The Beginning – A Journey of Parenthood 11/9/11

November 9, 2011 (10:04AM) – As of checkup yesterday, Nina was around 3.75 kgs, 21 inches, and healthy. Babies are supposed to lose around 10% of their birth-weight after a week but Nina lost only about .25lbs/8.5 lbs. (~3%.) The pedia says she is big for her age and confirms what the OB said when she was born, (that she looked like a month old baby instead of a newborn.) I think that weight comes mostly from her bones, and her length however rather than from fat. (Well, maybe it comes from her siopao cheeks too! 🙂

The Beginning – A Journey of Parenthood 11/8/11

November 8, 2011 (10:54AM) – Very hectic at the plant today trying to get the new expansion running in time. Only saw Little Ms. Plumpy Face for a few minutes before I had to leave for the office early this morning. I think she’s going to be a strong little bugger. I say this because whenever she’s hungry (hence angry,) she can almost turn herself around in bed. (And she’s only a week or so old!) Last night was a bit better in terms of her sleeping and eating patterns. She will actually sleep longer than 2 hours now sometimes as long as she’s Well Fed and her diapers are clean.

I wonder if Mozart can really increase a baby’s IQ? I also recite to her the multiplication table (which, more often than not puts her to sleep.) Lol, it’s at least worth a try!

(6:45PM) – I come home and find Nina and mommy fast asleep, tired from their pedia checkup. Nina looks like a big grape in her little jumpsuit. Glad to be home.

The Beginning-A Journey of Parenthood 11/7/11

November 7, 2011 (10:24AM) – In the office on a holiday. Didn’t really get real “paternal leave” when Nina was born but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. I need to work even harder now that I have a little baby to raise. Got to go swimming yesterday and it made me realize how unfit I’d become and that just won’t do. I’ll start swimming everyday from now on at least 30 mins. a day to get back into shape. Taking care of a baby is hard work but does nothing for your physical fitness as you’ll tend to stay cooped up in the house trying to keep her happy and satisfied. A big thanks to Mommy once again for working like a mule yesterday. She didn’t even get to eat until around 1030PM! Makes me realize how hard it is to be a mother, and makes me appreciate and love her and my mother even more. So to all the mothers in the world: A big THANK YOU! for raising us whelps into what we are today. We love you very much!

The Beginning-A Journey of Parenthood 11/6/11

November 6,2011 (2:44PM)- Nina is crying less during diaper changes, especially when she’s totally chill (read: Full.) Trying out a new brand of diapers today called Fitti, I guess we’ll find out pretty soon if they’re any good. Is it jus my imagination or did she already grow a few inches since she was born? She was 21 inches then, she looks to be about 2 feet now hehe (wishful thinking)

November 6,2011 (6:17PM) – I almost forgot to mention that Nina actually Laughed several times today. I dont’t even know if that’s possible for a week old baby but it’s hella cute 🙂

The Beginning – Journey of Parenthood 11/5/11

November 5, 2011 (12:32PM) – I’m back here in the office. I’m not sure if it’s just me but it’s so hard to leave your baby to go to work. I miss her cute little fat cheeks and her on-the-hour wails for milk. It makes for sleepless nights for her mommy and me but I’d rather be awake and take care of her than sleep. She might smile in her sleep and I might miss it, and that just won’t do. 🙂 Thank God for the internet-I can peek on her periodically through YM video chat! OK, back to work. Will update more later.

November 5, 2011 (3:19PM) – Will be heading for the other office in 15 mins. Today’s a very hectic day but I know that each hour that passes takes me closer to seeing my little caterpillar!

The Beginning – Journey of Parenthood 11/1-11/4/11

November 1, 2011- Around 4am today we decided to rush to the ER with Nina as she won’t breast-feed and has been fussy and irritable since around midnight. She was admitted after a longgg wait that made me want to sock the living daylights out of the admitting personnel (that’s my daughter you’re delaying you sonuvabitch!!) but decided to take the path of the sheathed sword ala Sun Tzu. It wasn’t easy though. After around 5 hours of wait around 10am we found out that Nina’s A-OK, (Thank God!)It turns out she was just hungry and that Celine’s breastmilk hasn’t quite flowed yet. The cute little caterpillar was given some formula and she never looked more satisfied. As of writing she’s still confined in the NICU. This is officially Nina’s first hosptal visit. We miss her so much!

November 2, 2011- We’re still here in the hospital. So far so good. No infection of any sort has been detected in Nina’s blood tests. We’ll be spending another night here to wait for the results of her urine culture just to be sure. A small milestone occured today, with Celine being able to pump out over 2 ounces of milk in one sitting. A small victory but a great one for mommy and our little one 🙂 hoping we could go home tomorrow so mommy and Nina can finally get some well deserved together-time 🙂

November 3, 2011- Nina is still in NICU but she looks perfectly happy and healthy.  Another little battle was won today as the little tyke latched on once again to mommy and drank milk to her little heart’s content.  We’re just waiting for her jaundice tests to confirm that she’s totally A-OK so that we can finally go home.  She’s so cute and adorable that the nurses in NICU have deemed her their favorite baby.  I’ve gone back to work as we’ve just been served the doctor’s professional fees (Cha-Ching!)  I need to work hard to start replacing the bills that are flying out of my pocket.  Every single penny is worth it though, what’s important is that Nina and Mommy is well and happy 🙂  Here’s crossing my fingers hoping we can go home later!!

November 3, 2011 update-At around 5pm Nina finally got her discharge orders 🙂 at around 7 she was in my arms again. So this is what being a father feels. It kinda feels like that time I beat a black belt in arnis… Only 10000000x better!!

November 4, 2011-Slept last night at around 3am, singing Nina to sleep everytime after she eats.  I’m usually a lazy guy when it comes to things that disturb my sleep but it’s really, truly something else when it comes to your child.  As of this time, her mommy reports that she has fed, peed, pooped, and taken a bath.  I told her to download some Mozart, they always say that will make your baby smarter.  When I get home later I’m going to recite to her again what I constantly recited to her when she was still in the womb.  “E=MC squared.  Energy equals mass times the square of the speed of light constant.”  Hey you never know! 🙂

The Beginning -The Journey of Parenthood

On October 28, 10:52pm my little baby daughter was born. She is the cutest thing ever. She looks like a cute mini-me hybrid of me and her mommy! She weighs a startling 8.5 lbs and is 21″ long. I guess she takes after me after all 🙂

On October 29, 3:30am her mommy was wheeled back to our hospital room to recover from her Caesarian Section. Our little baby girl was roomed in with us around 10am. Today we learned (or so we thought) how to feed her and make her sleep. (or so we thought)

On October 30, baby Nina had her newborn screening tests done. We’ll find out results in a week or so. There were also many visitors today; including a lot of mommy’s friends and her grandparents. I had to leave to attend a wedding at around 7pm and the few short hours I was gone were hard (and I’m not exaggerating for drama.)

On October 31, we checked out of the hospital at aroud 1pm. We dined with my parents and a few relatives and learned a very valuable lesson today. This is almost like finding inner peace. The steps to attain it are: Feed, BURP, and Sleep. Feed, BURP, and sleep. Do NOT forget to Burp. You’ll surely regret it!