Aggie Wants to Know #3: Halfway There.
It’s another AWTK Week and this time Aggie came up with a lengthy-provoking but nevertheless, fun-to-do entry and she asks:
How’d your first six months go? And what are you looking forward to the next six months?
I figured that a half-year roundup will do all of us good - it will make things easier by December when we do a lookback, right? Here’s what I did, I posted my roundup month per month, with an equivalent word (I planned this for scrapping year end month to month memories), and posted some highlights per month (your blog will come in handy here). If it’s too tedious for you, you can just list some memorable things/accomplishments/disappointments that you remember or do the survery I snagged from Glo (which you can see below - Im a sucker for these things I did it as well). If you have your Things To Look Forward To or resolutions from last January, link that as well. At the end of your post, please tell me what are the things you look forward to with the remaining months of the year (Masyado atang kumplikado to no? Hehehe - You will thank me for this!)
2008 is actually a continuation of a very much blessed 2007 for us with the coming of Asher in the first quarter of the year. We’re just halfway through and the first six months I could say were one of a heck roller coaster ride for me (mostly of highs with anticipation and birth of Asher). So here’s my take on HALFWAY THERE:
JANUARY - “The Busy Month”: Grew ecstatic and impatient on my 31st-34th week of pregnancy. We had a first glimpse of how Baby A would look like through the 3D and 4D ultrasound. The baby layette’s almost complete. The birth of this blog. Swamped with work at the office as always. Dad and stepmom arrived from Saudi for their annual vacation with lots of baby stuffs and loots for their first apo. Flickring Pro.
FEBRUARY - “The Waiting Game Month”: Marked the 37th week and the countdown begins. Prepared for the Big D Day (hospital bag, various documents required by the hospital, and moolah) as it’s anytime soon. My CWL sisters held a Baby Shower for me. No longer barred from malling. Consumed my accrued 2007 VLs then consequently went on with the Maternity Leave (starts of a long vacation). Started scrapping again. Bored and impatiently waited.
MARCH - “The Highest-and-Happiest-of-All Month”: The long wait is over, Asher’s finally here and had a momentous birthing story to share. He had to stay longer at the hospital for infection treatment. With him, home at last on the sixth day, mommy duties officially begins. I’ve never felt complete as I was. Turned 27 blessed and so much happy with the biggest blessing ever received. No Yaya at all. Slowly recuperating from delivery. Afflicted with gallstones pang. Weight dropping tremendously. Sleepless nights began. On the verge of experiencing Postpartum Depression. Hubby’s world was unstable too. This month was definitely the highest and the lowest. Absent blogger.
APRIL - “The Sickly Month”: Asher turned 1 month old. My heart melted when I had a glimpse and was able to capture his very first real and wide smile. He was welcomed to the Christian world. Back into the blogging and digiscrapping world. Plenty of hands to take care of Asher with the coming of Mama and the nanny. Frequent gallstones excruciating attacks. Went under Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (2 surgeries in 2 months! whew!) and gallstones (and my gall bladder) were successfully removed. Had to stop nursing Asher for a while while I recuperate from the surgery. Got an allergy to an unknown allergen. Endless weekly weekends moving to and from two homes with a jampacked car of baby stuffs.
MAY - “The Decision Month”: Asher celebrated 2nd month. Took a week long sick leave as I recuperated from the gallstones surgery. First Mother’s Day experience. Hubby turned 27. Back at work. Tendered resignation. Suffered and struggled with separation anxiety. Busy, pressured, exhausted, stressed as I toiled my last days at work.
JUNE - “The Officially-a-SAHM Month”: Asher celebrated 3rd month birthday. Permanently signed-off at work. Loving each day as a Stay-at-Home Mom or should I put it Work-at-Home-Mom because of online rakets. Successfully reverted back to exclusive breastfeeding. Asher’s first swimming getaway with Mom and Dad’s HS barkada (who are his ninongs, too) at Club Manila East (darn..i didn’t get to blog about this? bad!). Formalized and finalized, almost all set for our December getaway for this year. Realized the things I love most about being a mom. Paul’s first Father’s Day experience. Precious external hard disk gone. Online shopped. First Viva Apung Iru and Asher’s first Pampanga experience.
Wow..I can’t believe 6 months were that fast. For the rest of the year, I’m aiming to be the best responsible mom and wife that I could be, be optimistic at all times amidst life’s overwhelming anxieties and downs and practice a frugal life.
2008 Wrap Up — First Half Edition:
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THAT YOU’VE NEVER DONE BEFORE?
Contribute another being to humanity.
DID YOU KEEP YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS?
I didn’t set any new year’s resolutions ..tee-hee!
DID ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Aside from me, I have three cousins who also gave birth (4 babies to add to our family tree’s downline). Then there are a couple of online friends (not that close but they’re two of my blogger faves).
DID ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU DIE?
None. But we grieved for Paul’s grandmother’s demise 3 weeks after I gave birth.
WHAT COUNTRIES DID YOU VISIT?
None.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR THAT YOU LACKED EARLY THIS YEAR?
Just like Aggie, savings.
WHAT DATE WILL REMAIN ETCHED UPON YOUR MEMORY AND WHY?
March 2, 2008 - the day that motherhood becomes me.
WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR?
Being able to exclusively breastfeed my son.
WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST FAILURE?
Being sick after I gave birth and unable to take care of my son for several days.
DID YOU SUFFER ILLNESS OR INJURY?
Had chronic severe Gallstones attacks - I had to undergo a laparascopy to excise them.
WHAT WAS THE BEST THING YOU BOUGHT?
All Asher’s stuffs.
WHOSE BEHAVIOR MERITED CELEBRATION?
The husband - he took care of me during my sickly days and is continually being a good provider to us.
WHOSE BEHAVIOR MADE YOU APPALLED AND DEPRESSED?
My colleagues. They didn’t hold any baby shower they initially promised and they didn’t remember me on my birthday. I was on Maternity Leave that time and there was no e-mail, no phone call nor a single text. No hospital visits when I gave birth and even when I had an operation considering that Makati Med is just a stone’s throw away from the office. They made bawi kuno when they held a small send-off presentation on my last day.
WHERE DID MOST OF YOUR MONEY GO?
Hospital bills!!!
WHAT DID YOU GET REALLY, REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT?
Asher’s birth.
WHAT SONG(S) WILL ALWAYS REMIND YOU OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED EARLY THIS YEAR?
Brahms Lullaby - Asher’s favorite.
COMPARED TO THIS TIME, LAST YEAR, ARE YOU:
I. HAPPIER OR SADDER?
Definitely happier.
II. THINNER OR FATTER?
The same but if to consider the end of 2007, I am a lot thinner and lighter. I shed all 24 pounds off my pregnancy weight in just two months after giving birth.
III. RICHER OF POORER?
In terms of money, poorer. No more paydays every 15th and 30th of the month. But richer with love and happiness..a lot contented and satisfied.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D DONE MORE?
Blogged and digiscrapped more.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU’D DONE LESS OF?
Procrastinating.
HOW WILL YOU BE SPENDING CHRISTMAS?
With my family in Makati then a getaway to Boracay towards the last week of December.
DID YOU FALL IN LOVE?
All the time..in love with the two boys of my life.
HOW MANY ONE-NIGHT STANDS?
None.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TV PROGRAM?
Pinoy Dream Academy and Teen Big Brother Plus.
DO YOU HATE ANYONE NOW THAT YOU DIDN’T HATE THIS TIME LAST YEAR?
No.
WHAT WAS THE BEST BOOK YOU READ?
1. What to Expect When You’re Expecting; 2. What To Expect on the First Year and 3. Smart Parenting’s The Smart Mom’s Guide to Pregnancy and Baby’s First Year.
WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST MUSICAL DISCOVERY?
Classical Lullaby’s. I couldn’t thank Brahms enough. 
WHAT DID YOU WANT AND GET?
A healthy, happy and thriving baby!
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE FILM OF THIS YEAR?
Ow..it’s been ages since I watched.
WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR BIRTHDAY, AND HOW OLD WERE YOU?
I turned 27. Just a small feast in the house with Amber’s pansit, chicken lollipop, pichi-pichi and Red Ribbon cake from the husband.
WHAT ONE THING WOULD HAVE MADE YOUR HALF YEAR IMMEASURABLY MORE SATISFYING?
If only I didn’t get sick - then my half year would really have been a blast.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FASHION CONCEPT THIS PAST HALF YEAR?
The same old “manang” style…but “simplicity and comfort” is the tag line.
WHAT KEPT YOU SANE?
My 2 boys.
WHICH CELEBRITY / PUBLIC FIGURE DID YOU FANCY THE MOST?
None.
WHAT POLITICAL ISSUE STIRRED YOU THE MOST?
I hate politics.
WHO DID YOU MISS?
My Dad. And if I may add, I’m just so sad that he didn’t get to see his very first apo before he flew back to Saudi. He flew on March 2 at 3 pm…Asher came out at 11 pm. Just freaking 8 hours.
Thanks, Aggie, for a very nice prompt this week. Albeit long and it took me two hours to put all these together, I had a chance to take a stroll down memory lane on this year’s first half and making me realize that I’m indeed more than blessed. And because of that I’m loving my life more to bits. I’m overwhelmed, amazed, taken aback..swept away, indeed, as how my blog title goes.
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