Where did time go?
It's been 36 days since Hubs, Jake and I got back from our trip.. and trust me, we are still feeling the hang-over. It was a 15 day vacation very well spent :). Coming back from the trip, it made us wonder "why don't we do this more often?"
OK... so people... Hubs, Jake and I spent 15 FUN-FILLED days in the Philippines. If you ask me, 15 days felt like 15 seconds. Our trip was packed from the day we left to the day we came back home. Travelling with a baby was some experience I tell you! So here's a short recap of our trip (I'm lagging, I know!)
12/31: Spent the day before running around 3 cities desperately looking for a stroller for Jake. Hubs and I decided on the last minute to get a cheap umbrella stroller to bring with us to Manila, rather than bringing the Peg Perego. I finally got one all the way in UC, 1 hour before the stores were to close for NY's Eve. Hubs was at home with Jake, trying to pack and keep the Christmas stuff at the same time. We packed one box for Jake's stuff alone. People were laughing at me - all paranoid bringing almost everything he owns.... 200+ diapers, 3 cans of formula, baby food jars, etc. I just didn't know what to pack for a baby. I spent a good 2 weeks researching online on how to travel with a baby, but somehow I just didn't feel prepared. Spent NY's Eve dinner at M&D's; didn't even get to stay till midnight since we had to go home and pack.
1/1-3: Flew out of SFO on NY's Day. Jake was feeling MUCH better then (he was basically on lock-down from when he got sick on Xmas to the day we left). He fell asleep before and during take-off but at 10pm (SF), he woke up and didn't want to sleep. We got bulk head seats but I tell you, airlines don't make it easy to travel with a baby. They give you this little cardboard thing they call a bassinet where you put the baby when they sleep. But then, where the hell do you put the bassinet? On the floor. So where do you put your feet? That's your problem, not theirs! From 10pm to 2am, Jake did not want to sleep. Must've been the air pressure on their ears, because he along with the other babies were wailing and crying and oh my goodness throwing fits! Oh did I mention by this time, he already threw up all over Hubs? YES... all over himself and all over his daddy. I was about to sock anyone who commented on his crying because at that point, Hubs and I have done everything to soothe him with no luck. Arrived in MNL on 1/3 (you lose a day somehow somewhere) - by the time we got off the plane, Jake was refreshed with new clothes on (and matching rosey cheeks). Hubs and I on the other hand, smelled of puke and god-knows-what else Jake decided to spit up. All we wanted was to get home asap, and take a nice shower.
Best Friends Forever...
Seeing my best friend C, amongst the sea of people at the airport picking up loved ones, was a welcoming sight. We were so happy to see each other, we started tearing up :). She was SO happy to see Jake and Jake went up to his ninang right away. For the first week we were there, we stayed with C and her family. Tita Ninang N indulged Hubs and got him Max chicken for our first meal! Hubs was loving it (and the family) already. We spent the day sleeping. By the time I woke up, there were guests already. That night was C's quasi-rehearsal dinner where all the wedding party were present to go over details with the coordinator. Her coordinator did not know what was A from B... I wanted to smack him. But... it was my first day. I didn't want to get into a fight right away :). Nelson met the rest of C's family and her nieces indulged us with Fiipinos' favorite past time: OCHO-OCHO and Spaghetti. Had to videotape it for Inna & Bel to see.
1/4: Visited Lols Dy, Lola T and whatever relatives were at Pasig. It was a nice mini-reunion. Tita T from Japan was home for the holidays so it was great to see her again. And yes, the kids there were also doing Ocho-Ocho. Jake was cranky beyond cranky. I think it was the heat that made him irritable. He went up to Lols Dy right away. She looks good at 85. Still bling-blingy. That's my Lola!
Time to meet the IL's:
1/5: After a day (of many days) at Shangri-La with C, Nelson's relatives from Mom E's side came to pick us up for us to have dinner with them. It was a FEAST! I felt almost embarassed that they went out of their way to cook all of them food for us. All I ate was the green mango salad Ate C made. That was YUM YUM!
Duty Calls:
1/6: Hubs spent the day with his cousin while I went with C to do last minute wedding stuff and to do my MOH duties :). We finalized the guest list (yes - 2 days before the wedding and the guest list was not finalized!)... went to meet with the hotel banquet and coordinator, got the groom's pants, had quasi-facial at The Spa in Greenbelt, had eyebrows threaded at Rockwell. Met up with Hubs and Jake and his cousins at the mall, and C and D left us there while they go make final fittings for his and hers barong and gown. By this time, we were sick and tired of malls. We just sat down, had coffee and went off on every single person that came in the doors. That was fun :).
The day before the BIG day...
1/7: Tita Y arrived early morning. Hubs went with the drive to pick her up and it was a surprise to see L with her. She came just to see Jake and she was going back the same day. That was very sweet. We got our nails done in the morning, and then checked in at the Manila Hotel that afternoon. Nelson's relatives from Dad E's side came to the hotel to see us. We had an awesome view from our room - we were facing Roxas Boulevard and right infront of Intramuros ruins. That was great! I've never seen Manila that way. I got so excited when I saw the Rizal monument - too bad I didn't have a camera with me :(. We had dinner (Max chicken again!) in the room, while helping C and D finalize last minute details. I also tried on my gown - YIKES it was too big!! C dictated the changes to Saro (the guy who made the dress) over the phone, but I was skeptical because I didn't think he can make it with exact measurements.
THE DAY!...
1/8: Woke up and Jake was running a fever. Hubs and Tita Y went to meet C and Tita Ninang for breakfast and Jake and I stayed in the room. I wanted him to rest since it was the big day. By 11am, the girl doing Tita Y's hair and make-up knocked on our door. By 2pm, I was called in to get my hair and make-up done. B, the same lady that colored my hair when I was in MNL in '99, did my hair again. Some guy did my make-up.. he kept asking me if I was from Canada. ?!?!? By then, my jetlag was settling in and I kept dozing off while he was putting my make-up on. I liked my make-up but I didn't like the hair. I had B fix it but it was alright.. I wanted something WOW! By 3pm, Saro came with my dress.... and it was perfect!!! I was so happy with him I commissioned him to do my dress for J & A's wedding in July :).
C was so relaxed and so calm! She came up to me and said "now I know how calm and relaxed you were at your wedding." Her dress was un-be-liev-a-ble. It was heavily beaded and she had a 10ft train! We were joking around - I never made her work at my wedding since I didn't have a train.. but man, she made me work! She was very simple - but her bling-blings were out of this world! She had ice all over her.. it was insane! At the bridal car, she and I were listening to Ocho-Ocho yet again :>... she didn't want to listen to anything mushy. We went through her "Something Old, Something new..." and she had a picture of Tito S inside her pouch.
Inside Manila Cathedral - there were flowers everywhere you look. She had so many flowers, she had to have 2 florists do her wedding. It was amazing. She looked so beautiful walking down the aisle. For a Thurs wedding, a lot of people attended which was amazing.
The reception was a culture shock for me and the Hubs. As they say in Manila "Walang Ganyan sa States (There's nothing like that in the States)." It was insane! I did my MOH speech.. and I tried not to cry.. but 20+ years of friendship, and your bestest friend getting married, it was hard not to get emotional.
... My Birthday Surprise...
By the time 11:30 hit, my jet lag was really bad and all I wanted to do was take my gown off, get into my cozy pj's, snuggle up next to Jake and call it a day. But the bride and groom were still getting their pictures taken around the hotel and so Hubs and I were at the reception hall sitting, listening to D's friends sing along with the band. I kept telling Hubs I wanted to go up to the room and he said no. I said I have to go pee - he said to hurry up. By 11:50pm, I was sitting in my chair, in a daze, trying to stay awake. Next thing I knew, the lead singer said it was time to sing Happy Birthday. In my head I thought, "oh wow.. someone has the same birthday as me." Next thing I knew, C & D were coming down the stairs with cake and lit candles on hand, and everyone in the room was singing happy birthday to me! I turned to look at Hubs and he was holding a bouquet of yellow daisies and a gift. I was so overwhelmed I started crying. I didn't think anyone would remember my birthday - it being in the middle of everything else. I knew Hubs would remember, but that was it. It was the sweetest thing. The waiters were all clapping. There were confetti poppers going off. It was just awesome :). Hubs gave me a strand of pearls.
After making sure the bride and groom were ok and ready to head up to their room, Hubs and I went to ours and changed to take a past-midnight walk outside the Manila Hotel. Tita Y was with Jake and he was fast asleep. We took a stroll around and outside the hotel. That was nice :).
The REAL vacation starts:
1/9: Flew out to Cebu to visit the G's. Tito J picked us up at the airport after an hour delayed flight. It was nice to be there again. I told Hubs - we can finally start our vacation. Tita P, Jackie and Jorine came home in the afternoon and we headed out to Ginza for dinner and to meet up with Jop. Before dinner, I casually mentioned to Tita P that it was my birthday, only because I saw on tv the mayhem for the Feast of the Nazareno. Mama always said that was my patron saint because I was born on the same day. She said "oh yeah? Happy birthday." But at Ginza, all of a sudden, the owner and the chefs and everybody else came out with a cake and singing happy birthday. Again, I got emotional :). We had 2 cakes that night - one from the G's and the other from C & D, which I hand-carried from MNL to Cebu.
Ahh.... Paradise:
1/11-12: Checked in to Shangri-La Mactan with Tita Y, Hubs and Jake. This was the G's post-wedding gift to us. On 1/12, Jake had his first taste of swimming on the pool. Also, Hubs treated me to an hour massage at the spa for my birthday. That was really relaxing! Thanks so much!! That night, the G's had a lechon waiting for dinner at home. One whole lechon for us alone! That was glutony beyond belief! After dinner, Jop and Jorine took me, Hubs and Tita Y to Cebu's The Top, where you can see the whole Cebu from the northern to the southern tip. That was cool. It was a trek getting up there but the view was really nice.
1/13: Flew back to MNL; spent the night with C & Family. That day was an adventure!
1/14: Tita Ninang N took us to Greenhills so we can do a little bit of shopping. We then headed out to spend the night in Muntinlupa with Dad E's family. It was nice to see Nanay and Tatay, although half of the time, they didn't know who I was :). They also got the chance to see our wedding video.
1/15-16: Transferred on to Ayala to spend some time with the Kapunakans. Tita L took us to Ayala Town Center to do pasalubong shopping. Had dinner at what must have been THE biggest buffet place in that side of the world! Three restaurants serving Filipino, Continental and Japanese food, in one place. It was INSANE! Jake loved the singing group walking around entertaining people.
1/17: Moved on over to the Fuji's for our last night. They took us to SM to do 'grocery' shopping. OK.. call us idiots but Hubs and I had a blast doing grocery shopping! Bought stuff that are "walang ganyan sa States."
1/18: By this time, we were ready to go home. Jake started running a fever and I had no voice left. Busy packing the whole day. C & D came to give us more stuff to bring home with us. It was nice to see them before we left. Tito E and Tita P took us to the airport. A 10mile ride took an hour... insane! I was getting bitchy at the airport (Hubs and I both saw people we knew on the same flight) - too many freakin' lines to fall in to... I was just "GET ME HOME!" Jake was running major fever during the flight. He was so warm, and I did not want to take his temperature because I did not want to freak out. The whole night he was in my arms - didn't even want Hubs to hold him. Thankfully he was asleep the whole time.
Home Sweet Home:
1/18: Landed in SFO on time. Jake was, amazingly enough, no longer running a fever. I think he just really wanted to go home. C & G picked us up at the airport. Spent the night at M&D's.. talking about everything and everyone. Ended up not going to work the next day (everyone was off for MLK except for me). MAJOR jetlag.
Glad to be home.
..... I'll update again next time. This took too long to write. Take care of each other.
It's been 36 days since Hubs, Jake and I got back from our trip.. and trust me, we are still feeling the hang-over. It was a 15 day vacation very well spent :). Coming back from the trip, it made us wonder "why don't we do this more often?"
OK... so people... Hubs, Jake and I spent 15 FUN-FILLED days in the Philippines. If you ask me, 15 days felt like 15 seconds. Our trip was packed from the day we left to the day we came back home. Travelling with a baby was some experience I tell you! So here's a short recap of our trip (I'm lagging, I know!)
12/31: Spent the day before running around 3 cities desperately looking for a stroller for Jake. Hubs and I decided on the last minute to get a cheap umbrella stroller to bring with us to Manila, rather than bringing the Peg Perego. I finally got one all the way in UC, 1 hour before the stores were to close for NY's Eve. Hubs was at home with Jake, trying to pack and keep the Christmas stuff at the same time. We packed one box for Jake's stuff alone. People were laughing at me - all paranoid bringing almost everything he owns.... 200+ diapers, 3 cans of formula, baby food jars, etc. I just didn't know what to pack for a baby. I spent a good 2 weeks researching online on how to travel with a baby, but somehow I just didn't feel prepared. Spent NY's Eve dinner at M&D's; didn't even get to stay till midnight since we had to go home and pack.
1/1-3: Flew out of SFO on NY's Day. Jake was feeling MUCH better then (he was basically on lock-down from when he got sick on Xmas to the day we left). He fell asleep before and during take-off but at 10pm (SF), he woke up and didn't want to sleep. We got bulk head seats but I tell you, airlines don't make it easy to travel with a baby. They give you this little cardboard thing they call a bassinet where you put the baby when they sleep. But then, where the hell do you put the bassinet? On the floor. So where do you put your feet? That's your problem, not theirs! From 10pm to 2am, Jake did not want to sleep. Must've been the air pressure on their ears, because he along with the other babies were wailing and crying and oh my goodness throwing fits! Oh did I mention by this time, he already threw up all over Hubs? YES... all over himself and all over his daddy. I was about to sock anyone who commented on his crying because at that point, Hubs and I have done everything to soothe him with no luck. Arrived in MNL on 1/3 (you lose a day somehow somewhere) - by the time we got off the plane, Jake was refreshed with new clothes on (and matching rosey cheeks). Hubs and I on the other hand, smelled of puke and god-knows-what else Jake decided to spit up. All we wanted was to get home asap, and take a nice shower.
Best Friends Forever...
Seeing my best friend C, amongst the sea of people at the airport picking up loved ones, was a welcoming sight. We were so happy to see each other, we started tearing up :). She was SO happy to see Jake and Jake went up to his ninang right away. For the first week we were there, we stayed with C and her family. Tita Ninang N indulged Hubs and got him Max chicken for our first meal! Hubs was loving it (and the family) already. We spent the day sleeping. By the time I woke up, there were guests already. That night was C's quasi-rehearsal dinner where all the wedding party were present to go over details with the coordinator. Her coordinator did not know what was A from B... I wanted to smack him. But... it was my first day. I didn't want to get into a fight right away :). Nelson met the rest of C's family and her nieces indulged us with Fiipinos' favorite past time: OCHO-OCHO and Spaghetti. Had to videotape it for Inna & Bel to see.
1/4: Visited Lols Dy, Lola T and whatever relatives were at Pasig. It was a nice mini-reunion. Tita T from Japan was home for the holidays so it was great to see her again. And yes, the kids there were also doing Ocho-Ocho. Jake was cranky beyond cranky. I think it was the heat that made him irritable. He went up to Lols Dy right away. She looks good at 85. Still bling-blingy. That's my Lola!
Time to meet the IL's:
1/5: After a day (of many days) at Shangri-La with C, Nelson's relatives from Mom E's side came to pick us up for us to have dinner with them. It was a FEAST! I felt almost embarassed that they went out of their way to cook all of them food for us. All I ate was the green mango salad Ate C made. That was YUM YUM!
Duty Calls:
1/6: Hubs spent the day with his cousin while I went with C to do last minute wedding stuff and to do my MOH duties :). We finalized the guest list (yes - 2 days before the wedding and the guest list was not finalized!)... went to meet with the hotel banquet and coordinator, got the groom's pants, had quasi-facial at The Spa in Greenbelt, had eyebrows threaded at Rockwell. Met up with Hubs and Jake and his cousins at the mall, and C and D left us there while they go make final fittings for his and hers barong and gown. By this time, we were sick and tired of malls. We just sat down, had coffee and went off on every single person that came in the doors. That was fun :).
The day before the BIG day...
1/7: Tita Y arrived early morning. Hubs went with the drive to pick her up and it was a surprise to see L with her. She came just to see Jake and she was going back the same day. That was very sweet. We got our nails done in the morning, and then checked in at the Manila Hotel that afternoon. Nelson's relatives from Dad E's side came to the hotel to see us. We had an awesome view from our room - we were facing Roxas Boulevard and right infront of Intramuros ruins. That was great! I've never seen Manila that way. I got so excited when I saw the Rizal monument - too bad I didn't have a camera with me :(. We had dinner (Max chicken again!) in the room, while helping C and D finalize last minute details. I also tried on my gown - YIKES it was too big!! C dictated the changes to Saro (the guy who made the dress) over the phone, but I was skeptical because I didn't think he can make it with exact measurements.
THE DAY!...
1/8: Woke up and Jake was running a fever. Hubs and Tita Y went to meet C and Tita Ninang for breakfast and Jake and I stayed in the room. I wanted him to rest since it was the big day. By 11am, the girl doing Tita Y's hair and make-up knocked on our door. By 2pm, I was called in to get my hair and make-up done. B, the same lady that colored my hair when I was in MNL in '99, did my hair again. Some guy did my make-up.. he kept asking me if I was from Canada. ?!?!? By then, my jetlag was settling in and I kept dozing off while he was putting my make-up on. I liked my make-up but I didn't like the hair. I had B fix it but it was alright.. I wanted something WOW! By 3pm, Saro came with my dress.... and it was perfect!!! I was so happy with him I commissioned him to do my dress for J & A's wedding in July :).
C was so relaxed and so calm! She came up to me and said "now I know how calm and relaxed you were at your wedding." Her dress was un-be-liev-a-ble. It was heavily beaded and she had a 10ft train! We were joking around - I never made her work at my wedding since I didn't have a train.. but man, she made me work! She was very simple - but her bling-blings were out of this world! She had ice all over her.. it was insane! At the bridal car, she and I were listening to Ocho-Ocho yet again :>... she didn't want to listen to anything mushy. We went through her "Something Old, Something new..." and she had a picture of Tito S inside her pouch.
Inside Manila Cathedral - there were flowers everywhere you look. She had so many flowers, she had to have 2 florists do her wedding. It was amazing. She looked so beautiful walking down the aisle. For a Thurs wedding, a lot of people attended which was amazing.
The reception was a culture shock for me and the Hubs. As they say in Manila "Walang Ganyan sa States (There's nothing like that in the States)." It was insane! I did my MOH speech.. and I tried not to cry.. but 20+ years of friendship, and your bestest friend getting married, it was hard not to get emotional.
... My Birthday Surprise...
By the time 11:30 hit, my jet lag was really bad and all I wanted to do was take my gown off, get into my cozy pj's, snuggle up next to Jake and call it a day. But the bride and groom were still getting their pictures taken around the hotel and so Hubs and I were at the reception hall sitting, listening to D's friends sing along with the band. I kept telling Hubs I wanted to go up to the room and he said no. I said I have to go pee - he said to hurry up. By 11:50pm, I was sitting in my chair, in a daze, trying to stay awake. Next thing I knew, the lead singer said it was time to sing Happy Birthday. In my head I thought, "oh wow.. someone has the same birthday as me." Next thing I knew, C & D were coming down the stairs with cake and lit candles on hand, and everyone in the room was singing happy birthday to me! I turned to look at Hubs and he was holding a bouquet of yellow daisies and a gift. I was so overwhelmed I started crying. I didn't think anyone would remember my birthday - it being in the middle of everything else. I knew Hubs would remember, but that was it. It was the sweetest thing. The waiters were all clapping. There were confetti poppers going off. It was just awesome :). Hubs gave me a strand of pearls.
After making sure the bride and groom were ok and ready to head up to their room, Hubs and I went to ours and changed to take a past-midnight walk outside the Manila Hotel. Tita Y was with Jake and he was fast asleep. We took a stroll around and outside the hotel. That was nice :).
The REAL vacation starts:
1/9: Flew out to Cebu to visit the G's. Tito J picked us up at the airport after an hour delayed flight. It was nice to be there again. I told Hubs - we can finally start our vacation. Tita P, Jackie and Jorine came home in the afternoon and we headed out to Ginza for dinner and to meet up with Jop. Before dinner, I casually mentioned to Tita P that it was my birthday, only because I saw on tv the mayhem for the Feast of the Nazareno. Mama always said that was my patron saint because I was born on the same day. She said "oh yeah? Happy birthday." But at Ginza, all of a sudden, the owner and the chefs and everybody else came out with a cake and singing happy birthday. Again, I got emotional :). We had 2 cakes that night - one from the G's and the other from C & D, which I hand-carried from MNL to Cebu.
Ahh.... Paradise:
1/11-12: Checked in to Shangri-La Mactan with Tita Y, Hubs and Jake. This was the G's post-wedding gift to us. On 1/12, Jake had his first taste of swimming on the pool. Also, Hubs treated me to an hour massage at the spa for my birthday. That was really relaxing! Thanks so much!! That night, the G's had a lechon waiting for dinner at home. One whole lechon for us alone! That was glutony beyond belief! After dinner, Jop and Jorine took me, Hubs and Tita Y to Cebu's The Top, where you can see the whole Cebu from the northern to the southern tip. That was cool. It was a trek getting up there but the view was really nice.
1/13: Flew back to MNL; spent the night with C & Family. That day was an adventure!
1/14: Tita Ninang N took us to Greenhills so we can do a little bit of shopping. We then headed out to spend the night in Muntinlupa with Dad E's family. It was nice to see Nanay and Tatay, although half of the time, they didn't know who I was :). They also got the chance to see our wedding video.
1/15-16: Transferred on to Ayala to spend some time with the Kapunakans. Tita L took us to Ayala Town Center to do pasalubong shopping. Had dinner at what must have been THE biggest buffet place in that side of the world! Three restaurants serving Filipino, Continental and Japanese food, in one place. It was INSANE! Jake loved the singing group walking around entertaining people.
1/17: Moved on over to the Fuji's for our last night. They took us to SM to do 'grocery' shopping. OK.. call us idiots but Hubs and I had a blast doing grocery shopping! Bought stuff that are "walang ganyan sa States."
1/18: By this time, we were ready to go home. Jake started running a fever and I had no voice left. Busy packing the whole day. C & D came to give us more stuff to bring home with us. It was nice to see them before we left. Tito E and Tita P took us to the airport. A 10mile ride took an hour... insane! I was getting bitchy at the airport (Hubs and I both saw people we knew on the same flight) - too many freakin' lines to fall in to... I was just "GET ME HOME!" Jake was running major fever during the flight. He was so warm, and I did not want to take his temperature because I did not want to freak out. The whole night he was in my arms - didn't even want Hubs to hold him. Thankfully he was asleep the whole time.
Home Sweet Home:
1/18: Landed in SFO on time. Jake was, amazingly enough, no longer running a fever. I think he just really wanted to go home. C & G picked us up at the airport. Spent the night at M&D's.. talking about everything and everyone. Ended up not going to work the next day (everyone was off for MLK except for me). MAJOR jetlag.
Glad to be home.
..... I'll update again next time. This took too long to write. Take care of each other.
