babble belle: October 2011

Boo!

Preparing for Julia's 1st Trick or Treat was fun but deliberate. We had a few considerations:

Because Julia is prone to prickly heat, her costume should not be too tight and full of lace. We thought it would be difficult but we found the perfect outfit for her! A bumble bee costume (which was her dad's idea, by the way) from the Bumblebee and Company! It's a sleeveless onesies with wings and black cloth shoes. We thought the head gear would make her sweat but the weather cooperated and Julia wore it for 2 straight hours!

Julia was awarded "Best in Costume" in the little girls category

The venue should not be too crowded. Julia is only 8 months old, she's too young to participate in huge Halloween events sponsored by malls. So, Julia participated in the Gymboree Serendra's Trick or Treat activity. The fee (P1,000 for non members and P800 for members) was all worth it because:

The venue was air-conditioned and had a play area.
The fee was inclusive of a 2-hour games and fun activities for participants.
The event was limited to 20 participants only.
Food for kids is provided.
Free use of the gym play area after the event.
Teachers at Gymboree spearheaded the trick or treat-ing in various stores at Serendra and Bonifacio High Street. Participants were given priority over other kids!

The event should be on a Sunday afternoon.

Julia had fun but Don and I enjoyed it too! Now, what to do with all the candies?!

Labels: Bonifacio High Street, Bumblebee and Company, Gymboree Play and Music, Julia, Parenting Experience, Serendra

Sundays Reinvented

Don and I look forward to Sundays. Recently, we changed our Sunday schedule when Julia turned 7 months old.

Though it requires waking up early, we love starting our Sundays with worship and praises for our Lord.

With daddy during Pastor Jeff's preaching.

After, we eat brunch and then proceed to Julia's place for exercise and practice... Gymboree Play and Music!

At 6 months, Julia can control her head and neck very well. She can already sit upright comfortably and demonstrates hand gestures like clapping, slapping, picking up and dropping her toys, spoon or anything she can grab.

Julia learned to stand up in her crib before she was able to crawl properly. We own a small house and Julia doesn't have enough space to practice crawling and soon, walking. So at 7 months old, Don and I decided to have a one-hour "practice session" for Julia at Gymboree Shangri-la Mall every Sunday.

The expensive one year membership (optional) gym play sessions was worth it. Seeing Julia crawl, stand and having fun is incomparable to any amount!

The rest of the day includes nap time, afternoon stroll and lots of giggling. Priceless.

Labels: Gymboree Play and Music, Julia, Parenting Experience, Sassy Hairsies

Sassy Julia

My daughter is a happy baby and people always tell me that she's charming. But they always notice that she doesn't have much hair yet. So I decided to accessorize Julia's hair with headbands.

With the surge of online sellers, there were a lot of choices! But I value referrals from friends. And that's how I came across Sassy Hairsies. I first bought Beatrix and from then, I'm hooked!

Julia wearing Beatrix at 2 months old during her Child Dedication.

I couldn't stop buying from Tin, the sassy mom behind Sassy Hairsies. She has a day job but can still manage to create headbands that are handmade with love! Each creation is neatly made. You can feel the love in each headband. Not only that, the packaging is impressive. The products are not stuffed in a courier plastic, like what other on-line sellers do.

Since Julia was born, I have already purchased about 12 headbands. With Sassy Hairsies' awesome new collections, I don't think I'll stop at that number!