James & Mic’s son due soon

In either last week of July or first week of August, James Yap will be a father for the third time when his girlfriend, Michela “Mic” Cazzola, gives birth to their first child.

“As I told (The STAR) several weeks ago,” confirmed Mic, “we’re having a boy and we are naming him Michael James, MJ for short, after me and James.”

James has a son with a former girlfriend and another boy, James Jr./Bimby, with his ex-wife Kris Aquino. James treats his stepson Joshua (Kris’ son by Phillip Salvador) as his own.

“He’s good with boys,” said Mic, teasing James.

Funfare interviewed the couple last Saturday afternoon at Le Jardin at the penthouse of W Fifth Avenue Building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) during the baby shower which they called “The New Little All-Star is Almost Due” on the invitation they sent to their friends. Among the star guests spotted by Funfare were Julius Babao and wife Tintin Bersola, Bo Cerrudo, Danica Sotto (minus husband Marc Pingris who, according to Danica, “is in Greece” presumably for games), Rico Maierhofer and wife Jeck, and James’ close friend Jeffrey Yap with his girlfriend Pritz Chua.

The giveaways prepared by Jenna Sy of Aprica, sponsor of the event, consisted of a throw pillow, an Instamug and other cute baby products.

Throughout her pregnancy, Mic hardly experienced any difficulty.

“It has been very smooth,” she said, “except when I would get mad at James for no reason at all.”

“Ako ang pinaglihian niya,” joked James when asked if Mic went through the so-called “infanticipation” period. “Ang galing nga, eh. She didn’t seem like pregnant at all. Mahusay magbuntis. I was bantay-sarado.”

“What is bantay-sarado?” asked Mic. Told that it meant “close guarding” (as James does on the hard court against the opponent), Mic smiled, “I needed to be sure, hehehe!”

James turned 34 last Feb. 15 (a day after his ex-wife Kris Aquino turned 45) and Mic will be 33 on Oct. 27. The sweethearts celebrated James’ birthday with a simple dinner with his family.

A Diplomatic Studies graduate from a university in Italy, Mic has been working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for almost eight years. She is an only child while James has three siblings.

They click because they enjoy life away from the limelight; they would rather stay home than socialize (“Except when necessary,” said Mic. “We are not the party-going type.”). They started going out more often in 2012. By then, James’ marriage to Kris had been annulled. It was also that same year (2012) when James and Mic visited Mic’s family in Italy which she described as “a small medieval town,” just like James’ native Escalante, a quiet city in Negros Occidental.

When Mic gives birth the natural way (name of hospital not revealed, but it would probably be at St. Luke’s Global which is a stone’s throw from where they live), James will be sure beside her.

“I will record it,” said James.

Asked what kind of dad he would be, James said, “Eksakto lang.”

“I will be a hands-on mom,” assured Mic.

So how soon do they plan to have their second child?

“Agad-agad?” laughed James.

“We want to enjoy our first baby muna,” said Mic.

They really plan to have five children, preferably all boys.

“Para isang team,” according to James.

By the way, what about their wedding?

“It will happen,” said Mic.

“Sa tamang panahon,” replied James.

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