My Birthday, Baby's Birthday

Yeah, it is my birthday today. And I am happy and thankful. But you know what? If not for family and friends who greeted me, I would have forgotten that 34 years ago, I was born. That's right, I am already 34 years old today.

You know why I have not been concerned by my own birthday? Because my baby turned 4 months last Saturday, just 2 days before mine. So I was thinking of her clothes for her pictorial and how and when to best take her pictures that I already forgot my concerns. Is that what motherhood really is like?

Anyway, my husband and I woke up in the middle of the night because Dindin fussed and I fed her. After I put her back to sleep, I went to the can to pee. When I came back, my husband sang me the birthday song and handed me this really cute bible. Our pastor had already told us before that he had stocks left but I didn't get one, although I really wanted a new small bible that I can carry around. I looked for one when the Doulos was here, but they didn't have the NI version left.

So I am just so happy that my husband did give this to me. Now my dilemma is whether to use a marker on the verses or not. hehe

Thank you to all my friends who greeted me. Sorry, no more party or blow-out na. hehe

Mostly, thank you Lord for this blessed life. You are my strength, joy, provider, comforted, friend...Jesus, You are my Savior.

Baby's milestones, Mommy's smilestones

I have not updated you yet about my baby's milestones. Well, she will be 4 months old tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, 2009.

Here are what she can do now:

-She is already very bubbly. She squeals with delight. She already enjoys bathing (as opposed to when she was just weeks old).

-She answers when talked to.

-She calls "Mama" when she is crying or when she needs something, even though somebody else is caring for her.

-She can sometimes answer yes or no, depending on the question. I know that this may be just coincidence, but she did that more than 20 times already during the last month.

-She can adroitly roll over. She started rolling over from a flat surface last July 1, but her hand would get stuck. By July 3, she already knows how to maneuver her hand and before you can count 1, she is already on her stomach, holding her head and chest up while being supported by her two hands.

Yesterday, we went to the doctor for her second dose of hexavac--a 6-in-1 immunization in 3 doses. It includes protection for DPT, polio, hepatitis B, and meningitis. She cried when the needle and medicine went in. When it was taken out, she went back to playing with her rattle.

As for me, I am no longer breastfeeding. I still take the malunggay tablets though, and it has been good for my health, but not exactly for my breastmilk. My baby's feeding is around 24-30 oz a day. She drinks NAN one HW (hypoallergenic), because of my history of allergies.

As for my husband and myself, well, we are always tired because of working and taking care of the baby. Tomorrow he is facilitating the launching of the cell group among the students. On Sunday, he is tasked to preach.

We have a hectic schedule.

But last week, we did get to unwind at my parents' house. It was our daughter's first swimming in a big tub. hehe Here is a picture.

5 Secrets to Staying in Love

This is not my own writing. Our friend Romelo forwarded this to me and I took the liberty of sharing it here. It is written by Jennifer Good. Credits to her.

5 Secrets to Staying In Love
by Jennifer Good

Just about everyone wants to know how they can make their relationship better. They want to know how they can deepen the commitment and love between each partner. Unfortunately relationships are not something you can provide a "to do" sheet for and all will be solved, but with these five key secrets you can certainly improve your chances for getting all you desire out of your relationship.

Do things unexpectedly.
One key secret to a successful relationship is compromise. Meeting halfway on things shows your partner that you really do care about their viewpoint and you are willing to work on making each other happy. Every so often make it a point to do something that you normally would not agree to or feel like doing. When you keep your partner constantly surprised by your actions, you regenerate that "new love" feeling time and time again. So, when your partner asks if you want to try that new restaurant…say yes! If they ask if you want to try a new hobby…say yes!

Show your loyalty.
Nothing strengthens a relationship quite like watching your partner go to bat for you, especially against close friends or family members. It shows that you consider your relationship a team. If you harass one member of a team, you harass them all. When you side with other people against your partner you make them feel alienated and the seeds of hidden resentment become planted. You can show loyalty positively as well by bragging about your partner's recent accomplishments to friends and family.

Be supportive.
Challenges and opportunities are always going to occur. You can't stop them from happening. Hopefully for both of you the changes in your lives are positive ones. The secret key here is having a supporting and understanding mate in your corner to help you through your ups and downs. If you lose your job, it's quite a bit easier to bounce back when you have someone who's willing to support your choices and any new directions you might want to branch out to. If you want a career or lifestyle change, imagine the difference having someone who will carefully consider and support those changes? When your partner is presenting you with a challenge or an opportunity, treat them the way you'd want to be treated.

Maintain a healthy dose of individuality.
Personal time and space are essential to growing individually. Everyone one needs private time to do the things they want to do. It helps refocus attention to the priorities. Sometimes you or your partner may just need time to release emotions from a bad day, instead of bringing it home with them. Learning to respect and notice when your partner needs some individual time shows that you are committed to not only your relationship, but their long-term happiness as well.

Love your partner.
Love is obviously a crucial element in a successful long-term relationship. But having love isn't enough. You need to be in love. The phrase "love is a verb, not a noun" certainly applies here. Don't hesitate to write that quick love note, give that deep kiss, sit next to each other at a restaurant or hold hands in public. The little things go a long way towards establishing a deep, intimate connection with your partner. As simple as it sounds, this action is probably the most commonly overlooked and ignored.

Blessings...

I have shared awhile back that hubby and I have encountered financial setbacks since early this year. But we are still thankful because family have helped us with financial help and also there were people who gave us gifts--things that we would not have otherwise afforded for Baby Din, because either they were too expensive or because we know that they are more in the "wants" category than in the "needs" column.

Also recently, I have struggled in my spiritual life because I had been worrying. Until last week, I consciously repented of worrying. I considered worrying as sin because the sentence "Do not worry" is actually a direct command from Jesus.

Little by little my emotional turmoil eased. Then one after the other, blessings flowed from heaven. I already asked my mother in law if I can borrow money from her by the end of the month because my checking account might be below balance and may incur corresponding charges. But I don't have to borrow from her anymore. I have closed a deal and I have my share in the earnings. Also, a website that I had been a member last year paid me, even if I thought they would never pay anymore because they had frozen the payments since last year. And I already encashed my paypal earnings at a high rate than the currency had been going these past weeks.

I am so thankful. Indeed, God was teaching me a lesson about not worrying. Although we often say "Don't worry," how many of us really live this out?

The next step now is to allocate the money that we will be receiving to pay off debts. Yes, we are still in debt. But I know that with God's grace, we will be able to pay everything and still have more than enough left to share to others.

Take care all! :D

Baby turned 3 months

Wow! It seemed that time is racing. Our Baby is now 3 months old! We had a pictorial yesterday and here is one of them. Baby's outfits were all gifts--clothes from 2-chim, cap from our cousin's girlfriend, and socks were a gift during her dedication. Our baby is so blessed to have so many people love her. :-)

My Husband is in Love with Two Women

Yes, it is a fact! My husband is in love with two women. And he should be.

Actually, he is talking about me and our daughter, Din. For the past week, it seems that the father and daughter are having a lover's quarrel. Our daughter didn't seem to like his company for more than week already.

You see our daughter was used to having both of us take care of her. But when my husband got busy with work, he was only around at night. It seemed that our two-month-old daughter would snub him when he is around. And when he carries her, she would cry so hard!

But last night, they became at peace with each other. The baby once again got comfortable in the arms of her father.

And today, as my husband sings love songs for my daughter and I, he feels like a lover whose love was accepted by a maiden. It was such a sweet sight! And my husband commented that he feels so in love today, looking at both our baby and me.

When Finances are Shaky...

Ever since I was hospitalized twice last December, been on home confinement in January, and giving birth last March, our finances have overtaken our income. And as we continue to earn, we continue to pay for what has been owed and still for the new expenses that keep coming up.

We could only pray and look for other ways to pay for the debts we have incurred as well as to spend for coming expenses.

We remain hopeful--GOD PROVIDES AND WILL PROVIDE. And I continue to declare it.

Crying Over "No Milk"

Yeah, I know, the adage says, "Don't cry over spilt milk."

But I have nothing to spill over, no breast milk for that matter.

Okay, I am exaggerating. I do produce milk, or at least some of it...just part of my baby's feeding requirements.

Today, I just got so tired. I have been crying in the past from the pain of breast pumping, swollen nipples, and the frustration. But today, I felt so bad. I felt like a bad mother for not being able to produce enough breast milk for my baby. And to think that my mother breastfed my brother and I for several years.

What made it more painful was the fact that my baby is pushing away her bottle and would rather latch on me. She wants to be breast fed, but after awhile, no more milk would come out.

I have tried everything. While I was painfully recovering from Caesarian Section, I endured the pain to go to the nursery twice a day in order to get my breasts stimulated to produce breast milk. While I was already discharged from the hospital and the baby remained, I came everyday just to let her latch.

I ate vegetables, drank soup by the bowls, milk, ate fruits, took vitamins, took malunggay capsules (I now take 6 per days making me go to bathroom every so often), etc, etc. Then only I have not done probably is to drink beer (they say beer also increases milk production but most babies don't like the milk).

Last night, she vomitted most of what she had since the afternoon, which was mostly formula. I felt sad. It was one of the times that she took 4 oz in 5 hours and yet she threw up everything.

People are telling me that my baby has lost weight. What can I do? She refuses to eat other varieties, and I can only give so much.

It just so frustrating because ever since I got pregnant, I already decided to breastfeed. And I have time to breastfeed because I work at home. But the problem is milk production.

My baby is almost 3 months now.

Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary

Our wedding day: May 27, 2007

My husband and I had been quite busy lately--he at the store, me with work, housework, and the baby.

Yesterday, I managed to get out of the house because my parents were here to take care of the baby. I attended a brief meeting with a client and then went to the store to pick up something for my husband. Unfortunately, of all the days to forget it, I forgot to bring my wallet, so I was not able to buy him anything.

So I went on to do my second gift, as I intended to prepare this all along--a digital card, which I personally made. I e-mailed the card to my husband last night so that it will be the first thing he will see when he opens his mail.

This morning, very early, before the baby woke up, I invited my husband to pray. So we prayed together for our marriage, family, ministry, etc. I told him to open his mail and then I went back to bed.

When I woke up again, my husband was busy going back and forth. He prepared breakfast for me! Or well, at least he brought our breakfast inside the room where we partook of it in a rather hushed manner or else the baby might wake up.

After breakfast, he handed me our digital camera and let me view a video. To my surprise, he actually went to our rooftop took a video of the sunrise, sang a couple of lines, and then went on to tell me his anniversary message...sigh...how romantic! Did I cry? Of course, I did!

I am just so happy that despite our lack of budget, we still managed to make this day special. Well, in everything anyway, we can still find creative ways to celebrate the happy memories in our lives, as long as we deliberately do it.

Happy Anniversary, Babe!

I Am Tired

I am tired...physically, mentally, emotionally. The days are just sooo busy working, keeping our quarters, and most of all, taking care of the baby.

I need my quiet space.

For now, I need to sleep.

The Services of a Lawyer

I have a neighbor who does not believe in the value of education. He wanted his children to become businessmen like him. He scoffed at lawyers and doctors but eventually, he got himself entangled in a mess of legal situations that he also needed the assistance of a lawyer.

Indeed, even if we try to live a life where our actions are governed by the law, somewhere or somehow along the way, we may need legal advice in one way or the other. In Central Jersey, there is a group of lawyers who provide consultations in order to connect you to the lawyer whose expertise is focused on your needs. You can be able to submit your information through their site, Centraljerseylegalservices.com, where you can find an online form. All data submitted are considered confidential. This legal network will then be responsible in ensuring that you are referred to a lawyer that you need in your area.

Thankfully, even legal services can now be accessed online. But still, there is that prayer in me that I will not be entangled in legal problems.

Alone Time

Since the arrival of our baby last March 11, 2009, our lives have been quite hectic. We both have work and we take turns taking care of the baby.

But then, we also don't want to neglect our marriage. So we devised our "Alone Times." These are not necessarily consistent--the times each each day are different and even the duration of the "aloneness." But we still make it a point to do it.

Sometimes is just talking, sometimes just watching a downloaded sitcom that lasts for 20 minutes, or sometimes just hugging or just sitting down and holding hand for several minutes. Whatever it is, we make it a point to be alone together. That is the point of the Alone Time.

In these moments, we get recharged and we are reminded that before we became a family, we were a couple first.

Great Blog Contest

Would you like to win some money? Of course you do. That is why I am sharing this with you.

I found this great blog contest at BloggerTricks.com. This is his second attempt for a great big bash in his blog and he is very successful at holding these. The rules are very simple. A blogger just has to earn points by following a few instructions (like what I am doing now). Then the winners will be determined through a random raffle. So if you are interested, which I am sure you are, join here.

I would also like to mention the sponsors of his contest.

First of all, Big thanks to the Contest Sponsors..
Directory Submission Service : getlinkspro.com
She Told Me : shetoldme.com
Discount Codes : digitaldiscountcodes.com
Make Money Online : moneymakerinfo.blogspot.com

Thank you for making this possible! :D

Smiles and Divorce

I came across an article on Yahoo where researches say that the way a person smiles on his or her yearbook may determine if he or she is likely to get a divorce later on in life.

"Psychologists have found that how much people smile in old photographs can predict their later success in marriage.

In one test, the researchers looked at people's college yearbook photos, and rated their smile intensity from 1 to 10. None of the people who fell within the top 10 percent of smile strength had divorced, while within the bottom 10 percent of smilers, almost one in four had had a marriage that ended, the researchers say. (Scoring was based on the stretch in two muscles: one that pulls up on the mouth, and one that creates wrinkles around the eyes.) " -- the article said.

I am not sure which yearbook they are referring to, as I have a yearbook in high school and college. And in my high school yearbook, I wasn't smiling as I had a tic that day but in college, I was smiling but not much. I married and very much happy.

At the same time, my father never smiles on camera. I dunno, I guess he gets self conscious, but he is a funny guy in person. And he and my mom are married 35 years this April 27, so I think this study is not conclusive. There are still exceptions to the norm. After all, two people make a marriage work. And I believe, the best is still having God in between. And I think that is what made the marriage of my parents work despite the trials. Not the smiles on their yearbooks.

"Will you breastfeed or will I prepare the bottle?"

I just want to share with you something that I find funny recently. Well, we have our firstborn now, a daughter, who is almost 4 weeks old. My husband and I are still adjusting to this wonderful addition in our lives. She sleeps with us in our bed, and she is in the middle. But of course, we don't think of her as getting in the way.

Anyway, one person in a forum asked "what is the first thing you say to your lover in the morning?"

Then I got to reminiscing that I would often hug my husband, kiss him, and tell him good morning and I love him, etc. etc.

But now with the baby, the first thing he asks is "Will you breastfeed or will I prepare the bottle?" He usually wakes up first when the baby cries, then I follow, so that is his usual line for the last 3 weeks or so.

But then after we have done everything for the baby and she is fast asleep, we try to make time for each other and give each other undivided attention, even if it is just for a few minutes. We do the same routine, hug, kiss, and say sweet words to each other so that we do not neglect our marriage.

Also, I keep on praying for my husband, much like what I used to when we were still only a couple.

The Best Relationship Advice I Ever Got

This was written by Sara Anderson for Redbook and I got this from Yahoo. I wanted to put this here because of its relevance to my blog and yes, I agree with most of them. Except for the separate closets. Well, my husband and I have our spaces, but I also fix his and I make it a point to keep it tidy as well.

#1. Polite Fight

"On my wedding-invitation RSVP cards, I left space for guests to write their favorite wedding wisdom. The tidbit that rings truest after almost nine months of marriage is: 'Attack the issue, not each other.' How it works: If my husband and I disagree about something, we stay focused on the issue and skip the personal put-downs." -- Melissa Gitter Schilowitz, 31, Metuchen, NJ

#2. Fit to a Tee

"My grandmother insisted that I learn how to play golf. 'If your husband loves to play, you can go along and spend hours together,' she said. So I took lessons, and now my husband and I hit the links once a month. We both love the game and are thrilled to share a hobby, even when we spend half an hour looking for my out-of-bounds balls!" -- Aimee Borders, 27, Houston, TX

#3. Tabletop Trick

"My aunt told me that if I'm running late when it's my turn to make dinner, just set the table. That way my husband thinks he'll be eating any minute, so he doesn't start complaining, which buys me some time. It's a silly trick that sounds straight out of the 1950s, but I have to admit that I've tried it a few times in the three years I've been married -- and it works!" -- Dawn Clayton, 34, Holdrege, NE

#4. Boob-Tube Brilliance

"Because my husband is such a remote-control freak, my mom suggested that we have 'my turn' TV nights. That means three nights a week I get to hold the remote and watch whatever I want, and on the other nights it's his turn to hold the remote and watch whatever he wants. Now when he starts flipping through the channels, it doesn't get on my nerves like it used to." -- Angela Clayton, 27, Odenton, MD

#5. Pop the Question

"My sister-in-law passed this helpful hint on to me, and it has served me well for our five years of wedded bliss: 'Marriage is not mind reading, so ask your spouse what he/she wants and believe what he/she says.'" -- Clare Graca, 27, Dallas

#6. Nix the Nit-Picking

"Before I said 'I do,' my mom (who's been married to my dad for 55 years) told me to take out a piece of paper and write down the top three things that bugged me about my husband-to-be. Then she told me to forget the things on that list and forgive him for not being flawless. Once you make a commitment this big, she explained, you can't let petty things get in the way. In our eight years of marriage, my husband and I have had two kids, tackled cross-country moves and started two businesses -- and so far, so great."-- Rebecca Hart Blaudow, 31, Jacksonville, FL

#7. Space Smarts

"Always have separate closets, my best friend told me. It may seem silly, but I listened to her and made sure to find a one-bedroom apartment with two closets (mine being the larger, of course). Now my husband and I each have our own private space, and we respect that: If he wants to keep his shoes in one huge heap or leave his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor, the mess doesn't bother me a bit!" -- Patricia Bontekoe, 26, Lake Hiawatha, NJ

#8. Agree to Disagree

"Before we got married, my minister told my husband and me, 'You are two imperfect people making an imperfect union, and that's wonderful.' This advice made me ditch my belief that in a happy marriage, the couple always agrees. My husband and I have learned to appreciate our differences (yes, even differences of opinion!); in fact, we encourage them because we realize now that those differences are what makes each of us unique and special." -- Beth Swanson, 28, Chicago

#9. Comic Relief

"Before I headed down the aisle, my stepfather told me to always laugh and never take myself too seriously. After four years of marriage, I know that this trick works. My husband and I often play practical jokes on each other and always try to crack each other up, even in the middle of an argument. Hey, if one person laughs, a fight tends to fizzle, doesn't it?" -- Lisa Giassa, 31, Bogota, NJ

Thinking of Getting a New Car?

The search for your car replacement can be a drag sometimes. You wish to consider all options, whether on getting a new car or to choose among used cars, but your search is frustratingly limited. And when finally you make the purchase, you find out after a short while that there is a better deal.

Thankfully, there is a site called BuyYourCar.co.uk that allows searches to compare kinds of cars and offers available. They have such an extensive collection of vehicles for sale, whether new or used, as well as those offered for lease. And I think that like me, all of you would appreciate their page on car reviews as well as car loans and insurance offers.

So if you are thinking of getting a new or replacing your old set of wheels, then this site is a must-visit for you.

Baby Bath Time

Giving our baby a bath is a really stressful time. I think much of the poundage that I lost is during the work that I get during her bath time. hehe

We are not sure what ticks her off, as the temperature is just enough, we give her a bath in room that is not windy, and we sure do it as quickly as possible. And of course, we follow the tricks told to us and in the books. But it seems bath time is a horrible time for her. She would continue to bawl and bawl until she is finally wrapped in her towel.

We tried feeding her before the bath, but she would sleep right after that we would end up not taking a bath at all. Or if we don't feed her, she would cry until her skin turns dark. And this happens even if we don't give her full feeding.

My father in law says that she is like a goat who hates to take a bath. :-D And this is really ironical because when I was pregnant, I kept taking a bath, like up to five times a day. tsk tsk

She is almost 4 weeks now so any tips that you can share with us new parents will be greatly appreciated. Thank you all! :D

Blog Aggregator for My Blog

Hi friends and followers!

I have actually created a community aggregator for my blog, MarriageMarkers, recently and I would like to invite all of you to become blog aggregators and to sign up in my community there. This is a very interesting site as we get to follow each other's blogs through feed clusters. Also, we will be able to limit our community to the people who have signed up under us. I am still new there and starting to appreciate the other features, so I hope to be able to tell you more soon. In the meantime, please do sign up there and follow my blog. Thanks!

The Birth of Shawna Din

Here's what happened since I was gone. I wrote this for Facebook, I am sharing this here. :-D

****

Since March 2, 2009, I had been experiencing strong contractions already, which continued for the entire week.

On Tuesday, March 10, we went to Robinsons for an early afternoon walk and to speed things up. But I suspected that my bag of water was already leaking and so we passed by the hospital for an assessment.

It was recommended by my OB-gyne that I be admitted that night. I wasn't allowed to go out of the hospital anymore, which was a wise decision.

The next day, labor was induced because of the leaking bag. But since the contractions were so intense that I passed out every 2 minutes, I was given epidural anesthesia in the afternoon when I reached 6cm. My bag of water completely broke around 10 am. I really didn’t know much about what went on, except the excruciating pain because the baby really wanted to come out the natural way.

But when evening came, around 9pm, an irregularity in the baby’s heartbeat was already detected that my OB-Gyne recommended emergency C-Section.

Anyway, after all the pain, Shawna Din D. Lo was taken out of my tummy at 9:41pm, March 11, 2009. It took awhile before I finally got to her and before I finally got to my feet because of the pain that I went through.

But all is worth it. We have our little bundle and she is such a joy and a blessing. And she is sooo blessed.

Thank you to my parents who stuck with me and are taking care of me now and my extended family who had all been very supportive and prayerful. Thanks to the moral and prayer support of friends. Thank you to my doctors, especially my OB-Gyne, Dr. Kate Jison, whose quick calls were crucial in the safe delivery of the baby, the nurses, and hospital staff who had been so friendly.

Thank you to everyone who have showered our Din-din with gifts, most of which we never got for her or thought of getting for her. You have all been blessings to our new family.

A very special thanks goes to my beloved other half, Dennis, who had to take care of me, the paper works, and most of the errands while I was lying incapacitated and who so anxiously awaited the arrival of our firstborn. His love and devotion to both the baby and me are a source of strength.

And most of all, all praises and honor and glory be to Jesus, my Savior and Lord, my Strength, Shield, Protector, Comforter and Healer. Everytime I look at my daughter’s face, I cannot help but utter praises unto Him.

By the way, “Shawna” means “The Lord is Gracious” while “Din” is Chinese for “Kindness.” It is also part of Dennis’ Chinese name.