Cherished Memories: Hugs & Wet Kisses

It was another productive day at the office. But nothing beats going home to a very sweet and lovable Skid. He hugged me tight, snuggling against my shoulder, showering me with wet kisses as if he's glad to see me home. All the stress and hirap, burado lahat! I so so **love,love,love** being a mom!

Back at Work

first day of work after a one-year hiatus. surprisingly I found out that I missed being busy!

Starting the new job with no illusions of prestige or grandeur, just eagerness to serve and a great deal of positivity.

My wardrobe, however, needs a major overhaul! HAHAHA

Good Reads: Invisible Prey

Invisible Prey by John Sandford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm beginning to love the Prey series. Sandford never runs out of fresh ideas. He gives his readers a chance to look into a killer's mind.



The story of 'number 17' revolves around a couple of antiques, a husband-and-wife team, with the funny name of Big and Little and how they kill old people and making it appear as if everything is purely accidental. Nothing surprising in the ending: good guys always win. However, I find the sub-plot about the erring Senator Burt Kline totally unnecessary.







View all my reviews

good finds

We all love to discover something new: a hidden shop or cafe; a too-good-to-pass treasure; a rustic eating place great for a romantic dinner date.

More than the search, we look forward to the adventure, the surprise, the twinkle in the eye. It's like a treasure map leading us to places still uncovered.

When Skid grows up...

Skid has a shirt that goes like this....WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A FIRE TRUCK

Bong and I find it so funny that most of the time, this 'blooper' shirt ends up as his outfit when going to bed. Hence, we call it his favorite shirt.


So when we got the chance, we took a picture of him beside a 'real' fire truck


and bought him a wooden fire truck with a fireman Fred and a fire dog Red. Can't wait for the time he is able to play with it.

Amici ATC Branch

An impromptu date at ATC to try the new branch of Amici.

We ordered Cannelloni agli Spinachi as our entree. Love the generous helpings of ricotta cheese. It goes well with the grilled spicy Italian sausages which has the tang of balsamic vinegar and steamed veggies on the side.

For dessert, we ordered the chocolate mint and New York cheesecake flavored-gelato. The former is our current favorite but we can't wait to try the other flavors. They all look so yummy! Love their attractive display tubs.

Compared to traditional ice cream, gelato has less air and less the fat making it a healthier alternative to the sinful and creamy version. Party tubs are also available making it a great dessert to go.

Taking a bite at four months

Skid's first tooth erupted and he acquired the habit of gnawing on things. He enjoys the teeter when it's ice cold


but he enjoys taking a bite of Mom's arm even more. We love this shot! Skid looks surprised, being caught on cam.

I would love to get hold of this

a third-generation Kindle device which is 21% smaller and 15% lighter than its predecessor. Love its graphite color.

Reviews say that this version has 50% better contrast and you can even change the fonts and typeface. Internal memory is expanded from 2GB to 4GB, which Amazon says translates into 3500 books (up from 1500) WOWOWEE! With a one-month battery life, this gadget is definitely on the wishlist of a bookworm like me.

Broken Prey by John Sandford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


started the Prey series in no particular order. Gets better with each book

View all my reviews >>

Disconnected

Unable to post entries for more than a month. Internet connection was down. Skid had a change of nannies. Busy with work and home. Required to report at the office first day of September.

Will catch up with my blogging. Out of touch for so long.

On my reading list

I usually write three to four books at a time. Reading is another of our family's passions. The hubby loves self-help books and I try to read a bit of everything: cookbooks, novels, anything I can get hold of.

At the moment, these are the books I tote around.

1) My favorite June 2008 issue of Yummy magazine. It features easy-to-follow everyday recipes. I try to cook one dish from my stack each month.



2) Secret Prey by John Sandford. First time to read a book by this author. The novel is about a wealthy banker ending up dead an investigators quest to find the killer. Basic recipe for a suspense novel.



3) Old issue of Star Studio Magazine. Reading on Sharon Cuneta's 2,500 sqm sprawling house in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.



4) Baby Read-Aloud Basics. Having a three-month old baby for the first time, we try to read on infant basics as much as we can.



5) What to Expect the First Year. This is a book I refer to every now and then.

Toy Story Toys

Lotso, Jessie, Woody and Buzz. Skid can't play with them yet. He's only 3 months old. We're storing him in his toy chest until such time that he's ready to play with them. Bought them at a promo of Shell gas station.

I'm a slacker blogger, that is to say, a busy mom. Skid has also been busy and is learning new things.

• He is making a lot of sounds like he is trying to talk to people. He becomes animated when someone comes near him.

• He still has to learn to raise his head without help but he is slowly getting there.

• He sleeps with his hands clasped together and even holds on to his bottle with one hand.

• He has acquired a bad habit of looking at the telly so we turn it off when he is awake.

I thought I would post a couple of our favorite pictures in the past month. He still stares at the camera so it is hard to get some nice shots.

This was when he wore a bodysuit and his first pair of shoes. Dad was going to have his annual medical checkup and we decided to bring him along. He looked eager to be on his way.


This was shot when we went for a morning stroll in Nuvali. He was so fascinated with the Japanese koi.



Holding on to Kuya Manuel's finger taken during his first San Pablo homecoming. Always following him with his eyes and making gurgling noises all the time. Sweet!

Skid at Three Months

Our baby is not so tiny anymore. Here is what he's up to these days:

• He has found his hands and he grapple for anything: shirts, hair, even his face. It's a joy watching him latch on to your shirt. Always end up raising his shirt with his tummy exposed.

• When excited, he can kick his feet a full 90 degrees! But he hasn't manage to grab them yet.

• He weighs 6.2 kg. A couple of weeks ago, we met a 5-month old girl at the pedia's office who weighs 6.0kg.
  

• He has become a smile-machine! Smiles all the time, even while looking at the ceiling.

held by Tita Mary

• He refuses to drink milk from the bottle after 5 pm.

• He can swing his head from left to right while lying on his back, but can barely raise his head without support.

• He sucks on his knuckles when hungry, making loud slurping noises. Hasn't found his thumb yet. Tried a pacifier but his fingers are more tasty.

• He likes to look at pictures as if memorizing every detail. We placed family pictures on a shelf so he may be able to recognize them.

• He is SO INCREDIBLY easy to care for. His coming to our lives was a long wait but when he did, he does not give us a tough time. He sleeps fitfully throughout the night, except when he has his shots. Sometimes I worry when he won't feed during the night but things always come out okay.

• His cries may mean milk, sleep or cuddling. Otherwise, he is perfectly content to play in his crib or rock in his cradle. (I know...I'm one of the lucky ones!)

He is so adorable and precious to us. We are so blessed! Love you so much Baby!

Back on Track

Off my exercise regimen for more than a year. Skid is three months now and I am back on track. Starting at 160 lbs or 73 kg. I walked 4.0 km for an hour on the treadmill. Sometimes I want to give up. Sometimes I am in the kitchen and I find myself opening the door of the refrigerator. I force myself to drink a glass of cold water instead.

I target to do this at least five days a week increasing my speed and distance as I go along. Hopefully, I can run and participate in an event next summer.

A goodbye

Skid's poo can get stinky and sour-smelling. I usually wipe his butt with cotton balls soaked in water with him lying in his crib. But he is getting old for cotton balls....




so Mom washed the poo with soap and purified water in the sink.

Find it easier than imagined. Even Skid enjoyed it. He was gurggling and laughing during the ordeal.

Three Months

Three months ago, I gave birth at 9:31 am to a 7.5 lb baby boy who cried for more than 10 minutes. He was so fair and so cute with his chinky eyes.




Our first family picture taken a few minutes after delivery.


And this was his picture taken two days shy of his third month. As the song goes....we love him more today than yesterday!

Vaccination Day

Skid had an appointment with his pediatrician for a second booster shot of the 6-in-1 vaccine. Bong and I were worried. He suffered a fever for four days last month when he had his first shot. The yaya is having her day-off, so I would be alone tonight when Bong goes on his shift.

Skid was cranky and it took sometime for him to settle down. I had to rock him standing up the whole time we were at the doctor's clinic. It was a bit uncomfortable since patients were getting unsettled with Skid's wailing.

Skid became preoccupied with the colorful toys and mobiles in the doctor's clinic, but let out a loud cry when the needle went in.

Afterwards, he fell asleep but refused to be put down, resting in the crook of my arm the whole time. Changing nappies was an ordeal since he turns red with all the crying and wailing.

He woke up almost midnight, thankfully back to his usual cheerful self: cooing, smiling and looking up towards the ceiling. Dad's mind was put to rest and gave a small peck on his tummy before leaving for work.

Fathers' Day Celebration 2010

Fathers' Day is here again and restaurants will surely be jampacked. The family decided to celebrate it at my parents' place. My brother Sonny cooked his specialty: Lamb Adobo.

We ordered pancit bihon from Ice and Butter and a barrel of chicken from KFC (waiting time was 20 minutes!)


It was a very humid day. We turned on the air-con full-blast, while Kate and Skid played underneath a make-shift canopy out of a blanket, over Dada and Nana's bed.



After lunch, it was snooze time..... while Kate watched Tinkerbell on the Disney Channel.




Merienda was beef fajitas and chocolate fondue (na hindi successful. promised Kate a part II isang Sunday)



Last but not the least was the ever-present kodak-an









HAPPY FATHERS' DAY to all the fathers out there...the mothers who do responsibilities similar to a father...and to men who are not biological fathers but who try to be one. Saludo ako sa inyo!

Fathers' Day 2010

Fathers'Day is that special day of the year when we honor our fathers; a day when we celebrate the essence of parenthood.It is celebrated every third Sunday of the month of June.

This year is extra special since Bong will be honored for the first time with Skid's birth last March.

I bought separate cards and let Skid kiss his card since he is still unable to hold a pen yet. Also gave Babbu a Russ figurine of a Daddy angel playing with his little one. He placed it on the shelf, together with baby pictures of us three.