TOPAZ HORIZON

I've been sooooo busy with my new mommy duties that I've absolutely forgotten to show off (hell yeah) my new Ethan Allen tufted headboard!

I've made it no secret that I want a Tod's D Bag. I've wanted one since 2008? Or 2010? Basta it's been a long while. I wanted one becausd I'm obsessed with Princess Diana. Yes, the D in the D Bag is her initial. Anyway, I may want one but the too simple design is making me hesitate. I mean, don't you want something more spectacular for 70,000 pesoses! Look at it. It's so plain.

So Tod's came out with these goodies for their Spring/Summer 2012 collection!

This D Bag comes in snakeskin, which will look really good with...

... these matching Gommino driving shoes!

Or if you're not the matchy-matchy type (I'm not), try these driving shoes in bright colors.

I love the color orange and this D Bag in bright citrus and rough textured leather is love!

The perfect shoe with that orange bag? This heeled lovely in smooth buttery leather!

But since I'm a mommy now and I run after a toddler, these penny loafers are better for me. Except that I am so not the loafers type!

So if I must go with practical flats, then I should go wild with the bags! Just look at these luscious colors and skins!

So there. After all this time, I'm still lusting after anything Tod's. Well, a Tod's D Bag more than anything else since I don't drive so I don't need their iconic driving shoe nor am I the loafer-type (but Tod's does have adorable ballerina flats!).

Anyway, Vince keeps telling me to just end my misery and go buy a bag already (and if I remember right, every year, the Italian brands at Greenbelt 4 go on a mega sale). But I keep feeling guilty over that price tag. I think I need more blogging raket and eBay sales to finance my Tod's obsession!

*photos courtesy of Visions & Expressions

... from the blogging world is this cutie:

Say hello to my second son, Iñigo Julian Amper Sales. As with tradition, the very proud Papa Vince wrote about the birth (which happened almost 2 weeks ago) over at my mommy blog.

I've been, quite understandably, up to my eyes in new maternal duties. It's harder this time around because I have a newborn and a super active (and whiny) toddler. Plus, we had to let go of the new yayas (see previous post) because their medical exams came back and both tested positive for tuberculosis. So newborn plus toddler plus no help whatsoever equals mega-exhaustion!!! Hence, no blog updates.

But we're slowly getting the hang of it. And we hired a new yaya (with a clean bill of health!) so I think I can start blogging again. See you around here soon and thanks for still being around! Mwah!

So I haven't been updating here. Sorry, sorry! I've been updating Topaz Mommy instead. I'm very near my due date so of course I'm all about mommyhood now so if you're interested in what I look like pregnant, what birthing options hubby and I are considering, what's in our hospital bag, etc etc, hop on over to my mommy blog now!

Anyway, I've also been busy hiring and training my two new yayas/maids. Ya know, I've always thought that whoever does the training should be the one getting paid. I hire these people to do a job for me so if I'm teaching them to do the job I hired them to do, shouldn't they be paying me for the education? Sigh.

Anyway! So many new complaints with my new yayas, but between them and the last one, they're waaaay better so okay na lang, sige na lang. Train, train na lang me. But kanina (oy, napa-Tagalog ako bigla!), after dinner, muntik na akong manganak sa stress. Etong nangyari:

Me: So bukas ng umaga pakilinis yung kotse.
Yaya Rose: Okay, ma'am. Ang dumi na nga naman talaga.
Me: Oo nga. Actually, last week ko pa sinabi sa iyo na kailangan nang linisin yung kotse, diba?
Yaya Rose: Opo.
Me: Eh di bakit di mo lininisan?
Yaya Rose: Ma'am, ang sabi nyo kailangan nang linisan. Hindi niyo sinabing linisin ko!

Stress! Mega! Sa sobrang shock ko, hindi ako nakasagot! Why why why am I so stupid? I think I'll go lie down now. Good night.

What a big month this is for me! I'm giving birth any day now and I'm celebrating this blog's 6th birthday! Check out my Facebook page's cover photo:

I actually started blogging in 2005, over at Friendster (do any of my readers still remember Friendster?). But I decided to go over to Blogger the following year. I had 20 visitors every day for 2 years, then it became 50-70 in 2008. Then my visits jumped to 200-300 in '09. Last year was my big year--that was when I finally hit an average of 1,000 visitors a day. Now I have about 45,000 page views a month.

Took me 6 years, folks. And I know I'd get more if I just promoted my blogs more, did more giveaways, did more SEOs, optimized, professionalized, etceterized! But... the plate is very full so I'll just let it grow organically. I'm happier this way!

I had also wanted to do major giveaways but I'm giving birth this month. I figured I won't be able to handle a new baby and a big contest at the same time. So we'll do a mega big huge one on our 7th year! Here's hoping you're still around by then!

I really do appreciate your readership, your support, your encouragement and your friendship. It's been absolutely amazing how loved you've made me and my family feel--from our wedding, my mother's death, my pregnancies, my adventures in marriage and motherhood, my rabbit's sickness and death, my victories big and small, and my defeats both silly and crushing, you've been there for me. You are all a great blessing. Thank you!