Bela's First Gig @ SSC Family Day

Last Saturday was Bela’s Family Day activity in school. I was part of the committee who organized the event and one of the activities that we included was a presentation per class. And for St. Walburga, Bela’s class, I asked teacher if she can help the kids practice the song Roar while Bela plays the drums.

I was actually hesitant at first because the logistics will be complicated as I either have to bring the drum set of Bela in school or I would have to rent. I asked Bela and she is really eager to perform so who am I to say No to that kind of request of my daughter.

And I am glad we pushed through with it because I can see the joy in Bela’s face as she performs. She played the song Roar while her classmates sing and dance to the tune. Here is a full video of the presentation:

And it gave me and hubby so much joy and pride that we were both teary eyed as we watch our princess rocks.

Her Gala Uniform

I was looking for lingerie here for a bridal shower that we are preparing for a friend who will be tying the knot soon but I have to do that some other time because I realized that I have to look for a doll shoes to match the Gala uniform that Bela will be wearing for her First Communion rites on February 23.

Look at how their Gala uniform will look like:

I need to find an ecru colored doll shoes to match the uniform. I thought that I still have a few weeks since the First Communion rites will not be until February 23 but they will have their pictorial next week. Hopefully we can find one later at SM. Any leads?

Go Green Initiative

As part of St. Scholastica’s aim in helping to protect the environment, they have launched a campaign in school wherein all food concessionaires will no longer use plastic containers and students are asked to bring their own containers when buying from the canteen. Students are also encouraged to bring their own lunch box so as to avoid using plastic containers that adds to the pollution.

Because of this, the students are more aware now of our growing problems with global warming and on how in their own little way, can they help stop it.

Thus we are extending this campaign even at home and we have started with our own green steps by using green cleaning products, recycling and more which can really help in the sustainability of mother earth.

St. Eusebia Scrapbook

Scrapbook done. Thanks to my mom, my sister and her boyfriend and my husband who did the scrapbook.

We were out of the country on the last weekend before the deadline so we made sure that we gathered all the pictures needed for the scrapbook before we left and purchased the scrapbook materials so my sister and my mom can start working on it while we are away.

I am so happy with how it turned out, even though I got stress out a bit because there was one parent who was complaining. I even got a text from Ms. Garcia to express how she liked the scrapbook too.

Grade 1 Field Trip

Last February 13, I took a leave from work so I can accompany Bela on her field trip, just like what I always do every year.

Our first stop was the Bioresearch Farm in Paranaque. Don’t be deceive by the looks of the place from outside as the place is really big and they have a lot of animals inside like parrots, different kinds of fish, rabbits, peacock and more. Bela had a great time here, although I noticed that the tour guide was in a hurry as she guides us around the farm. She will say something in her megaphone about the area where we are at and then move right away to the next one, without letting us explore the area first.

Our second stop was at the plant of Gardenia. Even I was amazed at how they make their breads.

Third stop was the house of Jose Rizal in Calamba, Laguna. Surprisingly, Bela was really interested and she observed and looked at every display that was inside the house.

Our fourth and last stop (and I am sure Bela’s favourite), was Sta. Elena Fun Farm where they get to ride a carabao, horse and boat, pet and feed the rabbits, go fishing and play in the playground.

The Controversial Scrapbook of Grade 1 – St. Eusebia

Every year after the field trip, we will be asked to make a scrapbook to document the student’s as well as their chaperone’s experience of the trip. This time, instead of making one scrapbook per student, we will be making one scrapbook for the class and the homeroom officers will be responsible in making it.

So I texted all my co-parents today to ask them to submit pictures that they want to share for the class scrapbook. I ordered cheap envelopes to give to our adviser so she can sort the pictures that will be submitted.

All who replied to my text was really happy with this setup as we know how time consuming it is to make a scrapbook. So I was really surprised when I got a text from one mommy complaining that she already bought the materials because she thought that each student would have to submit a scrapbook. She told me that we should have notified her in advance so she does not have to buy the materials and she is saying that those that she bought would just go to waste.

Well for one, our class adviser have notified us way, way in advance that we will just have one scrapbook per class. It is not my problem anymore if she is not reading her daughter’s notebook or if she can’t understand plain English. Second, the materials that she bought would not be put to waste if she would just donate it to us who will do the scrapbook for the class or she can even use it to make a scrapbook that she can keep. Third, nobody is stopping her from making and submitting her own scrapbook.

I guess it is how she put the text message that really irritates me. For me, as a parent, I should be careful with what I say or do. These are the parents of my daughter’s classmates that I am talking to and I think it is just right to be polite to them or just show them that I am an educated parent.

But I have to let bygones be bygones. I can’t control how other people think and act. It is them who will look bad and not me. So moving on.

Grade 1 Educational Tour: Field Trip

Last February 13 was Bela’s field trip. The assembly time is at 6:00 AM as the bus has to leave at exactly 6:30 AM so we were up early. Bela was really excited that we did not have to wake her up. She was up at 3 AM and she was already asking us to give her a bath. LOL. This is how excited she is for this trip.

This picture was taken in Jollibee Quirino while we are waiting for our order for our take out lunch:

We went to Bioresearch Farm, Gardenia Plant, Jose Rizal Shrine, and our last stop was at Sta. Elena Fun Farm. I have to make a separate post about each of our destination but I first have to download the pictures that I took of the field trip since I am responsible for making the class scrapbook (which for some reason, one mom is not happy about ☹ but that deserves a separate post too.)

Alexa's 7th Bday

We missed 2 birthday parties already of Bela’s classmates as my husband and I have work on that Saturday that we fail to accompany Bela. So I was really glad when we were able to attend the party of Alexa last Saturday because I know how excited Bela is in attending her classmates’ parties.

The party was held in Residencia Shaw in Shaw Boulevard and the kids were asked to come in their princess’s costume. There were games, magic show and 7 roses and 7 candles, which Bela was very excited to join.

Thanks for inviting us Alexa, we really had fun!

Bela in Special Programs Class

Last August 28, I took a leave from work to watch Bela’s Linggo ng Wika program and at the same time to attend the meeting with the Special Programs Coordinator of the school. This meeting has been postponed twice already because of the cancellation of classes due to the typhoon so I am really looking forward to it as I really want to know about the Special Programs that they are offering for the students who are non-Tagalog speakers.

As per Ms. Flory, the Special Programs Coordinator head, they recommend to put Bela in the Special Programs class as she is having difficulty with her Filipino subjects. Here is how the program was set up:

• Those who will be under this program will be pulled out from class during their Filipino subject and they will attend instead the special programs class

• The class will be composed of students belonging to the same section only and will not be mixed with higher-level students. In Bela’s class, 3 of them will attend special programs.

• Under this program, they will be taught Filipino starting with the basics so they will become well versed with the language.

• All worksheets that will be given to Bela for Filipino will be coming from the Special programs teacher who will also give a grade for Bela at the end of each quarter.

• At the end of the year, Bela will be evaluated to determine if she still needs to attend the Special Programs class for another year.

• Each student can only attend Special Programs for a maximum of 2 years so Ms. Flory suggest that Bela will receive guidance on Filipino as early as now when her brain is still like a sponge so she can easily absorb whatever will be taught and hopefully will learn how to speak Filipino soon.

• There is a fee of P5000 for the whole year, as they will be getting a special teacher to conduct the program.

We decided to move Bela under this program. We are hoping that with this program, she will learn how to speak Filipino soon specially since they will be taught starting from the basics. My friend also suggested that I availed of this program for Bela as this will be good for her self confidence which might be affected if she continues to stay in the regular class and fall behind than the Tagalog speakers.

My husband and I are really hoping that we will see improvements with her soon and that she will not have to attend a special programs class for the next school year.

Opening of Buwan ng Wika @ SSC

Last Monday was the opening of the Filipino Month in Bela’s school. They were asked to come in their Filipiniana costume and this is what she wore:

I have blogged about this a few days ago but I did not post the picture. This was the costume (or should I say terno gown?) that I bought in Quiapo. This was actually the 2nd costume that I bought as we were able to buy a traditional Filipiniana dress already in one of the stores. I was looking for a Maria Clara costume in the second store that we checked and this gown was what I saw.

I was actually having second thoughts if I should get it or not because I was thinking if this gown would not be over acting for a simple program in school but my mom said that it would look OA if I were the one whose going to wear it. LOL. And my mom was right as my fashionista friends approved it when I posted it in Instagram.

Bela look really cute in the gown. She told me that she was shy to wear it when I brought her to school last Monday but was really happy when she reached home because she said that all her classmates love her dress.

Filipino Month Celebration at SSC

Looks like I will need to find a way to improve my PC performance as soon, it will be loaded with tons of pictures to process and upload, since it is the start again of the different activities that Bela have in school.

For this month, they will be celebrating the Filipino month and they will be asked to come in their Filipiniana costume. I assumed, just like in Kinder and Prep, that they would also have a program as part of the culminating activity for the Filipino Month. I learned during the orientation that parents will still be allowed to come to school and watch and so I told hubby to prepare his SLR camera so he can capture those memories again.

I have bought a costume for Bela already but I don’t want to post it here first as I want it to be a surprise come Monday, during the opening ceremony of their Filipino month.

Bela's Week 2 in Grade 1

Last Wednesday, Bela went home sad and she immediately told her lola when her lola fetched her that she had a bad day in school. It is because she received warnings from her Filipino and Math teacher.

When I asked her about it, she told me that her teacher kind of got a little mad at her when she rested her head on the table. Her teacher called her attention and Bela said that her teacher was asking her to move in front. Bela said that she refused to move because she doesn’t want to leave her proper seat. Bela did this not because she doesn’t want to follow her teacher but I know that she got scared already and she is trying to correct what she did by staying in her proper seat, and not move in front when she was asked by her teacher.

Bela also said that she cried during Math when her teacher asked her to repeat everything that she has done in her notebook. She said that she was too tired already and so she cried when she was asked to do it again.

Bela can be really playful at times and I know that Grade 1 is really a big adjustment for her. Imagine, from Prep when they have only two teachers (the adviser and the music teacher), they now have 8 different teachers so it is 8 different personalities that she has to adapt. I have spoken to Bela’s Prep teacher during the last PTC for Prep and have aired my concerns because I know Bela can still be a little immature for her age. But every time something like this happens, she always go home sad because I know she wanted to do the right thing.

My only sentiment is that I hope her teachers will not be that tough on her. I know this is a good learning experience for her but it is just the second week of school so I am hoping that they will give the kids a time to adjust, as I know that the transition to Grade 1 will really be a big adjustment not just for her, but also to all her classmates.

Bela is a smart girl and she is a good girl too. I have explained to her that teachers are the bosses when inside the classroom and she should not be doing anything else while her teacher is talking. I am sure if her teacher will just explain to her, she will understand and she will comply.

It pains me especially when I learned that she cried in class. This is a first time for Bela, as she never cried, ever, even when she started going to school at the age 2.5 so I really got worried. I know this are growing pains for her but I just hope that her teachers will also give her time to adjust and will help her in the transition process.

First Week in Grade 1

Bela survived her first week in big school. It was an orientation week and a getting-to-know each other week, as they don’t have any formal lessons yet. I was with Bela on her first day and mostly, their teacher just gave the kids an orientation of the usual class routines.

Yesterday, I asked Bela what they did in class and she told me that they had a tour of the school so they won’t get lost. She was so excited as she tells me the story and she told me that some of her classmates were crying, as they are scared to get lost in school.

I was worried for Bela actually as I know that the setup in Grade 1 will have a huge difference when she was just in Jr and Sr Prep. But just like what my husband and my friends have been telling me, I should forget about negative thoughts and I should just have full confidence with my daughter.

I know they are right because I know that Bela is a smart girl and I should just let her spread her wings. Who knows someday she will have her own IT company with error and omission insurance so her company will be secure and stable no matter what happens, or she can be an artist or a writer.

But whatever Bela plans for her future, we her parents will just be here to support her all the way.

First Day High in Grade 1

I am in senti mode yesterday. I took a day off so I can take Bela to school as it is her first day after the summer vacation. I can’t believe that I already have a grade-schooler.

Parents were still allowed to enter the school grounds and so I was able to help her carry her things. She has a lot as she has 15 books, 9 notebooks and 9 folders. I guided her to her new classroom (which was the same room when she was in Jr. Prep) and helped her settle down in her chair. 

She asked me if I have no work and I told her that I took a day off so I can bring her to school. I asked her is she can already manage on her own on her second day and she confidently said yes.

I am a bit worried for her as this is a big school setup already. She will have 8 different teachers for all her 8 subjects. She will even have Filipino and Sibika at Kultura subjects now.

I still see her as my baby. But I know I can’t stop her from growing up. Soon she will be using pls laser for experiments in school, choose her course in college, and many more. 

My prayer for now is that she will be able to adjust well in this new setup. My husband was telling me that he knows that Bela will do well and I should not be worried. I guess what I am feeling now is just natural for mommies. I guess it is time for me to accept that Bela is no longer a baby and I should let her spread her wings.

Shopping for her Moving Up Day Attire

Bela was asked to come in her Sunday dress for her Moving up Day so I asked hubby that we check out Baby Fashionistas at the Block to check for a nice dress that Bela can wear on her special day.

These are our choices:

I really like the one on the left but it is made in the same material as the dress that I bought her for her Christmas party. I also like the one on the right but hubby is not really up to wearing white for a graduation ceremony.

So we ended up buying this:

I love the fit of this dress on her, it is showing her belly. LOL. It is so dainty and girly but still simple which is the look that I love to achieve.

Every time I needed a dress for Bela, Baby Fashionistas will always come to my rescue. Now I am not sure if I will be excited or scared with the opening of the Baby Fashionistas store near our place because for sure, I will not be able to control myself from buying.

Bela's Moving Up Day

From Cowboy Hats, grass skirt, monkey tail, teacup and more. These are just some of the props that I prepared and bought for Bela for the various activities and programs that she had during her Jr. Prep and Sr. Prep days in St Scholastica. And yesterday, she had her Moving Up Ceremony and now I officially have a future grade schooler.

I can’t believe how time flies. I remember when she was still in her Jr. Prep. I took a leave from work so I can be with her on her first week in big school. I was even worried at first if she is really ready for big school set up already so I was really happy when I realized that she is enjoying school.

During the Moving Up Day ceremony, a special AVP was presented entitled “The Year That Was: The ABCs of Prep” which showed pictures and videos of the various activities of the Jr. and Sr. Prep students. Bela even had a special part when she made an introduction for the letter “W” which was all about the “World of Words we know” and I was teary eyed after watching the AVP.

I can’t be any prouder!! Congrats again to our pretty princess!!

Sr. Prep's Field Trip - Feb 8, 2012

Bela has a blast during their Field Trip last February 8. I know that she is really looking forward to this that I made it a point to reserve one of my vacation leaves so I can personally accompany her.

We gathered at Sr. Gratia Hall and we have to wake up early as the assembly time is at 7:30 AM. We left school I think a little pass 8.

Our first stop is at Kinder Zoo and we arrived there in less than 30 minutes, as it is just a stone throw away from the school. Bela had a great time here, as she just loves animals. She had pictures with all the animals that she can touch and interact with and she even was able to have a picture with the horse while riding on it (that is why Bela is bugging me to pack her boots and go to Tagaytay as she said she misses horse back riding already. LOL). She also was able to play with her friends at the playground where they get to shoot some hoops and try the slide.

Then we went to Pizza Hut in BlueWave Macapagal where kids had a restaurant tour and were thought on how to make a pizza. We had lunch here after the tour.

Our last stop was Seri Fantasy Land in Ocean Park. Bela was a little scared of the Trick Art Museum when she saw the shark but I was still able to snap some pictures of her. She was also a bit apprehensive at first to try the Mirror Maze and the 3D theater but she ended up enjoying it. Then they were given free time to play in the Play Area and we headed back to school after.

It was a very tiring (for me. LOL) but fun day for my princess and I am glad I get to share this special time with her.

Sr. Prep Educational Trip

Hubby and I went to Puregold to do our groceries and at the same time, to buy for snacks that we will be bringing for Bela’s field trip tomorrow. Just look at home many stuff we will be bringing for just a whole day affair:

I have one big bag which contains snacks, chips, cookies, juice, Bela’s PE uniform, and more and another bag for our packed lunch. I did not include in the picture the Digital SLR that hubby is asking me to bring tomorrow.

They will be going to:
1. Kinder Zoo and I am super excited for this as this is our first time here and I am sure Bela will enjoy this one as she just loves animals.
2. Pizza Hut, maybe they will be shown the actual procedure (and not just video presentation on lg lcd) on how a pizza is made
3. Seri Playground will be their last stop, which I think is inside Manila Ocean Park.

I am sure it will be one tiring day but I am super excited as I know Bela will have a blast as she enjoys her time with her teachers and her good friends.

Good Job Ate

Last Saturday was the distribution of cards at Bela’s school. Howell attended a seminar so I was the only one who met with Bela’s teacher to discuss her progress in school and to get her card.

I actually know from some of my mommy friends who have daughters in Sr. Prep that they are already using the numerical grading system for the Prep so I was actually excited to see Bela’s progress. And I am so proud and happy after seeing her grades as she really did good.

She only needs more practice for Writing but I actually expected this as I know from the beginning that Writing is her weakness. But according to Mrs. Del Rosario, she can see that Bela is really trying.

Her highest score is Comprehension (she got 98). Her inquisitive nature indeed helped in this area. LOL.

Good Job Ate!! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you.

UN Celebration 2011

Next week will be the United Nations celebration in Bela’s school. Just look at her picture last year when she was still in Junior Prep:

This year, they will be representing the country USA and they were asked to dress as a cowgirl. Good thing Bela has jeans skirt and checkered polo shirt already so I just bought boots and cowboy hat for her.

I attended the meeting at school last October 18 to discuss the UN celebration and they will be having a performance on October 24 (so I better make sure that my sony handycam is ready) and then they will have a Country Fair on October 26 where we will set up Game booths for the kids and a food fair where parents will be bringing food for everybody to share.

On October 27, they will have Peace Treats which is their version of Trick or Treat. Parents are also welcome to attend this activity where kids will go around different offices to get their treats and parents will have a booth where they can also distribute treats to the kids.

I am sure all the Prep students will have fun in the activities lined up for them this October.