No, she isn’t that old! Hahaha! She isn’t old at all! She’s just 16 (will be 17 next month) and she’s a real funny gal! She had me laughing all day with her innocent questions and really funny stories.

I actually wasn’t planning to get one, but “everybody” are urging me to get someone to be with me especially right now that I’m just counting days before Little Nicholas arrives. Oh well, I’m having a difficulty carrying grocery stuff anyways, and my legs and back ache as well everytime I do the laundry. And yeah, after work, I just want to lay down and sleep, who will cook for me then? Who will clean the dishes? Who will clean the room? So, ok, a Nanny/Helper it is then!

I call her Pipay, that’s her nickname. She’s young and pretty too. She’s from the province of Bukidnon actually and I met her when she was a helper at the old boarding house where I used to stay. She’s really hardworking and wouldn’t want to stay or sit down even for a while doing nothing. And there’s nothing much to do in my small room! I’m afraid she’s getting bored. But then, my little angel is yet to come, he will keep her hands full, hahaha!

I just hope I can trust her enough with my little baby, it’s really difficult to find help nowadays, especially a trusted one. But she’s been with me for almost a week now and so far, her performance is fine. I’m just not sure if she can be trustworthy with a baby too. My Mama is paying for her actually, as I cannot afford a Nanny this time with my meager salary. It’s really embarrassing to take money from Mama but I have to throw my shame and swallow my pride, I know I needed help.

I’m not really sure if I’ll be keeping her for long anyway. I might just need her for 2 months or so, as I am not really sure what will happen the next months. Oh well, things will be fine. I know the light will shine my way and it will start the very day I hold my Little Nicholas in my arms. Oh! It will be a joy!

There’s The Rub

Who would turn down a massage with that yummy rub? Not many people I guess, but pregnant women would say it’s almost essential to have it. Especially during those times your body’s feeling beat and that contractions are sometimes painful, you can banish stiff muscles with a soothing natural body rub. Massaging certain areas of the body will help compete with pain messages in your brain. To make a special rub, peel and mash a ripe banana and a ripe avocado together in a bowl. Use your hands to mash and get the mixture as smooth as possible. Then add a drop of eucalyptus essential oil and mix some more. When your mix is ready, spread out a beach towel (you can pretend you’re in the beach too, hehehe!), put on a loose or open top (you can go naked as well), and rub it into your aching shoulders and other parts. You may have to ask your partner to rub your back as well and yes, your legs. Ahhh! Now that’s soothing, and yes, pampering!

What’s The Matter

The dirty dishes (stacks and stacks of them) are piling up on your sink again. It’s gross, and the truth is, you really wanna do something about it, but you are too wiped out to peel yourself off the bed to wash and clean them.

What You Should Do

Who says pregnant women shouldn’t exercise? Exercise (prenatal fitness) is very important in pregnancy. Thus, whenever you find yourself lacking the energy you need to get through the day, squeeze in some time for your exercise. Here’s a video from YouTube to help you with the most suitable exercise for pregnant women. Let’s sweat it out!

Why It Works Magic

I’m sure others have this perception that exercise would only make you more tired (and yes, it might – that’s if you only do it once a year). The truth is exercising regularly gives you way more energy, especially during pregnancy. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly aren not just in better shape, they’re also happier and less stressed, as well. Medically speaking, exercise decreases the levels of our body’s stress hormone (cortisol). Thus, it will also help in turning up your body’s production of serotonin and endorphins – the hormones that basically lift your mood.

What’s The Matter

You know how expensive maternity clothes are. What makes you more reluctant to buy them is the fact that you won’t be pregnant for the rest of your life. But well, you just bought yourself a new maternity dress anyways, since you can wear nothing anymore (yeah, like me, you look like a whale, hehehe!) and you need to attend a dinner sponsored by the company. Well, that dinner just ruined your budget and yes, your night. You spilled chili sauce all over your new dress and to make matters worse, your closest friend laughed at you thinking you look comical and in your disconcerted state you dropped your purse in a huge puddle. Frustrated and close to tears, you though, “this is just too much to deal with”.

What You Should Do

True, each one of these incidents is aggravating and way beyond frustrating; however, you’re going to stand a much better chance of fixing everything if you embark upon them one at a time. It’s easier said than done, true, but it’s the most sensible thing to do at the moment. You should pick one problem — the one that’s bringing you the most anxiety – or you may opt for the first one you think of — and concentrate on it for a few minutes until you’ve think of a solution. You can go on solving the problem then and then move on to the next one.

Why It Works Magic

Deciding which dilemma to focus on is a restrained yet clever way to remind yourself that you are in control, and that you can manage everything. This trick should help you get through that overwhelming feeling of helplessness – which actually kept you from thinking straight in the first place.