Fiona's First Christmas

Grandma Fely and Grandpa Frank posing with little Fiona

Fiona's three months old!



Thanks Bev for the sweet ornament!

A Cookie Christmas

We've been doing tons of baking for family and friends this Christmas. I think I've been eating cookies for breakfast, lunch , and dinner! I had so much fun making these candy cane cookies with Farley (thanks Alicia for the recipe). We were crackin' up because we felt like grade school kiddies doing a sloppy job. No two candy canes were alike or even close. And the hint of peppermint when we sprinkled the candy cane dust definitely topped it off. It was quite tasty!

O Tannenbaum!

This year we bought a Douglas Fir instead of a Noble. Partly because it was more fragrant and not to mention we're on a slight budget. It was $19.99 versus $34.99. The decision was that simple. But Farley managed to find the most perfect one out of the bunch. Good shape and nice full branches on all sides. We hurried home and dressed it up with pom poms, ribbons, and my sister's special ornaments. Fiona Tess was amazed by the string of lights.

Chilly December

Today was one of those rainy days where you just wanted to sleep in and wear your jammies all day long, drink some hot cocoa, and perhaps bake some cookies!!! We were both cravin' some snickerdoodles. So we busted out the special issue of More Than a 100 Cookie Recipes by Martha Stewart. We ended up baking chocolate chip ones too. Mmmm...mmm...good!

Hangin' Out With Cayden

Thanks Cayden Grey for letting me come over and play!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fiona Tess will be ready for turkey next year!


Auntie Rachelle Jane, Great-Grandma Emeliana, and Fiona Tess


Fiona Tess spends time with Auntie Rachelle Jane

Out On The Town

Last night was the first time Far and I spent the evening without our little love. We attended a smashing wedding in downtown. Very elegant and well thought out. We had lobster bisque, filet mignon and Maine lobster accompanied with veggies. Then we had hand-rolled truffles. And you won't believe the center pieces--a fondant cake for the entire table to share. Great idea.
But you know, we kept calling Far's parents every single hour checking on Fiona. And every time we called she was fine. I'm such a worry wart. But it was nice to get out for a few hours and mingle with adults. Haven't done that in such a long while.

When You're Smilin'

"When you're smilin', the whole world smiles with you..." Oh my goodness! At about two months old, Fiona's starting to smile, coo, and gurgle. It's the sweetest sound you'll ever hear.

A Trip To Target

I went to Target just to buy a few things like dishwasher soap, Lever, and Cetaphil face wash. But I came out with a little more than that. I spotted the cutest Deery Lou bag. I'm such a sucker for cheery Sanrio characters. Anyhow, I bought Fiona Tess an overnight bag when she sleeps over at grandma and grandpa's house someday. I also picked up a Guitar Hero III. Yes, a Guitar Hero III! Farley kept hinting that he wanted it for Christmas. Heck, I just got it for him as an anniversary gift, which happens to land on Thanksgiving this year. Who wouldn't be thankful? Ever since he's opened it, he's been rockin' out every chance he gets even with the baby in the Bjorn carrier. He says that Fiona loves it and falls asleep. Yeah Right! I say it's too noisy. Just the other day he was jammin' to Smashing Pumpkins' Cherub Rock. Surprisingly, Fiona fell sound asleep. Unbelievable!

Fiona's Favorite Lullabies

When all else fails, music seems to calm this little girl down. Papa Far and I start singing like we're performing in a church choir or something.

Kumbaya
Que Sera, Sera
Lift Every Voice
Eagle's Wings
ABC Song
Goodnight Fiona (an original)

She loves listening to...

Curious George Soundtrack
Ella and Louis Jazz Duets
Cold Play, U2, &
Radiohead
(instrumental lullabies...thanks to
Esperanza & Lito))

Dream a little dream

Okay. I have to jot this down. I had a tender moment with my little girl today. Fiona could not be consoled by her bouncer or her swing. She even arched her backed when I attempted to put her in the papasan swing thing. Geez, what an attitude! I think she gets that from her mama. But at least she was able to enjoy a massage from the bouncer thingy for a short while. It didn't last for long. Her piercing cry made me give in. Plus, she's just so sweet I couldn't resist. Anyhow, all she wanted was cuddle time. So we danced and danced in the middle of the living room with Ella and Louis playing in the background. Twenty minutes later she was sound asleep...

Cozy Cousins

We were pleasantly surprised by a visit from cousin Alana, Isaiah, and little Faith. Fiona Tess and Faith are about three weeks apart. As Uncle Rick held the two girls closely together, their eyes we fixated on one another, staring and observing. Such a sweet picture!

Happy Halloween!

It's Fiona's first Halloween! Trick or treat, smell my feet. Give me something good to eat! Papa Far spent a few hours carving Fiona's first pumpkin--four ghoulish friends. I worked on her costume all afternoon. Far and I came up with the idea of a "Tooth(less) Fairy". I just stitched a tooth with a smile on a long sleeve onesie, sewed on button eyes, and made a wand out of leftover wool felt from the kitty dolls I made last year. It all turned out just fine. Early evening, we went over to the Otay Ranch Mall to peep out other children's costumes. Too cute except for all the "sexy" outfits for the younger ones. I swear I saw a sexy devil and a sexy nurse. That's just all wrong!

Pooh and Piglet

I can't believe our snuggle bunny is already one month and five days old. She sure is a healthy eater. I mean oinker! She"ll have both breast milk and formula without any fuss. She's about 9-10 lbs. and still growing. Pooh Bear has volunteered to measure Fiona Tess each month to check on her growth rate.

By the way, I love breast feeding. It's such a bonding time. But I must admit it's been quite a challenge for me. Milk production sucks. I've been taking fenugreek capsules and drinking mother's milk tea to promote lactation. Even though it's frustrating, I'm still hanging in there.

Thanks Grandpa Sunday!

Well, my dad is a very complex man--soft spoken, stubborn, quick-tempered, crafty (definitely inherited that), caring, and sensitive. Recently, I've been noticing significant changes in his behavior. First of all, he'll call for no reason just to chit chat for a while and ask about baby Fiona Tess. He'll ask, "How's my lil' girl?" My dad has never called for anything unless my mom had a part in it. Last weekend, he called to ask if he could come over and visit Fiona. He eagerly came all by himself just so that he can hold her for awhile. Fiona has a magic spell cast over her Grandpa Sunday.

I'm not finished with this story just yet. While he was cleaning and organizing the important documents in his closet ( for the firestorm incident), he came across my old passport from the Philippines. In the photo, I was a little over a year. He said he could see my eyes in Fiona. And then he said that I could keep it. With just a short visit and a few simple words, I felt closer to my dad more than ever... That's mad love!

A Pair of Pink Mary Janes

Fiona's First Week

Hello World!

Fiona Tess de la Cruz
September 24, 2007
7 lbs 18.25 inches
libra-virgo cusp

"east meets west for less"

while farley was in japan he encountered a 100 yen store which is equivalent to the u.s. dollar store. recently, he had lunch with his co-workers in the clairemont area and discovered a daiso market, which was the same store he had visited in japan. the items in the market weren't quite a dollar but just a tad more expensive. he brought me there mid week and i went nutty! there's so much japanese cuteness. it was quite overwhelming. i didn't want to miss any aisle for fear of passing up a neat find. i actually held back from buying a ton of junk. i just let it all sink in and took mental notes for future holiday shopping. self-control, baby!

on maternity leave

i've been off work for about a week and a half now. it seems like relaxing and waiting for baby is making me restless. i'm so used to the hustle and bustle of being around crazy kids--recess duty, walking from point a to point b, and all the movement in the classroom. now, i can barely move or let alone get up from bed without feeling so darn heavy. i wake up wide-eyed around 5:45 a.m. and watch the morning news and wait for the today show to come on at 7:00 a.m. whoopee. i even called the school to check on my kids and see how they're doing. the office said they were off the chain! dang, i just have to let it go.

anyhow, i started crafting again--making jewelry for upcoming birthdays and Christmas presents. i'm really impressed with the blankets that i whipped up. not bad for a first time endeavor. it passes the time nicely. i'm on a creative craft rush. all this energy while waiting for my baby love.