Cutty

We celebrated Javi's birthday a couple of days ago.  But unlike his other birthdays, this one seemed more special.  He now understands that birthdays are quite different from all other days because gifts are given, cake candles are blown, and special meals are shared. Very early that morning, I took him gift-shopping.  We were at Toys R Us as soon as the mall opened.  It was Jollibee spaghetti, his favorite, for lunch.  Then pancakes, his 2nd favorite, for dinner.  When I asked him if he liked his pancake, he said, "I loved it, Ma" spoken like a true cartoon-junkie. After dinner, on our way back to the car, he kept saying, "Ma, birthday ko."  As if the idea is still sinking in. When we arrived home, I had a chocolate cake waiting for all us.  Yep, that's another favorite.  We patiently waited for him to blow the candles until Kuya decided to help out Javi.  We had the customary family shot.  Unfortunately, at this stage, we ca...

When Javi's full-time nanny went back to her hometown for her son's graduation, Javi and I spent a lot of time together. It was during that week that I noticed some changes in him. He walks more confidently since Vic and I can't run after him all the time. We let him roam around our room. He got some bumps and bruises but they all healed eventually. He can call on almost everyone in our household. He can already call on Daddy and his Aya ( Kuya Johann, though we're not Chinese). I think this is because we let them play together as opposed to the yaya who just lets him play by himself. He can also name what he wants. He added a few more words to his vocabulary like water, truck, bus, jeep, bike, toy, book and others I can't remember. I also noticed that he likes repetitive words. I never realized that he acquired so much of the traits of the yaya and how much she has stunted his development. I am not sure if it is laziness and lack of imagination or ini...

I couldn't say sweeter. But, this second delivery was definitely less troublesome than the first one. The November 8 timeline 3:28 AM: I started having contractions. I felt it in the "puson" area extending to my lower back. I went back to sleep to see if it will progress. 3:38 AM: I felt it again. I was hesitant to go to the hospital because I felt the same thing with Johann. I had contractions at around the same time but it stopped after a few hours. 4:15 AM: Left the QC house to drop off Johann at the Pasig residence. Johann was awake the whole drive. I counted around 3 contractions on the way to the hospital. They were at 7-minute intervals. 5:00 AM: Arrival at The Medical City. I proceeded to the Pre-labor room for examination. I was already 5cms dilated. The pain was still bearable. My water hasn't broken yet, still no bloody show. I was also hooked up to the baby monitor for contractions. Apparently, I was to be admitted because I am already in...

Proudly presenting the new addition to the family Nov 8, 2008 9:50 AM 6 lbs 13 oz Does he look like Kuya or what?  Here is Johann when he was born a year ago.

Yes, only one more week to go till I go under the knife. For now, we are waiting for more consistent labor pains. As per my weekly check-up, my baby has made his way lower into the birth canal. However, the opening is still firmly shut. I may be several days away from the actual delivery. It is actually a good thing since Vic's project (The Crib) is far from finished. I am still experiencing discomfort. Lower back pains and contractions are more frequent now. Getting up from bed is still the most difficult thing to do. I have less leg cramps, though. At present, I am more concerned about our first-born. He always looks for Mama when he wakes up in the middle of the night. I have already made arrangements for his stay when the time comes. We are hoping that he will not have a hard time adjusting to his new sleeping companions. Before I forget, Baby #2 has a name already. The in-laws are still "requesting" to include my husband's name, which happens to be my F...

When I found out that there is still another balikbayan box waiting to be filled up, I quickly went online to check out some stuff that I'd like to be shipped back here. Shopping in the US has always been a pleasure. There are so many name-brand items that one could get for a fraction of the what we pay here. I wish it were that easy. Browsing is the fun part. However, since I am using an internationally-issued credit card, I am having a hard time purchasing what I like. Most online shops only accept cards with US billing addresses. They don't care if you are shipping items to a US address. I found several online shops that do accept non-US bank cards but they end up canceling the order if they can't contact the card-holder. Do they really exert that much effort to make a sale? I thought owning a Paypal account would make it easier. Apparently, the shops I had in mind do not accept Paypal . Anyway, I've made several purchases. I've gotten additional stuff...

This morning I woke up thinking that it is THE time. I've had non-stop dysmenorrhea -like pain in my abdomen. It extended to my lower back. I called up my mother to ask if I should take any meds for the pain. I was told that I may be experiencing labor pains already. Hmmm . That got me nervous, to say the least. Mother, on the other hand, got all excited. She already called in our room reservation. There are still so many things to be done. I still don't have a second name. Besides, Vic still has cough and the sniffles. Johann has the same. My mother dropped by to examine her patient. Verdict: Baby #2 is not yet ready to come out. The pain has stopped and there was no bloody-show. The cervix is still sealed shut. At least, the contractions have started. We may still have a few days. My other OB suspects that I may give birth on Nov 1. ---------------- Good news: I called up the hospital this afternoon. The Lamaze room may be used. The patient will just ha...

My group, the ACS, is back from their three-week North Am tour. This means that we are back to the old grind. Just this evening, we already faced our first audience at the Rockwell tent. The event, entitled Flavors of Spain, catered to the Spanish community in the Philippines. The event aims to promote tourism in the Philippines and Spain. Wines, cold cuts and cheeses from Spain over-flowed. I was very fortunate to taste the famous Jamon Iberico. Due to my current condition, I had to limit my intake of the smoked meat varieties and wines. Cocktails and dessert were provided by Bizu. Entertainment was provided by our choir and the famous Carla Ramona and her Flamenco dancers. The highlight of the affair was the free trip to Madrid c/o KLM. I would've gotten the chance to join the raffle if I brought a business card with me. Several lucky individuals got free stays at the Fuego hotels, travel luggage from Rudy Project and the Travel Club, and gift bags from Clarins. Seen ...

Walking around is so difficult nowadays. It seems that every time I take a step, I get the urge to pee. Every stride I make engages the baby's head deeper into my crotch. Ouch! Did I feel this way when I was carrying Johann at 38 weeks? I hope this discomfort will make this second delivery more bearable. Baby #2, on the other hand, is quite inconsistent. There were days when he is enjoying his time inside mommy. He would kick and stretch out his limbs several times. There were days when he is not as hyper-active. He is quite familiar with Kuya Johann's loud voice. His going home outfit is ready. He has brand new supplies coming in a few days. He already has a name, by the way. But, I am not satisfied. I still want a second name that Vic and I both favor. They say that most moms are more nervous about giving birth for the second time. I feel the same way. At this point, I have done minimal reading on the stages of labor and delivery. Getting too much information ...

In less than five weeks, we'll have a new baby in our arms. My list of things to do seems never-ending. Apart from the fatigue, dizziness and immobility that result from my condition, I am feeling excited, more than anything. I can't wait to see how Johann will react once he sees his new brother. I can't imagine how Vic and I will share the load of taking care of two children, both below two-years-old. I can't begin to imagine how I will cope with breast-feeding this time around. Lastly (and definitely the least important), I can't wait to get into my pre-pregnancy clothes and shoes. I've been neglecting them for too long.

...the little boy is asleep. He has been very cranky these days. I don't know if he's feeling under the weather. His gums are swollen. In addition to that, he is itching all-over due to allergies. He may be seeking for attention also. I haven't been carrying him as much as I used to since he's putting too much weight on my tummy. His tantrums is making his yaya crazy also. I had to take him from her several times because he won't stop crying. I decided to bring him with me while I did my errands. I had hoped that riding in the car would put his sleepy head to sleep. It did not work. His molo soup dinner and a bath later helped him settle down. ------------------- ...my hospital bag is ready. Most of the Mama and Daddy stuff are in there. We just need to include toiletries, snacks and several nursing gowns. The camera is there too, together with the charger. I think we have enough to last us for three days. I hope we won't stay longer than that. ---...

This morning I woke up feeling restless. There are so many things to tend to for Baby#2's arrival. Half asleep, I made a mental list of what needs to be done. purchase storage bins and set-up storage racks get a new baby bag for Johann start looking for a nanny or house-help make room for the new house-help Everything in this list, except one, requires a lot of energy and/or major adjustment. This means re-arranging the whole household. I started window-shopping for the first two items this afternoon. The selection in the nearby mall is not satisfactory. I was ready to make the purchase had I seen anything worth buying. The third item requires some networking, which would entail the help of my mother. It would have to wait since she is currently not in the city. The fourth one I am reluctant to commence. It means giving up the guest room downstairs. I will have to turn the current maids' room into a stock room. This means giving the house-help a new set of restriction...

At 31 weeks and 6 days pregnant with Baby #2, I'm feeling more useless than ever. My reflexes are slow. I am less mobile. I am starting to feel sore in places that should've gone sore a few months ago. Last Friday, I had my pre-natal check-up. My UTZ showed several placental lakes. I don't know where they came from. I was advised to be more careful with tummy. Based on what I've read, it is no cause for alarm. However, it may also signify a weakness in the placenta. It may lead to Baby#2's premature delivery. Baby #2 is also nearing his weight limit for his gestational age. Knowing that I had a very difficult delivery with Johann, I was advised not to let him get bigger than Johann (who was born at 6.9lbs via normal delivery). I should start preparing the following: Baby #2's hospital bag sterilize breast pump and feeding bottles Mama and Daddy's hospital bag crib for baby's arrival infant car seat installation arrangements for Johann while we...

My group, with whom I've shared lots of blood, sweat and tears, are in their final stages of preparations for the 2nd US Tour. This time, ACS will be visiting music schools in the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast. This was done in collaboration with the Ateneo communities and ex-ACS members in the US. A farewell concert will be held at the Church of the Gesu this Sunday, Sept 14. Mass will be celebrated before the concert. For more information, you may check out the ACS website . ---------------- I have been looking forward to this tour since it was finalized in the beginning of this year. However, with Baby#2 due a month after the tour, traveling and singing with the ACS is not a possibility. I wish you all luck. I miss singing with you already. Enjoy shopping!

I picked up my test result this afternoon. After which, I planned to grab iced coffee from Starbucks. Out of the 4 readings, 2 are a bit elevated based on the acceptable range. I will have to pass on Starbucks, for now. So, what is gestational diabetes? According to a very reliable source, pregnancy hormones make it difficult for insulin to do its job. The pancreas usually produces more insulin to keep up. But, when the sugar level in the blood is too high and the insulin level can not keep up with the demand, it results to this condition. Gestational diabetes causes the glucose to stay in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells to be used as energy. (Nose bleed!!!) Will it put my baby or me at risk? Yes, it may cause the baby to be hypoglycemic to process the sugar being supplied by the mother's blood. This condition may also result to a very large baby that can not be delivered the normal way. That means undergoing C-section or having a larger episiotomy. Gest...

As I was sitting quietly in a corner at the Ambulatory services of the Medical City, the scent of hamburger wafted through the air. In a roomful of people who fasted for at least eight hours, that was sheer torture. For me, who fasted for 16 hours, it was downright inconsiderate. I couldn't concentrate on the very engaging novel in my hands. Why was I there in the first place? In the previous week, my gums bled several times in one day. I had to resort to ice chips and ice-cold drinks to stop the bleeding. It was either a lack in Vitamin C or too much sugar in my blood that is causing it. I was on strict low-sugar (no chocolate, mostly fruit desserts) diet. I had to curb my craving for iced coffee and chocolates. I survived my first pregnancy without gestational diabetes. I hope to avoid it this time, too. The lab test is called OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test). I was asked to drink 100ml of flavored, sweetened liquid in a span of five minutes. I was glad that it was ...

Now that all the stuff that kept me occupied in the last few months has passed, I find more time in my hands. I am now more focused on finding a source of stable income that would complement what we currently have. I would like to start on it as soon as Baby#2 would allow me. One thing I know for sure is that I can not be confined in an 8-to-5 job. It will also have to be a food business. Cooking and Baking are two things that I love doing. I even have the invested on the disposable supplies and quality equipment needed. I have the packaging ready. I know which suppliers to tap for raw materials and restaurant equipment, thanks to the numerous Food Expos and cooking/baking workshops. At present, these are the stumbling blocks to my finalizing my decision: location - I have limited my choices to Katipunan, Marikina, QC and Pasig. Should I just make a home-based business out of it? man-power target market product line - Should I stick to dessert items? Should I include pasta, s...

Though I have made up my mind to nurse Baby#2 as long as possible, I am still getting feeding bottles just to be sure. Previously, I only had one criteria. It should help reduce colic. Now, with the BPA issue surrounding the bottle-feeding industry, I am back to square 1. What is BPA? BPA stands for Bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastic baby bottles and water bottles. BPA bottles are hard and shiny. USFDA recently proclaimed it safe for use. They believe that the level of exposure is too minimal to cause significant developmental damages. On the other hand, Canada has banned the use of bottles containing BPA due to its effects on behavior and brain development. With all that said, here are my options: Born-free - Since the BPA issue came out, this is the leading brand in the market. I heard that this particular brand also helps reduce colic. The only factor that is stopping me from getting this is the price. It is even more expensive than Avent. A two-piece pack costs a...

To date, I am 22 weeks pregnant with Baby#2. I am not sure if we're having a boy again. Based on the number of kicks I am getting, I wouldn't be surprised if it is. I will confirm it in my next doctor's appointment. Many people asked me if I prefer a girl this time. I honestly do not mind getting a boy or a girl. Each would present its pros and cons. But, one thing's for sure, we wont be as financially strained this time. I foresee less spending since we still have our previous supplies. Our baby travel gear, clothes and other supplies are quite neutral. I am certain that we can use most of the items we initially invested on. We would just have to get appropriate going-out clothes if we are getting a girl this time. Nonetheless, I still have to catch up on reading. When I was pregnant with Johann, I was an expert on monthly pregnancy developments. I have forgotten most of the stuff I read. I blame it on Epidural. I'd also have to read up on ways to in...