Encourage Your Child To Love Reading With Early Moments

Reading to our children is one of the best bonding activities we can have with them. Reading to toddlers

will enhance their ability to learn the language by associating the sounds with the objects. Creative ideas come forth through reading too. Teaching them to love books is a good habit that they will take with them until they are grown adults.

In line with this wonderful time we parents share with our children, Early Moments is offering Disney Books for just 99¢ each plus free shipping! High quality, hard cover editions at 80% off the regular price. They are currently offering the Lion King and Sleeping Beauty for 99¢ each plus you get to choose two (2) more for the same price. Now which little girl would not want her very own copy of Frozen?

Check out #Early Moments here. See the smiles, love the hugs. Enjoy the priceless moments you and your child will share.

The Debutante: The Baby Is Now A Fine Young Lady

Last May 18, my niece celebrated her 18th birthday. As Filipino culture dictates, children celebrate three "milestone" birthdays.  Its their 1st birthday, their 7th, and their 18th (for girls) or their 21st (for boys). Most parents go out of their way to throw a big party for their children during these times. 

In the Philippines, a girl's 18th birthday or debut party calls for a grand celebration. The debutante is ushered and introduced to society as a young woman. Family and friends take turns giving gifts and wishing the debutante happiness and blessings in this new chapter in her life. In Latin American countries, the "Quiceañera" is a similar practice and is celebrated on a girl's 15th birthday. 

My niece, Bianca is my sister's only child. As expected, my sister arranged a lavish debut party for her daughter. Preparations started six months prior to the event which turned out to be a success! Everyone had a great time, specially the debutante, who specifically requested to have the venue decorated "Bohemian Style" with dream catchers hanging on the main entrance. The event planners really did a good job. The make up artist made Bianca look like a princess on her special night. The food was superb and the beer was overflowing. A true unforgettable moment.

I am sharing with you pictures of my niece's party. Our little Bianca has indeed blossomed into a beautiful woman. 

Bianca's Bohemian inspired attire.

Bianca's first dance with her proud daddy

Waiting for the actual ceremony to start

Smile for the camera!

With her parents

The venue - Valle Verde 6 Country Club in Pasig City

The venue before the guests arrived

The three-tiered birthday cake

THE FAMILY

The Grandmama and the Debutante

My Mom, my youngest sister, her husband and two kids Trey and Tyra

My only brother and his girlfriend


(L-R) Adi (my daughter's boyfriend); my daughter Kristine and their common friend

Nieces, nieces galore! (L-R) Abby, Hannah, my daughter Kristine and Inna

My sons Mickey (L) and Aton (R)

My sister's youngest child Tyra (L) and her cousin


THE WELL-WISHERS

THE "ME" PICTURES

 Me and my Poppa bear

 Me and my wacky cousin, Joyce

 Me and my brother

My big bear hug!

I hoped you enjoyed looking at the pictures of our family's big event this 2014. The next debutante in the family would be Tyra.. 8 more years from now. :-)

P.S. Here's Bianca's AVP: 

A Mother's Day Gift: 21 Years Ago

21 years ago, on Mother's Day, I gave birth to my youngest child, John Michael Clarence. The tiniest of my three children at birth, Mickey, as he is fondly called, weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces, 19 inches in length. He was the most behaved little baby in the nursery room of the hospital. Unmindful of the other crying babies beside him, he would just sleep it off. It is weird, because he still sleeps a lot even though he is a grown man, and he is now the tallest among his siblings. 

Being the youngest child, Mickey is very affectionate. When he was a child, he would only fall asleep if he had his little pinky finger wrapped around my pinky finger. My mom thought he'd grow up to be a priest because we would always see him praying. Every time we would go someplace, he'd start his prayers the minute he got in the car. Now as an adult, he never fails to attend mass every Sunday.

A year and a half ago, I took a funny picture of my two boys doing the exact same pose they had when they were babies. I really have fun looking at their pictures and wonder where all the years have gone.

Time flies! My baby is now 21 years old. Officially an adult. (Now I feel soooooooo old). He's currently in school studying to earn his degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. He is still the quiet one, and still very affectionate. He loves playing tricks on me and teases me a lot about being old. He is so good with his younger cousins, always looking out for their safety. 

My wish for my son on his 21st birthday is to continue to reach for his dreams, to never lose focus and to be the best that he can possibly be. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY NOT SO LITTLE BARDAGOOL BOY!

Here's your birthday video! :)

For My Future Children-In-Law

Parenting is the noblest job in the world. No rest days, no overtime pay, no holidays off. Its a 24/7 job, whether or not you are physically present. I was left with the task of raising my kids all on my own when their father turned his back on us. I had to be both mother and father - firm but loving, a role model for my daughter and two sons. That was difficult. Really difficult. 

Photo credits: www.skepticalob.com

I have been blessed to have found someone who helped me through my rough times. We've been together for almost seven years and counting. He gave me valuable advice on how to deal with raising teenagers. He took on the task of being a father to my children.

The children are all grown now. They have found themselves their own "special someones." It gives me joy to see them happy in their relationships. 

Being a parent, I only want the best for my children. Here's my (unsolicited) advice to my children's "special someones."  

1. Love them like you love yourself. My children are not perfect, but they are my treasures. I have nurtured them since the time of their conception. Please remember that. 

2. My children chose you to love. Although it takes some time for me to get used to the idea that I am no longer the center of their world, I am happy that they find happiness in being with you. Trust one another. You'd never go wrong with that. 

3. My children came from a broken family. It is not a disease. Do not take it against them that my relationship with their father did not work out. I did my best to raise them to be morally upright and responsible. 

4. Should you find yourselves disagreeing with something, never go to bed without talking it over. Never meet each other head on, as this will not resolve anything. Be patient with each other. Never ever engage in a fight in front of your children. They do not deserve the trauma.

5. Never forget to respect each other's parents. You will not be where you are if it had not been for your parents. Remember that you will not only marry each other, you will also marry each other's families. 

6. Do not get lost in the task of raising a family. Always set some time for yourselves. Never lose the habit of going out on dates. Some time spent alone - just the two of you, will keep your relationship healthy. I will babysit the (future) grandchildren for you.

7. Marriage is a partnership. Support each other. Draw strength from one another. In this day and time, practicality is the name of the game. 

8. Put God in the center of your lives. Give thanks for the blessings you receive everyday. With Him as the foundation of your family, everything will fall just into the right place at the right time. Pray and pray frequently. 

It may still be quite awhile before these pieces of advice are put into use, however, I'm doing this now when I feel the "wisdom" in me, before my hands curl up to be unusable, before my brain gets eaten up by Alzheimers, and before it is too late to even write or speak.

Parenting is really a never ending job, but I am happy to be blessed with the chance to be a parent. It is the greatest gift!

A Bike Riding Day With My Eldest Boy

It is the first day of my 5-day weekend. Too lazy to do the laundry. Too lazy to do any other household task other than cooking.

The afternoon was dragging on and on and I decided to take a spin around the neighborhood on the bike. The sun was shining but there was a light breeze. Perfect!

My OOTD? Denim cut-off shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops. Off I go...

I must have done 2 or 3 kilometers and headed home. When I got to the gate, my son was waiting for me and had the camera ready. He told me to just go up and down our street so he can take pictures. Of course, I was fine with that. Haha.

 Oh my, it is difficult to pedal upstreet!

 Pedaling down street is better.

 Whoops! Moving vehicle behind me. I have to move closer to the sidewalk.

 Great weather to squeeze in a little exercise!

My Royal Chubbiness!

A panoramic shot. So many images of My Royal Chubbiness!

This is Aton, my eldest son

What's with the pensive pose? 

It is a great day. Tonight will be movie night - Son of God, The Bible, The Passion of Christ. Films to keep my Catholic faith burning. 

Have a blessed Lenten Season, everyone. Peace, Hope, and Love from my family to yours. 

My First Born

Last Sunday, March 23, my daughter celebrated her 28th birthday. Yes, you read it right. I have a 28 year old daughter.

She was born on Easter Sunday in 1986. I named her Kristine Anne which means "graceful, merciful Christian." She weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces at birth, 20 inches in length. I had a hard time pushing her out, she was rather big for a first time mom. 

Being the first grandchild, Kristine was the darling in the family. My parents doted over her like she was their child, taking her with them everywhere they went. I was still in Medical School when I had her, so my parents were the ones who took care of her most of the time. 

"Tin-Tin" as she is fondly called, grew up to be a fine young lady. I worked hard to send her to exclusive Catholic schools for girls and sent her to the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest Catholic university in the Philippines where she graduated with a degree in Economics. 

My little baby is now gainfully employed and eyeing a managerial post in the banking institution she is working for. She has accomplished so much in life and all I wish is for her to spread her wings even more and reach her dreams and aspirations. She has been the best sister to her two younger brothers, never failing to give them valuable advice about setting life goals and staying focused on achieving it. I am confident that she will be a good wife and mom when the time comes. 

I still cannot believe she is now 28 years old. It seemed like it was only a few years ago that she was a baby. On her birthday, I made a little video with pictures of her as a baby, and as a grown woman. I am sharing it with you.

"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.

It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things

and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."

-Agatha Christie

Then and Now

I had a blast looking at old photographs of my children. It seems just like yesterday that they were still in diapers. Motherhood is such a rewarding experience. To witness your child's every milestone achievement is so heartwarming.

Here are my children's  "Then" and "Now" pictures. Sharing with you a happy moment I had last night.

Kristine Anne ("Tin-tin")

Then: 8 months

Now: 26 years old

Irvin Jason ("Aton")

Then: 4 months

Now: 22 years old

John Michael Clarence ("Mickey")

Then: 5 months

Now: 20 years old

Sunny days and Sundays

Sunday is my Laundry Day.

I try my best to do it during weekdays but I am just too tired to do so. My tension rises every time I pass by the laundry basket and see how fast it piles up. My youngest son used to help me with this "dreadful" task, however, he has to be in school by noon and since he gets up at 10 am, then I guess I have to take ownership of this task.

Sorting the clothes is my first activity on a Sunday morning (after I had had 2 cups of coffee and watched the morning news). Whites, colored shirts, underwear, jeans, bath towels, bed sheets and pillow cases. After that is done. I stare at them and let out a sigh. 

Oh well. So I load up the washer and start my day listening to the hum of the machine. My children always tease me about the sun hiding in the clouds after the laundry is done. Its true! Whenever it is time for me to hang the clothes out to dry, there is no more sunshine. It is just suddenly cloudy. I think I'm cursed. Haha. 

Here are pictures of my first activity on a Sunday morning. Thank God there are no bed sheets today. 

The dreaded pile of clothes

The completed task. Whew!

One task done for the day. A gazillion more awaiting completion. Happy Sunday!

The Beat of a Drummer's Heart

Whenever I get to see a live band performance, the one that catches my attention is always the drummer. I have always been enthralled about percussion instruments, and a good drummer sweeps me off my feet. 

Drummers have an innate ability to recognize various rhythmic patterns and tempos. They have a keen ear that recognizes different timbres and enables them to hone in to that and groove to the beat. My son receives a full academic scholarship in the university he attends because of his service to the band and pep squad. He had held the post of Head Drummer for two years in a row. He is now the Vice President of the organization. I would say he has a talent for music, specially percussion instruments. In two years time, my son will graduate and I have been looking for a gift that he would really enjoy and probably make a living out of. 

As a parent, it is my duty to provide for his needs and support his talent to take it to the next level. With this goal in mind, I have decided to get him a drum set. Him and his friends have already tried playing music together so why not get him his own set? Budget wise, it would be better than having to pay rental rates in a music studio. 

I have secretly been searching for a good set and I have decided on the affordable tama imperialstar drum. It is beautiful! It is a handsome 8 piece drum set in midnight mist color, with high quality brass cymbals. Perfect for my little drummer boy! I am absolutely positive that this is the right gift for him. 

In a few years time, I envision myself in the front row of a big concert venue watching my son. I will be his biggest fan.. maybe I could be the president of his fan club! Unless of course, a bunch of screaming young girls beat me to it.   

Parent Talk: Priceless Advice the Lasts a Lifetime

If I were to name one piece of advice that my parents taught me that still sticks today, I would name one for each parent.

My dad' advice: 

"When you marry, you will have to learn that there will be very little left to be called your own. You will share everything with your husband. Yours and his will be called "ours." There is only one thing that you should keep away from. Leave your husband's wallet alone. In a marriage, that is the only thing that a man is allowed to kept private."

Many many years have passed, and even I have parted ways with the father of my children, I still follow this piece of advice. I now have a new love of my life and I keep my Dad's advice in mind. I have always wanted to know the reason for my Dad's advice. Now I understand. It is not so much as to knowing what's in there. Its the trust you give your spouse that there should NOT be anything in there that would hurt you.

My mom's advice: 

"In a relationship, you will learn that giving is everything, but remember to always save some of yourself for you. You should also love yourself. Get a haircut, pamper your self with a new blouse, or a new pair of shoes once in a while. Take part in decision making. Do not depend on your husband for this. A partnership cannot be called such if it is only one person who does the planning and decision making. Spend a few quiet times to appreciate what you have and to thank God for the blessings. When you learn to love yourself, you will be more effective in spreading that love."

My mom had such a hard time recovering after Dad passed away. My father spoiled her to death, providing and attending to everything including paying the bills, insurances and the like. Mama was his Queen. When Dad died, we were all at a loss. We did not know how to move on. Mama learned the hard way that a woman must be given some responsibility in running the household, other than just "motherly" tasks. She learned to do things on her own. Although she misses Dad's pampering, Mama is now happy in the company of her friends. I look up to her as my source of strength. 

My Mom and Dad. This picture was taken during their 25th wedding anniversary

How about you? What priceless piece of advice did you get from your parents?

His Heart of Gold

My youngest son has always been the thoughtful one. Ever since he was little, he always made sure he had a little something for me when he got home from school. He'd give me a little wildflower he picked on his way home, a candy bar or lollipop that he bought out of his allowance. 

My son's gift to me on Mother's Day 1999

A few days before Mother's Day in 1999, I still vividly remember my son counting change and putting it in a little cloth pouch. I even teased him and said "Oooh, lookity-lookity! You're rich!" He was 6 years old then. I got the surprise of my life the following Sunday. He woke me up and handed me a little envelope, saying "Happy Mama Day, Mama!" I opened the envelope and found a little gold-colored plastic heart necklace! The chain was made of gold-colored garter thread with the plastic heart pendant. So that was what he was saving up for! It brought me to tears! I have kept that gift. It was that precious to me. 

My gift to my son for his 21st birthday

Now that my son is a grown man, working hard to earn his college degree, he has never changed. He is still the thoughtful one. He helps a lot around the house and sits beside me on the couch to watch TV or pull a joke on me. In a few month's time, he will turn 21 and I have found the perfect gift for him. I will give him something like the necklace he gave me 15 years ago - this time it will be real gold. I looked at Reeds necklaces and I found the perfect one! The Teeny Tiny 10kt Yellow Gold Heart Necklace is made of 10kt yellow gold, a 17 inch chain and a gold heart! 

It will be a token of my appreciation for him being such a good, thoughtful son. It is only a small gift but to make it more meaningful, I would show him the necklace he gave me when he was a kid and I know he'd be surprised that I kept it all these years. The price is reasonable enough, so I will buy it tomorrow and wait for his special day. I am so happy and excited!