Miriam Quiambao on Motherhood at 44: 'I Feel My Knees Clicking A Little'

Miriam Quiambao-Roberto marked her 44th birthday early this year. The& beauty-queen-turned-inspirational-speaker had a celebration with her complete family days ahead of her husband Ardy Roberto's trip abroad, and it was extra special because it's the first time she is sharing her birthday with her loved ones, including her son Elijah who was born earlier this year.

"Happy birthday to me! So this is what 44 feels like. Actually, it doesn't feel any different from 43," Miriam shared on Instagram yesterday, May 22. "Except when I get up from the floor after picking up my son from his playmat, I feel my knees clicking a little," she quipped.

"I should get back [to] working out if I am to last long and stay strong in this motherhood game," she said as a note to herself. At 44, there are so many things Miriam is thankful for, apart from successfully carrying and delivering a baby into this world.

Just a few days before Miriam's birthday, her son Elijah marked his third month. He was born prematurely on February 16, weighing only 4.7 pounds at birth. At his recent well-baby checkup, Elijah tipped the scale at 9.4 pounds. He also got vaccinated, and mom Miriam was there to calm and comfort him.

This year, Miriam also marked her first Mother's Day as a mom of two. "There is no better feeling than a baby asleep on your chest, and an older child tell you that you are amazing, wonderful," she wrote in her Mother's Day post on May 13. Miriam's older son Joshua, 11, has been the best big brother to Elijah, sometimes helping her with baby care duties.

She's also thankful for being able to breastfeed. "One of my aspirations for my Baby Elijah is to breastfeed him until two years, God-willing," she wrote in the caption for her selfie while pumping with her electric breast pump and hands-free bra. The nursing mom admitted that breastfeeding exclusively is "quite a challenge," but pumping breast milk and keeping a breast milk stash at home for Elijah helps her accomplish other things in her to-do list.

"Funny though because the first time I used an electric breast pump, I felt like a milking cow!!" Miriam said, asking for a show of support from moms who felt or still feel the same way. "But I managed to convince myself that I have to do this not just for the love of my baby, but also for the love of me!" she stressed.

For Miriam's birthday, she also had a simple birthday wish. "When I blew the candle, I couldn't think of much to wish for as I have been blessed this year with a happy family, a healthy baby, wonderful friends, a thriving business and a fruitful ministry," Miriam shared. "All I wished for is that I will be in the center of God's will all the days of my life," she added.

Despite the distance, her husband Ardy sent his "noble, amazing" wife a birthday greeting on Instagram: "Even though I'm away on this mission trip, my heart is one with you. I love you so much, babe. You're such a blessing to me, and my boys and whomever crosses your path. I love how you love and live for the Lord. Thank you for being the best wife and the best mother to our boys.

After Miriam's simple advanced dinner, she said she'll have another party when Ardy gets back from his ministry trip. "But for now, simple is enough for me. My heart is full," she said.