The Real Deal

When I was pregnant, I was a lurker of every girl, parenting and baby forums. The nearer I was to my due date the more praning I got. A big belly also doubles as a laptop stand that time, which I guess encouraged me to stay online a lot. I read thousands of articles and countless forum entries but all of that did not prepare me for motherhood. One mother's story may be relatable but not applicable. 

The first night that Gari spent with us in the hospital room was crazy! I can't make her latch at all, she pooped and she threw up and she cried, all of those things happening at the same time with just me and Miguel with her. I was still recovering from my c-section at that time, by the way. I was scared to sleep because Gari looked so fragile in her pink swaddle, I check her breathing every few minutes and I just looked at her all night long. Talk about praning, noh?

When we got home, we decided to co-sleep at night. It would be easier for the both of us to not move much. Sleepless nights started, waking up to feed every 3 hours, changing newborn nappies. I followed everybody's advise to sleep when the baby is sleeping - best advise ever! We slowly developed a routine - wake up, paaraw, take a bath, sleep, wake up, milky time, sleep milky time sleep, sponge bath, milky time, sleep. 

The whole 2 months were all about the baby. I lost some of the baby weight but I'm 10lbs shy of my pre-pregnancy weight. I had circles in my eyes, a bit of a slouch because I was afraid to stand straight because I'm still praning about my cut, I can't finish my sentences and I snored while sleeping. I was a mess.. a happy mess.

Motherhood is the best thing that happened to me. I like to think that it made me selfless and mature. It's the real deal.

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32 weeks -- almost there! :)

Dear Baby,

On your 7th month we went to Baby in my Tummy ultrasound clinic near Boni Circle to get your 3d image taken. It was something that your Daddy and I wanted so we can get a sneak peek of who you look like and also something to show you when you grow up. Ninang Dane and Ninang Denise went with us - they were as excited as we are to see you.

At first you keep on turning your back on us, so the OB decided to make me eat a bit and walk around so you would move around more. It worked! After a couple of siomais plus a 15-minute walk we were able to see you. You look like Daddy, baby love. He was happy that day and kept on looking at a picture that Ninang Denise took of you. He even scanned the black and white pictures that the OB gave us. We needed to wait for a week though to get the colored printouts and the CD of all the images and the videos that the OB was able to take of you.

You made us proud baby, you looked like a healthy, happy baby girl. You look like Daddy but you act like Mommy with all the pouting you are doing.

Pout like Mommy Love! :)

The last picture is my favorite -- who could resist all the cheeks in that pic?

And finally a video of you playing in my tummy. In a little over a month Daddy and I would be seeing you. I am praying that everything would be okay on your birthday. I love you, baby girl!

See you soon!

Mommy

28 weeks - 2 months to go!

Dear Baby,

We are on our 3rd trimester already. I can feel your movements more and more each day, it's like you are having your own mini party there. I hope you don't invite friends over, though - my back would kill me with the extra weight. Hehe

They say that the hardest part of the pregnancy is the 3rd trimester - it's true! The back pains, the lack of balance and all the sweat that comes out of my body -- it's a big change compared to the easy breezy second trimester. I feel less beautiful too and I cry all the time which I think amuses your Daddy more than it irritates him. hehe All the uncomfortable feelings are worth it though when I feel you kick and move and play around inside my tummy and you have good timing too, baby love - You know exactly when to make your presence felt, it's like you are reassuring Mommy that everything is and would be all right. You got that quality from Daddy Love. Now, I have two people reminding me not to worry too much.

Baby love, I celebrated my birthday a couple of  days ago. Daddy love made a big fuss out of it and got me all the things I wanted and he even gave in to my request of bagoong! (not that I'm complaining hehe) Look what I posted on his Facebook timeline. I know this did the trick. He loves you and me so much that when we join forces in making lambing he can't say no. We make a good team, baby. Hehehe Just knowing that you are inside me is the best birthday present ever. You changed my life, baby. Heck, you changed your Dad's life, too. You make everyday feel like my birthday. I love you so much!

Baby love, keep kicking your Daddy love, okay? At the end of the day he loves coming home to us and feeling his princess moving around. I like the twinkle in his eyes each time he plays with you. I think he is equally excited as I am to hold you and hug you and smell you and give you small kisses all over your face. So bear with your overly-excited parents when you get out because we would not stop holding you and loving you and staring at you. :)

Hang in there baby. I want you out of me not earlier than 37 weeks. We can do this, my love. Prayers do wonders.

Love,
Mommy

Edit: Your Daddy read my post and noticed an error on my FB post. It should have been "she talks too much.." LOL my bad. Hiyang hiya nman ako sa tatay mo hehehe

25 weeks - Pregnant Diabetic

Dear Baby,

I had some tests done two weeks ago and looks like too many cupcakes, candies and chocolates stayed in my system and I am now officially a pregnant diabetic. I passed the rest of the tests though, but still I was worried about you - I want you to be healthy and I want you to feel safe inside me. 

The last week I was pricking my finger four times a day to check on my sugar level. The results were not good and today our endo (you can call him our sugar doctor) decided that I take insulin shots to make our blood sugar level normal. Needles scare me baby, pricking my finger was one thing but insulin shots are another. Good thing Papa Jesus sent us angels today. 

Nurse Annie is our first angel. She was the one who explained to me how diet can help my condition. She was real patient with me and your daddy, baby girl. We asked a lot of questions and she answered everything without losing the smile in her face. Our sugar doctor prescribed Humulin 10units in the morning and 6 units at night. The thing about Humulin is that it does not come in pen form, which means that I have to buy an insulin syringe -- totally inconvenient. Nurse Annie said that there are physician's samples for Humulin pens so I just have to buy the needle and the cartridge - but the sugar doctor ran out of stock. :(

We were already on our way home when Nurse Annie sent me an SMS saying she was able to get me a Humulin pen from one of the doctors in VRP - she said she was willing to wait for me in the sugar doctor's office. When we got there she was outside the sugar doctor's office eating some nuts and she greeted me with a smile. She said she was real worried about me and you since I can't find a pen for my Humulin. I thanked her and she said it was the least she can do for me, I got the pen for free, by the way. She also gave me tips on how it would make my shots easier. Good people are really hard to find nowadays baby and we are blessed that we crossed paths with Nurse Annie. She is a blessing.

Another problem was that my glucometer (sugar meter) ran out of strips and your Daddy and I can't find the brand of strips needed in any Mercury Drug branch in the area. Good thing I have the number of Ms. Grace    - the person we bought the glucometer from and she called me to tell me that they have a fresh batch of strips in stock in Mercury Edsa Pavillion -- yipee! She also said that if stocks ran out again she can deliver some to our place on Monday for a lower price. Being pregnant comes with it's own perks baby love - kindness from strangers. 

I hope one day you can be a blessing to others too, baby love. Always remember that no matter how small or big your action is, as long as it is an act of kindness, it goes a long way. You are loved baby girl, everybody who sees my baby bump knows that there is a miracle growing inside me.

Less than three months and we'd get to see you, baby girl.

Love,

Mommy

22 weeks

Dear Baby,

It has been a busy 4 weeks for your Daddy and me -- or maybe sleeping just takes too much of my time now so I have no time left to blog. I realized though that I want you to read something about how I carried you in me for 9 months and how Daddy and I got all giddy watching you grow.

The biggest news of the last 4 weeks is that we found out that you we are having a baby girl! Yes baby, you are a little baby girl and we are gonna name you Marga Alessandra. Everybody is so excited about the news! Your Mamu even posted it on facebook before me. Since you are a baby girl, everyone thinks you are a baby doll. Clothes keep coming from all direction that maybe - if my self control wins over my mommyhood, I won't be shopping for your clothes for the first year of your life. You are loved baby, and everyone is looking forward to meeting you :)

I also celebrated my first Mother's day about a week ago. I know it would be more meaningful next year when I am holding and you are showering me with hugs and kisses in between drools. This year Daddy made a big deal about Mother's day and took me out to dinner and gave me the kitchen cabinet I have been requesting for. Baby, you have to know that Mommy appreciates cabinets more than flowers. I am practical that way. 

See the picture above, baby? That's you when you were just a dot in my uterus and then there you are - a 5month old baby girl. See how much you've grown? I am so proud of your progress my love. And Daddy is proud too! You should hear how much he talks about you, you topped his favorite-topic list -- Imagine how special you are since you beat basketball and UFC and went straight to number 1! He loves planning about your future. He plans on making you a baby brother to ward off possible suitors in the future. lol

I am more than half way through my pregnancy, baby -- proof would be my bulging tummy, my penguin walk and my Pamela Anderson boobies. I can feel you kicking me more and more often. Sometimes I wonder what you want me to do when you kick me, are you hungry or am I too noisy or am I tiring you with all the walking I am doing. I feel you baby, I know you are there and I love the feeling that I am carrying you in my tummy. I love being a mom already. 

As much as I love being a mom, your daddy loves being - well a daddy. A daddy to you our little Marga. When we went to Bora for vacation all he did was touch you and talk to you and play with you. He said it's our first vacation as a family and he is looking forward to bringing you back there when you get to the age that you can make sand castles and swim and ride in his ATV. 

Baby, kick me all you want. exercise those baby arms and legs so you would be strong and healthy when we see you in a couple of months. We are excited to be your parents baby.  Take care and be a strong baby girl. We love you!

Love,

Mommy

9 weeks 3 days

Dear baby,

Mommy listens to a lot of music nowadays, I am still gushing over Maroon 5's Daylight and Alicia Keys' Girl on Fire. Maybe you'd grow up as talented as they are. I developed a strange habit of touching my tummy while walking to make sure your little heart is still beating, I am scared to lose you baby love, that is why I am taking extra efforts to be careful everywhere I go.

Last night, mommy cooked Tuna spaghetti for your titos, titas and for Daddy, too. I miss cooking but I am easily tired now and Daddy tells me to slow down and have somebody else do the cooking but mommy gets irritated when somebody else uses my kitchen. Daddy is hopeful that you wouldn't inherit my OCness.hehe 

Daddy bought me lotsa treats from Breadtalk because Mommy craves for their bread so much, he also brought home this week's supply of fruits and juices. See, Daddy loves us so much that is why he gives in to Mommy's every request. One thing though, he won't allow me to eat tita Carmen's bagoong anymore, he said it aint healthy. I have a record of not being able to control myself when it come's to Tita Carmen's bagoong.

Baby, I wake up each morning thankful that I still feel you inside me -- I welcome the morning sickness, the backpains and the fatigue as long as I know that you are growing there inside me. Grow strong, baby. Be healthy. Keep hugging mommy and don't let go til you are fully developed, okay? Mommy and Daddy are looking forward to see you in 6 and a half months.

We love you, little one!

Love,

Mommy

i-am-alecs.blogspot.com

I will be reopening my old blog -- I kinda want my life to be an open book. During the ordeal that I went through with Mac and Archie it was that blog that served as my outlet, just like this one is my outlet right now. Plus, I have to admit that I like that URL better, it's sooo me. I am thinking of combining these two blogs, I'll let you know how it goes.

There are only two things that make me feel better -- blogging and singing. And as my mom always says "Anak, mag-blog ka na lang". So here I am writing my thoughts away. hehe 

It's nice reading my old blog and realizing that life is a wonderful journey, life has a way of kicking you in the ass just to make you learn and appreciate what you have. All those ass-kicking made me the person I am today -- I am not saying I am perfect, I am saying that I am a better person than I was 7 years ago. I was young and naive and innocent. Uto-uto :)

If ever my prince charming would not arrive at the age of 30, I am planning to adopt a baby. I have a house big enough for a baby girl and me to grow old together. I have too much love to give and I can't imagine not having anyone to share it with. My baby brothers and sisters would be settled by then -- they would not be needing me at that point. I would have to set them free. 

No matter what happens I am excited -- I have a backup plan already. I know a little one is deserving of a good life and a lots of love -- both of which I will strive to give :)