Soleil's 7th Birthday (Day 2) : Swimming

Let's go to the last part of the celebration, swimming! Everyone woke up early to enjoy the pool. Allow me to share it with photos...

Soleil enjoyed her swimming party and the new Lalaloopsy dolls we gave her because we know that's all she really wanted. She never asked for a bonggang party and granting her request made her 7th birthday truly memorable for her.

Soleil learned how to swim that day. Yey! She's ready to take swimming lessons next summer.

Lalaloopsy Dessert Buffet

I always have a thing for DIY birthday parties. I started making DIY's since Soleil celebrated her 1st birthday. I also think my love in reading mommy blogs influenced me to step up a little bit more.

I want to start a Dessert Buffet Styling business but I know there are lots of things I need to consider. I know there are many event planners out there that offers the same services but I'm thinking of ways to make mine different from the others. I only want to focus on the Dessert Buffet Styling not the whole party by the way plus I'm an OC, that's an advantage!

Since I'm planning this kind of business, why not start on my own child's party, right?

Soleil's theme this year is Lalaloopsy. I've been on and off working on the layouts. I only do it when I'm in the mood. (Pennants, Food Labels, Straw Flags, Cupcake Toppers, Favor Tags, Welcome Sign and Water Bottle Labels). I also personally made the backdrop and flower pompoms.

I wanted to achieve the stripe theme so I had a yellow/white/blue backdrop made from crepe paper and the pink color goes to the flower pompoms. I like to add more but I run out of time.

Buttons are a big part of Lalaloopsy and I almost jump out of joy when I saw this photo frame with buttons on it. Can you guess how much it cost? 55pesos! Super cheap! - The brownies are made by my sister in law, it tastes so good!

Here's the other side of the dessert buffet

I preferred to order a cake with boiled icing since it was our favorite. It may not look as nice as fondant cakes but it taste so much better. 

Ate and Tita Bebe helped me bake these Lollicakes with the recipe I found on YouTube.

I bought ready made cupcakes from the grocery. 55php for a pack of 10s. I also bought Whipping Powder from Baker's Hub, add food colors to match the theme and voila! Instant cutie cupcakes. We had a hard time putting it on the cupcakes though. We are no pro.

Marshmallows dipped in Chocolate

Also bought from the grocery store

This is Soleil's favorite so it's a must to have this on the table

I bought these spiral glasses for 7php each. Exclusive for kids' use

I made these bags from tracing paper then I added ribbons and small buttons on the tags to make it a lot cuter

Here's happy bday girl Soleil!

-- Having a party? Why not sweeten your next event with a Dessert Buffet styled by me? -- Naks!!! Seriously, I'm willing to help you on your upcoming events. I'm still on the trial period so don't worry, I'm not gonna charge you much. Email me for a quote at iweedecastro@yahoo.com

Soleil's 7th Birthday

I was planning Soleil's birthday since April this year. I have so many plans, my initial pick was a Barbie themed birthday party. No clowns and magicians, just full of activities for the kiddos. I also don't want it to become like a mini debut cos at 7 years old, I know my daughter is still a baby. No need to rush. Honestly, 7th birthday parties with 7 roses and stuff don't impress me.

I'm all ready, I even asked some of my friends to help me organize but Soleil doesn't want it from the start, all she want is to have a swimming party and to buy toys. That simple!

I remember one of our conversations where she was telling me she wants to have a swimming party and I told her we are having an indoor party, she told me it's her birthday, not mine. May point! Jeff agreed with her. So, swimming party it is, wala na kong nasabi!

Her first choice was St. Agatha Resort where she celebrated her 5th birthday but Lola Corazon became her recent fav since we went there a few weeks ago. Lola Corazon is a nice resort too. We also consider the place despite it being so far from where we live cos my family and friends have never been there before.

We celebrated Soleil's birthday last Saturday, October 6. We arrived there around 2:30 pm. We had lunch then I started decorating the dessert buffet table with the help of my super reklamador husband. (More on the dessert buffet on my next post).

Most of the foods are with my Ate who arrived the latest. All of us are already hungry!!! Soleil blew her bday candles first then we all dug into dinner.

They're singing the happy birthday song

Soleil blowing her birthday candles

They helped Soleil blow the candles

My only pic that night. I was too busy I even forgot to have a picture with my bday girl

It is only now that I realized we don't have much photos that night. After dinner, no one seems to hold the camera to take pictures. Darn!

Pairs of Chucks

 

#14 on 50 Rules for Dads of Daughters is to buy your little princess the same pair of Chucks as their Daddy's.

I told Jeff about it and he agreed. So, we bought a matching navy blue Chucks for him and Soleil. I hope we learned about this when Soleil's still a toddler. They look cuter on little kids plus they don't really care what you wear them. Soleil already chooses what outfits she'll wear and when I asked her to wear her chucks, she preferred her sandals but I insisted, then few days later she told me why I keep on asking her to wear something she doesn't want. Naloka ko! The shoes aren't cheap tapos irereject lang ng anak ko.

Sayang hindi ko pala sila napicturan nung suot nila pareho. Ang cute tingnan! Next time.

On the Rules, it says "Buy her a pair of Chucks as soon as she starts walking. She won’t always want to wear matching shoes with her old man."

I guess we're on the "She won’t always want to wear matching shoes with her old man" part already eh?

Proud Mommah!

Yes! I am definitely a proud mommy!

We got Soleil's report card last Saturday. Actually, it was my Ate who get it from school. May event kasi yung niece ko so sya na dn pinakuha ko. I'm not in the mood dahil nga Jeff and I are not okay. I woke up to my Ate's call, ang bungad nya sakin..

Ate: (on the phone) magpakain ka naman!
Me: baket?
Ate: Top 1 si Soleil. Magpakain ka!

Nagising buong diwa ko! I was so happy hearing that news but still a bit sad cos I can't share it to Jeff dahil 3 days na nga kaming nag dedeadmahan. I congratulated Soleil and kissed her. She smiles a big smile when I told her she's on top of their class.

 

She always tells me her fav subject is math. I have to agree na kay Jeff sya nag mana don cos I hate math! Haha!

-- Eversince Soleil entered school, consistent sya sa Top ng klase. Usually top 3 sya. This is the first time na naging top 1 sya which she was really rooting for cos her daddy promised her ba ibibili sya ng iPad pag naging top 1 so iyun siguro yung naging motivation nya to study harder and do well in school. I also think, the tutor helps her. Kasi nung pre-school sya, ako lang yung nagtuturo. Nakatutok talaga ko sa studies nya. Kaming dalawa nag aaral, gumagawa ng projects, review pag may exams, mga ganon. Hands on talaga ko. Given na matalino talaga ang anak ko, minsan ako yung nahihirapan sa pag turo, minsan kasi hindi ko alam kung pano ko ieexplain yung lesson na maiintindihan nya, dun ako hanga sa mga teachers, they know how to teach the lessons in a way that kids will understand. It's also the reason why I insisted that we get Soleil a tutor, Jeff doesn't really like the idea. Pinapagalitan nya ko kasi daw kaya ko naman bakit pa kukuha ng tutor, well, hindi ko talaga kaya! Wala nalang syang magawa kasi makulit ako.

Let me also share, when I attended their convocation in Prep, their school principal said in her speech that kids only focus on what they're doing for 30 mins. Madali daw mabored ang mga bata, so when teaching them, gawing partial. 30 mins study then 30 mins play. Wag daw silang pilitin mag study pag ayaw kasi lalo silang hindi gaganahan. You can tell them 'You can play but promise you'll study and do your homeworks after' parang ganon so hindi sila mappressure. I don't know if you'll agree, but I do, and it works well with Soleil. Soleil kasi after study/tutor, nakatutok na sa computer or tv, but still, she give us good grades!

One more thing, Daddies din pala have a big contribution on their kids' studies. I read from an article in Good Housekeeping that studies also show daughters who are also close to their dads tend to do better in school than girls who do not have the same type of father-daughter relationship.

Btw, thanks to Soleil cos because of her being on top, nawala ang bad vibes sa pagkatao ng daddy nya at naging ok na kami. Haha!

Good vibes na!

Soleil & Lalaloopsy

I've never heard of Lalaloopsy dolls until Soleil told us she wants one, she keeps on telling us about it and even look at them on the internet everyday! Walang palya, YouTube and Lalaloopsy websites. As in araw araw talaga. It's also the reason why she decided not to have a big party in celebration of her 7th birthday. Gusto nalang daw nya bumili ng madaming toys kesa mag party. (more on that on my next post)

When my niece Sam bought one, I know gustong gusto na din ni Soleil but she won't tell us because she know we'll buy on her birthday pero ang Daddy na din ang hindi nakatiis.

Me: Tingnan mo si Soleil, tumitingin nanaman ng Lalaloopsy.

Jeff: (after looking at Soleil) Pumunta na nga tayo sa SM sa Linggo. Ibibili ko na, naaawa na ko e!

So we went to SM after church that Sunday and bought her 1st Lalaloopsy Doll. Soleil's face lights up after we put the doll on our cart, the smile on her face is priceless. It's also a surprise because we didn't tell her na bibili namin sya. They only have 4 dolls to choose from and she picked Misty Mysterious, the boy doll is on sale that time, you can buy him for half the price when you get 1 girl. I think there are over 50 Lalaloopsy Dolls but not all are available here in the Philippines.

I asked her to pose with the Lalaloopsy Dolls. She doesn't know yet we'll get her one.

Finally! Here's happy Soleil with Misty

Soleil and Casey with their Lalaloopsies

Soleil became very attached to Misty that she can't sleep without her (and her other dolls)

She brings Misty everywhere!

Misty having a work-out

She even tried drawing all Lalaloopsy Dolls

And...she also made a video review of Misty. (I'll share some other time. Ang tagal kasi mag upload e)

Well Lalaloopsy Dolls are indeed cute and adorable, even I can't stop looking at them!
Prices ranges from I think 1,300 to 2,700 depending on what doll you will buy.

You can visit their website here to view the doll collection.