Last year, I was imagining how I would be celebrating my big 30. Now, that day passed and I couldn't imagine how swift time is.
We do not really know how many years were given to us to live in this world so I couldn't say that I am already at the middle of my life. I used to think that 30 is old but now that I am in it, it really isn't. 30 just means I have experienced things more.
We've had a number of cakes to eat this past week. :D
Not given the chance to breastfed Megan fully, I am determined to nurse Abraham and breastfeed him for as long as I can. (That's the beauty of a work from home mommy!)
As I was imagining how I will be able to do so, I thought of what I am going to do when we're out in public. Although commercials and health organizations have been promoting breastfeeding, it still gets awkward when you see a part of someone's boobs out in the open. Some people just couldn't help but stare. And how could a mother breastfeed comfortably when she knows that people are looking at her?
I didn't think twice. I immediately looked for a nursing cover for preparations. Since I couldn't leave the house yet for shopping, I resulted to online purchasing again.
"Pediatricians strongly recommend exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of life up to two years.
It is packed with disease fighting substances that protects your baby.
We believe that Breast Milk is the best gift that you can give your little one.
We salute mothers who have made the decision to invest in the liquid gold.
Nursing Cover is made of breathable cloth---not too thick, not too thin. It is enough to shield your bosom from public exposure but light enough to be draped over your baby during feeding."
And yes, there isn't a need to sell it to me because it's already sold even before I searched online. :)
The only question now is... how affordable can I get it?
There are a lot of nursing covers for sale. I, of course, purchased the one that's budget friendly. I got a green colored one from Lelliebubb. It only costs 250 Php.
Now I have already secured breastfeeding anytime, anywhere...
I received another package. Featuring: the abdominal binder. bow!
This is another of my "firsts" though Abraham is my second baby. Compared to my post pregnancy body with Megan, where my tummy went from "watermelon" big to flat, my tummy still looked like I was 3-4 months pregnant after I arrived home from the hospital. My OB always tells me that there will be a huge difference since this is my second time for pregnancy. Thus, I decided to browse the net in search of an affordable abdominal binder.
Belly binders or abdominal binders, I can say are must have post pregnancy. It has a gentle compression on the abs which may help the uterus return to its normal size. Doctors say that you have to wear it 4 weeks-8 weeks post pregnancy for better results. However, be reminded that this is not a miracle wrap which will guarantee a smaller waist. The progress of course will vary depending on how much you've gained during your pregnancy.
For me though, it helps a lot to support my back, which has been aching because of breast feeding. I noticed an improvement when I started wearing the abdominal binder.
There are many options that you can choose from. You can checkout Belly Bandit (cost: $49.95), Tauts, Cinchers, they all work for a common goal. I got mine from Lucky Doll. It is a waist cincher belly binder (price: 280 Php)
And of course, the fastest way to lose that extra post pregnancy weight is by eating healthy and doing exercises. :)
After the wonders that my body has gone through in giving birth to Abraham, it's about time i get new friends that will perfectly suit my situation now.
I purchased Bio Oil online after I have researched and have seen its before and after pictures for stretchmarks. Mine isn't the tiger stripes kind but I would rather improve their appearance while they are still new.
Bio Oil is formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. Its main ingridient is PureCellin Oil, which is also effective for ageing and dehydrated skin.
I got the 125ml for 1100 Php.
the product needs to be applied 3x a day for three months.
I started using it today. I'll give everyone an update while I monitor its effectiveness.
My 2nd new friend is very handy and is just what I need now. Nursing Abraham is my everyday routine. However, my nipples are getting sore. I don't want to stop nursing him and rely on formulas. It was laziness on my part when I had Megan. I thought I was not producing enough milk only to realize later on that latching stimulates the glands to produce milk. So this time, I am very careful not to commit the same errors.
Yan ordered me Motherlove nipple cream. It is a softening salve for use on sore, cracked nursing nipples. What is good about it is that it is safe for baby's ingestion and is certified organic.
www.motherlove.com
this post pregnancy makes me feel like I'm going through motherhood for the first time. But this time, it's for improving for the best.
This is my second time to have a baby which is why some people, even my doctor, expect that I already know when I am in labor. Wrong! Being in labor is something I still do not have any idea at all. My water bag broke when I was about to give birth to Megan and that is the only thing that told me it was THE TIME.
Last night, I felt an isolated, but painful contraction I have ever felt in the history of this pregnancy. It was scary because I couldn't move my body because of the pain in my lower abdomen. I was already in bed at that time with Megan. I was praying that it would go away because I haven't packed my hospital bag yet and Abryan was on his way to his office- not a very good time to rush to the hospital. While tears flowed on my cheeks, Megan was trying to help me get into a sitting position. When she saw my tears, she said "I'll get a towel." She got her own face towel and used it to wipe my tears away. Then she said "It's okay Mommy, it's okay." My little nurse is aged 3! The pain lasted more than 5 minutes but I was glad it went away. I couldn't imagine myself screaming for help in case it was already D- Day.
Emotions get really high these days. I thought maybe it was because of the full moon. However, my emotions were brought about by the events that are happening, Other than the "moving-out" event, the nanny has really been getting into my nerves these days. Plainly put, she is hardworking, but she is a chronic liar. When she was asked who just fried eggs, she said it was my sister when none of us would get mad if she admitted it was her. When Megan cried a few days ago and we asked her why, she said Megan just didn't want to eat. But when we asked Megan, she said she hit her head. And to add to these, she just said she is pregnant when last month, she asked me if she could by sanitary napkins from the store. I even gave her a pack of napkins that I had stored before I got pregnant and told her she can just have them. Now she's pregnant all of a sudden just when we are about to move out and I am about to give birth.
Lying is a big concern for anyone I suppose. It doesn't bother me if she decides to leave because she doesn't want to work anymore but to lie about being pregnant and make us look stupid to even believe her irritates me. And of all people, I shouldn't be lied about pregnancy... that IS my FORTE! If my gut feel tells me you are not, I'll prove it till the pregnancy test results prove otherwise.
Looking at a different angle, I will have to learn a new role- that is being a full time housewife. It's exciting to take control of everything... Megan, my new baby, cooking (which I am still about to learn), setting the new business and everything else! For the first time, I will be in-charge of our home- none but me. So tell me now why I am not threatened to lose a nanny? I would probably just need 2 weeks to recover from my delivery and then I can start "owning" myself again.
This full moon has given me different emotions. But among all of them, my feeling of excitement and determination to start anew and make it work are the strongest. There is no backing out- no backing down... Aja!!!
How do you move out? I can't really answer that question now because I also am trying my best to decipher what I should feel about finally moving out. When it comes to tips on how to move out, that would be fairly easy. What I am referring to would be getting emotionally ready. Do you ever get emotionally ready?
I grew up in this house for 29 years. Yup, that long. I never took a dorm in college. The only nights I wouldn't sleep here happened during vacations. If you can just imagine all of the things that I have bought, collected etc... for 29 years. This house has tons of my stuff in it.
Wanting to live independently never crossed my mind, not even when I had Megan. Why would I when my aunt has not just been responsible but very caring to all of my needs? She has always been like that ever since I was entrusted to her because both of my parents are working outside the country. I have enjoyed being the princess for 28 years. But come my 29th year, when I got pregnant again and got married, I was being forced by nature to leave this comfort zone so we can really start a family; seriously. Maybe if not for the events that started happening last year, I wouldn't really force myself into leaving our house.
There are times when I am too eager to move out but today, when we started packing the things that I will be bringing with me, I felt torn. However, it has to be done. So... How do I choose which among my 29 years of stuff should I bring???? That is the biggest dilemma I have now.
Books
I hoard books, even those that I know I won't have the time to read. It's only now that I've realized why some people would rather get ebooks than the actual books. I wonder how much space (or if there would be enough space) would all of it occupy.
Clothes
We have 4 full cabinets of clothes. When it comes to clothes, I know most of us would always think that we'd keep this... we'd keep that... so we can wear them ONCE we GET SLIMMER. Because of this, I still have blouses and pants from my college (and maybe even highschool) days. Imagine how small they are now for me! Let's admit it... bones grow, hips get wider... no matter how we starve ourselves, we will never fit into those clothes again so we might as well ... DONATE them. Or if you think they are too expensive to donate, have a garage sale. At least you'll still get something out of them. For this "moving out", I am not going to bring much. I'll bring a few that would fit me at this point. Our cabinet will have enough space for NEW clothes... that only means one thing... Shopping!
Pictures/ Photo Albums
I also have a lot of these. Among the three of us (my siblings), I am the one who has the most number of pictures. Of course... the eldest. Moving to a new place means a fresh start. So why would I bring a lot of unnecessary things? For these, I would recommend a scanner. Save all your pictures in your external HD in case the time would come when you would want to stroll down memory lane and laugh at your kiddie pictures.
CDs/ DVDs/ VCDs
Can I add VHS into these? Hahaha. I grew up in the era where it was cool to collect movies, most specially those hard to find ones. But how many boxes would I need to store all of these? My broadway collections are non-negotiable. They are going with me. For the rest... my recommendation is to rip them and store them (again) on an external HD.
Bags and Shoes
They fall under one category because I don't really buy lots of them. I only buy those that I would use on a daily basis. This is not going to be a problem! :)
Makeups/ Lotions/ Beauty Products
Glad I have my makeup case! these are the easiest to pack. You look at the expiration date and throw those who are nearing the end of their shelf life.
Is there anything else???
I am almost done packing my books and documents. I just wish I would have enough time to even scan my pictures or rip my DVDs. I am not OC. I just have the personality that when I leave something, someone, or somewhere, I wouldn't want to go back. This is why emotional preparation and having everything ready are very important to me.
There will always be a time in our lives where we have to let go of so many things just so we can have a space for the new things. It is time to start creating a new passion!
Why I rarely created blog posts and vlogged this February was caused by so many things. Deep in my heart I know these are just excuses.
I had been feeling a little down this month. Waiting for your delivery day can sometimes be very stressful. On my 37th week, I still have a lot of "health concerns" to address to ensure that my baby gets through with the delivery safe. I'll tell this the way a layman in a medical industry would. My red blood cell count is not where it should be. In short, even with the Iron intervention that my doctor did to speed up the production of my red blood cells in preparation for the delivery, it is still not enough. I have been taking my Iron medications so hopefully, I get better results this Saturday. Second, it was just found out that I have UTI. Again, I was given a week to take the meds and it was expected to clear after. But of course, it's still in progress. Thanks to Yan; he has been buying coconut water for me to drink everyday since it is known to help cure UTI. I am a little worried since I never experienced these things when I was pregnant with Megan.
Other than the ones I have mentioned, I got pretty disappointed when I asked Yan to take my belly shot. I saw pink lines!!! Imagine my horror when I found out that I was not spared of stretch marks for this pregnancy. People always tell me that a boy is always heavier than having a girl. So I guess that explains the pink marks. I was depressed at some point. I started thinking if I'll ever get back in shape after gaining 20 lbs in this pregnancy.
After some days of contemplation, I finally got back to my old positive self. I just realized that I shouldn't feel bad about my marks because it is a sign of bravery. Not every woman would choose to have a baby. Some are afraid and wouldn't want an added responsibility while others have the lamest excuse of not wanting to lose their figure. My pregnancy marks will remind me that I was strong enough to give up wearing a two-piece swimsuit for a handsome little boy who will bring happiness to our lives. Plus, what good is not having stretch marks when your body can't even pass wearing a decent swimsuit? It's still all about getting FIT.
Instead of sadness, I am excited with the things I can start doing again after I give birth.
Massage - I will definitely get a full body massage. My body really needs it.
Coffee and Tea - I miss drinking these. Imagine... no coffee every morning.
Red wine - I will stock up on red wine when we transfer to our new home. At least red wine would be better than drinking sodas.
Keratin Complex- I was informed of this at Tony & Guy when I had my haircut but I opted not to get it (even though they said it was safe for pregnancy) because I do not want to risk harming my baby.
Buy new clothes!!! - I stopped buying clothes when I found out I was pregnant. I didn't buy maternity clothes as well. I discovered that my aunts' blouses would pass as maternity clothes if I was the one wearing them. The rest of my clothes were the ones I bought when I was pregnant with Megan. Recycle!
Travel!!! - Abryan and I didn't go on a honeymoon when we got married. Travelling has become harder and harder for me now that I'm full term. There are so many places I want to go to but would just have to wait till I am ready.
Vegan cooking- For those who didn't know, I do not cook. I fry. That's basically all I know about cooking. I cannot distinguish beef meat from pork when they are frozen. Thus, I am going to cook Vegan dishes to save me from guessing. I have all the recipes ready! I will start when we have settled in the new home. Wish me Luck!!!
Z-WOW Exercises- What I like about owning my time is that I can exercise when I want to. This is one exercise that I will start doing when my doctor gives me the "go" signal. These are 15 minute full body exercises. That's all I need in a day!
With so many of these things waiting for me, why should I even waste my time feeling sad? We'll be moving to our new home soon... I will have a handsome baby boy to carry, I have a sweet daughter who is as excited as we are in seeing her baby brother, and a husband who is very responsible and makes all of us happy.
Plus... I forgot to include, I have people waiting for me to get through this pregnancy so I can go back to my freelance jobs. Isn't that nice. I don't have to file for leaves and wait for the approval. :)
I have recently posted a status on my Facebook account about how demanding and unreliable house helpers are nowadays. Megan's nanny for almost 3 years finally said farewell to us because of some reason that she probably just came up with. I know because she informed my aunt last December that if we will not be living here (we're moving out soon right?) then she would just go home to the province. Oh I could go on ranting about why she doesn't want to leave this house. To summarize those rantings, she is just afraid of the real responsibility that she will face when we move to the new house. Although I am aware of how difficult it is to find a helper or a nanny these days, I did not bother to keep her anymore. Some people have to learn their lessons and I know she would when she realizes that she couldn't find another household who are as understanding as we are with her.
An expectant mother should be worried. But I wasn't. I just know that I will get a replacement in perfect time. And I did. The day before nanny "lilstartlet" (that's her facebook alias) left came the new nanny. If I am not mistaken, they are of the same age.
Day 0
Of course it went fine! We were all extra understanding and we expect that there will be an adjustment phase.
Day 1
I have always known that house helpers, like a courting man always put their best foot forward. But eventually, you will start to see their true self.
Yan and I woke up to the sound of Barbie playing on our macbook. Megan was already watching the DVD when we woke up. What went through my head was "who operated the laptop?" Maybe it was Yan but Yan was also surprised to find out that I didn't. When he was ejecting the DVD, it wouldn't eject. I was getting stressed. This hasn't happened before. We did all the troubleshooting steps we could think of but to no avail. So... Yan had to open the back of the macbook and manually remove the disk drive so we can remove the stuck DVD. While doing so, Megan showed me the cover of her Barbie DVD. I also saw the cover of her Bratz DVD so I asked where the DVD was. Megan said "its gone". I asked the nanny where it is. She shrugged and said she didn't know. A few minutes more, Yan was able to eject the Barbie DVD but he was surprised that another DVD ejected! There were two DVDs in the disk drive!!! Imagine my horror!
He immediately asked the nanny who put the second DVD in. She answered "hawak po ni Megan yan kanina". (Remember I asked her where the Bratz DVD was and she said she didn't know. But now she's saying that Megan had it. hhhmmm...) So who put the second DVD??? It could be Megan. She's so bright she knows where to put it. However, she should have been supervised. And the nanny is an adult who could have looked after her.
When I talked to Tita, she said she talked to the nanny and asked her if she put it in. She said "yes". Tita asked if she didn't know there was another DVD in, she said "yes"!!!
Ohhhh... what a first day! Like what our ethics supervisor once said "a character will always show itself no matter how you try to hide it,"
Lying and using things without asking permission on day 1; quite a revelation.
We have yet to get to know our new nanny. One thing is for sure... we will have CCTVs installed on the new house.
Today I went to the mall to meet with a college friend. While waiting for my ride, I got to talk to an older couple whom I remember when I was in my early adolescence. Though I didn't know their names, we had a good talk about so many things. She was surprised that I was going to the mall alone. I am not surprised anymore. In this pregnancy, I have observed that a lot of people worry if they see a pregnant woman alone. I remember last December when I was hired to do makeups for a Christmas party event in Greenhills. Yan couldn't accompany me because he has work so I had to go alone. After I was done doing the makeups (and the judging of a contest too), I couldn't wait for the party to end because it was getting very late. I said goodbye to my friend at the party and went outside the venue. There were few cabs passing by so I decided to start walking to the street corner. While I was walking, someone called loudly "Buntis! Uwi ka na?". I didn't know her but I recognized that she was attending the party I came from. When I said "yes" she said "Ingat ka ha." From that time I thought that maybe it looks really awkward when a pregnant woman works alone or plainly just DO things alone. And they all have a point. It's different when you are pregnant. You can't carry heavy bags, can't walk so far... It's not weakness. It's just being careful because you are carrying another life who is not ready yet for any stress. I completely understand. I do my best to ensure I do not stress myself specially when travelling.
Our talk continued... She knew I taught in high school before so she asked me where I was working now. I told her I don't work anymore. I take care of our businesses, and if I work, it's definitely home-based. When she found out that my husband is related to I.T., she suggested that he works in Singapore because it will be easy for him to get us too. In my mind was a big NO. But of course I appreciate her suggestion. :)
(If you want to see our Singapore Happy Trip video- click HERE
I believe that any amount of money is possible to be earned here in the Philippines. For some- who happens to be in the "not so" in demand field, it might just take a little longer. Everything is possible! Law of abundance. And let's face it, so many Filipinos are dying to live abroad when those who are working abroad are dying to get back home. Life is easier in the Philippines if you work smart (not equivalent to corrupt). And those who work abroad, for most, end up living there because that's where their bread and butter is. I have no dreams of living abroad- vacation pwede pa. I am so attached to my family that I couldn't bear living a life so different from the care that we get with our loved ones around. And I recently read Father Reuter's tips for a lasting marriage from chuvaness.com. I'll quote the one that suits this topic
“Do not sleep on separate beds or lead separate lives in separate rooms.” Meaning, if Brad Pitt is filming on location, Jennifer must come along. Father expressed sadness over the OFW situation where many Filipinos leave their families to work abroad. Oftentimes, these overseas foreign workers carry on extramarital affairs while living abroad, resulting in destroyed marriages.
Though people would say IT DEPENDS on the couple, or it's all about TRUST... It's still a very big temptation. My point is- just stay together no matter where it is.
Today, we checked out tiles for the room that we're having renovated. The house is nearly complete. The walls have been painted white, which I wanted. This morning, we already ordered the tiles that Yan and I agreed on. Once it's been glued to the flooring, the carpenters will proceed in making the creative double deck that we want for Megan and (upcoming) Abraham.
Which is good?
We're crossing our fingers that we can start moving in by the end of January. Here are samples of the bunk beds that I've been eyeing for our kids!
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY of http://www.besthomedesigns.org
Aren't they the cutest? I've been researching online where we could buy beds like these. I found some but their price is really "whoa!". It's always a plus if you know a good carpenter. Just show them the picture and they'll make it for you at a cheaper price!
Instead of going to the mall, which is the first thing most people would think of on holidays, we decided to start the year differently by going to Ark Avilon Zoo. Like the name suggests, the concept is more of Noah's Ark. It is an indoor zoo where kids can enjoy seeing different animals.
I should say that the place isn't just for kids but for adults too! Compared to some zoos that I have been to, Ark Avilon Zoo is good because you get to see the animals closer. For the carnivores like the tiger, hyena, bear etc... there is a thick glass separating them from the viewers.
The zoo is located at Frontera Verde, Ortigas Avenue, Corner C-5, Pasig. It is very close to Tiendesitas and is beside Fun Ranch.
The very well decorated indoor zoo right after the entrance.
You might get confused. The birds on the branches are not decorations. They are real and alive!
Most of the birds are not caged. You can touch them if you like.
Me at 7 months, Megan and Daddy Yan
There are many animals to see but I will be posting some of my favorites.
Hedwig? Nope. (The Owl)
The Eagle
Ooohh.. They sure look scary.
Here Piggy, Piggy, Piggy...
Sheeps
Of course, my star sign animal (ARIES)
Megan has a particular liking to the chickens!!! Isn't it so unique?
They have feeding areas where you can buy food some of the animals. They cost 30 pesos.
And for the most challenging part (yeah... this was already challenging for me)... a moment with the snake and Jenny, the monkey! :)
I was holding the head of the snake!
Megan was very scared of Jenny. Actually, if not for Yan, I wouldn't want to have a picture taken with the monkey too. Not really my favorite- :l
It was a fun trip for the start of the year. 2013 is really exciting!
Ark Avilon Zoo is open from 9:00am- 6:00pm Mondays thru Thursdays and 10:00am- 7:30pm during Fridays thru Sunday and holidays. The entrance fee is affordable. It is only 300 pesos per person and 200 pesos for kids 3.75 feet and below. You can contact them at (632) 706-2992.
Before this day ends, I would like to greet everyone a Merry Christmas! This year, the people we have met and interacted with have been a part of the learnings and happiness which made 2012 such a wonderful year.
For sure everyone has their story of Christmas eve and Christmas itself. I would just like to thank my husband for his gift for me. Since he knew I couldn't drink coffee and will not be able to complete the Starbucks planner, he gave me the end product as a present!
My husband's first gift
Our Christmas Eve went so well by going to the chapel to hear mass before Noche Buena, having a fun filled Noche Buena, and enjoying ourselves as we sing using the videoke.
Megan singing with Daddy
And on Jesus' birth day, it was all about kids... Our kids and the kids of the parents who went to our house for the usual aguinaldo giving. But we must always remember that Christmas is not about the new clothes, the food, the gadgets, the money that we, or our children get. It is about spending the day with your family and filling the day with LOVE.
It was indeed a happy Christmas not just for the kids but to us, the kids at heart, as well. I think I will never make myself used to any other Christmas than the one that we celebrate here at Longos. They always say that in traditions, you can always add something new, but the goal or the essence should be kept intact.
Family is all about LOVE. No matter how big the family gets, it is important that they come back to their roots and appreciate everything that they have.
There are times when I am too eager to move out but today, when we started packing the things that I will be bringing with me, I felt torn. However, it has to be done. So... How do I choose which among my 29 years of stuff should I bring???? That is the biggest dilemma I have now..jpeg)
Today I went to the mall to meet with a college friend. While waiting for my ride, I got to talk to an older couple whom I remember when I was in my early adolescence. Though I didn't know their names, we had a good talk about so many things. She was surprised that I was going to the mall alone. I am not surprised anymore. In this pregnancy, I have observed that a lot of people worry if they see a pregnant woman alone. I remember last December when I was hired to do makeups for a Christmas party event in Greenhills. Yan couldn't accompany me because he has work so I had to go alone. After I was done doing the makeups (and the judging of a contest too), I couldn't wait for the party to end because it was getting very late. I said goodbye to my friend at the party and went outside the venue. There were few cabs passing by so I decided to start walking to the street corner. While I was walking, someone called loudly "Buntis! Uwi ka na?". I didn't know her but I recognized that she was attending the party I came from. When I said "yes" she said "Ingat ka ha." From that time I thought that maybe it looks really awkward when a pregnant woman works alone or plainly just DO things alone. And they all have a point. It's different when you are pregnant. You can't carry heavy bags, can't walk so far... It's not weakness. It's just being careful because you are carrying another life who is not ready yet for any stress. I completely understand. I do my best to ensure I do not stress myself specially when travelling.
