Celebrating Without The Celebrant

Last Sunday was the Husband's birthday. The 2nd time that we celebrated it apart.

The Little One and I gave B a call first thing in the morning. He said he won't have any celebration for there's nothing to celebrate, as he was alone. I told him that I will make that Sunday a special day for Kaiden and me because I want the Boy to have fun on his Dada's birthday.

We had brunch at C'est La Vie and had these:

I felt kinda sad while eating because I kept on thinking about B. That cafe is one of our favorite eating place.

Kaiden and I stayed at the mall all day. B wanted me to get the Little One a special gift for the day. I was about to, but Kaiden misbehaved and got a bit uncontrollable. I gave him a number of warnings that he won't get a toy if he continue to be mischievous. Being the hyperactive boy that he is, he went on. So no toy for him. I explained the consequences of his actions and let him understand that it's not good to disobey Mummy.

It was hard seeing the disappointment in my child's eyes. I was so tempted to get him something and it is very easy to always say 'YES'; but giving in to everything will not teach him anything. Like right now, he thinks that everything is easy and that he can get/do whatever he wants. Sadly, life is not like that. And as a parent, I know I should be guiding/teaching him about the facts of life as early as now.

B and I are thankful that Kaiden is sort of matured for his age. He asks a lot of questions and try to decipher things on his own. You can talk to him and seek for suggestions; though his answers are childish, it sometimes makes sense.

Anyways, to top our celebration for B's Birthday, we had dinner at Hog's Breath.

The Little One had fish and chips.

I had steak with mushroom, veggies and mashed potato.

Kaiden and I were almost halfway to our meals when he said that he wish Dada was there with us. That B would fly here just for 1 day to be with us! I so wish too!

We are missing B so much that we did not get to finish our food.

I don't want to end our day on a sad note so I ordered their
Strawberry and Chocolate Fondue for dessert.

As always, chocolates will make you feel better; and we did . . . somehow!

Gorgeously . . .

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Happy Birthday HUN!!!

Kaiden and I love you so much!

How I wish we're together on this special day of yours!

We miss you heaps!

Gorgeously . . .

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We're Back Home!

The Little One and I flew back here in Oz, the early morning of Tuesday, the 22nd around 0400H. Kaiden was very good on the flight, though complaining of how old the plane was. He is used to having his own TV right in front of him. We boarded a not-so-new Boeing plane where the TV screen was at the center wall. He never liked Qantas, as we normally fly with SQ, CX, EK, KL; though the most he remember are SQ and CX.

Anyways, the Husband was waiting for us as we went out. B gave the Little One a Christmas stocking filled with sweets and I got a big hug and kiss! We stopped by at McDonald's to have breakfast. Then our Boy's non-stop gabble started as he talked about the things he did in the Philippines!

I was kind of weary when we got home but I could not sit still knowing I still have things to do. So I unpacked our luggage. B forced Kaiden and I to hit the sack and have hours rest before lunch. We did as we were told and woke up at past 1400H. The Husband prepared our lunch, we ate, had a shower to freshen up and went to the mall!

The next 2 days before Christmas were all spent shopping (as if I haven't had enough shopping in Manila!!!). Shops here opened till late at night and some were even 24 hours non-stop! How I wish they can do it everyday and not close at 1600H or 1700H.

We had a very nice Christmas day. I'll do a separate entry for that.

Boxing Day was kind of busy for us as we prepare for a post-Christmas Dinner for some relatives. There were a total of 7 kids in the house including Kaiden. Oh, the Boy had lots of fun playing with them, who were mostly boys! They ran around in the yard like crazy and just had a good time!

When I was giving the Little One a bath last night, he told me that he wanted to have a playmate and asked why I could not get pregnant! I could not help but laugh! I told him that Dada and I were trying but maybe it's not yet time. He said he wish to have a baby sister to take care of! How sweet! The Husband and I better work hard for it! LOL!!!

B went on another trip last night. He drove to the airport and I drove back home. It was my first time to drive that long and late at night, not to mention that it rained too. We got home safe as Kaiden fell sound asleep in his car seat. B's flight was at 0100H.

Now it's just the Little One and I again for 3 days as the Husband fly home on Wednesday morning. So here I am back to blogging!

Gorgeously . . .

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Our 2-in-1 Celebration . . . Deuxième Partie

This post is way, way behind from it's contemporary that was posted HERE.

On with the continuation . . .

When we were done with Q1, we walked along Surfer's Paradise and looked into flagship stores for another birthday gift. I still could not decide on what I want so we'll come back some other time. We walked around for some more to pass up time and took some pics.

Update: I still could not make up my mind with what I want; so the Husband can still keep the moolah for my birthday present! LOL!

Then we decided to head down to Marriott Hotel for our dinner reservations at Benihana. I am a big fan of Teppanyaki that's why I chose to go there.

We were about half an hour early so we waited at their seating room. It was only the 3 of us, so surely we'll be placed with another group to complete 1 Teppanyaki table.

This is Alvin, our Filipino chef, confirming our orders.

I was so engrossed with our Chef's show that I only got a few shots.

This was Benihana's famous 'volcano' . . .

Their version of a rice cake and a Father's Day greeting . . .

Chef Alvin's 'Thank You' note . . .

And a souvenir photo with him . . .

Our Little Prince loved the Teppanyaki show, every bit of it! The other group in the table was fascinated by the Filipino Chef's humor. They laughed at his every witty jokes.

I have only been at 3 Benihanas: London, Dubai and at the Gold Coast. The best one I had was in Dubai, with a Filipino chef as well. I was of course with B and Kaiden plus some friends. We could not stop laughing from the moment the chef introduced himself till he left our table. He was so funny that the Husband could not help but laugh even when it was a Tagalog joke.

Anyways, Kaiden got introduced to eating crispy prawn tails. He actually liked it! He thought it was so cool when the chef made him catch prawns with his mouth. He did not catch any so Chef Alvin just gave him lots of it. B and I could not finish what was in our plate because we were so full. There won't be enough space for dessert. But we left very happy and satisfied with the service. A nice teppanyaki experience here in Australia.

Over all, it was a good Sunday being with the 2 most important men in my life!

It was a memorable Father's Day . . .

And a lovely Birthday!

Gorgeously . . .

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The Husband's Going Away Surprise

We became a fan of Hustle when we lived in Latvia. The cable company we got airs British shows and that was where we got to watch HUSTLE. It is a TV series about a very witty and street-smart con artists who always get away with their great deception. Their tricks were really good!

The viewing stopped when we moved back here in Australia. Then B searched online where we can get the DVD of the said series. ABC shops sells it. But getting the DVDs always slips our minds whenever we pass by any ABC shop. So that was that.

Then I got a package with an ABC sticker on it . . .

Please look closely at my loving Husband's message . . .
It says: "Honey, you enjoy watching these. Love, Asawa Mo"

It indeed was a great surprise! He said he had been waiting for these for a long time because ABC doesn't have the Season 4 yet, so it took quite some time for them to send it. I already started watching it and I love it!

Season 5 started early this year and Season 6 will be shown probably by next year. Can't wait to finish it all and grab the next season's DVD! It's just that some characters were replaced. I personally think that the original is always the best. But I love the show and will keep on watching it!

Thanks HON! How I wish we can watch these together!

Gorgeously . . .

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I Am A Single Parent

. . . for a few months; not just a couple of weeks, but months! Yes, my hardworking Husband is off again to another continent! As I stay behind to be with our Pre-Schooler.























Us being away this time will be a challenging one. The longest we have been apart was just several weeks when B goes away on business trips or when Kaiden and I head home to the Philippines, which the most is about 5 weeks. Now we won't be seeing each other for a number of months.

I'm gonna be sort of handling stuff here on my own, which I am not used to. Other than the usual homemaker duties, B does almost everything for me. I never worry about anything because he always make sure things get done. (I'm spoiled, right?!!!! LOL!) He will pay our bills online, a gardener will come to mow the yard and keep it clean and most things will be taken care off, thankfully!

It has been almost 2 weeks since the Husband's flight and the Little One and I seems to be managing pretty fine. B calls all the time so I don't really feel alone. And we have been out everyday during Kaiden's spring break. I was actually getting good on driving around here on my own. Yes, I have my trusted SatNav and I still go the wrong way, but I somehow find my way back and get to our destination in one piece! Kaiden and I always have a laugh when I do a different turn to what the lady in the SatNav is saying. One learns at one's mistakes! I might be feeling it hard now that our Boy is back to school. Hu!Hu!Hu!

So it is just Kaiden and me yet again . . .

Oh well, wish us luck!

Gorgeously . . .

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Our 2-in-1 Celebration . . . Première Partie

First of all, I want to thank you guys for those lovely birthday messages! I feel special! LOL! Pardon me if I haven't been able to visit any blogs for days now because a lot had been going on. We are always on the go, and out everyday that I hardly had time to have a long sit and be with my laptop. But here I am now!

Anyways, my 'Day' 2 Thursdays ago was nothing special. We just had a simple dinner here at home with some relatives. Our special celebration will be on that weekend.

And since Father's Day here was last, last Sunday, we decided to celebrate my Birthday and Father's Day all together!

Father's Day: Being the good wifey that I am, I treated the Husband with my specialty; a McDonald's drive thru breakfast! I know, my bad! I could never surprise him in the morning because he gets up waaay too early than me, and yes, I am a sleepy head! We had people here early that morning so I thought I'll just treat everybody to a breakfast from Macca.

The Husband, the Son and I left the house around lunch time and drove to the Gold Coast.

We went up to the Q1 Observation Deck at Surfer's Paradise. Q1 is the world's tallest residential tower in the Southern Hemisphere. One can see a stunning 360 degree view of the Gold Coast. Admission Fee for Adult is AU$19.00 and AU$11.00 for Child.

QDeck has one of the World's fastest elevators taking you from the ground to Level 77 in just 43 seconds! The Boy loved it when we were going up fast! That speedy elevator reminded me of the time we did a photo shoot for the Taipei 101's book back in 2004, when the building was still on its finishing stages. Kaiden was only 5 months old. Taipei 101 had the world's fastest elevator then, I guess until now. It was cool how they dim the light to total darkness then a galaxy-like feature shines above that makes you feel like you're in outer space as the elevator shoots you up to level 100! Stop . . . talking about Q1 now!







This is the spectacular view of the Gold Coast that goes on as far as the eyes can see!


This is the QBar . . .


And the food and drinks we had . . .





The Little One loved running around looking at every side. We stayed there for a long time just appreciating the gorgeous view. It was a good afternoon being together as a family, up high as 230 metres above sea level in one of Australia's landmarks!




I will have to end this post here, as it is already quite long. The continuation of our double celebration to follow . . .

Gorgeously . . .

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To Aussie And Kiwi Dads . . .

. . . especially to the great and caring DAD of my Little Prince!

I have mentioned way back that Father's Day here in Australia and in New Zealand is celebrated during this month. We have been observing it every June for years, obviously because I was used to it. But since we are here, we might as well do it the Aussie way! So we are celebrating it today!

I will try to make this extra special for my beloved B. This is his first Father's Day without his Dad. Though it might be hard since Pop's passing will be a month by tomorrow. But I believe the Husband will make this day a happy one for our Little Boy, as we continue to fill his memory bank with lots of joyous family moments!

Gorgeously . . .

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Praying For My Father-in-Law

The Husband came back home 3 days ago, after almost 2 days of flying! He left Rabat early morning on Sunday and just reached Australia last Tuesday.

I have been mentioning about my sick FiL, who has been in and out of the hospital for about 2 months now. B was staying in Morocco for only 2 weeks then when his brother told him that their Dad's condition is getting worst and he has been asking when B is coming back. Torn between his commitment over there and his responsibility with his Father, he decided to go home and be by his ailing Dad's bedside. He is not happy there either; I'll talk about that in a separate entry.

Pop never knew that B went away to Morocco. He thought all along that he came with us to the Philippines. Pop did not want us to go overseas again, so we said that we'll just be having a break in Manila.

We went to visit Pop last Wednesday and were stunned with his present condition. He looked so frail and have lost a lot of weight. He could not talk clearly and you would have to listen closely. He was also shaking and could hardly open his eyes. B could not take what he was seeing and was starting to break down so he left the room. I am a wimp and I do cry easily. I was trying very hard to put on a brave front. When B came back, I avoided looking into his eyes because I know I won't be able to control my tears any longer.

Pop seems to be so sleepy but B was able to talk to him. When Pop put his hand on B's shoulder and tapped him slowly, that was it for me. I had to go out because I was starting to sob. My FiL is never affectionate to his kids. I have only seen him cuddle and kiss his 3 small grand kids (the Little One included), and would occasionally give me a hug and kiss my forehead when we haven't seen each other for a long time. So seeing him like that to his youngest Son, put a huge lump in my throat. I went down to the coffee shop and stayed there till I had the courage to be strong again. I also texted my family back home to pray for Pop.

The nurse came and we asked a lot about Pop's sudden deterioration. It was hasty for us because we were away for a month. Pop has been drowsy for days because the doctors had to give him some kind of sedative to calm him down. Pop has been agitated lately, refusing to do whatever was asked of him and tried to hurt his carers, wanting to get out of the hospital. They moved him to a more secured area where he was closely monitored. 2 more nurses came to check him and his physiotherapist. They were trying to wake him up but he was unresponsive. The nurse got alarmed and called the doctor, which made us worry too much. His diabetes was high and they could not give him insulin because he haven't eaten yet.

The doctor thinks that Pop was like that because of the sedative. She said his condition goes up and down. If ever he recovers, he won't be the way he was before. That if ever he leaves the hospital, he will surely go straight to a nursing home because he will be needing a 24hour medical care. B asked for Pop's time frame and the doctor responded with uncertainty because they themselves are going through Pop's condition day by day.

We popped in yesterday and had a long talk with Pop's main doctor, after having been visited by his team of doctors. He was the same, if not worst. They will be doing some test because they think his pneumonia is back.

The doctor called B this morning about the test results and it was not good at all. The 3 living sons all agreed to stop the medication but keep him comfortable as possible.

When we got there this morning, I looked at Pop's charts and saw that they have already given him morphine. There were 3 more drugs but the only one I know is morphine. The nurse said that his body is still fighting like hell, though his liver and kidneys are already failing. And his mind seems to be giving away too. He is not responding with anyone. He would open his eyes but it seems unseen.

Pop is on palliative care as of the moment and will soon be moved to a quiet room. We were told that he would not get out from this. There is nothing else we could do, but to pray for what is best for Pop.

Gorgeously . . .

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The Husband Is Coming Home Too!

After a month of being apart, B is coming back here next week from Morocco. He got so lonely up there without us. My poor Hubby!

But one of the main reason of him leaving there is that his Dad is not doing good. His condition is really deteriorating, especially 2 weeks ago. The Husband don't want to regret not being by his father's side if and when Pop's state turn for the worst.

I visited my brother-in-law the other day to give our pasalubongs to Kaiden's cousins, and asked about Pop. He said Pop's condition from last week is contrary to what he is lately. He still have pneumonia but can now drink, his diabetes is stable and the rest of his illnesses seems to be on the mend. That's good news!

I wanted to visit him but I'm afraid to drive that far alone. B said to just wait for him and we'll go together. I got Pop a Manila shirt. He loves those Philippine-inspired shirts I have given him that's why I always get one whenever we go back home to the Philippines. His favorite was the one with a jeepney in it. It feels great how he wears them with pride. He said he cannot travel anymore and go back to Manila again, but he can still wear one!

I do hope and pray Pop will still be able to live longer. I want the Little One to grow up having his Poppy around. We have been in and out of Australia since Kaiden was born and just go home for holidays; mostly just a month's time. So our Son did not get to really bond with his Poppy, unlike his cousins who are growing up with him. But I must say that those 2 (Kaiden and Pop) always have fun whenever they are together. Pop tries his best to keep up with our tireless Little Boy! Even when he was hospitalized, he entertains Kaiden with things around his room; like his hospital bed, light, and even when his new pacemaker was put in. He was teasing him that he will be coming with us to the Philippines with an oxygen tank in tow!

Talking about my Father-in-Law makes me miss him. I somehow got used to visiting him everyday in the hospital. And I know for sure having us there do brighten up his day.

Anyways, I am really glad that B is coming home. Kaiden and I will only be alone for a week. I will be turning the lights on overnight just in that time. As I have mentioned before, my silly imagination runs wild as soon as the sun sets in and darkness envelopes the house. I keep most of the lights on, same with the radio all night. I just want to hear some noise rather than complete silence or just the air con. I know you might say that I'm too old for that crap, but I get spooked easily!

That's all. Just want to end this post on a lighter note.

Gorgeously . . .

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