Mommy Elay

Reading is FUN!

2012-04-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

We started reading books when Nathan was just about two months old. I know he doesn't understand the words I say or why I do a thump-thump sound whenever I say Ella the Elephant, but he has shown me his appreciation for what I do, and that's more than enough for me. :) I know he appreciates it coz whenever I pull out the book, he starts smiling and you just know that he's waiting for it.

Reading Love You Forever by Robert Munsch.

Sometimes, when he's crying really hard and we can't figure out what it is that he wants, we just show him the book "Zigby Camps Out" and he will stop crying at once! We figured that he loves looking at the pictures, and he loves listening to the sound effects (animal sounds) I make when I read to him.

He also loves "Love you Forever" by Robert Munsch. I LOVEEEEE reading this book to him because of the song, "I love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." I'm also extra proud when reading this book to him coz it's a free signed copy from the author. Haha!

These are our books so far, most of the books here, I bought from booksale! :) Cardboard books for as low as 50 pesos, and some around 100 pesos. Ngayon, mas inuuna ko pa talaga tignan ang children's corner sa bookstore bago sa bestsellers. Hehe!

This afternoon, I saw that Books For Less opened a new branch at SM Masinag, and since I was there, I decided to give it a visit. Nalula ako sa dami ng children's books! I saw Dr. Seuss books for 99-150 pesos, and a whole lot of other books that I want to read with Nathan. Sobrang dami, I think I spent more than an hour just browsing around. Hehe!

I got these books for around 300 pesos lang. I loooooooooveeeee that it's finger puppet which puts a whole new fun to our reading sessions. I tried it with Nathan kanina and he loves it! I love the Elmo book, inside it has lyrics to "If You're Happy and You Know It" but it has other actions like, "Touch your nose," "Rub your tummy" and "Dance".

My dream is to own more books, and own books na nasa top 100 books for children. For now, okay na kami ni Nathan with the nice images and rhymes. It's something I'm sure we will be doing for a long time, and we will never get tired of it (I hope!).

We Choose Cloth.

2012-04-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

This post is written for the Real Diaper Week Carnival with the theme “Real Simple. Real Diapers.” We aim to educate and advocate the use of cloth diapers in the Philippines. Please scroll below to read the other carnival posts about cloth diaper styles, how to’s or must haves.

***

"Ang mahal naman niyan!"

Ask any cloth diapering mom, and I'm sure someone has said pretty much the same thing about cloth diapers at one point. Usually, this phrase comes after "Ang cute naman niyan!".

Well, it's true that it can be a little expensive at first. You would need to shell out a little to be able to build a decent stash of cloth diapers. Believe me, Hubby's facial expression said it all when I first told him that I want to build a cloth diaper stash for Nathan. This was after he saw Next9's website which I 'accidentally' left open on his browser. Believe me, the look on his face was just like telling me, "Are you out of your mind?! 1k for 3 diapers?!"

The thing is, I wasn't researching about cloth diapers just because it's cute. (Okay, I admit that was ONE reason). But at that time, Nathan was having really bad rashes because of his diapers. We tried brand after brand, we changed every after 2 hrs but we got the same results.

So, to give him a 'preview' without having to spend that much, I asked that we try Chino Pino's first. It's pretty much the old school lampin but it's pre folded already and it has velcro closures that made it a lot easier to put on Nathan. In just a week of switching to Chino Pino's, the rashes were gone. Yay!

But eventually, we outgrew the chino pino. Nathan's thigh -- well, people call it "Pata" for a reason eventually became too big for the chino pino. Hubby said maybe it's time to try out the modern ones. I swear I did a happy dance when he said that. :)

Ang-mahal-naman-nyan-rebuttal number 1: If you do the math, you'll see it's not expensive at all.

Cloth diapers are reusable. Which means, if you stick to it, you'd probably never buy another disposable diaper again EVER. I always say din, since Nathan is our first child, the probability of our second (maybe even third) child to use the same CD's are high! Investment ang tawag dun. :P

If you change disposable diapers 12 times a day and keep doing that for a year, this is what it will cost you:

Drypers: PhP7/pc = PhP30,576/year
EQ Dry: PhP6/pc = PhP26,208/year
Huggies PhP9/pc = PhP39,312/year
Kimbies: Dry PhP6/pc = PhP26,208/year
Pampers Comfort: PhP7/pc = PhP30,576/year
Pampers Baby Dry: PhP8.25/pc = PhP36,036/year
ProKids: PhP6/pc = PhP26,208/year

Confession: I didn't do the math. Next9 did.

Ang-mahal-naman-nyan-rebuttal number 2: It's really good for the environment.

When I was trying to convince hubby to switch to cloth diapers, I asked him to guess just how many years it would take to decompose a single disposable diaper. He guessed 50 years, and based on my research, 50 years -- even when it sounds soooo long already, is just a quarter of disposable diaper's life. It takes 200 years, some data I've read said it takes 500. 200 or 500, maski nga 50 lang e, that's still a very long time! That means by the time Nathan has his own grand grand kids, the diaper we used on him would still be sitting on a landfill somewhere!

It actually felt good when we started using cloth diapers. It was nice not seeing disposable diapers on the trash can. I know it's just a small contribution, but still it's something, diba? At least Mother Earth has one less disposable diaper to worry about because of us. Pwede na yun!

Ang-mahal-naman-nyan-rebuttal-tip number 3: Ang cute kaya!

Kasama talaga to sa reasons why we like cloth diapers. Haha! Because of cloth diapers, Nathan is ready for a photoshoot anytime! :P When we were using cloth diapers na, I realized how ~~ugly~~ different it looked like when Nathan was just wearing disposables. Sure, disposables have prints too but it just looked... well, different.

Cloth diapers now come in different colors, in different prints. Some were even customizable, and if you're really crafty, I'm sure you could do loads with plain cloth diapers. Can I add, sobrang nakakagigil yung butt ni baby pag naka cloth diaper, ang tambok! :)

[caption id="attachment_129066" align="alignnone" width="423" caption="Nathan says "OK"."][/caption]

***

So there, that's just three of the many reasons why we chose real diapers. It took a little explaining of course to convince hubby, but I'm happy to say that he's my number 1 supporter now when it comes to full-time CDing. Yes, we do full time! We use cloth diapers 24/7. Yay!

He now knows the benefit of cloth diapers and would even answer back for me whenever someone says "Ang mahal naman nyan!". Minsan may iba pang statements like, "Mukhang mahirap i-maintain, or magastos sa laba" pero with a little explanation, nagegets din naman. :) Proud moment ko lang is when he explained it to our friend, akala ko di siya nakikinig sa explanations ko e!

If you haven't yet, I suggest you give it a try din. The secret is to just buy just a few first and then decide which system works best for you. Oh yes, cloth diapers are so modern now and we have different systems pa! I suggest you look into it first. We're really far from the oldschool lampin na. Another yay for that!

There's a group called Modern Cloth Nappying Pinays (every cloth diaper addict mom is in that group) and you can ask them questions and for sure you'll get really good answers. I joined the group when there was just around 80 members, now it's around 700+ na! Galing! If not sa group, just google and research lang, you'll be surprised at how many moms are doing it already. (I used to watch videos on youtube on how to strip diapers! Haha)

Anyway, ang haba na nito. Just think of this as me saying na, real diapers can be intimidating at first, but still, it's something worth trying. :)

***

Please check out other entries for the blog carnival:

Next9 Baby's The CD Revolution

Tickled Mom Clarice's Stuff you need for an easier CD-ing life

Buntis' Milo's stash of real diapers

Happy Tots Studio's Matteo's Diaper Story

Hoo Goes Where's Real Diapers Our CD Journey

MrsBry's Z loves: Next9 Cloth Diapers

This Mom's Life's Transitioning to Cloth Diapers

ms. Masungit's Cloth Diapers? Where?

The Odyssey of Dinna's nurturing rafael: the cloth diaper chronicles

The Articulate Pen's Making the Switch to Cloth Diapers

The Common Mom's Surviving the Holidays with Cloth Diapers

Tickled Mom Abie's Cloth Diapers. A Quick Review of the Different Systems

Swept Away's What We Love About Cloth Diapers

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom's Going out of Town with Cloth Diapers

Organized Junk's Out and About with Cloth Diapers

Baby steps.

2012-04-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

"Just let go", I've been telling this to myself for the past few days. Nathan is in the phase where he wants to roam around and just grab things and explore. We were at the supermarket one time and he refused to be carried, instead he wanted to be put down so he can walk, assisted syempre. He also refuses now to be held at both hands when walking, gusto niya one-hand assist nalang. And though I'm really proud of this achievement and milestone, I can't help but still feel a bit OA. HAY I really feel that I don't make sense at all pero, ang hirap pala!

Two days ago, we were at National Bookstore. Nathan and I were at the children's book section while his Dudad was busy looking for his art materials. Normally, I would babywear Nathan and just browse through the book collection, but last time was different. He refused to be carried, and --- he wanted to touch the books and as if telling me, "Ako pipili Mommy!"

Then yesterday came. Tita Angie was here and she told me, "Naglalakad na dapat si Nathan mag-isa, gusto niya na oh, ikaw lang ang takot." And then it hit me. Oo nga, by the looks of it, gusto na talaga maglakad ni Nathan mag isa, but all along, I was too scared to let him go. I always hold his hand, natatakot kasi ako baka bumagsak siya, mauntog -- worse, mapilayan.

I didn't realize that for him to learn to take that first step on his own, I have to learn to let go and just allow him to explore.

Ang OA ba? So yesterday, I held him lang sa elbow niya and allowed him to walk alone. AND HE DID! Five steps, ten steps! At patakbo pa nga. Syempre, nasa likod niya parin ako the whole time, but the thing is, kaya na niya talaga! And as if on cue, he would glance back at me, as if to check kung andun lang ako then he would start to walk.

Hay I know there would be lots more of 'letting go's' coming our way. I'm sure I will be just as OA, but hey, in my defense, better safe than sorry. :p

*Sigh*.

Excited for tomorrow!

2012-04-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

As I've said on my previous blog, we will be celebrating Nathan's first birthday tomorrow. It's going to be really simple, with just a few family and friends. I'm really excited on how things will turn up tomorrow since everything -- and I say everything, is a labor of love. Haha!

Every bit of decor is DIY -- and since our printer broke down few months ago, we had to make use of what we have. Thankfully, I have a very creative husband who knows exactly what to do with a piece of paper, oil pastels and lots of other stuff available.

Nakakatuwa kasi we have Easter Egg hunt in the morning, and all the eggs are created by Bob. Paper Mache! DIY ba kamo? :)

Hayy sana when Nathan grows up and gets to see his first birthday party, he'll be reminded of just how Mommy and Daddy worked real hard to make it special.

Happy Birthday, Nathan!

2012-04-04T02:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Nathan's first birthday. It was fun even when things didn't go as planned three months ago. Originally, we wanted to celebrate his first birthday with kids from Philippine Orthopedic Center but since March was a bit unfriendly and with all the extra expenses we had to shoulder, we ended up rescheduling Nathan's birthday treat to the pedia ward.

With the help of Ninong Ryan (who volunteered to be our 'driver' for the day), we were still able to make his first birthday a very memorable one! I cooked pancit and adodo (haha) and packed it for a late afternoon picnic. :)

First stop was Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage here in Antipolo. We went to the Adoration Chapel and prayed. I thanked God for giving us the opportunity to be good parents for Nathan and asked him for more guidance. :)

Then we stopped by at SM Masinag to buy some picnic stuff and a birthday cake for Nathan. At around 3pm, we were on our way to Circle. Honestly, I had no idea what to do there. I can't even remember the last time I went there. Haha! But since we just wanted to do something different, sige dun nalang! :P

Here are the pictures we took at Circle. It was a hot afternoon! Pawis na pawis ang baby, kawawa naman! Haha! So semi-fail ang planned photoshoot sana namin. :) But overall, enjoy parin naman! We ate, played with bubbles, tried to blow the candle (but failed, haha).

[slideshow]

It was a very simple celebration, but it was very meaningful. Natawa pa ko kasi two nights ago, Bob and I cried kasi feeling namin wala talagang celebration na magaganap kasi nga nagastos namin lahat ng party budget for the hospital bills. But God is really good! The next morning, biglang may good news! Haha! So on Sunday, we will have a mini swimming party and will celebrate Nathan's birthday with family and friends na.

Happy first birthday, Nathan! We love you very very much!

Oh hello, blog!

2012-04-04T01:36:00.000-07:00

Halos nakalimutan ko na meron pala akong blog.

March has set a record -- pinaka stressful na month at sana wala nang mag-attempt mag break ng record. Just a day after Nathan's confinement, si Papa naman ang sinugod namin sa hospital. He suffered from a major stroke. It was the scariest day of my life din, never thought I'd go through that at all. On hindsight, everything on that day was carefully planned and timed by God. Nung hapon na yun, nagtataka ako bakit wala pa si Papa (He was supposed to go here in the morning), then I called him on his cellphone. It rang once and he didn't answer, so I called again -- this time, he answered and the only words he said was "Punta kayo dito anak, inaatake ako". Then silence.

That 5-second silence was scary. The thought was scary. We were fifteen minutes away from Papa. Mahina pa naman ako sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. Pero it all felt like I was on auto pilot. I called the guard house of Papa's subdivision and told them to go to our house and call an ambulance. Sa isip ko nun, at least may mauna sakin sa bahay since malayo pa kami. I also called our Ninang, who was our neighbor din and told her to come to our house. She was about to leave na daw buti nalang nakatawag ako agad. She said when they got to our house, the screen door was locked so they had to force it open, then they found Papa lying on the bedroom. God was so good na hindi na niya inallow na makita ko pa yun. Siguro kung inabutan ko si Papa na ganun, baka dalawa kaming isusugod sa hospital.

Ang nakakatawa (at least for now) dito e sa panic namin mag-asawa, iniwan namin si Nathan sa kapitbahay namin habang kami ni Bob e nakasakay na sa kotse ni Ninang para isugod sa hospital si Papa (ambulance never came). Parang nakisama naman si Nathan kasi hindi daw siya umiyak, as in nakaupo lang daw sila nung kapitbahay namin at ni isang beses e hindi nagwala si Nathan. Buti nalang dahil sa taranta namin, wala kaming dala man lang na gamit ni Nathan. Walang milk, walang diaper -- kahit pampunas nga ng tulo laway wala. Hayy, thank you Anak for being cooperative on that day.

Anyway, we stayed in the hospital for 10 days. Longest 10 days of my life. I was crying every night. Halo-halo na yung emotions ko. I felt worried for Papa, tapos namimiss ko mag-ama ko who had no choice but to stay at home. So ako lang mag isa nagbabantay kay Papa. Ang hirap! I would never wish for this to happen to anyone, not even my mortal enemy siguro. (Kung meron man).

I guess that's every child's fear. Good thing about this story is that ours ended up well. Papa recovered well, and now -- almost a month after the incident, nakakalakad na siya and nagagalaw na rin niya yung left side ng body niya na nung una e ni makaramdam, wala. He's on continuous PT sessions, 3x a week for now but we're hopeful. Pinag-mop na nga ng sahig nung isang araw para maexercise. Haha!

Anyhooo-- Birthday ni Nathan kahapon! One year went by soooooooo fast. I will blog this on another entry dahil it deserves a separate post.

Nakakamiss din pala mag blog. :)

Never again, I pray.

2012-03-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

I never thought I’d ever write a blog post inside a hospital room.

Nathan got admitted yesterday, after three days of fever and diarrhea. We already went here last Tuesday, just one day after the fever but he was sent home coz he was still bibo and makulit when we got here. Initial diagnosis was amoebiasis. This puzzled me and Bob, since everything Nathan uses is sterilized, and we use distilled water for everything.

Anyway, two days later, Nathan refused to take his milk, if he did, he would spit it out after a few minutes. That prompted me and Bob to bring him to the ER again, and just as suspected, the resident doctor told us he needs to be hydrated thru IV and be given meds thru it as well. Need I mention that he gave us the scare of our lives when he looked at Nathan’s records and said, “Oh typhoid to ah!” like it was something ordinary.

Nathan was okay pa the first few minutes, then he seemed to sense na they were going to inject him with something na, so he cried! I couldn’t bare to look at him when the nurse was administering his skin test. Hay yung iyak ni Nathan in itself is heartbreaking na. When it was time to put the dextrose, Nathan was screaming already. He looks at me, and then to his Dad, as if crying for help, but there was just nothing we could do at the moment. Ayaw pa ako palapitin kasi ganun daw talaga?

Heartbreaking is seeing your son, barely a year old, with dextrose. Oh poor little hands! I couldn’t imagine how the nurse was able to get it right the first time, but thank God he did coz had he failed, I probably would’ve unleashed the warfreak in me.

It’s now Day 2, and Nathan is feeling a lot better already. I say so coz the first thing he did when he woke up was pinch my nose, haha! He’s very active again and he moves a lot! This morning, we brought the laptop (hence the blogging) and he watched Happy Feet (his favorite movie) kaya ang happy happy niya naman. We brought toys din, and he was so excited to play with it even with just one hand free.

And because he’s feeling better na, ang likot na niya super! Nahuhulog ang puso ko whenever he moves his right hand coz that’s where the dextrose is, and natatakot ako na mamisplace and they have to reinsert. True enough, just at about lunch time, the nurse noticed that Nathan’s hand was a bit swollen, and they decided to take it off. I could imagine in Nathan’s mind, he’s laughing and saying “Aha! My plan worked!”

We’re hoping that Nathan gets discharged today, or at least tomorrow be the last day. Ay grabe, while I was typing this, pumasok ang nurse to say she's going to reinsert his IV. Nooooo! Kawawang Nathan. She couldn't get it right after a few tries kaya ako na nagsabi, please tell the doctor we don't want IV for Nathan anymore. Buti naman pumayag. Dumedede na naman si Nathan and no more vomiting, so I guess it's okay na to remove the IV. Nakakaawa naman kasi to the highest level.

Hayy. I pray never to experience this again.

Kakayanin!

2012-02-16T02:10:00.000-08:00

"Wala kayong yaya? Kaya niyo?" asked my next-door neighbor this morning.

Oo nga noh, I realized. Wala kaming yaya. Walang helper, for years now. I guess our very unfortunate experiences with our previous helpers already traumatized us and the thought of getting a new one just scares the hell out of me.

So we've decided to not get a yaya or an all-around helper, for peace of mind. With all the horror stories on yaya's caught on cams, jusko, wag na. Sarili ko nga hindi ko mapatawad pag may nagawa akong mali kay Nathan, ibang tao pa kaya. And surprisingly, I'm kind of enjoying the household chores. To those who know me really well, this is really something.

This morning, I ditched the mop and went traditional with a rug, put on a great music and scrubbed like I was dancing aerobics. Haha! Crazy, I know. Even Nathan thinks so too coz he was smiling at me the whole time. I must have looked like I was the missing member of the Wiggles. LOL!

Honestly, it's too early to tell. We've been here for almost two weeks, ask me again few months from now, when Nathan starts walking and running, I might just change my mind about household help. Right now, it's easy breezy with Bob helping me whenever he can. He's cool like that.

On getting Nathan a yaya -- I don't see myself doing that right now, or in the future. I'd like to remain as hands on as I can with Nathan. I love being able to witness every milestone, and being the first person to scream, "Dad! Dali tignan mo!!" whenever Nathan does something new. It's very rewarding. I know it sounds cliche but it really is.

"Yes, walang yaya. Kinakaya. Kakayanin." -- I told my neighbor.

Obligatory Valentine's Day Post.

2012-02-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Love is work.

It is, in fact, hard work. People think that when you fall in love and get married, that's the guarantee that love won't fade. Marriage isn't a prize, it's not a trophy you give to your boyfriend/girlfriend because they behaved well. Marriage, I realized, is a work in progress.

It's waking up everyday and choosing to fall in love again and again with the person you vowed to spend the rest of your life with. It's falling in love with him despite and in spite of everything. It's choosing to accept everything about the person, good or bad, and embracing it.

It's loving him even when he snores so loud in the evening and it ruins your beauty sleep. It's resisting the urge to bury his face in a pillow because you'd rather not sleep than suffocate him. It's being there for him even when he's so irritating that he drives you nuts already. Ah, sometimes it makes you want to self-admit in a rehab center. It's taking care of him even when you know so little of medicine and the mere sight of blood makes you faint. It's sitting beside him when he's feeling so down, understanding him despite the lack of words.

Love is work. Marriage is a work-in-progress. You don't get married and become the perfect couple. You will fight, you will argue, you will agree to disagree. He will become your best friend, but at times, he will be your mortal enemy as well. Sometimes, you ran them over in your dreams. You may even say curse words in your head. Sometimes, it would be easier to quit -- but you know so well by now that long, deep breaths will work magic.

Love is knowing that he snores because he's tired, from working straight hours so he can provide for you and your family. Because he loves you so much that he wants to secure the future. He will work long hours, he may even trade days off for a bonus (he knows you'll get mad, but he prays you will understand).

It's knowing that he wants to be with you even when it looks like he's pushing you away. Knowing that your voice is soothing, like music to his ears (well, when you're not nagging). It's knowing that when you take care of him, it makes him the most special person on earth. It's picking up tiny hints here and there that he loves you, and he appreciates what you do for him, even without him saying it out loud.

Love, it makes us crazy, stupid even. But what the heck, right? Love is wonderful, and finding that one person to share this magical feeling makes everything else a breeze.

Love is work, but most of all, love is realizing that every hour, every minute, and every second was worth it because you did it together. ~ Angela Florio

New Home

2012-02-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

We've been incredibly busy since we moved in our new home, but I think it's the kind of busy that makes you really giddy instead of tired. That, or talagang punong-puno lang kami ng energy for this new home.

It's a work in progress. We still have a lot of things to buy for the house. But it's okay. "Baby steps," we keep telling ourselves. For now, we'll make the most out of what we have. Bob has been working double time to meet deadlines and earn bonuses so we can buy new things. With the rate he's going, I'm confident we'll have everything ready by this month. Haha!

I'm kinda surprised that I'm enjoying all the household chores din. (Ask me again months from now, baka mag-iba sagot ko. Haha!) I wake up at 4:30 am (no alarm yan ah!) then bangon na agad to fix things and prepare breakfast. By 6am, almost done na ko. Siguro the downside to having a big house (well, big enough for three) is that -- MALAKI din ang lilinisin. That's two bedrooms and three bathrooms to clean! Oh well. Bob's been helping naman with chores and even proposed that we do a schedule! As in MWF-TThS ang drama. He wants to take turn with the cooking na din! Wow diba?

I'm really happy with how the things are going right now. 2012 came in with a great promise ha, in fairness. :) Continue to be kind, 2012. But know that as early as now, love na love ka na namin.

Happy 10 months, Nathan!

2012-02-03T03:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Nathan,

10 months ka na today. Oh how time flies. Gasgas na yung linya ko na yan, pero that's just how I feel everyday. Sometimes, I say to myself, "Sana lumaki ka na" and then take it back the next minute, kasi I want to enjoy this moment more. Ang gulo ni Mommy noh?

At ten months, ganun parin. You're still as amazing and wonderful as you were before, siguro nga mas lalo pa ngayon. You never fail to surprise us with your sweet little milestones. You know how to make Mommy happy when I'm a bit sad. You know how to take away Dad's fatigue from work. You are a delight to everyone, to our family and to our friends. You should know ang dami dami daming nagmamahal sayo.

Mommy has lesser mommy-boo-boos now. Thank you for being patient with me. I continue to realize that motherhood is a never-ending process. We continue to learn everyday. I don't think I'll ever be the perfect Mom, but I'll be the best I can be for you, promise yan.

We love you,

Mom

Five!

2012-02-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

It's our fifth year anniversary today! (Well, as boyfriend-girlfriend) Do married couples still celebrate that? We do, I do. I like the thought it has been 5 years since that night that changed the rest of our lives.

As posted on Facebook:

I remember texting Bunsoi, "Pano ko sasagutin, hindi naman nagtatanong?!" And how nervous you were when you finally asked if I felt the same way. Nun lang ako nakarinig ng napakaraming stutter in just one sentence. Haha! Hayyy.. and how we both cried when I said yes! Ang corny lang natin nuon Dudad!!

It's been a wonderful five years, masaya -- nakakabaliw, pero masaya. Agree ka ba dun? Oh, cheers to a life time of kabaliwan. :p

Happy 5th Anniversary, Dudad. I love you! :)

Sharing pics from 2007 to present. :) Nene-Totoy days pa ito.

[caption id="attachment_12906621530" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Our first date. January 2007. "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12906621531" align="alignnone" width="529" caption="April 2008."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12906621532" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="March 2009. Eraserheads Concert. The Final Set. My Surprise birthday gift to Bob. :)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12906621533" align="alignnone" width="529" caption="2010 -- Syempre, our wedding year! The most memorable year ever!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12906621534" align="alignnone" width="529" caption="... and Nathan came along! Best gift of 2011."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12906621535" align="alignnone" width="529" caption="Hoping the best for 2012!"][/caption]

I know that five years is nothing compared to the lifetime we'll spend with each other. Growing old isn't so scary anymore because of you and Nathan. Thanks for everything, Dudad. :)

Perfect.

2012-01-30T22:47:00.000-08:00

I'm not supposed to blog about this at all but I'm blogging anyway. :p I want for us to remember this week, how wonderful it has been since we first stepped into our new home.

Yes, finally.

It was love-at-first sight. We felt like it was made for us, there was no heavy feeling, everything was a breeze when we got inside. We checked, room by room, wall by wall and words were not needed to confirm that Bob and I had the same thing in mind: This is it.

How we are blessed this much, I'm not really sure. But God knows the intent of our hearts, and he gave it to us, for that -- we are thankful. More than thankful! We're more than delighted now that Nathan will be celebrating his first birthday on this house. Oh come to think of it, we'll be celebrating most of our firsts in this house! Home, we are finally home.

The house is like a blank canvass for us. Bob's been channeling his interior designer self for days now, and I'm just amazed with how synchronized our minds are at this point. We have the same ideas, we agree on concepts. Ang galing galing! We have sketches of how we want it to look, and Bob's 100% set on building the cabinets by himself! Oh God. Ang creative lang ng asawa ko.

It was just like how we started on our first apartment. Wayyy back 2007. Ay, ang dala lang namin is a sleeping bag, and Bob's personal computer. As in yun lang, and wala pang computer table ha! Dun sa CPU nakapatong yung monitor niya. We slept on the floor, and ate on the floor! And then one by one, we started buying stuff until it was complete already. Then we moved here in Antipolo, most of our things nakacombine sa bahay sa Mission Hills and we decided to leave it there and start anew.

So now, we're literally back to square one.

Even Nathan is cooperating! Walang gamit yung bahay but he's not picky and moody at all. He slept on the floor, with blankets naman pero still, it's far from his comfy crib and beddings, but he's okay with it. As soon as he woke up, he was all smiles already and was giddy crawling on the floor. Hay, it's perfect. More than words can say.

Bob has his own office in the house. It's been our dream for him to have his home office, and now it's finally coming true. Ah, I leave all the designing to him kasi office niya yun. He's so inspired that he says he would have time to paint already. Oh wow. His office has the view of Antipolo Mountains. Perfect lang talaga.

I can go on and on about this house and never stop on how perfect this is for us. But I'll stop here. :p Will post pics as soon as we can.

Home, sweet home.

Excited!!!

2012-01-30T02:03:00.000-08:00

We'll be starting on a brand new journey soon! I can't wait till I'm able to post more details about our new 'baby', but for now, just forgive the excessive exclamation points to follow.

Sobrang lapit na!!!!!!!!!

The Paawa Look.

2012-01-28T02:21:00.000-08:00

Now, who can say no to that face?

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

2012-01-27T13:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Nathan,

Today, you reminded Mommy of a very good lesson in life: Never give up.

You've been trying to stand up on your crib for a long time now. You would try each day, slowly trying to figure out how to do it. At times, you would reach out for the toy beside your crib and hang on it for support. For the past days, we've seen you kneel longer than you did before and we just thought, "Hey that's a good start!"

Kanina, habang busy si Mommy magtupi ng cloth diapers mo and si Daddy naman busy sa work, bigla mo na naman kami sinurprise! Nakita nalang kita bigla na nakakapit sa rails nung crib mo, at siyempre sa gulat ko, tinawag ko si Daddy at nagulat ka naman. Ayun, naoff balance ka tuloy at napaupo ulit.

Bigla naging cheerleader si Daddy at ako naman, photographer. Dudad stayed by the side of the crib, "Go Anak, kaya mo yan." He said.

Few attempts later...

You did it!

You managed to hold on for a minute (?) before you fell on your butt. But, just like that, you tried again and again.

Ganyan nga, anak. Sometimes, in life -- we fall down. But that doesn't mean we have to quit trying. Para-paraan lang yan, until we figure out what to do and how to do it. It may hurt a bit, but the happiness you'd feel when you succeed is worth every single ouchy moment. :)

Just don't forget, Mommy and Daddy are always here for you. We love you sooo much!

Photodump v.1

2012-01-26T02:47:00.000-08:00

Went to Pugad Adventure in Pugo, La Union last Sunday. Had the chance to roam around with my trusty Canon. :)

[slideshow]

Babywearing.

2012-01-26T02:26:00.000-08:00

I knew about babywearing when N was just a few weeks old. I wanted to try it so much back then, but I didn't have the luxury to go out, so while waiting, I watched babywearing videos until I figure out how to really use it. Then on N's first month, Joy gave it to me as a present -- finally, I'll get to babywear N, right?

Wrong.

The horror -- despite the many videos I've watched, wala talaga. N would squirm when he's inside, probably because the fit wasn't okay. It says on the video that you're supposed to be hands-free when you're baby wearing, but I was putting it so wrong that if I remove my hands, N would probably fall off.

I tried -- for days until I figured I'd just try it again when N's big enough to support his head para we can do the other sling carry. Eventually, time passed and I (almost) forgot about the sling. Few months later, we were given a hand-me-down carrier which was so easy to put on, so lalong nakalimutan si sling.

Fastforward to N's eighth month, I wanted to try babywearing again. For some reason, the carrier we were using gave me nasty back ache when I'm carrying N in it. I couldn't last for anything longer than five minutes. So I took out the sling and decided to give it another try.

With enough support from Bob -- and a few tips from the net

and Dr. Lei (a new-found online friend!) ayun, nasuot ko din! N looked happy inside, and he would really behave when he's inside the sling. Maybe it helped that N is already able to support his head kaya mas madali na for us. But the thing is, it worked! I'm able to babywear N!

First Day Out

So, with a proud grin on my face -- we decided to go out and try if I could really babywear N for hours. We decided to go to SM Masinag since it's near and there's not much people there even on weekends.

Naloka ako.

I got all kinds of stares -- some curious, some amazed. We went to the infant section of the department store, and while browsing some items, I overheard two saleslady talking behind me. They said,

"Meron tayo nyan! Yan yung mahal na tela. Ganyan pala yung sling pag nakasuot noh?"

Then they approached me and said, "Ganda naman ng upuan ni baby. Hindi po ba masakit sa likod?"

Feeling proud (and thankful that the salesladies have no idea how I failed on babywearing once), I smiled and said, "Actually, hindi. Masarap nga e."

Went home that day and despite the number of curious stares that we got, I'm happy that I was able to babywear N and that he enjoyed it as much as I did.

Not everyone knows.

It's just sad that babywearing isn't as popular as it should be in the Philippines. How I wish meron akong makasalubong na nagbaby wear din.

Last weekend, we went to Manaoag with the family. As usual, I brought out my sling and wore N as soon as we stepped out of the van. The stares, andun pa rin. Pati relatives, may joke on how I looked like a 'badjao' wearing it, but it was okay. Tawa lang, kasi I've thought of that before.

Ok lang, kalma lang. Just then, a woman stared at me, looked at me from head to toe and smirked! Oh God. Bob saw it too and we just laughed. I said, "Dahan dahan sa pag titig ate. Konting pasintabi lang" loud enough so she can hear it. Then Bob and I laughed again. I knew right there and then that I was up for some more stares. True enough, I got the same stare a few times more, and even overheard a woman say, "Pag di ka nag behave sa stroller mo, i-gaganun kita katulad dun sa baby, nakasabit lang"

Having enough, I finally told Bob I'll remove N from the sling first.

Bob said no, and his words exactly:

"Komportable kayo ni N dyan diba? Wag natin sila pansinin. Di lang nila alam yan sling."

Take it from Bob, he knows exactly what to say and when to say it.

I realized, oo nga. Not everyone knows about babywearing. There would always be people who would stare you down and even say rude comments about it. The thing is, deadma nalang. As long as we know why we're doing it, as long as N is happy and safe, that's all that matters.

Hello, 2012.

2012-01-26T01:16:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of January and yet, this is my first ever post for 2012. I know, I'm such a lazy blogger. Although that does not mean I don't blog in my head. God, if someone would invent a way where my thoughts would go directly to my blog, nakupo -- disaster.

2011 has been so good to me and Bob, and came with the great blessing called Nathan. I have high hopes for 2012 and all the years to come. The thing is, I think I've never been this positive before. Parang ang gaan nalang ng lahat ng bagay. Call it weird but that's how I feel right now.

In two months, we'll be celebrating N's first birthday party. Oh my. Ang lapit na. For N's birthday, we decided to skip on the bonggang handaan and instead celebrate it with the people who will appreciate it the most. We'll do a party at Philippine Orthopedic Center, and hopefully, if budget permits, pati sa Tahan-tahanan.

Sana manalo ako sa lotto. Haha!

Thank God it's Negative.

2011-12-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

Since Nathan was born, the only trip to the pedia is his monthly vaccinations and other minor concerns, nothing with regards to a virus or bacteria. Nathan's never been sick, well, except for the few times he got colds, which lasted a day lang for him.

Anyway, this afternoon, we brought Nathan to his pedia coz his stool has been watery for days in a row. We had two suspects: his marie biscuits and the 'boiled water' we used to prepare his milk since we ran out of his Wilkins water. Tita Doc asked us to do a fecalysis for Nathan so she would know if there's any bacteria and pinpoint the reason of the watery feces. I swear, it was so watery you could mistake it for weewee.

Ang hirap pala kunan ng stool sample ang baby! The nurse placed a weebag on his butt to 'catch' the poop but it failed. So we had to wait for Nathan to poop again and this time, we didn't put a diaper on him, talagang bantay sarado ang pwet ni Nathan! Hehe!

I'm so glad that when the results came out, everything was negative. No blood, no parasites, no bacteria. Nathan's poop -- despite the consistency -- was normal. Tita Doc gave him some medicines still, to be on the safe side.

I'm just so glad he's okay.

Super Dudad

2011-12-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

Bob is the most humble person I know on earth. Never the type to brag about his accomplishments even when his friends (the conceited ones) are going non-stop in brag galore. I swear, my ears bleed when I hear them yak about what they do.

So, in the end, I'm the one bragging about him, and why not? I'm so much of a proud wife and I'm just giving him the recognition he deserves. :p

Like when he designs something, he'll just do his usual stuff, and then when I glance at his computer and see what company he's designing for, I'm usually "WHAT THE?? You're designing their website???" and Bob would look at me strangely and say, "Yes. Why?" like it's nothing special.

He's done websites for US Politicians, Iphone App designs, now even android. He designs websites of government offices, Billboards of companies, bus designs and so many more. To him, it's all the same -- doing what he loves most, designing.

#Proud.

Think before you post.

2011-12-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

There was a time when I hated logging into Facebook because my friends kept re-posting a disturbing picture of a child, a lady or something really "off" in my point of view. The contents may be something useful, but the pictures, Oh God. I wanted to tell them that there are things you can never 'unsee'.

Lately though, it's not just about the pictures anymore. There are false information being passed on from a Facebook friend to another, and it keeps reappearing in my news feed. It's about a girl who passed away because she ate shrimps after taking Vitamin C which resulted to internal bleeding and died immediately after.

With all the 'facts' presented on the photo caption, one would easily believe it. But one quick search on google gave me these:

Shrimps, Vitamin C And Arsenic Make For A Fishy Hoax

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/shrimp.asp

Consuming Vitamin-C and Shrimp Together Will Cause Death-Fiction!

To date, it shows that more than 19,000 people have liked the post and it has been shared more than 75,000 times.

Let's just be more careful in sharing stuff like these on the net.

On Lights, sounds and letting go.

2011-11-16T12:47:00.000-08:00

We passed by this small arcade place a few days ago. You seemed caught by the sounds and lights, so we stopped to see what’s inside. There was this little car ride that you looked so intently on, and then you looked at me as if telling me “Mommy, I want to try that”. I was hesitant, my mind was automatic. Like it triggered a red flag and automatically listed the reasons why I couldn’t let you ride that thing this early. What if it’s dirty, what if you fall… I swear I was OA — the kind of OA that I hated so much before but understand quite well now. That was my mind talking, but my heart was telling me otherwise. “You should let go”, it said to me.

Funny how something this small can bring out the paranoia in me. I guess I have become that kind of Mom — protective and OA. I don’t know if I’ve always been like this, if it’s just heightened with the feeling that I want you to be safe at all times, or that I’m a completely new person now.

I looked at you again and you smiled at me. So I gave in, and asked your Tita to stand on the other side so we can hold you while you play. Almost instantly, when the ride moved, you held on to the steering wheel like you knew what it was for. You were happy, I can tell.

And my heart felt like it was going to explode any minute. The sight of you smiling, amazed and carefree just makes me melt every time.

Aaah. Life is wonderful.

Adarna House Christmas Sale

2011-11-15T10:12:00.000-08:00

Adarna House Christmas Sale

Oohh this is perfect! I have several books which we use for our Project 20 outreach pero I want more books for Nathan naman. Last year, I was able to score big books for 100 pesos instead of the usual price na 200-300 and the kids in Zambales (where we did our Christmas Outreach) loved it! Makaladkad nga si Dudad one of these days. :)

2011-11-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

Nathan in his cloth diapers. I’m extremely proud that we’re able to pull this off FULL time. I used to think that we’ll be using it during daytime lang but no, with enough determination, we can do night time din pala. And now, even when we go out, naka cloth diapers na rin siya. Yay! It’s a great thing na Bob is supporting me with this one, if not for his help (and allowance), waley talaga to. :P

It’s definitely a big investment upfront but I say the benefits are worth it.