What's in a name?

Choosing our children's names was one of the most exciting and daunting things hubby and I did when I was pregnant. Should we go traditional? Eccentric? Hollywood? Picking that perfect name is so important for any parent since that would be the name your kid will live with forever. I remember in the hospital while filling up their birth certificates, hubby and I would always ask each other "So is THIS it na talaga? Sure na? No turning back!" ;p

I remember having my kids' names picked out even when I was a little girl. It changed through the years though. Like there was a time I was obssessed with the Sound of Music and loved the name Martha (the 2nd youngest Von Trapp child), Then came the phase of wanting Spanish sounding names like Jose Antonio to American names like Jason Christian...

But of course when I got married, I wanted my hubby to have a say in our babies' names too. But I remember we had even discussed jokingly before that I would be in charge of naming any girl babies while he could name the sons. No questions asked. Meaning if he wanted to name our son Chewbacca Yoda, I couldn't object. And if I wanted to name our daughter Cutie Pie Sparkles, he should be fine with that. Well, obviously we didn't name our kids anything like that, but I guess it did happen that I had more say in Miley's name, while hubby had more control over Sabe and Skyler's... 

I had always wanted to have a theme or a connecting factor in our kids names. Like maybe naming all of them starting with one letter. Or maybe combining our names to come up with a new name (Vins + Helene = Vilene?). Or naming them all after a specific thing (for example fruit like Orange, Apple, Strawberry). I knew sisters who were named Queenie, Princess, and Duchess while hubby knew a family who were named after chocolates - Hershey, Nestle, and Reese.

For us, the theme was that all our kids' names are connected to airplanes and flying which my hubby has a passion for. Read on to find out how we came up with their names. :)

MILEY

If you think that we named our daughter after Miley Cyrus, you're kind of right... sort of... but not really... just let me tell you the story and you be the judge hehe! ;p

I admit that I was a big Miley Cyrus fan back when she was still Hannah Montana (can you even remember Miley Cyrus being that sweet and innocent? No? Gotcha.). When I got pregnant, Miley was one of the names I would teasingly say I'd be naming the baby just to annoy hubby...

Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana
source

Meanwhile, my maternal grandmother had just passed away the year before when we found out we were having a girl. So I just felt in my heart that I wanted to name my daughter after her - AMELIA.

Which was also perfect since Amelia Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

source

Now why Miley again? Well, after all that joking, hubby finally admitted that he was warming up to the name and found it cute... And isn't it the perfect nickname to Amelia? Even my lola's nickname was "Mely" so Miley would be the new version of her name hehe.

And after Miley was born, she was just the smiliest baby ever so her name suited her perfectly.

our little SMiley :)

SABRE

When we found out we were having a boy next, you can bet hubby was really excited. Personally, I was pushing to name him after hubby, but hubby didn't like the whole Junior thing (but now Sabre looks exactly like his dad which would have made the name really perfect for him hehe).

We went through name after name in different baby books, but nothing seemed quite right. Until hubby thought of Sabre... which I thought was a joke at first. I mean, the first thing anybody thinks of when they hear this name is a saber-toothed tiger right? But hubby said it was all in the spelling - SABRE instead of Saber (which is also more commonly known as a sword).

According to Wikipedia, The North American F-86 Sabre (sometimes called the Sabrejet) was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War. Considered one of the best and most important fighter aircraft in the Korean War, the F-86 is also rated highly in comparison with fighters of other eras.

North American F-86 Sabre Jet Fighter Plane
source

Ok, now the name sounded cool. Although I knew he would experience having people mispronounce his name in the future. I can just picture his teachers calling him Sab-reh instead of Say-ber, gets? But hubby was set and I eventually loved how unique the name was.

showing signs of his "fighting" personality early on

SKYLER

We were completely at a lost when it came to naming baby number 3. The thing was, we had already picked a girl name we loved, so when we found out it was another boy, it was back to the drawing board for us. Hubby liked Scotland (just because), Robb (for Robb Stark), or even Cesar (after his lolo this time). But it had no connection to our theme. Even my OB was giving us suggestions like Stealth (which are aircrafts designed to avoid detection).

I was at a point where I didn't care anymore, I just wanted hubby to choose already since it was almost my due date! And finally, he decided on SKYLER, which fit our aviation theme perfectly.

According to this site, Skyler is an anglicised form of the Dutch surname Schuyler and means guarded or scholar. For us though, Skyler is based on the basic definition of what the sky is - the limitless expanse of space above earth... where airplanes fly.

reach for the SKY!

BABY #4?

Now going back to that girl name I mentioned... Hubby and I have loved this name for years and was all set to use it if by chance Skyler turned out to be a girl.

Now did you ever see the Sex and the City episode where Charlotte's secret baby name (Shayla) got taken by a good friend, which she found out about during the baby shower? 

SATC "The Baby Shower" episode

Well... I don't know if this is the weirdest coincidence ever. But my sister-in-law (who's married to my hubby's younger brother) just told me that they've finally chosen a name for their baby girl due this August. Both her and her hubby's name start with an "A", so naturally they wanted something that began with that letter. So imagine my surprise (and shock!) when she said the name they chose was...

AVIANNA

Yes, this was exactly the name hubby and I loved and were reserving for that time if we were to be blessed with another baby girl. You know, coming from the word aviation so it fit in perfectly with our theme. But with only one "N" though, so Aviana. But still!

Hubby and I can't remember if we had mentioned this name before, but she had found and liked the name from Amy Adam's daughter. 

Amy Adams with daughter Aviana
source

Now we're not mad or anything, just really surprised that out of all the names out there, we would both think of THIS name. And it's not like it's a common name or anything. I guess great minds think alike. And if anyone would be using this name at least it will be our niece and still be in the family. 

So maybe this is a sign that we won't have another daughter anymore, who knows? All I know is, if ever we do get pregnant again in the future, finding that perfect name would now be more difficult and challenging than ever haha!

Project Pie: Design, Build, Eat your own Pizza

Pizza is definitely one of my favorite foods ever. In fact, it was the only thing I craved for when I was pregnant with Skyler. We would have pizza delivered like once a week (or even more) and I would also insist on eating at pizza parlors when we go out (sulit na sulit ang Shakey's card!). So when I first heard about Project Pie, naturally I was really excited to try it out. We've been meaning to try the one in Alabang for months now, but we were on our way to Mall of Asia one time and finally had lunch at their branch in Bluebay Walk, Macapagal.

Hubby and I were a bit clueless at first when we came in since we didn't really know how it worked. Good thing there was this giant menu up front which really helped a lot.

You can order by number, which is basically selecting from among the 7 pre-set pizzas. But of course, the fun is in creating your own pizza and choosing what toppings to add!

Miley doesn't eat pizza but she was just really excited watching the whole process...

 We decided to get one white pizza and one with red sauce:

Then, they put your pizza in this really, really hot oven ready for baking!

What's nice about the place is that everything is self-service, which reminds me of restaurants in the States. For drinks, there's bottomless sodas, iced teas and juice (although we were told it was only up to 3 refills only).

They also have imported beers and wine much to hubby's delight! ;p

You get your own napkins, plastic utensils, straws, and spices...

And after you're done eating, it's also clean-as-you-go by dumping your trash in the specified bin (although there were still some people who left their tables without cleaning up, tsk tsk).

The place was really full considering we already arrived at about 1:30pm. Good thing Miley and I were still able to snag a table at the back while hubby ordered our pizzas.

I really like the modern and cool vibe of the place. It's very minimalistic with the only decor being this inspirational wall with quotes from famous people.

Finally our pizzas were done! We were starving and the pizzas smelled so good, but I had to ask hubby to wait for a few minutes while I took photos haha! ;p

Here's the toppings we got for the white pizza: mozzarella, parmesan, mushroom, ham, bacon, meatballs, red onion, basil, pesto. For the red one, it was mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, bacon, pepperoni, signature red sauce, chicken, basil. At least that's what I think based on the abbreviations on the paper haha!

The size of each pizza was good enough for hubby and me. And you better eat fast since it tastes so good hot, right out of the oven! :)

While eating, one of their staff was going around each table asking how their meal was and if it was their first time in Project Pie. She also explained that it was clean-as-you-go and asked us if we would like to have our photo taken (of course, yes!). Plus points for this gesture which I really appreciated.

We definitely enjoyed our experience here and will definitely be back! Can't wait to try the desserts too, like the banana nutella pie! ;p

PROJECT PIE

Ground Floor, Bluebay Walk

EDSA corner Macapagal Blvd.

Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City 

Tel No: 463-7122

Website: www.projectpie.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/projectpiephilippines

3 months of Skyler

Wow, time sure flies! I still remember like it was just yesterday when I was counting down the days until I was about to give birth. And then Skyler finally came out, and I was facing the new challenges of being a mom again. I remember the first few nights in the hospital, the anxiety of being at home with the new baby for the first time, lots of thoughts about how Miley and Sabe will react to their new brother, breastfeeding issues, and the sleepless nights! Even though this is baby #3 already, it still wasn't as easy as you would think.

Breastfeeding wasn't easy at first (I remember being so engorged and the awful pain when Skyler would latch on during the early days), I had hardly slept for more than 2 straight hours and was basically a walking zombie, and I was feeling so guilty about not being able to spend quality time with my 2 other kids who I know needed their mom too. It was definitely overwhelming and I remember looking down at Skyler's little face and tiny hands and thinking "I'm sure in a few months it would all be very different..."

And it sure is!

Skyler just turned 3 months old and is already showing signs of his adorable personality. I love this age when he is starting to interact with us already, with lots of eye contact and smiles. He loves it when I talk to him, even just me saying his name over and over! Singing also helps calm him down when he's fussy or agitated. He's also stronger now, being able to lift his head during tummy time. He's also so siksik and heavy already that my arms are given a workout every time I carry him (which is basically all the time lol!).

one of the first smiles I ever captured

Miley and Sabe are now also used to their baby brother, although they react to him very differently. Miley adores Skyler with all her heart and really is so protective and loving towards him. She always wants to see his face and keeps asking about him. She gets so gigil with him too! Sabe, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. He acknowledges Skyler but doesn't want to be near him... There's still a bit of jealousy going on especially if he sees we're paying more attention to the baby than him. That's why he constantly hug and tell him we love him so that it doesn't develop into a middle-child syndrome. I hope he grows out of it soon though and that they grow up to be best friends. :)

Also one of the best developments is that that breastfeeding doesn't hurt anymore and I am now also able to pump and store milk! And I love it when I feed Skyler and he's just looking up at me with those adorable eyes. Makes all the previous pain so worth it. :)

what a happy, smiley baby!

fist bump

Skyler also loves taking a bath, especially since it's sooo hot these days! He gets so sweaty easily and then super lagkit! You can tell he feels so refreshed after every bath time since he's so calm and happy, and then usually falls asleep.

Don't get me wrong, it will still probably be a while before I get a good night's rest since he still doesn't sleep through most of the night. He'll probably sleep about 2-3 hours straight (4 at the most), but usually he likes it when he's in my arms (ayaw magpababa!). So I have a lot of back pain and stiff neck from nursing and then falling asleep in a sitting down position. We've tried letting him cry it out when he wanted to be carried but I guess we're just too soft-hearted and can't stand seeing his pouty face (super kawawa!). And like most babies, he reserves his long naps in the morning or in the late afternoon... And then wakes up and starts to get fussy right when me and hubby feel sleepy already haha!

oooh, look he has dimples!

He also got sick a few weeks ago, because both Miley and Sabe had colds too. I was so confident that he would be fine since we were exclusively breastfeeding, but he got vaccinated at around the same time so I guess his immune system got weak. You can just imagine how stressed out we all were with 3 sick kids! I was so confused and worried because I kept reading how you shouldn't give months-old babies any medicine yet. So all I did was use saline nasal drops and then suctioning the nose for a whole week. He wasn't getting better and it was torture hearing his sipon and cough get worse. But he never lost his appetite or got matamlay. His colds was just very bothersome when he was feeding since he couldn't breathe properly. Finally, our pedia reassured us that giving medicine would only help him get well. He had colds for about 2 weeks already so not giving him any might only make things worse since it could lead to further complications. So I finally gave in and with lots of prayers, Skyler finally got better after a few days and has been happy and healthy since then. Thank you Lord!

my little man

I'm just so thankful for our 3 children and can't wait for all the surprises and new things to be discovered about them everyday.

Photo of the Day: Read with your Mummy!

I found this picture so cute which was included in Miley's compilation CD from her year in nursery. Isn't she so wacky? Ang galing talaga mag emote! ;p And I have to say that she really loves books and always asks me to read her a story or just make one up. Our favorite is the story about "Miley-rella", the princess who doesn't want to sleep. I always tell this to her when she refuses to take a nap in the hopes of getting her to sleep... pero it never seems to work hehe!

We've been so busy lately and I'm so behind on so many posts! I can't wait to share our little vacation in the beach, a photoshoot that Miley and I did, plus we also have to attend 2 events later today which I'll also be blogging about soon. All the kids were also sick last week with colds (including poor baby Skyler!). But thankfully they're all ok now because there's so many upcoming activities this April like the start of their summer classes.

Anyway, hope everyone's having a great weekend! :)

Skyler's Baptism

We welcomed Skyler to the Christian world last month with a very simple gathering of family and friends. I was hoping to have the baptism a little later on to give me more time to prepare, but we decided to celebrate it together with his Lolo's 60th birthday so that it would just be one party.

Skyler was exactly 2 months old, so I didn't have the luxury of doing the usual DIY since I was honestly breastfeeding all the time! I was able to buy his outfit in SM (they have so many cute and affordable designs) and just reused his Kuya Sabe's old baptismal gown. I barely even remembered to buy candles and just placed ribbons on them the night before!

The baptism was held at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish Church in Bel-Air Makati. Cost for a private baptism was P1000 and then P100 for each pair of sponsors.

The private room was spacious and air-conditioned, so we were all very comfortable. The priest arrived at exactly 11:30am and started already even if I was missing a ninang and hubby had to run back to the car to retrieve the bapstismal hat! But everyone made it just in time for the actual ceremony, whew!

The ceremony was actually quite long since the priest wanted to stress the importance of baptism. I remember for Miley and Sabe, it was straight to the christening and it only lasted a few minutes. This time, the priest gave a homily about how baptisms are usually rushed nowadays and how most of us don't even know the date we were baptized (guilty!). The whole thing lasted for about 45 minutes and through it all, Skyler was just so behaved and sleeping peacefully. He didn't even cry when the holy water was poured on his head. :) But you know who was so loud? SABE! He was so malikot that the priest actually stopped his sermon a couple of times to ask who was the noisy boy hehe (umm yes, Father, anak po namin un). But I think he actually grew fond of Sabe because in the end, he even asked if they could take a picture together (and that's the only time Sabe became quiet haha!). ;p

The reception was held in Metropolitan Club, Bel-Air Makati. Like I said, this was probably the most straightforward party I ever hosted without the usual DIY stuff. I didn't even get extra decorations like balloons or flowers to spruce the place up, there was no photobooth, and I didn't even have a cake made! It was just a simple lunch with family and friends. I didn't even hire a professional photographer for this event, I just asked my sister to document everything (and she did a GREAT job I have to say!).

What I couldn't resist getting though was a dessert buffet. I know I could have done this myself, but I simply didn't have the time. I just couldn't picture myself going to the reception venue before the baptism to set everything up, and then get dressed, and then nurse a baby in between.

So I just looked for suppliers on Instagram and found One Sweet Day. This package they did cost P8,000. The set-up is lovely and all but I honestly expected more for the price (more candies, more decors... gets?). I'll just make bawi in Skyler's 1st birthday with my own DIY candy buffet, promise hehe!

So welcome to the Christian world our baby Skyler. We love you so much! Now time to plan your 1st birthday party! ;p