A Different Normal

Now that the big bash has ended, a different kind of normal has set in. Not only do I have a toddler who scurries and is almost at the brink of running after our Chinese Sharpei, Sparkle, I have fully committed myself to my online teaching and planning to get more students in the coming months (well, I'm still easing into the idea anyway).

I looked at myself in the mirror and finally noticed my naturally wavy hair which hasn't been treated (rebond) for the past four years (WOW!), I noticed my eyebrows screaming for another session of threading, I noticed my face yearning for its usual facial treatment, I noticed my teeth that are asking for another scary and potentially annoying session with our dentist...alas, I finally noticed myself! Well, looks like I need a major overhaul! Hahaha...I could have laughed at myself but then again, I was kinda right.

Look, before I got pregnant...I made it a point to really dress up and look at the part of a communications trainer back in the corporate world. I loved it. I love dressing up and working the corridors with my "clacking" heels, yes...they were painful but I felt good. Everything, and I mean everything, changed as soon as I found out I was pregnant. It took awhile for me to really keep all my heels but when L noticed that I was wearing them while sitting down (HAHAHA!), he himself stowed them away where I could not reach them. My corporate attire rested for about a year before I was able to fit in them again but I opted for a more relaxed kind of wardrobe since I was still in my post-pregnancy body.

I'm now embracing a different kind of normal. It's when I wake up in the morning not because I woke up by myself but because D is waking me up and I look at the clock and it's 5:30...yes, I have my personal alarm clock and he's as cute as a button. We have already a schedule all set up, I have classes in the afternoon but I still make it a point for him to socialize with his playgroup once a week. I also find time to pump milk at least three times a day for his personal stash...anything that is more than what I usually pump is donated. Also, I spend as much time on the floor playing with him. There's nothing more in the world that I want to do.

When it's time for class, I make it a point to still have at least 15% of my brain on D...although Yaya Wilma has complete eyes on him, I still sneak in a peek whenever I have the time. My Skype profile picture is him so naturally my students will always ask about how he is and all. I'm so blessed and thankful to have this online gig since it gives me the best of both worlds, I can still do what I love and be at home with D.

For the next few days, my personal assignment is to SLOWLY (emphasizing as it will take a long time) arrange my accessories in my dresser. I noticed my dresser and our closets (his-and-her) and they're not exactly up to my standards of OC-ness, hahaha! I know that it's going to take some time since I juggle a lot on my plate but I am quite happy that I am slowly easing into motherhood. Yes, you might find it strange that I've only just eased into it. It's not easy having a baby...but now that D is a toddler and is beginning to realize that he is a being on his own, I can actually have some time for myself and remember that I am a being too.

Although it can take me months to be able to book a salon appointment to have my hair done, or weeks before I can head to my facialist for my treatment...it's only because I am still adjusting to motherhood. It's never easy leaving D behind, even though I have already left a stash for him and made sure to have explained to him where I am going. It is me who is feeling the anxiety because there is a certain guilt of wanting to spend some time alone when my baby needs me...but now that he'd a toddler, I can fully understand why it took so long, it's because I needed to feel comfortable enough as a mother to be able to leave him and know that he can fend for himself. He knows when he's hungry and can give cues to his nanny, though I am at his beck and call...he knows that if I need to have time for myself, he doesn't get mad. It took me a long time to be able to get it...but now, I finally have.

I'm not so sure if I fully make sense in this post but I am smiling but I can slowly plan things for myself and L. I can call for a movie date and not worry too much. I can book a salon appointment and know that D will be fine. I can head on to my facialist and pamper myself. And I can come home knowing that D is waiting for me with the biggest smile and open arms...heck, a few tiny steps with it as well!

The evolution of normal will always have its stages. I'm glad to see myself in a different stage...in a different normal.

D's Bash: MustLoveBabies c/o Tonn Navales and Anj Quejada

We all know that our babies cannot remember every single detail of the party, hence...the importance of photos and videos. And if there's anything important to parents, it's that our babies have to be amicable and happy when their photos are being taken. It's a challenge making them smile but making them smile on cue is even harder!

I remember growing up watching home videos, how great if D would get the chance to watch home videos of himself as well? This time, though, I needed a professional to take shots of the party itself as I was already prancing around the bash like a maniac worrying about every single thing.

Tonn is the younger brother of a mom from our playgroup, Peas in the Pod. His passion and love for photos and videos can be seen through his YouTube channel. Also, having a niece like Malaika who loves the camera, you know that he's had extensive experience in shooting babies! He and Anj had more patience during D's shoot for his invite and I was more than happy with the outcome.

One of D's shots for his invite

Though D wasn't in the best of moods (notice the tear in his left eye), Tonn and Anj still managed to make him smile and take the best shots.

Here's a link to D's big bash video that Tonn has made for us. D's Big Bash

If you'd like to contact Tonn, here's is a link to his FB page.

Do-It-Yourself: The 3D Letters for the Candy Buffet

Spelling out my bubba's name has been a favorite of mine ever since I found out that I was pregnant and it was something that I wanted to do for his birthday as well. I've searched online on how to make 3D letters for the table and it seemed pretty easy.

My initial plan was to put the letters on the candy buffet but we decided to scratch that out given that the candies were already looking good on its own. But I had other plans for the letters after, it's perfect for the room as a wall decoration.

I would've wanted to cover it with washi tape but to be honest, I was too overwhelmed and confused with all the designs of the tapes online that L and I just settled on solid sticker paper on each letter and then go from there. Hahaha! If I had more time and patience on my hands, I might be able to muster the courage to look at the hundreds of designs of washis and then choose at least 20! LOL!

Anyway, I printed out the letters from MS Word and just made sure that it was one huge letter on each page. I believe the size was between 900-950, depending on the letter, and then printed it out. We used Gibson chipboard and then traced it on there, made two traces of each letter and then backed it up with an inch long chipboard to make it 3D. Covered it with the sticker paper and then voila...3D letters for the candy buffet!

It's perfect to be placed on the dessert table with the cake and cupcakes as well coz it makes a great statement and people would wanna take pictures of it too!

Do-It-Yourself: The GIANT 3D Letters

Blame it on Pinterest and Martha Stewart but I wanted D's bash to be as picturesque and as picture-perfect as possible...given the situation that we were DIYing the whole event, you can imagine my stress level during the last week of preparations!

I've always wanted those giant 3D letters that I see in Pinterest birthday bashes. First, it's such a nice statement piece and people can always have their pictures taken there. Also, I love the idea that D's name is spelled out in huge, ginormous letters! It was a week-long battle between L and I since he wasn't sure that he can do the letters in the way that I wanted it to look. He made small-scale samples of other ideas, of which I was okay with it (but I was still praying that he would do the giant 3D effect that I wanted). In the end, I was able to get the letters that I wanted...and more!

L's sister suggested that they make the letter A into a house from the movie itself so that it'd look cooler. I was all for it as long as they do it before the allotted deadline so that I wouldn't be too stressed about it. It took them a weekend (sleepless, at that) to finish all six letters and the house. I am proud as it looked fantastic and everyone raved about it as well.

The materials used were:
- Gibson chipboard (the ones that are used for cake boxes)
- white satin sticker paper
- scotch tape
- a whole lotta PATIENCE!

This is what I also loved about Las Terrazas, it had the perfect backdrop for the 3D letters.

D's Bash: Bonjee Entertainment Services

A children's birthday party will always have a host and a bit of magic...

One summer in high school, my sister J and I decided to enroll in magic classes run by James Infiesto. Little did we know that we would have to perform magic in front of a lot of people at the end of our two-week training! Waaah! But it did open our eyes to what magic is all about, it's just about having fun and making kids smile. Sure, you know the trick but the part that I loved the most is when the kids open their mouths in awe and clap their hands. There's just something about making kids laugh and smile that tugs at my heartstrings.

I've been at a lot of kids' parties throughout the years and I've always been a stickler for grammar especially for the host. I cringed my teeth the moment I hear a mistake and L simply holds my hand as I roll my eyes, I can't help it especially since I was an English teacher to Koreans and a communications trainer for 4 years in total! It just sounds so wrong!

Then we all have heard about David Blaine and Criss Angel, now these magicians are on the dark side and it simply confuses me as to why magicians dress up like them at a kid's party! Be happy, wear happy colors! What's wrong with a little rainbow? Hahaha!

When I contacted Jymmez Infiesto of Bonjee, I was so happy that she remembered me from a long time ago. Her dad and my brother are good friends and also happens to be family friends for quite some time. I booked her and her dad for D's bash. She was quite excited as I told her how hands-on I was going to be with the preparations and all...I was also very happy to hear that they have already hosted an Up-themed bash and she has the costume for it.

Ate Jymmez as a Wilderness Explorer in her element with the kids during D's bash

Her dad, James Infiesto, is a well-known magician around the city absolutely loves doing magic for kids. You can tell it's his passion and it's something that he was born to do. Being that he was our magic teacher, I couldn't wait to see him at his best during the bash and I was all eyes on him, as are everyone else. What makes his different from all the other magicians that I have seen in other kids' parties is that he doesn't make it so secret. He makes it happy, he makes it fun...he makes the kids eyes go big and their lips curl into a smile.

He also brought with him his 2-year-old Burmese Python, Snakee. I wasn't up for pics with Snakee but I was carrying D and got the chance to have a pic taken with Snakee but I couldn't dare touch the python. All the other guests were so excited to have pics taken with Snakee, it's something that the kids never thought they could do at that event so I was very happy at that.

Jymmez and I were able to customize the games for the party as the kids were going to earn badges so we made it a point that the games would be in line with the party theme. I was also glad that I really didn't think much about the program or the party itself (in terms of entertainment and even the music) as Jymmez and her team were on top of it. I am very glad and quite relieved that that was out of my hands.

There's nothing more that I could ask for the best in entertainment...this tandem of father and daughter beats any other entertainment service provider in the city.

For more information on their packages, you can check out their FB page at Bonjee Entertainment Services or contact them at 297-6776.

D's Bash: Tina's Candy Buffet

Everyone loves chocolate and candies...what more if it's a buffet!

Whether it's a wedding, a baptism or a birthday party, people will always have their sweet cravings and nothing beats it with a candy buffet.

Tina is a good friend of mine from high school and I was able to get in touch with her for D's baptism. I wasn't sure about a candy buffet on a baptism since I was expecting that kids would be the ones swarming around the table...boy, was I wrong! The adults loved it so much!

D's personalized Elmo candy buffet during his baptism (November 2012)

Most of the chocolate fountain packages would only include the dips but Tina's services go beyond that. She makes it a point to personalize it and go with the motif and theme of the party. With D's bash, she had personalized water bottles for everyone and also incorporated the names of the candies, dips and fountain to our theme of Up.

D's personalized water bottle for his birthday! Too cute!

She also added personalized lootbags so that the guests could bring home more treats. Our creative juices came out since we were too excited and wanted to put everything into the buffet! Our kids (about a year old apart) will be attending more parties soon so we needed to keep ideas fresh and unique as well.

You can contact her through her FB page at Tina's Candy Buffet or her mobile number at 0922-996-0092 or 0926-730-8531.

D's Bash: Porky's Lechon

A birthday is not a bash without lechon...especially when you're in the Philippines!

Naturally, we knew that we wanted to serve lechon during D's bash and there was only one name that popped in our minds, Porky's. It's a family-run business and also happens to be good friends with my Mum. The nice thing about Mila's is that when you ask for lechon to be served, they always call Porky's and they already put it in their choreography the cutting and serving of the lechon so that everyone can get a piece of their scrumptious roasted pig! Each lechon comes with dinuguan as well...

All their yummy lechon being roasted
(photo grabbed from their FB page)

Feast your eyes on these!

Prices range from P3500 and above depending on how many people will be served. They also do deliveries within Davao City.

They are located at #003 Singkil Street, Bayanihan Community, Matina. Contact the Del Mundos at 296-1289 or 297-3267.