New Blog!

Hi!

I've started a new blog.

So much time has passed since my last post here that it'll be impossible to start where we left off. So as much as I love this blog, it's time to move on.

So folks, if you're still out there, please feel free to move to http://maviosafabulousa.blogspot.com.

See you around!

Psyched!

Oh, wow. Another long break from blogging AGAIN. So much has changed. I was actually looking for a different blog when I logged in into this old one. Maybe it's a sign to update my posts.

Well, Raya's almost 18 months now. Yep, one year and half. And she's still breastfeeding. I get more disapproving looks and comments from doing it until now but my baby still wants it and it doesn't pose any major conflicts with my lifestyle. In fact, if anything, it's more manageable now because I don't have to pump while I'm at work as she gets most of her nutritional needs from solid food now.

She has grown a lot since my last post (She was around 8 months then I think. Haha. Yeah it was that far back.) and has learned more new things too. Now she can say simple words like "Hi!" "Bye!" And "No." She can also mumble "Happy birthday!" and "Thank you." Most of all, she can already comprehend instructions like "Bring this to your dad." or "Wait because Mommy has to do this first."

Yes, parenthood is still a dream. I don't think that ever changes but now that's she bigger and has gotten more independent, I allow myself to take more time for myself and to better take care of my needs.

In the past, work and Raya took up most of my time. Now, I don't allow that to happen too often although those two still remain my priority.

I've decided to set goals for myself this year. I vow to make 2010 MY year. Apart from some career changes, I set three major goals that I think are achievable within the year.

First, I've decided to start an exercise regimen as well as a diet program. I plan to lose 30 lbs. this year so I can fit into my old clothes! It's nothing too fancy or formal. Most of it's just 20-30 minutes of cardio a day and counting calories, limiting portions. I don't even have strength training though I am planning to take Yoga for that. But I think I'm starting to see some changes. I also created an account at Calorie Count so I can monitor my progress daily. It's a great site!

My tummy doesn't bulge as much when I'm wearing jeans. In fact, I can now wear tighter tops with jeans because it doesn't look like a doughnut anymore. And it also makes me feel good. Makes me feel more empowered as well as more psyched to start the day.

I'm giving this weight loss program as 25th birthday gift to myself.

Second, I've decided to learn how to drive. I've inquired at A1 Driving School and I've looked at their rates. I'm planning to save up for it and have that done before the year is over.

I realize the value of having a skill like that because you never know when you might need it. It also gives you more independence as well as more flexibility.

And last but not the least, I plan to learn how to cook. Nothing like gourmet of course but just simple hearty, Filipino dishes that will allow me to feed my family and myself if I want to. I also want to start learning for Raya, so she can get healthier, homecooked meals even when there isn't a maid or cook around.

There are a lot of mini-goals tied to these three but it would be too many to enumerate here. I'm just happy I'm starting somewhere. It's been so long since I felt this motivated and I want to take advantage of that. :)

Here's to a great 2010, peeps!

It's been too long!

I can't believe I haven't posted anything here since I gave birth. And I can't believe it's been almost 9 months since Raya arrived. Seems only yesterday that I posted her 4d scans and wrote about my delivery preparations.  

It's been quite a ride. I've learned a lot of things and discovered a lot about myself since becoming a mom. Can't say all the lessons were easy but I can say all were worth it. And I'm still learning! I guess there's no stopping since this IS a lifetime job. Hehe.  

It's such a cliche to talk about the wonders of motherhood that I hesitate to dedicate this entire post for it because I'm sure wiser, more experienced moms would have more to say about that than me (Sidenote: I just saw my daughter munching on another piece of paper she picked up by the bed so can you tell I haven't entirely baby-proofed our bedroom?! 'Told you, I still have a lot to learn.). Don't get me wrong -- motherhood really is WONDERFUL. Just watching all the new tricks Raya can do now and the amazing little person she's turning out to be gives me all the warm, fuzzy feelings every parent has probably talked about at least once. But I'd like this long overdue post to be more of a source of support or information for first-time moms who are less-than-certain that they're on the right track as I was and still, sometimes am. I've been lucky because I have an amazing support system starting from my husband, to both our families but taking care and raising a baby really is more of a journey that every mom has to make by herself since it is her primary responsibility to care for her little one, right? And you will encounter some form of criticism along the way and there will be times when all you have is your gut to go by. So if you find something to relate to in some of the things I'll be jotting down here, then I'd have done my good deed for today. :)

My parenting style AND the decisions I make for Raya may be different from some people but I'd like to say that this is MY style and you're welcome to comment or suggest but you're also welcome to go to another page if some of them offend you or your values. Hehe. After all, this is my diary. 

So anyway, if I were to compile a list of some of the things that I've lived by (or I'd wish I had done) during my entire pregnancy and the first few months of Raya's life, it would include some of these things: 

1.  Don't eat for two when you're pregnant. 

By the time your baby is born, her tummy will only be the size of a marble so there's really no need for her to eat a lot, especially not while she's inside you (She won't be eating through her mouth even.). So all that food and weight gain not only puts you and your pregnancy at greater risk, it also makes getting back in shape doubly hard. 

I was almost 200 lbs. at full-term that means I gained more than 50 lbs. the entire pregnancy. I was bloated. I felt ugly and the last trimester felt like hell. I have lost most of the weight since then but if I hadn't gone past the 30 lb. recommended weight gain for preggo women, I would've been back to my pre-pregnancy size now. 

2. Read and research. 

If you can go and learn a lot about other things, wouldn't you do the same for your most important job? Information is the only thing a first-time mom can bring to the table as far as having a baby is concerned so read up. Also, babies naturally attract well-meaning, unsolicited caregiving advice from other people so sifting through what works, what's scientifically sound and what's not is basically made easier if you're well informed.

A lot of things that were generally accepted practices in the past have been proven to be dangerous now and if you're well-informed you'll be able to make the right choices. Read up on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Nutrition, Medication, Vitamins, Well Baby Indicators, Infant Gear, etc. Buy books, go on legit baby care sites like KellyMom, La Leche League, etc.   

3. Breastfeed. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women breast feed their babies at least for the first two years and then for as long as it is mutually desired. We all know the WHO isn't made up of a bunch of yahoos who just make random recommendations so therefore, they must be coming from an informed standpoint when they say this. 

And if you do your research, you will find NO medical findings that say that formula is superior or even equal to the benefits that breast feeding gives your child. Breast milk has 400 nutrients present in it that have yet to be copied by formula. It also changes its composition according to YOUR child's needs, plus it's clean, safe, always available and FREE! 

Only 1% of women in the whole world can not breast feed for physical reasons but everyone can and will produce enough milk for their child. How else would your ancestors have fed all the generations before you if women did not produce enough milk for their children? Think about it. As long as your baby sucks and feeds, you WILL have milk.  

I'm very passionate about this because I really believe it gives your kids the best start in life. In fact, I think I'll be dedicating a post just for this. And with the advent of effective breast pumps and all, working women have so much options now that breast feeding and having a career is possible! 

Lastly, I'd just like to add that as of writing this: My 8 and a half month-old baby has never had any serious upper respiratory problems, never had a fever, never had diaper rash and is almost always two weeks early in her developmental milestones. She's also very lean and siksik -- not overweight. We've also never had to worry about allergies, running out of milk in the middle of the night, sterilizing numerous bottles (unless I pump and leave her) and milk going bad. I've also lost almost 50 lbs in 7 months just by breast feeding alone (no diet or regular exercise). Need I say more? :)

4. Co-sleep. 

This is more "controversial" than breast feeding because some people agree with it, and some don't. They don't think it's safe and I understand there are risks but in my experience, Raya slept more soundly beside me than she ever did in the crib, and I never got too exhausted too because I never had to fully wake up in the middle of the night for a feeding since I just had to turn to my side and breast feed her. It was just a matter of emotional attachment and convenience for the two of us. :)

5. Talk to your baby. 

Talk, talk, talk. It'll make her more responsive and maybe let her talk earlier. Hehe.

6. Don't buy too much stuff. Buy according to her needs, as they come.

I didn't buy too much clothes for Raya and I was lucky that a lot of people gave her gifts or hand-me-downs that she still uses 'till now so I didn't exactly have to shop a lot for her layette. Though I did buy a lot of feeding bottles which I now regret. I bought them as insurance thinking that in case breast feeding didn't go too well, I'd have them ready. Now, I realize I should've bought only 3-5 bottles and used the money for something else like a breast pump which I eventually had to buy or a high chair (which Mom and Dad gifted us with). But hey, not all is lost, I could hand them down to family members who'd have their kids though I'd hope they'd try and breast feed too. :)

7. Take time off, if you can, when the baby arrives.

I know, I'm lucky I've been able to put off working until now and I know not all CAN do the same thing and that's understandable but if you can, do it. Because this time of your life and that of your baby's is absolutely precious. :)

8. Take care of your partner too.

Taking care of a baby can be overwhelming and it's easy to feel pressured and overworked, especially if you don't have a yaya and the easiest target for your exhaustion-induced temper would be your partner. So take care of your relationship too. :)

I'm sure there are a lot of other things I can say about this but I'll have to write a novel by then. I've already been so presumptuous as to write something like this but like I said, if it helps others, then it's good enough for me. :)

Till the next post! 

       

Say Hello to My Little Friend

It's been quite a while since my last post because I've been so busy with a lot of things that sitting down and composing my thoughts into a blog post seemed such a chore at the end of the day.

The past three weeks have been eventful what with Rod and Zhar's wedding and my twice a week pre-natal check-ups as I entered my 40th week of pregnancy, and all the moving-in into our newly renovated Place of Zen (a different post reserved for that).

But the more spectacular reason for my indisposition the past three weeks would be the arrival of our much-awaited Little Friend -- our very own Bundle of Joy, Ball of Fur, Ray of Light, etcetera, etcetera, Raya Victoria Almeda Ungco!

Weighing in at 7 pounds and 3 ounces and 19 and half inches long, she is Love personified. :) I can't believe how happy I am!

Ripping off RJ's Ultimate Lasagna Post-to-be

RJ's been so busy with a host of other things that he hasn't been able to update any of his posts...and I can't hold it in anymore! Haha! So I'll be preempting just one of his posts lined up for publishing just to give you all a sneak peak into what he had in store for us last Sunday. 

Ate Rona (and his many fans, hehehe), he finally worked on that Ultimate Lasagna request! And it was supah dupah delish!!!

Most of the pictures are in my Multiply site: http://mavsalmeda.multiply.com but just to provide a glimpse of what RJ's genuis has brought forth now, here are some too! 

Anyhoo, you'll have to stay tuned to HIS blog for the complete recipe but in a nutshell (since I'm such a blabbermouth and I can't resist posting this), what he did wasn't your regular, classic, run-of-the-mill Lasagna. He put together this amazing concoction of classic italian sausages, tomatoes, tomato concasse, olives, garlic, onions and his very own, Swiss cheese fondue! 

Yum, yum, yum!!!  Gastronomic delight indeed! 

We had it with garlic bread and a bottle of Shiraz (well, they had the Shiraz, not me. :)) and it's best served piping hot, by the way! 

Hope you guys could sample it soon! 

Isn't she lovely?

We finally had our 4D scan done! RJ and I had been pondering whether to have it performed even with our OB-GYN's referral because it's quite costly but now, we're glad we did. The experience was totally worth it. 

We wanted to stay hooked forever to that fancy machine that showed us spectacular images of our baby moving, writhing, sleeping and grimacing (yes! she's quite suplada! hehe.) but Raya was already acting up around 20 minutes into the scan because the probe was probably disturbing her nap. The images showed her crossing her brows and making faces at us. And her sleeping with her mouth open. Hehe. But she was sooo cute. :)

I was a bit anxious at first, always asking the OB doing the scan whether she could see any problems, but she said so far, everything looked in order. She's actually average-sized, around 6 lbs. so that means all those chocolate bars and night binges are just all going to me. Hehe. At least that does something for my chances at a straightforward normal delivery. 

We really can't make out if she looks more like me or Arj but her nose looks quite high and pointy (Yay!) and she has very chubby cheeks! The Doc also said she looks singkit and she may have my lips (Don't ask me how she figured that out. She's supposed to be the expert. Hehe.). She also says, the images would've been of better quality if I had more amniotic fluid (since I'm full term, it has considerably diminished by now) and if she wasn't so big as to attach herself to the placenta at times (that's the cloudy part of the image by the way) but considering I'm nearing the D-date, she says we were still lucky Raya was still up to striking a few poses for Mommy and Daddy. 

Anyhoo, here are a couple of snapshots I took of the printed scans. We have yet to claim the DVD of Raya in utero that comes with the package we availed so we'll have to do with these Black and White images for now. Aah, the wonders of technology. :) 

Raya sleeping peacefully 

Raya sleeping with her mouth open :)

Raya acting up later on during the scan :)

Isn't she just precious? We think she's absolutely perfect. :)

 

  

An Update on Raya's Ride

As posted earlier, RJ and I intended to get one of the new Graco Travel Systems for Raya, in lieu of the recalled Chicco lines. But all efforts were to no avail. Joy scouted major stores in the States and she couldn't get the models we asked for. Her only other option would have been to go and buy online but the delivery wouldn't be able to catch up with her departure date! So it was AGAIN back to the drawing board for us. The stroller business was turning out to be really trying...

Joy and her sister-in-law, Trin, were nice enough to suggest other brands like Stoke and Orbit but they were way too expensive for us (even if they looked uber cool!), so we just thought of getting our travel system here in the P.I. 

Stoke Travel System

Orbit Travel System (around 800$-1000$)

We figured we could just check the manufacturing date for Chicco items anyway as their press statement said and check if that particular base was part of the recall. We could take that risk at least. The only downside really is paying a little extra than we would've in the U.S.

And so off to the baby stores we trotted and began our quest for the perfect alternative Ride for Raya...and it was not in vain!  

We were able to buy a Chicco KeyFit travel system whose manufacturing date was not within the recalled batch, and we got it at 10% off too! We got it from Baby and Co. in Powerplant Mall (It was a thousand bucks cheaper than in Rustan's, before the discount.). Incidentally, if you're looking to buy some kids' stuff this would be a nice place to look because they give you an automatic ten percent off on ALL items if you agree to register for a baby shower, 1st birthday or christening, which I did even if there really was no baby shower to register for anymore. Hehe. A tiny, white lie for this...

And the great thing about getting it here too is that it comes assembled already! So that saves me and Arj a lot of poring over the instructions manual and a lot of arguing. Hehe! Such control freaks we can be...

It was manufactured last year so the latch of this car seat base isn't defective as those made between February and March of this year. 

It's not the Chicco Cortina Explorer that we originally wanted, but we still love the sleek design of the KeyFit. RJ brags it's because it's an Italian brand! Hehe. It's also really easy to maneuver and carry around. Everyone, including Mom and Dad, were psyched with all the features.

Forgive my over-eager husband, the pose...

Plus, we got Raya a rockin' stroller cushion for her to lie in when she rides this new baby. There were other designs with pink elephants and other cute, dainty prints. But she's too cool for that. We know already.  :)

ONE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! 

Another Pleasant Surprise

Woke up to a phone call from Dad asking about a Graco playard that appeared with Kris Aquino (of all people, yes, hehe) in Yes! Magazine and since I was still feeling a bit woozy, I couldn't figure out what exactly he was referring to. As the conversation went on though, I realized that he was asking if we ever considered getting a playard/playpen for Raya. 

I said we thought of getting one but because she already had a crib, we figured we may not be able to maximize it. Plus I thought, getting a Pack 'N Play these days can get pretty steep, ranging from 7k to 10k, so it wasn't really on our priority list. Not to say that we didn't want one because it would allow us certain conveniences like a ready sleeping place for her during out-of-town trips (Pansol? Hehe.) and for moving her around the different rooms in the house with ease (Bedroom to Master's Bedroom to Living Room, etc.).

Anyhow, Dad was saying there was a person from work selling him a slightly used (more like barely used we figured later on) Graco Playard for a very reasonable price. And I could only go "Oh okay." But he said he wasn't sure how much these things usually go for or how useful they were, and so...the phone call ended there. At that point I wasn't sure why he was calling but I figured he was probably gauging whether we wanted or needed one. Didn't know he was planning to actually get one. 

So, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that a charming Pack 'N Play was waiting for us when we got back from dance practice in Blue Ridge! The color was a little boyish (denim blue and red) but also practical because the material looked easy to clean and maintain. It also looked brand new! Even the wheels and the aluminum and plastic parts were virtually scratch-free! 

Graco Contour Electra Deluxe Pack 'N Play

AND the best part about playards these days? They can fold to the size of big duffel bags, not like the huge, inflexible ones we had when I was a kid. So we can lug it around practically anywhere! PLUS! They come with hanging animal toys, a vibration device (for soothing baby) and a control pad that lets you turn on a night light or choose among different sounds like soothing music and nature sounds. Dad loves this feature by the way. He actually takes the pad out of the playard to check out the different musical selections. :) 

There's also a changing table (complete with a counter for diaper wipes and other changing/cleaning-up implements) and a bassinet with a canopy for your little one. 

Talk about major convenience! Now, it's almost as if we have another crib for Raya! Another great accessory for our coming Angel! Thanks so much Dad! :)

 

   

Hooray!

We finally succeeded in getting the better part of our "clearing and cleaning" done in preparation for the refurbishing of our room! And I must say this is something short of a milestone for me since I've really been feeling woozy and sluggish the past week (must be the hormones going haywire again). In fact, I was beginning to worry I wouldn't be able to see any of the things in my to-do list through to completion because of my erratic moods and fluctuating energy levels. I really can't wait to deliver. It's getting a little cumbersome, carrying my belly around and negotiating my weight and size every time I move. Hay. Raya, be an angel and arrive at the soonest possible time! Hehe. 

It's also another good thing that my Lola came over to help start the overhaul. I think her fluttering about and supervising the "operations" helped me avoid slacking off the rest of the afternoon.  

That's not to say that the stuff we unearthed weren't interesting and enough to get me going. A lot of it was trash sure, but some were also little treasures. RJ found pics of him from his Les Roches days and he was more than happy to brag about how thin he was then! Haha! But it's true. He couldn't have been any more than 160 lbs! And he actually had a long neck! Hehehe! 

We also found pictures of him and old girlfriends and (oh-so-mushy) love letters. Hehehe. This isn't really a problem for me because I also keep souvenirs from the past and I like browsing them from time to time. ;) I even suggested that he returned part of the album to the party involved because some of them were childhood pictures, and if I were her, I'd want 'em back, diba?!

But really, the find of the day was an old toy camera from his dad's exploratory photography days! We're not sure if it's still working but I'm interested to see if we can still get it up and running by a vintage camera repair shop in Manila. I'd been wanting to get my hands on old film cameras to try and play with them and see what kind of images would turn up...maybe it's just me missing production work or "feeling creative". Hehe. But I really can't wait to get the old thing a'workin! 

I wonder what sort of other treasures we'll be unearthing in the days to come. Hihihi. But one thing's for sure, I'll be posting pics the next time! 

Now, I gotta catch some zzz's. I'm exhausted from all the sorting and packing. I think the dust also triggered my allergies that's why my eyes are feeling a little heavy...Till the next post.

Meet Raya!

Surfing the Internet is one of my favorite occupations. I would say pastime except that I do it so often, it hardly qualifies as a hobby anymore. I browse all kinds of sites and I read all kinds of stuff that sometimes, even RJ wonders whether I don't get information or sensory overload from all the surfing, clicking and browsing that I do. Needless to say, I think the Internet is the best invention ever. Hehe. Next to Ziplock, that is. 

Anyhoo, in one of my internet exploits, I stumbled upon this cool site: www.morphthing.com where you can morph the faces of famous celebrities together (reminds me of a hilarious segment in Late Night with Conan O'Brien, If They Mated) or better yet, register for free and upload your own pics and morph them together. Naturally, with our baby coming, I took the liberty of uploading some of our headshots to see what she would actually look like. The results were, well...very interesting. Hahaha. 

Guys and gals, meet Raya (or at least an approximation of her):

I've been getting mixed reactions to this image. Some say she's pretty, some say she just looks downright weird. Haha. I say she still looks like RJ. Parang pinagbigyan lang yung ibang features ko. :) It'll be interesting to see how she actually turns out. We love her already anyway. Hehe. 

As for how she'll look as a baby, I'm not sure. I don't think morphing baby images will be successful using MorphThing. So you'll just have to do your own mental morphing. Here are some of our pics to help. Hehe. 

Young Mavie (perched on top of cousin, Joe)

Young RJ (with Mommy Vkyh)

Thoughts, people? :)

Tag! I'm It!

I have been tagged! Here goes nothin'... ;)

Rules: Answer the questions using only one word. Then tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? Table.

2. Your significant other? RJ.

3. Your hair? Brown.

4. Your mother? Tina.

5. Your father? Brick.

6. Your favorite thing? Books.

7. Your dream last night? Dunno.

8. Your favorite drink? Tea.

9. Your dream/goal? Travel.

10. The room you're in? Dining.

11. Your hobby? Blogging.

12. Your fear? Dark.

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? School.

14. What you're not? Famous.

15. Muffins? Cakes.

16. One of your wish list items? Library.

17. Where you grew up? Bulacan.

18. The last thing you did? Chat.

19. What are you wearing? Dress.

20. Favorite Gadget? SLR.

21.  Your pets? None.

22. You computer? Mac.

23. Your mood? Agitated.

24. Missing someone? Lola.

25. Your car? Umm.

26. Something you're not wearing? Rings. 

27. Favorite Store? Bookstore.

28. Like someone? Brothers.

29. Your favorite color? Black.

30. When is the last time you laughed? Tuesday.

31. Last time your cried? Birthday. 

Now, tagging four others:

1. Jon 

2. Amira

3. Trixie

4. Kinx 

Meet St. Raymond Nonnatus

After a long hiatus, Mrs. Imperial and her family visited Ponzo's again. She wanted to ask for Ginger's (RJ's sister, who used to be the operations manager of the resto but has since moved on to greener pastures as a Flight Attendant for Emirates Airlines -- Mrs. Imperial was very fond of her :) ) email address to thank her for the chocolates she sent her way.

As she is a frequent customer of Ponzo's, she and RJ got to talking about some of the developments in the Magallanes-Makati area like the exorbitant price of village stickers in San Lorenzo Village (where Monique's school is) and the environmental/health implications on Magallanes Village of the public school recently opened right behind the Parish. 

Soon though, as most small talk is bound to lead to these days, conversation turned to my bulging belly and my impending delivery. 

She asked when I was due and the circumstances of my would-be delivery (at least the ones we know so far) and was nice enough to say she'd be including me and Raya in her prayers. She also gave us the name of the Saint of Unborn Children, St. Raymond Nonnatus whom her mother introduced to her when she was about to have her first child. She said that novenas to St. Raymond never failed and it would help ensure a safe and sound birthing experience for Raya and Me. 

As RJ and I didn't know anything about St. Raymond, we looked him up on the Net and found that he was made the Saint of Unborn Children because of his special birth experience. 

St. Raymond Nonnatus was born in the year 1204 in Portella, Spain via cesarean section to his already-dead mother.  In fact, his surname Non natus actually means "not born" in Latin. 

He was earlier prepared for a life at the Court of Aragon and later on for commerce and trade as a farm manager to his father's lands but he chose to enter priesthood. He entered the Order of our Lady of Mercy for the Ransom of Captives and became a Mercederian, whose main mission was to ransom Christians held captive by Moors.

St. Raymond rose in the ranks of the order and was supposedly being eyed by many to replace the founder, St. Peter Nolasco, as ransomer. He was also said to be a zealous preacher which got him in a lot of trouble with the Mohammeden authorities of that time. 

He was eventually held hostage when he ran out of money/estate to ransom more captives and was subjected to all kinds of torture and cruelty. It was even said that in order to prevent him from preaching, his captors bore a hole through his mouth and padlocked it. 

Eventually though, he too was ransomed and he was able to return to Barcelona to become a cardinal under Gregory IX.

He died of fever in Cardona, on his way to Rome, on August 31st. He was 37 years old.

His is truly a compelling story and we want to thank Mrs. Imperial for sharing this beloved Saint with us. I know that a lot of factors may be beyond our control, especially during a time as dynamic as giving birth, but we believe prayers and faith will go a long way. Here's looking forward to the coming D-day. :) 

Postscript: For a guide to prayers and novenas to St. Raymond Nonnatus, you may visit this site. 

If We Hold On

While sitting at home and watching TV (As I am writing this, I had just finished two movies in a row on HBO. Only the harrowing prospect of watching Chuck Norris in another B-movie tore me away from the screen and on to another couch potato occupation, the Internet. Hehe.) I saw a plug announcing the premiere on HBO of one of the most memorable animated films of my childhood -- Land Before Time (July 27, 5 PM). 

For those who don't know, Land Before Time was an animated film originally released in 1988 by Universal Pictures. It features five young, anthropomorphic dinosaurs who are trying to find their way to the Great Valley (a place of abundant food source where all the other dinosaur species have converged because of a drought that has devastated the rest of the land), all the while, trying to elude the film's carnivorous villain, Sharp Tooth (a Tyrannosaurus Rex) and being guided by the spirit of Little Foot's (the main character) mother who died trying to protect him.

It is a story of five friends journeying through life, coming of age and reaching the end of their quest despite insurmountable odds -- a formidable group of youngsters who find strength and courage in each other. 

The main character of the film is Little Foot, an Apatosaurus. It is mostly his determination to reach Great Valley, just as his mother had told him to do before she died, that drives the journey forward.  

Cera, a Triceratops, is the feisty one in the bunch. She was also separated from her pack in the confusion of the evacuation to the Valley. Little Foot saves her life and after much prodding, she eventually joins him in his journey. She likes to assert her independence and pretends to be brave and self-sufficient even when she feels afraid and vulnerable.

Ducky, a Saurolophus, is probably the sweetest and most adorable character of the bunch. She seems to be the most impressionable too. Yes, she's the one who says, "Yep.yep.yep." all the time. 

Petrie is the baby Pteranodon who can't fly. While Spike is the Stegosaurus with the hearty appetite who can't talk.

My personal favorite as a kid was Cera. 

Her rebellious streak and tough-girl exterior attracted me (If you must know, I was never the sweet, demure type.) and while the many illogical decisions borne out of her gigantic ego irritated me at times, I guess I respected her for not wanting to take crap from anybody and looking to take care of herself. I guess she was also the one who seemed most real to me with all her trust issues and what-not. Haha. PLUS she vindicated herself when she pushed the 'ol T-Rex to his death in the end. ;)

Anyway, RJ and I have been talking about the movie for the past two nights now and we were both amused to find that it was one of the first movies we cried buckets of tears over. The first lines of the film's theme song, "If We Hold On Together" did us in. Hehe. All the nostalgic talk about the movie has also made my young sister-in-law Monique, eager to see it. I'm glad she now has a chance to catch it on TV.  

On a more reflective note though, I think the reason why it had such a huge impact on my 6-year old mind (and on the many who got to see it), was that it may have been my first "educational cinematic experience." Okay fine. I first saw it on video but I'm talking about films in general. 

For one, it launched me into this MAJOR dinosaur phase where I forced my mom to buy me all the dinosaur books I could find in National Bookstore. I also just HAD to know by heart then, the different pre-historic periods and the dinosaurs that appeared within them. And let's not forget all my gloating over getting the spellings of the dinosaur names correct. Talk about getting the right motivation. ;)

Of course, I could only remember a handful of those stuff now but more memorably though, Land Before Time also educated me in a way that it allowed me to confront the reality of death and loss through the experiences of the five young characters, particularly Little Foot's. To my young mind, it was a little traumatic to look at Little Foot and witness him deal with the loss of his mother and come face to face with situations or choices that could spell the difference between survival and death.  

Yet it was also the perilous circumstances he had to endure along with his friends that lead me to a more profound understanding of friendship, faith, and love. It allowed me to perceive that a deep connection that defies even physical absence or separation is possible. In a sense I guess it taught me about Hope and what it really means.

As adults, we sometimes remember the most mundane yet interesting details from our childhood. For instance, I also remember how Land Before Time merchandise was sold everywhere then or was even part of the promotional gigs of some establishments like Shakey's. Heck, it's only now that I realize what a commercial success that film was. 

But it's also interesting how some things, the really important ones, also find their way to our minds and hearts, aside of course, from the action, plot twists and engaging artwork/graphics. I guess the key to keeping them alive in us is just to have the same openness and receptivity that we once had as children.

We may just be surprised at the messages that many of our experiences, mediated or not, hold for us.

So I highly recommend seeing the film if you haven't yet. It may just be what your weary heart needs these days.    

Allow me this...

I love RJ to bits but there are just moments in your life when beauty smacks you right in the face. 

Ang gwafuh niya. I think I'm gonna faint. His name is Akihiro Sato, by the way. And he models HERE in the P.I.! 

Whoever thought Japanese and Brazilian would make a good combo? Well, I didn't but nature does have a way of surprising you.

I'm into my third trimester. Is it too late to make lihi? ;)

 

Where's the Party?!

Never thought this day would come...but Vilma Santos just made my day. :)

Where's the parteeh? Come on show me!  

To kindred spirits, click on the link to jumpstart your day: Vilma Santos is asking you "Where's the party?!"

The Business of Weddings

I've finally started on Fr. Benny's assignment and I'm proud to say I've been making considerable progress!

Nongnong (as we fondly call Father) has requested me to help produce a primer for the many couples interested to wed at the St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Church in Magallanes Village (where we also got hitched!) and since I've got nothing better to do these days except catch up on my reading, watch TV and surf the net, I figured I might as well start being productive and get my writing and creative juices flowing again.

Anyway, working on the primer brought me back to the months leading up to our wedding and I am reminded of how much work it took to put everything together. Even with me, my mother-in-law and RJ all working at it, we still had to hire an on-the-day wedding coordinator (much to our chagrin - we were confident we could do it by ourselves!) just to string together and tie up loose ends in the preparations (which were still A LOT by at least one week before the day itself). Granted we only had less than three months to plan it all, but still, our wedding was relatively simple and low profile compared to most magazine-type nuptials being eyed by many. 

I can only imagine the kind of money and effort that goes into the more complex wedding extravaganzas. Garsh.  

Now, I know a lot of people will scoff at the idea of elaborate plans being launched and executed, all in the name of one day or night of festivities that will in no way ensure the success of your marriage. Especially since most of us are left to worry about more important things like putting food on the table or the skyrocketing fuel prices that affect virtually all facets of our everyday lives. 

And I am in complete agreement when some say that the wedding industry (with the media) by turning itself into one gargantuan empire, has not helped the ridiculousness of the situation by manufacturing increasing wants masterfully disguised as needs. It's like, today, every bride must have her own personalized menu cards printed on special stationery for her guests to glance at, or if she's really lucky, to browse during the reception. And let's not even get to the flowers.

But not all can afford or choose to go this I daresay, less-conscientious path. Some brides and grooms content themselves with the simpler alternatives, either by virtue of a limited budget or a wiser outlook. But regardless of whatever motives are behind a more purposeful attitude towards spending, especially for something as fleeting as wedding days, I think that these couples deserve some credit. After all, possessing some degree of sensitivity is always welcome in a Third World country like ours.   

But I'm not riding the moral high horse here. I don't deny that I too wished for the many finer things associated with expensive, high-end weddings when we were preparing for ours. And I also looked forward to choosing charming gowns for our entourage and decorating the Church and Reception venues so they would look nice in the pictures. But more than all those, it was about keeping everything in perspective for me. 

While it did matter that we had an attractive wedding celebration and that our guests had a good time, it mattered more that it looked beautiful and memorable to US. It was not always easy but we forced reality checks on each other so we'd be more into making memories to last us a lifetime -- memories that would hopefully remind us of why were together in the first place if and when our marriage hits rough waters -- than getting the hottest supplier of the season. 

So in the end, it didn't really matter as much that we only spent so much on flowers (that wouldn't stay with us till the end), or that we got a basic menu for the reception (it was tastier anyway). It wasn't like we were being miserably deprived of a great wedding after all. Instead, not surprisingly, what mattered were the things we barely spent any money on but instead invested time and ideas into: like that wacky Thriller Dance or the look on our parents' faces when we said our Thank You's.

So what is my point here? I have no personal vendetta against costly and elaborate wedding preparations if your pockets can hack it, but really, if you stop for a while and look at the value for money that you're getting for all the many, wonderful things that you absolutely have to have on your wedding day, are you really getting much? Or does it really just seem reasonable because the latest issue of Metro Weddings says so? Or because it's a little cheaper than what your friend who last got hitched had? 

Again, like any bride out there, I'm all for making beautiful memories. It's just frivolity I'm against.