pasyada..

Christmas is just around the bend that's why the city is on a festive mood already. Many areas in Tacloban are now well lit with lights and decorations. We spent time with Rhiane and showed her around Rizal Plaza. Well, the lights and decorations are not as grand as the ones in Cebu, where i was based before, but to the eyes of a child, everything is amazing no matter how simple it is. True enough, Rhiane kept saying "Wow!" at everything she saw!

this is our first Christmas with Rhiane,so we try our best to let her experience the spirit of it.since she's 10 months old already she can somehow appreciate the lights and decors around her.we took her to Saboren's residence in Palo.It has become an attraction every Christmas season. This has been the family's tradition to have an open house during the holidays. The house opens at 7:30-10:00pm daily. Rhiane was so amazed of the decors and the Santa displays. She kept pointing at them and kept saying her "wowow!" expression.

this season is truly for the kids. as a new family we plan to keep the old traditions that we have and make one for our own. This year is like a roller coaster ride for me. but amidst of it all, i am truly blest to have Rhiane. She makes everything worth it! :)

pahabol..
when we got home, while i was trying to put her to sleep. she pointed at her rag doll and asked to be put down. she grabbed it and kissed her goodnight before she asked for her mam-mam (milk) and went to sleep.. she's just the sweetest!

my adorable angel

rhiane had her pictorial yesterday. stage mommy on the move! i am just so proud of how easy it is to shoot my little girl. she was such a pro!

snippets of her pictorial. photos courtesy of ms. verlyn ponce..

separation anxiety

one of my dilemma as a working mom is leaving Rhiane behind. although i know she'll be in good hands though. we are blessed to have a yaya that's so concerned with our baby. i should not worry. but the mother in me can't help to feel guilty to leave her. sometimes it scares me she might love the yaya more or get her traits more from her than from me and her papa.


it was easier to step down the house when rhiane was about 6 or 7 months old. she'd even send me off and wave me goodbye with her charming smile. but now that she's on her 9th month, she'd cry everytime i leave. and cling to me when i try to hand her to manang (her yaya). it breaks my heart.. :( she's on a separation anxiety stage. it's a liitle comforting to know that even if i leave her often, Rhiane still loves me and still would prefer to be with mommy than anyone else.

being a first time mom, i just equipped my lack of experience with reading. so i have to read on how to handle rhiane when she throws a crying fit everytime i leave.
here are a few tips i'd like to share from www.parenting.com

keep your goodbye short A quick "Bye! see you this afternoon!" is ideal. "Prolonging the departure gives your child the idea that there's something to be afraid of," But here's the really tough part: Try not to let the sobbing lure you back. Reappearing after you've left only gives your child incentive to cry harder and longer next time.

match your body language to your words "Your child can sense your confidence as you walk out the door," Cooper says. Flash a smile, give a cheerful wave. You'll be faking it, of course, but she won't know that yet. She'll just know that you feel good about who she's with -- and she can, too.

avoid sneaking off Parents often dash out the door when the child isn't looking, hoping -- understandably! -- that this will preempt a meltdown. "But that's tricking your child, and it can break your child's trust in you," Instead, first ask your caregiver to redirect your child's attention right after you leave with a favorite toy, a game of peekaboo, or some new music (whatever), then say your quick goodbye.


when she's older and would be able to understand more, i'd definitely take time for a sit down talk and explain to her why mommy has to leave for work. and that everything i do now is for her.

scarf and the cold day..

one thing i like about a rainy day is the excuse to be all covered up. i wish we have a cold season here. not rainy, just cold. i don't care if there's snow, i just want cold! :) i remember a few years ago when Tacloban City had a very low temperature and they said locals were already wearing sweaters and jackets in a daily basis. I was still in Cebu then. I wished i experienced it. i love wearing jackets. but want thing i would also love to try is wearing a scarf. i have several scarves all stocked in my closet. one, i don't know if i can "carry" it. another is, i might be too overdressed espcially that the weather is a little unpredictable here. one moment it's raining, a few hours after its scorching hot. needless to say, i am such a safe dresser or i'm a little fashion illiterate. here are some scarf fashion i would love to try..

just inspired by the cold weather.. (ed. Note): typhoon pablo is hurling the city.. please say a prayer for everyone's safety.

rhiane in action..

if that girl with a golden hair was a dancer before she could walk, or begun to sing long before she could talk, my mommy said i was a climber way before i could do both. but just like the girl with a golden hair, i also thank the music for motivating me to reach the top to check what's that sound coming out from that boom box above! so i say thank you for the music for giving it to me! :) just for laughs... isn't it amazing how babies as little as they are can bring so much laughter in your household? and a few "heart-attack" moments too! i kept reminding her yaya to be alert just in case, as i was taking snaps of her. found it too cute to not document this. maybe i could show this to her in the future, what kind of a little rascal she was.

rhiane @ 9 months

my little angel is growing up so fast, its so hard to keep up with her as much as trying to let her stay put. she's now at a stage of exploring and wants to try everything. fear isn't in her vocabulary yet and she has no idea what it is , so go lang ng go si bagets. i'm happy that at her age, she can now stand for several seconds. and she can now walk from one place to another holding on to furnitures and walls. i'm praying she'll be able to walk before her first birthday. which i am so excited about.

on her mat

then she starts to crawl

she loves to explore what's inside the cabinets. since she learned what's open and close, she does that to all doors she sees.. open-close,close-open.. hay naku anak! ma-ipit ka inday!

she hardly sits on her high chair.. she likes it standing up..

and when you remind her to be careful..she gives you this face.. ahhhh... the joys of motherhood! priceless!

second generation friendship

the whole family flew to cebu last weekend to attend my bestfriend's daughter's birthday. i wouldn't want to miss it for the world. i think me and tet-tet are MFEO to be friends. we both went to the same school but we were not batchmates. she's two years younger than i am. i think we started to become friends when we bacame buddies during a dance workshop in Kalipayan Dance Company. we were the youngsters in the company then. but became really close during college days when she transferred to cebu and stayed in the same dorm as i was. we did everything together. and shared adventures and misadventures in life together. and the rest they say is history.

single and carefree days

see? even our destinies are aligned. we married a year apart. and got pregnant 2 months apart.

tet during rhiane's baptism, me during nina's birthday

running buddy..we were each other's maid of honor

nina and rhiane "talking." i really hope our kids will be best buddies too. they even have a resemblance. during rhiane's christening nina was mistaken to be rhiane. and during nina's birthday some guests greeted rhiane a happy birthday thinking rhiane was nina! Cute!