She can be a F1 driver...

A friend of mine, Benedict, donated his kids' stroller. I readily accepted. I got it several weeks before we travelled to Bicol. After taking it home, I didn't know where to store it. At the same time, I wasn't sure if KT is ready to take the new challenge (her body was still fragile then).

One day, Tin was around so I decided to ask her to take KT out of the house and try the stroller at the same time. So we put KT on the stroller without a fuzz. Then I pushed the stroller with the matching sound of a car engine. Initially, I pushed the stroller slowly; then I decided to push it a little bit faster just to check if the kid will react. She didn't.. She actually smiled.

Tin was on the stroller's side checking if KT was still okay. Because of my weight, I got tired easily and took it slowly. And I stopped pushing it - KT cried. So as not to move farther, I just pushed the stroller a bit faster in a circular motion - she actually stopped complaining.

A race car driver in the making!

PS. She fells asleep in the car when we take a long drive to Sun Valley.

Merry Christmas, KT

KT's first air travel

This month, my wife and I decided to visit our parents in the province. We took our baby, KT, with us (without the nanny).

We were in the domestic airport at 5am on the 19th of December - I was incharge of the luggages and Tin was carrying the baby. Surprisingly, KT didn't complain about the noise of the vehicles going thru the airport. She would be startled from time to time, but she was looking at the people queuing up, disembarking from the cabs, etc.

After getting through the security check, I asked Tin to put KT on the stroller (courtesy of a friend of mine). I thought the baby will complain, but she didn't. The mom-baby tandem was cool to look at. While waiting for us to board the plane, she just sat there sleeping and from time to time would look at the people passing by. I am so proud of her - mana sa itay.

(Before we left Manila, I tried letting her ride the stroller just to be sure that she'll fit and she'll like it. What I and Tin noticed is she prefers the stroller to be moving. She cries when it's not. This is supportive on our previous experiences when taking her to Sun Valley and she stays in the back of the car - she simply fells to sleep.)

When we were about to board, I asked Tin to go ahead so I could take a pix of KT during her first trip to Bicol on a plane.

In the plane, I took KT from Tin since the latter had not slept for the last 2 nights (she came from a hospital duty the night before). I thouight KT would simply sleep in the flight. Nooo!!! She preferred to be carried upright so that she could check on the passengers. At first, I was worried she would cry once the plane starts to accelerate to gain more lift and the landing part; depending on the plane, this would be the noisest part of the travel (ignoring the noise coming from other passengers). Surprise, surprise! She didn't even blink!! (Am I seeing a potential that she can be a good car racer someday??)

I tried my best so that she wouldn't cry on the flight - I would raise her up during some games (Cebu Pacific does on every flight) as if she was one of the participants. And sometimes I would let her see outside the window. The good thing is that she's more responsive when we took her for travel (she's just 3.5 mos old). After the plane taxied to the tarmac of Legazpi Domestic Airport, I found her sleeping on my arms.

Me? My arms were complaining - KT is bigger for her age and I don't have that upper body strength. But it was fun joining my wife and kid for our first family trip outside the city.

Epilogue - when I went out of the airport, I looked like a christmas tree with the luggages hanging around my body! It doesn't end there... Next time, BRING THE NANNY!!!

G6PD and our baby (2)

I got the result last week. The attendant never gave a conclusion, but according to the report - "the result is within range and needs no further testing." I, therefore, conclude that she's negative. Thanks, God!

My Baby's Voice

I am currently out of the office attending our 2008 annual planning. I called my sister just to say, "hi" during breaktime, and ask how's our baby (my wife is also out for hospital duty). Then, I heard the baby cry; it was a different feeling.

I guess being a dad is really different....

G6PD and our baby

Several days ago, my wife called me in the office to inform me that Caitlin (the name of our baby) has G6PD deficiency. Tin explained to me that if Caitlin eats the wrong stuff, she might suffer internal hemorrhage; it didn't sink in yet. When I got home to discuss it with my wife, she told me that Caitlin needs to be brought to National Institute of Health for confirmation test. I was furious when I found out because the resident pediatrician at UDMC informed Tin through SMS; and the result was not even final yet! I found the practice quite unprofessional (I told Tin I never fired somebody through SMS) considering that the pediatrician studied for $@!#$%^^!!! 10 years or so!!

Tin already shed some tears even before I got home; I did, too, when we were having the discussion. It's really a different feeling when you have a kid and she might be in harm's way.

I informed my aunt about it and she didn't sound so alarm. So I assumed it's okay; I also talked to our neighbor who happened to be a resident pedia in a government hospital, and her reaction wasn't alarming. So it must be a good sign.

Last Tueday, early in the morning we prepared for the trip to UP-Manila where NIH is located. Tin couldn't join us since she's on duty (I promised her that I will be with our kid until she becomes a consultant - bawian ko na lang siya 3 years from now). My mother in-law and the maid are with me.

The place is your typical old American building with high ceiling and windows on each room inside the building. The pillars are massive, just like the Sorsogon National High School. It looks pretty good (the restroom is surprisingly clean) for a government building. We were the 20th patient when we got in at 830am. There was a long queue already (chairs were placed on the aisle). I had to fill out one form that asks for the baby's mother's name - I found this weird since either parent should be able to attend to his/her child. It might be because of the nature of the deficiency. Later I noticed that if the father is with the baby, the mom is also close around. Apparently, it's only Caitlin who doesn't have a mom with her. I find it strange, but properly alright (Tin felt very guilty during this time since she also missed the first vaccine of our kid, she was also on duty).

Upon filling out the form, I noticed several instructions on the wall (below 6-month old babies have to fast for 2 hours; beyond 6 months, it would be a 4-hour fasting). Actually, I started checking the posters on the wall since when I asked the nurse/attendant for the day that I can get the result, instead of saying it personally, he pointed me to the instruction pasted on the door. This was one of the challenges since Caitlin had her last bottle of milk around 5am and it was already 9am; it was time for her to take the next bottle. But we couldn't give her otherwise, it can mess up with the test. So we actually starved her until she had the test; she fell asleep in the car on our way home so she had to endure 6 hours or so before she took her next bottle of milk.

The decision I made was quick, but it was different from decisions I made in the office. I couldn't even compare it with the decisions I made that would affect my people's career. It was just totally different!

My mother in-law brought the baby inside the testing room; I couldn't since I had colds (I still have) then. And only the baby carrier can go in - so it was Mama who went inside. After the testing, Mama put Caitlin on the chair to prep her up for our trip back to the house. I saw tears on Caitlin's eyes. Normally, she would cry out loud but there are no tears on her eyes; this is the first time I saw her with tears. And it really pained me to see her on such situation.

Next week, I will be getting the result. Hopefully it will have a negative result.

Note: Tin also mentioned that another had the same experience with the resident pedia at the hospital (different person though). But the patient turned out to be a relative of the high government official. The patient lodged a final complaint.

Married to Doc

When I brought Tin in the hospital, I wasn't alarmed about her situation. I guess it was because of the fact that I know her friends (I couldn't argue with her about her pregnancy since she knows more than I do). When she was rolled to the labor room, I just stayed for a while and left her to the care of her doctor friends.

When I wanted to stop the docs from pressing her gut to squeeze out our baby, I realized that I am dealing with professionals and I am not the expert on that room. I had to trust them that they knew what they were doing. Of course, it was more of my imagination than the skills of the docs that attended her. It was a learning experience and I admire my wife to have the guts to cut someone else's gut and the blood is all over.

They are a sweet bunch! Though when they start talking about medical goblydooks, I just stay on the corner and try to understand the cryptic language they use. Lately, I get to pick out some familiar terms but I am still a foreigner in her field (for some reason, medical industry likes words that run out of vowels).

I do find her field interesting and quite technical as well, and the sakes are higher (which I am not comfy with). But my wife, she just takes it in stride!

These are some pictures of the docs who visited her after she delivered our baby.

My kid and the penguin

One time, on our way to the hospital, Tin and I were talking about the skills that our baby needs to develop. She wants the baby to be exposed in music; she wants her to learn how to play piano (I want her to learn how to play violin).

I shared her my plan - at a very young age, I want her to learn Linux as the operating system. I told my wife that since we are going to have one TV unit in our place, the PC should be placed in our bedroom and can serve as a media server. But it should be running in Linux; this way, our baby will have to figure it out how to use it. And if she wants to play computer games (most of it are running in Microsoft operating system or Windows), she has to figure out a way how to use Linux instead. Linux do not run non-Linux applications, however, there is an application that mimics Windows and let Microsoft-based applications run; but it takes a bit of know how (which I am not even familiar with). So if she can figure this out, she'll really learn a lot about computers.

Also, Linux has a security feature that can restrict the usage of a user. So I plan to teach my kid how to use it for basic purposes; and if she's creative, she has to learn security stuff. She will learn how to run OpenOffice (instead of Microsoft Office Suite), compose graphics in GIMP (instead of Photoshop), browse the internet thru Mozilla or Lynx (instead of Internet Explorer), or archive files thru Gzip (instead of WinZip). She will definitely learn TCP/IP by heart!

By exposing the kid at the early stage, she will be more exposed compared to the other kids of her age. She might not take computer science (which I won't force her to), but it will definitely help her early development.

I joked that by the time she reaches high school, she'll know how to develop applications; and by the time she finishes high school, she can crack her way through networks. And this was the point my wife told me that with this plan, I should start saving money for our kid's bail bond!

Feeling of a new dad...

When I found out that my wife's pregnant, I really didn't want to know what's the baby's sex. For me, it wasn't important if he's a "she" or a "he". I felt that it doesn't matter if she was a boy or a girl; what's important is how the parents will raise her. And I never felt that raising a girl would stop me from making her like my profession or hobbies (I am already planning to reformat our PC to Linux so that she will learn how to use Linux at an early stage).

My friends and family members would tell me that it feels different to see your first born child. I never knew what it was until I saw the baby's head appeared while the rest of her body was squeezed out by the docs.

I was excited! I felt protective (if the docs weren't my wife's friend, I would have asked them to stop pressing my wife's gut)! I didn't want to take her with my because I felt I wasn't ready yet and I could end up hurting her.

I checked her nose if she got mine, luckily she didn't . She looks like her mom, which is just okay. What is important was that she was okay when she got out.

This is definitely a "Mastercard" (there are some things money can't buy) experience! (I told my wife that we should make 4 more (and she was there in the recovery room still sedated but enough for her to understand and shook her head several times)!

Delivery of Baby Kristine

I am writing this beside my wife's hospital bed. She's still bound to the bed due to the recent CS she had to go through - 2 days earlier than scheduled.

My wife was supposed to deliver our baby girl tomorrow. But yesterday morning, around 130am, she woke me up. Her bag of water burst; she later complained to me that she had a hard time waking me up - she had to throw a pillow at me to wake me up (to those who haven't seen our bed - it's a queen size bed due to combination of two single beds. I stay on the other end, she stays on the other normally.). The normal 45-minute travel time from Fairview to UDMC took only 20 minutes. My only challenge was that my fuel meter was lighting up from time to time (I didn't gas up the night before hoping that the delivery will be go by schedule). The gas was enough for us to reach the hospital without a glitch (according to our housemaid, who normally gets dizzy when riding an air-conditioned vehicle, she was busy worrying about my driving).

Originally, I wasn't planning to join Tin on the operating room. But when her colleague called me in our room, I decided to go and join her anyway hoping that I won't faint. Stayed on the far end of the table, staring at the back of the doctors operating her; then, I glimpsed on her stomach being cut (I almost puked). I looked like an idiot on the OR; I would glance at the operating table, and every time I saw her stomach being cut, I would lean back and grimaced (as if I was being cut myself).

The climax was when the doctors were now going for the baby; her attending physician put her hand inside her stomach (I almost fainted whan I saw her do it) to scoop out the baby. Then another doctor, Tin's friend, pressed Tin's stomach! I couldn't help myself and ask one of the docs if it was normal to squeeze out the baby; my imagination was working on overdrive giving me an idea that the baby will be crushed when the doc pressed Tin's stomach. And after a couple of minutes, the baby's head went out of the stomach. At that point, I wanted to leave the OR and puke! But there she was, her head was out of her mom's stomach and in a while she will be out completely. I didn't want to lose that opportunity. So I stayed.

The attending physician took the baby's feet and raised her (the doc's other hand was supporting the head). Later on I found out from Tin that this is a practice to ensure that the baby do not aspirate any fluid. A nurse took the baby and put her on the passinet (it's like a staging area for the baby before bringing her to the nursery) with an O2 tank beside it. I was still nauseated when the baby was being cleaned up.

The nurse pinched the baby's nipple and the latter cried. I was thinking of stopping the nurse (dad's instict, I guess), but when I saw the nurse started to press the baby's ribs that was when I realized she was actually checking for the baby' physical defects. The climax was when the nurse inserted this thin but long tube (connected to the O2 tank) to the baby's mouth; I knew she was trying to clear the baby's airway but just imagining that thing inserted in my mouth turned my gut upside down. I wanted to leave, but my baby was still there. I decided to stay on hoping I could last for another 10 minutes.

The Wonders of Technology

Yesterday, I saw our 8-month child from the ultrasound pictures that my wife brought. It was an exciting moment for me; I wanted to hug her! I wanted to kiss her!

Last week, the sales rep of GE visited the hospital where my wife is working. The demonstrated a 4d ultrasound machine (the most common is 3d, to some extent is 2d especially in the provinces). One of the consultants grabbed her and made her the subject of the demo. The cost of each picture, in a normal situation, would be more than a thousand. But my wife got it for free.

She's fond of sucking her toes for some reason. Hopefully she changes when she gets out of her mom's womb. But on this picture, it seems to me that she has a potential of getting her mom's trait of frowning...

I was teasing my wife that I will take our kid wherever I go, whenever possible. So that she'll be exposed about the different activities outside the house. This way, she will be more well rounded and more matured when the time comes.

According to them, she looks like me especially the forehead. But her lips is definitely taken from her mom. And Kristine is quite worried that she might have the same nose as she has. But Tita Lyds and Lola told her that my cousins (and myself) started with noses that only mothers can love; eventually, it turned out to be better looking (naks!).



Well, I am hoping for the best. According to Tin, all the pregnancy parameters are normal. She's opting for CS around 2nd week of September; her built might not take the size of the baby when she delivers. She'll be out of the hospital for 2 weeks; on top of that, 5 days after she delivers the baby she has to take an exam in relation to her training!!! If only I own my own hospital... Oh well, she's the doctor and I am not.

I am just excited.... I don't have to be a priest to be a papa... =)

Changes in Behavior

Two weeks ago, my car wouldn't start. Ordinarily, I would have left the car alone until I find the energy to fix it. However, I needed it for any eventualities since my wife is pregnant (I was right to fix it last weekend).

Initially, I didn't want to fix it. I didn't even plan to bring it to our place (it was left in the garage in Paranaque). But one time, I picked up my wife from the hotel and we had a hard time getting a cab going home. So I took the car from the family house and drove it to my current abode in Fairview. And a day after, I wanted to bring my wife to the hospital, it wouldn't start. The battery was dead (luckily it wasn't the starter). So I bought a battery replacement.

Afterwards, I decided to fix the flush of the toilet bowl. It has been a couple of months since it broke down. And (stupidly late) I realized that my wife had been lifting the water pail just to flush the toilet. I actually felt ashamed when I realized it. In the end, I was able to fix it.

I was really proud of myself after fixing it. I know it was a small feat for most; but when I was single, I wouldn't even care until somebody would scold me or until it's unbearable.

Now, I am more sensitive about my wife's situation. When she woke me up around 5am because she thought there was something wrong, I just changed my clothes and brought her to the hospital. Sometimes she is unreasonable, and when this happens, I knew logic won't work and simply treat her the way she expects me to treat her.

But I love it!!!

Preping Up for The Girl

Last week, my wife and I went to the mall to check for baby stuff.

We checked the baby tub, but Kristine was looking for a specific product; she was looking for a baby support so that she doesn't need to carry the baby while putting him on a bath. She was also looking for a specific brand of milk bottles. For the sterilizer, she was also looking for the product that has handle so that we can take it with us anytime. Oh, and there's only one brand that offers that product and it's not cheap. I am estimating that it would cost me around 10k to put up with the necessities.

I wasn't really interested on looking at the colors of the baby clothes that we are planning to buy at first. I felt that shopping for a baby's clothes is just like any shopping activities. But later on, I found the activity enjoyable. And I also want to see my kid on those clothes. And seeing my wife being excited about it, makes me ashamed that I felt differently at first.

Before we left the mall, I am excited to see our own baby girl. And the cost of taking care of her, is part of all of raising a family of my own. Which I find very fulfilling!

New stage...

My wife is now 5-month preggy!!! =)

Thoughtfulness and Practical Gestures (whatever that means)

My wife would normally hug me and kiss me right after she wakes up. Then she will do it again after she comes out of the bathroom. It's her morning ritual. On the otherhand, I find it uncomfortable because I like to sleep and hoping that such gestures can be scheduled accordingly (I see it, then, as a practical gesture than thoughtfulness). My reaction to this is to stay in bed longer (enough not to be late at the office) and forget about her taking the car with me.

Just this morning, on our way to JRC, we touched the topic. I found out that she just likes doing her morning ritual. I clarified to her that I find it uncomfortable, and I am not used to it. Of course, she doesn't care; I had to clarify it that it's not annoying (otherwise, she would've made her day again in my expense).

In the end, I realized that she really needs support nowadays due to her pregnancy. Kaya sinisingil ko na lang siya ng gas para sa sasakyan. hehehe! I am not complaining, and I really think it's the right thing to do. I also told her that sometimes somebody have to remind me because I grew up without a wife!

Several days after the wedding....

It has been 12 days since I was married. Everytime my friends would ask me about being married, I would reply, "it hasn't sink in yet". Well, based on my perception it hasn't yet.

True enough, my lifestyle is changing. I am now taking the bus and FX on my way to the office; I leave my car in the garage (which I share with 2 more tenants). I bring my lunchpack with me instead of eating in the restaurants. I stopped drinking beer (at least for the last 3 days). I am now washing the dishes. I am now budgetting my daily expenses, unlike before that I just spend on stuff out of a whim. Oh yeah, I am now getting used to the fact that I am sleeping in a bed beside another person. hehehe!

But I am not complaining. I have fully embraced marriage. I know it wouldn't be easy but I am willing to go through it. When tin and I were shopping for some stuff, I noticed that I was more patient with her (my knees and legs were complaining already), while she was trying to figure out what she wanted to buy. Otherwise, she picks the color or sometimes I had to simply agree just to avoid any confrontation. (In fairness, we did need the others that wasn't included on the list). From time to time, I had to remind her what we were shopping for her (which she is grateful about).

Last night, I spent my evening alone in bed. She was on duty at the hospital. I was originally planning to sleep at Tita Chi's house but changed my mind the last minute and brought some work at home. I slept well last night and felt at home (though I grew up on a house that is big enough to run around). I could even work (just like now composing my blog).

Tonight, I wanted to go home early and be with my wife.... Yup! It's changing.... I am changing.... It's sinking in, I have to admit.....

My Model Kit and My Wife

Most of my friends were asking me about how my married life is going. So far, it's going okay. No major misunderstanding so far. I haven't been thrown to the doghouse yet (there's none anyway). Since we see each other less than 7x a week due to her responsibilities, there's less chance that we are going to clash.

Two nights ago, we did have a skirmish. She came home earlier than I was; and she was calling my what time I would go home. I knew it was time for me to go home. So home I went....

When I went inside the house, I went to our room and saw her lying in bed. She woke up and started to stand up. Then, my model kit (a 1/72 F15E Eagle that I completed for 6 painstaking months) caught my attention - it looked differently. I realized that its right landing gear was dislogded. I went straight to my model kit, never realizing that my wife was approaching me, and asked the maid what happened. And my wife was there, staring at me. hehehe!

Well, she turned her back and went straight to our room.... And slammed the door locked! Of course, I realized who stupid I was. I just forgot that I am already married. I had to control myself not to laugh (I knew that it would be less than 5 minutes before she opens the door).

But, yeah, that was really something that I have to work on....

Epilogue - after a couple of minutes, I knocked on our door and she opened it.