KT's First Meal on her Hi-Chair

Kristine and I bought a hi-chair for Caitlin. Lately she could walk and the nanny had to hold her during the fomer's meals. Here are some recent pictures taken during lunch time. This is the first time she used the hi-chair and she didn't complain.

The hi-chair has a restraint, but is not convenient for Caitlin after having tried it. Besides, she simpy fits on the chair that she won't be able to get out; except topple down the chair itself.

She seems to be enjoying her lunch on the chair. She didn't complain, luckily. I really thought that she would give the nanny a hard time trying it out. But she didn't. Mana talaga sa itay.

Vocalization

In the last 2 weeks, Caitlin loves to exhibit her loud voice to whoever is around. Here's a footage:



Just imagine you are on her side when she does it. On the otherhand, I see a potential of a singer.

Tree Climbing Experience

Caitlin found a way to practice tree climbing skills, via my legs. Here's the footage.

Learning Session with Tita-Lola Norms

Last weekend, I brought the family to Sun Valley to visit Lola and the gang. We stayed there overnight.

One of the highlights is when Tita Norms taught Caitlin how to make sounds using her her hand. Here are a couple of videos taken.



This is the first time I saw Caitlin being taught. She picks up easily (Tito Pits arrived on the same day, he taught Caitling the Paquiao moves but I wasn't able to catch in the video).

KT's First Birthday Party - 09202008

Last September 8, we celebrated Caitlin's first birthday at home. We couldn't celebrate it with our extended family since Kristine was catching up with her in-service exam and I was also preparing for my boss's arrival the week after Caitlin's actual birthday party. This is aside from the fact that we couldn't make up our minds where to hold the birthday party. (I cancelled our reservation on the pool side in our place in the last minute, even without any alternative place in mind).

The first place that we checked was Bagoong Club, just around the corner of T. Morato branch of Starbucks. I liked the place since it reminded me of the houses in Sorsogon when I was still a kid. I would say the house was constructed around the 60s to early 70s, at least, the design was reflective of such period. It was homey as well. But after checking it, the place was a bit pricey for what we wanted (we planned for afternoon snacks, not dinner), worse, it wouldn't open earlier than 6pm. After the Bagoong Club, we still looked around and found Gerry's near the ABS-CBN area; the price and place are okay, but we still wanted to look for alternative place in Greenhills. We put Gerry's as the last alternative if we really can't find one.

Kristine wanted us to check Cravings; but got lost, instead, she saw Bellisimo (just around the corner, near RCBC branch). She immediately remembered a news article about the place and realized it's owned by Cesar Montano. Personally, I had no interest of having the place for a KT's birthday party. But I was hungry and decided maybe it's a good place to have afternoon snacks.

To make the story short, we liked Cesar's place due to the interior (reminds me of the restos I visited in Europe) and the food specifically. (I am writing another article for the review of the resto).

The birthday party was composed of family members, I obliged Tin to invite her friends from UDMC since 90% of the guests are related to me. Tin's family showed up through her sister in-law who came with her mom; Tin's niece was also with us. I invited Bing and Lalaw on the last minute since I thought Lea invited them. Sadly, Manay Titin and family couldn't join since Kuya Ariel was held up on a lunch meeting with his boss.

The Sun Valley group came in around 1.30pm, while we came in around 3pm. Guests started pouring in around 4pm. But the main event started around 3.45pm. There was no kiddie party, instead it was just a family gathering with few of Kristine's friends.

The place that we rented was enough for the number guests we were expecting. And enough space for some to go around and chat from one table to another.

Additional pictures can be seen here.

3 Generations of Laurio Girls

Taken during Nanay's visit last May '08.

Taken Nanay's visit on Sep '08.

Family Picture

Visit to Bulacan Novitiate

My uncle-priest started reporting in their Novitiate in Bulacan. One time, I decided to bring KT with me in attending a morning mass on the said place.

We arrived late and my uncle was the officiating priest. I let the nanny find her own seat since the chapel was already full; I found one available chair beside an African novice. I never thought that KT might be afraid of the novice because of his skin color, let alone the fact that KT rarely gets to see other people than the close members of the family (we only brought her once to SM Megamall to buy something, otherwise, she stays at home). When she saw the African (later turned to be from Uganda), she stared at him probably trying to figure out why he has a different color than us. The African noticed her and extended his hand; KT withdrew and looked the other way. To make this section short, before the mass ended KT was already trying to get hold of the cross pendant of the African novice.

During the communion, she was really happy to see people walking around. She was waving her hands and tried clapping; she wasn't satisfied and started to shout (luckily the priest didn't hear her) and calling the other people's attention. That's the time I decided to let her stay outside the chapel. I would say that was a considerable improvement - twice that I had to bring her out of the church every time the choir sang and she would 'sang' with them.

While waiting for my uncle, I sat on the bench nearby several elders. One elder noticed her and played hide-seek with KT. The kid was smiling ear to ear! I know when she really likes to play because she would shout and show all her teeth to everyone! And this is one of those situations. They played for 10 minutes and another elder would say, "bibo 'tong batang 'to".

The place has a large area to play with. I saw the lawn and brought KT to try it out (it was wet) - the mud was all over her feet. But she didn't complain and wanted to stay in the lawn longer.

When the time came to meet my uncle, we were brought inside the dining room. There we met the African and another Thai novice. She still didn't want to be with the African novice but I gave her anyway. She neither cried nor complain - she just went along. I had to get padi's laptop from the car so I decided to leave her with the novices. By the time I went back, she was being taken around the kitchen and being introduced to the members of the religious group. I had to leave them though because I had to fix my uncle's internet connection.

After a couple of hours when I got back, she was with her nanny looking around the area. She was calm and the nanny told me that she behaved all the time and the novices liked her - she smiles a lot.

We left afterwards. But I promised to her to bring her back again and maybe let her play with the kids who live nearby.

How I wish my wife was there to see her kid being liked easily by strangers.

Playing with Balloons

I took Caitlin to Robertson's to buy some supplies. She immediately saw these balloons on the pictures. I took 2 for her. When we got home, she was very excited and wouldn't let go of the balloons. In the afternoon, she went out with her nanny and played with Bolt. For no apparent reason, the balloons were left on top of the coffee table and Bolt took it. It didn't last a minute and the balloons were gone.

When I went out to check (she was yelling, "boot, bakukung, boot, bakukung"), she was complaining to me that the dog took her balloons. She actually did well on explaining the situation to me via hand signs than through her verbal skills. I am also learning to understand her vocabularies.

Make way for the Princess

Walking with Mom and Tita Lea

My wife has very few pictures with our kid or with me (althrough out relationship before getting married, we didn't have a picture together).

Lately, I decided to take some and upload it in our family blog. Here's a couple of my favorites - KT walking with her Mom and Tita Lea.

KT's Way of Eating Orea

Our little princess likes to eat almost anything. She loves crackers; one time while in UP campus, I decided to let her try Oreo cookies. From there on, I would buy her Oreo cookies.

The nanny doesn't like her eating Oreo because it messes up her clothes and the crumbs are all over the place. Mahirap nga naman ang maglaba at mag-punas ng sahig. I still let KT have Oreo cookies once in a while.

Here's her way of having an Oreo cookie. Not a good one, but a good start. When she starts taking Nido (which I grew up with) or any adult milk, I would teach her how to eat Oreo the proper way.

My Mom and Me

Our Little Princess at 10 months

Magic Sing Get Together

Interesting Sleeping Position

One of the favorite sleeping positions that I like about my princess. These pictures were taken when she was still 8-month old. But now (10 months), I am having a hard time breathing - just imagine a small 10-kilo sack of rice on top of your breast; worseif she kicks inward!

As early as now, I want her exposed to different culture. The Keffyieh (red/white clothe on top of her) is just a start.

Tux the Penguin and KT

It's my vocation that my kid would be exposed to technology, specifically computing, regardless if she's going to be a doctor, engineer or a teacher. Technology is an excellent tool to further one's career or objectives.
I am hoping to see that KT would be exposed more on open source solutions, aka Linux and related apps. It would be a good force multiplier when she grows up. Thus, I am starting with her getting to know Linux's favorite mascot - Tux the Penguin. Eventually, I will start exposing her on the apps itself, especially games (Ubuntu is quite neat on this one - auto-download).

KT's First Time to Shop

My first gift to KT

June 2006

One time when Tito Arnel and myself were on our way to back to Manila from Baguio City, we stopped by the wood carving shops near the Benguet-La Union border. These are the shops on the left side of the road when going to the mountain city via Marcos Highway.

While checking for presents for our European colleagues (3 of my former subordinates are leaving for Malta then), I saw this small chair carved in a form of a hand. There are versions for adults and for kids; if I remember it right, there are 3 sizes. That gave me an idea to buy one for any of my future kid; I was to get married that year.

So I bought the smallest chair for my future daughter (I didn't a slightest idea that the kid would be a "she"). This reminded me of my late grandfather who gave me a small bamboo chair when I was around 3 or 4 years old. It lasted until college; but I didn't realize how important it was for me when my aunt started looking for old stuff from my lolo.

After barely 1.5 years since then, I have a kid of my own. And now she's starting to use it. She loves to slide from the chair to the floor.

So here I was, trying to do the same with my kid. And when I see this chair, it reminds me of my great time with my late lolo Uning.

Attack of the Mosquitoes

Last night, I had my daughter sleep beside me. I thought that with windows closed, mosquitoes couldn't go hunting. I was horribly wrong - one window wasn't closed at all, and I thought it was.

From time to time, I would get up and swing the mosquito racket against the air just to check if I would catch a mosquito or not (I did, more than 20 of them). At first, I caught 5 and I thought that was a reasonable number that stayed in the room after I closed the window. Then I noticed a couple of boggies (airforce parlance for enemy planes) passed above my face while reading WSJ. So I put down the papers and search for the boggies; I found them and caught them.

So I went back reading the papers. And I saw another couple of mosquitoes... not two, three of them... And this went one for the next couple of hours. Around 12am, that's the only time I realized that we are under attack and the perimeter was breached (actually left open).

So I simply closed the window and sanitized the area. One or two survived because before we went to sleep, KT's face had around 5 hits from the mosquitoes. When we woke up, her right eyelid is swollen and her forehead is all red.

Next time - double-check and triple-check!!! Or simply let her sleep in the crib with mosquite net installed....

My wife will surely kill me for this when she sees our baby...

Epilogue: In the morning, my mom told me that parents normally learn the hardware. And she reminded me that we have a mosquito net with us that she was hoping I installed it last night. Now I remember!

My Wife is in the Internet!!! OMG!!!!

Quality Time with my Kid

I guess there comes a point in your life as a married person to show your kid around or catch up with her growing years. And lately I was pretty busy (an understatement) in the office that when I leave or come hom, she's always asleep. My wife already noticed this sooner than I did. And there was an incident last week wherein KT woke up seeing me but didn't recognize me. She actually cried when I took her from the nanny. Hard it may be, it's the reality.

After realizing this, I have to make a decision. I know work will always be around the corner and will not end. I also need to work effectively so that I can support my family. And I realized how much creativity and will is needed in this part of the married life.

So I would take the whole family for a walk in UP Diliman campus on Sundays; it was KT's first time to attend a mass and it was Easter that day. This is, at least, every weekend.

Last weekend, we were in UP Diliman; but for a change, I took them to the housing area of the faculty members. The place reminds me our province 20 years back with 1960s house design (I always remember my cousins' house in Balogo and Talisay where I had fun growing up).

My wife and I want her to understand what it's like to grow up in the province. We want her exposed that having trees around is good for everyone (until it falls on top of your house). Also, being exposed on different structures would expand her horizon and will not be confined to the thought that old structures are things of the past.

Personally, I like her to appreciate old structures and the history of the place, thereby preserving the right values and having a sense of history. And UP Diliman campus is quite historic. Lest I forget, I want her to be part of that school when she goes to college (to some extent that Tin and I discussed the possibility of KT joining a sorority and its consequences).

The challenge is that I miss my daughter a lot; also my wife is always out as well, the only difference is that my schedule is variable, hers is fixed. So the once-a-week walk is not enough for me. This time, I decided to have nakaw-na-mga-sandali event - I take her out before I go to the office, around 530am (one time, I took her out at 5am).

Today, I took her out around 530am. I was excited for her to use the new stroller (the blue one that my friend gave me is now too small for her). She's too small for the new stroller, thus, the nanny put 2 pillows on her sides to ensure that she doesn't bang her head when I start pushing the stroller.

She fits well on the new stroller with the pillows on her sides. She was also holding tight on the tray. When I tried removing the tray so that I could see her reaction without anything blocking her, she wouldn't let it go at first. And this time, she was smiling most of the time.

And this experience is priceless!!

Note: KT would always fall asleep after a walk.