My Baby's Milestones on his 1st year!

Every parent is thrilled with their baby's firsts....first smile, first laugh, first crawl, etc. And like any other parents, it was priceless for me as a first-time mom to see my baby's milestones. 

Here I am going to share my baby's milestone on his 1st year in this world!

His first smile was when he was only 6 weeks old, although some says baby normally start to smile when they are at least 8 weeks old. Maybe, my baby JZ is just really a jolly one!

It's heavenly! That's what I can describe when I saw it!

first smile

Tummy time is a part of my baby's routine esp in his first months. And when he was 4 months old, we started to see him roll many times and even at night I even woke up and just saw him busy practicing.

first to roll over

And like any other parents, we are excited to see our babies play with their toys. This is the first time for JZ to grab his toys - Elmo (gift from his daddy) and inch worm (gift from his ninang Mia).
He was 5 mos old then.

first time to grab his toys

I love to hug my baby and it's a great reward when he hug me back. That's why it was a heartfelt moment when he first hug me when he was 5 months old.

As he grows fast, he developed different skills that made me a proud mom. When he was 6 month old, he started to hold his teether  and loved to play peekaboo!

Starting solids is one of the most exciting part for me as a mom! That's why I tried to make home made baby foods for him. This is one of his picture eating solids (squash puree) and he really loved it! Apple puree, mashed banana, mashed potato and carrot puree are also his favorites!

first to ate solid @ 6 mos old

When he was also on his 6th month old, he started to sit on his own. 

I love this picture as he sat and smiled with matching pout!

first time to sit alone

Some babies skipped crawling stage and started to stand but my baby really loves to crawl. 

He started crawling when he was 7 months old. 

He wears the traditional flats (lampin) in this picture as he crawls on top of our bed!

first time to crawl

On his 8th month, he was very active as he loved playing more than sleeping and drinking milk.

He also pulled himself to his crib and attempt to stand at 8 months!

pulling himself in standing position

He had his first teeth (lower central incisors, right & left) when he was 9 month old. 

See how he shows his teeth on this picture!

And when he was 10 months, he started to stand on his own and take few steps with the help of this awesome walker (gift from his daddy's office mate)

When he reached his 1st birthday, he started to wave bye bye and clap his hands.

Now, he's almost 15 month old...he walks alone and even run fast though sometimes he stumble.

He loves taking step up stairs and  to say "Mimi" (referring to me - his mommy) and "Didi" (referring to his daddy). 

There are many exciting developments to look forward to as he begins his toddler years.

Hope we can share those moments too!

The Big Day - My First Child was Born!

The nine-months of pregnancy has ended and the big day has arrived! It was 22nd of Dec 2012, the day when my husband will be flying back here from Singapore for my delivery. Actually my due date is still Jan 9, 2013 and technically, it was only my 36 weeks of pregnancy.

Early in the morning of that day, as I remember correct at around 5 am, I felt contractions that was different than others that I had before. That's why I asked my mother to bring me to the hospital because I'm afraid that I'm going to have my early delivery. I was rushed in the ER of Calamba Doctors' Hospital, but then the ER Physician told me that it's only 1 cm, so I still need to go back home and try more walking (to prepare for the delivery). With that, I called my OB/GYN Dra. Manasan and she asked me to ask for room's reservation in case I'll have my delivery on that day. So, after reserving the room, we came back to our house.

Noon time, my husband arrived together with my extended family. I didn't feel any contractions that time but I really had that instinct that I'll be having my baby on that day. And then, I remembered, that I was scheduled for an ultra sound check-up to see if my baby in on the right position. I called my OB/GYN first and asked if I still need to do so and she said yes. So my husband and I went to the hospital just for the ultrasound check. We didn't bring any stuff because we planned to go around the mall after the check-up because elders asked me to have more walking for preparation on my delivery.

I remembered that because of the traffic, we decided to walk some meters just to ride a jeepney. My husband's ex-superior, Ms Carol even saw us walking down the street and asked us if we need a ride but we opted not to because we're out of her way.

Then, we arrived at the hospital around 2 pm. We waited for my turn to be checked and then after the ultrasound, we got the result. When we are about to leave the hospital, we saw my OB/GYN and asked me about my ultrasound result. So, we handed her out the result and we are surprised that she told us that I need to have a C-section right away.

The reason for my early term delivery and a need to do a C-section is due to Oligohydramnios. I am not familiar with the medical term, so I asked my OB/GYN what does it mean. And she told us, it means I have low amniotic fluid. Because of that, I may not have a safe normal delivery thus she needed to do a C-section.

Lately, I tried to search on what does that condition is all about and I found out at the babycenter.com that 4% of pregnant women had this condition normally in their third trimester. Wow, I am just one of those low percentage of pregnant women who had that! It also says that experts don't always know what is the cause of this condition and it is common for those overdue pregnancy. That's why I am surprised, because it's only my 36 weeks then. Also, it says that low amniotic fluid can make complications during labor, so I think my OB/GYN had the right decision to do a C-section since I was near term already.

Going back to what happened at the hospital. When my OB/GYN asked me that I need to have a C-section my husband immediately bring me to the ER and things happened so fast. The nurses prepared me for the operation, and they brought me to the OR. The Anesthesiologist gave me general anesthesia and that was the horrific feeling I had. It's like your eyes are close and yet you are still awake. I still heard the voices of the nurses and the doctors. My husband told me that I entered the OR at 4:00 pm and after 20 minutes I just heard my baby crying. It's funny, but that time there were news about babies who's being kidnapped in the hospital, that's why I am so worried that my baby might be a victim also. When I heard my baby crying, I told the nurses that I want to see my baby and even though the anesthesia made my eyes close I still struggled to open it so I can see my baby's face.

My baby boy weighs 2.6 kgs and has a body length of 47 cm. We named him, JOHN ZACHARY (from the characters in the bible - father and son John the Baptist and Zachariah) JOHN means "God is Gracious" and ZACHARY means "the Lord recalled". Below is he's 1st picture at the nursery station.

After the operation, when I was transferred to my room I still felt the effect of the anesthesia. My mother and my husband were telling me that I keep on talking and talking of non-sense and even raising my hands up. OMG, that was so horrific and yet funny part of my delivery. When my baby brought in our room and I was already rid out of the anesthesia effect, I carry him and had my first breast milk feeding. It was not really easy because I need to get up as my OB/GYN instructed to BMF my baby in a sitting position. The most painful part of the delivery is when they took off the catheter and at the same time they gave a suppository so I can have a poop before they discharged me from the hospital. It's one of the requirement plus you need to pee and fart as well.

But after all of the pains, seeing your baby for the first time is really worth it! The feeling of becoming a mother and seeing your baby that you carry for nine-months is really priceless.

This is one of my greatest achievement as a woman and as I experienced it first time, there should be no fear anymore.

My Baby's Checklist and Tips on Making your Own

When I was pregnant, I was a regular visitor of Baby Company section at SM Dept Store. I remember, if I'm not canvassing for baby stuff, I just watch all those cute stuff displays that makes me a happy pregnant!And because I was a regular visitor many salesman/woman knows me and even have chitchats on me whenever I visit the store. I really want to buy baby stuff as early as my 2nd trimester, but I preferred to wait until we find out the gender so I can buy appropriate color stuffs for my baby. But IMO, if you can't help and you're too excited to go shopping, you can still pick neutral colors so it will not be a problem if you'll be having a boy or a girl.

I know that every pregnant asks their selves on what should I really buy for my baby. As for me, I surf the net and do my own baby checklist. Here below is my reference on doing my baby checklist. I love this checklist because it is categorized and have the number of items that you need to buy. Although, I did not include some optional items listed. I did my baby checklist in excel form so I can also include the price that I canvassed and make notes on the stuff that we already have from my nephew and friends.

 If above checklist is overwhelming, here I found an essential checklist that you might consider. I think this checklist is brief yet complete that may not be overwhelming to pregnant women. In my experience, I regret of buying some stuff that are not really that important because somehow that money might be spend on other essentials for my baby or for my hospital expense. So if you're looking for a simple and brief checklist you can make this as your own reference.

Because I've been there with all the emotions of excitement and confusions brought by baby stuff shopping. Here is my tips for those pregnant who's planning on their baby's checklist. 

1. Make your own checklist. You can surf the net or even ask for your mother, sisters or friends who were already moms (they can be a reliable source as they experienced the same thing). You can have an essential list or have a long list with the optional stuff depending on your preference.
2. Consider your budget. Having a baby is a blessing but don't get me wrong it requires a budget that you need to prepare. You and your husband should consider first the budget for your hospital expenses (better to consider C-section expense because you'll never know if you'll have a normal delivery or not), second to that is your budget for baby stuff. Practically, I advise to buy the essentials firsts, because you can always have the chance to buy for other stuff when your baby arrive.
3. Take advantage on Sales/Discounts. Because I am price-conscious, (maybe because I worked as a Buyer years ago), I always took advantage of the Sales and Discounts, esp when I bought my baby stuffs. But I advise not to buy items just because it is sale.
4. Stick on your checklist. I know it is really hard to resist those cute stuff display on the baby section esp when they are on sale, but still consider if your baby really needs it or not esp when your budget constraint.
5. Consider second-hand stuff. If this is your first pregnancy, I bet all you want for your baby are brand new stuff. But there are other optional items that you can bought second-hand or you can acquire for free. Like strollers, walker, some blankets or even flat diapers that your nephew or friend's baby used. As for my baby, we had many items that we're given by my sister and my husband's friends like flat diapers, blankets, clothes, shoes, night lamp, etc.
6. Don't shop first before your baby shower. If you will be having a baby shower, I bet you'll receive different baby stuff from your friends so wait for it because you might be having the same thing that you bought. 
7. Always think of your baby's safety. You need to be very careful on selecting products esp the feeding items, crib/cots and travelling items (stroller,car seat, walker, carrier) because these items requires good quality compare to other stuff.

I hope this help you in one of your preparations of being a mom! 

Enjoy your shopping for your precious ones!

DIY Fabric Storage Box

DIY Fabric Storage box hand-sewn by me (Sept, 21, 2012)

Since I was a stay-at-home mom-to-be during my first pregnancy, I got more spare time. And as I was surfing the net with the DIY projects, I found this tutorial of making a fabric storage box. And I tried making one to be used for my baby stuff like toys/books or other small items.

I am a fan of DIY projects, as I remember during my high school days, I always make DIYs birthday, Christmas or thank you cards for my family and friends. Unfortunately I didn't have the pictures of those DIY cards.

Anyway, these are the things that I used when creating this DIY project: Fabric, Cardboard, Scissor, Needle and Thread (since I hand-sew this fabric box) but better if have a sewing machine, clear vinyl for the tag, and marker.

Below are some pictures of this DIY project. I know the sewing is really not perfect but I'm proud that I've been using this until now.

This is the link of the tutorial http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/09/fabric-storage-boxes-per-your-request.html

This is the picture of the DIY fabric storage box. Though mine is not actually the same in size as I only used available fabric that I found in our closet.

I hope to make more fabric storage boxes soon when I have my sewing machine!

My Pregnancy Journey

It was May 6, 2012 when we found out that I was pregnant, almost 6 months after our wedding. I was in Singapore then, as my husband works there and he got me a dependent pass after we get married.
Like other newly wed, a baby is such a big blessing and surprise especially to our family who can't wait but to see another member of our clan.

Test Done and it is Positive! We're having a baby!

Pregnancy is really an exciting event in a woman's life. All the changes in you, physically and emotionally really made a roller coaster journey. But seeing your baby at the first time during your 1st ultra sound was really a heartfelt moment. Me and my husband are teary-eyed when we first saw even he is still undeveloped and doesn't really look like a complete human that time.

my baby at 12 weeks

During my first trimester, I experienced what they call "morning sickness", though my vomiting phase happened after dinner. I experienced a terrible vomiting when you just don't like to eat anymore because you're afraid that you'll vomit again. I remembered that my relief after vomiting back then are candies like skittles and mentos. I know when you are pregnant you should avoid eating too much sweets, but I'm sorry because that was the only thing that made me happy after my throwing-up. 

Drinking milk is one of the essentials in a pregnant's diet. But as for me who really had a hard time drinking milk even when I was a child, it was a sacrifice! At first, my husband bought me Enfamama (nutirtional milk supplement for pregnant women) but I can't take it, because I'll end up throwing-up. When we got back here in the Philippines, my OB/GYN referred me Enfamama Choco Flavor, but the I still vomit whenever  drink it.

Then, we tried Anmum Choco flavor and thank God, the vomiting never happened again.

Part of my diet was more fruits and veggies. And being a coffee-lover, that was one of what I considered my struggle during the pregnancy. But I just thought that it's only a nine-months sacrifice, but honestly I had some cups during the entire pregnancy stage but that was on the last trimester if I remember it correct. 

They said that when you look pretty when you are pregnant, the baby might be a girl but when your not so, it might be a boy. During my pregnancy, everybody is telling me that my baby might be a girl, because of how do I look, my tummy's shape, that I didn't have pimples or my neck was not really dark like any other pregnant. But everybody's hint were wrong when we found out the gender last Sept 8, 2012. And my husband is very happy that he had a drinking session with his friends when he found out that we;re having a boy!

my baby boy at 21 weeks

One of the best thing that helped me during my pregnancy is the http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy.That site really gave me great infos on pregnancy and guided me on my journey. It has photos and videos on developments of your baby every week and it made me feel more exciting as I am seeing how he developed with those tools. I definitely recommend this site to every woman who's planning to get pregnant, already pregnant and delivered their babies because of every info that really guide you in your journey.

A pregnancy journal from OB/GYN in Singapore is one of my favorite handbook because of the brief and informative data that was divided on every stages of pregnancy plus it has a part on "Daddy know-how" that I asked my husband to read.

As I get excited to see my baby boy, I composed a poem for him. And here it goes....

And like any other mom-to-be, shopping baby's stuff is one of my favorite part. I will post a separate article on my preps made for my baby's stuff. It became really overwhelming as I saw many cute baby stuff whenever I visit malls and all I wanna do is to grab everything at my shopping cart! Funny, but I know all first-time mom-to-be's really had a hard time choosing their babies stuff as you want all the best for your precious ones!

The nine-month journey was really a long time for me as I was a stay-at-home mom-to-be and with that I really had more time to do every preparations before my baby arrived. I even made some DIY projects just to cut the boredom waiting for my due. I'll post one of DIY projects that I made when I was pregnant.

How I wish I had the chance and time to do a blog during my pregnancy as I will really put into words all my experiences, but I promise I will on my next pregnancy!

Here are my photos during my pregnancy. I'll create new post of the big day - when my baby arrived!