Some photos

Oh boy, I haven't been very good at posting. I didn't even realize that it's been two months since my last post. I've got a few things to share, but since I've got somewhere to go today, I'll just post some pictures that should have been posted a long time ago.

The following three photos were taken on our way back to Manila from Baler after our Holy Week vacation. We took the Baler-Bongabon Road, and passed by Villa Aurora, a big part of which was destroyed a few years ago after a major landslide buried much of the area. These photos were taken on the banks of the river.

Behind Ben is what's left of the bridge connecting the two sides of Villa Aurora

There used to be some houses and a school in the area behind Ben.

A lot of the people that used to live in this area have been relocated in an area about a few kilometers away. One of the reasons I don't like taking the Baler-Bongabon road (besides the fact that it's winding) is because I don't like passing by this area. I still feel awfully sad whenever I see it.

These next batch of photos (a bit dark, sorry!) are taken from Sto. Tomas after we visited there in April with Papa. This was just after I got back from my trip to China. Papa was trying (unsuccessfully) to get Ben to take a nap. The stuffed panda Ben is holding in the third picture is something I got him from Shanghai.

This next batch of photos were taken at The Big Red Barn, a mini amusement center for children in Ortigas. Ben and I took a ride at the bump cars...something I'm never going to do with him again.

How he loved this ride!

While his interest in trains is waning, he still has high regard for them.

Giving the xylophone a shot

Getting into the beat

Another thing he's still interested in are fountains...size doesn't matter

These next batch were taken at Serendra in The Fort (part of the Fort Bonifacio area in Makati that has been commercialized). These are pretty dark again, since I accidentally changed the camera settings.

That's a boulder doubling as a fountain...did anyone say fountain???

With Auntie Anay

Ben's Kobe pose

Then last June 13, the new school year started. Ben is now in Kindergarten at Claret School's Child Study Center. His section this year is Matapat, and his teacher is Teacher Caei. So far, so good.




What can I say? He's just growing up too fast...

Summertime

It's summertime again. Weather has been awfully hot, makes you want to stay under water all day. Ben has been after me to go swimming at Nine Waves again. Will do, but maybe later on in the month or early May. I wanted to enrol him in swimming lessons this summer, but I haven't yet. He flip-flops between wanting to and not wanting to learn.

Been a while since my last post. I've got some photos to share, those from his Moving Up day at Claret and some taken in Baler where we spent the Holy Week. That was a welcome break. While the mornings were quite hot as well, the nights were much cooler there than in Manila. And there were a couple of days when it rained so that cooled things up a bit in the mornings too. Of course, that meant a crying Ben (he cries when it rains...to this day I can't figure out why). It was kind of a bummer to return to Manila, but work calls. Fortunately, I've got him enrolled already for the next school year so that's one worry off my mind.

Here's a picture taken during his Moving Up day, after we went up the stage for him to get his medal (Best in Math).


Another one of his class after they all got their certificates:

That's him in the back, 2nd from left, between the two girls. He isn't the talletst kid in class, it's the boy 2nd from left in the front. But he's among the tallest.

Then in Baler, we went on a picnic in Cemento. I couldn't get him to get further into the water than near the shore, so the pictures are taken from there. He is supposed to be swimming in the photos where he's on all fours.








I've finally gotten myself a DV cable, so I should be able to download all those videos I took of him from the last year. Will do that when I get back and post some later.

Ben and Jaden playing keyboards

A couple of short video clips taken during Kuya Boy's birthday lunch last March 18 (his birthday is actually March 17). It was a fun get together for the family, unfortunately, I don't think anyone took still photos. So just enjoy watching these two little kids.

He's moving on up

Ben has finished his second year in school. Last Saturday (March 17), Claret School's Child Study Center had their Moving Up Day cermemonies. Auntie Anay, Kuya Tony and I came to see Ben go up the stage for his certificate and watch him perform with some classmates a song number.

He was surprisingly well behaved that day, not as hyperactive as he usually is. In addition to his certificate, he received a medal for being Best in Math in his section. :-D I can't deny I'm not proud, but I would've been just as proud even without that extra award.

So now, he's on vacation for the next two and half months at least, which means there'll be no escaping him even when I'm working. He's still quite a handful at home (well, pretty much every where else). We're planning to go home to Baler next week and spend the Holy Week holidays there. When we get back, I'll see if I can enrol him in swimming classes. It's time he learn I guess.

Below are pictures from last Saturday. He's kind of sweaty on some of the photos because it was hot inside the Claret Gym where the ceremonies were held. I don't have the official photos of him getting his certificate and medals yet. Will post those as soon as I get them.

Ben marching to his seat

Receiving his certificate

Doing the song number, can you tell where he is?

With his Teacher Coocoo

With his Teacher Brenda

Me and Ben

Ben wearing his medal

Ben's certificate

Indulge me

Received a letter from Claret yesterday. Ben is one of the kids getting an award during their Moving Up day celebrations tomorrow (17 March). I'm so proud of him. Here's a scanned image of the letter.

The kid also poses

This morning, we got Ben's class picture. I think you'll find it understandable why he was the first one to catch my eye.



In case you can't find Ben, that's him in the middle row, 2nd from the right. Another of the kid's talents: he also poses ;-)

I also just realized that it's been more than two years since I started this blog...wow, it's been a while.

Another birthday celebration

Auntie Anay and Auntie Iring, my mom's twin sisters, celebrated their 73rd birthday last January 25. Auntie Iring had a day-long celebration in Baler, but unfortunately for Auntie Anay, I was out the whole day (in Capas, Tarlac to visit a feed mill and a pig farm) and Kuya Tony had to work, so her birthday celebration had to wait until the Saturday following her birthday.

We had a small get together at Kuya Toti's house in Marikina. Besides us (meaning Auntie Anay, and me and my brothers and the kids), also present were Tyung Dante and Tricia, Iñaki, and Ka Fina. We had pancit and cake and ice cream. It was nice to just have a small celebration for Auntie. Of course, we had to have a cake so Ben can help Auntie blow out her candles.

Following are some pictures taken that day.

Auntie Anay and Ka Fina

Ben, Auntie Anay and Tyung Dante

Group shot with Kuya Tony (Kuya Toti and Miguel are missing because Miguel had to go to his guitar lesson)

Group shot with me