Home Makeover: Dining Area

Because A was quickly moving into toddlerhood, I decided to re-do the house. But I still wanted it to look like a grownups' home, not a nursery school. I guess the key was to provide as much space as possible (no mean feat in our small home), and have fewer breakables (bye-bye, vases) and sharp edges to run into (bye-bye, coffee table).

Since the first time I did the house, my style has evolved. I'm still into a mix of stuff, but I've started to let go of the beach-y elements (probably because everyone's just doing tropical modern now, the way everyone did Mediterranean in the 90s). I still like the idea of elegance mixed with comfort, but now I'm more attracted to classic shapes and subdued colors with a vibrant pop here and there. I like things more soft and feminine, but not over-the-top girly. 

I started with a peg, but it turned out to be more my old style, and eventually I moved away from it, retaining only the color scheme and the airiness. I finally decided on a look (because it just makes furniture and decor decisions easier): modern romantic.

I'm nearly done with the first floor (yeah, all two major areas of it), and I think the part that best showcases this look is the dining area.

This was taken in December (obviously), but haven't taken a new photo as it just looks much cozier and dreamier with the tree in the background! I've always thought that the house looks best at Christmas. 

I absolutely adore our new dining area! Sigh. (I wish I could put a before photo, but I just realized I don't have any old photos on hand--was never able to get the ones shot by Real Living when they featured our house.) The changes:

• The accent wall was repainted from green to gray, custom-mixed by our house painter (leave a comment if you need his number!) because my budget didn't allow for store-customized paint. This worked out though, because it took us about four tries to get the shade just right. The rest of the white walls were retouched, and I had those horrid brown fake baseboards painted over.
• The wood dining table was custom-made by one of the stalls in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. I like it, but a couple of weeks after delivery, it started splitting down the middle. Still waiting for the furniture maker to send someone over to fix it.
• As much as I would like to say that those babies are real, they're actually repro Louis Ghost chairs. Got 'em on sale, 50% off at Victoria Mondiale! I went over my budget for dining chairs, but how could I possibly resist?
• I kept going through online stores (Pottery Barn, West Elm, Urban Outfitters) for lighting options, then came across a gorgeous capiz chandelier in the World Market website. Guess where it was made? I figured I could find the same thing for a fraction of the price at Ils de Tuls (ilalim ng tulay, Quiapo). So under the bridge I went and found that beaut. I'm sure they overcharged me, as I'm normally too embarrassed to haggle, but it was still a good price. I'm planning to get smaller ones for the first-floor bathroom and the master bedroom--or I could just make them.

Still so much to do (and spend on)! But I'm loving where this is going. I can't help but smile every time I go downstairs in the morning and see the first floor all airy and bathed in sunshine. And after a long day at work, I am just excited to walk through our front door. Sure, redecorating seems like a completely unnecessary expense, but I can't put a price on the happiness and relaxation I get from feeling like I've really come home.

The 12th Month: Oh What a Year!

Ladies and gentlemen, my toddler.

How YOU doin'?

Whut.

I thought I was going to write something profound and moving to mark my son's first year, but I...really have no words for it.

His birthday (and mine) comes at the end of the year, so it really makes one think about the roller coaster ride (sometimes house of horrors) of a year we had.

At his super simple, DIY first birthday party--more on that in a future post

It was, by far, the most difficult year that I have ever gone through. But I think I'll always look back at 2013 as a year of growth, a year of discovering my true strength and my capacity for love ("to the moon and back" doesn't seem to cut it). 

My son turned me into a grownup. 

Proudly showing off all two of his teeth

Oh A, you're a super speedy toddler now (with a hobbit-like appetite), but I reserve the right to call you my baby for life. Even when (especially when?) it gets embarrassing! 

(Photos by my SIL, Yasmin Gosiengfiao)

(Late post) The 11th Month

Wow it's been ages since my last entry. And the only reason I can sit down and do this now is because I'm on bed rest (doctor's orders). 

Where were we?

Little man is officially a toddler now (wail), but I just wanted to share his 11th-month photo.

The major highlight was when I saw him take four steps on his own at around 10 and a half months. It was before he turned 11 months that, for some reason--possibly hormones--I ended up posting a weepy status message on Facebook, which ended up getting over a hundred Likes. I suppose there are over a hundred other weepy mothers on FB. Har. The post:

Being a mother is constant heartache. You want to freeze time, hold him in your arms forever, knowing that one day you'll have to let go--and even if that day is years and years away, it will still be too soon. You watch him sleep and think back to those first few weeks when he was so tiny and fragile, and think forward to the days when he won't be so attached to his mama, and your heart just breaks. You would do anything--the silliest things, not caring what other people think--just to hear his laughter, the sweetest sound in the world. You feel guilty, always. Always. About going to work, about taking naps, about having even just a little bit of time for yourself--because the years are so short, and shouldn't you be spending every possible minute with him? And you always question yourself, even when you know you're doing the best you can.

It's painful and scary and exhausting, but it is the most beautiful heartache you will ever have.

 And because that post is all sorts of sad and cheesy, I leave you with this video.

I swear, he doesn't even talk yet and this kid is the funniest person I know.

Dear World

By now you would have heard about the devastation brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda (aka Haiyan). I received many concerned messages from abroad, from family, friends, and colleagues. We were spared (it was nothing more than a rainy day in Manila), but our fellow Filipinos down south weren't so fortunate. Thousands dead. Hundreds of thousands displaced. Millions affected.

It's been over two weeks, but it will take a very long time for our country to get back on its feet. If you live far away and feel compelled to help, you can find more information here. If you're in town, there are so many ways to help--Cosmopolitan Philippines has this fund-raising activity this Saturday, for one.

My heart keeps breaking: Seeing pictures of the aftermath. Repacking a box of baby clothes at a relief center (baby clothes!!! Those poor, poor babies!!!). Reading about the survivors arriving at Villamor, looking dazed and defeated. Getting frustrated at the inefficiency of all these different government units.

But it also keeps swelling: Reading about street kids pooling together what they have to donate a couple of canned goods. Seeing friends who are tirelessly collecting relief goods and mobilizing volunteers. Hearing about the help coming from all over the world.

If you've contributed to relief efforts in some way, thank you. If you haven't, we'd appreciate any help you can give: a box of goods, a dollar, a prayer. Every little bit counts. 

The Ninth and Tenth Months

 

Tenth month. He's perfectly capable of eating books and toys, but still just smooshes food in his hands without putting it in his mouth.

[Insert token apology for not blogging here]

The past two months have been hectic (who am I kidding? All months are hectic!) and A's got quite a few tricks up his sleeve (er, sando) now. His milestones:

• He eats meat now. Well, chicken so far.
• He claps.
• He waves goodbye.
• He blows kisses. (It's been a while though...this kid, he quickly gets bored with tricks and moves on to the next.)
• He plays peek-a-boo (in Filipino, bulaga), with him doing the peek-a-booing.

• He's now a crazy fast crawler. And he cruises and walks (and runs) with assistance.
• He dances! He is his mother's son after all.

Things That Have Got My Heart Racing

The resurrection of one of my all-time favorite mags.

Click here.

A movie based on one of my all-time favorite books, one that made me cry an ugly cry.

Possibly a sleeper hit and Oscar contender

A movie based on a book by one of my all-time favorite authors. Oh, and the award for the Sexiest Dragon Voice goes to Benedict Cumberbatch.

And while we're on the subject of Benedict Cumberbatch, I am late to this whole party but I am completely, undeniably Sherlocked!

Photo from here

Happy Monday!

The Eighth Month: My Son Is A Model!

So he could get to a sitting position by himself and all that (hurray!), but the main highlight for this month is that A booked his first modeling gig!

From Smart Parenting Magazine, September 2013--that's him in the onesie with a peace sign, and in the tuxedo-onesie!

I was so flattered when the Smart Parenting editor in chief asked me if my son could model for their onesie special. *tear* There were going to be four other baby models, each one with a different personality--preppy, quirky, and so on. When I asked the EIC what my son was going to be, she answered, "He's the rocker. Siga!" (roughly translated as "tough guy"). That's my boy! Lol.

When we got to the studio, there were racks and piles of baby clothes. Like a proper fashion shoot!

Each baby was to model six outfits. I was a bit worried because dressing A had become quite a challenge (he won't stay still!), so I couldn't imagine how he would react to all those outfit changes. But he was such a trooper, not putting up much of a fuss as we changed him. Halfway through the shoot though, he took a nap. (At some point, all the babies were asleep!) What a diva!

The photographer was Patrick Martires, one of my wedding photogs. His super cute son, a few weeks younger than A, was also part of the shoot (that's him in the first photo, wearing a hat). A had just started sitting without support, so his nanny and I were seated nearby, ready to swoop in in case he fell over. I wasn't sure if he would cooperate, but thankfully he did--he sat still for a lot of the photos and it wasn't difficult to get him to smile! The first few shots though, he would give his smolder.

I was so eager to get copies of the photos that I actually took pictures of Pat's laptop! Hashtag stage mommy.

Some of the outtakes were priceless. Such as... 

West side!

THIS KID.

A couple of other shots...

After the shoot, I was asked to sign an invoice for his talent fee! My son is an actual working model! We're going to be rich!