Thanks to Scribbler

My very good friend Scribbler at Aimless Ramblings gave me a Beautiful Blogger Award. So thoughtful of her for giving me this award. I really appreciate it:).

The rules of this award are:

• post the award in your blog;
  
• include a link to the blogger who gave you the award;
• write a few trivia about yourself;
  
• pass the award to fellow bloggers who you think deserve the award too.
  
• Please don't forget to inform them about their award. :)

Here are a few trivia about myself:

1. I have a twin and we look different since we are fraternal.
2. I'm a Mom to a 1 year old tot Keona.
3. I'm a durian lover.
4. I'm not much into chocolates but I love flowers:)
5. I have 2 professional licenses but never possess even a single professional ID. (tamad ako makipela sa PRC). hehehe
6. I tend to be perfectionist sometimes.
7. I'm gonna be 32 by September (mahuhulog na ako sa kalendaryo,LOL). Thanks God.


I'm passing this award to the following friends in the blagosphere:

Sam of There's No Place that Far

Sheng of As We Live our Lives Together

Arlene of Princess CJ Haven

Nina of Calories Deluxe

Icay of Follow Yzzy's Baby Story


Congratulations guys and God bless us all!

Baby Mica's Christening Reception

After the baptismal ceremony at the Sta. Ana church, we went to their house and had a lunch. They had the food catered for the celebration of Mica's Christening. The foods were yummy. There were four main dishes - beef afritada, pork adobo, pancit, and chicken lenchon. There's also the indispensable roasted pig ( lechon). Desserts consist of rice cake, melon fruit, durian tart and fruit salad. We also brought with us chocolate rebel bars that Mom baked for Mica.

Mica's baptismal Christening tarpaulin

Sleeping, tired after entertaining her guests:)

Keona, eating time

Mica's Christening cake from Goldilocks

Yummy desserts

Pancit

Lechon

Beef afritada

Pork adobo

Here is Mica, table hopping with visitors who are mostly relatives and friends of her parents

One of the caterer's personnel, chopping the lechon

Mica's Christening

Few minutes before we headed to the church

Preparing and getting ready with our gift

My girl, all set for Mica's baptism

Cousins Keona and baby Mica

The lovely grandma with Mica

The newly baptised and the young godparents

Our family and Troy's

Fathers of children to be baptized during the lighting of the candle

Mica and her mother Therese

This is a rather late post. Mica's baptismal Christening was on Sunday, February 21, 2010. I had a crazy schedule this week so it's just now that I'm gonna post this. Our day started with a hearty breakfast last Sunday. After that, we right away took our bath and get ready to go to the church. We woke up late becasue it was Sunday. At around 10:30 in the morning, we headed to Sta. Ana church, in time for the 11:00 o'clock schedule for Mica's baptism. When we arrived at the church, we were surpised by the many people inside the church and the many babies to be baptized. So, this is not just a favorite church for people to wed but also for their children to be baptized, we thought. My little girl Keona is really becoming mature and more behave this time. She just behave while the ceremony is going on. There were times that she wanted to play and get the baloons of other babies but I told her to just play when the ceremony is over and she did it so I was very happy.

Keona is having stuffy nose

Colds and cough are very rampant nowadays. With the intermix of the very hot weather during the morning and noon and then rain showers in the afternoon, it's really causing flu, colds and cough. To make Keona's immune system and resistance against diseases stronger, I really feed her veggies and I see to it that she's able to take her daily vitamins, incremin. I also encourage her to take lots of water and have enough sleep. In spite of these, she's having stuffy nose, so I made her drink Disudrin, the one prescribed by her pediatrician during our last visit in the clinic. Hope she gets well soon.

Tuesday Quotable Toots (4)

Do not be discouraged if your plans do not succeed the first time.
No one learn how to walk by taking only one step.

-Catherine Pulsifer

Happy Sunday

Hi friends! It's a beautiful Sunday and I have a full day today. We attended Mica's Christening this morning and went to Crocodile park after. I'm really tired already and need some rest. More stories next time and happy weekend everyone:).

Wordless Wednesday - One fine evening

Nothing to do, one fine evening

Tuesday Quotable Toots (4)

The best preacher is the heart;

the best teacher is time;

the best book is the world;

the best friend is God.

-Talmud

Hubby's new shoes

Last Friday, hubby returned home looking tired and somewhat problematic. You know, as a wife I have a way of knowing if hubby doesn't feel good or if there's something that's bothering him. So I asked him, " how was your day at work?". 'It's OK,"he answered then go on and smiled telling me "I'm really unfortunate today". So I queried why? He then showed me his pants in which the lower portion has this smelly wet mud and his shoe foot bed was broken.

He was in a queue waiting for his turn to withdraw cash at an automatic teller machine along Bolton Street. The place is dark at 7 in the evening. When he was about to get inside the booth, he accidentally fall into an open manhole. His right leg was soak in that smelly wet mud inside the manhole. He really pitied himself for what happened to him on that day. So I consoled him and assured him it's OK. We'll just buy a new shoes:). The following day, we went to SM Mall and bought a new pair of his office shoes.

Perfect Gift for Baby Michaela's Baptism

Last weekend, we got an invitation from Troy. It's Michaela's baptism this coming 21st of February, 2010. Michaela, my niece, is the adorable daughter of proud parents, Troy and Therese, whose wedding we attended just recently. The baptismal ceremony will be held at Sta. Ana Shrine Parish at Sta. Ana Avenue, the church where me and hubby had our wedding two years ago. There will be a dinner which will be held in the house of Troy and Therese after the baptismal ceremony.

So, last Saturday, when me and hubby was buying Keona's milk and hubby's shoes, we also look for baptism gift that we could give to baby Michaela. We went to the toys area and all we can get are rattles and puzzles and some of them are not even age-appropriate for baby Michaela. We also went to the baby's clothes department but we have a difficulty deciding on what to buy. We want to give Michaela a unique baby gift that's also meaningful because baptism comes only once in a lifetime, right? And besides, Michaela is very dear and special to us. Baby Michaela has many toys already and has an abundant array of beautiful baby clothes since she is the only granddaughter on her mother's side. Attention is focused on her. We went home without being able to buy a gift for Michaela. We just agreed to buy it this week since we still have days left before the scheduled baptismal Christening.

When we reached home, I tried to search on the net and I found a great site for baby gifts. They have a lot of gifts to choose from and these items are beautifully handcrafted. They have decorative wall crosses that are really fit and appropriate for a gift during baptismal Christening. It's just perfect for baby Michaela. To our dear Mika, welcome to the Christian world soon. Uncle Raynan, little Keona and me are looking forward to your baptism.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mardi Gras Graphics

Family day!

Today, we just stay home playing with Keona and eating anything that we have stocked in the fridge. Keona loves chocolate as well as hubby too. Lil Keona finished one bag of chocolate this morning and i'm afraid she'll have tonsillitis so I made her drink really lots of water. Hubby keeps on repeating to watch Avatar:). He likes it a lot. Happy weekend everyone and Happy heart's day:).

Off for a lunch date with hubby

I'm not really feeling very well today. I'm having menstrual cramps. Just finished with a meeting today so we'll be off to our lunch date. Still have to decide where we are going to eat. And after eating, we'll look for hubby's shoes. His office shoes needs replacement. It's payday, so we'll buy a new one. Happy weekend everyone and Happy Valentines day for tomorrow:). God bless us all!

Not so restful night!

I felt dizzy yesterday and I believe I needed a rest so after dinner, I bath Keona so we'll be off to bed earlier last night. When me and hubby was about to bring Keona to the bathroom, the lights shut off. There was a black out! Keona shouted so hard for she was afraid of total darkness. Good thing the emergency light was fully charged so we just used it. The electricity was back after around 30 minutes. When we were already in bed and I was already asleep for about 2 hours I noticed the unusual warm-ness in the room and I was awaken by hubby's dashing of the fan. Oh, there was a power outage again! Few minutes after, the lights were back and we went back to sleep.

At around 1:00 o'clock in the morning, I was awaken by Keona's uneasiness and she seemed irritated then I found out that there's power outage again for the third time! Hubby was already in deep sleep but I had a hard time fanning ourselves for I was breastfeeding Keona, so I wake him up. Keona feeling really sleepy at this time, was able to sleep but I was wide awake even if lights were already back at 1:45 in the morning. I can't sleep with those hunger pangs in me. I didn't have an appetite to eat but I was very hungry and I can't sleep. So I grabbed cup noodles in the cupboard and that 's the only time I was able to get back and sleep.

WW-My man and my girl enjoying a ride

My girl and my man enjoying the ride at the mall

Tuesday Quotable Toots (3)

Treat a child with respect

and you'll have a better chance

of getting the same in return.

Lil Keona Likes Yaya than Papa

On Sunday, we stayed home the whole day. I cleaned the room while hubby takes care of Keona. In the afternoon, after lunch, the househelps went to downtown area to buy something for themselves. They were set to return at 5 in the afternoon. I was arranging the crisply pressed clothes in our closet when I heard a loud laugh at the living room. I checked on them and they all burst to laughter when Keona snubbed her Papa when the yaya arrived. She prefers her yaya than her Papa. I knew why. Papa kept on watching basketball on TV when Keona wanted to walk and play.

Happy that Lancet retracts study that linked autism to vaccination

When my daughter underwent ureter operation, Mom met her former officemate who is a wife of a pediatrician. They talked and Mom told me that her former officemate mentioned about vaccination being linked to autism in children. I was really surprised and at the same time alarmed because since birth, my daughter is complete with vaccination that is appropriate for her age because we want our daughter to be protected from diseases that are preventable through vaccines. After knowing it, I had second thoughts of continuing some of the vaccinations that Keona has not been given yet. The thought of possible autism of my child through vaccines is really scaring me off. This made me remember also my friend Roy, whose son never had a single vaccine because his wife is not in favor of it. The family of Roy's wife were not immunized with any vaccines and yet they grow up healthy so they are doing the same for their son.

But this week, the highly reputable medical journal The Lancet withdraw the 1998 study that linked vaccination to autism. The study, led by Andrew Wakefield, has been viewed as the cornerstone research for those parents and activists who believe inoculations can cause or spur on autism in children.

The Lancet stated decisively, "We fully retract this paper from the published record."The publishers are not alone in dismissing the research or Wakefield himself. In fact, ten of the thirteen co-authors of that 1998 study wrote a "retraction of interpretation" in 2004.Still, there will be those who continue to defend Wakefield and the research that has been called into question. The study suggested that there may be a link between the MMR triple-vaccination that helps prevent measles, mumps, and rubella and the development of autism. This spurred a trend among parents in the United States, England, Canada, and New Zealand to opt out or reduce the number of vaccinations their children were given. The impact continued with the rise of measles in some areas and much debate about whether or not vaccines are healthy for young children.

I will break here to point out that I personally have a lot of trouble with the anti-vaccination movement. I fully support research and funding directed to find a cure for autism. Families who are caring for children with autism or any other spectrum disorder clearly have to find the strategies, therapies, and support that best suits their kids, their lives, and their beliefs. I respect that. But I also believe that the scare tactics some people in the anti-vaccination movement have used can be dangerous to many children who are at risk for developing diseases that can be prevented with the medical resources we now have.

Two afternoon snacks and a yummy soup for supper

We usually have snacks at work at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The "errand girl" did not go to me, get my money and ask what I want for the snacks at quarter to three which makes me wonder why. It's in my body clock to really have an afternoon snack between 3-4 in the afternoon. Suddenly, one of the tres marias at the technical section called me up telling me to go to their office for snacks. The director from other department is treating us a pancit from Shanghai Restaurant for it was his birthday last Sunday. Yay, freebies are always a delight.hehehe.

Pancit from Shanghai Restaurant

Few minutes before going home, I got a call from Mom telling me to go straight to Victoria Plaza. They brought with them my little Keona and she told me to just meet them at Greenwich Pizza. When I arrived there, my little girl flashed her big smile and shouted "Mama"! She ate a lot of pizza and french fries. I like it when my girl eats plenty because she's a little underweight before, maybe because of frequent fever she had before her operation. But recently, she has an average weight and height for a Filipino child in her age. Few minutes after being settled on my seat, Keona's yaya arrived with a plate of pizza and french fries too and Mom told me it was mine. Oh I forget to tell her that I am full when she called me up. But I cannot resist the delicious pizza in front of me:), with toppings of bologna, mozzarella cheese and pineapple chunks. The french fries is also delicious, it is coated with cheese powder, it' the first time I got to taste it. I usually have french fries either from Jollibee or McDonald's. We went home after I finished my food.

When we reached home, it was already time for Keona to take her antibiotic. And the table is ready for supper. Whoow! I was still very full. After minutes of playing with Keona in the room, we finally have our dinner... a yummy pork ribs soup. The taste is perfect! I have eaten three times in a row with only 1-2 hours gap in between. Anyways, I'm a breastfeeding Mom so I'm not the only one consuming all the foods I eat, and besides my weight is within the ideal range for my height. I just have to watch out for the cholesterol-laden foods that I eat because I used to have above normal cholesterol level on one of my laboratory test results.

Wordless Wednesday - Playing candies and orchid flowers

Here is Keona playing candies that she got during Troy's wedding

Tuesday Quotable Toots (2)

A strong faith sees the invisible,

Believes the incredible,

And receives the impossible.

Welcome to the love month

It's the first day of February. Have u made any plans for the Valentine celebration friends? For sure, me and hubby will celebrate Valentine's day in advance. Why? We had a not so good experience in celebrating it before. Usually, we celebrate it with a dinner in restaurants we seldom go. But during Valentines Day, most restaurants are full and crowded. One time, we went to a beautiful restaurant overlooking the city. We really love this place because aside from the delicious foods that they serve in just a reasonable price, the ambiance is really cool. It's located atop a hill, in the middle of mini-forest. In there, you can see the beautiful silhouette of lights in the downtown area of the city. But when we were there, it was full of people. We waited but we noticed that those people who arrived later than us gets tables first. We complained to the manager but he just can't get us vacant table and be served. I was really upset at that time. I was already very hungry and I have really no tolerance for hunger. If I'm hungry, I really eat or else I'll have an aching head. So we decided to get out in there or else we'll starve to death. We end up eating in a restaurant where many youngsters hang out which I didn't like because it's very noisy and there's a lot of smoke. What we thought to be a romantic dinner turned out to be a real disaster. Since then, we celebrate Valentine's day in advance.