Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The Help - A Movie

More often than not we complain abt the Nannies we have.  I know for sure I always complain, I miss the yayas we ourselves had growing up.  They took care of us not only because it was their job but they did it because they cared.  You won't find help like that nowadays but that doesn't mean we shouldn't hope anymore or be as nice and as kind as we can be.

I just finished watching The Help and I highly recommend the movie.  Though I don't know any people as cruel as the women in the movie nor have I had any yayas that loved my children as much as the help in the movie did, the movie shined a different light on what we take for granted everyday. 

My new year's resolution (which I will start now) is to be kinder to everyone that comes my way.  Even annoying cops, sales people and customer service people.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Johnson Park

I hate getting stuck in traffic so instead of going to our usual park (the mall near it is on a 3 day sale) I opted for somewhere closer and that is Johnson Park.  When we got there M1 immediately went to the slides.  Though they were too small for her taste and left no thrill she still had a lot of fun. So much fun that she didn't want to leave an hour after playing there.





She made me promise to bring her back there before she agreed to leave.

World Of Fun

My parents take M1 to rockwell a few times each month.  They go early to avoid the crowds and they go straight up to the top floor and let her wild.  She rides on the piggy, car, giraffe and skater.  I have yet to find out what these things really are because I've only been there once or twice with her.  It costs P50 for one ride that lasts around 1-3 minutes (i'm only assuming).  She absolutely loves the place.  She loves rockwell and she never wants to leave.  You have to buy a card and have it topped up with load to be able to get the rides going.  If you put in 500php you get an extra 200php.

Rockwell, is not near the house and if it's traffic it can take more than an hour to get home so I opted for the SM mall nearest my house and went to World Of Fun where it costs 5php for 1 ride!  What a GREAT DEAL!  We stay for an hour and she rides on the same rides the whole time.  I only spend 100php for that full hour.  The only negative side is that when it gets to around 5pm there are too many people in the place.  It is literally packed with kids and adults alike.  So we have to leave because when all the rides and games are being played it becomes too noisy for my ears.  We went there twice this week.




Kids Workshop At Shoppesville

My parents are away so my mom's driver is all mine.  I have listed down all the places I want to visit with the kids.  Our 1st stop was the nearest indoor playground to our house.  It's been raining alot so the parks in the villages are sure to be wet.



Kids Workshop in Shoppesville Arcade in Greenhills was a great hit on the kids.  And a definite big hit on my wallet.  I paid almost 1,000php for 2 kids and 3 yayas to play in an area as small as a classroom for only an hr.  (I brought 2 yayas bec M1's yaya is leaving and so I had to bring the new one along to let her get used to going out with the new yaya)  They have 2 slides that are relatively small, a climbing wall for toddlers and and art area.  They have 3 versions of the little tikes cars and 3 rocking horses.  There is also a reading area and a sort of dollhouse area.  Though for me the place is really underwhelming the kids seemed to love it.  M1 has a thing for slides so thats where she stayed for the 1st 30minutes.  M2 rode on the 3 horses and 3 cars and then ended up reading books. 

We went on a tuesday afternoon so there were only 2 other kids there.  They were rowdy enough for the small space.  I can't imagine going on a weekend or letting the kids play if the place is packed.  The really good thing about the place is its security,  you have to ring the doorbell for them to let you in.  They tag the kids with serial numbered bracelets and the corresponding adult are given ids.  Whoever is picking up the kids are given a hard plastic thing where your pick up time is written. 

It costs almost 300 per hour and if you add around 100 more you canget unlimited play  which is more applicable to bigger kids.  You HAVE TO BRING SOCKS!  If not you can get them for 30php each.  An additional yaya costs 60-70pesos per person.  So, that is how I came to spend 1,000 in an hour. 

Will I go back, maybe not. But it all depends on how kulit M1 is about the damn green slide.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

A Slideshow Of Pictures About Where Children Sleep

I came across this in Facebook.  Read on.  Click here

Thursday, September 22, 2011

What She Wore

Thanks to Aku for my Top

Every Sunday before the school week starts I ready M1's clothes for the whole week.  A big thank you to all her clothes donor.  Keep up the good work!
thanks to Gwama and Gwakong for my shirt and achie for my skirt

thanks to Auntie Tricia for my shorts and achi for my shirt

thanks to Auntie Tricia again for my overalls

Thanks to Tita Tring for my top

Thanks to Achie for my Shoes

Thanks to Ninang Oche for my whole ensemble

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Grateful & Happy

I wonder where along the road of my life did I become a workaholic... if 15yrs ago someone told me I'd be a stay at home mom and working like crazy I wouldn't have believed them.  Yet here I sit on my computer chair with calloused hands and severely damaged fingers from all the work I have been doing.  But I'm happy.  The BFF sent a link which made me realize this.  Let em share it with you too.  LINK  To be honest, I didn't bother understanding #1, I've consciously done #2 in who I spend my time with and what I do.  So speaking of doing what makes you happy leads me to talk about becoming a workaholic again.  I LOVE WHAT I DO.  I love making clips and bows.  

Everything has been going my way the past few weeks. I have been working almost non stop to meet deadlines and deliver orders.  A lot of this has been due to friends or people who have pushed me to just take one more step.  Even something as simple as making a new design.  Ordering more ribbons or just plain old getting off my couch potato ass and make something.  I have to thank my manager, ASB.  She has been the support system and driving power behind the rusty oiled machine that is me.  She pushes me like no one else does, she almost literally unlocks the door, swings it open and shoves me into the room to do more.  She is the 'I' in my initiative.  Kat who practically forced me to make a new bow because she's already bought most of what I have.  And for future project ideas and where to get them, ILS.  There's always a reason why we meet new people so even if there are only a few moms who sit and wait in school with me, I'm glad they're there sitting and waiting with me.

  
Panda Bow


Friday, August 19, 2011

Best Friends

The fab 4 eating Jobee from Uncle T

With Achie talking

Wearing a kimono from Achie when she went to Japan
My sister in law K visits every week.  I don't remember how it all began but she came here with her bf once last year and after that they came every week since then.  I have wondered why she decided to visit but we can't really remember why but I'm glad she did.  Once a week, Poppabear has a meeting in the afternoon and comes home late, that is the day K visits.  She has been a great reliever for me.  When I gave birth to M2 and when M2 was admitted in the hospital she came to visit everyday to keep M1 company.  M1 has a picture of her "achie" on her wall by her bed.  She loves them so much it's like they were meant to be.  She is spoiled rotten by them, she gets everything she asks for from them.  But as I told my sister in law, no need for gifts, their presence every week is more than anything M1 could ask for. 

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Toy Review: Leapfrog Violet

It's been awhile since I wrote a toy review and the 1st toy that came to mind was violet because M2 loves her puppy oh so much!  Want a toy that says your child's name?  This is it!  You choose the songs, you type in the baby's name and you enter what she likes.  I haven't updated the information in Violet but so far the toy is still a hit.  We got this for her when she was 2mos old.  She started playing with it when she discovered it played music if she kicked the paws.  I highly recommend it to everyone with newborn children. 

What she learned:  A bit of cause and effect.
Durability:  She is still working even with a lot of baby loving.  You just need to be ready with batteries.  3x 8mos.
Fun/Entertainment Value:  It helps keep her distracted when changing her diapers of giving her milk.  Those are the only times when she isn't moving around these days.
Age:  0mos to 1yr

Preschool at 2yo

Alot of parents or non parents who hear the prices of tuition fees for preschools, complain and whine that it's a waste of money.  I've talked to a few who really choose to put their kids in preschool at an early age (1.6 to 2yo) because they really see the value for it.  One mom said that it's better the child is here than wasting time watching tv with the yaya. I chose to enroll M1 for the same reason, she was getting bored at home and I didn't want to waste her formative years learning to dance "nobody nobody but you"  from the household help. 

When you look at what they do in her class, things are simple enough and yet you cannot just copy that same scenario at home.  For 1, M1 is now more open to strangers, she has learned to trust other people because she trusts her teachers so much.  She has learned a wee bit of independence and that life will not end without mommy in the room.  She has learned to share, coexist with other kids and pay attention when someone is talking.  Oh and that she isn't the center of the universe.

They say it is at this age that the child's brain is most open to learning.  My dad shared this article with me today about the benefits of entering your child in preschool.  Read on!  Article

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Still Sick

I don't know of anyone who likes getting sick.  I hate getting sick.  I hate it when my kids get sick.  I hate seeing them cough, vomit and unable to sleep.  This virus is everywhere.  Looking at Facebook updates from fellow moms I know I am not alone in my misery.  The thing about kids getting sick is they spread the germs so fast.  M1 got sick last last week and 6 days ago her shobe got sick.  Now I am sick.  I have a fever and a gosh darned (thats not what I really wanted to say) cough that won't go away!  I have been stuck at home since Saturday, wishing that rest would help me fight against this virus... EPIC FAIL!  After ingesting so much meds and what nots I am still sick.  I HATE IT! 

Thankfully a miracle has happened and the tornado that is M1 has been calm the past few days.  She has learned to play by herself or with me just on the bed.  We read books, watch Barney (the same damned episode for 4days straight), and keep ourselves busy with the IPhone.  Yes, i've given up on the mission of not letting the kids play with the phone.  I downloaded games recommended by a friend.  Word's World is a great hit.

In the mornings we go to school and she loves it.  All is well when we are together in the afternoons, she lets me lie down in bed but forces me to open my eyes when she catches me dozing off.  What a demanding child.  M2 is so cute and cuddly and has started to say "Kk" too.  Still trying to record it.  M1 sings all day and is back to being the happy child that she is.  This Friday was the 1st day I was supposed to leave her the whole afternoon since her old yaya left... but since i'm sick I don't think I can. 

M1's newest thing is hiding stuff,  she took a lozenge and hid it the other day.  I found it today only because ants were devouring it already.  I find crackers in the towel cabinet, toys behind the dvd player and spoons in her bed. 

Monday, August 8, 2011

Diet. Fever. Vomit and More...

M1 still has fever and is still vomiting at least once a day.  She cries when its time to eat or drink milk.  She's only happy when she's on the bed with us.  Today is the 1st day we've ever been absent this school year.  But we are in no hurry to go back.  I'd like for her cough to go away by tomorrow.  We are now on antibiotics and hopefully 1 day of them will do some help.  She hasn't been sleeping well because of the coughing. 

M2's yaya is going on her dayoff on Wed.  Good luck to all of us.

On another note, I've come to realize how fat I've become and dieting really isn't my thing.  So when a friend messaged me about these T4 tomato pills that Chuvaness blogged about I immediately asked my friend who was going to HK to get for me.  I started taking them today and I think that my appetite has lessened a bit.  I only ate a cup of rice for both my lunch and dinner.  I also weighed myself today and I won't disclose howmuch I weigh BUT I do know how much I want to lose and that is 22lbs.  Wish me luck!!!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

2 Weeks Later

Tomorrow Maxine's new yaya will have been with us for 2 weeks.  The old yaya has been hiding in the room for more than 24hrs already.  Today was the 1st time since school started that I felt it happy that classes were suspended because at least she doesn't have to see the old yaya anymore.  They old yaya goes with me to bring Maxine to school and I don't want to put her to any more unneeded stress so I planned for old yaya to leave on Thurs because we don't have classes on Friday.  So, that's 3 days of no school.  But because classes were suspended I decided to let her leave tom.

Today she decided she doesn't want to be tapped to sleep anymore.  She's been forced to grow up and it feels bittersweet.  Another step away from being a baby.  From being rocked to sleep to lying down in bed and being tapped and now to nothing.  She lies there and closes her eyes and just talks til she falls asleep on her own.  At least she didn't cry anymore, she wanted to but she stopped herself.  I know that in a year or so all this will mean nothing to her and that when she's all grown up she won't even remember who her yaya was, but today she feels pain and cannot understand why. 

Maxiebear,
It's okay.  This too shall pass, sooner than you think.  Mommy will always be here and no matter how hard I try or want to I cannot keep you from feeling pain.  Life goes on, memories fade and all things will seem better in the morning.  Take your time in growing up and yes you will always be mommy's baby. 

P.S.  try not to sing too loudly when mommy is still sleeping.

P.P.S.  Oh and pls learn to share your toys with Shobe and stop taking her food from her.

I love you.  Goodnight.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Cute Kids? Read This Article.

I am always on the look out for interesting articles about parenting and kids.  As a parent I am 100% sure I have a lot to learn from experts.  Also as a parent who has 2 cute little girls we always get compliments about how they look and adorable they are.  This article is for everyone with good looking children who are getting used to people fawning over them and always complimenting them on their looks.
Article

Friday, July 22, 2011

So Far So Good

Its been 3 days since the new yaya came to the house and things have been going well.  My 100 prayers have been answered, the yaya I chose, M1 immediately liked.  She can spend a few minutes in her room with the new yaya without the old one.  Which is a really good sign.  They read books alot and play with her toys.  I just let them get to know each other.

On other news, Toys R Us USA is having another 2 day sale on Leapfrog toys and Vtech toys for babies.  The bad news is (as my friend S discovered too late) that they don't accept credit cards that aren't from the US.

Gap is having a 1 day only 40% off sale!  I get M1's jeans from them and some sandals and shoes.  I always get one size bigger since she's really tall for her age the american size is just right for her.




Lastly, Kk's been so funny, making new faces everyday and becoming friendlier too!  Don't you just love her new facial expression?? :)

Monday, July 18, 2011

Perspective.

The past few days I have been so focused at solving the problem at hand and felt so down about it that today something even worse came along.  When it rains, it pours.  Kk had a slight increase in temperature the other day so we immediately went to the doctor.  She had a check up and was diagnosed as fine but the doc said to be sure lets get a Urinalysis.  So we did.  She gets the results today and lets me know to get a Urine Culture.  I worry.  I keep calling up Cardinal Santos asking them to email me the results and I get the results at 10:30pm.  When there's nothing I can do about it anymore but wait til morning to buy new meds for M2.

M2's sickness requires her to drink a small dose of antibiotics everyday to keep the UTI away but once its there the medicine is not enough to cure her.  So we have to make sure that the medicine is still working that is why we get a urinalysis and or culture every month.  It hasn't been a month yet but the signs to worry are her becoming cranky and an increase in temperature.  When I got home from school on Friday I carried her and felt that she was hotter than normal.  We rushed to the hospital and the next day we submitted the urine sample.  We thought she was getting a cough but she didn't.  She has 94.40 bacteria cells when the normal should be from 0-110.  Her meds aren't working anymore so tomorrow we have to give her the newly prescribed ones.  I hope it works fast.  I hope the bacteria doesn't increase anymore.

When I talk about my kids to friends they say that M1 is my obvious favorite but they don't know how much prayers I have made and sleepless nights I have gone through because of my M2.  I don't talk about her much because she doesn't do much yet and when I talk about her i cannot help but worry about her.  I just want her to be the little baby sitting on my bed relaxing, not needing any attention and not caring about the world.  Favorites shmavorites.  M1 and M2 are both my favorites.  To measure who I love more is clearly impossible because to measure how much I love them then you would need (to quote the bunny in Guess How Much I Love you) to go to the moon and back.




Plan Of Attack

These past few days have been filled with calling agencies, ranting to people and asking mommy friends to help me find a yaya.  I've been talking to moms I know asking what the best thing to do is and I've finally come up with the Game Plan that I think is best.

The key to all this is helping Maxine understand that her yaya is leaving.  I have been telling her that her Ate Mae is going to leave soon to go back home to her mommy.  I was careful not to use the word "province" because that is where some maids went and never came back so M1 hates that word.  She is capable of understanding things already and I think mentally she is prepared.  She understands it in her mind but of course when doomsday comes she will still cry.

Once I find someone suitable to my wants (meaning we agree on the salary, numbers of daysoff and my general feel of her voice, demeanor and appearance) I will take her in and let her shadow the current yaya.  She will get to know M1 and play with her as much as possible.  At night she will sleep in M1's room so that M1 will get used to waking up seeing her.  I wish to do this for at least a week,  nearing the end of that week, M1 will be put to sleep knowing that the new yaya is there.  She usually hates this but even if she cries she has to get used to it because eventually the new yaya will be the one to put her to bed anyways.

Step 2 is trying to get M1 to agree to the new yaya bathing her.  This will be easier compared to her feeding her or giving her her milk because M1 loves to play with water and its also easier to be bathed by 2 people.  We will 1st play in the inflatable pool from day1 and then on day3 be bathed by them both and day 7/8 by only the new yaya.  The feeding and the milk, I still dont know how or when to start that.  But the putting to sleep the new yaya can take over mid way, when M1 is already half asleep, this will start on day4.  Until M1 gets used to having a new person putting her to sleep, but im sure she wont let the new one do it on her own with her fully conscious.  That will only happen when the old yaya is gone and she doesn't have a choice.

I think getting to know the new yaya for at least 2 weeks is enough.  It will be difficult but as long as she likes her then it wont be as challenging.  I'm basing all this to her adjustment in school.  She adjusted and trusted her teachers in a week.  As long as she knows i'm outside she's fine.  So that's all we need to do, is to slowly let her know she can trust the new yaya and that the new yaya is her friend.

I will let the old yaya go on a weekend so that Maxine won't have to deal with the stress of her leaving and the stress of going to school without her old yaya.  We can also go out on Sunday to distract her from the pain.  At least when Monday comes she will have had 2 days to accept what has happened.



The only thing missing in my plan is the new yaya.  When I find the replacement the next problem is making sure she doesn't give up during the adjustment period because those will be trying times.  So if any of you see any flaws in my plan or advice then please do let me know.  I am losing sleep and have lost some of my appetite because of my current situation.  I hate waiting.  I like to tackle the problem and get it over with.  But I am enjoying these days when M1 is feeling as happy as she is because she doesn't really know whats coming.

My Life. My Kids.

When I peek inside Maxine's classroom and I see her shrinking inside her shell, I wonder where is the little girl who talks non stop and sings and dances by herself at home.  I wonder where the little child who literally whistles while she works goes off.  She is so shy and timid in school.  She doesn't participate so much, she just watches the other kids.  The demanding go-getter vanishes once she's in school.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing?  I want her to take the lead and be herself.  But I am secretly thankful too that she shows restraint in class.  She has learned to wait for her turn, share things and listen attentively.

Today Teacher M isn't there so there were 2 new faces in class and she was still fine.  I took this as a good sign for when I find a new yaya for her.  The search continues.  Goodluck to me.



I think she understands that the end is coming and she has started acting out by harassing her sister again.  Shobe Kk is so in love with her achie but alas! The feeling is not YET mutual.  M1 has again grown out of love for her sister.  She is taking out her anger on her and she has been crying more.  Her sister on the other hand is the happy little mallow smiling and shoving everything into her mouth.  She is pleasant and more active, she wakes up alone in her room and she just patiently waits for someone to come in.  She plays with her toys and knows how to fall asleep on her own.  She is so the opposite of her sister.  She is more independent at 9months than M1 who is already two and a half.  How different they are from each other.  M1 is growing up to be more like her daddy everyday while M2 is just like me.  She rarely cries because she's sad, her cries are angry and annoyed ones.  She's always pleasantly happy but not super hyper happy like her Achie.  They are like night and day, hot and cold, sweet and salty.  They are my whole world.


Moms Who Wait

Its been a month since M1 started school and so far its all been okay.  She's changed a bit, improved in some ways and has grown friendlier.  Some changes I can't really put my finger on but I really want her to gain more independence and I think somehow that's already happening.  She's learned to trust people more and I have more confidence that she can adjust faster with the changes that are coming her way.  I'm still scared but I think she'll do okay.

Her classes are now 2 hours long and I've found ways to keep myself busy while i'm waiting for her there.  I've met the moms of her classmates and the moms of the other toddler class.  We stay outside and wait for our kids.  I've been keeping myself busy by reading a magazine, uploading more games on my phone and making hairclips. Honestly, I want to watch her while she's in class.  I want to see how she's doing and when I peek inside their classroom my ehart never fails to swell up in pride as I watch her explore the world on her own.  

playing on the slide
with her classmates after playtime, sitting on the steps.

inside the classroom by the wall
They grow up so fast.  They grow up too fast and too soon.  Before we know it they'll be in high school and prefer their friends than us.  I cherish each and every time she cries for me and looks for me because I know it wont last forever.  My baby bear I wish you could stay like this forever but I also look forward to teaching you how to read, reading to you Harry Potter and exploring the world together. 

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Grizzly Bear

It's been months since I last blogged and a lot has happened.  Yesterday Maxine's yaya Mae, said she wanted to leave and despite all the bribes and what nots I offered to her she still said she has decided on leaving.  Who knows why and what her real reasons are but for the past few weeks we have all noticed a big change in her demeanor towards my Bear.  She has been more cruel and impatient with her.  She is burnt out.  I know Maxine is a handful, even I sometimes need time away from her.  I have been feeling so many things yesterday because of her announcement that I felt the need to blog.

A leaving yaya is one of the worst things because I know it will be hard for my Bear, I know she will spend a few nights crying looking for the person who always put her to sleep for the past 8 months.  She will spend a month or even more asking everyone where her Ate Mae is.  But tonight as I was showering I realized that she is tough.  She is as tough as she looks.  I don't call her bear because she's gentle.  She is my grizzly bear, stomping her way into the woods of life.  Finding things out on her own and adeptly adjusting to new situations.  I have been the zoo keeper so fearful of having to find her hurt or sad.  But sadness is a part of life and I know I cannot keep her from pain forever.  She WILL get through this.  She will get hurt but I will try my best to help her understand that it is a part of life, people always leave.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Start Of School

School began 2 weeks ago and I have met a few moms during the time that I've spent waiting for M1 to come out of the classroom.  Most of them are older than me and have older kids.  Its been an awesome feeling to see my darling bear grow up so much in the past few days.  What I expected to be a terrible, tearful and painful ordeal has been one of excitement and fun.  I know I chose the right school for her.  With 3 adults and 8 students I know for sure that my child is being watched constantly.

Before school starts I get 3 books for M1 to read.  Spot Goes to School.  The Kissing Hand.  I Love You Everyday.  I repeat to her that the kids in the books go to school by themselves.
Day One (Friday):
Classes begin.  We walk inside the school and leave her yaya outside at the waiting area.  She cries.  I remind of that her yaya will just be waiting by the fish when she finishes class.  Class is only for 30minutes.  We play and get to know one another.
Week One:
Classes officially start.  I stay with her inside the room.  Only half the class is there and it lasts only half the time.  An hour.  They play with the toys and try to start the routine.  She haves fun.  She gets to know her teachers and gets to spend more time with Teacher E so she comes home with a conclusion that Teacher E is her favorite. The kids are so cute.  The teachers are more than capable and Teacher M tells me that next week we will try to attend class with me outside.  I prepare myself and my child.  We are ready (at least I hope we are)

Week Two:
I remind bear that I will be waiting outside for her, that I wont be going inside the room anymore.  She cries as the teacher takes her hand and walks with her inside the classroom.  She cries and she cries and she cries. I peak inside and see that the Yaya is the one carrying her and I tell the teacher she prefers the other teacher. She stops crying after a short while.  She cried for 5-10minutes.
The next day she wakes up and she starts crying, she says she doesn't want to go to school and that she wants mommy with her inside.  We get to school and when she goes inside the classroom she tears up and that was it.  The 3rd day she cries for a bit in the house and doesn't cry at all in school. The 4th day, we are almost fine.  The 5th day, we are all set for school.

It took her 2 weeks to adjust and trust new people.  Faster than I expected.  The preparation before starting school was the key.  Summer classes helped because she was already familiar with the place and the week that the teachers played with her helped her get to know them.  One week. I'm glad, proud and I look forward to hugging her everyday after her class.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Books

I have always loved books.  I used to read as much as I could when I was younger.  But I recently realized the importance of books when I started to use them to relay a message to Maxine.  I thought I already made a list here in the blog about the books that can help you through tough times with your children.

My friend May got her a book when I was pregnant, about getting a little sister.  Here's an article I found about it! Books!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Mother's Day

Why is mother's day such a big deal to me now?  I wondered this as I was brushing my teeth.  Its not because I want flowers or a gift, its because I have 2 kids and i've come to realize what a hard thing it is to be a mother.  Mother's day was just last week, more than 2 years ago I realized how much I loved my mom when I gave birth to M1, even as a 4month old baby she knew what she wanted and she expressed it the was she knew how (kicking and screaming for hours). She is now 2 and a half and she talks more than a 3 year old.  My mom worked all day and played with us at night (according to her, I barely have early childhood memories). I remember having home cooked meals everyday.  I remember watching her prepare dinner for the family.  I hated eating when I was young, it was a chore for me, I would finish lunch at sunset.  I spent my time day dreaming of playing instead of just eating fast and being able to play for real.  I remember my mom making some breaded pork thing and I didn't like it, the idiot that I was, I flushed it down the toilet and the toilet got stuck.  I got caught and got punished, to this day I feel guilty about that.  I can only imagine how hurt she must have been putting all that effort to make that dish and having to find out I threw it away.  I am older and wiser now, having been married for more than 4 years I know how tiring it is to cook every single day.  So when she sends food over? I love it, even food i used to complain about?  I have learned to love.  Because she was the one who made it.  Because she took the time out of her busy and tiresome day to make a meal for her family.

The hardest job in the world is being a mother.  We give our children our all, we experience rejection, complaints, nagging, tantrums, screaming, insane crying and yet we stay there and continue to love our kids with all that we can.  We watch them fall, fail and freak out and we stay there and support them.  I have rejected, complained, nagged, thrown tantrums, screamed and cried insanely and my mom was just there loving me. I have failed, fallen and have worn freaky clothes and my mom was there to support me.  Wanting nothing in return (maybe get good grades and stop getting into trouble in school).

So to all moms out there, I know you know how I feel.  We learn to love our moms 100x more when we became one.  Don't worry all our troubles and stresses will disappear when our children have children because they too will learn to appreciate us.  The timing was perfect that when I gave birth to M1 I read a story about a new mom who also had a demanding baby and her own mom said to her "its payback time".  Maxine is not even half the brat that  I was growing up, not yet and hopefully not ever.

To all the children who don't listen to your parents, haha, don't worry payback will come too.

And to my mom, thank you for giving me life.   Thank you for always being there even when I pushed you away.  Thank you for not dunking my head in a boiling pot of water even if i was so stubborn.  Thank you for punishing me so that I learned the lesson.  Thank you for supporting me in everything I thought I was meant to do.  Thank you for never giving up on me during my teenage years.  Bottom line?  Thank you for loving me especially when I was so hard to love.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Sweet Endings

A lot of things are ending this summer.  It makes me both happy and sad. Tomorrow is M1's last day of summer school.  We have enjoyed going to school and I am glad that she now loves going to school and is definitely more independent and friendlier.  She loves her classmates and her teachers though she needs to pay more attention to the activities at hand, for now it is enough that she likes to go to school and isn't afraid anymore.  We'll see this June how fast she'll adjust to being left there on her own.

My milk in almost all gone and I am glad the bfeeding is finally over.  M2 is more than 7 months old now and I still have more than enough stock in the freezer to last her til she's 1 year old.  She is always smiling and laughing at the people she knows.  She loves to play by herself and enjoys watching people around her.  I could spend all day just staring at her.

Other than my kids, I spend alot of time on tv shows too.  Most shows are down to their last episodes and I must applaud Vampire Diaries for making each episode seem like the season ender.

Life is good.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Mother's Worries

I barely blog anymore because I felt that I had nothing interesting left to say.  What was once a simple, secret diary to my then only child became an open book of the life I lead.  It became a story I was telling to my facebook friends and to whoever chose to click on the link I would add to my status.  I felt like I had to edit my thought because people will start judging me and learn so many things they wouldn't know if I didn't have this blog.  But tonight I find myself drawn to it again... It is therapeutic in so many levels...

Tonight I came home and I heard music coming from the nursery, M2 my lil marshmallow was sitting on her mat playing with her toy piano, sleepy eyed and startled to see me.  It is after all 1am, she should have been fast asleep.  Yaya said that she had a nightmare and couldn't stop crying.  I wonder what a 7month old baby would have nightmares about.  I'd give around 100 pesos to find out.  Maliit lang, curious lang ako and im pretty sure the answer would be funny anyways.

Life gets so busy even if I am a stay at home mom.  A bustling larger than life toddler eats up so much of my day and I always go to sleep feeling guilty about not spending enough time with my marshmallow.  She's so calm and not demanding at all.  It's like she understands that her sister really needs so much more attention.  A mother's guilt never ends. We always feel like we need to do more, we need to give more, we need to share everything that often times we forget about ourselves.  I wonder if dads feel the same way too.  But I wonder more if I am doing enough for the kids.  Are their activities educational enough, am I encouraging enough, do I set their limits enough or do I spoil them already.  When will it be enough?

The questions will never end to think M1 is barely 2 and a half years old... I am fearful of the questions I will be asking when she's 18.  We all just try to do our best with what we know and what we have.


Monday, May 2, 2011

Update on the Family

I have been busy with a lot of things and also I sort of felt too lazy to blog the past few weeks.  I have been very busy and truthfully, I have been running out of things to blog about.  (useful things that is)  My dreams of becoming a published author/ paid writer has been moved to the bottom of my list of things to do.

Update on the kids, I have yet to take Kayla on her renal scan, Cardinal Santos FAIL! Yet again.  We made an appointment, we paid the deposit a day before, we went.. and TADA their machine was broken and couldn't do it.  What a waste of time and effort! Which reminds me I have to go back and get the refund because they couldn't give it to me that day.

M1 is going to be a flowergirl this weekend, hopefully she will walk down the aisle on her own, but I doubt it.  She's going to wear a beautiful dress though!  Which reminds me... I need to have the dress picked up.

This is starting to look like a list of things to do...

I really wanted to say that I discovered (I just saw a facebook update) a great new class for moms out there who want to take better pictures of their kids.  We all want to take "studio-esque" pictures so we won't have to keep paying big bucks to the studios and their mucho expensive prints.  The Stork Studio's photographer is now holding a 2 day class and they still have slots for this May!  Click here to look at more details.  They even have one for yayas to help take better pictures!  So begone the blurry-head-cut-off pictures of your family.  Tell me about the class if you do decide to join! :)

I hope everyone had a nice weekend!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Busy Busy Butterfly

Its been a busy few days thats why I haven't been updating my blog. We had another scare with her urine culture, with the results saying she had 50,000 bacteria in her pee BUT again the results were false, the doctor said.  I think Cardinal Santos Medical Hospital should give out 50% discounts when they come out with inaccurate results.  A Urine culture costs 1,500php and yet I have yet to get a correct one.

We also went to an easter egg hunt prepared by my good good friend May and cousin.  It was a super EGGciting event for me since it was the MnM's 1st time to do something like this.  We didn't get a lot of eggs because M2 was just sleeping (even if she was awake she would have been useless at egg finding) and M1 only wanted to get orange and violet eggs, nothing else.

We have been going out more often and I've noticed a change both kids.  They've become more adaptable and friendly.  The once scared of strangers M1 and M2 are now interacting with people they've never seen before.  All they really need is food in their bellies and they are good to go.

On our way to our easter egg hunt

At Mongkok's opening in Rockwell Business Club

At the doctor's ofc
  
my new creations

Friday, April 15, 2011

Strict on schedule

I have always been strict about M1's schedule.  From the moment she showed me she had a routine I followed that with a vengeance.  I read somewhere that children thrive more if they have a schedule and thrive she did.  She slept long hours during the night and slept at the exact amount of time she needed in the afternoons.  We went out according to her schedule and kept those trips to the mall to an hour or less.  She has never fallen asleep in her stroller, she has only slept at another person's bed once in her life and has fallen asleep in the car only once.  They say if your child falls asleep in the car its a sign that they aren't getting enough rest.  Now that she's a toddler she tries to escape milk time or sleep time but only for a few minutes.  She's on a schedule so much so that when I said to her "Milk time!" she said "11:45 na!"  She doesn't know what time it is during the day but she knows that she drinks milk at 11:45am and the sleep time is at 7pm.

The greatest drawback of my being super strict with her schedule is that she cries when she's past her nap time.  We cannot extend our mall walking hours because she wants to go home already.  We have never finished a birthday party because of her and we cannot bring her out during lunches or dinners because those are her sleep times.  Now that she's older we dream of making her more adjustable.  2 years later I realized that I have spoiled her in this way, I regret it a little but not so much.  She wouldn't be as tall as she is now (people think she's 3yo) if she didn't sleep as much as she did.  She wouldn't always be so healthy and chubby if we kept bringing her out even if she's super tired already.  I find it hard to not grant her wish to go home when she wants to, how do you deprive your child from feeling safe and comfortable because you still want to go shopping.  If it were the other way around and she was at home and was crying because she wanted to go out, I would just ignore her.  But hearing her wail "Makine GO HOME Naaaaaaa" breaks my heart to pieces.  That is why this June I plan to take her to school for 1 month and then the yaya will take over.  Because I am sure I won't be able to take it and I just might apply to work in her school just to be with her.  So, if i don't see her crying I won't be tempted to "save" her from her misery.

This Holy week we plan to take her to the beach, 30minute car rides feel like 1 day to her or at least she acts like it.  We will be leaving during her nap time so hopefully she will just fall asleep on the 2hr ride there.  Good luck to us and I really hope the kids have fun!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Best Way To Prepare Baby's Food

The best way to prepare your baby's food is to steam it.  Boiling veggies takes away the nutrients you want to give to them.  Steaming does its job of making everything mushy but keeping all the good stuff in!  You can also bake is you like to experiment.


There are different ways to mash up food, I'm sure you've figured out your own way.  We actually just use a fork because with M2 she's only going to eat a few bites the 1st time around.  With M1 the nanny uses a cheese grater, with is actuallly very innovative because at least you're sure you get all the big chunks out.  Yup! Maxine's food is still mushy because she hates to chew!  The plus about this is that she eats alot but in a short span of time.  The negative is she doesn't eat what we eat yet.  Don't get me wrong, she can chew rice and chicken and etc, she just doesn't want to.


If you feel that the food you are making for baby is too dry, feel free to add breastmilk or water then lessen water as baby gets used to swallowing.



Serving tips

  • Serve the food no warmer than body temperature.
  • Use caution if you heat meals in the microwave. Microwaves heat unevenly and can create "hot spots" – areas of the food that are much hotter than others – so be sure to stir microwaved food well and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
  • Only dish out the amount of food you think your baby will eat at that feeding. You'll need to toss what's left over because your baby's saliva will get into the mixture and make it easy for bacteria to grow in the food.
  • Don't sweeten your baby's food. Babies don't need any extra sugar. And never use honey or corn syrup, which can cause botulism – a potentially fatal form of food poisoning – in babies.
  • Use seasonings. Despite the tradition of feeding babies bland food, they can tolerate and enjoy different flavors.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use them up within a couple of days. You can also freeze leftovers in ice cube trays or similar devices. After the cubes are frozen solid, remove them and store in plastic freezer bags. Fruits and vegetables frozen this way will last six to eight months. Meat (including poultry) and fish will last one to two months.

Always remember to wait 3 days before introducing new food to check for allergic reactions.


*food tips are taken from babycenter.com

Monday, April 11, 2011

Birthday Parties

I love attending children's parties, I think I love them more than my kids do.  I also love making them wear costumes.  So yesterday's party was definitely my cup of tea!  We have yet to stay and finish a party because of Maxine's issues with going out.  She loves to go out but only for a few hours.  Especially in unfamiliar locations.  Yesterday we went to a really really great birthday party and after less than 2 hrs she was crying because she wanted to go home already.  I don't know if she got scared because the lights were turned out or because she was getting tired from all the excitement.  I have yet to figure out her thing with wanting to go home and crying.  Even in school there comes a point in the class where she tries to stop her tears from falling because she wants to go home all of a sudden.  But all in all we had a blast at the party, I just hope Maxine can enjoy herself more by herself as she grows older.  


waiting for the car

Thank you to JT's parents for inviting us, we really had fun in the party!

Friday, April 8, 2011

New Products

Aside from the flower headbands I've been making, I also successfully made corker hair ties!  Here are my summer colors to brighten your day even more!

Girl's Best Friend

Mocha Sweetie

Citrus Cooler

Sweet Kitties

Popsicle Party

Glam Safari
If you want to order just leave me a comment here.  I'm going to have to work on my own facebook page so you can leave me messages there next time.  But that's for another day, for this momma the weekend has already started and I am going to have some time to relax and play with the kids.  We're off to the pool tom! Have a happy summer everyone!