What's New?

I've been very busy these days so I don't have that much time to post. 2 Weddings to attend and a few Christmas parties here and there, not to mention a deadline coming hehe.

On the homefront, It's a girl! Jen arrived this afternoon with a certificate from the doctor. Kuya na si Jacob. Speaking of Jacob, he has become very affectionate these past few days, lagi akong niyayakap and he would always make it a point to go to where I am, I guess he knows that a new baby is coming :)

Come January, I'll be climbing Pulag with some of my friends. Looking forward to this activity. 2009 will be a big year with the birth of my daughter and my parents 50th anniversary.

Life Lessons

Just came back from Binan, we took time out to visit my mother-in-law who has been sick these past few days. There was no traffic on the way so we were there by lunch. Jacob was in a good mood today, he only cried for 2 minutes hehe. All day he was running and playing with the people around him, this made him happy and made the people craving his attention even happier. He watched in awe as I made bubbles with his P50 bubble machine and played with his slinky toy. Life for my son was good.

This made me to think how life is for me. As we were having lunch one of Jenny's aunt made a bold prediction for 2009. In a nutshell 2009 will be very hard for most people due to the crisis at hand. She's quite a firebrand in the finance world so this assessment should not be taken lightly, if there was a bitter pill this was it. I began to think of how miserable things will be and how it will affect us as a family. These things bother me now I must admit, more so now that I have a family of my own to raise. My finger is looking for the panic button and making up dozens of strategies to tide us over this financial mess. Mind you this happened in just a few minutes, in my mind everything is in overdrive.

I took a pause and glanced at Jacob, he was eating ice cream like crazy, his mouth was covered with food and his smile was big. His eyes were firmly fixed as each scoop would glide towards him. I wish I could eat like him, happy and thankful for each serving. He was running around and exploring every cabinet in the kitchen. He would fall down once in a while but would quickly get up as if nothing happened. Falling down has become part of his life now since he likes to run around a lot.

Looking back, once he hit his head on the wall and fell flat on his back, he started crying but as he did that he was getting back on his feet, still clutching his toys (some plastic kitchen utensils) in is hands. After a few minutes he stopped crying and started playing again as if nothing happened. It was a funny and scary situation for a father to see but I'm proud to see that my son was man enough to get up on his feet after a fall.

Back at the lunch table, I took a step back and realized that the experiences we have with one another is more valuable that anything material on this planet. Having my family around makes me realize that money has no real value, it is true that it's buys us things and makes life more comfortable but in the end It's an empty promise of true happiness.


Learn the meaning of the word hope from Nick Vujicic

I began to look at the situation in a more positive light, my Dad would always say to me "Without crisis there is no growth". I guess what he meant by that was all of these things will test our character, make us more aware of what's important and has value both for work and family life.

I guess with this crisis I must find a way to restore my faith in that statement and continue with life crisis or no crisis, to take life one day at a time and to find joy in ice cream and making bubbles.

Serendra

Jen took these pics last weekend. Obviously masaya si Jacob. Freedom!


Happy Boy Jacob :)


Goofball look No.1


Another Goofy Look hehe


Eto pa isa...


Trying to do a headstand


Got Hair, di nako kalbo.


Smile muna


Smile while walking around


Serious face

Pancit Monster

Tawa ng tawa may pancit naman sa bibig hehehe...

My 10

Bat kaya siya natatawa? must be playing with his Tito RJ :)

This is my first attempt to make a list of things I love, just general stuff that make me happy. Why make this list? I'm always busy but when I have free time I like to ponder on such things so I can compare when I'm a bit older.

Spending time with Jacob and Jenny - Not those wild birthday parties or family get together but more just walking around UP doing nothing. It gives me great pleasure to see Jacob running around without a care in the world.

Falling flat on his face and getting up again...takbo ulit as if nothing happened. Jenny nervous look as she tags along. Sooner or later he'll have his own life (hmmm maybe that's thinking way ahead) and leave home. These images I would like to take with me.

Getting lost - Having no plan IS THE PLAN. Sometimes I just like to leave my car and ride the MRT, destination unknown (well, not really basta dapat along EDSA lang). It's cool since most of my day is scheduled, there are some days that pass so fast I hardly notice things around me. When I ride and just go with the flow I get to see people around me, I often wonder how their day went etc. I like going to lesser known malls around the metro, it's funny what you can find by just walking around.

Eating Pares, Lugaw, Tapsilog etc - "You are a creature of habit" that's what Jen would always say. Well I can't entirely say that's not true, I guess when you're on a budget most of your College life you develop a habit hehe...and one of my habits is eating Pinoy street food but not just any street food it has to be THAT EXACT BRAND. For Pares it has to be Jonas, for Lugaw it's Via Mare (well actually masarap yung Goodah dati kasi ngayon hindi na, ok din yung mga sa tapat ng BLTB bus station dati), for isaw it has to be Mang Larrys in UP, sa BBQ Beach House. I don't know, but after trying almost all of the known high end buffets here in Metro Manila, I still go back to the basics hehe. I'll probably go crazy if I can't have these things when I crave for them.

Jackets, shades and other mountaineering gear - Well this is a given, I guess when you experience hell when climbing you constantly dream of having the right gear. You're freezing to death and wish to God to send you a better tent...of course that doesn't come and a few years down the road you see a nice tent and remember how close you were to freezing yourself to death...ka-ching. Presto you have a tent. Hehehe well climbing is a different story. I guess I need to climb more often so they don't go to waste.

Doing something for nothing - The world we live in revolves around money and making money. I find that quite sad since I believe it destroys people. Don't get me wrong, I know how important it is but I guess what I don't get is the way some people handle what comes along with it - the power, fame, greed hehe. I guess doing something for nothing is my way to balance things out, to keep my mind focused on what's really important (hence this list). When you know how it's important to know WHY.

Spending some quality time with friends and family - This is quite rare now since we're quite busy with other things but when we do get together I want to make sure we have fun. The more mindless fun the better. I hope to be able to do this until I'm old.

Getting/Giving advise - My folks have advise for everything, I guess when you raise 8 kids you develop a knack for giving advise. Some are ok and quite sensible but some are quite weird and a bit funny. I'll get what I can from all sources - from my folks, cab drivers, kids etc, the rest is I just have to experience for myself hehe.

This part is a bit tricky since I never sugar quote when I give out advice. Never.
Kaya naman it's often that I hear from Jen na "masakit ako magsalita". I don't know, maybe I feel that if I hold back or don't say it as it is then it's like not saying anything at all. Pero I'm trying to correct this since women in general will SEEK YOUR ADVICE but will most likely just want you to HEAR THEM OUT hehe. Hehe funny but true.

Being on time - On the flip side I hate people who are always late. This I guess is the result of my training in UPM, if you're late you're out. Don't know how I became this way, looking back in College I was always late for everything,I once got an additional "3" for being late (.5 per day) for a plate. My final grade was a 7, may utang pa ako hehe. Except my "classes' in UP Mountaineers (UPM).

My clock is set 15 minutes early, I'm usually an hour early during meetings. For me being on time is your way of showing respect. You can always argue about work but you can't argue when you're late. My name is Ninoy and I'm a Time Freak.

Jacob laughing - This does not make me happy, it makes me very happy it melts my heart. My son has his moods but lately he's been laughing more often, as in laughing at anything. He laughs while watching Tom and Jerry (but I also saw him laugh at John McCain). Maybe John McCain is funny. Will see his reaction to Obama.


Tawang tawa si Boss

Jenny - My wife takes forever to comb her hair and generally fix up. One day the time freak in me will time just how long this activity takes. Fix hair, check dress. change dress, fix hair...change shoes, fix hair, put on make-up.

Pause for effect (this takes a few seconds). Changes dress again.

It drives me crazy lalo na when we're pressed for time and I have to load all our things sa car aka Noah Ark (yes, ganun kadami gamit ni Boss Jacob)

Well, even if it takes an eternity, I have to admit I like watching her when she prepares to go out, she has that "pixie" look that drives me crazy (hence the 2nd child on the way hehe).

On second thought, to hell with time...I'll just sit back relax and enjoy the view.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Spent the whole day last Sunday over at Serendra. Bored na kami sa condo so lumipat lang kami sa...ibang condo hehehee. At least walang pwedeng sirain dun si Jacob. Lakad lang siya ng lakad. Ordered food from Conti's. Pagbalik ko, wild na sa gutom si Jen. Bought Arroz Caldo for Jacob, gusto nya.







There's nothing to do so we went to Gymboree. The place was ok, but it was a bit small. May asshole na bata na ayaw mag share ng bola, he pushed Jacob hard.



Medyo unimit ang ulo ko, pero had visions again of Tabloid front page - "TAGA QC NAG AMOK SA SERENDRA, YAYA AND ERPATS TEPOK" hehehe. That brat also hit another kid, yung mommy mukhang Espanol, sama ng tingin dun sa erpats. Next time I will bring a bat hehe.







I had fun seeing Jacob, parang nag enjoy siya seeing so many colors.



We saw one of the best actors in the land of Pampanga - Mark "Saging lang ang May Puso" Lapid.

After 1 hour, we went back to the unit to take a nap, the guard asked me 3 times "Ser, sang unit kayo?" next time maglalagay nako ng sign sa dibdib ko nung unit number. Umulan, got bored so I went to ROX.



Checked out the gear, ganun pa din, same as last year. Good thing I didn't buy anything kasi may mga nahanap akong murang stuff. Walked in the rain. Thought of eating Doughnuts kaso tinamad ako. Lakad ulit sa ulan. This time sa harap nako dumaan so I don't see the guard na makulit. Woke up Jen, ginutom ako. Bumili sa Pho Hoa.



Next time sa Riverbanks na kami, si Jacob ang hari dun kasi walang tao hahaha...

Life is beautiful

The best gift I got this year. A surprise dinner from Jenny, and this video from my little son - Jacob "Munggo" Leyran (and Jenny). Life is beautiful (parang yung movie hehe).

Beware of the smiling dog :)

"Beware of the smiling dog" (saw this sign sa isang jeep here in Quezon City)

Everyday Jacob

1 Wedding, 6 Birthdays and 1 baptism

It's been a busy June-July for us since many friends (including some family members)celebrate their birthdays during this time.

We attended the wedding of Jen's cousin in Sta. Rosa the day before Typhoon Frank hit Manila, good thing we stayed an extra night in Alfonso.

Next it was my Dad's birthday on July 3rd (actually for those who don't know sunod sunod kami hehe...my Dad on the 3rd, ako on the 4th and my Mom on the 5th). Jacob's Ninong Reg and my Tita Chit have the same birthday on the 5th as well. Had a small party with some friends in Panay. My brand new niece Celine was also baptized on the 5th. Isla, Bunny and Joy's 1 year old on the 9th.

Yes, ang gulo. It's been busy on the home front hehe.

Laught Trip with Mommy and Ate Vangie

Tawang tawa si Kalbo :)



Eto nung may buhok pa siya hehe

Kamukha ko siya dito

Yes, mukha akong daga nung bata ako hehehe

Gupit Binata...Well more like gupit Bilibid :)