Gianna's 1st Month

Today marked my daughter's 1st month. I can't believe it has been a month since i gave birth to this beautiful little girl (time flew by really fast!). To make this momentous day really special i ordered a cake from Harvest Baking and my mum cooked a Filipino traditional noodle dish "pancit". It's a shame Paolo isn't around since he's meeting deadlines at work.

(Chocolate Fudge cake from Harvest Baking is to die for!)

(Happy 1st month Little Girl!)

Dearest Baby Girl,

We are very happy to have you around the house! It has been a month since you came and our lives have changed BIG TIME! It was usually just me and your dad together celebrating birthdays, christmas, and other events but with you around it will be a different experience. We can't wait to celebrate more events as a family now!

Today, you were indeed very lucky, because your lolas (grandmothers - Lola Fely and Lola Baby) cooked dinner for us! They actually flew in from Manila to see and meet you and spend christmas with us!And in 2 days time, Auntie Rhea and your cousin Asha are coming over as well.

Your dad and I are getting more excited about you growing up so quickly. It was just last month that we were so worried about you staying behind in the hospital recuperating from hypoglycemia (you had low sugar level) and jaundice (your skin was very special that it turned a bit yellow). But now, you are doing well! From your last check-up you were 3.5 kilos and I am not quite sure how much you weigh now considering the way you drink milk!:)

Despite, the sleepless nights and the gazillion soiled diapers (mommy's exaggerating!) we are extremely delighted you came because YOU means LOVE. Both daddy and I feel the love by having you and we will do everything to make you the best person you can be.

Be a good girl and continue to mesmerise us with your developing character!

We love you!

Mommy and Daddy

My beautiful baby

I have a beautiful companion in our house - and I can't stop staring at her, both Paolo and I are in awe of how gorgeous our little girl is. We still cannot agree as to whom she got her looks from but all we know is that she is half and half in many ways!

She sleeps like her dad with her one leg crossed on top of the other.

At this very young age, she already enjoys pampering herself - daily massage from her physictherapist - Mr Hoai during her stay in NICU (just like her mum)

Gianna is a happy baby if i may say, she is not fussy at all (hope this won't change). She only cries when she is REALLY hungry but most of the time she amuses herself by staring at different things around her. She does not even whine when her diaper is soiled, we will know if it needs changing when she starts kicking her legs or makes a grunting sound.

I know the importance of books and reading and at this early stage I try to instill a love for books to her. When she was still in my tummy, I started reading to her and I think it was a good idea because now I can see that she enjoys listening to our storytime at night. I have been reading Spot books series to her and she responds by smiling or staring at my face when i read them.

And what's the magic of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to her?! she calms down when I start singing that song to her especially when I cradle her to sleep. I know all children LOVE that song and I can vouch on that because whenever I am at school and ask the children what song they like to sing, Twinkle would definitely be on TOP of the list.

It has only been 3 weeks baby girl and I am amaze at how quickly you turned our lives around. I am enjoying every minute of it and looking forward to more great time with you - ( really loooking forward to more stable sleep patterns from you though )

Love,love!
Mommy

Welcome Baby Girl - Gianna Lucia

Last 20.11.2011 at exactly 10am, Paolo and I welcomed our little bundle of joy - Gianna Lucia. It was the most beautiful experience i have had in my entire existence! I was 38weeks and 6days in pregnancy when she was born but she was a small baby so she had to stay in NICU for 6 nights to monitor her sugar level and jaundice. Those 6 nights were the most difficult, intense times my husband and I have had endured so far. It was hard for me especially to be separated from her a day after i gave birth to her, but the situation called for it and we had no choice.

I commend the maternity and NICU departments in FV Hospital as we both were very well taken cared of during our stay. So after 4 nights stay in the maternity ward, i was discharged but unfortunately, Gianna had to stay behind to ensure that her glucose level is stable before we can take her home.

We are a proud parents to this beautiful baby girl and we were so happy to be able to take her home just in time for us to celebrate her 1st week with us sans the IV infusions and phototherapy .

It has only been 11 days since we met this beautiful baby and both of us can't get enough staring at her. I have only started with the usual motherly routine and I know i have more to learn.

Welcome to this awesome world Gianna Lucia - remember what we have been telling you when you were still inside my tummy? It is much better here than inside! :)