A Blissful Wife .... And Mother ....

First Time With Shrek

cuddled @ 7:50 PM |

Sad Ending ....

cuddled @ 7:56 PM |

Mother's Day ... Birthing Day ...

This photo was taken few hours after I gave birth, and Honey was traveling his way back home. I felt good after receiving these bunch of sweet entities from Honey, handed over by his relatives. Love you Honey!!!

Jedd ... Our New Little Angel ...

At exactly 11:35 nightfall of Mother's Day, 13th of May, I became a new old Mom to our second little prince, RENZ JARREDH "Jedd" SANTIAGO.

We reached St. Lukes at 5pm. My cervix was already dilated by 5cm. But if you will see or hear me, well, I could say I was the calmest Mom on-labor on earth, hahaha! I acted normal, my secret was to exercise good breathing, in every contraction pain.

I had an epidural anesthesia (regional anesthesia resulting from injection of an anesthetic into the epidural space of the spinal cord; sensation is lost in the abdominal and genital and pelvic areas; used in childbirth and gynecological surgery). For those women who went through childbirth and who are familiar with this practice, I'm sure they known that under epidural anesthesia, half the time, you were asleep and having a good rest althroughout your labor. So if there is such thing as like what my obstetrician termed it "a very pleasant delivery", we're very much thankful to GOD, for allowing me to have such.

Honey was home the next day right after I deliver. He really is a help for me right now, coz one toddler, and one infant, are a handful for a recovering Mom as myself. Well, thanks Honey for the flowers and the chocolates you sent me while I was on labor. They were certainly my post-delivery stress reliever.

And allow me to use this space to thank my best friend for more than a decade, Venus and her family. For spending, sharing and being there with me, during the rough stretch of my pregnancy, from labor to delivery to recovery. Thanks Pare, you are one of a kind. Love yah!

And to my doctors, my Ob-Gyne, Dra. Elsie Badilla-Pascua, the gorgeous, and the best doctor in town, who happened to share the same birthday with Jedd, May 13th. Thanks for taking care of me during the entire pregnancy, and for making things easy for me during the delivery. And to my groovy and funny anaesthesiologist, Dr. Torio, who has the lightest hand in the world. I wasn't traumatized when he inserted the needle on my spine. In fact, I didn't even feel his hand touched my back, and before I knew it, I was over and done with my epidural. A very negating experience compared to my first born in Bangkok, which I shed tears when I had the epidural anesthesia in my back.

And most importantly, thanks GOD, from preventing things to screw up. For giving me the bravery and the strength on having a normal delivery without my husband beside me. And to finally, had a safe and sound delivery to our angel Jedd.

Cherished Cole Page KitCreated by Amber Gray

cuddled @ 8:06 PM |

I'm A First Time Voter

I'm a registered voter in Mandaluyong under my maiden's name JOAN LAMBERTE ALCARAZ. I'm already 25, and it is my FIRST TIME to vote. Yeah, you read it right, I'm a first time VOTER. I'm kinda excited and jittery that finally, I will exercise my right, and my voice will be counted as ONE VOTE.

I prefer not to elect any candidate vying for local posts in Mandaluyong since I have no knowledge about their performances. I only gonna cast my ballot for 12 senatoriables, whom I strongly believe will serve as a catalysts for change and improvement in our embattled nation.

I still hope against hope, that we will have a fair and honest election. Well, it is better to be hopeful than to be hopeless at all.

That is ... if I'm still not hatching ... hehehe ...



First Day of School Page Kit
Created by Lauren Bavin

cuddled @ 2:30 AM |

Counting the Days ....

We've been ticking off the clock and been waiting for the D-day! In line with this is being wrapped-up with the preps of nursery, baby stuff, and all that jazz. But first things first ... the hospital bag.

This is my hospital bag, inside are going-home outfits for Jedd. One-piece newborn dress, mittens, cap, booties, and blanket, all in uniformed set and blue in color. Since I'll be still sporting a sizeable tummy after I deliver, a one piece pink loose dress for myself. Of course included inside, are my personal toiletries, digicam, videocam, chargers, snacks, and the most important of all, my make-up kit, hehe!

My doctor informed me that for a vaginal delivery, without any complications, I have to stay in the hospital for two days. As per Wednesday last week, I was already 2 cm, so I think, we really are counting not so many days. In fact, there were days that I thought I was already in real labor. Only to find out, after reading my book (What To Expect When You're Expecting), that I was having a false labor due to irregular contractions. Honey is becoming apprehensive (right Honey?hehe), and been wanting to go home since last week. He can only stay here for a week. But since we're anticipating a normal childbirth here, we can never predict when it will happen. I only tell him, that whenever it is, I'm more glad to spend our pastportum days with him, and I really need a hand during those days.

So wish me luck guys, this might be my last pre-delivery post. Who knows? Whew!

cuddled @ 12:39 AM |

Spidey & Barney Weekend

I strongly believe that I am running out of time, and Jett and I will be spending less frequent bonding moments in no time. That is why we are making the most out of my barely two weeks pre-40th week or my due date, before we both get stuck with Jedd (his baby brother) as soon as he arrives.

On Friday, we watched Spider-Man 3 on the big screen together with his cousins. It was an interesting movie, though we never saw the ending, coz Jett was becoming jittery on his seat after nearly two hours of watching, and told me "Mommy, it's finished, go home?", short of saying, "Can't hold on much longer, I'm bored, let's go out." I know it wouldn't be possible to keep him idle that long, I just want him to enjoy the difference of watching on big boob-tube, for it was quite an experience for him. It was his second moviehouse acquintance. The first movie was Cars, and yes we've seen how it ended, but not how the story started, hahaha! I just suited myself digging the plot in DVD, and pretty much sure to do the same on Spidey.

cuddled @ 3:40 AM |

The Miraculous Well of Divine Mercy

We've been frequenting The National Shrine of the Divine Mercy few years ago, since me and my relatives settled here in Marilao. In fact, it was here where I acquired the sacrament of "kumpil" way back. If I'm not mistaken, I was 12 years of age then. Many devotees have made this church prevalent and now refer to as a national shrine.

Then there is this well, a wishing well inside the shrine. Just like any other wishing wells, you gonna toss a coin, then utter your prayers/wishes. I have to admit, I'm a skeptic when it comes to these kind of stuff. We always look at a glass as half-filled, not half-empty. And I believe in hard work. But JESUS, really is a working GOD.

My husband was idle for work in nearly 6 months, before he left to Bangladesh. In short, 6 months of no money coming-in in our savings. In an excel workbook of expenses, a negative sign beside the figures has been there for months.

Until one fine Sunday afternoon mass, Jett started asking for money. He told us he wants to throw money inside the well, just like others. And then we gave him money, he tossed inside the well, and then we asked him to pray his bedtime prayers everytime he throws money. As simple as this, "Dear Jesus, please take care of Mommy, Daddy, Jett, and baby brother. Please help Daddy find a job." And ,then after a week, a job offer was emailed to Honey (his project now in Bangladesh), and after a month, he flew.

cuddled @ 4:09 AM |