Bela's 7th

I still have to make a post for my supplier ratings for all my supplier for Bela’s 7th birthday party but I am up to the neck now with work so it might take a while before I got it done.

But all in all, I am happy with how the party has turn out. It is not perfect, there are some glitches here and there like we have to find fitted tablecloths last minute, hubby has to finish the gallery up to the last few seconds before the party starts, the table numbering was not followed when they set up the tables, the claiming of prizes was a bit of a chaos too, but all of that is nothing as we saw how happy the birthday celebrant is.

It was stressful preparing for a big party like this, but if you will ask me, I would do it all over again if I have too as my prize for doing this are the kisses, hugs and the numerous thank you that I got from my dear princess because of how happy she was with her party.

Shitzu for Bela

My husband and I have been checking out beer making supplies at HomeBrewIt.com as we want to get one so that we have something to use for gatherings at home, but looks like we will not be able to buy it for Christmas as we need additional budget to buy Bela’s wish for Christmas, which is a shitzu.

She has been really bugging us to get her a pet since 2 or 3 years ago but we feel that she is still not ready to take care of her own pet. So every time she asks for it during Christmas or on her birthday, we try to convince her to request for any other thing, except a pet.

But since she turned 7 last November and we know that she has been patiently waiting long enough, we wanted to grant her wish this Christmas. And my dad agreed that he would help Bela take care of her pet too.

My friend Kathy is looking for a seller of shitzu puppies from their contacts. Hopefully they will be able to find one within our budget, before Christmas.

Bela's Letter to Santa

Our kids believe in Santa. Well, we told them that Santa has been watching on them the whole year and will tell if they have been naught or nice which will determine if they deserve a gift from Santa or not on Christmas day.

Bela is now 7 years old and she still believes in Santa. Every year I will ask them to write a letter to Santa and hubby and I will buy that wish of theirs and will secretly put it in their Christmas stockings so that is the first thing that they will see when they open their eyes on Christmas day. It is just priceless to see the reaction in their eyes when they see their gift.

And for this year, this is Bela’s wish to Santa:

A Hex bug toy. Although I visited two malls already and I can’t find any in stock. Hopefully we can buy one so that we can grant Bela’s wish from Santa.

DVDs of Pictures: Bela's 7th Bday by Jojo Francisco

We have received the DVDs from one of our photographers, Jojo Francisco, containing all the pictures that he took during Bela’s party. This reminds me that I have to check for cds duplication as I need to make copies of these DVDs to give to the doting grandparents and aunts and uncles and even to some of my friends who want to have a high resolution copy of their kids during the party, especially the fashion show part and the mini concert.

Hopefully I can sort the pictures during the holiday break so I can update my Facebook and Flickr account. I am so behind with our online album as I haven’t uploaded pictures of: 

* Jacobo’s 1st and 2nd birthday

* Bela’s 6th and 7th birthday

Bela's SDE

Sharing the Same-Day-Edit video of Bela’s 7th Birthday party by KSnaps productions:

BELA turns 7 (SDE) from K snaps on Vimeo.

We have attended a party of my daughter’s friend where KSnaps Productions introduced their Same-Day-Edit video. Bela really enjoyed watching the video, especially when she saw herself in the video. That is why she really requested to have the same video on her party.

She calls it “Behind-the-scenes” video and she said that she wanted to play it before everybody leaves, so that her classmates and friends will also see themselves in the video.

Hubby was really impressed with the editing skills of KSnaps Productions, considering they only have a limited time in editing it as they shoot the video and edit it on the same day so the video can be played at the end of the party. They were able to capture all the highlights of the party, including heart-warming moments like the daddy and daughter scene of Bela and Howell.

This is really a must have for your party, especially if you have an extra budget to spare. You can contact my friend Kathy of KSnaps Productions for inquiries: 0915-8793831.

Post Birthday

I am filled with so much happiness now after seeing some photos and videos shared by my friends over at Facebook as I saw how much our guests had fun and most especially how much Bela enjoyed her special day.

Pictures snagged from Annie Guzman's Facebook Account (More pictures coming soon from our Official Photographer)

After the party, I received a number of text messages, Instagram and Facebook tags thanking us for inviting them and how much they enjoyed the party. This really made me really happy as this means that almost a year of preparation was all worth it.

Now I can relax as my next big birthday party is not until 5 years for Cobi’s 7th birthday party. LOL. This also means that I might have extra money again to shop for myself like buy purses, wholesale yoga supplies, makeup and more. LOL.

To all our friends and family, we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking time to be with us to celebrate Bela’s birthday. You are the reason why the party turned out to be really special.We will forver remember this day. Mwah, mwah!!

Melts my Heart

One of Bela’s request for her birthday was a same-day-edit video which she calls behind the scenes video. She saw this when we attended the party of the daughter of my friend Joy. She said that she wants to show the behind-the-scenes of her party before her guest leaves.

I am lucky because I have a friend who was able to make this happen, thanks to Kathy of KSnaps productions. The SDE video was so heart warming that this is what Bela told us right after watching it:

Bela: Mom, I will never forget this day.

And so all the stress and time that we put in preparing for her birthday was all worth it as it made Bela really, really happy.

Bela's 7th

My dear daughter just turned seven last Friday, November 16. I can’t believe that my first born is all grown up already. I am feeling really sentimental that these past few weeks, I always kiss her, cuddle with her and always make her promise that she will be my baby forever. This is the post that I did on her birthday in Facebook and Instagram:

My husband and I took a leave from work on her birthday. We wanted to bring her to Ace Water Spa where she can enjoy the different indoor pools with rheem heat pump but since it is a weekday, she can’t be absent from school. And besides she wanted to celebrate her birthday in school too with her classmates.

So we just fetched her after school and her only request for her birthday was to take her to her favorite indoor play area in SM Harrison:

So we let her play with her brother there until both of them was too tired from too much running and bouncing. LOL.

When they are finally done, we went to Lucky Chinatown and got some take out food from King Chef and a cake from Mary Grace for her simple birthday celebration at home:

Happy, happy birthday our dear princess Bela. Always remember that we love you very, very much!

Flipbooks

As the party of Bela draws near, I got this email from our Flipbooks supplier:

This will be the layout for the Flipbook cover. They asked me to submit photos of Bela that they can use for the cover. We had a photo shoot months ago with Bela’s dad and this is one of the photos from that shoot.

Hubby was the one who selected the photo and I just sent it to the artist of Flipbooks and this is the layout that they came out with. Nice.

I always love Flipbooks after seeing it in one of the parties that we attended. That is why I booked them right away when I learned that they are having a promo (thanks to my friend Peachy who alerted me with the deal from Deal Grocer).

I am sure our guests will love this.

For Her Birthday

Our daughter will be turning 7 years old in just 13 days and of course we want to give her something special for her special day. And while kids of her age would request for Barbie dolls, Lalaloopsy dolls, One Direction or Justin Bieber CDs and I even know some who would ask their moms to check 99perfume.com for bvlgari perfume, Bela would rather have this:

Meet Little Inu. She is an interactive dinosaur that eats, sleeps, and plays with her owner. She saw this in You Tube and got really excited, as she really loves animals. Her initial request for a birthday present was a pet dog chuaua so I am one happy mom when she chose this over a real dog (I know she can’t handle the responsibility of taking care of her own pet).

I already ordered it in Amazon last week and when I checked, it has already been shipped and is now in transit from Nevada. Hopefully we will receive it in time for her birthday.

Bela's Mis-Adventures

Last week, Bela’s lola told her that she would cut her bangs because it is too long already. Bela’s lola went down to look for the scissors but she was surprised when she went back and saw this:

Bela cut her hair herself. LOL. We don’t know where she got the scissors and what made her do it. I was really laughing when I saw it. I got worried at first because it is only 3 weeks to go before her birthday, but what can I do.

And then while I was at work the other day, I got a text from my mom to tell me that Bela enjoyed cutting her hair so much that she did it again:

Ok, I want to panic now. LOL. But hubby and I still find humor with what happened. At least we will have something to show and tell Bela when she is a teenager already about the funny thing that she did before her 7th birthday party. LOL.

I just hope that it will grow a little longer but even if not, my friends say that Bela still looks so cute and charming with her “putot” hair and I believe them.

Tricks for Keeping the Bathroom Dry

When you are taking a bath or a shower, the one thing that you want to avoid at all times is moisture. Wet bathrooms become a serious safety hazard and can cause injuries if you do not make plans in advance. Therefore, it is imperative that you take precaution with your bathroom showers, as this can save a lot of hassle and pain in the future. Sturdy shower rods and drying materials help to create a safe environment to bathe in twice a day.

When you bathe, it is an exhilarating experience that must be as safe as possible. Shower expansion rods are a great item to give your shower the flexibility that it needs. They reduce the chance of your curtain falling, which can create a water hazard in your bathroom. Simply extend your shower curtain rods to the length necessary so that you do not have to worry about a tight fit. Bathroom standing showers are also beneficial if you do not take baths often. If you seal off the shower, this can create a reservoir for the water so that it does not seep onto the floor. Also, standing showers allow you to dry yourself off after you bathe, so that your feet are not wet when you step out onto the floor.

Your bathroom contains a lot of hard corners and rough surfaces, so slipping can turn into a hazard. It is important to reduce issues with water in your bathroom by installing different items to improve safety and security. This can help you enjoy your invigorating shower experience without worry.

Bela's Souvenir Tags

Almost everything is ready for Bela’s 7th birthday party (well almost as I am still waiting for hubby’s output for the things that he decided to DIY and honestly, I am getting nervous already as I don’t think he will be able to finish it).

But as for the things that I am in charge off, everything is all set to go. This week, I finalized the design for the souvenir that we will be giving out courtesy of Nyree of Embellished Design Studios:

Can you guess what would Bela’s souvenir be?

Bean bags?
Director’s chair?
Wooden basket?
Military coin ? (you can check about military coin here).
Rock star bracelets?

I am keeping it as a secret for now but it is just 3 weeks to go before Bela’s big birthday bash.

Save-The-Date: Bela's 7th

So excited when I received Bela’s Save-The-Date made by my good friend Nyree of Embellished Design Studios:

Please save the date as our Rock star Princess turns 7.

Nov 18, 2012
1 PM
YWCA Manila, Taft Avenue cor UN avenue (near The Pearl Hotel Manila, Medical Center Manila and Emilio Aguinaldo College)

Please come in your favorite Rock star outfit.

Please RSVP by November 3, 2012.

Formal invites to Follow.

Mommy and Daughter Day

Last Saturday, Bela and I were able to enjoy the pool, the food, the rattan outdoor furniture and more at Ace Water Spa.

I promised Bela that we will have a mommy and daughter day and her request was that we go to Ace Water Spa. Hubby is away for a planning session so we have no car and so we took the public transportation to go there. We actually got lost as we rode the wrong jeepney and so we have to walk for more than 5 blocks before we reach Ace Water Spa.

We were so hungry when we reached the spa that we had merienda first before going inside.

Bela really had fun as she tries all the amenities from the kiddie pool, the river pool and the different hydro massage (her favorite is the bubble pool and bubble bed).

Despite my blooper, we still had the best mother and daughter day. My heart was filled with joy when Bela told me “Mom, this is the best day ever.”

Bela's Pre-Birthday Shoot

Two weeks ago, hubby has been trying almost everyday to setup a studio at home for Bela’s photo shoot. But since it is a weekday and Bela is tired already from the school, she is always not in the mood for the shoot.

Thankfully, we were able to do an indoor shoot at home last Saturday and an outdoor shoot last Sunday and here is a Sneak Peak from my camera and hubby’s:

Hubby was able to take a lot of good shots that we have a lot to choose from for the invites, save-the-date, VIP backstage pass, and tarpaulin. I have sent two pictures already to my friend Nyree of Embellished Design Studios, which she will use to make the VIP Backstage pass nametags and the Save-the-Date.

I am so excited already and I am sure Bela is as excited as mommy.

Special thanks to hubby who is the photographer for the shoot and my cousin Joseph who is our videographer and MTV editor.

Satchel Bag from Sandy's Party

Just look at this cute satchel bags that Sandy gave for her female guests on her 7th birthday party:

Photo Credit: Jojo Francisco Photography

The girls, including my Bela, just loves it.

Photo Credit: Jojo Francisco Photography

I have been looking for a small satchel bag for Bela but I can’t seem to find a smaller version that will fit her. Thanks to Joy and Sandy, I don’t have to buy one for Bela as we got it as our souvenir for Sandy’s party.

Bela loves using it every chance she got that is why I am researching about painting leather as I fear I may have to do this soon if Bela’s satchel bag will get worn out and dirty (which is really possible, specially since she carries this bag everywhere she goes).

Thanks again Sandy, Joy, Sherwin and Meg for inviting us to the party and thanks for this cute satchel bag for Bela.

First Attempt for a Photo Shoot

Hubby has been really keen on finishing Bela’s photo shoot ASAP. He said that he will be busy and would be out of town the coming weeks and so he thinks that he will not have enough time for the shoot and to edit Bela’s AVP and MTV.

Since he was on training this week, he always came home early and so last Monday, they had their first attempt for a photo shoot:

Thanks to my sister and my mom who acted as Bela’s stylist and make up artist for the photo shoot. But they were able to start quiet late already, around 7:30ish that Bela was already feeling sleepy and tired since she came from school also.

So the result, epic fail. LOL. After just a few shots, Bela was complaining already and was not in the mood to pose.

I told hubby that we should do it on a weekend so Bela will still have the energy to be the star for that day.

My Book Worm

A good friend of mine once told me that it is important to instill the love for books to my kids. That is why even when my eldest is still in utero, my husband and I have started collecting books that we think our kids can enjoy.

That is why when Bela was growing up, books have been a part of her everyday life. I can still remember when she was just 2 or 3 years old, she will ask us to bring to our room all the books in her “I wonder why” collection and she will not go to bed unless we read each of the books to her.

I am the happiest every time she would ask me to buy her a book instead of a toy and this is one request that I will never say No to. So when Bela requested that I fetch her last week so we can go to the Book Fair in the school, I did not think twice and I said yes.

She already checked out the Book Fair even before she asks me and she already knows what book she wants to buy. She got the Geronimo Stilton Book “Field Trip to Niagara Falls” which she started reading as soon as we reached the car and which she finished in one seating.

I learned from friends that there is a whole series for this book so now I know which book to buy Bela next.

Save the Date: Bela's Rock Star Birthday Concert

We attended numerous birthday parties with a Rock Star theme and I just noticed that unlike kids of her age, Bela is still not into the music of popular bands and singers like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, One Direction and the like. She is still stuck with the songs from her favorite kids’ show like Hi5 or from her favorite movies about animals like the movie Rio or Madagascar.

Being the usual worrier mom that I am, I asked my husband if it is just normal if her preference for music or TV shows hasn’t change. Some kids her age are into Teen magazines already while Bela still enjoys watching Penguins of Madagascar. Kids of her age would love girly toys like Barbie, but Bela would still love to play with her Littlest Pet shop or her My Little Pony toys. My husband always reminds me that I should not rush things and that I should let it be because her princess is still a baby. So I just let it pass.

So I was really surprised when we attended the 7th birthday party of Sandy last Saturday. The group Jives had a mini concert and I find pleasure seeing Bela enjoying  Jives' performance as she sings Fireworks, Call me Maybe, and more with them. Then yesterday, she requested her dad to save Music Videos of Katy Perry on her iPad so she can listen and watch it on her way to school.

Now I am excited for her party because I am convinced that we made the right decision in having a Rock Star themed party for her upcoming 7th birthday.

Now I can’t wait for her Rock Star Birthday concert party. Please save the date: Nov 18, 2012 / 1 PM.

New Headbands from Dainty Ashley

This is one of my current addictions for Bela:

These are the newest collections from Dainty Ashley.

Dainty Ashley is the online store for hair trinkets and accessories of my good friend Mai. She personally hand craft all the headbands and hair accessories so you can be guaranteed of its quality.

Dainty Ashley’s hands are full from the orders from our group of friends alone because we all love her creations as it is really true to its promise that it will really accentuate any girl’s natural beauty. I am so proud of all the hair trinkets from my friend's shop that I gave it as gifts to all of Bela's classmates who celebrated and will celebrate their birthday.

You can find Dainty Ashley’s collections in their Facebook page, so visit them now.

DIY Stage Décor

I am working on a tight budget for Bela’s 7th birthday party because I chose to splurge on one item for the party, as per Bela’s request. That is why I am looking for ways on how to save but still be able to have a memorable party for my daughter.

One of the things that I am planning to scrimp the budget on is the stage backdrop. I found a better alternative to achieve the rock star concert look that we want without spending a lot but hubby is not agreeing with my plan. He finds it too bare, especially since we have a big stage to use.

We have been disagreeing for days now but looks like he will not give in to my request. He plans to take on a DIY project with my sister-in-law’s brother and they will be doing the styling for the stage, instead of getting the service of a party planner.

They went to the venue last Sunday and in fairness, I am happy and impressed with the design that they have in mind. Now all I need to do is get some packing materials to make sure that all the decors that they will create will be packed properly to avoid any damages as we transport it to the venue from our home. And of course, I have to pray that they will really be able to execute all their plans and finish this DIY project in time for Bela’s party, which is happening in 2 months.

My Rhianna

Last Saturday, we attended the 7th birthday party of the daughter of my good friend. The theme of the party was Birthday Concert and the kids were asked to come as their favorite rock, pop, R&B, country artist.

Since I am no longer updated in these area, I have asked my sister to help me dress my kids and this is who Bela turned out to be:

My Rhianna. I just bought this maong vest in SM San Lazaro and just used her old pants and boots to achieve this look. She looks very cute and adorable with her hanging blouse showing her big tummy. LOL.

Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift

Bela will be having a Rock Star Concert Theme for her 7th birthday party and the hubby is excited in preparing for their song number. For all of Bela’s party, hubby will always perform with Bela for our guests so I am sure hubby would not want to skip this same tradition for Bela’s 7th birthday party.

I am now busy thinking what hubby and Bela should wear for their performance. For Bela, I think a Taylor Swift peg will be nice and I will have to ask my sister to help me with that.

As for hubby, I am not sure if he is keen on showing up as Bruno Mars for the party. LOL:

I guess he will have to start working out and get some yoga gear here so he will be in shape so he can really carry a Bruno Mars peg. LOL.

Will Always be my Baby, my Princess

Look at my Princess:

This picture was taken during the Birthday party of her cousin, Audrey. Just feeling senti and emote as her 7th birthday draws near.

Party Preps Update: Souvenirs

It was a productive weekend for me in terms of the party preparations for Bela’s 7th birthday. I have been looking for the best souvenir that will match our Rock Star concert theme that will fall within my budget and I must say that it was a great challenge. I was already set on ordering a personalized souvenir from one of my party planner friends even if it is a little bit way over my budget but thankfully, my sister-in-law found a shop where we can buy the souvenir for Bela’s birthday.

We have been postponing on visiting the shop as our weekends are always full but since we were in the Pasig area last Sunday after attending the Baby Shower of Jody and Dicky at El Pueblo, we were able to finally drop by the store in Greenhills. And we are glad that we did as we were only able to buy their last remaining stocks. Even their suppliers run out of stocks already (according to the owner of the store, Manny Pacquio bought 400 pieces of the same souvenir too).

Now all we need is a material handling rack to line up the souvenirs and prepare it for Bela’s party.

The party is just 2 months away and I am getting excited and stress out all at the same time. LOL

Alexa's 7th Bday

We missed 2 birthday parties already of Bela’s classmates as my husband and I have work on that Saturday that we fail to accompany Bela. So I was really glad when we were able to attend the party of Alexa last Saturday because I know how excited Bela is in attending her classmates’ parties.

The party was held in Residencia Shaw in Shaw Boulevard and the kids were asked to come in their princess’s costume. There were games, magic show and 7 roses and 7 candles, which Bela was very excited to join.

Thanks for inviting us Alexa, we really had fun!

Bela in Special Programs Class

Last August 28, I took a leave from work to watch Bela’s Linggo ng Wika program and at the same time to attend the meeting with the Special Programs Coordinator of the school. This meeting has been postponed twice already because of the cancellation of classes due to the typhoon so I am really looking forward to it as I really want to know about the Special Programs that they are offering for the students who are non-Tagalog speakers.

As per Ms. Flory, the Special Programs Coordinator head, they recommend to put Bela in the Special Programs class as she is having difficulty with her Filipino subjects. Here is how the program was set up:

• Those who will be under this program will be pulled out from class during their Filipino subject and they will attend instead the special programs class

• The class will be composed of students belonging to the same section only and will not be mixed with higher-level students. In Bela’s class, 3 of them will attend special programs.

• Under this program, they will be taught Filipino starting with the basics so they will become well versed with the language.

• All worksheets that will be given to Bela for Filipino will be coming from the Special programs teacher who will also give a grade for Bela at the end of each quarter.

• At the end of the year, Bela will be evaluated to determine if she still needs to attend the Special Programs class for another year.

• Each student can only attend Special Programs for a maximum of 2 years so Ms. Flory suggest that Bela will receive guidance on Filipino as early as now when her brain is still like a sponge so she can easily absorb whatever will be taught and hopefully will learn how to speak Filipino soon.

• There is a fee of P5000 for the whole year, as they will be getting a special teacher to conduct the program.

We decided to move Bela under this program. We are hoping that with this program, she will learn how to speak Filipino soon specially since they will be taught starting from the basics. My friend also suggested that I availed of this program for Bela as this will be good for her self confidence which might be affected if she continues to stay in the regular class and fall behind than the Tagalog speakers.

My husband and I are really hoping that we will see improvements with her soon and that she will not have to attend a special programs class for the next school year.

Preps for Bela's 7th Birthday Party

The brother of my Sister-in-Law is very talented and patient that he was the one who did the styro backdrop for the stage for my niece’s first birthday party last Sunday.

Renting styro backdrop nowadays is really not cheap and when I inquired the last time, it will cost me around P8,500 just for the rental and it does not even include balloon decorations. That is why hubby is suggesting that we also ask my SIL’s brother to do the backdrop for Bela’s party.

But I know how much time and effort my SIL’s brother put for this project and so I don’t want to bother him for Bela’s party just so we can save.

But I am thankful that I found a way in avoiding DIY projects, which will require a great amount of time and stress on our part (and maybe double edge razor blades to turn this project into a reality. LOL), without costing us an arm and a leg. Credit goes to my good friend Peachy who gave me this idea.

I am happy because I was able to find an affordable supplier that can execute this plan for me. I actually paid the down payment already.

With just less than 3 months to go before Bela’s party, I am starting to get excited already to see how these months of preparations would all turn out.

Special Programs for Non-Tagalog Speakers

I received a Parents-Teacher Conference invitation letter from the head of the Special Programs Unit of St Scholastic and I think I know the reason why. When I attended the PTA meeting, I brought up my concern about Bela’s difficulty in speaking Tagalog. The head teacher assured me that they will look into putting Bela in their Special Programs for Non-Tagalog speakers and maybe this is the reason why I am being asked for this conference.

Bela really had a hard time at the start with Filipino and Sibika at Kultura but I have been looking at her test results now and looks like she is already coping. Some of them even have perfect scores.

I also asked Bela if she is having a hard time with her Filipino classes and she said that she is doing okay.

But I still want to know what the Special Program will offer for Bela. I am scheduled on the 28th and I will decide by then if I will still transfer Bela to the Special Program or just let her stay in her regular Filipino class.

Thankful for my Dad

This is the everyday road that we take on the way to Bela’s school:

My dad will drive Bela to school and since my office, hubby, my sister and my cousin’s office is in the same way as Bela’s school, my dad will drive each one of us to work every morning. He will drop my husband first, then my sister, my cousin, Bela and then me to Makati.

We all owe my dad a Swisher Sweets for doing this for us. Imagine, even if it is raining, he will wake up early everyday and drive us all to work plus he will come back to fetch Bela at 1 PM.

All my friends are saying that I am lucky that my dad is doing this for us. At least I am sure that my daughter is in good hands everyday as she goes to school, not to mention the convenience of not having to worry about my ride everyday to work.

Opening of Buwan ng Wika @ SSC

Last Monday was the opening of the Filipino Month in Bela’s school. They were asked to come in their Filipiniana costume and this is what she wore:

I have blogged about this a few days ago but I did not post the picture. This was the costume (or should I say terno gown?) that I bought in Quiapo. This was actually the 2nd costume that I bought as we were able to buy a traditional Filipiniana dress already in one of the stores. I was looking for a Maria Clara costume in the second store that we checked and this gown was what I saw.

I was actually having second thoughts if I should get it or not because I was thinking if this gown would not be over acting for a simple program in school but my mom said that it would look OA if I were the one whose going to wear it. LOL. And my mom was right as my fashionista friends approved it when I posted it in Instagram.

Bela look really cute in the gown. She told me that she was shy to wear it when I brought her to school last Monday but was really happy when she reached home because she said that all her classmates love her dress.

Bela and her Baby Parrot

Last Sunday, we went to Quiapo to purchase the costume that Bela will be using for their program for Filipino Month. The store is beside Quiapo church and there are a lot of sidewalk vendors selling all kinds of stuff in the area.

There were a number who are selling love birds and baby parrot and when Bela saw them, she got really excited and of course she asked us to buy her a new pet bird. She chose to get the baby parrot, one for her and one for her brother, instead of the love birds.

Bela was so happy with her new pet. She will go to the terrace as soon as she wakes up to great her birds. Unfortunately, their life did not last that long.

The baby parrot who likes to go upside down died last Thursday. Bela was so upset that she won’t stop crying. She is really a pet lover that is why it really makes her sad when she saw her bird dying. I was so tempted to show her the website of thesource.ca and tell her to click here for hands free headsets as she wanted to get a headset for her iPad, just to make her stop crying.

But I know how much she loves her pet and bribes like headsets or even toys will not appease Bela. I just explained to her in the best way that I can what happened. She stopped crying eventually, but with the promise that we will replace her baby parrot and this time we will buy it from the pet shop rather than from a sidewalk vendor.

2nd Batch of Orders: Dainty Ashley

It is obvious from my previous posts that I am in love with the hair trinkets from the Dainty Ashley shop. Who wouldn’t fall in love with it? Aside from the fact that it is very cute and stylish, it is also very affordable without sacrificing the quality as all hair accessories are meticulously done by the owner herself.

And because I am so hooked to it, I placed my second batch of orders already. Just look at the items that I am waiting on my mail for Bela: 

I actually ordered the Ella headband in light blue and purple but it is out of stock already. Now I know that if I like something from their online store, I should reserve it right away as stocks go fast.

Filipino Month Celebration at SSC

Looks like I will need to find a way to improve my PC performance as soon, it will be loaded with tons of pictures to process and upload, since it is the start again of the different activities that Bela have in school.

For this month, they will be celebrating the Filipino month and they will be asked to come in their Filipiniana costume. I assumed, just like in Kinder and Prep, that they would also have a program as part of the culminating activity for the Filipino Month. I learned during the orientation that parents will still be allowed to come to school and watch and so I told hubby to prepare his SLR camera so he can capture those memories again.

I have bought a costume for Bela already but I don’t want to post it here first as I want it to be a surprise come Monday, during the opening ceremony of their Filipino month.

Bela, the Egg and her Love Birds

Remember the quail egg that Bela’s lolo put inside her bird cage to make fun of her and to make her believe that it is the egg of her love birds? Well it has been more than a month already, so Bela has been asking about it:

Bela: “Mom, I think I am going to throw away the egg of my birds.”

Me: “Why?”

Bela: “Oh my love birds, all they do is kiss and kiss. They don’t build a nest for the egg. They don’t sit on the egg so it will hatch. They are one lazy parent.”

And I was laughing so hard and I don’t know how to answer her. LOL

Bela, a Dainty Ashley Model

Don’t you think Bela is just so cute wearing these cute headbands and clips:

These are hair trinkets from Dainty Ashley. The first batch of hair trinkets was a gift to Bela from her Tita Glo.

We immediately tried it on as soon we received the parcel and both Bela and I love it. That is why I got really addicted to these cute hand-made hair accessories made by my good friend Mai that I immediately placed my second order which arrived yesterday.

She just uploaded new designs and of course, Bela and I enjoyed browsing each of the pictures. In fact we have created a list already for our next order. I am just waiting for the cut off of my credit card so I can order again (looks like I will need a remote backup server to backup Bela’s pictures as I know that it will soon pile up as I just love taking photos of her wearing the Dainty Ashley hair accessories).

Check out Dainty Ashley on Facebook now to get quality and gorgeous headbands, clips and more for your little princesses.

My Baker Princess

I love watching cooking and baking shows but I never was hands on when it comes to cooking. That is why when we bought an oven for our house, I know that I will not be able to put good use to it.

That is why I was really happy when my cousin enjoyed baking that she will often drop by at our place to bake for the family especially if there is a special occasion. And all the more I am happy because my daughter got really interested and would often lend her Tita Tessa a hand every time she is baking.

Just look at the picture below: 

This picture was taken when Bela and her Tita baked Crinkles for Nanay Puti’s birthday. I always dreamed of having a chef in the family. Who knows, maybe Bela will take a different path than me and she would enjoy baking and cooking.