Rhiza

The One Where the Twins Turned Two, Part1

October 29, 2014October 29, 2014 RhizaLeave a comment

I’m breaking down their 2nd birthday in 2 parts, because unlike their birthday last year, I wasn’t too “all over the place” to take photographs this time. Also unlike last year, the girls seemed to have an idea that something special was going on.

First order of business: surprise the twins with balloons hanging by the bedroom door when they wake up. See the look on Dawn’s face when we opened the door:

So okay, they weren’t exactly ecstatic when they first saw the balloons. The look on their faces was more of curiosity than excitement. It took a couple of minutes before they started smiling and pulling out their balloons, and before they realized that it was supposed to be a fun activity, LOL.

My husband and I woke up early to set up these balloons, and the effort was definitely worth it.

Happy birthday, darlings! Your special day has just begun. :)

41/52: Happy, Blurry Memories, Just Before They Turned 2

October 29, 2014July 21, 2020 Rhiza1 Comment

Photographs of our twin daughters, once a week, every week, this 2014.

These photographs were taken the night before their second birthday, before they fell asleep and I had some time to myself. Not that it looked different from any other nights. This is how our days usually end, singing, dancing, rolling on the bed laughing. Lately it feels like we’re living in some Gag Reel. (Or we watch too much Friends lately?) These girls literally crack us up, I sometimes wonder if we make fun of them or they make fun of us!

I’m currently sifting through dozens of photos from their birthday weekend. I’ve got some serious Project 52 catching up to do. Will post more pics soon. :)

More about Project 52 here. View all posts in this blog series here.

Two Years

October 24, 2014October 24, 2014 Rhiza2 Comments

Photos from two years ago.

It’s that moment when the lights are out, and everyone is asleep, and I’m alone as the clock strikes 12 on a very special day. The twins’ 2nd birthday officially begins! And it’s as if they wanted me to have this moment to myself—to breathe, to let stuff sink in, to be quiet, to reminisce, to thank the Lord for every good and perfect gift.

I’ve been reading posts from two years ago over the past hour, and I.. am such a crybaby. Is this okay? Am I being too melodramatic? Is it normal for mommies to be a little sentimental about things like, you know, birthdays and stuff?

Around this time, 2 years ago, I was being wheeled into the recovery room after giving birth via c-section, and Dawn & Rain were breathing their first breaths. Fast forward to last night, before the girls fell asleep, Dawn was singing twinkle twinkle little star (without the actual words) at the top of her lungs, and Rain was busy putting coins in her new alkansya. Meanwhile, their Daddy and I watched them with amusement and so much love.

Do you remember?

When we took the girls home and it felt like Christmas morning?
And these photos from their first day home?
How about the day we dedicated them to the Lord?
Or when I started this 52 Week Project?
How about their first birthday?
Or when they turned 18 months and we got them a cake?

Wow. What difference two years can make!

I want to share King David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving, which has become the prayer of my heart today:

“Sovereign Lord, I am not worthy of what you have already done for me, nor is my family. Yet, now you are doing even more, Lord. You have made promises about my descendants in the years to come. And you let a man see this! What more can I say to you! You know me, your servant. It was your will and purpose to do this. You have done all these great things in order to instruct me. How great you are, Lord! There is none like you, we have always known that You alone are God.” ~2 Samuel 7:18-28

God is beyond amazing. And this mommy here is ready to celebrate. Today is going to be awesome. :)

40/52: Afternoons with These Two

October 20, 2014July 21, 2020 RhizaLeave a comment

Photographs of our twin daughters, once a week, every week, this 2014.

There’s this pre-school in our neighborhood with a mural that the twins really love. So in the afternoons when my husband and I are both home early, we would walk the twins to the school and hang out by the wall. We would teach them colors, and simple words like “boy”, “girl”, “baby” or “shoes”. Sometimes they would willingly pose by the wall and we would take photos, in fact we have several shots like this.

Afternoons like this are precious. I know I’ll remember these moments forever, and I sometimes wish Dawn & Rain would have a recollection of how it was like, living here, growing up here, and having some of the best days of our lives these past 2 years.

They’ll be turning 2 years old this Friday. Two happy, challenging, and beautiful years with these two adorable little humans. As I browse through these photographs we’ve collected over the past 2 years, I am once again over the moon about how blessed we are, David and I, for having been entrusted with such beautiful gifts. The Lord is good. And we, are eternally grateful.

Home Inspiration: 10 Floor Bed Ideas from Urban Outfitters

October 11, 2014May 13, 2019 Rhiza2 Comments

AKA: 10 Floor Beds That Will Make You Want to Sleep and Dream the Whole Day.

(All photographs are from Urban Outfitters)

Back when we were looking for a nursery/crib solution for the twins, I discovered a world of resources about “Montessori floor beds”. There’s this school of thought that suggests floor beds as, not only a cheaper and safer alternative to cribs, but also an “independence-building” method for infants/toddlers, where they can “roll out of bed” at their own free will without getting hurt.

What a great idea! I mean, look at all these floor beds for kids! Combining the Montessori school of thought to our own desire to co-sleep (which has its own benefits, too), we decided to let go of the bed frame, place our mattress on the floor, and share the floor bed with the twins. And here we are, 2 years later, still on the same floor bed, making the most out of this phase where we can cuddle with them as long as we can, knowing that soon enough we would need to get them their own separate bed.

Which brings me to these floor bed inspirations, which are, by the way, mainstays on my Pinterest feed. Don’t they just make you want to stay in bed all day? And while you’re looking at my top 10 picks, feel free to daydream about brick walls, wooden floors, house plants and pretty lamps, too.

Ahh. I think I’m ready to sleep and dream now. Sweet dreams! :)

Recently: Our Project Pie Experience

October 7, 2014December 23, 2021 Rhiza1 Comment

Here’s the thing. Anything with the word “artisan” and “pizza” makes me think happy thoughts. And when I heard of a place that serves “artisan pizza”, I just knew it’s going to be our new happy place. So off to Project Pie we went, my husband and I. And because we love trying out food places with people we love hanging out with, we demanded our friends Paul and Melody to join us.

A rundown of how “designing your own pizza” at Project Pie works: You can either choose from their selection of 7 pre-designed pizzas, and just add more toppings as you go. Or you can build one from scratch, which is what we opted to do.

Building your pizza from scratch, you begin by choosing from either “Red Pizza” (tomato based) or “White Pizza” (olive oil based). Then you pick your toppings, (yes, turo-turo style), from a variety of cheese, meat, vegetables and spices. I had bacon, mushroom, tomato, green pepper, and herbs on my pie. And cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Ricotta, Parmesan, Feta Cheese.. all of them please, thank you. Continue reading “Recently: Our Project Pie Experience” →