Hurray for the residents!

We had another annual residents' meeting today. Still there was no quorum but I was happy that there was some progress from last month's meeting. The developer, FL, actually changed the lay-out of the new towers to be built! For the club and residences development, the "blocking tower" was moved to the side furthest from Crystal Bay, so the view won't be that blocked. Also, the shapes of the new towers were now diamond-shaped, changed from the y-shaped towers. This would afford more space and better views for the residents of the existing towers. I was pretty excited about this development. It meant that the developer actually listened to the residents. Kudos to them and hopefully, they won't be changing their plans again without notice to the current residents.

Further, the residents were asked to give their suggestions as to what amenities they wanted for the future towers. Apparently, FL is planning to have shared amenities for the residents of the different towers. They will be passing out feedback forms for residents to fill out. I will be filling out those forms to propose the following:

1. taxi stand or shuttle
During the times when the vitara is on coding or is being used by S, and the driver is not available, I would need to catch a taxi and it is a pain to catch one from here. I either have to walk about 2 blocks or wait at least 30 minutes and pay an additional 50 pesos flag down rate. I hope FL will be providing a shuttle which goes around the park or at least put up a TAXI light on top of the guard houses.

2. chapel
I was hoping that there will be some sort of chapel or place of worship in the community. I hate attending mass at the shrine of jesus. it's just too crowded and the sea breeze doesn't help - the air is really sticky. once more residents move in, maybe the association or FL could have a place of worship where there can be mass on sundays. I guess the function room would also work but at this time, probably not too many catholics live here to merit mass every sunday.

3. function room
I am also looking forward to bigger function rooms. The 2 function rooms we currently have have a maximum capacity of 40 people. Plus, you have to rent them for 6 hours minimum. Also, we can't rent the indoor pool. Since N is still young, I think a lot of kiddie parties are in our future. I was hoping that the new towers will have bigger function rooms that we can rent so we don't have to rent outside. Maybe there can also be preferential rates for residents so the association can also rent out the function rooms to outsiders.

Although there still wasn't any quorum and no new board members were elected, I'm beginning to see that there may be hope for the bay yet.. :)

1st week of solids

As of today, N will have been on solids for more than 1 week.  We started with mashed avocado mixed with EBM, then with ground-up white rice (also diluted with EBM) and mashed potatoes with EBM as well.  For each type of food, we followed the 3-day rule - meaning, we feed her the same food for 3 days before introducing a new food.  Today is her 4th solid food - sayote.  It was just plain sayote and no more EBM and she likes it! :)  She also really liked avocados and potatoes, but hated the rice.  We've also been giving her about an ounce of water during her meal.  She eats mid-morning and still drinks milk the rest of the day.

N really has a personality now.  When her yaya bibi feeds her too slow, she protests and tries to pull yaya bibi's hand.  She also likes playing with her water, which we give in the sippy cup.  When we give her EBM, we feed her in a cup and she now knows how :).  I can't believe that it has been 6 months!  

When I tendered my resignation to my law firm last year, during my exit interview with one of the partners, she told me that she had a difficult pregnancy (bedrest for 6 months) and she couldn't wait to go back to work.  At that time, I also was having a difficult pregnancy and couldn't imagine myself being a housewife as well.  It's been more than 1 year since I worked in a real office and I can't believe I've lasted this long! I still dream of donning on my suits again before going to work but my career will have to wait.  As S puts it, feeding and taking care of N is my most important job right now.  When we're ready to wean and comfortable with leaving her at home, then I can have my career back.

Are you really disabled?!!

We went to SM Mall of Asia last night for some minor grocery shopping and to get N some sleeveless tops to help her cope with the hot weather. We were lucky enough to get a parking space which was relatively near the mall entrance. On our way to the elevators, I noticed a car driving straight into the disabled parking slot and immediately parking there. The driver and passenger alighted (a couple from the office, by the looks of their uniform) and NEITHER OF THEM WAS DISABLED! I think there about 5 allotted disabled parking slots and there was only 1 space left. This made me think whether that couple intentionally knew they were parking at a disabled slot, didn't care, or thought.. "hey, the security guard isn't there to warn us off, so let's park immediately and hurry into the mall!". I wanted to wait for them in the elevator and comment to S, "grabe noh, puno yun disabled slots, madami siguro disabled nasa mall ngayon." Are we really that undisciplined that we will intentionally park in a disabled slot, just because there's no security guard to tell us off, even if there's a huge painting of a wheelchair right on the parking slot?!! In other countries, parking at a disabled slot without a disabled tag hanging on your rearview mirror will result in a fine as high as $500.00! I don't know if our own LTO even issues disabled parking tags or stickers.

Anyway, in the elevator again, on our way home, we encountered a family of about 8 people who were trying to squeeze into the elevator at the 2nd level (S and I took the elevator at the 1st level and the parking level was at the 3rd level). The elevator had started beeping (max weight reached) but this group just didn't want to budge. Eventually, 2 of them left the elevator and we were off to the third floor. And when we got there, this family of 8, nonchalantly walking to their red innova, again parked in a disabled parking slot. I stopped to take a second look - none of them were in wheelchairs, had canes, were limping or in anyway disabled. Granted that one of them was carrying a toddler, but from my last check having a child did not equate to being disabled. What's even worse, a Mercedes Benz pulled up to one of the 2 remaining disabled parking slots and parked there -- and who was in the Mercedes Benz? A driver who was probably just going to wait there to be called to pick up his boss when he gets instructed to do so.

Haaaay... only in the Philippines!