back to work

today is my first day at the office after my maternity leave. i received 87 messages in my office email and i just finished reading them all. to be honest, my mind is drifting...

all i can think of is my baby. i miss my miggy...

welcome to the Christian world!

miggy is now catholic! he was baptized last september 27, 2008. he was such an angel all throughout the ceremony. he didn't even cry when fr. ampil poured water on his head. i think his eating before the ceremony helped. hehehe!

he's such a big boy that my arms were sore when we got home. he's really heavy. even his lolas and lolos couldn't carry him for a long time. but of course they couldn't resist miggy. one look at him and you'll definitely fall in love.

anyway...to my son, inigo miguel, welcome to the Christian world! be a good boy ha?:)

the birth of my little one...(part 2)

the following day, i was greeted by 2 doctors, dra. lagameo (cardio) and dra. dungo (pedia). they told me that when miggy was born he had a heart murmur. initially i was worried that something was wrong with my baby but they immediately assured me that the murmur was already faint. however they still suggested a 2d echo just to rule out any heart problem. this was scheduled on august 29 (thank God! the results came out normal!).

since the drugs already wore off, i asked dra. dungo if it was possible for me to be wheeled in to the nursery so i can hold my son. and she said that if i was strong enough, miggy could be roomed in with me that day. of course i said yes! so jason went home to get clothes, diapers and bottles for miggy. by 8pm, miggy was brought into my room. i just couldn't believe how beautiful he was. first time i held him was truly magical! all the pain i went through in the delivery room was worth it. he's just adorable. jason and i are truly blessed!

on august 30, we were discharged from the hospital. we went home as one happy family.

the birth of my little one...(part 1)

around 4am of august 27, 2008 i went to the bathroom to answer nature's call. then i noticed that i had what pregnant women call a "bloody show". i immediately texted my mom to tell her and she advised me to call my OB which i did. my OB, tita cora, then told me to go directly to the delivery room of our lady of lourdes hospital. so i woke jason up and told him not to panic and that we had to go to the hospital right away.

when we got to the hospital, as soon as i got out of the car my water broke! so from the lobby, to the elevator, up to the delivery room on the 3rd floor i was literally "leaking". they said that once the water breaks, contractions were soon to follow but i didn't feel any. at the delivery room, the resident said that i was 3cm dilated already so they wheeled me in to the labor room and gave me something to induce the contractions. i stayed in the labor room from 5 to 11am. i thought i could still take the pain of the contractions which were 3 minutes apart but at 10am i was already asking for painkillers. the resident gave me demerol which didn't really help much. by 11am i was already 8cm dilated so they wheeled me into the delivery room.

once i got there the pain was really unbearable...i couldn't explain what i was feeling...all i could remember was that i was crying and that they called the anaesthesiologist to finally give me an epidural. when tita cora arrived, she told me that we can try pushing for an hour. but if the baby won't come out after that she'll have to do an emergency c-section. so from 11:30 to 12:30 i was pushing but my baby just won't come out. apparently he blocked the opening with his shoulder and if i did any more pushing my uterus would have ruptured. so, my hopes of doing everything the natural way was crushed and i had to undergo a c-section. i know i was on drugs and all but i swear i could feel what they were doing (minus the pain). after an hour, i heard my inigo miguel "miggy" cry but since i was "drugged", i didn't see him. after the operation, everything seemed like a blur to me. i remember asking the nurses and the intern if jason saw our baby and that if my baby was doing okay. i also remember being transferred to the recovery room.

next thing i know i was already in my room where jason and my lola were waiting for me. i also remember seeing the flowers my dad got me. and then i went to sleep and didn't see my son until the next day.

to be continued...

7 weeks to go...

i have been counting the days till i give birth. my due date is september 11 but my OB said i can give birth as early as august 28. i'm praying that i give birth earlier (september 8 is fine) coz jason and i are so excited to see iñigo.

rain, rain go away

yesterday wasn't so bad until the brownout came...it was around 2pm and i was alone at home waiting for my friend, karen, to arrive. since there was no electricity i decided to buy coke light for jason from our neighbor. lo and behold, she was watching t.v., her electric fan was working and so was her refrigerator! i was the only one without electricity! bummer! so i called meralco and reported it. they said they were going to send someone to check. after 2 hours, the lights came back on and the meralco guy was nowhere in sight. i was about to call meralco and tell them that there was no need for the maintenance personnel, when my doorbell rang. it was the meralco guy. since there was no problem with the breaker inside the house, he concluded that the problem might be outside. and true enough, the main circuit breaker needed to be replaced ASAP. since this had to be done by an electrician, the meralco guy left.

i thought after this everything would be back to normal since the lights were back on. after dinner, the lights started flickering and then...blackness! thank God for the emergency lights jason installed before. by this time, karen left already and jason was on his way home from his rc race (by the way, he won 1st place. congrats bebe!). when he arrived, we decided to pack our overnight bag and head for my in-laws' place at white plains to spend the night.

then at 3am today, typhoon "frank" decided to rain hard on manila and other parts of luzon causing meralco to shut down electricity in some areas...white plains was one of them. we were supposed to get our circuit breaker fixed this morning but because of the weather, we had to move it to tomorrow. now we're spending another night at my in-laws. good thing they live nearby. we have free food and lodging. hehehe! hopefully we can go back home by tomorrow...so please...rain, rain go away.

he sure can kick!

i was sitting comfortably on our bed yesterday morning, my left hand was on my tummy while i was trying to get jason to wake up so we can have breakfast together. all of a sudden i felt a foot (or was it an elbow..maybe it was a hand)kick my left hand...and i could swear if i was quick enough i would have been able to grab it! i couldn't believe it...my son kicked me! hehehe! boy, iñigo sure can kick!

i was told by my friends that by the 5th month of my pregnancy i would be able to feel my baby kick and move around. which was what really happened...i felt like i always had butterflies and sometimes i'd feel like something was swimming around my tummy. i didn't find it uncomfortable...it was weird but i liked it. it was a sign that my baby was doing okay. now that i'm 6 months pregnant, i can feel his movements a lot more than i used to. and i absolutely love it!

i know jason's been waiting to feel his son move too when his hand is on my tummy. but somehow i think iñigo knows when his dad is waiting for him. he'll be moving around a lot but once jason puts his hand on my tummy, he stops. maybe he likes the warmth of his daddy's hand.

we're having a boy!

last friday, may 16, jason and i went to the asian hospital for my check-up and ultrasound. with my OB, tita cora (dra. corazon b. de jesus). when we got to the room, there was a big TV in front of the bed where we can see the actual "picture". within seconds, our eyes were glued to the screen. we saw our baby!

and then tita said, "ayan boy ang baby nyo." seriously, naluha talaga ako when i saw our baby on the screen. there he was in my womb. it's such a miracle that someone is living inside me. jason was also really happy. we immediately called our families and told them the good news. we're so excited. i can't wait to hold him in my arms.

everyone, meet IÑIGO MIGUEL S. DELA CRUZ!

i have a new toy!

taken from my multiply site: http://rane28.multiply.com

i've always wanted to take up photography. i still have my point-and-shoot sony cybershot T7 but i just recently bought myself a nikon d40 (got it from jason's officemate: gian. thanks!). i've been practicing with it since i got it last monday. can't wait to take pictures of our baby soon!:)

this woman's work

i am just so in love with this song...


this woman's work by maxwell:

Pray God you can cope
I stand outside
This woman's work
This woman's world
Ooooh it's hard on the man
Now his part is over
Now starts the craft of the Father

I know you've got a little life in you left
I know you've got a lot of strength left
I know you've got a little life in you yet
I know you've got a lot of strength left

I should be crying but I just can't let it show
I should be hoping but I can't stop thinking
All the things we should've said that I never said
All the things we should have done that we never did
All the things we should have given but I didn't

Oh darling make it go
Make it go away

Give me these moments
Give them back to me
Give me that little kiss
Give me your ...
I know you have a little life in you yet
Give me your hand babe
I know you have a lot of strength left
Give me your prayers
I know you have a little life in you yet
Ooooh oooh oooh
I know you have a lot of strength left
Your loved child
I know you have a little life in you yet
Whatever you need baby
I know you have a lot of strength left
Give me your hand
I know you have a little life in you yet
Give me you hand
I know you have a lot of strength left

I should be crying but I just can't let it show
I should be hoping but I can't stop thinking
Of all the things we should've said that we never said
All the things we should have done that we never did
All the things that you wanted from me
All the things that you needed tell me
All the things I should have given but I didn't
Oh darling make it go away
Just make it go away now

for the video, you can check out his video at youtube.com: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqtgHOIYJ6M&feature=related

we're pregnant!

yup, 11 weeks and counting.:) imagine i took the home pregnancy test three times! i just couldn't believe it. and of course when i told jason he was still half-asleep and the news didn't sink in until lunchtime. hehehe!

we're both really happy and excited! i'm due to give birth on september 11, 2008. i can't wait to find out what the sex of our baby is. right now, we still call him/her "moony" (since our baby IS a honeymoon baby).

my next check-up is on march 7 so until then...i leave you with our baby's latest ultrasound:

what does my married name mean?

What Erika Camille Santos Dela Cruz Means

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way. And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life. You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it. You are incredibly wise and perceptive. You have a lot of life experience. You are a natural peacemaker, and you are especially good at helping others get along. But keeping the peace in your own life is not easy. You see things very differently, and it's hard to get you to budge.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

just got married!

i know i haven't blogged in a long time. i've been really busy with the preparations and work...but everything paid off. jason and i are now officially mr. and mrs. jason dela cruz!!!

i would like to thank the following (pardon me if this drags on...):

papa & mama - for everything...for all the love, support and guidance you have given me and jason. and for arranging the surprise at the wedding. i really felt like a celebrity because of the phone patch via USA. hehehe!

papa benny and mama nett - thank you for accepting me into the family. and thank you for all the help and love you have given jason and me. mama, i look forward to learning more recipes from you. hehehe!

tita bing - thank you for always being there for our family and most especially for being my mother-in-charge on my wedding day! you really took care of me that day.:)

tim, noelle, nikki, mico - i don't say it much but i want you all to know that i love you and you can always come to me for anything...i'll always be here for you. please take care of papa ha?

jandy, justin, ozzie, kat - for the horde!!! thank you HOTC for always making me feel that i'm really part of the family! also thank you for helping us clean the house. let's do it again soon. hehehe!

karen - you are the best maid of honor! super! i can't thank you enough! so when will you start staying with us? *wink*

nellers - thank you for the cord! wish you were here...

the whole bridal entourage - you know who you all are...thank you so much for being part of our wedding.

ninong rinky and advent call - thank you for making our wedding an event to remember! the music rocked!

fr. bert ampil - thank you for blessing our marriage. it really meant a lot to us. we will always remember your homily.

fr. edwin tanalgo - i know that we only met a couple of weeks before the wedding, but thank you for officiating the ceremony.

fr. martin lotho - i hope that all is well with you and even if you weren't there at the wedding, i would still like to thank you for telling us to attend the discovery weekend. it made jason and i realize how much we wanted to be together.

chel - i know that you endured hours of traffic just to get to blue gardens...thank you!

ginna desuasido - thank you for making me beautiful on my wedding day. i love the make-up you did!

arnel, carlo and allen - for the beautiful pictures you all took that day. it's really hard choosing which ones should go in the album. help! hehehe!

chug, lawrence and the rest of reel deal video - the onsite AVP was perfect! i can't wait to see the final wedding video.

tet uy of enchanting blooms - from my bouquet down to my flower girls' baskets, ceremony and reception, the flowers were absolutely beautiful!!! thank you! jason really loved the twigs and baging effect!

sir jerry and grace of eloquente - thank you! food was really good and everything we requested was followed right down to the last detail!

camilla and raul galvez and armie of blue gardens - we chose the right venue! thank you for being so accommodating and helpful. we will definitely be back for another event...baptism maybe? hehehe!

chef rudolf randa - dude, thank you for the cake! it was uber yummy!!!

mareng rina - thank you for the cake topper and souvenirs! i really wish you were with us. anyway we'll see you soon!

carlo regalado - despite all the "aberya", my gown and jason's barong were perfect. thank you!

friends have asked me and jason how we feel now that we're married...actually, the only difference is that we live in one house. no major adjustment except getting used to being called mrs. dela cruz. hehehe!