Mimi Dang

My Big Boys

2011-11-28T19:31:00.000+08:00

Matt is now 7, Luke is 4. My boys are growing so fast! They are so smart and really bring joy to our family. They will always be my babies. :)

Lukie and Friends

2011-11-26T11:52:00.000+08:00

Being a stay-at-home Mimi now gives me the time to fetch Luke from school. He is now in Kinder 1, very smart and quite naughty at times. I ride in his school service going home so I get the chance to witness the fun he has with his "service" mates.

It such a joy seeing him enjoy the company of his friends. Kakakulit nila. :)

Let GO and Let GOD... (My Miscarriage Story posted on my FB last Oct. 24, 2011)

2011-11-26T00:43:00.001+08:00

After a work meeting last September 19, I just had an impulse to buy a pregnancy kit and had a test... I was 2 days delayed. When the kit registered 2 lines, I was overjoyed. I called Dada Jay as I held the kit and broke the good news. I thank God for another answered prayer. When I entered our office and told an officemate, the joy was just infectious and everybody was just so happy for their Mimi Dang (I'm a Mimi Dang not just to my kids :).

We were really praying for one last child to complete our family...and we were hoping for a baby girl this time. Matt is 7, Luke is 4. Having our last baby this time around is just right. My 3 boys (Dada Jay included) were just as excited as I was. The kids would touch and kiss my not-yet-obvious tummy many times. Dada always prepared my Anmum milk every night. I could very well feel the pregnancy signs...I was nauseous, I visited the CR frequently, I was very choosy with food, and the most undeniable, my pants had all become tight for my growing waist. :) Anticipating for another baby, I kept some of my pregnancy clothes. So I had all the tight pants removed from my closet and replaced them with the more loose ones.

My first ultrasound was fine at 6 weeks. Though any cardiac activity was not yet seen, it was okay because it was still very early. We were advised to repeat the ultrasound 2 weeks after. I began to feel lower abdominal pains which I also felt during my 2 perfect pregnancies. Going back to my pregnancy journal with Matt and Luke, I also had 2-week bed rest during my 1st trimester.

Last Oct 12, as I was lying down on my second ultrasound, I was excited to see the development of our baby. I was shocked when the OB Sonologist uttered, "Mommy, bad news po..." I had to make sure I heard him right so I asked, " Ano po? " " Mommy, bad news po... Wala pong heartbeat si baby..." I asked him if he was sure and I just burst into tears... My prayer to God that instant was, "Lord, please prepare me for this..."

Dada Jay came to my side and held me... He was always with me during my check-ups and lab tests. The OB Sonologist said that he would check first my ovaries, probably just to calm me down. But the iyakin in me could not just stop... After checking, he showed me again the heart area of my baby, it was supposed to flicker. But it was not. The heart was not beating. :(

Dada asked the doctor if we could repeat the ultrasound after a week just to confirm. He said yes. The ultrasound report was embryonic demise at 7 weeks, 3 days. I also had subchorionic hemorrhage near the gestational sac.

We went straight to my OB/Gyn check-up. I was crying talking to my doctor. She is the same doctor I had with Matt and Luke. We had a lot of questions. What could have caused this? Did I do anything that harmed my baby? Did our baby's heart ever beat at all? Was it 100% sure that our baby was gone?

My doctor's answer to the last question was, in a scale of 1- 10, 10 being the surest, it was 7-8 sure that our baby stopped growing... That was very high... and it all the more broke my heart....

The most probable cause is chromosomal problem. There might be lacking chromosomes to make the pregnancy NOT viable. I researched that "most chromosomal abnormalities are the cause of a faulty egg or sperm cell. Since the cause of most miscarriages is due to chromosomal abnormalities, there is not much that can be done to prevent them." Chromosomal defects cause the abnormalities of born babies.

My doctor still prescribed a hormonal support medicine for my baby and advised me to go on a 2-week bed rest. We would see her after a week.

That one week was the longest week of my life... Dada Jay did some internet research and encouraged me to do the same. There were cases that heartbeats were found out later than 8 weeks because of late ovulation, baby's angle at the time of the scan, etc. There was even a dedicated website for misdiagnosed miscarriages. I joined a forum and read many stories of miracles and miscarriages.

I was secretly praying for a miracle :). I know that nothing is too hard for the Lord. But I also believe in my heart that He wants the best for each one of us... for me and my baby. I prayed that if ever we found a heartbeat on the next ultrasound, the baby would be perfectly fine.

Telling the kids about my situation was also a hard part. I let Dada Jay do that. He told the kids that "Jesus might get our baby because she has a problem, so Jesus would just take her." (Please let me use she to refer to our baby :)

Being on a bed rest gave me a lot of time to read God's Word. It even strengthened my faith in Him. I trust Him fully. I know that His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9). As I was patiently waiting for the next ultrasound, I busied myself. But of course, the occasional crying was present, again being the iyakin that I am.

The week passed. We went to another ultrasound clinic for more of a second opinion. I was excited but quite nervous. The nervousness was quite stretched with the long queue of patients who were either having their checkups or their ultrasounds. The Sonologist is also an OB/Gyn doctor. I could say I was quite ready for anything...so when she said that she was certain that it was a case of embryonic demise, I didn't cry right then and there. I cried outside the clinic. :(

As we were waiting for my turn at my OB/Gyn doctor, Dada Jay said we should let go of this situation and let God do His plan. He even mentioned that it was okay to just have Matt and Luke as our kids...

When my doctor saw the ultrasound report, she advised for a d & c as soon as possible. It is a surgical procedure to take out the pregnancy products inside me. She said I could be admitted that night but I begged off. I would just text her when I was ready. I was still mourning...and I know that as a friend, God was grieving with me...

Jay and I decided to go to the hospital last Friday morning. He had to go to work that day after bringing me there to endorse things. He was also entitled to a paternity leave. My kind Kuya accompanied me. I asked for a last ultrasound before the procedure. The Sonologist said that my baby measured 14 mm; at 6 mm, heartbeats could already be detected.

The preparation for the procedure was long and painful. I was like on induced labor for 5 hours waiting for my cervix to open. I couldn't eat or even drink water. The actual procedure was fast and painless. When I was wheeled to the Operating Room, I asked God to see me through. I told my OB doctor I didn't want to feel anything. I remember the pain of the skin test. But thanks to the inventor of the anesthesia, I was put to sleep. The next thing I remember, my doctor was waking me up to tell me the procedure was already done.

God is my refuge and my strength. He also used a lot of people to comfort me. I am overwhelmed by the countless messages of prayers and sympathy I received from my family, churchmates, officemates, friends and relatives. I was surprised to find out from some friends that they also suffered from miscarriages and so they could very well relate to what I was experiencing... It is true that what's harder in having a miscarriage is the emotional recovery...

So how am I coping? I'm sure I will be fine. Though I cannot promise not to cry ( because you know why :). But I'm getting better each day, all with God's grace... My spiritual buddy reminded me yesterday that "the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

Now I have to plan what to do on my 60 days of maternity leave. :)

Thanks for reading this far....

God bless you, my friend! :)

Welcome back, Mimi!

2011-11-25T23:09:00.001+08:00

After 2 years of hibernating, I finally found the push and the time to blog again! Such a victorious feat if I may say so. :)

Buhayin ang blog.

This is actually one of my to-do's, now that I'm on maternity leave. Nope, there's no new baby in the family. I had a miscarriage. :(

But I have emotionally recovered from it through God's grace. :)

After all that happened, God has actually granted one of my heart's desires--- to be a stay-at-home mom even for a while...

I was wishing before that I'd like to be home when the kids arrive from school or that I'd like to fetch them from school. I'd love to have naps with them in the afternoons; then I'd help them do their homeworks and study their lessons.

I'd like to go to the mall on weekdays when they open in the morning. I'd love to have a lot of quiet time and Mimi time on weekdays.

Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I'm super blessed to have my kind of work. I'm happy, content and proud to be a Kapamilya for 13 years now. :)

It's just that I would like to feel how it's like to be a stay-at-home mom like some of my friends even for a short time. It's an answered prayer. :)

So now, I would like to blog again. I love writing and I love going back to what I wrote. It reminds me of how blessed I am...

I'm excited to share my thoughts and stories again...

Luke Goes to Play School

2009-11-27T04:45:00.000+08:00

Our little Luke started going to Play School last Nov 8, 2009. It's the same Play School that Kuya Matt went to two years ago. Luke is excited to go to his class which is MWF at 10:15 to 11:45 am. He's the youngest in his class at 2 and half years old. The Play School is actually for 3 and up. But Luke is very ready for school. Smart kid!

Lolo Bob accompanies his apo. The official tagahatid and sundo.

With Teacher Kim and claassmate Selwyn.

I deliberately let him wear the same shirt that Kuya wore also on his first day, hehe!

The Many Things I Love About Luke

2009-08-31T05:37:00.003+08:00

I remember having written something like this for Matthew. He was 2 years old, 8 months then. Buti na lang, I wrote something like that, di ko na actually matandaan lahat ng sinulat ko dun.

Now that Lukee is 2 years and 4 months old, I would like to do the same thing for him. Mahirap na, nagiging makakalimutin na ko, hehe!

Here are the many things I love about Luke:

1. He is a very independent boy. He can sleep on his own. Last week, I brought him and Matthew to my office without Yaya. This was my first attempt to do that. When Luke was finally sleepy, he just asked for his milky then slept on his improvised bed under my desk.

2. I'm sure Luke would grow up to be a very intelligent boy. He amazed us when was able to identify the letters of the alphabet at 1 year and 8 months old. Now he can count and knows the colors and shapes. He is ready for school. When we ask him if he wants to go to school already, he says, "yes!." So we are enrolling him to MSA Playcamp anytime soon. Dada and I sometimes wonder if he is really just two years old, hehe!

3. He likes to read and read a lot. Ako na ang sumusuko as in! I don't have to tell him, "let's read!."

4. Before he was able to talk completely, his favorite phrase was "tsope, tsope, nyome, nyome, epiza..." which we still don't know up to now what he meant by that.

5. At around one year old, he suddenly did not want to wear diapers anymore at home. He only wears diapers at night and when we go out. He tells when he wants to pee. Ang laking tipid sa diapers. (",)

6. We were surrprised that before turning two years old, he was able to talk and express himself both in English and Filipino. Nakakatuwa how he tried his best to talk in complete sentence. Galing!

7. He loves to dance with matching tumbling pa.

8. He loves bowling, the real one and the computer game. Hindi ako makagamit ng laptop madalas kasi gusto niya mag-bowling!

9. He is our prayer leader when we eat. "Lord, thank you for the food, amen!"

10. He attended Sunday School before turning two. Yaya says he is more behaved than Kuya Matt and participates more. Hehe!

11. I'm teaching him phonics now. He always asks, "mimi what's the (beginning) letter of this or that?" He'd say" a-a-a apple or b-b-b ball.

12. When he wants to go out at night, we'd tell him, it's dark na, it's night na. And he would repeat that all over again. "Gabi na, night na." SM is closed, Robinsons is closed.

13. His favorite shows are Barney, Wiggles, High 5, Wonder Pets, Gabba Gabba, Backyardigans, Dora and Diego.

14. Kuya Matt is afraid of the dark. When Kuya wants to go to the CR at night, we will ask Luke to accompany him.

15. Surprisingly, he eats veggies! And is not much into sweets except ice cream.

16. Like Matthew, he is so sweet and malambing. He would kiss me a lot even if I'm wearing lipstick, then he would say, "wala na , mimi." Wala na ang lipstick ko kasi napunta na sa kanya! He would also hold my lips in between his thumb and index fingers (just like how you hold your burger), and kiss me a lot. Oh, how i love that!

17. Repeat no. 1.

His first Starbucks.

Cory, Cory, Cory!

The SunDress

2009-06-13T23:29:00.004+08:00

Our first time in Bora. Year 2002. Jay proposed to me.

Last month was our 4th time in Bora together. 7 years later. I brought the same sundress with me. Wondering if it still would fit. Buti na lang...hehe!

Matt Moves Up to 2 Levels Higher

2009-04-09T18:20:00.005+08:00

Matthew just had his moving-up ceremony last March 24 at SM Fairview Cinema 10. He received an award as Most Inquisitive Pupil, in other words, Pinakamakulit, he,he!

From Kinder 1, he's skipping Kinder 2. He's going to be in Prep in June. He's just 5, that means he'll be in Grade 1 by 6 years old.

He just has to take the Phonics 2 for 12 sessions this summer. This is to make up for the Phonics he'll be skipping in Kinder 2.

We're so proud of our boy. He's not as studious as other kids. I have to make sure he studies. He won't initiate it by himself. He's like his Dada. Nakakakuha ng good grades kahit di nag-aaral, hehe! The school principal said he was good in math and reasoning! Exactly like Dada.

Matt Turns 5

2009-02-14T07:54:00.006+08:00

Kuya Matt turns 5 yesterday.

I first thought that since his birthday would fall on a school day, it was ok to just celebrate this at school. But Matt had a lot of requests. He wanted a costume party. He wanted to wear his Power Ranger outfit. He wanted pabitin and games. Things we could not do at school since birthday celebrations there could only take the recess time.

So we decided to do it either in Mcdo or Jollibee. He was the one who chose Mcdo since he loves the nuggets there.

I guess this is the right age that he has a say in his party. He chose the party theme and who to invite. Oh, he's having a world of his own...

Happy Birthday, dear Kuya Matt!

His guests were mostly classmates and churchmates.

The Power Rangers cake was courtesy of my good friend Avic of Edible Ideas.

Super Brother Luke danced the Papaya.

We were very happy!

More photos here.

The Pirates

2009-01-31T20:48:00.004+08:00

Matt before.

Luke now.

6 Years After The Wedding

2009-01-09T19:39:00.008+08:00

The long holidays gave me the chance to clean the family bedroom.

Dyarrrrrran...I found my wedding gown!

I was curious if it would still fit me, curious if I'm really back to my wedding weight.

VOILA!

The kids just loved to go inside the skirt.

OUR U.S. TRIP

2009-01-08T17:38:00.004+08:00

I had a chance to make a collage of our US trip during the long holidays. I framed them and gave them to Jay as my Christmas gift. It's nice to look back in one of God's greatest blessings to us for 2008 even if I was 25 lbs. HEAVIER then, hehe!

Amazing Luke

2008-12-26T22:56:00.007+08:00

Jay and I are so amazed with our second son, Luke. At 1 year and 8 months, he can now identify and pronounce most letters of the alphabet!

One day when we went to a dental clinic where there were rubber mats with pull-out alphabet letters, we were surprised that Luke would show and tell us what letter he was holding.

Luke actually showed early signs of love for reading and studying. He would often get a book and would ask me or Dada to read to him. He also loves to watch educational videos like Brainy Baby. He actually knows how to operate the DVD player. He loves to use his sketch board and would often ask me or Dada to draw for him.

My mom-in-law recounts that before Jay turned 2 years old, he could also recognize the alphabet but unlike Luke, he still had a difficulty pronouncing.

We feel really blessed!

SURPRISE...SURPRISE!!!!!

2008-11-27T08:33:00.018+08:00

I had been busy with work that I was not able to post immediately the story of how I was able to REALLY SURPRISE Dada Jay on his 33rd birthday last Nov 19. I should be recounting the details na or else, with my two-time CS section, I might forget some things, hehe!

A week before his birthday, I was really thinking hard on how I would be able to make Dada Jay's birthday really special. Date? Pwede naman kami mag-date kahit di niya birthday. Card? Luma na! Gifts? Lagi na lang! AVP na may greetings ng artista? Last year ganun, hehe!

So pano nga ba? I asked him to confirm if he was taking a birthday leave or if he would go to work on his birthday. Work daw kasi he would take a leave na lang ng friday para diretso weekend celebration na.

Ok, so papasok siya. Esep-esep... I thought of conniving with her 2 officemates, M and C. I would bring food and asked their help to invite some officemates close to Jay. Dapat mapaalis nila si Jay sa office pag andun na kami para ma-set up namin ang merienda at para makababa ang office friends niya. Tapos pag ok na lahat, saka siya babalik ng office and SURPRISE...SURPRISE!!!

Pero si Dada Jay, pasaway. Kung sino-sino na ang nagpapaalis sa kanya sa office niya, ayaw! Ang tagal na namin sa lobby, natutunaw na ang ice cream!I was with the two kids and asked my parents' help to accompany us since pumasok din ako ng office at nag-half day leave lang.

Officemate M actually gave up. She told us na pumunta na kami ng office with the merienda and friends at sabihin na lang kay Dada na, eto kami at may surprise kami, haha!

It was good there were 2 officemates who made a story at na-convince si Jay to go to a nearby shop.

So we sneaked in to his office, prepared the food , the friends came in and we waited for the cue that they were coming back.

Ang tagal naman nilang bumalik this time. Natunaw na ang birthday candles!

But when Dada came back and he was greeted by everyone around in chorus, "Happy Birthday!!!" he was in shock!!!!

He never had a hint that I would surprise him.

Early that day we were texting each other. I told him that I would date him that night. He replied " O sure, surprise me!"

Oh well, I REALLY DID SURPRISE HIM! Thanks to M & C. Thanks to his office friends! TYL! HE made this all possible.

This is our gift to Dada Jay. The second picture on the first row was Jay when he was a kid. Matt wrote the greeting.

We took a leave last Friday and headed to Baguio for the continuation of his birthday celebration. We, especially the kids, enjoyed the trip a lot.

We rode a boat in Burnham Park.

Kuya Matt and Luke had so much fun!!!

Kuya Matt was a proud driver to Luke!

Dada and Luke enjoyed horseback riding. Luke would cry when it was Kuya Matt's turn to ride!

Mimi's joy is overwhelming.

I love this shot!

More Baguio Weekend Getaway pictures here.

I Lost 20 lbs. in 80 Days

2008-11-11T22:53:00.013+08:00

I lost 20 lbs. in 80 days. I'm almost back to my figure when Jay and I got married 5 years ago.

O di ba parang spiel sa commercial.(",)

Relate na relate ako sa commercial na nagtatakip ng bag pag nagpapa-picture. Here look, this was me when we went to the US last June.

Kahit na tinatago, may sumisilip pa rin na taba eh...hehe!

Teka alisin na nga ang bag...

Yikes!

When my big boss (itago natin sa initials na RGL hehe!) nominated me to join a wellness program last August, i thought, "teka mataba na ba ko?" Di ko alam kung maiinsulto ako eh, hehe! But I have a lot to thank him for.

Akala ko wellness program lang, yung seminar-type. Para ma-enlighten lang kami to healthy living. Aba weight-reduction contest pala. And our company was competing with other sister companies.

We had to lose weight in 80 days. This was me during the first weigh-in.

If not for the contest, I would have not known that my cholesterol level is 3-4 times higher than the normal range. Scary di ba! I'm just 32! Maliliit pa ang mga anak ko!

Our company was very supportive to the participants. We were provided free access to the gym, we had subsidized food, we had trainors and a nutritionist. Nakakahiyang hindi mag-lose, hehe!

The talks during the opening of the contest were very enlightening. I learned that conscious and healthy eating combined with exercise and physical activities would really make you lose weight. Healthy losing is 1 to 2 lbs a week. More than that is bad.

I also perfectly understood the concept of caloric deficit. It's the main reason why we lose weight. All the food and drinks (except water) we take have calories. When we buy packed food or bottled drinks, may nutrition facts kung ilang calories, kung ilan ang percentage ng sodium, fat, cholesterol etc. I learned to take note of that. Syempre, the lesser calories the better. Our body needs a certain number of calories to maintain its current weight. Pag binawasan natin ang calorie intake natin, our bodies will convert our stored fat into energy and use the fat instead, that's the time we'll lose weight. So counting calories is a key. I learned to count calories when I was pregnant with Matt. I was bordering kasi on gestational diabetes.

In order to lose 1 lb, we have to burn 3,500 calories. Ang dami di ba? Kaya dapat aside from we reduce the food we eat, exercise talaga. Pero masama ang nagpapagutom. It slows down our metabolism. At mahirap mag-workout pag gutom. Baka mahimatay ka, haha! Saka di ba pag gutom tayo at di na natin nakayanan, pag kumain tayo ulit, mapaparami din, e ganun din yun.

This picture was taken during the second weigh-in. I lost 10 lbs here.

Eto naman was 3 weeks after. 3rd weigh-in. Lost 15 lbs here.

Eto na ang final weigh-in last Nov 5.

Here are some things i did. A lot of my friends were asking how did i do it.

1. I set a target weight ideal to my height. Right now, I'm 3-4 lbs away from it.

2. I cut down on rice. From 1 cup to a half cup every meal. That's cutting down 200 calories of 1 cup rice to 100 calories of half cup rice. Note ha, I cut down NOT avoided it. Nga pala, may panukat ako ng rice, mahirap magtantiya. Rice (especially brown rice) potatoes, beans, oatmeal, whole wheat and whole grains are slow carbs. They are preferred over other fast carbs like white bread, pasta, noodles because slow carbs are not digested easily.

3. Aside from going to the gym 3x a week (actually nag 5 times ako nung latter part ng contest), I walk and walk and walk whenever possible.Walking burns 9 calories a minute. I don't use the elevators na for 3 floors below. Stairs na lang.

4. I avoided foods high in sugar, sodium and fat. Naku, I have sweet tooth pa naman. Dapat last taste ko matamis. I did not deprive myself naman. Kakain ako, pero konti lang. 1-2 bites lang. During the opening of the contest, sabi naman nung speakers do not deprive ourselves daw. Pwede naman, pero konti lang talaga. Kasi pag you feel deprived and you really want to eat na, mapapaparami naman ang kain mo.

Too much sodium should be avoided because it retains water in the body.

Fat, i totally avoided. I did not eat chicken skin. Nung una mahirap. Favorite ko pa naman wing part na ma-skin. Kaya ngayon, magkakalasa na sa kin ang chicken ng KFC, Shakeys at Kenny. Kasi laman lang naman ang kinakain ko eh, hehe. Eat lean mean, tanggalin ang taba!

Chicken and fish are good sources of protein with less calories pa.

The calories of regular fries is equivalent to 4 corns on the cob. E di ka naman mabubusog sa regular fries lang so tendency is kakain pa. Isang corncob lang busog na ko.

So it's really choosing healthier food with less calories.

When i found out about my high cholesterol level, I was asked by the doctor to avoid fried foods. Steamed na lang or grilled or boiled. Actually, ganito ang diet namin that the company provided. Syempre para iwas mantika. Iwas fat.

For my family naman, i changed our cooking oil. Aside from olive oil na mahal, pure coconut oil is ok daw sabi nung nutritionist namin nung opening day ng contest.

4. Do not starve ourselves. Dapat ang eating is 3-4 hours interval pero small meals lang. As i said, starvation slows down our metabolism.

5. I take healthy snacks. Veggie salads, fruits like banana and apple in between meals. Junkfood? I avoided. Pero pag natutukso dahil kumakain ang iba at nag-aalok, 3-5 pieces lang haha!

6. All drinks except water have calories. So water na lang talaga, kahit gano karami, pwede. Minsan I take water before meal para mabusog na nang konti, hehe.

7. It helps to have a support group who will understand and be one with you in your choice of food and activities. Syempre pag nagkayayaan na sa fastfood, mahirap nang tumanggi. It's good the contest was a team competition. I have teammates na nagpapaalala sa akin on what to eat at teka, bumaba tayo sa 3rd floor at lakarin na lang pababa.

I think the important learning is it's all about discipline and commitment. Kasi kung wala yun, baka di naman ako pumayat. I set a goal and I was determined to achieve it.

This whole experience is not just life-changing for me but for my family too. As the homemaker, I dictate what's to be served on the table. I was enlightened a lot on healthy eating. Pag pinakuluan ang beef para sa nilaga, alisin ang sebo. Kung pwede steamed na lang ang hotdog na favorite ni Matt, steamed na lang para iwas mantika. Wag nang kainin ang taba ng pork or better, alisin na pag lulutuin pa lang.

Ang dami kong dapat pasalamatan dahil sa wellness contest na to. Salamat, Sir RGL. Salamat sa suporta ng company namin. And of course, this is all by God's grace.

Bukod sa ang tawag sa akin ng husband ko ay Sexy (haha), I know i'm healthy na.

The challenge now is to maintain it. Naku, Christmas pa naman, hehe! Pero titignan ko na lang yung pictures ko na nagtatakip ng bag para di na ko bumalik sa dati, haha! Right now, i'm still enrolled sa gym and I intend to do so for as long as a I can. I even have a personal trainor and availed of her services nung last 3 weeks ng contest.

For more info, this site is helpful at may calorie counter pa.

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/weight-loss.php#section1

I'm Back...Blogging Once More!

2008-11-10T12:45:00.007+08:00

It's been almost a year since my last entry... So much has happened... So many updates to make.

Luke has grown so big and smart! He is now 1 year and 7 months old. He does not want to wear diapers anymore (sa gabi na lang at pag umaalis). Minsan ayaw pa. O di mabuti, tipid na rin kami.

Matt is going to formal school na. He is in Kinder 1. At ang hihirap ng subjects for a 4 year-old, hehe.

We actually missed Matt's first day in school, huhu! Jay and I went to the US. I attended a company-sponsored conference and had a vacation after.

Matt joined a poem recitation last week. Parang mahihimatay ako sa kaba, hehe! He made it to the top 5 and eventually won 2nd place in the finals. Parang ako ang nagwagi. Stage mimi! His poem is entitled "I Love My Family So Much."

And the most important update...Mimi is 20 lbs. lighter after joining an 80-day weight-loss contest. The complete story...susunod!

Luke's Dedication

2007-12-01T10:18:00.000+08:00

Luke was dedicated to our Lord last November 17. A dedication is a Christian ceremony in which we, parents, make a commitment before the Lord to submit our child to God's will and to raise him according to God's Word and God's way. Luke was of the same age when Kuya Matt was dedicated that was why Kuya Matt's suit then fitted him also this time.

The dedication was a simple gathering of friends, family and relatives. Luke has 5 pairs of ninongs and ninangs.

I also surprised Dada Jay with a special AVP of greetings from artistas, haha! It was his birthday last Nov 19 and he had a very showbiz birthday celebration! I also gave him Edu Manzano's dance album personally autographed by Edu himself, hehe!

Our Matt Goes To Play School!

2007-09-19T12:06:00.000+08:00

Last Monday was Matt's first day at play school. His class is from 11am to 12:30pm, Mon-Wed-Fri. It will just be 15 sessions. Dada and I accompanied him on his first day. Dada was like a stage father, he was watching Matt from the glass wall almost the whole time!

He had an assigment already. We were supposed to do it last night but i was sleepy while nursing Luke. I told Matt we would just do it this morning before going to class. When he woke up this morning, his first statement was, "Mimi, may assignment pa ko!" And so we did that. And while we were bathing, he told me, "Mimi, bilis, male-late na ko."

He is really excited! Nakakatuwa! Oh, our little boy is growing up fast!

By the way, I finally found the time to upload Luke's pictures from birth. You may view them here.

Blogging Again

2007-09-08T09:27:00.000+08:00

Getting back to work after my 3-month maternity leave was quite hard. It's been 2 months since I last posted so you could just imagine how hectic my sked was. It's really difficult to juggle time among my duties as a wife, mom to 2 kids, my ministry work and my professional work. But I'm enjoying it at the same time. Hard but manageable...with God's grace.

Here's a recent photo of my 2 kiddos--->i miss them terribly when i'm at work.

It's Dada's Day!

2007-06-22T10:07:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday was Father's Day. Our Church has an annual celebration for this event. As the Special Events Ministry Head, I hosted the celebration. One of our gimmicks is to Look Like Daddy (in whatever way to imitate Daddy or simply by being look-alikes). Um-effort si Mimi! I bought Dada and Matt red-and-white striped shirts to match Luke's bodysuit. Ang cute di ba?

After the Church service, we treated Dada to the ultimate buffet in Dad's Megamall. We knew how Dada loved his lunch!

Then picture-picture....

Luke fell asleep during the pictorial. So we opted to look like Luke this time...hehe!

The Battle is Over

2007-06-06T22:13:00.000+08:00

Thank you so much to all those who prayed for my speedy recovery from Bell's Palsy.

Actually, after the two-week therapy and steroids intake, the rehab doctor said that I was ok. My case did not degenerate so if I did not tell you that I had Bell's Palsy you woudn't notice I had it. Praise God! He is really good..all the time!

I just don't blog recently because I don't have much time. It's not easy to juggle time if you have two kids already, hehe.

Anyway, Luke is gaining weight fast. He'll be two months on June 12. Matt is getting even smarter.

Fighting Bell's Palsy

2007-05-02T18:50:00.000+08:00

After taking a bath last Friday, I went on my usual routine of checking myself in front of the mirror. I would like to know if I’m getting slimmer as an effect of my pure breastfeeding on Luke! Aside from the many benefits of breastfeeding, I know na super nakakapayat daw, hehe!

But then when I smiled, I noticed something different. Parang di pantay ang ngiti ko. Nakangiwi ako. Naka-favor sa left. Parang no reaction yung right part ng lips ko. Teka, ulitin ko nga. Change mirror. Aha, ganun pa rin. I cried. I thought I had a mild stroke. The day before, napansin ko while talking to a friend sa phone na nangingiwi ako magsalita. Pero di ko na pinansin kasi diretso naman ako magsalita after.

So that Friday morning, after noting na di pantay ang ngiti ko, I told Jay and my parents about it. I was crying. Sabi ni Jay, “Sige kindat mo kanang mata mo.” Oh no, I can’t squint my right eye! I immediately called a family doctor and relayed what I found out. He immediately said it could be BELL’S PALSY. Facial Paralysis in layman’s term. I asked if it’s related to my breastfeeding. No, it’s not in any way related to it. He immediately advised us to go to the hospital, he’d like to see me right away and endorsed me to the Physical Therapy unit. We were in the hospital in 15 minutes. When he saw me, he had no doubt it was Bell’s Palsy. What could be the cause? UNKNOWN. Up to now, puro theories pa lang. No proven fact.
1. It could be viral.
2. Exposure to extreme temperature.
3. Too much side-lying. (Pwedeng naipit ang nerves.)

Among the three, the nearest to my case is the last one. I always lie on either side when breastfeeding on bed. Pero wala naman akong kakilalang nagbe-breastfeed na nagka-bell’s palsy. Side-lying is one of the most comfortable breastfeeding positions. Saka di ba, pag- preggy nga dapat sa left side natutulog. So parang di naman ako convinced na ito ang cause.

Jay and my parents even had their own theory: STRESS. After delivery, they knew how stressed I was. Puyat. Recovery from 2nd CS after 10 hours of painful labor, etc, etc.

Whatever the cause is, this is a battle I have to fight. And I hold on to what the doctors said that this is NOT permanent. Bell’s Palsy is curable. 2 weeks to a month at the earliest. I just have to be faithful to the therapy sessions and medications.

I had to take steroids to prevent swelling of my right facial muscles. At first, our family doctor said I could NOT go on breastfeeding. I could not help but cry. I’ve exerted so much effort going on pure breastfeeding. It was just a week since I became successful on that. Well, it was to save my face daw, to avoid sagging. It was a good thing I detected the condition early. Some do because they notice facial deformities already.

That same Friday morning, I was asked to start the 6 series of therapy sessions. Iyak pa rin ako nang iyak knowing I had to stop breastfeeding. Baka nga nagtataka yung therapist kasi sabi niya gagaling naman ako pero tumutulo luha ko. More than anything, it was stopping breastfeeding that made me the saddest.

It was a good thing that while I was undergoing the procedure, our family doctor came back and told me that he had consulted an expert on steroids. And yes, it’s ok for me to go on breastfeeding Luke even if I’m on steroids. Yehey!

I was kinda emotional the first few days upon learning I have Bell’s Palsy. But then I realize my condition is not so bad.

Let me tell you why the Lord is so good to me.

1. I have this condition two weeks after delivery. If I had this earlier on while pregnant, steroids are a no-no for preggies. I read that for preggies, Bell’s Palsy strikes on the 3rd trimester.
2. I have this while I’m still on maternity leave. I have a lot of time going to the therapy sessions and check-ups. Ayoko ngang makita ng officemates ko na ngiwi ang mukha ko, hehe.
3. For some reason, I began storing breastmilk when Luke was 11 days old. I discovered Bell’s Palsy when he was 14 days old. That means, I have enough milk stored for him even if I have to go out.

It was said that my condition would go through a phase of regression. Lalala daw. Kasi for the nerves to regenerate, it has to complete the process of degeneration. That means papangit ako, hehe! Ok lang, sabi naman ni Dada Jay, love pa rin niya ko kahit pumangit ako, haha!

With the Lord on my side, this would be an easy battle. Plus the support of my family, Church mates, and friends is really overwhelming. I cannot ask for anything more.

Well, God is indeed good…all the time.

A Very Happy Birthday

2007-04-25T19:47:00.000+08:00

April is a very special month for our family. With the arrival of Luke on the exact day of our Wedding Anniversary, we now have 3 special occasions to celebrate this month. Last Sunday, I celebrated my birthday (my last on the calendar, hehe!). It was a simple get-together of family and friends. I just invited Churchmates. But Jay surprised me by inviting 3 of my closest officemates and 2 of our HS friends. It was a very happy birthday for me. Thanks to Dada Jay!

Who's Who?

2007-04-17T18:11:00.000+08:00

Presenting the look-alikes...

Would you be able to tell who's Matt and who's Luke?

The first in the 2 pairs of pictures is Luke. He resembles Kuya Matt a lot!

Luke has finally arrived last April 12. He was God's perfect gift to us because it was also our 4th Wedding Anniversary the exact day he was born.

We were thinking to go to Enchanted Kingdom that day. Jay has 3 free tickets. Since Monday last week, we were always out strolling as we await the big day. But oh, I was in the labor room 7am because of super painful contractions.

I attempted for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Luke was in head-down position in the last utrasound. I labored for 10 hours but dilated up to 6 cm only. Luke was a big baby (like Kuya Matt) and although my xray pelvimetry revealed that my pelvic diameter has adequate dimension, his head did not engage in my pelvic inlet (like Kuya Matt). Oh well, I guess I'm always meant for a CS hehe. God has planned for that to happen because it would be safer for me and my babies. (",)

Thanks to those who prayed for my safe delivery. We will begin another chapter in our family.

Our Luke is Very Active!

2007-04-01T15:30:00.000+08:00

Luke has always been on head-down position (cephalic). But these past few weeks, he is making a tour of my uterus! 2 weeks ago, at 35 weeks, he was found to be of breech presentation. The week after, my OB could sense that he was head-down again. Last week, my doctor sensed he was breech again. So it's like every week, during check-ups he changes position. We kind of worry because based on his 4D ultrasound before, he had loose cord coil.

I am aspiring for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) this time. I've disciplined myself a lot to be able to do that. My sugar level didn't go up. I didn't have manas this time unlike with Matt's. But if Luke's position is really breech then I'm a likely candidate for CS again.

Oh well, let's just wait and see. As long as he comes out safe and healthy, whatever the Lord's will...so be it...