MY FIRST MOHAWK!

I am back! I left this blog with a pretty depressing post and it has been sitting here by its sad little self for months and months. (I've been Very. Busy. I can walk now!!!). But, I'm back and I shall share my FIRST HAIRCUT EVER. My parents took me to this kiddie beauty salon called Cuts 4 Tots in TriNoma Mall. Can you believe seven - yes, SEVEN - adults came to see me get my haircut! Aside from my parents, there were the Lulipops (my paternal grandparents), my Uncle Jino, my yaya ("nanny") Nida, and our friend Ronnie. My other set of grannies wanted to come too, actually, but good thing they had to go out of town - it would've have been too too embarassing having almost a dozen people coming for my haircut! And I'm just one little person, too. Teehee. A lot of the other kids were wailing. I didn't cry AT ALL though. Yay. My folks were very proud of me.

October 4, 2009

Here I am, waiting for my turn.

I picked a little motorcycle for my "barber's chair!"

Souvenir tank from Subic, from my grandfather Pops; Shorts - Spin; Sandals - Florsheim Kids

Look how long my hair has gotten! No wonder people always mistake me for a girl!

All done! (And can I just say - it took almost AN HOUR! Grrrr!)

My Mamu and yaya trying to brush off all the stray hair!

I refused to stand still! I've been sitting still long enough!

(My parents' boss, Atty. Sonya Castillo, got me that tee!)

Tee - Zara Kids; Sandals - Florsheim Kids

VOILA!
My new haircut!
My Mamu was inspired by Maddox Jolie-Pitt, teehee.
I say I look far far better! Hihi!

How do you like the new look?!

STRANDED!

It started out as a pretty normal day. I was out of the house with my Papu, Mamu and yaya ("nanny") Nida at 7:00 am on a Saturday. There was a slight drizzle but no dark clouds so we weren't really worried about the weather. We picked up my Ninong Zito, then my Tita Kar, and we all headed to the Manila Polo Club where my folks played squash as usual. Then BOOM! The rain fell! Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) unleashed 1-month's worth of rain in the Philippines - in just 6 hours! Oh boy. The flooding was horrible. We tried to stay in my Tita Kar's house but the water came streaming in. We had to evacuate. My Papu had to carry me because the water at that part of Forbes Park, the village where my Tita Kar lives, came to right below my Papu's waist. My parents and I stayed stranded in Market! Market!, this mall in The Fort, in Taguig City because the roads were jammed with both traffic and flood water! Mamu, Papu and yaya Nida had to buy new clothes and everything because they were soaking wet (I was the only one kept dry!). We couldn't go home because the village where we lived, and the highway leading to our village, was completely flooded and unpassable by cars. (My grandparents, Opa and Oma, had to evacuate!). It was really bad. We had to stay at my Lolo ("grandfather") Ferdie's condo-hotel over at Discovery for three days. We were only able to go home on Monday morning, when the water receded enough for us to head home. It was a bad bad bad experience - but at least we are all safe and sound! My country has been placed under a state of calamity. People say it's like Hurricane Katrina. This is the worst rainfall recorded in Philippine history, and in a lot of areas, the flood water was over six feet tall. A lot of people did not get as lucky as we did - our homes at least stayed intact and no one in my family died or got hurt. I am really praying for the rest my kababayans ("countrymen").

September 26, 2009

Here I am at the Polo Club, engrossed with my Papu's squash racket.

At this point, we were all still completely clueless about the horrible effects of Typhoon Ondoy.

Tee - Gingersnaps; Shorts - Baby Armstrong; Sandals - Florsheim Kids

My Opa and Oma got me those shorts. I didn't know at this point that I'd only be seeing them Monday!

(That's my yaya Nida holding me!)

My hair has grown soooo long this month.

They've taken to tying it back or, worse, even clipping it back! Grrrr!

Here I am in Discovery now, with my Lolo Ferdie, Lola Irene, Ate ("big sister") Bianca, and Kuya ("big brother") Rapha.

We couldn't go home to our own place (unless we swim back! Plus, there was no electricity there).

Here I am, getting all fussy, with my Mamu. I get cranky when I try to fight how sleepy I actually am!

I've changed for bed - my yaya gave me a shower.

We didn't have extra clothes when we left. I'm wearing shorts my Mamu got me from Market! Market! (We also loaded up on formula there and water for me, because we had no idea where we'll be stranded, or for how long).

My Kuya Rapha lent me his shirts all weekend!

They kept calling me Casper, because Kuya Rapha's tees were all too big for me! I looked like the friendly ghost.

I'm too little to be of much help but I send out a hug to all the Filipino flood victims out there!

ORDINARY DAYS

It's a national holiday today, so even though it's a Monday, I got one extra day with my parents at home - yey! We mostly lounged around and played in Papu and Mamu's big bed. We saw some videos, and headed out once to buy videos and go to the supermarket. I enjoy the sights and sounds when we go out, but I do so enjoy quiet days at home with my parents too. I wish we had more days like this! (Even though we forgot to bring the camera when we went to the grocery! Hihi!).

September 21, 2009

My Uncle Amiel and my Aunt Mary got me that onesie, my Opa and Oma got me those shoes, and my Ninang ("godmother") Bles Cuaycong got me those socks from Baby Gap!

Onesie - OshKosh B'Gosh; Shoes - Florsheim Kids

BAR OPERATIONS ENERGIZER

What a busy busy day I had! First, my parents and I left bright and early to go to the PAL (that's the Philippine Airlines for you!) ticketing office over at this mall called Ali Mall - first thing in the morning, I might add! My parents are flying to Naga in October - without me. Boo! We had lunch at Hap Chan there. I looooved the Yang Chow fried rice - more than the congee. I've been finding plain old congee, well, plain. Give me some flavor, people!!! After lunch we rushed off to the Manila Polo Club to play squash again with my Ninong ("godfather") Monzit and Tita Karla. Then we all took a nap at home before we rushed off once again - to Malate this time. It's Bar month - September! All the law students are taking the national Bar Examinations this September - every Sunday of September. So we went that night to visit my Mamu's sorority sisters - the examinees are called "barristers" and they were all billetted at Pearl Garden, this hotel in Adriatico Street in Malate. Sororities, fraternities, and law schools all have bar operations to help their barristers. I helped too! Even though I fell asleep while we were there, I did manage to visit all the barristers!

September 19, 2009

Here I am at the PAL ticketing office, waiting for our number to be called!

My Oma and Opa got me that tee, and my Ninang ("godmother") Anna Devanadera got me those shorts!

My new favorite game this month - dipping!!!

Tee - Moose Kids from SM; Shorts - Calvin Klein; Sandals - Florsheim Kids


We picked up my Tita Kar on our way to squash.

Here I am with my Ninong Monzit, getting acquianted with Chowking, Tita Kar's Chow Chow!

Trying to grab Tita Karla's squash racket!

My Mamu's sorority sis, Tita Monica Villanueva, got me that tee!

Tee - Gingersnaps

I was asleep when we got to the hotel for Regina Iustitiae's BarOps!

Here I am surrounded by my Mamu's sorority sisters!

My other Ninang Pam Buen-Merencilla got me that adorable onesie!

(It's got a picture of a "legal pad" in front, in honor of the occasion! Teehee!)

My Opa and Oma got me those nifty blue and white shoes!

I had to change outfits several times today because I got so sweaty running around! (Or at least trying to!).

I'm being carried by one of the barristers, my Tita Ria Alazas, here!

Onesie - Pipsqueaks by David and Goliath; Shoes - Florsheim Kids

OH SHOOT ME!

Oh my oh my. I have a L-O-T of pictures to share today because - I JUST CAME FROM MY FIRST EVER PHOTOSHOOT! Teehee! It's nothing major (not like I'll be starring in my own movie soon - or commercial - no worries, I will keep you all duly informed, should that happen, hehe), but I did get to go to an actual studio. It was all my Tita Karla's doing - she's studying to become a photographer and I am her favorite subject!!! Wheeeeee!!! The shoot was fun - there were big lights and huge cameras everywhere. I sat right in front of everyone, in front of this big white wall, while the camera man (Tito Nico) and my parents, my Ninong ("godfather") Zito, Tita Karla, and yaya ("nanny") Nida were all infront of me, cooing and calling out to me and basically trying to make me laugh and smile! They all looked completely ridiculous - which made me laugh tremendously, hahaha. They also shot a little four-month-old baby called Jaden. He blinked a lot when the cameras went off (I am an old pro at that, thank goodness). Jaden and I made our acquiantances - he's pretty big for a kid, and didn't do a whole lot except for smile nicely at everyone from his chair. I, on the other hand, was tearing away from one end of the studio to another. I canNOT imagine myself being that tiny - or being that quiet! TEEHEE!

September 13, 2009

My Ninang ("godmother") Bles Cuaycong got me that tee, while my Opa and Oma got me those denim shorts!

That's a dragonfly, my Mamu pointed out to reassure me, and NOT a butterfly.

We actually started our day visiting my cousins Bianca and Rapha Insigne over at Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center in the city of Pasig.

My Papu, Mamu, Oma and Auntie Amanda joined my Lolo ("grandfather") Ferdie and Lola ("grandmother") Irene for a breakfast buffet. My Lolo Ferdie is my Oma's first cousin - they are extremely close, like brother and sister, so I get to see the Insignes a LOT!

Here I am strolling across the condotel (condominium hotel they explained to me!) lobby, supported by my Papu.

It was raining that day again, so I am wearing the windbreaker my Oma and Opa got me.

The bib I am wearing is a gift from my other grandmother, Luli.

My parents drove my Oma for a quick stop at Megamall, the huge shopping center two blocks from Discovery, so I stayed with the Insignes for a bit, with my yaya Nida.

Here I am having my own "breakfast buffet" on my cousin Ate ("big sister") Bianca's bed.

My Lolo Ferdie let me try his sunglasses and Lola Irene sent this picture via MMS to my parents while they were in Megamall.

Pretty bad-ass don't you think?

After visiting the Insignes, we went to the photo studio with my Ninong Zito and Tita Karla.

It's over at this road called Kamuning in Quezon City.

A big whig local photographer named Xander Angeles uses that studio, Tita Karla tells us. I have yet to meet him and let him take my picture, teehee!

Here I am sitting on my Ninong Zito's lap, waiting for my "shoot" to begin.

There sure is a lot of waiting around involved when you're a model!!!

We get started at last! I borrowed Jaden's toy for the first part of the shoot.

Silly parents (such newbies!!!) forgot to bring me a toy to keep me distracted while the photographer snapped away!

I smile for all am worth!!!

I got restless after about five minutes, so they let me take a break.

I trotted all around the studio!

When we resumed, I had an outfit change AND changed my hair style!

Ta-dah! How do like my mohawk??!!

(My Tita Karla used hair cream, hehe).

It was Jaden's turn after my shoot.

Then when Jaden took a break, I wandered over to get a good look at him.

He kept staring right back at me! Hihi!

We hung around a bit while Jaden had his shoot.

I practiced walking - sometimes I can walk while being supported with one hand instead of two!

My parents are going to get me those walking harnesses or "wings" to help me along.

I've been practicing walking around so much they worry I might tear a ligament or something from my shoulder, since I still need support!

My Papu snuck a quick shot of the photographer's laptop screen - with my pictures!

They'll send the prints to us soon, but here's a sneak preview for now!

Beige tee with dragonfly - Gingersnaps; Denim shorts - Baby Armstrong; Sandals - Florsheim Kids

Yellow windbreaker - Big & Small Company; Bib - from Landmark

Blue "Li'l Punk" romper - In The Crib