All Chapters of nong una Lulong ang asawa ko sa bisyo at barkada: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

I thought we were just going to have lunch at Mama's house.Sebastian and I arrived at my mother's small house on a Saturday. I was wearing a loose yellow dress because my small bump was now showing a little. Fourteen weeks now. I was no longer throwing up every morning. I was starting to feel better, starting to glow, as people say."Mama, we are here!" I shouted from the gate.But there was no answer. The house was quiet. The door was closed."Mama? Where are you?" I opened the door slowly.And then..."SURPRISE!"I screamed.The small living room was full of people. Mama was there, smiling and crying. There were some of our neighbors. There were two of my cousins. And there were colorful balloons everywhere. Pink and blue balloons. And a small banner that said "Welcome Baby Sebastian and Alana!"On the small table, there were so many foods. Spaghetti, fried chicken, lumpia, puto, biko. And in the middle, a small white cake that said "We Love You Baby!"I stood at the door, my hands

"We need a nursery," Sebastian said one morning while we were having breakfast.I was six months pregnant now. Twenty-four weeks. My bump was big and round. I could not see my feet anymore when I stood up. Walking was starting to be a little hard, but I loved my bump. I loved feeling our daughter move inside me every day."A nursery?" I asked."Yes, a room for our daughter. Her own room. We have three empty rooms in this house. One should be hers."We live in Sebastian's big house. It was too big for just two people before. Now it was perfect for three.He took my hand after breakfast and led me to the empty room beside our bedroom. The room was white, empty, with a big window that had morning sunlight."This one," he said. "Beside our room, so we can hear her if she cries at night. And it has sunlight, so it will be warm for her. What do you think?"I looked at the empty room and imagined. A small pink crib in the corner. Tiny clothes in the closet. Small toys on the floor. Our daugh

We are in the last month now.Thirty-six weeks. Nine months pregnant. Our daughter can come anytime now.The doctor said she is head down, ready. She is healthy, 2.8 kilos already. She is just waiting for the right time.And we are waiting too. Waiting every day, every hour.The nursery is ready. Her pink crib with star sheets is ready. Her small closet is full of tiny pink dresses, tiny socks, tiny bows that Sebastian bought too many of. The rocking chair is ready. The baby bottles are sterilized. The diapers are stacked high.The hospital bag is packed. It has been packed since thirty-four weeks because Sebastian panicked and packed it early. Inside is my clothes, baby's first clothes, blankets, diapers, Mama's rosary for protection.And I am ready. Or at least, I think I am ready.My bump is so big now I cannot see my feet at all. My back hurts. My feet are swollen. I cannot sleep well because I cannot find a comfortable position. I need to pee every hour.But I have never been hap

Our first night at home as a family of three.We arrived from the hospital this afternoon. Mama was carrying the baby bag, Sebastian was carrying our daughter in her small car seat, and I was walking slowly, still sore but so happy.When we opened the door of our big house, everything felt different.The house was the same, but we were different. We were now Mama and Papa.Sebastian put the car seat on the living room table and stared at our daughter sleeping inside."We are home, my princess," he whispered. "Welcome home."Our daughter was still sleeping, wearing the pink dress Mama bought months ago. The dress that was too big before, now fits perfectly.Mama prepared soup for me and said, "Rest, anak. I will take care of the baby for a while. You need to sleep."But I could not sleep. How can I sleep when my daughter is here?We all went to the nursery. The nursery we prepared for months. The white crib with star sheets. The rocking chair. The soft pink carpet.Sebastian carefully

The first week as Mama and Papa.No one told us it would be this hard. And no one told us it would be this beautiful.Our daughter, Alana Sofia, is now seven days old. Seven days since we heard her first cry at 10:42 AM.In seven days, we have slept maybe ten hours total. In seven days, we have changed maybe one hundred diapers. In seven days, we have learned that a small baby can cry so loud that the whole house shakes.But in seven days, we have also learned what love really means.Every morning, we wake up at 5 AM because Alana Sofia cries for milk. I breastfeed her in the rocking chair while Sebastian prepares warm water and clean diapers beside me. He does not need to do that, but he wants to. He wants to be part of everything."Is she drinking enough, my love? Is she full?" he asks every time, worried like a new Papa."Yes, Papa, she is full. Look, her tummy is big now," I say, showing him her small round tummy.Then he burps her. He puts her on his shoulder and pats her back ge