A Story of A Wife and Mom

My Pregnancy Story (How I Overcome My Recurrent Miscarriages)

2015-04-25T13:22:00.000+08:00

Becoming pregnant is indeed a blessing from God. To know that you will be God’s instrument in giving a life to a little bundle of joy is a wonderful experience. How did I know? It’s because I had already experienced it five times. All of these pregnancies brought happiness to me. Getting pregnant made me happy, but staying pregnant is not that easy for me.

I should be thankful, because my first pregnancy is a successful one. Thru normal delivery, I gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl in 2009. Unlike other expecting mothers, I did not experience labor pains. No vomiting, morning sickness and I feel good throughout the whole pregnancy. I thought my successive pregnancies would be easier and smooth sailing too, but I was wrong.

In September 2010, two months before my first born turned one, I became pregnant again. I experienced brownish spotting and slight fever which is different from my first pregnancy. Later, we found out it was an ectopic pregnancy. That ectopic pregnancy resulted in the removal of my right fallopian tube in October 2010.

After four months, I got pregnant again. By that time, I was really nervous afraid that it was another ectopic pregnancy. Thank God it was an intrauterine pregnancy. I thought after seeing an active baby with a healthy heartbeat in the ultrasound, I would carry the pregnancy to full term. But I was wrong; my third pregnancy has not been that easy. Aside from the subchorionic hemorrhage noted in the ultrasound, I experienced having light greenish discharge. Pap smear result was normal. Then, my OB-Gyne’s reliever diagnosed that I have urinary tract infection after having urine test. She prescribed antibiotics for seven days. But then, at twelve weeks ultrasound after experiencing spotting, the baby lost its heartbeat. I waited for the baby to come out and had a natural miscarriage. It was really heartbreaking to see my little baby, lifeless and fragile. My OB-Gyne suspected it was due to chromosomal abnormality.

I never thought that having miscarriage really hurt. Some people say I should be thankful that at least the baby died before I bore it. But then, it still hurts even if I did not have the chance to carry her on my arms. My OB recommended giving my body to rest for at least six months before trying again. After ten months of recovery from physical and emotional pain, we tried again. As usual, I don’t have problem in conceiving even though I only have one fallopian tube remaining. It was April 2012 when I found out I am pregnant again. I am still optimistic hoping that my last miscarriage was only due to chromosomal abnormality. Like my last miscarriage, ultrasound showed again subchorionic hemorrhage. I was on Duphaston since I’m on the fourth week of pregnancy. Everything was fine in my first trimester. I was even thankful that I surpassed the first twelve weeks. That pregnancy brought so much hope for us. We even found out that I’m expecting for a baby boy during my 14 weeks ultrasound. We decided to give him the name “Justine”. I and husband thought the baby was really meant for us because already surpassed the first twelve weeks and the subchorionic hemorrhage disappeared. We never expected on July 11, 2012 that we will lose the baby too. The day that I supposed to confirm his gender was the day we found out that Baby Justine was already gone. It was a very devastating experience and it was very hard for me to accept. Maybe that explain why at 18 weeks I can’t still feel his kicks. I was induced on July 13, 2012. I was on labor pain from 4 PM to 12AM. I felt an unbearable pain which hurts more because of emotional pain. It hurts more when you know that you will give birth to a sleeping baby. I can’t explain the feeling. After that 3^rd miscarriage, I was suspected of having Antiphospolipid Antibody Syndrome or APAS.

My OB GYne advised me to undergo APAS testing in order to detect what causes my recurrent miscarriage. We were informed also that this test might be costly, as well as the treatment. I decided to give my body a rest. I transferred to another OB, Dra. Arlene Pineda Rodriguez, whom my officemate referred to me. I was advised to take Folic and Iron before getting pregnant again.

By May 2013, ten months after my last miscarriage, I experienced recurrent stomachache, which was later diagnosed as acid reflux. I was advised to take medication (Omeprazole) for the treatment of my acid reflux. I enrolled in a law school in June to occupy myself.

Around June 2013, I was always feeling sleepy, until I noticed that I am already five days late. Knowing that I am pregnant again made me happy but the fear that I might lose the baby again is still there. My OB advised me to take prenatal vitamins like Obimin and Terraferon, and to prevent miscarriage again, she gave me Duphaston, Isoxilan and Aspirin. My ultrasound reports showed an active baby without subchorionic hemorrhage. However, this pregnancy was not that easy because at 4 months I experienced early contractions and abdominal cramping. So my OB put me on a strict bed rest and filed for 3 months leave.

We thank God for His insurmountable love. After three consecutive miscarriages, I was diagnosed as suspected APAS patient. Becoming pregnant again was not that easy.. emotionally, physically, financially.. Yet God is so good..He blessed and guided me throughout my high risk pregnancy (pre-term labor, gestational diabetes, blood clotting issues). Meet our rainbow baby, our second princess..Cielo Krislyn, born on 02/04/2014 weighing 8.8 lbs (4.0 kgs), at 37w6d. Thank you Lord for blessing us with another beautiful, healthy princess.

My Little Flower Girl

2013-10-23T11:35:00.000+08:00

It was an honor to become a part of the union of two beautiful couples. Last Saturday, we attended the wedding of my husband’s cousin Mark with Dothy, with Celine as one of the flower girls.

We just came in time, at exactly 2:45 PM when the wedding entourages were getting ready for the march.

I love the fresh flower hairdress given to the flower girls. It fits with the hairstyle I made for Celine.

As usual, Celine makes us proud when she graciously walked down the aisle with her sweetest smile. She even stops to pose every time the photographers take a photo of her.

My little flower girl did an amazing job especially when flower girls were called for a picture with the newly wed. I am thankful she did not burst in tears like the other flower girls. Instead, she confidently sat beside the bride with her prettiest smile and perfect pose. We’re so grateful for having such a pretty and smart little princess. That is why I never miss any chance of witnessing her every special moment in life.

After the vows, Celine enjoyed bonding with her uncles, aunts and cousins.

It was a simple yet a beautiful wedding and we were glad to become part of it. And I am glad Celine enjoyed being a flower girl for the lovely couple.

My share for Tuesday Around the World and Tuesday Muse

School is Cool, My Toddler is Now Ready for School

2013-09-20T23:51:00.001+08:00

Part of being a mom is to be the first teacher of her child. It was a fulfilling experience to teach your child and witness every milestones of her life. From teaching her how to talk, walk, dance, sing, and give you hugs and kisses, we should also prepare her how to be independent once she's ready to wear that backpack and meet other children of her age, which usually happens in her nursery school.

My child is already three and a half years old. I decided to enroll her to a summer class, not to push her to learn letters and numbers or be academically superior, but to improve her social skills and give her the freedom that she deserves. Leaving her in her classroom is not that difficult, because I can see how she prefer to be with other kids than to stay the whole day at our house with her nanny alone.

The summer class is a one month program for kids below four years old to prepare them for the coming school year. I am so proud that she was able to finish it without any absences. Her teacher told me that my little toddler enjoys school so much. I am now sharing some of the things she learned from school:

To TutorBright is to prepare for your child's brighter future.

1. On her first day of summer class, she learned how to become independent. Being able to finish the two-hour class without crying is a big accomplishment for my little one because it is a good sign that she is ready to face the world.

2. She learned to be confident. My daughter is a shy type girl when it comes to strangers and other people. Schooling helped her boosts her confidence and overcome her shyness.

3. Having perfect score in her school activities is what I don't really want to instill in her, but to know that nobody is perfect. I am proud that she is doing well in school but I always tell her that I am still proud even if she's not perfect as long as she's doing her best and the right thing.

4. Becoming patient. Toddlers have a very short attention span. My daughter gets easily tired of doing things repeatedly. School activities practices her patience. She also learned that there is reward for every hardwork that she did.

5. Last but not the least, she learned the value of friendship. The most important lesson she learned is how to value other people, to share what she have and to enjoy school with them. The greatest reward she received is the friendship. :)

Every parent asks themselves what should their little one should learn in their preschool at their young age. For me, these are the priceless things that contribute to her childhood. She may not still mastered the numbers or the letters, but I believe that every child has their own pace of learning. They will able to learn numbers and letters later as they grow. What I don't want my child to miss are the childhood memories that will help her develop her emotional, physical, social and intellectual skills. Play is an important part of their life. That is why I am glad that she enjoys going to school, and for her, school is cool.

Sharing for Make My Saturday Sweet , Five Minute Friday & TutorBright

Wordless Wednesday: Enjoying Nature's Gift

2013-03-20T08:53:00.002+08:00

Hubby & baby enjoying the cool river of Baler, Aurora

My share for Wordless Wednesday

My Little Beauty Princess

2013-03-15T16:45:00.003+08:00

Since my baby loves to imitate the little girls of the “Little Miss Philippines”, I let her join the Little Mutya ng Parokya (Little Miss Parish) in my hubby’s hometown. It was a beauty & talent contest for kids 4-8 years old. Although my baby was barely three, she was qualified because of her charm and she looks big at her age. I believe this contest will enhance her talent, boost her confidence and develop her social skills. Every weekday she’s left with her nanny, and she has no playmates since she’s our only child. Joining this contest is also an opportunity to meet other kids and socialize with them.

At first I was nervous because during the practices and rehearsals she doesn’t want to speak and ramp on the stage. She surprised us during the final contest when it was her turn. Even the other contestant’s moms were also surprised because they never expected that she will speak, ramp and do her talent portion. I have come to realize that it was only when she is dressed-up that she wants to be in action. Yes, I was really a proud mom when she blew kisses and impressed the audience with her cute smile, witty answers and entertaining dance portion. She really caught the crowd’s attention not only because she was the youngest among the contestants but also because of her cute innocent moves.

It was really an exhausting day because of mixed nervousness and excitement. But it’s all worth it; she brought home the 2^nd Runner-up title and People’s Choice Award.

You always make your mommy and daddy proud baby. Stay beautiful and I know you will grow with beautiful heart too.

Sharing for Mellow Yellows

Terno Moments: Fashionable Way of Bonding with Baby

2013-03-09T14:35:00.002+08:00

Who says we have to stop our fashion addiction once we gave birth? Becoming a mom is a great chance to enjoy fashion. We are even luckier because we already had our partner in dressing-up- yes, our cute baby.

I started buying terno dress for mom & daughter since my baby is 7 months old, then when it was her 2^nd birthday. At first, we only wear terno moments occasionally. But when I discovered online sellers of affordable terno mom & daughter clothes, I became addicted that I order clothes almost every week. These online sellers are selling fashionable & comfortable outfits at an affordable price.

1st time to wear terno shirt (from Guess)

2nd time to wear terno outfit (Celine's 2nd B-day)- dress from Purple Candy

I enjoy our fashionable moments together wearing our terno outfits. Not only that I feel more attached to my baby, it’s also easier for me to think what clothes we should wear in every occasion. It was really fun to have mommy terno moments with my little one especially when I see how happy she is when we go out together wearing terno. Also, people can easily recognize that we are mother & daughter because of our matching outfits.

Here are some of our terno moments together (^^)

Our kids are only young once, that is why I don’t want to miss the opportunity to bond with her thru fashion. Because once she grew-up, I am not sure if she still like to wear terno dress with me, haha (^^).

Sharing this post for Color Connection & Share the Joy Thursday

My dearest baby angel Justine,

2012-07-25T21:08:00.000+08:00

We (Mommy, Daddy and ate Celine) are supposed to confirm your gender tomorrow. Unfortunately, we were devastated to know that we will no longer have the chance to be with you anymore this December. It was really heartbreaking not to hear your heartbeat anymore…and to see you as a sleeping angel instead of an active kicking tiny angel in the ultrasound monitor.

Mommy is very sad that I can no longer feel your little kicks. It was really hard for me to let you go because I love you so much. Your 19 weeks of existence in my tummy brought so much happiness, dreams and hopes to us. I can’t help but cry when your ate Celine kissed you in my tummy unaware that you are gone. Everything I do reminds me of you.

We took extra care of you and prayed for you because we are all excited to have you..and we love you so much…but Papa Jesus may have another plan for us. I love you so much my baby Justine. Someday, I will have the chance to hold you in arms and kiss you. Please tell Papa Jesus to give us enough strength to overcome the pain of losing you.

Love,

Mommy
July 13, 2012

Part Time Writer, Full Time Working Mom

2012-04-17T11:59:00.000+08:00

Having a full time job as a bank account officer, part time article writer and a full time mom and wife is really hard. These three jobs has become part of my life, and losing one would make me feel incomplete. Among the three of course, my family is my priority. That is why I am trying to balance my full time job as an employee and my part time job as a freelancer. On the other hand, I am keeping my full time job because of the regular income and benefits that I receive.

Many of us have full time job while at the same time we earn extra income thru freelancing. I started joining Odesk in October 2011, luckily got my first contract within that month and now I get some of the jobs that I applied and earn from it. My 6 months of work experience in Odesk has been fulfilling. That is why I want to pursue my writing career until I get old.

Managing time for full time and part time jobs is not that easy. I am sharing my strategies on how I was able to cope with the situation considering that my little toddler needs quality time from her working mom. Hope the following tips might help you and I am willing to receive any comments or opinions so I can use them also in managing my time.

The first thing that I learned is to focus. Committing ourselves to our jobs is very important. Never try to do articles while working for the full time job. It will affect your job performance and you cannot concentrate on what you are doing. Give what is due for each job. Sometimes, when there is no much work in office or during break time, I write articles instead of checking my Facebook account. Also, as much as possible, do not accept jobs beyond your available time. I usually take jobs one at a time to build good reputation with my employers. I have my regular one article everyday job and batch articles which I only accept if I am already done with the other batch.

Have a time schedule. Set a consistent time each day to allow yourself to work without any interruptions. Make this a habit. It is better if you chose the time that you feel productive. One of my strategies also is applying for jobs with one week deadlines. These are usually in batches. I have more time during weekend and jobs in batches have bigger earnings.

Choose your employers. Some contractors do not choose their employers and just try to apply all the jobs posted in Odesk. Choosing your employer is important. By checking their feedback rating, and their instructions, you can judge if they are professional, considerate and not spammers. Make sure also that their payment method is verified and make sure you already have a contract before writing for them.

Choose the job that is right for you. By knowing your strength, you can decide what articles you can write. Applying for jobs in Odesk for the first time is really hard because you don’t have the experience yet and you don’t have the feedback rating that employers can rely on. But by relying on your specialized areas, you are confident that you can accomplish the job successfully. If you will look at my Odesk profile, you will observe that I have more jobs pertaining to parenting, pregnancy and blogging. That is because, with these topics where I have first-hand experience, I can deliver quality output because I can share my own experiences without relying too much on research.

Have quality time for yourself and family. My full time job is 8AM to 4:30PM. Before sitting in my computer desk, I make sure that I already played with my little one and conversation with my hubby. Having quality time with your loved ones will give you inspiration in writing and at the same time you can have time to relax.

We are Three!

2012-03-30T09:13:00.005+08:00

We started the day of our 3^rd year anniversary by attending the 9AM mass at a mall. I thank God for giving us the chance to know Him more and to love Him more after the 40 days love dare. Compared to our previous wedding anniversaries, this one is the happiest since I and hubby had finally put God in the center of our marriage.

After the mass, we let our daughter enjoy the rides in the mall. Then, we had our 2012 family picture. Our family picture speaks a thousand words. The picture speaks so much of our family’s love, happiness, dreams, hopes and commitment. Our second year of marriage has been full of trials and problems that have tested our marriage, our commitment to each other. But now that we let God guide us in our journey of marriage and parenting, we are full of hope that we can surpass everything.

After the pictorial, we had our lunch at the Rack’s. We were not able to take pictures since our little one is fussy because she had not yet taken her daytime nap.

Another Mommy Moments, Color Connection

3rd Wedding Anniversry: Sweetest Love

2012-03-26T20:46:00.000+08:00

They say “Love is sweeter the second time around”,
But for me, love is sweetest when we have God in the center of our marriage..
I want to thank God for guiding us through the 40 days of love dare..
A journey that made us realized what true love is all about..
God has made us realized how much He loves us that He gave us the gift of loving each other unconditionally..
And I am glad that we learned to love Him more after the 40 days love dare..
May God continually guide us as we take the journey of love, respect, happiness, faith and commitment to love each other till the end..

I know as human we are imperfect individuals
But with the love of God, I believe we can surpass any trials, storms or problems that may shake us..
Because the house that we are building together in the rock of God, will never be shattered. No more giving up. Just holding on...
It is like I am holding to God’s hand as He holds you in His other hand..
To grow old with you is one of my greatest dreams..
I am glad that I had spent 3 years of my life with you and I am looking forward to spend the rest of my life with you..
Happy 3rd anniversary Bhi-mine.
I love you. Period.

Wordless Wednesday: Sexy Little Princess

2012-03-21T19:05:00.002+08:00

Just Another Wordless Wednesday (^^)

my two year old daughter's sexy pose! how cute!!

Wordless Wednesday: My Sweet Tot is Ready for Summer

2012-03-07T08:53:00.002+08:00

Another Wordless Wednesday!

Fireproof Marriage

2012-02-21T10:18:00.000+08:00

Our marriage is not a perfect one. I and hubby have petty quarrels most of the time because of our differences. They say February is the month for "Love", yet it was on this month that our marriage has encountered another trial. I was deeply hurt..I feel like I was giving up. But after a few days of soul searching I finally made a decision, to never give up.
Running away is not the answer to problems that we encounter as wife. After the incident, I and hubby watched a movie together. It took me six hours downloading the full movie from YouTube but it's worth it. The movie was great and I would recommend this to every couple who strives hard in their marriage. "Fireproof" made us realized that we should never leave our partners especially on fire. As of now, we are trying hard to save our marriage, not only for our daughter, but also for ourselves. We are currently on the 8th day of the 40 days Love Dare.

Here is my message to hubby on Valentines Day:

You are not the ideal man I’ve been wishing for..
But you taught me what true love is all about..
Not on the happy moments that we have, but on situations when unconditional love grows deeply..
We’ve been through the ups and downs..
we fight like normal couples do…
you made me cry..
I made you cry..
But whenever these things happen…when the “worse” overshadows the “better”..I am clinging to what... I promised, not only to you but also to our God..the promise of commitment to love you until my last breath..
As we build our family, it is not the love that will protect our family..
Feelings come and go..but the commitment that we promised to each other will live forever in our mind, heart and soul..
With God’s guidance, I pray that He will continually bless our marriage and nourish it with love…
To the man who made me a mother..
To the person who gives me heartaches..
To the friend who’s willing to risk his life for me..
And to the husband I know will love me forever..
Happy Valentines Day..
I love you more.

Here are some of our pictures on Valentines Day:

This is also my share to Mommy Moments

Celine Goes Barefooted

2012-02-01T08:33:00.002+08:00

Another Wordless Wednesday...

I let my daughter enjoy the freedom of exploring the outside world barefooted for the first time..letting her feet adapts on different situations,..even on rocky ones.. it may hurt a little, but it's fun!

My Little Toddler's New Play Area

2012-01-30T12:06:00.003+08:00

As my little toddler grows fast and discovers her own body’s mobility, her activeness has become uncontrollable. She loves to run, climb and jump. Afraid that furniture might fall to her when she’s climbing it; I removed some of the furniture that is not fastened to the wall to prevent accidents. Childproofing is more important to me than the interior design of our home. So I rearranged her play area to a safer, more comfortable and more exciting look. I decided to put it in our master’s bedroom since she’s still sleeping with us and the other rooms have no air conditioner yet.

I placed the lightweight toys at her eye level. The hard ones were put on the lower portion to prevent her head from hard objects bump. I did not yet put her books in her play area, but I have a plan of putting the hard bound books at the lower portion also. Her other books which are easily torn will be kept inside a cabinet so she will ask for permission before getting them.

Although her play area is not that big, I felt a sense of fulfillment seeing my daughter happy with her new play area. I want to instill to her an orderly way of arranging her things. I support her for her love to her stuff toys knowing it will improve her emotional development. On the other hand, her books and other toys will develop her motor and mental skills.

This is my share to Mommy Moments

My Baby Got Amoebiasis

2012-01-26T14:30:00.002+08:00

The month of December is the most stressful month for me for the year of 2011. Not because of the holiday season, but being the weakest month of my baby. After her emergency trip to the hospital on December 9 to 13, 2011 because of gastroenteritis, her tummy got ache again on the third week of December. She got amoebiasis. Her stool remained soft after she got well from gastroenteritis. I was alarmed when I noticed streak of blood in her watery stool with mucoidal texture. Aside from that she is crying because of abdominal pain. I remember what her pediatrician told me when she was struck with amoeba when she was only seven months; green watery stool is an indication of infection. I hurriedly take her stool for Fecalysis so that her pediatrician could have the report for her check-up.

Fecalysis report showed the following:

Color: Yellowish

Consistency: Mucoid

Red Blood Cells: 3-5/hpf

Pus Cells: 18-20/hpf

Ova/Parasites: Entamoeba histolyca cyst 0-1/hpf

How it was treated?

1. Her pediatrician gave her home medication of 5 ml, three times a day Metronidazole (Flagyl) for ten days to treat her parasitic infection and 2.5 ml, twice a day Antibiotic (Cefixime ) for seven days to treat bacteria infection.

2. Soft diet for two weeks, like mashed potato. Greasy foods and fruit juices that trigger diarrhea are not allowed. Sweet foods like candies, chocolates and sweet drinks are also not allowed since sugar if the food of Amoebas.

3. We wash her butt with warm water before going to sleep to alleviate redness due to frequent bowel movement.

4. We let her drink yogurt and Gatorade since she does not like Pedialyte.

5. The squash seeds (buto ng kalabasa) are good for treating Amoebiasis according to elders.

Thankfully, she was better after two weeks of medication. We had a repeat Fecalysis and the amoeba and bacteria are no longer present in her stool. To prevent this kind of parasite, frequent hand washing is recommended. Avoid eating street foods and drinking juices sold in the street. We also washed our hands with soap and warm water after washing my baby to avoid contamination. Although there are remedies for some illnesses, it is better to prevent it before our children will suffer.

Wordless Wednesday: Love It!

2012-01-25T08:53:00.000+08:00

What a sweet smile... I love you baby...

Just another Wordless Wednesday...

Wordless Wednesday: My Sweet Tot

2012-01-12T16:16:00.001+08:00

Just another Wednesday Whites and Wordless Wednesday..

A Late Post About Christmas

2012-01-12T16:04:00.000+08:00

I was not able to update my blog for the past few days because of many errands and unexpected events. I had noticed that December is a weak month for my baby. As I still remember it was also in the month of December when she was hospitalized in 2009. She was just 2 months at that time. Anyway, I just want to share how we spent our Christmas for 2011.

my little brave girl, still smiling even with a dextrose!

beer session for the boys

another beer session , hihi

On the night before Christmas, we prepared a simple celebration for the Noche Buena. I was not able to take pictures that night because I forgot to charge the camera. On the Christmas day, as usual, we visited our parents in both sides. We intend to do this every year to instill in our daughter the value of respect and gratitude to our parents. We also want her to experience the Filipino tradition of visiting relatives and show respect by blessing ( mano in Filipino). This Christmas has been another special memory to remember. I am so grateful that every year we spend Jesus Christ’s birthday together with my family.

my sweet tot opening her gifts

Christmas is an expensive holiday for adults. But that makes me happy. It is very fulfilling whenever I give something to people who are special to me. It is also very touching whenever they remember us every Christmas thru through the gifts they give us, whether big or small.

God bless our family always

my little princess, isn't she adorable?

The whole year of 2011 has been a good year for us. God has showered us blessings. Yes, we encountered trials such as the miscarriage and few moments of sickness. But these trials were so little compared to the blessings and opportunities that God has provided us. I am not only speaking of the material things but also the priceless gifts that we received from Him. I am thankful for another year, for it means I have another chance to become a mom to my little one and a wife to my husband. May God continually bless our family, and shower us with love, happiness, health and peaceful life.

Importance of Having Pets At Home

2011-12-20T16:10:00.000+08:00

We have a new puppy at home. It took us a week to think of its name. We tried to call her with the names of popular women since our new puppy is a female puppy. But then, our little toddler called her “Chavit”. Although it sounds like a male name, our little puppy responds with that name whenever our daughter calls it.

My officemates are hesitant to have a pet at their own homes because of the fear that it might bite their children. But for me, I think pets can contribute to a child’s development. Kids learn the sense of responsibility by taking care of their pet. Whenever parents are not around, they are the one responsible to feed and clean them. Having pets at home develop also the social interaction of children. As everyone knows dogs are man’s best friend; usually our kid’s first friend is their pet dog. Dogs teach our kids lessons in life, like the concern for everything that has life, and the sympathy for animals. Even movies’ featuring famous dogs teaches them moral lessons. That is why I let my little toddler interact with our new puppy with our supervision. I can see how happy she is whenever they play together.

Whatever kind of dogs it is, any type of breed or size, what is important is we should be the role model to our children on how to be responsible with our pets, how to take care of them and how to treat them just like our own friends.

Christmas Wishlist: Buying a New TV

2011-12-19T16:13:00.001+08:00

Christmas is my favorite of all the months because this is the month when we receive our bonuses. This is the month when we buy the things we really like for ourselves. For this year, one of my wish lists is to buy a new television for our home. Since the day that we moved into our separate home, we did not have the chance and budget for a new TV. Television is one of the appliances in our home that is being used frequently. Unfortunately, this year, I still don’t have the budget to buy a new one because we are saving our bonuses for our little one. I wish I can earn more money online so I can buy a new one. My sister-in-law just recently bought an LCD TV which she got from her V-Mobile earnings. Although I don’t have the budget yet, I searched online on how to buy a TV. I hope these TV buying guides would also be a great help for those who wish to buy a TV, or I say fro those who have the budget to buy a TV (wink).

When buying a TV consider the size of the room where you will place the TV- the bigger the room, the bigger the TV;
Know which type of TV is best for you. LCD TVs consume less power but it is not that bright during daytime. LED TVs consume the lowest power and the thinnest but it is expensive. Plasma TVs on the other hand can give you a brighter picture during daytime, it is cheaper but it is thicker and power-consuming.
Consider your budget. Although buying a cheaper TV will save you a lot of money in the beginning, cheap TVs may only cost you high repair and maintenance expense. Aside from repairs, cheap TVs may have poor picture and audio qualities. Go for the affordable TV with one year warranty and best quality.

For the meantime, I’ll just enjoy watching my favorite TV shows with our mini TV in our room.

Cartoon Themed Christmas Party

2011-12-19T12:16:00.001+08:00

We had our Office Cartoon Themed Christmas Party on December 16. It was a perfect time for us to celebrate Christmas, chill for a while and get together for a fun-filled party.

This is me portraying Cinderella..

office staff

Our Boss as Zorro

Thei as Supergirl

Joy as Tinkerbell

Lizel as Sleeping Beauty..

Princess Fiona

Sexy Superman

Princess Jasmine

Wilma of Flinstones

Little Red Riding Hood

Batman

Iron Man

Snow White

Minnie Mouse

Mulan

Rapunzel

Alice in Wonderland

Lara Croft

The party was a successful one. Everybody enjoyed the games, presentations, exchange of gifts and raffle draws. It was also filled with laughter and humor as we portray our chosen characters. Our boss who played as Zorro danced with his dance instructor, Batman became sexy Superman, Sleeping Beauty awaken from nightmare, she thought she has symptoms of sleep paralysis when Zorro attempted to kiss her and Princess Fiona's funny facial expression.
Christmas is a memorable time of the year, a great occasion that should be enjoyed to the fullest. Next year, we are planning for a Christmas party featuring the Hollywood popular artists.

This is my share for Colorful Weekend

Preparing for Christmas

2011-12-09T22:16:00.000+08:00

So excited for another Christmas with my little one

Christmas is almost here. People are busy making things for the holiday. Here are some of the things we do in preparation for Christmas:
1. I and hubby have been busy in our work also preparing for the office Christmas Party. Aside from this, we are also planning for a Christmas Party with my hubby's relatives to be held in our house.
2. We are thinking what food to prepare for the Noche Buena. Hubby is requesting for the recipe on how to make beef jerky which is a good nutritious snack for both children and adults. It has been the tradition of the Filipino families to gather together during Christmas and enjoy the delicious food for the Noche Buena.
3. Christmas is also the time for giving. Every year we put our effort and a little budget for the little things we would like to give our family, friends, relatives, office mates and of course our "inaanaks". Our Christmas Tree was already set in the first week of October, but we are still in the process of thinking for Christmas gifts.
4. Aside from the Christmas Tree, we hang a Christmas lantern in our veranda and our front door to keep us reminded for the feelings of Christmas.
5. We are planning for our visit to our parents. Just like Baby Jesus' respect and love for Mama Mary and Joseph, we would like to show our respect and gratitude to our parents.

Marriage Differences

2011-12-07T17:12:00.002+08:00


Quotes on Love: Love until it hurts. Real love is always painful and hurts; then it is real and pure.- Mother Teresa

It is really heartbreaking whenever couples argue for many reasons, usually for differences. I admit, I am one of those wives who sometimes want to give up whenever I have those petty quarrels with my husband. We are different in many ways. Aside from being opposite in physical aspects (he is big and chubby and I am petite and skinny), we are totally opposite when it comes to personality. He is an outgoing person, I am an introvert type. Even on how we were brought up by our parents-I grew up with disciplinarian parents and he was not.

There is only one thing we have in common: we love each other so much. Our differences will not break the bond our love has built. Instead of treating differences as threat in our relationship, we see it as opportunities for us to grow and thru acceptance we will see the real love for each other. It is true that when we love, we give each other the right to hurt us. Love really hurts, but through the heartaches, trials, and success in our lives, we managed to stand up and continue with our dreams and plans. As long as there is love, respect, communication, commitment and faith to God, we will love each other. And that will last forever.

As one of the famous quotes say:
A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.

This is my share for Wednesday Whites

Finally..I've Got My Driver's License!

2011-12-03T23:21:00.001+08:00

After two weeks of a refresher practice driving, I finally got my driver’s license at LTO. I had already undertaken practice driving at a driving school in 2008 when I was still single. I was not able to get my driver’s license then since I got married after three months, gave birth after nine months, maternity leave for two months and focused on being a working mom for two years. Finally after those special moments in my life, my husband set a time for refreshing me again of driving a manual car. The difference between my practice driving before I get married and after is that I am more cautious now than before. Maybe because I think that if I will not drive in a prudent manner, I will never have the chance to take good care of my daughter for longer years. I am afraid that nobody can take my place if ever something bad happens to me.

Having a driver’s license is both a privilege and a responsibility. To acquire it is not that easy. Learning to drive a manual is hard for beginners. It is like learning the difference between speed vs velocity when I was still in high school. Speed is how fast you are, while velocity is speed with direction. You must be aware of your speed and at the same time with the direction where you are going. After learning the basics in driving such as starting, maneuver, gear shifting, hanging on hill, parking and driving on traffic, you will still have to undergo drug and medical test. After that, you will also take the written and practical exam at the Land Transportation Office. I am lucky that I got 38 out of 40 in the written exam. To be able to pass for a non-professional driver’s license, you need to get at least a score of 30. The importance of taking the exam is to study by mind and heart the traffic laws and rules of road to prevent car accidents.

Understanding the speed limits, traffic signs, feeling the car’s engine, and becoming aware of the other vehicles on the road as well as the pedestrian is really scary and intimidating for me as a beginner. Thanks to my husband who has been patient teaching and guiding me in driving.