Caroleen’s Treasures

Eman turned 11 months old yesterday and I am such a bad mom for not being able to take decent photos of him. We went to my SIL’s house warming party in the evening and though I knew he turned another month old…….I didn’t bother to take even a single solo picture of him maybe because I was so tired and sore. We traveled an hour to get there so imagine how my back hurt. So to make up for it, we went out tonight to have some sort of late celebration. We actually  had no plans on going out but I just asked if we could go buy ingredients for mango float. I ate almost half of the whole batch that was served last night yet I still crave for it. So off we went with the kids in their jackets because we are also heading to Jack’s Ridge. It is a restaurant on top of a hill. We have been there for several times before I got pregnant with Eman so this time it was his turn to see the place. The good thing there is that you can just hang in there the park overlooking Davao City, Davao Gulf and the islands of Samal and Talicud without needing to dine in their restaurant. So that’s what we did.

This art seemed nicer during daytime. The word DAVAO is a sculpture of Durian, waling-waling, native people and Pomelo. Read more… »

One more assignment to go and I am all done for now. Tomorrow I will be meeting Davao’s best Lamaze instructor, Ms. Alex Hao, to show her my cloth diapers. I  am so happy and excited because she was the one who asked me if we could meet!!! I hope she will like my crafts.

Last night I also exchanged emails with Mitch, a fellow blogger, who happen to see my diapers. But she admitted she don’t wanna have something to do with cloth diapers instead asked me if I can come up with baby slings. It’s a good timing because that is what I am thinking too! So after I meet Ms. Alex tomorrow noon, I will look for a fabric for my slings. It should be durable of course and I want to try it first with Eman. I wish we have a huge fabric store here like they have abroad, or even online store would be great. Thanks for all the well wishers! Also to all the wonderful bloggers and my sister Crislyn who will be spreading the word about my handmade stuffs. Wohoo! I wishy wishy that I will be successful this time so we could get Medicare supplement insurance for the whole family. One big problem now is the name. I would want to get a DTI permit for a business name. Does anyone have an idea?

What I love living in this part of the city is that I could see a lot of greens and animals from the windows. It feels like we are in the province and that is what we could have missed if the owner of the house has built a concrete fence like all the other neighbors in this block.

When we just got here, we were welcomed by this friendly fellow.

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The agony was over. After months of worrying what is really wrong with the little man, we brought him to the hospital for his VCUG last Wednesday. Actually it should be last Monday but I don’t think I can manage it because I was too nervous to do it. I already have read all about the procedure even when Dr. Lobo talked to us about doing VCUG as soon as the circumcision is healed. I even mouthed it before the doc had mentioned the word and I am very confident that time that things will be very very easy. Not until we saw the other doc that performed the circumcision. If I may say so…he is one big discouragement to parents (I don’t want to stress it out anymore so as not to create issues here) He opposes Dr. Lobo’s opinions and decisions and when I decided I have enough and it’s time to give up one of them….I dropped him and went to find another urologist.

I was really thankful that I found Dr. Latayan’s blog….we were lead to his clinic and Eman had this test done without much issues. He is writing very helpful articles about his specialty and we encouraged him to monetize it.
The procedure was quick. We actually spent more time in the waiting room and the I am not so sure if the young group there are students or licensed radiologists but they’ve been so nice and entertaining to Eman. When Dr. Latayan arrived, he greeted Eman and we went inside the x-ray room. He was so kind to teach us how to save for the procedure and that is to buy the stuffs needed (dye, gloves etc.) outside the hospital and so that is what we did. We laid Eman on top of the x-ray table with clothes still on while Dr. Latayan prepared the dye and everything. They took one shot before we stripped Eman’s clothes and he started to insert the cathether and filled his bladder with dye. We were asked to wear a colorful vest and skirt that are very heavy! I don’t know what they are made but I guess it has some metals on the small pockets as protection from radiation. I just regret that we didn’t have a camera at hand because we looked so cute in those costume! Picture out Donald and Dr. Latayan wearing a skirt! It’s not really a funny attire but I was just amazed at it. Add to it is the group of young people in the room who ran in line like ducklings going inside the cubicle each time the doc would shout, “shoot!”. They aren’t wearing those awesome costumes so they are running for their lives.

Eman didn’t care while Dr. Latayan was inserting the cathe. He only cried when he peed and he was soaking wet. We have to wait until all the series of x-rays are taken before we can clean him up and dress him so he was not so happy with lying there in his pee. So the idea of it being painful is not all true and I have proven that. So after all the pictures are taken and films are out, Dr. Latayan’s verdict was Eman has no reflux and it was all clear for valves lying along the ureters. Thanks God Eman won’t be needing any surgery. I know this is a long shot again…but please check on rackmount. Have a wonderful day!

We had the lamest excuse of not going to church today and that is getting up late. Ella was the most disappointed and I just realized we should bring her to church every Sunday morning because she detests the evening worship. When I told her we will go to the mall first and proceed to Matina for the evening worship, she protested violently telling me she woke up early because she wanted to go to church in the morning because evenings don’t have Children’s class. I know, I know….the bad parents award goes to us. Anyhoo, even if justifying it won’t make any sense at all….I would just like to write down here that Donald and I are both working online until late last night (he even left the laptop on while it was running some seo tools software thinking it will get done before we leave for church in the morning) not to mention it was hot like hell that made me stay up longer, then the aching head and back that I got from the scares brought to me by the little fella with his rolling over and snake crawls. Many times did we catch him near the edge of the bed even if we just put him a while ago in the side of the wall. So back on the disappointed Ella…..since it will take us an hour to get there, we faithfully sworn that we will not miss morning service anymore (so help us God).

I just didn’t realize that our 15 month stay in Trento had made a great impact to her. She’d knew it was Sunday because Donald plays acapella Christian songs while we are still in bed. She will wake up hearing the songs and she even memorized even the part of the base and alto. Then she is used to me teaching them at Children’s class. We live in the parsonage right next to the chapel so she was never absent from the class (except when we had trips to the city) and that is what she is missing. I honestly thought it’s fine with her to be absent once in a while. Now I know it would be a major disaster. Read more… »

I hope we could get the PC in Trento so Donald and I can work at the same time while we are here in Davao. For the time being, he works and I blog each time I got the chance. Since I am planning to buy 5 more domain names, I really need the PC badly. That is the only thing I wanted to get in the province aside from some of our Sunday dresses. I don’t care about the mattresses and other stuffs for now as long as we can work full time here then there is no problem.

Guess where we are now…….Here in Davao…..again. After feeling really really not right last Friday, we decided it is best to go see my doctor tomorrow. We left Trento at around 9am. Sunday service has already started but Inang let us have our Lord’s supper before leaving. Bro. Adonis prayed for it and prayed for our safe trip too. Eman slept most of the time but Ella felt sick and threw up on us. The dizzy tab has no effect on her. She was on Donald’s lap and we thought she was sleeping when suddenly she threw up and I am glad it was not that bad. Donald was holding a bag and he made her finish it all there. Sorry guys but I just want to share it here so when she reads it when she’s old…..she will remember that she really hates the bus. Anyhoo, she was back to her old self after we cleaned her up and was really very active here in her tita’s place. Tomorrow I’m gonna see Dr. Roy….wish we have low cost health insurance here that is reliable. It could really help especially with the tests.

My most loved uncle went home to the Lord at 7:30am today. After a long battle with diabetes and some complications, he finally rested with his family beside him. This photo was taken last March 22 at Mergrande Resort in Davao during his son-in-law and granddaughter’s graduation. That was me in the leftmost, Papang Alfred, his wife-Mamang Ising and Cheche. I was having some issues with my heart since yesterday so I just took it lightly. I did cry but not too much because I know it is better that his suffering has ended. Hopefully tomorrow or Monday we can come to Davao to get checked then we will proceed to Kabacan for the funeral. Byebye Papang…..we will surely miss you!

My sister Cheche will be starting her OJT (on-the-job-training) tomorrow at Swiss Deli Restaurant in Davao City. At last she will because I thought she can’t start this soon. She was actually hired as secretary of the son of Ms. Joji Ilagan Bian, the owner of the school she graduated from. My sister Crislyn and I are chatting earlier because Cheche sent both of us a message that she needs a black flats for her OJT and we were making fun of it telling her that we can cut the heels of her old shoes so it will be flat. I am happy for her because she can buy what she wants if she gets a nice paying job. This OJT will be a start and if Mamang is still alive, she’s as happy for her too. She’s into accessories so much and pretty tops and shoes. I bet she will spend her first salary on those stuffs or maybe she will save for a watch. I stumbled on www.bestoftime.com, the best independent dealer of 100% genuine, certified and authentic Rolex watches with a three year warranty and free FedEx shipping. They offer the best deals because they are able to avoid the manufacturer’s pricing controls and passes the savings directly to the customers.

When Ella was three, there are still a lot of non-airconditioned taxi in Davao. We seldom ride airconditioned taxis since it is way too expensive. So when she went with my sister Crislyn and BIL (together with my sister’s PIL) to attend the christening of BIL’s nephew, she was beyond thrilled and exclaimed, “Wow!!!! Aircon!!!!” She is just a big fan of AC’s. Now that the city government of Davao has not been renewing franchises of non-airocnditioned taxi units, I guess she is one of the happiest member of the riding public. She was even telling us over and over that when she is big, she will buy a car with an auto ac compressor that is as good as the blue taxi in Davao.