Bikram Day 1 and the 30 Day Blog Challenge

I still have an unfinished draft of a very hectic weekend I had: a friend’s wedding, baptism, game night, cousin's birthday / family reunion, bar hopping with in-laws, going to the grocery alone (para akong nakawalang rabbit sa S&R), visiting my side of the family and hosting a dinner for hubby’s family. Whew!

O diba, you got tired too just from reading that long sentence.  I was supposed to blog it then katamaran (laziness) and the after effects of Bikram Yoga kicked-in.

How ironic it is that laziness and Bikram were used in the same sentence. Laziness is much, much too far from Bikram.

Bikram is pure hell torture. I was already summoning the powers that be in the middle of the class. Yes, tama I thought kukunin na ko ni Lord!

I was hating myself for all the carbs I ate in my entire life. First ten minutes palang ng breathing exercises, super jabaaristic na ko. (Jabaaristic: gay lingo for excessive sweating. Etymology: inspired by the very talented but super sweaty basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabaar. Jejejeje.)

I had like four or five out of body experiences during the session. And then, I came back and realized na I was supposed to do yoga. During one of the very near fainting experiences I said to myself, bahala na magalit si JP (hubby) I am not coming back na talaga! Pero at the end of the class, they (my classmates and the instructor) clapped that I survived my first class. I felt like a winner! So before I went to write this blog I prepared na muna my outfit for tomorrow’s class haha.

Anyway, I saw this from mommy fleur’s blog who saw it from another blog and that blogger also saw it from someone else’s blog, etc. (you get the point basta it is uso right now). I present: the 30 day blog challenge.

Just because when I hear the word challenge I get excited. Just because I like starting things. Just because I am part KSP and part feelingera. Just because it sounds shushal. And finally, just because.

Below will be the different posts for the day. Day 1 starts later after 12 midnight para June 01 na. Harhar.

Day 01 — A recent picture and 15 facts about you
Day 02 — Favorite movies
Day 03 — Favorite TV shows
Day 04 — Favorite books
Day 05 — Favorite quotes
Day 06 — Favorite songs
Day 07 — The meaning behind your blog name
Day 08 — Cravings
Day 09 — Pet peeves
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — Nicknames you have and why
Day 12 — Something you bought recently
Day 13 — Something you want to buy
Day 14 — Things you love
Day 15 — Your celebrity crush
Day 16 — A favorite food
Day 17 — A photo of your family
Day 18 — What you like best about each member of your family
Day 19 — A fun memory
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — Your fears
Day 22 — Your current relationship
Day 23 — A letter to your parents
Day 24 — About your childhood
Day 25 — A favorite photo
Day 26 — Who do you admire and inspire
Day 27 — What’s in your bag?
Day 28 — A place you love
Day 29 — A person you love
Day 30 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the future

So my two loyal followers (hubby and my sister), sana I can do this no? I think I can. I have so much energy naman after each yoga class e. Choz.

Be Kind to Me Bikram.

So okay I finally mustered the guts and courage to sign up for BIKRAM YOGA. The thought of finally doing a fitness regimen scares me to no end.

Do I have adequate outfit for the classes?

(According to the website: Wear something tight, shorts and tank top. Gasp! These are very basic outfit I dread. I might die of being too self-conscious. Read: namatay sa kahihiyan)

What if I faint during class?

(Will someone bring me to ER? Will they just let me lie there unconscious?)

Will I be able to go to work and FUNCTION the next day?

(Oh to know the answer to this million dollar question. Sana now na! Nang makapafile na ng VL.)

That will be additional 2- 2.5 hrs away from my baby. Oh my gulay.

Note to Eli: Mama is doing this to be healthier. I want to be able to ski slopes, climb mountains, jump the trampoline, ride horses (horses? wtf), skydive fearlessly with you till I’m 60. That, and because I am quite vain too anak.

When I signed up for unlimited classes hindi ko na pinagisipan. I didn’t even blink. I just said GOh-W na! If I had thought about it longer, chances are baka di ko na natuloy. My saner and more logical side will prevail. 

So kever. As the wise man always says: Bahala na si Batman. (Whoever invented this catch phrase is a genius! Hahah.)

So there, I am throwing it out to the universe. Make me thinner! Eto na I will exert effort na (finally!). Bikram Yoga for the win!

You too! Sign up na. :)

Abundance of Rain

Just because I know God will shower us with so much more blessings.

Just because I know when I ask He always exceeds my expectations.

Just because everything looks extra beautiful after the rain.

Just because rain brings hope and inspiration.

Just because it's super hot.

"Open the windows of heaven.

Lord Rain on me.

Rain on me."

Listen.

And believe.

This song is extra special because it was inspired by the story of prophet Elijah from the Old Testament book of Kings.

Happy Monday. :)

If the world were to end today

I was reading this blog earlier and I was touched by it. Allow me to use it as an inspiration as it truly echoes what I feel right now.

I don’t think I have ever been this happy in my life.

So what if the world was to end today?

I would say I would not do anything extraordinary.

The three of us wake up all at the same time (yes, like clockwork) around 8am. Sometimes Eli would wake up ahead of us, and he would just lie and wait patiently for us to wake up (sometimes by the time I open my eyes he’s already playing with his toys).

I would then lovingly prepare his food for the day. After we all have our breakfast, we go back to the bed and read. (Family of bookworms.)  The H with a book, Eli reading his favorite Clifford book or his Lamaze Discovery Farm soft book (thanks tita Gemma!), me with either a book or a magazine (YES, OK or Preview – my source of intelligent information haha!).

We do this for 30 minutes then Eli feeds and goes to sleep. When he wakes up after half an hour, he then takes his bath and we officially start our day.

Today, we are going to Megamall (our friendly reliable mall). I want to buy a new dress for next Saturday’s events (a wedding and a baptism in one day). The H might want to check out his favorite store again – ACE Hardware (IKR! How many drilling tools does he actually need?). Eli will stare at the faces of other babies.

Then, we are planning to go to S&R to buy some very important supplies (read: Hungarian sausages). I hope we can drop by St. Pio Church to pray and be thankful.

Then, we go home and the three of us will cuddle in the bed some more. In the last few seconds of my life I want to remember our simple life like this. When happiness is hearing my son’s laughter. Contentment is when my husband and I hold hands while watching DVD. I am not afraid of dying. But I do want my son to get to know his dad and me. True we are not celebrities but our combination can be a bit interesting and amusing. I want him to know his dad who is the most logical, intelligent and calm person I know. I want him to get to know me because I’m funny and silly and I laugh at my own corny jokes.

Most especially I want to see how Elijah turns out. As I pray everyday for God to plant awesome dreams in his heart I truly believe that he will grow up to be an endearing, smart and compassionate man someday. 

So, I continue to hope that the world does not end because for my family (same is true for all those who are reading this) I am totally certain the best is yet to come.

Happy cuddling this weekend everyone!

Guilty!

And because this is a blog (that I firmly promised myself), which will encapsulate my thoughts, let me share to you that I have been feeling lots of guilt lately.

Guilt from me gaining weight by the minute (make that by the seconds). My dear husband bought me Sketchers Shape Ups in the hopes that I exercise one of these days. My husband has not lost hope yet, then so must I. To remove this guilt, I must loose 30 lbs. before my baby's 1st birthday. (I hope may nabibiling willpower sa ACE hardware so I can buy truckloads.)

Guilt from missing 2 Sunday Masses already. I will confess and make a promise never to miss Sunday masses again.

Guilt that I have been neglecting my friends because I am a new mom and between the work and the baby I have no energy anymore. So goodluck finding time diba? However, I must decide to save a little bit of my time for me and my girls to have a little bit of normalcy naman in my life therefore, I must then schedule that long overdue girl night (or day) out by June. (Calling Michy and Josexy. Jowee if only you are here.)

Guilt from leaving my baby at home and continuing to work. See, my baby has not gained weight for the last month. After knowing this, I cried while waiting for our turn during our last pedia visit. How uncool am I? It has been a hard two months for my baby and me. The teething, weaning, introduction of solids; but the biggest factor is I am now away from him 9-10 hours during weekdays.

Motherhood is a balancing act. It has tested my sanity, management skills, willpower and persistence for the last six months. In a way I feel like am living in two worlds (work and home). The way I know how to reconcile the two worlds is for me to get it together (none of my six sigma classes prepared me for this!).

If only I can get rid of the guilt soon and start thinking like a normal person. Anyway, back to Elijah. Since he has not been gaining weight, I have been carbo loading him like an underage Chinese gymnast about to join the Olympics. He still hates the bottle. And he hates it with pure loathing. He swats, throws, and kicks it. But he likes eating solids. He eats six times a day now.

So far his favorites are: squash, avocadoes and brown rice.

See how I prepare his food. Today's menu: apples + pears.

What lovely colors no?

1) With clean hands peel and dice the fruits.

2) Put them inside the osterizer (Yay! I bought na my own osterizer hehe).

3) The finished product.

4) I put them inside colorful little containers.

5) I set aside, the other two so I can freeze and serve it the next day.

That's it pancit. Repeat steps for other veggies and fruits. So far these are the food he's already eaten: sayote, potatoes, egg, wheat, banana, rice, mangoes.

Hope he gains weight na. That’s all I’m praying now.

He is so precious, I tell you!

I'm a Happy Mama

Conversation I had with hubby this morning:

H: O, let's kilos na. We will go to the mall para I can buy your Mother's Day gift.

M: Where to? Why the mall? What are we buying? (half kilig, half assuming)

H: I am going to buy you an osterizer! 'Di ba you said you want one?

I felt like lantang cucumber.

While eating our own breakfast, I was soooo silent. (If you know me at all, you know that this only happens on very rare occasions: a) I am sick b) I am pissed c) I am sick and pissed)

Seriously? A freaking osterizer!!?!!

I'm not into girly, senti stuff. I was happy when he gave me a flat screen TV for my birthday. I was ecstatic when he bought me a high end washing machine for Christmas. For our anniversary we bought a mamahalin na water dispenser! (See the pattern here?)

My husband is very 'wais' in a way. I tell him things we need in the house. He holds off from buying them until strategic dates (read: birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc.). I find it hilarious! I never liked for him to buy me flowers, high heels, accessories. He knows I would rather go for practical stuff like knife set, house drilling tools, oven toaster and the likes harhar! I know, it's kinda funny and sad to hear at the same time. Oh and I would rather receive handwritten letters, poetry, or books of any kind. 

But mother's day is different. I was mostly bedridden half of the time last year. While pregnant, I experienced pain from body parts I never knew existed before. After giving birth, hello more pain! The pain would wake me up like a crazed murderer during the night. And I loved the hell out of our baby boy. I loved, I learned, I nurtured, and safely brought our adorable baby boy into this world. So yeah, maybe mother's day is different. (Kahit this year lang, tutal first time ko naman diba? [If you are reading this, I love you mommy! I shall get you an awesome gift.])

So I guess, I don't want a freaking osterizer this time. Hence, the silence.

M: Go to our room with Eli, I want a ‘me’ time here sa sala. (wawa mode)

After 15 minutes of senti and silence I went inside the bedroom and found Eli eating playing with this red box.

And found these inside. Earrings! (And these are the kind that I like. Simple. Not outlandish. Classic.)

H: Dapat tomorrow ko pa bigay pero I can see you're ready to burst into tears na kanina e. (Gaddd! I am so transparent ever!)

Then my boys showered me with kisses.

And I am lost for words once again.

Happy mother’s days to all the mommies! (Especially to all drama queens, OA mommies like me!)