A Dozen of '12

Making a year-end blog post is exciting when in the shower but when I'm already in front of the computer, everything in my mind just disappears. I can't think of any cool idea to start this, I'm having a hard time. Whenever I ask myself what's the biggest thing happened this year, I only have one answer--having a baby! 

But for the purpose of joining the bandwagon (hahaha), I'm listing the twelve big things I'm thankful for this oh-twelve. And I'm serious, this isn't just for the purpose of joining the bandwagon coz it's always fun reminiscing. It reminds us (or explains) why we are here NOW. 

Here's a monthly calendar view of the year's highlights --

January

HOLIDAY HANGOVER

New Years Eve with the family. Shining, shimmering theme. And other Christmas events last 2011.

February

CEBU 2012: The Great Santa Fe Beach

Paolo and I's eighth year together as a couple.

 March

First of Summer: Potipot Island

My first summer trip with my bibes Susie, Kim E. and Doms. There's a kind of hush! :)

April

When Perci Turned 40

It's a rare opportunity to party with TV5 Executives, I feel so honored to share this photo with them. I miss these people already!

May

Leighton Meester in Manila

Do I need to explain why? I SAW LEIGHTON MEESTER IN REAL LIFE. 

June

Marianne x Hello Kitty

My 24th birthday celebration, meowed!

July

da.u.de

My favorite tea place opened in the country, and it's right beside our office building in The Fort.

August

A Day In Japan

I got to cross this out from my 2012 to-do lists: go to Little Tokyo!

September

Tatamaan Ka!

The last event of the year I attended with my BFF Monica and Derek Ramsay was a freebie.

October

This is the first time I'm posting a copy of my ultrasound last October, when I found out that we'll be soon having a little one. That's my 7-week baby. :)

November

I got engaged to my 8-year boyfriend, who's now my fiance. <3

December

My Christmas gift wish is to have a French bulldog and voila! Pao and I bought one. Meet Tofu, everyone!

There are other many things that I'm really thankful for this 2012--a complete (and growing bigger) family, a company of good friends, healthy career and more. Lord has indeed showered us with blessings and I couldn't ask for more. Looking forward to 2013, I'll have our baby in our hands and I vow to take good care of him/her. I'll be a good mother like how my mother raised me and I will surround him with inspiring, happy people who are also surrounding him now.

I may not be able to completely cross out all my to-do list for 2012 but there's this mini-me who changed my life, the way I view and live it and I'm really excited to start my journey with the family I call my own.

Happy new year, everyone! Here's to another blessed, happy and peaceful 2013! Cheers!

♥,

Marianne

Video of the Year

Repost! xx

Happy New Year!  XO

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

It's my Mom's 51st birthday today!

Happy birthday, Mommy! I love you so much! Many, many, many more birthdays to come. :)

♥,

Marianne

Christmas 2012

I attended only a couple of Christmas celebrations/dinners this year with friends this year. It's sad that I missed the MVP Ball, Entertainment, and Media 5 Christmas parties too and other birthday-slash-Christmas get-together with my high school friends because of my headache that strikes anytime of the day, any day of the week. 

One of the dinners I had was with my college friends on one lucky day where I felt... normal. It's one of the happiest Christmas parties we had. The attendance was almost perfect except for Susie, Bianca and Claris who are out of the country playing with snow balls and spending white Christmas. :P 

Most of us are mommies already. Oh how time flies. Sweet truth. :)

We stayed for a little while and enjoyed the Christmas lights outside.

Mamai and Papao :)

And then I joined the reunion of the Gancias three days before Christmas day. I once again joined their family portrait. Yun lang, haggard ako. Init sa labas eh. 

Christmas eve! We heard the Mass and had our Noche Buena and our traditional monito-monita. Our bolognese and cheesy garlic tomato were made by my personal chef, my dearest Paolo. This year I didn't prepare anything because I'm afraid I'd get dizzy and tired. This is one of the many perks of being pregnant--senyorang senyora ang dating. Hahaha!

Christmas eve Mass :)

Wish you had a blessed and joyful Christmas, too! There are a few days left before 2013, let's make the most out of it.

Happy holidays! :)

♥,

Marianne

Merry Marianne for Christmas!

I've been wanting to update my blog for so long but I don't know where to start. It's just too sad to be on blog hiatus for two months coz now I feel like I'm a noob and I'm honestly quite scared that my regular readers won't come back for updates anymore. *sniff sniff*

It's a day before Christmas and I can't believe I also have to start writing another year-ender. There's no time left for me. In about two weeks I'll be back on my regular working girl status. No more days of leaves to cure my morning sickness, headache and laziness. Yet I'm glad that my first trimester is over, days are improving. I feel like I am my old self again. My baby bump is also quite showing, I'm starting to believe that I'm (very) pregnant! 

For the remaining weeks of October and November, I battled the pregnancy symptoms with a brave heart. I know all the pain I'm feeling will be worth it when I get to hold my baby in my hands. I have five months to pray for a successful delivery but from the very first day the doctors told me that I'm bearing, I never stopped asking Him to take care of our little one. Oh my gosh, I just can't really wait for that day to come! I'm raising my very own child so soon!!! :)

It also took me a week, or a month, to break the news. While others are not convinced that I'm an expectant mom, I try to take photos of me to show the world how pregnancy changes a woman's look. Not only physically, but in general, a view of how life is supposed to lived. I super love how my priorities shifted from getting an expensive designer bag to sending my child in school. It's a whole new perspective I cannot let go of. I have so many dreams for my mini-me/little Paolo.

Here are my first preggy pics, and I do hope my pregnancy glow is showing. I, of course, want to feel and look good for myself and for my future husband. :) Naks!

14 weeks 

15 weeks

16 weeks

My fourth month baby bump :)

My OB told me I shouldn't be in a hurry because I always ask her if my belly size is just right for my month. I haven't gained weight too, from 50 K to 48 K to 50 K (as of my last checkup) due to morning sickness but believe me, I eat rice meals 4-5 times a day if I can. I'm starving every hour and it's not funny! 

Now I'm hungry!

I still have a lot to share but lunch time has come. There are last minute Christmas Eve preparations we need to do in the afternoon too, I might be able to blog again after Christmas so let me greet you...

A MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME AND MY MINI-ME INSIDE MY GROWING TUMMY! 

May Jesus' birth bring another light and love to your family. Enjoy the night of sharing and food. Don't forget to say a prayer for the less-fortunate and for those who lost a loved one this year and be thankful for all the blessings we receive. Christmas is love. Christmas is Jesus. :)

All my love and prayers!

♥,

Marianne

Hi, Girls, I'm Back!

That's me in KC Concepcion's tone in her Palmolive Naturals TVC.

Whoah! It's been more than a month since I last posted an entry and more than months since I updated my blog like I used to do.

There are two important life events that happened during the months of my absence and I'm quite sad that Superloved missed to share these things with you. Real time updates are only posted on Twitter, uploaded on Instagram, and my random, silly and shallow ideas are shared on Facebook. 

Now I'm trying to pull my old self back with blog posts of endless photos (I have a lot to share since October!) s-l-o-w-l-y. For the mean time, feel free to sneak and find hints on my photos on Instagram (@MsMarianneMarcial) and follow me on Twitter (@mariannemarcial) too.

And before I end this wonderful comeback, I want to break the news myself, although this isn't new anymore:

1. I am engaged.

2. I am four months pregnant.

Have a great hair day!

♥,

Marianne