Thank You Lord!

Oh well! It's nice to learn that tomorrow is already Friday. Again! I often not able to realize that the week is about to end. So far, I'm very much happy with what I have now. Thank You Lord! that days have passed without my realization.

So far ever since our baby Jaiden's arrival, I'm really not able to keep track as to what day of the week is it already. It means I'm enjoying enough my everyday life. On the other hand, my nights are fun-filled with activities with our baby Jaiden. If not, I'm busy doing stuffs that lessens my things-to-do-list. Also, I haven't minded how busy my hubby is. I just have been able to find my own ways of entertaining myself.

Thank you, Lord!
       for all the blessings, for the happy moments and for our baby Jaiden.
And I especially thank you Lord, that I'm not able to keep track the days of the week
    because it means that I'm doing something great that feeds my body and soul.
And Yes! thank you that tomorrow is Friday again!

The Jackfruit Vendor

gem: Jackfruit as my Dessert: "Nangka in Cebuano Dialect One of the nice things having our office here in Lipata, Minglanilla are the reasonably priced fruits sold just ..."

It seems very obvious now that the jackfruit vendor already recognizes myself as her regular customer. Well, I admit it's really hard to resist not to shell out my P30 almost everyday for her nangka. My friend and I always go together when we buy our lunch viand. I regularly asked my friend's opinion if her nangka is good as if to confirm my judgement. So somehow the vendor already knows her also.

One time I wasn't feeling well, so I asked my friend to buy for me. When my friend passed by her stall she called onto her marketing her nangka. So when my friend went to her to buy, she asked where am I. My friend told her that the nangka was actually for me. Maybe this really confirmed her assumption that I'm the incessant nangka-eater.

However, what happened this afternoon somewhat surprised and amused me. I went to her stall alone because my friend went to Julie's bakeshop to buy Pan de Coco. As I was haggling for the price because her nangka's cut are lesser than the usual P30-cut I used to buy, my friend suddenly emerged by her side. Nangka-lover as I am, I had no choice but bought her lesser-cut thirty-peso nangka. After she put it in a plastic bag, she naturally gave it to my friend and, I think absent-mindedly, my friend accepted it also as if it were her own. The moment I saw it unfolding and realized what happened I was really amused.

As my friend and I walked on our way to our office, I was laughing as I talked to her about it. I told her  I was amused that the vendor considered her as my assistant. My friend, who was also laughing, said she didn't mind it and that the vendor must've been not in her normal self or in good focus state. I told my friend that no offense on her but the vendor viewed us as having a boss-assistant relationship. This isn't true though. Maybe my physical outlook looks like it but my friend and I are just the same humble employee.

On the other hand, the nangka I bought is really of lesser quantity because I gobbled it from the time I'm writing this blog until I finished this. Nevertheless, the nangka tastes so sweet. Indeed, so delicious.

Earth Hour: Enjoying It and Was it A Success?

People around the world were expected to turn off their lights last March 26, 2011 from 8:30 - 9:30 P.M. as an observance of the Earth Hour. However, I think it were only us (in our place) who knew about it or cared to observe it. As we turned off our lights, we watched over (in our upstair-windows) if our neighbors also did the same. Alas, all their lights were on.

As our lights were off we enjoyed ourselves. Hubby, baby and I had our playing bonding moments. Jaiden giggled his heart out as I tried to chase them (his papa carrying him) bringing his Eddie, doggie stuff toy, as if the dog is also chasing them. After which, we put Jaiden inside his crib. We were surprised to see him doing his best to stand alone (balancing his self)  for a few seconds and walked a few steps without holding to anything, then inevitably fell. With accompanying shrieking because he was enjoying what he was doing,he would try and try again .

While the above happened, Josh was enjoying playing PSP. Mama  was watching Culdesac, a Filipino indie film. It was her and I who watched the movie from the start but I left her to attend  to Jaiden. Josh who had enough of the PSP later on joined her but was too tired to completely watch the movie and fell to sleep. In the end, mama said that the movie is deep and intriguing. She has lots of things going in her mind about the movie. I told her that if that was the case then the movie is good and the writer is successful in boggling her mind.

As the 9:30 stroked, I turned on the light to prepare what needs to be done to have our good night sleep. As I watched over our window again, our front neighbor were busy doing their card games (baraha) oblivious I think of what was supposed to have happened. I just hope that our neighbors' non-participation was just an isolated case and that they haven't affected the percentage of success of the Earth Hour effort.

Minglanilla Church's Left Wing

We always stayed on the left wing area of the Minglanilla (proper) church because other than the place is airy, it has ample space left for Jaiden's stroller to be placed beside the pew (where we'll sit). We always bring with us our baby's stroller because the mass time we're attending is also Jaiden's morning napping time. So it's in the stroller that we put him to sleep properly until the end of the mass.

The problem with staying on the left wing of the church is that the voices of the priest and the readers are barely audible. I don't know if it has got to do with the Ramsa speaker located in the area or the voices itself of the above-mentioned people because the voice of the commentator is hearable. So in this case, the voices of the above-mentioned people are maybe low or the microphone's sensitivity isn't that good. On the other hand, the place is too open so the sound created wouldn't bounce back and forth within the area. This might also the contributor. I don't know if the right wing is also having the same problem. WE haven't tried it there yet.

Tomorrow, we'll be attending again Sunday mass in there. I still haven't found the solution yet to our/my problem. 

Preparation

Now that his big day is approaching, we're now making early preparations. There are lots of things to do. Deciding as to the venue, the food, et al. I salute those event coordinators because event preparation is a challenging task. It's really not easy juggling your budget while at the same time not compromising the quality of the outcome.

What we're doing now brings back memories of our wedding preparations six years ago. Well, I'm glad and I thank the Lord that this happy challenges that we have now is for our bundle of joy that we have earnestly asked Him.

Six years ago we were challenged by the preparation of Our Oneness with God. Now we're challenged by the preparation of the celebration of the First Natal Anniversary of the product of our LOVE. 

Worst Possible Scenario!

The Bible chapter below is an inspiring story that would remind us to stay calm and be strong whenever we are in the darkest pit of our lives.  We have to trust in the Lord for He will help us through it all.

Job 1:13-22

"He know the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job23:10) From this wise statement we can learn two valuable lessons: One is that what we dread most can be used to test our character and make us stronger. The other is that God will provide the strength and comfort to see us through.
       Cling to God. He has promised to work on our behalf, even in the worst possible scenario. - Dennis Fisher


                               God often sends me joy through pain,
                                    Through bitter loss, divinest gain;
                              Yet through it all - dark days or bright -
                              I know my Father leads aright    -----  Conklin






Daily Bible REading for today, Vol.17

Him and His EXes

I just had a nice chat with his recent (I believe) ex. She befriended me through FB though we were only introduced and met once. At first I found it unusual for her to befriend me because our first meeting was only for a brief moment . Nevertheless, we're now friends in FB.

For reasons I don't know, I usually ended up being friends, or so I think,of his ex-girlfriends if they're introduced to me. EXes because I have befriended two of his I think numerous ex-girlfriends. Maybe because they're just too good to end up being with him for good or they're being good ended them up in submission to his dominant character.

The first (ex, my friend) is no question because we really know each other. It was from her that I know lots of things about him. I couldn't believe he has that attitude but coming from her who was sort of the oppressed, I wouldn't doubt it. There story was a love story that started out as sweet, gradually turned to sour and ended up bitter. I haven't seen her for quite some time now, now that were already having office here in a municipal place but I always know that whenever we would see each other we would still exchange our smiles, hi-hello and if time would permit, have our chikka.

The second one, is the recent "ex" that I know of. We're chat-friend actually. She's the one that I had just had a nice chat this afternoon. Gradually, I am getting to know her because she's open so I also gradually opened-up some info about myself to her. I learned of negative doings about him to her. I'm sort of enraged of what he has done to her. I couldn't let that happen to me. I could slap his face. He two-timed them in one instance. Also,imagine when you're being denied as a girlfriend, then you're just forced to make alibi and tell the other girl (third party at that moment in her point of view) that you're just friends so that the other girl wouldn't found out about your relationship? Gosh! it is so demeaning on your part. I think the other girl came late because he proposes to this ex (my friend) that they would live together before he would marry her (ano sya sinuswerte?). Who is he to impose such rule? Well, of course it would be up to the girl if she would agree. She's a no-brain if she would accept such a proposal. However indeed, there is such a girl who accepted it which resulted to my chat-friend being now one of his EXes.

I have learned so many things about his character which I doubt his brother and his mama know that he was capable of doing it. Well, it's his love life so nobody can just dare intrude to it. Also, his mama can't teach him how to go about it unless he would seek for advice and if he doesn't?

Now I know that there really is such a thing as karma as I found his current love life now.

An Undesirable Experience

Note: It's not my intention to hurt or offend anyone. I just want to say here how I felt about it and what's my take on it. Whenever I would say "their place" it would also mean my papa's current residing place or my childhood place. "Our place"  means the place where I currently resides now that I'm a married woman.


The event happened yesterday.

The unexpected call came around one in the afternoon from someone whom I considered has a good way of dealing people or has a nice PR and she is very consistent of it. She had invited us (I assumed) a family dinner.A feast for their younger sibling. Coming from her, I instantly didn't hesitate to half-answered her yes even though I know it will be a great effort on our part. My partner is in the city while I'm here in this far flung place. I had to asked papa to drive us from here to their place, my childhood place, using his vehicle. I just had to be the one to pay for the gasoline expenses since the place is really far. It's like from end to end location. Take note that papa has just arrived from his place to our place. So imagine when he has to drive us from our place to their place on the same day. It's literally going back and forth.

It made me think now what was the main reason why I didn't hesitate to go there when normally I would decline considering my baby in tow and that their place is significantly far from us and that it was a night time affair. I believe the answer is the appreciation in response to the invitation. The reason of the feast isn't usual and that I don't like to do to them what I don't like them to do to me. I'm really disappointed when I'm preparing something and that your expected guests can't come for lame reasons. Worst is when they would inform you, just hours after when you're expecting them to come, that they can't make it. That's why I really believe in RSVP.  So, it wasn't really for the banquet. I can eat those foods whenever I want. Just a side note, the weather wasn't cooperative considering I had to bring our eight months old baby but again, I deeply appreciated the invitation. The whole family went there.

As expected since it was a rush hour, we were stuck in traffic. My baby has fallen asleep so it was a good thing since he's being hyper (I think) is getting unmanageable. We arrived just in time for the usual dinner time. Before we could get inside their house, I was told not to say or ask anything. I actually wasn't able to comprehend the exact words I heard but I understood that they were up to something to surprise the celebrant. Little did I know that, that would be the reason of the delay of the dinner.

The foreigner, the celebrant's brother-in-law, was already there. I believe waiting also for the dinner to start. The foods were already waiting to be gobbled. I think the foreigner didn't know the reason of his waiting. Later on I learned that he made a comment that he would just go to sleep without eating (maybe he could no longer wait). While we were also waiting, our baby was acquainting himself of the place and the people. There were signs of his stranger and place anxiety behavior but he was able to managed it later. Since it has been a while already, mama informed me that she would go to our home (my premarital home - my home before I got married). My sister, my nephew, my baby and I decided to stay and wait there. To passed the time, my nephew played with his second degree cousin while my baby enjoyed watching them. Sometime I assisted my baby in his little walking here and there. It seems that he was already okay with the place. He was already smiling and back to his normal self. Time flied so fast and it was already almost an hour since we arrived and it was time for my baby to take his medication. So we informed her (the one who personally called me for the invitation) that we'll go to our home (premarital home).

In our home (my premarital home), I just realized that I was already hungry and the rest of the family echoed the same sentiments. It was already an hour and a half since we arrived and still our tummy were empty. It has reached the point where I decided that when my partner would arrive (we agreed that he would just come to the dinner after his work) we'll just eat in a fast food then head back to our place. However, my partner didn't arrive until later. On the other hand, I got my cellphone to check if my partner called me. I found missed calls from the dinner host and from my partner. But I just can't assume that we were already called for the dinner just because of that missed call (from the host). So we waited for a few minutes and discussed about the situation we were in. We were saying like, they couldn't have surprised the celebrant because the doer are also celebrants like her and they probably are also celebrating.

I realized that now we were just treated as a sideline guests. So this really bothered me. If my partner arrived on that moment of deliberation, I think we would have walked out already. I wouldn't care what they would say. They treated us unfairly. Didn't they realized that we came all the way from our place to their place at that time of the night with my baby in tow?

Fifteen or twenty minutes later our land line phone rang for the waited-dinner. I really wasn't able to contain myself. I blurted out to the host (the one who invited us) our predicament but still with a light mood. She said that she had been calling my cellphone and that she was also hungry already. But she just called a few minutes after we went out of their house, hence still the same damage. Minutes later she was in our doorstep, sort of escorting us back to their place. I think she was touched by my true, unpretentious statements that made her got us personally when she could've been just contented by my mere saying "yes" in our land line phone conversation.

As I had already expected, my baby had again his stranger anxiety. There were too many people, the place was again new to him and that strangers would want to get hold of him. Mama, papa and Josh were already busy getting their food, so somehow they were not in his sight, hence he felt alone and felt left in all those strange faces. Next thing, he was already hysterically crying. It didn't comfort him to see me nor my mama (his mamala) within his reach. I think it was the environment. So I went back to our home (premarital home) and in there he mellowed and stopped crying. A while after, mama arrived with a platter of food for me. Few minutes after his papa arrived. He requested that I get him also a platter of food. So I did.

After eating, we prepared ourselves to went home. I bid adieu to the the hosts, said our thank you and congratulated the celebrant as my baby and I passed by their house. Just a few steps to where our car was parked, the host (the one who invited me) called me up and gave me a jar of fruit salad. (I always emphasized "the one who invited me" because I think it was her and her siblings who contributed to all the expenses incurred for that dinner. It could be that the one who contributed the most has the say to all instructions.) She said that she really set the fruit salad aside, for me. I told her that I really appreciated it and it was really nice of her. As always, she was really consistent of her personality. Or it could be her way to amend for the recent unlikely event that happened? Anyway, of all her siblings, I think she's the best cousin I got.

I couldn't blame nor question them if dinner was allowed to be eat late but they couldn't blame me also for writing this and if in case worst happened, for going back to our place and just eat in the fast food outside. We were really extremely hungry already. I don't know if there'll be next time. All I know now is that, what happened was an unforgettable and an undesirable experience.

Jaiden Eating Marie While Watching Skidamarink

This is the first video I took tonight. Notice that the Marie is still big and he ate it with much gusto. Skidamarink is also one of his favorite video from Super Simple Learning, watching it in Youtube.

p/s I don't know the video isn't that vivid when in my digicam it's very clear. Maybe Youtube had it compressed?

Jaiden, Marie and Uh-huh Uh Huh!

This is the second video I did tonight, watching the Uh-huh,Uh-huh video in Youtube. Lately this is Jaiden's favorite. In fact he unexpectedly clapped his hands. He's very much amused watching it, specially the fast paced version. Notice also that he's still holding the Marie he's eating but is almost invisible since it's already almost covered by his fingers.

p/s Probably Youtube compressed my video because in my digicam (I used) this video is very clear.

Our Neighbor's Unusual, Regular Activities

cooking directly in front of our house (pink gate)

The pictures above showed what our neighbor does almost every twilight. They would cook their food in the road. They somehow consider it as an extension of their house. This thing they do is like their bonding moments because three to four households (our neighbor,living in the same street with us) would (I think) contribute something to cook to have their later on evening meal salo-salo. Cooking in the road isn't just not their house extension but also eating. They would gather around in a mobile (monobloc) chairs and table, then eat the food they have cooked in a buffet manner in an atmosphere as if somebody is celebrating his birthday . I sometimes would tell myself that what's lacking in their activity is the beach. Mama would say that "they're having their late picnic". Lucky for them because my husband usually arrives home very late. So they're already done when he'll be parking his car.

Sometimes my hubby would be able to witness them when he arrives home early. He finds their activities unusual and he abhors it. I think he's contemplating if he would raise it to the officers of our subdivision. Personally, I don't like it also because it's very not-fitting or nice to see. I think it's us who are most affected or the critic of their doing because they're cooking directly in front of our gate. It's so gross to look at. I don't know when will they come to their senses. Maybe with God's help, we would transfer our residence?

Jaiden's Uneasy Bath

I don't know if it's only our baby Jaiden behaves like he is when he is being bathed. Since birth, he has to be bathed by two persons because he cried so loud the moment the water touches his skin. Then he would be very moving. His arms and legs would sprang to air as if it was astounded of the activity he was in. We then would say that he forgot that for nine months he lived in a bag of water. Well, even just a few minutes when he was born, he screamed out loud when he had his first bath ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWf5Grm9bU). So somehow, it's a no wonder then. If my memory serves me right, every bath time Jaiden cried until he was four months old (?, oh damn! I wish I had noted it.). Mama would say that she thinks every baby is supposed to be bathed by one person only because you are strong enough to dominate them. But our baby Jaiden is different.

When he was getting aged, he gradually loved the water. He would jump, stamp his feet on the water, smile when he has an audience and sometimes would touch the water which would make it still impossible to bath him by one person only. You have to find ways to let him hold into something to minimize his movement so you can clean his  body.

Last Friday when I arrived from office finding him not having his bath yet, it was mama and I who did it. Mama as always, was in-charge of holding him to keep him still (as much as possible) while I was the one who did the bathing. He snatched from me the plastic glass we used (in pouring water into his body). So I got another one as a replacement. So holding on to that plastic glass, made me did the rest of the bathing activities. Even when his bathing was finished, he still didn't let go of it (see pic below) - a useful thing for keeping him still again when he would have to wear his diaper and clothings.

I am hoping that maybe when he's already able to sit or stand on his own, he can be bathed by one person only. Fingers crossed. :)

Birthday Flowers!

The flowers blossomed fully on the second day, today. Nice one! ..... still a happy birthday for me!!!! :)

Standing on His Own in His Crib

At eight months old, Jaiden is now attempting to stand on his own by holding on the side of his crib. This video shows one of those moments - when sleepiness doesn't come to him yet. We just put pillow at the center of his crib-floor because he sometimes forgets that he can't stand yet without holding on to something. Thus, in the video when he is able to hold on to one of the stuff toys, maybe he thought this can support him, he inevitably fell or he just totally forgot his capability. Thanks to the pillow, there isn't that much impact in his stumble.

Playing and Bonding Moments

This is our baby Jaiden in a playful mood during one of our bonding moments at night time before he goes to sleep. Notice the sounds he was making in his mouth and the stamping of his hand in my leg. That's (one of those) how he toyed his self at eight months old. The sound at the background is my laptop playing History channel. I watched it from time to time if Jaiden permitted.

Belated Birthday Dinner

Pangga and I decided to have my birthday-dinner-salo-salo yesterday, a one day late to give us ample time to prepare the foods. As you can see the foods we prepared, though I wasn't really able to get a hands on in the preparation since Jaiden has me all to himself , really required much time and labor. Our helper went home last Saturday, so mama almost had all the preparations. Papa was busy playing Resident Evil. (tsk,tsk,tsk) However, I think he assisted mama in some aspects of the work preparation. So mama cooked the  bam-i, prepared or inserted the overnight-marinated pork and chicken meat in (bamboo) sticks for grilling and salted the two pieces of Anduhaw fish for grilling also while the cut pork leg portion were already broiled using charcoal to make it into a tender "nilat-ang tiil sa baboy". Good thing our helper arrived from her home early in the afternoon so she was the one who did the actual grilling. For our dessert, pangga already bought the other night (during my birthday) Braso de Mercedes of Goldilocks. So with the sumptuous meal we had last night, who could ever resist eating all those foods and forget about her diet?

grilled pork and chiken and stewed pork leg (nilat-ang tiil sa baboy)

braso de mercedes and the stewed pork leg

bam-i and grilled fish (almost charcoaled hehehe)

It was just the usual family members ate those food because for some reasons the others didn't make it last night.

I also brought some of those food in our office for our lunch. My officemate-friend bought Pepsi as our beverage, another additional deviation from my weight-loss diet. Well, it's still part of my birthday. As an exception, I guess it won't hurt that much to eat gain-weight kind of food yesterday, today and the rest of the coming days until all those will be saturated.

"They Say It's Your Birthday! It's My Birthday too, Yeah!"

I guess when you're age is already at the end of the calendar, you tend to find your birthday as just an ordinary day unless you like to feel great about it although I know that it still depends on the person. However for me, I decided to not make it a big deal. Probably because there's not that much to celebrate but just give thanks to Him.  Mama gave me her birthday gift the night before my birthday, a red blouse. Upon wearing it, the redness of it somehow gave me the feeling that it's indeed my birthday. So I managed to took a picture of myself to mark the day.

On the other hand, I awoke to Jaiden's commotion and saw him standing by the other side of the crib. Upon greeting him, he made a productive cough. I was alarmed. Instantly, I was thinking that his pediatrician has no clinic today so I called her for her advice. She told me that she has a clinic but in LH Prime located in A.S. Fortuna Mandaue. Well, anything for our baby, we always make it. So, I was absent in the morning yesterday.

I always told my friend-officemate that aging doesn't matter. It's how you live your life. I was telling her that "look at me! I don't even feel my age!" In fact when an insurance agent called me up and asked me about my age, I told her I'll be turning @#$@ this coming 12th. Then I laughed because I haven't realized that I am about to be a year older already. I mistakenly told the agent how old I am. Another thing is, when I bought a cough medicine for my nephew. I asked the sales girl what medicine fits for a child aged 6 when suddenly a sort of amazed (or shall I say surprised?) lady buyer beside me asked me if I do have a child. So you see, also the strangers see me as a single lady! hahahahha!!!! what a compliment to behold!

This is it! You be the judge.

I just realized that my officemate-friend is already more than a year with me (in the company) so I asked her before we went home to beautify herself because we were going to do poses to also mark the occasion. She didn't believe me at first. She thought I was joking. I told her I was serious and that it was for the purpose of having a memento of ourselves, how pretty we looked on that March 12, 2011.


When I arrived home, my picture-taking momentum continued. So we also took shots. Only Josh and my hubby aren't present. Josh doesn't like pictorials while my hubby hasn't arrived from his over time work yet.

Sort of I would only remember my birthday (yesterday) as a fun-filled pictorials until my hubby arrived. As every woman would love to receive this from their loving someone, he brought me a bouquet of flowers. Now, it completed my birthday. 

As much as I greatly appreciated the flowers, Jaiden was too as he found it something new to his senses.

Though he isn't present in my birthday-pictures but I'll always have in my heart his thoughtful gesture of giving me this
beautiful gift.

2 Peter 1:5-7

       For this reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge; to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness; to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love.




                                                                       Daily Bread for today

gem: Syllables Milestone

gem: Syllables Milestone: "Just a few days ago, Jaiden repeats in his mouth the syllables, 'pa-pa-pa!' 'ta-ta-ta!' but this morning an addition is 'am-am-am'. His papa..."

He now blurts "ma-ma and ba-ba".

Don't Forget

                       Forgetting God can spring from:Testing. God allowed His people to hunger and then provided manna. When we lack the necessities of life, it's easy to feel that God has somehow forgotten us. Satisfaction.Abundance or need may produce spiritual amnesia because both cause us to focus on ourselves, not on God who provides. Pride.If prosperity brings a feeling of self-accomplishment, then we have forgotten God.
                       Humility, obedience, and praise help us remember God's faithful provision and care. Let's not forget to thank Him today for all He's done. - David McCasland




                                                                                     Our Dauky Bread, Vol.17 (for March 9, 2011 reading Deut.8:1-2, 10-18)

A Different Sunday

I find Sunday today, different.

1) We went to the church as a family. Pangga and I decided to make it a usual Sunday, starting today. It has been a while since we attended Sunday mass because we couldn't figure out yet how our baby would behave or what will our baby's mood be. We are very much traumatized that the incident during his baptism would happen again. However, this morning was different because our baby was able to survive the church environment even if he hasn't taken his morning nap yet. Instead, he took his nap during the mass in his stroller. But before that, he was very much in the good mood even though his eyes showed that it were sleepy. I can't blame him because he woke us up by around five this morning. This is his usual waking time lately. :(  So, it was no wonder that he would really fall asleep during the nine-thirty mass we attended. He started his nap during the homily and towards the end of the mass. He wasn't aware that he was already being strolled towards our parked car. If I didn't get him out of the stroller to ride in our car, he wouldn't have wake up. When he woke up, he smiled. He wasn't irritated that his sleep was disturbed (unlike before) because he now likes to go out. He loves to see new places and new faces. It was no wonder then that he was very much in the mood.

This is now our sugba-anan or barbecue-han.

2) After the mass, we headed to Gaisano Minglanilla. It was my first time to visit it. (So, you see, this made it different too.) Their basement parking has no fee. The guard isn't strict. Pangga opened the trunk of our car, only then did the guard realized what to do with it. Pangga said "way klaro" (heheheheh). We bought a few grocery items. I was surprised to know that they required a valid ID if you would pay through credit card. Alas, I didn't bring any. Good thing they accept ATM savings card. So, I just used my Metrobank paycard. Then we headed upstairs and looked for a small thermos for our baby Jaiden's Similac milk but we didn't found one instead I found what I have been longing for us to have, a griller (sugba-anan). The moment I saw it (priced P300), I immediately decided to buy it. Now I can look forward to eating grilled food, specially barbecued meat.

3) When we were about to go to the basement parking (to go home), we met my Ob-gyne, Dr. Enghog. Baby Jaiden was holding his bottled milk in his mouth looking intensely at (her) the stranger in front of him. It was Dr. Enghog's  first time to see our baby after she had me delivered him. So it was kind of nice to think, that our baby met her for the first time, knowing that she was a very big help in having our baby around in this world.

4) Our baby was able to take his afternoon nap around four in the afternoon already. He was unable to eat his   usual afternoon solid food eating because until this very moment (7:58 PM) he's still asleep. I think, his sleep is for good until morning. Maybe he got really tired of what we did today.

5) We had our first grilled belly in our newly bought sugba-anan. Hence, we had a sumptuos grilled pork belly during dinner.

I like our Sunday today and I'm hoping that it'll be nice too in the next Sundays to come.

Black Swan

Well, all I can say is that no doubt Natalie Portman won as Oscar 2011's Best Actress. You can really feel the emotion Natalie did - acting as Nina who struggled to get the role as the Swan Princess and the challenges that came her way to deliver the Swan Princess's character well (specially the black swan's emotion) through ballet dancing.

I find the movie a classical, melodramatic with a touch of suspense or thriller. Classical because it has got to do with ballet music. Melodramatic because of the background of music being used in some of the scenes. A suspense because as you watched the movie you try to figure out what's happening in Nina's mind.She sometimes see herself somewhere in unexpected places and events. So it's some kind of weird. So this makes you think what's going on. I think we all have evil side of us and as much as possible through prayers, or His guidance, advises from people significant to us (or those who made impact in our lives), we struggled to live in goodness. In this movie, Nina was unable to handle the pressure properly. She was pushing herself too hard that caused her sanity and death in the end.

On the other hand, the movie opens me up to the world of ballet dancers. I realized that ballet dancing is that hard. Other than you tiptoe almost all of the time you dance, you also have to watch the food you eat because you need to be thin to be able to carry yourself when doing balancing during dancing. Personally, I don't enjoy watching ballet. Maybe it is up to the person to enjoy ballet because doing it isn't easy. You've got to really be serious to do ballet because it's not just having the ballet dance skills but you also have to be an actress to feel the story of the dance. Well, I know this is just a very sidings because the movie has more to it than just mere ballet. Maybe this is what makes the movie interesting. A drama story within a ballet dancing scenario.

This is a nice movie for people who wants to see a drama with a touch of suspense. Bottom line, it's worth watching it.

The Recent High Chair Challenge

gem: High Chair: "I have observed that preschools are usually aren't stay put when they eat. Mamas or yayas often have to follow them to feed while they run a..."

I have just learned from my mother now that she's having difficulty keeping baby Jaiden in his high chair during his meal time. The moment he saw the high chair even though he's hungry already, he would whine because he doesn't like to sit. If mama would insist, he would attempt to stand up and is usually successful in doing so. I wonder when did this start? He was very much okay during his first moments of solid food eating.

There was a time that mama called me up in my office asking me what to do since she couldn't let baby Jaiden sit. I told her that: "maybe he wasn't in the mood yet to eat and just allow him to stand (or play) for a few minutes in his high chair. He might sit once he's very much hungry already". After our brief telephone conversation, mama didn't give me feedback. So I was assuming that she did it. However, I'm astounded by what she told me tonight. She said that at times she would just let baby Jaiden sit on her lap then feed him. Lately, she had him in his stroller.

Mama said that the probable reason why he doesn't want to be in his high chair is that the table is too high for him yet. The table isn't within his arms' level so he couldn't put his arms properly. In short, he's just to small yet for his high chair.

I don't know if I have to worry now or later (baby is now eight months old) because I'm afraid it might be too late to train him if we wouldn't do it now. If not now, at what age will he be trained then? As of this moment, it's his pedia's words of advice that has kept on bothering me which is, "train him on a high chair once you start feeding him solid food". Maybe there's still something we can do with his high-table high chair? I'll ask his papa as soon as he arrives.

I hope I could get s0me piece of advice from mothers out there who have had or have the same concern as I have now.

Baby Jaiden's Constipation and His Hyperacidity Experience

I'm sure every one of us has tried constipation some time in our life. So imagine our baby Jaiden going through that ordeal. It really breaks our heart seeing our baby crying, sweating, turning red then turning pale while painstakingly releasing his waste. Oh! CONSTIPATION! can you please spare our baby?

Jaiden started eating solid food two days after he was six moths old, that was December 31st of 2010.  We fed him just a pure stage 1 Cerelac, wheat and milk flavor. Later on we unconcsiously fed him a stage 2 Cerelac, rice and banana flavor. Partly it was his papa's fault. His papa was so excited to feed him with all the Cerelac flavor he could avail but he wasn't aware of the stages of infant food.

One Sinulog Sunday, we contented ourselves by just staying in our house and enjoyed bonding with our baby. Baby Jaiden was at a playing mood, smiling when suddenly he let out a cry as if from an excruciating pain. I didn't know what had just happened that made him helplessly cry. Then I smelled something and realized that he had just poop. We found out then that he had just had a constipation since his feces was very hard like that of a peaniato ( a peanut brittle but shaped like that of a finger). I called up his pedia for her comment though her phone rang but she wasn't able to answer it. Immediately we resorted to the internet and learned that we just have to massage his tummy and while lying down, hold his legs and move them like his doing a bicycle ride. At that moment we though that it was just an isolated case but we were wrong. In the days that followed, it was days of finding the culprit. Hence an elimination (or identifying of food) process occurred.

Jaiden usually defecates at most, two days after. So it took us really long to realize that he was really having a constipation problem. We started to think what food did he eat before he his constipation started. We thought that there was not a significant change of his poop during his first days of eating Cerelac.My hubby commented that it could probably his eating of Cerelac and I told him it couldn't be. We continued feeding him and advised Mama (Jaiden's devoted grandma) to let him drink much water. Days after he was still constipated. So I searched in the internet again. I found out that the juices of apple, plum and prune have natural mineral components that would help loosen a hard stool. However, I've just read an article today that prune juice is the most effective. Originally it was prune juice that we were supposed to buy but it was hard to find. In fact, my hubby just bought apple juice during his first purchased. Consumption will have to be at most four ounces a day. However, mama and I thought that it wasn't enough since during his first day of consuming only four ounces, it had no effect. He had disposed a clay-like mixture feces which just made him cry again. So mama thought that four ounces maybe wasn't enough so with my awareness she had Jaiden's juice consumption to a total of six ounces a day. True enough, he disposed a soft stool but he still cried which is probably due to abrasion.

Later on, infant food stages sprang to my realization. I said to myself that infant food stages must've some reason why they are labeled as such. I searched the internet and learned that stage 2 foods are for those who are now capable of handling not so soft or smoothy food or for those seven months old and above. So I thought I found the culprit since at that time Jaiden was still six months old. WE think it was due to the banana content because it didn't occur before when his very first solid food was just a plain Cerelac flavor.

The constant disposal of a hard stool had inevitably abraded his anus. At first we applied Petroleum jelly but it didn't alleviate. Once when we visited his pedia for his booster vaccination, she said that for any abrasion just apply Calmoseptine but I never realized that it was okay for anus. I thought that anus is one of those sensitive skin areas of our body. So it has been quite some time that he was suffering in pain even if he was disposing soft stool already (we attributed it to his six ounces of apple juice consumption) every time he defecates. Also, she was aware of his apple juice consumption. I remembered she asked if he vomits and we said he didn't. I never realized what she meant by  her question then.  As to his constipation she said that it's hereditary and that there's not much we can do about it. She said that it's okay not to dispose everyday as long as our baby farts once in a while and he isn't bloated to which what Jaiden is.

Jaiden's constipation has been to a great extent already. In fact, as of this moment he's still having it. One instance, we had stopped feeding him solid food for a day to see if he would still discharge a hard stool. This was also due to the fact that his papa wasn't totally comfortable with the idea of his son taking apple juice due to it's acidity. The result was promising. He didn't have constipation. After which we resumed his Cerelac eating and mama and I realized that without the six ounces of apple juice, his constipation returns.

One day he wasn't able to take his juice since his papa wasn't able to buy immediately when it was totally consumed. Hence, when there was a need for him to do it, he was trying with all his might but with crying. Pitying his son, his papa then decided not to have him eat Cerelac on that afternoon. However, he didn't realize that Jaiden had already consumed few ounces of apple juice. By the time I arrived from work, Jaiden was already whining. I didn't understand his behavior. I tried feeding him his bottled milk but he won't take it and still continued to whine. Mother instinct told me that he must've been looking for his usual afternoon solid food eating. So we hastily prepared his food since he was also sort of sleepy already. Indeed, I was right. He ate with much gusto but after a few teaspoon of Cerelac, he was overpowered by his sleepy eyes. Poor Jaiden, he wasn't able to finish eating. In fact he wasn't able to swallow the last teaspoonful of food fed to him because his eyes were already closed. Around 9PM he woke up hungry so his papa bottle-fed him of his milk. Few minutes after, while I carried him to burp and to resume his sleeping, he puked an unusual amount of milk. I was concerned. Minutes after while his papa carried him because I would change my soiled clothes, he vomited again and still an alarming quantity of already processed (insided his tummy) milk came out. After which he fell asleep, so we put him to his crib. However, I noticed his stomach moving as if it's bouncing. This made him awoke so I got him immediately just in time for his another vomit. If my memory serves me right, he vomited four times that nigh, his face turning pale and he would helplessly cry. I called up his pedia and for reasons which I didn't know, even though it rang but she didn't answer it. Since we didn't know what to do, we decided to bring him to Chong Hua hospital (for his pedia to get inside the hospital if in case he would be admitted). Fortunately his vomitting stopped while we were travelling.

The resident doctor said that it must've been the milk consumed after four hours of preparation, meaning the bottled-milk was no longer fit for consumption and as a result Jaiden had a disturbed tummy. However I wasn't convinced that it was the milk. I had think of the possible reasons and blurted out that he consumed ounces of apple juice. The resident doctor was sort of surprised and then was convinced that it was the culprit. She said that apple juice is too acidic for him. She also said that putting ripe mango or papaya in his Cerelac to add fiber in his diet would hopefully ease his constipation. Later on when I talked to his pedia, she said that they would usually allow juices in the diet when babies are already at least ten months old. Shocks! Well, I didn't confront her though knowing she was aware that we had apple juice for our Jaiden. It would be very rude. So you see, in our attempt to help our baby we had led him to hyperacidity. Lesson learned, always consult your pediatrician first.

Until now, we are still struggling Jaiden's constipation. We had him take Lactulose Lilac per his pedia's advise and changed his milk to Similac and his Cerelac to Gerber stage 1 prunes. With this combination, he didn't have constipation. But we weren't really sure if it was due to the change of his diet or due to the laxative drug. So we went back to his usual Nan 2 HW together with the Lactulose Lilac and Gerber food, still he didn't have constipation. So we stopped the laxative drug ang had his Nan 2 HW and Gerber. The result? he had again a constipation though he already disposes everyday. Now we'll go back to Similac, the laxative drug and Gerber. We'll be doing an elimination process to clearly know the culprit.

Now Jaiden is already eight months old. I hope his constipation will now disappear. Our baby is a very happy, smiling baby and only "constipation" makes him shed his tears.

Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine is a 2010 romantic drama film written and directed by Derek Cianfrance and starred by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. I had watched this movie last night and thought this would just be one of those that I could pass. However, I am very moved by this movie that even in my work, their story and every thing about the movie kept lingering in my mind.

To know about the story pls. visit this link http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1120985/plotsummary. Read also the trivia about the movie. If you want to see it, download torrent and go to www.butlertorrent.com. Warning though, because this is piracy. :)

The story is contemporary. I like it in a way that it was so natural. Though the story was just a simple untwisted love story, Michelle and Ryan gave justice to their characters. If they didn't perform it well, this movie will just simply be flat. It amazes me how professionals they are in their job. There are love scenes (cunnilingus) done without awkwardness. I think it's really hard to do those kind of scenes, harder than doing action movies. I salute Michelle and Ryan for doing it well.

The following are the memorable scenes I consider with my take on the situation:
1) In the movie there was this part when Cindy was asking Dean what else he can do because she believe he got lots of potentials in life. But Dean was already contented of his current job..... I think this disappointed Cindy, a premed student. I think Cindy wants more of her life while Dean is just okay with what he has as of the moment. This is one of the factor that strained their relationship.
2) I really pitied Dean (Ryan) because he was really begging Cindy (Michelle) not to let go of their marriage for the sake of their daughter not to grow up in a broken family..... I can sort of connect to their situation because my parents had a not so peaceful marriage during their early years. I had witnessed their quarrels from time to time. Somehow, I am thankful that they have hold on to their vows (now their 32nd wedding anniversary is approaching). So I know how a child feels when their parents quarrel with a threat of possibility of separation.
3) The scene that touches me most is when Dean threw his wedding ring after they fought in the hospital. Before their car could leave (it was Cindy who drove the car since Dean was drunk), he got out of the car and I think out of regret, looked for the wedding ring he threw in the bushes..... I can see my father in him hehehehe.... So he really wasn't ready to let go of their relationship. Another is when he asked Cindy to tell him what to do just for her not to divorce him.

The movie is telling us that having a baby isn't enough reason to be married. However, Dean was really very good to raise Cindy's baby even though he isn't the biological father. It just showed how he loves Cindy so much. But I guess, love is just isn't enough. There are lots of things to do to make your relationship work. I believe, it's really a good foundation to know each other well before tying the knot. Both of you should somehow compliment each other, bring out the best of one another, have as much as possible the same outlook in life and are financially ready.

The movie also implied that one should be safe when engaging in a premarital sex because an unexpected baby could inevitably derail you in reaching your goals in life. Though this isn't universal because I believe that everything happens for a reason. It's just up to you how you would take the challenges that come your way.

Just to quote Dean's line in the movie "I feel like men are more romantic than women. When we get married we marry, like, one girl, 'cause we're resistant the whole way until we meet one girl and we think I'd be an idiot if I didn't marry this girl she's so great. But it seems like girls get to a place where they just kinda pick the best option... 'Oh he's got a good job.' I mean they spend their whole life looking for Prince Charming and then they marry the guy who's got a good job and is gonna stick around." 

Just to give you an idea of how commendable the movie is, this movie as well as the main stars have been nominated many times by different award giving bodies in the US. So go watch it!

Syllables Milestone

Just a few days ago, Jaiden repeats in his mouth the syllables, "pa-pa-pa!" "ta-ta-ta!" but this morning an addition is "am-am-am". His papa said to invert the syllables as my birthday gift. :)

Jackfruit as my Dessert

Nangka in Cebuano Dialect

One of the nice things having our office here in Lipata, Minglanilla are the reasonably priced fruits sold just in the roadside. Mangoes, star apples, bananas, sweet potatoes (isn't a fruit but a root crop) and jackfruits are abound. My favorites are mangoes and jackfruits. Mangoes are easy to find but expensive while jackfruits are the exact opposite. Hence, once jackfruits are for sale, I would immediately buy it.

I would just eat a little amount of food for my lunch since I would be having jackfruit as my dessert. I know that this fruit isn't light in the stomach so I believe that this will fill-in in the little lunch I would take. Anyway, I would still be having my snacks. So it's not that torture having a little lunch.

I had bought jackfruit in the past few days and if not bland of sweetness it was lack of days of ripeness. However, yesterday and today, I was lucky enough to buy a just enough ripeness and sweetness. I bought the thirty-peso cut. It was a good size of cut that I was able to bring some at home for mama and Josh. The sweetness is so good which has prompted me to write this. 

The Tourist

I had a very much high expectation of this movie knowing that Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp are the main stars. If circumstances would've permitted me, I surely would've watch it in big screen but now I'm glad I didn't. I agree with the comments of most viewers in IMDB. Angelina and Johnny just didn't have the chemistry to pose as lovers. Maybe because I was so used to watching Angelina in a tough character and Johnny in a comical character. Though they delivered their acting well, there's just no "kilig factor" when their eyes met or when Frank (Johnny) looks deeply to Elise (Angelina) showing how attracted he is to her. The story was okay, but I found there's something lacking. Again, I think it's the lack of chemistry between Angelina and Johnny. Also, the story of the movie is too small for a big Angelina. The only actor who fits there was Paul Bettany. I really like this guy ever since his The Da Vince Code movie. I hope to see him win an Oscar Award in the future.

Initially, based on the theatrical thriller I thought its a big action movie and that the love story is just a sidings but it turned out to be the other way around.

Guys! just watch this if your intrigue to see if Jolie and Depp's lovey-dovey acting are okay.