Caleb's Closet Giveaway - I hope I win!

As mentioned in my previous blog, I went to Numa this morning.  I was contemplating on buying a Charlie Banana diaper.  Since it will cost about P5,000.00 (2 cloth diapers, 6 diaper inserts and 1 roll of diaper liners), Don and I decided to research and learn more about cloth diapers before committing to it.  If only I can get a sample, I thought.

An angel must have heard me because I came across the Caleb's Closet giveaway at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom blog.

I hope I win!  (**fingers crossed**)

Organic Puffs for Julia

Though just 5 minutes from our home, it was my first time at Numa (pronounced as 'new-ma') this morning.  I was thrilled to finally find an organic finger food for Julia.

As written in its label, Happy Baby Organic Puffs are always organic.  It is made with organic whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  In fact, it is sweetened with 100% fruit juice.  They don't use artificial colors or flavorings.  It contains 25mg choline per serving for healthy brain development.

I bought the banana puffs and Julia loves it!  We will definitely try apple, strawberry, sweet potato and other puffs soon.

Visit Numa at E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City (near Mabuhay Rotonda) or check their website.

DO NOT HIRE ANAMAE LIVRANDO!

Anamae "Poison Ivy" Livrando

Beware, mommies!  Anamae poisons her employers and steals from them when they are in the hospital.  She was arrested last 2008 but managed to escape.  She was employed by a Filipino-Chinese family and did the same modus operandi.  She was apprehended in Binondo last August 2011.

Read full story at Philstar.com

Co-Sleeping a Bad Idea?

Milwaukee Co-Sleeping Ad

“I don’t like this at all,” I said to myself when I saw this campaign ad of Milwaukee at Yahoo yesterday.  A knife?!  I felt like I was regarded as a murderer… a grave threat to my daughter’s life.

Eversince Julia was born, she sleeps in a crib beside our bed.  We were blessed to have friends who lent ustheir son’s Co-Sleeper – Arm’s Reach Bassinet,which Julia used when she was 0-4 months old. We transferred her to a bigger crib whenshe learned to turn on her own.  As soonas she could sit, we removed the crib and improvised the playpen by putting afirm Uratex foam.   At 7 months old untilnow, Julia would sleep through the night in her playpen-turned-crib and shewould share our bed after she drinks her milk at anytime between 330am to530am.

Ofcourse, Don and I discussed the potential risks of unsafe co-sleeping.  We also considered the problems that we mayencounter as she grows up.  Co-sleepingdoesn’t promote independence and it may significantly delay her learning to sleepon her own. 

However,at this point, considering that Don and I work 6 days a week and are out of thehouse for 12-15 hours a day, co-sleeping was a way to make up for lost time,build our intimacy with her and more importantly, strengthen our bond as afamily.

Goingback to the ad campaign, I got curious and started to Google about it.  The increase in infant mortality ratetriggered Milwaukee’scity health department to conceptualize and launch the provocative ad.  Based on the 2010 Fetal Infant Mortality Review Report of Milwaukee, 19%of the infant deaths were due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), overlayor accidental suffocation. 

Here’sa summary of guidelines I read to provide a safe sleeping environment for ourbaby:

• Make your bed safe for your baby.
• Use a Queen or King size flat, firm and smooth mattress.
• Do not use waterbed, sofa, beanbag or any flexible and yielding structure.
• Make sure that there is no space between the mattress and headboard or the mattress and the wall, if placed against it.
• Do not use too may pillows and heavy blankets.
• Do not let your pets sleep on the same bed as your baby.

• If your baby sleeps in a crib, make sure it is placed directly beside your bed.

• Do not wear night clothes with strings, long ribbons, beads, etc.  Do not use strong perfume or lotion too as these may irritate the tiny nasal passages of the baby.

• Do not share the bed with your baby if you are:
• Sleep deprived due to exhaustion
• Under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
• Under medication that can affect sleeping patterns.
• Extremely Obese

Indeed, irresponsible execution of co-sleeping can cause the untimely death of an infant.  However, co-sleeping, when done properly and safely, can strengthen the emotional and spiritualconnection between you and your baby.  

For Don and I, the best part is waking beside a smiling baby every day. 

My references:  Kellymom What to Expect Huffington Post About.com  

Parenting Conference 2012

Don and I attended a Parenting Conference last November 12, 2011 at Victory Fort, Every Nation Building.  Pastor Steve Murrell with wife, Deborah and son, William were truly inspiring and "real".  I mean, they provided realistic and practical day-to-day ways to raise children in accordance to God's commandments.

We attended the conference with Mama Cita (Julia's grandmother).  After all, she spends a lot of time with Julia because Don and I work Mondays to Saturdays.

In just 4 hours, I learned a lot:


Christian living is a LIFESTYLE.  We can't teach it to our kids if they don't see it in us.

TIME is what our kids need the most. It is the RESPONSIBILITY of PARENTS to take care of their children.  Our extended family members and/or household help are there to ASSIST.

We can't control everything that our kids will do, say and decide on.  As parents, we must pick our battles.  Set standards that you will never compromise.  The Murrells list includes eating meals together, brothers must be best friends, just to name a few.  

William's talk inspired me the most.  His voice cracked when he declared to everyone that Steve and Deborah are great parents.  He shared four (4) "parenting" stories that made a great impact to who he is now.  Inspiring but made me want to pull my hair out because it scared the #$%^&*! out of me.  Parenting is difficult.  Though it comes naturally and instinctively, parenting is real hard work.  It's deliberate and consensus between husband and wife.

After the plenary,  we attended the 0-6 years age group for the break out session.  Pastor Carlos and Belle Antonio talked about two things about establishing influence to our children:

Influence the heart.  We must shepherd, instruct and guard the hearts of our children with God's truths.
Teach them to Obey.  Our children are never too little to know what is right and wrong.  Discipline is an act of love.  

I was reminded that our AUTHORITY as parents diminishes as our children grows old.  It is important that we INFLUENCE them to the right thing... to do only what pleases our God.

⁶These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.                                                        Deuteronomy 6:6-7

SSS Member na si Yaya!

Yes, it's official.  SSS member na si Yaya Lani.

On her 6th month, yaya went to the nearest SSS Office and applied for SSS number and remitted her first contribution.


I am blessed with a yaya who is patient, reliable and trustworthy.  I must say, I got lucky.  I know its very difficult to find a yaya like her these days.  Don and I make sure we pay and treat her well.  But of course, we are never complacent when it comes to matters concerning Julia.  We make sure that yaya follows our rules and standards.  We make sure that we are still primarily responsible for taking care of Julia and yaya is just there to assist us.

Yaya does her tasks as instructed.  She also takes initiative in making sure that Julia's welfare is a priority.  More importantly, I can see that she loves taking care of my daughter.

I know its only been 9 months so I sincerely hope she will not change.

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PS.  I encourage those with housemaids to read the Labor Code of the Philippines.  We have responsibilities outlined in the Code to make sure that our helpers are treated fairly.  As a matter of fact, there is now a House Bill (Kasambahay Bill) that proposes for additional benefits and protection to household helpers.  My opinion about it?  I'm not sure yet..  ;-)

Quezon Memorial Circle

Last October 31, 2011, Don took us to Quezon Memorial Circle.  He didn't tell me where we were going because he knew I would vehemently disagree.

I muttered my discomfort as we walked towards the park area.  I was about to do a 180-degree turn when I saw and smelled the garbage truck.  So, we immediately detoured to the nearest park attraction, the "Pedal and Paddle" area.

It is similar (but bigger) to the Road Safety Mobile Park of Toyota in Robinson's Sta. Rosa (Mommy Journey blog). We wanted to take Julia for a spin in a 3-wheel bicycle, but obviously they didn't allow us for safety reasons.  I was disappointed but I was impressed that their safety guidelines are strictly implemented.  They were even announcing through their PA system the bike numbers that were over speeding.  There were road safety signage and proper pedestrian walkway.

Right across "Pedal and Paddle" was the "Circle of Joy" play area.

Julia would've enjoyed playing there but we decided not to let her because it was unclean. Trash was everywhere and it looked like the life-size version of Little Tikes needed a lot of scrubbing .

I would like to go back to Quezon Memorial.  It's free and has a lot of attractions for Julia.  I just hope QC  will invest in making it a more clean and pleasant playground for children.

Quitter

I smokedcigarettes for 15 years.  I started smoking when I was in college. Of course there were sincere attempts to quit, but obviously none workeduntil I got pregnant last May 2010. 

We all know that smoking during pregnancyis harmful to the unborn baby.  Studies have proven that babies whosemothers smoked during pregnancy are likely to weigh less than babies whosemothers did not smoke during pregnancy.  They are also expected to encounterdevelopment problems such as physical and learning disabilities. 

At that time, I know I should stop smoking.  But the real question is, will I quit?

I must admit, I was looking forward togiving birth.  The excitement of courseincluded the fact that I can smoke again. But when I learned more about second hand and third hand smoking, I knewI had to reconsider.

Yes, there is “third hand smoking”.  There are toxins from tobacco smoke thatremain on surfaces like clothes, sofa, etc. These toxins have negative impact on infant lung development and mayeven cause cancer when the residue of nicotine reacts with another chemical inthe air to form potent carcinogen.

There are still studies that need to bedone to further validate this but the possible risk is enough reason for memake a decision.  Not for me but for myJulia.

I quit smoking.  1 year 7 months and still counting.

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Note to my Dad:  I can imagine your face is allred… unsure whether you are disappointed that I smoked or happy that I quit.  Now I know what you mean.  I will never understand until I become aparent myself.  Thanks, Daddy!  Love you!