34th

Hubby and Xioms, with their birthday headbands on, woke me up today singing a happy birthday song. So, as much as I want to sleep more (preggy issues you know), I forced myself to get up. Well, it's already time to get up anyway. Kiddo handed me over a cute birthday card with a drawn cupcake dancing in the tune of some sort of a country music. It was so hilarious!

When I got out of the bedroom, a huge balloon, yellow rose plant, a cake with the number 34 candles lit on, and big breakfast plates await all of us. I guess hubby had been very busy preparing and cooking very early in the morning. Hmmm... so sweet! Not to mention that this home-made sausage and egg mcmuffin smells soooo good!

So after a few pictures here and there, we started to feast!

Little things like this makes a huge difference, and that is definitely the most important! I really can't express how happy and lucky I am having my family. They are my most prized possession! So, I have to say it again, BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! Haha.

Happy 34th to me. Cheers!

x

Paper

So, it has been a year now (well, technically four days ago) since we both said our "I dos" and here we are, want to kill and stab each other. NOT! Lol. Of course, we're still madly and deeply in love. Everyday with hubby is just exciting and unpredictable. Actually, he always makes fun of me saying that I'm becoming more and more spoiled -- which is true btw! I am a queen and treated as one! But I think he does enjoy spoiling me more than me enjoying being spoiled. 

Anyway, for our first wedding anniversary, hubby came up with some surprises -- he's quite good at that. We were out for 3 days and stayed in Tennessee. Our first day is some sort of a relax time wherein we got an Asian massage. Nice! I've been mentioning I wanted to have a massage and here it is, wish granted! After massage, we went for a drive over Memphis and Arkansas bridge to see the Mississippi river. I can't help but smile remembering Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer's adventures.

The next day is the 25th, our real first year wedding anniversary date. We celebrated by going for a fine dining at Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar in Memphis. Oh boy, food there was superb! Even the simplest form of fried chicken and waffles are to die for. And I like the way they serve food. Although they have a la carte menu, they are known for mixing and matching different items from their food and wine menu. Basically, when you add the word "flight" to your order (be it appetizer, entre, or wine), it means that you have to choose three different dishes/wine from the menu (though wine is out of the equation nowadays. Gah!) Sounds excellent for gluttons like me who wants to try everything! Haha. Now, I came to realize why my husband took me here :)

One year and more years to go! -taken by Xioms :)

Our last day was a nice warm trip to Elvis Presley's house in Memphis aka Graceland. We have been planning to go there. Hubby keeps on mentioning how interesting Elvis' life is so we should visit his house, but we have also been postponing it for other more worthy trips. Finally, we found time now :) Elvis' was actually born in Mississippi and just moved to Memphis, Tennessee with his family when he was 13. Elvis' house is not that big like other Hollywood stars' mansions. Although he has a huge lot. There were separate spaces for entertainment, outdoor sports, and even for his graveyard. I can definitely say that Elvis' character is quite eccentric. This can all be seen by his personal choices in clothing and room designs -- there was even a room called the "jungle room" which is kind of inspired by his visit to Hawaii. There was one place though that visitors aren't allowed to see -- his bedroom upstairs. It was mentioned that that room was preserved and has never been touched since he passed away. Hmmm...

So, that's about it -- our three-day anniversary trip. Cheers for more days and years ahead of us, baby! I'm so thankful every morning waking up seeing your baby face.

x

Winter Ain't Over Yet!

Just when you thought that it's already spring, snow just pour out of the sky one day in March. Oh well, weather here in Kentucky is just so bizarre! One day it's super hot, the next day it's raining with thunderstorm, then the next day it's super cold.

Snow in spring.

Anyway, since this is Xioms first time to see snow and she's actually praying for one for the last 3 or 4 months, hubby decided to play and build a snowman for her.

Here's Peter, Xioms snowman buddy!

So I guess, winter ain't over yet! Geez, my poor tulips!!!

x

Our Second Successful Attempt

Officially, WE ARE PREGNANT! Yeyyyy!

We just came out of the clinic and my OBGYN confirmed that we are 5 weeks and 5 days pregnant. We even saw our little pea through an ultrasound and we're just extremely excited and happy.

Sweet little pea

Though I'm subject for full supervision and intensive care. Oh well, it's due to my molar pregnancy history, and that my doctor somehow saw some amount of blood clot in my uterus. But I don't need to fret she said. We were assured that it wasn't that a big of a deal. She just need to monitor that for extra precaution. So on my end, no more workouts or extreme movements. I also better be eating right, and that I always need to be in a relaxed mode. Not entirely on bed rest but I need to feel always well-rested. Well, that's easy. I can do that! I'll do whatever it takes for our baby to be okay and healthy.

So, I guess that's the news for now. Till our next checkup. Toodles!

x

Our Second Attempt

These past five or six months has been gloomy. Imagine submitting yourself to series of blood work to ensure that your hCG level comes back down to zero. Yep, I still have pregnancy hormones from my previous molar pregnancy which basically means, we cannot be pregnant by then. Though counting those days and months feels painfully upsetting, we couldn't be more thankful that finally it was over!

When hubby and I started our family, we've been planning to have additional baby(ies) the soonest! Despite our grim experience, we are hopeful and couldn't actually wait to make a new one. For us both, now is the perfect time.

Well, the wait is finally over!!! After a week or so of not having my period, during the time that I'm supposed to bleed, prompted me that I need to do some home pregnancy test. Turns out positive and oh my, I sure am the happiest person in the world!

I immediately informed hubby and called out our OBGYN for an appointment. So, until here for now. Will let you know what happens next. Laters alligators!

x

Krotovs' Holiday 2016

Holiday season is a usual time to be with our family. So back in the days when I was working and living in Abu Dhabi, I (with Vlad in my luggage) always make it a point that I come home to the Philippines and celebrate it there with Mom, my sisters, and of course Xioms. This time around, after moving to Kentucky and that I'm now a "Mrs.", I get to spend holidays with my own family.

Thanksgiving

We really don't celebrate Thanksgiving back home. Since we moved here in the US, where Thanksgiving is considered a public holiday, and that it is a tradition for families to feast on a turkey, we thought, well, why not celebrate it? Although it is interesting to note that for Native Americans, the real history of Thanksgiving is nothing but pure darkness and horror. Here is a short read about it.

Ah Christmas. I could say that this is the very first time I experienced real Christmas feeling -- the cool climate, winter snow, and the lovely smell of Christmas tree! Hubby and I bought a real Fraser fir tree and I went gaga buying decorations! Truth is, this is my first ever Christmas tree and I want it to be special. When I was a kid, I never experienced having one (even those plastic trees they sell in the department stores). Maybe because its expensive or it's just pure hassle to put up or we don't have time or even a place for it. I have never complained and never asked for one anyway. But now being a parent myself, it just feels so different and exciting to decorate it with the push and willingness of your own kid to help. Plus, where are we supposed to put our gifts, eh? LOL.

Christmas Eve at home :)

When it comes to New Year, this year is quite different. Well, not really, we still managed to be right by the beach most of the time :) My family planned on a two-week trip to Sunshine State. I'll try to write a separate blog about that trip. But in a nutshell, we pretty much went all around Florida -- from Panama City Beach (our favorite beach here in the US) all the way down to Key West! We celebrated New Year's Eve in Miami, dancing along with Pitbull, Snoop Dogg and a whole lot of Cubans! Hehe.

NYE countdown in Miami

So there it is. My family's 2016 holiday story. Ta-ta!