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Pauleen Luna is due to give birth to her and her husband Vic Sotto’s first child sometime in November, which happens to be her birth month. She turns 28 on November 10. “So malapit na, konting kembot na lang!” she said laughing.
The Eat Bulaga! co-host talked to Smart Parenting and a few reporters during the baby shower organized for her by the stroller brand Aprica last October 19 at the clubhouse of the Andrea North Towers condo complex in Quezon City. She said she and Vic, who’s also known as 'Bossing' in and out of showbiz, have been preparing the baby room in their sprawling home in Laguna province. But, nope, she hasn’t started packing the baby bag she’ll bring to the hospital with her.
Pauleen then recalled a recent conversation she had with one of her cousins, where she was told that the first thing she has to pack is a camera. Sabi ko, ‘Unang-una talaga ang camera?’
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWNeedless to say, she’s one super excited first-time mom, and she was only too happy to share her pregnancy story: “We found out early this year. We were supposed to go in for a checkup to find out if I was pregnant or not. Pero nandaya ako. No’ng madaling araw, nag-pregnancy test na ’ko kasi nga excited na excited ako. And positive s’ya lumabas.
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"So siyempre, hindi na ’ko nakatulog. Sinabi ko sa kanya [Vic]. Pero ayaw n’ya munang ma-excite kasi we’re gonna do the lab test. And s’yempre mas ano naman talaga ’yong lab test. So sabi n’ya. ‘O, mamaya na lang. Hintayin na lang natin ’yong sa lab. So I went to the lab, and bago pa dumating ng Eat Bulaga!, ayun, we found out I’m pregnant nga. Wala na, I lost it. Sobrang excited.”
Pauleen is thankful that she’s having an “easy, happy pregnancy.” She didn’t have morning sickness or vomiting episodes. She didn’t also crave for anything or naglihi.
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch now“Di n’ya kami pinahirapan,” she said, pointing to her tummy. “Wala talaga. I wish nga meron para ma-experience ko, pero wala talaga.”
In a separate press interview with Vic, also at the baby shower, the movie and TV star agreed that his wife of almost two years breezed through her pregnancy. “Parang hindi nga naglihi,” he said. “Sa mga amoy-amoy lang, pero wala s’yang hinahanap na mga pagka-pagkain, gano’n. Mas marami lang s’yang ayaw kesa do’n sa gusto. ’Yong dating gusto n’ya, ayaw na n’ya. Gano’n lang kasimple. Walang kumplikadong ano.”
If there was one thing that took Pauleen’s fancy, it was the sight of pretty women, which she then took as a sign of her baby’s gender. “Sobrang hilig kong tumingin sa mga magagandang babae. Hindi naman ako normally na gano’n,” she said, grinning.
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She was particularly hooked on watching on cable TV the regional modeling competition, Asia’s Next Top Model, in which Filipino-German candidate Maureen Wroblewitz emerged as the winner. “Oh my gosh, ang ganda n’ya!” Pauleen said of Maureen. “’Tapos pag binu-bully s’ya, naiiyak ako. Sabi ko, ‘No, hindi s’ya dapat i-bully.’”
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWPauleen also can’t forget the time the winners of Binibining Pilipinas 2017, led by Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Maxine Medina, appeared as guests in Eat Bulaga! “Tuwang-tuwa ako kina Maxine Medina,” she said. “Sabi ko, ‘Ano’ng nangyayari sa ’kin?’ Sabi ko, babae siguro ’to. Eh s’ya, gusto n’ya [ni Vic] boy. Sabi n’ya, ‘Hindi ’yan! Akala mo lang ’yon.’ Ayun, babae nga!”
For his part, Vic said he was only teasing his wife because he knew that Pauleen really wanted to have a baby girl. “Sa akin, lalake para may konting thrill kumbaga,” he pointed out. “Pero para sa akin, mapa-babae, mapa-lalake, okey naman. Basta importante, safe, healthy.”
As for taking care of herself, Pauleen kept herself pretty by applying five different oils, including virgin coconut oil and sunflower oil, on her tummy three to four times a day in the hope of minimizing the stretch marks. She made it clear, though, that it wouldn't be a big deal if ever stretch marks eventually appear.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW“At least, ginawa ko ang best ko,” she said. “So far, wala pa. Sabi ni Vic, ‘Kung magkakaro’n ka, magkakaro’n ka.’ I mean, it’s very natural. Pero ako, I believe na you can take care of your baby and you can take care of yourself also at the same time.”
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As her due date nears, Pauleen is amazed that her old thinking that giving birth is “one of the scariest moments of my life” has been replaced by much anticipation in finally seeing her child. She has also decided for an epidural delivery and, if needed, will go for a C-section.
Pauleen and Vic already have a name for their baby girl on the way, but they would rather keep it to themselves for now. Pauleen gave a few clues, though: the baby will have two names, one of which starts with the letter T, and both come from the Bible. Baby T will be Pauleen’s first child and Vic’s fifth, after Danica and Oyo (his children with ex-wife Dina Bonnevie), Vico (his son with Coney Reyes), and Paulina (his daughter with Angela Luz).
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWAll of Vic’s children are grown up. The youngest, Paulina, who got married early this year, will turn 26 on November 8. Danica and Oyo are also happily married to their respective spouses Marc Pingris and Kristine Hermosa. Vico is the only one who remains single of the siblings.
The 63-year-old showbiz icon admitted that being a father again after 26 years is a “whole new experience,” but nothing “kabigla-bigla.” Grinning, he explained: “I’m excited. I’m more excited for her kasi she’s a first-time mom. And I know that she’s going to be a very good mom kasi sobrang hilig n’ya sa bata. ’Tapos she’ll be having her own, so I know she’ll be a very good mother.”
Pauleen is quite certain that Vic will be a good father, too, to Baby T. “Well I’ve seen him as a father to his four other children,” she pointed out. “Very loving, very caring, and I just don’t see that with how he treats his children. I see it with how his children treat him. Do’n ko nakikita na, ‘Ay, ang galing na tatay nito.’ Kasi grabe ’yong respeto, ’yong pagmamahal ng mga anak n’ya sa kanya. So he must’ve been a very good father. I mean, binabalik [nila] sa kanya, eh. Kaya I’m very excited because I know that he’s gonna be a good father.”
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWAnd that’s why Pauleen is praying that she and Vic will have more babies. “Kahit dalawa, okey na ’ko,” she said. “[Para] ’wag lang s’yang mag-isang lumaki. Kasi ang mga ate at kuya n’ya, malalaki na, eh. Pero s’yempre kung bigay ng mas marami e di okey...” she said with a grin.
“Hopefully after one month, charot! Kasi nga hindi nakakadala, eh. Alam mo ’yon, di n’ya ’ko pinahirapan kaya go lang.”
