Zumba Sampler

tantan's 1st zumba class. a 45min video, condensed to a 7min sampler. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED (it's looong and you'll see mostly tantan's butt LOL - but that's the point. i know you want to see him shimmy! =D)!

notice the girl wearing black sleeveless top and gray trousers, WOW! (unfortunately, it's not me lol). tantan is inspired to attend zumba bec of her =D

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Fully Booked

bookings for studio/pool classes

busy week ahead. well, this is pretty much what my typical week looks like ever since we joined the gym. in between, i bring cayden to an arts and craft class on a tuesday (hope they do it again on a thurs so i can still bring him when i go back to work), and both kids to a kindermusik class on a thurs and swim class on a fri.

if my mom and i are not doing a class, you'll find us in the gym working out. some days, i go twice. in the morning to work out and in the evening to attend a class (with either my mom or tantan). come november (3rd week), gym time will be reduced but that's not to say my sched will ease up as i will be going back to work from mondays to wednesdays (but definitely doing classes in the evenings!)!

though my calendar looks hectic, i love it! i really enjoy going to the gym. i feel really at home. which is good news because that helps with the motivation to get fit. now if only i can eat less, it will be perfect! i wont need belo's sexy solutions as back up lol

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On Track

the past week has been really hectic. mornings were the busiest. it was the first week into our health club membership and we were still trying to find our groove. so far, tantan's happy with my efforts to maximise our membership. we've been to the gym everyday for the past week, except thursday (because we've got lots of house chores to catch up on).

the kids went to creche, as me and my mom attended a class or went to the gym to workout. actually, getting everyone ready is already a workout in itself. but honestly, i didnt mind. i was quite happy to be up early and out the house by 10am (and some days, 9am). i dont know why but i really feel motivated. i hope this isnt just in the beginning!

paparazzi shot lol

im happy and quite surprised really that cayden didnt mind being left with strangers in creche. as soon as we enter, he goes to the toys or crafts table and he'll be doing his thing. it's like we dont exist! kian on the other hand, is a diff story. he usually cries due to the fact that he's got stranger anxiety and it's nap time. he sleeps on the drive there and doesnt appreciate being woken up to be given to strangers. and staying with them for at least an hour! but as soon as he's in the buggy, pushed around the room, he dozes off.

my mom and i had our gym induction. we have the same goals - build up stamina and endurance first, then lose the tummy then tone up. our programme is fairly easy and i can already feel the burn in my abs! the class that we go to, body balance (a mix of tai chi, yoga and pilates) reinforces those goals. tantan goes to a body balance class too, at night and sometimes, i accompany him. im trying zumba next with my mom (so hard to book this class, always fully booked!) and aqua zumba with tantan. and once we've improved our stamina, we'll be joining other "higher level" classes.

mom sweating it out

watching the news while walking on the treadmill

ready for body balance

thursdays and fridays will be our most toxic days. thursdays, from the gym, the boys will be attending kindermusik. after lunch, cayden and i will be heading back to the gym so cayden can attend an arts and crafts class. fridays, the kids will be attending their swimming class after mine and mom's gym date. sounds tiring but really manageable.

view of one of the pools

there are lots of other things that we have yet to explore and take advantage of. i dont know where to begin! im really thankful that we decided to enroll. imagine, lots of activities for the whole family at an affordable package! downside is, these will certainly make our days go by even quicker lol

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Swim Swim Swim

our postponed plans finally pushed through this afternoon. a week late! the kids had fun. surprisingly, cayden seemed confident swimming about. well, mostly jumping (in shallow water), sliding, walking and piggyback-ing on daddy in the lazy river. swimming lessons started yesterday but we didnt go because we're an adult short. hopefully, the experience earlier helped the boys become familiar with the swimming venue so come next swimming session, they're ready.

aside from the swimming, we finally signed up for the health club membership. paid for the whole year too so there's no backing out now (if not, that'd be serious money down the drain. tantan wont be too happy =D). that means, im obligated to go, as much as i can should (according to tantan!). im excited though, unlike the last time we joined (diff gym), because this club offers more. im really looking forward to booking their tennis and badminton courts. plus, there's arts and crafts for the kids, all inclusive! those and the other things i mentioned previously.

even the kids have their own card

i've booked mine and mom's induction on tuesday. we'll also be able to try out their creche and see how the kids will take it. funny though, i cant seem to shake off the thought of having buffet food after working out! of course, i wont succumb to temptation *fingers crossed*. that would defeat the purpose of this whole health club thing =D

anyhoo, happy that i'm finally a step closer to my ultimate goal - having a sexy body! *insert evil laugh here* =D.

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Breastfeeding Experience

never in my wildest dreams have i thought that i will breastfeed my kids. during my younger days, breastfeeding wasnt that popular in the philippines (was i just clueless or it wasnt advocated enough then?). my mom only breastfed me and my siblings for a few weeks and we turned out ok. so i thought when i have kids, they'd be bottle fed, as is/was the way of the world.

but when i got pregnant with my eldest, we instantly decided that we'd breastfeed. formula milk was never an option. fortunately for me, there is a very big support for breastfeeding here in the uk. from the midwife, during pregnancy, to the lactation specialist, after birth, to the shops that offer breastfeeding rooms when you're out and about. plus, there are a lot of cool stuff you can buy to make breastfeeding easy, relaxed and fun.

i have been lucky because i never had real problems doing it. my kids latched without a hitch. my milk supply never wavered. generally, it was straightforward. perhaps the only hurdle that came my way was my very strong letdown during the first few weeks of breastfeeding cayden. i just put it down to lack of knowledge, being a first time mom. i know better now, thus with kian, the experience is even easier.

with cayden

with kian

that being said, i would admit, there are times when i think of stopping (yes, i still do - occasionally). they are mostly due to selfish reasons, so i try to push them out of my mind (i cant go out for longer because the baby needs me, it's easier when travelling <they dont like the bottle>, it tires me, nipples hurt from too much sucking, i get bitten, yada yada yada...). i just think of all the benefits they get and the anxiety goes away.

i stopped breastfeeding cayden when he's exactly a year old. it was unintentional. my nipples suddenly got sore, i was really in agony everytime he fed. when they healed, cayden's so used to the bottle (formula) already, he didnt want to breastfeed anymore. even when i offered my breasts, he would squirm and look disgusted with the idea =D

tantan said i should breastfeed kian till he's two. but i dont know. it's definitely easier said than done (though i know a lot of mommies who have done this, even longer!). im being selfish here but i would say my limit is at 1 y/o. firstly, to be fair with cayden, and secondly, i think the 1 year i've dedicated is long enough to protect them as they grow older. besides, they're eating solid food by then and milk will just be a supplement.

breastfeeding is hardwork. it's not easy at all. it requires strong will and dedication to be able to provide your kids with this sustenance. but it's a great feeling too. of being able to give your kids this nourishment and the bond that develops by doing so. all breastfeeding moms (past, present, future - those who decide they'll do it), give yourself a good pat on the back for a job well done!
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my kit:

i wanted an ameda pump but it wasnt available here in uk during cayden's time

this helped with my sore nipples (image fr google)

vitamins (i used the same brand for prenatal vits): image fr google

i tried a lot of brands, including washable/reusable ones, but this one is my ultimate must-have

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Rapids

we were supposed to go swimming at the romsey rapids saturday afternoon but werent able to go because the kids and i overslept. tantan didnt wake us up coz he didnt want to disturb our nap. yes, the pool is open till 6pm (we woke up at 4:30) but the membership office is only open till 4:30 (saturday) and they're closed on a sunday.

wait, what membership? i have mentioned a few posts ago about us joining a health club. aside from going swimming, we were supposed to pay for the health club membership (family membership: 2 adults and kids, yes, no limit on the number of kids as long as they're your own). that would have covered the use of their pool. but since the office is already closed, we didnt go. no point paying separately when we can have unlimited access by joining.

anyways, why this health club? main reason is, they have creche (unlimited use). so while the adults are working out or attending classes, there's someone who'll look after the kids. and there will be activities set for them as well as exposing them to other kids. nice no?

the others are just bonus:
- unlimited use of the pool, sauna, gym, studio, spa
- discounts in swimming (the kids are enrolled here), tennis (which we plan for the kids to take), etc lessons
- you can go to affiliate sites, which offer the same facilities with other extras (use of tennis, badminton, netball, basketball courts), softplay for kids (bouncy castles, etc)
- lake side activities (boating, golf)
- no price increase even after several years. it's like you lock the price (not guaranteed though but they've been practicing this for the longest time and they dont see that changing anytime soon)

and if you pay for the whole year in one go, you dont have to pay the start up fee.

since tantan's working and wont get home in time to catch the membership office open, we'll be waiting till next saturday before we can join. just as well because my mom's arriving next week and she'll be enrolling too. we'll all start at around the same time. but we promised the kids will go there first thing so we can go swimming as promised before picking my mom up at the airport. but for now, this kept them happy:

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Thinspiration

tantan and i have decided to head back to the gym (i'll blog about this some other time, when we've actually paid the membership fee =D). im now looking for an inspiration. i want to be realistic and choose a celebrity MOM because i dont think my body will shrink back to pre-pregancy shape (after all the tummy stretching that is!) and choosing a single, young celebrity isnt being realistic at all (for me), not even sensible!

anyways, heidi klum first came to mind. still a model (i think models arent the ideal inspirations bec they're all body and weight conscious and has a size they have to maintain) but during her last pregnancy (her 4th, mind you!), she said she only did light cardio workouts and swore to not dieting. that is pretty reasonable especially to someone who loves to eat and is too lazy to work out (me!).

image from google
look at that tummy! (my problem area)

i swore to tantan that i will haul my ass off to the gym every chance i get *gulp*. we're paying the whole annual fee in one go (to save from all the extra fees) so i've got to be diligent and think of the money i will waste if i dont go. so help me god!

but as a back up plan, im still saving up for a belo trip if this fails!

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All Clear!

i have a lump on my left breast. i've had it for more than 10 years - no pain, no discharge, no dimpling, movable and it didnt change in size or texture. i had it checked "informally" by my friend doctor (no tests done) and i was told it's benign. it didnt bother me. didnt worry me at all.

photo from beyondmedicine.co.uk

(fast forward to the present)
second day into breastfeeding kian, i felt a lump on my right breast. it didnt worry me at first because i am breastfeeding and it could just be some blocked ducts. i did some reading and followed everything that was advised - hot compress, massage, etc. even after doing everything that's listed, it didnt go away. 3, 4 weeks have passed, it's still there.

then i started worrying. for one, i have a very close friend who had a brush with breast cancer recently (fortunately, it was in it's earliest stage, didnt even make it to stage one) and had radiotherapy treatment after having the lump removed. secondly, it's not movable like the one on my left breast and it's not painful (which could easily have been mastitis or blocked duct). i did some research again, in case i missed something, i read that blocked ducts or mastitis should resolve within 2 weeks. i can still feel it on the 5th week!

i went to see my gp. she felt my breasts and armpits. she wasnt worried because she said it's likely to be just a blocked duct and will eventually go away by itself. the lump on my left breast, she said it's been there ages and didnt change so she said she wouldnt start worrying about it. still, she referred me to the breast clinic.

last thursday, i had the breast ultrasound (mammogram not advisable as that would just squeeze the milk out!). it was a doctor who did the scan (im not sure about her specialty) and she said she did not see anything worrying; even with my (true) lump.

earlier this afternoon was my appointment with a male specialist (who looks like Philip Seymour Hoffman!). i waited for more than an hour to be seen in less than 5 minutes! i was ushered in a room, asked to take my top off including my bra and to wear hospital gown. waited again for the consultant. when he came, he just felt my breasts and confirmed what the other doctor said - that there's nothing to worry about. the breast is just probably working hard in producing milk. for the proper lump, he said it's most likely benign bec it's been there ages already and im still ok. i wanted to complain about the wait but im too grateful to do that! i'd rather that than be seen for longer which would mean something's seriously wrong, right?

anyways, im really thankful that there's nothing to worry about. i thought, better be paranoid than leaving it till there's no more hope. so ladies, always be wary of your bodies. any concerns, no matter how trivial,  see a doctor! better safe than sorry!

Jumped In!

our friends bought an xbox with kinect. when we visited them at the end of january, we were able to play and sample the console. we're play station fans and since we already have the ps3, with most of its accessories (band set, move, etc), we said we dont need yet another console. but just a month after, we found ourselves buying our own. well, tantan was the one who really wanted one. i was against it (seriously!) as we dont need another gadget that will just gather dust in the end. we hardly play with our ps3 bec we dont have the time, how are we going to justify the costs of this xbox?! tantan said he wants to learn to dance and he enjoyed the dance central game immensely (seriously?)

says on the box, so we did!

anyways, tantan found a very good deal we couldnt resist. imagine, the xbox console + kinect, we only paid £159-ish. actually, when we ordered them online, they were priced at £190- ish. still a steal since rrp is £249+. he said a console alone would cost around £150. the next day, tantan found out that the store even lowered their price. he phoned up and was given a refund. then tantan found a brand new dance central game on ebay and only paid £22 including shipping.

truth be told, we only found the time to play 2 weeks after they were delivered! but boy oh boy was it fun! i didnt get to play much when we were at our friends' house bec i was still heavily pregnant and just days away from popping. so i only got to enjoy it when we bought ours. it's like working out but more fun! we're now looking at buying the zumba game (dance but latin) and the sports, which we got to sample at our friends' house. but we'll wait till the prices are more affordable (they are uber expensive!) and till we find more time to play =D

Ain't Over Yet

cayden's appetite is back! it's so good to hear him say "ah, ah, ah" (asking for another bite =D) again. his milk intake is also improving, probably consuming 2/3 of what he used to.

but just when we thought we're on the road to recovery, we hit another bump. well, i've been unwell too. been coughing hard and have a really nasty cold (had them before cayden was admitted in hospital and mingled with the 2 swine flu patients). i lost my voice and got it back a week after.

after 2 weeks of coughing, my left side started to ache. like i cant lie on that side and coughing has become very very painful. to top it all, i noticed some chicken pox-like spots on cayden's body. we went to our GP last monday and lo and behold, she said i've been wheezing like mad! she gave me some antibiotics (amoxycillin) and a puffer (ventolin evohaler), both she said are safe for pregnant ladies. she signed me off work for a week, which she can extend if my condition doesnt improve. fortunately, this is my 3rd day of treatment and my condition is improving. i havent been coughing as much and breathing is not as difficult.

my current bestfriend!

she also confirmed that cayden has chicken pox. he was given a calamine lotion to help with the itch. he was told not to go anywhere for a week (obviously!). he's ok. no fever or whatever the other symptoms are. he just itches from time to time.

maybe these are all blessings in disguise. all these happening before kian is born (you know how fragile newborns are!). and also, me being signed off work for a week. i dont really know how we would have coped because i dont have any annual leaves left and i have to stay home to look after cayden.

hopefully, though, this is the end of our bumpy health road. looking forward to nicer things in february!

Not So Merry Christmas (and New Year)

we knew cayden was teething. his molars were erupting. yes, all 4 of them! so we kinda expected the drooling, things in his mouth and the diarrhea.

23 december - really bad diarrhea started. we changed his nappy about 8-10x that day
24 december:
- i texted tantan and told him cayden vomitted (but bec he was coughing too hard) and that i've been changing his nappy 1-2x PER HOUR!

- around 5pm, cayden developed a fever. it was around 38.4. i gave him paracetamol and when the fever didnt go down a notch, gave him ibuprofen.

- we've also stripped him to his shirt and shorts (he was wearing sweats and socks) and started giving him a sponge bath

- around 8pm, my greatest fear happened: he had another convulsion. i was carrying him so i put him down on the floor, into the recovery position. even if it's my worst nightmare, it wasnt as bad as the first one. i was calmer. it didnt last as long. i asked tantan to phone 999 (emergency number) to ask for an ambulance. it took the first medics (in a regular car) about 10mins to get to us bec it was christmas eve and they were very busy.

they checked cayden over - temp was 39.2. sugar was normal though. he was not conscious. we didnt know if he was just lethargic or asleep. they gave him a whiff of oxygen and a few minutes later, a proper ambulance arrived.

- we were at the hospital around 8:30pm. as it's febrile convulsion, they didnt think much of it. we were given a pot to catch his wee (to check for any infection). cayden was given another dose of paracetamol. he was coughing but still breathing ok (stats were ok too)

- around 10pm, we were asked to go up to the pediatric assessment unit where they assess each case (whether to be admitted or sent home). we were watching the clock above the door and counting the hours (there goes noche buena!)

waiting to be seen by a doctor

- we were finally seen at 1:15am and sent home at 1:30am.

25 december:
- cayden still had fever. it will go down when the meds were taking effect but as they wore off, the temp will shoot up again (see-saw bet 37.8 - 39.9).

- breathing was also getting worse: raspy, grunting sound, very laboured

- around 3:30pm, we decided to bring him back to the pediatric assessment unit. the consultant saw him at around 5:30 and was told cayden has a chest infection. they also wanted to check for swine flu so cayden was swabbed. we're told to wait for the tamiflu, which the on-call pharmacist will prepare.

since we were in a hospital, we didnt pack any meds with us. we thought the hospital will administer them. so when it's time for cayden to have his meds, we would go up to the nurses' station and tell them it's time. it will take them 30mins to 1hour before they will respond (so frustrating and annoying!)

cheeks all flushed - very high temp!
the ward gave him a gift bec it was christmas and he was in hospital. boo!

- around 9:30pm, tantan got fed up of waiting for the tamiflu (which will be given as a precaution, even if they're not sure cayden has the swine flu yet. results will be out monday night, we're told) so he asked the nurse if we can go home and tantan will just come back for the meds an hour or two later. cayden was really uncomfortable.

- around 11pm, tantan went back to the hospital to get the tamiflu.

26-27 december: fever not going away. bad diarrhea. cayden stopped eating and drinking milk/juice/water. i had to force him to at least drink his milk by giving it to him through a syringe. breathing getting a lot worse

28 december
- couldnt take it anymore, we brought cayden to the out of hours service (the gp surgeries are still closed bec it was bank holiday). we didnt want to bring him to the pediatric assessment unit bec (1) we'll just be wasting our time and (2) we didnt really feel we're welcome. it's like we're wasting their time

at the OOHS, only nurses look at the patients. the senior nurse listened to his breathing and we're told cayden is not getting his entire lungs filled up. we had to go back to the pediatric assessment unit, much to our dismay.

- we got there around 1:30pm. the nurse we saw last time was on duty and she even commented, "oh, you're back". i would have gladly slapped her face if only i wasnt too concerned with the level of care they might give (or not) to cayden.

we were told cayden has no swine flu but he definitely has chest infection - bacterial or viral, they're not so sure. there were only 2 doctors there: a resident and a locum from glasgow. i was secretly hoping not to see the locum bec he was timid and he always had to ask the resident what to do. but i was happy that we got him in the end bec he was willing to follow my requests: inhaler or nebuliser to help cayden breathe. suppository to help bring the fever down faster (wasnt given though bec cayden just had his oral meds). he also requested for blood tests and xray. they confirmed that cayden has the RSVirus which led to bronchiolitis. they said they're gonna give him antibiotics bec it might be a bacterial infection superimposed on a viral infection. again, the wait for the concoction continued...

- around 8:30pm, i went to the nurses's station telling them that cayden has really been lethargic and wasnt himself at all the whole day. the asst nurse reluctantly went to where we were and they connected the stats machine to check for heart rate and o2 level. temp was also taken (it was 39.9!) and she just said, no wonder he's lethargic, he's got high fever, (the way she said it, like it's not dangerously high!!!!) the heart rate was too high (around 180 - normal was 140) and the o2 level too low (around 87-90 - normal was 100). he was given a whiff of oxygen and from then, his breathing seemed to improve. we also noticed that his nails were turning pink again (earlier, i asked tantan if cayden's toenails looked normal, it was a bit gray-ish. he thought it was normal and cayden was just cold - we thought wrong!!! there wasnt much o2 circulating)

- we were admitted and was trasferred to the next room. didnt sleep at all! cayden was fussy and kept on taking off the monitor on his big toe. plus, he didnt want the oxygen mask at all. they had to increase the flow so the mask didnt have to be very close to his nose to help him breathe.

- the next morning, we were so annoyed! we couldnt wait to get out of hospital. in the ward we're in, there were 3 other kids. 2 of them have swine flu!!!! we only found out when the doctor made his rounds and we overheard their prognosis. i went to the station and asked the nurses if we can go home. they checked cayden's stats, heart rate and o2 level stabilised over night. we were ok'd to go home. i asked them why we were put in a ward where there were cases of swine flu. they said cayden was on tamiflu anyway. i told them we stopped giving him tamiflu bec he doesnt have the symptoms and the side effects were really bad (and they know about it!) and what about us?? we were exposed too - me, being pregnant at that!

i would have liked to stay longer, for cayden's sake but i didnt think it's safe for all of us to be there. especially since the two kids were coughing hard all the time!!!!
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2 january - all meds stopped. this was also the day cayden's fever went altogether (thank god!).

he is still coughing really hard, sometimes making him vomit but he's a lot better than he was. his breathing is starting to improve. he's starting to play again. the only thing i wish will go back to normal soon is his appetite. we're giving him vitamins. he would only take a bite or two each meal so i try to feed him very frequently. his fluid intake is still a third of what he normally consumes. but i know, soon he'll be all better!

i'd say, i hoped we were in the philippines when all this happened. i know we would have to pay for the health service but at least, cayden's illness wouldnt have lasted this long! intervention would have been given from the word go. but the fact is, we weren't there.

so far, we havent exhibited any symptoms of swine flu. it's been a week since we've all been exposed. i am slowly getting my voice back (still has a bad cold and cough - in fairness, had them before going into hospital). tantan's coughing but not as bad as me and cayden. we're hoping we'll all be fully recovered for when i go back to work next week and cayden goes back to nursery.

here's keeping our fingers crossed!