Wordless Wednesday #42 | Back to School!

On Yue:
Mickey Mouse tee from Marks & Spencer,
Indigo Collection shorts from Marks & Spencer,
Hi-cut sneakers from Lee Cooper,
Ben 10 bag from Cartoon Network collection

Hair styled with Bench Fix Strong Hold Hair Gel.

Back to my Alma Mater! :)

Wordless Wednesday #9 | Dance Like There's No One Watching.

Foodie Goodie | Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!

The little man turns four this November, and as early as the first week of September, the preparations for his birthday celebration began. That's the way it has been ever since his first birthday.

First Birthday, Justice League.

After his Justice League birthday party in 2009, I made it a point to have a themed birthday party every year.

Second Birthday, Ben 10.

Even if his second and third birthday were just simple celebrations at home, with his godparents as guests.

Third Birthday, Phineas and Ferb.

For his fourth birthday, we're going to celebrate it at school, with Mickey Mouse as the party theme. I actually made the little man choose between Mickey Mouse and Toy Story, as these are the two available boys' party themes at McDonald's. (Yes, you guessed it right. We'll be having a McCelebration come November!)

Good thing he chose the former, as I wouldn't have that much of a problem when it comes to party ideas. Spoonful.com is teeming with Mickey Mouse crafts and recipes, and the site has been a great help for the party preparations.

Photo credit: Spoonful.com

These Mickey silhouette cake pops are just too cute to go unnoticed. They're a tad fussy to make, but I can just imagine the gleeful faces of the little man's classmates when they see this.

Photo credit: Spoonful.com

These Minnie Mouse inspired favor bags make great souvenirs, too. Stuff them with candies and little toys and they're good to go. McDonald's party package for themed celebrations come complete with lootbags and party favors, though. That way, my arts-and-crafts skills (or the lack of it) need not be challenged, lol.

As for the birthday cake, I'm still undecided if I should just go for the traditional one (complete with cake toppers and lettering) or have something similar to my Super Junior birthday cupcakes instead.

Photo credits: Spoonful.com

Either way, I'm sure the little man will have no complaints about it. He's happy for as long as he has a candle to blow, haha.

And gifts, of course. :)

Sharing this post with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday.

My Boys and their Toys.

My husband was feeling rich the moment February kicked in (take note of the keyword 'feeling', lol), and was very generous with this month's budget. On top of the usual monthly allowance, he sent some extra cash as a shopping spree budget for Yue and I. (How awesome is that?!)

Now my husband specifically instructed me to buy the biggest Transformers toy available at SM. He originally planned to buy the Optimus Prime and Bumblebee action figures which he saw at E-mart, only to find them sold out when he returned to the store the next day.

And so last week, I did what I was told - I took Yue out for some toy shopping.

On Yue: Just Tees statement shirt from SM, Hoodie and Pants set by Duck & Dodge / Marks & Spencer, Spiderman sneakers by Reebok.

He couldn't contain his excitement when I told him we're buying new toys, and he can choose whatever toy he wants. (I told him this because I know he's gonna go after the Transformers, anyway.)

Notice our green and brown outfits?

We wear matching colors each time we go out. :)

So off to the mall, Yue and I, where we even bumped into Icar and Ceana at Mc Donald's. They actually ordered for take-out, but ended up dining-in with us. Our impromptu meet-up gave us a chance to talk about the latest stories and happenings. The kids got to do some bonding as well.

Ceana looking intently.

Yue happy to see Ceana.

With our late lunch over and done with, mother and daughter headed home while the rugrat and I headed to the department store. Yue dashed towards this area of the toy section.

One happy camper.

He knew exactly what he was looking for.

I got you now, Optimus Prime!

He even held it up for everybody to see, lol.

And the winner is... YUE!

That Optimus Prime wasn't exactly the size we wanted (or his Dad wanted), though. The Optimus Prime we had in mind was no longer in stock and they only had Bumblebee available in the biggest size. I asked Yue if he wanted Bumblebee, but he refused. "Meron na ako nung Christmas diba po?" (I already have one from last Christmas, right?") he reminded me.

So I told him to look around and see if there's anything else he wanted. I laughed so hard when I saw him trying this on.

Wachalookinat?

I'm glad he didn't insist on buying this. I don't like buying toys that don't have much purpose or spark a lot of creativity. Yue ended up rummaging through the items in the Ben10 area, and I even had to convince him NOT to get another Omnitrix (he already has five different versions) or another Benjamin Tennyson (too many to count). After almost thirty minutes of sorting through the aliens, he settled for Ultimate Humongasaur. And some cookies. And a sticker book. And some drawing pads.

Yue's loot!

For a self-confessed shopaholic, I actually left the department store without buying anything for myself. I was contented withYue's beaming eyes and ear-to-ear smile.

And besides, I already got my Valentines gift in advance.

Simply Vera by Vera Wang.

Seems like my husband, who usually beats (sometimes even misses) the Valentines Day buzzer, has turned over a new leaf. Impressive!

If Yue was elated with his loot, I, on the other hand, am smitten with this gift. :)

Sharing with 366, Happiness Is, Color Connection, Pink Friday, Pink Saturday, PhotoStory Friday, InstaFriday, and Toy Stories.

The Little Surrealist.

Surrealism had a great effect on me because then I realised that the imagery in my mind wasn't insanity. Surrealism to me is reality. - John Lennon

My son's smarts has left me in awe yet again. From his rendition of aliens-slash-family portrait, his drawing skills seemed to have leveled up a notch (or two!).

Yue's artwork, 06 February 2012.

He now has the ability to produce drawings that go beyond mere circles and lines. Lately he's into drawing his favorite cartoon characters - such as Heatblast, one of Ben10's aliens.

My son, the surrealist. :)

See the similarities between the Pez topper and Yue's drawing? Pretty impressive for a three-year-old, huh? My friend, who is a painter, artist, and Fine Arts major calls Yue 'the little surrealist'.

Hello, Salvador Dali. Meet your next protege.

Sharing this on 366, Rednesday, Mommy Moments, Life is About, and This or That.

Rise and Shine, Breakfast Time!

Good morning, sunshine! Time for breakfast!

A glass of milk, a bowl of oats, and carrot cupcakes.

That breakfast is the most important meal of the day is a timeless adage. Not only is this common knowledge to most of us, it also has a scientific claim to it.

Studies show that kids who eat breakfast perform better at school. Moreover, breakfast-eaters are most likely to:

• be emotionally healthy compared to those who skip morning meals
• be physically fit, with bodies that have more strength and better endurance
• avoid snacking on sweets and junk food, thereby maintaining a healthy weight

My son was never a fussy eater to begin with, so getting him to eat breakfast has always been a breeze. Of course there were days when he'd wake up on the wrong side of the bed and refused to eat. But serving food on his Ben10 dinner set and letting him watch his morning cartoons always did the trick.

I'm not really a morning person, and breakfast for me is usually just a cup of coffee. But even so, I see to it that Yue and I have breakfast together. While I chug down my coffee, he feasts heartily on a bowl of oats or cereal, a few slices of bread, and a glass of milk or taho (soybean curd). 

Breakfast of champions.

Setting a good example to your kids is the most important factor in getting them to eat right. I guess this is why the little man was never a reluctant eater; I was always there to cook for him, feed him, and eat with him. It's nice to hear Yue's praises for the food I cooked, but it's even more wonderful to see his hearty appetite and satisfied smile. That, for me, is the perfect way to kickstart my day.

Carrot cupcakes! 

Sharing the Blues and the Yellows! Linking up with the 366, too!

Also pitching in for Food Trip Friday, Food Friday, and Yummy Sunday. :)