retrospecting year 2007

here we go…

 

yaya matet is on one-week vacation and i am dead tired from doing the household chores and wrestling with a pasaway tot while jude was in the office. it's my only chance to sit down but i wanted to reflect and document on what happened for the year that is about to end and make a roundup of everything that’s worth to remember.

 

the major milestone i can say that happened for this year is that we were able to move out from our abode in malate and transferred here in cabuyao, laguna last april. though we are yet to transfer to our own house by next quarter and we are just renting out a flat right now, i already claimed that this place is now our home for good.  and moving out to live on our own, without any relatives near us, is quite an accomplishment and also a bold act on our part. but i am happy with the fact that we are doing well. oh yeah, jude and i miss the saturday night dates and we watch movies in the afternoon instead so we can be back by 7 pm. one of the tradeoffs but we don’t complain. =)

 

it’s also this 2007 that iñigo turned one and we celebrated it with a party. it turned out great inspite of our meager budget (but jude was saying it’s not meager). it was well-attended too by our relatives and friends and it seemed that everybody enjoyed it  but it was me who was the happiest person on that day as i saw iñigo dancing and clapping and beaming with smiles all throughout. the money and the months of preparation were paid off and i'll be more than glad to prepare another party for him next year.

 

and it’s this year that we traveled a lot. we just made bawi as i was pregnant and just gave birth last year so we’ve only been to two places: cebu-bohol and baguio. but for this year, we’ve been to six—subic and la union last summer; coron, palawan last june; boracay for our 2^nd wedding anniversary; and hong kong and macau last november. i still have yet to write about our recent trips. but among these places it’s definitely la union that i would love to be back for another surfing experience! =D

 

and how can i forget about my shift to sahmhood… =) though i’m still at lost right now on the status of my resignation with my employer and i still render my service once or twice a week and that depends on my mood, the weather, and the traffic… hahaha… i already assumed the role of a stay-at-home mom since may and read this: i have no regrets. it was another bold decision for us as we knew that our household income would be significantly decreased but again we have no regrets. it was also a joint decision. jude and i agreed that someone must spend more time at home with iñigo as we just can’t always leave him with his yaya and more importantly, to give him the proper guidance during his growing-up years.

 

to sum it up, i think this year is the year of major transitions and big leaps for jude and i as couple. our moves and decisions may not be that right but the bottomline for all of these is that we just seek on what’s essentially good for the family. as for the travels… well, it’s in our nature. =)

 

 

christmas samu't sari

it's three days to go before christmas...

and we still have a lot to do aside from wrapping presents and preparing for noche buena. argh! you see, jude and i made it a practice that every year, particularly during the holiday season, to visit the people who gladly accepted the role of ninong or ninang during our wedding. they are just eight (four pairs) so we think it's feasible that even for a short time we touch base with them personally. it's not for the gifts, okay... we actually prepared a small gift for each of them and we don't expect to have something in return. 

we just firmly believed that the ninong/ninang-inaanak relationship shouldn't stop at the wedding reception. it should be nurtured the same way we nurture friendships because they also play an important role in our life if we just acknowledge it. my project next year is to know our sponsors' birthdays and try my best to send them a gretting card at least.

and talking about friendships... sigh, i miss my friends particularly my close friends who i seldom see these days like rina (hope you're reading this mare), leah, and soulmate (as i call my friend, joy). i tried to schedule a date with each of them but having a little tot around the house makes me so tamad na... oops! hehe. and do you think the fact that we already live in laguna helps? yan ang hirap 'pag promdi. hahaha.

***

care to know what's on our table for noche buena?

since jude's parents are staying in hong kong until february, we decided to host this year's noche buena in their house and just go to my folks' place morning of christmas. christmas staples would still be around such as ham, fruit salad, and queso de bola. we will also have spaghetti for noodles and roasted chicken by andok's as the latter is everybody's favorite, including the little boy. i would like to experiment a little and cook something new but it might end up a disaster again so i will just stick with the old recipes like creamy pork with mushroom or tanigue steak until i have mastered it.

gee... the thought of noche buena makes me hungry... off to next topic... =)

***

ever wondered what happened to our christmas tree three weeks after i built it?

i could't upload the picture now (i'll try later) but it's a total wreck and have you seen a christmas tree where all of the ornaments were placed only on the upper part while the lower was plain and bald... OURS!

this idea was jude's as he was annoyed by my constant nagging to iñigo that he stop picking the ornaments.

can a toddler and a christmas tree go together inside the house?

***

as you know we already live in cabuyao, laguna. but it doesn't stop us in going to metro manila almost every weekend (that's how we love caltex, shell, and petron... hehe) especially this season where almost all of our activities is ncr-bound. slex and south superhighway is becoming a second home to us as we often find ourselves caught in heavy traffic in these major thoroughfares. and should i say that traffic these days is a horror story for every commuter and motorist. JOSKO DAY!

***

this is the 3rd christmas for jude and i as a married couple and the 2nd time we will be celebrating the season with iñigo. i look forward to iñigo unwrapping his own gifts and making a big "wow" seeing the things he received for himself. for next year i expect that he'll have a slight idea of who santa claus is and the year after that he will hang his own sock (as what i used to do when i was a kid) and wish that santa will fill it with candies and the toy he wished. if three christmases ago jude and i spent our time and money unwantonly because it's THAT time of the year then a lot of things changed now.

christmas becomes really more meaningful now that we are a parent we discern the things that really matter to us as we know that there's one soul who is about to learn the true meaning of christmas aside from presents and santa claus. amid the fun and the material things that christmas brings it's always the love and the family ties that will always complete the day.

 

overindulging

christmas is the season to enjoy and be merry and there are times, if not all the time, that jude and i can’t help but go overboard. here’s how:

 

eat and pig out. yes, that’s usually the case whenever we go partying these days.  we’ve been to two parties last week and what i can say… jude and i went home literally bundat! hahaha. p&g cabuyao had makati skyline as its caterer for its christmas party last friday and the famous lasagna and tuna steak were served. if i must share, i raided the buffet table three times! what can i do? our seats were just a few steps away from it. style! =P

 

while saturday was the church wedding day of jude’s cousin and iñigo’s ninong, bryan bustamante. the wedding was beautifully simple and solemn. reception followed in the chinatown in banawe st. and again, jude and i had a grand time eating. foods were abundant and delicious and it didn’t help that only five out of ten guests were seating in our table, including us. so if my computation was right, that means we should eat for two… and that’s what we did. hahaha.

 

shopping frenzy. and i really can’t help it as some you knows how shopaholic i can be if the budget really permits. it's christmas anyway and jude and and i were on a shopping galore since first week of december. for himself, jude bought three polo shirts and a pair of crocs sandals last thursday while i bought iñigo three polo shirts from rustans and a pair of leather shoes from sm. for toys, we only bought two items as iñigo isn’t really fond of it except for balls. one of the toys was even funded by jude’s company as iñigo received a toy kingdom gift check the last time p&g had a christmas party for the kids. the question now is if we are going to buy this little tikes ride-on toy car that iñigo really wanted but would cost us a hefty amount. i will leave it to his daddy to decide but it seems that he’s positive about it.

 

as for me, i had a new pair of pants and a bag plus a lot of accessories which i really can’t resist not to buy because the kikay on me has again reactivated. i have yet to buy myself a decent blouse and nice shoes for christmas day. let's see what i can find with the tight budget my financer gave me. haha.

 

 

 

world christmas bazaar in world trade center

if you aren't done with your christmas shopping yet, i suggest you visit world trade center as they have again this annual world christmas bazaar, which is organized by abs-cbn foundation. the bazaar started last 6th of december and will run until 16th.

i've been there last saturday (been a regular visitor since 2005) and i tell you, it's one great place to search for the perfect gift for your loved one as it has almost everything--bags, toys, clothes, gadgets, stationeries, giveaways, novelty items, household items, and christmas decors. i forgot about going to divisoria and greenhills because the prices of most of the goods here are relatively cheap. for two hours that i scoured the alleys of the hall, i'm almost finish with my list. and i was really happy that i didn't go over my budget! to think that i also bought some stuff for myself, for iñigo, and for the house. okay, i again bought some christmas decors... =) imagine a nativity set (made of paper mache) for php 250 only, and the angels for php 50 a piece. although it's quite small but still you can't find a fifty-peso item of such kind in the mall, right? and just as i've wished, we now have a hanging santa claus in the house. i got it for php 200 only. iñigo was so delighted when he saw it for the first time... it comes with a christmas ball, that's why. he's just after "bo". and hey, he set up his basketball ring as if it's an ordinary ball he can play with. so naive! =D

i hope i was able to share enough info. btw, if you're thinking of going there with kids in tow, i should say "don't!". the place can really be crowded in the afternoons and the aircon can't keep up with the heat so the place is not really kids-friendly. the reason why it only took me two hours (that was fast for me i tell you) is because i really wanted to get out of the hall immediately or else, i'd faint without jude on my side and that would be too pathetic. hehe. i was really thankful that i offered the idea to jude that he just drop me off at the gate and they wait for me in their house in malate. we just came from star city, where p&g had a christmas party for the employees' kids, and the original plan was all of us (jude, me, iñigo and yaya) will go inside. i was really glad that i just shopped alone and i don't have to mind the two boys. see... mommy's instinct really works well. =)

 

 

 

uncensored

i can't resist not to post this...

 

the hubby and the wifey are in a lovey-dovey position when the little boy who’s playing in one corner of the room saw them and instantly jumped up on the bed and pulled his body to get in between them. he quickly hugged the mommy and apparently she was trying to cover her body with his own as if he was trying to assert something to his daddy:

 

1. mommy ko ‘to… ako lang puede lumapit sa mommy ko… not even you, daddy!
2. i must protect my milk source! dedede pa ako mamaya!
3. ayoko ng nakikita ko.... baby pa ako and ayoko pa maging kuya

make your own wild guess. =)

 

lesson of the story: never underestimate the understanding of a 16-month old. wait until he dozed off before maglambuchingan. hahaha.

 

 

the wind is cold... the tree is up... it’s christmas once again! =)

 

hay, and i thought i would be a wet blanket this year’s yuletide season as it was already late november and i wasn’t hit yet by the christmas bug. i was thinking it may be because we were living right now in a place where streets are not as well-lit as makati and manila where we used to live. and no christmas lanterns where hanging in the lamp posts, the downside of being a promdi. hehe. or probably because our christmas tree was not yet up…

 

but that was last week.

 

look what i did last weekend...

 

 

i put it up last saturday--first day of december--and as i have guessed, it made me feel like a kid again! i’m now giddy with excitement over the countless parties and exchange of gifts, and more importantly, the bonding moments we will share with our loved ones, friends included.

 

i just wish iñigo would spare the christmas balls and the other embellishments of the tree. look how busy he is in this picture…

 

 

can you imagine how does the tree looks like right now? horrors! hahaha.

 

jude and i also started with the christmas shopping last weekend and even if it's magastos, i still find gift-hunting a fun task. guess who will have that big kitchen set this christmas from iñigo?

 

(iñigo eagerly posed when he saw me holding a cam.=))

 

 

 

i wonder how we are gonna ship that…. =D

35 days to go before christmas...

my goodness! i was checking my organizer this afternoon when i realized that it's only 6 weeks to go before christmas. you see, the christmas bug hasn't hit us yet probably because of the tons of concerns jude and i have. i am not even sure if there will be money left for christmas shopping as the expenses for the businesses (it's not only one!), house construction, and trips are piling up. but i already made sure that jude has my christmas wishlist as early as now so he can squeeze it in the budget. hahaha. the scarcity theory i learned in my economics degree is sinking in once again: demand increases while supply remains to be fixed--how true! we can only count on the company bonuses for the christmas expenses that keeps on growing and growing each year.

so much for my intro, i just want to know the things that we look forward to do this season. honestly, just thinking of them already makes me tired and... penniless. hahaha.

here's my list...

1. attend countless christmas parties. almost all units even how small it is has its own christmas party. there's the company and department's party, organizations and associations party, family and barkada party--we have all these parties in our list! of course we wouldn't go in these parties empty-handed. there would be foods and gifts to bring. speaking of gifts...

2. shop in crowded malls and bazaars, and make a list beforehand. did it ever occur to you that there's always two or three persons left in your list after all the shoppings you did because you can't find the best gifts for them? that's always the case for us. and since i'm a pro when it comes to cramming i would shop for a few more gifts before the noche buena begins. hahaha.

3. brave the horrendous traffic! actually, as early as now the traffic in metro manila and even in the other parts of laguna is already a horror story. and it doesn't help that south luzon expressway is under renovation. i now stuffed our pick-up with all the essentials in case we're caught in traffic again like what happened to us in edsa last saturday.

4. go to the bank have the bills broken in 20's and 50's and buy some ang paos (did i mention it right?). okay... we're kurips! kuripot, that is. as i've told you our supply is already fixed so we have to be more creative in terms of giving. aside from the inaanaks and pamangkins, we also want to give to other kids especially those of our cousins and friends. i remember my childhood days when i will be asked to fall in line together with my siblings and cousins as my uncle ben would hand us red ang paos. the older kids received four or five pcs. of twenty-peso bills while us--small kids-will be content with two or three pcs. of it.

5. decorate the house with our christmas ornaments. i haven't started so it's in my to-do list next week. thank goodness that i already bought a lot of christmas decors last year so i don't have to buy any this year or else my budget for gifts would shrink more. all i need to do is to resurrect it from the boxes, which btw is still in our former house in vito cruz.

6. buy iñigo a santa outfit! i told myself last year that this year's christmas is the best time for iñigo to start wearing a santa claus outfit since he can already stand and walk. gee... i can't wait to see my little boy donning a red santa suit. =D

he only had a cutie antler for last year...

isn't he a cutie in that picture?

i'm sure he will be the cutest little santa this christmas so you better watch out... =D

loving as your own

let me tell you the story of blessed. blessed is the petty cash officer in the company i am connected with right now. she's married for 10 years but without a child. she never conceived despite their (blessed and her husband) efforts to get pregnant--dancing in obando, fertility workups, novena to st. jude. she even shared to me before when i got the chance to have a small talk with her that she stopped working for a year with the hope to conceive. but it didn't happen and she went back to work. but what's good with blessed is she never lose hope that one day she will have a child of her own.

and that day came. i saw blessed last saturday together with her husband and their beautiful baby boy. alas, their family is complete! i was too happy for blessed as i know how she really wanted to have a son. i even saw her showing off her baby to all her friends in the office who also came to robinson's galleria for the fun day we organized. her husband was equally proud too as I observed.

if you were thinking that blessed gave birth this year... nope, the couple never got pregnant. neither did i see blessed donning a maternity dress months ago. the baby boy was in fact adopted. such a courageous act, don't you think?

one of my greatest fears when i was a single is blessed's story. when jude and i got engaged, that fear became more intense and so was my prayer every night. fertilility was one of my concerns even before we were wed. fortunately for us, we didn't have to wait and be anxious on the possibilities of us not having our own child because a month after the wedding, we were already pregnant. that's when i had the courage to ask jude what we might do if if having a baby only remained as a wish. he's open for adoption... and me? i was even unsure if that's an option. that's why i admire blessed for adopting another woman's child and treating him as her own. just like me and the other mothers i know, blessed takes seriously his baby's innoculation schedule, deprives herself of sleep to change nappies, and worries to death when the baby is running with fever. she would buy him cute little clothes and socks, stroller and feeding bottles and toys that are not needed. what a lucky baby i must say!

sometimes i wonder why there are childless couples when in fact they are more capable of raising a child than the other couples who cannot even provide three decent meals for themselves and yet have five or more kids under their names. life is really unfair. i could not remember where i got this idea, but it says that GOD really intend it as there will always be kids that are neglected, abandoned, orphaned, deprived of decent life. and that's what childless couple's role is in this world: to provide the love and nurture these kids need. as i've said, it's a courageous act and not all are willing to take someone who's not his own flesh and blood and sustain his life. moreso, love the child as your own. but for blessed, the child is a gift regardless of how he was given to her. her love overflows and someone else must receive.

proud of our unorthodox way of parenting!

if there’s one thing that irks me the most as a mother is when i get unsolicited comments and advices on how we should raise our son according to their standards as our parenting practices is unacceptable. but what the heck! i didn’t ask for their opinion anyway. am happy with how jude and i fare as parents and i see that iñigo is pretty happy as well.

 

call me proud or stubborn but i will have it my way as long as i know that it’s the best for my son and it doesn’t inflict him any harm, at the least. parenting is not an easy job, that’s why i ready myself as early as i could as i never wanted to enter motherhood unprepared. i researched, i read, i asked. i can’t take the reason “sabi ng mga matatanda” to justify why i should or should not do such a thing to my son. my brain isn’t trained to think that way.

 

and i don’t think some people would pay me the same respect that am getting from them now, including my ate, a mother of three kids. she even thought that i did better than her in some facets. she’s impressed of my achievement of having successfully breastfeed her nephew even until this day. i told her it wasn’t that easy for me at the start. i was on the verge of giving up. but i never lost hope that one day there’s a fountain of milk that will flow down from my breasts. if it wasn’t for my stubbornness it would be too soon for my son to feed milk other than the one coming from me. some people were telling me that i should stop with breastfeeding because i wasn’t producing enough. one look at the milk i expressed made me feel more guilty. hahaha. but i shut my eyes and turned deaf ears to people around me. now, they are wowed on far i’ve come.

 

and we co-sleep with our child since his fourth day, which again is being frowned upon by some people. “you are spoiling him”, as they say. it’s also the same thing you’ll hear when you carry your child in your arms always. but spoiling for me means giving something to your kid that he will make him rot. i don’t think constant showing of affection is one. i even wished that i would wear iñigo, put him in a sling and carry him all the time. but i wasn’t that keen, with the next baby perhaps.

 

there are lot more things that we do and we don’t do that’s beyond bounds of conventional parenting. we bring iñigo along in our travels as we think that that the pros outweigh the cons of bringing him along; i didn’t massage his legs as i was told as i learned that babies are bowlegged in nature; i let him out even at night as i don’t believe in hamog; i give him another bath at night as he already stinks; and i give him more nutritious food other than those in jars or boxes.

 

but more than that, we give to iñigo what he needed most from us--our time--and we make sure that we spend it more with him. we sing songs and read books for him; we play balls or any other game he enjoys doing; we take him along to any place as long as it’s permitted; we cuddle and tickle him until he gets tired of laughing; we make most of our time together because we know that’s what really matter.

 

all of those we do to our son. you may find us incapable but that’s the most that we can do as parents.

 

at this point i would like to commend jude for being a wonderful father. parenting is never easy as i shared but i never heard him complain even if it means waking up at the middle of the night to give medicines to iñigo as it’s his schedule… while mine is in the morning. madaya ba? hehehe.

 

we are really lucky to have him as not all fathers are that doting to their kids… and are agreeing to their wives’ unorthodox style of parenting.

 

but he is.

 

gabriel's christening and don bosco mountaineering boys reuniting

last saturday was a hectic day for us as we found ourselves hopping from one place to another all over metro manila. we started off the day witnessing the christening of buboy and lui's first-born, jose gabriel serapio, in our lady of fatima parish in valenzuela. we left cabuyao at 7 am to arrive in the church at 10:30 am. yes, our travel was that long as you can imagine the distance. but i have no right to back out as i am one of the ninangs.

it's a joke, lui... trust me. =)

kidding aside, we regard dearly these two as we almost have the same lovestory to tell. bukuhan na... hahaha! just for your info, all of us four belong to the same mountaineering group. we were just acquaintances before and nobody would think that we will end up as pairs. then love blossomed between me and jude. kilig! hehehe. buboy and lui were there to make tukso. shortly, another love blossomed and this time it's between the two. jude and i were wed on october 2005 and five months after, it was buboy and lui who made it to the altar.

and now we are both proud parents of beautiful baby boys. hope fate would be forever good to us. =)

after the reception in max's edsa caloocan, we bid goodbye to the serapios and sped off to sta. mesa to visit my supplier. we dropped by don bosco mandaluyong as jude wanted to and we were surprised to see this:

the child in jude was beaming with joy when he saw the magnified don bosco mascot and he was quick to remember his son and the camera... so who else was the photographer in that picture?

after the short visit of the shop in sta. mesa, we made a stop in my in-laws' house in vito cruz so we can catch a nap (especially for iñigo) as we knew that night will be another long one.

old and not-so-old members alike of don bosco mountaineering society (jude is a member way back college days) met in arnold's house in sun valley, parañaque for a reunion. even father carlo, jude's bestfriend and one of iñigo's godfathers, was there. fr. chito dimaranan, svd., who is one of our wedding sponsors officiated the mass.

jude, iñigo and fr. carlo

and here the other dbms boys:

and they're clueless on what's happening with their kids:

they're tame in this picture

while i was busing taking pictures of pretty arianna, arnold and tanya's daughter:

isn't she pretty? hope someday i'm gonna have a daughter of my own but with her face. hehe.

 

anything goes tags

tagged this time by nol. thanks, sis! let's set a meet-up one of these days, okay?

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night? it's either hubby or the little boy... can't remember


2. What were you doing at 0800? sleeping... to hubby's dismay. hahaha! i'm not a morning person.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? checking mails


4. What happened to you in 2006? gave birth to a beautiful baby boy

5. What was the last thing you said out loud? NOT THAT ONE, INIGO!


6. How many beverages did you have today? one glass of milk (yes, baby pa ako. hehe), one glass of coke, and 2-3 glasses of water

7. What color is your hairbrush? i use comb

8. What was the last thing you paid for? jollibee spaghetti

9. Where were you last night? home with the two boys

10. What color is your front door? white

11. Where do you keep your change? wallet together with the bills

12. What’s the weather like today? sunny

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? cookies and cream

14. What excites you? traveling with the two boys; any first-time event for iñigo like the trick ad treat party tomorrow that jude's company is organizing... =)

15. Do you want to cut your hair? yes. i easily get bored with my hairstyle

16. Are you over the age of 25? yes

17. Do you talk a lot? relative

18. Do you watch the O.C.? no

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? no

20. Do you make up your own words? no

21. Are you a jealous person? as jude... hehe. hinde yata...

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. angie

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K'. kristine

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? love (hubby)

25. What does the last text message you received say? long eh... but it's from my friend explaining what sore eyes is... iñigo has it. waaah!

26. Do you chew on your straw? no

27. Do you have curly hair? no

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? asian hospital. our pedia needs to see iñigo' eyes

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? someone in my ex-office...

30. What was the last thing you ate? oatmeal

31. Will you get married in the future? have that status na

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? surf's up. the best because it's the only movie i saw. hehe. can't be a cineast anymore

33. Is there anyone you like right now? yes! dr. hayden kho. hey, jude knows that. =) i really find him cute.... yun lang.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes? can't remember. it's my help who does that. but i love doing it when i was still single.

35. Are you currently depressed? depressed that my little boy at his young age has sore eyes already =(

36. Did you cry today? no

37. Why did you answer and post this? it's fun to answer

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey: jaja, amie, gigi, jah and meng

i've been tagged

tagged by my fellow n@wie, meng. thanks, sis!

1. Are there any babies in your family or circle of friends?

i have one and his name is iñigo. =) he's the youngest in my side while another baby is due to arrive for the bustamantes this january. in our circle of friends, many to mention kaya i won't mention their names anymore. hahaha!

2. Are you one of those people who use a high-pitched, sing-song voice when talking to babies and small children?

nope. i talk to them using my normal voice... plus the "extra" sweetness of course.


3. If you were standing in line next to a *very* pregnant stranger at the bank or grocery store, what would you say to her?

nothing. except if i know the person then i will surely engage myself in a conversation with her.


4. Similarly, what do you say or do near babies in public?

if they are cute... i usually tell them how cute they are and i would often receive a sheepish smile from the parents. if they don't pass my cuteness meter, deadma! hehehe.

5. When walking through a department store, are you the sort of person who can go by the baby clothes without even a glance or do you have to stop to ooh and ahh?

i must admit it's more of the girls' clothes that i would often give a second look. and it doesn't stop there... i'll get it from the rack pa and take a closer look. hinde ba obvious i also want to have a baby girl? hahaha! boys' clothes kasi are very generic... shirts and trousers, shirts and shorts... yun lang =D

now i'm tagging maybelle, marj, pinky, morning, and my kumareng lui. enjoy girls!

how financially healthy are we?

i was hoping that i could blog about iñigo and his fascination with the jollibee character and the jollibee parties we're attending every month.... yes, it's as often as my monthly period. hahaha! but i need to delay it a little more because am still waiting for the pix of iñigo during his kuya charles' 7th birthday last sunday, the last jollibee party we've attended so far.

so let me blog a more important concern, which jude and i are taking seriously since we found out that we're already pregnant with iñigo--only 5 weeks after we got married. so soon noh? we had no savings to speak of then aside from the cash gifts we received in our wedding. jude was still paying for the lot and the car loaned thru his company and what's left in his salary was enough to augment my not-so-big income. of course we were thrilled that our union is already blessed with a baby but i would be dishonest if i tell you that anxieties and fears were not part of that "mixed feelings" of parenthood. we had no idea of raising a child and the more of the costs attached to it. fortunately for us, almost all of my monthly check-ups, lab exams, prenatal vitamins, and ultrasound procedures were shouldered by jude's company. and when i delivered iñigo, it was also jude's company who paid for the bills in makati medical center. hence, we were able to save a little money in the bank since we were financially unscathed.

fast forward to october 2007...

we still have some money left in our bank accounts, invested in some mutual funds and bought some stocks shares... yes, everything is "some" because it's really not that significant so i cannot claim that we are already financially stable.

it also doesn't help that we are in the midst of financing the construction of our house and my soon-to-open business. the next resort for us is to loan again from jude's company. well, it's better to have the money from them because their lending rate is the lowest and the terms they offer are shorter than the banks or other financial institutions.

so how good are we now in terms of financial health?

we're on a passing grade i guess because am confident that our net worth is still positive. but let me share you our financial health scorecard which i created after reading some very good books on financial matters. i'm not going to fill it out yet as we have just entered our third year of marriage but i hope after ten years or sooner, everything is checked with "achieved". =D

	target amount	status
1. emergency fund equivalent to
six months' expenses
2. life insurance for us which is
equivalent to a year's expenses
3. retirement fund for us which
can sustain us until we're 70, or
probably 75 years old! =)
4. college fund for iñigo and future
sibling/s.
5. extra savings for other emergencies
including grave sickness of other loved
ones
6. extra savings for travels and other
leisures

say good luck to us! =D

mommy is the most important person in the whole wide world!

wait... my son hasn't told me that yet. although i would love to hear it from him in the next few years and am sure such validation would bring me to tears.

but with how he patiently waits at our front door because he knows its my time to be home,

how he giggles or shrieks with delight when he see me coming out from the gate,

how he hugs me tight and never let go of me,

and how he cries whenever i put him down so i can just change my clothes,

or whenever he see me walking towards the door afraid that he will lose sight of me again,

and how he pouts, by the way, when he sees me in the morning or in the afternoon readying myself to go somewhere,

how he looks at me as if am the prettiest woman in the planet (charing!),

and how he wants to be cuddled only by ME when he's sick or sleepy,

and kiss me on my cheek whenever i ask for it.

gee... if all these are not enough to tell you how much my son loves me...

and how i love being a mother to him. =)

 

 

 

 

 

all about iñigo

iñigo has a favorite trick these days. he'd come near us and make a blow on our skin to his heart's delight. his laugh is contagious. his daddy and i would often end up wet with his laway. yuck. =) but we don't mind at all as we see our bundle of joy growing up happy.

***

among his toys, the "bo" (ball) has been a consistent favorite of the little boy. he already has eight and it comes in different sizes and colors. we already bought a basketball ring for him and he's been practicing his shooting and dunking skills ever since. hope his love affair with balls won't end up soon because among the toddler toys in the market, it's the cheapest. hahaha!

he also developed a liking for toy cars. we went to the mall the other day and he was enjoying the remote-controlled cars being demonstrated by the sales attendant. he'd say, "vrrrrmm." and tried to run after it. we ended up buying one for him.

***

it's gratifying for a mother to see his son growing up pious. as i've shared here before, we never taught him how to make the sign of the cross. iñigo just picked up this good habit as he sees us praying before meals and before going to sleep. iñigo learned to make the amen sign at nine months. now he would touch his forehead four times when the blessed trinity is mentioned and the amen sign would come afterwards. there are times when the little boy becomes a reminder that we missed out praying as we see him doing the sign of the cross alone.

***

the little boy just recovered from a bad cough, which he acquired from yaya matet. the daddy and the mommy are relieved that he is already well now and is back to his usual self--playful and active. like other parents, we worry to death when iñigo is ill especially when he is lethargic and cries at night because he's just not that.

his big appetite also came back. he was not eating for one week that he's sick and he lost almost 1 kilo of his weight. it's only my breastmilk that sustained him. now that he's eating i think he already regained the weight he lost because he's as heavy again as before.

***

the agonies we suffer every medicine time also ended. iñigo hates taking medicines. he would already pout at the sight of the medicine spoon and he'd purse his lips tighter the more we tried to open his mouth. we did everything to make it easier--we sang his favorite barney song, we cajoled him, we even involved buchik (the household lizard) to convince him to take his meds--but to no avail. paiyakan i tell you!

***

iñigo has a penchant for upbeat music and dancing. we observed this on him since he was seven months as he'd beat his hands whenever he heard the song "itaktak mo". okay, he had the same dance step to all songs he'd hear. hahaha!

and now he would entertain us with his dancing skills when he'd let the music in his exersaucer played and he would stand in front of us and dance. uy, nag-improve na yung steps... he would also make use of his legs na rin. hahaha!

***

are toddlers expected to be friendly at their age? because my son is not. our neighbor maya who is older than him by four months visits him often complete with smile and flying kiss but the little boy would just give him a cold treatment. it's either he would turn away from her or worse, he'd close our front door. SNOB!

am i ready to take the big plunge into entrepreneurship?

yeah... i think this is it. it's just either i make it or break it. i've already told one thousand and one people that we (although it's really more of me) will open our very first food store this coming november. the mall owner called for a meeting last friday and told us that ther'e a big chance that the construction of her commercial building, where my store is located, will be finished by end of this month. she would turn over the mall spaces to us--tenants--by november 15th. horrors... that soon! we are looking forward pa naman on the hong kong trip jude's sister is sponsoring next month. but more than that, am not yet finished with my products development and materials sourcing... there's a lot more to be done!

but as i've earlier said, there's no stepping back for me. i must confess that the whole idea of leaving the comforts (and discomforts) of my 9-5 job, which i already did last may, and risking our hard-earned savings in a business is DAUNTING. i would have quiet moments lately and rethink if i can handle all this with jude as my only partner. but knowing myself and how stronghead i can be when i want to achieve something, i know there's a room for me in the business world.

getting into a business is something i really wanted to do ever since i earned my college diploma. i never saw myself employed until my old age. that would be a disgrace for me, i said. i think it was my mother who influenced me to have this mind-set as she had a lot of business ideas; unluckily, most didn't push thru. and at a young age i saw my potentials and interests to become an entrepreneur. i remember back in high school i was selling polvoron and yema to my classmates as we have a neighbor then who's into this hobby-business and i asked her if i can bring some in my school and sell it during breaks. i toted plastic bags of these goodies every morning as some of my classmates even ordered packs to bring home to their parents and siblings. i was only thirteen then but it already dawned on me that making business is more interesting than studying... hahaha!

i did the same when i was already in junior level when a classmate, whose mom was a hong kong viajera, was selling original giordano leather bags to us (remember those semi-luggage bags of giordano?). but this time my customers were my ate's colleagues in the pharmaceutical company she worked for. they were medical representatives and they found my giordano bags very useful to carry all their medicine samples. needless to say that i was able to buy the sanrio items i wanted for myself out of my earnings.

there's a lot more i sold and traded through the years, including wine and abaca bags. would you believe even our wedding rings were funded partly by my rakets? jude gave me the money for the downpayment but instead of giving it to the jeweler i used it first as seed money for a business venture. the profits i raked in were able to cover the balance for the ring. of course, jude was more than happy!

those were happy times. and i know business would not always be as simple as peddling polvorons and giordano bags. but my heart is into it right now and i believe being an entrepreneur is another calling for me. i promised my son that he would see his mother more often in the house. and i promised myself that we will enjoy life better than we used to. business permits me to have both.

all it takes for me now is a little audacity and faith in myself... and a LOT of prayers.

i just want to end this with a quote from my business icon, who else but mr. john gokongwei. in his book "john l. gokongwei jr.: the path of entrepreneurship" published by ateneo de manila university, he admitted that being an entrepreneur is a way to end poverty but is definitely not an easy path to take. but here's his response to the challenge:

“but we have to start somewhere, however small, however difficult...”

inspiring, isn't it? it's all i need to read to boost my morale.

okay, maybe what i'm feeling now is nothing but jitters and i just have to cut down my caffeine intake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

on kalibo, boracay and traveling with a toddler in tow

when jude and i were deciding on what destination to take for this year's wedding anniversary, the island of boracay instantly came to mind. you see, we haven't been to this overrated tourist destination and we thought it's high time that we set foot on its white sand beach and see for ourselves how fine and powdery it is. it's like everyone had been to this place except for us! it always came as second choice for us then and it was only this year that we both longed for a boracay trip so that explains. =)

we stayed first in kalibo for one night before we took the ride going to caticlan. we were with iñigo, as usual, so we were very careful with our itinerary trying to have it toddler-friendly as much as possible. but as fate would have it typhoon "ineng" was still in the country last weekend and though it was heading north, the strong gusty winds enhanced the monsoon rain in the western visayas area, boracay included. and i tell you, it was RAINING all day in boracay. we just locked ourselves inside the room and killed time watching cable tv.

we would have been more adventurous and just ignore the rain and the possibility of getting wet if it hadn't been for iñigo. going on a trip with a baby, who's now a toddler, made a big difference on the way we travel... and the loads we need to carry, i must add. for this trip alone, jude had to bring the samsonite luggage and my expedition backpack to accommodate all the necessities (take note: we didn't bring anything unimportant) especially for iñigo, which includes the nebulizer apparatus. and i haven't mentioned the stroller yet which was another bitbitin for the poor daddy. good thing that we bought a lighter one because the graco stroller iñigo was using when he was still an infant is really a heavyweight.

oh well, that's the trade-off i guess for having a kid. we can't even go on an island-hopping or banana boating because that would be risky for us. and yes, we didn't swim nor take a stroll on that day we arrived in boracay because we can't take iñigo out in the rain.

but that was friday. fortunately for us, the weather went better the next morning so we were able to go to the beach after a brief stroll in d' mall. iñigo wasn't in his best mood as he was suffering from a bad cough. we just let him stay in his stroller which we parked along the beach as i read that sea breeze is the best saline solution to remedy a cough. true enough, iñigo's cough calmed down, which made jude to consider buying a beachfront property in batangas. feeling mucho dinero ang daddy! hehe.

we still had a nice time in bora despite the rain, which poured down again btw in the afternoon. jude ogled at the curves covered only by two-piece swimsuits while my eyes feasted on the goodies being sold in shops or by peddlers. i realized at the end of the trip that bora is more of a shopping haven to me than a beach paradise. hahaha! we've already been to honda bay in puerto princesa, el nido, panglao island, and coron and honestly speaking, boracay comes last in the list.

we stayed until sunday afternoon which gave us more time to enjoy the beach. for our meals btw, we survived in boracay because of andoks, goodah, and cindys'. isn't it obvious that we were in tipid mode? =P we only had a grand dinner last saturday night since it wasn't raining anymore and we felt that a bora trip isn't complete without a dine-out in one of its restos. we went as far as station 3 for the buffet dinner with a promo price of php 200 per head. i failed to get the name of the establishment but i left my seat disappointed because their foods were all ordinary to my palate.

talking about restos and foods, we enjoyed them more in kalibo city as we stayed there again sunday night to make ourselves in time for the early monday morning flight back to manila. if you'll get the chance to visit this city, which is famous for its ati-atihan festival every january, i recommend that you eat here:

- perfect combination, formerly known as mix n' match. we tried their baby back ribs and it's good! you can't believe its price because it's only php 100 per serving.

- peking house. this seems to be an old restaurant but i was really raving when the sinigang na hipon was served on our table--i counted the prawns and it's 10 pieces! =D i couldn't believe the prawns are that cheap in this city because i only paid php 95 for it. and mind you, it's delicioso too. with its name, this resto also serves good chinese food.

so okay... that's all for our 2nd wedding anniversary celebration. though we still cap it off last monday night with a nice dinner in paseo de roxas as jude insisted. SWEET!

 

 

the tl and the sweeper's story: lovestruck on the mountain

 

okay, for those of you who's not into mountaineering and doesn't understand our jargons...

- the tl or team leader is the person who heads the climbing pack. he/she organizes and maps out the itinerary; arranges for the transporation, climbing permit/s, and guide (if needed) and other requirements; designates the role of each member and makes sure that they are all in good condition and well-fed. in short, alila ng grupo. hahaha!

- the sweeper or tail positions himself at the end of the pack. he/she is usually one of the strongest and veterans in the group since he/she must "sweep" anything that's accidentally (or intentionally) left behind by the other members, including a worn-out body. during my early mountaineering days, i usually befriend and charm the sweeper or tail as i know how useful he can be to me when am already too tired to carry my own backpack. hahaha!

that particular climb is on mt. amuyao--traversing the mountain from the other side to the other--all the way to the remote village of batad. it took us 3 days to complete it, excluding travel time. i was the team leader in this adventure (would you believe?) and jude was one of the sweepers together with our fellow member who's a doctor by profession. the presence of these two senior members from our group was enough to intimidate me and made me feel incapable of leading the group. jude later revealed to me that he was only waiting his time to take charge as he was seeing me as too feminine (his euphemism for maarte). in fairness, jude has something to boot as he served their all-boys college mountaineering group for two terms and did it with flying colors. he was already climbing since his high school days while i, on the other hand, was only a neophyte then. that's why a girl for a team leader in a multi-day hike on an unfamiliar territory was unacceptable for him. especially someone who can't live without a face powder and lip gloss. hehe. but i proved his initial impression of me wrong! and that made him like and admire me even more daw. i think my organization skills and control-freak attitude helped me to assume the role.

that climb is really a memorable one for us. because aside from the strenuous and risky adventure we had (i almost fell off to the ravine), the unique and breathtaking sceneries that greeted us each morning, jude and i also found love over the mountain.

i hope we can join again our group in one of their climbs very soon. it would be great to relive the memories of our pre-wedding days when weekends were also spent in hiking and camping out. the experience of being on top of the mountain or in the midst of wilderness with someone you trust and love dearly duplicates the life that we have now. and it's really comforting to know that amid the uncertainties and challenges of a married life, there is someone whom you can always count on. 

 

mt. ugu climb with mms; july 2005

 

almost two years of marital bliss

yes, you read it right! jude and i are nearing our 2nd wedding anniversary, 8th of october to be exact, and am proud to say that we are a happy couple--unfazed of the challenges that came along and continuously learning and growing in this vocation we have chosen

 

 

 

on trade exhibit and clearance sale

weekend found us in market! market! and world trade center in pasay city to visit trade exhibits which we either read in the dailies or just heard over the fm radio. since we're into a gamut of projects and interests right now, our whole family (jude, me, iñigo and his yaya) braved the heavy traffic of slex last saturday to see if there can be anything useful for us from these exhibits.

nego-skwela trade exhibit

i am actually unsure of the title of the exhibit but because it was organized by nego-skwela livelihood and technology center, let me have the title that way na lang.  it was i who prodded jude for us to visit this since am into business now. nego-skwela is the private counterpart of TLRC and the organizer alone is enough to occupy me in that fair as i read in their brochure that they are conducting seminars and training for aspiring entrepreneurs. lucky for me that one of the training i would like to take is in their list! the rate of their seminars are reasonable enough at 1.3k-2k per module. give me a reply if you want their contact details, okay?

and since we were already in the market! market! the mall rat in me was once again itching up so i asked jude for us to take a stroll for a few minutes. i guess he really know me very well because that few minutes is actually an hour or so but still he gladly obliged. hehe.

we chanced upon toytown, which is at the 3rd level of the mall, and to my delight they were selling some fisher price toys at 75% off! i was able to buy iñigo a battery-operated toy at only php 300. of course, i made sure first that the SKU isn't part of the product recall. other toys like disney's were also on sale and guess what we did... we made some early christmas shopping already! we bought a lot of toys which we intend to give as gifts for our inaanaks and pamangkins.

oh, i was really happy!

but there's more that made me happy this past weekend...

sunday after lunch, jude drove us to world trade center to check the philhouse 2007 which gathered some of the country's house developers and constructors, interior designers, home furnishing companies, and even financing companies such as banks and pag-ibig.

and since we're in the process of having our own house built, we scoured the booths of participating companies to see the latest trends these days, which we can probably copy (oops...) or compare products and prices with those in home depots.

i was smitten by this booth which features country-style home furnishings. i even asked jude to take a picture (left of this page) of me and iñigo just to have a remembrance. sayang, the swing wasn't captured in this photo because it's really cute! =D

one of the first booths we visited was that of imarflex's. i've been longing to have a juice extractor for such a long time now and when i saw the imarflex electronic juice extractor i immediately bought it since aside from the brand reputation (tested it yesterday and i love it!), it was on sale at 15% off! and that's not all... i was given a membership card which entitles me for a 20% discount everytime i buy their products from the head office, which is in buendia, makati.

then we passed by the booth of hanbee trading (they are featured regularly at magandang umaga pilipinas) and to our delight, the modular kitchens on exhibit that day were selling at 50% off the original price! of course we bought one as we really think that's a good buy! actually jude just paid the 30% d/p and the balance is payable upon delivery which is on december. the modular kitchen has everything--gas range, stainless sink and drainer, cabinets with stainless racks, etc. good buy, isn't it?

we ended up last sunday evening really so tired but we weren't complaining because we know all the trips we made were all worth it. =D

 

 

 

jude and i think... (disclaimer: these are our own POVs)

- that the guilty verdict and life sentence for erap's plunder case is fair enough. 

- that there are more plunderers on the loose. the reason why they are untouchable as of these days because they are seating in the right of the father... err.. mother.

- that the middle class has once again spoke for the nation. it's this class that toppled down the erap administration and kept mum over gma's alleged cheating during the 2004 presidential election as they may probably do not want another artista in malacañang.

- that manny pacquiao will lose this time on his fight with marco antonio barrera. all i do hope is that no one will deliver the good (or bad) news early in the game. it spoils the excitement.

- [jude only] that university of the east will win this year's uaap just because they remain to be undefeated as of now. i don't think so... go, tigers pa rin! hahaha!

- [me only] that dr. hayden kho, dr. vicky belo's beau, is hot! jude thinks otherwise... may tinatago raw.

we have a toddler in the house!

i grew up accustomed with the phrase "terrible two" and that made me believe that a child starts to become a nuisance (but adorable at that) only when he or she reaches the age of two. that's why jude and i wasn't able to ready ourselves when our little boy, at 10 months, started to rule the house as a budding explorer and grabs anything that he fancies.

now at 14 months, he's already a pro in putting chaos inside our house: drawers pulled out and cabinet doors opened with its contents tossed out in all directions, toys scattered all over our room, dining chairs pushed anywhere (fingers crossed that it won't be pushed against the fridge door again), and the list can go on. *sigh*

but what makes us happy about this is the fact that our little boy is already a toddler and is doing what other normal toddlers do. i remember my mama used to tell this when we can't keep our cool with cousins or nephews who won't behave: hayaan mo na... mas okay na yang ganyan dahil kung hinde malikot yan ibig sabihin may sakit or diperensya yan." oh yeah... the wisdom that only experienced mothers could give.

***

just a roundup on iñigo's development as of this month...

- he still won't walk (he loves crawling until now to others dismay... sila yun) but attempts to make several steps when he feels like doing it. he's too cautious... that explains. =)

- he prefers eating regular meals (rice, viand, and soup) now than the baby foods i prepare. fyi, i never offered cerelac and gerber to my little boy. i have nothing against these two but for me, i prefer the hard way of mashing fruits and veggies and serve it to my son. well now.. iñigo would even eat ampalaya when mixed with squash and other veggies. and what a surprise... he turned down the apple-mango puree he used to love! he is now eating menudo, adobo, pancit, relyenong bangus or whatever i cook. =D

- he is now familiar with some parts of his body and can point his head, nose, tummy, and... birdy! =D

- he loves watching tv commercials most especially the ad by jollibee. he'd dance as soon as he heard the the jingle and shriek with delight when jollibee the mascot appears in the tv screen. i am really stunned on this and a bit wary of any subliminal message that comes with every jollibee ad. hahaha!

- he would sign more often especially with the words "more", "milk", and "sleep". =D

- he's also now good in throwing tantrums! =( our son is becoming a little pasaway lately, which can be so annoying sometimes. but according to dr. sear's baby book, iñigo's age right now is the stage when babies are in the height of asserting their independence. oh well... i just hope iñigo won't go too far on this because the last time i said "no" to him he crawled towards the door and sobbed. waah... lalayasan na yata ako!   

life is hard: how do you cope?

jude and i had an extra time last night to map out our plans/projects in the pipeline, to do's and to have's, and the corresponding expenses for the rest of the year. i ended up with a heavy heart because of the latter as it will eat a chunk of our savings. unforeseen expenses also came along and adding it up with the gamut will really force us to withdraw part of our savings as our incomes and extra cash are not enough. this lead me to think: what if we didn't oblige ourselves before to save part of our earnings? it's gratifying to know that inspite of the increasing demands of our family (with the coming of iñigo) and increasing prices of the goods nowadays, jude and i managed to save.

life can be really hard these days and for a lot of people, us included, living is all about surviving. hence, we already taught ourselves to live within our means and forego things we cannot really afford or dispense at the moment. wittingly or unwittingly, we learned to be stringent in terms of spending.

- shopping means raiding the malls during mallwide sale/inventory sale only. this is the only time i splurge a little and buy the things and items my family and i would like to have. if the things we need or want can wait until there's an off-the-price promo, then we wait. the same practice goes for our travels. we schedule them as early as possible so we have more time to avail those discounted tickets being offered by some airline companies.

- we buy from divisoria or second-hand shops if possible. when i need new pots or towels for the house i schedule a visit to divisoria as i know i can have them at almost half the price compared to those at the mall. i also intend to buy the things i'll be needing for my store from mk kitchen equipment in reliance, mandaluyong. the stainless trays and bins there are way cheaper than the brand-new.

- we de-list activities that bring no value for us. i hate going to some places or on gimmicks, which are usually unplanned, where we went home as if nothing happened and it was actually better if we just stayed home. i would be more willing to spend 2k for a night of fun and bonding than having spent 500 but thrown in humdrum.

- we cut our subscription expenses at the minimum. we do not have cable for our tv and unlimited internet connection for our computer yet. there's no need as of now. all i think about these two is they will just add up to our monthly bills. we still enjoy life anyway without them.

- we don't buy or spend on credit. we are virtually debt-free since we only have less than 10k in our credit card bill and we can easily pay it off. what we do when we want something badly is we save up for it, and that should be over and above the savings we keep for the rainy days. of course, there's an itch sometimes to buy impulsively and you know very well that nagging voice that tells you "buy now or regret later". jude and i experienced this when we went malling in megamall last december and there's a yearend promo for a plasma tv/dvd/component set, all selling for only 60k! we were already planning to get it on an installment basis since our cash then was alloted to something else but thank goodness we dropped off the plan.

- we delineate the wants from the needs. the truth is there's a thousand and one ways for us to afford upgrading our computer and digital camera, getting a brand new car, or constructing a bigger and nicer house. but we opted to keep our life simple and our financial status in balance by being contented with what we have right now. fyi, jude's is using an old model of motorola for a celfone and even if he has the moolah to buy a newer one, he chose to put his money somewhere else.

we know some people who bask in luxuries and bought luxury cars, grand house, laptops, ipods, condo units, which are beyond their means actually, and now found themselves in deep shit. honestly, we were wowed by their extravagances and their capacity to afford it but still, we'd rather not be like them. these same people are working like dogs now just to keep up with the lifestyle they made.

jude said that if there's one thing we can do with our extra money is to invest in assets, assets as defined by the book of robert kiyosaki... and i must agree with him.

how about you... how do you cope? share it with us please as we may learn something from you.

breastfed babies are smarter babies

iñigo amazed me yesterday when i was putting together the rubber mats which he loves to disassemble. i was fitting in the "number 9" piece into the square mat when he saw me and hurriedly crawled to his bike's basket where he put the other piece i needed. he went back and gave the other piece to me... so smart of him! =D

...and when i give him something he wants and ask him "what will you say, iñigo?", he would instantly say "tezzz". that's "thanks!" hehe. see... my little boy is already that polite. =D

...and his sign of the cross already improved. he can start now with the "in the name of the father" by touching his forehead and wait for us to say amen for him to do the amen sign. we have a pious child in the house! =D

he also got the hang of some of mommy's instructions such as "close the door", "come back to mommy", "do not touch, it would hurt you", and my favorites: "hug mommy" and "kiss mommy". =D

according to research, breastfed babies are ahead by 5 points in IQ level compared to formula-fed babies. that's enough motivation for me to keep breastfeeding my son until he's two.

 

jude's birthday celebration

jude had a grand time in his last birthday. the celebration actually began on its eve as his boss bernie in p&g threw a birthday bash for himself and jude in his house in cabuyao central subdivision, just one block away from our future house.

i prepared tacos as our contribution while the other foods and the booze were shouldered by boss bernie, aside from the videoke rental. the p&g boys had a great time singing and partying all night. the other boys even took off their shirt and waved it in the air when a rock song was being played. oh well... as always said, work hard and play hard... and they did.

we went home past 10.00 as the little boy is already sleepy. oh yes, iñigo went us with us and showed his dancing prowess when someone sang "itaktak mo". hahaha.

we woke up early the next day as i was itching to join the mommy milkshake fun run at the fort--not for the run itself but for the freebies. hehe. the fun run was organized and sponsored by a lingerie manufacturer to help promote breastfeeding in the country. i didn't go home empty-handed as i received a brassiere and panty set from them. babaw ba? lol. jude, on the other hand, was aghast when he saw that the free shirts that we will be using in the run is in pink. pakipot pa... hehehe.

in the end, the three of us (you read it right... we were three and iñigo was again with us in the run and jude carried him using a carrier) ran and enjoyed the morning of jude's birthday. jude was even inspired to join another run with iñigo and was thinking of buying a jersey set for his son. sino ngayon ang oc? hahaha.

after that event we head on to vito cruz to fetch jude's family to have lunch in max's restaurant. afterwards, jude and i left iñigo and his yaya matet with mommy and off we went to mall of asia to watch transformers, which we were aching to see in a big screen even weeks before.

all these happened in jude's birthday and i was glad that he's more than happy as he did everything he wanted to do on his birthday, including wearing a pink shirt. =P

jude here was wearing sunglasses that i gave to him as gift for his recent birthday. i just let him blew a candle on a cupcake because all of us in the house were on low-sugar diet mode; hence, no cake as for now. palusot! hehe.

 

 

 

 

 

counting little accidents as blessings

i write this as a praise to GOD and to remind me that everything that happens to us has a reason so we just have to follow HIM.

here's my story...

jude decided last sunday to spray insecticide around the house as we are under ants attack for almost a month now. of course he couldn't do this while our little boy is around so he told me that we go to a nearby mall while waiting for the odor to diffuse. so while jude was doing the job of spraying insecticides in all corners of the house, iñigo and i jumped into the backseat of the pick-up and waited until he finished off the job.

it was a big mistake for me to let iñigo just sit beside me unstrapped while i was reading a magazine. i forgot that my son is already a toddler and is curious of all the things he could lay his eyes on. one of the things he took fancy of that time was the car door's knob (the pick-up has no child lock feature), he pulled it, and lo and behold, i saw my son diving from his seat! horrors! was glad that i was sitting only a few inches away from him so i caught his body on time. was literally in a state of shock after that scene and even my little boy sensed the fear in my face. looking at him, he didn't know if he would cry because of the accident or because i was too terrified for him. but there's one thing that i was thankful for that afternoon: that little accident happened when the vehicle is not moving. because if it did happen when we were already on the road... oh no, don't want even to think about it... erase, erase.

a similar event happened when we just moved in last april into our new house. we were fixing our things then and positioned the baby cabinet against the window for privacy's sake. little did we know that the wind in cabuyao can be strong sometimes and can move a sturdy object. so there the glass vase was, above iñigo's cabinet, when the wind swept the curtain, which shoved the vase down from where it once stood. thank GOD fo we were all inside the room and iñigo was lying on the bed and not on the rubbermats where the pieces of the glass vase were scattered.

we were really grateful that it happened with a perfect timing. i threw questions like "what if it happened when we were out and the glasses hit iñigo while he's playing on the rubbermats?". i refused to think of any answer but "GOD is really good, HE didn't let it happen to our son."