From The Ground Up

It's all mommy's fault. I swear.

2008-02-17T14:04:00.001-08:00

She's been dropping me off at grandma's house so often, I never get a chance to sit at the computer and just blog. Sheesh.

If you didn't know, I just turned 1 on the 6th. Hooray for me! Even better, I started walking that day! I'm so proud of myself... and mommy and daddy are just as stoked. My party was yesterday, right after my baptism:

More info to come shortly!

How long it's been...

2007-12-14T20:08:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! Sorry about not blogging in a while... mommy's been glued to her computer, trying to get things done before the end of the year, and she won't let me near the thing!

A few weeks back, mommy and daddy took me to South SF to a craft fair at Auntie Alley's work (mommy couldn't find a babysitter). I got to see Auntie Alley, Uncle Vince and Uncle Fred, and I made a few friends in the surrounding booth.
Here's me as a stocking stuffer.

I play this game with mommy now, in which I let her know that I don't like what she's watching on TV by turning it off. Repeatedly. She thinks it's funny, except when something "important" is on.

A few days ago, I got curious while mommy was cooking at the stove and touched a pot of boiling water. I burned the backs of my pointer and middle fingers on my right hand... it hurt.

Surprisingly, though, I got over the pain really quick, and focused on my teething issues. The blisters popped that night, and mommy freaked - something about getting infected. I ignored her and continued to stick my fingers in my mouth... she doesn't know what she's talking about, anyway. Auntie Owen says that I have a Freddy Kruger hand, and mommy called me The Elephant Man. I have a feeling that neither one is very nice...

So today I had a pretty pooey day. After fully waking at 5:45am (which mommy didn't appreciate... don't know why), I tooled around until it was time to go to my doctor's appointment, at 9am. Mind you, I should have been down for my nap by then... anyway, I was really cranky in the waiting room, but mommy got to take me home so that I could see the doctor after my nap. When we return to the doctor's office, I discovered a wonderful toy in the kid's area, but mommy didn't like that I kept running off towards it. After waiting forever to see the NP, she takes a look at my fingers, types in her laptop, and leaves, only to be replaced by this man with a needle in hand. He gave me my flu shot (part 2) and left, but I was strong - I only screamed for a second. Mommy called me a tough guy...

We went to grandma and grandpa's, afterwards, and I spent time with GG and grandma while mommy explained grandpa's iPhone to him (he still didn't really get it, in the end...). I was pretty irritable at this point, since I didn't get to sleep long enough earlier, and I was a little hungry (mommy fed me later). I fell asleep in the car when we left so that mommy could shop at Michaels in peace, but the second we got home I was wide awake and not happy. I wanted to be carried all of the time, but couldn't tell mommy why. Part of it was because I needed to go poo but couldn't (hadn't had that problem in a while!), part of it was sleep deprivation, and the rest was equal parts teething/flu shot/my new cold. In addition, mommy had to devise a way to prevent me from sticking my fingers in my mouth, so that my medicine would work (steroid cream + band-aid across two fingers + ace bandage with excess wrapped into a "sling").

Mommy changed my diapers several times, but I only left her nuggets. Between those times, I was screaming to be carried, and was moving in and out of sleep. She gave me a bath to try to calm me down, but it only worked while I was in the water. She tried Tylynol drops and Mylicon (the latter worked better than the former), but nothing really worked. Finally, about 45 minutes before I was supposed to go to sleep, I was able to poop.
Hooray for me!

But it took so much out of me that I passed out on mommy's bed. Mommy took advantage of a calm moment to take a finger update picture.

We'll see how well I sleep tonight, after all that went on today. Mommy's got her fingers crossed, because she has her last wedding of the year tomorrow morning.

BTW, mommy's getting ready to send out invitations for my 1st birthday... so save the date: 2/16/08. Much thanks to Auntie Alley for letting me borrow her birthday to have my party!

Mommy went shopping for me

2007-11-08T16:51:00.000-08:00

Check out the cool threads mommy picked up for me for the Christmas party:

Guess Who's 9 Months?

2007-11-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

I'm hot.

My Trip Into The Clouds

2007-10-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

Falcor and I rocked it.

"look what I can do!"

2007-10-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

michael Learns To climb

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Villan Michael

2007-10-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Auntie Owen put a bit of makeup on me... I think it makes me look refined, don't you?

Time For A Workout

2007-10-04T12:31:00.001-07:00

Michael gets a workout

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It's been too long...

2007-10-03T22:04:00.001-07:00

Hi, everybody! Sorry that I haven't been blogging... mommy's been hogging the computer with work.

A few things have happened:

1. I'm pulling up to standing! I love it! ...I just can't seem to get down on my own, once I've stood up. And I sorta flip out when I have to fall to get down. But other than that, it's incredibly exciting!

2. Last night I slept from 8:15pm to 5:15am! Mommy didn't officially get me until 6:00am, though, and I let her know that that wasn't cool. I don't get the whole "come in, pat me a few times, then walk out" thing she does until she picks me up to start the day...

3. My teeth are finally cutting, and they hurt like a mother (not that moms are bad... I love you, mommy!). If you can get me to hold still long enough, you can see this hole forming in my gums, where the tooth is pushing out. Mommy thinks it's gross.

...that's it. Somebody come visit me, because I'm sick of seeing the same people, everyday. :P

My First Cold

2007-09-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

At 7 1/2 months, I'm going through my first cold. I'm in high spirits, but I've lost my voice and I'm constantly sneezing. It's kinda sad. Mommy's sick, too, so it's making it hard for both of us to get better. And I guess it doesn't help that I'm still waking up 4-5 times a night. :(

If anyone wants to watch me so that mommy can clean the house/get some extra sleep, let her know. I'm getting sick of having to fight for her attention when the place gets dirty.

A Note From Mommy and Sleep Training

2007-08-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

ugh... so I figured that by 7 months, Michael would have gotten this sleep thing down pat, right? Up until this point, however, he went from the high of waking once (and dear god, that was a blessed fluke!!!) to the current record of 10+ wakings at night. I'd finally decided that enough was enough, and despite his previous 5 vomits in 8 nights of sleep training last time, I was going to give CIO (cry-it-out) one more chance.

Last night I went through his bedtime routine, making it extra special by including a lotion massage after his bath and a go with his favorite (okay... only) book, "My First Tagalog Book". Then I cuddled him for a moment, kissed him goodnight, set him down in his crib (and yes, tummy-down... tear me a new one all you want, but that's the only way he'll sleep since 3 months), and walked out.

Immediate crying.

I went in, comforted him (although, in hindsight, I'm sure I was doing more harm than good, since the screams escalated once I started to rub his back and shhh him), then left. 5 minutes later, I'd re-enter and repeat. After one hour, the crying stopped. I was far less exhausted than last time, and even put a good 2 hours into HP and the Deathly Hallows afterward, despite a faint headache (no, I haven't read it yet, so don't spoil it for me!!!).

He wound up waking a few more times last night, but for some reason, it didn't seem nearly as bad as usual.

Tonight, we went through our routine (minus the massage... I remembered it halfway through sticking his second arm through his pj's, and figured, eh, eff it.), and I set him down to sleep at the same time as last night. As I tip-toed out of his room, I mentally prepared myself for a good 1-2 hours of crying, as had been described in the book. I went to my room to listen via the monitor, and was a little curious - there was a confused silence on his end of the monitor... no doubt trying to figure out what the point of leaving him there was.

And then the crying ensued. I went in, did my thing, and left. Waited 5 minutes, returned, rub rub rub, left. Waited another 5 minutes, repeat. Waited another 5 minutes... but I didn't need to. He was already quiet. Paranoid me, I stealthfully snuck in, hoping my stupid ankles and toes wouldn't pop and give me away. I barely peered over the front railing of his crib and found him lying on his side, cluching his monkey/blanket/thing he'd received from his kuya Kodie on our last visit down. Every couple of breaths, he'd sniffle... but his eyes were shut. Success!!

I'm revelling in this 20 minute wonder, but am hoping it doesn't come back to bite me tomorrow. All I know is that I'm done dealing with 4+ hours of sleep every night, and hell - if this is what it takes, I'm all for it.

...just as long as he doesn't start throwing up, again.

Bath Time At 6 1/2 Months... YAY!

2007-08-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

I know you're all dying to see some sexiness, so here's full-access to my favorite part of the day - my bath. Big ups to Tito Fred for the ducky bath tub and toy. They're bomb-dizzle.

Me, before the show begins.

My pre-game warm-up.

Follow me!

My "someone's-taking-a-nude-picture-of-me" face.

Mommy's going to get a bad back from leaning over the tub like that... oh well. I'm spoiled.

I got a haircut!

2007-08-15T18:03:00.001-07:00

I was a big boy today and got my very first hair cut (courtesy of Super Cuts). Problem was that I wasn't feeling too great to begin with, so I ended up screaming half of the time... and mommy couldn't get me to chill out because the lady was trying to cut my hair the entire time. Anyways, I got a fauxhawk, and I think I look damned sexy.

Watch out, ladies - here I come!

Big Pimpin'.

2007-08-08T21:19:00.001-07:00

Hey, baby. Check out my ride.

You know you want me.

I like to eat my feet.

I'm working hard for the money...

Photoshoot Test Shots

2007-07-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

I love my Auntie Karen!

Ooh - the ceiling fan!

Ninang Thea's shirt is yummy...

...and Ninang Owen thinks mine is, too!

Look At Me Dance!

2007-07-18T19:00:00.001-07:00

Check out this video: Michael Alan Silva is Dancing

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I Look Like A Doll!

2007-07-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Look at what mommy found on her iPhone:

...Auntie Owen and I took this picture. We like to have fun with the camera.

And a few more pics...

2007-07-10T22:29:00.001-07:00

These were taken for my 5-month photos...

I'm a jaguar! ROAR!

...is anyone looking?

Beyond relaxed, right now...

And last, but not least, Who's sexier - my Auntie Owen or me?

A Shout Out to my Ate

2007-07-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

My Ate Kimi is in Florida right now, learning to dance better. She talked to me and mommy today on the phone. She said that she misses me very much... so, to make her feel better, here are some beautiful pictures of yours truly. :D

I'm the boss-man!

Look - I have a widow's peak, like daddy!

Part Bad-Ass, Part Al Bundy.

Who, me?

Who needs Coach? Prada? D&B? Go out and get a Michael!!

Clevage shot.

Okay... that's it for now. Give me a sec to find even more alluring shots of me.

My Beautiful Face

2007-07-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

The Beginning

2007-07-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

...well, ok. It's not really "The Beginning" of my life... just my blog. Today I'm officially 5 months old, and already I'm doing so much - I'm able to sit up on my own (not for very long, though!), I'm rolling over (more in my sleep than any other time), and I'm kinda scooting around on the ground...sorta like a worm.

Last week I went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for the first time with mommy, grandma, grandpa, and Uncle Tom.

It was HOT.

This is how I rolled.

Everybody kept eating carmel apples... but grandma and grandpa gave me the stick afterwards to lick off the carmel. It was yummy!

Mommy bought me my first hat, because it was so bright.

After Santa Cruz, mommy had grandpa take a detour to SF to find a beach near the Golden Gate Bridge. She found it after driving through a fancy neighborhood.

I hope I can go on more trips like this, soon!