The Chronicles of a Young Wife: MBF: Mommy-Me Time, Totebag Art, Accidental Inspiration and an Impromptu Poem?

Before we went to Kalbe International Mommy-Me Time, Clyde was holding a colored pencil, stationed up on a chair, reaching the printer. He is pretending to paint on the printer's propped coupon bands. Was that a premonition?

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Hey hey hey! Have a Henry Hugglemonster day! Welcome once again, to another MBF episode! Another out of this world pagbati including Henry - now now, Henry is not my son but just so you know, I'm now a believer that the infamous LSS can last up not just on days but weeks turned to months!

On this intimate gathering, they gave us materials and challenged us to create an art on a totebag canvas. I didn't hear the exact instruction but I'm hinting it suppose to be related on loving mommyhood?

What I love about mommyhood?

The breastfeeding - Clyde breastfed for 6 exclusive consecutive months after birth, up until I'm ready to pop for baby number 2 (do this if your pregnancy is healthy, to be sure, ask your OB).

It's not easy, especially for the first time. Gusto ko ibato si baby Clyde sa sakit nung first time ko magpa-breastfeed. Pero mind over matter, nakaya ko nga mag-NSD without epidural, mas kaya ko ito.

Nagchi-chill ako pag sobra ako sa gatas (almost every other week hanggang ngayon) and I know hindi mawawala ang lagnat ko until mawala ang traces ng milk sa blood vessels ko. #mastisis (Ganun pala yun pag mastisis, pag oversupply ka and hindi napabreastmilk may tendency na humalo ang milk sa dugo, and the immune system will recognize milk as a foreign trace of protein kaya paiinitin kaniya. Iba pa yung true blockage - namuo ung milk. Dapat i-massage breast to help the baby suck the solidified milk). Back to mastisis, parang bato sa tigas, witwiw na sana eh pero masakit. Solution? Ipa-breastfeed ulit. Since over-supply ako and I hate/don't have pump, Clyde to the rescue. Mind over matter ulit, nakaya ko nga maglabor and ma- emergency CS, mas kaya ko ito! (#birthingstories soon)

I let Clyde self-wean. Bittersweet. ;')

And I'm determined to do the same for Dave. 6 months exclusive and self-wean.

*click to enlarge

Sad hindi ako breastfed. I remember clearly, I turn my head away from my mom's breast when she's trying to breastfeed me kasi sanay ako sa bote. Buti nga ngayon uso na ang lactation experts to help out moms.

Kung for inconvenience lang kaya you won't breastfeed, think again. I read that if milks are rings, breastmilk is like a diamond ring while the most expensive cow's milk for newborns you could buy out there is like a plastic ring you get out of the cereal box.

If you really can't. It's okay. We are not perfect but we know from the bottom of our hearts that we are giving the best for our babies and family out of the resources that we have.

Intimate bonding moments - I did it not just because makakatipid kami big time (Yung malaking lata ng S-26 na binili ni lolo na panis lang) at tamad ako maghugas & sterilize ng bote (hello, wahm w/o nannies),

but because of the intimate bonding moment it gives us (both mommy and baby).

It alters the center of your universe - It's an amazing feeling to interact with my baby from tummy to arms, the satisfaction that this individual is relying on me to live. I have more purpose in life and kahit I tend to be pessimist on almost everything after seeing that the world is a bad, bad place as Snicket would describe it.

Back to breastfeeding,

I'm saving Mother Earth - since hindi pa ako makapagtanim ng puno, breastfeeding muna.

Hashtag #selfproclaimbreastfeedingadvocate

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Here is my attempt on doing art on canvas-

This art inspired me to create an impromptu poem that I will call "Our Neighborhood's Skyline". Ladies and gents, moms and dads, I give you -

"Our Neighborhood's Skyline"

In this silhouette of my life, I am more than a woman and a wife. I am a mum.
In this silhouette of my life, there are two angels I called sons. Rough knees, tough love.
In this silhouette of my life, I will never be perfect, but I promise you my sons, I will be a #supermom.
In the stride of my breast I will nourish you. In the arch of my back, I will carry you. In the last of my breath, I will love you.

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The strawberry pudding was delicious by the way. Hastag #pluggin

Siyempre dapat may commercial din. TV lang ang peg.

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You might ask me about the art inspiration. On my Instagram account (Follow me on: @gerilen) I explained already (shumo #showbiz naman ngayon) that I was supposed to draw fishda all over (Hi Lanie! Fishda is half Filipino, half British) inspired by Heart Evangelista's #lovemarieongpauco pero ayon nga, na-disaster. So what to do? With limited time, tinuloy ko na. Eh yung katabi ko nag-eenjoy; swirling colors around while screaming to the world that he is doing night time big time!

Before my disaster, finishing touches na si Master Clyde sa kanyang obra maestra! Very #tmi ang sagot! Eh saan naman humu #whogoat ang impromptu poem?

Sa pagiging ina. (Give me my crown, sash, bouquet of flowers and a tissue - eto na ang drama!) Okay, I'll spare you. Basta ang sagot ko, sa pagiging ina.