Last Christmas weekend was a blast. Because baby NJ’s a toddler now, she was more interactive and fun to be with this Christmas as compared to her first Christmas experience last year when she was still literally a baby. As usual, we spent our Christmas with my side of the family (a.k.a the house next door). While waiting for Noche Buena, we hung out at the living room and watched in awe as our beloved toddler opened her gifts one by one. It was such a delight to witness as she was more responsive and talkative now.
Christmas always brings out the sentimental in me. I’m just so grateful to the one above my family is doing fine. It’s never been easy to spend the last two years being limited by the pandemic with our physical movements and plans in life in general, but just the same, may we continue to hope relentlessly, give generously, and love unconditionally.
Anyway highway, before I bore you with my thoughts, here are some photos from our family Christmas celebration:
with my in-laws
baby NJ sharing a light moment with her Tita Ninang Jodie while checking out her gifts
with the Mabalays
Christmas lunch with my in-laws (a.k.a. baby NJ’s first visit to a restaurant since she was born!)
Mommy and Daddy and their super kulit and pilya toddler
If ever you are within the vicinity of Malacañang, please make a visit to Emilia: House of Filipino Food, the newest restaurant to open there. It’s actually an old house turned into a dining place. It’s just a few (old) houses away from San Miguel Church. They serve delicious Filipino food at reasonable prices (a viand that’s good for sharing ranges from P150-P600 only) and the ambience is really nice! It’s like eating at your rich aunt’s house. There’s ample parking, too, so it’s okay to bring a car for convenience.
not a big fan of kare-kare but their Kare-Kare with Crispy Bagnet was spot-on!
Emilia’s beautiful facade
visit to Kuya Pippo’s niche on the day after Chirstmas before going back to the restaurant where we dined on Christmas Day, this time with Mame and my two sisters
back at Emilia to try more of their food 😛
me and my people 😉
our adorable toddler posing for the cam on the day after Christmas
Aside from our family pasyals in Manila, we also got to squeeze in some bonding activities with baby NJ last Christmas weekend. Like when we strolled around the village (with her leading the way) and when we swam at the condo pool (where she had a great time floating around the water wearing her newly-bought arm floaters from Shopee).
this strolling-around-the-village thing is slowly becoming an afternoon routine for baby NJ
this cutie is always excited to go to the condo to swim!
If there’s one thing I didn’t like much this Christmas, it’s the fact that I gained soooooo much weight. Kaya naman (at alam kong pansin na pansin din!), ako talaga ang pinakamalusog sa aming lahat sa mga group pictures namin. Hahahahaha. Itatawa ko na lang muna yan. Next year, magda-diet na talaga ako. 😛
Merry Christmas, everyone!!! 🙂
our official family pic for Christmas 2021 😉
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful week, friends! 🙂
May you choose happiness always,
