My Loves at Avilon

Two months ago, at my appointment with my OB, I asked if I could still join my daughter on her field trip which is a few weeks shy of "D day." Initially, she said yes I could go...but upon finding out it would be at the zoo she said NO because I might contract a disease or any sickness from animal exposure or something. Well, this news broke my heart but we make do of the situation. So for this year it was just Bean and Adam.

Being a mom with a semi-type A personality I made a list of the things they needed to bring and I checked and prepared them over and over. I also asked Bean to bring the Instax camera so she could take pictures of the animals she liked.

Here's a little trivia: Avilon Zoo is memorable to us because it was where Adam took me for our first "official date." "Official" because it wasn't talking over coffee and we still weren't exclusively a couple. I was surprised to get asked out to go to a zoo but I did have a great time!

I was texting Adam throughout the day asking if they already ate, if he's letting bean drink water or go to the loo. Also, I wanted to know if she was having a great time, and I am so very glad that both of them enjoyed!

Surprisingly, Bean loves snakes. She likes petting them and reading about them. I'm just relieved that she doesn't want one for a pet.

I just like the patterns on this one.

It was a real disappointment that I wasn't able to see our girl have a grand time but I am ecstatic that she and her dad had a blast! The first thing she showed me were the pictures she took, and her take home activity which she excitedly accomplished so fast. That night she couldn't help tell me stories about her day.

I am thankful and blessed to have a husband who shares the same parenting beliefs with me. It doesn't matter to us if our daughter is the best in school, or in anything...we just want her to be happy and secure...always.

In less than twenty days we are to meet baby girl number 2! I am overwhelmed with emotions...but I am trying to be positive that everything will be okay. This blessing has been what we've been wishing for and we're so close! :)

Almost There

When I found out I was pregnant last February, I was so ecstatic to tell Adam. Besides loving everything"baby," we really thought it was about time. So I hoped that this time around I would skip the nausea and vomiting phase and even issues with the pregnancy because when I was pregnant with Bean I was almost always on bed rest, drinking medicines and have had bleeding, too. The first two weeks were a breeze that's why we thought this pregnancy would be different...until we had our first scan. I was again told to be on bed best for two weeks because of a "subchorionic hemorrhage" that was seen. After a few days I had severe nausea and vomiting which lasted until the 6 month.

As these things took a back seat, I was so happy to be able to eat and exercise again (my OB gave the go signal) but then again, I developed sharp pains near my right groin area which runs through my inner thigh. The doctor told me that the baby was pressing on a nerve, or something like that. There's no choice but to just get through it daily. I have a five-year old to drive to school from Monday-Friday, I feed and care for her and we do schoolwork and play time together, too. I make it a point to do these things even if I'm feeling so much discomfort because I want to be able to cherish the time when it's still just me and Bean. It has been five years of pure happiness with her...it may sound cliche but she's my source of strength. Whenever I feel doubt, she's the one who keeps me standing strong. 

It has been months of walking in pain for me. But yesterday was the last straw. Upon waking up, I had a hard time standing on my right leg. The pain was just too much , yet I thought that if I got myself walking it would dull the pain. So we went on with our morning routine and I drove Bean to school. From there I found it impossible to get back to our car. I limped all throughout and it seemed impossible! I drove home (there's no pain when I'm sitting down) and also had an excruciating time getting down from the car and getting into the house. So I texted my OB and called Adam to let him know of the situation. Again, I am advised to be on bed rest, hopefully I'd be able to be mobile in a few days because....who the h*ck would bring my little girl to school?!

I did cry my heart out to my husband because every time I feel sick, or I am unable to do anything to contribute in the house or in our family I feel useless. I feel that I would be lacking as a mother when I just lie down and rest and do nothing. And I am so glad and grateful that he talked sense into my head...that I am not useless and that I am also doing this for our family.

Right now I am busying myself with crafts and art, finding inspiration during this "nesting" phase, and preparing myself mentally for the surgery.

Only about four weeks to go and we can't wait to meet this little one!

A Simple Party for our Madeleine Bean

I can't believe that I have been doing this for five years already: throwing a themed party annually for our little love. And this year's challenge for me is doing it while pregnant! This pregnancy is really taking a lot out of me. I feel exhausted all the time, literally. I have been pinning a lot of party inspirations over on Pinterest but ended up procrastinating anyway. Also, we only invited a few people because I really find it difficult to be hosting this time around.

I tried too keep it as simple as possible with a menu that was easy to prepare. Thank God for my mom and yaya Baby who helped me so much with the preparations and with cooking some of the food.

This year Bean requested for a Shopkins/ My Little Pony birthday party, and I have scoured the internet for all the free printable I could find. Good thing there were a lot! And I made a lot of paper decorations based on the color scheme of MLP and Shopkins.

Another thing that was a challenge for me was baking a cake. I do bake cupcakes every time Bean celebrates her birthday and order a custom cake based on the theme...but upon inquiry the price increase was just not within our budget. So I told Adam that I'll be the one baking the cake. I have never baked a cake before and was hesitant because I didn't want to disappoint our daughter (who kept on looking through the internet for her "perfect cake.") I was so relived to find out that people actually liked the cake! And our daughter absolutely loved it, which was more important to me.

All we wanted was for her to enjoy her day and to spend it with our family and friends. I am sharing a few photos of the party which I hope would help others realize that you can still have a blast and a great party even when you're on a  budget!

My first cake ever: funfetti cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Shopkins-inspired loot bags.

Paper stars....

Surprisingly, the marshmallows and popcorn were a hit with the adults!

I can't believe she's 5 and such a lady.

When your cousin is your best friend!

....annual cupcakes.....

Miss Taylor Lane

with tita Summer.

...feeling like a whale but I wanted a picture with her.

....my everything....

with lola

a selfie with mamamita....

three generations....

...not really praising myself, but this cake was YUM!

Turning Five!

Wow! Time certainly passed by so fast that it seems only yesterday that I've written my last post. It also feels as if  I've just posted about Bean's fourth and now I am writing about her fifth! Her fifth year on this beautiful earth.

I know most mothers can't help but gush about and sing praises about their little ones, and so for me it is something I constantly do. And I really do feel the luckiest being miss Bean's mama. Ever since she could talk I have always made her promise not to grow up too fast and yet here we are. Just last year she was still so dependent on me and I find it surprising and such a blessing that lately our roles have been reversed! Ever since getting pregnant early this year I haven't been myself-- always plagued with nausea and vomiting; headaches and body aches. Normally, it would be me making sure our little girl is feeling okay, if she is well rested, fed, cleaned and okay but now she is the one always asking me how I feel or if I want to rest or take a nap. She'd help me by doing her schoolwork diligently, reminds me of things I forget, fetches things out of my reach (because everything I drop appears to be non-existent these days due to my big pregnant belly.)

We've been reading books ever since and this year I started teaching her how to read and write. And I feel like I've won the lottery because she's already caught up so fast! Bean will patiently finish a book by herself no matter how long it takes her. We'd often find her on a corner sounding of words and trying to write it on her own--thus, the many notes I've collected from her saying: I LUV YOU MOM, THANK YOU or BEAN LOVES MOM AND DAD. Most afternoons we find her drawing, coloring or painting which makes me super happy because it strikes a good balance with play time.

She's all that and more only having turned five!

All we wish for is that she be happy and content with her life and to find her passion. We want her to value experiences more than material things and to brave the world and find her adventures.

We are so proud to be her parents, and we also look forward to Bean's new role of being a big sister soon.

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO MY BEST FRIEND AND MY LOVE.

Mama and Dad love you so very much!

Last weekend we celebrated her birthday in advance and I will share about her mini party on my next post, hopefully soon!