Wednesday, April 20, 2016

catching up series: 2015 baby photo dump

Here's the thing: 2015 was the year that my cousin's family moved out of our compound. In other words, it was the year that Faye and I separated homes. If you've been following this blog, you'd know just how close I am to my niece. Since I resigned, she's been my constant companion. I even once said that she's my only social life because there was a time that I refused to go out with friends. There was a point that I was feeling all depressed and I can confidently say that my niece was the one who saved my sanity. There are times before that I refused to go out of my room, or worse get out of my bed, and she's the only one who would knock and can make me open the door. It was that bad at some point.

I don't mean to ruin this post with drama but since we'll be talking about my nieces here, I thought I would emphasize just how precious they are to me. Late 2013, Avie came -- Faye's sister. And in 2014, we had Mithy -- my brother's daughter. But as I said, Faye and Avie moved out last year. It could have been devastating if we do not have Mithy. You get my point? Mithy filled the void. Yes, she was unexpected {'cause her parents are unwed} but she came with a purpose. She's indeed a blessing to our family. And although two families had to go through trouble because of her, I would dare say that now, both families wouldn't have it any other way. We'd choose having her over and over again.

Now enough of sappy things. Pagpasenyahan nyo na ang overly sentimental na tiyahin. Hahaha! It's just that my heart is full of love lately and I have to express it. After all, blog ko naman 'to. Haha! Kidding. So anyway, most photos below are of Mithy's because as I've said, Faye and Avie no longer live with us. But just to point out, we visit them every week. Sometimes, even twice a week. You see, I'm making the most out of my remaining bum days. I'm positive I'll be going back to work soon. Very soon, hopefully.

Andami kong pasakalye, ano baaa, hahaha! ANYWAYYY, I decided to make collages of Mithy with ate Faye and ate Avie's special participations. Of course for the first few months, her routine was to eat, sleep, cry, pee and poop. Hehe! But Mithy's a chill baby. She loved to sleep in my kili-kili when she was so little. I would sing Home on the range and I'll make her hele and that's it! I actually learned how to carry a baby because of her. I waited five months to carry Faye and Avie but with Mithy, I carried her as young as one month. Minsan nga naiisip ko pwede na ko mag-asawa. Charot! Walang jowa! Hahaha!





We tried to always have something for her monthly but I kind of regret not making her every month extra special. I mean, she always had cake or ice cream or both but I have this weird feeling that we could have done more. Like when I made her balloons on her 3rd month birthday or when I made her a banner on her sixth month. Ganun sana ka-special monthly. I can only imagine if I have work and moolah! Nakoo!





Mithy's first official days out include ate Avie's birthday {few weeks old!}, Papito's birthday {at 3 months} and ate Xana's birthday at the farm {at 4 months}. And since she turned 5 months, we would frequently bring her to the mall for photo ops. I just love dressing her up especially now that she's older. I'm actually claiming that I'm her stylist and photographer while her mama is her personal assistant aka julalay. Hehehe! Just messing up with her mama. 

Anyway, the first time that the three really got together since Faye and Avie moved out was during my birthday last year. We were so entertained while watching Avie and Mithy interact. They would hold each other's faces and laugh and smile at each other. We were laughing hilariously while watching them.






The last three months were my favorite from last year. For Halloween, we dressed her up as Wonder Woman, although was mistaken as Darna a couple of times. Hehe! She got to attend two trick or treats. First, at her dada's office then second, with ate Faye and ate Avie at SM Fairview. Her ates were dressed as fairies donning beautiful gowns.

November was pretty busy with ate Faye's birthday and of course, Mithy's baptism and birthday too! Wrote about them HERE and HERE. And finally for December was ate Avie's birthday and then the holiday season. Check them out HERE, HERE and HERE. I feel such a responsible blogger for completing everything. Yayyy! Come on guys, I'd love a pat on the back. Hehehe!




Wheww! That was a lot of baby photos. I honestly can't wait to share what I've collected so far from 2016. I just love, loveee, taking snaps of the little ones. What can I do, I'm a smitten aunt.


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Sunday, April 3, 2016

catching up series: new year + first sunday

We're done with Christmas and now it's New Year on the blog. If we spent Christmas in my cousin's house, for New Year, they were the ones to visit us. See? There's just no way we'd spend special occasions separately. 

As usual, we had a longer NYE than Christmas Eve. Kuya Ga just wouldn't give up his traditional fireworks display. Even if life is a little more difficult now, at ang mahal ng fireworks, he really sees to it that we have a little something for New Year. One funny thing while we were watching the fireworks this year, we suddenly can't find my niece, Faye. I kept on looking for her while taking the video. Turned out, tumawid sa kapitbahay. Haha! She's not allowed to do that just yet so we panicked. But it's adorable how she wants to make friends with our neighbors. At such a young age, we can tell that she's into socializing. Napaka-friendly nya! I even saw one of her drawings featuring two young girls with the caption, "Be a friendly girl". I know, right? She's only six!

Oops, wait! What are we talking about again? Hahaha! I got a little carried away sharing how nice and sociable my niece is. Stage aunt forever. Hahaha! Anyway, let's go back. After watching the fireworks, it was time for Media Noche. Everything was traditional, actually. Including our food. I am actually looking forward to the next holiday season because we are planning to spend it differently -- probably stay in a hotel or go out of town. Maiba naman! We've been spending the holiday season traditionally since forever. Check these out: Christmas 2011 - New Year 2012, Christmas 2012 - New Year 2013, Christmas 2013 - New Year 2014, Christmas 2014 - New Year 2015, and finally, Christmas 2015. Woww! So nice to be able to look back to all those years through this blog. I really should say that although blogging is tedious, it's so rewarding whenever you browse through your own blog and look back. Nakakatuwa lang talaga. As my line goes, I have a penchant for documenting life. :)

What's nice about this New Year is that we got to take photos. Unlike during Christmas na nagkainisan kami ng nanay ko. Hahaha! And now Mithy's bigger. She was just a tiny baby with no reactions whatsoever last New Year and now, she gets to devour lumpia all by herself. Hehehe! Plus I have to say that it's so entertaining to watch Avie and Mithy interact. Avie is two while Mithy is one so they're really playmates. Checkout the photo below where Mithy tried to take Avie's pacifier so Avie bit the pier hard. Gigil na gigil sya sa pagkagat just so wag maagaw. Hahaha!

waiting for midnight



ate Faye's new found friend

Mithy versus lumpia hahaha!


pito and the kiddos ❤️

ate Faye was the first to doze off

the photo I've been telling about
this is just so cute in my eyesss ❤️



MIA: the fatsoo sister



Sucks though that this is the first New Year that we're not complete 'cause the fat sister decided not to show up. She was MIA too when we attended the year's first Sunday mass. Even Dana wasn't able to make it 'cause she had to go back to her dorm for school responsibilities. School sucks! Hehehe! Kidding, of course not. 

So we visited Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto to say our thanks for blessing us with another year to spend with each other as a family. We're extra grateful for having Mithy with us now. Iba talaga when you have a baby in your family. I'm sure you will all agree. They bring so much positivity and joy without them even knowing. Hayy.  As usual, we had to cap off the day with taking photos. Mithy was just learning to stand on her own then so I was extra giddy to take photos of her by herself. We were lucky to chance upon my mom's students too so we had a bonus family photo. Hehehe! Even that is a blessing by itself. God's simple surprises. ❤️


lookie, she's on her own!



cover photo worthy ❤️


always extra excited with their first apo ❤️





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Friday, April 1, 2016

catching up series: christmas is for kids

Merry Christmas, you guys! Hehehe! Kidding! But yeah, it's the Christmas season here on the blog. We're catching up, remember? A little more push and we'll be done with this. 3 more posts and finally it will be 2016 on A Taste of Apple. I promise. You just have to hold on a little bit longer. :)

We spent Christmas eve in our cousin's house because we're used to spending the holidays together. They used to live beside us if I haven't mentioned that before. Their house is literally beside ours with a door pa connecting our living room to theirs. Ganung level ng pagiging beside each other. So up until now, we spend all occasions together. 

As we say, Christmas is for kids. And that sums up ours exactly -- all about the kids! With kids, I mean Faye, Avie and Mithy. I know I post a lot of babies on this blog but just so we're clear, the three of them are the main babes. Mithy being my brother's baby and Faye and Avie, my cousin's wonderful kiddos. Everything has always been about them now. Every time we'd go out, or every time there's an occasion, I'd busy myself with taking their photos. My Facebook timeline is full of their photos, it doesn't seem to be owned by someone who's still single. Hahaha! And of course, Christmas is no exemption. I was occupied by trying to capture them smiling all at the same time. It was impossible, blame it to Avie and Mithy. Of course, Faye was the most cooperative. Funny how she was trying to make the two keep still. Hehe. Ate Faye's struggle is real. :P





Mithy trying to escape. Hahaha!




The kids were showered with gifts while the grown-ups got none. Hahaha! See? I told you, it's all about them now. We saved all their gifts to be opened on Christmas Eve. They even got some more post Christmas. Of course it's only ate Faye who gets to show her appreciation but I hope somehow the younger ones feel the love too. But I guess so. Because they're the sweetest, really. They would just randomly hug or kiss you. Personally, I adore them so much that I run of out of words to express how lovestruck I am. 





We didn't get to take family photos because mom acted up. I got pissed off in return and it was the end of our peaceful Christmas Eve. Hahaha! But seriously, I got pissed off because mom just wouldn't cooperate. Samantalang the next day after every occasion, she would bug me to upload photos and change her Facebook profile picture. So nainis talaga 'ko. Haha! Faye even ended up crying because she's not used to seeing me mad. So that's how we concluded our Christmas Eve. Blame mom! Okay fine. You can blame me too! :P


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