Hello, Dubai! :)

I just love Ryken's expression here and how I wish this was really taken in Dubai. :)

But no, this is the La Paz Sand Dunes of Laoag, Ilocos Norte (famous setting of the movies, Panday ni FPJ and Temptation Island Remake).  Hubby and my in-laws went on a 4x4 ride here and they did the sandboarding, too.  We spent the Holy Week in Laoag and Batac, the hometown of my parents-in-law.  

Friends who've been to the Middle East say that this can easily pass as a Dubai picture.  Astig! :)

Lord, We Pray for Stronger Lungs for Our Baby

It was late evening of March 13, 2012 that I noticed Ryken having difficulty breathing.  He had cough (with severe phlegm) and colds then and his back arched a bit as he breathed, which was unlike the other times that he was sick.  He couldn't sleep well that night and he kept on tossing and turning on the bed, probably finding the best position where he could breathe more easily.

I contacted our pedia, Dra. Grace De Joya, early morning the next day and she advised that I give Solmux Broncho to Ryken and that I also bring him to the clinic for check-up.  Dra. Grace's initial diagnosis was pneumonia and we were advised to do a chest x-ray.  She also prescribed Clarithromycin and Salbutamol Nebules.  Ryken was supposed to be admitted to the hospital but thankfully, he was still energetic and playful and didn't lose his appetite so there was no need for confinement.

smell, smell :)

We were lucky that hubby had a nebulizer and Ryken seemed to enjoy nebulizing because it probably helped ease his breathing.  We just let him smell the "smoke" since he cannot put the apparatus yet in his mouth.  

We went to Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) in Quezon Avenue for the chest x-ray since the hospital is just across our office.  When we got the result after two days, the impression was "Bronchopneumonia and/or primary koch's infection."  The pneumonia was already being treated so our pedia advised to have a PPD skin test done to confirm if Ryken is positive for primary koch's infection or primary complex.

The Cranky Rosary Bearer

Shortly before he turned two, Ryken experienced being a rosary bearer in the wedding of his Tito Jowell and Tita Reah last August 6, 2011.  Jowell was my former officemate whom I also consider as my guy bestfriend.  Hubby and I were very excited!  I trained Ryken to walk using the pillow for our wedding rings with "Canon in D" as background music.

However, we did not make it in time for the wedding march. :(  It was all my fault.  I have poor time management so we left the house a few minutes before 2pm (the ceremony was at 2pm, I didn't know that they indicated the exact time of the ceremony in the invitation).  We did not anticipate the traffic at the Meycauayan tollgate and the wedding was at Divine Mercy Shrine in Marilao, Bulacan.  If there was no traffic near the tollgate, we might have made it to the march since our route was through NLEX (North Luzon Expressway).  Jowell even called me as we were a few meters away from the church to ask permission if they could start the processional without us.  Har! Of course I said yes.  I wouldn't want to be the reason for the delay of their wedding, hehe.. :)

Upon arrival at the church, Ryken just clung to me.  He didn't want to be put down.  I wanted to take a picture of him by the red carpet near the entrance door but he was scared of the door.  He might have felt overwhelmed with its gigantic size and the great amount of light that passes through from outside.  We chose a seat at the farthest right of the church as Ryken was already having tantrums.  He didn't want to stay inside the church!

Good thing my mom was with us so she brought Ryken outside.  Ryken's mood lightened up a bit when they went there.  He played with the monoblock chairs, inspected the steel gates of the side entrance, and looked at the lighting fixtures and the bystanders.


However, during the pictorial, Ryken didn't want to stand beside the other bearers.  He started crying and didn't want to be left alone so I was part of the picture.  He really wasn't in a good mood that day.

the cranky bearer

Ryken behaved better at the reception, probably since he's used to eating at celebrations.  I hope next time he'll be a better bearer. :)  And yes, I do promise to prepare early so we will arrive on time at the wedding venue.

My Friend, Jollibee

Ryken has really grown up. He's not scared of Jollibee anymore. We're proud parents! :)

Though I saw him turn a bit rigid when the mascot hugged him, hehehe.. :)  But he relaxed soon after.  At least now he appreciates birthday parties more than when he was younger.

Train, Train, Choo Choo!

Ryken loves trains.  I cannot recall when I introduced him to Thomas the Train but it was the time that I bought a 60pc-pack of Pampers Active Baby Large and there was a free Thomas DVD.  He was probably more than a year old then and he enjoyed the show so much.  I also remember a time when we were in the Toy Section of Landmark and he saw a Thomas train and never let it go.  His papa had no choice but to buy him that manually-operated toy train.  It's the type of toy where you push the driver down and the train zooms forward.  It's one of his favorite toys up to now. :)

Our little boy had the chance to ride the MRT for the first time when I had a reunion with college friends in Greenbelt last January 2011.  We rode the train from Quezon Avenue Station and alighted at Ayala Station.

The second time Ryken rode the MRT was when we attended a birthday party at KFC, SM Megamall last January 2012 (haha, such a coincidence that the occasions were a year apart).  He still enjoyed it, of course.

pogi pose

excitedly waiting for the train

The party finished at around past 7pm.  On the way back to Quezon Avenue from Ortigas Station, the train was jampacked and we had to wait for more than 30 minutes in line.  Good thing the MRT management has implemented a scheme where all passengers fall in line (in two's) by the entrance/exit door markers to ride the train.  I remembered to take Ryken's picture as a survivor of a jampacked MRT.

shocked! :D

'Til the next ride! :)

What's Sulit, Mama?

the next Bench model :)

We are loyal customers of 'Cuts for Tots' SM The Block.  We were assigned to Kuya William, Ryken's 1st barber here.  We chose this haircut because it is presko and it fits his looks.  Hay, big boy na ang anak ko.  Ang ama, bumili pa ng Bear Necessities Extra Gentle Styling Gel for Kids para raw maaayusan ang anak niya kapag may lakad. :)  Tamang-tama pa, Nido Jr. ang milk ni Ryken.  Yun nga lang, hindi niya kilala kung sino si Bimby, hehe.. :)