leaving on a jet plane

Hi everyone!
I will be having my 1st plane ride to the Philippines tomorrow. A week after, Ill be celebrating my 1st birthday ! Mom and Dad are really excited! My Lolos and Lolas are also excited to see me! I can see that mom is a little tensed. She wants to give me the best party ever! I know that everything will be ok! I'll get to celebrate with all my cousins and mom's & dad's friends..& of course, I'll meet Jollibee! Isnt that cool! I promise to post a pic of Jollibee and me!
I have packed my bags with diapers, cereals & cheerios! Mom says she will give me taho for breakfast. Dad says he will feed me pandesal!
I'm all smiles now! I am just really really happy! You can see that in the picture right?
I hope Mom gives an update of whats happening back home! If she does not, you know she's just real busy..
Got to catch that plane! (and the party..)
With all my love,
B

Malayo po ba talaga ang Pilipinas?
Ito po ang una kong pagsakay sa eroplano! Excited po akong makita si lolo at lola at pati na ang aking mga tito at tita at mga pinsan!
Hmm..tinitignan ko dito sa bintana sa labas ng bahay!
Baka matanaw ko ang Pilipinas!

overseas mom

I dont feel so good!
My sis (who volunteered to be a party organizer) and I are having a feud!
I can imagine the stress of H when he was here & I was in the Philippines organizing our wedding 2 years ago. This time, for my B's birthday, both of us just have to trust my sister and my inlaws. From the caterer to the venue to etc. And its difficult for me to let go!
I am too demanding according to my sis. She's too easy to please!!!Oh well!!
Gusto ko ng umuwi para ayusin ang party ng anak ko!

Last minute shopping at Destin for some pasalubong & pamporma!
Also, I already packed my 2 piece swimsuit which I bought last fall. Ang bruho kong mister wag daw akong magbathing suit sa birthday ng anak ko. Aalis daw ang mga bisita. Ang mokong na yun!
Pero allowed daw ako mag 2 piece sa boracay. kasi kaming 2 lang at walang kakilala. tama ba naman yun!
Gotta pack my bags!

They came in at 1100 am & how i jumped for joy! Alleluia !
Last week, when I started tracking the whereabouts of our passports, it amazed me that they can really tell where your passport was that time. Like, it was now at NC, that it was being processed at DC, that they will mail it today, that etc. It was so accurate. The online tracking showed also it will arrive on the 25th. And still it came a day earlier!
Woohoo...geez...we're really really really excited! Im going to see my dad again, now a real proud lolo ! Yehey!!

Battle of the bottle..err..sippy cup!

And the winner is..tada..To think that the bottle belongs to J...teheheh..

Gardening 101

Our lawn needs our help! H is in charge of the outside (maintain the lawn and the garage) while I am the boss inside (hmm..that seems unfair as I cook, clean, take care of B, laundry & blog..) I decided to take out B this time so he'll be under H's watch!

So we went to Lowe's and we thought that there was a party! Everyone was buying the same thing, mulch, plants, fertilizer, decorative items for the lawn, etc. Each has a home project to do. And this is ours..

H had to unload all 70 bags of mulch as B & I watched! I helped him by collecting the plastic and dumping it at at empty box. B's contribution, well, he donated his pamper's box.

Then, we scattered all the mulch in the flowerbed! I felt throwing away $2, literally!

In a few hours, the mulch was almost gone! We were worried that we still have to go back and get some more as we have not covered the flowerbed on the left side of the house. But the bags were just alright. H was good in his estimate. Otherwise, he might have to carry some more bags (work it out , H)

B was cooperative as he did not have any tantrums! He just enjoyed watching us ! Thank God!

Here's the boss posing for a job well done!

Till our next home improvement project! Next in line, Mom's flower garden!

I was tagged

Ive been tagged by Day weeks ago & Meeya days ago. Its nice to reminisce because pretty soon, my son will be a year old! How time flies, has it really been a year?

How did you feel during those first few days after the birth?

I felt super sleep deprived! Baby came out at 825am and all I wanted was to sleep after that! Thank God I was able to catch a few winks. My son's birth happened on the day my neighbor/friend had her daughter christened. It was perfect timing for our guests from Jacksonville as they dont have to drive again to see me. But when guests already started arriving at the hospital, it looked like we were having a party! It was a delight to see them but really all I wanted was to sleep that time!
I also felt overwhelmed! Having a baby absolutely changed my life! Cliche but very true!

How were you emotionally?

I was scared! Ive never seen a tiny baby before and to think he's all mine! How on earth can I take cake of him? I kept on praying and praying! And my, how he loves to cry! Then I remember the books Ive read , the videos Ive watched. Babies do cry because that is the only way they communicate. Also, like me, he's adjusting to his whole new world! With that in mind, I became ok.

Is there anything you wish people had told you about the postpartum period?

I am so blessed that I have friends who offered support and understanding at those times. And of course, Hubs took a month off from his work just to be with me. (He said he will help me with baby but then what he finished was his woodproject - a buffet table for my formal dining. Hmp! ) After giving birth, I think I was real crazy that time. I would cry easily and associate everything with my baby! A scene on the tv with a baby would make me cry. I stayed away from wathing baby story because I would shed buckets of tears afterwards. Slicing onions made me cry. ( I was still in charge of my kitchen you know. )

How long do you plan to breastfeed?

I wanted to breastfeed for 6 months but (thank God) I am still nursing at 11 months. A year is the maximum for me, I think.

Do you have any advice for getting through those first weeks of breastfeeding?

Yes! Breast is best! God designed our breasts to nurture our babies the best nourishment! Always remember the law of supply and demand. The more you nurse, the more milk you'll produce! Plus you have to really relax and let go of chores for the 1st week. It can get really painful but you'll get through it!
Oh, and the pain comes from your contracting uterus, engorged breasts and lack of sleep! They all happen at the same time! But again, you'll get through it!

Was there any stress between you and your husband over the baby?

None, thank God. I think it made our bond stronger. We know that we only have each other being miles away from our families. Yes we do have close friends nearby (our loving Pinoy neighbors na mga kumare at kumpare na ngayon) but that is still different.
Looking back, we knew we both wanted it that way! A tough lesson to learn but it made us bond really well.

Let's talk about your body, Did things get totally rearranged?

Not much. (I still have extra 10 pounds to lose though but I dont want to pressure myself. Im still nursing so I can still eat lots- lame excuse) In fact I had a hard time gaining weight when I was pregnant which made my ob-gyn worried. Praise God, my son was 6 lbs 4.9 oz and just right for me to have a vaginal delivery. But I like the big breasts now ( and so does Hubs- thats why I cant give up breastfeeding hehe)

Care to share how much you weighed before and how much now?

I weighed 125lbs when I gave birth, now I weigh 110lbs, still hoping to go back to 100lbs -my pre pregnancy weight!

What advice-or comfort-can you offer other new moms about their weight ?

It took us so long to gain those pounds. It might take a little longer to shed it off. But in time it'll come. Dont focus on that at the moment!

How important is it for you to have a work identity?

Hmmm..There are times I do miss working! I miss it in the sense that I love being a team player and a leader. I have worked for a decade in the banking industry and I can say I became what I wanted to be! Now that I am a stay at home mom (which is absolutely my choice) I say "Wow! This is a very tough job! I would consider it harder than having a career at the bank ." (which makes me want to go back to work..er.heheheh..)
At times when I do miss working, one look at my baby, a smile & a hug from him, I would totally forget about it! H is such a good provider that I am able to stay at home to enjoy and cherish baby's growing moments!

Was your baby a lot of fun right from the start?

Not at first. You really cant think straight when you lack sleep! And you can see that your house is a mess. That you havent done the laundry for a week. And that you will fold it afterwards. And that breastfeeding hurts terribly..
Oh, and he did gave me a scare when he had jaundice on the 4th day! The nurse at the hospital can easily tell from our faces that we were 1st time parents as it was written all over our face. We had to stay at the hospital for a night and that scared me again!
I remember looking at him on that 1st week and noticed how he loves to smile when he's asleep. And he does not smile when he's up (he cries of course silly) That smile on the 1st week...hmm..sulit naman pala !

What's your baby like now?

He is the best baby in the whole wide world! (Proud mama ba?) He has a routine which he follows strictly. He's so excited exploring, trying his best to walk and taste everything as he puts into his mouth whatever he grabs into. He eats the stroller, the leaves of my plant inside the house, the cd's..the blinds, everything! Even our slippers..nay!!
And he's very excited for his 1st birthday party and his 1st plane ride..that is kung darating ang passport--sorry meeya, i still cant shake it off my system!

So there, thanks Day & Meeya!
Im tagging Marie and Apple. Hope you'll have fun filling it out as much as I had.

Intertwined

I just love the thought that my son has a playmate J. J stays with us on weekdays. I just cant say no to our friend E who works Tues-Fridays. J's nanny is now in the Philippines for a short vacation. She might even attend our birthday celebration. J will be us with us only until next week.
Now I can imagine how it is taking care of twins. Doubly hard!! It's a good thing they both love to play and does not fight at all! Funny, they even kiss each other. And they both dont like playing with I, the only princess in our neighborhood!!
Imagine me having to feed them breakfast at the same time. Luckily, J's routine is the same as B. They get to play afterwards and watch a little tv. J is really glued on the tv set while my little one is more interested in his toys and starts to wander and explore! They get their morning naps and afternoon naps at the same time. And their poop time (ooopppss..excuse me) is also at the same time . Is their body intertwined or what?
Here's a picture of me having a great time!

That great time lasted for 2 hours..as I's mom had to leave for an hour. She entrusted I under my care! --(walang bayad huh kasi mag kumare eh..hehe)
Yaikks, three babies and one mom on the house..I have to sign out now!
(hmm..i just remembered olive's blog ..i should pay her a visit one time)

Waiting In Vain

I am really worried..and so is H.
I have already made the downpayment to my suppliers--jollibee, cake, caterer, venue, soundsystem, ice cream cart etc ( thanks to my very reliable sister a.k.a. party organizer kuno) I still cannot stop looking at other children's parties and cannot help but gasp at their pictures (& their budget) Yeah, I make ohhhsss and ahhhss and wowssss, and I stop. (I scrape them all out when I tag them as "nice to have but I can live without".) Infact, the only reason why we wanted to celebrate B's party in the Philippines is to be with our families once again! (It has been 2 years 3 months since Ive seen my dad & my sis) Time spent with them will be truly worth it. It will be a very sweet reunion indeed!
That is, if our passports will arrive!
You see, the moment B was born I already wanted to apply for his passport. But H made all kinds of excuses like we do not have travel plans yet so why apply.
But last December, I started to check on how to apply at their website . I also downloaded the forms. I asked H to sign the form and bugged him literally that we should get it done.
It was January when we decided to celebrate B's 1st birthday party in the Philippines. That very day, we bought our tickets. With the promise that we'll apply for our passports that same week. The application form has been collecting dust for more than a month now.
H only had the time to deal with it 2nd week of February. That day, the receiving clerk said that it will come in 4 weeks time. I told him I checked the website and it said it takes 6 weeks to process the passport application. We suggested that maybe we should pay the fee to have it expedited. The man refused and said we will just waste our money. In 4 weeks, it'll be here.
And now, 4 weeks 4 days have passed and Im still waiting..waiting in vain..
And it has also been a week since I started answering back on my H's countdown to our vacation. As you know, every morning, as soon as H wakes up, he will say.. "20 days na lang" The next day, "19 days na lang". The day after that, "18 days na lang" I quipped, "wala pa tayong passport". That turned out to be a quiet morning for us!
I really have to call their 1 800 number. Kasi naman, inuna pa ticket bago passport. Yan tuloy!
Lesson learned! Passport first before tickets!
Makakauwi kaya kami? Abangan..

Swing a ling

My best buddy J & Ninong R invited us at their house a few blocks away from our place! Since Mom and I love to take afternoon walks, we decided to drop by their house. Here's what we ended up doing!
Look at me! I enjoyed every inch of it!!

Muni muni

I just want a simple birthday party. Ok ok , simple is an understated word. An abused word.. for how can you really define simple.
I have so many ideas for b's party. I'm working on a budget though which makes it challenging. And the time..look at my ticker!
I dont like to cram that is why I planned ahead of time what to do with b's party. A pool party with our family, loved ones and friends is really fine with me. But being a member of n@w, i saw lots and lots of ideas. (and pictures in their webshots account --gotta stretch the budget)
Then I look at my plan, my budget, and I scrape such and such. I classify them as nice to have but not a priority. But the mamang sorbetero is a top priority!
But now, H saw the other webshots and wanted a tarp for baby, a giant cake to go with the theme and some this and that. I too wanted something really nice. Pero ang usapan nga lang eh jollibee , happy na!
I also know that spending b's 1st birthday with our families, the smile from the lolos and lola's , his aunts and uncles, and cousins..isnt that already enough?

The L's dropped by our house and invited us for a walk outside.
Beside me is I, my girlfriend (according to her) but I still have to think about it! I know Im still young! I have to finish my studies first before mom allows me to have a gf. I love kuya R though. He loves to play with me.
We walk every afternoon now that spring is almost here. The weather is at 70's which makes it perfect!
How I love my life!
Love,
B

I took my son outside. The weather is so good that we tend to enjoy the afternoon walks around the village!

I have to bring cheerios to entertain him though. He loves to munch them. Its his favorite snack. Add the yogurt too. Actually, he has not refused any food offered to him. I hope he stays that way as I get to give him greens like brocolli, grean beans and peas. He loves fruits as well! The only thing is he does not like his bottle! Still nursing at 10 months. I dont know how long I will last. Maybe a year is fine!

Oh and he has started to make his first step today towards the dishwasher. I called his name so he stopped. I can feel him walking anytime soon! He loves his activity walker too!

Pano kaya pag naglalakad na ito? Mas challenging siguro!