My new nephew Rafa!

Goodness me! It's been over a month and I almost forgot to blog about my new nephew, Raphael Pierre! My sister gave birth to him by C-section last June 8. He was a whopping 7 pounds and 2 ounces when the medical team weighed him in.

We went to visit Rafa at the hospital the day after his birth. That time, he cried like a baby whale (like he was being held captive or something!) and was ALWAYS hungry (you'd think there was no tomorrow!). I wondered if all boys were really like that.

Cousin Haley's 3rd Birthday!

Haley, Maia's second cousin, celebrated her 3rd birthday with a Snow White swimming party! And just like her birthday celebration last year, this one was also held at the exclusive Palms Country Club in Alabang.

With the sun shining but not scorching...patches of fluffy white clouds hovering against a powder-blue backdrop...and topped with some summer breeze...it was the perfect set-up for an afternoon of swimming and partying with family and friends!  

And when there's a pool, expect to see our Maia splashing in there and having the time of her life. :)

I hope you enjoy viewing the photos I've posted below. Special mention and thanks to our cousin Sem for allowing me to use some of his pictures from the party. :)

HRH Maia & the Paper Crown Daddy made for her

Maia's dad bought a couple sets of construction paper one day and he even used the first few pieces to make little hats for our daughter and her toys.  This time around he made bigger-sized ones to make a big crown for Her Royal Highness, Maia.

For this "project", Cupid not only used construction paper, but also pens for tracing, scissors for cutting, and a stapler to hold everything together.  He would have decorated it some more but Maia took the crown away from him as soon as she saw it!

Liv's 2nd Birthday Party

Maia was invited to attend Liv's 2nd Birthday Party.  Liv is the sister of Maia's cousin Zoe.  The party was held at the clubhouse of Mahogany Place III in Taguig City.

It was Maia's first children's party for the year, and so we were all very excited for her.  Especially since Liv's party was to be attended by some very special guests...Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, and Dora's best friend Boots!

Hubby originally took around 200 photos of this event.  But I've managed to narrow it down to 59 (only!).  So, without further ado, allow me to walk-you-through that fun-filled party, and I hope you enjoy viewing the pictures.

Andie's DDH Story

Andie is my niece.  The daughter of my only sister, Jaja.  She was born one August day in the year 2007.  The first grandchild on both her father's and mother's sides of the family, everyone was just dying to meet her on the day of her birth.  I remember being in the labor room with my sister, and seeing Andie just minutes after she was born.  I fell in love with her right then and there.  My first full-blooded niece!

Boundless Life and Energy
Andie was such a wacky and intelligent baby!  I could tell from the start that she is a very special child.  So full of life!  So bright!  So smart!  Highly perceptive.  Very talkative!  Really sociable and friendly.  Sometimes, Andie can also get really naughty and feisty with everyone, but never with me! (Smile!)  Her energy seemed to have doubled when she became a toddler.  And was like a speeding bullet in the way she zoomed from one area to the next.  She ran around everywhere while screaming with delight.  She hopped and skipped to nursery songs, and danced and twirled like a ballerina in her pink tutu.  I can't anymore remember how many times she's announced to everyone that she wanted to dance the ballet like her mom.

Kanin Club Despedida Dinner for the Ranjos

I mentioned in some of my earlier posts that my balikbayan relatives from San Francisco (Uncle Ernie and Auntie Nona Ranjo), spent the yuletide season here in the Philippines.   According to my brother (who possesses a VERY GOOD memory), the last time the Ranjos celebrated Christmas in the country was back in 1996...back when my siblings, cousins and I were all still young, single, without any kids, and all still living under one duplex compound!  They come visit every couple of years or so (the last of which was during my wedding in 2006), but for Christmas, the last was in '96.

Joey Pepperoni & Beer Belly for Wings' 35th Birthday

We celebrated my brother-in-law Wings Soriano's 35th birthday last December...the way most adult celebrations go (on a regular weekday)...with dinner, and then some music and light drinking.

First stop was at Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria, in their branch at Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City.  It was a gift-treat from Mommy Lily, my mother-in-law, who is based in Los Angeles, CA.  And although all our kids weren't there, as well as family members in the U.S., we tried to make the most of this rare opportunity for family bonding by the Soriano men by exchanging stories and catching-up, showing each other photos of our kids, handing-out Christmas gifts, etc. amidst good old Italian-American food.

My Auntie Arlyn's 73rd Birthday

January 9, 2011 was the day that my aunt, Arlyn, celebrated her 73rd birthday.  In typical Bayot clan fashion, there were plenty of food, stories, kids, jokes, and lots of laughter!

Tita Arlyn's grandchildren made this banner.  They call her "Mommy".

An Interview and an Afternoon at the Yapyuco Family Aviary

My husband and I were asked by a family friend to be respondents to her son's college paper in Theology.  The topic was about Marriage.  The interview was held at our cousins, the Yapyucos.  Our young interviewer is in his 3rd year, and he asked about things like how we met, how we knew we would end up together, our marriage expectations, how things are now that we are parents, the responsibilities involved, and the like.  I admit that I felt a little weird about the whole thing because:  (1) Cupid and I have only been married for 4-and-a-half years, just relatively new in the game; (2) It's our first time to be telling our story "publicly" and "on print" [our responses will be included in our interviewer's Theology paper]; (3) I didn't like my marriage being the topic of discussion in a college class, and many other reasons. In short, I just felt a little uncomfortable.  But as it turned out, everything went on really well.  I think our interviewer was more nervous about asking us questions.  I don't think he has plans of getting married soon after college, after we stressed the importance of responsibility, and how there is more to marriage beyond the exchange of "I DOs". *smile* *wink!*

New Year's Day at the Dela Cruzes, Amici/ Cara Mia, and Le Ching

January 1, 2011. As expected, we all woke up late. Then, our first order of business was to prepare to leave for my parents' house. New Year's day is always held at my parents' house, where we usually start the year with a big breakfast, followed by another big lunch, and then, perhaps, another big dinner (should we decide to stay a little longer). For most filipinos (especially my family), eating during New Year's Eve and New Year's day signifies abundance and "good life" for the rest of the year. Picture Scarlett O'Hara in the movie, "Gone with the Wind", reciting the lines:

"As God as my witness, I will never be hungry again!"

Now, I'm only being theatrical. It's nothing like that, really. It's only a family tradition.:)

Greeting the Year 2011 at home

Since being married, Cupid and I never really got to properly celebrate New Year's Eve at home.  New Year's Eve 2006, back at the condo unit we were renting at the time, we decided to stay put for we were told that celebrating the New Year at one's house will bring good luck to that household.  But we ended up just sleeping through the night, which is a boo-boo according to tradition...and feng-shui.

During the 2007 holiday season (actually, the whole final quarter of the year), my parents insisted that we stay with them because I was pregnant and had a bad case of morning sickness, some anemic spells, urinary tract infection, and soaring blood sugar levels.  We ended up staying with them until February 2008. 

Rosario and Ramen Bar with the Siblings

My siblings and I, together with our significant others, found time to go out a number of times during the recent holidays.  On one of those nights, we decided to go to the Eastwood Mall to watch the much talked-about movie/ entry in the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) -- "Rosario".

It was the first time for Cupid and I to watch a movie inside Eastwood Mall.  It was okay.  Not much different as the one in Eastwood City Walk.  Only newer.  If I were to make just one "mild complaint", it's that I wasn't able to pull up the arm rests so Cupid and I can sit close together. :(

So, let us talk about the movie.

2010 Soriano Family Christmas Lunch

December 26 is always the day when my husband's side of the family comes over to celebrate Christmas.  Our post-Christmas ritual usually involves a hearty lunch, followed with either an afternoon siesta or all-afternoon catching-up of stories.  Afterwhich, we say our goodbyes and call it a day.  It was different this year.  Cupid's brother and his family stayed until night time and we even took them home.  I even believe that if Wings didn't have any prior appointments, then they would have stayed longer or even overnight.  It was still a holiday that following day anyway.  Perhaps it is because we miss each other's company and did not really want to part ways early.  Whatever the reason, it was truly a fun but relaxed day with family!

Bayot Family Christmas Party (2010)

Another year, another memorable Christmas reunion party for the Bayot family.  It was especially memorable this time around for a number of reasons.  First, because my Aunt and Uncle from San Francisco are on vacation here.  Second, because Bella is celebrating her first Christmas.  And third, because we are joined by Frenjick, my brother's partner, for the first time.  Indeed, our family is growing!  Oh, have I mentioned that my sister is now 4 months pregnant with her second baby?  Yes, there will be a new addition next year...and I can't wait!

I hope you won't mind that I will be posting many photos here today.  It's just that...in such a memorable day like that with family and loved ones, one cannot help but take plenty of pictures to capture the moment.  You just can't.

Baby Bella's Baptism

Last December 22, 2010 was the day when my niece, Bella, was baptized in the Catholic faith.  My hubby, Cupid, is the principal Godfather. Ahem! Ahem! :)

I have posted a lot of pictures here, so I will not say any more and just let said photos do the "talking".

Hubby is Home! We're Home!

Yes! :)  Cupid arrived from his 3-week Yokohama trip last Saturday!  He looked really happy when I picked him up from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 1 (NAIA 1), but I could tell also that he was generally tired.  Despite that, the first thing he did upon arriving at my parents' house was carry Maia, whom he missed very much!  Maia, in turn, gave her dad a kiss which seemed to instantly cure his heavy head and tired body. :)

After having a late lunch of Dinuguan; and handing out his pasalubong (a really cute, cuddly, and white stuffed toy for Maia; a special edition Lacoste shopping tote for me; Royce chocolates, some souvenir items and even weird-looking snacks), Cupid took his well-deserved afternoon rest and snored a little more pronounced than usual.  Ahhh...music to my ears!  Hubby is home! :)

Sonny's Bowling-and-Billiards Birthday Party!

October 2 was a fun! fun! fun! day for the Bayot clan as we gathered together once more for Sonny's 9th birthday!  If Jeth's birthday celebration the month before was more "impromptu", his brother Sonny's was (somewhat) planned in that he was given time by his parents to think about and choose where he liked to celebrate and whether or not he wanted to invite friends over. Sonny decided to have his party at the Bowling Center in SM North EDSA and opted to invite "just the family".

Jeth's 13th Birthday at Pancake House

My nephew celebrated his 13th birthday last month at the Pancake House in WalterMart North EDSA. It was supposed to be held at their house but his Dad, John Dee (my first cousin), made a last minute decision to have it somewhere else so they wouldn't have to deal with cooking, as well as washing any plates and pans. I thought it was a great idea! They could have decided to hold the party in Timbuktu, I still would've gone (provided I have enough money!). Because, cliche as this may sound, I personally think that any place where you can gather family and spend time with them is heaven and should not be missed!

Tagaytay Trip (Day 2: August 8, 2010)

This is part 2 of my earlier post about our recent trip to Tagaytay (see part 1 here).

Cupid and my cousin really wanted to go and do the zipline but were unable to. First, because it took a while for the fog to clear out that morning. And when it finally did, it was almost check-out time. Plus, we needed to beat the traffic that was waiting for us in Manila.

Tagaytay Trip (Day 1: August 7, 2010)

Have you ever noticed how unplanned trips are usually the ones that push through?  I only asked because that was exactly what happened to me that first weekend of August.  What started out as a simple invitation from my cousin to "get me out of the house" turned into an all-expense-paid, overnight trip to Tagaytay City!  Yes...Cupid, Maia and I were treated by Maia's very generous Ninang Badot and Ninang Gay!