MANILA, Philippines?Mixed emotions.

That?s how ?Moms? host Lani Mercado described to Inquirer Entertainment her state of mind during her 40th birthday party at the Palms Country Club on Saturday.

?I was happy and nervous at the same time,? she explained. ?My husband (Sen. Bong Revilla) and best friend (Badette Camacho) had a lot of surprises.?

She said it was her first time to throw a big celebration. ?On my 18th birthday, our family had a simple dinner. In a way, this is my debut, my big coming-out party.?

A few months after her 18th birthday, she married Bong, she recalled. ?That?s why I know what Inah is going through now.?

Inah Felicia is Lani and Bong?s 18-year-old daughter, who is tying the knot with boyfriend Vince del Rosario on May 28 at the Manila Cathedral. Vince, Lani said, is the 23-year-old son of George del Rosario, Sen. Bong?s chief of staff. ?The Del Rosarios are good friends of our family,? she stressed. ?Vince is a kabarkada of my sons Bryan and Jolo.?

She said she was also ?anxious? during the party because she and Bong had to make a formal announcement, to confirm the news of Inah?s forthcoming wedding, as well as her pregnancy.

?She is in her third month, and she?s always sleepy,? Lani said. ?She also craves pancakes, waffles. She?ll order a lot and only eat small portions.?

She said that Inah will momentarily stop, but will continue her Legal Management studies at the Ateneo after giving birth. Inah is an incoming sophomore.

?In the meantime, she?s planning to enroll in short courses at the UP Open University, or take cooking lessons, so she won?t get bored.?

Since Inah and Vince are planning to move into their own condo unit after the wedding, Lani conceded that she?ll miss her late-night girl talks with Inah the most.

?I confide in her. She opens up to me, too. We?ve kept no secrets from each other?except for the pregnancy,? said Lani.

She related that she and her hubby were in the US when Inah broke the news to her. ?I cried. It took a while before I told Bong,? she said.

He was crestfallen, Lani recalled. Or, as Bong put it, ?My entire world crashed.?

Lani pointed out, ?I thought I?d have a college graduate when I reached 40; I never thought I?d be preparing for a daughter?s wedding.?

According to Lani, Paul Cabral will design Inah?s gown and Vince?s barong. And, except for Lani?s sister-in-law Rowena Bautista-Mendiola, the other principal sponsors have yet to be decided by the two families.

Lani said her daughter remained ?strong and in high spirits? even though she?s juggling wedding preparations and morning sickness.

Andrea Bautista-Ynares, Bong?s sister, agreed, ?At the party, I asked Inah how she was. She said she was very happy.?

Lani concluded, ?Inah?s baby is the best gift for my 40th birthday.?

(E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)