The rose that made me cry

My eldest child graduated from Elementary two days ago.  A part of me is wishing that I could brag about him getting medal for academic excellence but he did not have that kind of award.  Despite of that I am still beaming with pride not only because he will soon be in grade 7 but because he was awarded for being the most helpful in class.  He was given the award because after typhoon Yolanda devastated the Visayas region, he suggested to his teachers that instead of buying prizes and candies from their Christmas savings perhaps they could just send the full amount to the Yolanda victims.  He even asked the teacher to ask the class if they are willing to give every cent to the victims.  What makes me more proud is that he asked the teacher not to drop his name when the suggestion is blurted out to the class.  The whole school took the cue from that generous act.  All the classes decided to offer their class' christmas savings to the typhoon victims.  He was beaming with pride when he told me about this but he kept quiet whenever talks about the mystery person who suggested about the project to the school.

I was teary eyed when the program ended but it was not because of him moving up to high school.  It was because he took an effort to pick the only pink flower among all the white ones that decorated the stage.  She gave it to me and kissed me after saying his gratitude.  Unlike his classmates who no longer wants hugs and kisses from their parents, my soon-to-be-12-year-old-boy still kisses me in public.  A lot of parents raised an eyebrow when my son kissed me but to us it's not something to be ashamed of.  I always tell him to take pride he has a family and to not be afraid and shy to show affection whenever he feels like.  Please do not think that we don't have rough days in our house because we do have, and we have a bunch.  There are a lot of instances when my son would tell me I'm too bossy and I'm such a nagging mom.  But I guess in the end, he still loves me wholeheartedly and that really made my day.  

In the end, it's really not about the medals or trophies that matter during recognition day/ graduation day.  At least for me, it's more of the knowledge and the attitude that has been embedded on the next generation. 

What to do if your Child has Chicken Pox

According to webMd, Chicken Pox is caused by varicella zoster virus.  It normally starts with flu-like symptoms (headache, decreased appetite, colds, sore throat and fever). It is highly contagious and most common in school children.  An infected person shoud stay home until the rash is completely healed.

My eldest went home two weeks ago looking pale and tired than usual.  He told me he was not feeling well and even asked if I could check his temperature since he seems feverish.  I obliged and found some blisters that looks like peck marks of chicken on his torso.  I immediately asked him to go far from his sister.  We went to see a doctor and ask for treatment.  Doctor said that the chicken pox itself will heal on its own and no medicine can make it go away faster.  Like all viral infection, it will heal all by itself.  He was only prescribed antihistamines for the itching and paracetamol for the fever.  He was also advised to continue to drink his Vitamin C to boost his immune system and to drink more fluids especially water to keep himself hydrated.

So what do you do when your kids is downed with Chicken Pox (I hope not!)? But if ever, you may find the following handy.

• Contrary to what our Lolas do in the past, doctors instructs patients to take a bath, and it could be numerous baths in a day because it helps tone down the itch.  Addition of finely ground oatmeal in your bath water can also help a lot.
• After taking a bath, pat dry the skin but DO NOT rub.
• To help relieve pain (from some of the blisters, especially those at the mouth are), you may take over-the-counter pain relievers.
• Doctors can also prescribe antihistamines for the itchiness.
• Take your Vitamin C supplement to boost your immune system.
• No matter how hard it is, try not to scratch.  Scratching can cause skin cuts and you might develop bacterial infections from them.
• If you have other kids at home, isolate the infected kid or adult to avoid exposing the other kids to the virus.
• Antibiotics won't help so do not try to drink any.
• Since I am breastfeeding and had been able to see the wonders of breastmilk over skin rashes, I put on breastmilk on my son's scars, hoping it would easily lighten them.

A child can be vaccinated at the 12-15 months of age but for the vaccine to work they need to get a booster at age 4-6.  My son had been vaccinated but we forgot to have him injected with the booster hence he still contacted the virus.  To our dismay, even if he has been isolated, our daughter was still infected with it 2 weeks after our eldest does.  I might need to pump more breastmilk so that I can constantly put some on my kids scars.

Seeing Doubles: MedelaMoms' Multiples Support Group

My mom was a working mother of the 70's (until the 80's).  This is the reason why I was left to be taken cared of by my grandmother.  And the same reason why I was not breastfed.  I guess the idea of pumping and storing milk was not yet introduced back then.  While growing up, I had always been fascinated with breastfeeding moms.  For me, it is the most wonderful way of giving because the mother is actually giving herself to her child. This is the reason why I made a promise to myself that when motherhood enters my life, I will breastfeed my baby.

My first born was breastfed for two years.  She only tasted formula milk when he was weaned on the month of his birthday.  He had been a very good example for my relatives and friends to see the beauty of breastfeeding.  He was a very healthy and active child.  Last year, we were blessed with another child but this time it was more challenging.  I gave birth to a premature baby who weighs only 1100 grams.  She had to stay in the NICU for 2 months and battled a lot of complications because of prematurity.  She tips the scale at 1800 grams when she went home.  But with the wonder of breastmilk she gained 600 grams in a span of 2 weeks.  This made believe more that yes, indeed, Breast(milk) is Best!  To date, my second child is now six months, weighs 5.5 kls and unlike other preemies, we never had any problems since she came home 4 months ago.

I have always (politely!) inform moms and soon-to-be moms about the benefits of breastfeeding (or at least those benefits that I know about).  It's super nice nowadays that there are already support groups for breastfeeding moms.  

Speaking of support groups, MedelaMoms will be launching "Seeing Doubles" a support group for moms with multiples.  Committed to being more than just the Philippines' authorized distributor of the most well-known and trusted brand of breastfeeding products, MedelaMoms is all about supporting mothers and babies in their breastfeeding journey. This is why they organize learning events related to breastfeeding and parenting, provide breastfeeding counseling if needed, and help coordinate breast milk donations whenever necessary, among other things. MedelaMoms wants to be one with you, moms out there, in breastfeeding. 

Committed to being more than just the Philippines' authorized distributor of the most well-known and trusted brand of breastfeeding products, MedelaMoms is all about supporting mothers and babies in their breastfeeding journey. This is why they organize learning events related to breastfeeding and parenting, provide breastfeeding counseling if needed, and help coordinate breast milk donations whenever necessary, among other things. MedelaMoms wants to be one with you, moms out there, in breastfeeding.

Everyone knows that breastfeeding can be challenging and nursing multiples -- twins or more -- may be even more demanding. At the same time, nurturing and raising multiples has its own set of "rewards" and sense of fulfillment. MedelaMom Beng knows this firsthand, having her own set of double blessings.

It is with great pleasure then that MedelaMoms invites all couples expecting multiples to come to the Medela House on February 8, Saturday, 9 a.m., to the launch of the "Seeing Doubles" Multiples Support Group. Different mommies with twins will share their precious time to talk about their experiences carrying, giving birth to, breastfeeding, and raising multiples! This is the time for all parents with multiples to ask their questions and satisfy their curiosity, and maybe even find the answers to all their concerns and worries. The "multiples moms" who have been invited by MedelaMoms to speak are ready to help parents for the arrival of their own sets of multiples.

Alongside the launch of “Seeing Doubles,” SweetPea, a cocktail/formal nursing wear company will also be launching its line through a fashion show. Walnut Melbourne PH will be providing the shoewear of the children in the show. Celebrity Moms Amanda Jacob and Marilen Faustino-Montenegro and children will be dropping by, too, to share their own modern day mom breastfeeding experiences. 

Amanda will also be conducting a book signing and a limited number of her book, Project Mom, co-authored with Bianca Araneta-Elizalde, will be on sale that day.

The event is free of charge but attendees are required to pre-register by texting or calling MedelaMoms at 0917-8110821 or sending an email to medelamoms@gmail.com. Sign up now to experience the first support group for mommies of multiples in the country! Giveaways, special promos, a candy buffet, and other treats are in store for participating mommies.

To get the latest updates from MedelaMoms, connect with them through their Facebook page (Medela Breastfeeding Products) or better yet, add them as a "friend" on Facebook (http://facebook.com/medelamoms).

Goodbye, Year of the Snake

The Snake Year 2013 had left me with one living remembrance.  I gave life to our precious daughter this year. To say that the snake year was a year of struggle for us was an understatement.  After being hospitalized for ten days, I was rushed to the Delivery Room for an emergency ceasarian operation since my doctor can't control my blood pressure and they found out that my baby has been suffering in my womb because of my hypertension.  I delivered her prematurely at 32 weeks.  She was so tiny but she is a warrior.  She fought for her dear life and stayed at the NICU of the hospital for two months. She battled Pneumonia, Neonatal Sepsis, Jaundice and Necrotizing Enterocolitis. She undergone four blood transfusions.  On the other hand, we were battling with ballooning medical expenses because of this.  Friends and families helped us to live through our problems and because of that I will forever be indebted to these people.  Life is indeed a precious blessing, that's my biggest lesson for this year.  And because of this 2013 will always be a year etched in my heart forever.

Guidelines in Naming a New Baby

The name of a person is analogous to a brand for a product. It is something that will be forever part of who that person is. To would be parents, naming their new baby is perhaps one of the things that eat up time and yes, even their thinking. Different folks have different ways of naming a baby. There is a ethnic group here in the Philippines that names their newborns with the first sound that the mother hears right after giving birth. Hence, the names Aw-Aw (a dog's bark) or Tilaok (a rooster crowing). Then there are also families who have their own naming traditions. I know one family that honors the patriarch by naming all firstborn sons with his name. Can you imagine attending your family reunion and hearing your name being called only to realize it's not only you answering the call.

We are now on the process of naming our little princess as we only have roughly three more months before we get to see her. We have trimmed down our choices to three names. Well even before we got pregnant, we I already have a few names chosen if we will have a baby girl in the family. For me, how to name a new baby should be the couple's decision, not just the Mom or the Dad. But yes, there should be guidelines, at least, on how to choose a baby's name. Here are what we follow when we name our firstborn, the same guides we are using to choose a name for our little princess.

• Uniqueness.  I was actually the one who wants to give my babies unique names.  Unique, in the sense that I do not want them to turn their heads whenever their name is being called only to find out that it's not really them being called.  My name is a very common one and I do not want my children to suffer the same fate.  An unfamiliar name will definitely make your child stand out from the crowd.  But just a warning though, you may wanna balance uniqueness with melodious sound and not too hard to spell out names.
• A name should have a meaning.  This is the part that Hubby is very picky about.  He wants a name that has nice meanings.  He said that a child lives up to his name.  The reason why our firstborn was named "Jian Cyrus" was because Hubby read in a baby name book that Jian is a variation of the name Jiang which means throne.  And Cyrus is from the famous Persian king. You see, even names had evolved, hence you may also want to look at how your choice of name has been derived on other languages.
• Give a twist to old names or perhaps a name from your family tree.  I have always adored my Mom and my grandmother.  I remember a conversation with my Mom where I told her if I will have a daughter, I will name her with my grandmothers' name or a variation of it.  But Hubby does not favor the name of my grandmother because he said it sounds too sad (blame it on Adele and her songs).  So we're looking into giving it a twist.  Hubby agreed adding another letter before it and playing with the spelling a  bit.  

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you and your partner will agree on the name of the baby. 

Twelve Lessons from our Twelve Years of Marriage

Being married for twelve years is not an easy feat, specially in today's world. I am proud that we surpassed all the shortcomings of the last twelve years. Twelve years ago we only have each other to hold on to, but now we have our son, and soon our daughter to see us through each day. Everyday is a chance to learn something in a marriage. I am glad to share twelve lessons we learned from our twelve year of being married.

1. The reason for marriage should always be because you cannot live without the other person. I always advise would-be-couples to ask themselves why they want to jump into marriage. Mostly, I hear the same response; "I love him/her.", seldom do I hear " I want to spend the rest of my life with him". Young lovers nowadays always equate marriage to love ALONE. But what if the love is gone? The Philippines does not have a divorce law, so they either go to the tedious and super-expensive annulment process or live a broken family. Love is not just a noun, it is a verb that needs to be acted on. It is a decision that needs to be done daily.

2. A marriage is the union of two very good forgivers. Early in our marriage, Hubby calls me a historian. Why? because I always bring back past misunderstandings when we argue on a new one. It was a good thing that Hubby is such a good forgiver and I learned to be like him over time.

3. You cannot always win in an argument. I have always been the hardheaded girl but soon in our marriage, I learned that there is just no way that you can always be the winner. Sometimes, you have to give in to your partner.

4. The person that you married will mature and so are you. But this does not mean that you can no longer be a child at heart. Both Hubby and I still enjoys the arcade, the occasional kiddie games with our son and even the carnivals. But there will come a time that you will see it in your partner's face that they had gone old, perhaps balding or with a few wrinkles here and there. Aging is a natural process, you just have to accept it and be happy with it because others are not given the ability to grow old because they die young.

5. You have to choose to love your spouse everyday even when in days that they are not lovable. Admit it or not, there are days that a person does not seem to be lovable. Talk about PMSing women or lying men. But again, love is a choice that needs to be made everyday. We have to choose to love them as they are, even at their most unlovable state.

6. Never underestimate the power of a hug. At the start of our marriage, Hubby is not the type who woo whenever we had an argument. But he learned that a hug can do wonders. Sometimes, I don't have to win an argument,all I need is just a hug and I will eventually give in to his desires.

7. Kids are always a happy addition to a marriage. A positive pregnancy test came in early in our marriage. We were both worried then but we were also extremely happy as we were not expecting a child to be added in our marriage this early. I know some married couple who does not want a child early on in their lives. Isn't procreation one of the purpose of marriage? A child will not only make your union happy but believe me, it will also strengthen your bond as you will get to see how your spouse will transform into someone you might not expect him to become.

8. For the wives: Sometimes, you will have to spoil your partner. Yeah, ladies, we have to be the spoiler sometimes and not the one always being spoiled. Men are easy to please, a back massage, a foot rub or just good old home cooked meals are enough to make them smile.

9. For the husbands: Never forget important dates. And with dates I mean, birthdays, anniversaries and special holidays that has to be remembered. We do not need grandiose gifts, just knowing that you remember those dates are more than enough to make us happy. A simple SMS, a call or perhaps an early morning greeting on that day will make it extra special for us.

10. Spend sometime alone. Sometimes, all you need to bring the romance back is a time alone with your spouse. You don't have to go to some fancy place, you just have to be together, just the two of you. Admittedly, for couples with chidren, we always look at our spouses as the better half of the parenting process and not as the person we exchanged vows with when we got married. A movie date, a dinner or just a walk on the park with your spouse alone will definitely spark the romance back to your union.

11. Compliment each other often.. Okay, this does not mean that you have to lie to your spouse. It's more on looking for something good in them and complimenting them even for the slightest good in them. This does not only make your spouse happy but it also makes you see the good in them, no matter how small they may seem.

12. Lastly, never forget to be sexually intimate with each other. This is a usual mistake of the wives. Early on in the marriage, we are so into each other but then time flies and we get too preoccupied with all the hullabaloos of the day-to-day lives that we forget intimacy with our spouses. Or perhaps the wives are too shy to start on being intimate. Just a tip though ladies, just dress the part and your husbands will definitely pick it up from there.

Our marriage is not something that merits a trophy or an award but we are taking it one day at a time. We do have our times of disagreements, times when we would want to call it quits but again at the end of the day, keeping a marriage in tact is a choice that we make daily.

Dada, Happy 12th wedding anniversary and here's to twelve dozens more of years together!

Motherhood is a Happy Journey

When I got pregnant the first time, I was only 25 years old and was married for only six months. It was unexpected since I had been having irregular menses eversince I began having them. But God was really full of surprises, he sent us our firstborn the time that the family needs a bundle of joy because we found out that our Mom was suffering from a rare type of Cancer.

What's nice about my first encounter with mommyhood is that I have my Mom to guide me. She never fails to give me insights on how to deal with the roller-coaster ride of emotions a first-timer mom could ever imagine. Although she was not there to accompany me during my delivery, she ensures I am in good hands by helping me choose the hospital to deliver my firstborn.

Seven years after my firstborn, I experienced what could be the one of the worst experiences a mother could have, a miscarriage. I missed my Mom during those times because had she been alive, she could have comforted me more than anyone else because she herself knows the way I was feeling those time having experienced miscarriage for her supposed to be third child.

Now, that I am on my third pregnancy, I still miss her. I know she will be very happy for us especially since we are having a princess. She knows how much we wanted to have another child. Sadly though, she is not near me anymore. I miss all the foods she sends my way specially those that I craved for. But, eventhoug, she is no longer here with us, I am thankful because I have people around me who ensures I get to have a happy pregnancy. There's my husband whose such a dedicated father and he never misses all my OB-Gyn appointments. And since, my firstborn is already grown up, he takes care of me when his father is not around. It also helps a lot that I have lots of friends and relatives who never fails to lighten my mood or just sends a smile either via SMS or a call.

Happiness is really a choice that we have to choice for ourselves. And we have to do it everyday, preggy or not. At the end of the day, we are the ones who dictates the mood of our life. Afterall, we are the first ones that is affected by whatever choice we make.

Pregnancy and PUPPP

It has been more than two months since the last time that I shared something here. Forgive me, but I have been preoccupied with all the pregnancy related things that I have been experiencing. I had been suffering from pregnancy related rashes aptly called PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy).It was a monster of a rash. I could not sleep as the itchiness seems to attack during nighttime. To make it worst, summertime in the Philippines is equivalent to hot, humid weather which aggravates my case. Its a good thing that I found something that could at least give me some relief. I have asked my doctor if there is something that we can do about this but he said he can only give me something to at least lessen the itchiness, but nothing to make it stop or make the rash go away. I was so frustrated that I tried getting help from the net. I know that it is not a great idea as there are lots of unqualified information roaming on the internet. But I told myself that as long as it is something that would not have any chemicals with it, I will be willing to give it a go. And so I checked and checked each and every sites that talks about PUPPP. After days of research, I was able to find out that most westerners are relieved when they take an oatmeal bath. Now, there goes another problem, drugstores here does not sell oatmeal baths and we don't have a bath tub. So what I did was to grind about three cupfuls of oatmeal and put them in an old clean socks and then inflate a kiddie pool and soak myself in. It was a great relief just soaking there. I did this for about 5 times in a span of two weeks and the rashes seems to subside. It was also then that I was able to see a lotion made of oatmeal that is also paraben free. I immediately bought it and since then used it all over my body taking extra effort on massaging those that have the pesky rashes. I am still not rash-free. My doctor actually said that the rashes wil only go away after I have given birth. I will be on my 24th week tomorrow and I can say that at least now I can sleep through the night and smile on those maternity pictures that I love taking a lot.

Me and my firstborn soaking on his pool with our own oatmeal bath concoction

Guidelines for a Good Life

When my Mom was still alive, we normally have conversations while in bed, mostly after we woke up from our afternoon nap.  Those are the times that I really miss now.  I did not understood it then but she was always giving me small advices during those small talks.  When she passed away, it was then that I came to realize the lessons she was slowly teaching me.

Summarizing those lessons, I realized that Mom was giving me guidelines to live my life with.

1. Goodness begets goodness.  Mama was the type of person who alaways sees the goodness in other. There are even times that we tend to disagree with her, she makes us realize that if we plant goodness, sooner these goodness will be given back to us.  True enough, we witnessed how her goodness was generously given back not just to her but to us, as her family, when she was sick and even when she passed away.  Relatives' and friends' support kept on coming, in the all sorts of form.  Mama might not know it then but it was the law of karma that she was teaching us.

2.  Give, even if sometimes it hurts.  I only understood the essence of true giving when I became a Mom myself.  Becoming a Mom entails a lot of giving, and yes most of the times it hurts.  It starts when you get pregnant.  Pregnancy is indeed a happy journey, but most moms would agree that there are also unpleasant experiences along the way.  Just think about the morning sickness, the nausea, the backpains and actual delivery itself.  But it is a process women had to endure to give life to her offspring and to give happiness to her husband.  And delivery is not the end of it all.  We continue to give while breastfeeding and while we let our kids take the most part of us, we sometimes forget about ourselves.  

3.  Let Go and Let God.  This is the best lesson that Mom taught me by being a true example.  When she got sick (she died of Bone Cancer), I have seen how she let go of every worries and let God to take care of her.  She did not let her sickness to win over her body.  While she was sick, she continued serving God and the church, in her ways.  She prayed for her recovery, yes, but she also asked God to help us if in case she won't make it.  And make it, she did.  She might not have won the battle over Cancer but she showed us that if we stay together, we can work wonders.

Mom may be gone forever but her lessons linger.  I promised myself to passed on these lessons to my kids and even hopes that others will also be benefited from these guidelines.

 

I Love Being a Mom Because...

A few days back, GMA News TV was re-airing most of its motherhood related documentaries.  One of which was a feature on how a mother gives birth.  As we were watching,memories rushed in.  I remember how it was for me during those days.  It was almost ten years ago but everything is still fresh in my memory.  I could still talk about all the details as if they just happened yesterday.  I was awaken from my trip to memory lane when my son suddenly said, " Mahirap pala maging manganak,Mama, eh bakit gusto mo pa magkaanak pa ulit?...saka ganyan ka din ba nung nanganak ka sa akin?"  I answered his questions with a smile.  But as usual the kid was not contented with that.  So I said, " Ang pagiging nanay ang pinakamasarap na parte ng buhay ko."  In my mind, I began to enumerate why I love being a Mom, and these are what I was able to come up with.

Jian and me, eight years ago

I love Being a Mom Because:

• I was able to give back to my mother for all the hardship of bringing me to this world.  And for me, it is a privilege given only to women because fathers won't know how it their moms feel while they were still in their womb.
• Motherhood brought out the best in me.  Prior to giving birth, I don't think I can love someone unconditionally.
• I learn a lot as my kid grows because motherhood does not come with a user manual.
• My kid is a gift from God (and all kids are).  I was a diagnosed with PCOS as early as I was in college and I never imagined being pregnant after six months of marriage.
• Together with my Hubby, I was able to be one with God by being a co-creator of another life.
• Just seeing the kid happy and healthy is more than enough happiness the mother's heart in me can ever contain.

no, that's not his cake, it's her cousin's cake

Yes, indeed, motherhood is never an easy task.  We don't get paid with cash but with smiles(and hugs and kisses).  We are not allowed to take our day-offs nor resign, because it will mean that we will miss out on more happy time with the kids.  And yes, if I will be given another chance on motherhood, I will gladly obliged.

Now fellow moms, why do you love being a mom? Comment away, I'd love to read your reasons.

Motherhood and Me

Mothers' day is just around the corner. This is going to be my tenth year celebrating this day as the Mom. Kidding aside, I actually have a hard time celebrating it when I was still a kid. I was not raised in a family that is vocal about how we feel. We were not raised on hugs and kisses and words of endearment. Maybe, because my Mom and Dad, grew up like that. But it does not mean that we did not feel loved. Mama has her own way of saying all those things. It is on the baon that she prepares for us every single day. It is felt on the crisp, clean, well-ironed clothes that we wear every day to school. It is on the long walks that we share when he brings and fetches me from school. It is on the food that is always waiting for us whenever we went home. Mama may not be very vocal but we felt all the love in all the things she did for us.

Motherhood changed me a lot, so to speak. I became more vocal about my thankfulness for my Mom. I look forward to this day every year. Though Mama is no longer with us physically, I know that she feels how grateful I am being her daughter. I know that she sees all my moves and that she is still guiding the mother in me. Now that I am a mother, I see to it that my kid not just hear the words of endearment, but also feel all the love day in and day out. Happy Mothers' Day!

A Person Fit for be Called a "Mother"

Accept it or not, not all who have given birth are fit to be called a Mother.  To be fit for the title, one has to be strong yet mushy at times.  One has to be firm yet willing to kiss away the pain.  One has to know how to see serenity in the middle of chaos.  To give birth is let's say a quarter of the trick, the other three quarters is for the lifetime duty that is tied to being a mother.

I was facebooking last night when I saw a video posted on one of my friend's wall.  I never actually liked clicking on links for a video because I know that most of them (especially the ones that have a description in a different language) contains nasty things.  But the description of the video really caught my attention.  So there, curiosity has taken over me and I clicked on the link to the video.  It was a video of a mother holding her baby while she flashes papers with writings.  She was telling the story of her life.  She started with how she met the father of his son and how they got married.  She tells the story of how she knew that she was pregnant and how happy they were.  You can see how happy she was each time she shows the papers.  But the happiness was actually shortlived.



When the news always speaks about fetuses being left here and there or children beaten by their own moms, it is such a relief knowing that there are women out there that has a pure heart which bears the essence of being a mother.  She was told she should have aborted the baby but she didn't.  She chose to bring him into this world.  But his birth is not the end because he was ridiculed, laughed at and sometimes feared by others.   But she continue to be the strong mom that she is.  She made sure that his baby feels loved and she assured that even though he is born blind and with cleft palate, he is still beautiful and he is a blessing from God.

It is not always that I am deeply moved by what I see over the internet.  But, to say that I wept a lot while watching this video is an understatement.  I wanna share this to all of you because I believe that they will also touch your hearts.  She does not beg for money, not even a cent.  All she asks is for us to look at our own blessings (our children ) and continue loving them.

Being a mother is one of the hardest profession in life, but it is something that I would not trade for anything else.  Just seeing my kid with a smile or a glimpse of happiness on his eyes, 'yun lang, quota na ko!


To my Mom in heaven, thank you for showing me how to become a good mother.  You are the most beautiful (syempre carbon copy mo ko eh!), most patient, most kind and most forgiving mother of all.  I would not be the mother I am now, if it wasn't for you.  To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day.  Let us continue building a better planet by nurturing our family well.  Cheers to us all!

Hoping for a Second Child

A few years back we have decided that we wanted an addition to our little family. We were hoping that it would not take us too long as we got pregnant just after six months of being married. After a few months of actively trying without any positive results, we decided to go to an Obstetrician. I was then told that I was part of the 10% of the women population who is suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom (PCOS). The doctor said that I was lucky that I was able to conceive without any aids from fertility drugs. She told us that it is a condition that is the culprit to most infertility problem in women. She said my hormones are out of balance and that I need to drink different kinds of medications to balance them out. True enough after years of not using any contraceptives, we still are three. Except for that joyful daythat I had almost 3 years ago, we never saw two lines in a pregnancy test again. But the happiness lasted for just a few days, we lost the baby.

I am about to turn 36 in a few months time and though I find it too old for conceiving and giving birth, I find it rightful to give it another try for this year. Much for my son, than for us, because I am seeing how sad his situation is (and will be in the future)as an only child. So we then decided to again go seek medical help. I am now taking in medications which we hope could eventually give us that much awaited two lines. Hubby on the other hand is also requested to undergo some series of laboratory tests. And yes, we are praying really hard for another baby to come our way.

MM : Food, Movies and Scrapblogs

I so love the theme of this month's Mommy Moments. Mommies will be talking about the least of the person they are concerned about, themselves. Admit it or not, mommies, in the course of taking care of their families,most often that not, forget about themselves. We normally drown ourselves with the needs of our family that a lot of times we forget that we are also in need of some pampering.

For this week, let us talk about our hobbies. Ever since I could remember, I have always been a foodie. I love to eat though a lot of those who know me personally says that my body is really good in not showing it. Apart from consuming food, I also love creating them. Yes, I love to cook and bake. If given the chance to study again, I would definitely love to go to a culinary school. Our kitchen is always busy especially during my restdays because that is my haven. It is where I find peace and I love the aroma of food from my own kitchen. I am so into cooking that I decided to devote my second blog to my second love. I hope you could drop by Mom from Manila Cooks.



Apart from food, other things that occupies my time are movies and TV series. Right now, I am so into the Vampire Diaries that even Hubby gets excited when I tell him that a new episode is about to be shown. I also love musicals so I easily got hook with Glee. When it comes to movies, we mostly watched sci-fi but when I am with Hubby, we both love romantic movies such as The Notebook, our fave of all-time. I am also always on the look out for new cooking shows or new episodes of the old ones. My personal favorite would be Chef Michael Smith's Chef at Home. Just recently, my attention was also caught by one local teleserye, 100 days.

I also love to do online scrapbooking. I really don't do this most of the time but it is one of my stress relievers. I feel so creative using this online scrapbooking tools. in the future, i wanna learn how to use photo editors like Gimp or Photoshop.




If you wanna know what other things we are best in doing apart from parenting, just head on to Mommy Chris' site.

Awareness about the Big C

I was blogwalking through other Mommy blogs and I came across another Pinay mom blogging about Cancer awareness. Now aside from breastfeeding, cancer awareness is another advocacy that I want to push through. Nine years ago, I came to realize that the Big C can actually creep into anybody's life. Our Mom was diagnosed with Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor, a rare type of cancer that attacks the nerves. Prior to her diagnosis, we never really know what Cancer was. All we know is that it exists and some are stricken and yes, I have to admit that I was thinking it was "sakit na pang-mayaman lang". But, no, that really is not the case. When Mom was diagnosed she was, I could about to enter the prime of her life. My youngest brother was about to graduate from college the following year, which for her, could mean, that she was also about to graduate from her responsibility of sending us to school. She could have enjoyed the life meant for her had it not been for the Big C. We have a lot of plans that never pushed through because the funds had to be diverted on her medical expenses. It was a painful experience specially for me, because I was the one that was tasked to look for other means to get additional assistance for her. I lined up in PCSO's office, the congress and yes I was the one who always talked with doctors. I educated myself regarding medical terms, and I was thankful that Google was already there to help me out. Now, apart from the burden of looking for additional assistance, I also appointed myself as my mom's personal caregiver. I was the one who bathe her, fed her and gave her medicines. For me, it was my way of showing my affection and it was my way of giving back all the attention that she had given the entire family. And yes, I was doing all these things while I was also taking care of my new bown baby then. Mama was never a hard patient to deal with. She would obliged drinking whatever medicines that she is given, eating all the foods she is told to consume. Cancer made us suffer financially, I would say. But, it was also Cancer that brought the bond of our family even closer. We learned how to say the rosary as a family. We learned to live life fully day in and day out. We learned to celebrate each milestone, however small it was. We learned that we can only depend on each one. And, in that in the end, we were able to realize how lucky we are for having Mama as our mother. We witnessed how other people loved her and how she was able to make a difference in those person's lives. Help came pouring in up until the time that she already passed away. Not necessarily financial help but prayers. And for us, for me, that was what we really need then.

Yes, Cancer could have taken her from us but the Big C did not took her memories with it. Her memories will remain forever. This is the reason why each time I know someone stricken with Cancer, I always tell them the story of my Mom, a story of a person who battled the disease for almost six years. The very reason why I am joining fellow bloggers for the Charity Blogging for Cancer Awareness. I would like people to know that it is indeed true that Cancer could take the people we dearly care about but it can be prevented. We just have to be aware of what we eat, our lifestyle and specially how we take care of our bodies.

Come December a whole day affair for for cancer patients and survivors. There will be freebies, contests and performances. To all Mommy bloggers out there, let us take time to help out cancer patients. Let us make use of our power to spread the word. Please go to Life and Fever to more about this upcoming event and how we can help.

A Mother's Love

Mothers' Day is here again. It seems that this special day for Moms has been tainted because of Pacquiao-Mosley boxing bout. Since Pacquiao won, can we say Mommy D is the happiest amongst all moms today? I guess not. I am happy because Hubby and Kid surprised me with a bouquet of red roses after the mass. I know, it was not as grand as the Hermes bag that Mommy D had or those Manolo Blahniks that she will be wearing on her birthday bash. But the flowers came from two important men in my life. I care not about the tag but more about the thought.

Our Mom makes us be this way. We were brought up to choose needs over wants. We were shown that we have to work hard to be able to get what we want in life. Life can be simple or grand , depending on how you choose life to be. Everything that we are right now, we all owe to this one very special lady.

Mama was there when I had to fight for my right to become the schools representative on a district wide quiz bee in grade one. Mama was there when I delivered my first poem in front of two classrooms full of onlookers, a lot of them I don't know. Mama witnessed how I tripped my way when I was dancing one night in high school. She was also there when I graduated in college. She was with me when I walked down the aisle and she was there during my own take on motherhood. She patiently gave me all the foods that I was craving for, making sure that I get what exactly I want. She might not be beside me when I was laboring for my kid but I know that on her room she was whispering a prayer for my safe delivery. She was there to teach me how to bathe my kid. I could still remember how she beams with pride holding on to her only apo. She was patient enough to call us each and every day when we were living far from them. She never fails to give hope and courage even during the times that she was already bedridden with cancer. She never makes it hard for us to live with her illness. Although she battled cancer for almost six years, we never saw the pain in her eyes until the very last hours. She may be gone now but her spirit remains. Whenever I see my kid and hug him, I now know how it feels to become a mother and I now know why she chooses to live longer. She chose to live longer even when she is silently in pain so she could be with us for a little more time. I guess it is true, that Angels cannot be everywhere, so He just created Mothers.



Mama, wherever you are please know that you are loved and that we are blessed having you as our Mom.

Happy Mothers Day!

MM: Preggy Tales

My first pregnancy was a delight , I would say. I had always had irregularities with my menses eversince I could remember. I even told Hubby prior to getting married that it could be difficult for us to be pregnant because of my menstrual irregularities He said he is marrying me because he loves me and that it is no big deal if we can be pregnant or not. We were pretty surprised when just after six months of being married, we have been blessed. Surprised and Delighted were understatement. I did not have any problems on my first three trimesters. the only problem was I dreaded the smell of sauteing dishes and that I want to eat certain types of foods (my Mom was always there to rescue Hubby on my cravings and so are my Titas). The kid was the first grandchild on my side of the family and you could imagine the excitement he has created on the family. Things go differently when I entered my third trimester. The kid on my tummy was very active and he was kicking and dancing inside my womb. The kickings and dancings started to create contractions. On my sixth and a half month of pregnancy, my cervix is already 1cm dilated. This worried my OB GYNE and eventually ordered me on bed rest and on Duvadilan every eight hours. I was nervous and I kept on talking to the kid inside me. I asked him to stay quiet or Mama might be rushed to the delivery room making it hard for both of us. I guess, the kid inside listened and I was able to carry him to full term. I gave birth to a healthy 2.745 kgs. baby boy (that looks like a girl). Regrets? I was not able to capture the pregnancy in pictures. Those few images that I had when I was pregnant were gone with Ondoy.

Last March 26 , 2009, I had the same delighted feeling when I tested positive after 3 years of trying-to-conceive. But the feeling was shortlived, we lost the baby at almost nine weeks. The only thing that left the pregnancy was the image that i kept in my Facebook profile til now.

I am very happy that God gave me a shot at being a mom. It completed the woman in me. I would greatly appreciate though if He will give me another shot at being a Mom, and I am praying that it will be soon.

MIssing Mom on Mother's Day

Today is a very special day to all mother's in the world. This happens to be the first mother's day that I will not be able to hug my mom. Roughly a year ago, she left us to be with her creator. I actually made the video below as a gift to her on her 50th birthday last November 4, 2007. That was her last birthday with us and I could also say it was her happiest. There were a lot of surprises for her on that day. She was reunited with her long lost friends and all the person dear to her were there to greet her on that special day.



Nasaan ka man, Mama, Happy Mother's Day. I know you are still guiding us. Thanks for everything and I promise to make sure that you will always be remembered by your apo. Mahal na mahal ka naming lahat.

And then I am Sad Again

It's friday once again. I am usually excited about weekends, excited because I will be on my restdays the next two days. However, today is a different friday. Today reminds me of a different thing.

It was a week since I came to know that I was pregnant with what could have been our second baby. I was so excited last week that I have been posting it to most of the sites I frequently visit. We have been waiting for another baby since time in memoriam. However, it was on that same night that I felt a sudden pain on my left lower back. I was so afraid that I immediately rested when I went home that day. I went to bed and prayed so hard that nothing will happen bad to us. I was awaken by the icky feeling on my undies. As I pee, I noticed some blood stains on them as well. I asked my husband to buy another pregnancy test kit and I tested positive again. I immediately went to the nearest hospital and seek the hellp on an Obstetrician on Duty. I was scheduled to have an ultrasound, which confirmed there was indeed a gestational sac on my uterus. The sonologists it was five weeks old. I was advised to have complete bed rest and was made to take some medications which were meant to save the baby. I immediately went on a complete bed rest as told. It was on Sunday early morning however, when our house cat suddenly jumps from nowhere on our bed. I was awaken from sleep and felt the urge to go to the toilet. As I was peeing, I felt something dropped from me, it was like a lump of blood. I was not able to check it but my husband did. He said it was a blood clot. We went on to sleep again, but I just cannot. I was worried sick. That morning I asked Hubby to call on my OB. He was hesitant because it was a sunday. But then he saw me in tears. Doctor told hubby, I will be scheduled for another ultrasound just to make sure the gestational sac is still intact. I prayed hard on that day, even calling on my deceased mom to help me. The following day was a very long day for me. It was my 33rd birthday. Yes, it was my birthday when I heard the worst news that keeps on echoing on my mind till now. The baby was no longer there. I cried so hard hanggang sa halos Impit na lang ang pag iyak ko. Tuwing me tatawag at babati ng Happy Birthday, iiyakan ko lang sila. I don't exactlyknow how I will be able to move on. Pero pag nakikita ko ang panganay ko at si Hubby, I am reminded I still have them and I need to win the fight over depression, para sa kanila.

To date, I am trying to busy myself on almost anything that won't entail so much strength. I am trying to enjoy the vacation but I can't make a smile last on my face.

I just hope that everything will be fine In His Time.

Sino ang kamukha ni Jian?

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family finder - Family tree templates
Kung sino ang talagang kamukha ni Jian has always been a topic of debate sa pamilya namin. Kahit sa mga kaibigan namin, this has always been a topic! Finally, me sumagot sa mga tanong na ito. The look-alike-meter decided, walang daya yan...All I did was provide a picture of us and voila, the result is (drums rolling!) ako ang nagwagi...Mas kamukha ko daw by 36% ang baby ko. ; p
Ano sa palagay nyo?