Chestene's Monalisa

'Chestene's Monalisa'

Meet my Little Picasso's first painting on canvas! I know, it's not very much like the famous Mona Lisa, but I'm really happy she came up with this masterpiece. She painted this lady (sorry I forgot the title she gave this!) sometime in January of this year. And knowing me, who is perennially busy with all sort of things (important or otherwise), I forgot to post it earlier as usual.

Since I don't want to influence her painting style, I just let her choose the subject, colors and off she painted away. This is her concept of a beautiful lady at her age-- still untainted and unprejudiced.

It's amazing how children remind us some of the the best lessons in life we tend to forget-- be what you are and think outside the box and society standards.

Once again, I'm thankful I have my Little Lady to teach me that.


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“You’re the 1, Goldilocks”

They say that when you’re all grown and busy with adult life and all its entanglements, it’s easy to get jaded. True. And whenever that happens, I try to pull myself from the present and do a little reminiscing of happy memories from way back, when things were simpler.

The journey usually brings me back to my childhood and one of the most exciting days I looked forward to every year – my birthday. And in that almost blurry memory of home-cooked food, balloons, gifts, giggles and games, one thing always stood out – Dad, carrying my birthday cake in pink and white icing, embellished with colorful sugar flowers in one corner, where the beautiful princess donning a pretty pink gown gracefully rests.

So much has changed through the years that even Dad, the strongest man in the universe for me then, is now in his golden years surviving Congenital Heart Disease. Still, it’s amazing how the memory of a birthday cake makes me glow with so much love until now. I have my parents to thank for that.

I promised myself that when I become a mother, I will give my little one the same, if not, the best childhood memories I can create. But as fate would have it, unlike fairytale endings, the princess did not end up with a prince and lived happily ever after (well at least, not yet). I became a single parent with a beautiful, smart and talented daughter who is the love of my life. I thought it would be hard to build the same happy memories with my little girl without her Dad, carrying a birthday cake in pink and white icing, embellished with colorful sugar flowers in one corner, where the beautiful princess donning a pretty pink gown gracefully rests.

I'm glad, I was wrong.

Thank God for my wonderful supportive family, relatives and great friends, I am able to muster all the strength needed to brave the challenges of single parenthood. Good thing there is also Goldilocks, to make parenting life sweeter and my little girl’s birthdays even more magical than mine:

Background graphics and logo used courtesy of Goldilocks

From a true blue Goldilocks baby, you might want to try Chestene's Goldilocks Buttered Puto in Parmesan Cheese. She made this simple recipe last March, and it's been a family favorite eversince. Just roll the Puto in a generous bed of Parmesan Cheese and it's good to go!


I hope that someday when Chestene is all grown, and she looks back to recall happy memories of her childhood, she will remember me preparing her lunchbox favorites Fluffy Mamon, Egg Pie and Puto in Parmesan Cheese for her baon, our frequent trip to the neighborhood Goldilocks bakeshop after attending Sunday Mass to buy her favorite Hopia Monggo, the Cathedral Windows and Leche Flan “surprise” in small covered containers when I come home from the office, the Brazo de Mercedes she never gets enough of, as a prize for getting good grades in school, or Mommy holding the prettiest birthday cake with the brightest candles for her to blow.

But above all these, I hope she feels enveloped with the same glow of love that tells her how special and treasured she will always be, and how Mommy tried so hard to give her only the very best.

You’re the 1, Goldilocks because just like a true friend, you help me weave the sweetest memories of love and the real essence of being a family. Thank you for the gift of special memories that my daughter and I will cherish for a lifetime.