Whew! What an experience. Cindy and I are still both taking it in and trying to understand what really went down over the last week. It was strange, in the sense that something was telling us that it was going to happen soon. You can tell by Mateyo's "post" the other day, that he sensed it too.
When we got to the hospital at 6am Tuesday morning, all signs pointed towards a typical labor process, but 30 hours into the thing, with an exhausted Mama unable to get that boy out the old-fashioned way (because he decided to try to exit sideways), we were told it was best that he be delivered via c-section. At first, I felt like "why did we just put Cindy through 30 hours of pain if we were just going to opt for surgery", but in the end, we both understood that she tried her hardest to have Mateyo without going that route, and it actually became a much more memorable and epic experience because of it. I love her very much, and after seeing her go through all that...i believe she can kick ass at anything.
Now, comes the next phase of this journey. Have I mentioned that I still haven't had a full-night's sleep, and I suspect this will continue...probably until I get a bill in the mail for his college tuition. In any case, Mateyo is healthy and quite a jokester, loud as a newborn, and cute as can be. His fingers and toes are super long, and his poop doesn't stink....yet. Being born on 8/22 he ended up being right on the border line between a Leo and a Virgo, we joke that he is a "Ligo"...like those Filipino sardines. My whole family is already claiming his looks, but I know he will probably find his own way, and be a little mix of everything. Here's to Mateyo, my life is yours, welcome to this crazy world...make it a better place.
Laks
p.s. more pics, as promised : )
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
whew...
30 hours in labor. 10 fingers. 10 toes. (haha) 2 aunts. 2 uncles. 4 grandparents. 2 happy parents. 1 baby boy.
More details and pics to follow...i promise.
More details and pics to follow...i promise.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Here we go...
It's about 5:20am on Tuesday morning. Cindy had been having an especially hard time sleeping tonight. And she just informed me that her water broke. We're heading to the hospital now....yikes! We'll keep everyone updated as much as possible. You guys can call me to check in 818.515.8238. Our doctor is at the Kaiser in Panorama City. Wish us Luck.
Love,
Laks
Love,
Laks
Saturday, August 18, 2007
A Word From Mateyo
Greetings to my family, friends, and comrades...
First of all, I'd like to thank God, because without Him none of this would be possible. A little shout out should go out to my homie Meiosis as well...you've made me into the multi-cellular fetus that I am today. I seriously wouldn't be standing...ahem...balled up here in my mother's womb today without your continued support, so thank you.
As for all my adoring fans out there, I must say, its been a trying nine months filled with newfound wonders, strange sounds, weird liquids, and hormonal struggle. Through it all, I've tried to maintain my focus and keep my "eye on the prize" if you will. The dream, as it were, to be born.
Alhough it remains common knowledge that a baby's journey is fraught with struggle and adversity, I will reference none of those "inconveniences" today. What I'd like to bring light to is the "why" I'm being born, as opposed to the "how". It is precisely this question of "why" that occupies most of my thoughts, as I ponder in my snug little womb.
The world, as we know...is chaotic, filled with evils I have yet to encounter, carcinogens and toxins that will affect me as soon as I take my first breath (LA in the house). I worry about global warming like the rest of you, I mean, try going through your third trimester in July and tell me its a myth. I worry everyday about the children of the world. A wise woman once said, "I believe the children are the future. We must teach them well...and....let them....lead the way." Amen to that.
I will say one thing though. I am looking forward to meeting my parents and my beautiful mother, whom I know from the lovely confines of my present home, to be a wonderful person both inside and out. My father, stricken by a serious case of nesting instinct doesn't realize he'll have to buy all new stuff in six months, but he means well. And as for my best buddy, Marley, I can't wait to clean up your poop, man. As for the rest of my friends and family, be patient, and hope for my safe transition into this humble little world we like to call Burbank.
Now as for the question...."why?"...well... I can't stay in this womb forever....duh!
peace out..head out,
mateyo
First of all, I'd like to thank God, because without Him none of this would be possible. A little shout out should go out to my homie Meiosis as well...you've made me into the multi-cellular fetus that I am today. I seriously wouldn't be standing...ahem...balled up here in my mother's womb today without your continued support, so thank you.
As for all my adoring fans out there, I must say, its been a trying nine months filled with newfound wonders, strange sounds, weird liquids, and hormonal struggle. Through it all, I've tried to maintain my focus and keep my "eye on the prize" if you will. The dream, as it were, to be born.
Alhough it remains common knowledge that a baby's journey is fraught with struggle and adversity, I will reference none of those "inconveniences" today. What I'd like to bring light to is the "why" I'm being born, as opposed to the "how". It is precisely this question of "why" that occupies most of my thoughts, as I ponder in my snug little womb.
The world, as we know...is chaotic, filled with evils I have yet to encounter, carcinogens and toxins that will affect me as soon as I take my first breath (LA in the house). I worry about global warming like the rest of you, I mean, try going through your third trimester in July and tell me its a myth. I worry everyday about the children of the world. A wise woman once said, "I believe the children are the future. We must teach them well...and....let them....lead the way." Amen to that.
I will say one thing though. I am looking forward to meeting my parents and my beautiful mother, whom I know from the lovely confines of my present home, to be a wonderful person both inside and out. My father, stricken by a serious case of nesting instinct doesn't realize he'll have to buy all new stuff in six months, but he means well. And as for my best buddy, Marley, I can't wait to clean up your poop, man. As for the rest of my friends and family, be patient, and hope for my safe transition into this humble little world we like to call Burbank.
Now as for the question...."why?"...well... I can't stay in this womb forever....duh!
peace out..head out,
mateyo
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Zodiac repurcussions...
LEO, The Lion
July 23 - August 22
The Leo type is the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert of all the zodiacal characters. In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo. They are at their most effective when in a position of command, their personal magnetism and innate courtesy of mind bringing out the best of loyalty from subordinates. They are uncomplicated, knowing exactly what they want and using all their energies, creativeness and resolution to get it, as well as being certain that they will get whatever they are after. Their followers know where they are with Leonians. Leonians think and act bigger than others would normally dare; the ambitiousness of their schemes and idealism sometimes daunt their followers, their practical hardheadedness and ability to go straight to the heart of any problem reassures those who depend on them. If Leonians meet with setbacks they thrive on the adversity.
On the whole they are powers for good, for they are strongly idealistic, humane, and beneficent. They have powerful intelligence and are of a broad philosophical, sometimes religious, turn of mind. Those who are devout may become very obstinate in upholding traditional beliefs and will cling tenaciously, but with complete sincerity, to practices and doctrines which liberal thinkers regard as absurdly out-of-date. These will be found as the 'lions' of industries, and in the forefront of the cutting edge of technologies.
Their faults can be as large in scale as their virtues, and an excessively negative Leonian can be one of the most unpleasant human beings imaginable, displaying extreme arrogance, autocratic pride, haughtiness, and excessive hastiness of temper. If jealously suspicious of rivals, they will not hesitate to use cunning, lies and trickery to discredit them. Self-centeredness, greed for flattery, boastfulness, and bombast, pomposity, snobbish superiority, and overbearing, and intolerant disdain of underlings; to whom they will nevertheless delegate the carrying out of minor details in their grandiose schemes, and from whom they are not above borrowing immoderately if an occasion necessitates it. Any of these can be characteristic of Leo.
--
VIRGO, The Virgin
August 23 - September 23
Virgo is the only zodiacal sign represented by a female. It is sometimes thought of as a potentially creative girl, delicately lovely; sometimes as a somewhat older woman, intelligent but rather pedantic and spinsterish. The latter impression is sometimes confirmed by the Virgoan preciseness, refinement, fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. They are usually observant, shrewd, critically inclined, judicious, patient, practical supporters of the status quo, and tend toward conservatism in all departments of life. On the surface they are emotionally cold, and sometimes this goes deeper, for their habit of suppressing their natural kindness may in the end cause it to atrophy, with the result that they shrink from committing themselves to friendship, make few relationships, and those they do make they are careful to keep superficial.
But the outward lack of feeling may, in some individuals born under this sign, conceal too much emotion, to which they are afraid of giving way because they do not trust others, nor do they have confidence in themselves and their judgments. This is because they are conscious of certain shortcomings in themselves of worldliness, of practicality, of sophistication and of outgoingness. So they bring the art of self concealment to a high pitch, hiding their apprehensiveness about themselves and their often considerable sympathy with other people under a mantle of matter-of-factness and undemonstrative, quiet reserve. They are still waters that run deep. Yet in their unassuming, outwardly cheerful and agreeable fashion, they can be sensible, discreet, well spoken, wise and witty, with a good understanding of other people's problems which they can tackle with a practicality not always evident in their own personal relationships.
Their minds are such that they need the stimulus of practical problems to be solved rather than the mere routine or working to set specifications that need no thought. They are careful with money and their interest in statistics makes them excellent bookkeepers and accountants. They also make good editors, physicists and analytical chemists. They may also find success as welfare workers, ministering to those less fortunate than themselves. They can be doctors, nurses, psychologists, teachers, confidential secretaries, technologists, inspectors, musicians, critics, public speakers and writers especially of reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. Both sexes have a deep interest in history, a feature recognized by astrological authorities for at least two hundred years. If they go in for a business career their shrewdness and analytical ingenuity could tempt them into dishonesty, though they usually have enough moral sense to resist temptation.
Their faults, as is usual with all zodiacal types, are the extremes of their virtues. Fastidious reticence and modesty become old-maidishness and persnicketiness; balanced criticism becomes carping and nagging; and concern for detail becomes overspecialization. Virgoans are liable to indecision in wider issues and this can become chronic, turning molehills of minor difficulties into Himalayas of crisis. Their prudence can become guile and their carefulness, turned in on themselves, can produce worriers and hypochondriacs.
(excerpted from www.astrology-online.com)
July 23 - August 22
The Leo type is the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert of all the zodiacal characters. In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo. They are at their most effective when in a position of command, their personal magnetism and innate courtesy of mind bringing out the best of loyalty from subordinates. They are uncomplicated, knowing exactly what they want and using all their energies, creativeness and resolution to get it, as well as being certain that they will get whatever they are after. Their followers know where they are with Leonians. Leonians think and act bigger than others would normally dare; the ambitiousness of their schemes and idealism sometimes daunt their followers, their practical hardheadedness and ability to go straight to the heart of any problem reassures those who depend on them. If Leonians meet with setbacks they thrive on the adversity.
On the whole they are powers for good, for they are strongly idealistic, humane, and beneficent. They have powerful intelligence and are of a broad philosophical, sometimes religious, turn of mind. Those who are devout may become very obstinate in upholding traditional beliefs and will cling tenaciously, but with complete sincerity, to practices and doctrines which liberal thinkers regard as absurdly out-of-date. These will be found as the 'lions' of industries, and in the forefront of the cutting edge of technologies.
Their faults can be as large in scale as their virtues, and an excessively negative Leonian can be one of the most unpleasant human beings imaginable, displaying extreme arrogance, autocratic pride, haughtiness, and excessive hastiness of temper. If jealously suspicious of rivals, they will not hesitate to use cunning, lies and trickery to discredit them. Self-centeredness, greed for flattery, boastfulness, and bombast, pomposity, snobbish superiority, and overbearing, and intolerant disdain of underlings; to whom they will nevertheless delegate the carrying out of minor details in their grandiose schemes, and from whom they are not above borrowing immoderately if an occasion necessitates it. Any of these can be characteristic of Leo.
--
VIRGO, The Virgin
August 23 - September 23
Virgo is the only zodiacal sign represented by a female. It is sometimes thought of as a potentially creative girl, delicately lovely; sometimes as a somewhat older woman, intelligent but rather pedantic and spinsterish. The latter impression is sometimes confirmed by the Virgoan preciseness, refinement, fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. They are usually observant, shrewd, critically inclined, judicious, patient, practical supporters of the status quo, and tend toward conservatism in all departments of life. On the surface they are emotionally cold, and sometimes this goes deeper, for their habit of suppressing their natural kindness may in the end cause it to atrophy, with the result that they shrink from committing themselves to friendship, make few relationships, and those they do make they are careful to keep superficial.
But the outward lack of feeling may, in some individuals born under this sign, conceal too much emotion, to which they are afraid of giving way because they do not trust others, nor do they have confidence in themselves and their judgments. This is because they are conscious of certain shortcomings in themselves of worldliness, of practicality, of sophistication and of outgoingness. So they bring the art of self concealment to a high pitch, hiding their apprehensiveness about themselves and their often considerable sympathy with other people under a mantle of matter-of-factness and undemonstrative, quiet reserve. They are still waters that run deep. Yet in their unassuming, outwardly cheerful and agreeable fashion, they can be sensible, discreet, well spoken, wise and witty, with a good understanding of other people's problems which they can tackle with a practicality not always evident in their own personal relationships.
Their minds are such that they need the stimulus of practical problems to be solved rather than the mere routine or working to set specifications that need no thought. They are careful with money and their interest in statistics makes them excellent bookkeepers and accountants. They also make good editors, physicists and analytical chemists. They may also find success as welfare workers, ministering to those less fortunate than themselves. They can be doctors, nurses, psychologists, teachers, confidential secretaries, technologists, inspectors, musicians, critics, public speakers and writers especially of reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. Both sexes have a deep interest in history, a feature recognized by astrological authorities for at least two hundred years. If they go in for a business career their shrewdness and analytical ingenuity could tempt them into dishonesty, though they usually have enough moral sense to resist temptation.
Their faults, as is usual with all zodiacal types, are the extremes of their virtues. Fastidious reticence and modesty become old-maidishness and persnicketiness; balanced criticism becomes carping and nagging; and concern for detail becomes overspecialization. Virgoans are liable to indecision in wider issues and this can become chronic, turning molehills of minor difficulties into Himalayas of crisis. Their prudence can become guile and their carefulness, turned in on themselves, can produce worriers and hypochondriacs.
(excerpted from www.astrology-online.com)
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Mateyo Kidlat Watch 2007 has begun!!!
WOOWEE! We're counting down to one month until the big day! Cindy feels like Mateyo will make an early entrance but that remains to be seen. He's kicking like he wants out, so she could be right...let's call it a mother's instinct. Anyways, for all of you who didn't make it out to the baby shower we really missed ya...for a taste of the festivities click here. (thanks gigi!)
I will be sure to let you know if anything happens soon, but keep checking over the next month.
Love yall,
Laks
Monday, August 6, 2007
by the rivers of babylon...
Psalm 137:1 - By the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat down, yea, we wept,
when we remembered Zion.
Psalm 137:3-4 - For there they that
carried us away captive required of us a song;
and they that wasted us required of us mirth,
saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
How shall we sing the LORD's song
in a strange land?
--
By the rivers of babylon
Where he sat down
And there he went
When he remembered zion.
For the wicked, carry us away
Captivity require from us a song
How can we sing king alphas song in a strange land?
So let the words of our mouth
And the meditations of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight
Over i
By the rivers of babylyon
Where he sat down
And there he went
When he remebered zion.
For the wicked, carry us away
Captivity require from us a song
How can we sing king alphas song in a strange land?
- lyrics by The Melodians
there we sat down, yea, we wept,
when we remembered Zion.
Psalm 137:3-4 - For there they that
carried us away captive required of us a song;
and they that wasted us required of us mirth,
saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
How shall we sing the LORD's song
in a strange land?
--
By the rivers of babylon
Where he sat down
And there he went
When he remembered zion.
For the wicked, carry us away
Captivity require from us a song
How can we sing king alphas song in a strange land?
So let the words of our mouth
And the meditations of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight
Over i
By the rivers of babylyon
Where he sat down
And there he went
When he remebered zion.
For the wicked, carry us away
Captivity require from us a song
How can we sing king alphas song in a strange land?
- lyrics by The Melodians
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