• Hand/foot spa. I was a loyal patron of Dashing Diva and Let’s Face It before. It was before Beauty and Butter was born and all other nail pampering salons out there. I get to have my nails done every week and the most two weeks. Yes, that’s how I enjoy my pampering sesh especially when boredom strikes me. Oh, the last time I had a decent hand and foot spa was two years ago. Crap!

• Salon. Who wouldn’t love to pay a visit to salons? Every woman loves to feel good, great and beautiful always! Our hair is our crowning glory and we should take good care of it. Believe it or not the last time I visited a salon was three years ago when I decided to have a short hair. Now, I do my own hair treatment in my own comfort zone.

• Facial Treatment. I don’t have breakouts but I usually get to have a facial treatment before. It feels so relaxing lying on the treatment table and somebody is massaging your face.

• Movies. J and I used to watch movies in cinemas but we haven’t enjoyed it in a while for more than three years already. We only watch movies at home with our two rambunctious little monsters.

• Shopping. Who doesn’t love shopping? Even if it’s window shopping it gives me unexplainable feeling of relief from stress. I also love hitting the malls when there is a magic word—SALE! Now the only shopping I don’t feel guilt spending J’s money is grocery shopping twice a month. 

When my little girl showed signs of independence, I was very certain that it means she will also creative in her own little ways. I wouldn’t want to imagine that she could escape from a harness from her high chair, stroller and even carseat! Yes, she did that right before my eyes. I don’t know how but I guess with her constant practice and sense of perseverance she was able to do it with perfection in a matter of seconds. One time when I removed the table from her high chair and tried to clean her up after eating, when I turned around I saw her standing already from her chair! Imagine my amazement when I saw her. It wasn’t really fun but more of a panicky mode reaction of a mother. I don’t know how she was able to practice escaping from a five-point harness from her high chair, carseat and even stroller. It is something that I have to be wary all the time.

After several days of contemplation on what to do on my little boy’s third birthday in two months time I finally came up with three activities.  The concept of the activity was to tickle the curious mind of my toddler. As much as I would like to have a real birthday party celebration with a lot of kids and clown stuff I guess I would just save it up when he goes to school.

Ever since my little boy had his first birthday party in a resort he developed his love for babut (water). Even if it’s a bit redundant to celebrate his birthday in a resort at least we get to try and do resort hopping in at the same time. This time it’ll be more fun because little girl loved the water too! As for the resort, that yet I have to do a bit of research. I wanted something that is not so far from town and a child friendly one.

Another activity to do is a visit to amusement park and J and I agreed to take the kids to Enchanted Kingdom. I am sure he would love to try the bumped cars there as much I enjoyed it too.

Next is another visit to a zoo and I think it will be the Avalon Zoo. Even if he was scared the first time we went to see real animals in Manila Zoo, he began telling me to visit a zoo again. When I asked him to choose from babut, park and ammals (animals) last Sunday en route to our epic fail meet and greet with Barney, he chose ammals (animals).

Me : Baby, where do you want to go on your birthday? Babut, park or animals?

D : Uhm (pointing to his head as if he was thinking hard) Cars!

Me : Baby it wasn’t included in the choices. You only have to choose between the three. So which one is it?

D : Uhm, ammals!

At least he made a choice and he was really serious of going to another zoo as he was continuously asking me if we are going to a zoo. I guess I have to plan it properly so he would enjoy his three-part birthday celebration.

I would love to welcome suggestions for a child-friendly resort. Feel free to comment down below.

How did you celebrate you kids’ third birthday party? Share your thoughts.

 My kids rarely watch Barney but when they do, they enjoy the purple dino’s show especially my gibberish speaking little girl. So when my friend told me that Barney’s going to be in town, I immediately told J to bring the kids to the show. He doesn’t like the purple dino by the way but he gave the kids a Barney CD. Pretty ironic eh?

So we went strolling around the mall instead, as it was my first time there. And when the teeny tiny feet of the little girl got tired and was already thirsty for a drink we grabbed some from Chatime.

While I was on queue, J was taking photos of my little boy and some Chinese nationals who were seated adjacent to them took photos of him also. They enjoyed taking photos as well as D enjoyed posing for them.

Meanwhile, while they were taking photos, my little girl was busy drinking my drink also.

That’s what happened to our epic fail meet and greet with Barney.

Does your child like watching Barney also?

My little boy woke up ecstatic this morning. Well most of his mornings are happy except for some days that there is unexpected grumpiness from him. I am feeling a little nostalgic today since it is only two months away from his third birthday. I remember those times when he was still trying to utter a word and crawl on our bed. But now, he’s turning three in two month’s time and it means I have a preschooler next year! How time flies! Now I have to think fast how to celebrate his third birthday and make it a memorable one. This is going to be a big challenge for me.

I am so glad that despite being rambunctious most of the time he has learned a lot in our own little ways and I am pretty surprised of the improvement from his vocabulary. Even if he can’t pronounce the words yet properly he does have the right choice of words and he knows how to answer most of the simple questions. Aside from that he knows how to operate things around and asks for help if he can’t do things on his own. 

Usually at nighttime I tell him stories based on my imagination so when I make a follow up question about the story I came up with, I am quite surprised that he knows what to answer me. His imagination also has become very wild as to things around our house. His building block becomes an airplane, a car and binoculars. He can also solve a wooden puzzle with out my help.

Sleeping time is now a breeze with him because it won’t be cries and struggle anymore, as he knows when to shut off the TV and keep his toys. But in opposition to that he developed the attitude of the delaying methods. Oh boy it makes me crazy! I am like a super mom transformed into a monster mom from asking him to keep his toys superfast. I know most of mommies out there have a problem with this but I guess this is a new challenge that I need to embrace and think of a new better positive solution to this.

Just this morning, I let him climb up the stairs on his own and of course with me behind his back. During the past few weeks he has been sneaking out and trying to go down three flights of stairs on his own. I know it shouldn’t be of a big deal but our stairs doesn’t follow the standards, according to my engineer of a mother and brother. So basically it’s a little effort for a toddler like him.

In the next months I need to initiate to set a time for him to be able for him to start reading and writing and a little corner in their room for studying also. This time I have to practice my endearing patience for tutoring him also. Yet another challenge I have to face in my motherhood.

In two months time, my son is turning three and I will say hurray I have survived the terrible twos!

How were you able to handle terrible twos with your kids?

Images from google