Thank God, Masheng's Ok Now...

Masheng just came back from another check up. I got a bit worried awhile ago because we have noticed that some mild rashes are starting to appear on her skin. I didn't think twice and asked my mom and my sister to bring her to the hospital right away for another CBC since I was worried that she was having one of the symptoms of Dengue.

While at home, I was preparing myself for some bad news. Naiiyak ako sa pag aalala but I have to remind myself to relax and be strong. From time to time, mom was updating me kung anong nangyayari sa hopsital. Hinahanap daw ako ni Masheng. It was sad that I couldn't be with her at that moment but I couldn't wait for my working time to be over bago sya ma check ulit. I wasn't even able to ask for Joms' opinion and decision (who was still at work) since matatagalan pa kung ite text ko pa sya at tatanungin kung dapat bang dalhin si Masheng sa hospital or not (though I texted him after Masheng left).

Paranoid nga siguro ako since wala namang iba pang symptoms but I couldn't risk my baby's safety. I think those rashes and her fever last week are just enough reasons to worry. I've been researching about Dengue din naman kasi since she got sick last Tuesday.

Actually, magaling na sya since Friday pa. No fever and any other symptoms within the last 4 days. Her first 2 CBC results were also ok. Akala ko nga eh, hindi na talaga kami mag aalala pa, until 'yun nga, the rashes appeared today. I was almost sure that it was Dengue na nga talaga.

But thank God her platelet count didn't drop (nag increase pa nga.). Yun agad ang una kong tiningnan when they got home. Now we're finally sure that it isn't Dengue. Viral lang daw sabi ng doctor. Makakahinga na kami nang maluwag.

Hopefully, that would be her last hospital visit. Nata trauma na rin kasi sa needles and doctors si Masheng ko (3 times ka ba namang kunan nang dugo in less than a week). When she got home nga kanina, mangiyakngiyak na pinakita sa akin 'yung tip ng finger nya na tinusok para makunan sya nang dugo. I just kissed her and told her how brave she was. Haay, kung pwede lang na ako na lang ang magpakuha nang blood for her.

Buti na lang talaga at ok na sya. She has been doing good naman since last Friday pa. Hyper at makulit na ulit. Sana tuloy tuloy na...

Thanks for all those who prayed and wished her well. Thanks din to my mom, my dad, my aunts and my sisters for always being there for my baby.

Our Winning Pics at MOMCENTER

Here are our winning pictures at Momcenter. We've won in all the categories and got our prizes already! Thanks MC and thanks din sa lahat ng nag vote for us. Goodluck sa mga bagong sali :)

Special thanks to my online sissies who helped us to win. I won't mention your names na pero kilala nyo kung sino sino kayo. Thanks talaga nang marami for always supporting us. Miss you guys! Hope to see you all again soon :)

Share ko lang 'yung mga winning pics namin for each category :)

FAMILY category

PREGGY MOM category

BABY Category

CHILDREN Category (Masheng with my li'l bro, Prince)

NEWBORN Category

First Glimpse of Our Son

I finally had my 4D ultrasound yesterday. We were all so excited. 'Yun nga lang, hindi rin nakapasok si Joms sa loob ng room since walang magbabantay kay Masheng. Sinama kasi namin sya since we also wanted her to see her li'l brother. 'Di naman namin alam na bawal pala ang babies sa loob so ayun, naiwan silang dalawa sa labas (it must be because of the radiation daw according to hubby). Nanghinayang talaga ako since I really wanted both of us to be there sana. Pero ok na rin. They gave us a CD naman with all the stillshots and videos so nakita din nila ang 4D ni baby.

Nakakatuwa 'yung experience. Nung una, nakadilat sya. Pero tinulugan kami afterwards. Pero kahit tulog sya, naglilikot pa din sya sa loob ng tummy ko. He also closed and opened his mouth. He even gave a smile and a smirk kaya tawa ako nang tawa.

Well, for us, he defnitely looks like her Ate Masheng. We were so amazed kasi kita na talaga 'yung resemblance nila!

At least now, relieved na rin kami since we are already sure na normal talaga si baby at walang abnormalities. Medyo nag worry pa nga ako nung una kasi parang medyo deformed 'yung nose nya sa ibang shots. 'Yun pala, nakaharang 'yung umbilical cord nya sa may bandang ilong kaya ganun ang itsura. We're also now a hundred percent sure that we're going to have a baby boy, as in wala na talagang duda (so pwede na kong mamimili ng clothes and other stuff for him).

As promised, here are some of the stillshots of our son's 4D ultrasound (videos to follow).

The images are not as clear as what we were expecting. Masyado na daw kasing malaki si baby so medyo nakadikit na 'yung face nya sa wall ng uterus ko. Ang ideal time daw pala for having a 4D ultrasound is at around 27 weeks. Akala ko kasi nun, the older and the bigger a baby is in the womb, the better. Pero at least, umabot pa din kami.

Isn't he adorable? We can't wait to hold him in our arms na! :)

Top view of his testicles :)

By the way, Joms wants to name him King Jomark nga pala. I think settled na sya with that name but possible pa ring magabago since may almost one month pa naman bago ako manganak. I promised to let him name our second child since ako na ang nagpangalan kay Masheng. :)

Add him at Friendster. Here's his FS ID: teimark14@yahoo.com. Thanks!

Marchelle's Butterfly

Just a while ago Masheng was busy stacking her blocks. I noticed that she now stacks them with some creative patterns. She also doesn't get frustrated anymore when she's having a hard time unstacking them and putting them back together.

I wondered what she was thinking while seriously doing her little masterpiece. She seemed to be so engrossed with her little activity. So I decided to ask her what that model was.

She proudly said, "It's a butterfly!" I was a bit surprised with her answer. I was expecting her to say other things like a house, a train or a robot (these are some of the most common things that kids usually create with building blocks).

But when I took a closer look at her model, then I realized that yeah, it looked like a butterfly indeed!

The tallest stack of blocks in the middle serves as its body and the two shorter stacks on both sides appear to be the "butterfly's" wings.

I was truly amazed. I came to realize that she is now being more creative and imaginative.

She was so proud of her work of course! She even asked me to take a picture of her showing it.

Noticed that another piece of block was added at the top of her butterfly. I guess that serves as its antennae.

Things That I Want and Need to Do Before I Give Birth

Ilang buwan na lang at lalabas na ang junior namin. My due date according to my ultra sound is on November 3 ('wag naman sanang matapat ng November 1, hehehe). Pero pwede daw maging 2 weeks earlier just like what happened on my first pregnancy. Pero maganda sana talaga kung magiging November para pareho kami ng birth month (same naman kasi sina Joms and Masheng).

Malapit na rin naman 'yun, kaso parang naiinip na ako. I constantly have to remind myself na 'wag magmadali. Hindi naman ako nahihirapan sa pagbubuntis. Just like with Masheng, I enjoy every minute of it... lalo na ngayong malakas na syang gumalaw at sumipa. I'm just so excited to meet and finally see him kaya minsan parang naiinip ako. But come to think of it, mabilis na lang ang more or less 3 months di ba? For sure, I'd be missing being pregnant after I give birth. And this might be the last so dapat i-enjoy ko na lang. Sabagay, marami pa naman akong gustong gawin so I should not be in a hurry.

Syempre, una na dyan ang pamimili ng things for him. Konti na lang naman ang bibilhin namin. He'd be using some stuff that his ate had used like white colored and some unisex clothes, receiving blankets, crib, stroller, duyan etc... May mga kulang pa pero parang ang aga pa naman ata para mamili kami. But syempre nagtitingin na rin kami ng gamit whenever we go out and go to shopping malls. I'm also now eyeing on a lot of baby things online 'Yun nga lang, parang hindi ganun ka exciting mamili ng things for a baby boy. Parang pareho pareho lang kasi sila sa paningin ko. Well, I promised naman Joms that I will let him choose and buy things for the baby so bahala na syang mamili. 'Pag nasa malls nga kami, tine test ko sya minsan. I would ask him to choose from different baby boy stuff that we see to check on his taste. So far ok naman ang mga choices nya. But still, dapat kasama pa rin nya ako to make sure that he would buy things and clothes with good quality lang. Mahirap na, may tendency kasi 'yun na magtipid at bilhin ang pinakamurang mga gamit kapag sinumpong nang kakuriputan. Hindi naman kailangang mahal talaga 'yung mga bibilhin namin. But of course, I want all the best for my kids sana as much as possible. Marami naman dyang mga gamit na hindi ganun kamahal pero maayos naman ang quality.

Second, I want a preggy photoshoot. Hinihintay ko lang na lumaki talaga at maging full blown ang tyan ko. I'm also waiting for my linea nigra to appear ('wag lang sasabay ang mga pimples na tumubo sa tummy ko when I was preggy with Masheng). This might be my last pregnancy so I want to have a lot of souvenirs sana. Kaya 'wag na kayong magtaka kung bakit ang dami dami ko nang picture na naka expose ang tyan, hehehe. Proud lang naman ako to be preggy again. I even want a shoot by the beach (seryoso ako ha). Kaso sobrang busy naman ni Joms lately so wala syang time na dalhin ako sa tabing dagat. Hindi naman ako nun papayagan lumakad mag isa. Pero may ilang weeks pa naman ako to make plans so hindi pa ako nawawalan ng pag asa, hehe!

Next, I want a baby shower. Nung time kasi ni Masheng, nanganak ako dun sa mismong araw at oras ng baby shower ko (haha, pasaway na bata, lumabas agad, eh!). Pero I got all the gifts naman. This time, I'll make sure na andun ako. Kaya nga kinukulit ko na ang family ko 'to prepare a shower for me (sapilitan ito, haha!) as early as possible kasi baka mamaya sobrang late na naman at manganak na naman akong bigla!

I also want a 4D ultrasound. Hindi ko rin 'to nagawa nung preggy ako kay Masheng kasi nga napaaga sya ng labas. Nagiipon pa kasi ako ng money that time pangpa 4D when I suddenly gave birth!. Medyo mahal kasi so hindi ko sya nagawa agad. But this time, we'll make sure to have it. We already have a schedule this month pero we decided to have it a month after na lang para talagang malaki at kitang kita na sya.

I have to finish Marchelle's scrapbook and albums pa nga pala! I'm done with her first one (which includes all her first year's pictures and milestones) but since she turned two, I haven't have any of her photos printed yet. She's now 2 1/2 so just imagine kung gano na 'yun kadami! Idagdag mo pa 'yung mga elements and kits that I'd be using for scrapping. Buti na lang at tapos ko na 'yung online scrapbook nya. Gusto ko lang talagang tapusin lahat habang preggy ako kasi paglabas ni baby boy eh 'yung sa kanya naman ang gagawin ko.

I also want to complete Masheng's homeschooling stuff before giving birth. Sa laki ng gastos kapag may baby na eh baka mahirapan na kaming mamili nang mamili for her. So dapat kumpleto na sya sa gamit para hindi maudlot ang learning nya.

At syempre, kailangang mag ipon nang mag ipon nang mag ipon hindi lang for my delivery kundi para sa paglabas na rin ng baby. For sure, magiging triple na ang gastos namin that time so dapat well prepared talaga kami financially. Kaya nga pareho kami ni Joms na doble kayod ngayon just to make sure that we could provide at hindi mako compromise and needs ng mga kids namin kapag dalawa na sila.

Haaay, ang dami ko pa nga pala talagang dapat gawin kaya hindi ako dapat mainip. But I'm not pressuring myself naman. I just have to learn how to take things easily.

Marchelle's 9th Magazine Appearance

We're at Working Mom again. Hehehe, nagbunga ang pagpunta namin sa Luneta!

View more of our Luneta pics here.

Check out Masheng's 8th Magazine Appearance here.

O nga pala, she's in Manila Bulletin din (3rd week of March issue). That was her very first newspaper appearance naman

Swimming Time!

Summer na ulit! Sobrang init na these days! So it's now time for Masheng (and her Papa, lol!) to enjoy our inflatable pool! We bought it last year. Sobrang baby pa si Masheng when we had it (Check out my blog entry last year.). We're thinking of buying a smaller since this one's too big for her (kasya ang mga 7 baby!). At syempre, dahil malaki sya, eh napaka gastos din sa tubig (hubby had to fetch exactly 50 pails of water para lang mapuno ang pool!).

Buti na lang at may ginagawa ang Maynilad sa street namin last weekend, so may mga bukas na water pipes. Kaya ayun, sinamantala namin ang libreng tubig at sobrang nag enjoy si Masheng sa pagsi swimming!

May Hang Over Pa! (Simula nang matapos ang Kidstime Fashion Show, panay na ang pose at model nya ng ganyan!)

Masheng was Bullied :(

It really hurts to see your baby pala being bullied and physically hurt by an older kid. Ok lang sana kung thru gestures or words lang, pero ibang usapan na kapag nakikita mong sinasaktan talaga ang anak mo...

Nung una, I was just observing her while she interacts with the other kids. Happy nga ako to see her playing and having fun in a big crowd. Medyo nagiging mahiyain kasi si Masheng ko lately so masaya ako kapag nakikita kong nage-enjoy sya with a lot of new faces around. Nung una, medyo nahihiya pa sya at ayaw humiwalay sa akin, but after warming up, todo na ang energy nya at 'di ko na mapigil. I just let her play around (without leaving my eyes on her of course) kahit na medyo worried ako na masaktan sya kasi she was one of the smallest ata. Eh mahilig pa naman 'yun makipag sabayan kahit sa mga boys at sa mga malalaki sa kanya. May pagka-maton naman si Masheng so hindi 'yun basta umiiyak unless nasaktan talaga.

I was also glad to see kids wanting to play with her. There was this little girl na gustong gusto syang laruin, she kept on running after her, hugging her, talking to her... natuwa nga ako kasi nakita ko naman na happy si Masheng habang naglalaro sila (sayang nga, hindi ko sila na-picture-an, ang lilikot kasi!). At kahit nagkasakitan sila nung huli, ok lang kasi alam ko naman na hindi sinasadya nung bata....

Pero there was this kid who was such a bully. Nung una, akala ko kagaya lang din sya nung little girl na gustong makipag laro kay Masheng. I saw her pinching my baby kasi. Akala ko naku-kyutan lang kaya ganun. But after a while, I realized na hindi 'yun yung kurot na lambing lang! Sinasaktan talaga nya ang anak ko! Ilang beses pa nyang kinurot si Masheng sa braso, sa likod at sa mukha! She also pulled her dress and her hair! At makikita mo sa facial expression and eyes nya na galit at na nanggigigil talaga sya sa baby ko! Si kawawang Masheng naman, walang magawa kundi haplusin ang braso nya na tinadtad ng kurot ng malditang bata!

Hindi muna ako lumapit. I observed further, baka naman kasi mali ako. Pero ganun pa din... at kahit saang anggulo tingnan, malinaw na malinaw ang nakikita ko...

So ayun, bago pa matadtad ng pasa dahil sa kurot ang anak ko, lumapit na ako at kinarga si Masheng. Sinabihan ko lang 'yung bata na, "Why are doing that? Don't do that to my baby..." in the calmest way possible (kahit sa totoo lang nanggigigil ako at gusto ko din syang kurutin!). Hindi ko naman pinagalitan, I just wanted her to realize na mali 'yun at na may nakakita sa ginawa nya. Siguro tama na rin 'yun kasi after that, hindi ko na nakitang sinaktan nya ulit ang baby ko kapag nagkakatabi sila...

Medyo naiyak ako kasi naawa ako kay Masheng. Ako nga, never ko pa syang napalo nang malakas at lalong never ko pa syang nakukurot! Good girl naman sya at hindi sya nang aaway. Sinumbong ko nga sa Papa nya... aba tinuturuan ba namang gumanti? Para daw matutong lumaban at hindi api-apihin at away awayin na lang. Part of me is saying na dapat nga ganun. Ako kasi mismo, hindi pumapayag nang inaapi at lumalaban talaga ako kapag alam kong ako ang nasa tama.

Pero alam kong mali 'yun, eh! I want my baby to be a good girl and to be someone who's nice to everyone like what she is now. Ayokong 'pag sya naman ang nasa ganung age eh, mam-bully din sya nang mas bata sa kanya.

Oh well, kids are kids. Siguro ganun talaga. Maybe normal lang 'yun sa age nila. It could be a stage that they have to go through while growing up. Who knows maging ganun din si Masheng someday (that's one thing that I really fear... takot akong lumaki syang bossy, bratty, maldita at salbahe sa ibang kids). But one thing is for sure, never ko 'yung kukunsintihin saying na "normal lang naman 'yan so dapat hayaan na lang"... Pag nangyari 'yun, I'll try my very best to help her get rid of it the soonest possible time. I hate those children who do that to other kids (hindi lang sa anak ko), kaya kapag sya naman ang gumawa nun, siguradong may palo sya sa akin (practicing pa, hehehe, hindi ko pa sya kayang paluin nang malakas, eh... well, matagal pa naman siguro 'yun)...

Actually hindi ko talaga alam kung anong tama at dapat gawin at isipin sa mga ganitong situation. Should I just let it pass... or dapat ba akong magalit. Tama ba na sinabihan ko 'yung bata or dapat more than that pa ang ginawa ko. Dapat ba kong magsumbong sa nanay or dapat palagpasin na lang (which is mahirap kasi anak ko 'yung nasaktan eh...)... Am I just over reacting (pasensya na kung ganun, first time kasing nangyari so I really don't know what to do)...

Advice naman po dyan... hindi talaga ako ready sa mga ganito, eh! Sa totoo lang I realized na napakadami ko pa palang pagdadaanan at dapat matutunan as a mom... Thanks po!

What's for Masheng's Second Birthday?

It's Masheng's 2nd birthday on the 16th but since it's on a Monday, we decided to just celebrate it the weekend after (Saturday, March 21st). We're just going to have a simple and an intimate celebration at home this time (last year was at home din naman... that was a bigger one though since all the kids in the neighborhood were invited). Baka kasi by next year eh lumipat na kami ng house so last chance na ni Masheng na mag birthday sa bahay. Besides we don't have a budget for a bigger party, since madami kaming bayarin, hehehe (house rent, housing loan, Jom's tuition fee, credit card, waaaah, sakit sa ulo!).

Everything is going to be really simple. May theme pa rin syempre. I chose Disney babies since 'yun ang favorite nya these days. Food will be prepared and cooked at home (though we'll ask last year's caterer to cook some food for us). Cake is gonna be from Red Ribbon (we chose another picture cake ulit). Cupcakes will be homemade. Loots and give aways of course will be from Divi. Balloons will be from a party supplier nearby. Walang games and activities since mostly eh babies ang guests ni Masheng. But we're planning to put up a small play area for them. Tarp and invites were made by me of course.

Masheng's 2nd Birthday Invitation

Eto naman ang invites nya last year. These are yummy choco invites. Ako rin ang gumawa ng layout...

Masheng's 2nd Birthday Tarp

Masheng's Tarp (just like last year, I included her monthly picture after turning one... hindi ko nilagyan ng "Happy Birthday" para pwede ulit i-display nya just like the first one)

Here's Masheng's First Birthday Tarp, made by me din syempre...

Ano pa ba? Hmmm, ayun lang siguro, hehehe... Simple lang di ba? But syempre, we promise that it's gonna be a fun and a happy day pa din kay Masheng kahit simple lang ang party nya. Mababaw naman ang kaligayahan nun, sa balloons at ice creams lang, masaya na sya, hehehe... And higit sa lahat, she'll be sorrounded by people who are dear to her on her special day. We'll be inviting some online friends over pa din, hehehe, pagpasensyahan nyo lang po sana ang aming nakayanan, hihihi!

Haaay, pasensya na muna anak, that's all we can give as of now eh... Happy birthday, Papa and Mama love you so much! :)

Masheng's 8th Magazine Appearance

It's our first time with SP, I've been waiting for it since isang beses ko lang sya masasali sa Kiddie Greets. Luckily we were chosen naman :)

Happy birthday anak! :)

Click here to view her 7th magazine appearance. :)