Rocco's Birth Story

I had my scheduled OB checkup last November 12. I was already full term at 37 weeks and 2 days, but I wasn't feeling anything unusual yet.

When my OB did an internal exam, we found out that I was already 4cm dilated and 60% effaced. She told me that I could give birth anytime, and so we discussed my birth plan. Before leaving, I had my admission orders with me.

I thought "anytime" meant in a few hours or in a day. But no! Monday went by, Tuesday, Wednesday and so on. My mother was panicking and told me to have myself admitted because I might get an infection. What's worse, I caught a bad cold from too much walking around the compound.

From time to time I would text my OB for status updates. She just told me to be patient and wait, because there are women who really progress slowly from 4cm onwards.

Then November 21 came. I wasn't feeling Rocco move as much. After lunch, I barely counted 4 movements within the first hour. I called Sieg so we could go to the hospital. At the same time, I texted my OB and she told me to admit ASAP.

I was freaking out, but I didn't want to show it because Sieg would be the first to panic. At the hospital, we went to the ER and they wheeled me off immediately to the delivery unit. I barely had time to say my goodbyes to Sieg because they did not allow me to go outside anymore.

We found out during the internal exam that I was already 5cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was stripped off my clothes and they handed me my labor room gear.

I was with three other women inside our labor unit and we all had the same OB. The doctors kept asking me if I was contracting or in pain, and I said I WAS NOT. They were having a hard time monitoring my progress because it was still painless for me, so they strapped me to a contractions monitor.

November 21

5:45PM = The fetal heart rate and contractions monitoring started.

6:30PM = The lady beside me was crying like hell and was begging for a CS because of the pain. She was only 3cm dilated. I found out that she was not allowed an epidural because her bag of water leaked in the early morning and an epidural would further slow down her labor, which will make her baby more prone to distress.

10:00PM = Another lady was wheeled in the room. She was 5cm dilated and her labor was actively progressing.

November 22

12:00MN = The lady begging for CS was wheeled to the operating room.

4:00AM = The other lady who was wheeled in at 10PM was fully dilated. She was ready to push. Meanwhile, I was still wondering how contractions felt like. It was totally still painless for me.

6:00AM = I had another internal exam. I was 6cm dilated and 90% effaced. It took 12hrs just to progress   from 5 to 6cm! My goodness. I was ordered a light breakfast.

7:00AM = I was induced. Oxytocin drip was IV'ed to me.

9:00AM = I was 7cm dilated. I still was not feeling any pain.

11:00AM = My bag of water was manually popped. Then the pain started.

12:00NN = I was 8cm dilated. The pain was there, but I could still control it. It was mind over matter for me. The first 10seconds were the most painful. It sent my legs jiggling. Then the next 30seconds, I could manage.

1:00PM = The doctors did another internal exam, and it was the most painful feeling I've felt in my life. I wasn't shouting, but I was crying from the agony.

1:30PM = I asked for an epidural. I could not take it anymore. My labor was progressing so slowly, and I've been in labor for almost 21 hours already. What's worse, I had a bad case of clogged nose from my cold and it was making it hard for me to breath. Nasal aspirators didn't work. If I exhausted myself too much, I would have nothing left to push, and would be on the brink of a CS delivery.

2:00PM = I was wheeled to the delivery room for my epidural. I was almost numb from the pain and didn't even feel the injection to my spine, nor the catether being placed on my back.

4:00PM = I was 9cm dilated. The epidural further slowed down my labor. My OB told me that if I do not fully dilate by 5:30, she would deliver the baby via CS.

5:30PM = I was chilling like crazy and was having a fever but I was praying to all the angels of heaven for a miracle. I wanted a normal delivery. My OB did another internal exam, and I was so relieved when she told me she could already feel my baby's head. It was time to push!

5:45PM = The whole team was ready. They guided me on when to push because I was not feeling any contractions from the epidural.

6:16PM= On my 7th push, my baby came out (with the help of fundal pushing from my anesthesiologist). I barely had any energy left. My baby was placed in my stomach and breast, and it was the sweetest thing ever!

Rocco's vital statistics :)

My little shaolin at the nursery,having hyperthermia :( 

My OB then started the other works. I felt my placenta coming out, and she started stitching me because I had a 3rd degree laceration. Rocco birth weight was 7lbs and 10oz, with a head circumference of 35cm, so he was huge!

After the delivery work, I was wheeled in to the recovery room. That's when Rocco's pedia told me that he had a fever during birth, with an elevated temp of 38.5C.

Sad to say, we were not able to room in Rocco because he was taken to NICU level 2 for monitoring. He stayed there for 7 days for his medication, and we were able to bring him home only last November 29. I was discharged last November 26 so I visited him everyday till he was also out.

So there goes my 1st hand experience on childbirth. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be :)

Weird Concoctions for the Pregnant

There are people who really believe in concoctions. My mother is one of them :) She uses a lot of herbal, organic or alternative products, especially when hearing good reviews about the product.

Well this time, she told me she had an office staff whose wife was able to give birth through spontaneous vaginal delivery, an 8 pound baby. That's huge! The secret (daw) is she drank snake's oil during labor, which helped eased the big baby out of her vagina smoothly.

I actually read of snake's oil being used during labor among Chinese believers, but I wouldn't dare use that on myself! Gross!!!! I have a huge phobia on snakes!

I could see the look in Sieg's face while Mama was telling the story (haha!). Sieg is a scientific believer, and he dislikes taking any form of medication (pharmaceutical or herbal) unless prescribed by a doctor.

Mama told us she would ask for the oil and have it shipped to us. I didn't want to offend her, so I said OK.

This morning, Mama asked for our address again because she would ship the bottle. I told Sieg about it (knowing it would irritate him, haha!) and indeed, he ranted.  He kept on ranting on me because he couldn't do so with mama :)

"Bangin may halas ito ha botelya!" (There might be a snake inside the bottle!)
"Kun mabasag ito, magbabaho aton balay!" (If the bottle breaks, our house will smell!)
"Ayaw gud paggamit hito ha, upaya la!" (Don't you dare use it!)

As Sieg said, labor and delivery is a natural process. The female human body is designed for it. Honestly, I wouldn't use it. It's not proven anyway, and there might be side effects which I might regret for the rest of my life. If others say it worked for them, then good for them.

For me, I just have to trust my doctors that they'll take good care of me, and will do everything to keep me and my baby safe from harm.

My Hospital Bag Must-Haves

I'm already 36 weeks pregnant. On November 11, my 37th week, I will officially be full-term and can deliver my baby anytime he wishes to make a grand entrance.

Since the B-DAY is still unknown, it's best to be prepared. I searched the internet and asked my sister on what to bring to the hospital, and finally came up with my own list.

Friends who also gave birth in Chong-Hua Hospital told me to not bring any toiletries since the hospital will provide those, but I may not like their brands, so I decided to still bring my own.

Here's my list!

FOR MAMA (that's me!):

Toiletries
1. Bathing soap
2. 1 dozen shampoo  in sachet
3. 1 dozen conditioner in sachet
**I prefer in sachet so it won't be bulky. My Mama told me to not take a bath after delivering the baby and to wait at least 10 days. I'll see how I can hold off the washing of the hair part.
4. Toothbrush
5. Toothpaste
6. Mouthwash
7. Shave
8. Deodorant
9. Alcohol
10. Virgin Coconut Oil (my life saver!)
11. Gynepro (since it's antiseptic and anti-bacterial, a must have after delivery)
12. Napkins (I hoarded on this. They said it's likely to have heavy menstrual flow after delivery.)
13. toilet paper

Clothes & Stuff
1. Going home clothes
2. Nursing bras
3. Panties
4. Robe
5. Socks
6. Rubber slippers (so it can be doubled as comfort room slippers)
7. Shower towel
8. Towelettes
9. Thick blanket (for sleeping)
10. Extra pillow/s

Breastfeeding
1. Breastpump
2. Lansinoh Nipple Cream

Others
1. Abdominal binder
2. Headband
3. Clips

FOR ROCCO (our little rookie!):
1. 4 receiving blankets
2. 4 wrap around clothes
3. 4 pajamas
4. 2 bonnets
5. 4 pairs mittens and booties
6. newborn diapers (Ate said to use EQ Dry. We'll use cloth diapers once we're back home)
7. lampins/ (a lot)
8. baby wipes
9. sterilized bottles (just in case)


DOCUMENTS:
1. Philheath MDF
2. Philhealth Form 1 signed by employer
3. Marriage contract photocopy
4. Govt IDs photocopy
5. Company IDs photocopy
6. Prenatal docs and lab tests photocopies
7. Sieg's DR waiver
8. Sieg's Inpatient insurance form
9. Signed birth plan
10. Admittance request signed by OB

Haaaay! The list is too long, but we've prepared them all. Lacking are Sieg's stuff. He said he'll take care of packing his stuff :) Everything is ready now, all stacked at the car.

We're just patiently waiting for Rocco to finally say HELLO WORLD, UHAAAAA!

35 Weeks!

It's been a very busy October, and I just realized that I am now on my 35th week! A few more weeks to go and I'm so ready to pop!

Almost all of  Rocco's stuff are in place already, thanks to very generous family who's been showering us with endless gifts, but  I have yet to start preparing the hospital bag and birth documents.

We've had visitors since last week. My Papa came, then my in-laws just went home from a week-long visit, then we have Sieg's cousins coming over this weekend. Next week, my whole family, together with the kiddos are coming to spend the long weekend with us.

As soon as they're all back home, we will be in full baby-mode.

So how am I doing on my 35th week? Simply put..I'm really feeling pregnant.

I couldn't sleep well, because the baby keeps on waking me up. I'm a right side sleeper, so I feel a constant shortness of breath when I sleep on my right side.

I pee more! As in more! I have to make sure that the places I go to have CRs or else, I will have to put on a diaper because I can't contain my pee :)

My feet just started to swell, and they call it pregnancy edema. I think my toes look funny and cute, but the sad part is, I can't wear my shoes anymore.

I sweat a lot, and I always feel hot. Even when I'm taking a bath, I can feel sweat trekking through my skin. I won't survive without aircon or electric fan.

Because I sweat a lot, I keep catching a cold. I'm sick again, but thank God I felt better with just a few days of rest.

Other than that, I feel so A-OK.  Let's see how the next weeks would go. Every week is becoming a challenge for me with all the changes I'm going through. Hopefully, I can get through all these with flying colors :)

Till the next week! :)

How Am I Doing at 33 Weeks?

My baby is making his presence felt every day. From his kicks and somersaults, to my growing tummy, it always gives me a warm feeling to have this tiny being inside of me.

I am on my 33rd week going on my 34th this Friday. My pocket pregnancy tracker tells me that:
1. He is 17 to 19 inches long already
2. He weighs around 4.5 lbs
3. He could still grow an inch next week!

Let's see how our baby is actually doing after I'm done with my OB checkup this Friday.

For the mommy (that's me!):

1. Insomnia will strike more.
I am not feeling this because I'm asleep as soon as I hit the bed because of exhaustion from work.

2. More midnight trips to the bathrooms.
I have my CR trip before I go to bed. Sometimes I wake up early morning to take a pee. Usually, it can hold off till I wake up.

3. Frequent leg cramps.
I've had a lot of this lately. Banana to the rescue!


4. Hearburn.
I eat light meals spread throughout the day so I haven't experienced heartburn yet.


5. Uncomfortable while sleeping.
I feel this when I lie down longer on the right side. I always try to sleep on the left side, but I always wake up on the right side.


6. Constipation.
Thanks to my high fiber and liquid intake, I haven't experienced pregnancy constipation yet!

I try to have my daily walk, either during lunchtime or after dinner, but I get so "hingal" lately because of this watermelon-sized tummy that I'm carrying.

A few more weeks to go and we'll be seeing this cute bundle of joy. Happy (and tiring) days are coming!

Our 1st Year Civil Wedding Anniversary

Tomorrow, October 8, Sieg and I will celebrate our 1st year civil wedding anniversary. Time flies so fast. I vividly remember that day. We took an early trip to Tacloban, rested a bit when we got home, and then headed off to the judge who officiated the ceremony. It was very simple and intimate, just family and a very few close friends. We didn't even invite many people to our dinner celebration at home.

Here are a few snapshots :)

Judge Bitas explaining the family code :)

Judge Bitas explaining our rights :)

It was very quick!

Our parents :)

Our sponsors :)

Saying our vows!

Blooper! I forgot to remove my sporty watch :)

Judge Bitas :)

Cheers to a happy married year that passed! I'm so blessed to have Siegfred in my life. He is simply the best, and I love him in many ways I cannot even explain :) Now, we look forward to being a family, with Iñigo Rocco making his grand entrance soon.

To infinity and beyond!

My Baby Boy :)

We had an ultrasound last weekend, and I'm happy to say that Baby Rocco is now in vertex position! Yeeey! He is head down, but still high-lying, so I need to walk some more in preparation for his grand entrance.

Seeing our baby in an ultrasound is overwhelming. It calms my nerves knowing that our baby is normal and healthy. We got a bonus because Baby Rocco showed his face! :)

Everyone in the family says he's my look-alike. Look at the lips! Hahaha! :) Daddy Sieg is not contesting, but let see when Baby Rocco comes out.

Who will be his actual look-a-like? :)

Hello There!

I've been on blogging hiatus because I was so swamped with work and a lot of extra-curricular activities this whole month of September. October will be a lot busier because we have visitors coming to Cebu. What more for November? We also have visitors, and it will be Rocco's birth month!

I am already on my 32nd week. What happened so far?

1. Rocco is so likot now! He has these sharp movements which makes me hold my breath :)
2. My tummy is so pointed already!
3. So far, all my shoes still fit. I don't think my feet even expanded. Let's see if it'll change within the next few weeks.
4. My nose still looks the same. Hahaha! I'm so vain.
5. My metabolism is slowing down. As much as I want to be depressed about it, there's nothing I can do. I'm taking hormone supplements now. It's a long story, but it's somewhat related to my operation 2 years back.  I hope everything normalizes soon.
6. I got sick! Grrrrr! The bug caught up with me and I had a major case of flu. So much for the anti-flu shot. Thank God I got better in a short time. Liquid therapy and lots of sleep do work.

So there! I hope I have the energy to sustain myself for the next two months. Kaya yan! :)

Baby Leaf on Kids-Agogo!

I've written on this blog before that we're contemplating on using cloth diapers for Rocco. I'll just test how it'll turn out. Probably, we'll mix it with disposables, depending on how "tamad" I'll be :)

Anyway, I found this new mompreneur who's selling cloth diapers called BABY LEAF, similar to the imported brand, Fuzzibunz. I still have to check on the quality of the product, but based on the initial reviews that I've read, seems like it's a good local brand.

The good news is, they're on sale at Kids Agogo.  It's actually just a small discount. Their price marketing strategy is quite lame (hehe) because it says,

50% Off on Baby Leaf One Size Cloth Diapers. Pay P295 Only (Valued at P590)!

In reality, the price per item is only P350, or 3 for P1000, not at the advertised price of P590. Hmmm. Anyway, it's still a good deal for starters. 

Visit http://kids-agogo.com for more info. Have patience on their site, there are some registry issues. 

Happy Shopping!

I'm 29 weeks and counting!

I had my monthly OB checkup, and so far everything is A-OK! 

Some great news:

1. My blood pressure is normal.

2. My weight gain is also steady.

3. Rocco's heartbeat is strong.

4. Rocco's fetal movement is very active.

My OB instructed me to start tracking Rocco's fetal movement within 2 hours after lunch and dinner. I got a bit anxious when she said that if the movement is less than 10, I have to inform her immediately and request for admission because Rocco might be in distress or tied around the umbilical cord. I hope it doesn't happen :(

On a slightly bad news, Rocco is still in a breech position! He seems to be enjoying his comfortable space inside mommy's tummy and won't budge :)  My OB said this is not yet alarming because the baby has still room to grow, and will eventually turn to the birthing position on my 8th month. If not, she may manually turn the baby around (and it hurts!). If that doesn't work, hello CS! 

I found a good website about breech babies and how to position them properly for birthing. I might try a few tricks :) Here's the link.

I also have to schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist just to check and monitor my thyroid hormones. I had a thyroid operation 2 years ago and though all my tests are normal, it's better to be checked by an expert :)

Starting next month, my pre-natal checkup will be twice a month already. After that, it would be on a weekly schedule already! 

The days are coming fast! It's gonna be judgement day SOON! :)

Our Prenup Pictorial, A Year Ago

I vividly remember the day we had our prenup.

We just got our car, and it was spanking new :)

We made friends with a fine makeup artist, who also alternated as our alalay or PA. "She" was so much fun to be with, and had a lot of stories about her lovelife :) Our photographers were initially OK. I really liked their output from their portfolio that's why we got them, but turns out they had a lot of tardiness issues. They were late during our prenup,  and as expected, they were also late in delivering our final prints! Kalurks.

Anyway, that day just passed by so quickly, and at the end of it all, we were so dead tired. Mahirap pala maging artista, or model :)

Sad to say, I misplaced the CD that was given to us :( I'm not sure if it's in our house in Cebu, or in Tacloban. I remember copying all the files into a hard drive, but I still couldn't locate the files. Hopefully, I'll find it soon!

Here are some photos that I fortunately uploaded in our wedsite. Enjoy!

Happy 1st Birthday Optimus!

To the one who continues to give us total comfort, and has brought us to places,  Happy 1st Birthday Optimus! Your daddy really knows how to take care of you, because you're oh so shiny and still smells like new :)

Looking forward to more trips and joy rides! Thank you for making our everyday life a lot more comfortable :)

Cebu's Pride: Projekt

Cebu is super rich in furniture-making talent. Does Kenneth Cobonpue ring a bell? The furniture export business is alive in this beautiful province, and it's one of the main drivers of the lush local economy that we are benefiting from.

How I wish Cebu would put up an IKEA Store, or a copycat of that (haha!). I will drown in happiness there.  For now, the closest that I could find is a local shop named PROJEKT. From my research, it's Filipino-owned, probably by talented Cebuanos.

The store is located at Parkmall, and it carries modern flat-packed affordable furniture and accessories that are fit for tight-spaced homes. Their products are quite ingenious and the prices are super affordable!

To know more about their products, visit their multiply store myprojekt.

Some of the items I like:

The Baby is Squirmy!

Rocco (YES! That's our baby's name) is starting to get extra squirmy. Normally, I'd feel his extreme movements from 10PM onwards, when I'm lying down in bed.

But last night was EPIC!

We had our lights out at 12MN (I'm insomniac, but trying hard to sleep early) when Rocco suddenly made sharp somersault movements which were a bit painful. I savored the moment for a while, but it was getting too sharp, and I could already feel either his head or butt protruding to one side. My tummy was getting deformed!

I couldn't sleep through it anymore, so in total darkness, I started talking to my baby. I told him mama had to rest, and it's late already. I think my baby was listening to me because suddenly, he stopped moving :)

It was such a warm feeling, knowing that my baby was actually listening to me, even when he's still inside my tummy!

I slept soundly after that with a smile on my face, thanks to my baby :)

The YAYA Hunt Begins!

Admittedly, I don't think I will survive without a helper.  This is the main reason why I never dreamed of living abroad where helpers are scarce. If worse comes to worst, I do know how to run household chores, because we were trained as little girls by my mama. But quoting my MIL "What is Px,xxx for all the help you'll get?"

Now that I'm gonna be a mother, the helper alone won't manage it. She's good with the cleaning and the laundry, the cooking part--so so-- but she cannot multi-task yet.  So I will need a full time yaya.

Thank God for parents and in-laws who have connections everywhere. It's so easy to find one from our province. The daunting task is selecting the RIGHT one. So far, we have our options already, and she has to report at least a month before I return to work so I could train her properly.

Important tips when searching for a Yaya:
1. Better if you know the family where she's from. An agency-based yaya is scary!
2. Have her get an NBI clearance first, for record & protection.
3. DON'T FORGET to get her a medical exam, especially for contagious diseases.

My sister had a bad experience with #3. She got a good yaya but it turned out the yaya was sick with early stage of TB! Scary! They had to treat her for 6 months. I dunno if she was the reason why my nephew got primary complex at almost the same time they found out she had TB.

How about you? What's your experience with the Yaya search?

The Checklist!

Is this for real? Or just a great marketing strategy to lure mommies into buying unnecessary baby stuff. I didn't realize until now that preparing for a baby would mean organizing tons of stuff! The list is just crazy.

www.babycompany.com.ph

I made my own list with the help of my sister, and it's not even half of the list above. Great thing I got some great tips, especially on baby shopping:

1. Accept hand-me-downs especially for newborns because they grow rapidly.
2. Only spend on essential items.
3. Buy just a little of everything. You never know if your baby will like the expensive one (especially the bottles!).
4. If you can breastfeed, make it a PRIORITY. It's BEST for baby, and it'll save you tons on formula milk.
5. You'll always be tempted to splurge, but DON'T. You'll get a lot of gifts from family and friends.

Well, all the tips seem to be true, especially for #1 and #5.  We've been receiving a lot of gifts from the crib, stroller, carriers,bottles, pump, clothes, newborn gadgets, and so much more. To think that I've not yet given birth. How much more when the baby arrives? :)

This baby is SO LOVED! And for daddy and mama, we hardly have to spend (for now).

I Got My MOM Card!

Hubby, helper and I went to SM earlier to run some errands. Well, hubby had his haircut, while helper went pants shopping. I, on the other hand, passed out time at the Baby Company Store which I absolutely love! It just opened last December 2010, and they really have some nice and cute stuff for babies :) 

The last time we went there (where we bought our crib, a gift from MIL),  the sales lady informed me I could get a MOM card so I can avail some discounts and freebies on my future purchases. Well, I got them now! I know it's so lame, but what can I do, I'm an excited first time mama, so I deserve to be uberly happy :) 

 

To know more about the BABY COMPANY, check their website. 

De-Cluttering

We currently live in a townhouse in a nice neighborhood here in Cebu. The space is just enough for me and hubby, plus guests who drop by occasionally, and a helper who has her own room at the ground floor.

When the baby arrives, our spacious cutey house will be all cluttered and tight, so I have to organize as much as I can to find space for the baby and all his stuff.

We've been living here for almost a year now but I still have boxes still unpacked! YES, that's me. I've got tons of boxes that I had shipped from Manila last year, which I haven't unpacked yet because I couldn't find a space for them.

These are currently in the guest room, which I've turned into a storage room because nobody's using it. There's a box full of magazines, another one full of clothes,  my PC computer which I'm not using but hubby doesn't want to dispose, and more. When the baby arrives, these have to go away.

We bought storage boxes from SM so I could organize my closet and find a space for the baby. The bags and clothes used to be stashed in our room, but voila, they're now in the storage boxes. I still have an extra box for my unused clothes.

We don't want to spend renovating for a storage space bacause this is not our permanent home, and we'll be moving out sometime next year.  All the stuff for storage will find their way to the maid's room and the service area.

How about you? How do you declutter your space?

Cebu Pac: Always on Sale!

My mama called me early this morning to check CebuPac because there's an ongoing piso fare. The Manila Delegation (Geonzon-Santos family) will be spending the holidays in Tacloban so it will be a hefty travel fare for them if they don't get sale tix.

So I dragged my lazy ass out of the bed to get to the laptop and start searching. I've been on it for almost an hour but I could not get through!

There seems to be no sale! Gaaah! Better luck next time.

Crazy Stupid, but it's still LOVE :)

grabbed from Wiki

I was feeling bored yesterday so I budged hubby to go to Ayala and check out some baby stuff. So off we went. Sadly, I didn't find anything interesting so to pass out time till our 7:30PM scheduled mass, we checked out if there were good movies to watch.

Alas!! CRAZY STUPID LOVE was showing. I've read a lot of good reviews about the movie through my twitter timeline, so I jumped with joy when the show time fit our schedule! Of course, hubby could not complain.

If you want a synopsis of the movie, check this.

The movie was SUPER hilarious, yet touching at the same time. I'm really a sucker for love & family movies, so in the middle of it all, I was already crying (blame it to the hormones!).

What really touched my heart was the young boy Robbie, who believed in a soulmate because he saw it in his parents. It made me rethink again what a great impact parents have on their children, so it's really a continuous effort to keep the family inlove and intact.

Oh well,  I have my soulmate and my one true love. If by the time we're 40-ish and bored with each other, we'll just figure out how to bring back our inner youth and keep the fire burning :)

Foodie Delight: Cheesy Tuna Pesto Pasta

Because I had extra spaghetti noodles from the Kung Pao Pasta I made last night, I decided to make another version of my pasta favorites, this time, a simple dish that is the Cheesy Tuna Pesto Pasta.

I like pesto dishes because it's aromatic, tastes organic and greeny, and healthy!

Here's what I used:
1. 6 cloves of garlic, minced
2. 100 to 200g spaghetti noodles (this works better if penne is used)
3. 1 pack Clara Ole Cheesy Pesto Sauce
4. 1 can of tuna (better if brine in water because the taste won't compete with the pesto oil)
5. olive oil
6. salt & pepper to taste
7. Parmesan cheese (optional)

To cook:
1. Heat pan with olive oil. Saute garlic.
2. Remove the excess vegetable oil/water from tuna. Add to garlic. Cook for 5min.
3. Add the spaghetti noodles (should be cooked already as instructed in pack). Mix well.
4. Add Clara Ole Cheesy Pesto Sauce. Shake the container first before pouring to the pan so that the pesto will be well distributed.
5. Mix all the ingredients for 5min.
6. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese.
7. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Cheesy Tuna Pesto Pasta

It's a sure quickfire meal! As I'm writing this, baby Rocco is kicking like crazy. I think he liked what mama cooked for him :) But this should really end my cooking because I'm gulping carbs from the pasta overload.Haha!

Foodie Delight: Charlie Chan Pasta ala Dianey :)

I took a break from cooking because of a spotting incident I had a few weeks back. I think my body grew tired from all the walking, chopping, preparing and the heat from the stove. Thank GOD it was just a minor spotting and nothing harmed the precious baby :)

Well, now that I'm back to being A-OK, I got the itch again to cook! Nothing too grand in terms of preparation, just the quickfire meals.

Hubby was budging me to cook spaghetti with my special ingredients, but the preparation is too tedious, so I opted to try my own version of Yellow Cab's Charlie Chan Pasta. The main ingredient is the Kung Pao Sauce, which brings out the distinct sweet-hot-salty-spicy flavor of the pasta.

So off to the grocery, I grabbed some ingredients:

1. 250g spaghetti (I bought 500g and it was too much)
2. 2 cloves of garlic (I like a lot of garlic so I used around 6 cloves)
3. 3 pcs chicken fillet, breast part, and sliced thinly. Dash some iodized salt.
4. 1/2 pack roasted peanuts (I just used the generic salted peanuts)
5. 1pack Clara Ole Kung Pao sauce
6. 1/2 red bell pepper (I love red bell pepper so I used 1& 1/2 pcs)
7. 3 tbsp oil (I used olive oil, didn't measure, just made sure I had enough to cook the chicken)
8. Spring onion (Forgot to buy this so I used tanglad/lemongrass as replacement, which was freshly picked from the compound garden)
9. salt & ground pepper to taste
10. chili sauce or flakes (If you like it really spicy. I didn't use this)

I forgot to take pictures of my preparation. Maybe next time when I cook it again.

So here's what I did:

1. Cook spaghetti as instructed in the pack.
2. Heat pan with olive oil, saute garlic and add chicken. I cooked it for 15min. The flavor really comes out when it's dashed with salt, and cooked in low fire.
3. Mix in red bell pepper, peanuts and spring onion/lemongrass. Continue to stir fry.
4. Pour in kung pao sauce. Add salt & ground pepper to taste.
5. Mix in the pasta until well coated.

Charlie Chan Pasta ala Dianey :)

Judging from hubby & helper's reactions, it was a success! My next recipe is tuna pesto pasta :)

Of Celebrating Love :)

In life, there will always be many occasions to celebrate. From birthdays, anniversaries, to important milestones, these days bring back fond memories of happiness & love.

Our family has always been big on celebrations. Well, we do it quietly. Every birthday of a family member, my mother would always have a "padasal" in our home. It's her way of thanking the Lord and Mama Mary (she's a devotee) for giving us a good life. Every Christmas & New Year, we always make it a point to go home to Tacloban and pig out together :) It has become a tradition of celebrating important milestones that has been passed on to us by our parents.

For Sieg & I, we have so many dates to celebrate, especially in the love department :) From the day we became bf-gf, to our civil wedding, and of course, our church wedding.

But what holds a special place in our hearts from these three, is the day we became bf-gf. Come to think of it, that day was actually the start of everything else. The domino effect would not have happened if I didn't say YES the first time he asked me :)

TODAY, we celebrate our 4th anniversary as bf-gf. I can't believe it's only been four years. So much has happened, and major things are still happening. As I recall that day through pictures, I remember the lovely feeling, and my prayer is that, the same powerful love that made us decide to jump into a relationship that started long-distance, would stay on and continue to grow as we venture out into a new chapter of our life, with the baby on the way.

August 17, 2007

Exactly four years ago. We were still young :)

Love is in the air! :)

August 17, 2007