Back To Basics

The Hubby saw these clay toys in Bulacan and bought a set for Amber.

The little girl was ecstatic upon seeing it and immediately played luto-lutuan putting the clay fruits inside each pot.

I predicted that the toys will not last another day in the hands of a playful toddler. But I was wrong, Amber was very careful in handling them. She has been treating them well so far.

So when we went to Baguio and saw these mini-clay vases, we also bought her one...

Ayan, may clay toys na sha. Something my playmates and I used to play with when we were kids. I’m glad they’re still around for my own kid to enjoy.

Instant Summer Get-Away

Since it was our wedding anniversary last Friday, I insisted on we decided to have a road trip to Tarlac the next day to have lunch at the famous Isdaan Restaurant. I wanted to go there ever since I saw Annie’s blog about the place. ^_^

The Hubby said we can stretch our trip to Our Lady of Manaoag Church. Mama half-seriously suggested that why not we go up all the way to Baguio at dawn and come back the same day and have dinner at Isdaan on our way back. 

Silence. 

She made the suggestion at 10 in the evening and everybody seemed to think that she is just playing us around. After a long pause, everybody rushed into packing their own bags. We left the house at 1AM.

Sabi nga nila, mas natutuloy yung mga biglaang lakad, walang plano-plano. We have proven that right many times! ^_^

We reached Baguio at 5AM. The original plan to spend just the entire day there became an overnight get-away. Mama said she will book a room if there is an available room at the first nearest hotel that we stop at. Surprisingly, there was an available room at the Hotel Veniz but we had to come back at 2PM to check-in.

So, ikot-ikot muna ng Baguio. We went to Mine’s View Park...

Had picture with St. Bernard...

...and Petra.

Then to Good Shepherd to buy lots of Ube Jam and take pictures.

Then to Pink Sisters where we went inside the convent to pray and afterwards, take pictures outside.

Then to Camp John Hay to kill more time enjoy the cool climate and take more pictures. ^_^

Amber watched the ‘ENTZ’ (or LENGGAM, however way you want to pronounce it).

Then we went to have our lunch at the Ayala Techno-something inside CJH. The flowers were all nice so we indulged ourselves with more pictures. ^_^

When we finally checked in at the hotel, we were all beat. We spent the entire afternoon sleeping.

The camera-whoring didn’t end there. The next day, we stopped at the very same spot where we often take pictures when we are about to enter Marcos Hi-way. The view was just amazing that even if we already have so many pictures taken at the very same mark, we still made that stop and clicked away!

Holy Week 2012

Every Maundy Thursday, we go to the Divine Mercy Shrine in Bulacan for the Station of the Cross. This is a tradition that we started 4 years ago.

The first time we went there, I had this very huge belly! I was 6 months pregnant then. The second time, we had an infant in tow. Good thing we went there very early. By the time that the sun is at its merciless, we were on our way home. ^_^

This year, I decided not to bring Amber with us. It was a good decision because we were stuck in a heavy traffic in NLEX and got there more than an hour late than the usual plan. It was already scorching hot by the time we started. Besides, the tot doesn’t want to be disturbed in her sleep. She makes this growling sound every time we try to wake her up early. L

I didn’t take photos of each station for this blog, thinking that we already have each station in our picture files from the years before. Sadly, I couldn’t find those files anymore. Good thing I had this momentary itch to catch some photos from that day.
   

This is the entrance to the Istasyon ng Krus sa Bukid

Divine Mercy's Stations of the Cross are depicted by life-sized statues. All 15 stations, including the Resurrection of Jesus Christ are carefully arranged around the church's spacious backyard, each about 10-15 steps apart.

After contemplating on Christ's sufferings and death, people line up to freshen themselves with the cold water that comes from this fountain. I have always liked these wooden benches! ^_^ 

I Got A Tattoo!

Okay dear, I won't object from you being a tattoo artist for now and maybe when you grow up if you still want to...

Amber said she drew a face.

...but please don’t make Mommy model for you anymore ha. Now lang pwede. 

A Yaya Story (Venting Out A Very Very Long Sigh)

Remember how hyped up I was when we finally found a yaya? It was short-lived. After a month and 11 days-off (imagine that!?), she went AWOL. All I got from her after another unscheduled day-off was a text message saying that she couldn’t come back anymore.

I’m so sorry if I still have to rant about this but I just need to. It’s totally fine with me if you skip this post, promise. ^_^ 

She even implied that my daughter, the primary reason why we took her in, is difficult to handle. WTF?!?! After a month? She expects everything to fall on her lap? My husband even noticed and commented several times that he didn’t see any efforts from her to come close to the child. Now she’s telling me that my daughter is difficult?!? Something I have never heard from anyone around us, not even the neighbors who Amber always house-raids. Okay, maybe they wouldn’t tell it to my face but come on, I'm reasonable enough to admit it if it’s the fact. 

In her text message, she said that she will just go back to get her things when she already has the money to pay me her advances. How convenient!

Ang akin lang naman, she could have spoken to me. Pinalusot ko na nga yung minsan na nagdadahilan sha para i-extend yung day-off nya. Although of course, I made her feel that I didn’t buy the crap she told me pero I let it go. Sana man lang nagpaalam ng maayos at hindi kami iniwan sa ere. Hay naku! Bakit, akala ba nya, kakandaduhan ko sha sa kwarto nya pag nagpaalam sha?

Kahit galit na galit ako, I just replied to her “ok”. End of it. I looked cool and calm afterwards pero sa totoo lang nawindang ako ng todo. Aba, san ako hahanap ng yaya in 2 days time? That happened in Easter Sunday. Kaloka no? Literal atang sumakit ang bangs ko!

Yesterday, only Mama looked after Amber. First time sila naiwan na sila lang. I kept on checking them and Mama never complained of anything. Setting her being the grandmother aside, she said she was able to give Amber a bath, changed her nappies without any resistance from the kid. She just played. She went to Mama when she needed her milk, when she wanted to eat. She even drank the vitamins I prepared for her before I left.

Is that difficult? O baka ayaw lang talaga sa kanya nung bata.

In a way, it’s better na rin. Kung hindi naman sha masaya sa ginagawa nya, mas ok na nga na umalis sha. It’s the way she left and her reasons that really irritated me.

And since I cannot leave all the baby-sitting to Mama (shempre, my life din naman sha), and all interested applicants are still very much employed and needs to give their notice pa, I bit the bullet and took a 15-year old but very experienced baby-sitter, who mothered her siblings since they were only 2 months old and she was 7, with me last night. She is Nanay’s neighbor. Summer kasi and she wants to earn some money before the school year begins.

Naku, dear DSWD, it’s just like a vacation for her. It’s not really child labor, I swear! She will just sit and play with Amber. Saka her mother gave consent naman. Y^_^Y

I told Ate Sandra that she can stay with us for a minimum of 1 month even if we have already the new yaya onboard so she can be assured of her 1 month allowance (which is like a full yaya pay).

To my heart’s gladness, she and Amber instantly became friends. Amber almost did not want to leave Sandra’s room last night. And Sandra looked as if she adored Amber already (yeah, there I go again, giving a judgment way too early).  

Well, I hope everything goes well... and the new yaya comes in before the summer ends. L