Rapunzel Tower Cake - Settled!

For some, it may seem too "OC" of me to order and settle full payment for the birthday cake, a few months in advance.. But then, if you're dealing with someone like the Bunny Baker, you have to get your reservation a few months ahead as they get too busy, being in demand and all...

I fell in love with the Bunny Baker's cake creations the very day I saw them on the net. And now I will admit, the first time I saw their Tangled Birthday Cake, that paved the way for me to decide on what theme I will be doing for Chingching's birthday party. Yup, the Bunny Boss played a big role in my party - decision making. (wink)

I knew right there that it would be fantastically beautiful... I wanted the same birthday cake, with a few minor additions to the design of course, but I will have the perfect birthday cake for my little one... I'm sure we will have a party fit for our little princess.

Oh, and before I forget, YUP! I settled the payment in full... A staggering P--------.. Oh well, I just didn't know cakes could cost a bit higher than the usual. But then, if you get something as beautiful as this one, I will rest my case...

Tangled Table & Number Tags

Thank God for my good friend Erra "Eya" Sanjorjo - Gomez, for designing our thank you cards, table & number cards for the party... She designs invites, cards, and alot more... Eya has always been very good with anything artsy, she being a graphic artist herself, and a painter as I recall... Even when we were in college, she was very adept in sketching and designing things, either manually or thru computer... And I'm glad she made time to make my baby's table cards, just like she did on our wedding day.. She is such a big help...

She incorporated a sense of Tangled theme on each card, and even on the menu table-cards. (",) I just had them printed and individually cut a while ago. We'll be handing them over to the caterer on the event day itself...

Aren't they just the cutest? Oh, and by the way, Eya made these for Ching at no expense... Another plus if you ask me...

10 Months & Counting..

A rich gooey Red Ribbon chocolate cake for my little girl's 10th month!!!!

that's Ching's foot trying to smudge the cake

We ordered a family-size pizza and some palabok on the side. Jates & Kuya Borge came over to see Chingching and we all had a great time bonding together...

Kuya tries to make Ching blow her cake..

Ching obviously had fun with her Ninong & Ninang. She was smiling the whole time, making funny noises & playing with Kuya...

.

Two more months and she'll be turning one! (Excitement is escalating!)

Tangled Invitations..

I feel as if fate led me to have this lucky find in the person of Sandy Go... Sandy is my sister-in-law's classmate in college but I didn't know of it until she asked me how I was related to Ate... We only communicated thru the internet.. Upon browsing her amazing invite-selections, I knew right then that she will be making my daughter's invitations... As soon as I decided on a 2Dimension invite, I settled the full payment thru bank deposit and a week after, I got this beautiful sample of Ching's Tangled Theme Invitation....

A few more details that I had to add and it's all set to be printed... I will then send her the make-hair I patiently weaved so they could complete the look before sending it back to me...

I started braiding DMC threads to make fake looking hairs for the invites and give-aways, but I had to re-do some of it since I prepared 6-inch long braid strands instead of 3. But no biggie, I know I can finish it on time. =)

Tangled Watercolors...

After Ching's monthly check up, I had Leih drop me off SM Makati to purchase some art supplies for our kiddie give-aways... And with Tangled theme in mind, I thought of giving away watercolors and a paint plate, since Rapunzel loved to draw and paint, among her other hobbies...


I also got lavender furry bags for the little girls where I'll be putting the watercolors in. For the boys, the items will be placed inside lavender lace-bags... Originally, I planned on ordering Rapunzel stools for all the kids, but then, I wanted something with a Tangled feel. Rapunzel was into pottery, darts, candle making & painting. I also had the option to buy the girls ribbons, combs and hair accessories but I didn't know what to give the boys so I opted the watercolor giveaway...

I might purchase a few more just to make sure every kid gets one. =)

Princess Belle's First Trick or Treat

Today, Ching experienced her very first Halloween Trick or Treat... The original plan was to bring her to Alabang Village together with my other mommy friends & their babies but we had to cancel the last minute since Daddy was due to leave for abroad in the afternoon.

We drove around town in the morning with Ching dressed in her Princess Belle costume and she got a few candies from my sis-in-law and my Ninang, Mama Juls...

After a heavy lunch at home, we drove Daddy to the airport and headed to Mall of Asia where she got a taste for Trick or Treat..


 She got only a few candies in her pumpkin basket so we got her two bags of Organic Strawberry lollipops from Healthy Options. Afterwards, we headed to Vikings for dinner which I had reserved weeks ago for three persons..

It was a good first for Ching, but next time, we would probably try trick or treating in a hotel somewhere in Alabang with our friends. =)

The Tangled Dress...

For Ching's birthday, I have yet to get her another dress which she can change into after she blows her birthday candle... But I have already purchased (online) a Tangled Infant Costume for her two months ago at Disney Store in New York, with the help of my N@Wie sister Suyen Lopez of House of Flair..

I was worried it won't fit her anymore when she reaches her birthday but I check it every now and then and it looks like it'll just fit her nicely come January 21st.

I just have no shoes for it yet, maybe I'll pair the gown with the silver shoes I got from Mothercare... It's like fate that Rapunzel's dress is of lavender color, my signature hue... The sleeves are puffed just like that of Rapunzel's in the movie, with a headband to match it with..

I better start looking for Ching's 2nd dress.. =) Care to suggest, anyone?

9 Months and Counting..

It's a little obvious that the Mom loves chocolate... Most of Ching's birthday cakes are chocolate flavored, and for her 9th month, we got her a decadent Tiramisu Meltdown Chocolate Cake from Red Ribbon... Just looking at it makes my mouth water... =)

Happy 9th month, Sweetiepie!!!!

Samba Cake For our Sugar's 8th Month!

We dropped by Dra. Caedo's clinic today for Chingching's monthly check up... And before going home, I decided to get Chingching a super delicious gooey Samba cake from Bizu for her 8th Month..

It was a very busy day indeed, but very worthwhile... The cake did cost me a lot but the taste is absolutely heaven... Now I'm thinking what to get her next month.. =)

Rambling of the Bored Wife...

I'm stuck here at home right now, not doing anything but listening to Dear John's soundtrack. I decided to take a leave from work since my tummy's giving me a little discomfort...

Leih went off to work and won't be back until midnight. I guess I would be counting hours again till he's back home... Everyday and every moment that we're not together, I miss him... and right now, I'm missing him even more...

I would often find myself wondering how I came to be this way. I was used to Leihson being away from me especially when we were still starting and it didn't bother me that much... A few years in Vegas is no joke, but it wasn't that difficult to bear...

I've read somewhere that once couples get married, most of the time, the romance starts fading away as you both start focusing yourselves on other things like family and finances... Though Leih and I are just starting our lives together, it is only recently that I realized that the amount of love and affection I have for this man has more than doubled since we decided to tie the knot...

I guess the more you spend your time with someone, the more attached you become to each other... and every waking moment with Leih is something I immensely enjoy. He being the wacky guy who always makes me smile, he being the very caring one, always making me feel how much important and loved I am....

Every day, I wait for him to come home no matter how late... Coz I know I won't be complete until he's finally home safe with me... And before we go to sleep, we would pray together, thanking God for another day that has passed... only after that could we finally say our goodnights and sleep while hugging each other...

God is sooo good He always finds a way to let you find the right one destined to spend your lifetime with... and I am just glad Leih is that "one" for me....

Ching is Now 7 Months!

Leih and I didn't go to work today since we had other things to take care of at home and at the site. But before we started our day, we headed to Red Ribbon to get Ching a delicious chocolate cake for her 7th month celebration and a big serving of Pansit Palabok and Chicken Lollipops on the side...

It has been 7 months since this little sugar came into our lives... thank God for our little one..

Tangled Stuff Arrives....

I got my box from the House of Flair this morning today... Just as I arrived home for my lunch break, Leih handed over to me this small box containing the things I ordered online, thru my w@w friend Suyen. I instantly felt excited as I rummaged through the box...It had the "Tangled" themed- party stuff I ordered a few months back. I have been constantly looking for party decorations & accessories with Rapunzel on it, but I had no luck so far. Seems they never bothered to make "Tangled" party stuffs, instead, they preferred Disney princesses which I personally think is already too common...

I got a few sets of plates, paper cups, party blowers, loot bags & balloons, for starters. There are probably a few more things in my list but then, I know I have to look after my spending and consider my budget before I decide to get a few more. =)

People might ask, of all the themes, why Tangled? Of course, I wanted something different. Something that I don't usually see in girl -birthday parties. So far, after settling with the party theme (Tangled), I started making an inventory on what else is in the agenda to make my little one's first birthday party truly an unforgettable one.

I have a few more months to prepare and at present, I have already made reservations for the place,the party host/magician, the caterer, the photographer, and of course, the balloon maker... I also have a cake maker in mind but the last time we talked, she asked me if I could call her up again a month before we hold the birthday party since it's too early to make a confirmation..

All in all, I think my project ( "Ching's 1st Tangled Bday Party") is in progress...

Ching Turns 6 Months!

Our Ching celebrates her 6th month today!!!

Of course, there's always a cake for every month... And for this month, we got her a sumptuous blueberry cheesecake from Bizu.. =)

Venue for Ching's Party: CHECK!!!

For months, Leih and I have been on constant look-out for a prospective place where to hold my baby's first birthday, and just today, after visiting a few venues in Cavite, my husband and I came to a decision... My friend and business partner Aanne made the reservation in our behalf, at the exclusive Ballroom of Antel Grand Village... Since they own a parcel of lot in the area, they are given a considerable discount, not so big though but still, a discount is a discount. =)

The Ballroom is fully air-conditioned, with swags and a well-lighted interior, perfect for a birthday party in January. The last time we went there was after we attended a good friend's child's christening party and the place looked marvelous with all the balloons and catering set up... A little pricey though but upon weighing the advantages, I thought it would be best to choose a venue spacey enough to accommodate a hundred guests. And of course, we wanted a cool & somewhat enclosed area to rid ourselves a lot of worries.

I was even hesitant to book it at first, thinking of how much it would cost us. But then, there aren't enough venues good enough to choose from, with costs being considered as well. Hence, we decided on Antel.

We already have a caterer who would take care of the food and set up, a balloon designer, a cake maker, and a party host which I called up months ago. A few more things and we're all set.

Now, on who brings out the budget, I'm leaving it all to the celebrant's dad. (^_^) Heaven help Him....

(photos courtesy of Ms. Bernadette Arbolante)

Girls Will Always Be Girls...

Lately, I grew a fondness to surfing the net for online shops specifically catering to Baby's clothes, etc. This is where I stumbled upon this online selling site of baby shoes which they order straight from the States ~ all directly outsourced from factories, explaining it's lower costs compared to those at the stores.


The moment I started viewing her products, I was smitten and I couldn't seem to stop choosing what I though would be nice on my baby's feet. It was an exciting hobby I fear I'm getting drawn to these days... As soon as I finished summing up all my orders, I hurriedly settled the payment thru the bank; hence, I then started counting the days when I'll be getting the new shoes...

Today, the shipment arrived at work. All of them... And just as I am staring at all these shoes sprawled on our table, I realized: I have an Imeldific baby in the making... Awesome.. =)

Leih's First Father's Day Celebration

Today is a special day for the first-time Dad... And since it's his first to celebrate Father's Day, I planned something special for the three of us...




We dropped by Makati Medical Center for Ching's monthly check up, then headed to L 'Entrecote at Burgos Circle for a special steak lunch afterwards... It was our first time to check the place and we liked the ambiance at Burgos Circle...



For lunch, we tried the resto's famed " US Choice Angus Steak topped with their secret herb butter sauce" after finishing a delicious serving of Mixed Greens with Walnuts... The steak was okay though I am not a fan of herb-tasting dishes, but what tickled my palate the most was the Meringue with Vanilla and Strawberry Ice Cream I had for dessert... Leih opted to have the Flaming Baked Alaska instead. =)

We had a cozy late lunch while Chingching was fast asleep on her stroller... It was a simple Father's Day celebration but a very memorable one.. =)

Ching's 5th...

Ching just turned 5 months today!

Yay!!!!

Mom Gets Vaccinated...

I saw my doctor this morning and had myself vaccinated for DPT. At last, I am now thru with all the immunizations.

Before I got married, I completed my HPV Anti-Cervical Cancer Vaccine, but unfortunately, I couldn't get the DPT immunization next coz we were planning to have a baby after 5 months, and from what I've read, there are certain vaccines that need an extra time allowance before the mom decides to conceive, or else, there would be unlikely side effects with the baby. I wouldn't risk that so I chose to get vaccinated after I had Ching.

My arm is still throbbing from the shot... As they say, no pain, no gain. =) I hope this will get better tomorrow....

New Mom Celebrates Mother's Day

First time for a new mom to celebrate Mother's Day.

Today, Mommy & I were treated to a fancy steak dinner at Fire Lake Grill in Tagaytay City by my husband, Leih. We left home at around 5pm, not knowing where Leih was taking us. I then learned that he made reservations a few weeks before today, together with 2 beautiful bouquets of flowers, one for me and one for Mommy...

'twas my first time at Fire Lake and I loved the food. We had fresh salad of assorted greens with raspberry vinaigrette, I had penne pasta with philly cheese steak, broccoli & cream cheese sauce. Mommy enjoyed her grilled Norweigan salmon fillet with butter-glazed vegetables, warm couscous salad & Dalandan butter sauce, while Leih enjoyed his pepper-rubbed rib-eye steak with duck liver butter & mashed potato. What I loved most was the dessert.... It was a heavenly serving of pineapple carpaccio with Malibu rum and pink peppercorn, candied citrus peel and coconut ice cream in a brandy snap basket. Leih, being such a choco addict, opted for the flourless chocolate cake with peanut butter-white chocolate filling and fresh fruit compote. Just writing down all these makes my stomach growl again. (LOL)

We brought the baby with us and as we enjoyed our dinner, she slept soundly in her carrier/stroller. After dinner, we headed to Starbucks for a quick coffee fix before going home... If we didn't have a baby with us, we would have stayed a bit longer, but we all needed a good night's sleep so we decided to head home early...

The cold climate in Tagaytay was definitely a breath of fresh air for us, I was even considering getting a hotel room for us if not only for our 2 dogs left at home... Maybe next time. =)

It had been a great first Mother's Day for me, definitely....

Birthday Venue Look-Out

I have been on constant look out for a prospective place where to hold my baby's first birthday since I first decided on her party's theme. Today, I learned about this beautiful place inside the Cavite area which is recently being rented for big events such as weddings and debuts. It has a big pool beside the well-landscaped garden and a castle-like hall complete with airconditioning.

The only downside is, it would be a little far from our place and I doubt if all our friends could drop by considering it's a 30-minute drive from Tanza. Oh well, it's just one choice we have on our list, the first, that is... We still have a few more months to decide on the place. I have another one in mind, an exclusive clubhouse in a posh village nearby which my good friend, Atty. Grace suggested. There is another village with a posh ballroom venue which my friend and business partner Anne, could readily sponsor for me...

Visiting the two clubhouses is next on my agenda. =) Updates will be made as soon as we decide on the place. =)

The Royal Wedding..

The original plan was to go to Tagaytay for an early steak dinner at Firelake, but since the Royal Wedding will be shown on Lifestyle Network, I decided to forego our long-planned out date and chose to just watch Prince William & Kate Middleton tie the knot before millions of people worldwide...

It was like a dream come true, a fantasy we only read in books. A beautiful royal wedding which happens very seldom, but I was lucky enough to watch as it unfolded. (Thank God for cable) As Chingching happily chewed on her chubby fingers while Leih carried her , Mommy & I enjoyed some fastfood take out as we watched detail by detail how the wedding went by. I couldn't help but reminisce our 2009 fairytale-themed wedding and how carefully I picked out every detail to make it have that "royal" feel. I was happy to see that Kate's gown was as conservative as that of mine, with long sleeves made of lace, a beautiful diamond tiara and a long train to match it with.

I may have to make another schedule for the postponed steak dinner date with Leih. But truly, the wedding was worth a missed meal. =)

Online Shopping ~ A Hobby..

I got a new batch of shoes coming for Chingching. I asked Leih's cousin, Evan, to get me 3 pairs of shoes from Macy's which I chanced upon online, together with the 3-in-1 Avent Breastpump I ordered. Lately, I've been experiencing some pain on my wrist ~ a possible sign that my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome was recurring, due to constant pressure brought about by my breastpump.

I will be getting the goods in May when they get back from the States. I can hardly wait. =)

Nikki's 4th Month....

Chingching is officially 4 months old today!!!! Thank You Jesus...

She was scheduled for another check up with the doctor. And since we're going to Manila, Leih and I decided to make this a "family day" for us three. If you'll notice, I made Leih wear blue just like me and Chingching.

My daughter had been very brave with the vaccine, she didn't even cry after the doctor administered the vial. I couldn't be any prouder... Looks to me like I have one toughie in my hands...

After seeing Dr. Pamela Caedo, we went to grab a quick brunch at Contis - Greenbelt 2 and proceeded to Mothercare at Greenbelt 5 to get her a few clothes & shoes. Then off we headed to Mall of Asia for a late Thai lunch. The food was okay, nothing exceptional though but good enough for a first timer like me. =)

Before going home, we got her a Coffee Crunch cake from Red Ribbon, for her 4th month. (",)

Ever since we had Ching, shopping has always been about her. We barely got ourselves a few pieces. Not that I'm complaining. I just couldn't seem to resist the beautiful dresses I see. Being a new mother, I feel excited to dress up my little doll and take pictures of her whenever I get the chance.

This has been a great day. My little one's health is absolutely impeccable. I have nothing else to complain about. =)

Happy Third Month, Ching!!!!

Chingching is officially 3 months old today!!!! Thank You Jesus...

She was scheduled for another check up & DPT vaccine with the doctor. We left the house at around 9 in the morning and arrived at Makati Med just in time before lunch. Good thing Dra. Caedo was still at the clinic when we got there.

I decided to wear something casual since it was too much humid outside. I chose a black hugging shirt and my old jeans and to my amazement, I realized I lost a lot of weight three months after I gave birth to my daughter. I was more than happy to snap a picture of myself through the mirror as I finished dressing up. Yay for Mom's weight loss!!!!

Chingching gained a kilo and a few cms in height. The best news every month we always hope to hear... Before we went home, we dropped by Mall of Asia to get Ching a box of chocolate slathered cinnamon rolls from CINNABON. We put a number 3 candle on it which we lighted at home.

Till our next check up, little one.. =)

A Gastronomic Thai Adventure...

Today, Leih & I decided to wander off and eat something different for a change.. I am not a fan of Thai cuisine but Leih insisted that I try it just this once so off we went to this Thai Restaurant in Mall of Asia (forgot the name) to recharge for a whole afternoon of walking and shopping...

For starters, we had a plate of appetizer of Fresh & Fried Vegetable Lumpia & Shrimp Cakes.. And I must say, I looooved the shrimp cakes. It was delicious and very fresh on the palate... I could order a handful at any time of the day..



We also ordered a serving of Pineapple Fried Rice with Curry. First time to taste it with curry... Not much on my fave list but it wasn't that bad, really...


I loved the Crispy Pork & Beef on a bed of crispy cucumber salad and veggies.. More like the filipino version of Lechon Kawali...


And last but not the least, Leih's Thai adventure wouldn't be complete without his Chicken & Beef Satay, though I have no idea what it tasted. =)


All in all, our gastronomic Thai adventure went well. Enough to make us come back next time.. =)