Happy 56th R!

Dear R, 

Happy 56th! More or less sixty months ago, while I am waiting and praying for the right guy to arrive e padaan-daan ka lang pala sa office everyday. I love to call it destiny. All things happens for a reason, and the rest was history. I never imagined anyone who will love me the way you did, and I will be forever grateful for that. Thank you for the best 56 months that we shared and for the happily ever after Babe. Thank you for endlessly understanding me, my crankiness, my moods and my family. I love how you spoil me even if you are the most kuripot person I know. Thank you for loving me even if I cannot make any single meal for you (except for a sandwich and coffee). Thank you for making me the luckiest and happiest wife everyday. 

I love you to the moon and back. 

P.S I love the watch you gave to me, but I am also waiting for my TB bag. wink!!

G, 

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I hate rain. Yeah! The only time I enjoy raining is when I'm swimming. Weirdo! haha. No seriously ayoko kasi nababasa mga paa ko kapag umuulan, ayoko ng feeling ng nababasa yung pants ko, and super hate the traffic at baha kapag umuulan.  But I love the bedweather feeling naman. It's so relaxing to sleep, eat and cuddle in bed during rainy season, hay.. thats so nice if you don't have midterms exam, work, training and planned vacation. Capital "K" at "J" right?!

Being a mother, a student and a trainer I learned to plan ahead. At bilang I am an operada, I always tend to forget a lot of things that's why I make sure to plan ahead, hassle kaya kapag may naiwan ka or nakalimutan. Kaya lang there are times when you are done preparing,  as in all systems go ka na biglang... may HABAGAT! Ohh Emmm Gee! Sira ang lahat. And now?! I am here at our room, almost whole day monitoring the roads and floods. Kainis noh?! But syempre SAFETY FIRST. 

Ganyan naman tayong mga mothers diba? kebers na sa pagod pagprepare, ang mahalaga safe ang family mo. Sana umalis na ang habagat na yan. 

All is well...

Love Mommy,

Dear Baby D, 

By this time, I know you are playing at home with Tita A, Lolo and Lola. I am writing this because I just miss you so much baby. When you grow-up you will understand why do mommy and daddy are not always at home to play with you. We love to play with you everyday but we need to work hard to give you the best future. I know you always miss daddy R, you always call him when you woke-up in the morning, when you're playing with dedi (teddy), when we are about to sleep, whenever you see my phone with daddy's picture and our portraits. I'm so sorry baby that you always miss daddy, he misses you more baby. Soon you will be able to play with daddy anytime you want, soon baby just wait, remember? All good things come to those who wait. 

You are growing so smart baby, mommy is so proud of you and daddy can't wait to see your new talents. You will be 19 months next sunday, hay time flies so fast, as fast as when you run baby. 

You are still afraid of a lot of things like elevators, mascots (Jolibbee and Mcdo), display manequins, big teddys, dogs and other new things for you. But don't worry baby, mommy is always there for you. I will do anything to shield you from these monsters! haha aawayin natin sila! 

You still love balls, you got it from Lolo and Lola who loves watching basketball games. We also love that because we want a basketball player in the future! You love a lot of things lately, like dedi (teddy), cah (car), bah bah (tabby with minions playing) and playing with different anik-anik at home. It's just mommy sometimes get jealous with dedi, because you always hug and kiss dedi amph. 

But above those things, you love dede the most. Mommy sometimes gets so tired of breastfeeding you, but seeing how you love your dede, how relaxed and satisfied you are everytime you have it, mommy's reklamos are gone. And mommy will give you dede as long as you want baby. 

You are learning a lot, also learning how to be naughty. Last night, you closed our doors to Lolo while he was asking you to play with him. You don't want to be disturbed while you are busy with dede haha. Don't do that again ok?. You also learned to throw things when we told you not to touch them and mommy's cp is your no.1 victim, hay anak. Mommy also tried to discipline you via face/stand in the corner, you willingly obeyed but you are playfully smiling that made mommy laugh. Hay anak, what will mommy do to you? Mommy doesn't want you to grow spoiled, but Lolo wants haha. 

Baby you bring so much happiness in our lives. You made our home noisy with your shouts, giggles and Lola's No!, Come here, don't touch that!, and a lot more. Haha this is the happiest at home since we lived there 20 something years ago, thank you for that baby D. 

Lolo G and Lola L and Nong-nong also misses you, I know you don't see them often that's why you are hesitant to play with them, don't rush baby, its okay. They are so excited to play with you, show them your new talents anak, make them happy also, because they also love you so much. 

Mommy and Daddy R will do the best to make you a better person anak, so be always a good boy. Do not cry if we don't get the ball or car you want at toystores ha? You have lots of toys at home, sirain mo muna yun haha. I love you so much baby...

All is well, 

Love mommy, 

Sweetie's Life May Not Always Sweet

(Warning: Full of Negativity)

Yeah, my life is  not always sweet as I always daydream. What is life without stress? without problems? without hassles? and without failures? and without contrabidas? But at the end of the day I just hold on to this: 

True right? Mabilis lang yan. I can attest to that because when I usually get so mean with somebody in less than a hour andyan na agad-agad yan. Oh well there are people that can withstand that. Waley sila pakealam at bakit mo pa nga naman napapansin yun e you're swimming with the fruits of your illegal labor na diba? 

I just don't get it why there are people who are so selfish? I know sometimes we need to, pero ung iba greediness na yan. Paano kaya sila nakakatulog sa gabi? Or nakakatulog pa ba sila? I remember my professor way back in college said that "bago ka matulog sa gabi, reflect if may nasaktan ka ba the whole day if yes, make sure you will correct that the other day, or pray for forgiveness". I totally agree, fast-faced corporate life sometimes make us tigers and unitentionally hurt other peoples feelings, that is so normal but you have to correct that, bawi ba kungbaga. Because at the end of the day, konsyensya mo na din yan and babalik din saiyo yan. 

My mantra in life is that as long as you are doing your job and you play fair, you have nothing to be afraid off, no worries. I just don't get it that some people who will pull you down crab mentality talaga. Life is so simple. Give=Get. Work=Earn. Good=Bad. Share=Receive. WorkHard=Sucess. Spend=Save. New=Old. And if there's a will, theres a way. Why do some people keep on complicating simple things? I just don't get it. 

It doesn't mean you have the power, you will overuse that. Sabi nga ni Superman Great Power, comes great responsibility. Kawawa kasi yung nasa baba. They are helpless. 

Now, Is it just me? my hormones? my frustrations? my disappointment? certainly no. I have basis. They also have. Lahat kami. But what can we do? So if we everyday we will stress ourselves because of that, hay buhay na talaga. So lets just Keep Calm. 

All is well, 

Mommy Sweetie's Breastfeeding Journey

Whenever someone ask me "Hanggang kailan ka magpapabreastfeed?" I always tell them "Hanggat may milk ako at gusto ni baby D". As a working mom, I feel like my breastmilk is the best gift that I can give to baby D and breasfeeding is the only way to sustain our bond as mother and son. 

Prior to giving birth, I thought that only stay-at-home moms can breastfeed their babies. So when my mom asked me if I will breastfeed my baby, I always tell her "until my maternity leave" which is usually up to 60days. I need to return to work, I have my career and still have many aspirations. But when I held baby D in my arms and saw how peaceful he is whenever I breafeed him, I made sure that I will do my best to breasfeed my son as long as I can and as long as he want. 

Our first weeks was never easy, but like other new mothers, there is nothing that we cannot do for our little angel. We can endure all the pain, just so see our babies peacefully and contently sleep in our breasts. That even all we eat is with malungay and bathe/drink with hot water, that we cannot go out of the house for more that an hour, that we cannot have a proper position during bedtime and even if it means goodbye to coffee and chocolates (*this really made me cry) we will still sacrifice for our baby.

I am proud that baby D is now 19 months breastfeed baby. My journey will not be this sucessful without the help of my family and considerations of my employer. During our first days that baby D will not latch in my other breast, Inang (my grandmmother) was there to help me. She even tied (ouch!) my nipples via strings she called it (Silo or siluin) to help baby D latch, after 2days of tears and tieing baby D latches perfectly. My family and R was also very supportive, even if breastfeeding baby D means lying and sleeping all the time for us. My employer also understands(well I think) my situation and allowed me to express and store milk at office. So baby D was fed breastmilk via bottle at daytime and direct feed during night. 

Kiss after feeding. 

I love that even I leave home when usually baby D is still sleeping and sometimes arrive at home and baby D is sleeping again baby D still recognize me. And I believe we will not bond like that if I did not breastfeed him. I am so thankful that I have all the means to research and find the best breastfeeding accessories for a working and travelling mom like me. 

I am a fan of manual breastpumps. I don't know why but electric pumps do not work for me. After trials, frustrations and exhanges of different breastpumps I settled with PM breastpumps. I like the precious moments manual breastpumps because the flanges fits well with me and it has a stong suction that enables me to express 4oz. of breastmilk in 10mins. It is not also bulky and easy to clean and assemble. It comes with extra spare parts and affordable. 

My BP collection at home. I also used farlin, but I like PM bests. 

Little but powerful parts. It is also BPA free. 

What made me "almost" stop breastfeeding is that my work requires me to travel regionally during trainings. My main dilemma is the storage and transport of my breastmilks. Again, I thank all the generous posts of breastfeeding mothers for all the ideas and tips. Here's how I do mine. 

All my accessories are packed in a sealed container and packed inside my hand carry bags so it will not be damaged during flights. 

I always check if there is available fridge in the hotel room or check if the hotel can accommodate storage of breastmilks. 

I utilize AM, Lunch and PM breaks to sneak into my room and express milk. 

I prefer to use disposable milk bags during travels since it is less bulky plus I read somewhere that It can sustain pressure in the plane unlike bottles that has a tendency to pop. 

Since travelling regionally took only 4-6 hours of travel, I don't freeze my BMs,(BMs can be stored in fridge for 8days) instead I bring along Ice packs and insulated bag. And I usually hand carry them. 

And my best pasalubong to baby D is my fresh breastmilk.

I sacrificed a lot in order to breastfeed baby D. I forgo a lot of opportunities because grabbing those means little or no time to breastfeed. And even my intimate moments with R are also affected. I gave up my gimik nights social life because I need to be home early to feed baby D. But do I regret it? Certainly NO. Baby D will just be a baby once in his lifetime, and I want to make and give him the best. And I believe that my breastmilk is the best thing that I can give to baby D. 

And I hope that all mothers, I they can also breastfeed their baby, please do. 

Happy breastfeeding month!

All is well.