happy 2007 from the Dimaunahans

My Christmas Season

Merry Christmas everyone! It has been weeks since I last posted an entry and I am guilty of neglecting my blog-friends for the sake of shopping for gifts for my family, friends, co-workers and God children. So for those who missed me online.. below are some highlights of my Christmas Season.

AJ's First Christmas

I want AJ's first Christmas to be memorable. Since, he won't be able to remember what his first Christmas was, hubby and I brought him to Picture Company (the same company that took my preggy photos). We had some family shots and he had some solo shots generally with a Christmas theme. I ordered a collage of his best photos and put a tag line "Andre's first Christmas". The family photos were great too, some pics with mom and some pics with dad and pics as a family.

Will post some actual pics as soon as I get the proofs.
Above are the proof, how cute baby AJ is on a gold pot :)

The day before Christmas Eve, Dec. 23, we went to hubby's hometown (Nasugbu, Batangas). It was our first trip as a family.. no nanny... no Mamita... just the dimaunahans.

my 29th birthday

Last December 22, after AJ's photo shoot at the Picture Company, AJ and I and Hubby ate lunch at Banana Leaf Curry in Podium. It was my first time to eat at this Thai restaurant so I pretty excited to be seated and start ordering. AJ slept the whole time. That's why he was so cranky when we left the studio. Anyway, surprisingly, everything that we ordered was delicious ( fried rice with shrimp paste, chicken pandan, Tiplapia with malayan creme sauce and Thai style baby back ribs, we had sticky rice with mango for dessert) and expensive. I guess you pay for what you eat :) I'd definitely will go back and try their spicy curry next time.

Anyway, that sumptuous lunch, we went to my office so that my officemates can finally meet AJ. Of course, he was a hit with everyone... Even our manager cuddled him for a few minutes :) They also surprised me c/o my Birthday Santa, Irish with a Gift Certificate from VNC (a shoe shop) worth P1,000. :) Irish was also my birthday Santa 2 years ago..

*The birthday Santa is being chosen via draw lots at the beginning of the year. You are the birthday Santa of whoever your pick in that draw lots. Then before the day of his or her birthday, you route an envelope so that your officemates can contribute for the gift. The Birthday Santa will choose from the wish list of the birthday celebrant and buy the gift in behalf of the officemates. Gift is given with lights off and everybody singing "Happy Birthday".. this has been a tradition in the office since I joined them 6 years ago.

the Christmas lunch date

December 17, my college friends and I had our annual christmas get to gether at fish & co. in Shangrila. Exept for Mimaw and Jac, all of them has not yet seen AJ. We enjoyed the chit chat very much since we only see each other once a year. We also had exchange gifts but most of the gift that I got was not for me but for AJ. He was fussy and cranky when we arrived at the resto because he's already sleepy.. as soon as he was as sleep I was able to bond with the girls... Hubby was there to assist me with AJ. When he woke up.. he was ready to give smiles to the girls and he let them cuddle him. We ended lunch with hugs and kisses... 'till next year's Christmas Lunch.

smitten by mike enriquez

GMA 7's Imbestigador host visits our PH office earlier today. Our company will be featured in their Christmas episode on Dec. 23,2006. Mr. Mike Enriquez is helping a father and son who used to be drug addicts to have a better life though a new career.

He's the first news anchor to come to our office and we have to have this photo op. This is the closest thing I get to a celebrity. Hahaha! When I came in the door, and I was surprised to see him for he was standing beside our manager and they were in my way.. out of nowhere, I uttered "hi!" as I passed by and he said "hi" back at me with a smile... heheehe ... ano ba!? this is Mike Enriquez... Hahaha! no kilig factor here...but I guess celebrities will always be celebrities.. who ever they may be.

My (revised) Christmas and Birthday List

I'm doing my revised christmast list. From the last list I made, I already got the havaianas and the baby couture diaper bag is reserved for Abi...I've also realized that no one (in his or her right mind) is going to give me an ipod nano or that sony cybershot T10 or the manuscript of Shopaholic & Baby... So after pondering.. Here's what I want for Christmas and birthday (as of today).

1. Love, Friendship and Peace.

2. Sports Bra
3. Nike Yoga Mat (this is cheaper than Lulu Lemons hehehe!)
4. Capri Yoga Pants
5. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
6. SPA Gift Certificate
7. DVD of Cars and The Incredibles (Pixar) - NO to Piracy!
8. Half Blood Prince in Paperback
9. Powerbooks gift certificate
10. VNC gift certificate

11 days before Christmas and 8 days before my 29th birthday... Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

flip flops galore

I'm so happy to share that I am finally a proud owner of a pair of havaianas flip flops. Oh, its not just 1 but 2 pairs. I've persuaded hubby to get me these for Christmas... And I'm so glad he said yes..He is not the kind of guy that would surprise you with gifts.. He's more of a "ask and you shall receive so I won't have a hard time thinking or looking for a gift that you'll love" type of guy. I say, he's just practical and does not want his gift to go to waste. Since we don't have time to shop together. I suggested to just swipe my supplementary card to purchase the flip flops since I have easy access to the shops and our office is located inside the mall.

And so after I had my pedicure, I headed to the Chocolate Clothing store to buy my self 2 pairs of havaianas. I'm happy! ecstatic! Thank you Be! muwah!!!

AJ @ 6

Notice something different? Yup.. this will happend to your blogspot if your stupid enough to convert to the beta version. And yes I'm sooo damn stupid and I blame all of this to my curiosity.

I can't remember if I really did understand their disclaimer... I think I read that I can revert back to my old template if I want to... but I have been trying to manipulate the html format but still to no success.. I'm afraid I'm stuck here.. to this simple template... Its true, nasa huli ang pagsisisi.
I don't have a choice but to deal with this... and move on...

OK.
Moving on.. today is AJ's 6th month birthday... I was looking forward to see him this evening ... I even bought pansit malabon to celebrate but when I got home from work... this is what I saw... my birthday boy is calmly sleeping in his crib. I didn't bother picking him up so hubby, mamita, my bro and yaya share the pansit and the black forest cake ( bought by my bro) instead.

Next week, its my turn to have a birthday and I'm treating AJ for a photo shoot at the Picture Company (same people who did my preggy photos). I've been so looking forward to this since I gave birth.. I'm just so excited.

2 foods, a wedding & a visa

The week (and the week before) that was...

My brother arrived from Singapore last November 25 for his interview at the US Embassy last November 27. And yes.. he got an approval for his application and now holds a H-1B visa. He'll be away for 3 years and we'll surely going to miss him...and AJ too who is close to his uncle/ ninong, his eyes lights up whenever he sees him and always wants to be picked up. My brother leaves for Singapore this Saturday (Dec. 16) to finish his contract in Singapore and will go straight from SG to Alabama where he'll work as an aircraft mechanic. I don't want to sound materialistic but I'm looking forward to those balikbayan boxes that he'll be sending...hehehe!

Last December 6, when my brother celebrated his 31st Birthday, its also the day when AJ started his solid food. My mom gave him an oatmeal cookie to munch and he was so delighted to have a taste of something other than his milk. I scouted for some cereals in the grocery but all of them indicates "traces of Soya" on the label. Since AJ is G6PD deficient, I cannot give him anything with Soya, so I ended up buying 3 bottles of Gerber ( sweet potato, squash and oatmeal with applesauce and banana). He loves the squash and the oatmeal and can now finish 2 teaspoon in one sitting. I also bought him a sippy cup.

December 9, was Kim and Dom's wedding. Its my first morning wedding. The usual wedding that I have attended were at 3 or 4pm. I guess there's always a first time for everything. The wedding rites where held at the old church of Nuesta Senora de Gracia in Guadalupe and Lunch Party was held afterwards at the Ballroom of Mandarin Oriental Manila. Kim walked down the isle with seriousness on her face but teary eyed. I guess she's trying not to cry. But Maya and I are already in tears as she passed by us. The brides dad cried from the time he handed over his daughter to the groom (aww! sweet!).

The Newlyweds, Mr. & Mrs. Dominique Soliven

It was a very intimate family affair with lavish food. Her motif was champaign gold and brown and a Christmas themed reception. They had a Snowflake cake ( which I suggested *wink*), silver Christmas tree as their center piece and the giveaways were Christmas balls that doubled as jewelry case. The food were indeed delectable, the buffet had 6 different dishes with overflowing sushi and maki. The newlyweds are now in Singapore for their honeymoon.. Congrats Kim & Dom!

L-R: Kim, Mishy, Dom & Kim, Maya and Me.

for couples only: the newlyweds with hubby and me

After the party, hubby, me and Maya drove to the Fort to see if the long lines to the Krispy Kreme store subsided since our last visit. And luckily, yes,I was able to get in but as soon as i enter the door (plus a couple more people), the guard has stop letting people enter.. and the line out side started all over again. I'm just glad I finally had a taste of this much talk about doughnut. Even my hubby's grandma is a fan... she always eat krispy kreme everytime she's in LA.

More of Kim & Dom's Wedding pics here.. and more pics of our quest for krispy kreme here then here.

my scooting baby

December 3, 2006. AJ was caught on video in his attempt to get near to a drumming Santa Claus by using his new milestone... Scooting! You can hear me and mamita giving moral support. Go Baby Go! Hopefully he'll be sitting up soon on his own and starts crawling.

a bridal shower amidst the storm

Despite the signal # 2 over Metro Manila, our shower party for Kim pushed through. There was no rain, but the wind was a bit strong. I was hoping that the rest of the day will stay that way. I arrived 10 minutes earlier in Galleria so I went straight to Starbucks and bought a cup of toffee nut latte. The Honoree (Kim) saw me as I got off the escalator and we headed to our meeting place (Gloria Jeans). Maya emerge for the basement of the coffee shop fresh from the shower of Gold's Gym (which was right below the shop). While waiting for Rachel, updated each other with the latest chikas and we briefed Kim on what to expect.. of course we lied and told her that we hired some macho dancer to give her a lap dance...hehehe!

We left the cafe around 11:30am and we're already running late, so we cancel our plan to do some shopping at Rustan's annual sale (we also couldn't find the freakin' building)so we decided to get lunch. We really didn't plan were to eat... i guess we wanted to be spontaneous and feel where our taste buds will lead us. Since we're already in Makati, we decided to go to Rockwell and start from there. We walked the whole stretch of restaurants but couldn't decided. In the end we stopped at press. where the food was good and price friendly according to Maya.

While waiting for our orders, Kim opened our gifts and giggled as she read each of our gift notes to her. We're glad she loved all our gifts and good thing that we didn't give her anything that she already got from the other bridal shower that was given to her. Of course pictures where taken to preserve the moment and her non-stop smile and laughter. Soon our food arrived. The highly recommended OMM (onions, mushrooms mozzarella) was a sure winner.I ordered pumpkin cream soup which was very savory and pasta. After the hearty meal, Maya and I agreed to buy havaianas since we don't own one yet. But after scouting from different stores and checking out different designs, I was not convince that I have found "IT" ~ the havaianas that were made for my feet. In the end, Rachel, who already got a pair... left the Chocolate Clothing store toting a shopping bag (havaianas inside).

pumpkin soup and the OMM with pita bread.

After finding Maya's car (we got lost at the parking lot because we were searching the car at the wrong side of the building..haha!)we headed to our surprise for the bride.. an afternoon at the spa and a free shiatsu massage. Kim was placed on the hot seat when we were in the jacuzzi asking questions that we not dare to ask in any other place or occasion. We had an hour of relaxing massage to end our day. Amidst the storm, I'm glad this bonding day con bridal shower pushed through. And delighted that our bride enjoyed her last weekend with us as a single woman.

getting ready for our afternoon at The SPA.

forces of nature

I had it all planned out. A perfect time for a get-together and getaway from the hassle and bustle of the metro with close friends. Everyone was excited when I told them my idea for our friend's bridal shower. To add more to the excitement, another friend (Misty) suggested to indulge ourselves with pampering at a nature spa. Sounds good right? I myself am super excited when I made our reservation, sending email correspondence to my cliquish girlfriends (that I consider as sisters that I never had) to get their opinions, making the itinerary and so eager to tell our honoree about our wonderful plan for her shower. Of course I don't want to spoil the surprise so I just told her to save and block the date for the whole day because she'll have a very unforgettable bonding with the girls. I said those words exactly one month ago. October 30.

Then by some stroke of bad luck, on November 14, our President declared to move the non-working holiday of Bonifacio Day from November 30 to December 1 so that it will be a long holiday. I would normally praise her for this administrative order but it was the first time I was so pissed off for moving the holiday to another date. This is because we have already set November 30 as the date of our getaway. Now, we don't have any choice but to move it to December 1. And so came my dilemma... Misty had another engagement on this day. Rachel and her BF already made plans as well. Oh no! It was not a good sign. I was thinking of an alternative date to move the bridal shower but every weekend, some one has an appointment already. And we don't have any other choice but to stick to Dec. 1 because the following weekend is already the Big Day. I'm losing hope. I prayed for everything to work out. If its meant to happened it will happened.

And so I wait.

I can't remember if Misty called or sent an sms.. but all I can remember was she informed me that her prior engagement was canceled! Gosh, prayers have been answered! Rachel decided not to go through with the plans with her BF. Excitement mode is back. And so I called Sonya's Garden to change our reservation date for the full body massage and foot spa. Everything was set. Thank God!

And now...

Another test in our faith comes along. A week ago, there was a weather forecast about the super typhoon REMING. It will hit the country's area of responsibility on November 28 and by December 1, the eye of the storm will be in Metro Manila. WHAT!? WHY NOW? Why not later. Why not next year?

Are the forces of nature trying to say something about our planned getaway? Is this a sign from God that we should not have this bridal shower?


Ok. Fine So, earlier today, we decided not to push through with the trip to Tagaytay. We agreed to just have dinner on Monday at TGIF. But then around 3pm, I received an SMS from Misty, saying that the typhoon will not hit Metro Manila. Yehey!!! But since doing the bridal shower out of town is no longer an option. We just decided to stop over at the Rustan's employee sale (no were not employees of Rustan's Dept. Store, we were just invited) then have lunch and go to The SPA afterwards to pamper ourselves.

If you see me blog about it.. then everything planned happened. If not, it means Typhoon Reming, changed her mind and goes to Metro Manila to ruin our perfectly planned day of bonding.

who rocks my world?

Create Your Own

Gimme FiVE

AJ at his 1st and 5th month birthday

Look how much AJ has grown since his first month birthday. We celebrated his 5th month birthday last November 13. Had a Chocolate Marjalaine cake and of course pansit (for long life). Our pedia visit last weekend included a 5 in 1 vaccine (Polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) ) and physical exam. He did cry for a few seconds when he felt the needle on his leg and then stopped after I picked him up from the doctor's table. He got another very good from Dra. Que and she informed us that he is ready to start table food on his 6th month birthday. Yehey! Looking forward to post those messy encounters with the high chair in the future. Hehe!

My boy is getting bigger and I can't wait to see him sit on his own, crawl, stand and walk.. And wonder what his first word will be. I know some mothers will say that I don't know what I'm asking for ...but for first time mothers like me, everything my baby does is a sure delight, even if it makes me go nuts sometimes. At the end of the day, I thank God that I survived the day of chaos with learning on the side and loads of smiles & giggles on top. When I stare at him while he sleeps at night... all the craziness just melts away. And find myself looking forward to his toothless smile when he wakes up in morning and the chaos that comes along with it.

a duck tale

Last weekend me and hubby were at the mall to get AJ's supply of diapers and to buy a new bottle and nipple brush. When we reached the counter, we saw these "bath pals". There were black and while whale, blue shark and a... purple seal. I have not seen a purple seal even on the Animal Planet (cable TV). I've always wanted to have a rubber duckie when I was a kid but since rubber duckies are useless in a shower.. it didn't matter anymore. We asked if they have rubber duckies, and they did! We went straight to where the sales lady directed us and there were fishes and then there were ducks!!! I pressed the duckies to see if they were in prefect condition. As I pressed each duck, they quacked noisly... I was like a 2 year old quacking my way to the counter, hahaha!

And seems like AJ enjoyed himself playing with them in the tub as well.

What's in my list?

It's exactly 37 days before my 29th birthday.. .which means Christmas is only 40 days away and I have not done any single Christmas shopping. Okay, I'm procrastinating until I get hold of my 13th month pay. Which is really not much since I plan to put half of it in AJ fund (aka bank account). Hope I can find some good stuff on a tight budget.

Before, I usually have different wish list for my Birthday and Christmas.. Now that I'm a mom and know how hard times can be.. so I've decided to have only 1 list this year.

To my colleagues who read my blog (you know who you are), please pass this to my Birthday Santa so that he/she can already bring out that brown envelope and route it in time for the release of our 13th month pay.

And so here are mine.. In chronological order:

1.

Baby Couture Diaper Bags
(love the one in Pink & Brown)





2. Manuscript of Shopaholic & Baby

3. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

4.
Havaianas Flip Flops




5. Lulu Lemon Yoga Mats

6. SPA Gift Certificates

7. DVD of Cars and The Incredibles (Pixar)

8. Half Blood Prince in Paperback (to complete my Harry Potter collection)

9. iPOD nano 2GB

10. Sony Cybershot DSC T10 7.2MP Digital Camera (in Pink please!)

So what's in your Christmas wish list?

Updated:

I've crossed out baby couture from my wish list coz I've received an email from my so generous and gorgeous friend Abi, that she's giving me this tote for my birthday and Christmas...yipee! Love you Girl!!

So, to my Birthday Santa...I'm just gonna go for those cutie havaianas flip flops.

I'm so loving this Christmas season!

Shopaholic & Baby

To all you fans of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic Series, I am pleased to share this good news... I got an email from the author's mailing list that the 5th installment of her ever best selling Shopaholic series will be out next year. Yup that's February 2007 (mark your calendar). I have long been waiting for this and I've been in and out of Powerbooks checking out the fiction shelves to see if Sophie has a new book out.

The email invites to take a peek at the brand new Shopaholic novel. They hide the links of special
excerpts from SHOPAHOLIC & BABY throughout the Sophie Kinsella site - you'll have to dig around to find them. I actually needed help just to find excerpt #4 and #5.

If you want to read the excerpts, go and play here. If you can't find them, send me a message and will tell you where to look.

And as if the excerpts are not enough, I stumbled into the book's synopsys from amazon which made me even more anxious to get hold of the book.

Becky's life is blooming! She's working at London's newest fashion store, The Look, house-hunting with husband Luke (her secret wish is a Shoe Room)...and she's pregnant! She couldn't be more overjoyed - especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery...to the latest, coolest pram...to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician. But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be her husband Luke's glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky's perfect world starts to crumble. She's shopping for two...but are there three in her marriage?

I'm so so excited! I wish its 2007 already! This could be a great Christmas gift or Valentines gift... unfortunately it will be released after these occations (As per Random House, February 27 is the release date) Sigh!

highschool girlfriends

I enjoy bonding with girlfriends... especially those whom I have not seen in a long time. Everytime I log in to my YM, I'm always thrilled to see two of my highschool bestfriends... Ellie, who's currently living in Texas with hubby and their new born son Nash ( he's just 3 months younger than my AJ) and Nancy, the only remaining single gal in our barkada. Even if Nancy just live within the Metro, I don't see her often because of our busy schedules. Gosh, the last time I saw her was at my wedding...Yup you read it right.. 14 months ago. Same goes with Ellie. I'm glad she came to my wedding but before that, I have not seen her for like 8 years. She flew back to the States 2 days before we arrived from our honeymoon so there was really no time to bond when she was here.

But last Tuesday night, armed with web cams (unfortunately Nancy has yet to purchase one.. but promised to have it the next time we see her online) we were waving at each others babies and giving kisses in the air.. its nice seeing Ellie after she gave birth. Time flies so fast.. the last time we saw each other we were just a wife now we are both mothers to our boys. Before, we used to chat about boyfriends, shopping, common friends and usually reminising our high school days. This time, there were lots of laughter, "kamustahan", mommy talk, wife-y talk, ex's (na may mga utang pa!), slimming tips and what to do with Nancy's love life were majority of topics. With occational BRBs because the other one has to go to the CR, feed the baby or the baby woke up, change diaper, and put baby to sleep. We ended the session... talking about reunion.. and mind you, the planned reunion will be in Australia next year... Ouch! that will surely suck up my budget. I've never been to Aussie and I'd surley love to go ...if budget permits.. why not! hahaha! i'm keeping my fingers crossed here :p (Asa pa ako hehe!)

I think it was already around 1am when I went to bed...but I had fun bonding with the girls.. and I don't mind staying up late again to chat with my girls.

Three weeks from now, I'll have another bonding with the girls...this time with my officemates and ex-officemates. Its going to be a SPA Day :)

with Nancy ( my maid of honor)

with Ellie (my matron of honor)

*During our high school, digi cams does not exists ...sorry can't show you our before and after hair styles .. haha! (those spray nets are huge hit.) eek!

feels like the Alps

me 'n carol

Early this year, we were complaining that the air condition in the office does not release the temperature that it suppose to provide. While this was being repaired by the administration, the management bought electric fans to keep us from smelling like shit.. i mean sweat. Months have passed, took my maternity leave, gave birth and came back to a working air condition. But this time the temperature was more than we asked for.. its freezing are brains and asses..its like I'm in Swiss Alps everyday. I got cough and runny nose for the first two months when I got back to work. The problem with an office inside the mall is that the air condition is centralize and we can't do anything but get used to it and bring out those jackets and pashminas.

A day at the office looks like this:

L-R:Jen, Carol, Liz, Louie & me

out-of-town to hometown

All Saints Day is over and Christmas is just around the corner. In no time it will be the New Year. Sigh...Time really flies so fast, AJ will be a year old in no time. But since that's 7 months away, I'll enjoy my little guy one day at a time. Since this year's ASD holiday was in the middle of the week, the family decided to visit Hubby's hometown in Nasugbu, Batangs last weekend. Also, last October 28 was the christening of AJ's 2nd cousin (Robie Celestine) so we were able to meet some of the Hubby's relatives in the fraternal side.

I woke up early to pack for AJ. This is the first time he'll go out of town and will be staying overnight so I have to pack almost all of his things. If his cabinet can fit in the car I would have brought it with us. Clothes, blankets, milk, bottles, beddings, sterilizer, vitamins, teeters, pacifiers etc. The whole trunk of the car nearly ran out of space for our duffle bag. Good thing we didn't bring the stroller and the bath tub with us coz we might be taking the bus and hubby drives alone to Batangas. AJ was dress and ready to go by 6am and I have yet to pack my clothes and take a bath...and just imagine hubby rushing me to hurry up.. argh! The pressure! "I'm packing for two people here you know!" I was not in the mood to argue. Ok so maybe its also my fault for not packing the night before... We came home late from work and was too tired to do anything but sleep.

The drive to Batangas was peaceful and no storm yehey! (remember our trip last May 14 when we have to go through the storm, me preggy at the time). AJ slept most of the time during the road trip. Good thing he didn't poo poo while were on the road. When we stopover at McDonald's Tagaytay for breakfast, its like on queue that he opened his eyes just as we parked. After breakfast, we went straight to the Church for the christening rights and the buffet lunch after. There, hubby's relatives meet AJ for the first time. AJ's great grand parents, lolo paco & lola ina where very happy to see him agin, Lola Letty who cuddled AJ for the first time and uncles & aunties who gushed at how AJ looks like his Papa Jun (Hubby's dad) and cousins who made him laugh and constantly pinching his cute litte foot. We stayed the whole afternoon at hubby's parents house and AJ slept after his bath. I myself was tired and slept until 6pm. When AJ and I woke up, the famous Aling Celing's Halo-Halo and BBQ were served for our late meryenda. Of course I ate AJ's share..hehehe!

AJ played with his cousin Abby until he fell asleep around 10pm. And when he woke up in the morning, we headed to the beach for a morning walk and sunshine. Unfortunately, Mr. Sun was nowhere in sight because of another storm coming our way (as per the news, Storm Paeng was in Catanduanes at that time) so we just click our camera and captured AJ's first time at the beach.. well almost .. He has to wait for 7 more months to be able to run on the sand and swim the beach. We left Batangas just as the rain started to pour.

Hope all of you have a great time trick or treating! And for those who didn't celebrate Halloween in their part of the world...Hope you had a great week!

daddy & AJ

we had a hard time making AJ Smile, this one's a lucky shot

Peek-a-boo

After AJ's pedia visit yesterday, we went to Shangrila Mall. It's his first time at a mall and seems to enjoy the stroller ride. While I was inside PowerBooks, Daddy decided to play peek-a-boo with him... Mamita (my mom) went to find me inside the bookstore so can I campture this daddy-baby bonding moment. (my tears are rolling down my face from laughing while taking this video.. u can hear me from the background). Enjoy watching!

7th @ the Legend Party

The workplace seems to be in celebratory mood already. 60% of the employees are either rehearsing for their respective presentations, others are doing the last minute preps for the stage props. Some are on half-day leave to prettify themselves. Hangers of gowns and barongs are here, there and everywhere.

We have celebrated our anniversaries year after year (this is my 5th anniversary if I may say). Preparation has been put together by the committee with immense hard work and with super limited budget. But the excitement of tonight's company anniversary party is something else.. I'm super excited! Getting all dressed up and partying hard is what this diverse and dynamic people are good at. Will post pictures of tonight's event as soon as I can. Now I have to go and have my nails and hair done ...

[edited]
Pictures are posted here.

4 months na...

and he's happy to be...

Life's a Beach

Life is just like a beach. Sometimes its calm and refreshing other times the sea wash ashore and on some occasions the storm sets in and causes giant waves. I woke up with an sms message from a friend last weekend. I was disturbed the whole day about it. I'd say I had no idea that their beach is experiencing giant waves for the past weeks. I pray that the storm would pass and the sunshine restores the calmness in their relationship.

On the contrary, the weekend was calm and refreshing for the whole family. Last Saturday, was AJ's official baby's day out. Bathed and clothed in his light blue jumpsuit (thanks Mama Ems!), he was cute and ready to go to his cousin, Alexia Reese's christening (3rd degree of consanguinity). On the way to the reception, AJ was bright eyed looking out the window and staring at the cars passing by, looking up at the tall buildings, and anything that caught his fancy or I say attention. This time he didn't fall asleep at all during the ride (he used to sleep every-time he's in the car).

Baby Lexi is a cutie with her fair complexion and chinita eyes. Though Lexi is more than a month older than AJ, she was very light and tiny compared to AJ who is getting heavier by the day. Baby Lexi is very much the opposite of AJ because she always cries whenever other people come close to her. While AJ is very sociable baby and didn't even cry nor get irritated when he was near other people and kids.

It has been more than a year since I last saw Lexi's parents, Ronnie and Anji. While Anji is a petite lady, and even 5 months after giving birth, she still has a belly of a pregnant woman in her 3rd trimester. This is because she has Myoma. Its not cancerous but then its something that I don't wish anyone to have. I feel so bad that I have been so concerned of my waistline after giving birth when others are concerned on more serious matters.

All of us are going through different challenges in life...don't think that the person in front of you on your train ride this morning is luckier than you because I'm sure he/she has their own beach to survive. I am no exemption.

me and AJ with Alexia and Daddy Ronnie

scrapbooking

A few weekends ago I was able to finish the "first month" of my Baby ScrapBook. Just want to share with you guys my unfinish masterpiece. Hope I can start the 2nd month soon.

Bagong Gising

Bagong gising: AJ just woke up when hubby and I are about to go to work. Mamita carrying him for his morning sunshine.

tales from the crib

I haven't talked about AJ that much lately... an inserts of him here and there but not a dedicated post. So I've decided to give updates on my little hunky doodle dahling.

From his pedia visit (3 weeks ago) he's growing at normal rate and thank God not over weight. Now at 61 cm and 6.8 kilos.

Sleeping: He sleeps soundly and longer at night now but still wakes up for feeding (usually 2 to 3 am). He's been my alarm clock for the past weeks since he wakes up at 5am on the dot. With his bright round eyes gazing at me, I can no longer doze back to sleep so I end up talking and playing with him until its time for me to go hit the shower.

Baby Talk: He's very talkative as well.. he responds everytime you speak to him with gurgles and coos. It's so entertaining and makes everyone amused. I even recorded on my mobile phone one of his monologue. (wanted to upload it here but the size is too big :( )

Baby's day out: He also loves being in his stoller. You can see the excitement in his eyes when he is being changed and place in his stroller. Seems like this smart kiddo of mine knows that he's going out.

Who's the fairest of all? : He loves mirrors too. First he stares at his reflection then grins and stare again and grin again...hahaha! He's a crazy baby...but I love his crazyness to death!

Teething: His fingers are his best friend. They are always there if he needs their helping hand whenever his gums hurt or even just for entertainment. He's slowly learning to suck on only one finger (his thumb), but still manages to put all 5 fingers in his mouth.

Grab it: He's yet to master his grabbing skills but I know he'll get there soon. He can only hold his bottle for a few seconds.

Roll over: He is also mastering his rolling over. He has yet to learn to remove his arm under his chest when he rolls over and lands on his tummy. His cute face is such a sight when asking for help.

Stand up: He enjoys standing up (with our help of course) and making those stationaty baby steps. I can't want for him to walk so I can take him wherever I want to... I can hear his squeaky shoes as he walks..hehehehe!

AJ's celebrating his 4th month birthday on Friday the 13th and I'm so excited to see his new milestones.

Better days

I've never been busy, harrassed, and stressed all at the same time for so long now. I didn't even had the time to take my afternoon break nor do a quick pranayama to relieve my from the tension. Yeah, That's how busy my Monday at work was like.

A battle field of account managers and customers complaining why their access to our system was suspended. Phones were ringing left and right, one after the other. I can no longer concentrate on the 33 page Labor RFP that a client sent me for review. Answering emails and talking to irate clients and trying my best to keep them calm as I inform them of their payment obligations in the most friendliest tone I can ever succumb. This is one of the worst day at the office I had (for a very long time). After work, hubby is already at our meeting place but I'm still in the office doing a reconcillation of report with a colleague. Arrghh! I wanna go home! as I leave my desk, I bid everyone goodbye and said "Hope tomorrow will be a better day for all of us".... I hope..

After almost an hour of waiting, I met hubby at the MRT station and I'm glad he was not irritable for waiting that long... might not be able to handle it if he did. Arrived home around 9pm and AJ was sleeping already but woke up after hearing noises coming from the living room. And at his first sight of me, he gave me his cutest gummy smile and my stress just melted away.. it was like a thing of the past. He was wide awake until 11:30pm and finally got tired and dozed off before midnight.

I really hope today will be a better day at the office.

me-time

Finally, I had the chance to attend a yoga class. Listening to the soothing sound and meditating with legs at half lotus was truly heaven on earth. The sun salutation was so invigorating that I was asking for more even if I'm sweating a bucket.

I had a hard time doing the eagle pose, I'm unable to balance myself after 5 counts. Might be because of the weight gain from my pregnancy. Though I'm glad that I can still do a pigeon pose and my favorite shoulder stand and plough. But I can't hold the pose longer than 8 counts. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this ME-time and the best part is that I slept during the 15 minutes relaxation session that felt like a full 2 hours sleep. And ended my day at the gym with 15 minutes at the sauna.

It was the best Sunday I had in months. But the only drawback was the 5 hours away from AJ.

Bagyo: Milenyo

Its a weekend and I'm glad. Especially after the storm: Milenyo hit the country. I was not actually in the mood to go to work yesterday but because of the PMAP Conference ( our company is a sponsor and we have a booth that we have to man) I had no choice but to be in my best corporate attire (power dressing ito!) and face the ranging storm. 4 other officemates that were scheduled to man the booth with me have their own reasons why they can't make it to work. So I hand no choice but to attened to the booth myself. God Bless Charles (an officemate) who even if he resides in San Pedro, Laguna, didn't let me face the 350 delegates of the conference all alone. He arrived after about 15 minutes.

I didn't know what was going on out there since we were sheltered by Crown Plaza from the storm but when I was informed that a part of Robinson's Galleria's roof (a mall beside Crown Plaza) were damaged by the storm, its the only time that I realized that this storm is not just any kind of storm. I called my hubby and they were already being sent home. That was around 12nn when I called him. He was able to reach the hotel around 3:00pm. The usual 30 minutes ride from Makati to Ortigas became a 2 hour ride due to the heavy and bad traffic. When we left the hotel, we can't get a ride, Bus, MRT (was shutdown), taxi, FX.. any type of transportation is impossible.Too many people stranded and waiting to get a ride. You have to walk to be able to get to your destination. My imagination is already running ..seeing myself being lifted in a 10x10 truck of the Philippine Army that rescues stranded commuters. I shaked off the image in my mind and called my brother to pick us up. Another Thank God! That my brother is still in the country to pick us up (He'll be going back to Singapore tomorrow).

The storm Milenyo is no longer as strong as it was when this was taken (around 5 p.m.) but you'll see trees all bent and lying on the road.
This post is dedicated to all those who lost their friends and loved ones from the storm. Take care everyone.

PAGASA UPDATE: Typhoon"MILENYO" has slowed down for the past six hours as it continues to move away from the country. - issued at 11:45 a.m., 29 September 2006.

"A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas, containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose, combined with fiber, give an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the b ody converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

lesson learned

My ever-reliable eyeglasses for 4 years have been forced to resign due to a devastating accident that caused him to end his term. And its all my fault. I'm so sorry. The truth is, I sat on it. I usually place my eyeglasses in the nightstand but that night I just placed it somewhere in the bed.

Saturday morning (3 am), I was in complete oblivion when AJ started to cry(he was sleeping with us in our bed that night). After I fed and burped him, he went straight to sleep again like nothing happened. I sat at the edge of the bed then laid him on his back. It was then I realized that I was not wearing my glasses. I searched the bed and found it under the blanket (the same spot where I sat earlier), the bridge of the glasses was bent. Slowly, I tried to straighten it but it snapped into half instead. For about a minute I just looked at it in shock. I didn't dwell on it too much since I was still in sleeping mode. When I woke up, that's the time I realized that weekends are rest day of my eyes from wearing contact lenses. No eyeglasses would mean inconvenience because I have to clean and put on my contact lenses when I wake up and take it off if I take a nap and put it back on when I wake up. Hassle!!

I have to get a new pair pronto! And that's exactly what I did Monday after lunch. I dragged Mareng Rachel to the optical shop to scout for a new pair of glasses with one rule in mind, round face should wear angular frame. And from the piles and piles of glasses that was presented to us by the optometrist (from Ralph Lauren to Oakley to Armani brand of glasses) I settled with Marithe+Francois Girbaud (which was the cheapest ...hehehe!). I'm happy to have found the perfect pair for me.

Lesson learned: Never put eyeglasses on your bed. That's why they come with hard cases when you buy them.

no yoga yet filled with smiles

This weekend I planned to attened my first yoga class since I started going back to the gym last Sept 1. But whenever I wake up and see AJ's wide bright eyes smiling at me, I just tend to forget what I have to do and get lost in his gaze. I end up taking pictures and video of him.

Ever since AJ learned to roll over all by himself, tummy time has been his favorite playtime position. He loves to roll over and flashing his big smile whenever he is called, handsome Andre Jonah. I just have to capture this on video.