First step to Big school

I initially wanted to send Summer to a Chinese school, but a Catholic one. But I got pregnant the second time and I was so set of having a son and so I thought we will be sending him to Don Bosco Makati, so Summer must go to a school close to Don Bosco, and that's Assumption College.

I was informed by Teacher Tina that I must apply early for it's in a first come, first served basis and it gets full easily. I called up the school, and to my surprise, they started accepting applicants as early as August. So I immediately gathered up the requirements and went to the school in the afternoon to submit the requirements. Good thing I have Summer's birth certificate, a copy of her baptismal certificate and a passport size ID.

She's now scheduled for her entrance exam on September 3. Still have enough time to review her.

..and another..

... syempre si little boy din..

big eyes and smile pa lang kayang gawin hihihihi.

Picture me!

... that's Summer's instruction to me one night.

Model: Summer

Directed by: Summer

Photographed by: Mama - yan lang role ko!

Boy look.

Winter is always mistaken as a baby girl because of his long hair and we would always clip his hair.

His hair is long but thin so we were decided to have his hair shaved after he turns 1. Nakakahinayang lang kasi ang ganda ganda nya sa hair nya. Mas nakakahinayang pa nga sya pakalbo kesa kay Summer noon kahit boy sya kasi ang ganda ng hair nya, unlike kay Summer noon, excited pa ako mag grow back hair nya kasi kalbo talaga sya.

We planned to have his first haircut during the party kaya lang di available ang hair stylist kaya di natuloy.

But since Mommy is not around to witness the event, we decided to postpone it until she gets back from Canada. Sya din kasi nagpakalbo noon kay Summer.

Mama cut off a portion of Winter's hair at home before we went to the parlor.

Good boy naman sya sa parlor. Nakakandong lang sa akin while Tita Yang is documenting every minute of it with her digicam.

Gwapo! May baby boy na ako!

Happy Birthday Tita Monet!

Tita Monet and Winter had the same birthdays.

Tita Monet had her birthday dinner treat the following day instead. She invited us for dinner at Zensho - a Japanese restaurant along Tomas Morato.

It's been a long time since I last ate Japanese, and boy was it good! So good! I had a lot! It was all you can eat, ala carte style, not the usual buffet style.

Thank you Tita! Happy Birthday!

Winter One-derland

Happy Birthday Winter!

Ang ganda pala manganak ng Friday kasi ang 1st birthday party ay mafo-fall sa Saturday, ang saya!

Birthday celebrant: William John S. Reantaso aka Winter

Birthdate: August 22, 2008, 1st bday party on Aug. 22, 2009 at 3pm

Birthday Party Theme: Winter One-derland

Venue: DJ Paradise Resort, Malolos City, Bulacan

Party decors: I prepared the party balloons a day before. I used white link-o-loons, tied 2 of them together and used white balloon at the end para mukhang snow fall. For some, I tied snowflake mylar balloons which I was able to buy online. I prepared a snowman made of balloons. People from Lollipop balloons, where I bought my mylar snowman and small snowflake balloons, are kind enough to share with me tips on how to make a snowman the easy and cheap way. I borrowed christmas trees and had them set-up at the stage, sprinkled rainbow icicles

(ganda pala ng effect sa picture, nagmukhang christmas lights), and sprayed on snow para mukhang winter.

Birthday outfit: Gap Longsleeves and Pants, a Christmas gift from Ninang Ganda. I just bought the bowtie for less than a hundred bucks. Change outfit of White polo and Brown pants from Baby Bench from Mommy Duning.

Guests started arriving at exactly 3pm, some even earlier kasi may nauna pa sa amin. Buti na lang they had food carts to enjoy. Though, the party started a bit late already kasi the kids were hesitant at first to join in.

We had the birthday song for Winter.

Played games.

Had early dinner.

Had a magic show.

Had blowing of the candle.

And distribution of loot bags.

I prepared an AVP kaya lang I didn't get to show it na kasi the magic show itself took an hour and 45minutes. I bought a pirated DVD of IceAge 3 too to show it before the party starts pero di ko na mahanap ang DVD, buti na lang or else baka lalong late na nagstart ang program.

Kahit di pa na-appreciate ni Winter ang party, sobrang patok naman kay Ate Summer. Kinarir ang games para makahakot ng maraming prizes. Kaya lang natakot sya magparticipate sa magicshow, sya sana ang palulutangin ni Tito Cris.

Nag-enjoy naman sana mga guests namin. Mukha naman kasi they stayed until the end which was past 6pm na, considering na sa Bulacan pa ang party and they will be going back pa to Manila.

Thank you very much for all who came and for all who sent their wishes.

Souvenir

It will be Winter's 1st birthday in two days and he will finally have his much awaited hair cut.

Pero kung bakit naman kung kailan malapit sentensyahan ang buhok, tsaka naman ang ganda ganda nya. So I took photos of Winter with his long hair, mukha syang girl.

Syempre, si Ate Summer din, post din sya.

I will surely miss Winter's hair. Yun parati binabati sa kanya ng mga tao aside from his over-sized eyeballs. He will soon be a boy.

Party Prep: The Birthday Cake

I considered having a Thomas the Train cake because I wanted the idea of using cake rolls, making them trains, for Winter's birthday cake.

Since the theme will be Winter Wonderland, I had the idea of doing it the Polar Express style.

I downloaded photos of train cakes out of rolls and gave it to our local supplier. Then I ordered creme puff to build it like a christmas tree. I searced for gingerbread house but they were way too expensive for me. Good thing I was able to discover Mich who are into chocolates. I ordered from her 2 chocolate houses, decorated like gingerbread house.

Perfect! Gastos na naman hehehe.

Gumuho ang aking tree of creme puffs pero di naman masyado nahalata dahil marami na-cute-an sa cake hehehe.

Party Prep: The Menu

Orland did not push through with his plans of going to Canada for his 2-year contract with his previous employer. So he will be available to cook for his nephew's 1st birthday party. He prepared some of the menu for Winter's baptismal too last year.

Our menu will be:

Pumpkin soup to be prepared by the coffee shop

Mixed tapas

Lengua to be prepared by the coffee shop

Meat balls with thyme

Lemon pepper chicken with coleslaw

Macaroni and cheese

Lechong baboy, sponsored by Mommy and Daddy

For the kids, we are having Spaghetti, mini cheese burgers, fried chicken fillet and french fries.

For the food carts, we are having Zagu, fishballs, squidballs, kikiam and kwekwe, buko lychee sorbet and white chocolate fountain.

Dito naubos ang budget ni Winter! hehehe

Sana nagustuhan ng mga bisita ang handa. As usual, una naubos ang lengua.

Party Prep: Loot Bags, Prizes and Balloons

I was planning for a blue christmas stocking for Winter's loot bag on his birthday. I don't want to use red stockings because my theme is Winter Wonderland and not Christmas. We're having a birthday party and not a Christmas party anyway. But it's so hard to look for blue christmas stocking on August. Christmas decors are not yet out in the market.

We went to Unique Novelty at Baler. I was already considering getting red christmas stockings when I saw the snowman candy canisters. And they were even cheaper than the stockings. Great!

Then we went to Divisoria to buy prizes for the games, toys for the loot bags and balloons. I bought candies from the grocery store. Summer put the candies, I put the toys, Cory put on the sticker labels, and Winter will throw them in the box.

Ang gastos! Kasi ang arte ng nanay ng celebrant. Wawa naman Omar.

Result: Sana nagustuhan ng mga bata ang lootbags. Before the party, I told Summer that not because she's the Ate of the celebrant, she can just get prizes. I told her that if she wanted to have some toys, she must join the games. At kinarir nya ang games! Big girl na talaga.

Party Prep: The Invite

A DIY project - a pop-up invitation card with Winter background and a snow man, using Winter Wonderland's lyrics for the invitation words.

Buti na lang marami akong cutting angels to do my cut-outs para assemble na lang ako.

Summer wanted so much to help so I asked her to write the names at the envelopes.

Had our photoshoot last Sunday with Ojay for the invites. Yang emailed me the photos. I went to SM Bicutan for photo printing. Finished the invites and started distributing the invites today.

Party Prep: The Program

Tito Cris has become our friend through Wudjiman, Tito Boy to us - Omar's uncle.

He volunteered to do the magic show on Winter's birthday when they had their company outing last Summer. So we were able to get him for a very good price, considering that the venue will be outside Metro Manila.

And since he will do the magic show, I asked him for referrals for hosts as well. So he got us 2 clowns for a bargained price as well.

Madugo pero knowing Tito Cris, it will be worth it.

Result: Some kids got scared of the clowns at the start. The clowns are decent, english speaking, and best of all - does not make use of kids or other people for their funny antics. The magic show of Tito Cris was a sure hit! It lasted for an hour and 45minutes and even the adults had a blast.

Pre-birthday photo shoot

My brother-in-law who is into photography set-up a black cloth at my inlaws garage for our photoshoot. At first, they had their test shots.

Then, we tried putting on Jaja's snowman costume at Winter.

All's set so we gave our model a bath, dressed him in white, and had the photoshoot.

Ayun, napreskohan na kaya inantok na yata kaya sinumpong na. Still, we had our family photos.

Summer had her turn too. Nakisingit na rin ako for my FB account. And we had Summer and her cousin, Jaja, photo taken too.

Thank you Ninong Ojay!

Yellow house

From Summer's school, on our way to Karcraft, we passed by Tita Cory's house along Times St.
This is how well-loved she and her family is. Still, a lot of people visit her house and brings her anything to say a prayer for her.

My Vietnamese.

Summer was to go to school wearing a national costume from other country.

Mommy Duning bought her a silk pajama from Cambodia and I borrowed Daddy's salakot. Voila! That makes it Vietnam hehe. Parents were asked to prepare a sash and I made a Little Ms. Vietnam sash for her.
When I picked her up at school, she was still in her costume. In fact, she wore it the whole day! She was so comfortable in pajamas, just like her mom.