Of Stars and Flowers

When I got home last night, napansin ko na may star ang aking little boy. Siyempre, excited akong marinig ang kuwento niya kung bakit siya binigyan ng star ni teacher today.

Me: Wow, anak, may star ka!
Mako: Opo. Kasi kapag nagsabi ng 3 flowers o kaya madami, may star. Kapag 2 lang po or 1 or 0, wala pong star.
Me: Ano ba ang sinabi mong flowers kay teacher?
Mako: Madami po. Rose, yellow bell, sunflower, sampaguita, ilang-ilang, and gumamela. Kaya may star po ako.

>> Siyempre, tumatumbling sa tuwa ang Nanay. Ang sarap-sarap naman turuan ng batang 'to! Parang sponge! :)

Oo nga pala, my little darling boy also happily announced last night na "line leader" daw siya sa school kahapon. This is big news for us because our little darling boy is also our Mr. Shy Guy. Pati si Daddy na busy sa pagbabasa ay biglang tumigil dahil sa narinig niya.

Daddy: (excited) Wow, line leader ka kanina sa school? Wow! Ano ba ang ginagawa ng line leader?
Me: (excited din) Sige nga, show Mommy and Daddy kung ano ang ginagawa ng line leader.
Mako: (smiling shyly) Basta... basta line leader ako.

>> Hahaha! Owkei fine. Let's celebrate pa din, anak! Woohoo! Line leader kami! Haha. :)

Ligo

While taking a bath...

Mako: Mommy, paano po naliligo ang baby sa loob ng tummy ng Mommy?

>> Ummm... nasaan na ba ang tatay ng batang 'to? Saklolo! :P

Parts of a Plant

Every weekend, I usually allot time to help my little boy with his assignments. We also do a review of the lessons they had during the week. Last Sunday, ganito ang eksena.

Me: Mako, magreview na tayo. Parts of a plant muna.
Mako: Mommy, 'yung fruits, flowers, leaves, stem and roots? Sige.

>> Hala! Inenumerate?! May rereviewhin pa ba kami?!

Nerbyosa

Bukas ang interview ng anak ko sa science high school na gusto niyang pasukan. As usual, ako na naman ang mas nate-tense. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying really hard na makapasa siya sa interview at makapasok sa school na 'yun.

Please, Lord!

Birthday Greetings

Let me tell you a secret. I am very easy to please. I am a very appreciative person that’s why I can be happy and thankful at even the littlest of things other people do for me. Yesterday, I was very happy to see that a lot of my friends took the time to post birthday greetings on my Facebook wall.

Simpleng birthday greetings pa lang ‘yun ha. Imagine how I felt when I saw hubby’s birthday message for me:

I was teary-eyed because I was so touched. I felt very loved and appreciated. Thank you, hubby. Sabi ko nga sa reply ko, “I was born for you. I love you, baby. I always will. I look forward to many more birthdays to spend with you and our kids.”

How to Find the Right “Gym” for You… The Weight-Loss Challenge after the Babies

When I was younger, weight was never a problem. I never had to go on a diet. I ate anything and everything I liked and never had to worry about gaining weight. I was happy with my size.

Then, motherhood came and suddenly, I am bigger and heavier.

From small/medium to large to extra large!

(Don’t get me wrong. I love my kids. I love being a Mom. The happiness they bring into my life is beyond compare. If I can do it all over again, I will still have all three of them.) I have never imagined myself to gain this much weight! My clothes don’t fit me. My appetite has gone haywire! I look at my old pictures and just sigh. I look at other moms who remained slim despite the pregnancies and sigh some more.

But, but, but! I am also the type who never gives up. So I decided to inject exercise into my life and become more conscious of the things I eat. I have to admit, though, that the diet part is more challenging for me. I have three growing boys, you see. J

Yup, I have been through three pregnancies which means I have been through that post partum stage of deciding what would be the best weight loss plan for me three times. Each time had been different so here I am sharing what I have learned, so far.

After my first pregnancy, I gained 30 whopping pounds! However, I was a stay-at-home-mom-and-wife so I neither had the time nor the money to go to the gym. I knew two things, though. I enjoyed dancing and I had “free time” when my baby was asleep. So I took out the Jane Fonda workout tapes my mom gave me and started doing aerobic exercises daily at the comfort of my room. Every single day, I went to “my gym”… my own room. I couldn’t quite remember if I went on a strict diet during that time. Hubby says I did but I can’t really recall. You see, I love soda and I didn’t give that up even when I was trying to lose weight. Jane Fonda’s workouts were perfect for me because I felt like I was attending dance classes. After three months, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight and size. Victory!

Then my second baby boy came and I was back to stage 1. However, I also had a full-time job so finding time for my workouts became very difficult for me. With a household to manage, an eight-hour job, and my boys to attend to, I was always tired and just wanted to sleep during my free time. Every morning, however, I looked at myself in the mirror and was just so unhappy with my weight. So I had to find a way to be able to squeeze exercise in my daily routine. Again, I could not go to the gym because I wanted to go directly home after work. What worked for me, then, was to eat late afternoon snacks at work (which served as my dinner) and exercise while my boys were having dinner. That way, after dinner, I got to spend quality time with my hubby and our boys. Victory #2!

You know what’s next. Rather, who’s next. Yes, baby #3. After giving birth to our 3^rd baby boy, losing weight has become even more challenging. It’s actually a challenge I am still facing up to now. My metabolism has definitely slowed down now that I am older. I developed a thyroid problem and I learned that it affects one’s weight loss/gain. My work has also become more demanding leaving me way too exhausted for workouts in the evening. For a couple of months, I went back to running and joined race events on weekends. I conquered 10-km distance categories. It felt good but eventually I didn’t like the thought of waking up very early in the morning so I put running on hold. I took a closer look at my schedule and realized I have a couple of hours in the morning before work that I can devote for workouts. You see, I am usually in the office as early as 6am because my hubby and I share a car (because this is more practical for the family) and his office hours start at 8am. That gives me almost three hours of free time in the morning. Hence, I enrolled for a gym membership. So that’s my battle plan for now, to go to the gym at least three times a week before I go to work.

In a nutshell,

(1)  Exercise does not really mean going to the gym that we know and lift weights. Our “gym” can be anywhere. We just have to find a physical activity we love and do that more often. Like dancing, or running, or biking.

(2)  Creativity is key. Our schedule can never be too busy. We have to be creative enough to find ways to squeeze in exercise in our routine. We need to. Anything for our health and wellness is always good investment.

(3)  Persevere. I once read that you didn’t gain that weight overnight so don’t expect to lose it overnight as well. One step at a time, baby. You’ll get there. I’ll get there.

The Letter Ff

Last weekend, to keep Mako busy while I was preparing the things we needed to bring for our Sunday family day out, I gave him his book and told him he can look at the pictures while waiting for Mommy. Mako's face lit up and he eagerly started browsing through his book.

Mako (while pointing to a letter in the book): Mommy, tingnan mo, letter Ff!
Me:  Tama!
Mako: Sound ng Ff.... fffff.... (then points to a picture) Ffff.... fish!
Me: Very good!
Mako (goes through the rest of the pictures on the page): Ffff.... flower! Ffff.... fan! Ffff... four! Ffff.... fa-a!

>>> Oh my cutie patootsie! Feet, anak. Feet. :D

Before You Officially Become A Pre-schooler

My Dearest Mako,

How time flies! Parang kelan lang, I was still breastfeeding you. It seems like yesterday when I would pump every three hours or so at the office so I can bring home breastmilk for you. It seems like yesterday when Daddy and I would teach you basic things like close-open and where's the light. Parang kelan lang, anak, beybing-baby ka pa. 

Now, look at you. You're Mommy's little boy now. Tomorrow, you will take your entrance exam. This June, you will start pre-school. Ambilis, anak. Mommy has mixed emotions.

I am a little sad because you are growing up really fast. Baka hindi ko mamalayan, may girlfriend ka na. Haha. OA si Mommy. But seriously, when I look at you and your Kuyas, I can't help but wish that somehow, Daddy and I have provided well for you... given you a comfortable life and happy childhood. Daddy and I love you and your kuyas very much and we will do our best to give you a bright future.

I am also excited because you will be starting a new phase in your life. I know you are very smart like your kuyas. I know you will also do well in school. I also look forward to seeing you meet new friends in school. Don't worry, anak, Daddy and Mommy will always be here for you. Tingin ka lang sa likod, nandyan kami ni Daddy... always supporting you and ready to help you.

Pero bago 'yan, galingan mo muna sa entrance exam bukas ha? Haha! 'Wag mahiya at matakot. I know the exam will be very easy for you because Mommy already taught you things hanggang pang-Preparatory level. Hahaha. Ang pinakabalakid na lang natin ay ang pagiging sobrang mahiyain mo. But I know that eventually you'll warm up and enjoy going to school and being with your teachers and classmates.


I love you, my dearest Mako. I love you very, very much.

Mommy

Back to Reality

5:51am - I clocked in for work today after the five-day long weekend. Where did the weekend go? *sigh*

I miss my little boy already. How can I not miss my cutiepie? Look at how adorable he is! #no1fansimommy

The weekend is never long enough. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to go to work so I can spend the whole day at home looking after my kids and our home. However, I also want to help Hubby naman sa finances ng family. Haaay, I tell myself a few years to go na lang... we'll get there. Slowly but surely.

Dear Miko, Maki and Mako,

Konting tiis pa... ma-a-achieve din ni Mommy ang goal niya for the family and she will always be at home waiting for you when you come home from school. She'll learn how to cook and prepare delicious meals for you and Daddy.

Promise ko 'yan, mga anak. Just a few more years, my boys. :)

Love,
Mommy

Secrets of A Working Mom

I am a working mom. I have three boys aged thirteen (13), eleven (11) and three (3). I am a wife. I have a household to manage. I also work as a senior research analyst during the day. I love my job. I love my family. How do I keep up with all the things that I have to do? Here's a list of the things I usually do to keep my sanity and make sure that everything goes well at work and at home.

(1) Identify major things that need to be accomplished for the month. I have a calendar where I write all the birthdays, important school and office events, and due dates of bills that need to be paid for the month. This helps me a lot in time management and budgeting as well as in planning activities/vacations/trips for the family.

(2) Apart from the monthly calendar, I also make a daily list of the things that I need to do for the day.

(3) I have accepted the fact that I cannot do everything alone. Because of this, I have learned to identify which tasks I can delegate to other members of the family (including our household helper) and which ones I have to attend to personally.

(4) I report for work early and usually leave the office on time. Yes, I leave the office on time but I work really hard during the hours that I am at the office. The result? I never miss deadlines but I get to have dinner with my boys.

(5) Weekends are for my family. Para kaming value meal kapag weekends. Inseparable, they say.

(6) I try to plan for at least two family getaways/vacations/trips in a year. Hubby and I believe in making memories and these trips have always brought the family closer.

(7) Hubby and I make sure we have time to be "hubby and wife" naman. We go out on dates every chance we get. Plus, we both love running so we join running events almost every week.

(8) I attend PTCs to keep myself updated of my sons' performance and behavior in school. I also give my contact numbers to the teachers and tell them that I would appreciate getting feedback (whether positive or negative) about my children.

(9) I try to find time to do the things I love to do like blogging and keeping in touch with my friends via Facebook.

(10) Even though I am a planner by nature, I save some room for spontaneity. This keeps the fun and excitement in the family.

There. I hope that this will, somehow, help other working moms. Marami mang kailangang gawin, kaya natin 'to! We're too blessed to be stressed! :)

The Day Mako Pretended to be Asleep

It was already way past his bedtime so I firmly told my three-year old I had to turn off the TV so he can sleep. After a few minutes...


But I know my little boy from head to toe so I knew he was up to something. After a few pokes and tickles here and there, the little boy looked like this. Aha!



You just have to try harder next time little guy. Hahaha. :)

Happy Monday

Yesterday, I practically dragged myself out of bed so I can prepare for work. We had a busy weekend so I still felt sleep-deprived. However, I knew I really had to go to work because our team is busiest on Mondays. As a consolation, I just promised myself eight hours of sleep in the evening (which I did not keep after hitting the sack at 11pm).


E bakit kamo Happy Monday ang title ng post ko? Kasi...

I thought it was my usual boring Monday until I checked Mommy Fleur's blog and found Mako in This Kid is It! Mommy Fleur is a popular mommy blog and is part of my daily read because her stories about her hubby, baby and helpers are so nakakaaliw. Seeing my baby Mako in her kiddie fashion section just put me on Cloud 9! :)

But wait... there's more...

When we got home, a Happy Gram from Kuya Maki's school was waiting for me and Hubby! Our boy ranked 3rd in class and will also receive the Best in Language award. Happiness overload! :)

And finally, a long weekend awaits the family because Hubby and I will be on leave this Friday to attend Kuya Maki's Recognition Day.

So there... my usual "Tinatamad-I-want-to-go-home-agad Monday" turned out to be great! :)

How Are You?

Hubby and I usually spend time with our bunso before going to bed. Mako knows that time with Daddy is play time. Time with Mommy, on the other hand, is usually study time.

Last night, we did a quick review of previous lessons.

Me: 'Ko, what's your name?
Mako: My name is Akel Ayus Vivas (Michael Ramius Vivas)!
Me: How old are you?
Mako: Twee (3)!
Me: How are you?

I expected him to answer, "I'm fine. Thank you." This is what Hubby and I taught him. Instead, our little darling answered, "I'm fine. Love you!"

My heart melted. My son is the sweetest... and I am the luckiest. the happiest. the proudest.

Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful gift of motherhood.

Ofc na. Lab u.

"Ofc. na. Lab u."

Every weekday morning, I wait for this text from my Hubby (of course!). The message may be short and simple but to a wife and a mommy like me, this means her hubby was able to drop off the Kuya safely to school and arrived for work safe and sound as well. I say a quick prayer of thanks to Him who watches over me and my family.

So this morning, the most-awaited text came and now I can start working on my deliverables for the day with a happy heart knowing that my loved ones are safe. :)

Manic Mondays

Every Monday morning, as I drag myself out of bed at 4:15am, I always ask myself, "Where did the weekend go?" Then I start telling myself to get more hours of sleep during weekends so that waking up on Monday mornings won't be as hard. I go over these thoughts some more while in the shower.

5:15am - I prepare baons for the Kuyas and me. All three of us bring packed lunch and snacks because (1) there have been a lot of reports about food poisoning from cafeteria food, (2) the kids have super quick recess and lunch breaks making it more practical to bring their own food than waste time in the canteen line, and (3) it's budget-friendly. Son #1 and I also bring packed breakfast. He eats his breakfast while in the car on his way to school while I eat mine in the office. We prefer this over waking up super early (as if 4:15am is not super early) just to squeeze in breakfast.

5:30am - After making last minute bilins to our helper, we leave home. Son #1's classes and Daddy's office hours start at 7am.

6:00am - I clock in for work... 3 hours early. I don't mind. I have time to eat my breakfast, have coffee, do some reading (of blogs and news), and even write entries for my blog (Mommyholic and Our Little Family ). During days of heavy workload, I also get to have more time to work on my reports.

9am to 6pm - Work. Work. Work. 'Nuff said.

6pm - I leave the office. Everyday, I make sure I am done with my deliverables for the day before 6pm because I go home with Daddy and Son #1. We make quick trips to the supermarket if there are things that the Kuyas need to bring to school the next day or if Daddy wants to buy dessert for the family. Otherwise, we head straight home.

6:45pm - Home sweet home. Daddy usually plays with our 2-year old son # 3 while I check the Kuya's assignment notebooks.

7-7:30pm - Dinner time

7:30-8pm - I ask our helper how son # 3's day went (i.e., check if he was given his vitamins, what he ate, and how long his naps were today). I also give my little boy a quick bath. He sleeps better when clean and fresh. We all do, I guess!

8pm-9:30pm - Web time for me. I check my blogs and facebook account, help the Kuyas with their research works, and look for good running events to join. I stay up a little later if need be. Otherwise, I make sure I am done by 9:30pm so I can still have 7 hours of sleep.

9:30pm - I say my prayers (thank God because I have my Hubby and kids, ask Him to continue to watch over my loved ones, say sorry if I have been maldita today, etc), give quick kisses to my hubby and kids, and then sleep.

This is how I usually spend my Mondays. How about you? Do share! =)

... but wait, there's more!

I did not expect to find this at St. Paul's . Baka dahil sa issue sa RH bill kaya may ganito. The kit costs PhP80.00 only.


I have always wanted to know more about the Billings Ovulation Method. I did some research a couple of months ago but found the method too complicated. This kit caught my attention because it seemed to present Billings Ovulation Method in a much simpler and reader-friendly way. It also said that the method is 99% successful in avoiding pregnancy. Heto pa, the method daw has had considerable success in preselecting the gender of children. Hmmmnn... now that's interesting! I will need this for our baby girl project na ilulunsad namin three years from now. Hahaha!

Anyway, I will give you feedback about the kit soonest. =)

My Everything

Everything that matters to me is on this bed right now...

Mommy and Kuya

This, so far, is my favorite picture of me and my firstborn, Miko, who is now 11 years old. As his mom, I've learned that:

• Miko is a little cranky in the morning so it is best to let him be. He'll warm up a little later. :)
• Like Mommy, he can listen to his favorite song over and over (and over and over and over...) again.
• Miko prefers pasta with white sauce (fettucine alfredo and carbonara).
• A complete fastfood meal for Miko would be: 1 piece chicken (spicy), 2 cups of rice, burger, large coke and 1 hot fudge or Oreo McFlurry. I'm comforted by the thought that he is a growing boy and he is also into sports (basketball).
• Miko can now stay up at a much later time than I can! Good thing he is only allowed to do this on Friday and Saturday nights.
• My son is not a morning person. No matter how much sleep he gets, we still have to drag him out of bed every single day.
• Miko dances very well. My li'l boy has rhythm!
• Like his Dad, he loves trivia. He enjoys watching Animal Planet, National Geographic, History Channel and Kap's Amazing Stories. This is sooooo not Mommy!
• He can't get enough of The Flying Fiesta at Enchanted Kingdom.
• He is innately smart in Math and Science... something which still amazes me and Hubby.

Finally, at 11 years old, my Miko is still that sweet little boy who wants Mommy by his side when he's not feeling well or when he's in pain...who calls Mommy in the office because he can't wait to tell her they won a game today... who is so proud to show Mommy off to his classmates during school events.

I am just so happy to be his Mom!

Mommy Projects

Here’s a list of the things I plan to do when I have more time to spend at home (and I mean more time… say, two to three months of paid vacation):

1. Hold a garage sale. Yes, we have accumulated too many stuff over the past nine years that our home is filled to the brim. I know I have to do some major sorting and I need to identify the things that we can do without. Hubby and I are guilty of buying things just because they’re on sale and justifying these purchases with, “We might need them eventually.” As of this writing, we have so many things in the house that can be labeled under this category.

This will be a little tricky, though, because the last time I tried to get rid of stuff we haven’t been using for at least a year, here’s what happened:

Me: Babe, don’t you think it’s time to get rid of these? They’ve been sitting there for the past year unused. I think we need more space.

Hubby: But Mommy, remember we had a reason for buying them. We have to recall why we bought them before we decide if we really need to get rid of them.

That’s it. I gave up. The mental activity was far more tiring I knew I’d end up with a terrible migraine!

2. Fix the other room for my not-so-little boys. I really have to do this soon. I’m two years away from having a teenager in the house.

3. Do some major housekeeping (read as makeovers for the living and dining room). Okay, okay! The entire house needs a makeover!

4. Sort the many, many family pictures stored in our computer and pick the ones that should be printed. Hence, it’s also time to update our photo library.

5. Learn how to cook. I love spending time in the kitchen and I dream of being so kitchen savvy that my hubby and kids would prefer my cooking over dining out.

6. Read all those books I bought each time I promised myself I’d catch up on my reading but never had the chance to.

7. Watch the DVDs I bought. These are the ones filed under “Mommy’s Stuff…” usually romantic comedy films and Korean drama series.

8. Think of a small home business I can easily manage even after I go back to work.

9. Find ways to increase traffic on my site. Although I started blogging because I missed writing, I also welcome the idea of earning through my blogs. Hehehe!

10. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. How I love the idea of not having to wake up so early in the morning and drag yourself to the bathroom because you have to report for work!

Wondering why the list didn’t include spending more time with my family? Because I already spend most of my free time with them hence my backlogs on the above. Hahaha! I suck at housekeeping but I think my being a wife and a mom matter more. Don’t you agree? =)

PS: I think I need more than three months to do all these! Hahaha!

When I Became a Mom

When I became a Mom…

1. I forgot what sleeping through the night meant as I had to wake up every three hours or so to feed the baby.
2. I stopped needing an alarm clock to make sure I didn’t oversleep in the morning. My baby’s cry was more than enough to jumpstart my day.
3. I began to wonder where my waistline went. It left without saying goodbye.
4. I recorded everything that went in and out of my baby’s system (read as how many ounces of milk he consumed and how frequent he pooped) just to make sure everything was okay. I never did that for myself.
5. My sense of hearing became my superpower. I hear every sound my baby makes, even if I am in the other room.
6. I began frowning upon forms that asked me to indicate my weight.
7. Social life meant email and sms exchanges as well as phone conversations with friends.
8. I became a worrywart.
9. To assess whether an item is expensive or reasonable, I began converting it in terms of diaper and milk denomination.
10. I stopped wearing white.

Yes, things have changed since the babies came but to all three of them I say, these little sacrifices are nothing compared to the joy that they have given me.

To my Miko, Maki and Mako…

1. I don’t mind waking up every three hours or so to feed you because it is during those quiet times when our bond as mother and child becomes stronger. The unique gift of being able to provide your nourishment makes me feel significant in this world.
2. Every morning, I am reminded of how blessed I am because of the gift of “you.” I learned how to give unconditional love because you have given me the same.
3. I realized how much I have changed. Beyond the physical changes, you brought direction to my life, made me stronger and more responsible. You also brought me closer to God.
4. I realized that the seed of selflessness is one characteristic that is present in everyone and becoming a mother (a parent, for that matter) awakens that part of us.
5. Neither space nor distance can weaken that special connection we have, having been inside of me for quite some time.
6. Weight has become only a number… one which (I admit) I still try to reduce but if given the chance to choose, I would still choose to have you even it meant a heavier, rounder me.
7. I am happiest when I am with you and so I look forward to spending every minute of my life with you.
8. I love you and want all that is best for you… and so I want to be there to personally attend to your every need. Yes, honey, Mommy will always be here for you.
9. I hope to be able to provide your every need as well and give you a comfortable life… because you deserve only the best.
10. Playtime is funtime for Mommy, too. I want you to have happy childhood memories to bring with you when you grow up. I will also cherish them and reminisce every now and then when I am already old.

So see, I have no regret at all that I had you. You are God’s greatest gift to me and every night, as I watch you sleep, I will always be thankful for the wonderful experience of being a Mom. I love you with all my heart.