Quantcast
Channel: MrsMommyHolic
Viewing all 558 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Last summer hurrah at Acuaverde

June 5, 2014, 7:00 pm
$
0
0
We took a quick overnight trip to Laiya, Batangas last week before school officially opens this June. It was literally a last minute trip, since we only booked our room at Acuaverde Beach Resort just the day before via their website!


We already stayed here a year ago and everything's pretty much the same. One thing that's new though is that there's a Municipal Tourism Area before you get to Laiya and you have to pay P20 per adult (kids are free).


Anyway, there had been some rain the past few days before our trip but luckily it was bright and sunny all throughout our stay. We saw on the news though that it was raining pretty hard in Manila so good thing it didn't reach us at all. :)

it was so hot no one wanted to sit on the lounge chairs ;p
playing in the shade

This is Skyler's 2nd time to go to the beach (the 1st was last April in Palm Beach). It was so hot though that he stayed in the room most of the time. We only took him out during the late afternoon and also dipped his feet in the ocean for the first time!

so kagigil!
first time to use a monopod! hehe needs more practice ;p
first dip in the ocean (the toes at least!)
spot Miley!

We woke up early the next day and headed to the beach immediately after breakfast. It really is so much better to swim in the morning since the water is a lot calmer with almost no waves. But it was so hot that the kids kept wanting to go back to the room after a while. Miley even said "Mommy, we're in a desert!" lol! ;p

fine sand and clear skies
Daddy found a crab!

Happy and thankful that we were able to spend this quality time together before summer ends. Til the next getaway! ;)


To see more pictures of the resort (like the room we stayed in and other facilities) check out this post.

Acuaverde Beach Resort,
Barangay Laiya,
San Juan, Batangas

Website: www.acuaverderesort.com.ph

Manila Reservation Office:
Unit 361 3/F Mile Long Building,
VA Rufino corner Amorsolo St.,
Makati City, 1223

Office Hours: Mondays-Thursdays (8am-7pm)
Fridays (8am-6pm)
Saturdays (8am-12noon)

Reservation Number: +632-3817757
+632-3049901
+63917-5457134 (Laiya Number) 
Email: reservations@acuaverderesort.com.ph
↧
Search

My Fab Finds

June 8, 2014, 6:44 pm
$
0
0
2 of my favorite places to shop in are definitely SM and Landmark. They really have so many cute and affordable stuff! I swear, I could spend the whole day just going around their home sections.

I always manage to stumble upon something I really love and just need to buy whenever I go to these malls. Sharing with you some of my latest and fabulous finds. :)

1. I just fell in love with this metal Eiffel Towel the minute I laid eyes on it. This was from the Landmark and cost P900. I think it was a steal considering the size (it's 24" tall) since I've come across smaller ones costing more than double the price.


 2. Also from the Landmark was this placemat set for only P79.75 (6 pieces). I just love the whimsical print and it's packaged nicely so you can even give it as a gift.


3. I blogged about the amazing Living Room Linens section at the Landmark where I bought my throw pillow covers. They also have a great selection of tablecloths like the one I got for only P219.75! The material is a thick cloth and the print is so vibrant in real life. I just wanted to hoard all the designs!


4. Now I also got another tablecloth this time from SM. The material is the plastic kind which I prefer since it's waterproof and easier to wipe clean especially with kids around. This one only cost P100 and I love the dainty, vintagey, floral pattern.


5. I've always loved flamingos so I instantly knew I was getting this one the moment I laid eyes on it. I didn't even check the price at first so imagine my happiness when I found out it was on sale for only P250! Score!


So happy with all my purchases since they're all super cute and cheap too! Fabulous indeed right? ;p
↧
↧

Just Thai in Molito, Alabang

June 11, 2014, 9:55 pm
$
0
0
I was invited to do a food review of Just Thai located in Molito, Alabang last Monday and I was really excited to try it out.

love the high ceiling and oriental decors

I have very low tolerance when it comes to spicy food so it was nice that you can specify how hot you want their dishes to be. I've eaten in Thai restaurants before where even if you tell them to keep it mild, the dish is still served extremely spicy. So this is a definite thumbs up for them. :)

For starters, we were served 2 types of soup. I personally preferred the chicken soup (Tom Kha Gai) since I'm honestly not such a fan of seafood (Tom Yum). The coconut and lemongrass mixed with the chicken soup were an explosion of flavors.

Tom Kha Gai
Chicken soup in coconut broth and lemongrass
Tom Yum (they provide you with the spices seen on the upper right if you want it really, really hot!)

For appetizers, we had chicken sate and spring rolls, both favorites of mine! The peanut sauce with the chicken was simply divine.

Chicken Sate
Thai Spring Rolls

And then, dish after dish of delicious goodness were served.

Mixed Seafood in Basil
Grilled Pork
Fillet of Fish
Cashew Chicken
Chicken Pandan
Pad Thai
Bagoong Rice

Everything tasted really good and authentic. My personal favorites were the Chicken Pandan, Cashew Chicken, and Pad Thai.

For their drinks, I had the Thai Iced Tea and Lemongrass Juice, both equally refreshing. I also tried their Tamarind Juice, but I found the Tamarind taste a little too strong for me. Although I've heard others really like the kick to the taste buds. ;p

(L) Thai Iced Tea, (R) Lemongrass Juice

Now the best part, dessert! I didn't expect to like the Tha Kho so much, which is a coconut pudding. It tasted really light and refreshing. Perfect palate cleanser.

Tha Kho
Coconut pudding wrapped in Pandan Leaves

And finally, they saved the best for last in terms of presentation. Just look at the intricate arrangement of mango slices on top of the sticky rice. This classic Thai dessert just looked too pretty to eat!

Fresh Mango on top of Sticky Rice

Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience since they have a good variety of dishes to choose from. I will definitely be back with hubby who loves spicy food (so he can make his dishes as hot as he wants!). Thank you again to Ms. Kenny Ngo for the invite. I definitely enjoyed the food and the company.


JUST THAI
Molito Lifestyle Center, Alabang - 808-4058
Forbestown (Burgos Circle) Fort Bonifacio - 403-8718
Prism Plaza, TwoE-Com Center, Manila Bay (near MOA) - 519-8135
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pages/Just-Thai/194210380589164
↧

Happy Father's Day!

June 15, 2014, 1:10 am
$
0
0

To the man of the house, Happy Father's Day! My gift to you is you get to take care of all 3 kids for the whole day! I know how much you'll like that hehe! ;p

But seriously, I'd like to say thank you for being the most wonderful dad to our children. And not just for providing them with everything they want and need, but for always being there for them.

Again, Happy Father's Day to all the dads (and also single moms) out there! Enjoy your day today! :)
↧

Transformers Collector's Exhibit in SM BF

June 17, 2014, 4:07 am
$
0
0
I was never a fan of Transformers since I was never exposed to it as a kid. I don't have any brothers plus I went to an all-girls school so I pretty much spent my childhood back in the 80's with Barbie, Rainbow Brite, She-Ra, Jem and the Holograms, and the Care Bears.

When the Transformers movies first came out a few years ago, I wasn't really that excited and just watched it since it was a big blockbuster film. To be honest, I was really confused with whether they were aliens or robots or whatever haha! ;p

Fast forward to a few years later when I had my son who's now 3 years old. After his dad introduced him to Transformers last year, he's been obsessed with them ever since! My hubby even downloaded the original 80's movie and my son loves watching it as well as the new ones. Even his 3rd birthday party had a Transformers theme (check it out HERE).

If before I had no idea, now I practically know all the names of the characters! I know the Autobots, the Decepticons, and now the Dinobots too. And for the first time, I'm super excited to watch the new Transformers 4 movie!

So when I found out that there was going to be a Transformers Collector's Exhibit in SM City BF Paranaque, of course we had to check it out.


It was just a small exhibit but the toys were pretty interesting. However, it was cordoned off so you couldn't really check out the toys up close. I was also expecting mascots like Optimus Prime to be there, so it was quite disappointing that there was only a Bumblebee statue there (although maybe they'll have on the weekend?). And even if my son loves the Transformers, he apparently is still scared of mascots so he refused to have his photo taken with Bumblebee. Hay naku!


I was honestly expecting a whole lot more with the set-up. Maybe even a nice big background to take a picture with or something? Thank goodness we were really in the area since we had to go to the grocery. I think I would be mad if we traveled far just to see this haha! I think it was hubby who enjoyed this exhibit more though. He loved this display below since some of the toys were vintage and said we should recreate it at home with Sabe's toys (yes, he has that much!).


Here were the other displays:


The Transformers: Collector's Exhibit and Cosplay is on view at SM City BF Paranaque's Main Atrium from June 16 to 29 (10am - 9pm). Check it out if you're in the area and are a fan of the Transformers. :)
↧
↧

Fringe Salon in Alabang

June 18, 2014, 9:30 am
$
0
0
I was beyond excited when I was invited by Patty (of Mrs C's Sugarcoated Life) and Michelle (of Momma 'N Manila) to an afternoon of pampering at Fringe Salon in Alabang, which opened last October 2013.


The first thing that came to mind when I stepped inside is how posh the place looked. I loved the sleek, modern interiors and yet it still has that homey feel to it. It is very evident that owner Evelyn R. Tagle has paid particular attention to detail when she set up this space. No wonder it has since become a favourite neighbourhood salon for many residents in the area.


love all the huge, full-length mirrors!
the stylish waiting area

The second floor of the salon has 2 VIP rooms which clients can use as an exclusive venue for services, should they wish for more privacy during their visit. Wouldn't this be a fun place to have a girls' day out with your mom, sisters or BFFs? :)

even the bathrooms are so nice

For those looking for a full day of relaxation, the fully-equipped massage room also located on the second floor provides the perfect retreat. The massage room has its own shower and even a Jacuzzi fitted with a mini TV. I wouldn't mind spending the whole day here for sure! ;p


You can also tell how the salon equipment is all top of the line. Check out their foot spa chair, with back massager and a built in tub.


Even their shampoo chairs look so luxurious!


The salon only uses MAC makeup and Cuccio, an organic nail polish, so you know that you are getting only the best in quality when you avail of their services. And, with over 43 years of collective experience among their senior stylists, you are definitely in good hands at Fringe. You might think that their prices would be steep but it is surprisingly very affordable considering the amenities they provide! 


Like I said, I couldn't wait to get my hair done since it was really a hot mess already. Just a little kwento, I was dying to get my hair colored the whole time I was pregnant but chose to wait until after I gave birth just to be on the safe side. I gave birth in January and was finally able to go to a salon last March. The salon was new and I had high hopes since it was owned by a celebrity hairstylist. I showed them a picture of the shade I wanted and told them I even wanted it lighter than the previous color I had. However, I was disappointed after since it seemed my hair even became darker! They told me it would get lighter eventually but I was really frustrated since I paid a lot of money and didn't even get the hair color I wanted (not even close). So this salon trip to Fringe came at the right time since I was really planning on coloring my hair again!

Here's my BEFORE look. I really wasn't happy with the dull shade of brown. And I definitely needed a haircut! ;p

My hair was first analyzed to check its current state and growth from previous dye job. I'm currently having a LOT of hair fall post-pregnancy too, so I told them not to panic if they see clumps of hair falling out haha!

I was given a haircut before the color. I asked them to chop off about 2 inches (basically the damaged ends) but told my stylist Rodel I still wanted to keep it long. He gave me a layered cut to frame my face which you'll see later.

Rodel working his magic. Can I just say their mirrors are perfect to take selfies in haha!
lemongrass juice and some cookies for snacks

Then, it was time for the color! According to Rodel, they used Davines on my hair. I was honestly really nervous since I hoped the color would be right this time...


When they were blow drying my hair after, I was secretly doing a happy dance inside since I could already see that my hair was definitely a lighter shade of brown!


And here's the finished color. It's a bit lighter on top than at the bottom since they also did a reverse ombre effect.


Check out the huge difference before and after! I love it because I really want the color to be obvious even when indoors and not just when I go out under the sun. And I love my new layered look too! :)


So again, thank you ladies for the wonderful afternoon! Here I am with Maricel of A Sweet Cottage (who provided a lovely dessert buffet set up which I'll be blogging about next), owner Evelyn, Michelle and Patty.

(L-R) Maricel, Evelyn, Michelle, Patty, and me

Fringe Salon is truly your one stop shop for a perfect day of pampering and I can't wait to be back for more. :)

FRINGE SALON
G/F Commercenter Building
Commerce Ave. cor. Filinvest Ave.
Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa
+632 8080881, +63920 2193391, +63927 7897559
Open from 10am to 7pm, Mondays to Saturdays
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/fringesalonph
Twitter and Instagram - @FringeSalonPH
↧

Sweet Treats and Snack Buffet by A Sweet Cottage

June 20, 2014, 9:30 am
$
0
0
One of the things I love most about attending blogger events is meeting new people who share the same passions as me. And one of those people is mom, blogger and crafter Maricel Mendoza of A Sweet Cottage who provided this lovely dessert buffet set up during our Fringe Salon pampering day. Isn't it super pretty? :)


A Sweet Cottage was born when Maricel decided to transition her love for crafting into a business. She found herself with extra time on her hands after resigning from her job to become a stay-at-home mom, and through this business she was able to find a way to make good use of that time.


She specializes in event styling for children’s parties, sweet treats and dessert buffet setup and styling, and decorative fondant cakes for special celebrations. I just love all the details in her display. Everything looks so classy!


 She was even so nice to give everyone a little something she made herself. These owl cards are so cute!


Please do visit her blog to see more of her creations. I am now officially a fan of her work! For orders and inquiries, contact Maricel at +63917-8936700 or asweetcottage@gmail.com.
↧

Goodbye Summer, Hello School!

June 22, 2014, 4:00 pm
$
0
0
We are officially done with the 1st week of school! I can't believe summer has come and gone so quickly. Now we're back to homework and baon and hatid-sundo. :)

Last May, we enrolled Sabe in a summer program in order to prepare him for school. Like I mentioned in my post last month, it was really a struggle for us since Sabe was really crying the whole time and didn't want to be left alone during the first few days. It took a while, but eventually he started to warm up to his teachers and began enjoying himself.

some of the activities during his summer classes

Watching him perform during the culminating activity made me so proud because I could really tell how much progress he made during all those weeks. From the scared little boy who didn't want to let go of me, he was now able to interact with his classmates and follow the teacher's directions.

Sabe as a cow during the "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" number

But I have say, we were anxious again during his official first day last Monday since he didn't want to wake up in the morning and was giving us a hard time dressing him up. He was very cranky in the car but all that changed the minute we got to school. He confidently went inside, greeted the teachers and walked to his classroom like a pro! We couldn't believe it! We were prepared for some tears but I'm so glad we were wrong. :)

he's always so excited to show us his stamp everyday after school

Miley, on the other hand, had ballet lessons this summer. As a mom, I really couldn't wait for the day I could finally bring my daughter to ballet class. I have to say though that I think she enjoyed making new friends more than the dancing itself. She would always be making chika her classmates and I'd always have to signal for her to follow the teacher haha!

To be honest, we weren't really expecting much from her dance recital since it seemed like she wasn't that into it. But I was really surprised when she gave a wonderful performance and was able to do all the steps. I'm so proud of her for finishing the program however she says she doesn't want to do ballet anymore. Swimming classes na lang daw! Ok fine! My ballet dreams are forever crushed haha! ;p


Miley used to be in the afternoon batch last year, but I moved both of them to the morning classes this year. They're still getting used to sleeping and waking up early (especially Sabe!). But I'm happy that any moodiness disappears once they get to school. And I have to be honest and say that I do quite enjoy the few hours of peace and quiet I get in the morning when both kids are at school lol! ;p

back to being the kids' driver

What about you moms? How was your kids' first week of school? :)
↧
Search

Big Guys Pizza

June 25, 2014, 1:59 am
$
0
0
Hubby and I were running errands one day and had a few minutes to spare before picking up the kids. We had noticed this new pizza place in Presidents Ave. Paranaque a few weeks before and decided to stop and try it out.

Presidents Ave. Paranaque branch

The place is quite small and there's no air-conditioning. So we just decided to get take-out since the weather was quite hot.


After checking the menu, we decided to get their promo of buy one 10" and one 15" pizza for P499. We got the All-Meat and Classic Hawaiian flavors.


Shown below are their 4 sizes of pizza boxes: 10", 15", 20", 36". Luckily, someone ordered their biggest size while we were there, so we got to see the pizza up close. It was really BIG so props to the delivery guy who had to balance that on his motorcycle haha! ;p


Here's our pizzas:

15" and 10" pizzas
All-Meat
they only have thin crust btw
Classic Hawaiian
up close

My verdict? The All-Meat was a little spicy for me and I'd still go for Shakey's Hawaiian Delight anytime (my all-time fave). I guess their 36" pizza would be nice to have if you have a party at home. But if you have the Shakey's Pizzanatic Supercard, then maybe their buy 1 get 1 promo would be a better deal.
↧
↧

Pineapple Crush

June 27, 2014, 6:17 am
$
0
0
I'm currently obsessing over pineapples and love how they're popping up almost everywhere these days. From fashion to home decor, it's so fun and funky that I can't get enough of it! I don't know how long this trend will last, but here's some fruity finds I'm definitely crushing on for now :)

(L-R) 1. Topshop 2. Forever 21 3. Urban Outfitters
source
throw pillow covers from Seek the Uniq: (L) jute sack, (R) plantation
images from Pinterest & Etsy
one piece suit from J.Crew
source
canister from Seek the Uniq
tank & cotton shirt from Forever 21
decorative glass cutting board
source
source
source
source
source
source
source

So what do you think, are you a fan of this trend? :)
↧

Shopping loot from SM's mid-year sale

June 29, 2014, 5:00 pm
$
0
0
Now that I have kids, I find myself shopping for them most of the time. Gone are the days when the first place I'd check out in a mall is the ladies' section. These days, I head straight to the kiddie department (or home too).

I happened to be in SM the other day and caught the start of their mid-year clearance sale. I wasn't even planning on getting anything but went home with all these kids' clothes!

I totally love how they're so affordable and such good quality. To be honest, I practically buy all my kids' clothes on sale since I don't want to spend a ton of money on something they'll outgrow really quick.

In SM, I always check the BGS (Boys Got Style) and JusTees brands since they have the cutest shirts. And they always put their old stock on sale year round. So if there's a design I really like, I just wait a few weeks or months until it's discounted already. ;p

Anyway, check out my buys below all at P50% off!


Can you believe I just spent just a little over P1,500 for all these?! That's like only 1 dress in Gingersnaps haha!

Anyway, the SM Store's mid-year clearance sale is ongoing until July 6, 2014 in all branches. Hope to go back again this week for some more shopping! :)


↧

The Farm Organics Resto

July 1, 2014, 6:00 pm
$
0
0
Finally, I got to try The Farm after all these months! Hubby and I would always think of eating here but then for some reason, we'd always end up somewhere else. But one night, hubby was really craving for a burger so off we went. :)

I really like how cozy the place looks with all the wood and leather
nice place to just chill and relax
hubby's favorite part of the resto haha! ;p

According to their website, The Farm Organics - The Healthy Meat - is the first to offer fresh certified organic grass-fed beef in major supermarkets in the Philippines. The Farm Organics' cattle are pastured-raised cattle, which are NOT given antibiotics and growth hormones (rbGH).

The Farm Organics beef is a nutrient-dense, health-promoting food which contains more CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which supports the immune system and helps fight cancer. It also contains omega fatty acids, and vitamin E. Both the Omega-3 fats and CLA in grass-fed beef actually reduce the risk of heart disease.

with my handsome dates while waiting for our food ;p

Hubby decided to get the Kesong Puti Burger. I tried it and it was really good! The patty was super tender and juicy. I just wish it was bigger though. ;p

Kesong Puti Burger

Of course, we had to order fries, which is a must for my 3-year old son! And hubby tried one of their beers too.

Kesong Puti Burger and Fries

I decided to get pasta just so we could try something other than their burgers. The Truffle Mushroom was ok, but the ones I've tried from Mamou and Mama Lou's are definitely far superior. It made me wish I'd just gotten a burger too hehe!

Truffle Mushroom Pasta

We also ordered their brick oven pizza and decided to get Four Cheese. It was small at 10" and again, I've had better. Towards the end, all that cheese was becoming too bland so we used the mushrooms from the pasta as toppings haha! ;p

Four Cheese Pizza

Next time, I will definitely stick to ordering a burger or steak! :)



THE FARM RESTO - Certified Organic Steaks and Burgers
One Legacy Place, Don Jesus Blvd., Alabang Hills, Muntinlupa City
828-2896
www.thefarm.ph
www.facebook.com/TheFarmResto
↧

Our monggo plant

July 3, 2014, 6:00 pm
$
0
0
About 2 months ago, we received the Breeze Sige Sabado Playbox which included, among other things, materials to raise a monggo plant.


My daughter was really excited to plant the monggo seeds in the small plastic pot. I don't really know if there's a correct way to plant monggo (like soil to seed ratio?) but I pretty much just let her decide how many seeds she wanted to put in the soil (she placed a lot!). And then she was even more excited to water it after (I think she might have drowned the seeds too haha!). ;p


There were still a lot of seeds left over so she decided she still wanted to plant more in an empty space in the garden. I just let her dig away and plant as many monggo seeds as she wanted...


The seeds in the small pot grew really quickly and then died after a while. I honestly forgot all about the other seeds my daughter had planted until our helper excitedly called us out one day. We didn't even notice that a full-blown monggo plant had already sprouted! :)

look at the ripe seeds ready for picking!
and more are growing!

So cool right? ;p I don't have a green thumb, but this makes me excited to plant other stuff in our garden like basil or calamansi. Hope it grows! :)
↧
↧

Breakfast at Ritchie's Diner

July 5, 2014, 5:00 pm
$
0
0
We happened to stumble upon Ritchie's Diner one time while looking for a place to eat around BF. We were happy to find out that they served breakfast since we wanted to eat somewhere other than the typical fast food place.

opens daily at 7AM

I love the whole classic American diner look and ambiance, since it makes me feel like I'm transported back in time. I especially like the checkered floor and bright colors - so fun and cheerful! They also have two TVs mounted on the walls so you can watch some shows while waiting for your food. And they also have lots of magazines to read too.

This visual is so cute hehe. Can you tell who these actors are? ;p
say cheese!
refillable coffee
oops not too much sugar baby! ;p

They have an extensive menu which includes an all-day breakfast from pancakes, waffles, omelettes, french toast and Pinoy rice meals. They also serve specialty burgers and signature sandwiches, ribs, steaks, pork belly, pasta, quesadilla, fish tacos, kids meals and more! And since this is a diner, they offer hot brewed coffee, milkshakes, homemade cakes and pies, ice cream and sundaes too.

menu from their website

It was a bit overwhelming at first since they had sooooo many choices! They practically have everything on the menu! It took us a while to order since everything looked good. In the end, I got the beef tapa, hubby got an omelette, and we ordered pancakes for Miley. :)


beef tapa with garlic rice & eggs (P138)
egg omelette with toasted bread (P185)
red velvet mini pancakes (P80)

Everything was really good and surprisingly very affordable! I have to say that the servings were very generous for the price. The service was excellent too. Our waiter was so nice and helpful with suggesting what to order. And plus points for whenever a restaurant has a kid-friendly menu. We will definitely be back for lunch or dinner to try more of their other offerings. :)



RITCHIE'S DINER
No. 303 Aguirre Avenue, Phase 3, BF Homes Paranaque (beside Puregold Jr.) 
748-8733
Website: http://www.ritchiesdiner.webs.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ritchies-Diner/288996811228466
↧

My Breastfeeding Journey

July 7, 2014, 5:00 pm
$
0
0
Today, my baby Skyler turns 6 months old. Wow, where did the time go? I still remember like it was yesterday when I was still pregnant and about to give birth. I can’t believe it’s been half a year already! It’s definitely a milestone for both of us because I have been exclusively breastfeeding him for this long as well. This is a HUGE accomplishment for me, because despite having 3 kids already, this is the first time I’ve been able to successfully breastfeed.

I haven’t really shared much about my struggles in the past because I feel that there are some advocates who are so quick to judge and criticize moms who decide to give their babies formula. I’m by no means an expert and I just want to share my story since there might be other moms out there who can relate to my experience.

During my first pregnancy, I’d assumed that breastfeeding would happen naturally after I gave birth. After I delivered my daughter Miley, she was immediately placed on my chest to nurse as is the practice in hospitals. She didn’t really latch on then, so I just assumed she was sleepy and would eat when she got hungry later on.

She would be brought to me for feedings and the nurses would teach me how to make her latch on. It seemed easy enough then. She would suck for a few seconds, even minutes and then doze off. Based on the books I read, this seemed normal as the baby still had “reserves” from being in the womb and wasn’t really hungry yet. I also figured we were both new to this so in time it would get better.

Anyway, when we got home, that’s when the problem started. She just couldn’t latch on properly no matter how hard we tried. It was so frustrating and I just felt so helpless. I was steadfast in that I didn’t want to give her formula despite protests from my mom, mother-in-law and even yaya that I was starving my baby.  Apparently both hubby and I were formula fed and we turned out fine so both our moms were insisting we give her formula already.

This continued on for a few more days until it was obvious she was losing weight, her lips were so chapped (probably from being dehydrated already) and she just kept crying most of the time. I thought motherhood was supposed to be this wonderful thing, but I honestly wasn’t enjoying it during those first few days. I guess I had slight post-partum too, since I felt like my life was so different after giving birth. I didn’t feel good about myself, I couldn’t even take a shower, meals were rushed, and I just wanted to sleep!

All I know is I kept trying and forcing to direct feed. I did all the tricks - malunggay capsules, drinking lots of water, relaxing myself by listening to music before trying to feed (since I read the baby feels when you’re stressed too). But it just wasn’t happening. I couldn’t even feel any milk in my breasts. I was just tired, cranky, stressed, and depressed!

At this point, I was beyond hopeless so I finally gave in and gave her formula. I’m not much of an emotional person, but this really made me break down and cry. I felt like such a bad mom, that I was a failure. But to be honest, another part of me felt relieved to finally see my baby eating.

I kept reading so many articles after and found support groups of mom who just decided to pump in order to give their babies breastmilk. So that’s what I decided to do. It was funny because I didn’t even buy a pump beforehand because I just assumed I would be breastfeeding exclusively and wouldn’t need it. I guess I also didn’t have as much information and support as I should have from the start as well.

Throughout it all, hubby was so supportive. He went out to buy me a pump and whatever else I needed. After initially pumping for a few days, my milk finally came in but I was only able to pump about 2 - 3 oz at a time. Still it was something! I gave Miley whatever breastmilk I could pump and when it wasn’t enough, she drank formula. I still continued to pump when I got back to work but with extremely hectic schedules (and no decent place to pump except the bathroom), I stopped after 5 months.

Same thing happened with my second baby Sabe. I don’t know why but he couldn’t latch on as well! This time, I immediately turned to pumping and I was able to give him my breastmilk for about 8 months. But he was also drinking formula when my breastmilk wasn’t enough.

When I got pregnant for the 3rd time, I was just praying that I’d be successful in breastfeeding this time. I don’t know if it was because this was my 3rd pregnancy or maybe a change in mindset, but I could already feel my boobs had milk as my due date came nearer (which wasn’t the case with the previous pregnancies). And I guess my prayers worked since I had milk a few days after I gave birth and Skyler finally knew how to latch! Alleluia!

During the start, there were times when I doubted myself though. I was in extreme pain from engorgement and there were times I would really scream when Skyler would latch on! I was feeding on demand so I hardly was getting any sleep at all too. Not like before when hubby (or even my mom or yaya) could help feed the baby from the bottle. Now, I was literally attached to my baby at all times. I kept saying I’d take it one day at a time since it would eventually get better. And in time it did! And now, it’s been 6 months already and I plan to keep on going for as long as I can. :)


One thing I know for sure is that us moms only want the best for our babies. I personally think that breastfeeding shouldn’t be the judge if one is a good mother or not. There will be lots of opinions out there but I guess just do what you feel is right for you and your baby. Happy mommy = happy baby right? In my case, I’m just really grateful the 3rd time was the charm. So again, happy 6 months to my baby Skyler and here's hoping to be able to continue breastfeeding until he at least turns 2! :)
↧
Search

Happy half-birthday Skyler!

July 10, 2014, 6:38 pm
$
0
0
My baby Skyler is now 6 months old! And to celebrate, we had a little photoshoot with his cake. :)


He's really growing up so fast! He can now semi-crawl and he moves from one end of the bed to the other side at lightning speed. And usually, he does this to get his favorite toy - the remote control haha! He also started solids a few days ago, having mashed banana and potato (mixed with a little breastmilk). And he loved it! I'm beginning to teach him sign language too (starting with the word milk) so we'll see how he picks it up. Definitely can't wait for more milestones with this little one. :)
↧

Watsons Bath to Basics

July 14, 2014, 2:03 am
$
0
0
I was really excited when I was invited to the Watsons Bath to Basics event last July 10 at the Ki Neo Day Spa in BGC.


Watsons Philippines’ Bath to Basics campaign aims to educate people about the importance of maintaining or boosting their bathing habits to achieve better health and skin. It’s also a chance for people to learn more about the different body care products that can complete one’s bath regimen – from the typical bar soap to body wash, body scrubs to bath salt and more.

with fellow bloggers Anne, Yuki, and Sarah
beautiful bloggers ready to get pampered for the day!

Guest speaker Ms. Olen Lim opened the event by talking about bathing rituals, looking good and feeling great. According to her, grooming is an essential part of our daily routine that affects our confidence and self-esteem. An indulging bathroom ritual every morning goes a long way. We need to make it a habit to pamper our body daily and make our bathroom a sanctuary. This sets our mood for the day and lets us start our day right. Because really, when you love your body, you love yourself. :)


Then it was time for our spa party! I was part of the group that had the full body scrub while the other group had a body massage.


We were asked to choose what scrub we wanted to use among the following: whitening milk & salt scrub with papaya extract, whitening milk & salt scrub with collagen, anti-ageing milk & salt scrub with carrot extract, and moisturizing milk & salt scrub with avocado extract. I decided to chose the one with collagen since it says it will reveal your skin’s natural radiance. ;p


Then it was finally time for my body scrub! I was pampered for 1 whole hour then was treated to a very relaxing shower. I felt so fresh and my skin felt so silky smooth after!


But the fun didn’t end there. After our spa experience, we still had a shopping challenge! We were all given a shopping box and P1000 worth of Watsons GCs . Whoever is able to buy the most number of Watsons label bath products will win a free Ki Neo Day Spa Gift Certificate.


You all know I love shopping so this challenge was right up my alley! I love Watsons’ buy one take one deals so I grabbed a lot of those, especially the body wash and scrubs.

I'm a happy Watsons shopper!

Watsons also has a promo right now where they’re giving away a FREE 750mL Limited Edition Body Treats Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap when you buy any of the participating bath products (body wash, deo, body scrub and bath soap) worth P500. But if you’re an SM Advantage Card member, purchase requirement is only P400. This promo is also available in the SM Store Beauty Section.


Check out all the goodies I was able to take home! I can’t wait to use all these products to pamper myself. Thank you so much Watsons! :)


Watsons also has the Bath to Basics activation booths in the following malls so go check it out to score great deals and offers: SM Fairview (July 17-22), Festival Mall (July 24-29), SM North Edsa (July 31-August 6), and SM Manila (August 14-19). Or check out their Facebook page for more details: www.facebook.com/WatsonsPH.

*sponsored post
↧
↧

Bungalow 300

July 16, 2014, 9:30 am
$
0
0
I have always loved Bungalow 300's colorful pillows which I first saw in Dimensione and are also available via Taste Central. I was obsessed with the chevron pattern then and I think theirs was the first one I saw with that print. I came thisclose to buying some, however my kuripot side won over since each pillowcase is about P700-P800. I mean that's a lot considering there are super cute pillowcases over at my happy place Landmark for less than P100 each! 

Anyway, it just so happened that I found out they were having a 3-day sale last weekend through Instagram (@bungalow300). I figured I'd check it out since it said discounts were from 10% to 50% off. 

heaven!!!

I immediately zeroed in on the pillows and my heart started pounding when I was told they were 50% off! OMG! Each pillowcase would be about P300-P400, still a lot more expensive than my Landmark finds. But it was a good deal nonetheless, considering I almost bought these at full price before (see, patience is a virtue haha!).


It was so hard to choose! I didn't want to go overboard and buy every color and pattern just because it was on sale (I've done that way too many times!). I wanted to get designs that would work with what I already had at home. I must have looked so confused since one of the owners came up to me and asked if I needed help haha! I told her it was ok, I really take my time when deciding. ;p 


They also sell Domesticity products like these cutlery and glass trays you see on the top shelf below. I've also been eyeing these over at Taste Central, but they were only 10% off though...


I had to restrain myself from buying these placemat sets since I already have so much (still unused) at home. But they would make such pretty gifts right?


Here's some more eye-candy around the store. I love the vintage modern furniture, quirky and bold accessories and so much more!

I wanted that super cute owl on the lower right (30% off) but I already have so much owl figurines...
they also have Luxe City Guides
each corner of the store is like from a page of a`magazine
cork coasters at 50% off!
display outside the store right before you enter
gorgeous bone china figurines
more bone china stuff on the 2nd floor

According to them, this is their very first sale ever! So I'm really happy I was able to catch it. I'll show you in the coming post what I ended up buying. ;p So if you're in the south and you like what you see, definitely try to drop by this store. I also saw that they hold crafting workshops here so hopefully I can join the next one. :)

Buencamino is along Alabang Zapote road right across Honda Cars. You will see Metro Bank- Sycamore building on the corner of Buencamino. When you turn in to the street look for the white row house 50 meters to your left with a big No.7


BUNGALOW 300
No. 7 Buencamino St. Alabang, Muntinlupa
519-3143
↧

Goodbye Typhoon Glenda!

July 20, 2014, 1:07 am
$
0
0
Oh my goodness, Typhoon Glenda whipped through Manila only a few hours last July 16 but left behind so much destruction. I honestly have never felt so scared that our house would get destroyed because of the strong winds! I woke up at 3am that Wednesday to feed Skyler and for some reason I couldn't go back to sleep because of the rain. I could already feel the electricity fluctuating because the aircon and the lamp would keep shutting on and off for just a few seconds. I turned off the aircon in our room and the kids' room since it was cool anyways and just decided to go online just to check what was happening. Good thing we had also charged all of our phones and gadgets the night before since we were anticipating that there would be a brownout.

I was still awake at 4:30am when we lost electricity. Good thing all the kids were still asleep so we just held on to our flashlights. It was about 5:30 when Miley and Sabe woke up because they were also scared of the rain. They were asking to open the TV and the aircon, so I had to explain it was brownout and just gave them the iPad so they could play with their apps. We all just huddled in the room and waited for the storm to pass.

The winds were so strong that we could see the trees on the street falling down. One of our cars was parked outside the house so we were just praying nothing would fall on it. Our bamboo wall on one side of the house was slowly falling apart too. We also had some water come in the attic.

Good thing everything was pretty much okay after that. Hubby and our neighbor went outside when the winds died down to clear some of the trees that were blocking the road. Hubby also went around after and he told me so many trees had fallen everywhere, especially in the park. Some of the slides and swings were also destroyed.


We were thankful that the storm had passed and now we were just praying for the electricity to come back on. Our phone line was down too, but good thing our water supply was ok. The weather was pretty cool when it was still raining, but after a while it was just hot again. I just hated seeing my kids so uncomfortable, especially baby Skyler. He was so fussy even if I was fanning him like crazy. I could see beads of sweat on his little head and batok all the time. Miley and Sabe kept asking for cold water and to turn the electric fan on. They were all so sweaty even if I kept fanning them since they couldn't sit still too. Haaay may muscles na ako sa kakapaypay I swear haha! ;p

ang init!!!

We found out the next day that there was already electricity in my Mom's place. So we all headed there Thursday afternoon. And let me tell you, I have never been so happy to have a glass of cold water! And also to go online haha! The little things you take for granted right?

I was asking my friends if they had light already and one of them said it was only brownout in their area for 2 hours! Swerte!!! However, we were hit with the rotating brownout Friday afternoon from about 4:30pm to 8:30pm. We decided to wait it out by having dinner in the mall. Finally, we got the news Saturday early morning that we light in our area already! Yahoo! I almost wanted to comment on other people's statuses on FB when they were complaining of the brownout for only a few hours or just 1 day. Heller, kami 3 days! But honestly, I kept reminding myself that losing electricity is nothing compared to other people who have lost their homes or even their lives...

So we finally went home yesterday morning and would you believe that in the late afternoon (about 4:30pm) our lights go off again??? We find out from our neighbors that only a couple of streets in our village lost electricity this time since there was an explosion near the guardhouse. It was weird (and annoying) since the house at the end of our street had lights! Kapag minalas ka nga naman! Good thing my in-laws (who live in the same village) had electricity so off we went again to stay there. And I'm sure you know how much stuff you bring when you have kids right? Akala mo lilipat na kami ng bahay sa dami ng dala namin every time haha!

Thankfully, the lights came back this morning already. But honestly, I'm traumatized already by all this brownout. We're all sick na naman nga probably from all the pawis and change in weather. It's so stressful for me as a parent seeing my kids scared and confused about what's happening. And also worrying about the stuff in the ref and freezer too! Good thing I don't have an enormous amount of frozen breastmilk (just about 10 bags since I direct feed most of the time anyway) otherwise I think I would have gone crazy!

I just pray we won't have to experience any more storms like this (fingers crossed!). It's just so scary and makes you appreciate the little things in life more. I also hope that everyone affected by this storm is ok and doing good now. And please, no more brownout! ;p
↧

DIY Dress Repair

July 21, 2014, 8:39 pm
$
0
0
I saw this dress from Zalora a few weeks ago and fell in love with it immediately. First of all, I'm loving wrap dresses right now (especially for breastfeeding) and this print was also the same one as a Seek The Uniq tunic I missed out on before.


So I had it washed and was all set to wear it out for an event...


But then, my heart skipped a beat when I noticed something...


Oh. Em. Gee. Ang laki ng butas sa collar! Obviously nasunog siya when it was ironed. The dress is made of jersey but it has this tissue-like thing inside the collar (probably to give it shape) so I guess it wasn't able to handle the heat. Pero kainis lang kasi wala naman care instruction label un dress so malay ba namin right?


You know what, the younger me would have thrown a fit and started screaming like crazy after seeing this. Imagine, hindi pa nasusuot nasira na. And super noticeable pa kasi it was on the collar. But I calmly put the dress back on the hanger, picked another outfit and just decided to do something about it when I got back. I guess having kids also made me more understanding that yes, accidents do happen. And instead of getting mad (which only gives you wrinkles), we should just move on and try to fix the situation.

So after studying the damage later on, I realized that the collar was actually the best place for it to happen. Hindi tumagos un butas sa other side, so I figured I'll just FLIP the collar!


Hubby was reluctant when I showed him and said baka masira pa lalo. But I was confident in my sewing skills. Kaya yan! I removed the tag first (pwede pa actually ibalik ulit later on)...


Then I started making tastas the thread which connected the collar to the dress. Hindi siya madali ha! I had to be very careful not to ruin the dress further so I just did this slowly but surely...


Finally natapos din! I then removed all the stray thread, flipped the collar over and got ready to sew...


I just did basic running stitch since it won't be seen naman when worn...


Tadaaaa! Collar connected and looks good as new! :)


I also stitched up the hole pala just so it wouldn't get any bigger...


Yey, the dress is saved haha! I was literally doing a happy dance after!


Now you can't even tell there was a hole to begin with right? It'll be our little secret ha. :)
↧
Viewing all 558 articles
Browse latest View live
Search