Silent Night

It's a miracle. Tonight, I'm blessed with a silent night. They all managed to sleep earlier than usual and my dear hubby got to catch on some badly needed zzz, thank God.  Thank you to those who prayed for us and our sanity...especially to my best friend Rachelle who spent time with Leji this evening before doing the last of her Christmas shopping :p At least we all get to rest before the grand Christmas weekend.

Leji's Holiday Party T-shirt

It's the ultimate party week! Despite suffering from mild dehydration the other day (oh it's so tricky to drink 4L of water in traffic while tandem feeding :/) and an engorged left boob (I cut short my toddler's feeding time the other night because she was too rowdy in bed :/), I begged my hubby to brave the traffic and allow me to attend at least some of my friends' events.

Of Tandem Feeding and Babyshark Hunting

Whew. Tandem feeding without a yaya at home is quite tasking. I usually doze off while I'm at it except when my toddler engages in shallow latch or in a weird position & the pain makes me jump back to wakefulness. I barely have time to do anything else these days but I see this as an emotional investment for them in the future.

An Afternoon at Santa's Workshop

It has been a while since my last post.  I spent the last remaining weeks before giving birth doing  a series of mini field trips with our eldest. I thank God, my husband, our parents and our relatives (some even from abroad!) who made our extended babymoon extra memorable for her.  I printed out colorful photobooks so she'll forever remember this stage in our lives, just in time for her baby brother's arrival.

Musical Counting is Fun!

I'm grateful my daughter learned how to count up to 20 in English and up to 10 in Mandarin at 18months. We also try counting in Filipino and Spanish but she finds the long words too challenging to pronounce up to now.

Raising a Musical Toddler

Leji enjoys the UP Abelardo Hall stage and  lights

Inconvenient as it may be, we try to expose our toddler to as much musical stimuli as we could.  I've read about how experts attest to how it could help strengthen bonds, boost language skills, and open doors to more exploration and fun. So we try to take her to concerts and make her watch dance videos on YouTube (Badanamu, Beyonce, Barbie Nutcracker, etc.)

Co-sleeping our way to Tandem Feeding

Leji plays with her cup after drinking milk

Everyone talks about how happy they are when they breastfeed; I guess this is society's way of coping with the undue stress and pressure that comes with it. We have to encourage each other to trudge on so our children can enjoy the benefits.

Transitioning into Toddlerhood

My little sweetheart has officially transitioned into toddlerhood.  Bursting with tons of energy and curiosity, she now skips her afternoon naps and even protests when we put her to bed at night.  With food, she's a little pickier than she used to-- now she voices out her preferred brand of fresh milk and yoghurt (she knows her letters and colors) and prefers sugar-free peanut butter over other spreads.  

Taste Test: Macao Edition

Whenever I travel, I always find myself looking for the city's version of 711.  I'm such a snacker and being a nightowl, I often have limited budget-friendly options.  Leji has been a fan of straw drinking even before she could eat solids (she has always preferred the straw over the baby bottle); and now she drinks milk and juice straight from cartons whenever we're out. 

Product Review: UV Care Family Toothbrush Sterilizer

It's Project Mommyger's blogversary and I'm so happy to be one of her UV Care raffle winners :) 

Hassle-free delivery! A welcome addition to our new home

RIP Ms. Amelyn

I'm grateful to God I've had the privilege of working with some of the best in media...one of those is Ms. Amelyn Veloso.  The niece of beautyqueen turned newscaster Cathy Veloso-Santillan, she shared that at a young age she knew she wanted a life in broadcasting too.  It was her calling.

Amelyn & Aya. Amelyn always joked she could pass as one of my sisters

Cotai Jet vs. Turbo Jet

To sail or not to sail, that is the question.

We had second thoughts about riding the ferry from HK to Macao and back because:

1. I'm pregnant & I might throw up/ experience contractions

2. The toddler might not like it

3. My mom-in-law who volunteered to chaperone us on our quest in making my daughter's 23rd monthsary (& our babymoon) memorable has a history of seasickness

4. We have a huge luggage that my husband had to manage on his own

Chasing Penguins in Macao

After our brief encounter with Disney characters in Hongkong, we decided to take a CotaiJet to Macao to chase after DreamWorks' lovable mascots.  Weekday tickets purchased through their android app were discounted :)) too bad we weren't able to get our weekend tickets going home through that app :/ They do it on a first come first served basis.

Leji's 23rd at Hongkong Disneyland

Leji loves Disney Junior.  For her first birthday, we decided to have a Minnie Mouse-themed Boracay escape at Jony's at Station 1.  Seldom do I get to have vacations with my family because of our schedules. The last time I went to Boracay with my mom was 2003 when I passed the UPCAT & it was my sister's birthday; my in-laws on the other hand have never been there. Cancelling all my shoots/events was worth it as we enjoyed our island hopping immensely. Leji rolled in the hotel bed everytime she craved for it as the hotel was conveniently just across the beach!

Brush Your Teeth

Leji loves Elmo. She started watching Elmo's World and Furchester Hotel even before she had teeth. And I'm very fortunate they have this music video of the lovable red furry creature brushing his teeth (or should I say black gums?) every day and every night. It's one of Leji's favorite songs.

Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me!

It's 4am...it has been raining for hours non-stop & I've just finished my mid-wee morning snack of stuffed crust Pizza Hut & Pfanner orange juice (while attempting to dry laundry indoors. tsk. Pesky rain. Thank God for Downy AntiBac).  Aya has a guesting later at Unang Hirit & being the stage sister that I am, not even a storm could dampen my excitement.

Farm Life Musings

https://www.facebook.com/BmegPremiumHogs/videos/1245786028878148/

Leji loves the classic "Old McDonald" song. And yes, she loves making pig and duck sounds aside from her domesticated favorites (chicken, dog, and cat).  She gets thrilled whenever she sees/hears actual live animals-- she immensely enjoyed Ark Avilon Zoo in Pasig and the Night Safari in Singapore.

Dreaming and Playing Collide at DreamPlay

Fathers' Day was a disaster.  I threw up after eating all the good food in a cozy restaurant. Everything was fresh and great..but I dunno, probably the scent of the oil in the steak triggered the abominable nausea.  I never experienced throwing up after drinking alcohol in the car, but it seemed like I was in some tequila hangover frenzy after attending mass after the meal.  

Leji Eats Out

My little girl is quite a picky eater.  We make her try everything we eat and her preference varies from time to time.  She used to love broccoli and mashed potatoes as a baby but now she hates baby food.  She loves adult vegetable soup though..I guess that's the trick, it has to appear like normal adult food for her to like it.

No Yaya Club

No yaya? Watch my latest video to get some baby friendly tips!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncJgjpefDC0&feature=youtu.be

People are surprised when they find out I choose not to have help around the house. But I managed to convince my husband that the privacy that comes with it during our honeymoon stage is worth it. 

First-time Flower Girl

We were happy to be chosen as flower girls for my sister-in-law's wedding.  Leji was excited at first, until she found out that she would have to wear a poofy dress during the ceremony.  She used to admire tulle and lace when she gazed at them from store windows; but her opinion changed when she actually got to try one herself.  She hated the beads' and the tulle's texture. We comforted her with Elmo videos during the fittings.

Craving for Sour Cream Potato Chips

It's 4am and it's already June. Wow, time runs so fast.

Lately I hardly even comb my hair or put on makeup. At home Leji plays with my hair anyway and thinks I'm the prettiest princess ever.  She's so cute; she thinks all the pretty models in full makeup look like me. If only I can freeze this stage forever.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

A college buddy of mine based in Dubai got married in Bataan recently and we immediately grabbed the opportunity to check in Las Casas and bask in its timeless luxury. We booked a suite by the beach; our only mistake was we forgot to ask which floor we were checked in. We had a baby and luggage in tow and they don't have elevators or rest areas in between (I also didn't know I was pregnant :/) We also had to ride a jeep with our stuff to and fro the parking lot several kilometers away; quite inconvenient.