Thigh Warrior

I did it!  I survived the Plana Forma 4x4 Challenge.

It was not easy.  Muscle spasms that made it difficult for me to go up and down the stairs, sit, walk, drive.  Basically, pain in all sort of movement.  I even had to see an orthopedic doctor.  Thigh tendonitis, he diagnosed.  I am not exaggerating!  Try it yourself.


The form and position needed to be precise, or else you won't be able to reap the fruits of your labor.  I struggled keeping up with the instructions at first.  I remember Van Manalo saying that this too, is a test of our listening skills.  As I patiently learn the forms, Julie Alagde's "up and inch, down an inch" chant haunted me.  Anyway, amidst the pain, I did not give up.  As a matter of fact, I enjoyed every 55 minutes I spend in Plana Forma studio.  I feel like I am a stranger in a new world, hence I can just be myself.  Every groan or grunt was a release of stress.  Ironic huh?  Inflict pain to release unwanted emotional baggage.

I don't know if I lost weight (I didn't bother to know) after 4 weeks.  What I know is my seat became more round, thighs stronger, arms and legs now with toned muscles.  Beyond the physical changes, I was able to jumpstart overcoming one of the causes of my post-partum depression:  lack of self confidence.

Half time!

I am always nervous every time we visit Julia's pediatrician, Dr. Joan Millonado.  At the vital signs area where the nurse will get Julia's weight, I always dread hearing that Julia did not gain weight or worse, lost a few grams.  So far, its all pluses, she is actually on the maximum limit now for her age.  So, I hope she maintains it as obesity is a common health concern for formula-fed babies like Julia.

In Julia's first 3 months of existence, her routine is simple and predictable.  Sleep, drink milk, take a bath, drink vitamins, milk, sleep. Then it became apparent that she has allergic rhinitis and skin asthma.  Thanks to our healthy genes (feel the sarcasm), she has inherited this from us.  Anyway, at 4 to 5 months, her routine has changed, but still predictable.  Alnix and use of a nebulizer sadly made it to the list however, lots of laughs and giggles were a welcome addition.


Now that Julia is 6 months old, she eats solid food and needs to increase water intake.  Her sleep pattern varies.  When she is awake, most of the time is spent rolling over, bouncing up and down, giggling, and happily practicing making sounds.

As a working mom, I don't witness all of Julia's activities.  I rely on amusing stories from my mother-in-law and Julia's yaya.  So, aside from knowing what to say everytime Julia's pediatrician will ask, its also my responsibility to monitor my daughter's development and growth.

In any HR project, I use tables for monitoring timelines and work activities.  So, here's what I came up with for Julia:


Jaecel, my HR colleague, said "wiwi" should be "wee-wee".  I just told her it won't fit in the column.  Hahaha!

I honestly cannot afford the ready-made books/notebooks that are being sold in Multipy.  Instead of spending P1,500.00, I decided to be resourceful and simple.  With the help of Yaya Lani, I hope to do this consistently.    After all, its the content that matters.

Captain Barbel

Watching a movie for free doesn't happen everyday, so Don and I were excited when we got tickets from a friend.

So after work, we rushed to Promenade (Greenhills Shopping Center) to catch the last full show.  Since we have time, we scouted for restaurants we can order take out from.  Unfortunately, we had no choice but to order from Figaro, since all other stores were closed.

Anyway, I ordered 2 sandwiches and 2 iced teas.  It took them forever to prepare them.  I was getting really impatient so I told the cashier that we will be late for the movie. 

He asked, "What movie mam?  Para ihatid ko nalang yung order nyo."

I answered with irritation, "Captain Barbel."

The cashier was smiling as I muttered, "Captain America".

I can feel my face turning red as I heard Don laugh out loud near the table behind me. 

Who cares?  What is a little embarassment in exchange for a free movie.  We can't have it all, right?