Baby Einstein

I have attempted to record Noah's developments but the closest I have gotten has been documenting them on this blog......sigh. I suppose it has also been a help that I photograph him as often as I can. That way I can look at the date at which the photo was taken!

His most recent achievement and our amusement has been to twist caps on bottles and containers. From a water bottle to the milk container he has become masterful at such a useful skill. It started with a Gatorade bottle; a cap that he could grasp easily when I inadvertently left an empty bottle on the kitchen floor. He spent as much as his attention span would allow him to fiddling about with it before he became frustrated. He would yell out at me when he saw me take sips from whatever I was holding and I would frantically chug down the contents before he shrieked.

He has since graduated from Gatorade bottles to water bottles; challenging because the top is so small. With his expansive dexterity has also begun to hold "his own fork" to feed himself scanty pieces of food as well as drinking from a cup.

It excites me to watch his small accomplishments as I know they will continue to become greater.

Shoes for a CAUSE - TOMS shoes

While shopping on Main Street in Celebration, FL I went into a store initially to buy flip flops for John. As I walked in, there was a display of light weight, casual, slip on shoes perfect for Spring and Summer wear.

The fit was perfect and did not pinch my pinky toes or press on my heals. I suppose what sealed the purchase was when the sales person told me that for every pair of shoes sold the Toms shoe company gives a pair to needy children. The cost was reasonable and I walked out with the Picnic Canvas pair.

The story behind TOMS shoes began in 2006 when a guy had a vision to design Argentinian inspired; simple, casual shoes with the promise to match every sale and fit a child with their own pair. So far 10,000 pairs in Argentina and 50,000 in South Africa. Shoes are available for men and tiny Toms - for kids. I think I am going to buy a pair for Noah!

We were doubly successful and both left with smiling feet.

Creative juices flowing abound!

As I blogged earlier this month, I began crafting earrings for a nearby boutique in my neighborhood a month ago. I am delighted and quite giddy to announce that not only have the earrings made a home in the store front and also have been finding a home with many content customers. A little money in the pocket but satisfaction that my designs have caught the attention of someone!

If you could only see my collection of beads. Sifting your hands through the plastic bags of beads is like going through your collection of candy at the end of the evening after Halloween. I have various sizes, shapes and hues of beads that titillate the eyes at first glance.


I am going to utilize the boutique a as a platform to
determine whether the earrings continue to be a success with the customers before I even consider expanding on line. For anyone looking for original, hand made items - take a gander at www.etsy.com - the oasis of all things crafty.


In the meantime, if you happen to read this and would like your own original Lorial earrings - feel free to message me your preferred color(s), gold or silver wire and any other details --- I would be happy to create a pair for you.

Helmet free.

After nearly six months, we went to our final Cranial appointment in Clinton, CT. The results were significantly better than expected considering Noah started at a later age than most babies that usually begin at 6 months. We are extremely happy with the results and even more thrilled that he can enjoy the summer sans helmet.

Noah had three molds made of his head and a series of pictures to document his progress. Photos were of the back, side and front view of his head. Hopefully, I can post the pictures documenting the before-during and after progress. They truly show the deformity, predominantly the right side that caused obvious squaring of his head.



Of course, he grew more aware of his surroundings especially when Cranial had to make a mold of his head that was covered with quick dry plaster. Above is the after picture of the molding process, which did not seem to go by fast enough. It took 20 minutes in which his head was covered by mesh (with eyes and mouth cut out) and layered with plaster strips.

With that being said, we are relieved that it was a positive outcome. His hair can finally grow naturally without the constriction of the helmet and he will no longer look like a footballer in training.

Bambu-zled - going au natural.

I came across Bambu's veneerware and utensils a couple years ago when I was shopping at the uber expensive Eli's on 3rd Avenue. I wanted an alternative to the disposable though not slowly biodegradable plates I have used in the past. I bought the dinner plates and felt good knowing that it would take a mere 4-6 months to decompose because they are made of 100% bamboo.

If you choose to reuse them, be sure to dry them out completely because they will peel away.

So, if you are hosting a small group of friends or a picnic in the park, impress them with your green sensibility - Bambu is a perfect touch of eco-elegance.

Creative juices

Very recently I happened to bring along a bag of earrings I was experimenting with a few months ago because I wanted to show them to this gal that works at Personal Affairs on the Upper East Side. The sales gal and I were talking about jewelry and I told her that I have made earrings in the past. It was an instinct at the time to carry them in my bag but I did not anticipate that it would lead to the possibility that my earrings would be sold at PA. I had a trial period with the first batch of earrings and to my surprise some of them sold at pretty decent prices.

My girlfriend Rudy got me interested in making earrings quite some time ago. Before she had chronic pain in her neck we would spend evenings fiddling with beads and bending wires to create what we thought were master pieces. I personally think Rudy had a more adventurous side when it came to designs.

I have found some wonderful bead stores in the NY Fashion District. After a couple years of collecting spacers, wire, clasps and many other little pieces to make jewelry, I finally found the inspiration and confidence to make pieces that can actually sell and that I am proud of.

Above are some earrings that I fiddled with in the wee hours of the morning the past couple weeks. I am especially proud of them because I feel like they are one of a kind and are an expression of my creativity. I tend to work with complementary colors and keep the designs basic, not to flashy. I have upgraded from plastic beads to semi precious beads of all sizes, types and shapes.

I have learned a lot about the origins of many semi precious beads - most of which, come from Brazil and Africa. I do have beads from Australia and the US though prefer ones from more exotic countries like Nambia, Australia and Russia. Hands down, my favorite beads have to be amethyst and I came across this amazing deep purple Lepidolite beads. I also enjoy Aventurine that comes in many colors and quartz.

The earrings below are particularly striking to me because they are unique and not generic. I used purple flourite beads that I bought on sale at Michael's and Brazilian Cherry Quartz beads.
I have to say that Michaels ever so often has amazing sales on their sterling silver and gold filled findings! Far better deal than some bead stores I have gone to in CT.


I am excited to find out whether the earrings sell in the coming weeks. For now, I continue to make a couple pairs a night and most likely will need to pick up my pace.

Journalistic instinct -
Always armed with my camera.


After an extremely satisfying dim sum meal with my brother, John and Noah we wandered downtown. We did not expect to witness a 25 ton construction crane leaning on the side of a condo. We later learned that the neck of the crane crushed a five story townhouse.

Being a thrill seeker, my eyes and ears are always wide open. I have always made it a point to also have my camera with me in hopes to get that winning photo.

Living in a city like NYC, hearing deafening sirens and helicopters hover above the sky scrapers is a common occurrence. But when you see more than two helicopters it typically is a sign of headline making news. We saw the emergency response vehicles along Second Avenue and 50th Street and a small group of people congregating behind the yellow tape were looking up. We overheard a man implying that a crane had collapsed from a construction site.

We were told the accident occurred twenty minutes before our arrival and a steady stream of on lookers began to flow towards us. My curiosity wanted to get a better picture so we walked to the next street that was closed off to traffic except to pedestrians who were using their cellphones and cameras to take shots of the crane.

At one point in my life I aspired to be a (photo) journalist; to follow in the footsteps of my oldest brother. It was wishful thinking but may explain why I have yet to object to writing articles for a couple websites like Newfilipina, Asians in America and presently FAN.

As a resident of NYC there will always be something to report whether it makes the news or not.

Homo Erectus - Upright Noah!

It has been a few weeks since Noah began walking. He has been cautious with his steps and quite aware of obstructions, though of course has had occasional stumbles.

Watching him learn how to navigate his body has been intriguing, particularly when he made his first round about. I think it excited him just as much as his parents!

These days he likes to flail his arms in the air and like a pinball bounce from couch to ottoman to his chest of toys and where ever else he wants to walk. We have had to block the television with the ottoman because with his newfound mobility he can traipse to the control panel and never grows tired of pressing the volume to maximum then casually walk off with a grin on his face.

Our first afternoon at the park (see picture above) in months has me looking forward to many more in the future. Noah was overwhelmed at the prospect of having so much open space and to poke through other peoples strollers. It's time to go to the thrift store and find toys for him to play with in the sandbox.

NY Chinatown - Ghost town

I laughed when I heard about the recent bust in New York's Chinatown over counterfeited purses and bags. I thought to myself that ALL of Chinatown would have to be shut down. I saw it with my own eyes. A usually bustling section of Canal Street was eerily vacant of vendors and seemingly willing customers looking for a knock off designer item. Damn, I even bought me a snazzy Hilfiger watch that never told time but it sure looked good on my wrist.

The store fronts were locked shut and glaring orange signs were posted in zig zag formation along the endless wall of metal. I am just wondering what took the NYPD so long to realize the illegal activities that seem to be the life line and tourist attraction of lower Manhattan. Thirty two stores were closed and curiously there were no arrests. If the counterfeit business was a "real" problem and considered a crime, then I would think the boys in blue would have cuffed them. The owners of the stores were slapped with an 'excessive fine.'

So why is it that I saw two women flashing catalogs of bags for sale? Is the black market truly crippling the economy of NYC? I doubt it.

A Filipino home cooked meal - in a slow cooker. Who woulda thunk?

I went home to Connecticut for a well needed weekend from NYC. I took Noah to his bi-monthly cranial appointment and my Mom returned home from her ski adventures in Montana, although with an additional cast from her hand halfway up her arm. (She tore ligaments from her thumb and a shard of bone was lodged in a muscle)

We are extremely close to completing Noah's treatment to correct the flatness of his head. There has been significant improvement with the overall shape and after all of my huffing and puffing it was worth the last 7 months bringing him to CT every two weeks. I am baffled when I look at his first helmet and realize how small he was when we started the process last August.

This evening my mom surprised me by making Pork Adobo, a traditional Filipino dish in her slow cooker. She found a recipe on line, added all the ingredients and let it simmer for 7 hours. I was touched by her gesture since it was the first time anyone in my family attempted to cook Filipino dishes other than myself. It was flavorful, even Noah enjoyed the pork pieces and adobo juice on the rice.

Sorrow

I was in utter shock as I listened to the announcement of the sudden death of Heath Ledger. What attracted me to the actor was that he was a non conformist in the grand scheme of Hollywood glitz, glamour, and fake a$$ people. Unfortunately he was attacked and scrutinized for it.

Other actors have gone under the radar and have succeeded in avoiding the often overly critical media such as Johnny Depp. We go on with our every day lives and something tragic like this happens. It is hard to process and make sense of it. He was becoming more recognized as an actor and was a young father. There seemed to be so much hope for him......

In any case, I went downtown to pay homage to the actor. Outside his apartment there were hundreds of colorful origami cranes sprinkled on the side walk. Notes were written in different languages, cards never to be opened, letters, candles and flowers all to be later forgotten. I left a green aventurine stone, the color symbolic of healing as a peace offering. Aventurine is said to be an 'all purpose healing stone' and helps with blockages. Of the chakra colors - green represents the heart/love. It helps one 'give love and also to love and nurture ourselves.'

(from left - Mathilda, Ree, Maria, Kevin, Me and honorary member Cece)

Filipinos Gone Wild Class of 2004 Reunion

2004 was undeniably a memorable year for us. Without revealing too much about our wild nights of debauchery I will say those nights have been the glue to our friendships. I may not be close to all of them but we have a supportive and loving comradeship. Four years later who would have thought that three of the four ladies (minus CeCe who is kneeling in the picture) would be mamas.

Mathilda flew in from Chicago, which was the main reason we all found ourselves in the same space and damn it - it was worth an entire day away from Noah. Though I might add a long overdue 'me' day.

As a matter of facts earlier the same marathon day I met up with Kevin at our regular spot, Jing Fong in Chinatown for dim sum. I did not tell him that I had a special guest joining us. Minutes later a set of unfamiliar hands rested over his closed eyes. His reaction was priceless as he squealed and yelled out, 'oh my gawd - oh my gawd!' I have always enjoyed bringing an element of surprise, what can I say?! Kevin had not seen Math in 2 years give or take.

After spending a good hour and half feasting on dim sum and blabbing about our lives we continued wandering through Little Italy in the hypothermic air. We found a cafe that served cheap wine and and mouth watering deserts so we could have another sit down session.

It was a relief that I did not need to fret about being away from Noah knowing he was in good hands. Mathilda's daughter was with her Gamma so we both shared a couple, 'I wonder how my baby is doing...'

To cap off an already stupendous day we met up with the remaining members of FGW 04' - Maria and Ree. We grubbed, reminisced and were silly like it was 04'. We're gully, fierce and
hell ya we know how to roll.

Hapa Baby Palooza ---



(picture left - Maria, Noah, Corinne, Amalia, Malcolm - it aint easy photoging three rambunctious babies!)

I hosted a "mommas and toddlers" afternoon at my apartment(embarrassingly my first). The gal that babysits Noah is a film student and is of mixed race. One of her film projects has been focusing on the mixed race experience - post Vietnam War.

Now that I have Noah in my life I feel like there is so much more to consider when it comes to looking at his racial makeup. I cannot offer the cultural link of the Filipino language, perhaps some words I have picked up and hopefully what Ninong RJ will teach him. I spent my "terrible twenties" investing a lot of my time exposing myself to the Fil-Am experience, which included 3 visits to the Philippines, attending numerous conferences, becoming a youth organizer and Co-founding a website for adult Filipino adoptees.

In some respects I can relate to the hapa experience because my family is white and I struggled for many years to create a positive self identity, embrace my adoption and pride for my Filipina heritage.

One of the many things, I would like to instill in my son is pride of being Filipino, German and Italian. We do not know as much about the European American side of him but this may be an opportunity to research both his maternal and paternal grandparents lineage.

First star sighting for 08'

I was walking with a girlfriend of mine on 3rd Avenue after engorging our faces at the most superb dim sum restaurants outside of Chinatown when from afar I saw a tall man, with his signature bald spot and glasses. Need a hint, he played Goose in Top Gun, was an M.D. on ER and one of his less notable roles was in Revenge of the Nerds. Give up, Anthony Edwards! I have to admit that I am a fan of his.

He was a few yards away from me walking the opposite direction, carrying an Eli's grocery bag in one hand and balancing a box in the other. Beside him were three little girls skipping about and an older woman I can only assume was his wife. I guess I had a star struck expression because he looked back and smiled at me.

I have been known to become extremely giddy when I see an actor, ask any person who has been with me! One of my favorite sightings was Taye Diggs in the Upper West Side and Drew Barrymore in the West Village. I also saw Adrian Grenier in Brooklyn and years ago in JFK airport - Huge Grant.

Going Ga-Ga for GREEN!

My brother and his wife are pregnant and expecting in May! Noah will have a girl cousin very close to his age that he will hopefully be a good role model to --- oh gosh! For now I shall call my future niece Brulee (combination of dad and mom to be first names.)

I offered to organize my sister in law's Recycle (Eco) Baby Shower (RBS), the concept her friend told her about and was also a success. I can think back about on my baby shower last year October and was grateful for all the wonderful gifts but realize that the idea of the RBS could have saved 90% compared to buying new! You have to be smart and informed about good buys.

There are a few months before thinking about the baby shower but I could not help but research information about a Recycle Baby Shower. I can see why some moms to be would want to consider having one. I can say from experience that we received A-L-O-T of baby needs - all new and some unused. The question is what happens to everything that is unused? Many items I did not use made its way to a local thrift store and some needy people.

Planning a baby shower is no easy task especially when it is an untraditional one. I have been skimming through website after website to tailor everything around the RBS theme. From the invitation, games, party favors, cake, and decorations it all has been very educational for me. I also feel like I can tap into my creative/crafty side to make this event memorable.

My Beantown Days: Reminiscing without regrets.












Above: entrance of my old apartment where lived for almost 5 years.

To think I lived in Boston/Allston 10 years ago is mind boggling. I referred to that period of my life as the terrible 20's for a few reasons.

I found Boston to be stifling after a while and part of it was because it is a college city. I lived between Boston College and Boston University. Once you complete your four years everyone moves on and if you choose to stay you start to feel old as younger students replace the departed graduates. Quite honestly I outgrew the small city and was yearning to go to the city that never sleeps!

In retrospect being in a smaller town like Boston was the stepping stone for me when I made the decision to move to gritty/glamorous New York City a few years later. It was also the backdrop of the next 5 years as I started to embrace my identity as an adopted Filipina in America. And not to mention some of the characters I met along the way.

After doing some internet research, I quickly became immersed in Fil-Am student organizing, which sometimes felt like an unpaid job. My first year I was a member of the programming committee for the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND) conference hosted at Harvard University. To this day the 1999 FIND spring conference continues to hold the record for the largest attendance of 1,500 delegates that traveled nationwide to take part in the most unprecedented conference.

Sometimes I felt out of place among the Fil-Ams I became friendly with. Part of it was my insecurity about my adoption, as if I had a disadvantage because I grew up 'more American.' I tried to normalize my feelings by building a collection of books about every aspect of the Philippines and absorbing as much information possible. I also became a frequent flier attending Fil-Am conferences and networking with other Fil-Ams easier made me feel more harmonious with my Filipino counterparts.
















Above: Paradise Club - I used to work here as a coat check girl......why?!
















Above: Quincy, MA - in the eyes of Pedro Magni

The other reason why I visited Boston on one of the coldest days this winter was to meet a fellow adoptee Pedro. He attended my alma mater, University of Massachusetts Boston and one of our mutual professors gave him my information. We met at one of my favorite dim sum restaurants, China Pearl in Chinatown and also drove to Quincy to get a glimpse of his Fil-Am stomping ground.

Driving through Allston into Chinatown was a quick time warp of my Beantown years. It warmed my heart to drive around and see familiar places I used to frequent though other spots have not changed i.e. The Paradise, what a dump! Although I thought of that period of my life negatively I realize it helped define who I am today.

GO REDSOX!

Mid Winter Gathering

Solstice means: standing-still-sun.











Above: My uncle Ron tending to the bonfire

For the last few years my family has celebrated the winter solstice at my aunt and uncle's house in Valatie - upstate New York.

I am not sure how the idea came about but it has been an annual event in which my uncle prepares a bonfire on their property. My aunt provides edibles, spirits and warm drinks such as hot chocolate and hot cider. My contribution has

.been ingredients for s'mores and also getting a little dirty as I probe




What I find fascinating about Winter Solstice is that the earth is closest to the Sun in January than any other month of the year. Something about the tilting of the axis - exact calculation is " 23 degrees and 27 minutes off the perpendicular to the plane of orbit" All the science mumbo jumbo gives me a headache so I will spare myself the pain of explaining it.




Above: My brother Ed and John bringing more fuel for the fire.

In anycase, I hope that Noah will be able to appreciate this event as he becomes older. It is one day in which our ever growing family can become attuned to the astral observance and be with our loved ones.

Creative Holiday crafting

As if I needed another project on my plate, I decided to take on the daunting task of making holiday cards this year. I wanted something more of a keepsake than a card so I made a versatile tree ornament slash decoration.

I chose a family picture from Noah's first birthday and found all the supplies at Michael's, which also included a circle cutter. How crafts have evolved. Perhaps the next time I will make sure the paper is recycled. I went to CVS Photo store and printed out the wallet size pictures - 8 on a sheet for 29 cents.

Despite the long hours of cutting circles, trimming pictures, gluing and writing personal messages on the 20+ cards I felt accomplished and extremely satisfied. It was heartwarming to see the ornaments on their Christmas trees.

I think next year I will think of a less complex design.

Car equals freedom


When you live in a city it does
not make sense to own a car unless you have money and can afford to pay the outrageous
monthly garage fees or parking tickets you are likely to get.

Thanks to my cousin, I joined Zipcar because I have been tired of taking Metro North transit. My friend lives in Nyack, which is 45 minutes outside of the city and I wanted to visit her without the hassle and stress of relying on public transportation, especially with a toddler.

Despite having been lost for an hour I still made it to Nyack with enough time to have a sit down lunch and also go to BJ's Warehouse where I indulged in economy sized things you cannot get in the city.

The picture above is of Malcolm (left) and Noah on our adventure in BJ's.


Some great perks with Zipcar:

- You are given a nifty card that only you can use to access the car,
- They cover gas up to 180 miles FREE,
- Every car has an EZ pass and if you go through a toll it is billed to your credit card,
- You can rent cars from $8-$18/hour,
- They offer different levels of membership if you require a car often or once a month,
- There are a variety of cars and if you want to go luxury rent a bmw, mini or suv,

Concerns:

- Make sure you call the garage in advance to ensure your car does not have any problems i.e. flat tire,
- Do a test run of the car you requested,
- Report any issues of the car to Zipcar,
- If you need a car during the weekend reserve a week or two in advance.

May the force be with you!

I hardly remember what age I was when I first watched Star Wars: Return of the Jedi but I know I was pretty young. My brother's had a collection of figurines from Star Wars that I was not too interested in but do recall playing with them once or twice along with my barbies. I know my mom still has one of the space ships in the attic.

For whatever reason we decided to dress Noah up as Yoda. I figured it was too easy to find one of the cute baby costumes so who was better than the wise one? I originally wanted to dress him up as a turtle but the holiday crept up so quickly we did not find it in time. Since there was a shortage of women from the movie, by default I was Princess Leah. John of course wanted to be Obi Wan Kenobi so the family theme was in full affect.

I went to the Halloween Bazaar in Union Square and even a week before the store was a mob scene. There was a section dedicated to Star Wars characters. I was appalled when I saw the price for the Princess Leah costume, $74 while John's costume was 1/3 of it. I ended up buying the wig of two braided buns and sewed a similar dress together from a white bed sheet. With little time to plan I did not have a chance to fix some minor details but I did save $50 and dabbled in some sewing - a dream of mine.

Halloween has become a multi million business. It was reported that in 2006 an estimated 2.5B was spent on costumes and this year roughly 5B nationally. In the suburbs vacant business warehouses become Halloween Headquarters. Everyone is getting in on the fun - dressing up, carving pumpkins, handing out candy and especially decorations.

We have 365 days to think of what we will dress up as next year!