Ang Tanging Ama

Out of Town

2011-04-28T18:49:00.001+08:00

No. I haven't forgotten avout this blog. I just got tired of updating. But now I'm back.

I won't talk about what happened since my last post because that would be too long. I don't have time for that because I'll be packing.

The family will be going to Batangas for the weekend. We never do this. We have never been on a trip since I was around 11 years old. It's exciting. Obiwan will be going to the beach for the first time! Woot!

Patrick Perez's Birthday Party

2010-12-13T10:36:00.002+08:00

Obiwan attended his first birthday party. It was my boss' son's 6th birthday in Blue Whale in Fun Ranch.

Obiwan wasn't used to seeing so many people he didn't know so he wouldn't let go of for practically the whole time we were there. We watched the magic show but a few tricks after, he was already asleep.

He did enjoy the loot bag because it had Mickey Mouse all over it. And he ate a lot of french fries and some chicken fingers.

After the party, we rode a train which went around the Fun Ranch. And we rode the airplane ride.

All in all, it was a great party. I hope next time Obiwan will be more at ease so he can play with some of the other children.

Happy 2nd Birthday Obiwan!

2010-12-08T14:31:00.003+08:00

I last posted Oct 30?! With me moving to a different house and a different office, I forgot to update my blog/s.

So Obiwan had his 2nd birthday last Sunday. The plan was for the whole family to go to Manila Ocean Park. I've been there once and I had a great time. While I was there, all I thought about was how happy the place would make Obiwan feel. He loves fish. Well at least the ones on screensavers. He hasn't seen any fish swimming in aquariums but I know he'd love those. I'll also bring him to the other section in Manila Ocean Park where they have jellyfish. The light makes the jellyfish seem like they're glowing.

But alas, he was sick since Friday. Fever was on and off. I brought him to the pediatrician on Saturday and found out that his throat was inflamed which caused his temperature to change. Sometimes he would be his usual self, running all over the place, then the next minute he would be down and sweet and won't want to move.

Luckily on the day of his birthday, his temperature was normal. I decided that we'll just eat out at Trinoma. He loves Trinoma. He can even say it and he knows what it looks like. Well, he knows there's a merry-go-round there. Maybe we'll just go to Manila Ocean Park next time.

I gave him a toy car for his birthday. He loves cars. He reads the newspaper just to look at pictures of cars.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T13:47:00.004+08:00

Our company, Stream Global Services, had Trick or Treat for the employees children last Oct 29. Since Obiwan was old enough, I brought him along. Tita Maggie bought him a costume but it didn't fit so he just brought a hat shaped like a jack-o-lantern. But he didn't wear it because it irritated him.

What was supposed to happen was that my mom and sister would drop Obiwan at the office with my brother. We would go around the office trick or treating with the other children then we'll meet up again after.

It didn't go the way I thought it would. We rode the elevator from the 1st to the 12th floor and Obiwan was surprised. He must've been confused why he felt like he was moving up but when he looks around, everything stands still. Turns out that the registration was not at the 12th floor so we had to ride the elevator again to the 22nd floor. This time he was more stressed. I'm thinking his ears might've been popping and he might not have felt it before.

So we went with the group of children to go to my floor at the 17th. This time, Obiwan was crying loudly as we rode down then he'd promptly stop when we're off. We went around the floor to get some candies. He didn't want to walk so I carried him the whole way. We went around and when he felt like we were near the elevator, he started crying again and holding on to me tight. We stayed at the 17th floor instead. When he was a little bit more at ease, we went directly to the elevators and went down and left the building. The whole time, Obiwan was bawling and crying his eyes out. It's going to be some time before we start riding an elevator again.

---

After that, we went to Starbucks with the family then we ate lunch. They then brought me home and Tita Xylee and Ninong Mogs' mother was there. We were supposed to stay a bit so Obiwan can socialize with them but then there were also dogs in the house, one of which was barking loudly. It scared Obiwan and he didn't want to enter the house. He'd been to the zoo and he's generally not scared of big animals let alone a small dog. So out visit was short lived.

---

The whole experience must've been stressful for him but his family was always with him so at least he knows that we will always be there whenever he feels scared. Though it's just fitting that he be a little bit scared because it's halloween except that I didn't foresee that it would be caused by an elevator and a small Maltese dog.

Obiwan's First Haircut

2010-09-20T06:37:00.002+08:00

Obiwan's hair is really thin and it's only yesterday that he got his first haircut. He had his haircut at Cuts 4 Tots in Trinoma. He was very brave. The only reason he was complaining so much was because he was itchy from all the hair around his neck and face. Now he's semi-bald. Hopefully his hair grows even and hopefully it grows thicker.

Pictures to follow... As always...

Obiwan Vocabulary

2010-08-19T23:03:00.003+08:00

Obiwan has been speaking for a few months now but is still unable to say sentences. He understands people around him but he can't articulate what he wants to well. Sometimes he tells stories about what happened or what he saw but it's mostly all vowels and him pointing to things.

These are a few words he can actually say and what he means:

People
Daddy = Daddy
Mommy/Mama/Ma = Mommy (He calls my mother Mommy)
Papa = Papa (He used to call my father lolo but everyone else calls him Papa so he just did the same)
Toto = Tito
Shasha = Tita Sasha
Tota = Tita
Dada = Ate Marie
Berly = Yaya Jonalyn
Tis = Tess
Pidi = Freddy

Food
Kukay = Cereal (It was originally for Coco Crunch but he calls any cereal kukay)
Pantit = Pancit (He loves pancit)
Didi = Milk

Others
Meng/Memeng = Cat
Pati = Dove
Pis = Cockroach
Pis Ptay = Dead cockroach
Shus/Patos = Shoes
Vroom vroom = Car
Bus = Bus

Zoo pictures

2010-08-10T08:32:00.001+08:00

Zoo pictures are here.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2061155&id=1054624827&l=5c44dc21a3

Obiwan goes to the Zoo

2010-08-09T13:11:00.002+08:00

I wanted to bring Obiwan to the zoo but it was raining so we had to settle for Ark Avilon at Tiendesitas. It's an indoor zoo so need not worry about the rain. Obiwan enjoyed it a lot. It was the first time he saw lions, tigers, snakes, rabbits, etc. At first he wouldn't let go of me because he was scared, but after a while, he got used to it. It was also the first time he got to ride a merry-go-round in Trinoma. Anyway, the pictures should tell the story better. (Which I'll upload soon.)

Ecopark Pictures

2010-06-24T17:37:00.005+08:00

It's been while since I've posted pictures. Here are a few from our recent family day.

Fathers' Day 2010

2010-06-20T23:44:00.001+08:00

Fathers' Day 2010 is uneventful. It was the same as any other Sunday. Probably because Obiwan can't greet me yet.

La Mesa EcoPark

2010-05-24T17:03:00.002+08:00

The family went to the La Mesa EcoPark last Sunday. Since Obiwan started walking, the family has been going to these family trips and this is one of them. I guess Obiwan made us a family again. We were a family before but our bonding then consisted of watching a movie in HBO together with a bowl of popcorn.

Anyway, EcoPark was really crowded. It was Sunday after all. We ran out of huts or tables to rent and we ended up settling on the grass. It really was a picnic. Then we rented a bike with a sidecar. Then my sisters and brother went over to the zip line and wall climbing area. Obiwan and I didn't go since we can't do that anyway. We just strolled around the grounds. Then I was tired and I gave Obiwan to my mother. As I lay on the ground under the trees, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were about to leave.

For what it's worth, it was fun. But we don't have any plans of doing it again.

Gymboree

2010-05-14T18:26:00.002+08:00

Ninang Mady gave us some coupons for Gymboree a few months ago and we were able to use it for the first time last weekend. It was great! He loved the slide. And he kept going up and down it.

Obiwan and I both were dead tired after one hour of playing. An earthquake couldn't have waken him up when he arrived home. I on the other hand, had soar muscles for a couple of days after. It really was a gym.

I don't have any pictures though. Again, since he learned to crawl, it's impossible to leave him alone and feel safe that he won't hit his head somewhere. Let alone now when he's already running.

Endorsement

2010-05-05T00:59:00.002+08:00

I'm concerned about Obiwan's future. I want Obiwan to be a proud Filipino and to have opportunities available to him.

Which is why Obiwan and I endorse Dick Gordon for president for the coming May 10, 2010 Philippine presidential elections.

Pilyo

2010-04-19T07:39:00.002+08:00

Obiwan has known how to run for a few weeks now. And running after him is a full-time job. He has broken several flower pots and pails and whatever he can get his hands on. I guess aside from saving for his tuition, I'd also better start saving for bail.

A Walking Baby

2010-03-02T16:29:00.002+08:00

It's been a few weeks since Obiwan has been walking. Before, you'd stand him up and he'd get back down and crawl. Now, you'd chase him every where because he's already walking fast enough to say that he's running. He chases cats on the street, not that he ever catches them, but he tries and it's cute. He probably would run away if a cat came too close but none ever do.

Bringing the blog back to life...

2010-02-08T23:36:00.003+08:00

I just realized that it's been almost 2 months since I updated this blog. Readership went from around 20 per day down to just 1 per day. Well, I was really busy.

Rewind - Part II

2009-12-16T17:05:00.002+08:00

On a lighter note, Obiwan turned 1 year old last December 5. I have a 1 year old boy. We celebrated his birthday last December 6, 2009 at Jay-J's Inasal in Metrowalk, Pasig City. It's far from a normal 1 year old birthday but I didn't want to have a children's party for Obiwan. For one thing, I didn't have the budget for it. Children's parties are unbelievable expensive. And the guest turn out would be like that of his baptism, it's not worth it. And my closest friends do not have children of their own or at least not that many that would constitute a children's party. And because Obiwan won't be able to join any of the games anyway.

So, I decided to have a lunch with family and the closest friends instead. Basically, it's my immediate family, my aunt from Bulacan, Obiwan's godparents, friends from high school who I'm still in touch with and their plus ones. Less than 20 people were there. But it's great. I seldom get to have everyone close to me in one place. These are the people I know will be part of Obiwan's life in the future.

Obiwan had a great time. He was happy with all the attention he got. He was his day and everyone made sure he knew it. He hasn't quite mastered opening gifts on his own but he's getting there. People sang to him and he had a cake. All in all, it was a very enjoyable time for everyone.

Pictures to follow...

Rewind - Part I

2009-12-16T16:33:00.003+08:00

I owe this blog an update. A lot has happened at work and I've been preoccupied with the changes that although I haven't forgotten about Obiwan, blogging time hasn't been that much. It just so happened that I woke early today and I have some time. It was either blog or do laundry.

Around mid November Obiwan's mother asked to visit him. I haven't talked about Obiwan's mother in this blog on purpose. Frankly because I didn't know what to say. But this time I guess there's no getting around it. For the purpose of this blog and since I can't keep referring to her as Obiwan's mother, we'll call her J.

Now, J asked to visit Obiwan. This scared me. Before Obiwan was born, everyone who knew I was going to get custody was asking me if J was sure because she might change her mind when she saw him. It was like everyone was watching the same soap opera when the heroine would be separated from her child and would go through great lengths of getting back the child. I didn't want to give in to that thought but it really is a scary thought.

But I didn't want to be a jerk and if she wanted to see him, maybe nothing bad would come of it. So I said yes. If I'm not mistaken, it was a Monday when we decided that I was going to bring J to visit Obiwan. Both my parents were home and there was a little bit of tension and awkwardness in the whole house. It was the first time for J and my dad to meet. He was out of the country when we picked Obiwan up from the hospital. My dad can be a little intimidating when meeting him for the first time. He really wanted to give a good impression to J. My mom was also a little on edge. And I saw that J felt a little out of place being in someone else's house.

Basically it was hours of small talk and half-meant laughter and awkward smiling. They were strangers to each other but the situation called for people to be closer than they were comfortable with. And I was in the middle of it. But the day soon ended with Obiwan still in his playpen at home. And everyone breathed a sigh of relief that their worst fears were just figments of their imagination. But then everyone would realize that it was just 1 day and everything would relive itself the next time J visited.

This has been too long already. Part II next time.

Happy 1st Birthday Obiwan

2009-12-05T00:46:00.001+08:00

Obiwan is 1 year old! How time flies.

Obiwan's Birthday Wishlist

2009-11-22T12:30:00.001+08:00

Obiwan told me what he wanted for his birthday. So if anyone plans on giving him a gift, there are a few options available.

Nintendo Wii

Macbook

2-BR Condominium Unit

McDonald's Franchise

and

World Peace

1st Birthday Prep

2009-11-21T12:27:00.002+08:00

Obiwan's birthday is near. It's less than a month away. I'm not planning on a big celebration. Just family, godparents and very close friends. But even with a relatively small group, scheduling is a pain. I have to look for a schedule when everyone is free. I don't even know when I'll be available.

What's new...

2009-11-02T17:11:00.002+08:00

The past few weeks have been tiring. Between work and Obiwan, I barely have time for anything else. I have a few pictures on my phone but my laptop is slow as hell and I can't upload them. Even the internet at home is unpredictable and I can't even post as much as I did.

But let's talk about Obiwan...

Obiwan is grown up. He's a very big 11 month old.
He has 6 teeth. But I don't have pictures of his teeth. It's very hard to catch him with his mouth open. He smiles a lot but when you have a camera in front of him, curiosity takes over and he puts on a very serious look.
He looks when you call his name. He answers to Ben (or Bin because his nanny pronounces it that way).
He knows the members of the family. When you ask him where Daddy is, he looks at me; when asked where Mommy is, he looks at his grandmother; Lolo, he looks at his grandfather; Tita Sasha, he looks at my older sister, Tito Adrian, he looks at my younger brother; Tita Maggie, he looks at my sister's picture on the wall (even when my sister is actually right there in the room).
He doesn't know how to say anything. He makes sounds but not words. Not yet.
He likes a little TV. He likes Yo Gabba Gabba and Dora in Nickelodeon Jr. He also likes the Palmolive Shampoo commercial with Dennis and Marjorie Padilla's daughter.
His favorite toy is Doggy. A stuffed dalmation given to him by his Ate Chris. Doggy is biting a stuffed bone which Obiwan also likes to bite. Obiwan eventually won and took Doggy's bone with him.
He has an affinity to keys. I can't understand it. Maybe it's the way they shine or the way they jingle. But show him a set of keys and he'll stop whatever he's doing.
He went to Trinoma once. But I'd rather have him walk first before we make a habit of going to malls.

Back to work...

2009-09-14T12:14:00.002+08:00

My week-long "vacation" is finished. I spent a whole week with Obiwan, taking care of him. He grows up so fast. When I started my week, he only had 2 teeth. He had 4 before I went home. I've got bite marks to prove it.

I don't have any pictures though. My hands are full. And my triceps are killing me with all the carrying I did.

QT

2009-09-10T19:25:00.002+08:00

Obiwan's Yaya (Nanny) went on vacation and is out for a whole week. I went on leave from work to take over.

I'm on my 3rd day and it's a struggle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. It's a great opportunity to be able to spend quality time with my son. I'm just saying that it's taxing. I thought I was going to have time to take pictures or blog about it every few hours. I thought wrong. I just found time now because he's asleep and his grandfather is here.

Actually, I might as well take this time to take a nap.

Obiwan's Hair

2009-09-01T07:14:00.002+08:00

It's hard to actually describe Obiwan's hair, or the lack of it. Until I chanced upon The Incredibles on TV. I saw Jack jack and it's exactly how Obiwan's hair looks like. Not as pointy but it's isolated in that area. His hair can't easily be seen on the pictures because it's so fine.

Mr. Baldy

2009-08-17T22:48:00.002+08:00

I'm a little concerned about Obiwan's hair. It grew a little bit but only at the top. He's the baldest baby I know. The hair in front of his head (right where his forehead ends) has never grown since he was born.

I see some babies born around the same time have really think hair. Obiwan doesn't have that. Good thing he's a boy though. Still, I wish his hair would grow before his first birthday.

Feet!

2009-08-15T22:43:00.003+08:00

I just came from visiting Obiwan at my parents' house. He has mastered sitting up. He can go from lying down to sitting in no time at all. And he no longer falls. He did however learn something new. He has discovered that he can put his foot in his mouth. It's surprising that he can do that with his thighs as big as they are. But he looks to be enjoying himself. He probably got tired of putting his hands in his mouth and he wanted something different.

Pictures (At Last)

2009-08-15T22:14:00.005+08:00

These have been on my laptop for a while now. I just haven't had the time to upload them until now...

Teaser

2009-08-08T22:01:00.003+08:00

I know. I haven't been updating much lately. Not that I've lost interest in keeping the blog updated. It's just that I've been busy with work. It's pretty hard to juggle everything.

I have some pictures I haven't posted yet and I think there's one or two videos in my phone that haven't been uploaded. I'll be posting them soon. For now, I'll just upload Obiwan's recent pic showing his thunder thighs.

Same ol', same old...

2009-07-24T22:22:00.002+08:00

I just realized that my last update was a month ago.

The reason is, nothing different happens. He's still trying to sit. He still fails once in a while. He tries to pull himself to stand then he falls. His hair grew a little. Aside from that, he just yells his heart out.

Pics from Fathers Day 2009

2009-06-25T10:01:00.004+08:00

Obiwan is starting to hold his own bottle. He needs a bit more practice but he's getting there.

Obiwan can also sit. He's a little wobbly and he falls down a lot. Look at how happy he looks.

My First Fathers' Day

2009-06-22T12:44:00.002+08:00

I just spent my first Fathers' Day as a father.

I came home around 230am and my mom was up. She told me that Obiwan sat up by himself for the first time. It didn't last more than a few seconds. Not enough time to get a camera. But it made everyone's day. I spent the whole day playing with him and trying to make him sit up. I didn't see him sit up by himself but I try to sit him up just to take a picture of him.

Fathers' Day was great. Now there are 2 fathers at home so there was more food. We ate the whole day. Maybe next year, we'll go out.

My Little Reader

2009-06-16T19:40:00.003+08:00

Obiwan is getting a head start for school.

Pedia Wanted

2009-06-14T23:04:00.002+08:00

Obiwan is in search of a new pedia. Nothing against his previous pedia; it's just more for convenience sake. We would want a pedia in the Ortigas Center or North Edsa location. Hopefully we can find a competent one soon.

Obiwan is Back Home

2009-06-08T06:13:00.002+08:00

Obiwan came back in Novaliches, Q.C. from his vacation in Baliwag, Bulacan.

We've been taking his pictures using my sister's camera and I haven't transferred them to my laptop. Once I do, I'll be uploading A LOT of pictures.

Mid-year Update

2009-06-02T16:59:00.002+08:00

In a few days, Obiwan will be half a year old!

His hair hasn't grown much yet. It's still around 2cm long.
He doesn't have any teeth yet.
He hasn't crawled yet (because he's fat).
He rolls over a lot. That's how he compensates for not being able to crawl.
He can reach his feet when he's lying on his back.
He can't sit on his own yet.
He's still fat. He just looks like he's not fat because he's getting longer everyday.
He has baby man-boobs.
He hasn't spoken (but he baby talks a lot).
He goes through diapers like it were paper.
He likes his Cerelac.
He hasn't been out in public since his Baptism.
He has to be carried with 2 hands because he's heavy and because he moves a lot (which is why I can't hold a camera while I'm carrying him).

...and that's about it.

Family Dinner

2009-05-31T22:00:00.001+08:00

I just came from a family dinner. I can't wait until family dinners mean table for 6 plus 1 baby.

The Parable of the Unfortunate Hunter

2009-05-25T09:08:00.007+08:00

The village near the edge of the forest had a routine. The hunter would hunt a deer and bring it home. A few days after, when the deer had been consumed, he would hunt again. One day, he thought he would go to the forest and hunt a lot of deer so everyone would have enough to eat and he can stay home longer.

So he went to the forest to hunt. Each time he'd kill a deer, he would go to the village and leave it for the villagers. Every now and then, the villagers would see him but he'll only stay for a short time.

After 3 months of hunting, he went back to the village thinking that they would have enough meat to last them a few more weeks. He found that there weren't any meat stored. The villagers saw him and said, "Why don't you go out and hunt for us?" He replied, "I've been out for 3 months hunting and I just got back." The villagers shot back, "We don't have any food to eat, you don't have a choice."

The hunter, picked up his tools and went to the forest to hunt.

I dreampt of Obiwan

2009-05-18T08:50:00.002+08:00

A few days ago I dreampt of Obiwan. I think it's my first dream about him. Maybe it's the first that I remember.

Obiwan was about 4 years old in my dream. I was out eating with my friends and Obiwan was playing by himself around the restaurant where I was. Obiwan ran to me and asked if I can buy him some twin-popsies. And then all my eating friends disappeared and Obiwan disappeared. I made my way out of the establishment and a '35 Cabriolet pulled up. Out came around 15 people dressed in 30's fashion carrying tommy guns. They lined up on the street, 5 people wide and 3 people deep, and opened fire on me. I danced like a rag doll while bullets riddled my body. When they stopped, I was still alive. I got my tommy gun out and fired upon my attackers in a sweeping motion. Their frontline fell. I ran another wave of bullets and their second row fell. And then I woke up...

Happy Baby

2009-04-28T20:44:00.004+08:00

Here are some of Obiwan's pics I haven't posted yet.

Birthmark

2009-04-23T11:42:00.003+08:00

Every so often it becomes noticeable. I think Obiwan has a birthmark. It's above his right eye almost near where his hairline should be. Of course his hairline is also not noticeable. It's a spot that's a little darker or redder than his complexion.

I'm sure most if not all people have a birthmark of some sort. But in his case, it's little bit more familiar. He may just grow up to be a head of a country.

Fun Facts

2009-04-19T10:36:00.003+08:00

Obiwan and I were both born in Makati Medical Center. And I just found out that we were both born on a Friday.

Cho Nam

2009-04-14T13:32:00.002+08:00

A memory I have when I was less than 10 years old was when my father would bring me to Quiapo. I don't remember why we were there but we would always have lunch at Cho Nam Panciteria. What I remember most about it was its facade. There wasn't anything extraordinary about how it looked but compared to Baliwag, Bulacan or Novaliches, Quezon City where we lived, Quiapo was very different. It was full of people and the streets were full of action.

Today, I found myself passing by Quiapo. It was time for lunch and I simply had to go to Cho Nam. It hasn't changed. But I realized that there wasn't anything special about the place after all. The food was plain. The people were indifferent. And the place was old. When I was a child, it was a special place. Maybe because it's the place where my father and I shared. He didn't bring anyone else in the family there. Or at least not that I'm aware of.

This is what I want to share with Obiwan. I want to show him places that would broaden his mind and add to his experiences. He has me as a guide to show him everything I can before he starts exploring on his own.

Good plan.

Cerelac Gold

2009-04-08T22:59:00.002+08:00

The doctor instructed us to introduce Cerelac Gold to Obiwan. At the time I thought it was a very fancy name. But after scouring different grocery stores and coming out empty handed, now I think it was named that way because it's as rare as gold. There are a few more stores to try. After that, I may just need to start digging and mining for it.

Word from Doc

2009-04-07T09:54:00.002+08:00

We went to Obiwan's pedia the other day for his vaccine. Doc said Obiwan is healthy but he's not obese. The thought did cross my mind a couple of times but the doctor assured me that he isn't obese until he looks like Bibendum.

Doc also said that we can start introducing solid foods. Not as a substitute to milk but just to get him acquainted. He grows up so fast. At this rate, he'll get married before I do.

Cover Baby

2009-04-06T15:26:00.000+08:00

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Bye Obiwan

2009-04-06T06:36:00.002+08:00

Obiwan will be spending the summer at his greatgrandmother's house in Baliwag, Bulacan. He'll get to see where I grew up. I hope I can drop by every so often.

Obiwan eating Crispy Pata

2009-03-30T08:15:00.003+08:00

I've uploaded several videos in my YouTube channel. Here's one of my favorites. Obiwan is really enjoying snacking on his arm.

How do they do it?

2009-03-30T00:43:00.002+08:00

I just don't get it. There are families with more children and less income and they get by. I feel like I'm stretching my salary as thin as I could and I still have to ask for financial help from my parents.

:þ

2009-03-24T22:37:00.001+08:00

Sleepy Sleeperson IV

2009-03-13T17:15:00.000+08:00

You'd think Obiwan was exhausted from our trip to the doctor for his vaccine but these pictures were taken before we left the house. This baby is sleeping like, ummm..., a baby.

Meet Bluey

2009-03-12T17:08:00.001+08:00

Bluey is a stuffed dog handed down from each baby in our house to the next. I think it started with my younger sister, Maggie. Then Bluey was handed down to my cousin, Kay. Then to my youngest brother, Adrian. Details are little sketchy and I don't really know if this is correct. My point is that Bluey is several years old and he's still alive. Babies must really love Bluey. He made Obiwan sleep in less than a minute.

Roll-over

2009-03-11T17:04:00.000+08:00

It looks awkward but Obiwan is trying to roll over on his back. It's a little difficult because he's so fat. I saw him succeed a few times but there are times when he gets stuck. This is all the exercise this fat boy gets.

Finger Food?

2009-03-10T16:58:00.001+08:00

Obiwan loves to snack on his hands. We try to give him a pacifier but he takes it out and replaces it with his hands. And now his hands smell of baby saliva.

Birthday Suit

2009-03-09T16:46:00.003+08:00

It's getting harder to give Obiwan a bath. First, he's getting too big. His feet goes past the counter we bath him in. And he has almost outgrown the baby bath tub we use. On top of that, he cries a lot when bathing. You'd think he'd feel refreshed taking a bath when he's all sticky from the summer heat, but he squirms and wriggles and cries from start to finish.

The only time he stops is after the bath. This is the only time I get to take pictures of his baby fat.

Just a Thought

2009-03-08T07:41:00.003+08:00

I was wondering. If I made shirts that say "I heart Obiwan", would anyone buy it? I'm just interested to know if Obiwan has the potential to have a cult following. Hehe.

This baby ate Obiwan

2009-03-04T16:56:00.002+08:00

He's like a totally different kid; a poster boy for milk.

Baby in Red

2009-02-24T19:13:00.003+08:00

Here are some pictures taken early Feb. We're about to go to Dr. Nuguid for his vaccine.

What Happened to Mr. Chicken Legs?

2009-02-20T12:20:00.003+08:00

Then...
Now...

Parenthood Around The World

2009-02-16T16:34:00.002+08:00

It's not surprising that after Obiwan's birth, my interest in parenthood-related news would increase. I'm sure that after a few years from now, it'll be fun to look back to this post to find out what happened a couple of months after Obiwan was born.

Nadya Suleman

Nadya Suleman is the single mother who bore octoplets last January in the United States. The octomom already has 6 children before which makes a total of 14! What's worse is that she's jobless. According to the interviews, she plans to raise the children through welfare.

Alfie Patten and Chantelle Steadman

Alfie Patten is 13 years old and he had a daughter with his 15 year old girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman. Their picture looks like a brother and daughter pic. It goes beyond teenage pregnancy because Alfie was just 12 years old when the child was conceived.

Baby Contests

2009-02-14T12:17:00.002+08:00

One can argue for or against joining baby contests and it'll both be valid. I myself haven't decided if I'd enter Obiwan in a baby contest if the opportunity came knocking. Still, having a baby did change my interest in these. A few months ago, I wouldn't have noticed these kinds of contests.

EQ diapers are giving away a birthday blowout. They're just asking for the wrappers of the EQ diapers used. (Just send the wrappers, not the used diapers.) I just this in a commercial, I really don't know the details.

SM has their annual SM Star Baby Promo. For a certain amount of purchase, you can enter your baby and find out if they're cuter than everyone else's babies. Here are the promo mechanics.

My Sister's Camera

2009-02-13T12:28:00.003+08:00

My sister bought a D40 and these are some pictures she took.

The Apple of Daddy's Eye

2009-01-31T11:10:00.003+08:00

After a week at work, I came home to see Ben. I was surprised with how fat he grew since a week ago. He's no longer a newborn and he's now a real baby.

He's also starting to see because he holds a gaze and follows you when you move. As long as you move very slowly because he gets confused if you move too fast. He doesn't smile voluntarily though. He smiles but on his own accord.

We also went to the doctor for his immunization and to get the results of his newborn screening. He was negative for all screening tests made which the doctor said was good. I don't understand any of it. The doctor also said that he was very healthy

The picture below shows Obiwan in the car on our way to the doctor. He would like to thank Tita Lara for his "The Apple of Daddy's Eye" onesie, Ninang Mady for his socks, Tita Len for his mittens, Tita Mel for his diapers and the Verano family for his car seat.

Mr. Fat Boy Pics

2009-01-31T11:02:00.003+08:00

Here are some pics left on my phone before my leave ended.

Back to Work

2009-01-30T20:39:00.002+08:00

It's such an adjustment to be back at work. I was on leave for around a month and a half because of the baby and I really didn't want to go back to work. After 5 years of working at eTelecare where there's no long holidays, the vacation was very much welcome. Of course, it wasn't all fun and games, I still had a baby to take care of.

Some people thought that I wasn't going back to work. Frankly, I haven't thought about not returning as I really didn't have a choice. I had a son to provide for.

After a week away from Obiwan, I missed him. He was with family so I was confident he is taken care of, it was just that I really wouldn't want him to grow up without me there.

So as part of my new year's resolution (it's 30 days late but it's still January), I'll work diligently to make sure I get to be with him while he's still young. How I'm going to do that, well I'll get to that soon.

The Story Thus Far...

2009-01-30T20:38:00.004+08:00

My name is Oliver Del Rosario. Since college, I've taken Ross as my nickname and so most people know me as Ross Del Rosario.

On December 5, 2008, my son Obiwan Del Rosario was born. He was named after Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars movies. The original Obi-Wan was nicknamed Ben in the later movies and is also my son's nickname. I don't particularly idolize his namesake but I thought it would be a cool name. It's not common to forget people you just met but with a name such as Obiwan, it's going to be hard to forget him. It's also a good conversation starter if he's going to introduce himself in school or office or a girl. He may get tired of having the same conversation everytime he meets someone but it's better than the alternative of his acquaitances forgetting who he is. Besides, if he gets tired of it and wants a more common name, he can always go with Ben Del Rosario.

He was born in Makati Medical Center in Amorsolo St., Makati City which happens to be the same place where I was born. He was 5.25 lbs and 18 inches. He now lives in Novaliches, Quezon City with my parents and siblings.

Obiwan drinks Enfalac and wears EQ Dry diapers.

Obiwan has a few videos in YouTube and are also seen on the sidebar of this blog. Also on the sidebar are baby-related advertisements and a PayPal donate button which will be an additional means to provide for Obiwan's needs. The sidebar also includes a Facebook link for Facebook users. I don't know what it does. The sidebar also includes an option to Follow the Blog to view updates through Google Reader. And lastly, it has a archive of previous posts about Obiwan.

This post is mostly for the benefit of Google search ranking results than for readers. :)

Mr. Fat Boy

2009-01-29T10:50:00.002+08:00

Obiwan has more than doubled his birth weight. He was born 5.25 lbs and he's now 11.22 lbs. I don't know how much taller he is than his original 1'6" birth height because he keeps moving around and it's not accurate.

I just took a break from writing an article to post this. I'll post more next time. It's weird having to work each day.

Pictures from Tita Mel

2009-01-24T17:03:00.005+08:00

Baptism pictures from Tita Mel's camera.

Pictures from Ninong Dairy

2009-01-19T23:32:00.006+08:00

Here are some pictures from Ninong Dairy Darilag. Just some perks of having a photographer for a godfather. :)

Thank You

2009-01-18T22:52:00.003+08:00

Obiwan and I want to thank everyone who came to his baptism.

Ninong Paolo Mogol

Ninang Mady Beldia

Ninong Dairy Darilag

Ninang Ivy Tablante

Lola Chit

Tita Sasha

Tita Maggie

Tito Adrian

Lola Lily

Lola Nanay

Lola Dodette

Tita Eya

Ate Chris

Carlo Buan and Teng Dizon

Aie Dalistan

Mel Dator

Dana De Guzman

Monica Edralin

Alvin Jimenez

Jordan Lazaro and wife

Rene Liboro

Fred Llanado

JP Paglinawan

Marco Racelis

Ryan Roset

Mic Tanseco

Chonx Tibajia

Dave Tuazon

Richie, Jen and Reese Verano

Baptism Breather

2009-01-18T22:15:00.002+08:00

Finally, all the baptism hoopla is finished. I'll post the details tomorrow.

Baby Colds

2009-01-15T21:54:00.002+08:00

Obiwan isn't sleeping as a baby. He is still a baby but he has a little cold. The cold January nights have caused him to sniffle a bit.

The other night, he simply couldn't sleep and I could hear that he had mucus in his nose. So I did what any father would do. I tried to suck it out. I just heard this from a lot of people but I don't really know if it's actually done but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. Turns out it's not very effective.

So the next day, I went out and bought a nasal aspirator. It's just a round rubber ball with a spout at the end. I thought it was used for art or something but it turns out there's a name for it. Anyway, after I tried to suck out Ben's nose, it made him breathe easier.

Then it came back and we're not able to suck the mucus out. So I called Dr. Nuguid (Obiwan's pedia) and he told me to buy some Salinase. I thinks it's the fancy name for salt water. It's great how a company can bottle salt water, put a chemical sounding name to it and sell it. Nonetheless, it cleared his breathing and he sleeps better.

What's going on

2009-01-15T20:08:00.002+08:00

I haven't been updating the blog too often because I'm planning the Baptism. It will be on Jan 18, 2009 at Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish. The reception will hopefully be at the UP Hotel. But I haven't booked it yet. I'll upload a chocful of pictures after the event.

2008 Updates VII

2009-01-07T22:16:00.002+08:00

We weren't planning on using a pacifier but there was a couple of days when he was crying longer than usual and we thought it couldn't hurt to try giving him a pacifier. The doctor said it was because he had too much gas in his stomach and that he needed to be burped more. Obiwan didn't like the pacifiers. The pictures show the only time he used them.

2008 Updates VI

2009-01-07T22:10:00.006+08:00

The family went to Baliwag on Christmas day to meet the rest of the family.

Obiwan with his Grandmother Nanay and Auntie Eya

Obiwan with his Great Grandmother

2008 Updates V

2009-01-07T22:02:00.002+08:00

Obiwan woke up during Christmas eve in time for the family's Christmas eve dinner. For Christmas, he received gifts from hi Great Grandmother, Grandmother (my aunt), Auntie Sasha, and my friends Lara Yap and JP Paglinawan.

2008 Updates IV

2009-01-05T15:44:00.002+08:00

Here are some father and son pics...

2008 Updates III

2009-01-05T15:22:00.003+08:00

While in Trinoma shopping for baby stuff, I realized Obiwan doesn't have a toy. So I bought him a rattle. This is his first toy ever. He's too young to appreciate it but he looks cute with it nonetheless.

2008 Updates II

2009-01-05T15:00:00.004+08:00

His first smile captured in a photo. I'm sure this wasn't intentional as he can't see yet but it's still very heart-warming.

2008 Updates I

2009-01-05T14:18:00.003+08:00

Obiwan looks so cute when he looks surprised.

Obiwan's 1st New Year's Celebration

2009-01-01T01:21:00.002+08:00

Obiwan slept through the whole hoopla of new year's celebration. Which is great because I wouldn't be able to care for him with my hands covered with fire cracker powder. I can't wait 'til next year when he'll be able to appreciate the sights and sounds of new year's eve.

I know I owe updates and pictures. I'm getting them ready. Be sure to check this blog for updates.

Missing In Action

2008-12-27T21:25:00.002+08:00

The week has been busy. With Christmas and our trip to Baliwag, Bulacan. We just got home. We'll update the blog with stories and pics. Perhaps tomorrow.

What day is it?

2008-12-22T20:50:00.002+08:00

We fell into a routine, Obiwan and I. This is what our day usually looks like.

12pm - Obiwan wakes up to eat.

1230pm - He finishes eating and goes to sleep while I eat lunch while watching Eat Bulaga.

330pm - Obiwan wakes up to eat then goes to sleep after. I blog.

630pm - Obiwan wakes up to eat, but doesn't go back to sleep right away.

8pm - Obiwan finally falls asleep. I watch TV.

930pm - Obiwan wakes up to eat then goes to sleep after. I sleep as well.

1230am - Obiwan wakes up to poop then eat then goes to sleep after. I stay awake and blog or browse the internet.

330am - Obiwan wakes up to eat then goes to sleep after. I stay awake.

630am - Obiwan wakes up to eat then if the sun is out, we go outside. We sleep after.

930am - Obiwan wakes up to eat then he bathes then he sleeps.

It's all we do the whole day. I don't even know what day it is because of the monotony of everything. If he's asleep, I sometimes take pictures but I already have too many pics of him sleeping. When he's awake on the other hand, I'm too busy to take pictures.

Other Obiwan updates:

He hasn't smiled (not consciously) .

He can't see yet.

His cries are louder and more frequent.

He has the hiccups 63 times a day.

He goes through around 48 diapers a day.

He drinks 3 ounces of milk per feeding.

He burps like an adult.

Half of the time, he's a light sleeper ("sleeping like a baby" doesn't always apply to him).

Obiwan Goes to Doc

2008-12-20T10:59:00.002+08:00

Obiwan just came from his first doctor's appointment today. We went to see Dr. A Nuguid in his clinic in Libis. This is Ben's first trip outside of the house since he arrived from the hospital. He slept the whole way in the car.

At the clinic, he was given a shot. He cried for about a minute then he was quiet. He's very calm the whole time.

Sleepy Sleeperson III

2008-12-18T22:03:00.000+08:00

Some left over pictures of Obiwan sleeping.

Mr. Cranky Pants

2008-12-17T22:08:00.002+08:00

Obiwan is starting to become cranky. Last week, he'd just fall asleep by himself after feeding time. Recently however, it takes about an hour for him to fall asleep. We'd have to carry him, dance with him, sing to him, let him lie on his back, turn him over on his stomach, carry him again, massage him, etc. All this before he gets tired of crying and falls asleep.

Tomorrow, I'm going to get him a pacifier to try to see if it makes a difference. We were trying to do away with a pacifier but if it would make him sleep faster then I guess a pacifier every now and then is ok.

Last week, it was all pretty easy. All I needed to do was to make sure I'm awake when he asked for his bottle. This week, having a baby is a little bit harder.

Obiwan Gained Weight!

2008-12-17T13:51:00.002+08:00

Obiwan was born 5.25 lbs. After 12 days, he's now 6 lbs!

Hep, hep...

Obiwan and his Lola

2008-12-16T18:32:00.001+08:00

Here's a picture of my mom holding Obiwan. My mom said she doesn't want to be called Lola or Grandma. I think it hasn't sunk in yet. But they look cute together. (Yes, my Photoshop skills need improvement.)

Sleepy Sleeperson II

2008-12-15T21:05:00.000+08:00

I can't resist taking Obiwan's picture when he's sleeping. He's so peaceful. He looks like he's so tired and that all he wants to do is sleep.

Obiwan's First Bath

2008-12-14T19:23:00.003+08:00

What's left of Obiwan's umbilical cord fell off two days ago which meant that he's now able to take a bath. He hasn't bathed since he was born and we were just restricted to cleaning him with a wet face towel.

Yesterday, we were able to give Obiwan his first bath. He was very cooperative throughout the whole bathing process. It looked like he enjoyed it. The video below shows part 1 of his first bath. YouTube didn't allow part 2 because it was too long. Please excuse the cinematography. The cameraperson (Obiwan's Auntie Sasha) moves a lot while shooting the video.

Obiwan Peed on Me

2008-12-14T00:23:00.003+08:00

I was changing Obiwan's diaper earlier. I took the wet diaper off and was in the process of getting the new diaper ready when Obiwan started peeing. The rubber mat he was on was getting pee all over it and I had to lift him for him not to get wet with his own pee. He stopped and I was ready to continue changing him.

Then he started to pee again, still without the new diaper on. This time he peed high enough to get my shorts wet. I swear, I've never been this happy to be peed on. Well I wasn't so much happy than not angry. I guess it comes with the role.

Major Setback

2008-12-12T20:31:00.004+08:00

This is very frustrating. My phone to laptop cable doesn't work! I have tons of pictures on my phone which I can't post here.

Baby Talk

2008-12-11T12:57:00.006+08:00

I remember hearing about this before but as I wasn't a father then, I didn't have a use for it. Now that I have Obiwan, I thought it would be useful. I searched the internet for these baby sounds and found them in DunstanBaby.com. OMG! I've become a mother!

Anyway, the article said that there's a way to identify what 0-3 month old babies need/want when they cry. They utter a sound before they start crying hysterically.

Here's the list:

EH - "I need to burp."
NEH - "I'm hungry."
OWH - "I'm sleepy."
HEH - "Please change my diaper." or "I feel uncomfortable."
EAIRH - "I need to fart."

Now I haven't tried to see if Ben says these but I'll be keeping my ears open and find out. Hopefully it makes ~~motherhood~~ fatherhood easier.

Obiwan has a Fansite

2008-12-11T08:04:00.000+08:00

Ninang Mady posted these pictures on her Multiply website which I grabbed and reposted here.

He's as big as my head!

And he's as big as my hand!

He just woke up.

Yawning.

Yoohoo...

It's like his eyelids open and close independently from each other. Hehe.

Baby Shower Flashback

2008-12-10T20:28:00.011+08:00

Here are the pics from Mady's camera of the baby shower held Oct 31, 2008. It was held at Dinky's in Pasig City.

Group pic (from left to right): Pagli, Ivy Mogs, Mic, Me, Chonx and Dairy

(L to R) Pagli, Mogs, Chonx and me.

(L to R) Mogs, Mic, Chonx and me.

Chonx, Me and Pau

Me and Mady

Not seen in pictures are Alvs, Marco and Paul Cheng via phone patch. (If I missed anyone, please tell me.)

Sleepy Sleeperson I

2008-12-10T16:57:00.006+08:00

Obiwan probably sleeps more than I do! It's all he ever does. He doesn't want to play yet. The bulk of his pictures are of him sleeping.

The Sagittarius Baby

2008-12-09T20:42:00.003+08:00

I got this from Horoscope.com. I'm not into Astrology but I guess it comes with being a father. I just copied the article, my comments are in Blue italics.

SAGITTARIUS BABY:

The Sagittarius baby will surprise you with just how speedily he or she seems to learn to crawl out of their play pen and start clambering on everything and anything they can find. I can't wait for him to start crawling. I hope he starts crawling before I have to go back to work.

Sagittarius children are the most physically adventurous of the zodiac, and often will be walking with confidence long before their peers. They are also hungry little people and you wonder where they put all that food until you see the sheer energy it takes to keep up with them! That's true. He isn't satisfied with just one bottle. But he wouldn't need that much energy because he's asleep when he's not eating. One of Sagittarius’ most endearing characteristics is their absolute honesty. I hope this is true. No one likes a liar. Especially the father.

They are inquisitive and playful so you can expect to find all sorts of interesting doodles on your best furniture as well new uses for your most expensive cosmetics. However, as soon as they have redecorated your bedroom they will be so cute in how they tell you exactly what they have done that you will find it impossible not to smile. Aaaawwwww. C'mon Obiwan, grow up now!

Mr. Chicken Legs

2008-12-09T11:44:00.001+08:00

Maybe after a couple of weeks, he'd have fatty baby legs.

Obiwan had a visitor today

2008-12-08T21:23:00.001+08:00

Ninang Mady Beldia and Tito Marco Racelis visited Obiwan earlier here at Novaliches. Ben was asleep most of the time they were here but he woke up because he was hungry. He was very hungry and he downed an ounce and a half of milk. I forgot to take their picture. Maybe next time.

He's as strong as a Jedi

2008-12-08T16:53:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, Obiwan was lying on his stomach and his head was turned to the left. Lo and behold, he lifted his head and turned to his right! He shouldn't have been able to do that until he was a month old. Then when I was holding him trying to make him burp and his head was resting on my shoulder, he lifted it for a few seconds.

I didn't have enough time to take a picture but he's pretty strong. I hope he becomes a Jedi when he grows up.