It’s another boy for Lara & Marco

At a gold/green/white-themed baby shower hosted by baby brand Aprica, Marco and Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz announced that their second child is a boy. Their son Noah is just too happy to be called kuya by his little brother who is scheduled to arrive on Sept. 23.

Held at One Rockwell East, the affair was attended by the couple’s friends, including Lara’s co-stars in Bagani (Rayver Cruz, Dimples Romana and Zaijian Jaranilla) and her fellow beauty queens.

The baby will be named Tobias Nolan.

“Like Christopher Nolan,” explained Lara. “And Tobias because we believe in the power of names. It’s also medyo Biblical. Marco and I did a research. Actually, hindi talaga siya nasa Bible. Tobias means ‘God is Good.’ We chose Nolan because Marco just wants the name na may ‘Noe.’ Noah is Noah Lamar; Noah from the Bible and Lamar is a combination of Lara Marco.”

For Noah, Lara recalled that she labored for 10 hours.

“But I was in extreme pain and my heartbeat wasn’t good na, so nagpa-Caesarian na lang ako. This time daw, I can try normal delivery but I’m scared so C.S. na lang ulit.”

Noel Ferrer, Maria Ozawa, Jose Sarasola, Lara, Marco, Noah, Dianne Medina, Rodjun Cruz and Rayver Cruz

Lara and Marco are not the “spare the rod and spoil the child” kind of parents.?

Lara: “I follow my dad’s style of disciplining. I use a wooden spoon but I don’t hit Noah hard. Before paluin, I explain to him why papaluin siya and he understands naman. Usually, I just show him the spoon and he behaves na.”

Marco: “Lara is the spoiler. Whatever Noah wants or asks for, she would say, ‘Puede ‘yan!’ In the store, when Noah sees the toys, I would tell him, ‘Okay, buy only one ha.’ And he listens. Hindi siya ma-reklamo. Thank you, Lord, at sobrang bait ng anak namin.” 

Lara’s Bagani guests

Asked if they’re raising Noah the way they were raised by their parents, Lara said, “OFW ang parents ko, so I would see them once every two years only. Marco have five siblings, sunud-sunod sila. He doesn’t want maraming kids kasi he feels na hindi namin mabibigyan ng enough attention ang bawat isa, ganun. Prayerful ang mom ko so even if she was abroad, she would call and we would pray together over the phone. That’s what I’d do with Noah and Tobias. We want them to grow up in a godly way, in a godly family.”

Marco: “We bring Noah everywhere we go, even on our trips abroad. Same with Tobias. Kasi siempre when they grow up, they will start having lives of their own.”

And how many more children do you plan to have?

Lara, who was Miss International 2005, with former Miss Universe Philippines Gionna Cabrera (center) and Miss World Philippines Carlene Aguilar

“Siguro two more because kapag C.S. ka, you can have only four children,” said Lara. “I asked my doctor how soon could I have another baby and he said, ‘If your scar is healed already.’ I am already 35, so…Sana next time, girl naman.”

Until she gives birth, Lara continues to shoot for Bagani, never mind if the set is in Bulacan and her family lives in the south.

“It’s hard,” she admitted, “but I’m glad and thankful that the staff takes good care of me. But I should be done with my part so rest na ako until I give birth.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)