Born With It!

Baby #2 was "born with it."  It wasn't Maybelline!  Gorgeous lashes galore, she puts Mr. Snuffleupagus' to shame!  She is getting so big and silly.  She is a definite cuddler and loves to shower momma with kisses.  Her beautiful dimply smile makes my day.

She and Toddler #1 are growing to love each other.  (What with the flying remotes and water bottles when Toddler #2 was first born, I wasn't really sure if the day they got along will finally come!)  Sometimes, I look at them and wonder if they're going to be BFFs.  Are they gonna be each other's Maid of Honor?  Are they gonna conspire against Mommy and Daddy?  Hmmm....

The Cure

     This is the fourth year that my husband and I participated in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women.  We started in 2005 when we were dating and missed in 2008 (had a 1-week young baby) and 2009 (was expecting our second baby in a week!).  Yesterday, with two toddlers in tow, we tackled the 5K.  I had forgotten how emotional of a walk it was.  Within minutes of getting there, I was fighting tears as I read the tribute signs on the walkers' shirts.  Cancer claimed two of my aunts -- stealing from my mom the opportunity to grow old with her sisters and from my cousins' kids the chance to meet their grandmas.  I hate the "C" word and if by taking a morning to walk among strangers with the same purpose we can find a cure, then we'll keep walking and walking and walking.

     Here are a few pics.

 

     In the photo that follows, the woman on the right is probably a lot younger than me and had little toddlers, too.  She was walking in memory of her mother.   

     This tribute hit so close to home because "Sandra" was born the same year as I.

     For some much needed comic relief...

     Aahhh...the finish line!

     On a much lighter note, my babies are blessed with two sets of grandparents who are healthy and well.  We enjoyed their company today -- Mother's Day!  So much of who I am is because of how my mother (Nanay) cared for and loved me.  So much of who my husband is is because of how strong his mother was (and is) for him.  I feel so blessed that I am a mother to two wonderful girls who tire me endlessly but love me just as much.  It is a privilege to be their "momma" and I can't put into words how much I treasure and adore them.

     I walked and will continue to walk for these two little ladies and a world with no cancer.

     I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day!

Day-Off!

The L.A. Zoo was a blast earlier this week!  Baby #1 is already 22 months young and has developed into a curious little lady!  She loves animals so the zoo was the perfect place to spend a perfect afternoon.  Did I mention we had perfect weather, too?  Baby #2 is now 10 months young and has started copying her big sister.  I wouldn't be surprised if she started walking independently in a few days.  She was so awesomely enthralled by the mommy and baby gorillas.

Here are a couple of pics (taken by daddy!) of our little trip.

Now, I'd like to think that I am a better photographer than the following pic would lead you to believe.  I just had to put this in here because this IS the essence of my babies.  Most of the times, they are just balls of blur to me.  They are so quick you think I give them a big mug of Joe for breakfast!

On the way home, we fortuitously stumbled upon a little train that goes around a portion of Griffith Park.  Baby #1 recently became obsessed with Thomas the Train Engine so we just had to stop and take a ride. Her face on the next picture says it all.

I can't wait for another day-off to spend with the loves of my life even when it's just to monkey around! 

Play Kitchen: Then and Now

     My kids hit the mother lode the other day.  Baby #1's ninong and ninang (godparents) delivered their Christmas present:  a Step 2 Fresh Market Kitchen.  It comes with faux stainless steel refrigerator, stove/oven and microwave plus a copper range hood to boot!  It also has an attached store with a cash register that actually works!  If it came with a dishwasher, I would've been in tears (of jealousy more than joy because there is still a gaping hole next to my sink).  But I digress....  Both babies are so excited!  I can tell because Baby #2 laughs like Sesame Street's Bert (eh eh eh eh eh) every time her waitress/big sister serves her fake food and Baby #1 spends every waking hour (she has pushed back her bedtime) behind the counter.  Even my husband and I love buying produce from the firstborn (oooh, have i got an upcoming post about THAT!).

     I'll show you the mother lode but, first, please indulge me as a reminisce about my own luto-lutoan (play kitchen).

     Yup, it's a clay pot with a clay lid on a clay stove which is really more of a clay fire pit.  By the way, this is a new set courtesy of my parents' visit home last August.  I don't think mine made it past the third grade.  Because it was clay, it chipped and broke.  My tatay's (dad's) handy-dandy epoksi (glue/epoxy) made it all better (oh, we didn't buy a new set).  Ah, the pleasures of growing up in a six-children household and being a kid when my parents were paying for college for all four older siblings at the same time!  Yet, I loved that luto-lutoan and so did my baby sister.

     And so without further ado, here is a pic of the kitchen with my lovely Vanna-esque Baby #1 who's busily adding up momma's total.  I'll be sure to share my own play kitchen with my babies so they can appreciate theirs more.  I know I sure do.

Fast

     They grow up so fast.  Baby #2 loves solid food.  Just wait until you can eat carne asada, sweetie pie!  I really won't be able to pry the spoon off of your fingers then.  :0)

Christmas

     Christmas is my favorite holiday.  Conjures up images of my childhood back in the Philippines where Christmas decorations go up and songs are played on the radio as early as September!  Now that my firstborn (a.k.a. Baby #1) is a toddler and my littler one (Baby #2)  is seven months, I get to experience Christmas again through them.

     Still in pajamas, they played with their toys early Christmas morning.  Let me rephrase that, Baby #2 played with her 2.5-foot dinosaur while scaredy-cat big sister cried in fright.  Baby #1 is also scared of the little rocking horse that her auntie gave her.  So, I guess Baby #2 is the lucky semi-recipient!  Toys are getting so high-tech nowadays.  The dinosaur moves and grunts (which, I imagine, may really be pretty scary for a 19-month old).  The little horsey moves and plays songs, too!  When I was my babies' age many, many moons ago, my presents were mostly handmade toys.  I remember my dad made me a car once using a plastic cologne bottle and some bottle caps for tires.  I thought it was so cool!  A few months ago, he made Baby #1 a couple of maracas using pencils and pill bottles.  They were cute and functional but, afterwards, he decided they weren't very baby-friendly.  I think he's saving them for when Baby #1 is older.  :0)

     Our Christmas was quiet and merry!  I hope yours was, too.