Mix&Match

Pumpkin Paradise 2022

2022-11-03T19:48:00.002+08:00

Drove to Darmstadt the day after we came home from a week-long vacation in France.

We're not biggie on halloweens but the autumn colors, including the pumpkins, are just too appealing to ignore.

Naw Field Trip Pictures

2016-06-09T14:06:00.001+08:00

Some pictures as shared by our organizer, Erlaine.

Naw Field Trip 2016

2016-05-25T00:28:00.001+08:00

Team BLC during the NaW Field Trip to Fun Farm and Nuvali. May 1, 2016 exactly on my 39th birthday.

More photos and kwentos to follow.

McDo Kiddie Crew 2016

2016-05-25T00:18:00.001+08:00

Summer will not be complete without the girls joining McDonalds Kiddie Crew program. For one week, the kids report to "work" for two hours in their selected McDo branch and they are given uniforrms, ids, caps, toques, aprons and bags that they should bring to work everyday. Each day they do different activities, practice singing and dancing the Kiddie Crew theme song and they get to experience being the cashier, drive thru crews and they even get to prepare the food being served to customers. They are also served with snacks (burger, spag and drinks) at the end of each session. On the fourth day, they make their own cheeseburger that they eat for snacks. On the fifth and last day, they have a mini graduation.

Last year, Rafa got the Best Smile and Gabbie got Ms. Congeniality awards. True to their own personalities. This time, Rafa is Best in Singing and Gabbie is Best in Drive Thru and Kiddie Crew of the Batch awards.

A Short Parable About Self Confidence

2016-05-24T23:35:00.001+08:00

http://brightside.me/article/how-much-are-you-worth-4105/

That was for you, my dear Gabbie. That article in the link above is very timely.

When almost all of the specials awards were given and you haven't gotten any, I saw that sad look in your eyes as you said "I think I'm not getting any awards. But I'm also good in Arts (earlier in the workshop she got a special prize for making the nicest Thank-You card among their batch) but I don't know, maybe I don't have any awards."

But you know what, like I told you, "you were great in everything that you did during this workshop. You were good in Arts, in dancing and in the store. Maybe they saw something else in you, maybe they saw your other talents, not just in making cheeseburgers and dancing. Just wait and your name might just be called next."

And Mommy was right, di ba? The last two certificates on the table were for you. When your name was called for the Best in Drive Thru Award, I saw your face lit up and I saw the joy in your -toothless- smile. See?

Then your name was called again for the Kiddie Crew of the Batch Award. That was the best award and they saved it for last. I bet you didn't see it coming, right? But there, your hardwork was recognized. I wish I was able to capture that I-couldn't-believe-it look in your face when you were receiving your award. And then you went back to me and asked, "Why me? How did I become the Kiddie Crew of the Batch?" Because you did your best! I was the happiest mom in the whole world at that moment. And when you confessed, "You know what, Mommy, when I heard that, I couldn't believe it, I almost wanted to cry." I felt you have matured and I wanted to tell everyone in the room how proud I am of what you have become. <3

Gabbie Writes: Tink and the Bug

2015-10-26T23:16:00.001+08:00

On the first days of summer vacation, Gabbie played with some papers and stickers she got from birthday parties she had been. One afternoon, she handed me some post its bound in the side like a booklet. She said, "Mommy, let me tell you a story."

Tink and the Bug by Abby, Written by Abby

One day there was a girl named Tink, a friendly fairy. Most of her friends call her Tinker, some call her Tinkerbell or Tink.

Next morning she saw some snow flakes falling and she saw a sign that says "Frozen" this way ----> So she went there.

She saw Rosseta, the flower fairy and she is also her friend.

She saw a sign of (picture of reindeer Sven) . She saw some reindeers and touched them.

The end.

Pretend Plays

2015-10-26T23:14:00.001+08:00

Here at home they have a box full of costumes, props and what nots that they use in their everyday pretend play. I love how they can be princesses and superheroes one day and then chefs and halloween characters the next.

It's fun to be kids!

Rafa's Time To Shine

2015-09-18T10:50:00.002+08:00

First day of Nursery class 2015.

Mack in action

2015-03-06T11:56:00.001+08:00

Gabbie's 7th Birthday (Late Post)

2015-03-06T11:25:00.000+08:00

Still on Frozen fever, Gabbie personally chose it as the theme for her 7th birthday. So off we went to Divilandia to find their Elsa dresses and some decors and party stuff. We DIY'ed the table centerpiece and some additional ceiling decors. She had about a hundred adult and forty kid guests. From how she looked all throughout the party, we knew she was happy. Happy 7th birtday Gabbie!

Going up the bed

2015-03-06T11:18:00.000+08:00

Here's Mack at eight months trying to go up from one bed on the floor to the other bed which is about 8 inches higher.

SSAM Family Day

2015-03-06T11:12:00.000+08:00

It was our first time, so we were in full force. We left house early for the attendance then proceeded to the day's activities. We were in full battle gears with water and snacks to last throughout the day. But what's a fair without food trip and some tiangge shopping? Hehe. It was tiring but fun. Looking forward to the next :)

Photoshoot

2015-03-06T11:09:00.001+08:00

A weekend of some cake smashing and fun family photoshoot.

Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife QC

February 2014

Haircut

2015-03-06T11:03:00.001+08:00

After a long time and a hundred of nights she would cry when her hair really gets hard to comb (tangles and all), she finally told me she wanted a hair cut. Not just trim, but cut, as in to cut it real short.

So right after her 7th birthday, we went to the salon for her makeover.

Bye bye, about 8 inches of mane. Til we meet again.

Mack's 9th month

2015-01-22T12:14:00.001+08:00

Dear Mack,

On your 9th month, you have already caught up on the normal weight of a breastfed baby. You have learned how to go down the bed on your own and you have mastered crawling on all fours. You call me "mama" and you already say "ga ga" "ba ba" "ka ka" and when we ask you to call Ate, you would say "Aaaaaaahhh" in a loud voice as if you are really calling your Ate. You have also learned to eat on your own, picking up finger food from the plate and biting it and chewing the food with your two front teeth. You can cruise and stand on your own and you even let go and try to stand without holding on to anything sometimes. And boy you can gulp down several ounces of water already after eating your meal which is mostly rice with vegetables, fish and sabaw from tinola, nilaga, pinangat or sinigang.

We love you Mack!

Christmas 2014 with our families

2015-01-22T12:08:00.001+08:00

Christmas House

2015-01-22T12:06:00.001+08:00

Here in the east side of the Metro Manila, there was this house last Christmas that was "fully clothed" in Christmas lights and decors and it was open to the public!

To the owners of the Christmas House, thank you! Thank you for opening your house and making the people especially he kids happy. :)

Christmas 2014

2015-01-22T11:55:00.001+08:00

It's out little man's first Christmas!

Trick or Treat 2014

2014-11-12T00:55:00.001+08:00

2 kilos after

2014-11-12T00:51:00.001+08:00

I'm proud to have breastfed Mack exclusively for his first six months of life (with donated bm as supplement when he was undergoing treatment for his recurring UTI) and now he is already into complementary feeding with solids (rice cereal, boiled saba, fresh banana, rice with lots of sabaw and bits of vegetables).

From his birthweight of 7.7lbs to 6.8lbs on his 3rd month due to bacterial infection, to 13.6lbs as of last week (7th month).

From severely underweight, he is now underweight na lang. Hehe. Way to go, Mack!

Rafa's 3rd Birthday!

2014-11-12T00:50:00.001+08:00

November 8, 2014

Jollibee Sta Lucia Mall

Dear Gabbie

2014-11-12T00:33:00.001+08:00

Dear Gabbie, naku anak, I'm not worthy. But thank you, thank you kasi kahit lagi kita napapagalitan, sobrang love mo pa din ako. Guess what? Love na love ka din ni Mommy! Thank you Neng kasi dahil sayo I become a better parent with each passing day. Alam mo bang bukod kay Daddy, ikaw ang bestfriend ko. Sana ganyan ka lagi ka-sweet and ka-vocal kasi yang mga small notes mo nakakawala ng pagod namin ng Daddy mo. Mahal na mahal ka namin Neng and we cant wait to see you bloom and grow, realize your dream and be whatever God wants you to be.

Rafa Anecdotes

2014-10-22T14:52:00.001+08:00

One afternoon in the car, Rafa looked out the window, stared at the sky and was obviously totally awed by what she was looking at.

"Mommy, look! The sky is moving!"

She couldn't believe it she stared at the sky open-mouthed for the next couple of minutes.

********************

I asked Rafa to get something for me and I immediately followed my request with "Thank you."

She said, "No, don't say thank you muna."

When she handed it to me, she said, "Yan, you can say thank you now."

********************

I told Rafa, "Pang, have I told you already...?"

"Told me what?"

"That you're so cute."

"I know."

********************

I thought Rafa was biting Mack in the ear, so I told her to stop. But she said, "I'm not biting him. I'm just kissing my baby brother. And it's a trueeeee lovessss kiss!"

At least she"s not one of those who believe that true love's kiss only comes from princes or boys.

Gabbie's Field Trip as Grade One

2014-10-22T14:37:00.001+08:00

It was her first time to go on a school field trip without mommy or daddy. There was just a slight apprehension on my part because we're still not comfortable with her going and doing her thing in the cr alone. Other than that, we were OK. We had faith in how the school and the teacher will handle and take care of them, and there were also parent chaperones assigned to look after them. But most of all, we had faith in our daughter that she can be independent and that she is smart enough to remember all our reminders and bilins. In fact, the parent chaperone assigned to her sent me this message after the field trip.

At the end of the day, Gabbie has shown and proven to us that she can already handle herself even without mommy or daddy. While it makes me a little emotional, I'm happy and proud that she is growing responsible and independent.

Mack's 6th month

2014-10-22T14:19:00.001+08:00

I feel so emotional about this post, as this is about Mack's first 6 months of life outside my tummy. I can now say "whew" as we say goodbye to exclusive breastfeeding and say hello to feeding him with solids already.

So many things have happened in the past six months. There was the bacterial infection, weight loss, request for breastmilk donation and daddy's several tris around the metro to pick up breastmilk donations from generous mothers whom we will be forever grateful for. Then there was the series of tests on Mack's intestines and urinary tract, and of course the circumcision and hospital confinement.

On our first week of solids feeding, I was so disheartened. Mack wouldn't take anything. I thought we were a failure. I bought him rice cereal from Healthy options because he wouldn't eat the brown rice which was cooked like a lugaw. He ate bananas from the Nuby nibbler but that was it. He didn't gain much.

I had no choice but to just keep on direct feeding him and still give donated breastmilk with Heraclene. I still tried to give him the rice cereal which he would eat only when I have him something to munch on like a piece of breadstick or that harder loaf of pan de unan. And then I got saba and boiled it for him. He liked it! Little by little I added rice cereal to the mashed boiled saba alternating with fresh banana. Last time we weighed him, he was already 12.5lbs.

Now at six months, Mack can already crawl fast on the floor. He grabs anything with his two hands already and can roll over and over without banging his head on the surface.

He might still be underweight for his age but we're not that worried because he is hitting is milestones and he is gaining, albeit slowly.