The D-day Story

Any mom can tell you that the longest days happen during the 9th month of pregnancy. Each day feels like it's progressing snail-slow, that all you want to do is wish you have control over the ticking of the clock. Time can be such a tease like that!

Pre-natal checks come every week at the 36th week mark and you become both anxious and excited. I don't know for some, but no matter how I search my own emotional state, I just could not find nervousness there. I knew that delivering a baby is probably a woman's most painful experience, but somehow the idea of finally seeing that miracle inside your body becomes overwhelming that all other thoughts are shunned from your brain.

On my 36th week, I didn't think I can still manage to wait for a week or two more before D-day. My back pain was killing me. Walking after a day at work is total torture. On the worst days, I had to take a rest for a few seconds after every step and fighting tears all the while. On my 37th week, I decided it's time to avail of my maternity leave.

On the day I was scheduled for pre-natal check, the doctor informed me that I was already 3cm dilated and 80% effaced and that I had to be at the hospital already that night. She performed one more ultrasound to check baby's position and hooked me on the heart monitor. The monitor showed my contractions were still weak and at long intervals when I was admitted.

I was still 3cm, 80% the next day. I was inserted some meds that morning to help me dilate, and was closely monitored. (IEs are total torture!) I still did not show any progress throughout the day. When my OB came to my room that night, she informed me that I'm still 3cm, but already 90% effaced. She said that my contractions will likely come that night and that if they still won't, I will have to be at the Labor Room at 7:00 a.m. the next day for some medical interventions.

Still no contractions came, so I woke up early, took a bath and prepared myself for 7:00 a.m. I even put some make-up on for good measure. Heck, I'm about to take on a very painful experience; but I sure will face it looking gorg! (Teehee!) The midwife promptly fetched me in my room at 7:00 a.m. I was hooked up on IV and what I think was liquid to induce labor. Contractions were still stubbornly MIA for about half the day. The midwife monitoring me (pain scaling and all) became so bored at waiting she fell asleep on the side of my bed. Good thing I brought with me my phone inside the Labor Room so I spent all my pain-free time on Facebook and even closed a deal (through texting) with a couple who wanted the hubby's photography services on their wedding day.

All made up! Now ready for the Labor Room. #letsdothis

Strong contractions finally came a little after noon. The bored midwife already ended her shift, so I was stuck with a new one (who is not the friendliest of midwives, I tell you). I was given 2 doses of pain reliever, which knocked me off right away. I woke up to contractions every now and then, and fell back to sleep when they're gone. I finally felt the strongest contractions that came at very short intervals shortly before 5:00 o'clock. My OB came and I was transferred to the delivery table until Baby K was successfully delivered at 5:00 o'clock. It happened fast and I was unconscious most of the time, save for the times I felt the contractions and needed to push.

The day I delivered Baby K was one of the best days of my life. Despite the pain and all the weirdness, seeing that my baby is healthy is such a relief. I always prayed that she comes out naturally and as a healthy baby, which God really answered.

A lot of mothers - colleagues at work, relatives, even random people - told me how painful and traumatic delivering a baby is. They narrated their experiences all with superlatives. This, perhaps, helped me prepare for what was to come. I made myself ready for the worst possible pain that when it finally came, I thought it fell short of what I was expecting. Perhaps, they were only exaggerating. That or I have chosen a good OB. Whatever the case, I am very thankful for that wonderful experience. It was not traumatic as what other mothers claim it would be. In fact, I still want another one soon. At the right time, of course.

3 Months Later...

Exactly three months after my last post, I finally decided it's time for another one. I don't even know where to start. The last three months have been life-changing. And to say that I am overwhelmed with all the changes is an understatement.

When I delivered our little bundle last August, I saw one of God's miracles. Making me bear the pain and deliver a healthy baby girl is God's work. I know He was right there from the moment I entered the Labor Room, had my first contraction, until the time that I delivered Baby K; and I know that He will always be there to watch over our little family.

Baby K's first few weeks was the hardest, I should say. I could not sleep at night for fear that I might not be able to wake up to the baby's cries. I watch over her all night while busying myself on some novels. Things got better as she grew older, however. Now I sleep close to her, which I think she likes, and get awoken by her after 3-4 hours for feeding.

When K first smiled and cooed, I felt like the happiest person on earth. Jheck was ecstatic, too! His favorite time of the day now is their "face-time" - when they smile at and talk with each other. No amount of stress and pressure from work cannot be taken away by her smiles, coos, and gurgles.

I intend for this blog to be updated and active, but while I'm still struggling with my new schedule (I'm back to work now after my two-month maternity leave), this will have to wait. However, should my schedule permits, I aim to still write about things I find pretty, food, and now, baby and mommy stuff.

'Til my next post!

Love, 

Janjie

Pregnancy Diaries: Week 36, The Emotional Roller Coaster

Okay, so that picture above is not exactly a recent picture, since my fondness for pictorials has been significantly reduced to, wait for it... zero (yep, vanished just like that!) since I got pregnant. I thought that it is quite fitting for this post, however. So, there.

Anyways, this week marks the 36th of my pregnancy. Nine freakin' months, yeah baby! So, how does it feel, you ask? Or not. I don't care, I'll tell you anyway. Well, have you ever been so tired of being tired? Have you ever felt like being invaded and not owning your body anymore? If not, then you probably have never been pregnant before, because I swear that's just how I feel right now. I feel as though my body is just so done, so worn out, and so used up at this point. But don't get me wrong. This is a choice I made and I do not regret a single thing about this pregnancy ever. There is nothing in the world I so desire right now but to deliver a healthy and strong baby girl and to finally meet her. It's just that... I'm already so tired and exhausted that I just wanna cry. ;-( Taking a rest and not doing anything is not an option either. It only makes me feel even more tired. That is why I decided to do freelance writing online again. It, at least, gives me some form of distraction, and one that pays at that.    

I don't know if it is all the pregnancy hormones kicking in, but I'm feeling especially emotional today. Hence, this post. Maybe because the hubby is out of town for work and I'm left with no one to talk to anymore. It's he who always absorbs my overflowing stresses and complaints and exhaustion and desperation and whatnots. And now that he is not around and will not be around for a few more weeks, I'm alone and sad and even more tired. This makes me think about an even deeper issue that I have chosen not to deal with all because I have Argey anyway - that I have no real best friend. Well, there's Argey who is my bestest friend and my husband in one, but there's just no one else. There are my gurls, yes, but... I don't know, maybe I want more than the occasional meet-ups, the hollow talks and the superficial decision of leaving broken pieces un-mended. 

Times like this make me wish I have someone who will be there to check on me, to share with my anxiety and nervousness, to listen to my weird talks about the changes I feel physically and emotionally, to just be there for me as I will always do for them. It's times like this that I feel very inadequate and ask myself what else I need to do to get the care and attention I think I deserve. I have always been an independent and confident person, but sometimes it's just so tempting to be the one being looked after this time. Sometimes I wish I had the chance to make groups of friends, instead of having only one. Now, I realized that the problem with giving your whole self to a few people is that they can always choose to tear you up, leaving you broken and with no one else. You do everything to take care of them, but you get shunned away and are left wondering where exactly you went wrong. 

Whoa! You, sneaky hormones! Anyways, I'm now counting days, and I still can't believe how I managed all the changes in my body all these time. Nine months is no joke, I tell you. My OB said that D-day can be as early as the first week of August, and I find myself desperately hoping that it will really happen then. I'm both anxious and excited for that day to finally come. I know the little one feels the same way, too, or is she just being super active lately? I hope Argey and I can still squeeze in a short maternity shoot, though. We've always been planning for one, but our busy schedules just won't allow it. I know, I know, it will be a real bummer not to have one.  

'Til my next post (whenever that may be)!

Love, 

Janjie

Pregnancy Diaries: Week 25, Time to Shop & Travel

I'm on my 25th week now, and I just wish time comes a little faster now. Now I'm past the second trimester and entering the third and last 3 months of my pregnancy. I don't know what first-time mommies usually feel during this time, but I feel excited more than scared, really. I have slowly learned of the patterns in the baby's movements already, and she flutters and kicks now when I stroke my tummy, when Jheck and I call her, or when Wabby, our dog, barks at my tummy.

Oh, did you notice I now use one pronoun? Yep, it's a SHE and Jheck and I could not be happier! (*insert big, toothy smile here)

According to http://www.babycenter.com, where I usually learn about pregnancy stuff, my little one now measures 13 1/2 inches and weighs about 1 1/2 lbs. ONLY one and a half friggin' pounds, which means all these weight that I'm gaining is ALL MINE!!! (*sniff)

My OB asked me to go on a diet already, which I'm doing. I swear, I'm doing my best! I have cereal or oatmeal for breakfast; full meal with brown rice for lunch; and oatmeal and milk, and sometimes just fruits for dinner. I also eat wheat bread with peanut butter, wheat crackers, raisins, or fruits in between meals, too.   But the other day when I stood on a weighing scale, I swear I just gained another five pounds, and it's not even the end of the month yet.


ONLINE SHOPPING

Anyway, Jheck and I have already started with the baby stuff shopping. We always visit the baby sections in the malls that we have around Dumaguete, but we do most of the shopping online. We got to try these two shopping sites yet:

1. Tots and Toddlers (http://totsandtoddlers.com.ph)

Shopping here is fuss-free and easy. I love that their items are unique, quirky, and reasonably-priced. We got Carter's bodysuits, bather and receiving blankets, Avent baby bottles, and cute rompers. We also got this nest that is so hard to resist!

I find shopping at Tots and Toddlers so convenient. You have a lot of payment options, including bank transfer and Paypal. Average delivery period for provincial destinations is 3 days, but we got ours in 2. 

2. JRLL Baby Online Store (https://www.facebook.com/jrllbabyonlinestore)

I love their unique items, too, but my shopping experience with them was not very pleasant. It turned out that some of the items that I had reserved was already sold out, and they told me that after I already made the payment. As a result I had to change the items or get a refund, so I just browsed around again and looked for new items. It's so sad that the fabric diapers and shoes that I liked were no longer available, and I was stuck with the ones that are. I also told them to insert the amount that was not expended due to the changing of items on the package, but no money was there when it arrived. I still received the delivery with the new items, though, which tells us that they are legit; but if you plan on purchasing items from them, you better make sure the items that you like are really available. 

TRAVELLING WITH THE BUMP

Last weekend, Argey and I went on a short break and traveled to Cebu. I was quite hesitant at first to go on a 4-hour bus ride, but I realized that I will no longer have the chance to go out in a few week's time and until a few months after the delivery, so I just decided to go. I did a lot of research on travelling with a six-month baby bump and found out that it is safe, as long as you keep yourself hydrated. Flexing the feet and changing sitting positions frequently also helps in keeping the blood flow normal. So, yep, I survived! Keeping my pace slow and always drinking water helped a lot. 

Jheck and I visited Sto. Niño Basilica and strolled around the malls. Of course, we never missed the baby stores. We got a few additional bodysuits and rompers, some pretty socks, and hooded towels. We are often told not to splurge on baby clothing so much because she'll likely grow very fast, but I'm still working on resisting the overloaded cuteness of those little clothes and dresses. Urgh, so hard!

We also visited La Vie Parisienne. I have been longing to eat there, and I finally got the chance to. True to what others said, their croissants are to die for! It's the best croissant I've ever tasted! 

 

If you're planning to head to Cebu City anytime soon, never fail to visit La Vie Pariesienne. It's along Gorordo Ave., Lahug, right beside the famous French Restaurant, La Maison Rose.

I'm surely going back there as soon as I can, maybe with our baby girl in tow already!


Love, 

Janjie

The CJ Cupcakery

Yesterday, Argey and I came across this enticing new cupcake stall near Dumaguete Robinsons Movieworld - The CJ Cupcakery - and I just couldn't help but give in. Well, who could resist these tempting, moist cupcakes in varied flavors and pretty frosting? I remember my OB once telling me to reward myself once in a while with the food that I have been depriving myself of. It won't hurt, she said, as long as I do it in moderation. So, reward myself, I did! Teehee!

Argey and I first tried these six flavors among the many that they have on display.

1. Snickers

          Moist chocolate cupcake with peanut bits. Its frosting is peanut butter and chocolate with that signature Snickers taste, toppped with chunks of Snickers bar and crunchy caramel bits.

2. Oreo

          Cream cheese cupcake with bits of Oreo cookies, butter cream frosting topped with crushed Oreos.

3. Kitkat

       Moist chocolate cupcake with milk chocolate frosting topped with a chunk of Kitkat bar.

4. Lemon Dream 

              Lemon cupcake with cream cheese frosting with a hint of lemon.

5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

            Chocolate chip cookie cupcake with cookie dough frosting with chocolate chips, topped with their home-made chocolate chip cookie.

6. Red Velvet

              Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting topped with red sugar crystals white chocolate pretzel.

The CJ Cupcakery also sells other sweet treats, like their yummy stuffed cookies. Large-sized cupcakes like those above are available at PhP38 each and the micro-sized ones at PhP18 each. 

For orders, you may contact them through the following:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cj.cupcakery
Tel. Number: (035) 422-9807
Cellphone No.: 0917 303 9224
Stall Location: Near Dumaguete Robinsons Movieworld

Pregnancy Diaries: Week 21

So, I decided to create this segment on the blog to chronicle my pregnancy journey. This segment will not only allow me to share to you, guys, my pregnancy experiences, but will also serve as a mini-diary that I can always look back at to relive this special moment in my life. 

I'm on my 21st week now and the little one now makes sure I feel his/her presence inside me. Those stirs and nudges are becoming very pronounced now and I think I'm starting to see a pattern in his/her movement. Ugh, it's kind of hard what pronoun to use for the baby, and I can't wait for our scheduled ultrasound next week. I am getting impatient by the day and I so want to know if our little one is a he or a she, stat! 

According to one article that I read, our little one can now taste whatever I'm taking in. This makes me extra cautious now about what I eat or drink. He/she can now recognize Argey's voice, too! Whenever hubby calls him/her, he stirs and kicks and responds to his voice. Phew! They already got a special bond, and I suddenly felt left out! 

It is now a little hard for me to get the right sleeping position, too. My OB said to always sleep on my left side for proper blood flow, and I swear I'm trying hard to stay in the position. But sometimes I just have to deal with the pain in my back and side. Argey has been a huge help, however. He is such a sweet hubby and he never deprives me with the foot and back massage that I need before bedtime. He tucks me to sleep, too, and arranges the many pillows that I need before going back to do his work.  

It really is true what they say about pregnancy filling in a gap in your life that you once thought does not exist. There are, of course, the inconveniences that go with the condition, not to mention the weirdness that comes with every prenatal visit to my OB; but beyond all that is this certain kind of happiness and fulfillment that I feel. These and the excitement to finally meet him/her really pays off all the troubles. 

See you on the monitor next week, baby! Mama's beyond excited!

Love, 

Janjie

What to Expect...

What a long hiatus it has been, hasn't it? And inasmuch as I would like to tell you of a good excuse, I don't think much of it will matter anymore. To say that a lot has changed since the last post in this blog, is to say the very least. Things have gone a 180-degree turn, if not to exaggerate.

Anyway, I guess I will have to try to update this blog more often now. Not just to give justice to the domain renewal and all that, but also to have an avenue to vent out. I have not done much of that lately, and I tell you, I rant in my mind more frequently now. In the bus, when work's not keeping me busy, before I sleep, heck, even in the middle of the night when I get jolted from bizarre dreams.

A lot of things may change around here, however. The usual things that you often see on this part of the web, may no longer be the same anymore - from my end, at least. Funny how the things that happened in the last few months - personally, physically, and socially - have changed my perspective and priorities. I cannot even begin to fathom how puny I now think my previous posts are. They have become, to me, shallow, conceited and superficial. No regrets, though, since I had a lot of fun creating them. They will remain as evidences of my growth, which I believe, you will understand better with my succeeding posts. So, what will the changes be, you ask?

1. Outfit Posts - Less to None

Sadly, my job now requires a regular uniform - although I get the special exemption for the next four months. Our office now has an assigned uniform for each day of the freakin' week, which means that, yeah, there will be no outfits to talk about anymore. I still go out once in a while on weekends, but then I will be in shorts or casual clothes. So, yeah, no point anymore. Bummer.

2. ...When You're Expecting

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/232076187017779806/

I'm 21 weeks preggo now! Yep. A little one is on the way. So, expect posts about my journey as a first time mom. I know it won't be easy, and I will then badly need an avenue for all my thoughts. It's going to be a big shift, yes; but I know I will still be talking about something close to my heart.

3. Home-keeping and all That...

Hopefully, Argey and I will already be able to live in our new house. It's a work in progress, and boy, what huge work it still entails! But we remain positive that we will soon fully live the life that we choose.

4. And all Things Pretty...

For the moon and smiles and hellos and rainbows and pink and laughter and love and kisses and meadows and flowers and nature - for these and for all other things pretty... These are what started this blog in the first place. 


With these changes from my end, I hope you will still be all there to join me through this new chapter in my journey. 

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." - George Bernard Shaw


Love, 

Janjie

Happiness Starts With Friends

Even though we plan our dates ahead of time, it still ain't easy for us to have a get-together like this. But everytime we have one, it feels like we are never islands apart for a few months or so. And there has never been one boring and awkward moment catching up with these guys, you know. No need of expensive planned and listed activities to do to make it worthwhile. Set a date, have dinner, and the rest is history. So what more could I ask for than to spend a Christmas and year-end date with these crazy people? ...and giraffe? ;)

Yes, that yellow I'm-sticking-my-head-out-of-the-bag-is-Giraffe. And yes, her name is Giraffe.

 

I miss these girls already!! Aww.. Until the next get-together, and I mean the Surigao summer vacation, okay? 

Xoxo

Jhet 

New Year. New Life.

It's amazing how life sometimes catches you off guard... gives you something you longingly pray for at the best possible time. And you get so overwhelmed by the timing. Then you realize you are complete. Finally. That there is nothing else in the world you wish to be given of right at this moment. 

This new journey I will have to take on entails a whole lot of responsibility; but with my families, friends, and Argey behind me all the time, I know this one we can nail. And I wish you all will still be part of that journey with me, wherever you are in the world. Expect some drastic swings in the life of this blog, by the way. Though, of course, there is Jhet to keep us all on track. 

Happy New Year, lovies!

Dress - thrifted
Sandals - Crocs