Ethan at One Month

* This post was meant to be published back in early December 2015, but blogging had to take a backseat with everything going on. Read on and you'll find out why :) *

Time does not only fly when you're having the greatest of times, it zooms past. It's like trying to keep water cupped in your hands but no matter how tight you hold on to it, it slips past your fingers. At 4 days old it felt like I was running after something, rushing to take in everything about him. His small toes, his soft head, his breath that smell of milk, his fragility. Ethan is now one month old. Very soon he will outgrow his newborn clothes, reach more milestones, and before we know it he's an active toddler that needs chasing around. It feels like I'm aboard a bullet train and the view is passing by me in a blur.

4 days old

It may be one of the benefits of having a gentle birth, I'm not sure, but Ethan is one calm baby. I was physically and mentally prepared to go through the newborn stage of waking up every hour at night to breastfeed and soothe a fussy one through baby wearing. The reality, however, was just the opposite. He wakes up every 2-3 hours to feed and I can put him back in his cot without so much as a wriggle. We put a small bed beside our queen sized so we can co-sleep, but so I can ease through the transition (Matt still sleeps with us), Ethan and I had to sleep in the living room for a week. He was also mostly asleep during the day and only wakes up to feed or when Lola Edna needed to clean him or give him a bath. His naps get much longer after that. He rarely cries, even now, and will just let out a small noise to let us know he's uncomfortable or needs something. I started to get worried that I won't get to use the baby wrap I borrowed from Matt's Ninang Sheilla. He's gone through the newborn stage that we only read about in baby books.

Lola gave me my first bath at home just like Kuya

Paaraw with Mommy

I wanted to bond more with him during the first few days so I tried to do Kangaroo Care. It seemed like he was not too comfortable in a tummy to tummy position though. He will not stay put unless he's really sleepy or I'm seated in a recliner chair beside the pool where we usually sun him (thank God the terrible haze was gone by his first week). I cradled him really close instead.

Cuddle time!

At one month Ethan can smile spontaneously. He can lift his head a little when you place him tummy down on your chest. He starts to focus on your face when you talk to him and his eyes can also follow if you try to move your head from side to side. He likes to be held and hugged in the cradle position with his tummy pressed against yours. He will fall asleep faster if you tap him lightly on his back and will open his eyes immediately if you stop. He stretches A LOT and will turn a deep shade of red. But swaddling still works for him at night, he can stay in it and sleep for 4 hours straight. Not all nights though because like most babies, his sleeping pattern is still changing.

Oh how I wish this stage won't have to end so soon. Before Ethan, posts on social media that say, "Don't grow up too fast, anak", sounded to me like such a cliche. Even with Matt then because I was so excited to see the boy he will turn out to be. But it's so much different this time. If only Ethan can stay this little for a bit longer. Don't you wish the same for your little one?

Let Me Start Again

* This post was meant to be published back in early December 2015, but blogging had to take a backseat with everything going on. Read on and you'll find out why :) *

Whew! I can't believe that I'm publishing a brand new entry to my blog after almost a year! It's been a while. And if you look at the last post below, CHANGES is an understatement. 2015 has been a game changer year for our small family. Both the good and the bad.

I got pregnant

I'm a firm believer that the Lord is always listening. He knows what's in our heart of hearts and he will grant our wishes as He sees fit. Again, we were not planning on it. But I must have been unconsciously praying for a new baby. I remember it being always on my mind. I would always find myself thinking that my heart has more than enough room for another one. Matt's sibling. And without directly praying for it, He answered and I was caught by a wonderful surprise.

Matt's speech development

At 2 years of age he still hasn't uttered his first word. Something that's been quite unsettling for us for a while now but we've always been told that it's too early to tell if something is wrong. Early this year we finally got on the same page with his pediatrician and Matt was sent to rehabilitation. He started his speech therapy this year. In time I will be able to write about this in detail.

I gave birth and we are now a family of four

Yes! One month ago. I chose and worked to have a gentle birth this time. Boy was it such an empowering experience. Right now we are past the transition stage, especially for Matt, and slowly easing in to our new normal with the new baby. It's that period of long nights with interrupted sleep, but I am loving every minute of it. I will have to make the most of my "nesting with baby" because pretty soon I'll be going back to work.

Maybe I had a different purpose for starting a blog before. Which is why it was so hard for me to write regularly. I was doing it for the wrong reasons. I want to do it for myself this time. This blog will be my journal to remind me someday of these special moments and milestones with my family, I'm glad I chose to keep it. And the three above will be only the beginning, the intro's to our new chapter. Let me start again...

When It's Time For Change-s

They say that the only permanent thing in this world is CHANGE. But what would you do if life throws you about three of them in a span of one month? And these are not minor changes like rearranging your furniture or updating your entire wardrobe, but to your way of life which requires hard-core decision making and planning? I would advice you to take it one step at a time, relax, do not overwhelm yourself and enjoy the process. Well, I can't say I practice what I preach now can I? Here's what happened...

A Filipino friend who is working in the same company as I am offered me a career opportunity I can't let pass: to be able to transfer to a department where I will be able to practice my true line of expertise. I won't be going back to being an actual accountant but it will be close enough and I couldn't be more excited! Of course there's a catch, or "catches", which will produce a domino effect.

Catch # 1

I needed to move to day shift and follow normal local working hours. Now this may not seem to be a "catch" really. But considering our current situation here in Malaysia wherein I took a job at night so Jason and I can take turns in being with Matt, we had to find a whole new set-up and make it work. So unless my husband works from home, there's no other option but to hire a nanny who can look after Matt while we're away during the day. As a big portion of Filipino workers in this country are house helpers and most of them are always on the lookout for part-time jobs, looking for one is not the issue. The additional expense of getting one is. Here it costs us about four or five times what it normally would if we were back home and that's already the cheapest. They normally charge more if they shouldered the cost of their work permit themselves.

Monetary reasons aside, getting a nanny also meant that I had to put my trust in a complete stranger. Our son, whom we have only ever left to the care of his grandmothers or other family members, will have to spend hours every weekday with a caregiver we've met only once (during her interview). It's a different kind of anxiety and even now, two months later, I'm still not used to the idea that another person is managing my son's daytime activities in ways other than my own. I refuse to relent? What kind of mom does?

Catch # 2

The team that I have joined holds office in a different building that is about 40 kilometers away from my previous site. The travel time from our place in Kuala Lumpur to the old building was 1.5 hours each way but the commute was rather easy and convenient due to the connecting train lines and on-schedule public buses. However, whether I take the bus or the train or a combination of both, going to and from the new site will take me a minimum of 2.5 hours each way. That lessens my precious time with my family by 2 hours more! We then decided to move to a new home closer to the office. So on top of resetting my body clock, adjusting to a new work environment, recalculating the household budget and orienting the nanny, we will have to pack, move and unpack. And we all know that cannot be done in just a day.

Pause... Breathe...

I may sound ranting through all this. But at the end of every day since it all started, it gets me thinking, much greater than these "catches" is the abundance of blessings the Lord has showered my family. I now get to come to work and enjoy what I do. The long lost sense of fulfillment is back each time I finish a task. I now get to cuddle with my boys in bed at night, nurse my son to sleep, kiss him goodnight and cuddle with him again in the morning. I am again the last one he sees before he closes his eyes, and the first one he sees when he wakes up. Moments that are all too precious because he will grow up sooner than I think.

Having a nanny also means that Jason and I get more "us" time. We get to go on dates more often now and be like boyfriend and girlfriend again. Cheesy, I know, but having time to ourselves has never been more important than right now. When we can easily get caught up in our work, errands and responsibilities in general.

Our "this is it" barefoot dance when we found our new home.

Moving to a new house is definitely a lot of work in the beginning but once the last of the boxes has been unpacked, I get to use my almost non-existent decorating skills. I never knew it could be so tedious yet fun at the same time! Now, I totally get my mom when she's all worked up in the home section of a department store. How she always seem rooted to the spot examining a vase that she's been holding for the past 10 minutes. I realized it's not simply getting a piece of decor and placing it on an empty shelf in your living room. You will need to think about it's design, color, functionality, practicality. Oh this part could probably take up a whole new post.

Ultimately, changes can be very daunting. Especially when you have to deal with a lot at the same time. But in my case, having my husband to go through it all with me has been my saving grace. He has always been my rock, my support system and my shock absorber. And this is probably the most important of all. The feeling that whatever upheaval my little family may go through, in whatever state or country we find ourselves in, we will forever have each other.

Photo credit

Family Picnic: Perdana Botanical Garden

Living in an apartment building in a city like Kuala Lumpur does not offer much opportunity for little kids like Matt to simply go out of the house and play. The exact opposite of how it was for me growing up in a (then) small and peaceful neighborhood in a town in Laguna when all I had to do was step out of our front door to get to my "playground". Here, today, an outdoor activity for Matt has to be scheduled and planned. And since we live near the city center, options are very limited.

A picnic at a park is most ideal where Matt can run around in fresh air, on a vast space of grass under the sun without us having to worry that he'll trip and fall on hard ground. And since it very much feels like summer here at this time of year, a family picnic will be such a refreshing break from our typical indoor routines on weekdays.

The KLCC Park was the first to come to mind but it's too crowded for our liking, not exactly the relaxed vibe we were looking for. I know the city has a hidden gem somewhere and we just needed to find it. After several search results from the ever reliable Google, we found exactly what we were looking for: Perdana Botanical Garden.

The Perdana Botanical Garden formerly known as Taman Tasik Perdana or Lake Gardens, is situated in the Heritage Park of Kuala Lumpur. It has always been a part of the green lung of the city and has a history of over a decade. Originally created as part of a recreational park but planted with collections of tropical plants, the garden have been rehabilitated and turned into a Botanical Garden. The garden have not only botanical collections but also house features that give the visitors the ambiance of being in a tropical rainforest, despite being in the middle of a bustling metropolis.

Located within the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park, it was only a 10-minute drive from our place and the outside parking is free. Visitors can also go by taking public buses or taxis from any point of the city. It is open everyday from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM and the entrance is also free! Due to the enormity of the place, we had to make sure that we head direct to an entrance nearest the part where we want to spend the most time in. That's the kiddie playground. We arrived at around 4:00 PM, thinking that it would be cool enough at that hour. Boy, were we wrong!

 The Children's Playground is the first you'll see if you enter the garden from Jalan Parlimen. The kiddie structures are complete with tunnel slides sprouting from mini towers, a bridge, swing sets and seesaws.

Matt was already wriggling out of my grasp even before we found a place to spread our picnic blanket so Jason had to take him play while I set up.

We didn't do the typical spread on the grass because our blanket was too thin. But there are picnic tables every few yards as well as gazebos. Although the latter are more for when you want to rest under a shade rather than meals because the tables inside are a bit small.

It was still rather hot when we arrived so we had to really scour the area first for a good spot to eat. And what we found was not bad at all. We settled on a picnic table by the lake under tall trees. Rays of sun were still peeking through the tree leaves above but the air was cool and we felt light breeze every now and then. You don't really need to come fully prepared with your own meal though as a cafe serves light snacks and refreshments.

After our meal of spaghetti, bread and fruits, Matt run around for a bit in the Sunken Garden. Funny how my Dad used to say that however hard or long you prepare for an event, a trip or anything for that matter, there's always one thing that you're bound to miss. In this case, we forgot to check the batteries of Matt's bubble machine so it didn't work when we were there. I think it was just as well because he was able to explore the greenery around him. He didn't even pay attention to his big beach ball that we brought.

The whole garden spans over about 92 hectares of land so it's really not possible to see its entirety in just one afternoon. But we were able to sightsee as far as our feet were able to take us and with enough energy for the walk back. A lake weaves around the park so you'll find a couple of small bridges over them such as the one above. It looks pretty romantic, don't you think?

Walking or jogging trails are all around for those who seek a refreshing and peaceful workout. As it is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, it is easy for residents of the city to drive over for a quick run. And for families with children, this is a nice and safe place to teach kids how to ride their bikes as no cars are allowed inside the premises.

Trees along the walking paths are labeled with its names and origins. Perfect for children to learn about nature first-hand.

A large area of sloping pavement covered by a ceiling of symmetrical glass-like panels can be found in the center of the garden. At first we thought it was the amphitheatre but a closer look at the map in their website told us otherwise. Kids and adults alike use the spot for physical activities such as rollerblading or riding their scooters. Bicycles are also available for rent to visitors at RM 3 each for 30 minutes. Yup, that's Jason pushing Matt in the stroller who's already tired from all the running.

But my favorite spot of all would be the dock overlooking what they call the Goose Island (see three geese floating by?). It seems to be such a relaxing spot to just sit and have nice long talk with a friend or in my case, Jason. How amazing is it that while you are surrounded by all the green and fresh air and nature, you can also see the opposite ambiance of the urban world just beyond? The best of both world of sorts. After this weekend, we're definitely looking forward to new discoveries of the city we call home for now.

My Blog Is My Pensieve

photo credit

Sometimes I wonder what got me interested in blogging. How did it all start? I love writing. I have loved writing since grade school. Back when my fascination with teen novels was in an all-time high and I tried to become an author of one. But to write about me and things that interest me? Perhaps a little back track will shed some light into it. Here goes...

On an evaluation at school, my 6th grade teacher complimented my essay writing skills and said that I'd make a good journalist someday. That may have inspired me to try but what I had then was a personal diary (you know pink with locks and all), and what you write there are personal documentations of your school girl life that you try to keep from your mom. It was a time when computer was just a once-a-week subject in school, the internet--at least in our household--was unheard of, more so a blog platform. What I also had then though was an ordinary notebook and a typewriter. I remember trying to write a story down (novel style) on my notebook and eventually typing them up. My character was always a girl with an older brother because I've always wanted one for myself.

Now on to college days. I discovered an online diary. One does not need an actual journal anymore. Instead, you type your story up on the website and keep it private with a password. Of course I was unaware of how easily online content can be hacked at the time, but for me it was fascinating. I might have posted one entry but that was it. Paying for internet rental was out of my weekly allowance budget unless necessary for school. When I think about it now, that must have been my first ever blog post.

I don't really know how I was first introduced to the term "blog", but I remember signing up for my very first Blogger account. It offered very different looking themes then and I didn't know if those can be redesigned. The whole interface of the platform was very confusing for me that I ended up having 3 blogs with about one to two posts in each.

Around 2007, I came across KC Concepcion's Multiply account. Believe it or not that actually inspired me to create a new one for myself because it looked very different from what blogs are supposed to look like. For one thing, I didn't know that you can actually incorporate pictures to help set the mood of your story. So create another one I did.

Then came the news of the late Francis Magalona's battle with Leukemia and how he documented his journey on his Multiply blog. That inspired me to do the same. No, I didn't battle a fatal illness. But I remember telling my Mom that I'll create one for myself to tell the world my story (really, what was I thinking?).

My blog compositions then were much better and it sounded like I actually had something interesting to say. However, I was what you may call a sporadic blogger. Unaware of how the whole blogging business works, I only wrote one post every few months. When it was announced that the Multiply website will be taken down, I transferred my posts to one of my old Blogger--thank God for the export/import feature. This was in 2011 when the new improved themes were already available.

gengcaperal.blogspot.com

Again I went on a hiatus. But with very valid reasons. I got engaged and got married! Then we moved to Kuala Lumpur.

The version of my blogging history may all be about the modern tools I used to write. I can't imagine writing down the events of my day in a scented notebook and in long hand anymore. But through it all, my love for the written word is present. Now, one of my blog's purpose is a Pensieve. Yes, the one owned by Professor Dumbledore.

Photo credit: Harry Potter wiki

"This? It is called a Pensieve. I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind... One only siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form."

--Professor Albus Dumbledore

And come to think of it, it is the Professor's version of a blog because he can invite another person to re-visit his thoughts with him. How cool would it be to own one if it were a real thing, right? But a modern day online blog is a good enough substitute. It does relieve you of those thoughts that are all crammed inside your head. And it does--at least for me--help you process ideas when they are all written down.

What does blogging do for you?

BookFest @ Malaysia 2013: I Love Reading

A habit of mine each time we go to a mall is cruising the aisles of a good bookstore. There's just something so therapeutic about the sight and the smell of piles and piles of books surrounding you. So imagine my delight upon entering Halls 4 and 5 of the KL Convention Centre for this year's BookFest @ Malaysia 2013 held from 3rd to 11th of August. More than 40,000 square feet of hundreds of booths containing books of every genre, and that's only the English Pavilion!

Now on its 8th year and deemed to be the largest book exposition in South East Asia, this year's theme was "I Love Reading". This is in line with the government's aim of encouraging Malaysians to read. 

I was only hoping to find good selections of board and picture books for Baby Bab but I was surprised to find great deals too! 

And when I said "great deals", I meant hard bound Nicholas Sparks books for only RM 8.00! Oh and Cecilia Ahern's There's No Place Like Here too! Are these bargains or what?!?

I  forced myself not to give in to temptation of buying these cool book adaptations of Disney films.

Great selection of classic storybooks as well. Baby Bab is not into these types of books yet since he's currently mostly interested in batting and chewing at them. But I would have loved to get these for myself. Teehee!

Of course there's the Archie's comic books for Jason (ok, and me too) at RM 5.00 each! 

A stage was set throughout the 9-day fair for several programs such as meet-the-author sessions, science show and reading sessions for the kids and cooking demonstrations among others. The highlight of all being The Star Readers' Choice Awards wherein the best local authors were recognized. 

In the Chinese pavilion

Guilty as charged! Yes, I was looking through the new Bloomsbury editions of the Harry Potter series. I was wondering why those were stacked in the "teens" section though.

Thank you Daddy Bab for being my official photographer that day. 

Our haul for this year wasn't bad at all, and I'm proud of it. We got everything we need and the best that we could find. My bookfair experience was a blast!

Until next year!

What To Expect When You're Expecting

During the seven straight years of my being a full-time career woman, I've gone through inconsistent lines of job in different and totally unrelated industries. This means learning the process from scratch every time. Unfortunately, I have this academic notion that in order for me to fully understand what I will be doing and be able to do it right, I need to go back to the very basic (read every material I can get my hands on) and a classroom training is a must (of course this is not always the case in most companies I've worked for). 

So imagine me being pregnant for the first time. The only reference I had available was my Mom who have been in this situation 24 long years prior. I'm not saying she wasn't any help at all, I couldn't ask for a better support and only Moms can give that. But as always, what I needed was something to read, something I can bookmark and go back to in the very likely event that my "pregnancy brain" takes over. So a trip to the bookstore was in order to look for the best pregnancy book, and off we went. Boy were there so much to choose from! And most of them a bit pricey, mind you. Until I came across the fourth edition of What To Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff

Now I wasn't very impressed the first time I opened it as it was printed in two columns per page. Didn't bother to actually read a few lines before passing on judgement. I thought it more like the textbooks medical students use and would be such a bore for me to read all 586 pages. So it more or less did not make the shortlist. Not until I've made a few more scouting (both here in Malaysia and in the Philippines), saw it in a Facebook friend's album, saw the very timely movie (I'm not sure I can call it an adaptation), and gave it a short read did I decide that it's probably the best one available. Well, I was not disappointed.

A line from the foreword by Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, MD pretty much describes it the best:

"In a way, my job is a lot like your pregnancy will probably be--every day will bring a little adventure, but most of them will be fun. What To Expect When You're Expecting is like having a personal obstetrician to guide you through that adventure."

And it is!

Reading it equips every soon-to-be-mom with all the information she needs to make it through nine months of pregnancy and beyond. It is presented in such a way that it's very easy to understand with a touch of humor to make reading it enjoyable.

Not only does it guide you from the onset of conception but even before if you are only in the planning stage. It provides details on preconception preparations for both the mom and the dad, how to eat properly, what kinds of supplements are best to take, as well as pointers in choosing the right prenatal practitioner. I had half a mind planning our next baby as early as now while reading it!

Each pregnancy symptom is described. What you may be going through each month that are perfectly normal and certainly saves you the worry and unscheduled trips to the doctor (bleeding nose and gums, heartburn, nausea--name it, I think I got all in the list). And those that you need to take care not to get as it could be a symptom of a complication.

Of course, this doesn't mean that all symptoms stated in the book are applicable to every pregnant woman. As the author is always careful to remind the readers, every pregnancy is unique and when in doubt, calling and discussing your concerns with your obstetrician is still the best.

Separate chapters are also available tackling multiple pregnancies ("Twins, Triplets and More"), postpartum, managing a complicated pregnancy as well as one specially dedicated for dads (they're expectant too!). I couldn't have found a more complete reference than this.

Just like when starting a new job, reading What To Expect When You're Expecting gave me the confidence that I will not only be doing my first pregnancy right, but also when we're ready to try again for the next--in the not so near future.

Photo by MoniFoto.net, Flickr

The Next Chapter

I lived with my mom and younger brother before I got married, for the longest time it was just the three of us. Being the eldest, my mom relied on me to help with the finances at home. And so work was very important in the sense that the fixed monthly salary must come first before job satisfaction. Establishing a career in one industry was a rare opportunity as I would accept employment in high-paying companies regardless of the position or job description. So don’t be surprised when I say that I’m a B.S. Accountancy graduate who ended up working as a Project Manager in the telecommunications industry. Don’t get me wrong, i don’t have any regret and I will do anything for my family.

Handling more than five projects in the office while preparing for your dream wedding was no small feat, turned out I was not an excellent multi-tasker. Needless to say, much of the wedding details had to be taken cared of at the last possible schedule or fully entrusted to our coordinators. This got me into a lot of “I wish I had” and “if only I had” moments even months after our big day. You only get to walk down the aisle once after all.

The realization that I had to choose between my IT career and my new family life struck two months before the wedding. And so I tendered my resignation and was ready to face a whole new chapter that was about to unfold. Thank God for my mom who also wants what’s best for me and was very supportive of my decision.

positive result in my HPT

Two months after we tied the knot, we received an unexpected but very much thanked for news: I’m six weeks PREGNANT! I was in the Philippines and my husband was in Malaysia at the time so I had to wake him up and surprise him over the phone at 6:00 in the morning. I was already half-expecting the result of the home pregnancy test but it did not immediately sink in until I heard the confirmation from the doctor. Good thing my mom has a very flexible schedule and was able to accompany me to the obstetrician’s clinic the same day.

And then it hit me, I do not have a single clue of what we are about to go through. No idea what must be done next or how a pregnant woman is supposed to act. Multiple questions ran through my head as I have only ever heard of pregnancy stories from the movies I’ve seen or from parent friends. I didn’t know where to start.

baby's very first ultrasound at 6 weeks and 4 days (March 19, 2012)

I already have my mind made up on one thing though: This may not be a once in a lifetime only chance for us, but I for sure want to go through the entire pregnancy experience. From the nauseating stages of the first trimester to the exciting name picking and baby shower of the third. Never again will I say “I wish I had” and “if only I had”. My husband and I will go through the whole process together and how best can we spend the first year of our marriage than preparing for our little one?

my baby bump at 26 weeks (August 2, 2012)

I’m in my 3rd trimester now and so far, everything is going as planned.