And it's Dianne Medina, Max Collins, and Trina Candaza's first time to celebrate Mother's Day, too!
Artwork by Ariana Maralit
Motherhood is an incomparable journey, filled with all kinds of mixed emotions that range from fear, frustration, compassion, happiness, excitement, over-protectiveness, pressure, and ultimately, the limitless breadth of love among many others. For new moms especially, the transition is life-changing as they assume new roles as mothers, and are now responsible for a new life.
Dianne Medina-Ilustre with Baby Joaquin, 8 months old
Before giving birth to Baby Joaquin last September 2020, Dianne was always out and about managing multiple hosting and acting gigs. Despite achieving much for herself career-wise, nothing could prepare her for the new experiences motherhood would bring.
Dianne says that there are so many things she never imagined that she's doing now as a mom. These include "exclusively breastfeeding a baby, memorizing all the Cocomelon songs, going out nakapambahay with a bag full of bottles, maxing out my card for baby stuff!" But she shares one thing that she learned about herself is her unlimited patience and love for Joaquin, which is a trait that only a mom can truly understand.
For Dianne, "every moment with Joaquin is a priceless moment for me. I'm happy that I am able to spend more time with him and witness his many milestones!"
Isabelle "Max" Collins with Baby Skye, 10 months old
Baby Skye was born via home water birth in July 2020. Considering the pain and immense labor that Max had to go through while giving birth, one thing she's still in awe about her journey as a mom so far is being "so instinctive with my baby."
Maternal instinct has always been assumed as a natural and innate connection between mother and child, and this is something Max is surprised to have acquired. She didn't think she'd be able to understand her baby so well prior to being a mother; "having that ESP (extrasensory perception) when it comes to my baby's needs is a gift!"
Finally, in spite of COVID-19, a priceless memory with Skye that Max fondly looks back to was the day she brought him to his first out-of-town trip to The Farm at San Benito. She saw that he really got to connect with nature and roam around with the peacocks at the resort. Although every moment is special with Skye, Max is looking forward to the time they can travel the world together.
Trina Candaza and Baby Mithi, 8 months old
Trina revealed her pregnancy on social media only after her Baby Elona Mithi was born. She values her family's privacy which is also why she didn't think she'd ever be into vlogging now as a mom. "I love taking photos and videos for memories, but I don't usually upload it. When I became a mom, I just felt fulfillment showing videos of my daughter, Elona Mithi and my motherhood journey."
Baby Mithi even has her own Instagram account and is always the highlight of videos in Trina's Youtube channel. Trina hopes that somehow, she's able to inspire other moms through her content, as well as watch her memories with Baby Mithi together once she grows up.
Beyond anything, however, the most unforgettable moment for Trina was when Baby Mithi revealed her first smile and laughter. Baby Mithi actually earned the name "Baby Minchin" from Princess Sarah because during her first few months old, she always had a grumpy face on and would rarely smile. Hence, Trina's heart melts whenever she remembers the first time she witnessed Baby Mithi's smile.
Embarking into motherhood provides a myriad new experiences. And amid the exhaustion, emotional burden, and lack of sleep that motherhood may bring, it's the love from family that makes any mother's journey worth it. So this Mother's Day, give your mom the love and appreciation that she deserves.