Something To Do After Pregnancy =)

After the baby's born, these three will be my priorities:

a.) Caring for and breastfeeding my baby
b.) Finding ways to cope for the expenses incurred during childbirth
c.) Getting back in shape! :)

According to Baby Center, this is how I could get back in shape:

Wait six weeks after your baby is born before you start to think about losing weight

To give your body some time to recover from labor and birth, wait six weeks or so before you think about slimming. Do bear in mind that your body may change shape after pregnancy, and you may find it difficult to return to your exact pre-pregnancy weight.

Don't go on a very restrictive diet, just cut back

If you're not breastfeeding, you can start to eat a little less than you'd need to maintain your normal weight. But don't go on a strict diet -- women need a minimum of around 1,200 calories a day to stay healthy.

To get started, choose low-fat, high-fiber foods, plan healthy snacks such as fresh fruit to stave off hunger instead of grabbing a biscuit on the run, and avoid grazing from the fridge. Also, do watch what you drink, as a surprising number of calories can be hidden in juice and other drinks. Enjoy eating a nutritious, varied diet, which will help to speed your recovery from labor and birth, and help you keep up with the demands of being a new parent. For the average woman, this means eating about 1,900 to 2,100 calories daily.

While many women who breastfeed lose weight because of the energy it takes to produce milk, the non-breastfeeding mom will need to work harder to get the same results. "The 10 pounds or so came off really quickly after the birth," says mom Lucy. "And I lost about another half in a coupe of weeks. But the last couple of pounds were worked off at the gym and brisk walks pushing baby Amelia in the stroller."

Your body needs up to a year to restock nutrient stores

If you ate a good, nutritious diet before and during your pregnancy, you may only need a few months to restock all the nutrients your baby needed to grow and develop.

But, if you did not eat well before and during pregnancy -- for whatever reason, including morning sickness, food aversions, or other pregnancy-related difficulties -- it can take a lot longer, around a year or more. It may take that long even if you were a model eater. Remember, you've just accomplished a strenuous, nutritionally draining feat. Give your body the time it needs to get back in shape.

Sourcenote: http://www.babycenter.com.ph/baby/youafterthebirth/nutrition/diethealthyweightloss/

Can't Get Over It =)

If there's one thing I find irksome yet somewhat adorable about Daddy, it's the fact that he has insomnia, and when he lays down beside me at night, he makes "kulit," regardless if I'm already sleeping or still wide awake... and when I'm already sleeping, I get mad because it's been hard for me to fall into a deep sleep these days... and I do cherish my sleep....

And then, when I fume up, Daddy mimics disappointment and threatens to leave his side of the bed... and I instantly spring up and would have to bear with him 'til he falls asleep.

And then, I'd realize, while it may be true that I lost some sleep because of his "pangungulit," Daddy has made me happy anyway. So, we're quits. =)

{It doesn't take so much to make me happy. I think Daddy knows by now na mababaw masyado kaligayahan ko. Hehe.}

But le' me share with you the craziest, funniest thing he's ever done in this category. (I stil can't get over it. Haha.)

Well, it was Wednesday, but the night being Wednesday night doesn't make it any different from those other nights when he'd have bouts of insomnia. And so, I slept early, and he drank some booze before going to sleep. I hardly noticed him when he lay down beside me... and as usual, when he did, I was mad once more because he was making kulit, pinching me all over and playing with my face and hair. So, he said, "Ayaw mo? Sige, matutulog ako sa labas." And then, he went out. I followed, maybe a minute after. I went outside the house and looked around. When I looked up, 'guess what I saw?

Daddy's perched on to the window grills like a monkey. At the sight of me looking at him, he grinned like crazy.

It was simply the MOST INSANE thing I've ever seen! I went back inside the house... Daddy went down from the window... and when we went inside the room, my frown was transformed into a pair of giggles. I honestly forgot to punish Daddy... we were just laughing our heads off, and then, we hugged and finally went (back) to sleep together.

The next day, whenever that event flashed back to my memory, I couldn't help but grin, wherever, whenever. =)

Haha! =) Just a sharing. =D

* This post can also be read here, featured on the Mommy Diaries blog. =)

A Mommy's Prayer

'You know how many times I've literally fallen over throughout my pregnancy?

I guess, the major ones were, three times.

The first was when I tripped while trying to walk between two chairs while carrying a box of tapes. I bruised my left knee in the process. Second was when I was writing graphics content, and I happened to have sat on a wobbly chair. The last was when I was walking on a hilly path one sweltering afternoon at work and I almost rolled over and bruised again my left knee.

To this day, I still am scared stiff. But I place my hope and faith in God.



'You know what? I believe I should've miscarriaged during those events. But I've always felt that a guardian angel was there to serve as my fortress so I would go through unscathed. That's why I'm extra thankful that God gave each of us angels to guard us through.

My prayer, still, is this:

Lord, maraming, maraming, MARAMING THANKS PO!

Lord, ang baby ko po....

Ang daddy niya....

Please keep my baby normal.

Please keep us safe, happy, healthy and in good hands always.

Amen.

Woohhhh... Daddy's a Psychic :o

I always knew Daddy is super confident and has very strong instincts... but that didn't prepare me for what he shared the night he was drinking with his bro {story here}.

You see, I haven't undergone ultrasound yet, but I believe my baby's gonna be a boy because Daddy strongly says so. :o And then, he says the baby's gonna look like Toto, my youngest bro (he looks very, very much like me; only he's a boy); only, the baby's nose will not be flat and his hair will be thick but straight (yey, those are from his Daddy! =) ). I was actually surprised... if that'll be true, then it only means that my father's genes were really strong... because I personally believe that si Daddy ang napaglihian ko. =) Hehe.

And oh, I also told you about the new puppy already, didn't I? =) Well, Daddy tells me the puppy's size right now will just be what Baby's size will be when he's born, so Daddy now makes me carry the puppy every now and then so I could practice. =) Did I share with you before that I'm really, really anxious as to how to take care of a newborn baby because I'm super clumsy? Well, Daddy's been scolding me ten times already because he says I hold the puppy like it's just a doll that I can drop on the floor whenever I get tired. :o So, I'm still practicing. Hehe. =)

Just a sharing. =)

Guess What...?

... we have a new PUPPY!

It's just an ASKAL, but I find it to be one of the cutest dogs in the planet. =) Its name is Kroko (or Croco... dunno how Daddy intends to spell it), but I sometimes call the pup Baby or Puppy. =) It's hair is a fluffy brown-black-white, it's got cute black eyes and a bushy little tail. =) It's MAARTE when it comes to food (parang nagte-taste test lang palagi), it devours lots of water, and it learns fast (Kroko already knows where he should pee or defecate). And, it follows its owners wherever they go. I remember just this Saturday, when I was alone in the house... I went inside the toilet to take a bath, and Kroko was whimpering because he doesn't know where to find me... I kept on calling him so he would be pacified... and when I got out of the toilet, there he is... right in front of the toilet door!

And then, when I went inside the bedroom to read some broadsheets, he went inside, too, and found someplace where he could fit in snugly and went to sleep. When I went out of the house as silently as I could to check the water, when I turned my back, there he was... right behind me, following me!

Then, this morning, as I was prepping for work, I found Kroko standing outside our bedroom door, and following my footsteps wherever I go. I find it so adorable! =)

How did we find Kroko? Well, he's actually Charming's puppy. Charming is Daddy's first-ever, and favorite, pet... right now, she's with the in-laws. =) But lately, Charming has gone haywire... she seems to have been struck by the deadly rabies, and she's been wrecking havoc to everything and everyone, from the soil in their backyard to the wooden doors, from visitors to members of the family. :o So, Daddy decided to just sell Charming... it was heartbreaking for him, as Charming was his first and favorite dog.....

The night before Charming's departure, Daddy drank with his brother. I and his brother's girlfriend were around to make "kwento" with them. But my purpose was really just to stand guard beside Daddy, because his brother tends to drink too much. Also, he said he's going to visit Charming and talk to her for the last time, and only his brother knew then where she's at, so he's just kinda getting along with his bro.

I almost pierced him on the ear upon their third bottle of booze, because he was already tipsy. But he hugged me, and said he needed to see Charming... she was his first and the closest to his heart. So, I just promised to stay beside him, sans the fact that he's puked on my back (eww, hehe).

They have just made three shots on the last bottle when Daddy said, "Tara na, punta na tayo kay Charming." And off we went... but it wasn't that emotional. Daddy isn't emo.. but I know he's been really sad.

The following day, Daddy and I slept 'til past 12 noon because our heads ached terribly (mine because of the heat and lack of sleep, his because of the hangover)... and then, we slept once more after lunch 'til around 4:30pm. Come evening, we both went to bed at around 10pm... he summoned me to hug him and wrap him in blankets because he feels cold and I don't want to turn off the electric fan (pregnancy ups your body heat, you know).

So... that's it. =)

My Mommy Journal's Online Now! Yehey! =)

Check this out:

My Mommy Diaries.

This is my online Mommy Journal! =)

You see, I've been writing on a mommy diary since I hit 2nd trimester... wasn't able to share the contents online yet for lack of time... but now, since I'm scheduled to begin my maternal break next week (wink), I think I'll be able to attend to this na. =) An excerpt:

"Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Baby. Mommy loves you. Daddy loves you, too. And we wanted you so much. We'll do everything to give you the life, the future that you ought to have....."

Aww? :)

Happy reading! =)

P.S.: I forgot to say that membership is strictly BY INVITATION ONLY. :) If you want to view the contents, please gimme your Multiply username or the email address attached to your Multiply account. =) Thanks! =)

And... it's still under construction, so for the moment, please bear with me. =) Grazie! =)

Recent Realizations =)

You're my peace of mind in this crazy world.....

He really loves that song. And I love that it speaks about him....

You see, these days, maybe ever since we lived together, I've been having a hard time going to sleep (as in, a restful sleep) when he's not yet beside me. Once he lays down beside me, I hug him, and once I feel him close to me, that's the only time when I'd really get a restful sleep.

For him, though, it's the other way around. 0_o He says he's having a hard time dozing off while I'm blissfully hugging him in my sleep. =) Blame that on the balmy weather, but I think it's also because he's aware that he's putting somebody to sleep, that's why he himself is being deprived of it! Haha... poor husband! :p

That's why sans that, I'd really like to thank him for sleeping beside me still. It has made not only my pregnancy, but also living in a home other than my childhood one, more comfortable and bearable.

Meanwhile, this morning while I was prepping for work, I just had this realization: I'M MEANT TO BE A MOM! =) Why did I say that? Well, while I was trying on dresses to wear to work this morning, I happened to peruse some of my body features... and I just realized that they're really tailor-made to carry a baby and build a family! =) I've got wide hips, big thighs (which, I've read on Reader's Digest, helps in a baby's brain development), big boobs (xp), and all. =) Plus, a lot of people are saying that I look prettier now that I'm pregnant, sans the extra pounds. :)) So, maybe hiyang talaga sa 'kin magbuntis. To think that I once decided to stay single and childless for life!

Yes... when I was younger, I'd fall in love and get into relationships, but I never saw myself as a married person.

That is, until I met my baby's daddy (yihee!).

But the realization did not arrive to me overnight. We were, I guess, already five years into the relationship (super on-and-off!) when I finally realized that I want him to be the father of my children and my partner for life.

It all started when he brought me to his childhood home and introduced me to his family. We talked in their backyard... and it was the first time we really hugged each other (with matching closed eyes! =). While he was hugging me with his eyes closed, I suddenly realized what a catch he is... I suddenly realized how handsome he is. =)

It was also our first time to engage in a long conversation... a conversation which I found so meaningful, I wanted to be engaged in it forever.....

I hope he feels the same way......

Daddy, I love you. With all of me... guaranteed! =) I want to spend my life forever with you.

God, bless us. =)