Road Trip!

Dear Ace,
Between your birthday on December 16 and December 29, we took a really long road trip to:

 On the way up, we stopped in "Ba-gee-oh!" for some nature walks and fresh air. This is where we celebrated your second birthday with a picnic lunch and a refreshing stroll through the hilly woods.

 In the span of 36 hours, we were on the road for 18 and you were such a trooper. We were so excited when we finally reached Pagudpud, the northern-most part of Luzon, and could spend the next 12 days enjoying the great outdoors - just the three of us.

We explored the golden sand beaches near Kapuluan Vista Resort and breathed in as much crisp, fresh air as we possibly could. You loved being carried in "Daddy's backpack" and even fell asleep a few times.

The beautiful Saud Beach surprised us with its long stretch of relatively untouched sand. It was quiet and lovely and it was the place that you took your first tentative, but rather joyful steps in the sand (after many not-so-joyful moments on other beaches). Your impermeable water shoes may have helped.

And we couldn't get enough of the gray sand beach of Panzzian, and this is where you forgot about your past dislike of sand and entered a new phase. You LOVED throwing rocks into the "riber" that joined the ocean and making tracks in the sand with sticks. 

We trekked to several waterfalls in the area, including Kabigan Falls, Cabacan Falls with our guide "Robert" and Anuplig Falls. The last two waterfall hikes were ones taken on rejuvenating dreary, misty days during a homestay in Adams.

 We visited the Bangui Wind Farm, Kapurpurawan Rock Formations and the Burgos Lighthouse.

 You made friends no matter where we went.

With Ziggy, the resident dog of Kapuluan Vista

With Gaby and Nia, two girls from Baguio whom you adored following around

With the local kids in Adams while hanging out by the river

 And you enjoyed some newfound independence, too, while trying out your water wings and discovering the amazing things about an organic garden, like "rocks!" and "bugs!" and "dirt!" and a visit with the chickens: "Hi chick...eeens!"

 At times, you were exhausted by all of our outdoor adventures.

And at other times, you were like the Energizer "Ribbit" and always on the move.

 The Christmas holidays were simple and peaceful. We were together doing things we love to do, and that was enough.

 

Even without a perfect schedule, you were adaptable and happy. Yes, you had a few moody moments, and a five-minute brush with being "lost," but all in all, you had a blast enjoying new sights, sounds and stress-free parents. In fact, you were so relaxed that even on our ridiculous 12-hour straight drive south through towns of traffic, a stay at a charmless motel, eight hours of waiting for a broken-down car and a horrible stint on EDSA, you had no meltdowns or tears. We were SO proud of you!

Keeping ourselves occupied at the Honda dealership

 

This was a beautiful trip that we will treasure for always. We got to experience an amazing part of your birth country, Ace, and our little family bonded on a deeper level, having so much quality time together. There are a few things that we don't want to forget from this trip, because they were just so darn cute:

1. You started singing: "Tweenle, tweenle, ittle star...I wonder...are."

2. Your vocabulary seemed to explode, and phrases were the norm: "Eat! Order nanum peas!" "MommyDaddy windy! Yuueah, beach windy!" "Oh no, ouch." "MommyDaddy, swimming peas!" "MommyDaddy, want walking, beach peas!" "Back now peas! Eat. Nanum!"

3. Your hilarious exclamations of "hi!" to new people, places or inanimate objects.

4. The way you would pop up out of your travel cot each night, smile and say, "Nigh-night, Mommy (or Daddy). Wuv you." You would do this again and again until we finally ignored you while reading on the bed and only then would you pass out.

5. Your love of new things and the way you would gasp and say "Ooh! MommyDaddy, woooow!!"

Thank you for an incredible holiday, son. We love you more than all the rocks you could possibly throw in the entire world!

M&D