Ganito kami sa Office

A while ago, habang busy ako sa pag bblog hop, my officemate approached me -

Groupmate1: Abi, may sakit ako bukas ha?

At biglang dumating si -

Groupmate2: Ako din, next friday ako magkakasakit!
Me: Ah ganun ba? Sige, baka sa wednesday na lang ako.

Hehehe! Wala lang talaga kaming magawa sa office kundi iplano kung kelan ang sunod na pag aabsent. LOL!

Online Shops Fevah! :)

As I was browsing my FB this morning, I noticed I have liked a lot of online shops na pala. As in pag nag refresh ako ng news feed, yung mga FB Pages ang winner sa updates. :)

I started shopping online when I was pregnant with my second baby. Actually, I once tried buying online when I was still single but the seller was available for meet-ups kaya kinuha ko na lang sa kanya ng personal yung mga items. Ang verdict ko noon: FAIL! As in yung items eh malayo sa description nya sa net. Pero since hindi naman ako ma-judge na tao, hindi naman naapektuhan yung ibang mga online seller. :) Kung hindi mo pa nasusubukan, try it and I bet you'll get hooked just like me. Minsan nga kahit alam ko naman na wala pa akong cash in hand, check pa rin ako ng check ng mga items. Hehe. Pero syempre, whenever I get the chance, bumibili talaga ako. 

After my first try to shop online, I told myself to buy from someone I really know or at least from someone I have a connection (connection talaga?! hehe). So when Karen Jornales (a schoolmate from high school) started her online shop, bili ako agad. Feel ko naman kasi talaga na hindi nya ako lolokohin. She sells original items from US. Name it, she has it. Watches, jewelries, shoes, shirts, beauty products, wallets, perfumes, bags and a lot more. :) I bought a Lacoste shirt for my husband and a bag for me. And I loved the items. Check out her Facebook here. Success ang second try ko. :)

Kaya nung pregnant na ako kay second baby, at hindi ako makalabas ng bahay kasi delicate yung naging pregnancy ko, mega online shopping na naman ako. That's when I learned about One Stop Baby Shop By: den ynd shop. They sell baby and mommy stuffs. I bought my kids Carters Rattle Socks, Pre-walker shoes, Top Baby Headbands and an Educational toy. 

You can also check her Multiply here. After browsing again earlier, I noticed these items and I have to grab these for my baby's upcoming 1st birthday. Sakto kasi sa theme na iniisip ko. Hehe.

Tamang tama to kay Baby ngayon, she's still learning to walk.

Swak na swak talaga sa iniisip kong Party Theme nya! :)

Both Karen and One Stop Baby Shop delivered their best. :)

Looking forward to more shopping experience with you guys! :)

You can share your own experience here or better yet, suggests more online shops for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks, Mommy Fleur!

Mommy Fleur featured my adorable kids in her This Kid Is It! section of her blog. Oh, I so love her! You can check it here. Feeling ko tuloy artista na ako, este yung mga anak ko pala! Nyehehehe! :)

Thanks a lot, Mommy Fleur!

The Little Bugger

I first came across with The Little Bugger through Krisna's blog. She's giving away Manuela Doggy Backpack and Top Baby Headbands courtesy of TLB. (I did join and I have my fingers crossed hoping to win those fabulous items!) And while doing blog hopping earlier, I stumbled upon Bebengisms' post and decided to window shop at TLB's Facebook page. And guess what? Now I want these dresses for my kids!

Baby Aerin will love this! And I drool over this! Ang sosyal ng  lace.
At ang chic ng flowery design ng skirt.

I so want this for Angela! She loves dresses and this will fit her bubbly
personality. Parang ang gaan gaan ng dating nung dress.

Ito ang swak sa pagiging makulit at malikot ng mga bagets.
Ang comfortable nya yet chuchal pa rin ang dating.

I know I know, out of stock na malamang ang mga yan pero sana mag re-stock pa sila or maybe there's more lovely dresses pa to come. I can't shop pa kasi ngayon, medyo tight ang budget. Magastos ang maglipat ng bahay. :) But I'll surely buy these dresses pag nagkaroon ng chance. (Bhe, mag sshopping ako sa payday ko ha? Advance notice na 'to. Lol.)

Happy Wednesday!

Before I spend my whole day reading all my favorite blogs (more like, stalk them. Lol) let me share to you how happy I am today because my mom decided to pay us a visit. She's coming tonight from Bicol! Yehey! :) As I write this post, she is actually waiting for the bus to arrive. Sana dumating na yung bus para maaga sya makarating dito. I've never been this excited before. Oooppsss, don't get me wrong. I always look forward to seeing my mom and spend time with her. Lalo na kasi Angela loves her so much. But this time, is a lot more different kasi I've been wanting her to come over to our new house and help me arrange our things. As in feeling ko, si Mama lang ang makakapag ayos ng todo ng bahay namin. She is meticulous when it comes to cleaning and organizing. And I badly needed a stern eye lately. Lagot na yung dalawang house help namin, hindi na sila makakaligtas kay Mama. Hehehe. Not that Mama will hurt them. But for sure, hindi na makakaligtas kay Mama yung katamaran nilang dalawa. Malaking contribution rin kasi silang dalawa sa pagiging stressed ko lately. Hindi lang ako masalita sa kanila kasi ayokong may masabing hindi maganda and later on pagsisihan ko. Kaya ngayon, si Mama na ang bahala sa kanila. Hehehehe. Sa wakas! Magiging maayos na ang bahay namin. Hindi pa man Ma, salamat po at hindi mo ako tinanggihan. I love you! And maliban sa pagdating ni Mama mamaya, looking forward rin ako sa mga dala nyang pasalubong. Hindi yung mga chuchal na pasalubong ha? Galing lang naman sya sa province. Namimiss ko na kasi yung laing, wala kasi akong makitang magandang dahon ng gabi dito sa Manila. I can only cook the best laing if it comes from Bicol. Promise! Walang echos! So ayan, sana uwian na para makauwi ako ng maaga sa bahay ngayon.

On learning to forgive and understand more

I've noticed myself changed a little these past weeks. I became too emotional and grouchy. Little things made me irritable and upset. I was beyond normal. And that ended me in an emergency room with a palpitating heart in the early hours of Monday. Rushing to the hospital was my 2 siblings who were supposed to be having fun but have to endure my nonsense issues. I love you both. :)

I've been rushed to the hospitals with the same case for as long as I remember. I am a happy person. If you know me personally, you'll love my positive attitude towards everything. But strong I may seem to be, I am a human who has her own weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I really hate complaining. So if things don't come as I expect it to be, I just let it be. But it didn't do me any good. I always end up wanting to say a lot of things but choosing to keep everything unsaid. Yun malamang ang nagbibigay sakin ng palpitations.

And this past week took me to the edge. I was too physically and emotionally stressed by our change in location, by our 2 house-help, by over-thinking for my new sideline and more petty issues. I think the latter one did it. Ang babaw ko noh? :) Kuya Rico, you're causing me heart attack everytime you call to follow up for our sideline! I told yah, I am overwhelmed with your offer! Hehe. Chillax chillax naman tayo minsan. And Bhe, lipat na tayo ulit sa mas malapit sa kabihasnan, nakaka-stress yung kabukiran natin. Jowk! I love the house, (you literally built it, so I LOVE IT! Totoo!) it's just that....it's just that, you know?! Hehe.

Anyways, as much as I wanted to make kwento what caused me the palpitations that was like a heart attack na para sakin, I have learned to forgive and forget and move on. Hehe. Instead of dwelling in negative things, LET THE POSITIVE VIBES BEGIN! :)

Good vibes, I need you now more than ever!

(By the way, according to the doctor, I have to check again with my endocrinologist if my thyroid issues recurred, sana hindi naman.)

Rainy Friday

It's already past 3 in the afternoon and the rain hasn't stopped yet. Sabi ko na nga ba eh, hindi na kasi dapat ako papasok ngayon. Ayan tuloy, ako lang mag isa dito sa work area. Hindi naman totally mag isa. Wala lang yung dalawang seatmate ko plus yung dalawa pa na nasa likod ko. Sad tuloy ang lunch ko. Ang problema ko ngayon, yung pauwi. Actually, I just talked to my sister and she invited us for dinner at MOA. My younger brother will arrive tonight from Oman (for M's wedding) so from the airport, they'll head straight to MOA for the family dinner. I've called na hubby to bring the two kids and our cousin tonight and dun na kami mag meet. Alam na alam naman natin ang traffic pag friday. Tapos umuulan pa. Goodluck na lang sakin mamaya.

Pano nga ulit yung rain dance? Simulan ko na kaya? Lol. Or better yet, simulan na natin lahat para mas effective. Game? :)

Overload!

I'm sorry for this post, I just can't help to be proud of my angels. My husband took all the photos yesterday while they are having afternoon siesta that ended up to be an afternoon of harutan.

Hangkyoooottt! :)
That's me, PROUD MOM! :)

My Dear Sister is Home

I've posted last week my apprehensions on my sister's upcoming wedding but seeing the delight and glow on her eyes once the plane touched down our airport is more than enough to convince me that yes, there's no doubt that they love each other and they should marry each other. I have not seen it personally but the pictures told me everything.

J surprised my sister with these! :)
I grabbed this from sister's FB account and she put a caption that says:
"so happy"...

Forgive me my dear if I have doubted you two at first. I guess it's just the Ate in me that became so possessive and too careful for you. You know I love you so much and I want you to be happy. Now I can stop worrying because I'm pretty sure you found your perfect match. :)

I love you, Ma! I can't contain my happiness for you. :)

See you later!

Stressful week so far!

This week has been the most stressful for me this 2013. My family moved in to our new house, and much to my surprise, we are not even half done with cleaning and unpacking. No, we don't have that much stuffs. But I'm doing de-cluttering while unpacking kaya it's taking more time than the usual. Hehe. Plus, we don't have wardrobe cabinets yet. It was supposedly part of our contract with the karpinteros but the kids can no longer take more dust. It's causing us allergies already. So we are planning to get modular cabinets this weekend. Adding more stress to me lately is my sideline. Hehe. I'm working on a raket and I've been wanting to get this project because certainly, this will be of great help to my family. I'm actually day-dreaming na of what will I get to my whole family as a gift kapag nakuha ko 'to. Excited lang. Hehe. I'm crossing my fingers at i-ccross ko na lahat ng pwedeng i-cross kung makakatulong. Lol!

Anyways, please pray with me dear readers para masungkit ko 'to. :)

My 2 Girls

It's refreshing to see your two kids play and laugh. And it's delightful to watch them grow with full of love and care for each other. My Angela always remember her li'l sister . She always tells me to take good care of Baby Aerin and she never fails to shower her sister with hugs and kisses. Baby Aerin welcomes it with enchanting giggles. It's gratifying to see them young and vibrant and full of hope and life.

Baby Aerin's playing with her Ate's headset

Sweet! :)

I wish that they will be forever like that with each other. I fear that they will have the normal sibling rivalry. I don't want that to happen to them. Because I love them both equally.

Something's wrong with Blogger I guess

I've tried to reply to a comment in one of my posts and I can't seem to publish it. Is this an error with Blogger? I've tried to publish my reply like 6 times pero wala talaga.

Anyone here knows what to do? Help guys!

Thanks! Mwahhh

ATTENTION: AAB BUS LINES, INC.

Calling the management of this bus company, AAB BUS LINES, INC. As much as I wanted to start this letter with a "Thank You!" for making me and my fellow commuters feel comfortable and safe while aboard your bus, I just can't. :(

Truth is, I (not counting most of your passengers) was so pissed off this morning while taking your bus from Lancaster Estates to Baclaran (hanggang Lawton yung byahe) because your konduktor kept ushering more and more passengers even if it was already obvious that the bus is MORE THAN FULL already. Sorry, I have to emphasize it. More than full na kasi literal na pwede nang magkapalit palit ng mukha yung mga pasahero. And please don't tell me that we, passengers, have to be solely blame kasi sakay pa rin kami ng sakay kahit alam na naming puno na. Let me tell you this, from a passenger's point of view, that whenever a bus opens a door (even if it's full already) it is tempting to still make our way inside kasi gusto rin namin makapasok ng maaga sa work. But in doing that, hindi rin natututo yung ibang pasahero. Ang disiplina naman sa kalsada hindi lang para sa mga driver o para lang sa mga passengers. It should be for both parties. Kelangan matuto ang mga pasahero. At kelangan disiplinado rin ang mga bus drivers and konduktor. I understand that the more passengers you have, the more commission you'll take. Pero you shouldn't compromise the safety of everybody. The bus driver this morning was complaining that he can't see the right side mirror. Imagine the distress it's causing us. We were only about to start our day pero sobrang stress na tayong lahat. And to be a good citizen, we should be a good follower. Hindi ba may anti-overloading sa Cavitex? I guess I should make a separate letter for them.

I'm H-O-M-E

It definitely feels good.

After 48 years, nakalipat na rin kami sa wakas! I have yet to share photos of our house, medyo busy pa si ako. And wala pa kaming internet connection sa bahay! (Sa office ako nag bblog. SShhhhhhh!) Ohemgeee! Wala pa atang internet provider na available sa area namin. Yes, nasa bundok kami. Ayy mali! Nasa kabukiran kami. Sorry po sa aming developer, nagsasabi lang ng totoo. Kelangan kong maghanap this weekend kasi kelangan rin ni husband sa work nya. Sana lang meron. And I've also noticed that my neighbors have Cignal as their cable provider. Ibig sabihin rin ba, walang ibang choices for us? Hmmm...

Anyways, balik good vibes ako. :)

The house radiates the simplicity of its owner. It is elegant on its own way. The bedrooms were painted with colors that fit each of our personalities. The bath have its artsy-outdoor feel. Feeling ko pwedeng tulugan yung 2 bathrooms. Hehe.

Will post pictures soon, promise! :)

My sister is getting married!

I was not surprised by my sister's announcement months ago (I forgot when was it. Lol) that she's going to tie the knot with her not-so-long-time boyfriend (again, I forgot how long they were going out). She's already 28 years old, I guess that's old enough to settle down. But I just can't get over it. I feel sad. I know I should be happy. It's just that...I can't see them mature enough for marriage. :( I'm sorry my dear sister. You know I love you. And I want only the best for you. But aren't you cramming into getting married? Why? What's wrong? Get to know each other. Enjoy each other. I mean, you haven't been with each other that long, right? I'm not saying I don't like him. I know he's a good man. I just want you two to take your time. Take it slow. Don't rush.

Should I tell her my worries? Or should I just give them a chance? Hayyy...

Gong Cha and more

Gong Cha Milk Winter Melon Tea with Pearls

I had my first sip of MILK TEA in Malaysia. Though I am both tea (teabag) and coffee lover, I was never introduced to MILK TEA until I came to Malaysia. Being a British colony, you'll find Teh Tarik (hot milk tea) in all their restaurants instead of coffee. Brits are known to be a tea lover. Just as I was browsing the net a while ago (I was looking for a better picture of Gong Cha Milk Tea instead of what I captured using my phone, which in the end I still posted above), I came across UKTC, it's United Kingdom Tea Council. Yes! They have a Tea Council! Awesome, right? You will find on the upper right of the website a counter, a counter for cups of tea consumed in UK as to date. Imagine their passion for tea that they made a website to count the cups of tea being consumed by Brits. You can also find there the benefits of tea to those who produce, sell and consume teas. So.....going back to what my title suggests. Lol! (I noticed that i've typed so much na but i'm drifting away from my title, hehe) It's my first time to try Gong Cha Milk Tea. I had Winter Melon with pearls. I've read somewhere before (you know me, I always forget) that it's the best tasting milk tea here in Philippines. Try naman ang lola mo. :) It tasted OK to me. Medyo disappointing lang kasi I always want my milk teas less sweet. I always request 20% sugar in Serenitea and The Tea Farm kaya I was a li'l surprised when the guy in Gong Cha counter told me that with Winter Melon, it is naturally sweetened. There's no way that they can adjust the sweetness. Ganun ba talaga dun? Anyways, I do agree that it's creamy and yummy. But I prefer it a li'l bitter. Yung mafi-feel ko yung brewed tea. :)

Today is Ash Wednesday

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Let's pause for a while and reflect.

What a Mom Misses

Being a mom is the greatest profession of all times. It's not as easy as ABC. There are lots of struggles and pains. From conception to giving birth. From nursing a baby to sending him/her to school. From teaching ABCs to algebra. Our kids milestone can bring us to heaven. And their mishaps can bring tears in our eyes. We work hard for their future. We wouldn't want them to feel hungry or feel sad. Their smiles are precious to us. And their tears always break our hearts. And being a mom also makes us miss a lot. Those days when we were being careless, our "me" time, our night-outs, our dates with friends, and even our dates with our husbands. Our kids become our first priority. I never heard a mother says the other way around. They are always our main concern. And we don't complain. Because we'd rather miss those things than to miss our kids' first step, first word, first tooth, first crush, first boyfriend, first heartache and a long list to go. We actually sometimes sound so OA. Because we always want to capture everything. We want to celebrate our kids' monthly birthday. My dad find it weird though, he said our kids wouldn't mind at all because they wouldn't even remember. But because we are mothers, we wanted to go overboard always when it comes to our precious gems.

I want my daughters to see me always within their reach so they won't feel alone. I want them to talk to me instead of lying to me. I want them to feel that I want to listen, so they won't feel ignored, and worst, unloved. I'd rather miss out a lot from my life than go missing when my daughters need me. 

The greatest promotion of all is to see our kids grow up and be someone. :)

Thanks to Quaker Oat Cookies!

My on-the-go snacks

I hate the feeling of hunger. As in takot akong magutom. That's why I make sure that I have some biscuits or cookies in my bag whenever I go out. Para in case I get stuck in traffic, I wouldn't mind at all kasi I have something to chew. When I was in Malaysia, I was so addicted to energy bars or granola bars. Oh, I loved Nature's Valley Fruit and Nut! Past tense na yung "loved" kasi nagsawa rin ako. :) Nakita ko naman kasi sa 7-11 one time yung Quaker Oat Cookies kaya yun naman ang new addiction ko. I love the texture of their cookies. These cookies are made from whole grain quaker oats that make it a healthy snack. You can never go wrong with their flavors. What I love the most is yung Honey Nuts. So, now I make sure that we don't run out of these cookies. My whole family love it! :)

Planning for Aerin's 1st Birthday Party

I actually dream of one bonggang bonggang birthday party for my youngest daughter. I missed Angela's 1st birthday kaya feeling ko kelangan kong makabawi ngayon kay Aerin. Kaya I super dream of a huge party. But I have a tight budget to keep in mind. Ok fine! I'll just prepare a small and intimate party for her birthday. But I still want it to have lots and lots of balloons. I've read from Mommy Fleur's blog that there is so much in Divisoria when it comes to DIY-ing a party. So off to Divi ang mommy pag malapit na ang party. Sa May 29 pa naman kasi ang birthday nya. And for the foods, I think I have to make the list na ASAP para malaman ko na kung may marunong mag prepare within the family or if I have to get a caterer.

I'm just so excited. :) (I'm actually trying to kill the bad vibes that had me earlier)

A Mother's Dilemma

WARNING: Full-Text Ahead! I just have to vent out my anger. Sorry guys. :(

I was crying so hard in the car this morning while my husband sends me to the shuttle's terminal, it's because I feel so bad and sad. When I got home last night from work, my cousin was crying while telling me that my younger daughter had so many rashes earlier. (I was touched actually kasi I felt her love for my daughter. Thanks, Shiella!) She said they noticed it when my daughter woke up from her afternoon nap. The rashes spread on her two inner arms and on both cheeks. Talaga daw nag panic sila kasi sobrang mapula. I asked them where did they put her to sleep and told me that she was on her crib. So I assumed it must be because of alikabok. I am super sensitive din kasi sa alikabok so she must have the allergy like me. I let it passed. I told them it's ok and they just have to make sure na mapunasan ng mabuti yung crib and ibang gamit ni Baby. Akala ko OK na. Come evening, when I was about to make her milk, I noticed that the upper portion of the bottle's nipples were not that clean. As in merong visible na natuyong mga milk. Nagalit na talaga ako sa yaya. (Lagi ko naman kasing binibilin 'yun, as in EVERYDAY na lang). So I slept with a heavy heart talaga. And to make it even worse, palabas na lang ako ng bahay this morning when I noticed mga small kalmot sa ulo ni Baby. Mga 3-4 na sugat 'yun. Maliliit lang naman. My daughter must have scratched it. Pero it could have been avoided kung may malasakit sila sa bata. Actually, kaming mag asawa naman talaga ang nagpuputol ng kuko nila. Pero kung sana may malasakit sila or may initiative man lang sana sila. Syempre madami rin kaming iniisip mag asawa at marami rin kaming iniintindi na minsan nakakalimutan rin namin yung mga maliliit na bagay. I know I know. I was actually blaming myself this morning kaya I was super crying. Feeling ko napapabayaan ko na mga anak ko.
:(

Pero hindi ko naman sila pinapabayaan eh. :(

Naiintindihan ba nila yung sakit na nararamdaman ko everytime I come home from work and see my  kids in a bad state (may sakit, may bagong sugat, may bagong kagat ng lamok). Hindi ba nila alam na ayaw nga natin padapuan sa langaw at lamok ang mga bata tapos hahayaan lang nilang makagat? Kaya nga mamahalin na panligo ang ginagamit sa mga bata para maganda yung kutis nila tapos ganun lang? Si lamok ba ang dapat kong sisihin? Paulit ulit naman ako na dapat laging malinis ang bahay. Ako na nga minsan ang naglilinis at nagpupunas at naglalaba ng ibang gamit ng mga bata para hindi na sila mahirapan. I hired two kasambahays, the house must be very clean kasi maliit lang naman bahay namin. Plus, our cousin is also staying with us. Mas madalas pa nga na yung pinsan ko ang may hawak kay Baby. Ano kaya ang ginagawa nilang dalawa sa bahay? Kasalanan ko ba kasi pinili kong maging working mom? I chose to work para matulungan ko ang asawa ko na mabigyan ng magandang buhay ang mga anak namin. Yun naman talaga ang dahilan nating mga working moms, right? Alam ba nilang habang nasa trabaho ako, yung kalahati ng isip ko laging nasa kanila? Kumain na kaya sila? Nakauwi na ba sila from school? Nakakain kaya ng maayos si Baby? Alam ba nila yung feeling na naiinis ka sa traffic kasi gusto mo nang makauwi ng maaga para makalaro pa yung mga bata? Hayyy naku. Syempre hindi nila alam yun. Kasi kung alam nila, sana may malasakit sila. :(

I'll talk to them tonight. Sana maintindihan naman nila ako.

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

May this new year bring prosperity and more blessings to all of us!

To all of my Fil-Chinese and Chinese friends, Happy Happy New Year! :)

A No-Occasion Letter to Papa.

In a week, we will be moving out from Papa's house to our "smaller-version" of a dream house (because yes, there will be definitely a larger dream house). We are staying with him now after our contract with our rented apartment ended. I decided to write him a letter to say thank you, para mas dramatic. Lol! And I want to share it with you. So here it goes:

Thank you, Papa!

Thanks for letting us stay (over-stayed J ) with you for more than a month. We will surely miss waking up with you on your jogging outfits but you seldom really run. I will miss coming home from the office with you sitting on your usual spot and typing away on your old laptop. I will miss you calling me ABEGAIL when I have a nickname. I will miss watching you drink your GREEN juices or whatever herbal thing it is. I will miss your LOUD TV at night which I’m sure all the neighbors can hear as well. I will miss missing you every weekend because you decided to sleepover just like what teenagers do. J Oh, I forgot, I wrote this letter just to say THANK YOU, PA! Hehe. I guess I just want you to miss me, too!

Papa, I love you to the moon and back! And I pray that you'll find your right match as we, your kids, have found ours. :) I personally want to see you happy with someone who will grow old with you. Someone who will laugh at your silly jokes. Someone who will stay with you no matter what. Someone who will take care of you. Someone who will make sure that you eat the right amount of carbohydrates and calories. Someone who will always make you drink your medicines on time. Someone who will stick with you through ups and downs. Someone who will never get tired of helping you ingress and egress your food carts. Someone who will always remind you of how bad smoking is to your health.

Maybe that someone will sound annoying already. Or will be too annoying actually. But it’s ok. Because I’m sure that she only wants you to be healthy to be around to see your grandchildren grow up and be as smart as you.

I want you to be with that someone but it doesn't really mean that we will see you less.

Excited to move-in

One more week and we will be moving in to our very OWN house! How's that to start the year? (Applause!)

It is every couples' dream to own a house and call it HOME. And we are just so lucky that at a young age, we were able to save up for our dream house. (Good job for us, Bhe!) 

I will be sharing the pictures here someday. I should be proud of it. The house is literally built with love. My husband worked his ass day and night to supervise his workers and sometimes sya na talaga ang gagawa. He's a Civil Engineer by the way. So he knows talaga kung anong ginagawa nya at kung anong gusto nyang mangyari sa bahay nya. 

Our two kids are just as excited as me. I'll invite everyone sa house blessing. Lol!

Cetaphil, Neutrogena and St. Ives

I'm an avid fan of Cetaphil. Eversince high school I've been using this. I was a regular teenager then. Hindi rin ako nakaligtas sa mga pimples na 'yan. And having a mom na talaga namang very conscious sa hitsura naming dalawa, I've been in and out of dermatologists clinic. And they give me the same advise over and over. I should shift daw to a mild cleanser (bago ko kasi nadiscover 'to, fanatic naman ako ng mabubulang cleanser lol). And hindi naman ako binigo ng Cetaphil. With regular use, nag improve naman talaga yung face ko. Very mild talaga sya. It's like washing your face only with water. Hindi kasi sya mabula and fragrance free din. Pero kung hindi ka sanay na walang bula yung facial cleanser mo, iisipin mong walang kwenta yung facial wash mo. But seriously, it works magic! So ngayon, I share this to my kids na. They are using this for their whole body kaya medyo magastos kaming maligo mag iina.

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But every now and then, I indulge din to facial scrubs. And this is the only facial scrub I use. St. Ives Apricot Scrub will give you the feeling of satisfaction every after use. You'll have a smoother and softer skin talaga. Feeling mo walang naiwang blackheads and whiteheads. Feel na feel mo 'yung microbeads nililinis 'yung skin mo. I recommend this for those na walang time magpa-facial. I use this thrice a week.

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And this Neutrogena Pure Mild Facial Cleanser is the best substitute to Cetaphil. I swear, this is the mildest I've tried in Neutrogena. Lately ko lang sya na-discover. My cousin is the one who's actually using this, nakikihingi lang ako. Hehe. Ang gaan ng pakiramdam sa mukha. After mong mag wash ng face, you'll feel the instant effect. Promise! Ang sarap nyang gamitin. Alam mo 'yung feeling fresh lagi, ganun!

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Ayan! Very basic lang ako pagdating sa face ko. I seldom use moisturizers or toners. Tamad kasi akong maglagay ng kung anu-ano. Hehe. These products didn't disappoint me yet. Kaya super loyal naman ako sa mga 'to.

Seven reasons why babies cry

I have an 8-month old baby girl. She is most-of-the-time a happy baby. Pero since normal naman talaga sa mga bata ang iyakin, hindi rin kami ligtas sa mga crying moments nya. And even if she cries almost every night before going to sleep, I still find it hard to pacify her or to understand her. Minsan iba iba ang trip nya. Kelangan talaga sa mga mommies i-extend ng todo ang patience. Hehe. I'm lucky to come across this article about the 7 reasons why our babies cry and ways to soothe them. Mommies, try to read the whole article kasi we can really learn a lot from it. To read the complete article, please click here.

Why do babies cry?

1. I'm hungry

Hunger is one of the most common reasons that your newborn baby will cry. The younger your baby is, the more likely it is that she's hungry

2. I just feel like crying

If your baby is younger than about five months old, she may cry in the late afternoon and evenings. This is normal, and doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your baby.

3. I need to be held

Your baby will need lots of cuddling, physical contact and reassurance to comfort her.

4. I'm tired and need a rest

Often, babies find it hard to get to sleep, particularly if they are over-tired. You will soon become aware of your baby's sleep cues. Whining and crying at the slightest thing, staring blankly into space, and going quiet and still are just three examples.

5. I'm too cold or too hot

Use sheets and cellular blankets as bedding in your baby's cot or Moses basket. You can check whether your baby is too hot or too cold by feeling her tummy. If her tummy feels too hot, remove a blanket, and if it feels cold, add one. 

6. I need my nappy changing

Your baby may protest if her clothes are too tight or if a wet or soiled nappy is bothering her. Or she may not mind if her nappy is full and may actually enjoy the warm and comfortable feeling. But if your baby's tender skin is being irritated she will most likely cry.

7. I need something to make me feel better

Be aware of changes in your baby. If she's unwell, she'll probably cry in a different tone to her usual cry. It may be weaker, more urgent, continuous, or high-pitched. And if your baby usually cries a lot but has become unusually quiet, it may be a sign that she's not well. 

What can I do?

1. Find a constant sound (hindi ko alam 'to, may ganitong factor pala ang mga bata lol!)

In the uterus (womb), your baby could hear the beat of your heart, which is why she likes to be held close to you now. There are other repetitive noises that may also have a calming effect. 

The steady rhythm of a washing machine, or the noise of a vacuum cleaner or hairdryer may lull your baby to sleep. But never put your baby on top of a washing machine or clothes dryer, just supervise her on the floor, next to it.

You can also download white-noise sounds or a white noise app for your phone, or buy a white-noise CD created for babies. These mimic the sounds in the uterus and may soothe your crying baby.

2. Rock-a-bye baby (tried and tested)

Babies usually love to be gently rocked. You could:

• Walk around while rocking her.
• Sit with her in a rocking chair.
• If she's old enough, sit her securely in a baby swing.
• Take her out for a ride in your car.
• Take her out for a walk in her pushchair.

3. Try a massage or a tummy rub (I have to try this to my baby)

Using massage oils or cream and gently rubbing her back or tummy can help to soothe your baby. It may also make you feel better, as it's a practical way of reducing your baby's distress. 

4. Try a different feeding position (tried and tested)

Some babies cry during or after feeds. If you are breastfeeding, you may find that improving the way your baby latches on helps her to feed calmly without crying. 

5. Let her suck on something (always works for me, my baby just can't let go of pacifiers til now)

In some newborns, the need to suck is very strong. Sucking at your breast while you are breastfeeding, a clean finger or a dummy can bring great comfort. Comfort sucking can steady a baby's heart rate, relax her tummy, and help her to settle.

6. Give her a warm bath (I haven't tried this yet)

A warm bath may soothe your baby and help her to calm down. Check the water temperature before placing her in there. But bear in mind that this may also make her cry more. In time, you will get to know your baby's likes and dislikes.

7. Don't demand too much of yourself (next time I'll keep this in mind)

If your newborn cries almost constantly, she won't do herself lasting harm. But it's likely to cause you and your partner a great deal of stress and worry. If she's unhappy and resists every effort to calm her down, you may feel rejected and frustrated. But you are not the cause of her crying, so don't blame yourself.


Article source: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a536698/seven-reasons-babies-cry-and-how-to-soothe-them-

Proud MOM.

It's every parent's dream to see their children walk up the stage and claim their diplomas. And it's a euphoric moment for us to see them graduate with honors. I know it's too soon for me to feel this way especially since Angela is only in her Pre-School. But, what can I do? I'm just a PROUD MOM!

Third Quarter Periodical Test

Yehey! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Congrats, Anak! Ehem, mana mana lang 'yan.. :)

Dad and I are so proud of you!

Earth's Best for my Baby.

I passed by Healthy Options in Shangri-La last week and I decided to try their organic products for my baby. She lost weight kasi when she was hospitalized because of Pneumonia kaya I was a little pressured on giving her more healthy foods para maibalik agad yung weight nya. Mukha lang akong nagpanic buying kasi andami ko pa lang nabili for her. I just realized it when I was paying na. Buti na lang payday nun so deadma na lang ako. Hehe. Here are some of them:

Organic food from Healthy Options

She already tried PEARS, naubos nya naman pero parang hindi nya type. However, yung multigrain super greens na nasa pouch eh mukhang hopeless na maubos nya. When I tried it, para syang mga green peas with rice na blended tapos walang timpla. So, bland yung lasa nya. I'm thinking of adding a little milk para magkaron ng konting lasa. Maybe I'll it tomorrow. May nabili pa akong Brown Rice Cereals and yun mukhang patok sa panlasa nya. I really hope my baby will gain back the weight she lost soon. You can check out the products of Healthy Options here.

I Want the World!

Ang cute ng bag ko, 'no? :)

Thanks, Marilyn for this bag! Marilyn is my dad's assistant. :)