him from there after office. I am crossing my fingers that this plan would work because we don't have a nanny for Adam yet.

My going home means even lesser updates for this blog because I would have to dedicate more time to Adam and my mom and sisters wouldn't be there to look after Adam while I go online. Besides, I only have a prepaid internet connection at home and I doubt I will remember to reload...

So to my readers (if there are any)... please bear with me and expect more updates from March 20 onwards because by that time I would be able to access my blog more often (during lunch and coffee breaks) at the office.

Adam turns 1 month old

2009-02-27T18:20:00.001+08:00

Time really flies when your having fun... Yesterday my baby is one month old. The fact that I already have a baby has hardly sunk in and yet here he is, my adorable little treasure. Next thing you know my maternity leave would expire and I would have to go back to work na... I still can't imagine leaving my precious baby every morning and not see him again until around 6pm but I know things will work out. So how did we celebrate Adam's 1st month? Well since hubby had overtime work, we celebrated it late at night - around 11pm na with just a simple late dinner and with hubby and I blowing a single candle on an icing-topped cupcake I bought earlier. (Too bad we don't have pictures kasi in all the excitement we forgot na).

~ * ~

Facts About Adam

He would always calm down (even during a loud cry) whenever I sing "The Alphabet Song" to him (only me, kasi my mom and sister tried singing it to him pero he kept on crying, hehehe!)
He can drink up to 3 ounces of milk every two hours now
He can already hold his two-ounce bottle while feeding
He becomes beet red when he cries or gets irritated
He smiles a lot during the early mornings specially after his 4am feeding and even coos at you when you talk to him

A Youre Adorable - Unknown

Halo-Halong Kwento

2009-02-18T13:29:00.004+08:00

Ok... so, a couple of days ago I was bragging about my son's smilestones and then the same day that that post was published we had a little scare with Adam. Around 8pm of Feb.16 as Charlie was carrying Adam, he noticed the little boy was looking up earnestly as if trying to follow something way beyond the reach of his line of vision and so his neck was slowly stiffening and his whole body bending because he was arching his back. Hubby and I thought he was just stretching or something and then when his eyes started to cross and no amount of calling him and trying to divert his attention was working we started to panic already. Buti na lang my parents were there... the next events were kinda blurry na basta before we got to the point of rushing him to the nearest hospital, Adam calmed down na and when we checked for his temperature it was only 37.4 naman so we just applied kool fever on his forehead and I called his pediatrician to ask if we should give him something. Dr. Ong replied naman that we should just monitor his fever and give him paracetamol drops (0.3 ml) every 4 hours until his temperature goes down to normal. And so hubby and I together with my parents started our vigil with the little boy. His normal demands for feeding wasn't there and so we had to wake him up every 3 hours pa for his milk pero he would feed heartily naman when offered. Buti na lang dito pa kami sa parents ko, otherwise Charlie and I wouldn't have known what to do. Now the little boy is back to normal, feeding every two hours nanaman instead of three...

~ * ~

On a lighter note... I was fortunate enough to have been included in the top 20 list of the "My Shopaholic Confession" post for Nuffnang, unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the awarding because Adam was sick nga... but anyways, congratulations to all the winners and I hope you had fun... I'll just have to watch the movie with hubby later.

~ * ~

Have you noticed how hot the weather is getting lately? Anyways, I was thinking sana of a garden venue for Adam's baptism reception pero if the weather is going to be hotter than this by March, I'd have to scratch that plan and go with an airconditioned venue instead. I have started making the layout for the invitations already and I already know what the giveaways would be... The list of Ninongs and Ninangs is incomplete pa (di pa decided si hubby dun sa final list nya kasi!) but we have already inquired sa church and we're just awaiting the release of his birth certificate on the 28th.

Smilestones

2009-02-16T18:07:00.000+08:00

These past few days has been a flurry of events making it uber difficult for me to find time to sit still and write about it here, but let me try to recap some of them as best as i can:

Feb. 8 was the day Adam's belly button stump fell off and so the next day, I was able to give him a full bath. Slightly scary for me because it's a first but we were able to conquer that challenge quite well naman with the help of my sister, Hazelle. Also, the same day I gave my baby boy his first full bath (Feb. 9) I was able to clip his nails for the first time. But I still put mittens on his hands until now kasi his nails are still quite sharp and I don't want him to scratch his face.

Feb. 14 was Adam's first trip to his Pediatrician. Yes, Valentine's day, I had a date with my son to his pedia. Dr. Ong was so surprised to see Adam again (he's my boy's pedia na kasi when I gave birth). His first question was "what have you been feeding him?" Ha?! As if I could feed him anything but milk na... It wasn't super obvious to me kasi how my son has grown in the past 3 weeks because he's with me everytime but for someone like his Pedia who hasn't seen him since he was 3 days old, Adam's growth is more pronounced. My baby now weighs 8.9 lbs. and has grown to 52 cm. in length. "Very good!" according to Dr. Ong. Wow, buti naman my baby's growing well... my only frustration is that I am not able to breastfeed him. I give him milk that I pump from my breasts once a day lang kasi I only get a couple of ounces of milk from me tapos the rest of the day I feed him milk formula na that was initially given to him in the hospital. Anyway, it's the first time Charlie and I didn't celebrate Valentine's Day with a date or special home-cooked dinner man lang but he still gave me a cute flower arrangement with a teddy bear naman when he came home from work.

Feb. 15 was the day my nephew Ethan Lebron E. Mediante was baptized and so it was the first time Adam was able to attend a family gathering. Actually, hesitant pa ako to bring Adam kasi nga di pa siya nabinyagan but my cousins and Aunts were insistent that I bring Charles Adam to Ethan's baptism since the reception naman is going to be at my Aunt's house so Adam isn't really making unnecessary gala.

Anyways, Adam was quite a good boy sa mga "outings" namin. Unfortunately, he was specially cranky the past couple of nights kasi he was asleep the whole day. Everytime we are in the car kasi kahit di pa time for him to sleep, he falls asleep na so pagdating sa house ayaw na niya mag-sleep. Hay naku after his pedia visit 4am na kami nakatulog kasi iyak siya ng iyak. Tapos last night naman 3am na kasi ganun din... he doesn't want to sleep yet. Buti na lang ngayon dito lang kami sa haws kaso naman super init today so he's making a bit of a fuss din. Sana lang di na siya irritable later.

Sleepless in Sucat

2009-02-08T10:26:00.033+08:00

Adam is now 13 days old and we have been staying at my parents house eversince we came home from the hospital. I have heard warnings and all kinds of advice about the sleeping habits of a newborn but I didn't really think much about it until now... It really does take a toll on you after several days... the erratic sleeping habits of your newborn, I mean. Most of the time, mornings and afternoons are peaceful enough and are quite manageable but its the late nights and early mornings that are quite taxing. I mean, just when you think he's finally going back to sleep, he fusses again or demands another feeding. Oh, but I'm not complaining though, I am totally ok with this if only to see my little boy smile or hear him coo...

I have also learned to heed the advice of most mothers to take advantage of his sleeping time and make it an opportunity to catch up on some Zzzs myself. I also try to stay vigilant in the late evenings and early mornings when Adam oftentimes make a fuss because I don't want to disturb my mom and dad so much and wake them unneccesarily. But that's also a challenge since my Dad is super in love with Adam (my dad calls him "Tutoy") and every tiny noise Adam makes would cause my Dad to pick him up or tell me to feed him even when I know he's still full, hehehe, grandparents talaga!

My Shopaholic Confession

2009-02-07T11:37:00.027+08:00

Hi! My name is Heidi and I'm a Shopaholic!

I have always been a bit out of control when it comes to spending time and money whenever I get near a mall or even the remotest of "tiangges" but I really thought I have been cured of this "addiction". But I was mistaken! It seems, my recent giving birth has just elevated my being a shopaholic to a new level. If before, my shopping tendencies were just limited to trinkets and the occassional expensive, branded, items for myself... now, I have discovered a different kind of happiness whenever I buy something new for my adorable baby boy! And just like most mothers out there, I wouldn't settle for just the "ok" stuff... I browse the shelves and display cabinets for the best (which are almost always the most expensive) baby things and don't even think twice as to how big a dent it's going to make on my budget or if my baby already has it in a different color. All I can think about is... no, wait... I don't think much when I'm shopping for little Adam, I just say "oh isn't this cute" or "this would be perfect for Adam" and buy, buy, buy!

And then of course, the minute I got home my mom made just one comment and I was brought back to reality... That most of the stuff I bought, my son doesn't really need... they're just darn cute... that I probably wouldn't be able to pay for my purchases (I used my credit card when I ran out of cash, which wasn't very long after I filled up my cart with baby things) until my son celebrates his first birthday... that I still have a lot more important stuff I should have spent the money on! This made me think of an upcoming movie adapted from a book I read a year or so ago... Confessions of a Shopaholic. Hmmm... hubby and I will have to make it a movie date and see this movie if only to see my shortcomings from a different perspective and maybe... just maybe I'll be cured.

Catch "Confessions of a Shopaholic" in Cinemas on February 18, 2009!

Happy Family

2009-02-02T10:53:00.039+08:00

I just can't get over the fact that I'm a mom now... I mean I should have been getting used to the idea since I was carrying a huge belly for several months before Adam arrived but it really doesn't hit you until you see your baby face to face and get to experience his day to day activities. Granted a week-old baby doesn't have that much activity to talk about but its the everyday experience of being with him and seeing him open his eyes or smile in his sleep or cry or even the mundane tasks of changing his diapers or giving him milk that would really make one realize... I'm a mom!

Anyway, here are more pictures of us at the hospital:

...as we were about to go home from the hospital:

...and our first days at home (my parents' home):

Indeed, I can say that Charlie and I now have a happy family... despite his protests that he would be happier with a couple more kids! Ngek! The memory of labor pains are still too fresh to even think that I would go through all that again... Yes, Charles Adam is worth all that, but for now... This happy family is content.

Labor Day

2009-01-30T12:07:00.004+08:00

Yes, "Labor Day" for me has come and gone... and although a 30-page, single-spaced, back-to-back account of that day wouldn't do it justice, I will try to impart to you the shortest version possible:

Around 12:30 AM of January 26, I woke up feeling uneasy... I stood up and went to the bathroom several times but I couldn't pinpoint what I wanted to do. I didn't feel like I was going to pee or poop so I lied down again but couldn't go back to sleep so I texted Charlie "Honey, manganganak na yata ako" around 2:15 AM (I was staying at my parents' house at that time because Charlie was scared that I would be alone when the time comes) but I guess Charlie was fast asleep at that time and I wasn't sure whether I was going into labor already so I just kept quiet and closed my eyes trying my hardest to sleep. I guess I succeeded to get some shut-eye because the next thing I remember was waking up at around 6am feeling wet and sweaty. When I stood up I felt fluids trickling down my legs already and so I called my sisters who were having breakfast at that time and when they saw me standing frozen by the doorway of the bedroom they went on panic mode and called my Dad and Mom... next thing I knew I was cleaned up, dressed and in the car on the way to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at around 8:30 AM and I was immediately admitted to the Delivery Room because I already had an admission note from my OB. The rest of the day was a haze of coming and going of nurses, doctors and the feeling of pain and being tired. I was only 3cm and continued to be so until around 2pm so my OB decided to give me oxytocin to help and antibiotics before that because my water bag broke already making me and the baby prone to infections. By 6pm I was already 6cm but the baby was still "floating" and was yet to descend. I was then transferred to a Delivery Table and was given an epidural for the pain and was nebulized to prevent an asthma attack. By 8:45pm I was already 8cm and Adam went down a little but I heard my OB say she wants to talk to my hubby and Mom making me a bit nervous. I knew something was wrong and so I asked the resident beside me if it was going to take long before I gave birth and she said the baby was still a bit "high" and there were times when his heartbeat was going down. This prompted me to talk out loud to my baby... I said "Adam, please go down na... they're all waiting for you na..." By 9pm I when the second shot of "pain reliever" wore off and the Anesthesiologist was administering the third shot I felt an accumulation of saliva in my mouth and before I knew it, I threw up right then and there. The nurses and doctors were as surprised as I was (but I guess the pain and lack of food since early that morning just had to take it's toll on me) and next thing I knew they were asking me to push as hard as I can when the contactions come while a couple of the residents/nurses were helping out (pushing down on my tummy).... After a several tries I felt my baby come out and I heard his cry.... Charles Adam E. Yadao made his debut at 9:44pm of January 26, 2009 at the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital.

Still...

2009-01-25T09:47:00.005+08:00

To everyone who has been wondering whether "Labor Day" has come and gone for me, well... it hasn't! I am still awaiting Adam's arrival until now. Meanwhile, I have organized and re-organized stuff around the apartment, cleaned until there isn't a speck of dust, watched TV until my eyes are tired and thought out every scenario of when and how I'm going to have this baby. It's hard pala when you're this bored... specially for me, because I have always lacked the patience to wait! Now, I'm at my parents' house. Charlie has finally put his foot down and said I should not exhaust myself too much and just wait patiently for when Adam is ready and willing to come out. He has a point, I mean all these complaining and re-arranging of whatever I get my hands on isn't going to help... Besides hubby would at least have his piece of mind while he's at the office, now that I'm here where there would be lots of people who could call him and bring me to the hospital when the time comes. My youngest sister promised Charlie she would accompany me to long walks every afternoon (after school) to hasten Adam's descent.

Yesterday's checkup and ultrasound (yes another one!) resulted to just like the one I had a week before... still 2cm... and Adam's still 7 lbs. (which is making me worry even more if I'm going to be able to deliver normally) My next checkup is scheduled for the 27th and I am hoping that by then there would be a development that would lead to my giving birth na!

Anyway, to keep my mind off all that, my neice Marian has been a constant source of entertainment. I mean looking at the pictures below, wouldn't you get entertained as well?!

Strawberry Jelly

2009-01-23T15:12:00.000+08:00

One of my absolute favorite desserts... That's why even though I don't often eat at Karate Kid, I still pass by their store just so I could hoard these!

The Waiting Game

2009-01-20T14:57:00.002+08:00

It's more tedious pala to wait to go on labor when you're on leave na... My maternity leave started yesterday and after accomplishing the remaining stuff to do on my list before I go on labor... now I am getting bored... waiting... I have flipped through channels until my eyes are blurry na. Last check-up (January 17) my OB said Adam's still too high and I was only 2cm...

Wanted: Nanny

2009-01-17T06:15:00.000+08:00

Last night hubby and I found out that his cousing who we were expecting to come and live with us next week to help out with the coming of Adam isn't coming anymore. I don't want to elaborate on her reasons for not coming because that's her problem... But now, she gave us a problem. All the while, I was thinking I'm lucky that I don't have to worry about hiring a stranger to act as nanny to Adam when I go back to work after my 60-day maternity leave, but now I'm at a loss as to what I'm going to do. I'm very meticulous when it comes to running my household and so I'm not very keen on hiring a house help. Specially before... It was only Charlie and I who lives in our apartment and we do most of the house chores ourselves. Of course, it's going to be different now that we will be having a baby. We can't afford for one of us to stop working yet because we're still making payments to a house we bought last year. We haven't even started improvements on that house yet (which, naturally, will bring about more expenses) because we're still saving for that. Hmmm... now I have to figure out something that will iron out the creases in my now crumpled plan!

Hiring a nanny is the only option I have now, but I don't even know how to start or how to go about finding one. Plus there is the stranger factor... I mean it's hard enough to entrust your baby to a relative while you go to work, it's triple hard pa to do so with a total stranger! I mean, if I find one in an agency, am I assured that that person would be less likely to run off with my baby? Gosh, am I paranoid or what?

Anyway, I couldn't sleep last night thinking of what to do and now I'm typing away, early in the morning... fooling myself into thinking that if I write about it, if I voice out my concerns, a lightbulb will eventually light up and I will find the "great" solution to my dilemma... But that's just wishful thinking... Now I have to first shut up about it and think hard. Besides, I have a schedule for a check-up today. I don't want to look stressed when I go to my OB.

Yesterday's Lunch

2009-01-16T10:48:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, we had an office affair, and for lack of what to post today for my weekly meme, I am posting pictures of what I had for lunch during our conference hall blessing.

that's rice, veggies and quail eggs, beef with brocolli, and lechon

and this is chicken-macaroni salad and some of the stuff found in the salad bar like cheese, quail eggs, turnips and corn... I wasn't able to create a more elaborate salad side plate because the queue was long and I wanted to sit and eat already, hehehe!

Office Affair

2009-01-15T13:09:00.002+08:00

Today, our newly renovated conference hall was blessed in time with our superintendent's 64th birthday celebration. Here are some of the event's highlights I was able to capture...

Baby Things Update

2009-01-14T09:28:00.006+08:00

A couple of months back, I posted something about the list of things I would buy for my baby... now, a few days before my due date I have yet to buy all the things written in that list but I just don't want to go overboard (like I usually do) shopping and then end up not needing nor using some of the stuff I purchase. My mom said I could always shop for more baby stuff when our little Adam arrives. So anyway, here are the stuff I have bought so far...

Clothes

~~5 undershirts or onesies~~
~~2 blanket sleepers~~
~~3 pairs of socks or booties~~
~~5 pajama stretchsuits~~
1-2 dress up outfits
~~1 h~~at
~~1 sweater~~

Bedding

bassinet or ~~crib~~
baby mattress ~ i bought a couple of comforters instead
~~sheets~~

Breastfeeding

3 nursing bras ~ i only have one... am still waiting for the two i ordered from a friend
~~pillow to support baby~~
breast pump
1 box of breast pads
nipple cream (lanolin based)
~~loose shirts or button downs for me (easier for nursing)~~

Changing

~~diapers~~
baby lotion
~~baby wipes~~
diaper rash ointment
~~toys to distract the baby~~
changing mat
tissues
~~dirty diaper bin or bucket~~

For Going Out

diaper bag/backpack
baby carrier/stroller
~~diapers~~
~~travel-size tissues~~
~~baby wipes~~
~~plastic bag for dirty diapers~~

While waiting for my doctor during one of my check-ups a med rep gave me a free digital thermometer so I'm counting that as one of the baby needs that I could cross-out the list also... so mommies out there, am I all set for the big day? Or do I have to run to the mall to get something essential before my baby arrives?

Burst of Energy

2009-01-13T09:51:00.002+08:00

In the past couple of weeks I have often felt tired and unable to accomplish much. Sad to say I have been whining most of the time about the hardships of pregnancy and the complications of having an asthma while being pregnant. But lately (as in yesterday lang and so far, today!) I have been feeling this surge of energy that has prompted me to accomplish tasks I have been longing to do for about a month now but have always put off for a number of reasons. Hmmm... let me see... Yesterday, after my checkup and BPS, I have gone to the offices of PhilHealth in Manila and updated my account (in preparation for giving birth); upon arriving home at around two in the afternoon, I didn't feel tired at all and decided to re-organize our clothes that has piled on top of the spare mattress in the other bedroom after a couple of laundry days and I didn't get to fold and put in place; and then still feeling a perky, I cooked adobo and fried rice which hubby and I ate for dinner! Wow, it might not sound like a lot for others but I tell you, the way I have been lazing about these past weeks... that's quite a lot for me! And now, here at work I have already finished filing records brought down from the different departments and I'm preparing several written instructions for whoever is going to substitute me during my maternity leave which will start next week. Hay... it feels good to be able to accomplish so much in just a matter of hours... it makes me feel more ready to tackle the next challenge that would come my way (and when I say challenge, I mean the anticipation of giving birth!). Also, it takes my mind off the fact that any minute now... you know!

Picture Updates

2009-01-06T14:30:00.004+08:00

I just don't have the time nor the energy to write anything these days...

So to make up for the lack of words, here are some of the pictures I took or of me taken during the holidays...

this one was taken during the school custodians' Christmas party last Dec. 16

this was right before our office Christmas party started

this is my cutie pie niece - Marian - showing us her antics day after christmas

and here is Marian again with my hubby, Charlie.

Here I am posing beside Adam's crib which we set up new year's eve

And here's a closer look at the crib.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T22:17:00.003+08:00

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

2008-12-30T12:30:00.000+08:00

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

2008-12-29T16:02:00.003+08:00

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

2008-12-26T14:40:00.000+08:00

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!

2008-12-25T13:03:00.000+08:00

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!

2008-12-17T13:52:00.002+08:00

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

2008-12-16T23:56:00.001+08:00

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

2008-12-15T13:17:00.007+08:00

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!

2008-12-15T10:51:00.004+08:00

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

2008-12-04T14:26:00.003+08:00

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

2008-12-03T11:15:00.003+08:00

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

2008-12-02T09:49:00.005+08:00

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

Stay You

2008-11-29T15:32:00.001+08:00

Hubby and I were on our way to the Doctor last Saturday when this came on the taxi radio...

Stay You - Wood

STAY YOU
Wood

I love the way you speak
And I love the way you swear
I love the way you walk around with your head held in the air
I love the way your words move
And I love the way you drive
I love the way you're scared of people scared to be alive

Stay - stay you that's the toughest thing to do [x 2]

I love the way you dress upon a Saturday night
I love the way you never speak until it feels just right
I love the way you're spending all your money on yourself
I love the way you answer the phone and pretend you're somebody else

Stay - stay you that's the toughest thing to do

And now I don't want to talk about the things you overcame
By dragging up the past I'll put you through it all again
I've got the greatest admiration for the way that you got through it
Couldn't ask nobody else to do it better than you do it

Stay - stay you .......

~ * ~

He was lipsync-ing like crazy with matching action as if he was singing the song to me with feelings! Nyahaha! I saw the taxi driver smiling while glancing at us in the rear view mirror. Hay! One of the moments Charlie, once again, shows his comedic side... but it was touching nonetheless. I love the song!

P.S. Details of the doctor's visit to follow really soon... I just have a lot on my to do list now that I can't seem to sit still long enough and compose my thoughts and produce a post containing one cohesive thought!

Cheese Popcorn

2008-11-28T23:47:00.000+08:00

Today, right after I got off from work, I went straight to the nearest mall... Quickly bought groceries for the following week and then bought this:

A bucket of cheese popcorn from popperoo!

Hubby and I made tonight a movie night and watched the DVD of Stephen King's "The Shawshank Redemption". I know it's an old film already but hubby has yet to watch it and since an officemate of mine lent it to me for the weekend, we decided to make a movie night of it. Of course by the end of the movie our hands were orangy yellow from the cheese flavoring of the popcorn and it was already time for an uber late dinner but it was fun. It's been a while since Charlie and I went out to watch a movie but this is better. We get to kick off our shoes and put our feet up and cuddle while watching the movie. We must do this again soon!

Momdot.Com

2008-11-27T12:06:00.001+08:00

MomDot is a mom blog listing site that is run by mommy bloggers, trisha, alicia, and bridgette.They run contests weekly, reviews on awesome (and not so awesome) products for family and kids, and talk about their lives. But more importantly, they feature bloggers and mom boutiques to give them an avenue to get thier name out there, also assisting in google links! You can head out and list your blog for free and talk to them about doing an interview about you. Head on over and see what MomDot is about!

Charlie Bit Me!

2008-11-26T14:16:00.003+08:00

No my husband did not bite me... I was bloghopping and dropping ECs when I happened to see this...

I just couldn't resist to share it here as well... just in case, you're like me who isn't one of the thousands who has seen it already on youtube!

The Year I Was Born

2008-11-24T14:10:00.002+08:00

I was tagged by Ann... Thanks girl!

In 1974 (the year you were born)

Gerald Ford becomes president of the US

Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run to beat Babe Ruth's record

Impeachment hearings are opened against President Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee

President Nixon resigns

President Gerald Ford issues an unconditional pardon to ex-President Nixon for all federal crimes

Muhammad Ali knocks out George Foreman in the eighth round to regain the heavyweight crown in Zaire

Heiress Patty Hearst is kidnapped by and eventually joins the Symbionese Liberation Army

Dungeons & Dragons officially released

People magazine is published for the first time

Kate Moss, Alyson Hannigan, Penelope Cruz, Alanis Morissette, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ryan Seacrest are born

Oakland Athletics win the World Series

Miami Dolphins win Superbowl VIII

Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup

Blazing Saddles is the top grossing film

All the President's Men by Bernstein and Woodward is published

"Killing Me Softly With His Song" wins Grammy for song of the year

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

JODY - 1977; (your name - birth year)
JOANNE - 1980
GRACIE - 1978
MANDY - 1975
NIKKI - 1979
ANN -1977
HEIDI - 1974

I'm passing the tag on to AidiSan and Maeyo

Weak-end

2008-11-17T10:44:00.004+08:00

Saturday, 11.15.08

Spent the whole day at home. Charlie went on leave from work and my youngest sister slept over so we all just ordered food from a nearby fastfood and watched DVDs until the early part of the afternoon. By around 3pm my brother came over to fix my PC (which has been on the blink since last month) and we all just lazed around, listening to music while waiting for the re-formatting of my PC to be done. Way to start the weekend, right? Sitting around, watching tv for the early part of the day and then lying around just sound tripping the rest of the afternoon? Hahaha... I just feel so weak.... I don't even feel like cooking.

~ * ~

Sunday, 11.16.08

I finished a couple of layouts for my baby shower invitations... I am still not decided on the exact date yet (but I'm leaning towards the 12th of December) so I didn't print it out. Plus my guest list is still unfinished so...

~ * ~

Today, 11.17.08

It took me a long time before I became fully awake and ready to get out of bed... I feel so sleepy. I didn't feel like going to work and had to drag myself to the bathroom to wake myself up with a shower. I feel so lazy. But I have to finish several tasks at the office before the personnel audit so...

The Sound of Life

2008-11-15T09:05:00.001+08:00

I woke up this morning to this:

The Sound Of Life - Jose Mari Chan

Can you hear the sound of life
Heard in the laughter of children at play
Can you hear the sound of voices sing
Feel the magic and joy they bring

Can you hear the laughter
Can you hear the music
Sing with your heart
It's the song of life

Can you hear it, can you feel it
It's the magic in your heart
It's the music, the sound of life

Can you hear the christmas bells ring
And the sound of the carolers too
Can you hear the message far and near
Merry Christmas, the Lord is here

Can you hear the laughter
Can you hear the music
Sing with your heart
It's the song of life

Can you hear it, can you feel it
Sing the message loud and clear
Merry Christmas, the Lord is here

Lalala...

Can you hear the laughter
Can you hear the music
Sing with your heart
It's the song of life

Can you hear it, can you feel it
It's the magic in your heart
It's the music, the sound of life

The sound of life... oh

Can you hear the message far and near
Merry Christmas, the Lord is here

Can you hear the laughter
Can you hear the music
Sing with your heart
It's the song of life

Can you hear it, can you feel it
Sing the message loud and clear
Merry Christmas, the Lord is here!

Wow, ilang days na lang pasko na...

Hot Pandesal & Cold Milk

2008-11-14T10:08:00.000+08:00

This was my late merienda yesterday as I was so hungry already when I got home from work but have yet to make dinner... I said to myself, dinner would be late anyway (hubby has overtime work so he would be coming home late) so I would have space to spare for a quick merienda. I ran to a nearby bakery and found newly baked pandesal so I bought some and just spread butter and liver spread in them as filling and washed them down with a tall glass of cold milk. Hmmm.... quite satisfying. In fact I was still a bit full by the time hubby came home so I wasn't able to eat as much of our pork adobo dinner, hehehe!

Swamped!

2008-11-11T16:59:00.000+08:00

I'ts good that I get to blog now... I have been waiting for the opportunity to do so since this morning. I have been buried in paperwork and other work stuff because I had to go on leave yesterday for a checkup.

~ * ~

Yesterday's checkup was an advanced one... I decided to go early this month because my scheduled checkup on the 21st will coincide with a personnel audit at the office so I cannot go on leave then. What was surprising about my visit to the doctor was that I found out that I lost 2 pounds! What?! I couldn't believe it... I have been pigging out on whatever food strikes my fancy these days and yet I lost 2 lbs.? Anyway, my OB says it's no cause for alarm as long as the baby's fine and I am eating healthy. It's just that my blood pressure is still stuck at 90/60. Plus, despite my calcium supplement intake, I am still getting cramps. Haay! just a little less than 3 months to go and all these would pay off... I am just focusing on the wonderful fact that I am going to say our baby soon.

~ * ~

The tentative date for my baby shower has been set to December 12. It's my mom's birthday but she says it's as good a time as any to hold the small party so it wouldn't coincide with Christmas Parties of the attendees. I was actually thinking of holding it on January but my sisters said it would be better to have it next month so I could start ticking off possible gifts for the baby and buy the rest of the baby needs after the shower. Makes sense...

~ * ~

Finally, my office is going to get the attention it needs from maintenance this week, hmmp! If the Personnel Audit wasn't scheduled for the 21st, I'm sure I would be waiting until next year pa for the much needed light fixtures maintenance and the installation of a new airconditioning unit!