After me and my blogger friend accomplished our secret mission last Wednesday, we went back to Market! Market!, the place where we met earlier, to while away time. Incidentally, my Tatay, Nanay, younger sister Meann, and Tin-Tin (my call center agent niece), were going to Market! Market! too to have a very late lunch. Nanay had a follow-up checkup with her cardiologist and heart surgeon at the Philippine Heart Center earlier that day, which explained why they were just within the vicinity.

I was glad I waited because it happened to be my sister’s treat for our dear Tatay who will celebrate his 67th birthday in two days’ time, July 23 to be exact. Because we all love seafood, we went to Blackbeard’s Seafood Island and ordered the following sumptuous delights: Steamed Lapu-lapu, Salt & Pepper Squid, Tuna & Crabmeat Sisig, and Vegetable Kare-kare.


Steamed Lapu-lapu


Salt & Pepper Squid


Tuna & Crabmeat Sisig


Vegetable Kare-kare
I liked everything we ordered, but found the Salt & Pepper Squid a bit “makunat” (rubbery) but tasted good nonetheless. I was also not able to get the price of each dish we ordered because it was my sister who settled the bill, and I was seated across from her. Because I ate a little too much, I felt so heavy and sluggish when I went home. I made a mental note to read apidexin reviews later for some weight loss tips.


From left to right: Meann, Nanay, Tatay, Tetcha, and Tin-Tin
Happy Birthday, Tatay! We love you!

I turned 38 last January 31. Yikes! I’m that old already! I didn’t really have time to enjoy my birthday because it was a one-woman show. I had to clean the house very early in the morning and prepare the food for the guests. My kare-kare was a hit, as well as my spaghetti and fried chicken. Hubby bought a Red Ribbon White Forest Cake for me, which he discovered he liked very much. (He was actually craving for it days after my birthday. LOL!). The highlight of that day was the dedication of our home, which was performed by a lady pastor, a very close friend of my younger sister. We’ve been living in our condo unit for almost two years now, and I guess it’s about time we dedicate our home to the One who gives us all the blessings.

Justin celebrated his 3rd birthday in school today. We prepared a simple treat for him and his classmates consisting of Jollibee spaghetti and Yumburger and Goldilocks Cars Power (Lightning McQueen) cake. We also gave away loot bags with a miniature coloring book, a memo pad, and stickers inside. In our own little way, we hope we made our son happy on this special day. We love you, son!


Justin and his classmates around his Goldilocks Cars Power cake


Justin about to blow his birthday cake candle


Justin enjoying his Jollibee spaghetti


Justin sharing his birthday treat with his classmates


Justin opening his gifts at home

When I was 20 and fresh out of college, I never really understood why more mature women would not want to talk about their age or why they would conceal their real age. I couldn’t exactly figure out what the fuss is all about. They’re mere figures. Why be afraid of them?

But how time flew. It has been seventeen years since I had that frame of mind. Now that I’m in my late thirties (yikes!), I’m a little apprehensive of celebrating more birthdays and adding more and more years to my current age of 37. My son is only 2 years and 6 months old now. Doing the math, I’ll be 55 by the time he celebrates his 21st birthday. Boy, I’m old enough to be his grandmother by then.

What are my fears exactly? Anything and everything that has to do with getting old: fading beauty, sagging flesh, wrinkled skin, poor health, disability, dependency. But these things we can’t escape, and so I’ll just console myself with the thought that I’m not the only one who’ll experience these. Misery loves company, so they say.

For the moment, I’ll enjoy what life has to offer, live my life to the fullest, and feel forever young. And here’s my birthday wish: That I live long enough to witness all of my son’s firsts and to see him settled and content with a wonderful family of his own. Oops, lest I forget, today is my birthday!

This is my entry for this week’s theme.

The pictures were taken during the celebrations of Justin’s second birthday. I say “celebrations” because we actually held two birthday parties for him.

The first party was held on a Monday, July 7, 2008, his actual birthday and we had his godparents as guests.


Justin's first birthday cake


Justin about to blow the candle on his first cake


Justin and Mommy with Ninang Jing, Ninang Remie and Ninang Charm
The second party was held on July 12, 2008 with his grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.


Justin's Barney-inspired cake, a little messed up already


Justin blowing the candle on his second cake


Justin with his birthday gifts
Both parties were held in our small condo unit in Ortigas.

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Last Sunday afternoon, Justin, mommy, and his nanny went to Pizza Hut to attend his playmate’s (Gabbie’s) birthday party. I met Gabbie’s mommy in our building gym one time, and that’s how we came to know each other. Justin bumped into Gabbie at the playground twice already. Gabbie is now three years old.

Justin particularly enjoyed the spaghetti and ice cream. He actually ate more than one plate of spaghetti. Good thing there was an extra plate served in our table. He didn’t participate in the parlor games, however, because he was too young to understand the mechanics of the games. He would be with the other kids at the start of the games, but he would leave immediately after the game had started. He had better things to do, like use the crayons in the loot bag that he received from Gabbie’s mommy.

Justin happily participated in the singing of the Birthday Song for Gabbie, though, and counted 1 to 10 with the rest of the kids to signal the arrival of Pizza Hut’s mascot, Pizza Pooch. He wanted to blow Gabbie’s birthday candle, too, and one of Pizza Hut’s crew was kind enough to let him do it. She lit the birthday candle again and made Justin blow it, all the while thinking it’s his birthday, too. Below are some pictures from the party.


Gabbie with his mommy Rochelle and Justin


Justin happily looking on at the bigger kids playing parlor games


Pizza Hut's mascot, Pizza Pooch

Justin turned two last July 7. Ed and I decided to hold two separate parties for him since our small condo unit would not be able to accommodate his godparents and our whole family. We invited his ninongs and ninangs on July 7 and then the entire family the Saturday thereafter (July 12). They were nothing grand, really. We had on the usual birthday fare for kids (spaghetti, fried chicken, cake) and we had menudo, grilled bangus, sugpo (thanks to Dennis and Meg), cassava (courtesy of Orlan and Meann) for the not-so-young ones. Justin wore a Chinese-inspired costume that his Dad bought in Singapore on a recent business trip. He was so cute!!! I guess all mommies feel that way about their babies. I’m so looking forward to celebrating more of his birthdays with family and friends. Happy birthday, son!

My son Justin turned one year old last July 7. We had a Treasure Island-inspired Jollibee birthday party set up for him, complete with party hats and balloons. It was supposed to be a children’s party, but the adults had a grand time participating in the games too! I sure had. A total of 72 well-wishers came, a few heads short than what we expected. It was nice seeing friends, former classmates, and former officemates in one happy gathering.

There was Jong Tuma-ob, our former HR supervisor at Quorum who is now H.R. Manager of Hospira Philippines; Cathy Diaz, our former Archive Supervisor at Quorum who is now wife to a very handsome French gentleman, Thierry (sorry, Kat, we failed to make it to your wedding); Jing Gapit, my first supervisor at Quorum and a close family friend to this day; Joel Bohol, my former apprentice at Quorum who is inches away from becoming a certified nurse; Resty and Ramil, former AITI officemates and godfathers to my son; Donna (and family), Ed’s former officemate and his son Liam is Ed’s godson; ADB friends (Ms. Virgie, Mona, Cecille, Guia, Sheila, Roden); Des, Ed’s former officemate at Asec, with son Joseph; Yin and There, former classmates at U.S.T. and dear dear friends; Olive and Charm, my kumares, with their respective families; former AITI officemates: Jeff and family, Badong and family, Carlo and Nelson. Who else did I miss?

Of course, Justin’s Lolo Tatay and Lola Nanay and his aunts, uncles, and another Lola, Auntie Mameng, were there to give moral support too. Ate Tin-Tin and Ate Ayie could not make it that day because of school. It would have been more fun if they were around.

I thank all of these wonderful people for gracing Justin’s first birthday. I look forward to seeing all of them again on my son’s next, err…7th birthday. For sure, that will be a blast!