The girl who turned 11

So, amidst the pressure I hold for the past weeks, the party we have conceptualized turned into a mem'rable one! When all those bits and pieces were put together, the results were amazing! It's beautiful!

So, how did it started?

Last year, we skipped a birthday party for Chy. That is why, I promised her a party for this year but only conceptualized this 6 months ago. We knew it is going to be cook off party. However, we have no specifics yet. Only when I found these gorgeous apron that some ideas started to fire up, then I decided it is going to be rainbow-colored theme party!

Cheyenne was on top of these ideas that during our brainstorming, she had to take down notes to make sure nothing is forgotten, oh yeah that's how organized she is. But some issues started to crop up. Like, the person who will make the cake will not be available on the date of the party. I am good at sourcing but it was hard to get the right one. I rainbow themed cake in cookies and cream, as the celebrant requested. I have to find that cake, by all means.  Thankfully, my sisters funded it :-) whew, $100 off from budget.

The little girls and boys busy with the batter preparation. Eager to decorate!

Chuck is artistic like that. Well written in a cafe-like chalkboard.

sorry, we only serve no ice cream cones here.

Care for worms and snakes, anyone?

The Happy Birthday Song!

my baby girl trying to blend in for the Birthday BINGO 

The Saletrero girls behind the intricacies. My dad of course took a lot of effort taking charge of Kylene the rascal. We could have not put this up without his help!

Thank you, kids! 

And my first born had a fantastic time! That's all that matters!

we love you, Cheyenne!

My not so little girl,Cheyenne

Look at you. Look at  you. Look at you.

Sometimes it is unimaginable--- nurturing you for the past 11 years. Was I a good mother to you? Do you cherish our mem'ries together? I needed to tell you how painful it is sometimes to not being able to clutch at your bedside in most nights. I know how you wanted me to just lie down there on your downtime until you doze off to sleep. As you grow up my girl--I want you to know that; 

-- the world out there is tough, pray for STRENGTH.

-- growing up comes with responsibilities, I am here to GUIDE you.

-- and whatever form your days would start, show up POSITIVE. 

And so my prayer goes out ;

That the good Lord will always protect you.
That He will guide your thoughts , words and actions
That He will keep you close.

Thank you for loving your family very much. Know that you are loved. More than words.

PS. the blog entry i wrote last year for her birthday is here. 'And you Turned 10'

You are my Kylene.

Remember, that on your second birthday, you woke up with much glee that you can't stop yourself posing like a downward facing dog.  A yoga enthusiast you are!

It wasn't easy coping up with you my love. You are such a handful but I am fine with such energy rather than the sickly Kylene we had the past months. Thank you, God, You completely healed my little one.  You're back to your normal self and now eating plenty like before. How these improvements made our life so happy and there are these facts you have to keep in mind ( sorry, mum's got plenty of assignments to you)

Your granny has special eyes on you. You are very pampered. Your grandma wants to impose some special discipline but your grandpa happily defies that. They do not want you to get hurt, suffer or any of those kind. Any little discomfort they wanted to take out from you. Let's pray that God will gift them with good health so they continue to join us in our future adventures!

Your dad wants to keep on holding you.  He wants you close which really works for me so I could have my 'me' time.   How you changed now? You used to be mama's only girl. I am soo glad you've build a special bond with dada now. See, how peaceful you sleep in dada's arms.

and how behaved  you were in the cruise on a lovely Saturday morning in Surfer's Paradise!

Ate Cheyenne is gentler around you. She even let you win in most games! She is a very good Ate to you. Be patient with her when she gets moody but most of the time, she lights up with you. Keep on bubbling her, compelling her to love life!

    

I've got to keep reminding myself that you are not that small baby anymore. You have a mind of your own and how quickly you have learned that I have to keep you in the loop now. I am so happy each time you understand the message I have wanted to put across. It does surprise me.

I am sorry my love of my limitation. Of days, that I do not understand your needs and wouldn't be able to address it. I ask God to sustain me, because He is the powerful Giver. And when your family is not close by, rest assured that someone is always there to LOVE you. 

The Cake Story

I promised myself the most economical birthday that the cake didn't even occurred to me until a week before the party. I remembered eating that cake back in January for Maricel's 40th and since my budget was only $50, I do not think I could afford a fondant cake for that amount. So here's the mama wanted to be unique and yeah in a tight budget. I asked "Kitchen That Never Closes" that's her shop in Facebook to recreate the ube macapuno cake to look like my daughter's dress. Note: This is not a new dress, a friend gave this to her on her baptism day. I told you , I cannot afford extravagance. She did warn me that the colors wouldn't be exactly the same especially that white would  be little bit yellowish due to the butter in the icing. So, here's the full outfit. And that shoe?- it was an accidental match to her dress up. I bought this 2 years ago in Dibi- Dibisoria that is. Hahhaha..

The OOTD

The 'Who Wore it Better Drama'

And come September, is my first born's 11th. We skipped having party for her last year and I promised her we do a cooking party this year. She is yet to pick her cake with a certain threshold of course and we will be busy with our brainstorming process soon. We really do collaborate well. 

Good news: I found a dozen of cutest apron we could use in the party. I can't wait to show this to her later!

Recycling and Recreating

I get really excited when an inspiration strikes me. I go 'gaga' over it. So , when my girlfriends suggested to eat fried dried pusit , i immediately picked it up as a party idea, hence, K & K's brunch themed birthday party. And on the day before the party, I hurriedly brainstormed some ideas with my hubby with Pinterest's help of course.

So, we came up with this. I liked this project very much because it is recreating the things that we already have. We already have Australian map in our dining room so, I used it to pin all of Kylene's photos in the last 24 months. Then we used existing cut outs we already have in our storage and made some paper planes out of magazines.  So, for this project , we only spent AU$2.10 for printing the photos.

The night after the party, Cheyenne & I went through her wardrobe to mix and match her outfit as 'apple white' for her book week the day after. You know who Apple White is? - she is the daughter of Snow White. Yeah, that is really second generation princesses and that made me smile a little. I wonder who will be the 3rd gen princess on Kylene's time since they are a decade apart.  Then as we agreed on her made up fashion picks, she told me this---'I am really happy that we are not buying anything for this book week and rather recycle what we already have'.  Which reminds me, we did the same last year.    Awww, my daughter gets really inspired with recreating and recycling too!

That was an exhausting weekend. Party on Friday night and another one on Sunday. Thank you Lord for blessing us with friends here----they just made life worth living! For next weekend, it would be relaxing, sitting in the balcony of our hotel and just seize the day without having to think of any worry.  A good walk in the morning on the beach , hold hands with my husband and be happy.

This is August. and this our month. We claim it!

It's my birthday!

Now, comes my 37th. My first to be joining the tradition here in my new company. Blowing the cake surrounded by my colleagues. That makes me happy.

and my beautiful flowers from my sisters. 

and the present that skipped my heart a thousand times.

Oh my daughters, how you transformed me. At 37, how better I have become because of you. 

And that amazing Sleep

feels like a luxury .  This is the stage that I dreaded most. Thought I am done with this teething drama. On the eve of my 37th birthday, I beg to God to put me to sleep. and He answered my Prayers. For some strange reason, my girl decided to snuggle with dada tonight. Many times, I have kept my faith put aside and I ask forgiveness for the many times I have failed the Lord. I have always thought I could handle each situation and that I am in control like what I do in my job or on the daily recourse of our lives. But there are times, that I should not be in control, that I couldn't be of control. No amount of  dominance, planning, research can ever prepare me of the things in the far future. And I should  remind my heart to not to be Discouraged. and that I have to put my Hopes in the Lord. And I should Trust that  God has provided me the best formula of Happiness to keep me encouraged and Downside to break my heart.  And to remind me that He is Control.

And that Assurance has silenced my heart.