The Books in my Wishlist

Yeah I know, I said my last post before I start work was the one I posted before this but Alvin is in his weekly basketball game and Anika and I are waiting for him because we're going to the Mall of Asia later with Anika's Lola Lydia.

I was getting bored and so i made na lang my wishlist books. I was in Powerbooks and Fully Booked yesterday and I saw all these books there. Hindi niyo lang naitatanong but aside from being a shoppingera (term borrowed from Ms. Jenni Epperson), Im a voracious reader too. I so love to read books! I have this mini library na at home. Im sad nga I gave away my old pocketbooks from our old house in Manila. It's only now i realize, pwede ko pala ipunin yun for Anika. Oh well, ill build a new batch of books na lang for Anika. Sana she'll love books too like me.

Kaso lang, I notice whenever she's on active mode now, when I show her the look, touch and feel books, she cries. Then i take it away, gusto na naman makipaglaro. Then I show her naman the Lamaze book that Ninang Nessie bought her, she cries again. And when I take it away, okay na naman siya, smiling na naman! 'Nyeta!! Ayaw ata ng libro ng anak ko! Hopefully, when she knows better, she'll like them.

Anyways, here are the books I'd love to own. One by one, bibilhin ko na mga yan =)

Sorry for some of the crappy book pictures. I grabbed them outright from Amazon.com hehe

The Carrie Diaries. This book is about Carrie Bradshaw during her pre-Sex and the City days. Curious ako.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. Im a Twighlight series fan so malamang I'd want to read about this short story that Stephanie Meyer did about Bree Tanner who was first introduced in the book Eclipse. She's a newborn vapire who fell in love with her maker.

I have the complete books of the Shopaholic series and because I loved them, I want to read also this book by Sophia Kinsella.

This book was recommended to me by a friend back when I was bedrest with nothing to do. I saw the reviews and they were all praises for the writer so I can't wait to read this book!

This book is about a wife and a mother who juggles all things in her life. It is also part of Oprah's Book Club so definitely malamang maganda to.

This book's plot is parang similiar to the fairytale Cinderella but this time the bida is the stepsister hehe.

This book contains information about the clothes and shoes of all four members of Sex and the City and more. I was browsing through it yesterday and naloka ako. Kung hindi lang Php800+ to, binili ko na. Nagpigil lang ako muna.

Im a sucker for chic-lit. And if it is about sisters or bestfriends, i like it more so i think i will enjoy this book =)

I liked Mitch Albom's 5 People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morris so malamang this Have A Little Faith book will make a mark in me too.

I deliberately didnt watch the movie yet because I want to read the book first. Many people do not like how Nicholas Sparks write kasi lagi it's tragic but me, i like it. Morbid ako eh hehe.

And ofcourse, the Percy Jackson Series! I liked the movie so basing again on experience, malamang mas maganda ang book! I want to collect all 5 of them!!!

Last Post Before I Become A Working Girl

"Ate, ang busy mo ha! Kahapon ka pa.."

That was Girlie a while ago when I told her Alvin and I had to go out (it was 9:30pm already). 

She's right. Since yesterday, I was a busybody. I spent my Friday morning in the clinic near our house to have my urinalysis and xray, part of the pre-employment requirements of my new job. Then I went to Glorietta to have my hair and nails done. Happily, after months of parlor free hair, pwede ko na palitan si Kim Chiu sa commercial  niya na Rejoice! Choz! And then, I did some shopping. I bought my office accessories from Aldo (to-die for bracelets) and Landmark (cheap fake big pearl earrings). I also bought some clothes for Anika at Gingersnaps because Greenbelt was having this big sale (I successfully avoided Mango because i didnt want to buy my "juba" clothes there).

This morning, Alvin and I went to a clinic near the city hall to have my drug test (another pre employment requirement) and then finally bought our house's dining set. (I will be blogging about that soon!!!). And then, I went with my mom to Glorietta to get that iPhone and spend quality time with her. When we arrived here at our apartment, Alvin and I went to get my medical certificate, hence Girlie's comment.

Busy diba?

I told myself yesterday na Alvin and I should go out on a date. Dinner and movie. Parang highschool lang. But, for some reasons hindi natuloy, tamad na. We ended up buying Prince of Persia DVD and as I am typing this, we are watching it at home.

Our supposed dinner date became Vanilla Cupcake from Cupcakes by Sonja and Iced Tea for me AND big ass sausage from SnR, squid balls and rice for Alvin. Bininyagan namin ang dining table naming bago which we bought at Uniwide Warehouse at Php 6,000 lang. Long table with 4 chairs. San ka pa? (I'll be blogging about our home interior, furniture and decor soon! You'll be surprised by our cheap but fabulous finds!)

By the way, did you notice our new placemat and platito that we bought from Dapitan? Cute no? Murang mura lang yan. You can read all about it here and here.

I took a picture na din of Prince of Persia the movie. Trivia: do you know that the table where our TV set is sitting on only costs Php 1,500?! I'll tell you where we bought it in my future blog =)

However sadly, just a minute ago, nagloko yung Prince of Persia CD. Tsk! Don't buy kasi pirated DVDs eh! Kahit na DVD copy na siya and Php 35 lang! Pakker! Bad trip tuloy ang Alvin. He's now sulking and watching the Michael Jackson special at HBO instead. Wawa naman...

Tomorrow na lang. We'll try to have a decent date out before I start working.

In case one of you wants to ask: Im so FREAKING NERVOUS!!! Marunong pa ba ako magtrabaho?! Sino friends ko dun?! Baka maartehan sila sa akin (which always happens at first, right Peach? hehe). Bahala na si Batman. I'll pray hard tonight and sa mass tomorrow. I need your support now guys. Pray for me ha?

Mwahness!!! 

Things I Learned This Past Year

This past year has been a rollercoaster ride for me. Just last year around this month, we were doing last minute planning for our wedding which we planned for 12 months. Then while all my girlfriends were shrieking and almost peeing in their panties, scared shitless of the stripper's wang in my bridal shower, I was busy throwing up in the toilet. The next day, I pee'ed on a stick and learned I was pregnant. Two weeks after that, I married the man I have been waiting for for 15 years. Seven months after that, I was in the labor room of Manila Doctors Hospital. Thirty six hours after, the most beautiful baby girl was born and we named her Anika Summer. Two months after, she was baptized to the Christian world.

Rollercoaster right?

After all these, I said to myself, I have to write a blog of the things I learned. Not just to document it and so I have something to look back to but also hopefully, to help out other girls out there.

THINGS I LEARNED DURING MY PREGNANCY & AFTER HAVING A BABY:

1.) It is okay to feel scared after you find out you are pregnant. Just like my bestfriend Michelle Arnaiz said to my Coach Vita during Anika's baptism, "Ms. Vita, akalain mo may anak na si Fleur eh parang dati lang, sarili niya di pa niya nga kayang alagaan." It's true. That's the same thing I thought when I found out. How will take care of a baby while I cannot even take care of myself!? But, God knows better. Walang ibibigay si God sayo nang hindi ka ready. Taking care of your baby will come naturally.

2.) Kahit gano ka-daming cocoa butter ang ilagay mo, if you will have stretch marks after your pregnancy, you will have them. Seriously.

3.) Before, I thought arte lang ang craving for weird food but I proved it wrong. A pregnant girl's food taste is super weird during this period hypothetically because of the changing chemicals inside her body which makes her eat food she doesn't normally eat. Like me, I loved shrimps before but I didnt like eating them when I was pregnant. I hated eating eggplant but I was asking for them when I was pregnant.

4.) Savor the remaining days when it's only you and your hubby in your lives. I got this advice from my volleyball teammate, Neome and it's so true. A baby changes everything. Kaya tama nga yung sabi nila na it's best to have a baby a year or two after getting married. You need to enjoy the time when there's only you and him because the next time this will happen is when all of your kids have graduated and moved out of your house. You will be all wrinkled up by then.

5.) Your priorities will change. No joke.

6.) It is okay to let go, cry and be mad once in a while. Anika was around two weeks that time when she was crying so much in the middle of the night. Alvin was sleeping because he has work the next day. I was so puyat having only 2 hours of sleep every night for two weeks and my cesarian wound was hurting so bad. I was trying to stop Anika's cries by carrying her and dancing around the room. Then I found out that she pooped so I had to change her. In the middle of my cleaning her butt, she pooped again this time with a trajectory which landed on my arm and on the changing table. She was wailing again and she got poop in her legs, arm and face. Ginawa niyang body mask ang tae niya! I was already bawling by this time. Alvin woke (at last) and asked what's wrong. I was crying and screaming na hirap na hirap na ako and tae was all over the place. Alvin got up and cleaned Anika while I sat beside him still crying and saying "nakakainis na talaga yan!!". Alvin cradled Anika (as if to protect her from her crazy mom!) and said, "Bata lang naman yan. She doesn't know what she's doing yet." The situation and what he said made me cry more and storm out of the room. I fell asleep crying on our sofa downstairs. It's okay to act crazy sometime. You deserve it once in a while. Oh and I said sorry to Anika the morning after hehe.

7.) Go ahead and shop. Especially if this is your first baby, GOW! Do not mind those people who keeps on telling you to buy practical things. It's your first baby. Your first REAL doll. Be practical in other things for the meantime. If you have the means, go ahead and indulge yourself. Your baby deserves the best, the money doesn't come from them so girl, go and buy that expensive crib/stroller/uber cute dress you have been eyeing while you were still pregnant!!!

8.) Once you get married, for better or worse is so true. Everyday, its just me and Alvin who help each other (oh sorry, ofcourse Girlie also). It feels good na wala kaming inaasahang ibang tao. Although, hindi ako magpapakaplastic, donations are very welcome (Thanks Wowa and Lola for buying Anika things and sending ulam every now and then) but sa pangkahalatan, wala kaming inaasahang ibang tao. Di naman sa pangaano pero one time, Alvin gave me his salary and napunta lang lahat sa sweldo ni Girlie and ni Elvie (my other househelp). Hinati ko yung natirang 1k, 500 for alvin and 500 for me. We just laughed it off. Don't get us wrong, I spend sleepless nights din talaga kasi I get kabado kasi sometimes I dont know where to get panggastos the next month. Pero sa awa ng Diyos, we always find ways to pay for our bills. Kaysa humingi sa parents ko or parents niya (which Alvin abhors me from doing, he will get really really mad!), we look for "rackets". Do you know that the reason why muntikan ako manganak nung January is because sa kakaraket ko?! But like what they say, naguumpisa pa lang kami and talagang you really have to start somewhere. The important thing here is rather than we fight, we talk thing out and these things make us closer as husband and wife.

9.) Pray. During my dalaga days, I wasn't a very prayerful person. I go to church because magagalit si Mama if we dont go with her during sundays. I pray every night because takot ako magkanightmares. But when I got pregnant, Alvin and I found ourselves praying often and saying the rosary at least once a week. We wanted so much for Anika to be born healthy and normal that we turned to Him for help and we haven't stopped praying since. We thank Him for the blessings we receive and we ask help for the problems that we encounter. I tell you, if you really turn to Him, He will definitely take care of you.

10.)  Be prepared to fall in love. I have always been a "tamang hinalang" person so it's not easy for me to love someone right away and unconditionally. But when I saw Anika, totoo pala ang love at first sight. I havent met anyone who I love this much. It's a love like nothing I have felt before. Sobra siya dami na it's so overwhelming. I swear to myself to be the best mother I can be for her and to take care of her until I die.

Pregnancy and Baby Books

I declare that there is no doubt why the book What To Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff is the Number 1 Bestselling Pregnancy Book there is.

This is super perfect for "praning" (then) mothers-to-be like me. It accompanied and saw me through my pregnant days. Aminin niyo, especially when it's your first baby, both of you are scared and praning that you guys wish that your OB lives with you, right?!

But, when you have this book, I swear, everything will be okay. It is packed with answers to hundreds of questions and worries expectant parents have. It's so easy to use because it is arranged in a per month format which starts with what you will expect during that month's prenatal visit to how the mother and child are growing and changing to questions parents may have during that month.

The book starts with planning a pregnancy chapter to the nine months of pregnancy, finishing off with information regarding six weeks after a mother's delivery. It also has a nutritional section (which i didnt follow hehe) and a section dedicated for the future dads. I strongly suggest you make your husband read this chapter so that he can understand why you changed from the post honeymoon loveydovey wife to an emotional and very irritable mother to be.

I so loved this book! It lessened my pestering with my OB because if I have questions (which i do all the freaking time!), all I needed to do was to look for my particular concern in the index and there, I am pacified. I knew what to expect every month. I knew how to control my vomiting bouts. I learned about breastfeeding, postpartum depression, bakit mas maganda ako sa mga ibang buntis, and then why I became super swollen that I resembled a hippopotamus already and how to decode the different tummy pains that I had. We were shy to ask our doctor if it was still okay to have sex so we turned to the book instead =) Believe me, it has answers to ANY of your questions. The book is super comprehensive, convenient and easy to use.

Also, this book saved me from having early labor in my 6th month. Buti na lang I read sa book the symptoms about it and we rushed agad to the hospital. Kung wala yung book, I would have thought na the pains were wala lang and tiniis ko na lang and Anika would have been born prematurely. I really thank God for this book.

Its medyo expensive, around Php 800 pero worth it. Promise.

The book now that I cannot live without is What To Expect in the First Year which is a sequel to the What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Obviously, I bought agad the book because I was so happy with the first one. It has super comprehensive information from Anika's birth until she reaches 12 months. Like the first book, it devotes a chapter to every month of your baby's first year.

You will learn about the milestones your child may be reaching during that month, what to expect during your scheduled doctor's visit and have answers to almost all your concerns and tips for your baby.

This book is literally my bible nowadays. Its perfect especially if this is your first baby and you don't have any elders living with you. It taught me to decode the different cries of the baby, how to burp her, decoding the different poops (super helpful), how to handle a colicky baby and a lot more.
 
You can just imagine me reaching for this book in the middle of the night, cramming to read why Anika wouldn't stop crying. It is also through this book where I learned how to bathe her, dress her (di pala dapat balot na balot) and how to know if she has fever (temperature of 37degrees and above). I leared that pacifiers are okay to use as long as you break the habit in a considerable time preiod. Most importantly, I learned about SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Although experts are yet to determine the exact cause of SIDS among babies, they have helpful tips to lessen the risk.
 
For first time parents, I strongly suggest you invest in buying this book. Hindi talaga kayo magsisisi. If you are like me na gusto agad may explanation about what's happening sa baby ko, this book is definitely for you =)

Things We Bought at Dapitan Arcade

Part Two of my Dapitan Arcade Blog

Here's a photoblog of the things Alvin and I bought at Dapitan Arcade last Saturday. The prices that you'll see are the haggled price na already.

I bought 6pcs of the big dinner plate at Php45 each, 6pcs soup bowl at 3 for Php 100, 6pcs of small plates (platito) at Php 20 each and 6 sets of cups and saucer at 3 for Php 100

I immediately bought this teapot when I saw it. It cost Php120 pesos. I dunno if nagulangan ako but I love it and I didnt mind paying for its price. Super cute!

I bought 6pcs of the condiments saucer at Php 10 each and one big soup serving bowl at Php 60

One fish dish at Php 60 and a big ric serving bowl for Php 70

While shopping, Alvin and I decided to make the color scheme of our house a combination of black, white brown and shades of pink so these placemats were perfect for our future dining table! Php 300 for a set of six pieces 

Ceramic candle holders at Php 50 each and a fabulous mask at Php 90

Throwpillow covers at Php 100 for two pieces

Cake stand at Php 100

Big vase at Php 250

Im so proud of my hubby for finding this! Home decor at Php300

Long wooden bowl at Php 70, big pink balls at Php50 each and white/black small balls at 3 for Php 100

This is how our side table looks now. It's kinda bear pa kasi we didn't find a nice mat for the table. The white hat hanging is Alvin's purchase at Php70

There were a lot of things there that we wanted to buy pa but my cesarian stitches were already hurting (im just 2months postpartum) so we'll come back na lang again next time =)

Shopping Galore at Dapitan Arcade

Part One of our Dapitan Arcade experience.

I learned about the Dapitan Arcade while I was watching the Simply KC last Thursday morning. I asked
Alvin if we can go there last Saturday to look around and boy, the place did not disappoint!!!

There were so many nice things at cheap prices!!! Dapitan Arcade is an "open" secret pala among housewives, homebodies, artists,  and interior decorators. They sell mostly export overruns. I didn't know where to start when we arrived. The place is not airconditioned but it's buldging with homewares, figurines, placemats, home decors, storage stuff, space dividers, and a lot more!

I'll let the pictures taken by my hubby do the talking.

You have to wear "presko" attire because it was so hot there. Here, Im wearing a MNG sando, a skirt jumper i bough in Singapore, Havaianas slippers and Mango sling bag.

Anyways, as you can see above, there are lots of jewelry cases being sold which are the same with the ones at the Play & Display store. Last Christmas, Alvin bought me a jewelry case from Play and Display and it cost around 900pesos. In Dapitan Arcade, they have the exact same jewelry case and they're selling it for 400peses. Bad trip diba? Hehe..

This magazine rack cost about 300 pesos very cheap compared to those being sold in Makati.

Here are watch and jewelry cases with faux snakeskin materials.

Pretty candle holders

Zen inspired lamps at Php 550 only

Colorful decorative balls. Small ones are 3 for 100 while the big ones are Php 50 each.

Colorful placemats, 6 for Php 300

Wall decors, Php 1500 for 4 pcs

So many table wares!!  Since this is an export overrun place, you just have to be thorough in inspecting each of the items before buying it.

Before, I was thinking of buying Corelle tablewares. Kaso lang after going to Dapitan Arcade, Ive decided to use these first then buy na lang Corelle if we have our dream house na. Dream house = Corelle hehe

Buddha figurines

In one of the alleys of the Dapitan Arcade

Me resting in one of the home decor stores. Sumasakit na tahi ko eh. Notice the colorful baby buddha in your right?! Super kyoot no?

My hubby modeling the hat he bought for Php 75 only (at SM 200+ yan!)

I dont know kung defect or sadya yang peeling paint ng cute angel na ito but it definitely adds character to it

Dapitan Arcade naman is covered eh, it has fans din in some areas of the store.

Alvin and I would have bought more things here pero my stitches from my cesarian operation was hurting so bad na so we decided to head home.

Overall, we loved our experience at Dapitan Arcade. It was a nice bonding experience with my hubby because we were exchanging ideas what to buy for our house and mainly because it's shopping, i'd give Dapitan Arcade a 9 out of 10 rating!

How To Get There:

From south super highway, we turned right to Quirino Ave. Then straight past UST then we turned Right to Laong Laan (tama ba?) Then went straight then turned right to Mayon St. We turned left somewhere and Dapitan Arcade was just there =)

**sorry weird ang directions. This was what I remembered because along Mayon St., Alvin's car's window broke so we had to go somewhere first to have it fixed

TIPS WHEN GOING TO DAPITAN ARCADE:

1.) Dress comfortably and try to bring a face towel because its really hot there.

2.) Bring alcohol because your hands will definitely get dirty while making kalkal for your finds.

3.) You can haggle. Most of the tindera are nice naman.

4.) I suggest you go around first and ask the prices before you actually buy. Kasi sa ibang stalls mas mura eh.

5.) Also I suggest, you have somehow an idea na what to buy or at least a picture of your motif in your mind because it can be pretty overwhelming where you're there na. 

Super Cute Diaper Mat

One of your baby essentials will be a diaper mat especially when you start taking your baby outside your house. You use this while changing your babies nappies. Its made of parang waterproof material where you can put your baby on it while changing her especially in those public places when you go out.

At first, I was using the free diaper mat that comes with the Baby Couture bag. It was okay however, it's a bit small and when I go change Anika, I bring so many things with me pa like the baby wipes and the diapers.

That is why I was so happy when my online ordered diaper mat arrived the other day!


It's so cute and I ordered it from PeaPod online. They call this a Snappy which, according to their description, is a changing mat and a  diaper case all-in-one.

It's easy to bring. You can use it alone (hang it in one of the handles of your baby stroller) or place it inside your diaper bag.

It costs Php 495 plus shipping fee.

They have three designs where you can choose from. The Snappy Cotton Candy, Snappy Bloom and the Snappy Cosmic. My first choice was the Snappy Cotton Candy but it was out of stock so I chose nalang this Cosmic which is cute pa din.

This diaper mat has a detachable pouch where you can store your baby wipes and diapers. You need not to bring so many things inside the changing area anymore.

And it's bigger! As you can see above, Anika's Moo-nique has a lot of space (Anika is just like 3 inches bigger than moo-nique). Your baby is very well protected from those icky surfaces of the public toilets.

And after using, it folds to this very convenient pack which you can put back inside your diaper bag or hang in one of the handles of your baby stroller.

This is really one of those worth it finds for Anika =)