Mommy Joys

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Random Thoughts

We have our regular sleeping positions at night. Lia on my right and Rocco on my left. The three of us in bed while daddy Rolly catches his Zzzs on his own mattress on the floor.😅 This has been the setup since the day we brought Rocco home from the hospital. For years, it hasn’t been easy to get a sound sleep, with all 4 legs finding their way to my chest or face. Many times, I wake up with two extra heads (now bigger heads) on my pillow, kaya pala hindi ako makabiling.😂 At pinakamadaming beses, I would wake up with an aching body because unknowingly, nagpaka-contortionist pala ako the previous night to make way for the malikot bodies of my kids while sleeping.🤪

Pre-motherhood, I used to treasure my sleep. And to be honest, I miss sleeping soundly. But that’s nothing compared to the joy of having little warm bodies wrapped around me every single night.🥰 Tiny creatures fighting over whom I should hug in bed, to whose direction I will face before we close our eyes, which body will share the bigger blanket with me because all three of us can’t fit in one.🥲

I hope this stage can last forever. Nalulungkot na ako agad thinking that one day, Lia would already want to sleep in her own room. Or when Rocco outgrows snuggles with mommy. But until that day comes, I will enjoy every uncomfortable night, and every waking day with an aching neck or shoulder. Because truly, these are the best days — and nights — of my mommy life. 💖

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Lia Turns Six

Today, our darling firstborn turns 6!  Happy birthday, Lia love! 🎂




Maybe the most overused phrase across many posts in this blog is "time flies" --- oh boy indeed, it does.  I still remember the day I gave birth to you.  It was an easy, peasy experience at the hospital, but the day we brought you home and onwards was an entirely different story. 😂 You were a tiny baby, with a tiny face and a big nose and puffy lips the moment you came out of my body. Hehe.  Now you're six, and moving up to Big School a few months from now. 

Thursday, December 31, 2020

OUR NINTH MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

Sending holiday cheer despite the year! 🥳
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas from a social distance!




Saturday, October 31, 2020

Rocco Turns Two

I will not let my little boy's birthday month end without an entry on the blog. Happy two years, our Pietro Joaquin! 🎂



Sunday, August 16, 2020

#theDLRs Youtube Channel

I have been inactive on the blog lately because I've found myself making content for our family vlog instead! 😂 Creating videos takes much more time and effort, but I think I am also enjoying it more (so far). Below are some of our latest published vids.

Here, our madaldal kids take viewers on a tour of our house. I'm amazed by how natural it was for my firstborn Lia to talk on cam! Most of her words here are her own, we only instructed her to say "This is our terrace," for example, then the rest of the chika are already hers. Our little boy Rocco, on the other hand, just mostly mimics his ate. Haaay, these two.😍



On this next video, I cut Lia's hair! 😂 Her hair was getting longer and more awkward already (her hair is naturally wavy and puffy), so I thought I should trim it. Yay or nay?😁



Here, Lia unboxes her Trolls World Tour Happy Meal toys! She's so happy doing this one.🤩



I'm not a pro at editing, but slowly, I will get there. What's more important is that I get to document our family's moments -- both through blogging and vlogging -- moments that we could happily go back to when the kids are already big, when their worlds do not revolve around Mom and Dad anymore.😢 Waaaah, matagal pa yun!

If you feel like it, please subscribe to our channel. Just search #theDLRs on Youtube and you will find us there.  Thanks in advance! 💋



Saturday, May 9, 2020

Finding Myself in Motherhood

If there’s one change that has had the most powerful impact in my life, it’s becoming a mom. My world shifted 180 degrees and there’s no turning back. Suddenly, I was no longer the old me. I’ve become selfless and strong, sensitive but invincible, discovering things in myself that I didn’t know existed. Everyday, I find myself in a roller coaster of happiness and worry, delight and exasperation, energy and exhaustion. But despite the steep slopes and tight turns, I feel the purest kind of love and joy in my heart that no tantrum or meltdown can erase. Others say that you will lose yourself when you become a mom. I disagree. It’s in motherhood that I found who I was always meant to be.



Tuesday, May 5, 2020

#LiaSays

While working, my five-year old daughter walked up to me and I cupped her cheeks in my hands.

I said, "I love you."

In response, she cupped my face, too, and whispered,

"Me too. Even if you get mad at me sometimes."

I was moved.

There is really nothing as beautiful and pure as the heart of a child. 💕



Sunday, April 19, 2020

The Three Hats of Parenting

Yesterday, I came across a Facebook post that mentions the three hats of parenting. I got curious. The post is rather short and I knew there could be more I could read on, so I looked it up. Apparently, the concept was heard from a talk of Bo Sanchez, a preacher and bestselling author in the Philippines. Brother Bo said that parenting is a journey that requires parents to wear three kinds of hats.  It is a must for parents to change hats as the child grows. So what are these three?👒


Monday, April 13, 2020

Rocco at 1.5 Years

Happy, happy one and a half years to my little fireball, Rocco Boy baby! 🎂

my little binata 💙

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Lia Turns Five

High five to our lovely little lady who turns 5 today!💖
Happy birthday, our darling Riella Noelle! 🎂

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Our Leap Day Getaway at Sheraton Hotel

They say one way to boost your kids’ happiness and intelligence is by giving them experiences instead of toys. And last Leap Day, Rolly and I decided to bring Lia and Rocco to Sheraton Hotel to add up to their collection of happy experiences with mom and dad! ❤️

We’ve always known that Lia loves the water, she enjoys spending time in the bath tub at home or swimming at the clubhouse pool. For Rocco, we didn’t know yet until Feb 29. It turned out, he’s just like his ate, and even more!🏊 He was immensely happy waddling in the pool, even though it was rather windy. I feared that he might catch a cold, but as I was staring at his very joyful face, naisip ko, di bale na nga kung magkasipon. His happiness was just priceless.😍 (It was Rocco’s first time to go swimming, because when we were in Pico de Loro last year, he was still so small and we didn’t dip him in the water.) 



Overall, we had a great time at Sheraton!👍 And don’t get me started on S Kitchen’s breakfast spread, super sulit! We will definitely come back! 💕



Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The DLRs at The Mind Museum

It was a fun family morning at the Mind Museum! Lia (and Rocco) saw and learned things about the earth, outer space, dinosaurs, the origin of man, earthquakes, and a lot of other things! We got our all-day passes at Traveloka for P450 per person, cheaper than buying tickets at the museum itself. Your family may want to pay it a visit, too! A couple of hours is enough time to tour the whole place, plus one hour if you’re taking a snack break like we did. 😊




Friday, December 27, 2019

Sweet and Steady 2019

I’d say that 2019 has been a sweet and steady year for me and our family. Compared to 2018 which had distinct highs and lows, this year has been very balanced and stable, peppered with many lovely blessings and a number of lessons in all facets of our lives.❤️

Our Eighth Merry Little Christmas

❤️FAMILY❤️
will always be the best part of Christmas.
Season's Greetings from the DLRs! 
🎄🎅🎁


Rocco's First Steps

Our baby boy is already a walker! Hooray! 🏃‍♂️


Rocco took his first steps on the 15th of December, 2019, at one year, two months and two days old. Before then, he was already standing very steadily, but he seemed scared to walk without support, still preferring to crawl than step forward.  Not sure what he ate this day but he was especially brave (and happy, which is always a given with this boy). So yaaaay!🎉 Achievement unlocked!  Congrats, Rocco lovey! Just keep on practicing and soon, you'll be running and chasing ate Lia around the house.😂 Hehe. We love you, our baby bunso!



Monday, December 23, 2019

Rocco's Army Boot Camp Birthday Party

This post is more than two months late but I’m posting it anyway.😂 It’s our darling boy’s 1st birthday bash! And because his daddy is such a world war geek, we had ARMY as Rocco’s theme.🎉 We dressed up in camo and ate grenades for dessert.💣


Sunday, October 13, 2019

Rocco Turns One

Today, 13th of October 2019, our little man turns ONE! Happy first birthday, Rocco! 🎂


The past twelve months with you as part of our family has been nothing short of lovely. I didn’t realize how much more love our hearts could give until you came.💙 I love being your mommy, my sweet little boy. The way you look at me when you nurse, the way you cling to my arms, and the way you cry and call for me always make my heart melt, my love. Is this the mom and son bond I often hear about? Perhaps. Ooh how I adore you, my Pietro Joaquin.😍

Friday, September 13, 2019

Rocco at Eleven Months

Our always happy boy is eleven months old today, hooray!🎉 So, how are you at 11?

Monday, September 9, 2019

Lia Gets A Haircut

Our little dalaga just got a haircut! It’s her first time to have it done at a grownup salon, big girl na eh. :) The new ‘do made her look like a baby again. Thanks for behaving the whole time, Lia chikadora! And thanks to the friendly folks over at David's Salon-SM BF! :)


#theDLRs❤️

I have always imagined it this way. Me in my thirties, married, with maybe two kids.  I was in a rush to grow older when I was young because I was excited to have my own family. Now it’s here... they are here, and I can say that I’m at my happiest.❤️ Thank You, Jesus!🙏🏻 Now if I could only freeze time, or at least make it go a bit slower, so we could enjoy the little ones more before they are no longer little.

Thought of capturing this stage of our family life with a portrait, and I super love how it turned out! Thanks so much, mommy Jess of Selah Soul Art Studio! ❤️

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