Today, Elise is 9 weeks and a day old. I’ve been up since 6 am. It’s already 7 in the morning and it feels like I haven’t slept a wink. But I’m happy that she’s sleeping longer hours, every 2.5-3 hours as compared to her hourly episodes when she first came home from the hospital more than a month ago. I feel more confident as a mom now but also worried that I’d look a lot older or “naloloshang” because of the nightly lack of sleep. Nevertheless, I’m excited to get up and face another challenging day of baby sitting.

We’ll probably start off today with a little bit of feeding before she gets her daily dose of sunshine, just to make sure she doesn’t cry while sunbathing. Thank God the typhoons stopped, much to the chagrin of my husband who eagerly waits for announcements of suspended classes when rains pour overnight.

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Hiya, Daddy!

Is that your regular face, Dad?

(click to see bigger pic)

Happy one month old birthday to my daughter, Elise Gabrielle!! This day also marks the first day that her daddy was able to hold her. And tomorrow, we’ll be able to bring her home, at long last!!

They say that being a mother is the ultimate celebration of one’s womanhood and I definitely agree. I’ve always dreamt that having children and taking care of them is a career that I would happily indulge myself into. I was always warned that it’s no easy task, a task something so gargantuan that it causes some women depression and some looked like they’ve aged 5 or 10 years after they’ve raised some of their own.

After a month and a day of waiting for Elise to come home, I said to myself, God was giving me time to anticipate and be excited to spend time with my daughter. That I should be ready for the big task ahead of me. I thought I was ready, but I’m dead wrong.

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At long last, we were able to bring home our little girl last Tuesday. We were so happy that finally, we get to spend the whole time with her. It was a very tiring and stressful day since Pau and I had to run all over the hospital to pay for her hospital bills and her doctor’s professional fees. Nonetheless, it was worth it.

Here are photos of her homecoming with Grandma and Pau’s family and relatives.

Me and Elise at the hospital lobby ->>

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For 28 excruciating days now, we’ve struggled with Elise’s condition and went through an emotional, physical and spiritual roller-coaster ride. At long last, we’re on the home stretch. Her doctor said that we can finally take her home with us the day after she’s finished with her antibiotics. That glorious day is on Tuesday, June 27 – 31 days after she was born. She’s now 4 lbs and 4 oz heavy, with chubby cheeks and very big eyes. Elise already has a tooth growing. The nurses in the neonatal intensive care (NICU) said that it was already present at birth. She’s also starting to smile, something I was able to catch on video.

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…to two very important men in my life….