After the success of the Grand Baby Fair last year, here comes the grandest event for mommies, daddies and babies, the SM Baby Company Grand Baby Fair Year 2. Head on to SM Megatrade Halls 2 & 3 on January 27, 28, 29, 2012 and get discounts up to 70% on a variety of baby products.
SM Baby Company Grand Baby Fair 2012
We are a couple who loves to travel, no doubt! When we got married, we had a blast traveling to different places together for three years. I thought we can’t do this lifestyle anymore when we already have a baby. So we made the most out of our baby-less married life. And suddenly this blessing came and we’re so excited. But at the back of my mind, I was calculating the months of my due date and then poof, it’s near our South Korea travel dates. We were supposed to experience our first snow last January of 2011 if we didn’t have this bundle of joy. What’s supposed to be our last hurrah before a new addition to family arrives was postponed. Heck, we even have a notion that once the baby’s out, we have to say goodbye to the wanderlust lifestyle, all travel plans shelved.
For one, it’s difficult to explore and get lost in unfamiliar places with a crying baby in tow. Aside from that, consider all the necessities you have to bring such as baby bottles, lots of clothes, baby food, bottle sterilizer etc… Others find it expensive to travel with a baby too.
But we proved it wrong, we were able to do it when Gwen was 7 months old and we had so much fun, we became more involved and hands-on with Gwen on our short trip so traveling with a baby is not a problem to us since then.
Here are some tips on how to make traveling with a baby possible:
1. Look for a homey and well-equipped accommodation. If possible, stay at a friend’s house. When we went to Singapore, we stayed at a friends house so we’re free to use all the facilities, I was able to cook, wash the feeding bottles, cook and reheat baby food, do the laundry etc… I can’t do all those things when we stayed at a hotel. But if you don’t have friends who are willing to adapt you in other countries, there’s Roomorama. I consider Roomorama as your home away from home because you can use all the amenities available in the apartment while you’re there, it’s part of the package. This is very convenient compared to staying at the hotel wherein your actions are very limited. If you’ll be traveling with a baby, kids, with the whole family, this is the way to go.
In fact, we’re going to use it on our Hong Kong trip this year and we’re looking for nice apartments as early as now:
Roomorama Hong Kong
Here’s an event all the foodies should not miss, Ajinomoto’s 3rd Umami Culinary Challenge. This culinary competition will be held at the SMX Convention Center on January 20, 2012. The event is dubbed as The Battle for the Umami Bowl since the competition will focus on the 5th basic taste, umami. It is an inter-school competition with participants from 29 Universities and colleges that offered HRM and Nutrition courses and from five (5) prestigious culinary schools.
Ajinomoto 3rd Umami Culinary Challenge
For continuation of Gwen’s post-birthday write-up, here’s the photobooth I availed for Gwen’s birthday party. It’s a blessing that Jollibee Shell Macapagal branch allows photobooth in their parties, we just have to pay additional Php 100 for the electricity fee. Some Jollibee branches like the Blue Wave branch does not allow photobooths because of the limited space. So if you’re scouting for Jollibee branches and you want to include photobooths, look for spacious branches.
Most photobooth rates starts at Php 3,500. But my officemate referred me to her org’s photobooth services, FLIPPBooth. Their package is just Php 2,500, unlimited prints for 2 hours.
FLIPPbooth
If what happens in January will dictate what will happen throughout the year, then I can say that 2012 will be full of parties and travelling! At the start of January, we attended Jollibee parties weekly, much to joy of Gwen. Then, her grandpa surprised us with a trip to Aklan, he’ll be bringing the whole family for some sort of family reunion next week. The family will have a thanksgiving mass and a small party for the family. Too bad the famous Ati-Atihan festival is happening now, a week shy of our arrival in Aklan. But just the same, we’re still excited to be back in the province.
What do you miss most about going back to the province? I wrote before how we enjoyed the rural life, how we just lazily lounge and have breakfast in the outdoor furniture. Gwen would jump around my aunt’s luxury garden furniture and make plenty of excited shrieking. She’d sit in the pebbles in the garden and throw some to the dogs. In the afternoon, we’ll head to the beach front and pick up stones, listen to the waves and watch the sunset. Time seems so slow back there, so relaxed unlike here in Manila.
For face painting services, I had a difficult time looking for the most affordable and value-for-money package. Luckily, I saw Groove Paint Party Needs. They have an irresistible package, just Php 1,500 for 2 professional face paint artists. Most face painting package I saw only includes 1 artists. With two artists for 2 hours, they can paint more kids and adults.
Groove paint party needs
I didn’t get party invites from my Jollibee birthday package so I asked the ever reliable Ethel Sia of Sugar Prints to make Gwen’s invites. I’m a fan of her designs and she’s the one I turn to whenever I need some business cards, product tags, etc…
I ordered 20 pieces of the invites, only a few because I just created an events page on Facebook for the other guests.
invites made by Sugar Prints
Even before we set the location and ironed out all the details about Gwen’s Jollibee party, I already knew what we’re going to wear. I wanted a mommy-and-me matching outfits for the two of us, to emphasize my mini-me.
And luckily, I found a store called Twilo in SM Mall of Asia that sells mother-daughter matching outfits. I don’t have to go to a mananahi…
matching outfits
Last December 18, we celebrated Gwen’s 1st birthday. We celebrated it ahead of time, 4 days before her birthday, because that’s the most ideal weekend, the next weekend is already the 24th and 25th, Christmas day. So right after I attended the NAPBAS in Malaysia, it’s time for another big big big celebration!
matching outfit for mommy and baby
Happy holidays everyone! I hope you all had a good one. I’m sorry for the lack of updates since I left for Malaysia to attend the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards 2011. My trip was cut short because I have to be here for Gwen’s first birthday celebration. So after the awards night and the day tour, I flew to Manila sleepless and tired for another celebration.
My trip was barely 2 days, but it was an eventful and exhilarating experience. Fun times with the Team Philippines, aside from the finalists, they also invited other fashion/celebrity bloggers to cheer , a nice way to represent the Philippines since all of them looked ravishing that night.
Team PH Nuffnangers
