He's One!

Happy 1st Birthday Aldwayne!!!

Woke up feeling better today, thank heavens!! Took a bath and some Paracetamol just in case, haha! Mr M came to pick me up, but before we set off for the birthday, we went to buy a pressie for him first..

He was already awake when we got there.. Preparations were getting along well.. Food being prepared, 'Cars' cake - check, balloons - check, tables and chairs - check, giveaways - check and everything seems to be going on as planned. Clowns arrived in time, make-up applied, and then when they came out, a child or two started crying! Oh no!!! I don't think there was ever a children's party where at least one child is scared of the clowns.. LOL

I, of course, was the 'official photographer' while being the'mummy' of the little one as well. Of all the shots I took, not even one had me in it!! Oh well.. Everything went well, lots of games:

Hit-the-Pot (Pukpok Palayok) - a traditional Filipino game played in a similar fashion with a Pinata.. But instead, we have a traditional earthen pot called a palayok, filled with goodies (wrapped candies, coins...) and suspended in the air. A player is blindfolded and then spun around to disorient him. A stick is put in his hand and he is told to walk in a straight line towards where the pot is hanging and try to hit it. The crowd shouts out instructions at him. "Go straight, to the left, to the right, stop!"

He gets one attempt to hit it hard enough to break. If he doesn't break the pot, another guest at the party gets his turn. If he breaks it, it's a free-for-all and everyone in the crowd goes for the goodies. The player who successfully smashes the palayok is given a prize.

Hanging (Pabitin) - involves a lattice of bamboo sticks (called a balag) suspended in the air with string. The lattice is strung with plastic bags willed with small toys, snacks, sweets or coins. It is suspended in a way that it can be lowered and raised quickly. Children are to gather under the lattice as it is lowered to reach the party favors.

Flour-Blowing Contest - The mechanics of the game is, in a cup, or plate, a coin is placed in the bottom, and covered with flour. Contestants will blow into the cup-plate, blowing out the flour, at the same time getting their faces covered with it as well. The first one to unearth the coin is the winner. Fun for the people watching, but not much fun for the contestants, haha! I've had a go at this when I was younger, and it absolutely hurts your throat if you're not careful. Doesn't stop people or kids from joining everytime it's played though, haha!

Soda-Drinking Contest - wherein a bottle of soda with two straws, one going into the bottle, while one stays outside. The contestant then sips from both straws, and the first one to finish the soda wins. Quite difficult cause you suck air as well from the straw outside. But you can win by being crafty! Haha!

And here is the birthday boy simply being amazed by his blue balloon..

Hugs and kisses to everyone!