Friday, April 23, 2010

The Loyal Baby

My husband Jeff, my baby Rian and I attended my niece's 7th birthday party.  It was held at a resort in Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines.  We traveled all the way from Alabang to Laguna just to attend that very special day (hey! It's my time to make bawi to my niece...i had not attended her birthday last year!). The party theme was princess theme, since Alyssa (that's my niece's name) really likes princesses, especially Disney princesses such as Cinderella, Snow White, etc.  I knew even before that she likes Disney princesses.  That's why the gift I gave her was a kikay bag with pictures of Disney princesses on it, and I filled it with school supplies (and they have Disney princess characters on them too!).

The party was at 3:00 pm, but we came a bit late because we waited for Rian to wake up from her afternoon nap.  When we arrived at the party, sakto, the hosts (2 clowns...looks llike Boyoyong clowns) started to lead the Happy Birthday song for Alyssa.  There were not so many kids present, but it felt like there were a bunch of them because they were very participative and energetic in the party games.  Anyway, during the first game, (the Bring Me game), one of the clown's request is to bring to him the youngest guest in the party.  I looked around first to see if there was another baby, but to find out that...well...my baby Rian is the only baby in the room!  So I unstrapped Rian from her stroller and carried her and then we went to the front of the crowd to claim our prize (which is a bottle of bubblemaker!).  Rian's reaction?  Her face is like asking, "hey, what's going on here?!". Haha!

The birthday girl, Alyssa, and my baby Rian


Enjoying the party!!!!!!

After several party games, it was time for the food eating part.  Rian ate several Marie Biscuits and drank her milk.  I also gave her bits of watermelon, which was served at the buffet table.  What I loved most at the buffet table is the chocolate fountain and the pineapple juice fountain (how I wish I took a picture of them!).  After the hearty meal, the clowns once again started party games, which this time, the players would be the adults.  And, well, I was one of them.  Hehe. The instruction of the game is, we have to pick an animal and we have to sing Happy Birthday song using the animal's sound.  Good thing I picked BIRD...all I did was make tweet-tweet sound in tune of the Happy Birthday song, and my final note is a whistle.  After everyone had sang their versions, the clowns instructed the audience to applaud for their vote-- who had the best Happy Brithday tune.  When they audience clapped for me, I also clapped for myself, and I realized I got the loudest applaud from the audience (especially from the kids! Haha!).  When I came back to my seat after the game, my brothers and my husband told me that baby Rian also clapped for me too.  And it was a long loud clap. And...dig this everyone...SHE ONLY CLAPPED FOR ME!!!!!  I can't help but to feel so loved by my daughter...and I'm so proud of her.  What a lovely loyal baby I've got!!!!!

A hearty clap just for me!

After the party, we went home to my parent's house, with some yummy leftovers from the party, prizes from the games, a thank you souvenir from Alyssa just for Rian, and a happy memory that I would treasure forever.  I love my baby more and more each day! :)



Sunday, April 11, 2010

Find A Reliable Pedia!

My hunny Jeff, our baby Rian and I went to Healthway in Festival Mall, Alabang yesterday afternoon to visit a Pediatrician because we planned to get a new doctor, since we're now staying here at Alabang.  It's a hassle for us if we would travel back to Batangas (which was almost an hour away from Alabang) for my baby's regular check ups and immunization shots.  Since we didn't know any doctors here, we scheduled a visit at Healthway Clinic (which has good service and more comprehensive check up results from doctors than a regular provincial hospital--- as I observed). 

I forgot the name of our new Pediatrician (sorry about that...I'm not good at remembering names...but she's a female doctor).  Anyway, when she asked why we wanted to consult a Pedia, I told her the reason.  She asked for my baby's medical history, and I gladly gave her our baby book (where our former doctor wrote her findings for every check up).  I also let her browse the immunization checklist which is written at the last pages of the baby book.  When she read it, she asked us if we weren't informed about the Rotavirus immunization because according to the immunization checklist, it was not yet given to my baby.  I told her that our former doctor didn't say anything about the Rotavirus shot.  Then our new doctor said that it was too late to give my baby the Rotavirus shot because she already surpassed the age when the shot should be given to a baby.  Silently, I felt angry because our former doctor should have said about that vaccine before.   My husband and I are first time parents and we really trust the doctor on check up results and immunizations.  But then, the trust and respect I had for our former Pedia is already lost because of that information...and I fear for her present and future clients because her service is not that reliable.

Anyway, it's the past and we have a new doctor now, who seemed like more reliable because she explains to us in detail the results of the check up.  She told us that our baby's present height and weight are within normal range and that we should aim for 75 inches height and 10 kg weight on our baby's first birthday.  She told us that 8 month olds can already sit alone (yes, our baby Rian can already sit alone for a long period) and that they have fear of strangers (well, Rian cried a lot when the doctor held her!).  The doctor also checked her ears and throat while Rian was crying aloud).  And she cried harder when she was given the Measles shot! Guess what made Rian calm?  The famous political campaign jingle / song today in our country--- "Hindi bawal mangarap ang mahirap, basta't maaabot ito sa malinis na paraan.  Hindi bawal mangarap ang mahirap, basta's may tiwala sa Maykapal, at may paninindigan.."  Haha! I guess, every kid in the Philippines knows that song.  Even my baby glues her eyes on TV and smiles a lot whenever she sees that commercial and hears that song.  If every kid can vote, well, that politician would surely win!  (and oh my, I actually memorized that song too, just to entertain my baby.  But I'm not that politician's supporter. Hehe).  The moment Rian heard my voice and sang that campaign jingle, she stopped crying.

After the shot, we scheduled another check up with our new doctor (which is on May 8).  She will again give another vaccination to Rian next month (which will be worth P4,600).  Oh, the Measles vaccine costed us P1500.  Our new doctor told us also to take extra care of baby especially in what she puts into her mouth to avoid severe diarrhea (since our baby didn't have the Rotavirus shot.  Rotavirus is severe diarrhea).  I really pray that my baby would be extra healthy so that she wouldn't have diarhhea.

Then we said goodbye to our new doctor, who, hopefully is a better one than the former.

After my baby Rian's check up with her, we went to another doctor...the Ob-Gyne...for my regular check up.  But that's another story.  I'll share it with you next time.

P.S.  Lesson to learn for new parents: Find a reliable Pediatrician.


Friday, April 9, 2010

Reminiscing the Past: Bohol Escapade!


It's been three years since my husband and I went to Bohol to take another out of town trip to get away from the stress caused by work for a short time.  Actually,our Bohol trip was his birthday gift to me back then.  We went there just after my birthday.  Bohol is the place in the Visayas region of the Philippines wherein you would get to see famous attractions like Chocolate Hills and the smallest monkey in the world (the Tarsiers).  The place is also rich in historical attractions, as well as land and water adventure sites.  Since we only had 3 days and 2 nights stay in the island, we just got to tour the spots on land (we never had the chance to go near the beach because of lack of time).

A plane ride from Manila to Tagbilaran (Bohol)

It was the end of September back then and we availed Philippine Airline's PALakbayan promo (with complete package-- fare and hotel for two). We spent almost P10000 for the complete package. I was already quite familiar about the tourist spots in Bohol because I had already gone there before (I contacted my college brod, Thirdy, who lives there and he took me for a quick tour at Chocolae Hills and Loboc River).  When my husband (who was my boyfriend back then) and I went there, Thirdy was not available to tour us around, so he suggested to rent his father's car and take his father with us for a day tour. 

Jeff (my husband) and I stayed at Bee Farm hotel.  It was a really nice hotel.  I recommend it for all those who want to visit Bohol.  It is located beside the beach.  It is like a country house wherein the aura is warm and relaxing.  A sure get away place from the city full of big buildings and lots of traffic and pollution.  The meals are healthy too because all that they serve is organic (I love their salad!  Imagine I ate fresh rose petals! Hehe!).  The rooms are accomodating and spacious.  What I loved most about our hotel roomm was the toilet / shower room.  The moment I took a bath, it's like I did not want to get out.  Too bad I forgot to take a picture of the toilet / shower room!  Too bad the weather's not good when we arrived there...we had a rainy first day at Bohol.

Spacious hotel room at Bee Farm


My hubby would like to post this pic in this blog...to show off the foods we ate at the hotel!
Drool on everyone! Teheee!

The next day (thank goodness, the sun appeared!) is the tour day.  Thirdy's father arrived at the hotel early in the morning to take us around the nice places in Bohol.  As I said earlier, we just went at the spots on land (someday we'll gonna go back at Bohol and go to other places we didn't able to reach that time), such as the Chocolate Hills, Loboc River, the Tarsiers, Prony the snake, the underground cave, and the Blood Compact site (it's a historic spot in Bohol wherein a treaty was made between Spaniards and Filipnos by slashing their skin to drip blood to another one's slashed skin.  Wasn't that horrifying? Hehe. Don't worry, that was yearsssss ago.  people nowadays prefer to sign contracts with their Parker pens. Hehe).  I share to you our Bohol picture collection:


The Blood Compact Site.  Was my hubby one of them?????!!!!!

Prony the big goooooood phyton

Sooo....who among us is the Tarsier?

If Chocolate Hills are really chocolates...I would eat them all! Haha!

Lunch on the boat ride on Loboc River.  Eat all you can!

In the Hinagdanan Cave.  We can't picture the unerground pool water because it was too dark in there!

Back at the hotel...relaxing beside the beach with the waves

During our day 3, we woke up early to take a breakfast and enjoy the final moments in the hotel.  We took more pictures by the beach.  we even had a tour around the vicinity of the hotel, like their organic farm and bee hives (well, that's why the hotel was called Bee Farm because they specialize in Bee and honey products).  Then before lunch, we packed our things and went to the airport.  It was time to go back home in Luzon island. 



Just behind the hotel...



With the busy bees...

My hubby and I had an amazing time in Bohol.  In all the places I traveled in our country so far, Bohol is the province I really like best and I would really love to go back there someday.  But for the meantime, my hubby and I plan to visit Palawan by next year, on our 2nd anniversary, because it's our dream honeymoon place. 

Next time, I'll gonna share to you our Subic trip.  :)


Thursday, April 1, 2010

Reminiscing the Past: Baguio Escapade!


Baguio City (the Philippines' summer capital) is one of the beautiful tourist destinations in our country.  It was a city on top of the mountain in the northern Philippines.  People love to go there especially during summer because of its cold weather there.  It does not snow there (how I wish!), but you really need a warm jacket to keep you warm (or a sweetheart close to you might just be enough!).

It's been 3 years ago (in 2007) since my husband and I went to Baguio City together to breathe some fresh cold air and get away from our stressed work life even for just a weekend.  We were still not married back then but we're already in a relationship.  Our out of town adventure was not planned...it was spontaneous. It was a Wednesday when I decided I wanted to go to Baguio and it was a Thursday when he said he wanted to come with me.  Then it was a Friday night when we went there for a 1 night-2days stay (I remember that we watched a baskeball game first before our departure.  The game was for the championship between the basketball team of his company, Sunpower Corp & our company, Toshiba Info Equipment Phils Inc.).

We left from Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Metro Manila at around 9:00pm.  We stayed first at Xaymaca Bar at Timog to waste time because our scheduled trip to Baguio City was at 12:00 midnight.  We hung out with Brownman Revival band members (I was friends with them).  After the gig, we left for Baguio City via land transportation (Victory Liner Bus).  We took the last trip which was at 12:00 midnight.  The fare back then was aroung 400 Php-500 Php.  We had a 6 hour travel, with some stop-overs at Tarlac and La Union.  I was not worried about being lost around Baguio City because it wasn't my first time to go there (it was my nth time!  Baguio was a second home to me because I took my college freshman year there before.  That's why I'm quite familiar with the place).


My hubby and I in the bus, on the way to Baguio City!

We arrived at Baguio City aroung 6:00am. Taxi cabs waited at the bus terminal to assist tourists and suggest hotels around (for a fee, of course).  I already forgot the hotel we checked in but it was quite far from the main town.  When we're unpacking our bags, my hunny gave me a surprise gift...a stuff toy.  I was very happy because it was the stuff toy I really like to buy for myself before.  It was a fluffy brown cat.

My favorite fluffy stuff toy cat named Baby Siops

During our stay in Baguio City, of course, we never missed to tour around and visit the famous places there.  My hunny was so happy that time because, though it wasn't his first time to go there, it was his first time to go to some of the tour spots there, like PMA (Philippine Military Academy).  And I was also happy because I got to tour him around.  We bought pasalubong goodies like peanut brittles, marshmallows, strawberries, ube jams, and chocolate chips (I looove the chocolate chips.  I can never get enough of it!).  And oh, we also bought strawberry wine...but we drank it all after dinner. Haha! I definitely would buy that wine again the next time I'll go there!

The King and Queen of Bundok Tralala! (taken at Minesview Park)

Row row row your boat hunny! (taken at Burnham Park)


A visit at the church (taken at Baguio Cathedral)


Release the horses! (taken at Wright Park)


Our home? I wish! (taken at The Mansion)


Home of the soldirs-to-be (taken at Philippine Military Academy)


A big hat for a big soldier (taken at Philippine Military Academy)

We stayed for 2 days at Baguio City (a Saturday until Sunday morning).  And on Sunday after lunch, we traveled back home.  Our escapade was a very enjoyable one, because we spent it together.  Certainly, our work stress faded and we were ready to face our work loads again. :)

P.S. Did you notice in the pictures that I was wearing a Bohol T-shirt at Baguio City?  Hehe. Next time, I'll blog about our trip in Bohol.  It was also an enjoyable one. :)


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