My 28th

I had one of my best birthdays in years.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical during the days leading to January 26th because--let's face it--I am getting older and the excitement has started to wear off through the years.

Luckily, I have people around me who think I am worth celebrating, and that made me feel very special indeed :)

I was greeted by this sight when I went to work in the morning. My officemates "decorated" my cube in my honor. While it still isn't clear to me if they were greeting me a Merry Christmas, a Happy Halloween or a Happy 4th of July, I'd like to think that they knew it was my birthday, and I reminded myself it's the thought that counts :P

My pregnant belly didn't like cleaning up one bit

Then on my actual birthday, Gary took me to San Francisco with my good friend from work, Ate Lucille. We just walked around and enjoyed the street performances at Pier 39. The weather was pretty chilly but we managed to stay the whole day to see everything there was to see.

Me and Ate Lucille

Gary, Ina and Stella

The gifts I got this year were also exceptional. Gary's sister, Debra, gave me Urban Decay products. Pure love! I got the Naked 2 palette and a bottle of makeup setting spray. They're amazing!

<3>

But the biggest treat for me was Gary's present. I simply can't express how happy I am with his choice this year :D It's just PERFECT!

If it's good enough for Audrey Hepburn, it's good enough for me...

After opening my major present, we headed out to dinner, where I had to endure the attention-grabbing birthday song from the food servers.

The morning after my birthday, I woke up crying like crazy. I still think it could be the hormones, but it suddenly just hit me that I am so very lucky. I have a husband who absolutely adores me. I have a stressful but rewarding career. I have a precious baby on the way. And while I miss my family back in the Philippines, what right do I have to complain? I am just in a good place in my life and for this I am very thankful. God is good :)

stuff

For the first time in my life, I was told I'm overweight. Apparently, I've been enjoying eating for two so much that my doctor warned me I have now reached my end-of-pregnancy weight, at 27 weeks. Of course the husband went health-instructor-crazy on me so I started walking and eating healthier...for about a day or two! LOL 

 

I tried, I really did...

But how could one survive in this cruel world of yummy food?!? For New Year's Eve, I prepared dinner for two: Aligue Pasta. All Gary could do was shake his head as he watched me throw caution to the wind and reach carbs heaven.

My Aligue Pasta

 

On to a different note...the nights are getting too cold for my slowly swelling feet and I found the most comfortable pair of chinelas. It's as cozy as it looks I tell you!

 

 

AND!!! It's Gary's Big 3-0 today :) I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just stop right here, right now by saying: Happy Birthday honeybunny, Lella and I love you soooooooo much :)

Christmas 2012

Christmas was extra special for us this year because we finally have our little Stella with us. I know 2013 can only get better, so we’re really excited about the year ahead. So many blessings to be thankful for!

Let me share some of the highlights of this year’s Christmas celebration.

Christmas Eve, only Gary’s sister Con and her family visited. We were about to open the kids’ gifts but decided to wait until Christmas Day, when Gary’s brothers Jeng and Sherwin’s families would come too. While it was a little last minute, Gary and I managed to host the party, which was attended by all of his siblings who are in California and some of his cousins,  uncles and aunt as well. The gifts were hilarious this year, and it was good to see everyone have a great time.

Excited parents-to-be

Ate Con, Jake, Junior, Judee, me and Ty

Huli nanaman! Me eating for two...



resting my inflated legs

Annber loving her gifts

Ate Con

Kiana and her gift from Auntie Ella

Debra with her gift from Gary and I

Glenda and Ate Ellah opening their gifts from Debra at the same time

Jake with his gift from Uncle Gary and me

All the boys

i miss my lovelove :(





On his recent trip to SM Pampanga



spoiled by his parents, my brother, my mom, and of course me 

 

Chok in his Christmas clothes

my Balikbayan Box arrived, finally! Chok is ready for his treats :)

Pre-Christmas Visit

Gary and I were under a lot of stress the past few weeks because we moved to a new place after our lease expired with our previous apartment. While I didn't really do anything during the move...just the whole transition thing is pretty tedious. Luckily, the husband was extra sipag packing and unpacking our things. He even managed to buy me a real Christmas tree! How he managed to drag this fat tree into his car and into the house remains a mystery. LOL

i love the smell it gives out :)

Then two days ago, I got a call from my Tita Pining (Mama's cousin), who's based in Anaheim. She said she and her husband, Tito Gus, were in Merced to visit some relatives. Merced is only about two hours away from Sunnyvale so they decided to visit me and Gary as well. It's so nice to have family during this season, especially since my hormones were on overdrive and I've been sooo emotional about not seeing my mom, brothers and other relatives for Christmas.

tita pining and tito gus are also our ninang and ninong from our wedding



i didn't realize how super pregnant i already look :P



Winchester Mystery House Holiday Party

Gary and I attended his Army Reserve unit's Holiday Party last Saturday, which was held at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA. The mansion, which normally operates only until 5pm, graciously hosted the event and offered tours around the area for all the soldiers and their families.

Famous for its oddity, the house was built by Sarah Winchester, widow of the Winchester Rifle magnate William Winchester. It was said that the Winchester mansion was constructed after Sarah lost her only daughter and her husband, went to a medium and was told that the family was cursed by all the people killed by the Winchester Rifles. She believed that she needed to construct a house for all the lost souls that haunt her, so for nearly 38 years since 1884, Sarah directed the non-stop construction of this Victorian house until her death. http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/

I'm normally scared of my own shadow, and watching an episode of Ghost Hunters International on the Winchester Mystery House made me more fearful, but I was also very excited to see it. The truth of the matter is, the tour was too tiring for me. It's like an endless maze of small spaces, with the smell of old, pungent wood following you throughout the tour. The details of the interiors are very lavish and intricate, and one can only imagine what ran in Sarah Winchester's mind as she masterminded the construction of this monstrosity of a house!

Excited to go out :)

Gary and his Filipino friends

one of the many Christmas trees in the mansion 

Our patient guide showing us around

The ancient pantry

The carved walls of the Winchester mansion

My favorite Christmas tree

Me and my honey bunny

The best way to end the evening? Catch the last full show of Breaking Dawn Part 2 at AMC. We got home at around 3am. Not the perfect thing to do as Stellalela's parents, I know, but we don't really stay out too late often. Despite my aching legs, I had a lot of fun. It was the perfect night :)

Gary Just Made My Day...

Leche Flan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're having....

A Baby Girl! :)

I was so convinced that Gary and I were expecting a boy because, well, I look like a guy these days and the doctor said the baby's a "mover" with a fast, strong heartbeat...so we're still processing the fact that we're having a little girl soon :)

Everyone predicted the baby would be a girl though. Even when Gary and I went to the Asian store, the Vietnamese cashiers whispered profusely to each other and told me that I was going to have a girl. My mom wants a baby girl for me too, and while I initially wanted a boy (Gary will tell you he's okay with either but really I think he was on Blue Team too) I'm getting really excited about the arrival of my sweet innocent daughter.

She registered very well on her latest ultrasound. My doctor gave her a shining assessment. We're so thrilled!



the wonderful e-mail from Dr. Nomura

We tried to get down to business right after learning the baby's gender. Gary wants two names (so typically Filipino LOL) and I've picked her first name already. This is subject to change really, but we already started calling her Stella. The name just came to me out of the blue and when I searched for the meaning online, it said it's Latin for "star." You can't beat that :)

Our Stellalela

At 19 weeks, I am HUGE. It's funny how everything gets bigger during pregnancy. My nose, my tummy, my feet...you can pretty much see what else inflates :P

I can't say enough how utterly lucky I feel to finally be expecting. We can't wait to see how our little bundle of joy looks like. Personally, I want her to look more like Gary, but ask him and he'll tell you he wants it the other way around. Either way, we just want mommy and baby to be healthy.

Halloween 2012

the devil with the fivehead :P

Support Staffing Group

gummy worms and oreo

food!

the Halloween spread

The BIG Reveal

 

I've been itching, wanting, coveting to make this announcement for, like, three months now and following all customs and traditions, it is now finally time to let all loved ones and friends know that YES, WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!!

 

The funny thing is that I've long trained myself to dismiss any hope that I could be pregnant. It has been really disappointing to miss my period, feel "different" and end up negative on a home pregnancy test. The fact that I had a miscarriage in 2010 makes it even harder. So the past few months, I have consciously avoided any thoughts of having a baby.

 

What's weird though is that Gary knows me more than I know myself, apparently. Last August, he stopped by Walgreens after dinner and told me to buy a home pregnancy kit. I said no, we're wasting money (these tests are not cheap I tell you), I'll just get disappointed, I'm not even feeling anything...But he was dead serious about it. After a dialogue that sounded more like a dad telling his kid to eat her veggies, I finally stepped into the tub and tested myself.

 

The best surprise EVER.


So how's my pregnancy so far? Interesting, to say the least. The moment I stepped out of that bathroom, our roles have been reversed. Gary suddenly became the domestic diva that I was; and me? I instantly became the other half that didn't need to worry about dinner or what toiletries we need to buy. AND. I. LOVE. IT.

 

Gary seems to be loving it too. I guess it's the feeling that he has a family to protect. Or that another life will be depending on him. Or that he's seeing a little Gary soon. Maybe all. My pregnancy really does feel like magic. We have never been happier or more connected. I've never felt more loved, and I have never appreciated how really good a husband I have until now. Gary studies full time, works full time and reports for his Army duties one weekend per month all at the same time so we could give the most to our new addition. He does all this, yet I still feel that I have his 100%attention 24/7. How he does it, I have no idea!

Love at first sight. Our baby at 6 weeks 1 day.

As for me, I'm lazy, and grumpy, and just having a ball being a spoiled, fat brat. I make demands and they are always met to my satisfaction. Seriously though, it has not been easy on me either. While I have only one or two occassions of vomitting, I was always queasy and had to battle with my gag reflex non-stop. I didn't and couldn't eat the first three months of pregnancy. I always loved to cook but that all changed. I suddenly couldn't bear the sight of my own kitchen. I didn't (still don't) eat in the dining area because I could see the kitchen and it makes me want to throw up. And if Gary so much as puts a spoonful more than I asked for, I will just not eat from the plate that he gives me. My lower back hurts most of the time, and I also get headaches, which make me irritable. When I really get difficult, Gary jokingly tells me, "You can't bring me down!" LOL

 

 

A pea in the pod. At 8 weeks.

Yesterday I went to my third prenatal checkup with Gary. He normally goes inside the maternity room with me. The past two sessions, we saw the baby through ultrasound. This time however, the doctor asked for a urine sample from me and before I could even grab Gary to go see our doctor, I was already led by the medical assistant to my room. There was no ultrasound session scheduled for that visit. Which is for the best I guess since Gary was excitedly, patiently waiting outside thinking he would see our baby when I actually wasn't even going to get him anymore. My doctor is Dr. Wakako Nomura. She's been very pleasant and sensitive of my needs from Day 1. Yesterday, she just listened to the baby's heartbeat through a fetal Doppler. I got to hear it too, and she described it as "fast, strong and healthy." We still wish we were able to see our baby at 13 weeks through ultrasound but knowing that he's fine is really more than enough.

 



Excited parents-to-be. PHOTO BY ANDREA BRENHOLZ



 

We still have a long way ahead of us but my only prayer is that the baby's healthy and that I have a safe delivery. Oh, and that Gary still takes care of dinner ad infinitum. Okay, I'm not gonna push my luck. Just healthy mommy and baby is fine. :)