You turned 3 months last December 8th. T'was the feast of the Immaculate Conception and we thought that it was marvelous timing to celebrate life ~ your life!

You have been steadily gaining weight this month and have grown quite rapidly, in my opinion. You are a very talkative baby, do you know that? Your constant cooing, giggling and ooohh's often fill the room with much joy. Sometimes, you seem to act like your sister when she was your age but also sometimes not. I believe that you have a character of your own and we are more than excited to know your very own temperament.

We celebrated your 3rd month with spaghetti, eggpie and ginataang mais (your Grandma made it just for you!).

With your Grandma staying with us for the past weeks, you have grown to enjoy being carried and rocked by her. You love it when she holds you in the rocking chair and how cute you tenderly fall asleep in her arms. I'm sure you feel the love and care that she has for you!

Meantime, your sister also shows how much she loves you by always wanting to kiss you in the forehead. She likes to act like Mommy by repeating what Mommy usually whispers to you, "Luigi, baby boy, sweetheart....". She likes to say that over and over again!

And how lucky you are for your Dad is truly very hands-on in taking care of you. He takes over looking after you and your sister whenever he can (he's a great Dad and yes, he wakes up at night to hand you to me for your feeding).

I feel truly blessed for having all of you, my 3 darlings, to come into my life. And for that, I'll be forever thankful to God.

I have been wanting to do this tag for the longest time. I think it's a very nice tag.

FOR TODAY (December 08, 2009)...

Outside My Window...the sky is slightly overcast. Christmas is just around the corner.

I am thinking...of my Christmas list and how I’ve managed to not to do it. Harhar. I'm also thinking of my Lola Maring. It's her death anniversary today. It broke my heart when she passed away.

I am thankful for...for my two children. They mean the world to me!

From the kitchen...we are preparing for Luigi’s 3rd month anniversary! There’s spaghetti, ginataang mais, egg pie (with a #3 number candle for blowing later!).

I am wearing...a white blouse, gray skirt, gray Pashmina and silver shoes!

I am creating...a letter for my boss.

I am going...to go to this emptied room a bit later and try to pump some milk for the baby.

I am reading.../was reading somebody’s blog and wish I could write like that too.…if only I can get my act together.

I am hoping...to receive my very first pay by Friday (after more than 3 months of no pay). Yipee!

I am hearing...”Forevermore” by Side A on the radio.

Around the house...I have a bunch of things to clean up and organize. I guess I'll have to take that up when I get home tonight.

One of my favorite things...is feeding my baby boy.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: do some grocery shopping, go to confession, attend Zoe's Christmas party at Kindermusik, get-together with friends (karaoke maybe).

Here is picture thought I am sharing...*Zoe and Luigi last weekend*.

“Married life: an occasion for God’s presence on earth”

There are many good reasons to honor Saint Joseph, and to learn from his life. He was a man of strong faith. He earned a living for his family - Jesus and Mary - with his own hard work. He guarded the purity of the Blessed Virgin, who was his Spouse. And he respected - he loved! - God's freedom, when God made his choice: not only his choice of Our Lady the Virgin as his Mother, but also his choice of Saint Joseph as the Husband of Holy Mary. (The Forge, 552)

Being a victim of the recent flood, I just can't help but be worrisome whenever a new typhoon is said to approach the country's area of responsibility again. People say that if it happened before, then it can happen again.

I really don't understand how all this came to be. I think what we need is for everybody to really make the effort to take care of the environment. In particular, we all have to practice proper waste management in our households. Plus, the government has to employ the best means to collect the community's garbage and to recycle it. They can use a good Waste Management Software to implement a good waste management plan. When this is done, then we can be assured that waste will become less a threat to our environment.

Luigi turned 1 month last October 8. We just cooked pancit, sopas and fried chicken for dinner. Simple but yummy! To top everything, my sister who flew in from Iloilo that day was thoughtful enough to bring us a white chololate cherry cake from JD.

I really miss blogging. As you may have noticed, I rarely get to post anything here at my site nor have I had a chance to bloghop to my favorite sites and online friends' sites. Sometimes, I even think that I should review the terms and conditions of my website agreement because I realize that it's only a month from now that my domain contract will expire and I might not be able to access my website or something just like what happened to my friend. I'm actually looking into this great site on website hosting to study the options I have in case I want to change my webhost next year. It's better to be cautious than sorry, right?

Anyway, there are actually so many things I want to journalize here. First, I've been trying to compose my birthing story for Luigi plus my breastfeeding adventures but never seem to have enough time to finish it. Then there's Zoe's 3rd birthday party celebration. Next comes my story on the storm Ondoy and our nasty experience. After that, I got sick and weak for one whole week. Then came Luigi's baptismal ceremony and party during which my sister arrived from Iloilo to be with us. Lastly, I want to talk about my annual retreat and some of the bright ideas I received from God. :-)

Now, I only wish that I had a faster internet connection so that I could share more pictures and post more stories without the hassle of long lag hours waiting for the pictures or the pages to load on the screen. I also have been researching on website hosting features and its benefits now and I want to get it over and done with before the baby cries for milk again. Well, see you all later!

Just want to share a pic from Luigi's baptismal ceremony last Saturday, October 10, 2009 held at Sta. Maria della Strada Parish in Quezon City.

I was just looking out the window and see so many of my neighbor's Office Furniture being hauled out of their house. I feel so bad because all of these nice furniture were damaged by the flood. You see, my friend had a home office and when the flood came last week, all of their stuff: furniture, appliances, clothes, shoes ~ practically everything ~ were either destroyed or damaged by the flood.

I particularly feel so bad that my friend's office table, cabinets and chairs were all washed out by muddy and dirty waters of the flood. Their whole family almost went hysterical after they saw the damage done to their house and properties. I feel so sad for them. What's worse even their food supplies were also consumed by the flood. It was such a humbling experience and I hope and pray that this will never ever happen again.

We're gearing up for Luigi's upcoming christening next month.

So far, I've managed to make a sample invitation (designed lifted from the net) for our guests and family.

How do you like it?

Done with the antibiotics, that is...

Luigi was found to have some infection in his blood because of the meconium he inhaled/took in while still in utero. Thus, he needed to have antibiotics injected via IV for seven super long days. I am so grateful lang na the pedia removed na the heplock on his left hand yesterday. Finally, his hand is now free! So kawawa to see him with a heplock strapped on his tiny hand.

Now, we are off to the lab for his CBC and CRP blood test. Hopefully, everything is now normal.

It was my daughter's birthday last week and since I was indisposed to leave the house to bring her somewhere special or to prepare a big bash for her, I have been thinking of making up for my shortcoming by looking for some girls' dresses online for her.

It's really a great thing to be able to shop for clothes for my daughter without having to leave the house. For starters, I have been constantly visiting Shopwiki for help on where to start looking for casual clothes, dresses and sleepwear for Zoe. The pages not only gives me leads on the best places to make an online purchase but also suggests the latest styles and trends for young girls. Shopwiki even shares info about the general sizes for certain age brackets. This is a big help for mommies like me who are clueless on what size would fit my 3-year old daughter.

Anyway, we are planning the baptism of Zoe's baby brother for October. I hope that by then, I will be able to make a purchase for my daughter so that she will look fabulous too on that special day.

I'm getting a bit impatient already because when we went to the doctor yesterday, my cervix is still closed and I only have up to Wednesday next week for labor to set in. I told the doctor that we're willing to WAIT some more days until we finally decide to make a go for CS or not. A lot of things can still happen within the next 7 days, you know. I could still give birth via NSD, if God will really permit it.

So, what do I need to do? Well, I'll say: pray, wait, walk (and walk some more), maybe keep my mind busy by checking some stuff on the internet like how to get a term life insurance quote, read, and when the right time comes, give birth.

Yes, as one of Zoe's favorite Spongebob episode script goes, "We're waiting, we're waiting, we're waiting..." for our gift (baby boy) to arrive. We have been waiting for so long and it seems like forever. So far, I don't feel any regular contractions yet and I think my cervix is still closed. It seems that the baby doesn't want to go out yet since I still have to have some kind of closure at work (I've avoided turning over some of my tasks for some reason). Until then, I think, I remain to be pregnant...Hahaha.

Anyway, the baby clothes have been washed already, the hospital papers are ready, our bags are packed and my mind is set to give birth. I've been having vivid dreams already of giving birth which I think signals my innate anticipation to see the baby soon. The only real question is when the baby will come.

Meantime, I plan to keep on walking and make myself busy with the other stuff that needs to be prepared. It's my husband's last week at work so I also plan on being with him by also taking my maternity leave already by next week (that is, if they don't rush me to the hospital within this week). And while on leave, I don't think I'll have much of a chance to surf the net or update this blog. Maybe it will take me a few weeks of adjustment or so. That is why I'm also taking advantage now of looking for an online seller of wonderful anniversary gifts for our upcoming anniversary in October. I read from www.bestoftime.com that they offer lovely Rolex watches that I'm sure my husband will love to have. If only I could afford to buy to now...otherwise, it also might have to wait.

I was alone last night at the waiting area outside my doctor's clinic when it suddenly hit me: I FEEL LIKE I AM MY OWN MOTHER. I found myself sitting there, my hands on top of my belly with fingers intertwined against each other. Yes, it very much felt like I was my mother for I have seen her many times sit that way with the same kind of posture and gesture of the hands.

Unconsciously, there are so many other mannerisms and words I've blurted out that seem to be so similar to how my mother would act and speak. Sometimes, I find myself humming to my little girl at night and then stop suddenly because it seemed as if I was hearing my mother's humming, instead of my own voice. Other times, I would unintentionally say "Tatay" referring to my husband (I don't know if he ever noticed this). But you see, I never call my husband "Tatay" because he has always been "Hunny or Dad" to me and Zoe. It's my mother who would devotedly call my father as "Tatay", not "Benjie", not "Dad". I know, it's crazy.

These are just bits and pieces of the many things that I think I may have "inherited" from my mother. Because of these, I am reminded of her and feel mighty happy that she is mother. I just wish that I had more of her better traits: her simplicity, her order, her generosity, her love for God. If only I could be a little bit more like her and exude even a small bit of her great virtues.

Maybe I'm feeling all of these because she wants her spirit to be felt too. Maybe she wants me to feel that she's still there for me to accompany me in this pregnancy and new stage of motherhood. Or maybe it's simply because I missing her. So much.

As I have been blogging here a few weeks ago, my husband has finally decided to resign from his current job. We thought it would be a very difficult decision but, somehow, God paved the way for him/us to see clearly the right thing to do. Therefore, in the end, resigning did not mean a lose-lose situation but more of a win-win situation for us and for our family.

We realize now that there is more to life than working for that company. There are endless possibilities around that can offer better compensation and a better life for us. Similar to the case of people who want to advance in their jobs, some stop awhile to study, review and get certifications such as becoming a CMAS, my husband now has his hands full learning and re-learning how to nurture his skills further in order to do a more specialized job in the future. And with His help, things are bound to look up.

Sometimes, when you come across a similar crossroad in your life, the tendency really is to panic and lose your trust in the One above. But you know what, I have realized for myself that you do not control your life. It is God who controls it and you only have to pray to him for guidance and direction so that the decisions you make in your life are in consonance with what He wants you to do. And there is only one direction He wants you to take all the time: the right direction. You have to have it clearly in your mind and heart that you always have to do what is right amidst the hardships, even the calumnies and false accusations. And when you do that, God will always be on your side. That's how it works really and I have no doubt that He is and always be on our side as long as it is to Him that we are loyal to and not to any human being who shows even the highest authority here on earth.

Lately, I've been excited over collecting stuffs I need for the birth of the new baby. I also find myself scouring through our cabinets, wanting to put things in order as much as I could. On the internet, I've also grown very excited looking at furniture such as Platform Beds which we need for the room of the kids. Many people call it the nesting instinct for pregnant and soon-to-give-birth mothers like me.

Mysteriously, there seems to be a sudden surge of energy that many pregnant women feel some weeks before they give birth. Some say that this happens in preparation for upcoming labor. I have been reading up on birthing materials and find that many of the things that I have tendency to do and to feel are pretty normal for someone in my stage of pregnancy. I sometimes feel impatient waiting for the baby to come and at the same time, I also want to cherish this pregnancy very much. So where do I put myself really? Can someone tell me?

I'm so grateful for the one day non-working holiday that the government has imposed for August 05, 2009. Apart from the fact that we were able to update ourselves with the current happenings in society (i.e. the death and funeral of the late former President Cory Aquino), we were also able to spend a day for my semi-monthly checkup with the OB (we're awaiting for trial labor!!!). As a plus, we were also able to go to Greenhills for some shopping and bonding with the little girl.

Hay, thank you!

In these changing times, internet technology has indeed been a growing tool for businesses and for personal networking. It is a venue for product marketing as well as for airing personal views and opinions. And among the billions of people in the world, I feel good to be one of the lucky ones who have access to the internet and the world-wide-web. Really, it is a whole new world out there. In it I've discovered a treasure of valuable information and knowledge. Through it, I also have found new friends and rediscovered friends from the past. It has truly helped me in developing my personality, improving my professional skills and obtaining the tools I need in fulfilling my role as a wife, mother and home manager.

If you are currently hooked on blogging and web site publishing (like me), I suggest that you check out this page on web site hosting so you will learn more about the best webhosts available to you. I swear that this is one of the best places to look if you are planning on making your mark in the internet and world-wide-web. I personally can attest to the reliability of the data and information that they can offer since I, myself, have done my research on webhosting by visiting this site.

My husband came to pick me up at the office last Monday night and told me that he gave his notice of resignation at work. It has been something that we have discussing about in the past weeks, even months. I just didn’t know he was going to do it so soon, and when he told me, I had to catch my breath.

He made that decision because of working conditions. They were very, very poor. Actually, I give him a lot of credit for putting up with it for as long as he did. However, for him, enough is enough and so he decided to quit.

With the baby coming soon and the bills endlessly piling up, maybe we do have some reason to be scared. To be honest, I sometimes do get that feeling of uncertainty in my stomach. However, it's not the end of the world ~ not yet and far from it!!! We remain to stay positive. I am proud that he made a firm stand on his morals. And if only for that, he deserves something much, much better.

These words struck me today. Amidst the perceived troubles and difficulties associated with a current development in the family/work front~ all, I believe, is for the good and will become better in the long run. Besides, God will not forsake those who love Him and strive to follow Him.

To my dear blogger friend Ai from Poland, thank you so much for the awards and kind words you've written about me. I feel so humbled and blessed to have found good friends like you in the online world. Your blog post literally came in as a "cheer up" sign for me since I was feeling down this week. And because of your nice gift to me, I am certainly coping and starting to smile again. Ai, you are an angel!

Thank you so much, Ai! Take care and God bless you and your family always.

We recently had an issue at home that has been a real downer especially for me. I hate to blog about the details but it definitely has left me so SAD (and partly guilty) for three days now.

With all these challenges in life, I realize that:

1) Ang hirap pala talaga ng walang nanay at ang hirap maging "nanay". So for those who still have moms, cherish them while they are still alive!

2) The world is not perfect and no one is perfect.

3) You don't have to blame yourself for failures beyond your control (that's quoting my husband). As long as you have tried your best, then the rest should be left to God.

4) You cannot control the freedom of others. People can do certain things for reasons they alone know why. You can only hope that they will realize the wrongness of their actions...soon and by the grace of God.

5) God has a reason for everything. OMNIA IN BONUM (Everything is for the good). And although I would and maybe could have done something to prevent the "thing" from happening, it's really out of my hands.

***

They tell me - "This is for the best. Learn to let go! Worrying too much is bad for the baby." But really, it's just so hard for me. I still feel so sorry and sad that "it" had to happen (and if only I could miraculously make F. understand the things he has to realize for himself...)

Sorry if I talk in generalities here. I just need to let it out in some way otherwise my heart will burst. Anyway, I'm just so glad that during times like these, my hubby is always there to calm me, be my best friend and be my support. For that alone, I still feel so blessed.

I just spent a whole day of testing at the hospital yesterday to determine my baby's biophysical score and non-stress test results.

It was so good to know that the baby is at its best health (very active and growing according to term) and that it's 100% confirmed to be a baby boy!

What's not so "pleasant" to learn is that I currently have a low-lying placenta that is almost indicative that I might be bound for a repeat CS instead of a VBAC. Although this is all fine with me, my OB suggested that we schedule the CS as early as my 37 or 38th week. This means I might be giving birth in August and not September (hwaaat?!). This is more apt daw to avoid having me running to the hospital for an emergency CS when I start to labor (which nobody could really predict when will happen). Having to wait for labor to set in daw is like risking having uncontrolled bleeding which can be a result of my low placenta position. She told us further that since I am already at my third trimester, it may already be unlikely for my placenta to be pushed up (the placenta needs to be at least 5 cm away from the cervix to be cleared for vaginal delivery).

Oh. Oh. Oh. I told the doc that I still preferred to give birth close to my due date. And so we settled for Sept. 5 barring any unforeseen labor occurence.

Now I have to quicken my pace in the office and in turning over my work to my officemates so I could give birth earlier just in case.

Feeling lost? Well, I just changed my template, that's why!

Saddened that my other blog (H-E) has lost its long-time luster (no thanks to G), I felt that I needed to make a change today. I started out by erasing my old template for my domain and replacing it with something new and fresh!

How do you like it now?

I was fixing a bulk of papers around the house and found this very old piece which I still remember as my sister's winning oration speech back when she was in elementary. It brought back good memories of our school days.

So, anyway, I'd like to dedicate this oratical piece to my one and only sis:

Dirty Hands by John P. Delaney S.J.

I’m proud of my dirty hands. Yes, they are dirty. And they are rough and knobby and calloused. And I’m proud of the dirt and the knobs and the callouses. I didn’t get them that way by playing bridge or drinking afternoon tea out of dainty cups, or playing the well-advertised Good Samaritan at charity balls.

I got them that way by working with them, and I’m proud of the work and the dirt. Why shouldn’t I feel proud of the work they do – these dirty hands of mine?

My hands are the hands of plumbers, of truckdrivers and street cleaners; of carpenters; engineers, machinists and workers in steel. They are not pretty hands, they are dirty and knobby and calloused. But they are strong hands, hands that make so much that the world must have or die.

Someday, I think, the world should go down on its knees and kiss all the dirty hands of the working world, as in the days long past, armored knights would kiss the hands of ladies fair. I’m proud of my dirty hands. The world has kissed such hands. The world will always kiss such hands. Men and women put reverent lips to the hands of Him who held the hammer and the saw and the plane. His weren’t pretty hands either when they chopped trees, dragged rough lumber, and wielded carpenter’s tools. They were workingman’s hands – strong, capable proud hands. And weren’t pretty hands when the executioners got through them. They were torn right clean through by ugly nails, and the blood was running from them, and the edges of the wounds were raw and dirty and swollen; and the joints were crooked and the fingers were horribly bent in a mute appeal for love.

They weren’t pretty hands then, but, O God, they were beautiful – those hands of the Savior. I’m proud of those dirty hands, hands of my Savior, hands of God.

And I’m proud of my hands too, dirty hands, like the hands of my Savior, the Hands of my God!

My pictures are so random so please bear with me.

Taken at the Ocean Adventure in Subic last May 13, 2009 --- the Sea Lion Marine Patrol Show:

And lastly, taken at the Ark of Avilon near Tiendesitas on Zoe's 2nd birthday - September 09, 2008:

When we went out last Saturday to do some errands, this is what the little girl wore.

She looked so cute that a foreigner that we coincided with in the grocery couldn't resist telling me how lovely Zoe was (ears clapping!!!).

:-)

I almost forgot to blog about how I am enjoying this new laptop that I got recently (thanks Hun!). I was actually so busy at work this week that I kept resisting opening it every time I get home from work. Most of the time, I get very tired and stressed already by the end of the day that I don't have the energy anymore to surf the net or to enjoy and play multiplayer games,8c1.net.http://www.8c1.net.

Good thing we got to do our errands for today all in the morning. We woke up early today to go to mass. Then we headed to the bank to make a downpayment for Zoe's first semester at Kindermusik. After that, we went to the grocery for our regular weekly wet and dry marketing. Whew! It was a trying morning but it was fun.

Anyway, I now have to time to bond with new my laptop and it's a good feeling.

The little girl obviously had lots of fun in school. She already sings along quite well with the songs and even remembers the "small details" that T. Jeannie has taught them like doing the salute or saying "March, march!"

Story-telling time (Row, Row, Row Your Boat):

Last weekend, I bought a mini-stroller for Zoe's talking baby doll (which is a gift from my aunt from Chicago). I thought it would be the perfect way to orient her about the coming of her baby brother in 3 months' time....and IT WAS!

Zoe liked pushing the stroller and taking care of the baby so much that it was practically the only thing she did the whole morning! She just wouldn't let 'her' baby out of her sight.

She even wanted to use an umbrella so that the "baby wouldn't get wet in the rain". :-)

My husband and I had a post-birthday dinner celebration on Monday night at Conti's. The weather was kind of perfect. It was a cold night because it was drizzling a bit. We walked towards the restaurant with hands together under our small umbrella which I thought was so romantic. :-)

We ordered our usual favorites: mango royale salad, baked salmon and lengua estofado. It was so yummy that not a single bit of food was left on our plates. Our conversation during dinner revolved mostly on domestic matters: Zoe, baby boy, housekeeping...you know, that kind of thing.

We talked and talked about the present as well as the future. For example, we both agreed to get Conti's again as our caterer on baby boy's baptism which wouldn't be a long time from now (we plan to have the baptism by 1st week of October) just like we did during Zoe's own baptism three years ago. We also discussed the baby boy's name...yes, we're definitely getting there soon! I hope we will get to decide on the name very, very soon!

Anyway, we also talked about our plan to have a house renovation. I told my husband that I would love to re-design our dining room. I pointed out to him the nice mirror wall in Conti's and told him that I want to have something like that done to our huge dining room wall. I also told him that I've been looking at some Cheap Rugs online because I plan to place several Area Rugs both in the dining and living room. My plan is to put complementary rugs which would give the house a sort of theme. Rugs are the perfect thing to put coordination in the color-themes amongst the rooms in the house. My husband just had to agree with me (why wouldn't he?).

Oh last Monday night was one of those perfect nights!

My sweetheart turned a year old yesterday.

For his birthday gift, I got him something that looks like this (with smaller lenses) ~

I wish we could go on a foreign trip this year. But all our energies are focused now on the coming of the second baby that we have no time to plan something out, even if it's only a short getaway.

Among the places we want to go is in Europe. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Europe and see the beautiful places in Italy, Spain and France. This time around, I wish my family and I could go to places we all have never been before like Germany, England and Portugal. I've got several cousins and relatives in different places in Germany and I would love to see them again. In UK, we have a good friend who is working there whom we have been aching to see too! As for Portugal, I have never been there and the country really looks so inviting. Maybe we could make a holiday vacation to Algarve. I have actually started to look at several other hotels and destinations. I even have found cheap car hire faro airport which we can rent to enable us to travel en route to Algarve. Anyway, to get there, you need to land at the Faro airport first and the hire the reliable 121 car hire portugal to take you to the places you want to go. Faro is actually a leading low cost stop for business travelers. It is Portugal's second leading international airport and is often used a gateway to get to major vacation attractions. Sounds so interesting, right?

So we had to back out from our post-summer outing to Tanay. Tsk. Tsk. Good thing everyone who decided to go went back to Manila that same day before the evening set. Most of them headed to our house to celebrate my husband's birthday that night. And oh, did we have FUN!!!

Oh, I'm drooling over this beautiful Office Furniture especially designed for a home office. I found this piece at Spacify.com and I think it's perfect for me. I have been telling my husband lately that I really want to have my own work table. As a student, I was used to having my own study table where I did my homework and studying. I have since left that wooden study table in my old room (the one that I used when I was still single and which is now the nanny's room -- oh lucky her!).

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!

When I'm stuck with a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh!

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day

A way!

We were planning to have a swimming cum outing tomorrow...

But with the rains and winds now, I'm no longer sure if it's safe to go out tomorrow...

It's so sayang 'coz Zoe and (all of us) are all so excited to go tommorow...

If only the SUN WILL COME OUT TOMORROW!

I saw my friend today and she was surprised to know that I was on the family way. She told me that she also wants to have a second child already since her son, like my dear Zoe, is already turning three years old this September. She touched my tummy and asked me my secret to getting pregnant naturally. Apparently, she and her husband have been trying to conceive for months already but have yet to gain positive results.

I immediately told her about this ebook that I think is a must-read for trying-to-conceive couples. The book is entitled "Personal Path To Pregnancy" by Beth Riley. By reading this book, you will get to know interesting facts and tips on how to be pregnant naturally, that is, without those invasive treatments that usually cost a fortune. I told my friend that it's worth giving a try.

Actually, I had it more as an appetizer than a main course (I still have my reliable "baon" to complement it, hahaha).

The verdict: It's ok but I think it's a little small for my usual serving size...and it looks so much better in the picture. :-)

During my latest trip to the salon last Sunday, the lady who did my pedicure asked me if I wanted to wax the hair in my lower legs. So making sure that it's alright to have this procedure done even if I'm pregnant, we went to this enclosed room and she waxed my lower leg. After a few minutes, viola! My legs were hair-free and what a confident-booster it was for me!

Actually, unlike me, my friends often undergo body hair treatments. They have been urging me even before to join them and have laser hair removal in chicago. They tell me that if you go to a certified dermatologist, they can perform modern laser procedure to properly remove all your unsightly body hairs in the legs, underarms, arms, etc.. And what's great about laser procedures is that hair doesn't come back for a longer period of time compared to other procedures such as shaving and waxing. For example, Lakeview Dermatology offers modern skin treatment procedures which will surely make you feel beautiful, without the pain.

Now I think I'll have that laser treatment right after I give birth. :-)

My cousin Nina sent this picture of Zoe last week ~~~ and I'm loving it to bits (hmm...except for the fact that my growing nose is also peeping here... shucks).

This was taken in Tagaytay during our family reunion. So pa-cute no? Anyway, I hope she'll stay as cute and charming as she is now.

For some time now, I really have been aching to go to Greenhills again.

Blame in on the past days of rain. Why? It's because I have vivid memories as a teenager of spending cold rainy days in Greenhills. I would go with some friends and we would eat at the McDonald's there, enjoying a hot pack of french fries and a hot fudge sundae to go with it. We would stroll in Virra Mall and try out several funky outfits. We would also go to the Gift Gate shop and buy some Hello Kitty stationery and stickers to add to our collection. Then would cap the day with a game or two at the bowling center. After that, it was going home time once again. Oh, that was the LIFE!

Greenhills now (unfortunately or fortunately) isn't the same Greenhills I used to know. It's now, well, different. Of course, there are more choices now when it comes to clothes and shoes. Now, there are lots and lots of restaurants and fast food chains there too. There are even good cellphone and computer shops at the second floor. There are also rows and rows of shops selling great accesories, jewelries and other items that are associated with Feng shui for wealth and prosperity. (I heard that my friend now often goes there to buy several feng shui items to invite good "vibes" when it comes to health, wealth and money.)

Anyway, change is good. But whether Greenhill's charm is still there for me or not, that's another issue. But at least I'm glad that it's still standing.

I have always be struck by the prayer for priests that is regularly recited at the EDSA Shrine. It speaks about how we should pray for those priests who have touched our lives in some way: the priest who baptized us, who heard our confession, gave us communion, etc. It also says that we need to pray for those priests who are young, who are old, who are dying.

Whenever I hear this prayer, one of the priests that always come to my mind is this kind and very wise priest whom I really look up to. I was only fifteenish when my sister "dragged" me (hahaha) to the center in Examiner for me to talk to this certain priest. My sister only had high praises for him so I gamely went inside the confession booth to talk to him. I still remember being very engrossed in my conversation with the priest that my sister literally had to knock on the confession door to tell me to come out already. I didn't notice that an hour had passed already! Hahaha. It was a very memorable first time for me. Normally, knowing myself, I wouldn't last 5 minutes in the confession. In this case, it was an utterly good first time that I kept coming back to the sacrament of reconciliation and spiritual direction ever since.

I am forever thankful to God for leading me to this holy priest. His advices to me really contributed a lot in helping me find and realize my vocation - a gift that I may never ever have discovered if I had not let my sister "drag" me to that place on that fateful day. :-)

So to you Father Guzman, thank you and see you in Heaven. I'm pretty sure you are there.

For the past few days, I have been extra careful on how we spend our valuable money. It is because the reality is, if you have limited resources, then you have a limited capacity to spend. The money you earn has a limit, thus you also have to spend within that limit. Going over that limit is equal to incurring debt. So really, the best way to stop more debts is either to stop spending over what you can afford in cash or earn more money.

Unfortunately for some people and companies, they do not control their budget spending and many times this translates to the non-payment of loans and other related financial problems. But fortunately for those in need of loan restructuring, you can actually get better terms by getting Loan Modification Leads for yourself through a good consulting firm.

I'm so looking forward to next week's post-summer outing with my college friends.

Our last outing was still last December in Baguio:

This time, we will be heading to Tanay where one of our friend's family has a resort. So it'll be from cold (Baguio) to hot (Tanay). It may be rainy too, depending on the weather. Yay! Nevertheless, I'm excited.

We had a very busy schedule last weekend. First, my hubby and I took our leaves on Friday in order to have ample time to wait and fall in line at the OB doctor's clinic in Cardinal Santos. Normally, our check-ups would be at M-Tech in Makati but M-Tech is temporarily closed until further notice. Thus, we needed to drag ourselves to Cardinal to have our monthly check-up. After our check-up (and after being given a "lonely" dessert and softdrink ban by the doctor), we headed to meet my Dad at the mall for lunch. It was a fun time for the Lolo and the little girl. My Dad gave Zoe a cutesy pig stuff toy which she has been hugging every single night since then.

We got to go around for a while at the Shangri-La mall after that. We scouted for some laptops and I think I'll be getting my own soon! Woo-hoo! We also checked out a voice over ip for a friend who has been looking for one. I heard that getting one is going to give you a lot of savings compared to making international calls via your normal landline telephone.

Anyway, we also had time to go to the mall-wide sale at Trinoma that evening. I got my husband a new pair of eyeglasses as my birthday present to him (*wink*). Actually, I should be a little ashamed because for his birthday present to me, he got me a new cellular phone! Hahaha. Thanks Hunny!

On Saturday, we were off to Kindermusik again for Zoe's 4th summer session. We then proceded to Araneta Center's Hap Chan for lunch. In the afternoon, we found ourselves in a McDo party for my friend Ruth's son who celebrated his 1st birthday. Zoe definitely had a lot of fun!

On Sunday, it was the usual mass in the morning. In the afternoon, Zoe tagged along as we ran some errands and I had some beauty parlor stuff done. Actually, I had let the hairdresser cut my hair short, as in very short. Honestly, I like my new cut even if I look like a "siopao" now. At least I have an excuse for cutting my hair and for looking (a little) fat. I AM PREGNANT after all, right?

During my OB check-up last Friday, the doctor gave me a definitive ban on the following:

Ugh!!! The culprit seems to be her clinic's weighing scale that didn't seem to cooperate with me that day. Hahaha.

I really hope to be a good girl na and really eat what is only the best for the baby. Wish me the best of luck!

My Dad and Ninang celebrated their first wedding anniversary yesterday and I texted them around noontime to greet them both. Ninang replied almost immediately and told me that they are at the Ocean Park at the very moment, enjoying themselves with looking at the different water species that can be found there. They are even scheduled to go experience those "doctor fishes" at the fish spa. Sounds like fun, right?

Anyway, I wish we can go there too sometime. The last time we attempted to go inside (I think it was Mother's Day last year), there were like hundreds in line before us so we decided to postpone it. Would anybody know here if there is an octopus in that Ocean Park? I haven't seen one up close and personal up to now, you see. I want to see one soon because I've been reading the website Octopus.com and I find it very, very interesting. Please leave me comment if you know where I can see one. Thanks a lot!

I only discovered Etsy recently and I am super glad that I did. Actually, personality-wise, I think my friend Lala is the more "etsy" one but just looking at their goods makes me drool!!!