Gotta Luv the Milk!
We weren’t able to make it to the Mommy Milkshake Marathon because we just came from a short vacation to Ilocos. But in celebration of Breastfeeding Awareness Month, here’s my photo contribution. A rare photo-op taken far, far from the city. I love breastfeeding and I try to promote it in my own little way. Zoe was breastfed until 3 years old. With Phoenix I wonder till when. One good thing about breastmilk is you get to travel whenever, wherever without tagging along bottles and a sterilizer. And when the baby is hungry, you just strike anywhere!
Lately, I’m trying to educate myself on the not-so-good effects of cow’s milk. Yes, the hormones they inject in cows may cause more harm than good. One more reason to ditch canned milk.
So here’s hoping more moms will give breastfeeding a try.
Breastmilk is best for babies, cows milk is best for, well, cows
How nature was meant to be
Ang Tipo Kong Lalaki
MAGINOO PERO MEDYO BASTOS
Happy Wednesday to all! = )
I’d rather be blogging
How ironic that I get the urge to blog when I am not supposed to. I have files to edit this weekend, and my days are spent in front of the PC. I am amazed at how dependent I’ve become on our good ol’ PC, panicking when it played hard to get by giving us the blank screen. We had to rush it to the ER, este, computer shop, for diagnosis and repair.
This post might as well be my way of procrastinating, something I think I’ve mastered, and believe me when I say it’s not a trait I’m exactly proud of.
I’m lucky that I get to receive work from my old job on a freelance basis. Work equals money so I’m welcoming it with open arms.
Speaking of money, I know everyone’s trying to be frugal these days. Our family has also made some adjustments especially now that we are living on single income. We’ve lessened our trips to the mall, which can be oh so tempting. If ever we go to the mall, we control our spending and look for promos on where to eat. The food court is always at the top of the list if you’re hungry but you want to shell out just a few bucks. If you don’t mind the crowd or eating without the ambiance, this will do. You’d be surprised at the yummy meals here. In MOA, I love Hecky’s lechon. Yes, you can order tasty, “healthy” lechon good for one! There’s also Kimchi, if you love Korean food. Their beef stew is a longtime fave of mine, never mind the sebo afterfeel, hehe.
Recently, we got to try Joey Pepperoni. Their pizzas are at 50% off. Quite a steal, really. I’m just not sure if the pizza promo is still on as I read in the papers that they now have an all-you-can-eat pasta for Php150.
All this talk about food tells me I have got to stop and get back to work. If you know of any good food finds, those easy on the pocket but yummy and heavy on the tummy, let me know!
I Might As Well Eat the Whole Bag of Marty’s Cracklin’
I thought becoming a stay-at-home mom meant I had more time to spend blogging. Was I dead wrong! It seems I never ever run out of things to do, and I never ever get things done completely. Talk about half-baked, half-done.
What can I say? I miss my blog. I miss blogging about anything and everything. I miss reading blogs! I had more time blogging when I worked as an employee and reported to a real office, not a virtual one. I guess when you’re in petiks mode, there’s more time to actually, well, blog your heart away. Shooting words left and right. At home, it’s a different story. I start writing, get interrupted, go back to the PC, spend the next few minutes trying to recall the last trail of thought, get interrupted again, then just postpone blogging for the next free time I’d have. That free time might as well be a day, a week, or a month after. So now here I am, trying to get “that feeling again.” While the house is quiet and the kids are asleep.
I just opened a bag of Marty’s Cracklin’. Oishi’s answer to our cholesterol-laden chicharon. Our family’s addicted to it. I know it’s still loaded with tons of salt, despite its claim to be cholesterol-free. I know it’s still junk food in the guise of something better, healthier. I’ve been making a conscious, constipated effort to stop our junk-food eating habit but it’s falling on deaf ears. Hubby and Zoe have teamed up and everytime I give a lecture on “junk food is bad for you, blah, blah,” they just smile at each other and laugh at me like I’m the odd-man out. Recently, I’ve changed the rules and told hubby that yes, we can still eat our junk BUT only when Zoe doesn’t see us. That lessens the guilt a little, don’t you think? Anyway, this evening, aside from the peppermint tea I requested hubby to buy me from Starbucks (a drink that does wonders to me when I’m down with the colds/cough), he comes home with not just one, but two, Marty’s Cracklin’! The little girl is happy again! I resist the urge to nag.
It’s a good thing Phoenix is on my side. Well, that’s because he’s clueless as to what the fuss is about, although he would stare at us and watch us eat with that longing look on his face. Just recently, he had started eating solids. I knew he was ready for something other than mommy’s milk when he started assuming that everything within his reach is food…
like his toy
his ate's knee!
and the TV remote!
Phoenix has started with finely ground brown rice mixed with breastmilk. His second food is sayote. Does it have an English name? I might give him squash next.
As for junk food such as Marty’s, that will have to wait. I’ll have to brainwash him first on the food pyramid guide. I’m down to the crumbs now. This is what happens when I deprive myself of something I want deep inside. I come back with a vengeance and binge! The bright side is hubby and Zoe have to make do with that one bag left. Har-har.
Thanks Dad…
For holding mommy’s hand as we popped into this world…
For holding my hand as we ventured the streets…
…and rode FXs and jeepneys
For riding a horse with me and assuring me it was safe…
For allowing me to play and lie on the grass
For keeping us company during naptimes
For making bath time fun time…
WE LOVE YOU!!! HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!
Daddy's girl forever
Darn!
I was at the office when Zoe first rolled over (from supine to prone). Hubby called me to share the good news. This time, when it was Phoenix’s turn, I was in the shower! Hubby knocked at the bathroom door to tell me of another milestone I missed. Wrong timing again, but what a great Mothers’ Day gift for me!
Happy to be Losyang
It takes extra effort for me to look my best these days. Staying cooped up at home most of the time has turned me into a “losyang”. It’s just that when you’re home without any expected guests, you start getting so at-home you end up forgetting worrying about how you look like. It helps that hubby isn’t around most of the time. When he’s here, well, I still make an effort (a minimal one though) to look more, uhm, presentable.
My days usually start mid-morning when both kids are awake. After a breakfast of porridge or bread, I spend the rest of my day doing mommy duties in between checking my e-mail and surfing the Net. Lately I’ve been wasting some time on multiply sites of baked goodies that look oh so appealing. Most of them, unfortunately, are so far from home. That’s bad news for my sweet tooth cravings but good news for my pocket. All these happening in my PJs. Sometimes I make an effort to change into my tattered house clothes. I just love my old clothes that have been with me for more than a decade! They’re so comfy I can’t seem to part with them.
Now I’m seriously contemplating being “losyang” for the rest of my life. I love staying home and being with my babies 24/7. The kids are only young once and i’d love to be around while they, well, love having me around…you know what I mean.
My patience can be tested every minute, especially by my 4-year-old daughter who never runs out of things and ideas, both good and naughty, but ironically, being with my babies keep me sane. With regard to Phoenix, every smile, coo, and giggle he gives delights me. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Not for a million, not for the world.
PHX at 2 months
PHX, my little guy
Hi everyone! Here’s my birthing story as promised. Thanks so much for all your greetings = ) So sorry it took so long as I’ve been busy with this little one.
I’ve always dreamed of becoming a mother. With God’s grace, I am now blessed with two kids I can lovingly call my own. Zoe was already 3.5 years old when we discovered we were pregnant again. Of course, hubby and I were ecstatic. We were doubly thrilled when we found out we’ll be having a boy this time. Quota na!
To say that no two pregnancies are the same is an understatement. From the first trimester to the time I gave birth, my two pregnancies were quite different. With Zoe, the whole 9 months was a bliss, except for one bad case of migraine. I also hated seeing, smelling, and eating spaghetti for the whole 9 months. My second pregnancy wasn’t that smooth sailing. I had frequent dizzy spells and experienced fainting in public for the first time. Turns out my iron was quite low and my OB even told me to get ready for some blood donors in case I lose too much blood while giving birth. I prayed hard that there won’t be any need for that come delivery time.
I was estimated to give birth by January 19, but before Christmas my OB said the baby had dropped already. We kept our fingers crossed that our little guy could wait to come out after New Year when the Christmas rush has settled down and the house would be more ready for his arrival (read: there were still so many last-minute things to take care of like cleaning, getting the hospital bag ready, etc.).
On January 5, I think I felt and saw my mucous plug come out. It wasn’t a bloody show though but my OB says it’s still possible that it was the mucous plug already. I thought I would be giving birth anytime soon. During my OB checkup of January 7, I was 1 cm dilated. Finally, we were making progress.
That Saturday, hubby and I decided to go on a movie date. Something we haven’t done in a long time. During the movie, I could feel my tummy getting hard in shorter intervals. I thought, this might be it. When we got home, we prepared everything we needed for the hospital and fell asleep. I woke up at noon the next day. Apparently, the little guy changed his mind still.
At this point I was already getting impatient. I couldn’t wait for the contractions to kick in and I couldn’t wait to see our baby. My prayer is hubby would be around when the time comes for me to go to the hospital. His work is quite far from our place (2 to 3 hours away) and the thought of having to go through labor without him beside me is something I dread.
January 14, Wednesday, was my next check-up with my OB. Hubby left work early to join me for check-up. Dra Cornelio, however, texted that there was an emergency and she couldn’t meet me that afternoon. Hubby decided to still go home despite the change in schedule. I was feeling a few contractions but they were still spaced so far apart that there was no cause for alarm at all. In fact, I was able to visit the nail shop and meet the staff plus do some grocery at Shopwise. When we got home at around 11 pm, the contractions started getting regular. I got in bed but I couldn’t sleep anymore. I had a feeling we’d be going to the hospital anytime soon so I decided to count my contractions instead. I gauged I might be in early labor still coz my contractions, although regular, were quite tolerable. I was even able to take a shower and go to the kitchen to have a snack (matakaw ako up to the last minute!) and walk around while eating and timing my contractions.
When I was certain that my contractions were 5 minutes apart, I woke hubby up. This was around 2:30 AM of January 15. Because hubby and I talk a lot, we just stayed in bed a wee bit longer reminiscing how, just 4 years ago, we gave birth to our firstborn Zoe. Hubby had his hand on my tummy when suddenly, I felt and heard a pop. It was a pop like no other and hubby heard it, too. He also felt the baby kick. Liquid gushed out and I knew it was my water bag. I called my OB and she calmly instructed me to go to the hospital. The worrier out of me surfaced as I thought of the many wrong things that could happen when the water bag breaks. I was scared I’d end up getting a CS or the baby might get into fetal distress. Thank God hubby’s not the type of person who panics as he assured me it’s nature’s course for the water bag to break.
The drive to Asian Hospital was quite fast. In 10 minutes we were there (3:00 AM). My contractions were getting more intense but I still got to laugh and talk to hubby in between contractions. A nurse from the ER brought me to the Genesis Center. Hubby had to park the car. I was still leaking a lot of fluid. They brought me to a labor room (their triage room must have been full) and strapped me to a fetal monitor in between contractions. After a few minutes, hubby was beside me and I felt safer. When the in-house OB did an IE, she said “Malapit na to! Dalhin na sa birthing room”. I wasn’t sure I heard her right. Nurses wheeled me to the birthing room and started preparing the things they needed in frenzy. One nurse calls hubby to go down to admitting. I panicked. I wanted hubby to stay right beside me but I had no choice. My OB hasn’t arrived yet. Double yikes!!!
The room was too quiet when I suddenly felt the urge to push. There was only one nurse in the room and, gathering enough strength, I called out to her and just said, “Nurse, urge to push na”. The nurse runs, leaves me alone, and calls outside to tell them that I have the urge na. More nurses enter and the in-house OB appears. They ask among themselves who my pedia is. Again, I tell them the pedia’s name faintly. I wondered what happened to my OB’s admitting orders and my birthing plan. The name of my pedia was clearly written there. Hubby still wasn’t there and I felt so alone.
The in-house OBs (another one comes in) tell me to push now. The urge was there so I really had to start pushing. Hubby was finally back and I heave a sigh of relief. Still no sign of my OB though. Hubby tells me to relax as I strain to push. He says, “Hun, relax, you’re not relaxing.” I wonder why of all times would he expect me to relax. And so I mutter under my breath, “They’re already telling me to push.” Apparently, like me, it took awhile for hubby to realize that we practically skipped the labor phase and that I was already in the final pushing stage, and so he goes, “ah, ok, push…” Had I not been in so much pain, I would have laughed at that comic moment. At this point I just wanted to get it over and done with. The pain was becoming constant already and I had no choice but to face the pain. After a few pushes, my
OB arrives. She thought she wouldn’t make it on time anymore. After just a few more pushes, I felt my little boy ease out. Then after a few seconds, I hear a loud cry. A few minutes more, the nurses bring him to me. I felt so wonderful. I felt high, despite not having taken any drugs, hehe. Like my first pregnancy, I prayed for a natural, anesthesia-free delivery. I felt every pain but seeing my baby healthy and alert makes labor so worth it.
Phoenix Sebastian was born at 4:05 AM of January 15, just an hour after we arrived at the hospital. I’m so thankful that he chose to come out when his dad was home. If not, I might have given birth at home considering I miscalculated my labor pains.
It’s been more than a month already and we’re enjoying having our new bundle of joy. Zoe is taking her big sister role seriously by helping out whenever she can. There’s no tinge of jealousy at all. Sometimes it pains me when she would patiently wait for me to put Phoenix down in his crib so I can hug her to sleep (yes, she needs my hug) and how she tries to fall asleep without me always beside her. She’s such a trooper.
As for Phoenix, he spends his days sleeping, eating (mommy’s milk!), pooing. I think he hates it when his Ate harasses him with kisses but he’s got no choice. Zoe can’t wait for Phoenix to grow older so that they can be “double trouble” daw.
I dread the day I’ll have to get back to work. Although my days (and nights) are hectic caring for my 4-year-old Zoe and my 1-month-old Phoenix, being with them just makes life so complete.
Here are a few of Phoenix’s latest pics. All photos courtesy of Cuteprints
PHX
Ate Zoe
Katkong
Dalawa ang puyo!
Lola's boy
Phoenix Sebastian
I’ve finally given birth last Thursday, January 15, 2009, to a healthy baby boy, Phoenix Sebastian. After nine long months of infanticipation, the little guy is finally here! We are all so thrilled. Zoe is taking her “ate” role seriously and she couldn’t get enough of her baby sibling.
My birthing story to follow soon! I’m just sneaking this in between catnaps, breastfeeding, and nappy duties. = )
