c is for...

hildbirth education. Reden and I attended our first childbirth education class last Saturday. We were taught about the signs of labor, what to do when in labor, coping and pain relief, and the role of the partner during labor. We were given really useful information and since we were being lectured about it instead of reading it from a book, we were able to pick them up quickly. My husband finally understood what placenta previa is and why I need to have a C-section to deliver our baby! 


heck-up and C-section. Before the class we had our antenatal check-up and we were so relieved everything is okay with the baby. He's still two weeks behind in terms of size but that's okay. The doctor said we can schedule a C-section anytime during my 38th week, which is March 15 onwards! I can't believe we can pick a date when we'll finally meet our little one! We're so excited!


hose a name. Yes, we already picked out a name for our little one, but we won't be making any announcements until he's here! A bit of mystery is good!






ontract signed. Reden already signed our tenancy agreement last week and we'll be moving to our new flat in Ang Mo Kio on February 21! That's just 21 days from now. I've been requesting for quotations from professional movers and we're about to decide which one to pick soon. All that's left to do is pack! But my doctor told me to let Reden handle everything move-related so I'll just sit back, relax and supervise! Haha!


ool weather. Here in Singapore. I'm glad the rain finally let up and I can see some patches of blue skies again. It's been overcast and rainy since Saturday! 






hinese New Year. The holiday is huge here in Singapore. Everyone will have reunion dinners with their families and the shops and malls will be closed early, if not the entire weekend! This is only the second time we'll be spending CNY here since we always made it a point to go back to the Philippines or travel somewhere. But since I can't travel anymore, we're staying put. 


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Drop caps from Daily Drop Cap

crunching numbers

Woops! There it is. 

Smacking me in the face right now is the truth our new monthly budget and it hurts (doesn't it always?). 

It's making me nervous, stressed and scared, too.  

Our monthly flat rental will be going up by 125 percent and it will be taking up a huge chunk of my dear husband's income. I've listed down all the essentials and after computing how much we'll be spending on those, we're left with zero nada zilch for incidentals, such as dining out, shopping and even emergencies. The dining out and the shopping we can live without but life's unforeseen circumstances? How can we avoid that?

Yikes!!! *faint*

I guess we could've been more prudent in setting aside for our future (kase travel ng travel at kain ng kain sa labas at shopping ng shopping!). Yes, Suze Orman, I hear yah! We deserve a serious talkin' to.

Numbers have always scared me that's why I didn't shift to economics. Little did I know I'll be lookin' them right in the eye now that I'm a housewife! Anyway, crunching these numbers made me realize I may have to go back to work as soon as possible. When that will be will of course be determined by our new boss, who will be coming on board in about two months. But that would mean taking him to day care or hiring a nanny, both of which - you guessed it - will cost money too. 

Oh dear Lord. Help us.

I am thankful though (and will always be) that we have money to spend and that my husband has been tirelessly working to be able to provide for our family (of two, soon to become three). The past is over (so no blaming for yesterday's shopping, eating and travelling sprees) and the future is ahead of us (the bun is still in the oven). We need to focus on the now because that's all we've got. This is the situation and even if it's challenging, we'll face it (as a team!). We need to prioritize our expenses and take steps to make living on a single income (at least for a couple more months) more manageable. 

Right, B? ;)

I'll definitely breastfeed so we don't need to spend on formula.

Hmmm, but I wonder if we should get a room mate. 

Or maybe I should just switch to prepaid mobile again. 


Or unsubscribe to cable TV?

Or or or or all of the above?

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Photo: "Coins" by iprole; downloaded from stock.xchng

31 weeks and excitedly counting

Here I am at 31 weeks. After a happy and comfortable second trimester, the pains and discomforts are back, and they're back with a vengeance. Thank God I don't feel nauseous though. I don't want to throw up again!

I've experienced heartburn two nights in a row (definitely didn't help that I had a few sips of Coke the first night and I ate an entire serving of char siew and roasted pork the next, hihi) and had to take a dose of Gaviscon to relieve the symptoms. 

My hips feel like they're going to split and walking for long hours (which we did yesterday at the mall) have become quite tedious. We needed to take breaks and sit down so I can rest and even put my feet up. I noticed walking is easier with arch support from my Birkenstocks instead of no-support-at-all ballerina flats but I just didn't want to ruin my look. Haha.

For a couple of days, I had what I thought was sciatica but after trawling through various Internet sites, I realized I could've had pelvic girdle pain. There was a nagging pain on my left butt cheek, which ran down my thigh down to my knee, making it hard to stand up and walk. It was worse at night and was more tolerable during the day. Whether it was sciatica or PGP, I'm just glad it's gone (for) now.

Breathing has become such a task too. At night my airways seem to be blocked then during the day, I find myself huffing and puffing even if I'm just walking from the living room to our bedroom. 

Waking up for trips to the bathroom during the night makes me sleepy during the day too, so I need to make sure I take a nap. Unfortunately, the construction at the unit below us have been causing irritating noises keeping me from enjoying my usual hour-long naps.

Despite all these, I'm not complaining. I love being pregnant. I'm looking at this whole experience as a wonderful blessing from God, which makes coping with all the discomforts much easier. I actually think I'm gonna miss being pregnant once I give birth in 63 days (crossing fingers!). 

praying for a flat

We're spending our last 37 days here in our Upper East Coast Apartment, which has been our home for three years. Living here has been great - the area is lovely; it's close to a lot of good eating places; there are supermarkets nearby, and parks too. But our contract ends soon so the hunt for a new flat is on.


Not yet, really. The agents we've contacted so far say it's still quite early as most of the vacant flats are immediately available.


Now I summon all the forces of the Universe to help us find: 

• a two-bedroom apartment that is within our budget
• preferably renovated, or at least well-maintained and have modern furnishings
• airy and windy
• with nice neighbors
• in the following towns: Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, Yio Chu Kang or Bishan
• with a kind, easy-to-deal with landlord

I know this flat exists and is already out there somewhere. We just have to find it! 

gorgeous day

The view from our room

Finally, after days of overcast skies, the sun is out again in Singapore. I love the weather today. It's sunny and windy and it's not too hot or humid. I wish it could be like this all-year round. :)

happy birthday, marge

I've known Marge since we were freshmen at the University of the Philippines. At first I found her intimidating so I was quite surprised that we turned out to be really close friends. 

Well, surprised and grateful. 

She's many things to many people but to me, she'll always be a confidante, a kindred spirit, a soul sister.

Thank You, God, for this day, because it was today XX years ago that I, and Tita Choly, Tito Manuel, Emman and a lot of others out there, received one of the greatest gifts ever - Marge.

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Scrapbook page credits: Sunny skies background paper, date paper stamp, scattered diamond glitter, white paper butterfly and messy stitching all from Distant Memories kit by Nicole Young at Digital Scrapbook Place.

out with the old, in with the new

I folded all my pre-pregnancy clothes today so we have less stuff left to pack before we move. This pile includes my running clothes, jeans, tops that are too short for my belly and a lot of office wear. Hmmm. I wonder when these will see the light of day again. I figure I'll be living in maternity and nursing tops for most of the coming year.

Since I already put the old aside, I now have room for the new! I've already made a list of things we need to prepare for the hospital as well as the baby essentials we need to purchase before the little one comes out. 

Thanks to my friends, we already have all the  side-tie tops, socks, burp cloths and sleep suits we might need for the first few weeks. My sister-in-law also sent in a couple of our nephew Jake's stuff from the US (aren't hand-me-downs just great?) which my mother-in-law will be bringing here when she comes next month. 

My good friend Madz also gifted us with a front pack baby carrier so that's another item off the list. Most of the big ticket stuff, such as the crib and the stroller, we still have to buy though. We have yet to prepare our breastfeeding essentials, such as the pump and a couple of bottles, too. Hopefully, the 74 days left before our expected due date will be enough for Reden and I to get all the necessary stuff for me and for baby!

blessings in disguise

Whenever something doesn't work out the way you thought it would, Kat, instead of thinking that something went wrong, see it as something that went unexpectedly well, but for reasons that are not yet apparent.

Everything plays to your favor. 

Score!

The Universe

I got this Note from The Universe yesterday and it made me think of all the somethings in my life that didn't work out the way I thought they would but later proved to have gone unexpectedly well.


One, my relationship with my boyfriend of five years. I was devastated and scared at first (what if I grow old alone? what if no one wants to date me?), but if we didn't break up, I wouldn't have gone out with Reden and I wouldn't have the wonderful love/marriage I am truly grateful for and immensely enjoying right now.


Two, me not being hired as a permanent employee at my last job. It was so frustrating while I was there, working without enjoying the benefits but that situation made it easy for me to decide to resign when I needed to go home to the Philippines and take care of my mom. 


Three, Reden and I not getting pregnant sooner. If we got pregnant or already had a baby when mom fell ill, it wouldn't have been easy for me to go back and take care of her.


Four, me not getting into the business administration course (my first choice) at UP. If I did, then I wouldn't have met some of my closest and dearest friends. And I wouldn't have had that much fun.


But then I think about mom passing away. How could I see that tragic and heartbreaking event as something that went unexpectedly well? 


I spent a few minutes thinking about it. Coming up with one idea after another; writing them down then deleting and trashing them. I think and think some more until it dawned on me: perhaps the good thing that came about from her death was that it forced me to re-evaluate my life. It made me stop and reflect on the way I live, the way I treat others, the way I relate with God. Her death made me, not only stronger, but also more aware of how one life can impact another. And realizing that made me want to be a better person.


Mom's death also strengthened our family and showed us who our true friends are. 


(UPDATE: While I'm still not convinced that these good things are worth my mother's life, I know that God has a totally different criteria. These decisions are best left to Him.)


So yes. Even when it's not usually obvious, everything plays to our favor. We just gotta have faith.

happy birthday, paolo

Today is my little brother, Paolo's, birthday. At 20, he's not so little any more. If we're talking about height, then I'm definitely the little one now. 

Paolo was a "surprise" baby, conceived less than a year after Miko's birth. He was born premature and I think Mommy and Daddy was only able to take him home from the hospital after spending a few months in the incubator. He was small and fragile but he cried so hard and loud for a preemie. Then when he was a toddler, we branded him "iyakin" because he cried at the slightest provocation.


Since we were 10 years apart, I was already able to help raise Paolo. I watched him when he played, fed him; in short, I was a yaya when there was no one available. I wasn't the best yaya though. I almost let him drown one time and another, I almost let him choke to death. 


The first accident happened while we were on a summer outing in Pansol. There was a small pond outside. Paolo walked over the pond so I followed him. My mind was wandering and next thing I knew he already jumped into the pond! The pond was only up to my knee, I think, but Paolo was still small and he was struggling to stand up! Good thing quick-thinker Lia came and rescued Paolo. Poor Paolo was all wet and I felt bad for not focusing on him and allowing such thing to happen.


The choking incident happened at home while were eating the Jelly Aces that came in small cups. Paolo's swallowing reflex was bad to begin with. Maybe the pieces were too big for him and when he tried to swallow one, he choked. Again, it was Lia who knew immediately what to do. She delivered forceful blows on Paolo's back and in no time, the jelly was dislodged and Paolo could breath again.


Although I couldn't say it at the time these happened, I'm glad we have these memories to laugh about now. It was wonderful being Paolo's Ate. Still is.


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Scrapbook page credits: Crushed velvet background paper from Country Velvet kit and graphing paper background from Old Bo Back Pack kit both by Marcee Duggar; Splatter Doodle Doo overlay mask and scrap paper alpha by Nicole Young; Paperclip by Valeri Brumfield, all at Digital Scrapbook Place.

big tummy, small tummy

We went for our monthly antenatal check-up last Saturday. Everything was fine except that our little one's abdominal circumference was small for his gestational age. Instead of being 28 weeks, his AC was dated at 25 weeks. This worried our doctor a bit because she said there might be something wrong with the way our baby absorbs the nutrients from me. She asked me if I was under a lot of stress, and I said no, not at all. I'm a stay-at-home wife, relaxing most of the day and just doing minor household chores, like wiping tabletops and cooking. 


Nothing is stressing me out, well except this bit of information our gyne told us. I tried not to worry about it but of course, sometimes worry gets the best of me, especially when it comes to this kid. I only want the best for him and the last thing I want him to be is to be born with below average birth weight. Now, knowing that his tummy isn't as big as it should be (where do these numbers come from anyway?), is causing me to be the last thing I need to be: stressed. I  just try to recall and hold on to the result of our 20-week detailed ultrasound, which said that our baby was within average. Hopefully, he'll be able to catch up before he's due and increase his AC.


Sometimes I wonder whether having these routine ultrasounds is helpful at all. Our mothers carried us not knowing whether our head or tummy measures up to other babies at the same gestational age, whether we're gonna be a boy or a girl, etc. When did this obsession with knowing everything before birth come about? We all turned out okay, right?


But what's been said has been said and we know what we know now. Nothing we can do about it. I prayed about it at mass last Sunday and I lifted my worry up to the Lord and asked Him to send me the Holy Spirit to replace the fear I feel with strength and faith. I believe that God knows what He's doing and that everything will turn out for the best. We will love this baby no matter what and we will make sure he's well taken care of when he comes out - whatever it is he comes out with, whether it's a smaller than average tummy or a vagina instead of a penis.

best of 2010: getting pregnant

The best thing that happened to us in 2010 was getting pregnant! After trying for two years, God finally blessed us with our little bundle of joy. 


We discovered we were on the way last July. I was on the last leg of my training for the Shape Run, was sprinting and all, and I fell sick. On the morning of July 21, I woke up, my gut telling me to use that spare home pregnancy test in my closet. I wasn't expecting for two lines to show (because there has always been just one line), but to my surprise, there were two lines! I checked the box and surely, two lines meant positive! I rushed out of the bathroom and woke Reden up. "B! It's positive!!!" He was groggy and was only able to mutter, "ha?" I said, "Positive!" And we just hugged and I almost cried. It was the best moment of my life (well, until I heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time). We just couldn't believe it we had to do the test again the following morning and the morning after that. All tests showed positive!


Our baby boy's due to come out in 78 days and we're just so excited. But before he arrives, we still got plenty to take care of. We have three sessions of childbirth education classes to attend, a hospital bag to pack, a crib to look for and buy and clothes to wash. These on top of us looking for a new flat and packing and moving and unpacking. Whew!


But we're happy. And we can't wait!


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Scrapbook page credits: Background paper, knot with eyelets and journal mat from Baby Got the Blues kit by Tracy Scherrer at Digital Freebies. Polaroid frames created using Photoshop.

best of 2010: reunion with SYG

Another highlight of 2010 would have to be my reunion with my closest friends from high school. We've been friends since 1994 and the last time our barkada was complete was in 2005, I think.

Madz, Thet, Cecile, Eden, Grace and I called ourselves Six Young Girls aka SYG back when we were students in Canossa, and I'm glad to say that up to now, even when we're not so young anymore, we're still very good friends.

Life pulled us to different directions (and provinces and countries!). Madz migrated to Ontario, Canada in 2005, while I moved to Singapore in 2007. Thet lives in Batangas City while Cecile stays in Quezon City. Grace is still in San Pablo City while Eden, after working briefly in Taiwan, is now back in Alaminos, Laguna. 

When we were kids, we talked about our crushes, gossiped about the popular girls, got entangled in teenage dramas, fought and made up. Now, we mainly talk about our families and how we're coping with life. We've grown up.

My friends are all raising their own kids now and I think they're all doing a great job at it. Taking care of the children plus work and/or keeping our homes in order keep us busy and don't allow us to get in touch as often as we should. But, thanks to Facebook, we're doing a better job at updating each other about what's up in our lives.

I'm really so proud of these girls women. I love them and I'll always be grateful I have them in my life.

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Scrapbook page credits: Poppy and Cream dots background papers, blue, green and orange flowers and butterfly from Princess kit, and alpha from Promise kit, both by Shabby Princess. Template by Tanya Riley.

best of 2010: a new job for Reden

Reden landing a job in Apple is really a blessing and miracle from God and is certainly a highlight of the last year. It just came at the perfect time! We were pregnant, I wasn't working, we needed to boost our income and suddenly this opportunity came knocking on our door. 

My husband wasn't actively looking for a new job but a head hunter got in touch with him and recruited him for this new role in Apple. Since it was a well-known multinational company, Reden decided to go for it. After several interviews, he was finally offered the job. His first day was last November.

This just shows that God always gives us what we need. As long as we remain faithful to Him and believe He knows what He's doing, everything will fall into place. :)

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Scrapbook page credits: Green net paper, blue paper, yellow lined paper and patterned paper, and buttons all from Graphic Pop kit from scrapbooks etc.

new year cleanup

A few weeks ago, I cleared my closet of clothes, bags and shoes I haven't used for a while and rid our bedside table of books I've been meaning to read but haven't, packed them all in a box and sent them to the Philippines. The other day I deleted all e-mails I received and sent in 2009, then today I unsubscribed from the newsletters I receive almost daily, mostly from job sites. I also just removed a stack of old InStyle, Simply Her, Shape and various airline magazines from the cabinet in the living room and from my magazine holder here in the bedroom.


I wonder why I've kept my stuff for so long. I guess, even if I'm sort of zen about life and have read Eckhart Tolle and listened to Oprah, I still get a sense of security in holding on to stuff. Life is just so unpredictable after all you'll never know when you're gonna need your outdated magazines or when that size 10 dress will fit you again, right? But who am I kidding? All I'm really getting are dust and cobwebs and limited storage space.  


And so I clean. I purge. The new year is just the perfect time to do these things. Besides, we're scheduled to move house at the end of February. The baby's coming soon too and we need to make room for him.   


It feels to let go of stuff. It's liberating, and life just feels lighter and seems more spacious when there is no clutter or anything unnecessary in your midst. Letting go allows us "to finally turn the page, the entire page, not just dog-ear it, and move on," as The Universe told me today.


So this year, I resolve to streamline my life. No more clutter. Buy only what I need and will actually use instead of buying impulsively. Borrow things that can be borrowed, like books and magazines. And in general, to just stick with the basics. 


Here's to a clutter-free 2011. 

hello 2011!

Reden and I celebrated the coming of the new year at the Conrad Centennial Singapore. We  thought it would be a nice change from our usual celebration here at our apartment in Upper East Coast. 

We checked in at around lunch time on New Year's Eve then had a delicious seafood lunch at the Manhattan Fish Market at Marina Square. After that we went back to the hotel and took a nap. We woke up to the pitter patter of raindrops on our room's windows and figured it would be nice to have afternoon tea at the Executive Lounge, where there was an extensive selection of snacks and beverages.

Around 6PM we started to get ready for our 8PM dinner at Golden Peony. We had our clothes pressed earlier that afternoon and they were delivered right on time. At around past 7PM, we checked out the hors d'oeuvres served at the Executive Lounge but unfortunately, they already ran out of food! Reden just had a glass of wine, while I sampled a piece of dimsum. I didn't want to be too full for our 5-course dinner!

At 8PM, we went to Golden Peony, where we were promptly lead to our table. I think it was our first time to have a semi-formal date like this and it was really nice. The environment was relaxed and the place wasn't intimidating. We had a great time chatting in between courses, which were all delicious! 

Since we were in the city, we thought we could walk close to where the fireworks will be displayed, but we were too full after our dinner and just too lazy to do anything! So we just turned on the TV and watched from there. 

It was a memorable new year's eve celebration and I hope we can do it again! 

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Scrapbook page credits: Background papers, metal clips and alpha from Citrus Blitz kit from scrapbooks etc.