Rocco's Mom

How we spent Christmas PART 2

2014-01-12T22:20:00.002+08:00

After spending the first half of our Christmas break with my in-laws (read about it here), it was time to spend some quality time with my family. My sister has a house in Manila that would fit us all, so we trooped to her beautiful and cozy home, together with my parents, and brother with his family. My eldest sister just gave birth in the US so they could not go home for the holidays.

I can best describe our Christmas with my family as child-like and laid-back. Our activities were centered around our kids, and because of the location of my sister's house in QC which is very near UP, we spent most of our free time going to parks and kiddie places.

On our first day together, we trooped to my papa's favorite resto. Papa was in pain due to a cracked and impacted tooth, and was having a hard time eating, but seeing him enjoying his food at his fave resto made our day.

The next day, we met up with my cousin who arrived from London. She treated everyone to yummy and soshal lunch at Cibo in Shangri-la. Sa sobrang sarap ng food, we didn't take any pictures. Hehe Thank you to Ate Cielo, Kuya Stephen and Julienne for the fantabulous lunch, and for all your generosity.

Watching Disney on Ice was one of the highlights of our vacation. It was really for the kids, and I didn't mind paying a hefty sum just to see my son, nieces, and nephew enjoy their day. Kami din super enjoy!

Ano ang saya ng gatherings kung walang kainan? After watching Disney on Ice, we heard mass and went off again to another one of my papa's fave resto, Muang Thai. Everytime I eat in this place, I always forget about my diet at napapakain ako ng extra extra!

The next day, we didn't have concrete plans, so we headed off to UP Diliman to kill off time. We just gave the kids a free space to roam around and play, while we relaxed and basked at the beauty of nature.

That's my boys having a tender moment.

The next day, I squeezed off some time to meet up with my 1st legit friend ever. Lindy and I have been friends since I was in Kinder, and she shares a huge part of my childhood fun. We're pre-occupied now with our own personal lives but it feels good that every time we meet again, it feels like we just met yesterday.

After meeting up with my friend, we went to UP Circle so that the kids will have fun. Nag-enjoy naman sila, from the mini-train ride, to the Ice Age tour and program, and even the go-karts were fun too!

Rocco was so scared of the dinosaurs in the Ice Age tour. Haha! Look at that scared face!

I still have to get used to seeing Rocco being all toddler now. Ibang-iba na talaga.

After a tiring but fun afternoon at the park, my mama treated us to an eat all you can Japanese dinner. Talk about heaven! Their sushi, sashimi, maki, and all those Jappy yummy stuff were so amazingly good! I think I gained 2lbs that night alone.

The next day was New Year's eve, and because we had nothing to do, tambay nalang kami sa Starbucks, at nagsunog ng wallet sa Uniqlo (again!).

My BIL's (sister's husband) family invited all of us to spend New Year's eve with them, so we trooped to Malabon to enjoy their amazing fireworks. It has been their family's tradition to spend a fortune on fireworks and firecrackers which start from 6PM up to midnight for the finale. And I'm not kidding when I say ang daming fireworks, kasi every 15minutes may paputok sila. Very organized, and EXPENSIVE! :)

The next day was New Year, Jan 1, and it was time to go home. We really enjoyed our vacation in Manila. It would have been perfect had we been in Tacloban, but God had other plans, and there was no other way but to just accept whatever happened, and move forward with positive vibes.

Now it's 2014, and I can feel great things that are yet to come. With God's grace, we will make the best out of 2014.

How we spent Christmas PART 1

2014-01-11T22:58:00.000+08:00

Since our families in Tacloban were displaced after Yolanda, everyone decided that we would collectively spend Christmas in Manila. My SIL has a condo where my in-laws stayed, while my parents stayed with my sister who has a house of her own there. We could not stay in our own house in Makati since we had it rented our already.

It was really bittersweet to spend Christmas in a different place, most especially for my parents who are home-grown Taclobanons. We could still sense the sadness every time we talked about their Yolanda experience, and what it did to our home. But still, we made the most out of the limited time we had together, and made it more memorable especially for my son, nieces, and nephew.

We left for Manila on December 21. It was a much-awaited vacation since prior to that, work for both my husband and I was really hectic and we had limited time with Rocco. It was a good decision also not to bring his yaya during the Christmas trip so we can have more privacy and bonding time with our son.

Hubby's brother went home from Dubai for my MIL's 6oth birthday, so it was also a reunion for their side of the family.

The day we arrived in Manila, we had dinner at the Ayala Triangle Garden where amazing Christmas lights were on display.

We split our time between my in-laws and my immediate family. We spent the first half with my in-laws. Rocco enjoyed his time in the super mini-playground of his Auntie Ann's condo.

I also had the chance to meet up with my elementary and high school friends who were in Manila. All our families were directly affected by supertyphoon Yolanda.

We had lunch at the posh 7th Avenue of the Bonifacio Global City, and had some tea at the Serendra strip where our kids enjoyed their time at the park.

After more than a year, it was also the first time that Rocco and his BFF Geboy met again. Boy have they grown so fast!

After my lunch and afternoon with friends, we headed off to SM Aura to meet up with my in-laws. We watched the cartoon movie, Frozen. Such a beautiful movie, parang ako ata ang mas nag-enjoy :) Rocco was behaved for about 3/4 of the movie, until he started saying "Go Home!" Patay tayo diyan! We took turns to bring him out of the cinema because he was getting noisy by the minute.

The next day was the 60th birthday of my MIL. We originally planned to have a big celebration in Tacloban, but due to the aftermath of Yolanda, the plan was abruptly changed. Since most of my hubby's relatives also temporarily relocated to Manila, the family decided to hold a simple gathering on my MIL's birthday, which was hosted at the function hall of my SIL's condo. My side of the family was also there.

That's my MIL in the pretty floral red dress :)

Some of my hubby's relatives.

My cute little boy said he was a monster. He was copying Sully from the Monster's Inc movie.

The next day was Christmas day and it was time to open the gifts. Rocco had a lot of gifts. He is a blessed and lucky child. We had lunch at my sister's house, then heard mass, and then went to Uniqlo to shop before eating dinner (eating again!). Seriously, I love that store! I think in all the times that we dropped by malls while in Manila, we went to Uniqlo each time, and stayed there the longest :)

PS: I don't have any other photos of Christmas day. Maybe my hands were too full running after my son :)

The day after Christmas, we didn't have any specific plans. My SIL was busy preparing for her US trip the next day, and my BIL was also flying off to Dubai after a few days. It was also the last day we were spending with my hubby's side of the family because we transferred to my sister's house the next day.

My boys killed time by swimming at the pool. After lunch, we slept and after we woke up, headed off to SM MOA. Of all the malls I've been to, I dislike MOA the most. It's just too crowded for me. And for a person like me who craves for space, I always get a splitting headache in those places. Anyway, after MOA, we braved the traffic and rainy night, and had dinner at Dampa.

The next day, we were off to my side of the family! That's part II!

Rocco turns 2!

2013-12-07T20:46:00.002+08:00

Last November 22, we celebrated the 2nd birthday of Rocco. We had things planned out, a party with his kiddie friends in our village, and his grandparents and cousins would be here with us in Cebu to celebrate his birthday.

I had already prepared the invites, souvenirs, name tags, and reserved for the clown host, balloon twister and face painter. I even had kiddie chairs reserved, bought decors, and already prepared the ingredients for his cupcake tower.

But Yolanda happened. Oh well, I refuse to dwell on the negativity of the tragic event. The important thing is, we're complete and alive.

When we saw the aftermath of Yolanda, I decided to cancel Rocco's party and just celebrate simply instead. It doesn't sit well with me to be celebrating here in Cebu when my parents do not even have a roof on their head, and a lot of friends and relatives barely have food to eat in order to survive. The money can be used for other more important things, like helping out family and donating to relief ops. We can have a big birthday party in the next years when everybody has recovered already from the catastrophic tragedy. Hubby agreed with my decision.

Still, kailangan pa din mag-celebrate, kahit simple lang. I decorated our dining area with balloons, cooked yummy food (which everyone really loved), and baked his favorite blueberry cheesecake.

My in-laws, who were able to get out of Tacloban via Ormoc, spent Rocco's birthday with us. My papa was still in Tacloban that time, and my mama was already in Manila because she was able to fly out via the US C130 plane to Manila.

Hubby went to work because he was cramming for his China trip that weekend. Buti naman at nakahabol pa din :)

Dearest Rocco,

Wow, how fast time flies. You are now a certified toddler, but I don't want to tag you as a terrible two because you are everything sweet, and not terrible.

Everyday, we are amazed by your impressive milestones. You never fail to surprise us with your new words, how you can memorize all our names, from your grannies, cousins, titos and titas, yayas, and of course, us your parents, how you can follow and sing songs so easily, how you can count from 1 to 30 at 2yrs old, how you can solve puzzles and cognitive games which are complex for a 2yr old brain, and many more!

I always thank God for giving us such a sweet boy, who loves to kiss and hug and say "I wab you mama Diane". I will cherish these moments because as your papa said, when you grow up, you wouldn't let me kiss you anymore :)

Anak, I'm sorry we had to cancel your party. I know you will understand. My wish for your birthday is not for you or for us, because we are bountifully blessed, but for our families and friends who are struggling to survive Yolanda's aftermath. I hope to see the smile again in your grandma's face because she's been so sad and crying, and I hope that someday you can visit our house in Tacloban again. It was so beautiful anak before it got destroyed, and we promise that we will restore it back to its beauty.

We love you so much Rocco!

Mama Diane

Our Sweet Boracay Escapade

2013-11-04T13:35:00.002+08:00

Our Boracay trip this year was not really planned, but as it turned out, sometimes those that are not planned are the ones that push through. Buti nalang we decided to join my in-laws, because we had a great time! Bitin nga ang time that we spent there, but we can always come back next time.

We stayed at Astoria Boracay. It's a super nice resort. They have large rooms, great layout and design, impeccable service. Our package included land and sea transfer, breakfast buffet, one free dinner buffet, and free room-service massage. Because my SIL's husband wasn't able to join, his share of the payment was converted to food, so we ended up eating buffet the entire time that we were there.

So much has changed in Boracay since the last time I was there around 2005, but I'm glad to say that the change has been all for the better. Good thing that they preserved the beach front and maintained its cleanliness despite the influx of tourists day in and out. The tourists have also learned to respect and preserve this beautiful piece of nature by not littering around. During our early morning walks, we would see some joggers pick up trash that they would see along the way. That's how educated and civilized people act! Sana ganyan din sa mga squatters area.

Rocco had a great time at the beach. Initially he didn't like the feel of sand on his feet, but when he got the hang of it, aba, ayaw na paawat. He really enjoyed swimming. All I can say is, ang ganda talaga ng beach sa Boracay. Nakaka-relax, nakakatanggal ng stress, and nakaka-bless that we are able to enjoy this kind of beauty. I just loved sitting there and basking in the beautiful seashore. The seawater was so clear we could see pa a school of fish swimming around our feet.

Basically we just chilled out there, tulog, kain and swimming. REPEAT. Mejo nakakasawa na din siguro if you stay there longer than 3 days. OK lang for those single and enjoying the night life. But for someone like us with a kid in tow, walang night life kasi tulog agad sa pagod kakahabol sa makulit at active na bata.

Till next time Boracay, we will definitely be back for more!

Grannies in the House

2013-11-04T12:50:00.003+08:00

A few weeks back, our house was in full guest mode because my Mama and Tita (eldest sister of Mama) came to Cebu for the weekend to visit us, and of course Rocco. Tita Linda is based in the US, and came home for the death anniversary of my lolo and lola. Good thing that they decided to have a quick stopover at Cebu to spend time with us.

We were still feeling a lot of strong aftershocks that weekend. My Tita was less nervous about it, but Mama was a bit terrified. Still, that didn't stop us from our lakwatsa weekend!

All we did was eat and eat. But Tita Linda turned out to be a picky eater because she's all about healthy eating. Eh ang hirap makahanap ng healthy resto sa Cebu, especially if the specialty here is lechon :) Tita Linda is nearing 70years old, but she's still very strong, and younger looking. She doesn't eat carbs, steams her veggies, does yoga, and is a regular gym buff. Gosh!!!! Lupig pa ako!

The sisters had a great time shopping!

We dropped by Serenitea to cool down.

We toured them around Pedro Calungsod Church.

Some parts of the church collapsed due to the strong earthquake, but not seen in the picture.

We also invited by first cousin, Kuya Junjun and his new girlfriend, to have lunch with us. We ate at Casa Verde and Tita Linda enjoyed the ice cream cake!

We visited some Cebu landmarks like the Lapu-Lapu shrine. We didn't go to Sto.Nino Church because it was cordoned off due to some falling debris from the earthquake.

Rocco enjoyed his time with his grandmas, and gusto pa always holding hands while walking :)

We enjoyed having the grannies with us, and we hope that soon we can visit Tita Linda in the US. As she said to us, visit her na daw while she can still drive us around!

Trick or Treat 2013

2013-11-04T12:21:00.005+08:00

Last October 26, Rocco experienced his first ever Trick or Treat! Our village homeowner's association organized a fun activity for the kids. It was really enjoyable and fun because a lot of the homeowners participated. Kids were dressed in their costumes, and they looked really cute!

Rocco was dressed as Robin Hood but ended up looking like Peter Pan :) Look at that big bulging tummy!

We also decorated our house with spooky halloween decors. We just bought spider webs from the mall, cut-out some bats and spiders, and made a Sadako out of white curtain and black spider webs spread out like human hair, and a witch that was washed out by the rain. Haha!

That's Haley dressed as a mermaid. Haley is one of Rocco's playmates, and lives a few houses from ours. Please pardon Rocco's simangot look. He just woke up and I forced him to wear his costume, and he ended up being in a foul mood (but only for a while).

The kids were dressed up in cute costumes!

Of course I was a stage mama, bringing my son to every house to ask for candies and treats :)

We roamed around all houses that had decors outside.

My in-laws were able to join in the fun. They arrived from Tacloban on the same day. The next day, we were bound for Boracay.

Rocco enjoyed walking around with his Grandma Marlyn.

Our souvenir shot by the stage area.

Sieg joined a bit late because he had a semi-finals basketball game.

That's only half of Rocco's treats! He had a lot that we're gonna use them for Rocco's birthday party. Talk about recycling :)

Next year, Rocco will definitely join again!

Rocco loves the outdoor

2013-09-20T00:33:00.002+08:00

Rocco loves the outdoor. Fresh from bed, the first thing that he would say is "Mama down". As soon as we're down, he would say "Mama shoosh" (shoes), and off we go to the outside world. Typical of an almost two toddler, he loves running around, playing with his ball, counting cars, and best of all, playing with his friends.

This was early in the morning, around 6:30AM. I took off his shirt because he was perspiring a lot already.

Rocco has a fascination with cars. He calls these things as "big cahs".

Rocco with his friend Nathan.

I wonder what they were discussing here.

And then came Hailey, Rocco's new friend who transferred to our village early this July. They have become constant playmates.

Rocco with his Ate Gabe and Badang. Badang, the girl in pink, is 4 yrs old, while Rocco is 1yr, and 9 months old. Spot the difference?

Rocco playing with the deepwell pump.

Tha parking lot is his playground.

Our Little Bookworm

2013-09-19T23:56:00.003+08:00

Last weekend, we brought Rocco to a bookstore at the Banilad Town Center. We got curious because of their quaint setup, which turned out to be cool because they had a children's nook with lots of materials specifically for kids.

We were pretty amazed because Rocco's curiosity got the best of him and he started scanning the books and even pretended to read. He pulled a kiddie chair and sat down, looking like he was seriously reading. I think we spent a good hour inside the bookstore, just letting Rocco explore the place. I think it's a fun activity for kids his age, to let them explore and discover the world through books.

I was not a bookworm when I was a kid, but I also had this thing with books, and I made me love reading, writing, and eventually developed by communication skills. I hope this has the same effect on Rocco. So bookstore, we will definitely be back!

Rocco's Outdoor Fun

2013-09-19T23:40:00.004+08:00

Rocco is a hyper toddler, but I'm happy that he's obedient and knows how to listen when we tell him to do or not do something. We try to provide him with a lot of stimulating activities, especially those that are outdoor and fun.

It's a big plus that we live in a community with a lot of kids of varying ages, so his social skills keep on improving. He gets a lot of interaction without us having to pay a hefty some that playschools charge these days. Imagine 70K for a 1.5hr playtime 3x a week! In our village, we get the same results for free.

We love it more because it's a natural environment so it builds familiarity and friendship. In fact, Rocco knows who his regular playmates are, can remember their names, and even where their houses are.

Happy Weekends

2013-09-19T23:26:00.003+08:00

Since our time with Rocco is limited during weekdays, we try our best to make it up to him during weekends. Eating out is one of our fave past time, and Rocco is quickly picking up on this too. Napaganang kumain :)

Taken last Sunday, September 15. We went to Banilad Town Center after mass to inquire at Gymboree for Rocco's birthday, but turns out they are closed every Sunday. We ended up eating at Yellow Cab because we craved for pasta and pizza. Rocco absolutely loved the food too! After Yellow Cab, we headed off to Serenitea but it was jampacked, so we just ordered take-out drinks.

This was taken last September, on my FIL's birthday. We took time off from work to spend time with my in-laws who were here in Cebu for a vacation. We headed over to Lantaw, Busay, a very nice restaurant overlooking Cebu. The place was so relaxing, plus the food was not expensive too! Rocco enjoyed running around the place.

This was taken last August 24. We were bent on staying home that day, but boredom got the best of us, so out of the blue we decided to head off to the mall to eat. We ended up at Bigby's. The food surprisingly tasted good. We will be back next time.

This was taken last August 17. We love Rairaiken! We keep on going back everytime we crave ramen, california maki, and gyoza. Lami kaayo! Rocco loves the food their too. Simot sarap when we give him his share of ramen.

We hope to keep this small family tradition of spending quality weekends with each other. It's always a much-needed breaker after a whole week of stressful work, plus Rocco is craving for our undivided attention, so we owe it to him to make weekends fun and memorable.

One Life, Live It

2013-09-07T10:38:00.003+08:00

I really love how this photo captures the innocence of a child. This is exactly how I want Rocco's childhood to be. Full of fun, laughter, happiness and love. If he feels these all the time, then he will grow up to be a positive and well-rounded person.

Sometimes I wish we can always be child-like in nature. So full of life!

Car Seating

2013-08-28T12:44:00.000+08:00

If we're in the US, naselda na siguro kami over the countless times that we brought Rocco along with us on a car ride without a car seat. We decided to just wait until he's after 1 year old before we get him a car seat kasi kakalakihan din nya agad. Besides, it's not everyday that we bring him out. From 0-12months, we would only bring him out on pedia visits and occasional dining out (Yeah, still a lame excuse. Ang bottomline lang actually, wala kaming pambili.)

Now that he's bigger, I find it hard to constrain him in the car. Sobrang likot na kasi, and sometimes it can be distracting even to Hubby who is driving. So we decided to buy him a car seat na which could last until he's around 4years old.

He wasn't too happy the first time we sat him on his car seat (to the left) but eventually he got the hang of it, and actually loves sitting on it.

Ang mahal lang ng mga car seat ha. Sabagay, there is no greater price for a child's safety kaya cge nalang.

Heavenly Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-08-28T11:53:00.000+08:00

We bought an oven a few months back because I wanted to try baking. I was actually inspired by Garet, my Smartee friend who is behind the amazing blog Kwentong Pinay sa Sverige. Seeing all her yummy posts made me want to try it too.

We sourced out our ingredients from Baking Depot, a standalone wholesale store her in Cebu that sells anything and everything about baking.

Then I just followed the recipe but did some tweakings in between to suit my taste.

Ingredients:
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened to room temperature. I use Magnolia
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar. The original recipe said 1 and 1/2 but I found it too sweet so I adjusted
- 2 eggs, bring to room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract. I use McCormick
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 to 3 cups chocolate chips or mashed chocolate bar

Instructions:
1. Cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 3min on medium to high speed in your mixer).
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix for another 2min.
3. Add baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, flour until cookie batter is well mixed.
4. Add chocolate chips until well distributed.
5. Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees.
6. Scoop the cookie dough into small round servings and place evenly in your baking sheet.
7. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Place on the higher shelf of your oven.
8. This can serve around 40 to 48 cookies.

We had a few trial and errors in the baking time which resulted to burned cookies. But we got it right at 11min. I used the Electrolux mixer which is not really heavy duty, but I hope I can save enough for a Kitchen Aid.

The one on the left were my 1st batch of cookies, which were a bit too sweet so I adjusted the sugar measurement. To the right is the adjusted recipe, which turned out to be perfect!!! Crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside, plus not too sweet.

Everybody loved my cookies, especially Rocco who kept on asking for more "Cocos".

Haircut Alert!

2013-08-27T19:17:00.005+08:00

Trimming Rocco's hair is always a dilemma. We attempted so many times to bring him to the barber, but he would always resist, kaya we don't force it nalang. The thing is, his hair grows so quickly. We just allow it to grow up to the length that is tolerable and comfortable. Lately though, he's been scratching his eyes often due to hair irritation, kaya we decided to bring him to the barber to have a haircut.

Kung sa first barber visit ay nastress kaming lahat, this time around, we were prepared, physically and emotionally. I knew he would still cry hard, but as long as walang sugat, OK lang. I told the barber to make it quick but pulido pa rin, and just don't mind the crying. Dati kasi, na-rattle yung barber when Rocco wouldn't stop crying.

We made sure Rocco was busog and slept well before his scheduled haircut. As expected, he cried and cried, but this time, the resistance was less. Sana next time, happy na ang aming barber's trip.

Tadaah! I find his new haircut so cute! He looks so fresh :)

21months

2013-08-27T13:47:00.002+08:00

Wow, 21 months. I say this often but it's true, parang kelan lang when I gave birth to this chinito boy, and now, he's a few months shy of being a terrible two.

Having a toddler is so exciting, tiring, but fun at the same time. Everyday, Rocco learns new stuff, blurts out new words, which of course amaze us all the time.

But one thing that I've observed all through out this developmental milestones is his desire to be more independent. His favorite word is actually "AKO".

Just to cite, he eats mostly by himself now, although still messy at times. He knows the drill. Wash hands before eating, so he says "Wash" with matching action, then after asks for a "Poon" (Spoon). He sleeps by himself now. Well, he's a very easy sleeper even when he was still an infant. We just encounter difficulties in letting him take his afternoon nap every time we're at home. Understandable naman, because he really does want to spend time with us. Even during playtime, he wants to do it all by himself. He pushes his stroller, and when I try to hold it, he removes my hand, and even gets irritated by saying "Mama!!!". So funny when he does this.

What else is new? He knows the alphabet by heart now. Kahit baliktad pa ang letters at gulo-gulo, he knows them na. He knows how to make sign of the cross, count from 1-10, and he can say a whole lot of words now, I've lost track na.

Dearest Rocco,
I always thank God for giving me the greatest gift of all, and that is you. I pray everyday for your good health, because you know how much it scared me when you got hospitalized twice last July.
Thank you for bringing life and light into our world. You make so many of us happy with your charming smile, contagious laugh, and those chinito eyes...they just make my heart melt.

I love you anak!
Mama

After 1.5 months, I'm Back!

2013-08-27T13:08:00.002+08:00

I'm back!!!

On the record, this is the longest time I haven't blogged. As always, life got in the way :) Still, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my stats are continuously spiking even if I haven't updated for more than a month. In gratitude, I am back with a vengeance, and I will update as long as my willpower allows me to.

The last weekend of August was the last of the series of long weekends this month. Ang gastos kapag long weekend. We ended up doing some interior decorating, and kahit masakit sa bulsa, I am so happy with the outcome.

Last Saturday, Hubby and I were supposed to ONLY buy groceries and run some errands. I was thinking it wouldn't take us two hours so I tried to put Rocco to sleep first for his afternoon nap. I think he has a good radar that senses if we're about to leave because he refused to sleep. Play lang ng play. Because I don't like leaving him alone when he's awake, kaya we brought him with us nalang. Not even five minutes passed by in the car, na TKO na. Ayaw lang talaga magpaiwan.

We ended up in a hardware store to buy wall paint for our perimeter wall, then to the Baker's Depot to buy baking ingredients, then off to the mall to kill off time. We held off the grocery part because I don't like doing groceries at SM, ang gulo kasi. We ate at Bigby's which I surprisingly enjoyed (the last time we ate there, it was blaaahh) then off to Ace Hardware to buy some ready-made shelves.

The next day, we watched Hubby's game which Rocco really enjoyed. He kept on clapping and shouted "shoot the bow" (ball). After the game, we went back to SM to exchange some items we bought at Ace Hardware the previous day.

Yesterday was the holiday, so bago pa kami maubusan ng free day, we went grocery shopping na. We were just supposed to go to the nearby Robinson's Supermarket when I saw a sign that said "Mandaue Foam 40% OFF". I told Hubby what I saw and ginatungan pa ako by saying that there's a nearby Mandaue Foam just a few minutes away. We were contemplating if we would go or not. Actually, we were already at Robinson's when I said, go na! We ended up spending for home items again. Ang gaganda kasi, and sale pa. Because we were already at Mandaue Foam, we just did our groceries at Shopwise, na ang lapit lang sa Mandaue Foam. It's so nice there, kaya lang ang daming "Buy One Take One" na actually hindi naman nakakamura, mas mapapagastos ka pa :) Ang original Robinson's grocery na may budget na x,xxx ay naging xx,xxx dahil sa dami ng side trip.

This is the product of our weekend interior decorating. I bought the two colored vases in the left at 70% off! Would you believe, 600pesos lang for the two items. Super great find! To the right, ang aming ready-made shelves with cute anik-anik. Looks cheap, pero ang mahal din. Ok lang, looks nice naman :)

So there, that was our weekend. Now it's back to work again.
Kailangan kumayod para may panggastos ang mga baboy na politiko na sobrang corrupt.
Nakakagalit diba?

The Unexpected Hospital Trip

2013-07-15T13:20:00.000+08:00

July 9 was an ordinary workday for me. Though my cough and colds recurred and I was feeling sick, I still went to work because issues were piling up. I facetimed with Rocco who woke up with colds, but was generally showing no signs of distress. Later that afternoon, the yaya reported that Rocco felt tired and wanted to be carried after playing outside.

When we arrived home, he was extra clingy to him, and I tried putting him to sleep early so he could rest. He was able to sleep for a good 30min until he woke up crying and never went to sleep again the entire night. I observed that he was having labored breathing. He had this episode before but recovered quickly so I thought to myself that I'll wait it out until morning and observe him some more.

Morning came, and he got worse. He looked so tired and almost lifeless. He refused milk and wanted to be carried all the time. I observed that his nail color got darker, and of course this is a bad sign.

We went to Lexmark's clinic to get Admission docs to Chonghua. He was given two doses of Ventolin for immediate relief. On the way to to the ER, I was trying to stay calm but noticed that Rocco was having cold sweats even if the car aircon was on. This was definitely bad.

We went straight to the Pedia ER and the doctors immediately checked on him. They attached a proximeter which measures Oxygen levels and his was way below normal. This time, Rocco was still fighting off anyone touching him. Warla mode pa talaga even if he barely had energy left. But the moment the stronger dose of nebulizer was administered, he relaxed and fell asleep.

Taking his xray exam was really a struggle. I had to stay objective and remove my pity on my son so we can get it done. I bargained with the doctors not to put IV on him, but they insisted because he would not be allowed to take any water or solid food for the rest of the day to control vomiting episodes. Thank God he fell asleep while they were inserting needles on him.

This was Rocco on Day 1. After the results came out, it was confirmed that he had pneumonia. Immediately his pedia ordered IV antibiotic on him, which was really effective because just a few hours later, we observed immediate improvement on Rocco's breathing.

Rocco was able to sleep through the night, which he needed to pick up his energy and rest his body. On Day 2, he was allowed small servings of milk. We spent most of the day watching TV, playing Ipad and sleeping. Special mention to Pocoyo, Ellie, Pato, Olah and Sleepy Bird, for we would not survived without them. Rocco was quite an easy baby at the hospital. He smiled and laughed a lot, except for the times when the doctors or nurses would visit or administer something. On these occasions, he would cry and cling on to me like there is no tomorrow.

By Day 3, Rocco was responding to his meds well and tolerated solid food, so we gave him his fave Jollibee spaghetti and banana. He was pretty much bored the entire time and wanted to go out. He always looked at the windows, the door and told me so many times "Mama out there". He also got used to his nurses and doctors already and told them "Hi" and "Babay" everytime they went in and out of the room. They really found him cute and charming. By this day, his pedia told us that we can go home on the next day and continue with home medication. Yipeee!!!

By Day 4, we got our discharge papers. Rocco was so excited! He also kept looking at his rashed and swollen hand where the IV was placed. Kawawa naman :(

Thank God he is improving now. Thank God for mother's instinct which led us to bring him to the hospital immediately. Thank God for he never left our side. Thanks to Dr. Lydia Chang for taking care of Rocco and kept close monitor on his status. Thank God for insurance for saving us for this unexpected huge cost. We left the hospital without paying a single cent.

Cheers to good health!

Weekend!

2013-06-18T10:42:00.002+08:00

We had no plans of going out last weekend because the weather was gloomy and it felt more right to just stay in the house. Besides, we were still sleepy from watching the last full show of Man of Steel the day before. I was thinking of bringing Rocco to Gymboree to try their weekend classes but hubby was so lazy to move around.

While I was busy minding the house and cooking lunch, the boys were chilling around. Nakakaloka. I can now totally relate to how my mother felt when we were still young. All of us were camped out in front of the TV habang siya aligaga sa kusina.

Rocco was all active the entire morning. We've recently adjusted his sleeping schedule. Instead of letting him sleep in the morning (which he does but only for 30min), we tire him out until he falls asleep in the afternoon (and which lasts for 2-3hours). So there, we let him play and play. In the afternoon, he slept from 2PM to 4:30PM. Haaay sarap!

After we woke up (nakitulog din kami), I prodded hubby na ipasyal naman namin si Rocco. We had dinner at Rocco's fave resto, and gala-gala lang looking for stuff.

We dropped by the Toy's Section because I wanted to buy MegaBloks for Rocco. Grabe naman ang reaction nya. He ran around and kept saying WOW TOYS repeatedly. He checked one toy to another, na parang hindi alam kung ano ang uunahin. Nakaktuwa talaga seeing his reaction like that. I think we stayed there for almost an hour kasi ayaw paawat ng bagets.

The next day was Father's Day, and also mass + grocery day. I love it when we hear mass first thing in the morning. I feel that we are prioritizing God over other things. We used to hear mass in the afternoon pero minsan natatamad na kami, so we decided to sched it in the morning. Hubby got busy when we arrived home because they were preparing for the Homeowner's Grand Assembly. Pa officer-officer pa kasi :) I was left alone with Rocco because the helpers had their day off and were off to the mall.

The little boy did not sleep in the bed, but in my chest. We were like this for 3hours, but I had no complaints at all. I felt really great being so close to Rocco. Minsan nalang ito because when he's awake, busy kakalaro and ayaw na magpa-hug.

After Rocco woke up, we brought him to the newly opened village swimming pool were some festivities were going on. It was late already so no ligo muna for the little boy. A little while later, it was time to call it a day. Work-week once again, and always looking forward to the next weekend :)

Our Happy Muncher

2013-06-17T12:50:00.001+08:00

Other parents complain of their kid's eating habits. Well, we are so blessed in that department because so far, Rocco has been a very happy eater. It saves me from countless stressful moments, because I know forcing a cranky child to eat is SOO STRESSFUL :) I hope this continues because as long as Rocco eats well, then I'm also well.

Papa Sieg

2013-06-17T12:38:00.001+08:00

I read somewhere that it takes a real man to be a father. I know this is true, at least for my husband. If only people see how we are at home, then they will have more idea on what an amazing father he is. Aside from the "I can't clean Rocco's poop" act, Sieg has taken his role wholeheartedly, and for this I am beyond blessed to have a husband who is even greater as a father.

Happy Father's Day again Sweetie, I hope you had an awesome day :)

What happens during bedtime

2013-06-13T10:37:00.000+08:00

I know all mothers with toddlers can attest to the fact on how difficult it is to put an active toddler to sleep. Ang hirap! With all the distractions around, I'm starting to think of converting the room into a purely white space with no color at all para super boring (kidding!). Rocco's sleeptime now clocks in at 10PM because he still wants to play and play. We have to turn off even the bedtime light until the whole room is eerily dark just so he would sleep.

He loves banging the cabinet sliding door. One time it caught his hand, guess what happened next-- crying session.

Playtime is his favorite time.

Yeah, that's him trying to give me a kick.

He loves active play with his Papa!

He also loves disorganizing things. Tapon dito, tapon doon. Kalat dito, kalat doon. I end up fixing everything after he falls asleep.

I'm not complaining though. I'm just happy and thankful that Rocco is healthy and active. I've seen him sick and I would never wish for it to happen again.

A day in the life of Rocco

2013-06-13T10:17:00.001+08:00

Yesterday was Independence Day and it was a highly anticipated holiday because I badly wanted to spend more time with Rocco. Mission accomplished because he was just too happy that I was there succumbing to his every whim. Hubby was not around so it was a first for us to be totally alone with Rocco.

Rocco woke up looking for his Papa. I had to distract him a lot of times so that he wouldn't keep looking.

My boy is a munchy eater. He basically eats whatever is there. I served him banana walnut cake for breakfast.

He usually watches Disney Junior in the morning but I told him Mama will watch basketball. He happily obliged.

We had Facetime with his Papa who was puyat from attending the wake of his Uncle. Rocco missed his Papa because he kept on sending flying kisses.

I tried putting Rocco to sleep before lunchtime but I failed. I tried again after lunch, but it took me 2 hours before he surrendered. Grabe!! 2 hours!

Basta may aircon, masarap lagi ang tulog. He slept for a total of 2.5hours and woke up just before 5PM.

It was time for some outside play. We walked around the village and played with his little friends in the playground.

After playtime he got hungry so I cooked dinner for him, pork asado. He loved it because he ate a lot again!

After dinner, he played some more while I watched the replay of NBA.

After his nightime bath, it was off to snoozeland. I got scared because it was raining so hard, and I kept praying that nothing would happen (like an earthquake) and that we would survive the night. Thank God Rocco slept well despite the thunder and the heavy rain.

Boys will be boys

2013-06-11T22:52:00.001+08:00

I know that Rocco adores me, but there are some things that only he and his Papa can appreciate-- like cars and racing. It's his most played app in his Ipad. He would ask me to play pero nahihilo ako palagi so Hubby ends up playing it with him.

Hindi naman ako nagseselos. I actually love seeing them like that. It's a boy thing, I understand :)

Birthday Hopping!

2013-06-11T22:48:00.001+08:00

Rocco has a lot of playmates here in our village so we were actually expecting the influx of birthday invites throughout the year. As I told Hubby, kailangan na ata namin magbudget for buying gifts for his friends. Just the past week, we received two birthday invites. We welcome these because it would help Rocco become more sociable, and at the same time establish friendship with his neighboring playmates. I'm starting to get excited when it's Rocco's turn to celebrate, ang daming kids! :)

Building his Vocabulary

2013-06-11T22:42:00.000+08:00

Water (Watah)
He used to do the sign language for water when he wanted one, but recently, he started saying "Mama watah"

Wow Toy
We brought him to Toy Kingdom over the weekend to buy a gift for his friend, and immediately after putting him down, he started running and kept on shouting "Wow Toy"

Where Are You (Weyayo)
While I was preparing for work in my room, I heard him shout out loud "Mama weyayo mama!"

Heavy
Just this morning after he woke up, he pointed to his diaper while saying "hevy"

Ant
I noticed he had insect bites on his leg, and out of the blue he said "Yayay ant"

Amen (Emehn)
Every night we bring him to the altar to say the Guardian Angel Prayer. I think he picked up on this because after saying In the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Spirt, he would finish it off with "Emehn"

Bye (Babay)
We used to distract Rocco everytime we leave for work, but lately he would cry anymore. One time he just said "Mama Papa Babay"

Baby Boy
He loves watching his Vocabulary DVDs and he would see baby boys playing as actors. Eventually he learned to say "Baby Boy"

There
Everytime Rocco would want to go out of the room, he would say "Mama there" with a silent r.

Out
If he wants to go out of the house,he would say "Mama out"

Tayo
His fave Disney Junior cartoon is Tayo the Little Bus. We were surprised when he started saying "Tayo" while pointing to the TV :)

These new words and phrases are on top of the initial words that he learned to speak like: Mama, Papa, Yaya, apple (a-pah), dog (doh), duck, I love you (aya-yoh), moo, ba-bath (Babat), car (cah), namnam (which he says when he wants food), mmmmm (when he smells something), ball (boh), baby bear (behy).