Gumamelas and Daffodils

I really miss this blog of mine. Sadly I'm not able to update it as frequently as I'd like to due to parental obligations mostly. It's also even difficult to work these days because taking care of my son takes up most of my time. My Ryleigh is now 10 months old and is now very mobile. Though he cannot walk on his own yet he can crawl fast already. I have to keep my eyes on him every minute for fear he'll tumble and hurt himself seriously. The only time I can relax is when he's in his crib or when he's asleep. Even when he's in his walker I have to watch him carefully. He's heavy now and so when he reaches for something on the side the walker tips over. He tipped twice already poor thing but luckily he was not hurt seriously; it was more like he was startled by what happened. Motherhood its not easy!

But anyway, this afternoon we took a walk to my Grandpa's place and I saw the red Gumamelas in bloom! The daffodils too! I could not resist so I took some photos of them. Luckily my phone was with me :)
Here are the pictures. Enjoy!

Miss Philippines Megan Young is Miss World 2013

I feel proud that for the first time the Philippines was able to win the top place in the Miss World competition. This year our contestant Megan Young triumphed over equally beautiful contestants from countries all over the world!

Megan placed in three of the top challenges of the Miss World competition. She won the Top Model Challenge and placed 4th and 5th in the Multimedia Challenge and Beach Fashion Challenge. With these awards, Megan was included in the Top Ten finalists. And tonight, the final judging took place.

All the Top Ten finalists did well and were very eloquent during the Q&A portion but it was Megan's answer that finally won her the coveted crown! When asked what he would do if she became Miss World, Megan's answer was"I treasure a core value of humanity and that guides people why they act the way they do. I will use this to show other people how they can understand each other. As one, we can help society."

Congratulations Megan! You did our country proud!


Photo Credit: http://www.wowlegazpi.com/

Delectable Strawberry

Been a while since I posted something here. I've been so busy but I kinda miss this space so here I am posting a little something.

I took this photo this morning with my Lenovo P700i phone.

This is my mother's strawberry. This is the first strawberry to ripen. Looks delectable doesn't it?

Ryleigh Turns Four Months Old

Time flies really fast indeed! Imagine, my little Ryleigh is four months old already! It seems like it was just yesterday when he came out of my tummy. When I look at him now, I'm in awe of how much he's grown from the tiny premature little baby I gave birth to in January. He's so chubby now. His cheeks, arms and legs are so full that I can hardly resist the urge to squeeze him every time.

My little Ryleigh is four months old (Sigh)...

His fourth month birthday was yesterday and to mark the special day, I cooked pancit and bought a cake. Good thing baby Ryl was in a good mood that we were able to get some nice photos. You know what? There were instances when he would look at the cake like he wanted to eat it! His mouth would go round up when he looked at it.

He also did something special on his fourth month birthday. He turned to his right side all by himself while he was asleep! He's never done that before. he should be doing it more often now that he's four months old.

I now realize that babies grow up quickly so as a mom I have to relish every moment this stage in my baby's life.
Happy fourth month my love Ryl!

Mayon Volcano Phreatic Explosion

Mayon Volcano is one of the most beautiful peaks in the world because of its almost perfect cone shape. But you know what? Beneath its beauty lies danger! But this beauty which is literally located in our backyard is also one of the deadliest when it breaks its silence. On Tuesday, May 7, 2013, Mayon Volcano broke its silence with a phreatic explosion! Everyone within seeing distance witnessed the thick cloud of ash as it went up from the Volcano's crater.

When I looked out at our yard, I saw the dark column rising high in the sky. I immediately took some photos with my Samsung Galaxy Y camera. We were afraid the thick ash was going to fall here at our place but luckily there was a strong wind that blew it a few kilometers ahead. But a few still fell here and the overpowering smell of sulfur was in the air. I was afraid my little boy would inhale it because even though the windows were closed, the smell still penetrate. I'm very thankful that it rained that evening and the following days so the ash and sulfuric smell were washed away.

We were able to go scot-free from the explosion but unfortunately, there were casualties. Some mountaineers, foreign and local, were on the slopes when the phreatic explosion happened on Tuesday. A total of five people died, four of which are foreigners and the other one was a local guide. The others suffered burns and injuries but are alive. They've all be retrieved and rescued now through the effort of the local government.

Here are some photos of the explosion:

Avoid Heat Stroke this Summer!

Summer time is here in the Philippines! But I don't think it's so welcome here because the heat is just so intolerable at times! Imagine, a few days ago, the heat reached 38 degrees celcius in Tugegarao! That's like a person having fever. Health officials have issued a warning about heat stroke after a man died from it. With the heat level we're experiencing, heat stroke is really likely.

But what is heat stroke actually? it's a heat-related problem caused by prolonged exposure to high temperature or  doing physical activity in hot weather. You're having a heat stroke when the body temperature reaches 40 degrees celcius or higher.

Some symptoms of heat stroke include:

• High body temperature
• lack of sweating
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Flushed skin
• Rapid breathing
• Racing heart rate
• Headache
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness
• Muscle cramps or weakness

How can it be prevented? Here's how according to Mayo Clinic: 

• Wear loosefitting, lightweight clothing. Wearing excess clothing or clothing that fits tightly won't allow your body to cool properly.
• Wear light-colored clothing if you're in the sun. Dark clothing absorbs heat. Light-colored clothing can help keep you cool by reflecting the sun's rays.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated will help your body sweat and maintain a normal body temperature.
• Take extra precautions with certain medications. Be on the lookout for heat-related problems if you take medications that can affect your body's ability to stay hydrated and dissipate heat.
• Never leave children or anyone else in a parked car. This is a common cause of heat-related deaths in children. When parked in the sun, the temperature in your car can rise 20 degrees F (more than 6.7 C) in just 10 minutes. It's not safe to leave a person inside a parked car in hot weather for any period of time, even if the windows are cracked or the car is in the shade. When your car is parked, keep it locked to prevent a child from getting inside.
• Take it easy during the hottest parts of the day. If you can't avoid strenuous activity in hot weather, follow the same precautions and rest frequently in a cool spot. Try to schedule exercise or physical labor for cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or evening. Taking breaks and replenishing your fluids during that time will help your body regulate your temperature.
• Get acclimatized. Limit the amount you spend working or exercising in the heat until you're conditioned to it. People who are not used to hot weather are especially susceptible to heat-related illness, including heatstroke. It can take several weeks for your body to adjust to hot weather.
• Be cautious if you're at increased risk. If you take medications or have a physical condition that increases your risk of heat-related problems, avoid the heat and act quickly if you notice symptoms of overheating. If you participate in a strenuous sporting event or activity in hot weather, make sure there are medical services at the event in case a heat emergency arises.

Hope this helps to keep you all in good health this very hot summer!

Source: Mayo Clinic

On Motherhood

Motherhood, it's joyful yet tiring. Being a mother to my baby Ryleigh is taking up most of my time. At this point, I'm still finding it hard to find a balance my time between taking care of my baby and doing my work. I'm thankful that my mother is here to help me take care of baby while I work. I'm also thankful that my work allows me to have flexible time. But still, I feel like I'm overwhelmed with the weight of it all. I haven't had any decent sleep for weeks but I guess that's the price to pay for motherhood. Everything falls on me since hubby is only around during weekends; He stays in Donsol during weekdays to teach. I can hardly wait for school to be over so that he'll be on hand to take care of baby too.

Right now I find consolation in my baby's smile. Baby Ryleigh will be 2 months old on the 23rd. I can hardly wait to see his every milestone. 

Meet Our Precious Baby Ryleigh!

The waiting is over. Baby boy Ryleigh is out! He's actually been out for a month now. In case you're wondering why I only made the update now, well, as a new mom I've been busy taking care of baby since we took him home from the hospital.

Anyway, Ryleigh's arrival was not how I expected it. He was actually born premature at 34 weeks. My water  broke suddenly last January 23 morning although there were no labor pains. And the bad thing was my blood pressure was very high that time so, my Ob said we had no choice but to do a caesarian section. My amniotic fluid was draining fast and the risk of infection to my unborn baby was huge so, there really was no choice. And so, they took me into the OR at 5:30 and at 6:05 baby Ryleigh was born.

Baby was so tiny when he came out. He only weighed 1.7kg but thankfully his color was good and his cry was loud when they got him out of my tummy. But since he was premature and quite tiny he had to be placed in an incubator and given meds to help him thrive. He had to stay behind in the NICU for a total of 10 days.

But after the difficult start, I can say that everything is going well with Ryleigh. He's a fighter. We celebrated his one month birthday yesterday. He's really improved a lot in one month and we're just very happy, relieved and thankful to God.

He's just had his milk and is sleeping soundly right now that's why I'm able to make an update.

I hope all is well with you all! :)

Almost Time for Baby Boy

Time really flies so fast these days that January is almost at an end. And I think in less than a month our little one will be joining us here in the outside world. I'm so excited! And anxious at the same time too. I can't help but think of my impending labor. I just hope I can withstand the pain and be able to deliver our baby boy normally. And I hope and pray that everything goes well for us.

Anyway, now that my due date is getting nearer, we've tried to get all of baby's things together. Placed the ones we'll need to take to the hospital in a bag and it's just ready to go anytime baby boy decided he wants to come out already.

We went for an ultrasound this weekend and according to the scan baby weighs 3 lbs and 13 oz. I'm not sure if that's within the normal range for his gestational age but I hope it is. During my checkup the other week, my OB told me that baby's weight is within the normal range and I'm the one who's gaining lots of weight. Looks like I'd have lots of exercising and dieting to do after baby comes out.

It's a good thing the pain on my pelvis has subsided. It was probably caused by the lumpy foam in my bed. Now that we've replaced it, I feel much better. Baby boy's not giving me a hard time at all although he loves to kick and swim around in my tummy. I can feel that he responds to my voice when I talk to him. We're counting the days baby boy!

Eight Months and Counting for Baby Boy

Well, it's now the second week of January and the big day is drawing nearer! I can literally feel it because of the pain in my pelvic area. I've been to my ob the other day and I told her about the pain and she said it's probably due to the baby positioning himself for delivery. I started feeling this pain on Sunday and sometimes   it feels too much. I did some research online to see if this is normal and most of the forums I've been to say it is.

The pain is not in my tummy but in my pelvic area. I don't feel any pain when I'm sitting down but it's a different story when I stand up and walk. Sometimes there's piercing pain when I put pressure on my leg when I get up from bed and when I walk. Well, I can't even walk normally anymore; what I do now is waddle! Not a graceful sight to see I know. But there's nothing I can do about it.

My due date isn't until the end of February but at this rate I don't think I'll reach it. But if ever, I hope this pelvic pain doesn't last until then! I don't think I can handle it. I hope this pain goes away soon. 

Happy New Year 2013!

I'm not really in the mood to make a post today but I feel I just have to considering it's the first day of the New Year and all. Anyway, I want to greet you all a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR! May all of our wishes, hopes and plans be granted this year 2013. Surely this year is going to bring good tidings and great surprises I just feel it! And one of our greatest gifts will be arriving soon so, it's all good vibes for this year.

I know many of you have their New Year's resolutions written down before the year 2012 closed and unlike you, I didn't make any. I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore because I cannot follow through. I just make it a point to do my best everyday and in everything I do. That's what's important right?

At this point I want to share a beautiful prayer for the New Year that I found on Inspiring Thoughts.net. I hope this inspires you too!

A Prayer for the New Year What shall I ask for the coming year What shall my watchword be What should thou do for me, dear Lord What can I do for thee? Lord, I would ask for a holy year Spent in thy perfect will Help me to walk in thy very steps Help me to please thee still. Lord, I would ask for a trustful year Give me thy faith divine Taking my full inheritance Making thy fulness mine! Lord, I would ask for a year of love O let me love thee best Give me the love that faileth not Beneath the hardest test. Lord, I would ask for a year of prayer Teach me to walk with thee Breathe in my heart the Spirit's prayer Pray thou thy prayer in me! Lord, I would ask for the dying world Stretch forth thy mighty hand Thy truth proclaim, thy power display This year in every land. Lord, I would ask for a year of joy Thy peace, thy joy divine Springing undimmed through all the days Be thy days of shade or shine. Lord, I ask for a year of hope Looking for thee to come And hastening on that year of years That brings us home to you. Happy, Happy New Year everyone!