TIGER

I rode a tiger today! Sort of. It's a Saturday, hurray! I got to spend the whole day with my parents. In the morning, our neighbor, Jen Algarate, came over to practice her musical play group program with me and my Papu and Mamu. She plans to start her own little play group some time this year, so she's been practicing with babies and toddlers. I volunteered, hihi. I think I have a good ear for music - I'm always slapping my Papu's belly around as if it where a drum! (And well it might be. Hihi). Then we - my Papu, Mamu, and yaya ("nanny") Nida and I - all trooped over to Greenhills. First, we had lunch at this Chinese restaurant called Won Ton over at the Promenade. I had plain congee (a type of Chinese porridge) again, like last time we ate at a Chinese restaurant. The good thing about going Chinese is that I always find something to eat on the menu! We went around the shopping center afterwards, and I rode a fat mechanical tiger with my Mamu. I was very quiet when the tiger started moving across the floor. I only started laughing and slapping the little steering wheel when it stopped moving. Teehee.

August 8, 2009

Almost my entire outfit - from the grannies!

My Oma and Opa got me those shorts and little cap

(my grandfather says it makes me look like a hoodlum! But my Oma insisted it looked cute).

My Luli and Lolo got me that tee!


Arrr. Restless in Won Ton - I want my congee!

Hungry like the monster on my tee!

Fussing a bit!

Well-behaved again, now that there's food in front of me!

They spooned my congee from a bowl to a saucer so it would cool faster!

(Brought my trusty spoon again!)

Riding a tiger after lunch with my Mamu perched behind me.

(Come to think of it, is that thing really a tiger to begin with?

It's the fattest tiger I've ever seen!)

Tee - Gingersnaps; Cargo shorts - Moose Gear from SM; Shoes - Florsheim Kids; Cap - Star Kids from SM; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

YELLOW

My Oma came back from Australia yesterday. She was gone for almost a month! I know she missed me terribly! So today, we headed out for a day of eating and shopping at Power Plant, a mall in Rockwell, Makati. I went with my Papu, Mamu, Oma, Opa, and Auntie Amanda. My yaya ("nanny") Nida took the weekend off - her first since she started taking care of me last June! We ate at Myron's - the big folks had steaks, while Mamu fed me baby food from a little jar. I had vegetable turkey - so I didn't miss out much, I think! We wandered around the mall and went shopping - my Oma got me a new tee from Zara Kids. I got to practice my walking - my grandparents are very patient about "wandering" around with me. I also noticed there were lots of yellow ribbons displayed in the mall - at the stores, restaurants, outside the mall, even the streets outside. That's because Cory Aquino died yesterday. I've never met her, but my folks keep telling me great things about her! I send her hugs and kisses, and hope she is finally resting, wherever she is!

August 2, 2009

My Lolo ("grandfather") Ferdie, Lola ("grandmother") Irene, Ate ("big sister") Bianca, and Kuya ("big brother") Rapha Insigne got me that bib!

My Lola Ging and Lola Jojo Deles got me that burp cloth.

It's part of a livelihood project by a group of marginalized folks - they make pretty little hand-embroidered burp cloths, bibs, and towels.

(Only I can't remember the group which made it! We lost the little card the cloths came with!!!)

Translated in English, this means I am "good-looking!!!"

In Myron's - done eating!

I practice walking around Power Plant now.

(Being helped along by my Papu here).

Yellow!

Onesie - In The Crib; Sandals - Florsheim Kids; Bib - Kladd by Ikea; Burp cloth - oh no, we lost the little card it came with!

SPURT

Another Saturday at my doctor's! I got my pneumonia vaccine - it pricked! For the first time, I howled when I got my injection (probably because I was kind of in a lousy mood to begin with - they kept making me lie down, when I was intent on attacking this little wooden giraffe at my doctor's clinic). I went out to lunch with my Papu and Mamu before going to the doctor's though! We went to my Papu's favorite Chinese restaurant in a shopping center in Manila called Greenhills. We ate at Le Ching. For the first time, I got to "order" and eat along with my parents. They ordered this porridge dish (meatballs and century egg congee) and my Papu fed me little spoonfuls of the soup. (My Mamu always brings me my own plastic spoon, in a little plastic container, just in case!). I liked it! I liked "dining out" with my folks! As for my doctor's appointment, she reported that I went through a growth spurt this month! My height and weight plateaued during my 7th and 8th month, but now I got much taller (and heavier, hehe) - yay! She also instructed my parents to feed me solids three times a day now. THREE times. Wow. At least now we all know for sure I like Chinese food. My Papu, who loves it as well, is extremely relieved!

August 1, 2009

My Uncle Amiel and Tita Mary got me that tee!

My Lolo Ferdie, Lola Irene, Ate ("big sister") Bianca, and Kuya ("big brother") Rapha Insigne got me that bib!

My parents' boss, Atty. Sonya Castillo, got me those pants.

I think they're actually shorts, but they're kind of big for me so they end up looking like pants!

Here I am waiting for my "congee" in Le Ching!

Sitting on the floor outside our doctor's clinic with my Mamu.

I'm laughing up at two little girls in this picture.

They were playing nearby!

(See that round little pink patch on my tee? That's my visitor's sticker!)

Inside my doctor's clinic now, still waiting our turn!

I do love the toys in her waiting room! I always end up attacking them, hehe.

Tee - OshKosh B'Gosh; Shorts - Zara Kids; Sandals - Florsheim Kids; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

TRIAL RUN

I had my first trial run at a Gymboree near our house today (in a place called Eastwood Mall)! On a Sunday morning to boot - school on a Sunday! Groan! My parents signed me up at a Play & Learn class. I attended with five other babies - we were all between 7-8.5 months old. I think I was the second oldest kid in that class - I was definitely the tallest and the biggest. I noticed I also had the most hair AND teeth too. (Really, what DO they feed me?). My Mamu went through the activities with me while my Papu took pictures. We sang A LOT of songs and went through a lot of action words. We danced and bounced and reached and crawled and pushed and clapped and kicked. (Well, I couldn't exactly clap and didn't really get into the whole pushing bit. Must practice that at home!). We played with balls, bubbles, a parachute, inflated tubes, and, of course, Gymbo the clown. It was fun - but it made me miss my morning nap! I was exhausted! I fell right asleep in the car on our way to my Opa's ("grandfather's") house, and slept right through lunch!

July 26, 2009

My Lolo Ferdie, Lola Irene, Ate ("big sister") Bianca, and Kuya ("big brother") Rapha Insigne got me that bib!

Here I am warming up before class!

We each got a name tag.

(Back view of my onesie - isn't it neat? Although my Mamu learned it was best to dress me in a pair of shorts and a tee for Gymboree - that silly romper kept snapping off! I was half-naked at the end of my class! Grrrr!)

"Hi there, fellow students! Arrrr!!!"

Here I am, sitting in "class" with one of my "classmates" Jaryl.

My Mamu says he's adorable because he looks like the baby penguin in Happy Feet.

Hmpf. My Uncle Jino says I look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. HARRRUMPHHH.

Onesie - Googoo and Gaga; Sandals - Florsheim Kids; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

ROBOTS IN THE DESPEDIDA

Today was my Uncle Amiel's despedida ("farewell") party! Uncle Amiel is my Mamu's only brother. He's flying back to the U.S. where he's studying, so my Opa and Oma hosted a small despedida lunch at their house with her cousin Lolo Ferdie (my grand uncle!), Lola Irene, Aunt Bianca, and Uncle Rapha. I really like my Aunt Bianca - she wants to baby-sit me!!! My Uncle Amiel got a bit choked up, especially at the thought of leaving me behind, but hey, he and his girlfriend Mary might come visit next year - and I'm going to be ringbearer in their wedding the year after that! Hurrah!

July 11, 2009

My Papu picked out and bought that tee for me - all by himself!

(Mamu was pleased).

My Lolo Ferdie and Lola Irene got me that bib, while my Ninang ("godmother") Pam Buen brought me home that striped burp cloth on a trip to the States.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a robot before!!!

I got passed around like a hat again, from one relative to another!

See how thick my hair has grown! I even have a little cowlick, hehe.

Tee - Gingersnaps; Navy blue shorts - Baby Armstrong; Sandals - Florsheim Kids; Bib - Kladd by Ikea; Burp cloth - Carter's

YACHT CLUB Part I

Back to back weekend getaways with my grandparents - with my Papu's folks this time! We stayed over at the Subic Bay Yacht Club in the city of Olongapo - in the province of Zambales! We celebrated my grandmother Luli's birthday last May 8 - my Lolo Roland Lorilla booked a huge room for us in the yacht club (he and Tita Mitch got me that tee - and my godmother Anna Devanadera got me those shorts!). I came with my parents, my Luli, my Lolo ("grandfather"), my Uncle Jino, my Yaya Sabs and our friend Ronnie! On our first day there we checked out the duty free stores and - we went to ZOOBIC!!! I HAD A BLAST!!! I saw ostriches and tigers and bear cats and a whole bunch of animals! But what I really loved the most in the Zoobic Safari? The leaves! I was sitting plopped on my Lolo's arms the whole time we were in Zoobic and he couldn't stop me from grabbing them! Quick hands! Teehee! Too quick for Lolo!

May 9, 2009

Playing with the puppies at my grandparents' house, right before we set off for Subic! (I almost ate the puppy, haha! My Mamu had to stop my putting it in my mouth!)

Inside one of the duty free centers with my grand father - "Shopping? Yawn!"

Tee - Gingersnaps; Shorts - Calvin Klein; Almost shoes - Funky Feet; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

BOW PEEP

I went out to attend a "bridal luncheon" with my parents today, so I "suited up" again, teehee. Wore a bow tie - sort of! Got that tee from my Tita Monica Villanueva. We had lunch in Serendra with my Mamu's friends, Tita Tinggay (BoPeep!) Mercado and Tita Patricia Bautista - and both of them completely doted on me. Well, THEY ate, and I entertained - as usual! I'd say I did the tee justice, hehe. Wore my linen shorts again - it was another scorcher of a day in the city! A vest, a bow tie, and linen shorts - I guess today I'm going preppy. And on other days my Mamu makes do rock and roll. I wish she'd make up her mind. I wonder what look I'd actually go for when I can finally pick out my own clothes!!

April 26, 2009

Indeedy, sweetie.

Tee - Gingersnaps; Shorts - Gingersnaps; Hi-tops - Chicco; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

DASH

I dashed out for burgers with my parents today! Huge, juicy, messy burgers from this place call Charlie's, not far from my pediatrician's clinic. My dad was craving a big sloppy burger. Then we dashed over to my doctor's right after my folks ate. She gave me some antibiotics - I have this persistent phlegm thingy in my lungs - my parents worry about bronchitis or asthma, so best to be preventive, they say! Apart from the antibiotics, my doctor recommended we use a nebulizer 2-3 times a day for 5 days, just in case! I'll be turning 6 months old on the 18th, so my doctor had to up the dosage for some of my daily vitamins. And guess what - she said I'll be starting on solids soon as I hit 6 months! Hurrah! I'll be able to gobble up those greasy burgers with my Papu and Mamu pretty soon!!! P.S. Little hearts on my onesie - my Mamu made me wear something for girls again! Aaaargh!

April 25, 2009

I want a burger toooooooo!

Waiting for my doctor now. I look like a big boy in this picture, don't you think?

They measured my height and I ate my feet while they were at it!

Onesie - Googoo and Gaga; Sneakers - Pitter Pat; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

SHANGRI-LA

Most people don't know this - but I'm actually a hotel regular already! I was barely 10 days old when my parents took me to the Shangri-La Edsa Hotel (bad bad bad parents). This is my 2nd time to hit the buffet line at their hotel restaurant, Heat. I came to celebrate with my parents, my Oma, Opa, and Auntie Mandi - my Papu passed the Philippine bar yesterday! He's officially a lawyer like my Mamu. You can't tell from the pictures, but I was actually howling my head off during the middle of our meal - I'm toothing, okay, so sue me (am warning you, my lawyers work pro bono for me, teehee). My Ninong ("godfather") Monzit and Tita Karla bought me that really cool shirt, and my cousins Bianca and Rafa Insigne got me that bib. I think I made quite a scene that day - bawling my head off, but hey, you try growing two new teeth at once!!!

April 4, 2009

Still at home, patiently waiting for my parents to finish getting dressed!

Hanging out at the Shang lobby

Tee - Little Teez; Camo shorts - Spin; Sneakers - Chicco; Bib - Kladd by Ikea

BREAKFAST BY THE LAKE

My parents and I drove over to Tagaytay, which is a city nestled on the hilltops overlooking Taal Lake, about an hour's drive away from Manila. We had breakfast at Cafe Breton in Cliffhouse, with a great view of the Taal Volcano. My parents figured I needed some fresh air. I'm in another sweater given by my Lola Lorna - my Mamu's favorite, because it's so cheery and colorful, she says, and the new onesie my parents got me. The lolo ("grandfather") fuzzy shoes are from my Oma. It's cooler in Tagaytay than in Manila, but since summer is just around the corner, it was kind of warm in Tagaytay that day, with the occasional blast of cold wind. I think my Mamu brought me there just so I'd have an excuse to wear all my new sweaters before I outgrow them! At least I didn't have to wear that bulky ol' sweater all day!

February 28, 2009

Hooded knit sweater - no brand; Onesie - Pipsqueaks by David and Goliath; Shoes - Luvable Friends; Bib - Kladd by Ikea