A Royal Keepsake

Princesses. Khloe's passion. Khloe's Joy.
Here's her memorable keepsakes with meeting them.

With Belle (Beauty & The Beast)

 

With Cinderella

 

With Mulan

With Ariel (Little Mermaid)

 

 

With Aurora/Brian Rose (Sleeping Beauty)

  

With Snow White

 

With Jasmine (Aladdin)

With Tianna (Princess & The Frog)

Evolution of Khloe's Halloween Costume

 'Pink Leopard' - Khloe at 2 months old

The weather in Sunnyvale, California is warm enough to just dress her up with this cute sleeper-costume. I was not picky with the style, nor the grandeur. I am all for Khloe celebrating her first Halloween in a costume.

Got this Pink Leopard from Walmart for $12.99

'Twas a steal.











'Dorothy (Wizard of Oz)' - Khloe at 1 y.o. and 2 months

Celebrating Halloween in Canada is Khloe's first time. I have to consider the freezing weather that might be possible. I have to think that she is only a year old. And it's gonna be her first Halloween to experience trick or treating.

I got this costume from Target (Sunnyvale, California) for $19.99

At this moment of her life... she's very fond of her Barney. But I let her watch Wizard of Oz for her to grasp the idea of her costume. Of course, what can you expect from a one year old. The musical moments were her favourite. She does love music, song and dance at this stage.

The turtle neck is never a question. She needs it to keep her warm for trick or treating. The red shoes, we scoured most of the possible stores in Silicon Valley (California) and here in St Catharines (Ontario). Either she don't have the size, or it's not red. I got the red shoes from Sears here in St Kits. It's more like a slipper-shoe than a sandals. But she loves them. Her Tita Clarisa lent her a puppy stuff toy for her Toto. Thus, completing the look.

'Pirate Princess' - Khloe at 2 y.o. & 2 months

At this stage of my daughter's life, I wanna dress her up devoid of the usual princess-way. At this year, she was really into Dora. But I saw this costume online from SpiritHalloween.com and it consumed me. I saw Khloe on it... and online, I purchased it. $34.99, shipped to her Dad in California and her Dad brought it here in St Catharines.

When she tried it the first time -- it awed me. In my mind, I can dress her up with anything and she'll walk the talk, or talk the walk.

This photo speaks more than a mother like me could write. I completed this with a black turtle neck and black boots. Trick or treating was not as freezing as the last time. She enjoyed her journey around the block. 

'Cinderella Princess' - Khloe at 3 y.o. & 2 months

When your toddler consumed her toddler years with everything princessy -- at some point, a good mother has to give in and indulge her. I did try so hard to sway her from wearing anything princess for Halloween.

With little princess like Khloe, a crayon costume or a little red riding hood is no substitute to being a princess for a night.

So I gave in and indulged her. My sister tried to hand me down 3-generations of Belle costume. Unfortunately, it is too big for her tiny size. But I am one lucky mom who is surrounded with awesome friends with fashion style and princess little girls. My 'kumare' Rose handed me down my god-daughter's Cinderella costume -- a piece of costume I can't resist to showcase, especially with Khloe's flair for royalty and all.

So, my little royal highness, graced this year's Halloween with her royal presence as Little Cinderella. I completed this with a navy long-sleeve shirt, a navy-blue stocking, black boots, blue headband and a white lace gloves.

It was a very royal night. Despite the rain... Khloe had so much fun trick or treating with her cousins and friends.

2nd-generation of Cinderella costume = $Priceless (Thank You, Rose & my princess, Cheska)

Next year would be a different story. No more long gowns. No more princess costume. I'm hoping she'll say yes to a crayon. LOL.

    

To Hat or Not to Hat

For weeks now, there's an on-going debate inside my head on what to give-out on Khloe's birthday party. With a Princess Theme & a thrown-in Tea Party, I was pretty intent on giving-out tea party hats as a souvenir.

Wouldn't the little royals look fabulous if they would be all wearing hats as they enjoy their tea?

But with an-hour of play-time prior to the party, I found the hat too-containing for them to enjoy playing around. So I scratched the hat idea despite the fact that I was almost ready to order the supplies for the parents/guardians to decorate their kids own hats. This is also because of the fact that the hosts of the party have allotted half-an-hour of craft-time for the kids. Who knows they might make their own tiara or tea-party-hat. LOL.

So what I decided is come up, surfed up and down for an alternative. Finally, I found something really close, looking-really-so-royal, and less-of-a-brim-hat-but-still-the-same-idea.

Can't describe it in words.... but I can make you picture it --- you'll feel like Princess Kate with this head-gear.

Downside, I have to order it in lot. But for the beauty I saw -- I can always use it for something.

So, NO, it is Not To Hat. Such a pity because Khloe can actually pull it off despite such a sour face. In fact, this photo is still featured in Halo Heaven's Tea Party WebPage. Wonder what made them choose this photo. Still a why for me.

Trying to Organize a Toddler Birthday

The thing about a toddler's party is, they know what they like.. and in their little brain, that's what they wish for their birthday.

My toddler started believing that she'll be a princess on her birthday when the dress her Aunt Yolly
sent her arrived in the mail, and the only way she'll take it off (after trying it) is by promising her that she'll gonna wear it again on  her birthday. And that was 3 months before her birthday. Then her dad have to fly back to California after his visit, and the only way for her not to be upset about him leaving, is by promising her that he will bring her a princess birthday cake.

What a Mom to do?

For long, I have always wished to be a party organizer. A  lot of ideas in my mind. But for whatever reason, I can never find the time. Especially for my own little princess. To think, I was very organized and creative prior to motherhood and being a wife. But still, I have to try. If not for my passion, but for my dear daughter.

Princess is a theme I tried to push away for her birthday. I've been saving it for her 7th. But I am that kind of mother who believes that a kid's fascination with characters are a timed-kind of thing. She was crazy with Barney on her 1st birthday, so I hired a Barney. The glee on her face was worth everything. On her 2nd birthday, I brought her back here in Canada to celebrate for the first time her birthday, with her co-celebrant, non other than her Aunt/GodMommy, Cherry. So now for the 3rd, it has to be something special. She is into Princess and she believes that Princesses and Tea Party goes together. Or maybe, I am just trying to use this as an excuse to plan something pink. (haha!)

Again, I firmly believe that this princess-thing and tea-party-thing will also pass. So I am going to indulge her because I don't wanna look back in the end and regret the fact that I let her missed the chance to enjoy this phase. Who knows, on her 4th, she'll be asking me for a Justin Bieber or One-Direction theme of a party. With the rate her cousins are training her, it's never far-fetch.

However, as I've said, TIME is never enough for me to attend to everything. I tried doing it myself on her 1st and I felt so beaten right after. I'm not doing that again. So hired help is what I did. With a Princess Theme, I booked a package for them to decorate and host the kids for fun & entertainment. The venue is part of the package, so all I need is to invite, buy the cake & loot-bags, and bring in the foods.

I will post my suppliers and vendors when all of this is done. I'm pretty excited, because this time I am able to purchase the supplies a month before the event. As I am not really into the usual loot-bags (unless I ran out of time like what happened to her 1st), I hand-picked all the give-aways and I am so excited about it. I wish I can post the photo's right now, but unfortunately, I don't have the right until I received the packages.

The food, pretty much, I am ordering. Because it is a Tea Party, it won't be the usual Filipino feast. I am sticking to the theme and the venue is limited for Kids schedule only. Also, added to that, we won't have time because my family will just be arriving back from a long trip. Just like my supplies, I post the  vendors, too, and throw in my own 2-cents.

Organizing a toddler's birthday party is no picnic.The good side though, she'll be running all through out, unlike the first birthday when she was just starting to walk. And to indulge her for that release of energy, the hosts, allotted the kids an hour of play time in the gym with princess theme games. Added more, they have a half-an-hour craft time. Then, an-hour party to celebrate.

All moms need help. Especially on occasions like this. So I am hoping, what I planned will all work out. Who knows next year, I might be able to have that PERFECT TIME to organize everything myself.

A Sick Princess

The month of July ended at work with its usual frenzy way.

Then I got home to find a sick toddler. I tried to calm my frantic nerves as my toddler tried her best to be her usual self despite coughs, dripping nose and sneezing. Next day is her doctor's appointment to follow-up her broken collar bone last month.

One of the most scary moment was when she woke up in the middle of the night claiming her tummy hurts. What a mom to do when stuffs like this happen? It was a first for her to say her tummy hurts, and it was a first for me to deal with this complaint now that she can actually tell me what she's feeling.  I found out she a little bit feverish, and gave her a tsp of medicine. This made her feel better and the turning side to side, up and down finally stopped. She ended up finding a comfy sleep on the couch in our little living room.

Her doctor's visit went on smoothly. Despite the fact that I dragged her out of her sleep to bring her to the hospital, she was actually very responsive and cooperative during her x-ray session.

With pride and joy, I brought her to Tim Horton's for her favourite chocolate chip cookie treat.

Then we went home so she can rest a bit more. Still coughing, sneezing and nose dripping, Khloe tried her best to play as if she's all fine. Of course, there's the jumping up and down, blocks and puzzles all over the place.

And for a sick baby, she looks like she is not sick at all, which is a normal Khloe-way of dealing with cold or fever. So I indulged her with one more of her cravings.... by honouring us with her royal presence.

And who am I to refuse....?

My Gap for Toddler Addiction

Shopping is an addiction. Period.

But if you have a little princess... a baby princess, a toddler princess or a tweeny princess...
Shopping is beyond addiction. Sometimes it becomes a vocation.

However, personally, I made rules to curtail my shopping spree to becoming an addiction.

Rule No. 1 - Never hesitate to shop around. (That's why retail stores offer price-match.)
Rule No. 2 - Shop only to what suits your lifestyle. (Seriously, you don't need a Louis Vuitton purse to babysit or a Burberry umbrella to sit the dog)
Rule No. 3 - Wait for Sale Event. (That's why they got special sales event...and 4-words for you --- end.of.season.sale ---)
Rule No. 4 - Bring those coupons. (It helps save you a LOT of bucks)
Rule No. 5 - "Sale" is the new word for smart shopping. (Really, who won't care for extra savings?)

I know what you're thinking. I'm too cheap!!!
Gurl... read my lips ---I am just using my brains. At least for some moment in my life, I am using it in one of my passion - shopping.

I am not picky with brands. I always believe in spending wisely, especially not buying stuffs because of brand names. Never been my style. Never been reasonable for me. Maybe, unless I am super rich with enough cash to spend for stuffs I don't need but would like to buy. That is luxury at it's best and boy, I have enough family out there who would need more than one brand name stuffs I could purchase.

For my little princess.... I am most addicted to shop.

With hubby's consent, spending for her is sometimes, beyond my reason and rules.
How can i resist?
But resist I must... and reason I have to.

But that doesn't stop me from styling her from head to toe.

As a baby, Carters and H & M were my favourites.
As a toddler princess, GAP has been my most frequented stores.

As much as I try to avoid the new arrival rack... my heart can't help but skip a beat. They just have awesome colors that could enhance you little one's personality.
Of course, as always, I would go straight to the sale rack. And for whatever reason, I always end up buying something.

Here's few of the stuffs Khloe had shone with this outfits...

My heart says.... buy her more.

My brain says.... no matter what brand is... it's about style.

I am so glad.... at some point... I do have a sense of style. 

LOL.

#Love.Gap