The Boyfriend is now the Husband!

the SHOCK can SHAKE you!

It's typical that during courtship, boy does everything to impress the girl. Flowers. Chocolates. Live Acoustic. Name it!

courting on bended knee

Inside a girl-boy relationship, both sides do contemplate, patiently understanding each other's IMPERFECTIONS.

BUT in a MARRIAGE, during the ADJUSTMENT PERIOD, sometimes even the bad habit of

NOT squeezing the toothpaste tube at the butt

and not flushing the toilet and leaving the lights on after use can mean WAR! And when it's bad, even seeing your partner breath can irritate and make your nose holes larger! In some countries, it can even be a ground for the horrifying divorce!

How does it feels like to be a new wife?

Honestly?

It's quite HARD! :' )

Especially if you're like me, who's used to being spoiled on a certain degree... like If I want it, I got it, small decisions like where to eat, what to do, yes or no... things like that can and WILL CHANGE when you're not the girlfriend anymore because you are now OFFICIALLY his wife!

Was that a bad thing?

In reality it's 50-50 depending on how you view things.

First, I like the change. I wanna be more dependent of him in a certain level, like he'll be the one in charge, he'll be the one protecting US. That's a sweet thought, right!

Yet in some cases, you might feel powerless, a puppet, a mannequin, that follows his orders.

Second, I expect the change. The transition of events and things during the adjustment period must be realized by both parties BEFORE deciding to get marry. That the husband-to-be should shoulder his responsibilities as head of the newly founded family and that the wife-to-be should be respectful and submissive to her new head, her husband. :) Which means, in times that she agrees and disagrees, she should support her husband's final say.

How about my say at the matter at hand?

I learned that even if he has the conclusions, I can give him my point of view, I can suggest ideas and I can be a BIG INFLUENCE to the final results. Loving and unselfish husbands do consider his wife's side. Helping is a good term for this. Helping each other with one goal; of whatever will be the 'final say' it should be for the better of both of us. <3

"Are You Ready for Marriage?"

Two years ago, I faced the mirror and asked myself: "Are you ready for marriage?"

How I end up saying yes? Well...

There are guidelines, standards or checklists that people unconsciously use to see if they are qualified enough to tie the knot, and as an engineer I can compare marriage in constructing a structure. It required careful and well analyzed preparation of blueprints, document papers and financial sources.

We as a couple contemplate this new prospect in our lives by having realistic discernment of blessings and costs of being married. Thinking like can you skip "these" to avail "these" kind of stuff... Like be together more and less together with pals and friends... More of WE and US than ME, MYSELF, I...

Preparing the BIG DAY is a BIG challenge! I know! Been there, done that! And it literally cost me a tear or two... :' )

BUT, maintaining the husband-wife relationship years after the vow and signing of papers is way MORE challenging... Like they say, it takes you less than three seconds to say "I Love You' but a lifetime to prove it!

The keys:

wholehearted commitment, LOVE and RESPECT

Although solemn oath of commitment is quite frightening, the realization of one's affection to the other will help to conclude that it is not a burden to carry 'till death do us part, but as a source of security that we'll stay together as one 'till the rest of our lives...

By marriage, we shout to the world, we legalized, that we intend to stick together.

We've been a couple for five years before jumping into the wagon, & I can say we invested a lot. We're not in a perfect relationship, nobody does... and we have our share of sweet and sour moments...

Two years ago we concluded that it's time open the next chapter of our lives, the highest level of our relationship, to become

the bride and the groom...

the husband and the wife...

The Growing Belly and The Stretchmarks!

If you're a first timer like mwuah, you'll be amaze on how your skin is very elastic! Plus the shock that your skinny jeans and fitted shirts don't fit you anymore! *awwww!* But the thing is, it's now ok not to hold your breath during photo ops because your excused to have big tummy! LOL

I'm so inlove with my growing tummy and fortunately, my husband is head-to-foot inlove in my new figure! Well, I thought he should be! He's the one giving me stretchmarks at the first place! harhar XP

He keeps on talking with my belly, I mean our baby... The joy is over whelming! Like I could live for these moments forever!

BUT remember moms-to-be, you take the good with bad! We can't have all the good stuffs! And I assure you, stretchmarks can bitch-slap you like Mondays does! They can grow from your lower abdomen, upper thighs, back of the knees and if your blessed with huge boobies with bottomless milk, stretchies can grow there too! And we should get our grooves on fighting back those nasty uglies so we could still wear the two-piece bikini were saving for the summer and become a pregnant goddess! ;)

So the first rule I think is the most important of all, I could tell its

the Golden Rule against Stretchies: Drink Plenty of Water!

Everyone should drink plenty of water, and being pregnant, I now have a good reason to exchange my morning cup of decaf coffee to a glass of water. One is, coffee dehydrates our skin which makes us more prone to stretchies! And aside from moisturizing our skin from within, water can also prevent UTI and lessen the effect of Beriberi during pregnancy because it avoids water retention in the body!

Secondly, we should get the juicy stuffs!

Juicy fruits like watermelons, cucumbers and papaya etc

 Avoid eating fried/dried food and explore the world of hot soups! Drinking Vitamin E through the food we eat or by supplements will help our skin become more healthy and elastic. Plus, the Vitamin E in gel form can be put directly to the stretched area to help skin heal and become more flexible! ;)

If you love Body Butter, this is the time to splurge on! Body butters are like lotion but more concentrated and intense. It moisturizes, protects, nourishes and hydrates skin. The best body butters for preggers are cocoa butter base because its high in potassium, calcium, iron and antioxidants. Best applied after bath, body butters relaxes not just our skin but our senses.

Pregnant tummy craves for body butter! Reward yourself and your little bean with a little taste of luxury that body butter can give! It could  rejuvenate you like you've just been to the spa!

So far my favorite body butters are:

Organica Body Butter in Organic Green Apple

this body butter is love and I use this body butter after bath... I so love the scent! It's not that strong, doesn't burn my nose and light on skin, easy to glide and stays longer! :)

made with certified organic green apples from France and is 100% vegetarian ingredients

and my on the go, wherever whenever...

NIVEA angel star Body Soft Souffle

irresistible raspberry scent and skin caring cream enriched with yoghurt

that I got from Take Flight: Launch of BDJ Power Planner 2012. These I keep on my desk, in my purse, make up bag or wherever else I think it might come in handy!

Lastly, the growing tummy usually becomes itchy and I try to avoid to directly scratch it. So goodbye long nails and hello trimmed nails! I pass on salon manicure these days, I just kept it trimmed, I mean my husband kept my fingernails trimmed! *Thanks Love!* When it's super itchy, I tend to put some body butter on my fingers and gently massage the itchy part in a circular motion.

If the stretchies are starting to grow, don't panic! It's natural, at least try your best to reduce and lessen its effect! :)

I hope every preggers love their tummy like crazy! Remember, that's where your little bean is growing!

Oh! If I could only hug my tummy like my husband does! :)