I still can't make up my mind which of these two is the most DIYed chapter of my life:

WEDDING? or
BABY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY?



Whichever it is, one thing is certain: I got real tired and exhausted! Well, both my body and my wallet 😂 But it is always worth it. That's why I'm proud of all of my successful DIY projects including our baby's Floral Monthly Birthday Photoshoot.

Please note that this idea is not entirely mine; I got my inspiration from Pinterest - which I call "My DIY Library". Whoever came up first of this idea is probably a genius because it's just so adorable and cute.








The first photo isn't looking great because there's always a first time for everything! 😅 But moving on, you have to admit we we're actually doing real good. Taking these photos every month used to be fun & cute. In fact, it is one of the tasks I look forward to every month. But when she learned how to roll over, not only that it got harder, it became challenging too!

When Izzay turned 9 months old, she doesn't like to get laid down anymore. She cried a lot we had to bribe her random things just to calm her down for at least 40 seconds. At 10 months, she had her way and refused (intensely) to lie down. So I gave in and let her sit and accepted the fact that our situation is actually transitioning from being "challenging" to downright "Struggling" - Nope, I am not exaggerating. And I'M NOT KIDDING! I literally only had 6 photos to choose from on her 12th month because she cried so much that she wanted me to sit beside her and take the photo together. So if you're thinking of doing the same for your little one, anticipate the changes which are part of your baby's development. If you think flowers are cute, well guess what - so does your baby! Your little ones will definitely grab them every chance they get.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not discouraging you to use flowers because they look really cute. But now that you know the cons, the decision is yours to make. I'm sharing my experience so you'll know what to expect. Because while Pinterest is a DIY Ideas Haven, it doesn't always tell what could get wrong along the way.



PS: The baby in the collage is our little one and we call her Izzay. Last time I posted here, I was still pregnant. Apologies for being gone for sooooo long but I'm sure you guys will understand -- it definitely wasn't easy for a first time mom. I have a lot to tell you that I don't know where to start.  We just had an intimate (but not so intimate 😅) first birthday celebration for our first born last week and I DIYed a lot for that small party. So I guess I should probably start by making this post. Since I'm a Mom now, expect a lot of Motherhood, Family, and Baby related blog posts in the future.



I miss you!,

Before anything else, here's a disclaimer:

I am not an expert, I have no pregnancy background experience as this is my first time and  it doesn't mean these planning tips will work the same to everyone. I just want to share to you guys what we did and how it worked on us.

I am currently 5 months and 2 weeks pregnant as of writing this post. My OB told us that she is 60% sure that my baby will be a girl. I was 4 months pregnant by then. She's asking us to come back by next month when I am already 6 months preggo so we can all be sure of the baby's gender.

Family & friends' usual reaction to my pregnancy is that: "wow, anbilis nyo!" - which is true. Even us were surprised that we were able to conceive that fast. Not that we didn't plan it at all. But we did not expect it to be that fast either - in less than a month to be quite exact.. We got married on October 17 and the last first day of my menstruation was Nov.9.  So yeah... honeymoon baby it is.

Are you a hopeful wife trying to get pregnant? Planning your pregnancy is very important. This is to avoid miscarriage and to ensure yours and your baby's health. Check out below the pregnancy plan we did:

A screenshot of my Period Tracker App.

1. CALENDAR PERIOD TRACKER

I have this period tracker mobile app installed in my phone waaay before we got married. I have it in my phone for I don't really know how long. Probably a year or more than that. Not that I was planning my pregnancy that early - HAHA! I just installed it to remind me of my upcoming monthly period so I can pop in some sanitary napkin in my purse/bag when it's nearly my period date. (I'm regular, by the way).

So this app can predict my period date very well, about 97% accurate most of the time. The reason I included this in our pregnancy plan is because ever since we tried getting pregnant, I found its other reminders really useful. This app tells me if it's my ovulation day, whether I am fertile or not and the chances of getting pregnant if we have an intercourse on a specific date. It also gives me the options of tracking my emotions, craves and symptoms even sickness, medications, etc. Since my husband and I are already planning to conceive, we made sure to prepare & make love on the days that this application tells us I have the highest chance of getting pregnant. I am convinced it definitely helped us hit our goal.


2. ENJOY, AVOID PRESSURE.

Me and my husband wanted a baby but we were not really sure when exactly do we want to conceive. Although we made sure to make love on days I have the highest chance of getting pregnant, we DON'T really make it a 'super priority goal' to get positive results. We wanted our lovemaking to be passionate... not something that we do for 'baby-making' reasons because that would make it feel like a responsibility or an obligation rather than an act driven by love. To put it simply: we just kind of went with the flow.


3. FOLIC & VITAMINS

A dear nurse friend told me that I could start taking folic early on if I'm planning to get pregnant. She said it will strengthen my chance of getting pregnant plus I can properly prepare my body... and probably my hormones? I honestly forgot her explanation but I'm certain with the "take folic" part, hahahah!

I did a short research though for the sake of this blog post. According to what I read, folic acid does not only help you safeguard the health of your unborn baby but can also help you in conception. Experts did a research and they found out that women who take folic acid everyday have a higher chance of getting pregnant compared to those who don't.

If you want to read more about it, here's the source:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-412334/Folic-acid-helps-fertility-women.html


4. START A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, AVOID MEDICATIONS

Do you smoke? Do you drink? Eat so much junk? If you are trying to get pregnant, I suggest you stop those.

Here's why:

I didn't want any pressure or disappointments, so I avoided pregnancy tests until my first monthly period delay. Kasi nga regular naman ako, so naisip ko saka na'ko magpi-PT kapag nagdelay ako. So when my Period Tracker App told me I am already 3 days delayed, I went to the nearest pharmacy right away and bought 2 pregnancy tests; Which means I didn't know that I was pregnant until after a month and a week. So what if I had unhealthy lifestyle? What if I smoked and got drunk during those 5 weeks without knowing there's a baby that could be affected inside? (I don't drink and smoke by the way, just a 'WHAT IF') Did you get my point?

Even though I did not know yet during those 5 weeks that I am already pregnant, I already avoided taking meds when I'm not feeling well. I did not take any paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc. I also avoided teas, soft drinks and junk foods. My reason is that I could be pregnant, so I should be taking care of myself just in case. And behold, I was not mistaken.


5. LIMIT CAFFEINE INTAKE

Although there is still quite an argument whether caffeine is really bad or not to pregnant women, better play it safe: just avoid it. It wasn't really a problem on my part because I am not a coffee drinker at the first place. I've worked on graveyard shifts for 2 years before but even that didn't get me to learn liking coffee. I haven't even tried Starbucks at all!

Anyways, the reason you should start cutting back (to gradually stopping) taking caffeine when you're trying to get pregnant is because it can trigger miscarriage and may cause withdrawal after pregnancy.


6. OPT FOR HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES
 
You don't don't necessarily start eating for two because you aren't pregnant yet. But if you are trying to get pregnant, healthy food choices are your allies. Stocking up enough nutrients to your body can help you avoid deficiencies or any nutrient-related health problems when you're finally pregnant. I don't know if I am right, but I have this notion that the healthier I am, the greater chances I have of getting pregnant.

 
7. WATCH YOUR WEIGHT

I've always monitored my weight even before trying to conceive. But I got conscious about it even more when we started planning to have a baby. I was told that it is important to keep an ideal 'starting weight' before getting pregnant to ensure healthy pregnancy. When you are starting it wrong with the weight, complications and risks are very possible along the way. Don't get too thin either! That's a known fertility meddler.


8. AVOID DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES

Though I changed my lifestyle to make it healthier, I could not avoid the transportation hassles whenever I go with my husband in his travels. We don't own any vehicle yet, so  nagko-commute lang kami. And mostly of the travels we make, the mode of transportation are motorcycle rides. We are living in a province, so mostly of the roads here are really rough and hard. So yun na, sumasama ako sa kanya palagi, nagsi-single motor lang kami at napakahirap pa ng mga daan, super lubak-lubak. It hurts my tummy so much. I didn't know I was pregnant back then. Good thing I have a strong baby. Kumapit sya ng bongga mga bes. So I suggest, if you are trying to get pregnant, avoid risky activities like motorcycle rides for that will hurt you and the baby at nakakapagpababa daw iyan ng matres. Sabi nila.


9. VISIT YOUR OB AS SOON AS YOU GET POSITIVE RESULTS

Yes, visit your OB as soon as possible. I had an ultrasound right away just to make sure that everything is okay with me and my baby and that there is no pregnancy complications.


10. DECIDE WHEN DO YOU WANT/NEED TO ANNOUNCE YOUR PREGNANCY

This wasn't included in our pregnancy plan but I realized this should be a part of the pregnancy planning. On our second child, (yes, gagawa pa kami ng pangalawa someday, haha!) I'll make sure include this in our pregnancy plan.

For plain housewives (like me):
I suggest you wait until you're done with your first trimester before you tell the world about your pregnancy. I was told that the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy is really crucial because I am still vulnerable and prone to miscarriage. That got me worried and conscious because we already told family and friends about my pregnancy. I could imagine how much pain and hassle it could be to break the bad news about miscarriage if ever that happens. GOSH. Everyday, I prayed to God to keep me and the baby extra safe for the first 4 months. And I am really forever thankful to God for answering my prayers.

For career wives:
If you are working, I suggest you decide carefully whether you should be keeping your pregnancy a secret or not while you are still in your first trimester. If your job involves physical activities or causes you stress, then you better inform your company and colleagues about your pregnancy as soon as possible so they can treat you accordingly. Or you can just select important people/authorities (like your boss or immediate team mates) to inform them about your pregnancy.

 
That's pretty much it! It's not a lot and it's very simple planning but I hope you got some ideas. So here I am with my 5 months old baby bump:

Photo taken during a special event at our Church.

So far, I have a healthy pregnancy though I actually experience some pain here and there at times. The OB said everything is fine and normal with my pregnancy so I'm happy with it. We are hoping for a baby boy... but a baby girl could be adorable too! We are such one happy soon to be parents.

'Til then, see yah!

By the way, here's my Morning Skin Care Routine post ---> (CLICK HERE)

I honestly used to take my skin for granted. Like I don’t wash my face before I go to bed and the only time my face gets cleaned is when I take a bath. Now I realized that THAT WAS A HUGE MISTAKE that I’ll truly regret on my later years if I hadn’t change my bad habits. I only started taking care of my skin when I was on my third year of college, back when I started noticing black heads around my nose tip. From then on, I was paying attention of my skin. Fortunately, I am not like other typical teenagers that suffer with too many pimple break outs. My only issue with my skin are the faint freckles which I got from my mother’s genes because of her family’s spanish blood. Other than that, I am pretty much happy with my skin type. Except that I was not able to nurture my skin during my younger years and that’s why I am desperately trying to save my skin from now on.

NIGHT SKIN CARE ROUTINE:

Step 1: Clean Your Face



Tess Facial Scrub (Strawberry-Jojoba)

It’s important to stop the urge of diving in my bed and be lazy to  get up and clean my face. Trust me, fighting my exhaustion after a long tiring day is a real struggle every night.

After gathering some courage to get up and start cleaning myself before heading back to bed, I always clean my face using this facial scrub. The reason that I use  a facial scrub at night is because I believe that scrubs clean my face better than just an ordinary soap. The tiny pebble-like scrubs, I believe, are taking off all the dirt and dust that were accumulated in my pores during the day. That is what I believe, I don’t know if my feelings are right but at least the scrubs are giving me motivation to get up and wash my face. I guess I’m right because right after washing my face, there’s a big difference on how light my face look and how clean it feels on my hands.


Step 2: Toner.


Tess Orange Facial Toner
Every time after using this toner, it leaves me feeling very clean like all-the-oil-and-dead-skin-cells-are-removed feeling. Haha! Honestly, this toner leaves feeling refreshed and renewed. It’s composed of citrus thingy, according to its label, that helps me refine my pores. I don’t know if it really does but I am certain that I’m totally feeling clean after applying the toner.

Step 3: Keep Your skin moisturized / hydrated.



Tess Vanilla Oil Free Cream/ Moisturizer

The perfect ending for my night skin care routine would be applying a moisturizer to keep my skin hydrated all through the night. I gotta take care of my skin even when I’m asleep too! It’s my secret for waking up with glowing skin, keeping it moisturized during the night. My favorite on this product’s formula is the hydrolyzed wheat protein. I don’t know what that is but it sure sounds like a very good nutrient for my skin.


So that’s my Night Skin Care Routine. It really doesn’t matter which products you use. My only point in this post is that you:

•     Clean your face
•     Moisturize
•     Cover up

It doesn’t even matter whether you use a concealer or not. It’s all up to you. I prefer using a concealer during the day because I want to lighten up a bit my complexion plus it’s another layer of sun block so it sure adds benefits.

By the way, these TESS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS are manufactured from the US. The only reason I bought and tried them out is because they were on sale when I spotted them in the shelf. These US based products are expensive. It comes with a beauty pouch that normally cost around Php 400 plus however, I was very lucky to buy them on a discounted price. I bought the beauty pouch for only Php 130. YES! It was a jackpot price I would say. Haha.

TESS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS come with another 2 products that I didn’t mention above because I barely use them they ’re not really part of my skin care routines. For the sake of a better product review, here are the other two products that came with the pouch:

Tess Blemish Stick


This should help me pummel any pimple. It has a special formula to help minimize oil production to heal and clear up blemishes. Like I said, I don’t really have that much pimple break outs in my face so I didn’t really had a good chance to use this product to see if it works or not. It probably works because the other skin care products that it came with also work. Just my opinion.

Tess Healing Lip Gloss






Surprisingly, the pouch also comes with a moisturizing lip gloss that prevents your lips from cracking. Super sulit Php 130 pouch huh? hahaha! So yeah, it also has a special formula for sensitive lips however, I don’t really use this because I don’t really like that faint scent it has. If a lippie has a scent, it better smell like food because I ain’t putting anything in my lips that doesn’t smell like food.

So that’s it! I hope there are still a huge sale going on for TESS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS so more people can discover and enjoy the products.

'Til then, see yah!