CampJK Update!!

This is going to be a short update. I'm just taking this chance to post while our little boy is asleep. It's not going to be the same for me anymore since we already have him. My time will be spent more on taking care of him and our family.

Just to keep you posted somehow :) I already gave birth to a healthy baby boy a week ago at the Naval Medical Center San Diego. He weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and measured 21 inches long. No wonder why I had a big, big tummy for a first-time Mother during my pregnancy. My labor lasted for 13 hours. It wasn't that hard considering it as my first time, but the pain as the labor progressed, was unbearable. My water broke at 5:30 in the morning but we didn't drive to the hospital until it was almost 9:30 and the hospital is about 20 minutes away from where we live. I was in pain at home but still packing our stuff at the same time. My husband was even able to do one load of laundry. It was an unusual thing to do for a woman who's in labor pain, but since we never really expected he'd come out that early [2 weeks early..I was supposed to give birth on the first week of August], we weren't able to actually put the things in their bags that we'd be taking with us to the hospital. So, when we got to the Labor and Delivery and they checked on me, I was already 6cm dilated. I was almost about to pop!!

Anyway, to cut this post short, everything went well and we're so thankful to God above for being with us the whole time. I will try to write a post about my labor and delivery when I get the chance to. For now, I just wanted to take this time to let you know that he's finally here - our little bundle of joy. His first name is Skyler :)

Here's our very first photo together that's taken at home right after we got discharged from the hospital and our little angel.

Greetings from our family to yours ;)

A Star is Born!!

Finally, our little bundle of joy is here!!

Name: Skyler
Date of Birth: July 2009
Time and Day: 6:32PM/Wednesday
Weight: 7lbs 4oz
Length: 21 inches
Place of Birth: Naval Medical Center San Diego
San Diego, California
Any hair?: A bunch!! ;)
Hair color: Light Brown
Eye color: Brown
Baby's Look-a-like: A mini replica of his Dad :) Everyone who saw him said the exact same thing. But, we'll never really know till he gets older ;) Babies do change a lot.

Milestone: -- Lifted and held his head up for the first time at barely a day old at the hospital. That's why I called him "Turtle" ;)
-- First flashed a smile at 3 days old.

Pregnancy Discomfort: Back Pain

Since last week, days have just been so tough for me. I have been having terrible back pain on my lower left side and it has taken its toll on me. Being pregnant, it's advisable to lay on your left side when sleeping as it promotes better blood circulation throughout the body, thus, supplying adequate amount of oxygen to the baby. But since I am not that big of a person (I'm just 5'4 1/2 in height) and the growing belly added so much extra weight on my body, it put a lot of strain on my left side causing severe muscle spasm, which, right now is making it hard for me to do stuff around the apartment. I have been dealing with the pain for a week now and since I cannot take any pain medication, the more it is harder for me to move around. When the pain starts, I cannot even sit for longer than a minute. I have to stand up and walk, and even then, it still is hard for me to do so. Walking helps alleviate the pain but it takes a little while for it to take effect on me.

The only things that help the pain somehow are, Katinko and Tiger Balm that my husband applies and rub on my back every time the pain occurs. And not only that. He also runs a warm bubble bath for me twice a day to help me relax. They are such a big, big help, but sad to say that when the pain is intense, the effect doesn't last that long. But, I am so grateful that I have a husband who doesn't care at all doing everything he does just to make sure I feel fine. He wakes up anytime of the night just to rub my back and he stays up with me until I feel better enough to go back to bed. I kind of feel bad that he has to stay up because he has to go to work, but that's how things are right now. Sometimes, I try to endure the pain so I won't have to bother him but when the pain is so bad, I have no other choice.

I am so looking forward to finally giving birth, though in the back of my head, the reality is there that I am scared and nervous - like first-time mothers felt for sure. Of course, the main reason is, we are so excited to get to see our little angel, and to finally get over with these pregnancy discomforts. Don't get me wrong. I am happy being pregnant - but the discomforts just don't make me want to flash a smile at all. [Hehehe]

Anyway, I am hoping I'd still have enough strength to get things done before it's time to pop. There's still some stuff that need to get done and I want to be able to do them and not leave them all to my husband to take care by himself. So, I am going to try to take some rest right now. I will keep everybody posted :)

Have a nice day everyone...

The Girls: Sophie and Nani

Playtime with Daddy

with Sophie and Nani

These dogs are the best in the whole world!! Even before I've actually met them, John has already told me so much about his "girls" that's why I feel like I've actually been with them for a long time now. Sophie (the black dog), is such a sweetie. Nani (the cutie Golden Retriever), is the "baby" in the family right now. Well, both of them really are but Nani is more of the "Daddy's Girl".

They are so amazing!! They keep me company at home when John is at work. They make me feel safe and secured whenever my husband is not around because I know they will definitely defend me. They are the sweetest dogs ever but they know when to be on their guard. No doubt, they will be great "sisters" to our little boy and we both know they will be there to help us take care of him as well.

There are so many things that really amaze me about them. One of them is, they know the sound of their Daddy's car. Whenever John comes home from work, the moment they hear his car from the parking area, they'll go crazy and they'll come to me as if asking me to open the door for them so they could go and greet Daddy. So, I know whenever John arrives.

Another thing is, every morning, they'd hop on the bed and wake us up. And the moment my husband leaves for work, the two dogs stay on the bed with me until I am finally up. When they feel me moved, they'd come to me and start licking me as if their way of greeting me "Good Morning" and they'd lay close to my side. They'll stay that way till it's time to take them out to go potty.

I won't lie, they are the greatest dogs. And they'd drive you crazy especially when they start acting like they're really "human beings". I love these dogs and now I know how it's actually like being with them. There's no way you won't get to like them once you've seen them. They are just so adorable!!

To Sophie and Nani, you girls are the best!! Daddy and I love you both!!

Off to Fiesta Island on The 4th of July

Just taking this short time to post something on here. My husband and our friends, Kimo and Chanhthy (a couple) just went out to grab some food and drinks at Albertsons that we'll be taking with us to Fiesta Island. My husband let me stay here at home because he didn't want me to walk around and tire myself especially that, for sure, we'll be having a long and tiresome day today. They won't be gone that long anyway, so I'm fine with that.

This is my first ever 4th of July (Independence Day) here in the US and I've been looking forward to this. We may not be able to take a lot of photos, but we'll do our best to at least take some that we could post and show to our family back home in the Philippines. I'm not saying that there's no way we could not take a lot of photos when we have all the time to do so. It's just that, we spend most of our time more with friends, talking to them and sharing stories and jokes. Taking photos comes next.

Anyway, we started our day greeting each other "Happy 4th of July, Mahal" with matching hugs and kisses and hmmm...[hahaha] I feel so proud and happy being able to spend this day with my husband. Him being in the military just gives this day a more special and deeper meaning to me. This day, for me, is dedicated to those who had risked their lives and to those who are still out there fighting for the freedom that we're experiencing right now. They deserve all the honor and as a military wife, I just want to say "Thank you to all the soldiers out there for fighting for our freedom. I am so proud of you as I am proud of being married to a Military Man!!"

God Bless The USA!! And may God continue to bless and keep our men out there safe until their back home in their love ones arms.

"A BLESSED AND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO YOU ALL!!"