Klaire's Baptism

Klaire was christened on 14 March 2009. The Sacrament was given by Fr. Oca Duran, the same priest who prayed over and blessed us with St. Claire of Assisi's relic on 18 May 2008. I wished to have Msgr. Bart to do it but unfortunately he had to be in Baguio for his students' retreat.

We got the 11am slot at Mary the Queen parish in Greenhills, it was to be a solo baptism and we had to bring our own priest. We got there at 1030am and aside from Ninang Odie, Ninang Daday and Ninong Frenz, everybody else were late! Yes even the priest, hehe. The Saturday traffic jam did it to most of them. The Church is kinda strict about being late and locks the door to the Baptistry so I was sorta stressed that the others didn't come on time. Good thing though that Fr. Oca was late himself. I just worried that the Sacristan would kick us out, LOL! Of course he didn't.

Ane made all the necessary arrangements with the Parish Office and I can say that they were easy to talk to. We just had to present Abi's Birth Certificate (from the hospital) and reserve a slot. We didn't have to submit a letter from our Parish in Malabon. A copy of our Marriage contract was submitted on the day of the baptism. They also required that we submit a copy of the Bapstimal certificate of one of the Godparents, which we did the same day. Two weeks before the our schedule, we had to attend a seminar that lasted for less than two hours. Ninang Rissa came with us, as we had to tag one Godparent along. The baptism in this church is free and by donation only.

Reception was at Max's Restaurant at Connecticut Carpark, Greenhills. With my desire to close off the entire second floor, we reserved for 100pax. Turned out they still have a small function room in the second floor that's not included in our reservation. Imagine my surprise when during our event, strangers would pass by in between our tables! Que horror! I was peeved and I had to let it out to our AE after the guests have left. We only got apologies, darn. Hehe.

The morning of the baptism, can you believe that, we were still getting "regrets" messages! I was kinda sad and tensed that our invitees weren't coming. And some who confirmed their attendance didn't come either. I was frustrated because I didn't want to be labelled as "maluho" and "magastos" and that we lacked planning! My friends helped me relaxed a bit, telling me that it's not our fault the absentees didn't come since they were informed at least a month early. And they were really a trooper, they ate for two! So yeah, there were three or four unoccupied tables and we had to eat Chicken and Embutido for three days! LOL! The rest were given away to my relatives and Ane's parents.

The food was okay. We didn't get the basic menu because I wanted Buco Pandan for dessert, haha! The Beef with mushrooms was a bit salty, the embutido was yummy and the Cake's icing wasn't to die for (akala nga ni Mommy Ellen, styro eh!). The rest of the food, I was not able to try. They also gave us a discount voucher for our next event.

Photo courtesy of Abi's Ninong Papita. The rest of the pictures are here.

Abi's Birth Story

I started this on Feb16 and publishing this only now. It's a long entry, if I may warn you and it's not even finished, LOL! But at least I got to that point in the story where Klaire was announced out :)

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January 30 was just an ordinary day. I was scheduled to visit my OB for the weekly check-up (I was then on my 4oth week) while Baby Dot was scheduled for the Non-Stress Test (NST). Ane and I decided to come in a little later because I knew the nurse who will do the NST will be in by 10am and I won't be attended to by the OB until after the NST.

1030am. We arrived at the the clinic and as told that Doc A won't be in until 1pm due to some family emergency. But since I was already due, we talked on the phone and decided that we should just go on with the NST and the Dra. Pineda will see me instead and see if we need to wait for Dra. Connie. So they hooked me up on the machine. Then later, Dra. P perfomed an IE, which hurt a lot! The result? Baby Dot was about 3700 grams, I had no contractions yet, Dot was still floating, she grew significantly (she was just a 6 pounder on my 36th week!), amniotic fluid is ample and I was about 1-2cm dilated. Dra. P had to call my OB and then Dra. A explained the situation to me. She said that Dot was more or less 3400 grams (give or take 300 grams less than the Ultrasound weight) and that the baby's too big for my frame. I was given six hours to go on active labor otherwise she will open me up (waiting for Dot to position herself would be futile at that point, given the circumstances). I was advised to have light lunch then go to the hospital already 2-3 hours after. I was nearly in tears while talking to her on the phone and I was tensed!

Before noon. We decided to walk a bit more and went to Megamall (also to buy my brother something for his RO). I talked to my mom on the way to the mall and told her the news. My voice was cracking and she offered to be with me later on. I said we can talk about it after she's done with work. I didn't want to cause panic to anyone. Then Ane called his parents. Ane allowed me to eat fries fro KFC because he felt I needed something to loosen up my nerves. (Fries being one of my comfort food) Hehe. And he let me buy ballpens! (I'm too OC with pens and I just cannot go without at least two pens in the bag...earlier, I realized I lost my pens in my bag!) We bumped into Mami Carmie just before we left and told her about our visit. She wished us luck, and later we received text messages from the E's. Mami Carmie apparently informed them already :)

1pm-4pm. We were back in the apartment. My dad was there and we told him what happened. We had late lunch and I was taking my time, trying to absorb that fact that I will be meeting our princess that night. After lunch, I fixed and checked our things. Then I took a nap :) I was really stalling! By 230pm, Mom was already around! Turned out she chose to be with us and just let my Dad go to their bank appointment. I dragged myself from bed and prepared. Took a shower and enjoyed every minute of it. I was even able to blog that we were off to the hospital and post a note in a forum and send an email to my siblings.

5pm. I was received in the Pre-Labor Room and was asked to change into a hospital gown, and collect some urine for Urinalysis. Ane and Mom were asked to wait outside. I brought a book (I planned to read Time traveller's wife for the 3rd time) with me thinking I will still have the time to read! Around 530pm I was hooked on a Fetal Monitor machine (used in NST too), while a gorgeous young doctor interviewed me for history (insert kilig here :)). The resident OB, Dra. Luna performed an IE. NST and IE results were the same as in the morning's test's results. I heard Dra. Luna talking to my my OB.

6pm. The PLR nurse summoned my husband and informed him that I will be officially admitted at the hospital. Ane was joking that I was disturbing him and Mom because Deal or No deal was already showing on TV (with Piolo Pascual and his Mom as players, eheh). The nurse gave him instructions and told him to wait for updates in the room. This time I was being prepped for the labor room. I was given enema, it was heaven. Funny, I was holding in the urge to go thinking that it will take time. Of course I was wrong, I was running to the toilet in no time, LOL! The PLR doctor told me that they will bring me to the Labor room already and start with the induction of labor. I was still hoping to give birth the natural way and was expecting to push the baby out a little past midnight.

630pm. By this time, I was already in the Labor Room. I was again hooked on the same machines. The nurses and the doctors were all nice. I was also hooked on an IV and another bottle where they will put the inducing med, Oxytocin (?). Someone from the laboratory came by to extract blood from me, for CBC test. After all these preps, I was left on my own, they even offered to leave the lights on, in case I wanted to read. But I was too anxious for that.

A little past 7pm. They started tracing the NST results and the Labor Room OB intern told me I still wasn't contracting. In a few minutes, they infused the first of a series of inducing meds. And then they offered to give me oxygen, the OB intern saying the baby's heartbeat went a little faster. I heard the OB intern talk to my OB on the phone explaining what was happening. I was lying on my side, my back to the Labor room peeps when I heard them talking and discussing things I do not comprehend. The OB intern said I'm okay and the baby's okay so I need not worry. I remember closing my eyes, focusing on my breathing, and silently praying...

735pm. I felt a touch and when opened my eyes and turned, I saw my Dra. A, my OB already by my side. In my mind, I was telling myself, "Wow, that was fast!". She came rushing to my side from her clinic and thought it was sweet of her to be with me right away. By this time, I was still convincing myself that I can deliver Baby Dot the normal way. And I just found it sweet and weird at the same time that my doctor decided to not rest yet and wait for the 6hour deadline to lapse. She told me, "You're fine, Khristine." I gave her a weak smile. She looked for my pulse and counted. And then she went to the other side of the bed so we can talk more seriously. I took off the oxygen mask. "Here's the thing," she said. Uh-oh. I knew I wasn't ready for a conversation that starts with that phrase! She continued, something like, "Your pulse rate is 80 and your baby's heartbeat, is well, you know naman the normal bpm is 140-160, right? Your baby's is 180." I was just nodding at every word, trying to digest what she's trying to say. She asked the labor room nurse to hand her the NST tracings from both pre-labor room and labor room. I was told Dot's little heart was already racing even after just one shot of Oxytocin and we weren't sharing the rate since mine was just 80. Dra. A. showed me the tracings to explain further, that I wasn't contracting yet and the baby's started to get stressed already. So I asked, since she can't seem to blurt it out, "I-cut mo na ako Doc?" And she nodded. It started to sink in that a painful, feel na feel, delivery won't happen as I imagined it. She instructed the nurses to have the delivery room prepared and she asked me what kind of cut I want. I said I don't mind whatever cut she does as long as the baby gets out safely. I wasn't thinking anymore. Since the bikini cut will take longer to heal, I agreed to the regular cut. I was asked to sign the waiver and then Dra. A came to ask for Ane's mobile number to update him. It took her long before she got him, apparently he was walking from his dinner to buy some stuff at the drugstore. Then the nurse came to shave me. And chatted with me. I asked what's the name of one of the interns, "Ah, that's Dra. Ada," she said. And when she told me the family name, I knew I know her. She was a schoolmate in high school and she probably wouldn't remember me since she was in the honor's class the entire HS. In a while, Dra. Ada comes in to see me, surprised that there's someone in there who knows her, hehehe. We exchanged memories and we were laughing. We didn't go to the same university but I would see her in mine because her ex was my bestfriend's ex-boyfriend's high school barkada. Another nurse came in to do a skin test, to see whether I have allergies to the anaesthesia, I think, that they will use on me. And it hurt! Good thing Dra. Ada was there to amuse me, hehehe. It was also nice to know that Dra. Ada will assist my OB in the delivery of Baby Dot.

810pm. I was wheeled in the delivery room. I couldn't wait to see Ane again! While being wheeled, I asked the nurse if I could still stand up coz I needed to pee. She said, "Huwag na, isosonda ka naman." Whatever that is. True enough, after a few minutes of them prepping me up, the urge to pee was gone. Later I found out I was attached a catheter, hehehe. The anaesthesiologist introduced himself as Dr. Mike. Earlier, another doctor told me he was Dr. Mike's resident. I was injected something in the arm, I felt sleepy, then I was strapped and my hair was covered with cloth and tape. Oh before I was strapped, they injected the anaesthesia in my spine. I could not imagine how I was able to curl up, I just remembered a man pulling me together. A lot of things are happening at this time I can't remember anymore the series of events. One time, I also felt my thighs and legs spread out like frog and felt that they were cleaning me or something. A few minutes later, Dra. A was already around and heard her say to the crew that "the husband's here." Ane said hi, and I was fighting off the urge to sleep. I felt I was being cut, but there was no pain. And at

835pm Dr. Mike announced, "Baby Out! 835pm!" And I heard the most wonderful sound I've heard in years...Baby Dot was crying out loud :)

To be continued :)

Yesterday...

I turned a year older.

The clock struck twelve with my little Princess cuddled in my arms. All the more that I felt lucky and so much blessed. What more can I ask for?

My little family of three celebrated in a very simple way (of course I wasn't expecting something grand as Orlando vacations!). After we picked up my Artscow prints from the QCPO, we went to Rockwell just to stroll. It was Abi's first time to be in mall! :) She didn't like to be in her stroller and wanted to be carried most of the time. We need to practice with the sling! We went to the chapel first to pray then bought Abi some Playtex teats. Apparently she likes the latex ones and we have more silicone teats at home. We were looking for a reception dress for Abi but didn't find anything (later in the day, Ane brought her another Periwinkle dress na lang from Greenhills).

For lunch, we were finally able to try Pepper Lunch. We've always wanted to eat there but the line is always long when we're at the mall on weekends. So we took the opportunity yesterday before the office people flock in for lunch. I had to be very careful at the table because Abi decided she wanted to feed! I thank the crew for seating us in a big table/counter. And then we had coffee at Starbucks where Abi demanded for her pacifier (Me! wahaha!). After buying me a headband, candies, chips and Royce' Chocolates (and diapers & wipes for Abi), we were homebound.

It was a short day-out but I appreciate that Ane agreed to "date" Abi and me. Though I didn't get the Experia I've been wishing for, I'm happy that Ane allowed me to eat and drink whatever I want yesterday :) If you know me, that's a great gift already ;)

Change...yet again...

Our Ilaw ng Tahanan received news few days ago that her work assignment will be one of the offices in the south, effective this coming Monday. It's far enough that one has to travel by land then by boat. She will stay there and still don't know if she can come home weekly. While it is a welcome change and is better than the current assignment, I can't help but wonder how we can go about our days without her here. The past months that she stayed with us here in the apartment, we enjoyed fresh home-cooked meals. No wonder the boys gained weight! And we have a better household if there is a 'manager' around.

It's good though that she received the transfer papers a month after I gave birth, otherwise, it would have been really hard for us.

Another major adjustment ahead!

Run!

Although I've lost most of the weight I gained during pregnancy, I still have this urge to move move move because I feel a bit sluggish. I am too lazy to even go out of our room! My only exercise is carrying Abi and swaying her to sleep, which is not always, because Ane does that for me. I wonder when I can go back to the gym and use the elliptical? Maybe not in year, especially that we don't have a nanny to look after Abi. My mommy-friends say I can more ME time, in say three years. Yaiks!

Abi's First bath

February 14. Abi's Pedia instructed that we bathe Abi 2-3 days after the cord stump falls off (her stump fell off on February 11). We sponge bathed her before that day. It was also the day of her first well-baby check-up. So we were pressed for time. We got up at 10am, started preparing, but still missed the 1pm appointment! It's true what they say about having a child in tow, you'll have to adjust big time to avoid getting late for appointments!

Anyway, I was hoping I'd have my Mom assist me in her first bath. But she and dad had to leave early for Bulacan so Ane and I were left to do it ourselves. I was nervous that I might hurt her but I had to do it. I just remembered how Mommy would bathe Gi years back. Mom left instructions too. So I pretended to Ane I knew what I was doing, hehe ;)

What can I say? Abi loved her bath! She was crying before we started and she calmed down while bathing. So cute! A sign that she loved it too much? She cried when we finished! The subsequent baths have been so nice and easy for the two of us. :)

Summer is definitely here!

The heat is on, quite literally! Summer started early this year (global warming?!?!) and it's driving me crazy. Even the nights are very humid. Abi and I spend our days in our room and the industrial fan just don't cut it (we sometimes turn the A/C on if we really can't take the heat). My worry is that during these times, allergens are abound, and that Abi might develop allergic reactions to dust. We might consider getting one of those steam cleaners, I heard they're more effective house cleaning :)

Birth story in the works...

I've been posting entries here and I yet I cannot get enough time to finish Abi's birth story. There are tasks to finish and have dealines remember. I am about 70 percent done with the birth story while I haven't started yet on the after-birth-still-at-the-hospital entry. I really really wanna finish those two for the sake of my memory. I wish I can turn back time so I can have more things accomplished, heheh.

Anyway, stay tuned for the (long overdue) story/ies! :)

All lined up...

Ane and I already have errands lined up after Abi's baptism. By then, we can tag the baby along anywhere already (alam naman ang elders, kelangan binyagan ang bata bago ilabas kung saan-saan). One of the errands is to fix the papers, get the Title and pay for the Tax Declaration of the small lot down south the family is able to finish paying off last month. Then we need to look for a fence installation company so we can fence off the property. Other things to fix include the installation of the A/C unit at the place we plan to rent out, and of course getting Abi's original birth certificate from the City Hall so Ane can update his office records.

It's gonna be a busy month, for sure...

Abi and Sissy

Another first month picture :) That's Abi and Sissy, side by side :) Sissy is my doll, Abi will most likely inherit her. I hope she takes care of Sissy and Abi should consider herself lucky since she got Sissy at an early age (while I had to wait until I'm in my twenties to receive a newborn sized doll!). Anyway, I plan to shoot them together every month until Abi turns one year old.

PS. notice Abi's eyes are half-open, and she's sleeping! Mana kina Aunt Mabel and Kuya Joaquin! :)

My Birthday's coming up!

What do you know, it's already 5 days into March! I'm turning a year older in a few days, 6 days to be exact. I asked (more of demanded haha) Ane to surprise me this year. I'm not expecting something as expensive as engagement rings, I just want to be surprised. Heck, I'd even be happy with a box of Royce' Nama that I can consume by myself! :) Not that I wouldn't want that SE Experia, LOL, I'd love to have that too!

Ane better step up because I didn't get anything for our Hunnyversary & Valentine's. I also got nothing as a"push" gift coz he said, I didn't have to push at all, hehe.

Abi's First Month

Since there's no 30 in February, we "celebrated" Abi's First month last February 28 :) We went to her Pedia in the morning for her second well-baby check-up and second dose of HepaB vaccine. She's doing perfectly except that she lost some weight (oh well, it was a significant loss I got really worried but Dr. A said there's no cause for alarm) from the last check-up. Babies who are exclusively breastfed naturally lose weight in the first few weeks, I was told, and maybe Abi was just delayed in the loss (she gained in her first two weeks anyway).

We were in and out of the clinic in a breeze. Unlike when I was still going there for my pre-natal (the OB and Pedia share the clinic) on a Saturday, we didn't have to wait hours for our turn. Babies are quicker to attend to, hehe.

Ane and I were craving Chicken Joy so we had brunch at Jollibee Ortigas, where we also bought Abi's Red Ribbon cake. Boy am just so glad there's a S'mores cake available. Was craving that cake when I was pregnant! :)

Then at 2 in the afternoon, we were at Mary the Queen to attend the Baptism Seminar, in preparation for Abi's Baptism on the 14th. Abi's Ninang Rissa went with us, since it's a requirement to tag along one Godparent. We had to bring Abi with us, thank God she slept through it. I was worried she'd wake up and be fussy. There were only two babies in the room, the rest I guess had someone to leave their babies with. I also recognized one Mommy blogger among the attendees which I later confirmed with my Twitterfriends. I was too shy to go up to her and claim that I lurk in her blog, LOL!

Anyway, here are the pictures with the cake :)

Me, after a month...

The picture was taken a week after I gave birth, and came from Rissa's cam when they went to visit us at home (again, pardon the hair). Now, three weeks after, I think I still look the same. When I was still pregnant, I thought I would need to exert extra effort to lose weight so I started looking for some diet pill information already. But I don't think I need to diet. I gained a total of 28lbs during pregnancy and last I weighed, on Saturday, I already lost 25lbs (the first 23lbs were shed off in the first two weeks!) Yey! And I'm not even watching my calorie intake, since I'm exclusively breastfeeding. It's true that breastfeeding helps in losing all those pounds. I have other issues with breastfeeding though, but that's for another post.

I always joke that the umbilical cord prolly was not cut since Abi sticks to me like glue. Day and night she's attached to me. I'm not complaining, though sometimes I wish I can have some more free time. Right now, my only ME time is when I go take a bath and I would usually rush because I'd imagine her crying out loud for me. Sometimes, I would rush only to find her soundly sleeping in her father's arms! Talk about being paranoid! :)

These days, we are busy preparing for her Baptism on the 14th. Since I can't personally look after the preps, I'm letting Ane do the legwork. It's gonna be a very very simple one, considering that it's a man doing all the needed stuff. We're just taking on the reception package offered by Max's and that's about it. No additional stuff to do anymore heheh.

Oopppsss, the baby's crying while the dad's snoring. I guess I need to go now, teehee!

Breather

I am taking this opportunity to go online, blog and do some tasks. Ane just got home from work, and since it is his day-off tomorrow, he agreed to look after Abi for a while. Now they're both asleep, and Abi is actually lying down! Sigh, life can be unfair sometimes, hehehe. When I'm the one taking care of Abi, she knows when I put her down and promptly screams when I do (sometimes, she doesn't notice, but in less than five minutes, she knows!).

Anyway, I am enjoying this ME time for now since I know it won't last for long :)

Abi's First Nail Cutting Session

February 7 was the first time we had Abi's nails cut. We had to wait for people to visit us at home to help us out, hehe. My Mom was hesitant because she does not trust her eyes anymore and Ane & I were afraid we'd hurt Abi if we do it ourselves. So it was a relief when Odie, Abi's Ninang, agreed to do it. The picture was taken by Ane using Rissa's camera, without the flash on. It looked like we were inside an operating room doing some really serious business, LOL! We didn't need special lighting fixtures for this "event", we just borrowed Mom's bedside reading lamp.

Thanks, Ninang!

ps. Now I do her nails myself, I can't afford to transport Odie everytime we need to cut Abi's nails, LOL! Mahal ang home service, hehe.

Uploading pictures

I am currently uploading tons of pictures in my Flickr account. When I say tons, I mean hundreds of 'em. I started two days ago, and I'm not done yet. And I'm still just uploading Abi's pictures from the hospital.

I figured that since I am paying annually for the Pro account, might as well, use the service to literally host the pictures, like what my Bebot friends do. So expect that there are lots of seemingly same shots (see, Ane went trigger happy with the camera while we were at the hospital, LOL!). And the last upload, I forgot to private the pictures first hehehe. I intended to put into private all pictures yet and then I would choose what to put into Friends/Family and Or Public mode. So if you were there earlier and got bored, I apologize :) I'm done with the permissions now and I will be more cautious next time :)

Go to my Flickr page and see the pictures. If you can't view, you'll have to add me first :)

My light bulb moment...

Last week, while I was trying to squeeze in some internet time, I complained to Ane that Ivy has slowed down. It takes a few seconds before I can click on things, thinking that Ivy is taking time -- Heaven knows I am too much dependent on the mouse, although I know a few helpful shortcuts. Yeah, I was ready to blame it on Cabal for taking too much of Ivy's space, slowing her down (Pasensiya na, nag ako eh hehee). Ane said, it could be that Ivy is already having a hard time because the internal fan needs to be replaced already.

So I kept complaining and nagging Ane about it. We have to take care of Ivy since we don't have the budget yet for her imminent replacement.

Ane went home to Malabon last Friday and returned here with a new mouse. When it was my turn to use Ivy, I had a light bulb moment. It's the old mouse that's causing me headaches! Must be the clicks that are busted. Now, we're using the fourth mouse since having Ivy around.

Now the clicking problem is out of the way, I can now go ahead and do tasks faster.

In a hurry...

Abi let me put her down! Yehey! And I have tasks to finish. Gotta type away! I wonder for how long she will lie down, hmmmmm. I have so much to share! Oh, I always say that! But really, prepare to see lotsa posts, I just might flood this site with them. I just don't know if I'll be able to organize my thoughts really fast. Plus I have photos to upload!

I can do this! :D