A Mom's Special Treat

What we did on Mother's Day was truly special for me. Thanks to hubby for the 3D/2N staycation treat in Makati's One Greenbelt Hotel. It's a small hotel, more of traveler's hotel but checking in there made it breezier to go through all our planned activities for Mother's Day and voting on May 13.

 

Thanks too to my two ultra sweet and hyper active kids who kept surprising me with a Happy Mother's day greeting - they came out from the hotel's closet and surprised me, I got into the car and they 'surprised' me (or so they thought), we were eating dinner at a restaurant and they continued to shout 'Happy Mother's Day Mommy!'. I felt Mother's Day every minute, every step of the way. As I write this they still greet me. I think this thing is going to be month long.

 I told you my kids love to celebrate. When I'm 8 months away from my birthday, they give me a happy birthday card and surprised me as soon as I got home from work. Every week, we get a Happy Valentine's Day greeting from them. Haha!

We were yayaless in the hotel and those with toddlers will know how busy it can get. Busy being an understatement but kids just kept cracking me up with their antics and funny stories so that compensate. BIG TIME. Sam kept on suggesting we stay there FOREVER. Big word right? He decided in the end that he still likes our house :)

Our hotel. Just a stone throw away from Greenbelt malls.

 

Kids slept soundly, it was so hard to make them get up for breakfast

 

We also got to try the much raved about Bibingka souffle in Solace, the adjacent resto of the hotel. You got to try this one. I think I can finish 3 orders. 

On morning of Mother's Day, we walked from the hotel to the nearest breakfast joint...in our PJs! So liberating! That is definitely off my bucket list :)

After breakfast, we walked again to our fave bookstore. Here's the little boy in his Thomas and Friends PJs picking out a book.

I miss the south so much. Don't get me wrong, I love our crib. I got my garden and all plus it's proximity to work is such a convenience. The south, well, it's where my family is, it's got my fave malls and the place is just homey (for me) . I discovered, though, that  despite not living here for almost a decade now I still know the place like the back of my hand.

We celebrated Mother's Day with all the other great Moms in my life. We visited both my Mom and sister and my in-laws. Brought Chocolat's Death by Tablea cakes for the ladies. This cake is  starting to climb up in our list of fave cakes. They just opened a branch in Palanan, Makati City.

I got another Mother's Day treat 'ya know. It came as a surprise. I ♥ stocks. You earn without a sweat. Another one on my bucket list is to buy moorrreee stocks.

Every time this special day comes I feel so proud to be part of the celebration.

I remember the first year I got Mother's Day greetings on FB and on my mobile phone I was still on maternity leave and I felt so overwhelmed for all the greetings it brought tears to my eyes (very rare occasion for me). I don't know why. I guess I didn't expect it to be that special. Maybe it was the postpartum issues, all the pain (of breastfeeding and recovery from CS) or sleep deprivation that made me cry over simple text messages from families and friends.

 It could be that surge of UNCONDITIONAL love for a stranger in my arm whom I met for just a few months. How that is even possible is still a mystery to me. My world was turned 360 degrees by these little gifts I now call Sophie and Sam but I succumb with an open heart. A mother and child bond is really a magical thing.

Being a mom and going through the everyday learning experience is both humbling and enriching for me. I know I have a lot to learn and improve as a mentor, a leader, a good example, a friend and all other roles that I need to play. So much the responsibility and expectations. Nevertheless, I know that having kids and having a partner like hubby inspires me be better and to be thankful everyday.

Happy Mother's Day to all the great moms out there !