To ALL
The next few days will be very busy. So...
If I don't see and talk to you..
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY HANUKKAH!
MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!
Friday, December 22, 2006
The next few days will be very busy. So...
If I don't see and talk to you..
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY HANUKKAH!
MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Christmas... a special holiday
It’s December and Christmas is 13 days away. Being here in New York, there is a big difference on how Philippines celebrate this holiday.
I was born and raised a Catholic. I was taught that Christmas is the time to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday. So every year, when I was back in Manila, we would celebrate by attending midnight mass, put up lights inside and outside the house, give gifts to our loved ones, have a feast and share your feast with friends and neighbors. In our house in Manila, we had a Christmas tradition that I truly love. My uncle would celebrate the Mass for the neighborhood. After Church, we go home and prepare the celebration. The family will gather around the Christmas tree. My uncle would lead the prayers, bless the family and food, read lines from the bible, and everybody will sing happy birthday to Jesus Christ. After that, the youngest of the family is responsible to distribute the gifts to everybody. This takes patience for that person, in this case my sister Ash, since she will be the last person to open her gifts. I find It amazing how good it feels to give somebody a gift, no matter what you give, and make them happy. After we spend time with our own families, we meet with our friends and share our food with them and their families. It is a big celebration where you will sleep the next day. It’s tiring but FUN.
Christmas is not about giving gifts, it’s giving happiness to others especially for the people you love. I tried thinking back if I ever expected a specific gift from my family… all I could think about is the whole celebration, the fun and surprises, the happiness that you see on the faces of your loved ones when they open their gifts. I cannot think of a time that I got disappointed with what I received…
It’s the thought that counts and it’s knowing that someone thinks of you.
This tradition is what I want to impart to my children… That Christmas is the time to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday. And since we cannot give our special gifts to him personally, we celebrate it with our family and give the gifts to the people we love… the gift of happiness. That no matter how small the gift is, it’s the fact that you remembered that person or that family on this special holiday.
I was born and raised a Catholic. I was taught that Christmas is the time to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday. So every year, when I was back in Manila, we would celebrate by attending midnight mass, put up lights inside and outside the house, give gifts to our loved ones, have a feast and share your feast with friends and neighbors. In our house in Manila, we had a Christmas tradition that I truly love. My uncle would celebrate the Mass for the neighborhood. After Church, we go home and prepare the celebration. The family will gather around the Christmas tree. My uncle would lead the prayers, bless the family and food, read lines from the bible, and everybody will sing happy birthday to Jesus Christ. After that, the youngest of the family is responsible to distribute the gifts to everybody. This takes patience for that person, in this case my sister Ash, since she will be the last person to open her gifts. I find It amazing how good it feels to give somebody a gift, no matter what you give, and make them happy. After we spend time with our own families, we meet with our friends and share our food with them and their families. It is a big celebration where you will sleep the next day. It’s tiring but FUN.
Christmas is not about giving gifts, it’s giving happiness to others especially for the people you love. I tried thinking back if I ever expected a specific gift from my family… all I could think about is the whole celebration, the fun and surprises, the happiness that you see on the faces of your loved ones when they open their gifts. I cannot think of a time that I got disappointed with what I received…
It’s the thought that counts and it’s knowing that someone thinks of you.
This tradition is what I want to impart to my children… That Christmas is the time to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday. And since we cannot give our special gifts to him personally, we celebrate it with our family and give the gifts to the people we love… the gift of happiness. That no matter how small the gift is, it’s the fact that you remembered that person or that family on this special holiday.
Vince - 8 months
Vince turned 8 months last week. He also got his 2nd flu shot and did not get sick! YEY!
Things he can do:
• Climb (crib, sofa, chair, bed)
• Blow a “fart” sound using his or somebody else’s skin (this is soo funny). I think he got this from us doing it on his cheeks!
• Finally hold his bottle on his own.
• Cry when his parents leave the room, except in the morning when they drop us off to the subway. He’s too busy looking at the cars outside to see us leave.
• Chews on objects
• Reaches for utensils when being fed
• Sits unsupported
• Crawls really fast
• Babbles enthusiastically
• Responds to own name
• Shows some anxiety when removed from parent
• Reaches for toys
• Drops objects and then looks for them
• Picks up tiny objects
• Begins to identify self in a mirror's reflection
• Stands holding onto someone
• Pulls to standing position
• Walks around the crib holding the crib with one hand
• Able to sit back down from standing position
Vince’ favorite things to play with:
-Tags (any type and size of tag.. clothes tag, toy tag, pillow tag.. you name it!)
-Platic Bottle of water
-Tivo remote control (I gave him a toy phone, but he still prefers the tivo remote!)
-Teether/Gum Stimulator
He still loves playing in his Intellitainer and Exersaucer.
Latelely, he's been waking up at 5 in the morning. The doctor said to let him cry it out to sleep but he wouldn't stop even after 10 minutes. So we wind up feeding him and then putting him back to sleep anyway. Oh well... that's just how life is with a baby... and soon we will have another one!
Things he can do:
• Climb (crib, sofa, chair, bed)
• Blow a “fart” sound using his or somebody else’s skin (this is soo funny). I think he got this from us doing it on his cheeks!
• Finally hold his bottle on his own.
• Cry when his parents leave the room, except in the morning when they drop us off to the subway. He’s too busy looking at the cars outside to see us leave.
• Chews on objects
• Reaches for utensils when being fed
• Sits unsupported
• Crawls really fast
• Babbles enthusiastically
• Responds to own name
• Shows some anxiety when removed from parent
• Reaches for toys
• Drops objects and then looks for them
• Picks up tiny objects
• Begins to identify self in a mirror's reflection
• Stands holding onto someone
• Pulls to standing position
• Walks around the crib holding the crib with one hand
• Able to sit back down from standing position
Vince’ favorite things to play with:
-Tags (any type and size of tag.. clothes tag, toy tag, pillow tag.. you name it!)
-Platic Bottle of water
-Tivo remote control (I gave him a toy phone, but he still prefers the tivo remote!)
-Teether/Gum Stimulator
He still loves playing in his Intellitainer and Exersaucer.
Latelely, he's been waking up at 5 in the morning. The doctor said to let him cry it out to sleep but he wouldn't stop even after 10 minutes. So we wind up feeding him and then putting him back to sleep anyway. Oh well... that's just how life is with a baby... and soon we will have another one!
