Virus aftermath

It has been a week since we noticed you were warm to the touch and the sneezes became too frequent. I could only mutter an "oh no not again" while we bought your meds and tried to make you eat. When you were 5 months old, it was a struggle to make you take your meds and nebulize you and now, at almost 9 months, it's doubly hard because you have grown incredibly strong and heavy. Everytime you tried to wriggle out of our arms, tried to stand and yank away the tube and mask, I get hurt, literally and figuratively. There's some kind of soreness in between my left hand fingers, and my right shoulder muscles tend to harden every now and then. Seeing you squirm and cry your lungs out every 8 hours breaks my heart everytime but there's nothing else to do but get the treatment over with.

The worst part happens every night. I have a difficult time falling asleep because I tend to check on your breathing every now and then. When I do succumb to sleep, you then wake up because you can't breathe and it's pretty much time to take your meds and nebulize again. What's surprising is that you never looked irritated and fussy during those times. In fact, you manage to smile and crawl your way towards the window which you love looking out of. You make all these sounds as if to tell me about the streetlights and the cars that pass by. When you eventually fall asleep, I'm too awake, and when I feel sleepy again, you'll wake up. Sigh.

We had too much of those nights that I began to feel sick too. And did I mention that everytime you get sick Daddy gets sick too? With my trusty carbocistein, I pray hard to God for strength to endure the frequent lack of sleep and that I don't get the virus full-blown because it's going to be very difficult to take care of you. Anyhoo, I'm glad to tell you that you're well and I'm still ok, with a little bit of itchy throat but it's nothing that I can't manage.

I have been thinking about the good things that happened this year that I'm thankful for and so far my list comes up short, until today. I'm grateful that my body, fats and all, can take all this motherhood stress so far.

Where comfort meets style

I used to be very meticulous with the clothes and accessories I wear. I prefer classic cuts and solid colors because you can mix and match with more pieces of clothing. With my built hovering on the "pleasantly plump" category, I choose styles that highlight the assets I think I have and hide unnecessary bulges here and there. That's why you might notice in photos from my younger days, I look thinner than I am. Yes, I can do magic that way :)

Anyhoo, it all changed when we found out I was pregnant and my old clothes started getting tighter and more uncomfortable. I had to buy stretchy bottoms and tops that look like tents. Your lolas would buy me tops and dresses perhaps to make me feel good about myself despite my growing belly (and arms and legs and face...) and God bless them for their generosity. During this time, footwear has become a problem, too.

I am fortunate I didn't have to wear heels at work, but then I was also getting uncomfortable with my flats. They felt hot and tight all the time, and I found myself looking forward to getting home because then I could change into my trusty rubber flipflops. I wished I could go to work in them, but being able to wear them everywhere else was definitely a plus for a preggy me.

8 months after you were born, my penchant for flipflops still remain. During the rare times I go out, I would try on my old flats, but nothing gives me the comfort that I need on those days when you leave me longing for a few more hours of sleep or somebody to massage my tired muscles. It was actually a pleasant surprise when I received (of all days, on my birthday) not one, but two pairs of Caribbean flipflops. Surprise was an understatement, I was overjoyed!

Comfort and style usually don't go together - just think of heels, pencil-cut skirts, make-up and the like. And so it is a great find if you come across something that combines both. These Caribbean are super comfortable, durable and they come in a wide array of colors and styles. I like it that these purple flipflops have a subtle metallic sheen to it which can highlight newly painted nails beautifully. These can be definitely worn to our next shopping trip to the mall.



I'm not always a fan of bright colors, but this big and bold paisley print looks really cute. I wore this yesterday and it felt light with each step. I can already imagine walking on the beach wearing these. Maybe I should buy you a pair for our future beach trip! I have seen their cute floral designs online and several people love them too.



I love it that Caribbean slippers are made of high quality materials which are carefully crafted and creatively designed. Best of all, it is locally made and amazingly affordable at Php 150 and Php 230 (purple and pink, respectively)! I believe they are available at all department stores. My imported flipflops were three or four times more expensive and they didn't last me long. These, I'm sure, would serve me well for a long time.