been a while

well, hello there, my almost-forgotten blog. I have a lot to tell you! Now where to start... or rather 'when to start...'

i'll find time. i promise. for my gab and my soleil and my chard.  and for me :-)

Baby shower.

Last Friday, what i thought was the usual Gale Project monthly meeting, turned out to be another surprise. I was still clueless as to what the 'second part of the program' was, i thought it was just a farewell party for two of the senior staff leaving the office. I was really surprised and touched when i learned they're also throwing a baby shower for me. What touched me the most was this AVP prepared by one of my sweetest colleague.

I think this is the awesomest gift for me and the baby-on-the way. For someone to be wishing you these:

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too

... is really heart-warming. ♥

And when i came in last Monday, this was on my desk.

It is a blessing to be doing the job you love. It's a wonderful bonus to be doing it with wonderful people.

You guys are the sweetest, thank you! ♥♥♥

Gabriel bags first honors!

Early on, am probably biased, but i already noticed how smart Gabriel is and can get. He is just too stubborn sometimes to be taught but he'll surprise you of how he picks up on stuff me and his Tatay teach him.

I think the honors/awards were supposed to be a surprise to the parents but the teacher probably couldn't contain it so she spilled it to Tita, Gab's ward. :) When i first heard about it, i was excited and happy, of course, for such an early accomplishment. But it really wasn't that big deal. I didn't realize how proud i was until i went up the stage to award him his FIRST HONORS MEDAL! I and the 2nd honors parent were the only ones to go up the stage (yabang!). Man, was i beaming?! (Even with the big tummy and all :D)

What makes me even prouder is the fact that we do not work on his school lessons. I believe it takes the fun out if he already knew them. And knowing my kid, he gets bored too easily if things are repeated to him. It also makes me feel assured that with all those play/game-inspired method, school being progressive, he's actually learning something. :) Good job, ATCDC. And very good job Gab, you make Nanay and Tatay really proud! ♥♥♥

Project Nursery: Soleil and the Elis

I'm about to give birth but it's still taking me forever to complete this project. If i had my way, this would have been done weeks before but thanks to hubby's 'busy sched' (:D:D:D) we're still finishing up.

Ok, so im inlove with the yellow+gray combo, one other thing im so loving right now is the CHEVRON PRINT! It's just so adorable and can be used as background for anything. So i used it for Soleil's corner nursery and added some colors to make it more lively.

Materials:
1. Canvas prints. (But since canvas printing is way too expensive, i just printed mine on tarpaulin. Just use the 'wrong side' or the side which isn't glossy for a canvas-like finish)

2. Scrap wood/molding
3. Gun tacker
4. Paint/brush

Procedure:
1. Make frames from scrap wood or use thin moldings available at any hardware store.

2. For the 'soleil' art, paint frame with desired color. (i used white)

3. Let it dry.
4. Gun tack print around the frame.

5. Viola!

Easter Sunday Planning

Couple of weeks to go before Easter Sunday and i haven't made any plans yet on what Gab will be doing on this day. Browsing the web, i found these two offerings from metrodeal and ensogo which look really fun and exciting.

ACE Water Spa Easter Event goes Wild West




For P450, you get to save 25% for a kid and adult pass to this event which features:

* Bull riding
* Magic Show
* Puppet Show
* Face Painting
* Egg Painting
* Finale Easter Egg Hunt!

The pass will also include snack and drink for the kid, 1 food cart stub, goodie bag and a photo souvenir.

The event will be held at their Pasig Branch (which we haven't been to yet) and will last from 2PM-6PM.



Greenhills Elan Hotel Modern's Easter Egg Hunt




For P299 per person (kid/adult), you get a pass to the Hotel's event which includes:

* Buffet Lunch
* Program for Kids
* Magic Show
* Easter Egg Hunting

plus - Use of Hotel's swimming pool for kids under 12yo after the event.



Im thinking the Ace Water Spa offering is more sulit and Chard and Gab can go for a swim after the event since we still have that 50% discount from my BDJ planner, but of course it will all depend on our driver/yayo/hubby who happens to be the BIRTHDAY BOY too so he'll have the power to choose OR REFUSE to go to any of these two.



Or..... we can just stay home to avoid the crowd and paint all those eggs we papier mached then do our own egg hunting around the backyard. This is a definitely cheaper option but i just don't think it would be as much fun with only one kid competing against himself to find eggs!  What to do... what to do....

DIY Wall Art: Love

For the second installment to my EAT, PRAY, LOVE wall art series (hah!), i found this unused picture frame which was given as gift just lying around the house. It was a bit small for the LOVE i had in mind but i used it anyway instead of buying something new.

LOVE

Materials:

Picture frame

Paint ( I used yellow and white)

LOVE cutouts

Instructions:

1. Paint the frame and the board white (or your desired color)

2. Let them dry then arranged letter cutouts on the board.



3. Using small brush, paint the edges of the letter cutouts moving outwards.

4. Let paint dry then remove letter cutouts. Using back of brush, blot dots on the letters for polka dots effect.

5. Let dry completely then reattach board to frame. Viola!

Delivery: Part 2

When i became pregnant with Gabriel, birthing plans were already made early in the pregnancy. This second one isn't that smooth-sailing. I had to change OBGYN a few times before i finally found someone i like. My previous OBGYN (Dr. Luisa Acu) was ok, infact i liked her a lot, but she is only affiliated to two hospitals: Capitol Medical Center and St. Lukes, the 4 and 5 stars of hospitals when it comes to rates. With expenses constantly rising, i thought it isn't practical anymore to give birth to any of these two. Plus, CMC is a teaching hospital, a problem i had when i gave birth to Gab. Interns were constantly bugging me with the same questions, the worst was they took turns doing internal exam! It really added to the discomfort of labor!

I just found an OBGYN i liked for this second one when i was almost on my third trime. Browsing and reading through parenting forums in the web, a lot of moms have recommended Dr. Visitacion Toy. Her clinic is very near our place and she is also affiliated to hospitals we are eyeing to give birth to: FEU, Commonwealth Hospital and Medical Center and The Medical City.

As of now, we are still inquiring about maternity packages to finally decide on the hospital and Dr. Toy gave these quotations:

FEU
Php 45-55K (With PhilHealth)
NSD (Normal Spontaneous Delivery)
Epidural
PF included (OB, Pedia, Anes)

CHMC
Php 35K-45K (With PhilHealth)
NSD (Normal Spontaneous Delivery)
Epidural
PF included (OB, Pedia, Anes)


*** I only inquired for normal delivery rates because im not having this baby any other way. HAHAHA!



I also found these additional information in the web.


The Capitol Medical Center (TMC)

Normal Delivery Package
-     Php 50,030.00                                            
-     Inclusive of Professional fees for Attending Physician & Anesthesiologist, Delivery fee              
     Room & Board (max. of 3days ward accommodation upon admission)                   
     Supplies (selected) - in excess of the supplies covered by the package will be charged as regular rate.    
 -     Inclusive spinal single shot anesthesia                                  
-     New born screening and hearing test for baby                             
-     6 hrs. stay in nursery                                            
-     Professional Fee of Pediatrician                                       
     * additional 6,000 for epidural anesthesia plus Anesthesiologist Fee (on top of PF included in the package)
Caesarian Delivery Package
-     Php 72,055.00                                                   
-     Inclusive of Professional fees for Attending Physician & Anesthesiologist, Delivery fee                     
     Room & Board (max. of 5 days ward accommodation upon admission)                          
     Supplies (selected), in excess of the supplies covered by the package will be charged as regular rate.           
 -     Inclusive spinal single shot anesthesia                                         
-     New born screening and hearing test for baby                                    
-     24 hrs. stay in nursery                                              
-     Professional Fee of Pediatrician                                              
     * additional 6,000 for epidural anesthesia plus Anesthesiologist Fee (on top of PF included in the package)      
                                                      
IMPORTANT:                                                  
1. Delivery Packages are based on Published Rate                                  
2. Delivery Packages may only be availed upon Attending Physician's assessment/recommendation.              
3. An initial deposit of P20,000.00 is required upon admission.                              
4. Private Room accommodation is not eligible for Delivery Package.                        
5. Above rates may change without prior notice.                                  
6  Per Government directive, rooming-in is required unless otherwise contraindicated.                    
7. Package will be forfeited for non-compliance for the rooming-in of the baby                        
                                                                                                             


Commonwealth Hospital and Medical Center


A. Normal Spontaneous Delivery (NSD) Package (with or without PhilHealth)
                Ward (4 beds)                                  -               15,000.00
                Semi-Private (2 beds)                         -               17,000.00

B. Cesarean Section (CS) Package (with or without PhilHealth and regardless of the type of procedure)
                Ward(4 beds)                                   -               25, 000.00
                Semi-Private (2 beds)                         -               35, 000.00

Note: The package shall include the Newborn charges, provided, the case is an uncomplicated one. Otherwise, regular charges shall be applied.
The above-mentioned package rates shall be exclusive of Doctors’ Professional Fees. Regular charges shall be applied to patients using the private and suite rooms.


I've checked CHMC's facilities through their website and since this is a relatively new hospital, their rooms are actually pretty clean and decent. Also, a colleague was admitted there recently and the feedback is really good. We're leaning towards this hospital but will still do ocular visit this coming weekend. Hopefully, it will all turn out ok.




_________________________________________________________________________________

Update: (late post)

So i gave birth at CHMC last April 2013. I only stayed overnight since took me only 3 hours from admission until i gave birth. There were no private rooms available at that time so we settled for the semi-private room which was okay at first since no one was occupying the other bed.Baby Soleil was immediately roomed-in. With these, we expected to be paying the lower ranged of what was originally quoted to us (35k-45k for NSD with epidural). Didn't happen!

For me alone, we paid P45K. P15k for the hospital and P30K PF for my OB and Anes. I dunno how it got to that price but i heard my OB's quite expensive because she does great sewing job down there. But what happened to the price quoted? Dunno.

For Soleil, we paid P10K. Newborn screening and 2 vaccines included. Also, she had meconium stain so antibiotics had to be administered.

We paid about P55K total for an overnight stay at CHMC. Should i have known it would be this much, i would have opted for TMC instead.

But that's water under the bridge now, at least i had a smooth delivery and Baby Soleil's all healthy.

Autumn

There's a gloominess lurking over the office right now. Project being dissolved, resignations here and there - people leaving. As one of my colleague aptly put it, the season is autumn - leaves falling off the tree, the DGP tree.

Everytime this happens, i can't help but get affected. Why shouldn't i be, i spent almost 6 years (wow, that long now?) with these people. You can't help but get used to their familiar faces. But I get affected, moreso, in a way that i get to wonder or reassess ... well... me. These people will be resilient and will head to something better. They'll be facing new environments and exciting challenges. Fresh faces, different address, probably make new friends... exciting!

But what about me? why am i still here? Over that six years i've been with the company, people have left many times already. Why am i still staying? Is it because i really don't have that much option with what i have attained so far? Or maybe because im pregnant? Or is it because i got so comfortable with this that i am afraid to go out there and try change?

I really don't know...
But what i do know is i love my job. i enjoy what i do. Corny as it may sound but it really is a constant and continuous acquisition of knowledge. And who would want that? I hear a lot of people complaining how - nakakabobo naman ang trabaho ko -, well i sure can't say that. What actually makes all the difference is the people that i work with. You don't hear me complaining about my work per se, but i can go all day ranting about my managers/colleagues. Sometimes though, they can be sweet and are bonuses to what i do. But most of the time, they really get into my nerves that i just want to strangle each and every single one of them :D That's just normal, right? I mean, obviously since not everybody thinks/acts like me (thank goodness for that!), there will be conflicts and misunderstandings. And everywhere you go, it will be like this. Other places can be better, but they can be worse too.

I can still think of a hundred reasons why i should leave, but since and probably beacuse im such in a happy place right now, the few good reasons why i should stay outweigh the opposite. The thing is, if you're not happy anymore then leave. It will be unfair to both you and the company. I know this is definitely easier said than done, but yeah - that's the way it goes. As for me, with all things considered - am happy. This may change tomorrow or the next month, but for now, i am.

For the colleagues who are leaving, i really wish you well. May the wind take you to those greener, happier pastures. Best of luck :)

Organique vs. Nail It

Staring at my chipped, ugly nails - i can almost hear my friend Burns saying "para kang labanderang walang oras maglinis ng kuko". (Haha i miss that bitch) But i have time! And this was actually done by a professional, and that was just a week ago. Hmmm this adds up to the reason why i am probably not going back to that nail spa.

Getting a footspa and my nails done has been the only pampering I've given myself while i am pregnant. Plus this is also my 'me-time' - to destress, free my mind off things, just sit down and relax while the nail technicians do their magic.

I schedule this every month and i already have a regular spa recommended by a good friend called Organique located in Maginhawa, UP Village. I love their service! Only downside is, they're bit far from where i work. Since i usually go there when car is coding, it's a bit of a hassle to commute to and from the place. So when i saw a poster of a new nail spa which opened just across the street (big street that is EDSA :D) i thought i'd try it.

Nail It in Eton, Centris looks really posh. The interiors are very modern and relaxing. The staff are polite and well-groomed. When i entered, i was immediately greeted by the receptionist and asked what service i was going to avail. Since it was my first time, i asked for her recommendation. She offered me a package which includes footspa+pedi+mani+regular polish for P600. Stingy me thought twas a little steep since i usually pay that amount at Organique but with gel polish, but i said yes anyway since their nail polishes are of the brands i really like, OPI and Essie.

I was seated and immediately attended to by two technicians. Their method is a bit different from the usual soaking then scrubbing which really got me disappointed. My feet were more like dipped rather than soaked when she started scrubbing. Also, it didn't take long! She just scrubbed for a few good minutes and ..  done?! I was thinking and was actually tempted to say "ate, hindi pa yata yan tapos?!" but then i thought maybe she'll give me a good foot massage. But what she did next was just a quick masage, more like to apply the lotion then done, again?! darn it! The mani technician was not that good either. Again, i was expecting even a quick hand massage but nada. The polish application was also disappointing, it wasn't that clean. But in fairness, the pedi was OK. My toe nails are still clean and nail polish is still good, no chipping.

Nevertheless, ive decided i'll just stick to my usual nail spa Organique where they'll spend a relaxing 2-3 hours on me. Making sure i'll have soft feet for a month, thats exaggerating, of course but you get the idea. Plus it's actually cheaper which makes it the best deal!

DIY Wall Art: Pray

Still catching the DIY bug and determined to 'color-ify' our home, i moved on to my next project. Another 'series' of wall art: EAT, PRAY, LOVE. Three little words that we really believe in so might as well put it on the wall. Here's the first installment :)

PRAY

Materials:
Wood Planks
White Paint
Old Box
Yarns
Mounting Tape

Instructions:
1. Arrange 3 planks (25x4 inches) with an inch space in between. Put them together by using two support planks at the back.



My Lil Handy Gab 'checking' the board♥


2. Paint with white or whatever color you desire.

3. Let dry.
4. Cut letters from old box or cardboard

5. Yarn around with desired color. ( i used yellow since im so inlove with the color!)

6. Using mounting tape, stick letters to wood and... voila!

Here it is :)

DIY Wall Art: Sunshine

I don't know if it's because of all the hours im spending on the web (that's what you do when client decides to put a cap on production), or if it's beacuse im nesting for Soleil's 'hello world' (a little over a month now!) - but i was getting bored of the safe, mostly earth tone interior colors im seeing around the house.
I was thinking/browsing  of a way to make our home more colorful and lively without having to spend a fortune (since i don't really have that right now :D :D :D). The it came to me, 'of course, Wall Art! Do-It-Yourself Wall Art!'

Starting with the dining area, i found an inspiration from Pinterest (ilove!) which really looked easy to do. Here's how :)

Materials:
Canvas - bought it from Kamuning market for P100/yard (only used around half yard)
Wood Frame - recycled ours from the previous wall decor
Gun Tacker
Fabric Paint - (i used 2 colors: orange and yellow)
Paint Brush
Painter's Tape

Instructions:
1. Fix wood frame with the desired dimensions. Mine is 50x30 inches.

2. Cut canvas basing on frame dimensions with extra 2inches on all four sides for allowance (or depending on the thickness of your frame)

3. Gun tack canvas around the frame, making sure it is well stretched to avoid wrinkling.

4. Layout design using painter's tape.

5. Paint away!

i got some help from my Lil Artist♥

6. Let paint dry and... voila! easy-breezy wall art. I call it SUNSHINE :)

Here it is hanging on our wall.

Project Nursery: Pompoms!

I saw this really cute DIY pompom with instructions on Pinterest, and thought it will be cute to add it to Soleil's 'nursery'.

Materials:
Crepe paper ( I used white and different shades of yellow)
Styro balls (Size depends on how big you like your pompoms to be)
Scissors
Glue
Ribbons and hooks

Procedure:
- Cut crepe paper circles, about 3 in. in diameter
- Fold circle into four pressing just the tip of the cone so it's still 'fluffy'
- Starting from the bottom, use glue to stick to styroball
- Stick cones around styoball until the other end BUT leave enough space for the hook and ribbon

For variety, i made a different one just by folding and rolling strips of crepe paper and sticking them to the styroball.

Project Nursery: Crib Beddings

Since it was really difficult to find the color palette I like for Soleil's beddings, i decided to just sew one for her. I learned how to sew way back when i was in high school but haven't done it for a long time so hubby (yep, he knows how to!) gave me a quick refresher. This was my first time to sew something like this but it wasn't that complicated.

Fitted Sheet
Comforter
Small Pillow Case
Bolster Case

Materials:
- Approximately 5 yards x 45 inches cotton cloth  (2 colors for accent)
      *Bought the cloth in Kamuning market for P60/yard
- Comforter fill
- Sewing machine
- Sewing supplies

Procedure:
1. Get the crib mattress dimensions. (Or just measure old crib beddings)
2. Cut cloth.
3. Sew away.
(helpful, huh? :D)

Finished product measurements:

Fitted sheet = 43 x 23 x 5 in
Comforter = 43 x 23 in. plus 1 in. piping
Bolster cases = 17 x 6 in. plus 2 in. end accents
Small pillow case = 12 x 8 in. plus 1 in. piping
    ** Just add 1-2 in. to these measurements as allowance before sewing.

Learning is FUN 3: Preschool Math - Equal/Not Equal

Gabriel is already very good with his rote counting so my sister-in-law,  Ate Mia, suggested i started him with something a little bit more complicated, Less Than/ Greater Than. I thought of starting him with something easier first, Equal/Not Equal.
I first made a matching type activity where he matches the number on the right to the correct figures on the left. I though that was way too easy for him. Since he enjoys putting check and X marks, i just came up with another activity where he can put those marks while learning to recognize the numbers in random order as well as identifying whether the figures are equal to the numbers.

He was more into coloring my 'drawings' :D but, again, he immediately got the concept. ♥♥♥

Learning is FUN 2: Phonics, the Pinoy way

After Gabriel's review of alphabet sounds and big&small letters, my sister-inlaw, who is becoming my mentor on these lessons, suggested I started him with the traditional a,e,i,o,u sounds. This was straight forward repeat-after-me technique. I just wrote the letters on a paper and stuck them to the wall for our visual aids. Everynight and every morning, i ask him to recite what's on the wall then add a few more depending on his mood and his attention span. By the time we were on the 6th letter, he already got the rhythm. Since he knew the letter sounds, he was able to recite the syllables without me reciting them first. He had difficulty recalling the letters S and G at first and looks at me for help but eventually he got them too. He still forgets the letter Y and says it like 'why', 'whey', 'wheey', 'woy', 'wuy' - makes me laugh everytime! but i just say 'ya' and he finishes the whole set.

Here's a video of him when we were just starting:)

After a few drills, i thought i'd test him by separating the syllables. I wrote each syllable on a paper, sort of like a flashcard, and tried asking him to tell me the sound. Some he gets, but most - he just takes a card from my hand and point it to the same syllable on his visual aids on the wall - then that's the time he recites it. I tried writing different syllables on his blackboard but he is still having difficulty without them being in the 'batch'. What we found easier was, to write the whole batch and erase one syllable at a time while he recites the remaining syllables.

I thought i'd make it more fun and infuse a little bit of outdoor physical activity so we tried - HOPSCOTCH! The idea was to write the syllables on the different boxes, then he has to recite them before stepping on that box. I was really excited, i thought he'd enjoy it and get it right away. He didn't :( He just went away and jumped on every box, even stepping on lines. haha. We tried it several times, he even looked for his own 'stone'. He was playing the game but was not reciting the syllables. But i wasn't bothered, at least he was having fun and exercising at the same time. :) He then went back to playing his favorite hullahoops. Oh well, maybe he'll get it next time. :)



♥♥♥

Learning is FUN 1: Review of big and small letters

Before I got pregnant with the second baby, Gabriel and I used to have lessons on usual preschool stuff - alphabets, phonics, counting. He was such a fast learner that he already knew his phonics before he was 3yo.

During the first trimester, i was really having difficulty with the pregnancy - all-day vomiting and nausea - that i wasn't able to focus on our lessons anymore. I thought it was ok then since he's already going to school and that those lessons will be reinforced.

One night, a few weeks ago, just before sleeping, I just started asking him the sounds of his alphabet. I was so surprised that he wasn't able to answer. He was just mumbling different sounds, he was guessing! I learned later on from the Parent Teacher Conference that their lessons are still on recognizing the letters of the alphabet. I was really disappointed. I had high expectations since this was a Progressive School and their approach was supposedly individualized - meaning - they should personalize lessons depending on the child's knowledge and ability. Apparently, it still all depends on the teacher.

Hence, i resumed our daily lessons.

We first started with phonics. It was really very challenging at first, well - it still is!Gab has very short attention span, he gets easily distracted that i easily got frustrated too. As always, i was expecting too much. I had to remind myself that it's normal, that he's normal - he is just 3yo afterall!

After learning to manage my expectations - we started again. This time, since i was using big and small letters for his A,E,I,O,U , i had to check if he still recognizes big and small letters. I found a technique online (forgot to save the URL) to make it more fun and interesting.

I just made 'pots' and 'carrots' from paper cutouts and labeled each pot with big letters and the carrot with small letters. The idea is for him to 'plant' the small letter carrots into the big letter pots. I give him a carrot and ask him to identify the letter, afterwhich, i ask him for the sound of the letter - then he goes to plant the carrot in the correct pot. He just plants a few carrots at a time, even if i really wanted to, i stop myself from forcing him to do all 26 letters! :D Learning should be fun, afterall! So it took us the weekend to complete this task. But it's ok, atleast i learned he still knows his big and small letters. :)

Icha girl!

Earlier in the pregnancy, when asked if i had any gender preference, i always say what any decent mother would say - "kahit ano, basta kumpleto." Of course i (half) meant that, but deep inside i was hoping it would be a boy. I just think that it would be more difficult to raise a girl. The worries of having a teenage girl in the city, oh my! And the thoughts of the things i did (haha) waaaaaaay back didn't help at all! Partying, drinking, skipping school - nanay ko poooo!

When we got the confirmation that we were having a baby girl, surprisingly, all of the worries disappeared! I was excited. Suddenly, I couldn't wait to see her - and to raise her. Oh the fun of dressing her up and fixing her hair. There's still the little worry that things may not turn out to be what i hoped for, but as Gab taught me and has actually prepared me, as long as i give them my 'conditional love' everything will be alright.

We are naming her Soleil Gabrielle.

Gabrielle = Origin of word: French; Gender: Female; Meaning: God Is My Strength / Angel / Messenger; Pronounciation: Gay-bree-ell

Soleil = Origin of word: French; Gender: Female; Meaning: The Sun; Pronounciation: So-lay


We just felt it perfect for just like her Kuya Gab - we are finding God to be our strength through them. And Soleil for she will be the sunshine of our lives.

Oh Tatay and Nanay and Kuya Gab can't wait to meet you, little angel. But you dont have to hurry, take your sweet time. I love you already. ♥

My Gabriel Hijo and his ading...

It is funny how there’s not much excitement or shrieks with the second baby compared to the first. How the pregnancy holds not much surprises since you basically know what to expect.

It’s amazing how different my worries are for this second round. With the first, I worry about the baby a lot: Am I eating healthy? Am I getting enough sleep? Should I start listening to classical music? Do I and the baby have all the things that we need? (turned out, most of which we didn’t really need :D).

Of course I still think about all these things with this one, but they’re not on the front burner.

What is? My unico hijo, my Gabriel. Just like any mother, he is my life. He is the sweetest and he always surprises me with a new word, a song, a cute habit. Amazing how this little boy teaches me a lot of things about life. I wouldn’t be this ready for the second baby if it weren’t for the lessons Gab taught me.

And I worry for him. I’m worried how he will react to the addition of his little in the family. I’m worried that he might regress and feel jealous. But then again, maybe it’s just me. Being the wonderful boy that he is, I know he’ll rise up and be a very good, loving kuya.

Here’s a letter I wrote to remind him (and prepare me) of us and what will be us.

My Sweet Little Gabriel,

Thank you for coming to Nanay and Tatay’s lives. Our witty, sometimes very makulit, play-do loving little boy. Thanks for making Nanay happy everyday.

I know you can’t possibly understand what is happening to Nanay right now. Why I can’t play with you as much as before, or why I can’t accompany you to the park, or why you can’t roll over me anymore. You will be a big brother pretty soon. You will see Nanay becoming bigger and bigger J

With the 3 very short years that you are with us, you taught me a lot. You taught me what to treasure, you taught me how to be happy, you taught me how to love 'conditionally'. I’ve learned that the good things in life are free. I’ve learned that I have superpowers and magical hands that heal J I’ve learned that I need to be the best person I can be, because you are always watching and it’s amazing how easily you pick up things. I know I will learn more with each passing day with you.

Ever since you were born, my whole world changed. It suddenly became brighter and full of life. Everyday that I wake up with you beside me is indeed a blessing. I rush home to you whenever I am away, I didn’t want to miss any magical time with you. You’re still my baby boy and you will always be, but you will suddenly look so big when Ading gets here. I remember just staring at your little feet when you were born, and how I can’t stop kissing your tiny fingers. I still can’t get enough of you now and it’s amazing to think that you came from me.

When Ading gets here, I promise to put her down once in a while to spend time with you. We will have our own ‘date days’, just the two of us. But with your spirit, I’m sure you will love her. She will be here soon. 3 short months if she’s patient just like you. She will be celebrated and loved by everyone, just as you were. Please know during this time that you have my heart and Tatay’s too. Our hearts will grow bigger to hold enough love for you and Ading.

I would love to tell you that things aren’t going to change that much, that your life will go on the same. But that’s not true. Our world is about to be rocked. You will probably be woken up at night for a while. Oh and you will have to room out as well. You’ll be dragged to doctor appointments for her and I won’t be able to play as much while I’m feeding your Ading. You will have to learn to share everything. Even our precious play-do-do-do and cooking time everyday. But after a while you’ll find that you have a cool little friend and that all of your friends will think you are so lucky.

Because you will be. We all will be.

Because if she’s anything like you. If she’s half as funny, adorable and loving as you, there will be no way to get around loving her more than we can stand. Just think, you’ll never get a chance to feel lonely, as I’m sure she won’t let you. You will be the best of friends.

Always remember that you are and will always be my favorite boy on earth!

“I love you to the moon and back.”

 ♥♥♥Nanay