Tags I owe

*Got tagged by Tet and Jesse. Thanks, girls!

Linky Love Chain

The rule:

When you get tagged, you have to add your name next to the person who tagged you and by doing so you are letting the list grow.

Limadang.com
RamblingMoo.com
bloggininmypyjamas
StyleWithPassion
Chinneeq
Dora-zoorapazoo
BabyShern
HipNCoolMomma
Rachel’s Soulful Thoughts
When Silence Speaks
Dancing in Midlife Tune
Underneath it All
My Charmed Life
A Sweet Taste Of Life
Perfect Bliss

To let this list grow more, am passing the tag to: Melisse, Meng, Mich.

*Thanks for Jacqui for this tag.

Five things back

INSTRUCTION:
1. Posts 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given below.
2. Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better.
3. Don’t forget to read the archived post and leave comments.

Link 1 must be about FAMILY : Colin and Mita's day-out
Link 2 must be about FRIEND :
Link 3 must be about YOURSELF : 5 Things Tag
Link 4 must be about YOUR LOVE : Me and My Family
Link 5 can be ANYTHING YOU LIKE : A mommy survey - all about my pregnancy

Happy news... Sad news...

Happy news first... Benji got his work visa already! Woopee! This means he can now work full blast in Macau complete with all the working papers that he need. No need to go in and out just to have an extension of stay. When he first moved to Macau that was only the time they started to process his papers so technically he still doesn't have actual work papers but were already on their way for processing while he was working.

Now the sad news... we have to go back soon to Macau! I know I'm supposed to be happy which I really am but then I'm also sad at the same time because just when I'm about to start getting used to settling again here... we have to go back again... and soon!... really soon... I can't think straight right now trying to fix everything again before we leave... bills to pay... payments I have to leave to ate Rose... buying gifts is actually the least of my problems now... hmmm...

Sick little boy

The little boy is down with fever. We all had lunch out and I planned to do some errands after so I thought of dropping off little boy and yaya at the playhouse. I was actually mid way through my errands when Ate Rose texted me that she felt Colin has a slight fever. I actually noticed halfway during lunch that he was a bit quiet. I just thought he was already sleepy as he looked glassy eyed. But that was it, fever was already brewing. So I had to cut short whatever I was doing and we just went home so Colin can fully rest. Little boy was actually taking a nap when I got to the playhouse to pick them up. When we got home I took his temperature and it registered 38.4 degrees. I had given him meds and I'm hoping it's really just plain fever. Had him nap a little more. At least now even with fever he's still in the mood to play so that's a good sign. I'm hoping this fever would go away soon.

Beowulf

Finally we were able to watch Beowulf. We've been itching to see this ever since we saw the trailer. What can I say? Graphics was fantastic! One wouldn't think it wasn't just performance captured. I was actually watching it for that reason and not for the story itself. To me it was really entertaining. I couldn't agree more that the actors tapped to play each part were all the right choices. Even if one isn't into epic movies, I'm sure you'd still get entertained.

A funny tag from Jacqui.

I am a Sponge Bob Square Pants

Everyone has a personality of a cartoon character. Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble?

A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test.

Answer all the questions (only 10) with what describes you best, add up all your Points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results.

Do not cheat by looking at the end of this post before you are done.
Then ask your Friends to answer it. (Make sure to Highlight your answers)

1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?
.a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.)
.b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.)
.c) Painting in the park (5 pts)
.d) Rock concert (1 pt.)
.e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)

2. What is your favorite type of music?
.a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.)
.b) Alternative (1 pt.)
.c) Soft Rock (4 pts.)
.d) Country (5 pts.)
.e) Pop (3 pts.)

3. What type of movies= do you prefer?
.a) Comedy (2 pts.)
.b) Horror (1 pt.)
.c) Musical (3 pts.)
.d) Romance (4 pts.)
.e) Documentary (5 pts.)

4.. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these?
.a) Waiter (4 pts.)
.b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.)
.c) Teacher (3 pts.)
.d) Police (2 pts.)
.e) Cashier (1 pt)

5 . What do you do with your spare time?
.a) Exercise (5 pts.)
.b) Read (4 pts.)
.c) Watch television (2 pts.)
.d) Listen to music (1 pt.)
.e) Sleep (3 pts.)

6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?
.a) Yellow (1 pt.)
.b) White (5 pts.)
.c) Sky Blue (3 pts.)
.d) Dark Blue (2 pts.)
.e) Red (4 pts.)

7. What do you prefer to eat?
.a) Snow (3 pts.)
.b) Pizza (2 pts.)
.c) Sushi (1 pt.)
.d) Pasta (4 pts.)
.e) Salad (5 pts.)

8 What is your favorite holiday?
.a) Halloween (1 pt.)
.b) Christmas (3 pts.)
.c) New Year (2 pts.)
.d) Valentine’s Day (4 pts.)
.e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)

9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?
.a) Paris (4 pts)
.b) Spain (5 pts)
.c) Las Vegas (1 pt)
.d) Hawaii (4 pts)
.e) Hollywood (3 pts)

10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?
.a) Someone Smart (5 pts.)
.b) Someone attractive (2 pts.)
.c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.)
.d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.)
.e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)

Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for!

Put your character in the subject line and forward to your friends and back to the person that sent this to you.

Very interesting to see ‘who’ your friends are!

(10-16 points) You are Garfield : You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others.

(17-23 points) You are Snoopy:You are fun, you are very cool and popular. You always know what's i nand you are never are out of style You are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times

(24-28 points) You are Elmo:You have lots of friends and you are also popular, always willing togive advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic andyou always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.

(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants:You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it's funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people, and you will be stress free.

(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown: You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your Mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion confuse you with reality.

(44-50 points) You are Dexter:You are smart and definitely a thinker... Every situation is frontedwith a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over thinking every once in a while to spice things up a bit with spontaneity.

5 Things Tag

Got tagged by Meng.

5 things found in my bag
* wallet
* mobile phone
* kikay stuff/kit
* pen
* pack of wet tissue

5 things found in my wallet
* ATM/cc
* receipts
* SM Advantage card
* pics of Benji and Colin
* money/coins

5 things found in my/our room
* our bed
* computers
* aircon
* electric fan
* a trunk load of Colin's toys

5 things I've always wanted to do
* scrap!
* learn how to knit
* learn a new language
* fix our wedding pictures
* have a whole body massage

5 things I'm currently into
* blogging
* playstation
* puzzles
* reading
* online shopping ( ssshhh)

5 people to tag for this meme
* Jacqui
* Jade
* Jean
* Jody
* Joy

A Christmas Party

This would probably be the only one we'll ever get to attend this year. Benji was invited by a former co-worker to a Christmas party prepared by Mandarin Oriental for all of its valued patrons. Of course, Benji asked me to tag along. Party was at Captain's Bar and food wasn't really what we expected. We're talking of Mandarin here, ok and since we've always been avid eaters of Paseo Uno (which to me I think has one of the best spread for buffet), we were sort of looking forward to this dinner party. But sad to say we were disappointed. It wasn't really the dinner spread you would expect at a party to say the least it was in Mandarin. Maybe because it was in a bar?... oh well... at least the entertainment was worth it. Mitch Valdes was hilarious! This lady is really A1 act. Hats off really. It's no joke on being a performer comedienne but she does it effortlessly. I couldn't stop laughing all throughout her spiel. Host for the night was RJ Ledesma and I really like the wit and humor of this guy. He's one good host I should say. His co-host was the very pretty Rhian Ramos. Indulge me in this but we (hubby included) just had to have our pictures taken with them... he he he... well, with the exception of Ms. Valdes though... it's not always that we get to see movie stars, you know...

My Friendship Award

Got an award. Thanks so much Jean for this.

"In this blogosphere, I wish to gain more friends...friends who can be there for you not just physically but emotionally & spiritually."



So now I'm passing this on to Tet, Melisse, Nora & Mich.

Long weekend recap

Friday, November 2, 2007
It was a holiday so we decided to go around Taipa and Macau. Had lunch at Kanetanaka in Taipa Village. Kanetanaka is a sushi 'kaiten' concept resto. A plate of sushi costs 8 MOP or 13 MOP which is actually not bad. Benji and I had like 5-8 plates each... he he he... while Colin had the tempura Bento... he's been into tempura lately. After lunch, we went around Taipa Village and stumbled upon a bike- for-rent in the plaza nearby. Priced at 10 MOP - ride-as-long-as -you-want-to is not a bad deal. We tried teaching Colin how to bike but Benji and I ended up getting all worked up because Colin kept on doing it his own way. Here's why...

So after an hour or so of this we decided to continue our little exploration. We hopped on a bus going to San Ma Lou (or what is the Senado Square to others). Benji showed me where the Filipino store is, just in case I/we get a craving for anything Filipino made I would know where to go and get it. We did a little shopping for winter clothes as its getting a bit chilly here already. Since we haven't really explored the Square, we tried going to the side streets this time. A lot of tiangges abound the side streets so this is the place to go for bargain hunters. We had dinner at one of my favorite restos in Macau, Singing Bean. Their food's so yummy that I could eat there everyday. Their coffee is also something worth trying. I so love their wraps! Mmm... mmm... Aside from their yummy food, the reason we love eating there is because the Manager of this coffeehouse is a Filipino, Robert. As all Filipinos are, Robert is so 'maasikaso'. Whenever we're there he would always see to it that we're ok and that we're enjoying the meal not to mention he would also send something over to our table for Colin =). After dinner we had a quick pass by Wynn Hotel to watch the fountain show but unluckily it's under maintenance cleaning.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

After having breakfast and doing the house chores we headed out for Macau Tower. We're still in the process of trying to get used to the the bus routes of the different bus nos. We boarded bus no. 21. A few minutes into the ride Benji decided that we should get off at the next stop since he figured the bus that we're in would go all the way to Coloane before reaching Macau Tower. And since it's already way past lunch, we would all be starving by the time we reach our destination. We got off at the airport (which was the next stop) to catch a cab instead. We were a bit disappointed because there isn't really much to see in Macau Tower. Sure there was a Warner Brothers store as well as a Toys 'R Us inside but that's about it. Although we have yet to try the adventure thingy they offer there like Skywalk X, Sky Jump, Bungy Jump and Mast Climb which I think would take a lot of courage if I would really opt to do those. We would have loved to eat at the 360 revolving resto but prior reservations are needed esp. on weekends. We ended up eating at one of those café ala Deli France inside the tower. After going around Warner Bros. and TRU we decided to go to Fisherman's Wharf so we boarded a bus going to New Yaohan. From there we just walked going to the Wharf. Once there we decided to have a shuttle tour so I'll have an idea on what I'll see inside. It was Benji's 2nd time there so the tour was more for me and Colin. After the tour we had a very, very late lunch at one Japanese resto (which the name I forgot) . We did a little more strolling and was able to watch a street dance. 3 of the dancers were Filipinas and they were doing a fire dance (if that's how they call it). They were all great. Since we were all tired from all the walking we decided to head back to Taipa and just have dinner somewhere there. This time we tried eating at a resto named E.S. Kimo... funny name for a resto don't you think? he he... I don't know if it's the name of the owner though. Back home by 10pm.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

We all woke up a little late... 9am and had a really late breakfast, more like brunch already. We plan to go back to Fisherman's Wharf again today since Colin wasn't able to go around Aladdin's Fort yesterday. After doing all the house chores we had a very late lunch and got dressed as soon as we're done eating. Was out of the house by 3:30pm. It's a good thing we chanced upon a free shuttle ride going to the Wharf... wippee! Colin was asleep all throughout the ride and still was when we got off. So while the little boy is still in deep slumber, Benji and I went around and did a little photo-op ourselves. Aladdin's Fort is like a mini amusement park inside Fisherman's Wharf complete with all the kiddie rides. But boy will it really cost you if your kid wants to ride over and over again. Hopefully in the future they'd get to have those all-day pass wherein you can ride-all-you-can to your kid's content (not to mention your spending still in-check and within limits... he he he). The place is still half finished (I think) because I'm guessing they'd still be putting up a roller coaster ride inside (based on the posters I saw on every ticket booth). And a paint ball (?) area is still under construction as of this time. We got to ride all the rides even the bumper cars... yep! But this was where Colin got a very nasty bump on his left cheek.. :( We got to ride everything twice! Colin couldn't get enough... my oh my! And the price of each ticket ride was no joke... it ranges from 20-35MOP/person/ride... goodness! So after two turns for each ride we had to say... enough already... he he he. We had dinner at another Japanese resto, Ichho (?) Japanese Restaurant and ordered Taraba Crab tempura and beef teppanyaki... Yum! Can't get enough of Japanese... he he he. It was still a bit early so Benji decided to try his luck at Babylon Casino while Colin and I strolled around a bit more. I haven't really tried going in any of the Casinos since we've got no one to leave Colin behind and I would want Benji to accompany me so doing it alternately was out of the question. Maybe next time... So while waiting, we did a few photo-ops near Rocks Hotel. After an hour of doing nothing we headed back home. We took the free shuttle ride back... isn't that great?... Was home by 9:30pm.

Pics can be viewed here.

Cool me down

It was a very cold day today. The kind that makes you want to stay in bed the whole day. Took Colin to the park in the afternoon but as soon as we were to enter it suddenly drizzled. Boohoo. He was looking forward to it the whole day. Good thing I brought an umbrella with me otherwise we'd be soaking wet by the time we got back home.

We had dinner out. Ate at Kanetanaka and had ice cream for dessert at Haagen Dazs. Tomorrow is a holiday here so it's a long weekend for us. What shall we do ?... Hmmm... we'll see...

Where to now?

It was a slow day for us today. We all woke up quite late. We didn't really have anything planned to do for the day, that's why. Before having lunch I had to make a quick stop at Li Yuen to buy pajamas for Colin. Also tried looking for more long sleeved shirts for him since it's getting a bit cold already in Macau. Had a hearty lunch at Fat Angelo's in Central before heading back to Ate's flat. We were supposed to go back to Macau today but Benji decided to just move it to early next morning. Spent the whole afternoon catching up on sleep while little boy's busy at the playroom with his Auntie. Had dinner at this Vietnamese resto nearby... love those spring rolls! Got to sign off now... got to be up early tomorrow to catch the first ride back to Macau... yet again. ;)

Ins and Out

I started discovering Taipa on my own (actually, with little boy in tow, of course)... going around to find out places to go to, restos to try out, where to buy stuff, where to do the grocery and market... there are about three supermarkets near our place so I really don't have to worry much if ever I ran out of anything I need in the kitchen or personal effects for that matter. There is a Watson's store and lots of Chinese drugstores all around. Post office is also walking distance. Lots of 7-11 stores... this one is cool because they accept payments for water and electricity with MOP1 charge as compared if you will pay it in banks which charge you with MOP10. Although there are a lot of banks too in our area. I also like the 10 dollar store (almost evrything is priced $10 or MOP10) or the Japanese stores (for knick-knacks). There are also electronic shops as well as furniture shops around... lots of restaurants to try like italian, japanese, indian, portuguese, chinese and macanese... so you really don't have to go that far... everything's almost within reach. Oh and also schools... from International ones to Chinese-English and Chinese-Portuguese ones. Of course international ones do cost more that's why most of the Filipinos living here send their kids to Chinese-English schools in the area.

There's still more to learn and discover to be able to survive in this new world of ours.

Touring Taipa and Macau

Today was our (Colin and my) first day here in our 'new' home. We went around Taipa Village. Had lunch at Pinocchio which is a Portuguese restaurant. Went around to familiarize myself as to where I should go to buy stuff. Taipa area is pretty small and from where we live there are a lot of supermarkets and convenience stores in almost every corner. So getting hold of stuff is pretty much easy. There are also playgrounds/playrooms where Colin can go and release all his energy =). Benji just showed me at least the important areas I need to know of. I will do my own rounds later on... got lots of time on my hands for that... ha ha ha

Later in the afternoon we passed by the HK-Macau ferry station to send off Ate (Benji's sister)... she's going back to HK where she is based. We went around New Yaohan which is by the way the (sort of) only mall/department store in Macau. New Yaohan is much like our Landmark Department store in Manila. Yup... the only department Macau has... at least what we know of. All the other specialty stores like the high end ones can be found in the big casino-hotels spread all over Macau.

Blogging Tips

Got this from Jean.

Copy the list, add your tip and pass it on. Add a star beside the tips that you like the best. Sounds easy enough, so here goes:

1.Look, read, and learn. http://www.neonscent.com/

2.Be, EXCELLENT to each other. http://www.bushmackel.com/

3.Don’t let money change ya! http://www.therandomforest.info/

4.Always reply to your comments. http://chattiekat.com/

*5.Blog about what you know & love. http://sugar-queens-dream.blogspot.com/

6.Don’t use filthy language-buy a dictionary.http://shinade.blogspot.com/

7.Blog about something educational http://climateofourfuture.org/

8.Be yourself; others will follow * http://sfgirl-thealiennextdoor.blogspot.com/

9.Don't have too many blogs that will become a chore to maintain http://cubicledenizen.blogspot.com/

10.Keep it simple, user-friendly, interesting and organized *!http://erishaling.blogspot.com/

*11.Keep the blog simple and sweet!! http://www.leslieho.com/

12.Never ask for link exchange. Blog hop to increase traffic. http://www.jessieling.com/

13.Don’t clutter your blog with ads all over the place.IT’S IRRITATING. * http://oliviasy.blogspot.com/

14.Don’t comment for the sake of commenting. Some looked too fake and its a big turn off! http://sashablablabla.blogspot.com/

15.Share something interesting and you will gain more readers.http://judychow.blogspot.com/

16.Show that we care to all bloggers, treat each other as friends. http://mummyinvain.com/

***17.Pictures say a million words. Keep them coming!http://familyfriendsnfood.blogspot.com/

18.Blogging should be fun or you’ll get tired of it pretty soon. http://justmyrambling.com/

19.Don’t think people will come to your blog if you’re not willing to pay a visit to them. http://joshualai.blogspot.com/

20.Everyone loves read short posting and best, illustrated with a picture * http://www.demoments.net/blog/

21.Try not to publish more than 5 posts in one blog a day. Even if it’s from feed reader, it’s quite hard to digest and catch up reading everything. http://montessorimum.com/

22.Blog, the other window to peek into people’s life, minus the trouble. keep a certain level of privacy to yourself. http://babyshern.blogspot.com/

23.Never tell your readers that you are going on vacation. That’s basically telling them to not visit your blog for a week. Instead, write several posts, and take advantage of the timestamp feature. http://www.bloggingwv.com/

24.Try and write with people in mind that are “somewhat similar to you”. Allow your audience to identify with your blog and feel “at home”.http://nodirecton.blogspot.com/

25.The key to a good article is a good introduction. A joke, a question or a picture does wonders. http://behindthepage.blogspot.com

26.If you are looking to earn an income blogging read StevePavlina.com and Problogger.net, you will be amazed at what you can learn. http://www.christyscoffeebreak.blogspot.com/

27.Write for yourself first. Remember that it takes time, effort, patience…and above all, daring. The Laidback Buddhist

28.Don’t offer opinions that are not based in the realm of personal knowledge…share yourself and your experiences…they speak louder then words The MiracleProcess

29.Unless I'm a huge fan of your blog, keep your posts short & sweet. Mariuca - Wishing On A Falling Star

30.Don't be shy to make friends, open yourself to others and you'll be amazed with the tremendous responses. * A Great Pleasure

31. When you look make sure you SEE, When you listen make sure you HEAR, and when you talk make sure you SPEAK! First Time Dad

32. Don't leave hurtful comments, that is below to what is appropriate, you will hurt the blog owner and might not read or visit your blog ever again. Blessed Sanctuary

33. Let a correct grammar be a concern. One can't avoid criticizing upon reading an obvious grammatical error! When doing a paid entry, try to connect it even at least a little to a thought you can really relate! Read, comprehend, think, write, edit, post it! Recel's Unsealing My Mind

34. You have an obligation to keep when you have exchanged links with a fellow blogger - - that is, to visit the site of those that are in your link list at least once a week. More is even better, but only if you have time to spare. Juliana of My World*

*35. Blog about something you are interested in or are passionate about. Acknowledge blog visitors, be kind and gracious :) Thira As The World Turns

36.I firmly believe in reciprocal blog commenting. I am still trying my best to visit everyone in my blogroll and comment at least 1 or 2 of their posts. This is not required,but it sure good to hear feedbacks from your visitors isn't it?*Shabem-Embrace Simplicity.

37.Be yourself, be friendly by leaving good comments to the discussion you are making remarks with, then you can have a link back to your blog. Yvetchie's The Story of me

38. Blogging is fun. Meet new people. Gain new friends. Jean's My so-called-life.

39. Blog about things you love. Try to give feedbacks on comments left on your blog. Kitty's Perfect Bliss.

I think almost all in my blogroll already has this.

All set... and then some...

We're already packed and ready to go!

I'll miss my Mom again... she stayed with us this past week so she and Colin had a lot of bonding time. I know she'll miss Colin. Tito Louie also spent last night with us. He said he wanted to see little boy too before we leave... and he was so kind to let us bring the PS with us. No, we're still coming back here. It's just that my Mom already misses my other brother and his family who just recently moved to Australia... and now us... the thought of us moving makes her sad all over again... she's still ok now since we haven't really moved yet... but I know how she'll feel when that time comes. That's why as much as possible I try to spend as much time with her as we can now. But she understands. She understands that we all have our own lives to live now, own families to look after. And she's all supportive to me and my brothers and our families. And I love her for that. I just realized that you really start to worry like a parent when you're already a parent yourself. You worry about anything even the simplest of things.

My Halloween treat

My first Halloween treat from Jane. Thanks Jane.

"Don't just choose your friends making this cliquish and 'just groupies'...Make NEW friends by choosing random visitors!!!."

So I'm passing this to Jean, Jesse, Tere, Mich and Nor.

Have a Happy Halloween!

Packing time once again

Just got back from doing the grocery. Benji has several 'pabilins'. I was chatting with him earlier and he gave me a short (thank goodness!) list of things to bring there. Good thing I was really planning on doing the grocery today. Hopefully I was able to buy everything he needs as well as the things that I'll need there for our stay. To think that's not yet everything we really need at home.

Now it's the 'dreaded' time again... packing! With all the stuff I bought I do hope I get to nicely pack everything in in one big luggage. Ha! Good luck to me... ha ha ha ... we'll see ;p

A mommy survey - all about my pregnancy

Got this from Jane.

1. Was your first pregnancy planned? Yes.

2. Were you married at the time? Yup, Colin was a honeymoon baby.

3. What were your reactions? Very, very happy! I did the pregnancy test twice just to be sure before I broke the news to Hubby.

4. Was abortion an option for you? Definitely not.

5. How old were you? 29

6. How did you find out you were pregnant? I was already delayed for about a month but didn't do the preg test yet... really don't know why... though I was really so eager to have a baby... am I weird? :)

7. Who did you tell first? Hubby of course.

8. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes and no... partly we wanted it to be a surprise but we also wanted to be ready as to the color of the baby stuff we will buy. Some thought I'd have a girl since they don't see the tell-tale signs of carrying a boy but the US said it was definitely a boy.

9. Due date? September 21, 2004 if I remember right. Colin was born September 19, 2004... close enough.

10. Did you have morning sickness? Not really.

11. What did you crave? hmmm... i loved having french fries, ice cream and chocolates!

12. Who/what irritated you the most? for some reason it was the only time I didn't want the sight or taste of crabs... and before getting preggy crabs are my favorites.

13. What was your first child’s sex? boy

14. Did you wish you had the opposite sex of what you were getting? No as long as my pregnancy and delivery went well and the baby is healthy, it really didn't matter.

15. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy? I was a slim pregnant woman... hehehe... I think I only gained 5-10 pounds.

16. Did you have a baby shower? Nope.

17. Was it a surprise or did you know? NA

18. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? None.

19. Where did you give birth? Perpetual Help Medical Center

20. How many hours were you in labor? 5 hrs

21. Who drove you to the hospital? Hun

22. Who watched you give birth? Too bad Hubby wasn't allowed inside.

23. Was it natural or C-section? Normal delivery.

24. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? I really don't know because I didn't ask for it but am guessing it was just one shot.

25. How much did your child weigh? 5.12lbs

26. When was your child actually born? September 19, 2004

27. What did you name him/her? Nicholas Martin

28. How old is your first born today? 3 years and 21 days today


This was fun! =)

Overrated Things

Tagged by Joy.

Here's my list and this is in no order. But I have to warn you, these are just my opinions so some may agree, some might not... he he he...

* Playstation, Xbox, then now the Wii - we really don't own one but it's only now we (errr, Colin) gets to play with one (PS1) courtesy of his Tito
* expensive photo studios
* autumn in New York City
* Religion - please, need I say more...
* anything Organic
* Starbucks
* Ipods - just too much
* Havaianas - sorry to all the Havies lovers... he he he
* Crocs - same goes for this...
* Blogging :p

Now I'm tagging Melisse, Mich, Tet.

nappy-free... at night

Colin is officially nappy free during nighttime. Yey! It's one milestone for him (us) again. Last night was the first time we tried going nappy-less for bedtime. Yes, it was extra effort for Mommy but it was all well worth it! I had to wake up twice last night just to have him pee (even while he was asleep mind you). He didn't become cranky at all when I had to drag him from bed to put him on his potty. Before going to bed I had him pee first then I kept on reminding him to wake up Mommy when he feels like going. But lil ol me just opted to wake up in the middle of the night to make him go. He he... So hopefully this will be the start. We just have to keep at the routine until he gets used to it.

By the way, we tried going nappy-free too while out. It was ok... though we had to make frequent trips to the loo and he only wants to go with Mommy and you know how long the lines can get for women's bathroom. Good if the bathroom for disabled is free... but if it's not, it'll be a long wait. So next time we went out he requested if he can wear nappy. I didn't push on going nappy-free... at least not just yet. Will try to give him more time. At least we tried and that's a start.

PS1

This is Colin's new plaything. This was actually just borrowed from my youngest brother, his Tito Louie. One day when we dropped off Mita at their house, Colin saw his Tito Louie and Tita Cheng playing Lilo & Stitch in PS1. They let him try it and from then on he never let go of the keypad. Good 'ol Tito Lou let us borrow it for the meantime. It keeps Colin pre-occupied . I even asked my brother if we could bring it to Macau as I think I'll need it more when we're there since it'll be just the two of us left at home while Daddy's at work. And it would help me have my classes in peace while he's playing. Though I don't want him to get addicted to it; that's why I put a time limit for each play. At least one hour tops, twice a day.

This is one of his favorite games to play...

Lilo & Stitch

The artist

When we're at the mall we sometimes let Colin play at playhouses. Just so he doesn't get bored. When I do errands or the grocery I sometimes let him have a little fun. Lately, he doesn't only play with whatever toys they have there, he also paints. There's this one playhouse that we've become "regulars" already. And since we visit there often one perk is that they have Colin chose a mold to paint... normally painting is for a fee but since we've become "regulars" this comes out free. Would like to share some of his art work... he he...

Nemo... he he he

Hello Kitty

Of course these were all done with a little help from yaya =)

Fever be gone!

Thank goodness Colin's fever is gone... hayyy... when he woke up this morning he was still cranky but at least no more fever... yey! it's just his normal "S"... ha ha ha... but I told him he still can't eat sweets... at least not just yet :p

Still sick

Little boy is still sick and now it's not a slight fever anymore... 38.2 deg :( Since he isn't feeling well, he was cranky when he woke up; on top of that, he is super clingy again. I do hope he gets better soon. It's so hard for us moms when our little ones aren't feeling well.

Under the weather

Colin has a slight fever since this morning. Good thing though, he's still in high spirits even with fever. Am guessing it has something to do with his tonsils. He's been into lollipops lately... yeah, I know bad Mommy. I try to limit it though. At least he's off the marshmallow phase and the Nerds phase... :p I do hope it's just a little irritation of his tonsils.

And they're off again...

It was a very tiring day... we went all the way to Pampanga to send off Benji and MIL. They took Tiger Airways this time since it's a bit cheaper compared to Air Macau. Their flight was at 1:15pm so they had to be at the airport by 10am; we were already on the road by 7:30am. Had our breakfast via drive thru. Colin was unceremoniously woken up this morning that's why for most part of the trip to Pampanga he was asleep. We were at the airport at exactly 10:15am. Had a little photo op for souvenir

Colin still in his pj's

They only had one luggage and my! was I able to fill it up with stuff for the house. Well, at least almost. I still need to buy a few more things that I have to bring myself. I've also asked Benji to bring some of Colin's stuff so that I just have to bring one big luggage when we go there. It's so hard to travel (without hubby!) with lots of baggage and a toddler in tow! So I'm just keeping it to (hopefully) a minimum of one check-in plus hand carry. As soon as we said our goodbyes we headed back to Manila with a stop over at Trinoma Mall for lunch. First time for me to go there but didn't feel like going around. We literally just had our lunch there... no more window shopping. Had to make a few errands and we were home by 2:30pm and at around 3:30pm I was already talking to Benji over Skype. Yep, they just got home and was busy unpacking all the stuff I've put in his luggage... he he...

And again before retiring to bed we had the usual video chat on Skype... thank goodness for internet ;)

Sad little me

I'm a little bit sad again because Benji will be flying back to Macau again tomorrow. I say "a little" only because in a little over a week me and Colin will be the ones flying out there to be with him. Since he's going away again it would feel weird all over again not having him around for sometime. Although I must say I'm not that really sad because there's something to look forward to and also we get to chat everyday and talk/do video every night via Skype. It was terribly hard the first week he was gone because he didn't have a computer yet at home and we didn't opt to have a telephone line installed at home (in Macau). Good thing he brought his Globe phone with him so we still got to talk and say our good nights every evening. Actually it wasn't really that good because now we have that huge bill to pay off... he he... oh well, these are some things that you just have to let go off for the sake of family and sanity =)

Busy bees

Today was another busy day. We went to Cebu Pacific ticketing office to book our (me and Colin) flights for Macau on the 13th of this month as well as for December. We were trying to do the booking online last night but the darn online booking won't accept our cards. So no choice but to goto their office. Our original schedule was to leave on the 11th but flights for that day were already full, so next available flight was Oct. 13. It's our turn now to go visit Benji. At least that's how it'll be while his visa is under process and ours (me and Colin) will be in a couple months time. Benji and I have decided also to spend this year's Christmas in Macau just in case he'll have a hard time fixing his schedule in December. But this is just a what if; hopefully we can still have Christmas here in the Philippines.

We also went to Globe to inquire why his line has been cut off. Turns out his bill was already over 9k. We only have a small credit limit as we're not really heavy users but since he's now based overseas there were so many calls that came in and out. Roaming is to be blamed for that horrendous bill. After I've settled the outstanding balance I'll have the line cut off already.

Bought a few more things for the house that he needs to bring back. There are still some things that aren't available in Macau and also some would still come out cheaper if bought here. I really can't buy much yet but as soon as I get there I'll know for myself what things to buy. You really can't trust men to tell you what else you need for the house.

family day again

First I just need to say it felt good having to sleep with hubby beside me again. Last night was the first again after a month of being apart. I felt all snuggly and warm =)

Today, we went to Makati area. Had lunch at Bollywood since Colin was craving for some puppodums. We had Chicken Tikka, mixed veggies in curry and four cheese pizza naans. Yum! Yum! Yum! Too bad I forgot to take pictures of the food again but everything was oh so yummy. Am not really a fan of Indian food but I do love roti dipped in curry so an occasional trip to an Indian resto is ok. Am amazed at how well Colin takes in the puppodums. The puppodums in Bollywood are a bit spicy so if you've eaten a lot your tongue feels weird (well that's coming from someone who's not much into spicy food...he he) . Colin's able to finish 2-3 puppodums. He just gulps on something cold to remove the funny feeling on his tongue.

Daddy and Colin clowning around

We also made a trip to Powerbooks. Books in HK are expensive; and there's no bookstore in Macau... well at least none that we know of. Benji and I love books, that's why when there's a sale at Powerbooks we go ga-ga on what books to buy. We could spend hours in a bookstore just checking out the new books. Too bad the book that he's been waiting for isn't available yet. We also did a little shopping again for his personal fx. He bought himself comfy sandals and also told me to get one for myself so I can use it in Macau. You need very comfy shoes when you're there because you get to do a lot of walking just like in HK. I think I need to have some shut eye now... 'twas a really tiring day. Tomorrow's another family day.

Back in each others arms

Yey! Benji's back... only it's just for a short time... can you imagine, only for four days!... well actually, five days but the fifth day we'll be sending them off again to the airport... in Clark! Originally they were to stay here for around two weeks(until the 11th) but since they (his office) have a deadline on the 8th, he has to fly back as soon as possible. We were just lucky since Oct. 1 & 2 were holidays in Macau. You see, his working visa is still under process that's why he still has to go in and out of Macau just to have an extension. And since he has a round trip ticket, he saw this opportunity to make use of the return ticket to see and be with me and Colin of course. That's why he was still able to come home even for a short while. As I've said in my previous post, it's better than nothing. Goodness! It has been hard for the three of us. Well actually it was just hard on Benji and me... Colin still doesn't understand the concept of Daddy working overseas and that we only get to see him once in awhile (at least for the meantime). This will be a pretty busy stay. We've got so many things to prepare and buy so he can bring it back. One thing's for sure we're all glad to be together again.

Can't Wait

Tomorrow we'll be seeing Benji and MIL again... after a month of being away from one another, I'm all excited to see hubby again. His working visa is still under process that's why he has to go in and out. He was supposed to stay for two weeks but since he has a deadline (at work) on the 8th, he needed to go back as soon as he can (and that is on the 3rd). I have to be thankful for that anyway. It's better than nothing. I'm pretty sure we'll all be busy as bees when they get here.

Say Aaahhh...

Today I took Colin for another visit to the dentist. This time it was for tooth sealing(?). Colin had 8 teeth that needed to be sealed all in all. And for us that was a lot since I can't keep him still in one place. His dentist first did a rough cleaning again. He likes this part as he gets a bit ticklish of the brush. After that came the main procedure. At first he was ok sitting on his own on the dentist's chair but just after 2 teeth he already wants to sit on Mommy's lap. So I had no choice but to oblige. He just keeps on playing with his tongue the whole time while the dentist was doing the procedure. Poor little boy, he got so tired from opening his mouth that by the time the last two teeth were being worked on he could merely give out a big aaahhh. But at least we got through that and as a prize Dra. gave him stickers... yipee! Ha ha ha... yep that alone is good enough for the little boy. After that it was Mommy's turn to say aaahhh. :)

A trip to the Pedia

Colin had his yearly (well baby) visit to his pedia today. And as always it was yet another time for his (yearly) shots. It was DTP and Polio shots for this year. His pedia was warning me that this shot might hurt and that we have to do all the necessary discussion before we go on administering it as Colin might bawl over. So we did the talk first while little boy was playing. After awhile pedia called him for the routine check-up. Oh by this time he was already holding a lollipop from the clinic's lollipop jar so there was no fuss with the check-up. Then comes the moment... Amazingly, he didn't even flinch! Wow! No fuss. No tears. I was really proud of him for that not to mention really happy! He got another lollipop for this one... he he. After the pedia visit we went to the mall for some playtime at the play house. Now next assignment was to de-worm him within the week.

Davao... our trip down south

Our Davao flight has been booked way back March and just like our last year's trip to Cebu, I chose September because 1) it was Colin and Mita's birth month so double celebration and 2) it's a lean month to go to Davao. It was only a week before the trip that I was able to firm up our IT for. Thanks to a fellow n@wie, Cathee I was able to list down places to go to, things to do and where to eat. Originally there were six of us (Benji, me, Colin, Mita, MIL and SIL) booked to go there but because of Benji's new work in Macau it was trimmed down to just three - me, Colin & Mita. MIL being the tempo companion of Benji for the meantime while starting out in Macau and SIL had a sudden business trip around the same time that's why they weren't able to come along. We missed them as it was more fun if you are traveling and checking out sights if you're a group. But we tried nonetheless to enjoy the four day trip. A lot of the locals we've talked to said this was a good year to visit as this was a bountiful year of harvest. They say bountiful harvest skips a year and that this year was a good one.

Going to Davao - September 21, 2007

Our flight was at 9:20am so we had to be at the airport by 7:30am at least. Little boy slept a bit late the night before but surprisingly he also woke up just about the same time I did. I was planning to let him sleep a bit more and just dress him up while still snoozing. But no, the moment I got up which was around 6:00am, he was up too. Had him drink milk and eat some cereals before dressing him up. Mita and I just had something hot to drink and after that we were already on our way to the airport by 7:30am. Good thing Mita slept over our house so it saved us time since we didn't have to pick her up from their place (although they were just 5-10mins. away from the airport). We were already checked in between 7:45-8:00am so we still had time to grab a bite. By 8:30 we were already seated at the lounge and Colin being ever so impatient wanted to move around. So we both went around the lounge are when we stumbled upon the Kiddie Play area. Didn't know there was one at the Domestic airport. It's a good way to kill time. Colin was kept busy playing. Had a small chit-chat with another mom that was in there too. She was with her chatty little daughter who was I think a year and a half younger than Colin. She's married to someone from the Carribean and I learned that they too were bound for Davao which they consider home. Also met another parent-child while in the playhouse but this time it was a father-son duo. The guy is American married to a Filipina and to them Surigao is home. They named their son Tarzan; isn't that cute!... well actually it's just their pet name for him. His son's real name is Anthony. Went back to check on Mita as she might be bored already. We didn't wait long and we heard our call for boarding. Soon we were airborne.

Arrived Davao at a little past 11am; boarded a taxi and headed to our hotel, Crown Regency. Our hotel was a villa type of hotel. Going there would actually make you feel weird since it's also situated in an area with two motels. Our villa was actually ok. Good enough for us to be able to rest and sleep. There was just a big group that checked in same time we did so the pool was almost always never empty. We just rested for awhile then headed out for lunch. We ate at Dencia's Restaurant. It's know for its goto but since it was lunch time we weren't able to sample it. We ordered Sinigang na Lapu-lapu and omelet instead. After filling our tummies we headed off to Aldevinco Shopping Center for pasalubong shopping. I figured we won't have enough time already on the succeeding days so we did the shopping already. We flagged down a taxi and the driver will later turn out to be our hired transpo for sightseeing cum tour guide. I made 'chika' to Manong Ponsing about the nice places to visit and he recommended Eden Nature Park and Crocodile Farm. I asked him how much is the usual going rate for hired transpo if one wants to go to these two places and quoted us P1,500 for a whole day trip. Not bad. At the shopping center we bought shirts for all of us as well as sarong and comfy house dresses for Mita and MIL. After shopping which was around 3:30pm, we went back to the hotel to rest a bit since I wanted to have dinner at Jack's Ridge that night. By 5pm we were ready to go out again but before heading to Jack's Ridge we stopped by Gaisano Mall to buy bottled water. We toured the mall a little and by 5:45 we were already on the road to Jack's. It was already dark when we got there; it looked like it was going to rain. And rain it did! Good thing we were already seated and waiting for our order when it poured down. When we got there, there weren't too many guests yet so we were able to choose a nice spot with a good view of the city down below. The only disappointment I had was service was slow. Our meal took around 30 minutes to get served. Although we were there fairly early, we were really hungry by the time food was served. Only consolation was the nice view. By the time we left the place the rain already stopped. We didn't get to stay long to look around as I was afraid we'd have a hard time getting a taxi going back. But since people had just started to come in the place, there were still taxis waiting outside. We were back at the hotel by 9pm. Lights out by 11pm. Pics can viewed here.

Day 2 - September 22, 2007

I contracted Manong Ponsing to take us to Eden and Croco Farm and asked him to pick us up at around 8:30am. He was already at the hotel by 8am. We were still having breakfast so we had to ask Manong to wait a little while longer. The trip going to Eden Nature Park took around an hour and a half but it wasn't boring. It was so nice to view Mt. Apo from afar. Barangay Eden was a bit hard to reach. There were roads that were still under construction so for the majority of the trip when you enter the barangay it was rough roads. We reached Eden Nature Park at a little past 10am. By the way I wasn't able to make reservations in Manila for a day tour. I was thinking it's just ok if we just walk-in. But I was advised by the hotel staff that since we were going on a weekend there might be a lot of visitors and usually if that's the case, those who came by walk-in are sometimes turned down. And the travel there isn't a big joke... imagine traveling for an hour and a half only to be turned down because the place is full and you have no booking. No way! So the night before I asked the hotel staff to make reservations for a day tour for us three. I did the payments upon getting there and first thing we did was go on a guided tour. The tour takes about 45 minutes and the place is... WOW! For those who are nature lovers, this is heaven. It was so relaxing. By the time the tour ended it was lunch time already. And yes we had a buffet lunch. Although food wasn't really spectacular (he he) but it was good enough and boy was there a lot! After lunch we strolled around the playground since I promised Colin that we would play a little. While little boy was busy with one ride, Mommy was also busy trying out the Indiana Jones thingy.


After a little more playtime at the slides we looked for Manong already so we can now go to Crocodile Farm which was our last sightseeing stop for the day. We left Eden Nature Park at 1:30pm and on the way to Croc Farm Colin fell asleep. We were at Croc Farm at around 2:45pm and little boy was still fast asleep. Had our picture taken with a baby croc held by Mita... yep! a live one that is... didn't even dared touch it... he he he... You won't only see crocs inside, Croc Farm is like a mini zoo too and I took as much pictures as I can of almost all the animals you can see inside. Before heading back to the hotel we had a little snack at the kiosk inside the farm andmade one last trip to the tiger's cage to have Colin's picture taken with them as background. We were at the hotel by 5pm just enough time to rest awhile before heading out to have dinner with a couple of Mita's friends. We were taken to Iron Horse for dinner which serves buffet of mostly Davao dishes plus grilled food. After dinner, we strolled around the capitol area then headed back to the hotel to finally get some rest from a very tiring day. Still had topack for our check-out and trip to Pearl Farm next day. Yipee! Pictures taken for this day's travel can be viewed here.

Day 3 - September 23, 2007

Colin woke up pretty late as he was soooo tired from all the walking we did yesterday. As soon as he woke up we had breakfast and went back to the hotel room for last minute packing and I also took pictures of the villa we stayed in. We checked out at around 11:30am then had a quick lunch for we needed to be at the marina by 1pm. Left the hotel a little before 1pm since was just like 10 minutes away. Bad thing is the driver of the cab we took didn't know where the Pearl Farm marina was even if I showed him a map on how to get there. Oh boy! To make along story short, we barely made it to the marina on time. We were like the second to the last to board the boat that was going to take us to PF; everybody was already there waiting. Colin fell asleep on the almost 1 1/2 hour boat ride. The breeze would really make you fall asleep. But the moment I saw PF from a distance it got me all excited. There was welcome drinks for everybody and as soon as we got our keys to the room we asked for a shuttle to take us there. The room I got was on a hilltop which wasn't bad at all. Going down to the main area (restos, swimming pool, etc.) was ok but going up can be a bit tiring so you really need a shuttle to take you there. The room was cozy.

We just changed into swimming clothes since Colin has been asking me if we can already go swimming. Good thing there weren't too many guests so the pool area and the beach were practically (almost) empty. Little boy did enjoy the pool. We had a little play of sand on the beach too. We had a good two hours of swimming time before begging (he he) Colin if we can go change for dinner already. Food was great although we didn't go for buffet. Their chicken pork adobo was really tasty. After dinner we roamed around the pool area and also checked out Parola Bar which is actually where the dock was. We just sat there at the bar enjoying the breeze. It was around 9:30 when we went back to the hotel to get some shut eye. Pictures for this day can be seen here.


Departure for Manila - September 24, 2007

Woke up quite early considering I had a hard time sleeping last night. We had buffet breakfast but oddly enough I wasn't really feeling that hungry. At least Colin had a full breakfast, feasting on pancit, bread and lugaw with watermelon and pineapple juice. We had the whole morning to tour the island. We first went to Malipano Island which is still part of Pearl Farm only it's a separate island on its own just across the main island. We took a motor boat going there. This island houses 6 big villas which are actually the most expensive accommodations in PF. Nobody's checked in that time but there were a few who were swimming in that island's beach area. We toured the island on our own. Checked out the villas. Three villas were by the shore and the other three were on top of mini hills. The owner's own villa is also in this island. Nothing much to see though so the tour was a quick one. Went back to the main island and did our tour of the whole PFR. Before going back to the room we stopped by the "butik" (boutique) for pasalubong buying. We weren't really hungry yet for lunch so after packing and checking out we just lazed at Parola bar until the boat that will take us back to Davao City arrives. By 1pm we were already on our way back to the city. This time I've asked Manong Ponsing again to pick us up from the marina and to bring us to the market for last minute fruits shopping. We were at the airport by 3pm which was a bit early as our flight was still at 5:50pm. We had a very late lunch after which it was time to check-in already. Was back in Manila by 7:20pm but took us long to gather our baggages. It was raining again in Manila by the time our plane landed. Last year it was also the same thing; when our plane from Cebu landed it was also raining. We got home by 9pm and we were all dead tired and starving already. Pics from our last day here.

All in all it was a fun and different experience. Fun since we got to visit yet again another wonderful place here in the Philippines; different because we weren't complete as a family. Hopefully even though we'll be moving for good by next year, we can still get to do this again.

Quick One

I still won't be able to stay long in front of the computer but I just need to make a quick post to tell everyone that we're already here in HK. We arrived yesterday at around 1:45pm... our flight was supposed to be at 11am but was delayed for about an hour so you can probably guess that we were already soooooo hungry by the time we got on the plane and the food was served. We were just disappointed that they only served us sandwiches and fruits. But in fairness the ham and cheese sandwich was tasty :D Important thing is we got here safe and sound... and the two days we're here was already tiring... ha ha ha... I'll try to post later on tonight.

Finishing Touches

Today we did our last minute errands: paid the remaining bills, deposited to WVI for our sponsored little girl's monthly allowance for August and of course prepared our "baon". Also did some nth last minute checking of our stuff so we won't forget anything... and I do hope I won't forget anything... he he he... I hope little boy will sleep early tonight so that I can wake him up early tomorrow. Our flight's at 11am so hopefully we'll be at the airport on or before 9am to avoid long lines at the airport. Although I've already checked us in (online) last night and we already got seats. I was so surprised that a lot have already done that coz I did have a hard time finding us good seats. Most of the good ones are already taken. I hope that what I got were really good and that we won't have to change it once we claim our boarding passes. MIL is a Marco Polo member and online check-in is one privilege if you're a member. I was supposedly going to just check her in but when I saw our names too then I grabbed the chance of checking the three of us (Benji, me and Colin) in too... he he he... that reminds me I have to change our Asia Miles membership to Marco Polo and apply for Colin's as well. So yey! we're already checked in so hopefully we won't have to line up in the long queue... just check the baggages in and get our boarding passes then immigration then just wait for departure time. I just hope someday waiting in the our airport lounge can be as fun as when you're waiting let's say in HK or Singapore airport. You can do all sorts of things while killing time before boarding when you're in those airports. Dining is such a pleasure, last minute window shopping is irresistible (which should really be a no-no... ha ha ha) and I think you can even watch a movie . Whew! How I wish! Forgive me for being too critical but waiting in our lounges is really a bore. At least, for Terminal 2 the place is a bit nicer compared to the old NAIA but still nothing much to do and see while whiling away time except to stare at planes that are either landing and taking off... he he he... oh well... So just one more night then off we go...

Colin and Mita's day-out

Since Colin won't see his Mita for almost a month I decided to make up for those times by taking Mita out. Just like last Sunday when we took her to Serendra and Market! Market! for lunch and a little shopping. Then today we took her out again to Makati. Just me, Colin, Mita and Ate Rose. Benji had a lunch meeting so it was just us. It was an uneventful day out... Colin was a very good boy during lunch time... would you believe he ate all by himself? Yey! He was so happy and content with his serving of fries and spaghetti from Pancake House as he was also humming and reciting a few lines from Elmo's World. At least we all had our lunch at peace... ha ha ha... I am really one proud Momma! :D My Mom was telling me how amazed she is because Colin's growing up so fast and every time she sees him it's as if there's always something new for him to show off to his Mita. As much as possible I want Colin to see his grand Mom from his mother's side as often as possible. My Mom's two other grandkids from my younger brother, both boys too, just migrated to Australia. That's why my Mom's a bit low-spirited because it will be awhile before she sees them again. So, I try to let them (my Mom and Colin) have
some bonding time especially now that we'll be going away too for awhile. Only consolation is at least we'll still be coming back. =)

Everything In One

Last night I started packing all of our things in one BIG suitcase. My goal was to pack everything in in just one luggage and I think I'll be a success on this. Hooray!!! So far I've already packed all of our essentials from clothes down to the toiletries... and that's for all three of us. And there's still a little bit of space left... which I am trying so hard not to fill up just yet. This space is reserved for whatever last minute essential item I might think of bringing. So are we ready for the trip?... Yep, I think we're pretty much ready. Just two more nights to go! :)

Trip to the Barber

The boys (hubby and little boy) had their haircut this morning and I was so proud of little boy... I didn't have a hard time making him go up the stool and sit right away. He was happy upon entering the shop that he was smiling all the while the barber was trimming his hair. The cut lasted about 15-20 minutes and was I happy that everything went on without a fuss... my baby is really growing up so fast!... He's no longer a baby.

Packing Away

I've already started fixing our things to bring for the trip. I just can't seem to make myself do the "pack light" thing. I am aiming at bringing just one big suitcase for all the three of us but with the rate I'm doing the sorting and fixing I might not accomplish that. Tsk, tsk, tsk... It seems I always find a reason to bring this or that. Hmm... what am I to do? I don't want to be lugging two suitcases when we leave coz I know we will surely add one suitcase-full of things we bought when we return home. So as much as possible I really, really, really want to bring just one suitcase. Let's see If I'll be successful. I've also asked Ate Rose to wash the pads of Colin's stroller. Maybe by tomorrow I'd be able to assemble it back to one piece :D

...And how was your weekend?

Our weekend was pretty busy... Saturday we did some grocery and window shopping for Manang and Ate Rose (Colin's yaya) as well as some "pabilins" of SIL. This time we opted to go to Makati (Glorietta area) instead of our usual Las Piñas/Alabang area weekend shopping haunts. We got there at a little past 12 so we had lunch first at Yoshinoya. I'm really happy lately because there's little fuss in feeding Colin. I had little trouble feeding him that day. Since he likes something a little crispy, he was content in eating rice and Ebi Tempura. After lunch he was already asking me if he can go play already. Meaning I have to go find a play area/playhouse where he can have some fun. Nowadays, he's been so addicted to playhouses/play areas that every time we go out he requests for it. It's totally ok with him if we just leave him and Ate Rose there at hours end that he actually doesn't want to leave even when it's time go. There were only two (paid) play areas in Glorietta, Kids at Work and ABC Learning House. I opted to let them stay in the latter since it's less crowded. Kids at Work was teeming with kids so I know Colin won't enjoy playing as much. Little boy was so happy that he didn't mind being left there to play (of course with Ate Rose). After dropping them off at the play house we went to SM. I bought a box of disposable bottle liners, some sandos and a polo shirt for Colin. Then we headed off to do the grocery. We went gaga over the food stalls just outside the supermarket. There were so much food choices from viands to sweets to "kakanins". We ended up buying a few kakanins, meringue and our viand for dinner. We went straight home after picking Colin up. Colin didn't sleep at all while at the play house so naturally he was dead tired by the time we reached the van. He was asleep all throughout the ride home.

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Sunday, I woke up at around 8am to check on breakfast. Hubby and little boy were still sound asleep. Prepared Colin's things for our Sunday "pasyal". We were taking out Mita today after hearing mass. I had to wake up the two boys by 9am else we'll be late for mass. We had a quick breakfast then asked Ate Rose to give Colin a bath and dress him up quickly. After the 10:30am mass we picked up Mita at their house then headed off to The Fort area. We had lunch at Portico in Serendra. Too bad I wasn't able to take pics of the yummy food we had. We ordered Bokchoy/Mushroom (veggies), Poached Gindara (fish/seafood) and Boneless Chicken Leg Bbq (meat). They were all tasty! After the hearty meal we took a short walk around the area. We weren't able to go to the Bonifacio Heights area since it was a tad hot that time and walking under that heat was certainly a no-no, so we had to make do with what we can explore in that area that we were already in. Had desserts at A Different Boostore... ordered Mango Tiramisu and Mango Cheesecake with their homemade iced tea... yum! yum! yum! :D We then proceeded to Market! Market! where we tired ourselves in going around the tiangge area. Was able to buy a blouse for Mita and a bag for me... teehee... :P Also bought the (portable) steam iron so we can bring it to our trip. It was already 5pm when we finished window shopping and we had to bring home Mita already since I still have a class at 7pm.

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My student was absent so I just surfed the net. I'm having a hard time posting at night since Colin is already here with us in the room. Either he wants me to play with him or he wants to watch Elmo on the computer... so you pretty well know where that will leave me... ha ha ha... oh well... and how was your weekend? :D

Davao in September

It started last year when I first stumbled upon the GO fare promos of Cebu Pacific. September of last year we went to Cebu for 3 days 2 nights. It was how I wanted to celebrate Colin’s 2nd birthday (although we still had a small celebration on the day itself) and it was also a birthday gift for Mita,my Mom. She has the same birth month as Colin so I thought it’s like shooting two birds with one stone. So after that trip I thought why not make it a yearly (around the same time) thing if I’ll be able to get cheap tickets. So for this year it’s Davao! Since we’re somehow set for our HK trip and at least I’ve made a list of what to buy and bring, I’m now busy fixing our the Davao trip. I want to have a firm hotel booking for our Davao stay before we leave for HK. We’d be staying for two nights at a city hotel (which I haven’t decided on yet) then one night at Pearl Farm. I’ve already inquired thru email to two city hotels, Marco Polo Davao and Crown Regency and also to Pearl Farm. So far only Marco Polo has responded. I’m still waiting for the other two. If until tomorrow I don’t get anything from them, maybe I’ll just give them a call. I do hope they answer soon. I’ve also started listing places to visit and things to do while we’re there. A lot have said Eden Nature Park is really a must-see so it’s on top of my list. I’m sure Colin will love it there. I’m sort of torn between checking in a city hotel and just take a day trip to Eden Park OR just check-in at Eden Park so we get to do all the things without worrying about the time. At least if we stay there we can go back to the room from time to time to get some rests in between. Hmmm… maybe I’ll just ask from people who’ve already been there. In the meantime I’m sticking to the city hotel first. Hopefully I’ll be able to make progress in the next few days.

Actually...

There was one time Colin said this word out of the blue while playing.

Scenario: One afternoon, both me and Benjie were busy typing away on our respective computers while Colin was with us inside the room busy minding his own business. He has this habit of having a monologue while at play. Then out of nowhere he just said,

…”Actually…”

then stopped dead on what he was doing and looked at us for any reaction. Naturally his Dad and I turned around and started laughing. When he thought that he said something funny he started laughing himself and kept on repeating the word. Oh my! I hope he doesn’t get used to making this word a part of his every sentence… yaiksss!

Where to now?...

I have been out of blog mode for a number of days. My bad! Been a bit busy preparing for our trip come month end. Yes, we’re going on a vacation… We’re Hong Kong bound again! Yipee!!! It’s our first for the year… would you believe it took us this long to have one for this year. Usually by first quarter of each year we have one but not this year. Mainly because for the first half of the year Benjie tried to have a 9-5 job again. So he can’t take a leave yet so planning and going on a vacation was a no-no around that time. Good thing he decided to go back to doing the work-from-home thing again… he he at least now I can go on planning mode again. Ha ha… that’s just one thing good about his job… he can “almost” take it anywhere… just as long as he has a laptop and internet connection then he’s good to go! Especially now that we’ll be gone for one whole month… yup… you got it right! One whole month… that’s why we’ve all been quite busy here preparing and making sure everything will be alright when we leave. SIL is currently living there that’s why we can afford to stay there that long. No hotel bills for us this time. That said, I’ve already paid all the bills, requested for a bigger credit limits for hubby’s and my mobile, made a checklist of what to buy and bring to HK (it’s always easier for me that way), prepared the stuff we need (well, at least am almost done with this). We’ve actually bought the tickets already so you can say we’re pretty much set to go. I haven’t made any itineraries yet since I was thinking we’ll be there for a month so I guess we’ll pretty much have a lot of time doing everything. We’re not time-strapped, if ever there’s such a term…he he. We’re all excited because we’re also visiting Macau… it’ll be the first for me and Colin. Maybe we’ll go to Lantau too to visit the Big Buddha. We always miss doing that every time we’re in HK. Maybe or maybe not we’ll go to HK Disneyland again. Most probably we will. Hmmm, what else? Of course lots and lots of shopping! Ha ha ha! Especially now that’s it’s sale time there… woohoo! There’s still lots of things to do before we leave. That reminds me I have to book our hotels for our Davao trip on September. Now that’s a different blog story.

Leslie's Bulalo

Last Saturday Benji decided to have lunch at Leslie’s Restaurant. No, not the one in Tagaytay but the one in Alabang. Yup, there’s one now here in Metro Manila. Goody, goody, goody! Now we don’t need to go all the way to Tagaytay just to have our fix of Bulalo… he he he… From the outside the place looks like an old church; not sure though if the walls are really made of adobe, but looks like it. It has a pond at the front door/porch, only the water in it is stagnant and already has lots of moss. It is relatively new but the upkeep of the pond is a bit poor. They should put some janitor fishes there too to help eliminate the moss that’s been multiplying. As you step inside you’ll be greeted by a waterfall/fountain. We opted to dine on the second floor so that we’d get a better view of the whole place. Wasn’t able to take some pics of it but the place is cool. We ordered Fried Tawilis, Barbecued Chicken Breast and of course their specialty… Bulalo! We definitely loved the Bulalo as well as the Tawilis; can’t say much though for the Bbq Chicken.

their famed Bulalo… yummy!

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crispy Tawilis



Bbq Chicken Breast

After eating we made a beeline for the “pasalubong” area near the entrance. We bought a few goodies for take home… piyaya, barquillos and meringue… as if we hadn’t had our fill already… :D. Colin had fun roaming around the grounds. Had a blast going up and down the huts at the garden area… he likes going up and down stairs…

All in all we did enjoy our hearty lunch.