AIJEY's baptism!

My continuity, Aileen Baluran, together with her boyfriend, Jeffery Bunao, asked me to be the "ninang" (godmother) for AIJEY (the CUTest boy EVER, shown above), whom I delivered last April 11, 2007. His baptism was last Sunday, an event I've looked forward to for quite a while! I cannot believe how big he has grown in the past year. He laughs (and cries!), and says "mama" and "dada", and even eats rice like a true filipino!
I was honoured to be a part of this celebration! Here the priest is pouring water over Aijey's head. It was crazy for me to attend a Catholic mass, and then sit through the instructions of the baptism (to which I understood very little!), and what my responsibilities are as a godparent. And then, all the babies were shuffled to the aisle seats (there were a lOT of people there, baby baptisms occur in mass amounts). The priest came around first with oil, and crossed the forehead, and then again to lay hands on and pray for each baby, and then again to pour water, and thEN to cross with oil again. It was kinda funny for him to keep going up and down the aisle, doing each thing once to each baby before going on to the next step - SOMEwhat impersonal. But at least I didn't have to go up to the front.
This is a picture of me, Aijey, and his godfather, Stephen.
And THIS is a picture of the after-party, which was better attended than the actual baptism! hahaa, filipinos go all out for occasions like this, anything for an excuse to make a hECk of a lotta food and eat all.day.long! Relatives come and go all day long, it's amazing! I was glad to be a part of it. and nOw, I'm an official godmother!!