Family Bytes

The Power of the Mind

2011-08-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

How many times have you fabricated an alibi that you are sick just to avoid attending a party, or a meeting or even going to the office? Did you not experience in one or more occasions feeling sick afterwards? That's the power of the mind working against you.

There were times in my life when I was so afraid that my son would acquire viral infections or any other ailments just because the babies of my colleagues are sick. After giving so much thought on that, I will just find my son suffering the same condition. It may be just a coincidence but it's also possible that I have invited that negative energy to come to life. Realizing that, I resolved to dump all negative thoughts as quickly as possible. I am now more determined to think good thoughts. Thereby, I have opened myself to God's abundance.

Your mind is so powerful. That is why it is important that you choose the focus of your thoughts. You are naturally drawn to whatever you focus upon. Imagine yourself in a miserable state and in no time you will feel miserable. On the other hand, picture yourself as happy, successful and enjoying the beauty of life. Instantly, you will feel refreshed, hopeful and ready to face the challenges of life.

Since our mind is powerful, why not focus yourselves in creating positive thoughts rather than draining your energy into negatives. You may be bombarded now by problems and financial burdens, but thinking more about it will not do you any good. In fact, it may be even worse when your health suffers and succumb to anxiety. Headaches, hyperacidity and even nervous breakdowns are just some of the ailments that you may develop in putting so much stress into your lives.

Why not focus on the solutions instead. Acknowledge the problem but quickly shift your thoughts into the possible solutions. In case of marital conflict, for example, think of ways on how you can remedy the problem. Do you need to consult a marriage counselor, or just sit down and talk about it, or just set up a romantic date and rekindle the fire in your relationship? In case of financial concerns, you may start by letting go of the things that you can do without like dinner outs and fancy gadgets. Some issues may look deeper than what I have cited, but the point is that you have to use the power of your mind to your advantage.

Believe that you have the power to better your life. Think positive. Focus on your dreams. Have high hopes. Trust in God and make a fresh start.

You Are Extraordinary

2011-07-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

Are you aware that you are a unique individual? You have a rare characteristic that nobody in this planet has. You have distinctive fingerprints and you have a natural perfume distinctive enough for a bloodhound to trail you. You have innate characteristics that are different from the rest.

Our stomachs vary in size, shape and contour. Our nervous systems are distinct, the sizes of normal heart varies and our brains are extremely variable. According to Dr. Karl S. Lashley, "The brain is extremely variable in every character that has been subjected to measurement. Its diversities of structures within the species are of the same general character as are the differences between related species, or even between orders of animals." Your brain probably differs from your colleagues, neighbors and even your family members far more than your facial features vary from them. In effect, each of us has highly distinctive mind.

Knowing that we are all unique individuals will help us create and develop better relationships. How? By trying to understand that our level of happiness as well as sadness varies. Therefore, we cannot expect our friends, colleagues and even superiors in the office to react the same way that we do in a given situation. Even siblings coming from the same set of parents should not be expected to have the same levels of intellect, interests and emotional well-being.

Take the case of our family, my parents separated when I was seven. Naturally, it is heartbreaking for all of us. At that time where it is natural for people to judge the products of the 'broken family' we reacted differently to that distressing situation. We have different coping mechanisms to overcome that 'loss'. In my case, I learned to believe that I am extraordinary and that I can stand amidst all difficulties. That sad event in my life made me a stronger person and I would like to believe that it also helped me to be a better individual. Though I was made stronger by that event, (thank God) I should not expect people to behave the same way that I do for we are all extraordinary and, therefore, have different reactions and solutions to certain conditions.

Mutual knowledge about the differences can help greatly in relationships between husbands and wives. Some "petty things" that help people tear apart involve distinctive reactions: temperature, sense of time and even sleep patterns. There would not be too much expectations from the other and the feeling of "why can't you be like me or why can't you do exactly the same thing that I do to you" would be minimized or controlled if not totally eliminated. Understanding individual differences and our uniqueness will to a great extent create more harmonious relationship. It also gives us a basis for realizing our own individual worth. It unlocks the door to a real and appreciative understanding of ourselves and others, and of how people individually can make the most of the God-given potentials and equipment they have.

Remember, 'You are Extraordinary.' You are special and that you can make a difference in this life. March to the beat of your own drums and make your life exceptional.

Saturn’s Moons

2010-07-21T05:45:00.001-07:00

My wife and I were having a chatter one day when out of nowhere our Ryle blurted what seemed like “Latin” words to us.

We listened to him for a moment as we persuade him to repeat what he just said. And our faces contorted, stumped as we cannot make out a coherent understanding to what he is saying.

So we asked him what’s he talking about. And he said they are the moons of Saturn. “Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Rhea, Iapetus and Titan”, he repeated.

I let him repeat for the nth time while I opened mister dependable google and voila! I was laughing my heart out as I listen to him while browsing through the listings of Saturn’s moons!

Look Mommy, it’s my baby brother!

2010-06-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

It’s the day we found out our baby’s gender. We were 100% expecting to be a girl but the OB said she’s 1000 and 1 percent sure it’s a boy! Well, Ryle will have a playmate after all while mommy and daddy needs to re-think baby names again. Be it a boy or a girl, he’s a wonderful blessing which we are truly thankful. The more important thing is that he is a healthy baby.

School days

2010-06-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Our big boy on his way to school.

Ryle busy at work. He sometimes refer to his school as his office. Because that’s where mommy and daddy go every weekday so he must also has his own.

First Day of School

2010-06-15T18:13:00.001-07:00

Summer vacation is over. Today is Ryle’s first day in his new school, Child’s SPACE. It’s a progressive type preschool. He call it the solar system school because that was their theme way back when we had a seat-in class. I hope he won’t be disappointed if the school changed to a new theme this school year. He is coming in Kinder I.

He’s quite cranky this morning but we have to wake him up because his class starts at 8:00. I do hope he’ll enjoy the first day, with his new classmates and new teacher.

Worry Week!

2010-05-26T05:38:00.001-07:00

Another worry-week for us. Ryle had fever last week. It had us worried because the fever reached as high as 40 degrees C (104 degrees F). It was a week of restlessness and sleepless nights. We took turns giving him sponge bath every time the fever surges.

Scary Moment

The scariest moment was when he threw-up the Advil that I gave and I wasn’t sure if he ingested it or not. When his fever wasn’t subsiding, I followed it up with paracetamol as per his pediatrician’s advice. It came to a point where he muttered, “Please help me.” And it crushed our hearts because we can only do so much to help him. But thank God, he responded well to the medicines.

Please let it not be Dengue!

The next thing to worry about was the underlying cause of the fever. The doctor’s initial diagnosis is viral-caused. We were deeply worried that he contracted Dengue fever. Living in this part of the world where dengue is prevalent, we really need to be certain. There were reports that dengue cases have risen up even though it seldom rains. On his third-day the pediatrician recommended CBC platelet and urinalysis. Both were negative.

Fourth Day

On his fourth day, his fever subsided and was completely gone in the afternoon. Then we noticed that some rashes started to appear on his face. The pediatrician ruled out dengue because he didn’t appear sick and is playful. We decided to go to the hospital anyway just to be sure. He had another CBC test and again it was negative. The rashes continue to appear on his face, his back and tummy, but then faded two days later.

Thank God it was really viral.

Beach! Beach! Beach!

2010-05-16T02:26:00.001-07:00

Ryle has been clamoring to go to the beach all day. He says, “Remember we rode the mini van. Remember we rode the boat and then we swim like this,” (then flexing his arms and hands like a butterfly swimmer). “And then I build castle in the sand". Of course, he was talking about our summer getaway last year in Grande Island, Subic. We would persist that we can always go and swim in a swimming pool. But he answered back, “No! Not in the square swimming pool.” With his very young mind, everything is fresh. Now he has left the burden to us to find where the nearest and the cheapest beach getaway, because, financially, this is not in our schedule. (sigh)

Mother’s Day at Shakey’s!

2010-05-10T04:20:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother’s Day to my lovely wife, to our mommy and nanay who are always there every time we need motherly care. We had a simple celebration at Shakey’s (a pizza restaurant that has seized to exist in some parts of the world but still popular here) and availed of their Monster meal promo. The meal was deliciously superb and had plenty of leftovers after.

Blue streak!

2010-05-08T01:08:00.001-07:00

Scooter or bike, scooter or bike, he self-debated between which one to choose and eventually he settled for both. Of course, he can’t have both at the same time. These things come as a result of consequence. Because he did good in school, he got the bike first. It’s kind of a reward every time he does his best or as the fulfillment of an erstwhile promise. He loves riding his bike, racing with older boys at times. The scooter can wait.

Life is What You Make It

2010-05-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It’s a beautiful day today! Is that your mantra when you wake up in the morning? Do you smile and thank the Lord for giving you another wonderful day? Or do feel so sluggish and almost drag yourself to do your task? Do you almost curse this day for you picture a terrible day ahead—unmet deadlines, failing grades, lay-offs, zero sales?

What you have in mind right now is what is going to happen. Maybe not today or the next day, but surely it would happen when you conceive that thought and believe with all your heart that it will happen sooner or later. The universe will conspire to make it happen and your strong conviction will push you to act towards the realization of your thoughts whether it is negative or positive.

Your negative thoughts, your worries, your fears, your apprehensions would not be that bad if you just let it pass and combat them with positive thoughts and actions. However, if you invite them over dinner and feed all these to your being day in and day out, it would work like a magnet and would wreak havoc to you life. And in no time you would find yourself paralyzed—your growth is stunted and you will never rise above any challenges that you would encounter.

On the other hand, meeting a brand new day with a grateful heart, looking forward to a wonderful day ahead, and being open to God’s graces and blessings are surely the best ways to make your day. No amount of financial crisis, recessions, lay-offs, would dampen your spirit when you have decided to always look at the silver lining in the face of any adversities.

I’ve been on both sides of the coin at one point or another. I’ve experienced living in pessimism and I tell you, it seems like I had a taste of hell. Happiness then was ever elusive. My cynicism prevented me from enjoying life to the fullest and from seeing the beauty and the gift of life until that one providential day that I found balance. The beacon of light shone upon me and introduced me into the world of optimism. My life has never been better since then. I still have bouts of skepticism from time to time, though, for I am still a “work in progress”. But now that I have a taste of heaven, I’m pretty sure that I would never want to go back to the other side.

Based on my experience, I could say that the quality of our life depends on the quality of our thoughts and the product of our actions. Our life is what we make it—it is what our thoughts and actions make it. Our circumstances do not define happiness, rather, it is our attitude towards life and what it brings that draws the line between happiness and despair.

Life is what you make it. The choice is yours.

From Solar System to Triceratops

2010-04-21T17:59:00.001-07:00

Ryle’s interests switches again from solar system to dinosaurs. A week before, he was so engrossed with the planets. He played and replayed his solar system video every now and then. And then all of a sudden, triceratops gets in to the picture, then stegosaurus, T-rex, and the rest of his dinosaur toys. He requested one day to have another triceratops, a much bigger model than the one he already has. We wanted to fulfill his request but, couldn’t find a bigger model from the toy shops. Well we hope he’ll shift his interest to another subject so he’ll forget his long overdue triceratops.

Thoughts on Friendship

2010-04-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered where your friends are? Have you ever wondered what happened to your friendship? I used to have delusions about friendship. When I was younger, I thought all my friends back then could still be my friends until the day I die. I would say I was blessed with so many friends. I was able to build friendships from all the offices and organizations that I’ve been. Now that I’m in my 30’s, I can count my true friends in my fingers.

Would you judge me that I am not a friend keeper, or would you agree with me that as we grow older, we’re no longer concerned with the number of friends that we have, but with the quality of friendship that we build. It matters not who came first, but who stayed until the end.

Upon reflecting the friends that I have and once had and the friendships that we built through the years, I’ve realized quite a number of things. Let me list down ten of those realizations. I realized:

1. That betrayal of trust is the number one reason that breaks the friendship.
2. That sometimes friendship falls apart for no major reason at all. You just simply outgrow each other.
3. That distance is not a hindrance to a friendship if you really love and treasure each other.
4. That you can have more than one best friends.
5. That when you’re down in the dumps, a word, a smile, and a hand from your friend can bring you back to life.
6. That common values and interests between friends make the bond stronger.
7. That a true friend will always be happy and proud of your accomplishments and will always share with your joys as well as your sorrows.
8. That a true friend will never be tired of saying a prayer or two for you.
9. That even in friendship, it takes two to tango. Both must exert the effort to keep in touch and update with each other’s lives.
10. That when you made mistakes and make a fool of yourself, a friend will not walk out on you. A true friend will be with you and will support you while you’re in the process of picking up your broken pieces.

I have realized a lot more, but the best realization that I will forever be thankful for is that in this time and age that we seldom find true friends, God blessed me with genuine ones.

A few may have not stood the test of time, thanks for the friendship that we once shared anyway. No regrets, we had good times. Hope you’re all happy as much as I do.

And for my true and best friends, who continue to share the friendship with me through thick and thin and until all our hairs become silver gray (you know who you are. Labs, you’re one of them) thanks so much and I love you! You are indeed my angels here on earth.

Beating the summer heat

2010-04-13T05:53:00.001-07:00

To beat the summer heat, the gang went for a splash in Daza Plaza swimming pool at Camp Aguinaldo. Ryle was so loving it. The kiddie pool is chest-deep relative to his height but he was not terrified at all. There were a number of times when he slipped underneath which caused him to submerge and taking a gulp but that did not worry him instead he kept on having fun. We had fun. The swim was a relief from the scorching summer heat which reached a record 38 degrees at times.

Ryle stayed on the pool, playing with his cousin and the other kids for nearly three hours. He just doesn’t want to come out of the pool. Because he loves the water so much we are planning on enrolling him to a swimming program this summer.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

Ryle has been clamoring for an Easter egg hunt but we didn’t know a place where there’s one. So mommy said to make him Easter eggs and let him hunt in the house. So I made the eggs, painted them with different designs complete with a map which he can follow in order to find the eggs. He did find the eggs reading the map, following the arrows and the clues. Maybe next time we’ll try to find a place that provides such event. Happy Easter everyone!

Graduation Day!

2010-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ryle graduates from nursery.

We thought he was not yet ready for school but we put him in a big school anyway and not the usual playschool for tots. Problem is he was too playful and really wasn’t that attentive. Its either he was too bored or the teacher just doesn’t know how to approach the behavior. Anyways, he managed to grab the 6th spot from a class of 14 so he was included in the Ten Most Outstanding pupils of their class.

The school’s method of teaching was really traditional and very academic. They did focused too much on books and curriculum. Teachers doesn’t adapt to the student’s needs unlike the progressive approach in which the teacher adjusts to the student’s development. In a way, we were not satisfied. We think that he’s missing a lot from the traditional type.

Come next school year, we will be enrolling him to a progressive type school. We already sat him in on one of their classes and surely he was more attentive.

He did have fun from his first school. His teachers were very fond of him. He made friends. For sure he’ll miss his old teachers and classmates and pretty sure, they’ll miss him too.

Ryle's Recognition Day

2010-03-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

It’s Ryle’s recognition day today. I and my husband are so proud of our 4-year old son. Though Ryle is not fully aware yet of his accomplishments, we could see with the smile on his face his joy in receiving the accolades. When we first stepped up on the stage to receive a ribbon for being “Charitable”, he was whispering to me that he likes to receive a trophy. I told him then that he would later receive a trophy. He seemed satisfied with my answer that he waited patiently for his name to be called again to receive the trophy that he longs for. To his surprise, he went up on the stage four times more (accompanied alternately by either me or my husband) to receive a medallion for a minor award (PAPRISA Sportsfest), 2 medals for major awards (2nd Place-Music Festival and Outstanding Pupil Award) and his much-awaited trophy for being a Champion to the English quiz bee.

On our way home, he was so happy with his awards especially with his trophy that he didn’t want to hand it over to us. He kept on scrutinizing the trophy and was having fun reading his name in the trophy plate.

Seeing our son enjoying his little achievements is indeed a great moment to behold.

Croup Attack

2010-03-09T21:25:00.000-08:00

We were deeply scared about Ryle last Monday. At first we thought he is just having an ordinary cough and cold or his mild asthma again. But last Monday, his coughs started to sound differently. It's much like a squealing seal. When I talk to him, he doesn't want to answer, he just kept on crying and hugging. We immediately put him on nebulizer and rush him to his pediatrician who has open clinic that time, luckily. Upon hearing his cough, I know that the doctor is alarmed as well. She told us, it's good that we were able to check on him immediately because she diagnosed it as Acute Laryngotracheobronchitis otherwise known as croup. If it has gone worse she said, she will immediately admit him to a hospital. It is because his airways could be inflamed due to infection and he will have difficulty of breathing. We were just felt relieve when he responded well on antibiotics. We made a second visit yesterday to the doctor and she said that Ryle is much better now. Thank God.

Positive!

2010-01-23T04:47:00.000-08:00

We are very excited! We have planned for this and we’re half-expecting every time my wife has delays. And then one day, she felt something, kind of a woman’s instinct, and the test showed it all. We got it confirmed from her ultrasound. She’s now on her fourth week.

We’re expecting a fourth member of our family. My wife is crossing her fingers, hoping that it will be a girl. In fact she has been thinking of girl names and very excited about it. I hope too that it will be a girl but whichever God will bless us, I’m cool with it.

A busy day

2010-01-18T19:44:00.000-08:00

This period is a busy day for our little boy and us. It's their quarterly exam period and we're just busy preparing him for the quiz for the next three days. Some times our boy gets into the review quite easily, but most of the times he gets bored and play instead. Well, what do you expect from a playful nursery. It takes a lot of effort and patience to get him focused on the review.

Happy 5th Anniversary!

2009-12-17T23:19:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to us Labs, we're 5!

" Love is not as simple

as candlelight and roses. . . .

... love is day-to-day living,
taking time, making time to be there,

with open arms and a giving heart....
Love is the special life we share."

It’s not much but this is what I have come up with, a scrapbook style frame for us. The thing is we’re not alone here, Ryle is holding the camera taking our picture. It’s a great shot by the way :-) Love you!

A makeshift pool

2009-04-25T04:42:00.000-07:00

Summer in the Philippines is blazingly hot. Sometimes temperatures reach 40 degrees. Which is why many beaches and resorts are jam-packed with tourists. Even malls are filled to the brim, with people not shopping around but just to take advantage of their free air-conditioning system. Well, our little gang here, Ryle and his cousins, are not to be outdone. They are having fun with the small, makeshift pool we bought last year. They are so fun to watch. We'll worry about our water bill later.

Ryle and the Solar System

2009-04-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

Ryle's Tito Ninong Ronald and Tita Mai gave him a gift set of educational VCDs. Included in the videos were Math, Sounds, Colors and the Solar System. At first we thought that he will never be interested in such videos because of the manner they were presented. The videos were made way back circa 1990, so they lack the hi-tech graphics, animations and vivid colors and just came with simple narration. But then, Ryle was curiously stuck on the TV when we tried playing them. The video that caught his attention the most is the Solar System. He was very attentive to it. And instantly he was glued and played the video over and over.

That's when we decided to buy him science and astronomy books to boost his interest. And before long, he was able to enumerate the names of the planets from Mercury to the now demoted Pluto . He was able to distinguished the planets upon seeing them especially Jupiter and of course Saturn, his favorite because of the rings. He was able to identify sunspots, satellites, astronauts, space suits, rocket ship, orbits, constellation, craters, telescope and even Galileo. My wife pushed it further by letting him identify some of the prominent moons of Jupiter: Ganimede, Calisto, Io, Europa.

Because of that I was inspired to make him a Solar System Model made out of styrofoam balls which I painstakingly painted. He was so loving it naming the planets.

Lenten Procession

2009-04-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

We were just mere spectators in tonight's Lenten procession. The last time we joined, Ryle had an asthma attack after. Maybe because of the candle fumes, dust and exhaustion. Ryle had a fun time mingling with the kids who were holding clappers called Clotarus by some or Matraka by others, not sure though which one is the right term. This as I learned replaces the suppressed bells of the church during this period of mourning. Little boys usually rattle them loud to announce the procession. It was a simple procession but attended by many. We will attend one next year, by then Ryle will be in much tougher shape. His asthma attacks has been declining. (My apologies for the not so vivid images. Either because I was a lousy shooter or my digital camera is not hi-tech enough to capture images in dark sceneries.)

Ryle's fingers got pinned.. by me!

2009-04-01T02:03:00.000-07:00

Last night, Ryle had an accident. His ring and middle fingers got pinned by the door. The dumbest thing is that I was to blame.

He told me that he wanted to wee-wee. So I accompanied him to the bathroom and just let do his thing by the bathroom floor as always. Adjacent to the bathroom is another door going to our laundry area. I did not notice where his hands were and I wasn't looking at all when I slammed and closed the door.

That's when I heard his loudest scream he ever made as he cried in searing pain. My heart sank when I realized what I had just done. My wife quickly gathered him up, his nanny immediately took ice from the ref and I stood there continually cursing myself for being so stupid.

It was nearly an hour before his pain subsided and stopped crying. Thankfully, he was able to wiggle his fingers after, an indication that there was no fracture. It was an agony to think that I caused him such pain. And I cried with him while telling him daddy was very sorry.

That experience was one hell of a lesson in Child Rearing 101. Always make it a point to look where their hands are before closing anything be it a door, your closet or drawers.

Ryle's exam day

2009-03-23T21:23:00.000-07:00

Today is Ryle's exam day. My wife and I, are planning to get him his first taste of school this year. We first thought of bringing him to a montessori accredited school but the lack of it in our community hindered this plan. There was one actually which we checked but it did not meet our expectations so instead we'll try the traditional school first which is just a stone's throw away from our house.

Well, as expected he passed his test with flying colors. The first test was to observe him if he can go about with others without us being there. So the examiner sent us away for a moment while he stays and he did. He even said to the teacher, "I'll wait here!"

Next he impressed them with his thorough knowledge of various animals, shapes and colors. He expressed himself articulately and he wasn't intimidated at all. He'll be in nursery this coming June. Our baby boy is n ow a school boy. (sigh)

As Ryle sees it

2009-03-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was teaching our three-year-old toddler, Ryle animal body parts using plastic, miniature models of elephants, horses, hippos complete with rocks and trees.

I was asking him, "This tree cannot walk. Why?"

He stopped for awhile as if gropping for an answer.

So I continued, "Because it doesn't have...."

And he excitedly blurted, "Slippers!"

*******************************************************************************

Ryle, our three-year-old toddler is very fond of planets and the solar system. He is most familiar with the pictures of Jupiter, Saturn and Earth.

While watching a video about the solar system, our boy chanced upon a picture of a partially beaming earth in outer space.

In his enthusiastic voice, he blurted, "Earth, peak-a-boo!"

CCNP at Last!

2009-02-11T00:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a very exciting day for me. I was able to hurdle the last exam for Cisco Certified Network Professional. The exam took one hour which for me felt lasted forever maybe because I was too excited to finish the whole thing. For a while, this had me side tracked from blogging. :-)

I hope that this will open doors for better opportunities.

Ryle's computer capers

2009-02-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

Ryle's inquisitive nature recently turned to our computer. So I installed Jumpstart Pre-school program (a very nice program for little toots his age) for him to work on. And almost instantly he was able to grasp the concept. He did take some time controlling the mouse but was able to master it after a few sessions. The only thing that he has hard time on is drag and drop control.

He loves to tinker around and click on things so I brought him to the Disney Playhouse site so he can explore some more. His instant favorites are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, BunnyTown and Handy Manny. He also loved Go Baby. It was in Go Baby where I saw him distinguished and associated different objects for every given scenario. Like objects found in the farm, in the bathroom, in space or in the beach. He's also very fond with Handy Manny's Carnival games and Pipe Puzzle.

Now we are the one controlling his time in front of the computer.

Happy 4th Anniversary!

2008-12-17T00:02:00.000-08:00

Summer Fun at Punta Fuego

2008-06-10T01:12:00.000-07:00

From Drop Box

Wish we could come back and visit this place again. It's a haven for out-of-towners who want to cool off and relax during summer. The place is a paradise! Their infinity pool is great. They have lots of relaxing jacuzzis. And if you don't want the pool, you can always go and have a dip at the beach. Punta Fuego is located at Nasugbu, Batangas about 100 kms. south of Manila.

Happy Anniversary Labs!

2007-12-16T15:49:00.000-08:00

"Happy Anniversary Labs! It's our third and counting on forever. We have a lovely son. We are growing a wonderful family. We now have a lovely home though technically not our home but with God's grace we'll have our own. We now have a small business blessed with a tiny network of friends and acquaintances and keeps on growing with God's guidance. Well what can I say, from where we start I think we've accomplished a lot. I am proud of it and I am very proud of you. For me life has never been lovelier specially with you around. Thanks a lot for being there always for me and Ryle. We love you very much.

Thanks a lot for the wonderful gift that I've been dreaming since my childhood days. I was just surprised that you managed to get one of those. It's a very wonderful gift. Now, I am able to watch the vast sky night and be awed by the stars. Thanks for fullfiling my dream gift. I appreciate it so much. I love you very much.

My gifts for you come in three part. Okey, the third part which is the finale is of course you already know it. It's no longer a surprise. The first one is just a scroll down this letter. The second one will come in later. So happy anniversary labs, have a great day. Don't stress yourself today. It's our day! Love you mwah!"

She's My Life
by Rouel

She's my partner, she's my best friend
A shoulder to cry on, till the end.

She's my love, she's my heart
This vow will keep us and never part.

She's my conscience, she's my soul
For without her I'll not be whole.

She's my hue, she's my color
She paints my world like no other.

She's my music, she's my song
With her around I'm a perfect tune.

She's my poem, she's my rhyme
An immortal sonnet in undying time.

She's my star, she's my light
In dusk and gloom, she gives me sight.

She's my luck, she's my treasure
She's the gem I'll always adore.

She's my Adora, She's my wife,
She's my meaning for she's my life.

North Pole Christmas Train for sale

2007-12-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

Ryle is suddenly very fascinated with trains. So we excitedly bought him a train set. A North Pole Christmas Train set in fact, just in time for the holidays. It has a circular track, plays Christmas tunes, and real train sound effects. It could run forward or reverse. It would have been the best train for him to play. But then came Thomas. He was more excited and playful with Thomas the train. He loved the show so much we have to get copies of it. Thomas' tracks were more elaborate and more complex thus it was more appealing to him than the first one we bought. Ergo, the only thing to do is give him Thomas and sell the Christmas train on eBay. So if anybody is interested with a North Pole Christmas Train set, you can visit the eBay display here.

It is newly bought, still in a box and very timely for the season. And it is very good ornament too under the Christmas tree. I appologize that it's only offered here in the Philippines at a very low price. So if anybody out there is interested, take a peak of the train.

Counting blocks wanted

2007-12-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

I am frustrated! My 2 year old son, Ryle is starting to count, not learning but counting, and I have been scouring all toy stores, bookshops, malls after malls across Manila and haven't found a single classic wood counting block. All they can offer me were those made of plastics or rubber that squeaks. He loves to count while building objects on top of each other and these plastics or rubber blocks are too light for that. They easily tumble. I've tried online stores which sells $24 at least but the freight would cost me 5 times that. Where have all these wonderful classic toys gone?

Pictures Pictobrowsed

2007-11-23T00:20:00.000-08:00

Weekend Treat! Post birthday party!

2007-11-22T23:18:00.000-08:00

That was not the end of it. We'll be treating Ryle tomorrow for fun rides at Fun Ranch. We've heard that there's a kiddie train ride there and he loves trains so much that everytime he sees one in TV his eyes are glued and shouts TRAINNNN!!

After that, we hope to bring him back to Serendra where he would feast on the fountains. Fountains and trains, that will surely make his day.

Happy 2nd birthday Ryle!

2007-11-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

Ryle's birthday party was exemplary fun though simple. He had a good time playing with his cousins and friends. He got a musical train for a gift which we bought a couple of weeks earlier and boy he loved it. The kids played with it till the batteries died. He also got a friction powered toy truck.

My wife and I cooked all the party foods well except for the cake and ice cream. There's spaghetti with two variants of sauce, cocktail hotdogs with marshmallow, and yummy french toasts which my wife love to prepare. While the kids gobbled them up Ryle wants to sing his birthday song and blow his cake over and over.

Photos coming soon...

Preparing for Ryle's 2nd Birthday

2007-11-20T00:35:00.000-08:00

Ryle's 2nd birthday is just around the corner. I and my wife are pretty busy planning the event and we agreed that it will be just a simple celebration. So it won't be a very tedious party like the first one. It will be just a family gathering of some sorts. But of course Ryle won't enjoy his party at all without kids. So we'll bring in his cousins and some of his friends from the neighborhood.

Last year, I personally made his invitations for his first birthday. I designed two actually, but we choose the latter.

I also composed a poem specially for the invitation.

One Two, a bundle of fun
Our little boy is turning one.
Three Four, heroes and all
Wear your costumes party galore.
Five Six, girls and boys
Lots of laughter, games and toys.
Seven Eight, get a big bite
Food's aplenty for little tykes.
Nine Ten, let's all have fun
See you then, Ryle's birthday has come.

Ryle is grumpy today...

2007-10-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

Our Ryle is a bit grumpy for the past two days. He's been having on and off fever every night sometimes peaking at 39 degrees. Yesterday, we decided that we visit his doctor because we don't know what's causing his fever. The pediatrician, mapped out three possible reasons: one is "tigdas-hangin" the local term for roseola infantum, second is UTI and lastly he'll develop cough and colds. We were hoping to discount UTI as he already had one back when he was still three months old and it was a very gruelling experience for him and for us. The doctor expected another fever last night which should be his last afterwhich the rashes will appear. And should the fever persist the following day, she recommended CBC and platelet count as well as urine tests. Thankfully, he slept soundly last night without any fever. The thing is he has now cough and colds.

Our Baby's First Artworks

2007-10-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

I proudly present our baby's first artwork, well sort of, using our apartment's floor and wall as his canvass. As most Filipino households really don't have carpeted floors, they are of course not spared to our baby's growing-up explorations. Of course I don't encourage him messing the whole place up, I avoid forbidding him either as I may daunt his inquisitive artistry.

I made sure that the crayons he use are non-toxic and are easily washed after him playing around with it.

I took some photos of his doodles afterwards and thought just for fun why not add some photo effects using Ulead Photoimpact. And so I did. Here are some of the doodles he made and the results after I played around with the photo effects on them.

This...

to this..

This...

to this..

This...

to this..

To see some better jobs than what I have done here and made by really professional artists who seriously translated kids' artworks, click here.

A sad poem

2007-10-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

I find the following poem very sad especially for parents. This sad realization is very inevitable. That's why my wife and I enjoy every moment there is for our son because father time is very unforgiving.

You were six months old and full of fun,
With a blink of an eye, you suddenly were 1..

There were many things we were going to do,
But I turned my head and you turned two...

At two, you were very dependent on me,
But independence took over when you were three...

Your third birthday, another year I tried to ignore,
But when I lit the candles there weren't 3, but four...

Four was the year that you really thrived,
Why, look at you now, you're already five...

Now you are ready for books and rules,
This is the year that you go to school...

The big day came; you were anxious to go,
We walked to the bus, going oh so slow...

As you climbed aboard and waved goodbye,
I felt a lump in my throat and tears stung my eyes...

Time goes so fast, its hard to believe,
That yesterday you were home here with me...

And tomorrow when the bus brings you home &
you jump to the ground
You'll be wearing your cap and graduation gown...

So I'm holding on to these moments as hard as I can
Because the next time I look, I'll be seeing a grown man!

What's your baby's lullaby?

2007-09-17T05:41:00.000-07:00

When my son was still a baby. We used to sing him countless lullabies before him falling to sleep. His mom has her own set of lullabies and I have my own. I remember Twinkle, twinkle little star and You are my Sunshine were instantly his favorites. They're the songs we use to sing him when he was still in the womb. But if sometimes this don't work, his mother sings the Uyayi, a Philippine lullaby or sometimes she would turn to the bible and sing Psalms. Those often works and he gets to sleep soundly.

When it's my turn, I would exhaust all of the lullabies that I am familiar with and repeat them over and over before he goes to sleep. And most of the time, I get tired of singing them that I have to include other nursery rhyme songs, old mother goose and other bunch of kid songs that I know. There was a time when I have to really sing grown-up songs to make it more fun. I simply turned to the music of the Carpenters as their songs are my favorites. So, I hummed and sung, and instantly turned their melodic tunes into my baby's lullaby. From Top of the World to There's a Kind of Hush, and from Rainy Days and Mondays to Sing, those made my sleepless nights fun. And the thing is, now that my baby is a toddler, one of songs he loves singing is Sing. Everytime he hears the part La la la la la la.... he'd sing his part too.

Speaking of lullabies, I was curious of the song Rock-a-bye-baby which was one of the songs I became familiar with. The tune is undeniably a lullaby but its lyrics felt eerie. Who would in his right state of mind hangs a baby on top of a tree for the wind to rock and just let it fall when the bow breaks? I sincerely don't have the slightest idea of how the writer came out with such a song. So I consulted the ever dependable Mr. Google and came out Wikipedia's answer.

"...Originally titled "Hushabye Baby", this nursery rhyme was said to be the first poem written on American soil. Although there is no evidence when the song was written, it may date from the 1600s. It is rumoured that it was written by a young pilgrim who sailed to America on the Mayflower. He was said to have observed the way Native American women rocked their babies in birch bark cradles, which were suspended from the high branches of trees, allowing the wind to rock the baby to sleep. However, the branches holding the cradles steady had a danger of breaking, causing the cradle to fall and the baby in it to get hurt...."

We are Family!

2007-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Our first family studio photoshot where a gazillion of shots were made because of a very inquisitive, cunningly agile, and bouncy baby. After several tries, it came out cute and I made it into a collage using Ulead Photoimpact.

Welcome to our family blog!

2007-08-20T20:26:00.001-07:00

Hi all! Welcome to our family blog. This is where a proud dad, a wonderful mom and a brilliant baby convene on the web. We'll write here personal and family stuffs, our ideas, our rants and raves, and other creativities we could think of. So welcome everyone and hope you'll enjoy your visit.