a social butterfly?

Moirraine and I were waiting for the lift in the mall last week when a fellow shopper – one who’s probably already a grandmother – edged closer to us, talked to me about my baby and cooed to Moirraine. Within a few seconds, Moirraine was already all smiles at her and was even gurgling.

During our vacation in the last holidays, we visited hubs’ cousin who also had a baby just a month before we had Moirraine. Thinking that a baby would be curious to see another baby, I moved closer to the cousin’s baby (held by the mom) with Moirraine in my arms and tried to introduce the two. Moirraine was all attention and was staring intently at the other baby. The other baby however, turned her head from side to side, trying to avoid Moirraine’s intent gaze. When at last she couldn’t take the staring anymore she finally cried. Moirraine kept on looking with rapt, wide-eyed attention.

Me-an visited us last Monday (oh yeah by the way, it was such a treat last Monday to watch the heavy snow fall on already-heavy-with-snow trees while we’re all having lunch) and thankfully Moirraine kept to her schedule, awake and sleeping in her usual times, despite having a visitor. She hasn’t showered Me-an her smiles though albeit she allowed Me-an to carry her.

I really do wonder albeit I’m almost convinced I do have a social butterfly for a baby. Happy mom me of course and hope this continues. 🙂

books for 2013

Welcomed 2012 with these books by my bedside. And so for the rest of the year, the books I was inclined on reading were leaning on fiction and fantasy (Games of Thrones, yeah!!!), with most of them being books intentionally made for children.

This year, I’m still reading books for children – but that of very young ones ie babies! Teehee. Will try to post about Moirraine’s books which to date, already numbers 17. And oh, Moirraine is still 4 months, yes.

As for my own selection, aside from the “What to Expect the First Year”, these books are also by my bedside.

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All the serious stuff is offset by the baby books. And this (!!), which both baby and Mom loves.

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Oh how attentive baby is when I read to her a story from this book! And the Mom finds it ver~y interesting. I bought only the first volume albeit I’d probably hit the bookstore soon for the other volumes.

And this one’s by the bedside as well. I’ve just enrolled in a class yesterday. Goodluck to me!

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baby hanger

The Mom got crazy last week with cuteness overload in a baby goods store. The culprit? Baby hangers.

This one is just so cute! It’s made of some felt cloth so can only be used when hanging dry clothes.

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I didn’t buy a set earlier but we’d probably go back there again sometime very soon. 😀 haven’t seen quite like it in Yokohama. 😀

Moirraine seems to be accumulating a lot of Minnie Mouse stuff so for a time I had my eye on this one.

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But this one finally made it to our cart.

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Lovin’ the kitty detail albeit my shot on it didn’t give it justice.

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Thankful, mindful, purposeful. Yoi Otoshi Wo!

And so we’re down to the last day of the year; now just hours away from heralding a new year in, again with Hubs’ family whom I’d always be thankful for, for being always kind to me. It has been a BIG year for us in so many ways. Yes, 2012 is an unforgettable year in so many ways.

This year brought us a Big blessing from above. First month of the year we learned that I was with child (well honestly, first week of the year and first week of my pregnancy I already knew that I was expecting). Quite a very exciting way to start the year, right? And so because of how nature does things, within the year, we were already able to hold our big (very pretty) blessing in our arms and had her blessed by the Church as well.

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In which within the year I finally knew how it feels to be a mother. The love, the joy, the worries, the tenderness I feel for my daughter is almost indescribable. We couldn’t be thankful enough to have had this blessing. As the new year buds, we are filled with much happy excitement as we look forward to seeing her grow and reaching milestones by the day.

The year brought me new friendships as well. Some can be said highly unlikely had circumstances been different. But it weren’t and I am so glad and thankful for the gift of friendship. Here’s a cheer to deeper and stronger friendships this coming new year!

And there’s work of course; in which I have reached some personal milestones. 🙂 🙂

Late this year however brought us Big sadness as well. My admirable paternal grandmother Lola Basing left us back in November and a dear selfless friend, Joms, silently and unexpectedly left us just days ago. Till now, I’m still unbelieving with their passing away; that somehow, part of me still thinks I’d get to see them the next time we visit Philippines or Singapore/Houston for Joms’ case. Their passing had left a chip in my heart that can never be filled again. But we have to learn to accept that their time has come and I do believe that their last wishes had been granted and that they’re happy in heaven now.

But still quite a very sad yearender, yes. So when we had flurries of snow earlier whilst the sun was setting, with it’s glorious orange glow, somehow, it comforted me and made me smile and made me even more hopeful for the new year ahead.
We have things planned at the start of the year and I couldn’t wait to get started on it. We’re looking forward to more happy firsts with Moirraine. Indeed, many happy moments/things to look forward to, with God’s grace. We may be heralding the new year in with a grieving heart but still, we have to remind ourselves of happy things and blessings to look forward to.

Yoi Otoshi Wo!

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Yoi Otoshi Wo is what the Japanese say when wishing one another a happy new year before the new year has unfolded.

The toshikoshi soba in above photo is the Japanese traditional yearender meal.