Like any parent, we struggle to be good parents every single day. We try to provide our children with a good home, a loving and caring environment. We discipline them. We want our kids to grow up with values and manners.

As a mom, I take pride in seeing my boys try help around the house. Kail's favorite lines these days are "Can I help?", "I want to help", "I'll do it". When he sees me preparing dinner, he would want to help out. He can drag loads of laundry down the stairs and even put them onto the washer. He helps me bring the folded laundry up to the rooms. He cleans up his mess (albeit with resistance at first).

Calix, on the other hand, is showing his type A personality this early. Whenever he sees dirt or food on the floor, he'd pick it up, hand it to me or daddy so we could throw it away. He loves to put things on their proper places. We were at a play area yesterday when he saw balls on the floor. He'd pick them up one by one, hand them to me so I can put them in proper places (and sometimes he does that himself). The moms who saw him cleaning up had smiles on their faces. I was a very proud mom!

I think that raising them up without help is a big plus in teaching them to do their part around the house. My mom taught us a very valuable lesson by not hiring help when we were growing up so we'll learn to do the chores. When I came to the US at 24 years old, I was very independent. I have no problems cooking, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, washing the dishes. I want to impart the same lesson to my children. I want them to be able to do things on their own and not rely on help to do things for them. After all, help is so out of reach for middle class families like us here in the US.

I brought Kail with me to the library yesterday. While there, he ran towards the children's section and picked a book, then handed it to me borrow. When we were at the counter, he told me "I'll be right back!" and ran back towards the children's section again. After a few minutes, he emerged carrying another book and said "this is for Calix!". I was so proud of Kail because he didn't forget to get one for his baby brother!

Despite their constant bickerings when Kail wouldn't share his toys with Calix, or he would push his little brother aside, or would pinch his little fingers or arms, I know that deep inside, he loves Calix so much.

When Kail goes to school, he would kiss Calix goodbye. As soon as he gets home, he'd ask Calix "did you miss kuya?". When it's Calix's bed time, Kail would kiss him on his cheek and say "goodnight". He'd also run a few errands for his baby brother like throw his dirty diaper away, or get him a fresh diaper or wipes, put his clothes to the laundry.

Calix on the other hand, adores his big brother. He follows him around like a puppy all day. When his kuya is in school, he would run from room to room as if looking for Kail. He probably thinks they're playing hide and seek again. Young as they are, they surely formed this bond with each other that every parent would be so proud of.

On a three-week hiatus...

I am taking the remaining three weeks of baby bonding time from April 20 to May 8.  Since Calix is turning one on May 8, I'd lose the time if I don't take it now.  

I've only been on vacation for two days but I'm exhausted already!  Saturday was our grocery and church day.  Sunday was gardening day with papa (a friend's dad).  Hubz and papa toiled throughout the day while I slaved in the kitchen and babysat our boys.  Yesterday was spent cleaning.  Today I completed 12 digital layouts for Calix's birthday mini album!  

These past couple of days, we have been enduring a very hot 90 degree weather.  I decided to take Kail for a haircut and I was inspired to have a very, very short do for myself.  The photo below is what a 90 degree weather and a house full of boys did to me... ;)  I traded my long locks for a less maintenance do!  

Here is Kail having his haircut.  His teacher told me when I dropped him off to school this morning that Kail looks like a big boy with his haircut! 

Project 365 - 02/19/09

This is why I love Project 365. It gives me a chance to record moments that may have gone unnoticed, or may have never been printed off of my digital camera. The photo is a bit blurry, but I had to run and take this in a hurry because I might miss this pure brotherly exchange of affection! I love my life!

Project 365, etc.

During the weekend, I have edited the photos, added the texts for the days of the week and the date, had them printed at Costco, and have started assembling them on the page protectors last night. Photos for January are now neatly stored in their respective 4x6 page protectors, and I'll work on the journalling next. I also ordered a 3-ring 12x12 KMA red album today. I initially ordered the We R Memory Keepers ring album but it's no longer available at Ritz Camera. I ordered it from there because of the deep discount that came with it. I have posted the digital photos down (minus the journalling) and I smile whenever I see them. It reminded me of how we spent our January. As soon as I'm done with the journalling, I'll post photos of the actual spread.

I'm still taking photos - lots of them in a day actually - I can probably swing a couple of photos a day even! It's very exciting and it's not too late to join me in this journey. You can start today and end on the same day next year. It doesn't necessarily have to start on January 1st.

Yesterday was Kail's first day in preschool and you guessed it right, that was my photo for the day. We enrolled him thrice a week for 2.5 hours each day. He always has an artwork on his hands, which I plan to compile in a binder. It'll showcase how the artist in him would evolve.

Calix has started crawling on Sunday, Feb. 1st. He's probably late at 8 months - some babies are already walking at this point, but I'm just as excited like when I first saw Kail crawling a couple of years back.

Calix just recuperrated from flu last week. We rushed him to the ER on Wednesday night because he was harboring a 105 degree fever, which only went down to 103.6 after a cold sponge bath. Good thing he has a very good pediatrician who sees him almost everyday after the ER scare to make sure he'll get over this. She even ordered a nebulizer for him when she noticed him wheezing - delivered right at our doorstep! She's truly a gem and I'm so thankful we found her. She's F. Shanee Martin, MD of North Bay Pediatrics. They have clinics in Vallejo, Benicia, and Fairfield. Thank God Kail was spared from the flu. He had the usual cough and colds, but I started feeding him with way too many oranges and strawberries for the Vitamin C.

This reminded him of how much I hate it when kids get sick, especially those that just cry a lot and couldn't say exactly what's bothering them!

Kail the Kuya

Hubz got upset with Calix last night. We were having dinner when Calix suddenly cried - the cry when he wants to be held, so I held him. But then I couldn't eat, so I placed him down again. He cried - louder this time. Hubz placed him in the living room without any lights on. What actually touched me was when Kail, then having dinner with us, stood up from his seat, went to the living room, opened the light, and stayed with Calix - trying to pacify him. I tell you, I was so proud of my little boy. I knew right then that when they grow up, they could depend on each other and they won't leave each other's sides.

I've been out of circulation yet again. Calix is almost 5 months now, and is growing up so fast - right before our very eyes. He started eating solids a week ago and like his kuya, he's proving to be a big eater. Kail on the other hand, currently has ear infection so he's been coughing and sneezing, and his nose is dripping.

Here is my boys' latest photo - my favorite one. It is not always often that they get together like this - for camera's sake, so the mamarazzi in me had to take advantage... :)




Kail is a very good kuya. We can now ask him to do things for Calix - like give us diapers, give him his bottle. And he also loves hugging and kissing his baby brother. Calix, however, seem to dislike being near is kuya. Even when these two boys came from the same parents, you can see, even this early, their differences in attitude. Kail is so friendly and malambing while Calix seemed a bit distant. Calix doesn't do well with strangers unlike Kail who flashes his beautiful grin to everyone. But, differences or not, we still love them so much!

I finally replaced my 3 year old Treo with this sweetheart:
I love, love, love my new iPhone. What's great is that I didn't have to shell out a fortune for this darling. A close friend neighbor's major weakness is collecting the latest cellphone craze. She got this baby a couple of months ago and after minimal use, she decided it was too big for her. She sold it to me for a fraction of its original cost with some accessories! I didn't even have to pay for taxes. I'm a happy camper! ;)

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I was able to churn out 5 LOs in 3 nights. If you know me, this is a BIG milestone since I haven't touched my scrapbook supplies since September last year. Here are the latest LOs I created:






Valerie Salmon's sketches provided the inspiration to finish three of them. I also decided to splurge on flowers when I can. With a house full of boys, it is not often I get to do this (even when I have tons of flower embellies to use).

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I also had Kail's 1st birthday album printed from Blurb. Special thanks to Jeff Lopez for providing the digital layouts.

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We have not been successful at potty-training Kail yet. Hubz isn't consistent at making him pee every 30 minutes or so (he gets lazy sometimes - men!). This is what I'll focus on when I start my maternity leave. I plan to go off a couple of weeks early - April 21st - so I'll have time with Kail and hubz, and hopefully, I can rest a bit before the baby comes on May 8.

We have opted for another C-section. Because of my gestational diabetes, I might have another big baby and might have another hard time at getting him through the birthing canal.

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On my previous post, I mentioned I'm going to have a date with hubz while a friend babysat Kail. Hubz and I did get the chance to watch a movie, but my friend gave me a surprise baby shower after we got back. I wasn't really expecting it since this is our second baby, it was going to be another boy, we were able to keep all of Kail's stuff for the next baby to use. Anyhow, it was still a welcome surprise. I'm so blessed to have good friends.

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I still owe Gem and Dang their tags. Will get to them as soon as I can - promise!

We have started training Kail to sleep on his own bed since Saturday. Hubz and I have squatted in his room to make sure he doesn't feel afraid when he wakes up and find himself alone, and would thus, refuse to sleep in his room. We noticed that he would wake up at wee hours in the morning to move to the adjacent airbed (where hubz and I are sleeping for the past week). We didn't mind because almost all kids we know do that - move to their parents' beds when they awake, that is. But last night was pure success. He slept on his bed the whole night! It was actually I who would wake up in the middle of the night to check on him and make sure he's ok. The hubz has been teasing me that Kail seems ready to move to his own bed but I'm just not quite ready to let go. He's absolutely right! If not for the coming baby, I would reminisce him sleeping in our bed for as long as he'd want to - nevermind the fact that Kail occupies most of the bed while hubz and I are squeezed in on both edges. Also, for the past couple of days, he has been taking his afternoon naps on his bed - without his daddy beside him. You see, with Kail, he loves sleeping atop his daddy so it's truly an achievement for him to sleep alone. I have to pat my husband on the back for being so patient at training him. Now, if only we'd have the same patience to potty train him as well!


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I have finished creating Kail's ABC Album (which I started last night by the way). You can browse the finishedproduct here. It is now ready for printing - yahoo! Thanks to Jessica Sprague's pre-made design that made this photo book easy peezy!


Special thanks to The Picture Company for the photo on the cover, first page and to the Grandmas' photos. Another kudos to Jeff Lopez for the Family and Xtra Special photos. Those were taken from Kail's first birthday party.

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Our close friend and kumare L volunteered to babysit Kail tomorrow while the husband and I goes on a much needed time alone. She actually convinced me to take that date day since we won't have this time alone when baby no. 2 comes along. Kail is well-loved (and Kail loves playing with his kuya and ates too) by our friend's kids so we know he'll be in good hands.

Kail has a Dancing Tots class in the morning, and we'll probably head to Union City immediately to attend KuyaAxel's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. Then we'll drop Kail off at the A's, have lunch, then watch a movie.We need to head back before nighttime because we promised our neighbor we'll watch Pacquiao with them at their house.

We're excited! It's the first time in ages I'd be out with the husband. That's the price we pay for having no help nor family around.

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Happy weekend everyone!

Potty Training

The weekend passed by like a breeze and now I'm longing for more especially since the weather was beautiful!

We have started potty training Kail. Talk about tough and not happening overnight! He knows how to pee in the potty, but he still doesn't tell us when he wants to pee! I had to ask him every 30 minutes or so if he wanted to use the potty and thank God he would always oblige. The husband on the other hand, doesn't have the patience to keep asking so I guess that's pulling him back on weekdays. Though he did say "potty" last night and I brought him to the bathroom as fast as a lightning could, hehe!

I know he's ready for potty training though because he can recognize when his diaper is full and would ask us to "change pah-per"

Abangan, when we'll be successful at this, and then the harder part will follow - poopoo! I'm dreading this already!

Any tips you can share mommies?

We came back from Vegas on Tuesday at 1am. The traffic along Hwys 15 and 58 were terrible!

So, what did we do while in Vegas? On Saturday morning, we went to Red Rock Canyon in Nevada. In the afternoon, we walked along the strip and watched freebie shows. On Sunday, we went to Mt. Zion National Park in Utah. In the evening, we let the kids loose at Circus Circus' children's play area. On our way home on Monday, we dropped by Hoover Dam. Productive and pretty tiring I'd say... ;)

Kail enjoyed playing with my friend's kids (ages 11, 7, 5). The way they treated each other were like siblings. Even up to this day, Kail would do a roll-call - ate? uya (for kuya)? tita? My friend L said her kids also miss Kail a lot and have been bugging her when they'd be able to see my little guy again. Cute!

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I have been very open about our journey through Infertility in the past. It took us 2 years to finally conceive. Hubz and I were both in tears when the pregnancy test came positive. I had tears in my eyes when I saw Kail and held him in my arms for the very first time. Now that I'm pregnant again, we are excited but not so much like the first. This time, there's a little bit of apprehension mixed in. Would we be able to handle raising a toddler andan infant at the same time? How would Kail react to a new addition in the family? Will he feel jealous if our attention is suddenly divided in two? But this video made me realize that we are so blessed to have been given another chance to become parents. There are couples who have been longing and are still waiting for this miracle to happen. We know the feeling - we've been there before.

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There was a thread on one of my e-groups about living with in-laws and though I didn't get the chance to sharemy point of view, I thought I'd post my two cents on my blog.

There is a reason why leaving one's parents to be one with the spouse is biblical. I firmly believe that couples should be given the chance to work their marriage out and live on their own. Having in laws or parents in the same household complicates matters and might even rock the marriage in the end. I should know because I grew up living with my paternal grandparents and siblings. There would often be disagreements between my mom and my dad, between my mom and my dad's siblings, between my mom and the grandparents. That might have caused (in part) the break-up in their marriage. It was then that I vowed to myself that I wouldn't put myself in the same situation when I have a family of my own.

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I'd like to blog about my son's new pediatrician. With Kail's former pediatrician, the wait time is unbelievable and when we're finally seen, she would check on him as fast as she could. I feel that she can't wait to get us out the door! When Kail developed horrible rashes on his face and skin, she kept giving him creams to help withthe itching, but it doesn't make those rashes go away. I have asked over and over for a specialist referral but she would shrug my concerns off. Only after 7 or 8 months did she finally cave in and gave us a referral to an allergist. Kail was diagnosed as allergic to eggs and nuts!!!!

If she didn't take her sweet little time on thereferral, we would've immediately known and I would've stopped giving him anything that has eggs on it (bread,cakes, etc). When I was breastfeeding, I would've refrained from taking in anything with eggs. If only those things happened, the rashes might've been controlled and my poor little Kail didn't have to suffer.

So, after years of looking for a realiable pediatrician, a friend finally recommended Dr. M who holds clinics in Vallejo, Benicia, and Fairfield. She's heaven-sent! She doesn't make us wait any longer than 10 minutes. She's always very attentive to what we tell her, and she's good at pacifying our concerns and making our worries go away. She takes time to look and examine Kail when sick. She would even give us tips on raising a toddler like discliplining him. I just can't imagine why it took us this long to find her!!!

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Happy weekend everyone! Stay dry if you're in NorCal!

Sari-Saring Post

I sat in for my 3-hour glucose test today. I was there as early as 7:15am, told the pinay phlebotomist/receptionist that I was there for the glucose test, hoping she'll give me the drink and I can start counting the hours. She instead told me I have to wait until she calls my name, and then I have to give her my doctor's request, and only then will she be able to give me the drink. Well, it took 45 minutes for the manager (thankfully) to call my name. I told the manager I was there 45 minutes earlier and she confronted the pinay why I wasn't given the drink right then and there. She said she needed to know if I fasted, to which I told her I did. To think that there was a sign to let the folks at the front know if we're in for glucose test or other timed tests!

An hour later, you'd think she learned her lesson (she was reprimanded by the manager by the way). I had to remind her that I'm due for my second blood draw (the first was prior to drinking the solution). She asked my name and insisted that I'm not due for another 10 minutes more! I debated that I saw the manager write the time on my paper (9:02, 10:02, 11:02). Yun pala, there were 2 of us there for the same test, with the same name - what a coincidence right?! Haay naku, the last time I ate was 6:30 last night so at 9am, I was so, so hungry, with another 2 hours to go. Muntik ko na kaya siyang kagatin sa inis!

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For the second day in a row, Kail was harboring a fever at wee hours in the morning, then the fever will be gone by morning. Father and son are also hacking by now, and when Kail starts a coughing fit, he'd throw up. My poor baby... I hope he'd feel better soon!

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What's up with the weather? I have had to scrape ice on my windshield twice this week. This morning, the newscaster warned motorists to drive safely along Hwy 29 as there's ice on the road! This is California, for Pete's sake... we're supposed to enjoy a snow-free weather!

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I have been seriously thinking whether I'll undergo another C-Section or go through VBAC (Vaginal Birth afterC-Section) this time around. Hubz wasn't around when I gave birth to Kail and I figured maybe he'll appreciate the chance to be my labor coach this time around. But do I really want to subject myself to all that pain? My next consideration is the recovery period. Since I would have an infant and a toddler to care for, it'll probably be easier if I opt for VBAC with a shorter recovery period.

One advantage I can think of regarding C-section would be a longer leave period. I can only have 6 weeks off for a normal delivery while there's an allotted 8 weeks maternity leave for CS. I could use the extra two weeks to bond with my two boys! ;)

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We watched Spiderman last weekend and Kail was enthralled. He kept saying "Miman" even in his sleep! He also loved watching the DVD over and over again.

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Have you ever seen these boudoir shots? I wish this was introduced back when I was a size 0, and back when I had the nerve to bare it all without feeling like a pig! I would've immediately booked myself a session then. Haay sayang... I wonder if I'll be able to get back to my ninety-something lb., size 0, a waistline of 23 self? I probably have to live at the gym and exercise nonstop to achieve this. Unless of course, I become a suki of Drs. Calayan or Belo?! ;)

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Happy weekend everyone! Sorry for the hodge podge of posts. Hope the weather in your side of the world is so much better! To all those in Northern California, it'll rain again through the weekend so stay dry people!

How was everyone's Christmas?

Christmas is still my favorite holiday, apart from a couple of years not so long ago when I played "The Grinch" and hated celebrating it. That was before the husband came to the US and before I had Kail. Now, even when Christmas is the most expensive holiday, I enjoyed it even more because I saw it through the eyes of my son.

We attended a christmas party at the Escudero's on Christmas Eve. After the party, we went straight to church for the midnight mass. Kail was up until the First Reading, and then he fell asleep in daddy's arms. It felt good going to church with my family.

The next day, we had a couple of friends over (Kail's godparents) to celebrate with us. Kail had a blast opening presents. He was so excited to play with toys. I never remembered having this many gifts when I was a child. Even the husband commented the same thing. We'd be fortunate to have new sets of clothes (and shoes) for Christmas. Call it reliving my childhood, but that's exactly how I felt while Kail was opening his presents. I felt more excited than he is!

To those who congratulated us on our family's new addition, thank you.

This pregnancy is so much different than my first. I always feel queasy, I have frequent headaches, and I feel crappy. I am past the first trimester but I still feel queasy all the time. My friends say that it's because I now have the husband around to pamper me with attention so I'm feeling like this. To those who have been in the same situation, you probably know I'm not acting up. And because I feel different, I do hope it's because we're having a girl this time! My husband would roll his eyes over this and would say that this would give me a chance to share my ka-kikayan with someone. How true! ;)

On Kail-front, I took this photo of him with the tree over the weekend.

I didn't have a hard time making him smile for the camera. My son is definitely not camera-shy. I have trained him well, hehe! He has grown fondness with Barney and Elmo. He loves to sing along (though we couldn't understand most of what he's singing) with Barney, he imitates the action songs, and he loves to dance. He's still a happy and friendly kid - would say "hi" to anyone and "bye" to people leaving. He's starting to show a little bit of independence. But we still call him our "terrible two". He throws a very bad tantrums when he doesn't get his way. He gets upset when we couldn't understand what he's saying. If he doesn't want to wear the clothes I'm asking him to wear (or even shoes), he'd say "ayaw" and would refuse to wear them until he gets to pick what he wants. He says "oh no", and can now say "mommy" (finally! It used to be "mama").

Father and son are still inseperable. Yesterday, the husband had a job interview. When Kail woke up, he was wandering around the house looking for daddy. He thought his dad was merely playing hide and seek with him. Whilst I was able to leave him immediately for babysitting before, I now have to sneak out so he wouldn't cry.

I still marvel at the rate my son is growing. It seemed just yesterday I was holding this newborn infant who was solely dependent on me to survive. Now he's slowly showing that he can do things on his own. I'm having a hard time letting go. How does a mother actually accept that one day, the children she so carefully raised will be on their own?

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? We spent ours at home with a few friends over. I didn't cook the turkey this time but ordered from Boston Market instead. It was the husband's first Thanksgiving, and because he is finally here, we truly have a lot to be thankful for.

I also went shopping the next day. I didn't wake up as early as 4am to brave the crowds though. I went to the mall at around 8am, went to Kohl's first, then to Old Navy, and lastly to Target. By 11am, I was done with my shopping. I went home, had lunch with Kail and hubz, then we went to Toyota and came home with this baby - a new 2008 Highlander Hybrid Limited in Iced Amethyst Mica.

We went to the LV store in San Francisco on Saturday to exchange my Tulum bag with the Manhattan PM. I found the Tulum GM too roomy for me.

Here's a cute conversation I had with Kail:

Mom - Kail, can you show me where the baby is?
Kail - Babeee there (points at mommy's tummy, and kissed it too)
Mom - Good boy! Now can you go to daddy and show him where the baby is?
Kail - Babeee there (goes to daddy and points on his tummy).
Mom - nyahaha - you have a big tummy daddy!

So looking forward for a 4-day weekend so I can finally upload our vacation photos, put up the tree, decorate the house for Christmas.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone... just in case my next post takes a while... ;)

Vocabulary of a 19-month old toddler

Kail's vocabulary is increasing by the day. Though he still blabbers in a language we couldn't understand, he at least has some words we could decipher:

baby - ah dee
daddy - dah dee
mommy - mama
ball - ba
balloon - lol
thank you - eh ooo
cat - tat
dog - dot
elmo - momo
no more - momon
banana - nana
wala na - nana
milk - dede
water - tater

I can't wait for my son to finally be able to speak in phrases. At the rate he's going, he's probably going to be as ma-kwento as mommy, hehe.

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Jody tagged me, so here are some weird things about me:

1. I'm a bag lady (not that I hoard bags) but I carry lots of 'em. I have a laptop roller with my laptop and work-related documents, my lunch bag, and a big shoulder bag which contains reading materials and personal items.

2. I sleep with a blanket all the time - even when it's scorching hot in the summer. I just have a fan fullydedicated to make me comfortable and the aircon is in full blast, hehe.

3. I'm a shopaholic - whether in store or online.

4. I love window-shopping. I can get out of a store without carrying anything, but just looking at things to buy satisfies me.

5. I can't sleep without hugging a pillow, even when I have my two boys beside me to hug.

6. I wipe my bathroom sink and faucets everytime I use it.

7. I keep magazines and books in the bathroom for reading when I'm on the "throne", hehe.

8. I have a LOT of scrapbooking stuff, but I'm not cranking up enough LOs to make a dent on my stash.

9. Some women crave for bags and girly stuff, while I have a love affair with cameras. I have a film SLR (Nikon N80), a DSLR (Nikon D80), a point and shoot digital camera (Olympus Stylus). I have 3 lenses - Tamron 28 to 200 mm, Nikon 50mm f/1.8, Nikon 18-105 f/3.5-4.6. I am salivating over Panasonic DMC-LX2 or Leica D-Lux - point and shoot cameras with 16:9 wide CCD, f/2.8mm wide angle lens. Also in my wish list is an SB-800 or SB-600 external flash.

10. I pray the rosary on the train (on my way home from work).

Happy Father's Day (belated)!

To my hubz...
To my dad...
Happy Father's Day!
I love you both

I've always admired "hands-on" dads and I'm thankful to find one in my husband. It doesn't matter that he wasn't physically present for the past 16 months of Kail's life. He had only been here for a month and yet, he and Kail are inseparable.

To all dads I have had the pleasure of knowing, this day is made just for you.

Today Kail walked on his own. I've always known he can do it but he's a little scared of letting go. So while I was at work, he made his first steps, and he's been walking like a pro since then. He walks fast, but surprisingly, he doesn't fall. It's as if he has been walking for a while now.

One of the things I hate about being a working mom is that I get to miss these firsts - special moments that I thought I should have the priviledge of witnessing. It broke my heart that I wasn't there when he took his first steps.

I thought about telling hubz about my sentiments but decided not to. After all, at least I was able to see him walk when I came to pick him up. He, on the other hand, has missed a lot more firsts. He can't even hug his son! I have no right to complain. I'm seeing my son grow right before my very eyes, and today, he just proved that he is, indeed growing up fast, faster than I would've wanted.

Kail had his nightly talk with daddy last night and his reaction amused me. He mumbled something over the phone and he laughed. And laughed. And laughed again.

I asked daddy what he said. It was the usual "hi Kail... sleep now... goodnight. I love you!" But Kail kept laughing.

He also recently learned to place his hand on his ears whenever he'd hear the phone ring and say "daddy".

These are way too cute moments that make me happy as a mom.

Baby Einstein Themed 1st Birthday

This is my favorite photo from Kail's 1st birthday party - one of the few where he's actually smiling! He was a bit grumpy that day, having been dragged out of his nap, and then greeted by lots and lots of unfamiliar faces. Next, the airconditioning couldn't keep the venue well-ventilated because of the almost 300 guests in attendance! Still, it was a great party, one we wouldn't have been able to pull off without the help of these wonderful friends:

Venue - Artist Pavillion, Makati Park and Garden
Rating: 9
The place was amazing. The only downside is that it can be a pain to book it. With the party in January, we were trying to book it in September, but was told they'd only accept bookings 3 monts prior. Syempre the OC in me wasin panic because what if the date wasn't available and we'd have a tough time looking for another venue? But, with prayers and a very reliable party organizer, we were able to book it in time.

I would recommend the place for those with less than 300 guests (that's the maximum capacity of the venue). Since we had a little over or below the 300 limit, the airconditioning couldn't keep the place cool. Besides, I felt that there was limited space to move around because of the number of people nga.

Party Planner - Pizzie Hernandez-Yap and Irish Pablo of Little Royalties.
Rating: 10
They came highly recommended by a fellow n@wie, Emillie. We've inquired from Jelly Bellies and Kiddie Parties but we were so disappointed with their responses (or lack thereof). Since we were planning from out of the country, I would depend heavily on a reliable party organizer. Pizzie was so good at keeping in touch via email and updating me on what's happening. She would also send photos every now and then of designs for approval. They were able to customize our package according to our needs (and wants).

Initially, I was hesitant on the Baby Einstein theme because I have yet to see (in n@w) a party with the same theme but Pizzie convinced me that it's do-able, and she was the one excited about it. Since it was Kail's favorite,we decided to push through with the Baby E theme. We didn't go wrong!

Because Kail was hospitalized when we got to Manila (due to pneumonia), Pizzie even shopped for the game prizes and lootbag contents. I was soooo relieved!

We wouldn't have pulled off a successful party without Pizzie's all-out help and very reliable party-planning.


Caterer - Blue Petals
Rating: 10
We weren't able to taste the food - yung leftovers na lang. Hubz and I were both busy with entertaining our gueststhat we weren't able to eat at all! Our guests told us that the food is great though, so that's a plus. The waiters were very efficient, and there was even a waiter who would ask us often (me and hubz) if we needed something to eat or drink. Food was even brought to our table kasi nga we were so busy roaming around. There were a lot of waiters during the event, but I guess because we had around 300 guests.


Photographer - Jeff Lopez
Rating: 10
Jeff was at the venue early - scouting for possible photo ops. He was shooting away when guests started arriving, and wouldn't stop shooting even for a bite. He would also ask us if there's anything we want him to shoot, etc.

Prior to the event, I emailed Pia (Jeff's wife - also a fellow n@wie) of my recommended shots. When we received the DVD of the 300+ high resolution photos, everything was there! Hirap lang mamili ng photos for printing but we were so happy with all of them!

Since we were leaving 5 days after the party, they were able to deliver all the prints, the DVD with the high resphotos, the shadowbox layout, and the clock in time.


Choco Fountain - Jeff and Pia Lopez
Rating: 10
Again, Pia was there at the venue early setting up the choco fountain. Medyo tago lang yung placement nung choco fountain but soon enough, it became popular with guests. Pia was there all the time to assist the guests. She would refill when the dippings or the chocolates are running low.

Again, we were so busy roaming around but Pia brought us strawberries dipped in chocolates because it was running out and we haven't even tasted them.

Galing ng tandem ng mag-asawang Lopez!


Make up - Emillie Cobarrubias of n@w
Rating: 10
Who says we only get to be made up during our wedding? As a stage mom (and proud of it), I believe we should also look good on our kids' birthdays. Emillie became a good friend since our w@w days so I was really flattered she got to do my makeup. Our friends and family told me I looked so pretty, and even with makeup on, it was very natural. The makeup lasted for hours, even amidst sweat.... :) I must say, I also looked good in photos, hahaha! Ems is very talented, and like me, kikay din kasi, hehehe!


Invitations - Adworks c/o Little Royalties
Rating: 10
When we got Little Royalties to plan the party, I asked them if it's possible to get Adworks to do the invites. Yun pala, their invitation supplier is really Adworks. I was so happy. Though we went through several revisions of the invites because of my OC-ness, I didn't hear a single complaint about it. They would also submit a photo of the draft a day later.


Video - c/o Little Royalties
Rating: 10
They arrived on time, and was shooting right away when guests started arriving. They asked for Kail's photos to be included in the DVD. They were able to deliver the output a month or so later. We were happy with the output. Even Kail loved watching his video because the music they used were mostly his favorites. Please note, we didn'teven tell them what music to use but they were able to choose appropriate ones.


Food Carts, Game booths, Face Painter - c/o Little Royalties
Rating: 10
The food carts were already set when we arrived, and even before the first guest started to arrive. They were ready to serve when the guests started tricklng in. Even Kail loved the food. We had waffle, ice cream, and fishball/squidball carts. Patok din sa guests - both young and old ito.

The gamebooths were positioned near the entrance and so with the face painter. We saw kids having fun playing games at the game booths. We also saw a number of kids lining up for the face painter. Ganda din ng mga designs niya. If not for Kail's skin allergies, I would've wanted his hand painted siguro.... :)


Photo Bag Tags - c/o Little Royalties
Rating: 10
Initially, we wanted to have Konsepto do the bag tags but they were already booked that day. Pizzie was able to source out another supplier that does the same thing. Weeks before the event, they submitted the photo tag design for approval.

During the party, they were positioned at the entrance so the kids were able to have their photos taken before they took their seats. Our guests loved the photo bag tags because it's cute and functional at the same time. We even had 5 or 6 made for ourselves, hehehe!


Cake, Tarp, Backdrop, Venue Decors, Pinata, Pabitin - c/o Little Royalties
Rating: 10
We loved the cake! Even Kail loved looking at it because he recognized the characters there. Pizzie submitted the design months before the party and I approved it immediately. We upgraded on the cupcakes and cookie lollipops and they were a hit among kids.

The venue decoration was amazing. Gulat din kami with the pinata and pabitin. Kids had fun with those too.

The mylar balloon at the centerpiece was sourced out from US Balloons, so we brought it home with us. All others were sourced out from Manila na. I was really amazed that Baby E supplies are locally available din pala.


Lootbags/Backpacks - c/o Little Royalties
Rating: 10
The design was great that I even got 2 backpacks for Kail alone, hehehe. We opted for primary colors para generic.

I initially brought home some chocolates and small cans of playdohs to put in there but Pizzie texted us mukhang kulang so if it's ok, they're going to fill it with local chips. Tuwang-tuwa yung kids when they lined up for the souvenirs. Even I enjoyed munching on the chips that are in there, hehehe!


Host/Magician - Wanlu
Rating: 10
Wanlu brought the house down! This was one part of the party both adults and kids enjoyed. I was scanning everyone's faces and they were alllistening intently at Wanlu's tricks. He even made sure hubz, me, and Kail are part of his gig. He would often call us for games, or tricks.
He took care of everything - from the games, to the pabitins and pinata, to singing Happy Birthday, to blowing the cake. He truly was the life of the party all along. He's a little on the expensive side but truly worth every penny.


Lechon - Lydia's Lechon
Rating: 8
Those who were able to taste the lechon told us it was very yummy. Unfortunately, wala halos kaming nakita even when we bought the biggest one because we had Bllue Petals chop it so hindi buong lechon yung naka-display kundi chopped na. Wala rin kaming naiuwi - but this was because my MIL gave them to relatives. Favorite pa naman ng husband ko ito, so we were really disappointed we didn't even get to taste it. In fairness to Lydia's, they brought the lechon early even before the first guest arrived.

Baby Einstein paper plates, cups, napkins - Party City

These are some more stuff I brought from the US. Not all Party City stores carry them so I had to scout for one that does tapos dinayo ko pa yun. All for the love of Kail! :)

Reading all the exchanges in n@w, I first thought that planning a party in 3 months would be a total chaos, considering we were having a party after the holidays pa. But ours turned out a very successful one. Everyone texted us after the party to thank us for inviting them because their kids had a great time, and they also enjoyed the party.

The reason why we ended up with only 3 months to prepare for the party was because hubz and I were debating on whether it was practical to have a big celebration for Kail's birthday. I wanted it small and intimate, while he wanted to go all out. Since he was the financer, I had to give in. He brought up a valid point anyway. Since we are based in the US, this is the one occassion when our friends and families would see Kail. Who knows when the next one will be? Besides, we have waited a long time for Kail to come. What couldn't we do for him?

Photos can be browsed here. Disclaimer: Those with filename starting with DSC* were taken by my roommate so they look blurred. Only those with IMG* filenames were taken by Jeff. Baka kasi isipin ninyo Jeff takes blurry photos, hehehe!

Here is the altered wall clock from Jeff and Pia Lopez:

Here is the shadowbox layout from Jeff and Pia Lopez: