Baby-ik's birthday fell on a Monday this year. Sadly, we couldn't do anything (fun) on weekdays considering that his dad still has to go to work despite the community quarantine going on. So his family decided we celebrate it on a Sunday instead. They were very pushy to celebrate it in the beach. By-ik loves the sea!

Just a little backstory, we had a fight a day before the celebration. It could have been the hormones influencing my mood... I just wasn't feeling okay that day... was feeling grumpy and I was having the worst mood swings! By-ik wasn't having the best day as well, so he snapped at me, though he tried his best to make me feel better later on in the day after realizing I just needed comfort and reassurance. #Pabebe He even told his parents he wanted the celebration cancelled because he wanted us fixed. We both never expected  for it to push through.

We didn't get to have proper sleep that night, so I told him he could come celebrate with them and I would just stay home because I was feeling exhausted. Staying home was my excuse so I could make him his birthday present. Hehee! But he insisted I come because a birthday celebration without me isn't considered a celebration for him.

Fast forward... his family decided to go on a small man-made island in Cordova. It was a pretty small island and there were very few people that day. Probably because you need to get on a pumpboat to reach the island. If I remember it right, there was another family of six on the island. Of course, we still practiced social distancing. Going to the beach was still allowed during this time. 

By-ik brought me pillows and blankets because he wanted me to be as comfortable as possible. I rested almost the entire time we were there. By-ik saw two coastal foragers and noticed they had Swaki (sea urchins) in their pails. By-ik bought two lapads. He knows how much I was craving for Swaki the past days. Though I wasn't allowed to eat anything raw due to high risk of Salmonella, I still ate anyway. Couldn't resist. Felt really guilty afterwards.

By-iks dad also grilled fish and squid while we were on the island. His mom brought homecooked dishes for us to feast on. It was an intimate and memorable celebration with his family.

The whole family, including me, dipped in the sea for a few minutes after that. By-ik went snorkeling. He was so happy to have found fishes, crabs, sea urchins, star fishes. He found Coral Banded Shrimps. They were so pretty!

And then we had to leave. We decided not to stay longer because of the community quarantine. Wish I had taken more photos though. If only I was feeling a little bit better...

It was supposed to be by-ik's birthday but he bought me all this stuff for my journal. Very timely because the 24-hour curfew just started the same day at 3PM, and all malls will be temporarily closed. He actually thought of me at a time like this. He said the fact that I was there to celebrate with his family was more than enough for him. By-ik is just so precious!

By-ik's birthday falls on a Monday this year (March 23). We couldn't really do much on Mondays considering that his dad still has to go to work amidst the quarantine. So, we celebrated his birthday at Isla Romantica, a small man-made island in Cordova with his family on a Sunday instead. It was just an intimate celebration. Wish I had taken more photos while we were there, but I wasn't feeling myself that day. I plan to have this on another blog though.

On the night before his birthday, I was feeling so exhausted from beachin', I wanted to sleep real bad, but I forced myself to get up so I could make him these paper candies with random love notes in it. Did a faux calligraphy for the DIY birthday card as well. I couldn't really head out the mall and buy him something fancy, especially that we are on community quarantine... It's not much but it's something I made with love.

We were in the same room while I was making the paper candies. Oh, the thrill! Haha. He was busy cleaning the laptop and changing the thermal grease though, so he couldn't be bothered by what I was up to. Told him I was journaling so he wouldn't suspect all the crafty papers and pens on the table. ;)

On the day of his actual birthday, I had an "intentional" argument with him after we had our breakfast just so I could surprise him. I managed to make something up just so we'd argue. I even cried. Haha! He was just comforting me though, he was all in trying to make me feel better. 'Twas so sweet considering it was his birthday. I had it all on film, but I don't think I'll be uploading it on the blog. It's something I want both of us to cherish alone. 

Anyway, while I was 'crying', I told him to hand me a box where I keep my "journal stickers". He reached out for it and I told him to open it. He cried when he saw what he saw. Haha!

By-ik was surprised to see a watch. Where could I have gotten a watch? I didn't have the money (he handles the expenses for now), and I NEVER go out even just to buy something from the nearby sari-sari store. But, I sneakily found a way for that... he just didn't notice. Not a fancy watch though. Just a simple watch I thought he could use.

Nope, I didn't go to the mall. Didn't steal money from his wallet either. How I managed to acquire the watch... I'll probably tell him... one of these days.

I swear I had photos of how the baby-ik and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary last October 17th... just that I had forgotten to save copies on my computer before I restored a previous back-up of my phone -- all recent files have been deleted. Careless me, I know! 

But just to make up for it, I wanted to show you guys this montage I made for the years I have been with the baby-ik. Most clips were from our travels. Looking back made us feel so nostalgic... and yes, the usual emotional Alyssa cried, and so did the baby-ik. I bought us a small can of dream cake. We munched on it while we watched this montage together. 

He, on the other hand, had apparently prepared a surprise as well. He told me he'd fallen asleep the night before when he was in fact awake pasting photos of our moments on a wall in our room. He also bought us a chocolate cake. 

We almost always think alike, especially on this ocassion, only I did mine as a montage... it had been a simple and memorable anniversary for us.

Hey guys!

I really do not have much to share these past few weeks. Nothing interesting has happened, aside from random pigging out with the baby-ik which we can’t be bothered to document because it’s becoming more like a routine already, and we didn't want to bore you guys. Although, I feel like this blog is overall a bore to you...

Anyhow, I have something saved on my Flickr account that I thought I could share with you guys. Idk, I just feel like some of you might be interested as this is a DIY gift, and I’d love to have something added up on our “Crafts" tab.

This is a gift I made for the baby-ik from... I believe our 3rd monthsary. Haha! I wrote him a letter out of a heart-shaped craft paper, which I made into a make-shift mini envelope for the monthsary coupons. I even added a vintage-y stamp I bought from WitchEngine, and used a calligraphy pen for the lines, and our names. These are coupons the baby-ik could use ONCE A DAY.

His favorite and the most abused coupons of all would be the "Fine You Win This Argument" coupon, and the Back scratch coupon. Sometimes, he'd use the Wildcard coupon as either of these two. 😂 😅

I have like a couple more ideas in mind as monthsary gifts, but sometimes I do not have the time and liberty to make it all happen, especially that we both have different working schedules. But as much as possible, I would really love to share the bits and pieces of the crafts I come up with. I hope you liked this as much as I enjoyed making this, though.

Disclaimer: This idea was inspired by a Pinterest post I randomly stumbled into.

October 17, 2017 — The baby-ik and I have finally reached a year together! A year full of love, happiness, unexpected hurdles, crying, excitement, fear, jealousy, anger, disappointment, anticipation… It was indeed one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride!

But on our day, we were both so busy with werk that we only had a few hours left to celebrate. A few days earlier, I gave him a personalized “down-the-memory-lane kind of a magazine” because I couldn’t find the time to make a scrapbook, especially with work taking up most of my time. I will be showing you 2 of my favorite spreads from the "Magazine" all throughout this blogpost. :)

I know that excuse sounds the lamest but you know me. I’ve always been an “artsy” person.. If only I had the time, I really would’ve made him a scrapbook. But this time, I opted for a more modern alternative since it’s more manageable to make and I could spare a little time on the computer when on break in the office.

He, on the other hand, gave me a dress from Forever21 which turned out to be a failure (lol) because he chose a dress from the plus size section. Haha! He felt like the dress would fit me because it's stretchable. I am very thankful, nevertheless. He paired it with my favorite Tangerine perfume from ZenZest!

We just dined at our favorite Chicken Wings place near my workplace for Dinner, and went home. Nothing special, really. But for both of us… this day meant a lot!

PS. I had the dress altered by a seamstress so it would fit me. Haha!