Uber Cute Onesies from Tiny Tots'! :)

Still obsessed with baby shopping, I found some really adorable onesies! Best of all, they're locally made. They're all so cute, I can't decide which ones I like!

So true!

My personal favorite:

A lot of choices for baby!

Available in onesies for babies and t-shirts for toddlers. Visit their website.

All being sold for 399php each. :)

Kaden's Latest Addiction

Being a mother, I had no choice but to go through the Barney phase (among many others), Spiderman phase (which Kaden is still hung up on), the Power Ranger phase, and now the Dinosaur phase.

I don't exactly remember how Kaden's dinosaur craze started, but he patiently watches documentaries and short cartoon shows on youtube [up to two hours at one time] while I doze off. He is actually interested in the names of all the dinosaurs and he obsesses over pictures of them. [Btw, if anyone can tell me where to get a book on Dinosaurs with illustrations & descriptions, I'd be eternally grateful!]

I downloaded Bolt for him the other day, but he got bored fast. His new favorite movie? The Land Before Time, circa 1988. O diva? I introduced it to him three weeks ago, since then we would end up watching it together almost every night, and then we'd sing If We Hold On Together every night before going to bed [After I tell him his bedtime story]. All part of being a mother.

I remember that I loved the movie when I was younger, and I had tears when Little Foot's mother died. That part is really really sad, and even now it I can still feel a tug in my heart when we get to that part of the film.

3 things! Only because I'm bored!

I very rarely answer questionnaires like this, but since I'm bored and I want to post a new blog entry, here it is:

THREE NAMES THAT FRIENDS CALL YOU:
1. Mar
2. Baba/Bab
3. Mariben

THREE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR LIFE:
1. January 11, 1983 (my birthday)
2. July 12, 2008 (our wedding date)
3. September 5, 2005 (Kaden's birth date)

THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES:
1. Ate chocolates
2. Chatted with friends on YM/facebook
3. Admired the new set of pictures on the Mango Red blogsite.

THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST AT HOME:
1. Spend quality time with Kaden
2. Watch my downloaded shows
3. Surf the net/chat

THREE GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE:
1. My D90 with 18-200 mm VR lens. (sooon! I hope) :D
2. LV Stephen Sprouse Graffiti Speedy 30 in Pink.

(I'd only like to receive it because I'm not willing to spend for it.)
3. Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit in Fairly Light.

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Eating.
2. Reading.
3. Shopping.

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR VACATION:
1. Amanpulo
2. Fiji Islands
3. Venice, Italy

THREE FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Does Ice cold water count?
2. Coffee
3. Green Tea

THREE THINGS FOUND IN YOUR POCKET/BAG:
1. My wallet.
2. My "makeup kit" which I barely use, especially now.
3. Keys

THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Red
2. Uh, Pink?
3. Black

TOP THREE HANGOUTS:

At the moment...

1. My bed
2. Our kitchen/dining area
3. The shower

TOP THREE U LOVE SO MUCH:
1. My husband!
2. My little boy! and our soon to arrive baby boy!
3. My family! (parents and bro)

TOP THREE WHO YOU THINK (OR HOPE) WILL ANSWER THIS SURVEY:
No one really.

TOP THREE "THINGS" SPECIAL TO YOU:

It clearly said things, not people.
1. My engagement ring. :)
2. My laptop, without which I feel detached from the world! My husband especially.
3. My camera, which makes me document everything I want/need to.

Hopefully, it will be replaced by a much more special camera, very soon.

TOP THREE THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY LATELY:
1. Thoughts of holding our new baby boy soon.
2. Thoughts of seeing my husband soon.
3. Thoughts of all the vacations I'm planning in my mind!

How pathetic is that? These days, it's all thoughts that make me happy.

Thank heavens for my overactive imagination! Hehehe. Oh well! :)

Stop Domestic Violence!

I know it's a bit too late on this Rihanna/Chris Brown issue, but I just want to say that I'm totally against domestic violence against women [whether it's physical or emotional, it's just as bad]. I'm not a big Rihanna-Chris Brown fan, but I know a lot of people are and the news of the abuse came as a shock to many.

photo credits from TMZ.

I've seen this happen to some friends, and I can say that it will go on as long as the "victim" does not realize the importance of self-respect. They say a man will treat you any way you allow him to, so I hope I don't hear in the next few months (or weeks even!) about a Rihanna and Chris Brown reconciliation, otherwise I'll gag.

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

I just read this on the New York Daily News. If it's true, then good luck nalang kay Rihanna and all the girls like her out there.

Baby Shopping

Four to seven weeks to go until our new baby arrives, and I'm beyond excited. I can't wait to put an end to my very impatient waiting. Tomorrow my mom is leaving for Manila to buy baby things for our coming little angel, and right now, I am finalizing our amazon list for the baby orders [hopefully] for the last time.

I'm trying my very best to stick to the essentials. So aside from the ever-reliable Avent products (among others), I realized that most of our orders now are baby toys. As a second-time mom, I am well aware that they are all mere eye-candy for us parents, and we don't necessarily have to spend so much on these things because they are things that the baby can live without, so I decided to delete a lot.

I have some favorites though, and even though I know it's just a "nice to have" for the baby, I think we're going ahead with these ones on our order. According to Art, he can already imagine our baby playing with the toys. :)

Fisher Price Rainforest Peek-A-Boo Leaves Musical Mobile

Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies & Lights Deluxe Gym

Also great for tummy time.

Sassy LeapFrog Baby Curious Crab Rattle

Sassy Baby 9 Piece Developmental Toy Gift Set

Lamaze Garden Bug Wrist Rattle/Foot Finder Set

These particular toys are the ones I think our baby Chace will enjoy during his first three months. :) We can order another batch after his third month. These plus Kaden's old toys will surely keep him busy! (fingers crossed)

Aren't they super cute?

Why I Haven't Blogged In Days

Last week we have been busy with my Lola Mary's wake, and last Sunday after her sad funeral, Kaden started to get sick. He was running a fever, throwing up, & having diarrhea. Yesterday, we had to confine him at the Children's Hospital because of amoebiasis.

My poor baby, I worry about his health and I feel so bad seeing him in bed like that. But I'm so proud of him because he's been a very good boy. I was so scared when they were gonna put him on dextrose because he might get hurt and cry, but he merely flinched and then that was it. He tells me that he misses his room and would very much like to go home, that's why I just keep reminding him to take his medications whenever the nurses come around, and he does so very dutifully.

So far, Kaden seems to be getting better. I hope we can go home very soon.

Looks Familiar? :)

Bye Wawie... :'(

"You can shed tears that she is gone,

or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,

or you can open your eyes an see all that she's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,

or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,

or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her only that she is gone,

or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,

be empty and turn you back.

Or you can do what she'd want:

smile, open your eyes, love and go on."

-David Harkins

Lola Mary (Sept 25, 1907- February 16, 2009)

Picture taken on her 101th birthday.

We all know that death is a part of life, and in our lola's passing, she has left all of us with nothing but good memories of the wonderful person she was and how she has lived her life. At 101, she has outlived two of her children, while she is survived by her other two children, 21 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren [another one on the way]. More importantly, she is very well-loved by all of them.

The harsh & painful reality of losing someone dear never escapes those who grieve and are left behind. But for our lola, we have all come to accept that at her age, it is her time to go and rest. It is sad, yes, because the world has lost a very kind soul. To claim such in all honesty and sincerity is a rarity these days. The people close to her can attest that in her 101 years of living, my lola has never uttered a single mean thing about anyone, never ever cursed even in her not-so-lucid moments, and even remained extremely polite to everyone around her until her very last days. My lola is the kindest and most selfless person I've ever known. I'm not just saying that because she is now gone, but because if there were more people like her alive today, the world would surely be a better place.

I am glad Kaden got the chance to meet her, and that she met him when she still recognized the people around her. She thought he was a girl though, and would constantly exclaim that she thought he was a beautiful baby. She never believed that he was my own son, and thought my mom and dad "adopted" a baby. This picture below was taken circa 2005, when lola was still able to come to our house. I'm sad though that she won't get to meet baby Chace. :(

We will miss you, Wawie! :( We love you very very much.

This Is My Valentines Day.

Today Kaden had a Valentines presentation in school. I chose not to attend because I can't stand crowded places right now, and since Kaden's school is small I'm really in no condition to squeeze myself in between parents wanting to take pictures and have better views of their kids. So only my mom attended with Kaden's yaya.

I taught her how to use the video mode on the digital camera, but I think she got confused. At least there were a few pictures. Apparently, Kaden stole the show and he was the only one among his classmates who actually knew what he was doing [singing/dancing]. Odeeva, proud momma here.

Then for lunch, my mother-in-law dropped by to give me something from my dear husband. Thanks, sweetie. :)

Wanna see my mother-in-law's handwriting? :)

Then Kaden gave me his Valentines "surprise". Isn't he the sweetest thing?

My dad & mom wanted us to go out and have a valentines dinner as a family but I convinced them that they should go as lovers instead. So Kaden & I stayed behind. Looks like they had a nice night and I'm happy for them.

Anyway, to Art my long-distance valentino, Happy Valentines! I love you! :)

This Valentines Day...

Spread The L-O-V-E! :)

Happy Valentines Day To All! :)

xoxo

Baby Legs. So cute! :)

Since we're having another boy, most of our coming baby's clothes are going to be hand-me-downs from Kaden.

So now I mostly only take interest in few pieces of clothing that Kaden didn't have during his time.

Like this one.

They are actually baby leg warmers but they can also be used as arm warmers. How cute is that?

So many designs to choose from! Question is, what should I get for Baby Chace?

Pretty good price too at 250php a pair.

Available at Icklebaby.

Googoo & Gaga

It's cute, it's unique and it's not your usual baby onesies. Best of all, it's made in the Philippines! I tell you, there's a lot of potential in Filipinos. I have a feeling this brand focusing on art-driven baby clothes will go a long way.

Aren't they adorable? I wanna get some for our Baby Chace :)

Introductory price os P650 each.

Available at their website.

25 Random Nonsense About Me!

I'm not trying to sound self-absorbed but because a lot of people have tagged me for this, I figured I should give it a shot. If you can't beat them, join 'em right? However, I choose to post it in my blog rather than on facebook. :)

25. I now like facebook better than friendster. There are too many strangers in the latter, I'm hoping to limit my facebook contacts to people I actually know. (hoping!)

24. I love thrift shopping. During my wedding preparation days, whenever I felt stressed out, I'd run to the ukayukay to de-stress. I miss thrift shopping now that I'm pregnant. I have a lot of catching up to do on that and I can't wait.

23. I can't sleep comfortably without a blanket. I like wrapping myself up. Even when it's not cold.

22. I get touched very easily. I actually cry during touching movie scenes, sometimes even the not-so-touching ones. Once in college, I was sobbing really loudly in the cinema that my roommate (Kathy) threatened to leave me there alone because she said she was so embarrassed and people were starting to stare at us. It also happens when I read touching stories.

21. I love the beach, but I can't swim. I wish I can though. A lot of people have offered to teach me and I don't know why I always end up declining.

20. Sometimes when I get obsessed with a certain kind of food, I can eat it everyday until I get really tired of it and I never want to see it again.

19. I'm a shopaholic, that's why I was hoping to marry someone kuripot to keep the balance. :) Art is a very indulgent husband, so sometimes I wonder if that's a good thing or not.

18. I'm a very impatient person. I hate waiting. For anything, for anyone, for whatever! So 9 months of being fat and pregnant is pure a-g-o-n-y.

17. ...But if I do get pregnant again within the year, why not? hahaha! Next project: Baby Girl!

16. I trust people very easily, and I've come to realize the hard way that I shouldn't. So, now I'm learning to not be too trusting (although sometimes I still forget).

15. I want to get into photography. Been wanting to for more than a year now. All I need is the "eye" and a DSLR. At the moment, I don't have both.

14. I absolutely hate people who lie. It's my pet peeve and I think it's the worst thing anybody can do to me.

13. Because both Art and I come from a small family (he's an only child), we want to have as much kids as we can. At least four would be good, and more than that would be better!

12. It's such a huge pain to wake me up. I feel sorry for the people who have [and had] to go through it. My parents, roommates, husband, and my brother can attest to that.

11. I cannot imagine my life without internet! I actually feel like I'm cut-off from the world when the connection is down. Yes, I'm cyberholic. I think I spend over 8 hours a day online. Or is it more?

10. I love to eat! and it's not just now that I'm pregnant. I like to research about new restaurants and read reviews on the food. I make sure that every time I go to Manila for my R&R I try something new.

9. I always always always miss Kaden when I'm not with him. I can only imagine how it would be when I will have two sons to go home to. However, I believe I need my monthly or bi-monthly trips to Manila to keep me sane. I don't want to be an irritated mother who snaps at her kids, or be present but emotionally absent.

8. I can't cook. But now that I'm a wifey and a momma, I'm starting to be interested in taking short culinary courses. After I take photography lessons, maybe?

7. I have ophidiophobia, which is the fear of snakes. You might think, who isn't scared of snakes? Well, I am really really really terrified of them, like you cannot imagine.

6. I gave birth to my first baby in Vallejo, CA by natural means. [read: no anesthesia at all] I didn't know that you had to ask for an epidural early on so they could give it to you before you dilate to 7cm. I felt unbearable pain at 9cm and begged them for it, by then they said it was too late. I honestly thought giving patients in labor epidural was a given, like in hospitals here. Imagine the pain I went through!

5. I'm now only a few weeks short of graduating from nursing, yet I still cannot see myself being a nurse.

4. Shopping is therapeutic for me, and yes, I'd like to believe it is a sport [my only sport]. ;) I know I should be embarrassed to admit that in the midst of a recession, retail therapy is one of the things that fuels me.

3. I forgive very very easily, but because I'm human, sometimes it takes a while to forget.

2. I love surprises. Too bad my husband is terrible at surprises. He keeps trying though and I love him more for it. ;)

1. I'm currently making a list of the places I want to see before I die, but I'm waiting for Art to arrive so we can finish it together. After all, I don't wanna travel to those places without him by my side. :)

I don't have anyone to tag. But if you want me to read your 25 things in your blog, leave me a message.

In The Crib!

We are all so excited about the coming our our latest addition to the family. But I don't think there's anyone as excited, and as impatient as I am. :)

I think I practically have everything baby on amazon memorized by now, and I can't wait to finally finalize our shopping cart so we can get our baby's new things. Lucky for us, it's a boy so most of Kaden's stuff will be used. Like his car seat, stroller, bathtub, sterilizer among other things. Saves us a lot. too.

I cannot imagine what kind of spending spree I'd be itching to be on if we were having a baby girl instead. Of course I'd want most of the things to be in pink and I'd definitely not use the blue baby things. :p Imagine all those baby girly dresses and shoes! I'd surely want to get them all. I really can't wait til we have our girl. Since it might be a long time coming [or not], Art still has time to save up for it!

I've also been looking at local sellers for baby stuff I can get. I found In The Crib, a local brand which sells a bit of baby clothing, and I found some I like! Sad though, that most of what I chose are out of stock so I have to wait until they have new ones arriving. Buti nalang, there are limited options for baby boys clothes, unlike with girls. Otherwise, I might go overboard with the shopping!

Not Your Typical Mama's Boy

(Hmm... I wonder if they could print a t-shirt like this that I could get for Art?)

50% mom + 50% dad = 100% cute!

If only it could say, 80% mom + 20% dad = 100% perfect!

Don't Ya Wish Your Mama Was HOT Like Mine?

My boys should definitely be sporting a shirt like this! :)

I want this last one in matching color and print for Kaden and baby boy. Won't they look adorable? :)

Oh well, I guess I'll just wait for newer onesies and shirts to be printed so I can get some for my boys. I'm excited though. :) If I can't shop for me now, at least I get to shop for my babies. Feels just as good but with less guilt. ;)

Royce :)

My mom-in-law arrived from Manila today and got me a goodie! :)

Nowadays, I feel so deprived from shopping and travel, so I find comfort in anything edible. Believe me, I devour what I can these days. So my happy thought is no longer shoes & bags, it's now food... and chocolates!

Nama in Mild Cacao. It's so heavenly :)

Nothing like chocolates to lift my spirits. Thanks to my mom-in-law. :)