Our First Christmas as a Family

We've stayed in San Juan for 5 days starting on 22nd December. The weather seems not good as it is always raining, so most of the time, we're staying at home. It's not a city place, no malls, doesn't even have a Jollibee so more likely what we're doing is staying at home.

December 24th is my mother's birthday though my family is complete there (in Lucena City), only myself wasn't there, they still have celebration during night time - this is our tradition as a family. My mother-in-law (mil) and her daughter - Angelica, prepares the food for 'Noche Buena'. To be honest, I'm not helping them much as I'm not that too familiarize in what they usually prepared but she did asked me what food to cooked for christnas, I've just made few requests and some desserts.

At 10pm I made a call to my sisters back in Lucena as they are currently cooking, most of the time one of each has something to prepared for christmas - this one was I trully missed. I've just greeted them a Merry Christmas. Aleina was already sleep and I was only waiting for the clock to tick to 12mn! And it's christmas.

As for my waiting, I unfortunately fall asleep, Albert too! When I wake up, I immediately check on the time... Ta-da it's 12:30 midnight! I dont hear any sounds or noise from the kitchen nor living room. So I wake up my dear Albert and tell him, we've missed it. We went out of our room and saw that Albert's family are already asleep... Very unfortunate for that this time is a bit wasted! No family pictures, nothing!

So we've decided to go back to sleep, and we didnt eat or have our noche buena.

That morning when we wake up, there's quite a lot of people in the house where I can hear some voices. Althroughout the day, the christmas day seems to be like a "fiesta" where I saw there's a lot of people coming in there and asking for some "papasko".

Since, I am not too familiar with their visitors, I've rather stayed inside the room. My mil sometimes pick up my Aleina to bring her outside and show their visitors her grandchild.

Aleina's First Flight to Philippines

December 19, 2012 - Aleina's first time to fly (first ride in the airplane) and a trip to Philippines. Inside the plane, we've prepared Aleina's feeding (her formula milk) during take offs as we've noticed before that mosst babies are crying as this will hurt their ears during take offs. Well, we are actually expecting Aleina to cry but surprisingly our baby managed to have an almost no-cry trip!

We've stayed in our house in Las Pinas for 4 days coz we'd attended our college's friend Riza to her wedding in Pasic City. On December 22, we again prepared baby Aleina a very long trip (4hours) to the province - going to Batangas. We've rented out a van for her so we can expect a (somehow) shorter hour of trip; if we go for a bus we might expect to have a trip of at least 5 hours. We left early as 6am from Las Pinas and our first stop is my hometown - Lucena City. I'm so excited to show Aleina to my family especially to Tatay; before we heading to Batangas.

Along the way, we're already in Lucena, very near to my Tatay's house - Aleina was consistently crying... I've almost cry for her cries. I can't do anything, we've tried to get her attention and played to her but still crying. So I've just get out of the car and get Aleina out of it too, as well as Albert. Immediately Aleina stop crying. While walking (the van is almost following us too) Aleina looks at the van and smile and giggle... Oooaahhhh!

We've arrived in Lucena before 12noon, just right for our lunch. My step-mother, Tita Neneth and sisters prepared the food for all of us - seems like a mini fiesta! I left Aleina at home (in Lucena City) to be with her grandparents and cousins so I could send Albert's family to SM - to buy some grocery and an aircondition.

By 4pm, we've left Lucena again and headed to San Juan, Batangas - Albert's hometown.