No Barbies yet please!

We were at Toy Kingdom last week, spending the gift card Ally received for her birthday.

Now Ally has recently discovered Barbie, having seen her 4-year old cousin's dolls one time we visited. So when we were at the Barbie aisle in the toy store, she reached for a doll. She singled out the one with long, bright purple hair. Yes, they make Barbie hair in all sorts of ridiculous colors now.

Oh my gulay, she was very assertive with her choice! I was showing her dolls with more "conservative" hair color (aka blonde or brown). Go for the classics, baby. She dismissed them all with grunts and impatient gestures, stubbornly clutching her chosen doll in a death grip. She had eyes only for the purple-haired Barbie. She was giggling as she looked at the box - a reaction not even beloved Pooh received when we visited his aisle a few minutes earlier.

Her dad and I almost gave in. How can you resist the drool-slathered smile? How can you tell her that she is too young to have a Barbie, when she has clearly fallen in love?

You'd most definitely break her neck before you could learn to comb her hair, little lady. I told her Daddy as much.

We almost got hypnotized by her Puss-in-boots eyes. The Daddy especially. But we escaped the trance!

Bracing for a tantrum, we let her hold the box and made our way to the other aisles. We were trying to distract her by showing her more age-appropriate alternatives. Minutes later, bored with her purple-haired friend, she chucked the box to the floor. Ha, we won this round!

We went back to the Winnie the Pooh aisle where she fell in love with Piglet. Whew.

How long can we keep Barbie out of her toy cabinet, I wonder? Why are you growing up so fast, my little baby? What's next, nail polish when you're two?

Oh boy, we are in trouble. The Daddy especially! :p

The perks of having a baby girl

I loved playing dress up when I was a kid. I also loved paper dolls and would even design, draw, and cut out new dresses for them. I owned Barbies, and would create tiny frocks out of my mom's leftover fabric.

So you can just imagine how much I enjoy having a daughter. It's like having a real walking and talking doll! It's such a joy making her wear the cutest outfits.

Almost everyone we know also seem to enjoy dressing her up - most of the gifts we receive are clothes!

Though I loved dolls and dresses, I only developed a bit of fashion sense in my 20's. But Ally, at the young age of one, is showing interest in all things stylish. It could be my imagination, but I can feel she has an eye for this stuff!

She used to hate wearing shoes when she was an infant, taking them off at every opportunity. Then when she started teething, she started to think shoes were a tasty alternative to teethers!

But at 10 months, she surprised me when she grabbed a sandal and tried to put it on. Ever since then, when she sees her sandals or shoes, she'll gesture for them, and will try to put them on. And just the other day, she learned to say "shoes"!

I found out she likes pettiskirts. When she saw me browsing through recent photos of her wearing a purple tutu, she looked down at what she was wearing (a tank top and a diaper) and patted at her sides, looking for the skirt. Now every time I bring out her skirts, she willingly steps into them like a little lady!

Gigil!

Photos of Ally by Kat Wycoco

I'll find out about the downsides of having a daughter sooner or later. But for now let me enjoy dressing up my real life baby doll.

My new passion

People sometimes give me a weird look when I say I've been busy. Some of them don't understand when I say I've been preoccupied with my baby.

Ally turned one a few weeks ago, and it has been the most amazing year of my life. There is nothing more exciting and fulfilling than seeing your baby grow into a little person. It's not all smooth sailing mind you, I've had to weather a lot of storms along the way. It has been rougher than I imagined it to be. But that is nothing compared to what you get in return: the joys of being a parent!

So yes, I've been preoccupied with my baby.

How can someone this adorable not make everything else unimportant in comparison?

How can you not drop everything else, and pay attention as she learns to say her first words? As she takes her first few wobbly steps?

How can you not give her your full attention when she excitedly points to the figure outside the window, and says in a very articulate manner "Cat!"?

How can you think about doing anything else when she hands you "And to think that I saw it on Mulberry St." to read?

Is there anything else you'd rather do than to discover new things with her?

Is there a job more important than teaching her about the world around her?

To me there isn't, so I am embracing motherhood and enjoying every moment I get to spend with my little one.

They aren't little forever. The beads and clay can wait.

Photos of Ally by Kat Wycoco

Our first bazaar

I've been wanting to go to a Mommy & Baby bazaar since I was pregnant, but never had the chance. Finally, we went to the Expo Mom event today at Rockwell Tent.

I've been wanting to go to this one because there were two vendors I had to checkout: Mommy Matters for nursing wear and Celestina and Co. for pretty bows and bands.

With baby and Daddy in tow, I felt pressured to hurry up and go around the bazaar as quickly as possible. Haha. (I can almost hear my hubby saying, 'Really? That was supposed to be quick already?' Lol.)

Good thing we came the morning of the first day - there weren't too many shoppers around yet. It was a relief not to have to elbow your way through a crowd just to get a good look at the goodies.

And yay, the first booth I saw inside the tent was Mommy Matters. I own one of their nursing dresses - an Indian-inspired maxi that is perfect for the beach or a hot day out. I love it, very comfy! So I was looking for something similar. Too bad I didn't find any. I couldn't check out everything they had because it was a bit of a hassle to browse through their cramped display. The hooks were overstuffed, so the clothes which were hung in front kept falling off every time I checked out those at the back. For someone who was on a hurry, it was frustrating. I would've stayed longer and bought more clothes if it was easier to shop at their booth. I ended up buying a gray number that I wasn't too excited about, but was the only thing they had in my size out of the three pieces I tried. But I love how I'm a size Small in their clothes, and not the usual Medium. Hihi.

I found the Celestina & Co. booth further inside the tent and I was not disappointed. I've been browsing through their cute baby headbands and bows online for weeks now, and I wanted to see the stuff up close. Ally has one of their frilly pink headbands and a small cream bow, and they look absolutely adorable on her. So I wanted to buy more. I bought her a gray and pink band this time. Super cute.

But my favorite purchase is the cutie patootie pair of pale pink ballet flats I got from Tot Couture. I haven't heard of this brand before, and I am glad I stumbled upon them at the bazaar! They have the cutest, comfiest crib shoes! Unlike the usual baby shoes with hard soles, these are made of soft fabric so they are easy to put on wriggling baby toes. They come in different styles usually reserved for grown-ups - like peep-toe or sling backs - and some in the prettiest of prints! It felt like getting a bargain at Php350 (less than $10). What first drew me to the booth was how they were displayed - beautifully packaged in cute acetate boxes in the shape of a purse! Packaging can really tug at a customer's heartstrings, I should remember that the next time I join a bazaar as a vendor!

Most of the stalls offer discounts - like Baby Company who has baby carriers at 20% off, Baby Shower Studio who had a Php500 discount for a Php3,500 photography package, ManilaBaby who had swimsuits on sale, and a lot more stalls I can't remember.

One other great thing about the event are the freebies. There's a pick-a-prize for those who joined Expo Mom's tagging promo on facebook. Someone lucky won something from Avent. I just got a bottle of Tinybuds baby powder. Haha. Some brands give you something extra when you purchase. And I got three swag bags total, one each from Mommy Mundo, Avent, and Baby Company. The bags contained product samples, magazines, and stuff from sponsors. Most of these we can't use - like the tiny newborn diapers that are too small for my 7-month old who now wears size Large nappies. But I love the swag from Baby Company! I got all sorts of useful stuff in their bag, and even an Avent Via cup for storing breastmilk in the fridge. That, I can definitely use!

If only I could, I'd go back to the bazaar tomorrow. I forgot to go back for that cute baby tankini at Manila Baby shop. Sigh.

Expo Mom 2012 is happening at the Rockwell Tent today, May 5, until tomorrow, May 6, 10am to 8pm. Entrance is free for Mommy Mundo Passport holders, and Php25 for everyone else.

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Brands I love in this post

Celestina and Co.
http://celestinaandco.multiply.com/

Tot Couture
http://totcouture.multiply.com

Manila Baby Shop
http://manilababyshop.multiply.com/

 

Where have all the days gone?

 

Ally turned 7 months last week. It feels like in a blink of an eye, she transformed from a helpless little baby into a squealing, giggling, drooling toddler.  Yes, at only 7 months, my baby looks like she can go to preschool any day now. Haha.

I remember a poem that used to hang in my room as a little girl. I don't know who wrote it, but I loved it then, and I love it even more now. I can't believe I still know the words.

My daughter grows up

My hands were busy through the day

I didn't have much time

to teach my little girl

What to me was work to her was play

And when you'd come with your baby dolls

and ask me to rock her back and forth

I'd say

"Not tonight, I'm busy dear"

I'd tuck you in all safe at night

Kiss your cheek and hug you tight

Tiptoeing softly to the door

I'd glance at you again once more

God's little angel, my own delight

I wish I'd stayed a minute more

For life is short, the years rush past

A little girl grows up too fast

No longer is she at your side

Her precious secrets to confide

The baby dolls are gone today

I now remember all those times

you'd ask to help with little chores

"Can I put daddy's clothes away?"

No goodnight kiss, no prayers to hear

That belongs to yesteryear

My hands once busy, now are still

The days are long, and hard to fill

I wish I could go back and share

The little things that say, "I care"

Every time I whine about no longer having the time to do a bit of crafting, I should remember this poem.

Ally's First Christmas!

Our three-month-old's social life was buzzin' over the holidays! We were expected at all family gatherings, so planning our schedule was a bit stressful. But no complaints here, Christmas season is my favorite time of the year!

We spent Christmas eve with my mom's side of the family, Christmas day with Marco's side, the day after Christmas with my Dad's side, New Year's eve with Marco's family again, and New Year's day with my mom's sister's inlaws. Plus all those other parties in between: my dad's aunt's birthday, my grandparent's anniversary, and a Bon voyage party. Complicated? Very! Hihi. We're lucky Ally is an angel to travel with! She's a trooper!

Here is a wonderful video of Ally's first Christmas, from my creative cousin Kat!
A wonderful souvenir. Thanks Kat!

I'm excited for next Christmas! It's only 11 months away! :p

Hello 2012!

I know I said I would post my birth story here. Unfortunately, the details are still foggy. Note to would-be moms: if you have the energy, write about your birthing experience while the memory is still fresh. You don't have to blog about it - jot it down in your journal, or type it away on your phone - whatever works for you. It'll make for an interesting read when your child is all grown up.

I didn't have the energy to write about my story even weeks after giving birth. I was rushed back to the hospital a few days after I was discharged, due to postpartum hemorrhage. It took me weeks to fully recover. But I don't feel like writing about it here yet. Because there are other, more upbeat things to write about, and I don't know where to start!

Who has the time to write when you're breastfeeding a newborn every hour (yes, she's ravenous!) and dealing with aches and pains. Now that I am fully recovered, and Ally only nurses every couple of hours (I know, still too often!), i finally have time to write. Problem is, i can't remember a thing! I wish there really was a Pensieve!

I am apologizing in advance: from here on out, please excuse this Obliviated blogger if events are not blogged about chronologically.

2011 was a great year! I hope 2012 brings even greater blessings!