| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 |
| Happy 1st Birthday 'baby boy'!!! |
Finally!!! After 1 month eh natapos ko na din ang kwento at pictures.
To those who are interested and been waiting for this, eto na po...
Birthday Kwento:
Warning: VERY LONG!
Warning 2: You might get tired reading the word “POOH” as there’ll be a LOT! =)
Introduction:
Since hubby and I have a Party Shop business (Yan-Ple’s Party Shop), we took care of almost everything in the party. We thought it would be easier for us since we’ve experienced handling big parties already before. We also thought that it would be a lot cheaper because we have supplier friends whom we can rely to. But NO! It didn’t turn out that way! =( It was a major challenge for both of us (physically and financially), because we’ve wanted MORE than our usual parties and we’ve wanted to make it a little DIFFERENT!
And so we started planning.
The theme:
Even before we got married, in every major parties we’ve decorated, we’ll always talk about the future party of our babies. Imagine how excited we were when our time has finally come.
We’ve already thought of a theme. If girl, the theme would be my favorite Hello Kitty, no debates on that! =) if boy, I wanted Winnie the Pooh. (FYI, Pooh is a HE, medyo confused nga lang, hehe).
Why Pooh, most of the YM chatters would asked? (And believe me, napakadaming beses nila akong hinikayat na magpalit ng theme, hehe)
- Surprisingly, we haven’t had a major party with Pooh as theme, so we don’t have any ready-made decors yet.
- Pooh is definitely loved by kids, and some adults, as well.
- Since I wanted a fully-theme coordinated party, I needed to have a lot and a variety of supplies everywhere.
- Regarding supplies, I needed to have pooh items both for kids and adults.
- And since I wanted everything to be in sync, I chose pooh items because these are unisex. (not like Mickey for boys and Minnie for girls)
Enough, enough, I’ve defended Pooh too much, hehe.
To familiarize (and over-exposed) my baby with Pooh, almost all his baby things were Pooh items. From the stroller, to the beddings, the pillows, the bottles, the clothes, the bags, the albums, the baby books, the stuff toys, the usual toys, the vcd/dvd movies, the books and even the bath sponge! Told you he was over-exposed, hehe. Kaya everytime we go out and he sees a pooh item, hihiyaw na iyon sa tuwa! =)
The actual planning:
I’ve reserved the party place (CVJ Clubhouse) as early as August. I’ve needed to reserve kasi the whole day since we’ll start decorating early in the morning.
It was also in August when I had my 1st 168 shopping. And since then, I would buy pooh items whenever and wherever I see them. I’ve collected a LOT from my weekly lunch-outs at Landmark, Glorietta, SM Makati and Toy Kingdom. It was easier for me this way, financially speaking, kasi pakonti-konti ang bili ko. Kaya di masyadong mabigat sa budget.
From September to December, puro conceptualization lang kami ni hubby. We just got back to our toes and started actual planning again on January. This time, it was already serious planning. =)
The invites:
Our invitation was 1 of the most (actually, the MOST!) tedious part of the preps. I wanted to have a 3D invites and I wanted to do it myself. So we had the lay-out, had it printed, and I literally cut-it one by one. Yes, all 60 pcs of them! Whew, it was really a pain! But the output and the feedback was all worth it. Sabi nga ng friend ko pagkakita nya sa invite “now I understand kung bakit lagi kang busy at di mahagilap sa mga gimiks!”. Some didn’t even want to believe na ako ang gumawa nun. Di ko nga alam kung ma-iinsulto ba ako or matutuwa ako, hehe.
April 7, Friday
I was already on leave sa office for the last minute preps. I went to Chocolate Lovers to buy Belgian chocolate for my choco fountain, got additional balloons from my supplier and got the cookie lollies I ordered separately from Shoppersville Bakeshop.
At home, I started doing the table centerpieces bases. And arranged everything for the BIG final preparation!
April 8, Saturday
My helpers arrived early and so we’ve started early. Our house looked like a balloon house because balloons (of all forms and sizes) were everywhere. Balloon inflation and popping/bursting were the sounds you’d hear the whole day. We were surprised to finish early, around 8pm. Usually on major parties, we’re still up until 2am!
THIS IS REALLY IS IT! =) The day I’ve been waiting to come …and not to come as well, hehe, ang labo! =)
April 9, Palm Sunday
Woke up early and prepared to hear our 730am mass. We offered a Thanksgiving mass for my baby’s 1st bday. Kaya ayun, medyo na-annouced sa buong subdivision namin na birthday ng anak ko, hehe. Ang daming bumati sa amin, kaaliw. Tsaka nung blessing ng palaspas, nasa may harapan kami. While others were holding their palaspas at winawagayway kay Fr, ako naman eh buhat ko si baby boy at winawagayway ko ang kamay nya, hahaha. Kaya may special blessing pa talaga siya from Father. Thank GOD! =)
After the mass, naghakot na kami ng mga gamit namin to the venue. We started decorating at around 10am. We left the venue at 12:30nn, gumagawa pa din yung mga tao namin. Sobrang ngarag talaga, tsaka nakaka-pressure. I even forgot to take pictures of our actual preparations, sobrang kulang sa oras.
At home, some of our relatives from Pampanga were already there eating lunch. Kaya medyo magulo na din sa house, lalong nakaka-stress. After eating, I took a bath. At habang nagbibihis at nagpapatuyo ng buhok (wala ng time magpa-parlor, hay!) ay tinutunaw ko ang chocolates (for the choco fountain) sa microwave. Hay, so tedious! After that, hubby & I went back to the venue by 2pm to do last minute preps.
When I arrived at the venue, that was the only time I began to appreciate what we’ve done. With all the lights (and air condition) on, the tables, chairs, game booths and little tikes on their proper places, all I can say was WOW!!! I was really proud of what we’ve done. It was really a fun party venue! =)
The guests started arriving before 3pm. Masyado silang excited for their kids. And true enough, pagdating pa lang nila, di na nila mahatak ang mga kids nila na umupo. Walang ginawa kung hindi maglaro sa Little Tikes at trampoline. Dedma pa yung mga guests sa Game Booths because they didn’t know what they were up to.
The Game Booths:
I asked Bobi, my host, to explain the mechanics of the Game Booths. Each winner will receive 1 CARD. Kids can only win once per game (they’ll receive a pooh stamp on their hand upon winning). Parents can play for their babies only. Upon seeing the Prize Booth, hala! Napuno ang Game Booths, both kids and adults! =)
The Prize Booth:
Sobrang winner ito! All my prizes were Pooh items. From the clip, pencil, coloring book, mug, hanger (for adults =), mouse pad, stuff toy, piano, train, etc! You name it, the prize booth had it. =) And most of these are from Toy Kingdom and SM Malls. Kaya talagang ganadong maglaro ang mga bata AT matatanda, which was really my intention. I wanted everybody to join and enjoy, kaya ginandahan ko talaga yung mga pa-premyo. It’s a point system, the pooh cards were equivalent to points. They can choose to exchange their 1 card to a 1-card prize (I’ve attached label points to all the prizes), or accumulate their cards to claim the bigger prizes. I had 3 major prizes worth 7 cards (points). These are the Badminton Set, Piano and Stuff Toy. All in all, I had a total of 377 (points) prizes. Super dami talaga at sobra-sobra. Nung hinati ko yung mga cards ko dun sa Game booths at sa Host ko for the parlor games, ang dami pang natira sa akin. Kaya minsan, pinamimigay ko na lang yung sobra sa mga peborit kong kids, hehe. At ang daming parents na lumapit sa akin para humingi ng cards. Hirit sa akin, “sige na, kulang na lang ako ng isa eh, baka maunahan ako dun sa train/clock/toy/etc”. Hahaha, kakaaliw kasi enjoy talaga silang lahat! =)
The party:
The party started with Balloon Twisting, then an opening prayer. Then kiddie games and adult games. As usual, dami sumali sa games. Pano ba naman, winners got 3 cards each while losers got 2. Then the Texting Game, na super winner din. =)
Side kwento: When Bobi and I were discussing about the party days before, I told him about the “Guess My Age” game. We’ve posted 11 tarps of baby’s assorted pictures per month (1st mo – 11th mo). Then I’ll ask a specific question, like “How ‘young’ was baby boy when he went to Bohol?”. Then the guests will look at the tarps and find the Bohol pic, the first to go up the stage with the correct answer wins. Sabi ni Bobi, medyo magulo daw yun dahil baka magsabay pa sa stage. Better na i-text na lang yung answer sa akin, kikita pa kami. =) Eh di dapat exclusive lang to Smart users, hehe.
So that was the game mechanics, my mobile number was being flashed on the stage for those people who don’t have my number. So I was also on stage asking the 11 questions and announcing the winners. Would you believe na nag-hang ang phone ko! Grabe, sobrang daming nagte-text at sabay-sabay pa, kaya ayun, nag-hang sandali, hehe. 3 cards ba naman ang katapat eh, kaya lahat halos, sumali talaga. Eto pa, may unang nag-text, number lang ang lumabas sa phone ko, when I called that number, gulat ako kasi si John Aguas, my official photographer, yung winner. He used his other mobile kaya di naka-store sa phone ko. Katuwa talaga kasi pati sya eh sumali, at nanalo pa! =)
After the games, kainan na! Then, the magic show which was really a blast not only sa kids, pero sa kids at heart din. Amazed sila sa magics ni Bobi, and the way he performed it. Then, the dance number of Pooh, the mascot. PBB ang sayaw kaya join ang mga kids sa dance floor. Pati na mga nanay na PBB1 fanatics, isa na ako dun, hehe.
Then we had the cake blowing, piñata and balloon bursting. Give away of souvenirs to the godparents and the guests. The lootbags, cupcakes & lollies to the kids. We even had to play 1 last game kasi ang dami pang natirang prizes. Hanggang sa pinamigay ko na lang yung mga natira, kaya kagulo yung mga kids (at moms) sa Prize Booth. =)
Sobrang saya! Wala na akong mahihiling pa! =) As I’ve said our Thank You piece, isa-isa na silang nag-uwian. And as they said their TYs & Goodbyes, they all commented on how successful and fun the party was! Not only for their kids, but for them as well. Iyon naman kasi talaga iyong gusto kong mangyari eh, mag-enjoy lahat! Bumalik sa pagka-bata ang mga matatanda at mag-enjoy! =) Mas natuwa akong nakitang nag-enjoy ang adults. Kasi sa kiddie party, given na yung mag-eenjoy ang kids, mababaw lang naman kaligayahan ng mga yan eh. Pero nung makita ko ang mga adults na may mga painting sa face at body nila, nakapila sa game booths, lalo na ang mga tatay sa Basketball, nakapila sa Food Carts at tinambayan ang choco fountain, at higit sa lahat, nakipag-unahan at nakipag-agawan sa Prize Booth, that was when I congratulated ourselves for a JOB WELL DONE! =)
After the party, I received so many comments, text messages, feedbacks which were all music to my ears. Napaka-organized daw ng party kahit wala akong actual organizer (eh kasi ako na yun eh, hehe). A lot were thanking me for inviting them pero ang ibang barkada ko naman, sana daw di ko na sila inimbita. Kasi daw, pag-uwi nila, hirit ng mga chikiting nila, “mommy, gusto ko din ng ganung party sa bday ko ha”, nyahaha! Sabi ko nga sa kanila, madali lang iyon, just tell me, hehe. At ang iba, naglolokohan pa, paglabas daw nung iba sa clubhouse, kulang na lang eh plastic bag ng Toy Kingdom or yung sa Divi na red & white stripes. Paano ba naman, sobrang dami daw naiuwe na toys, as in di na mabitbit. Lalo na yung mga may 2 kids at magulang na mabilis mag-text! =)
And of course, never to forget, ang aking baby na little boy na ngayon, huhuhu! Sobrang na-enjoy din nya yung birthday nya. Di ko nga masyadong nahawakan kasi pinagpapasa-pasahan ng lahat eh. At buhay na buhay sya the entire party. From 1pm na gising nya, halos ayaw pa matulog hanggang nung gabi. Pinakiusapan ko na lang na matulog na kasi pagod na kaming lahat. Aba, naglalaro pa until 11pm! Sobrang enjoy sya talaga! And hope he’ll appreciate everything we’ve done for him paglaki nya. And sana ma-enjoy nya yung pictures at video ng birthday nya. =)
I guess this is it! Sobrang haba na ng kwento ko. Paano ba naman, hanggang ngayon, 1 month after the party eh feel ko pa din ang saya nung araw na iyon!
Thanks for reaching this far! Hope you enjoyed the kwento, hehe. And hope you’ll enjoy viewing the pictures, as well!
P.S. It’s been a month, sobrang bilis ng panahon talaga. 11 months to go at 2nd bday na nya, nyahaha! Mukhang ok mag-2nd birthday sa Bounce. Kasi by June daw, darating na iyong Giant Slide nila, ok yun ha. Hehe, baka hiwalayan na ako ng asawa ko nito sa gastos ko. =) |
posted by apple @ 11:13 AM  |
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| 3 Comments: |
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happy birthday austin! nice party!daming prizes. ;D love your attire, coordinated talaga. cute.
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hi aple!
nice party! binasa ko tlaga buong kwento mo at tiningnan lahat ng photos. grabe ang dami mong prizes! hehehe! congrats for a job well done. very alive & colorful nung party, at tlagang mukhang enjoy lahat!
happy birthday to austin!
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thanks alpha & cynch!
winner talaga yung prizes, hehe. it's all worth it naman! =)
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happy birthday austin! nice party!daming prizes. ;D love your attire, coordinated talaga. cute.