4 Months

My pregnancy is officially on its 5th month next week (I'm 19 weeks and 2 days today to be exact). It's getting faster and faster and I can say that I'm enjoying it now more than my first trimester. I went back to work as well. I want to congratulate myself for a great comeback during the week that has passed, I survived all the questions asked and answered them with pride, grace and a bump! :) I'm lucky to have a very supportive superior who understands motherhood and pregnancy, reason why my career mojos went back to the extremes. But of course there are still lazy days filled with morning sickness and headaches, good to know I'm slowly fighting it.

The start of my 4th month also marked the end of my lonesome, bedridden days. I got to see my friends more often, play with my nieces and nephews and walk around our place or shop a little for my growing body. Pregnancy is about happiness, positivity! 

Now, my bump in weeks:

16 weeks

17 weeks

18 weeks

And this is how my bump grew in three weeks:

Left - December 15, 2012 | Right - January 8, 2013

It was also last Tuesday I first felt a kick from my baby! It was very relieving and fulfilling. I get more and more excited each day, I swear. Since then, I never stopped singing songs for my little one (especially in the shower) and playing classical songs. Oh gosh, 21 more weeks. I'm halfway through it!

I also love how I started the year with my lovely friends! They really cure the morning sickness and all the other pregnancy symptoms I abhor. 

Neinei with her ninangs.

Reunited with Iya and Minna at da.u.de! Wish Monica's here. <3

Jovy's 24th birthday bash with the gang!

Jovy asked us to wear denim top but there were only 3 girls who followed her request. Hahaha naglasing tuloy. :))

Can't wait to start my 5th month right! Four short months, baby! You'll soon gonna be in mommy and daddy's loving arms. <3

♥,

Marianne

Team? Yup!

The second half of our long weekend is almost over but I have loads of work to do, to finish and to master. Gone are the days when I can stay wide awake at night only to finish reports and presentations at school. I AM REALLY GETTING OLD.

And even if we're all burdened by these two long weekends, I have to thank my teammates who make work easier. Our team really rocks! <3

Imagine how blossomed our friendship is now. We've known each other for less than four months but it feels like I know them since I-don't-know-when. Work is fun, assignments are light and mornings are exciting because of them. And yeah, not to mention the boys and the girls in our group have the same tummy capacity. We eat (and they drink, hahaha) a lot!

A day at work while waiting for our Serenitea to arrive.

Two different lunch dates at da.u.de Tea Lounge. 

Thursday nights :)

Our new girl Monica <3

Iya Monica Marianney + Minna

There are four girls in our team but Minna hates the camera so much, let's just say she's the one who always takes our photos together. 

I love my teammates! 

 ♥,

Marianne

Safely Home

"When you lose someone that you love, take comfort in knowing that they are now with God."

Three deaths in three weeks. First, my high school classmate, Niqquo. Then Tito Dolphy. And now, Tito Bobie, the father of my good friend Kim.

I don't know what death means. I cannot define it unless I'm in the situation. But when I'm already there, how will I know? 

My friends and I shared a lot of happy moments together. Birthday parties, wedding days and other special gatherings, times of laughter and cheers. But now feels so different. Today is the first time we were all brought together to mourn, to grieve. And today we realized how important it is to celebrate life.

It's very hard for me to write this post. No words are coming out from my mind. What I want as of the moment is to comfort and hug my friend but I want Kim to take her time with her family. 

Losing a parent is something I cannot bear. I'm too afraid to accept the fact that one day it will also happen to me. I don't even want to think about it. I feel a pinch inside and a mini heart attack whenever I put myself into the shoes of others who are suffering from the loss of someone so important. 

Everyday, I guess, we should live life as if it's the last. Live for today, show our love to our dear parents in numerous ways. Let's hug them, kiss them, cherish them and appreciate them. For we will never know when they will be taken away from us. There may be times they annoy us and drive us nuts, but let us not forget who they are. 

To my dear Kimmie, we are here with you no matter what. We will always pray for you, for Ate Aron and Tita Amy. I also want to take this opportunity to share something to you and I hope it will make you feel better. It may not be now, but I hope, sooner. I love you.

SAFELY HOME

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;

Oh, so happy and so bright!

There is perfect joy and beauty

In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,

Every restless tossing passed;

I am now at peace forever,

Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder I so calmly

Trod the valley of the shade?

Oh! But Jesus' love illumined

Every dark and fearful glade.

And He came Himself to meet me

In that way so hard to tread;

And with Jesus' arm to lean on,

Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,

For I love you dearly still:

Try to look beyond earth's shadows,

Pray to trust our Father's Will.

There is work still waiting for you,

So you must not idly stand;

Do it now, while life remaineth--

You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,

He will gently call you Home;

Oh, the pleasure of that meeting,

Oh, the joy to see you come!

♥,

Marianne

So Far, July!

Little happy things that made my July worthwhile <3

Nei-Nei!!!

Kim, Susie, Rachel and I with Nei-Nei a week after our Subic trip. Too bad I missed Mommy Tine and Soyti.

Inside a lift with my new teammates. Minna, why so cute? 

One Friday night with some of TV5 Heads at Agave :) 

With THE Eddie Garcia. Catch him on Third Eye!

Here you go! May we all have a wondrous weekend. Enjoy the rain, too!

♥,

Marianne

Sisz, Sish and Munch

I had a date with my friends Eysi, Yxie and Ram last week at Mamou in Serendra. It was a dinner I looked forward to, especially because it was the first time for me to see Ram in person.

I met these three ladies online, but it's them who proved me that online friends can be your real friends. Remember my posts about Seventeen Memories and me being pink.blush*? Like Eysi, we've been friends for almost 8 years now and this time, thanks to Candy Teentalk. On the other hand, Yxie is Eysi's friend since I-don't-know-when and I met her through my favorite Multiply, who witnessed my entire college life. 

L-R: Eysi, Ram, me and Yxie.

Sisz and sish!

With Munch. 

Yxie and Eysi arrived a little later so Ram and I got the chance to talk about personal things, including love life. Hehe. It may be the first time for us to share stories face to face but trust me, it felt like we've known each other for so many years! 

It was a short dinner (I love Mamou's spring rolls and tuyo salad--must try!) because Yxie and Ram wanted cupcakes so we went to, of course, Sonja's! My PB&J craving was finally fulfilled that night. 

Please excuse my crossed arms pose. I was seated beside skinny girls with skinny arms! I did not notice I was all like that in most of my photos with them.

That night was also the night I met Eysi's boyfriend, Mark. I swear they look a lot like each other. Hmm I hope they know what it means. Paolo and I were also being told about that for years! <3

Thanks for a lovely night, ladies! <3

Ram went back to Ilocos now (how I wish I can join her) while Eysi and Yxie are now Manila-based. What's exciting is Yxie continued her medical studies in Fatima, meaning, she's only five minutes away from home. See you again soon! :)

♥,

Marianne

Mika's Birthday and Two Others

Before I attended two baptismal celebrations and a dancing recital last Saturday, Paolo and I attended a Wrangler and Cosmopolitan event and a birthday dinner/bash the night before. We were awake for more than 24 hours last weekend with only an hour break to fix our groggy selves.

MIKA'S BIRTHDAY

Mika was planning to celebrate her birthday on a Saturday. I'm thankful for some adjustments or else, I'll be sad to miss one! Ninang Ng Bayan = Kaibigan ng Bayan = Ate ng Bayan. Noli de Castro is now threatened. Hehe. I'm just so blessed!

The group sans Vaughn who took this photo.

Mika's family surprised her with a "camera" cake. So sweet!

Maro, Mika and Marianne ♥

Monte, Paolo, Dexter, Mark and Vaughn-a.

The last time I saw them was during Maro's birthday. It took me four months to be with them again, but four months only feel like four days. We had non-stop talks about stuff and even tried copying each others' penmanship and signature. Also found out that Mika's brother Migi and cousin Jijo are now full-pledged binatilyos--they are taller than me! They are one of the many people I grew up with, and I'm lucky that I'm still with them, now that we all finished school. :)

AND TWO OTHERS

 Wrangler and Cosmo event handled by Paolowww.

Patricia and I after Migi's recital with All Stars. Lovely hair, sister!

Have a lovely Saturday!

♥,

Marianne

Photo Bootylicious!

I enjoy photo booths like a little girl enjoying her paper dolls! Though some may find it ordinary or a usual scene on parties, I appreciate taking time in front of the camera and goofing around with people you want to have fun photos with regardless of how many other guests are looking at you while they wait for their turn. It's F-U-N! And my favorite part is, getting the hard copies to display them at home or at work. Remember my posts about Photo Booty? See how I evolved in a year!

Sharing you now my photo booth memories during Nei Nei's Christening party last Saturday. PS: I have lots and I want to post them all!

Super friends!

Temptation Island: ODK!

Pao and I with JC the PHOTOGRAPHER! Naks!

Phoebe and Kimmie, two of my closest-est-est friends in college and in life.

Mamai and Papao! :)

You might have noticed that all of us were wearing almost the same shade--yep! That's the theme: fuchsia pink for girls and purple for the guys. My dress even matched the background of the photo template, so Barney-ish and we like it!

For now I'm still waiting for the photos from JC! Can't wait to write good things about it, plus Mika's birthday celebration at Tides last Friday night. :)

♥,

Marianne

Throwback Thursday: Summer Class

Thinking of gimmicks to make my blog more interesting, I came up with the idea of taking strolls down memory lane every Thursday with the help of my forever favorite social networking site, Multiply.

You remember the days when we all dump and upload our photos, whether flop or not, and still receive over a hundred comments from our contacts per album? I dearly miss those days.

++

For my first Throwback Thursday post, here's a blast from (the past) our second summer class in college, circa 2008!

Familiar faces? Yes.

With the tisays--my Triplet, Claris and my Kambal, Bianca.

We had no wash days in college but we wanted to "feel" co-ed so during summer classes, we ditched our uniforms on some days. Some of our professors did not mind, though one took it up to the next level. We found out that she's also the Prefect of Discipline! Haha!

Girls: me, Anne, Cheenee, Maan, Kim and Jovy.

Birds of the same feather... wear stripes together! We were surprised to see 4/6 girls wore stripes on the very same day hence a mini-photoshoot! Good thing I always bought my camera with me.

The photos are also proofs that I have loved animal prints since I don't know when. I wish Cha and Phoebe were here, too! 

My boyfriend seemed to enjoy his summer class, too! At LOGBI. ♥

To beat the heat away, we also spent time in malls, specifically the ones nearest to us like TriNoma and The Block, which by the way until now, are our usual go-to places. :)

We had no Instagram then but we got loads of photos! Oh, look at how curvy Susie was, look at Kim's collar bone and my... bangs!

In 2008, frapuccino > milk tea!

We did not also let our second and last summer class end without photos to show how clean and green our FEU campus is! Even in our first few years as friends, we camwhored like yeah!

Peak of the Havaianas trend. Kahit bawal sa school sige pa din!

Kim, Jovy and I dancing to the extremes! (See how beautiful FEU is, too!)

One of my most popular photos in Multiply!

Now there you go. Four years might have passed but I think nothing's changed. Oops, I'm taking it back--there are a few changes but if you know where you stand and when you know how your friends value you and your friendship, you're on the right path. Keep going!

Lalala I just said too much. Seriously, Kim's now a happy wife and mom and Jovy's got shorter and browner hair now. Susie's slimmer than ever and I rarely see Anne, Cheenee and Miles. Also Cha and Phoebe. Those are the changes I'm talking about!

Hope you enjoyed the trip like I do. Until next Throwback Thursday!

♥,

Marianne