Friday, December 31, 2010

Momma Bear's Eats: STEAK

One of the things I love to eat the most is steak. I have always associated steak with special occasions that are celebrated at home. We used to have steak almost every Saturday dinner or Sunday lunch (or so I thought, my brother says otherwise). I have no idea where we purchased our steaks and how much they cost, all I know is that they were imported from the States. This holiday season was very much about steaks, more than lechon.

This is wagyu from Seryna, a restaurant in Tokyo Town in Makati. You cook it youself in a mini griller of sorts. It has no seasonings whatsoever but the meat is as tender as can be. Not for the faint hearted or the health conscious because as you can see it is surrounded by fat.

This is USDA Prime Bone in Ribeye from Mamou in Serendra. We ate there for my father in law's birthday and it was awesome! The steak was cooked just the way we wanted it to be, medium rare. We got the bigger size to share. We also chose creamed spinach and mashed potatoes as our sidings. The creamed spinach was sucky and I didn't even bother to try the potatoes. I got to eat the steak rice and it was tasty. The steak is cooked in oil, which somehow crosses the line from unhealthy to are you really going to eat that?!, but I did. Worth every penny.

On new year's eve its potluck at the compound so everyone brings something, this year one of my husband's aunts decided to bring steak. This is a picture of the meats raw. Almost 2in thick and about to be grilled. I ate 2 pcs, since they were cut in half, that just amounts to 1 steak. She got the meat from Alternative Foods, which is where we get our steaks, the ones we eat at home. The ones in the picture are USDA choice wc costs around 800/kilo. We get CAB (certified angus beef) for the house. Below is a picture of our homecooked steaks.

We decided to make the steak meal a bit more special by making creamed spinach and sprinkling the steak with truffle salt and truffle oil. The flavors work so well together.

Cars, cars and more cars


Since we started bringing you out more you've been entranced wih cars. Your Ninong Ba bought you one for christmas and you saw it today. Its too heavy for you to start riding so you just played around with it a little.


Here we went to powerplant mall and met up with your favorite friend uncle tof and achie. You rode in the car thingy that moves around. You were ecstatic. 1 ride costs 50pesos and lasts for only a minute. You rode 4x and loved every second of it.


You also love going out. You ask me to bring you to the grocery almost everyday so today gwama said we can use the car and so we went to sm but instead of going to the grocery we wet to the amusement place there and i let you ride the car. It costs only 5pesos per minute. What a price difference fr powerplant mall!


and an even cheaper option is to go to the grocery and let you ride in the pushcart with a car in the front.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

My big bear

You just turned two a few days ago and you were so tired u just slept thru half of the day. I cant say it enough, so i'll say it again and again... I love you. I love you. I love you. You're becoming sweeter and smarter everyday. You do or say things that make me laugh. I wake up every morning smiling bec i hear your voice from downstairs. You are also growing up so fast and still so curious about so many things. Today you were trying to figure out how to put on your daddy's watch. The other day you were holding coins and started saying 'quatro, sinko, sais' I was dumbstruck. I see it in your face when your trying to learn a new word I said or when im explaining something to you. Everyday I pray for God to keep you safe all the time. Goodnight my baby bear. You are my constellation of stars that keeps me in awe.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Happy Birthday Bear!

People say your so big already and we too are often amazed at how fast and big you've grown...
But look at how small you really are from our perspective!

We decided to have brunch at Manila Penninsula to celebrate your birthday. We couldn't eat lunch because that was during your nap time. You fell asleep in the car on the ride home and didn't want to go back to sleep anymore. We opened your birthday gifts and played in the room until you ate dinner and went to sleep at around 6pm. You slept soundly until 6:30 the next day.

Here you are looking at the menu

My lil bear in her tutu skirt.

Our Family Picture (missing shobe bear)

With Gwama on the 2nd floor.

With Gwakong looking at the christmas tree

Eating gwakong's food.

Riding on the luggage cart.

Bear's 2nd christmas










Gift giving in the house. Giving some sibling loving to your shobe.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Kayla Bear in the Hospital

You've been having a low fever on and off for the past 3 days. Our pedia said that we'll do some tests on the 4th day. On the 3rd night, we were out and I got a phone call from your gwama telling me to go home bec you had a high fever of 39.2. We rushed home and you weren't as hot. We started to relax but I decided to sleep in your room that night to be sure. I opened the door and there you were carried by your yaya near the night light and you were making a sound that was heart wrenching. I immediately called your daddy and we all rushed to the hospital. You were turning blue and you kept groaning quietly. We got to the hospital and they got your blood to be tested. We checked in to be sure and waited for the results. You had an infection. They put in a wee bag to catch your pee, it might be UTI. After 10 bags or more we were able to catch enough pee to be tested. That morning at 6am they call me up in the room and tell me that you do have UTI. I am so so so sad and feel terribly guilty. They're going to stick an IV so they can give you medication through it, it will be more effective and will work faster. They are more aggressive in their treatment because you are so small. I cry with you as they poke and prod you with the needle. 2 of your veins pop as the doctor fails in putting it in properly. On her 3rd try she gets it in. You are already half asleep bec you were so tired from all the crying. That afternoon you slept soundly, you slept so long and so quietly for the 1st time in weeks. We all thought your teeth was coming out thats why you werent able to sleep well at home. I knew the medication was working already because you were able to pee alot and slept again so quietly through the night.

I am so sorry for letting this happen to you. For all the pain you must have been in and me not being able to figure it out. I'm sorry that I didn't take your sleeplessness more seriously and as a warning sign for something going on in your body. We went to the hospital on Dec 21 and came out on the 24th, those 4 days were the worst of my life. Holding you in the car on the way to the hospital, I really thought that was it. I look at you now and I am grateful that you are well. I love you my Kaylabear. I want to squeeze you in my arms and keep you there forever.


Here you are playing with Jollibee in your bassinet.


Here's a picture of your arms all wrapped up.

My poor baby :(

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Your Best Friends

Daddy's sister is your favorite friend. You call her achie bec she doesn't want to be called auntie. You look for her every week and she visits you at least once a week. you play together and seeing her makes you very very happy. Her boyfriend is your Uncle Tof and he comes to visit you too. They are your favorite friends. They spoil you and give you gifts all the time. You love them and talk about them almost everyday.


Here you are with Uncle Tof feeding you soup.


With Achie in Jollibee Powerplant.


With Achie sitting on her lap playing with her cellphone.



With both of them after we finished putting together the playground.


They gave you a Little Tikes play ground for your birthday and christmas gift. This is by far the biggest gift you've ever gotten.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Sa-la-mi


You saw Achie (your auntie) eating salami and you tasted it. You also saw gwakong eating it. Now you really love the stuff, you've started chewing your food and this is one of the few things you choose to chew and swallow. Here's a picture of you eating one as i wrap the salami gift package.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Flowergirl 2nd Time

Daddy's friend Dar is getting married to Tring and they got you as their flowergirl. You cried when the seamstress got your measurements.


You almost cried when you were going to fit your dress but didn't because you were distracted by how big it was. At the wedding you cried because you were afraid of your Ninong Kiyo and as usual you were nagging us to go home already. We didnt even dream that you would walk down the aisle on your own. We knew for sure you wouldnt, so we didn't even try. Maybe next time.


Here you are with the other flowergirl Adrianna. You were both trying to grab each other's flower pots.


Here you are playing with daddy.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Its Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

We put up the christmas tree today for you so we can start buying gifts and putting them there. You loved helping out by giving us the branches. You loved it even more that night when we turned on the lights.
Our christmas tree.

Here we are at Powerplant mall.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Kayla Bear: 3 Mos

Can you get any cuter than this? Your arms look like sausages! You are so cute and so quiet. So calm and so sweet. You smile when you see me, the 1st time you did that I actually burst into tears. You recognize us now and you make the cutest sounds. Its like you already want to talk to us. You fall asleep so easily, I just put you in my sling and there you go falling asleep. You have the softest skin and the sweetest smell. I want to squeeze you so hard but I stop myself because for sure you're going to get angry. You make the funniest face when your achie makes noise and you're asleep, you give her the evil eye and then try and go back to sleep.