I finally found THE one

Yes, I have finally found the milk for me! I have never been a fan of drinking milk even when I was pregnant with Rocco. The milk that I have tried just tasted awful. It's actually the same reaction that I got from some of my friends who (had to) drank those brands. So when my sister in law told me about the milk she is drinking, I had to give it a try. Thank God for Nestle's MOM and ME milk! It's the first maternal milk that did not make me feel like vomiting😊

Take two!

Being a second time mom, I could say that I have learned my lesson (hopefully). There are things that I would not and will continue doing, things that I will never buy again and will buy again, and so on. So here are some of the lessons I have learned having my first born:

1) Breastfeeding

I will commit myself to breastfeeding. I always thought that breastfeeding was easy so I never bothered to research and attend breastfeeding seminars. As early as now, I am arming myself with information, psyching myself and my hubby to be committed.

2) Eating habits

We have trained Rocco to always eat with us, sitting in his high chair without watching any television. So far I can say that he has been a good boy, eating without the need of entertainment. No TV. No cellphones. No ipod/ ipad.

It is also my fervent wish that Rocco does not develop a sweet tooth like me and that he will not enjoy snacking on junk food. I know this will all depend on what food we give him. I am keeping him away from junk food and fast food food. I want him to eat healthy so he can stay healthy.

3) Sleeping habits

I have never been a fan of letting the baby cry it out. There have been studies showing that it adds stress to the baby. This is the reason why I also researched on other options on how to help Rocco establish sleeping habits. I came across Elizabeth Pantley's No cry sleep solution through my cousin in Law who was reading it then. I got curious and got hold of the last piece in the bookstore. I liked her concept, although I really did not strictly follow doing journals and stuff.

Sleep training was not easy. I used to envy my friends whose babies would already pull an all nighter at a very young age. There were days wherein we were successful and there were a whole lot of days wherein I wanted to just give up. But one thing I realized is that for it to work, you have to be consistent and make it a routine. Before we knew it, Rocco was already asleep by 8pm. I am proud to say as well that to this day, when the clock hits 9pm, he's a goner. I will definitely train baby number 2 the same way.

4) Baby/ Toddler room

I guess you will never know how it really is once you have a child of your own. Once Rocco learned to roll over, that was when I seriously started to worry about having a baby proof space. All the more when he started to walk and climbing furnitures. If I have a lot of money I would love to redecorate his room and make it more toddler and baby friendly.

Just recently, we decided to dismantle the daybed since Rocco loves jumping on the bed. It just scares the hell out of me because he might hit his head on the bed railing or fall from the bed. So having the mattress placed on the floor was indeed a good idea and my son loves it so much.

There goes some of my lessons learned from my first born. What about you?

It has been a while...

I have been away for a while mainly because our household help went on vacation for a month and I was having a difficult first trimester. Although I did not hire a yaya for Rocco, our angel helps me with Rocco especially on weekends when we go out and bring her along with us. Gosh, I never realized how difficult and challenging it could be when you are alone. Hats off to my friends and relatives abroad who do it all by themselves.

Moving on to my pregnancy, I feel much better now. With Rocco, I rarely experienced nausea and when I did get the morning sickness, it was nothing compared to what I went through the second time around. I'm off to my second trimester... Please, please be good to me😁

Confessions of a soon to be second time mom

We are expecting! It came a bit of a surprise to us but nevertheless we are so thankful for another blessing! When Rocco was still not yet active, I wanted to have another baby before the year ends. When he learned to walk and turned one, I changed my mind and decided we will wait until he turns two. I was also contemplating on going back to work. But God had better plans. I took it as a clear sign that I will focus on my growing family an be there for my second child full time, similar to what Rocco experienced.

Things feel quite different with baby numero dos. I feel nauseous, sleepy and hungry all the time! My morning sickness and cravings are much worse! I can't wait for my first trimester to be over!  On a lighter note, I feel I am more emotional, especially when I saw the tiny little bean for the first time in the ultrasound.  I am not sure why but probably it's because I am just so amazed that I am going to be a mother the second time around.  I now know how it feels to hold that little bundle of joy and see him grow and discover the world.

Now that I already have 'experience,' I have made a promise to myself that I will do my utmost best to exclusively breastfeed baby number 2 this time around. You see, I was not well informed about breastfeeding when I had Rocco.  I was only able to do my research after I had him.  I was immediately disheartened when he could not latch properly.  I was not that well informed, so we did mixed feeding an I gave up on pumping and breastfeeding him on his 3rd month.  I was exhausted and desperate and the easy way out was to give up.    I never thought that breastfeeding was this challenging.  I always thought that the baby will just automatically latch and that's it!  Easier said than done, but now I know that you have to be informed, determined and have the support that you need especially in times when you feel like giving up.  As early as now I have been doing my research and prepping my hubby to support me with breastfeeding our baby especially when there will come a time that I feel that I am going to lose the fight.

Honestly I am so excited to fulfill this goal of mine because I know it's for the good of my child.

Of Eastwood mall and celebrating the joy of a hands on mom

Today, my mom and I went to Eastwood with Rocco in tow for his second haricut at Cots for Tots.  Right after we ate at Momo, we went to the breastfeeding room to use the changing table.  We were surprised to see that there was a man (alone) inside the breastfeeding room.  He was seated on the couch and immediately got out of the room. I guess my mom and I were both taken aback that we were not able to utter a word. What the hell was he doing inside the room?  I have no idea. Your guess is goos as mine.  I honestly think no one ever checks that room, specifically in Eastwood, especially since the mall seems to be encouraging sleeping on the couches that they have in the 3rd and 4th floor.  No offense meant, I love the couches.  But it loses its class when people are snoring with their mouths open for everyone to see.  I live near Eastwood, so I frequent the mall (because of Gymboree) and those couches are always jam packed with sleeping people.

In connection with sleeping people inside the mall, we saw a "yaya "sleeping with her "alaga" in one of the couches.  The little girl was lying on the couch, while the "yaya" was semi-lying down on the couch, both with towels covering their eyes.    For all you know the parents of the kid don't even know where there child is napping (or better yet, where their child naps every day).  Our guess is that they just live in one of the condo units in Eastwood and are in the mall "para magpalamig."   If I were the mom of that kid I would totally go ballistic!   As a parent you just cannot help but think of the worse.  What if someone just kidnaps that kid and yaya is fast asleep?  Seeing that kid, really justified  my decision to be a hands on mom for the time being especially now that Rocco is still small.  

Not everyone decides to be one (hands on/ stay at home)  and not everyone is able to be one.  Being a stay at home and hands on mom was not an easy decision. I worked my ass of right after I graduated from college and it was a 360 degree change. But, I  know what my priority is and it is my son (and family, of course).  At this point, I cannot fathom the fact of leaving Rocco to someone else's care.  It has been the best decision I ever made and I know I will never regret it because Rocco will benefit from it.   It is not an easy job as what others would think, but it is the BEST job I have ever had because I get to be with my son and see all his milestones. It never gets boring because every single day is a new discovery.

So, cheers to all the stay at home mom out there!  

When you're a stay-at-home mother you have to pretend it's really boring, but it's not. It's enriching and fulfilling, and an amazing experience. And then when you're a working mother you have to pretend that you feel guilty all day long.
Amy Poehle

Hair update

It has been a month since I got my rebond and digiperm at Tony and Jackey. So far so good. I love how my rebonded hair (the upper half) feels smooth and natural. It's the first time ever that it felt that way, promise! I'm pretty happy with the results and am crossing my fingers that it will lat longer compared to my previous treatments😃

Your hair(ness)

I have naturally curly hair.  Back in the days when Rebonding was still not available, I would literally spend just an hour blow drying my (short) hair.  So imagine how ecstatic I was when rebonding came into the picture.  Life will never be the same again.  As far as I can remember I have had 5 rebond sessions already.  Although it (rebonding)  promises to be safer than the good 'ol relaxing/straightening formulas, it's still chemical and your hair still needs to have monthly treatments and breathe.

Talking about resting my hair.  It was free from any chemical treatments for almost two years since I got pregnant and gave birth to my little Shaolin.  Rebonding is a definite no-no during pregnancy.  I also made a conscious effort not to treat my hair with any chemicals until Rocco was a year old (add to the fact that I also breastfed him for the first 3 months).  I sacrificed my hair (having a better looking hair, if you can call it that).  However these past few months I really couldn't bear it anymore!  My hair has become unruly even if it's tied back in a ponytail.  These baby hairs looked like bean sprouts on top of my head and I started to become irritated by it.  So, I finally decided that it's time to do something with my hair.  Not just a haircut, but I wanted it to be manageable!

I have been wanting to try Digi-perm (weird you'd thing because I already have curly hair).  However I did not want my whole hair permed.  So I did some research and came across Tony and Jackey, a Korean salon that specializes in this technology.  Deal Grocer also had a promo at that time (rebond/ digi-perm + treatment +1000 GC) so I grabbed the chance. Last Sunday, I went to their SM Noth Edsa branch, which was closer to home.  They referred me to their Senior stylist, Ms Grace and she examined my hair.  She then said I needed to have a treatment first because my hair was so dry and I gladly obliged since I badly needed it.   I had to pay an additional amount for the treatment and for the 'strong' rebonding solution that they will use on my hair.  Moreover,  since I wanted to also have the lower part permed, that's another plus ($!#%!).  I just went with it (that's how badly wanted to try it).  I just closed my eyes hoping that my hubby wouldn't ask how much I had to shell out apart from the promo I got (which wasn't that cheap as well).    In hindsight, I actually paid the same amount way back when I would get my hair rebonded in Piandre (and Piandre has way better service and facility).

I was surprised that the process only took 3 hours.  I was used to sitting on the chair for 4 to even 6 hours. I was even allowed to wet my hair the following day, except that I should only use conditioner for the next 2 days.  At present I cannot really say if this was all worth it since it has just been two days.  But so far, the curls are still intact and my hair is still 'tame.'

I'll blog again about my hair after a month and we'll see the real results.  But for now,   I learned not to buy from groupons having salon promos again .  There were just too many hidden charges.

Below are just a few of the pictures that I was able to take. When I came home, my son did not recognize me and refused to go near me for about an hour! He did not recognize me with bangs and curls! So cute!

Mommy Bag

I love bags! Well, who doesn't? There was a time in my life (when I was single) when I really splurged on bags ( and shoes and clothes and gadgets, haha). I wasn't thinking of anyone at that time. I was single and I can do whatever I want! Well, well, that was the old me. Once I had my son a year ago, things changed. My priorities have changed. With a baby (now a toddler) in tow, I do not even have the time to change my bag. Now a days, I prefer lightweight totes ( me and my over used LC's!). I rarely use the leather ones because some are pretty heavy to lug around . In addition to that, I need roomy bags. Sometimes, I don't even carry a bag. Just me and my good ol' pochette and magic wallet.

The other day, I allowed myself to salivate over bags in the internet which I think will be perfect for me since they're big and I love the colors. There goes my birthday wish list! It will probably be after 2 years that I'll consider buying one (fat chance) when Rocco is older. Going back to lightweight (and did I mention nylon) bags, what I really really want is the Prada Nylon tote. It's so simple and low maintenance.  So now let me think who I can convince to buy me one, tsk tsk!

 I. WANT. YOU.

I.WANT. YOU, TOO!

Parenting choice: What you eat is what you get.

While I was pregnant with Rocco, I never really thought of what to feed him once he would be able to eat solid food. In my mind it was only Cerelac and Gerber. Probably because these were the food staple in every baby's diet, i.e. the 80's baby (lol!). I also did not know that now a days, most babies are only given pure breast-milk/ formula (mixed in my case) until their 6th month. Note that I said 'most pediatricians' because each one has a set of different practice. A lot of pediatricians however, nowadays advise parents to only give breastmilk or formula until the baby is 6 months. The reason for this is that babies tend to like solid/soft food (whatever you want to call it) more and drink less milk, which isn't good. I am personally amenable to this practice. Sometimes, it is really more of the thrill of feeding and shopping for food and utensils that gets us.

Before Rocco hit his 6th month, I researched the net for baby food recipes. For some reason I became very conscious on the type of food that he would eat. As much as possible, I veer away from giving him Dried cereals and bottled food. In short, I prefer to make his food. Although once in a while I resort to Promina/ Cerelac and Earth's best baby food especially when we are travelling or when I'm just too lazy to cook. My goal is for Rocco to grow up with healthy eating habits which means not bingeing on junk, processed and fast food which may lead to future illnesses like obesity and Diabetes to name a few. Diabetes also runs in the family that's why I'm cautious. Most of the food that I prepare for him are steamed, baked or boiled. If I make him drink juice, I prefer it fresh and I seldom make him drink as well so that he will learn to drink water. I avoid giving him fried food. I just can't picture my son eating fried food at this young age. Maybe when he's 5, haha!

Preparing his food everyday isn't easy, but I think it's worth it. I admire my cousin in law and one local actress who were able to train their children to snack on fruits and vegetables. I may not be there yet, but I'm trying.

My only wish is that Rocco will be able to practice healthy eating habits as he grows older. And I know that his Dad and I will play a big role on molding him to be one.

Lego love

Over the past few weeks I have been obsessing about Lego. I cannot wait for Rocco to play with his very first set! I remember when I was a kid, I played with my brother's Legos. I vividly remember Duplo sets and I know he had this gas station set. It was really an awesome toy and how I wished we were able to keep it. But then again, who the hell was thinking of the future and preserving? Definitely not us! But at least the consolation was we were still able to pass it on to our you ger cousin, who was very creative and would turn these blocks into makeshift guns, hahah!

So anyway, back to my obsession. As I scoured the toy stores, I just found out how expensive they are selling Lego. Double the price compared to the price in Canada! Goodness. I will definitely not buy here! But one thing's for sure. For Rocco's 2nd birthday, the theme will definitely be LEGO. Here are the adorable designs that I have seen and I cannot wait!!!!

Oh My Sweetness!

It's not everyday that you really get to do what you really love doing.  There are times when something else comes your way and you tend to deviate from your passion.  I am just glad that I have been given the opportunity to go back to my passion.  Thanks to the arrival of my son.  He inspired me to go back to baking.  I have gone back to the kitchen and have been experimenting on cupcake and cake pops to be more specific.  Since I have been getting inquiries and orders, I have decided to start a small business and finally had the time to create a page in facebook so it's easier for everyone.  

Thank you everyone for all the support, especially to my hubby who's always encouraging me!

https://www.facebook.com/cupcakenpops

Oh c'mon!

I have nothing against recycling gifts.  Sometimes, it is inevitable that people will give the same thing or something that you are not fond of and you choose to keep it for 'future use.'   This is what recycling is (probably to me and a lot of you out there).  However, I am just so amazed how people tend to take it literally, i.e. giving used items and I mean USED, obviously USED (sigh!) items! It's such an insult to the receiver and tells a lot about the one giving the gift.

My point?  Just give cash/ a GC if you have no idea what to give or if you don't have any money or you are not willing to spend, just don't give.   That's way, way better!

Sleeping arrangements

My husband and I sleep with our son. In our bed.  Yes, he sleeps in between us, beside me or beside my hubby.  I'm pretty sure that some people will vehemently disagree with this type of sleeping arrangement and others will be able to relate with us. 

 I am aware of the dangers and took the necessary precautions, especially when he was a baby and was still not able to roll over.  During his first month he slept in the crib, beside our bed.  However when I discovered breastfeeding him using the side lying position, he found his way more in our bed, beside me and the hubby slept on the floor (poor him, but parenthood is like that, you sometimes gotta sacrifice).  It was easier that way because I was able to rest better.  As he grew older, we did try to make him sleep in his crib, but again, he would wind up sleeping with us when he wakes up for feeding during the ungodly hours.  It was easier that way and everyone was happy and got better sleep. This made us re-arrange our bedroom (for the nth time), pushing the bed against the wall (we placed some padding on the wall, too!) and we also bought a bed rail from Safety first that we attached to the edge of our bed.  I'm also a light sleeper, so I am easily awaken by any movement or noise.

This sleeping arrangement is working for us and we are not looking at changing it any time soon.  We don't believe that this will hamper our son's independence, as others see it that way.  There are a lot of ways to teach one's kid independence and surely sleeping arrangement isn't the only way.  I can attest to that because my brother and I used to sleep with mom beside us and we grew up just fine.

My husband and I are enjoying this moment, because we know that there will come a time that he will not want to sleep beside mom and dad anymore.  I just hope that people will respect our decision and not impose on their beliefs.  Respect.  To each his own.    

Party Pictures

Sharing with you some of the pictures from the party by Ibaby Photography. I just got the basic package, which was for P3000.   I loved how the pictures turned out, although I wish we had more family pics.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441808992505720.103747.218039914882630&type=3

Turning ONE

Finally, the party is over! My anxiety was heightened as the day to my son's 1st birthday celebration was nearing. I was a bit worried about two things.  First would be the attendance because the celebration coincided with the Pacquiao fight - and you know how people are during a Pacquiao fight (everyone is glued on the television, no one is out on the streets). But we are very blessed to have wonderful family and friends who prioritized the party over Manny - no vacant tables and we were full house! Those who watched the fight still made it to the party. We truly appreciate everyone for coming! It was a true test of family and friendship (those who didn't come were the usual suspects). The second reason was because it was my first shot at planning a party and I was nervous how it would turn out.  We didn't want an extravagant one with too many balloons and shows.  Our top priority was the food and out caterer (Tjioe) did not fail us.  We  received very good feedback from our guests how delicious the food was.  My FIL, who is a very picky eater also commented that the food was great.   That's was indeed a good sign, whew!


It was truly a dream come true since I have always wanted to plan a party all by myself.  I had a lot of fun planning and executing everything, even if it was a bit tiring.  Anything for my son!


The pictures below were all taken before the party.   I'll post the official photos from Ibaby once I get them.

DIY Sweets Station was a hit!  (M&Ms, Flat tops, assorted candies from S&R and Popcorn)
Eco Loot Bags in red and blue from Robinson's supermarket.
Loot bags contained a bag of sweets, oreo and M&M cookies, a bubble bottle and Toy Story toys.

Balloons by Pink and Peach Party

 Handmade Table decors to keep with the Big Top theme.
 (Popcorn Box template ordered from Michelle Bradley, Tent template from FirstPalette.com)

Kept the Kiddie Table simple with candies and a set of coloring materials to keep them busy.

Made Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella buttercream for the Birthday boy.
DIY Big top cupcake toppers

Inside the Brown paper bag were... candies and chocolates!

Paperbags with DIY seal

Tarpaulin design ordered from Bigstock.
DIY paper lanterns

Gamebooths from Kiddie-party.com

Caterer: Tjioe (pronounced as "choo") 8546600

Balloons and Bubble show: Pink and peach party 09052930905

Venue: Valle Verde 1 clubhouse

Party planning

My husband and I were initially planning to just have a super small gathering of family and a few selected friends for our son's first birthday party mainly because we had him baptized before his first birthday ( Chinese tradition is to just have one party for the christening and 1st birthday). We were looking at having it at a Chinese restaurant, but I had reservations because the theme that I had in mind will not really jive with the ambience.  It really is pretty hard to limit the guests to just 70 especially since my husband comes from a big family.  So anyways, we decided to look for a bigger venue.  Secretly I was so ecstatic!

For the theme, I veered away from the usual party themes.  I want a unique one, hence I thought of a carnival/ big top circus theme.  I don't know why but I was so drawn to this theme when I saw a kiddie party with this theme.   Probably because it's different and I can use the colors that I  love (red and turquoise), or obsessed about!  The idea of having this theme may seem grandiose, but we are just planning to have a low key party, nothing extravagant with jugglers and stilt walkers.  It's making the decorations and desserts that I will be doing that I am excited about, and again, the COLOR!

As early as February I have already been doing my research and as early as April I have started doing some of the decorations.  I need to start early because I do not have a yaya to watch over my son (thanks to my parents, my hubby and our helper for taking turns in playing with Rocco while I do my stuff).   I never realized how helpful the internet can be!  I was able to download templates and pictures and got design inspirations. My favorite site is Etsy.com and just so love Michelle Bradley's designs. I will be posting pictures of the party next month, but here is my inspiration board.

The possibilites are endless and there were nights when I couldn't decide that the decorations will be.  I just can't wait to see the end product!

Artsy Fartsy

Ever since I have always loved doing arts and crafts, cooking and baking.  I attribute this to my Mom, Mama (Mom's mom) and to all of my aunts - Honeying (Tita Luz), Nanay Lily, and Tita Gigi.  Each of them have their special talents and have influenced me.

My mom loves collecting art pieces (paintings), cooks and bakes.  Mama used to own a bakeshop (Prairie Inn) in Greenhills, and later on in Katipunan back in the 80's. Honeying is an Interior Designer and was an Art teacher who taught me the basics of drawing when I was a little girl.  Nanay Lily is the voracious baker and cook who just whips up the BEST Eggpie.  Tita Gigi, loved to draw and bake as well.

I used to love to draw, but my talent is not as good as my other cousins ( i.e. my little cousins).   I remember enrolling in UP one summer after my HS graduation and was intimidated by my classmates who drew soooo well! To think I only enrolled in Basic Drawing, my classmates should have been in the advanced class.  I'm pretty sure I still have the skill, but I'll just reserve it when the time comes that I need to draw for my little boy, LOL!


Baking has always been my first love (more than cooking).  I spent a lot of Christmases watching Nanay Lily bake loads of Eggpies, pastillas, and chocolate cupcakes.  My mom taught me the best (in my opinion) chocolate chip walnut oatmeal cookie and russian cookie recipe.  We used to bake tons of it during the holidays and gave it as gifts.  When I was in college I also sold cookies and revel bars in school.  All this came to a halt when I became to busy and stressed out from work.  It took me years before I really considered baking again.  It was only when I had Rocco that my desire to bake again was ignited.  I want to be one of those moms who did their child's birthday treats.  Hence, I took classes in Heny Sison to start it off.  I already did a blog on the Themed cupcakes.  My latest class was on Basic Fondant since Rocco will turn one this coming June.  I so loved the class and enjoyed it so much!  How I wish I could decorate more cakes, but we were only allowed one.

Anyway, here is the cake that I made for my Rocco.

For a list of class at Heny Sison, check out: http://www.henysison.com/Courses/Life_Courses.html

What's inside my bag (diaper) and other must haves

Once you have a child you will understand why you will need to have everything in handy and in excess especially when you still have a baby/ toddler.  With everything that we need to bring, I try ( again, try) to bring a diaper bag that's not too heavy for the stroller to hold.  So, here are my diaper bag essentials and other must haves whenever we go out or travel.

I have 3 diaper bags (LOL!)  2 were given to me as gifts and the other one, I bought since I also wanted to have a lightweight bag.  My favorite is the one given by my son's ninang Audrey for Christmas from Momtrepeneur Shop in  Shangri-la mall.  I love it because of its chic design and the outside pockets which makes thing easier and accessible. (photo from Momtrepeneur Shop)

Now moving on to the things I can't live without whenever we go out:

Water spray - Yes, you read it right, water, as in agua!  When I can, I try to void using wipes.  I bought a small     automizer to make things easier.

Insect repellant   (stick on and electronic) - This was due to the Dengue outbreak a few months back and everyone was very scared to have any mosquito bite.   I usually stick the insect repellant either at the back of my son's shirt or at the hemline of his shorts/ pants.  For the Chicco battery operated insect repellant, I use it when we are outdoors or in dark places.

Baby wipes - Of course who can't live without them! 'Nuf said.

Pigeon hand and mouth wipes - This was one of my Mom's discoveries.  I use this especially when there are a lot of people that held my son's hands (!), after playing at Gymboree, and after eating a messy meal :)

Mustela - Another product that my mom discovered while going around Shangri-la
   (They also have it in SM Megamall.  In Shangri-la, they have it in Rustan's and they also have a kiosk at the 4F in front of Mothercare >>> a little cheaper than Rustan's)

Since the bottles are too big, I transferred the contents to small atomizers.  Mustela products are paraben free.

   
   PhysiObebe No rinse Cleansing fluid - I use this as the last 'wipe' during diaper change.   It can also      be used to clean your baby's face.  It's alcohol and sop free and has neutral pH.

    Soothing comfort balm -  This is a chest rub that soothes and relaxes the baby.  It also helps in easing breathing discomfort.  I use this before  before bedtime especially when he is irritable or has colds.  


    Skin refreshener -  I love how it smells on my son (and me) -so fresh, clean, smells like a baby! It reminds me of Tartine et Chocolat!

Boogie Wipes and Spiffies tooth wipes - another fab find by my Mom when she went to Singapore!    The Boogie Wipes are saline infused wipes.  It's great to use in removing those hardened mucus.

The Spiffies toothwipes come in handy on days wherein we come home late and won't be able to go through our usual routine of taking a bath and brushing his teeth.

Baby King Disposable diaper bags - I bring a handful with me every time and comes in handy especially when my son does the #2.  It keeps the smell away since it's scented.

Munchkin mat - A gift from the Cabelin's during my baby shower.  I love it because there are compartments for you to place the wipes, a couple of diapers, and other things.  In that way you don't need to rummage through the diaper bag. (photo from canbeebaby.com)

Triple Paste diaper cream - Oh I just so love this baby shower gift from the Licopit's!  It does do the job, fast!

Playtex drop-ins - Back in the 80's, yes the 80's!  This was the type of bottle that my aunts were using.  It's great for traveling since I only bring with me the drop ins and extra nipples!  A box of 100 liners costs around P500, so what I do is to buy several boxes whenever my mom goes to Canada or someone from there goes home since it's cheaper by around P150.  (photo from playtex.com)

Whew! That wasn't easy, hahah!  I think this post will have a Part II :)

My little boy is growing up fast!

I haven't been blogging since Rocco learned how to crawl.  I never thought  that I would actually be missing the days wherein he was just lying on his back or on his tummy, still not knowing how to crawl.  I was able to leave him in his playpen/ crib while I blogged or do surf.  Nowadays, it's a totally different story.  He hates staying in enclosed places that will restrict his mobility.  He enjoys playing on his huge floor mat in the living room.  He would rather play in the bed and would cry is heart out when he is inside his playpen.  He loves playing in Gymboree because of the space and he gets to interact with other kids.

I remember when he was still not crawling, I was anxious to see him crawl and wondered what it would be like.   Now we are on this stage.   He's been crawling, pulling himself up to stand and jumping to death.  My goodness, babies never run out of energy!  He has learned to straighten his legs real hard whenever we try to put him in his stroller, booster seat or car seat.  As for now, lending him the ipod or mobile phone does the trick.  For how long, that remains to be seen, LOL!    It does require a lot of energy taking care of him nowadays.  It is a different story when your child learns to crawl and stand ( what more when they start walking!).  There are days when I truly miss the little boy just lying on his back and just wiggling. Although tiring, it is also a fun experience as he starts to get curious with everything that he sees and hold on to and discover new things and tricks.  It is such a joy to witness all of his milestones.  I am lucky to be with him every step of the way and not missing anything.

Three months from now, he'll be a year old!  I can't believe I'm going to have a one year old boy soon!  As my friends say, it does get more tiring. Oh well, I guess that's what parenthood is all about.  There are no time-outs or days off.  It's a different challenge every day.  It's a 24x7 job - a job that is the most fulfilling and I'm, blessed to have this job :)

...Now the next challenge is  planning his 1st birthday... I'm pretty excited because I'm gonna be hands on in planning and executing it.  Not that it's gonna be a huge party.  We will just make it low key, celebrating with our  respective families and close friends... ciao!

The days are long the years are short

When my daughter was too young to walk to school, we rode the bus. Each morning I gazed impatiently down third avenue, a day off was a treat. Until one morning-"Look Mommy! A dog!," she cried. It hit me, this was her childhood. One day we'd no longer be riding that bus. Now I think, another chance to ride the bus. The days are long the years are short. - Happiness Project-


I came across this while browsing some blogs and I was just so moved by it.  Although I am only a new mom with an 8 month old kid, I can relate to what the author (Gretchen Rubin) was talking about.  And I am pretty sure this is what every mother would feel and have felt: The days are long and the years are short.


I am lucky to be able to take care of Rocco full time and not share my time and energy with work.  Taking time off from work was not an easy decision to make at first.  For 11 years I have been used to earning my own money and just focusing on my needs.  But now that I see my son growing up, being there every waking and sleeping hour, witnessing every milestone is truly priceless (Yes, Rocco, I don't want to miss a anything!).  Although there are times when the days are long, I know that this is something that I will never regret and it is truly one of the best decisions that I ever made.  

More fun in the Philippines

The new DOT campaign has gone viral.  I have been seeing a lot of photos with the new tagline " more fun in the Philippines."  The new campaign has garnered a lot of criticisms though.  I really do not care about the negative reaction.   I think what we should concentrate more on is  asking ourselves how well we know our country and how we have helped promote tourism.  A lot of us would rather explore the beauty of other countries and skip on discovering the many wonders the Philippines has to offer.  It can be pretty embarrassing when a foreigner knows your country more than you do.  The new campaign just made me realize that I should start getting to know the land where I was born in.  Hence, from now on, I vow to start exploring this beautiful country.

Of malls and changing tables

I never really thought about/ complained about  the lack of changing tables in Shangri-la mall until I had my own son.  You see, I (actually, my whole family) love to go the Shangri-la mall.  We are in Shang every week, at the very least.  We even used to hear mass  in the 2F every Sunday at 11am.  It is our mall of choice  because they have clean washrooms, subdued piped in music, not too crowded and it just feels safe there.  One more thing that I like about this mall is  that they have roving first aid people clad in yellow jumpsuits --- I had first hand experience on their responsiveness and helpfulness when I fainted (I was by myself) in the mall while hearing mass some 5 years ago.  But that's another story!

So anyway, going back to the reason why I'm writing this blog --- It's just disappointing for a 1st class mall like Shang not to have enough changing tables in their washrooms! They charge an entrance fee (majority of their washrooms) and yet can only provide 1 measly changing table in the 5th floor! Can you imagine the queue on the 5F ladies washroom during weekends and having to go all the way up/ down the floors just to change your baby?  Oh, you'd be pissed! I wonder if someone ever thought of writing to the management and making them SEE this ---well I'm sending them a letter today!  How much would 1 changing table cost? I'm sure the mall can afford it, especially since they charge an entrance fee to the washrooms.  

I hope Shangri-la steps up since all of the other malls, specifically SM - all their branches ( well, the ones that I have been to) have changing tables in every ladies washroom ( and read: they don't charge a fee). Kudos to the newly renovated Rustan's in Shang mall for seriously thinking about the mommies and babies.  Not only did they install a changing table ---the cubicles are huge enough to bring the stroller inside.