Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, Danielle and Rachel, Aunt Jessica, and to all the well wishers.

Blow the candle. When he woke up on his birthday, we greeted and hugged him "Happy Birthday". After which he looked around and asked "Where are my presents?"

Still Daddy's Boy!

The Birthday Cake. (I baked this 2-layers chocolate cake with too much frosting and lots of colorful candy and chocolate sprinkles. So proud of how this cake turned out!)

1. WAS YOUR PREGNANCY PLANNED?
2. • Yes – planned and 2-years of trying so hard! I was taking vitamins, eating and drinking whatever they said would increase the chance to conceive. I was also doing the ovulation kit for 6 months before I got pregnant. I was pregnancy-testing on a monthly basis when I was doing the ovulation kit. The results were always negative and I cried each time.
3. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
4. • Yep! More than 2 years married.
5. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS WHEN YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PREGNANCY?
6. • It was December 24, 2005, I was shocked then I cried a lot more – tears of joy!
7. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
8. • No.
9. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
10. • 27-years old.
11. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
12. • Home Pregnancy Test
13. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
14. • Hubby. He was waiting for the result. I didn’t actually tell him. He knew from my reaction. (refer to #3)
15. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
16. • No, but hubby wanted to know. So I gave in. If he knew what the gender was going to be, I will know eventually.
17. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILD’S SEX?
18. • Boy
19. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
20. • Yes. We’ve always wanted a baby girl that before we found out that it was going to be a boy, we would stroll the baby aisles of the department store, and hubby would marvel at this pink baby shoes with feathers on it.
21. DUE DATE?
22. • I forgot.
23. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
24. • No.
25. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
26. • Grapes, cinnamon buns, or anything I can eat. I had the greatest appetite. I ate until I couldn’t breathe, and ate some more.
27. WHAT IRRITATED YOU?
28. • I had an office mate whom I avoided during this pregnancy. I am so annoyed by her because she calls me ‘Buntis’ (Pregnant Woman in Filipino) and touches my belly EVERYTIME she sees me.
29. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
30. • I forgot …
31. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
32. • Yes. I had 2 baby showers. I will always be grateful to my friends who gave me those baby showers…
33. WAS THE BABY SHOWER(S) A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
34. • I knew.
35. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
36. • I had gestational diabetes. I had to see a Nutritionist to plan my meals and see Internal Medicine to manage my blood sugar. And of course the, OB … Three different doctors scolding lecturing me about my blood sugar.
37. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
38. • Yokota Airbase, JAPAN
39. HOW MANY HOURS WERE IN LABOR?
40. • I came in for a supposed check-up at 8 a.m. The baby was born at 10:15 p.m. same day. So, more than 12 hours ….
41. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
42. • Hubby did.
43. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
44. • Hubby and my mother.
45. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
46. • All natural…
47. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
48. • I thought I could make it through without pain medication, until my water broke then when the nurse asked me if I wanted epidural, I was so dizzy, fussy due to so much pain. All I managed was a whispered response of “Yes, please.”.
49. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
50. • 7 pounds 9 ounces
51. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN?
52. • August 14, 2006
53. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
54. • Matthew Alexander

I am a proud mom of a little man who turns 4-years old today. Happy Birthday, Buddy!

Related:

• A Baby Story, Part 1
• A Baby Story, Part 2
• Matthew Turns 3-years Old

Hubby's HS Senior Yearbook Photo in 1985. He just had a haircut when this photo was taken.

One of the reasons we went to Florida this summer, aside from visiting my in-laws, was to attend hubby’s 25th-Year Reunion of their High School Class. Hubby had been looking forward to this since 5 years ago, when they had the 20th-Year Reunion which he wasn’t able to attend. I was looking forward to this reunion for a chance to dress up get pretty, to meet some of hubby’s high school buddies, and to hear stories about him.

It was a great party. I was just a tag-along but I had a good time! I really did. I met a lot of nice people. Some of them, hubby grew up with, went to the same school since grade school, and almost all of them he hasn’t seen since high school graduation. They all had stories to tell. Hubby said he couldn’t remember most of the stories we’ve heard about him because he could be high when those events happened. The funniest I heard about hubby is how the girls envied his long blond feathery ‘Farrah Fawcet’ hair, and the way he brushes back his hair …

Photos taken on July 17,2010 Florida.

I am so happy with this dress! It's priced at $35 but got it on sale for $11 at Sears! LOL ... I love how it fit me so well. And my hair - I was going for a few big curls but my hair just won't curl even with a curling iron and some styling products. And Doesn't hubby looks so dashing in this photo?

I took most of our photos. When I was taking this one, I had intended to include the whole banner "Class of 85". Hubby cracked up because it's such a joke how the picture turned out.

Hubby - awarded as the person with the youngest child (3-months old). Apparently, he still got it ... luck at his age. LOL! He was also awarded the person with most kids - 6!

The Filipino Connection. This is me, Gerry, Noreen and Noreen's Hubby Peter. Gerry and Noreen are the only Filipino on hubby's high school class. (Thanks Noreen for this photo.)

This is Mike J. and Mike K. They were buddies in high school.

Thanks 'Bartow High School Class of 1985' for the fun ...

Hubby had so much fun – I can tell by his drinking. LOL Hubby and his buddy, another Mike, made me their designated driver! At first, I was a bit upset to be not able to drink but I wouldn’t pass a chance to drive… I am desperate for driving hours, driving experience! It was my very first time to drive past 12 midnight, which wasn’t hard because of no traffic.

Thanks to Mike J. for guiding me while I was driving. I accidentally drove to the ditch and you didn’t yell at me, unlike someone I know whose name is also Mike, who goes nuts when I drive…

The reunion party was extended to a bar nearby for more drinking for them anyway …

Our New Home, a look from outside

We’ve moved 2 Sundays ago and it had been busy!

Hubby did the heavy stuffs and most of the organizing and yard/outdoor work, he is always good at that! I wish I was more help to him with regards to organizing but with a lot of stuffs scattered all over, I get too overwhelmed that I end up just staring at them, don’t know where to start and don’t get anything done. But I did some cleaning, dusting and scrubbing.

The house is big and great! And we are excited! We have a playroom for Matthew’s mess toys; and he can watch kid’s movies there too while we watch grown-up movies.

The Playroom

Upstairs are the 4 rooms. We have the 2 rooms as bedrooms – ours and the babies. If only we could have Matthew sleep in their room. One of the rooms is hubby’s closet! The other room is empty.

The house is barn-like architecture and it’s the first house you see when entering the campus from the main entrance. I found out that this house is the oldest building in the campus built way back around 1898 when the school was founded. Spooky?! So far we have not felt anything supernatural, just the perks of a big old house like too many walls, too many doors, whistling faucets, long way to the bathroom, …

Thanks to those who helped us with the move – my in-laws: Mom and Dad, Scottie, Danielle and Kirby… you’ve been so great but next time we’re moving we will be hiring professional movers so that we can all just sit back and enjoy the move.

I wish I can say we have settled in already – NOT yet! We are not yet done organizing and cleaning – but then, no one really gets done organizing and cleaning their houses. There will always be organizing and cleaning … and they never get really done!

Another reason we have not settled in completely yet – NO Cable-TV yet! We have experienced a bad case of customer service from our cable provider which is causing the delay for cable connection. Sigh!

But otherwise, it’s all good!

Photos taken June 9 – July 9, 2010

THE ROAD TRIP

Our road trip to and from Delaware was easier than anticipated. I anticipated a troublesome road trip. After all, we have a restless toddler and a baby on board. But they actually made our trips more interesting and amusing. We’ve learned that Baby Mark can cry for 10 minutes straight and then falls asleep; and that Matthew can now hold his urge to go potty(pee) but never fails to remind us every 30 seconds.

The road trip between Alabama and Delaware is about 15-16 hours but we made it about 36 hours. We took our time, stopped every 3-4 hours for breastfeeding and snacks and meals, and we stopped for the night wherever we were.

By the Pool

IN DELAWARE …

It was sort-of a family reunion on hubby’s side. His niece Amber graduated high school and we were there for her graduation party along with my in-laws.

Baby Mark had so much attention towards him too. Everyone seems to marvel at his cuteness, that they seems to genuinely like taking care of him. And Baby Mark don’t seem to mind as well. He is always a happy baby and enjoys all the attention he gets. While, Matthew got all the playtime he wants – riding at lawn mower, running around the pool,… he was just all over. Hubby and I enjoyed the week-long party, lounging in my sister-in-law’s place and hanging by the pool. And we enjoyed everyone’s company and help with Baby Mark and Matthew.It was definitely a nice vacation.

Happy Father’s Day, Daddy!

-From Mommy, Matthew and Baby Mark

It’s long overdue but just want to post this photo of Matthew in his T-Ball uniform. Isn’t he adorable?

Matthew in T-Ball Uniform. Photo taken on April 11, 2010.

Matthew's T-Ball Team. Photo taken March 30, 2010.

The T-Balls games has been concluded with Matthew joining only 1 game out of the 6 or so games that was organized. But he joined all the practices, which allowed him to play and have fun with the kids his age and height.

It always warms my heart to see him giddy and excited about having someone to play with. Unfortunately, in his excitement, he gets in trouble. There is so much for me to teach him like containing his excitement, listening and following instructions, the concept of game, not just play …

I am so grateful to the wonderful people who allowed him to this opportunity; and happy that he had this experience.

Note to self: Learn to drive, really drive!

It was Military Day here at the military school a couple of weeks ago. It’s one of those few times to get out, socialize and meet people; and to get dressed up at the evening dance.

There was no dressing up and going to the dance for me this year. This year was all about Matthew having fun at the blow-up playhouse, while Baby Mark was sleeping the whole time.

All photos taken on May 1, 2010. Click photo to enlarge the photo.

Related Post:

• Military Day