Hugo and the first 18 months

This is a belated post since in a few days, Hugo will actually be 19 months. He has grown so much and even I am amazed by the things he knows and picks up on a daily basis. Physically, he has become so strong, climbing over everything that doesn't move (including myself, when stationary) or being always on the run. 

Intellectually, he has also grown leaps and bounds. The other week, I listed all of the words he says and understands, and the list is up to almost a hundred words. This does not include words he can understand, and the things he can say (but not comprehend). He has also started stringing words together to form sentences like 'Bye, Mama!', 'Thanks, ate' or 'Thanks kakers (thanks for the crackers). He follows instructions to a T too. I asked him to, "get Papa's slippers" one time. And he did! 

Our nightly ritual of reading books and going through his flashcards...

him watching his educational videos regularly probably helped in this department.

He has started showing that he can pretend-play too. A few weeks ago, I saw him line up all his toy cars of differing sizes on the floor, bumper to bumper. As soon as he got to the end, he said "choo choo!". Yep, it was a train. What amazed me was when he did that the second time, he put the driver of his Mega Bloks truck at the front most car, face down. Then Hugo started snoring! The "driver" was "sleeping"! 

Spot the driver

During the holidays, Hugo's Dad, Caloy also came home during his school's Winter break. I've mentioned that Caloy is studying overseas to get his Masters degree. When we picked up Hugo's dad at the airport, Hugo did not skip a beat and immediately went with his dad. I suppose our nightly Skype sessions helped Hugo remember. What's so curious though is when his dad left, Hugo seemed to be looking for him every so often. The night Caloy left, Hugo went walking around the house, wearing his dad's shoes, and knocking at the door saying, "Papa? Papa?". Another time, I arrived home from work and he exclaimed, "Mama!". He then looked behind me and said, "Papa?".  :(

Hugo and Caloy on New Year's eve :). The Pinoy-style firecrackers did not faze him one bit. 

A few days ago, Hugo woke up at 530am and sat on my tummy, waking me up in the process. He then said, "'la na Papa?" (Papa's not here?) while looking around our bed. He repeated this several times until he fell asleep 30 minutes after. At one point after I already thought he was sleeping, he stood up abruptly and repeated his question.

How am I supposed to explain how attached my son has become to my husband who has been with us for only a few weeks the past 6 months, and only an hour or so everyday? In  a lot of ways, while I expected him to develop physically and intellectually at a fast rate, I never expected him to develop emotionally this way. It's a bittersweet discovery. 

Chrismas Memories and Dancing Lights

We live in an urban jungle (as if i have not stressed that enough). Sadly, Manila does not have enough open spaces. Or it does not have parks which are similar to the ones I went to growing up.

I grew up in Baguio City, at a time when the cold air smelled like pine. I grew up spending my weekends in various parks and open spaces (Burnham! Mines View! John Hay!). At that time, pollution was a thing from first-world urban jungles. On the other hand, Hugo is growing up in a different time and city, and I sure as hell will make sure he won't be short-changed. 

This is the reason why we spend most of our time in our favorite park: Ayala Triangle Park.

Wee wee Hugo with his dad and our niece

Ayala Triangle Park is a 2-hectare open space in the middle of what can be (some of ) the Philippines' busiest avenues: Ayala, Makati and Paseo de Roxas. The Park itself is just a wide open space of grass and greenery: it does not have your usual swings and see-saws. It does have a jogging path (well, pedestrian lanes) and restaurants (some of the best in the city). We like bringing our picnic basket and blanket, some munchies, and entertainment for the kiddos (bubbles and balls).

This is where Hugo practiced his first steps.

While in the park, Hugo spends most of his time running around the greens and running after older kids and dogs. 

In fact, this is where we shot Hugo's birthday pictures.

The park also has big art installations that people can  touch and look at up close.

Independence day Month. Spot the baby.

This Christmas season, Ayala Triangle's trees were decorated with thousands and thousands of LED lights. From 6-9pm every night, Ayala Triangle features a sights and sounds show where the LED lights blink and dance with Christmas carols. We viewed the show a few nights ago and the whole time, I excitedly watched it with one eye on Hugo, waiting for his reaction. Expectedly, Hugo was amazed (overwhelmed?); he kept saying "lights!".

LED dancing lights

They change in color and blink to the beat of Christmas carols (Pop songs for Christmas, really, like "do they know it's Christmas?" by Band Aid)

This is just Hugo's second Christmas and now that he's already a little child who can appreciate things around him, I would like him to look back at this one day and think how happy the Christmas season is for him.  My friend, Ia, who was with us with her family, mentioned that she now understood why her parents brought her to the opening of the Christmas display of the COD Department Store when she was still a child. Now, it is our turn to create similar childhood Christmas memories with our young ones.

The lights and sounds show started last November 17 until will be until December 23. Definitely worth braving the Christmas traffic. :)

Through the Little Person's Eyes

Sometimes it's easy to forget that Hugo sees things for the first time, most of the time. (He is just a year old after all.) For example, the World Cup Museum (which is not frequented by tourists/ visitors) in Seoul held so many wonders for the little person. Usually, when he's not strapped in his stroller, he likes pushing it himself. When we were in the Museum, however, he literally looked at his stroller and then back at the row of balls on display, as if he was torn between the two. 

He chose the balls.

He stared at this for a good 10 seconds.

It was like that too when we went to N Seoul Tower. And no, he was not impressed with the tower. He went crazy over the Teddy Bear Store. You can just imagine how amazing it was for him to see rows upon rows of teddy bears. We gave him a little bear which he immediately hugged, and when his Dad handed him a bigger bear, he promptly dropped that for the upgrade. 

Here's the upgrade (the Panda). If he knows how to sigh, he must have sighed here.

We had to peel him off this bear.

Good thing too that he had yet to learn the powers of throwing a tantrum. When it was time to go, he just waved goodbye to the bears. Then again, stopped to wave goodbye to the store (while at the doorway). And then again, stopped to wave goodbye to the display.  

Even Haechi Seoul, the official mascot of the City's tourism office managed to impress him. 

This is Haechi Seoul. I wonder what Hugo was telling him/ her. (note how he is waving his finger at him/ her)

Going back to my original point, I suppose I need to rewire my brain a little and show the little person around this big world of ours with more care and effort. Older people take things for granted most of the time, but seeing a child's amazement over the smallest of things will really make you stop and look around. People laugh at me when I say I want to take Hugo to the Manila Zoo, saying that the animals there are close to dead and suggesting that Zoobic/ Singapore Zoo/ HK's Ocean Park would be infinitely better. But really,  why wait for months, possibly years before we can take the trip and see the wonder in my child's eyes?

Hugo's Halloween

Guess who had fun with the older kiddos?

Last weekend, Hugo went trick or treating* around the neighborhood village with his ate Nique and her friends.  This is Hugo's first trick or treat trip (say this fast three times) and more than anything, I wanted him to enjoy it.

There were plenty of choices for the little one's costume but we decided on the timeliest (read: uso) and most comfortable. Hugo's dad wanted him to go as Steve Jobs (with us being big Apple fans) but black turtle neck shirts for babies are impossible to find in Manila. Plus, do we really want him to sweat the lines and the heat in all that adult get up? He also had the token superhero unitard(Spiderman) that he was so uncomfortable in.

Our final choice? He went as a football player.

This outfit is a no brainer: just grab sneakers, knee high socks, his jersey and shorts and he's ready to go!

He was very comfortable; he looked like he was just hanging out! He never cried or complained when we let him walk what could have been baby miles. As long as he saw his Ate Nique sweating it out, he probably thought why shouldn't he be sweating, too?

I spotted two other kids wearing football jerseys, too. One who was as small as Hugo, came as an Argentinian football player (Messi!). I also spotted some photographers taking pictures of Hugo. He was so cute, insisting on carrying his pail himself. (Haha. Biased.)

So people got the point, I also wore my favorite jersey (Azkals!). I got compliments on that, too. :)

*Yes, Halloween and trick or treating are not endemic to the Philippines. And yes, we do have that here now, but only in villages and malls and only before the more important Ph holiday, All Saints' Day.

Hugo Conquers Korea

And just like that, we're back.

Our 9-day trip passed by like a blur. Sorry for lack of a more creative comparison. (My mind's a blur. Haha.) Can I just say how much Hugo enjoyed our trip to Korea. Judging by how many pictures he had where he seemed truly happy, then I can safely say he was happy 70% of the time (the other 30% he spent sleeping).

Traveling with a toddler is not as tough as I imagined. I'd like to think I mentally prepared myself for it; I had to run through the whole process of departure and arrival just to anticipate what Hugo might need. And because I now consider myself an experienced mom-traveler (one experience makes one 'experienced'), let me impart some of my new found knowledge to all of you (meaning you, Janine).


1. Nasal decongestant for a traveling baby works. Haha. Apparently, nasal decongestant helps relieve the pressure on tiny ears and gets babies to sleep easier, too.Clear it with your pedia and do it quick. I gave Hugo his Disudrin dosage 1 hour before the flight and he was comfortable throughout the trip. He fell asleep as soon as the plan taxied the runway. I didn't need to make him drink milk on take-off or landing, too (although I wanted to give him that, so he'd be forced to swallow). Success!

2.A lightweight stroller is very important. Our Inglesina Swift lasted us many, many kilometers, inclines, stairs and elevators. When traveling, check out the city's subway system first, if you plan to travel by mass transit as some old train lines might not actually accommodate strollers. The subway system of Seoul was not too stroller friendly and we had to carry the whole stroller up and down the stairs all the time. If your baby is small enough, just use a carrier or sling.

3. If you come from the tropics (like us) and will go somewhere with a colder climate, your baby should be well-bundled up. This means, his head, neck and ears should be covered by a hat/ hood/buff and his feet and legs should be fully protected from the cold. In our case, the temperature dropped to as low as 8 Celcius (without the wind chill) and we had to wrap Hugo with a fleece blanket to add more warmth. Using a weather shield for the stroller may also help in keeping out the wind and some of the cold.

The night before we left for home, I discovered disposable hand warmers. Had I known about these, I would have bought a lot for the little person.

4. A baby's toys matter a lot. I was lucky that I did not have to bring his favorite playthings to Seoul as Hugo's dad bought some stacking cups and balls before we even got there. I just took with me one toy car, his crayons, one book and one stuffed animal. We taped the free city maps on the floor too, so the little one can spend his time writing on it.

5. I learned early to travel as lightly as possible and to make bags do double duty. I packed everything (toys, clothes, food, bottles, etc.) into one big suitcase. My own handbag doubled as a baby bag. The first day we went out, I had Hugo's big backpack and my own big bag.Never again. The next day, I left half of my things at the hotel, and used that other half of the bag for Hugo's food supply. The stroller's storage pocket can accommodate his nappies and wipes, and even his sippy cup. :)


6.  I am happy to report that Hugo's eating habits were not affected by our trip. Hehe. He liked Korean rice so much, probably because it was stickier than our white rice here and it allowed him to use a  fork (tinitinidor) to bring it to his mouth. In fact, he ate more solids there than he did here. The tip here is: make sure you know where to get familiar food for the little one.

7. On departure and arrival, dress your baby comfortably. I had Hugo wear layers that I stripped off and added on depending on the temperature. I also made him wear shoes that I can afford to lose in he decides to kick it off somewhere between gate 117 and the immigration area.


8. When eating out, make sure the little one is preoccupied enough not to ruin the meal for you. For every restaurant we went to, I made sure Hugo would have his own spoon, fork and fingerfood which he can spoon to his mouth easily. This keeps him busy during OUR meals.


9.Upon check-in and the ground crew asks your preferred seat, ask one that will have the most legroom (front middle aisle seats). Or, have the ground crew choose the best seat for you. When we checked-in, the ground crew offered to block-off the seat next to us, to give Hugo and myself more room. On our return trip, I asked the same thing from the airline and they gave us the whole row! :)


10. Take your time. Traveling is not about seeing sites; it's about being there and remembering how that feels like. I kept this in mind as soon as we arrived: our gate was at the other end of huge Incheon airport and Hugo and I had to walk all the way to the arrival gate without our stroller. Since I was holding our two hand carried bags, I really had to let Hugo walk the whole stretch of the airport, until the we got his stroller at the baggage claim area. This took us around an hour but it was a stress-free one hour.

Lastly, be prepared to change, change, change your schedule. The husband and I planned to watch Seoul Philharmonic and arranged for friends to watch Hugo. However, we left the hotel only after Hugo was engrossed with his toys enough not to notice our absence (he noticed after half an hour). This made all the difference as we were late for the concert (which did not have any intermission) and were not able to get in.

So there. I got over the fear of traveling alone with a baby. I am sure I want to do this again, especially since Hugo seemed closer to me after that trip. The stress and body pain were truly worth it.

Have Toddler, Will Travel {Hugo}

Guess where he's going?

Hugo’s first real trip is coming up in a week. He’s only gone to his grandma’s (my mama’s) province, around 100 kilometers of Manila. That was just a road trip of about 2-3 hours. This October, we’re going farther than that. We’re going to Korea. 

Hugo's ID which will be in his pocket (and my bag) at all times*

We arrive in Korea at the start of autumn. As we come from the tropics, we are ill-equipped (biologically, and uhm, fashion-wise) to deal with fall. Even if I come from Baguio City (a city in the mountainous region of Luzon where temperature can go as low as 10 degrees Celsius during February) and even as Hugo seems to have such thick skin that he perspires in an air conditioned room, I am unsure of how we can deal with 17 degrees Celsius plus or minus considering the winds from mainland China. I think long sleeved t-shirts just won’t cut it. Good thing River (yes the other half of this blog) sent Hugo some of his Northern hemisphere outfits a few months ago.

Hmm, this vest will do... in 10 more months!

And then there’s the actual flight and the logistics of it all. A well-seasoned traveler mom/ friend (read: traveling with toddler) advised that it is a good idea to just have one carry on bag for the two of us (Good luck wit dat!) and one lightweight travel stroller just so I don’t carry around Hugo in all his 28 pound glory when he starts getting tired. I don’t think we can manage with just one carry on since I need to bring some stuff requested by the husband (who is currently working to get his Masteral degree in Korea). I need to bring one big suitcase to be checked-in and Hugo’s backpack, his light weight stroller (I need to ditch his 27 pound Quinny Buzz for the lighter Inglesina Swift, more on this later), and if I'm lucky, my purse as carry-on. Sounds like a lot, considering that Hugo should be considered as another piece of luggage as I'm sure he will not pull his weight.

 All set...

And what about crying babies onboard the plane? I was advised to give Hugo a dose of paracetamol an hour before flying to help relieve the pain in his ears. Hugo’s pedia went one step further and prescribed Disudrin (paracetamol/ decongestant which can help kids sleep). I have a bag full of entertainment supply for the little person in case he gets bored. If he does cry his lungs out, well, he won’t be the first baby to do so. So that’s that.

So here we are, five days and counting. I am part excited, part tired just thinking of it. It will be an experience of a lifetime for sure. 

*The backside contains information written in English and Hangeul about him, his travel documents, and his basic medical information, as well as information about us, our contact details, and our itinerary, so he can find his way back to us in case he gets lost. Not that I plan to lose him.

Lazy Saturdays {what Hugo wore}

I do not profess to be a fashionista. (I am SO not.)But for some reason, I am very cautious and conscious about how my baby looks. I would like it if Hugo looked like he just stepped out of a Gap or H&M ad. River looks like he's off to a cool photo shoot most of the time and this (kinda, slightly, medyo) puts pressure on Hugo, err, me. 

I am not one to spend on my kid's clothes, especially since Hugo gains a few inches and pounds every other week. But that does not mean he automatically looks bad. I just follow a few rules that are friendly to my wallet but will achieve my original purpose. (See above on H&M. hehe.) A little creativity goes a long way, I tell you. :)


Lesson 1: there will always be a godparent/ aunt/ uncle/ grandparent who will buy the big ticket item, e.g. those that carry the four digit price tag (in pesos, Janine). So, do I need to buy Hugo a Crocs sandals? No. I just pray/ hint/ ask/ demand all I want, and Hugo will get it. Lesson 2: never say no to a sale / hand-me down/ pre-owned item. Case in point, I am not queasy about Hugo wearing second hand shoes. In all probability, the shoes' former owner does not have athlete's foot anyway. (That would be really sad.) Lastly, I believe there will always be a better deal somewhere. I scour SM, Divisoria, outlet and surplus shops, and I am always on the lookout for a better priced item anywhere. I know for a fact that the best deals are here and only a handful of people know about it.

So anyway, today, we went to visit Hugo's pediatrician and this was what he wore: Chuck Taylors, Gingersnaps shirt and plaid pants from River. The total price tag for this outfit? Oh, a little below 750 pesos or 15$. :)

Marooned {Hugo}

Living around the Pacific ring of fire has its disadvantages (major understatement). Two days ago, the whole island of Luzon (where we're at) was paralyzed by Typhoon Pedring (Nesat). As early as Monday (Manila time), I already knew the typhoon was a strong one by the winds that came with it. In fact, it was the wind that was most frightening: sometimes it whistled, sometimes it howled, all the time it pounded on our building windows. And this was just the night before the typhoon would make landfall.

By Tuesday, Pedring had arrived in full force. It brought back memories of  two years ago, when I did not heed typhoon warnings and went out of the house at 8 o'clock in the morning of the day Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) came to town. By 11am, the whole city was submerged in flood waters as Ondoy dumped a month's worth of rainfall on us with one go. Even if I was out for just 2 hours, I could no longer go home until the next day because of the flooded roads. 

Manila Bay as seen from the Hotel Sofitel during Typhoon Pedring.

There used to be a pool and a playground in that area where the trees are. Photo from gmanews.tv.

 Spirals @ Sofitel during Pedring. There used to be a great buffet spread here. :( 
(Photo from gmanews.tv)

This time, I was not taking chances. I woke up early to check the television for any announcement, including THE announcement of government work suspension (I work in a government corporation). I immediately went back to bed as soon as I heard the cancellation.

So, what have I learned about preparedness? My mind goes back to the basics in times of disaster. During typhoons, I make sure we have a lot of clean drinking water (10 liters distilled water for Hugo, 20 liters mineral water for the adults). I also make sure there is a thermos full of hot water (in anticipation of power outages); a pot full of soup (very comforting in cold weather) and a loaf of bread (and a lot more food inside the pantry cabinet); fully charged mobile phones and batteries for the flashlights; a tank full of gas; and money in my wallet for just in case. I also have a scanned copy of all our personal documents like passports, birth certificates, and the like. (Obviously, I'm a veteran of disasters.) Finally, it pays too to keep an ear on the ground, in our case, eyes on tv, monitoring the news. With a toddler in tow, I have to be doubly prepared. (Read here for how to make your own disaster preparedness kit.)

Thankfully, Hugo did not think anything out of the ordinary of what was happening. He mimicked the wind ("Woooo!") and pointed to the windows when rains slapped on them. When darkness fell at around 6pm and there was still no electricity in our area, we had to open the door leading to our hallway to let some hallway light in (the building's common areas were run by a generator). Hugo had a blast saying "Hi!" to each and every  neighbor on our floor. He also slept for a good part of the day. Good thing too I just bought him new wooden puzzles and books that him busy for, oh, a good 20 minutes.

So this is where we live. For good or bad, we have to love where we live and just be prepared by anything Manila dishes out on us.