Going Bananas...Not so!

Because Rocco is highly allergic (like me!), I've been very careful with the timing of his solid feeding.  He started exactly on his 6th month birthday. He pretty much loved his cereals, but over the next few days, Rocco had become a picky eater. He always has been, even with his milk! Haaaay! He would only take a few spoonfuls (max of 15) and would fervently purse his lips and lock his mouth so that Mommy will not give him more. I'm trying to be patient about this, and praying too, that he will improve. I get consolation because his Pedia said he's growing well, and is actually heavy and long for his age, so it means he is getting enough. Pedia also said babies have different feeding patterns, and as a mom, I should just follow his signs and queues on when he's ready to gobble it all in. Buti nalang matakaw sa tulog, kaya growing well pa din :)

Going back, for his 2nd week of solids, he's on mashed bananas! I was supposed to give him avocado first, but the once I bought were not yet ripe, so I opted for bananas first. I mash it with a spoon until it's super soft, add in some cereals (really small amount just to thicken it up a bit), and a dash of milk to give him a familiar taste. He liked it the past 2 days, but today, he utterly refused. Magunaw na ang mundo, ayaw talaga nya. Maybe because it was too ripe? I dunno.

So tomorrow, he's on avocados. I hope he enjoys it now that he has a new spanky high chair. More about that in another post! Anyhoo, I have a long list of Stage 1 food that I'm excited to try out. Wholesome Foods is very helpful too as a guide. Horray to solids!

I'm thankful God led me to the path of the person who accepts me for who I am, even if I take a bath at 7PM, forget to brush my teeth and wash my face when I'm too tired, accepts the fact that I don't wear lingerie and that I'm more comfortable wearing my old shorts and loose clothes, still holds hands with me even if my nails are ungroomed for weeks, and still finds me beautiful in my post-partum body (but I'm working on it you know, masyado na kawawa asawa ko :P ).

Not everyone is lucky enough to find that person in their life. I'm glad I found the one.

Six months and oh so active!

I can only imagine how Rocco will be when he learns how to walk. At six months, he can barely crawl, let alone walk, and yet, he's become quite a handful.

Just this morning, our usual peaceful bath time turned into an almost disaster. Rocco wanted to stand up, and kept on jumping. I was afraid he would slip, because there was water in the tub. He was being held down by me, and his yaya, while our helper was holding the tabo from behind him. Suddenly, he flung his head backwards, and it hit the tabo. Buti nalang, the force was not strong.

Are 6month baby boys really this active? Sabi ng mama ko, when I was 6months old, I was just staying in my crib the whole day. I learned how to walk while I was "trapped" in my crib too. Iba na talaga ang mga babies ngayon.

On another note...

We replaced Rocco's original stroller, which was a birth present from his Ninang. We used it quite a lot when he was smaller, but now that Rocco is becoming active, the stroller design is becoming more disaster prone. Just a few weeks ago, Rocco poked on the side metals, and his foot got accidentally stuck in between. 

We researched for a fairly priced, good quality, sturdy and lightweight stroller, and we found the one. We purchased the Chicco Echo model, and the little boy is quite loving it. I will post a review after a few months, after we've road tested his new stroller.

Why do babies hate vitamins?

Yesterday, I had a major scare when Rocco almost choked from his vitamins. He used to like it, but I guess his interests are changing, and vitamins is not on the "like" list anymore.

I was giving Rocco his vitamins while holding him down. Usually, I drop these on the side of his mouth so he wouldn't choke, but yesterday, he was restraining so hard, refused to open his mouth, and suddenly flung his head while I was administering, and his vits went straight to his throat!! For a moment, he didn't breathe, then he let out a huge cry, the first time I've seen him really cry since he was born. He then kept on coughing, crying, and coughing again, until he spit out the vitamins, together with his saliva.

Hay naku...My heart skipped a thousand beats while Rocco was in agony. I wanted to cry too. I kept saying sorry, but he wouldn't look at me. Nagalit ata sa akin. He fell asleep on my shoulder while still sobbing. I guess he grew tired from crying, because he didn't even take his milk.

Moving forward, I will not force his vitamins anymore. I just instructed his yaya to give it to him during the day when he's in a good mood. At least, mas madali i-distract. OK. Enough with negative vibes. Rocco is feeling fine now. He hugged and kissed me last night.

Moving on to happier thoughts...

The peg of this pic is a cute baby dancer. Hehe Kidding! I took this photo after I bought his bowtie for his first ever wedding bearer stint. Latest habit nya ang "kagat labi". Bagay lang sa outfit nya :)

A Proposal for the Books!!!

There's this viral video being thrown around about the best marriage proposal EVER!!! I watched it too, and what can I say, it's BEAUTIFUL! Props to the guy, Isaac for being so creative and giving his girlfriend a proposal for the books! It got me thinking, ba't di naisip ni Sieg 'to? Hubby's proposal was way toooo lame. Hahaha!

Video from Youtube

The Baby Walker

Rocco has been extra active since he stepped on the 5th month mark. Now that he's 6 months old, he is upping it a notch higher. He loves to play horsey, jump, stand on his feet, wiggle his way out of my hands, roll over the bed, try crawling by lifting his butt to the side, etc.

We decided to buy him a walker to give him some legroom to move around on his own. We limit his walker time to 10-15min each because we don't want to strain his groin and legs too much, and of course, he has to be supervised at all times. Mahirap na ma-accident!

Here he was after his first walker ride. We had to remove the "borloloys" in the tray because he kept on licking at the toys. After a few minutes, he grew tired. Not bad for the first try :)

Cervical Cancer Protection

I was supposed to get my post-pregnancy vaccine shots from my OB a month after I gave birth. But due to my hive allergies from my birth medications, my OB delayed the shots to give my body time to flush out the allergies.

And then I forgot to go back to the clinic. Or I chose not to. My OB is an in-demand doctor, and her patient list would spike up to almost a hundred a day. Since she's busy, she would arrive late, and would finish her clinic consults as late as 10PM. I remember one time, we had to wait from 8AM to 4PM for our checkup. Spell H-A-S-S-L-E.

Then last week, Hubby informed me that their company is sponsoring cervical cancer vaccination for all their female employees and female dependents of male employees in participation of the Women's Month, which is celebrated every May. Nice noh! It's a subsidized rate for only P4,000 for 3 shots. At my OB's clinic, it costs P7,500 to P10,500 depending on the brand.

Cervical cancer vaccination is an important step for all women. It's a breakthrough in science to help fight the spread of the big C. If we can prevent it from happening to us, then let's grab the opportunity.

Prevention is always better than the cure.

Movenpick Staycation

Last weekend, my in-laws visited us here in Cebu to celebrate Ninang Ann's birthday. Ann is my sister-in-law and ninang to Rocco. She traveled from Manila with her fiance, Eugene, also Rocco's ninong. My parent-in-law also traveled from Tacloban.

We didn't have specific plans for the weekend, but they wanted to go swimming. We initially planned on doing a day trip either to Imperial Palace or Plantation Bay but it was too expensive for a day trip, plus, we wanted an overnight booking.

I suggested going to Movenpick. This is located beside Mactan Shangrila, and used to be the Hilton Hotel. It was taken over by the Swiss hoteliers, and was rebranded as part of the international chain of Movenpick resorts and hotels. I've heard a lot about this resort, and saw a tweet from KC Concepcion who was billeted there for the X-Factor auditions. So last Saturday, I called up the resort and inquired of a room availability. The family suite costs a hefty sum but it was OK because there were six of us, and buffet meals were included. After our reservation was confirmed, we all trooped to the resort which is just 20-30min away from our house. 

That's why I love Cebu, the beaches are just a stone throw away :)

 Entrance of the family suite.

 The living room. We had an extra bed installed for Ninong Eugene.

 The second room. We had an extra bed installed too for Ninang Ann.

We occupied the masters bedroom with Rocco.

The little boy was having a great time!

 The cozy lobby area.

 The beach front garden.

Just a few steps away to the white sand beach.

 A view of the three towers.

 Birthday dinner at Golden Cowrie, Mactan.

The famous Manny O's Wine & Tapas. It has a really nice view & ambience especially at night time.

 Hubby woke up early the next day and got a glimpse of the sun just starting to come out. Amazing!

Beautiful. I'm glad we had this staycation.

Rocco starts on solids!

Some parents start their baby on solids as early as 3-5months old. We waited until Rocco turned 6 months before we introduced solids to him. He is highly allergic (like me) so his pedia advised us to wait until 6 months so his body would be more ready to accept solids.

I was actually bent on grinding our own rice and cook the cereal for him, but I haven't researched much about it, so I just bought Healthy Times organic brown rice cereals from Healthy Options. So expensive! I hope to find a better alternative that would also be as good.

Rocco woke up really early this morning and was fussy, slightly feverish at 37.4C. I think his body was reacting to his 6-in-1 vaccine yesterday. Buti nalang he didn't reject his first solid feeding. I was able to give him around 10 spoons of cereals. Not bad for the first time, pero messy pala talaga! Tomorrow I will make less because he can't finish everything pa, sayang naman. Exciting!

Rocco is 1/2 year old!

L-R: Newborn, 1Month, 2Months, 3Months, 4Months, 5Months, 6Months

Rocco turns six months today, and he is at his most active self! I can only imagine when he starts crawling, walking, and running!

Yesterday, we went to his pedia for his monthly checkup and immunization, and his latest vital stats are: 8.3kg weight and 71cm height. My gosh, he's getting heavier by the day, and my shoulders are almost dying everytime I carry him around. Pakarga pa naman everytime Mommy is around.

I'm happy to note that Rocco is developing really well. Aside from his physical growth, his motor, language and social skills are really improving. Sobra nga sa social skills (buti nalang).

- He can lift his chest already and fully extend his arms. Parang nag push-ups lang :)

- He rocks and kicks A LOT!

- He can sit well with support. Just this morning during bathtime, he was able to sit on his own with his hand holding the side of the tub. Very good, anak!

- He loves to stand (of course, still with support). Even in the car, he would stand and jump till he's tired.

- He grabs everything he can get hold on to. Kaya, we're very careful with the things around him. No small & pointed objects allowed.

- He babbles and talks a lot. I think he likes listening to himself talk.

- He knows that his name is Rocco! Very cute. I have to practice calling him Inigo though because he doesn't recognize this as his name. 

- Enjoys poking and pulling my hair. 

- Very sociable! Laughs a lot, but he also recognizes strangers. He crys when being carried by someone else and he does not see Mommy or Daddy.

- He finds himself cute. He smiles everytime he sees himself in the mirror.

- Can sleep on his own without being soothed. 

- Best of all, he started on solids today!! Yahooo!

Thank you, Iñigo Rocco, for the best six months of our lives. You make Mommy and Daddy very happy every single day!

Curious Rocco

The little boy is not satisfied anymore just smiling for the camera, he has to take a look now at what Mommy is doing. He's getting more curious by the day. That's a good sign!!

Rocco's Feeding Loots

Though I'm still not done with my feeding chair dilemma, I've already purchased some of Rocco's feeding stuff. I scored some really good buys (at really cheap prices with free shipping) at Multiply, and still hoping to find more!

1. Non-spill sippy cup
I haven't bought this one yet, but I'm leaning towards Avent. Actually, anything will do as long as it's BPA free.

2. Munchkin Food Mesh Feeder
A great baby product, this mesher has holes so small that only the juice, and some tiny particles of the soft food can be eaten by the baby. This is a great way to introduce solid food (not pureed or liquified) to the baby without the fear of choking. I got my mesher for a really great bargain!


3. Ikea Fabler Bibs
Very cheap, I bought this for roughly 180pesos at Multiply. What I like about Ikea bibs is the touch and close fastener, and the width around the neck fits Rocco to a T. This bib also has a large spill pocket to catch any dripping mess from Rocco's mouth.

4. Munchkin Soft tip Infant Spoon
I was leaning towards buying the white-hot spoon which detects if food is hot up to a certain degree. Bu it got me thinking too, why would I serve super hot food to my baby? So I bought these color spoons instead. I got this at almost 100pesos off from mall prices. Not bad, eh? I really like the soft and rounded tips, perfect for Rocco's gentle gums. It's also BPA free, and the long, colorful handles are really eye catching.

5. Boon Squirt Spoon
Another genius invention! Great for on-the-go feeding, liquified/mashed food up to 3oz can be placed in the fat handle, and baby food is dispensed one bite at a time. No unwanted mess! There's also a protective cover which keeps the spoon clean in between feedings.

Now if I can only decide on the feeding chair.

Which Feeding Chair to Use?

Rocco will turn 6 months in a few days, and we're preparing for his next major milestone, solid feeding! It will come in very handy to have a feeding chair because Rocco cannot sit still on his own and is very strong, so he has to be strapped during feeding time, but I am so overwhelmed with the many options out there.

Now, I'm confused on which one to use. Will it be the High Chair vs. Booster Chair vs. Bumbo/Play&Grow?


High Chair
There are a lot of brands with really cute aesthetic designs, such as Graco, Chicco, and Safety 1st, but the catch is, these are freaking EXPENSIVE for a high chair. Such a waste of money. After doing extensive research, I discovered the Ikea Antilop. Taking after Swedish design which is known for basic style + function, the Antilop looks modern, functional, and easy to clean. Best of all, it's cheap! I found a local distributor which retails this product for Php2,180 (with tray). The downsides are: it's bulky, not portable, and eats up space.

Booster Chair

A booster chair is more handy, and can be strapped to a regular chair during feeding time. It can also be used for a longer period, from 6months to toddler age. But hubby is not sold on the idea of a booster chair because there is still the tendency for the straps to be loose, especially if the baby is hyper, and detach from the regular chair.

Bumbo/Play&Grow
The latest craze is this genius booster seat which is strap-free. Bumbo is the imported brand, while Play&Grow is the local version. It is designed to follow the contour of the baby's body, and promotes proper posture, which in effect, helps the baby to sit without support at an earlier age. It's quite handy too, so it can be used even for travelling or quick trips outside the house. The downsides are: it's expensive, a potential hazard if used on high surfaces, and it's one-size only. We tried putting Rocco on the play&grow of his BFF Geboy, but it seems to be too fit for him already. He may outgrow it before the chair fully serves its purpose. Another concern is the strap-free design. Rocco is so strong, kicks a really good kick, and can arche his body to various positions if he doesn't like being held down. Putting him in this seat may cause unwanted injuries on my baby.

Now if I can only decide on which one to use.

Products I use on Rocco

The baby industry is so thriving, what with all the products being sold in malls, and even in online stores. I can spend a whole morning just checking Multiply Marketplace for new finds. Actually, it can be migraine inducing just comparing products. There are those that claim to be organic, chemical free, BPA free, etc. So I patiently research and read reviews before I buy the products.

My rules of thumb are:
1. It must be baby-safe (no unsafe chemicals, all-natural). Still, I try to limit the products I use on Rocco. We can never be too sure if these are indeed all-natural and baby safe.
2. Dapat hiyang ang anak ko. It might be the most expensive and claim to be the best, but if my baby does not like the product, then it's useless.

So far, here are the products that I've tried and tested, and which my baby loves too!

1. Dove Baby
When Rocco was a newborn, he had milia all over his forehead, and his face was very oily. I thought he got it from his Dad, who has oily skin too. But when I started using Dove Baby on him (after his cord stump fell off), his face cleared up and really became so smooth, white and moisturized. It's a bit pricey but one bar of soap lasts for almost three months. I will stick to Dove Baby no matter what.

2. Cetaphil Restoraderm
Rocco's skin around his shoulder easily gets dry and flaky. I don't know why. Must be from excessive sweating. To help his skin clear up, I use Cetaphil Restoraderm on the dry parts. Super effective! In a day or two, his skin is smooth and flawless again.

3. Nivea Baby Gentle Shampoo & Bath
Before, I used the shampoo variant only for Rocco's hair, but I noticed that his scalp became flaky and dry. I switched to the gentle shampoo & bath variant, and so far, his hair has really thickened up, and there are no more flakes and dry parts.

4. Nivea Baby Gentle Moisturizing Lotion
I'm not really a fan of putting too many products on my son, so I keep the lotion to a minimum. Just on his legs, arms, chest, and back. Nothing on his face. So far, his skin likes the Nivea lotion.

5. Microfibers
For Rocco's bath time, I use a microfiber towel, rather than the usual baby sponge (breeding place of germs!). Microfiber is a great discovery. It's so absorbent, smooth on skin, and easily absorbs extra wetness from Rocco's skin.

6. Indigo Baby Jar of Hope
For bites and scratches, I use the jar of hope. I'm so happy that Rocco never experienced diaper rashes (except when he was a newborn and was left at the hospital for a week). Must be because we use cloth diapers on him.

7. Indigo Baby Shoo Fly Away
I like this better than the Human Nature variant because the citronella and lemongrass smell are more subdued, and not too strong for Rocco's fragile nose.

8. Next9 Cloth Diapers
I love this product!!! So useful and economical. Hands down.

9. Huggies Diapers
For quick trips out of the house, we use disposables. It's easier that way. I used EQ before but I don't like the fit on Rocco's bum, so we switched to Huggies. So far, so good!

10. Baby Wipes
When we're at home, I prefer using cotton balls dipped in mineral water to clean Rocco's bum. It's more hygienic, and economical. When we're out on a trip, I use Giggles because it doesn't have any alcohol odor.

11. Cradle Bottle Cleaner
I feel that the normal dishwashing liquids might leave harmful residues, so I use this special bottle cleaner made especially for babies. It's a bit pricey but 1L of bottle lasts for an entire month.

12. Avent Bottles
I ordered mine from the US so I got it at a cheaper price. So far, I had no bad experience with colic and leaking milk, which I've read in some reviews.

13. Green Cross 70% Isoprophyl Alcohol
I prefer this over the moisturizer variant. We can never sanitize enough!

BFFs Day Out

Fiona Crisostomo (a longtime friend since highschool) and I have been  planning on a date at Oakridge for a long time, but we kept on postponing because of our busy schedules. Last Sunday, on Mother's Day, we had free time on our hands, so we invited the Crisostomo's to an impromptu coffee date at Starbucks, Oakridge. I really like this place because it's clean, spacious, and very child friendly.

Anyway, it's been two months since our families had a get together, the last time being my birthday. I'm so glad we took this time to meet up even for just a bit. It was a fun few hours of catching up, especially with our cute BFF babies in tow. I'm so excited for our next date which will be in a few weeks time. It's gonna be a double celebration for Fiona & Jayr's birthdays!

Rocco (my son) tried on Geboy's play & grow booster seat (Fiona's son). How cute can they be!

Rocco and Geboy got acquainted again. This time, they were more interactive.

It was a fun few hours of baby-sitting. Thank God our babies were behaved the whole time :)

Fiona and I share a lot of similar things! We're both from the same province, we've been friends since high school, graduated in the same university, were roommates in our college dorm, our husbands are both mechanical engineers, we both transferred to Cebu from Manila to be with the love of our lives who are based in Cebu, we got married a week apart, got pregnant a few days apart, and gave birth a month apart. Beat that! Now, I'm godmother to Geboy, and Fiona is godmother to Rocco. So it just seems natural for our babies to be BFFs!

It was a fun way to cap our first Mother's Day. Cheers to mommyhood :)

How I wish it's that easy to make life changing decisions and walk away from things, but sometimes, circumstances prevent us to. I love my job so much, and I think work suits me well, it feeds my need for learning & authority, and it pays me really well. But there are days when I just want to be a mother 100% of the time. Life is tough.

Mother's Day Reflection

Today is Mother's Day. As I celebrate this occasion as a newbie mom, I can't help but reflect on how enormous the impact of being a mom has made on my life. As others say, the moment you give birth, life will never be the same.

On the shallow side:
1. Gone are the days of extended snoozing. When I was single, I used to wake up as late as 2PM during weekends. Now that I'm a mom, 7AM is soooo late.
2. I've always been insomniac, but I guess Rocco cured it. I'm proud to say that I can effortlessly sleep at 8PM, just in time when Rocco sleeps too. Sabay kami.
3. Straight sleeping? Naaah!!! It's a thing of the past.
4. Taking a bath? I can do it now in 5min tops, especially when Rocco is looking for me.
5. Couch potato all day? You bet! I hardly even watch TV anymore.
6. Slow eating? I can finish my meals now in 5min!
7. Late night gimmicks? I'd rather be at home now bonding with my son.

But all these shallowness are nothing everytime I hear Rocco laugh, I smell his armpits, I kiss his drooly lips, I hug his chubby body, I bite his hands and feet, or just feel him breathe.

What makes it even better is when Rocco calls me "a-me", when he hugs be back everytime I hug him, when he gently touches my face everytime we play, when my simple jokes and funny faces would make him laugh so hard, when his face lightens up when we arrive home from work, when he refuses to sleep because he's waiting for us, when nobody else can make him sleep other than me, when Rocco recognizes my voice and looks for me when I call him from afar, or simply just the feeling of being needed, and the list goes on and on.

I have never felt so much love before I had Rocco, and sometimes it scares the hell out of me. The responsibility is so heavy, and for a very carefree person like me, it can be such a pressure. I worry about the little things, and it's still a struggle that I'm learning to live with.

Motherhood has changed my life enormously, but I would not have had it any other way. Because of Rocco, and my husband Sieg, I have never felt more complete.

To Sieg and Rocco, thank you for making me the happiest wife  and mommy! I love you to the moon and back :)

Foot Fetish

What's with the toes & feet that babies are so hooked up to it? Rocco is no different. All he does is reach for his toes and attempt to eat them. Good thing I was able to snap some cute photos of him having a "ballerina" moment with his toes. Sooo cute!

Daddy's eyes

Rocco inherited my nose, lips and skin, but he got his Daddy's eyes. He's growing up to be quite a looker too! I've got a hearthrob in the making!

#mommymode

Random Tuesday Thoughts

I'm feeling under the weather today. Must be the colds, and I hope it won't progress to a cough. I'm downing Green Barley and lots of water to counter the virus.

A lot of things are happening these days. Well, for one, showbiz-landia is so alive! Let's admit it, we think it's cheap to even talk about them, but we're hooked anyway. CASES IN POINT!

Anabelle vs. Nadia
All I can say is, ayoko maging friend si Anabelle at baka biglang maging frenemies kami, maging hell ang life ko. This woman is so full of "angst". I must say, naloloka ako sa kanya. Nadia, on the other hand, should have thought first before allowing her children to enter showbiz. Pero sabi nga nila, pera-pera lang yan.

Ara vs. Cristine
I always feel sad when I hear of siblings fighting over money. Me and my sisters and brother promised each other that we would never fight over money and would be as generous to each other as we can be. Pero iba siguro kapag sangkatutak ang pera. Nakakasilaw siguro. Si Ara naman ay feeling ko nakikiride sa kasikatan ni Cristine. Nagkakalat daw ng tsismis si Cristine, eh hindi nga alam ng taong bayan kung ano yon, kung hindi lang sya nagpainterview. Nakakalurky. Pero malay natin may root cause ang kanilang hinanakit sa isa't-isa. Ika nga, we can never can tell.

Albie vs. Andie
Kung ako din naman, makita ko ang ex kong iniwan akong mag-isa habang buntis, baka sinabuyan ko ng asido. Sosyal lang si Andie at wine ang hawak nya. She just reacted as any hurt woman would.
PS to the mother of Albie: please keep your mouth shut. It just makes your son look more like a weakling hiding in his mother's clothes. Once and for all, give your son some backbone and let him handle his own problems.

and the most exciting of all.... Tulfo vs. Santiago
I saw the online link of the T3 show of the Tulfo brothers, and nakakaloka! Kung ako si Claudine, maiihi ako sa takot. Hahaha! I think the whole brawl has got to do with the supermoon. Affected ang mga mood at pag-iisip ng mga utaw. Kidding aside, I think it was just a whole case of misunderstandings gone wild. Eto ang tingin ko:

1. CebuPacific should have informed their passengers if their luggages were not on board. This must be a protocol. Hindi enough na sasabihin  nila na ipapa home delivery nila ang lost baggage. Come on! Nakakirita nga naman if galing ka sa stressful flight only to find out na wala kang gamit.

2. CebuPacific must greatly improve their customer service, including their ground personnel. Tanggapin na natin ang katotohanan na marami talagang irate at pa-VIP customers na maninigaw kapag hindi nasunod ang gusto nila. Dapat trained ang personnel to handle these situations at hindi lang sila nagsosorry, kasi mas lalong nakakagalit yon. I remember during my SMART days na ang frontliners, may special training pa how to handle irate customers, yung tipong naninigaw. Dapat may ganon ang CebuPacific, lalo na't palpak lagi ang service nila.

3. Baka hindi si Claudine ang nag-empake ng bagahe nila (ang yaya kaya?), pero kung importante pala ang medications ng anak nya, dapat nakahand carry ito. Pwede naman kumuha ng special permit to carry these.

4. Baka akala ni Claudine nasa shooting sya kaya naninigaw, bringing back her glory days of being the Primetime Queen.

5. Lesson sa lahat ito, ayaw ng mga lalaki ng nagger. Kuda siguro ng kuda itong ni Claudine kaya na-aikido ni Mon. A little patience goes a long way, especially if you are a public persona who has an image to protect.

6. Plus 1000 pogi points si Raymart sa pagiging ulirang asawa. Bilib ako sa taong ito. Sa lahat ng tsismis about his wife at sa family nila, talagang stick pa rin sya through thick and thin. Kung ako naman sya, at nakitang inaapi ang asawa nya, talaga namang lalabas din ang aking da moves. Kaya keri lang yan Raymart.

7. Eto namang si Mon, naghahanap lagi ng action. Ang sabi ng maraming airport witness (na nabasa ko lang din), kinudaan daw sya ni Claudine kaya tinulak nya ito at tinadyakan. Parang mali nga naman. Una palang, if talagang sincere sya na nagsympathize sya sa kawawang FA's na tinalakan ni Claudine, instead of taking a video, dapat nilapitan nya ang mga ito at tinulungan silang ipacify ang situation. Parang malicious kasi ang intent nya, knowing the Tulfo's who bribe their subjects in exchange for non-exposure. Pangalawa, if kukuha sya ng video na makakagalit ng iba, eh lolo, maging discreet ka naman kahit papano. Huwag yung kukuha ka ng video na kitang kita ng lahat. Talaga namang babanatan ka ng mga yan. Pangatlo, if ang pakay nya doon ay hindi makigulo, sana pinakita nalang nya ang cellphone nya at nagapologize. Pero hindi eh. Feeling ko kasi gagawin nyang scoop yon at pagkaka-kitaan sana.

8. Ang winner sa lahat, ang NAIA T3. Lahat ng pasahero nagbabayad ng terminal fee na pagkamahal mahal, at walang CCTV? Nakakaloka!! Pano nalang kung may bomb threat, or may napatay. Sorry nalang? Naku naku naku.

Oh diba, buhay na buhay ang tsismis, nakakatanggal ng antok. Pero seryoso tayo, I guess my two cents worth of opinion is: mga boys and girls, always learn to breathe in and breathe out. Huwag papadala sa init ng ulo, at baka malintikan kayo, especially sa panahong ito na konting mali mo na, flavor of the moment ka na sa Youtube, Facebook at Twitter :)

PS. Ano kaya ang iniisip ngayon ni Juday (na super sexy ulit) sa kalagayan ni Claudine? :)

Love Love Sunday!

Lessons Learned in Life Facebook Page

This perfectly describes how hubby and I are together. I may come across as serious to others, but when I'm with my husband, that's when my true comedic colors come out, and it's so amazing because only he can bring that out. That's what you call love  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Have a happy Sunday everyone! 

xoxo, Dianey 

Those sturdy legs, too eager to stand and walk!

The little boy has been practicing his sturdy legs. He jumps up and down when we oblige to his preferred playtime. Before I know it, he'll be walking and running around on his own. Time flies by so fast, I want to savor more of these moments!

Photobooth Fun!

Looks like the little boy was too amused and fascinated with the Photobooth app that he couldn't staring at it....actually staring too seriously that he didn't even badge an eye. He had the same expression all through out, and we took a lot of photos!

My Household Girls

I value our helpers so much. I realize their value now more than ever, because I'm already a mom and a wife running a household. It's so HARD to find a decent helper nowadays. If you find a really good one, then you've hit a jackpot!

Our Girl #1 was supposed to be Rocco's yaya, but we switched her to be the household help instead because she was too scared to hold Rocco when he was still a newborn. She used to be so timid, seldom talked, never gave us eye contact. I think it's partly my fault, because I used to scold her a lot, even for her little mistakes. I just gave birth that time, so tired and feeling fugly, and I lashed out on her all my pent-up emotions (haha!). But that was just a short time. Over the months, she learned her job, became really efficient and so hardworking. I have to tell her to rest, because she just goes on and on. I'm extra happy because she knows how to cook now, and even whips out her yummy version of chicken adobo and beefsteak.

Our Girl #2 is the yaya of Rocco. I don't want to call her yaya. I actually address her as "Ate" when I talk to Rocco, because I want her to feel that she's a part of the family. She used to be our household help, but things did not turn out well with Girl #1 who we initially hired to be the yaya, so we switched their roles. I'm so happy we did because they work at their best now. Both are so efficient, and really work in tandem, so everybody is happy. 

Going back to Girl #2, I'm especially fond of her because I honestly feel that she cares for my son. She loves playing with him, is very patient, and careful with him. She's also freaking neat with her work, that sometimes I wish I can be as neat as her. I especially love how she does our bed, no crumples, not a single visible dust, and everything is just spic and span. I hope she stays with us until Rocco is a teenager. I will have a major heartbreak if she leaves!

My mama always reminds me to treat the girls well. It's not an easy job being a helper/yaya, so the best that we can do, aside from paying them well, is to treat them with respect and make their life more bearable.

Our girls eat with us. Whatever food is served in the table, that's what they eat too. I never forget to leave money for their snacks. I give them my old clothes. When we go out on Sundays, we bring them along so they can also taste resto food and window shop. So they can save extra, I absorb their monthly grocery expense. When I have extra moolah, I always give them add-on bonuses, aside from their 13th month pay. On their birthdays, I buy them cake and ice cream, and give them extra so they can treat or buy whatever they want. Last Christmas & New Year, I gave them additional load so they can call their families back home. When we go home for vacation and bring Girl#2 along, we always give her days off so she can visit her family. Now, I'm planning to enroll Girl #2 to SSS and Philhealth so she can have more benefits.

The list goes on, and I hope we can do more for them. It's not much, compared to their tireless service and dedication for our little family.

Haaaay, I think I'm on emo mode because Girl#1 is leaving soon :(  She asked permission that she will go home in a month to pursue her studies. She said that her uncle will shoulder her college tuition in a local college at the province. I really don't want her to go because I've grown fond of her, despite the fact that we had a love-hate relationship at the start. But it's her chance of a better future, and I don't want to deprive her of that. I just hope we can find a good replacement.