LJ Reyes and Paolo Contis revealed the name of their future baby girl: Summer Ayanna.
The soon-to-be parents announced it during their intimate baby shower with family and friends last Sunday, November 25, in Rockwell Center, Makati.
Back when she was pregnant with her first child, Ethan "Aki" Akio, and did not know his gender yet, Summer was among LJ's choices for a name.
The celebrity mom told the press, "Yun dapat magiging pangalan niya [ni Aki] kung girl siya. E, ngayon baby girl, so sabi ko, 'Ay, Summer na talaga pangalan niya!'"
For the baby's second name, "Ayanna," LJ and Paolo particularly wanted it to start with letter "A."
"Sakto po sa lahat po ng aming anak. Lahat ng second name [nagsisimula sa] 'A,'" Paolo said.
LJ already has Aki from her previous relationship with ABS-CBN actor Paulo Avelino, Paolo has two daughters with his former wife, Lian Paz: Xalene Abriana and Xonia Aitana.
ANSWERED PRAYER
LJ and Paolo happily announced last September 19, that they were expecting a girl.
The GMA-7 actress even jumped for joy when the gender was revealed.
READ: LJ Reyes and Paolo Contis are having a baby girl
But the happiest of the three was Aki.
Paolo revealed to PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "Nung start ng year, [kinakausap] niya tiyan ni LJ. 'Baby, baby!' gumaganun. Siguro nagkatotoo.
"Malakas siya kay God, e."
LJ added in a separate one-on-one interview, "Nanghihingi na talaga siya ng kapatid... So parang feeling ko, gift ni God talaga para sa kanya, hindi sa aming dalawa. Malakas ang dasal niya!"
This made LJ less worried about her son getting jealous over the new baby.
She said, "Nakakatawa kasi gusto niya ng kapatid, so parang hindi problem sa akin na, 'O, halika, samahan mo kami dito sa room' or 'alagaan mo rin siya,' ganyan. Excited din talaga siya!"
What kind of big brother does she think Aki will be?
"Very protective iyan sure ako, kasi sa akin protective siya, e. So, since ito baby girl, sure ako magiging protective brother siya.
"As in parang disciplinarian pa nga maybe at times, pero excited na siya mag-three years old si baby para pag three years old na si baby, puwede na sila maglaro!"
ANXIETIES
LJ said she's grateful about having a baby girl because "wala nang pressure..."
She continued, "May boy ka na, may girl ka na.
"Gusto ko pa rin naman ng more kids, basta may isang boy na ako at isang girl."
But the Kapuso star also admitted to having some misgivings.
"Parang feeling ko baka hindi kami magiging as close as Aki, alam mo yung ganung feeling?
"Sabi ko nga, ang weird ko, no? Parang feeling ko dapat nasesepanx [separation anxiety] ako kay Aki, pero meron naman. Meron pa rin talaga. May fear ako na how will I divide my attention with my two kids?
"Although kasi the good thing about that, si Aki goes to school already. So, parang half of the day, wala siya. Maraming half of the day nasa school lang siya, so may time ako with the baby...
"Siyempre, nung time ni Aki, ako lang lahat, e. Siyempre, kaya rin kami sobrang close dahil ako lahat. Ako lagi kasama niya. Wala siyang choice. Ito may choice, e. Niloloko nga ako ni Pao, sabi niya, 'Ang damot mo!'
"Siyempre, feel ko lang parang natatakot lang ako na iba yung relationship, ganyan. May mga apprehension ka, pero hindi naman sa ayoko. Gusto ko lang din ma-experience sa girl na... Siyempre, yung dressing up, ganyan, saka yung bonding. May kasama ka na mag-shop."
But LJ generally looked forward to having a baby again.
"Actually ngayon, kung girl man o boy, makahawak lang ng baby. Ang sarap, e. Alam mo yun? Dati yung favorite ko inaamoy ko yung mouth ni Aki, inaamoy ko kili-kili niya. Yun wala pang laban. Ngayon kasi may laban na, e!
"Although siyempre malambing din si Aki. Nagpapa-kiss iyan, ganyan."
LJ is due to give birth in January 2019.
BABY SHOWER
Paolo gamely took over the hosting duties of his good friend Archie Alemania, who arrived at the party late in the afternoon.
Among the celebrities present were (L-R) Sef Cadayona, Jerald Napoles, and Gio Alvarez.
The three of them participated in the first game, the baby bottle drinking game.
Aki and his two cousins played the diaper game, where they got a cash prize from their Tito Paolo.
Later on, LJ's family members went head-to-head in a Minute To Win It-inspired game.
