Happy 1st Birthday my Love

Look at how you've grown... 9 months in my belly, after 1 hour and 24 minutes of labor, you came in to this world and now look at you... your now 1 year old.




At 1:20am in the year 2006, I laid in the delivery room, pain was all over my body. My cervix is already 8cm dilated when we reached the hospital. Yes, I felt the contractions but I didn't know I was in labor (I was waiting for my water bag to break) until I can no longer bring myself to the bathroom to pee. I held my breath to push as hard as I can. I was ask to do another push for 10 seconds holding my breath. Then the doctor said, here he comes... one more push... one two three four five six....ten. Then I was unconscious. I woke up groggily as they are stitching my v****a. I heard a nurse say... "Tapos na po". Literally it felt like I just pooped.. the biggest poop I've ever had. I felt exhausted and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room at 5 in the morning. I was moved to my private room by 7am and I waited... for the nurse to bring me my son. And at 10am, 8 hours after I gave birth, I held your tiny precious body in my arms. I was at the most happiest and yet it was the scariest moment in my life.

I was actually reminiscing with my mom what we went through when I had AJ and when she had me and my brother. It was truly an experience of a life time.

Happy birthday AJ! Mama loves you.

my advice on Smart Parenting

Yesterday I received a sms from my mom..

"Nand2 k smart parenting yon Be an Early Bird but not a winner! sori better luck next tym"

I had no absolute idea what she was talking about so I shrugged it off and went on with my busy day at the office. When I arrived home, I asked her what was her message about.. She handed me the back issue of Smart Parenting (Jan-Feb 2007) -- and leafed through the pages until I came across the Parents' Helpline page.

And there it was.. my first ever parental advice published on a glossy-nationwide circulated-parenting magazine. I'm so (excited) proud to see my name with designation as

"MOM TO ANDRE JONAH, 3 MONTHS". I believe its the best and at the same time the hardest job in the world.

Anyway, now I remember receiving an email from our company mail moderator (around September 2006) that Ed-In-Chief, Jenina Alli is asking for parental advice for a working mom who went back to work after her maternity leave and now her baby favors the yaya more than her. I just replied not knowing that my advice would be published in their first ish for 2007.

This is a very special memorabilia and I intend to keep this magazine for AJ to see when he comes of age.