Like most couples, Oyo Sotto and Kristine Hermosa experienced a ton of challenges during their first few years as a married couple.
The couple, who recently celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary, opened up about some of the challenges they encountered in their interview on Toni Gonzaga's digital show titled Toni Talks, which was uploaded on YouTube last February 1, 2022.
Oyo and Kristine admitted to struggling financially at that time after the unexpected adjustments that came their way after adopting their eldest child, Kiel.
But with God as the center of their marriage, the couple was able to go through all the challenges they had over the past decade.
"Actually, wala kaming honeymoon stage," Oyo recalled.
"Kasi nung time na yun nasa amin na si Kiel, e. He was two? Two-years old na si Kiel."
He added, "Kasi nga iisipin mo 27 ka, so wala akong idea kung paano maging tatay. Di ba? So parang, 'Hindi ko alam, e.' Parang, 'Paano ba ito?'
"Tapos, biglang may two-year-old na agad ako. Kumbaga may asawa ka na, may two-year-old ka pa. So, kailangan mo buhayin ito, dahil siyempre medyo nag-lie low muna siya [Kristine] sa showbiz nun.
"Ayaw niya munang mag-soap soap sabi ko, kailangan ako yung kumayod ng kumayod, mag-work nang mag-work."
SURPRISE PREGNANCIES
Their married life also became more colorful and challenging as they welcomed their kids—Ondrea, 9; Kaleb Hanns, 6; Marvic Valentin "Vin," 4; and their six-month-old pandemic baby Vittorio Isaac.
For Kristine, everything happened so fast. But the actress revealed that they actually weren't planning their last two pregnancies—with Vin and Isaac.
She told Toni, "Actually, ang bilis lang. Hindi planado si Isaac and si Vin. Hindi sila planned.
"Kasi si Kaleb that time, medyo dikit yung pagitan ni Kaleb that time. Medyo dikit yung pagitan ni Kaleb and ni Vin.
"Sabi namin, 'Lord, bahala ka na. Kasi ikaw naman nakakaalam kung game pa ba ako.'"
Kaleb was born in October 2014. Two years later, in November 2016, the couple welcomed their fourth child, Vin.
Isaac, on the other hand, was born just last August 2021.
The couple both agreed that Kristine's last pregnancy definitely came as a surprise. Baby Isaac could even be considered a "miracle baby."
Oyo revealed to Toni that they have been experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance before Kristine got pregnant with Isaac.
Oyo recalled, "Ang istorya kasi niyan ni Isaac, yung bunso, kaya namin hindi ine-expect na mabubuntis siya, kasit that time bago siya mabuntis, pareho kaming dalawa we were having problems with our hormones.
"As in, nagpa-check kami, may problema ako sa testosterone ko, sa estrogen ko. Out of whack talaga. 'Tapos, pati siya."
Kristine continued, "Ako rin yung estrogen ko... Iku-kuwento ko lang, ha? E, yung hormones ko raw, according to the doctor, pang 65 years old."
Oyo added, "Kasi super baba ng estrogen niya. So parang ang nagpapatakbo na lang sa kanya is yung testosterone."
Kristine, then remarked with a hearty laugh, "Lalaki ako.... Lalaki ako nung mga panahon na yun! Naging babae na lang... Hahaha!"
Oyo, on the other hand, was experiencing the exact opposite of Kristine's condition. His testosterone levels were low while his estrogen level was increasing.
The 38-year-old actor told Toni, "Pero alam mo, totoo ha? As in nagulat kami. Sabi namin, alam mo yung nagba-bike naman ako, nagwu-workout ako. Sabi ko, 'Bakit ganun yung [nararamdaman ko].'
"As in, all of a sudden biglang… one day, nag-workout kami grabe, sabi ko di ko mabuhat yung mga dati kong binubuhat, as in.
"Alam mo yung parang gusto kong umiyak. Sabi ko, 'Bakit ganun?' Parang biglang nawala yung strength. Nanghina talaga ako."
Oyo said his doctor even recommended for him to do a sperm count.
"Sabi ng doctor, as in sinabi niya talaga, 'Talagang napakaliit ng chance na magkaroon pa kayo ng isang baby...' Kasi nga di ba, gusto nga ipa... magpa-sperm count, e.
"Yun na yung sinabi ng doctor. Sabi niya, 'If I were you Oyo, kung okay ka lang naman, magpa-sperm count ka.' Kasi yung testosterone ko is very low, yung estrogen ko ang taas."
Oyo continued, "Sabi niya, yun magpa-sperm count ka. E, parang ako, ayoko."
Kristine later revealed that Oyo didn't heed his doctor's advice. Instead, they continued to take meds to normalize their hormones.
She said, "Hindi niya ginawa. So wala kaming ginawa. Ginagamot namin yung hormones."
Oyo even recalled being teased by his dad Vic Sotto when are they planning to have another baby sometime in 2020, months after the pandemic started.
But the Daddy's Gurl actor said they weren't really able to disclose their situation to his dad at that time.
"Inaasar nga kami ni daddy nun, e. Ano, wala na bang kasunod? Grabe pandemic, o? Wala bang nangyayari sa inyo?
"Sabi ko, 'Sinusubukan nga namin, Dad, e. Kaya lang wala talaga, e.'
"Hindi naman namin sinabi sa kanila lahat nung mga pangyayari. Biglang nagulat kami. Ayun na, kailan mo nalaman? December?"
Ultimately, Kristine and Oyo were happy and grateful when they found out that they were expecting another baby in December 2020.
Oyo added, "Huminto na ako sa ano, e… ang tagal ko ng parang almost a year na or may one year na ako not taking any meds.
"Yung mga pampaayos ng hormones, mga ganyan-ganyan."
Asked by Toni how many kids they want to have or if they're planning to limit their children to five, Kristine answered, "Hindi talaga namin alam, Tin. Totoo lang."
She continued, "Kasi, wala pang sinasabi si God, e. Tsaka ayoko rin namang magpa... you know, magpatali."