Hairstyling

His daddy finally had enough procastination, mattie was off to his high chair yesterday for his much needed trim. Since this is his first hair cut he was completely annoyed by our constant restraint. Poor boy, but we've reached the end without any cuts lol. Aside from the not so perfect cut it turned out to be just fine. He looks more like a little gentleman now. Traditional clean styling with a little dub of baby oil did the extra wonder lol.

So how do i look grandma and grandpa?

Recent photo of me and my mattie

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Walking at 10mnths

Finally had a shot of Mattie walking, were just too glued watching him learn it everyday that a camera doesn't come in handy anymore. Hubby is partly to blame since he is not into pictures, he would refer me as " worst than a japanese tourist"(stereotyping) before, thus made me less excited to grab a shot especially when i want multiple flashes to pick a good one lol. He's been walking at his own free will at 10mnths, now approaching 11mnths he gets too fired up that he wants to run already lol. More comfortable without the shoes of course, but he's trying to master it from time to time.

recent photo of Mattie.

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Afternoon Fun

left: Me w/ host Effy ,right: With Joy and Matthew

Mommy and son first outing together to meet a group of filipinas here in San antonio. It's also my first time to drive farther out of downtown, at first it was a breath clasping adventure the fact that i only have a printed direction in hand and not much familiar with the area we are about to explore but we managed to get there easy despite the wrong mapquest information. We didn't get lost but i end up calling the host to meet us up somewhere close to her area rather than driving around. It was a surprise baby shower for a newcomer filipina Joy. Host Effy was generous enough to prepare and cook for the party and even had her husband chef baked a fancy cake. I won two baby shower games, one is the the baby food guessing and the other is the belly measurement. I had fun meeting them all. Matthie was astounded with the new faces and voices but he eventually learned to mingle with them mommies and big kids later on. His first taste of bihon was pretty funny though lol. I thought he'll spit the tiny noodles out but didn't. Perhaps suggesting that i should cook some at home for he is ready for more.

left: With Joy the future mama right: All ladies photo

Effy thanks for the wonderful party.

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Seven Random Facts of Banot's Past

Tag from Geri

1. Dislikes weekend during childhood years coz it would mean spending the entire two days doing household chores.
2. Had a boy cut hairstyle for 3years(2nd yr.highschool-1st year college). To complement my boyish attitude i thought it would be cooler to have a short hair too.
3. At 5th grade mother sent me to the city for a summer class which happened to be an english speaking class. I would have taken my second piano lesson if i knew it before hand. Hated the twice a week tongue twister audio class and the gay teacher but enjoyed the extra curricular dance class. We get to showcase the steps during recital, it was fun.
4. Was chosen to represent our school divisions volleyball team for the SMRAA(southern mindanao regional athletic association). Back then i could only wish to be tall so i could hit and spike the ball hard...
5. Wanted to become a policewoman after highschool, i even applied for the entrance exam for the military academy(PMA) but my height failed me to break through. It was one of the saddest moment of my life.
6. I'm terrorized with big ocean waves, i know i'm an island girl but i'm really scared of it eventhough i know how to swim. I almost drown when i was 8yrs old, i guess that would explain it. It haunts me even in my dreams so i would settle down in the sandy rocky side of the water everytime we go to the beach and watch my family waving, calling my name to come join them. Very sad.
7. Choir group member since 4th grade till college. Back then i don't know how to use my vocal chord properly so i always strain my throat and end up hurting the next day even loosing my voice and miss a big presentation because of it.

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It's Official!

i find it so cute that i can't help scanning it.

After two weeks from our initial application via our county courthouse, 16days to be exact we finally got it. We thought it will take longer than that like 6-12weeks based on the information we got from their website. On the other hand it also says under the current news that processing are now back to normal but we could not help and wonder what if it doesn't come early before our trip. I guess no room for worries now huh.....

I'm officially uncle's sam adopted child while Matthew have now his own legal identity aside from the birth certificate. What a previlege. It's been a long journey and it has concluded stress free except for the tremendous fees we have to shed lol. So what's next? Our upcoming Philippine trip in two months. We are so looking forward to it.

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Name behind the blog

Long overdue tag from my dear friends online. I'll make it short that way it won't be boring to read lol. I was born in the year of the horse and a meticulous, critically inclined Virgo. I was named Maria Vanessa at birth by my mother but for some reason the hospital clerk didn't do the registry very well that i end up with one name instead of two. I'm the baby of four children but i do not remember being babied a lot when i was little, i matured quiet fast that the only thing i can recall is when my father would take me out for shopping without a single complain when i pick something from the store. He would rather hand it quick to me than see my teary puppy eyes. I never leave empty handed all the time. Definitely a daddy's girl. Cooking, dancing and singing are my passion. Truth is, i made singing a career after college although it was shortlived but it was worth taking risk of going overseas(china) otherwise i would have never met my husband richard. Parents wanted me to become a doctor but my calling then wasn't in the medical field. I wanted to be a nutritionist, but i get bad feedbacks about it so i later decided to follow my parents wishes and take it from there. Initially enrolled in physical therapy for my premed in Cebu City but graduated as a medical technologist thinking that i'ts still quite close related to medicine if by chance i would pursue it later on. Along the way as i'm beginning to be more realistic and practical, i don't think it's smart to continue financial wise. Parents were struggling already and the fact that they already sent 3 kids before me i felt the demand to set it aside and venture onto something else independently. They would do everything to support me but i just could not handle the sacrifices they have to endure for another 4yrs(proper med) of school. I was stubborn enough that i went to manila after graduation to find my purpose and play with destiny. It took seven persevering months before i finally landed a good decent contract. It's very fullfilling and worth a try. That would explain why i end up here in the land of opportunity. I never knew i would meet my soulmate overseas, and since both of us couldn't handle the seperation when he left beijing he worked on the papers for us to be together. Now married and naturalized citizen with a beautiful son, i could not ask for a better life. With my only educational background printed in my job resume i'm stuck working in the field were i thought to be less exciting "the laboratory". Don't get me wrong i am very thankful to have a job like this, it's just not where i want to be. In a year or so i can see myself working in kitchen. I will be taking few classes when i come back from our philippine trip. So watch out for an aspiring chef in the making lol.

Thoroughness, hard work and conscientiousness are my hallmarks. Perfectionist to the point that i get discouraged at times when something goes wrong. Everyday i am learning to just let it go for that's what life is, no such thing as perfect. Quite successful in the process actually. I have a fastidious love for cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. Hubby would sometimes call it a disorder but i protest, i'd say i'm not that extremely obsessed. Blame it to my mother for i grew up doing critical cleaning/chores with her next to me checking if i did it right or not. She had me do it all over again if she finds a trace of dust left behind in the corners of our little house. Until she's satisfied she won't mind spending a day with me lol. I admit, it was one of the worst days of my teenage life. But everytime i reminisce about it now gives me smile, there is actually a good reason for all of that, afterall mothers knows best. Thus no feelings of remorse when i tell her stories such as this on family reunion. We teased her and laughed about it. Yes it was a litte rough but i'm grateful for the training and discipline that were implied to me during my adolescent years. For without it who knows what kind of a woman i have become. Salamat mama, you are such a unique human being and still my source of inspiration.

I'm proactive, fan of sports like tennis and intellectually enquiring, every new things i encounter i would question the logic and purpose of it's existence. I like to learn and teacheable especially if it's something that interests me. Still loves the culture i grew up with and will be forever stay proud of my roots......

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Mommy's little boy no more

Goodness he has become like a cloned weed lol. How did he grew up so fast? Richard and i were just browsing some videos when he was only 4mnths and helpless now he can almost get what he wants at his own convenience. He turned nine months last week, weight(20.2lbs) at 45% and height(29.1inches) at 80%, not too bad considering his mother is short lol. Loaded with many tricks like going down the table by scooting legs first and let gravity pulls him down is the most gutsy maneuver i've seen, i know babies are careless and doesn't know any better but he does know not to dive head first from tables, bed anymore. All i have to say is "bobu"an he knows what it means. He'll sit and wait till someone grabs him or simply would look down over and over and i guess realize how big of a fall it would be if he try. It's the repetition that made these babies smart hahaha. Newly acquired facial expression like the lemon face(i named it)after he took a sip of the lemon and squeezed his face downward was the most funny face his grandpa had ever seen in years. Silly thing is he'll ask for more and would gladly do the lemon face again. He must love sour taste like i do. Singing and dancing are few of his favorites especially when he hears me singing the twinkle twinkle. Besides the walking with me holding one hand, i could tell he really wants to walk unsuppported and reach all corners of our little house lol. What he does to get through is pull himself up by leaning towards the wall and walk sideways. If not walking he would climb the stairs if gates left open. Thank god he hasn't fell yet but we already put it on our routine to close the gates all the time coz he could sneak in behind our back. When we take him in the shower room expect him to be at the side of the tub waiting to be picked up. he would raise his arms and blabber until you grab his little butt, he loves to take shower the adult way, one time he slide into the tub while daddys taking shower i heard a big sound i thought he crack his head or something but it was daddy calling me to come over, i saw mattie sittting down next to his dads foot with an excited look on his face, he still got a diaper on soaking wet but very happy to get in there lol. How he climb there we don't know, but he did it, probably slide his heavy head over. Clever he had become. Definitely not a baby anymore.

This coming holidays we will be in the philippines. It's about time for matthew to meet the other side of the family. Hearing my family's excitement makes me want to fast forward the days, i could not wait to relax the whole month and not worry about mommy chores lol. There's going to be a lot of travelling coz were not directly flying to davao from manila, we decided to visit cebu then davao before settling at my parents hometown of mati for the holidays. This is going to be draining when it comes to loading and unloading luggages. We might go to hongkong or bangkok if cebu pacific airfares stays cheap during our trip. Right now it says less than 20dollars on their webpage(going to hongkong/bangkok). Too cheap to be true? we shall see. It would be an exciting sidetrip when that happens. This is going to be mattie's baptismal too and inlaws are flying there for the occassion and short getaway.

That's all for now folks. P.s. i haven't forgotten my long overdue tag assignment. Coming up soon!

Video of the week. Enjoy

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Night with the Legend

It was a night worth to remember a spectacle i shall never forget. Mr. Tony Bennet was in town for a 2hr concert, it was my first live solo performance experience here in the states so i just feel like sharing it to everyone. I'm a music lover mostly oldies coz i grew up listening to it, this was really a treat if you know what i mean. Plus his not getting any younger, this could be first and last glimpse of the him. That's why Richard did not hesitate to get tickets for us when i saw the promotion from our local grocery store. So concern to miss the event we held them(tickets) hostage for a month. I told him that i can watch it alone if he choose to stay home but he happen to like him, surprisingly he even have some of his songs loaded on his ipod so I figured he'll tag along and even bought another ticket for his dad. Another bonus is that he got the best seat the closest i can get to take a decent picture of him. Can you imagine my excitement? really it's tremendous.

The night started with dinner at the same building, fine dinning which i'm not really fond of, food and service was excellent for the price we paid ,it better be good, right folks? The place was packed with people of all ages, mostly on their 40's and above lol. It's a solo night but he brought along a surprise for us, his daughter singing one of my favorite of all time standard song "The Nearness of You". I could not help whisper the lyrics in the air lol. I know i'm not supposed to do that, i just missed performing a lot that's all. Some favorites like The way you look tonight, Shadow of your smile, For once in my life, Boulevard of broken dreams, I left my heart in san fransisco, and the popular "Fly me to the moon by Frank sinatra as he pay tribute to his bestfriend was among the selection. It's so wonderful and refreshing to hear these songs live from a legend. I couldn't ask for a better pre-birthday treat than this. He was magnificent, little dance steps here and there, short chats in between made me feel like i've known his life a little bit. I didn't know Bob Hope gave him his name tony bennet, his original name was quite long so the comedian thought it's best for him to get an american short name, that's how it all started. What a memorable wonderful 50 years career he had he said and still wishes to continue to sing for everyone. Him saying that really inspired me. I will truly be a big fan of yours Mr. Tony Bennet. More years to come for you and your music.....

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Eight months and home alone again

7and a half monnths photos of mattie

It's challenging to be left alone with a hyperenergetic infant in tow, though i dislike it a lot before the baby when hubby travel out of country, now i must admit i'm not as bored and irritated as i used to. Because at least i get to play and do more chores with the little one if i don't feel like going out thus requires moving around doing something to be entertained. Just perfect for my personality, coz it makes me feel productive and useful. I think i know where my son got all his energy lol. Hubby coudn't agree more either lol. Mother son bonding definitely fill in the hours of my mundane day to day existence. Honestly, it's more of like my favorite hobby now. Fun and interesting, also a learning exploration of my childs growth and development. Each day is like another day of newfound skills ready to be unfold to the world, it's amazing. It's like a sequence in the movie only i get to watch it live all the time lol. Truthfully, this is the stage that i'm so looking forward to, we interact and me on the other hand playing foolishly like a clown to match up with him. I couldn't ask for a better playmate.

So what's new with my 8month old hyper boy lol? He crawls and scoots(combat crawl)half and half, ends up with the latter most of the time. He can climb up to the sixth stairway now unsupported while me watching him at the near side below. He can manned his walker back and forth easily, sometimes he couldn't figure out how to get out when stuck on the edges of the kitchen cabinets, besides that he is cruising fine when there's no obstruction. So far these are the major ones. Other minor silliness like pulling the stopper cap behind each doors and eat it, he have a fetish with anything that has tags exposed on it(clothes, rags, toys,cables). More fascinated with our cat buddy that he wants to go after her when he sees her coming. He recognizes her meows too that he would stop instantly in whatever he does to find the object that's making the sound. Attentive and curious, i wouldn't be surprise if he becomes an investigator in the future. I got a daily report from the daycare people saying he has been a bully lately, stealing other babies toys. There are times too that some female babies left with him in the afternoon pulling his foot backward so he couldn't crawl. They said he hated it so much that he end up screaming furiously loud enough to get their attention lol.

Video my mattie on his walker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFCmb2kd4xM

affair with my belly folds......

Now that im back to my pre pregnancy weight i coudn't help to get annoyed with my little flabs. I am now wearing my old clothes but could not enjoy the looks of it. I know i shouldn't be whining right considering that it only took me 8mnths to shed it? But heck i don't have the guts to flaunt the extra piece of skin when i wear lowrise bottoms. Grrrrr, i can't let this stay for long, it has to go away otherwise it's very unlikely for my skin to get back to normal according to some doctors. Speaking of cocobutter, since early in my pregnancy i've never stop using it. I really hope it holds true to it's purpose of reducing stretch marks.... i do have a few on my left lower side only that needs help lol. I'm so vain when it comes to this(tsk tsk shame). My hair and body is what makes me feel good and confident, forget about materials stuff that covers it..... those weighs less to nothing to my whole being. Alright, time to hit the floor for some crunches i mean serious 15-25minutes of sit ups/crunches starting this week.

Meanwhile, i decided to play golf today with mattie riding along, we'll see if i survive without daddy's company to switch him around. Some fresh air and sun is much needed booze today to prepare me for this second week of being home alone with my shortie. We were suppposed to go spend our weekend at the lake 2hrs outside of Houston with my inlaws, but too short of a time and a lot of moving around with the little one to be worth a road trip going there and flying over to get back here in SA. So i decided for us to stay home, i'm a little sad. But it's ok we'll survive.

P.S. he finally got some teeth, two sharp ones lol.

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My take on fitness

above photos:5th wedding anniversary date

Since the baby i vowed not to keep the weight i've gain the whole pregnancy. I didn't set any timeline though on when i will be back to my original size but rather i tried to slowly put myself back into my normal eating habits. Luckily, i don't have to fight the temptations anymore of whether to grab some doughnuts or pecan pie(2 cravings when i was pregnant) on my way home lol. So far it has been an easy ride, all i did was control my brain and not give in. I know it sounds crazy and difficult to do but remember your brain is your master, it dictates your system on how to function everyday. If you have the control, it's so much easier to make plans and routines on how to lose weight. I know for some women it's depressing when you know you tried so many different things but still unsuccessful, my routine may not even work for some of you. You just have to find some other ways that is manageable long term. I never believe in diet pills, diet teas and fast result, unless you can keep it up after then good luck. I think it's a matter of your body getting used to it, once it's programmed into your system it's hard to break it apart and the rest is just maintenance. I grew up watching my mom and her up and down weight loss/gain. From pills to aerobics, jogging to wearing astronaut like suit for steaming lol, all of them were seem to be useless. She reached the point of getting discouraged and eating more than her usual. Later on, she eventually gave up lol. Too frivolous for her hectic life as a teacher and mother of 4kids. Everyday she reminded me not to become like her, it's genetic so anytime i could be a jumbo size like them(mom and sister) if i want to. I guess i took it seriously with me through college when i became more feminine and insecure looking at them "slim tall ladies" on their skimpy skirts and shorts at the mall. And to make it even worse, i could not even wear these outfit coz my brothers would always tease my legs resembling a "big coconut log". I laughed with them knowing that they were only joking, but boy deep inside it was crashingly painful and embarrassing. I swear not to be fat AGAIN.....

The fact that i refer myself as an ugly duckling/unattractive(that's what i always thought) chubby girl, i'm surprised it didn't affect my confidence and cheerfulness. I go on with my day thinking that it's the least important thing i have to worry about in life, that someday it will change for i am still young and driven, that it is likely attainable with the attitude i have. So i did, starting year 2000, i established a routine. No more 2 sweet snacks a day, cut the amount of food intake to half and subsitute soda with fruit juices, lots of water and milk. I focused more on vegetable to help pump my digestion therefore aiding to good metabolism. Took time on chewing my food before swallowing, avoided eating so late at night and all other silly beliefs. Did some light excercise, mostly walking from school to my boarding house to burn some energy. It took me a year to shed all of my unwanted weight. When i had the opportunity to work in China after graduation i took advantage of the free utilities for us to use foreign employees. One is the gym, perfect timing to tone down some areas lol. Then the restaurants where i can eat a lot of vegetables, seafood, and continuous supply of green tea to our room all at no cost. Since then, it was a constant awareness to be consistent every single day. My body finally got used to it year 2001(year when i met richard). A MORE confident me has finally emerged lol.

Anyhow, i would like to share my daily routine, food picks and favorites:

Cereal at 6:55am, i pour more milk than cereal. I packed my cup with dry hot chocolate mix with peanut butter and jelly to go with it(more on peanut)to work. Half of it is what i can only eat. That would be my mid-morning snack. It's cheaper and healthier than buying croissant, scones and doughnuts from the cafeteria. Only applies when i'm at work moving around thus burning some calories. Otherwise, only cereal in the morning at home will do. Lunch at 1:30pm, then dinner at 7:30. Lunch is when i have a complete meal. Dinner can vary from soup and sandwich or just salad, bread and fruits. Every meal MUST contain less carb. Since I prefer double serving of green veggies, chicken and fish, i never had a problem filling up my stomach. I'm a happy soul when i have these three in my meal a day. When i don't, i feel guilty/weak and ends up bouncing back the next day with a big chicken salad(my favorite). Because i believe carb is the main culprit when i gain an extra pound, it is always my least favorite. I have a very good metabolism now compare to when i was a student and not so crazy about sweet stuff, that is probably the reason why i'm not a master baker lol. Occassionally, hubby would asked me to make some cookies and chocolate cake. The whole serving would last us two weeks or so lol. No sodas(i don't crave for it either) only milk and sip of juices. Pineapple orange is my favorite. No dessert after meal, a fruit(grape or banana) or fruit mix will do. Once a month craving of something chocolatey(premenstrual period) i freely give in to one bite of cake or ice cream. A bite is all i can allow coz honestly i don't have a sweet tooth to enjoy it. Cooking more at home is very healthy and cheap plus you can make whatever you want. I know it takes effort and time, especially when you don't like to cook or don't know how. Then, twice a week of stretching, sit ups and walking. My once a week golf covers the walking, so that leaves me with two that i have to do at home granted i'm not lazy.

Now, when i tend to overeat i get sick. You see, it's so lenient when your body takes good care of you. During my pregnancy, it's like a flashback of emotions. Whether i have enough to eat, or should i satisfy my cravings with sugary stuff lol, whether to exercise or be lazy due to my growing tummy? A battle i have to overcome the entire nine months. I thought, i did a good job. I kept the "eat only healthy food plan"(double size this time). Some walking twice a week and stretching which is everyday and once a week visit to the fitness trainor(courtesy of hubby). I don't think i did anything in excess except the twice a week doughnut snack, you see even that i pay attention very closely. Funny thing today, i wouldn't even pay for a single one lol. After 5 and half months, I'm down to 120lbs effortlessly. Ten more pounds to lose till im finally back to my pre pregnancy size. It's actually harder to lose the last 10 coz it's more of like toning now. It's a challenge when your day is filled with work and mommy chores. This is going to be a slow process, the same thing i did before, that way i don't have to feel like i'm punishing myself for having a baby. If it takes me a year or less to get back, i doesn't matter coz i know i'll get there. At 7months I can pretty much wear some of my tight fitting bottoms if i want to but it will require a breath in and out work to last me a day(damn hips and thighs lol). I'll give myself another month or so, when that time comes i know i can slide in pretty easy. I don't have any issue with my upper body though, so guess i can't complain too much lol. Ok to wrap it up peeps, no drastic dieting and excercising of some sort. Please don't starve yourself. Trust me it pays off later. Perseverance, consistency and discipline are the key words. To some it's a daunting task and mind boggling reminder but if you are determined you will surpass the trial and once you've reach the goal, you won't even have to consciously fight with yourself ever again.

I guess that covers all of my routine to stay fit and healthy......

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Sad and happy moments

unexplainable........
I know there have been so much development with our little boy that i could not even remember some of it, duh.. what can i expect from myself who never make a list and type my thoughts here irregularly. Lately, has been weird, i could not explain the sadness and unpredictable mood swings. Could be emotional post partum moments. It's gone now folks so don't worry, one snap back to reality did the trick. In many ways, i am a private person(or trying to at least). Today is an exception, somehow i felt like i have to share it to mommies out there. Whatever it is that is bothering me before, I realized i have no room to feel this way, there is so much to thank and look forward for everyday that none of this drama make sense in any way. I can't even justify what is going on. First, I have a good job although boring but hey it pays very decent, a wonderful loving husband that never ceases to love me and make me feel good during bad times and a healthy silly baby who never fails to make us smile. I tried to ignore and in denial, convincing myself that this is not me, that i'm a strong person yada yada. But in the end i gave up fighting and acknowledge that i'm not a superwoman, i'm not perfect and there's nothing to be ashamed of. I can be vulnerable too and it's "OKAY". Now, i'm so much of a better person. Hubby told me that we are going to find something to do besides golf which i am going to love and enjoy on my leisure time. Perhaps, culinary/cooking classes as a start. I'm just waiting for the right time to squeeze it in to my daily routine. Maybe, switching to part time someday soon will make all my plans easier. Watch out, for i'm going to venture new endeavor. Alright, enough said from a rambling mom lol....

On a sunny side..........
Our Mattie has become a little squirming baby, as daddy would say, a little pescado(fish). A significant development indeed. He scoots all over the living room(pulling plugs) and kitchen now without using his knees. His strong shoulder and lower legs do the locomotion mostly lol. Soon i will have to put away his bouncer coz he rolls on top of it, since i don't really strap his hip to restrict him from moving. Sitting to crawling is his new found skill these past week. He loves to go after our cat buddy that she hide herself from us now and only shows up when she's hungry. Poor cat, wait till mattie can walk and run, she definitely can't outran and hide from him anymore lol. He babbles instantaneously when something interests him/or when i talk he talks back. That includes pitch variations and syllables strung together, complicated to decipher but very fun to hear. I can tell he really pays attention lol. Daycare move him to the nursery 2 room, they say he is too mobile now that he needs a bigger room to play and explore. A milestone that some other babies at the daycare older than him is not ready yet, that's what the director told us anyway. I know each child varies and deviate from one another when it comes to development, i just can't help being proud knowing that he is normal and healthy. Oh my little one is in the big boy's area now....time really flies by so fast, i'm still amaze how he has grown so much. I have to get over this now, because when he gets big and ready to move out from us it won't be such a big deal anymore.

Babyproofing the house is in our list of must do. Find fun at the same time learning toys that can amuse him at his age, coz the entertainment gym doesn't seem to last lately, i guess he gets bored fast. Also more outdoor activities especially this summertime. He sleeps on his tummy and side now, thank god there's still time to get rid of his flat head. As you can see in the picture above(taking a bath), notice the little bobo on his nose? He fell off the bed three weeks ago, it happened very fast not even a minute that i'm gone and suddenly he's on the floor already. I thought it will take a little bit of time for him to roll on his belly and scoot to the edge before he can throw himself below, boy i was so wrong. I underestimated his abilities again. Bad stupid mama. Never will i leave him unattended again.

For the second time, i was able to meet Sarah and Abe again and of course little Caleb last week. Boy he is an exact replica of his daddy. As usual Sarah remains beautiful and always smiling. Abe was playful last time we met, this time he looked very serious, i bet very exhausted from the exam. Abe and Sarah, goodluck! i hope all your prayers will all come true.....someday we will be neighbors and we can have all time to chat and eat all day long.

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Naturalized

It was nice and brief, except that i have to be there at 11am and the ceremony didn't start till two in the afternoon. I thought a long process/interrogation awaits at the entrance but it was just a matter of finding your group, which side of the auditorium we're suppose to line for smooth processing and a couple of questions before they guide you to your seat inside. Total of 877 attendees from 79 countries present that day and 100 something people didn't show up and rescheduled. Yes, what a crowd huh. At 1pm almost everyone is seated waiting for the judge to start the swearing. Auditorium was packed it was actually an overwhelming experience knowing i'm among them seeking to become naturalize citizen of this great country. It took about 15 minutes for me to get in and realized i have to get something to eat otherwise my stomach will be growling very soon. Hubby was kind enough to drop me off then came back with food, anyway it wasn't that far from the house to do multiple trip. Oh they followed(my family) right before the ceremony start, it doesn't make sense to have them wait with me that early. I had two hours to waste so i went out to eat my food and meet some asian ladies who were also eating their packed lunch. I guess they know better about the whole processing.

Not a lot of women wore a dress, if i only knew they can't send you away because you're wearing something else i would have just wear slacks and a blazer. Oh well, i guess some people refuse to follow instructions or simply just cannot comprehend(sigh). Anyhow, it was a good memorable day for all of us 877 people. I didn't quite grasp what it's like to be given such opportunity till i hear 3 testimonials from other applicants. One Jamaican immigrant, Mexican and of course a Filipina. What an emotional revelation they've shared, the trials and homesickness that we all can relate was indeed very deep and meaningful. I could not help shed a tear as i hide my face in between my fluffy hair lol.

In the end, it was happy moment when the judge finally granted the petition for us to be all naturalized, i could hear the cheering crowd waving the little american flag in the air with excitement and joy. I am one of them blessed and proud.... i will never forget such day.

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New found fun

He turned five months and getting heavier everyday lol. I realized i got a lot things to write about our little one but my memory and interest to put it into words here in my blog have been restricted lately. Perhaps my laziness creeping in.... hey that's one thing i could not deny coz most of the time i just want to sit my butt on the couch and play with my boy after 8hrs of work. So what's been happening in our household recently? Richard and I just excitingly watch our boy every moment as he explore so many different things that his body can do. We bought a jumper/entertainer when he was four months since his neck and back are strong enough already for standing. Now at 5mnths he can pretty much turn around, kick his legs, and grasp for hanging toys all over it. His hand/eye coordination is definitely improving quickly. He seem to love the hide and seek game and gets excited when i make silly noises like "eat bulaga". Sometimes skittish but at the end he responds with uproarious giggles.I've noticed that he gets frustrated when he can't put his mouth to each of the toys, i could tell we have a little impatient fella(in the making) added in our family tree lol. I've learned also that banging, shaking, mouthing are ways to experiment his own miniature world. What i'm amazed at his age is that he can pretty much amuse himself when were out. Very sociable and likes to watch everything around him instead of fuss. He can go for hours staring/smiling at the trees ,people and moving objects like cars without whining. To be outdoor is what gives this little boy lots of adrenaline lol. He loves to be in the car too with mikey and frankie keeping him company in the backseat(i've heard not a lot of babies likes to be confined in their car seats). Soon as the engine starts he'll snooze right away. Definitely an indoor baby no more.

Also, the endless babbles can be annoying at times that i end up babbling too. Seriously, he can go on and on for 20mins without interrruption. I thought he's just trying to relay a message to his toys/us or if not a sign for poop pushing time or he could be testing his vocal pipes. We've noticed Matthew is a lefty coz he tends to move/grab objects using his left hand all the time. Putting things on his right hand side doesn't work either coz a body turn(he's good at it now) to get to it is all he needs to maneuver his left arm back again. We'll see in a few months if i can make him switch. He start to bend his knees and lift his upper body for about 10 seconds now, a good sign that he might be crawling pretty soon. I don't know what he weighs recently, he was almost 17lbs then at 4mnths old, i bet his almost 20 lbs approaching 6mnths. I'm struggling to carry him in my arms for a long period, i't won't be long i will have to use stroller most of the time otherwise i will endure lots of shoulder/arm stress everyday. For my size he is just too ponderous lol. A master in seating and spinning but not quite in rolling, he can but laboriously or when his mad trying to reach onto something. I don't fret about it, i just let him explore and learn his way as time passes by. I know he'll get there..... Finally, i was able to meet for the second time since birth Melissa's(my coworker) baby Brianna, teasingly Matthew's supposed future girlfriend(wink).

In another matter, i will be swearing in 3days......my MIL will be coming over from Kuwait to witness the ceremony. I feel special and loved.

On a late note belated happy mother's day to all. To my mom, thank you for the life, sacrifice, patience in raising me, what i am today is all because of you.... all praises to you and papa... I hope i'll raise and mold your apo the way you guys did to us.......

Meanwhile, i'll leave you with a video of mattie eating lunch...

http://www.venetel.net/Matt_Eating_5Months.wmv

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Humana Jud

Immigration hurdle finally came to an end. No more paperworks, skyrocket fees and waiting time, "HUMANA JUD"(its over)is the thought that came to my mind as soon as i recieve the memo from INS in the mail about my citizenship oath taking ceremony schedule. It only took 3 months from my interview, and i still wonder why it took a little bit long? final background check perhaps? i even thought they reverse the decision. However, it is a big relief knowing that this is going to be my last immigration encounter at least for me. September 2006 is when i sent the application in the mail, initial response was 3 weeks later. I got interviewed February 2007, ceremony is next month(May). Total of almost 8months. It's about what i expected. So far, all of my immigration applications had been very smooth, no denials, returned paperwork, administrative review and other reasons for delays. Actually, i'm quite pleased with the whole experience.

Does any of the filipina ladies out there required to wear a dress at the oath taking? coz i am. It says on the memo that women should wear a dress, huh!. Well a trip to the mall is required then coz most of my dresses are for maternity if not summer beach dress. A good excuse to own one more since i really don't have alot in my closet lol. I have'nt really thought about the whole citizenship thing until i got the oath taking ceremony date, i felt somewhat sad and happy. Maybe it's the filipino pride kicking in. I'm glad there is such thing as dual citizenship otherwise i would have think twice to apply or procastinate some more. This is it "americanang hilaw na kuno ko".

I can "run away now" is what i said to tease richard. He just gave me a rolling eyeballs everytime i uttered the words lol. I'm still in amazement knowing that i will soon be a citizen of this country after 5years of living here. An opportunity given to few people, i'm sure grateful and wholeheartedly take pride and responsibility for the rights and previliges i have been given. Regardless, i'm still a proud Filipina....

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Almost There

goofing around with mommy and daddy before bath time. Everytime i leave his clothes on top of his head he smiles.

wearing his 6mnths suit.

As usual this entry is going to be mostly updates about our little one. For the last month i can pretty much say that things are getting better. I'm now adjusted to the morning shift at work, few bouts here and there with the alarm clock but surprisingly some mornings i just wake up ahead of time without the help of the annoying buzz, which is indicative of me heading to the right direction. Although i still like the rush and alarm free routine but with the baby, i prefer to work early and be home before sunset now and watch primetime shows on tv while doing chores. Yah right talking about unselfishness and priorities lol. Motherhood can definitely change a person tremendously, in a good way for sure.

At three and a half months(his four now) matthew have been sleeping like an angel, it would go from 4-5 nights stretch of bliss then a night that he would wake up just to eat or for instance when he had diarhhea madness he'll wake up because his soaking wet. Besides that, his sleeping like a champ while we're both loving the 6-8hrs straight of rest as well. His behaving pretty good that it scares me of the nights to come that he won't sleep and get cranky lol. But i'm ready, i just hope that it won't be long straight nights. He weighs 15.7 lbs and 25.6 inches tall. Above average for his age of four months is what his pediatrician told us. As what my co-filipina workers would say"american size jud na bata"(american size baby). He seem to enjoy his baby food. Daycare have been giving him different meal each day from pears, peas to squash. Other than the stinky poop his belly is not complaining at all. No known favorites still but i'm glad he blended easily with the new found taste. I'm quite amazed he doesn't spit out a lot of the food, actually he seems like his been eating for months already. I guess he just love food and doesn't want to waste it lol.

You see mom i can hold it now, watch me i coz i am going to fall soon.

He is starting to sit up now and was able to hold if for a good 20 seconds, i haven't seen him roll fully on his side yet(only halfway) but the caregiver at the daycare said that he rolled the other day while throwing his tantrums out coz no one was paying attention to him. Is that a trick to get him to roll?hmmm. I'm curious. He doesn't like tummy time by the way, when he is in a good mood 10-15mins is long enough, otherwise forget about it. Doctor's order I have to do it often coz if i don't he will have a flat head for the rest of his life and i get to blame for it hehe. Warm season is already here, can't wait to take him to the beach and have his first dip. Also more fun activities for us outdoors. His happy as he can be when his outside especially at the golf course with so much color and trees to stare at around, boy it won't be long he will be running around the course. I'm excited.

He loves to stare at the digital photo frame and very receptive to all his toys now, i don't have to worry about watching him coz entertaining himself is what he does whenever his not moody. Talking about tickles, Matthew is a very ticklish one, even wiping his milky neck would make him giggle and laughing so hard that he end up with hiccups, i am loving every minute of it though. Oh no not the hiccups.

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What's going on!

matthew and daddy checking out the sofa at RTG.

Recent pictures of Matthew at 3months.

Updates:

Wheeew, almost a month of dormancy lol. A few things that had happened lately in my household. Some good one's and some are not.

Citizenship

Finally applied last september and got a reply 3 weeks after. I was scheduled for fingerprinting on October. Then the most awaited interview was 2 weeks ago February 13th. I call it a chit chat actually lol. The officer that initiate the interview was indeed very lively i felt very comfortable the whole 30mins. Informal and none of the frightening raising eyebrows questions asked. Richard stayed outside, i don't know if in other states spouses were included in the interview process but on mine it was just me. Good thing he didn't asked a lot of civic questions from the new 200 booklet. I'm not even aware that there is a revised one for 2007. I studied the old version which was handed to me by the officer at the fingerprinting office. Heard about it in the news later but even on their website it's not release yet. Anyway, five easy questions was asked, luckily got it all answered. He then told me to write and read one sentence that says "congratulations you passed the citizenship interview", which covered the reading and writing test. That was it, everything that follows we're all fun chitchats lol. He talked about marriage frauds that are happening lately, mostly filipinos/asians involve(what a shame), hmm he praised vonage btw and her dear korean wife hehehe. Before i stepped out, i told him what my husband said to my baby Matthew before the interview date. He said, "daddy is a bachelor on valentine's day" with a confuse look on my face i asked him why". It's because mommy is now an american and she can divorce me anytime and leave us(with a smile on his face). Oh you think i will leave the baby with you? heck no was my rebuttal lol! Both of us burst out laughing. Officer was laughing too with his last words saying " of course you and him were joking right? I think he knows my intentions based solely on the way i presented myself from the very start. A very candid and confident me the entire time inside that room, thus, i assume creates no suspicion on his end. To sum it up, a very easy process of four months. So guys, don't worry about it, it's not as bad as you may think.I'm just waiting for the oath taking ceremony which will happen sometime in april or may. For the meantime no more immigration paperwork. The next hurdle will be petitioning my parents in the next year or so. A tourist visa will do actuallly, since they are not going to stay here for good.

Hearts Day

I got a new Palm Treo 680 from Richard a week early. He thought i need it coz my old treo is about to die anytime soon and flowers at work (he never fails with the flower thing lol). Pretty sleek eventhough i don't need that kind of a pricey phone again but can't complain it's a gift and the thought matters most. I got him a cup, cheap of me right lol. Oh well, he likes it better when he picks his gift anyway. No fancy dinner date, just quiet time at home with the baby. On Richards birthday last week we spent the weekend window shopping for a new leather sofa(post xmas gift for both of us). Kinda late but very worth it. Not too bad since there's only 5 places to check, we end up with rooms to go because they are the only one that has an express delivery lol, we want it fast since Richard is leaving out of country anytime soon(sad me), i don't want to take a day off from work at time of the delivery.

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Daycare Fun

getting ready to go to see his teachers, but mommy i'm still very sleepy.

this picture is hanged on his crib at the daycare

Don't i look sharp in my first pair of shoes? Mommy loves it when i smile.

Well, "it wasn't that bad" was my first week impression towards Matthew's caregivers. I felt guilty on the first day thinking that he may not be taken good care of a hundred percent the way i wanted to. My heart sink as he watched me walked away. He didn't cry but something about his stare tells me to come back. I couldn't help it and eventually broke in tears as soon as i get into the car. I thought i'm a toughie, never would i imagine it is going to be this hard, i didn't mind leaving him alone with daddy coz i know he will be safe but to a complete stranger is a different story, mother's prejudice to daycare is what it is. I know i'm not alone to this paranoia, but can you blame me? After a few days everything came easy and relaxed as i have developed trust and security that he is going to be fine added to that i managed to make friends with the caregivers, they seem to be nice and knows their job well. Now it's so much fun getting so excited picking him up at the place that i have to rush to clock out from work so i can see him, i know it sounds silly but i bet every first time mothers out there feels the same way.

His daddy drop him off early morning and most of the time it is me who picks him up straight from work in the afternoon (since i work first shift now). This week's weather has been wonderful which means a day for an outdoor ride for the kids at the daycare. Richard took a picture of him when he stopped by to check. Babies strap on their kiddie mini van and looking so happy while pushed by their teacher. Their eyes got wide and wandering looking around the bright sunny day is how Richard described it. I thought it's cute and fun activity. It definitely made my day recieving the picture through my phone at work.

Matthew turned two months last friday(feb.2) and also the day when he got his first sets of immunization. He cried a bit but instantly came back to his happy mood as soon as the lady finished. He gained another 3lbs and two and a half taller. Weighs 13lbs and 23 and a half in height total. I guess it's average since his pedia didn't really tell us anything significant about the gain except that he is a healthy lovely boy. His development seems pretty normal. He can easily follow objects from left to right and up and down very well. Very sensitive to sounds(light sleeper unless his exhausted) like me, very skittish to loud noise. He can now lift his head during tummy time and loves to kick and jump when he's on his feet. Nothing makes him happy hearing the swing lullaby music as he watch the switching colorful lights on it. It's like the best toy ever lol. I love it when he talks back to me with a smile, priceless moments indeed.

Check my photoalbum for more photos.

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Getting big

at five weeks

Matthew is now 7 weeks and indeed growing like a weed lol. Boy this baby can eat. His still mix with formula and breastmilk, although my milk can't keep up i intend to do it till his 3 month old. Or at least till winter season is over. Little breastmilk can't go wrong you know, besides we won't ran out of formula quickly as long as i breastfeed him mostly when i'm home it sure saves us some, not much, but still. At 3 weeks he already gained 2lbs i bet on his next appointment if not double at least more. My poor arms can definitely tell. Most of his immunization shots are due this time also, i don't know what to expect. Little heel stick didn't bother me before let's see how tough i am when it comes to multiple bigger needles poking my baby's body.

I'm back to work btw, i could say it's a bit hard adjusting. Reasons are, number one i switch to morning shift which is a big deal because i really don't like waking up early and rushing(i'm not a morning person). Certainly, not with a baby that i have to feed in the middle of the night compare to working evening i can be up all night and make up for it during the day without worrying about getting late. Secondly, my system is not yet trained to do chores altogether not at least on my first day at work. It would have been a slow transition but since my supervisor put me on schedule right away instead of March i have no choice. If i only knew, i could have change our mother baby routines two weeks before to get myself ready. I'm like a walking zombie on my first day back lol. I'm sure this week will be better. I know it's just a matter of my body getting used to it and hopefully will become a routine that i don't have to curse heheh. You see, these are the few things you gave up when you enter motherhood. It's not about YOU anymore. Good thing i'm prepared for it otherwise i'll end up with postpartum blues or whatever you want to call it. Don't get me wrong i still miss working evening(esp. my coworkers) and even less cheerful doing the day shift but i have to deal with it and move on. A big deal for me but the advantages are i can be with my baby and husband at dinnertime and tuck him to bed which i cannot do if i work evening. Multitasking is surely not easy, it's hardwork but very rewarding since I have fun taking good care of Matty and missing him a lot when i'm away.

We're looking for babysitter for weeks now that can watch him at home while hubby is out of country next week or so. It is the best option i believe but it's almost impossible to get one around my area. Checked on daycare next block from my work but didn't like the environment. Hubby commented that i'm just so anal about cleanliness. Hey, you don't want to leave your child to a place that your not comfortable with, right? not for a less than a month child. I made some phone calls yesterday to several daycare within five miles 70 percent of them takes infant, we'll tour the place today after work, looking forward to find a decent one this time.

Short videos taken by Matthew's daddy.

http://www.venetel.net/bath010307.wmv

http://www.venetel.net/Matthew_DaywithDaddy.wmv

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Holidays!

peek a boo

We spent our holidays(xmas and new year) quietly. Attended mass(matthews first), had a delicious cornish hen for dinner at home shared with our cat buddy and matthew on our side just hanging out. Then watch some netlfix dvd's to wrap up the day. My present came early as hubby couldn't wait, such a child at heart sometimes. I wasn't gonna get one this year coz i wanted something for the house. A big purchase which he said will be consider as a xmas present as we won't be be getting it till end of last year. But he did got me something useful which is a new set of golf clubs. As he promised that when i broke 100 he would get me a new set. So gone are the beginner clubs. Can't wait to get back on track soon, but first i have to be physically fit again, 20 more pounds to shed and some muscles toned down and i'm ready.

As of yesterday, Matty turned 1 month old, wow how days goes by so fast? He had his doctors appointment last week(3weeks). His doing great healthwise. He is 2 pounds heavier and 2 inches longer. Newborn diapers doesn't fit him anymore, so his one size up now. Oh yah he can definitely eat lol. As all mothers know already, nightime feeding can be very challenging, i don't think one will ever realize such task until you experience it. On the other hand, it's wonderful, especially when your baby gives you smiles during feeding , you bet all sleepiness get tossed away.

Now i can relate to them(filipina mothers) about wanting to have yayas,(nannies) and the constant wish of having the baby back home in PI. Certainly, a round the clock extra help from relatives can do so much. Even your neighbor in the Philippines will watch your child when you ask lol. Oh wish on a star, since none of that can happen anytime soon. Here's more pictures and a video taken last xmas day. Enjoy.

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