my little pirates

today karol and alex have carnival in kindergarten.  in slovak tradition, a carnival is where kids dress up in character. today the biglets are dressed as pirates.  however, due to the cold weather, i didn't get to see them in their full costume and face paint.  i did their face paint but they had to dress in kindergarten.  i could only imagine how they are based on our dress rehearsals. :D

philippines vacation

at dinner, daddy told me that alex was crying in kindergarten.  so i asked alex why, and her story goes something like this...

alex told her friends in kindergarten that she will be going to philippines for a long time.  now one of her friends was crying and telling everyone that alex will not be coming back.  so alex was crying with her friend, saying that she doesn't want to go for a long time.  i was surprised, because ever since we mentioned the vacation she's been too excited.  she asks me from time to time if we can go already.  and when she finally understood that we will be going after christmas, she began waiting for christmas.  so i asked her why she doesn't want to stay longer in philippines. her reply was, "but i only want to go to philippines to eat fried banana, cheese whiz, and stuff like that that we don't have here." 

you see, fried bananas are really a big thing for her.  :))

the family that prays together...

our family prays before every meal.  sometimes, when the biglets are too hungry, they come running to the table and asks if they can start eating already. my standard reply is to wait until we have said our prayer.  it worked for some time and then the biglets became smarter.

now instead of asking if they can eat first.  they just go on and pray by themselves so that they can eat ahead.  so one time, i told alex that we should wait until everyone is at the table because "the family that prays together, stays together."  

now karol, having very little self control would run to the table and tell me that he wants to eat already.  then he would start doing the sign of the cross, bring his hands together and then say, "i prayed already!" and then start eating.  (note: he still doesn't know the prayer.)  alex, not wanting to be outsmarted, told karol, "karol, the family that doesn't pray together will not stay together. so you should wait if you want to stay with the family."

bless all the whole world

bed time for the biglets (i.e., alex and karol) is always "interesting." they already have a pretty regular routine. am i being redundant? :D anyways after dinner, there's bath time, fairy tale time, story reading time, and praying time. bath time can really be fun... or NOT!

daddy, gives them bath or shower, depending on what the biglets like, or what daddy is feeling up to. sometimes, there would even be a contest (read: fight) on who will go first. but usual order is andy, karol and alex. youngest to oldest. it's also a question whether they would want to watch the local fairy tales on tv called "vecernicek" before or after bath . it's a never ending negotiation really. it's all a matter of timing, but these biglets argue a lot, that sometimes they would even miss it in lieu of not listening.

watching the fairy tales are not enough. they would still ask daddy to read them a story or two. again, arguments follow whether one or two stories, who will choose the story, short or long story, etc., etc.... sigh! just thinking about it makes my head spin. but when at last daddy decides that they deserve to be read a story, they would still keep asking for more than agreed. it's funny and exhausting at the same time. you really have to pack a lot of patience with these two.

lastly, there's prayer time. alex had memorized the prayer. karol on the other hand usually says just the last words of each line. and sometimes, when we forget to make them pray, karol would get up from bed again, come to us to the living room and say, "i want you to help me to pray." it's kinda sweet, eventhough we know he's just using every excuse to get out of bed. anyways, at the end of the prayer we taught them to pray "bless ___" (each one of us) and at the end they say "bless all the whole world" (sic).

alex had long learned how to improvise. sometimes, when she's in the mood, she blesses a very long list of people. the usual favorites are their grand parents. however, karol was still too young, the last time we went home to philippines, to fully remember my parents. so one time, daddy told me this story when he was helping both biglets to pray together. on the part where they have to bless everyone, karol didn't mention my parents. alex, always helpful, told karol... "karol, if you bless inay, she will give you fried banana!"

of tummy's and sweets

you know something is wrong when your daughter (a.k.a. alex) tells you, while looking at your tummy, "mommy, you look like you're going to have another baby!" :O

then about a couple of weeks after that...

alex: mommy, do you already have an idea?
mommy: idea about what?
alex: a name! a name for your next baby!

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!! i had this problem for a long time when people mistake me of being pregnant, having a big tummy. but coming from my daughter!!!?! golly!

--o0o--

i just woke up and alex asked me what is my favorite sweet thing. i didn't even think about it, just thought it should be cakes... cheese cake of course! then i realized she already made a poll and is already about to give me the results as follows:

"yours and daddy's favorite sweet thing is cheese cake. lola's is chocolate cake. karol's is green lollipop, mine is pink candy and andy's is RICE."

we really found it so funny that daddy, told me at once to publish it.

i understand where alex is coming from. andy usually eats and finishes her meals ahead of everyone. so when it's time for everyone else to eat, she looks pitiful and left out and starts complaining/demanding. the only way to satisfy her is to give her the only thing she likes -- RICE!!! :)

on work, money, food and skeleton

today karol had to stay home again. while having snack with alex, he suddenly realized that daddy is not around.

karol: mommy, where is daddy?
mommy: in the office.
karol: why?
mommy: because he has to work.
karol: why?

alex: so that he can earn money.
karol: why?
alex: so that he can buy food for us. so we can eat. otherwise, if we don't eat, then we will become skeleton. and when we become skeleton, then we cannot move.

mommy, was just speechless... i know i tried to explain the concept of work and money to her but didn't realize she has this whole picture in her head. i really have to be careful with my words. :D

why?

i heard another conversation between alex and karol. alex was telling karol some story as usual. probably, to check whether karol understood, alex started asking him...

alex: karol, do you know why?
karol: yes!
alex: so, tell me why!
karol: why!
alex: do you know why?
karol: yes!
alex: so, tell me why!
karol: why!
alex: tell me why!
karol: why!

q & a

lately, karol and alex are always fighting and arguing. after we finished lunch, i was rocking andy to sleep when i heard alex and karol playing quietly in their bedroom. this was so refreshing that i got curious and watched them from afar.

alex was animating some story about dora, boots and isa (from dora the explorer) using her mega blocks figures. karol was intently listening to alex while watching the small figures. the story then turned into a question and answer game which went something like this...

alex: karol, do butterflies have slippers?
karol: yes!
alex: nooooooooo! do butterflies have flower antennas?
karol: yes!
alex: nooooooooo! do butterflies have wings?

karol was about to answer but then he hesitated. probably tired of getting busted all the time, he stopped and thought really hard. finally....

karol: no!
alex: yeeeeeeeeeeees!!!

this really brought tears to my eyes from laughing too hard. poor karol! i knew he had the correct answer but changed his mind at the last minute. :))

cute broccoli

i was prepping ingredients for lunch when alex approached me. at that moment, i was dividing the broccoli into small flowerettes.

alex: what are you doing?
me: making the broccoli small.
alex: why are you doing that?
me: so that they will be nice.
alex: but they are also nice when they are big.
me: i know. but see aren't they cute?
alex: aha! so you want them to be cute, right?!

now, i felt really silly. all i could do was say uh-huh with an embarrassed smile. hihihi!

three little piglets (read: pooh bears)

alex @ almost 5 months; karol @ almost 6 months; andy @ 3 1/2 months

post-partum: breastfeeding

breast milk is best for babies

to breastfeed or not to breastfeed? that is the question!!! for sure, breastfeeding is best for babies. yes, i believe that. but is it best for mommies too? this is the question that's been bugging me during the last couple of weeks.

in the beginning, i was really excited at the thought of having my baby breastfed 100%. in philippines, it's not a very easy thing to do. from birth, they give formula. unless, you demand it i guess. with alex, it was mixed feeding. it's hard to deny the convenience of just using formula specially during the middle of the night feedings. this and the fact that alex had lactose intolerance, cut my breastfeeding experience short.

here in slovakia, they encourage full-time breastfeeding. i even feel that they would turn their nose up if you even mention formula. anyway, right after birth, the babies room-in with the mom, the moment they are strong enough. by enough, i mean, it could even be right after the delivery. that is, if you feel up to it. but the pressure is really there, so you kinda have no choice.

now, karol is breastfed full-time. it's no joke, but when i say full-time, it means an almost 24-hour job. one breastfeeding session could last from 20 minutes to 1-hour. depending on how cooperative karol is. most of the time, karol falls asleep while feeding. i have to constantly wake him up to try and make sure he feeds enough. although sometimes, it's really impossible to do and i just let him sleep. but not 15 minutes after you put him down, he will wake up and start rooting again. and so, the cycle starts again.

breastfeeding is not only physically but also emotionally stressful. there are times when karol cannot sleep and seems to want to feed all the time. he will fall asleep 5 minutes during the feeding, wakes up when you put him down, cries even when he's picked up, and doesn't stop until he is feeding again. this usually goes on for several hours. there's really nothing much i could do during these times. then i start asking questions. is he getting enough milk? am i not producing enough? is full-time breastfeeding really meant for me? it's so frustrating, that i sometimes just cry...

i sometimes get lucky breaks when he sleeps straight for 2 hours. i'm supposed to use this time catch my own winks. however, these "free" times i have to devote to alex or other chores that need to be done. but as i've said, these are very rare times. most of the time, i just feel sad not being able to spend as much time as i should with alex. sometimes the little time i get to spend with her, ends up with us fighting. i know i should have more patience with her. but it's hard to do when you are tired most of the time.

i know alex feels this lack of attention. she's acting out and have more frequent tantrums. i feel so helpless. there's nothing much i can do. breastfeeding karol is a job only i can do.

i know breastfeeding is a good thing. i just have to keep reminding myself that and hope for things to get better...

post-partum: CS vs. ND

is normal delivery (ND) really better than a caesarian section (CS)? i had already experienced both and i'm not sure i agree with what most people or books say.

i had caesarian section two years ago with alex. i know it was more risky and takes longer time to heal, at least six months, or so they say. but not one week after we were out of the hospital, i was up and about as usual. maybe i shouldn't have forced my body to work so much, but i had no choice, i had to take care of alex.

this time with karol, the labor and delivery took less than two hours. however, it was a very difficult one for me. karol was too big for me, so i sustained a big rupture which required several episiotomy stitches. because of this, i am not able to do some of the very basic things like: sitting, standing (especially for long time), walking, sneezing or coughing, and even cutting my toenails. it's just too painful. the only thing i could do is lay on my side most of the day. or muster all my limited energy, to bear all the pain that i could, to take care of things and run the household.

good thing i have loved ones around to help me. but of course, there are times that i still have to do things myself. however, not being able to sit properly or stand for long time makes it hard to take care of karol, and of course alex. more specifically, it's hard to breastfeed while sitting down. even changing diapers is a painful chore. i couldn't even spend enough time to be with alex. :(

i know that healing will only take 2-3 weeks. however, the two weeks that have already passed felt like eternity. it's so frustrating that i sometimes wish i had another CS instead. i am really tired, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. sigh!

hormonal

i have been planning to blog about my second pregnancy ever since we tested positive. but somehow i have never gotten into it until i posted the 3d ultrasound of "baby brother" (still not 100% sure about the name).

i'm almost in my last month, and this may come as a bit emotional (read: hormonal)...

when we found out, i didn't know how to react. i couldn't even remember it now. it's good news, yes, but there also lots of other things to consider. one thing i remember is that i expected it to be easier the second time around. reasons being:

1. been there done that
2. hubby will be with me from beginning to end

however, things don't usually turn out the way we expect them to be.

first trimester proved to be the worst. always hungry, but no appetite. couldn't even think of what i want to eat. couldn't take anything too sweet (oh my poor chocolates!!!) i didn't even like the taste of our ever faithful nestea iced tea lemon, nor orange juice. had to force myself to down apple juice, which lost it's appeal after some time. until i found a citrus mix (lemon, lime, and grapefruit).

but i was still hungry most of the time, couldn't eat much. i feel sick and on the verge of puking all the time. luckily, i only had to actually do it once. but i was tired and had to lay down most of the day. poor alex wants to play with mommy, and mommy couldn't.

third trimester was even harder. "baby brother" moved so much during the night (harder and more frequent than alex ever did). and i found it even harder to go to sleep. add to that the back pain, restless leg syndrome (RLS, in filipino we call it "pangangalos"), and the frequent urination. and so, insomnia strikes again which led to iron-deficiency anemia, coupled with fatigue, shortness of breath, and ear stuffiness. it's really too much to handle. sigh!

i also had to take magnesium supplement 3x a day to relax my already 1cm open cervix. doctor advised me to slow down and rest most of the day. although sometimes, it's not really an option.

the fact that hubby and i are together didn't change the situation either. i'm still thankful he's around this time. he vacuums, washes the bottles, gives massage from time to time, etc. but it's still hard. most of the time it was just me. alex turning into a terrible two, didn't help the matter. during the day, i still have to do some of the regular household chores while hubby's at work. at night, he usually goes to bed without me. i had to fight off the recurring insomnia by myself.

no offense to all the hubbies out there. but i realized, that no matter how supportive they might be, the moms are really alone in this. pregnancy is really something that only the mom could experience fully, both the good and the bad sides of it. i'm not saying the hubbies cannot do anything. on the contrary, they should be as supportive as possible. sometimes doing a little bit of sacrifice wouldn't hurt either. try to have a little taste of what the mom goes through during these times (and right after). although it would never come close, it's easier when you know that someone is there and understands what you're going through.

"baby brother" is camera shy

this is "baby brother", as alex calls him (we still don't have name for him yet). it's a 2d picture of HIM. yes, 100% sure that it's a boy.

we just came from 3d ultrasound. but "baby brother" is camera shy. hiding his face with his tiny arms. so we just saw a side view. he has round face and thin lips like alex. most probably they will look alike :)

watch and enjoy!

"mommy, you're kawing!"

sometimes, when alex is sleepy, hungry or tired, she starts to cry and then says "mommy/daddy, i'm not kawing (read: crying)." she has learned to describe some emotions, like happy and sad.

----------------oo0oo----------------

with all the pregnancy hormones surging inside of me, i cry for little or no reason at all. one time, i was still in bed and felt really sad that i started to cry. alex was standing behind me and realized what's happening. so she said, "mommy, you're kawing! mommy you're sad..." then, she climbed up the bed and cuddled beside me. i was doing all the cuddling, but i felt much better.

this is the thought that keeps me going in times of downfall...

singapore, bow!

we just came back last tuesday from a month-long stay in singapore. hubby was assigned there to work on a project. lucky for us, we (alex and myself) were able to tag along :)

it was nice to be back after 4 long years. it was even more special because some of my bestest friends are already based there. however, most of them are working, so we didn't get to spend so much time together. but what time we spent, i enjoyed so much, no matter how little.

to kosa (a.k.a. gail)
thanks for the shrimp lunch, long phone calls, singapore zoo experience, sex and the city date movie, singtel load, help in planning, and for the puto :)

but most, most, specially for having mamigs and joshua. i've never seen alex enjoy so much as when she's playing with mamigs. i still get teary eyed thinking how nice it would be for our children to grow up together and be friends.

to aruray (a.k.a. sharon)
thanks for the visits, phone calls, taking all the blows/jokes, getting lost in mrt's, and of course for picking up the bbq and turon, and the happy meals.

to jermy, sharon, richard and sam
thanks for visiting and bringing the cake too. thanks sam for playing with and being a big sister to alex.

to momee and dadi
nice to see you again after a long time. thanks momee for the help in planning alex's party. gave me great tips :)

to my SA family
thanks for being there on alex's birthday, which also became sort of a reunion. i think mommy and daddy enjoyed even more than alex. :))

special mention to papajimjim, for taking nice pix. i haven't seen them, but i'm sure they would be great.

to chee meng
thanks for taking us out for the best food, and for driving us to alex's party.

it wouldn't have been the same without all of you. i miss you all!

sprain nightmares

for over a month now, me and hubby have been playing basketball every tuesday. it's really fun, considering the fact that i haven't played for over 10 years. plus, the fact that i played "girl's" basketball. now we play the "real" game, so to speak.

i wasn't so sure about the idea the first time hubby told me about this. i asked repeatedly if it would be a mixed basketball. i have always thought that "girls" (or, women, if you want) and basketball cannot be put together (well, unless it's some professional or varsity sport). much more, men + women does not equate to basketball. but somehow i was proven wrong.

i first played basketball in high school. it was required and i started liking it. then i got a bit more serious when they chose me to play for the annual intramurals. so in college, i decided to take up basketball as one of my physical education courses. and that was the end of it. saying as much, i never could say that i have played "real" baskeball until recently -- and until i sprained my ankle.

i have sprained my ankle before (from basketball practice of course). it was one of the saddest moments of my high school life. it made me lose my spot in the cheering squad, which was next, if not on the same level, to my liking basketball. it makes me smile thinking about that. for now, there's more at stake than not being able to shout and dance -- my precious alex.

---ooOoo---

scene #1:

minela running to the opponents' court. bam!

minela: "ouch! i missed a step"

falls down with a sprained ankle.

first thoughts: "how could i take care of alex? how could i lift a 12kg baby on one foot?"

(...this is what really happened...)



scene #2:

alex wakes up in the morning. hubby has gone to work. need to pick up baby from the crib.

minela thinks: could i?

alex needs to take a bath.

minela thinks: how? could i stand on one leg for such a long time?

(...i convinced hubby to take a half day sick leave and he took care of alex while i rested...)



scene #3:

hubby needs to go to work. minela needs to take shower. alex asleep on the bed with the bedroom door closed and could wake up soon.

minela thinks: what if i fall on the shower and hurt myself again before alex wakes up. she would cry not being able to get out of the bedroom. and i couldn't come to her. what would i do?

(...hubby went to check out a car with a friend and went to work. no accidents. alex woke up just after minela took shower. sigh!...)

---ooOoo---

so all turned out well. i'm quickly recovering, i think. could be the adrenaline needed to keep up with alex. now i could feel a bit of strain on my other leg, but just a day after the incident, i was even able to wash alex in the tub. i could also walk much better and the pain ranges from almost gone to tolerable. thanks to danka's advice and to hubby's effort to get me the best gel and bandage. hopefully, i could play again next tuesday. :D

conscience: "yeah, you wish!"

first fall

*kablag*
minela: "oh my gosh!!!"
*loud crying*

6 months, 3 days, 6 hours and a few minutes after alex was born, it happened -- her first fall.

it was lunch time. hubby was home installing the lights. my nilagang baka just wasn't ready yet, and alex was getting cranky. so i prepared milk and fed her. then she started pushing (read: making uu). we stopped feeding and went on to change her, then i threw out her nappy.

it was getting late for lunch and hubby is gonna be late for work. i checked on my nilagang baka and started preparing for lunch. then it happened. she cried (but not as much as when she got her ears pierced), she was definitely shocked. we tried to calm her down as best as we can. being a good girl that she is she calmed down after a few rocks and kisses. when she stopped crying, as her mommy, i couldn't help but cry. maybe i'm even more shocked than her. i still couldn't shake it off.

she's sleeping now. but her doctor said we should still observe her until tomorrow. so every ten minutes or so, i still check on her. they say, accidents are normal to babies her age. but nothing could ever prepare parents for this kind of shock. long before, i have dreaded that this time will come. now it did, and i'm still in shock.

my brother told me once how i fell off the bed when i was a baby. i was sleeping and he was supposed to be in charge of me. being the young boy that he was, he left me to play outside. then he heard my crying and run to me, put me back to bed, and hoped for me to stop crying. now, i am married and have alex. maybe 25 years from now, alex may be trying to calm down her own little alex from her first fall. sigh! maybe it's just a phase babies (and most specially mommies) have to go through. but i'm really hoping this is not just the first, but also the last.

my daughter has celebrity look-alikes?!

just for fun, i tried putting my baby's pic to search for celebrity look-alikes. surprisingly, it returned surprising results (pun intended). but i like that we both look like zhang ziyi :))