Mom's with you

Mommy's with you (and Papa too!) to face the waves, love.

The smell of damp earth

I go home during lunch now to play with Umi, have some home-cooked lunch by Nang Vi, and express milk. Because of this, lunch breaks are literally a break for me - a pause from what I got myself engrossed with at work in the morning (which sometimes are actually guilt-filled non-work activities). Although I usually rush to finish all these lunch activities given the time constraint, I actually find these lunch breaks refreshing. Well, what could be more refreshing than playing with a 5-month-old kiddo who just laughs at the funny sounds I make?

However, as with many things, there's always a BUT. And the big BUT is that I find it utterly dragging to go back to the office after these lunch breaks. I used to run half marathons and yet I get so tired walking for about 200 meters from my place to the house. It always comes up to me, in the middle of whatever I am thinking during these seemingly long walks, that my place is SO NEAR, YET SO FAR FROM THE OFFICE! Ugh!

I told you about these different thoughts that come up to me while walking. As I walked back this afternoon, I thought of gardening. And not actually posting this activity on Facebook. I thought to myself, this Facebook has created a phenomenon. When was actually the last time you thought about something without thinking of not posting it on Facebook? I mean, even if your better judgement eventually won and you decided not to post it, you still initially considered posting it anyway.

My mental ramblings continued. Gone were the days when you do something without having to let other people know about it. I wish I can go back to those summers that were spent tilling the soil in front of our house, planting duranta along the walkway to our porch (and that rose that eventually grew and bore flowers), painting those horses from the paint-by-number kit that I bought from a nearby city, and memorizing country capitals that were listed at the back of a world map that a friend gave me. Those were just the days when there were less distractions - no mobile phones, no internet connection, and the fact that my house was not easily accessible by my schoolmates.

Those were the days, I thought, as I neared the office gate. I walked past a small garden - and wondered what the plants are - then past someone tilling the soil. And there! THERE! The smell of soil, that warm scent of damp earth, filled me for a brief moment. It suddenly brought those gardening memories at home or in school alive. Those simpler, humbler moments all came back to their crisp lives for a short instance. And then, I have to go back to work. Or start working...

Talking about coincidence? Or fate? Nah, whatever.

Would you let your baby wear this onesie?

Grabbed from babycenter

More funny onesie inscriptions here: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/110812-would-you-let-your-baby-wear-these-onesies/

My favorite is this:

Umi dresses like a grown-up

We had Umi try on her new clothes (thanks to Tita Teenie and Tita Mae) one Sunday morning. How lovely the little lady modeled her new frock!

Umi's job application at mom's office

Disclaimer: Do not take this post seriously. (As if my other posts can actually be taken seriously. :-p )

Wearing her white jacket that made her look like a baby gorilla, Umi and her entourage visited mommy's office last Friday, 26 October. The visit was actually a potential job interview for Umi with mommy's boss. It was decided that Umi could take a job while she's up in the middle of the night.

After registration at the office gate, the group had their photo taken by the fountain.

Umi all set for her interview

Umi's entourage by the office fountain

Since the interview was only in the afternoon, Umi joined her entourage for lunch at the cafeteria as she took a quick nap.

Lunching at the office

Of course, it would not be Umi's day out without her poses. So here they are.

Umi doing her stunts while her entourage was having lunch

Hanging out for coffee after lunch..

And still doing some stunts

After lunch, the time of the interview finally came. So she headed straight to mommy's work area for the interview. However, mommy's boss deemed it fit for Umi to stay at home and try her best to sleep through the night. And so, Umi instead entertained mommy's officemates with her seemingly refined and delicate hand gestures while pretending to be asleep.

Umi asleep with mom's officemates 

See? She's really asleep! :P

And that's how the story went for Umi one Friday at mommy's office.

But wait... Later that evening, Umi insisted that she's actually big enough to take on a job.

Look, mommy, I have an office bag!

Towards breastfeeding gracefully in public

Ah, the joys of breastfeeding. And to think I almost gave up because of the pain. Thank God I didn't! And thank God for the milk. Such an amazing experience. (As if motherhood is not happiness and fulfilling enough!)

And I intend to breastfeed anywhere for as long as I have milk (and Umi wants). Join me as I perfect the art of breastfeeding in public, gracefully and in style. =)

Beside F. Hidalgo's paintings at the National Museum of the Philippines

Spent one holiday afternoon lounging over coffee and good music

Before Juan Luna's Spoliarium

Before Felix Hidalgo's painting

With collegemates during Umi's baptism reception

Umi having lunch at my office

While waiting for our turn with Umi's pediatrician

Celebrating our 4th month of breastfeeding
while attending a baptismal party

Feeling sick - while waiting for my turn
(and yaya's) to see the doctor 

This is how I actually start to nurse Umi
- playing with her underneath the boncho
as she doesn't like to be covered.
Not graceful at all.
Yes, I have already given up on my quest
to become graceful while breastfeeding
and instead focus on how to entertain
Umi to keep on breastfeeding in public.   

A pose with Umi's yaya
(who looks like my hairdresser in this photo!) 

Just after a session with Umi
at Thai Me Up in Cagayan de Oro City, Phils.

At CoffeeWorks, Cagayan de Oro City

At Lumbia Airport, CDO
waiting to board the plane back to Manila

Breastfeeding Umi in 3 steps (at Boracay Island)

Breastfeeding before the Boracay sunset

Umi's day out

Umi had her first day out yesterday. We took her to Podium Mall which is just a few meters away from our condo. We could have taken Umi out earlier if not for the bad weather. Finally, yesterday turned out to be one sunny Sunday afternoon, permitting us to walk to Podium.

R was very proud to carry her little lady.

Umi initially looked terrified with the bright lights, several faces, and multiple colors around her that she took refuge on her father's chest. But she eventually warmed up and started to cheer up. I was able to breastfeed her in the mall while having coffee and got to change her diapers peacefully. Later during dinner at the mall, I breastfed her again. It was a fine day out except that Umi became too stimulated back home - she slept at 4 am!

Happily breastfeeding

Umi pics

A photo with the birthing team

Umi's adorable photo minutes after she was born

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Pics taken at home