Sam is 14 months today. As I write this, the little guy is causing havoc in the living room dismantling his playpen, reaching for the telephone, and now climbing on my chair. The house is in complete disarray and I don’t have the energy to pick up after him with this nasty sore throat bothering me.
Sam has 12 teeth in total now. He walks around now with no problem except for the occasional tumbles. He kisses me on the cheek when I ask him to or whenever he feels like it and his vocabulary is expanding:
mommy / mama
daddy
hun / hunny – this drives his daddy nuts since sam calls him this all the time instead of daddy
nono for lolo
nona for lola
tata for tita
dod for dog
bo for ball
elmo for elmo
arney for barney
moo for moon
ito
wala na
papi for tinapay
atoo for water
We just returned from a short trip in Manila and Hongkong. We’re not a fan of HK but we truly enjoyed Disneyland. Although, Sam slept through the parade, he was given a second chance to see the characters of Disney in the Glow in the Dark Parade. It was funny too how he looked bewildered when we were having pictures taken with Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Winnie the Pooh. He had this, “how-come-these-guys-are-so-huge-when-they’re-small-on-TV look?” Sam is too young to fully appreciate Disneyland but the look of wonder on his face when we rode the rides and saw the attractions is priceless.
Between taking care of Sam and Pet Society, that doesn’t leave much time for me to blog. Hehe.
Anyhoo, we just got back here in Vietnam from a 2-week vacation in the Philippines to actually celebrate Sam’s birthday. Yup, the little man is now a year old. Just a few milestones since we got here…
September 2 – Flight back to Vietnam. Sam slept through the entire flight. He only fussed before takeoff.
September 3 – Sam started really walking — and I mean really walk.
September 5 – Sam could kiss. He gave RJ a kiss on the lips. Hehe.
Sam almost fell from the shelf in Ruth’s place because he was trying to climb. He almost gave me a heart attack!
This was also the day that I watched the movie, The Proposal at Lotte Mart with Marlene, Ruth, Armi, and Sam ofcourse! Sam slept through the whole movie except that bachelorette party. The music was too loud! But we had a blast!
September 6 – Today was the first time that Sam and I attended Mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral. Also gave Sam Yakult today. He seemed to like it.
I hope I can write the birthday kwento on my next update.
I just found out that this is Sam’s favorite song. Whenever Travel and Living shows their TV ID commercial, he’d stop to watch and listen — even if he’s too sleepy, he’d open his eyes and watch. I found the song in You Tube and when Sam heard it, he crawled quickly to me to listen. It is a beautiful song talking about A Beautiful Life:
Got yourself a ticket to the rest of your life
So starting here and now, find the strength somehow to spread your wings and fly
And who could ask for more than this precious time
With you at my side on this rollercoaster ride, the one thing I know for sure is that
Na Na Na, it’s a beautiful life
Na Na Na, it’s a beautiful life
Yes it is
Everyday’s a new start so give it a try
When all of your predictions, your loves and your commitments
Keep watching the time pass by
And who could ask for more than another chance
You get one everyday, so start and lead the way
Step through another door singing. . .
Na Na Na, it’s a beautiful life
Na Na Na, it’s a beautiful life
Yes it is
These days I’m lost in the beauty of life
So I’m singing. . .
Na Na Na, it’s a beautiful life
Na Na Na, what a beautiful life
Yes it is
Na Na Na, what a beautiful life
Na Na Na, what a beautiful life
Yes it is.
In just a few days, it’ll be a month since we landed here in VN. It kinda feels like home since we already have a routine going. Unfoturnately though, Manuel will be leaving for Malaysia for “training” next Saturday. That means, it’ll just be Sam and I. Good luck to the both of us.
Manuel will be in Malaysia till December. Yup! That long! Although, we’ll see each other again in the Philippines for Sam’s birthday. So we’re looking forward to that. It’ll just be me on the plane with Sam on August 18. I am keeping my fingers crossed on that. I’m still conjuring scenarios on how to handle Sam for the short flight. The flight will be at midnight so this will be really crazy. Hopefully, as scheduled, Sam will sleep through the whole thing — airport, plane ride, and touchdown. My greatest problem will be is that Sam wakes up every now and then for milk and he breastfeeds. Omilord.
We have daily walks now or sometimes, Sam goes playing by the pool. I want to bring him to the pool at most 2x a week. I don’t know how that’ll work as I am still VERY conscious about my being overweight. Grrr… We have afternoon walks too and we chat up a bit with the other Pinoys here. Actually, we met a Pinay while we were waiting for our shuttle/bus ride home from church and we live in the same building too. Sunday mass is pretty interesting coz you’d see lots of Pinoys.
Sam is doing great. He turned 11 months this month and had his flu vaccine in FV Hospital. His doctor is a guy named I forget. I have to find his calling card again. He’s Vietnamese but can speak English. I still feel more at home with a Pinoy doctor. I have to ask hubby to ask around if there’s a Pinoy pedia. He didn’t check much of Sam and here, the nurses give the vaccines — not the doctor. But what was nice is that they asked us to stay for 15 minutes after vaccination to make sure that there are no allergic reactions. Back in Pinas, after vaccination, we just go home. Luckily, Sam didn’t get sick although he was a bit lowbatt the day after.
Being a domesticated diva (term grabbed from Rafela), I realized that:
sweeping the floors is an unending task — I swear we get dirt a lot. I don’t know from where! We even have house slippers so technically, I don’t have to sweep all that much, right?
washing the dishes is an unending task too! throw Sam’s bottles in too. Sigh.
laundry is easy; ironing — NOT!!! I so hate ironing.
I love the bakery and grocery so much. I’m in there almost every day!!!!
So there. Will update soon. Hafta prepare dinner now.
And just like that, we’re on our 11th day here in HCMC.
Yesterday we moved in Sky Garden. When we arrived in VN, all we had was 3 luggages, 1 balikbayan box and 4 hand carry bags. When we moved in from Angel’s place to our place we had 2 more boxes (a playpen and high chair) and a number of grocery bags. It took me (yes me!) all Saturday afternoon and Sunday night to finally unpack everything. Except for the shoe rack that I’m saving for hubby to work on.
Today Sunday (Chu ngac), we went to Mass at the Notre Dame Church in District 1. While waiting for the Mass to start, Sam befriended a Pinoy couple who were on vacation. Our second business for the day was to visit Phong Vu Computer Shop to get me a laptop (yay!). I didn’t care what brand just as long as I have one. Haha. So hubby got me a HP Pavillion dv3. I love it! Sam entertained a Vietnamese gal, named Thung (Vietnamese for hero-ine) who was helping us choose a laptop. I think she liked talking to me coz she could practice her English and she asked interesting questions too. While waiting for the release of the laptop (it had to undergo product testing and OS installation), we had lunch at the Diamond Plaza. Two hours later, we were back at Phong Vu and went home with a laptop, a router, and a Samsung phone. Now, that’s what you call SHOPPING.
It’s been a busy 11 days for me and I dread when hubby leaves for Malaysia. I wonder how I’ll get on. Sam IS a handful. He doesn’t want me out of the room and always wants me by his side. Even in the playpen.
These days, he loves anything with wheels. His favorite toy is his stroller. He’d sit right beside it and turn it’s wheels around. You can just imagine how dirty his hands get! Otherwise, he gets a roll of tissue paper and goes right tearing ‘em apart. Sometimes, when he starts to cry in a public area, I just give him a piece of paper, and he’d go right shred it into tiny pieces. I dunno if this is a Virgo thing but my friend Mia (Sam’s ninang) does the same. Haha. Sam did it today at lunch at the Diamond Plaza and the cleaning lady had to pick up his mess. I had to apologize (xin loi) to the lady.
Speaking of which, the Vietnamese people are so friendly. I dunno they’re that way because we’re foreigners but they’re really nice. And you can leave your stuff anywhere and you won’t lose anything. They have pretty harsh punishment for breaking the law here.
Also a first for me, is to cook dinner. Hubby is always on cooking duty but today I insisted on cooking. My first dish is stir fry veggies. Very easy!
Well, at least when we arrived last Wednesday, it wasn’t hot! We arrived in wet Saigon at 3pm (4PM in the Philippines). Sam was taking it all in and his ears were piqued by the different language he was hearing. Poor baby. Whenever a Vietnamese started talking, he’d turned his head and stare.
We stayed for 3 days in Renaissance Riverside Hotel in District 1 using up hubby’s membership points. Also, since District 1 is much nearer to hubby’s work which is at District 9, it was easier on the commute. His officemates staying at Sheraton Hotel picked him up via taxi. Yup, we were about 13 families all in all that came in Ho Chi Minh. It was a good PAL flight for all of us. Sam didn’t fuss that much at the airport and the plane. Except that he pooped while we were waiting to ride. Hehehe. But all was good. Sam is such a SMILER that the ladies loved playing with him. Even the lady beside us in the plane kept talking to him. I think I’m raising a heatthrob. The waitress in Jaspas took care of him a bit while we ate. A passing stranger along the street of Dong Khoi came over and talked to him. The western ladies loved cooing at him.
Anyhoo…back to reality. We’re now at District 7 in Huong Vuong 3. We’re staying at Acky’s friend — Angel’s apartment. Angel left for District 1 so she let us stay here at a much, much cheaper rate compared to living in the hotel (although I really love the Renaissance). We went apartment shopping yesterday and already found one in Sky Garden. So, we’ll be moving in probably next week if all works out.
For now, angel’s apartment is home. It’s really nice and we get to cook and stuff. My only worry is that Sam keeps on crawling all over the place and keeps on bumping his head and keeps on opening and closing all the cabinets. Sigh.
Tomorrow, if weather permits, Sam and I will go explore this town of Phu My Hung.
We haven’t officially began sorting through our stuff to tag which we will be bringing abroad but, hubby has been mentioning to me, every now and then, where the big stuff will go. The TV will be sent to my in-laws place and the fridge (yup, Marla and Mark’s original fridge) will be sent to my aunt-in-law’s — both in Valenzuela.
I understand that these items should be taken cared of while we are away as they’d probably just stop working if remained unused for the next 3 years. But THAT is OUR TV. That’s the first ever appliance we bought as a couple in SM North a few days after we got married. Hubby and I knew we wouldn’t be able to live without the TVo and so it was unanimously decided we get one ASAP. It’s been with us for four years! I know my in-laws will take care of it but my emo side has been acting up these days and I just can’t grasp yet of the stuff that we’d have to let go of when we leave.
Now, on the fridge, I can let go of that except that I wonder what we’ll do if we come to visit Pinas and we have no fridge at home. *scratches head* I can live without a TV for a couple of days or so, but without a fridge? I don’t know.
The other big thing in our list is our beloved car, David. David has been with us for one year. Actually, he turned one yesterday, May 21. Last Monday, May 18, Peter and Gail Perez visited me at my office in Binondo, and checked David out. They’re a nice couple with 3 kids and are very interested in getting David. We’re actually in the process of transferring the ownership to them. In two weeks, we’ll be handing David to his new owners. Don’t get me wrong, I’m okay with commuting. So we’ll be car-less towards our last days in the country — but that’s okay. It’s just that, David is our first car as a couple and it’s just hard to part with him.
Sigh.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sorting through more of our stuff, expect more emo moments from me.
I left around 6:20 am from my house in General Trias, Cavite to get to work. Work starts at 8:30 am. Guess what? I arrived at 11:30 am. Yup! It took me 5 freaking hours to get here!!!
No, it wasn’t raining. There wasn’t any flood! Maynilad was having a “DRY RUN” water pipe laying project for 3 areas along the highway! Can you imagine when they do start the project?!?! The signs I saw said that the project will run until May 31! Aaargh!!! The traffic was so BAD!
I wanted to head back home but I couldn’t turn back because both ways were already bursting with vehicles!
To top it off, it rained as I was about to get to the office and there wasn’t any more free parking space — so I had to park at a pay parking, and last — when I went to the bank, the teller didn’t call my number (#43)! She jumped from #42 to #44! And they call themselves bankers!
Since I din’t fill out the cash breakdown portion, she told me to fill it out next time. Duh! Matuto muna syang magbilang!
What a way to start my 1st day back at work after an 11 day break!
My good friend Ging has finally launched her website http://www.ginglorenzo.com. From engineer to photographer. And she couldn’t be any happier. Inggit ako! Haha!
The realization of a dream.
Congrats Ging! May more of your dreams come true! You can scratch this out from your 1001 list!
Sam slept through the whole movie except that bachelorette party. The music was too loud! But we had a blast! 