a look back...

2009 greeted me the greatest joy I could ever have asked for.

In the upcoming new year and years to come, I have no other resolution but to be the best mom I can be to my little boy. To be more loving, caring and understanding so that I am able to raise him with the same values instilled in me as a child.

Wishing you all the best in the New Year!

a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY posting

The hubby celebrated his __(undisclosed)__ birthday last 29th.

Because the holidays took its toll on us, we were unable to do anything special for his day. I even feel horrendous because his present has not arrived (darn the postal service for this!).

Nontheless, we ended up celebrating his birthday one day late with a quick stop at Best Buy to grab a few PS3 games and some All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ Dinner (yyyuuummmm!!!).

Enjoying a selection of spicy kimchi

My two loves (the little one wasn't being co-operative on this photo)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUBBY (the half of my favourite men duo)!!! Though this posting is a tad late, it still has all the love and well wishes that it would have had if I posted it on your actual birthday.

I LOVE YOU TTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSS MUCH!

his very first christmas

It is a beautiful sight to behold when you see your child's eye glitter with a smile and laughter when he opens his gifts for Christmas.

This being my little man's first holiday is no exception at all. He was a joy to behold and we were so proud of him for staying up late at ALL the parties we've attended (that's 3 in two days). He was also such a trooper for being up at midnight on Christmas eve... this being a tradition that we open presents come 12pm.

We thank everyone for their thoughtful gifts... my house is currently a miniature version of Babies "R" Us but nontheless, we treasure each and everyone of the toys and clothes given for my son's very first Christmas.

Gift of Love

This Christmas, I received three of the most precious gifts I could ever have asked for.



Though my little man has been bubbling "mamamama" these last few weeks, it was on Christmas eve when he fully looked me in the eye and said "MAMA". This is by far, the most rewarding present I have ever received and for it to be as simple as being acknowledged as a mom brings tears to my eyes. I think I can say that I am definitely doing something right.

Also on Christmas eve, on the way to my parents house, the hubby surprised me with this beautiful bracelet. The idea behind the Pandora Charms is that instead of collecting ordinary dangling charms, these ones are slipped and screwed onto the bracelet itself. There is a massive collection of charms and to start with, he gave me a little boy to represent our son, a pig for the year I was born and a gorgeous green glass bead just because green is one of my most favourite colours.

Since I can remember, I have been pining for a digital SLR (I own a film version) and after much contemplation, the hubby and I decided that the Nikon D3000 would be the perfect choice for us. Albeit a bit late, I was still very much surprised to receive this (I was not expecting one until my next birthday!).

I can say that I have been thoroughly spoiled this Christmas. But even after all these beautiful gifts, I am still ever so thankful that I have the two of the truest and most precious gifts I can ever ask for because these boys of mine are what my heart truly desires.

Happy Holidays!!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Secret Santa

I am very lucky to be friends with the bunch I'd like to call "Ninongs & Ninangs" (godfathers & godmothers) as they are exactly that to my little man.

Yesterday, we celebrated Christmas a little early with a pot-luck of yummy home made food and the exchange of our Secret Santa.

It was tons of fun (as per usual) and I am still baffled with the way our exchange gift worked. What are the odds that we would have all picked our respective secret santa?!?!

Either ways, I am wishing this bunch a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I can't wait for our next get-together!

Here's the little man in front of his loot. He of course had a lot more fun with tearing the wrappers and trying to stuff them in his mouth. (Thank you for all his presents!!!)

Ninang Leah & Ninong Jay, our respective affianced couple ready to tie the knot next year!

Ninang Sherry & Ninong Aaron, the most punctual couple I have ever met.

Here's the hubby and Ninong Benjie. I'd be scared if they were a couple but they were opening their presents together as they both had the same gift!


Myself and the little man enjoying my 3 boxes worth of gifts from Secret Santa Sherry!


My wonderful BFF, Ninang Arwen, and our hostess for the evening (and most likely the next few evenings of our get-togethers!).

little blue booties

In the four years that the hubby and I have been married, this is the first Christmas Holiday that we are celebrating where we actually have a tree up! It was exciting to decorate it for our little man's very first Christmas. Along with our new tree was a little trinket that we have picked up... the bhubba's very first ornament.

Traditions are such wonderful things to instill in children and this is one tradition that I am very much looking forward to in the years to come.

and the powder starts to fall

The begginings of a White Christmas is finally falling from the sky. I was so thrilled to see the snow arrive as I was hoping that my little man's first Christmas is complete with white powder on the ground. Mother nature seems to be cooperating with one of my wishes.

I love winter --- it's my favourite season of all.

P.S. Wish I can credit the photo above as mine --- it isn't. Wish I can credit the right person but I just grabbed it off google. Don't you love it though? I do. It epitomizes my exact feeling for the winter season.

California 2009

Three days after we got back from our Vegas trip, we booked a last-minute flight to San Francisco at the insistance of my hubby. He wanted us to spend some time with his family down south so that they can also meet our little man.

Least to say, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip. It was more of a relaxing trip as we did not bother doing much sightseeing but I had lots of fun getting to know the hubby's aunt and uncle and we also were able to visit our little man's great-grandpa. He's 86 years old and still very young at heart.

Here's some of my favourite photos from this trip:

Enjoying some creamy Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Checking out some of the famed Hollywood stars.

Four generations of the Reyes Clan.


Head on over here for more photos!

Vegas 2009

Our end of November trip to Vegas was a whole load of fun and work put together. This is our first time travelling with a baby so you can just imagine the bulk of things we brought. From excess diapers, extra bottles to sterilizers and the amount of clothes I packed, we definitely had to check in a massive luggage along with our carry-ons.

The good part of the trip is that we were able to travel with my parents as well as the hubby's mom. They were all such great help in carrying a few things at the airport. Luckily, the little man was also the most well-behaved little boy you can ever ask for when travelling. No fussing, crying or tantrums though he was flying with a cold. I was very thankful.

Because this is the hubby & I's 2nd trip to Vegas, my usual photowhoring session was cut down. I found that I was more interested in making sure that my little one was occupied rather than pull out my camera at every turn. So for this trip, I took 90% less pictures than I would normally do.

If there was anything I would suggest for those of you making a trip to Vegas, don't miss out on the Buffet at the Wynn. The moolah you pay for is worth the price of their amazing food!

Enjoy some of the pics I have posted up here :)

the tale of...

When I was younger, my mom came home from a Chicago Trip and brought home one of my most favourite children's classics... The Tale of Peter Rabbit. I distinctly remember opening a bag from FAO Schwarz and screaming in delight to find a new book for me to read.

Fast forward to today --- coming back from a trip from Vegas, I picked up a copy of said book along with a plush toy of Peter for my little man. And where else would I go to get it? To FAO Schwarz, of course! I was so excited to find both book and toy because I loved Peter as a child and a I know that my son will have the same appreciation for him.

Vegas was such a success...

... that we've decided to follow-up on it.

San Francisco/Fresno here we come!

See you all in another week (again)

Goodbye for a few days...

.... we're finally off to catch some Vegas sun!

T-Minus 2 Days

With Vegas coming just around the corner, of course my little man just had to go succumb to a common cold. It started the other night with a little sneeze and a lack of appetite and graduated to a runny nose yesterday.

Mornings are OK to deal with but evenings are an entirely different matter. We learned last night just how horrible common colds are for babies given the six times we got up to carry, cuddle and soothe a congested little guy.

I was so exhausted from last night that I didn't even pay attention to a lovely little cheer-me-up my hubby wrote on my FB wall until now.

Indulge me for a second on this one....... AAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW.

The hubby can be sometimes ever-so-sweet if he really wanted to.

Wish us luck tonight! With the help of Little Noses' saline drops, we three just might be able to get the sleep we need and the little man and I just might not have to miss that flight to LV!

one more week...

the mommy planner

I love calendars. There's something about jotting appointments and events into one that makes me feel like I somehow have a better grasp of life. The best part about choosing this year's calendar is that I get to feel extra special... I was looking for a "Mommy Plan-It" instead of the usual!

A month ago, the hubby and I along with the baby went calendar shopping. There were so many options and cute caboodles that it took me a solid half hour to pick out one! I was debating between a cute and a contemporary one but of course, ended up choosing the latter. I was so excited that I've taken it out and have started using it (the calendar starts at Sept. '09).

I just heart my new mommy organizer!

Job Opening

Thought I'd share this ... it was forwarded to me by my Godmother and as I already am in a position similar to this, I can't really apply until a few years from now.

Enjoy!

______________________________________

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma, Mother
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop, Father

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is thatyou actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Christmas in the air...

I know it's still quite early, what with it being only the 10th of November, but I really can't help myself.

My favourite template designer, Gisele Jaquenod, who I absolutely adore came out with this new layout that I just couldn't resist!

Christmas is really in the air --- I can just smell it and it's coming around the corner. I can't wait for our first holiday as a family!

the miracle of you

"Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of love”

- Maureen Hawkins -

Halloween '09

My very own Little Lion!
(complete with a big heart and wet, sloppy kisses)

say a little prayer

I received a call from my brother today.
I have never heard him sounding so solemn and broken.
He was the bearer of bad news.

Our uncle, my mom's brother, has passed away.

I bow my head in memory of him and say a silent prayer thanking God for taking away his pain.

He will be missed but forever loved and remembered.

See you at the crossroads, Tito El.

and before we even get to halloween....

At 8 months pregnant last December, I went to a Torre and Tagus sale where I found the most perfect of Christmas trees and purchased it on the spot. Because Christmas wasn`t spent at our condo, we decided not to put up the tree and save it for this year.

Laugh if you would like, but I actually put up my tree last Sunday.

If you were in Manila, the Christmas season starts on September 1. And because I miss that feeling so much, my tree, though bare and needing some ornaments to light it up, is proudly up in my living room.

Now for the shopping part --- I just might leave it until after halloween. I`m thinking of a blue and silver theme for my beautiful white tree (just like the photo above).

I can`t wait for our very first Christmas as a family!

hands-free!

The little man has finally learned the art of holding his own bottle!!!!

I am finally hands free after 8.5 months. We're going to celebrate this joyous occasion!

at the end of my rope (literally)

My gorgeous little man is finally wearing his brand new mommy-made scarf! After three nights spent on my kitchen table, I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel when i finally ran out of yarn. The finished product was, of course, happily worn and drooled on by my son whom I snapped non-stop photos of.

I can't wait to get started on my own scarf --- with fringes this time.

pour down on us

The fall season is my favourite time of year. There's something in the air that brings on certain calm to to my soul and the muted coloures surrounding me soothes my spirits like no other. On top of those, fall brings down the rain. I live in the perfect city --- Vancouver --- because it pours down here like no other.

And on a day like today, when it's expected to pour all day, I will sit on my bed for a little bit while the baby sleeps beside me and the little dog dozes on my feet. I will pull out my knitting, crack open my window a bit and listen to the pitter-patter as a steaming mug of hot cocoa awaits me. Then a little later this afternoon, I just might bake the perfect pumpkin pie.

Does anyone else love this weather as much as I do?

learn to knit!

I have been itching to get my hands onto a new hobby and have finally decided that Knitting just might be the trick! We finally went out shopping today for some 'must-have' items and along with my new knitting needles and pretty coloured yarn (which took me almost an hour to choose!), I have also picked up the Ultimate Knitting Bible.

I can't wait to get started!

in thanks...

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

Playroom Bonanza!

Ok... the little man may not really be up and running as of yet --- but our 2nd bedroom which we've used for storage is finally UP and RUNNING..... we've sorted through all our boxes, cleaned-up the mess and shopped around for some items worthy of a playroom!

Some new and old toys, his definitely new Alphabet wall and a hanging organizer for his stuffies (barely seen on the right hand side).

Some more wall appliques that he gravitates to at all times!

And of course, we can't forget his puzzle playmat!

We also found the cutest toy box for him but as he is still at the crawling and pulling-up stage, we didn't bother purchasing it as we're afraid he might hurt himself with it. That, of course, is next on the list along with a couple of shelves for his books.

I now leave you with my hubby's 'mini-me' in his own pool of balls :)

i <3 him

The hubby came home with a new book for me. I wasn't expecting this so the gesture is truly much more than appreciated. I love it when he comes surprising me with the simplest of things.

Can't wait to get started on my new read!

tut-tut

One of Dylan's most favourite toy is actually not a toy --- it's our home phone! He loves seeing me on the phone because it means he can try to steal it away from me. He espcially loves it when I put whomever I am speaking with on the speaker phone where he can blabber away like he is the one having a conversation.

Our telephone holds endless minutes of fun as our little boy loves to press the buttons and hear the sounds it makes while the screen lights up... which leads me to this blog --- it only seems right that instead of his first sylables being 'baba' or 'dada' or 'mama', that he says 'TUT-TUT' imitating the sound the buttons make when pressed!

He is just uber cute and uber smart! You see, he refuses to say 'tut-tut' unless it's the actual phone in his hands which means he's making a connection between an item and what he is personally calling it. He just turned 8 months and already he's showing how smart he can be!!! (So sue me, I'm a mom and we tend to be biased, don't we?)

I am so proud of my little man!

exactly 3 years ago ---

Vancouver --> Dallas --> Orlando

I wish this was today so I can head out of the Vancouver rain.

Cainta, Manila
Hours after the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy

Our thoughts and prayers go to those who bear witness and experienced first hand the disaster that Typhoon Ondoy brought to Manila. I am also thankful that my relatives, though somewhat affected by the typhoon, was not injured, hurt or harmed in any way.

For the latest updates, you can go the the ABS-CBN website.

and... HE'S UP!

Dylan is taking leaps and strides into his development --- what's new as of this week? He has learned how to pull himself UP! It's fast going to the point where I am not able to keep my eyes off him.

the 60 days countdown

I am finally going to count down to our much awaited vacation!

A month ago, we booked our 5-day Vegas Trip and we are so looking forward to it! Yes, the baby will be coming along --- it's only appropriate that he gets to see the place he was conceived, don't you think?!? ;)

father and son

“One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be.”

- Anonymous -

dance 'til you drop!

Everywhere we end up going, Dylan pulls out one of his antics that gets everyone focused on him. It just so happens that on this one, he gets into another "scream-mode". And check those feet out!

back to reading

I walked into my bathroom last night and sat on the toilet to find myself staring at a copy of Dan Brown's newest book The Lost Symbol staring me in the face. I yelped in shock and screamed in delight that my wonderful hubby has given me such a wonderful surprise!

I've been going at the book like there is no tomorrow. I think that's the number one reason why I woke up with a migraine today.

I can't wait to make a serious dent on it!

i miss me some of those kicks

This was me 7.5 months pregnant.

You're probably wondering what on earth I am doing posting an old photo but gosh darn it, it's one of those days where I actually do miss being pregnant!

I was one of the lucky ones that never really suffered from pregnancy symptoms. Yes, there's the usual nauseated feeling and the constant washroom runs but I don't really recall anything that was too bad that kept me in bed begging for the baby to come out already (well, except for my last couple of weeks when I became uber bored from staying at home and not working).

Don't get me wrong --- I love the fact that my little Patrick (how weird using his first name) is now here for me to fully enjoy but there was just something about knowing there's another life inside you. I miss the kicks and those little hiccups. I miss feeling expectant and scared at the thought of labour.

I REALLY MISS IT.

I'm just going to have to wait for the next one then, won't I???

mum-mum

Enjoying his daily dose of Baby Mum Mum while watching his favourite Baby Einstein dvd. Such is the life of a pampered little boy.

a celebration of sorts

Our wedding anniversary no longer just pertains to the hubby and I so as a celebration, we decided to take a 'Family Day' and bring Dylan out and about town.

The first stop was lunch at our favourite Richmond Sushi. Even Dylan was enjoying munching on some Edamame's.

We also hit Granville Island for a quick peek around the Kids Market.

You cannot leave the island without a yummy stop for baked goods at the Public Market! I had a hard time choosing what I wanted.

Our next stop was Queen Elizabeth Park as the 'other' child wanted to get his drift on.

And while daddy played, Dylan and I were checking out the duck pond.

It was the perfect way to celebrate another milestone in our marriage --- this time, with a beautiful little boy to share it with!