House Partey!!!

We had our advanced Christmas get-together last Dec. 11, pero bitin ito. So we had part two of the videoke-slash-photosesh partey at home. FUN! :)

my climbing crawling critter

Yohann surprised me again today with a new trick.

We were playing on the mattress in the living room floor when he saw this toy which I placed on the couch on one side of the mattress. He wanted to reach for it, so I stood him up on his feet and placed him against the couch. But when he was already there, he decided he didn't want that toy, but a pack of Giggles wipes which Daddy left. So I took it away from him and placed it on the far end of the couch, knowing he would only put it on his mouth again. Now, Yohann is one determined little boy. If he wants it, he'll find a way to get it.

So he looked at the pack of wipes which I put away, reached for it, realized his arms were too short for it. Imagine my surprise when he pulled one leg up and climbed onto the couch. I thought he was getting a wee bit too ambitious there (lol) and was pleasantly surprised when he actually did it, the little critter just climbed up the couch! His weeks of climbing over me in bed every morning paid off, haha.

To be sure that he really could do it, I set up the digicam on a stool and made him do it again. He did so with little effort and I caught it on video. But instead of uploading the vid, here are some screen shots of the little boy's latest trick ;)

saw the pack of Giggles

must.get.Giggles!

Giggles here I come!

crawling fast

Yay! You did it! Mommy's proud!

I guess this means I should be preparing myself for more exciting action around the house ;)

Otso-otso

Yohann turned 8 months yesterday, yay!!!

Tignan niyo naman kung gano sha kasaya:

TAGUMPAY!!!

Hehe. He's really a happy baby and it's not hard to make him laugh and smile. Yun lang, kahit sinasaway ko na sha at pinagsasabihan, he'd just laugh or smile at me! Anubeh! :p

This will be his first Christmas and I already got him his Christmas outfit, hihi. And to complete his outfit, we got him this head band.

I'm a reindeer!

A few more months and the little munchkin will already be a year old... hay, di na sha baby! Ngayon pa lang his cousins are already saying he looks and acts like a toddler already. Which kinda makes me sad coz I'd love for him to be a baby for a long time pa sana, but of course that's not possible. He will always keep growing no matter how I want him to be a baby forever. :p

Picky eater...Not!

Yohann's been eating solids since the second half of his fifth month. His pedia gave the go signal to start solids when he turned 5 months, but I was hesitant since I knew that according to the World Health  Organization, 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding is the optimal way of feeding infants. But every mealtime and I would be carrying Yohann with me, he would already pull my plate or make chewing motions whenever he sees or even smells food. I figured that he was already into his 6th month anyway and was already very active and energetic, the solids would probably do him good.

he likes to eat with his ceramic spoon :p

I first gave him mashed potato. I cooked it myself and added breast milk to make it easier for him to chew. My pedia's advice was to give him a couple of teaspoons per feeding, but Yohann always found it bitin. So I think I fed him a couple of tablespoons on his first try :p He ate potatoes for 3 days, and after that I fed him squash (kalabasa). He liked it too! This is currently his all-time favorite food, as he would eat and eat without showing signs of being full. I just have to give up and stop feeding him or we stop when he's eaten an entire serving already. Since then, he's eaten bananas, mangoes, oranges, applesauce (which I made), sweet potatoes, sayote, carrots, cantaloupe, okra, eggplant,  fish, some pork, arroz caldo and chicken liver. Yes, chicken liver! And he also loves my sinigang. Hehe. I've also given him Cerelac on days when I had no time to cook his food, or when I ran out of veggies or fruits for him. But mostly, I feed him home-cooked baby food.

When I fed him chicken liver, it was funny how he wanted to throw up after tasting it. I was watching him closely, knowing how babies generally dislike its taste. When he looked like he might throw up, I offered him water at once. He drank, and when I offered him some more chicken liver, he still opened his mouth to eat. He was able to finish at least two tablespoons of chicken liver even if he obviously didn't like it :p The last time we ate chopsuey, he already likes chicken liver and no longer gags on it. Good boy! Most of the time too, whenever we are eating, he would be in his walker and running around, passing by my side and demanding to be fed again. I would give him some rice and bits of whatever it is we're eating as long as I know it doesn't have anything that might upset his wee tummy. I've let him taste lechon paksiw, spaghetti, adobo. He mostly likes rice, as it gives him something to chew on. He's tasted spices like pepper and he doesn't seem a bit turned off by it.

I would often tease his dad that the day Yohann eats ampalaya is the day he also begins to eat veggies. Daddy's a picky eater and the little boy has to learn by example that all veggies are good for the body and are to be eaten. When that day comes, I'll be the happiest mommy (and wife!) on earth. :D

my new best friend

...is none other than Yohann's walker! :p

my new best friend :p

The first time he tried it when we were buying him one, he could only move backwards. But when we got home and sat him on his own walker, he immediately took to it like a duck to pond :p

lovin' his new ride :)

He walks from the living area to the dining area, banging on chairs, the fridge and everything else in between. When he gets too excited he first hops on both feet and then makes a run for whatever it is he's coming for. He loves the new sense of freedom his walker has given him. And I love that it's given me back my hands! Haha!

Yohann's play area

Before the walker happened, I always had my hands full with the little boy. I could not go the bathroom, or do chores unless he was sleeping soundly. I could not even cook even when he's sleeping soundly as the noise I make while preparing food would awaken him. My hands were literally tied to him. When I'm not carrying him, we would be playing in his play area (a mattress we set up on the living room floor where he could crawl, play and nap) and I still could not leave him even for a second. He crawls so fast he'd be banging his head on the floor or mouthing any object he gets his hands on when I'm not looking.

exploring every corner of the house

waiting for the pussy cat to come

That was life before the walker; now, life is simpler and easier. I can prepare meals while he runs around the room. I can go to the bathroom anytime I need to. He can watch his pussycat friend from the open screen door without me having to carry him. I can even do the laundry while he watches. We are both enjoying the freedom of mobility while still enjoying each other's company.

Thank God for whoever invented the walker! :D

Yohann's November pics

First time to get sick - Roseola or tigdas-hangin. not really a serious illness, kaso nakakanerbyos ang high fever na kasama. Good thing we were warned by his pedia what to expect, or else isang praning na nanay ako.

By this month he could already sit up, try getting up on his feet on his own, so we already got him his walker. Laking ginhawa! lol. No more carrying him for most part of the day. He loved the freedom that came with running around on his yellow and blue machine :)

He's lost his chubby arms and legs, and has grown longer, stronger limbs. Malikot na kasi :p

Yohann's October pics

The bebe turned 6 months na, super kulit, super funny, super hyper! haha. He's already learned to crawl, sit up with minimal support, and eat fruits, veggies, fish and some chicken too.

Big boy na sha :)

bebe gurl

We're going to have another baby in the family, and the little bead's a girl!!!

I can't wait to see little Julianna. I've been pep-talking her momma into breastfeeding and I'm already preparing to stock up on my own milk in case she'd have a hard time producing milk initially (just like me). Hehe. Excited much! She'll be due in a couple of weeks, God willing, and we're all praying for a safe and quick delivery. :)

- - - - - -

A couple of weeks ago while watching tv after dinner, I suddenly thought of Yohann's future little sister. I've been thinking a lot about when we're going to be ready for another munchkin and I definitely am praying for a girl. I told the hubs that I kinda like the name Yvanne (Eee-vann) for her, and would he please look up the name's meaning in the net. He did, and we found out that it's derived from Yvanna which means 'God is gracious' in Hebrew. Me likey! Anyway, he read up some more names beginning with Y and when he said 'Yelena (Yee-lay-na)' I had a eureka moment. Lol. I like it too! I know it means 'light', 'bright one' or 'shining one.' Now, since we have this thing for initials being uniform -- daddy's initials are RYL so Yohann's first name is Raphael -- I told the hubby to think of a first name beginning with R that would go well with Yelena. He scrolled through the R-names for baby girls but nothing sounded quite right. We eventually got distracted from our name-finding and returned to watching tv. 

Several minutes later, hubby went to the toilet for a few minutes and, upon coming out, had this silly smile on his face. He was almost laughing and I knew he'd been thinking of an R-name while doing his thing. He proudly announced, "I have the perfect R-name that will match Yelena!" I asked, "What?" And he replied, "Reina. Reina Yelena!"

Wahahahahahaha!!!

Happy Day!

October 22 was a happy day!

It was our first wedding anniversary.

I married the best man :)

And it was Yohann's Dedication Day!

thank You, Lord, for Yohann!

We had family and friends with us.

We've never been comfortable hosting an event with a crowd of more than 30 people, but somehow we managed to pull it off. We were happy though to see all of our closest friends and relatives all in one place.

I don't know when we'd get to see all of them again, but the fun we had was enough to last me some more months. Hehe. I wish some who didn't make it were present to celebrate with us. Di bale, next time na lang, that is if we decide to throw another celebration this big. The little boy was too overwhelmed he got sick the following day :p But all in all, it was still a day worth remembering.

Oh, happy day! :)

Yohann's Dedication Day

10.22.11

We decided to celebrate our first wedding anniversary by having Yohann dedicated to the Lord on the same day.

Had so much fun seeing all the people we love (and miss) all in one place! Though may mga hindi nakapunta, majority of the people we invited were there. May mga nang-surprise pa, akala namin hindi makakarating but they were there.

Thank you, Lord for the gift of family and friends! :)

The Wall Clock

Yohann's a keen observer. He's a curious George and he's always looking, watching, observing things around him. He likes to watch me washing the dishes, preparing his food, folding clothes and cleaning up at home. When he gets tired of looking at me and what I'm doing, he turns his attention to the electric fan, the clothes hanging to dry, the curtains. I guess that's just the way babies are, since they're seeing and learning things for the first time.

I never realized though just how observant he is until this afternoon. When he took his afternoon nap, I decided to do some cleaning at the living room. I tidied up a bit, and saw the box of this wall clock we got as a freebie from Baby Company. So I put it up in place of the old living room wall clock. He was sleeping in his usual place on a mattress on the floor, and when he woke up, his eyes immediately turned to the wall opposite him. Once he saw the new wall clock, his face lit up and he smiled his big, wide, toothless smile. I watched to see his reactions, and the camera caught them all.

He obviously noticed that the wall clock was new! He kept looking, even twisting his body backwards just to get a better look at the clock. He did that several times, every time smiling and making his happy baby sounds. He just loved the new wall clock. :)

Half a year

Can't believe that in a day short of 6 months from now, the little boy will be a year old already! How time flies when you're having fun! Thank you, Lord for a happy, healthy, bubbly baby! May his coming months and years be even more blessed. :)

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
 You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

Yohann's September pics

September is Yohann's busiest month so far. Daming get-togethers!
- dinner with tito Abet's Angels
- kuya EJ's birthday (where he cried non-stop for 30 mins, screaming at everybody. haha. na-overstimulate ata at nainitan,poor bebe boy :p)
- kuya Dabe's birthday party at home, where he discovered the joy of playing with balloons!
- attended his first birthday party (adult ha) at Imperial Suites in Timog
- despedida lunch for tita Hazel who left for Singapore, and
- his first ever studio pictorial at the Picture Company! He had so much fun he was laughing during some parts of the shoot :) He just hated getting into the costumes, pero when we set him on the pots and giant shotglass, he did his thing and the photog just clicked away. :)

Precious Moments

Yohann had his first studio shoot last Saturday at The Picture Company in their Podium branch. We've been thinking of using a gift check for one photo session with them, and last Saturday was the best time for that.

candid shot of dad and bebe haha

Before the shoot even started, I was already thinking of what we could get to keep aside from the single printout included in our GC. Once the photographer started clicking away on her camera, I knew I'd be having a hard time deciding which shot to choose for the printout. Yohann was made to wear three costumes and he had a blast posing for the camera! Each of the three sets produced several cute shots. By the time we were already viewing the files, I was already going crazy, I couldn't choose a single one to print. I wanted them all! Wah!

When I asked about getting a copy of the hi-resolution files, Andy our photographer pointed to a package which would give us access to about 10 files, which would cost a total of our house rent plus several bills for a whole month. Wahaha! So we just opted to avail of their trial package which would entitle us to four more 8x10 printouts (but no hi-res files, *sigh*).

tired and sleepy after his first photo shoot :p

After the photo shoot, hubby and I had been teasing each other about our gastos. Being a couple of practical persons, we normally would not shell out such amounts for things other than those that we really need. We both are simple people with simple wants and simple desires, but when it comes to the little boy we can go beyond our simple ways especially for things that we believe will be a consistent source of joy to both of us. Yohann's photo shoot was definitely a happy experience we would want to remember for a long time. Will share the pics once they're here! :)

5 minute meals

Being a newbie mom means that I have to learn to do chores in a really fast manner. I take a bath in 10 minutes, wash the dishes in 3 minutes, and prepare meals in 5. I didn't always have the speed skill, so I had to learn to do these things while taking care of the little boy.

Here are some easy to prepare meals I've learned to whip up in a flash:

The Veggie Salad with Nuts

I am a big fan of salads. This one I made with lettuce, carrots, cheese, and Nagaraya nuts (you read that right!) and mayo and ketchup (and some salt and pepper) dressing. I can eat this everyday, and actually feel full for several hours with just two servings. This one goes well with buffalo wings too! But then, that takes a long time to prepare. :)

Sauteed Bean Sprout

I love toge (bean sprout)! This one's really easy to prepare. Just saute onion, garlic, tomatoes and bean sprout and season with oyster sauce. Toss a little, then you're done. I like it better when the toge's still crunchy so it's better to cook it really fast :D

Buttered Veggie

I was craving for bok choy, which my sister got me from Singapore pa, so hubby bought Baguio pechay instead. Because we were having pork for dinner, I wanted some veggies to go with it. I melted butter and threw in the Baguio pechay, seasoned with garlic powder and voila! Buttered veggie in less than 5 minutes. I can eat this every day too, I love butter and veggies together :) 

These are just a few of my experiments that don't take much time to cook. I'll post some more when I come up with some more recipes :)

Anytime, Anywhere

When I decided to breastfeed Yohann, it didn't hit me yet that this would mean I would breastfeed the little boy outside of home. I guess it was because we were cooped inside our home most of the time, as I was also recovering strength after giving birth via CS. But when he turned three months and still refused to drink even expressed milk from a bottle, it was either I just give up going out of our house until he's weaned, or muster the courage needed to feed him anytime, anywhere!

Initially, I had reservations with breastfeeding in public. First off, I didn't want to show even just a hint of skin in front of people I didn't know. Also, I understand that some people are offended with even a little breast exposure in public places. But my reservations slowly disappeared with every trip to the mall with the little boy. The first time we brought him to the mall, he immediately cried for milk even before we were supposed to eat. So there I was in some restaurant table, feeding Yohann with just a cloth diaper for cover. I felt a bit uneasy that first time, but then again the baby's needs are more important than my uneasiness.

Several trips to the mall later, I've learned to dress up in such a way that feeding Yohann in public would be easier and comfortable for both of us. I've decided against a nursing cover as I feel that this would only attract more attention and would be more uncomfortable for Yohann. And, knowing him, I bet he'd only try to break free of the cover and forget about feeding altogether. 

So far, so good. We've been breastfeeding at restaurants, in front of our neighbor's house, in our pedia's clinic, at the SSS Marikina office, in church, right in the middle of the men's shoes department, in front of friends and strangers alike. I have gotten over my initial shyness and already feel no shame whenever I offer my milk to the little boy. After all, these breasts are made to nourish and shame be on anyone who would take offense at seeing an act of pure love and nurturing. I am a breastfeeding momma, and proud of it. :)  

5 months and counting

Just some updates lest the cobwebs start appearing on my blog :p

The little boy turned 5 months a couple of days ago! Yay! What do you know, he's getting to be quite a handful, not yet crawling but already able to propel himself around when on his tummy by kicking like crazy! I wake up most mornings to find him at waist level, and if I get to be such a heavy sleeper I'm afraid one day I'll just find him on our bedroom floor. To avoid this from happening I just put a pillow beneath him and rest my leg on it, so I'll feel it whenever he's pushed the pillow away.

love this boy with the crazy hair!

Since he's already grown longer, he's lost a bit of his massiveness (lol) and is even more active than he was previously. He likes to jump a lot, often tries to squirm out of our grip wanting to go down on the floor. I'm already contemplating on getting him a walker since he has sooooo much energy, maybe the walking will help him calm down a bit :p But that's still pending, anyway he'll be 6 months soon and maybe that would be the perfect time to let him try walking.

doing his jumping jacks :p

Soon I'll be giving him his first taste of food, and I'm already thinking of what to prepare for him. I'd like to feed him baby food that I'll make myself, and my ultimate dream is to see him enjoying his ampalaya meal :D That will come in a few more weeks, so for the meantime I'll be searching and researching on how and what to feed the little boy. Wish me luck on this. :)

Teething?

I've been having an extra hard time taking care of Yohann these past two weeks. For some reason, the little boy has become a little crankier and fussier. A lot of times he would cry and fuss and wouldn't be consoled, and would only want Mommy to hold him.

always chewing on something

And then, for several nights now, he would cry in his sleep, ignoring my offers to feed and pacify him. I would have to get up and carry him at odd hours - 1 am, 2 am, 3 am - in order to make him stop crying. This has been very difficult for me as he still wakes up at 7:30 or 8 am, after at least 10 hours of sleep, while I barely get to sleep for 3 hours straight. I find this very tough to adjust to since has already been sleeping through the night since he turned 2 months.

cranky!

During the day, he demands more attention from us, wants to always have something to gnaw on, and has poor appetite. He's lost a bit of weight - something that has bothered me no end! He's even more active now, jumping up and down and kicking tirelessly, and I would assume he would want to eat more. But he doesn't. And he's got this new habit of pulling his ears or his hair in frustration. He's also harder to put to sleep, making a bit of a fuss and crying in frustration before he finally calms down for some shut-eye.

hard to put to sleep

We suspect that he's started teething. So I looked it up in the net, and there you go, all of the above are symptoms of teething indeed. Some articles said it could take a month or two of these symptoms happening before an actual tooth finally pops out. Oh dear. I just hope Yohann would not have such a hard time getting his first munchers out.

Yohann's August pics

Eto na naman ang sandamakmak na pictures ng bebe boy :D

Chronicles of a first-time Mom: 100 and 22 days

http://my-mommydiaries.blogspot.com/2011/08/100-and-22-days.html
Mommyhood made me do this. My nth blog! This is all about my life as a wife and mom, and everything in between.

Read on! :)

100 and 22 days

*Forgot to post it last night :p
- - - - - -

Today you are 100 and 22 days old, bebe Yo!

your cookie cake

Mommy's so proud of how you've grown. I'm amazed at how fast you're learning. Everyday, I look forward to seeing your new antics. Everyday, new aspects of your personality unfold, and I'm loving every bit of you.

May your curiosity never cease, your giggles keep on coming, and your smiles be ever so sweet.

big boy!

Happy fourth month, Yohann! Daddy and I love you very much. And Jesus loves you even more.

  

boys and girls

Yohann had his first playdate with our neighbor's baby girl, J, last week. For a couple of days, we visited each other's homes and let the two babies interact with each other. It was fun watching them - they would smile and coo at each other, and they would even reach out and touch each other's faces. Cute!

chubby legs!

holding hands :D

 However, watching them together made me compare how different my little boy is from baby girl J. Baby J is such a quiet baby. She barely makes a sound when crying. She doesn't complain much when she's in her stroller or when carried for a long period of time. She is not as malikot as Yohann is. In short, she is a sweet, demure and quiet baby girl.

Yohann as you can see is quite the opposite. He's not such a cry baby, but when he cries, you can tell he has a pair of powerful lungs! Lol. Even when not crying, the sounds he makes are really audible, from upstairs all the way down to our doorstep. He squeals, he screams, he snorts. And he makes sure that he's heard :p He's very active, and his movements are very forceful. He swats at his toys with such force that they sometimes fall off. I've been hit by his tiny arm several times and I can tell you it hurts. He kicks like a football player wannabe. He spends a lot of time during the day performing his favorite exercise of kicking and flailing his arms at the same time, as if he was swimming or biking. He does that for several minutes at a time, after which he sweats like crazy, this silly little boy :D He easily gets bored with whatever it is that he's doing, but he loves being talked to. He's such an active little boy that when I carry him, I usually perspire like I did an hour of cardio exercises.

I just realized that baby boys are a bit harder to take care of than baby girls. Anyway, I'm not complaining, I just stated my observation. At least, if and when God wills that we'll have a baby girl next, then it'll be easier for  me, not only because it will be my second time with a baby but also because I've managed to take care of a baby boy and survived :p

Wish me luck for when Yohann reaches the age of the terrible twos! Haha.

the little destroyer :p

Yohann's such an active little boy. See what he did to his baby gym this afternoon...

i'm bored...let me play with you!

see how i kick!

 pretty badass huh? :p

aaaand you're down!!! hahaha!

let me roll over you to rub it in :p

Oo na, anak, you have pretty strong legs! :D

the Proust Questionnaire

What is your idea of perfect happiness?


What is your greatest fear?


What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?


What is the trait you most deplore in others?
That abominable combination of laziness, arrogance, insecurity and, strangely enough, entitlement to the fruits of others' labor!

Which living person do you most admire?
Right now, I admire Gwyneth Paltrow for her achievements in her field, her constant evolution, her love for her family and friends, and her style. But I admire anyone who make their own dreams come true.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Generosity.

What is your current state of mind?
Overwhelmed!

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Virginity.

On what occasion do you lie?
When telling the truth will hurt the person unnecessarily.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Quiet authority. Not a lot of men have this, sadly.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Unconditional love.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Actually, very and ten thousand years.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband and my son.

When and where were you happiest?
My wedding in 2007 was fun. But now? It's every time I'm cuddling with Vince and Vito. That's every day. I'm a lucky girl.Which talent would you most like to have?
To dance really well!

What is your favorite occupation?
Mine.

What is your most marked characteristic?
Passion.

What do you most value in your friends?
Their insistence that I am worth loving.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Samwise Gamgee.

Who are your heroes in real life?
The generous people, like my husband, my in-laws, my mother, my friends.

What is that you most dislike?
Cowardice.

What is your most treasured possession?

Photographs of my husband and son. Then my wedding and engagement rings.

What do you regard as the lowest depths of misery?

Regret.

What is your greatest regret?
Ignoring my mother when she was alive.

How would you like to die?
Quietly, when my son already has his own family, love and happiness. Yes, I can leave this life then.

What is your motto?
"The brave may not live forever, but cowards never live at all."

Hoorayyyy!!!

Tonight's another milestone for the little boy. He's been turning to his side for several weeks now, and I've been dutifully turning him on his tummy for exercise. This evening I set Yohann down on the mat to play. Not long after, he turned to his side and was staring at his pillow. A little later and he was trying to roll onto his tummy. I immediately got the digicam and documented it.

see my tiny ninja?

kicking like crazy!

I can do this!

I can, I can, I can!!!

Almost there!

Yahoo!!!

His first attempt was almost but not quite successful. He was already on his tummy, had already pulled his arm from under him when poof! He bounced right back on his back! Hahaha. Second attempt was a bit better. He was able to prop himself on his tummy for maybe two seconds. After that he rolled to his back again. But he did it! Yay!

After his rolling exercise, he cried for milk and immediately fell asleep. Poor kid was tired from all the kicking and turning he did :p